Glutinous rice (yakshik) in the form of instant rice having superior taste, nutritional value, and texture

Abstract

To provide an instant rice, more particularly, a honey glutinous rice (yakshik) in the form of the instant rice, even when the instant rice is prepared using raw materials vulnerable to microbial contamination or difficult to sterilize, exhibits sufficient sterilization efficacy with microbial levels in the final instant rice product below the standard threshold, thereby avoiding the quality degradation issues that can arise from overly stringent sterilization, and has superior texture and taste qualities.SOLUTION: The instant rice of the present invention includes: a sealed container; and a glutinous rice made from at least one raw material selected from the group consisting of jujubes, nuts and raisins, rice, and sauces contained in the container, wherein the raw materials other than rice in the glutinous rice are contained in an amount of 5 pts.wt. to 20 pts.wt. based on 100 pts.wt. of the contents contained in the container, the nuts are contained in an amount of 7 pts.wt. to 18 pts.wt. based on 100 pts.wt. of the contents contained in the container, and the number of microorganisms in the instant rice is negative within a shelf life.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present application relates to a honey medicated food in the form of instant rice. [Background technology]

[0002] Rice is a staple food in East Asia, including Korea, Japan, and China, and is also a common food throughout Asia, including Southeast Asia and South Asia. Recently, the number of people consuming rice has been increasing not only in Asia but also in the West, and rice has become a popular food in the West as well. In particular, rice, the main ingredient of rice, is becoming increasingly known for its excellent nutritional value, and is becoming even more popular.

[0003] Rice is typically prepared by washing and soaking grains such as rice in water, draining the water, and heating the rice. However, to properly cook rice, it is important to accurately measure the amount of water depending on the amount of grain. The taste and texture of the final rice can vary significantly depending on the heating conditions and method, requiring skilled skill and experience to produce rice of a certain standard. Because it is difficult to produce rice of consistent, high quality, electric rice cookers designed specifically for cooking rice have been developed. As rice is a staple food, it must be cooked daily or in large quantities, but the cooking process can be complicated and difficult. In particular, with the recent trend toward an increase in single-person households and a growing eating-out culture, fewer people are willing to go through the complicated process of preparing rice at home. Conversely, demand for instant rice in the form of an instant food product is on the rise.

[0004] Instant rice is sold in pre-cooked packages, allowing consumers to eat it immediately and conveniently enjoy high-quality rice through 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 rice, the quality of the rice may be damaged or deteriorated. Therefore, maintaining the quality of the rice while simultaneously achieving sterilization effects is an important issue to be resolved in the instant rice field.

[0005] Solving the above-mentioned issues is especially important for instant rice that uses ingredients other than white rice. When ingredients with high moisture content or susceptibility to microbial contamination are used, sterilization is difficult and sterilization significantly deteriorates the quality, making sterilization and quality control particularly important. In the case of commercially available mixed rice in the form of instant rice, ingredients that are susceptible to microbial contamination are used, so even if the sterilization conditions are met, the rice often has significantly inferior quality and a poor texture and taste. 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 it. This method does not take into consideration the issue of rice quality deterioration due to sterilization. Recently, the market for convenience foods has been gradually growing, and as the demand for various types of instant rice in addition to the existing white rice has increased, the need for and the need to develop instant rice with quality similar to that of rice cooked directly at home or in a restaurant have also increased. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2015-0105819 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The present application relates to instant rice produced using raw materials that are vulnerable to microbial contamination and difficult to sterilize, and aims to provide instant rice of excellent quality that contains microorganisms below the standard value through sufficient sterilization and achieves the taste, nutrition, texture, etc. of kamameshi. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One aspect of the present application provides instant rice comprising a sealed container and a medicinal food made from at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of jujube, chestnut, nuts and seeds, and raisins, rice, and a sauce 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 per 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 per 100 parts by weight of the contents contained in the container, and the number of microorganisms in the instant rice is negative within the expiration date.

[0009] The present application will be described in detail below.

[0010] 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.

[0011] 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.

[0012] The instant rice of the present application comprises 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 seeds, 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 is negative within the expiration date.

[0013] The instant rice of the present application, despite being in the form of instant rice, can exhibit excellent quality by realizing the taste, nutrition, texture, etc. of kamameshi. 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 by being produced using a pot such as a stone pot or iron pot.

[0014] The instant rice of the present application may be prepared in the form of whole grain rice, mushroom nutritional rice, honey medicinal rice, etc. depending on the type and composition of ingredients, and specifically, may be in the form of medicinal rice, more specifically, honey medicinal rice.

[0015] In addition to the above ingredients, the instant rice may further contain ingredients that are typically used in the manufacture of medicinal foods.

