Cheese sauce for pasta

Abstract

To provide a cheese sauce for pasta, hardly forming undissolved lumps when eaten, and having good noodle handleability.SOLUTION: The cheese sauce for pasta is obtained by mixing specific amounts of oil and fat and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose in the cheese sauce so as to improve the formation of undissolved lumps and the separation of noodles when eaten. In the cheese sauce, the oil and fat is preferably 5 to 60% by weight based on the cheese, and the hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is preferably 0.3 to 10% by weight based on the cheese. A part of the cheese is preferably used as topping, and the kind of the cheese is preferably mozzarella cheese.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cheese sauce for pasta. [Background technology]

[0002] Demand for easy-to-eat noodles continues to grow year by year due to changes in lifestyles and food preferences. For example, the global pasta market is valued at US$45.02 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach US$78.5 billion by 2030.

[0003] Pasta is often eaten with sauce. Pasta sauces include oil sauce, tomato sauce, meat sauce, basil sauce, cheese sauce, and cream sauce. In recent years, the popularity of cheese has led to an increase in demand for cheese sauce. Cheese sauce here refers to a sauce made by melting cheese and is characterized by the distinctive cheese aroma and richness. Cheese sauce is used in a wide variety of ways, not only for pasta, but also as a sauce for meat and fish dishes, and as a dipping sauce for vegetables and bread.

[0004] The more cheese a cheese sauce contains, the richer its aroma and flavor becomes. However, increasing the amount of cheese can cause the cheese in the sauce to cool and harden over time, resulting in problems such as the formation of lumps where the sauce has solidified, and making it difficult to handle noodles. While there are various other problems associated with using cheese, companies are working hard to develop cheese sauces that allow you to enjoy the aroma and richness of cheese while solving these problems.

[0005] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a production method including a first temperature adjustment step in which un-aged cheese is adjusted to a product temperature of 0 to 15°C, a second temperature adjustment step in which a base sauce or an intermediate thereof containing at least one ingredient other than un-aged cheese among the ingredients of the liquid portion of the sauce is prepared and the product temperature of the base sauce or an intermediate thereof is adjusted to 50 to 80°C, and a mixing and stirring step in which the un-aged cheese that has been subjected to the first temperature adjustment step is mixed with the base sauce or an intermediate thereof that has been subjected to the second temperature adjustment step and stirred. This method suppresses foaming, which is highly likely to occur when stirring the liquid portion of a un-aged cheese sauce whose liquid portion contains more than 10% by mass of un-aged cheese, and enables the efficient production of an un-aged cheese sauce.

[0006] Patent Document 2 also describes that by preparing a cheese sauce containing raw material cheese, at least one emulsifier selected from the group consisting of lipophilic emulsifiers with an HLB of 0 to 2 and hydrophilic emulsifiers with an HLB of 15 to 20, and water, a cheese sauce can be obtained that simultaneously satisfies sensory properties such as flavor and texture, working properties such as spreadability and ease of squeezing, and emulsion stability.

[0007] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 describes that a frozen pasta sauce contains cheese that exists in a solid state in a liquid sauce containing ingredients and does not dissolve uniformly in the sauce when reheated after freezing, so that the cheese does not dissolve uniformly in the sauce when reheated for consumption, resulting in a frozen pasta sauce with a unique taste that has not been seen before, in which the tastes of the cheese and sauce are in harmony but are not integrated. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] JP 2024-25177 A [Patent Document 2] WO2016 / 031953 publication [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-187617 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] While Patent Documents 1 to 3 can solve various problems associated with cheese sauces, they are not satisfactory in that they do not solve the problems associated with pasta sauces, such as the formation of lumps when eaten and the difficulty in handling noodles. Therefore, there is a demand for a cheese sauce that does not form lumps when eaten and allows for easy handling of noodles.

[0010] To provide a cheese sauce for pasta that produces few lumps when eaten and allows easy handling of noodles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The inventors of the present invention conducted extensive research to improve the clumping of pasta cheese sauce and the ease of handling noodles when eating, and as a result discovered that mixing specific amounts of fats and oils and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose into the cheese sauce improves the clumping and ease of handling noodles when eating, leading to the completion of the present invention.

[0012] That is, the present invention relates to a cheese sauce for pasta containing fats and oils, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and cheese, characterized in that the fats and oils are contained in an amount of 5 to 60% by weight relative to the cheese, and the hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is contained in an amount of 0.3 to 10% by weight relative to the cheese.

