Bean curd and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The invention belongs to the field of food processing, and particularly relates to bean curd and a preparation method thereof. The bean curd contains soybeans, black beans and traditional Chinese medicine raw materials for tonifying qi (astragalus membranaceus / codonopsis pilosula), tonifying kidney (medlar / semen cuscutae), activating blood and beautifying face (angelica sinensis) and tonifying spleen (poria cocos), and honey can also be added. The preparation method comprises the following steps: crushing the traditional Chinese medicines to 80-100 meshes, mixing the crushed traditional Chinese medicines with the beans, adding water (3-4 times of the total weight), grinding, curing slurry at 90-95 DEG C for 15-20 minutes, cooling to 70-75 DEG C, adding 0.3-0.5% of gypsum liquid for solidification, and finally carrying out compression molding. The bean curd has the advantages of composite efficacy, high utilization rate of effective components, good taste and suitability for industrial production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of food processing, specifically relating to tofu and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] Tofu, a traditional Chinese soy product, uses soybeans as its core ingredient. With its rich plant protein, easily absorbed nutrients, and delicate texture, it holds an important place in the daily diet and is suitable for all ages. As public health awareness increases, consumers' demands for food have shifted from simply "filling their stomachs" to "health preservation." This has led to the emergence of health-preserving tofu products with added medicinal and edible ingredients, attempting to combine traditional diet with health benefits.

[0003] However, existing health-preserving tofu products suffer from numerous technological shortcomings, failing to meet consumers' demands for high-quality health foods. From a formulation perspective, most products focus on a single health benefit, such as adding only goji berries to tonify the kidneys or only angelica root to replenish blood, lacking a multi-functional synergistic design. Human health is a systemic process; qi and blood, and the functions of internal organs are interconnected. Health-preserving tofu with a single function cannot achieve comprehensive conditioning. For example, focusing solely on tonifying the kidneys while neglecting the spleen and stomach's digestive function can hinder nutrient absorption, making it difficult to exert its health-preserving effects and failing to meet consumers' needs for a "one-stop" health regimen.

[0004] In terms of preparation technology, existing technologies have significant shortcomings. The mainstream process involves directly adding Chinese herbal powder to pre-made soy milk, or first boiling the Chinese herbal medicine to obtain a medicinal liquid and then mixing it with the soy milk. In the former case, the Chinese herbal powder particles are relatively coarse, and the soy milk has already formed a stable system, making it difficult for the Chinese herbal medicine to be fully dispersed, easily leading to sedimentation and stratification, which affects the appearance and texture of the product. In the latter case, the effective components of the Chinese herbal medicine are easily destroyed by high temperatures during the boiling process, and the compatibility between the medicinal liquid and the soy milk is poor, resulting in insufficient integration and uneven distribution of components.

[0005] These technological defects directly lead to a chain of problems: First, the utilization rate of effective ingredients is low, and the active substances in traditional Chinese medicine cannot be fully dissolved and absorbed by the human body, resulting in unstable health benefits and making it difficult for consumers to perceive actual benefits; second, the taste is poor, as insufficiently dispersed Chinese medicine particles make the tofu taste rough, and the abrupt medicinal taste destroys the original flavor of the bean, reducing the eating experience and affecting consumer acceptance; third, the product quality is unstable, and uneven distribution of ingredients leads to large differences in the content of effective ingredients and taste between different batches and even between different parts of the same batch of tofu, which is not conducive to industrialized production and brand building.

[0006] Furthermore, some existing technologies lack clearly defined process parameters. Key parameters such as the particle size of the Chinese herbal medicine, the amount of water added during grinding, and the maturation temperature and time are missing or vague, leading to reliance on experience during production and further exacerbating product quality instability. Simultaneously, most technologies fail to provide scientific weight ranges for raw material proportions, resulting in arbitrary ingredient usage. This can lead to either insufficient efficacy or a deterioration in flavor due to excessive amounts of Chinese herbal medicine. These issues hinder the industrialization and market promotion of health-preserving tofu.

[0007] Therefore, based on this, the technical solution of the present invention is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a tofu and its preparation method, aiming to solve the technical problems in the prior art, such as the single efficacy of health-preserving tofu, and the low dissolution rate of effective Chinese medicine components, poor taste, and unstable efficacy caused by improper preparation process.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a tofu comprising soybean raw materials and traditional Chinese medicine raw materials; wherein: The legume raw materials include soybeans and black beans; The Chinese herbal raw materials include those for replenishing qi, tonifying the kidneys, promoting blood circulation and beautifying the complexion, and strengthening the spleen.