[0016] The "rice" used as a raw material for rice production can be any type of rice typically used in rice production, such as, but not limited to, japonica or indica rice. The rice can be white rice, black rice, brown rice, or the like. The rice can be non-glutinous rice, glutinous rice, or a combination thereof. The starch components of non-glutinous rice can be amylose and amylopectin, while the starch components of glutinous rice can be amylopectin. Glutinous rice can be more viscous when cooked than non-glutinous rice. The rice can be used regardless of its degree of polishing, and can be white rice, brown rice, 5-minute polished rice, 7-minute polished rice, and / or 9-minute polished rice. The type of rice can be selected appropriately depending on the type and characteristics of the rice to be produced, and the mixing ratio of each type of rice can also be selected appropriately.

[0017] The nuts and seeds may be at least one selected from the group consisting of chestnuts, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, and peanuts, and may be at least two or more, or at least three or more, but are not limited thereto. Any nuts and seeds that are typically used in preparing herbal medicines or honey herbal medicines may be used in the instant rice of the present invention without any restrictions.

[0018] The raw materials contained in the instant rice of the present application contain more microorganisms than the other raw materials, making them vulnerable to microbial contamination, or they may not be sufficiently sterilized by the usual sterilization process. Specifically, the raw materials contain more than 10 microorganisms before sterilization. 2 cfu / ml ~10 8 cfu / ml, for example, the number of microorganisms can be 10 3 cfu / ml ~10 7The number of microorganisms in the raw materials 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 raw materials before sterilization may be the number of microorganisms measured before sterilizing a mixture of two or more raw materials. The number of microorganisms in the 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 8 For example, the number of microorganisms in the 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 impacts of instant rice consumers and the legally permissible microbial count standards for instant rice, stricter sterilization may be required than when using other raw materials to reduce the number of microorganisms in instant rice and meet the standards. However, while strict sterilization conditions and methods for producing instant rice can control microbial contamination, there is a problem that the sterilization process can cause a deterioration in the quality of the instant rice. The present application aims to solve the above-mentioned problems that arise when producing instant rice using the above raw materials, and the instant rice of the present application exhibits sufficient sterilization effects without causing a deterioration in the quality of the instant rice.

[0019] The sauce is a liquid sauce, and any liquid sauce can be used without limitation as long as it is added to impart the desired characteristics, such as taste, shape, and physical properties, to the instant rice of the present application. Specifically, it can contain sugar and / or salt. The liquid sauce can be prepared by blending liquid ingredients and powder ingredients in a predetermined ratio. The liquid ingredients can 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 can be, but are not limited to, salt, sugar, pepper, chili powder, etc. For example, the sauce can contain soy sauce, garlic, green onion, sugar, salt, sesame oil, honey, or a combination thereof. Specifically, if the instant rice is a honey-based medicinal food, the sauce can contain honey. When liquid sauce is added during the production of instant rice, there is a problem that the quality of the liquid sauce may be significantly reduced during the process of sterilizing the instant rice using conventional methods. However, the instant rice of the present application has the advantage that, despite containing liquid sauce, the quality of the sauce and the instant rice is not reduced, and the number of microorganisms in the instant rice and / or the sauce can be maintained at 0 cfu / ml.

[0020] The ingredients in the medicinal food or ingredients other than rice may be contained in an amount of 5 to 20 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the contents contained in the container. Specifically, the content of the ingredients other than rice may be within a range defined by a lower limit selected from 5 parts by weight, 5.5 parts by weight, 6 parts by weight, 6.5 parts by weight, 7 parts by weight, 7.5 parts by weight, 8 parts by weight, 8.5 parts by weight, 9 parts by weight, 9.5 parts by weight, and 10 parts by weight, and / or an upper limit selected from 20 parts by weight, 19.5 parts by weight, 19 parts by weight, 18.5 parts by weight, 18 parts by weight, 17.5 parts by weight, 17 parts by weight, 16.5 parts by weight, 16 parts by weight, 15.5 parts by weight, 15 parts by weight, 14.5 parts by weight, 14 parts by weight, 13.5 parts by weight, 13 parts by weight, 12.5 parts by weight, 12 parts by weight, 11.5 parts by weight, 11 parts by weight, and 10.5 parts by weight. For example, the amount may be 5 to 20 parts by weight, 6 to 29 parts by weight, 7 to 18 parts by weight, 8 to 17 parts by weight, 7 to 16.5 parts by weight, 8 to 16 parts by weight, 9 to 15.5 parts by weight, or 10 to 15 parts by weight, but is not limited to these.

[0021] 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 contained in the container. Specifically, the content of the nuts and seeds may be within a range defined by a lower limit selected from 7 parts by weight, 7.5 parts by weight, 8 parts by weight, 8.5 parts by weight, and 9 parts by weight, and / or an upper limit selected from 18 parts by weight, 17.5 parts by weight, 17 parts by weight, 16.5 parts by weight, 16 parts by weight, 15.5 parts by weight, 15 parts by weight, 14.5 parts by weight, 14 parts by weight, 13.5 parts by weight, 13 parts by weight, 12.5 parts by weight, 12 parts by weight, 11.5 parts by weight, 11 parts by weight, 10.5 parts by weight, 10 parts by weight, and 9.5 parts by weight. For example, the amount may be 7 to 18 parts by weight, 7.5 to 17.5 parts by weight, 8 to 17 parts by weight, 8.5 to 16.5 parts by weight, 9 to 16 parts by weight, 9 to 15.5 parts by weight, or 8.5 to 15 parts by weight, but is not limited thereto. The instant rice in the form of a medicinal food contains a relatively high content of nuts and seeds, which are difficult to sterilize, at 7 to 18 parts by weight, and has the effect of achieving sufficient sterilization and excellent rice quality at the same time.

