Salted cut undaria pinnatifida and method for producing the same

Abstract

To provide salted cut Undaria pinnatifida which maintains deliciousness and crunchy texture and is superior in convenience and a method for producing the same.SOLUTION: A method for producing salted cut Undaria pinnatifida includes the steps for: preparing salted Undaria pinnatifida; observing a surface state of salted Undaria pinnatifida and washing Undaria pinnatifida until deposition of salt is not observed when deposition of salt is observed; forcibly dehydrating Undaria pinnatifida washed with salt water; and cutting dehydrated Undaria pinnatifida into prescribed sizes. Thus, cut Undaria pinnatifida which is superior in convenience and is delicious and crunchy can be provided. By dehydrating Undaria pinnatifida without drying, not only water content but also salt content can be reduced, and time for rehydrating Undaria pinnatifida before use can be shortened, which leads to ease of use. In addition, the production method has less energy consumption, is inexpensive and is environmentally friendly.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to salted cut wakame seaweed and a method for producing the same, and more particularly to undried dehydrated wakame seaweed cut from salted wakame seaweed and a method for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Wakame seaweed is highly nutritious and widely available as an essential food ingredient on the dining table. Wakame is broadly divided into salted wakame and dried, cut wakame. Of these, salted wakame is blanched and salted, and is also called blanched, salted wakame. Specifically, after harvesting, the wakame is quickly immersed in seawater or salted water at 80°C or higher for 30 to 60 seconds, then cooled and drained, rubbed with salt, salted for 15 hours or more, and then naturally dehydrated, cored, and sorted. This blanched, salted wakame is sold uncut. Therefore, for general home cooking, it must be cut again with a knife, making it inconvenient to use.

[0003] Therefore, cut wakame is widely available. Cut wakame has the advantage of being easy to use because it is pre-cut to an appropriate length. However, because cut wakame is dried, it must be rehydrated before it can be used as a food ingredient. Furthermore, during the manufacturing process, the nutrients and umami components contained in dried cut wakame are leached out, making it prone to losing its value as a food ingredient. Furthermore, over time, the moisture content of the wakame increases during rehydration, resulting in a loss of the distinctive crunchy texture of wakame, a loss of chewiness, and a poor texture. In addition to the deterioration of taste and texture, there is also the problem of high costs due to the laborious manufacturing process. Thus, it has been difficult to achieve both the texture and convenience of wakame.

[0004] In response to this, cut blanched and salted wakame has been proposed (Patent Document 1). According to this, the water content of the wakame is 50 to 70% by weight, and the salt content is 10 to 40% by weight. This fresh wakame is prepared by cooling blanched and salted wakame to -18 to -20°C, and then removing salt crystals that form on the surface of the wakame due to the cooling. This method has the problem that the wakame contains a large amount of water, has high water activity, and does not last long. In addition, the blanched and salted wakame must be cooled to a low temperature, which requires refrigeration or freezing equipment, which requires capital investment, and further requires electricity costs for cooling, which not only increases production costs but also creates a large environmental impact due to the large energy consumption. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-169757 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] One object of the present disclosure is to provide salted cut wakame seaweed that maintains its delicious taste and crunchy texture while also being highly convenient, and a method for producing the same. Another object is to provide low-cost, high-quality salted cut wakame seaweed that has a low environmental impact, and a method for producing the same. Note that the description of these objects and objects of the present disclosure does not preclude the existence of other objects and objects. Furthermore, it is not necessary for one embodiment of the present disclosure to solve all of these objects. Furthermore, it is possible to extract other objects from the description of the specification, drawings, and claims of the present disclosure. Means for solving the objects and effects of the invention

[0007] A method for producing salted cut wakame seaweed according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes the steps of preparing salted wakame seaweed, observing the surface condition of the salted wakame seaweed, and, if salt precipitation is observed, washing the salted wakame seaweed in salt water until no more salt precipitation is observed, forcibly dehydrating the salt-washed wakame seaweed, and cutting the dehydrated wakame seaweed to a predetermined size. This allows for convenient cut wakame seaweed that is crunchy and delicious. In particular, dehydrating the seaweed without drying reduces not only the water content but also the salt content, shortening the time required for rehydrating the wakame seaweed before use, making it easier to use. Furthermore, the production method requires less energy, making it inexpensive and environmentally friendly.

