Ready-to-eat pasta food and producing method thereof

Abstract

To provide ready-to-eat pasta products that are sterilized, can be stored at room temperature for long periods, and are suppressed in quality degradation during storage to result in a good texture.SOLUTION: A sterilized ready-to-eat pasta product that includes cooked pasta and sauce, contains 25-70 mass% of the cooked pasta and 30-75 mass% of the sauce in a total amount of 100 mass% of the cooked pasta and the source, where the cooked pasta has a moisture content of 63-72 mass%, and the sauce contains 5-10 mass% of dextrin with a DE value of less than 5.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an instant pasta food that is stored in an edible state, and a method for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Pasta foods, including pasta such as spaghetti and macaroni, have a unique chewy texture among noodles and are popular foods that go well with various sauces. Pasta is boiled and then eaten with sauce, but boiling dried pasta, which is generally available on the market, requires 10 minutes of boiling in boiling water, which is time-consuming and wastes a lot of energy when cooking for one person. In recent years, there has been a strong trend toward individual meals, and in order to reduce such waste, pasta foods that are pre-cooked pasta packed in containers with sauce are commercially available. On the other hand, noodles, including pasta, tend to become so-called boiled and stretched over time after cooking, which reduces the quality. In addition, if boiled noodles are stored in contact with sauce, the moisture in the sauce may migrate to the noodles, which may further reduce the quality of the noodles.

[0003] Examples of commercially available ready-to-eat pasta foods in which boiled pasta and sauce are in contact with each other include retort foods, in which cooked pasta and sauce are sealed in a heat-resistant container and sterilized at high temperatures, frozen foods, in which cooked pasta and sauce are frozen in blocks, and chilled or refrigerated foods, in which cooked pasta and sauce are sealed in a plastic or other container. Of these, retort foods can be stored for long periods of time, from several months to several years, at room temperature of around 25°C, and have the advantage that they can be eaten immediately after opening, without the need for thawing or reheating processes as with frozen and refrigerated foods.

[0004] Regarding quality improvement of pasta food products sterilized by retort, Patent Document 1 describes packaged pasta in which pasta and a sauce containing 5-25% starch sugar are filled and sealed in a container and then sterilized by retort. Patent Document 2 describes a method for producing packaged seasoned pasta in which pasta with a water content of 5-30% by mass and a seasoning liquid obtained by dissolving dextrin with DE 5-20 so that the average DE value is 0.3-4.5 are filled and sealed in a container, and then heat sterilized. Patent Document 3 describes a method for producing a cooked retort food product of noodles, characterized in that boiled noodles are heat sterilized in a seasoning liquid containing 30-35% by mass of dextrin with DE 4-8. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-78696 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2011-24 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2019-71838 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The improvement techniques described in Patent Documents 1 to 3 all aim to improve the quality of cooked noodles, but there is still room for improvement in the quality of ready-to-eat pasta foods, and foods of higher quality are desired.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide an instant-to-eat pasta food product which has been retort sterilized and can be stored at room temperature for a long period of time, while suppressing deterioration in pasta quality during storage and having a good texture. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention relates to an instant-to-eat pasta food product that has been subjected to a retort sterilization process and contains cooked pasta and a sauce, the instant-to-eat pasta food product containing 25 to 70% by mass of the cooked pasta and 30 to 75% by mass of the sauce, with the total amount of the cooked pasta and the sauce being 100% by mass, the cooked pasta having a moisture content of 63 to 72% by mass, and the sauce containing 5 to 10% by mass of dextrin having a DE value of less than 5.

[0009] The present invention also relates to a method for producing an instant-to-eat pasta food, which comprises filling a container with raw materials including dried pasta having a moisture content of 8 to 14% by mass and sauce, sealing the container, and then carrying out a retort sterilization treatment to adjust the moisture content of the pasta to 63 to 72% by mass, wherein the raw materials contain 10 to 30% by mass of dried pasta and 70 to 90% by mass of sauce, with the total amount of the dried pasta and the sauce being 100% by mass, and the sauce contains 2 to 8% by mass of dextrin having a DE value of less than 5. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an instant-to-eat pasta food product that has been retort sterilized and can be stored at room temperature for long periods of time, yet in which deterioration of the pasta quality during storage is suppressed and that has a good texture, and it is also possible to provide a method for efficiently producing such an instant-to-eat pasta food product. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] The instant-to-eat pasta food of the present invention is a food that has been subjected to retort sterilization, i.e., high-temperature heat treatment, in a state where the pasta and sauce are mixed together, and can be eaten as is without reheating. Generally, retort sterilization is performed at a high temperature of 100°C or higher, which is the temperature at which water boils, and therefore the retort food is sterilized in a sealed state in a heat-resistant container that can withstand retort sterilization (hereinafter also referred to as a "retort container") and stored as is. The instant-to-eat pasta food of the present invention is also retort sterilized in this manner while sealed in a retort container. The retort container is not particularly limited as long as it can be used for retort sterilization and can store this type of retort food, and examples of such containers include containers made of plastic, metal, ceramic, etc.

