Method for producing rice-like food

Abstract

To provide a new technical means capable of suppressing discoloration and / or browning due to protein in the resulting rice-like food, even when the food raw material composition contains protein. The method includes a step of kneading a food ingredient composition containing a powder material containing soy protein, alginic acid or a salt thereof, and water without heating to obtain a dough for a rice-like food product. A step of granulating the rice-like food dough without heating to obtain a granulated product; a step of contacting the granulated product with an aqueous solution containing divalent cations. A method for producing a rice-like food product, comprising: The protein content in the food raw material composition is 10% by mass or more based on the total mass of the food raw material composition. method.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for producing a rice-like food product. [Background technology]

[0002] It is known that a lack of protein can lead to muscle weakness and frailty, so it is considered important to actively consume protein. Drink-type foods are known as foods that are high in protein. In recent years, with growing health awareness, there has been a growing trend to actively consume protein in everyday meals. Therefore, technology to produce rice-like foods containing protein as a substitute for rice, the so-called staple food, is being investigated.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a method for producing a rice-like food product, which comprises heating and kneading a food ingredient composition containing egg white as a protein source in an extruder. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-285353 Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present inventors have found through their research that the rice-like food obtained by the method disclosed in Patent Document 1 may undergo discoloration and / or browning due to proteins.

[0006] Therefore, one object of the present disclosure is to provide a new technical means that can suppress protein-induced discoloration and / or browning in the resulting rice-like food, even when the food ingredient composition contains protein.

[0007] After extensive research, the present inventors have unexpectedly found that, even when the food ingredient composition contains protein, discoloration and / or browning due to protein can be suppressed in the resulting rice-like food by contacting a granulated product obtained by kneading and granulating a food ingredient composition of a specific blend without heating with an aqueous solution containing a divalent cation. The present disclosure is based on this finding.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a step of kneading a food ingredient composition containing a powder material containing soy protein, alginic acid or a salt thereof, and water without heating to obtain a dough for a rice-like food product; A step of granulating the rice-like food dough without heating to obtain a granulated product; a step of contacting the granulated product with an aqueous solution containing divalent cations. A method for producing a rice-like food product, comprising: The protein content in the food raw material composition is 10% by mass or more based on the total mass of the food raw material composition. A method is provided.

[0009] According to the present disclosure, even when the food ingredient composition contains protein, discoloration and / or browning caused by the protein can be suppressed in the resulting rice-like food. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] The appearance of the rice-like food produced in Example 205 is shown. Specific Description of the Invention

[0011] This disclosure provides technology that produces high-quality food, contributes to improving people's health, and contributes to the SDGs.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for producing a rice-like food product, comprising: a step of kneading a food ingredient composition containing a powder material containing soy protein, alginic acid or a salt thereof, and water without heating to obtain a dough for a rice-like food product; A step of granulating the rice-like food dough without heating to obtain a granulated product; a step of contacting the granulated product with an aqueous solution containing divalent cations. Including, The protein content in the food raw material composition is 10% by mass or more based on the total mass of the food raw material composition. Each step in the method of the present disclosure will be described in detail below.

[0013] [Process (1)] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the production of rice-like foods involves kneading a food ingredient composition containing a powder material containing soy protein, alginic acid or a salt thereof, and water without heating to obtain a rice-like food dough (also referred to as "step (1)" in the present disclosure). Kneading the food ingredient composition without heating in step (1) is advantageous in that discoloration and / or browning due to the protein contained in the food ingredient composition can be suppressed.

[0014] The food ingredient composition in this disclosure is said to contain a powder material containing soy protein, alginic acid or its salt, and water. In this disclosure, a powder material consisting of a powder material containing soy protein and alginic acid or its salt is also referred to as a "powder mixture." In other words, the powder mixture in this disclosure refers to a mixture of powdered ingredients contained in the food ingredient composition. Therefore, the powder mixture does not contain added water.

[0015] (Powdered ingredients containing soy protein) The soy protein-containing powder material in the present disclosure is not particularly limited as long as it is a powdered food material containing soy protein. Therefore, the powder material may consist solely of soy protein, or may further contain other powdered ingredients (excluding alginic acid or its salts). The inclusion of soy protein in the food ingredient composition is advantageous in that the texture and taste of the resulting rice-like food may be improved compared to other types of proteins (e.g., dried egg white, etc.). Further research by the present inventors has revealed that, in particular, the incorporation of a large amount of dried egg white, etc., can result in a strong egg white odor, which can lead to poor taste and flavor in the resulting rice-like food. Furthermore, soy protein is advantageous in that the texture of the resulting rice-like food does not become too hard, even when incorporated in large amounts in the food composition, compared to other types of proteins (e.g., dried egg white, etc.).

