Method for producing frying frozen food product, method for producing frying food product and frying frozen food product

Abstract

To provide a technology capable of obtaining frying frozen food products with a coating of excellent shape and frying food products, in a short production time, simply and at low cost and good yield, by preventing shape collapse due to batter dripping on an ingredient surface.SOLUTION: A frozen food for frying, in which, in a cross-section perpendicular to its longitudinal direction, when the area of the ingredient is Si and the area of the coating is Sc, the CV value of the ratio Sc / Si (the ratio of the standard deviation value STDV to the average value AV of the ratio Sc / Si [STDV / AV]) is 0.20 or less. It is preferable that the aforementioned ingredient has undergone a thawing process and that its free histidine content is 110 mg or more per 100 g of the ingredient.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a frozen food to be mixed with oil, a method for producing a frozen food to be mixed with oil, and a frozen food to be mixed with oil. [Background technology]

[0002] Battered foods such as tempura and fritters are produced by applying a liquid batter to the surface of a batter-coated ingredient, and are eaten after being battered. In order to avoid overheating of the ingredients due to re-battering, there has been an increasing demand in recent years for such batter-coated foods that are frozen in an ungreased state with the batter applied to the surface of the ingredients. However, such un-oiled products have the problem that the batter tends to flow off the ingredients after application and before complete freezing, making them prone to deformation. If the batter coating deforms during production, it becomes difficult to use the resulting frozen product as a finished product, resulting in a lower yield. Similarly, when the fluid batter is applied and then oiled without being frozen, the batter may deform after application and before oiling.

[0003] To address the above problems, Patent Document 1 proposes the use of a specific starch, while Patent Documents 2 and 3 propose the use of a special container. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-141657 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-030640 [Patent Document 3] Patent Publication No. 2021-101694 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the method of Patent Document 1 still has room for improvement in terms of stabilizing the shape of the batter coating. Patent Documents 2 and 3 have problems such as the need for special containers, which limits the product form, and the manufacturing and transportation costs associated with the containers. As described above, in the method of manufacturing fried frozen foods in which room temperature batter is applied to refrigerated or room temperature ingredients and then frozen, there has not previously been a method that can quickly, easily, and at low cost prevent the batter from running off after application, resulting in a good yield of products with a well-shaped coating. Similarly, even when the fluid batter is oiled without being frozen after application, there has not previously been a method for producing products with a good shaped coating in a short time, easily, and at low cost, while preventing deformation due to the batter coating running off after application and with a high yield. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention provides a method for producing a frozen food to be prepared with oil, which comprises a step of applying a batter having a temperature higher than 0°C and lower than 7°C to a frozen ingredient and coating the surface of the ingredient with the batter. The present invention also provides a method for producing an oil-flavored food, which comprises a step of applying a batter having a temperature higher than 0°C and lower than 7°C to a frozen ingredient, thereby coating the surface of the ingredient with the batter. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the shape of ingredients from being distorted due to batter flowing off the surface of the ingredients, and to produce frozen foods and foods to be prepared with oil having a well-shaped coating in a short production time, easily, at low cost, and with good yield. Furthermore, according to this manufacturing method, if the ingredients are frozen from the beginning, the batter can be applied while they are still frozen, thereby suppressing dripping that occurs when the ingredients are thawed and re-freezed, and preventing deterioration in the quality of the ingredients. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a glazing device that can be used in the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the frozen food to be prepared with oil obtained in Example 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the frozen food to be prepared with oil obtained in Comparative Example 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a photograph of the front of the oil-prepared frozen food product obtained in Example 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention will be described below based on preferred embodiments thereof. Ingredients used in the present invention include seafood, vegetables, fruits, seaweed, meat, eggs, and processed foods. Seafood includes fish, shellfish, crustaceans such as shrimp and crab, and cephalopods such as octopus and squid. Vegetables include green onions, onions, burdock, carrots, pumpkin, spinach, eggplant, shishito peppers, asparagus, bell peppers, green peas, corn, lotus root, avocado, sweet potato, potato, taro root, burdock root, burdock root, maitake mushrooms, matsutake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and the like. Fruits include apples, figs, bananas, strawberries, persimmons, and the like. Seaweed includes wakame seaweed, nori seaweed, mozuku seaweed, and hijiki seaweed. Meat includes chicken, beef, pork, and other livestock meats, as well as whale meat. Examples of processed foods include fish paste, natto, cheese, and confectionery. The ingredients may be uncooked or cooked, but uncooked ingredients are preferred because they are more likely to be degraded by thawing and freezing. For example, at least one type of uncooked ingredient selected from seafood, vegetables, and meat is preferred as a general tempura ingredient.

[0010] "Unheated" preferably refers to not having been subjected to heat treatment at a temperature above 60°C for 10 minutes or longer, and more preferably not having been subjected to heat treatment at a temperature above 50°C for 5 minutes or longer. Here, "unheated" is acceptable if heated grain flour or granular material, as described below, is attached to the product.

