Ice fruit and method for producing the same

Abstract

To provide an ice fruit capable of sufficiently tasting the taste of the fruit (fruit) when eating the frozen ice fruit.SOLUTION: This method for producing the frozen fruit comprises a process for "pretreatment" of the fruit to be frozen, a process for "curing" the pretreated fruit, and a process for freezing the "cured" fruit in a freezer at ≤ - 60 °C.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to frozen fruit that is eaten as is without thawing. [Background technology]

[0002] The following patent documents 1 and 2 are available regarding frozen fruits, so-called frozen fruits (ice fruits). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7390526 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 7357612 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when iced fruit currently available on the market is eaten without thawing, the fruit flavor cannot be felt. This is because the fruit is in a cold state, which numbs the tongue, which senses taste. For this reason, even if the iced fruit is stored in a frozen state for a long time, the taste of the fruit cannot be fully enjoyed.

[0005] In response to this, the inventors of the present application conducted extensive testing and research to provide frozen fruit (including fruit that has been peeled or coated, etc.) that allows the user to fully enjoy the flavor of the fruit when eaten, and have completed the present invention. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The first invention of the present invention is ice fruit made by freezing fruit so that it can be eaten as is without thawing, and is characterized by the fact that the taste of the fruit can be recognized in the mouth when eaten. The second invention is the iced fruit according to the first invention, characterized in that the iced fruit is made by freezing peeled fruit. The third invention is the ice fruit according to the first or second invention, characterized in that the ice fruit is made by freezing fruit coated and / or impregnated with other materials. The fourth invention of the present application is a method for producing iced fruit by freezing fruit intended to be eaten as is without thawing, which comprises the steps of "preparing" the fruit to be frozen, "curing" the prepared fruit, and placing the "cured" fruit in a freezer at -60 degrees or below for freezing. This method is characterized by the fact that the taste of the fruit can be perceived in the mouth when eaten. A fifth invention is a method for producing iced fruit according to the fourth invention, characterized in that the pre-treatment is washing and / or peeling of the fruit. The sixth invention is a method for producing iced fruit according to the fourth or fifth invention, characterized in that the curing comprises maintaining the temperature of the prepared fruit constant. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, iced fruit can be provided that allows the taste of fruit to be perceived in the mouth when eaten as is without thawing. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram of a manufacturing process for producing iced fruit according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This is ice fruit (grapes) according to the present invention. [Figure 3] This is iced fruit (strawberry) according to the present invention. [Figure 4] This is ice fruit (grapefruit) according to the present invention. [Figure 5] This is ice fruit (kiwi) according to the present invention. [Figure 6] This is iced fruit (chocolate banana) according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiment described below is an example of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to this.

[0010] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the process for producing iced fruit according to the present invention. Step 1: This is the process of preparing the fruit to be frozen. This includes washing and peeling the fruit so that it can be eaten immediately after freezing. The iced fruit of the present invention does not include processed fruit products in which fruit is mashed into a paste and then molded to allow the consumer to enjoy the taste of the fruit itself.

[0011] Step 2: This is the process of "curing" the prepared fruit. Here, "curing" means maintaining a constant temperature of the fruit (close to 0 degrees Celsius, for example, between 0 and 5 degrees Celsius). This is done to prevent the temperature inside the freezer from rising during the freezing process in the next step 3 (i.e., to maximize the freezer's capacity). In other words, the temperature of the fruit being frozen can vary depending on the environment, such as the preparation time, the temperature of the water used, and the temperature of the workroom. If fruit with varying temperatures is placed in the freezing process in the next step 3, this could cause the temperature inside the freezer to rise and slow down the freezing speed.

[0012] Step 3: The cured fruit is placed in a freezer at temperatures below -60°C and frozen. If the temperature inside the freezer is below -60°C, the fruit may crack. Freezing at a temperature that has minimal impact on the appearance is preferable, and the fruit is frozen so that it passes through the maximum ice crystal formation temperature range (between -1°C and -5°C) in a short period of time.

[0013] Fruits processed in step 3 above do not have water droplets. Because they are frozen instantly, the ice crystals are small and evaporate easily, which is why no water droplets form. In step 3, it is very important that the water crystals are small. In other words, when you eat fruit that has been frozen in step 3, the following phenomenon occurs in your mouth: "Small ice crystals" ⇒ "Easily evaporates" ⇒ "Melts quickly" ⇒ "You can taste it on your tongue" Therefore, even if the iced fruit, which is in a low temperature state, rests on the tongue and temporarily numbs it, the iced fruit quickly melts and the temperature rises, so the tongue's function quickly recovers and it becomes possible to sense the taste.

[0014] In contrast, with conventional freezing technology, fruit is frozen at around minus 20 degrees, which results in large ice crystals (i.e., water droplets are more likely to form). Therefore, when you eat this frozen fruit, the following phenomenon occurs in your mouth: "Large ice crystals" ⇒ "Hard to evaporate" ⇒ "Doesn't melt quickly" ⇒ "Cannot be tasted by the tongue"

[0015] The above has been explained in the case of freezing the fruit itself, but the same applies to the freezing of processed fruit products that use fruit as the main ingredient, such as fruit whose surface is coated with other materials (e.g., chocolate) or fruit whose interior is impregnated with other materials.

[0016] 2 to 6 show iced fruit produced by the above-described process. Figure 2 shows iced grape fruit, which was washed as a pre-treatment. Figure 3 shows strawberry ice fruit, which was prepared by washing and cutting off the leaves. Figure 4 shows iced grapefruit, which has been peeled as a pre-treatment. Figure 5 shows kiwi ice fruit, which has been peeled as a pre-treatment. Figure 6 shows a so-called "chocolate banana" ice fruit, which is a banana coated with chocolate. The bananas were peeled, cut, and then coated with chocolate. [Industrial Applicability]

[0017] The present invention can be widely used as a freezing technology for iced fruits in which the fruit itself is frozen, and as a freezing technology for iced fruits in which fruit is the main ingredient.

Claims

1. Ice fruit is fruit that has been frozen for the purpose of being eaten as is without thawing, Ice fruit is characterized by the fact that the taste of fruit is recognized in the mouth when eaten.

2. 2. The ice fruit according to claim 1, wherein the ice fruit is obtained by freezing peeled fruit.

3. 3. The ice fruit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is an ice fruit obtained by freezing fruit coated and / or impregnated with other materials.

4. A method for producing iced fruit by freezing fruit intended to be eaten as is without thawing, The process of "preparing" the fruit to be frozen, The process of "curing" the processed fruit, The "cured" fruit is placed in a freezer at temperatures below minus 60 degrees Celsius and frozen. This method for producing iced fruit is characterized in that the taste of fruit is recognized in the oral cavity when eaten by providing the iced fruit.

5. 5. The method for producing iced fruit according to claim 4, wherein the pre-treatment comprises washing and / or peeling the fruit.

6. 6. The method for producing iced fruit according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the curing step comprises maintaining the temperature of the processed fruit constant.

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