Method for producing egg yolk composition

Abstract

To provide a technology for producing an egg yolk composition with low fluidity and physical properties suitable for processing ingredients and the like.SOLUTION: A method for producing an egg yolk composition comprises a heating step in which an egg yolk liquid in a container, mainly containing egg yolk, is heated by showering with hot water.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing an egg yolk composition, and to an egg yolk composition. [Background technology]

[0002] Processed egg yolks with added flavors and viscosity have been developed and are widely used as sauces and ingredients. Patent Document 1 describes a method for producing a pressurized egg yolk gel for ingredients, in which an egg yolk composition is prepared by adding a seasoning to egg yolk and stirring it, and then subjected to ultra-high pressure processing and freezing. Patent Document 2 describes a method for producing a processed egg yolk composition, which includes the steps of heating and freezing an egg yolk slurry containing egg yolk and ethanol. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-038287 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-187265 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The egg yolk compositions according to the above-mentioned prior art require separate pressurization or freezing treatment to increase the viscosity of the egg yolk. Furthermore, the resulting egg yolk compositions do not have a very high viscosity, and are prone to dripping when used as a filling for rice balls or the like.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for producing an egg yolk composition that has low fluidity and physical properties suitable for processing ingredients and the like. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention for solving the above problems and its preferred embodiments are as follows. [1] A method for producing an egg yolk composition, comprising a heating step of heating a container-containing egg yolk liquid mainly containing egg yolk by showering it with hot water. According to the present invention, an egg yolk composition having low fluidity and physical properties suitable for processing ingredients and the like can be produced.

[0007] [2] The method for producing the egg yolk composition according to [1], further comprising a cooling step of performing a cooling treatment after the heating step. By using the above-mentioned form, an egg yolk composition having appropriate viscoelasticity can be obtained.

[0008] [3] The method for producing an egg yolk composition according to [1] or [2], wherein the egg yolk composition has a hardness of 0.5 N or more as measured using a creep meter according to the following measurement method. (Measurement method) The egg yolk composition at a product temperature of 25°C is filled into a container having a diameter of 40 mm and a height of 15 mm, and the maximum load (N) when a cylindrical plunger having a diameter of 16 mm is inserted 10 mm at a speed of 1 mm / s is taken as the hardness. According to the above embodiment of the present invention, the obtained egg yolk composition is characterized by low fluidity and low dripping.

[0009] [4] The method for producing an egg yolk composition according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the egg yolk content of the container-packed egg yolk liquid is 90% by mass or more in terms of fresh egg yolk.

[0010] [5] The method for producing an egg yolk composition according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the egg yolk composition is a packaged egg yolk composition sealed in a container, and the mass of the packaged egg yolk composition excluding the mass of the container is 300 g or more. According to this embodiment, egg yolk composition with a mass of 300 g or more per container can be produced, and large volumes of containerized egg yolk composition can be produced simply and efficiently.

[0011] [6] The method for producing an egg yolk composition according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the heating step comprises a first heating step in which the temperature is raised to a maximum temperature at a rate of 4°C / min or less, and a second heating step in which the temperature is maintained at the maximum temperature for 15 to 30 minutes. By using such a form, the egg yolk can be uniformly heat-denatured, and a homogeneous egg yolk composition with reduced dripping can be obtained.

[0012] [7] The method for producing an egg yolk composition according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the egg yolk liquid is substantially free of a gelling agent and ethanol. In this embodiment of the present invention, an egg yolk composition can be obtained that contains a small amount of additives such as gelling agents or is substantially free of such additives.

[0013] [8] An egg yolk composition containing mainly egg yolk, having a hardness of 0.5 N or more as measured using a creep meter according to the following measurement method. (Measurement method) The egg yolk composition at a product temperature of 25°C is filled into a container having a diameter of 40 mm and a height of 15 mm, and the maximum load (N) when a cylindrical plunger having a diameter of 16 mm is inserted 10 mm at a speed of 1 mm / s is taken as the hardness. The present invention as described above is a composition having low fluidity and suppressed dripping.