[0016] The soy protein contained in the powder material may be any soy protein, whether commercially available or extracted from a soybean raw material by a desired method. The soy protein may be, for example, extracted soy protein (defatted soy milk) obtained by using defatted soybean flakes as the soybean raw material, dispersing them in an appropriate amount of water, and removing the insoluble fraction mainly composed of fiber. Alternatively, the soy protein may be isolated soy protein obtained by adjusting the extracted soy protein to about pH 4.5 with an acid such as hydrochloric acid, isoelectrically precipitating the protein to remove the acid-soluble fraction (whey), dispersing the acid-insoluble fraction (curd) again in an appropriate amount of water to obtain a curd slurry, and neutralizing the curd slurry with an alkali such as sodium hydroxide to obtain a neutralized slurry. When these extracted soy protein or isolated soy protein are in a solution state, they may be heat-sterilized using a high-temperature heat treatment device and spray-dried using a spray dryer or the like, and then used as the soy protein contained in the powder material. Note that the production method is not limited to the above, and any method can be used as long as it can increase the purity of the soy protein from the soybean raw material. This also includes concentrated soy protein obtained by removing whey from defatted soybeans with ethanol or acid.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the soy protein content in the powder material may be less than 90% by mass, based on the total mass of the powder material. The soy protein content in the powder material may be preferably 30% by mass or more but less than 90% by mass, more preferably 45 to 75% by mass. The soy protein content in the powder mixture may be, for example, 30 to 90% by mass, preferably 30 to 80% by mass, more preferably 40 to 65% by mass, based on the total mass of the powder mixture. The soy protein content in the food ingredient composition may be, for example, 8 to 60% by mass, preferably 8 to 63% by mass, more preferably 10 to 45% by mass, based on the total mass of the food ingredient composition. Setting the amount of soy protein within the above range is advantageous in that it is possible to ensure the protein content in the resulting rice-like food and / or to improve the appearance and flavor of the resulting rice-like food.

[0018] Other powdered ingredients that may be contained in the above powder material are not limited as long as they do not impair the effects of the present disclosure, but include, for example, cereal flours such as wheat flour, starch, rice flour, buckwheat flour, bean flour, corn flour, and rye flour; powdered protein materials such as powdered gluten, egg yolk powder, egg white powder, whole egg powder, powdered milk protein, skim milk powder, powdered collagen peptide, and powdered gelatin; and other powdered food additives (for example, seasonings such as amino acids; colorants, etc.), which may be used alone or in any combination of two or more.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the powder material contains starch. The inclusion of starch in the powder material is advantageous in that the resulting rice-like food product may have a good appearance and / or taste. The type of starch is not particularly limited as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved, and examples include pregelatinized starch, beta-starch, and other modified starches, which may be used alone or in any combination of two or more types. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the powder material contains pregelatinized starch.

[0020] The pregelatinized starch may be derived from any raw material (e.g., non-glutinous rice, glutinous rice, tapioca, wheat, potato, corn, waxy corn, etc.). The inclusion of pregelatinized starch in the powder material is advantageous from the viewpoints of improving the moldability of the granulated product described below and / or enabling the resulting rice-like food to be eaten without the need for additional heating. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of improving the taste and flavor of the resulting rice-like food (e.g., making it similar to cooked rice), it is preferable that the pregelatinized starch be derived from non-glutinous rice or glutinous rice.

[0021] Examples of β-starch include untreated raw starch and ungelatinized processed starch, which may be used alone or in any combination of two or more. β-starch is preferably derived from non-glutinous rice or glutinous rice, as this can improve the taste and flavor of the resulting rice-like food (e.g., it can be similar to cooked rice).

[0022] The amount of starch contained in the powder material may be, for example, 1.1 to 77% by mass, preferably 11 to 66% by mass, and more preferably 15 to 55% by mass, based on the total mass of the powder material. The amount of starch contained in the powder mixture may be, for example, 1 to 70% by mass, preferably 10 to 60% by mass, and more preferably 14 to 50% by mass, based on the total mass of the powder mixture. The amount of starch contained in the food ingredient composition may be, for example, 0.2 to 47% by mass, preferably 2 to 40% by mass, and more preferably 2.8 to 35% by mass, based on the total mass of the food ingredient composition.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the powder material contains powdered collagen peptide. Further investigation by the present inventors has revealed that powdered collagen peptide has a water retention coefficient of 0, as described below. Therefore, including powdered collagen peptide in the powder material is advantageous in that it can increase the protein content in the food ingredient composition without significantly affecting the water retention coefficient, as described below.

[0024] The amount of powdered collagen peptide contained in the powder material may be, for example, 1.1 to 44% by mass, preferably 3.3 to 33% by mass, and more preferably 11 to 22% by mass, based on the total mass of the powder material. The amount of powdered collagen peptide contained in the powder mixture may be, for example, 1 to 40% by mass, preferably 3 to 30% by mass, and more preferably 10 to 20% by mass, based on the total mass of the powder mixture. The amount of powdered collagen peptide contained in the food ingredient composition may be, for example, 0.2 to 28% by mass, preferably 0.6 to 20% by mass, and more preferably 2 to 14% by mass, based on the total mass of the food ingredient composition.

[0025] The amount of powder material containing soy protein contained in the powder mixture may be, for example, 88 to 98.5% by mass, preferably 90 to 97% by mass, and more preferably 92 to 96% by mass, based on the total mass of the powder mixture. The amount of powder material containing soy protein contained in the food ingredient composition may be, for example, 20 to 55% by mass, preferably 30 to 55% by mass, and more preferably 40 to 55% by mass, based on the total mass of the food ingredient composition. Setting the amount of powder material containing soy protein within the above range is advantageous in that it is possible to ensure the protein content of the resulting rice-like food and / or to improve the appearance and flavor of the resulting rice-like food.

