Liquid seasoning

Abstract

To achieve both good adhesion to solid food material and good non-sticky texture and to maintain such good adhesion and texture even after heating treatment at a high temperature such as retort sterilization in liquid seasoning containing starch by giving desirable viscosity for improving adhesion to the solid food material and desirable appearance with transparency.SOLUTION: Liquid seasoning contains 1 to 10 mass% of starch, 0.5 to 2 mass% of egg yolk as a solid content equivalent, 0.05 to 1 mass% of casein, and 0.01 to 0.5 mass% of carrageenan. Egg yolk is preferably enzyme-treated egg yolk.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid seasoning that is liquid or paste-like at room temperature and pressure, and more particularly to a liquid seasoning that contains starch and is suitable for eating with solid food ingredients such as noodles and rice. [Background technology]

[0002] Liquid or paste-like dishes include those consumed alone, such as soup, and those consumed by adhering them to solid ingredients, such as noodles or rice (for convenience, both are collectively referred to as "liquid seasonings" in this specification). The preferred physical properties of these two types of seasonings often differ. For example, the former are prepared to have a relatively high fluidity to improve the mouthfeel, while the latter are prepared to have a relatively low fluidity to improve adhesion and a high viscosity to prevent dripping. For the latter, thickening polysaccharides such as starch are often used to impart viscosity to liquid seasonings in order to improve their adhesion to solid ingredients. Among thickening polysaccharides, starch is widely used because it is easily available, being found in large quantities in the seeds of various plants, and its unique transparency imparts a desirable appearance to liquid seasonings. On the other hand, viscous liquid seasonings often have a sticky mouthfeel, making it difficult to balance this texture issue with the adhesiveness of solid foods.

[0003] Furthermore, while this does not pose a problem for liquid seasonings that are consumed immediately after cooking, liquid seasonings that are distributed at room temperature have the following problems. Liquid seasonings distributed at room temperature are usually filled into containers, sealed, and then subjected to a high-temperature heat treatment such as retort sterilization to prevent deterioration by microorganisms between production and consumption. However, such high-temperature heat treatment can change the physical properties of the liquid seasoning, and in many cases the adhesiveness to solid ingredients and mouthfeel properties obtained immediately after production are lost by the time of consumption. In particular, cream-based sauces suffer from a significant problem of quality degradation due to high-temperature heat treatment, and technology to improve this problem is needed.

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes a pasta sauce roux containing heat-moisture treated wheat flour and oil, and a pasta sauce roux further containing pregelatinized starch, and states that when a sauce is produced using these rouxes, the powdery texture is reduced and the sauce spreads well on pasta.Patent Document 2 describes a retort pouch sauce containing 5 to 15% by mass of powdered nuts and seeds relative to the total amount of the sauce, and states that this sauce spreads well on cooked rice or noodles when eaten. Patent Document 3 describes a heat-resistant, sauce-like oil-in-water emulsion containing 48 to 68% by weight of water, 20 to 42% by weight of fats and oils, 2 to 9% by weight of protein, starch, a gelling agent and / or thickener, and an emulsifier, and it is said that the emulsion can prevent the emulsion from being destroyed by heating.Patent Document 4 describes an O / W cream sauce containing milk fat, an emulsifier, and milk protein, in which the milk fat content is 40% by weight or more, the emulsifier is a polysorbate, and the milk protein is a milk protein concentrate, and it is said that the cream sauce maintains a good emulsion structure even when thawed after being frozen. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-39897 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-98050 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-189763 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-139572 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a liquid seasoning containing starch for the purpose of imparting a desirable viscosity and a transparent, desirable appearance for enhancing adhesion to solid food ingredients, with the aim of achieving both good adhesion to solid food ingredients and a good, non-sticky mouthfeel, and further to maintain such good adhesion and mouthfeel even after high-temperature heating treatment such as retort sterilization. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention is a liquid seasoning containing 1 to 10% by mass of starch, 0.5 to 2% by mass of egg yolk in terms of solid content equivalent, 0.05 to 1% by mass of casein, and 0.01 to 0.5% by mass of carrageenan. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a liquid seasoning that combines good adhesion to solid food ingredients with a good, non-sticky mouthfeel, and further, such good adhesion and mouthfeel are maintained even after high-temperature heating treatment such as retort sterilization. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The liquid seasoning of the present invention contains starch. The starch used is not particularly limited, and specific examples include unprocessed starches such as tapioca starch, waxy tapioca starch, potato starch, wheat starch, corn starch, and waxy corn starch, as well as processed starches obtained by esterifying these starches (e.g., acetylation), hydroxypropylating, etherifying, crosslinking, oxidizing, or pregelatinizing them. Two or more of these starches may be used in combination. Among these, it is preferable to use one or more glutinous starches, such as waxy tapioca starch and waxy corn starch. Furthermore, as the processed starch, esterified starch is preferred, and acetylated starch is more preferred. It is most preferable to use one or more starches selected from acetylated waxy tapioca starch and acetylated waxy corn starch. Commercially available starches for edible use can be used as the starch.

