High-protein pasta mix and method for producing high-protein pasta mix

Abstract

To provide means for producing pasta having an excellent texture comparable to that of ordinary pasta, even when blending a necessary amount of pea protein for protein enhancement using pea protein with high nutrient value.SOLUTION: A high-protein pasta mix contains 5-20 mass% of pea protein and one or more components selected from the following (A) to (C) in the mix. (A) Alginic acid ester in an amount of 0.02-0.5 mass%. (B) Egg white powder in an amount of 0.1-2 mass%. (C) Hydroxypropyl phosphate cross-linked starch in an amount of 5-20 mass%. Dough can be prepared from the pasta mix, and high-protein pasta can be produced by extruding and forming the dough.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a mix for pasta that is capable of producing high-protein pasta that contains a large amount of protein but has a texture comparable to that of regular pasta, and a method for producing high-protein pasta. [Background technology]

[0002] Noodles are foods obtained by kneading wheat flour, starch, or other raw material flour with water to form a noodle dough, which is then formed into noodle strings, and when eaten, they are cooked in hot water and eaten with sauce, ingredients, etc. Noodles are eaten all over the world, and there are various types of noodles depending on the country or region, such as udon, somen, Chinese noodles, spaghetti, pho, etc.

[0003] As mentioned above, noodles are made mainly from wheat flour and starch, and therefore, nutritionally, they are foods that are biased toward carbohydrates. In recent years, in order to prevent frailty due to dieting or aging, it is sometimes necessary to restrict carbohydrates and increase protein intake, and there is a demand for noodles with reduced carbohydrates. On the other hand, each type of noodles has its own unique texture and taste, and pasta such as spaghetti is required to have a smooth, pleasant mouthfeel and a crisp, chewy mouthfeel. However, when the amount of wheat flour or starch used in the raw materials for noodles is reduced and replaced with other ingredients, there is a problem that the texture and taste expected of noodles are lost. Specifically, for example, problems such as a rough mouthfeel, a dry or too hard mouthfeel, or a chewy mouthfeel during chewing may occur.

[0004] In recent years, pea protein has been used as a vegetable protein raw material. Although pea protein is less widely distributed than soybean protein, it is characterized by its high nutritional value, and the use of pea protein as a food raw material has been proposed. Patent Document 1 describes a method for producing a high-protein food, in which a mixture of protein and water is whipped, shaped, and heated, with the aim of providing a food that can replace wheat flour foods. Patent Document 1 describes that egg white is mainly used as the protein, and that pea protein can also be used as the protein, and also describes an example of producing pasta. Furthermore, Patent Documents 2 and 3 describe the use of a complex of protein and lipid, such as pea protein, as a quality improver for foods and noodles. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2020-500032 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2021-122276 [Patent Document 3] JP 2022-14439 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the high-protein food described in Patent Document 1 has room for further improvement in terms of the pleasant texture in the mouth and the crisp, firm texture that are desired for pasta. Furthermore, the improving agents described in Patent Documents 2 and 3 are blended into foods in extremely small amounts of about 0.002 to 0.6% by mass, and are therefore unsuitable for the purpose of fortifying foods with protein.

[0007] The present inventors have focused on pea protein, which has high nutritional value, as a raw material for pasta, and have created various types of pasta by incorporating pea protein. As a result, it has been found that when the amount of pea protein required for protein enrichment is incorporated, the resulting pasta has a dry and chewy texture. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a means for producing pasta that has a good texture comparable to that of normal pasta, even when the amount of pea protein required for protein enrichment is incorporated using pea protein with high nutritional value. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present inventors have discovered that by blending specific amounts of one or more selected from alginate esters, egg white powder, and hydroxypropyl phosphate cross-linked starch in addition to pea protein as a raw material for pasta, the deterioration of texture caused by pea protein can be reduced, and have arrived at the present invention.

[0009] The present invention provides a high-protein pasta mix, comprising 5 to 20% by mass of pea protein and one or more components selected from the following (A) to (C): (A) Alginate ester 0.02 to 0.5% by mass (B) Egg white powder 0.1~2% by mass (C) Hydroxypropyl phosphate cross-linked starch: 5 to 20% by mass

[0010] The present invention also provides a method for producing high protein pasta, which comprises preparing a dough from the pasta mix and extruding the dough. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to produce pasta which contains a necessary amount of highly nutritious pea protein for protein enrichment, yet is free of the dryness and mushyness attributable to pea protein, and has a good texture comparable to that of regular pasta. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] The pea protein used in the pasta mix of the present invention is a purified protein contained in peas, and may be obtained by either a dry method in which peas are dried and then crushed to purify the protein, or a wet method in which peas are added with water, crushed, and then the protein is purified. Pea protein is also commercially available, and for example, products manufactured by Organo Foodtech Co., Ltd. and Roquette Co., Ltd. can be used.