[0012] The cooked pasta contained in the instant-to-eat pasta food of the present invention is pasta that has been cooked so that it can be eaten, and the raw material pasta used for cooking may be fresh pasta or dried pasta. Fresh pasta is pasta that is produced by preparing pasta dough from raw pasta ingredients in a conventional manner, forming it into various pasta shapes, and not drying the formed product, and has a moisture content of about 38 to 46% by mass when uncooked. Dried pasta is produced by drying fresh pasta, and has a moisture content of about 10 to 15% by mass when uncooked.

[0013] The type of pasta is not particularly limited, and generally consumed pasta such as long pasta, short pasta, and sheet-like pasta can be used. Specific examples of long pasta include spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine, and bucatini. Specific examples of short pasta include macaroni, penne, rigatoni, fusilli, conchiglie, farfalle, ravioli, and tortelli. Specific examples of sheet-like pasta include lasagna. Since the instant-to-eat pasta food of the present invention is sealed and stored in a retort container, it is preferable to use short pasta compared to elongated long pasta or flat sheet-like pasta, from the viewpoint of resistance to physical impact such as deformation of the container during storage or transportation of the instant-to-eat pasta food. As for the size of the short pasta, for example, one having a maximum diameter of 4 to 12 cm in a cooked state can be used.

[0014] The pasta can be cooked by a conventional method, for example, boiling, steaming, or microwave cooking. Typically, the pasta is cooked by placing it in a large amount of hot water (i.e., boiling). Alternatively, as described below, the retort sterilization process can also serve as the cooking of the pasta, in which case no separate cooking is required.

[0015] The cooked pasta contained in the instant-to-eat pasta food of the present invention has a moisture content of 63 to 72% by mass, preferably 64 to 69% by mass, and more preferably 65 to 68% by mass, and the pasta is cooked to such a moisture content. If the moisture content is less than 63% by mass, the texture of the instant-to-eat pasta food may be too hard. If the moisture content is more than 72% by mass, the texture of the instant-to-eat pasta food may be too soft.

[0016] In this specification, the moisture content of cooked pasta is determined according to the following <Method of determining moisture content>. The moisture content of a sauce, which will be described later, is also determined according to the following <Method of determining moisture content>. <How to calculate moisture content> First, take about 5 g of a measurement sample (cooked pasta or sauce) and accurately measure its mass. Next, dry the measurement sample at 80°C for 12 hours according to the bone drying method, and then measure the mass of the dried measurement sample in the same manner. The difference in mass before and after drying is taken as the moisture mass, and the moisture mass relative to the mass of the measurement sample before drying is calculated as a percentage, and this value is taken as the moisture content of the measurement sample.

[0017] The sauce used in the instant pasta food of the present invention may be any sauce that can be eaten with pasta, and the type is not particularly limited. Specific examples of sauce include tomato sauces such as tomato sauce, meat sauce, Neapolitan sauce, and Arrabiata sauce; white sauces such as white sauce, cheese sauce, and carbonara sauce; and brown sauces such as demi-glace sauce and brown sauce. As the raw material for the sauce, any raw material that can be used as the raw material for this type of sauce can be used without any particular limitation, and examples include vegetables such as onion, garlic, and green onion; aromatic vegetables such as bay leaves, basil, thyme, oregano, and sage; natural spices such as vegetable extract, meat extract, and dried herbs, salt, pepper, dairy ingredients, sugars, starches, grain flours, various seasonings, solid soups, oils and fats, and water, and these can be used in combination depending on the type of sauce. The sauce can be produced by a conventional method.

[0018] The sauce contained in the instant pasta food of the present invention contains dextrin with a DE (dextrose equivalent) value of less than 5, preferably a DE value of 1 to 4. By containing dextrin with a DE value of less than 5 in the sauce, even if cooked pasta and sauce are stored in contact with each other, excessive transfer of moisture from the sauce to the pasta can be suppressed. The dextrin may be any edible dextrin, and commercially available dextrin may be used. Dextrin is made by depolymerizing starch, and the DE value of dextrin represents the number of reducing ends per 100 glucose molecules constituting dextrin, and is a relative scale representing the degree of depolymerization. The closer the DE value is to 0, the closer the characteristics are to starch, and the closer the DE value is to 100, the closer the characteristics are to glucose. It is not preferable to use cyclodextrin as dextrin, since it is difficult to obtain the effect and the flavor of the sauce is deteriorated.

