Textured food material and method for producing the same

Abstract

The present invention provides a textured food material that is sufficiently textured and fibrous even when a relatively large amount of raw meat scraps (advantageous raw materials) are included in the formulation, and a suitable manufacturing method for producing such a textured food material. [Solution] A textured food material comprising (A) meat, (B) sorbitol, (C) resistant starch, and (D) soy protein. A method for producing a textured food material comprising the step of extruding a raw material mixture comprising (A) meat, (B) sorbitol, (C) resistant starch, and (D) soy protein in an extruder.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to food materials, more specifically, to structured food materials including meat, and a method for producing the same.

Background Art

[0002] In the production of processed meat products, the offcuts generated during the processing of raw meat are raw materials with advantages in terms of price, quality, contribution to SDGs, etc. (advantageous raw materials). Therefore, research and development of meat-like materials that can be used to ingest proteins equivalent to real meat by utilizing such offcuts are underway.

[0003] However, since the offcuts of raw meat contain relatively large amounts of blood (moisture) and oil (lipids), they do not gel (structure) even when heated as they are, making it difficult to reuse them. As prior arts for using such offcuts of raw meat as food materials, for example, the following are known.

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes a method for organizing livestock meat, in which a raw material, which is a mixture of livestock meat and plant protein, is processed in a twin-screw extruder to form a fibrous structured material, with the plant protein content adjusted to be 10-30% and water or sorbitol added as needed. Patent Document 1 also describes that because the properties of livestock meat after high-temperature heating are significantly different from those of plant protein, proper organizing cannot be achieved by adjusting only the water content; if the plant protein content in the raw material, which is a mixture of livestock meat and plant protein, falls below the specified range (10% or less), the organizing is insufficient and the resulting material is weak; on the other hand, if it exceeds the range (30% or more), the dies of the twin-screw extruder become clogged, stable operation becomes impossible, and the formed extruded material becomes a tough and hard structured material that is unsuitable as a food material; and that adding sorbitol to the raw material can make the tough and hard structured material somewhat softer. Patent Document 1 describes an example in which a mixture of beef or pork, sorbitol, isolated protein, defatted soybean, or concentrated protein is processed in a twin-screw extruder to obtain an extruded product with a fibrous structure and a texture similar to meat, and that this extruded product is used for frying or smoking (a beef jerky-like product). However, Patent Document 1 does not describe the addition of anything other than meat, plant protein, and sorbitol to the above raw materials, such as resistant starch (enzyme-resistant starch, details described later), nor does it describe the tapered shape of the cooling die attached to the twin-screw extruder. Furthermore, in the example in Patent Document 1, the weight ratio of meat (beef or pork) to plant protein (isolated protein, defatted soybean, or concentrated protein) is a maximum of 5.4 times (second example, the weight ratio of the former to the latter is 16.04:2.96).

[0005] Patent Document 2 describes a method for producing meat-like molded food products, in which animal protein is used as the main raw material, soy protein and other raw materials are added to form a mixed raw material, and extrusion cooking is performed using a twin-screw extruder device equipped with a cooling long die at the tip to perform the molding process. Patent Document 2 states that even when the content of meat or replicas is high, if starch is mixed with soy protein and extruded through an extruder, molded products that retain high moisture and high fat content are produced, and these have fine fibrous properties and are very similar to meat. The examples in Patent Document 2 describe that a fibrous extruded product was obtained by processing a mixture of pork, beef or chicken, isolated soy protein and potato starch with a twin-screw extruder, and that the extruded product was marinated in sauce and grilled, or finished into jerky-type products or chicken cutlet-like products. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 does not describe the use of resistant starch as starch, nor does it describe the incorporation of sorbitol into the above raw materials, nor does it describe the tapered shape of the cooling die attached to the twin-screw extruder. In addition, in the examples of Patent Document 2, the weight ratio of meat (pork, beef, or chicken) to isolated soy protein is a maximum of 2 times (Example 3, 80 parts by weight of chicken surimi, 40 parts by weight of chicken, totaling 120 parts by weight, with 60 parts by weight of isolated soy protein). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 3-127966 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 1-43159 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] In order to make more effective use of advantageous raw materials such as scraps of raw meat, conventional food materials manufactured by extruding raw materials containing at least meat and plant protein (such as soy protein), as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, tend to have difficulty producing extruded products with a fine fibrous structure when attempting to relatively increase the amount of advantageous raw materials (or conversely, relatively decrease the amount of raw materials other than meat). For example, if the pressure in the extruder (inside the barrel) is increased to form a fibrous structure, it becomes difficult to control the tissue formation, and explosions may occur. Also, when a cooling die is installed in the extruder, water and / or oil separation may occur in the cooling die due to the water and lipids contained in the meat, etc., causing the extruded product to slip and resulting in insufficient fibrous formation or tissue formation. On the other hand, it is also necessary to prevent the raw material mixture from clogging in the cooling die.

