Miso-like seasoning production kit

Abstract

To provide a miso-like seasoning production kit by which several types of miso-like seasonings can be selected and produced while maintaining the proper relationship among salt content, koji ratio, and moisture without salt correction.SOLUTION: A plurality of subdivided packs of salt-cut protein paste, which are standardized to the same weight, salt content, and moisture, and a plurality of subdivided packs of koji, which are standardized to the same weight and moisture and have enzymatic activity, are prepared in a total of at least three packs. The subdivided packs of the koji are arbitrarily combined in a number ranging from 0.5 times to 5 times relative to the subdivided packs of the salt-cut protein paste.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a miso-like seasoning production kit. [Background technology]

[0002] Miso is a semi-solid seasoning made by mixing and aging soybeans that have been steamed and then ground into a paste, koji (made by cultivating koji mold on grains such as rice, barley, or soybeans), and salt. Despite these simple ingredients, miso can have a wide variety of unique flavors depending on the type of koji, the ratio of soybeans to koji, the salt content, and the aging period. In Japan, miso breweries in each region produce a variety of unique miso with strong regional characteristics, supporting Japan's rich food culture and regional identity.

[0003] The koji mold Aspergillus oryzae has the same ancestor as Aspergillus flavus, which produces the poison aflatoxin, but thanks to Japan's long history of brewing techniques, it has been bred into an excellent fungus suitable for fermentation that does not produce any toxins. Koji mold not only gives miso and soy sauce their unique aroma and flavor, but is also essential for creating a variety of uniquely Japanese flavors, including sake, amazake, vinegar, and mirin, and is designated Japan's "national fungus."

[0004] On the other hand, in addition to miso breweries in each region, it has also been common for people to make miso in their own homes since ancient times. Recipes vary from region to region and household to household, and they can be said to have been the foundation of diverse food cultures. In recent years, the transmission of these traditions within households has decreased, but miso-making kits are now available that allow people to easily enjoy making miso at home. A typical miso-making kit includes soybeans, rice koji, and salt. The soybeans are boiled or simmered to form a paste, which is then mixed with koji and salt and left to mature.

[0005] The simplest miso-making kit consists of a combination of Shiokiri koji (a mixture of koji and salt) and soybean paste that has been steamed and then crushed. With this kit, users can make miso simply by mixing the two ingredients.

[0006] Furthermore, in Asia, there is not only miso made from soybeans and rice koji, but also a variety of other fermented seasonings, such as doubanjiang made from broad beans, rice koji, and chili peppers, sweet bean sauce made by fermenting wheat flour with koji, fish sauce made from fish and koji, and meat sauce made from meat and koji. All of these, like miso, are made in a salty environment that prevents bacteria from growing, through a maturation process in which enzymes from koji and other ingredients break down various proteins, converting them into umami. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Jikko 1989-1976 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 5-236901 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] With the miso-making kits shown in the above-mentioned patent documents, it is possible to prepare the desired miso simply by mixing the ingredients contained in the kit, but users can only prepare miso with the composition set by the kit provider.

[0009] As mentioned above, there are countless types of miso depending on the combination of soybeans, koji, salt content, aging period, etc. However, in order to provide such a wide variety of miso using the miso-making kit, a kit must be prepared for each type of miso, and the kit provider must assemble a large number of parts.

[0010] However, to meet the current demand for miso-making kits, it is not realistic to stock many different types of miso-making kit parts, and the only way to meet this demand is through made-to-order production. As a result, the miso-making kits currently available are only those that can make miso with the most standard recipes.

[0011] For these reasons, when making miso with unique recipes other than the standard recipes, for example, various types of miso such as white miso with a high proportion of koji and low salt content, or red miso with a high proportion of soybeans and high salt content, or miso-like condiments such as chili bean paste or sweet bean paste at home, it is necessary to calculate all the recipes and obtain or manufacture each ingredient, rather than using the commercially available kits. Under these circumstances, it is difficult for an average household to easily make a variety of miso or miso-like condiments without a certain level of specialized knowledge.

