Coating composition for heated food

Abstract

A coating composition for heated food, the composition being applied to the surface of a heated food and then heated to form a coating on the food, the composition containing one or more processed starches selected from acid-treated starch and heat-treated starch, the acid-treated starch and heat-treated starch having the following properties (A) and (B): (A) when the viscosity of an aqueous suspension containing the acid-treated starch or heat-treated starch is measured using a rapid viscosity analyzer (RVA), the peak viscosity is less than 2500 mPa·s, wherein the aqueous suspension contains 25% by mass of the starch, in which the temperature of the aqueous suspension is first maintained at 50°C for 1 minute, then heated to 95°C for 7 minutes and 30 seconds, and then maintained at 95°C for 5 minutes; (B) the absorbance of the aqueous suspension containing the acid-treated starch or heat-treated starch at 660 nm is greater than 0.6, wherein the aqueous suspension contains 0.5% by mass of the starch.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to coating compositions for heated foods. Background Technology

[0002] Heated foods have a distinctive texture: a soft interior and a firmer surface due to heating. This texture is particularly pronounced in fried or baked foods, where heating causes moisture to evaporate from the surface.

[0003] On the other hand, if heated foods are stored, the moisture in the food migrates over time, causing the surface to soften, thus reducing the aforementioned differences in texture. Furthermore, in recent years, various heated foods have been cooked in central kitchens and then stored at low temperatures for transportation and sale. However, during low-temperature storage, moisture migration from the food occurs even during freezing, and moisture in the air sometimes condenses on the surface of the food at low temperatures. Therefore, it is not uncommon for the differences in texture of heated foods to be further reduced due to low-temperature storage.

[0004] Techniques have been proposed to improve the texture of coatings used in fried foods. Patent Document 1 describes a coating material for fried foods containing one or more selected from acid-treated acetylated starch and acid-treated hydroxypropylated starch, and states that using this coating material results in fried foods with a good balance of texture and excellent texture retention. Patent Document 2 describes a mixture for coating fried foods containing at least one of wheat flour and acid-treated starch, heat-treated starch, and cross-linked pregelatinized starch, and further describes that using this mixture results in a coating for fried foods with a crispy texture that maintains its quality even after long-term storage. Patent document 3 describes a microwave-safe coating material containing heat-treated starch. The heat-treated starch is starch selected from etherified starch with a specific degree of substitution, acetylated starch with a specific degree of substitution, oxidized starch with a maximum RVA viscosity of 100 to 4,000 mPa·s, and cross-linked starch with a maximum RVA viscosity of 50 to 4,000 mPa·s, which is heated to a temperature 0.5 to 5.0°C higher than the peak gelatinization temperature before heat treatment. The document states that fried foods made using this coating material have a crispy coating even when heated in a microwave oven.

[0005] Existing technical documents Patent documents Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2015 / 162972, Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-303457, Patent document 3: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-079334. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The problem that the invention aims to solve The present invention provides a heated food that, after being heated and cooked for a period of time or stored at low temperature, does not have a softened surface texture and can maintain a crisp and crunchy texture.

[0007] Methods for solving problems The present invention provides the following as representative embodiments.

[0008] [1] A coating composition for heated food, said composition being applied to the surface of a heated food and then heated to form a coating on the food. The composition contains one or more processed starches selected from acid-treated starches and heat-treated starches. Among them, the acid-treated starch and the heat-treated starch have the following properties (A) and (B): (A) When the viscosity of an aqueous suspension containing acid-treated starch or heat-treated starch is measured using a rapid viscosity analyzer (RVA), the peak viscosity is below 2500 mPa·s, wherein the aqueous suspension contains 25% by mass of the starch. In the viscosity measurement, the temperature of the aqueous suspension is first maintained at 50°C for 1 minute, then the temperature is raised to 95°C for 7 minutes and 30 seconds, and then maintained at 95°C for 5 minutes. (B) An aqueous suspension containing the acid-treated starch or heat-treated starch has an absorbance of 0.6 or more at 660 nm, wherein the aqueous suspension contains 0.5% by mass of the starch.

[0009] [2] According to the coating composition of [1], wherein the content of the processed starch is 10 to 100 by mass.

[0010] [3] The coating composition according to [1] or [2], wherein the processed starch is made from waxy corn starch.

[0011] [4] The coating composition according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the heated food is a fried food.