[0014] [9] The egg yolk composition according to [8], which is a container-packed egg yolk composition sealed in a container.

[0015]

[10] The egg yolk composition according to [8] or [9], which contains 90% or more by mass of the egg yolk in terms of raw material. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, an egg yolk composition having low fluidity and physical properties suitable for processing ingredients and the like can be produced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a process diagram showing steps in a method for producing an egg yolk composition according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a photograph showing the state of a containerized egg yolk composition after a cooling step in Test Example 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The egg yolk composition and the method for producing the egg yolk composition of the present invention will be described below, but the present invention is not limited to the following preferred embodiments and can be freely modified within the scope of the present invention.

[0019] <Method of producing egg yolk composition> The method for producing an egg yolk composition of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as the production method of the present invention) includes a heating step of heating a container-placed egg yolk liquid that mainly contains egg yolk by showering it with hot water. A preferred embodiment of the production method of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1 , in one embodiment, the production method of the present invention includes a preparation step S1 of preparing an egg yolk liquid containing mainly egg yolk, an encapsulation step S2 of encapsulating the egg yolk liquid in a container, a heating step S3 of heating the container-encapsulated egg yolk liquid by showering it with hot water, and a cooling step S4 of performing a cooling treatment after the heating step S3. Each step will be described in detail below.

[0021] (1) Preparation process S1 The preparation step S1 is a step of obtaining an egg yolk liquid that mainly contains egg yolk.

[0022] Egg yolk liquid is a liquid composition that primarily contains egg yolk. In the present invention, the phrase "mainly containing egg yolk" refers to a case where the egg yolk content (in terms of raw mass) is the highest among the ingredients constituting the egg yolk liquid (i.e., egg yolk composition). Specific examples of such cases include cases where the egg yolk liquid is composed solely of liquid egg yolk.

[0023] In the present invention, the egg yolk liquid may be an egg yolk slurry.

[0024] The egg yolk content in the egg yolk liquid is preferably 80% by mass or more, more preferably 85% by mass or more, more preferably 90% by mass or more, more preferably 92% by mass or more, more preferably 95% by mass or more, and even more preferably 98% by mass or more, calculated on a raw basis.

[0025] The egg yolk used in the egg yolk liquid is preferably an edible avian egg, such as a chicken, quail, or duck. In the present invention, it is preferable to use a chicken egg. Specifically, a chicken egg obtained by cracking an egg and separating the egg white (raw egg yolk), a sterilized liquid egg yolk, a frozen egg yolk, a powdered egg yolk, or a product thereof reconstituted with water, or an egg yolk treated with an enzyme such as lipase can be used. In the present invention, it is preferable to use a raw egg yolk or a sterilized liquid egg yolk.

[0026] The egg yolk liquid may contain additives other than egg yolk, such as seasonings, shelf-life enhancers such as sodium acetate and glycine, preservatives, pH adjusters, and bacteriostatic agents. The seasoning to be added may be any one or a mixture of two or more of any ingredients, such as miso, soy sauce, mirin, salt, dashi, acidulants such as citric acid, acetic acid, malic acid, edible oils and fats such as soybean oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, palm oil, egg yolk oil, umami seasonings such as sodium glutamate, amino acids, etc.

[0027] In one embodiment, the egg yolk liquid preferably contains 1% by mass or less of a gelling agent, more preferably 0.1% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.01% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.001% by mass or less, and particularly preferably is substantially free of a gelling agent, such as calcium-reactive gelling agents such as alginate, low-methoxyl pectin, and kappa-carrageenan. In one embodiment, the egg yolk liquid preferably contains 1% by mass or less of ethanol, more preferably 0.1% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.01% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.001% by mass or less, and it is particularly preferable that the egg yolk liquid contains substantially no ethanol. In one embodiment, the total content of gelling agent and ethanol in the egg yolk liquid is preferably 1% by mass or less, more preferably 0.1% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.01% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.001% by mass or less, and it is particularly preferable that the egg yolk liquid is substantially free of gelling agent and ethanol. According to the production method of the present invention, an egg yolk composition that has low fluidity and is less prone to dripping can be produced without containing the above-mentioned additives, and therefore, the production method of the present invention can provide an egg yolk composition that contains fewer additives and has a high egg yolk content.