[0012] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the koji mold Aspergillus oryzae is similar to toxin-producing fungi, so the culture of fermented seasonings using it is not found overseas, especially outside of Asia, and the combination of koji mold with the various proteins found around the world has not yet been widely practiced. Furthermore, because the number of combinations is enormous, it is difficult even for miso manufacturers in Japan to easily try out various combinations, and it is also difficult to estimate the appropriate maturation period for each. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] The present invention provides a miso-like seasoning production kit that includes a total of three or more bags of individually packaged salt-removed protein pastes, each containing the same weight, salt content, and moisture content, and a group of koji koji, each containing the same weight and moisture content and enzyme activity titer, and that can be combined in any number of koji koji packages relative to the number of individually packaged salt-removed protein paste packages within a range of 0.5 to 5 times.

[0014] The protein sources used in this miso-like seasoning production kit are not limited to grains such as beans, but also include meats such as chicken, fish such as tuna, and vegetables such as avocado and broccoli. By adjusting and standardizing the salt and water content of these ingredients, these various protein sources can be used as protein paste ingredients in the miso-like seasoning production kit.

[0015] Furthermore, the koji used in the miso-like seasoning production kit is not limited to rice, barley, or soybeans; koji made from various ingredients, such as brown rice, red rice, Job's tears, quinoa, pistachios, peanuts, and seaweed, can also be used. By standardizing the weight and moisture content of these koji, they can be used as components of the koji used in the miso-like seasoning production kit. In the case of miso-like seasoning production kits using these koji, the number of combinations of salt-removed protein pastes and koji is enormous, making it possible to prepare miso-like seasonings with combinations that no one has ever made before while maintaining their suitability as miso-like seasonings.

[0016] Furthermore, by measuring the protein mass of each part of the salt-removed protein paste group and the koji group, and the enzyme activity of each part of the koji group, and calculating the total when any combination is made, it is possible to determine the amount of protein decomposed and the approximate decomposition power, and provide a miso-like seasoning production kit that can provide an approximate guide to the maturation period of the miso-like seasoning made from the combination.

[0017] The miso-like seasoning production kit mentioned above requires a large number of parts, but the number of possible combinations is enormous. Therefore, a system using special programming is required to read the numerical values ​​of each part and then use AI technology to suggest different combinations. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] The miso-like seasoning production kit of the present invention allows the user to prepare a huge number of combinations of miso-like seasonings in the appropriate blend as a miso-like seasoning without having to adjust the salt content. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a commonly available miso making kit. [Figure 2] This is a diagram of the structure of a miso making kit using salt-removed soybean paste. [Figure 3] This is a structural diagram of the miso making kits available in general, with different koji ratios. [Figure 4] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing one embodiment of a miso-like seasoning production kit according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] In the embodiments of the present invention described below, we will mainly discuss combinations with a salt content of 5% or more and less than 13%, which are suitable for use as seasonings and can be aged in an environment similar to that of a typical household. Naturally, it is possible to provide combinations with a salt content of 5% or less by applying existing technologies such as accelerating aging by heating or sterilizing ingredients in advance with alcohol, or to provide combinations with a high salt content of 13% or more without considering typical usage methods. Furthermore, while seasonings such as amino acids and vitamins may be added to miso-like seasonings, these additions are easily possible using existing technologies and are not considered in the present invention because their impact is minor.

[0021] In addition, when soybeans are not used as a protein source at all and a protein source other than soybeans is used, it is not classified as "miso" in terms of quality labeling, so it is distinguished by being described as a "miso-like seasoning." Note that in the present invention, "miso-like seasoning" is explained to include "miso."

[0022] A first embodiment of the present invention will be explained in comparison with previous miso making kits using Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and Tables 1, 2 and 3. In this embodiment, rice miso made from rice koji will be explained as a representative example. Barley miso, soybean miso, and other grains can also be similarly combined based on the weight ratio of each ingredient after koji making, as described below.