[0008] In another embodiment, the method for producing salted cut wakame is the same as the above embodiment, and the step of preparing the salted wakame includes the steps of preparing raw wakame, blanching the raw wakame, cooling the blanched wakame, salting the cooled wakame, and naturally dehydrating the salted wakame. This allows for forced dehydration, separate from the natural dehydration used for salted wakame, to reduce the moisture content while providing semi-raw cut wakame that is not dried, allowing for quick rehydration and ease of use.

[0009] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the method for producing salted cut wakame, in any of the above embodiments, the salt-washed wakame is dehydrated in a centrifugal dehydrator in the dehydration step, thereby providing salted cut wakame with low water activity and a long shelf life.

[0010] Furthermore, in the method for producing salted cut wakame seaweed according to another embodiment, in any one of the above embodiments, the rotation speed of the centrifugal dehydrator is 1000 to 4000 rpm.

[0011] In yet another embodiment of the method for producing salted cut wakame, in any of the above embodiments, the dehydrated wakame has a water activity of 0.70 to 0.79, thereby providing salted cut wakame with low water activity and a long shelf life.

[0012] In yet another embodiment of the method for producing salted cut wakame, in any of the above embodiments, the concentration of the salt water in the salt water washing step is 20% to 40%. This makes it possible to obtain salted cut wakame with a controlled salt content by washing with a certain amount of salt water, whereas washing with water would cause the saltiness to be lost.

[0013] In yet another embodiment of the method for producing salted cut wakame, in any of the above embodiments, the temperature of the salt water in the salt water washing step is 5° C. to 25° C. By washing with salt water at room temperature, the amount of energy consumed to cool the salt water can be reduced, and salted cut wakame can be provided using a method with little environmental impact.

[0014] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the method for producing salted cut wakame, in any of the above embodiments, the cut wakame is rehydrated for 5 minutes or less before use, which not only eliminates the need for cutting but also makes it possible to produce wakame that is easy to use immediately.

[0015] Furthermore, in another embodiment, the salted cut wakame has a length in one direction of 1 to 5 cm, a salt content of 15 to 20% by weight, and a water activity of 0.70 to 0.79 when not dried. With the above configuration, it is possible to provide salted cut wakame with low water activity and long shelf life.

[0016] Furthermore, in the case of another form of salted cut wakame, in any of the above forms, the soaking time before use is 5 minutes or less. With the above configuration, in addition to eliminating the need for cutting, it is possible to realize easy-to-use wakame that can be used immediately. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a flowchart showing a method for producing salted cut wakame seaweed according to the first embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments described below are merely examples for embodying the technical concepts of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited to the following. Furthermore, this specification does not in any way specify the components set forth in the claims to be those of the embodiments. The dimensions, materials, shapes, relative positions, etc. of components described in the embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, and are merely illustrative examples, unless otherwise specified. The size and positional relationships of components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity. Furthermore, in the following description, the same names and symbols indicate components that are identical or of the same quality, and detailed descriptions will be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, the elements constituting the present disclosure may be configured with the same components, such that multiple elements are shared by one component, or conversely, the functions of one component may be shared by multiple components.

[0019] Conventional salted wakame has the problem of being time-consuming to rehydrate and cut before use. On the other hand, pre-cut dried cut wakame is easy to use, but because it is dried, the crunchy texture is lost and it is not tasty. It also takes time to rehydrate. Furthermore, the production is time-consuming and costly. As such, it has not been possible to combine the deliciousness and convenience of wakame. In contrast, the salted cut wakame of the present disclosure achieves delicious wakame that retains the crunchy texture of salted wakame, even though it is cut wakame. (Salted wakame seaweed preparation process)

[0020] A method for producing salted cut wakame seaweed according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart in Fig. 1. In steps S1 to S5, salted wakame seaweed is prepared. Specifically, in step S1, raw wakame seaweed is prepared. Raw wakame seaweed is unprocessed wakame seaweed that has been landed and is prepared by purchasing it from fishermen who have harvested it from the sea.