[0011] Before the batter is applied to the ingredients, the ingredients may be coated with a dusting agent. The dusting agent is typically at least one selected from cereal flour and starch. Examples of cereal flour that can be used include wheat flour, rice flour, sorghum flour, and corn flour, with wheat flour being preferred. The starch may be either a modified starch or an unmodified starch. Examples of starch include those derived from these cereal flours, as well as tapioca starch and potato starch. Examples of modified starches include those obtained by subjecting these starches to one or more treatments selected from gelatinization, etherification, esterification, cross-linking, and oxidation. The total amount of cereal flour and starch in the dusting agent is typically preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, and even more preferably 70% by mass or more. The dusting agent may further contain breadcrumbs, powdered oils, and the like. In this specification, starch and cereal flour are collectively referred to as "cereal flours."

[0012] The filling may have granules containing heated grain flour attached to its surface. In a frozen food product for frying, a batter at a specific temperature is applied to a frozen filling having granules containing heated grain flour on its surface. The batter uniformly coats the spaces between and on the granules, integrating the batter and the granules. This not only reduces the unevenness in color that occurs when such granules are applied to the outermost surface of the batter, but also prevents the batter from hardening due to overheating, thereby preserving the crispiness of the granules. Furthermore, a thin batter with a substantially uniform thickness fills the gaps between the granules, solidifying them and integrating them, making it easier to obtain a batter with a tempura-like appearance and texture when fried. This invention is the first to achieve a tempura-like appearance and texture in a frozen food product for frying, in which the batter is unheated, without the use of a special container.

[0013] Examples of the granular material include fried tempura bits and puffed grain flour granules, and among these, the puffed grain granules are particularly preferred because they tend to provide a crispy texture.

[0014] The puffed granules are typically obtained through a puffing process using an extrusion molding machine such as an extruder, and raw materials include grains such as rice grains, corn grains, and wheat grains, as well as grain flours, i.e., grain flour and / or starch. Examples of grain flour and starch include the same starches and grain flours used in the dusting powder mentioned above. These are expanded by adding an appropriate amount of water and heating and pressurizing them in an extrusion molding machine such as an extruder. The resulting puffed product may be crushed or cut to a size suitable for use as a coating material for oil-based products.

[0015] In order to easily obtain a crispy texture and a tempura-like appearance, the granular material containing the heated grain flour is, for example, a grain having a specific gravity of 0.1 to 0.9 g / cm 3 Preferably, the density is 0.2 to 0.5 g / cm 3 The specific gravity can be measured by placing the weight of the fried tempura bits in a measuring cylinder containing edible oil (canola oil), measuring the volume from the increase in weight, and dividing the weight by the volume.

[0016] Furthermore, in the granular material containing the above-mentioned heated cereal flour, the proportion of cereal flour in the raw material flour is preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, and even more preferably 80% by mass or more.

[0017] In order to obtain the aforementioned texture improvement effect and color unevenness suppression effect, the average length of the granular material containing the heated cereal flour is preferably 1 mm or more, more preferably 4 mm or more. Furthermore, the average length of the granular material containing the heated cereal flour is preferably 15 mm or less, more preferably 10 mm or less. The length of the granular material refers to the length of the longest transverse line segment that crosses a cross section of the granular material cut in any direction. The average length of the granular material is the average value measured for 20 random granules.

[0018] In addition, it is preferable to add 10 to 50 parts by mass of granular material containing heated grain flour per 100 parts by mass of the ingredients before adding the granular material, as this makes it easier to achieve a tempura-like appearance and a crispy texture, and it is even more preferable to add 20 to 40 parts by mass.

[0019] In the present invention, in order to make the ingredients contain the granular material, a primary batter may be applied to the ingredients before the addition of the granular material, and then the granular material may be applied and frozen, and then a secondary batter of above 0°C and below 7°C may be applied. In this case, the temperature of the primary batter may or may not be above 0°C and below 7°C, and the ingredients may or may not be frozen when the primary batter is applied. The composition of the primary batter may be the same as that of the secondary batter described below. As described above, the present invention allows batter to be applied to ingredients multiple times, and in this case, it is sufficient to have a step of applying batter at a specific temperature to frozen ingredients at least once. Preferably, the final batter application step during the production of a frozen food to be prepared with oil is the step of the present invention, from the viewpoint of high quality of the frozen food to be prepared with oil. Also, as described above, the frozen ingredients may have batter or the granular material or the like applied to their surfaces.

[0020] In the present invention, batter at a temperature above 0°C and below 7°C is applied to frozen ingredients. This forms an ice film on the surface of the ingredients. Because this ice film contains components dispersed or dissolved in the batter, the ice film becomes the batter coating. In this invention, the batter coating is thus formed as an ice film, which makes the coating less likely to deform, more likely to have a uniform thickness, and more likely to maintain a good shape without crumbling. Furthermore, handling after batter application is easy, and the shape of the coating can be maintained from the time the batter is applied until freezing is complete without the need for special containers. Furthermore, if the ingredients are frozen from the beginning (e.g., from the time the ingredients are obtained), frozen foods for frying can be produced without the need for thawing. Similarly, in the present invention, handling after batter application is easy, and the shape of the coating can be maintained from the time the batter is applied until frying begins without the need for special containers. These advantages enable the present invention to reduce the production costs of frozen foods for frying and foods for frying.

