Method for preparation of instant food having improved taste, nutritional value, and texture

Abstract

To provide a method for preparing instant foods made from solid raw materials vulnerable to microbial contamination and liquid sauces difficult to sterilize, such that sufficient sterilization reduces the numbers of microorganisms in the solid and liquid sauces below a standard value, while ensuring that sterilization does not impair the quality of the liquid sauces.SOLUTION: An aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for preparing instant foods, the method comprising: filling solid raw materials into a container; sterilizing the solid raw materials filled in the container with pressurized steam in a vacuum state; liquid-sterilizing liquid sauces by spraying steam directly on the liquid sauces; adding the sterilized sauces to the sterilized raw materials; sealing the container added with the sterilized sauces; and heating the sealed container at a temperature of 90°C to 125°C for 10 to 25 minutes.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present application relates to a method for producing an instant food product and the instant food product produced thereby. [Background technology]

[0002] Instant foods, which do not require the user to prepare ingredients directly or to cook them precisely and skillfully according to a recipe, offer the advantage of being convenient, requiring little time and effort before consumption. As the number of households that prepare their own meals gradually declines and single-person households increase, the demand for instant foods that can be easily prepared and consumed is also increasing, and various foods are being manufactured in the form of instant foods and sold on the market. However, because instant foods must be distributed in a semi-cooked state for a relatively long period of time, they are prone to spoilage, and special care must be taken to sterilize them during their manufacture. In particular, as the types of foods manufactured in the form of instant foods become more diverse, using various ingredients or adding liquid sauces, the possibility of microbial contamination is gradually increasing, and there is a growing need for instant foods that address this issue and offer high quality.

[0003] Instant foods are sold pre-cooked, allowing consumers to eat them immediately after purchase and enjoy high-quality rice with a simple cooking process using a microwave or other device. However, for instant foods that are distributed over long periods and stored at room temperature, there is a strong need to control microbial contamination through sufficient sterilization. If excessive sterilization conditions are applied to sterilize instant foods, the quality of the original ingredients may be damaged or deteriorated. Therefore, achieving sterilization effects while maintaining the quality of the original ingredients is an important issue to be resolved in the instant food or instant rice field.

[0004] Addressing these issues is particularly important for instant foods that use ingredients that are high in moisture or susceptible to microbial contamination. When ingredients that are high in moisture or susceptible to microbial contamination are used, sterilization is difficult and sterilization significantly reduces the quality, making sterilization and quality control particularly important. In the case of commercially available mixed rice in the form of instant rice or instant foods containing a large number of ingredients, the use of ingredients that are susceptible to microbial contamination often results in significantly reduced rice quality and a poor texture and taste, even if sterilization conditions are met. Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2015-0105819 discloses a method for producing aseptically packaged instant medicinal food containing nuts and seeds. However, the method discloses a method in which the ingredients are mixed, the medicinal food is first cooked, and then heated at a high temperature to sterilize and package the mixture. This method does not take into consideration the issue of rice quality degradation due to sterilization. Recently, the market for convenience foods has been gradually growing, and as the demand for various types of instant foods other than the existing white rice has increased, the need for and the need to develop instant foods with quality similar to that of foods cooked directly at home or in restaurants have also increased. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2015-0105819 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present application aims to provide a method for producing instant food using solid raw materials that are vulnerable to microbial contamination and liquid sauce that is difficult to sterilize, in which the number of microorganisms in the solid liquid sauce can be reduced to a standard value or less by sufficient sterilization, and the quality of the liquid sauce can be prevented from being damaged by sterilization.

[0007] Another object of the present application is to provide an instant food product of excellent quality that contains microorganisms below the standard value due to sufficient sterilization, and that has the taste, nutrition, texture, etc. of kamameshi. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One aspect of the present application provides a method for producing an instant food, including the steps of filling a container with solid ingredients, sterilizing the solid ingredients filled in the container with pressurized steam under a vacuum, sterilizing a liquid sauce by directly injecting steam into the liquid sauce, adding the sterilized sauce to the sterilized ingredients, sealing the container to which the sterilized sauce has been added, and heating the sealed container at a temperature of 90°C to 125°C for 10 to 25 minutes.

[0009] Another aspect of the present application provides an instant food product produced by the instant food product production method.

[0010] The present application will be described in detail below.

[0011] 1. Manufacturing method of instant food In the present application, the term "instant food" refers to a processed food in a semi-cooked or cooked state that can be consumed after a simple cooking process or immediately consumed without cooking. The instant food may be distributed at room temperature, refrigerated, or frozen, and more specifically, may be for distribution at room temperature.

[0012] The instant food may include a liquid sauce and may be at least one selected from the group consisting of instant rice, soups, porridges, and single dishes, but is not limited thereto. The soups may be, for example, cream soup, vegetable soup, tomato soup, corn soup, mushroom soup, etc., but are not limited thereto. The porridges may be, for example, bracken porridge, burnt rice porridge, five-grain porridge, vegetable porridge, mushroom porridge, seafood porridge, red bean porridge, pumpkin porridge, etc., but are not limited thereto. The single dishes refer to a dish or food in which a main ingredient and a secondary ingredient are combined together in a single form, for example, rice as the main ingredient and a secondary ingredient are combined together. The single dishes may be, for example, fish rice, fish rice pot, wild vegetable rice, wild vegetable rice pot, meat rice bowl, etc., but are not limited thereto.

[0013] The instant rice produced by the instant food production method of the present application can have excellent quality, realizing the taste, nutrition, texture, etc. of kamameshi, despite being in the form of instant rice. The kamameshi means rice cooked using a pot, and specifically can be rice cooked in a pressure rice cooker or pot, and in particular can be rice that has an improved texture when produced using a pot such as a stone pot or iron pot.

[0014] In this application, the term "cooked grains (Bap)" refers to a general food prepared by adding water to grains and heating under pressure. Compared to porridge, rice maintains the shape of grain particles, is chewed, and contains less water than porridge. Rice is commonly consumed as a staple food in Korea and other East and Southeast Asian countries. While rice is primarily made using rice, it can also be made using other grains instead of rice, or by mixing rice with other grains, or by using other ingredients in addition to grains.

[0015] In this application, the term "instant rice" refers to rice prepared in the form of an instant food. The instant rice is a processed food that can be consumed by itself without a separate cooking process or can be consumed through a simpler cooking process than that of ordinary rice, and is manufactured to be convenient for storage, transportation, portability, etc.

[0016] The method for producing instant food of the present application includes the steps of filling solid ingredients into a container, sterilizing the solid ingredients filled into the container with pressurized steam under vacuum, sterilizing the liquid sauce by directly injecting steam into the liquid sauce, adding the sterilized sauce to the sterilized ingredients, sealing the container to which the sterilized sauce has been added, and heating the sealed container at a temperature of 90°C to 125°C for 10 to 25 minutes.