[0026] (Alginic acid or its salts) The alginic acid or its salt in the present disclosure is not particularly limited as long as it can achieve the object of the present disclosure. The salt of alginic acid is not limited to these, but may be, for example, sodium alginate or potassium alginate. The alginic acid or its salt may be used alone or in any combination of two or more types.

[0027] The molecular weight of alginic acid or a salt thereof may be any molecular weight as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved.

[0028] The amount of alginic acid or a salt thereof contained in the powder mixture may be, for example, 1.5 to 12% by mass, preferably 3 to 10% by mass, and more preferably 4 to 8% by mass, based on the total mass of the powder mixture. The amount of alginic acid or a salt thereof contained in the food ingredient composition may be, for example, 0.3 to 8% by mass, preferably 0.6 to 6.7% by mass, and more preferably 0.8 to 6% by mass, based on the total mass of the food ingredient composition. Setting the amount of alginic acid or a salt thereof within the above range is advantageous in that the texture of the resulting rice-like food product can be improved.

[0029] (water) The amount of water contained in the food raw material composition is not particularly limited as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved. The amount of water may be, for example, 45 to 80% by mass, preferably 45 to 70% by mass, and more preferably 45 to 60% by mass, based on the total mass of the food raw material composition. Setting the amount of water within this range is advantageous in that it can improve the moldability of the granulated product described below. Setting the amount of water within this range is also advantageous in that it can improve the texture of the resulting rice-like food.

[0030] In the present disclosure, the water contained in the food ingredient composition refers to the water added to the powder material and alginic acid or its salt (also referred to as "added water" in the present disclosure). Therefore, in the present disclosure, the water contained in the powder material and / or alginic acid or its salt (i.e., the water derived from the powder mixture) is not included in the water contained in the food ingredient composition. In the present disclosure, the water contained in the food ingredient composition may be water itself, water derived from other water-containing food ingredients (i.e., ingredients other than the powder mixture, such as any food ingredient or food additive component described below that contains a large amount of water), or a combination thereof. Therefore, when the food ingredient composition contains water and other food ingredients, the amount of water in the food ingredient composition refers to the sum of water and the water derived from the other food ingredients. The amount of water contained in these other food ingredients may be a known value or a value measured by a known method. Those skilled in the art can appropriately adjust the amount of water in the food ingredient composition to fall within the above range, taking into account the amount of water contained in the other food ingredients obtained in this manner. The amount of water referred to in the rice-like food dough described below has the same meaning.

[0031] (Other food ingredients) The food ingredient composition may contain food ingredients other than the powder material, alginic acid or a salt thereof, and water, as long as the effects of the present disclosure are not impaired. Examples of other food ingredients include oil, raw eggs, raw egg yolks, raw egg whites, vegetable protein pastes, milk, and other food ingredients that contain a large amount of water.

[0032] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the food ingredient composition does not contain any other food ingredients that excessively increase the viscosity of the food ingredient composition (preferably, does not contain any ingredients that increase the viscosity of the food ingredient composition). The absence of other food ingredients that excessively increase the viscosity of the food ingredient composition is advantageous in that it allows the formulation of the food ingredient composition to be set more accurately using parameters calculated by the mathematical formulas described below as indicators.

[0033] The component composition of the food raw material composition may include not only protein and water but also lipids, carbohydrates, ash, etc. The content of each component in the food raw material composition and / or the powder mixture may be calculated based on the components of each raw material used, or may be measured by a known method.

[0034] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the protein content of the food raw material composition is 10% by mass or more, based on the total mass of the food raw material composition. The protein content of the food raw material composition may be, for example, 10 to 50% by mass, preferably 15 to 45% by mass, and more preferably 15 to 40% by mass, based on the total mass of the food raw material composition. The protein content of the powder mixture may be 15 to 80% by mass, preferably 25 to 70% by mass, and more preferably 30 to 65% by mass, based on the total mass of the powder mixture.

[0035] The water content in the powder mixture may be 0.1 to 10% by mass, preferably 0.5 to 8% by mass, and more preferably 1 to 6% by mass, based on the total mass of the powder mixture. The water content in the powder mixture refers to the total amount of water derived from the powder materials and / or alginic acid or a salt thereof.

[0036] The contents of lipids, carbohydrates, ash, etc. in the food raw material composition may be within any range.

[0037] According to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the food raw material composition is formulated according to the following formula, taking into account the properties of the granulated product:

number

[0038] In the present disclosure, the "water retention coefficient" refers to a numerical value that evaluates the water retention capacity of each raw material powder contained in the powder material.

[0039] According to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the water retention coefficient is determined by the following method: 1. Prepare a 5% aqueous solution of the raw powder and stir for 30 seconds until completely dispersed. 2. Centrifuge the aqueous solution obtained in 1 above at 9500 rpm for 10 minutes and measure the mass of the precipitate. 3. Freeze-dry the precipitate and measure the mass after freeze-drying. 4. Calculate the water retention coefficient using the following formula:

number

[0040] According to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the threshold value of the parameter is 7.3 or more, preferably 8.0 or more, and more preferably 8.9 or more. Setting the threshold value of the parameter to the above numerical value is advantageous in that the moldability of the granulated product described below can be improved. Furthermore, according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the parameter may be 7.3 to 1000, preferably 8.0 to 500, and more preferably 8.9 to 100. Setting the parameter to the above range is advantageous in that the moldability of the granulated product described below can be further improved.

