Frozen french toast-like food and method for producing the same

Abstract

To provide a simple production method for frozen French toast-like food.SOLUTION: A bakery product is impregnated with a seasoning liquid containing low-molecular-weight starch and having a Brix of 30 or more, before the seasoning liquid-impregnated bakery product is frozen, resulting in a frozen French toast-like food that is hard enough to be eatable even in a frozen state and prevents the seasoning liquid to melt when eaten.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a French toast-like food that can be eaten in a frozen state and a method for producing the same.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, bakery products that can be eaten in a frozen state have attracted attention. Generally, if a bakery product is eaten as it is in a frozen state, it is too hard to chew. Therefore, methods have been proposed so far to make it chewable by reducing the moisture contained in the bakery product, blending specific raw materials into the dough, or devising the structure of the dough to make it less likely to freeze.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for obtaining bread that can be easily eaten even when frozen by adding 15% by mass or more of oil and fat to the wheat flour during bread production and adjusting the average pore diameter of the internal phase of the bread to 1 to 6 mm or less. In addition, there have been proposed bakery products that can be eaten in a frozen state, such as sandwich bread for frozen sandwiches containing amylopectin contained in oligosaccharides or waxy starches (Patent Document 2), sponge cakes for frozen confectionery containing medium-strength flour and heat-coagulable protein (Patent Document 3), and baked foods for frozen eating containing glucose and soy protein (Patent Document 4).

[0004] However, these frozen bakery products are those obtained by freezing the dough improved by blending specific raw materials or the like after baking, and are not those obtained by impregnating the bakery product with a seasoning liquid like French toast and then freezing. And, even if it is frozen after being impregnated with a seasoning liquid to make it highly hydrated, no bakery product that can be eaten in a frozen state has been known so far.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a simple method for producing frozen French toast-like food products. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The inventors of the present invention conducted various studies to solve the above problems and found that by impregnating bakery products with a seasoning liquid containing low-molecular-weight starch and having a Brix of 30 or higher, a French toast-like food that can be eaten even after freezing can be obtained, thus completing the present invention.

[0008] The present invention consists of the following [1] to

[12] . [1] A method for producing a frozen French toast-like food product, comprising impregnating a bakery product with a seasoning liquid containing low molecular weight starch and having a Brix of 30 or more, and then freezing it. [2] A method for producing a frozen French toast-like food according to [1] above, wherein the low molecular weight starch is one or more selected from oxidized starch and acid-treated starch. [3] A method for producing a frozen French toast-like food according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the viscosity of the seasoning liquid to be impregnated is 1000 mPa·s or less. [4] A method for producing a frozen French toast-like food product according to any one of the above items [1] to [3], which is consumed in a frozen or semi-thawed state. [5] A seasoning liquid for impregnating and freezing bakery products, which contains low molecular weight starch and has a Brix of 30 or more, for producing frozen French toast-like food products. [6] A seasoning liquid for producing the frozen French toast-like food described in [5] above, wherein the low molecular weight starch is one or more selected from oxidized starch and acid-treated starch. [7] A seasoning liquid for producing the frozen French toast-like food described in [5] or [6] above, wherein the viscosity is 1000 mPa·s or less. [8] A seasoning liquid for making a frozen French toast-like food product as described in any one of the above items [5] to [7], which is consumed frozen or semi-thawed. [9] A frozen French toast-like food product obtained by impregnating a bakery product with a seasoning liquid containing low molecular weight starch and having a Brix of 30 or more, and then freezing it.

[10] The frozen French toast-like food according to [9] above, wherein the low molecular weight starch is one or more selected from oxidized starch and acid-treated starch.

[11] The frozen French toast-like food according to [9] or

[10] above, wherein the viscosity of the seasoning liquid used for impregnation is 1000 mPa·s or less.

