Cheese-like food

Abstract

To provide a cheese-like food capable of being produced in cases of using and not using raw material cheese, and satisfying all of moderate heat melting properties, high spinnability and excellent palate feeling with resilience.SOLUTION: A cheese-like food that satisfies all of moderate heat melting properties, high spinnability and excellent palate feeling with resilience is produced by using waxy tapioca starch treated with hypochlorous acid, obtained by reacting hypochlorous acid or its salt with waxy tapioca starch.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cheese-like food product comprising hypochlorite-treated waxy tapioca starch. [Background technology]

[0002] Cheese is made from milk through processes such as coagulation and fermentation, and in addition to being eaten as is, it is used in a variety of dishes such as pizza, gratin, sweets, and bread.

[0003] In recent years, the demand for cheese has been increasing. However, due to the rising cost of dairy ingredients caused by the soaring cost of feed and other materials, and growing health consciousness, cheese-like foods that use some or no raw cheese as raw material have been developed. Among these, in order to enhance the commercial value of cheese-like foods used in cooking with heat, such as pizza, gratin, and toast toppings, it is required that the cheese-like foods not only have heat-melting properties that allow the cheese-like foods to melt when heated, but also have good spinnability that allows the cheese-like foods to form threads when heated and melted. Furthermore, even cheese-like foods are required to have a good texture with the elasticity that is characteristic of cheese.

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes a cheese-like food containing 60% or less raw cheeses, the cheese-like food comprising acetylated acid-modified starch, milk protein, oils and fats, and a molten salt, the molten salt comprising 80% or more raw cheeses and 1% to 3% by mass of the molten salt relative to the total mass of the cheese-like food. It also describes that rennet casein is preferably included as the milk protein. Patent Document 1 describes a cheese-like food that contains a low raw cheese content or no raw cheeses, and has good spreadability when heated and melted. Patent Document 2 describes an acetylated starch for cheese-like foods, the acetylated starch being made from potato starch, having a degree of acetylation of 1.0% to 2.5%, and having a peak gelatinization temperature of 80°C or less when measured at a heating rate of 1.5°C / min using a Rapid Visco Analyzer. Furthermore, it is described that cheese-like foods containing rennet casein not only exhibit excellent texture but also excellent stringiness. Patent Document 3 also describes a physical property improver for cheese-containing foods, which contains curdlan and a modified starch in an amount 3 to 6 times the weight of the curdlan. It is described that the cheese-containing food described in Patent Document 3 has appropriate stringiness or viscosity when melted, and a good texture. Furthermore, it is described that the modified starch described in Patent Document 3 is a modified starch obtained by chemically modifying starch derived from potato, corn, tapioca, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-120664 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-120663 [Patent Document 3] WO2020 / 017456 publication Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] As described above, various cheese-like foods have been developed. However, it has still been difficult to obtain a cheese-like food that satisfies all of heat-melting property, spinning property, and good texture. The problem of the present invention is to provide a cheese-like food that satisfies all of heat-melting property, spinning property, and good texture.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] As a result of intensive studies to solve the above problems, the present inventors have found that when a cheese-like food is produced using a hypochlorous acid-treated waxy tapioca starch obtained by allowing hypochlorous acid or a salt thereof to act on a waxy tapioca starch, a cheese-like food that satisfies appropriate heat-melting property, high spinning property, and good elastic texture can be obtained, and thus completed the present invention.