[0028] In the present invention, the term "substantially free" means that the above-mentioned components, such as gelling agents and ethanol, are not actively added to the egg yolk liquid when the egg yolk composition is produced, and includes cases where such components are inevitably mixed in during the production of the egg yolk composition, such as when they are contained in trace amounts in the raw materials used to produce the egg yolk composition.

[0029] The egg yolk liquid can be obtained by adding egg yolk (preferably liquid egg) and any additives and stirring with a stirrer. In the preparation step S1, the raw materials are preferably stirred so that the rotation speed of the stirring blade is preferably 200 rpm or less, more preferably 150 rpm or less, even more preferably 120 rpm or less, specifically 50 to 200 rpm, more preferably 100 to 200 rpm. By using such a form, it is possible to obtain a uniform and smooth egg yolk liquid that does not contain air bubbles.

[0030] (2) Encapsulation process S2 The encapsulation step S2 is a step of encapsulating the egg yolk liquid obtained in the preparation step S1 in a container. In the encapsulation step S2, the egg yolk liquid is preferably encapsulated in a container so as to be liquid-tight, and more preferably the egg yolk liquid is sealed in an airtight container.

[0031] The container used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and any material such as hard plastic or soft plastic can be used, but it is preferable to use soft plastic. In the present invention, it is preferable to use a nylon plastic bag as the container. Specifically, the material of the container is more preferably a nylon laminate film, even more preferably a nylon / polyethylene film, and even more preferably an ONY (biaxially oriented nylon film) / LLDPE (linear low-density polyethylene) film. By using a container of this type, heat is conducted uniformly during the heating step, and a more homogeneous egg yolk composition can be obtained.

[0032] The means for bonding the containers is not particularly limited, and bonding with an adhesive or heat sealing can be used.

[0033] (3)Heating process S3 The heating step S3 is a step of heating the container-containing egg yolk liquid by showering it with hot water. Heating by showering allows the denaturation of the egg yolk to proceed uniformly, making it possible to easily produce an egg yolk composition that has been denatured to a desired viscosity. Furthermore, since the egg yolk liquid is heated in the container, there is no need to separately dispense the obtained egg yolk composition, and an egg yolk composition in an individually packaged container can be easily obtained.

[0034] The heating temperature in the heating step S3 can be changed as appropriate, taking into consideration the type of equipment used, etc. In one embodiment, the lower limit of the heating temperature can be preferably 65°C or higher, more preferably 66°C or higher. The upper limit of the heating temperature can be preferably 70°C or lower, more preferably 68°C or lower. The heating temperature can be adjusted within a range of preferably 65 to 70°C, more preferably 66 to 68°C. In the present invention, the heating temperature refers to the ambient temperature. Specifically, the heating temperature refers to the temperature inside the heating device, i.e., the set temperature of the heating device.

[0035] The heating time in heating step S3 can also be adjusted appropriately, with the lower limit being preferably 20 minutes or more, more preferably 30 minutes or more, and even more preferably 40 minutes or more. The upper limit being preferably 60 minutes or less, more preferably 50 minutes or less, and even more preferably 45 minutes or less. The heating time range is preferably 20 to 60 minutes, more preferably 30 to 50 minutes, and even more preferably 40 to 45 minutes. By making it into such a form, it is possible to obtain an egg yolk composition that has been heat-denatured to a desired hardness.

[0036] The heating time in the heating step S3 is the time from when the temperature starts to increase until when the temperature starts to decrease.

