Plant fiber chew formation agent and method of making

Abstract

The application discloses a plant fiber chewable block forming agent and a preparation method thereof, and belongs to the technical field of food processing. The forming agent is prepared from gluten, chitosan, cassava starch, konjac flour, 2% edible alkali water solution and deionized water. The preparation method comprises the following steps: swelling the konjac flour in deionized water at 70 DEG C, gelatinizing the cassava starch in a water bath at 80 DEG C, mixing the two, adding the edible alkali water solution, stirring at a rotating speed of 500 r / min for 5 min, mixing the chitosan and the gluten to obtain a gluten mixture, kneading and grinding for 30 times, and steaming for 15 min without water, and cooling to obtain the forming agent. The gel strength of the forming agent is obviously improved, the texture characteristics are excellent, the sensory quality is good, and when the forming agent is used in combination with pineapple leaf fibers at a mass ratio of 1:1.5, a plant fiber chewable block product with excellent appearance and taste can be prepared.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of food processing technology, specifically to a plant fiber chewing block forming agent and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] From a technical perspective, solving the core problems of gelation and texture is the key to breakthrough. Currently, finding a gelling agent with good gel strength, viscoelasticity, and stability is crucial. For example, while wheat gluten (WGP) has film-forming properties, its network structure is easily broken and its stability is low; konjac glucomannan (KGM) can form gels, but its gel strength, elasticity, and stability as a single component are insufficient. Therefore, developing a gelling agent that can effectively bind plant fibers, provide excellent chewing texture, and is safe and healthy has significant technical value and application prospects. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to address the health risks and regulatory challenges associated with existing areca nut products by providing a novel plant fiber chewable block form and its preparation method as an alternative to areca nut. This invention aims to create a new product form that meets food processing requirements, effectively solves the problem of coarse and hard plant fibers irritating the oral mucosa, and achieves controllable production through standardized processes.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a plant fiber chewing block forming agent, said forming agent being made from the following raw materials in parts by weight: 60 parts gluten powder; 0.6 parts chitosan (1% of the total addition of 6%); 0.6 parts tapioca starch (1% of the total addition of 6%); 1.8 parts konjac powder (3% of the total addition of 6%); 6 parts 2% edible alkali solution; appropriate amount of deionized water.

[0006] Secondly, the present invention provides a method for preparing the plant fiber chewing block forming agent, comprising the following steps: (1) Weigh 60g of gluten powder and weigh a certain amount of chitosan according to the experimental design; at the same time, weigh a certain amount of konjac powder and swell it in deionized water at 70℃, and weigh a certain amount of cassava starch and gelatinize it in a water bath at 80℃. (2) Thoroughly mix the konjac swelling gel with the cassava starch gelatin solution, add 6g of 2% edible alkali solution, stir at 500r / min for 5min on a magnetic stirrer, and mix in the pre-weighed gluten powder mixture. (3) Knead the mixture into a ball and then beat it 30 times. Shape the dough, put it into a mold and seal it with plastic wrap to prevent water vapor from dripping in. Steam it for 15 minutes to set the shape. (4) After cooling to room temperature, the plant fiber chewing block forming agent is obtained.

[0007] As a preferred embodiment, during the swelling process of konjac powder in step (1), the temperature of deionized water is 70°C; and during the gelatinization of cassava starch, the water bath temperature is 80°C.

[0008] As a preferred embodiment, the stirring speed in step (2) is 500 r / min and the stirring time is 5 min.

[0009] As a preferred option, the number of times the meat is pounded in step (3) is 30, and the steaming time is 15 minutes.

[0010] Thirdly, the present invention provides the application of the plant fiber chewing block forming agent in the preparation of plant fiber chewing blocks.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment, the application includes the following steps: cutting pineapple leaf fibers into 5cm segments and refining them, then combing them according to the fiber direction; mixing the combed pineapple leaf fibers with the plant fiber chewing block forming agent at a mass ratio of 1:1.5, and using a vacuum hydraulic press and fiber filament pressing mold to press the fibers into thin sheets with the fiber direction kept consistent, thus obtaining the plant fiber chewing block blank.

