Instant food product in container for microwave oven cooking

Abstract

To provide: an instant food product with which it is possible to cook a large-sized dried food material into an excellent texture as if a raw food material is stewed for a long period of time; and a method for cooking the instant food product.SOLUTION: An instant food product containing at least a large-sized dried food material is put in a container body and water is poured into the container body, followed by cooking with a microwave oven in a state where the instant food product is submerged in liquid by an inner lid.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an instant food product that can cook large dried ingredients to an excellent texture similar to that of raw ingredients simmered for a long time, characterized by placing the instant food product containing one or more large dried ingredients in a container body, pouring water over it, and cooking it in a microwave oven while the container is submerged in the liquid with an inner lid. [Background technology]

[0002] There are many instant foods made with dried ingredients, including instant ramen, freeze-dried miso soup, and cup soups with freeze-dried ingredients. These products are light, long-lasting, and ready to cook in just 3 to 5 minutes by adding boiling water. They are ideal for short-term meals, snacks, or late-night snacks, and are often stocked at home or at work. However, they are often perceived as convenience foods or emergency food, and differ significantly in many ways from dishes made with raw ingredients simmered in a pot for extended periods. These differences are particularly evident in the size and texture of the ingredients. For example, the carrots in freeze-dried miso soup are cut into tiny pieces, less than 1 cm on each side, making them less satisfying to eat. Similarly, the eggplant in freeze-dried miso soup has a spongy, fluffy texture, far from the thick, creamy texture of raw eggplant simmered for extended periods. Udon noodles in cup noodles made using the deep-frying method also have a spongy, fluffy texture, which is very different from the smooth, chewy texture of raw udon noodles boiled in a pot.

[0003] The main challenges facing dried ingredients used in instant foods are their size and texture, and there are clear reasons for these challenges. To quickly rehydrate dried ingredients by pouring boiling water over them, the boiling water must quickly penetrate the fine voids within the dried ingredients. However, if the dried ingredients are large, it takes time for the boiling water to penetrate to the center, forcing the ingredients to be small. This inevitably reduces the texture of the ingredients and results in an unsatisfying meal. Even if the boiling water penetrates to the center of the dried ingredients, the countless fine voids within the dried ingredients make it difficult to fill all of them with water molecules. This results in a mixture of holes filled with water molecules and holes filled with air, resulting in a sponge-like texture. For example, when cooking eggplant miso soup, if raw eggplant is simmered in a pot for a long time, the cooked eggplant will sink to the bottom of the pot, but the eggplant in freeze-dried miso soup will float on the surface of the boiling water even after the recommended time has passed. This is thought to be because the former sinks because there are almost no air holes in the eggplant, while the latter floats to the surface because there are many air holes remaining. Therefore, even in instant foods made with dried ingredients, if a technology can be established that allows water molecules to penetrate thoroughly into the countless tiny voids in the dried ingredients, it can have an excellent texture similar to that of raw ingredients simmered in a pot for a long time. Furthermore, if a technology can be established that allows water molecules to penetrate to the center of dried ingredients in a short time, it will be possible to produce instant foods that can be cooked in a short time even using large dried ingredients.

[0004] In the present invention, to solve the above-mentioned problems, an instant food containing one or more large dried ingredients is placed in a container body, water is poured into the container, and the container is submerged in the liquid with an inner lid and cooked in a microwave oven. This allows for the production of instant foods in which the large dried ingredients are cooked to an excellent texture similar to that of raw ingredients simmered for a long time. By irradiating microwaves using a microwave oven, the mobility of water molecules is significantly increased, allowing the water molecules to thoroughly penetrate the countless fine voids in the dried ingredients. When using a microwave oven with a frequency of 2450 MHz (2.45 GHz), water molecules vibrate 2.45 billion times per second. Furthermore, because of the increased mobility of water molecules, water molecules can reach the center of even large dried ingredients in a short time. However, large dried ingredients tend to float on the water surface, and water molecules can only penetrate through the surface that comes into contact with the water. Therefore, in the present invention, by irradiating microwaves while holding down and submerging an instant food containing one or more large dried ingredients in the liquid with an inner lid, water molecules can thoroughly penetrate to the center of even large dried ingredients in a short time.

[0005] A method using a microwave-transparent outer pot and a microwave-impermeable inner pot is disclosed as a method for physically submerging floating ingredients in a cooking liquid (Patent Document 1). The method described in Patent Document 1 allows cooking while the ingredients are submerged in the liquid, which facilitates even cooking and improves the quality of microwave cooking. However, Patent Document 1 does not describe rehydration of dried ingredients, and in particular, does not describe the design of instant foods that can rehydrate large dried ingredients evenly using microwaves. A method for rehydrating dried ingredients evenly in instant foods using heat-sealable, liquid-permeable nonwoven fabric is disclosed as a method for rehydrating dried ingredients evenly (Patent Document 2). The method described in Patent Document 2 allows hot water to be poured over the liquid-permeable nonwoven fabric, allowing the absorbed liquid-permeable nonwoven fabric to cover the surface of the dried ingredients while rehydrating, allowing water molecules to come into contact with and penetrate the entire surface of the dried ingredients. However, Patent Document 2 does not consider the use of microwaves in combination, leaving issues with the texture of the cooked ingredients. As a method for solving the problems caused by floating ingredients, a method of adding a colored band with a width of 3 to 10 mm directly below the guide line for pouring water has been disclosed (Patent Document 3). Although the method described in Patent Document 3 clarifies the guide line for pouring water, which is difficult to see due to floating ingredients, Patent Document 3 does not describe any means for settling the floating ingredients, and issues remain regarding reconstitution properties and texture after cooking.

