Manufacturing method for packaged roasted fish meat flakes

Abstract

To provide a manufacturing method for packaged roasted fish meat flakes with an extended shelf life after opening.SOLUTION: A manufacturing method for packaged roasted fish meat flakes is provided which includes: a first roasting step of roasting fish meat; a flaking step of breaking the roasted fish meat into flakes; a second roasting step of placing the obtained fish flakes in a space into which superheated steam is emitted, and heating them at 80°C or higher for at least 3 minutes for second roasting; and a step of filling the fish flakes after the second roasting step into a pack while maintaining the temperature of 80°C or higher, and then sealing the pack. The method also includes, before the first roasting step, a soaking step of soaking the fish meat in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing packaged baked fish meat flakes. [Background technology]

[0002] Grilled fish flakes, made by grilling and shredding fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, and horse mackerel, have become popular in recent years as one of the main food ingredients in side dishes, as well as an ingredient in rice balls, rice dishes, and pasta.

[0003] Of course, baked fish flakes can be made in the home, but if they are to be distributed on the market as a pre-prepared, packaged food ingredient, various problems arise, such as maintaining the texture and taste of the fish flakes and inhibiting bacterial growth after the package is opened.

[0004] In order to solve these problems, the applicant developed new packaged baked fish flakes and a manufacturing method thereof, and previously filed a patent application (Patent Document 1). According to this manufacturing method, baked fish meat is broken into flakes, baked a second time with superheated steam, and packed and sealed in a pack while maintaining the high temperature, thereby making it possible to manufacture packaged baked fish flakes that have a texture and taste that is comparable to fish flakes obtained by baking and breaking apart by hand in an ordinary household, have little bacterial contamination even after the pack is opened, and have a long shelf life suitable for practical use.

[0005] The above-mentioned production method and the packaged baked fish flakes produced thereby have sufficient market value, but if the shelf life after opening of the package could be extended even further, the shelf life of, for example, rice balls and side dishes using the fish flakes would also be extended, which would reduce the frequency of restocking and replacing these products in the food sections of convenience stores and supermarkets, thereby not only reducing logistics costs but also contributing to a reduction in food waste. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6722363 DISCLOSURE OF THEINVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing packaged baked fish meat flakes which have a long shelf life after opening the package. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] As a result of extensive trial and error in an effort to solve the above problems, the present inventors have discovered that by contacting a pH adjuster with fish meat in a specific manner at a specific time in the manufacturing process, the shelf life of packaged baked fish meat flakes after opening the package can be significantly extended compared to conventional methods.

[0009] That is, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by providing a method for producing packaged baked fish meat flakes, which comprises a first baking step of baking fish meat, a loosening step of forming the baked fish meat into flakes, a second baking step of placing the obtained fish meat flakes in a space from which superheated steam is blown out and heating them to 80°C or higher for at least 3 minutes to bake them a second time, and a step of filling a pack with the fish meat flakes that have undergone the second baking step while maintaining them at a temperature of 80°C or higher and sealing the pack, and further comprises an immersion step of immersing the fish meat in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster prior to the first baking step.

[0010] The fish meat before the first baking step has not yet been subjected to any heat treatment and is in a raw state. By contacting such raw fish meat with a pH adjuster by immersing it in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster, the baked fish meat flakes that are then filled and sealed in a pack after passing through the first baking step, the loosening step, and the second baking step can have a significantly longer shelf life after opening the pack than conventional ones. The raw fish meat to be immersed in the aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster may be in a center-cut state or in a half-body state divided into three pieces, but it is preferable that the fish meat is in a state in which the bones and skin have been removed and the meat is cut into appropriate sizes.

[0011] The step of immersing the fish meat in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster may be carried out before the first baking step, but in a preferred embodiment, the step of immersing the fish meat in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster is carried out before the first baking step and after the aging step. The aging step is usually carried out by sprinkling salt on the fish meat and maintaining it at a predetermined temperature or lower. The fish meat that has undergone the aging step is in a state in which the salt has spread to the inside of the fish meat and, in place of that, some of the moisture has been removed. It is believed that the penetration of the pH adjuster into the inside of the fish meat proceeds more smoothly by immersing the fish meat that has undergone such an aging step in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster. Incidentally, the salt and salt content in this specification are the salt and salt content generally used in the fields of food and cooking, and in terms of the chemical name, they mean sodium chloride.

