Manufacturing method for frozen egg products

Abstract

To provide a frozen egg product that is less prone to water separation during thawing and maintains good texture and appearance when ready to eat after thawing. [Solution] A method for producing a frozen egg product, the main ingredient being eggs and containing seasonings, comprising: a first step of mixing at least one thickening material selected from the group consisting of starch, modified starch, and polysaccharides with seasonings to prepare a seasoning paste with a viscosity of 500 to 2000 Pa·s; a second step of mixing a liquid raw material containing egg liquid with the seasoning paste to prepare a dispersion in which granular particles of the seasoning paste are dispersed in the liquid raw material; a third step of putting the dispersion into a mold and heating it at 60 to 120°C to obtain an egg product; and a fourth step of freezing the egg product, wherein the granular particles of the seasoning paste pass through a sieve with a mesh size of 5.6 mm but do not pass through a sieve with a mesh size of 500 μm.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing processed frozen eggs.

Background Art

[0002] Processed egg products such as thick omelets and rolled omelets are widely consumed and are industrially mass-produced and distributed in the market. Processed egg products distributed in the market are often distributed in a frozen state from a hygienic point of view. When processed egg products are frozen, freezing denaturation occurs, and the quality (appearance, texture, etc.) may deteriorate compared to non-frozen processed egg products. Therefore, research and development have been carried out to prevent the deterioration of the quality of processed egg products due to freezing.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a method for producing frozen omelets formed by laminating an omelet body mainly made of eggs and viscous dashi gelatin containing dashi. The production method described in Patent Document 1 is to laminate an omelet body obtained by heat-cooking liquid eggs and viscous dashi gelatin containing liquid dashi in a container, and then package and freeze the container to produce the target frozen omelet.

[0004] Patent Document 2 describes a frozen rolled omelet having at least a two-layer multi-layer structure. The frozen rolled omelet has a layer composed of a solid phase (first phase) of a first egg-containing liquid that does not contain a thickener or contains a thickener at a lower concentration than the second egg-containing liquid, and is encapsulated in a layer composed of a solid phase (second phase) of a second egg-containing liquid that contains a thickener at a higher concentration than the first egg-containing liquid. According to the frozen rolled omelet described in Patent Document 2, water separation during thawing is suppressed, and a good juicy feeling is obtained.

[0005] Patent Document 3 describes a frozen egg processed food containing egg yolk and plant sterols and one or more selected from starch, dextrin, reduced dextrin, gelatin, and thickening polysaccharides and heat-coagulated.

Prior Art Documents

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-216713 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-092665 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-267704 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] During the distribution process of frozen egg products, when the product temperature is changed from the freezing temperature range to the refrigerated (chilled) temperature range, i.e., when thawed by refrigeration (frozen chilling), so-called syneresis (drip) may occur, where moisture leaks out of the egg product during thawing. When syneresis occurs in egg products, not only does the quality of the egg product itself, such as its texture, deteriorate, but if other foods are present around the egg product, those foods will become watery. Therefore, it is desirable that frozen egg products do not easily undergo syneresis during thawing. The technology described in Patent Document 2 has some effect in suppressing syneresis during thawing of frozen egg products, but the texture of frozen egg products using this technology in an edible state (texture after thawing) differs from the texture that egg products originally possess, and some people may perceive it as unnatural.

[0008] Furthermore, frozen egg products are required to have the same appearance as freshly made egg products when thawed and ready to eat. However, the inventions described in Patent Documents 1 to 3 do not consider the appearance of frozen egg products after thawing.

[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide a frozen egg product that is less prone to water separation during thawing and has good texture and appearance when edible after thawing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] As a result of diligent research, the inventors of the present invention have found that the above problem can be solved by manufacturing a frozen egg product using a dispersion liquid in which a seasoning paste having a specific viscosity is dispersed in a liquid raw material containing egg liquid, such that the granular particles of the seasoning paste pass through a specific sieve and also so that they do not pass through a specific sieve.

