Method for producing a starch-containing solid composition for cooking.

Abstract

This invention provides a method for easily producing a starch-containing solid composition for cooking that is less prone to cracking even after prolonged storage at room temperature, using general-purpose equipment, while also improving the powdery texture during consumption. [Solution] A manufacturing method comprising the steps of (i) to (iii). (i) A step of preparing a composition that satisfies predetermined conditions with respect to the content of dietary fiber, starch, and protein, specific surface area per unit volume after ultrasonic treatment, degree of gelatinization of starch, starch granule structure, and molecular weight logarithm. (ii) A step of mixing the composition with water at 40°C or higher so that the dry weight moisture content exceeds 30% by mass. (iii) A step of transporting the composition by extruder under conditions that satisfy (8) to (10). (8) The temperature of the composition in the extruder is 55°C or higher. (9) The specific mechanical energy (SME) value of the extruder is less than 300 kJ / kg, and / or the ratio of the length of the flight section to the total length of the screw is 90% or higher. (10) The pressure in the extruder is 1.5 MPa or higher.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a method for producing a solid composition for cooking containing starch. [Background technology]

[0002] Solid compositions such as noodles containing starch for cooking are conventionally known, but they have the problem that when stored at room temperature for a long time, cracks tend to form inside the composition, and components inside the composition tend to leak out after cooking.

[0003] As a technology to solve such problems, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for producing a solid composition for cooking that does not easily bind together even after time has passed since cooking, by processing raw materials containing legumes under high temperature and high pressure conditions.

[0004] While this method is an excellent technique, it requires vigorous kneading of the composition under high-temperature conditions of 100°C or higher. To prevent expansion of the dough composition during such high-temperature kneading, it requires special manufacturing equipment that has high airtightness and can withstand not only high temperatures but also high pressure conditions, thus leaving room for improvement.

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a method for producing a solid composition for cooking that does not easily bind together even after time has passed since cooking, by vigorously kneading raw materials containing beans and / or grains at a temperature of 100°C or below.

[0006] While this method is an excellent technique, it had room for improvement because it required special screws and manufacturing equipment to perform strong mixing. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2020 / 166713 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2022 / 186212 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a method for easily producing a starch-containing solid composition for cooking that is less prone to cracking even after time has passed during storage at room temperature, using general-purpose equipment without the need for special manufacturing equipment such as equipment with high temperature resistance or screws that can achieve strong kneading. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In view of the above circumstances, the present inventors conducted diligent research and found that (i) they prepared a composition having a predetermined composition, a degree of gelatinization and specific surface area of ​​a predetermined value or higher, a small number of specific starch granule structures, and a molecular weight area ratio of a predetermined value or lower; (ii) they mixed a predetermined amount of water at a predetermined temperature with the obtained composition; and (iii) they conveyed the obtained composition by extruder under a temperature and pressure of a predetermined value or higher, thereby forming a strong continuous starch structure, making it less prone to cracking during storage at room temperature, improving the powdery texture when eaten, and preventing the components inside the composition from leaking out after cooking. Based on these findings, the present invention was completed.

[0010] In other words, the purpose of this invention relates, for example, to the following: [Claim 1] A method for producing a starch-containing solid composition for cooking using an extruder, The extruder, A screw that rotates with a motor, A barrel surrounding the outer circumference of the screw, A feeder for loading food materials is attached to the base side of the barrel, A die section attached to the tip of the barrel is used to shape and discharge the food material after it has been transported. Equipped with, The above method is a manufacturing method that includes the following steps (i) to (iii). (i) A step of preparing a composition that satisfies the following (1) to (7). (1) The dietary fiber content is 3.0% by mass or more on a wet mass basis. (2) The starch content is 10.0% by mass or more on a wet mass basis. (3) The protein content is 3.0% by mass or more on a wet mass basis. (4) The specific surface area per unit volume after ultrasonic treatment is 0.10 m2 / mL or more. (5) The degree of starch gelatinization is 70% by mass or more. (6) The following (a) and / or (b) are satisfied: (a) The number of starch granules observed when a 6% by mass suspension of the pulverized material of the composition is observed is 300 or less per mm². (b) When a 14% by mass aqueous slurry of the pulverized composition is heated from 50°C to 140°C at a heating rate of 12.5°C / min using a rapid viscometer, the gelatinization peak temperature is less than 120°C. (7) After treating the composition in 40 times its mass volume of water at a constant temperature of 90°C for 15 minutes, the components obtained by treating them according to the following [Procedure a] are analyzed under the following [Condition A] to obtain a molecular weight distribution curve (hereinafter referred to as "MWDC5.0-8.0") in the range of molecular weight logarithm between 5.0 and less than 8.0, wherein the ratio of the area under the curve in the section of molecular weight logarithm between 5.0 and less than 6.5 to the total area under the curve (hereinafter referred to as "AUC1") is 70% or less. [Procedure a] A 2.5% aqueous dispersion of the composition is pulverized and subjected to proteolytic enzyme treatment to obtain an ethanol-insoluble and dimethyl sulfoxide-soluble component as purified starch. [Condition A] Dissolve 0.10% by mass of purified starch obtained by treatment according to procedure a in a 1M aqueous sodium hydroxide solution, let stand at 37°C for 30 minutes, add an equal amount of water and an equal amount of eluent, filter 5 mL of the filtrate through a 5 μm filter, and measure the molecular weight distribution by gel filtration chromatography. (ii) A step in which water at 40°C or higher is mixed with the composition prepared in step (i) so that the dry-weight water content exceeds 30% by mass. (iii) A step in which the composition obtained in step (ii) is transported by the extruder under conditions that satisfy the following (8) to (10). (8) The temperature of the composition inside the extruder is 55°C or higher. (9) The specific mechanical energy (SME) value of the extruder is less than 300 kJ / kg, and / or the ratio of the length of the flight portion to the total length of the screw is 90% or more. (10) The pressure inside the extruder is 1.5 MPa or higher. [Claim 2] The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the composition inside the extruder rises by 5% or more before and after the transport in step (iii). [Claim 3] The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the dry moisture content of the composition obtained in step (i) is 20% by mass or less. [Claim 4] The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising step (iv) below. (iv) A step of reducing the degree of gelatinization of the composition after transport in step (iii) by 6% by mass or more within the extruder. [Claim 5] The dry-based water content of the composition after transport in step (iii) is 25% by mass or more, The manufacturing method according to claim 4, wherein the decrease in the degree of gelatinization in step (iv) is achieved by treating the composition after transport in step (iii) for 0.1 hours or more in an environment with an ambient temperature of 80°C or less and an ambient humidity of 60 RH or more. [Claim 6] The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising step (v) below. (v) A step in which the composition after transport in step (iii) is dried until the dry-weight moisture content decreases by 5% or more before and after the treatment. [Claim 7] The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the starch contained in the composition obtained in step (i) is starch derived from edible plants that have been preheated to a maximum temperature of 100°C or higher under conditions of moisture content of 25% by mass or more on a dry basis. [Claim 8] The manufacturing method according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the composition obtained in step (i) is a composition in which the particle size distribution d90 is 450 μm or less when the composition is subjected to ultrasonic treatment after the following treatment A is added. [Process A] A 6% by mass aqueous suspension of the composition is treated with 0.4% by volume protease and 0.02% by mass α-amylase at 20°C for 3 days. [Claim 9] The manufacturing method according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the composition obtained in step (i) is a composition in which the ratio of the area under the curve in the interval between molecular weight logarithms of 6.5 or more and less than 8.0 (hereinafter referred to as "AUC2") to the total area under the curve is 30% or more in the molecular weight distribution curve (MWDC 5.0-8.0). [Claim 10] The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the composition obtained in step (i) is obtained by analyzing the components obtained by treating the composition according to [Procedure a] under [Condition A], and in the molecular weight distribution curve (hereinafter referred to as "MWDC6.5-9.5") in the range of molecular weight logarithm 6.5 or more and less than 9.5, the ratio of the area under the curve in the interval of molecular weight logarithm 6.5 or more and less than 8.0 to the total area under the curve (hereinafter referred to as "AUC3") is 30% or more. [Claim 11] The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the composition of step (i) is obtained by analyzing the components obtained by treating the composition according to [Procedure a] under [Condition A], and in the molecular weight distribution curve (hereinafter referred to as "MWDC3.5-6.5") in the range of molecular weight logarithm 3.5 or more and less than 6.5, the ratio of the area under the curve in the interval of molecular weight logarithm 3.5 or more and less than 5.0 to the total area under the curve (hereinafter referred to as "AUC4") is 10% or more. [Claim 12] The method for producing the composition according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the composition contains an edible plant. [Claim 13] The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the ratio of the starch content contained in the edible plant to the total starch content in the composition is 30% by mass or more on a dry mass basis. [Claim 14] The manufacturing method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the edible plant is a legume and / or a grain. [Claim 15] The manufacturing method according to claim 14, wherein the legume is one or more legumes selected from the genera of pea, kidney bean, pigeon bean, cowpea, broad bean, chickpea, soybean, and lentil. [Claim 16] The manufacturing method according to claim 14, wherein the grains are one or more selected from millet, barnyard millet, foxtail millet, sorghum, rye, oats, adlay, corn, buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa. [Claim 17] The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the composition produced contains 10% by mass or more of legumes and / or grains on a dry weight basis. [Claim 18] The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the barrel of the extruder does not have an external heating mechanism. [Claim 19] The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the degree of starch gelatinization of the composition after the decrease in the degree of gelatinization in step (iv) is 99% by mass or less. [Claim 20] The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the composition produced is a non-expanding material. [Claim 21] The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the composition after transport in step (iii) satisfies the following: (11) When at least one frozen section A of composition obtained under the following [Condition B] is stained with acid fuchsin and observed, at least one of the following conditions (11a) or (11b) is satisfied. (11a) The ratio of the number of acid fuchsin-stained sites with an area of ​​200 μm2 or more and a circularity coefficient of 0.3 or more to the number of acid fuchsin-stained sites with an area of ​​30 μm2 or more is 3% or more. (11b) The ratio of the total area of ​​acid fuchsin-stained areas with an area of ​​200 μm2 or more and a circularity coefficient of 0.3 or more to the area of ​​the cross-sectional image of the composition is 0.3% or more. [Condition A] The composition is heated in water at 90°C for 6 minutes, then frozen at -25°C. The frozen composition is then cut along a certain cross-section A into pieces with a thickness of 30 μm to obtain frozen composition section A. [Claim 22] The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein the degree of unevenness of the flow channel cross-section of the die portion of the extruder is 0.1 or greater. [Claim 23] The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 22, further comprising step (vi) below. (vi) A step of grinding the composition obtained at least after step (iii) to obtain a pulverized composition. [Claim 24] The manufacturing method according to claim 23, further comprising the following step (vii). (vii) After step (vi), the obtained pulverized composition is aggregated to form an aggregate of the pulverized composition. [Claim 25] A starch-containing solid composition for cooking, manufactured by the manufacturing method of any one of Claims 1 to 24. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, a starch-containing solid composition for cooking that is less prone to cracking during storage at room temperature and has improved powderiness when consumed can be easily manufactured using general-purpose equipment without the need for special manufacturing equipment such as equipment with high temperature resistance or screws capable of achieving strong kneading. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of an extruder used in the manufacturing method according to embodiment A of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic side view showing an example of the screw configuration used in the extruder according to embodiment A of Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of an extruder used in the manufacturing method according to embodiment B of the present invention. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic side view showing an example of the screw configuration used in the extruder according to embodiment B of Figure 3. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments and can be implemented in any form without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0014] One aspect of the present invention relates to a method (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "the manufacturing method of the present invention") for producing a starch-containing solid composition for cooking having specific properties (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "the starch-containing solid composition of the present invention," "the starch-containing solid paste composition of the present invention," or "the composition of the present invention") using a specific extruder. Hereinafter, the characteristics of the specific extruder used in the manufacturing method of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "the extruder of the present invention") will be described, and then the characteristics of the manufacturing method of the present invention carried out using such an extruder of the present invention will be described.

[0015] [I. Extruder] (Extruder configuration) Extruders typically include single-screw extruders and twin-screw extruders, but in the manufacturing method of the present invention, it is preferable to use a single-screw extruder. Furthermore, the term "extruder" generally refers to a device (especially one referred to as "extruder" or "single screw extruder" in English-speaking countries) and includes extrusion devices that merely have mixer or kneader functions.

[0016] The extruder of the present invention comprises a screw rotated by a motor, a barrel surrounding the outer circumference of the screw, a feeder attached to the base side of the barrel for feeding food material, and a die attached to the tip side of the barrel. Here, the screw has a flight section from the base side to the tip side (i.e., in the direction of extrusion). It may also have a kneading section in addition to the flight section.

[0017] Furthermore, in the prior art described in Patent Document 1 mentioned above, many of the steps using an extruder are carried out under high temperature and / or high pressure, so sufficient temperature and pressure resistance was necessary. However, the manufacturing method of the present invention is carried out at a relatively low temperature of less than 100°C, and it goes without saying that the required pressure conditions, as well as the individual elements constituting the extruder of the present invention described above, must have sufficient temperature and pressure resistance according to their function and the temperature and pressure required for the steps in which they are used.

[0018] The configuration of an extruder used in the manufacturing method of the present invention will be described in detail below using schematic diagrams. However, these diagrams are merely illustrative of extruders that can be used in the manufacturing method of the present invention, from the viewpoint of facilitating understanding of the present invention, and the extruders used in the manufacturing method of the present invention are not limited in any way by these diagrams. Furthermore, the scale and aspect ratio are specified and shown as appropriate for the convenience of explanation and the constraints of written space, and the scale and aspect ratio of the extruder used in the manufacturing method of the present invention are not limited in any way by these diagrams.

[0019] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of an extruder according to one aspect of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "Aspect A" as appropriate). The extruder 100 of Aspect A shown in Figure 1 is an extruder having a configuration for use in the manufacturing method of the present invention, and comprises a long cylindrical barrel 200, a long single-screw 300 disposed inside the barrel 200, and feeders 400 and die sections 500 disposed at predetermined positions in the barrel 200.

[0020] Figure 2 is a schematic side view showing an example of the configuration of the screw 300 of the extruder 100 according to embodiment A shown in Figure 1. The screw 300 has a base-side starting point and a tip-side ending point, and the base-side starting point is connected to the rotational shaft of a motor (not shown) and configured to be rotationally driven. From the base side (motor side) to the tip side (opposite side) (i.e., toward the extrusion direction indicated by the white arrow in the figure), it sequentially has a flight section 300A and optionally a kneading section 300B (however, as will be described later, the kneading section 300B is entirely optional, and the screw 300 does not have to have a kneading section 300B). The circumferential side surface of the flight section 300A is provided with spiral protrusions (flights or flight structures), and the circumferential side surface of the kneading section 300B is provided with a known kneading structure (for example, a mixing section having a screw thread with grooves, which will be described later).

[0021] In the extruder 100 according to embodiment A shown in Figure 1, when using a screw 300 having a flight section 300A and a kneading section 300B, when the screw 300 is placed inside the barrel 200, the barrel 200 can be divided into two corresponding regions 200A and 200B, corresponding to the flight section 300A and kneading section 300B of the screw 300. In this disclosure, these two regions 200A and 200B of the barrel 200 may be referred to as the flight section 200A and the kneading section 200B, using the names of the corresponding regions of the screw 300. Also, when referring to the corresponding regions of the barrel 200 and the screw 300 collectively without distinction, they may be called the flight section 200A, 300A and the kneading section 200B, 300B. On the other hand, if a screw 300 is used that does not have a kneading section 300B and only has a flight section 300A, then the barrel 200 will also not have a kneading section 200B and will only have a flight section 200A.

[0022] Furthermore, as will be described later, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ratio of the length of the flight sections 200A and 300A to the total length of the barrel 200 and screw 300 is preferably a predetermined ratio or more (for example, 90% or more), and this ratio may be 100%, that is, the total length of the barrel 200 and screw 300 may be the length of the flight sections 200A and 300A. Also, the ratio of the length of the kneading sections 200B and 300B to the total length of the barrel 200 and screw 300 is preferably a predetermined ratio or less (for example, 10% or less), and this ratio may be 0%, that is, the barrel 200 and screw 300 may not have kneading sections 200B and 300B. However, for convenience in this specification, regardless of whether the barrel 200 and screw 300 have kneading sections 200B and 300B or not, the conveying of the composition by the barrel 200 and screw 300 may be referred to as "kneading".

[0023] The feeder 400 of the extruder 100 according to embodiment A is attached near the starting point on the base side of the flight section 200A of the barrel 200, and is configured to allow the food material to be conveyed to be fed into the barrel 200 (the space between the barrel 200 and the screw 300) through the feeder 400.

[0024] The die section 500 of the extruder 100 according to embodiment A is attached to the leading end of the barrel 200 and is configured to discharge the composition conveyed by the screw 300 from its flow path while being molded.

[0025] When using the extruder 100 according to embodiment A, each raw material of the composition is fed from the feeder 400 on the base side into the barrel 200 (the space between the barrel 200 and the screw 300), and the screw 300 is rotated in a predetermined direction within the barrel 200. As a result, the dough composition made of the raw materials is conveyed from the base side to the tip side as the screw 300 rotates, and the conveyed composition is molded in the die section 500 and discharged from its flow path.

[0026] Furthermore, a temperature control mechanism (heater and / or cooler) may be installed on the outer circumference of the barrel 200 of the extruder 100 according to embodiment A. Such a temperature control mechanism is attached to part or all of the outer circumference of the flight section 200A and / or kneading section 200B of the barrel 200, and is configured to adjust the temperature of the composition inside the barrel 200 (the space between the barrel 200 and the screw 300) in each section by heating and / or cooling the barrel 200. In particular, in embodiment A, it is preferable to provide an external cooling mechanism (cooler), such as a water flow mechanism (chiller), on the outer circumference of the barrel 200 of the extruder 100. The reason for this is not limited to theory, but can be inferred as follows: That is, by flowing water around the barrel 200, the barrel 200 is cooled in the front half of the barrel, making the dough composition harder and making it easier for the screw to grip the dough. This increases the flow rate of the dough composition and increases the pressure toward the die section 500. On the other hand, it is presumed that in the latter half of barrel 200, the water warms up due to internal frictional heat, which makes the dough composition more fluid and easier to knead. Therefore, it is preferable that the present invention has an external cooling mechanism (cooler) such as a water flow mechanism (chiller). It is also preferable that it does not have an external heating mechanism (heater).

[0027] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of an extruder according to another aspect of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "Aspect B" as appropriate). The extruder 102 of Aspect B shown in Figure 3 is an extruder that, compared to the extruder 100 of Aspect A shown in Figure 1, has an additional configuration (mixer) added to the front half of the barrel (204) for pre-mixing beans and / or grains (preferably powdered beans and / or grains as described later) which will be used as raw materials for the composition prepared in step (i) described later. The extruder has a long cylindrical barrel 202, a tandem screw 302 arranged inside the barrel 202, and feeders 402 and a die section 502 arranged at predetermined positions in the barrel 202.

[0028] Figure 4 is a schematic side view showing an example of the configuration of a tandem screw 302 of an extruder according to embodiment B shown in Figure 3. The tandem screw 302 has a base-side starting point and a tip-side ending point, and the base-side starting point is configured to be rotated by being connected to the rotating shaft of a motor (not shown), and a mixer 304 and a conveying screw 306 are connected in tandem from the base side (motor side) to the tip side (opposite side) (i.e., toward the extrusion direction indicated by the white arrow in the figure). In this invention, a "tandem" type configuration refers to a configuration in which any structure is connected in series from the upstream side to the downstream side of the manufacturing flow. For example, configurations such as the one shown in Figure 3, in which two types of screws with different functions (a mixer screw for pre-treatment and a conveying screw having the configuration of the present invention) are connected in series, and the composition processed in the first half is supplied directly to the second half having the configuration of the present invention, or configurations in which two independent devices (a front-stage mixer that performs heat treatment as pre-treatment and a rear-stage extruder having the configuration of the present invention) are connected in series, and the composition processed in the front-stage extruder is supplied directly to the rear-stage extruder within a certain time interval (for example, between 0 minutes and 60 minutes, with an upper limit of, for example, 60 minutes, more specifically within 30 minutes, or within 10 minutes, particularly within 5 minutes, and with no particular lower limit, but 0 minutes or more, or 0.1 minutes or more) between the completion of the front-stage processing and the start of the rear-stage processing, are also included in the "tandem" type configuration of the present invention.

[0029] The mixer screw 304 has the function of pre-mixing the legumes and / or grains (preferably powdered legumes and / or grains as described later) that will be used as raw materials for the composition prepared in step (i) described below. Its configuration is not particularly limited as long as it can achieve this function. Figure 4 shows the screw 304 whose entire length consists of a mixing mechanism, but it is not limited to this configuration.

[0030] The conveying screw 306 has a flight section 306A and optionally a kneading section 306B in order from its base side (motor side) to its tip side (opposite side) (i.e., toward the extrusion direction). (As will be described later, the kneading section 306B is entirely optional, and the screw 306 does not have to have a kneading section 306B.) The configuration and function of the conveying screw 306 and its flight section 306A and kneading section 306B are the same as those of the screw 300 and its flight section 300A and kneading section 300B in embodiment A shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0031] In addition, in the case of the extruder of embodiment B shown in Figure 3, when using a conveying screw 306 having a flight section 306A and a kneading section 306B, with the tandem screw 302 arranged inside the barrel 202, the barrel 202 can be divided into three corresponding regions 204, 206A, and 206B, corresponding to the mixer screw 304 and the flight section 306A and kneading section 306B of the conveying screw 306. In this disclosure, these three regions 204, 206A, and 206B of the barrel 202 may be referred to as the mixer section 204, the flight section 206A, and the kneading section 206B, using the names of the corresponding regions of the tandem screw 302. Furthermore, the flight section 206A and the kneading section 206B may be collectively referred to as the conveying section 206. Furthermore, when referring to the corresponding areas of the barrel 202 and the tandem screw 302 collectively without distinction, they may be called mixer sections 204, 304, flight sections 206A, 306A, and kneading sections 206A, 206B. On the other hand, when using a conveying screw 306 that does not have a kneading section 306B and only has a flight section 306A, the downstream section of the barrel 202 will also not have a kneading section 206B and will only have a flight section 206A. In this case, the kneading section 206B itself may be called the conveying section 206.

[0032] The main part of the barrel 202 of the extruder 102 in embodiment B is clearly divided into a front-stage mixer section 204 and a rear-stage flight section 206A and kneading section 206B. The front-stage mixer section 204 has the function of mixing raw materials such as beans and / or grains in the mixer section 204 by working in cooperation with the mixer screw 304. On the other hand, the rear-stage flight section 206A and kneading section 206B have the function of conveying the mixed composition of beans and / or grains supplied from the front-stage mixer sections 204 and 304 in the flight sections 206A and 306A by working in cooperation with the flight section 306A and kneading section 306B of the conveying screw 306, and also have the function of kneading in the kneading section 206B and 306B as desired. The functions and configurations of the flight section 206A and the kneading section 206B of the barrel 202 are basically the same as those of the flight section 200A and the kneading section 200B of the extruder barrel 200 in embodiment A. A temperature control mechanism 602 for adjusting the composition temperature may optionally be placed around part or all of the flight section 206A and / or the kneading section 206B.

[0033] Furthermore, as will be described later, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ratio of the length of the flight section 206A to the total length of the downstream section of the barrel 202 (i.e., the total length of the flight section 206A and the kneading section 206B), and the ratio of the length of the flight section 306A to the total length of the conveying screw 306, are preferably both above a predetermined ratio (for example, 90% or more), and the ratio may be 100%. That is, the total length of the downstream section of the barrel 202 may be the flight section 200A, and the total length of the conveying screw 306 may be the flight section 306A. Furthermore, the ratio of the length of the kneading section 206B to the total length of the downstream section of the barrel 202 (i.e., the total length of the flight section 206A and the kneading section 206B), and the ratio of the length of the kneading section 306B to the total length of the conveying screw 306, are preferably below a predetermined ratio (for example, 10% or less), and the ratio may be 0%. In other words, the downstream section of the barrel 202 does not need to have a kneading section 206B, and the conveying screw 306 does not need to have a kneading section 306B.

[0034] The feeder 402 of the extruder 102 in embodiment B is attached to the base of the barrel 202, similar to the feeder 400 of the extruder 100 in embodiment A, and is configured to supply raw materials such as beans and / or grains into the barrel 202 (the space between the barrel 202 and the tandem screw 302).

[0035] The die section 502 of the extruder 102 in embodiment B is attached to the leading end of the barrel 202, similar to the die section 500 of the extruder 100 in embodiment A, and is configured to allow the composition kneaded by the tandem screw 302 to be discharged from its flow path while being molded.

[0036] When using the extruder 102 of embodiment B, each raw material of the composition, including beans and / or grains, is fed from the feeder 402 at the base to the barrel 202 (the space between the barrel 202 and the tandem screw 302), and the tandem screw 302 is rotated in a predetermined direction within the barrel 202. As a result, the raw materials, including beans and / or grains, fed from the feeder 402 are driven from the base to the tip as the screw 300 rotates, and are mixed in the mixer sections 204 and 304. Next, the mixed raw materials such as beans and / or grains are transported in flight sections 206A and 306A at relatively low temperatures (below 100°C; the lower limit is not particularly limited, but is usually above 0°C, or 40°C or 50°C or higher, more preferably 60°C or 70°C or 80°C or higher, especially 90°C or higher) and high pressure, and then kneaded in kneading sections 206B and 306B at relatively low temperatures (below 100°C; the lower limit is not particularly limited, but is usually above 0°C, or 40°C or 50°C or higher, more preferably 60°C or 70°C or 80°C or higher, especially 90°C or higher) and high pressure. The kneaded composition is molded in the die section 500 and discharged from its flow path.

[0037] Furthermore, a temperature control mechanism (heater and / or cooler) may be installed on the outer circumference of the barrel 202 of the extruder 102 according to embodiment B. Such a temperature control mechanism is attached to part or all of the outer circumference of the mixer section 204 and / or the flight section 206A and / or the kneading section 206B of the barrel 202, and is configured to adjust the temperature of the composition inside the barrel 202 (the space between the barrel 202 and the screw 302) in each section by heating and / or cooling the barrel 202. In particular, in embodiment B as well, it is preferable to provide an external cooling mechanism (cooler) such as a water flow mechanism (chiller) on the outer circumference of the barrel 202 of the extruder 102 (at least the outer circumference of the flight section 206A and the kneading section 206B). The reason for this is not limited to theory, but can be inferred as follows: That is, by flowing water around the barrel 200, the barrel 200 is cooled in the front half of the barrel, causing the dough composition to harden, making it easier for the screw to grip the dough. This increases the flow rate of the dough composition, causing the pressure to rise towards the die section 500. Meanwhile, in the latter half of the barrel 200, the water warms up due to internal frictional heat, which is presumed to give the dough composition more fluidity and make it easier to knead. Therefore, it is preferable that the present invention has an external cooling mechanism (cooler) such as a water flow mechanism (chiller). It is also preferable that it does not have an external heating mechanism (heater).

[0038] It should be noted again that the extruder 100 in embodiment A and the extruder 102 in embodiment B are merely examples of the extruder of the present invention, and any extruder configuration can be used as long as it is capable of carrying out the manufacturing method of the present invention while satisfying the desired conditions described later. For example, when mixing beans and / or grains, which are the raw materials for the composition, prior to steps (i) to (iii) described later, an extruder 102 configured as a single unit may be used, such as the extruder 102 in embodiment B shown in Figures 3 and 4, which employs a tandem screw 302 in which a mixer screw and a kneading screw are connected in tandem.

[0039] Alternatively, in a different configuration, a screw with the same extruder function as the subsequent stage may be provided in the preceding stage, and pre-kneading of beans and / or grains may be performed in the preceding stage. The beans and / or grains after pre-kneading may then be supplied directly to the subsequent extruder, where the manufacturing method of the present invention may be carried out. In this case, the details of the preceding extruder section are not limited, but for example, it may have the same configuration as the subsequent extruder section.

[0040] In another configuration, an independent mixer and an extruder may be connected in tandem, the mixer may be used to mix beans and / or grains, and the mixed beans and / or grains may be supplied directly to the extruder, where the manufacturing method of the present invention may be carried out. Alternatively, in yet another configuration, two independent extruders may be connected in tandem, the extruder may be used to pre-knead the beans and / or grains, and the pre-kneaded beans and / or grains may be supplied directly to the extruder, where the manufacturing method of the present invention may be carried out. In these configurations of connecting independent mixers and extruders in tandem, and in the configuration of connecting two extruders in tandem, the transport of the dough composition between the pre-mixer or extruder and the subsequent extruder is not limited, but may be carried out using a transport mechanism such as a conveyor. Furthermore, such transport may be carried out in an open system or a closed system, but it is preferable to carry it out in a closed system.

[0041] The configuration and operation of the extruder of the present invention will be described in more detail below.