[0008] The present invention aims to provide a textured food material that is sufficiently textured and fibrous even when a relatively large amount of raw meat scraps (advantageous raw materials) are included in the formulation, and a suitable method for producing such a textured food material. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The inventors of the present invention have discovered that a textured food material that solves the above-mentioned problems can be produced by extruding a raw material containing meat and soy protein, further supplemented with sorbitol and resistant starch, using an extruder, and have completed the present invention.

[0010] In other words, the present invention encompasses at least the following matters. [Section 1] (A) Meat; (B) Sorbitol, (C) Resistant starch, and (D) Soy protein A structured food material that includes [this]. [Section 2] The textured food material according to item 1, wherein the (D) soy protein is concentrated soy protein. [Section 3] The textured food material according to item 1, wherein the moisture content in the textured food material is 30 to 50% by mass. [Section 4] A food composition comprising a structured food material as described in any one of items 1 to 3, and meat. [Section 5] (A) Meat; (B) Sorbitol, (C) Resistant starch, and (D) Soy protein A method for producing a textured food material, comprising the step of extruding a raw material mixture containing the above using an extruder (hereinafter referred to as the "extrusion molding step"). [Section 6] The method for producing soy protein according to item 5, wherein the (D) soy protein is concentrated soy protein. [Section 7] The manufacturing method according to item 5, wherein the moisture content of the raw material mixture is 30 to 50% by mass. [Section 8] The manufacturing method according to claim 5, wherein a cooling die is connected to the extruder, and the raw material mixture is further extruded and organized by the cooling die. [Section 9] The manufacturing method according to item 8, wherein the cooling die includes a tapered cooling die. [Section 10] The manufacturing method according to item 8, wherein the pressure of the raw material mixture in the intermediate die, which is the connection part between the extruder and the cooling die, is 0.1 to 10 MPa. [Section 11] The manufacturing method according to item 8, wherein the temperature of the raw material mixture in the intermediate die, which is the connection part between the extruder and the cooling die, is 100 to 200°C. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the production method of the present invention, even if a relatively large amount of advantageous raw materials such as offcuts of raw meat are blended, a texturized food material that is sufficiently structured and fibrillated can be obtained. Further, in the production method of the present invention, it is possible to perform texturization without water separation and oil separation in the cooling die, and particularly by using a tapered cooling die, a texturized food material with a strong fibrous texture can be obtained. Such a texturized food material of the present invention can not only be processed and cooked alone for eating, but can also be processed and cooked after being mixed with other meat and then eaten. In the latter application, it can be made into a preferable processed food product such as having an improved texture compared to the conventional one.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] - Texturized Food Material - The texturized food material of the present invention contains at least (A) meat, (B) sorbitol, (C) resistant starch, and (D) soy protein.

[0013] In the present invention, when a food material is "texturized", it means that a food material obtained from the above-mentioned predetermined components (raw materials), typically obtained by extrusion molding in the production method of the present invention as described later, retains a certain shape without self-destruction (is gelled). Such "texturization" is made possible in the present invention by extrusion molding under appropriate pressure, suppressing water separation and / or oil separation in the cooling die, and the like.