[0011] The present invention is based on the above findings and provides a method for producing a frozen egg product, which mainly uses eggs as raw material and contains seasonings, comprising: a first step of mixing at least one thickening material selected from the group consisting of starch, modified starch, and polysaccharides with seasonings to prepare a seasoning paste with a viscosity of 500 to 2000 Pa·s; a second step of mixing a liquid raw material containing egg liquid with the seasoning paste to prepare a dispersion in which granular particles of the seasoning paste are dispersed in the liquid raw material; a third step of placing the dispersion in a mold and heating it at 60 to 120°C to obtain an egg product; and a fourth step of freezing the egg product, wherein the granular particles of the seasoning paste pass through a sieve with a mesh size of 5.6 mm but do not pass through a sieve with a mesh size of 500 μm, thereby providing a method for producing a frozen egg product. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the manufacturing method of the present invention, it is possible to provide a frozen egg product that is less prone to water separation during thawing and has good texture and appearance when ready to eat after thawing. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] The present invention relates to a manufacturing method for producing a frozen egg product, which is primarily made from eggs and contains seasonings. The frozen egg product is a frozen egg product. In this invention, "egg" refers to the egg of a bird that can be used as a food ingredient. Examples of eggs include chicken eggs, quail eggs, duck eggs, and ostrich eggs. Chicken eggs are particularly preferred because they are readily available and widely used as an ingredient in egg processed products. In this invention, "egg processed product" refers to a processed product obtained by heating a liquid raw material containing eggs. Frozen egg processed products use eggs as their main ingredient, and "using eggs as their main ingredient" here means that, in the composition of a frozen egg processed product, the content of egg-derived components such as egg yolk and egg white (the ratio of the mass of egg-derived components to the total mass of the frozen egg processed product) is the largest, excluding water. Specific examples of egg products include, for example, tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet), dashi-maki tamago (rolled omelet with dashi broth), omelets, scrambled eggs, and fried eggs. The manufacturing method of the present invention is particularly advantageous for the production of frozen tamagoyaki and frozen dashi-maki tamago.

[0014] In this invention, "liquid raw material" refers to a raw material that has liquid fluidity at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. In this invention, "room temperature and atmospheric pressure" refers to the ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure in the environment in which the method for manufacturing the frozen egg processed product of this invention is normally carried out, and is typically an environment with an ambient temperature of 25°C and an atmospheric pressure of 1 atmosphere.

[0015] The manufacturing method of the present invention comprises a first step of preparing a seasoning paste, a second step of preparing a dispersion using the seasoning paste, a third step of obtaining an egg product using the dispersion, and a fourth step of freezing the egg product. Each step will be described below.

[0016] <First step> In the first step, a seasoning paste is prepared by mixing at least one thickening agent selected from the group consisting of starch, modified starch, and polysaccharides with a seasoning. The seasoning paste contains the thickening agent, seasoning, and water, and is fluid at room temperature and pressure.

[0017] Examples of the aforementioned starches include unprocessed starches such as tapioca starch, wheat starch, potato starch, corn starch, waxy corn starch, sweet potato starch, sago starch, and rice starch. Examples of the modified starch include those obtained by subjecting the unprocessed starch to one or more treatments such as gelatinization, etherification, esterification, acetylation, crosslinking, oxidation, and oil processing. Examples of the polysaccharide include locust bean gum, guar gum, gum arabic, xanthan gum, tamarind gum, tara gum, pullulan, tragacanth gum, karaya gum, ramzan gum, welan gum, and psyllium seed gum. In the present invention, one of the thickening materials may be used alone, or two or more of them may be used in combination.

[0018] In the production method of the present invention, from the viewpoint of further enhancing the effects of the present invention, it is preferable to use modified starch. The modified starch is preferably one subjected to acetylated phosphate crosslinking treatment or hydroxypropylated phosphate crosslinking treatment.

[0019] The amount of the thickening material used in the first step is preferably such that the content of the thickening material in the seasoning paste is 0.1 to 30% by mass, more preferably 0.2 to 20% by mass, and still more preferably 0.5 to 15% by mass, based on the total mass of the seasoning paste, in order to easily make the viscosity of the seasoning paste a value described later.

