Solidified egg white-like food, processed food, and production method of solidified egg white-like food

Abstract

To provide: a solidified egg white-like food having a texture similar to that of real solidified egg white; a processed food including the same; and a production method of the solidified egg white-like food.SOLUTION: An egg-free solidified egg white-like food contains curdlan, glucomannan, an alkali agent, and water. The mass ratio of the glucomannan to the curdlan is 0.01 or more and 0.35 or less. The mass ratio of the alkali agent to the glucomannan is more than 0.015 and less than 0.5.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a non-egg-containing coagulated egg white-like food, a processed food containing the same, and a method for producing a coagulated egg white-like food.

Background Art

[0002] Coagulated egg white obtained by heating and coagulating liquid egg white into a gel form is widely used not only as a boiled egg as it is but also in processed foods such as egg salad, egg spread, egg filling, and tartar sauce. On the other hand, conventionally, alternatives to coagulated egg white that do not contain eggs have been known from the viewpoints of solving problems in the processing and preservation of coagulated egg white and food allergies. For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose an egg white-like coagulum obtained by coagulating a cooling coagulant, oil and fat, and an emulsifier in a water-in-oil state as an alternative to coagulated egg white.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In recent years, due to the increasing preference for plant-based foods and fluctuations in the supply of chicken eggs, the demand for alternatives to coagulated egg white that do not contain eggs has been increasing. Along with this, a coagulated egg white-like food having a texture similar to that of real coagulated egg white has been demanded.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a coagulated egg white-like food having a texture similar to that of real coagulated egg white, a processed food containing the same, and a method for producing a coagulated egg white-like food.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present inventors have intensively studied alternatives to coagulated egg white. As a result, they have conceived that by containing curdlan, glucomannan, an alkaline agent and moisture, and setting the mass ratio of glucomannan to curdlan and the mass ratio of the alkaline agent to glucomannan within a predetermined range, it is possible to reproduce the texture peculiar to coagulated egg white even though it does not contain eggs, and have completed the present invention.

[0007] That is, the present invention is (1) A coagulated egg white-like food that does not contain eggs, containing curdlan, glucomannan, an alkaline agent, and moisture, and the mass ratio of the glucomannan to the curdlan is 0.01 or more and 0.35 or less, the mass ratio of the alkaline agent to the glucomannan is more than 0.015 and less than 0.5, a coagulated egg white-like food, (2) Further containing oil and fat, the coagulated egg white-like food according to (1), (3) The content of the glucomannan in the coagulated egg white-like food is 0.01% by mass or more and 1% by mass or less, the coagulated egg white-like food according to (1) or (2), (4) The content of the curdlan in the coagulated egg white-like food is 1% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less, the coagulated egg white-like food according to any one of (1) to (3), (5) The content of the alkaline agent in the coagulated egg white-like food is 0.001% by mass or more and 0.25% by mass or less, the coagulated egg white-like food according to any one of (1) to (4), (6) The alkaline agent is at least one of calcium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide, the coagulated egg white-like food according to any one of (1) to (5), (7) Further containing starch, The coagulated egg white-like food according to any one of (1) to (6). (8) A processed food containing the coagulated egg white-like food according to any one of (1) to (7). (9) A coagulated egg white-like food that does not contain eggs, comprising the steps of mixing curdlan, glucomannan, an alkaline agent, and water to prepare a mixture; heating the prepared mixture to 80°C or higher, wherein the mass ratio of the glucomannan to the curdlan in the mixture is 0.01 or more and 0.35 or less, and the mass ratio of the alkaline agent to the glucomannan in the mixture is more than 0.015 and less than 0.5. A method for producing a coagulated egg white-like food, which is as described above.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a coagulated egg white-like food having a texture close to that of real coagulated egg white, a processed food containing the same, and a method for producing a coagulated egg white-like food.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail. In the present invention, “%” means “mass%” and “part” means “part by mass”. Further, in the present invention, the “content” means the content in the whole coagulated egg white-like food unless otherwise specified, and may be a calculated value, an analytical value, or a blending amount.