[0017] Specifically, the solid raw materials may include at least one selected from the group consisting of grains, beans, mushrooms, potatoes, bulbs, wild vegetables, fruits / seeds, meat, fish, and eggs. The grains may include rice or other grains, and the rice may include at least one selected from the group consisting of white rice, black rice, brown rice, non-glutinous rice, and glutinous rice. The grains may include at least one selected from the group consisting of barley, beans, adzuki beans, foxtail millet, wheat, rye, barnyard millet, buckwheat, oats, millet, corn, and sorghum. However, the type of grain is not limited thereto, and any grain that can be commonly used in the production of rice may be used, for example, any grain that can be used in the production of multigrain rice or nutritional rice. The instant food or instant rice of the present application may be produced using only ingredients other than white rice, or may include both white rice and ingredients other than white rice. The beans may include, but are not limited to, at least one selected from the group consisting of soybeans, Korean black beans, black beans, yellow beans, yak soybeans, kidney beans, peas, soybeans, mung beans, lentils, jack beans, and adzuki beans. The beans may include any edible plant classified as a legume. The mushrooms may include, but are not limited to, at least one selected from the group consisting of king oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, matsutake mushrooms, and enoki mushrooms. However, the type of mushroom is not limited thereto, and any edible mushroom may be used, for example, any mushroom used in making mushroom rice. The bulbs may include, but are not limited to, at least one selected from the group consisting of lotus root, burdock, carrot, and bellflower. The potatoes may include, but are not limited to, at least one selected from the group consisting of sweet potato, potato, and Jerusalem artichoke. The wild vegetables may include at least one selected from the group consisting of scaber daisy, willow thistle, bracken, sedum vulgare, takarako, chives, Japanese shallot, Japanese butterbur, Japanese butterbur, portulaca oleracea, and udo, but are not limited thereto.The fruits / nuts may include, but are not limited to, at least one selected from the group consisting of jujube, chestnut, pine nut, raisin, and pumpkin seed. The meat may include, but is not limited to, red meat, muscle, fat, or a mixture thereof separated from at least one animal selected from the group consisting of beef, horse, sheep, goat, deer, and poultry (chicken, duck, geese, turkey, ostrich, turkey, and pheasant). The fish meat includes meat separated from aquatic products, aquatic eggs, and processed foods thereof, such as, but not limited to, raw meat separated from aquatic products, cut meat, kamaboko, fish sausage, etc. The marine products may be fish (such as cod, Alaska pollack, white croaker, mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and saury), squid, octopus, giant octopus, shrimp, crab, and shellfish, and the marine eggs may be, but are not limited to, mentaiko (spicy cod roe), cod roe, flying fish eggs, and shark eggs. The eggs include foods made from animal eggs, such as poultry eggs, or processed egg products, and may include eggs, whole eggs, egg yolks, and egg whites. Specifically, the eggs may be, but are not limited to, chicken eggs, duck eggs, quail eggs, goose eggs, ostrich eggs, or processed products thereof.

[0018] The solid raw materials may contain raw materials other than white rice (e.g., grains other than white rice, beans, mushrooms, potatoes, wild vegetables, fruits / nuts, meat, fish, eggs, etc.) in an amount of 10 to 100 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the total raw materials. Specifically, the content of the raw materials other than white rice may be within a range defined by a lower limit selected from 10 parts by weight, 15 parts by weight, 20 parts by weight, 25 parts by weight, 30 parts by weight, 35 parts by weight, 40 parts by weight, 45 parts by weight, 50 parts by weight, 55 parts by weight, and 60 parts by weight, and / or an upper limit selected from 100 parts by weight, 95 parts by weight, 90 parts by weight, 85 parts by weight, 80 parts by weight, 75 parts by weight, 70 parts by weight, and 65 parts by weight. For example, the amount may be, but is not limited to, 10 to 100 parts by weight, 15 to 95 parts by weight, 20 to 90 parts by weight, 30 to 85 parts by weight, 40 to 80 parts by weight, 50 to 80 parts by weight, 60 to 70 parts by weight, or 60 to 65 parts by weight. When the content of ingredients other than white rice is 100 parts by weight, the ingredients may not contain any white rice, and in this case, the instant rice or instant food produced using the ingredients may also not contain white rice. The term "rice," which encompasses white rice, black rice, brown rice, etc., may be any rice used in the production of regular rice, regardless of its type, such as, but not limited to, japonica or indica rice. The rice may also be non-glutinous rice, glutinous rice, or a combination thereof. The starch components of non-glutinous rice may be amylose and amylopectin, while the starch components of glutinous rice may be amylopectin. Compared to non-glutinous rice, glutinous rice can produce rice with higher viscosity when cooked. The rice can be used regardless of its degree of polishing, and can be polished to 5 minutes, 7 minutes, and / or 9 minutes, in addition to white rice and brown rice. The type of rice can be selected appropriately depending on the type and characteristics of the rice or food product to be ultimately produced, and the mixing ratio of various types of rice can also be selected appropriately.

[0019] In the present application, the solid raw materials used in the manufacture of instant foods contain more microorganisms than other solid raw materials, making them vulnerable to microbial contamination, or they may not be sufficiently sterilized by a conventional sterilization process. Specifically, the solid raw materials contain more microorganisms than the solid raw materials before sterilization than the solid raw materials. 2 cfu / ml ~10 8 cfu / ml, for example, the number of microorganisms can be 10 3 cfu / ml ~10 7 The number of microorganisms in the solid raw material before sterilization may be in the range of 10 to 5,000,000 cfu / ml, 1,500 to 5,000,000 cfu / ml, or 1,800 to 4,500,000 cfu / ml. The number of microorganisms in the solid raw material before sterilization may be the number of microorganisms measured before sterilizing a mixture of two or more solid raw materials. The number of microorganisms in the solid raw material mixture before sterilization may be in the range of 10 to 5,000,000 cfu / ml, 1,500 to 5,000,000 cfu / ml, or 1,800 to 4,500,000 cfu / ml. 5 cfu / ml ~10 8For example, the number of microorganisms in the solid raw material mixture before sterilization may be 500,000 cfu / ml to 5,000,000 cfu / ml or 550,000 cfu / ml to 1,200,000 cfu / ml. Therefore, considering the potential health impact of instant foods or instant rice consumers and the legally permitted microbial count standards for instant foods or instant rice, instant foods or instant rice produced using the solid raw materials may require more stringent sterilization than other solid raw materials to reduce the number of microorganisms in the instant foods or instant rice and meet the standards. However, while strict sterilization conditions and methods for producing instant foods or instant rice can control microbial contamination, there is a problem in that the sterilization process can cause a deterioration in the quality of the instant foods or instant rice. The present application is an invention intended to solve the above-mentioned problems that arise when producing instant foods or instant rice using the solid raw materials. The instant foods or instant rice produced by the instant food or instant rice production method of the present application exhibit sufficient sterilization effects without causing a deterioration in the quality of the instant foods or instant rice.