[0021] Furthermore, in the present invention, the batter is applied at a temperature above 0°C and not exceeding 7°C, so the coating can be formed in a short time and the frozen state of the ingredients can be maintained during the production process of the frozen food to be prepared with oil. Therefore, if the ingredients are frozen from the beginning, thawing is not necessary, and during the production process, deterioration of the ingredients' texture and the loss of nutrients due to dripping can be prevented, thereby maintaining the quality of the ingredients. In addition, in the present invention, even during the production process of oil-based foods, the ingredients can be kept frozen until the oil-based process begins, so the same quality-maintaining effect as above can be expected.

[0022] An example of a frozen state is when the ingredients are below -15°C. This allows a film of ice to form when the ingredients come into contact with the batter that is above 0°C and below 7°C. From this perspective, the temperature of the ingredients at the time the batter is applied is preferably -40 to -18°C, more preferably -35 to -20°C, even more preferably -32 to -20°C, and particularly preferably -25 to -20°C. The temperature of the ingredients can be measured with a probe thermometer (for example, SK-270WP manufactured by Sato Keiryoki Seisakusho Co., Ltd.) with the tip of the probe positioned 0 to 5 mm inside the surface of the ingredients. Any thermometer with the same or higher accuracy as the measuring devices listed above can be used. In the present invention, it is generally preferred that the temperature of the ingredients when the batter is applied is sufficiently low, and that the batter is frozen when the ingredients are applied. Reflecting this, the freezing temperature of the batter is generally more than +3°C, and may be +4°C or more, higher than the temperature of the ingredients when the batter is applied.

[0023] While there are no particular limitations on the freezing method used to bring the ingredients to the above temperature when the batter is applied, rapid freezing is preferred from the perspective of maintaining the quality of the ingredients. Rapid freezing is a freezing method in which the food product temperature passes through the maximum ice crystal formation zone (-5°C to -1°C) within 30 minutes. Freezers for rapid freezing include air blast, liquid, contact, liquefied gas, and special type freezers, and any of these can be used. For example, a continuous air blast type freezer is a tunnel-shaped freezer that covers the area from the entrance to the exit of a belt conveyor like a tunnel, through which ingredients are transported by the conveyor and frozen by spraying low-temperature gas during the tunnel. This freezer is sometimes called a tunnel freezer (registered trademark), etc.

[0024] When the batter to be applied to the ingredients is at a temperature above 0°C and below 7°C, a film is easily formed on the surface of the ingredients, and the thickness of the batter can be easily made uniform. The temperature of the batter to be applied to frozen ingredients is preferably above 0°C and below 5°C, as this makes it easier to make the batter uniform, and is particularly preferably above 0°C and below 4°C.

[0025] A preferred method for applying batter to ingredients is one that can cover almost the entire surface of the ingredients, for example, 80% or more, particularly 90% or more of the surface area, with the batter. Examples include spraying the batter onto the ingredients and immersing the ingredients in the batter. Among these, immersing the ingredients in the batter is preferred because it can easily cover almost the entire surface of the ingredients with the batter, can be processed in a short time, and can be spread regardless of viscosity. Here, when immersing ingredients in the batter, the batter may be in a flowing state or a pooled state at the time of contact with the ingredients. Submerging ingredients in the batter is also an example of immersing ingredients in the batter.

[0026] The total time for applying the batter to the ingredients is preferably 1 to 60 seconds, as this makes it easier to form a batter coating of the desired thickness while keeping the ingredients frozen, and prevents melting due to temperature rise; 5 to 50 seconds is particularly preferred, and 5 to 40 seconds is most preferred. The time for applying batter to the ingredients here refers to the soaking time if the ingredients are immersed in the batter, or the time the ingredients are in contact with the batter during spraying if the batter is sprayed onto the ingredients. Also, if the batter is applied to frozen ingredients multiple times, the total time for each application is the total time.

[0027] When applying batter multiple times, the time required for each application is preferably 1 to 30 seconds, and particularly preferably 5 to 25 seconds, from the viewpoints of easily forming a batter coating of a desired thickness while maintaining the ingredients in a frozen state, and of being able to form multiple layers with different properties. Applying batter multiple times includes dipping the ingredients in batter multiple times, spraying the batter onto the ingredients multiple times, etc.

[0028] The batter can be applied to the ingredients manually or using a battering device. For example, the battering device may be a continuous or batch type, including a submerged or shower type. The batter may be cooled to a temperature between 0°C and 7°C before use, or may be cooled using a battering device with a batter cooling function, or both. Furthermore, for example, by replacing the glazing liquid in a glazing device with batter, the glazing device can be used as a battering device. A glazing device is a device that forms a thin ice film on the surface of frozen food by spraying or immersing the frozen food in a glazing liquid such as water to prevent the frozen food from drying out or oxidizing. Various types of glazing devices can be used without any particular limitation. For example, a glazing function installed in various batch or continuous freezing devices may be used.