[0041] (Mixing conditions) The kneading temperature in step (1) is not particularly limited as long as it is performed without heating. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the kneading may be performed at 40°C or lower (preferably 0 to 40°C). Setting the kneading temperature to 40°C or lower is advantageous in that discoloration and / or browning due to the protein contained in the food raw material composition can be further suppressed. Furthermore, setting the kneading temperature to 40°C or lower is particularly advantageous in that it suppresses gelatinization of the starch contained in the food raw material composition and / or the progression of other undesired reactions, thereby suppressing changes in the physical properties of the resulting rice-like food dough and preventing a decrease in moldability. Depending on the formulation of the food raw material composition, friction or pressure during kneading may generate heat. In such cases, the temperature of the food raw material composition may be controlled (e.g., cooled) so that it remains at 40°C or lower. The method for such control is not particularly limited and may include air cooling, cooling water, etc. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the temperature in step (1) may be controlled so that the temperature of the food raw material composition remains at 40°C or lower during the kneading.

[0042] Those skilled in the art can adjust the conditions for kneading in step (1), such as the time and pressure, as appropriate depending on the blend of the food ingredient composition and the desired rice-like food dough and / or rice-like food.

[0043] The kneading in step (1) may be carried out using any device such as a known kneader or an extruder (for example, an extruder) equipped with a kneading function.

[0044] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, rice-like food dough can be obtained by step (1). The composition of the rice food dough in this disclosure can generally be considered to be substantially the same as the food ingredient composition. The shape and size of the rice-like food dough are not particularly limited, as long as they are suitable for step (2), which will be described later.

[0045] [Process (2)] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, in the production of rice-like foods, a step (also referred to as "step (2)" in the present disclosure) is carried out in which the rice-like food dough is granulated without heating to obtain a granulated product.

[0046] The granulation temperature in step (2) is not particularly limited as long as it is performed without heating. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the granulation may be performed at 40°C or lower (preferably 0 to 40°C). Setting the granulation temperature to 40°C or lower is advantageous in that discoloration and / or browning due to the protein contained in the food ingredient composition can be further suppressed. Furthermore, setting the granulation temperature to 40°C or lower is particularly advantageous in that it suppresses gelatinization of the starch contained in the food ingredient composition and / or other undesired reactions, thereby suppressing changes in the physical properties of the resulting rice-like food dough and preventing a decrease in moldability. Depending on the formulation of the rice-like food dough, friction and pressure during granulation may generate heat. In such cases, the temperature of the rice-like food dough may be controlled (e.g., cooled) to 40°C or lower. The method of such control is not particularly limited and may include air cooling, cooling water, etc. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the temperature in step (2) may be controlled so that the temperature of the rice-like food dough during the granulation is 40°C or lower.

[0047] Those skilled in the art can adjust the granulation conditions in step (2), such as the granulation speed and pressure, as appropriate depending on the composition of the rice-like food dough and the desired granulated product and / or rice-like food.

[0048] In step (2), the rice-like food dough is typically extruded (e.g., extruded under pressure) through holes having a desired diameter and shape, and the extruded material is cut into the desired shape using a cutter or the like to obtain a granulated product. The composition of the granulated product obtained in step (2) can usually be considered to be substantially the same as that of the food ingredient composition and / or the rice-like food dough.

[0049] Those skilled in the art can adjust the shape, size, mass, etc. of the granulated product obtained in step (2) as appropriate depending on the desired rice-like food. The shape of the granulated product may be, for example, a substantially elliptical shape, a substantially circular shape, etc. The size of the granulated product may be, for example, 6 mm to 14 mm, preferably 7 mm to 12 mm, and more preferably 8 mm to 10 mm. The mass of the granulated product may be, for example, 0.01 to 0.07 g, preferably 0.02 to 0.06 g, and more preferably 0.03 to 0.05 g.

[0050] For the granulation in step (2), any known device such as a device combining an extruder (for example, an extruder) and a cutter may be used.

[0051] [Process (3)] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the production of rice-like foods involves a step of contacting the granulated product with an aqueous solution containing divalent cations (also referred to as "step (3)" in the present disclosure). Performing step (3) in the production of rice-like foods is advantageous in that it can prevent the resulting rice-like foods from losing their shape.

[0052] The aqueous solution containing divalent cations used in step (3) is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of promoting a reaction (typically a gelling reaction) with the alginic acid or its salt contained in the granulated product.

[0053] Examples of divalent cations contained in the aqueous solution include, but are not limited to, magnesium ions, calcium ions, and barium ions (preferably magnesium ions or calcium ions, more preferably calcium ions), which may be used alone or in any combination of two or more. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the divalent cations include calcium ions.

[0054] Examples of the aqueous solution include, but are not limited to, calcium lactate solution, calcium gluconate solution, etc., which may be used alone or in any combination of two or more. From the viewpoint of improving the taste and flavor of the resulting rice-like food, an aqueous calcium lactate solution is preferred.