[0023] Even though rice miso uses the same ingredients, it can be broadly divided into red miso, light-colored miso, white miso, sweet miso, dry miso, etc. depending on the blend and maturation period. There are also many different types of rice miso, with even more specific characteristics depending on the region, such as Sendai miso, Saikyo miso, Echigo miso, Shinshu miso, and Fuchu miso.

[0024] When determining the ratio and maturation period, two important indicators are the koji ratio and the amount of salt. The koji ratio is the ratio of rice to soybeans, and is calculated by dividing the weight of rice by the weight of soybeans x 10.

[0025] The higher the koji ratio, the greater the proportion of koji used, resulting in a greater amount of enzymes derived from the koji, and relatively little soy protein to break down, allowing the miso to complete its maturation in a shorter period of time. As a result, the miso is low in salt, sweet, and white in color. On the other hand, miso with a low koji ratio has a relatively high soybean content, so it has a lot of protein, and requires less koji enzymes to break down the protein. As a result, the maturation period is longer, so the amount of salt required is higher, and the Maillard reaction causes the miso to darken in color.

[0026] The salt content of miso can be calculated using the following formula: The weight ratio after koji-making refers to the weight ratio that changes when the raw material rice is made into koji, and is usually between 1.1 and 1.3 times. The weight ratio after steaming refers to the weight change ratio after the raw material soybeans are steamed, and is usually between 2.0 and 2.5 times. In this embodiment, calculations are performed assuming the weight ratio after koji-making is 1.15 times and the weight ratio after steaming is about 2.2 times. These values ​​will vary depending on the type of raw material, processing method, peeling status, etc.

[0027] Formula 1TIFF2025126867000002.tif16134

[0028] [Table 1]

[0029] As shown in Table 1, the higher the koji ratio of miso, the lower the salt content, and the lower the koji ratio, the higher the salt content. Based on average values ​​and the amount of miso distributed on the market, it can be said that the most common formulation is rice miso with a koji ratio of 10% (= the same weight of soybeans and rice ingredients) and a salt content of about 11%.

[0030] For comparison, examples of previous miso-making kits will first be explained using Figures 1, 2, and 3. As a model case of the contents of a miso-making kit that can make rice miso with a koji ratio of 10 and a salt content of 11%, which is the general miso composition mentioned above, the figures are shown below assuming a finished miso of 1,000 g, a post-koji rice koji weight ratio of 1.15 times, and a post-steamed soybean weight ratio of 2.2 times. Raw material soybeans (1) 265.67g Raw material rice...265.67g Rice koji (2) 305.5g Salt (3) 110g Steamed soybeans (4) 584.5g Steamed soybean paste (5) ··· 584.5g Shio-kiri Koji (6) 415.5g Preparation miso (7) ······· 1000g Salted soybean paste (8) ·· 694.5g

[0031] The most common miso making kit currently available is the one shown in Figure 1. The combination is "raw soybeans (1) + rice koji (2) + salt (3)" shown in Figure 1. Using this kit, the user can steam the raw soybeans (1) at home to make steamed soybeans (4), and Then, as shown in Figure 1 <c>As shown in Figure 1, the steamed soybeans (4) are made into a paste called soybean paste (5), and the rice koji (2) and salt (3) are mixed together to make the salt-removed koji (6). Finally, these are mixed together to make the koji shown in Figure 1. <d>The miso paste (7) is prepared in the above state.

[0032] In addition, in order to reduce the user's work steps in the miso making kit, The state of <c>Miso-making kits that come pre-assembled are also available for sale.

[0033] The most important thing in making miso is to mix the calculated amount of salt evenly. In order to mix the three ingredients evenly, namely, clay-like soybean paste (5), medium-sized koji (2), and very small particles of salt (3), the most efficient way is to first mix the medium-sized koji (2) with the very small particles of salt (3) to make salt-cut koji (6), and then mix it with the clay-like soybean paste (5). This order is used not only in miso-making kits, but also in traditional and modern industrial miso making.