[0012] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: (1) Significantly improved gel strength: After optimization by orthogonal experiment, the gel strength of the molding agent of the present invention is significantly improved compared with the control group. From the results of single-factor experiment, chitosan has the highest gel strength when added at 6%, cassava starch has the highest gel strength when added at 6%, and konjac powder has a relatively high gel strength when added at 6%.

[0013] (2) Excellent textural properties: The hardness, adhesiveness, chewiness and other textural properties of the molding agent of the present invention all reach the ideal level. Single-factor experiments showed that when chitosan was added at 6%, its hardness reached 1793.66g (an increase of 49.52% compared to the control), its adhesiveness reached 1481.64g (an increase of 38.63% compared to the control), and its chewiness reached 1267.09g (an increase of 33.54% compared to the control); when tapioca starch was added at 6%, its hardness reached 1862.02g (an increase of 55.21% compared to the control), its adhesiveness reached 1467.89g (an increase of 37.35% compared to the control), and its chewiness reached 1344.44g (an increase of 32.11% compared to the control); when konjac flour was added at 6%, its hardness reached 1679.23g (an increase of 43.56% compared to the control), its adhesiveness reached 1317.94g (an increase of 23.32% compared to the control), and its chewiness reached 1439.59g (an increase of 41.46% compared to the control). In orthogonal experiment 7, the hardness reached 1832.73g, the adhesiveness reached 1558.39g, and the chewiness reached 1393.09g.

[0014] (3) Excellent sensory quality: The molding agent of this invention has been evaluated by the sensory authorities and has a bright gray-yellow color, a chewy and delicate texture, a firm structure with a smooth cut, good tensile toughness and compressive resilience, and high overall acceptability. The highest sensory score in the orthogonal experiment can reach 22.5 points (out of 25).

[0015] (4) Good compatibility with plant fibers: When the molding agent of this invention is mixed with pineapple leaf fiber at a ratio of 1:1.5 and pressed, all the fibers are compacted and flat, forming a complete whole. The appearance score is 50 points (out of 50), the taste score is 45 points (out of 50), and the total score is 95 points, showing excellent molding performance. However, when the ratio is 1:0.5, the fibers are loose and not compacted, with hollow layering; when the ratio is 1:1.0, the adhesion is relatively tight, but some individual fibers are still not compacted; when the ratio is 1:2.0, too much molding agent causes accumulation at the edges.

[0016] (5) The influence of additives is clear: Through range analysis, it was found that the influence of different additives on the gel strength of the molding agent is in the order of tapioca starch > chitosan > konjac powder; the influence on the texture properties is in the order of tapioca starch > chitosan > konjac powder; and the influence on the sensory evaluation is in the order of tapioca starch > chitosan > konjac powder.

[0017] In summary, the plant fiber chewing block forming agent provided by this invention significantly improves the gelling properties, textural characteristics, and sensory quality of the product through the synergistic effect of a specific ratio of gluten, chitosan, tapioca starch, and konjac flour under alkaline conditions, and exhibits excellent compatibility with plant fibers. This forming agent provides a key technological foundation for developing a palatable, safe, and controllable areca nut substitute product, and has promising application prospects. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 The graph shows the effect of different additives on the gel strength of the molding agent.

[0019] Figure 2 Principal component analysis (PCA) plots showing the effects of different additives on the textural properties of molding agents. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of this invention, the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to embodiments.

[0021] This embodiment provides a plant fiber chewing block forming agent, which is made from the following raw materials: 60g gluten powder; 0.6g chitosan; 0.6g tapioca starch; 1.8g konjac powder; 6g 2% edible alkali solution; appropriate amount of deionized water.

[0022] The preparation method is as follows: (1) Weigh 60g of gluten powder and 0.6g of chitosan, mix them evenly to obtain a gluten powder mixture; (2) Weigh 1.8g of konjac powder and swell it in deionized water at 70℃ to obtain konjac swelling gel; (3) Weigh 0.6g of cassava starch and gelatinize it in a water bath at 80℃ to obtain cassava starch gelatinized liquid; (4) Thoroughly mix the konjac swelling gel with the cassava starch gelatin solution, add 6g of 2% edible alkali solution, and stir for 5 minutes at 500r / min on a magnetic stirrer. (5) Mix in the gluten powder mixture, knead into a dough and then pound it 30 times. Shape the dough, put it into a mold and seal it with plastic wrap to prevent water vapor from dripping in. (6) Steam for 15 minutes to set the shape, and cool to room temperature to obtain the plant fiber chewing block forming agent.