[0055] The concentration of the aqueous solution (for example, the concentration of calcium lactate in the case of a calcium lactate aqueous solution) may be, for example, 0.5 to 5% by mass, preferably 1 to 4.5% by mass, and more preferably 1.5 to 4% by mass. A concentration of the aqueous solution of 0.5% by mass or more is advantageous in that the texture of the resulting rice-like food does not become excessively soft. Furthermore, a concentration of the aqueous solution of 5% by mass or less is advantageous in that the bitterness of the resulting rice-like food can be prevented.

[0056] In step (3), the contact between the granulated product and the aqueous solution containing the divalent cation may be carried out by any method as long as it allows the reaction with alginic acid or a salt thereof (typically a gelation reaction) to proceed. For example, the aqueous solution may be sprayed onto the granulated product obtained in step (2), the aqueous solution may be added to the granulated product obtained in step (2), or the granulated product obtained in step (2) may be immersed in the aqueous solution. Those skilled in the art can appropriately adjust the amount of the aqueous solution used depending on the amount of the granulated product to be obtained, the method of contacting the granulated product with the aqueous solution of the divalent cation (spraying, immersion, etc.), etc.

[0057] Note that the granulated product may absorb water by carrying out step (3). Therefore, the contact conditions (time, temperature, etc.) may be adjusted appropriately depending on the desired moisture content of the resulting rice-like food. For example, the contact conditions may be determined by measuring the relationship between the contact conditions and the moisture content of the resulting rice-like food in a preliminary test.

[0058] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the contact in step (3) comprises immersing the granulated product in the aqueous solution. The contact includes immersing the granulated product in the aqueous solution, which is advantageous in that it allows the reaction with alginic acid or a salt thereof to proceed sufficiently. The immersion time for the granulated product in the aqueous solution may be, for example, 10 minutes to 24 hours, preferably 20 minutes to 8 hours, and more preferably 30 minutes to 4 hours. The immersion time of 10 minutes or longer is advantageous in that the texture of the resulting rice-like food product can be improved.

[0059] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the contacting includes spraying the aqueous solution onto the granulated product, followed by immersing the granulated product in the aqueous solution. Spraying the aqueous solution onto the granulated product before immersing the granulated product in the aqueous solution is advantageous in terms of preventing the resulting granulated product from adhering to each other. In such an embodiment, the aqueous solution to be sprayed and the aqueous solution to be immersed may be the same or different. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, at least one of the aqueous solution to be sprayed and the aqueous solution to be immersed is a calcium lactate aqueous solution, and more preferably, both the aqueous solution to be sprayed and the aqueous solution to be immersed are calcium lactate aqueous solutions.

[0060] [Process (4)] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, step (3) may be followed by a step of washing the granulated product with water (also referred to as "step (4)" in the present disclosure). Performing step (4) in the production of rice-like foods is advantageous in that it can terminate the reaction between alginic acid or a salt thereof and the aqueous solution containing the divalent cation, and / or it can remove any unpleasant tastes or odors remaining in the granulated product that are derived from the aqueous solution.

[0061] Step (4) may be carried out by any method, for example, by adding a desired amount of water to the granulated product, or by immersing the granulated product in water.

[0062] The method of the present disclosure may include any other steps in addition to the steps described above. These optional steps may be included at any position before or after each of the steps described above.

[0063] [Rice-like Foods] According to the method of the present disclosure, a rice-like food product can be produced. According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a rice-like food product obtained by the method of the present disclosure.

[0064] The component composition of the rice-like food may include not only protein and water but also lipids, carbohydrates, ash, etc. The content of each component in the rice-like food can be measured by known methods.

[0065] The protein content in the rice-like food may be, for example, 10% by mass or more, preferably 10 to 40% by mass, more preferably 10 to 35% by mass, and even more preferably 10 to 30% by mass, based on the total mass of the rice-like food.

[0066] The water content in the rice-like food may be, for example, 45 to 80% by mass, preferably 55 to 80% by mass, and more preferably 60 to 80% by mass, based on the total mass of the rice-like food.

[0067] The contents of lipids, carbohydrates, ash, etc. in the rice-like food may be within any range.

[0068] The shape, size, mass, etc. of the rice-like food can be adjusted as appropriate by those skilled in the art. The shape of the rice-like food may be, for example, approximately oval or approximately circular. The size of the rice-like food may be, for example, 6 mm to 14 mm, preferably 7 mm to 12 mm, and more preferably 8 mm to 10 mm. The mass of the rice-like food may be, for example, 0.02 to 0.08 g, preferably 0.03 to 0.07 g, and more preferably 0.04 to 0.06 g.

[0069] The rice-like food may be edible as is, or may be made edible by further processing (for example, heating, etc.).

[0070] [Combination foods] The rice-like food product may be combined with another food (e.g., a sauce, thickened sauce, or topping), and the combined product may then be further processed (e.g., heated, etc.). Thus, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a combined food product is provided in which the rice-like food product is combined with another food.

[0071] Examples of the above-mentioned combination foods include fried rice, curry, dry curry, omelet rice, and gapao rice.