[0008] One aspect of the present invention is as follows. [Item 1] A cheese-like food containing hypochlorous acid-treated waxy tapioca starch. [Item 2] The cheese-like food according to [Item 1], wherein the content of the hypochlorous acid-treated waxy tapioca starch is 0.2 to 10% by weight in terms of the weight of the starch dry matter. [Item 3] The hypochlorous acid-treated waxy tapioca starch has a peak viscosity A and a viscosity B after holding at 30°C for 5 minutes under the following RVA measurement conditions Viscosity B - Viscosity A > 0 The cheese-like food according to [Item 1] or [Item 2], which is a starch that satisfies the above. <RVA Measurement Conditions> · Starch concentration: Adjusted to 8% by weight in terms of the starch dry matter with water as a solvent. · Temperature conditions: Control the temperature under the following conditions (1) to (4). (1) Temperature increase: Increase the temperature from 50°C to 95°C (temperature increase rate 12°C / min) (2) Holding: Hold at 95°C for 2.5 minutes (3) Temperature decrease: Decrease the temperature from 95°C to 30°C (temperature decrease rate 12°C / min) (4) Holding: 30°C for 5 minutes [Section 4] A method for producing a cheese-like food, characterized in that waxy tapioca starch is used as a raw material, and the starch is treated by adding hypochlorous acid or its salt to a starch suspension at a pH of 9 to 12 so that the available chlorine concentration relative to the dry weight of the starch is 600 to 9600 ppm, and the starch is added to the cheese-like food so that the starch is present in an amount of 0.2 to 10% by weight, calculated as the dry weight of the starch. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, by containing hypochlorite-treated waxy tapioca starch, it is possible to provide a cheese-like food that satisfies all of the requirements of moderate heat-melting property, high spinnability, and a good elastic texture, even if the cheese-like food contains a small amount of raw material cheese or does not contain any raw material cheese at all. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention will be described in detail below. Note that the following description shows an example of an embodiment of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being narrow.

[0011] <Cheese> The term "cheese" as used herein refers to cheese as defined by the Ministerial Ordinance on the Ingredient Standards of Milk and Dairy Products and the Fair Competition Code, such as natural cheese, processed cheese, and cheese food. When these cheeses are used as raw materials for cheese-like foods, they may be referred to as raw material cheeses.

[0012] <Cheese-like food> The cheese-like food of the present invention refers to a processed food containing water, oils, and the like, which is similar to cheese in at least one of appearance, aroma, and texture. The cheese-like food of the present invention is a cheese-like food containing hypochlorite-treated waxy tapioca starch, and can be produced with or without using raw cheese.

[0013] <Hypochlorite-treated waxy tapioca starch> The hypochlorite-treated waxy tapioca starch in the present invention refers to starch obtained by reacting waxy tapioca starch with hypochlorous acid or a salt thereof.

[0014] [Waxy Tapioca Starch] The waxy tapioca starch of the present invention is extracted from the roots of glutinous cassava. Waxy starch contains almost no linear amylose and a high content of branched amylopectin, making it resistant to retrogradation and storage stable. Examples of waxy starch include waxy corn starch, waxy tapioca starch, waxy potato starch, waxy wheat starch, and glutinous rice starch. The present invention relates to a cheese-like food product made from waxy tapioca starch and containing hypochlorite-treated starch, which has been found to have excellent physical properties such as moderate heat melting property, high spinnability, and a good, elastic texture.

[0015] [Hypochlorous acid treatment] The hypochlorous acid treatment in the present invention is a treatment method in which hypochlorous acid or a salt thereof is added to a starch suspension and allowed to act. The hypochlorous acid or a salt thereof is preferably added in an amount corresponding to an available chlorine concentration of 600 ppm to 9600 ppm relative to the starch. The treatment is terminated when the available chlorine in this amount has substantially disappeared.

[0016] Among the hypochlorite-treated starches of the present invention, those that meet at least one of the following conditions (A) or (B) are called oxidized starches, while those that meet neither are called bleached starches. Oxidized starches are considered food additives, while bleached starches are treated as foods. (A) Oxidized starch whose carboxyl group content is greater than 0.1% and less than 1.1% according to the test results of "Purity Test (1)" (B) Even if the carboxyl group is 0.1% or less in the above test, the test result of "Confirmation Test (3)" for oxidized starch is positive or false positive, and it is not possible to reasonably explain that the changes in the starch properties such as viscosity are not due to oxidation.