[0022] 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 ingredients when producing the instant rice of the present application. Specifically, the content of the non-glutinous rice may be within a range defined by a lower limit selected from 10 parts by weight, 10.5 parts by weight, 11 parts by weight, 11.5 parts by weight, 12 parts by weight, 12.5 parts by weight, 13 parts by weight, 13.5 parts by weight, 14 parts by weight, 14.5 parts by weight, and 15 parts by weight, and / or an upper limit selected from 20 parts by weight, 19.5 parts by weight, 19 parts by weight, 18.5 parts by weight, 18 parts by weight, 17.5 parts by weight, 17 parts by weight, 16.5 parts by weight, 16 parts by weight, and 15.5 parts by weight. For example, the amount may be 10 to 20 parts by weight, 11 to 19 parts by weight, 12 to 18 parts by weight, 13 to 17 parts by weight, 14 to 16 parts by weight, 14 to 15.5 parts by weight, or 15 to 15.5 parts by weight, but is not limited to these.

[0023] The glutinous rice may be added in an amount of 55 to 65 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the ingredients when preparing the instant rice of the present application. Specifically, the glutinous rice content may be within a range having a lower limit selected from 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, and 62 parts by weight and / or an upper limit selected from 65, 64.5, 64, 63.5, 63, 62.5, and 62 parts by weight. Examples include, but are not limited to, 55 to 65 parts by weight, 56 to 64.5 parts by weight, 57 to 64 parts by weight, 58 to 63.5 parts by weight, 59 to 63 parts by weight, 60 to 62.5 parts by weight, or 61 to 62.5 parts by weight.

[0024] The chestnuts may be added in an amount of 8 to 18 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the ingredients when preparing instant rice according to the present invention. Specifically, the chestnut content may be within a range defined by a lower limit selected from 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 13.5 parts by weight and / or an upper limit selected from 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, and 13.5 parts by weight. Examples include, but are not limited to, 8 to 18 parts by weight, 9 to 17 parts by weight, 10 to 16 parts by weight, 11 to 15 parts by weight, 12 to 14 parts by weight, 13 to 13.5 parts by weight, and 13.5 to 14 parts by weight.

[0025] 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 ingredients when preparing the instant rice of the present application. Specifically, the pumpkin seed content may be within a range defined by a lower limit selected from 0.5, 0.7, 1, 1.2, 1.5, 1.7, and 1.9 parts by weight and / or an upper limit selected from 3.5, 3.3, 3, 2.8, 2.5, 2.3, and 2 parts by weight. Examples include, but are not limited to, 0.5 to 3.5 parts by weight, 0.7 to 3.3 parts by weight, 1 to 3 parts by weight, 1.5 to 2.5 parts by weight, 1.7 to 2.3 parts by weight, or 1.9 to 2 parts by weight.

[0026] The raisins may be added in an amount of 1.5 to 4.5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the instant rice of the present application. Specifically, the raisin content may be within a range defined by a lower limit selected from 1.5, 1.7, 2, 2.2, 2.5, 2.7, and 2.9 parts by weight and / or an upper limit selected from 4.5, 4.3, 4, 3.8, 3.5, 3.3, and 3 parts by weight. Examples include, but are not limited to, 1.5 to 4.5 parts by weight, 2 to 4 parts by weight, 2.2 to 3.8 parts by weight, 2.5 to 3.5 parts by weight, 2.7 to 3.3 parts by weight, or 2.9 to 3 parts by weight.

[0027] 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 instant rice of the present application. Specifically, the amount of pine nuts may be within a range defined by a lower limit selected from 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, and 1 part by weight and / or an upper limit selected from 1.5, 1.4, 1.3, 1.2, 1.1, and 1 part by weight. Examples include, but are not limited to, 0.5 to 1.5 parts by weight, 0.6 to 1.4 parts by weight, 0.7 to 1.3 parts by weight, 0.8 to 1.2 parts by weight, 0.9 to 1.1 parts by weight, 0.9 to 1 part by weight, or 1 to 1.1 parts by weight.

[0028] The instant rice may be negative in a bacterial growth test for microorganisms, more specifically, general bacteria and heat-resistant bacteria, within the expiration date. Alternatively, the instant rice may be sterile for microorganisms, more specifically, general bacteria and heat-resistant bacteria, within the expiration date. Alternatively, the instant rice may have 0 cfu / ml of microorganisms, more specifically, general bacteria and heat-resistant bacteria, within the expiration date. Therefore, the instant rice of the present application has the advantage that the quality of the ingredients and / or sauces contained in the instant rice is not deteriorated and sufficient sterilization effect can be exhibited. Furthermore, the microbial count in the instant rice may be 0 cfu / ml when measured 9 months or less after production of the instant rice. Specifically, the microbial count may be 0 cfu / ml when measured 1 month or less, 2 months or less, 3 months or less, 6 months or less, or 9 months or less after production.