[0010] The content of the starch in the liquid seasoning of the present invention is 1 to 10% by mass, preferably 1.5 to 8% by mass, and more preferably 2 to 6% by mass, based on the total mass of the liquid seasoning. If the content is less than 1% by mass, the liquid seasoning may have a runny texture and may not adhere well to solid ingredients, whereas if the content is more than 10% by mass, the liquid seasoning may tend to solidify and may not adhere well to solid ingredients.

[0011] The liquid seasoning of the present invention further contains egg yolk. The egg yolk can be obtained by separating the yolk portion from chicken eggs or quail eggs, or commercially available egg yolk or egg yolk powder can be used. The content of the egg yolk in the liquid seasoning of the present invention is 0.5 to 2% by mass, preferably 0.6 to 1.7% by mass, and more preferably 0.7 to 1.5% by mass, in terms of the solid content, based on the total mass of the liquid seasoning. If the content is less than 0.5% by mass, the liquid seasoning may become sticky and have an unpleasant texture in the mouth. If the content is more than 2% by mass, the liquid seasoning may tend to solidify and may not adhere well to solid ingredients.

[0012] The use of enzyme-treated egg yolk as the egg yolk is preferred because it makes the liquid seasoning of the present invention smooth. Examples of enzymes that can be used in producing the enzyme-treated egg yolk include proteases, which are protein-degrading enzymes, and phospholipases, which are phospholipid-degrading enzymes. The protease is not limited as long as it is applicable to foods, and various types of proteases can be used, such as neutral proteases, alkaline proteases, acidic proteases, serine proteases, cysteine ​​proteases, metalloproteases, and aspartic acid proteases. Preferred examples of proteases include trypsin, chymotrypsin, papain, pepsin, bromelain, and pancreatin. One of these proteases may be used alone, or two or more may be used in combination. The phospholipase is not limited as long as it is applicable to food, and examples thereof include phospholipase A1, phospholipase A2, and those having equivalent activity. One of these phospholipases may be used alone, or two or more may be used in combination.

[0013] The enzyme-treated egg yolk may be treated with either a protease or a phospholipase, but is preferably treated with both a protease and a phospholipase, since this enhances the effects of the present invention. Various enzyme-treated egg yolks are commercially available, and these can be used.

[0014] The liquid seasoning of the present invention further contains casein. Casein is a protein naturally contained in milk, and exists as α-casein, β-casein, and κ-casein. The casein used in the present invention may be any of α-casein, β-casein, κ-casein, and a mixture thereof, but preferably contains κ-casein, and more preferably uses only κ-casein. Casein is commercially available for consumption, and this can be used. In milk or dairy products, casein exists in the form of aggregates (mice), and the "casein" as an essential component of the liquid seasoning of the present invention is casein isolated from milk or dairy products in a dissociated micelle state. Meanwhile, the liquid seasoning of the present invention may contain milk or dairy products as other components described below, but the casein contained in the milk or dairy products is in the form of aggregates (mice). Therefore, when the liquid seasoning of the present invention contains milk or dairy products, the casein contained in the milk or dairy products does not fall under the category of "casein" as an essential component as defined herein.