[0017] Purity Test (1) is a test specified in the Japanese Standards for Food Additives and is performed as follows: Weigh out 3.00 g of starch sample and place it in a beaker. If necessary, the sample should be crushed carefully to avoid moisture absorption, passed through an 850 μm standard mesh sieve, and thoroughly mixed. Add 25 mL of hydrochloric acid (1 → 120), and leave for 30 minutes with occasional stirring. Then, filter under suction and rinse the residue in the beaker into the filter. Wash the residue on the filter paper with water until the rinse solution no longer reacts with chlorides. Place the residue in a beaker, add 300 mL of water, and suspend. Heat in a water bath with stirring to gelatinize, then heat for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from the water bath and titrate while hot with 0.1 mol / L sodium hydroxide solution, using 3 drops of phenolphthalein TS as the indicator. Weigh out an equal amount of sample separately, place it in a beaker, suspend in 10 mL of water, and stir for 30 minutes. Suction filter the suspension, wash the residue in the beaker into the filter with water, and wash the residue on the filter paper with 200 mL of water. Add 300 mL of water to the residue and suspend it. Repeat the procedure in the same way as in this test, and the amount consumed is B mL. Calculate the carboxyl group content using the following formula. Carboxylic acid content (%) = (SB) x 0.45 / sample amount calculated as dry matter However, in the case of potato starch-based starch, the purity test (3) for "acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch" is applied mutatis mutandis to determine the phosphorus content P%, and its contribution is calculated using the following formula, which is then subtracted from the previously calculated carboxyl group content to make a correction. Phosphorus contribution (%) = 2 x 45.02 x P / 30.97

[0018] Verification test (3) is a test specified in the Japanese Standards for Food Additives, and is specifically performed as follows: 50 mg of a starch sample is suspended in 25 mL of methylene blue solution (1 → 100), and left to stand for 5 to 10 minutes with occasional stirring. The supernatant is then decanted and the precipitate is washed with water and used as a sample for microscopic examination. When examined under an optical microscope, starch granules that are dark blue in color are considered positive.

[0019] Hypochlorous acid treatment generally refers to a method in which a suspension of starch and water is prepared, adjusted to an appropriate pH and temperature, and then hypochlorous acid or its salt is added and treated for an appropriate period of time. An example of hypochlorous acid treatment is shown below. Hereinafter, "% by weight" may be simply referred to as "%."

[0020] (Starch suspension concentration) The concentration of the starch suspension may be 10 to 55% by weight of dry starch, preferably 30 to 50%, and more preferably 40 to 45%. (pH during hypochlorite treatment) The pH of the starch suspension may be 7.0 to 13.0, preferably 7.5 to 12.5, and more preferably 9.0 to 12.0. Since the pH of a starch suspension is usually weakly acidic to weakly alkaline, the pH may be adjusted during the hypochlorite treatment. The pH adjuster is not particularly limited, but examples include sodium carbonate, sodium phosphate, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and calcium hydroxide. (Temperature during hypochlorite treatment) The temperature for the hypochlorous acid treatment may be 10 to 50°C, and preferably 20 to 40°C. (Hypochlorous acid treatment time) The hypochlorous acid treatment time may be 10 to 600 minutes, preferably 15 to 300 minutes, depending on the amount of hypochlorous acid or its salt added, the pH, the temperature, etc.

[0021] Once the hypochlorite treatment is complete, the pH of the suspension is adjusted to neutral or slightly acidic, and if traces of available chlorine remain, they are desalted with a reducing agent such as sodium sulfite.Then, the starch is washed with water, dehydrated, and dried according to the usual method to obtain hypochlorite-treated starch.

[0022] [Viscosity of hypochlorite-treated waxy tapioca starch] The hypochlorite-treated waxy tapioca starch of the present invention has a peak viscosity A under the RVA measurement conditions below, and a viscosity B after holding at 30°C for 5 minutes (at the end of measurement). Viscosity B - Viscosity A>0 It is preferable that the following is satisfied. (RVA measurement conditions) Starch concentration: Use water as the solvent and adjust to 8% starch by dry weight. Temperature conditions: The temperature is controlled under the following conditions (1) to (4). (1) Temperature increase: from 50°C to 95°C (heating rate 12°C / min) (2) Hold: 95°C for 2.5 minutes (3) Temperature reduction: Reduce temperature from 95°C to 30°C (cooling rate: 12°C / min) (4) Holding: 30°C for 5 minutes RVA is an abbreviation for Rapid Visco Analyzer, which is sold by PerkinElmer Japan Co., Ltd. In the viscosity measurements of the present invention, an RVA-TecMaster (manufactured by Perten Instruments) was used.

