Water-soluble mix for deep frying

Abstract

To provide a mix for deep frying made from wheat flour derived from Japanese wheat varieties.SOLUTION: A water-soluble mix for deep frying comprises 15 to 30 mass% of wheat flour derived from Japanese wheat varieties, 10 to 25 mass% of rice flour, and 0.1 to 1.5 mass% of a gas generating agent.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a water-soluble mix for deep frying. [Background technology]

[0002] Fried chicken is a food product obtained by coating ingredients with a thin layer of batter and frying the resulting product. A commonly used method for producing fried chicken involves immersing ingredients such as meat in a seasoning liquid, then coating the ingredients with a batter made primarily of wheat flour or starch, and frying the resulting product. While this method can impart a desirable flavor to the ingredients with the seasoning liquid, it is laborious to coat the ingredients with the batter. Furthermore, some of the batter separates into the oil tank during frying, contaminating the oil, necessitating the removal of the batter from the oil tank, making the process complicated.

[0003] A water-soluble deep-frying mix has been developed that can solve the above problems. The water-soluble deep-frying mix is dissolved in water to prepare a batter. Deep-frying can be made by applying this batter to ingredients and frying them. Patent Document 1 describes that a water-soluble deep-frying mix containing predetermined amounts of wheat flour, oxidized starch, phosphate cross-linked starch, and baking soda can be used to produce deep-fry that adheres well to ingredients, has a good appearance and texture, and exhibits little deterioration in quality even after frying.

[0004] In recent years, interest in domestically produced food ingredients has grown from the perspectives of food self-sufficiency and food traceability. In recent years, there has been a strong demand for domestically produced wheat in various food products that use wheat flour. However, the flour currently used in deep-fried food coatings in Japan is almost exclusively weak wheat derived from imported wheat varieties. On the other hand, wheat flour derived from Japanese wheat varieties (hereinafter referred to as "Japanese wheat flour") is cultivated in Japan's uniquely hot and humid environment. Most of the wheat flour is medium-strength or strong wheat flour, and its starch has strong viscoelastic properties. This type of Japanese wheat flour has significantly different properties from the imported wheat flours traditionally used in deep-fried foods. While Japanese wheat flour is suitable for producing noodles such as udon, it is not particularly suitable for deep-fried food coatings. When Japanese wheat flour is used as a coating material, especially when prepared as a batter, the resulting fried coating tends to have a hard, sticky texture compared to conventional coating materials made with imported wheat flour. Attempts are being made to address these shortcomings of Japanese wheat flour as a coating material for deep-fried foods. Patent Document 2 describes that a batter mix for deep-fried foods, obtained by adding protease and amylase to wheat flour produced in Japan, improves the workability of the batter and the texture of the coating of deep-fried foods. Patent Document 3 describes that a highly viscous batter can be prepared without using thickeners or the like using heat-denatured wheat flour obtained by heat-treating wheat varieties such as Hollow Wheat and Kitano Kaori at a moisture content of 13.5% for 2 hours at 90°C, and that high-quality fried foods can be obtained using this batter.

[0005] In recent years, various foods using rice flour have been proposed with the aim of improving the texture of food, accommodating wheat allergies, making effective use of rice, etc. Patent Document 4 describes the use of a batter prepared from a deep-frying mix containing wheat flour, cereal flour other than wheat flour such as rice flour, an emulsifier, and a leavening agent in the production of deep-fried foods. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-223119 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2018 / 070506 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-165 [Patent Document 4] International Publication No. 2017 / 204324 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The present invention provides a water-soluble mix for deep-frying that contains wheat flour produced in Japan and enables the production of high-quality deep-fry. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present inventors have discovered that fried chicken with a good appearance and texture can be produced by using a batter prepared from a mix containing Japanese wheat flour, rice flour, and a gas generating agent in specified amounts.

