Mekabu

Abstract

To provide mekabu (sporophyll of Undaria pinnatifida) having improved texture.SOLUTION: The mekabu of the present invention is characterized by: each piece having a length of 20 mm or less and a width of 0.5 mm or more and 2 mm or less, and a breaking hardness of 2 N or more and 7 N or less; or each piece having a length of 30 mm or more and a width of 0.5 mm or more and 2 mm or less, and a breaking hardness of 10 N or more and 20 N or less.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to Mekabu. [Background technology]

[0002] Seaweed such as wakame, kombu, and hijiki are traditional ingredients in Japanese cuisine and have been eaten in Japan since ancient times. Many recent studies have shown that seaweed is very good for your health.

[0003] Among them, Mekabu is the root (sporophyll) part of the brown algae Wakame, and is a food ingredient with strong stickiness (e.g., Non-Patent Document 1). In recent years, it has been attracting attention as a sticky "sticky food ingredient" along with natto and okra. [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0004] [Non-Patent Document 1] Natsumi Yamanaka, Noriko Ogawa, Journal of the Japanese Society of Food Science and Technology, l31, 1 (1998). Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In addition to its stickiness, mekabu has a unique hardness and texture, and people tend to prefer a crunchy, crunchy texture, but it was not quantitatively clear what type of mekabu people tend to prefer.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide wakame with a good texture. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present inventors have conducted extensive research to solve the above-mentioned problems. As a result, they have found that a piece of Mekabu having a length of 20 mm or less, a width of 0.5 mm to 2 mm, and a breaking hardness of 2 N to 7 N, or a piece of Mekabu having a length of 30 mm or more, a width of 0.5 mm to 2 mm, and a breaking hardness of 10 N to 20 N, can provide Mekabu with a good texture, and have completed the present invention. Specifically, the present invention provides the following.

[0008] (1) The length of one piece is 20 mm or less, the width is 0.5 mm or more and 2 mm or less, and the breaking hardness is 2 N or more and 7 N or less, or Mekabu has a piece length of 30 mm or more, a width of 0.5 mm to 2 mm, and a breaking hardness of 10 N to 20 N.

[0009] (2) The mekabu according to (1), having a moisture content of 80% by mass or more and 94% by mass or less.

[0010] (3) The wakame is a heated wakame. The wakame according to claim 1 or 2. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide wakame with a good texture. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described, however, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment and can be practiced with appropriate modifications.

[0013] First Embodiment The Mekabu according to the first embodiment of the present invention has a length of one side of 20 mm or less, a width of 0.5 mm or more and 2 mm or less, and a breaking hardness of 2 N or more and 7 N or less.

[0014] In this specification, "mass %" refers to the amount relative to the total amount of Mekabu, which is taken as 100 mass %. Also, "Mekabu" refers to the part formed at the base (sporophylls) of Undaria pinnatifida, a brown alga.

[0015] Mekabu pieces, each of which is 20 mm or less in length and 0.5 to 2 mm in width, are cut into relatively short pieces. In such cases, since the chewing area per piece is small, it has been found that the texture is better if the breaking hardness is in the range of 2 N to 7 N, making it easier to chew.

[0016] The content of water-soluble dietary fiber in Mekabu is not particularly limited, but is preferably, for example, 4% by mass or more, 4.5% by mass or more, 5% by mass or more, 5.5% by mass or more, or 6% by mass or more. On the other hand, the content of water-soluble dietary fiber in Mekabu is preferably 19% by mass or less, 18.5% by mass or less, 18% by mass or less, 17.5% by mass or less, 17% by mass or less, 16.5% by mass or less, 16% by mass or less, 15.5% by mass or less, 15% by mass or less, 14.5% by mass or less, 14% by mass or less, 13.5% by mass or less, or 13% by mass or less.

[0017] The moisture content in Mekabu is not particularly limited, but is preferably 80% by mass or more, 81% by mass or more, 82% by mass or more, 83% by mass or more, 84% by mass or more, or 85% by mass or more. On the other hand, the moisture content of Mekabu is preferably 94% by mass or less, 93% by mass or less, 92% by mass or less, 91% by mass or less, 90% by mass or less, 89% by mass or less, 88% by mass or less, or 87% by mass or less. The moisture contained in Mekabu includes not only the moisture held by the fiber of Mekabu, but also the moisture held by the sticky components derived from Mekabu's fucoidan and alginic acid, and all moisture contained in the moisture present around Mekabu independently of Mekabu. Here, the moisture content is measured by near-infrared spectroscopy.