[0020] As the seasoning used in the first step, those used in the technical field to which the present invention belongs can be used without particular limitation, and the seasoning can be appropriately determined according to the type of processed egg product and the desired taste. Specific examples of the seasoning include, for example, liquid seasonings such as soy sauce, mirin, dashi, vinegar, and miso; and solid seasonings such as sugar, salt, spices, grated or ground bonito or dried small fish, and powdered or granular dashi materials. In the present invention, one of these seasonings may be used alone, or two or more of them may be used in combination.

[0021] There is no limitation on the amount of the seasoning used in the first step, and it can be appropriately determined according to the type of processed egg product to be produced. For example, the content of the seasoning in the seasoning paste is preferably 0.1 to 20% by mass, more preferably 0.2 to 15% by mass, and still more preferably 0.5 to 10% by mass, in terms of solids, based on the total mass of the seasoning paste.

[0022] The seasoning paste contains moisture. From the viewpoint of facilitating the setting of the viscosity of the seasoning paste to the value described later, the moisture content of the seasoning paste is preferably 30 to 99% by mass, more preferably 40 to 98% by mass, and even more preferably 50 to 96% by mass, based on the total mass of the seasoning paste.

[0023] The moisture contained in the seasoning paste may be derived from the thickening agent and / or seasoning used in the preparation of the seasoning paste, or it may be derived from water added separately from the thickening agent and seasoning during the preparation of the seasoning paste. In the latter case, in the first step, water is used in addition to the thickening agent and seasoning to prepare the seasoning paste. When a liquid seasoning containing water is used as the seasoning, it is possible to prepare the seasoning paste without using water separately, depending on the amount of liquid seasoning used and its water content. Typically, the seasoning paste is prepared by mixing the thickening agent, seasoning and water.

[0024] When water is used in addition to the thickening agent and seasonings in the first step, the amount of water used is preferably 100 to 10000% by mass, more preferably 200 to 5000% by mass, and even more preferably 300 to 3000% by mass, relative to 100% by mass of the total mass of the thickening agent and seasonings used in the first step, in order to facilitate setting the viscosity of the seasoning paste to the value described later.

[0025] In the first step, other components besides thickening agents, seasonings, and water may be included in the seasoning paste, to the extent that they do not hinder the effects of the present invention. Examples of other components include shelf-life extenders, preservatives, sweeteners, colorants, and flavorings. The amount of other components used in the first step is preferably such that the content of other components in the seasoning paste is 12% by mass or less, more preferably 10% by mass or less, and even more preferably 8% by mass or less, based on the total mass of the seasoning paste.

[0026] In the first step, a thickening agent and a seasoning are mixed, and water is added as needed to prepare a seasoning paste. To ensure the viscosity of the seasoning paste is within the range described later, it is preferable to heat the mixture under atmospheric pressure. A preferred method for preparing the seasoning paste is to mix the thickening agent, seasoning, and water under atmospheric pressure and heat the mixture while stirring. When heating the mixture, it is preferable to set the heating temperature (temperature of the mixture) to 60-100°C, particularly 70-95°C, and the heating time (time during which the heating temperature is maintained) to 1-100 minutes, particularly 2-60 minutes. There are no particular restrictions on the mixing method and heating method, and known methods may be used. When heating the mixture, water may evaporate due to heating, and the moisture content of the seasoning paste may not reach the desired value. In that case, the amount of water that has evaporated can be added to the seasoning paste to bring the moisture content of the seasoning paste to the desired value.

[0027] The seasoning paste prepared in the first step must have a viscosity of 500 to 2000 Pa·s. If a frozen egg product is manufactured using a seasoning paste with a viscosity of less than 500 Pa·s, the frozen egg product will undergo syneresis (water separation) upon thawing. If a frozen egg product is manufactured using a seasoning paste with a viscosity exceeding 2000 Pa·s, the frozen egg product will have a poor texture when ready to eat. From the viewpoint of further enhancing the effects of the present invention, the viscosity of the seasoning paste is preferably 650 to 1900 Pa·s, and more preferably 800 to 1800 Pa·s. The viscosity of the seasoning paste can be measured by the following method.

