Olive food product

Abstract

To provide an olive food product that is more delicious, easier to eat, and easier to buy.SOLUTION: Olive food products 100-300 are dry-packed, refrigerated, and distributed, which include: a transparent packaging container with a heat resistance of 75°C or higher and a gas barrier property; non-fermented olives with a hydrogen-ion exponent higher than 4.6, stored inside the packaging container; and inert gas filled inside the packaging container. Preferably, the olives satisfy one or more conditions of being sterilized by heat, grilled, pulverized, or flavored. Furthermore, the olives preferably include several varieties of olives having different colors and tastes.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to dry-packed olive food products. [Background technology]

[0002] Olives (olive fruits) contain oleic acid, which has the effect of preventing heart disease and diabetes, as well as polyphenols and vitamin E, which have antioxidant properties. Olives also contain minerals such as calcium and iron, as well as dietary fiber. For this reason, olives have long been attracting attention as a food that is good for your health.

[0003] However, because olives have a strong astringent taste, they are difficult to eat raw; they are generally fermented with lactic acid to remove the astringency, and then processed into salted, pickled, or glacéd varieties. One example of technology related to processed olive foods is described in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 describes an olive food product that includes a packaging container, olive fruits 14 held in the packaging container, and brine 13 in which the olive fruits 14 are soaked (FIG. 1). The olive fruits 14 are also provided with stalks 14a of a predetermined length, and consumers of this olive food product 10 can easily eat the olive fruits 14 by pinching the stalks 14a when eating the olives 14 in the packaging container. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Registered Utility Model No. 3219343 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Although olives are highly nutritious, they are difficult to eat raw, so there is a need for technology to make olives more delicious, easier to eat, and more affordable for consumers. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide olive foods that are more delicious, easier to eat, and more affordable. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The olive food product of the present invention is a dry-packed olive food product that is distributed refrigerated and has a transparent packaging container that is heat-resistant to temperatures of 75°C or higher and has gas barrier properties, unfermented olives with a pH of over 4.6 contained in the packaging container, and an inert gas filled in the packaging container.

[0007] This configuration prevents the oxidation and deterioration of the olives stored in the packaging container due to the inert gas. Furthermore, since the packaging container has gas barrier properties, the inert gas can be filled into the sealed packaging container. Since the packaging container is heat-resistant to temperatures of 75°C or higher, the olives can be heat-sterilized together with the packaging container after being placed inside. Furthermore, the packaging container contains unfermented olives with a pH of over 4.6, and the olives are distributed to the market refrigerated.

[0008] In addition, the olives are preferably heat-sterilized and satisfy one or more of the following conditions: roasted, crushed, or seasoned. This allows us to offer a wide variety of olive foods to suit every consumer's taste.

[0009] It is preferable that the olives include a plurality of varieties of olives with different colors or flavors. This allows consumers to purchase products that combine multiple varieties, such as mixed olives. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] (1-1) The olive food product of the present invention prevents oxidation and deterioration of olives stored in the packaging container by filling the transparent packaging container with an inert gas, allowing consumers, retailers, etc. to see the olives inside the packaging container and sell and purchase the olive food product with peace of mind. Olives are generally sold bottled or canned in brine, but due to the characteristics of olives, the brine browns over time. As a result, the olives become obscured by the browned brine. In contrast, the olive food product of the present invention uses an inert gas to prevent oxidation and deterioration of olives while also ensuring visibility. (1-2) In addition, since the packaging container is filled with an inert gas, there is almost no oxygen inside the packaging container, which prevents the growth of fungi such as mold inside the packaging container, thereby extending the expiration date of the olives. (1-3) In this case, since the packaging container has gas barrier properties, the manufacturer can fill the packaging container with an inert gas instead of salt water. (1-4) Furthermore, since the packaging container is heat-resistant to temperatures above 75°C, manufacturers can heat-sterilize the olives together with the packaging container after placing them in the packaging container, thereby providing safer olive foods. (1-5) In addition, the packaging contains unfermented olives with a pH greater than 4.6, which are refrigerated for distribution to the market. Unfermented olives preserve the olive oil and juice in a fresh state, maintaining a pleasant texture and a vibrant green color. This maximizes the natural flavor of the ingredients, satisfying the taste preferences of consumers who prefer the original flavor of the ingredients. Even olives with a pH greater than 4.6 can be distributed at room temperature if they are retorted (at 120°C for 4 minutes). However, by distributing them refrigerated, the flavor of the olives can be improved without the temperature conditions required for retort sterilization, as described below. Most olives are distributed at room temperature by adding organic acids to maintain a pH of 4.6 or less. However, because some olives, such as black olives, cannot be lowered to a pH of 4.6 or less, various olives, regardless of their variety, can be used in the olive food product of the present invention. (1-6) In addition, the olive food of the present invention is dry-packed without brine, unlike bottled / canned olives that contain brine, making it light and convenient for shopping and carrying. Also, there is no need to discard the brine when opening the package. As described above, the olive food of the present invention is more delicious, easier to eat, and more affordable.

[0011] (2) Furthermore, by using heat-sterilized olives and satisfying one or more of the following conditions: roasted, crushed, or seasoned, a wide variety of olive foods can be provided to suit any consumer's taste. In particular, the olive foods of the present invention are dry-packed without brine, which allows for a wider range of seasonings in each process. For example, if olives contain brine, they can only be seasoned with salt. However, by using this configuration, it becomes possible to use sweet, sour, or saltless ingredients, making it possible to develop olive foods that combine a variety of ingredients.

