Method for manufacturing chilled and cooked Chinese noodles

Abstract

To provide refrigerated cooked Chinese noodles that are both microbially safe and have a good texture. [Solution] A method for producing refrigerated cooked Chinese noodles. The method comprises cooking fresh noodle strands containing a polymerized phosphate, adhering sodium acetate to the cooked noodle strands, and refrigerating the noodle strands with the sodium acetate attached, wherein the fresh noodle strands contain 1.8 to 5.0 parts by mass of the polymerized phosphate per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of cereal flours and starches, the amount of sodium acetate attached to the cooked noodle strands is 0.20 to 0.50 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the cooked noodle strands, and the pH of the refrigerated cooked Chinese noodles is 6.4 to 7.4.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing chilled cooked Chinese noodles. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in food production, compositions with bactericidal or bacteriostatic properties have been used to prevent food spoilage or deterioration due to microbial growth. Patent Document 1 describes the production of boiled noodles with excellent shelf life by boiling or soaking boiled noodles in water to which glycerin, organic acid salts, and polymerized phosphates have been added. Patent Document 2 describes a method for sterilizing microorganisms in food, characterized by attaching a chelating agent such as polymerized phosphate, a fatty acid ester as a surfactant, and an organic acid and an organic acid salt to the food, and then freezing the food. Patent Document 3 describes a method for producing pasta, which involves boiling the pasta, immersing it in an organic acid aqueous solution, then immersing it in a polymerized phosphate aqueous solution, and further sterilizing it by pressurized heating. Patent Document 4 describes a cooked starchy food characterized by having an emulsion containing oils and fats, organic acids, and acidic hexametaphosphate attached to its surface, which has excellent shelf life and a pleasant flavor with little sourness. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 56-164754 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-070451 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-262585 [Patent Document 4] International Publication No. 2018 / 181643 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Traditional Chinese noodles generally contain kansui (alkaline water), which gives them a relatively high pH, ​​typically around pH 10. However, noodles with a high pH have the problem of texture deterioration over time, such as a tendency for the noodles to become dry and crumbly when stored in a refrigerator. Adjusting the pH of Chinese noodles to near-neutral by reducing the amount of kansui used can alleviate this problem. On the other hand, noodles with a near-neutral pH pose a risk of microbial growth. Generally, noodles with a high pH are less susceptible to microbial growth, and noodles with a pH of 6 or less are more susceptible to bacteriostatic agents containing organic acid salts such as sodium acetate. In contrast, organic acid salts are less effective as bacteriostatic agents for noodles with a near-neutral pH, making microbial control difficult. The addition of large amounts of bacteriostatic agents is undesirable, as it can affect the taste of the noodles.

[0005] The present invention relates to providing refrigerated cooked Chinese noodles that achieve both microbial safety and texture. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present inventors have discovered that by heating and cooking raw Chinese noodles made from dough to which a specific amount of polymerized phosphate has been added, and then attaching a specific amount of sodium acetate to the noodles, it is possible to inhibit microbial growth in Chinese noodles with a near-neutral pH, and therefore to produce Chinese noodles that are excellent in microbial safety and can maintain a good texture even after refrigerated storage.

[0007] As representative embodiments of the present invention, the following are provided. [1] A method for producing refrigerated cooked Chinese noodles, the method comprising: cooking raw noodle strings containing polymerized phosphate; Adhering sodium acetate to the cooked noodles; and Refrigerating the noodles coated with sodium acetate; Including, The fresh noodle strings contain 1.8 to 5.0 parts by mass of a polymerized phosphate per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of cereal flours and starches, the amount of sodium acetate adhered to the cooked noodle strings is 0.20 to 0.50 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the cooked noodle strings, The pH of the refrigerated cooked Chinese noodles is 6.4 to 7.4. method. [2] The method according to [1], wherein the polymerized phosphate comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of pyrophosphate, polyphosphate, and metaphosphate. [3] The method according to [1] or [2], wherein the pH of the refrigerated cooked Chinese noodles is 6.4 to 7.2. [4] The method according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the refrigerated cooked Chinese noodles are noodles that are eaten as is or after reheating after refrigerated storage. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The refrigerated cooked Chinese noodles produced according to the present invention have high microbial safety and maintain a good texture even after refrigerated storage. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention provides refrigerated cooked Chinese noodles. Refrigerated cooked Chinese noodles are basically produced by cooking fresh Chinese noodles with heat until they are edible, followed by refrigeration. In the method for producing refrigerated cooked Chinese noodles according to the present invention, fresh noodles containing a polymerized phosphate are used as the fresh noodles to be cooked with heat, and sodium acetate is applied to the cooked noodles before refrigeration. The refrigerated cooked Chinese noodles produced by the present invention have high microbial safety even when they have a pH near neutral, and maintain a good texture even after refrigerated storage.