[0014] The structured food material of the present invention is further "fibered". Being "fibered" means that a "fibrous structure", that is, a structure in which fibers with a diameter of several tens of μm, such as those of ordinary meat, are aggregated, is formed in the structured food material, and it is an element for the structured food material to reproduce the texture of meat. The fibrous structure (aggregate of fibers) can be observed visually to determine whether it is formed, that is, whether the food material is "fibered". Also, if necessary, the fibers themselves can be observed by, for example, a scanning electron microscope (SEM). "Fibering" is preferably maintained not only immediately after extrusion but also when physical stimuli are applied (such as touching with fingers or instruments, in the processes and situations when manufacturing foods using the structured food material).

[0015] (A) Meat In the present invention, the same kind of meat as that generally used in the food field (such as meat processed products) can be used as it is. Examples of the meat include poultry meat such as chicken and quail meat, livestock meat such as pork, beef, horse meat, and mutton, and fish meat such as Alaska pollock. From the viewpoints of lipid content and price, chicken is preferred. The meat may be used alone as any one kind, or two or more kinds may be used in combination at an arbitrary ratio. The meat may be heated, salted, or seasoned, like the scraps generated in the production of meat processed products.

[0016] The amount of (A) meat in relation to the total amount of the textured food material of the present invention can be appropriately adjusted while considering the effects and benefits of the present invention, depending on the type and properties of the meat, as well as the types and amounts of other components, but is preferably 10 to 99.7% by mass, and more preferably 30 to 70% by mass. The ratio of the amount of (A) meat to the amount of (D) soy protein in the textured food material of the present invention can be appropriately adjusted while considering the effects and benefits of the present invention, but when the mass of the former is set to 1, the mass of the latter is preferably 1 to 9, and more preferably 6 to 8. The amount of (A) meat can be adjusted according to the moisture content (water content) of the meat to satisfy the preferred moisture content in the textured food material as described later.

[0017] (B) Sorbitol In this invention, by incorporating sorbitol as a component (raw material) of the textured food material, clogging in the extruder barrel during manufacturing can be suppressed. In this invention, the same type of sorbitol that is commonly used in the food industry (such as processed meat products) can be used.

[0018] The amount of (B) sorbitol in relation to the total amount of the textured food material of the present invention can be adjusted as appropriate while considering the effects of the present invention, but is preferably 0.1 to 15% by mass, and more preferably 3 to 9% by mass.

[0019] (C) Resistant Starch In the present invention, by incorporating resistant starch as a component (raw material) of the textured food material, syneresis of extruded products during manufacturing can be suppressed, and texture can be improved.

[0020] In this invention, resistant starch similar to that commonly used in the food industry (such as processed meat products) can be used. Resistant starch is defined as "a general term for starch and starch hydrolysates that are not digested or absorbed in the small intestine of healthy humans," and can be classified into RS1 to RS4 as follows (Journal of the Japanese Society for Food Science and Technology, Vol. 47, No. 1, 49-52 (2014)). RS1 is starch that is enclosed within the cell wall, such as insufficiently ground grains and legumes, and is therefore physically inaccessible to digestive enzymes. It is found in whole grains and less refined grains (e.g., corn flour, tapioca flour, potato flour, rice flour). RS2 can be further classified into RS2a and RS2b. RS2a is raw starch (e.g., unheated potato starch) that has a B-type crystalline structure but does not have a high amylose content, and has not been cooked or gelatinized. RS2b is starch (e.g., high amylose corn starch, high amylose rice starch) with a high amylose content (e.g., 50% or more, 70% or more). RS3 is starch that has been gelatinized (α-gelatinization, a change in state when raw starch is hydrated and heated) and then cooled and left to stand. RS4 is starch that has been processed enzymatically, physically, or chemically (modified starch). Specific examples of modified starch include acetylated adipic acid cross-linked starch, acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch, acetylated oxidized starch, sodium octenyl succinate starch, acetate starch, oxidized starch, hydroxypropyl starch, hydroxypropyl phosphate cross-linked starch, phosphate monoesterified phosphate cross-linked starch, phosphorylated starch, and phosphate cross-linked starch. Furthermore, examples of starches that can be used as the basis for modified starch include corn starch, waxy corn starch, tapioca starch, potato starch, rice starch, wheat starch, sweet potato starch, cassava starch, sago starch, kudzu starch, and pea starch. Of these resistant starches, RS1, RS2 (RS2a, RS2b), and RS4 are suitable for incorporation as raw materials for textured food materials in the manufacturing method of the present invention and are available as various commercial products, but RS4 is preferred. One type of resistant starch may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination in any ratio.