[0072] [Refrigerated / frozen rice-like foods, refrigerated / frozen combination foods] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for producing a refrigerated or frozen rice-like food, which includes a step of refrigerating or freezing the rice-like food (also referred to as "step (5)" in the present disclosure). Also, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a refrigerated or frozen rice-like food obtained by the method of the present disclosure.

[0073] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for producing a refrigerated or frozen combination food product, which comprises the step of refrigerating or freezing the combination food product described above. Also, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a refrigerated or frozen combination food product obtained by the method of the present disclosure.

[0074] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the food ingredient composition, rice-like food dough, and / or granulated product used in the production of the rice-like food are for producing rice-like foods, preferably for producing rice-like foods to be heated, and more preferably for producing rice-like foods to be heated in a microwave. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the food ingredient composition, rice-like food dough, and / or granulated product used in the production of the rice-like food are for producing refrigerated rice-like foods or frozen rice-like foods, preferably for refrigerated rice-like foods to be heated or frozen rice-like foods to be heated, and more preferably for refrigerated rice-like foods to be heated in a microwave or frozen rice-like foods to be heated in a microwave.

[0075] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the food ingredient composition, rice-like food dough, granulated product, and / or rice-like food used in the production of the above-mentioned combination food are for the production of a combination food, preferably for the production of a combination food to be heated, more preferably for the production of a combination food to be heated in a microwave. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the food ingredient composition, rice-like food dough, granulated product, and / or rice-like food used in the production of the above-mentioned combination food are for the production of a refrigerated combination food or a frozen combination food, preferably for a refrigerated combination food to be heated or a frozen combination food to be heated, more preferably for a refrigerated combination food to be heated in a microwave or a frozen combination food to be heated in a microwave.

[0076] The present disclosure encompasses the following. [1] A step of kneading a food ingredient composition containing a powder material containing soy protein, alginic acid or a salt thereof, and water without heating to obtain a rice-like food dough; A step of granulating the rice-like food dough without heating to obtain a granulated product; a step of contacting the granulated product with an aqueous solution containing divalent cations. A method for producing a rice-like food product, comprising: The protein content in the food raw material composition is 10% by mass or more based on the total mass of the food raw material composition. method. [2] The blending of the food raw material composition is determined based on the following formula, taking into account the properties of the granulated product:

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[0077] The method of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below using examples. However, the following examples are not intended to limit the method of the present disclosure in any way. Unless otherwise specified, percentages and ratios described herein are by mass. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, units and measurement methods described herein are in accordance with the provisions of the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS).

[0078] In the following examples, the following raw material powders were used as powder materials. 1 powdered soy protein Powdered soy protein 2 Wheat protein powder Collagen peptides Pregelatinized non-glutinous rice starch ·β starch 1 ·β starch 2

[0079] [Calculation of water retention coefficient] The water retention coefficient R of each of the above raw material flours was calculated using the following method. The results are shown in Table 1. When no precipitate was obtained during centrifugation, the water retention coefficient was recorded as 0. <Equipment used> Centrifuge: Allegra X-22R (Beckman Coulter) Rotor: C0650 (Beckman Coulter) Freeze dryer: FD-820 (manufactured by Nippon Techno Service Co., Ltd.) <Procedure> 1. Prepare a 5% aqueous solution (2 g raw material powder, 38 g water) in a 50 mL conical tube (Falcon tube) and stir for approximately 30 seconds until completely dispersed. 2. Centrifuge at 9500 rpm for 10 minutes, discard the supernatant, and measure the mass of the precipitate. 3. Freeze-dry the precipitate and measure the mass after freeze-drying. 4. Calculate the water retention coefficient using the following formula:

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[0080] [Table 1]

[0081] [Preparation of food ingredient composition] Powder materials and sodium alginate were mixed in the proportions shown in Table 2 to obtain powder mixtures 1 to 7 containing sodium alginate. The component composition of each powder mixture was calculated using a known method.

[0082] [Table 2]

[0083] [Examples 101-109: Rice-like food manufacturing 1] Powder mixture 1 and water were mixed in the proportions shown in Table 3-1 to obtain food raw material compositions 101 to 109. Based on the proportion of each raw material flour in the powder ingredients contained in powder mixture 1, the water retention capacity coefficient of each raw material flour, and the proportion of added water contained in the food raw material composition, parameter X, which indicates the water retention capacity of the powder ingredients, was calculated using the following formula.

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[0084] Using an extruder (EA-20, manufactured by Suehiro EPM Co., Ltd.), each food ingredient composition was kneaded without heating (below 40°C) to obtain rice-like food doughs 101 to 109. Using the same extruder, each rice-like food dough was extruded without heating (below 40°C) and cut to obtain granulated products 101 to 109. Immediately after cutting with the extruder, a 3% aqueous calcium lactate solution was sprayed onto the granulated products. Each of the obtained granulated products was immersed in the 3% aqueous calcium lactate solution for 50 minutes. After immersion, each granulated product was washed with water to obtain the rice-like foods of Examples 101 to 109.

[0085] [Examples 201-209: Rice-like food manufacturing 2] The same method was carried out as in Production of Rice-like Food 1, except that Powder Mixture 2 was used instead of Powder Mixture 1, to obtain rice-like foods of Examples 201 to 209 (the ratio of Powder Mixture 2 to water is shown in Table 3-1).