[0006] Patent Document 4 discloses a two-tiered instant food product that includes a microwave-resistant container and ingredients, in which the upper container has a hole in the bottom, allowing the ingredients stored in the upper tier to be cooked using steam emitted from the ingredients in the lower tier. The technology described in Patent Document 4 is useful in that ingredients stored in two tiers can be cooked simultaneously, but the upper container in Patent Document 4 does not function to hold down the ingredients in the lower tier, leaving issues with reconstitution and texture after cooking when using dried ingredients. Similarly, Patent Document 5 discloses a two-tiered instant food product that includes a microwave-resistant container and ingredients, in which dried ingredients are stored in the lower tier and a fluid retort food is stored in the upper tier, and the food is completed by reconstituting the dried ingredients in the lower tier and then pouring the retort food from the upper tier onto the lower tier (Patent Document 5). Although the instant food product described in Patent Document 5 is designed to allow dried ingredients stored in the lower tier to be reconstituted in hot water, it does not incorporate any measures to ensure that water molecules penetrate thoroughly into large dried ingredients in a short period of time, and depending on the type and size of the dried ingredients, they may float to the surface of the water, leaving issues with reconstitution properties and post-cooking texture. A microwave-resistant two-tiered food container has been disclosed in which holes are formed in the bottom of the upper tier, and when a hydrogel stored in the upper tier is converted into a sol by heating, it passes through the holes and flows down onto the ingredients stored in the lower tier (Patent Document 6). The technology described in Patent Document 6 is useful in expanding the range of dishes that can be made by allowing a sol with a certain viscosity to migrate from the upper tier at different times. However, in the present invention, it is important that microwaves are irradiated on large dried ingredients while they are immersed in liquid throughout the entire process, which is a completely different approach.

[0007] As an instant food for microwave cooking that can evenly rehydrate dried ingredients, a food product that contains dried ingredients and a leavening agent and is heated in a microwave oven with the addition of a small amount of water or hot water that does not completely immerse the dried ingredients is disclosed (Patent Document 7). In the food product described in Patent Document 7, the leavening agent allows water to penetrate the dried ingredients efficiently, and the food can be completely absorbed to a level that does not require draining after cooking, making the technology described in Patent Document 7 extremely useful for cooking yakisoba noodles, etc. However, because the focus is different from the technology that allows a sufficient amount of water molecules to penetrate thoroughly into the fine voids in dried ingredients, this technology cannot be used to cook raw ingredients with a texture similar to that of long-term simmering.

[0008] Thus, many findings have been reported regarding two-tiered cooking utensils and food packaging, microwave-resistant two-tiered food packaging, and techniques for uniformly rehydrating dried ingredients. However, there has been no invention based on the idea of ​​submerging an instant food containing one or more large dried ingredients in liquid with an inner lid and then using microwaves to penetrate water molecules with significantly improved mobility, as a means for uniformly penetrating the fine voids in large dried ingredients to the center in a short period of time. Furthermore, no method other than that of the present invention has yet been reported that can cook large dried ingredients in a short period of time to achieve an excellent texture similar to that of raw ingredients simmered for a long time. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-223937 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-285189 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 7195992 [Patent Document 4] Patent No. 2779412 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-218441 [Patent Document 6] Publication number 6-37779 [Patent Document 7] Patent No. 4782178 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] To provide an instant food product capable of cooking large dried ingredients to have an excellent texture similar to that of raw ingredients simmered for a long time, and to provide a method for rehydration cooking of an instant food product having large ingredients and having an excellent texture. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] As a result of extensive research, the present inventors have discovered that by placing an instant food product containing one or more large dried ingredients in a container body, pouring water into the container, and cooking the container in a microwave oven while the container is submerged in the liquid with an inner lid, it is possible to produce an instant food product in which the large dried ingredients are cooked to an excellent texture similar to that of raw ingredients simmered for a long period of time, and have completed the present invention.