[0019] If the dextrin has a DE value of less than 5, it is preferable that the dextrin is a highly branched cyclic dextrin, since it can prevent stickiness caused by blending dextrin and also has a high effect. Highly branched cyclic dextrin is a dextrin obtained by treating starch with a branching enzyme (branching enzyme that causes a sugar transfer reaction), and the dextrin molecule has a partially cyclic structure (a structure different from cyclodextrin, in which one end and the other end of a linear glucose are bonded to form a ring). Highly branched cyclic dextrin is commercially available, and for example, Cluster Dextrin (registered trademark) commercially available from Glico Nutrition Foods Co., Ltd. can be used.

[0020] In the instant-to-eat pasta food of the present invention, the content of dextrin having a DE value of less than 5 in the sauce is 5 to 10% by mass, preferably 6 to 9% by mass, and more preferably 7 to 9% by mass, relative to the total mass of the sauce. If it is less than 5% by mass, the effect may not be sufficient, and if it exceeds 10% by mass, the stickiness of the dextrin may make the texture of the pasta hard.

[0021] Dextrin with a DE value of less than 5 may be added at any stage in the sauce production process. For example, a sauce containing dextrin may be obtained by adding it appropriately during the sauce production process together with normal sauce ingredients, or a sauce may be produced in advance using ingredients other than dextrin, and then dextrin may be added.

[0022] The water content of a sauce containing dextrin with a DE value of less than 5 is preferably 60 to 75% by mass, more preferably 63 to 72% by mass. By making the sauce have such a water content, it is possible to more effectively prevent excessive transfer of water from the sauce to the pasta during storage of the instant-to-eat pasta food of the present invention. In this specification, the water content of the sauce is a value determined by the above-mentioned <Method of determining water content>.

[0023] In addition, the sauce in the present invention refers to a liquid or paste-like fluidity at room temperature and normal pressure. For example, when solid matter such as ingredients described later is mixed in the sauce, such as meat sauce, the portion excluding the solid matter is the sauce in the present invention. Therefore, when determining the dextrin content in the sauce and the moisture content of the sauce, as well as the respective contents of cooked pasta and sauce in the total amount of cooked pasta and sauce (100% by mass) described later, if solid matter is mixed in the sauce, these values ​​are determined for the sauce in a state in which the solid matter has been removed. To remove solid matter from the sauce, specifically, for example, the sauce and solid matter in a mixed state are placed on a sieve with 5 mm openings and left for 5 minutes, and the fraction that falls under the sieve due to its own weight can be used as the sauce.

[0024] The content of the cooked pasta in the instant-to-eat pasta food of the present invention is 25 to 70% by mass, preferably 30 to 50% by mass, based on 100% by mass of the total amount of cooked pasta and sauce. The content of the sauce in the instant-to-eat pasta food of the present invention is 30 to 75% by mass, preferably 50 to 70% by mass, based on 100% by mass of the total amount of cooked pasta and sauce. If the content of cooked pasta is less than 25% by mass and the content of sauce is more than 75% by mass, the texture of the pasta may become too soft. If the content of cooked pasta is more than 70% by mass and the content of sauce is less than 30% by mass, the pasta and sauce may not blend well together. Note that "100% by mass of the total amount of cooked pasta and sauce" here refers to the total amount of sauce with the solids removed and cooked pasta, as described above, if the sauce contains solid matter such as ingredients.

[0025] The instant pasta food product of the present invention may further contain other ingredients in addition to the cooked pasta and sauce described above. The other ingredients are usually ingredients. The type of ingredients is not particularly limited, and meat, seafood, vegetables (root vegetables, leafy vegetables, mushrooms, etc.), etc. can be used depending on the type of sauce and the desired flavor and texture. When ingredients are included, the content thereof is usually 10 to 200 parts by mass, preferably 15 to 150 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of cooked pasta and sauce.

[0026] There are no limitations to the manufacturing method of the instant-to-eat pasta food of the present invention, so long as the instant-to-eat pasta food obtained through retort sterilization satisfies the respective contents of cooked pasta and sauce, the moisture content of the cooked pasta, and the dextrin content in the sauce, specified in the present invention. The heating conditions for the retort sterilization are generally a temperature of preferably 100°C or higher and 160°C or lower, and a time of preferably 5 minutes or higher and 60 minutes or lower. As representative methods for producing the instant-to-eat pasta food of the present invention, methods (1) and (2) are explained below. Note that, with respect to the production methods explained below, the above explanation of the instant-to-eat pasta food of the present invention can be appropriately applied to the points not specifically explained.