[0010] Preferably, the qi-tonifying Chinese herbal medicine raw materials include Astragalus membranaceus or Codonopsis pilosula; the kidney-tonifying Chinese herbal medicine raw materials include Lycium barbarum or Cuscuta chinensis; the blood-activating and beauty-enhancing Chinese herbal medicine raw materials include Angelica sinensis; and the spleen-strengthening Chinese herbal medicine raw materials include Poria cocos.

[0011] Preferably, the tofu comprises the following ingredients by weight: 50-60 parts soybeans, 10-15 parts black beans, 5-8 parts astragalus or 3-5 parts codonopsis, 3-5 parts wolfberry or 2-4 parts dodder seed, 2-3 parts angelica and 4-6 parts poria.

[0012] Preferably, the tofu also includes the following ingredients by weight: 2-4 parts honey.

[0013] Based on the same technical concept, the present invention provides a method for preparing tofu, the method comprising the following steps: (1) The raw materials of traditional Chinese medicine are crushed to obtain traditional Chinese medicine powder; (2) Mix the bean raw materials with the Chinese medicine powder, add water and grind to obtain a paste; (3) The slurry is heated and stirred to mature, thereby obtaining a matured slurry; (4) After the matured slurry cools down, add the coagulant, stir, and let it stand to solidify; (5) Press the solidified paste into shape to obtain the tofu.

[0014] Preferably, in step (1), the material is pulverized to 80-100 mesh.

[0015] Preferably, in step (2), the weight of water added is 3-4 times the total weight of the bean raw materials and the Chinese medicine powder.

[0016] Preferably, in step (3), the heating temperature is 90-95℃ and the cooking time is 15-20min.

[0017] Preferably, in step (4), the temperature is lowered to 70-75°C; And / or, the coagulant is gypsum liquid, and the total weight of the gypsum liquid is 0.3-0.5%.

[0018] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: The tofu and its preparation method of this invention address the problems of single formula, unreasonable process, and poor product quality in existing technologies. Through innovation in both formula and process, it achieves multi-dimensional technological breakthroughs, significantly improving the overall quality of tofu. Specific beneficial effects are as follows: (I) Scientific Formula, Complex and Synergistic Efficacy: This invention breaks through the limitations of existing single-efficacy formulas, constructing a complex formula system of "legumes + multiple types of traditional Chinese medicine". Soybeans and black beans provide high-quality plant protein, providing basic nutrition for the body; Qi-tonifying Chinese medicine (Astragalus / Codonopsis) can enhance the body's vitality, kidney-tonifying Chinese medicine (Goji berries / Cuscuta) can nourish the liver and kidneys, blood-activating and beauty-enhancing Chinese medicine (Angelica sinensis) helps improve blood circulation and regulate skin tone, and spleen-strengthening Chinese medicine (Poria cocos) can promote the digestive function of the spleen and stomach. All kinds of raw materials follow the TCM principle of "principal, assistant, adjuvant, and guide" in their formulation, working synergistically to achieve simultaneous regulation of multiple effects such as "tonifying Qi, tonifying the kidneys, nourishing the skin, and strengthening the spleen", meeting the needs of the human body's health system. At the same time, the optional addition of honey not only optimizes the flavor but also has a moisturizing effect, further enhancing the product's health value and meeting consumers' needs for comprehensive and efficient health maintenance.

[0019] (II) Core Process Innovation, High Utilization Rate of Effective Ingredients: This invention adopts a core process of "pulverizing Chinese herbal medicine + mixing and grinding soybeans with Chinese herbal medicine," fundamentally solving the defects of existing processes. First, the Chinese herbal medicine is pulverized to 80-100 mesh to increase the specific surface area, creating conditions for the dissolution of effective ingredients. Then, it is mixed and ground with soybean raw materials. During the grinding process, mechanical force not only breaks down the cell walls of the soybeans, releasing proteins, but also performs secondary micro-pulverization of the Chinese herbal medicine powder, making its particle size even smaller. Simultaneously, it ensures that the Chinese herbal medicine particles are evenly dispersed in the soybean milk matrix in the early stages of slurry formation, avoiding the fusion problems caused by subsequent additions. This process allows the effective ingredients of the Chinese herbal medicine to fully dissolve and be evenly distributed in the tofu, significantly improving utilization and ensuring the stable health benefits of each piece of tofu, solving the problem of unstable efficacy in existing products.