[0012] When the step of immersing fish meat in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster is performed after the aging step, it is preferable that the aqueous solution containing the pH adjuster contains salt. According to the inventor's confirmation, when fish meat is immersed in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster after the aging step, the salt that has been permeated into the fish meat in the aging step may escape into the aqueous solution containing the pH adjuster. The amount of salt sprinkled in the aging step is usually adjusted to an appropriate amount depending on the type of fish and the amount of fat contained in the fish meat. Therefore, it is not preferable that the salt that has been adjusted to an appropriate amount and has been permeated into the inside of the fish meat in the aging step escapes from the fish meat by the subsequent immersion in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster. In order to avoid such a situation, when the step of immersing fish meat in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster is performed after the aging step, it is preferable that the aqueous solution containing the pH adjuster contains salt.

[0013] The amount of salt contained in the aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster may be any amount so long as the salt that has penetrated into the fish meat during the maturation process does not escape into the aqueous solution, or if it does escape, the amount is small. On the other hand, if the aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster contains an excessive amount of salt, the salt may penetrate from the aqueous solution into the fish meat during immersion, and the salt concentration inside the fish meat may become higher than necessary. Therefore, there are upper and lower limits to the amount of salt that an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster should contain, and the salt concentration of the aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster is preferably within the range of B±1.0%, more preferably within the range of B±0.5%, and even more preferably within the range of B±0.3%, where B% is the percentage of the salt sprinkled on the fish meat by mass during the maturation process.

[0014] On the other hand, the step of immersing the fish meat in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster may be carried out before the aging step. By carrying out the aging step after the step of immersing the fish meat in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster and then carrying out the first baking step, there are obtained the advantages that moisture is appropriately removed from the fish meat subjected to the first baking step, the fish meat becomes firm, and the color fixation after baking is good. Note that even when the step of immersing the fish meat in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster is carried out before the aging step, the aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster may be the same as that used when the step of immersing the fish meat in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster is carried out after the aging step.

[0015] In another preferred embodiment, the method for producing packaged baked fish meat flakes according to the present invention includes a step of adding an edible oil after the loosening step and before the second baking step, thereby improving the flavor of the baked fish meat flakes that are subjected to the second baking step and then sealed and packed.

[0016] In yet another preferred embodiment, in the method for producing packaged baked fish meat flakes according to the present invention, the first baking step includes a charcoal baking step using a charcoal fire. The first baking step may include a charcoal baking step using a charcoal fire in addition to a baking step using a far-infrared baking machine, for example, or may consist of only a charcoal baking step using a charcoal fire.

[0017] In one aspect, the present invention also relates to packaged baked fish meat flakes themselves. That is, in one aspect, the present invention relates to packaged baked fish meat flakes, which are immersed in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster, baked and loosened, baked twice in a space from which superheated steam is blown out, and then packed and sealed in a package, and the packaged baked fish meat flakes have a general viable bacterial count of 10,000 CFU / g or less when measured after storage at 25°C for 60 hours after removal from the package.

[0018] In still another aspect, the present invention relates to a composite material of baked fish meat flakes taken out of a package of baked fish meat flakes according to the present invention by opening the package and another food material. An example of the other food material is cooked rice, and an example of the composite material of cooked rice and the baked fish meat flakes according to the present invention is an individually packaged rice ball product containing the baked fish meat flakes according to the present invention as a filling. Effect of the Invention

[0019] According to the method for producing packaged baked fish meat flakes of the present invention, it is possible to obtain the advantage that packaged baked fish meat flakes having a long shelf life can be produced in which the general viable bacterial count remains at a low level of 10,000 CFU / g or less even after the package is opened, removed from the package, and stored at 25°C for 60 hours.