[0086] [Examples 301-309: Rice-like food manufacturing 3] The same method was carried out as in Production of Rice-like Food 1, except that Powder Mixture 3 was used instead of Powder Mixture 1, to obtain rice-like foods of Examples 301 to 309 (the ratio of Powder Mixture 3 to water is shown in Table 3-2).

[0087] [Examples 401-409: Rice-like food manufacturing 4] The same method was carried out as in Production of Rice-like Food 1, except that Powder Mixture 4 was used instead of Powder Mixture 1, to obtain rice-like foods of Examples 401 to 409 (the ratio of Powder Mixture 4 to water is shown in Table 3-2).

[0088] [Examples 501-509: Rice-like Food Manufacturing 5] The same method was carried out as in Production of Rice-like Food 1, except that Powder Mixture 5 was used instead of Powder Mixture 1, to obtain rice-like foods of Examples 501 to 509 (the ratio of Powder Mixture 5 to water is shown in Table 3-3).

[0089] [Examples 601-609: Rice-like Food Manufacturing 6] The same method was carried out as in Production of Rice-like Food 1, except that Powder Mixture 6 was used instead of Powder Mixture 1, to obtain rice-like foods Examples 601 to 609 (the ratio of Powder Mixture 6 to water is shown in Table 3-3).

[0090] [Examples 701-708: Rice-like Food Manufacturing 7] The same method was carried out as in Production of Rice-like Food 1, except that Powder Mixture 7 was used instead of Powder Mixture 1, to obtain rice-like foods Examples 701 to 708 (the ratio of Powder Mixture 7 to water is shown in Table 3-4).

[0091] [Reference Examples 101 to 103: Production of rice-like foods 8] The powder mixture 2 and water were mixed in the proportions shown in Tables 3-4 to obtain Reference Food Raw Material Compositions 101-103. Each food raw material composition was kneaded under heating (60-80°C) using an extruder (EA-20, manufactured by Suehiro EPM Co., Ltd.) to obtain Reference Rice-like Food Doughs 101-103. Using the same extruder, each rice-like food dough was extruded and cut under heating (approximately 60-80°C) to obtain Reference Granulated Products 101-103. Immediately after cutting, the granulated products were sprayed with a 3% calcium lactate aqueous solution. Each of the resulting granulated products was immersed in a 3% calcium lactate aqueous solution for 50 minutes. After immersion, each granulated product was washed with water to obtain the rice-like foods of Reference Examples 101-103.

[0092] [Table 3-1]

[0093] [Table 3-2]

[0094] [Table 3-3]

[0095] [Table 3-4]

[0096] [Test Example 1: Sensory Evaluation (Appearance)] Using each of the rice-like foods obtained above, a sensory evaluation (appearance) was carried out by eating. 300g of each rice-like food was frozen at -30°C for 3 hours and then stored at -20°C. Each frozen rice-like food was then thawed and heated in a microwave oven (600W, 5 minutes) and subjected to a sensory evaluation (appearance, texture, and flavor). The sensory evaluation was conducted by a trained panel of five experts who were able to assign the same score to the same sample, using the following evaluation criteria. The results are shown in Tables 4-1 to 4-4 (the values ​​in the tables represent the average scores of the five panelists). A score of 2 or higher on the evaluation criteria was considered to be within the acceptable range for the quality of the rice-like food, and a score of 3 or higher was considered to be within the range of particularly excellent quality. <Appearance (color) evaluation criteria> 5: The same whiteness as cooked rice, and the color is indistinguishable when mixed with cooked rice 4: A slightly duller color than cooked rice, but almost indistinguishable when mixed with cooked rice 3: A color that is slightly browner or grayish brown than cooked rice, but does not look out of place when mixed with cooked rice 2: Browner or grayish brown than cooked rice, and slightly unnatural when mixed with cooked rice, but acceptable color tone 1: Browner or grayish brown than cooked rice, with a distinctly different color tone

[0097] [Test Example 2: Sensory evaluation (texture and flavor)] Using each of the rice-like foods obtained above, a sensory evaluation (texture and flavor) was conducted by eating them. 300g of each rice-like food was frozen at -30°C for 3 hours and then stored at -20°C. Each frozen rice-like food was then thawed and heated in a microwave oven (600W, 5 minutes) and subjected to a sensory evaluation (appearance, texture, and flavor). The sensory evaluation was conducted by a trained panel of five experts who were able to assign the same score to the same sample, using the following evaluation criteria. The results are shown in Tables 4-1 to 4-4 (the values ​​in the tables represent the average scores of the five panelists). A score of 3 or higher on the evaluation criteria was considered to indicate that the rice-like food was of particularly excellent quality. <Evaluation criteria for texture and flavor> 5: It has the same texture and flavor as cooked rice, and can be eaten as a substitute for cooked rice without any discomfort. 4: The texture and flavor are similar to cooked rice, so it can be eaten as a substitute for cooked rice without any discomfort. 3: The texture and flavor are slightly different from cooked rice, but it can be eaten as a substitute for cooked rice. 2: The texture and flavor are very different from cooked rice, making it difficult to eat as a substitute for cooked rice. 1: The texture and flavor are completely different from cooked rice and cannot be eaten as a substitute for cooked rice.