[0028] <Method for measuring viscosity> The viscosity of the seasoning paste is measured in accordance with JIS Z 8803. Specifically, 60g of seasoning paste at a temperature of 25°C is used as a sample, and its viscosity is measured using a B-type viscometer. An M4 rotor is used as the rotor of the B-type viscometer, and the rotation speed of the rotor is set to 1 rpm. The viscosity of the seasoning paste is measured 1 minute after the start of rotor rotation. As a B-type viscometer, for example, the "TV-25" manufactured by Toki Sangyo Co., Ltd. can be used.

[0029] The viscosity of the seasoning paste can be adjusted by adjusting the type and amount of thickening material used in the preparation of the seasoning paste, the amount of water used, the heating temperature and heating time, etc.

[0030] <Second step> In the second step, a liquid raw material containing egg liquid is mixed with the seasoning paste prepared in the first step to prepare a dispersion in which the granular components of the seasoning paste are dispersed in the liquid raw material. If the seasoning paste is prepared by heating the mixture in the first step, mixing the relatively hot seasoning paste immediately after preparation with the liquid raw material may cause the egg liquid in the liquid raw material to denature. To prevent this, the temperature of the seasoning paste to be mixed with the liquid raw material is preferably 5 to 50°C. Therefore, it is preferable to perform a cooling step after the first step to adjust the temperature of the seasoning paste to the above-mentioned preferred range before performing the second step. The method of cooling the seasoning paste is not particularly limited and may be natural cooling or forced cooling using a cooling means such as a blower.

[0031] The aforementioned liquid raw material contains egg liquid. In this invention, "egg liquid" refers to the liquid obtained from eggs. Specific examples of egg liquid include egg yolk liquid, egg white liquid, whole egg liquid, a liquid obtained by dissolving dried eggs in water, enzyme-treated egg material, and liquids obtained by mixing these liquids in any ratio. In this invention, from the viewpoint of further improving the texture of the egg processed product after thawing, it is preferable that the egg liquid is whole egg liquid.

[0032] There are no particular restrictions on the egg liquid content in the liquid raw material, and it can be appropriately determined depending on the type of egg processed product, etc. For example, the egg liquid content in the liquid raw material is preferably 40 to 99% by mass, more preferably 50 to 98% by mass, and even more preferably 60 to 97% by mass, based on the total mass of the liquid raw material.

[0033] The aforementioned liquid raw material may contain seasonings in order to achieve the desired taste and texture of the egg product. The seasonings used can be any of the examples provided for use in the first step, without any particular limitations.

[0034] The liquid raw material may contain other components besides egg liquid and seasonings, as long as they do not hinder the effects of the present invention. Other components may include those exemplified as other components in the first step. The content of other components in the liquid raw material is preferably 40% by mass or less, more preferably 30% by mass or less, and even more preferably 20% by mass or less, based on the total mass of the liquid raw material.

[0035] In the second step, from the viewpoint of further enhancing the effects of the present invention, it is preferable to mix the liquid raw material and the seasoning paste in a mass ratio of 70:30 to 40:60, more preferably 68:32 to 42:58, and even more preferably 65:35 to 45:55.