[12] A frozen French toast-like food product as described in any one of the above items [9] to

[11] , which is consumed in a frozen or semi-thawed state. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a French toast-like food product that has a firmness that allows it to be eaten even when frozen, and in which the dissolution of the seasoning liquid during consumption is suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This diagram shows the evaluation method for "melting" each frozen French toast-like food product. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] In this invention, "French toast-like food" refers to a food product in which a bakery product has been impregnated with a seasoning liquid. Generally, French toast is made by utilizing the property of eggs to coagulate when heated, by impregnating the entire loaf of bread with a seasoning liquid containing eggs, milk, and sugars, and then cooking it. On the other hand, in this invention, "French toast-like food" refers to a product in which a seasoning liquid has been impregnated into a bakery product in general, including cakes and not limited to bread, and there are no limitations on the ingredients used in the seasoning liquid, nor is it necessary to heat-cook the product after impregnation with the seasoning liquid.

[0012] The seasoning liquid used in this invention preferably has a Brix value of 30 or higher, and more preferably 30 to 50. Brix is ​​a measurement value obtained using a Brix refractometer (manufactured by Atago), and in this invention, it is the measurement value of the seasoning liquid obtained by mixing and dissolving all the seasoning liquid ingredients, including low molecular weight starch.

[0013] The seasoning liquid of the present invention contains low-molecular-weight starch as an essential component. Low-molecular-weight starch is starch that has been reduced in molecular size, and there are no particular restrictions on the method of reducing its molecular size. Examples include chemical treatments such as acid treatment, oxidation treatment, and acid decomposition, as well as physical treatments such as enzymatic treatment, heat treatment, pulverization treatment, and extrusion treatment. In addition to these treatments, an alpha-gelatinization treatment may also be applied. Among these, the preferred methods of reducing molecular size are acid treatment or oxidation treatment.

[0014] Acid-treated starch is, in other words, acid-treated starch, and is obtained, for example, by immersing raw starch in an acidic aqueous solution prepared with an inorganic acid such as sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid, or an organic acid, at a temperature at which gelatinization does not occur, followed by neutralization, washing with water, and drying. On the other hand, oxidized starch is, in other words, oxidized starch, and refers to, for example, oxidized modified starch that has been treated with an oxidizing agent by a standard method. Specifically, it is obtained by treating a starch suspension with sodium hypochlorite at a temperature range at which starch does not gelatinize and under alkaline conditions (pH 7-12), followed by neutralization, washing with water, and drying.

[0015] In the seasoning liquid of the present invention, the amount of the low-molecular-weight starch used is not particularly limited. For example, it may be used in an amount of 1 to 30 parts by mass, preferably 2 to 25 parts by mass, and more preferably 3 to 20 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the seasoning liquid.

[0016] The viscosity of the seasoning liquid of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the seasoning liquid can be impregnated into bakery products. For example, it may be 1000 mPa·s or less, preferably 500 mPa·s or less, and more preferably 300 mPa·s or less. Here, the viscosity refers to the value measured with a BM viscometer (manufactured by Toki Sangyo Co., Ltd.), rotor No. 2, 10 rpm, and 60 seconds.

[0017] In addition to the above-mentioned low-molecular-weight starch, the seasoning liquid of the present invention may contain saccharides such as sugar and starch syrup, eggs, milk, dairy products, processed oils and fats such as butter and margarine, seasonings such as salt and soy sauce. Furthermore, it can also contain flavor components such as emulsifiers, stabilizers, fruit juices, jams, cocoa and cocoa products, coffee and coffee products, spices, acidulants, coloring agents, flavoring agents, preservatives, antioxidants, pH adjusters, thickening polysaccharides, etc. If eggs or milk are blended, it can have the flavor of so-called French toast, and various arrangements are possible, such as flavoring with flavor components such as fruit juices and cocoa products.

[0018] In the present invention, the bakery products to be impregnated with the seasoning liquid are not particularly limited. For example, breads such as sandwich bread, variety bread, sweet bread, French bread, English bread, rye bread, Danish pastry, English muffin, grissini, brioche, stollen, panettone, croissant, yeast pie, pita, nan, steamed bread, yeast donut, waffle, pie, etc., cakes such as castella, butter cake, sponge cake, chiffon cake, pound cake, sand cake, etc., and in addition, dorayaki, taiyaki, manju, Baumkuchen, hot cake, muffin, madeleine, cookie, etc. can be mentioned.

[0019] The composition of the frozen French toast-like food and seasoning liquid of the present invention is as described above, and the details of its manufacturing method are described below.