[0018] The sodium content in the cotyledon petiole is not particularly limited, but for example, it is preferably 0.025% by mass or more, 0.027% by mass or more, 0.03% by mass or more, 0.032% by mass or more, 0.035% by mass or more, 0.037% by mass or more, 0.04% by mass or more, 0.042% by mass or more, 0.045% by mass or more, 0.047% by mass or more, 0.05% by mass or more, 0.052% by mass or more, 0.055% by mass or more, 0.057% by mass or more, 0.06% by mass or more, 0.062% by mass or more, 0.065% by mass or more, 0.067% by mass or more, 0.07% by mass or more, 0.072% by mass or more, 0.075% by mass or more, 0.077% by mass or more, 0.08% by mass or more. On the other hand, the sodium content in the cotyledon petiole may be 10% by mass or less, 9.5% by mass or less, 9% by mass or less, 8.5% by mass or less, 8% by mass or less, 7.5% by mass or less, 7% by mass or less, 6.5% by mass or less, 6% by mass or less, 5.5% by mass or less, 5% by mass or less, 4.5% by mass or less, 4% by mass or less, 3.5% by mass or less, 3% by mass or less, 2.5% by mass or less, 2% by mass or less, 1.8% by mass or less, 1.6% by mass or less, 1.5% by mass or less, 1.4% by mass or less, 1.3% by mass or less, 1.2% by mass or less, 1.0% by mass or less, 0.9% by mass or less, 0.8% by mass or less, 0.7% by mass or less, 0.6% by mass or less, 0.5% by mass or less, 0.4% by mass or less, 0.3% by mass or less, 0.28% by mass or less, 0.26% by mass or less, 0.25% by mass or less, 0.24% by mass or less, 0.22% by mass or less, 0.2% by mass or less, 0.19% by mass or less, 0.18% by mass or less, 0.17% by mass or less, 0.16% by mass or less, 0.15% by mass or less, 0.14% by mass or less, 0.13% by mass or less, 0.12% by mass or less, 0.11% by mass or less, 0.1% by mass or less, 0.09% by mass or less. Here, the sodium content is measured by the ion electrode method.

[0019] The content of glutamic acid in Mekabu is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.001% by mass or more, 0.0011% by mass or more, 0.0012% by mass or more, 0.0013% by mass or more, or 0.0014% by mass or more. On the other hand, the content of glutamic acid in Mekabu may be 0.02% by mass or less, 0.019% by mass or less, 0.018% by mass or less, 0.017% by mass or less, 0.016% by mass or less, 0.015% by mass or less, 0.014% by mass or less, 0.013% by mass or less, or 0.012% by mass or less.

[0020] The content of nitrate nitrogen in Mekabu is not particularly limited, but is preferably 500 ppm or less, 490 ppm or less, 480 ppm or less, 470 ppm or less, 460 ppm or less, 450 ppm or less, 440 ppm or less, 430 ppm or less, 420 ppm or less, 410 ppm or less, 400 ppm or less, 390 ppm or less, 380 ppm or less, 370 ppm or less, 360 ppm or less, 350 ppm or less, 340 ppm or less, 330 ppm or less, 320 ppm or less, 310 ppm or less, 300 ppm or less, 290 ppm or less, 280 ppm or less, or 270 ppm or less. On the other hand, the content of nitrate nitrogen in Mekabu is preferably 100 ppm or more, 120 ppm or more, 150 ppm or more, 170 ppm or more, or 200 ppm or more.

[0021] In one embodiment, the length of one piece of the mekabu is not particularly limited as long as it is 20 mm or less, but is preferably, for example, 4 mm or more, 5 mm or more, 6 mm or more, 7 mm or more, 8 mm or more, 9 mm or more, 10 mm or more, 11 mm or more, 12 mm or more, 13 mm or more, 14 mm or more, or 15 mm or more. On the other hand, the length of one piece of the mekabu is preferably 19 mm or less, 18 mm or less, 17 mm or less, 16 mm or less, 15 mm or less, 14 mm or less, 13 mm or less, or 12 mm or less.