[0036] In the second step, the granular material of the seasoning paste is dispersed in the liquid raw material by mixing the seasoning paste with the liquid raw material. In this invention, the particle size of the granular material of the seasoning paste dispersed in the liquid raw material must be within a specific range. Specifically, the granular material of the seasoning paste must pass through a sieve with a mesh size of 5.6 mm and not pass through a sieve with a mesh size of 500 μm. The above-mentioned "passes through a sieve with a mesh size of 5.6 mm and does not pass through a sieve with a mesh size of 500 μm" means that the maximum mesh size of the sieve through which the material can pass (hereinafter also referred to as "maximum passable mesh size") is 5.6 mm, and the minimum mesh size of the sieve through which the material can pass (hereinafter also referred to as "minimum passable mesh size") is greater than 500 μm. If the granular material does not pass through a sieve with a mesh size of 5.6 mm, the appearance of the egg processed product after thawing will be poor. Furthermore, if the granular material passes through a sieve with a mesh size of 500 μm, the texture of the egg product after thawing will be poor. In the present invention, from the viewpoint of further improving the texture and appearance of the egg product after thawing, it is preferable that the granular material of the seasoning paste passes through a sieve with a mesh size of 4 mm, and more preferably through a sieve with a mesh size of 2.8 mm. That is, the maximum mesh size through which the granular material of the seasoning paste can pass is 5.6 mm or less, preferably 4 mm or less, and more preferably 2.8 mm or less. Also, from the viewpoint of further improving the texture of the egg product after thawing, it is preferable that the granular material of the seasoning paste does not pass through a sieve with a mesh size of 600 μm, more preferably does not pass through a sieve with a mesh size of 710 μm, and even more preferably does not pass through a sieve with a mesh size of 850 μm. In other words, the minimum mesh opening through which granular particles of the seasoning paste can pass is greater than 500 μm, preferably greater than 600 μm, more preferably greater than 710 μm, and even more preferably greater than 850 μm.

[0037] In this invention, the particle size of the granular material of the seasoning paste is defined by the sieve opening, which can be converted to mesh size. When the particle size of the granular material of the seasoning paste is converted to mesh size, the granular material of the seasoning paste must pass through a 3.5-mesh sieve and not pass through a 30-mesh sieve. The above-mentioned "passing through a 3.5-mesh sieve and not passing through a 30-mesh sieve" means that the maximum mesh size of the sieve through which the particles can pass (hereinafter also referred to as the "maximum passable mesh") is 3.5 mesh, and the minimum mesh size of the sieve through which the particles can pass (hereinafter also referred to as the "minimum passable mesh") is greater than 30 mesh. It is preferable that the granular material of the seasoning paste passes through a 4.7-mesh sieve, and more preferably through a 6.5-mesh sieve. That is, the maximum mesh size through which the granular material of the seasoning paste can pass is 3.5 mesh or more, preferably 4.7 mesh or more, and more preferably 6.5 mesh or more. Furthermore, it is preferable that the granular material of the seasoning paste does not pass through a 26-mesh sieve, more preferably that it does not pass through a 22-mesh sieve, and even more preferably that it does not pass through an 18-mesh sieve. In other words, the minimum mesh size through which the granular material of the seasoning paste can pass is greater than 30 mesh, preferably greater than 26 mesh, more preferably greater than 22 mesh, and even more preferably greater than 18 mesh. In this invention, "mesh" refers to the JIS standard for test sieves, JIS Z 8801-1.

[0038] The particle size of the granular components of the seasoning paste dispersed in the liquid raw material can be controlled by the stirring conditions between the seasoning paste and the liquid raw material. To achieve the aforementioned granular size of the seasoning paste, a stirrer such as a mixer or blender should be used to stir the seasoning paste and the liquid raw material, and the stirring time should be set to 10 seconds to 60 minutes.

[0039] <Third step> In the third step, the dispersion prepared in the second step is poured into a mold and heated to produce an egg product. In this step, it is preferable to use the dispersion immediately after preparation for hygienic reasons. "Immediately after preparation" refers to within 120 minutes from the completion of the mixing process.

[0040] There are no particular restrictions on the material and size of the mold used in the third step; any known mold may be used depending on the desired size of the egg product. The mold used in the second step typically has a bottom wall and side walls that rise from the periphery of the bottom wall, and is capable of containing the contents (the dispersion) in the space defined by the bottom wall and the side walls. In addition, an opening is provided in the part of the mold facing the bottom wall, defined by the upper end of the side wall, and the contents can be inserted and removed through this opening. The shape of the egg product manufactured in the third step corresponds to the shape of the space in the mold. The shape of the space is not particularly limited and may be, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped or a cube.