[0027] Method (1): The instant-to-eat pasta food of the present invention can be produced by cooking pasta as a raw material in advance to obtain cooked pasta with a moisture content of 63 to 72% by mass, and separately preparing a dextrin-containing sauce containing 5 to 10% by mass of dextrin having a DE value of less than 5. These are then filled in predetermined amounts into retort containers, sealed, and then subjected to retort sterilization treatment. More specifically, first, fresh pasta or dried pasta as raw material is cooked, for example, by boiling in hot water so that the moisture content is 63 to 72% by mass, and a sauce containing 5 to 10% by mass of the above-mentioned dextrin with a DE value of less than 5, and preferably having a moisture content of 60 to 75% by mass, is prepared separately. Next, the cooked pasta and the dextrin-containing sauce are filled into a retort container in a ratio of 25 to 70% by mass for the former and 30 to 75% by mass for the latter (wherein the total amount of both is 100% by mass), and ingredients are also filled as necessary, and the container is sealed, and then subjected to a retort sterilization treatment. The heating conditions for the retort sterilization treatment in method (1) can be a temperature of preferably 105°C to 140°C, and a time of preferably 3 to 30 minutes.

[0028] In method (1), as described above, the respective contents of the cooked pasta and sauce, as well as the water content of the cooked pasta and the dextrin content in the sauce, are adjusted to within the ranges specified in the present invention prior to retort sterilization. Even after retort sterilization, these adjusted amounts are maintained. As a result, even when the obtained ready-to-eat pasta food is stored for a long period of time, there is no excessive transfer of water from the sauce to the pasta, and a good texture of the pasta can be maintained.

[0029] As a variation of method (1), in method (1), instead of boiling the raw material pasta in water, the pasta may be cooked in a sauce. In detail, a sauce is prepared first, and pasta as a raw material is added thereto and cooked. At this time, since the moisture in the sauce is transferred to the pasta by cooking, the moisture content of the sauce to be cooked and the cooking time are adjusted so that the moisture content of the cooked pasta falls within the range specified by the present invention. Dextrin with a DE value of less than 5 may be added to the sauce before cooking, or may be added to the sauce after cooking. When added before cooking, the amount added is determined so that the dextrin content of the sauce after cooking falls within the range specified by the present invention, taking into consideration that the moisture in the sauce is transferred to the pasta by cooking. Alternatively, a portion of the dextrin with a DE value of less than 5 may be added to the sauce before cooking, and after cooking the pasta with this sauce, the remaining dextrin with a DE value of less than 5 may be added so that the dextrin content of the sauce after cooking falls within the range specified by the present invention. After cooking the pasta in the sauce, the cooked pasta and sauce are filled and sealed in a retort container so that the respective contents fall within the range specified by the present invention, and then the retort sterilization treatment is performed.

[0030] Method (2): In method (2), dried pasta is used as a raw material, and this dried pasta is packed in a retort container without being cooked together with a dextrin-containing sauce, which is then sealed and subjected to retort sterilization. This method is excellent in production efficiency because the retort sterilization treatment also cooks the pasta, and it is also easy to adjust the moisture content of the cooked pasta in the obtained ready-to-eat pasta food product to within the range specified in the present invention.

[0031] More specifically, dried pasta with a moisture content of 8 to 14% by mass, sauce, and ingredients including ingredients as necessary are filled into a container and sealed, and then retort sterilization is performed to adjust the moisture content of the pasta to 63 to 72% by mass. Here, the raw materials contain 10 to 30% by mass of dried pasta and 70 to 90% by mass of sauce, with the total amount of the dried pasta and the sauce being 100% by mass, and the sauce contains 2 to 8% by mass of dextrin having a DE value of less than 5. The heating conditions for the retort sterilization treatment here can be a temperature of preferably 105°C to 140°C, and a time of preferably 8 to 60 minutes.

[0032] In this method, the amount of dried pasta and sauce to be filled and the dextrin content in the filled sauce are adjusted so that the water content of the pasta after retort sterilization or during storage is 63 to 72% by mass. In other words, when the above-mentioned amounts of dried pasta and dextrin-containing sauce are sealed and subjected to retort sterilization, i.e., high-temperature heating, the water in the sauce penetrates the dried pasta while the pasta is cooked, and finally the water content of the pasta is equilibrated at 63 to 72% by mass. In this way, even if the instant-to-eat pasta food of the present invention is stored for a long period of time, the transfer of water between the pasta and the sauce is unlikely to occur, and a pasta food of more stable quality can be provided. From the viewpoint of more reliably obtaining such effects, it is more preferable that the raw materials filled in the container contain 15 to 25% by mass of dried pasta and 75 to 85% by mass of sauce out of a total amount of 100% by mass of the dried pasta and sauce. Similarly, from the viewpoint of more reliably obtaining the above-mentioned effects, the water content of the sauce used as the raw material is preferably 65 to 85% by mass.