[0010] <Coagulated Egg White-Like Food> The present invention relates to a coagulated egg white-like food that does not contain eggs. The coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention contains curdlan, glucomannan, an alkaline agent, and moisture, and is characterized in that the mass ratio of glucomannan to curdlan and the mass ratio of the alkaline agent to glucomannan are within a predetermined range. The coagulated egg white-like food having the above configuration has a texture similar to that of real coagulated egg white and can be used as a substitute for coagulated egg white. In the present invention, "a texture similar to that of real coagulated egg white" means a texture equivalent to or similar to that of real coagulated egg white. Note that "does not contain eggs" means that it does not contain raw materials derived from eggs of birds generally used for food, such as chicken, quail, and duck eggs.

[0011] <Coagulated egg white> In the present invention, coagulated egg white generally refers to the egg white of eggs of birds generally used for food that has been completely heat-coagulated into a gel state. Specifically, when observed visually, not only the surface of the coagulated egg white but also the inside is coagulated, and there is almost no observed uncoagulated part, that is, a semi-raw part, in the whole. The coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention may be, for example, a food similar to the egg white part of a boiled egg. Here, the "boiled egg" refers to an egg with a shell of a bird generally used for food that has been boiled to completely coagulate the egg white part. Such coagulated egg white has a good balance between softness when pressed with teeth and a sense of resistance (elasticity), that is, a tooth feel, and further has a feeling of being relatively easily chewable while feeling the tooth feel (hereinafter also referred to as "chewability"). In addition, coagulated egg white also has a sticky feeling of deforming softly along the movement of teeth and tongue while being compressed in the oral cavity, a smooth and slippery feeling, etc., and has a unique and complex texture. As will be described later, the coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention can reproduce such a complex texture peculiar to coagulated egg white.

[0012] <Curdlan> In the present invention, curdlan is a general term for heat-coagulable polysaccharides mainly composed of β-1,3 glucoside bonds. For example, Alcaligenes faecalisPolysaccharides produced by var. myxogenes fungi are included. By blending curdlan with glucomannan at a predetermined mass ratio, as described later, a gel having a softness and texture similar to that of coagulated egg white can be formed. Furthermore, since curdlan can form a highly heat-resistant gel, a coagulated egg white-like food that can be heat-sterilized and easily retains its texture after storage can be obtained.

[0013] <Content of curdlan> In the coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention, the content of curdlan (hereinafter also referred to as "A") may be set so as to satisfy the conditions of the mass ratio described later, but it is preferably set within the following range. The lower limit of the curdlan content (A) is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 1.5% by mass or more, still more preferably 1.7% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of suppressing a too-soft texture. The upper limit of the curdlan content (A) is preferably 5% by mass or less, more preferably 4% by mass or less, still more preferably 3.5% by mass or less, still more preferably 3% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of suppressing a too-hard texture.

[0014] <Glucomannan> In the present invention, glucomannan is a polysaccharide contained in konjac, and refers to a polysaccharide in which D-glucose and D-mannose are bonded by β-1,4 bonds at a molar ratio of approximately 1:1.6. Glucomannan may be used in the form of konjac powder, or a purified product purified from konjac powder with alcohol or the like may be used. By blending glucomannan with curdlan and an alkaline agent at a predetermined mass ratio, a texture peculiar to coagulated egg white, such as a tooth feel and stickiness, which cannot be obtained only with the gelled product of curdlan, can be imparted. Furthermore, since glucomannan can form a gel with high heat resistance and little syneresis after production, a coagulated egg white-like food that can more easily maintain its texture after storage can be obtained.

[0015] <Content of glucomannan> In the coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention, the content of glucomannan (hereinafter also referred to as "B") may be set to satisfy the conditions of the mass ratio described below, but it is preferably set within the following range. The lower limit of the content of glucomannan (B) is preferably 0.01% by mass or more, more preferably 0.02% by mass or more, and still more preferably 0.03% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of suppressing a texture that is too soft and suppressing bleeding water after production. The upper limit of the content of glucomannan (B) is preferably 1% by mass or less, more preferably 0.7% by mass or less, still more preferably 0.6% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.5% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of suppressing a texture that is too hard.