[0020] Furthermore, like the solid ingredients, the liquid sauce contained in the instant food of the present application may be vulnerable to microbial contamination or may not be sufficiently sterilized by a conventional sterilization process. Since the liquid sauce plays an important role in determining the taste and quality of the instant food containing it, sterilization of the liquid sauce must not result in a deterioration in the quality of the liquid sauce, such as viscosity or sugar content.

[0021] Therefore, considering the potential impact on the health of those consuming instant foods and the legally permitted standard for the number of microorganisms in instant foods, stricter sterilization than that required for the production of ordinary instant foods may be required to reduce the number of microorganisms contained in instant foods produced using the solid raw materials and liquid sauce and meet the standard. However, while strict sterilization conditions and methods for producing instant foods can control microbial contamination, there is a problem that the quality of the instant food and liquid sauce may be reduced due to the sterilization process. The present application is an invention intended to solve the above-mentioned problems that arise when producing instant foods using the solid raw materials and liquid sauce, and the instant food produced by the instant food production method of the present application exhibits sufficient sterilization effect and has the effect of preventing the quality of the instant food and the liquid sauce contained therein from being reduced.

[0022] The step of sterilizing the solid raw materials may involve subjecting the solid raw materials to pressurized steam sterilization under vacuum conditions, and directly adding steam to the solid raw materials for sterilization. The sterilization may be performed sequentially by vacuum, steam sterilization, reduced pressure, and vacuum cooling. More specifically, the solid raw materials may be left in a vacuum autoclave, the interior of the vacuum autoclave is evacuated, and then steam sterilization, reduced pressure, and vacuum cooling may be performed sequentially. The solid raw materials may be solid raw materials filled in an unsealed container. By evacuating the interior of the vacuum autoclave before steam sterilization, efficiency (rapid heat transfer) and uniformity of heat transfer during steam sterilization can be improved. The vacuum autoclave may be, for example, but is not limited to, a RIC device manufactured by Hisaka Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

[0023] The step of sterilizing the solid raw materials can be performed for 1 to 10 minutes using steam at 120° C. to 140° C. Specifically, the temperature of the steam can be within a range having a lower limit selected from 120° C., 121° C., 122° C., 123° C., 124° C., 125° C., 126° C., 127° C., 128° C., 129° C., and 130° C. and / or an upper limit selected from 140° C., 139° C., 138° C., 137° C., 136° C., 135° C., 134° C., 133° C., 132° C., 131° C., and 130° C. For example, sterilization can be performed with steam at, but is not limited to, 120°C to 140°C, 121°C to 139°C, 122°C to 138°C, 123°C to 137°C, 124°C to 136°C, 125°C to 135°C, 126°C to 134°C, 127°C to 133°C, 128°C to 132°C, 129°C to 131°C, 129°C to 130°C, or 130°C to 131°C. The sterilization time can be within a range with a lower limit selected from 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 4 minutes 30 seconds, 5 minutes, 5 minutes 30 seconds, 6 minutes, 6 minutes 30 seconds, and 7 minutes, and / or an upper limit selected from 10 minutes, 9 minutes 30 seconds, 9 minutes, 8 minutes 30 seconds, 8 minutes, 7 minutes 30 seconds, 7 minutes, 6 minutes 30 seconds, and 6 minutes. For example, sterilization can be performed for 1 to 10 minutes, 2 to 9 minutes, 3 to 8 minutes, 4 to 7 minutes, 5 to 6 minutes, 5 minutes 30 seconds to 6 minutes, 5 minutes 5 minutes 30 seconds, 6 to 10 minutes, 7 to 10 minutes, or 7 to 9 minutes, but is not limited thereto, and the sterilization time can be changed within the above range depending on the volume of the solid raw material to be sterilized. For example, when producing instant rice in a volume suitable for one person's single meal, the sterilization time can be 4 to 6 minutes, but when producing instant food in a larger volume, the sterilization time can be increased to a range of 7 to 10 minutes, and can be changed appropriately depending on the volume.

[0024] Furthermore, the step of sterilizing the solid raw materials may involve contacting steam at 140°C to 155°C with the solid raw materials for 3 to 10 seconds, which may be repeated 5 to 10 times. Specifically, the steam temperature may be within a range defined by a lower limit selected from 140°C, 142°C, 145°C, and 147°C and / or an upper limit selected from 155°C, 153°C, 150°C, and 148°C. Sterilization may be performed with steam at, but is not limited to, 140°C to 155°C, 142°C to 153°C, 145°C to 150°C, 145°C to 148°C, 147°C to 150°C, or 147°C to 148°C. The steam contact time may be defined by a lower limit selected from 3 seconds, 4 seconds, 5 seconds, and 6 seconds and / or an upper limit selected from 10 seconds, 9 seconds, 8 seconds, and 7 seconds. For example, the time may be, but is not limited to, 3 to 10 seconds, 4 to 9 seconds, 5 to 8 seconds, 6 to 8 seconds, 5 to 7 seconds, or 6 to 7 seconds. The contact of the steam with the solid raw material may be repeated 5 to 10 times, 6 to 9 times, 6 to 8 times, 7 to 9 times, or 7 to 8 times.

[0025] The sterilization step of the solid raw material can be performed under conditions of an F0 value of 4 or higher. In this application, the term "F value" refers to the time required to kill a specific microbial strain at a specific temperature, which can be calculated using a heat lethality curve for the microorganism. The F value can be determined by the Z value of the type of microorganism to be sterilized and the heating temperature. The "F0 value" can be defined as the F value obtained when the Z value is 18°F or 10°C and the heating temperature is 250°F or 121.1°C. The Z value of 10°C is based on the value obtained when a standard microbial strain is sterilized. The F0 value is a value that can be used in the industry as a measure of the level of sterilization. Specifically, the F0 value can be measured using a sensor probe to measure the cumulative heat transferred to a sample during heat treatment. For example, the F0 value can be measured by inserting a sensor probe into the cold point (the point in a sample where heat is transferred most slowly or usually the center of a sample) in the sample and then measuring the cumulative amount of heat transferred while applying heat. The amount of heat corresponding to 121.1°C for 1 minute is set as "F0 = 1" and the value can be calculated based on this.