[0022] The width of one piece of the mekabu is not particularly limited as long as it is 0.5 mm or more and 2 mm or less, but is preferably, for example, 0.6 mm or more, 0.7 mm or more, 0.8 mm or more, 0.9 mm or more, 1 mm or more, 1.1 mm or more, 1.2 mm or more, 1.3 mm or more, 1.4 mm or more, 1.5 mm or more, 1.6 mm or more, 1.7 mm or more, 1.8 mm or more, 1.9 mm or more, or 2 mm or more. On the other hand, the width of one piece of the mekabu is preferably 1.9 mm or less, 1.8 mm or less, 1.7 mm or less, 1.6 mm or less, or 1.5 mm or less.

[0023] Furthermore, the thickness of one piece of Mekabu is not particularly limited, but is preferably, for example, 0.5 mm or more, 0.6 mm or more, 0.7 mm or more, 0.8 mm or more, 0.9 mm or more, 1 mm or more, 1.1 mm or more, 1.2 mm or more, 1.3 mm or more, 1.4 mm or more, 1.5 mm or more, 1.6 mm or more, 1.7 mm or more, 1.8 mm or more, 1.9 mm or more, or 2 mm or more. On the other hand, the thickness of one piece of Mekabu is preferably 2 mm or less, 1.9 mm or less, 1.8 mm or less, 1.7 mm or less, 1.6 mm or less, or 1.5 mm or less.

[0024] In addition, the "length" of mekabu refers to the dimension in the longest direction, the "width" of mekabu refers to the dimension in the direction perpendicular to the length, which is the next longest dimension after the length, and the "thickness" of mekabu refers to the dimension in the direction perpendicular to the length, which is the shortest dimension.

[0025] Furthermore, there may be pieces in the mekabu that do not satisfy the above dimensional requirements (or a combination of requirements if there are multiple dimensional requirements), and the proportion of pieces that do not satisfy the dimensional requirements (or a combination of requirements if there are multiple dimensional requirements) may be, for example, 10% or less, 5% or less, or 1% or less, based on the number of pieces.

[0026] The breaking hardness is not particularly limited as long as it is 2N or less and 7N or less, but is preferably 2.2N or more, 2.5N or more, or 3N or more. On the other hand, the breaking hardness may be 7.7N or less, 7.5N or less, or 7.2N or less and 7N or less.

[0027] The kinematic viscosity of Mekabu is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 8.2 mm / g 2 More than 8.3mm / g 2 More than 8.4mm / g 2 More than 8.5mm / g 2 Above, 8.6mm / g 2 On the other hand, the kinetic viscosity of Mekabu is preferably 30 mm / g or more. 2 Below, 29mm / g 2 Below, 28mm / g 2 Below, 27mm / g 2 Below, 26mm / g 2 Below, 25mm / g 2 Below, 24mm / g 2 Below, 23mm / g 2 Below, 22mm / g 2 Below, 21mm / g 2 Below, 20mm / g 2 Below, 19mm / g 2 Below, 18mm / g 2 Below, 17mm / g 2 Below, 16mm / g 2 Below, 15mm / g 2 It may be the following:

[0028] The mekabu may be raw, may have seasonings added thereto, may be heated mekabu that has been subjected to heat treatment such as boiling, baking or steaming, or may be heated and further supplemented with seasonings.

[0029] Mekabu may contain other ingredients in addition to the above-mentioned ingredients such as water and water-soluble dietary fiber. As the other ingredients, seasonings, preservatives, gelling agents, viscosity regulators, etc. may be used.

[0030] [Manufacturing method] The method for producing the mekabu in this embodiment is not particularly limited, but for example, 2The method includes a boiling step of boiling Mekabu having an area of ​​100°C or more and not subjected to heat treatment at 70°C or higher in salt-containing water at 70°C or more and 100°C or less, a cooling step of immersing the boiled Mekabu in water at 0°C or more and 40°C or less to cool it, a cutting step of cutting the cooled Mekabu into pieces having a length of 20 mm or less and a width of 0.5 mm to 2 mm, and a freezing step of cutting the cut Mekabu.

[0031] (Boiling process) The boiling process is 400 mm. 2 This process involves boiling Mekabu, which has an area of ​​100°C or more and has not been heat-treated at 70°C or higher, in salt-containing water at a temperature of 70°C or higher and 100°C or lower.

[0032] The surface area of ​​the wakame before boiling is 400 mm 2 There is no particular limitation as long as the area is 500 mm or more. 2 Above 600mm 2 Above 700mm 2 Above 800mm 2 Above 900mm 2 It is preferable that the area of ​​the mekabu before boiling is equal to or more than the above. On the other hand, the area of ​​the mekabu before boiling is not particularly limited, since the larger the mekabu, the more preferable it is. The area refers to the area of ​​the mekabu that is attached to the stem in a pleated form (a surface perpendicular to the thickness). In this way, by making the area of ​​the mekabu before boiling equal to or more than the required value, the contact area with seawater when boiled can be reduced, and the outflow of glutamic acid and water-soluble dietary fiber into salt-containing water can be reduced.