[0023] RVA is a device that continuously measures the change in viscosity that occurs when a starch suspension is heated or cooled while being stirred. When starch is heated in the presence of water, the particles swell and absorb water above a certain temperature (a process known as gelatinization; the water containing the gelatinized starch is called the paste). When the particles reach their maximum water absorption capacity, they reach their largest size. Further heating causes the particles to collapse, shrink in size, and fragment. As starch particles grow, their volume in the measurement container increases, creating resistance and increasing viscosity. Conversely, as starch particles shrink in size or fragment due to collapse, their volume in the measurement container decreases, decreasing viscosity. Subsequently, cooling the temperature decreases, causing "retrogradation," in which hydrogen bonds form between the starch molecules due to factors such as a decrease in thermal motion. At this time, the viscosity, which had initially decreased, may rise due to the influence of the intermolecular network formed by hydrogen bonds. When hydrogen bonds are formed, the starch molecular network is thought to retain water throughout the paste.

[0024] In the RVA measurement of the present invention, peak viscosity A indicates the viscosity at which the amount of water absorption is at its maximum when the starch is heated. On the other hand, viscosity B after holding at 30°C for 5 minutes (at the end of measurement) indicates the viscosity after the starch particles have swelled, shrunk, or collapsed and hydrogen bonds have been formed through heating and cooling. The relationship of viscosity B-viscosity A>0 (i.e., viscosity B>viscosity A) in the present invention is thought to indicate that the starch retains more water when a network is formed between the molecules (viscosity B) than when swelling is at its maximum (viscosity A).

[0025] [Amount of hypochlorite-treated waxy tapioca starch added] The content of hypochlorite-treated waxy tapioca starch in the cheese-like food of the present invention is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of achieving appropriate heat-melting properties, high spinnability, and a good elastic texture, the content may be 0.2 to 10% by weight of starch dry matter in the cheese-like food, preferably 0.5 to 8%, more preferably 1 to 6%, and even more preferably 2 to 5%.

[0026] <Moisture> The cheese-like food of the present invention may contain moisture. The moisture content in the present invention refers to the moisture content measured using an infrared moisture meter (FD-600, manufactured by Kett Electric Laboratory) at 105°C for 60 minutes on a 5 g sample of the cheese-like food cut into pieces of 5 mm or less. There are no particular restrictions on the moisture content of the cheese-like food, but it may be 20 to 80%, preferably 30 to 70%, and more preferably 40 to 65%.

[0027] In the cheese-like food of the present invention, the water added during production may be a liquid other than water. For example, a vegetable emulsion such as almond milk, oat milk, rice milk, coconut milk, or soy milk, an animal emulsion such as cow's milk, low-fat milk, or non-fat milk, or a vegetable juice or fruit juice may be used. The use of a liquid other than water can enhance the flavor of the cheese-like food.

[0028] <Oils> The cheese-like food of the present invention may contain fats and oils. The type of fats and oils used in the cheese-like food of the present invention is not particularly limited, but examples include safflower oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, corn oil, sesame oil, rice oil, cottonseed oil, olive oil, palm oil, coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, linseed oil, perilla oil, and shiso oil. Processed fats and oils such as butter, margarine, and shortening can also be used.

[0029] <Other starches> The cheese food product of the present invention may contain one or more starches and modified starches other than the hypochlorite-treated waxy tapioca starch of the present invention, provided that the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Examples of modified starches include those obtained by chemical modification, such as oxidation, esterification, etherification, cross-linking, esterification cross-linking, and etherification cross-linking, as well as those processed without chemical modification, such as gelatinization, bleaching, acid treatment, and enzyme treatment. Among these, starches that have been subjected to oxidation, esterification, or etherification are preferred in terms of imparting emulsion stability, smoothness, and shape retention, and starches that have been subjected to oxidation, hydroxypropylation, or octenyl succination are more preferred.

