Method for producing processed cheeses or cheese-like foods

Abstract

To provide a method for producing processed cheeses or cheese-like foods using a thickener, which enables improvement of the thickening action through the thickener.SOLUTION: Processed cheeses or cheese-like foods are produced by preparing a processed thickener in which a water-soluble thickener is coated with a fat or wax having a melting point of 30°C to 145°C, mixing the processed thickener with the principal material of processed cheeses or cheese-like foods, heating and melting the mixture obtained to emulsify, and subsequently cooling. The processed thickener can be produced by liquefying the fat or wax through heating and mixing it with the water-soluble thickener.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing processed cheeses or cheese-like foods using a thickener. [Background technology]

[0002] Processed cheeses and cheese-like foods are produced by finely grinding a main ingredient such as natural cheese, adding secondary ingredients such as molten salt and water, heating the mixture to a temperature usually above 70°C to melt it, and then molding it into any shape. In such production methods, it is known to add thickeners such as xanthan gum, pectin, and guar gum in order to improve the viscosity of the processed cheese or cheese-like food when melted.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a processed cheese that is well suited to cooking with heat, in which specific amounts of melting salt, emulsifier, and thickening polysaccharide are blended into raw cheese.

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 describes a cheese-like food that has a texture and processing suitability comparable to processed cheeses, and is made by blending specific amounts of raw cheese, fats and oils, starch, and thickening polysaccharides. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-69911 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-22257 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The inventors of the present invention have conducted studies and found that even if a thickener is added during the production of processed cheeses or cheese-like foods, the viscosity of the molten product may not be sufficiently improved in some cases.

[0007] In view of the above-mentioned current situation, the present invention aims to provide a method for producing processed cheeses or cheese-like foods that uses a thickener, which method can improve the thickening effect of the thickener. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present inventors discovered that by coating the surface of a thickener with fats or waxes that are solid at room temperature but melt into a liquid when heated, and then producing processed cheeses or cheese-like foods using such a processed thickener, the viscosity of the processed cheeses or cheese-like foods when melted is improved, and that such a thickening effect is only exhibited when the thickener is water-soluble, leading to the present invention.

[0009] That is, the present invention relates to a method for producing processed cheeses or cheese-like foods, which includes the steps of preparing a processed thickener in which a water-soluble thickener is coated with a fat or wax having a melting point of 30 to 145°C, mixing the processed thickener with a main ingredient of the processed cheeses or cheese-like foods, and heating and melting the resulting mixture to emulsify it, followed by cooling. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for producing processed cheeses or cheese-like foods that uses a thickener, which method can improve the thickening effect of the thickener. According to the present invention, the viscosity of the processed cheese or cheese-like food product increases when melted, which has the advantages of facilitating molding after heat melting and maintaining the shape during cooking. Also, the amount of thickener used can be reduced. Furthermore, when the thickener is mixed with the main ingredient of processed cheeses or cheese-like foods, it is possible to prevent splicing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. This embodiment relates to a method for producing processed cheeses or cheese-like foods by mixing a main ingredient with a processed thickener, heating and melting the resulting mixture to emulsify it, and then cooling it.

[0012] The processed cheeses referred to here include processed cheeses as defined in Article 2, Paragraph 18 of the Dairy and Milk Products Ordinance, as well as cheese sauce, cheese food, foods whose main ingredient is milk (dairy-based), dairy products, etc.

[0013] The main ingredients of processed cheese include natural cheese and other processed cheeses. Natural cheese and processed cheese may be used in combination. Examples of natural cheese that can be used include cheddar cheese, Gouda cheese, and Mozzarella cheese, and two or more types may be used in combination.

[0014] Specific examples of cheese-like foods include analog cheese, imitation cheese, plant-based cheese, alternative cheese, vegan cheese, artificial cheese, dairy products, and dairy processed foods.

[0015] Examples of main ingredients of cheese-like foods include natural cheese, processed cheese, starch, modified starch, milk protein, dairy products, milk fat, vegetable oils, etc. Two or more of these may be used in combination.