[0023] To investigate the effects of the amounts of chitosan, tapioca starch, and konjac flour added in Table 1 on the texture of the molding agent, a blank control group was used with no additions.

[0024] Table 1. Amounts of chitosan, tapioca starch, and konjac flour added

[0025] The molding compound was prepared according to the method in Example 1, cut into 1.5 cm cubes, and equilibrated at room temperature for 30 min. The hardness, viscosity, elasticity, cohesiveness, adhesiveness, chewiness, and resilience of the molding compound were measured using a texture analyzer (SMS Corporation) with an SMS P / 36R cylindrical flat-bottom probe. The full texture analysis conditions were: pre-test and post-test speeds of 1 mm / s, test speed of 2 mm / s, deformation degree of 30%, test time of 5 s, and trigger force of 5 g. Each sample was tested in triplicate, and the average value was taken.

[0026] Table 2. Effects of different additives on the textural properties of molding agents

[0027] The results (Table 2) show that different amounts of the same additive significantly affect the hardness, adhesiveness, and chewiness of the molding agent. Chitosan showed the highest levels of all three properties at 6% addition, increasing by 49.52%, 38.63%, and 33.54% respectively compared to the control. Tapioca starch increased these properties by 55.21%, 37.35%, and 32.11% respectively compared to the control. Konjac flour showed slightly different results; at 10% addition, it had the highest hardness, increasing by 43.56% compared to the control. At 6% addition, its adhesiveness and chewiness increased by 23.32% and 41.46% respectively compared to the control. Analysis of different additives at the same addition level shows that their effects, from largest to smallest, are: hardness: tapioca starch > chitosan > konjac flour; adhesiveness: chitosan > tapioca starch > konjac flour; and chewiness: konjac flour > tapioca starch > chitosan. The effects on viscosity, elasticity, cohesiveness, and resilience are relatively small.

[0028] Samples of molding agent with different addition amounts were prepared according to the same method as in Example 2, following the procedure in Example 1. The prepared molding agents were cut into 1.5 cm cubes and allowed to equilibrate at room temperature for 30 min. A texture analyzer (SMS Corporation) with a P / 5 column probe was used. The gel strength was measured under the following conditions: pre-test speed and test speed were both 1 mm / s, post-test speed was 10 mm / s, test distance was 4 mm, dwell time was 3 s, and trigger force was 8 g. Each sample was tested in triplicate, and the average value was taken.

[0029] During the experiment, when the amount of chitosan added reached 10%, the sample cracked when the gel strength was tested, indicating that the amount added should not be too large, otherwise the gel system would collapse. Figure 1 The experimental results show the effect of different amounts of chitosan, tapioca starch, and konjac flour added on the gel strength of the molding agent. Figure 1 The data charts for each additive show that the gel strength is greatest when the addition amount is 6%, and the influence of each additive on the gel strength is in the following order: tapioca starch > konjac flour > chitosan.

[0030] Based on the results of the single-factor experiment, the total addition amount of chitosan, tapioca starch and konjac flour was selected as 6% as the experimental parameter for orthogonal optimization.

[0031] Based on the single-factor experiments, and based on the analysis of the textural properties, gel strength, and sensory properties of the molding agent, chitosan, tapioca starch, and konjac flour were selected for optimization at a total addition of 6%. An L9(3)³ orthogonal experiment was used to optimize the molding agent formulation process. The factor levels are shown in Table 3, and the orthogonal experimental design parameters are shown in Table 4.

[0032] Table 3 Molding agent L9(3) 3 Orthogonal experimental level table

[0033] Table 4. Orthogonal Experimental Design Parameter Table

[0034] The molding agent sample was prepared according to the orthogonal experimental design table, and the gel strength was determined according to the method of Experiment Example 2.

[0035] The results of the gel strength (Y1) test and analysis of the orthogonal experiment of the molding agent are shown in Table 5.

