Cooked foods

Abstract

This invention provides a means for suppressing the deterioration of flavor of oil-soluble flavor components during storage in cooked foods containing starch-based solid components. [Solution] A cooked food containing (A) octenyl succinate starch or a salt thereof, (B) an oil-soluble flavor component, and (C) a starch-based solid component.

Description

Technical Field

[0004]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooked food, a composition for suppressing flavor deterioration during storage of the food, and a method for suppressing flavor deterioration.

Background Art

[0002] Solid components mainly composed of starch such as cooked rice and noodles (referred to as "starch-based solid components") utilize the texture and nutrition of starch and are applied to various processed foods, but it is also known that various problems peculiar to starch occur.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a quality improver for cooked rice that contains a decomposition product of a substituted modified starch having a viscosity of 15 mPa·s or more in a 30% by mass aqueous solution and a viscosity of 3000 mPa·s or less in a 10% by mass aqueous solution, as a means for solving the problems of improving water retention by binding rice grains to each other and preventing starch aging.

[0004] Further, Patent Document 2 describes a method for producing a cooked rice food that can be manufactured by adjusting the adhesiveness of a cooked rice food made of japonica rice without affecting the taste, making it easy to break into pieces, and improving the appearance, texture, and handling. In the production of a cooked rice food made of japonica rice, a starch decomposition product having an osmotic pressure of about 8 to 100 mosmol in a 10% aqueous solution is added.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0007] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a means for suppressing the deterioration of flavor of oil-soluble flavor components during storage in cooked foods containing starch-based solid components. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The inventors of this invention conducted diligent research and found that a pre-cooked food containing (A) octenyl succinate starch or a salt thereof, (B) an oil-soluble flavor component, and (C) a starch-based solid component can solve the above problems, and thus completed the present invention.

[0009] The present invention includes, but is not limited to, the following embodiments.

[0010] [1] A pre-cooked food containing (A) octenyl succinate starch or a salt thereof, (B) oil-soluble flavor components, and (C) starch-based solid components. [2] The cooked food according to [1], wherein the dextrose equivalent (DE) of the octenyl succinate starch is 15 or less. [3] The cooked food according to [1] or [2], wherein the (B) oil-soluble flavor component is at least one selected from the group consisting of butter, olive oil, sesame oil, peanut oil, coconut oil, chili oil, garlic oil, sansho oil, scallion oil, pepper, garlic, sansho pepper, Sichuan pepper, chili pepper, mustard, wasabi, turmeric, cumin, saffron, coriander, cinnamon, ginger, basil, rosemary, and oil-soluble fragrances. [4] The cooked food according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the (C) starch-based solid component is rice, noodles, or noodle wrappers. [5] (A) Contains octenyl succinate starch or a salt thereof, A composition for suppressing the deterioration of oil-soluble flavor components during storage, applicable to cooked foods containing (B) oil-soluble flavor components and (C) starch-based solid components. [6] A method for producing a cooked food, comprising coexisting the flavor degradation suppression composition described in [5] with (B) an oil-soluble flavor component and (C) a starch-based solid component. [7] A method for suppressing the deterioration of oil-soluble flavor components during storage of cooked food, comprising (A) octenyl succinate starch or a salt thereof coexisting with (B) oil-soluble flavor components and (C) starch-based solid components. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to prepare a cooked food product in which the deterioration of the flavor of oil-soluble flavor components after storage is suppressed, even if it contains starch-based solid components. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] [Pre-cooked food] The heat-cooked food of the present invention is characterized by containing (A) octenyl succinate starch or a salt thereof, (B) oil-soluble flavor components, and (C) starch-based solid components.

[0013] ((A) Ingredients: Octenyl succinate starch or its salt) The heat-cooked food of the present invention contains one or more of octenyl succinate starch or its salts as component (A). In this specification, "octenyl succinate starch" refers to modified starch containing octenyl succinate groups obtained by a process of esterifying starch with octenyl succinate anhydride. The octenyl succinate starch of the present invention also includes octenyl succinate starch hydrolysates obtained by hydrolysis before and / or after the esterification.

[0014] As the salt of octenyl succinate starch, alkali metal salts or alkaline earth metal salts are preferred, and among these, sodium octenyl succinate starch, which is a food additive, is more preferred.