[0021] The amount of (C) resistant starch added to the total amount of the textured food material of the present invention can be appropriately adjusted while considering the effects and other aspects of the present invention, but is preferably 0.1 to 40% by mass, and more preferably 5 to 30% by mass.

[0022] (D) Soy protein In the present invention, by incorporating soy protein as a component (raw material) of the textured food material, syneresis of extruded products during manufacturing can be suppressed, and texture and fiber formation can be improved.

[0023] In this invention, soy protein commonly used in the food industry (such as processed meat products) can be used. Examples of soy protein include whole fat soy protein (containing protein, fats and oils, fiber, sugars, ash (inorganic salts), fiber, etc.), defatted soy protein (whole fat soy protein from which fats and oils have been removed), concentrated soy protein (defatted soy protein from which sugars, ash, etc. have been removed, with a purity of generally around 70%), and isolated soy protein (defatted soy protein from which fiber, sugars, ash, etc. have been removed, with a purity of generally around 90%), but concentrated soy protein is preferred. Furthermore, the soy protein used in the manufacturing method of this invention may be in powder form, granular form, or fibrous form, but powder form is preferred. Any one type of soy protein may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination in any ratio.

[0024] The amount of (D) soy protein in relation to the total amount of the structured food material of the present invention can be appropriately adjusted while considering the effects and other aspects of the present invention, depending on the type of soy protein used (for example, the protein content (purity) of concentrated soy protein, isolated soy protein, etc., or conversely, the content of dietary fiber other than protein and the moisture content), but is preferably 0.1 to 40% by mass, and more preferably 5 to 30% by mass.

[0025] (E) Phosphates The textured food material of the present invention may further contain (E) phosphates in addition to the components (A) to (D) described above. In the present invention, by incorporating phosphates as a raw material for the textured food material, clogging in the extruder barrel during manufacturing can be suppressed. In the present invention, phosphates similar to those commonly used in the food industry (such as processed meat products) (for example, those used as binding enhancers) can be used. Examples of phosphates include monophosphates, pyrophosphates, polyphosphates, and metaphosphates. Examples of counterions (counterions) for phosphates include sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, lithium, and manganese. Any one type of phosphate may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in any ratio.

[0026] The amount of (E) phosphates added to the total amount of the textured food material of the present invention can be adjusted as appropriate while considering the effects and other aspects of the present invention, but is preferably 0.1 to 5% by mass.

[0027] ·Moisture content The moisture content of the textured food material of the present invention can be adjusted as appropriate while considering the effects of the present invention, but from the viewpoint of the effects related to fiber formation, it is preferably 25 to 65% by mass, and more preferably 30 to 50% by mass. The moisture in the textured food material may be (A) water contained in meat or other components (raw materials), or it may be water added separately as needed to adjust the moisture content.

[0028] The moisture content of the structured food material of the present invention can be measured using general methods and measuring devices for food, for example, by atmospheric pressure heating and drying, or by a commercially available near-infrared moisture meter.

[0029] • Protein content The protein content of the textured food material of the present invention can be adjusted as appropriate while considering the effects and other aspects of the present invention, but from the viewpoint of the effects related to texture, it is preferably 10 to 30% by mass, and more preferably 15 to 20% by mass. The protein in the textured food material includes at least (A) meat and (D) soy protein, and may further include protein derived from other components (raw materials) used as needed.