[0098] [Test Example 3: Evaluation of moldability] The moldability of each of the rice-like foods was evaluated during production (the process of obtaining granulated products). The moldability was evaluated by a panel of five trained experts who were able to assign the same score to the same sample, using the following evaluation criteria. The results are shown in Tables 4-1 to 4-4 (the values ​​in the tables represent the average scores of the five panelists). A score of "3 points" or higher on the evaluation criteria was considered to indicate particularly excellent moldability. <Evaluation criteria for moldability> 5: The surface is as smooth as cooked rice, and it can be granulated in the shape of cooked rice without crumbling or cracking. 4: The surface is slightly rougher than cooked rice, but there is almost no crumbling or cracking, and it is possible to granulate in a shape similar to cooked rice. 3: Although some crumbles and cracks are observed on the surface, granulation is possible with a shape similar to cooked rice. 2: There are many crumbles and cracks on the entire surface, making it difficult to granulate in the shape of cooked rice. 1: The dough is too hard to granulate in a rice-like shape, or the dough is too loose and difficult to combine, but granulation is not impossible.

[0099] [Table 4-1]

[0100] [Table 4-2]

[0101] [Table 4-3]

[0102] [Table 4-4]

[0103] [Table 4-5]

[0104] The results of Examples 101 to 708 and Reference Examples 101 to 103 indicate that in the production of rice-like foods, a food ingredient composition containing 10% by mass or more of protein is kneaded without heating to obtain a rice-like food dough, which is then extruded without heating to obtain granulated products, and the granulated products are then contacted with an aqueous solution containing a divalent cation (preferably an aqueous solution containing calcium lactate). The appearance (color) of the resulting rice-like food was acceptable or excellent (Test Example 1). Therefore, the method of the present disclosure is believed to be able to suppress protein-induced discoloration and browning in the resulting rice-like food. The results of Examples 101 to 708 indicate that rice-like foods with particularly excellent appearance (color) can be produced by limiting the soy protein content to less than 90% by mass (preferably 30 to 80% by mass) of the total mass of the food ingredient flour. Furthermore, from the results of Examples 101 to 708 and Reference Examples 101 to 103, it is believed that by using the water retention capacity of a powdered material as an index in the production of rice-like foods (preferably by using the above parameter X as an index, and more preferably by making the above parameter X 8.9 or more), the flavor and texture of the resulting rice-like foods will also be excellent (Test Example 2). Furthermore, from the results of Examples 101 to 708 and Reference Examples 101 to 103, it is believed that in the production of rice-like foods, excellent formability can be achieved by kneading a food ingredient composition containing 10% by mass or more of protein without heating to obtain a rice-like food dough, extruding the rice-like food dough without heating to obtain a granulated product, and then contacting the granulated product with an aqueous solution containing a divalent cation (preferably an aqueous solution containing calcium lactate) (Test Example 3). Furthermore, in the production of rice-like foods, it is believed that excellent formability can be achieved by using the water retention capacity of the powder material as an index (preferably by using the parameter X as an index, more preferably by setting the parameter X to 8.9 or more).

[0105] Conventionally, methods utilizing enzymatic reactions (e.g., transglutaminase) have been known for producing rice-like foods. When using enzymatic reactions, a drying step is required as a subsequent step. On the other hand, the present disclosure is advantageous in that such a drying step is not required. Furthermore, rice-like foods produced by the method described in Patent Document 1 and the like require heating (e.g., rice cooking) with the addition of water to make them edible. On the other hand, the present disclosure has the advantage that such heating is not necessarily required and the food can be eaten as is, or can be heated in a microwave oven or the like as needed to make it edible.

Claims

1. a step of kneading a food ingredient composition containing a powder material containing soy protein, alginic acid or a salt thereof, and water without heating to obtain a dough for a rice-like food product; A step of granulating the rice-like food dough without heating to obtain a granulated product; and a step of contacting the granulated product with an aqueous solution containing divalent cations. A method for producing a rice-like food product, comprising: The protein content in the food raw material composition is 10% by mass or more based on the total mass of the food raw material composition. method.

2. The blending of the food raw material composition is determined by the following formula, taking into account the properties of the granulated product: [Equation 1] The method according to claim 1 , wherein a parameter calculated by the following formula is preset as an index, and a threshold value of the parameter is 7.3 or more.

3. The water retention coefficient is determined by the following method:

1. Prepare a 5% aqueous solution of the raw material powder and stir for 30 seconds until completely dispersed.

2. The aqueous solution obtained in step 1 is centrifuged at 9,500 rpm for 10 minutes, and the mass of the precipitate is measured.

3. Freeze-dry the precipitate and measure the mass after freeze-drying.

4. Calculate the water retention coefficient using the following formula: [Equation 2] The method of claim 2, wherein the measurement is performed by:

4. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the soy protein content in the powder material is less than 90% by weight based on the total weight of the powder material.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the powder material further comprises collagen peptides.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the kneading and granulation is carried out at 40°C or less.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said contacting comprises immersing said granulated material in said solution.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of washing the granulated product with water after the contacting step.

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