[0021] Next, in step S2, the raw wakame is parboiled. Here, the raw wakame is placed in boiling seawater or water with added salt and parboiled for several tens of seconds. For example, it is immersed in water of 80°C or higher for 30 to 60 seconds.

[0022] After blanching, the meat is cooled in step S3. For example, seawater is poured over the meat to rapidly cool it, and then the water is drained.

[0023] In step S4, the meat is salted and kneaded, for example, by adding salt and kneading it by hand. After the salting, the meat is salted for 15 hours or more, for example, for one week or more.

[0024] Finally, in step S5, the wakame is naturally dehydrated. For natural dehydration, the wakame is left to stand for at least one week. Weights may be placed on top of the wakame if necessary. Furthermore, if necessary, the wakame may be "cored" to separate the leaves from the stems. In this way, salted wakame is prepared. These steps are the same as the general method for producing salted wakame, and existing salted wakame production processes can be applied as appropriate. (Salt precipitation observation process)

[0025] Next, in step S6, the surface condition of the blanched salted wakame is observed to determine whether or not salt has precipitated on the surface of the salted wakame. The observation is performed visually. If salt precipitation is observed on the surface of the salted wakame, the process proceeds to step S7, where the salted wakame is washed with salt water. (Cleaning process)

[0026] Washing is done in salt water. By using salt water instead of fresh water, it is possible to avoid excessive salt leaching, which would cause the saltiness to be lost, and to obtain salted cut wakame that can be stored for a long time.

[0027] The concentration of the washing brine is 20% to 40%, preferably about 30%, so that by washing with a certain level of salt water, salted cut wakame with controlled salt content can be obtained.

[0028] The temperature of the salt water for washing is room temperature, preferably 5° C. to 25° C. Washing with salt water at room temperature instead of cold water reduces the amount of energy consumed to cool the salt water, thereby reducing the environmental impact.

[0029] After washing the salted wakame with salt water in step S7, the process returns to step S6, where the process of determining whether or not salt has precipitated on the surface of the salted wakame is repeated. In this manner, washing with salt water is repeated until no more salt is precipitated. (Forced dehydration process)

[0030] When salt is no longer precipitated on the surface of the salted wakame, i.e., when salt is no longer visible on the surface of the wakame, the process proceeds to step S8, where the salt-washed wakame is forced to dehydrate. Here, the salt-washed wakame is placed in a centrifugal dehydrator and rotated at high speed. The rotation speed is 1000 to 4000 rpm, preferably 2800 to 3000 rpm, and more preferably approximately 2000 rpm. The forced dehydration time is adjusted depending on the rotation speed; for example, when rotating at 2000 rpm, it is approximately 5 minutes. In this way, the moisture content of the salted wakame is reduced without drying, maintaining its freshness in a semi-raw state. Furthermore, when salted wakame is dried, only the moisture evaporates and salt precipitates. In contrast, dehydration rather than drying removes the salt along with the moisture. Furthermore, by suppressing water activity instead of drying, free water is reduced, suppressing microbial growth and enabling the product to have a certain shelf life, for example, approximately three months at room temperature.

[0031] In the conventional wakame manufacturing process, while natural dehydration is performed during draining after washing in an intermediate process, forced dehydration has not been performed at the final product stage. This is because the heavier the wakame, the higher the price, and so it has generally been customary to add water and salt to increase its overall weight. Furthermore, because customers complain when salt crystals are visible on the surface of the wakame, water is added to make it into a brine solution to dissolve the salt, a practice that is the exact opposite of dehydration. The present inventors have, contrary to such dishonest practices, deliberately performed forced dehydration to remove water and salt, thereby reducing the weight but enhancing the wakame's inherent flavor and texture. They also shorten the soaking time before use, eliminating or reducing the need for desalting, resulting in wakame that is easy to use.