[0020] Furthermore, according to the packaged baked fish meat flakes of the present invention, even after being removed from the package and stored at 25°C for 60 hours, the general viable bacterial count remains at a low level of 10,000 CFU / g or less, which has the advantages of extending the shelf life of foods that use these as one of the ingredients, reducing the frequency of product replacement and replenishment on display shelves, reducing the logistics costs required for replacement and replenishment, and contributing to a reduction in food waste.

[0021] Similarly, in accordance with the composite product of the present invention, such as an individually packaged rice ball product, the baked fish meat flakes that make up the composite have a long shelf life, and therefore the composite product, such as an onigiri product, also has a long shelf life, which has the advantage of contributing to reducing the logistics costs required for replacing and replenishing display shelves, as well as reducing food waste. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a process diagram showing a comparison between a conventional manufacturing method (A) and an example of a manufacturing method according to the present invention (B). [Diagram 2] FIG. 4 is a process diagram showing another example (C) of the production method according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] The method for producing packaged baked fish meat flakes according to the present invention will be described below. Fig. 1 is a process diagram showing a comparison between a conventional production method (A) disclosed in Patent Document 1 and an example of the production method according to the present invention (B) for packaged baked fish meat flakes.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, (A) the steps of a conventional manufacturing method on the left side and (B) the steps of a manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as the "manufacturing method of the present invention") on the right side are the same in that they both include steps 1 to 14, but differ in that the manufacturing method of the present invention (B) includes a step of immersion in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster, indicated by α, between steps 6 and 7, and that the seasoning added / mixed in step 9 of the conventional manufacturing method contains a pH adjuster. Each step will be explained in turn below.

[0025] Step 1 is a step of carrying in the raw material fish. The fish targeted by the present invention may be any fish that can be baked into flakes, and there is no particular limitation on the type of fish. Representative examples include salmon such as sockeye salmon, silver salmon, white salmon, trout salmon, Atlantic salmon, and king salmon, blue fish such as mackerel, sardines, horse mackerel, and pacific saury, bonito, and tuna.

[0026] Frozen fish brought in as raw materials is thawed in process 2, and then cut into center pieces or fillets in process 3. In the following process 4, the center-cut or filleted fish is deboned and skinned. It is preferable to remove the bones including the pin bones. After the bones and skin have been removed, the fish is then deboned in process 5.

[0027] The fish meat cut into strips then proceeds to the maturation step in step 6. In the maturation step, the fish meat is salted and then kept for about two nights at a temperature of 10°C or less to allow the salt to soak in, and maturated. The amount of salt sprinkled on the fish meat is adjusted appropriately depending on the type of fish meat to be processed and the fat content, but typically about 3 to 6% by mass, and preferably about 3.5 to 5.5% by mass, of the fish meat is salted. Up to this point, the production method of the present invention is the same as the conventional production method.

[0028] In the conventional manufacturing method, as shown in Fig. 1 (A), the fish meat after the maturing step in step 6 proceeds directly to the first baking step in step 7, where it is baked. On the other hand, in the manufacturing method (B) of the present invention, a step of immersion in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster, shown as step α, is provided between the maturing step in step 6 and the first baking step in step 7.

[0029] That is, in the production method (B) of the present invention, the fish meat that has been through the aging step in step 6 is not baked directly in the first baking step, but is immersed in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster prior to the first baking step.

[0030] The pH adjuster used may be any pH adjuster generally used for food applications, but it is preferable to use a pH adjuster containing an acid such as acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, carbonic acid, phosphoric acid, etc., and / or a salt of such an acid such as a sodium salt, a potassium salt, a calcium salt, etc. Among them, those containing acetic acid or a salt thereof are more preferable.