[0012] [5] A method for manufacturing heated food, the method comprising: A coating composition for heated food according to any one of [1] to [4] is applied to the surface of the heated food; The food with the composition attached is heated to form a coating on the food.

[0013] [6] A method for improving the quality of heated food, the method comprising: A coating composition for heated food according to any one of [1] to [4] is applied to the surface of the heated food; The food with the composition attached is heated to form a coating on the food.

[0014] [7] According to the method of [5] or [6], wherein the composition adhering to the heated food is in the form of a powder or a liquid containing the composition.

[0015] [8] The method according to any one of [5] to [7], wherein the amount of the composition adhering to the heated food is 0.3 to 40 parts by weight of solids equivalent relative to 100 parts by weight of the heated food.

[0016] [9] The method according to any one of [5] to [8], wherein the heating of the food to which the composition is attached is heating with oil as the heat medium.

[0017]

[10] The method according to any one of [5] to [9], wherein the heated food to which the composition is to be attached is a fried food.

[0018] The effects of the invention The coating composition for heated food of the present invention forms a coating on the food by adhering it to the surface of the heated food and then heating it. Heated food coated with the coating composition for heated food of the present invention and then heated exhibits minimal softening of the food surface and a crisp and crunchy texture, even after long-term storage, refrigeration or freezing, or reheating. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The term "heated food" as the target of the coating composition for heated food of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as "the composition of the present invention") refers to food in an edible state obtained by heating and cooking, and does not include semi-cooked products or pre-prepared ingredients even after heating and cooking. Preferably, the heated food is a heated food with a crisp or crunchy texture on the surface. Examples of heated foods with such a texture include fried foods, baked foods, and heat-dried foods, among which fried foods and baked foods are preferred from the viewpoint of having a crisp or crunchy texture.

[0020] The compositions of the present invention contain one or more processed starches selected from acid-treated starches and heat-treated starches. The acid-treated starches and heat-treated starches used in the present invention have the following properties (A) and (B): (A) When using acid-treated starch or heat-treated starch as sample starch, and using a rapid viscosity analyzer (RVA) to measure the viscosity of an aqueous suspension containing the sample starch, the peak viscosity is preferably below 2500 mPa·s, more preferably 10~2000 mPa·s, and even more preferably 40~1500 mPa·s, wherein the aqueous suspension contains 25% by mass of the sample starch, and in the viscosity measurement, the temperature of the aqueous suspension is first maintained at 50°C for 1 minute, then the temperature is raised to 95°C for 7 minutes and 30 seconds, and then maintained at 95°C for 5 minutes; (B) Using acid-treated starch or heat-treated starch as the sample starch, the absorbance of the aqueous suspension containing the sample starch at 660 nm is preferably 0.6 or more, more preferably 0.7 or more, and even more preferably 0.8 or more, wherein the aqueous suspension contains 0.5% by mass of the sample starch.

[0021] Regarding the properties described in (A) above, a rapid viscosity analyzer (RVA) is a device for measuring the viscosity of suspensions of starch or cereal flour. In viscosity measurements using an RVA, the suspension of starch or cereal flour (the target substance) is filled into a container equipped with a stirring paddle (stirring bar), the paddle is rotated, and the resistance encountered by the paddle is measured, thereby determining the viscosity of the target substance. At this time, by measuring the viscosity while heating the container, the viscosity change associated with starch pregelatinization can be determined. RVA devices are commercially available, and RVAs are widely used for quality inspection of foods containing large amounts of starch.

[0022] The following describes an example of the procedure for determining starch viscosity using RVA.

[0023] Add 25 mL of an aqueous suspension containing 25% by mass (dry weight) of the sample starch to the aluminum canister (the container for the target analyte) of a Rapid Viscosity Analyzer (RVA) (e.g., a Series 4 RVA-4 from Newport Scientific). Then, place the aluminum canister in the apparatus's column using the accompanying agitator. Heat the contents of the aluminum canister (the aqueous suspension containing the sample starch) while rotating the agitator at 160 rpm / min, simultaneously measuring its viscosity. The heating conditions are as follows: first, maintain the aqueous suspension at 50°C for 1 minute, then raise the temperature to 95°C over 7 minutes and 30 seconds, and maintain this temperature for 5 minutes. If necessary, cool the aqueous suspension to 50°C over 7 minutes and 30 seconds, and maintain this temperature for 2 minutes. Measure the viscosity of the aqueous suspension during this heating period, and obtain the maximum viscosity, which is taken as the peak viscosity.