[0029] Figure 1 shows schematic diagrams of continuous glazing equipment, namely a) shower type and b) submerged type. Figure 1c shows a schematic diagram of a batch type glazing equipment. a) In the shower type, frozen ingredients 1 transported on a conveyor 12 are introduced into a shower room 13, and batter 3 is sprayed onto the surface of the ingredients 1 in the shower room, thereby coating the surface of the ingredients 1 with the batter 3. b) In the submerged method, the frozen ingredients 1 are transported by a conveyor 12 into a water tank 15 in which batter 3 is stored, and are immersed in the batter 3, so that the surface of the ingredients 1 is covered with the batter 3. c) In the batch method, ingredients are placed in a mesh basket 14 or the like and immersed in a water tank 15 that stores batter 3, thereby coating the surface of the frozen ingredients 1 with batter 3. The ingredients 1 are then pulled out together with the mesh and sent to the next process, such as freezing or oiling. Through the above steps, a frozen food product 10 for mixing with oil is obtained. In a) and b), in the resulting food product 10 for cooking with oil, the thickness of the batter 3 at the portion of the ingredient that comes into contact with the conveyor 12 may be thinner than the thickness of the remaining portion. In consideration of this, it is preferable to reduce the contact area between the conveyor and the ingredient, for example by using a wire conveyor. In c), it is also preferable to reduce the variation in the thickness of the batter 3 on the surface of the ingredient by using, instead of the mesh 14, a device that holds the ingredient in point contact and has a lifting function. The room temperature when the batter is applied to the ingredients is preferably, for example, 5 to 30°C, as this allows the coating to be formed efficiently, and is particularly preferably 10 to 20°C.

[0030] The viscosity of the batter is preferably 0.1 dPa·s or more and 200 dPa·s or less, as this allows for a good coating shape and makes it easy to form the batter coating. From this perspective, the viscosity of the batter is preferably 0.15 dPa·s or more and 30 dPa·s or less, more preferably 0.15 dPa·s or more and 25 dPa·s or less, particularly preferably 0.15 dPa·s or more and 15 dPa·s or less, and most preferably 0.2 dPa·s or more and 8 dPa·s or less. The viscosity here refers to the viscosity at the batter temperature. The viscosity of the batter can be measured using a B-type viscometer, such as a viscometer manufactured by Liontec Co., Ltd. (product name: Viscometer VT-06).

[0031] It is preferable that the batter be prepared by mixing 100 to 500% by mass of water with the raw material flour, as this makes it easier to impart the flavor of the batter to the coating, makes it easier to form the batter coating, and results in a good coating shape.

[0032] Batter is a coating material made by mixing granular ingredients such as flour or starch with liquid ingredients such as water or oil. Batter's properties at temperatures above 0°C and below 7°C include liquid and slurry forms. However, if it does not contain either flour or starch, it does not qualify as batter.

[0033] The raw material flour used for batter may be composed primarily of cereal flour or starch. For example, the raw material flour composition for preparing batter preferably has a total cereal flour or starch content of 70% by mass or more, more preferably 75% by mass or more, in the raw material flour. In particular, the cereal flour content is preferably 55% by mass or more, more preferably 60 to 97% by mass. The starch content is preferably 0 to 30% by mass, more preferably 0.5 to 20% by mass. The raw material flour referred to here refers to all components of the batter other than water and liquid oil. The liquid oil referred to here is oil that is liquid at 0°C.

[0034] Other components of the raw material flour may include, as needed, seasonings (salt, sugars, spices, amino acids, etc.), protein ingredients (egg white powder, milk protein, vegetable protein, etc.), oils and fats (animal oils and fats, vegetable oils, etc.), emulsifiers (glycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, lecithin, etc.), leavening agents (baking powder, etc.), thickeners (gelatin, agar, alginic acid, carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, gum arabic, curdlan, carrageenan, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, guar gum, gellan gum, tamarind seed gum, pectin, etc.), etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. The total amount of monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, dextrin, sorbitol, glycerin, sugar alcohols such as reduced starch syrup, and salt in the batter can be less than 18% by mass, and can also be 10% by mass or less.

[0035] When preparing a batter, for example, the water added to the raw material flour may be at room temperature, or the batter may be prepared by mixing water at a temperature higher than 0°C and not higher than 7°C with the raw material flour. The latter is preferred in terms of achieving a bacteriostatic effect and inhibiting gluten formation.

[0036] In the present invention, after the batter at a temperature higher than 0°C and lower than 7°C is applied to the ingredients, breadcrumbs may or may not be applied. Not applying breadcrumbs to the batter is preferable because it allows the ingredients to be cooled immediately after the batter is applied, making it easier to prevent the ingredients from thawing. This is also preferable because the present invention is particularly effective in addressing the problem of the batter's fluidity causing the coating shape to easily deform.

[0037] In this embodiment, the food to be prepared with oil, in which batter at a temperature higher than 0°C and not higher than 7°C is applied to frozen ingredients, is in a generally frozen state. To maintain this frozen state, the obtained food to be prepared with oil is stored in a freezing device such as a freezer, and by maintaining the frozen state, it can be distributed as a frozen food to be prepared with oil. In this case, the freezing temperature is, for example, preferably -40°C to -15°C, more preferably -32°C to -18°C, and even more preferably -25°C to -20°C. Setting it within this temperature range is preferable in terms of maintaining the quality of the ingredients. In this case, a commercially available freezing device such as a freezer can be used, for example, one similar to that used to freeze the above-mentioned ingredients.

[0038] By the above operations, the frozen seafood food to be seasoned with oil of this embodiment is obtained. The frozen food for oil preparation obtained in the present invention is suitably oil-prepared. It is preferable to carry out oil preparation while the food is still in a frozen state in order to stabilize the quality after oil preparation.