[0041] In the third step, the dispersion liquid placed in the mold is heated at 60 to 120°C to obtain an egg product. From the viewpoint of quickly heating the dispersion liquid and preventing overheating, the heating temperature for heating is preferably 80 to 110°C, and more preferably 90 to 105°C. There are no particular restrictions on the heating time of the dispersion liquid (the time during which the heating temperature is maintained), and it can be appropriately determined according to the heating temperature. For example, the heating time is preferably 1 to 100 minutes, and more preferably 5 to 50 minutes.

[0042] There are no particular restrictions on the cooking method, and methods such as frying, boiling, steaming, hot air cooking, steam cooking, and infrared cooking can be used. One of these methods may be used alone, or two or more may be used in combination. In this invention, from the viewpoint of further improving the texture of the egg product after thawing, steaming is preferred as the cooking method. Steaming can be carried out, for example, using a known steaming device.

[0043] <Fourth step> In the fourth step, the egg product obtained in the third step is frozen to produce a frozen egg product. From a hygienic standpoint, it is preferable to freeze the frozen egg product immediately after cooking. "Immediately after cooking" refers to within 60 minutes of the completion of the mixing process.

[0044] In the fourth step, the egg product may be frozen while still in the mold, or the egg product may be frozen after being removed from the mold. From the viewpoint of ease of handling of the frozen egg product, it is preferable to freeze the egg product after it has been removed from the mold.

[0045] The method of freezing egg products is not particularly limited; for example, it may be slow freezing, which freezes the product relatively slowly, or rapid freezing, which freezes it in a shorter time than slow freezing. In this invention, "slow freezing" refers to freezing egg products in a manner in which the time required from the point in time when the temperature of the egg products reaches 0°C to the point when it reaches -20°C exceeds 120 minutes. "Rapid freezing" refers to freezing egg products in a manner in which the time required from the point in time when the temperature of the egg products reaches 0°C to the point when it reaches -20°C is 120 minutes or less. The freezing temperature is at least 0°C or below, where water freezes, preferably -15°C or below, and more preferably -20°C or below. In this invention, from the viewpoint of work efficiency, it is preferable to rapidly freeze egg products.

[0046] In the fourth step, pre-treatment of the egg product may be performed before freezing. Examples of such pre-treatment include cooling the egg product and shaping the egg product, and either one or both can be performed. If both are performed, the order of performance is not particularly limited, but typically, cooling is performed first, followed by shaping. The aforementioned "cooling of egg products" is a process of cooling egg products that are still relatively hot immediately after cooking, which facilitates the subsequent freezing of the egg products. The cooling is preferably carried out so that the temperature of the egg products is between 5 and 40°C, and more preferably between 7 and 35°C. There are no particular restrictions on the cooling method, and known methods can be used. The aforementioned "shaping of egg products" is a process of adjusting the shape of the egg products to the desired shape of frozen egg products, and may include operations such as cutting and pressing. For example, the operation of cutting the egg products obtained in the third step into desired sizes corresponds to shaping of egg products. [Examples]

[0047] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples. Unless otherwise specified, "parts" refers to "parts by mass" and "%" refers to "percentage by mass".

[0048] The following materials were used as raw materials in the test. • Modified starch (thickening agent): Acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch • Granulated dashi (seasoning): Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd. "Sozairyoku Dashi (registered trademark) Kombu Dashi" • Soy sauce (seasoning): Kikkoman Corporation's "Kikkoman Special Selection Whole Soybean Soy Sauce" • Whole egg liquid • Vinegar: Grain vinegar manufactured by Mizkan Co., Ltd.

[0049] [Test 1] This study aims to evaluate the effect of the viscosity of seasoning paste on frozen egg products.