[0036] Table 5. Gel strength L9(3) 3 Orthogonal experimental design and results

[0037] The analysis in Table 5 shows that R-value B is the largest, followed by A, and C is the smallest, indicating that the influence of different additives on the gel strength of the molding agent is in the order of B (cassava starch) > A (chitosan) > C (konjac flour). Analysis of the K-values ​​shows that the molding agent with the best gel strength is prepared at a ratio of A1B1C3, i.e., cassava starch 1.0%, chitosan 1.0%, and konjac flour 3.0%.

[0038] Molding agent samples were prepared according to the orthogonal experimental design table of Example 4, and seven textural indices, including hardness, viscosity, elasticity, cohesiveness, adhesiveness, chewiness, and resilience, were determined according to the method of Experiment 1.

[0039] Table 6. Orthogonal experimental data on the effects of different additives on the textural properties of molding agents.

[0040] The results of the orthogonal experiment on the molding agent for various texture indices are shown in Table 6. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to analyze the seven texture indices of hardness, viscosity, elasticity, cohesiveness, adhesiveness, chewiness, and resilience. The first two principal components were selected and combined to form a new comprehensive index (Y2).

[0041] Table 7. Eigenvalues ​​of relevant components, variance contribution rate, and cumulative variance contribution rate.

[0042] Let the hardness, viscosity, elasticity, cohesion, adhesiveness, chewiness, and resilience be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, respectively. The eigenvalues, variance contribution rates, and cumulative variance contribution rates of each principal component are shown below. Figure 2 As shown in Table 7, the eigenvalues ​​of the first two factors are greater than 1, and the cumulative variance contribution rate is 86.246%. Therefore, the first two principal components are selected for analysis.

[0043] Table 8. Results of orthogonal experiments on the texture of molding agents using principal component analysis.

[0044] The standardized evaluation values ​​F1 and F2 of each indicator are detailed in Table 8. Based on the two principal components F1 and F2 and their variance contribution rate and cumulative variance contribution rate, a comprehensive evaluation index Y2 is constructed to represent the comprehensive evaluation result of texture quality in the orthogonal experiment.

[0045] Table 9 Texture quality L9(3) 3 Orthogonal experimental design and results

[0046] The results of the orthogonal experimental analysis, substituted with the comprehensive textural quality index (Y2), are shown in Table 9. The R-values ​​indicate that the influence of different additives on the comprehensive score of the molding agent is, in descending order: B (cassava starch) > A (chitosan) > C (konjac flour). The K-value analysis shows that the molding agent with the optimal textural quality is obtained when the ratio is A1B1C3, i.e., cassava starch 1.0%, chitosan 1.0%, and konjac flour 3.0%. This is consistent with the gel strength experimental results.

[0047] Table 10 Sensory Evaluation Criteria for Molding Agents (Scoring Method)

[0048] Molding agent samples were prepared according to the orthogonal experimental design table in Example 4. A sensory evaluation group consisting of 8 people evaluated the samples according to the evaluation criteria in Table 10, scoring them in five aspects: color, taste, appearance, toughness, and overall acceptability (0-5 points for each item, total score of 25 points). The evaluation results were taken as the arithmetic mean of the 8 people.

[0049] Table 11 Sensory Evaluation L9(3) 3 Orthogonal experimental design and results

[0050] The sensory evaluation results of the orthogonal experimental molding agent are detailed in Table 11. Analysis of the table shows that R... B >R A >R C The results indicate that the influence of different additives on the sensory evaluation of the molding agent is in the order of B (cassava starch) > A (chitosan) > C (konjac flour). K-value analysis shows that the optimal ratio for optimizing the molding agent formulation through sensory indicators is A1B2C3, i.e., 1.0% cassava starch, 2.0% chitosan, and 3.0% konjac flour. This differs slightly from the experimental results obtained by optimizing the molding agent formulation through gel strength and texture indicators.