[0042] (screw) As described above, the screw used in the extruder of the present invention is a long screw having a base-side starting point and a tip-side ending point, and the base-side starting point is connected to the rotating shaft of a motor and is configured to be rotationally driven.

[0043] The shape of the screw used in the extruder of the present invention is not limited, but it is preferably a flight screw or a screw based thereon. In this disclosure, "flight screw" means a screw having a structure in which a helical, mountain-shaped projection structure (flight) is formed on part or all of the circumferential surface of a substantially cylindrical base shaft, wherein the mountain-shaped projection structure defines the screw threads, and the parts other than the mountain-shaped projection structure relatively form a valley-shaped structure that defines the screw groove. Furthermore, the groove bottom may have an uneven shape, and specifically, the groove bottom of the flight may be a wave type with unevenness in the groove width direction. In addition, a sub-flight type shape with sub-flights in addition to the main flight can be adopted.

[0044] Specifically, in one aspect of the present invention, the screw used is preferably a full-flight screw without a kneading section. This makes it easier for the pressure to increase towards the die section, and it is believed that the objective of the present invention can be achieved even under low-temperature processing conditions. The flight section preferably has a configuration in which screw flights are formed. Furthermore, according to another aspect of the present invention, a screw can be used that has at least a flight section and a kneading section sequentially from the base side (motor side) to the tip side (opposite side).

[0045] The diameter (D) of the screw used in this invention is not limited, but can be in the range of, for example, 25 mm or more and 300 mm or less. More specifically, the value of the diameter (D) is usually 25 mm or more, preferably 30 mm or more, or 35 mm or more, or 40 mm or more, or 45 mm or more. There is no particular upper limit, but it is usually 300 mm or less, preferably 200 mm or less, or 150 mm or less. The diameter of the screw refers to the length of the longest line segment obtained by connecting any two points on the outer circumference of the screw in a virtual cross-section obtained by cutting the screw perpendicular to its axis of rotation, and represents the arithmetic mean of the measured value over the entire length of the screw, including the threads. In this invention, the mean value (sometimes simply referred to as the mean or arithmetic mean) refers to the arithmetic mean unless otherwise specified.

[0046] The total length (L) of the screw used in the present invention is not limited, but is generally 1000 mm or more, and more preferably 1100 mm or more, or 1200 mm or more, or 1300 mm or more, or 1400 mm or more. The upper limit is also not particularly limited, but is generally 5000 mm or less, and more preferably 4000 mm or less, or 3000 mm or less. In this specification, "total length of the screw" means the length of the portion of the screw corresponding to the section where the composition temperature inside the extruder remains continuously below 100°C (the lower limit is not particularly limited, but is generally above 0°C), unless otherwise specified. Therefore, if the internal temperature is adjusted to be below 100°C throughout and only each step of the manufacturing method of the present invention is carried out (for example, the extruder 100 in the form shown in Figures 1 and 2), the total length of the extruder (in the case of Figures 1 and 2, the total length of the extruder 100) and the total length of the screw (in the case of Figures 1 and 2, the length of the screw 300, i.e., the total length of the flight section 300A and the kneading section 300B) will be roughly the same. However, if the processing is carried out at a high temperature of 100°C or higher in the preceding stage to heat the raw materials such as beans and / or grains at high temperature and pressure, and the internal temperature is adjusted to be below 100°C in the subsequent stage to carry out each step of the manufacturing method of the present invention (for example, 2 In the case of an integrated extruder configuration in which the screws of a main unit are connected in tandem, or a configuration in which two independent extruders are connected in tandem, the screw length in the subsequent section in which the internal temperature remains continuously below 100°C after the internal temperature has been adjusted to below 100°C (in the case of an integrated extruder in which the screws are connected in tandem, the length of the kneading screw 306 (i.e., the total length of the flight section 306A and the kneading section 306B), or in the case of using two independent extruders connected in tandem, the total screw length of the extruder that carries out each stage of the manufacturing method of the present invention in the subsequent section) corresponds to the "total screw length" in this specification. Here, "continuous" means that the composition temperature inside the extruder is below 100°C for 90% or more (more preferably 95% or more, and even more substantially 100% or 100%) of the total length of that section, and it is an acceptable concept that the composition temperature may locally exceed 100°C in a part of that section.Of course, even if a screw feeder is used in the feeder, the screw is not continuous with the flight section of the extruder, so the length of the screw feeder is not included in the total length of the screw. Furthermore, in this specification, the "length" of the screw, flight section, and kneading section means the length in the extrusion direction unless otherwise specified.

[0047] The L / D ratio of the screw used in the present invention is not limited, but can be in the range of 5 to 50, for example. More specifically, the L / D ratio is usually preferably 5 or higher, and more preferably 6 or higher, or 7 or higher, or 8 or higher. Setting the L / D ratio of the screw to be above the lower limit tends to improve the powderiness when consumed while stably producing a composition with a smooth surface. On the other hand, there is no particular upper limit for the L / D ratio of the screw, but it is usually preferably 50 or lower, and more preferably 30 or lower, or 26 or lower, or 24 or lower, or 22 or lower, or 20 or lower, or 18 or lower. In particular, using a screw with an L / D ratio within such a preferred range is more preferable because it increases productivity. In this disclosure, the "L / D ratio" of a screw is defined as the ratio of the total length of the screw (i.e., the length of the portion corresponding to the section in the extruder where the composition temperature is continuously below 100°C) (L) to the diameter of the screw (D).

[0048] (Flight Department) In the screw used in the present invention, the flight section refers to a region located on the base side relative to the kneading section, where screw flights are formed on the circumferential surface. In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the flight section has the function of transporting the composition toward the tip side as the screw rotates, while increasing the pressure toward the die section. In the present invention, a flight structure in which the composition is transported toward the tip side as the screw rotates may be called a "forward flight," and a flight structure in which the composition is transported toward the base side may be called a "reverse flight." Furthermore, within the flight section, the region where forward flights are provided may be called a "forward flight section," and the region where reverse flights are provided may be called a "reverse flight section."

[0049] In the present invention, it is preferable to use a screw in which the length of the flight portion accounts for a certain proportion or more of the total length of the screw. Specifically, the ratio of the length of the flight portion to the total length of the screw has a lower limit, for example, usually 90% or more, and an upper limit, although not limited, can be, for example, 100%. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 90% or more, and it is preferable that it be 91% or more, or 92% or more, or 93% or more, or 94% or more, or 95% or more, or 96% or more, or 97% or more, or 98% or more, or 99% or more. By setting the ratio of the length of the flight portion to the total length of the screw to the above lower limit or more, the pressure during transport is stabilized, and the integration of the starch matrix is ​​promoted even without kneading at high temperatures, and as a result it is preferable to obtain a composition that is less prone to cracking (cracks occurring inside the composition) even after a certain period of time (for example, 3 days or more, or 10 days or more, or even 30 days or more) has passed during storage at room temperature (in the present invention, this refers to 20°C unless otherwise specified). On the other hand, there is no upper limit on the ratio of the length of the flight section to the total length of the propeller; it may be 100%.

[0050] Furthermore, the flight portion in this invention may be positioned at any position relative to the total length of the screw, and a portion of it may be positioned towards the screw tip. However, from the viewpoint of stabilizing the pressure during conveying and increasing the pressure during discharge, it is preferable that a certain percentage or more of the flight portion is positioned in the front half of the screw. Specifically, it is preferable that the total length of the flight portion positioned in front of the majority of the screw (specifically, 50% or more, or 75% or more, or 90% or more, or 100%) (towards the base) is a certain percentage or more of the total length of the flight portion, as this increases the pressure of pressing the dough and stabilizes the pressure during conveying. Specifically, there is no particular lower limit, but the total length of the flight portion positioned in front of the majority of the screw can be in the range of, for example, 50% to 100% of the total length of the flight portion. More specifically, the lower limit may usually be 50% or more, 51% or more, 55% or more, 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, or 90% or more. Also, there is no particular upper limit, but it can usually be 100% or 100% or less.

[0051] Furthermore, the flight portion in this invention may be positioned at any position relative to the entire length of the screw, and a portion of it may be positioned towards the tip of the screw.

[0052] (Mixing section) In the screw used in the present invention, the mixing section is not mandatory and is optional. If a mixing section is provided, its configuration is not limited and refers to known mixing structures (specific examples include Maddock mixing section, Eagan mixing section, Blisterling mixing section, Pin mixing section, Dalmege mixing section, Saxon mixing section, Pineapple-shaped mixing section, grooved screw mixing section (described later), cavity-moving mixing section, or combinations thereof).

[0053] Furthermore, one or more narrow structures (structures that obstruct the flow of dough on the screw and create an extension flow; such structures are referred to as, for example, "grooved screws") may be provided on the screw to obstruct the flow of dough. In the present invention, a "narrow structure" is a structure that substantially divides the space between the screw and the inner wall of the barrel into a base side and a tip side space by the structure, and when dough fills the divided base side space, the internal pressure of the dough increases by a predetermined percentage or more, thereby creating an extension flow in the dough passing through the narrow structure. Examples of narrow structures include a relatively raised structure (sometimes referred to as a convex structure) on the screw surface, a structure that relatively reduces the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path from the base side to the tip side in any flow path, and a combination of these. As for the convex structure, it is preferable that, for example, a convex structure is provided on the screw surface in the dough flow path of the kneading section, extending to near the inner wall of the barrel (specifically, 80% or more of the distance from the center of the screw to the inner wall of the barrel), thereby substantially dividing the space between the screw and the inner wall of the barrel into a space at the base and a space at the tip by the convex structure. Furthermore, it is preferable that two or more narrow structures are arranged substantially in series, as this generates a complex extension flow and enhances the effects of the present invention. Specifically, the number of narrow structures arranged substantially in series is usually one or more, or two or more, or three or more, or four or more, or five or more, or ten or more. There is no particular upper limit, but it is usually 50 or less. Furthermore, when two or more narrow structures are arranged substantially in series, it is preferable that one or more convex structures are included. Furthermore, in the screw used in the present invention, the kneading section may have a function to interrupt the flow of the composition and knead it in such a way that the starch granules can be damaged by high-temperature, strong kneading under pressurized conditions by heating the composition with a heater. However, from the viewpoint of increasing the pressure toward the die section, it is more preferable to cool the composition by methods such as flowing cooling water from the top of the barrel with a chiller. Although the principle is unclear, it is presumed that by flowing water around the barrel, the barrel is cooled in the front half of the barrel, making the dough composition harder and allowing the screw to grip the dough more easily. This increases the flow rate of the dough composition and increases the pressure toward the die section. On the other hand, it is presumed that in the rear half of the barrel, the water warms up due to frictional heat inside, which makes the dough composition more fluid and easier to knead.

[0054] The shape of the kneading section is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that a dalmage screw structure or barrier-type screw structure with numerous grooves is not formed on the circumferential surface of the kneading section, or if it is formed, the proportion of the area of ​​such a structure is limited. Specifically, it is preferable that the ratio of the length of the area in which the dalmage screw structure or barrier-type screw structure is formed to the total length of the kneading section is usually 10% or less, more preferably 5% or less, and especially preferably substantially 0% (i.e., not having such a shape).

[0055] In this invention, a screw is used in which the length of the kneading section is less than or equal to the total length of the screw. Specifically, the upper limit of the ratio of the length of the kneading section to the total length of the screw is, for example, less than 50%, and the lower limit is not limited, but is preferably, for example, usually greater than 0%. More specifically, the lower limit is usually less than 50%, and more preferably 40% or less, or 30% or less, or 20% or less, or 10% or less, or 9% or less, or 5% or less, or 3% or less, or 1% or less, or 0%. Setting this ratio to less than or equal to the upper limit allows the length ratio of the flight section to be relatively increased, and thereby the aforementioned advantages due to the extension of the transport time in the flight section are obtained, which is preferable. On the other hand, the lower limit of the ratio of the length of the kneading section to the total length of the screw can usually be 0%, or greater than 0%, or 1% or more, or 2% or more, or 4% or more, or 5% or more. Setting this ratio to or greater than the lower limit enables sufficient kneading of the composition.

[0056] Furthermore, in the present invention, a separate part of limited length (for example, a second flight section) may be interposed between the kneading section and the tip end of the screw in the range where the kneading pressure in step (iii) described later is above a predetermined value, but it is preferable that the kneading section is located adjacent to the tip end of the screw.

[0057] (barrel) The barrel is a cylindrical structure that surrounds the outer circumference of the screw. The structure of the barrel used in the present invention is not limited, but a barrel in which the inner diameter of the inlet and the inner diameter of the outlet are approximately the same (more preferably the same) is preferable to a tapered barrel in which the inner diameter decreases as the direction of extrusion, because it is easier to clean and produces a product of a quality suitable for food manufacturing.

[0058] Furthermore, in conventional methods that perform high-temperature processing at temperatures above 100°C, using a barrel with a grooved structure on its inner wall makes charring more likely. However, in the present invention, since the composition is processed at temperatures below 100°C, charring of the composition is less likely to occur, and a barrel with a grooved structure on its inner wall can be used, which is preferable. Specifically, the ratio of the barrel groove structure length to the total length of the barrel can be, for example, in the range of more than 30% and 100% or less. More specifically, the ratio of the barrel groove structure length to the total length of the barrel is usually more than 30%, and more preferably more than 35%, 40%, 45%, or 50%. In particular, the ratio of the barrel groove structure length to the total length of the kneading section of the barrel is usually more than 30%, and more preferably more than 35%, 40%, 45%, or 50%. There are no particular upper limits to these, but they are usually 100% or less.

[0059] Furthermore, it is preferable to employ a screw structure with grooves as the mixing section of the screw, and more preferably to employ a screw structure with grooves in which a part of the forward flight section is missing. When employing a screw structure with grooves, it is preferable that the shape of the deformed and / or missing part of the forward flight section in the structure forms a passage-like structure that connects the forward flight section. It is desirable that the cross-section of such a passage-like structure has a U-shape or a V-shape. In addition, it is preferable that the angle formed by the passage-like structure connecting the forward flight section with respect to the rotation axis of the screw (average communication angle) is smaller than the angle formed by the curve connecting the thread vertices of the forward flight structure with respect to the rotation axis of the screw (helical angle), that is, that the passage-like structure connecting the forward flight section is formed at an angle that is closer to parallel (with respect to the rotation axis of the screw) than the helical angle. Specifically, the "helical angle" of the forward flight structure means the arithmetic mean of the acute angles formed by the direction connecting the thread vertices on the screw surface and the rotation axis direction of the screw. The helical angle of such a forward flight structure can be determined, for example, by measuring the angle between the forward flight structure on the screw surface and the axis of rotation every 30° rotation of the screw around the axis of rotation, and calculating the arithmetic mean from all measured values ​​when the screw is rotated 360°. The "average communication angle" of the passage-like structure can be determined as the arithmetic mean of the acute angles formed by the direction connecting the deepest parts of the passage-like structure and the axis of rotation. In particular, it is preferable that the passage-like structure connecting the forward flight section is connected to the forward flight structure at an oblique direction (i.e., at an angle closer to parallel with the axis of rotation of the screw), and more specifically, it is preferable that the passage-like structure is usually 20% or more of the helical angle, more preferably 30% or more, and usually 80% or less, more preferably 70% or less. Furthermore, it is particularly preferable that the ratio of the total length of the deformed and / or missing parts to the total length of the ridges of the forward flight in the grooved screw structure is 50% or less.

[0060] (Flow delay structure) Furthermore, in the present invention, when the screw has a kneading section, it is preferable that the kneading section has a flow delay structure. The reason for this is that by adopting a structure that increases the flow distance of the contents, such as the grooved screw structure described above, the kneading process is sufficiently carried out, resulting in a structure in which the starch in the composition becomes homogenized, and the quality is such that components inside the composition are less likely to leak out after heating. In the present invention, a "flow delay structure" is a structure that makes the flow speed of the contents in the kneading section relatively lower than the flow speed of the contents in the flight section immediately before the kneading section. For example, a structure can be adopted that reduces the flow rate by relatively increasing the screw groove depth or pitch width in the flow delay structure, or by relatively increasing the barrel inner diameter near the flow delay structure compared to the preceding area, or by adopting a structure as a flow delay structure in which a hole is made in a part of the forward flight part of the flight structure formation area, or a part of the forward flight part is missing or deformed (sometimes called a grooved screw structure), thereby reducing the flow rate generated by the screw rotation compared to the forward flight structure and lowering the flow rate. However, adopting a grooved screw structure as the flow delay structure is preferable because it combines the kneading function and the flow delay structure function. Furthermore, the entire kneading section may be made a flow delay structure by arranging the flow delay structure as part of the kneading section, and more specifically, the flow delay structure may be arranged adjacent to a known kneading structure near the tip end or near the base start of the kneading structure.

[0061] In the present invention, when the screw has a kneading section, the flow delay ratio in the flow delay structure (i.e., the ratio of the flow flow rate in the flow delay structure to the flow flow rate in the flight section) can be, for example, in the range of 10% or more and less than 100%. More specifically, it should be less than 100%, but is usually 97% or less, more preferably 95% or less, even more preferably 93% or less, or 90% or less. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but is usually 10% or more, or 20% or more. It is particularly preferable that the flow delay ratio in the kneading section be at this ratio, as it results in a structure that combines both a kneading function and a flow delay structure function.

[0062] (feeder) The feeder is attached to the front half of the barrel's flight section and is configured to allow the food material to be kneaded to be introduced into the barrel (the space between the barrel and the screw) through this feeder. The feeder is not particularly limited, but it may be a forced extrusion type with a screw or the like inside to forcibly discharge the composition raw materials, or a gravity-feed type that supplies the composition raw materials by gravity.

[0063] (Dai section) The die section is a mold attached to the leading end of the barrel in the extrusion direction for continuously shaping the composition at the extrusion outlet, and typically has one or more (the upper limit is not particularly limited, but is usually 1000 or less) flow channels that penetrate from the inside to the outside of the barrel. The structure and shape of the flow channel cross-section of the die section used in the present invention are not particularly limited and are arbitrary. For example, round, square, triangular, star, elliptical, crescent, half-moon, cross, swastika, or combinations thereof (for example, a Celtic cross-shaped die hole that combines a Greek cross shape with a circle whose center point is placed at the intersection of the cross shape, and a circle, where the radius of the circle is 3 / 4 or less of the distance from the center point to the tip of the cross shape), and any of these may be used. For example, a composition with a circular cross-sectional shape will become a cylindrical composition after extrusion, a composition with a square (especially square) cross-sectional shape will become a rectangular prism-shaped composition after extrusion, and a composition with any other cross-sectional shape will become a columnar composition with that shape as its base after extrusion.

[0064] However, it is preferable that the die portion used in the present invention has an average degree of unevenness in each channel cross-section when the die portion is cut perpendicular to the extrusion direction, which is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Here, the degree of unevenness in the channel cross-section is a value that represents the degree of unevenness in the shape of the channel cross-section (corresponding to the outer edge of the cavity) on a virtual cross-section when the die portion is cut perpendicular to the extrusion direction, and is calculated by {(length of the perimeter when connecting the vertices of the convex parts with an angle of less than 180 degrees in the channel cross-section with the shortest distance) / (profile length of the channel cross-section)}, and the value of the degree of unevenness in the cross-section is smaller for cross-sections with greater unevenness. When measuring the average degree of unevenness, for example, multiple perpendicular cross-sections of the die portion with respect to the rotation axis can be assumed at 1 mm intervals along the rotation axis of the screw, the degree of unevenness in the channel at each perpendicular cross-section can be measured, and the average degree of unevenness in each channel cross-section can be calculated by calculating the arithmetic mean of the obtained values.

[0065] Specifically, the degree of unevenness of the flow channel cross-section of the die can be in the range of, for example, 0.1 or more and 1.0 or less from the viewpoint of industrial productivity. More specifically, the degree of unevenness is usually 0.1 or more, and more preferably 0.2 or more, or 0.3 or more. More specifically, a cross shape or a modified shape thereof can be adopted as the shape of the flow channel cross-section. Furthermore, since the aging treatment proceeds smoothly when the degree of unevenness is below a predetermined value, there is no particular upper limit, but it is usually preferably 1.0 or less, or 0.9 or less, or 0.8 or less, or 0.7 or less.

[0066] Furthermore, it is preferable that the average circularity of the channel cross-section of the die portion used in the present invention is less than or equal to a predetermined value. Here, circularity is a value that decreases as the shape of the channel cross-section deviates from a perfect circle, and is calculated by {(perimeter of a perfect circle having an area equal to the area of ​​the channel cross-section) / (profile length of the channel cross-section)}, with a smaller value being obtained for cross-sections with more complex shapes.

[0067] The direction of extrusion of the composition in the die section is not particularly limited and can be arbitrary. For example, it may be horizontal, vertical, or in an intermediate direction.

[0068] (Vent section / forced exhaust mechanism) The extruder used in the present invention may further have a vent section for exhaust. The vent section may be structured to reduce the pressure inside the barrel to atmospheric pressure by being opened to atmospheric pressure, or it may be a mechanism that has a forced exhaust mechanism in the vent section.

[0069] Furthermore, the extruder used in the present invention may also have a forced exhaust mechanism. When a forced exhaust mechanism is provided, its position is not limited as long as it is before extrusion by the die, and it can be provided at any stage. For forced exhaust, known vacuum pumps and the like can be used, but for example, a liquid-sealed pump (water-sealed pump) can be used. Any mechanism can be used for forced exhaust (e.g., a vacuum pump) as long as it has the capacity to remove gas from the composition or raw materials and reduce the number of air bubbles contained in the starch matrix in the dough. For example, the suction capacity (sometimes called suction pressure or suction gas pressure) can be in the range of 0.04 MPa to 1 MPa. More specifically, a mechanism that forces exhaust at 0.04 MPa or higher can be used. Among these, 0.06 MPa or higher, or 0.08 MPa or higher is preferred. There is no particular upper limit, but since using a pump that is too powerful may suck in the dough, it is usually preferable to have a pressure of 1 MPa or less, or 0.1 MPa or less, or 0.09 MPa or less. Furthermore, in an extruder used to manufacture expanded material, it is necessary in principle to extrude the material while maintaining an internal pressure at least above atmospheric pressure and keeping the composition temperature at 100°C or higher. Therefore, it is difficult to adopt a configuration like that of the present invention.

[0070] In the present invention, when using an extruder having a vent section and / or a forced exhaust mechanism, the location of the vent section and / or forced exhaust mechanism is not limited as long as proper exhaust is possible, and it can be provided at any part before extrusion by the die section. Specifically, forced exhaust may be performed in advance by the forced exhaust mechanism before raw material input, or forced exhaust may be performed when the composition material is supplied by providing a forced exhaust mechanism in the feed section. Alternatively, by using an extruder with a vent section at any position in the barrel, for example, in the middle of the flight section, between the flight section and the kneading section, in the middle of the kneading section, or immediately after the kneading section, it becomes possible to exhaust the inside of the barrel at stages such as during the transport of the composition in the flight section, immediately after the transport of the composition by the flight section and immediately before the composition is kneaded by the kneading section, during the kneading of the composition by the kneading section, or immediately after the composition is kneaded by the kneading section and immediately before the composition is extruded by the die section. Since the pressure in the mixing section is reduced, it is preferable to install a forced exhaust mechanism before the mixing section, even more preferable to install a forced exhaust mechanism before the flight section, and particularly preferable to install a forced exhaust mechanism before the feed section or before raw material input to perform forced exhaust.

[0071] (Temperature control mechanism (heater / cooler)) In the present invention, a temperature control mechanism (heater and / or cooler) may be provided in part or all of the barrel and / or die section to adjust the temperature inside the barrel and / or die section. For example, a heater (heating equipment) may be provided around the barrel and / or die section to heat the barrel and / or die section and adjust the temperature inside the barrel (the space between the barrel and the screw) and / or die section. Alternatively, a cooler (cooling equipment) may be provided around the barrel and / or die section to cool the barrel and / or die section and adjust the temperature inside the barrel (the space between the barrel and the screw) and / or die section. In the present invention, an example of a cooler is a chiller (water flow mechanism).

[0072] Various heaters and coolers for extruders are well known to those skilled in the art. Examples of heaters include a jacket system in which heaters such as electric heating wires or steam pipes are installed on the barrel circumferential surface corresponding to the heater installation area described above to act indirectly, and a steam heating system in which heated steam or the like is blown into the composition inside the barrel to act directly. However, from the viewpoint of maintaining the matrix structure in the composition, an indirect method (such as the jacket system) is preferred. Furthermore, when adopting the jacket system, it is preferable to use electric heating wires that allow for quick temperature adjustment and are advantageous for matrix structure formation. Furthermore, examples of coolers include a jacket system that indirectly applies a cooler, such as a cooling water pipe, to the barrel circumferential surface corresponding to the cooler installation area mentioned above; a system that directly applies gas or liquid to the composition inside the barrel or die channel, or to the composition extruded from the die (such as a system that introduces liquid water, a system that introduces mist of water, a system that introduces air at room temperature, a system that introduces cooled air, or a system that introduces an inert gas such as liquid nitrogen); and a system that cools the composition by opening it to atmospheric pressure or negative pressure through a vent or the like and utilizing the heat of vaporization. However, from the viewpoint of maintaining the matrix structure in the composition, an indirect system (such as the jacket system) is preferred. In addition, when adopting the jacket system, it is preferable to use cooling water pipes that allow for rapid temperature adjustment and are advantageous for matrix structure formation.

[0073] However, as will be described in detail later, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, it is preferable that the temperature rise of the composition in step (iii) is achieved by the heat-generating main body inside the barrel. That is, it is preferable that the temperature rise of the composition is achieved by frictional heat and compression heat generated during the transport of the composition in step (iii), and by reaction heat due to the interaction of starch and water in the composition. In this case, the extruder of the present invention does not need to have a temperature control mechanism (heater and / or cooler) in the barrel. Rather, using an extruder without a temperature control mechanism (heater and / or cooler) in the barrel is preferable from the viewpoint of energy efficiency and industrial production efficiency.

[0074] [II. Starch-containing solid composition for cooking] The composition and properties of the starch-containing solid composition for cooking produced by the manufacturing method of the present invention are as follows.

[0075] (1) Summary of composition: • Definition of terms: In the present invention, "heat cooking" generally refers to a cooking method that raises the temperature of food by applying heat directly using fire or microwaves, or indirectly through a medium such as water or air. Generally, it refers to cooking at a heating temperature of about 70°C or higher, typically around 80°C to 180°C, for a period of time of, for example, 1 minute to 60 minutes. Examples of such heat cooking methods include grilling, boiling, stir-frying, and steaming, but the composition in the present invention has the characteristic of not easily losing its shape when heated in a liquid. In the present invention, it is preferable that the heat cooking is performed in a liquid mainly composed of water (majority water content) (for example, heating in water at 90°C or more and optionally 120°C for a period of 1 minute to 60 minutes before consumption), and furthermore, it is particularly preferable that the composition of the present invention is a liquid-heat cooking composition that is consumed after being heated in a liquid.

[0076] Furthermore, in this invention, "solid form" means that the starch supporting structure has a strong continuous structure and possesses shape-retaining properties such that it can maintain its shape even when heated (especially when heated in water at 90°C for 1 minute). The properties may be such that the ingredients are partially or completely integrated with water, and it may be a sol-like composition, a gel-like composition, or a solid composition. It may also be a composition having plastic properties like fresh pasta, or a dried composition having non-plastic properties like dried pasta.

[0077] The solid composition of the present invention may also be a solid paste composition. In the present invention, "paste composition" refers to a food composition made by kneading ingredients derived from edible plants, and is a concept that includes processed foods and pasta (including those that do not use wheat as a raw material).

[0078] • Characteristics of the composition: The composition obtained by the manufacturing method of the present invention can be easily manufactured using general-purpose equipment without the need for special manufacturing equipment with high temperature resistance, and is characterized by being less powdery when consumed and less prone to cracking even after a certain period of time has passed during storage at room temperature. In this invention, room temperature refers to 20°C unless otherwise specified.

[0079] Conventional solid compositions containing starch for cooking have the drawbacks of being prone to a powdery texture when consumed and being susceptible to cracking within the composition over time during storage at room temperature.

[0080] In response to this, the present inventors have developed a method for producing a starch-containing solid composition for cooking that is less prone to shape collapse during cooking by processing a raw material containing finely ground beans under high temperature and high pressure conditions (Patent Document 1). However, this method requires the composition to be kneaded vigorously under high temperature conditions of 100°C or higher. In order to prevent swelling due to water vapor in the dough composition during such high-temperature vigorous kneading, special manufacturing equipment with high airtightness and the ability to withstand not only high temperature but also high pressure conditions is required, and there was room for improvement.