[0034] In this situation, the <e>The combination of "salted soybean paste (8) and rice koji (2)" shown in Figure 1, which is soybean paste (5) with salt (3), is not common. However, by providing the salted soybean paste (8), which is a pre-mixed industrially prepared clay-like soybean paste (5) and extremely small particles of salt (3), users can more easily mix the salt (3) evenly. Also, because the salt in the soybean paste (5) can extend the shelf life, the soybean paste (5) cannot be stored at room temperature, and because it contains salt, there are a few miso-making kits that use salted soybean paste (8).

[0035] Kits that use raw soybeans (1) require the soybeans (1) to be soaked, steamed, and made into a paste at home, so salt adjustments are necessary to achieve the desired salt content in the finished miso due to material loss, but the enjoyment of the process means that there is a lot of demand for these kits as miso-making kits.On the other hand, kits that use soybean paste (5) do not have any material loss during the process and it is possible to prepare miso with the desired salt content, but there is not much demand for them because the soybean paste (5) is difficult to store and the process is not enjoyable.

[0036] All of these miso-making kits are designed to prepare only miso with a koji ratio and salt content preset by the kit provider, and are not intended to be used in combination with other miso.

[0037] For example, in Figure 1 <c>The combination of "soybean paste (5) + salt-removed koji (6)" in the above state can make miso with the preset koji ratio of 10 and salt content of 11%, but if you use the kit to make miso with a koji ratio of 30, you will need to use the same method as in Figure 3. <1> As shown in Figure 3, three bags of the above-mentioned Shio-kiri Koji (6) are used, so the salt content is 18%, and as shown in No. 4 of "Table 2", the higher the koji ratio, the higher the salt content, so it does not meet the appropriate level for miso. Therefore, to prepare miso with the appropriate koji ratio of 30, <2> As shown in the figure, it is necessary to prepare and use Shio-kiri Koji (6b) for Koji ratio 30, with the salt content adjusted to 201.4g in advance.

[0038] [Table 2]

[0039] In the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4A, a miso making kit is provided that combines multiple bags of desalted soybean paste (8) with the same weight, salt content, and moisture content, and multiple bags of rice koji (2) with the same weight and moisture content.

[0040] A kit containing a combination of two small bags of salt-removed soybean paste (8) and two small bags of rice koji (2) as shown in Figure 4A above makes it possible to select and prepare three types of miso with a koji ratio of 10 (states B and E), as well as miso with a koji ratio of 5 (state C) and miso with a koji ratio of 20 (state D), as shown in Nos. 1 to 3 in Table 3, without adjusting the salt content, while maintaining the appropriate composition for miso.

[0041] [Table 3]

[0042] Similarly, if you have a kit containing two small bags of salt-removed soybean paste (8) and five small bags of rice koji (2), you can prepare eight different types of rice miso that are suitable for use as miso using just these two parts.

[0043] In this embodiment, the kit is designed to allow users to select the miso blend, so it contains at least three bags of each of these two types of parts. However, since it is not designed to use all of the parts, there may be leftover parts depending on the combination, or multiple types of miso may be prepared.

[0044] The most standard rice miso with a koji ratio of 10 and a salt content of 11% can be made using the same or nearly the same number of small bags of salt-removed soybean paste (8) and small bags of rice koji (2), and by combining these parts, it is possible to prepare miso with a koji ratio of 5 to 50, with a salt content of up to 13% when the koji ratio is 5, and at least 5% when the koji ratio is 50. The salt content of the salt-removed soybean paste (8) that makes such a composition possible is approximately 15.9%, which is 14% to 18% when considering the error in the weight ratio of soybeans after steaming and the weight ratio after koji production.

[0045] In the above embodiment, the salt content of the salt-removed soybean paste (8) was determined based on the standard of 11% salt when the koji ratio was 10, but the salt content of the salt-removed soybean paste (8) may vary slightly depending on the standard salt content of the miso that the provider desires.