[0030] <Other ingredients> The cheese-like food of the present invention may contain ingredients other than those mentioned above, provided that the effects of the present invention are not impaired. For example, antioxidants such as tocopherol, tocotrienol, lignan, ubiquinones, xanthins, oryzanol, catechins, and polyphenols, emulsifiers such as lecithin, monoglycerin fatty acid esters, organic acid mono-fatty acid glycerides, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, and sodium starch octenylsuccinate, molten salts such as sodium citrate and calcium phosphate, and seasonings such as table salt, sugar, glucose, isomerized sugar, and amino acids. Examples of suitable raw materials include: polysaccharides such as xanthan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, locust bean gum, tara gum, gellan gum, carrageenan, alginic acid, sodium alginate, and pectin; milk components such as milk protein and skim milk powder; raw cheeses such as natural cheese and processed cheese; coloring agents such as carotene; flavorings; pH adjusters such as acetic acid, phosphoric acid, citric acid, lactic acid, ascorbic acid, and their sodium salts; and shelf life extenders such as sodium acetate, glycine, and lysozyme.

[0031] The form of the cheese-like food of the present invention is not particularly limited, and examples include shredded cheese-like foods, block cheese-like foods, cream cheese-like foods, spreadable cheese-like foods, mozzarella cheese-like foods, and cheese sauce-like foods. The cheese-like food of the present invention may be used without cooking or may be further cooked, but because it exhibits excellent heat-melting properties, it is preferable to use a cheese-like food that is further cooked. Furthermore, cheese may be blended into the cheese-like food of the present invention, and a milk component such as milk protein may also be used in combination.

[0032] In the present invention, the term "heat-melting property" is also referred to as "meltability," and refers to the property of a cheese-like food product melting when heated using a cooking appliance such as a microwave oven, a microwave oven, a toaster oven, a steamer, or a fryer. Cheese-like foods with high heat-melting property have the melting properties unique to cheese, and can therefore be favorably evaluated in terms of appearance and texture. The heat-melting property was evaluated by the following method. After refrigerating overnight, the cheese-like food was cut into pieces measuring 20 x 20 mm. The cut cheese-like food was heated in a toaster oven (KTY-J101, manufactured by Tiger Corporation) at 1000 W for 3 minutes. The height of the sample was measured and evaluated according to the following criteria. ⊚: The height of the cheese-like food after heating is 3 mm or more and less than 6 mm. Good: The height of the cheese-like food after heating is 1.5 mm or more and less than 3 mm, or 6 mm or more and less than 8 mm. ×: The height of the cheese-like food after heating is less than 1.5 mm or 8 mm or more.

[0033] In the present invention, the term "spinnability" refers to the property of forming threads when a cheese-like food product that has been melted by heating is stretched. The spinnability was evaluated by the following method. After overnight refrigeration, 50 g of the cheese-like food was placed in a cup. After heating to 80°C in a hot water bath and cooling to 50°C, the cheese-like food was stretched at a speed of 5 cm per second using a spoon-shaped tool measuring 2.3 cm in width and 3 cm in depth. The stringiness of the stretched product was evaluated according to the following criteria. ◎: The stringiness when stretched is 15 cm or more. Good: The stringiness when stretched is 10 cm or more and less than 15 cm. ×: The stringiness when stretched is less than 10 cm. [Example]

[0034] Examples of the present invention will be described in detail below. Note that the examples described below are representative examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following examples. % in the tables of examples and comparative examples represents % by weight.

[0035] <Production of hypochlorite-treated waxy tapioca starch> (Production Example 1) Hypochlorite treated waxy tapioca starch was prepared according to the following procedure. A solution prepared by dissolving 0.4% sodium hydroxide in water was prepared for each sample number shown in Table 1. Untreated waxy tapioca starch was added to prepare a starch suspension with a concentration of 43% by dry starch weight. Next, it was adjusted to pH 11.0 - 12.0 using a 2.6% sodium hydroxide solution, and sodium hypochlorite with an available chlorine concentration of 12% was added to each starch suspension at an available chlorine concentration of 300 - 12000 ppm based on the dry starch weight. It was treated at 30°C for 30 minutes while maintaining the pH at 11.0 - 12.0 using a 2.6% sodium hydroxide solution. After the treatment, it was adjusted to pH 5 using a 10% sulfuric acid aqueous solution. When the starch suspension was dropped into potassium iodide, the available chlorine remaining in the starch suspension was removed by adding a 10% sodium sulfite solution until discoloration ceased. It was neutralized to pH 5 again with a 10% sulfuric acid aqueous solution, dehydrated, and dried to obtain a starch sample. The obtained starch samples (sample numbers WT1 - 9) are shown in Table 1.