[0031] Furthermore, there is no particular limit to the concentration of the pH adjuster contained in the aqueous solution, but if it is too dilute, the desired pH adjusting effect cannot be expected, and conversely, if it is too concentrated, there is a risk that the sourness or bitterness of the pH adjuster may be imparted to the finished baked fish meat flakes. Therefore, the concentration may be appropriately adjusted to within the range of approximately 1 (w / w)% to 5 (w / w)%, taking into consideration the type of fish and the thickness of the fish meat flakes to be immersed.

[0032] Furthermore, the temperature of the aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster in which the fish meat is soaked may be any temperature as long as the pH adjuster can penetrate into the soaked fish meat, but from the viewpoint of preventing denaturation of the fish meat during soaking, it is preferably 10°C or less. If an aging step, step 6, is present before step α, the temperature of the aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster in which the fish meat is soaked is preferably adjusted to the same temperature as the temperature at which the fish meat is maintained in the aging step. If the temperature in the aging step and the temperature of the aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster are adjusted to the same temperature, there is no temperature change even when the step changes, so there is little disturbance and damage to the fish meat can be minimized.

[0033] The soaking time is not particularly limited as long as it is a time that allows the pH adjuster to permeate into the fish meat. However, in order to prevent the pH adjuster from permeating into the fish meat more than necessary, the upper limit of the soaking time is preferably 3 hours or less, more preferably 2 hours or less. In addition, in order to allow the necessary amount of pH adjuster to permeate into the fish meat, the lower limit of the soaking time is preferably 10 minutes or more, more preferably 30 minutes or more.

[0034] In addition, as in the manufacturing method (B) of the present invention, when the aging step 6 is performed before the step α of immersing in the aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster, and the fish meat is salted, it is preferable that the aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster contains salt. As described above, in the aging step, an optimal amount of salt is applied depending on the type of fish to be treated and the fat content, and an appropriate amount of salt penetrates into the inside of the fish meat by aging. However, according to the experience of the present inventor, when fish meat that has undergone an aging step is immersed in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster without adding salt, the pH adjuster penetrates into the fish meat, but salt escapes from the fish meat into the aqueous solution during immersion, and the salt content of the fish meat may decrease below the optimal level adjusted in the salting and aging steps. In order to avoid this, when the fish meat to be immersed has undergone the salting and aging steps, it is preferable to add salt to the aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster in advance to make the aqueous solution contain salt.

[0035] The amount of salt contained in the aqueous solution may be such that the salt that has permeated the fish meat in the maturation step does not escape into the aqueous solution, or if it does escape, the amount is small. On the other hand, if the aqueous solution containing the pH adjuster contains an excessive amount of salt, the salt may permeate from the aqueous solution into the fish meat during immersion, and the salt concentration of the fish meat may increase more than necessary. Therefore, it is desirable to set an upper and lower limit for the amount of salt that the aqueous solution containing the pH adjuster should contain, and the salt concentration of the aqueous solution containing the pH adjuster is preferably within the range of B±1.0%, more preferably within the range of B±0.5%, and even more preferably within the range of B±0.3%, when the percentage of the salt sprinkled to the fish meat mass ratio in the maturation step is B%.

[0036] In the production method (B) of the present invention, the fish meat that has been through step α subsequently proceeds to step 7, a first baking step.

[0037] The above describes the manufacturing method of the present invention by taking as an example the manufacturing method (B) of the present invention in which the step α of immersing in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster is performed after the aging step (step 6). In one embodiment, however, as in the manufacturing method (C) shown in FIG. 2, the step α of immersing in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster may be performed, for example, before the aging step (step 6). Even when the step α of immersing fish meat in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster is performed before the aging step, the aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster may be the same as that used when the step of immersing fish meat in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster is performed after the aging step, and therefore a detailed description is omitted here. In the manufacturing method (C) of the present invention, the fish meat that has been subjected to the step α proceeds to the aging step of step 6, and then proceeds to the first baking step of step 7.