[0046] The rice koji (2) used in this embodiment can be other koji such as barley koji or soybean koji, as long as it has the same weight and moisture content as the rice koji (2). This embodiment can be made with either fresh koji or dried koji, but in the case of dried koji, it is necessary to add an appropriate amount of moisture to the dried koji before use.

[0047] Furthermore, the higher the koji ratio of miso, the more difficult it is to ferment if the moisture content is not increased. Generally, the moisture content of miso is 45%, the moisture content of steamed soybeans is 60%, and the moisture content of koji is 25%. In this embodiment, as the koji ratio increases, the moisture content of the miso as a whole decreases, so it is desirable to adjust the moisture content of the brewed miso by adding starter water, which is salt water with the same salt content as the brewed miso, as needed. In this embodiment, if the koji ratio is up to 20 parts, it is possible to brew the miso without adjusting the moisture content. Even if the koji ratio is 30 parts or more, it is possible to produce brewed miso, but it is more desirable to adjust the moisture content by adding the starter water. How to calculate these moisture contents and other information is an existing technique for determining the salt concentration in water, so it will not be explained here.

[0048] In this embodiment, soybeans are made into a paste form to make the salt-removed soybean paste (8), but any combination of salt (3) and steamed soybeans (4) will do, and salt-removed steamed soybeans made by adding salt (3) to steamed soybeans (4) and retort sterilizing them may also be used. In this case, the user can mash the salt-removed soybeans with a masher or the like and use them in the same way as the salt-removed soybean paste (8). Increasing the number of steps in this way increases the enjoyment of the miso making kit.

[0049] A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Table 4. As mentioned above, miso is not limited to the single-koji miso of the first embodiment, but also includes mixed miso, which is a combination of several types of koji. According to the second embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to reproduce the blend of mixed miso by combining not only the combination of "salted soybean paste (8) + rice koji (2)" shown in the first embodiment, but also a group of koji such as barley koji or soybean koji made to the same standard weight and moisture as the rice koji (2).

[0050] For example, as shown in Table 4, if the combination of three ingredients, salt-removed soybean paste (8), rice koji (2), and barley koji, is the model case formulation mentioned above, and the salt content is between 5% and 13%, and the koji ratio is limited to natural numbers, the user can prepare 824 different types of miso without adjusting the salt content.

[0051] [Table 4]

[0052] The most important thing in this embodiment is to unify the moisture content of all types of koji in the koji group. Raw materials commonly used for koji, such as rice, brown rice, barley, and naked barley, each have different water absorption rates, which leads to different weight ratios after steaming. Furthermore, the drying state of the koji varies depending on the degree of koji breakage during the koji-making process. Therefore, even if the same raw materials and the same water absorption state are used, it is difficult to unify the moisture content of the resulting koji, and this is even more difficult when the raw materials are different.

[0053] In actual miso production, when the steamed soybean paste (5) and the salt-removed koji (6) are mixed, the moisture content of the miso is adjusted using starter water, taking into account the final moisture content of the koji on that day, so there is no need to precisely match the moisture content of the koji. However, in this embodiment, it is necessary to match the moisture content of all types of koji in the koji group so that the moisture content will be the target value regardless of the combination.

[0054] In order to unify the moisture content of all the types of koji in a group, it is necessary to devise ways to adjust the moisture content, such as adding a drying process, preparing and adding koji powder made from the same ingredients, or dehydrating and adding water.

[0055] A third embodiment of the present invention will be described. Soybeans are usually used as the protein source to be decomposed in miso, but as mentioned above, various miso-like seasonings exist using proteins other than soybeans, and there are many protein sources that have not yet been tested in combination with koji. Furthermore, while mixed miso, which usually combines two or more types of koji, is common, miso-like seasonings that combine multiple types of protein pastes basically do not exist, and naturally, there is no miso-like seasoning production kit that provides such a product.

[0056] Therefore, in this embodiment, protein sources other than soybeans are made into a paste in the same way as soybeans, and by using a group of salt-removed protein pastes that have been processed to the same weight, salt content, and moisture as the salt-removed soybean paste (8), it is possible to provide a miso-like seasoning production kit that can prepare a miso-like seasoning that is suitable for use as a miso-like seasoning, just like the first and second embodiments, even without specialized knowledge.