[0033] The wakame before boiling is not particularly limited as long as it has the above-mentioned area and has not been subjected to heat treatment at 70° C. or higher. In one embodiment, raw wakame that has not been subjected to heat treatment may be used.

[0034] The salt-containing water is not particularly limited as long as it is water containing salt. In one embodiment, the salt-containing water may contain sodium chloride. The content of sodium chloride is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1% by mass or more, 1.5% by mass or more, 2% by mass or more, or 2.5% by mass or more relative to the total amount of the salt-containing water. On the other hand, the content of sodium chloride is preferably 10% by mass or less, 9.5% by mass or less, 9% by mass or less, 8.5% by mass or less, 8% by mass or less, 7.5% by mass or less, 7% by mass or less, 6.5% by mass or less, 6% by mass or less, 5.5% by mass or less, or 5% by mass or less.

[0035] In one embodiment, the salt-containing water may contain magnesium chloride. The content of magnesium chloride is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1% by mass or more, 0.15% by mass or more, 0.2% by mass or more, 0.25% by mass or more, or 0.3% by mass or more relative to the total amount of the salt-containing water. On the other hand, the content of magnesium chloride is preferably 1% by mass or less, 0.95% by mass or less, 0.9% by mass or less, 0.85% by mass or less, 0.8% by mass or less, 0.75% by mass or less, 0.7% by mass or less, 0.65% by mass or less, 0.6% by mass or less, 0.55% by mass or less, or 0.5% by mass or less.

[0036] In one embodiment, seawater can be used as the salt-containing water. Seawater contains appropriate amounts of sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, etc. For example, when boiled in tap water, water enters the mekabu from the cut end of the mekabu (when it is cut from the stem or cut to a certain size), diluting the minerals and other components, whereas boiling in seawater can prevent the minerals and other components from diluting.

[0037] The heating time (boiling time) is not particularly limited, but is preferably, for example, 30 seconds or more, 40 seconds or more. By having a boiling time longer than the required value, components that increase the bitterness, such as nitrate nitrogen, can be reduced. On the other hand, the heating time is not particularly limited, but is preferably 2 minutes or less, 1.5 minutes or less. By having a boiling time shorter than the required value, it is possible to prevent glutamic acid and water-soluble dietary fiber from flowing out into salt-containing water. The boiling time is the time until the mekabu turns green after boiling, and is not limited to this depending on the production area of ​​the mekabu, etc.

[0038] The heating temperature (the temperature of the salt-containing water for boiling) is not particularly limited as long as it is 70° C. or higher and 100° C. or lower, but is preferably 75° C. or higher, 80° C. or higher, or 85° C. or higher. On the other hand, the heating temperature is preferably 98° C. or lower, or 95° C. or lower.

[0039] (cooling process) The cooling process involves immersing the boiled wakame in water at a temperature between 0°C and 40°C and cooling it.

[0040] The cooling time is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 minute or more, 2 minutes or more, or 3 minutes or more. On the other hand, the heating time is not particularly limited, but is preferably 30 minutes or less, 25 minutes or less, 20 minutes or less, or 15 minutes or less. By keeping the cooling time to a required value or less, it is possible to suppress the outflow of glutamic acid and water-soluble dietary fiber into water.

[0041] The cooling temperature (the temperature of the water in which the Mekabu is soaked) is not particularly limited as long as it is from 0° C. to 40° C., and is preferably from 5° C. to 10° C. On the other hand, the cooling temperature is preferably 35° C. or less, 30° C. or less, 25° C. or less, or 15° C. or less.

[0042] The cooling may be carried out in a multi-stage process. In that case, the cooling temperature is the lowest temperature of the temperatures of the water used for cooling, and the cooling time is the time during which the temperature is maintained within the above-mentioned temperature range.

[0043] The water for cooling may be tap water, mineral water, or sea water. The water may be cooled.

[0044] (cutting process) The cutting process is a process in which the cooled wakame is cut into pieces with a width of 0.5 mm to 2 mm.

[0045] The dimensions of the wakame after cutting are as described above, so the description will be omitted here.

[0046] (Freezing process) Although not an essential step, the cooling step according to the present embodiment may include a freezing step, which is a step of freezing the cut wakame.