[0081] In contrast, the manufacturing method of the present invention, described later, can be easily implemented using general-purpose equipment without the need for special manufacturing equipment with high temperature resistance. Despite this, it is possible to produce a solid composition that has excellent effects, such as being less powdery when consumed and less prone to cracking even after a certain period of time has passed during storage at room temperature. The reason for this is not entirely clear, but it is presumed to be as follows: By using raw materials that have been pre-treated at high temperatures, the processing temperature in subsequent processes can be suppressed. Furthermore, by adjusting the conditions when water is added to the raw materials, it is thought that desirable quality can be achieved, such as being less powdery when consumed and less prone to cracking even after a certain period of time has passed during storage at room temperature.

[0082] • Forms of composition: The compositions of the present invention have properties that make them resistant to cracking, and are therefore preferably used for cooking in liquids (especially water), which is a cooking environment in which components are easily leached out. For example, if the starch-containing solid composition for cooking is a noodle or pasta noodle strip composition, it is preferable that it be a noodle or pasta noodle strip composition because it has properties that allow it to maintain an edible shape even after being cooked in water for consumption (for example, in water at 90°C or higher for 5 minutes or more).

[0083] Examples of compositions of the present invention, though not limited to these, include pasta, Chinese noodles, udon, Inaniwa udon, kishimen, hoto, suito, hiyamugi, somen, soba, sobagaki, rice vermicelli, pho, cold noodle noodles, glass noodles, oatmeal, couscous, kiritanpo, tteok, gyoza wrappers, and the like.

[0084] Examples of pasta include long pasta and short pasta.

[0085] Long pasta is generally a general term for thin, elongated pasta, but in this invention, it is a concept that also includes udon and soba noodles. Specific examples, though not limited to these, include spaghetti (diameter: 1.6mm-1.7mm), spaghettini (diameter: 1.4mm-1.5mm), vermicelli (diameter: 2.0mm-2.2mm), cappellini (diameter: 0.8mm-1.0mm), linguine (short diameter about 1mm, long diameter about 3mm), tagliatelle or fettuccine (flat noodles about 7mm-8mm wide), and pappardelle (flat noodles about 10mm-30mm wide). Long pasta tends to lose its shape easily when heated, so using the composition of this invention is useful and preferable.

[0086] Short pasta is generally a general term for short pasta, but in this invention, it is a concept that also includes fregola (granular pasta) and couscous, which have been further processed into smaller sizes after shaping. Specific examples, though not limited to these, include macaroni (cylindrical with a diameter of approximately 3mm to 5mm), penne (cylindrical with both ends cut diagonally like a pen tip), farfalle (butterfly-shaped), conchiglie (shell-shaped), and orecchiette (dome-shaped with an ear-like form).

[0087] • Composition in dry state: When the composition of the present invention is a dry composition with a dry moisture content of less than 25% by mass, the dry composition is prone to cracking during storage at room temperature. Therefore, it is preferable that the composition of the present invention be a dry composition, as this makes the present invention more useful. In particular, it is preferable to dry the composition while performing the water retention treatment described later, as this makes it less likely for cracks to form inside the composition even after a certain period of time (e.g., 3 days or more) has passed during storage at room temperature, and also makes it less likely for components inside the composition to leak out after cooking.

[0088] In this invention, the term "dry" refers to a state in which the moisture content by dry weight is less than 25%. The moisture content by dry weight in a starch-containing solid composition can be measured by subjecting it to the reduced-pressure heating drying method described later.

[0089] • Long, slender, molded compositions: The composition of the present invention can be a composition that is particularly elongated, such as long pasta, among conventional starch-containing solid compositions for cooking.

[0090] The composition of the present invention in such an elongated form is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, in the range of 0.1 mm to 20 mm. More specifically, the upper limit is usually 20 mm or less, preferably 10 mm or less, more preferably 5 mm or less, even more preferably 3 mm or less, and even more preferably 2 mm or less in diameter. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 0.1 mm or more, or 0.3 mm or more. The "diameter" of the starch-containing solid composition refers to the major axis of the cross-section (the maximum length of the line segment connecting any two points in the cross-section) when the starch-containing solid composition is cut perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Here, if the cross-section is circular (sometimes described as circular or circular), its diameter; if it is elliptical (sometimes described as elliptical or elliptical), its major axis; and if it is rectangular (for example, in the case of a composition molded into a plate), its diagonal, each of which corresponds to the "diameter" of the starch-containing solid composition.

[0091] (2) Composition of the composition: The composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to include at least one type of edible plant. The type of edible plant is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to include at least one type of dried edible plant, i.e., an edible plant having a dry weight moisture content of less than 25%, preferably less than 20%, more preferably less than 15%, with no particular lower limit but usually 0% by mass or more, and a water activity value of 0.85 or less, preferably 0.80 or less, more preferably 0.75 or less, with no particular lower limit but usually 0.10 or more. Furthermore, it is preferable to use finely ground or powdered edible plants. Furthermore, it is preferable to include at least one type of legume and / or cereal as specific edible plants. The case in which legumes and / or cereals are used as raw materials will be described in detail later. However, the composition of the present invention is not limited thereto, and edible plants other than legumes or cereals, or other raw materials may be used in combination as long as the various characteristics described later are satisfied. Details of the legumes and / or grains and edible plants that serve as raw materials for the composition of the present invention will be described separately.

[0092] • Dietary fiber: The composition of the present invention contains dietary fiber (particularly, preferably insoluble dietary fiber). In the present invention, "dietary fiber" refers to indigestible components in food that are not digested by human digestive enzymes. Specifically, "insoluble dietary fiber" refers to fiber that is insoluble in water, and "soluble dietary fiber" refers to fiber that is soluble in water. The "dietary fiber content" (the sum of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber content, or "total dietary fiber"), "soluble dietary fiber," and "insoluble dietary fiber" are measured using the Prosky modified method in accordance with the Japanese Food Standard Composition Table 2015 (7th Revised Edition). The composition of the present invention is useful because, even with a high content of dietary fiber (especially insoluble dietary fiber), it does not result in a dry, crumbly texture. The reason for this is not clear, but it is possible that by treating the highly gelatinized raw material under the aforementioned hydration conditions, the dietary fiber in the composition interacts with starch and protein to form a network structure, thereby improving the texture of the dietary fiber (especially insoluble dietary fiber).

[0093] The dietary fiber content in the composition of the present invention (particularly, preferably insoluble dietary fiber content, although not limited thereto) can be in the range of 2.0% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less on a dry mass basis. More specifically, the lower limit is preferably 2.0% by mass or more on a dry mass basis. In particular, it is preferable that it be 3% by mass or more, or 4% by mass or more, or 5% by mass or more, or 6% by mass or more, or 7% by mass or more, or 8% by mass or more, or 9% by mass or more, and especially 10% by mass or more. Furthermore, by setting the content of insoluble dietary fiber, in particular, to be above the above range, the composition of the present invention tends to have a structure in which insoluble dietary fiber is homogeneously dispersed in appropriate sizes within the matrix-like starch, and the shape collapse during cooking is improved. Here, in this invention, "dry mass" refers to the mass of the remainder obtained by subtracting the moisture content (moisture content based on dry weight) calculated from the "moisture content (moisture content based on dry weight)" below from the total mass of the composition, and "dry mass equivalent" refers to the content ratio of each component, calculated with the dry mass of the composition as the denominator and the content of each component or target substance as the numerator. Furthermore, there is no particular upper limit to the content, but from the viewpoint of industrial production efficiency, it is generally preferable that the dry mass equivalent is 50% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less.

[0094] Furthermore, it is preferable that the above provisions regarding dietary fiber also satisfy soluble dietary fiber and / or insoluble dietary fiber. That is, the content of soluble dietary fiber and / or insoluble dietary fiber in the composition of the present invention can be in the range of, for example, 2.0% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less on a dry mass basis, and more specifically, the lower limit is usually 2.0% by mass or more, more preferably 3% by mass or more, or 4% by mass or more, or 5% by mass or more, or 6% by mass or more, or 7% by mass or more, or 8% by mass or more, or 9% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 10% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but on a dry mass basis it can usually be 50% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less.

[0095] The origin of the dietary fiber (particularly, preferably insoluble dietary fiber) contained in the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, and may be derived from various natural materials containing the component, or it may be synthesized. When derived from natural materials, the component contained in the various materials may be isolated and purified before use, or the material containing the component may be used as is. For example, those derived from cereals (especially millet), legumes, potatoes, vegetables, nuts, and fruits can be used, but those derived from cereals (especially millet) and legumes are more preferred from the viewpoint of the texture of the composition, and those derived from legumes and / or millet are even more preferred. Among those derived from legumes, those derived from peas are particularly preferred, and those derived from yellow peas are most preferred. Furthermore, when derived from legumes, they may be used with or without the seed coat, but using legumes with the seed coat is preferable because it allows for a higher content of dietary fiber.

[0096] When using seed coats and / or bran separately, protein removal or carbohydrate removal may be performed, but from the viewpoint of maintaining the desirable flavor derived from the raw materials, it is preferable to use seed coats and / or bran as they are without any removal treatment. From this viewpoint, the protein content in the seed coats and / or bran used in the composition of the present invention is preferably 10% or more by mass, 20% or more by mass, 30% or more by mass, 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, 90% or more by mass, 95% or more by mass, or 100% by mass, relative to 100% by mass of the protein content in untreated seed coats and / or bran. Similarly, the sugar content in the seed coat and / or bran used in the composition of the present invention is preferably 10% by mass or more, 20% by mass or more, 30% by mass or more, 40% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more, 90% by mass or more, 95% by mass or more, or 100% by mass, relative to 100% by mass of the sugar content in the seed coat and / or bran that has not been treated for removal.

[0097] As for dietary fiber derived from grains, oat-derived fiber is preferred. Furthermore, when using grains, it may be used with or without the bran, but using grains with the bran is preferred because it allows for a higher fiber content. In addition, it is preferable that the total amount of dietary fiber derived from legumes and grains satisfies the above requirements.

[0098] Furthermore, raw materials containing both insoluble and soluble dietary fiber, such as oats (about 30% of which are soluble dietary fiber), may be used among grains. Specifically, the dry mass ratio of soluble dietary fiber to the dry mass ratio of dietary fiber in the entire composition may be, for example, in the range of 5% to 70% by mass. More specifically, the lower limit may be 5% or more by mass, or 10% or more by mass, or 15% or more by mass, or 20% or more by mass, or 25% or more by mass, or 30% or more by mass. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but is usually 70% or less by mass, or 65% or less by mass, or 60% or less by mass. In addition, soluble dietary fiber-containing ingredients (specifically grains, more specifically oats) may be used in the composition in a manner that satisfies the above provisions, or they may be used in a manner that satisfies the above provisions at step (i) of food composition manufacturing.

[0099] Furthermore, the dietary fiber (or insoluble dietary fiber) in the composition of the present invention may be incorporated into the composition as an isolated and purified pure product, but it is preferable that it be incorporated into the composition in a state in which it is contained in edible plants (preferably legumes and / or cereals). Specifically, the ratio of the dietary fiber content incorporated in a state in which it is contained in edible plants (preferably legumes and / or cereals) to the total dietary fiber content of the entire composition (or the ratio of the insoluble dietary fiber content incorporated in a state in which it is contained in edible plants (preferably legumes and / or cereals) to the total insoluble dietary fiber content can be in the range of, for example, 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less on a dry mass basis. More specifically, it is usually 50% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, and especially preferably 100% by mass.

[0100] The composition of dietary fiber (or insoluble dietary fiber) contained in the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited. However, the texture improvement effect is more pronounced when the ratio of lignin (especially acid-soluble lignin) to the total insoluble dietary fiber is above a certain value. Specifically, the ratio of lignin (especially acid-soluble lignin) to the total insoluble dietary fiber can be in the range of 5% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less on a dry weight basis. More specifically, it is usually 5% by mass or more, and more preferably 10% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more.

[0101] In the composition of the present invention, it is preferable that the particle size of the dietary fiber (especially insoluble dietary fiber) contained therein is below a certain size. If the particle size of the dietary fiber is too large, cracks are likely to occur inside the composition during storage at room temperature, and the composition may develop an undesirable crumbly texture. The reason for this is not entirely clear, but it is thought that coarse insoluble dietary fiber inhibits the formation of matrix structures such as starch, making it difficult to achieve the effects of the present invention. Here, the size of insoluble dietary fiber in powdered beans and grains that are usually crushed haphazardly is highly likely to be greater than 450 μm (because the shape of insoluble dietary fiber contained in beans and grains is usually rod-shaped, and a larger value is obtained in the laser diffraction particle size distribution measurement of the present invention). In particular, when using ingredients containing hard tissue, such as beans with seed coats or grains with bran, the insoluble dietary fiber in the seed coat is coarse and more difficult to crush than the edible portion. Therefore, when using such ingredients in the present invention, it is preferable to use those in which the insoluble dietary fiber has been subjected to a specific crushing treatment beforehand so that its size is within a specific range. There is no particular upper limit, but it is usually 2000 μm or less. Furthermore, when using beans with seed coats and / or grains with bran as raw materials, it is preferable to separate the seed coat and / or bran from the beans and / or grains beforehand. In this case, the separated seed coat of beans and / or bran of grains have a particle size distribution of particle size d 90 and / or d 50 However, it is preferable that the particle size range described later is satisfied.

[0102] In the present invention, in order to evaluate the particle size of dietary fiber (especially insoluble dietary fiber) in the composition, a method is used in which an aqueous suspension of the composition is treated with protease and amylase to enzymatically decompose starch and protein, and the particle size distribution of the post-starch and protein decomposition treatment composition is measured after ultrasonic treatment. Specifically, a 6% by mass aqueous suspension of the composition is treated with 0.4% by volume protease and 0.02% by mass α-amylase at 20°C for 3 days (this is appropriately referred to as "[Treatment A]") to perform starch and protein decomposition treatment, and then the particle size distribution is measured after ultrasonic treatment of the treated composition.

[0103] Specifically, the composition of the present invention relates to the particle size d of the particle size distribution of dietary fiber (especially insoluble dietary fiber) measured by the above procedure. 90 However, it can be in the range of 1 μm or more and less than 450 μm. More specifically, it is preferable that the upper limit is usually less than 450 μm, and more preferably 400 μm or less, or 350 μm or less, or 300 μm or less, or 250 μm or less, or 200 μm or less, or 150 μm or less, or 100 μm or less, or 80 μm or less, or 60 μm or less, and especially 50 μm or less. Particle size d of dietary fiber (especially insoluble dietary fiber) 90 By satisfying the aforementioned upper limit, cracks may be less likely to occur inside the composition even after a certain period of time (for example, 3 days or more, more preferably 30 days or more, the upper limit is not particularly limited but is usually 10 years or less) has passed during storage at room temperature, and it may also be possible to prevent the resulting composition from having an undesirable crumbly texture. On the other hand, the particle size d of such dietary fiber (especially insoluble dietary fiber) 90 The lower limit is not particularly restricted, but it is usually 1 μm or larger, and preferably 3 μm or larger.

[0104] Similarly, the composition of the present invention relates to the particle size d of the particle size distribution of dietary fiber (especially insoluble dietary fiber) measured by the above procedure. 50can be, for example, in the range of 1 μm or more and less than 450 μm. More specifically, its upper limit is usually less than 450 μm, particularly 400 μm or less, or 350 μm or less, or 300 μm or less, or 250 μm or less, or 200 μm or less, or 150 μm or less, or 100 μm or less, or 80 μm or less, particularly preferably 50 μm or less. The particle diameter d of dietary fiber (particularly insoluble dietary fiber) 50 By satisfying the above upper limit value, cracks are less likely to occur inside the composition even after a certain period (for example, 3 days or more, more preferably 30 days or more, and the upper limit is not particularly limited but is usually 10 years or less) during storage at room temperature, and in some cases, it is possible to prevent the resulting composition from having an unfavorable texture such as being lumpy. On the other hand, the lower limit of the particle diameter d of such dietary fiber (particularly insoluble dietary fiber) 50 is not particularly limited, but it is usually preferably 1 μm or more, particularly preferably 3 μm or more.

[0105] A more specific procedure for measuring the particle diameter distribution of dietary fiber (particularly insoluble dietary fiber) in the composition is as follows, for example. 300 mg of the composition is placed in a plastic tube together with 5 mL of water, swollen at 20 °C for about 1 hour, and then processed using a small high-shearing mixer (homogenizer NS-310E3 manufactured by Microtech Nition Co., Ltd.) until it has a porridge-like physical property (about 15 seconds at 10000 rpm). Then, 2.5 mL of the processed sample is taken, 10 μL of protease (Proteinase K manufactured by Takara Bio Inc.) and 0.5 mg of α-amylase (α-Amylase from Bacillus subtilis manufactured by Sigma) are added, and the reaction is carried out at 20 °C for 3 days. After the reaction is completed, ultrasonic treatment is applied to the obtained protease- and amylase-treated composition, and then its particle diameter distribution may be measured. The measurement of the particle diameter distribution of the protease- and amylase-treated composition after ultrasonic treatment can be carried out in the same manner as the specific surface area per unit volume described below using a laser diffraction particle size distribution measuring device.

[0106] In the present invention, "particle diameter d 90 "(or "particle diameter d 50")" is defined as the particle size at which, when the particle size distribution of the object to be measured is measured on a volume basis and divided into two groups from a certain particle size, the ratio of the cumulative value of the particle frequency % of the larger particle to the cumulative value of the particle frequency % of the smaller particle is 10:90 (or 50:50). Furthermore, in this invention, unless otherwise specified, "ultrasonic treatment" means treatment with ultrasound at a frequency of 40 kHz at an output of 40 W for 3 minutes.

[0107] • Starch: The composition of the present invention contains starch. In particular, by containing starch in a predetermined proportion or more, the composition of the present invention is less likely to crack inside the composition even after a certain period of time (for example, 3 days or more, more preferably 30 days or more, with no particular upper limit but usually 10 years or less) has elapsed during storage at room temperature, and the effect of being less likely to feel powdery when consumed is also obtained. The reason for this is not clear, but it is possible that by treating the highly gelatinizing raw material with the hydration conditions described later, the fraction of starch in the composition with a relatively large molecular weight forms a homogenized matrix structure, and as a result, the above effect is achieved.

[0108] Specifically, the starch content in the composition of the present invention can be in the range of, for example, 20% by mass or more and 85% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 20% by mass or more on a dry weight basis. In particular, it is preferable to have 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 45% by mass or more, and especially 50% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit of the starch content in the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but for example, it can be 85% by mass or less on a dry weight basis, in particular 80% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or less, or 60% by mass or less.

[0109] The origin of the starch in the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited. Examples include plant-derived and animal-derived starch, but starch derived from edible plants (preferably legumes and / or cereals) is preferred. Specifically, the ratio of the starch content derived from edible plants (preferably legumes and / or cereals) to the total starch content of the entire composition can be in the range of, for example, 30% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less on a dry mass basis. More specifically, the ratio is usually 30% by mass or more, more preferably 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 100% by mass. The upper limit is not particularly limited, and is usually 100% by mass or less. Among legume-derived starches, pea-derived starch is particularly preferred, and yellow pea-derived starch is most preferred. Among cereal-derived starches, oat-derived starch is preferred. Furthermore, it is preferable that the total amount of starch derived from legumes and starch derived from grains satisfies the above requirements. Legumes and grains will be described later.

[0110] The starch in the composition of the present invention may be incorporated into the composition as an isolated pure product, but it is preferable that it be incorporated into the composition in a state in which it is contained in edible plants (preferably legumes and / or cereals). Specifically, the ratio of the starch content incorporated in a state in which it is contained in edible plants (preferably legumes and / or cereals) to the total starch content of the entire composition can be in the range of, for example, 30% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less on a dry mass basis. More specifically, it is usually 30% by mass or more, and more preferably 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited and can be usually 100% by mass or usually 100% by mass or less.

[0111] In this invention, the starch content in the solid composition is measured in accordance with the 2015 edition (seventh revised edition) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, using the method of AOAC996.11, by removing soluble carbohydrates (glucose, maltose, maltodextrin, etc.) that may affect the measurement by 80% ethanol extraction.

[0112] • Starch granule structure: The composition of the present invention, by having a number of starch granule structures observed under specific conditions that is below a predetermined value, is less prone to cracking inside the composition even after a certain period of time (e.g., 3 days or more) has passed during storage at room temperature, and is also less likely to feel powdery when consumed. The principle is unknown, but it is thought that by processing the composition under predetermined hydration conditions described later, with the starch granule structure destroyed, the starch diffuses throughout the composition in a matrix-like manner, and the amylopectin in the starch becomes a structure that easily exhibits elasticity when it retains water.

[0113] Starch granule structures are iodine-stainable structures with a circular shape of approximately 1 to 50 μm in diameter in a planar image. For example, a 6% by mass aqueous suspension can be prepared by suspending the pulverized composition in water and observing it under magnification. Specifically, the pulverized composition is classified using a sieve with a mesh size of 150 μm, and a 6% by mass suspension of the composition powder is prepared by suspending 3 mg of the 150 μm pass composition powder in 50 μL of water. A slide containing this suspension can be prepared and observed under polarized light using a phase-contrast microscope, or an iodine-stained slide can be observed under an optical microscope. The magnification is not limited, but for example, it can be 100x or 200x. If the distribution of starch granules in a slide is uniform, the proportion of starch granules in the entire slide can be estimated by observing a representative field of view. However, if there is a bias in the distribution, the measurement for the entire slide can be obtained by observing a finite number of fields of view (for example, two or more locations, such as five or ten locations) and summing the observation results.

[0114] Specifically, the compositions of the present invention preferably satisfy the following requirements (a) and / or (b) regarding the starch granule structure. (a) When a 6% suspension of the pulverized material of the composition is observed, the starch granule structure observed is 300 granules / mm 2 The following applies. (b) When a 14% by mass aqueous slurry of the pulverized composition is heated from 50°C to 140°C at a heating rate of 12.5°C / min using a rapid viscometer, the gelatinization peak temperature is less than 120°C.

[0115] Regarding requirement (a) above, specifically, the composition of the present invention has a number of starch granule structures observed under the above conditions that is, for example, 0 / mm³. 2 More than 300 pieces / mm 2 The following ranges are possible. More specifically, the number of starch granule structures in the composition of the present invention is typically 300 granules / mm³. 2 Among the following, 250 pieces / mm 2 The following, or 200 pieces / mm 2 The following, or 150 pieces / mm 2 The following, or 100 pieces / mm 2 The following, or 50 pieces / mm 2 The following, or 30 pieces / mm 2 The following, or 10 pieces / mm 2 The following, in particular, 0 pieces / mm 2 It is preferable that this be the case.

[0116] Regarding (b) above, the gelatinization peak temperature of the composition of the present invention, as measured by a rapid viscoanalyzer (RVA) under the conditions described below, can be in the range of, for example, 50°C or higher and less than 120°C, although the lower limit is not limited. More specifically, the upper limit is usually less than 120°C, and is preferably 115°C or lower, or 110°C or lower, or 105°C or lower, or 100°C or lower, or 95°C or lower, or 90°C or lower, or 85°C or lower, or 80°C or lower. On the other hand, the lower limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 50°C or higher, or 55°C or higher, or 60°C or higher.

[0117] Any device capable of raising the sample to a predetermined temperature can be used as a Rapid Viscoanalytic Analyzer (RVA), but for example, the Perten RVA4800 can be used. The gelatinization peak temperature measured with an RVA at a heating rate of 12.5°C / min is specifically measured using the following procedure. That is, a 3.5 g dry mass composition sample is pulverized (for example, until it becomes 100 mesh pass (mesh opening 150 μm) or 120 mesh on (mesh opening 125 μm)), weighed into an aluminum cup for RVA measurement, and distilled water is added to prepare a 14% by mass sample aqueous slurry (sometimes simply called "pulverized composition aqueous slurry" or "sample aqueous slurry") with a total volume of 28.5 g, which is then subjected to the above RVA viscosity measurement. For a 14% by mass composition pulverized aqueous slurry, the measurement was started at 50°C. The rotation speed was set to 960 rpm from the start of measurement to 10 seconds after the start of measurement, and to 160 rpm from 10 seconds after the start of measurement to the end of measurement. After holding at 50°C for 1 minute, the heating process was started from 50°C to 140°C at a heating rate of 12.5°C / min, and the gelatinization peak temperature (°C) was measured.

[0118] In this invention, unless otherwise specified, "pulverized composition," "pulverized composition," or "pulverized composition" refers to the particle size d after ultrasonic treatment, measured by the same method as the specific surface area per unit volume described later. 50 and / or d 90 (preferably particle size d) 50 and d 90 This refers to a composition that has been pulverized so that both of the particles (d) are approximately 1000 μm or less. 50 and / or d 90 (preferably particle size d) 50 and d 90 The lower limit of both is not particularly limited, but is usually preferably 1 μm or larger.

[0119] • Degree of starch gelatinization: The degree of starch gelatinization in the composition of the present invention is preferable to be above a predetermined value, as this makes it less likely for cracks to form inside the composition even after a certain period of time (e.g., 3 days or more) has elapsed during storage at room temperature, and also makes it easier to obtain the effect of making the composition less powdery when consumed. Specifically, the degree of starch gelatinization in the composition of the present invention can be in the range of, for example, 30% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less. More specifically, it is usually 30% by mass or more, more preferably 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, and especially preferably 70% by mass or more. There is no particular upper limit to the degree of gelatinization, but if it is too high, the starch will decompose, and the composition may become sticky and have an undesirable quality. Therefore, it is preferable that the upper limit of the degree of gelatinization is usually 100% by mass or less, or 99% by mass or less, or 95% by mass or less, or 90% by mass or less.

[0120] In this invention, the degree of gelatinization of the composition is measured using the Glucoamylase Method II, which is a modified version of the Bulletin of the Central Laboratory for Customs (following the method of Japan Food Research Laboratories: https: / / web.archive.org / web / 20200611054551 / https: / / www.jfrl.or.jp / storage / file / 221.pdf or https: / / www.jfrl.or.jp / storage / file / 221.pdf).

[0121] ·protein: The composition of the present invention contains protein. In particular, by containing a predetermined proportion or more of protein, the composition of the present invention is less likely to crack inside the composition even after a certain period of time (e.g., 3 days or more) has passed during storage at room temperature, and the powdery texture when consumed is less likely to be felt. The reason for this is not clear, but it is possible that the effects of the present invention are achieved as a result of the interaction in which starch spreads in a matrix-like manner within the composition through a predetermined hydration treatment, and aggregated structures, which are thought to be mainly composed of protein within that structure, develop into a desirable shape and size, and dietary fiber helps in the development of that shape and size, thereby forming a structure that is completely different from conventionally known protein networks, including gluten.

[0122] Specifically, the lower limit of the protein content in the composition of the present invention can be in the range of, for example, 3.0% by mass or more and 85% by mass or less on a dry mass basis. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 3.0% by mass or more. In particular, it is preferable that it be 4.0% by mass or more, or 5.0% by mass or more, or 6.0% by mass or more, or 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, or 10% by mass or more, or 11% by mass or more, or 12% by mass or more, or 13% by mass or more, or 14% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 16% by mass or more, or 17% by mass or more, or 18% by mass or more, or 19% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 21% by mass or more, and especially 22% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit of the protein content in the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but it can be, for example, 85% by mass or less, or 80% by mass or less, or 75% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or less, or 65% by mass or less, or 60% by mass or less, or 50% by mass or less, or 40% by mass or less, or 35% by mass or less on a dry mass basis. Furthermore, it is preferable that the protein derived from plants (especially legumes and / or cereals) satisfies the above-mentioned requirements regarding protein.

[0123] The origin of the protein in the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited. Examples include plant-derived and animal-derived proteins, but plant-derived proteins (especially legumes and / or cereals) are preferred. Specifically, the ratio of plant-derived protein content to the total protein content of the entire composition can be in the range of, for example, 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less on a dry mass basis. More specifically, this ratio is usually 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 100% by mass. Examples of plant-derived proteins include those derived from cereals (especially cereals), legumes, potatoes, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and fruits, but it is more preferable to use those derived from legumes, particularly those derived from peas, and most preferably those derived from yellow peas. As for cereal-derived proteins, those derived from oats are preferred. It is also preferable that the sum of legume-derived and cereal-derived proteins satisfies the above requirements.

[0124] The protein in the composition of the present invention may be incorporated into the composition as an isolated and purified pure product, but it is preferable that it be incorporated into the composition in the state in which it is contained in edible plants. Specifically, the ratio of the protein content incorporated in the state in which it is contained in edible plants (especially legumes and / or grains) to the total protein content of the entire composition can be in the range of, for example, 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less on a dry mass basis. More specifically, it is preferable that this ratio is usually 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, and particularly 100% by mass.

[0125] Furthermore, the protein and starch in the composition of the present invention can each be in the range of 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass on a dry mass basis. More specifically, it is preferable that 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, and especially 100% by mass, both originate from legumes and / or cereals, more preferably from the same type of legume and / or cereal, and even more preferably from the same individual legume and / or cereal. In addition, it is preferable that 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, and especially 100% by mass, of the protein and starch in the composition of the present invention, each on a dry mass basis, both are incorporated in a state in which they are contained in edible plants.