[0016] <Alkalizing agent> In the present invention, the alkalizing agent may be any edible alkalizing agent, and is mainly used to assist the gelation of glucomannan. Examples of the alkalizing agent used in the present invention include calcium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium phosphate, potassium phosphate, sodium carbonate, calcium oxide, calcium carbonate, and the like. In the coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention, the alkalizing agent preferably contains a hydroxyl group, more preferably at least one of calcium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide, and particularly preferably calcium hydroxide. The alkalizing agent may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0017] <Content of alkalizing agent> In the coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention, the content of the alkaline agent (hereinafter also referred to as "C") may be set so as to satisfy the conditions of the mass ratio described later, but it is preferably set within the following range. The lower limit of the content (C) of the alkaline agent is preferably 0.001% by mass or more, more preferably 0.005% by mass or more, still more preferably 0.007% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of sufficiently gelling glucomannan. The upper limit of the content (C) of the alkaline agent is preferably 0.25% by mass or less, more preferably 0.2% by mass or less, still more preferably 0.1% by mass or less, and still more preferably 0.05% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of suppressing excessive gelling of glucomannan.

[0018] <Moisture> The moisture contained in the coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention is not limited to the moisture derived from fresh water, and may contain moisture derived from materials selected within the range that does not impair the effects of the present invention. Examples of such materials containing moisture include vegetable milks (soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, etc.), fruit juices, vegetable juices, liquid seasonings, and the like.

[0019] <Mass ratio (B / A) of glucomannan to curdlan> In the coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention, the mass ratio of glucomannan to curdlan is 0.01 or more and 0.35 or less. This mass ratio can be calculated as the ratio of the content (B) of glucomannan to the content (A) of curdlan in the coagulated egg white-like food, and is hereinafter also referred to as "B / A". By setting B / A to 0.01 or more, it is possible to suppress the coagulated egg white-like food from having a texture different from that of coagulated egg white due to the enhanced influence of the physical properties derived from curdlan. Also, by setting B / A to less than 0.35, it is possible to suppress the coagulated egg white-like food from having a texture different from that of coagulated egg white due to the imbalance in the gelation of curdlan and glucomannan. From the viewpoint of imparting a texture closer to that of coagulated egg white, the lower limit of B / A is preferably 0.015 or more, more preferably 0.03 or more, still more preferably 0.05 or more. Also, from the viewpoint of imparting a texture closer to that of coagulated egg white, the upper limit of B / A is preferably 0.3 or less, more preferably 0.25 or less, still more preferably 0.2 or less, and even more preferably 0.15 or less.

[0020] <Mass ratio (C / B) of alkaline agent to glucomannan> In the coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention, the mass ratio of the alkaline agent to glucomannan is more than 0.015 and less than 0.5. This mass ratio can be calculated as the ratio of the content (C) of the alkaline agent to the content (B) of glucomannan in the coagulated egg white-like food, and is hereinafter also referred to as "C / B". By setting C / B to more than 0.015, it is possible to suppress the glucomannan from not gelling sufficiently and resulting in a texture that is too soft. Also, by setting C / B to less than 0.5, it is possible to suppress the konjac-like physical properties from being strongly exhibited and resulting in a texture different from that of coagulated egg white. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of imparting a texture closer to that of coagulated egg white, the lower limit of C / B is preferably 0.02 or more, more preferably 0.03 or more, still more preferably 0.04 or more, and even more preferably 0.08 or more. The upper limit of C / B is preferably 0.4 or less, more preferably 0.3 or less, still more preferably 0.2 or less, and even more preferably 0.15 or less from the viewpoint of imparting a texture closer to that of coagulated egg white.

[0021] <Oil and fat> The coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention preferably further contains oil and fat. By using oil and fat, a coagulated egg white-like food having the richness and smooth texture peculiar to coagulated egg white can be obtained. The oil and fat in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is edible oil and fat, but from the viewpoint of meeting the needs for plant-based foods, it preferably contains vegetable oil and fat. Examples of vegetable oil and fat include rapeseed oil, corn oil, soybean oil, olive oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, palm oil, linseed oil, and the like. Further, from the viewpoint of easily obtaining a coagulated egg white-like food having a white appearance similar to that of coagulated egg white, the oil and fat in the present invention is more preferably emulsified oil and fat. The emulsified oil and fat may be oil and fat emulsified by a separately added emulsifier, or may be pre-emulsified emulsified oil and fat. The emulsified oil and fat may be water-in-oil type emulsified oil and fat in which oil droplets are uniformly dispersed in the aqueous phase, or oil-in-water type emulsified oil and fat in which water droplets are uniformly dispersed in the oil phase. The oil and fat may be used alone or in combination of two or more. From the viewpoint of imparting richness and smooth texture, the content of oil and fat in the coagulated egg white-like food is preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 1% by mass or more, and from the viewpoint of suppressing unnatural greasiness, it is preferably 25% by mass or less, more preferably 10% by mass or less.