[0015] The octenyl succinic starch or its salt used in the present invention may be either gelatinized (α - starch) or ungelatinized (β - starch), and may be gelatinized before the heat - cooked food is preserved (for example, during heat - cooking).

[0016] The raw starch of octenyl succinic starch is not particularly limited. For example, waxy (glutinous variety) corn starch, glutinous rice starch, glutinous potato starch, pea starch, waxy (glutinous variety) tapioca starch, tapioca starch (non - glutinous variety), corn starch, potato starch, rice starch, sweet potato starch, wheat starch, sago starch, mung bean starch, etc. can be used.

[0017] The bound octenyl succinic acid group of the octenyl succinic starch or its salt is preferably 3% or less, and from the viewpoint of more significantly exhibiting the effects of the present invention, it is preferably 1% or more, more preferably 1.5% or more, and still more preferably 2% or more.

[0018] In this specification, the bound octenyl succinic acid group is quantified by the method described in the component specifications of "Sodium Octenyl Succinate Starch" in the "Japanese Pharmacopoeia of Food Additives, 10th Edition" (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Consumer Affairs Agency).

[0019] The dextrose equivalent (DE) of the octenyl succinic starch or its salt is preferably 15 or less, more preferably 10 or less, still more preferably 5 or less, and even more preferably 2 or less from the viewpoint of more significantly exhibiting the effects of the present invention. Those in which the starch portion has not undergone hydrolysis are particularly preferred. The smaller the DE, the higher the viscosity of the octenyl succinic acid or its salt and the affinity for the (C) starch - based solid component, and the effect of preventing the (B) component from migrating to the (C) component after heat - cooking by coating the (C) component can be enhanced.

[0020] In this specification, "dextrose equivalent" and "DE" represent the degree of starch degradation (percentage of reducing ends), where "DE 100" means that all the starch has been broken down into glucose. In this specification, DE is measured by the Willstetter-Schudel method.

[0021] The octenyl succinate starch or salt thereof used in the present invention is obtained by conventional methods, for example, by reacting starch or its decomposition product with octenyl succinic anhydride under alkaline conditions. A further step of hydrolyzing the starch or its decomposition product with acid or enzyme may be provided before / after the above reaction.

[0022] The content of component (A) in the cooked food can be appropriately changed depending on the type of cooked food and the types and amounts of components (A) to (C). From the viewpoint of more significantly demonstrating the effects of the present invention, the content of component (A) in the cooked food is preferably 0.001% by mass or more, more preferably 0.01% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.2% by mass or more, particularly preferably 0.35% by mass or more, and particularly more preferably 0.75% by mass or more, relative to the total amount of food. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of more significantly demonstrating the effects of the present invention and improving the water absorption and texture of the starch-based solid components, the content of component (A) in the cooked food is preferably 6% by mass or less, more preferably 4% by mass or less, even more preferably 3.5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 3% by mass or less.

[0023] ((B) component: oil-soluble flavor component) The heat-cooked food of the present invention contains one or more oil-soluble flavor components as component (B).

[0024] Oil-soluble flavor components are not particularly limited as long as they contain oil-soluble aroma components or taste components, and examples include flavored oils and fats, spices, oil-soluble fragrances, etc.

[0025] Flavored oils are oils characterized by their aroma and flavor. Examples include oils that inherently possess a distinctive aroma and flavor, such as butter, olive oil, sesame oil, peanut oil, and coconut oil, as well as oils obtained by extracting the flavor components or aroma components of spices, such as chili oil, garlic oil, sansho pepper oil, and scallion oil.

[0026] Spices include, for example, pepper (black pepper, white pepper, pink pepper, etc.), garlic, Japanese pepper, Sichuan pepper, chili peppers, mustard, wasabi, turmeric, cumin, saffron, coriander, cinnamon, ginger, basil, and rosemary.

[0027] Oil-soluble fragrances include (i) essential oils obtained by steam distillation of natural products to separate aroma components, or extracts obtained by extracting natural products with organic solvents or liquefied, subcritical, or supercritical carbon dioxide, and (ii) synthetic fragrances. Among these, oil-soluble fragrances that contain aroma components found in the above-mentioned flavoring oils or spices (for example, butter flavor, spice extracts, etc.) are preferred.

[0028] In one embodiment, the oil-soluble flavor component is at least one selected from the group consisting of butter, olive oil, sesame oil, and pepper.