[0126] In this invention, the protein content in the starch-containing solid composition is measured by multiplying the amount of nitrogen quantified using the combustion method (modified Dumas method) specified in the Food Labeling Act ("Regarding Food Labeling Standards" (March 30, 2015, Consumer Affairs Agency Food Labeling Act No. 139)) in accordance with the Japanese Food Standard Composition Table 2015 Edition (7th Revised Edition) by the "nitrogen-protein conversion factor".

[0127] ·Total fat content: The total fat content in the composition of the present invention is not limited, but can be in the range of, for example, 0.01% by mass or more and less than 17% by mass on a dry mass basis. More specifically, the upper limit is usually less than 17% by mass, and more preferably less than 15% by mass, or less than 13% by mass, or less than 10% by mass, or less than 8% by mass, or less than 7% by mass, or less than 6% by mass, or less than 5% by mass, or less than 4% by mass, or less than 3% by mass, or less than 2% by mass, or less than 1% by mass, and especially preferably less than 0.8% by mass. On the other hand, the lower limit of such total fat content is not particularly limited, but is usually 0.01% by mass or more on a dry mass basis. In the present invention, the total fat content in the solid composition is measured by Soxhlet extraction with diethyl ether in accordance with the Japanese Food Standard Composition Table 2015 Edition (7th Revised Edition).

[0128] The origin of the oils and fats in the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited. Examples include plant-derived and animal-derived oils and fats, but plant-derived oils and fats are preferred. Specifically, the ratio of plant-derived (especially legumes and / or cereals) oils and fats to the total oil and fats content of the entire composition can be in the range of 50% to 100% by mass on a dry mass basis. More specifically, the lower limit of this ratio is usually 50% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 100% by mass. Examples of plant-derived oils and fats include those derived from cereals (especially cereals), legumes, potatoes, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and fruits, but it is more preferable to use those derived from legumes, particularly those derived from peas, and most preferably those derived from yellow peas. As for cereal-derived oils and fats, those derived from oats are preferred. Furthermore, it is preferable that the total amount of oils derived from legumes and grains satisfies the above requirements.

[0129] The oils and fats in the composition of the present invention may be incorporated into the composition as isolated pure products, but it is preferable that they be incorporated into the composition in a state in which they are contained in edible plants (especially legumes and / or grains). Although the principle is unclear, it is thought that this makes it less likely for the oils and fats to oxidize and deteriorate during processing, and makes it easier to impart a desirable processing odor derived from the raw materials. Specifically, the ratio of the oil content incorporated in a state in which it is contained in edible plants (legumes and / or grains) to the total oil content of the entire composition is usually 50% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, and especially preferably 100% by mass, on a dry mass basis.

[0130] Furthermore, it is preferable that, of the dry mass-based oil and fat content in the composition of the present invention, typically 50% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, and especially 100% by mass, is derived from legumes and / or cereals, more preferably from the same type of legume and / or cereal, and even more preferably from the same individual legume and / or cereal. In addition, it is preferable that, of the dry mass-based oil and fat content in the composition of the present invention, typically 50% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, and especially 100% by mass, is incorporated in a state where it is contained in legumes and / or cereals.

[0131] ·Dry basis moisture content: The composition of the present invention is preferable because, having a dry-weight moisture content below a predetermined value, it is less likely to crack inside the composition even after a certain period of time (e.g., 3 days or more) during storage at room temperature, and it is easier to obtain the effect of reducing the feeling of powderiness when consumed. Specifically, the dry-weight moisture content in the composition of the present invention is not limited, but can be in the range of, for example, 0.5% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less. More specifically, it may be, for example, 60% by mass or less, or 55% by mass or less, or 50% by mass or less, or 45% by mass or less, or 40% by mass or less, or 35% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less, or 25% by mass or less, or 20% by mass or less, or 15% by mass or less. On the other hand, the lower limit of the dry-weight moisture content in the composition of the present invention is not limited, but from the viewpoint of industrial production efficiency, it can be, for example, 0.5% by mass or more, or 1% by mass or more, or 2% by mass or more. Note that the dry-weight moisture content in the composition of the present invention may originate from the various components of the composition, or it may also originate from the water that has been added. Furthermore, if the dry-weight moisture content in the dough composition before processing is high, a process can be employed to adjust it to the aforementioned value by using a drying treatment or the like.

[0132] In this invention, "dry-weight moisture content" refers to the ratio of the total amount of moisture derived from the raw materials of the composition of this invention and the amount of moisture added separately, to the total amount of solids. This value is measured by heating to 90°C using a reduced-pressure heating drying method, in accordance with the Japanese Food Standard Composition Table 2015 Edition (7th Revised Edition). Specifically, an appropriate amount of sample is taken into a weighing container (W0) that has been pre-weighed to a constant weight and weighed (W1). At atmospheric pressure, the weighing container is placed in a reduced-pressure electric constant-temperature drying oven adjusted to a predetermined temperature (more specifically, 90°C) with the lid removed or the opening left open. The door is closed, a vacuum pump is operated, and the sample is dried for a certain period of time at a predetermined reduced pressure. The vacuum pump is stopped, dry air is sent to return to atmospheric pressure, the weighing container is removed, the lid is put on, and after cooling in a desiccator, the mass is measured. This drying, cooling, and weighing process is repeated until a constant weight is reached (W2), and the moisture content (dry-weight moisture content) (mass %) is calculated using the following formula.

[0133]

number

[0134] ·Ingredients: The raw materials for the composition of the present invention are not particularly limited, as long as they can achieve the various component compositions and physical properties defined in the present invention. However, it is preferable to use one or more types of edible plants as raw materials, and it is preferable that the edible plants include at least legumes and / or grains. The form of the edible plants used as raw materials is not limited, but for example, powdered forms can be used.

[0135] ·beans: When using legumes in the composition of the present invention, the type of legume used is not limited, but preferably, it is one or more legumes selected from the genera of pea, kidney bean, pigeon bean, cowpea, broad bean, chickpea, soybean, and lentil. Specific examples, though not limited to these, include peas (especially yellow peas and white peas), kidney beans, red beans, white beans, black beans, pinto beans, tiger beans, lima beans, scarlet beans, pigeon peas, mung beans, cowpeas, adzuki beans, broad beans, soybeans, chickpeas, lentils, flat beans, blue peas, purple kidney beans, lentils, peanuts, lupine beans, grass peas, carob, twisted crowberry, broad crowberry, coffee beans, cocoa beans, Mexican flying beans, etc. The classification of other food ingredients not listed can be naturally understood by those skilled in the art who handle those ingredients or processed food products. Specifically, this can be clearly understood by referring to the food group classification (page 249, Table 1) listed in the 2015 edition (7th revised) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, which is widely used in daily life in ordinary households. These legumes may be used individually or in any combination of two or more types. Furthermore, for ingredients where some edible parts (such as edamame and green peas) are treated as vegetables, it is possible to determine whether they are legumes based on the state of the entire plant (such as soybeans and peas) including the inedible parts (such as pods).

[0136] Furthermore, when using legumes in the composition of the present invention, it is preferable to use mature legumes rather than immature seeds (for example, green peas, which are immature pea seeds, or edamame, which are immature soybean seeds) among the starches contained in the composition. Also, for the same reason, it is preferable to use legumes that have reached a state in which the dry weight moisture content is below a predetermined value due to maturation. Specifically, the dry weight moisture content of the legumes used in the composition of the present invention can be in the range of, for example, 0.01% by mass or more and less than 15% by mass. More specifically, it is usually less than 15% by mass, and more preferably less than 13% by mass, or less than 11% by mass, or less than 10% by mass. On the other hand, there is no particular lower limit to the dry weight moisture content of such legumes, but it is usually preferably 0.01% by mass or more.

[0137] When legumes are used in the composition of the present invention, the legume content in the composition of the present invention is not limited, but can be in the range of, for example, 10% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less on a dry mass basis. More specifically, it is preferable that it is, for example, 10% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 45% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 55% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more. There is no particular upper limit, but it is preferable to be 100% by mass or less, and more preferably 95% by mass or less. In addition, the above provisions regarding legumes may be satisfied in step (i).

[0138] • Grains: In this invention, "miscellaneous grains" refers to grains other than the major grains of rice, wheat, and barley, as described later, and is a concept that also includes pseudo-miscellaneous grains other than so-called grass grains (Chenopodiaceae, Amaranthaceae).

[0139] When using grains in the composition of the present invention, the type of grain used is not limited, but preferably it is one or more grains selected from the grass family, amaranth family, and amaranth family, and more preferably it is from the grass family. Specific examples, though not limited to these, include, for example, foxtail millet, barnyard millet, proso millet, sorghum, rye, oats, Job's tears, corn, buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa, and it is particularly preferable to use one or more of oats, amaranth, quinoa, and proso millet. Furthermore, it is preferable that the grains are substantially gluten-free (specifically, with a gluten content of less than 10 ppm by mass), and more preferably gluten-free.

[0140] The content of grains in the food composition of the present invention can be in the range of 10% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, on a dry weight basis. More specifically, it is preferably 10% by mass or more, more preferably 15% by mass or more, more preferably 20% by mass or more, more preferably 25% by mass or more, more preferably 30% by mass or more, more preferably 35% by mass or more, more preferably 40% by mass or more, more preferably 45% by mass or more, more preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 55% by mass or more, and more preferably 60% by mass or more. There is no particular upper limit, but 100% by mass or less is preferred, and 95% by mass or less is more preferred. In addition, the above provisions regarding grains may be satisfied in step (i).

[0141] Furthermore, in food compositions containing both legumes and grains, it is preferable that their total content satisfies the above-mentioned requirements. That is, the total content ratio of legumes and grains in the food composition of the present invention can be in the range of, for example, 10% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, on a dry mass basis. More specifically, it is preferable that it is, for example, 10% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 45% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 55% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more. There is no particular upper limit, but it can be, for example, 100% by mass or less, or 95% by mass or less. In addition, the above-mentioned requirements regarding grains and legumes may be satisfied in step (i).

[0142] • Particle size of legumes and grains: When using legumes and / or grains in the composition of the present invention, it is preferable to use powdered legumes and / or grains, specifically the particle size d after ultrasonic treatment when measured in the same way as the specific surface area per unit volume described later. 90 and / or d 50 It is preferable to use powders of legumes and / or grains where each of the following values ​​is below a predetermined value. That is, the particle size d of the legume powder and / or grain powder after ultrasonic treatment. 90 For example, it can be in the range of 0.3 μm or more and less than 500 μm. More specifically, less than 500 μm is preferred, and among these, 450 μm or less, or 400 μm or less, or 350 μm or less, or 300 μm or less, or 250 μm or less, or 200 μm or less, or 150 μm or less, or 100 μm or less, or 90 μm or less, or 80 μm or less, or 70 μm or less, or 60 μm or less, or 50 μm or less is more preferred. Similarly, the particle size d of legume powder and / or grain powder after ultrasonic treatment. 50 The particle size is preferably less than 500 μm, and more preferably 450 μm or less, or 400 μm or less, or 350 μm or less, or 300 μm or less, or 250 μm or less, or 200 μm or less, or 150 μm or less, or 100 μm or less, or 90 μm or less, or 80 μm or less, or 70 μm or less, or 60 μm or less, or 50 μm or less.90 and d 50 The lower limit is not particularly limited, but it can usually be 0.3 μm or larger, or 1 μm or larger, or 5 μm or larger, or 10 μm or larger. In particular, if the composition is larger than a certain size during extrusion molding, the composition is more likely to pulsate during molding, which can worsen productivity and may result in an uneven surface of the composition. Therefore, it is preferable to use powdered beans and / or grains of a certain size or smaller. Furthermore, as mentioned above, if the seed coats of beans and / or the bran of grains are separated in advance and used, it is preferable that the separated seed coats of beans and / or the bran of grains satisfy the above particle size range.

[0143] Other ingredients: The composition of the present invention may contain any one or more other ingredients. Examples of such ingredients include plant-based ingredients (vegetables, potatoes, mushrooms, fruits, algae, grains (especially major grains not included in coarse grains such as rice, wheat, and barley), nuts and seeds, etc.), animal-based ingredients (fish and shellfish, meat, eggs, dairy products, etc.), and microbial foods. The content of these ingredients can be appropriately set within a range that does not impair the purpose of the present invention.

[0144] ·Seasonings, food additives, etc.: The composition of the present invention may contain any one or more seasonings, food additives, etc. Examples of seasonings, food additives, etc. include soy sauce, miso, alcohols, sugars (e.g., glucose, sucrose, fructose, glucose-fructose syrup, fructose-glucose syrup, etc.), sugar alcohols (e.g., xylitol, erythritol, maltitol, etc.), artificial sweeteners (e.g., sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame K, etc.), minerals (e.g., calcium, potassium, sodium, iron, zinc, magnesium, etc., and their salts, etc.), flavorings, pH adjusters (e.g., sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lactic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, and acetic acid, etc.), cyclodextrin, antioxidants (e.g., vitamins Examples of ingredients include vitamin E, vitamin C, tea extract, green coffee bean extract, chlorogenic acid, spice extract, caffeic acid, rosemary extract, vitamin C palmitate, rutin, quercetin, bayberry extract, sesame extract, etc.), emulsifiers (examples include glycerin fatty acid ester, monoglyceride acetate, monoglyceride lactate, monoglyceride citrate, monoglyceride diacetyl tartaric acid, monoglyceride succinate, polyglycerin fatty acid ester, polyglycerin condensed linosyl ester, quillaja extract, soybean saponin, tea seed saponin, sucrose fatty acid ester, lecithin, etc.), colorants, thickeners and stabilizers.

[0145] However, given the recent rise in interest in natural products, it is preferable that the composition of the present invention does not contain any one of the following: emulsifiers, colorants, and thickening and stabilizing agents (for example, those listed as "colorants," "thickening and stabilizing agents," and "emulsifiers" in the "List of Food Additive Substances for Labeling" in the Food Additive Labeling Pocketbook (2011 edition)); it is more preferable that it does not contain any two of them; and it is even more preferable that it does not contain any three.

[0146] In particular, the composition of the present invention can impart elasticity to the composition without containing a gelling agent, and it is preferable that it does not contain a gelling agent in order to prevent the imparting of excessive elasticity. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of achieving a quality in which the taste of the ingredients can be easily perceived, it is preferable that the composition of the present invention does not contain an emulsifier. Moreover, it is especially desirable that the composition of the present invention does not contain food additives (for example, substances listed in the "List of Food Additive Substances for Labeling" in the Food Additive Labeling Pocketbook (2011 edition) used for food additive purposes). Furthermore, from the viewpoint of making the sweetness of the food itself easier to perceive, it is preferable that the composition of the present invention does not contain sugars (glucose, sucrose, fructose, glucose-fructose syrup, fructose-glucose syrup, etc.).

[0147] Furthermore, it is preferable that the composition of the present invention contains little or no sodium chloride. Conventional starch-containing solid compositions for cooking (particularly compositions containing gluten with a network structure) maintain compositional elasticity by containing sodium chloride, but this has problems in terms of affecting taste and excessive salt intake. In particular, in the case of dry compositions (dried udon, dried hiyamugi, etc.), 3% or more by mass of sodium chloride is usually used to maintain compositional elasticity, so these problems were particularly pronounced. On the other hand, with the composition of the present invention, it is possible to make a composition in which the decrease in elasticity is suppressed even if the amount of sodium chloride used is extremely small or no sodium chloride is added at all, resulting in a composition of good quality, which is preferable. Furthermore, even for starch-containing solid compositions for cooking such as pasta, udon, and bread, which normally have adhesiveness and elasticity due to gluten with a network structure and sodium chloride, it is preferable that the present invention be applied to make a composition of good quality without adding sodium chloride. Specifically, the sodium chloride content in the composition of the present invention can be in the range of 0% to 3% by mass on a dry mass basis. More specifically, it is preferable that the sodium chloride content is usually 3% by mass or less, more preferably 2% by mass or less, or 1% by mass or less, or 0.7% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 0.5% by mass or less. Furthermore, the sodium chloride content in the dough composition can be in the range of 0% by mass or more and 3% by mass or less on a wet mass basis. More specifically, it is preferable that the lower limit is usually 3% by mass or less, more preferably 2% by mass or less, or 1% by mass or less, or 0.7% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 0.5% by mass or less. The lower limit of the sodium chloride content in the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited and may be 0% by mass. In the present invention, as a method for quantifying sodium chloride in the starch-containing solid composition, for example, a method is used in accordance with the "salt equivalent amount" in the Japanese Food Standard Composition Table 2015 Edition (7th Revised Edition), where the amount of sodium measured using atomic absorption spectrometry is multiplied by 2.54.

[0148] • Smooth portion of frozen section of composition: According to one aspect of the present invention, it is also preferable that, when observing the frozen section obtained by freeze-sectioning the composition in the above procedure, a smooth portion having an average thickness of a predetermined value or more is observed along a predetermined proportion of the outer circumference of the composition on the cut surface. When such physical properties are present, the composition of the present invention becomes a composition that is less likely to leak components out during cooking. The reason for this is not clear, but it is thought that if there is a structure near the outer circumference of the composition that has the characteristic of being able to be cut relatively smoothly compared to the inside of the composition, it will be observed as a smooth portion when the composition is freeze-sectioned.

[0149] In this invention, "smooth portion" refers to a layered structure observed on the outer periphery of a frozen section image of the composition, having an average thickness of a predetermined value or greater, and exhibiting a lighter color and less unevenness compared to the non-smooth portion. The "average thickness" of the smooth portion refers to the average value obtained when the width of the smooth portion in the direction perpendicular to the outer periphery of the composition on the cross-section is measured along the outer periphery of the composition.

[0150] Specifically, it is preferable that the composition of the present invention has such smooth portions formed on the outer circumference of the composition at the cross-section, typically 30% or more, 40% or more, or 50% or more, more preferably 60% or more, 70% or more, or 80% or more, or 90% or more, and especially 100% (i.e., the entire outer circumference of the composition at the cross-section). Furthermore, the average thickness of such smooth portions is typically 20 μm or more, more preferably 25 μm or more, or 30 μm or more, with no particular upper limit, but typically 1000 μm or less.

[0151] For measuring the smooth portion, the composition is frozen at -25°C (without treatment in heated water), and frozen sections are prepared by cutting the frozen composition to a thickness of 30 μm along a specific cross-section, and these sections are observed. The preparation and observation of such frozen sections of the composition are not limited, but are preferably carried out by the following procedure, for example. That is, the composition is cut to a thickness of 30 μm at -25°C according to the Kawamoto method described in Kawamoto, "Use of a new adhesive film for the preparation of multi-purpose fresh-frozen sections from hard tissues, whole-animals, insects and plants", Arch. Histol. Cytol., (2003), 66[2]:123-43, thereby preparing frozen sections. The thus obtained frozen sections of the composition are placed under the field of view of a microscope, for example, at a magnification of 200x, and color photographs with, for example, 1360 × 1024 pixels are taken and used for analysis.

[0152] ·Non-swelling (density): The compositions of the present invention are not limited to, but include, expanded foods (especially those with a density of 1.0 g / cm³ due to expansion). 3 It is preferable that the composition is not a puffed food with a density less than a certain value. In other words, it is preferable that the composition of the present invention has a density of a predetermined value or higher when it is in a non-puffed state. Specifically, the density of the composition of the present invention is, for example, 1.0 g / cm³. 3 More than 3.0g / cm 3 It is preferable to keep it in the range of less than 1.0 g / cm³. More specifically, the lower limit is 1.0 g / cm³. 3 The above is preferable, and among them 1.1 g / cm³ 3 In addition, 1.2 g / cm³ 3 It is preferable that the amount be greater than or equal to the above. There is no particular upper limit, but it is usually 3.0 g / cm³. 3 Less than 2.0 g / cm³ 3It is less than [value]. Furthermore, the density of the composition in this invention is determined by dividing the mass of the composition by its apparent volume. That is, it is the value obtained by dividing the weight of the composition by its apparent volume (the sum of the "volume of the composition itself" and the "volume of internal voids"). The density value is calculated using the "specific gravity (the density of water at 4°C and atmospheric pressure: 0.999972 g / cm³)". 3 Since this value is approximately equal to the ratio of the density of a certain substance to the volume of the composition, the numerical value in the above provision may be specified by specific gravity, which is a unitless number. Furthermore, the above provision regarding density may be satisfied by the "bulk density" or "apparent bulk density" calculated from the bulk density, which is obtained by dividing the weight of the composition by the apparent bulk volume of the composition (the sum of "the volume of the composition itself," "the volume of pores on the surface of the composition that communicate with the outside," "the volume of internal voids," and "the voids formed between the composition and the smallest volume of imaginary rectangular parallelepiped inscribed within it outside the composition").

[0153] In the production of the composition of the present invention, after transporting under predetermined hydration conditions, the composition can be obtained by cooling it down while preventing expansion, usually while maintaining pressure, and then reducing the pressure to approximately atmospheric pressure.

[0154] [III: Method for producing a starch-containing solid composition for cooking] (1) Overview: The manufacturing method of the present invention involves using the extruder of the present invention described above and performing at least the following steps (i) to (iii). (i) A step of preparing a composition that satisfies specific composition and physical properties. (ii) A step in which water at a predetermined temperature or higher is mixed with the composition prepared in step (i) so that the dry-weight moisture content is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. (iii) A step in which the composition obtained in step (ii) is conveyed by the extruder under predetermined conditions.

[0155] (2) Step (i): Preparation of dough composition In this step (i), a composition that will form the basis of the solid composition of the present invention (this may be appropriately referred to as "paste-dough composition" or simply "dough composition" in the sense of "dough" before processing as a "paste composition") is prepared by mixing ingredients that will be used as raw materials for the composition of the present invention, such as beans and / or grains, with other ingredients that may be optionally used and water. That is, regardless of whether only beans and / or grains are used as ingredients, or whether beans and / or grains are mixed with other ingredients and water, the composition that will form the basis of the solid composition of the present invention in this step (i) will be referred to as "dough composition" or "dough". The properties of the dough composition (i.e., dough) may be such that the ingredients are partially or completely integrated with water, and it may be liquid, sol, gel, or solid. It may also have plastic properties like bread dough, or non-plastic properties like crumbly dough. The method for preparing such a dough composition is not particularly limited, but the raw materials of the composition of the present invention described above, for example, one or more types of edible plants (preferably at least one or more types of legumes and / or grains, and optionally one or more other types of edible plants), can be mixed with optionally one or more other raw materials and used as the dough composition. In addition, the manufacturing method of the present invention also includes, in addition to the embodiment of supplying the composition prepared in step (i) to the extruder, an embodiment in which legumes and / or grains are put into the feed in powder form, and water is added while conveying in the flight section to form a dough composition (i.e., an embodiment in which steps (i) and (ii) are performed simultaneously).

[0156] • Composition of the dough: Here, it is preferable that the dough composition prepared in step (i) is prepared to satisfy the various component compositions described below.

[0157] The starch content of the dough composition prepared in step (i), on a wet mass basis, has a lower limit of, for example, usually 10.0% by mass or more, and an upper limit that is not limited but can be, for example, 80% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 10.0% by mass or more. In particular, it is preferable to have 15% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 45% by mass or more, and especially 50% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited but can be, for example, usually 80% by mass or less, or 75% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or less. It is also preferable that the starch derived from legumes and / or grains satisfies the above requirements.

[0158] The dry-weight moisture content of the dough composition prepared in step (i) is not limited, but the lower limit can be, for example, 0.1% by mass or more, and the upper limit can be, for example, 20% by mass or less. More specifically, the upper limit is usually 20% by mass or less, and more preferably 19% by mass or less, or 18% by mass or less, or 17% by mass or less, or 15% by mass or less. By keeping the dry-weight moisture content of the dough composition prepared in step (i) (i.e., the dough composition before mixing with water at a predetermined temperature or higher in step (ii)) below such upper limits, it is possible to ensure that a certain amount or more of water at a predetermined temperature or higher is mixed in step (ii), and as a result, it may be easier to adjust the temperature of the composition after water is added in step (ii). On the other hand, the lower limit is not particularly limited, but for example, it can usually be 0.1% by mass or more, or 0.5% by mass or more, or 1% by mass or more.

[0159] The wet-mass ratio of dietary fiber (preferably insoluble dietary fiber) in the dough composition can be set to a lower limit of, for example, 3.0% by mass or more, and an upper limit that is not limited but can be set to, for example, 40% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 3.0% by mass or more. Preferably, it is 4.0% by mass or more, or 5.0% by mass or more, or 6.0% by mass or more, or 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, and especially 10% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited but can be, for example, usually 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less. Furthermore, it is preferable that the above provisions regarding dietary fiber are also satisfied for soluble dietary fiber and / or insoluble dietary fiber. In other words, the wet mass ratio of soluble dietary fiber and / or insoluble dietary fiber in the dough composition can be, for example, typically in the range of 3.0% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 3.0% by mass or more, more preferably 4.0% by mass or more, or 5.0% by mass or more, or 6.0% by mass or more, or 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, and especially preferably 10% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, typically 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less. Furthermore, it is preferable that the dietary fiber (or insoluble dietary fiber or soluble dietary fiber) derived from legumes and / or grains satisfies the above requirements.

[0160] The wet-mass ratio of protein in the dough composition has a lower limit of, for example, usually 3.0% by mass or more, and an upper limit that is not limited, but can be in the range of, for example, 40% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 3.0% by mass or more. In particular, it is preferable to have 4.0% by mass or more, or 5.0% by mass or more, or 6.0% by mass or more, or 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, and especially 10% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, usually 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less. Furthermore, it is preferable that the protein derived from legumes and / or grains satisfies the above requirements.

[0161] The whey protein content of the dough composition is not limited, but can be, for example, 0% to 10% by mass on a wet mass basis. More specifically, the upper limit can be, for example, 10% or less by mass, 8% or less by mass, or 5% or less by mass on a wet mass basis. On the other hand, the lower limit can be, for example, 0% by mass or 0% or more by mass on a wet mass basis. Since whey protein has different heat resistance than the proteins of legumes and / or grains, it is preferable that it is substantially absent. Whey protein can be in the form of whey protein powder or whey protein solution (i.e., whey protein powder dispersed or dissolved in an aqueous solvent). Whey protein powder may be whey protein concentrate (i.e., 70% to less than 90% by mass of whey protein) or whey protein isolate (i.e., 90% or more by mass of whey protein). The source of whey protein is arbitrary and may be, for example, derived from whey supplied from milk, or it may be a by-product of dairy products (e.g., a by-product of cheese or yogurt production). In the present invention, whey protein (or whey protein as appropriate) means a composition obtained by removing milk fat and casein from milk.

[0162] Here, the content of dietary fiber (or insoluble dietary fiber), starch, and protein in the dough composition is a wet mass conversion ratio calculated with the total mass of the dough composition including water as the denominator and the content of each component as the numerator. The content of each component derived from the raw material edible plants (e.g., legumes and / or grains) can be adjusted to be equal to or greater than the specified value. In other words, in the present invention, the "wet mass conversion ratio" (sometimes simply referred to as "wet mass standard ratio," "wet mass standard," "wet mass conversion," or "wet weight standard") represents the content ratio of each component, etc., calculated with the wet mass including water in the composition or each fraction as the denominator and the content of each target component or target object as the numerator.

[0163] Furthermore, when edible plants (e.g., legumes and / or grains) are used as raw materials for the dough composition, the wet mass percentage of such edible plants (e.g., legumes and / or grains) can be in the range of, for example, 30% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 30% by mass or more, and more preferably 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, or 100% by mass. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 100% by mass or less.

[0164] Furthermore, when edible plants (e.g., legumes and / or grains) are used as raw materials for the dough composition, it is preferable that the ratio of the starch content and / or protein content derived from the edible plants (e.g., legumes and / or grains) to the total starch content and / or total protein content of the dough composition is above a predetermined value. Specifically, the ratio of the starch content derived from the edible plants (e.g., legumes and / or grains) to the total starch content of the dough composition can be in the range of 30% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less on a dry mass basis. More specifically, it is preferable that it be 30% by mass or more, and more preferably 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, or 100% by mass. There is no particular upper limit, but it can usually be 100% by mass or less. Furthermore, the ratio of protein content derived from edible plants (e.g., legumes and / or grains) to the total protein content of the dough composition can be in the range of, for example, 10% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less on a dry mass basis. More specifically, it is usually 10% by mass or more, more preferably 20% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, and especially preferably 100% by mass or more. Among the starches and proteins derived from legumes, those derived from peas are particularly preferred, and those derived from yellow peas are most preferred. Among the starches and proteins derived from grains, those derived from oats are preferred. Furthermore, it is preferable that the total amount of starch derived from legumes and grains satisfies the above requirements, and it is preferable that the total amount of protein derived from legumes and grains satisfies the above requirements.