[0039] In addition, in the present invention, the ingredients to which the batter has been applied may be fried directly without going through the process of storing them in a freezing device such as a freezer, thereby obtaining fried food products with a uniform thickness of batter and good shape.

[0040] In a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of a frozen food product to be prepared with oil, the CV value of the ratio Sc / Si (the ratio of the average value AV of the ratio Sc / Si to the standard deviation value STDV [STDV / AV]) is low, where Si is the area (cross-sectional area) of the ingredient and Sc is the area (cross-sectional area) of the batter. Thus, in the frozen food product to be prepared with oil of the present invention, there is little variation in the ratio of the batter area to the ingredient area in the cross section of each part. This means that the batter adheres to the ingredient with a uniform thickness. Specifically, in the frozen food product to be prepared with oil of the present invention, the CV value [STDV / AV] is preferably 0.20 or less, more preferably 0.18 or less, and particularly preferably 0.15 or less. The CV value [STDV / AV] is preferably 0.05 or more, and more preferably 0.1 or more from the viewpoint of ease of production. The CV value of Sc / Si can be adjusted to the above value or less by employing the above-described production method. Specifically, the length of a frozen food product to be prepared with oil is divided into 10 equal sections perpendicular to the length, and the resulting 18 cross sections (each cut creates two cross sections) are measured for the area of ​​the batter coating and the area of ​​the ingredients. An example of such a cross section is shown in Figure 2. The area of ​​the ingredients Si and the area of ​​the coating Sc for a total of 18 cross sections are calculated, and the STDV and AV are calculated for these 18 values ​​to obtain the CV value [STDV / AV]. The area of ​​the ingredients Si and the area of ​​the coating Sc can be measured by photographing the cross sections with a digital camera and using image analysis software (e.g., ImageJ). The longitudinal direction refers to, for example, the direction of the line segment that intersects the projection image of the object to be measured, which has the greatest projected area when projected from directly above, and which has the greatest length. The cutting along a cross section perpendicular to this method is performed by holding the object to be measured at a position and angle that allows the projection image to be obtained.

[0041] For example, if multiple frozen foods to be prepared with oil and having the same shape (e.g., cube-shaped) are packed in a bag (container), they may be considered to be the same food, and a total of 18 cross sections may be obtained from the multiple samples contained in the same packaging container. For example, three frozen foods to be prepared with oil may be divided into four equal sections along their longitudinal direction, and six cross sections of each of the three foods perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, for a total of 18 cross sections, may be used as measurement targets. A food product is also considered to meet the above conditions if it satisfies only one of the above conditions for the CV values ​​obtained from 18 cross sections obtained by dividing the longitudinal length of a single frozen food product for cooking with oil into 10 equal sections perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, or the CV values ​​obtained from a total of 18 cross sections obtained from two or more foods.

[0042] Although not limited thereto, the average value of the ratio Sc / Si is preferably 0.4 or less, more preferably 0.37 or less, and particularly preferably 0.35 or less, because it is easier to make the thickness uniform if the coating is not too thick. Also, the average value of the ratio Sc / Si is preferably 0.05 or more, more preferably 0.1 or more, and even more preferably 0.15 or more, because it is easier to prevent the ingredients from overheating.

[0043] In the frozen food to be prepared with oil, it is preferable that the batter covers almost the entire ingredient in each cross section (preferably all 18 cross sections) obtained by the above method. For example, it is preferable that the batter covers 80% or more of the entire length of the outer edge of the ingredient, more preferably 90% or more, particularly preferably 95% or more, and even more preferably 97% or more.

[0044] The frozen food to be prepared with oil of the present invention preferably has a high amino acid content in the ingredients. The reason for this is that in the present invention, dripping during the production process is effectively suppressed. Therefore, the amino acid content of the frozen food to be prepared with oil of the present invention that has undergone a thawing process is different from that of conventional frozen foods to be prepared with oil. The thawing process refers to the process of thawing something that has been frozen. Histidine is one of the amino acids that easily leaks out as drips. In contrast, the frozen food to be prepared with oil of the present invention preferably contains a large amount of free histidine. Specifically, the free histidine content is preferably 110 mg / 100 g or more, more preferably 113 mg / 100 g or more, and even more preferably 120 mg / 100 g or more. For example, in terms of ease of production of the frozen food to be prepared with oil, the amount of free histidine is preferably 300 mg / 100 g or less, and more preferably 200 mg / 100 g or less. In this specification, "mg / 100 g" refers to the mass per 100 g of the ingredients in the frozen food to be prepared with oil.

[0045] Furthermore, in the present invention, in order to reflect the fact that dripping is suppressed, it is preferable that the ingredients in the frozen food to be prepared with oil have any one of the following constitutions (2) to (10). (2) It preferably contains free hydroxypyrroline. (3) The free glycine content in the ingredient is preferably 26 mg / 100 g or more, more preferably 27 mg / 100 g or more, and is preferably 60 mg / 100 g or less, more preferably 45 mg / 100 g or less, for example.

[0046] (4) The free proline content in the ingredient is preferably 360 mg / 100 g or more, more preferably 370 mg / 100 g or more, and preferably 600 mg / 100 g or less, more preferably 500 mg / 100 g or less.