[0038] The first baking step is the same as in the conventional manufacturing method. However, in the conventional manufacturing method, fish meat that has been sprinkled with salt and aged is baked, whereas in the manufacturing method (B) according to one aspect of the present invention, fish meat that has been sprinkled with salt, aged, and further immersed in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster is baked in the manufacturing method (C) according to another aspect of the present invention, or fish meat that has been immersed in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster, and further sprinkled with salt and aged is baked. There are no particular conditions for the type of baking machine or heating principle used in the first baking step. As an example, a baking machine such as a far-infrared baking machine is used.

[0039] The fish meat baked through the first baking step is then flaked into flakes in the subsequent step 8. This flaking may be done manually, or may be done using a suitable tool or machine if available. The flaking step in step 8 is the same in the conventional manufacturing method and in the manufacturing method of the present invention.

[0040] The baked fish meat broken into flakes in step 8 proceeds to step 9, a seasoning addition / mixing step. In this seasoning addition / mixing step, an appropriate seasoning is added to the baked fish meat broken into flakes, and the seasoning is mixed so that it is thoroughly mixed with the fish meat flakes. The seasoning may also contain a pH adjuster such as sodium acetate.

[0041] Here, in the production method of the present invention, a pH adjuster such as sodium acetate may be added to the seasoning, but the addition of a pH adjuster is not necessarily required. As shown in the experimental examples described below, in the production method of the present invention, the extension of the shelf life of the baked fish meat flakes is brought about by step α in which the fish meat is immersed in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster, so there is no need to add a pH adjuster to the seasoning added and mixed with the baked fish meat flakes in this seasoning addition / mixing step. Rather, from the viewpoint of preventing the sourness, etc. derived from the pH adjuster from remaining in the flake product, it is preferable that the seasoning used in step 9 does not contain a pH adjuster.

[0042] In the production method of the present invention, examples of the seasonings added to the baked fish meat flakes in step 9 include edible oils. By adding edible oil to the baked fish meat that has been broken into flakes and mixing them, the surfaces of the flakes are covered with the edible oil, and by going through the subsequent second baking step, a savory flavor can be imparted to the fish meat flakes.

[0043] The flakes that have been mixed with the seasoning are then advanced to the second baking step in step 10. The second baking step is a step in which the fish flakes are placed in a space from which superheated steam is blown out and heated for 3 minutes or more until the core temperature of the flakes reaches 80° C. or higher, thereby baking the fish flakes that have been through the first baking step a second time. There is no difference between the conventional manufacturing method and the manufacturing method of the present invention in this second baking step.

[0044] In the second baking step of step 10, the fish meat flakes are placed, for example, on a heat-resistant tray and placed on the rotating belt of a superheated steam oven in an open state without covering the upper surface. The fish meat flakes placed on the tray are baked twice by passing through the oven from which superheated steam is blown out for a certain period of time (for example, 3 minutes and 15 seconds). As the superheated steam oven, for example, a commercially available superheated steam oven (model number "BSCE-100-80-A01", manufactured by Asahi Sosetsu Co., Ltd., effective length: 920 mm, effective width: 800 mm) can be used.

[0045] As described in Patent Document 1, when the temperature of the superheated steam blown into the oven is 200°C to 280°C and the amount of superheated steam is 70 kg / h to 170 kg / h, except when the temperature of the superheated steam is 200°C and the amount of superheated steam is 70 kg / h, the core temperature of the fish flakes is 80°C or higher for 3 minutes or more, and the mass increase of the flakes due to condensed water is suppressed to +4.0 mass% or less, and the fish flakes can be baked and sterilized to a level that allows them to be distributed in the market without losing the texture and taste of the handmade fish flakes. Incidentally, handmade fish flakes refer to baked fish flakes made in so-called ordinary households, and refer to fish flakes that are not subjected to a sterilization process by heating after baking and loosening the fish meat. At home, the time from loosening to eating is relatively short, so there is no need to sterilize by heating after loosening.

[0046] The fish meat flakes baked twice in the second baking step are hot-packed in step 11. That is, the fish meat flakes baked twice for 3 minutes or more to a temperature of 80° C. or higher are filled into a pack while maintaining the temperature of 80° C. or higher, and are deaerated and sealed. This step 11 is the same in the conventional manufacturing method and the manufacturing method of the present invention.