[0013] The content of pea protein in the mix for pasta of the present invention is 5 to 20% by mass based on the total mass of the mix. If it is less than 5% by mass, it is not significant in terms of enhancing the protein content of the pasta, and if it exceeds 20% by mass, the obtained pasta may become dry or chewy. Considering the balance between enhancing the protein content of each layer and providing a good texture, the content of pea protein is preferably 7 to 18% by mass, more preferably 9 to 16% by mass. The pea protein used in the mix for pasta of the present invention preferably has a purity (protein content) of 80% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of reliably enhancing the protein.

[0014] The pasta mix of the present invention contains, in addition to pea protein, one or more selected from (A) 0.02 to 0.5% by mass of an alginic acid ester, (B) 0.1 to 2% by mass of egg white powder, or (C) 5 to 20% by mass of hydroxypropyl phosphate cross-linked starch.

[0015] (A) The alginate ester is a derivative formed by esterification of alginic acid and propylene glycol, and is a stabilizer capable of imparting a stable thickening effect to food. Commercially available products can be used as the alginate ester. The content of the alginate ester in the pasta mix of the present invention is 0.02 to 0.5% by mass, preferably 0.05 to 0.4% by mass, and more preferably 0.08 to 0.3% by mass, based on the total mass of the mix. If the content is less than 0.02% by mass, the resulting pasta may become dry or chewy, and if the content exceeds 0.5% by mass, the resulting pasta may have a hard texture.

[0016] (B) The egg white powder is obtained by removing egg white from whole eggs and drying them. The egg from which the egg white powder is produced is typically a chicken egg, but eggs of birds other than chicken eggs, such as eggs of quail, ostrich, bantam eggs, etc., may also be used, and one of these may be used alone or in combination. As the egg white powder, a commercially available product may be used. The content of the egg white powder in the pasta mix of the present invention is 0.1 to 2 mass %, preferably 0.3 to 1.6 mass %, more preferably 0.5 to 1.3 mass %, based on the total mass of the mix. If the content is less than 0.1 mass %, the obtained pasta may become dry or chewy, and if the content exceeds 2 mass %, the obtained pasta may have a hard texture.

[0017] (C) The hydroxypropyl phosphate cross-linked starch is a processed starch obtained by subjecting raw starch to hydroxypropylation and phosphate cross-linking treatment. Examples of raw starch include, but are not limited to, corn starch, waxy corn starch, tapioca starch, wheat starch, potato starch, etc. In the present invention, any one of these may be used alone as the raw starch to form a hydroxypropyl phosphate cross-linked starch, or a mixture of multiple hydroxypropyl phosphate cross-linked starches obtained by processing a single raw starch may be used, or multiple raw starches may be mixed first and then processed to obtain a hydroxypropyl phosphate cross-linked starch for use. The hydroxypropyl phosphate cross-linked starch may be prepared by subjecting raw starch to processing treatment by a conventional method, or a commercially available product may be used.

[0018] The content of hydroxypropyl phosphate cross-linked starch in the pasta mix of the present invention is 5 to 20% by mass, preferably 7 to 17% by mass, and more preferably 8 to 14% by mass, based on the total mass of the mix. If it is less than 5% by mass, the resulting pasta may become dry or chewy, and if it exceeds 20% by mass, the resulting pasta may have a hard texture.

[0019] The pasta mix of the present invention may contain one of the above-mentioned components (A), (B), and (C) alone or in combination. When a combination of components (A), (B), and (C) is used, the content of each component (A), (B), and (C) may be the same as that described above. The combination of components (A), (B), and (C) is preferable because it enhances the effects of the present invention.

[0020] The pasta mix of the present invention preferably contains wheat flour as a main ingredient. By containing wheat flour in the pasta mix of the present invention, pasta with a good texture comparable to that of normal pasta can be obtained more reliably. Examples of wheat flour include ordinary wheat flour such as strong flour, medium flour, and weak flour, durum flour such as durum semolina and durum wheat flour, and mixtures of these flours. The content of wheat flour in the pasta mix of the present invention is preferably 50 to 95% by mass, more preferably 60 to 94% by mass, and even more preferably 65 to 93% by mass, based on the total mass of the mix.