[0037] The heating step S3 preferably includes a first heating step S31 in which the temperature is raised to a maximum temperature, and a second heating step S32 in which the temperature is maintained at the maximum temperature. By making it into such a form, the egg yolk can be uniformly heat-denatured.

[0038] The rate of temperature increase in the primary heating step S31 is preferably 4° C. / min or less, more preferably 3° C. / min or less, and even more preferably 2° C. / min or less. Specifically, the rate of temperature increase in the primary heating step is preferably 0.5 to 4° C. / min, more preferably 0.8 to 3° C. / min, and even more preferably 1 to 2° C. / min. By using the above-mentioned temperature increase rate, the egg yolk can be uniformly heat-denatured, and a more homogeneous egg yolk composition with reduced dripping can be obtained. In the present invention, the rate of temperature rise refers to the rate of rise in the ambient temperature, specifically, the rate of temperature rise refers to the rate of rise in the temperature inside the heating device.

[0039] The heating time in the primary heating step S31 is preferably 15 minutes or more, more preferably 20 minutes or more, and even more preferably 22 minutes or more. The heating time in the primary heating step S31 is preferably 30 minutes or less, more preferably 28 minutes or less, and even more preferably 26 minutes or less. The heating time in the primary heating step S31 is preferably 15 to 30 minutes, more preferably 20 to 28 minutes, and even more preferably 22 to 26 minutes. By using the heating time described above, the egg yolk can be appropriately thermally denatured, and an egg yolk composition with physical properties suitable for use as an ingredient can be obtained.

[0040] The heating time in the primary heating step S31 is the time from when the temperature starts to increase until the maximum temperature is reached.

[0041] The lower limit of the maximum temperature in the heating step S3 is preferably 67° C. or higher, more preferably 68° C. or higher. The upper limit of the maximum temperature is preferably 70° C. or lower, even more preferably 69° C. The range of the maximum temperature is preferably 67 to 70° C., even more preferably 68 to 69° C. By using the above maximum temperature, the egg yolk can be thermally denatured to the desired hardness. In the present invention, the maximum temperature refers to the ambient temperature, that is, the temperature inside the heating device.

[0042] The lower limit of the heating time in the secondary heating step S32 is preferably 10 minutes or more, more preferably 15 minutes or more, and even more preferably 18 minutes or more. The upper limit of the heating time in the secondary heating step S32 is preferably 30 minutes or less, more preferably 28 minutes or less, and even more preferably 25 minutes or less. The heating time in the secondary heating step S32 is preferably in the range of 10 to 30 minutes, more preferably 15 to 28 minutes, and even more preferably 18 to 25 minutes. By using the heating time described above, the egg yolk can be appropriately thermally denatured, and an egg yolk composition suitable for use as an ingredient can be obtained.

[0043] The heating time in the secondary heating step S32 is the time during which the maximum temperature is maintained.

[0044] (4) Cooling process S4 The cooling step S4 is a step of carrying out a cooling treatment after the heating step S3. By including the cooling step S4, an egg yolk composition having appropriate viscoelasticity can be obtained. The cooling method is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include natural cooling, refrigerated cooling, water cooling, etc. In the present invention, it is preferable to cool by showering with cooling water.

[0045] In the cooling step S4, it is preferable to perform the cooling treatment for the entire container.

[0046] The cooling step S4 preferably comprises a step of cooling to 25° C. or less, more preferably 23° C. or less, and even more preferably 20° C. or less. In one embodiment, the cooling step S4 preferably comprises a step of cooling to 15° C. or less, more preferably 13° C. or less, and even more preferably 10° C. or less. The lower limit of the cooling temperature is not particularly limited, but is preferably a temperature at which the resulting egg yolk composition does not freeze, for example, 3° C. or higher, or 4° C. or higher. In the present invention, the cooling temperature refers to the ambient temperature. Specifically, the cooling temperature refers to the temperature inside the refrigerator, i.e., the set temperature of the refrigerator.