[0050] <Example 1> (1) Preparation of seasoning paste The ingredients for the seasoning paste listed in Table 1 were mixed in the proportions listed in Table 1 to prepare a mixture. The mixture was heated to 90°C and mixed with a spatula (heating temperature 90°C, heating time 2 minutes). After stopping the heating, the amount of water lost due to heating was added back to the mixture, and the mixture was cooled to prepare the seasoning paste. The viscosity of the seasoning paste measured by the method described above is shown in Table 1. (2) Preparation of dispersion The seasoning paste, immediately after preparation, was added to the liquid raw materials having the composition described in Table 1, and the mixture was stirred for 1 minute using a mixer to prepare a dispersion in which the granular particles of seasoning paste A were dispersed in the egg mixture. The amounts of seasoning paste and liquid raw materials used, as well as the maximum and minimum mesh openings through which the granular particles of seasoning paste in the dispersion could pass, are shown in Table 1. (3) Manufacturing of egg products The dispersion was placed in a mold (width: 25 cm, depth: 8 cm, height: 2.5 cm), and the mixture was heated at 99°C for 8 minutes using a steam oven (Fujimac's "Combi Oven iCombi Pro") to produce an egg product. (4) Manufacturing of frozen egg products Immediately after manufacturing, the egg product was removed from the mold and cooled using a cooling machine (Fukushima Galirei Co., Ltd. "Blast Chiller / Shock Freezer") until its temperature reached 20°C. The cooled egg product was then subjected to a process that reduced its volume to 2 cm³. 3 The eggs were cut in this manner. The cut egg products were then rapidly frozen using a rapid freezer (Hoshizaki Corporation's "Blast Chiller & Shock Freezer") with cold air at -40°C to obtain frozen egg products.

[0051] <Examples 2-4 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2> Frozen egg processed products for Examples 2-4 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 were manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the raw materials used in the production of the seasoning paste were changed as shown in Table 1.

[0052] [evaluation] The frozen egg products obtained in the examples and comparative examples were stored at -18°C for two weeks, then transferred to a refrigerator at 7°C and stored for 48 hours. The water separation, texture, and appearance of the egg products after storage were evaluated. The evaluation was performed by a panel of six experts.

[0053] <Release water> The water separation from thawed egg products was evaluated according to the following criteria. The evaluation was performed visually by a panel of experts. The most frequent evaluation was used as the water separation evaluation result. If there were multiple highest evaluations, the relatively lowest evaluation among them was used as the water separation evaluation result. That is, for example, if there were an equal number of A, B, and C evaluations (two each), the C evaluation was used as the evaluation result for the egg product. The results are shown in Table 1. A: The egg products show no water separation and are in good condition. B: Some liquid separation occurs in the egg products, but it is within acceptable limits. C: The egg product has water separation and is defective.

[0054] <Texture> The texture of egg products after thawing was evaluated according to the following criteria. The evaluation was conducted by a panel of experts who tasted the egg products. The most frequent rating was used as the texture evaluation result. If there were multiple highest ratings, the relatively lowest rating among them was used as the syneresis evaluation. The results are shown in Table 1. A: The egg product has a suitable softness and a pleasant texture; it is good. B: There is something slightly off about the texture of some of the egg products, but it is within an acceptable range. C: The egg product has an unusual texture and is defective.

[0055] <Exterior> The cross-section of the egg product after thawing was evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria. The evaluation was performed visually by a panel of experts. The most frequent evaluation was used as the evaluation result for appearance. If there were multiple highest evaluations, the relatively lowest evaluation among them was used as the evaluation result for syneresis (water separation). The results are shown in Table 1. A: It's close to freshly made tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet), excellent. B: It's a little unusual for a freshly made omelet, but it's within acceptable limits. C: It tastes unnatural as a freshly made omelet; it's a failure.

[0056] [Table 1]

[0057] As shown in Table 1, the frozen egg products of Examples 1 to 4, where the viscosity of the seasoning paste used as the raw material for the egg products was 500 to 2000 Pa·s, showed good results in terms of syneresis, softness, and appearance. In contrast, the egg products of Comparative Examples 1 and 2, where the viscosity was outside the specified range, showed significantly poor results in either syneresis or softness. This result indicates that by setting the viscosity within the specified range, syneresis after thawing is suppressed, and egg products with good texture and appearance in an edible state after thawing can be produced.