[0036] <Production Example 2> In Production Example 1, a starch sample was obtained in the same manner as in Production Example 1, except that the pH before adding sodium hypochlorite and the pH during the reaction were set to 9.0 - 10.0, and the amount of sodium hypochlorite added was 1200 ppm as the available chlorine concentration based on the dry starch weight. The obtained starch sample (sample number WT10) is shown in Table 1.

[0037] Regarding the sodium hypochlorite - treated waxy tapioca starch (sample numbers WT1 - 10) produced in Production Examples 1 and 2, RVA measurement was performed using RVA - TecMaster (manufactured by Perten Instruments) under the following conditions to obtain viscosity A of the peak viscosity and viscosity B of the viscosity after holding at 30°C for 5 minutes (at the end of the measurement). The obtained measurement results are shown in Table 1.

[0038] <RVA Measurement Method> · Solids concentration: Set to 8% in terms of dry starch weight with water as the solvent. · Temperature conditions: Control the temperature under the following conditions (1) - (4). (1) Temperature increase: Increase the temperature from 50°C to 95°C (temperature increase rate 12°C / min) (2) Holding: Hold at 95°C for 2.5 minutes (3) Temperature reduction: Reduce temperature from 95°C to 30°C (cooling rate: 12°C / min) (4) Holding: 30°C for 5 minutes The weight of the starch suspension during measurement was set to 25.0 g, and the rotation speed of the paddle in the sample container was set to 160 rpm.

[0039] [Table 1]

[0040] The hypochlorite-treated waxy tapioca starches of sample numbers WT1 to WT10 were subjected to the "purity test (1)" for oxidized starch, and sample numbers WT1 to WT10 and WT1 to WT10 contained 0.1% or less of carboxyl groups. Furthermore, the "confirmation test (3)" for oxidized starch was performed, and sample numbers WT1 to WT10 and WT1 to WT10 were not positive or false positive. On the other hand, sample numbers WT7 to WT9 were positive or false positive.

[0041] <Production Example 3> Starch samples were obtained in the same manner as in Production Example 1, except that the starch raw material was untreated tapioca starch, potato starch, or pea starch, and the amount of sodium hypochlorite added was 1200 ppm in terms of available chlorine concentration relative to the dry weight of starch. The obtained starch samples (sample numbers T, P, and E) are shown in Table 2.

[0042] [Table 2]

[0043] The hypochlorite-treated starches T, P, and E were subjected to the "purity test (1)" of oxidized starch, and all of them had 0.1% or less of carboxyl groups. Furthermore, the "confirmation test (3)" of oxidized starch was performed, and none of them were positive or false positive.

[0044] <Production of cheese-like foods> Example 1 The cheese-like food was produced using the blending ratios shown in Table 3 according to the following procedure. 1. Accurately weighed water and salt were mixed. 2. The precisely weighed processed starch including the hypochlorite-treated starch and fat were mixed and added to 1., and the mixture was stirred and mixed for 4 minutes using a hand mixer. 3. The mixture was heated in a boiling water bath with stirring and held at 85°C for 3 minutes. 4. Immediately transfer to a container and store in a refrigerator at 4°C.

[0045] Details of the raw materials used in the cheese-like food are as follows: Hypochlorite-treated starch: Sample numbers WT1-10, T, P, E Lastagen FK: Oxidized potato starch (manufactured by Nippon Starch Chemical Co., Ltd.) Amycol Nyuka D: Pregelatinized octenyl succinated waxy cornstarch (manufactured by Nippon Starch Chemical Co., Ltd.) Powdered soy protein: Fresh M600 (Showa Sangyo Co., Ltd.) Cheese flavor: Cheese oil B1392 (Yokoyama Fragrance Co., Ltd.) Pigment: Rikecolor Gardenia (manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd.) Shelf life enhancer: Top Keep Deli Yukihana K (Okuno Pharmaceutical Industries Co., Ltd.) White refined oil: Chotoku (manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd.)