[0009] The present invention provides the following as representative embodiments. [1] A water-soluble deep-frying mix containing 15 to 30% by mass of wheat flour derived from Japanese wheat varieties, 10 to 25% by mass of rice flour, and 0.1 to 1.5% by mass of a gas-generating agent. [2] The water-soluble deep-frying mix according to [1], wherein the amount of damaged starch in the rice flour is 6 to 10% by mass. [3] The water-soluble deep-frying mix according to [1] or [2], containing 15 to 40% by mass in total of one or more selected from the group consisting of acetylated starch, oxidized starch, acetylated oxidized starch, phosphate cross-linked starch, acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch, hydroxypropyl starch, and hydroxypropylated phosphate cross-linked starch. [4] The water-soluble deep-frying mix according to any one of [1] to [3], containing 0.05 to 1 mass% in total of one or more selected from the group consisting of glycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, lecithin, sorbitan fatty acid esters, and propylene glycol fatty acid esters. [5] A method for producing fried chicken, comprising applying a batter liquid prepared by mixing the water-soluble type fried chicken mix according to any one of [1] to [4] with a liquid to ingredients and frying the ingredients. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the quality of fried chicken made using Japanese wheat flour as a coating material. Fried chicken made using the deep-frying mix of the present invention, even though it contains Japanese wheat flour, has a desirable appearance with a coating that is moderately thick and uneven, and a good texture in which the coating is firm and melts in the mouth, without a sticky feeling between the coating and the meat. Furthermore, because the deep-frying mix of the present invention can be made primarily from Japanese wheat flour and rice flour, which are domestic food ingredients, it provides a high level of peace of mind in terms of food safety and is also useful in terms of food self-sufficiency. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The water-soluble deep-frying mix of the present invention contains Japanese wheat flour, rice flour and a gas generating agent in predetermined amounts.

[0012] In this specification, the term "water-soluble deep-frying mix" refers to a deep-frying mix that is mixed with a liquid such as water to prepare a liquid or paste-like batter (batter liquid). Deep-frying can be made by applying the batter liquid to the surface of ingredients and frying them.

[0013] The Japanese wheat flour contained in the water-soluble deep-frying mix of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to simply as the "mix of the present invention") includes wheat flour obtained from wheat seeds produced by one or more wheat varieties selected from the group consisting of existing Japanese wheat varieties and wheat varieties derived therefrom (wheat varieties resulting from the improvement of existing Japanese wheat varieties). Wheat varieties currently registered in Japan can be found in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' Agricultural and Forestry Certified Variety Database, etc. Examples of existing Japanese wheat varieties include Yumekirari, Tsurukichi, Kitasachiho, Kinuakari, Yumechikara, Yumekaori, Satonosora, Harukirari, Kitahonami, Towaizumi, Mochihime, Hanamanten, Fukuhonoka, Uraramochi, Yumeasahi, Haru no Kagayaki, Minami no Kaori, Fusetsu, Kita no Kaori, Yukichikara, Fukusayaka, Tamaizumi, Yumeseiki, Haruibuki, Nebarigoshi, Kinuazuma, and Haru Examples of suitable varieties include Hinode, Kitamoe, Kinuhime, Ayahikari, Nishinokaori, Iwainodaichi, Nishihonami, Shunyo, Hokushin, Chikugoizumi, Kinuiroha, Haru no Akebono, Abukumawase, Akitakko, Taisetsukomugi, Bandowase, Daichinominori, Koyukikomugi, Airakomugi, Shiranekomugi, Haruyotaka, Nishikazekomugi, Fukuwasekomugi, Wakamatsukomugi, Haruyokoi, and Norin 61. Preferably, the Japanese wheat flour used in the present invention is wheat flour obtained from wheat seeds produced by one or more wheat varieties selected from the group consisting of the above-listed Japanese wheat varieties and wheat varieties derived therefrom, and harvested in Japan. Preferably, the Japanese wheat flour used in the present invention is medium-strength wheat flour, and suitable examples include wheat flour derived from varieties suitable for medium-strength wheat flour for udon noodles, such as Kitahonami and Hokushin, and wheat varieties derived therefrom. Preferably, the Japanese wheat flour used in the present invention has not been heat-treated. Note that, in this specification, heat treatment refers to active heating of wheat flour or the wheat seeds that are its raw material, such as roasting, frying, moist heat treatment, sealed heating, etc., and is different from passive temperature increases in wheat flour or wheat seeds during the milling process, etc.