[0013] The cheese used in the present invention is preferably Mozzarella cheese. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, a cheese sauce for pasta can be provided that has few lumps when eaten and allows for easy handling of noodles. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0016] -sauce- The sauce according to the present invention may be a liquid to be eaten with pasta. It may be a liquid when eaten, or may be a frozen solid during transportation and storage. In the present invention, the sauce is characterized as being a cheese sauce. The amount of sauce is not particularly limited, but for example, about 30 to 120 g of sauce per 100 g of pasta is sufficient.

[0017] -cheese- The cheese used in the present invention may be any type, including natural cheese and processed cheese, and may be appropriately selected depending on the desired taste and aroma. Examples include mozzarella cheese, Gouda cheese, Camembert cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, cheddar cheese, ricotta cheese, mascarpone cheese, cream cheese, cottage cheese, Emmental cheese, Parmesan cheese, and Gorgonzola cheese. When cheese is to be incorporated into a sauce, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, cheddar cheese, Emmental cheese, Parmesan cheese, and Gorgonzola cheese are preferred, while mozzarella cheese is preferred when used as a topping.

[0018] The amount of cheese added to the sauce is preferably 10 to 40% by weight, more preferably 12 to 35% by weight, and most preferably 15 to 30% by weight. The more cheese used, the stronger the cheese aroma and richness.

[0019] ―Oils and fats― One of the features of the present invention is that oils and fats are added to the sauce. The oils and fats used in the present invention can be any edible oils and fats. Examples include lard, corn oil, chicken oil, fish oil, salad oil, palm oil, corn oil, soybean oil, rice oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, linseed oil, cottonseed oil, and rapeseed oil, and can be selected appropriately depending on the desired taste. These oils and fats can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Of these, corn oil and rapeseed oil are particularly preferred. Hydrogenated or interesterified versions of these oils and fats can also be used, as can oils and fats whose oil and fat composition has been modified by breeding or other methods.

[0020] The amount of fat or oil added is preferably 5 to 60% by weight, more preferably 10 to 50% by weight, and most preferably 15 to 35% by weight, relative to the amount of cheese in the sauce. If the amount of fat or oil is too small, the noodles will be difficult to handle, while if the amount is too large, the oil will float in the sauce, making it difficult to taste the umami of the cheese. Note that the fat or oil used in this invention refers to fat or oil alone, and does not include fats or oils mixed with ingredients other than fat or oil, such as fat spreads or butter.

[0021] -Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose- One of the features of the present invention is the addition of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) to the sauce. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is a food additive and is a cellulose ether in which a hydroxypropyl group has been introduced into methylcellulose. The amount of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose added to the sauce is preferably 0.3 to 10% by weight, more preferably 0.3 to 7% by weight, and most preferably 0.5 to 2.0% by weight, relative to the amount of cheese. If the amount of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is too small, the oil will float in the sauce, while if it is too large, the sauce will have a uniform taste, making it difficult to detect the umami of the cheese.

[0022] -Other raw materials- The food ingredients and seasonings used in the pasta sauce of the present invention are not particularly limited and can include any ingredients commonly used in food. Examples of food ingredients include meats such as beef, pork, and chicken; seafood such as squid and octopus; vegetables such as onions, tomatoes, and garlic; mushrooms such as maitake mushrooms; cereal flours such as wheat flour and rice flour; starches such as cornstarch and modified starches thereof; and dairy products such as milk and cream. Examples of seasonings include salt, pepper, oils and fats such as olive oil, liquid sauces such as soy sauce and tomato ketchup, sugars such as miso paste, mirin, and sugar, spices, and amino acids. In addition to the food ingredients and seasonings, other ingredients such as antioxidants, bacteriostatic agents, preservatives, pH adjusters, aroma compounds, colorants, flavorings, thickeners, antifoaming agents, and emulsifiers may also be added.