[0010] The fresh noodles used in the production of refrigerated cooked Chinese noodles of the present invention can be produced by preparing noodle dough from a raw material flour containing cereal flours and / or starches and then processing the noodle dough according to conventional procedures, except for the addition of a polymerized phosphate. The polymerized phosphate may be contained in the raw material flour of the noodles beforehand, or may be added to the raw material flour when the noodle dough is prepared.

[0011] Examples of polymeric phosphates used in the present invention include pyrophosphates such as tetrapotassium pyrophosphate, disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate, and tetrasodium pyrophosphate; polyphosphates such as potassium polyphosphate and sodium polyphosphate; and metaphosphates such as potassium metaphosphate and sodium metaphosphate. These polymeric phosphates can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Of these, one or more selected from the group consisting of polyphosphates and metaphosphates are preferred, with metaphosphates being more preferred. The polymeric phosphate is preferably a sodium salt or potassium salt, and more preferably a sodium salt. The content of the polymeric phosphate in the fresh noodles or noodle dough used in the present invention is preferably 1.8 to 5.0 parts by mass, more preferably 1.8 to 4.0 parts by mass, and even more preferably 1.8 to 3.0 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of flours and starches contained in the fresh noodles or noodle dough. The higher the content of the polymeric phosphate, the higher the microbial safety. However, an excessive amount can adversely affect the flavor of the noodles and be disadvantageous in terms of cost.

[0012] Examples of cereal flours that can be contained in the raw material flour include wheat flour, rice flour, barley flour, glutinous barley flour, buckwheat flour, soy flour, corn flour, oat flour, rye flour, and bran flour. These cereal flours can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Preferably, the raw material flour contains wheat flour. The wheat flour can be any wheat flour that can be used to produce noodles, and examples include hard flour, semi-hard flour, medium-strength flour, soft flour, durum flour, whole wheat flour, bran flour, and heat-treated wheat flour. These wheat flours can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Preferably, the cereal flours contained in the raw material flour contain wheat flour at least 50% by mass, more preferably at least 80% by mass, or it can be 100% by mass.

[0013] The raw material flour may contain starches. Examples of such starches are not particularly limited, and include unmodified starches such as tapioca starch, potato starch, wheat starch, corn starch, waxy corn starch, and rice starch, as well as modified starches obtained by processing these starches (for example, by cross-linking, phosphorylation, acetylation, etherification, oxidation, gelatinization, etc.). In the present invention, these unmodified starches and modified starches can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Preferably, the starch is tapioca starch. Also preferably, the starch is a modified starch, more preferably a modified starch that has been subjected to one or more processes selected from the group consisting of etherification and cross-linking, and even more preferably a hydroxypropylated phosphate-cross-linked starch. For example, the starch is preferably modified tapioca starch, more preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of etherified tapioca starch and etherified cross-linked tapioca starch, and even more preferably hydroxypropylated phosphate cross-linked tapioca starch.

[0014] Preferably, the raw material flour contains cereal flours. More preferably, the raw material flour contains cereal flours and starches. The mass ratio of cereal flours to starches contained in the raw material flour is preferably cereal flour:starchs = 100:0 to 50:50. The total content of cereal flours and starches in the raw material flour is preferably 80% by mass or more, more preferably 90% by mass or more.