[0022] <Starch> The coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention preferably further contains starch. Thereby, it is possible to suppress bleeding water after production and the accompanying deterioration of texture. In the present invention, the starch includes unprocessed starch and processed starch obtained by processing unprocessed starch. The unprocessed starch is, for example, starch refined from raw materials such as potatoes, corn, tapioca, wheat, rice, etc., and specifically, rice starch, corn starch, tapioca starch, potato starch, wheat starch, etc. can be mentioned. The processed starch is obtained by applying a predetermined treatment to the unprocessed starch, and specifically, hydroxypropyl starch, acetylated oxidized starch, sodium octenyl succinate starch, acetic acid starch, oxidized starch, hydroxypropylated phosphate crosslinked starch, phosphorylated starch, etc. can be mentioned. These starches can be used alone or in combination of two or more. From the viewpoint of obtaining the effect of suppressing bleeding water, the content of starch in the coagulated egg white-like food is preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 1% by mass or more, and from the viewpoint of suppressing the formation of a texture different from that of coagulated egg white, it is preferably 8% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 4% by mass or less.

[0023] <Sugars> The coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention preferably further contains sugars from the viewpoint of reproducing a flavor close to that of coagulated egg white. In the present invention, the sugars refer to monosaccharides and disaccharides. Examples of the monosaccharides include sucrose, glucose, galactose, fructose, mannose, etc. Examples of the disaccharides include sucrose, lactose, maltose, cellobiose, trehalose, etc. Among these, from the viewpoint of reproducing a flavor closer to that of coagulated egg white, the coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention preferably contains sucrose. From the viewpoint of obtaining a flavor close to that of coagulated egg white, the content of sugars in the coagulated egg white-like food is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.2% by mass or more, and preferably 5% by mass or less, more preferably 3% by mass or less.

[0024] <Other materials> The coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention can contain raw materials other than those described above as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Such raw materials include, for example, seasonings such as salt, soy sauce, and amino acids; sugars other than the above such as fructose glucose syrup, dextrin, and sugar ethanol; bacteriostatic agents such as glycine and sodium acetate; pH adjusters other than the above such as organic acids and organic acid salts; preservatives, antioxidants, fragrances, and the like. Note that the coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention may not contain thickening polysaccharides other than curdlan, glucomannan, and starch. For example, it may not contain cellulose derivatives such as methylcellulose and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, and it may not contain gellan gum.

[0025] <Shredded hard-boiled egg-like shape> The coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention preferably has a size and shape corresponding to the type of cooked food used. For example, it may have a shredded hard-boiled egg-like shape. In the present invention, the "shredded hard-boiled egg-like shape" refers to a shape like a hard-boiled egg finely cut with a food cutter, kitchen knife, or dicer, which may be regular or irregular. Specifically, it includes dice shape, shredded shape, crushed shape, and the like. The shredded hard-boiled egg-like coagulated egg white-like food has a large ratio of surface area to volume, so it can improve the flavor compatibility with sauces and ingredients. The shredded hard-boiled egg-like coagulated egg white-like food can be prepared by finely cutting a coagulated egg white-like food in the form of a plate or lump with a dicer, food cutter, kitchen knife, crusher, stirrer, or the like. In the shredded hard-boiled egg-like coagulated egg white-like food, the size of one fragment is not particularly limited. For example, the dimension of one side is preferably 2 mm or more, more preferably 3 mm or more, preferably 30 mm or less, and more preferably 20 mm or less.

