Spout pouch-packaged noodle food

Abstract

To provide a spout pouch-packaged food comprising ingredients containing noodles, and a soup.SOLUTION: The present invention provides a spout pouch-packaged food comprising ingredients containing noodles, and a soup, wherein the noodles have a length of 5 to 12 cm, the soup has a viscosity of 15 to 50 mPa s, the noodles constitute 35 to 85 mass% of the ingredients, and the ratio of the soup to the ingredients (mass ratio, soup / ingredients) is 25 to 245.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention provides a spout pouch-packed food product comprising ingredients including noodles and soup. [Background technology]

[0002] Noodles such as ramen, soba, udon, and pasta are popular with people of all ages and genders, and are distributed in a wide variety of forms, including frozen meals, instant noodles in bags, and cup noodles, cooked with ingredients, soup, and sauces. Noodles are a useful food source for nutritious intake not only for adults, but also for young children, growing boys, and the elderly. However, noodles are usually served in containers such as tableware or plastic cups, and are eaten with chopsticks, a fork, or a spoon, and are not easily eaten with one hand, for example, while walking.

[0003] Spout pouches are pouches with a spout and are widely used for beverages and foods, particularly jelly drinks, ice cream, viscous foods, and soft drinks, as well as toiletries such as detergents and shampoos. They combine squeezability, allowing for the contents to be squeezed out to the last drop, with reclosability, allowing for the contents to be removed only as needed. Spout pouches containing jelly or ice cream are popular because they can be easily enjoyed with one hand. Depending on the container material, they can also offer excellent gas and water vapor barrier properties, cold and heat resistance, impact resistance, bending resistance, and puncture resistance, making them suitable for long-term storage and disaster preparedness. While spout pouches are often used for liquid foods such as jelly drinks and ice cream, they are rarely used for solid food products. At best, JP 2017-63789 A discloses a spout pouch filled with vegetable salad. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-63789 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Noodles are a popular food item, and when packed in a spout pouch, they can be easily enjoyed with one hand. However, ramen and other noodles contain various ingredients and soup in addition to the noodles, making them difficult to suck out of the spout even when packed in a spout pouch. Focusing too much on making the noodles easier to suck out by reducing the amount of ingredients or lowering the viscosity can result in the loss of the sensation and impression of the noodles themselves as a food ingredient, and the enjoyment of eating and drinking them is lost. Therefore, there is a need for a spout-pouch-packed food product that maintains the sensation and impression of noodles and is easy to suck out, making them easy to eat and drink. The present invention provides a spout pouch containing noodles that meets this need. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a result of extensive research, the present inventors have succeeded in providing a spout pouch-packed food product comprising soup and ingredients including noodles, which has excellent noodle flavor, appearance, filling properties, and ease of absorption.

[0007] Therefore, the present application includes the following inventions. (1) A spout-pouch-packed food product consisting of ingredients including noodles and soup, wherein the length of the noodles is 5 to 12 cm, the viscosity of the soup is 15 to 50 mPa·s, the ratio of noodles to the ingredients is 35 to 85 mass %, and the ratio of ingredients to soup (mass ratio, soup / ingredients) is 25 to 245. (2) The spout-pouched food product according to (1), wherein the soup has a viscosity of 30 to 40 mPa·s. (3) A spout-pouched food product according to (1) or (2), in which the ratio of noodles to the ingredients is 50 to 75% by mass. (4) A spout-pouched food product according to any one of (1) to (3), in which the ratio of ingredients to soup (mass ratio, soup / ingredients) is 50 to 150. (5) A spout-pouched food product according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the noodles are konjac noodles. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The spout pouch-packed food of the present invention has the deliciousness, appearance, filling property and easy sucking property of noodles, and allows the noodles to be eaten easily. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The spout-pouched food product of the present invention has a form in which ingredients including noodles and soup are packed in a spout pouch.