[0012] [1] a container body (1) that is microwave-heat resistant and microwave-transparent; an inner lid (2) that is microwave-resistant and microwave-transparent, has a depth of 10% to 90% of the depth of the container body (1), and has holes for steam discharge on the side and / or bottom; The instant food product (3) is a dried food material having at least one side measuring 1 cm or more and containing one or more of the dried food materials that float on water; A mark indicating the liquid level when pouring water is provided on the inner side surface of the container body (1) at a height equivalent to or higher than the bottom surface of the inner lid (2) when the inner lid (2) is set on the container body (1), and The instant food (3) is placed in the container body (1), water is poured into the container body (1) up to the mark indicating the water level when pouring, which is marked on the inside side of the container body (1), and then the instant food is cooked in a microwave oven with the empty inner lid (2) set on the container body (1). Ready-to-eat food in a container for microwave cooking. [2] The instant food product according to [1], wherein the dried food material is a food material produced by freeze-drying, air-drying, or frying. [3] The instant food according to [1] or [2], characterized in that the dried food ingredients are one or more selected from vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, eggs, mushrooms, meat, seafood, seaweed, noodles, water-based pastes, processed meat products, processed beans, processed eggs, processed dairy products, processed rice products, processed glutinous rice products, processed wheat products, and processed starch products. [4] The instant food product according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the dried ingredients have a size of at least one side of 2 cm or more and float on water. [5] a container body (1) that is microwave-heat resistant and microwave-transparent; an inner lid (2) that is microwave-resistant and microwave-transparent, has a depth of 10% to 90% of the depth of the container body (1), and has holes for steam discharge on the side and / or bottom; The instant food product (3) is a dried food material, at least one side of which has a size of 1 cm or more, and contains one or more of the dried food materials that float on water; and A method for rehydrating and cooking instant food with excellent texture, which involves cooking instant food in a microwave oven cooking container in which a mark indicating the liquid level when pouring water is provided on the inside side of the container body (1) at a height equivalent to or higher than the bottom of the inner lid (2) when the inner lid (2) is set on the container body (1), A step of placing an instant food (3) into a container body (1); A step of pouring water up to a mark indicating the liquid level when pouring, which is attached to the inner side surface of the container body (1); The method includes the step of placing the empty container body (2) in the container body (1) and cooking the food in a microwave oven. The method for rehydrating and cooking the instant food with excellent texture is as follows. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to produce instant foods in which large dried ingredients can be cooked to have an excellent texture similar to that of raw ingredients simmered for a long time. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a typical instant food product of the present invention in a poured state. (1) shows the container body, (2) the inner lid, and (3) the instant food product containing one or more large dried ingredients (the same applies to Figures 2 to 8). [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the instant food product of the present invention, in which the liquid level when poured is higher than the bottom surface of the inner lid. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an instant food product, in which the liquid level when poured is lower than the bottom surface of the inner lid. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the instant food product of the present invention, in which the depth of the inner lid is 10% of the depth of the container body. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the instant food product of the present invention, in which the depth of the inner lid is 90% of the depth of the container body. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the instant food product of the present invention, in which the inner lid has holes on the bottom surface for releasing steam. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the instant food product of the present invention, in which a steam exhaust hole is provided in the hinge portion that secures the inner lid to the container body. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of an instant food product, showing the state in which an instant food product containing one or more large dried ingredients is placed in a container without an inner lid and water is poured in. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The instant food in a container for microwave cooking according to the present invention is prepared by placing an instant food containing one or more large dried ingredients in the container body, pouring water over it, and submerging the food in the liquid with the inner lid, and then cooking it in a microwave oven. The dried ingredients used in the present invention may be any dried ingredients, but examples include vegetables (eggplant, pumpkin, taro, green pepper, paprika, cucumber, radish, carrot, potato, sweet potato, okra, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, burdock, turnip, tomato, onion, spinach, garlic, lotus root, beet, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, udo, komatsuna, bok choy, mizuna, chive, leek, winter melon, shiso, zucchini, etc.), fruits (strawberry, kiwi fruit, avocado, melon, watermelon, apple, pear, etc.), and the like. , peaches, grapes, pineapples, mangoes, mandarins, oranges, grapefruit, chestnuts, blueberries, acerola, apricots, figs, plums, persimmons, guavas, cherries, pomegranates, bananas, plums, star fruit, dragon fruit, durian, passion fruit, loquats, lemons, lychees, quince, etc.), grains (rice, wheat, barley, corn, quinoa, foxtail millet, barnyard millet, etc.), beans (soybeans, kidney beans, fava beans, peas, etc.), eggs (chicken eggs, quail eggs, duck eggs, etc.), mushrooms (shiitake mushrooms, buna-shimeji mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms) , nameko, enoki mushroom, wood ear mushroom, maitake, oyster mushroom, matsutake, mushroom, etc.), meat (pork, beef, chicken, lamb, goat, horse meat, venison, camel meat, wild boar meat, bear meat, rabbit meat, pigeon meat, duck meat, duck meat, quail meat, alpaca meat, etc.), seafood (horse mackerel, sardines, tuna, bonito, Turbot, flounder, sea bream, carp, salmon, mackerel, shark, Spanish mackerel, sea bass, cod, herring, conger eel, flounder, crucian carp, trout, rockfish, Atka mackerel, pufferfish, kinki, eel, squid, octopus, scallops, clams, Japanese mussels, ash shells, turban shells, hard clams, etc.), seaweed (kelp, wakame seaweed, hijiki seaweed, mozuku seaweed, green laver, sea lettuce, sea grapes, nori seaweed, etc.) ), noodles (udon, pasta, soba, Chinese noodles, yakisoba, somen, hiyamugi, kishimen, short pasta, rice vermicelli, harusame, hiyashimen, wonton, gyoza, shumai, etc.), water-based paste products (kamaboko, hanpen, chikuwa, imitation crab sticks, sasa-kamaboko, etc.), processed meat products (hamburger steak, sausage, bacon, meatballs, gyoza, braised pork, cabbage rolls, steak, fried chicken, ham, salami, etc.), processed beans (tofu, yuba, thick tofu, fried tofu, tofu, ganmodoki, natto, etc.), processed eggs (boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, tamagoyaki, fried eggs, chawanmushi, thick omelets,Examples include omelets, scrambled eggs, soft-boiled eggs, onsen eggs, boiled eggs, etc.), dairy products (cheese, yogurt, etc.), rice products (rice balls, dumplings, rice crackers, etc.), glutinous rice products (rice cakes, shiratama dumplings, daifuku, ohagi, etc.), wheat products (fried tempura bits, breads, etc.), and starch products (tapioca, etc.). Dried ingredients can be one type or a combination of two or more types.

[0016] The drying method for dried ingredients may be any method that can reduce the moisture content of ingredients, including freeze-drying (FD), air-drying (AD), deep-frying, drying under reduced pressure, vacuum drying, deep-frying under reduced pressure, sun-drying, and air-drying. Freeze-drying (FD), air-drying (AD), and deep-frying are preferred because they are widely used industrially. The drying method for dried ingredients may be a single method, or a combination of multiple drying methods. The moisture content of the dried ingredients after drying should be reduced compared to the original moisture content of the ingredients. From the viewpoint of shelf life, the moisture content of the dried ingredients after drying is preferably 50% or less, more preferably 40% or less, and even more preferably 30% or less.

[0017] The size of the dried ingredient requires that at least one side be 1 cm or more, preferably 1.5 cm or more, and more preferably 2 cm to 30 cm. A size of at least one side being 1 cm or more means that, regardless of the shape of the dried ingredient, when the ingredient is left standing, one of the longest points on the three axes (X, Y, and Z) is defined as the length of each side, and that at least one side is 1 cm or more. For example, a perfect sphere with a diameter of 3 cm has three sides of 3 cm, satisfying the criterion of a side being 1 cm or more. A cylinder with a diameter of 0.5 cm and a height of 2 cm has three sides of 0.5 cm, 0.5 cm, and 2 cm, respectively, and the longest side is 2 cm, satisfying the criterion of a side being 1 cm or more. The instant food of the present invention may contain one or more dried ingredients of a size that meets the criterion, and as long as at least one of the dried ingredients meets the criterion, it may be mixed with a smaller dried ingredient that does not meet the criterion. In the present invention, dried ingredients of a size that meets the criterion are referred to as large dried ingredients. The larger the dried ingredient, the more likely it is to have an excellent texture similar to that of a product that has been simmered for a long time, so small dried ingredients that do not meet the standard do not fully achieve the benefits of the present invention. Furthermore, small dried ingredients that do not meet the standard can be sufficiently rehydrated by absorbing water from the surface in contact with the liquid even if they float on the surface of the liquid when water is poured in, so the benefits of attaching an inner lid are not fully achieved. On the other hand, even if a large dried ingredient meets the standard, if it is extremely large, a large container will be required, so a realistic size for an instant food product is preferably one with a side length of 30 cm or less.