[0015] The casein content in the liquid seasoning of the present invention is 0.05 to 1 mass %, preferably 0.08 to 0.8 mass %, and more preferably 0.1 to 0.6 mass % of the total mass of the liquid seasoning. If the casein content is less than 0.05 mass % or exceeds 1 mass %, the adhesion of the liquid seasoning to solid food ingredients may be insufficient.

[0016] The liquid seasoning of the present invention further contains carrageenan. Carrageenan is a polysaccharide naturally found in red algae, and exists as κ-carrageenan, ι-carrageenan, and λ-carrageenan. The carrageenan used in the present invention may be any of κ-carrageenan, ι-carrageenan, λ-carrageenan, and a mixture thereof, but preferably contains λ-carrageenan, and more preferably uses λ-carrageenan alone. Carrageenan is commercially available for consumption, and this can be used.

[0017] The content of carrageenan in the liquid seasoning of the present invention is 0.01 to 0.5% by mass, preferably 0.02 to 0.3% by mass, and more preferably 0.03 to 0.1% by mass, based on the total mass of the liquid seasoning. If the content is less than 0.01% by mass or more than 0.5% by mass, the adhesion of the liquid seasoning to solid food ingredients may be insufficient.

[0018] The liquid seasoning of the present invention typically contains a base portion that serves as the base of the liquid seasoning, in addition to the above-mentioned essential ingredients of starch, egg yolk, casein, and carrageenan. The base portion is liquid or paste-like at room temperature and normal pressure, and constitutes the main part of the liquid seasoning. The base portion is a mixture of ingredients other than the above-mentioned essential ingredients of the liquid seasoning of the present invention, namely, water and other ingredients (excluding the solid ingredients described below) described below.

[0019] The liquid seasoning of the present invention typically contains water in addition to the above-mentioned starch, egg yolk, casein, and carrageenan. From the viewpoint of improving the taste and texture of the liquid seasoning and production efficiency, the water content is preferably 20 to 90% by mass, and more preferably 30 to 85% by mass, of the total mass of the liquid seasoning. As the water, pure water, distilled water, etc. can be used, and it also includes water derived from each component, such as water contained in milk or dairy products, or water contained when liquid egg yolk is used as the egg yolk.

[0020] The water content (moisture content) of a liquid seasoning can be measured by a method based on the bone drying method. Specifically, the liquid seasoning to be measured is heated and dried until it reaches a constant mass under conditions where the product temperature is 80°C, and the difference in mass before and after drying is taken as the moisture mass. The moisture mass of the liquid seasoning before drying, expressed as a percentage, can be taken as the water content (moisture content) of the liquid seasoning.

[0021] The liquid seasoning of the present invention may further contain other ingredients in addition to the starch, egg yolk, casein, carrageenan, and water. Examples of other ingredients include cereal flours such as wheat flour, barley flour, and rice flour; sugars; milk or dairy products such as milk, cream, and cheese; egg white; fats and oils; proteins other than casein; seasonings such as sugar, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar; soup stocks such as bouillon and consommé; flavorings, spices, acidulants, stabilizers, coloring agents, and emulsifiers. These can be used alone or in combination of two or more depending on the type and purpose of the liquid seasoning.

[0022] The liquid seasoning of the present invention is similar to a conventional liquid seasoning except that it contains the above-mentioned starch, egg yolk, casein, and carrageenan as essential ingredients. There are no particular limitations on the type of liquid seasoning, and it may be cream sauce, white sauce, tomato sauce, meat sauce, curry sauce, Japanese-style sauce, soup, or other sauce. The liquid seasoning of the present invention is liquid or paste-like at 25°C and has fluidity.

[0023] The liquid seasoning of the present invention is preferably an emulsified seasoning. Emulsified seasonings are preferred because they more easily exhibit the physical properties of good adhesion to solid ingredients and a non-sticky, pleasant mouthfeel, which are the effects of the present invention, and enhance the sensory appeal of the liquid seasoning. In this specification, "emulsified seasoning" refers to a seasoning having an oil-in-water emulsion structure, and examples of such emulsified seasonings include milk-based white sauce, cream sauce based on fresh cream and, if necessary, milk, tomato cream sauce based on tomato sauce, white wine-based vin blanc sauce, and soy milk sauce based on soy milk.

