FOOD INGREDIENT HAVING MILK TASTE-ENHANCING ACTION, PRODUCTION METHOD THEREOF, METHOD OF ENHANCING MILK TASTE OF FOOD OR SEASONING AND MILK TASTE-ENHANCED MILK-BASED HARD CANDY
An object of the invention is to provide a food ingredient having strong milk taste-enhancing action without providing coarse taste, a production method thereof, a method of improving milk taste, a milk-based hard candy, in particular a milk-based nonsugar hard candy, having a delicious milk taste that is produced with a food ingredient that can replace part or most of the dairy product at low cost. The present invention relates to a food ingredient having milk taste-enhancing action, prepared by heating an aqueous solution containing an amino acid mixture containing at least three kinds of amino acids selected from valine, proline, isoleucine, lysine, glutamic acid and arginine as the principal components and a carbohydrate. The total amount of the at least three kinds of amino acids selected from valine, proline, isoleucine, lysine, glutamic acid, and arginine is preferably 70 wt % or more with respect to the total amount of all amino acids.