[0026] In the instant food manufacturing method of the present application, a step of sterilizing solid ingredients filled in a container under conditions of an F0 value of 4 or more is carried out. Here, sterilization under the condition of "F0 value = 4" means, for example, that sterilization is carried out to a level that can kill a standard microorganism having a Z value of 10°C when sterilized at a temperature of 121.1°C for 4 minutes, according to the definition of F0 value. The F0 value can be calculated using the following formula 1. Specifically, the sterilization performed by the sterilization unit can be carried out under conditions of an F0 value of 4 or more, 4.5 or more, 5 or more, 6 or more, 7 or more, 8 or more, 10 or more, 20 or more, 30 or more, or 40 or more, but is not limited thereto.

[0027]

number

[0028] In the above formula 1, the unit of t (time) is minutes (min), and the unit of T (temperature) is °C.

[0029] The instant food manufacturing method of the present application may further include a step of soaking the solid raw materials in water before filling the container with the solid raw materials. The soaking step may include a step of washing the solid raw materials with water. For example, the solid raw materials may be soaked for 20 to 80 minutes in 200 to 300 parts by weight of water based on a total of 100 parts by weight of the washed solid raw materials, but is not limited thereto. The soaking step may be performed in the same manner as the process of soaking grains in water when cooking and manufacturing food or rice.

[0030] After the soaking step, a step of removing water may be further performed before filling the container with the solid raw materials. As a result of the water removing step, the container may be filled with 0 to 10 parts by weight of water per 100 parts by weight of the solid raw materials before the sterilization step.

[0031] The method for producing an instant food product of the present application includes a step of directly injecting steam into a liquid sauce to sterilize the liquid sauce.

[0032] The step of sterilizing the liquid sauce may involve directly injecting steam at 130°C to 140°C into the liquid sauce for 6 to 8 minutes to sterilize it. Specifically, the temperature of the steam may be within a range defined by a lower limit selected from 130°C, 130.5°C, 131°C, 131.5°C, 132°C, and 132.5°C and / or an upper limit selected from 140°C, 139°C, 138°C, 137°C, 136°C, 135°C, 134.5°C, 134°C, 133.5°C, 133°C, and 132.5°C. For example, sterilization can be performed using steam at temperatures ranging from 130°C to 140°C, 130.5°C to 138°C, 131°C to 136°C, 131.5°C to 135°C, 132°C to 133°C, 132.5°C to 135°C, or 130°C to 132.5°C, but is not limited thereto. Sterilization of the water or sauce can be performed by directly injecting steam at the above temperatures into the water or sauce to raise the temperature, and then passing the water or sauce through a tube that maintains the temperature for 6 to 8 minutes. Specifically, the sterilization time after steam injection can be 6 to 8 minutes, 6 minutes 30 seconds to 8 minutes, 6 minutes 30 seconds to 7 minutes 30 seconds, 6 minutes 30 seconds to 7 minutes 30 seconds, 7 minutes to 8 minutes, or 6 minutes to 7 minutes.

[0033] The step of liquid sterilizing the liquid sauce can be performed using a DSI (Direct-Steam Injection) sterilizer. The temperature and time conditions of the DSI sterilizer can be set as described above to perform liquid sterilization.

[0034] The liquid sauce may be any liquid sauce added to impart characteristics such as taste, shape, and physical properties that are desired to be achieved in the instant food product of the present application, and may specifically include sugar and / or salt. More specifically, the liquid sauce may be prepared by blending and mixing liquid ingredients and / or powder ingredients in a predetermined ratio. The liquid ingredients may be, but are not limited to, soy sauce, vegetable / animal ingredient concentrate, fruit and vegetable paste, honey, oligosaccharides, starch syrup, etc., and the powder ingredients may be, but are not limited to, salt, sugar, pepper, chili powder, etc.

[0035] The sugar content of the liquid sauce may be 0 to 60 brix. Specifically, the sugar content of the liquid sauce may be within a range defined by a lower limit selected from 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 brix and / or an upper limit selected from 60, 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, and 30 brix. Examples of sugar contents include, but are not limited to, 0 to 60 brix, 5 to 55 brix, 10 to 50 brix, 15 to 45 brix, 20 to 40 brix, 25 to 35 brix, 30 to 35 brix, or 35 to 40 brix.

[0036] The viscosity of the liquid sauce may be 0 to 2,000 cp. Specifically, the viscosity of the liquid sauce may be within a range defined by a lower limit selected from 0, 10, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, and 1,000 cp and / or an upper limit selected from 2,000, 1,900, 1,800, 1,700, 1,600, 1,500, 1,400, 1,300, 1,200, 1,100, and 1,000 cp. For example, the viscosity may be, but is not limited to, 0 to 2,000 cp, 100 to 1,900 cp, 200 to 1,800 cp, 300 to 1,700 cp, 400 to 1,600 cp, 500 to 1,500 cp, 600 to 1,400 cp, 700 to 1,300 cp, 800 to 1,200 cp, 900 to 1,100 cp, 1,000 to 1,100 cp, or 900 to 1,000 cp.

[0037] If the liquid sauce has a sugar content and / or viscosity within the above range, or if it has a high viscosity and / or sugar content, heat transfer during the sterilization process can be difficult, making it difficult to control microorganisms. However, the instant food of the present application maintains the above sugar content and / or viscosity range of the liquid sauce and can exhibit sufficient sterilization effect. Furthermore, while conventional liquid sterilization methods do not have a significant sterilization effect on viscous liquids, the instant food of the present application has the advantage of exhibiting sufficient sterilization effect even on viscous sauces as described above.

[0038] The liquid sauce has a microbial count of 10 before sterilization. 2 cfu / ml ~10 8 cfu / ml, for example, the number of microorganisms can be 10 3 cfu / ml ~10 7 cfu / ml, 1,500 cfu / ml to 5,000,000 cfu / ml, or 1,800 cfu / ml to 4,500,000 cfu / ml. Unlike solid ingredients, liquid sauces are liquid, making them more susceptible to microbial contamination due to their liquid nature, and contain other components besides water that microorganisms can use as nutrients. Therefore, by sterilizing the liquid sauce in a separate liquid sterilization step rather than sterilizing it together with the solid ingredients, instant foods that are safer from microbial contamination can be produced. When the liquid sterilization step is performed in the instant food production method of the present application, steam is directly injected into and brought into contact with the sauce, thereby sufficiently sterilizing the microorganisms in the liquid sauce, resulting in a microbial count below the standard value. Furthermore, sterilization under the above-mentioned conditions effectively prevents deterioration of the quality of the sauce.

[0039] The instant food manufacturing method of the present application includes a step of sterilizing solid raw materials and a step of liquid-sterilizing a liquid sauce, followed by a step of adding the sterilized sauce to the sterilized raw materials. The order of the steps of sterilizing the solid raw materials and sterilizing the liquid sauce is not limited, and can be changed to sterilize the solid raw materials and the liquid sauce simultaneously or sequentially.