[0046] [Table 3]

[0047] <Evaluation of cheese-like foods> The resulting cheese-like food was evaluated by 10 trained panelists for its heat-melting properties, stringiness, and texture. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0048] [Heat melting] After refrigerating overnight, the cheese-like food was cut into 20 mm cubes. The cut cheese-like food was heated in a toaster oven (KTY-J101, manufactured by Tiger Corporation) at 1000 W for 3 minutes. The height of the sample was measured and evaluated according to the following criteria. ⊚: The height of the cheese-like food after heating is 3 mm or more and less than 6 mm. Good: The height of the cheese-like food after heating is 1.5 mm or more and less than 3 mm, or 6 mm or more and less than 8 mm. ×: The height of the cheese-like food after heating is less than 1.5 mm or 8 mm or more.

[0049] [Threadability] After overnight refrigeration, 50 g of the cheese-like food was placed in a cup. After heating to 80°C in a hot water bath and cooling to 50°C, the cheese-like food was stretched at a speed of 5 cm per second using a spoon-shaped tool measuring 2.3 cm in width and 3 cm in depth. The stringiness of the stretched product was evaluated according to the following criteria. ◎: The stringiness when stretched is 15 cm or more. Good: The stringiness when stretched is 10 cm or more and less than 15 cm. ×: The stringiness when stretched is less than 10 cm.

[0050] [Texture] After refrigerating overnight, 50 g of the cheese-like food was placed in a cup and heated in a toaster oven (KTY-J101, manufactured by Tiger Corporation) at 1000 W for 3 minutes, and then evaluated according to the following criteria. ◎: Very elastic, with a cheese-like texture. 〇: Elastic and has a texture similar to cheese. ×: Not elastic (not chewy, crunchy, etc.) and has a texture different from that of cheese.

[0051] [Table 4]

[0052] The results in Table 4 show that cheese-like foods containing hypochlorite-treated waxy tapioca have moderate heat-melting properties, high spinnability, and a good, elastic texture. Among them, WT2 to WT8 and WT10, which were treated with sodium hypochlorite to achieve an available chlorine concentration of 600 to 9600 ppm relative to the dry weight of starch, were particularly good. [Industrial Applicability]

[0053] As described above, by using a specific hypochlorite-treated waxy tapioca starch, a cheese-like food product can be provided that has appropriate heat-melting properties, high spinnability, and a good elastic texture.

Claims

1. A cheese-like food product containing hypochlorite treated waxy tapioca starch.

2. 2. The cheese-like food according to claim 1, wherein the content of the hypochlorite-treated waxy tapioca starch is 0.2 to 10% by weight calculated as the weight of dry starch.

3. The hypochlorite-treated waxy tapioca starch has a peak viscosity A and a viscosity B after being held at 30° C. for 5 minutes under the following RVA measurement conditions: Viscosity B - Viscosity A>0 The cheese-like food product according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the starch satisfies the above. <RVA measurement conditions> Starch concentration: Water is used as a solvent and the concentration is adjusted to 8% by dry weight of starch. Temperature conditions: The temperature is controlled under the following conditions (1) to (4). (1) Heating: Heating from 50° C. to 95° C. (heating rate 12° C. / min) (2) Holding: 95°C for 2.5 minutes (3) Temperature reduction: from 95° C. to 30° C. (temperature reduction rate: 12° C. / min) (4) Holding: Holding at 30°C for 5 minutes

4. The method for producing a cheese-like food is characterized in that waxy tapioca starch is used as a raw material, and the starch is treated by adding hypochlorous acid or a salt thereof to a starch suspension having a pH of 9 to 12 so that the effective chlorine concentration relative to the dry weight of the starch is 600 to 9600 ppm, and the starch is added to the cheese-like food so that the content of the starch in the cheese-like food is 0.2 to 10% by weight in terms of the dry weight of the starch.

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