[0029] The content of component (B) in cooked food can be appropriately changed depending on the type of cooked food and the types and amounts of components (A) to (C). The content of component (B) in cooked food can be, for example, 0.00001 to 10% by mass, 0.0001 to 10% by mass, 0.0002 to 10% by mass, 0.0005 to 10% by mass, 0.001 to 8% by mass, 0.002 to 6% by mass, 0.005 to 5% by mass, 0.01 to 5% by mass, or 0.02 to 5% by mass, relative to the total amount of food. If component (B) is a flavored oil, the content of component (B) can be, for example, 0.1 to 10% by mass, 0.2 to 8% by mass, 0.5 to 5% by mass, or 1 to 4% by mass, relative to the total amount of food. If component (B) is a spice, the content of component (B) is, for example, 0.001 to 5% by mass, 0.002 to 4% by mass, 0.005 to 3% by mass, 0.01 to 2% by mass, or 0.02 to 1% by mass, relative to the total amount of food.

[0030] ((C) component: starch-based solid component) The heat-cooked food of the present invention contains one or more starch-based solid components as component (C).

[0031] In this specification, "starch-based solid component" is a solid substance mainly composed of starch, and is not particularly limited as long as the starch gelatinizes upon heating. Specific and preferred examples of starch-based solid components include rice dishes [cooked rice (e.g., polished rice of non-glutinous or glutinous rice, brown rice, germinated rice, etc.), barley rice, glutinous barley rice, rolled barley rice, oatmeal, etc.)], noodles [Chinese noodles, udon, soba, somen, hiyamugi, pasta (macaroni, spaghetti, etc.), cold noodles, pho, rice noodles, vermicelli, etc.], and noodle wrappers (dumpling wrappers, shumai wrappers, xiaolongbao wrappers, wonton wrappers, ravioli, etc.). Among these, from the viewpoint of more significantly demonstrating the effects of the present invention, rice dishes or noodles are preferred as the starch-based solid component, and cooked rice is more preferred.

[0032] The content of component (C) in cooked food can be appropriately changed depending on the type of cooked food and the types and amounts of components (A) to (C). The content of component (C) in cooked food can be, for example, 1 to 99% by mass, 2 to 90% by mass, 5 to 80% by mass, 10 to 70% by mass, 20 to 60% by mass, or 30 to 50% by mass relative to the total amount of food, and can also be 40% or more by mass, 50% or more by mass, 60% or more by mass, 70% or more by mass, 80% or more by mass, or 90% or more by mass.

[0033] The protein content of the starch-based solid component relative to 100 parts by mass of carbohydrates is preferably 15 parts by mass or less, more preferably 12 parts by mass or less, even more preferably 10 parts by mass or less, and even more preferably 8 parts by mass or less, and can be, for example, 3 parts by mass or more, or 5 parts by mass or more. The less protein there is relative to the carbohydrates in component (C), the easier it is for component (C) to adsorb component (B), and the more pronounced the effects of component (A) become in the present invention.

[0034] (Ratio of components (A) to (C)) The content of component (A) in the heat-cooked food of the present invention can be, for example, 0.01 to 100 parts by mass, 0.02 to 50 parts by mass, 0.05 to 20 parts by mass, 0.1 to 10 parts by mass, 0.2 to 5 parts by mass, or 0.5 to 2 parts by mass per 1 part by mass of component (B).

[0035] The content of component (A) in the pre-cooked food of the present invention can be, for example, 0.01 to 100 parts by mass, 0.05 to 50 parts by mass, 0.1 to 30 parts by mass, 0.2 to 20 parts by mass, 0.5 to 10 parts by mass, 0.8 to 8 parts by mass, 1 to 6 parts by mass, or 2 to 5 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the solid content of component (C). When the content of component (A) in the pre-cooked food of the present invention is 10 parts by mass or less per 100 parts by mass of the solid content of component (C), it is preferable in that the water absorption of the starch-based solid component and the texture are better. In this specification, "solid content" refers to the content excluding water.

[0036] The solid content of cooked rice can be determined by subtracting the moisture content of the raw rice used for cooking. For example, if the moisture content of raw rice is 15% by mass, the solid content of cooked rice can be considered as 85% of the mass of the raw rice.