[0024] Regarding the properties described in (B) above, the absorbance of the aqueous suspension containing the starch sample is a measurement taken at a path length of 10 mm. An example of the procedure for measuring the absorbance of the aqueous suspension containing starch is described below.

[0025] An aqueous suspension containing 0.5% by mass (based on dry weight) of sample starch was prepared at an ambient temperature of 25°C. This suspension was filled into a measuring cell with a 10 mm optical path length without allowing the starch to settle, and the absorbance at 660 nm was measured using an absorbance meter (V-630, Nippon Spectrophotometer Co., Ltd.). It should be noted that if dextrin is measured under the same conditions, the absorbance will be in the range of 0.2 to 0.4. Furthermore, if saccharides obtained from starch decomposition are measured under the same conditions, the absorbance will be 0.04 or less.

[0026] Acid-treated starch is a processed starch obtained by acid treatment of raw starch. The raw starch used in this invention can be any edible starch without particular limitation; examples include corn starch, waxy corn starch, tapioca starch, potato starch, wheat starch, and rice starch. Corn starch and waxy corn starch are preferred, and waxy corn starch is more preferred. Any one or any combination of two or more of these raw starches can be used. Alternatively, acid-treated starches prepared from different raw starches can be used in combination. The acid used in this acid treatment can be any food-grade acid; examples include hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid.

[0027] The acid-treated starch used in this invention can be prepared by acid-treating the above-mentioned raw starch under conditions that allow the production of acid-treated starch having the properties described in (A) and (B) above. This acid-treated starch can be prepared by conventional methods. For example, it can be prepared by adding the raw starch to a 0.5-2% acid solution to prepare a suspension of approximately 10-50% by mass, and then treating the suspension at 20-50°C for 1-16 hours. Alternatively, an acid-treated starch having the properties described in (A) and (B) above can be selected from commercially available acid-treated starches and used as the acid-treated starch used in this invention. The acid-treated starch used in this invention can also undergo processing other than acid treatment, such as esterification, etherification, oxidation, etc.

[0028] Heat-treated starch is processed starch obtained by thermally decomposing raw starch. Unlike dextrin, which is also obtained by thermally decomposing starch, heat-treated starch, like unprocessed starch, is insoluble in cold water. Examples of raw starches used as raw materials for the heat-treated starch in this invention include those described above as raw materials for acid-treated starch. Alternatively, heat-treated starches prepared from different raw starches may be used in combination.

[0029] The heat-treated starch used in this invention can be prepared by adding water to raw starch, and then heat-treating the resulting heat-treated starch under conditions that give it the properties of (A) and (B) described above. For example, heat-treated starch having the properties of (A) and (B) can be prepared by adjusting the heating temperature and time of the raw starch within the range of 130-170°C and 1-7 hours. Alternatively, a commercially available heat-treated starch having the properties of (A) and (B) described above can be selected and used as the heat-treated starch used in this invention. The heat-treated starch used in this invention can also undergo processing other than heat treatment, such as esterification, etherification, oxidation, etc.

[0030] The compositions of the present invention contain any one or a combination of any two or more processed starches selected from the acid-treated starches and heat-treated starches listed above. The total content of the processed starches in the compositions of the present invention is only required to be 5% by mass or more of the total mass of the composition, preferably 10 to 100% by mass, more preferably 20 to 90 parts by mass, further preferably 30 to 80 parts by mass, and even more preferably 40 to 75 parts by mass.

[0031] In addition to the acid-treated starch and heat-treated starch described above, the composition of the present invention may contain other ingredients as needed. Examples of such other ingredients include unprocessed starch, processed starches other than the acid-treated and heat-treated starches described above, grain flours such as wheat flour, barley flour, and rice flour, proteins such as wheat protein and milk protein, egg powders such as whole egg powder and egg white powder, thickeners, seasonings such as salt, powdered soy sauce, fermented seasonings, sugars, powdered bean paste, and amino acids, leavening agents, emulsifiers, spices, flavorings, nutrients such as vitamins, coloring agents, and powdered oils. Any one or any combination of two or more of these other ingredients may be used. When the composition of the present invention contains such other ingredients, their content in the total mass of the composition should be 95% by mass or less, preferably 90% by mass or less, more preferably 10 to 80 parts by mass, further preferably 20 to 70 parts by mass, and even more preferably 25 to 60 parts by mass.