[0047] The cooling time in the cooling step S4 is not particularly limited, but the lower limit of the cooling temperature is preferably 30 minutes or more, more preferably 40 minutes or more, even more preferably 45 minutes or more, and even more preferably 60 minutes or more. The cooling time in the cooling step S4 is the total cooling time from the start of the temperature drop after the heating step S3.

[0048] The cooling step S4 preferably includes a primary cooling step S41 in which the temperature is gradually lowered and maintained at a primary cooling temperature, and a secondary cooling step S42 in which the temperature is maintained at a secondary cooling temperature lower than the primary cooling temperature.

[0049] The lower limit of the cooling time in the primary cooling step S41 is preferably 20 minutes or more, more preferably 30 minutes or more, and even more preferably 40 minutes or more. The upper limit of the cooling time in the primary cooling step S41 is preferably 75 minutes or less, more preferably 60 minutes or less, preferably 55 minutes or less, more preferably 50 minutes or less, and even more preferably 48 minutes or less. The range of the cooling time in the primary cooling step S41 is preferably 20 to 75 minutes, more preferably 20 to 60 minutes, more preferably 20 to 55 minutes, more preferably 30 to 50 minutes, and even more preferably 40 to 48 minutes. By using the cooling time described above, the viscoelasticity of the egg yolk composition can be increased.

[0050] The cooling time in the primary cooling step S41 is the time from when the temperature drop starts until the temperature is maintained at the primary cooling temperature.

[0051] The upper limit of the rate of temperature drop in the primary cooling step S41 is preferably 3° C. / min or less, more preferably 2° C. / min or less, and even more preferably 1.5° C. / min or less. Specifically, the rate of temperature drop in the primary cooling step S41 is preferably 0.3 to 3° C. / min, more preferably 0.5 to 2° C. / min, and even more preferably 0.8 to 1.5° C. / min. By using the above-mentioned temperature drop rate, an egg yolk composition with physical properties that are less prone to dripping can be obtained. In the present invention, the rate of temperature drop refers to the rate of drop in the ambient temperature, specifically, the rate of temperature drop in the heating device.

[0052] In the primary cooling step S41, the time required to lower the temperature to the primary cooling temperature (temperature drop time) is preferably 15 minutes or longer, more preferably 20 minutes or longer, and even more preferably 30 minutes or longer. The temperature drop time is preferably 45 minutes or shorter, more preferably 40 minutes or shorter, and even more preferably 38 minutes or shorter. The temperature drop time is preferably 15 to 45 minutes, more preferably 20 to 40 minutes, and even more preferably 30 to 38 minutes. By using the above-mentioned form, an egg yolk composition with physical properties that are less prone to dripping can be obtained.

[0053] The primary cooling temperature in the primary cooling step S41 is preferably 16°C or higher, more preferably 17°C or higher, and even more preferably 18°C ​​or higher. The primary cooling temperature is preferably 25°C or lower, more preferably 23°C or lower, and even more preferably 22°C or lower. The primary cooling temperature is preferably 16 to 25°C, more preferably 17 to 23°C, and even more preferably 18 to 22°C. By using the primary cooling temperature as described above, an egg yolk composition with physical properties that are less prone to dripping can be obtained.

[0054] The lower limit of the time for which the primary cooling temperature is maintained in the primary cooling step S41 (maintenance time at the primary cooling temperature) is preferably 5 minutes or more, more preferably 10 minutes or more, and even more preferably 13 minutes or more. The upper limit of the maintenance time at the primary cooling temperature is preferably 30 minutes or less, more preferably 25 minutes or less, and even more preferably 20 minutes or less. The maintenance time at the primary cooling temperature is preferably in the range of 5 to 30 minutes, more preferably 10 to 25 minutes, and even more preferably 13 to 20 minutes. By maintaining the primary cooling temperature for the above-described period, it is possible to obtain an egg yolk composition with physical properties that are less prone to dripping.