[0047] Freezing the mekabu tightens the fibers and increases the breaking hardness. When the mekabu is frozen, the above-mentioned configurations (composition, physical properties) of the mekabu are the same as those of the mekabu after thawing.

[0048] The freezing temperature in the freezing step is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, 0° C. or less, −5° C. or less, −10° C. or less, −15° C. or less, −20° C. or less, or −25° C. or less. On the other hand, the freezing temperature may be −100° C. or less, −95° C. or less, −90° C. or less, −85° C. or less, −80° C. or less, −75° C. or less, −70° C. or less, −65° C. or less, or −60° C. or less.

[0049] In this way, freezing the Mekabu can improve its storage stability. Note that the Mekabu frozen in this way can be thawed under running water or hot water.

[0050] The method for producing Mekabu of this embodiment can include other steps as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired.

[0051] Second Embodiment The Mekabu according to the second embodiment of the present invention has a length of one side of 30 mm or more, a width of 0.5 mm or more and 2 mm or less, and a breaking hardness of 10 N or more and 20 N or less.

[0052] Mekabu pieces with a length of 30 mm or more and a width of 0.5 mm to 2 mm or less are cut into relatively long pieces. In such cases, since the chewing area per piece is large, it has been found that the texture is better if the breaking hardness is set in the range of 10 N to 20 N so that it is easy to chew.

[0053] The mekabu according to the second embodiment is similar to the mekabu according to the first embodiment in terms of configuration other than the length of one piece and the breaking hardness, so the description of the mekabu according to the first embodiment can be cited. Also, the method for producing the mekabu according to the second embodiment is similar to the method for producing the mekabu according to the first embodiment in terms of configuration other than the size of the cut pieces of the mekabu in the cutting step, so the description of the method for producing the mekabu according to the first embodiment can be cited. Therefore, only the length and breaking hardness of one piece of the mekabu according to the second embodiment will be described below.

[0054] The length of one side of the mekabu according to the second embodiment is not particularly limited as long as it is 30 mm or more, but is preferably, for example, 35 mm or more, 40 mm or more, 45 mm or more, or 50 mm or more. On the other hand, the length of one side of the mekabu may be 200 mm or less, 190 mm or less, 180 mm or less, 170 mm or less, 160 mm or less, or 150 mm or less.

[0055] The breaking hardness is not particularly limited as long as it is 10N or less and 20N or less, but is preferably 10.5N or more, 11N or more, or 11.5N or more. On the other hand, the breaking hardness may be 19.5N or less, 19N or less, 18.5N or less, or 18N or less. The method for measuring the breaking hardness is the same as the method for measuring the breaking hardness of the mekabu according to the first embodiment. EXAMPLES

[0056] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0057] <Test: Analysis of length, breaking hardness and texture> [Sample preparation] Samples of Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 were prepared by the methods described below.

[0058] Example 1 Mekabu from Kesennuma was boiled in 90℃ seawater until it turned green, then cooled in 20℃ tap water for 10 minutes, cut into pieces 5-20mm long and 1-2mm wide, packed, and frozen. After thoroughly freezing, the packs were thawed by running tap water over them for 1 minute.

[0059] Comparative Example 1 Mekabu from Kesennuma was boiled in seawater at 90°C until it turned green, after which it was cooled in tap water at 20°C for 10 minutes, cut into pieces 5-20mm long and 1-2mm wide, packed, and frozen. After being thoroughly frozen, the packs were thawed by running tap water over them for 1 minute.

[0060] Comparative Example 2 Mekabu from Kesennuma was boiled in 90℃ seawater, removed before it turned green, cooled in 20℃ tap water for 10 minutes, cut into pieces 5-20mm long and 1-2mm wide, packed, and frozen. After being thoroughly frozen, the packs were thawed by running tap water over them for 1 minute.

[0061] Example 2 Mekabu from Kesennuma was boiled in 90℃ seawater until it turned green, then cooled in 20℃ tap water for 10 minutes, cut into pieces 35-77 mm long and 1-2 mm wide, packed, and frozen. After being thoroughly frozen, the packs were thawed by running tap water over them for 1 minute.

[0062] Comparative Example 3 Mekabu from Kesennuma was boiled in seawater at 90°C until it turned green, after which it was cooled in tap water at 20°C for 10 minutes, cut into pieces 35-77 mm long and 1-2 mm wide, packed, and frozen. After being thoroughly frozen, the packs were thawed by running tap water over them for 1 minute.