[0032] The water activity is preferably 0.70 to 0.79. When salted cut wakame seaweed prepared by the inventors of the present application was measured using a water activity meter, it was 0.733. The general viable bacterial count was 1.4 × 10 3 g. The water activity and viable bacterial count were measured at the Tokushima Prefectural Industrial Technology Center using the standard plate count method. Thus, it was confirmed that salted cut wakame seaweed with reduced water activity and suppressed viable bacterial count was obtained.

[0033] Finally, in step S8, the dehydrated wakame is cut to a predetermined size. This may be done manually with a knife or by machine. The cut size is, for example, about 1 to 5 cm, preferably 1 to 3 cm, and more preferably about 2 cm in length in one direction.

[0034] In this way, it is possible to provide conveniently cut wakame seaweed that is crunchy and delicious. In particular, by adopting a production method with low energy consumption, an inexpensive and environmentally friendly method for producing salted cut wakame seaweed can be realized.

[0035] Existing salted wakame is made by boiling raw wakame in hot water, cooling it, and then salting it. This requires a lot of energy for heating and cooling. The complicated process also increases production costs. Furthermore, salted wakame must be rehydrated in hot water and then cut before use, making it less convenient to use.

[0036] In contrast, the salted cut wakame of this embodiment has the advantage that it can be easily desalted before use. Specifically, it is sufficient to soak it in a large amount of water for 2 to 3 minutes. After desalting, it is squeezed to remove the water before use. In addition to the fact that the wakame is pre-cut, the salt content is reduced by the forced dehydration process, so the desalting process can be completed in a short time.

[0037] On the other hand, regular salted wakame requires hand scrubbing and washing, which must be repeated about three times, changing the water as needed. Finally, it is left to soak for about five minutes. After that, drain the water in a colander and cut with a knife before use. Thus, using salted wakame requires about 10 minutes just for desalination, and cutting is also required, which is time-consuming. In contrast, the salted cut wakame of this embodiment is easy to desalt and does not require cutting, offering the advantages of being extremely easy to use. Additionally, the advantages of salted wakame, such as its crunchy texture, high nutritional value, and delicious taste, can be enjoyed.

[0038] The salted cut wakame obtained in the above manner has a length in one direction of 1 to 5 cm. The salt content is 15 to 20% by weight. Furthermore, the water activity in the undried, semi-raw state is 0.70 to 0.79. In this way, salted cut wakame with low water activity and long shelf life can be provided.

[0039] Here, "undried" means that the wakame has not been heated or dried, i.e., it is wakame that has not been heat-treated. Dried wakame, especially cut wakame, is widely available, but because it is dried, it has the problem of requiring time for rehydration in water or hot water. For example, while it can be rehydrated relatively easily using heat in hot dishes such as miso soup or ramen, when used in dishes such as salads or vinegared dishes, it requires a time-consuming rehydration process. Furthermore, wakame contains salt, and in some products, large amounts of salt are intentionally added to increase the overall weight of the cut wakame (in order to increase the salt content and reduce the relative amount of wakame used, thereby reducing costs). This requires the removal of excess salt by rehydration, which requires additional time for the rehydration process. Depending on the size and salt content of the wakame, the cut wakame must be soaked in a large amount of water for approximately 10 minutes before use, which increases the amount of water used. In contrast, the salted cut wakame of this embodiment requires a shorter rehydration time because it is not dried. Furthermore, by dehydrating the wakame instead of drying it, not only the water but also the salt can be removed, shortening the desalination time. The time to soak the wakame in water to rehydrate and desalinate it depends on the size of the wakame, but it is generally around 2 minutes, and at most 5 minutes. Also, the amount of water needed for rehydration is small, which leads to savings on water bills.