[0020] (III) Delicate texture and excellent flavor, enhancing the eating experience: The "mixed co-grinding" process allows the microparticles of Chinese medicine to be evenly embedded in the protein network structure of tofu, avoiding the rough texture caused by the particles of Chinese medicine in existing technologies, resulting in a delicate and smooth texture for the tofu. At the same time, the Chinese medicine components and soybean components are fully integrated during the grinding and cooking process, and the aroma of herbs and soybeans naturally intertwine without any abrupt medicinal taste. The addition of honey can also neutralize the slight astringency, giving the product a mellow flavor, enhancing the eating experience, increasing consumer acceptance, and solving the problems of poor taste and uncoordinated flavor in existing health-preserving tofu.

[0021] (iv) Clear process parameters, suitable for industrial production: This invention specifies in detail the key parameters for each process step, such as the particle size of the Chinese herbal medicine (80-100 mesh), the amount of water added during grinding (3-4 times the total weight of beans and Chinese herbal medicine), the maturation temperature (90-95℃) and time (15-20 min), the solidification temperature (70-75℃), and the amount of gypsum solution used (0.3-0.5%). These clear parameters avoid the drawbacks of existing technologies that rely on experience-based operations, making the production process highly controllable, effectively ensuring the consistency of product quality across different batches, reducing production difficulty, and making it suitable for large-scale industrial production. This lays the foundation for the industrialization and promotion of the product and solves the problem of existing technologies being difficult to industrialize. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be described in detail below. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other implementation methods obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0023] Example 1 This embodiment provides a tofu with combined beauty and kidney-tonifying effects, and its preparation method. This method significantly improves the dissolution rate and dispersion uniformity of the effective components of the Chinese medicinal herbs by mixing and grinding specific soybean pulping raw materials with various functional Chinese medicinal herbs, thereby ensuring the efficacy stability and excellent taste of the final product.

[0024] In this embodiment, the initial step in preparing the tofu is the preparation and weighing of the raw materials. The selected raw materials and their weight ratios are as follows: 55 parts soybeans, 12 parts black beans, 6 parts astragalus, 4 parts wolfberries, 2.5 parts angelica, and 5 parts poria (1 part = 500g, the same below). In addition, to improve the flavor of the final product and increase its moisturizing effect, 3 parts honey are prepared. Food-grade gypsum is used as the coagulant, and a gypsum solution of appropriate concentration is prepared in advance.

[0025] It should be noted that the above raw material compatibility has its inherent technical logic. Among them, soybeans and black beans together constitute the raw materials for making bean pulp, serving as the basis for tofu preparation and providing the main source of plant protein. The addition of black beans not only enriches the types of proteins, but also has the traditional effect of tonifying the kidney and nourishing yin, complementing the subsequent compatibility with traditional Chinese medicines. The selection of traditional Chinese medicine raw materials follows the compatibility principle of monarch, minister, assistant, and courier to achieve the compound health care goal. Specifically, astragalus membranaceus, as a traditional Chinese medicine raw material for tonifying qi, is mainly used for tonifying qi and lifting yang, consolidating the exterior and stopping sweating; wolfberry fruit, as a traditional Chinese medicine raw material for tonifying the kidney, is used for nourishing the liver and kidney, benefiting essence and improving eyesight; angelica sinensis, as a traditional Chinese medicine raw material for promoting blood circulation and beautifying the face, has the effects of enriching blood and promoting blood circulation, regulating menstruation and relieving pain, and plays an important role in improving skin color and beauty; and poria cocos, as a traditional Chinese medicine raw material for strengthening the spleen, can promote diuresis and remove dampness, strengthen the spleen and calm the mind, and contribute to the absorption and transportation of the whole formula.

[0026] After the raw materials are prepared, the raw material pretreatment step is carried out. This step includes two parallel sub-steps: soaking of bean raw materials and pulverization of traditional Chinese medicine raw materials.