[0047] (5) The free taurine content in the ingredients is preferably 44 mg / 100 g or more, more preferably 45 mg / 100 g or more, and most preferably 46 mg / 100 g or more. From the viewpoint of ease of production of the frozen food to be mixed with oil, the free taurine content in the ingredients is preferably 200 mg / 100 g or less, and more preferably 100 mg / 100 g or less.

[0048] (6) The free alanine content in the ingredient is preferably 49 mg / 100 g or more, more preferably 51 mg / 100 g or more, and is preferably 180 mg / 100 g or less, more preferably 100 mg / 100 g or less, for example.

[0049] (7) The free methionine content in the ingredients is preferably 58 mg / 100 g or more, more preferably 60 mg / 100 g or more. For example, the free methionine content in the ingredients is preferably 300 mg / 100 g or less, more preferably 150 mg / 100 g or less, from the viewpoint of ease of production of the frozen food to be mixed with oil.

[0050] (8) The content of free serine in the ingredient is preferably 16 mg / 100 g or more, more preferably 17 mg / 100 g or more. For example, the content of free serine in the ingredient is preferably 100 mg / 100 g or less, more preferably 80 mg / 100 g or less, from the viewpoint of ease of production of the frozen food to be mixed with oil.

[0051] (9) The free phenylalanine content in the ingredient is preferably 7 mg / 100 g or more, more preferably 8 mg / 100 g or more, and is preferably 50 mg / 100 g or less, more preferably 40 mg / 100 g or less, for example.

[0052] (10) The free threonine content in the ingredient is preferably 39 mg / 100 g or more, more preferably 40 mg / 100 g or more, and is preferably 200 mg / 100 g or less, more preferably 100 mg / 100 g or less, for example.

[0053] Furthermore, it is preferable that the ratio of the content of a predetermined amino acid in the ingredients to the content of a plurality of specific amino acids is within the following range. This indicates that a large amount of amino acids that are likely to leak out during dripping remain, and the amino acid composition ratio is different from that of conventional products. The ratio of histidine content (unit: mg / 100 g) to the total amount (unit: mg / 100 g) of valine (V), isoleucine (I), lysine (K), glutamic acid (E), arginine (R), leucine (L), tyrosine (Y), and aspartic acid (D) is preferably 23% by mass or more, more preferably 24% by mass or more. The upper limit of this ratio is preferably, for example, 30% by mass or less. Furthermore, the ratio of the taurine content (unit: mg / 100 g) to the total amount (unit: mg / 100 g) of valine (V), isoleucine (I), lysine (K), glutamic acid (E), arginine (R), leucine (L), tyrosine (Y), and aspartic acid (D) is preferably 72% by mass or more, more preferably 74% by mass or more. The upper limit of this ratio is, for example, preferably 85% by mass or less, more preferably 80% by mass or less. The free amino acid composition in the ingredients of the frozen food to be prepared with oil of the present invention can be measured by the method described in the Examples below. [Example]

[0054] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples. In each of the following examples, the viscosity of the batter was measured using a viscometer manufactured by Liontec Co., Ltd. (product name: Viscometer VT-06).

[0055] Example 1 The dusting flour used contained 85.0% wheat flour and 15.0% starch by mass. The raw flour for the batter contained 85.0% wheat flour and 15.0% starch by mass. 180 parts by mass of water was mixed with 100 parts by mass of the raw flour. The viscosity of the batter at 4°C was 1.2 dPa·s. The batter was prepared at 4°C and maintained at 4°C. Frozen squid fillets (-20°C, 3cm x 3cm x 15cm) were dusted with flour at room temperature (20°C). The frozen squid fillets were dipped into the batter at 4°C to adhere to the batter. The contact time between the frozen squid fillets and the batter was 20 seconds per session. This procedure was repeated twice, 20 seconds apart, and then the liquid was drained for 20 seconds. The resulting food product for cooking with oil was cut with a knife into four equal sections along the longitudinal direction, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The area of ​​the filling (squid) and the area of ​​the batter were measured for each of the six resulting cross sections (e.g., the cross section in Figure 2) using the method described above. This was done in triplicate, yielding values ​​for the area of ​​the filling (squid) and the area of ​​the batter for a total of 18 cross sections. The average value (AV), standard deviation (STDV), and CV (STDV / AV) of the obtained data are shown in Table 1. The food products for cooking with oil in each example were frozen at -35°C after the area was measured, but the area did not change before or after freezing.

[0056] (Comparative Example 1) The temperature of the batter applied to the ingredients was changed to 15°C. In addition, the squid ingredients were thawed and then brought to 10°C before the batter was applied. The resulting food for cooking with oil was frozen at -35°C. Other than these points, the same procedures were followed as in Example 1. After freezing, the dimensions of the cross-section of the batter were measured in the same manner as in each Example. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0057] [Table 1]

[0058] As shown in Table 1, in comparison with Example 1, the ratio of the area of ​​the batter coating to the area of ​​the ingredients in the cross section varies greatly in Comparative Example 1. A cross-sectional view of the frozen food to be prepared with oil produced in Example 1 is shown in FIG. 2, and a cross-sectional view of the frozen food to be prepared with oil produced in Comparative Example 1 is shown in FIG. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, compared to the comparative example of the frozen food for cooking with oil 10' in Figure 3, which was produced using a conventional method, the frozen food for cooking with oil 10 in the example of Figure 2 has a coating 2 of uniform thickness and a regular shape. As described above, in the present invention, by applying batter at a temperature above 0°C and below 7°C to frozen ingredients to produce a frozen food product for cooking with oil, it is possible to easily and at low cost produce a frozen food product for cooking with oil that has a well-shaped coating.