[0063] Comparative Example 4 Mekabu from Kesennuma was boiled in 90℃ seawater, removed before it turned green, cooled in 20℃ tap water for 10 minutes, cut into pieces 35-77mm long and 1-2mm wide, packed, and frozen. After being thoroughly frozen, the packs were thawed by running tap water over them for 1 minute.

[0064] [Evaluation method] The samples of Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 were evaluated by the methods described below.

[0065] (Measurement of breaking hardness) Measurement was performed by a breaking test using a rheometer. Specifically, for each sample of Examples 1 to 2 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4, one individual (one piece) was measured using a rheometer (IMADA DSV-50N-M4, wedge probe) to measure the load (N) when the piece broke. The measurement was repeated 10 times (N=10), and the arithmetic average value of the 10 measurements was calculated.

[0066] (Sensory evaluation of texture) Regarding the texture, five panelists who had previously tasted various kinds of Mekabu and had standardized evaluation criteria were asked to taste and evaluate each of the samples in Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4. The evaluation was made on the following five-point scale. 1. Hard (too crunchy and crunchy, and the fiber remains even when chewed) 2. Slightly hard 3. Just right 4. Slightly soft 5 Soft (not very crunchy or crispy)

[0067] [Evaluation results] The evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

[0068] [Table 1]

[0069] <Reference test: Analysis of composition and physical properties> [Sample preparation] Samples of Reference Examples 1 to 4 (commercially available Mekabu) were prepared by the methods described below.

[0070] (Reference examples 1~4) We prepared commercially available Mekabu as shown in Table 1 below.

[0071] [Evaluation method] The samples of Example 1 and Reference Examples 1 to 4 were evaluated by the methods described below. Each sample was measured 10 times (N=10) and the arithmetic average value was calculated.

[0072] (Measurement of breaking hardness) Measurement was performed by a breaking test using a rheometer. Specifically, for each sample of Example 1 and Reference Examples 1 to 4, one individual (one piece) was measured with a rheometer (IMADA DSV-50N-M4, wedge probe) to measure the load (N) when the piece broke.

[0073] (Measurement of dynamic viscosity) The kinetic viscosity was measured using a capillary viscometer. Specifically, for each sample of Example 1 and Reference Examples 1 to 4, after pulverization and stirring using a homogenizer, the time it took for 50 mL of the stirred sample to flow out of the capillary tube (flow time, t) was measured using a capillary viscometer (TND-4T), and the kinetic viscosity (μ) was calculated using the following formula. μ=(t-11) / 0.514 (t<23 seconds)

[0074] (Measurement of water-soluble dietary fiber content) The amount of water-soluble dietary fiber was quantified according to the enzyme-HPLC method of the Nutrition Labeling Standard. Specifically, each sample of Example 1 and Reference Examples 1 to 4 was treated with three kinds of enzymes, and a four-fold amount of ethanol was added to cause precipitation, which was then suction filtered. Proteins, organic acids, and inorganic salts were removed from the filtrate using an ion exchange resin, and the fraction containing three or more sugars was measured by the HPLC method to quantify the amount of water-soluble dietary fiber.

[0075] (Measurement of nitrate nitrogen content) The amount of nitrate nitrogen was measured by an ion electrode method. Specifically, each sample of Example 1 and Reference Examples 1 to 4 was crushed and stirred with a homogenizer, filtered with a 0.45 μm disposable membrane filter unit, and the nitrate nitrogen concentration was measured using an ion electrode meter (HORIBA, LAQUAtwin NO3-11).

[0076] (Measurement of glutamic acid content) The amount of glutamic acid was measured by HPLC. Specifically, each sample of Example 1 and Reference Examples 1 to 4 was crushed and stirred with a homogenizer, filtered with a 0.45 μm disposable membrane filter unit, and the free glutamic acid content was quantified by HPLC analysis.

[0077] 〔result〕 The evaluation results are shown in Table 2.

[0078] [Table 2]

Claims

1. The length of one piece is 20 mm or less, the width is 0.5 mm to 2 mm, and the breaking hardness is 2 N to 7 N, or The length of one piece is 30 mm or more, the width is 0.5 mm or more and 2 mm or less, and the breaking hardness is 10 N or more and 20 N or less. Mekabu.

2. The moisture content is 80% by mass or more and 94% by mass or less. The mekabu according to claim 1.

3. The mekabu is a heated mekabu. The wakame according to claim 1 or 2.

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