[0030] Furthermore, the protein content of the structured food material of the present invention can be measured using general methods and measuring devices for food, for example, by the combustion method (JAS certified method).

[0031] ·Optional ingredients The food material of the present invention may further contain components other than those described above (A) to (E), if necessary. Examples of such optional components include antioxidants (e.g., sodium citrate, sodium metaphosphate (which may be included as the aforementioned (E) phosphates and function simultaneously as antioxidants in this embodiment), vitamin E, rosemary extract), binding enhancers (e.g., polyphosphates, metaphosphates, and other polymerized phosphates), and pH adjusters (e.g., gluconic acid, malic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, phosphoric acid, acetic acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, succinic acid, phytic acid). The content of these optional components can be appropriately adjusted depending on the intended use of the structured food material of the present invention, and with reference to the content in conventional foods in general.

[0032] The shape and size of the textured food material of the present invention are not particularly limited and can be determined according to the intended use of the textured food material (for example, whether it is processed and cooked as is, or mixed with meat to prepare a food composition before processing and cooking). The textured food material of the present invention is sufficiently textured and fibrous, and easily maintains the desired shape and size. The structured food material of the present invention can be seasoned in the same way as general meat and processed into dishes such as chicken nuggets, hamburgers, pork cutlets, grilled chicken skewers, dumplings, and Chinese stir-fries.

[0033] In one aspect of the present invention, a food composition (hereinafter also referred to as "the food composition of the present invention") is provided, comprising the textured food material of the present invention and meat. The meat contained in the food composition of the present invention can be the same type of meat used in general processed foods, for example, poultry such as chicken and quail, livestock meat such as pork, beef, horse meat, and lamb, or fish such as Alaska pollock. It may be the same type of meat as the meat used in the production of the textured food material of the present invention, or a different type. For example, the food composition of the present invention can be prepared by replacing part or all of the meat contained in a food composition that was used for general processed foods with the textured food material of the present invention. Processed foods using the food composition of the present invention can be made more desirable compared to processed foods using conventional food compositions, for example, by containing the textured food material of the present invention, such as having an improved texture.

[0034] —Methods for manufacturing food ingredients— The method for producing a textured food material of the present invention (hereinafter also simply referred to as "the method of production of the present invention") includes a step of extruding a raw material comprising at least (A) meat, (B) sorbitol, (C) resistant starch, and (D) soy protein using an extruder (hereinafter referred to as "extrusion step").

[0035] The types and properties of the raw materials used in the manufacturing method of the present invention, such as (A) meat, (B) sorbitol, (C) resistant starch, and (D) soy protein, are the same as those described herein in relation to the components contained in the structured food material of the present invention. For example, the (A) meat used as a raw material in the manufacturing method of the present invention is preferably chicken, and may be cooked, salted, or seasoned. The (D) soy protein used as a raw material in the manufacturing method of the present invention is preferably concentrated soy protein.

[0036] The raw materials (A), (B), (C), and (D) used in the manufacturing method of the present invention, as well as raw material (E) and other optional raw materials used as needed, are essentially included as components (A), (B), (C), and (D), as well as raw material (E) and other optional components in the textured food material of the present invention, without being substantially lost by the extrusion molding process and other processes provided as needed in the manufacturing method of the present invention. That is, the amounts of raw materials (A), (B), (C), and (D), as well as raw material (E) and other raw materials used in the manufacturing method of the present invention can be converted to the content of components (A), (B), (C), and (D), as well as component (E) and other components in the textured food material of the present invention, and vice versa. Therefore, the numerical ranges of each component shown in this specification as the amount of each component relative to the entire textured food material in relation to the textured food material of the present invention, as described above, can be interpreted as the numerical range of the amount of each component relative to the total amount of raw materials in the textured food material in the manufacturing method of the present invention. For example, the amount of raw material (A) is preferably 10 to 99.7% by mass, more preferably 30 to 70% by mass, relative to the total amount of raw materials. The amount of raw material (B) is preferably 0.1 to 15% by mass, more preferably 3 to 9% by mass, relative to the total amount of raw materials. The amount of raw material (C) is preferably 0.1 to 40% by mass, more preferably 5 to 30% by mass, relative to the total amount of raw materials. The amount of raw material (D) is preferably 0.1 to 40% by mass, more preferably 5 to 30% by mass, relative to the total amount of raw materials. The amount of raw material (E) is preferably 0.1 to 5% by mass, relative to the total amount of raw materials.