[0027] In the step of soaking bean raw materials, 55 parts of soybeans and 12 parts of black beans weighed are placed in the soaking unit. The soaking unit can be a soaking pool with inlet and outlet pipelines and a temperature control device. Sufficient pure water is injected into the soaking unit to completely submerge the bean raw materials, and the water temperature is controlled at room temperature, and the soybeans and black beans are soaked for 7 hours continuously. This soaking process aims to make the bean grains fully absorb water and expand, soften the tissue structure, which not only facilitates the subsequent grinding process, can reduce energy consumption and increase the pulp yield, but also activates the enzymes inside the beans and promotes the dissolution of nutrients such as proteins. After soaking for 7 hours, the bean grains have absorbed sufficient water and their volume is about 2 to 2.5 times that of dry beans. At this time, they can be fished out and drained of excess water for use in subsequent processes.

[0028] Meanwhile, the step of pulverizing traditional Chinese medicine raw materials is carried out. 6 parts of astragalus membranaceus, 4 parts of wolfberry fruit, 2.5 parts of angelica sinensis and 5 parts of poria cocos weighed are washed to remove surface impurities, and then dried to reduce the water content to make them easier to pulverize. Subsequently, the dried traditional Chinese medicine raw materials are sent to the pulverizing unit. The pulverizing unit can be a high-speed universal pulverizer or a pneumatic pulverizer. Through the action of mechanical force, the traditional Chinese medicine raw materials are pulverized into fine powder. In this embodiment, the traditional Chinese medicine raw materials are pulverized to a fineness passing through a 90-mesh sieve. Pulverizing the traditional Chinese medicine raw materials into fine powder greatly increases their specific surface area, creating favorable conditions for the rapid and sufficient dissolution of active ingredients in the subsequent grinding process. The powder particle size of 90 meshes is moderate, which not only ensures sufficient dissolution efficiency, but also avoids the generation of difficult-to-handle dust or the influence on the fluidity of the slurry in subsequent processes.

[0029] After the pretreatment step is completed, the core step of this technical solution, namely the mixing and co-grinding step, is entered. The treated and drained soybeans and black beans, along with the processed traditional Chinese medicine powder, are fed into the co-grinding unit. The co-grinding unit is preferably a colloid mill or an ultrafine grinding mill. In the co-grinding unit, purified water is added according to a preset ratio; in this embodiment, the weight of the added water is 3.5 times the total weight of the soybean pulping raw materials and the traditional Chinese medicine powder. The co-grinding unit is started, and the grinding discs inside the equipment rotate at high speed, causing the soybean raw materials and traditional Chinese medicine powder to undergo intense shearing, grinding, and high-speed stirring under the guidance of water.

[0030] During the co-grinding process, the cell walls of the soaked and softened soybeans and black beans are effectively broken down, releasing nutrients such as proteins and fats from within the cells, forming a milky white slurry. Simultaneously, the traditional Chinese medicine powder, already pulverized to 90 mesh, undergoes a second micro-grinding process under the powerful mechanical force of the colloid mill, further reducing its particle size and instantly and evenly dispersing it into the newly formed soy milk matrix. This "grinding, mixing, and dispersing simultaneously" method ensures that the effective components of the traditional Chinese medicine (such as astragalus polysaccharides and ferulic acid) come into full contact with water and protein molecules in the initial stage of slurry formation, greatly improving dissolution efficiency and the final concentration in the slurry. Correspondingly, the tiny medicinal particles are encapsulated by large protein molecules, forming a stable colloidal dispersion system, avoiding potential stratification and sedimentation problems during subsequent standing or heating. After processing in the co-grinding unit, a mixed soy milk with an extremely fine texture and uniform color is obtained.

[0031] Next, the prepared mixed soy milk is pumped into the cooking unit to perform the cooking and maturation step. The cooking unit is typically a stainless steel pot with a jacketed heating and stirring device. The purpose of cooking is to: denature the proteins in the soy milk by heat, preparing it for subsequent coagulation; thoroughly kill microorganisms in the soy milk to ensure food safety; and further promote the dissolution of the effective components of the traditional Chinese medicine and desensitize anti-nutritional factors in the soy milk, eliminating the beany taste. In this embodiment, the mixed soy milk is heated to 92°C and maintained at this temperature for 18 minutes. Throughout the cooking process, slow stirring is continuously performed to prevent localized overheating and scorching, ensuring even heating. After the cooking and maturation is complete, heating is stopped, and while the soy milk is still at a high temperature, three portions of prepared honey are added and stirred well. The addition of honey not only provides a mild sweetness and neutralizes some of the slight astringency that the traditional Chinese medicine may bring, but its fructose and other components also play a certain moisturizing role, making the final tofu product more moist in texture.