[0016] In this embodiment, a water-soluble thickener is used as the thickener. By using a processed thickener in which the water-soluble thickener is coated with a fat or wax having a specific melting point, as described below, it is possible to obtain the effect of improving the viscosity of processed cheeses or cheese-like foods when they are heated and melted.

[0017] Water-soluble thickeners themselves have relatively low compatibility with the main ingredients of processed cheeses or cheese-like foods, and even if a water-soluble thickener is mixed directly with the main ingredients, it does not disperse sufficiently, and as a result, it is thought that the thickening effect of the thickener is not fully exerted.

[0018] However, if a processed thickener in which a water-soluble thickener is coated with a fat or wax that is solid at room temperature is used, the dispersibility in the main ingredient can be improved. Then, by heating and melting the fat or wax, the thickener is exposed and can fully function as a thickener, which is thought to improve the thickening effect of the thickener.

[0019] On the other hand, as shown in the Reference Examples below, the same effect cannot be obtained even when a water-insoluble or poorly water-soluble thickener is subjected to the same treatment. This is thought to be because water-insoluble or poorly water-soluble thickeners have good dispersibility in the main ingredients of processed cheeses or cheese-like foods even without being coated, and therefore fully function as thickeners. Examples of water-insoluble or poorly water-soluble thickeners include agar, xanthan gum, and locust bean gum.

[0020] Examples of water-soluble thickeners that can be used in this embodiment include polysaccharides and proteins, and more specifically, guar gum, gum arabic, pectin, arabinogalactan, alginic acid, propylene glycol alginate, sodium carboxymethyl acid, sodium alginate, psyllium seed gum, tara gum, tragacanth gum, carrageenan, tamarind seed gum, gellan gum, curdlan, sodium caseinate, gelatin, glucomannan, etc. Two or more of these may be used in combination. Among these, guar gum, tamarind seed gum, glucomannan, and pectin are preferred.

[0021] The following criteria are used to evaluate whether a thickener is water-soluble: 1 g of the target thickener is added to 99 g of water and stirred at room temperature (25°C) for 5 minutes. If the thickener is completely dissolved after stirring, the thickener is judged to be water-soluble; if some or all of the thickener remains undissolved, the thickener is judged to be slightly water-soluble or water-insoluble.

[0022] The form of the water-soluble thickener is not particularly limited, but it is usually in powder form so that it can be easily mixed with the main raw material. Commercially available water-soluble thickeners can be used.

[0023] The fat or wax used to coat the water-soluble thickener has a melting point of 30 to 145°C. Because the melting point is 30°C or higher, the fat or wax is solid at room temperature. Therefore, when the processed thickener is mixed with the main ingredient of processed cheeses or cheese-like foods, the surface of the water-soluble thickener is coated with the solid fat or wax, which improves the dispersibility of the processed thickener in the main ingredient. Because the fat or wax has a melting point of 145°C or lower, after dispersing the processed thickener, the fat or wax becomes liquid when the resulting mixture is heated and melted, exposing the surface of the thickener and allowing the thickener to fully exert its function.

[0024] The maximum temperature that can be achieved in equipment commonly used for heating and melting processed cheeses or cheese-like foods during production is 145°C.

[0025] On the other hand, if fats and oils with a melting point of less than 30°C are used, the surface of the water-soluble thickener cannot be sufficiently coated, so the dispersibility of the thickener in the main ingredient is not improved, and the thickening effect is not improved.Furthermore, if fats and oils or waxes with a melting point of more than 145°C are used, the fats and oils or waxes do not become liquid even when the mixture is heated and melted, and the surface of the thickener remains coated, so the thickener cannot fully exert its function.

[0026] The fat or wax having a melting point of 30 to 145°C may be appropriately selected from fats or waxes that can be used in foods. Specific examples include vegetable fats and oils such as rapeseed oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, rice bran oil, corn oil, safflower oil, olive oil, kapok oil, sesame oil, evening primrose oil, palm oil, shea butter, monkey fat, cocoa butter, coconut oil, and palm kernel oil; animal fats and oils such as milk fat, beef tallow, lard, fish oil, and whale oil; mixed oils of the above fats and oils; processed fats and oils that have been subjected to hydrogenation, fractionation, or interesterification; carnauba wax, beeswax, and beeswax. Furthermore, fats and oils may be used in combination. Among these, palm oil, hydrogenated vegetable fats, and carnauba wax are preferred.