[0165] • Specific surface area per unit volume of the fabric composition and its raw materials after ultrasonic treatment: One of the characteristics of the manufacturing method of the present invention is that the raw material used as the dough composition has a specific surface area per unit volume adjusted to a predetermined value or higher after ultrasonic treatment. For example, a pulverized product (paste or powder) can be produced by pulverizing an edible plant (legumes or grains) containing starch, protein, dietary fiber, etc., which has been pre-processed as required in step (i), until the specific surface area reaches a certain level or higher, and water can be optionally added to it for use as a raw material in step (i). The micronization treatment may be performed before processing the edible plant, simultaneously with processing using an extruder or the like, or after processing the edible plant. Preferably, the method includes a step of fractionating the seed coat and / or bran before pulverizing the edible plant (preferably legumes and / or grains) and pulverizing the seed coat and / or bran. This may make it easier to adjust the composition in step (i). Specifically, a 2% by mass ethanol dispersion of the object to be measured, as described later, is measured using the laser diffraction scattering method, and one of its characteristics is that the specific surface area per unit volume after ultrasonic treatment is above a predetermined value. By using raw materials with such characteristics, it is possible to form a strong continuous starch structure by performing the transport (stage (ii)) and kneading (stage (iii)) described later under low temperature conditions below 100°C, without kneading under high temperature conditions of 100°C or higher. This makes it possible to produce a solid composition for cooking that is less prone to cracking inside the composition even after a certain period of time (e.g., 3 days or more) during storage at room temperature, and that does not feel powdery when consumed.

[0166] Specifically, the specific surface area per unit volume of the raw material and dough composition after ultrasonic treatment is typically 0.10 m² at the lower limit. 2 There is no upper limit, but for example, 2.5 ml or more. 2 It can be in the range of / mL. More specifically, its lower limit is usually 0.10m 2 It is 0.15 ml or more. 2 / mL or more, or 0.20m 2 / mL or more, or 0.25m 2 More than / mL, especially 0.30m 2It is preferable to have a specific surface area per unit volume of 2.5 m² or more. In this way, to adjust the specific surface area per unit volume after ultrasonic treatment to a predetermined value or more, for example, the edible plants such as beans and / or grains used as raw materials can be finely ground beforehand. Preferably, the seed coat and / or bran are separated before grinding the edible plants (preferably beans and / or grains), and the seed coat and / or bran are ground in a step. There is no particular upper limit to the specific surface area per unit volume of the dough composition after ultrasonic treatment, but it is usually 2.5 m². 2 Less than / mL, or 2.2m 2 Less than / mL, or 2.0m 2 It can be less than / mL.

[0167] Furthermore, the pulverized edible plant material used in step (i) (i.e., the "starch-containing food pulverized material" described later) may be partially or entirely a wet pulverized material (e.g., paste) containing a certain amount of moisture, or partially or entirely a dry pulverized material (e.g., powder) may be used as the raw material for step (i).

[0168] When using a wet-ground product as a raw material in step (i), it is preferable that the dry-weight moisture content of the starch-containing food pulverized product be 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, and more preferably 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 45% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 55% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more. On the other hand, there is no upper limit to the dry-weight moisture content, but from the viewpoint of industrial production efficiency, it may be, for example, 200% by mass or less, or 150% by mass or less, or 100% by mass or less.

[0169] Furthermore, when using dried and pulverized material as a raw material in step (i), it is preferable that the dry-weight moisture content be less than 25% by mass, or less than 20% by mass, and more preferably less than 15% by mass, or less than 10% by mass. On the other hand, there is no lower limit to the dry-weight moisture content, but from the viewpoint of industrial production efficiency, it can be, for example, 0.5% by mass or more, or 1% by mass or more, or 2% by mass or more.

[0170] Furthermore, when using dried and / or wet-ground raw materials in step (i), the dough composition of step (i) can be obtained by optionally adding any amount of water with a dry weight moisture content of 0% to 200%. On the other hand, when using dried raw materials for part or all of the raw materials in step (i), it is preferable because the properties of the starch, including the degree of gelatinization, are more easily maintained during storage of the dried raw materials.

[0171] Furthermore, as the wet-pulverized material, an undried composition that has not been dried after being extruded in step (iii) and beyond can be used. In particular, it is preferable to use the undried composition as the wet-pulverized material in step (i) at a rate of 50% by mass or less (40% by mass or 30% by mass or less; the lower limit is not particularly limited, but is usually 0% by mass or more, or 1% by mass or more) in proportion to 50% by mass or less in terms of wet mass, as this reduces product waste.

[0172] Furthermore, as a dried and pulverized product, it is possible to use a dried composition that has been extruded in step (iii) and later and then subjected to a drying treatment, which has been further crushed. In particular, it is preferable to use the dried and pulverized product in step (i) at a rate of 50% by mass or less (40% by mass or 30% by mass or less; the lower limit is not particularly limited, but is usually 0% by mass or more, or 1% by mass or more) on a wet mass basis, as this reduces product waste.

[0173] Therefore, the present invention includes the following invention A. (Invention A) A starch-containing food powder that satisfies the following (1) to (7) for use in preparing a composition in step (i) of the manufacturing method of the present invention. (1) The dietary fiber content is 3.0% by mass or more on a wet mass basis. (2) The starch content is 10.0% by mass or more on a wet mass basis. (3) The protein content is 3.0% by mass or more on a wet mass basis. (4) The specific surface area per unit volume after ultrasonic treatment is 0.10 m² 2 It is greater than or equal to / mL. (5) The degree of starch gelatinization is 70% by mass or more. (6) The following (a) and / or (b) are satisfied: (a) When a 6% by mass suspension of the pulverized material of the composition is observed, the starch granule structure observed is 300 granules / mm³. 2 The following applies: (b) When a 14% by mass aqueous slurry of the pulverized composition is heated from 50°C to 140°C at a heating rate of 12.5°C / min using a rapid viscometer, the gelatinization peak temperature is less than 120°C. (7) After treating the composition in 40 times its mass volume of water at a constant temperature of 90°C for 15 minutes, the components obtained by treatment according to [Procedure a] are analyzed under [Condition A] to obtain a molecular weight distribution curve (MWDC) in the range of a molecular weight logarithm between 5.0 and less than 8.0. 5.0-8.0 In this case, the ratio of the area under the curve in the interval between molecular weight logarithms of 5.0 and less than 6.5 (AUC1) to the total area under the curve is 70% or less.

[0174] In this invention, the specific surface area per unit volume after ultrasonic treatment is measured under the following conditions after disturbing the dispersion of the fabric composition. First, ethanol is used as the solvent, as it is less likely to affect the structure of the sample during measurement of the fabric composition. Specifically, 1 g of the sample is immersed in 50 g of ethanol, left to stand for about 5 minutes, then thoroughly stirred and suspended with a spatula, and the solution (2% by mass ethanol dispersion) that has passed through an 8-mesh sieve with a mesh opening of 2.36 mm and a wire diameter of 1.0 mm (corresponding to "No. 8" specified in "Alternative" in "Nominal Dimensions, Permissible Variation for Wire Cloth of Standard Testing Sieves (USA) Standard Series" in USA Standard Testing Sieves ASTM Specifications E 11-04) is used for measurement. More specifically, 100g of the suspension (20°C) is evenly spread onto a sieve, and the sieve is vibrated with a load that does not change the composition size until the fraction mass on the sieve becomes constant. The solution that passes through the sieve is then used as a 2% by mass ethanol dispersion for measurement.

[0175] The laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer used for measurement is one that has a measurement range of at least 0.02 μm to 2000 μm using the laser diffraction scattering method. For example, the Microtrac MT3300 EX2 system from Microtrac-Bell Corporation is used, and the measurement application software is, for example, DMSII (Data Management System version 2, Microtrac-Bell Corporation). When using the above measurement device and software, before measurement, the cleaning button in the software is pressed to perform cleaning, then the Setzero button in the software is pressed to perform zeroing, and the sample is directly loaded until the sample concentration falls within the appropriate range using sample loading. When measuring a disturbed sample, i.e., a sample that has been ultrasonically treated, the sample that has not been ultrasonically treated is loaded, the concentration is adjusted to the appropriate range using sample loading, and then ultrasonic treatment (treatment with 40 kHz ultrasound at an output of 40 W for 3 minutes) is pressed in the software. Afterward, the sample is degassed three times, and then reloaded. Once the concentration is confirmed to be within the appropriate range, the laser diffraction result is measured immediately at a flow rate of 60% for a measurement time of 10 seconds. The parameters used during measurement are, for example, distribution display: volume, particle refractive index: 1.60, solvent refractive index: 1.36, upper measurement limit (μm) = 2000.00 μm, and lower measurement limit (μm) = 0.021 μm.

[0176] In this invention, the specific surface area per unit volume (m²) 2 Σ(ai) / mL represents the specific surface area per unit volume (1 mL) assuming the particles are spherical, as measured using the aforementioned laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer. Note that the specific surface area per unit volume assuming the particles are spherical is a value based on a different measurement mechanism than measured values ​​(specific surface area per volume or per mass obtained by methods such as transmission or gas adsorption) that reflect the particle's composition and surface structure. Furthermore, the specific surface area per unit volume assuming the particles are spherical can be calculated by 6 × Σ(ai) ÷ Σ(ai·di), where ai is the surface area of ​​one particle and di is the particle diameter.

[0177] Furthermore, when measuring specific surface area per unit volume, it is preferable to measure the particle size distribution for each channel (CH) and then use the particle size for each measurement channel listed in Table A below as a standard. Specifically, the frequency of particles that are less than or equal to the particle size specified for each channel in Table A below, and that are larger than the particle size specified for the channel with the next larger number (or the lower limit particle size for the largest channel in the measurement range), is measured for each channel in Table A below, and the particle frequency % for each channel can be calculated using the total frequency of all channels within the measurement range as the denominator (this is also referred to as "particle frequency % for channel XX"). For example, the particle frequency % for channel 1 represents the frequency % of particles that are 2000.00 μm or less and larger than 1826.00 μm.

[0178] [Table A]

[0179] • Starch gelatinization degree of the raw materials for the dough composition: One of the characteristics of the manufacturing method of the present invention is the use of highly gelatinized starch as the starch used as the raw material for the dough composition. This makes it possible to form a strong continuous starch structure (matrix structure) by simply performing the transport described below (step (iii)) under low temperature conditions below 100°C (the lower limit is not particularly limited, but is usually above 0°C), without strong kneading under high temperature conditions of 100°C or higher. This makes it possible to produce a solid composition for cooking that is less prone to cracking inside the composition even after a certain period of time (e.g., 3 days or more) during storage at room temperature, and that does not feel powdery when eaten after cooking. Specifically, the degree of starch gelatinization in the dough composition in step (i) can be in the range of, for example, 70% by mass or more at the lower limit and, although not limited, 100% by mass or less at the upper limit. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 70% by mass or more. In particular, it is preferable to have a value of 75% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 85% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more. There is no particular upper limit to the degree of gelatinization, but if it is too high, the starch will decompose, and the composition may become sticky and of undesirable quality. Therefore, it is preferable that the upper limit is usually 100% by mass or less, or 99% by mass or less, or 97% by mass or less, or 95% by mass or less.

[0180] Furthermore, for similar reasons, it is preferable that the starch in the dough composition in step (i) is preheated to a certain temperature or higher. For example, in the present invention, it is preferable that the starch contained in the composition in step (i) is preheated to a maximum temperature of 100°C or higher under moisture conditions of a dry weight moisture content of 25% by mass or more (or 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more). More specifically, it can be starch that has been preheated to a range of 100°C or more and 200°C or lower. More specifically, it is preferable that the starch has been preheated to a maximum temperature of 100°C or higher, or 110°C or higher, or 120°C or higher. There is no particular upper limit to the preheating temperature of the starch, but it can be 200°C or lower and 180°C or lower. Furthermore, since starch that is heated at a high temperature while its dry-weight moisture content is below a certain level has poor processability due to thermal decomposition, it is even more preferable that the starch in the dough composition in step (i) is starch that has been heated under a dry-weight moisture content of a certain level or higher.

[0181] Specifically, the dry-weight moisture content of the starch during preheating can be, for example, in the range of 40% by mass or more and 200% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 40% by mass or more, more preferably 45% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 55% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 65% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 75% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 80% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 200% by mass or less, or 175% by mass or less, or 150% by mass or less. Furthermore, it is preferable that the starch is derived from edible plants, and even more preferable that it is starch in the state contained in edible plants. In addition, the ratio of the starch content derived from edible plants (preferably legumes and / or grains) to the total starch content of the entire composition can be, for example, in the range of 30% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less on a dry weight basis. More specifically, it is preferable that the lower limit is usually 30% by mass or more, more preferably 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, and especially preferably 100% by mass or more.

[0182] Furthermore, for similar reasons, it is preferable that the starch in the dough composition in step (i) is starch that has been pre-adjusted so that the number of starch particles is below a predetermined value. For example, in the present invention, the number of starch particle structures contained in the composition of step (i) observed under the conditions described later is, for example, 0 particles / mm³. 2 More than 300 pieces / mm 2 The following range is possible. More specifically, the number of starch granule structures in the dough composition is usually 300 granules / mm³. 2 Among the following, 250 pieces / mm 2 The following, or 200 pieces / mm 2 The following, or 150 pieces / mm 2 The following, or 100 pieces / mm 2 The following, or 50 pieces / mm 2 The following, or 30 pieces / mm 2 The following, or 10 pieces / mm 2 The following, in particular, 0 pieces / mm 2 It is preferable that this be the case.

[0183] Furthermore, for similar reasons, it is preferable that the starch in the dough composition in step (i) is starch that has been pre-adjusted so that its gelatinization peak temperature is below a predetermined upper limit. For example, in the present invention, the gelatinization peak temperature of the composition measured by a rapid viscoanalytic analyzer (RVA) under the above conditions can be in the range of, for example, 50°C or higher and less than 120°C, although the lower limit is not limited. More specifically, the upper limit is usually less than 120°C, and is preferably 115°C or lower, or 110°C or lower, or 105°C or lower, or 100°C or lower, or 95°C or lower, or 90°C or lower, or 85°C or lower, or 80°C or lower. On the other hand, the lower limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 50°C or higher, or 55°C or higher, or 60°C or higher. The rapid viscoanalytic analyzer (RVA) and its measurement conditions are as described above.

[0184] • Starch granule structure of the dough composition: The dough composition, when the number of starch granule structures observed under specific conditions is below a predetermined value, is less likely to crack inside the composition even after a certain period of time (e.g., 3 days or more) during storage at room temperature, and is less likely to feel powdery when eaten after cooking. The principle is unknown, but it is thought that by processing the composition under predetermined hydration conditions described later, with the starch granule structure destroyed, the starch diffuses throughout the composition in a matrix-like manner, and the amylopectin in the starch becomes more likely to exhibit elasticity when it retains water.

[0185] Specifically, the dough composition satisfies the following requirements regarding the starch granule structure: (a) and / or (b). (a) The number of starch granule structures per unit area observed when a 6% suspension of the pulverized material of the composition is observed is less than or equal to a predetermined upper limit. (b) When a 14% by mass aqueous slurry of the pulverized composition is heated from 50°C to 140°C at a heating rate of 12.5°C / min using a rapid viscometer, the gelatinization peak temperature is below the predetermined upper limit.

[0186] Regarding requirement (a) above, specifically, the dough composition has, for example, 0 starch granules / mm³ as observed under the above conditions. 2 More than 300 pieces / mm 2 The following range is possible. More specifically, the number of starch granule structures in the dough composition is usually 300 granules / mm³. 2 Among the following, 250 pieces / mm 2 The following, or 200 pieces / mm 2 The following, or 150 pieces / mm 2 The following, or 100 pieces / mm 2 The following, or 50 pieces / mm 2 The following, or 30 pieces / mm 2 The following, or 10 pieces / mm 2 The following, in particular, 0 pieces / mm 2 It is preferable that this be the case.

[0187] Regarding the above (b), for the fabric composition, the gelatinization peak temperature of the composition measured by a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) under the above-mentioned conditions can be in the range where the lower limit is not restricted, for example, 50°C or higher, and the upper limit is less than 120°C. More specifically, the upper limit is usually less than 120°C, particularly 115°C or lower, or 110°C or lower, or 105°C or lower, or 100°C or lower, or 95°C or lower, or 90°C or lower, or 85°C or lower, or 80°C or lower. On the other hand, the lower limit is not particularly restricted, but can usually be 50°C or higher, or 55°C or higher, or 60°C or higher. Note that the Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) and its measurement conditions are as described above.

[0188] • Starch-degrading enzyme activity of the raw materials in the dough composition: In addition, as the composition of the present invention, in order to obtain a composition having a starch degrading enzyme activity of not more than a predetermined value as described above, it is preferable to use, as the raw material of the dough composition in this step (i), starch processed so that the starch degrading enzyme activity becomes lower than the predetermined value or an edible plant (for example, beans and / or miscellaneous grains) containing the same. Specifically, the starch degrading enzyme activity of the dough composition containing starch or an edible plant (for example, beans and / or miscellaneous grains) containing the same can be in the range of, for example, 0.0 U / g or more and 60.0 U / g or less in terms of dry mass conversion. More specifically, these raw materials can be used so that it usually becomes 60.0 U / g or less. Among them, it is preferable to make it 50.0 U / g or less, or 40.0 U / g or less, or 30.0 U / g or less. On the other hand, the lower limit of such a ratio is not particularly limited, but is usually 0.0 U / g or more, or 0.1 U / g or more. Since the starch degrading enzyme in an edible plant (for example, beans and / or miscellaneous grains) has very strong heat resistance, as a processing method for obtaining an edible plant having a low starch degrading enzyme activity, it is preferable to perform a heat treatment at a predetermined temperature or higher in an environment with a dry basis moisture content of 25% by mass or more (preferably 30% or more, or 40% or more, or 50% or more). Specifically, the heating temperature in an environment with a dry basis moisture content of 25% by mass or more can be in the range of, for example, 100°C or more and less than 200°C. More specifically, the lower limit thereof is usually 100°C or more, among which 110°C or more, particularly 120°C or more is desirable. On the other hand, the upper limit of such a temperature is not particularly limited, but is usually less than 200°C. Regarding the heating time, it can be arbitrarily set until the starch degrading enzyme activity is adjusted to a predetermined value, but it is usually 0.1 minute or more.

[0189] • PDI of ingredients for dough composition: Furthermore, as the composition of the present invention, it is preferable to use a protein processed to have a PDI value lower than a predetermined value or an edible plant containing the same (e.g., legumes and / or cereals) as the raw material for the dough composition in step (i). Specifically, the PDI value of the protein or edible plant containing the same (e.g., legumes and / or cereals) used as the raw material for the dough composition can be, for example, in the range of 0% by mass or more and less than 55% by mass. More specifically, it is preferable that the upper limit is less than 55% by mass. In particular, it is desirable that it be less than 50% by mass, more preferably less than 45% by mass, especially less than 40% by mass, or less than 35% by mass, or less than 30% by mass, or less than 25% by mass, or less than 20% by mass, or less than 15% by mass, and especially less than 10% by mass. On the other hand, the lower limit of such a percentage is not particularly limited, but is usually 0% by mass or more, more preferably 2% by mass or more, and especially preferably 4% by mass or more.

[0190] The PDI (protein dispersibility index) value is an indicator of protein solubility and can be calculated according to a standard method as the percentage of water-soluble nitrogen relative to the total nitrogen percentage of the entire composition (water-soluble nitrogen percentage / total nitrogen percentage of the entire composition × 100 (%)). Specifically, 20 times the mass of water is added to the sample to be measured, and the sample is crushed (crushed at 8500 rpm for 10 minutes using a homogenizer NS-310E3 manufactured by Microtech Nichion Co., Ltd.). The total nitrogen percentage of the resulting crushed liquid is multiplied by 20 to measure the total nitrogen percentage of the entire composition. Next, the crushed liquid is centrifuged (at 3000 G for 10 minutes), and the water-soluble nitrogen percentage of the resulting supernatant is multiplied by 20 to measure the PDI value of the composition. The method for measuring the total nitrogen percentage is the combustion method (modified Dumas method) specified in the Food Labeling Act ("Regarding Food Labeling Standards" (Shokuhokuhyo No. 139, March 30, 2015)).

[0191] Furthermore, it is preferable that the ratio of the protein content in the edible plant (e.g., legumes and / or grains) to the total protein content in the aforementioned composition is above a predetermined value, and that the PDI value is below a predetermined value, as this results in a composition that is less likely to leach components into the boiling water. As a processing method for obtaining protein with a low PDI value and protein in the edible plant (e.g., legumes and / or grains), it is preferable to perform heat treatment at a predetermined temperature or higher in an environment with a dry moisture content of 30% by mass or higher. For example, it can be in the range of 100°C to less than 200°C. More specifically, it is preferable that it be 100°C or higher. In particular, it is desirable that it be 105°C or higher, even more preferably 110°C or higher, and especially 120°C or higher. On the other hand, there is no particular limit to the upper limit of such temperature, but it is usually below 200°C. The heating time can be set arbitrarily until the PDI value is adjusted to a predetermined value, but it is usually 0.1 minutes or more, and there is no particular limit to the upper limit, but it is usually 60 minutes.

[0192] • Particle size of insoluble dietary fiber in the dough composition and its raw materials: Furthermore, when edible plants (e.g., beans and / or grains) are used as raw materials for the dough composition, the shape of insoluble dietary fiber does not change significantly during the conveying and / or kneading process. Therefore, it is preferable that the insoluble dietary fiber derived from such edible plants (e.g., beans and / or grains) has a predetermined size. Here, it is highly probable that the size of insoluble dietary fiber in bean and / or grain powder that has been roughly crushed will be greater than 450 μm (because the shape of insoluble dietary fiber contained in beans and / or grains is usually rod-shaped, and a larger value is obtained in the laser diffraction particle size distribution measurement of the present invention). Accordingly, it is preferable that the insoluble dietary fiber contained in the ingredients used in the present invention (especially ingredients containing hard tissue, such as beans with seed coats and grains with bran) is subjected to a specific crushing process beforehand so that its size is within a specific range.

[0193] Specifically, as described above regarding the insoluble dietary fiber contained in the composition, a method is used in which the particle size distribution after sonication is applied to the resulting starch-protein decomposition composition, obtained by treating an aqueous suspension of edible plants (e.g., legumes and / or grains) with protease and amylase to enzymatically decompose starch and protein, is measured using a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer, similar to the specific surface area per unit volume described above. Specifically, a 6% by mass aqueous suspension of edible plant powder is treated with 0.4% by volume protease and 0.02% by mass α-amylase at 20°C for 3 days (as described in [Treatment A] above) to perform starch-protein decomposition, and then the resulting treated material is subjected to sonication before the particle size distribution is measured, and the particle size (d 90 and / or d 50 This process is sufficient. Through this treatment, starch and protein, which are components of edible plants, are broken down, and the particle size distribution of the resulting decomposition products is thought to reflect the particle size distribution of a structure mainly composed of insoluble dietary fiber.

[0194] Specifically, the particle size d of insoluble dietary fiber obtained by applying the above [Process A] to edible plants (e.g., legumes and / or grains), then applying ultrasonic treatment, and finally measuring the particle size distribution. 90 The lower limit can be, for example, 1 μm or more, and the upper limit can be, for example, 450 μm or less. More specifically, it is more preferable that the upper limit is usually 450 μm or less, or 400 μm or less, or 350 μm or less, or 300 μm or less, or 250 μm or less, or 200 μm or less, or 150 μm or less, or 100 μm or less, or 90 μm or less, or 80 μm or less, or 70 μm or less, or 60 μm or less, or 50 μm or less. Similarly, the particle size d of insoluble dietary fiber obtained by applying [Process A] to edible plants (e.g., legumes and / or grains), then applying ultrasonic treatment, and then measuring the particle size distribution. 50can have a range where the lower limit is, for example, 1 μm or more and the upper limit is, for example, 450 μm or less. More specifically, the upper limit is usually 450 μm or less, or 400 μm or less, or 350 μm or less, or 300 μm or less, or 250 μm or less, or 200 μm or less, or 150 μm or less, or 100 μm or less, or 90 μm or less, or 80 μm or less, or 70 μm or less, or 60 μm or less, or 50 μm or less, which is more preferable. The particle diameter d of the insoluble dietary fiber contained in the edible plant 90 and / or the particle diameter d 50 If it exceeds the above range, the effects of the present invention may be difficult to achieve. The reason for this is not clear, but it is considered that coarse insoluble dietary fiber inhibits the formation of the matrix structure such as starch, making it difficult to achieve the effects of the present invention. On the other hand, such a particle diameter d of the insoluble dietary fiber contained in the edible plant 90 and / or the particle diameter d 50 The lower limit of is not particularly limited, but is usually 1 μm or more, and more preferably 3 μm or more.

[0195] Also, the particle diameter d of the insoluble dietary fiber obtained by measuring the particle size distribution after applying the [Treatment A] to the dough composition obtained in step (i) and then applying ultrasonic treatment 90 can have a range where the lower limit is, for example, 1 μm or more and the upper limit is, for example, 450 μm or less. More specifically, the upper limit is usually 450 μm or less, or 400 μm or less, or 350 μm or less, or 300 μm or less, or 250 μm or less, or 200 μm or less, or 150 μm or less, or 100 μm or less, or 90 μm or less, or 80 μm or less, or 70 μm or less, or 60 μm or less, or 50 μm or less, which is more preferable. Similarly, the particle diameter d of the insoluble dietary fiber obtained by measuring the particle size distribution after applying the [Treatment A] to the dough composition obtained in step (i) and then applying ultrasonic treatment 50The lower limit can be, for example, 1 μm or more, and the upper limit can be, for example, 450 μm or less. More specifically, it is more preferable that the upper limit is usually 450 μm or less, or 400 μm or less, or 350 μm or less, or 300 μm or less, or 250 μm or less, or 200 μm or less, or 150 μm or less, or 100 μm or less, or 90 μm or less, or 80 μm or less, or 70 μm or less, or 60 μm or less, or 50 μm or less. Particle size d of insoluble dietary fiber contained in the dough composition 90 and / or particle size d 50 If the particle size d of the insoluble dietary fiber contained in the dough composition exceeds the aforementioned range, the effects of the present invention may become difficult to achieve. The reason for this is not clear, but it is thought that coarse insoluble dietary fiber inhibits the formation of matrix structures such as starch, making it difficult to achieve the effects of the present invention. On the other hand, the particle size d of the insoluble dietary fiber contained in the dough composition 90 and / or particle size d 50 The lower limit is not particularly limited, but is usually 1 μm or more, more preferably 3 μm or more.

[0196] • Stained CFW areas of the raw material: Furthermore, when edible plants (e.g., legumes and / or grains) are used as raw materials for the dough composition, the shape of the dietary fiber does not change significantly during the transport and / or kneading process. Therefore, it is preferable that the insoluble dietary fiber contained in such edible plants (e.g., legumes and / or grains) has a predetermined shape. Specifically, as described above regarding the insoluble dietary fiber contained in the composition, it is preferable that when a starch-protein hydrolyzed product (specifically, a product treated with starch-protein hydrolysis by [Process A]) is stained with CFW (Calcofluor White) and observed under a fluorescence microscope, the average longest diameter and / or average aspect ratio of the CFW-stained area are less than or equal to predetermined values. The CFW-stained area thus obtained is considered to have a structure mainly composed of insoluble dietary fiber. Specifically, the arithmetic mean of the longest diameter of the CFW-stained areas in edible plants (e.g., legumes and / or cereals) measured by the above procedure can be, for example, in the range of 2 μm to 450 μm. More specifically, the upper limit is usually preferably 450 μm or less, or 400 μm or less, or 350 μm or less, or 300 μm or less, or 250 μm or less, or 200 μm or less, or 150 μm or less, or 100 μm or less, or 90 μm or less, or 80 μm or less, or 70 μm or less, or 60 μm or less, or 50 μm or less. If the average value of the longest diameter of the CFW-stained areas exceeds the above range, the effects of the present invention may be less likely to be achieved. The reason for this is not clear, but it is thought that insoluble dietary fiber with a large longest diameter inhibits the formation of matrix structures such as starch, making it difficult to achieve the effects of the present invention. On the other hand, the lower limit of the arithmetic mean of the longest diameter of the CFW-stained area is not particularly limited, but is usually 2 μm or more, more preferably 3 μm or more.