[0033] In this method, as described above, the retort sterilization process also serves as the cooking of the pasta; in other words, the moisture in the sauce used as the raw material is transferred to the dried pasta by the retort sterilization process. In other words, the moisture content in the sauce after the retort sterilization process is lower than that before the retort sterilization process, and the dextrin content in the sauce is accordingly higher. In addition, in this method, a small amount of the dextrin contained in the sauce used as the raw material also permeates into the pasta by the retort sterilization process. Taking these points into consideration, it is advisable to determine the specific moisture content and dextrin content of the sauce used as the raw material.

[0034] From the viewpoint of preserving the quality of the instant-to-eat pasta food product of the present invention for a long period of time, particularly in method (2), it is preferable to use dried pasta used as an ingredient with a gluten vitality (GV) of 25% or less, particularly 23 to 10%. GV is an index that indicates the properties of the protein contained in wheat flour, and is different from the amount of protein contained. The GV of ordinary wheat flour is 50 to 60%, and the GV of ordinary dried pasta (e.g., dried spaghetti) is about 40 to 46%. By setting the GV of the dried pasta within the above range, it is possible to more effectively prevent excessive transfer of moisture from the sauce to the pasta during storage.

[0035] In the present invention, the GV of dried pasta is a value measured using a sample obtained by pulverizing dried pasta (hereinafter also referred to as "pulverized flour") according to the following GV measurement method.

[0036] [How to measure GV] <1> Determination of soluble crude protein content of milled flour: (a) Accurately weigh out 2 g of crushed powder into a 100 mL beaker. (b) Add 40 mL of 0.05 N acetic acid to the above beaker and stir at room temperature for 60 minutes to prepare a suspension. (c) The suspension obtained in (b) above is transferred to a centrifuge tube and centrifuged at 5,000 rpm for 5 minutes, and then filtered using filter paper to recover the filtrate. (d) Wash the beaker used above with 40 mL of 0.05 N acetic acid, transfer the washings to a centrifuge tube, centrifuge at 5,000 rpm for 5 minutes, then filter using filter paper to recover the filtrate. (e) Combine the filtrates collected in (c) and (d) above and dilute to 100 mL. (f) 25 mL of the liquid obtained in (e) above is placed in a Kjeldahl tube of a Kjeldahl Autosystem manufactured by Tickator (Sweden) using a volumetric pipette, and one tablet of a decomposition accelerator ("Keltab C" manufactured by Nippon General Co., Ltd.; potassium sulfate:copper sulfate = 9:1 (mass ratio)) and 15 mL of concentrated sulfuric acid are added. (g) Using the Keltec decomposition furnace (DIGESTION SYSTEM 20 1015 type) incorporated in the above-mentioned Keltec auto system, decomposition treatment is performed for 1 hour at dial 4, and then decomposition treatment is automatically performed for another hour at dial 9 or 10. Following this decomposition treatment, the liquid from the decomposition treatment is continuously and automatically distilled and titrated (using 0.1 N sulfuric acid for titration) using the Keltec distillation and titration system (KJELTEC AUTO 1030 type) incorporated in the same Keltec auto system to determine the soluble crude protein content of the pulverized powder using the following formula.

[0037] (Number 1) Soluble crude protein content (%)=0.14×(TB)×F×N×(100 / S)×(1 / 25) During the ceremony, T = amount of 0.1 N sulfuric acid required for titration (mL) B = the amount of 0.1 N sulfuric acid required to titrate the blank (mL) F = titer of 0.1 N sulfuric acid used in titration (measure when used or use a commercially available product with a titer indicated) N = nitrogen protein conversion factor (5.70) S = weight of ground powder (g)

[0038] <2> Determination of total crude protein content of milled flour: (a) 0.5 g of the ground powder is weighed out and placed in a Kjeldahl tube of the same Ticator Keltec Autosystem used in (1) above, and one tablet of the same decomposition accelerator used in (1)(f) above and 5 mL of concentrated sulfuric acid are added to it. (b) Using the same Keltec decomposition furnace of the Keltec auto system used in (1) above, decomposition treatment is carried out for 1 hour at dial 9 or 10, and then, following this decomposition treatment, the liquid from the decomposition treatment is continuously and automatically distilled and titrated (using 0.1 N sulfuric acid for titration) using the same Keltec distillation and titration system used in (1) above, which is incorporated into the same Keltec auto system, to determine the total crude protein content of the pulverized powder using the following formula.