[0032] After the soy milk is boiled, a cooling and coagulation process is performed. The cooked mixed soy milk is transferred from the boiling unit to the coagulation unit (e.g., a clean coagulation tank). Before coagulation, the high-temperature soy milk needs to be cooled because the optimal operating temperature range of the coagulant (gypsum) is usually below the boiling point of the soy milk. Excessive temperature will cause the protein to coagulate too quickly, forming a rough, brittle texture. In this embodiment, the temperature of the mixed soy milk is lowered to 72°C through natural cooling or by introducing cooling water through a jacket. Once the temperature reaches the target, the coagulation process begins. The pre-prepared gypsum solution is slowly and evenly added to the soy milk, at a rate of 0.4% of the total weight of the mixed soy milk. While adding the gypsum solution, the soy milk is quickly stirred from bottom to top for about 2 minutes to ensure that the coagulant is rapidly and evenly dispersed throughout the liquid. After stirring, all disturbance is immediately stopped, and the mixture is covered and allowed to stand for 12 minutes. During this process, calcium ions in gypsum cross-link with carboxyl groups on denatured protein molecules to form a three-dimensional network gel structure that encapsulates water and various nutrients, thereby causing liquid soy milk to solidify into tofu pudding with a certain elasticity and strength.

[0033] After the tofu curd has solidified, the final pressing and shaping step is performed. The solidified tofu curd from the coagulation unit is carefully scooped into a shaping unit (usually a mold with drainage holes) pre-lined with clean gauze. After filling the mold, the top is wrapped with gauze and the lid is placed on top. Then, a pressure of 0.3 MPa is applied to the lid and held for 10 minutes. Under pressure, unbound free water (i.e., yellow whey) in the tofu curd network structure is squeezed out, making the gel network structure more compact, thus forming a firm and resilient tofu block.

[0034] After the pressure holding period, the pressure is released, the mold is opened, and the formed tofu is removed and placed on a clean work surface to cool naturally to room temperature. After cooling, the final product of this embodiment is obtained. The resulting tofu has a uniform light brown color, which is the result of the combined action of black beans and various traditional Chinese medicine ingredients and their natural pigments. Its cut surface is smooth, without any visible particles, and its texture is delicate and elastic. When tasted, it has a smooth and tender texture, a rich bean aroma, and a harmonious herbal fragrance, without any obvious bitterness. Component analysis shows that the effective components of the traditional Chinese medicine are evenly distributed and have stable content, proving the superiority of the preparation method of this application.

[0035] Example 2 This embodiment aims to illustrate that the technical solution protected by this invention is not limited to the specific combination of traditional Chinese medicine raw materials disclosed in Example 1, but may also cover other alternative raw materials with the same or similar pharmacological functions. As an optional implementation, this embodiment replaces the Qi-tonifying traditional Chinese medicine raw material with Codonopsis pilosula, and replaces the kidney-tonifying traditional Chinese medicine raw material with Cuscuta chinensis, while keeping the other raw materials unchanged.

[0036] The preparation process in this embodiment is basically the same as that in Example 1. The main difference lies in the types and proportions of raw materials and the corresponding adjustments to some process parameters.

[0037] In the raw material preparation stage, the raw materials and their weight proportions used in this embodiment are as follows: 60 parts soybeans, 15 parts black beans, 4 parts Codonopsis pilosula, 3 parts Cuscuta chinensis, 3 parts Angelica sinensis, and 6 parts Poria cocos. No honey was added in this embodiment. Food-grade gypsum solution was also used as the coagulant.

[0038] In the raw material pretreatment step, 60 parts of soybeans and 15 parts of black beans were soaked in water for 8 hours in the soaking unit, then drained. Correspondingly, in the traditional Chinese medicine raw material pulverization step, 4 parts of Codonopsis pilosula, 3 parts of Cuscuta chinensis, 3 parts of Angelica sinensis and 6 parts of Poria cocos were washed, dried and then pulverized into 80-mesh powder in the pulverization unit.

[0039] Next, in the co-grinding step, the soaked bean raw materials and the pulverized Chinese medicine powder are fed into the co-grinding unit together. The amount of water added is three times the total weight of the solid raw materials to obtain a more concentrated slurry.

[0040] Subsequently, in the cooking and maturation step, the mixed soy milk is pumped into the cooking unit, heated to 95°C, and maintained for 15 minutes. Using a higher temperature and a slightly shorter time for maturation can also achieve the purpose of sufficient protein denaturation, sterilization, and promotion of component dissolution.