[0032] The compositions of the present invention can be prepared by mixing one or more processed starches selected from the acid-treated starches and heat-treated starches described above, along with other ingredients as needed. The compositions of the present invention are typically in powder form.

[0033] The compositions of the present invention are used to manufacture heated foods. More specifically, the compositions of the present invention are used to form a coating on a heated food by adhering it to the surface of the food and then heating it. Therefore, in the method of manufacturing heated foods using the compositions of the present invention, the compositions of the present invention are adhering to the surface of the heated food. Then, the food with the composition adhering to it is heated to form a coating, thus manufacturing a coated heated food. The quality of the coated heated food is improved compared to the heated food without a coating formed by the compositions of the present invention; that is, the surface of the food softens less after prolonged storage, refrigeration or freezing, or reheating, and has a crisp or crunchy texture.

[0034] The types of heated foods (objective heated foods) to which the compositions of the present invention are applied are as described above. Preferably, the heated food is a fried food, a baked food, or a heated and dried food, more preferably a fried food or a baked food. Examples of fried foods include breaded fried foods such as dry-fried foods, tempura, tonkatsu, or croquettes, as well as breaded fried foods with the same texture, fried dough rings, fried bread, fried hot dogs, etc. Examples of baked foods include baked goods such as fried dough rings, pies, French savory pies, Danish pastries, and snacks such as takoyaki.

[0035] Therefore, the heated food produced according to the present invention is manufactured by heating (first heating) for cooking the aforementioned heated food and heating after attaching the composition of the present invention (second heating). The first heating is not limited to a single heating, but includes all one or more heat treatments required to manufacture the heated food from the raw materials. The heated food manufactured by the first heating may, as needed, undergo heat sterilization or reheating for consumption of cooled food. The second heating may also serve as heat sterilization or reheating of the heated food.

[0036] When applying the composition of the present invention to the heated food, a powdered form of the composition of the present invention can be used, or a liquid (including a paste) containing the composition of the present invention can be used. For example, a mixture prepared by mixing the composition of the present invention with an aqueous liquid such as water can be used. This mixture is preferably prepared by mixing the powdered composition of the present invention with an aqueous liquid at a mass ratio of 100:100 to 500, more preferably 100:150 to 350 (composition: aqueous liquid). Alternatively, when the viscosity of this mixture is measured using a type B viscometer at a temperature of 25°C and a rotor speed of 30 to 60 rpm, the viscosity is preferably 20 to 400 mPa·s, more preferably 30 to 300 mPa·s, and even more preferably 40 to 200 mPa·s. If the mixing ratio of the composition of the present invention to the aqueous liquid in the mixture is within the above range, or if the viscosity of the mixture is within the above range, the adhesion of the mixture to the food is less likely to be uneven, and the adhesion operation is also good, therefore it is preferred.

[0037] There are no particular limitations on the method for attaching the composition of the present invention to the heated food described above; any conventional method for attaching powder or liquid to the surface of food can be applied. Examples of methods for attaching a powdered composition include: 1) sprinkling the composition over the food; 2) placing the composition and the food into a bag and agitating it while the opening of the bag is closed; 3) spreading the composition in a wide container such as a plate and rolling the food on it, or pressing the food over the composition. Examples of methods for attaching a liquid containing the composition of the present invention include: 4) spraying the liquid onto the food; 5) adding the liquid to a container and immersing the food therein; 6) placing the food in a wide container such as a plate, pouring or coating the liquid over it while rotating the dough to spread the liquid over the entire food.

[0038] The amount of the composition of the present invention adhering to the above-mentioned heated food is preferably 0.3 to 40 parts by weight, more preferably 0.5 to 35 parts by weight, further preferably 1 to 25 parts by weight, and even more preferably 1.5 to 15 parts by weight, relative to 100 parts by weight of the heated food, in terms of the solid content equivalent of the composition.

[0039] If the object to which the composition of the present invention is to be attached is heated to a high temperature, the adhesion of the composition may be uneven, or the attached composition may easily peel off from the food. The temperature of the object to which the composition of the present invention is to be attached to is preferably below 60°C, more preferably -40 to 45°C, and even more preferably -20 to 30°C.