[0055] In the secondary cooling step S42, after the primary cooling step S41, the temperature is cooled to a temperature (secondary cooling temperature) lower than the primary cooling temperature. The secondary cooling temperature is preferably 15°C or lower, more preferably 13°C or lower, even more preferably 10°C or lower, and even more preferably 8°C or lower. There are no particular restrictions on the lower limit of the secondary cooling temperature, but it is preferably 3°C or higher, and more preferably 4°C or higher. Specifically, the secondary cooling temperature is preferably 3 to 15°C, more preferably 4 to 13°C, and even more preferably 4 to 8°C. By using the above secondary cooling temperature, an egg yolk composition with physical properties that are less prone to dripping can be obtained.

[0056] The cooling time in the secondary cooling step S42 is preferably 15 minutes or longer, more preferably 20 minutes or longer, and even more preferably 30 minutes or longer. In one embodiment, the cooling time may be preferably 50 minutes or longer, more preferably 65 minutes or longer, even more preferably 75 minutes or longer, and even more preferably 80 minutes or longer. The cooling time range is preferably 15 to 200 minutes, more preferably 20 to 180 minutes, even more preferably 30 to 150 minutes, even more preferably 50 to 130 minutes, even more preferably 80 to 120 minutes, even more preferably 75 to 100 minutes, and even more preferably 60 to 95 minutes. By using the cooling time described above, an egg yolk composition with physical properties that are less prone to dripping can be obtained.

[0057] The cooling time in the secondary cooling step S42 is the total cooling time from the start of cooling at the secondary cooling temperature.

[0058] In one embodiment, the production method of the present invention may be configured such that pressure treatment is not performed in the heating step S3. Also, in one embodiment, the production method may be configured such that the step of freezing the raw materials is not included. The freezing step may include freezing the raw materials at 0°C or below, for example, at -10°C or below. According to this type of production method of the present invention, an egg yolk composition that has low fluidity and is less likely to drip, and is excellent for use as an ingredient, can be produced in a simpler manner without using an apparatus for pressurization, freezing, or the like.

[0059] <Egg yolk composition> The egg yolk composition of the present invention is a partially gelled, paste-like composition. The egg yolk composition of the present invention is preferably an egg yolk composition obtained by the production method of the present invention. Furthermore, the egg yolk composition of the present invention is preferably a container-packaged egg yolk composition sealed in a sealed container. A preferred form of the component composition of the egg yolk composition of the present invention is as described above for the egg yolk liquid in <Method for producing egg yolk composition>. The preferred form of the container is also as described above.

[0060] In one embodiment, the egg yolk composition of the present invention preferably contains a gelling agent in an amount of 1% by mass or less, more preferably 0.1% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.01% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.001% by mass or less, and is particularly preferably substantially free of a gelling agent. Examples of such gelling agents include calcium-reactive gelling agents such as alginate, low-methoxyl pectin, and kappa-carrageenan. Furthermore, the egg yolk composition of the present invention preferably contains ethanol at a content of 1% by mass or less, more preferably 0.1% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.01% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.001% by mass or less, and it is particularly preferred that the composition is substantially free of ethanol. Furthermore, the total content of gelling agent and ethanol in the egg yolk composition of the present invention is preferably 1% by mass or less, more preferably 0.1% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.01% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.001% by mass or less, and it is particularly preferable that the egg yolk composition is substantially free of gelling agent and ethanol.

[0061] In one embodiment, the mass of the packaged egg yolk composition, excluding the mass of the sealed container, is preferably 300 g or more, more preferably 400 g or more, even more preferably 450 g or more, and even more preferably 500 g or more. Specifically, the mass of the packaged egg yolk composition, excluding the mass of the container, is preferably 300 to 1000 g, more preferably 400 to 800 g, even more preferably 450 to 600 g, and even more preferably 500 to 600 g. According to the production method of the present invention, a packaged egg yolk composition can be produced simply and efficiently.