[0039] (Number 2) Total crude protein content (%)=(0.14×T×F×N) / S During the ceremony, T = amount of 0.1 N sulfuric acid required for titration (mL) F = titer of 0.1N sulfuric acid used in titration (measured at the time of use) N = nitrogen protein conversion factor (5.70) S = weight of ground powder (g)

[0040] <3> Calculating GV: The GV of the pulverized powder is calculated from the soluble crude protein content of the pulverized powder calculated in (1) above and the total crude protein content of the pulverized powder calculated in (2) above using the following formula.

[0041] (Number 3) GV(%)=(Soluble crude protein content / total crude protein content)×100

[0042] Examples of methods for adjusting the GV of dried pasta to the above-mentioned range include heat-treating dried pasta or heat-treating fresh pasta for preparing dried pasta. There are no particular limitations on the method for heating dried pasta or fresh pasta, and known methods can be used, for example, heating can be performed using devices such as an oven, autoclave, or heater. There are no particular limitations on the heating temperature and time, but for example, the pasta can be placed in an environment with an ambient temperature of 70 to 120°C, preferably 75 to 100°C, and heated for 5 to 120 minutes, preferably 10 to 80 minutes. Generally, the GV decreases more rapidly as the heating conditions (temperature, time) increase, so the heating conditions are appropriately adjusted so that the GV of the dried pasta reaches the desired value. Furthermore, if the humidity is controlled along with the temperature and time during this heat treatment (humidity-controlled heat treatment), the moisture content of the resulting dried pasta can also be adjusted to the desired value.

[0043] The instant pasta food of the present invention thus produced is subjected to retort sterilization after sealing in a container, and therefore can be stored at room temperature for a long period of time without spoilage, and can be eaten as is after opening. If necessary, it can be reheated before eating, and it can be reheated by placing it in a hot water bath while still in the container, or by opening the container and placing it on a heat-resistant plate or the like and reheating it in a microwave oven or the like. EXAMPLES

[0044] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. In the following examples, Examples 1 to 5 are examples of production by method (1), and Examples 6 to 7 are examples of production by method (2).

[0045] [Production Example 1] Preparation of base tomato sauce 160g of a mixture of crushed garlic and grated onion was fried thoroughly in a pan with olive oil, being careful not to burn it. After frying, the garlic was removed, and 250mL of bouillon and 500g of tomato paste were added, mixed while adjusting the heat so as not to boil, and when it became uniform, heated for another 20 minutes, and fresh water was added to make the total amount 1000g, to prepare the base tomato sauce. The moisture content of this base tomato sauce was measured according to the above-mentioned <Method of determining moisture content>, and was found to be 80% by mass.

[0046] [Production Example 2] Preparation of base white sauce A mixture was prepared by mixing 50g of plain wheat flour and 800mL of milk and stirring. A pot was placed on the fire and 80g of butter was melted. 720g of the mixture was added to the melted butter and heated for 10 minutes while stirring to prevent boiling. 200g of fresh cream was added little by little and mixed while adjusting the heat to prevent boiling. When the mixture became uniform, it was heated for another 20 minutes, and fresh water was added to make the total amount 1000g to prepare a base white sauce.

[0047] [Example 1, Comparative Example 1] Study on DE value of dextrin 1 Using dried macaroni and the base tomato sauce obtained in Production Example 1, a ready-to-eat pasta food was produced according to the following procedure.

[0048] A predetermined amount of dried macaroni (water content 12% by mass) was boiled to obtain boiled macaroni with a water content of 66% by mass. The water content of the boiled macaroni was measured according to the above-mentioned <Method of determining water content>. The GV of the dried macaroni was measured according to the above-mentioned [Method of measuring GV] and was found to be 42%.

[0049] Separately, dextrin was added to a base tomato sauce, which was thoroughly stirred and then heated to evaporate the water, to obtain a dextrin-containing tomato sauce containing 8% by mass of dextrin and a water content of 70% by mass. The water content of the dextrin-containing tomato sauce was measured according to the above-mentioned <Method for determining water content>. The dextrins used are as follows: Cluster Dextrin (registered trademark) (DE value 3): Highly branched cyclic dextrin made by Glico Nutrition Foods Dextrin (DE value 3.5): Sanwa Starch Sandeck #100 Dextrin (DE value 4): Matsutani Chemical Industry Pine Index #100 Dextrin (DE value 7): Sanwa Starch's Sandeck #70FN

[0050] Next, 40 g of the boiled cooked macaroni and 60 g of the dextrin-containing tomato sauce were filled into a commercially available retort pouch, which was then sealed using a sealing machine. The pouch was then retort sterilized at 110°C for 15 minutes using an autoclave to produce an instant pasta food product. In Comparative Example 1-1, no dextrin was added, the base tomato sauce was heated to adjust the water content to 70% by mass, and this tomato sauce was used instead of the tomato sauce containing dextrin.