[0021] Furthermore, the pasta mix of the present invention may contain other ingredients commonly used in the production of pasta, for example, starches such as unmodified starch, modified starch other than hydroxypropyl phosphate cross-linked starch, sugars, proteins other than pea protein and egg white powder, seasonings such as salt, oils and fats, emulsifiers, thickeners other than alginic acid esters, etc. The content of other ingredients in the pasta mix of the present invention is preferably 40% by mass or less, more preferably 30% by mass or less.

[0022] Among the other ingredients, the above-mentioned starches, particularly modified starches, are preferably used because they have the effect of reducing dryness. Among modified starches, hydroxypropylated starch is preferred. When using the above-mentioned starches, in order to balance the effect of using the starches and the reduction in the amount of carbohydrates, the above-mentioned starches are preferably used in an amount of 5 to 20% by mass, more preferably 7 to 15% by mass, in the pasta mix of the present invention.

[0023] Furthermore, among other ingredients, when proteins are used, it is preferable to use wheat protein. By using wheat protein, it is possible to further enhance the protein content without deteriorating the texture. The pasta mix of the present invention preferably contains wheat protein in an amount of 5 to 20% by mass, more preferably 7 to 15% by mass. By including wheat protein in such a range, it is possible to further enhance the protein content while improving the texture.

[0024] The pasta mix of the present invention is a high-protein pasta mix intended to enhance protein content, and the protein content is preferably 20% by mass or more, and more preferably 25% by mass or more. In the pasta mix of the present invention, there is no particular upper limit on the protein content, but as described above, considering that wheat flour is preferably included in order to more reliably obtain pasta with a good texture (wheat flour has a high carbohydrate content), the upper limit on the protein content is preferably about 30% by mass.

[0025] The pasta mix of the present invention can be produced by mixing the above-mentioned ingredients in a conventional manner to make them approximately uniform. If the ingredients contain liquid ingredients, mixing the liquid ingredients with other powder ingredients may result in granulation, so a grinding step or other process may be carried out as necessary. The pasta mix of the present invention is preferably in a powder form at room temperature and normal pressure, and being in a powder form makes it easier to prepare the dough when producing pasta.

[0026] Using the pasta mix of the present invention, high-protein pasta can be produced by a conventional pasta production method. That is, pasta can be produced by preparing dough from the pasta mix of the present invention and molding, preferably extruding, it into a desired shape. The method for producing the high-protein pasta of the present invention will be described below.

[0027] First, a dough for high protein pasta can be prepared by kneading the pasta mix of the present invention with kneading water. As the kneading water used to prepare the dough, liquids normally used in the manufacture of noodle dough, such as clear water or salt water, can be used. The amount of kneading water added is preferably 15 to 35 parts by mass, more preferably 25 to 33 parts by mass, and even more preferably 27 to 31 parts by mass, relative to 100 parts by mass of the pasta mix of the present invention, taking into consideration the case where the obtained dough is subjected to high pressure extrusion, which will be described later. If the amount of kneading water added is less than 15 parts by mass, the produced pasta will easily crumble. On the other hand, if the amount of kneading water added exceeds 35 parts by mass, the dough may become sticky.

[0028] The prepared dough is then shaped into pasta. The method for shaping the dough is not particularly limited, and for example, either a cutting method in which the dough is made into a noodle sheet and cut with a cutting blade to shape it, or an extrusion method in which the dough is extruded through small holes to shape it can be used.

[0029] The shape after shaping is not particularly limited as long as it is a shape that can be recognized as normal pasta, and it may be either long pasta having a long, thin noodle-like shape, or short pasta having a shape other than long pasta. The length of long pasta can be adjusted to a desired length from several centimeters to several tens of centimeters, but in consideration of ease of cooking and eating, it is generally preferable that it is about 16 to 32 cm. In addition, long pasta can have any cross-sectional shape, such as a rectangle like fettuccine, an oval, a triangle, a square, a pentagon, a gourd, a star, or the like, as well as a circular cross-section like spaghetti. From the viewpoint of further reducing the dryness and mushy texture derived from pea protein, it is preferable to use pasta with a rectangular cross-sectional shape, that is, a flat noodle shape like fettuccine. The rectangular cross-sectional shape of the flat noodle-shaped pasta preferably has a long side (corresponding to the dimension in the direction perpendicular to the long axis direction when the pasta is viewed in a plane (i.e., the so-called width)) of 4.0 to 10.0 mm and a short side (corresponding to the thickness of the pasta) of 0.8 to 3.0 mm. In addition, the short side (thickness of the pasta) here is generally smaller than the thickness when eaten, which will be described later. This is because, when eaten, the pasta absorbs water during cooking and swells slightly, making it thicker than before cooking.