[0040] The instant food manufacturing method of the present application further includes a step of adding a liquid sauce sterilized in the liquid sterilization step to the solid raw materials sterilized in the sterilization step. Sterilized water can be added together with the liquid sauce, and the amounts of the liquid sauce and water added can be adjusted taking into account the taste and quality to be achieved in the final instant food product. That is, the ratio and amount of liquid sauce and water can be appropriately adjusted based on the amount of water that will allow the solid raw materials to have a desirable texture and taste in the final instant food product and the concentration of the liquid sauce. For example, after the liquid sauce and water are added, the amount of water in the container can be adjusted to 30 to 120 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the solid raw materials. Specifically, the amount of liquid sauce and water can be adjusted to 30 to 110 parts by weight, 40 to 105 parts by weight, 50 to 100 parts by weight, 60 to 95 parts by weight, or 70 to 90 parts by weight. After the solid raw materials are soaked in water and then the water is removed, the amount of water contained in the container is taken into consideration, and the amounts of liquid sauce and water added can be appropriately adjusted so that the amount of water contained in the container ultimately falls within the above range.

[0041] The type of the liquid sauce may vary depending on the type and characteristics of the instant food to be prepared, and for example, the liquid sauce may include soy sauce, garlic, green onion, sugar, salt, sesame oil, honey, or a combination thereof. In a specific embodiment of the present application, the liquid sauce may be a sauce for preparing medicinal food, and in this case, the liquid sauce may include honey.

[0042] The instant food or instant rice manufacturing method of the present application does not necessarily include a rice cooking step. Specifically, the method does not necessarily include a rice cooking step between the sterilization step and the sealing step. The rice cooking step generally refers to a process of heating rice ingredients during the rice manufacturing process, and may be, for example, a step of heating at 90°C to 120°C. By not including a rice cooking step, the instant food or instant rice manufacturing method of the present application can reduce the number of times the ingredients are heated and prevent deterioration of the quality of the instant food or instant rice due to heating. Furthermore, since microorganisms may enter the container before the sealing step, aseptic conditions must be maintained to prevent microbial contamination. However, not including a rice cooking step before the sealing step has the advantage of shortening the process of maintaining aseptic conditions or reducing the time required to maintain aseptic conditions. This reduces the cost of maintaining aseptic conditions and the possibility of microbial contamination.

[0043] In the instant food manufacturing method of the present application, heat of 90°C or higher may not be applied after the sterilization step and before the sealing step. Specifically, heat of 90°C or higher, 96°C or higher, 97°C or higher, 98°C or higher, 99°C or higher, 100°C or higher, 102°C or higher, 105°C or higher, 110°C or higher, 120°C or higher, 90°C to 120°C, 97°C to 117°C, 99°C to 120°C, 100°C to 117°C, 105°C to 115°C, or 115°C to 120°C may not be applied, but is not limited thereto. By not including a step of heating at a temperature within the above range before the sealing step, the instant food manufacturing method of the present application can reduce the number of times the raw materials are heated and can effectively prevent deterioration of the instant food quality due to heating. Furthermore, since microorganisms may enter the container before the sealing step, it is necessary to maintain aseptic conditions to prevent microbial contamination, but if the heating step at the temperature range described above is not included before the sealing step, there is an advantage in that the time required to maintain aseptic conditions can be reduced, thereby reducing the cost of maintaining aseptic conditions and the possibility of microbial contamination.

[0044] The term "no application of heat" as used herein means not only not applying heat within the temperature range but also including the temporary application of heat within the temperature range for a short period of time to a level equivalent to no application of heat, as is common knowledge in the art. For example, if temporary heating does not produce a significant sterilization effect or cause no change in the quality of the rice, it is within the scope of the present application. For example, "no application of heat" may include applying heat within the temperature range for less than 1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, or even 20 seconds, and may also include applying heat within the temperature range two or more times in a short period of time.

[0045] In the method, a temperature of 89°C or less may be maintained after the sterilization step and before the sealing step. Specifically, temperatures may be maintained at, but not limited to, 89°C or less, 88°C or less, 87°C or less, 85°C or less, 80°C or less, 75°C or less, 70°C or less, 10°C to 89°C, 15°C to 88°C, 20°C to 85°C, 25°C to 80°C, 20°C to 70°C, 20°C to 60°C, or 20°C to 50°C. By maintaining a temperature within this range before the sealing step, the instant food manufacturing method of the present application can reduce the number of times the raw materials are heated and prevent deterioration of the quality of the instant food due to heating. Furthermore, since microorganisms may enter the container before the sealing step, aseptic conditions must be observed to prevent microbial contamination. However, maintaining a temperature within this range before the sealing step has the advantage of reducing the time required to maintain aseptic conditions. This reduces the cost of maintaining aseptic conditions and the possibility of microbial contamination.

[0046] The term "maintaining the temperature" as used herein not only refers to the continuous uninterrupted maintenance of a temperature within the range, but also includes the temporary application of a temperature higher than the range for a short period of time, i.e., a case where the result is equivalent to the continuous maintenance of the temperature according to common general knowledge in the art. For example, if a temperature higher than the range is temporarily applied without producing a significant sterilization effect or causing no change in the quality of the instant food or rice, it is within the scope of the present application. For example, the term may include the application of a temperature higher than the range for a period of 1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, or 20 seconds or less, and may also include the application of a temperature higher than the range two or more times in a short period of time.

[0047] In the instant food manufacturing method of the present application, steps from sterilizing the solid ingredients to the sealing step may be performed under aseptic conditions. Before sealing, containers filled with sterilized solid ingredients, liquid sauce, etc. may be contaminated by external biological particles such as microorganisms and other non-biological particles. Therefore, each step must be performed under conditions in which airborne contaminants are controlled. The method and conditions for maintaining the aseptic conditions may be any method and condition commonly used in the food manufacturing industry. Specifically, aseptic conditions commonly used in the manufacturing of processed foods, instant foods, retort foods, etc. may be used. The aseptic conditions may be maintained by performing each step in a clean room or clean booth. For example, the process from the completion of the sterilization step to the start of the sealing step may be performed in a tunnel-shaped booth. Here, clean air generated by a clean air generator (e.g., a HEPA filter) installed in the booth prevents the inflow of microorganisms and maintains a positive pressure within the booth.

[0048] The sealing step may involve attaching a sterilized lid, e.g., a UV-sterilized lid, to the container, and may further involve injecting an inert gas into the container before sealing. The method for attaching the container may involve, but is not limited to, heat, adhesive, or pressure. After the sealing step, foreign matter or microorganisms cannot naturally enter the container, thereby preventing microbial contamination. Therefore, subsequent steps do not necessarily require maintaining sterile conditions. The container and lid used in the instant food manufacturing method of the present application may be any container or lid commonly used in instant food manufacturing, regardless of their shape, material, or size. The container and lid may be resistant to deformation or damage during subsequent heating. For example, the lid may be, but is not limited to, a lead film.