[0037] It is preferable that the raw materials to be fed into the extruder be mixed (cut) in advance using a stirrer (cutter). Cutting may be done by adding each component sequentially or simultaneously. For example, (A) meat and (E) phosphates may be cut first, then (B) sorbitol may be added and cut, and finally (C) resistant starch and (D) soy protein, as well as other raw materials (especially powdered ones) used as needed may be added and cut, and the resulting mixture may be fed into the extruder. The cutting conditions (rotation speed, time, etc.) can be adjusted as appropriate. When feeding raw materials into the extruder, powdered raw materials (solid materials) which may have been cut in advance as described above may be fed in through the barrel's inlet, and water and other liquid raw materials (liquid materials) to adjust the moisture content as needed may be fed in through a separate inlet of the barrel.

[0038] The moisture content of the textured food material of the present invention can be adjusted to the desired range described herein, preferably 25 to 65% by mass, more preferably 30 to 50% by mass, by the moisture content of the raw material mixture of the textured food material used in the manufacturing method of the present invention, that is, by the moisture content and mass of each raw material constituting the raw material mixture. If necessary, water may be further added to the raw materials in the manufacturing method of the present invention to adjust the total moisture content of each raw material to fall within the desired range.

[0039] The extrusion molding process can be carried out using an extruder, which is common in the food industry. An extruder is a device equipped with a screw, barrel, and die. Raw materials fed from the barrel are kneaded in a high-temperature, high-pressure environment by being heated by a heater and sheared by the screw, and then extruded through the die to obtain a molded product. The extruder may be a single-screw or twin-screw type.

[0040] In the present invention, it is preferable to use a cooling die, that is, to connect a cooling die to the extruder, so that the pressure can be gradually released while the extruded raw material mixture is cooled, thereby obtaining an extruded product that is fibrous without swelling. The cooling die can be one that is common in the food industry, and may be a straight type with an opening of a constant size, or a tapered type having a structure in which the diameter decreases and narrows from the proximal end (inlet) to the distal end (outlet). In the present invention, from the viewpoint of organizing the raw material mixture, it is preferable that the cooling die includes at least a tapered type cooling die, and it is more preferable that a straight type cooling die and a tapered type cooling die are connected.

[0041] The conditions and structure (e.g., screw pattern) related to the extrusion molding process using an extruder are not limited to a specific embodiment and can be appropriately adjusted while considering the effects and advantages of the present invention. For example, the heating temperature of the extruder barrel is usually 100 to 300°C, preferably 130 to 170°C. The rotational speed of the screw is usually 50 to 1000 rpm, preferably 100 to 500 rpm. The pressure at the intermediate die, which is the connection point between the extruder and the cooling die, is usually 0.1 to 10 MPa, preferably 1 to 5 MPa. The temperature of the raw material mixture at the intermediate die is usually 100 to 200°C, preferably 110 to 150°C. The pressure and temperature of the raw material mixture at the intermediate die can be measured by a pressure gauge and a thermometer installed at that location.