[0027] The melting point of the fat or wax may be in the range of 30 to 145°C, but the lower limit is preferably 35°C or higher, more preferably 40°C or higher, and even more preferably 50°C or higher, in order to improve the thickening effect.

[0028] The upper limit of the melting point can be adjusted appropriately taking into consideration the heating temperature applied during the production of processed cheeses or cheese-like foods. Specifically, the upper limit of the melting point of the oil or wax is preferably equal to or lower than the heating temperature applied during the production of processed cheeses or cheese-like foods so that the oil or wax melts during the production of processed cheeses or cheese-like foods. More specifically, it may be 100°C or lower, 90°C or lower, 80°C or lower, or 70°C or lower.

[0029] The amount of the fat or wax used may be adjusted appropriately in consideration of the effects of the invention. However, it is preferable that the amount of fat or wax is 1 to 30% by weight of the total amount of the water-soluble thickener and the fat or wax. When the amount of fat or wax is 1% by weight or more, the thickening effect of the thickener is easily improved. Furthermore, when the amount of fat or wax is 30% by weight or less, it is relatively easy to produce a processed thickener in which the water-soluble thickener is coated with the fat or wax.

[0030] The lower limit of the amount of the fat or wax is more preferably 3% by weight or more, and even more preferably 10% by weight or more, and the upper limit is more preferably 25% by weight or less.

[0031] In the manufacturing method according to the present embodiment, first, a processed thickener is prepared by coating a water-soluble thickener with the fat or wax. Here, "coating" refers to a state in which the fat or wax is attached to a part or the entire surface of the powdery water-soluble thickener.

[0032] The method for producing the processed thickener is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include a method in which the fat or oil or wax is heated to a temperature equal to or higher than its melting point to liquefy it, mixed with the water-soluble thickener, and the two are thoroughly dispersed, followed by cooling. The method for producing the processed thickener does not require the use of an emulsifier, and therefore the processed thickener may not contain an emulsifier. Furthermore, in the method for producing the processed thickener, it is not necessary to use fats and oils having a melting point of less than 30°C. Therefore, the processed thickener may not contain fats and oils having a melting point of less than 30°C.

[0033] The processed thickener obtained as described above is mixed with the main ingredient of processed cheese or cheese-like food by a conventional method. The temperature during mixing is preferably about 10 to 25°C, for example.

[0034] The amount of processed thickener used can be appropriately determined taking into consideration the target viscosity, but for example, the amount of processed thickener in processed cheeses or cheese-like foods is preferably about 0.01 to 5% by weight, and may be about 0.1 to 3% by weight.

[0035] At this time, auxiliary ingredients other than the main ingredient may also be added, such as molten salt, emulsifier, water, pH adjuster, seasoning, coloring agent, etc.

[0036] The molten salt may be any salt commonly used in the production of processed cheeses or cheese-like foods, such as sodium monophosphate, sodium diphosphate, sodium polyphosphate, sodium citrate, etc. Two or more of these may be used in combination. The amount of the molten salt added is preferably about 0.5 to 3.0% by weight of the main ingredient.

[0037] The emulsifier may be any emulsifier approved as a food additive, such as glycerin fatty acid ester, sorbitan fatty acid ester, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester, lecithin, etc. Two or more of these may be used in combination.

[0038] Next, the main ingredient of the processed cheese or cheese-like food, the processed thickener, and any optional secondary ingredients are mixed together to obtain a mixture, which is then heated, melted, and emulsified, and then cooled to a temperature below room temperature to obtain the processed cheese or cheese-like food.