[0015] The raw material flour may, if necessary, contain other ingredients that can be used to produce noodles, in addition to the aforementioned cereal flours or starches. These other ingredients include protein materials such as wheat protein (gluten), soy protein, milk protein, egg yolk powder, egg white powder, whole egg powder, and skim milk powder, as well as oils and fats, kansui (water-based alkaline mineral water) ingredients, edible salt, calcined calcium, dietary fiber, sugars, sweeteners, spices, seasonings, vitamins, minerals, nutritional enhancers, colorants, flavorings, dextrin (including resistant dextrin), leavening agents, thickeners, emulsifiers, water-retaining agents, preservatives, enzymes, pH adjusters, and oxidation-reducing agents. These other ingredients can be used in appropriate combinations depending on the properties desired for the noodles to be produced.

[0016] Noodle dough is prepared by mixing the raw material flour with kneading water. Examples of kneading water include water, saline, and kansui (brine). For example, noodle dough is prepared by adding kneading water to raw material flour containing the polymerized phosphate and mixing them together. Alternatively, noodle dough is prepared by adding the polymerized phosphate and kneading water to raw material flour and mixing them together. The amount of water added to the raw material flour can be adjusted as appropriate, but is typically 25 to 65 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of raw material flour.

[0017] Fresh noodles are produced from the resulting noodle dough. The method for producing fresh noodles from noodle dough can follow conventional methods. For example, the noodle dough can be rolled using conventional means such as a roll, or, if necessary, repeatedly combined and rolled to obtain a noodle sheet. This noodle sheet can then be shaped using conventional shaping means such as cutting to produce fresh noodles. Alternatively, fresh noodles can be obtained by extruding the noodle dough using an extruder or the like. These steps can be carried out according to conventional techniques in the relevant field, or using a commonly used noodle-making device. There are no particular restrictions on the shape of the fresh noodles produced, but they are preferably noodle strands.

[0018] Preferably, the fresh noodles used in the present invention contain an kansui raw material. The kansui raw material can be one typically used in the production of Chinese noodles, such as potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, or disodium hydrogen phosphate. Preferably, potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, or a combination of these is used. The kansui raw material can be a commercially available product, such as a commercially available kansui raw material containing potassium carbonate and / or sodium carbonate (e.g., Kansui Blue, manufactured by Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd.). The kansui raw material can be contained in the raw material flour or kneading water beforehand, or can be added separately during the preparation of the noodle dough. The amount of kansui raw material used is preferably 0.01 to 0.5 parts by mass, and more preferably 0.01 to 0.3 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of cereal flours and starches contained in the raw material flour. While commonly used kansui raw materials may also contain polymerized phosphates, they primarily contain potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, etc. Therefore, the content of polymerized phosphates generally contained in conventional noodles is less than 1 part by mass per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of cereal flour and starch.

[0019] From the perspective of noodle flavor, the fresh noodles used in the present invention do not need to contain a fatty acid ester, but they may contain one. If the fresh noodles used in the present invention contain a fatty acid ester, the content thereof is less than 0.15 parts by mass, and preferably 0.10 parts by mass or less, per 100 parts by mass of the combined total of the cereal flours and starches contained in the fresh noodles. Examples of such fatty acid esters include sucrose fatty acid esters, polyglycerol fatty acid esters, and organic acid monoglycerides. The fatty acid ester may be contained in the raw material flour beforehand, or may be added separately during the preparation of the noodle dough.

[0020] Preferably, the fresh noodles used in the present invention contain gluten. The gluten may be pre-contained in the raw flour, or it may be added separately during the preparation of the noodle dough. The amount of gluten used is preferably 0.5 to 15 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of cereal flours and starches contained in the raw flour.

[0021] Next, the raw noodles are cooked. The raw noodles may be cooked immediately after production, or they may be stored and cooked later. If the raw noodles are to be stored for a long period of time, freezing is preferable. Methods for cooking the raw noodles include boiling and steaming. This cooking process gelatinizes the noodles, making them edible. After cooking, the noodles are preferably washed with water and cooled as appropriate.