[0062] The egg yolk composition of the present invention preferably has a hardness of 0.5 N or more, more preferably 0.53 N or more, and even more preferably 0.55 N or more, measured using a creep meter according to the following measurement method. The egg yolk composition in the above form has low fluidity and is less likely to drip, making it excellent for use as a filling material. (Measurement method) The egg yolk composition at a product temperature of 25°C is filled into a container having a diameter of 40 mm and a height of 15 mm, and the maximum load (N) when a cylindrical plunger having a diameter of 16 mm is inserted 10 mm at a speed of 1 mm / s is taken as the hardness. The creep meter used in the above measurement method can be manufactured by Yamaden Co., Ltd. (model number: RE2-33005C).

[0063] The hardness of the egg yolk composition is preferably 1.0 N or less, more preferably 0.9 N or less, even more preferably 0.8 N or less, and even more preferably 0.7 N or less. The hardness of the egg yolk composition is preferably 0.5 to 1.0N, more preferably 0.53 to 0.8N, and even more preferably 0.55 to 0.7N. The egg yolk composition in the above form has appropriate viscoelasticity and is excellent in usability as an ingredient.

[0064] From the viewpoint of correctly evaluating the physical properties of the container-packed egg yolk composition, the hardness of the egg yolk composition is preferably the average value of hardness measured multiple times, and more preferably the average value of hardness measured 10 times.

[0065] The egg yolk composition of the present invention can be distributed and stored chilled (0 to 15°C).

[0066] The egg yolk composition of the present invention can be processed into ingredients for use, for example, as an ingredient for cooked rice, particularly rice balls, bread, noodles, etc. [Example]

[0067] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0068] <Production Example 1> 95% by mass of unsterilized filtered egg yolk, 3% by mass of seasoning liquid, and 2% by mass of bacteriostatic agent (sodium acetate, glycine, and glacial acetic acid preparation) were mixed with a stirring blade at a stirring speed of 110 rpm for 30 seconds, and the resulting egg yolk liquid was then filled into nylon plastic bags in amounts of 500 g each and sealed. The egg yolk liquid was heated and cooled in the sealed bag using a shower-type retort heating machine under the following temperature conditions (without pressure treatment): Heating and cooling were carried out by showering with hot water or cold water. [Heating / cooling conditions] Heat to 68°C over 25 minutes (first heating step) -Hold at 68℃ for 20 minutes (secondary heating process) The temperature is lowered to 20°C over 30 minutes and then held at 20°C for 15 minutes (primary cooling process). - Maintain temperature below 8℃ for 90 minutes (secondary cooling process)

[0069] The obtained egg yolk composition had low fluidity and was prevented from dripping when used as a filling for rice balls or the like.

[0070] <Test Example 1> 98% by mass of unsterilized filtered egg yolk and 2% by mass of a bacteriostatic agent (a sodium acetate-glycine-glacial acetic acid preparation) were mixed by stirring in the same manner as in Production Example 1 above, and the resulting egg yolk liquid was filled into nylon plastic bags in 500 g portions and sealed.

[0071] The obtained bagged egg yolk liquid was heated and cooled under the following conditions to obtain an egg yolk composition. Example 1 Heating and cooling were carried out under the same conditions as in Production Example 1 using a shower-type retort sterilizer. Comparison Example 1 Using a boiling heater, the mixture was heated at 70°C for 20 minutes, and then cooled at 10°C or below for 30 minutes.

[0072] The hardness of the obtained egg yolk compositions of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 was measured using a creep meter (manufactured by Yamaden Co., Ltd., RE2-33005C) according to the following measurement method. (Measurement method) The egg yolk composition at a product temperature of 25°C was filled into a container having a diameter of 40 mm and a height of 15 mm, and the maximum load (N) when a cylindrical plunger having a diameter of 16 mm was inserted 10 mm at a speed of 1 mm / s was recorded as the hardness.