[0018] The container body used in the present invention may be of any shape, such as a circle, oval, square, rectangle, triangle, or other polygon, and may be of any size, but must be large enough to hold one large dried food item that meets the standard of at least 1 cm on one side. Furthermore, for instant foods, it is desirable for the size to fit inside a commercially available microwave oven.

[0019] The container body used in the present invention may be made of any material, but must be made of a material that is microwave resistant and microwave transparent, such as paper, glass, plastic (polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, melamine resin, silicone resin, etc.), ceramics, porcelain, wood, bamboo, etc.

[0020] The inner side surface of the container body used in the present invention is provided with a mark indicating the liquid level when pouring water, and the mark may be of any shape. Examples of the mark include a line, a dotted line, a wavy line, a double line, an arrow, a dot, a circle, a square, various polygons, various designs, etc. The mark may be provided in any manner, and examples include printing or engraving the mark on the inner side surface of the container body, raising the inner side surface of the container body, or attaching it to the inner side surface of the container body.

[0021] The inner side of the container body used in the present invention is marked with a mark indicating the liquid level when pouring water, and the position of the mark must be equal to or higher than the bottom of the inner lid when the inner lid is set on the container body. If the mark is placed lower than the bottom of the inner lid, the liquid level when pouring water will be lower than the bottom of the inner lid, so that instant foods containing one or more large dried ingredients floating on the liquid surface cannot be submerged in the liquid, and the effects of the present invention cannot be fully achieved. Figure 1 shows a case where the liquid level when pouring water is equal to the bottom of the inner lid, Figure 2 shows a case where the liquid level is higher than the bottom of the inner lid, and Figure 3 shows a case where the liquid level is lower than the bottom of the inner lid.

[0022] The inner lid used in the present invention may be made of any material, but it must be made of a microwave-resistant and microwave-transparent material, such as paper, glass, plastic (polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, melamine resin, silicone resin, etc.), ceramics, porcelain, wood, bamboo, etc.

[0023] The inner lid used in the present invention is preferably designed to be able to be fixed to the container body, and the depth of the inner lid when set on the container body must be 10% to 90% of the depth of the container body. The container depth here refers to the distance from the top of the container body to the bottom surface inside the container body, and the inner lid depth refers to the distance from the top of the container body to the bottom surface outside the inner lid. Figure 1 shows an inner lid depth of 50% of the container body depth, Figure 4 shows an inner lid depth of 10%, and Figure 5 shows an inner lid depth of 90%. If the inner lid depth is less than 10% of the container body depth, the liquid level will rise when water is poured, increasing the risk of boiling over during heating. If the inner lid depth is more than 90%, the space for an instant food containing one or more large dried ingredients will be too narrow, making it an unrealistic design.

[0024] The side and / or bottom surfaces of the inner lid used in the present invention are provided with steam exhaust holes. The steam exhaust holes serve to release steam when the liquid evaporates into water vapor during heating. Without these holes, the internal pressure of the container body increases during heating, increasing the risk of the inner lid becoming detached from the container body, thereby increasing the risk of not achieving the effects of the present invention. The size and number of the steam exhaust holes may be any size and number, but they must be large enough to allow sufficient steam to escape so that the internal pressure does not become too high during heating. The shape of the steam exhaust holes may be any shape, such as circular, elliptical, square, rectangular, triangular, or other polygonal. The steam exhaust holes may be located anywhere on the side or bottom of the inner lid, or on both the side and bottom. The hinge portion that secures the inner lid to the container body when it is set on the container body is included in the side of the inner lid, and a steam exhaust hole may be located in this location. Figure 1 shows a case where the steam exhaust hole is on the side of the inner lid, Figure 6 shows a case where the hole is on the bottom of the inner lid, and Figure 7 shows a case where the hole is on the hinge part that secures the inner lid to the container body.

[0025] In the present invention, "pouring water" refers to pouring water, but the water temperature may be any temperature, and any substance may be dissolved or suspended in the water. The temperature of the poured water is preferably -25°C to 120°C, more preferably -10°C to 110°C, and even more preferably 0°C to 100°C. However, if the temperature is 0°C or lower, other substances must be dissolved in the water to maintain the liquid state without solidifying due to a drop in the freezing point, and if the temperature is 100°C or higher, other substances must be dissolved in the water to maintain the liquid state without vaporizing due to an increase in the boiling point. In practice, mineral water at 5°C stored in a refrigerator, tap water at 20°C, hot water at 95°C, etc. are considered. When other substances are dissolved or suspended in the water to be injected, the other substances may be any substance, such as salt, potassium chloride, other inorganic salts, sugar, dextrin, other sugars, amino acids, peptides, soy protein, egg white, gelatin, casein, other proteins, protein hydrolysates, partial protein hydrolysates, nucleic acids, wheat flour, rice flour, starch, pregelatinized starch, modified starch, emulsifiers, organic acids, organic acid salts, alginic acid, xanthan gum, guar gum, other thickening polysaccharides, alcohols, oils and fats, colorings, spices, flavorings, soy sauce, vinegar, miso, and any other food ingredients or food additives.

[0026] The microwave oven used in the present invention is a device that raises temperature by irradiating microwaves to induce vibration of dipole water molecules, and can be any type, including household, commercial, and industrial. Microwaves refer to radio waves with a frequency of 300 MHz to 30 GHz. Any frequency within this range can be used, including 2450 MHz (2.45 GHz) or 915 MHz, which are commonly used in microwave ovens. The wattage used in a microwave oven can be any energy level, including 100 watts to 3000 watts, which are commonly used in microwave ovens. The heating time for cooking instant foods using a microwave oven can be any time, but is preferably 5 seconds to 30 minutes, preferably 10 seconds to 20 minutes, more preferably 20 seconds to 15 minutes, and even more preferably 30 seconds to 10 minutes, depending on the type, size, and amount of dried ingredients contained in the instant food. For example, the instant food of the present invention can be cooked by heating at 600 watts for 3 minutes.