[0014] The content of Japanese wheat flour in the mix of the present invention is preferably 15 to 30% by mass, more preferably 18 to 27% by mass, of the total mass of the mix. If the content of Japanese wheat flour in the mix is too low or too high, the appearance and texture of the resulting fried chicken tend to be poor.

[0015] The type of rice flour contained in the mix of the present invention is not particularly limited, but it is preferably rice flour obtained from non-glutinous rice grown in Japan. Preferably, the rice flour contained in the mix has a damaged starch content of 6 to 10 mass %, more preferably 7 to 9 mass %. If the damaged starch content of the rice flour contained in the mix is too low or too high, the appearance and texture of the resulting fried chicken tend to be impaired.

[0016] In this specification, the amount of damaged starch in rice flour is the value measured according to AACC Method 76-31, i.e., the damaged starch contained in a sample is degraded with fungal α-amylase into maltosaccharides and limit dextrins, then degraded to glucose with amyloglucosidase, and the resulting glucose is quantified. This value represents the amount of amylase-sensitive starch. A commercially available kit (e.g., MegaZyme's Starch Damage Assay Kit) can be used to measure the amount of damaged starch according to AACC Method 76-31.

[0017] The content of rice flour in the deep-frying mix of the present invention is preferably 10 to 25% by mass, more preferably 13 to 20% by mass, of the total mass of the mix. If the rice flour content in the mix is too low or too high, the appearance and texture of the resulting deep-fry products tend to be poor.

[0018] The mix of the present invention contains a gas generating agent. An example of the gas generating agent is baking soda. Alternatively, a leavening agent containing baking soda, such as baking powder or ispata, can be used. The content of the gas generating agent in the mix of the present invention is preferably 0.1 to 1.5 mass% of the total mass of the mix, more preferably 0.2 to 0.8 mass%. When using the leavening agent containing baking soda, the amount added can be adjusted so that the content of baking soda falls within the above range. If the content of the gas generating agent in the mix is too low or too high, the appearance and texture of the resulting fried chicken tend to be impaired.

[0019] Furthermore, the mix of the present invention preferably contains one or more modified starches selected from the group consisting of acetylated starch, oxidized starch, acetylated oxidized starch, phosphate-crosslinked starch, acetylated phosphate-crosslinked starch, hydroxypropyl starch, and hydroxypropylated phosphate-crosslinked starch. When the mix of the present invention contains such modified starch, the appearance and texture of the resulting fried chicken are improved. More preferably, the modified starch contained in the mix of the present invention is one or more selected from the group consisting of acetylated oxidized starch, oxidized starch, and phosphate-crosslinked starch. Even more preferably, the modified starch includes acetylated oxidized starch. Even more preferably, the modified starch consists of acetylated oxidized starch, oxidized starch, and phosphate-crosslinked starch. Such modified starches can be prepared by subjecting raw starch to conventional chemical modifications such as oxidation, acetylation, crosslinking, and etherification. For example, oxidized starch can be obtained by oxidizing unmodified starch. The raw starch may be an edible, unmodified starch such as potato starch, tapioca starch, sweet potato starch, corn starch, waxy corn starch, wheat starch, or rice starch. Of these, tapioca starch is preferred. These raw starches may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0020] The total content of the modified starches in the mix of the present invention is preferably 15 to 40% by mass, more preferably 20 to 35% by mass, of the total mass of the mix. If the content of the modified starches is too low or too high, it becomes difficult to obtain the effect of improving the appearance and texture of fried chicken by adding the modified starches.

[0021] Furthermore, the mix of the present invention preferably contains one or more emulsifiers selected from the group consisting of glycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, lecithin, sorbitan fatty acid esters, and propylene glycol fatty acid esters. When the mix of the present invention contains such an emulsifier, the appearance and texture of the resulting fried chicken are improved. More preferably, the emulsifier contained in the mix of the present invention is one or more selected from the group consisting of glycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, and lecithin. Even more preferably, the emulsifier contains a glycerin fatty acid ester. Even more preferably, the emulsifier consists of a glycerin fatty acid ester, a sucrose fatty acid ester, and lecithin. The total content of the emulsifiers in the mix of the present invention is preferably 0.05 to 1.0% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 0.5% by mass, of the total mass of the mix. If the content of the emulsifier is too low or too high, it becomes difficult to achieve the effect of improving the appearance and texture of the fried chicken by adding the emulsifier.