[0049] The instant food manufacturing method of the present application includes a step of heating the sealed container for 10 to 25 minutes at a temperature of 90°C to 125°C. Specifically, the heating temperature may be within a range having a lower limit selected from 90°C, 91°C, 92°C, 93°C, 94°C, 95°C, 96°C, 97°C, 98°C, 99°C, 100°C, 105°C, 107°C, 110°C, 112°C, and 115°C and / or an upper limit selected from 125°C, 124°C, 123°C, 122°C, 121°C, 120°C, 119°C, 118°C, 117°C, 116°C, and 115°C. For example, heating can be performed at a temperature of 90°C to 125°C, 91°C to 125°C, 92°C to 124°C, 93°C to 124°C, 94°C to 123°C, 95°C to 123°C, 95°C to 122°C, 95°C to 121°C, 96°C to 121°C, 97°C to 121°C, 100°C to 120°C, 105°C to 119°C, 107°C to 118°C, 110°C to 115°C, 110°C to 118°C, 110°C to 116°C, or 112°C to 116°C, but is not limited to these. The sterilization time may be within a range having a lower limit selected from 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20 minutes and / or an upper limit selected from 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, and 20 minutes. For example, heating may be performed for 10 to 25 minutes, 11 to 24 minutes, 12 to 23 minutes, 15 to 22 minutes, 17 to 21 minutes, 19 to 20 minutes, 20 to 21 minutes, 12 to 17 minutes, 13 to 16 minutes, 18 to 23 minutes, 19 to 22 minutes, or 19 to 21 minutes, but is not limited thereto. The temperature range and the time range may vary depending on the type of solid raw material.

[0050] When heating is performed within the above temperature range and for the above time, a more effective sterilization effect can be exhibited, which has the advantage of enabling more complete control of microorganisms. Furthermore, by undergoing the heating process under the above conditions, the instant food or instant rice of the present application can reach a level similar to that of food or rice produced by a conventional instant food or rice production process, and can have food or rice quality suitable for consumption. This prevents deterioration of the quality of the food or rice due to excessive heating conditions, and makes it possible to produce instant food or instant rice of excellent quality.

[0051] That is, instant rice produced by the instant food manufacturing method of the present application is easy to cook, store, and preserve as an instant food, and can have texture and taste qualities similar to rice produced by conventional rice cooking methods at home or in restaurants. In particular, even if solid ingredients and liquid sauces that are vulnerable to microbial contamination or difficult to sterilize are used, the number of microorganisms can be controlled by sufficient sterilization, making it possible to produce instant rice that does not suffer from deterioration in rice quality due to sterilization. Instant rice produced by the manufacturing method of the present application can exhibit a desirable taste and texture because the viscosity and sugar content of the liquid sauce are not reduced even after the sterilization process.

[0052] The temperature conditions for the heating step can be lower than the heating temperature during normal retort sterilization, specifically, lower than the heating temperature for retort sterilization that is conventionally used in the production of instant foods. Also, the temperature conditions for the heating step can be higher than the heating temperature during "steaming" that is performed to transfer heat to the inside of food during the normal cooking process of rice.

[0053] The heating step may be performed in a conventional retort apparatus by setting the temperature and time conditions within the above ranges, but is not limited thereto.

[0054] The instant food manufacturing method of the present application may further include a cooling and drying step after the heating step, and may further include a step of inspecting the appearance and condition of the manufactured instant food and / or a step of packaging one or more instant food products. The cooling step may be, but is not limited to, cooling by natural wind, and the inspecting step may be, but is not limited to, a visual inspection or a sampling inspection.

[0055] 2. Instant foods (instant rice) The instant food of the present application or the instant food produced by the instant food production method of the present application may be instant rice, and specifically, honey medicinal food may be produced in the form of an instant food.

[0056] The honey medicinal food is instant rice including a sealed container and a medicinal food made from rice and a sauce, at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of jujube, nuts, and raisins, contained in the container, wherein the ingredients other than rice in the medicinal food are contained in an amount of 5 to 20 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the contents contained in the container, and the nuts and seeds are contained in an amount of 7 to 18 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the contents contained in the container, and the number of microorganisms in the instant rice may be negative within the expiration date.

[0057] The rice may include at least one selected from the group consisting of white rice, black rice, brown rice, non-glutinous rice, and glutinous rice.

[0058] The nuts and seeds may be at least one selected from the group consisting of chestnuts, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, and peanuts.

[0059] The ingredients other than rice in the medicinal food may be contained in an amount of 5 to 20 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the contents filled in the container.

[0060] The nuts and seeds may be contained in an amount of 7 to 18 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the contents filled in the container.

[0061] The non-glutinous rice may be added in an amount of 10 to 20 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the contents when producing the instant rice of the present application, and the glutinous rice may be added in an amount of 55 to 65 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the contents when producing the instant rice of the present application.

[0062] The chestnuts may be added in an amount of 8 to 18 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the contents when producing the instant rice of the present application. The pumpkin seeds may be added in an amount of 0.5 to 3.5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the contents when producing the instant rice of the present application. The raisins may be added in an amount of 1.5 to 4.5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the contents when producing the instant rice of the present application. The pine nuts may be added in an amount of 0.5 to 1.5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the contents when producing the instant rice of the present application.

[0063] The honey medicinal food may further include a liquid sauce, and the sauce may include honey.

[0064] The color of the rice in the honey medicinal food may have an L value of 33.5 to 36, an a value of 5.5 to 6.5, and a b value of 13.5 to 14.5. Furthermore, the color of the raw materials in the honey medicinal food, measured after heating the honey medicinal food in a 700W microwave oven for 1 to 3 minutes, 1 minute 30 seconds to 2 minutes 30 seconds, or 2 minutes, may have an L value of 27 to 29, an a value of 6.5 to 7, and a b value of 10 to 11.

[0065] The honey medicated food may be heated in a 700W microwave oven for 1 to 3 minutes, or 1 minute 30 seconds to 2 minutes 30 seconds, more specifically, for 2 minutes, and then the rice in the medicated food contained in the container may be measured using a physical property analyzer to have one or more of the following physical properties: (i) hardness 15 to 35; (ii) elasticity 40 to 60; (iii) adhesiveness 25 to 40; (iv) viscosity 65 to 105. [Effects of the Invention]

[0066] The instant food manufacturing method of the present application has the effect of producing an instant food of excellent quality, with good taste, nutrition, texture, etc., without the problem of quality degradation due to strict sterilization, even when instant food is manufactured using a liquid sauce that is vulnerable to microbial contamination and difficult to sterilize, by sufficiently sterilizing the liquid sauce to reduce the number of microorganisms in the liquid sauce to below a standard value, and without damaging the quality of the liquid sauce (e.g., viscosity, sugar content, etc.).