[0010] A spout pouch refers to a bag-shaped pouch filled with contents and equipped with a spout (pouring outlet). The spout preferably has a resealable cap. From the viewpoint of ease of gripping the spout and suction of ingredients from the spout pouch, the spout is preferably formed from a hard resin, and the spout's inner diameter may be, for example, 3 to 30 mm, preferably 5 to 20 mm, and more preferably 10 to 18 mm. If the spout's inner diameter is less than 3 mm, it may be difficult to suction ingredients. The length of the spout protruding from the pouch may be approximately 0.5 to 5 cm, preferably 1 to 3 cm. The attachment position of the spout is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a so-called center spout pouch located in the center of the top of the container, or a so-called corner spout pouch located at the edge of the top of the container. The spout preferably has a reusable cap, from the viewpoint of allowing repeated use in multiple batches. The structure of this cap is not particularly limited, but a detachable cap that can be opened and closed, such as a screw type or hinge type, is preferable.

[0011] The material of the spout pouch is not particularly limited, and any known resin material can be used. For example, a bag-shaped resin container can be used, with a synthetic resin such as polypropylene on the inside (food side) and a synthetic resin such as polyamide or polyester on the outside, or a film laminated with a metal layer of aluminum foil. The spout pouch can be a standing type or a flat bag type. The capacity of the pouch is not particularly limited, as long as it can hold one serving of food and is easily portable, for example, 2000 mL or less, preferably 50 to 1500 mL, more preferably 100 to 1000 mL, and particularly preferably 100 to 300 mL.

[0012] Noodles are a type of processed food generally made by kneading flour from grains and other ingredients. The main ingredients are wheat flour, buckwheat flour, rice flour, potato starch, tapioca, and other grain flours, but any processed food with a long, thin shape can be made from any ingredient. Specific examples include Chinese noodles, udon, soba, somen, hiyamugi (cold wheat), vermicelli, and pasta, as well as room-temperature-resistant (room-temperature-stable) noodles such as konjac noodles made primarily from konjac and tofu noodles made from processed tofu. Room-temperature-resistant (room-temperature-stable) noodles are preferred, with konjac noodles being even more preferred, from the standpoint of maintaining texture after retort sterilization and having low water absorption over time. The noodle length is preferably 5 to 12 cm. The noodle length should be sufficient as long as it maintains the appearance and texture of noodles, specifically 5 cm or more. On the other hand, noodles longer than 12 cm may be difficult to swallow in one bite. The noodle thickness depends on the type of noodle, but may be, for example, 0.5 mm to 10 mm, preferably 1 to 7 mm, and more preferably 1.5 to 2 mm. Normally, noodles are generally stored in a container with a single serving of noodles, other ingredients, and soup, and are eaten using chopsticks, a fork, etc., but in the spout pouch-packed food of the present invention, the noodles are stored in a spout pouch together with other ingredients and soup, and can be eaten by sucking them out through the spout of the spout pouch.

[0013] The soup may be seasoned with any flavor, such as salt, soy sauce, miso, pork bone, tomato, or cream, depending on the type of noodles. The viscosity of the soup is set to a range of 15 to 50 mPa·s, preferably 30 to 40 mPa·s, from the viewpoints of ease of mixing the soup with ingredients including noodles and filling it into a spout pouch, as well as ease of absorption from the spout pouch. A viscosity adjuster can be used to adjust the viscosity of the soup. The viscosity adjuster is not particularly limited as long as it is suitable for use in foods. Specific examples include starch, modified starch, xanthan gum, tamarind gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, gellan gum, tara gum, carrageenan, pectin, gluten, carboxymethylcellulose, and gelatin (agar). Xanthan gum, tamarind gum, modified starch, guar gum, and gelatin are particularly preferred. These viscosity adjusters may be used alone or in combination. Gelatin is the most preferred. If the soup viscosity is less than 15 mPa·s, it becomes difficult to uniformly fill the spout pouch with a mixture of soup, noodles, and other ingredients. Although the soup itself is loose and easy to absorb, there is a risk that the soup itself will be sucked out, preventing the noodles from enjoying their delicious flavor. On the other hand, if the soup viscosity exceeds 50 mPa·s, it becomes difficult to mix the soup with noodles and other ingredients, making it difficult to fill the spout pouch. Furthermore, the amount of viscosity adjuster used inevitably increases, which is inconvenient in terms of cost and may affect the overall taste of the noodles, potentially compromising their deliciousness.