[0024] The liquid seasoning of the present invention may contain solid ingredients, such as meats like chicken, pork, bacon, and pancetta; seafood like shrimp, squid, clams, scallops, and fish eggs; vegetables like onions, carrots, bell peppers, and garlic; and mushrooms like mushrooms, porcini mushrooms, shimeji mushrooms, and shiitake mushrooms. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. The solid ingredients are excluded from the calculation of the content of each of the aforementioned components. In other words, when the liquid seasoning of the present invention contains solid ingredients, the content of each of the aforementioned components is the content in the liquid seasoning excluding the solid ingredients.

[0025] The method for producing the liquid seasoning of the present invention is the same as the method for producing a conventional liquid seasoning, except for adding the above-mentioned ingredients, and can be performed in the usual manner. For example, a conventional seasoning liquid can be first prepared using raw materials other than the above-mentioned starch, egg yolk, casein, and carrageenan, and then the starch, egg yolk, casein, and carrageenan are added thereto simultaneously or sequentially to produce the liquid seasoning of the present invention. Alternatively, the liquid seasoning of the present invention can be produced by adding the starch, egg yolk, casein, and carrageenan simultaneously or sequentially at the beginning or during the preparation of a conventional seasoning liquid. In this case, the timing and order of adding the starch, egg yolk, casein, and carrageenan are not particularly limited.

[0026] The liquid seasoning of the present invention can be consumed as is, but can also be made into a liquid seasoning that can be stored for long periods at room temperature by sealing it in a container and heat sterilizing it. The heat sterilization method can be any known method without particular limitation, and multiple methods can be combined. The heat sterilization can be performed according to conventionally known general processing conditions. A preferred example of heat sterilization is retort sterilization, i.e., heat treatment at a temperature exceeding 100°C. The liquid seasoning of the present invention maintains good adhesion to solid food ingredients and a non-sticky, pleasant mouthfeel even after high-temperature heat treatment such as retort sterilization, or repeated heat treatments such as reheating the liquid seasoning after storage. Therefore, combined with the improved shelf life at room temperature achieved by heat sterilization, it is extremely useful. Thus, it is particularly advantageous to make the liquid seasoning of the present invention into a heat-sterilized liquid seasoning that can be stored for long periods, particularly a retort seasoning that is a retort-sterilized liquid seasoning.

[0027] The liquid seasoning of the present invention may be sealed in a container and stored in a refrigerator or freezer. The method for storing in a refrigerator or freezer may be conventional. For example, in the case of freezing, the liquid seasoning may be stored at a product temperature of -5°C or below, preferably -10°C or below.

[0028] The liquid seasoning of the present invention may be eaten alone, but is typically eaten together with solid ingredients by pouring, tossing, spreading, mixing, or the like over solid ingredients. Examples of solid ingredients include noodles, rice dishes, breads, meat, seafood, vegetables, salads, and the like. The liquid seasoning of the present invention is particularly compatible with noodles; when eaten with noodles, the liquid seasoning of the present invention thoroughly intertwines with the noodles, providing a satisfactory sense of unity between the seasoning and the noodles and resulting in a favorable texture. Furthermore, when the liquid seasoning of the present invention is eaten with noodles, it thoroughly intertwines with the noodles, so that little of the liquid seasoning remains on the plate or other tableware after eating, resulting in no waste. Therefore, the liquid seasoning of the present invention is particularly useful for noodles.