[0029] The color of the rice portion of the instant rice of the present application before microwave heating 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. Specifically, the L value may be 33.5 to 36, 34 to 35.5, or 34.5 to 35, the a value may be 5.5 to 6.5, 5.7 to 6.3, or 5.9 to 6, and the b value may be 13.5 to 14.5, 13.7 to 14.3, or 14 to 14.1. Since the color range of the rice portion of the instant rice of the present application falls within the above ranges, instant rice of a color that more closely matches consumer color preferences can be provided. In the food technology field to which the present application pertains, food color, along with taste quality, is a factor that plays an important role in consumer preferences and selection. In particular, the instant rice of the present application can be characterized by a relatively higher L value and / or b value compared to instant rice produced by a conventional production method using the same ingredients.

[0030] The instant rice of the present application is 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. The color of the rice portion of the instant rice measured after heating 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. Specifically, the L value may be 27 to 29, 27 to 28.5, or 27 to 28, the a value may be 6 to 7.5, 6.5 to 7, or 6.6 to 6.8, and the b value may be 10 to 11, 10.2 to 10.8, or 10.4 to 10.5. Since the color range of the rice portion of the instant rice of the present application falls within the above range, instant rice with a color that more closely matches consumer color preferences can be provided. In the food technology field to which the present application pertains, food color is a factor that plays an important role in consumer preferences and selection, along with taste quality.

[0031] The instant rice of the present application 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 container may be measured using a physical property analyzer, and the rice may have one or more, two or more, or three or more of the following physical properties: (i) hardness 15 to 35; (ii) elasticity 40 to 60; (iii) 25 to 40; (iv) viscosity 65 to 105.

[0032] Specifically, the instant rice of the present application is 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 container is measured using a physical property analyzer, and the rice can have the following physical properties: (i) 15 to 35; (ii) elasticity 40 to 60; (iii) adhesiveness 25 to 40; (iv) viscosity 65 to 105.

[0033] More specifically, physical properties can be measured using a physical property analyzer (Tensipresser Analyzer, MyBoy, TAKETOMO Electric Incorporated). Specifically, texture profile analysis (TPA) was performed using the physical property analyzer, and the TPA curve obtained after six bites was used. Specifically, each sample was placed in the holder of the physical property analyzer, and a 30 mm-high plunger was moved at a constant force and speed of 2.0 mm / s to apply force to the sample surface. The sample was compressed to 24% of its thickness twice, 46% twice, and 92% twice. The load on the plunger was measured. Hardness was measured as the peak value when the plunger compressed the sample to 92% of its thickness, which indicates the force required to chew and crush the rice. Elasticity was measured by dividing the curve area at 92% compression by the curve area at 24% compression. A higher elasticity value indicates a higher chewing elasticity of the rice. Adhesion can be measured as a negative peak value when the plunger compresses the sample by 92%, which indicates the force required to separate the plunger from the sample, with a higher measured value indicating a higher adhesion. Viscosity can be measured as a negative area when the plunger compresses the sample by 92%, which indicates the force required to maintain adhesion. Each value can be the average of five repeated measurements.

[0034] Specifically, the hardness may be 15 to 35, 18 to 33, or 20 to 30, the elasticity may be 40 to 60, 44 to 58, or 45 to 55, the adhesiveness may be 25 to 40, 29 to 39, or 30 to 35, and the viscosity may be 65 to 105, 69 to 104, or 70 to 100.

[0035] Furthermore, the instant rice of the present application may have a deviation in hardness and / or springiness of 10 or less when measured using the same method for three or more, four or more, or five or more pieces of instant rice produced using the same manufacturing method. Specifically, the deviation in hardness and / or springiness may be 10 or less, 9 or less, 8 or less, 7 or less, or 6 or less. The deviation in hardness and / or springiness measured using the above method for the instant rice of the present application has the advantage of being smaller than the deviation in hardness and / or springiness of instant rice produced using the same ingredients and a conventional manufacturing method. This means that the quality of instant rice products is maintained consistently when produced using the same manufacturing method. The instant rice of the present application is characterized by its ability to maintain a predetermined quality even during mass production, making it suitable for mass production.

[0036] The sugar content of the sauce before sterilization 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. For example, the sugar content may be 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, but is not limited thereto.

[0037] The viscosity of the sauce before sterilization may be 0 to 2,000 cp. Specifically, the viscosity of the 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.

[0038] If the sauce has a sugar content and / or viscosity within the above range, heat transfer during the sterilization process can be difficult, making it difficult to control microorganisms. However, the instant rice of the present application maintains the above sugar content and / or viscosity range of the sauce and exhibits sufficient sterilization effect. Furthermore, while conventional liquid sterilization methods do not have a significant sterilization effect on viscous liquids, the instant rice of the present application has the advantage of exhibiting a sufficient sterilization effect even on viscous sauces as described above.