[0197] Also, in the subsequent conveyance process of step (iii), since the shape of dietary fiber does not change significantly, as edible plants containing dietary fiber (especially insoluble dietary fiber) such as beans and / or miscellaneous grains, it is preferable to use powdered ones processed so that the aspect ratio of the dietary fiber contained therein is below a certain level. Here, the probability that the aspect ratio of the CFW-dyed part of dietary fiber in the powder of edible plants (such as beans and / or miscellaneous grains) that are usually crushed haphazardly is a value exceeding 5.0 is high (especially because the shape of insoluble dietary fiber contained in beans and / or miscellaneous grains is usually rod-shaped). Also, when wind sorting or the like is performed on the powder of edible plants (such as beans and / or miscellaneous grains), there is a high probability that edible plant powder with a specific shape is removed, and the aspect ratio of the CFW-dyed part of dietary fiber is either too high or too low. Therefore, as the powder of edible plants (such as beans and / or miscellaneous grains), it is preferable to use those that have been subjected to a specific crushing treatment in advance and in which the arithmetic mean value of the aspect ratio of the CFW-dyed part representing dietary fiber is within a specific range. Specifically, the arithmetic mean value of the aspect ratio of the CFW-dyed part in the powder of edible plants (such as beans and / or miscellaneous grains) measured by the above procedure can be, for example, in the range of 1.1 or more and 5.0 or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 5.0 or less, particularly 4.5 or less, or 4.0 or less, or 3.5 or less, or 3.0 or less, or 2.5 or less, especially preferably 2.0 or less. If the average value of the aspect ratio of such CFW-dyed parts exceeds the above range, the effects of the present invention may be difficult to achieve. The reason is not clear, but it is considered that dietary fiber (especially insoluble dietary fiber) having a large aspect ratio inhibits the formation of a matrix structure such as starch, making it difficult to achieve the effects of the present invention. On the other hand, the lower limit of the arithmetic mean value of such CFW-dyed part aspect ratio is not particularly limited, but is usually preferably 1.1 or more, and more preferably 1.3 or more.

[0198] In addition, the method for measuring various parameters regarding dietary fiber in edible plants (such as beans and / or miscellaneous grains) used as raw materials for the fabric composition, that is, treatment with amylase and protease, ultrasonic treatment, particle size distribution (particle size d 90 and d 50The specific conditions and procedures for measurement, CFW staining, fluorescence microscopy observation, etc., shall be measured in accordance with the methods for measuring various parameters related to dietary fiber in the composition described above.

[0199] • Micronization and pulverization of raw materials: In the present invention, when edible plants (e.g., legumes and / or grains) are used as raw materials for the dough composition, it is preferable to use edible plants that have been finely ground and powdered. The means and conditions for the fine grinding and powdering process are not particularly limited. Specifically, the temperature during the fine grinding and powdering process is not particularly limited, but if the powder is exposed to high temperatures, the elasticity of the composition of the present invention tends to decrease, so it is preferable to dry it at a temperature of 200°C or lower (the lower limit is not particularly limited, but usually 40°C or higher). However, when legumes and / or grains are used as edible plants, if the method involves heating the legumes and / or grains before grinding, the heat load is reduced, so the temperature is not particularly limited. Also, the pressure during the fine grinding and powdering process is not limited, and high-pressure grinding, atmospheric pressure grinding, or low-pressure grinding may be used. Examples of equipment for such fine grinding include, but are not limited to, blenders, mixers, mills, kneaders, pulverizers, crushers, and grinders. Specifically, for example, dry bead mills, ball mills (rolling type, vibrating type, etc.) and other media stirring mills, jet mills, high-speed rotating impact mills (pin mills, etc.), roll mills, hammer mills, etc. can be used.

[0200] • Heat treatment of raw materials with water: In the manufacturing method of the present invention, when using edible plants containing starch and / or protein (e.g., legumes and / or grains) as raw materials for the dough composition, it is preferable to use materials that have been preheated under conditions including water as a pretreatment. Since the decomposition of starch into smaller molecules is suppressed when raw materials are preheated and hydrated in this way, it becomes easier to obtain a solid composition that is less prone to surface binding.

[0201] Specifically, the dry-weight moisture content of edible plants during heat-hydration treatment is not limited, but can be in the range of, for example, 25% by mass or 200% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 25% by mass or more, preferably 30% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, and especially preferably 50% by mass or more. The upper limit of the dry-weight moisture content is not particularly limited, but can be in the range of, for example, 200% by mass or less, and especially preferably 175% by mass or less. Furthermore, the heating temperature during heat-hydration treatment of edible plants is not limited, but can be in the range of, for example, 100°C to 200°C. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 100°C or more, or preferably 110°C or more, or 120°C or more. The upper limit of the heating temperature is not limited, but can be in the range of, for example, 200°C or less, and especially preferably 190°C or less.

[0202] In this invention, it is more preferable to preheat both the edible plant containing starch and the edible plant containing protein with water before use, and it is even more preferable to preheat the edible plant containing both starch and protein with water before use. The edible plant can be heated with water by, for example, steam heating. For example, it is preferable that the starch contained in the composition of step (i) is derived from an edible plant heated to a maximum temperature of 100°C or higher under a moisture content of 25% by mass or more (or 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more) on a dry basis. Furthermore, it is even more preferable that the starch is in the state in which it was contained in the edible plant. Furthermore, it is preferable that the ratio of the starch content derived from the edible plant (preferably legumes and / or grains) to the total starch content of the entire composition is usually 30% by mass or more, more preferably 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, and especially 100% by mass or more, on a dry mass basis.

[0203] On the other hand, especially powdering (for example d 90 and / or d 50When using starch-containing edible plants (e.g., legumes and / or grains) with a particle size of <1000 μm, if they are heated in a dry environment with a dry moisture content of less than 25% (e.g., a maximum temperature of 100°C or higher), the starch may be locally heated, leading to overheating. This accelerates the thermal decomposition of the starch in its structure, solubilizes the amylose in its structure, and results in a sticky, undesirable composition.

[0204] Furthermore, when using an extruder in the manufacturing method of the present invention that performs high-temperature, high-pressure heat treatment of raw materials such as beans and / or grains at a high temperature of 100°C or higher in the upstream stage of the extruder, and then adjusts the internal temperature to below 100°C in the downstream stage to carry out each step of the manufacturing method of the present invention (for example, the extruder 102 in embodiment B shown in Figures 3 and 4, or when two independent extruders are connected in tandem), it is possible to carry out the heating and hydration treatment of the raw materials described in this section in the upstream stage of the extruder and then immediately carry out the manufacturing method of the present invention in the downstream stage of the extruder, which may be preferable from an efficiency standpoint.

[0205] • Particle size of the dough composition The particle size of the entire dough composition is preferably similar to that of the aforementioned edible plant powders (e.g., legumes and / or grains) that are preferably used as raw materials. Specifically, when measuring the particle size of the entire dough composition, ethanol is used as the solvent because it does not easily affect the structure of the sample during measurement. When measuring, a dispersion is used in which the sample has been diluted and suspended in the solvent beforehand, and the measurement is performed when the sample is homogeneously suspended in the solvent. Specifically, 1 g of the sample is immersed in 50 g of ethanol, left to stand for about 5 minutes, then thoroughly stirred and suspended with a spatula, and the solution (2% by mass ethanol dispersion) that has passed through an 8-mesh sieve with a mesh opening of 2.36 mm and a wire diameter of 1.0 mm (corresponding to "No. 8" specified in "Alternative" in "Nominal Dimensions, Permissible Variation for Wire Cloth of Standard Testing Sieves (USA) Standard Series" in USA Standard Testing Sieves ASTM Specifications E 11-04) is used for measurement. More specifically, 100g of the suspension (20°C) is evenly spread onto a sieve, and the sieve is vibrated with a load that does not change the composition size until the fraction mass on the sieve becomes constant. The solution that passes through the sieve is then measured as a 2% by mass ethanol dispersion, and the particle size after ultrasonic treatment is determined from the particle size distribution obtained by measuring it using a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer in the same way as the specific surface area per unit volume described above.

[0206] The particle size d of the entire dough composition after ultrasonic treatment, as measured by the above procedure. 90 For example, it can be in the range of 0.3 μm or more and less than 500 μm. More specifically, the upper limit is usually preferably less than 500 μm, and more preferably 450 μm or less, or 400 μm or less, or 350 μm or less, or 300 μm or less, or 250 μm or less, or 200 μm or less, or 150 μm or less, or 100 μm or less, or 90 μm or less, or 80 μm or less, or 70 μm or less, or 60 μm or less, or 50 μm or less. Also, the particle size d after ultrasonic treatment. 50Also, it is preferably usually less than 500 μm, more preferably 450 μm or less, or 400 μm or less, or 350 μm or less, or 300 μm or less, or 250 μm or less, or 200 μm or less, or 150 μm or less, or 100 μm or less, or 90 μm or less, or 80 μm or less, or 70 μm or less, or 60 μm or less, or 50 μm or less. d 90 And d 50 The lower limit of is not particularly limited, and any of them can usually be 0.3 μm or more, or 1 μm or more.

[0207] • Characteristics of the dough composition determined by gel filtration chromatography: In the production method of the present invention, it is preferable that the fabric composition in step (i) is a composition that satisfies the following characteristics when subjected to gel filtration chromatography measurement by various methods described below.

[0208] In the present invention, the "molecular weight distribution" or "molecular weight distribution curve" means a distribution diagram obtained by plotting the logarithm of the molecular weight on the horizontal axis (X-axis) and plotting the percentage (%) of the measured value at each logarithm of the molecular weight with respect to the total measured value of the RI detector over the entire measurement range on the vertical axis (Y-axis). Also, when calculating the area under the curve from the molecular weight distribution curve obtained by analyzing the purified starch obtained by treating the composition according to the following [Procedure a] after subjecting the composition to a constant temperature treatment at 90 °C for 15 minutes in 40 mass times the amount of water (for example, adding 40 g of water to 1 g of the composition), after numerically correcting the entire curve so that the lowest value within the measurement range becomes 0, the area under the curve can be appropriately evaluated for the low molecular weight fraction ([near value α]) that is underestimated in terms of molecular weight although it has a great impact on quality by calculating the area under the curve with the logarithm of the molecular weight as the horizontal axis (X-axis). Note that the constant temperature treatment at 90 °C for 15 minutes will be too harsh if the temperature is too high or the composition fluctuates due to thermal convection. Therefore, the composition is put into a container such as an Eppendorf tube, and after adding 40 mass times the amount of water adjusted to a temperature of 90 °C and sealing it, it is preferably subjected to a constant temperature treatment by placing the container in boiling water and slowly stirring while adjusting the internal temperature to be uniform so that the treatment temperature does not rise too much.

[0209] • [Procedure a]: The aforementioned [procedure a] is a procedure in which a 2.5% by mass aqueous dispersion of the composition (the composition added to 40 times its mass volume of water) is pulverized along with the composition in the liquid, subjected to proteolytic enzyme treatment, and then the ethanol-insoluble and dimethyl sulfoxide-soluble components are obtained as purified starch. The technical significance of such [procedure a] lies in removing impurities such as proteins with relatively similar molecular sizes, and obtaining purified starch by utilizing the ethanol-insoluble and dimethyl sulfoxide-soluble properties of starch, thereby preventing column clogging during gel filtration chromatography and improving the accuracy and reproducibility of the analysis.

[0210] The pulverization process after the constant temperature treatment in [procedure a] can be carried out by any method that can sufficiently homogenize the composition, but for example, it can be done by using a homogenizer NS52 (manufactured by Microtech Nichion Co., Ltd.) and crushing it at 25,000 rpm for 30 seconds.

[0211] Furthermore, the proteolytic enzyme treatment in [procedure a] may be any treatment that can sufficiently enzymatically degrade the proteins in the composition. For example, this can be done by adding 0.5% by mass of proteolytic enzyme (Proteinase K, product code 9034, manufactured by Takara Bio Inc.) to the pulverized composition and reacting it at 20°C for 16 hours.

[0212] Furthermore, the extraction of the ethanol-insoluble and dimethyl sulfoxide-soluble components in this [procedure a] is not limited, but may be carried out as follows: (i) To the composition that has been subjected to grinding and proteolytic enzyme treatment, 240 times the mass of 99.5% ethanol (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) is added based on the composition used initially, mixed, and then centrifuged (e.g., at 10,000 rpm for 5 minutes) to obtain the ethanol-insoluble fraction. Next, (ii) To the obtained ethanol-insoluble fraction, 80 times the mass of dimethyl sulfoxide (CAS 67-68-5, manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) is added based on the composition used initially, and dissolved by stirring at 90°C for 10 minutes, the solution is centrifuged (10,000 rpm for 5 minutes) and the supernatant is collected to obtain the dimethyl sulfoxide-soluble fraction. Next, (iii) to the obtained dimethyl sulfoxide-soluble fraction, 240 times the mass of 99.5% ethanol relative to the initially used composition is added and mixed, and the precipitate fraction is recovered by centrifugation (10,000 rpm, 5 minutes). Then, (iv) the above (iii) is repeated three times, and the finally obtained precipitate is dried under reduced pressure to obtain the ethanol-insoluble and dimethyl sulfoxide-soluble component as purified starch.

[0213] • [Condition A]: Condition A is a condition in which 0.10% by mass of purified starch is dissolved in a 1M aqueous sodium hydroxide solution, allowed to stand at 37°C for 30 minutes, an equal amount of water and an equal amount of eluent (for example, 0.05M NaOH / 0.2% by mass of NaCl can be used as the eluent), 5 mL of the filtrate filtered through a 5 μm filter is subjected to gel filtration chromatography, and the molecular weight distribution in the range of a molecular weight logarithm between 5.0 and less than 9.5 is measured.

[0214] The technical significance of such [Condition A] is that by removing insoluble, coarse impurities from starch dissolved in water under alkaline conditions through filter filtration, column clogging during gel filtration chromatography is prevented, thereby improving the accuracy and reproducibility of the analysis.

[0215] Specifically, the dough composition from step (i), either in its original state or after constant temperature treatment at 90°C for 15 minutes in a specific 40 times the mass volume of water, is subjected to gel filtration chromatography of the purified starch obtained according to [procedure a], and the filtrate obtained under [condition A] is subjected to the measurement of the mass-average molecular weight distribution in a predetermined interval described later within the logarithmic molecular weight range of 5.0 to less than 9.5. The molecular weight distribution curve thus obtained is analyzed after data correction so that the minimum value is 0, thereby obtaining the logarithmic mass average molecular weight and the ratio of the area under the curve in the predetermined logarithmic molecular weight interval to the total area under the curve obtained from the molecular weight distribution curve in the predetermined logarithmic molecular weight range. Therefore, it is desirable to set the gel filtration chromatography appropriately so that these values ​​can be obtained.

[0216] • Measurement conditions for gel filtration chromatography: In this invention, the gel filtration column used for gel filtration chromatography is a gel filtration column having a common logarithm of the exclusion limit molecular weight (Da) in the intermediate range of molecular weight logarithms (6.5 to less than 8.0) and below (less than 6.5), particularly within the range of molecular weight logarithms between 5.0 and less than 9.5 that are the target of measurement. Furthermore, multiple gel filtration columns with different exclusion limit molecular weights within the aforementioned range are used and connected in series (tandem) from the upstream side of the analysis, from those with the largest exclusion limit molecular weight to those with the smallest. This configuration makes it possible to separate starch with a molecular weight logarithm corresponding to the intermediate range (6.5 to less than 8.0) from starch with a molecular weight logarithm corresponding to a smaller range (5.0 to less than 6.5) and / or starch with a molecular weight logarithm corresponding to a larger range (8.0 to less than 9.5), and to appropriately measure each parameter.

[0217] A concrete example of such a gel filtration column combination is, for instance, the following combination of four columns connected in series. TOYOPEARL HW-75S (manufactured by Tosoh Corporation, exclusion limit molecular weight (logarithmic scale): 7.7 Da, average pore size 100 nm or larger, Φ2 cm × 30 cm): 2 tubes. TOYOPEARL HW-65S (manufactured by Tosoh Corporation, exclusion limit molecular weight (logarithmic scale): 6.6 Da, average pore size 100 nm, Φ2 cm × 30 cm); 1 tube. TOYOPEARL HW-55S (manufactured by Tosoh Corporation, exclusion limit molecular weight (logarithmic scale): 5.8 Da, average pore size 50 nm, Φ2 cm × 30 cm): 1 tube.

[0218] The eluent for gel filtration chromatography is not limited, but for example, 0.05 M NaOH / 0.2 mass% NaCl can be used. The conditions for gel filtration chromatography are not limited, but for example, an oven temperature of 40°C, a flow rate of 1 mL / min, and analysis can be performed every 0.5 seconds. The detection instrument for gel filtration chromatography is not limited, but for example, an RI detector (Tosoh Corporation RI-8021) can be used. The data analysis method for gel filtration chromatography is not limited, but specific examples include the following. Specifically, among the measurements obtained from the detection instrument, the values ​​within the logarithmic molecular weight range of the target molecule (5.0 or more and less than 9.5) are corrected so that the minimum value is 0. Then, using a calibration curve, the elution times of two linear standard pullulan markers for size exclusion chromatography with peak top molecular weights of 1,660,000 and 380,000 (e.g., Showa Denko's P400 (DP2200, MW380000) and P1600 (DP9650, MW1660000)) are converted to the common logarithm of the molecular weight (molecular weight logarithm). Furthermore, by representing the measured values ​​at each elution time (logarithmic molecular weight) as a percentage, with the sum of the measured values ​​from the detection instrument at each elution time within the logarithmic molecular weight range of the target sample (5.0 or more and less than 9.5) set to 100, the molecular weight distribution of the measured sample (X axis: logarithmic molecular weight, Y axis: percentage of the measured values ​​at each logarithmic molecular weight relative to the total RI detector measured values ​​across the entire measurement range) can be calculated, and a molecular weight distribution curve can be created.

[0219] • Numerical ranges for each parameter measured by gel filtration chromatography: In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the dough composition of step (i) is subjected to constant temperature treatment of the composition in 40 times its mass volume of water at 90°C for 15 minutes, and the components obtained by treatment according to [procedure a] are analyzed under [condition A] to obtain a molecular weight distribution curve (hereinafter referred to as "MWDC") in the range of a molecular weight logarithm of 5.0 or more and less than 8.0. 5.0-8.0 In the above-mentioned measurement, it is preferable that the composition is such that the ratio of the area under the curve in the interval of molecular weight logarithm 5.0 or more and less than 6.5 to the total area under the curve (hereinafter referred to as "AUC1") is less than or equal to a predetermined value. Specifically, the AUC1 obtained by subjecting the dough composition of step (i) to the above measurement can be in the range of, for example, 1% or more at the lower limit and, for example, 70% or less at the upper limit. More specifically, it is preferable that the upper limit is usually 70% or less, more preferably 65% ​​or less, or less than 65%, or 60% or less, 50% or less, 40% or less, or 35% or less. A dough composition in which AUC1 is less than or equal to the above-mentioned predetermined value has a high probability that the endogenous enzyme that decomposes the relatively high molecular weight fraction (molecular weight logarithm 6.5 or more and less than 8.0), which is thought to be mainly amylopectin, has been inactivated by the above-mentioned heat and water treatment. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but is usually 1% or more, or 3% or more, or 5% or more, or 8% or more.

[0220] Furthermore, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, the dough composition of step (i) is obtained by the molecular weight distribution curve (MWDC) 5.0-8.0 In the above, it is preferable that the composition has a ratio of the area under the curve in the interval of molecular weight logarithm 6.5 or more and less than 8.0 to the total area under the curve (hereinafter referred to as "AUC2") that is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Specifically, the AUC2 obtained by subjecting the dough composition of step (i) to the above measurement can be in the range of, for example, 30% or more at the lower limit and, for example, 99% or less at the upper limit. More specifically, the upper limit is usually 30% or more, more preferably 35% or more, and even more preferably 40% or more, or 45% or more. A dough composition in which the AUC2 is equal to or greater than the predetermined value has a high probability that an appropriate amount of amylopectin remains in the starch even after heat treatment. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but is usually 99% or less, or 90% or less.

[0221] In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the dough composition of step (i) is obtained by analyzing the components obtained by treating the composition according to [procedure a] under [condition A], and the molecular weight distribution curve (hereinafter referred to as "MWDC") in the range of molecular weight logarithm 6.5 or more and less than 9.5 is obtained. 6.5-9.5 In the above measurement, it is preferable that the composition has a ratio of the area under the curve in the interval where the molecular weight logarithm is 6.5 or more and less than 8.0 to the total area under the curve (hereinafter referred to as "AUC3") that is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Specifically, the AUC3 obtained by subjecting the dough composition of step (i) to the above measurement can be in the range of, for example, 30% or more at the lower limit and, for example, 100% or less at the upper limit. More specifically, it is preferable that the lower limit is usually 30% or more, more preferably 35% or more, even more preferably 40% or more, or 50% or more, or 60% or more, or 70% or more, or 80% or more. A dough composition with an AUC3 equal to or greater than the predetermined value is preferable because it has a quality that does not easily stick when dried, and productivity is increased. The principle is unknown, but it is thought that this is because, even among the high molecular weight starch fraction (molecular weight logarithm of 6.5 or more and less than 9.5) which is thought to be mainly amylopectin, it has a large amount of relatively low molecular weight (fraction with molecular weight logarithm of 6.5 or more and less than 8.0) fraction which has the property of not being sticky. There is no particular upper limit, but it is usually 100%, or less than 100%, or less than 98%.

[0222] Furthermore, grains other than coarse grains, such as rice, wheat, and barley, tend to contain a large amount of fractions with a molecular weight logarithm of 8.0 or more and less than 9.5. Therefore, it is preferable that the total content of these grains other than coarse grains (e.g., rice, wheat, and barley) is below a predetermined ratio. Specifically, it is preferable that the total content of grains other than coarse grains (e.g., rice, wheat, and barley) is 0% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less on a dry basis (or 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less, or 20% by mass or less, or 10% by mass or less, or substantially not contained, or not contained). Alternatively, it is preferable that the total starch content derived from grains other than coarse grains (e.g., rice, wheat, and barley) is 0% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less on a dry basis (or 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less, or 20% by mass or less, or 10% by mass or less, or substantially not contained, or not contained). Alternatively, the ratio of the total starch content derived from grains other than millet (e.g., rice, wheat, and barley) to the total starch content of the entire composition may be 0% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less (or 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less, or 20% by mass or less, or 10% by mass or less, or substantially absent, or absent) on a dry mass basis. Unless otherwise specified, in the present invention, "substantially absent" means a state in which the content is less than 10 ppm by mass.

[0223] The composition of the present invention, the molecular weight distribution curve MWDC 3.5-6.5A preferred feature is that the ratio of the area under the curve (hereinafter referred to as AUC4) in the interval of the molecular weight logarithm between 3.5 and less than 5.0 is within a predetermined range. Specifically, the AUC4 of the composition of the present invention can be in the range of, for example, 10% or more at the lower limit and 70% or less at the upper limit. More specifically, it is preferable that the lower limit is usually 10% or more. In particular, it is preferable that it be 15% or more, even more preferably 20% or more, especially 25% or more, or 30% or more, or 35% or more, or 40% or more. The reason for this is not clear, but it is preferable because a composition with a good texture is obtained when the proportion of amylose contained in the starch (which is thought to be contained in the fraction with a molecular weight logarithm between 5.0 and less than 6.5) that is further decomposed into lower molecular weight dextrin (which is thought to be contained in the fraction with a molecular weight logarithm between 3.5 and less than 5.0) is greater than a predetermined value. There is no particular upper limit, but it can be, for example, 70% or less, or 60% or less, or 50% or less, or 45% or less.

[0224] (3) Stage (ii): Hot water addition treatment In this stage (ii), water at a predetermined temperature or higher is mixed with the composition prepared in stage (i) so that the dry moisture content is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. By adding warm water at an appropriate temperature to the composition in this stage so that the dry moisture content is appropriate, it is possible to suppress the aging of the composition without subsequently applying harsh conditions such as high temperature and strong kneading. Although this stage (ii) and the following stage (iii) may be carried out simultaneously as a single process, from the viewpoint of improving the feeding of the dough composition, it is preferable to carry out stage (ii) followed by stage (iii) as separate processes.

[0225] Step (ii) may be carried out inside or outside the extruder of the present invention. When Step (ii) is carried out inside the extruder, the dough composition or (if the dough composition is prepared inside the extruder) its raw materials may be introduced into the extruder via the extruder's feeder, and water at a predetermined temperature or higher may be introduced into the extruder via the extruder's feeder or water intake mechanism, and the mixture may be carried out inside the extruder to perform Step (ii). On the other hand, when Step (ii) is carried out outside the extruder, Step (ii) may be carried out by mixing water at a predetermined temperature or higher with the dough composition prepared outside the extruder, or by mixing the raw materials of the dough composition with water at a predetermined temperature or higher, thereby simultaneously performing the preparation of the dough composition in Step (i) and the mixing of water at a predetermined temperature or higher in Step (ii). Furthermore, the water may be in liquid or gaseous (steam) form.

[0226] In step (ii), the temperature of the water added to the composition can be, for example, 40°C or higher, and while there is no particular upper limit, it can be in the range of, for example, 200°C or lower. By adjusting the dry-weight moisture content using relatively high-temperature water in this step, it is possible to obtain a composition that does not easily become powdery when consumed after cooking, even when the transport in the subsequent step (iii) is carried out under conditions of a relatively low specific mechanical energy (SME) value (e.g., less than 300 kJ / kg) and / or a relatively high flight ratio (e.g., 100%). More specifically, the lower limit of the temperature of the water added to the composition can usually be 40°C or higher, and more particularly 45°C or higher, or 50°C or higher, or 55°C or higher, or 60°C or higher, or 65°C or higher, or 70°C or higher. On the other hand, there is no particular upper limit on the water temperature, but it can be, for example, below 200°C, and more specifically below 190°C, or below 180°C, or below 170°C, or below 160°C, or below 150°C, or below 140°C, or below 130°C, or below 120°C, or below 110°C, or below 100°C. Note that the addition of water at this stage can be done in the form of water or steam, depending on the temperature.

[0227] The dry-weight moisture content of the composition in step (ii) is, for example, 40% by mass or more, and the upper limit is not particularly limited, but can be in the range of, for example, 200% by mass or less. This is preferable because it promotes the integration of the starch matrix without kneading at high temperatures in the conveying process described later, and prevents the composition from sticking together after cooking. More specifically, the lower limit of the dry-weight moisture content of the composition is usually 40% by mass or more, more preferably 45% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 55% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 65% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 75% by mass or more, and especially preferably 80% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit of the dry-weight moisture content of the composition is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 200% by mass or less, or 175% by mass or less, or 150% by mass or less.

[0228] (4) Stage (iii): Conveying process In this step (iii), the composition to which hot water was added in step (ii) is conveyed under predetermined conditions by the screw of an extruder. Here, because the dry weight moisture content is adjusted using relatively hot water in the preceding step (ii), even if the conveying in this step (iii) is carried out under conditions of a relatively low specific mechanical energy (SME) value (e.g., less than 300 kJ / kg) and / or a relatively high flight ratio (e.g., 100%), a composition that is less likely to become powdery when eaten after cooking can be obtained. As mentioned above, the preceding step (ii) and this step (iii) may be carried out simultaneously as a single process, but from the viewpoint of improving the feeding of the dough composition, it is preferable to carry out step (ii) followed by step (iii) as separate processes.

[0229] • Temperature of the composition during transport: The temperature of the composition in step (iii) has a lower limit of 55°C or higher, and while there is no upper limit, it can be, for example, less than 200°C. Specifically, the lower limit is usually 55°C or higher, and more preferably 60°C or higher, or 65°C or higher, or 70°C or higher, or 75°C or higher, or 80°C or higher, or 85°C or higher, or 90°C or higher. On the other hand, although there is no upper limit to the composition temperature, if the composition temperature is too high, the starch will be overheated, the thermal decomposition of the starch in its structure will be accelerated, the amylose in its structure will be solubilized, and the composition may become sticky. Therefore, the upper limit of the composition temperature is usually less than 200°C, and more preferably less than 190°C, or less than 180°C, or less than 170°C, or less than 160°C, or less than 150°C, or less than 140°C, or less than 130°C, or less than 120°C, or less than 110°C, or less than 100°C.

[0230] Furthermore, the composition temperature in step (iii) can be the arithmetic mean of the composition temperature inside the barrel at that point. Specifically, it can be calculated by measuring the temperature inside the barrel at a finite, even interval (e.g., 1 cm intervals). Here, the maximum temperature reached inside the barrel is, for example, 55°C or higher, and although there is no upper limit, it can be, for example, in the range of less than 200°C. More specifically, it is preferable that the lower limit is usually 55°C or higher, or 60°C or higher, or 65°C or higher, or 70°C or higher, or 75°C or higher, or 80°C or higher, or 85°C or higher, or 90°C or higher. However, if the temperature inside the barrel is too high, the starch will be overheated, the thermal decomposition of the starch in its structure will be accelerated, the amylose in its structure will be solubilized, and the composition may become sticky, which is undesirable. Therefore, the upper limit of the temperature inside the barrel (preferably the water temperature) is usually less than 200°C, and more preferably less than 190°C, or less than 180°C, or less than 170°C, or less than 160°C, or less than 150°C, or less than 140°C, or less than 130°C, or less than 120°C, or less than 110°C, or less than 100°C.