[0037] (Other ingredients) The pre-cooked food of the present invention may use auxiliary ingredients other than components (A) to (C), as long as they do not hinder the effects of the present invention. Examples of auxiliary ingredients include monosaccharides; disaccharides such as sugar; sugar alcohols; oligosaccharides; oils and fats; salts; seasonings such as soy sauce, mirin, salt, vinegar, miso, and monosodium glutamate; grain flour; dextrin; thickening polysaccharides; dietary fiber (cellulose, etc.); peptides; amino acids; protein raw materials (gelatin, etc.); sweeteners; emulsifiers; colorants such as food coloring; flavorings; extracts; preservatives; pH adjusters; antioxidants; solvents, etc., one or more of these may be used.

[0038] In one embodiment, the cooked food of the present invention may contain vinegar in an amount such that the acidity per unit of food is less than 1%, less than 0.5%, less than 0.2%, less than 0.1%, less than 0.05%, less than 0.02%, or less than 0.01%. Here, the acidity per unit of food is determined from the acidity and amount of vinegar added. In this specification, the acidity of vinegar shall be measured according to the "Japanese Agricultural Standards for Brewed Vinegar" (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Notification No. 801 of June 8, 1979).

[0039] In one embodiment, the cooked food of the present invention has an egg yolk content of, for example, less than 1% by mass, less than 0.5% by mass, less than 0.2% by mass, less than 0.1% by mass, less than 0.05% by mass, less than 0.02% by mass, or less than 0.01% by mass, relative to the total amount of food.

[0040] (Storage conditions) From the viewpoint of more significantly exhibiting the effects of the present invention, the cooked food of the present invention is preferably stored for one day or more, and more preferably stored at a low temperature for one day or more. In this specification, "stored" is not particularly limited as long as it is stored for one day or more at a temperature sufficiently lower than the gelatinization temperature of the starch of component (C) after cooking, and includes, for example, cooked food that is stored at room temperature (above 10°C and below 35°C, preferably 20-25°C) or at a low temperature during the manufacture, distribution, or storage by consumers, or that has already been stored at a low temperature. In this specification, "low temperature storage" means storage at at least 10°C or below, and includes refrigeration, chilling, or freezing conditions. Low temperature storage includes, for example, storage at 4°C or below, 0°C or below, -5°C or below, -10°C or below, -18°C or below, or -20°C or below.

[0041] The storage period can be, for example, 24 hours or more, 48 hours or more, 72 hours or more, 1 week or more, 3 weeks or more, 1 month or more, 3 months or more, 6 months or more, 12 months or more, or 2 years or more.

[0042] In one embodiment, the pre-cooked food of the present invention may be labeled, for example, "refrigerate" or "freeze" to indicate that it needs to be refrigerated or frozen, or it may be labeled "refrigerated," "frozen," or "chilled."

[0043] (Form of food) Specific examples of the pre-cooked food of the present invention include rice dishes [rice-based foods (pilaf, seasoned rice, porridge, paella, risotto, fried rice, curry, Hayashi rice, omurice, doria, onigiri, chirashi sushi, inari sushi, etc.), and non-rice-based foods (barley rice, oatmeal, etc.)]; Noodles (Chinese noodles, udon, soba, somen, hiyamugi, pasta (spaghetti, gratin, lasagna, etc.), cold noodles, pho, rice noodles, glass noodles, etc.); Noodles and wrappers [dumplings, shumai, xiaolongbao, wontons, spring rolls, steamed buns, etc.]; Examples include takoyaki and okonomiyaki. In particular, the cooked food of the present invention is preferably rice or noodles, with rice being more preferred. Especially, the form in which the starch-based solid component absorbs water while coexisting with component (B) during cooking, such as pilaf, seasoned rice, porridge, paella, and risotto, is even more preferred because, although component (B) is incorporated along with water absorption during cooking, reducing the flavor of component (B), component (A) can suppress the incorporation of component (B) during water absorption, thereby suppressing the reduction in the flavor of component (B) after cooking.

[0044] The pre-cooked food of the present invention may be reheated after storage. The means and conditions for reheating can be selected from, for example, the heating means and conditions used in the following cooking methods. As shown in the examples, the pre-cooked food of the present invention exhibits an effect of suppressing the deterioration of the flavor of component (B) due to storage even without reheating.