[0027] After cooking, the instant food can be eaten in any manner, such as eating it directly from the container body, serving it in another container or dish, eating it after draining the water, eating it after draining a certain amount of water, adding other foods or seasonings that can be eaten as is, etc. In other words, the effect of the present invention on the rehydration of large dried ingredients is obtained at the time microwave heating is completed.

[0028] In the present invention, instant foods containing one or more large dried ingredients are heated after pouring water into them. However, ingredients and seasonings other than the large dried ingredients may also be present during heating. Small dried ingredients, raw ingredients, seasonings, and other ingredients may be present together, and when seasonings are present, the seasonings may be in any form, such as powder, liquid, granules, tablets, cubes, paste, gel, or sol. When ingredients and seasonings other than the large dried ingredients are present together, they may be directly enclosed in the container body together with the large dried ingredients, or they may be enclosed in a separate bag from the large dried ingredients. When directly enclosed together with the large dried ingredients, it is desirable that the ingredients and seasonings to be present together have low moisture content so as not to absorb water into the large dried ingredients. In particular, for seasonings, powder, granule, tablet, or cube form is particularly preferred. When ingredients and seasonings other than the large dried ingredients are enclosed in a bag separate from the large dried ingredients, they may be placed inside the container body or on the inner lid, but when cooking using microwave oven heating, it is desirable to remove them from the bag and place them inside the container body to cook together with the large dried ingredients.

[0029] The instant food containing one or more large dried ingredients of the present invention may be directly enclosed in the container body, or may be stored in the container in a separate bag. It may also be stored on an inner lid rather than inside the container body, or may be attached separately to the outside of the container body. The instant food containing one or more large dried ingredients may be stored in any state, but when cooking, it must be placed directly in the container body.

[0030] The order of pouring the instant food containing one or more large dried ingredients into the container body and pouring water into it does not matter. That is, water may be poured from above while the instant food containing one or more large dried ingredients is already in the container body, or the instant food containing one or more large dried ingredients may be poured into the container after pouring water into it. Furthermore, when adding ingredients or seasonings in addition to the large dried ingredients, they may be added in any order.

[0031] The instant food in a microwave-cooking container of the present invention must be comprised of a microwave-heat-resistant and microwave-transparent container body; a microwave-heat-resistant and microwave-transparent inner lid, which is 10% to 90% of the depth of the container body and has steam outlet holes on the side and / or bottom; and an instant food containing one or more dried ingredients, at least one of which has a side measuring 1 cm or more and floats on water. However, other elements may also be added. For example, a top lid may be attached to the inner lid, the entire container may be shrink-wrapped, or cutlery may be included. Furthermore, in addition to the large dried ingredients, small dried ingredients, raw ingredients, seasonings, etc. may also be stored, and these may be enclosed in any packaging material.

[0032] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples in any way. [Example]

[0033] Fresh pumpkin was cut into three sizes: 0.2 cm x 0.5 cm x 0.5 cm, 1 cm x 1 cm x 1 cm, and 1 cm x 3 cm x 4 cm. The cut pumpkins were boiled in boiling water for 3, 4, and 5 minutes, respectively, drained, and then frozen. The frozen pumpkins were freeze-dried (FD) using a freeze dryer "FDU-2100" (Tokyo Rikakikai Co., Ltd.). The resulting FD pumpkins were subjected to a rehydration test under the conditions shown in Table 1. Each size of FD pumpkin was placed in the container, and either 95°C boiling water or 20°C tap water was poured in. In the test plots using an inner lid (Test plot 4 and Test plots 6-11), the inner lid was placed on top of the container. The amount of water poured was determined so that the liquid level was at the same level as the bottom of the inner lid when it was used, regardless of whether the inner lid was used or not. However, in test section 6, water was poured so that the liquid level was 2 cm below the bottom of the inner lid, and in test section 8, it was poured so that the liquid level was 1 cm above the bottom of the inner lid. In test sections where a steam exhaust hole was drilled in the inner lid, the steam exhaust hole was located on the side of the inner lid. The container body was the "Insulating Embossed Paper Container SMP-700E" (Tokan Kogyo Co., Ltd.), and the inner lid was the "SMP-900E General Medium Plate 03" (Tokan Kogyo Co., Ltd.). Test sections where reconstitution was performed by immersion only (test sections 1-4) were left undisturbed at room temperature for 3 minutes. Test sections where reconstitution was performed using a microwave oven (test sections 5-11) were heated at 600W for 3 minutes in a household microwave oven "RE-V90B-S" (Sharp Corporation). After heating, the pumpkins were removed from the container body and subjected to sensory evaluation. The sensory evaluation focused on the rehydration state of the FD pumpkin. Three panelists with extensive knowledge of texture evaluated the results with consensus. The rehydration level was evaluated using symbols, with "◎" representing very good rehydration, "○" representing moderate rehydration, "△" representing little rehydration, and "×" representing almost no rehydration. Furthermore, "◎-" indicates slightly inferior quality to "◎," and "△+" indicates slightly superior quality to "△." In the case of pumpkin, rehydration results in a thick, creamy texture, as if the entire ingredient had been simmered for a long time. If the thick texture weakens or is limited to certain areas, the rehydration level is evaluated lower. Supplementary comments were provided regarding texture as needed. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1.FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the test plots in which no inner lid was used, in which instant food containing one or more large dried ingredients was placed in the container and water was poured in (test plots 2, 3, and 5).