[0030] The type (shape) of the short pasta is not particularly limited, and examples include macaroni, penne, rigatoni, fusilli, etc. When making the short pasta, a hollow tubular shape like macaroni or penne is preferable from the viewpoint of further reducing the dry and chewy texture derived from pea protein.

[0031] From the viewpoint of more effectively reducing the dry and mushy texture derived from pea protein, the high protein pasta has a thickness at the time of eating of preferably 1.0 to 2.5 mm, more preferably 1.2 to 2.2 mm. The thickness at the time of eating is the thickness when the shaped pasta is cooked and made into an edible state. More specifically, the thickness at the time of eating is, in the case of the long pasta, the diameter of the circle when the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the long axis direction is circular, or the length of the shortest side when the cross-sectional shape is rectangular (for example, the length of the short side when the cross-sectional shape is rectangular), and in the case of the short pasta, the wall thickness of the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the long axis direction when the short pasta has a hollow cylindrical shape such as macaroni or penne. Even in the case of pasta of other shapes, the thickness can be conventionally defined and can be adopted.

[0032] In the method for producing high protein pasta of the present invention, the dough is preferably formed by extrusion, and more preferably by extrusion under high pressure. 2 , more preferably 70 to 140 kgf / cm 2 , and more preferably 80 to 120 kgf / cm 2 Pasta is produced by extruding the dough at a pressure of 1000 psi. Deaeration during extrusion is preferred as it improves the denseness of the noodles. Preferably, the extrusion in the method of the present invention is carried out in a reduced pressure environment with a reduced pressure of -200 mmHg or less, more preferably -600 mmHg or less. Extrusion can be carried out using a known extrusion noodle-making device, for example a noodle-making device that extrudes dough through a die to form it. Some known extrusion noodle-making devices for macaroni or spaghetti can carry out a series of steps from kneading the dough to extruding it in a reduced pressure environment. Such devices are preferred as the extrusion noodle-making device used in the method of the present invention.

[0033] The high-protein pasta produced by the above-mentioned procedures may be further subjected to a drying treatment or aging treatment by a conventional method. The high-protein pasta provided by the present invention may be fresh pasta, dried pasta, or semi-dried pasta. Alternatively, the high-protein pasta provided by the present invention may be cooked pasta or semi-cooked pasta obtained by cooking or semi-cooking fresh pasta, dried pasta, or semi-dried pasta until it is ready to be eaten. Furthermore, the high-protein pasta provided by the present invention may be pasta obtained by subjecting cooked pasta or semi-cooked pasta to oiling, drying, freezing, or retort sterilization. EXAMPLES

[0034] The present invention will be described in more detail below by way of examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0035] (Examples 1 to 3, Comparative Examples 1 to 2) A pasta mix was prepared by mixing the ingredients according to the composition shown in Table 1. The protein content of the mix was estimated by assuming that the protein content of wheat flour was 13% by mass and that of pea protein was 85% by mass. The results are shown in Table 1. Although egg white powder also contains protein, the amount of egg white powder used was so small that the amount of protein derived from the egg white powder was omitted when calculating the approximate protein content. Next, 100 parts by mass of the pasta mix was mixed with 27 parts by mass of water and kneaded to prepare a dough. The obtained dough was mixed in a pasta making machine under reduced pressure of -600 mmHg and 100 kgf / cm 2 The mixture was continuously extruded through a round hole with a diameter of 1.8 mm at a pressure of 1.0 MPa and cut into long pasta (spaghetti) every 23 cm.

[0036] The raw materials used are as follows: Durum semolina: Nisshin Flour Milling Co., Ltd., product name "Leone G" - Medium-strength flour: Nisshin Flour Milling Co., Ltd., product name "Yuki" Pea protein: Rocket Corporation, product name "NUTRALYS S85F" Wheat protein: Sunbright, product name "WEIPRO" Alginate ester: Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd., product name "Neosoft AL-31" Egg white powder: Kewpie Egg Company, product name "Dried Egg White Type K" Hydroxypropyl phosphate cross-linked starch: Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., product name "Matsutani Yuri" Hydroxypropylated starch: Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., product name "SAKURA2"

[0037] (Examples 4 to 7) Long pasta was produced in the same manner as in Examples 1 and 2, except that the holes used for extrusion were changed to 2.6 mm round holes (thick spaghetti: Examples 4 and 5) or 1.8 mm x 6.0 mm rectangular holes (fettuccine: Examples 6 and 7). The composition of the pasta mix was the same in Examples 1, 4 and 6 (use of component (A)) and the same in Examples 2, 5 and 7 (use of component (B)).