[0022] In this invention, sodium acetate is attached to the cooked noodles. The amount of sodium acetate attached to the cooked noodles is preferably 0.20 to 0.50 parts by mass, more preferably 0.20 to 0.40 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the cooked noodles. Microbial safety is increased with increasing amounts of sodium acetate, but too much may adversely affect the flavor of the noodles. To evenly attach such an amount of sodium acetate to the noodles, it is preferable to attach a liquid composition containing sodium acetate to the surface of the noodles. The amount of the liquid composition attached to the noodles can be adjusted according to the sodium acetate content of the liquid composition so that the above amount of sodium acetate is attached to the noodles. As the liquid composition containing sodium acetate, an aqueous solution of sodium acetate or a solution obtained by adding sodium acetate to a loosening liquid used in the manufacturing process of ordinary refrigerated or frozen noodles can be used. The means for applying the liquid composition to the noodles may be any method that can apply the liquid composition to the entire surface of the noodles, and examples include a method of spraying or applying the liquid composition to the noodles, a method of adding the liquid composition to the noodles and mixing them, and a method of immersing the noodles in the liquid composition.

[0023] The noodles obtained by the above procedure have a pH preferably in the range of 6.4 to 7.4, more preferably 6.4 to 7.2, and even more preferably 6.4 to 7.0. In this specification, the pH of the noodles refers to the pH (at 25°C) of an aqueous suspension of noodles containing 10% by mass of the noodles. For example, it can be measured as the pH at 25°C of a suspension obtained by adding 45g of water to 5g of noodles, mixing and grinding. The pH of the noodles may depend on the amount of polymerized phosphoric acid, lye water, or sodium acetate added. For example, by using the aforementioned amounts of polymerized phosphoric acid, lye water, and sodium acetate, noodles having a pH within the above range can be produced. Alternatively, the pH of the noodle dough or noodles before refrigeration may be adjusted using an acid or alkali. The acid or alkali used for pH adjustment can be one that is commonly used as a pH adjuster for food products (e.g., organic acids, carbonic acid, salts of phosphoric acid, etc.).

[0024] By refrigerating noodles to which the aforementioned sodium acetate has been applied, chilled pre-cooked Chinese noodles can be manufactured. The noodles can be refrigerated in the same way as general chilled pre-cooked noodles. For example, the noodles can be packaged in portions of one to several servings and stored at normal refrigeration temperatures (e.g., approximately 0°C to approximately 10°C). However, it is permissible to temporarily freeze the noodles during storage or distribution. The chilled pre-cooked Chinese noodles of the present invention are stored at refrigeration temperatures when sold in stores, stored for sale, or provided to the end consumer.

[0025] The refrigerated pre-cooked Chinese noodles of the present invention can be eaten as is or after reheating. On the other hand, preferably, the refrigerated pre-cooked noodles of the present invention are not used as noodles that are further stir-fried or grilled, such as yakisoba. Preferably, the refrigerated pre-cooked Chinese noodles of the present invention are noodles that are eaten without reheating, such as chilled Chinese noodles. The refrigerated pre-cooked Chinese noodles of the present invention have high microbial safety and maintain a good texture even after refrigeration, so they can be eaten safely and deliciously even after refrigeration. [Example]

[0026] Examples and comparative examples are described below to illustrate the present invention in detail, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0027] (1) Material Wheat flour: Medium-strength flour (Nisshin Flour Milling Co., Ltd.) Modified starch: Hydroxypropylated phosphate-crosslinked tapioca starch (Asagao; Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) Gluten: A-Glu G (Glico Nutrition Foods Co., Ltd.) Polyphosphates: Sodium polyphosphate or sodium metaphosphate (both manufactured by Taihei Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) Sodium acetate: (Air Water Performance Chemical Co., Ltd.) Kansui ingredient: Kansui Blue (Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd.)

[0028] (2) Manufacturing of cooked Chinese noodles The raw material flour (75 parts by mass of wheat flour + 25 parts by mass of processed starch) was mixed with 5 parts by mass of gluten, and the amount of polymerized phosphate listed in Table 1, and optionally sodium acetate. To this was added 40 parts by mass of water and a kneading water consisting of alkaline water ingredients in the amount listed in Table 1, and the mixture was mixed under reduced pressure (-0.093 MPa) to prepare a dough. The dough was rolled and combined using a noodle-making roller to produce a noodle band, which was then cut using a cutting blade (#16 round) to produce fresh noodle strands (noodle thickness: 1.8 mm). The resulting fresh noodle strands were boiled to a boiling yield (of fresh noodles) of 180%, washed with water, and cooled.