[0034] [Table 1]

[0035] As shown in Table 1, when a small FD pumpkin was placed in the container and boiling water was poured over it, it rehydrated after just 3 minutes without using an inner lid, and the FD pumpkin had a rich, creamy texture, as if it had been simmered for a long time (Test Group 1). When a large FD pumpkin with at least one side of 1 cm or more was placed in the container and boiling water was poured over it and left to stand for 3 minutes, the rehydration level decreased as the size of the food material increased, and the entire FD pumpkin did not rehydrate completely (Test Groups 2 and 3). When a large FD pumpkin was placed in the container and boiling water was poured over it and left to stand for 3 minutes, even when using an inner lid with steam holes according to the present invention, the rehydration level was slightly improved compared to when an inner lid was not used, but the entire pumpkin did not rehydrate completely (Test Group 4). When a large FD pumpkin was placed in a microwave oven, hot water was poured over it, and the contents were heated for 3 minutes without an inner lid, only the bottom of the ingredients rehydrated significantly, resulting in a gooey texture, and the entire contents did not fully rehydrate (Test Group 5). This is thought to be because the large dried ingredients contain a lot of air inside and have strong buoyancy, so they float to the surface of the liquid, and only the bottom of the ingredients that come into contact with the liquid rehydrated. When a large FD pumpkin was placed in a microwave oven, hot water was poured over it, and the contents were heated for 3 minutes with an inner lid with steam holes, because the liquid level was 2 cm lower than the bottom of the inner lid when the water was poured in, the large dried ingredients floated on the surface without being pressed down by the inner lid, and the entire contents did not fully rehydrate, as in Test Group 5 (Test Group 6). When a large FD pumpkin was placed in the microwave, hot water was poured in, and the mixture was heated for 3 minutes in a microwave oven. When an inner lid with steam holes was used, the water was poured in so that the liquid level was at the same level as the bottom of the lid. This allowed the large dry ingredients to be pushed into the liquid by the lid, allowing the ingredients to rehydrate very well, resulting in a rich, creamy texture, as if the ingredients had been simmered for a long time (Test Group 7). Similarly, when a large FD pumpkin was placed in the microwave, hot water was poured in, and the mixture was heated for 3 minutes in a microwave oven. When an inner lid with steam holes was used, the ingredients rehydrated very well, just like in Test Group 7, even though the liquid level was 1 cm higher than the bottom of the lid when the water was poured in (Test Group 8).The above results demonstrate that even large dried ingredients measuring at least 1 cm on one side can be fully rehydrated by placing them in a container, pouring hot water over them, and placing an inner lid with a steam hole in place. As long as the water level is at or above the bottom of the inner lid, the ingredients are pushed into the liquid, and heating in a microwave oven results in the entire ingredient being rehydrated, resulting in a rich, thick texture similar to that of a long-cooked dish. In a test conducted under the same conditions as in Test 7, when an inner lid without a steam hole was used, the pressure inside the container increased during heating in the microwave oven, causing the inner lid to detach from the container and float, preventing the large dried ingredients from being fully submerged in the liquid. This prevented the entire ingredient from being fully rehydrated (Test 9). In other words, the inner lid used in the present invention must have a steam release hole. In a test conducted under the same conditions as in Test 7, when tap water was poured in instead of boiling water, the entire ingredient was fully rehydrated, resulting in a rich, thick texture similar to that of a long-cooked dish (Test 10). Incidentally, in a test conducted under the same conditions as Test Group 10, when an inner lid without a steam hole was used, the inner lid also came off the container body and floated due to an increase in internal pressure during heating in the microwave oven, and the entire food ingredient did not rehydrate (Test Group 11). From the above, it was suggested that even if a large dried food ingredient with at least one side of 1 cm or more was placed in the container body, liquid at a desired temperature was poured in, and an inner lid with a steam hole was placed in place, if the liquid level was poured so that it was at the same level as or higher than the bottom of the inner lid, the food ingredient would be pushed into the liquid, and heating in the microwave oven would allow the highly mobile water molecules to thoroughly penetrate the voids inside the dried food ingredient, causing the entire food ingredient to rehydrate, resulting in an excellent, thick texture similar to that of a long simmered dish. Furthermore, in this example, the inventor controlled the amount of water poured after determining the position of the bottom when the inner lid was set, but when designing instant foods in containers for microwave cooking, the inner lid will not be set when the cook pours water, and it has been shown that it is necessary to mark the inside side of the container body to indicate the liquid level when pouring so that the cook can determine the amount of water poured. However, if a steam release hole is provided on the bottom of the inner lid, it is also possible to pour water after the inner lid is set. [Example]

[0036] In this example, the effectiveness of the present invention was verified using various types of dried food ingredients, not limited to pumpkin, and dried food ingredients produced by various drying methods, not limited to freeze-drying (FD). The various dried food ingredients shown in Table 2 were produced. Raw pumpkin was cut into pieces measuring 1 cm x 3 cm x 4 cm, boiled in boiling water for 5 minutes, and then frozen (Test Group 1). Commercially available frozen fried eggplant was obtained, and pieces measuring approximately 2.5 cm x 3 cm x 4 cm were selected (Test Group 2). Commercially available frozen whole grilled eggplant was obtained, and pieces measuring approximately 3 cm x 5 cm x 12 cm were selected (Test Group 3). Only the stems of raw okra were cut, boiled for 10 minutes, and then frozen (Test Group 4). The size of the okra was approximately 1.5 cm x 1.5 cm x 8 cm. Only the stems of raw strawberries were cut and frozen as is (Test Group 5). The size of the strawberries was approximately 3 cm x 3 cm x 4 cm. Commercially available slices of domestically produced pork belly, 0.2 cm thick, were obtained, cut into 3 cm x 4 cm pieces, boiled for 1 minute, and then frozen (Test Group 6). Commercially available rehydrated knotted kelp was obtained, and pieces measuring approximately 1 cm x 3 cm x 12 cm were selected, boiled for 15 minutes, and then frozen (Test Group 7). The maximum thickness of the kelp at the knotted portion was approximately 1 cm. Fresh cabbage was cut into 0.2 cm x 5 cm x 5 cm pieces, boiled for 2 minutes, and then frozen (Test Group 8). The frozen food ingredients in Test Groups 1 to 8 were freeze-dried (FD) using the same method as in Example 1. Commercially available air-dried (AD) cabbage was also obtained, and pieces measuring approximately 0.2 cm x 2 cm x 3 cm were selected (Test Group 9). Commercially available instant udon noodles in cups were also obtained. The dried udon noodles were fried noodles, i.e., dried by deep-frying, and measured approximately 0.2 cm × 0.6 cm × 30 cm (Test Group 10). The various large dried food ingredients obtained were subjected to a rehydration test under the same conditions as Test Group 10 in Example 1. That is, the various large dried food ingredients were placed in the container body of the present invention, tap water was poured in, an inner lid with a steam hole of the present invention was set in place, and the ingredients were heated for 3 minutes in a microwave oven. When pouring water, the liquid level was set at the same level as the bottom of the inner lid. After heating, the various food ingredients were removed from the container and subjected to a sensory evaluation.The sensory evaluation focused on the rehydration state of the ingredients and was carried out by three panelists with extensive knowledge of texture. The evaluation results were determined by consensus of all panelists. The rehydration level was evaluated using symbols, with "◎" indicating very good rehydration, "○" indicating moderate rehydration, "△" indicating little rehydration, and "×" indicating almost no rehydration. "◎-" indicates slightly inferior to "◎". Supplementary comments were made regarding texture as needed. The evaluation results are shown in Table 2.