[0045] The following mechanisms are envisioned for the present invention. First, the gelatinized starch of component (C) undergoes retrogradation during storage, which alters its starch structure and makes it difficult for component (B) to be adsorbed and detached, resulting in a decrease in the flavor of component (B) in the food. This decrease in flavor is particularly pronounced under low-temperature conditions, where the retrogradation of starch of component (C) is accelerated. Unlike small-molecule emulsifiers, component (A) has high viscosity and high affinity for starch. Furthermore, component (A), which has hydrophobic groups, can interact with the oil-soluble component (B). In addition, when component (A) associates with (B), its penetration into component (C) is inhibited by the bulkiness of the (A) molecule. As a result, component (A), which has associated with component (B), condenses on the surface of component (C), and component (C) becomes "coated" with the flavor components of component (B). This allows the flavor components to directly contact the tongue when consumed, volatilize, and quickly reach the nasal cavity. It is presumed that this enhances the perceived flavor.

[0046] However, the mechanism by which component (A) suppresses the deterioration of flavor of component (B) during storage is not fully understood, and the embodiments of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited by this mechanism.

[0047] (Manufacturing method) The cooking method for the cooked food of the present invention is not particularly limited, as long as the starch of component (C) gelatinizes after cooking. Examples of cooking methods include heating in a rice cooker, steam heating (steaming, superheated steam heating, etc.), boiling, baking (grilling, stir-frying, etc.), microwave heating, infrared heating, and hot air heating, but heating in a rice cooker, steam heating, or boiling is preferred.

[0048] The heating temperature during cooking is, for example, 60-130°C, 70-100°C, or 85-100°C. The heating time is not particularly limited, but for example, 2 minutes to 24 hours, 5 minutes to 2 hours, 5 minutes to 60 minutes, or 10 to 30 minutes.

[0049] The cooked food of the present invention is preferably cooked in the presence of at least components (A) and (C), and more preferably in the presence of components (A) to (C). In these embodiments, the effects of the present invention are more pronounced when component (A) is evenly distributed around component (C).

[0050] The method for producing pre-cooked food according to the present invention may further include steps such as mixing, molding, cooling (including refrigeration, chilling, or freezing), sterilization, and packaging, as appropriate.

[0051] [Composition for suppressing flavor deterioration] The flavor degradation suppression composition of the present invention is characterized by being applied to cooked foods containing (A) octenyl succinate starch or a salt thereof, (B) oil-soluble flavor components, and (C) starch-based solid components, and is for suppressing the degradation of oil-soluble flavor components during storage.

[0052] (A) to (C) The specific components, cooked food, and storage methods are as described above under [Cooked Food].

[0053] The flavor degradation suppression composition of the present invention may use one or more of the following as auxiliary ingredients other than components (A) to (C), as long as they do not inhibit the effects of the present invention: monosaccharides; disaccharides such as sugar; sugar alcohols; oligosaccharides; oils and fats; salts; seasonings such as soy sauce, mirin, salt, vinegar, miso, and monosodium glutamate; grain flour; dextrin; thickening polysaccharides; dietary fiber (cellulose, etc.); peptides; amino acids; protein raw materials (gelatin, etc.); sweeteners; emulsifiers; colorants such as food coloring; flavorings; extracts; preservatives; pH adjusters; antioxidants; solvents, etc.

[0054] The flavor degradation suppression composition of the present invention is applied in such an amount of component (A) relative to the total amount of cooked food that, from the viewpoint of more significantly exhibiting the effects of the present invention, it is preferably 0.001% by mass or more, more preferably 0.01% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.2% by mass or more, particularly preferably 0.35% by mass or more, and particularly more preferably 0.75% by mass or more. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of improving the water absorption and texture of the starch-based solid component, it is preferably 6% by mass or less, more preferably 4% by mass or less, even more preferably 3.5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 3% by mass or less.

[0055] The flavor degradation suppression composition of the present invention is applied in an amount of (A) such that, relative to 100 parts by mass of the solid content of component (C) of the cooked food, it is, for example, 0.01 to 100 parts by mass, 0.05 to 50 parts by mass, 0.1 to 30 parts by mass, 0.2 to 20 parts by mass, 0.5 to 10 parts by mass, 0.8 to 8 parts by mass, 1 to 6 parts by mass, or 2 to 5 parts by mass.