[0022] The mix of the present invention may contain other cereal flours than the aforementioned Japanese wheat flour and rice flour, or other starches than the aforementioned modified starches. Examples of such other cereal flours include foreign wheat flours. Foreign wheat flour refers to flour derived from wheat varieties other than Japanese wheat varieties or wheat varieties derived therefrom, such as flours obtained from wheat seeds such as Dark Northern Spring, Hard Red Winter, Western White, Western Red Spring, and Australian Standard White. The content of such other cereal flours in the mix of the present invention is preferably 15% by mass or less. The content of foreign wheat flour in the mix of the present invention is preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or less, and even more preferably less than 1% by mass. More preferably, the mix of the present invention is substantially free of foreign wheat flour.

[0023] Examples of the other starch that can be included in the mix of the present invention include unmodified starch. Examples of the unmodified starch include potato starch, tapioca starch, sweet potato starch, corn starch, waxy corn starch, wheat starch, and rice starch. These unmodified starches can be used alone or in combination of two or more. The content of the unmodified starch in the mix of the present invention is preferably 70% by mass or less, more preferably 60% by mass or less, of the total mass of the mix.

[0024] In addition to the above-mentioned ingredients, the mix of the present invention may further contain, as necessary, other ingredients commonly used in deep-frying mixes, such as egg powder (e.g., whole egg powder, egg white powder, etc.); thickeners; seasonings (e.g., salt, powdered soy sauce, fermented seasonings, sugars, powdered miso paste, amino acids, etc.); spices; flavorings; nutritional ingredients (e.g., vitamins); colorings; powdered oils and fats. These other ingredients can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Preferably, the mix of the present invention does not contain either protease or amylase, preferably both. The type and content of the other ingredients used in the mix of the present invention can be adjusted appropriately depending on the desired characteristics of the deep-frying. For example, appropriate seasonings, spices, etc. can be blended depending on the flavor of the deep-frying (e.g., Chinese, Japanese, Western, etc.). The amount of the other ingredients in the mix of the present invention is preferably 30% by mass or less, preferably 20% by mass or less, of the total mass of the mix.

[0025] The mix of the present invention can be prepared by mixing the above-mentioned components. The mix of the present invention is preferably in powder or granular form. The mix of the present invention is suitable for use in preparing batter for deep-frying. The batter can be prepared by mixing the mix of the present invention with a liquid such as water. Examples of liquids used to prepare the batter include water and liquids other than water (e.g., milk, stock, broth, etc.), and any one or a combination of two or more of these can be used. The amount of the liquid to be mixed with the mix of the present invention can be adjusted depending on the type of ingredients, but is generally preferably 70 to 200 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the mix. Preferably, the mix and liquid are stirred and mixed to prepare a uniform batter.

[0026] The prepared batter liquid is applied to ingredients and deep-fried to produce fried chicken. The ingredients for fried chicken produced using the mix of the present invention are not particularly limited, and include livestock meats such as chicken, pork, beef, lamb, and goat, seafood, and vegetables, but meat and seafood are preferred. The ingredients may be seasoned as needed before the batter liquid prepared using the mix of the present invention is applied.

[0027] More specifically, after preparing a batter from the mix of the present invention using the procedure described above, ingredients of appropriate size are immersed in the batter, or the batter is sprayed, applied, poured, or dripped onto the ingredients to adhere the batter to their surfaces. The batter-adhered ingredients are then deep-fried in a conventional manner to produce fried chicken. The temperature and time for deep-frying can be adjusted as appropriate depending on the type and size of the ingredients, but are typically about 2 to 8 minutes at 160 to 180°C. [Example]

[0028] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0029] (material) · Japanese wheat flour: Kitahonami wheat flour Imported flour: Flour (Nissin Flour Milling Co., Ltd.) Rice flour: Weak rice flour R (Namisato Co., Ltd.) Leavening agent: Nissin Baking Powder (Nissin Flour Milling Wellna Co., Ltd.) Non-modified starch: Dried potato starch (Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) The amount of damaged starch in rice flour was measured using a commercially available kit (MegaZyme, Starch Damage Assay Kit) according to AACC Method 76-31.