[0039] The heat-melting can be carried out according to a conventional method, and for example, an emulsifier such as a kettle-type emulsifier, a vertical shear emulsifier, a scraped-surface heat exchanger, or a continuous emulsifier can be used. The temperature during heat-melting is preferably, for example, about 70 to 145°C, but from the viewpoint of sterilization, it is preferably 80°C or higher. The upper limit is preferably 135°C or lower.

[0040] After heating and melting, the emulsion can be cooled by pouring it into a mold and cooling it. There are no particular restrictions on the cooling temperature, but it is preferable to keep it at 10°C or lower.

[0041] The following items list preferred aspects of the present disclosure, but the present invention is not limited to the following items. [Item 1] A process for preparing a processed thickener in which a water-soluble thickener is coated with an oil or wax having a melting point of 30 to 145°C; mixing the processed thickener with a base ingredient of a processed cheese or cheese-like food; and A method for producing processed cheeses or cheese-like foods, which comprises the steps of heating, melting and emulsifying the obtained mixture, and then cooling it. [Item 2] Item 2. The method according to item 1, wherein the water-soluble thickener is at least one selected from the group consisting of guar gum, tamarind seed gum, glucomannan, and pectin. [Item 3] 3. The method according to item 1 or 2, wherein the proportion of the amount of the oil or wax in the total amount of the water-soluble thickener and the oil or wax is 1 to 30% by weight. [Item 4] 4. The method according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein the processed thickener is produced by heating the fat or oil or wax to liquefy it and mixing it with the water-soluble thickener. [Example]

[0042] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, although the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0043] [How to determine the water solubility of thickeners] 1 g of the target thickener was added to 99 g of water and stirred at room temperature (25°C) with a stirrer for 5 minutes. After stirring, if the thickener was completely dissolved, the thickener was judged to be water-soluble. If some or all of the thickener remained undissolved, the thickener was judged to be slightly water-soluble or water-insoluble. Each table indicates whether each thickener is water-soluble, slightly water-soluble, or water-insoluble.

[0044] [How to make processed thickener] The fat or oil listed in each table was liquefied in a hot water bath, then added to the thickener listed in each table and mixed until both were uniformly dispersed to prepare a processed thickener. The amount of each fat or oil used is as listed in each table, and this amount indicates the ratio of the amount of fat or oil to the total amount of fat or oil and thickener.

[0045] [Method for measuring viscosity of processed cheese or cheese-like foods] The processed cheese or cheese-like food to be measured was heated to 85°C, held for 2 minutes, and then cooled to 70°C, after which the viscosity was measured. The measuring device used was a PerkinElmer RVA4800 (Rapid Visco Analyzer 4800).

[0046] (Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Example 1) Comparison of the amount of fats and oils used when preparing processed thickeners First, a processed thickener was prepared by coating guar gum with the amount of extremely hardened palm oil shown in Table 1. Next, 15 g of natural cheese and a total of 0.40 g of sodium phosphate and sodium citrate were added, a pH adjuster was added to adjust the pH to 5.7, 0.25 g of a processed thickener (Examples 1 to 4) or guar gum itself (Comparative Example 1) was added, and an amount of added water adjusted to a moisture content of 49% was added to a Rapid Visco Analyzer and heated to 85°C to obtain a cheese melt. The viscosity of the resulting cheese melt was measured, and the results are shown in Table 1. However, in Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Example 1, extremely hardened palm oil was also added together with the processed thickener or guar gum. The amount added was adjusted in each example so that the total amount of extremely hardened palm oil contained in the processed thickener and the extremely hardened palm oil added alone was equal to the amount of extremely hardened palm oil contained in the processed thickener in Example 4.

[0047] [Table 1]

[0048] The following can be seen from Table 1: In Examples 1 to 4, by adding a processed thickener in which guar gum, which corresponds to a water-soluble thickener, is coated with a fat or oil having a melting point of 58°C, the viscosity of the melted cheese was significantly improved compared to Comparative Example 1 in which guar gum itself that was not coated with a fat or oil was added.