[0026] <Action and effect of the coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention> The coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention contains curdlan, glucomannan, an alkaline agent, and moisture, and by setting B / A to 0.01 or more and 0.35 or less, and C / B to more than 0.015 and less than 0.5, even though no eggs are used, in addition to a softness similar to that of coagulated egg white, it is possible to reproduce the texture of coagulated egg white, such as the tooth feel, crispness, stickiness, and smoothness. Specifically, it is considered that curdlan satisfying the above mass ratio conditions can impart softness and crispness similar to those of coagulated egg white to the coagulated egg white-like food. In addition, it is considered that glucomannan and an alkaline agent satisfying the above mass ratio conditions can impart both sufficient tooth feel and crispness, as well as stickiness and a smooth, slippery feeling. From a microscopic perspective, by setting B / A and C / B to the above mass ratios, it is considered that curdlan, glucomannan, and the alkaline agent cooperate with each other to construct a gel network capable of producing a complex texture. Furthermore, since the coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention can form a highly heat-resistant gel, heat sterilization after production becomes possible. In addition, the coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention can suppress water separation after production and suppress a decrease in texture during storage. Thereby, according to the coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention, the complex texture peculiar to coagulated egg white can be maintained even after processing and storage.

[0027] <Processed food containing coagulated egg white-like food> The coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention can be used in processed foods as a substitute for coagulated egg white. Examples of processed foods containing the coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention include, for example, typical processed foods using hard-boiled eggs, such as tartar sauce, egg spread, egg filling, and egg salad. However, the processed foods of the present invention are not limited to these as long as they use the coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention. For example, they may be sauces, salads (including salads other than egg salad), sandwiches, vegetable breads, hard-boiled eggs, curries, stews, soups, rice porridge, mixed rice, omelets, ramen, and ingredients for bowls. The processed foods of the present invention can be manufactured by using the coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention and going through the same steps as when using normal coagulated egg white. Further, the processed foods of the present invention may be subjected to retort sterilization or other heat sterilization. Since the processed foods of the present invention use the above-mentioned coagulated egg white-like food, they have a texture similar to that of those using coagulated egg white. Furthermore, since the coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention has high resistance to heating and storage, it can maintain a preferable texture even through the manufacturing process and storage of processed foods.

[0028] <Acidic liquid seasoning> The processed food of the present invention may be, for example, an acidic liquid seasoning. Such acidic liquid seasonings are generally preferably acidic liquid seasonings containing coagulated egg white. Examples include tartar sauce, egg spread, etc. With the acidic liquid seasoning of the present invention, one can enjoy a texture as if using real coagulated egg white.

[0029] <Method for producing coagulated egg white-like food> The method for producing the coagulated egg white-like food of the present invention includes, for example, a step of preparing a mixture containing curdlan, glucomannan, an alkaline agent, and moisture, and a step of heating the mixture.

[0030] <Step of preparing the mixture> In this process, curdlan, glucomannan, an alkaline agent, and moisture are mixed to prepare a mixture. In this process, from the viewpoint of suppressing non-uniform gelation of curdlan and glucomannan, it is preferable that the preparation of the mixture does not involve heating. For example, the temperature of the mixture is preferably 50°C or lower, more preferably 30°C or lower, and preferably 10°C or higher, more preferably 15°C or higher, from the viewpoint of smoothly performing the mixing process. For the mixing in this process, a stirrer such as a mixer or a homogenizer can be used. In the mixture, the contents of curdlan, glucomannan, and the alkaline agent are appropriately set so as to satisfy the above-mentioned ranges of B / A and C / B. Note that the mixture may contain any material in addition to the above-mentioned materials. Further, from the viewpoint of removing fine bubbles by stirring, this process may include a step of degassing the mixture. The degassing treatment may be performed while mixing or after mixing. Specific degassing treatments include, for example, a treatment of degassing the air in the container using a vacuum pump or a vacuum sealer. The step of preparing the mixture preferably includes, from the viewpoint of suppressing non-uniform gelation or aggregation (lumps) of curdlan and / or glucomannan in the mixture, for example, a step of preparing a curdlan mixture solution containing curdlan and moisture, a step of preparing a glucomannan mixture solution containing glucomannan, an alkaline agent, and moisture, and a step of mixing the curdlan mixture solution and the glucomannan mixture solution.