[0014] The soup is prepared by mixing appropriate seasonings according to the type of noodles, heating the mixture in a kneader to, for example, 60 to 110°C, preferably around 80°C, then cooling it to below 20°C, adding a viscosity adjuster (e.g., gelatin) as needed, and mixing it in a mixer or the like.

[0015] The ingredients other than noodles may be any foodstuff depending on the type of noodles, but ingredients that use a wide variety of vegetables, meat, seafood, etc. are preferred. Examples of vegetables include cabbage, bean sprouts, Japanese mustard spinach, green onions, carrots, snow peas, corn, etc. Examples of meat include pork, beef, chicken, and other livestock meats, as well as processed meat products such as ham, sausage, and roasted pork fillets. Examples of seafood include shrimp, squid, and scallops. Other ingredients that can be used include wood ear mushrooms and paste products. In addition, any of the ingredients commonly used as noodle ingredients, such as bamboo shoots, green onions, corn, Chinese chikuwa, seaweed, chikuwa, tempura, fried tofu, and kakiage, may also be used. When the noodles are ramen, particularly preferred ingredients are roasted pork fillets and bamboo shoots. From the viewpoint of filling the spout pouch easily and suctioning, the size of the ingredients other than the noodles is preferably 1 / 2 or less, and more preferably 1 / 3 or less, of the inner diameter of the spout of the spout pouch. Furthermore, to emphasize the presence of the ingredients other than the noodles, the major axis of the ingredients is preferably 1.5 mm or more. Here, the major axis refers to the length of the longest part of the ingredient. Preferably, each ingredient is cut into 5-10 mm squares, more preferably 8 mm squares, and then mixed with the noodles and soup.

[0016] The ingredients other than the noodles can be cut using a crushing device such as a chopper, silent cutter, or comitroll.

[0017] The proportion of noodles in the ingredients is an important factor in ensuring the proper texture of noodles. The proportion of noodles in the ingredients is preferably 35 to 85% by mass, and more preferably 50 to 75% by mass. If the proportion of noodles in the ingredients is less than 35% by mass, the appearance and texture of noodles will be poor. On the other hand, if the proportion of noodles in the ingredients exceeds 85% by mass, the appearance and texture of noodles will also be poor. The ratio of ingredients to soup (mass ratio, soup / ingredients) is also an important factor in ensuring the food texture of noodles. The ingredient to soup ratio is preferably 25 to 245, more preferably 30 to 170, and even more preferably 50 to 150. If the ingredient to soup ratio is less than 25, there will be too little soup, which will result in a poor appearance and texture as noodles and a poor smoothness in the throat. On the other hand, if the ingredient to soup ratio exceeds 245, there will be too much ingredients and the food texture as noodles will be lost.

[0018] There are no particular restrictions on the order in which the soup, noodles, and ingredients other than the noodles are mixed, but for example, pre-boiled noodles and pre-cooked and cut ingredients other than the noodles can be added to the soup cooked as described above and mixed in. Mixing is carried out for, for example, 1 to 10 minutes, preferably about 5 minutes, until the gel-like soup and ingredients are uniformly mixed. Next, the ingredients mixed as described above are filled into the spout pouch through the spout. Once filling is complete, the pouch is sealed by closing the cap attached to the spout, and is sterilized as needed to extend shelf life. Sterilization can be done by retort sterilization, boiling sterilization, chilled sterilization, or any other method.

[0019] All documents mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0020] The following examples of the present invention are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. The technical scope of the present invention is limited only by the claims. The present invention may be modified, for example, by adding, deleting, or substituting components of the present invention, provided that the modifications do not depart from the spirit of the present invention. [Example]

[0021] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but these examples are not intended to limit the present invention in any way.