[0037] [Table 2]

[0038] As shown in Table 2, in all test groups, the ingredients were rehydrated very well throughout, resulting in an excellent texture similar to that of a long-cooked dish. In particular, pumpkin, eggplant, okra, kelp, and cabbage exhibited a distinctively thick texture similar to that of a long-cooked dish, strawberry had a thick, jam-like texture, and udon had a chewy texture similar to that of fresh noodles. These results suggest that when a large dried ingredient having at least one side of 1 cm or more is placed in the container body of the present invention, a liquid of any temperature is poured in, and the inner lid with a steam hole of the present invention is attached, if the liquid level is poured so that it is at or above the bottom of the inner lid, heating in a microwave oven allows the highly mobile water molecules to thoroughly penetrate the voids within the dried ingredient, resulting in the entire ingredient being rehydrated and providing an excellent texture similar to that of a long-cooked dish. Furthermore, it has been shown that the present invention can be implemented with ingredients of any size, type, or method dried, as long as at least one side is 1 cm or more. In other words, by using the present invention, it is possible to provide an instant food product that can cook large dried ingredients to give them an excellent texture similar to that of raw ingredients simmered for a long period of time. [Example]

[0039] In this example, various types of large dried ingredients, each measuring at least 1 cm on a side, were combined with seasonings and other ingredients to produce a variety of instant food products, and the potential for application and development of the present invention was examined. Experimental plots included taro simmered in kelp in Test plot 1, sweet and spicy pumpkin and taro in Test plot 2, simmered eggplant and okra in Test plot 3, mushroom udon noodles in Test plot 4, summer vegetable soup curry in Test plot 5, and onion soup in Test plot 6. First, the various dried ingredients listed in Tables 3 to 8 were produced or obtained. The methods for producing or obtaining the various dried ingredients were as described in Example 2. Ingredients not used in Example 2 were also produced as described below. Fresh shiitake mushrooms were sliced ​​to a size of 0.5 cm x 1.5 cm x 4 cm, boiled in boiling water for 5 minutes, and then frozen (Test plots 1 and 4). Commercially available frozen taro was obtained and cut into irregular pieces measuring approximately 2.5 cm x 1.5 cm x 4 cm. The pieces were boiled in boiling water for 15 minutes and then frozen (Test Areas 1 and 2). Raw green onions were cut diagonally into 0.5 cm x 1.5 cm x 4 cm pieces, boiled in boiling water for 3 minutes, and then frozen (Test Area 4). Raw shimeji mushrooms were loosened and pieces measuring approximately 1.5 cm x 1.5 cm x 2 cm were selected. The pieces were boiled in boiling water for 2 minutes and then frozen (Test Area 4). Raw maitake mushrooms were loosened and pieces measuring approximately 0.5 cm x 2.5 cm x 4 cm were selected. The pieces were boiled in boiling water for 3 minutes and then frozen (Test Area 4). Raw eggplant was cut into 1 cm x 4 cm x 4 cm slices, boiled in boiling water for 6 minutes, and then frozen (Test Area 5). Fresh red and yellow peppers were cut into strips measuring 1 cm x 1.5 cm x 6 cm, boiled in boiling water for 5 minutes, and then frozen (Test Group 5). Fresh zucchini was cut into ring slices measuring 1 cm x 3.5 cm x 3.5 cm, boiled in boiling water for 5 minutes, and then frozen (Test Group 5). Fresh onion was cut into strips measuring 0.3 cm x 1 cm x 8 cm, boiled in boiling water for 2 minutes, and then frozen (Test Group 6). Commercially available 0.1 cm thick sliced ​​bacon was obtained, cut into 1 cm x 4 cm strips, and then frozen (Test Group 6). The above various food ingredients were freeze-dried (FD) using the same method as in Example 1.The resulting large-sized dried ingredients were used to design various menus using the combinations shown in Tables 3 to 8, and were rehydrated using the same procedure as in Example 2. For the rehydration, the large-sized dried ingredients and appropriate amounts of the seasonings required for each menu were added to the container body of the present invention, and tap water was then poured into the container. The seasonings added were commercially available powdered udon soup stock for Test Groups 1 to 4, commercially available paste-like soup curry base for Test Group 5, and commercially available granular consommé for Test Group 6. After cooking in a microwave oven, each cooked product was subjected to sensory evaluation. For Test Groups 1 to 3, the water was drained appropriately after cooking before being subjected to sensory evaluation. For Test Groups 4 to 6, the ingredients were considered complete when immersed in the seasoning liquid after cooking. The sensory evaluation focused on the rehydration state of the ingredients and was conducted by three panelists familiar with texture, and the evaluation results were determined by consensus of all panelists. The condensation level was evaluated using symbols, with "◎" representing very good condensation, "○" representing some condensation, "△" representing little condensation, and "×" representing almost no condensation. Note that "◎-" represents a slightly poorer level than "◎". The evaluation results are shown in Tables 3 to 8.