[0073] The hardness measurements were performed on two bags each (n=2) for Example 1 and Comparative Example 1. The egg yolk composition was replaced 10 times per bag and the hardness (N) was measured. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0074] [Table 1]

[0075] As shown in Table 1, the average measured hardness was higher for shower heating than for boiling heating. Furthermore, the hardness difference for shower heating was within the average range of 73-123%, while for boiling heating it was 55-148%. In other words, it was found that with boiling heating, the egg yolk denatured unevenly within the bag, resulting in large variations in the progress of gelation. In addition, the difference in average hardness between the two samples was 0.05 for shower heating and 0.14 for boiling heating, meaning that shower heating was less likely to result in a difference in hardness.

[0076] The egg yolk compositions of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 were so viscous that it was impossible to measure the viscosity using a B-type viscometer.

[0077] Figure 2 shows the state of the egg yolk composition in the container after cooling; the right side shows the state after a slit has been made in the bag, and the left side shows the state after the egg yolk composition has been squeezed out of the bag. In the case of shower heating, the egg yolk composition in the bag was uniformly denatured, and even when a slit was made in the bag, the egg yolk composition did not flow out. On the other hand, in the case of boiling heating, the egg yolk composition was not uniformly denatured; partial gelation due to denaturation occurred at the periphery of the bag, but no denaturation occurred in the center, and when the bag was opened, some of the egg yolk composition flowed out.

[0078] From the above, it was revealed that shower heating can heat the egg yolk liquid more uniformly than boiling heating, and the resulting egg yolk composition has less variation within the container and is more homogeneous. Furthermore, it was found that the egg yolk composition obtained by shower heating has a hardness of 0.5 N or more, which is a hardness that is more suitable for egg yolk compositions used as ingredients. [Industrial Applicability]

[0079] The present invention can be applied to the production of processed egg yolk foods. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] S1 Preparation process S2 Encapsulation process S3 heating process S31 Primary heating process S32 Secondary heating process S4 Cooling process S41 Primary cooling process S42 Secondary cooling process

Claims

1. The method for producing an egg yolk composition includes a heating step of heating a container-contained egg yolk liquid mainly containing egg yolk by showering it with hot water.

2. The method for producing an egg yolk composition according to claim 1 , further comprising a cooling step of performing a cooling treatment after the heating step.

3. 2. The method for producing an egg yolk composition according to claim 1, wherein the egg yolk composition has a hardness of 0.5 N or more as measured using a creep meter according to the following measurement method. (Measurement method) The egg yolk composition at a product temperature of 25°C is filled into a container having a diameter of 40 mm and a height of 15 mm, and the maximum load (N) when a cylindrical plunger having a diameter of 16 mm is inserted 10 mm at a speed of 1 mm / s is defined as the hardness.

4. 2. The method for producing an egg yolk composition according to claim 1, wherein the egg yolk content of the container-containing egg yolk liquid is 90% by mass or more in terms of fresh egg yolk.

5. The egg yolk composition is a container-packed egg yolk composition sealed in a container, 5. The method for producing an egg yolk composition according to claim 1, wherein the mass of the container-packed egg yolk composition excluding the mass of the container is 300 g or more.

6. 5. The method for producing an egg yolk composition according to claim 1, wherein the heating step comprises a first heating step in which the temperature is raised to a maximum temperature at a rate of 4°C / min or less, and a second heating step in which the temperature is maintained at the maximum temperature for 15 to 30 minutes.

7. 5. The method for producing an egg yolk composition according to claim 1, wherein the egg yolk liquid is substantially free of a gelling agent and ethanol.

8. An egg yolk composition comprising mainly egg yolk, the hardness of which is 0.5 N or more as measured using a creep meter according to the following measurement method. (Measurement method) The egg yolk composition at a product temperature of 25°C is filled into a container having a diameter of 40 mm and a height of 15 mm, and the maximum load (N) when a cylindrical plunger having a diameter of 16 mm is inserted 10 mm at a speed of 1 mm / s is defined as the hardness.

9. The egg yolk composition according to claim 8, which is a container-packaged egg yolk composition sealed in a container.

10. The egg yolk composition according to claim 8 or 9, comprising 90% by mass or more of the egg yolk in terms of raw material.

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