[0030] (Preparation of deep-frying mix) The ingredients shown in Tables 1 to 7 were mixed uniformly to produce each mix for deep frying.

[0031] (Production and evaluation of fried chicken) Chicken thighs were cut into 25g pieces and seasoned. 100g of deep-frying mix was thoroughly mixed with 100cc of water to prepare a batter. 20 pieces of cut chicken thighs were placed in the resulting batter and thoroughly mixed. The battered chicken thighs were deep-fried in salad oil heated to 170°C for 4 minutes to produce fried chicken. The quality of the fried chicken was evaluated by 10 expert panelists using the following evaluation criteria, and the average score was calculated. The results are shown in Tables 1 to 7.

[0032] <Evaluation criteria> [Texture of the batter] (Crunchy) 5: The whole thing has the crispy, desirable firmness that is characteristic of fried chicken, and is extremely good. 4: It has the crispy texture that is characteristic of fried chicken and is good. 3: It lacks the crispy texture typical of fried chicken, but is rather good. 2: Lacking the crispy hardness that is characteristic of fried chicken, it is slightly soft and sticky, or too hard or a little brittle and too light in texture, and is slightly unsatisfactory. 1: The product lacks the crispy texture characteristic of fried chicken, and is soft and sticky, or is very hard or very brittle and too light in texture, and is extremely poor. (sticky feeling) 5: There is no sticky feeling between the batter and the meat, and it is extremely good. 4: There is no sticky feeling between the batter and the meat, which is good. 3: There is a slight stickiness between the batter and the meat, but it is still quite good. 2: There is a sticky feeling between the batter and the meat, so it is slightly unsatisfactory. 1: There is a sticky feeling between the batter and the meat, so it is poor quality. (melts in the mouth) 5: The batter disperses finely and dissolves very quickly, which is very good. 4: The batter quickly disperses and dissolves, and it is good. 3: It takes a little time for the batter to disperse, but it's pretty good. 2: It takes a long time for the batter to disperse, so it's a little poor. 1: It takes a very long time for the batter to disperse, and it is extremely poor quality. [Appearance of the clothing] 5: The batter is of moderate thickness and has the rough texture characteristic of fried chicken, making it extremely good. 4: The batter is of a moderate thickness almost over the entire surface and has the rough, uneven texture typical of fried chicken, making it good. 3: The batter is a little thin, but there are some rough bumps that are typical of fried chicken, so it is quite good. 2: The batter is thin and lacks the rough texture that is characteristic of fried chicken, making it somewhat unsatisfactory. 1: The batter is extremely thin and lacks the rough texture that is characteristic of fried chicken, making it extremely poor quality.

[0033] [Table 1]

[0034] [Table 2]

[0035] [Table 3]

[0036] [Table 4]

[0037] [Table 5]

[0038] [Table 6]

[0039] [Table 7]

Claims

1. This water-soluble mix for deep-frying contains 15 to 30 mass % of wheat flour derived from a Japanese wheat variety, 10 to 25 mass % of rice flour, and 0.1 to 1.5 mass % of a gas generating agent.

2. The water-soluble type deep-frying mix according to claim 1, wherein the amount of damaged starch in the rice flour is 6 to 10% by mass.

3. 2. The water-soluble mix for deep-frying according to claim 1, comprising 15 to 40% by mass in total of one or more components selected from the group consisting of acetylated starch, oxidized starch, acetylated oxidized starch, phosphate cross-linked starch, acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch, hydroxypropyl starch, and hydroxypropylated phosphate cross-linked starch.

4. The water-soluble deep-frying mix according to claim 1, containing 0.05 to 1% by mass in total of one or more selected from the group consisting of glycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, lecithin, sorbitan fatty acid esters, and propylene glycol fatty acid esters.

5. A method for producing fried chicken, comprising applying a batter liquid obtained by mixing the water-soluble type fried chicken mix according to any one of claims 1 to 4 with a liquid to ingredients and frying the ingredients.

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