[0067] Furthermore, compared to conventional instant food manufacturing methods, the use of a new manufacturing principle reduces the number of heating cycles to minimize quality changes, maintains aseptic conditions, and simplifies the time and steps required, offering advantageous advantages in terms of cost and microbial safety.

[0068] However, the effects of the present application are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0069] The present application will now be described in detail with reference to examples.

[0070] However, the following examples are provided to specifically illustrate the present application, and the contents of the present application are not limited to the following examples.

[0071] [Examples and Comparative Examples] Example 1: Honey medicinal food The honey medicinal food of Example 1 was produced using liquid sauces such as honey, soy sauce, and syrup, along with various ingredients, by the instant food manufacturing method of the present application. Specifically, the ingredients used were glutinous rice, glutinous rice, candied chestnuts, pumpkin seeds, raisins, pine nuts, and sesame oil. Corn germ oil was added to the ingredients washed with water and then filled into containers. The blending ratio of each ingredient is shown in Table 1 below. The filled containers were transferred to a RIC device (manufactured by Hisaka Works, Ltd.) and subjected to steam pressure sterilization under vacuum at a temperature of 130°C for 5 minutes and 30 seconds. The above sterilization conditions correspond to sterilization conditions where the F0 value is 4 or higher.

[0072] [Table 1]

[0073] After the raw materials were sterilized, a liquid sauce with a salinity of 0.9% and a sugar content of 28 brix was prepared by mixing cinnamon bark concentrate, dark soy sauce, honey, sugar syrup, brown sugar, oligosaccharide HF, and refined salt. The liquid sauce was then sterilized and added to the container. The liquid sauce was sterilized by directly injecting steam at 130°C into the sauce using a direct steam injection heater (DSI) to raise the sauce temperature to 130°C and maintaining this temperature for 6 minutes. After adding the liquid sauce, the container was sealed with a lid to prevent the entry of external microorganisms and foreign matter. The sealed container was transferred to a retort sterilizer and heated at 115°C for 20 minutes to produce the instant rice of Example 4. The temperature and time conditions used in the retort sterilization were relatively less severe than those used in conventional retort sterilization.

[0074] Comparative Examples 1 and 2: Honey medicinal food The honey medicinal food of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 was prepared using the raw materials and liquid sauce mixed in the ratios shown in Table 1. Instant rice was prepared in the same manner as the honey medicinal food of Example 1, but with some changes in the conditions.

[0075] In Comparative Example 1, the same method as in Example 1 was carried out up to the sealing step of the container, and then the liquid sauce was sterilized by a general liquid sterilization method by heating at 100°C for 10 minutes or more before being added. Then, instead of the heating step in Example 1, the sealed container was heated in a retort sterilizer at a temperature of 123°C for 18 minutes under general retort sterilization conditions to produce instant rice.

[0076] In Comparative Example 2, the liquid sauce was sterilized using a direct steam injection heater (DSI) under the same conditions as in Example 1, but the raw materials were sterilized by heating at 98°C for 20 minutes, under conditions below F04. After adding the liquid sauce and sealing the container, instead of the heating step in Example 1, the sealed container was heated in a retort sterilizer at 123°C for 18 minutes under normal retort sterilization conditions to produce instant rice.

[0077] [Experimental Example 1] [1-1] Comparison of chromaticity and color difference of honey medicinal foods The lids were removed from the instant rice (honey medicinal food) of Example 1, Comparative Example 1, and Comparative Example 2, which were prepared by adding liquid sauces such as honey and soy sauce, and the colors were measured and compared. The instant rice of Example 1, Comparative Example 1, and Comparative Example 2 were heated in a microwave oven (700 W) for 2 minutes, after which the lids were removed and the colors of the rice portions were measured and compared. The L, a, and b values ​​of the colors were measured using a device manufactured by Konica Minolta, and after each measurement was performed three times, the average values ​​are shown in Tables 2 and 3 below, respectively.

[0078] [Table 2]

[0079] [Table 3]

[0080] As a result, as can be seen from Tables 2 and 3, the L value was relatively low and the b value was high for the honey medicinal food of Example 1 of the present application. The honey medicinal food of Example 1 prepared by the manufacturing method of the present application can be distinguished from the honey medicinal foods of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 in terms of color.

[0081] [1-2] Analysis of the taste of cooked rice with honey The instant rice (honey medicated rice) of Example 1, Comparative Example 1, and Comparative Example 2 was heated in a microwave oven, and the appearance, hardness, viscosity, balance, and taste of the cooked rice portion were measured using a taste meter (Tensipresser My Boy 2 system, Taketomo Electric Co., Japan). The values ​​of the cooked rice taste for each instant rice are shown in Table 4 below.

[0082] [Table 4]

[0083] As a result, the instant rice of Example 1 produced by the production method of the present application was measured to have the highest hardness and viscosity values ​​compared to the instant rice of Comparative Example produced by other methods.

[0084] [1-3] Physical properties analysis of honey medicinal food The instant rice (honey medicinal food) of Example 1, Comparative Example 1, and Comparative Example 2 was heated in a microwave oven, and the hardness, elasticity, adhesiveness, and viscosity of the rice portion were measured using a physical property analyzer (Tensipresser Analyzer, MyBoy, TAKETOMO Electric Incorporated) in the same manner as in Experimental Examples 1-3. The results are shown in Table 5 below.

[0085] [Table 5]

[0086] As a result, in the case of the honey medicinal food of Example 1 prepared by the manufacturing method of the present application, the measurement results of samples 1 to 5 were relatively uniform with little deviation, but in the case of the honey medicinal food of Comparative Examples 1 and 2, it was confirmed that there was a very large deviation in the measurement values ​​of the physical properties for each sample.

[0087] In particular, the hardness and elasticity measurements of the honey medicinal foods of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 showed very large deviations, which is believed to be due to the deviation in texture caused by the strong retort sterilization process. This is a characteristic that is particularly evident in medicinal foods such as those of Comparative Examples 1 and 2, which have a high content of glutinous rice ingredients. The medicinal food of Example 1 showed relatively little deviation in physical properties, confirming that instant rice with consistent texture and quality can be produced using the manufacturing method of the present invention.

[0088] [1-4] Sensory evaluation of honey medicinal food The instant rice (honey medicinal food) of Example 1, Comparative Example 1, and Comparative Example 2 was heated in a microwave oven, and then various sensory qualities were evaluated by a trained expert panel. The sensory qualities were evaluated based on the color preference, off-taste / off-odor intensity, overall taste preference, texture preference, and viscosity preference of the instant rice, and the results are shown in Table 6 below. The evaluation criteria for the sensory qualities were as follows:

[0089] [Evaluation criteria] Color preference: 1 point is the minimum value and 5 points is the maximum value, and the higher the color preference, the higher the score. Off-taste / off-odor intensity: 1 point is the minimum value and 5 points is the maximum value, with higher off-taste / off-odor indicating higher scores. Overall taste preference: This is an item that evaluates the overall taste, with 1 point being the minimum and 5 points being the maximum. The better the overall taste, the higher the score. Organizational preference: 1 point is the minimum value and 5 points is the maximum value, with a higher organizational preference indicating a higher score. Viscous preference: 1 point is the minimum value and 5 points is the maximum value, and the higher the viscosity preference, the higher the score.