[0042] The conditions and structure related to the cooling die are not limited to a specific embodiment and can be appropriately adjusted while considering the effects and advantages of the present invention. The length of the cooling die is preferably 0.1 to 2, more preferably 0.5 to 1.3, relative to the length of the screw, for example, 400 to 1000 mm. The opening of the cooling die (cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the extrusion direction) is, for example, a square or rectangle with a width of 1 to 30 mm and a height of 1 to 10 mm, or a circle or ellipse with a diameter (diameter, major axis, minor axis) of 1 to 10 mm. In one embodiment when a straight-type cooling die and a tapered-type cooling die are used in combination, it is preferable to use a straight-type cooling die with an opening height of 10 mm × width of 10 mm and a length of 400 to 600 mm for a screw of 690 mm, and a tapered-type cooling die with an opening height of 10 mm × width of 10 mm (proximal end) to a height of 3 mm × width of 25 mm (distal end) and a length of 300 mm. The temperature of the extruded product at the outlet of the cooling die is typically 10 to 100°C, preferably 40 to 100°C, and the temperature of the cooling water in the cooling die can be set accordingly. The temperature of the raw material mixture in the cooling die can be measured by a thermometer installed at that location.

[0043] With regard to technical matters not specified herein, those skilled in the art can appropriately consider general or well-known and commonly used technical matters in the art to which the present invention pertains, particularly those relating to food, and thereby be able to implement the invention described herein. [Examples]

[0044] [I] Manufacturing of textured food ingredients For each example and comparative example, the following ingredients were used as raw materials, according to the formulations shown in Tables 1 and 2: (A) minced chicken as meat, (B) sorbitol or its control product (B') "Marminose" (Showa Sangyo Co., Ltd., isomaltoligosaccharide syrup), (C) resistant starch (phosphate cross-linked starch) or its control product (C') egg white or (C") corn starch, (D) concentrated soy protein or isolated soy protein as soy protein, and (E) pyrophosphate as phosphates, with water added as needed. Although not shown in the tables, trace amounts of Other additives (antioxidants, pH adjusters, and flavorings) were also added. In each example and comparative example, a common extruder with a screw diameter of 16 mm and a screw length of 690 mm was used, connected to a cooling die. The cooling die used was either a straight type cooling die (opening height 10 mm x width 10 mm, length 400-600 mm, indicated as "straight" in the table) or a combination of the straight type cooling die and a tapered type cooling die (opening height 10 mm x width 10 mm at the proximal end, height 3 mm x width 25 mm at the distal end, length 300 mm) (indicated as "tapered" in the table).

[0045] The raw material mixtures in the examples were prepared according to the following procedure. The moisture content of the raw material mixtures in the examples, including the additional water added in Example 5, was adjusted to be in the range of 30-50% by mass in all cases. (1) The above raw materials (A) and (E) were put into a cutter and cut (3000 rpm, 1 minute). (2) The above raw material (B) was then fed into the above cutter and cut (3000 rpm, 2 minutes). (3) The above raw materials (C) and (D) and other trace components were put into the cutter and cut (at 3000 rpm for about 2 minutes).

[0046] The comparative raw material mixture was prepared by replacing raw material (B) or (C) with the control raw materials (B'), (C'), or (C") in the above procedure, or by modifying the formulation so that no raw materials not included in the formulation composition are used.

[0047] The raw material mixtures for each example and comparative example were introduced into the extruder through an inlet. In Example 5, water was also introduced into the extruder through a separate inlet, and the mixtures were heated and mixed by heating with a heater and stirring with a screw. The extruder barrel temperature was set to 100-300°C and the pressure to 0.1-10 MPa so that the temperature and pressure of the raw material mixture in the intermediate die were the values ​​shown in Tables 1 and 2. The cooling die temperature was set to 0-100°C.

[0048] The "Moisture Content (%)" in the table is calculated by multiplying the moisture content of the minced chicken (62.8%), measured using the atmospheric pressure heat drying method, by the amount of added ingredients. In Example 5, the amount of water added separately was added to this calculated value.