[0031] <Step of preparing curdlan mixture solution> In this step, a curdlan mixture is prepared by mixing curdlan and moisture. The curdlan mixture is, for example, a suspension of curdlan and may be in a paste form. In the curdlan mixture, from the viewpoint of suppressing the aggregation (lumping) of curdlan in the mixture, it is preferable that curdlan is homogeneously mixed. The temperature of the mixture in this step is preferably 50°C or lower, more preferably 30°C or lower, from the viewpoint of suppressing the gelation of curdlan. In the curdlan mixture, the content of curdlan can be appropriately set so as to satisfy the above-mentioned range of B / A, but is preferably 15% by mass or lower, more preferably 10% by mass or lower. Note that the curdlan mixture may contain any material in addition to curdlan and water.

[0032] <Preparation step of glucomannan mixture> In this step, a glucomannan mixture is prepared by mixing glucomannan, an alkaline agent, and moisture. The glucomannan mixture is, for example, a suspension of glucomannan and may be in a paste form. In the glucomannan mixture, from the viewpoint of suppressing the aggregation (lumping) of glucomannan in the above mixture, it is preferable that glucomannan and the alkaline agent are homogeneously mixed. The temperature of the mixture in this step is preferably 70°C or lower, more preferably 50°C or lower, from the viewpoint of suppressing the gelation of glucomannan, and is preferably 10°C or higher, more preferably 15°C or higher, from the viewpoint of ensuring the fluidity of the mixture. In the glucomannan mixture, the content of glucomannan can be appropriately set so as to satisfy the above-mentioned ranges of B / A and B / C, but is preferably 5% by mass or lower, more preferably 1% by mass or lower. Note that the glucomannan mixture may contain any material in addition to glucomannan, the alkaline agent, and moisture.

[0033] <Mixing step of curdlan mixture and glucomannan mixture> In this step, the above mixture is prepared by mixing the curdlan mixture and the glucomannan mixture. In this step, it is preferable to perform the above-mentioned degassing treatment.

[0034] <Heating Step> In this step, the prepared mixture is heated to 80°C or higher. The heating method is not particularly limited. For example, a container filled with the mixture and sealed may be heated by a water bath, steam, etc. Alternatively, the mixture may be transferred to another container such as a tray and heat-treated by steaming, electric heating, microwave heating, etc. The heating temperature in this step is 80°C or higher, preferably 85°C or higher, more preferably 90°C or higher, from the viewpoint of surely forming a gel with curdlan, glucomannan, and an alkaline agent, and is preferably 140°C or lower from the viewpoint of suppressing heat-induced denaturation. Also, the heating time in this step can be appropriately set according to the progress of gelation, but is preferably 30 minutes or more, more preferably 60 minutes or more, and is preferably 3 hours or less, more preferably 2 hours or less.

Examples

[0035] Furthermore, the present invention will be described in detail based on examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0036] [Manufacture of Coagulated Egg White-like Food] Samples of coagulated egg white-like foods of Examples 1 to 6 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 were prepared. As shown in Table 1, the formulations of Examples 1 to 6 were set to satisfy the conditions that B / A was 0.01 or more and 0.35 or less, and C / B was more than 0.015 and less than 0.5. On the other hand, the formulations of Comparative Examples 1 to 4 were set not to satisfy at least one of the conditions that B / A was 0.01 or more and 0.35 or less, or C / B was more than 0.015 and less than 0.5. Note that calcium hydroxide was used as the alkaline agent in Examples other than Example 6, and sodium hydroxide was used as the alkaline agent in Example 6.

[0037] First, for about half of the total amount of water in the mixture, curdlan was added to reach the amounts shown in Table 1, and the mixture was stirred and homogenized with a mixer to prepare a curdlan mixture. Separately from the curdlan mixture, for about half of the total amount of water in the mixture, glucomannan and sucrose were added to reach the amounts shown in Table 1, and an alkaline agent was added while stirring with a mixer to prepare a glucomannan mixture. While stirring the prepared glucomannan mixture, it was mixed with the curdlan mixture, and modified starch and vegetable emulsified oil (oil content in the raw material: 50%) were added thereto. After degassing this mixture, it was filled into a heat-resistant bag to prepare a mixture. The mixture filled in the bag was heated at 90 °C for 90 minutes to prepare samples of Examples 1 to 6 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4. After heating, each sample was cooled to 10 °C or lower and stored refrigerated.

