Mekabu

Abstract

To provide mekabu (sporophyll of Undaria pinnatifida) having reduced harsh taste.SOLUTION: The mekabu of the present invention has a width of each piece in the range of 0.5 mm or more and 2 mm or less, and has a nitrate nitrogen content of 100 ppm or more and 300 ppm 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) of the brown algae wakame, and is a food ingredient with strong stickiness. In recent years, it has been attracting attention as a sticky food ingredient along with natto and okra.

[0004] However, Mekabu has a harsh taste (astringency, bitterness) that is specific to seaweed, and in order to enjoy the flavor of Mekabu, this harsh taste needs to be reduced.

[0005] As a method for reducing the harshness of seaweed, for example, Patent Document 1 proposes a method for removing the harshness of Ecklonia arborescens, a seaweed belonging to the Laminariaceae family, by adding 20 to 60 mass% of Ecklonia arborescens to an aqueous solution containing 0.2% to 3% edible vinegar, followed by heating. It is disclosed that this method can remove tannins, polyphenol compounds such as catechins, iodine, etc. contained in Ecklonia arborescens, and provide Ecklonia with reduced harshness. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2000-287630 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] According to the present inventors, it has been discovered that the bitterness of Mekabu is caused by a component different from the component contained in the Ecklonia cava described in Patent Document 1.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide Mekabu with reduced bitterness. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present inventors have conducted extensive research to solve the above-mentioned problems. As a result, they have found that it is possible to provide mekabu with reduced bitterness by using mekabu with a side width of 0.5 mm to 2 mm and a nitrate nitrogen content of 100 ppm to 300 ppm, and have thus completed the present invention. Specifically, the present invention provides the following.

[0010] (1) The width of each side is 0.5 mm or more and 2 mm or less, Mekabu with a nitrate nitrogen content of 100 ppm or more and 300 ppm or less.

[0011] (2) The mekabu according to (1), having a glutamic acid content of 0.001% by mass or more and 0.02% by mass or less.

[0012] (3) The mekabu according to (1) or (2), wherein the mekabu is a heated mekabu. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide Mekabu with reduced bitterness. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] 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.

[0015] <Mekabu> The mekabu according to this embodiment has a width of one side of 0.5 mm or more and 2 mm or less, and a nitrate nitrogen content of 100 ppm or more and 300 ppm or less.

[0016] 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.

[0017] The present inventors have identified that the component that contributes greatly to the bitterness of Mekabu is nitrate nitrogen. They have also found that Mekabu produced by the method described below has reduced nitrate nitrogen and is less bitter.

[0018] The content of nitrate nitrogen in Mekabu is not particularly limited as long as it is 100 ppm or more and 300 ppm or less, but is preferably 290 ppm or less, 280 ppm or less, 270 ppm or less, or 260 ppm or less. On the other hand, the content of nitrate nitrogen in Mekabu is preferably 120 ppm or more, 150 ppm or more, 170 ppm or more, or 200 ppm or more.

[0019] 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.

[0020] 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.

[0021] The sodium content in the cotyledonary node 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 cotyledonary node 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.

[0022] 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.

[0023] 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.

[0024] The length of one piece of Mekabu is not particularly limited, 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 Mekabu is preferably 150 mm or less, 140 mm or less, 130 mm or less, 120 mm or less, 110 mm or less, 100 mm or less, 90 mm or less, 80 mm or less, 70 mm or less, 60 mm or less, 50 mm or less, 40 mm or less, or 30 mm or less.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 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.

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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 2Below, 19mm / g 2 Below, 18mm / g 2 Below, 17mm / g 2 Below, 16mm / g 2 Below, 15mm / g 2 It may be the following:

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] [Manufacturing method] The method for producing the mekabu in this embodiment is not particularly limited, but for example, 2 The 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 higher and 100°C or lower, a cooling step of immersing the boiled Mekabu in water at 0°C or higher and 40°C or lower to cool it, and a cutting step of cutting the cooled Mekabu into pieces having a width of 0.5 mm to 2 mm.

[0032] (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.

[0033] By boiling the wakame in salt-containing water in this way, the nitrate nitrogen contained in the wakame can be reduced.

[0034] 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 800mm2 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] (cooling process) The cooling process involves immersing the boiled wakame in water at a temperature between 0°C and 40°C and cooling it.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] 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.

[0045] The water for cooling may be tap water, mineral water, or sea water. The water may be cooled.

[0046] (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.

[0047] The dimensions of the wakame after cutting are as described above, so the description will be omitted here.

[0048] (Freezing process) Although not an essential configuration, the cooling step according to the present embodiment may include a freezing step, which is a step of freezing the cut wakame.

[0049] In addition, when the mekabu is frozen, the above-mentioned respective configurations (composition, physical properties) of the mekabu are the configurations that the mekabu has after thawing.

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] The method for producing Mekabu of this embodiment can include other steps as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. EXAMPLES

[0053] 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.

[0054] [Sample preparation] Samples of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 were prepared by the following method.

[0055] Example 1 Mekabu from Kesennuma was boiled in 90°C seawater until it turned green, then cooled in 20°C tap water for 10 minutes and cut into pieces 30 to 77 mm long and approximately 1 to 2 mm wide to produce mekabu.

[0056] (Comparative Examples 1 to 4) We prepared commercially available Mekabu as shown in Table 1 below.

[0057] [Evaluation method] The samples of Example 1 and Comparative 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.

[0058] (Measurement of dynamic viscosity) The kinetic viscosity was measured using a capillary viscometer. Specifically, for each sample of Example 1 and Comparative 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)

[0059] (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 Comparative 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.

[0060] (Measurement of nitrate nitrogen content) The amount of nitrate nitrogen was measured by an ion electrode method. Specifically, each sample of Example 1 and Comparative 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).

[0061] (Measurement of glutamic acid content) The amount of glutamic acid was measured by HPLC. Specifically, each sample of Example 1 and Comparative 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.

[0062] (Measurement of glutamic acid content) Five panelists, who had previously tasted a variety of Mekabu and had standardized evaluation criteria, tasted each of the samples in Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 and selected the Mekabu with the least bitter taste.

[0063] 〔result〕 The evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

[0064] [Table 1]

Claims

1. The width of one side is 0.5 mm or more and 2 mm or less, The nitrate nitrogen content is 100 ppm or more and 300 ppm or less. Mekabu.

2. The glutamic acid content is 0.001% by mass or more and 0.02% 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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