[0040] [Table 3]

[0041] [Table 4]

[0042] [Table 5]

[0043] [Table 6]

[0044] [Table 7]

[0045]

Table 8

[0046] As shown in Tables 3 to 8, in the test 1, in which the taro and kelp were simmered, all of the large dried ingredients used were completely rehydrated, giving them an excellent texture similar to that of a long-time simmer. In particular, the shiitake mushrooms had a moderate elasticity and softness, and the taro and kelp had a creamy texture. The dashi stock was thoroughly infused into all of the ingredients, resulting in a highly refined dish that was hard to believe was a dried, instant food. In the test 2, in which the pumpkin and taro were simmered in a sweet and spicy sauce, all of the large dried ingredients used were completely rehydrated, giving them an excellent texture similar to that of a long-time simmer. Both the pumpkin and taro had a creamy texture, and the dashi stock was thoroughly infused into all of the ingredients, resulting in a highly refined dish that was hard to believe was a dried, instant food. In the test 3, in which the eggplant and okra were simmered in a soy sauce, all of the large dried ingredients used were completely rehydrated, giving them an excellent texture similar to that of a long-time simmer. Despite being particularly large and freeze-dried, both the eggplant and okra had an extremely creamy texture, and the broth permeated thoroughly into each ingredient, resulting in a highly refined dish that was hard to believe was a dried, instant food. In the mushroom udon (Test 4), all of the large dried ingredients used were completely rehydrated, imparting an excellent texture similar to that of a long-simmered dish. In particular, the shiitake, shiitake, and maitake mushrooms had just the right amount of elasticity and softness, the green onions had a creamy texture, the udon had a chewy texture similar to fresh noodles, and the pork belly had a flaky, falling-apart texture. The broth permeated thoroughly into each ingredient, resulting in a highly refined dish that was hard to believe was a dried, instant food. In the summer vegetable soup curry (Test 5), all of the large dried ingredients used were completely rehydrated, imparting an excellent texture similar to that of a long-simmered dish. In particular, the pumpkin, okra, eggplant, fried eggplant, red pepper, yellow pepper, and zucchini had a melt-in-your-mouth texture, and the pork belly had a tender texture that fell apart easily, and the flavor of the soup curry was thoroughly infused into each ingredient, resulting in a highly refined dish that was hard to believe was a dried, instant food.In the onion soup of test plot 6, all of the large dried ingredients used were completely rehydrated, giving it an excellent texture as if it had been simmered for a long time.In particular, the onions had a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture, and the bacon had a pleasant, chewy texture. The flavor of the consommé was thoroughly infused into both ingredients, resulting in a highly refined dish that was hard to believe was a dried instant food. As described above, the present invention has demonstrated that by combining any type of large dried ingredients having at least one side measuring 1 cm or more with seasonings, etc., it is possible to rehydrate and cook in a microwave oven in a short time, and to prepare a dish with an excellent texture similar to that of raw ingredients simmered for a long time. It has also been suggested that the present invention can provide an instant food that can prepare a dish with an excellent texture similar to that of raw ingredients simmered for a long time, by combining any type of large dried ingredients having at least one side measuring 1 cm or more with seasonings, etc. When preparing an instant food by combining large dried ingredients with seasonings, etc., the seasoning can be of any shape, physical properties, or flavor, and can be in any form as long as it is added to the container body together with the large dried ingredients and the poured liquid when cooking in a microwave oven. Therefore, it was shown that the present invention can be used to produce instant foods of any menu and can be widely applied regardless of the type of cuisine. [Industrial Applicability]

[0047] INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can provide an instant food product that can cook large dried ingredients to give them an excellent texture similar to that of raw ingredients simmered for a long time, and is therefore extremely useful in the food industry.

Claims

1. a container body (1) that is microwave-heat resistant and microwave-transparent; an inner lid (2) that is microwave-heat resistant and microwave-transparent, has a depth of 10% to 90% of the depth of the container body (1), and has holes for steam discharge on the side and / or bottom; The instant food product (3) is a dried food material having a size of at least 1 cm on at least one side and containing one or more of the dried food materials that float on water; A mark indicating the liquid level when pouring water is provided on the inner side surface of the container body (1) at a height corresponding to or above the bottom surface of the inner lid (2) when the inner lid (2) is set on the container body (1), and The instant food (3) is placed in the container body (1), water is poured into the container body (1) up to a mark indicating the liquid level when pouring, which is marked on the inside side of the container body (1), and then the instant food is cooked in a microwave oven with the empty inner lid (2) set on the container body (1). Ready-to-eat food in a container for microwave cooking.

2. 2. The instant food product according to claim 1, wherein the dried food material is a food material produced by freeze-drying, air-drying, or frying.

3. 3. The instant food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the dried food ingredients are one or more selected from the group consisting of vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, eggs, mushrooms, meat, seafood, seaweed, noodles, water-based paste products, processed meat products, processed bean products, processed egg products, processed dairy products, processed rice products, processed glutinous rice products, processed wheat products, and processed starch products.

4. 3. The instant food according to claim 1, wherein the dried food material has a size of at least one side of 2 cm or more and floats on water.

5. a container body (1) that is microwave-heat resistant and microwave-transparent; an inner lid (2) that is microwave-heat resistant and microwave-transparent, has a depth of 10% to 90% of the depth of the container body (1), and has holes for steam discharge on the side and / or bottom; The instant food product (3) is a dried food material, at least one side of which has a size of 1 cm or more, and contains one or more of the dried food materials that float on water; and A method for rehydrating and cooking instant food with excellent texture, which involves cooking instant food in a microwave oven cooking container in which a mark indicating the liquid level when pouring water is provided on the inside side of the container body (1) at a height equivalent to or higher than the bottom of the inner lid (2) when the inner lid (2) is set on the container body (1), A step of placing an instant food (3) into a container body (1); A step of pouring water up to a mark indicating the liquid level when pouring, which is attached to the inner side surface of the container body (1); The method includes a step of placing the empty container body (2) in the container body (1) and cooking the food in a microwave oven. The method for rehydrating and cooking the instant food with excellent texture is as follows.

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