[0047] The pack into which the fish meat flakes that have been subjected to the second baking step are filled may be any pack that can be sealed, and there are no particular limitations on the material, type, or size of the pack. The pack may be made of not only a flexible material, but also a hard material such as glass, plastic, or metal. The pack may be a vacuum pack in which a vacuum is drawn inside, or may have a small amount of air remaining, or may have an inert gas injected therein.

[0048] The baked fish meat flakes filled and sealed in the pack are then cooled, frozen, packaged, and shipped as packaged baked fish meat flakes in steps 12, 13, and 14. These steps 12, 13, and 14 are also the same in the conventional production method and the production method of the present invention.

[0049] The packed baked fish meat flakes that are baked twice with superheated steam as described above and then packed and sealed in a pack as such are baked fish meat flakes that have the same texture and taste as so-called homemade baked fish meat flakes produced in an ordinary household, which are not subjected to heat sterilization after baking and loosening, as shown in Patent Document 1 based on multiple experimental results.

[0050] Furthermore, even when the packaged baked fish meat flakes produced as described above are produced by the conventional method, they show an extremely low general viable bacterial count of 10,000 CFU / g or less even after being removed from the package and stored at 25°C for 48 hours, and have a relatively long shelf life. However, when produced by the production method of the present invention, they show an extremely low general viable bacterial count of 10,000 CFU / g or less even after being removed from the package and stored at 25°C for 60 hours, and have an even longer shelf life.

[0051] The basic steps of the manufacturing method of the present invention are as described above, but in one embodiment, the first baking step in step 7 may include a charcoal fire baking step using charcoal fire. For example, the first baking step may include a charcoal fire baking step using charcoal fire in addition to the baking step using the far-infrared baking machine described above, or may have a charcoal fire baking step using charcoal fire instead of the baking step using the far-infrared baking machine described above. Furthermore, in addition to the charcoal fire baking step using charcoal fire, it may have a baking step using a baking machine other than the far-infrared baking machine.

[0052] The present invention also relates to the packaged baked fish meat flakes themselves produced by the production method of the present invention. The packaged baked fish meat flakes produced by the production method of the present invention have undergone a second baking step in which they are baked twice with superheated steam, and therefore, as described above, have the same texture and taste as so-called homemade baked fish meat flakes produced in an ordinary home that do not undergo heat sterilization after baking and loosening, and in addition, have undergone a soaking step in which they are soaked in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster, and therefore have the excellent characteristic that the general viable bacterial count is 10,000 CFU / g or less even after storage at 25°C for 60 hours after opening and removing the package.

[0053] Incidentally, it is virtually impossible or impractical to directly identify the packaged baked fish meat flakes according to the present invention having the above characteristics by the structure or properties of the baked fish meat flakes themselves packed in the pack. Of course, it is presumed that the packaged baked fish meat flakes produced by the production method of the present invention have a longer shelf life than packaged baked fish meat flakes produced by conventional methods because there are differences as products, but it is extremely unrealistic and virtually impossible to directly identify the differences as products by the structure or properties of the flakes themselves.

[0054] The present invention also relates to a composite of the packaged baked fish meat flakes of the present invention and other food materials. As described above, the packaged baked fish meat flakes of the present invention have an extremely long shelf life after the package is opened and removed from the package, and therefore, when the packaged baked fish meat flakes are combined with other food materials to form a composite, the composite is expected to have an extremely long shelf life as well.

[0055] An example of such a composite is a rice ball made by combining cooked rice with the packaged baked fish flakes of the present invention as a filling. That is, when an individually packaged rice ball product is manufactured using the packaged baked fish flakes of the present invention as a filling, the shelf life of the rice ball product can be made extremely long because the baked fish flakes as a filling have a long shelf life. When the rice ball product has a long shelf life and is displayed on the shelves of the food section of a convenience store or supermarket, the time interval between refills and replacements can be extended, which can reduce the logistics costs associated with product delivery and contribute to reducing food waste.

[0056] The present invention will now be further described based on experiments.