[0041] After the soy milk is boiled, in the cooling and coagulation step, the cooked soy milk is cooled to 70°C in the coagulation unit. Then, 0.5% of the total weight of the soy milk is added as a coagulant, and after rapid stirring, it is allowed to stand for 15 minutes to allow it to fully coagulate. The increased amount of coagulant is intended to accommodate the higher concentration of the soy milk and ensure complete coagulation.

[0042] Finally, in the pressing and molding step, the solidified tofu is transferred to the molding unit and pressed, dehydrated, and cooled in a manner similar to that in Example 1 to obtain the final product.

[0043] The tofu produced in this embodiment is similar to the product of Example 1 in appearance, texture, and taste, also possessing a delicate texture and a harmonious aroma. Analysis of the active ingredients also indicates that it exhibits the expected compound health benefits. This embodiment successfully demonstrates that by using Codonopsis pilosula instead of Astragalus membranaceus and Cuscuta chinensis instead of Lycium barbarum, and by adjusting the proportions and process parameters within a reasonable range, the technical objectives of this application can still be achieved. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application can reasonably cover these substitute raw materials with the same pharmacological function classification.

[0044] Example 3 The purpose of this embodiment is to verify the effectiveness of the process parameter range claimed in this application and the robustness of the solution. In this embodiment, the same types and weight ratios of raw materials as in Example 1 are used, but a set of parameter combinations that are at the boundary of the claimed protection parameter range or different from those in Example 1 are selected for preparation.

[0045] The raw materials used are the same as those in Example 1, namely 55 parts soybeans, 12 parts black beans, 6 parts astragalus, 4 parts wolfberry, 2.5 parts angelica, 5 parts poria cocos, and 3 parts honey.

[0046] In the raw material pretreatment step, the soaking time for legume raw materials is set to 6 hours, which is the lower limit of the required protection range of 6-8 hours. Meanwhile, the raw materials for traditional Chinese medicine are pulverized to 100 mesh, which is the upper limit of the required protection range of 80-100 mesh.

[0047] In the co-grinding step, add purified water at a ratio of 4 times the total weight of the raw materials for co-grinding. This is the upper limit of the required 3-4 times water addition range.

[0048] During the cooking and maturation step, heat the mixed soy milk to 90℃ and maintain this temperature for 20 minutes. This is the lower limit of the required protected temperature range of 90-95℃ and the upper limit of the required time range of 15-20 minutes. After cooking, add honey and stir well.

[0049] In the cooling and coagulation step, the cooked soybean milk is cooled to 75°C, which is the upper limit of the required protected temperature range of 70-75°C. Then, 0.3% gypsum solution is added by weight of the soybean milk for coagulation, which is the lower limit of the required protected coagulant dosage range of 0.3-0.5%. After coagulation, the mixture is allowed to stand for 10 minutes to solidify.

[0050] In the compression molding step, the compression parameters are the same as in Example 1.

[0051] Through the aforementioned process flow employing a series of boundary conditions or different parameter combinations, this embodiment also successfully produced qualified tofu. The finished product achieved the expected goals in terms of morphology, texture, flavor, and efficacy, showing no significant deterioration compared to the product of Example 1. This fully demonstrates that the various process parameter ranges defined in this application, including soybean soaking time (6-8 hours), herbal powder mesh size (80-100 mesh), co-grinding water addition (3-4 times), boiling temperature (90-95℃) and time (15-20 minutes), coagulation temperature (70-75℃), and coagulant dosage (0.3-0.5%), are scientifically sound and effective. Any combination within this parameter range can be used to implement the technical solution of this application and achieve the inventive purpose, demonstrating the good process stability and industrial applicability of this technical solution.

[0052] Example 4 This embodiment aims to verify the validity of the raw material weight range claimed in this application and to demonstrate a formulation without added honey. In this embodiment, the lower limit of the claimed formulation range was used for preparation.

[0053] Raw material preparation: Weigh the following raw materials in parts by weight: 50 parts soybeans, 10 parts black beans, 5 parts astragalus, 3 parts goji berries, 2 parts angelica, and 4 parts poria. These values ​​correspond to the lower limit of the claimed range of parts by weight (50-60 parts soybeans, 10-15 parts black beans, 5-8 parts astragalus, 3-5 parts goji berries, 2-3 parts angelica, and 4-6 parts poria). Honey is not added in this embodiment to verify that it is only an optional flavoring ingredient.