[0058] [Exam 2] This test is intended to evaluate the effect of the particle size of the granular particles in the seasoning paste in a dispersion obtained by mixing liquid raw materials and the seasoning paste on frozen egg processed products.

[0059] <Examples 5-7 and Comparative Examples 3 and 4> In preparing the dispersion, the mixing conditions between the liquid raw material and the seasoning paste were changed so that the maximum and minimum mesh openings through which the granular particles of the seasoning paste could pass were as shown in Table 2. Except for these changes, the frozen egg processed products of Examples 5-7 and Comparative Examples 3 and 4 were produced in the same manner as in Example 2.

[0060] [evaluation] Table 2 shows the results of the evaluations of water separation, texture, and appearance of the frozen egg processed products of Examples 5-7 and Comparative Examples 3 and 4.

[0061] [Table 2]

[0062] As shown in Table 2, the frozen egg products of Examples 5 to 7 had a maximum mesh opening of 5.6 mm or less through which the granular seasoning paste could pass, and a minimum mesh opening of over 500 μm. In other words, the seasoning paste passed through a sieve with a mesh opening of 5.6 mm but not through a sieve with a mesh opening of 500 μm, and the evaluation results for syneresis, texture, and appearance were good. In contrast, the egg product of Comparative Example 3, which had a minimum mesh opening of 500 μm or less through which the granular seasoning paste could pass, had a poor texture. Furthermore, the egg product of Comparative Example 4, which had a maximum mesh opening of over 5.6 mm through which the granular seasoning paste could pass, had a significantly poor appearance. These results indicate that by setting the maximum and minimum mesh openings through which the granular seasoning paste could pass within the specified ranges, it is possible to make frozen egg products less prone to syneresis during thawing and to have good texture and appearance in an edible state after thawing.

[0063] [Exam 3] This study aims to evaluate the effect of the mixing mass ratio of liquid raw materials and seasoning paste during dispersion preparation on frozen egg products.

[0064] <Examples 8-11> Frozen egg processed products of Examples 8 to 11 were manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the seasoning paste and liquid ingredients were changed to those listed in Table 3.

[0065] [evaluation] Table 3 shows the results of the evaluations of water separation, texture, and appearance of the frozen egg processed products of Examples 8 to 11.

[0066] [Table 3]

[0067] As shown in Table 3, the frozen egg processed products of each example, with a mixed mass ratio of liquid raw material:seasoning paste = 70:30 to 40:60, all exhibited good water separation, texture, and appearance. In particular, the frozen egg processed products of Examples 9 and 10, with a mixed mass ratio of liquid raw material:seasoning paste = 60:40 to 50:50, showed even better evaluation results than Examples 8 and 11, where the mixed mass ratio was outside this range.

Claims

1. A method for producing a frozen egg product, which uses eggs as the main ingredient and contains seasonings, A first step involves mixing at least one thickening material selected from the group consisting of starch, modified starch, and polysaccharides with a seasoning to prepare a seasoning paste with a viscosity of 500 to 2000 Pa·s. A second step involves mixing a liquid raw material containing egg liquid with the seasoning paste to prepare a dispersion in which the granular material of the seasoning paste is dispersed in the liquid raw material. A third step involves placing the dispersion liquid into a mold and heating it at 60-120°C to obtain an egg product. The process includes a fourth step of freezing the egg product, A method for producing a frozen egg product, wherein the granular material of the seasoning paste passes through a sieve with a mesh size of 5.6 mm but does not pass through a sieve with a mesh size of 500 μm.

2. The method for producing a frozen egg product according to claim 1, wherein in the second step, the liquid raw material and the seasoning paste are mixed in a mass ratio of 70:30 to 40:

60.

3. The method for producing a frozen egg product according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the aforementioned heating method is steaming.

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