[0051] [Test Example 1] After storing the ready-to-eat pasta foods of each Example and Comparative Example at 25°C for one week, they were opened and placed on a plate, and 10 expert panelists ate them and evaluated the texture of the macaroni according to the following evaluation criteria (maximum 5 points). The results are shown in Table 1 as the average scores of the 10 panelists.

[0052] <Evaluation criteria for macaroni texture> 5 points: Elastic and chewy, comparable to freshly boiled macaroni, very good. 4 points: Elastic and chewy, not as good as freshly boiled macaroni, but still good. 3 points: Slightly soft or slightly hard, but acceptable. 2 points: A little too soft or a little too hard, defective. 1 point: Too soft or too hard, very poor.

[0053] In addition, the instant pasta food product that was opened and removed after being stored at 25°C for one week was placed on a sieve with 5 mm openings and left for 5 minutes to separate the macaroni and sauce, and the moisture content of each was measured according to the method for determining moisture content described above. As a result, in the examples, the moisture contents of both the macaroni and the sauce were the same as when they were packed in a pouch bag during the production of the instant pasta food product, but in the comparative examples, the moisture content of the macaroni was increased compared to when it was packed in a pouch bag. In the examples, the moisture contents of both the macaroni and the sauce did not change before and after storage, which shows that the amounts of macaroni and sauce in the instant pasta food product after storage were the same as the amounts packed in the pouch bag.

[0054] [Table 1]

[0055] [Example 2, Comparative Example 2] Study on DE value of dextrin 2 Except for using the white sauce obtained in Production Example 2 instead of the base tomato sauce obtained in Production Example 1, an instant pasta food was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, and the texture of the macaroni was evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 2. Furthermore, similarly to Test Example 1, the macaroni and sauce in the instant-to-eat pasta food after storage were separated and the moisture content of each was measured. As a result, in the Example, the moisture content of both the macaroni and sauce was the same as when they were packed in a pouch during the production of the instant-to-eat pasta food, but in the Comparative Example, the moisture content of the macaroni had increased compared to when it was packed in a pouch.

[0056] [Table 2]

[0057] [Example 3, Comparative Example 3] Study on the amount of cooked pasta and sauce Instant pasta foods were produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the filling amounts of boiled cooked macaroni and dextrin-containing tomato sauce were changed as shown in Table 3. In Example 3-3, 30 g of steamed chicken thigh meat was filled as an ingredient into a pouch bag together with the boiled cooked macaroni and dextrin-containing tomato sauce. The texture of the macaroni in the instant pasta foods obtained was evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 3. Furthermore, similarly to Test Example 1, the macaroni and sauce in the instant-to-eat pasta food after storage were separated and the moisture content of each was measured. As a result, in the Example, the moisture content of both the macaroni and sauce was the same as when they were packed in a pouch during the production of the instant-to-eat pasta food, but in the Comparative Example, the moisture content of the macaroni had increased compared to when it was packed in a pouch.

[0058] [Table 3]

[0059] [Example 4, Comparative Example 4] Study on the water content of boiled pasta Except for adjusting the boiling time of the macaroni and changing the water content of the boiled and cooked macaroni as shown in Table 4, instant pasta foods were produced in the same manner as in Example 1, and the texture of the macaroni was evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 4. Furthermore, similarly to Test Example 1, the macaroni and sauce in the instant-to-eat pasta food after storage were separated and the moisture content of each was measured. As a result, in the Example, the moisture content of both the macaroni and sauce was the same as when they were packed in a pouch during the production of the instant-to-eat pasta food, but in the Comparative Example, the moisture content of the macaroni had increased compared to when it was packed in a pouch.