[0057] In this embodiment, as with the koji group in the second embodiment, it is important to standardize the weight, salt content, and moisture of all the salt-removed protein paste groups. It is preferable to keep the salt content of all the salt-removed protein paste groups within a 1% error so that the salt content remains at the set ratio regardless of the combination. Regarding moisture, since the water absorption rate varies depending on the material, it is necessary to devise ways to adjust the moisture content, such as boiling down, adding a drying process, preparing and adding powder of the same material, or dehydrating and adding water.

[0058] The salt-removed protein paste requires a protein source necessary for the koji to decompose. Conventionally, ingredients with low protein content, such as avocado and broccoli, have been less suitable for use as miso-like seasonings. However, in this embodiment, these salt-removed protein pastes can be used in combination. Therefore, even if an ingredient has low protein content, by combining it with salt-removed protein paste of an ingredient with high protein content, such as soybean or tuna, it is possible to create a new miso-like seasoning that has never been seen before, without having to calculate or add salt.

[0059] Furthermore, in addition to the traditional Japanese rice koji, barley koji, and soybean koji, it is also possible to use koji obtained by cultivating koji mold on various materials such as red rice, black rice, Job's tears, quinoa, pistachios, nuts, seaweed, mushrooms, etc. When using these koji groups as parts, it is necessary to make the weight and moisture content of all the koji groups uniform, as in the second embodiment.

[0060] According to this embodiment, by simply combining the salt-removed protein paste group and the koji group in a predetermined ratio, an extremely large number of combinations of miso-like seasonings can be prepared. For example, if a provider prepares a total of five types of components, two types of salt-removed protein paste group and three types of koji group, and the salt content is set to 5% or more and less than 13%, and the koji ratio is limited to natural numbers, the user can prepare 115,536 combinations of miso-like seasonings without having to calculate the salt content, etc.

[0061] As mentioned above, when combining the salt-removed protein paste group and the koji group, the koji group must be selected in a quantity between 0.5 and 5 times the amount of the salt-removed protein paste group. In the first embodiment, which combines only the salt-removed soybean paste (8) and the rice koji (2), the number of combinations is limited, but in the second and third embodiments, the number of combinations is enormous. Therefore, although it is possible to provide these components as a miso-like seasoning production kit, it is basically assumed that the provider will calculate and propose appropriate combinations in stores and online using programmed software, and provide each component.

[0062] Furthermore, when various raw materials are used, it is inherently difficult to determine the appropriate maturation period for each. However, by analyzing and measuring the protein amount and enzyme activity of all parts and setting these for each part, the total protein amount and enzyme activity of the desired miso-like seasoning for each combination can be determined, making it possible to calculate an estimated maturation period.

[0063] Similarly, by analyzing and registering the nutritional content of each part, it would be possible to know the nutritional content of any combination of miso-like seasonings before preparing them. It would also be even better if there was a system in place that would allow potential purchasers to taste miso-like seasonings that have never been combined before, by having AI learn this information and the feedback from users who have tried similar combinations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] (1) Raw soybean (2) Rice koji (3) Salt (4) Steamed soybeans (5) Soybean paste (6) Shio-kiri Koji (7) Preparation of miso (8) Desalted soybean paste< / c> < / e> < / c> < / d> < / c>

Claims

1. The miso-like seasoning production kit includes a total of three or more bags of individually packaged salt-removed protein pastes, each containing the same weight, salt content, and moisture content, and a group of individually packaged koji, each containing the same weight and moisture content and enzyme activity value, and the number of individually packaged koji can be arbitrarily combined within a range of 0.5 to 5 times the number of individually packaged salt-removed protein pastes.

2. The miso-like seasoning production kit according to claim 1, The salt content of the individually packaged salt-free protein paste group is in the range of 14% to 18%. A miso-like seasoning production kit.

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