[0057] <Experiment 1: Packaged baked fish flakes> Using frozen sockeye salmon as the raw material, packaged baked sockeye salmon flakes of the present invention were produced by carrying out steps 1 to 6, α, and 7 to 13 shown on the right side (B) of Figure 1. That is, the sockeye salmon was thawed, cut into three pieces, and the bones, skin, and fillets were removed in a conventional manner, salted, and aged, and then immersed in an aqueous solution containing sodium acetate as a pH adjuster. Note that in step 6, salt was sprinkled at 5% by mass relative to the sockeye salmon, so salt was added to the aqueous solution containing the pH adjuster used in step α so that the salt concentration was 5 (w / w)%.

[0058] In the first baking step, the sockeye salmon was baked using a far-infrared baking machine with the temperature inside the oven set to 230°C or higher. The sockeye salmon that had gone through step 7 was broken into flakes by hand. Seasonings were added to the broken sockeye salmon flakes and thoroughly mixed. Then, in the second baking step of step 10, the flakes were baked a second time under conditions of a superheated steam temperature of 280°C and a steam rate of 150 kg / h. The baked sockeye salmon flakes that had been baked twice were packed while maintaining the product temperature at 80°C or higher, and the packs were sealed. After sealing, the flakes were cooled and frozen to produce invention product 1.

[0059] On the other hand, packaged baked sockeye salmon flakes were produced as a conventional product in the same manner as above, except that step α of immersing in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster was not carried out, and instead, a seasoning liquid containing sodium acetate as a pH adjuster was used as the seasoning to be added and mixed with the flaked sockeye salmon flakes in step 9. The amount of pH adjuster contained in the seasoning was adjusted so that the product pH of the conventional product was approximately the same as that of the inventive product.

[0060] The frozen baked salmon flakes in the packs of invention product 1 and the conventional product were thawed and returned to room temperature, the packs were opened to remove the salmon flakes, which were then placed on a tray and stored at 25°C for 60 hours in an open state without covering the top with a lid or film, and the viable bacterial count was measured after 60 hours of storage. The viable bacterial count was measured according to the viable bacterial count measurement method described in the "Food Hygiene Inspection Guidelines 2015." 25g of invention product 1 and the conventional product were taken from each tray and mixed with 225ml of sterilized dilution solution, and the mixture was filtered through a filter to obtain the filtrate, which was then used for measurement. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0061] [Table 1]

[0062] As shown in Table 1, when conventional baked salmon flakes were removed from the pack and stored at 25°C for 60 hours, the general viable bacteria count was 2.1 × 10 4 CFU / g, which exceeded the target of 10,000 CFU / g. In contrast, the general viable bacteria count of the baked sockeye salmon flakes of invention product 1 was less than 300 CFU / g even after storage at 25°C for 60 hours, and the sockeye salmon flakes had a significantly longer shelf life than the conventional products. Thus, according to the manufacturing method of packaged baked fish meat flakes of the present invention, which includes an immersion step (step α) of immersing fish meat in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster before the first baking step (step 7), the general viable bacteria count is reduced and baked fish meat flakes having a significantly longer shelf life can be manufactured compared to the conventional manufacturing method in which a seasoning liquid containing a pH adjuster is added and mixed before the second baking step (step 10).

[0063] <Experiment 1-2: Variation> Invention Product 2 was produced in a package in the same manner as Invention Product 1 in Experiment 1, except that step α of immersing in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster was carried out before the aging process instead of after the aging process. The production method (C) of Invention Product 2 is shown in Figure 2. The product pH of Invention Product 2 was approximately the same as that of Invention Product 1.

[0064] As in Experiment 1, the frozen baked salmon flakes in the packs of Invention Product 2 were thawed and returned to room temperature, the packs were opened to remove the salmon flakes, which were then placed on trays and stored at 25°C for 60 hours in the open state without covering the top with a lid or film, and the general viable bacterial count was measured after 60 hours of storage. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0065] [Table 2]

[0066] As shown in Table 2, the viable bacterial count of the baked sockeye salmon flakes of invention 2 was less than 300 CFU / g even after storage at 25°C for 60 hours, and the sockeye salmon flakes had a significantly longer shelf life than conventional products. Thus, even when the flakes are immersed in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster before the maturation step, baked fish flakes with a significantly longer shelf life and a reduced viable bacterial count can be produced compared to conventional manufacturing methods.