[0039] The sealed container may be manufactured by attaching a sterilized lid, e.g., a UV-sterilized lid, to the container and further injecting an inert gas into the container before sealing. The container may be attached using, but is not limited to, a method that uses heat, an adhesive, or pressure. The container and lid may be any container or lid commonly used in the manufacture of instant foods, regardless of their shape, material, or size, and may be a container or lid that is not deformed or damaged by heat. For example, the lid may be, but is not limited to, a lead film. After the sealing process, external foreign matter or microorganisms cannot naturally enter the container, allowing for microbial contamination control. Therefore, it is not necessary to maintain aseptic conditions in subsequent steps.

[0040] The instant rice of the present application can be produced by sterilizing at least one raw material selected from the group consisting of jujubes, nuts, and raisins and rice, more specifically, soaked rice, filled into a container under conditions of an F0 value of 4 or more, adding sterilized sauce to the sterilized raw materials, sealing the container containing the sauce, and heating the sealed container at a temperature of 90°C to 125°C for 10 to 25 minutes.

[0041] The ingredients, rice, sauce, etc. are the same as those contained in the instant rice, so the following description will refer to those ingredients.

[0042] The instant rice of the present application can be produced by sterilizing the ingredients contained in the container under conditions of an F0 value of 4 or more before sealing the container. The instant rice can also be produced by adding sterilized water or sterilized sauce to the sterilized ingredients. The instant rice can also be produced by sealing the container to which the water or sauce has been added. The instant rice can also be produced by heating the sealed container at a temperature of 90°C to 125°C for 10 to 25 minutes.

[0043] The instant rice of the present application can be produced by directly injecting steam into water or sauce to sterilize the water or sauce.

[0044] The liquid sterilization step may involve directly injecting steam at 130°C to 140°C into the sauce for 6 to 8 minutes to sterilize the sauce. 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.

[0045] The step of liquid sterilizing the water or 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.

[0046] In the case of instant rice containing a liquid sauce having a certain range of viscosity and / or sugar content, the possibility of microbial contamination is relatively greater, and when produced according to a conventional instant rice production method, there is a possibility of the quality of the instant rice and / or sauce deteriorating. However, by producing the instant rice according to the above-mentioned method, the instant rice of the present application has the advantages of being able to completely control microorganisms, exhibiting a color that meets consumer preferences, and preventing deviations between products when mass-produced.

[0047] 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 "F 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 F value is a value that can be used in the industry as a measure of the level of sterilization. Specifically, the F value can be determined by measuring the cumulative heat transferred to a sample during heat treatment using a sensor probe. 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.

[0048] The instant rice of the present application can be manufactured by sterilizing the raw materials contained in a container under conditions of an F0 value of 4 or more. Here, sterilization under the condition of "F0 value = 4" means, in accordance with the definition of F0 value, that sterilization is performed to a level that can kill a standard microorganism with a Z value of 10°C when sterilized at a temperature of 121.1°C for 4 minutes. The F0 value can be calculated using the following formula 1.

[0049]

number

[0050] In the above formula 1, the unit of t (time) is minutes (min), and the unit of T (temperature) is °C.

[0051] Specifically, the sterilization step may have an F0 value of, but is not limited to, 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. When sterilization is performed under conditions of an F0 value in the above range or more, by producing instant rice through the subsequent steps, the number of microorganisms contained in the final instant rice product is reduced to below the standard value, thereby demonstrating a sufficient sterilization effect.

[0052] The sterilization step may be performed by at least one method selected from the group consisting of pressure steam sterilization, vacuum pressure steam sterilization, and ultra-high temperature sterilization, but is not limited thereto. Any sterilization method that satisfies the requirement of an F0 value of 4 or more may be used. Specifically, the sterilization step may be performed using, but is not limited to, a pressure sterilizer (Shinwha, Japan), a vacuum pressure sterilizer (RIC device, Hisaka, Japan), or an ultra-high pressure sterilizer (Echico, Japan). More specifically, the sterilization step may be performed by directly adding steam to the raw materials, or by a vacuum pressure steam sterilization method. The vacuum pressure steam sterilization may be performed by vacuum, steam sterilization, reduced pressure, and vacuum cooling in that order, for example, using a vacuum pressure sterilizer. More specifically, the raw materials may be placed in a vacuum pressure sterilizer, and the inside of the vacuum pressure sterilizer may be evacuated, followed by steam sterilization, reduced pressure, and vacuum cooling in that order. The raw materials may be filled in an unsealed container. By creating a vacuum inside the autoclave before steam sterilization, it is possible to improve the efficiency (fast heat transfer) and uniformity of heat transfer during steam sterilization.

[0053] The sterilization step can be performed for 1 to 10 minutes using steam at 120° C. to 140° C. Specifically, the steam temperature can be within a range defined by 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 using 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 having 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 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 rice 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.