[0022] <Preparation of Ramen Packed in Spout Pouches> 1. Examination of soup viscosity The ramen noodles packed in a spout pouch of the present invention are prepared according to the following composition from the viewpoints of the deliciousness as ramen noodles, the suitability for filling, and the ease of sipping. [Table 1]

[0023] The viscosity of the soup was adjusted as shown in the table below and used as the soup for ramen with the above-mentioned composition. A panel evaluated the ramen prepared with each viscosity for characteristics such as "ease of sipping," "taste," and "filling ability." The viscosity was adjusted by changing the amount of agar (Inagel (registered trademark) 688) added to the soup. Each characteristic was evaluated on a 5-point scale, with 5 being the best and 1 being the worst. The evaluation of the soup characteristics for each viscosity is summarized in the table below. [Table 2] As a result, it was found that soup viscosities of around 37 mPa·s, with 15 to 50 mPa·s being the most suitable for ramen soup packed in spout pouches.

[0024] 2. Examination of the ratio of konjac noodles in the ingredients When the ingredients shown in Table 1 are grouped together as konjac noodles + pork fillet + bamboo shoots = ingredients, the ratios are as follows: [Table 3] With the ingredient to soup ratio set at the above ratio and the soup viscosity fixed at 37 mPa·s, we examined the effect of ingredient ratio on ramen characteristics such as appearance, ease of sipping, sensory, and filling. Each characteristic was evaluated by a panel, who scored all except appearance on a 5-point scale, with 5 points being the best and 1 point being the worst. Appearance was scored on a 4-point scale, with 4 points being the best and 1 point being the worst. The table below summarizes the evaluation of each ramen when the ingredient ratio was changed. [Table 4] As a result, it was found that the ratio of konjac noodles in the ingredients should be around 35 to 80% by mass, with 69.2% by mass as the center, for ramen packed in a spout pouch.

[0025] 3. Consider the ratio of ingredients to soup (mass ratio, soup / ingredients) Since the optimum ratio of konjac noodles in the ingredients is approximately 69.2% by mass, the ingredients were adjusted to the following composition. [Table 5] The soup viscosity was set at 37 mPa·s, and the ratio of ingredients to soup was varied to examine how the ratio of ingredients to soup affected the ramen's palatability, ease of sipping, and filling ability. The ratio of konjac noodles, char siu, and menma was fixed at the ratio shown in Table 5. Evaluations of ramen characteristics such as appearance, ease of sipping, sensory, and filling ability were conducted by panelists, who rated all aspects except appearance on a 5-point scale, with 5 being the best and 1 being the worst. Appearance was rated on a 4-point scale, with 4 being the best and 1 being the worst. The table below summarizes the evaluations of each ramen when the ratio of soup to ingredients was changed. [Table 6]

[0026] As a result, it was found that the ratio of ingredients to soup (mass ratio, soup / ingredients) of around 25 to 245, with a center of around 85, is suitable for ramen packed in spout pouches. [Industrial Applicability]

[0027] The spout pouch-packed food of the present invention allows noodles to be enjoyed easily with one hand and is useful in the food industry.

Claims

1. The spout-pouch-packed food product comprises ingredients including noodles and soup, wherein the length of the noodles is 5 to 12 cm, the viscosity of the soup is 15 to 50 mPa·s, the ratio of the noodles to the ingredients is 35 to 85 mass %, and the ratio of the ingredients to the soup (mass ratio, soup / ingredients) is 25 to 245.

2. 2. The spout-pouched food product according to claim 1, wherein the soup has a viscosity of 30 to 40 mPa·s.

3. The spout-pouch packed food product according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ratio of noodles in the ingredients is 50 to 75% by mass.

4. The spout-pouch packed food product according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ratio of ingredients to soup (mass ratio, soup / ingredients) is 50 to 150.

5. The spout-pouch-packed food product according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the noodles are konjac noodles.

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