[0049] The "Protein (%)" in the table is the sum of calculated values ​​obtained by measuring the protein content of minced chicken, egg white, and soy protein (concentrated soy protein or isolated soy protein) using the combustion method (JAS certified method), calculating the protein content of each component, and then multiplying the respective ingredient amounts by the protein content. The protein content of each component was as follows: minced chicken: 14.1%, egg white: 86.5%, concentrated soy protein: 65%, and isolated soy protein: 86.9%.

[0050] For each example and comparative example, "clogging," "water separation," and "fibrous formation" were evaluated by five panelists according to the following criteria, and the average of their evaluation scores is shown in the table. <Clogging> (Does clogging of the raw material occur within the cooling die?) ×: A blockage has occurred and the water is not flowing. ○: Flows smoothly to the end without jamming. <Separation> (Is the extruded product free of water?) ×: Separation occurs. ○: No water separation occurs. <Fiberization> (Degree of fiberization in extruded products) 1. The extruded product is not fibrous. 3 points: Immediately after extrusion, it is fibrous, but the fibers break down when pressed with a finger. 5 points: The extruded product is fibrous, and the fibers do not crumble even when pressed with a finger.

[0051] The evaluation results for each example and comparative example are shown in Tables 1 and 2. Examples 1 to 6, which satisfy the constituent elements of the present invention, all showed no "clogging" or "syneration," and a food material that was organized and fibrous to a certain extent was obtained. On the other hand, Comparative Examples 1 and 2, in which (C) resistant starch was replaced with (C') egg white or (C) corn starch, Comparative Example 3, in which (B) sorbitol was replaced with (B') marminose and (C) resistant starch and (D) soy protein were not included, Comparative Examples 4 and 5, in which (D) soy protein was not included, Comparative Examples 6 and 7, in which (C) resistant starch and (D) soy protein were not included, and Comparative Example 8, in which only (A) meat (minced chicken) was included, did not yield a fibrous food material, and "syneration," or "clogging" and "syneration," were sometimes observed.

[0052] [Table 1]

[0053] [Table 2]

[0054] [II] Production and processing of food compositions The ingredients for the food composition were mixed according to the formulation shown in Table 3 and shaped into circles. These shaped pieces were coated and deep-fried in 170°C oil for 1 to 3 minutes to make nuggets.

[0055] The fracture stress of the obtained nuggets was measured using a rheometer (CR-500DX, manufactured by SUN SCIENTIFIC, 20mm plunger width, wedge type, entry speed 60mm / min). The results are shown in Table 3. The product of the present invention, which contains the textured food material of the present invention in addition to chicken breast meat, had a higher fracture stress and improved texture than the current product which contains only chicken breast meat.

[0056] [Table 3]

Claims

1. (A) Meat; (B) Sorbitol, (C) Resistant starch, and (D) Soy protein A structured food material that includes [this].

2. The textured food material according to claim 1, wherein the (D) soy protein is concentrated soy protein.

3. The textured food material according to claim 1, wherein the moisture content in the textured food material is 30 to 50% by mass.

4. A food composition comprising the structured food material described in any one of claims 1 to 3 and meat.

5. (A) Meat; (B) Sorbitol, (C) Resistant starch, and (D) Soy protein A method for producing a textured food material, comprising the step of extruding a raw material mixture containing the above using an extruder (hereinafter referred to as the "extrusion molding step").

6. The manufacturing method according to claim 5, wherein the (D) soy protein is concentrated soy protein.

7. The manufacturing method according to claim 5, wherein the moisture content in the raw material mixture is 30 to 50% by mass.

8. The manufacturing method according to claim 5, wherein a cooling die is connected to the extruder, and the raw material mixture is further extruded and organized by the cooling die.

9. The manufacturing method according to claim 8, wherein the cooling die includes a tapered cooling die.

10. The manufacturing method according to claim 8, wherein the pressure of the raw material mixture in the intermediate die, which is the connection part between the extruder and the cooling die, is 0.1 to 10 MPa.

11. The manufacturing method according to claim 8, wherein the temperature of the raw material mixture in the intermediate die, which is the connection part between the extruder and the cooling die, is 100 to 200°C.

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