[0020] The seasoning liquid of the present invention is obtained by adding low molecular weight starch and other raw materials to water, mixing, and heating to dissolve. The heating method is not particularly limited and may include direct heating or heating that also serves as a sterilization process. If gelatinized low molecular weight starch is used, the seasoning liquid can be obtained without heating. Furthermore, if emulsification is necessary depending on the components of the seasoning liquid, the seasoning liquid may be homogenized for about 1 to 5 minutes at 3000 to 12000 rpm using a homogenization device such as a bubble homogenizer, homomixer, or colloid mill.

[0021] The process of impregnating bakery products with seasoning liquid is not particularly limited, and any method such as immersion, coating, or spraying may be used. For example, in the case of immersion, the bakery products are submerged in a container of seasoning liquid and left to stand to allow impregnation. In this case, the bakery products may be turned over during the impregnation process to shorten the impregnation time or to ensure uniform impregnation.

[0022] The amount of seasoning liquid to impregnate the bakery product should be at least enough to cover the product. However, to achieve the desired texture, it is necessary to impregnate the bakery product with a certain amount of seasoning liquid. Therefore, the amount of seasoning liquid should be 100 to 400 parts by mass, more preferably 150 to 380 parts by mass, and even more preferably 200 to 350 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the bakery product. If the amount is less than 100 parts by mass, the seasoning liquid will not sufficiently permeate the entire bakery product, making it difficult to eat in a frozen state.

[0023] The temperature at which the seasoning liquid is impregnated into the bakery products is not particularly limited, but it should be in the range of 0 to 100°C, preferably 10 to 90°C, and more preferably 20 to 80°C. The time required for impregnation is also not particularly limited, but it should be enough time so that the bakery products do not dissolve in the impregnation liquid or lose their shape, i.e., 1 minute to 24 hours. The time required for impregnation varies depending on the size of the pores in the internal structure of the bakery product, so it should be adjusted appropriately depending on the type of bakery product. For example, for general white bread, 5 minutes to 1 hour is appropriate, for French bread, 5 minutes to 24 hours, and for sponge cake, 5 to 30 minutes is appropriate.

[0024] The bakery product impregnated with the above seasoning liquid becomes a French toast-like food that can be eaten frozen by freezing. The freezing temperature is not particularly limited as long as it is below 0°C, but is preferably below -10°C, and more preferably below -20°C. The cooling time is not particularly limited, but is at least 1 hour, and is preferably at least 2 hours.

[0025] The frozen French toast-like food product of the present invention, obtained in this manner, can be easily bitten and eaten immediately after being removed from the freezer. By eating it while still frozen, one can enjoy the cool sensation and unique texture of a frozen dessert. Furthermore, since the seasoning liquid in the frozen French toast-like food product of the present invention does not rapidly dissolve and drip even after being removed from the freezer for a while, it can also be enjoyed in a semi-thawed state by thawing it at room temperature or in the refrigerator for a while. A semi-thawed state refers to a state in which part of the surface of the food has begun to melt, while the center remains frozen.

[0026] Furthermore, an additional use of the French toast-like food of the present invention is that it can be eaten after heating. For example, by heating it in a microwave oven, the seasoning liquid will dissolve to some extent, but because it retains its flavor well inside the bakery product, it can be enjoyed as a juicy French toast-like food.

[0027] The present invention will be described in detail and specifically below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. In the following examples, unless otherwise specified, "parts" refers to parts by mass and "%" refers to mass percent. [Examples]

[0028] <Test 1: Examination of the ideal hardness for consumption in a frozen state> A seasoning liquid was prepared by mixing sugars (sugar, corn syrup), milk, margarine, sweetened egg yolk, emulsifier (octenyl succinate starch "Emulstar KF" manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), vanilla extract, potassium sorbate, gardenia pigment (Natural Yellow M-FT-6B manufactured by Ikeda Sugar Refining Co., Ltd.), and water. After heating to 95°C, the mixture was homogenized for 3 minutes at 12,000 rpm using a homogenizer (Homomixer MARK II manufactured by Primix Corporation). By adjusting the amount of sugars used, the Brix value was adjusted, resulting in six different seasoning liquids with Brix values ​​of 26, 31, 38, 44.5, 48.5, and 50.5. 100g of each seasoning liquid was placed in a tray, and five slices of 2cm thick, 3cm square bread (totaling approximately 30g) were placed in it and allowed to soak for 15 minutes. Subsequently, the resulting French toast-like food was frozen at -23°C for 24 hours to obtain frozen French toast-like food. The hardness of the frozen French toast-like food immediately after being removed from the freezer was evaluated on a 5-point scale according to the following criteria.