[0231] • Processing conditions of the composition during transport: Regarding the specific processing conditions during transport, it is preferable that the SME (specific mechanical energy) value, calculated by the following formula I, is less than a predetermined value. In the present invention, by carrying out the preceding steps (i) and (ii) under the predetermined conditions, it is preferable that even if transport is performed with a relatively low SME value in step (iii), a composition that is less likely to crack (cracks occurring inside the composition) can be obtained even after a certain period of time (for example, 3 days or more, or 10 days or more, or even 30 days or more) has elapsed during storage at room temperature (in the present invention, unless otherwise specified). Specifically, in step (iii), transport can be performed under conditions where the SME value is, for example, less than 300 kJ / kg, and the lower limit is not particularly limited, but for example, in the range of greater than 0 kJ / kg. More specifically, transport can be performed under conditions where the upper limit is usually less than 300 kJ / kg, or less than 250 kJ / kg, or less than 200 kJ / kg, or less than 150 kJ / kg, or less than 100 kJ / kg. There is no particular lower limit, but it can usually be greater than 0 kJ / kg, or 5 kJ / kg or more, or 10 kJ / kg or more, or 20 kJ / kg or more.

[0232]

number

[0233] Furthermore, in step (iii), the screw rotation speed of the extruder can be set to a range of, for example, more than 150 rpm and 2500 rpm or less. More specifically, it is generally preferable to set it to more than 150 rpm, and more preferably more than 200 rpm or more than 250 rpm. There is no particular upper limit, but for example, it can be generally 2500 rpm or less, or 1500 rpm or less.

[0234] As mentioned above, it is preferable to use an extruder in step (iii) in which the length of the flight portion accounts for a certain proportion of the total length of the screw. Specifically, the ratio of the length of the flight portion to the total length of the screw has a lower limit of, for example, 90% or more, and an upper limit which is not limited but can be, for example, 100%. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 90% or more, and more preferably 95% or more, or 97% or more, or 99% or more. It is preferable that the ratio of the length of the flight portion to the total length of the screw is greater than or equal to the lower limit, as this stabilizes the pressure during transport and promotes the integration of the starch matrix even without kneading at high temperatures, and as a result makes it possible to obtain a composition that is less prone to cracking (cracks occurring inside the composition) even after a certain period of time (for example, 3 days or more, or 10 days or more, or even 30 days or more) has passed during storage at room temperature (in this invention, unless otherwise specified, this refers to 20°C). On the other hand, the upper limit of the ratio of the length of the flight portion to the total length of the screw is not limited and may be 100%.

[0235] • Pressure conditions of the composition during transport: The pressure conditions during transport in step (iii) are pre-pressurized conditions, i.e., pressurized conditions relative to atmospheric pressure. It is preferable to carry out transport under conditions where a higher-than-usual pressure is applied, as this stabilizes the pressure during transport and promotes the integration of the starch matrix even without kneading at high temperatures, thereby enabling the acquisition of a composition that is less prone to cracking (cracks occurring inside the composition) even after a certain period of time has passed during storage at room temperature. The transport pressure can be measured by measuring the outlet pressure of the extruder. The pressure to be applied relative to atmospheric pressure during transport in step (iii) is usually 1.5 MPa or higher, and there is no particular upper limit, but it can be, for example, 50 MPa or lower. Specifically, it is preferable that the lower limit of the pressure to be applied relative to atmospheric pressure during transport is usually 1.5 MPa or higher, or 2.0 MPa or higher, or 3.0 MPa or higher, or 4.0 MPa or higher, or 5.0 MPa or higher, or 6.0 MPa or higher. On the other hand, there is no particular upper limit to the pressure applied relative to atmospheric pressure during transport, but it can be, for example, 50 MPa or less, 30 MPa or less, or 10 MPa or less. As mentioned above, when a kneading section is provided in the rear half of the screw, it is preferable to install a flow delay structure in the kneading section, as this can increase the pressure in the kneading section. Also, by flowing water around the barrel, the barrel is cooled in the front half of the barrel, making the dough composition harder and allowing the screw to grip the dough more easily. This increases the flow rate of the dough composition and increases the pressure towards the die section. On the other hand, in the rear half of the barrel, the water warms up due to frictional heat inside, which is preferable as it makes the dough composition more fluid and easier to transport.

[0236] • Delivery time: The transport time in step (iii) can be determined appropriately based on the temperature and pressure during transport, the size of the extruder, etc. In particular, since the amount of heat applied to the composition varies greatly depending on the characteristics of the equipment mainly used, it is preferable to process the material so that the physical properties of the composition before and after the transport process are adjusted to a predetermined range. However, generally, the transport time can be in the range of, for example, 0.1 minutes to 60 minutes. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 0.1 minutes or more, and more preferably 0.2 minutes or more, or 0.3 minutes or more, or 0.4 minutes or more, or 0.5 minutes or more, or 0.8 minutes or more, or 1 minute or more, and especially preferably 2 minutes or more. There is no upper limit to the transport time, but from the viewpoint of efficiency, it is preferable to set it to, for example, 60 minutes or less, and more preferably 30 minutes or less, or 15 minutes or less.

[0237] • Temperature increase ratio of the composition before and after transport: In the manufacturing method of the present invention, it is preferable that the rate of temperature increase of the composition before and after the conveying in step (iii) is above a predetermined value. Here, the rate of temperature increase of the composition before and after the conveying in step (iii) is the ratio defined by {(composition temperature after conveying) - (composition temperature before conveying)} / (composition temperature before conveying). The rate of temperature increase of the composition before and after the conveying in step (iii) can be, for example, 5% or more and 300% or less. Specifically, it is preferable that the lower limit is usually 5% or more, or 10% or more, or 20% or more, or 30% or more, or 40% or more, or 50% or more, or 60% or more, or 70% or more, or 80% or more, or 90% or more, or 100% or more. While there is no upper limit, from the standpoint of industrial production efficiency, it is generally preferable to keep it below 300%, and more preferably below 290%, 280%, 270%, 260%, 250%, 240%, 230%, 220%, 210%, or 200%.

[0238] By carrying out the transport in step (iii) such that the temperature increase rate of the composition rises to a predetermined value or higher, it is possible to obtain a composition that is less likely to become powdery and less likely to crack (cracks that occur inside the composition) even after a certain period of time has passed during storage at room temperature. The principle is unknown, but it is thought that when the temperature of the composition during transport rises above a certain level, the starch diffuses throughout the composition in a matrix-like manner, and the amylopectin in the starch becomes structured to easily exhibit water-retaining elasticity. Furthermore, it is possible that the effects of the present invention are achieved by the interaction in which the starch diffuses throughout the composition in a matrix-like manner, and the acid fuchsin-stained site structure, which is thought to be mainly composed of protein in that structure, develops to a desirable shape and size, and the dietary fiber helps in the development of that shape and size, thereby forming a structure that is completely different from conventionally known protein networks such as gluten.

[0239] Furthermore, the method for raising the temperature of the composition before and after transport in step (iii) to a predetermined value or higher is not particularly limited, and any method may be used. For example, a temperature control mechanism (heater and / or cooler) may be provided in part or all of the barrel to adjust the temperature inside the barrel, or the temperature of the composition may be adjusted by frictional heat or compression heat generated during transport, or the thermodynamics of the interaction between starch and water (preferably the heat generated by the formation of hydrogen bonds between starch molecules and adsorbed water molecules) may be adjusted. Among these, it is preferable to raise the temperature by frictional heat or compression heat generated during transport. In particular, combining the frictional heat or compression heat generated during transport with the reaction heat due to the interaction between starch and water is more preferable from the viewpoint of energy efficiency and industrial production efficiency.

[0240] • Preparation of frozen sections after treatment with heated water and observation under acidic fuchsin staining: The manufacturing method of the present invention has the following characteristics when a frozen section obtained by treating the composition after transport in step (iii) under specific conditions is stained with acid fuchsin and observed.

[0241] For measuring authenticity, the composition is heated in water at 90°C for 6 minutes, then frozen at -25°C. Frozen sections are prepared by cutting the frozen composition into 30 μm thick sections along a specific cross-section, and these sections are observed after acid fuchsin staining.

[0242] Specifically, the preparation of frozen sections of the composition and observation under acid fuchsin staining are not limited, but are preferably carried out by the following procedure, for example. That is, the composition is treated for 6 minutes in 1000 times its volume of water (more specifically, water at 90°C) heated to 90°C or higher, and then frozen sections are prepared by cutting to a thickness of 30 μm at -25°C according to the Kawamoto method described in Kawamoto, "Use of a new adhesive film for the preparation of multi-purpose fresh-frozen sections from hard tissues, whole-animals, insects and plants", Arch. Histol. Cytol., (2003), 66[2]:123-43. The frozen sections of the composition thus obtained are stained with, for example, acid fuchsin solution (CI 42685, Merck KGaA). More specifically, 15 μL of acid fuchsin solution is dropped onto the frozen section of the composition adsorbed on a glass slide, a coverslip is quickly placed on top, and it is left for 3 minutes to stain. The stained frozen sections are then placed under the field of view of a microscope, for example, at a magnification of 200x, and a color photograph with a resolution of, for example, 1360 x 1024 pixels is taken and used for analysis.

[0243] For the acid fuchsin-stained photographs of the frozen sections of the composition taken in the above procedure, the shape of each stained area (perimeter, area, roundness, etc.) is measured by the following method. Specifically, among the areas intensely stained blue in the photograph taken in the above procedure, the area where part or all of the stained area does not overlap with the outer edge of the field of view and where the shape of the entire area can be confirmed, and where the area of ​​the stained area is large enough to be analyzed (specifically, the area of ​​the stained area is 30 μm² or larger) is the area of ​​the stained area. 2In summary, for example, in the case of a photograph with a magnification of 200x and a resolution of 1360 x 1024 pixels, the area with a particle area of ​​100 dots or more is selected as the target of analysis.

[0244] Specifically, the stained areas to be analyzed are determined, for example, by the following method: A frozen section of an acid fuchsin-stained composition is observed under a 200x fluorescence microscope field of view. The resulting acid fuchsin-stained image is converted to grayscale, binarized, and then inverted to black and white. From the pixels that are left white (i.e., pixels corresponding to a portion of the stained area in the original acid fuchsin-stained image), all pixel clusters formed by connecting pixels that are adjacent on any of their four sides, and which are independent of other pixel clusters, are extracted. Discriminant analysis is used during binarization to determine a threshold that maximizes the variance ratio between intra-class and inter-class variances for the background and pattern region after binarization. Specifically, particle analysis ver. 3.5 (manufactured by Nippon Steel Technology Co., Ltd.) can be used to binarize the grayscale image. Next, among these pixel clusters, those that partially or completely overlap the outer edge of the field of view, and those with an area of ​​30 μm², are selected. 2 Pixel clusters excluding those smaller than (for example, less than 100 pixels in a 200x magnification, 1360x1024 pixel image) are selected as the stained areas for analysis. If there are independent black pixels within a cluster of white pixels (i.e., if there are spot-like unstained areas within a portion that was stained during imaging), the pixels corresponding to such unstained areas are ignored when calculating the area.

[0245] For the selected stained areas, parameters related to their shape, such as area, area ratio, perimeter, and circularity coefficient, are measured. These parameters can be measured using various well-known image analysis software capable of analyzing the shape within an image.

[0246] In this invention, the "area" of the area to be stained refers to the area corresponding to the total number of pixels that make up a certain area to be stained.

[0247] Furthermore, in this invention, the "area ratio" of the stained area represents the proportion of the total area of ​​all stained areas of a specific shape to the total area of ​​the cross-section of the composition. A larger value is obtained for compositions in which the stained area is predominantly present in the cross-sectional image of the composition.

[0248] Furthermore, in this invention, the "circularity coefficient" of the area to be stained is a value that decreases as the shape of the area to be stained deviates from a perfect circle, and is defined as "Circularity coefficient = 4π × (area) ÷ (perimeter)". 2 This is determined by [the formula], and smaller values ​​are obtained for images of stained areas with complex shapes.

[0249] Furthermore, the "perimeter" of the stained area in this invention is a value calculated by rounding the contour length of a stained area, using the length of one side of a pixel as "one pixel," and a smaller value is obtained for stained areas that do not have an intricate contour inside. Specifically, among the pixels that make up the stained area image (2 pixels × 2 pixels or more), it is generally calculated by summing the number of pixels on the sides that do not touch other pixels and form the contour of the stained area. However, as an exception, for pixels that touch other pixels only on two orthogonal sides, the diagonal length is used as the number of pixels in order to round the corners.

[0250] Furthermore, when analyzing magnified images from a microscope, any of the above parameters related to the shape of the stained area can be converted to actual measured values ​​by converting known-length images (such as scale bars) into pixel counts.

[0251] • Characteristics (a) Ratio of the number of sites stained with specific acid fuchsins: The composition after transport in step (iii) was frozen sectioned using the procedure described above and observed with acid fuchsin staining, resulting in an area of ​​30 μm. 2 The number of stained areas mentioned above corresponds to an area of ​​200 μm². 2One of its features is that the ratio of stained areas with a circularity coefficient of 0.3 or higher is greater than or equal to a predetermined value (feature (a)). Having these physical properties makes it easier to obtain the effect of preventing powderiness when consumed after cooking. The principle is unknown, but it is thought that by processing the composition under predetermined hydration conditions described later, with the starch granule structure destroyed, the starch diffuses throughout the composition in a matrix-like manner, and the amylopectin in the starch becomes a structure that easily exhibits elasticity when it retains water.

[0252] Specifically, when the composition after transport in step (iii) is frozen sectioned using the procedure described above and observed with acid fuchsin staining, an area of ​​30 μm is observed. 2 The number of stained areas mentioned above corresponds to an area of ​​200 μm². 2 The ratio of stained areas with a circularity coefficient of 0.3 or higher is usually 3% or more. Preferably, it is 4% or more, even more preferably 5% or more, especially 6% or more, or 7% or more, or 8% or more, or 9% or more, and particularly preferably 10% or more. On the other hand, there is no particular upper limit to such a ratio, but from the viewpoint of industrial productivity, it is usually preferable that it be 65% or less.

[0253] • Characteristics (b) Total area percentage of specific acid fuchsin-stained sites: When the composition after transport in step (iii) is frozen sectioned in the above procedure and observed with acid fuchsin staining, the area of ​​the cross-sectional image of the composition is 200 μm². 2 A further feature is that the ratio of the total area of ​​stained areas having the above properties and a circularity coefficient of 0.3 or higher is greater than or equal to a predetermined value (feature (b)). Having these physical properties makes it easier to obtain the effect of preventing powderiness when consumed after cooking. The principle is unknown, but it is thought that by processing the composition under predetermined hydration conditions described later, with the starch granule structure destroyed, the starch diffuses throughout the composition in a matrix-like manner, and the amylopectin in the starch becomes a structure that easily exhibits elasticity when it retains water.

[0254] Specifically, when the composition after transport in step (iii) is frozen sectioned using the procedure described above and observed with acid fuchsin staining, the area of ​​the cross-sectional image of the composition is 200 μm². 2 The ratio of the total area of ​​stained areas that meet the above criteria and have a circularity coefficient of 0.3 or higher is usually 0.3% or more. Preferably, it is 0.4% or more, more preferably 0.5% or more, especially 0.6% or more, or 0.7% or more, or 0.8% or more, or 0.9% or more, and particularly preferably 1.0% or more. On the other hand, there is no particular upper limit to such a ratio, but from the viewpoint of industrial productivity, it is usually preferable that it be 20% or less.

[0255] • Characteristics (c) 90th percentile value of the area of ​​specific acid fuchsin-stained sites: The composition after transport in step (iii) was frozen sectioned using the procedure described above and observed with acid fuchsin staining, resulting in an area of ​​30 μm. 2 It is preferable that the 90th percentile of the area of ​​the stained portion is below a predetermined value (feature (c)). Having these physical properties, the composition of the present invention tends to have a smooth texture.

[0256] Specifically, when the composition after transport in step (iii) is frozen sectioned using the procedure described above and observed with acid fuchsin staining, an area of ​​30 μm is observed. 2 The 90th percentile for the area of ​​the stained region is typically 3500 μm². 2 Below, in particular, 3000 μm 2 Below, and even 2500 μm 2 The following, or 2000 μm 2 The following, or 1500 μm 2 The following, especially 1000 μm 2 The following is preferable. On the other hand, the lower limit of such a ratio is not particularly limited, but is usually 200 μm. 2 Ultra, especially 300 μm 2 It is preferable that it be greater than.

[0257] In this invention, "percentile value" refers to the value that, when the distribution of measured values ​​(in this case, the area of ​​the stained area) is arranged in order from smallest to largest, is located at a specific percentage rank (or the nearest neighbor rank if there is no perfectly matching rank). For example, the 90th percentile value of the area of ​​1000 stained areas refers to the measured area of ​​the 900th stained area when counting from the smallest area.

[0258] • Characteristics (d) Number of specific large acid fuchsin-stained sites: When the composition after transport in step (iii) is frozen sectioned using the procedure described above and observed with acid fuchsin staining, an area of ​​30 μm is observed in the cross-sectional image of the composition. 2 Preferably, the number of stained areas that are greater than or equal to 200 μm in diameter is less than or equal to a predetermined value (feature (d)). Having these physical properties, the composition of the present invention maintains the continuity of the starch structure in the matrix-like composition, increases the elasticity of the composition, and tends to suppress a crumbly texture.

[0259] Specifically, when the composition after transport in step (iii) is frozen sectioned using the procedure described above and observed with acid fuchsin staining, an area of ​​30 μm is observed in the cross-sectional image of the composition. 2 The number of stained areas that are greater than or equal to the above and have a longest diameter of 200 μm or more is usually 40 or less, more preferably 30 or less, more preferably 20 or less, or 10 or less, or 5 or less, or 3 or less, or 1 or less, and especially preferably 0 or less.

[0260] In this invention, the "longest diameter" of the stained area can be calculated by measuring the maximum distance between two points on the contour line of each stained area image observable with the naked eye, and using these measurements (even if multiple stained areas overlap, they can be distinguished by their contour lines with the naked eye, and the longest diameter for each stained area can be calculated).

[0261] Regarding the cross-section of frozen sections: The composition after transport in step (iii) is characterized in that, when frozen sectioned in the above procedure and observed with acid fuchsin staining, it satisfies features (a) and (b), and preferably satisfies features (c) and / or (d) in addition to those. Herein, the composition of the present invention is characterized in that the frozen section obtained by cutting the frozen material of the composition at any cross-section satisfies features (a) and (b) (preferably in addition to features (c) and / or (d)).

[0262] However, it is preferable that the composition after conveying in step (iii) satisfies the above features (a) and (b) (preferably in addition to them, features (c) and / or (d)) with respect to the frozen section A1 obtained by cutting at a cutting plane A1 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the composition. In the case of a composition manufactured using extrusion molding such as an extruder, as in the composition of the present invention, the extrusion direction of the composition corresponds to the longitudinal direction.

[0263] Furthermore, for the composition after transport in step (iii), when measuring each parameter related to the shape of the stained area in the above procedure for each of the frozen section A1 obtained by cutting the frozen composition at an arbitrary cross-section A1 and the frozen section A2 obtained by cutting at a cross-section A2 perpendicular to the cross-section A1, it is preferable that the average value of the value obtained for the frozen section A1 at cross-section A1 and the value obtained for the frozen section A2 at cross-section A2 satisfies the above characteristics (a) and (b) (preferably in addition to those, the above characteristics (c) and / or (d)). Moreover, it is even more preferable that both the value obtained for the frozen section A1 at cross-section A1 and the value obtained for the frozen section A2 at cross-section A2 satisfy the above characteristics (a) and (b) (preferably in addition to those, the above characteristics (c) and / or (d)). In this case, it is preferable that the cross-section A1 is a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the composition, and the cross-section A2 is a cross-section parallel to the longitudinal direction of the composition.

[0264] Furthermore, if the distribution of stained areas in a composition is uniform, the structure of the entire composition can be estimated by observing the structure of a single cross-section as a representative area. However, if there is a bias in the distribution of stained areas, the stained areas of multiple cross-sections can be observed, and the results of these observations can be added together to obtain a measurement value for the stained areas of the entire composition.

[0265] (5) Stage (iv): Aging treatment Furthermore, having a step to reduce the degree of gelatinization of the composition after transport in step (iii) above to a certain level or higher makes it possible to locally retrograde the starch near the surface of the composition, which is preferable because it prevents the composition from sticking together after heating. In the present invention, this step is sometimes referred to as the "retrogradation treatment" step.

[0266] When carrying out the aging treatment in step (iv), it is preferable to treat the composition after transport in step (iii) for a certain period of time or longer in an environment where the ambient humidity (RH%) is above a certain percentage and the ambient temperature is below a certain value. This is preferable because it extends the time until the dry-weight moisture content falls below a predetermined value (for example, below 25% by mass), resulting in a composition in which the bonding between components after heating is suppressed.

[0267] Specifically, the ambient humidity (RH%) of the composition during the aging treatment in step (iv) can be, for example, 60 RH% or higher, with no particular upper limit, but can be, for example, 100 RH% or lower. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 60 RH% or higher, and it is preferable to treat in an environment of 70 RH% or higher, or 80 RH%. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but is usually 100 RH% or lower.

[0268] Furthermore, the ambient temperature of the composition during the aging treatment in step (iv) can be, for example, in the range of greater than 0°C and 80°C or less. More specifically, the upper limit is usually preferably 80°C or less, or preferably 70°C or less, or 60°C or less, or 50°C or less, or 40°C or less, or 30°C or less, or 20°C or less, or 10°C or less. The lower limit of the temperature is not particularly limited, but it is usually preferable to perform the treatment at a temperature greater than 0°C or 4°C or higher.

[0269] Furthermore, the aging treatment in this stage (iv) is preferably carried out when the dry-weight moisture content of the composition is above a certain percentage, from the viewpoint of promoting the aging of the composition. Specifically, the aging treatment can be carried out when the dry-weight moisture content of the composition at the time of aging is, for example, in the range of 25% by mass or more and 200% by mass or less. More specifically, it is preferable to carry out the aging treatment when the lower limit is usually 25% by mass or more, and more preferably 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 45% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 51% by mass or more, or 55% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but is usually 200% by mass or less, or 175% by mass or less, or 150% by mass or less, or 125% by mass or less, or 100% by mass or less.

[0270] The duration of the aging treatment in this stage (iv) is, specifically, after the composition temperature has decreased to a predetermined temperature or below (e.g., 80°C or below) since stage (iii), and the dry-weight moisture content is above a predetermined value (e.g., 25% by mass or above), it can be carried out for a period of time of, for example, 0.1 hours or more, with no particular upper limit, but for example, 20 hours or less. More specifically, the duration can be adjusted to 0.1 hours or more, particularly 0.2 hours or more, or 0.3 hours or more, or 0.4 hours or more, or 0.5 hours or more, or 0.6 hours or more, or 0.7 hours or more, or 0.8 hours or more, or 0.9 hours or more, especially 1.0 hour or more. There is no particular upper limit to such a duration, but for example, it can be 20 hours or less, or 15 hours or less, or 10 hours or less.

[0271] When performing the aging treatment in step (iv), it is preferable to perform it so that the rate of decrease in the degree of gelatinization (mass%) after the conveying section is above a certain level, as this improves the binding properties after cooking. Specifically, the rate of decrease in the degree of gelatinization of the composition after the conveying section is not limited to the degree of gelatinization of the composition after conveying in step (iii), but can be, for example, in the range of 6% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less. More specifically, it is preferable to perform the aging treatment until the rate of decrease in the degree of gelatinization of the composition after the conveying section is usually 6% by mass or more relative to the degree of gelatinization of the composition immediately after conveying in step (iii) (i.e., the degree of gelatinization decreases by 6% by mass or more), as this improves the binding properties after cooking. In particular, it is preferable that the rate of decrease be 7% by mass or more, or 8% by mass or more, or 9% by mass or more, especially 10% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or more than 59%, and particularly more than 71% by mass. On the other hand, there is no particular upper limit to the rate of decrease in the degree of gelatinization of the composition in this step (iv), but it is usually 90% by mass or less, or 80% by mass or less.

[0272] The reason why aging treatment improves quality is thought to be that, when the dry weight moisture content is 25% by mass or higher, moisture is usually lost quickly, and the starch near the surface of the composition, which is less prone to aging compared to the inside of the composition, ages locally. In addition, in order to maintain an environment with an ambient humidity (RH%) of a certain percentage or higher, methods can be employed to achieve the desired ambient humidity by storing the composition in a high-humidity environment after it has been extruded from the die, increasing the relative humidity by retaining the water vapor evaporating from the composition around the composition, or by spraying water in a mist form (also called wetting treatment).

[0273] Furthermore, the aging treatment may be carried out in a sealed device with constant humidity, or in a device that supplies an atmosphere with constant humidity, or a wetting treatment method may be used in which relative humidity is maintained by retaining the water vapor evaporating from the composition around the composition, or a combination of these methods may be used.

[0274] Furthermore, when performing the drying treatment in step (v) described later, the aging treatment may be performed before the drying treatment or after the drying treatment, but it is preferable to perform the aging treatment before the drying treatment because the effects of the present invention are more pronounced.

[0275] Furthermore, it is preferable to carry out the aging treatment in this stage (iv) under conditions such that the parameter A × T (RH%·hr) is equal to or greater than a predetermined lower limit. Here, A represents the average relative humidity of the atmosphere (RH%), and T represents the wetting treatment time (hour, sometimes abbreviated as "hr"). However, A ≥ 60 RH%. For example, if the wetting treatment is carried out with an average relative humidity of 95 RH% (A) and a wetting treatment time of 1 hour (T), the parameter A × T = 95 (RH%·hr). Such a parameter A × T (RH%·hr) can be in the range of 6 or more and 1000 or less. More specifically, it is usually 6 or more, and more preferably 8 or more, or 10 or more, or 12 or more, or 14 or more, or 16 or more, or 18 or more, or 24 or more, or 30 or more, or 36 or more, or 42 or more, or 48 or more, or 54 or more, and especially preferably 60 or more. There is no particular upper limit, but it is usually 1000 or less.

[0276] The degree of starch gelatinization in the composition after the gelatinization reduction due to the aging treatment in step (iv) is preferably below a predetermined value, as this improves the binding properties after cooking. Specifically, the degree of starch gelatinization in the composition after the gelatinization reduction in step (iv) is not limited to a lower limit, but can be, for example, 5% by mass or more, while the upper limit can be, for example, 99% by mass or less. More specifically, it is usually 99% by mass or less, and more preferably 98% by mass or less, or 95% by mass or less, or 90% by mass or less, or 85% by mass or less, or 80% by mass or less, or 75% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or less, or 60% by mass or less, or 50% by mass or less, or 45% by mass or less, or 40% by mass or less. There is no specific lower limit, but it is generally preferable to have 5% by mass or more, more preferably 10% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 45% by mass or more, and especially preferably 50% by mass or more.

[0277] (6) Adjustment of the dry-weight moisture content of the composition As an example of a means to promote the aging process, a method can be used in which water is added at any of the stages (i) to (iii) above to adjust the dry-weight moisture content of the dough composition before processing to a predetermined percentage or higher. More specifically, it is preferable to add water at stage (i) or (ii), and more preferably, to a dough composition that has reached a certain dry-weight moisture content or higher in stage (i), further water is added from stage (i) onward, more specifically in stage (ii) and / or stage (iii), and in particular, it is preferable to add further water at stage (ii) to a dough composition that has reached a certain dry-weight moisture content or higher in stage (i). This is preferable because it promotes the integration of the starch matrix even without kneading at high temperatures in the conveying process described later, and prevents the compositions from sticking together after cooking. Water can be added in the form of water or steam, but it is preferable to add it in the form of water. Specifically, the dry-weight moisture content of the composition can be set to, for example, a range of more than 25% by mass and 200% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit of the dry-weight moisture content of the composition is usually more than 25% by mass, more preferably more than 30% by mass, or more than 35% by mass, or more than 40% by mass, or more than 45% by mass, or more than 50% by mass, or more than 55% by mass, or more than 60% by mass, or more than 65% by mass, or more than 70% by mass, or more than 75% by mass, and especially preferably more than 80% by mass. On the other hand, the upper limit of the dry-weight moisture content of the composition is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, usually 200% by mass or less, or 175% by mass or less, or 150% by mass or less.

[0278] Generally, if the sole purpose is to gelatinize starch, a dry-weight moisture content of less than 40% by mass in the dough composition is sufficient. Considering the subsequent drying process, adding more water would not only be unmotivating, but would actually be detrimental. Therefore, without the idea of ​​retrograding the gelatinized starch, as in this stage (iv), it is difficult to conceive of increasing the dry-weight moisture content in the dough composition. Furthermore, even if the dry-weight moisture content of the dough composition is increased, without the idea of ​​retaining moisture for a certain period of time, as in this stage (iv), which is the opposite of drying the moisture in the composition afterward, it is considered impossible to adopt the configuration described above, particularly from stage (iii) onward, which involves processing for a certain period of time in an environment below a predetermined ambient temperature and above a predetermined ambient humidity ratio to ensure that the time required for the dry-weight moisture content of the composition to fall below 25% is ensured to promote retrogradation.