[0038]

Table 1

[0039] [Evaluation of texture] Each sample bag refrigerated for about one week was opened, the sample was taken out, and cut finely with a spoon. Then, three or more trained panels ate each sample and scored the texture of each sample based on the scoring criteria shown below. In the evaluation of texture, each panel comprehensively judged the softness peculiar to coagulated egg white, chewiness (elasticity), cutting feeling, stickiness, smoothness, etc., and evaluated the similarity to real coagulated egg white. The evaluation score was set with the texture of real coagulated egg white as 3 points (the highest score) and a texture different from coagulated egg white as 1 point (the lowest score). For each sample, the average score of all panels' evaluation scores was calculated and rounded off, and an evaluation of A to C was determined based on the following evaluation criteria.

[0040] (Scoring criteria for texture) 3 points: Having a texture equivalent to that of coagulated egg white. 2 points: Having a texture similar to that of coagulated egg white. 1 point: Having a texture different from that of coagulated egg white. (Evaluation criteria) A: Rounded off to 3 points (2.5 points or more and 3 points or less) B: Rounded off to 2 points (1.5 points or more and less than 2.5 points) C: Rounded off to 1 point (1 point or more and less than 1.5 points)

[0041] As shown in Table 1, the samples of Examples 1 to 6 were all evaluated as A or B and had a texture equivalent to or similar to that of coagulated egg white. In particular, the samples of Examples 1 and 6 had a texture equivalent to or very similar to that of real coagulated egg white, which was preferable. The sample of Example 2 also had a texture similar to that of real coagulated egg white. The samples of Examples 3 and 4 had a slightly soft texture but had a texture similar to that of real coagulated egg white. The sample of Example 5 had water separation and had a slightly firm texture but had a texture similar to that of real coagulated egg white. Also, from these results, it was found that the samples of Examples 1 to 6 could retain a texture equivalent to or similar to that of coagulated egg white even after refrigerated storage for about one week.

[0042] On the other hand, the samples of Comparative Examples 1 to 4 were all evaluated as C and had a texture completely different from that of coagulated egg white. Specifically, the sample of Comparative Example 1 had a paste-like physical property and had no texture like that of coagulated egg white at all. The sample of Comparative Example 2 was soft as a whole and had a texture like porridge and had no texture and smoothness like that of coagulated egg white at all. The sample of Comparative Example 3 had no texture and was too soft, having a texture completely different from that of coagulated egg white. The sample of Comparative Example 4 had a lot of water separation and was too hard, having a texture completely different from that of coagulated egg white.

[0043] As described above, it was found that a coagulated egg white-like food containing curdlan, glucomannan, an alkaline agent, and moisture, with the B / A being 0.01 or more and 0.35 or less and the C / B being more than 0.015 and less than 0.5, could reproduce a texture similar to or the same as that of coagulated egg white.

Claims

1. A coagulated egg white-like food containing no eggs, comprising curdlan, glucomannan, an alkaline agent, and moisture, wherein the mass ratio of the glucomannan to the curdlan is 0.01 or more and 0.35 or less, and the mass ratio of the alkaline agent to the glucomannan is more than 0.015 and less than 0.5, a coagulated egg white-like food.

2. Further containing oil and fat, the coagulated egg white-like food according to Claim 1.

3. wherein the content of the glucomannan in the coagulated egg white-like food is 0.01% by mass or more and 1% by mass or less, the coagulated egg white-like food according to Claim 1.

4. wherein the content of the curdlan in the coagulated egg white-like food is 1% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less, the coagulated egg white-like food according to Claim 1.

5. wherein the content of the alkaline agent in the coagulated egg white-like food is 0.001% by mass or more and 0.25% by mass or less, the coagulated egg white-like food according to Claim 1.

6. wherein the alkaline agent is at least one of calcium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide, the coagulated egg white-like food according to Claim 1.

7. Further containing starch, the coagulated egg white-like food according to Claim 1.

8. A processed food containing the coagulated egg white-like food according to any one of Claims 1 to 7.

9. A method for producing a coagulated egg white-like food containing no eggs, comprising a step of mixing curdlan, glucomannan, an alkaline agent, and moisture to prepare a mixture, and a step of heating the prepared mixture to 80°C or higher, wherein the mass ratio of the glucomannan to the curdlan in the mixture is 0.01 or more and 0.35 or less, and the mass ratio of the alkaline agent to the glucomannan in the mixture is more than 0.015 and less than 0.5, a method for producing a coagulated egg white-like food.