[0059] (Sensory evaluation of appearance, texture, and flavor) The frozen foods for oil preparation obtained in Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 were oil-prepared in edible oil at 170°C for 2.5 minutes while still frozen to obtain oil-prepared foods. Ten panelists each tasted these oil-prepared foods and evaluated their appearance, texture, and flavor using the following five-point scale, with 5 being the highest and 1 being the lowest. The average scores are shown in Table 2. (exterior) It looks very delicious as tempura. 5 points It looks delicious as tempura. 4 points It doesn't look very appetizing as tempura. 3 points It doesn't look appetizing as tempura. 2 points It doesn't look appetizing at all as tempura. 1 point (Texture) The squid meat is very tender. 5 points The squid meat is a little soft. 4 points The squid meat is tender. 3 points The squid meat is tough. 2 points The squid meat is very tough. 1 point (flavor) It has a very umami flavor. 5 points The umami is very strong. 4 points You can feel the umami. 3 points There is a slight umami flavor. 2 points No umami at all. 1 point

[0060] [Table 2]

[0061] As shown in Table 2, the oil-based food obtained from the oil-based frozen food of Example 1 had a better appearance than Comparative Example 1, and the texture of the ingredients was also better than that of the Comparative Example. This is thought to be because, according to the present invention, the batter adheres to the ingredients with a uniform thickness and there are few thin areas of the batter, so the ingredients inside do not come into direct contact with the oil and are less likely to be overheated, resulting in a moist texture. In addition, the reason for the tendency for good flavor is thought to be that amino acids do not leak out as drips because the food is not repeatedly cooled and thawed.

[0062] (amino acid content) Example 2 The dusting powder used contained 85.0% by mass of wheat flour and 15.0% by mass of starch. The raw material flour for batter A was 85.0% by mass of wheat flour and 15.0% by mass of starch. 100 parts by mass of raw material flour was mixed with 180 parts by mass of water. The viscosity of batter A at 4°C was 1.2 dPa·s. The raw material flour for batter B was 85.0% by mass of wheat flour and 15.0% by mass of starch. 230 parts by mass of water was mixed with 100 parts by mass of raw material flour. The viscosity of batter B at 4°C was 0.3 dPa·s. The squid fillets were quickly frozen using a shock freezer (model number: HBC-6TB3) manufactured by Hoshizaki Corporation, then cut into pieces of 3 cm x 3 cm x 15 cm and used at -20°C. At room temperature (20°C), frozen squid fillets were dusted with flour, dipped in batter A cooled to 4°C, drained for 10 seconds, and then dipped in batter B. The contact time of the batter with the frozen squid fillets was 20 seconds and 20 seconds, respectively. The batter was drained for 20 seconds.

[0063] (Comparative Example 2) In Example 2, instead of frozen squid fillets, thawed squid fillets (8°C) were used instead, cut into 3 cm x 3 cm x 15 cm pieces from the same frozen squid as in Example 2. These squid fillets were dipped in batters A and B in the same manner as in Example 2 and frozen in a freezer at -35°C to obtain a food product for mixing with oil.

[0064] (Evaluation 2: Analysis of free amino acids) The free amino acid content of the squid fillets from Example 2 and Comparative Example 2 was analyzed. For the measurement, the frozen food for cooking with oil was left at room temperature to thaw the batter on the surface, wiped with a paper towel to remove the batter, lightly washed with water, and then the surface moisture was removed again with a paper towel. The fillets were then pulverized in a food processor (Retsch GM200 model: VERDER Scientific), and approximately 3 g of the pulverized material was used as a sample for analysis using the "Method for Analyzing Free Amino Acids" described below. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0065] <Analysis method for free amino acids> The analytical device used was a high-speed amino acid analyzer (LA8080AminoSAAYA) manufactured by Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation. The separation column used was a Hitachi HPLC packed column (product name: #2622PF column), 4.6 mm ID x 60 mm. As an ammonia filter column, a Hitachi HPLC packed column (product name, #2650L column) was used. A 4.6mm ID x 40mm was used. The reaction coil used was Hitachi High-Tech Fielding's TDE2 reactor 852-7700. The buffer solution used was MCI BUFFER L-8500 PF kit (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation). (Sample preparation method) Approximately 3 g of the pulverized material obtained above was sampled in a homogenizing cup, and 40 mL of a 5% by mass aqueous solution of trichloroacetic acid was added and stirred (3000 rpm, 5 min). The mixture was then transferred to a 100 mL volumetric flask. The mixture was then filled up with the 5% by mass aqueous solution of trichloroacetic acid, stirred, allowed to stand overnight in a refrigerator, stirred again, and filtered through a filter paper (Advantec No. 5B). The resulting solution was then subjected to an amino acid analyzer.