[0029] "Too hard": Too hard to chew. "Hard": Can be chewed, but hard. "Good": A desirable hardness that allows for chewing. "Soft": Soft without hardness. "Too soft": Softness in a state that has not yet solidified.

[0030] The results showed that a Brix score of 26 was rated as "too hard," a Brix score of 31 as "hard," Brix scores of 38, 44.5, and 48.5 as "good," and a Brix score of 50.5 as "soft." In other words, it was found that frozen French toast-like foods prepared with a Brix score of 30 or higher can be eaten directly from frozen.

[0031] Although frozen French toast-like foods prepared with Brix 30 or more seasoning liquids can be eaten directly from frozen, it was found that there was a problem with the seasoning liquid melting even immediately after being removed from the freezer. Therefore, it was decided to consider adding starch to the seasoning liquid.

[0032] <Test 2: Examination of the viscosity of the seasoning liquid> Hydroxypropylated phosphate cross-linked starch (Pine Ace 1, manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), derived from waxy corn, was suspended in water at concentrations of 1%, 2%, 3%, 3.5%, or 4% to obtain starch suspensions of each concentration (Suspensions 1-5). 100g of each suspension was placed in a tray, and five slices of 2cm thick, 3cm square bread (approximately 30g total) were placed in it and allowed to soak at 30°C. After 1 hour, the degree of impregnation of the bread with the starch suspension was visually evaluated. The viscosity of each suspension was measured using a BM-type viscometer at 30°C, rotor No. 2, 10 rpm, and 60 seconds.

[0033] [Table 1]

[0034] In suspensions 1-4, sufficient impregnation of the entire loaf of bread was observed. On the other hand, in suspension 5, the starch suspension did not impregnate the entire loaf of bread.

[0035] <Test 3: Verification of dissolution of seasoning liquid> Frozen French toast-like foods were prepared by impregnating them with seasoning liquids containing each of the starches listed in [Table 2], and the dissolution of the seasoning liquids upon thawing was investigated. All of the starches listed in [Table 2], except for Starch 1 (prototype), are products of Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. Starch 1 (prototype) was prepared using the following procedure: 500 g of corn starch was suspended in 600 mL of industrial water, heated to 45°C while stirring, and then the pH was adjusted to 1.2 with a 10% sulfuric acid solution. The reaction was then carried out at 45°C for 19 hours, and the reaction was terminated by neutralization with a 3% caustic solution (pH 5.5). After the reaction was complete, the product was dehydrated and washed with water, dried at 50°C, and the "prototype" was obtained.

[0036] [Table 2]

[0037] <Preparation of frozen French toast-like food> Frozen French toast-like food was prepared according to the following procedure, following the seasoning liquid formulation shown in [Table 3] below. First, the raw materials were mixed and heated to 95°C, then homogenized for 3 minutes at 12000 rpm using a homogenizer (Primix Homomixer MARK II) to prepare the seasoning liquid. Next, 100g of the seasoning liquid was placed in a tray, and five slices of 2cm thick, 3cm square bread (approximately 30g in total) were placed in it and impregnated for 1 hour. Based on the results of Test 2, the amount of starch and the impregnation temperature were adjusted so that the viscosity of the seasoning liquid during impregnation was 300mPa·s or less. The amounts of starch are shown in [Table 4] below. The impregnation temperature was 30°C, except for starches 3-5, which did not have a viscosity of 300mPa·s or less at 30°C, for which the temperature was 70°C. After impregnation was complete, the resulting French toast-like food was frozen at -23°C for 24 hours. The resulting frozen French toast-like food was removed from the freezer and left to stand at room temperature (25°C) for 1 minute. The presence or absence of dissolution of the seasoning liquid was then visually evaluated. The presence or absence of dissolution was evaluated based on the evaluation criteria shown in Figure 1. The viscosity of the seasoning liquid was measured at the temperature at which the seasoning liquid was impregnated into the bread, using the same method as in Test 2. The Brix value of the seasoning liquid was measured using a Brix refractometer (manufactured by Atago).