[0056] [Method for suppressing flavor loss] The present invention provides a method for suppressing flavor deterioration, comprising (A) octenyl succinate starch or a salt thereof coexisting with (B) oil-soluble flavor components and (C) starch-based solid components, characterized in that it suppresses the deterioration of the flavor of oil-soluble flavor components during storage of cooked food.

[0057] (A) to (C) The ingredients, cooked food and storage, and other specific aspects are as described in the section on [cooked food]. [Examples]

[0058] The present invention will be described in detail and specifically below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. In the following examples, unless otherwise specified, "parts" refers to parts by mass and "%" refers to mass percent.

[0059] In the following test examples, "OSA starch" refers to "sodium octenyl succinate starch."

[0060] [Starch used in the test example] Table 1 shows the raw materials used in each test example. The No. corresponds to the number listed in the raw material used in each table. Nos. 1 to 11 are starch or its hydrolysates.

[0061] [Table 1]

[0062] [Test food] Pilaf cooked in a rice cooker was used as the test food. To prepare the pilaf, 100 parts by mass of raw rice was washed, soaked in water for at least one hour, and then water was added until the total volume of water and rice reached 250 parts by mass. Next, the ingredients used (starch / starch hydrolysate, sugars, emulsifiers, emulsified oils and fats, water-soluble soybean polysaccharides, thickening polysaccharides, gum arabic, or rice oil) listed in each table of the test examples were added, the rice was cooked, and then mixed after cooking. The resulting pilaf was sensory evaluated immediately after cooking, or after being subjected to specific storage and / or heating conditions. After the prepared pilaf was allowed to cool, it was stored at room temperature (25°C) or low temperature (refrigerated at 4°C or frozen at -18°C) for the period indicated in the table. Reheating was performed by placing the stored pilaf on a plate, covering it with plastic wrap, and heating it in a microwave (500W) for approximately 3 minutes per 200g.

[0063] [Sensory evaluation] In the following example test, sensory evaluation was conducted by a sensory evaluation panel consisting of three panelists (1 male, 2 females, average age 32) who are engaged in food research and development and are skilled in sensory evaluation. The evaluation was conducted by consuming the food in the usual way, after the evaluation criteria were agreed upon in advance among the panelists. Each flavor was evaluated on a 10-point scale according to the following criteria, with the intensity of the flavors being roughly evenly spaced. A higher score indicates a stronger and better flavor. <Criteria for evaluating flavor intensity> 1 point: No flavor. 5 points: Flavorful 10 points: Very strong flavor

[0064] Then, for each food item, sensory evaluation was performed using the same panel according to the above criteria immediately after cooking (while warm) and after each condition described in the test example. The effect was judged according to the following criteria for the highest value among the evaluation values ​​of flavor intensity after storage for 4 days under refrigerated or frozen conditions, or after storage for 7 days and then reheating. A was judged to be the best, and C was judged to have low flavor and be unsuitable. <Effectiveness Evaluation Criteria> A: The flavor strength rating after storage is 7 or higher. B: The evaluation score for the intensity of flavor after storage is between 5 and 7. C: The evaluation score for the strength of the flavor after storage is less than 5.

[0065] [Test Example 1. Comparison of the effects of adding various raw materials on flavor] Pilaf was prepared using the ingredients listed in Table 2, and the intensity of the butter flavor was evaluated immediately after cooking and after various storage and heating conditions.

[0066] The results are shown in Table 2. In all of the examples using OSA starch (Nos. 1-7), the butter flavor immediately after cooking was stronger compared to the comparative examples. This indicates that OSA starch suppresses the deterioration of flavor during storage, especially during refrigeration or freezing. In examples 1-7, when OSA starch that had undergone a decomposition process was used, the flavor immediately after preparation was slightly weaker compared to when OSA starch that had not undergone a decomposition process was used, but the difference became more pronounced after storage. In comparative examples 1-1 to 1-7, when OSA starch was not included, or when other starches or monosaccharides were included, the flavor immediately after cooking was weak, and the deterioration of flavor during storage became more pronounced.

[0067] As shown in Comparative Examples 1-8 to 13, when various rice loosening agents were added in appropriate amounts, the loosening of the rice improved, and for some ingredients, the flavor was enhanced immediately after cooking and after being left at room temperature for one hour. However, no effect was observed in suppressing the decrease in the intensity of the butter flavor after storage for more than one day. From the above, it was shown that the enhancement of flavor immediately after cooking or after one hour of storage at room temperature and the suppression of flavor deterioration due to refrigeration or freezing are due to different mechanisms, and that the suppression of flavor deterioration is unrelated to the ease of loosening.