[0023] All of the above ingredients can be blended into the sauce or placed on top of the sauce (topping). Of these, it is preferable to use a portion of the cheese as a topping. The flavor of cheese diminishes when heated or mixed with other ingredients during the sauce manufacturing process, but using a topping in combination can prevent this from happening. Furthermore, if a large amount of cheese is included in the sauce, the viscosity of the sauce increases, and if the viscosity is too high, the filling suitability decreases. However, by using a topping in combination, the increase in viscosity of the sauce can be prevented, thereby improving the filling suitability. Furthermore, dispersing the cheese on top of the sauce as a topping has the advantage that the cheese does not dissolve in the sauce but is unevenly distributed, causing stretched cheese spots in parts of the sauce, making the presence of the cheese more noticeable.

[0024] When cheese is used as a topping, the shape of the cheese is not particularly limited, and examples include powder, slices, shreds, and dices. The size is also not particularly limited, but a size that does not dissolve in the sauce when mixed with hot sauce or reheated in a microwave or the like, or a size that does not get lost in the sauce even after melting, and that blends with the sauce while maintaining its presence as cheese, is preferred. For example, shredded shapes with a maximum length of about 5 to 40 mm are most preferred.

[0025] -How to make cheese sauce- The cheese sauce of the present invention can be produced in the same manner as in the production of ordinary sauces, for example, by heating and mixing the ingredients according to a conventional method and then finally mixing the oil and fat with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, or by heating and mixing the oil and fat and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose together with other ingredients.

[0026] -Other processes- The cheese sauce of the present invention may be used as a pasta sauce as is after preparation, or may be stored together with or separately from pasta by refrigeration, freezing, retort processing, etc., and then reheated and consumed. When freezing pasta, freezing can be carried out by a conventional method, and may be rapid freezing or slow freezing, although rapid freezing is preferred. Thawing methods include natural thawing, chilled thawing, microwave thawing, and hot water bathing. [Example]

[0027] The present invention will be described in more detail below using examples.

[0028] <Test 1: Confirmation of the amount of oil and fat added> (Test Example 1-1) The raw materials listed in Table 1 were placed in a pot and heated for 60 minutes to make a cheese sauce. After cooling 170g of boiled pasta, 100g of cooled cheese sauce was placed on top and the pasta was quickly frozen to below -18°C to make frozen pasta. The test results are shown in Table 2.

[0029] (Test Examples 1-2 to 1-4) In Test Examples 1-2 to 1-4, cheese sauce and frozen pasta were prepared in the same manner as in Test Example 1, except that the blending amounts of salad oil and water in Test Example 1-1 were changed to the blending amounts shown in Table 1. The results of each test are shown in Table 2.

[0030] [Table 1]

[0031] The prepared pasta was evaluated for its mushy texture and noodle handling ability using the following method. The prepared frozen pasta was placed on a plate, covered with plastic wrap, and cooked in a 500W microwave for 5 minutes. After cooking, the pasta was removed from the microwave and the plastic wrap was removed. The pasta was then mixed by lifting it up with chopsticks 20 times, and left to stand at room temperature for 3 minutes before being checked for its condition. Evaluation was made on the following 4-point scale for mushy texture and noodle handling ability. A rating of △ or higher was considered a pass. <Morodama> ⊚: There are almost no lumps of sauce adhering to the noodles, and it is very good. Good: There are few lumps of sauce adhering to the noodles, which is good. △: There are a few lumps of sauce on the noodles, but overall it is good. ×: There are many lumps of sauce adhering to the noodles, and the noodles are poor quality. <Noodle handling> ⊚: Very good, with almost no sticking of noodle strings together. Good: The noodle strings are little stuck together and are good. △: Although there is a slight sticking of the noodle strings together, the overall quality is good. ×: The noodle strings were significantly stuck together, and the product was poor.

[0032] [Table 2]

[0033] Test Example 1-1, which did not contain any oil or fat, had a small amount of lumps and the noodle strands stuck together, making it difficult to handle, and was therefore unsatisfactory. Test Example 1-4, which contained a large amount of oil or fat, had good noodle handling but many lumps and oil floating, and was therefore unsatisfactory. On the other hand, Test Examples 1-2 and 1-3 showed improvements in both noodle handling and lumps compared to Test Examples 1-1 and 1-4, and were therefore successful.

[0034] <Test 2: Confirmation of the amount of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose added> (Test Examples 2-1 to 2-4) In Test Examples 2-1 to 2-4, cheese sauce and frozen pasta were prepared in the same manner as in Test Example 1-1, except that the blending amounts of salad oil, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and water in Test Example 1-1 were changed to the blending amounts shown in Table 3. The results of each test, which was conducted in the same manner as Test 1, are shown in Table 4.