[0054] Preparation Process: All process steps and parameters in this embodiment are performed in accordance with Example 1 to ensure that, under the same process conditions, only the difference in the raw material ratio affects the final product. As a specific implementation, the preparation process may include the following steps: 1. Raw Material Pretreatment: Soak 50 parts soybeans and 10 parts black beans for 7 hours; grind 5 parts astragalus, 3 parts wolfberry, 2 parts angelica, and 4 parts poria into 90-mesh powder. 2. Mixing and Grinding: Mix the pretreated raw materials, add 3.5 times their total weight of purified water, and grind together to form a mixed soy milk. 3. Cooking and Maturation: Heat the mixed soy milk to 92°C and maintain for 18 minutes. 4. Cooling and Coagulation: Cool the soy milk to 72°C, add 0.4% gypsum solution by weight of the soy milk, and let stand for 12 minutes. 5. Pressing and Shaping: Press the solidified soy milk into shape under a pressure of 0.3 MPa for 10 minutes, then demold and cool.

[0055] The tofu produced in this embodiment has similar physical properties and texture to the product of Example 1, proving that the technical solution of this application is still feasible even when using the lower limit of the formula range. In terms of flavor, since no honey was added, the product has a milder sweetness, better highlighting the rich bean aroma of soybeans and black beans, as well as the complex and natural herbal flavor brought by various Chinese medicinal ingredients. The test results of the active ingredients show that this product also possesses the complex health benefits expected in this application.

[0056] The results of this embodiment strongly demonstrate that the weight range of each raw material defined in this application is a reasonable range that has been thoroughly experimentally verified. Any combination of proportions within this range can produce a tofu product with the beneficial effects described in this application. Furthermore, it also proves that flavoring agents such as honey are optional additives, and their presence or absence does not affect the establishment of the core technical solution of this application.

[0057] Comparative Example 1 Compared with Example 1, this comparative example does not contain Astragalus membranaceus, but all other operations are the same as in Example 1.

[0058] Comparative Example 2 Compared with Example 1, this comparative example does not contain goji berries, but all other operations are the same as in Example 1.

[0059] Comparative Example 3 Compared with Example 1, this comparative example does not include Angelica sinensis, but all other operations are the same as in Example 1.

[0060] Comparative Example 4 Compared with Example 1, this comparative example does not include Poria cocos, but all other operations are the same as in Example 1.

[0061] Verification Example 1: Beauty Efficacy Test 1. Test subjects Thirty female subjects aged 25-40 years were selected. All subjects had no serious skin diseases, no history of allergies, and had not used skin care products or taken related health products with whitening or moisturizing effects in the three months prior to the experiment. The initial skin stratum corneum moisture content of the subjects was in the normal range of 18%-25% (excluding dry skin with a moisture content below 15% or abnormal skin with a moisture content above 30%). They were randomly divided into three groups of 10 people each: experimental group (consuming tofu prepared in Example 1 of this invention), control group 1 (consuming ordinary tofu containing only soybean raw materials), and control group 2 (consuming health-preserving tofu with only goji berries added in the prior art).

[0062] 2. Test Methods Three groups of subjects consumed 100g of the corresponding type of tofu at a fixed time each day for 30 consecutive days. During the experiment, subjects maintained normal sleep and dietary habits, avoiding behaviors that could affect skin barrier function and moisture content, such as excessive sun exposure, staying up late, and frequent cleansing. On day 0 (initial), day 15, and day 30 of the experiment, the moisture content of the stratum corneum of the subjects' facial cheek areas (avoiding sensitive areas such as the eye area) was measured using a skin moisture meter (accuracy ±0.1%). A skin image analysis system (resolution 0.1mm) was used to analyze the moisture content. 2 ) Measure the area of ​​pigmentation in a fixed 2cm×2cm region on the cheekbone of the face.

[0063] 3. Test Results

[0064] 4. Experimental Conclusions As shown in the table, the skin stratum corneum moisture content in the experimental group showed a steady upward trend with increasing consumption time, increasing from an initial 21.5% to 28.2% within 30 days, an average increase of 31.2%, and the final moisture content remained within the normal range of 15%-30%, without any risk of sensitivity caused by excessive moisture content. This indicates that the tofu of this invention can effectively improve the skin's water retention capacity while maintaining the stability of the skin barrier function. Simultaneously, the area of ​​pigmentation in the experimental group decreased from 12.5 mm. 2 Reduced to 9.8mm 2 On average, it reduced by 21.6%, and skin pigmentation was significantly improved.