[0090] [Table 6]

[0091] As a result, the honey medicated food of Example 1 was measured to have the highest levels of color preference, overall taste preference, texture preference, and viscosity preference compared to the honey medicated food of Comparative Example, and it was confirmed that it had better sensory quality compared to rice prepared by other methods.

[0092] [Experimental Example 2] Checking the number of microorganisms in honey medicinal foods To confirm whether the honey medicinal food product of the present invention was completely sterilized, the number of microorganisms contained in the raw materials or the product was measured at each step.

[0093] First, the number of general bacteria and the number of heat-resistant bacteria were measured for each of the raw materials of the honey medicinal food according to Example 1. The number of bacteria in each of non-glutinous rice, glutinous rice, foxtail millet, pumpkin seeds, raisins, and pine nuts was measured, and the number of microorganisms was measured in a mixed solid sample obtained by mixing these.

[0094] As a result, it was determined that the raw materials before the sterilization step contained a certain level of general bacteria, and that the mixed solid raw materials used to produce instant rice contained at least 550,000 cfu / ml of general bacteria.

[0095] After the raw materials were placed in a container, the honey medicinal food was produced according to Example 1. During this process, steam pressure sterilization was carried out in a RIC device at a temperature of 130°C for 5 minutes and 30 seconds, and the sterilization effect was confirmed by a microbiology challenge test (MCT). MCT is a method for determining whether a product is stable in terms of process and distribution by artificially inoculating microorganisms and observing the progress to confirm whether the target bacteria can be controlled during the actual process of the product. As a general bacterium, Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 5230), which dies at an F0 of approximately 4 or less, was found to be sterilized at 10 6 The orange capsule (MesaLabs SASU-302) is used, and the heat-resistant bacteria is Geobacillus stearotrhermophilus (ATCC 7953), which dies at an F0 of approximately 21 or less, and is present at 10 6 Purple capsules (MesaLabs SA-608) containing 1000 cfu / ml of malaria parasites were used. The raw materials were sterilized in a RIC device using these capsules. The orange capsules were incubated at 35°C, and the purple capsules were incubated at 55-60°C for up to 48 hours, after which the color change was observed. A lack of color change was considered negative, and a yellow color change was considered positive (Table 7).

[0096] As a result of steam pressure sterilization using the RIC device, it was confirmed that all microorganisms present in the raw materials before sterilization were killed, demonstrating sufficient sterilization effect.

[0097] [Table 7]

[0098] Furthermore, after steam pressure sterilization, the instant rice products were hydrated, sealed, and further heated to produce final instant rice products, which were then subjected to bacterial growth experiments. The instant rice products were stored at 35°C for 10 days, then sampled, and the growth of general bacteria and heat-resistant bacteria was measured in accordance with the industry-standard method (bacterial growth test according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's general test method) by storing samples of each final product in an incubator at 35-37°C for 10 days or more, and then the sample obtained from the sample was homogenized in a diluent and cultured in a culture medium at 35-37°C for 45-51 hours, after which the presence or absence of bacterial growth was measured.

[0099] As a result, as shown in Table 8 below, no bacterial growth was observed in any of the 12 instant rice samples, indicating that they were negative. This confirms that despite the presence of a large amount of microorganisms in the raw materials, the instant rice produced by the production method of the present application had been thoroughly sterilized to kill all microorganisms.

[0100] [Table 8]

[0101] The above describes exemplary embodiments of the present application, but the scope of the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and a person having ordinary knowledge in the relevant field can make appropriate modifications within the scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. Filling a container with solid ingredients; Sterilizing the solid raw material filled in the container with pressurized steam under vacuum; A step of directly injecting steam into the liquid sauce to sterilize the liquid sauce; adding a sterilized sauce to the sterilized raw materials; sealing the container to which the sterilized sauce has been added; and heating the sealed container at a temperature of 90°C to 125°C for 10 to 25 minutes.

2. The solid raw material is such that the number of microorganisms in the raw material before sterilization is 10 ２ cfu / ml to 10 ８ The method for producing an instant food product according to claim 1, wherein the total number of bacteria is 1 or more.

3. 2. The instant food manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the solid raw materials include at least one selected from the group consisting of grains, beans, mushrooms, potatoes, bulbs, wild vegetables, fruits / nuts and seeds, meat, fish, and eggs.

4. 2. The method for producing instant food according to claim 1, wherein the step of sterilizing the solid raw materials comprises sterilizing the solid raw materials with steam at 120°C to 140°C for 1 minute to 10 minutes.

5. 2. The method for producing an instant food according to claim 1, wherein the step of sterilizing the solid raw materials comprises contacting the solid raw materials with steam at 140°C to 155°C for 3 to 10 seconds, the contact being repeated 5 to 10 times.

6. The method for producing an instant food product according to claim 1, further comprising the step of soaking the solid ingredients in water before filling the container with the solid ingredients.

7. 2. The method for producing an instant food according to claim 1, wherein the step of sterilizing the liquid sauce comprises directly injecting steam at 130°C to 140°C into the liquid sauce to sterilize it for 6 to 8 minutes.

8. 2. The method for producing an instant food according to claim 1, wherein the step of sterilizing the liquid sauce is performed using a DSI (Direct-Steam Injection) sterilization device.

9. The method for producing an instant food according to claim 1, wherein the viscosity of the liquid sauce is 0 to 2,000 cp.

10. The method for producing an instant food according to claim 1, wherein the sugar content of the liquid sauce is 0 to 60 brix.

11. The liquid sauce has a microbial count of 10 before sterilization. ２ cfu / ml to 10 ８ The method for producing an instant food product according to claim 1, wherein the total number of bacteria is 1 or more.

12. The method for producing an instant food product according to claim 1, wherein the method does not include a rice cooking step.

13. 2. The method for producing an instant food product according to claim 1, wherein the method does not apply heat of 105°C or higher to the solid raw materials after the step of sterilizing the solid raw materials and before the step of sealing.

14. 2. The method for producing an instant food product according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the solid raw materials is maintained at 104°C or less after the step of sterilizing the solid raw materials and before the step of sealing.

15. 2. The method for producing an instant food product according to claim 1, wherein the number of microorganisms in the solid raw materials measured after the heating step is 0 cfu / ml.

16. An instant food product produced by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

Images