[0049] (Examples 5 to 8, Comparative Examples 2 to 5, and Reference Examples 1 to 6) Comparison of types of thickeners First, processed thickeners were prepared by coating 80% by weight of each thickener listed in Table 2 or 3 with 20% by weight of extremely hardened palm oil. Next, in Examples 5 to 8 and Reference Examples 2, 4, and 6, 15 g of natural cheese and a total of 0.40 g of sodium phosphate and sodium citrate were added, and a pH adjuster was added to adjust the pH to 5.7. Then, 0.25 g of each processed thickener was added, and added water in an amount adjusted to a moisture content of 49% was added to a Rapid Visco Analyzer and heated to 85°C to obtain a cheese melt. The viscosity of the resulting cheese melt was measured, and the results are shown in Tables 2 and 3. On the other hand, in Comparative Examples 2 to 5 and Reference Examples 1, 3, and 5, 15 g of natural cheese and a total of 0.40 g of sodium phosphate and sodium citrate were added, and a pH adjuster was added to adjust the pH to 5.7. Then, 0.20 g of the thickener itself shown in Table 2 or 3 and 0.05 g of extremely hardened palm oil were added, and the amount of added water adjusted to a moisture content of 49% was added to a Rapid Visco Analyzer and heated to 85°C to obtain a cheese melt. The viscosity of the resulting cheese melt was measured, and the results are shown in Table 2 or 3.

[0050] Note that the examples in Table 1 and the examples in Tables 2 to 5 used natural cheeses with different aging periods, etc. Therefore, the viscosity values shown in Table 1 and those shown in Tables 2 to 5 cannot be simply compared.

[0051] [Table 2]

[0052] [Table 3]

[0053] The following can be seen from Table 2: In Example 5, by adding a processed thickener in which tamarind gum, which corresponds to a water-soluble thickener, was coated with a fat or oil having a melting point of 58°C, the viscosity of the melted cheese was significantly improved compared to Comparative Example 2 in which tamarind gum itself that was not coated with a fat or oil was added. The same can be seen from comparisons between Example 6 and Comparative Example 3, Example 7 and Comparative Example 4, and Example 8 and Comparative Example 5. From the above, it can be seen that the thickening improvement effect can be obtained by coating with fats and oils for all of the water-soluble thickeners, tamarind gum, glucomannan, guar gum, and pectin. It can also be seen that the thickening improvement effect can be obtained by coating the water-soluble thickener with fats and oils before use.

[0054] On the other hand, Table 3 reveals the following: Reference Example 2, which added a processed thickener in which agar, a water-insoluble thickener, was coated with a fat or oil having a melting point of 58°C, did not improve the viscosity of the cheese melt compared to Reference Example 1, in which agar itself not coated with a fat or oil was added. The same can be seen from a comparison between Reference Examples 3 and 4, which used xanthan gum, a poorly water-soluble thickener, and between Reference Examples 5 and 6, which used locust bean gum, another poorly water-soluble thickener. From the above, it can be seen that coating a water-insoluble or poorly water-soluble thickener with a fat or oil does not provide an improving effect on thickening.

[0055] (Comparative Example 6) 20 g of natural cheese and a total of 0.475 g of sodium phosphate and sodium citrate were added, a pH adjuster was added to adjust the pH to 5.7, and an amount of added water adjusted to a moisture content of 49% was added to a Rapid Visco Analyzer and heated to 85°C to obtain a cheese melt. The viscosity of the resulting cheese melt was measured, and the results are shown in Table 4.

[0056] (Examples 9 to 12, Comparative Examples 7 to 8) Comparison of types of oils and fats First, a processed thickener was prepared by coating 80% by weight of guar gum with 20% by weight of each fat or oil in the amount shown in Table 4. Next, 15 g of natural cheese and a total of 0.40 g of sodium phosphate and sodium citrate were added, and a pH adjuster was added to adjust the pH to 5.7, followed by 0.25 g of processed thickener (Comparative Example 8, Examples 9-12), or 0.20 g of guar gum itself and 0.05 g of hardened palm oil (Comparative Example 7). The amount of water added was adjusted to a moisture content of 49%, and the mixture was placed in a Rapid Visco Analyzer and heated to 85°C to obtain a cheese melt. The viscosity of the resulting cheese melt was measured, and the results are shown in Table 4.