[0038] (Test Example 1) The noodles of Examples 1 to 7 and Comparative Examples 1 to 2 were boiled in hot water so that the boiling yield (mass of pasta after boiling / mass of pasta mix×100) was 235% by mass. Specifically, the pasta of Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 was boiled for 5 to 5.5 minutes, and the pasta of Examples 6 and 7 was boiled for 8 minutes. The boiled pasta was immediately cooled in water and thoroughly drained. The obtained boiled pasta was eaten by 10 trained panelists, who were asked to evaluate the roughness and crunchiness during chewing on a 5-point scale according to the following evaluation criteria. The results are shown in Table 1 as the average value of the 10 panelists. As a reference example, spaghetti with a cross-sectional shape of a circle with a diameter of 1.8 mm was produced in the same manner as in Examples 1 to 3, except that the composition of the pasta mix was 100% durum semolina, and the spaghetti was boiled in hot water for 8 minutes and cooled in water. The evaluation of the roughness and crunchiness was given a score of 5, which was used as an evaluation index.

[0039] (Graduation criteria for Whispering) 5 It feels very smooth in the mouth, with no sense of grittiness at all, and is very good. 4 It feels smooth in the mouth with almost no grittiness, which is good. 3 It is a little rough, but generally feels smooth in the mouth and is fine. 2. Feels dry and rough, poor quality. 1 Very rough and very poor quality. (Crunchy evaluation criteria) 5 Not crunchy at all, very easy to chew, very good. 4. Not crunchy, easy to chew, good. 3 There is a slight crunch, but chewing is not an issue. 2. Slightly chewy and difficult to chew, poor quality. 1 Very crunchy and very difficult to chew, very poor quality.

[0040] [Table 1] While normal spaghetti made from 100% durum semolina has a protein content of 13% (see Reference Example), by blending pea protein, spaghetti with enhanced protein can be obtained, but the spaghetti has a rough and chewy texture and is inferior in texture (see Comparative Examples 1 and 2). It was found that by using the composition of the present invention, that is, by blending pea protein in combination with component (A), (B) or (C), the deterioration in texture caused by blending the pea protein can be significantly improved (see Examples 1 to 7). Comparing Example 1 with Example 4 and Example 2 with Example 5, the evaluation results were better when the thickness of the pasta when eaten was 2.0 mm than when it was 2.8 mm. Also, comparing Example 1 with Example 6 and Example 2 with Example 7, when the thickness of the pasta when eaten was the same, the evaluation results were better for fettuccine, which has a rectangular cross section, than for spaghetti, which has a circular cross section.

[0041] (Examples 8 to 31 and Comparative Examples 3 to 9) Except for changing the composition of the pasta mix as shown in Tables 2 to 5, fettuccine was produced in the same manner as in Example 6 or 7, and evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Tables 2 to 5. Tables 2 and 3 show the results of Example 6, and Table 4 shows the results of Example 7.

[0042] [Table 2]

[0043] [Table 3]

[0044] [Table 4]

[0045] [Table 5]

[0046] (Examples 32 to 38) Fettuccine was produced in the same manner as in Example 6, except that wheat protein was further blended into the pasta mix according to the composition shown in Table 6, and was evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 6. When calculating the approximate protein content, the protein content of wheat protein was set to 70 mass%. The results of Example 6 are shown again in Table 6.

[0047] [Table 6]

[0048] It has been found that by further adding wheat protein, the protein content can be further increased without compromising the texture.

Claims

1. A high-protein pasta mix comprising 5 to 20% by mass of pea protein and one or more components selected from the following (A) to (C): (A) Alginic acid ester 0.02 to 0.5% by mass (B) Egg white powder 0.1-2% by mass (C) Hydroxypropyl phosphate crosslinked starch: 5 to 20% by mass

2. 2. The high protein pasta mix of claim 1, further comprising wheat protein.

3. A method for producing high protein pasta, comprising preparing a dough from the pasta mix according to claim 1 or 2, and extruding the dough.

4. 4. The method for producing high protein pasta according to claim 3, further comprising extruding the dough into a flat noodle shape during the extrusion process.

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