[0054] Furthermore, the sterilization step can involve contacting the raw materials with steam at 140°C to 155°C for 3 to 10 seconds, which can be repeated 5 to 10 times. Specifically, the steam temperature can 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. For example, sterilization can be performed with steam at 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, but is not limited thereto. The steam contact time can be within a range 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 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.

[0055] The instant rice of the present application may be prepared by further soaking the raw materials in water before placing the raw materials in the container. The soaking step may include washing the raw materials with water. For example, the raw materials may be soaked in 200 to 300 parts by weight of water for a total of 100 parts by weight of the washed raw materials for 20 to 80 minutes, but is not limited thereto. The soaking step may be performed in the same manner as the soaking of grains in water when preparing rice by cooking.

[0056] After the soaking step, a step of removing water may be further performed before the raw materials are contained in the container. As a result of the water removing step, the container may contain 0 to 10 parts by weight of water per 100 parts by weight of the raw materials before the sterilization step.

[0057] After the sterilization step, the instant rice of the present application undergoes a step of adding sterilized water or sterilized sauce to the sterilized raw materials. The amount of sterilized water added here can be within the range of amounts typically used in producing rice, and is not limited. For example, after water is added, the amount of water can be 30 to 120 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the raw materials. Specifically, the amount of sterilized water can be 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. Taking into account the amount of water contained in the container after the water removal step following soaking the raw materials in water, the amount of water added can be appropriately adjusted so that the container ultimately contains the amount of water within the range.

[0058] The instant rice of the present application can be produced without a rice cooking step. Specifically, the instant rice can be produced without a rice cooking step in the steps after the sterilization step and before the sealing step. The rice cooking step generally refers to a process of heating rice ingredients during the rice production process, and can be, for example, a step of heating at 90°C to 120°C. By not including a rice cooking step, the instant rice production method of the present application can reduce the number of times the ingredients are heated and prevent deterioration in the quality of the instant rice 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. 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.

[0059] The instant rice of the present application can be produced without applying heat above 90°C after the sterilization step and before the sealing step. Specifically, the instant rice can be produced without applying heat at 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, but is not limited thereto. By producing the instant rice of the present application without including a step of heating at a temperature within the above range before the sealing step, the number of times the raw materials are heated can be reduced, and deterioration of the quality of the instant rice due to heating can be prevented. 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.

[0060] 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.

[0061] The instant rice of the present application can be prepared by maintaining a temperature of 89°C or less after the sterilization step and before the sealing step. Specifically, the temperature can be maintained at, but is 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 rice of the present application can reduce the number of times the raw materials are heated and prevent deterioration of the quality of the instant rice due to heating. Furthermore, since microorganisms can 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 has the effect of reducing the cost of establishing sterile conditions and reducing the possibility of microbial contamination.

[0062] The term "maintaining the temperature" as used herein not only refers to the continuous uninterrupted maintenance of the 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, according to common general technical knowledge in the art, the result is the same as the continuous maintenance of the temperature. For example, even if a temperature higher than the range is temporarily applied, if no significant sterilization effect or no change in the quality of the rice occurs, this is within the scope of the present application. For example, this 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.

[0063] The instant rice of the present application can be produced by maintaining aseptic conditions from the sterilization step to the sealing step. Before sealing, containers containing sterilized raw materials may be contaminated by external biological particles, such as microorganisms, and other non-biological particles. Therefore, each step must be performed under conditions that control airborne contaminant particles. The method for maintaining the aseptic conditions may be any method or 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.

[0064] The instant rice of the present application can be produced by heating the sealed container for 10 to 25 minutes at a temperature of 90°C to 125°C. Specifically, the heating temperature can be within a range defined by 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 with 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 raw material.

[0065] When heating is performed within the above temperature range and for the above time, a more effective sterilization effect can be achieved, and more complete control of microorganisms is possible. Furthermore, by undergoing the heating process under the above conditions, the instant rice of the present application can reach a level similar to that of rice produced by a normal rice production process, and can have rice quality suitable for consumption. This prevents deterioration of rice quality due to excessive heating conditions, and allows the production of excellent quality instant rice.

[0066] After the heating step, the measured number of microorganisms in the raw materials can be 0 cfu / ml. In the raw materials contained in the instant rice produced by the instant rice production method of the present application, both general bacteria and heat-resistant bacteria can be killed, and the number of microorganisms can be 0 cfu / ml. Therefore, the instant rice of the present application has the advantage that the quality of the raw materials contained in the instant rice is not reduced and a sufficient sterilization effect can be exhibited.

[0067] That is, the instant rice of the present application is easy to cook, store, and preserve as an instant food, and can have texture and taste quality similar to rice produced by ordinary cooking methods at home or in restaurants. Furthermore, even if raw materials that are vulnerable to microbial contamination or are difficult to sterilize are used, the number of microorganisms can be controlled by sufficient sterilization, and instant rice that does not suffer from deterioration in rice quality due to sterilization can be produced.