[0040] The food to be heated with the composition of the present invention can be heated immediately, or the composition can be fused with the food over a period of several minutes to about one hour as needed before heating. By heating the food to which the composition is attached (second heating), the composition attached to the surface of the food is solidified by heat and fixed onto the heated food. As the second heating method, any method that can solidify the above-mentioned composition is acceptable. Examples include heating with oil as the heat medium, such as frying or deep-frying; heating with water as the heat medium, such as boiling or steaming; heating with air as the heat medium, such as oven baking or hot air heating; heating with solid as the heat medium, such as grilling on a teppanyaki grill; microwave heating; and combinations thereof. However, in the above heating methods, in heating with water as the heat medium, there is a possibility that the composition of the present invention may flow away from the surface of the food and detach. In addition, in heating with solid as the heat medium and microwave heating, there is a possibility that the composition of the present invention may burn and the heated food may change color, or that the heated food may be locally rapidly heated and crack. Therefore, the second heating is preferably heating with oil as the heat medium or heating with air as the heat medium, and more preferably heating with oil as the heat medium. From the viewpoint of being able to heat the food evenly as a whole, frying is further preferred.

[0041] The heating conditions for the second heating described above can be appropriately adjusted according to the state of the composition of the present invention adhering to the food, the heating method used, etc., to achieve solidification of the composition without causing excessive discoloration or burning of the food. For example, in the case of food with a mixture of the composition of the present invention and an aqueous liquid adhering to it, the food is heated under conditions that prevent discoloration or burning until the moisture in the mixture disappears and the composition solidifies. If the heating temperature is too high or the heating time is too long, the food is prone to discoloration or burning. In addition, if the heating time is too long, the food will dry out and sometimes have a hard texture. For example, in the case of frying, it is preferable to heat at 150~180°C for about 15~45 seconds.

[0042] The following are specific examples of methods for manufacturing heated food using the compositions of the present invention: 1) A method for adhering the composition (powder or liquid) of the present invention to fried chicken that has been deep-fried, and then deep-frying or baking it again; 2) A method for adhering the composition (powder or liquid) of the present invention to a fried dough ring and then frying or baking it again; 3) A method for adhering the composition (powder or liquid) of the present invention to grilled fish and then grilling or frying it again; 4) As a variation, a method is to attach the composition (powder) of the present invention to a deep-fried pork cutlet (deep-fried food coated with breadcrumbs), and then attach the batter and breadcrumbs before deep-frying it again.

[0043] Through the second heating process described above, the composition of the present invention forms a coating on the food, thereby producing a coated heated food. The resulting heated food can be eaten immediately, or it can be stored at room temperature, refrigerated, or frozen and then consumed. When the heated food is stored at room temperature, refrigerated, or frozen, it can also be consumed after reheating as needed for thawing or reheating. Microwave heating is an example of a reheating method. Example

[0044] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the embodiments shown, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0045] Preparation Example (Preparation of acid-treated starch) Unprocessed waxy corn starch and unprocessed wheat starch were used as raw materials. 35% hydrochloric acid was diluted to 1.2%, and the raw starch was added to it until it reached 40% by mass, with thorough stirring to obtain a suspension. The container containing the suspension was kept at 45°C, and the acid treatment reaction was carried out with stirring for the times shown in Table 1. After the reaction was completed, the suspension was neutralized, washed with water, dehydrated, and dried to prepare the acid-treated starch.

[0046] (Preparation of heat-treated starch) Unprocessed waxy corn starch and unprocessed wheat starch were used as raw starches. Water was added to the raw starches and mixed to adjust the moisture content to 27% by mass. The mixture was then placed flat on a glass plate with a thickness of 8 mm. Each glass plate was placed in a thermostatic bath set to 160°C and heat-treated for the times shown in Table 1 to prepare heat-treated starch.