[0067] <Experiment 2: Rice balls with baked fish flakes as filling> Rice balls were made using the inventive packaged baked red salmon flakes produced in Experiment 1 as a filling, and the general viable bacteria count was measured after storing them at 25°C for 60 hours.

[0068] That is, for each rice ball, about 100g of cooked rice cooled to below 25°C and about 10g of the inventive salmon flakes that had been thawed, opened, and removed from the pack were used to produce three rice balls containing salmon flakes as a filling. The produced rice balls were packaged and stored at 25°C for 60 hours, after which the general viable bacterial count was measured. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0069] [Table 3]

[0070] As shown in Table 3, all of the rice balls made using the inventive red salmon flakes as a filling had a low general viable bacteria count of less than 300 CFU / g after storage at 25°C for 60 hours, which was the same as the value for the inventive red salmon flakes.

[0071] As described above, it was confirmed that the rice ball product containing the packaged baked fish flakes of the present invention as a filling has a long shelf life just like the packaged baked fish flakes. The packaged baked fish flakes of the present invention are fish flakes that can exhibit their excellent characteristic of a long shelf life even in the form of a composite in which they are combined with other food materials such as cooked rice. [Industrial Applicability]

[0072] As explained above, according to the method for producing packaged baked fish flakes of the present invention, baked fish flakes having a significantly longer shelf life than conventional products can be produced. The present invention contributes greatly to reducing logistics costs and food loss by reducing the frequency of replenishing and replacing products in convenience stores, supermarkets, etc., and has great industrial utility.

Claims

1. The method for producing packaged baked fish meat flakes comprises: a first baking step of baking fish meat; a loosening step of forming the baked fish meat into flakes; a second baking step of placing the obtained fish meat flakes in a space from which superheated steam is blown out and heating them to 80°C or higher for 3 minutes or more to bake them a second time; and a step of filling a pack with the fish meat flakes that have been through the second baking step while maintaining them at a temperature of 80°C or higher and sealing the pack, and further comprising a soaking step of soaking the fish meat in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster prior to the first baking step.

2. 2. The method for producing packaged baked fish meat flakes according to claim 1, further comprising a maturing step of salting the fish meat and maintaining the fish meat at a predetermined temperature or lower before or after the soaking step.

3. 3. The method for producing packaged baked fish meat flakes according to claim 2, wherein the aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster contains salt, and the salt concentration is within the range of B±1.0%, where B% is the percentage of the mass ratio of the salt to the fish meat in the maturation process.

4. The method for producing packaged baked fish meat flakes according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising a step of adding an edible oil after the loosening step and before the second baking step.

5. The method for producing packaged baked fish meat flakes according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the first baking step includes a charcoal baking step using charcoal.

6. The baked fish meat flakes are soaked in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster, baked and loosened, baked twice in a space from which superheated steam is blown out, and then packed and sealed in a package to produce packaged baked fish meat flakes, and the packaged baked fish meat flakes have a general viable bacteria count of 10,000 CFU / g or less when measured after being taken out of the package and stored at 25°C for 60 hours.

7. The baked fish meat flakes are immersed in an aqueous solution containing a pH adjuster, baked and loosened, baked twice in a space from which superheated steam is blown out, and then packed and sealed into a package to produce baked fish meat flakes, the package being opened and a composite of the baked fish meat flakes removed from the package and another food material, the baked fish meat flakes having a general viable bacterial count of 10,000 CFU / g or less as measured after storage at 25°C for 60 hours after removal from the package.

8. 8. The complex according to claim 7, wherein the other food material is cooked rice, and the complex is an individually packaged rice ball product containing baked fish flakes as a filling.

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