[0068] 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 rice. 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.

[0069] 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.

[0070] The instant rice of the present application may be manufactured by further performing cooling and drying steps after the heating step, and may further include a step of inspecting the appearance and condition of the manufactured instant rice and / or a step of packaging one or more pieces of instant rice. The cooling step may be, but is not limited to, cooling by natural wind, and the inspection step may be, but is not limited to, a visual inspection or a sampling inspection. [Effects of the Invention]

[0071] The instant rice of the present application has the effect of providing excellent quality instant rice that achieves the taste, nutritional value, texture, etc. of rice cooked in a pot without the problem of quality degradation due to strict sterilization, even when instant rice is produced using a liquid sauce that is vulnerable to microbial contamination and difficult to sterilize, by sufficient sterilization the number of microorganisms in the liquid sauce can be reduced to below the standard value and the quality of the liquid sauce (e.g., viscosity, sugar content, etc.) can be prevented from being damaged by sterilization.

[0072] In addition, compared to conventional instant rice manufacturing methods, the new manufacturing principle reduces the number of heating cycles to minimize quality changes, and by maintaining sterile conditions, the time and steps required can be simplified, offering advantages in terms of cost and microbial safety.

[0073] 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

[0074] The present application will now be described in more detail with reference to examples.

[0075] 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. [Example]

[0076] [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. Specifically, the ingredients used were non-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 ratios of each ingredient are 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 with an F0 value of 4 or higher.

[0077] [Table 1]

[0078] After the raw materials were sterilized, a liquid sauce with a salinity of 0.9% and a sugar content of 28 brix, prepared by mixing cinnamon bark concentrate, dark soy sauce, honey, sugar syrup, brown sugar, oligosaccharide HF, and refined salt, was sterilized and added to the container. The liquid sauce was sterilized by directly injecting steam at a temperature of 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 1. The temperature and time conditions used in the retort sterilization were relatively less severe than those used in conventional retort sterilization.

[0079] 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 proportions 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.

[0080] 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 using 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.

[0081] 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 of less than F0 4. 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.

[0082] [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 a liquid sauce such as honey or soy sauce, and the color of the rice portion was measured and compared. The instant rice of Example 1, Comparative Example 1, and Comparative Example 2 was heated in a microwave oven (700 W) for 2 minutes, after which the lids were removed and the color was measured and compared. The color was measured using a device manufactured by Konica Minolta to measure the L, a, and b values, and each measurement was performed three times. The average values ​​are shown in Tables 2 and 3 below, respectively.

[0083] [Table 2]

[0084] [Table 3]

[0085] As a result, as can be seen from Tables 2 and 3, the honey medicinal food of Example 1 of the present application had a relatively low L value and a high b value. The honey medicinal food of Example 1 of the present application can be distinguished from the honey medicinal foods of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 in terms of color.

[0086] [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 rice grains were measured using a taste analyzer (Tensipresser My Boy 2 system, Taketomo Electric Co., Japan). The values ​​of the cooked rice taste of each instant rice are shown in Table 4 below.

[0087] [Table 4]

[0088] 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.

[0089] [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).

[0090] Specifically, texture profile analysis (TPA) was performed using a physical property analyzer to measure the physical properties. The TPA curves obtained after six bites were used. Specifically, each sample was placed in the holder of the physical property analyzer, and a 30 mm-high plunger was moved at a constant force and speed of 2.0 mm / s to apply force to the sample surface. The sample was compressed to 24% of its thickness twice, 46% twice, and 92% twice. The load applied to the plunger was measured. The hardness was measured as the peak value when the plunger compressed the sample to 92% of its thickness, which indicates the force required to chew and crush the rice. Elasticity was measured by dividing the curve area at 92% compression by the curve area at 24% compression. A higher elasticity value indicates a higher chewing elasticity of the rice. Adhesion can be measured as the negative peak value when the plunger compresses the sample by 92%, which indicates the force required to separate the plunger from the sample; the larger the measured value, the stronger the adhesion. Viscosity can be measured as the negative area when the plunger compresses the sample by 92%, which indicates the force required to maintain adhesion. Each value was measured five times and the average value was calculated.

[0091] [Table 5-1] [Table 5-2]

[0092] 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 and the deviation was not large, but in the case of the honey medicinal food of Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Example 2, it was confirmed that the deviation of the measurement values ​​of the physical properties for each sample was very large.

[0093] 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 variation 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.

[0094] [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 color preference, off-taste / off-odor intensity, overall taste preference, texture preference, and viscosity preference, and are shown in Table 5 below. The sensory quality evaluation criteria were as follows:

[0095] [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.

[0096] [Table 6]

[0097] 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 even better sensory quality than rice prepared by other methods.

[0098] [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.

[0099] 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, chestnuts, pumpkin seeds, raisins, and pine nuts was measured, and the number of microorganisms was measured in a mixed solid sample obtained by mixing these.

[0100] 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.