[0029] A specified amount of sodium acetate was added to a conventional loosening liquid (aqueous solution containing polysaccharides) to prepare a loosening liquid containing sodium acetate. The resulting boiled noodles were sprayed with the loosening liquid and mixed together, resulting in 4% by mass of the loosening liquid adhering to 100% by mass of the boiled noodles. The amount of sodium acetate adhering to the boiled noodles was as shown in Table 1. A portion of the boiled noodles with the loosening liquid adhering was set aside and subjected to pH measurement. The remaining noodles were used for microbial testing and texture testing.

[0030] (3)pH measurement 5g of boiled noodles coated with the loosening solution obtained in (2) above were combined with 45g of deionized water, and the noodles were crushed in a mixer until they were visually approximately 5mm in length to prepare a suspension. The pH of the suspension (at 25°C) was measured using a pH meter (HM-25R; Toa DKK Co., Ltd.) while stirring the suspension.

[0031] (4) Microbial testing Gram-negative bacteria, including Lelliottia amnigena, were used as test cells. A microbank of the test cells was placed in 10 mL of TSB medium and cultured at 30°C for 20 hours. 0.1 mL of the resulting seed culture was inoculated into 10 mL of fresh TSB medium and cultured at 30°C for 20 hours to prepare the main culture. The main culture was diluted with peptone water, yielding a theoretical viable cell count of 5 × 10⁶. 3 The concentration was adjusted to cfu / mL to prepare a bacterial solution.

[0032] The boiled noodles, to which the loosening liquid obtained in (2) above had been applied, were placed in 20g portions in a stomacher bag with a filter, and 0.2mL of the prepared bacterial solution (50 cfu / g) was dropped into each bag. The bags were sealed and stored at 10°C for 96 hours.

[0033] The viable bacterial count on the noodles after storage was measured using the surface smear plate method. The specific procedure is as follows: After storage, the stomacher bag was opened, and the contents were diluted 10-fold with peptone water and stomached for 60 seconds. The liquid was drawn up with a pipette and used as the sample solution. 0.1 mL of the sample solution was dropped onto the surface of a flattened CVT agar medium plate, smeared evenly with a cone-like stick, and cultured aerobically at 30°C for 48 hours. The number of grown colonies was multiplied by the dilution factor of the sample solution to calculate the viable bacterial count per 1 g of medium (cfu / g), and the increase in the number of bacteria from the initial bacterial count (50 cfu / g) was calculated.

[0034] The amount of each ingredient added to the noodles, the pH of the noodles, and the results of the microbial test are shown in Table 1.

[0035] [Table 1]

[0036] (5) Texture test The same boiled noodles (pH 6.4-7.2) used in the microbiological tests of Examples 1-8, and a control of boiled noodles with the same formulation but adjusted to pH 10 using lye water, were stored at 4°C for 72 hours. The texture of the boiled noodles after refrigeration was evaluated by five expert panelists by comparing them to the control boiled noodles. Compared to the pH 10 control noodles, the noodles with lower pH used in Examples 1-8 showed improved dryness and a better texture.

Claims

1. 1. A method for producing refrigerated cooked Chinese noodles, the method comprising: cooking raw noodle strings containing polymerized phosphate; Adhering sodium acetate to the cooked noodles; and Refrigerating the noodles coated with sodium acetate; Including, The fresh noodle strings contain 1.8 to 5.0 parts by mass of a polymerized phosphate per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of cereal flours and starches, the amount of sodium acetate adhered to the cooked noodle strings is 0.20 to 0.50 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the cooked noodle strings, The pH of the refrigerated cooked Chinese noodles is 6.4 to 7.

4. method.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymerized phosphate comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of pyrophosphate, polyphosphate, and metaphosphate.

3. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pH of the refrigerated cooked Chinese noodles is 6.4 to 7.

2.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerated cooked Chinese noodles are noodles that are eaten as is or after reheating after refrigerated storage.

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