[0035] [Table 3]

[0036] [Table 4]

[0037] Test Example 2-1, which did not contain hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, had many lumps and oil floating on top, and was therefore unsatisfactory. On the other hand, Test Examples 2-2 to 2-4, which contained hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, showed a tendency to improve lumps compared to Test Example 2-1, and all passed. Comparing Test Examples 2-2 to 2-4, Test Example 2-4 had a somewhat uniform sauce taste, and the umami of the cheese was perceived as weak.

[0038] <Test 3: Check with cheese topping> (Test Example 3-1) In Test Example 3-1, a cheese sauce was prepared in the same manner as in Test Example 2-1, except that the amount of cheese food in the sauce was changed to 1 g. After cooling the boiled pasta, the cheese sauce was placed on top, and 8 g of Mozzarella cheese (shredded, 30 mm x 8 mm x 2.5 mm) was placed on top as a topping, and the pasta was then quickly frozen to below -18°C to prepare frozen pasta. The test results are shown in Table 5.

[0039] (Test Example 3-2) In Test Example 3-2, a cheese sauce was prepared in the same manner as in Test Example 1-1, except that the amount of cheese food in the sauce was changed to 1 g. Frozen pasta topped with 8 g of Mozzarella cheese was then prepared in the same manner as in Test Example 3-1. The test results are shown in Table 5.

[0040] (Test Example 3-3) In Test Example 3-3, a cheese sauce was prepared in the same manner as Test Example 1-2, except that the amount of cheese food in the sauce was changed to 1 g. Frozen pasta topped with 8 g of Mozzarella cheese was then prepared in the same manner as Test Example 3-1. The test results are shown in Table 5.

[0041] The prepared pasta was evaluated for its mushy consistency and noodle handling, as well as its cheese stretch (stretching of melted or softened cheese), cheese flavor, and suitability for filling. The prepared pasta was cooked in the same manner as in Test Examples 1 and 2 to prepare evaluation samples, which were then rated on the following four-point scale. As with the evaluation of mushy consistency and noodle handling, a score of △ or higher was deemed to be acceptable. <Stretching of cheese> ◎: The cheese stretches well when the noodles are lifted, and is very good. 〇: The cheese stretches a little when the noodles are lifted, which is good. △: The cheese does not stretch as much when the noodles are lifted, but is generally good. ×: The cheese did not stretch well when the noodles were lifted, and was poor. <The delicious taste of cheese> ⊚: The unique flavor of cheese is strongly felt and is very good. Good: The unique flavor of cheese is strongly felt and is good. △: The distinctive cheese flavor is a little weak, but overall it is good. ×: The characteristic cheese flavor is weak and poor quality. <Filling suitability> ◎: The sauce has low viscosity, so it can be easily filled by machine. Good: The sauce is not too viscous and can be easily filled by machine. △: The sauce has a slightly high viscosity, but can be filled mechanically. ×: The sauce has high viscosity and poor fluidity, making it difficult to fill mechanically.

[0042] [Table 5]

[0043] Test Examples 3-1 to 3-3, in which cheese was partially replaced with a topping, all showed improvements in clumping and noodle handling, and were rated as good or better. Test Example 3-3, in which oil and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose were used in combination, was the best, with significantly fewer clumps.

[0044] In the evaluation of the stretchiness, flavor, and filling suitability of the cheese, Test Examples 3-1 to 3-3, in which the cheese was partially replaced with a topping, were superior to Test Examples 1-1, 1-2, and 2-1.The cheese was localized rather than dispersed in the sauce, which gave a stronger sense of the stretchiness and flavor characteristic of cheese, and the reduced viscosity of the cheese sauce also improved filling suitability.

[0045] As described above, the present invention is characterized by blending specific amounts of oil and fat and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose into a cheese sauce. The cheese sauce of the present invention has the excellent effect of preventing clumps and facilitating easy handling of noodles when eaten.

Claims

1. A pasta sauce containing fat, oil, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and cheese, A cheese sauce for pasta, characterized in that the fat and oil accounts for 5 to 60% by weight of the cheese, and the hydroxypropyl methylcellulose accounts for 0.3 to 10% by weight of the cheese.

2. 2. The cheese sauce for pasta according to claim 1, wherein the cheese is mozzarella cheese.

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