[0065] In control group 1 (regular tofu), skin moisture content and pigmentation area remained almost unchanged during the experimental period, with only slight fluctuations due to basic daily skincare. Control group 2 (nourishing tofu with added goji berries) showed slight improvement, but after 30 days, skin moisture content increased by only 14.1%, and pigmentation area decreased by only 9.7%, far less effective than the experimental group. This indicates that the compound traditional Chinese medicine formula in the tofu of this invention, which combines "qi-tonifying + kidney-tonifying + blood-activating and beauty-enhancing + spleen-strengthening" effects, can work synergistically to enhance the skin's water-locking ability, improve blood circulation, and reduce pigmentation. Furthermore, its effects are gentle and safe, with no risk of skin abnormalities, significantly superior to tofu products with single effects or no nourishing ingredients.

[0066] Verification Example 2: Kidney-tonifying efficacy test: 1. Test subjects Forty-five kidney-deficiency model mice, weighing 20-22g, were randomly divided into nine groups of five mice each: experimental groups 1-4 (fed tofu prepared in Examples 1-4), control groups 1-4 (fed tofu prepared in Comparative Examples 1-4), and blank group (fed ordinary tofu).

[0067] 2. Test Methods Each group of mice was fed 5g of tofu per 100g of body weight daily for 2 weeks. After feeding, a swimming endurance test was conducted: the mice were placed in a swimming tank with a water temperature of (25±1)℃ and a water depth of 30cm, and the time from entering the water to exhaustion (being unable to float up after 10 seconds) was recorded as an indicator of swimming endurance.

[0068] 3. Test Results

[0069] The results showed that the swimming endurance time of the experimental group mice was significantly longer than that of the control group and the blank group, with an average extension of 30% compared to the control group. This indicates that the complete tofu formula of the present invention can synergistically exert the kidney-tonifying effect, improve the physical fitness and kidney function of mice with kidney deficiency, while the kidney-tonifying effect of the control group lacking any Chinese herbal ingredients was significantly weakened, further proving the scientific nature and synergistic effect of the formula of the present invention.

[0070] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A type of tofu, characterized in that, Including legume raw materials and traditional Chinese medicine raw materials; among which: The legume raw materials include soybeans and black beans; The Chinese herbal raw materials include those for replenishing qi, tonifying the kidneys, promoting blood circulation and beautifying the complexion, and strengthening the spleen.

2. The tofu according to claim 1, characterized in that, The qi-tonifying Chinese herbal ingredients include Astragalus membranaceus or Codonopsis pilosula; the kidney-tonifying Chinese herbal ingredients include Lycium barbarum or Cuscuta chinensis; the blood-activating and beauty-enhancing Chinese herbal ingredients include Angelica sinensis; and the spleen-strengthening Chinese herbal ingredients include Poria cocos.

3. The tofu according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ingredients, by weight, include the following: 50-60 parts soybeans, 10-15 parts black beans, 5-8 parts astragalus or 3-5 parts codonopsis, 3-5 parts wolfberry or 2-4 parts dodder seed, 2-3 parts angelica and 4-6 parts poria.

4. The tofu according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes the following ingredients by weight: 2-4 parts honey.

5. The method for preparing tofu according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The preparation method includes the following steps: (1) The raw materials of traditional Chinese medicine are crushed to obtain traditional Chinese medicine powder; (2) Mix the bean raw materials with the Chinese medicine powder, add water and grind to obtain a paste; (3) The slurry is heated and stirred to mature, thereby obtaining a matured slurry; (4) After the matured slurry cools down, add the coagulant, stir, and let it stand to solidify; (5) Press the solidified paste into shape to obtain the tofu.

6. The method for preparing tofu according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step (1), the material is pulverized to 80-100 mesh.

7. The method for preparing tofu according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step (2), the weight of water added is 3-4 times the total weight of the bean raw materials and the Chinese medicine powder.

8. The method for preparing tofu according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step (3), the heating temperature is 90-95℃ and the cooking time is 15-20min.

9. The method for preparing tofu according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step (4), the temperature is lowered to 70-75℃; And / or, the coagulant is gypsum liquid, and the total weight of the gypsum liquid is 0.3-0.5%.

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