[0012] (3) In addition, by including multiple varieties of olives with different colors or flavors, it is possible to provide consumers with products that combine multiple varieties, such as mixed olives, and to provide olive foods that are more suited to consumer preferences, are delicious, easy to eat, and easy to purchase. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of an olive food product according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a flow chart showing a manufacturing process of an olive food product according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The following describes in detail an embodiment of the present invention. However, the description of the constituent elements described below is an example (representative example) of an embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following content unless the gist of the present invention is changed.

[0015] [Olive Foods] Fig. 1 shows an example of an olive food according to an embodiment of the present invention. Olive foods 10 to 30 shown in Fig. 1(A) to (C) are dry-packed olive foods, in which olives are packaged in a packaging container.

[0016] Olives can be produced in a variety of countries, including Japan and other countries, regardless of their origin. In this embodiment, olives from the EU are used. While the type of olive is not particularly limited, green Castelvetrano, green Cerignola, Leccino, Gaeta, Kalamata, and black Hojiblanca are preferred.

[0017] Regarding the packaging container, specifically, the packaging container for olive food 10 (see FIG. 1(A)) is a three-sided bag, and the packaging container for olive foods 20 and 30 (see FIGS. 1(B) and (C)) is a tray.

[0018] Here, the packaging containers for the olive foods 10 to 30 are filled with an inert gas. Typical processed olive products, such as bottled or canned olives, contain brine to protect the olives. In the olive food 10 described in Patent Document 1, cited as a prior art document, olive fruits 14 are also immersed in brine 13 (see Figure 1 of Patent Document 1). However, the olive food product of the present invention does not use salt water, and the olive food product is dry-packed in a packaging container using gas-exchange packaging.

[0019] The inert gas to be filled in the present invention is carbon dioxide gas, nitrogen gas, argon gas, etc. The concentration of the inert gas to be filled in the packaging container is appropriately set (adjusted) depending on the type, size, freshness, or processing of the olives, as well as the type and size of the packaging container and other various factors.

[0020] Also, because olives have a high salt concentration before being placed in packaging containers, they are desalted in a special desalting tank.

[0021] Olives can be packaged after various processes, such as roasting, crushing, or seasoning, to provide olives with a variety of tastes and textures to suit consumer preferences. For example, roasting olives will concentrate their flavor. They can also be marinated with flavor. Of course, olives can also be pitted.

[0022] [Olive food manufacturing method] 2 shows a flow chart of a manufacturing process for an olive food product according to an embodiment of the present invention. First, purchased olives are seasoned (Step S10). In the seasoning process, in addition to the aforementioned roasting, crushing, and seasoning processes, olives can also be combined with other ingredients such as cheese to create olive marinade. Before seasoning, olives can be desalted. As mentioned above, desalting is done in a dedicated desalting tank. In this case, it is preferable that the olives used as the primary raw material are those that have been soaked in alkaline water to remove the astringency. When soaked in alkaline water, the astringency is removed overnight, so there is no significant change in the taste, color, or flesh of the olives.

[0023] Next, the seasoned olives are divided into portions (step S20).

[0024] The divided olives are then inspected (Step S30). The inspection may involve, for example, X-ray inspection, which uses specialized equipment to see through the olives. This allows for the detection and removal of any nuclides inside the olives, enabling the production of high-quality olive food products.

[0025] Finally, the olives are packaged in a packaging container (step S40). A specialized packaging machine is used to fill the container with an inert gas. This packaging machine can produce a wide range of products, from small-volume products (small packaging containers) to large-volume products (large packaging containers).

[0026] Although olive foods 10 to 30 (see Figure 1) use different packaging containers, the use of sturdy, shape-retaining trays, particularly those used for olive foods 20 and 30, can prevent the olives from being crushed by being pressed or pressured when filling with inert gas.

[0027] The olive food product that has been completed through the above steps can also be heat sterilized (Step S50). Heat sterilization can be performed using various sterilization methods, such as low-temperature sterilization. The preferred sterilization conditions are "75°C for at least one minute." This improves the olive flavor compared to when the temperature conditions of retort sterilization (120°C for four minutes) are added.

[0028] Furthermore, various processing steps as mentioned above can be inserted between these steps. For example, before the packaging step (step S40), the olives can be roasted using a dedicated continuous oven.

[0029] The olive food product described above is merely one example of the olive food product of the present invention, and the design of the olive food product of the present invention can be appropriately modified as long as the gist of the product is not altered. For example, the olives (olive fruits) contained in the packaging container may have their stalks attached. [Industrial Applicability]

[0030] The present invention provides an olive food product that is tastier, easier to eat, and more affordable, and can be combined with a variety of vegetables, fruits, and other ingredients to make dishes such as marinades, salads, pasta, ajillo, and aquapazza. This makes it popular not only in the retail market for general households (general consumers) but also in the food and beverage industry, such as restaurants, and is therefore industrially useful. [Explanation of symbols]

[0031] 10,20,30 Olive Foods

Claims

1. a transparent packaging container having heat resistance of 75°C or more and gas barrier properties; unfermented olives having a pH greater than 4.6 contained in the packaging container; an inert gas filled in the packaging container; The olive food product has the following characteristics: it is dry-packed and distributed refrigerated.

2. 2. The olive food product according to claim 1, wherein the olives are heat-sterilized and satisfy one or more of the following conditions: roasted, crushed, or seasoned.

3. 3. The olive food product according to claim 1, wherein the olives include a plurality of varieties of olives with different colors or flavors.

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