[0040] Furthermore, since no dryer is used in the production of salted cut wakame according to this embodiment, no capital investment is required, and production costs can be kept low. In particular, conventional cut wakame requires a dryer in the drying process. While rotary dryers, belt dryers, and drying rack dryers are used, all of these methods require hot air to blow into the wakame, resulting in high capital investment costs and energy consumption. Since the salted cut wakame production method according to this embodiment does not require drying, there is no need to generate heat, which reduces electricity costs and running costs. Furthermore, the reduction in power consumption contributes to CO2 reduction, making it environmentally friendly. [Industrial Applicability]

[0041] The salted cut wakame seaweed and its manufacturing method according to the present disclosure can be suitably used in cooking at home or in dishes using wakame seaweed at restaurants, such as as a seaweed vegetable to be added to salads.

[0042] Unlike conventional cut wakame, this method does not require drying, which reduces the energy consumption required for heat generation that was previously required for drying.Furthermore, by not including a cooling process, the amount of energy required for drying and cooling, particularly electricity consumption, is reduced, which in turn reduces the amount of carbon dioxide generated by burning fossil fuels and contributes to preventing global warming.

[0043] In addition, the amount of tap water used during rehydration is less than that of conventional cut wakame, reducing the consumption of precious water resources.

[0044] As a result of reducing the environmental burden in this way, it will contribute to the following of the 17 goals and 169 targets set out in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), an international goal adopted at the United Nations Summit in September 2015. "8. Decent work and economic growth", "8.4 By 2030, improve progressively global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production, with developed countries taking the lead." "9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable development, and promote sustainable development through the sustainable use of natural resources and the promotion of sustainable development strategies.", "9.4 By 2030, improve infrastructure and retrofit industries, including by increasing resource-use efficiency and expanding the adoption of clean and environmentally friendly technologies and industrial processes, to make them sustainable. All countries will take action in accordance with their respective capabilities.", "11. Sustainable cities and communities", "11.6 By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management", "12. Responsible Consumption and Production", "12.4 By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment."

[0045] As described above, the present disclosure is a technology that contributes to achieving these goals and targets.

Claims

1. A method for producing salted cut wakame seaweed, A process of preparing salted wakame seaweed; A step of observing the surface state of the salted wakame, and if salt precipitation is observed, washing it with salt water until salt precipitation is no longer observed; A step of forcibly dehydrating the saltwater-washed wakame seaweed; A step of cutting the dehydrated wakame seaweed into a predetermined size; A method for producing salted cut wakame seaweed, comprising:

2. The method for producing salted cut wakame seaweed according to claim 1, The step of preparing the salted wakame seaweed includes: A process of preparing raw wakame seaweed; A step of blanching the raw wakame seaweed; Cooling the blanched wakame seaweed; A step of salting the cooled wakame seaweed; A step of naturally dehydrating the salted wakame seaweed; A method for producing salted cut wakame seaweed, comprising:

3. The method for producing salted cut wakame seaweed according to claim 1, In the forced dehydration step, the salted wakame seaweed washed with salt water is dehydrated using a centrifugal dehydrator.

4. The method for producing salted cut wakame seaweed according to claim 3, The method for producing salted cut wakame seaweed, wherein the rotation speed of the centrifugal dehydrator is 1000 to 4000 rpm.

5. The method for producing salted cut wakame seaweed according to claim 1, The method for producing salted cut wakame seaweed, wherein the water activity of the dehydrated wakame seaweed is 0.70 to 0.

79.

6. The method for producing salted cut wakame seaweed according to claim 1, The method for producing salted cut wakame seaweed, wherein the concentration of the salt water in the salt water washing step is 20% to 40%.

7. The method for producing salted cut wakame seaweed according to claim 1, The method for producing salted cut wakame seaweed, wherein the temperature of the salt water in the salt water washing step is 5°C to 25°C.

8. The method for producing salted cut wakame seaweed according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The method for producing salted cut wakame seaweed is characterized in that the cut wakame seaweed is soaked in water for 5 minutes or less before use.

9. It is salted cut wakame seaweed, Each salted cut wakame has a length of 1 to 5 cm in one direction; The salt content is 15 to 20% by weight, Undried salted cut wakame seaweed with a water activity of 0.70 to 0.

79.

10. The salted cut wakame seaweed according to claim 9, Salted cut wakame seaweed that has been soaked in water for no more than 5 minutes before use.

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