[0038] [Table 3]

[0039] [Table 4]

[0040] As shown in [Table 4], the frozen French toast-like foods with low-molecular-weight starch added to the seasoning liquid (Examples 1-3) showed no melting of the seasoning liquid after 1 minute at room temperature and were in a state suitable for consumption. On the other hand, the frozen French toast-like foods without starch added to the seasoning liquid (control) and the frozen French toast-like foods with starch other than low-molecular-weight starch added to the seasoning liquid (Comparative Examples 1-4) showed melting of the seasoning liquid after 1 minute at room temperature and were not in a state suitable for consumption. However, all of them had a good firmness that allowed them to be eaten directly from the frozen state.

[0041] <Test 4: Examination of the amount of low-molecular-weight starch added> To investigate the amount of low-molecular-weight starch to be added, starches 1-3 were blended as shown in [Table 5] below, and frozen French toast-like foods were prepared using the same method as in Test 3 to evaluate whether or not the seasoning liquid dissolved (Examples 4-7). In this test, the temperature during impregnation or the blending of the seasoning liquid was adjusted so that the viscosity of the seasoning liquid during impregnation was 300 mPa·s or less. In Example 7, the viscosity of the seasoning liquid at 30°C did not fall below 300 mPa·s, so the seasoning liquid was impregnated at 70°C. In Example 6, the viscosity of the seasoning liquid did not fall below 300 mPa·s even after heating, so the amount of sugar in the seasoning liquid was changed from 12 parts by mass as shown in [Table 3] to 0 parts by mass.

[0042] [Table 5]

[0043] By adding 3-20% low-molecular-weight starch to the seasoning liquid, the melting of the seasoning liquid after 1 minute of leaving the frozen French toast-like food at room temperature was suppressed (Examples 1-7). In addition, all samples had a good firmness that allowed them to be eaten directly from the frozen state.

[0044] Using the formulation shown in [Table 6], frozen French toast-like food was prepared in the same manner as in Test 3, resulting in chocolate-flavored and orange-flavored frozen French toast-like food. Both had a good firmness that allowed them to be eaten directly from the frozen state, and an effect in preventing the seasoning liquid from dissolving during consumption was observed. Thus, the French toast-like food of the present invention can be adapted to various flavors by appropriately changing the seasoning liquid.

[0045] [Table 6]

Claims

1. A method for producing a frozen French toast-like food product, comprising: impregnating a bakery product with a seasoning liquid containing low molecular weight starch and having a Brix of 30 or more; and freezing the product.

2. 2. The method for producing a frozen French toast-like food product according to claim 1, wherein the low molecular weight starch is at least one selected from the group consisting of oxidized starch and acid-treated starch.

3. 2. The method for producing a frozen French toast-like food product according to claim 1, wherein the viscosity of the seasoning liquid to be impregnated is 1000 mPa·s or less.

4. The method for producing the frozen French toast-like food according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is eaten in a frozen or partially thawed state.

5. The seasoning liquid for impregnating bakery products and freezing them contains low molecular weight starch and has a Brix of 30 or more for producing frozen French toast-like foods.

6. 6. The seasoning liquid for producing a frozen French toast-like food product according to claim 5, wherein the low molecular weight starch is at least one selected from the group consisting of oxidized starch and acid-treated starch.

7. 6. The seasoning liquid for producing frozen French toast-like foods according to claim 5, having a viscosity of 1000 mPa·s or less.

8. A seasoning liquid for producing a frozen French toast-like food according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the frozen French toast-like food is eaten in a frozen or semi-thawed state.

9. A frozen French toast-like food product including a bakery product, which contains a seasoning liquid having a Brix of 30 or more and which contains low molecular weight starch.

10. 10. The frozen French toast-like food according to claim 9, wherein the low molecular weight starch is at least one selected from the group consisting of oxidized starch and acid-treated starch.

11. A frozen French toast-like food product as described in claim 9, wherein the viscosity of the seasoning liquid is 1000 mPa·s or less.

12. The frozen French toast-like food according to any one of claims 9 to 11, which is eaten in a frozen or partially thawed state.

Images