[0060] [Table 4]

[0061] [Example 5, Comparative Example 5] Examination of dextrin content Except for changing the dextrin content in the sauce as shown in Table 5, instant pasta foods were produced in the same manner as in Example 1, and the texture of the macaroni was evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 5. As in Test Example 1, the macaroni and sauce in the instant-to-eat pasta food after storage were separated and their moisture contents were measured. In the working example, the moisture contents of the macaroni and sauce were the same as those when the instant-to-eat pasta food was packed in a pouch during production, but in Comparative Example 5-1, the moisture content of the macaroni was increased compared to when it was packed in a pouch. In Comparative Example 5-2, the moisture contents of the macaroni and sauce were the same as those when the instant-to-eat pasta food was packed in a pouch during production, but the texture of the macaroni was hard.

[0062] [Table 5]

[0063] [Example 6, Comparative Example 6] Production by method (2) A dextrin-containing tomato sauce containing 6% by mass of dextrin and 80% by mass of water was prepared using the base tomato sauce obtained in Production Example 1 and following the procedure of Example 1. Note that an appropriate amount of water was added to adjust the water content. A commercially available retort pouch was filled with 20 parts by mass of the same dried macaroni (water content 12% by mass) as used in Example 1 and 80 parts by mass of the above dextrin-containing tomato sauce, and the pouch was sealed by bonding with a sealing machine. This was subjected to retort sterilization treatment at 110°C for 25 minutes using an autoclave device to produce an instant pasta food.

[0064] The obtained instant pasta food was stored at 25°C for one week in the same manner as in Test Example 1, and the texture of the macaroni was evaluated, and the macaroni and sauce in the instant pasta food after storage were separated, and the moisture content of each was measured. Furthermore, after separating the macaroni and sauce in the instant pasta food after storage in the same manner as in Test Example 1, the macaroni was lightly washed with water to remove any sauce attached thereto, and the surface moisture was thoroughly removed, and the mass of the macaroni was measured, and the mass of the macaroni was subtracted from the total mass of the instant pasta food contained in the pouch, and the difference was taken as the mass of the sauce, and the contents (mass%) of the cooked macaroni and sauce contained in the instant pasta food were calculated from these masses. The results are shown in Table 6. The dextrin contents in the sauces contained in the ready-to-eat pasta foods shown in Table 6 are estimated values. In this regard, the present inventors have conducted a separate study on the transfer of dextrin from a dextrin-containing sauce to pasta during retort sterilization treatment such as in this example, and have confirmed that under the conditions of this example, the dextrin contents in the sauces contained in the ready-to-eat pasta foods are approximately the values ​​shown in Table 6.

[0065] [Table 6]

[0066] [Example 7] Examination of GV of dried macaroni used as raw material The same dried macaroni as used in Example 1 was placed in a thermostatic chamber at 90° C. and subjected to a heat treatment (humidity-controlled heat treatment). During the heat treatment, the dried macaroni was suitably removed from the thermostatic chamber and the GV was measured to obtain dried macaroni having each GV in Table 7. The moisture content of each of these dried macaronis was 11% by mass. Instant pasta foods were produced in the same manner as in Example 6, except that the dried macaroni with adjusted GV was used as the dried macaroni to be filled in the retort pouch. The obtained instant pasta foods were stored at 25°C for one week in the same manner as in Test Example 1, and the texture of the macaroni was evaluated. The macaroni and sauce in the instant pasta foods after storage were separated, and the water content of each was determined. Furthermore, the macaroni and sauce in the instant pasta foods after storage were separated, and the content of each was determined in the same manner as in Example 6. The results are shown in Table 7. The dextrin content in the sauce contained in the instant pasta foods shown in Table 7 is also an estimated value, as in Table 6 above.

[0067] [Table 7]

Claims

1. The instant-to-eat pasta food contains cooked pasta and a sauce and has been subjected to a retort sterilization process, the instant-to-eat pasta food containing 25 to 70% by mass of the cooked pasta and 30 to 75% by mass of the sauce, with the total amount of the cooked pasta and the sauce being 100% by mass, the cooked pasta having a moisture content of 63 to 72% by mass, and the sauce containing 5 to 10% by mass of dextrin having a DE value of less than 5.

2. 2. The instant pasta food product according to claim 1, wherein the dextrin having a DE value of less than 5 is a highly branched cyclic dextrin.

3. 3. The instant pasta food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cooked pasta is short pasta.

4. A method for producing an instant-to-eat pasta food product, comprising filling a container with raw materials including dried pasta having a moisture content of 8 to 14% by mass and sauce, sealing the container, and then carrying out a retort sterilization treatment to adjust the moisture content of the pasta to 63 to 72% by mass, wherein the raw materials contain 10 to 30% by mass of dried pasta and 70 to 90% by mass of sauce, with the total amount of the dried pasta and the sauce being 100% by mass, and the sauce contains 2 to 8% by mass of dextrin with a DE value of less than 5.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the dried pasta has a gluten vitality of 25% or less.

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