[0279] As described above, there are no specific means for adjusting the dry-weight moisture content of the composition, but it is preferable to add water during the preparation of the dough composition in step (i). This is preferable because it promotes the integration of the starch matrix without kneading at high temperatures during the conveying process described later, and prevents the composition from sticking together after cooking. When adding water, the water may be added in liquid form or in gaseous form, but it is preferable to add it in liquid form. Furthermore, when using an extruder that adjusts the composition temperature using a heater or chiller, it is preferable to mix a predetermined percentage or more of the water to be added during production with other raw materials before the composition temperature in the extruder changes by 5°C or more from the initial temperature, as this can suppress changes in the properties of the starch (stickiness of the composition). In particular, when using a heater, it is preferable because it can suppress changes in properties due to overheating. Specifically, it is preferable to mix a predetermined proportion or more of the water to be added during production with other raw materials before the composition temperature inside the extruder changes by 5°C or more, 8°C or more, 10°C or more, 15°C or more, or 20°C or more from the initial temperature. More specifically, before the composition temperature inside the extruder is heated by 5°C or more from the initial temperature, the proportion of water to be mixed in advance from the water to be added during production (especially the total amount of water added in steps (i) to (iii)) can be set to, for example, 50% to 100%. More specifically, it is preferable to pre-mix 50% or more, more preferably 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 90% or more, and especially 100% with other raw materials as the lower limit. When mixing water with other raw materials, it is preferable to pre-mix the aforementioned proportion of water before putting the raw materials into the extruder.

[0280] Furthermore, the dry-weight moisture content of the dough composition when some or all of the water has been added in advance can be, for example, in the range of more than 5% by mass and 200% by mass or less. More specifically, it is usually more than 5% by mass, or more than 10% by mass, or more than 15% by mass, or more than 20% by mass, or more than 25% by mass, or more than 30% by mass, or more than 35% by mass, or more than 40% by mass, or more than 45% by mass, or more than 50% by mass, or more than 55% by mass, or more than 60% by mass, or more than 65% by mass, or more than 70% by mass, or more than 75% by mass, and it is particularly preferable to have more than 80% by mass. The upper limit of the dry-weight moisture content of the composition is not particularly limited, but for example, it can usually be 200% by mass or less, or 175% by mass or less, or 150% by mass or less, or 100% by mass or less.

[0281] Furthermore, in the stages from step (iii) onward, a method can also be used in which water is added to the composition after extrusion by the extruder, and the time until the composition reaches a dry moisture content of less than 25% by mass is extended beyond the predetermined time. Water can be added in the form of water or steam, but it is preferable to add it in the form of water. Alternatively, the composition can be directly immersed in water, and water can be added by the composition absorbing water. Furthermore, even if the dry moisture content of the composition falls below 25% by mass, water retention treatment can be performed by re-watering the dry composition to increase the dry moisture content, so that the total holding time at a dry moisture content of 25% or more is longer than the predetermined time. When re-watering the dry composition, it is preferable that the temperature for the majority of the subsequent holding time is 60°C or lower, more preferably 50°C or lower, and even more preferably 40°C or lower. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but is usually above 0°C.

[0282] (7) Stage (v): Drying treatment Furthermore, it is preferable to include a step (v) after step (iii) or (iv) in which the dry-weight moisture content of the composition is reduced to a certain level or less, as this suppresses changes in quality within the composition and results in a composition with maintained quality. In the present invention, this step is sometimes referred to as the "drying treatment" step. In this step (v), it is preferable that the percentage decrease in the dry-weight moisture content before and after the drying treatment is greater than or equal to a predetermined value. Here, the percentage decrease in the dry-weight moisture content before and after the drying treatment is defined as {(the ratio in the composition before drying treatment) - (the ratio in the composition after drying treatment)} / (the ratio in the composition before drying treatment). Specifically, the percentage decrease in the dry-weight moisture content before and after the drying treatment is usually 5% or more, and although there is no particular upper limit, it can be in the range of, for example, 100% or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 5% or more, or 10% or more, or 15% or more, or 20% or more, or 25% or more, or 30% or more, or 35% or more, or 40% or more, or 45% or more, or 50% or more, or 55% or more, or 60% or more, or 65% or more, or 70% or more, or 75% or more, and is particularly preferably 80% or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but for example, it can usually be 100% or less, or 95% or less. In particular, it is preferable to further include the drying treatment step (v) after the aging treatment step (iv), because the aged starch near the surface formed in step (iv) suppresses the binding of compositions together during the drying treatment, resulting in a composition with high productivity.

[0283] Furthermore, the dry-weight moisture content in the final composition after drying can be, for example, in the range of 0.5% by mass or more and less than 60% by mass. More specifically, it is preferable that the lower limit be less than 60% by mass, or less than 55% by mass, and among these, less than 50% by mass, or less than 45% by mass, or less than 40% by mass, or less than 35% by mass, or less than 30% by mass, or less than 25% by mass, or less than 20% by mass, or less than 15% by mass. On the other hand, the lower limit of the dry-weight moisture content in the composition of the present invention is not limited, but from the viewpoint of industrial production efficiency, it can be, for example, 0.5% by mass or more, or 1% by mass or more, or 2% by mass or more. Note that the dry-weight moisture content in the composition of the present invention may originate from the various components of the composition, or it may originate from water further added during processing in the present invention.

[0284] The temperature of the composition during the drying process in step (v) is not limited, but when processing under normal pressure, it can be in the range of over 50°C and under 100°C. More specifically, it is usually preferred to be over 50°C, more preferably over 60°C or 70°C, and especially preferably over 80°C. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but is below 100°C or 98°C.

[0285] Furthermore, the pressure in step (v) is not particularly limited, but may be carried out under normal pressure or under reduced pressure. When processing under reduced pressure (e.g., less than 0.1 MPa), the temperature of the composition can be in the range of greater than 0°C and 80°C or less. More specifically, it is preferable to set it to 80°C or less, especially 70°C or less, or 60°C or less, and particularly 50°C or less. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but is usually greater than 0°C or greater than 4°C.

[0286] As for the drying method, any method commonly used for drying food can be used. Examples include freeze-drying, air-drying (e.g., forced-air drying (hot air drying), fluidized bed drying, spray drying, drum drying, low-temperature drying, sun drying, and air drying), pressure drying, reduced-pressure drying, microwave drying, and oil-heat drying. Among these, microwave drying is preferred because it minimizes the degree of change in the original color and flavor of the food ingredients and allows control of non-food odors (such as burnt smells), and microwave drying under reduced pressure is even more preferred. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of processing large quantities of composition, air-drying (e.g., hot air drying, fluidized bed drying, spray drying, drum drying, low-temperature drying, sun drying, and air drying) is preferred, and forced-air drying (especially hot air drying with an ambient temperature above a certain level) is particularly preferred.

[0287] Furthermore, in this step (v), it is preferable to treat the composition for a certain period of time or longer in an environment where the ambient temperature (especially the average ambient temperature) is above a certain level, because this shortens the time it takes for the dry-weight-based moisture content to decrease by a predetermined percentage or more. Specifically, the ambient temperature (especially the average ambient temperature in step (v)) can be, for example, in the range of over 50°C and 100°C or less. More specifically, it is preferable to treat the composition in an environment where the lower limit is usually above 50°C, more preferably above 60°C, and even more preferably above 70°C or 80°C. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but is usually 100°C or less. In order to maintain an environment where the ambient temperature is above a certain level, methods can be employed to achieve the predetermined ambient temperature, such as storing the composition after it has been extruded from the die in a high-temperature environment, raising the ambient temperature by maintaining the temperature of the composition extruded at a high temperature, or air-drying with high-temperature air. The average ambient temperature can be calculated by dividing the cumulative temperature during the drying process by the drying time, for example, by dividing the sum of the ambient temperatures every minute by the drying process time.

[0288] Furthermore, the processing time at the predetermined ambient temperature in step (v) should be at least a certain amount of time, but can be in the range of, for example, 0.1 hours or more and 20 hours or less. More specifically, it can be adjusted to 0.1 hours or more, in particular to 0.2 hours or more, or 0.3 hours or more, or 0.4 hours or more, or 0.5 hours or more, or 0.6 hours or more, or 0.7 hours or more, or 0.8 hours or more, or 0.9 hours or more, especially 1.0 hour or more. There is no particular upper limit to such time, but can be, for example, 20 hours or less, or 15 hours or less.

[0289] Furthermore, when processing at a predetermined ambient temperature in stage (v), it is preferable that the ambient humidity (RH%) is below a certain level, as this shortens the time it takes for the dry-weight-based moisture content to decrease by a predetermined percentage or more. Specifically, the ambient humidity (especially the average ambient humidity in stage (v)) can be in the range of 0 RH% or more and less than 60 RH%. More specifically, it is preferable to process in an environment where the upper limit is usually less than 60 RH%, or less than 50 RH%, or less than 40 RH%, or less than 30 RH%. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but is usually 0 RH% or higher. The average ambient humidity can be calculated by dividing the cumulative humidity during the drying process by the drying time, for example, by dividing the sum of the ambient humidity every minute by the drying process time. Also, when stage (v) is performed following stage (iv), it is preferable to set the humidity lower than the ambient humidity in stage (iv). For example, if the ambient humidity in stage (iv) is 60 RH% or higher, setting the ambient humidity in stage (v) to less than 60 RH% allows for the determination of stage (iv) and stage (v) based on the ambient humidity.

[0290] (8) Extruder In the manufacturing method of the present invention, it is preferable to perform at least steps (ii) and (iii), and optionally part or all of step (i) and / or step (iv), using the specific extruder of the present invention described above (more preferably a uniscrew extruder).

[0291] That is, by supplying the raw materials for the composition of the present invention to the extruder of the present invention via a feeder and mixing them, a composition is prepared in which the content of dietary fiber (or insoluble dietary fiber), starch, protein, and dry-weight moisture content each satisfy the predetermined range (step (i)). However, the preparation of the composition by mixing the raw materials may be carried out outside the extruder of the present invention, and the prepared composition may be supplied to the extruder of the present invention via a feeder, and only steps (ii) and (iii) may be carried out by the manufacturing method of the present invention. Next, the composition is transported from the flight section to the kneading section by rotating the screw (step (ii)), then kneaded in the kneading section (step (iii)), and then discharged from the die section while being molded.

[0292] (9) Other conditions In the manufacturing method of the present invention, gelatinization of the composition is promoted by lowering the outlet temperature setting of the extruder die while maintaining the total mass flow rate of the extruder above a certain level, which is therefore more preferable. These conditions can be adjusted as appropriate so that the outlet pressure of the extruder is above a certain level, but specific examples are as follows.

[0293] The total mass flow rate (sometimes also called flow rate) is not limited, but can be in the range of, for example, 0.5 kg / hour or more and 100 kg / hour or less. More specifically, it is preferable to maintain it at or above 0.5 kg / hour, and more preferably at or above 0.7 kg / hour, or 1.0 kg / hour. There is no particular upper limit to the total mass flow rate, but it is usually 100 kg / hour or less, or 50 kg / hour or less.

[0294] The outlet temperature setting of the extruder is not limited, but can be, for example, in the range of 0°C to less than 100°C. More specifically, it is usually less than 100°C, or less than 95°C, or less than 90°C, or less than 85°C, or less than 80°C, and in particular less than 75°C, or less than 70°C, or less than 65°C, or less than 60°C, or less than 55°C, or less than 50°C, or less than 45°C, and especially less than 40°C. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 0°C or higher, or 4°C or higher.

[0295] While extruders have traditionally been used to produce puffs and other expanded materials, the manufacturing conditions for these materials are usually set so that the extrusion temperature of the composition discharged from the die exceeds the expansion temperature of the composition. Therefore, they could not be applied to the method of manufacturing a non-expanding solid composition processed at a temperature below 100°C, as in the present invention. Furthermore, in the production of puffs and other expanded materials, it is common technical knowledge to those skilled in the art to keep the proportion of water in the total mass flow rate low in order to allow for rapid expansion under reduced pressure. Thus, there was no motivation to increase the water content in the total mass flow rate, as is the case with non-expanding solid compositions such as those in the present invention.

[0296] (10) Post-processing The composition of the present invention can be obtained by following the above steps, but further post-treatments may be added in addition to the drying and aging treatments described above. Examples of post-treatments include molding.

[0297] Examples of molding processes include shaping a starch-containing solid composition into a desired form (for example, pasta, Chinese noodles, udon, Inaniwa udon, kishimen, hoto, suito, hiyamugi, somen, soba, sobagaki, vermicelli, pho, cold noodle noodles, glass noodles, oatmeal, couscous, kiritanpo, tteok, gyoza wrappers, etc.). Such molding processes can appropriately employ methods commonly known in the art. For example, to obtain an elongated composition such as noodles like pasta or Chinese noodles, the composition can be extruded into an elongated shape using the aforementioned extruder or other equipment, or a flat composition can be cut. On the other hand, to obtain a flat composition, the composition can be shaped into a flat form. Furthermore, compositions of any shape, such as elongated, granular, or flaky, can be obtained by press molding the composition or by cutting or die-cutting a flat composition. Furthermore, after conveying, a composition with a cross-sectional roughness of a predetermined value or higher may be formed by extrusion molding using a die section having a flow channel whose average roughness of the flow channel cross-section is greater than or equal to a predetermined value. Specifically, the shape of the composition cross-section may be circular, square, triangular, star-shaped, elliptical, crescent-shaped, half-moon-shaped, cross-shaped, swastika-shaped, or a combination thereof (for example, a Celtic cross shape which combines a Greek cross shape with a circle, with the center point of the circle placed at the intersection of the cross shape, and a circle, where the radius of the circle is less than or equal to 3 / 4 of the distance from the center point to the tip of the cross shape). For example, a composition with a circular cross-sectional shape will become a cylindrical composition after extrusion, a composition with a square (especially square) cross-sectional shape will become a rectangular prism-shaped composition after extrusion, and a composition with any other cross-sectional shape will become a columnar composition with that shape as its base after extrusion.

[0298] [IV: Crushed starch-containing solid compositions for cooking and aggregates thereof] Furthermore, the composition of the present invention may be used after being pulverized. That is, in the manufacturing method of the present invention described above, after the transport in step (iii), or after the aging in step (iv), or after the drying in step (v), a further step (vi) may be added in which the composition is pulverized to obtain a pulverized composition. The pulverized product of the composition of the present invention obtained in this way (referred to as "the pulverized composition of the present invention") is also subject to the present invention. When the composition of the present invention is pulverized to obtain the pulverized composition of the present invention, the pulverization conditions are not particularly limited and are arbitrary, but for example, particle size d 50 and / or d 90 It is preferable to grind the material to a size of approximately 50 μm to 1000 μm. In particular, it is preferable to grind the material after drying in step (v).

[0299] Furthermore, the dough composition from step (i) can be prepared again by using a portion of the pulverized composition obtained in this way and adding water as appropriate.

[0300] Furthermore, aggregates may be formed by using the pulverized composition of the present invention as a raw material and repeating the conveying process under predetermined hydration conditions according to the manufacturing method of the present invention described above. That is, in the manufacturing method of the present invention described above, after pulverization in step (vi), a further step (vii) may be added to aggregate the pulverized composition to form a pulverized composition aggregate. The aggregate of the pulverized composition of the present invention thus obtained (referred to as "the pulverized composition aggregate of the present invention" as appropriate) can be suitably used as the composition of the present invention. Such a pulverized composition aggregate of the present invention is also subject to the present invention. When the composition of the present invention is pulverized to form the pulverized composition of the present invention, the manufacturing conditions are as described above. [Examples]

[0301] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but these examples are merely illustrative examples for explanatory purposes, and the present invention is not limited in any sense to these examples.

[0302] [Method for preparing a starch-containing solid composition] The starch-containing solid compositions of each example and comparative example were prepared by using edible plant raw materials that had been appropriately pre-treated, and kneading the dough composition, which had been prepared to the predetermined composition, using a predetermined single-screw extruder under predetermined conditions. For protein and starch, the substances contained in each food ingredient were used, and the content was adjusted using the starch and protein-high fraction content separated by differences in specific gravity, etc. Dried millet powder with a starch content of approximately 60% by mass was used, dried oat powder with a starch content of approximately 60% by mass was used, dried quinoa powder with a starch content of approximately 55% by mass was used, dried yellow pea powder with a starch content of approximately 50% by mass was used, and rice powder with a starch content of 100% by mass was used.

[0303] The type, composition, and physical properties of the raw materials for each example and comparative example are described in the respective columns of Table 1 below. The composition of the dough composition to be processed for each example and comparative example is described in the respective columns of Table 2 below. The configuration and operating conditions of the extruder used to process the compositions of each example and comparative example, as well as the processing details using such an extruder, are described in the respective columns of Table 3 below. Furthermore, the physical properties and characteristics of the compositions of each example and comparative example during the processing process (gelatinization and aging), as well as the sensory evaluation results of the obtained starch-containing solid compositions, are described in the respective columns of Table 4 below. Furthermore, for the aging treatment time and the parameter A×T (RH%·hr, where A represents the mean relative humidity of the atmosphere (RH%) and T represents the wetting treatment time (hr)) when the dry-based moisture content of the composition is 25% by mass or higher, the treatment time (hr) is recorded for an ambient temperature of 80°C or lower and an ambient humidity (RH%) of 60RH% or higher when the dry-based moisture content of the composition is 25% by mass or higher. The drying treatment was carried out under the conditions described in Table 3. For test plots where the compositions tended to bond together during the drying treatment, this was noted in the comments column of Table 3.

[0304] The conditions and procedures for physical property analysis and sensory evaluation of the raw materials and dough compositions using them for each example and comparative example, as well as the starch-containing solid composition for cooking obtained by processing them, are shown below. For evaluation items listed in Tables 1 to 4, those for which no conditions or procedures are described below were analyzed and evaluated using the conditions and procedures explained in the [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention] section above.

[0305] [Processing using a vigorous machine] The "processing equivalent to pretreatment" of the raw materials in each example and comparative example was carried out using a twin-screw extruder under the operating conditions shown in Table 1. The addition of water and mixing to the dough composition of the mixed raw materials (corresponding to step (ii) of the manufacturing method of the present invention) and the conveying of the composition (corresponding to step (iii)) were carried out using a single-screw extruder with the configuration shown in Table 3 (the single-screw extruder shown in Figures 1 and 2) and operated under the operating conditions shown in Table 3.

[0306] Furthermore, in all embodiments and comparative examples, the screw used was one that did not have a mixing section (i.e., the ratio of the flight section length to the total screw length was 100%), and the ratio of the forward flight structure to the total flight section length was 100%.

[0307] [Specific surface area per unit volume] The specific surface area per unit volume (corresponding to "Specific surface area per unit volume after ultrasonic treatment" in Table 1) of the edible plant (legumes or grains) raw materials of each example and comparative example was measured using the following procedure. Ethanol, which is less likely to affect the structure of the sample during measurement, was used as the solvent. When measuring, a dispersion in which the sample had been previously diluted and suspended in the solvent was used, and the measurement was performed with the sample homogeneously suspended in the solvent. Specifically, 1 g of the sample was immersed in 50 g of ethanol, allowed to stand for about 5 minutes, then thoroughly stirred and suspended with a spatula. The solution (2% by mass ethanol dispersion) that passed through an 8-mesh sieve with a mesh opening of 2.36 mm and a wire diameter of 1.0 mm (corresponding to "No. 8" specified under "Alternative" in "Nominal Dimensions, Permissible Variation for Wire Cloth of Standard Testing Sieves (USA) Standard Series" in USA Standard Testing Sieves ASTM Specifications E 11-04) was used for measurement. More specifically, 100 g of the suspension (20°C) was evenly spread on the sieve, and while vibrating with a load that did not change the composition size, the solution that passed through the sieve until the fraction mass on the sieve became constant was used as the 2% by mass ethanol dispersion for measurement. The laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer used for measurement had a measurement range of at least 0.02 μm to 2000 μm using the laser diffraction scattering method. For example, the Microtrac MT3300 EX2 system from Microtrac-Bell Corporation was used, and the measurement application software was, for example, DMSII (Data Management System version 2, Microtrac-Bell Corporation). When using the above measurement device and software, before measurement, the cleaning button of the software was pressed to perform cleaning, then the Setzero button of the software was pressed to perform zeroing, and then the sample was directly loaded until the sample concentration fell within the appropriate range during sample loading.For samples before disturbance, i.e., samples that have not undergone sonication, the concentration was adjusted to the appropriate range within two sample loading cycles after sample introduction, and then the result of laser diffraction was immediately taken as the measurement value at a flow rate of 60% for a measurement time of 10 seconds. On the other hand, when measuring samples after disturbance, i.e., samples that have undergone sonication, sonication was performed using the aforementioned measuring device after sample introduction, and then measurement was performed. In this case, a sample that has not undergone sonication was introduced, the concentration was adjusted to the appropriate range by sample loading, and then the sonication button in the software was pressed to perform sonication (treatment with 40kHz ultrasound at an output of 40W for 3 minutes). After that, degassing was performed three times, and then the sample loading process was performed again to confirm that the concentration was still within the appropriate range, and then the result of laser diffraction was immediately taken as the measurement value at a flow rate of 60% for a measurement time of 10 seconds. The parameters used during measurement were, for example, distribution display: volume, particle refractive index: 1.60, solvent refractive index: 1.36, upper measurement limit (μm) = 2000.00 μm, and l...

Claims

1. A method for producing a starch-containing solid composition for cooking using an extruder, The extruder, A screw that rotates with a motor, A barrel surrounding the outer circumference of the screw, A feeder for loading food materials is attached to the base side of the barrel, A die section attached to the tip of the barrel is used to shape and discharge the food material after it has been transported. Equipped with, The above method is a manufacturing method that includes the following steps (i) to (iii). (i) A step of preparing a composition that satisfies the following (1) to (7). (1) The dietary fiber content is 3.0% by mass or more on a wet mass basis. (2) The starch content is 10.0% by mass or more on a wet mass basis. (3) The protein content is 3.0% by mass or more on a wet mass basis. (4) The specific surface area per unit volume after ultrasonic treatment is 0.10 m². ２ It is 1 mL or more. (5) The degree of starch gelatinization is 70% by mass or more. (6) The following (a) and / or (b) are satisfied: (a) When a 6% by mass suspension of the pulverized material of the composition is observed, the starch granule structure observed is 300 granules / mm². ２ The following applies: (b) When a 14% by mass aqueous slurry of the pulverized composition is heated from 50°C to 140°C at a heating rate of 12.5°C / min using a rapid viscometer, the gelatinization peak temperature is less than 120°C. (7) After treating the composition in 40 times its mass volume of water at a constant temperature of 90°C for 15 minutes, the components obtained by treating them according to the following [Procedure a] are analyzed under the following [Condition A] to obtain a molecular weight distribution curve (hereinafter referred to as "MWDC") in the range of a molecular weight logarithm of 5.0 or more and less than 8.

0. ５．０－８．０ In this case, the ratio of the area under the curve in the interval between molecular weight logarithms of 5.0 and less than 6.5 (hereinafter referred to as "AUC1") to the total area under the curve is 70% or less. [Procedure a] A 2.5% aqueous dispersion of the composition is pulverized and subjected to proteolytic enzyme treatment to obtain an ethanol-insoluble and dimethyl sulfoxide-soluble component as purified starch. [Condition A] Dissolve 0.10% by mass of purified starch obtained by treatment according to procedure a in a 1 M aqueous sodium hydroxide solution, let stand at 37°C for 30 minutes, add an equal amount of water and an equal amount of eluent, filter 5 mL of the filtrate through a 5 μm filter, and measure the molecular weight distribution by gel filtration chromatography. (ii) A step in which water at 40°C or higher is mixed with the composition prepared in step (i) so that the dry-weight water content exceeds 30% by mass. (iii) A step in which the composition obtained in step (ii) is transported by the extruder under conditions that satisfy the following (8) to (10). (8) The temperature of the composition inside the extruder is 55°C or higher. (9) The specific mechanical energy (SME) value of the extruder is less than 300 kJ / kg, and / or the ratio of the length of the flight portion to the total length of the screw is 90% or more. (10) The pressure inside the extruder is 1.5 MPa or higher.

2. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the composition inside the extruder rises by 5% or more before and after the transport in step (iii).

3. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the dry-weight water content of the composition obtained in step (i) is 20% by mass or less.

4. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising step (iv) below. (iv) A step of reducing the degree of gelatinization of the composition after transport in step (iii) by 6% by mass or more within the extruder.

5. The dry-weight moisture content of the composition after transport in step (iii) is 25% by mass or more, The manufacturing method according to claim 4, wherein the decrease in the degree of gelatinization in step (iv) is achieved by treating the composition after transport in step (iii) for 0.1 hours or more in an environment with an ambient temperature of 80°C or less and an ambient humidity of 60 RH or more.

6. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising step (v) below. (v) A step in which the composition after transport in step (iii) is dried until the dry-weight moisture content decreases by 5% or more before and after the treatment.

7. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the starch contained in the composition obtained in step (i) is starch derived from edible plants that have been preheated to a maximum temperature of 100°C or higher under conditions of moisture content of 25% by mass or more on a dry basis.

8. The particle size distribution d of the composition obtained in step (i) after ultrasonic treatment following the application of the following treatment A to the composition. ９０ The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the composition has a particle size of 450 μm or less. [Process A] A 6% by mass aqueous suspension of the composition is treated with 0.4% by volume protease and 0.02% by mass α-amylase at 20°C for 3 days.

9. The composition obtained in step (i) has the molecular weight distribution curve (MWDC) ５．０－８．０ The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the composition is such that the ratio of the area under the curve in the interval between molecular weight logarithms of 6.5 or more and less than 8.0 to the total area under the curve (hereinafter referred to as "AUC2") is 30% or more.

10. The composition obtained in step (i) is obtained by analyzing the components obtained by treating the composition according to [procedure a] under [condition A], and the molecular weight distribution curve (hereinafter referred to as "MWDC") in the range of molecular weight logarithm 6.5 or more and less than 9.

5. ６．５－９．５ The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the ratio of the area under the curve in the interval where the logarithm of the molecular weight is 6.5 or more and less than 8.0 to the total area under the curve (hereinafter referred to as "AUC3") is 30% or more.

11. The composition of step (i) is obtained by analyzing the components obtained by treating the composition according to [procedure a] under [condition A], and the molecular weight distribution curve (hereinafter referred to as "MWDC") in the range of molecular weight logarithm 3.5 or more and less than 6.

5. ３．５－６．５ The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the ratio of the area under the curve in the interval where the logarithm of the molecular weight is 3.5 or more and less than 5.0 to the total area under the curve (hereinafter referred to as "AUC4") is 10% or more.

12. The method for producing the composition according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the composition contains an edible plant.

13. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the ratio of the starch content contained in the edible plant to the total starch content in the composition is 30% by mass or more on a dry mass basis.

14. The manufacturing method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the edible plant is a legume and / or a grain.

15. The manufacturing method according to claim 14, wherein the legume is one or more legumes selected from the genera of pea, kidney bean, pigeon bean, cowpea, broad bean, chickpea, soybean, and lentil.

16. The manufacturing method according to claim 14, wherein the grains are one or more selected from millet, barnyard millet, foxtail millet, sorghum, rye, oats, adlay, corn, buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa.

17. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the composition produced contains 10% by mass or more of legumes and / or grains on a dry weight basis.

18. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the barrel of the extruder does not have an external heating mechanism.

19. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the degree of starch gelatinization of the composition after the decrease in the degree of gelatinization of step (iv) is 99% by mass or less.

20. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the composition produced is a non-expanding material.

21. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the composition after transport in step (iii) satisfies the following conditions. (11) When at least one frozen section A of composition obtained under the following [Condition B] is stained with acid fuchsin and observed, at least one of the following conditions (11a) or (11b) is satisfied. (11a) Area: 30 μm ２ The ratio of the number of acid fuchsin-stained sites with an area of 200 μm ２ or more and a circularity coefficient of 0.3 or more to the number of acid fuchsin-stained sites with an area of 30 μm or more is 3% or more. (11b) Area of ​​200 μm relative to the area of ​​the cross-sectional image of the composition ２ The ratio of the total area of ​​acid fuchsin-stained areas that meet the above criteria and have a circularity coefficient of 0.3 or higher is 0.3% or more. [Condition A] The composition is heated in water at 90°C for 6 minutes, then frozen at -25°C. The frozen composition is then cut along a certain cross-section A into pieces with a thickness of 30 μm to obtain frozen composition section A.

22. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein the degree of unevenness of the flow channel cross-section of the die portion of the extruder is 0.1 or greater.

23. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 22, further comprising the following step (vi). (vi) A step of grinding the obtained composition after at least step (iii) to obtain a pulverized composition.

24. The manufacturing method according to claim 23, further comprising the following step (vii). (vii) A step in which the pulverized composition obtained after step (vi) is agglomerated to form an aggregate of the pulverized composition.

25. A starch-containing solid composition for cooking, manufactured by the manufacturing method described in any one of claims 1 to 24.

Images