[0029] The type of noodles to which the liquid seasoning of the present invention is applied is not particularly limited. Examples of types include pasta, Chinese noodles, udon, hiyamugi, somen, kishimen, soba, Okinawa soba, and other noodle strands; short noodles such as dango; and noodle wrappers such as gyoza wrappers. The liquid seasoning of the present invention is particularly useful as a sauce for pasta. "Pasta" as used herein refers to noodles made primarily from durum semolina or durum wheat flour, and specific examples include long pasta such as spaghetti, short pasta such as macaroni, and flat pasta such as lasagna. [Example]

[0030] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0031] (Examples 1 to 33 and Comparative Examples 1 to 15) Preparation of Cream Sauce First, 40 parts by mass of milk and 40 parts by mass of fresh cream were placed in a pot and heated. Once heated, 10 parts by mass of consommé base and appropriate amounts of salt and pepper were added and mixed well. 10 parts by mass of butter was then added and heated for 3 minutes without boiling. Starch was suspended in a specified amount of water in an amount that would result in the final cream sauce content listed in Table 1, and this suspension was added to the pot and heated at 90-93°C for 10 minutes until the contents thickened. Egg yolk, casein, and carrageenan were then added to the pot in amounts that would result in the final cream sauce content listed in Tables 1-5, and dissolved to produce a cream sauce, an oil-in-water emulsion seasoning. The water content (moisture content) of the produced cream sauce was approximately 79% by mass. The above milk, cream, consommé base, butter, water, salt, and pepper (ingredients other than starch, egg yolk, casein, and carrageenan) make up the base of the cream sauce. The egg yolk content in each table is the amount equivalent to the solid content.

[0032] (Test Example 1) Evaluation of adhesion to solid foodstuffs (spaghetti) Commercially available dried spaghetti was placed in a pot of boiling water and cooked according to the instructions, then removed and drained. 250 g of this was dispensed and placed on a plate whose tare weight had been measured. 100 g of the cream sauce obtained in each Example and Comparative Example was poured over the spaghetti. After thoroughly mixing the spaghetti with tongs for 20 seconds, the entire amount of spaghetti with the sauce was removed from the plate, and the weight of the plate after the spaghetti was removed was measured. The difference between the measured weight and the tare weight was considered to be the amount of sauce remaining, and the ratio of the amount of sauce remaining to the 100 g of sauce poured over it (residual rate; %) was calculated. This measurement was performed 10 times (n=10), and the average value was calculated. The results are shown in Tables 1 to 5.

[0033] (Test Example 2) Evaluation of mouthfeel The cream sauces obtained in each Example and Comparative Example were tasted by 10 trained panelists at a product temperature of 60°C, with the sauce touching their lips, and were evaluated on a 5-point scale according to the following evaluation criteria. The evaluation results are shown in Tables 1 to 5 as the average scores of the 10 panelists.

[0034] <Evaluation criteria for mouthfeel> 5 points: Not sticky at all, does not remain on the lips, extremely good. 4 points: Not sticky and barely remains on the lips, good. 3 points: There is a slight stickiness, but it does not remain on the lips and is within the acceptable range. 2 points: Sticky and feels like it remains on the lips, poor. 1 point: Very sticky and feels like it remains on the lips, extremely poor.

[0035] [Table 1]

[0036] [Table 2]

[0037] [Table 3]

[0038] [Table 4]

[0039] [Table 5]

[0040] (Example 34 and Comparative Examples 16 to 20) The cream sauces obtained in Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5 were each filled into containers suitable for retort sterilization, then the containers were sealed and retort sterilized at 120°C for 30 minutes to obtain liquid seasonings that are retort seasonings. The resulting retort seasonings were cooled to room temperature and stored at 25°C for 7 days. After storage, the containers were opened, and the liquid seasonings in the containers were subjected to the tests of Test Examples 1 and 2. The results are shown in Table 6.

[0041] [Table 6]

Claims

1. A liquid seasoning containing 1 to 10% by mass of starch, 0.5 to 2% by mass of egg yolk as a solid content equivalent, 0.05 to 1% by mass of casein, and 0.01 to 0.5% by mass of carrageenan.

2. The liquid seasoning according to claim 1 , wherein the egg yolk is an enzyme-treated egg yolk.

3. The liquid seasoning according to claim 1 or 2, which is an emulsified seasoning.

4. The liquid seasoning according to claim 1 or 2, which is a retort seasoning.

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