[0068] [Table 2]

[0069] Pilaf was prepared using the formulations in Table 3, and after a storage test, it was reheated and sensory evaluated. Comparing the examples in Table 3 with Example 1-1 in Table 2, the combined use of OSA starch and water-soluble soy polysaccharides or emulsified oils as a loosening agent did not inhibit the effect of OSA starch in suppressing the deterioration of butter flavor after storage. Furthermore, the loosening effect of the loosening agent was maintained even with the addition of OSA starch.

[0070] [Table 3]

[0071] [Test Example 2. Comparison of Effects on Various Flavor Components] Pilaf was prepared using the formulations shown in Table 4, but instead of the unsalted butter in Test Example 1, half the amount of unsalted butter (Example 3-1), olive oil (Example 3-2), sesame oil (Example 3-3), and black pepper (Example 3-4) was used. The results are shown in Table 4. In the examples, the flavor immediately after cooking was enhanced compared to the comparative examples that did not contain OSA starch, and the difference in flavor intensity became even more pronounced with storage. Since these components are oil-soluble flavor components, it was found that OSA starch suppresses the deterioration of the flavor of oil-soluble flavor components during storage. On the other hand, when water-soluble flavor components such as dark soy sauce (Comparative Examples 3-5 and 3-6) and tomato paste (Comparative Examples 3-7 and 3-8) were used, the flavor development after storage did not improve.

[0072] [Table 4]

[0073] [Test Example 3. Comparison of Effects at Various OSA Starch Formulations] Using the same method as in Test Example 1, pilaf was prepared with different OSA starch formulations as shown in Table 5, and the intensity of the butter flavor of the pilaf was sensory evaluated immediately after cooking and after storage. The results are shown in Table 5. The decrease in butter flavor after storage was suppressed with the various OSA starch amounts tested. However, when OSA starch was added at 8% by mass or more, the rice absorbed water insufficiently, resulting in a texture that felt undercooked, and there was also a slight tendency for the flavor to be slightly diminished immediately after cooking.

[0074] [Table 5] [Test Example 4. Comparison of Effects Based on Different Storage Conditions] Pilaf was prepared using the same formulation as Example 1-1 and Comparative Example 1-1 of Test Example 1, and after undergoing the storage and heating conditions described in Table 6, the intensity of the butter flavor was evaluated by sensory evaluation. As a result, it was found that when OSA starch was used, the butter flavor was strongly perceived regardless of whether or not it was reheated after storage, and the flavor was maintained up to 60 days after freezing. On the other hand, when OSA starch was not included, the flavor deteriorated with low-temperature storage regardless of whether or not it was reheated, and no flavor was detected at all in the pilaf that was reheated after 60 days of freezing.

[0075] [Table 6]

Claims

1. A pre-cooked food product containing (A) octenyl succinate starch or a salt thereof, (B) oil-soluble flavor components, and (C) starch-based solid components.

2. The cooked food according to claim 1, wherein the dextrose equivalent (DE) of the octenyl succinate starch is 15 or less.

3. The cooked food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the (B) oil-soluble flavor component is at least one selected from the group consisting of butter, olive oil, sesame oil, peanut oil, coconut oil, chili oil, garlic oil, sansho oil, scallion oil, pepper, garlic, sansho pepper, Sichuan pepper, chili pepper, mustard, wasabi, turmeric, cumin, saffron, coriander, cinnamon, ginger, basil, rosemary, and oil-soluble fragrances.

4. The cooked food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the (C) starch-based solid component is rice, noodles, or noodle wrappers.

5. (A) Contains octenyl succinate starch or a salt thereof, A composition for suppressing the deterioration of oil-soluble flavor components during storage, applicable to cooked foods containing (B) oil-soluble flavor components and (C) starch-based solid components.

6. A method for producing a cooked food, comprising coexisting the flavor degradation suppression composition described in claim 5 with (B) an oil-soluble flavor component and (C) a starch-based solid component.

7. A method for suppressing the deterioration of oil-soluble flavor components during storage of cooked food, comprising (A) octenyl succinate starch or a salt thereof coexisting with (B) oil-soluble flavor components and (C) starch-based solid components.

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