[0101] 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 check whether the target bacteria can be controlled during the actual manufacturing process. Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 5230), which dies at an F0 of approximately 4 or less, was found to be sterilized at 10 6The orange capsule (MesaLabs SASU-302) is used, and the heat-resistant bacteria Geobacillus stearotrhermophilus (ATCC 7953), which dies at F0 of approximately 21 or less, is present at 10 6 Purple capsules (MesaLabs SA-608) containing cfu / ml were used. The raw materials were sterilized using these capsules in an RIC device and incubated at 35°C for the orange capsules and 55-60°C for the purple capsules for up to 48 hours, after which the color change was observed. No color change was considered negative, and a yellow color change was considered positive (Table 5).

[0102] 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.

[0103] [Table 7]

[0104] Furthermore, after steam pressure sterilization, the instant rice products were hydrated, sealed, and further heated to produce final products, which were then subjected to bacterial growth experiments. The instant rice products were stored at 35°C for 10 days, and then samples were taken to measure the growth of general bacteria and heat-resistant bacteria in accordance with the industry's standard method for measuring bacterial growth (according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's general test method for bacterial growth tests). Samples of each final product were stored in an incubator at 35-37°C for 10 days or more, and the samples were homogenized in a diluent and cultured in a culture medium at 35-37°C for 45-51 hours, after which bacterial growth was measured.

[0105] As a result, as shown in Table 6 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.

[0106] [Table 8]

[0107] 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. A sealed container and Instant rice comprising a food prepared by sterilizing at least one raw material selected from the group consisting of jujubes, nuts and raisins, rice, and sauce, contained in the aforementioned container, The ingredients other than rice in the aforementioned food and medicine are included in an amount of 5 to 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the contents contained in the container. The aforementioned nuts and seeds are included in an amount of 7 to 18 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the contents contained in the container. The number of microorganisms in the instant rice was negative within the expiration date. The instant rice is manufactured without a cooking step, after the step of sterilizing the raw materials and before the step of sealing the container.

2. The instant rice according to claim 1, wherein the rice is at least one selected from the group consisting of non-glutinous rice and glutinous rice.

3. The instant rice according to claim 1, wherein the nuts and seeds include at least one selected from the group consisting of chestnuts, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, and peanuts.

4. The instant rice according to claim 1, wherein the sauce comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of soy sauce, garlic, green onions, sugar, salt, sesame oil, and honey.

5. The instant rice according to claim 2, wherein the non-glutinous rice is added at a content of 10 to 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the contents during the production of the instant rice.

6. The instant rice according to claim 2, wherein the glutinous rice is added at a content of 55 to 65 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the contents during the manufacture of the instant rice.

7. The instant rice according to claim 1, wherein the color of the rice in the instant rice has 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.

8. The instant rice according to claim 1, wherein the instant rice is heated in a 700W microwave oven for 1 to 3 minutes, and the hardness of the rice in the container is measured using a physical property analyzer and is 15 to 35.

9. The instant rice according to claim 1, wherein the elasticity of the rice in the container is measured using a physical property analyzer after heating in a 700W microwave oven for 1 to 3 minutes, and the elasticity of the rice in the container is 40 to 60.

10. The instant rice according to claim 1, wherein the instant rice is heated in a 700W microwave oven for 1 to 3 minutes, and the adhesion of the rice in the container is measured using a physical property analyzer and the result is 25 to 40.

11. The instant rice according to claim 1, wherein the viscosity of the rice in the container is measured using a physical property analyzer after heating in a 700W microwave oven for 1 to 3 minutes, and the viscosity of the rice in the container is 65 to 105.

12. The instant rice according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the deviation of hardness or elasticity measured on three or more of the instant rice is 10 or less.

13. The instant rice according to claim 1, wherein the sugar content of the sauce is 0 to 60 brix.

14. The instant rice according to claim 1, wherein the viscosity of the sauce is 0 to 2,000 cp.

15. The instant rice according to claim 1, wherein the instant rice is a medicinal food.

16. The instant rice according to claim 1, wherein the instant rice is manufactured by sterilizing the raw materials contained in the container under conditions of an F0 value of 4 or higher before sealing the container.

17. The instant rice according to claim 16, wherein the instant rice is manufactured by heating the sealed container at a temperature of 90°C to 125°C for 10 to 25 minutes.

18. The instant rice according to claim 16, wherein the instant rice is manufactured without applying heat of 90°C or higher after sterilization until before the container is sealed.

19. The instant rice according to claim 16, wherein the instant rice is manufactured by directly spraying steam at 130°C to 140°C onto the sauce and sterilizing it for 6 to 8 minutes.

20. The instant rice according to claim 1, wherein the raw material has a number of microorganisms in the raw material before sterilization of 10² cfu / g to 10⁸ cfu / g.

21. The instant rice according to claim 1, manufactured by filling the raw materials into a container and sterilizing the raw materials contained in the container with vacuum pressurized steam.

22. The instant rice according to claim 21, wherein the vacuum pressurized steam sequentially performs vacuum, steam sterilization, depressurization, and vacuum cooling.