[0066] [Table 3]

[0067] As shown in Table 3 above, the squid fillet of Example 2 contains a higher amount of various free amino acids, such as glycine, alanine, histidine, and proline, than the squid fillet of Comparative Example 2. This is thought to be because, in Comparative Example 2, thawing before battering and subsequent refreezing causes dripping and the loss of amino acids, whereas in Example 2, thawing before battering is not required, thereby suppressing dripping and maintaining a higher amino acid content than in Comparative Example 2. Therefore, it can be seen that the frozen food for preparation with oil of Example 2 is able to suppress the decrease in nutritional component content compared to Comparative Example 2.

[0068] As described above, the frozen food for frying obtained by the present invention suppresses the occurrence of dripping during the manufacturing process, maintains the nutritional content inherent in the ingredients, and has good quality ingredients.

[0069] Example 3 Frozen shrimp (species: vannamei) were cut on the ventral side as a stretching process and refrigerated to below 10°C. Flour (85% by mass wheat flour, 15% by mass starch) was applied to the shrimp, and the surface was covered with a primary batter (below 10°C). The primary batter was obtained by mixing 100 parts by mass of raw material flour (85% by mass wheat flour, 15% by mass starch) with 170 parts by mass of water. The surface of the shrimp covered with the primary batter was covered with puffed grains (average length 8 mm, specific gravity 0.29 g / cm) obtained by puffing grain flour using an extruder. 3 , cereal flours used as raw flour 30 parts by mass of a secondary batter (70% by mass of wheat flour, 30% by mass of corn kernels, 80% by mass of cereal flour in the raw material, Kyoei Food Co., Ltd. "DX-4, A004") was applied to 100 parts by mass of raw shrimp, and the shrimp were rapidly frozen in a freezer at -30°C. The rapidly frozen shrimp (-20 to -15°C) were immersed in a chilled secondary batter (2°C to 4°C, viscosity 18 dPa·s), then removed and frozen by air blast at -30°C to obtain a frozen food product for cooking with oil. The secondary batter was a mixture of 28 parts wheat flour and 71.4 parts water. The secondary batter was applied for 1 to 60 seconds.

[0070] (Comparative Example 3) No secondary batter was used, and after the puffed particles were attached, they were directly frozen by air blasting at −30° C. Except for this, the same procedure as in Example 3 was repeated to obtain a frozen food to be prepared with oil.

[0071] Comparative Example 4 The shrimp with the primary batter attached was frozen by air blast at -30°C without the attachment of expanded particles or immersion in the secondary batter.

[0072] Example 4 Instead of puffed grains, fried balls (average length 8 mm, specific gravity 0.44 g / cm 3 , Raw material powder composition: Small Wheat flour 58% by mass, starch 37% by mass, and the proportion of cereal flour in the raw material flour: 95% by mass were used. Except for this, a frozen food to be prepared with oil was obtained in the same manner as in Example 3. In Example 4, the applicant cut a frozen food to be prepared with oil, in which the secondary batter was colored with a dye, in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and it was confirmed that the secondary batter covered the ingredient containing granular material with a substantially uniform thickness, and that the granular material and the secondary batter were integrated (photograph omitted).

[0073] The frozen foods for cooking with oil of Examples 3 and 4 and Comparative Examples 3 and 4, which had been stored at -18°C for two days, were cooked in edible oil at 170°C for three minutes while still frozen. After cooking with oil, the products were visually evaluated by a panel of five adults for uneven color during frying, as well as for the hardness and crispness of the batter, according to the following criteria. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0074] (Batter color comparison: Uneven fried color (visual) 5: Golden brown and not burnt. 4: Burnt color is visible on approximately 0-25% of the total surface area. 3: Burnt color is visible on approximately 25-50% of the total surface area, and there is color unevenness. 2: Burnt color is visible on approximately 50-75% of the total surface area. 1: The entire surface is brown and burnt.

[0075] (Texture: Hardness of the batter) 5: There are no hard spots. 4: Some parts are hard. 3: Hard in places. 2: Mostly hard. 1: Everything is hard.

[0076] (Texture: Crispy batter throughout) 5: The batter is very crispy. 4: The batter is nice and crispy. 3: The batter is fairly crispy. 2: The batter is not crispy enough. 1: The batter is not crispy.

[0077] [Table 4]

[0078] As shown in Table 4, oil-based foods prepared by simply adhering specific granular materials to the outermost surface of batter, as in Comparative Example 3, tend to have uneven deep-fry color and are less crispy. Similarly, oil-based foods prepared by simply applying a primary batter, as in Comparative Example 4, also have poor crispness. In contrast, by applying the present invention, as in Examples 3 and 4, uneven deep-fry color was reduced, resulting in a softer batter overall and effectively improving the crispness of the batter. A photograph of the frozen tempura obtained in Example 4 is shown in Figure 4. As shown in Figure 4, it was confirmed that the oil-based frozen food prepared by combining granular materials containing heated grain flour with the method of the present invention had a tempura-like appearance. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 10, 10' Frozen food for oil preparation 1. Ingredients 2 Batter 3 Batter

Claims

1. This is a frozen food to be prepared with oil, in which, in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction thereof, the CV value of the ratio Sc / Si (the ratio of the average value AV of the ratio Sc / Si to the standard deviation value STDV [STDV / AV]) when the area of ​​the ingredients is Si and the area of ​​the batter is Sc is 0.20 or less.

2. 2. The frozen food product for mixing with oil according to claim 1, wherein the ingredients have been thawed and have a free histidine content of 110 mg or more per 100 g of ingredients.

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