[0057] [Table 4]

[0058] The following can be seen from Table 4. In Examples 9 to 12, by adding a processed thickener in which guar gum, which corresponds to a water-soluble thickener, was coated with various fats and oils having a melting point in the range of 30 to 145°C, the viscosity of the cheese melt was significantly improved compared to Comparative Example 7, in which guar gum itself without being coated with fats and oils was added, and the same fats and oils were added. Furthermore, in Comparative Example 8, in which a processed thickener in which guar gum was coated with fats and oils having a melting point of less than 30°C was used, the viscosity of the cheese melt was not sufficiently improved. From the above, it can be seen that, from the viewpoint of the thickening improvement effect, it is desirable that the melting point of the fats and oils used for coating be 30°C or higher.

[0059] (Example 13, Comparative Examples 9-10) Foods with Milk as the Main Ingredient First, a processed thickener was prepared by coating 80% by weight of guar gum with 20% by weight of each fat or oil in the amount shown in Table 5. Next, 10 g of natural cheese and 0.50 g of sodium phosphate and sodium citrate were added, and a pH adjuster was added to adjust the pH to 5.7, followed by 0.2 g of processed thickener (Comparative Example 10, Example 13), or 0.16 g of guar gum itself and 0.04 g of hardened palm oil (Comparative Example 9). The resulting cheese melt was heated to 85°C and added with water adjusted to a moisture content of 70%. The viscosity of the resulting cheese melt was measured, and the results are shown in Table 5.

[0060] (Example 14, Comparative Examples 11 and 12) In the case of plant-based cheese First, a processed thickener was prepared by coating 80% by weight of guar gum with 20% by weight of each fat or oil in the amount shown in Table 5. Next, 6 g of processed starch and 5 g of palm oil were added, followed by 0.25 g of processed thickener (Comparative Example 12, Example 14), or 0.20 g of guar gum itself and 0.05 g of extremely hardened palm oil (Comparative Example 11), and the resulting mixture was charged with water adjusted to a moisture content of 70% and heated to 85°C in a Rapid Visco Analyzer to obtain a cheese melt. The viscosity of the resulting cheese melt was measured, and the results are shown in Table 5.

[0061] [Table 5]

[0062] Table 5 reveals the following: In a food product using milk or the like as a main ingredient, Example 13, which added a processed thickener in which a water-soluble thickener was coated with an oil or fat having a melting point in the range of 30 to 145°C, showed a marked improvement in the viscosity of the melted cheese compared to Comparative Example 9, in which guar gum itself without being coated with an oil or fat was added, and the same oil or fat was added. On the other hand, Comparative Example 10, which used a processed thickener in which a water-soluble thickener was coated with an oil or fat having a melting point of less than 30°C, showed an insufficient improvement in viscosity.

[0063] Furthermore, in the plant-based cheese, Example 14, in which a processed thickener in which a water-soluble thickener was coated with an oil or fat having a melting point in the range of 30 to 145°C was added, showed a marked improvement in the viscosity of the melted cheese compared to Comparative Example 11, in which guar gum itself not coated with an oil or fat was added, and the same oil or fat was added. On the other hand, Comparative Example 12, in which a processed thickener in which a water-soluble thickener was coated with an oil or fat having a melting point of less than 30°C was used, showed no improvement in viscosity.

Claims

1. A process for preparing a processed thickener in which a water-soluble thickener is coated with an oil or wax having a melting point of 30 to 145°C; mixing the processed thickener with a base ingredient of a processed cheese or cheese-like food; and A method for producing processed cheeses or cheese-like foods, which comprises the steps of heating, melting and emulsifying the obtained mixture, and then cooling it.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the water-soluble thickener is at least one selected from the group consisting of guar gum, tamarind seed gum, glucomannan, and pectin.

3. The production method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the proportion of the amount of the oil or wax in the total amount of the water-soluble thickener and the oil or wax is 1 to 30% by weight.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the processed thickener is produced by heating the fat or oil or wax to liquefy it and mixing it with the water-soluble thickener.

Images