[0047] (Viscosity and absorbance measurement) Using the obtained acid-treated and heat-treated starches as samples, the peak RVA viscosity and absorbance of the starch suspension were determined by the following method. Similarly, using waxy corn starch and wheat starch, as well as acetylated waxy corn starch and dextrin as raw starch samples, the peak RVA viscosity and absorbance of the starch suspension were determined. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0048] Peak viscosity determination 25 mL of an aqueous suspension containing 25% by mass (dry weight) of the sample starch was added to an aluminum canister included with a Rapid Viscosity Analyzer (RVA) (Series 4 RVA-4, Newport Scientific). The canister was then placed in the apparatus's column using the accompanying stirrer. The contents of the canister (the aqueous suspension containing the sample starch) were heated while rotating the stirrer at 160 rpm / min, and its viscosity was measured simultaneously. The heating conditions were as follows: the aqueous suspension was first held at 50°C for 1 minute, then the temperature was increased to 95°C over 7 minutes and 30 seconds and held at that temperature for 5 minutes. The viscosity of the aqueous suspension during this heating period was measured, and the maximum viscosity was recorded as the peak viscosity.

[0049] <Absorbance Measurement> At an ambient temperature of 25°C, 0.5 g of sample starch (converted to dry mass) was added to a beaker, followed by 90 mL of distilled water. The mixture was stirred thoroughly to prepare a suspension. This suspension was then transferred to a graduated cylinder, and distilled water was added to bring the volume to 100 mL. Without allowing the starch to settle, the resulting aqueous suspension was filled into a measuring cell with a 10 mm optical path. The absorbance at 660 nm was measured using an absorbance meter (V-630, manufactured by Nippon Spectrophotometer Co., Ltd.).

[0050] [Table 1] (Experimental Example 1) (1) Preparation of coating composition The raw materials containing the starch prepared in the preparation example were mixed according to the formulation in Table 2 to prepare a powdered composition. 100 g of this composition was thoroughly mixed with 150 mL of water to prepare a mixture. The viscosity of the mixture was measured using a Type B viscometer at a temperature of 25°C and a rotor speed of 30–60 rpm, and the result was 10–200 mPa·s.

[0051] (2) Preparation of fried chicken Fried chicken is prepared as a heated food. Specifically, chicken thigh meat is cut into 30g pieces. A batter is prepared by mixing 20 parts by weight of low-gluten wheat flour, 20 parts by weight of potato starch, and 60 parts by weight of water. Each piece of chicken thigh meat is coated with 8g of batter and deep-fried in oil at 170°C for 4 minutes to make fried chicken. Each piece of fried chicken weighs 35-36g.

[0052] (3) Coating treatment After cooling the obtained fried chicken to 40°C, divide it into portions of 10 pieces each. Spray 10g (equivalent to 4g of the solid component of the composition) of the mixture containing the coating composition prepared in (1) above onto the entire surface of the chicken, using 10g of the mixture per 100g of fried chicken. Fry the fried chicken coated with the mixture in oil at 170°C for 30 seconds to produce fried chicken with the coating of the composition.

[0053] (4) Evaluation After the coated fried chicken prepared in (3) above was allowed to cool, it was frozen at -20°C. One week later, each piece of frozen fried chicken was reheated in a 500W microwave oven for 60 seconds. The taste of the reheated fried chicken was evaluated by 10 professional judges according to the following evaluation criteria. In the evaluation, the taste of the freshly prepared fried chicken (reference example) obtained in the same manner as the fried chicken prepared above, except without the coating composition, was set at 4 points, and the taste of the reheated fried chicken was evaluated based on this. The average score of the 10 judges was calculated. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0054] <Criteria for evaluating taste> 5 stars: The whole chicken has a chewy and crispy texture, making it excellent as fried chicken; 4 points: Overall, it has a moderate crispness and crunchiness, which is good for fried chicken (same as the reference example); 3 points: Although there are some soft parts, most of it is crispy and crunchy, which is fine as fried chicken; 2 points: Although some parts can be felt to be crispy and crunchy, there are too many slightly soft parts, which is slightly worse as fried chicken; 1 point: The chicken is only soft and mushy, which is terrible for fried chicken.

[0055] [Table 2] According to the results in Table 2, fried chicken (manufacturing examples 1-1 to 1-8) coated with compositions containing acid-treated starch and heat-treated starches (acid-treated starches 1-3 and heat-treated starches 2-6) having specific RVA peak viscosity and absorbance exhibited a crisp and crunchy texture even after freezing and reheating. In contrast, Comparative Example 1-1, which used heat-treated starch 1 with an RVA peak viscosity exceeding 2500 mPa·s, showed a reduced texture. Furthermore, Comparative Examples 1-2 to 1-5, which used acetylated starch, unprocessed starch, or dextrin, also had low texture evaluations. The comparisons between manufacturing examples 1-2 and 1-3, manufacturing examples 1-4, 1-5 and 1-7, and manufacturing examples 1-6 and 1-8 indicate that waxy corn starch is the preferred raw starch for the processed starch used in the coating composition.