[0051] In summary, this invention optimizes the formulation of the plant fiber chewable block forming agent using three indicators: gel strength, texture, and sensory evaluation. Experimental results show that the optimized formulas for gel strength and texture are consistent (A1B1C3), while the optimized formulas for sensory evaluation show a slight difference (A1B2C3). Given that the optimized sensory formulation of this invention is not significantly different from the previous two, differing only by 1% in the chitosan ratio, and considering that fibrous materials and flavorings can be used to improve the sensory indicators in the subsequent production of plant fiber chewable blocks, this experiment concludes that the optimal formulation for this forming agent is A1B1C3, i.e., 1.0% tapioca starch, 1.0% chitosan, and 3.0% konjac flour.

[0052] After cutting pineapple leaf fibers into 5cm segments, they were refined and combed according to the fiber direction. The combed pineapple leaf fibers were mixed with the optimal plant fiber chewing block forming agent prepared according to the method of Example 1 at four mass ratios of 1:0.5, 1:1.0, 1:1.5, and 1:2.0. Using a vacuum hydraulic press and fiber filament pressing mold, the fibers were pressed into thin sheets with the fiber direction kept consistent. The tightness of the sheets was observed, and the sheets were evaluated according to Table 12 (Fiber Ratio Evaluation Table) in terms of appearance and taste (0-50 points for each item, 100 points in total).

[0053] Table 12 Evaluation Method for Molding Compactness of Pineapple Leaf Fiber and Molding Agent (Scoring Method)

[0054] Based on the evaluation of appearance and taste in Table 13, the ratio of 1:1.5 scored the highest; the ratio of 1:1.5 also showed the best state in terms of its state description and the actual pressed product.

[0055] Table 13 Evaluation Results of the Proportioning of Pineapple Leaf Fiber and Molding Agent .

Claims

1. A plant fiber chewing block forming agent, characterized in that, The molding agent is made from the following raw materials in parts by weight: 60 parts gluten powder, 0.6 parts chitosan, 0.6 parts tapioca starch, 1.8 parts konjac powder, 6 parts 2% edible alkali aqueous solution, and an appropriate amount of deionized water.

2. A method for preparing the plant fiber chewing block forming agent according to claim 1, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: (1) Weigh 60 parts of gluten powder and the amount of chitosan in the formula, mix them evenly to obtain a gluten powder mixture; (2) Weigh the amount of konjac powder in the formula and swell it in deionized water at 70°C to obtain konjac swelling gel; (3) Weigh the amount of tapioca starch in the formula and gelatinize it in a water bath at 80°C to obtain tapioca starch gelatinized liquid; (4) Thoroughly mix the konjac swelling gel with the cassava starch gelatin solution, add 6 parts of 2% edible alkali solution, and stir for 5 minutes at 500 r / min on a magnetic stirrer. (5) Mix in the gluten powder mixture, knead into a dough, pound 30 times, shape the dough, put it into a mold and seal it with plastic wrap; (6) Steam for 15 minutes to set the shape, and then cool to room temperature to obtain the plant fiber chewing block forming agent.

3. The preparation method according to claim 2, characterized in that, During the swelling process of konjac powder in step (2), the temperature of deionized water is 70℃.

4. The preparation method according to claim 2, characterized in that, In step (3), the water bath temperature for cassava starch gelatinization is 80°C.

5. The preparation method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The stirring speed in step (4) is 500 r / min and the stirring time is 5 min.

6. The preparation method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The number of times the pounding is performed in step (5) is 30.

7. The preparation method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The steaming time in step (6) is 15 minutes.

8. The application of the plant fiber chewing block forming agent according to claim 1 in the preparation of plant fiber chewing blocks, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: (1) After cutting the pineapple leaf fibers into 5cm segments, refine them and comb them according to the fiber direction; (2) Mix the combed pineapple leaf fibers with the plant fiber chewing block forming agent at a mass ratio of 1:1.5; (3) Using a vacuum hydraulic press and fiber pressing mold, the fiber direction is kept consistent and pressed into thin sheets to obtain plant fiber chewable block embryo.

9. The application according to claim 8, characterized in that, The mass ratio of pineapple leaf fiber to plant fiber chewing block forming agent is 1:1.

5.

10. A plant fiber chewable block, characterized in that, It is prepared by pressing the plant fiber chewing block forming agent as described in claim 1 with plant fiber at a mass ratio of 1:1.5.

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