[0056] (Experimental Example 2) Except for the changes in the formulation of the coating composition as shown in Table 3, coated fried chicken was manufactured according to the same steps as in Manufacturing Examples 1-2 and 1-6, and evaluated according to the same steps as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0057] [Table 3] (Experimental Example 3) Except for varying the amount of the coating composition adhering to the fried chicken (equivalent to the solid component) as shown in Table 4 by changing the spray volume of the mixture containing the coating composition, coated fried chicken was manufactured following the same steps as in Manufacturing Examples 1-2, and evaluated following the same steps as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0058] [Table 4] (Experimental Example 4) As a heated food, commercially available fried dough rings (French donut type; approximately 40g per ring) were used. The coating composition prepared in Test Example 1 (1) was applied directly to the heated food in powder form. Each composition was applied to the entire surface of the fried dough ring at a rate of 4g per 100g of dough ring. The fried dough rings coated with the composition were fried in oil heated to 160°C for 20 seconds to create fried dough rings with the composition coating. After the resulting coated fried dough rings were allowed to cool down, they were frozen at -20°C. One week later, the frozen fried dough rings were left at room temperature (25°C) for 6 hours to allow them to thaw naturally. The taste of the thawed fried dough rings was evaluated by 10 professional judges according to the following evaluation criteria. In the evaluation, the taste of the untreated state of the commercially available fried dough rings (reference example) was set at 4 points, and the taste of the thawed coated fried dough rings was evaluated based on this. The average score of the 10 judges was calculated. The results are shown in Table 5.

[0059] <Criteria for evaluating taste> 5 points: The entire surface has a chewy and crispy texture, making it excellent as a doughnut; 4 points: The entire surface has a moderate crispness and crunchiness, which is good as a doughnut (same as the reference example); 3 points: Although there are some soft parts, most of the surface feels crisp and crunchy, so it's fine as a doughnut. 2 points: Although some parts can be felt to be crispy and crunchy, there are many sticky or too soft parts on the surface, which is slightly worse as a doughnut. 1 point: The entire surface feels sticky or soft, which is extremely poor for a doughnut.

[0060] [Table 5] 。

Claims

1. A coating composition for heated foods, said composition being applied to the surface of a heated food, which is then heated to form a coating on the food. The composition contains one or more processed starches selected from acid-treated starches and heat-treated starches. in, The acid-treated starch and the heat-treated starch have the following properties (A) and (B): (A) When the viscosity of an aqueous suspension containing acid-treated starch or heat-treated starch is measured using a rapid viscosity analyzer (RVA), the peak viscosity is below 2500 mPa·s, wherein the aqueous suspension contains 25% by mass of the starch. In the viscosity measurement, the temperature of the aqueous suspension is first maintained at 50°C for 1 minute, then the temperature is raised to 95°C for 7 minutes and 30 seconds, and then maintained at 95°C for 5 minutes. (B) An aqueous suspension containing the acid-treated starch or heat-treated starch has an absorbance of 0.6 or more at 660 nm, wherein the aqueous suspension contains 0.5% by mass of the starch.

2. The coating composition according to claim 1, wherein, The processed starch content is 10-100% by mass.

3. The coating composition according to claim 1, wherein, The processed starch uses waxy corn starch as the raw material.

4. The coating composition according to claim 1, wherein, The heated food is fried food.

5. A method for manufacturing heated food, the method comprising: Apply the coating composition for heated food according to any one of claims 1 to 4 to the surface of heated food; The food with the composition attached is heated to form a coating on the food.

6. A method for improving the quality of heated food, the method comprising: Apply the coating composition for heated food according to any one of claims 1 to 4 to the surface of heated food; The food with the composition attached is heated to form a coating on the food.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein, The composition adhering to the heated food is in the form of a powder or a liquid containing the composition.

8. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein, The amount of the composition adhering to the heated food is 0.3 to 40 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the heated food, in terms of solid content equivalents.

9. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein, The food with the composition attached is heated by using oil as the heat medium.

10. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein, The heated food to which the composition is to be applied is a fried food.

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