Frozen noodles in containers

Abstract

This invention provides frozen noodles in a container that can be frozen in its container, can be eaten simply by adding water to the container and heating it, and maintains its texture well during frozen storage. [Solution] A packaged frozen cooked noodle product is provided, comprising cooked frozen noodles with a moisture content of 9-15% by mass, frozen seasoning liquid, and a container containing these. A method for producing packaged frozen cooked noodles is also provided, comprising storing cooked frozen noodles with a moisture content of 9-15% by mass and frozen seasoning liquid in a container, wherein the cooked frozen noodles with a moisture content of 9-15% by mass are prepared by drying noodles that have been cooked to an edible state so that their moisture content is 9-15% by mass, and then freezing them.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to frozen noodles in a container.

Background Art

[0002] Frozen foods are basically highly preservable because they are frozen. However, on the other hand, the quality may slightly deteriorate even during frozen storage. In particular, frozen noodles are likely to experience quality degradation because moisture movement and starch crystallization occur during frozen storage.

[0003] Frozen cooked noodles including a set of cooked noodles and a seasoning liquid or ingredients are commercially available. Many of these have the frozen cooked noodles placed inside the frozen seasoning liquid, and it is possible to produce cooked noodles with soup that can be eaten simply by heating this in a container using a microwave oven or the like. However, in such forms of food, since the moisture in the seasoning liquid migrates to the noodles during frozen storage, the noodles after heating tend to have a too soft texture.

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes frozen cold noodles in which frozen or dried noodles and frozen soup are enclosed in a container and thawed by putting hot water in the container. Patent Document 2 describes frozen noodles in a container that can be eaten simply by putting water in the container and heating it in a microwave oven, with frozen concentrated soup, a sheet material, and frozen cooked noodles stored in order from the bottom of the container.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The present invention provides a frozen noodle product in a container that can be frozen and stored in the container, can be eaten simply by adding water to the container and heating it, and maintains its texture well during frozen storage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The inventors have discovered that by freezing pre-cooked noodles with a specific moisture content along with a seasoning liquid, and then adding water and heating them, it is possible to produce pre-cooked noodles with a good texture through simple preparation.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention provides a packaged frozen cooked noodle product comprising cooked frozen noodles having a moisture content of 9 to 15% by mass, a frozen seasoning liquid, and a container containing these. The present invention also provides a method for producing cooked noodles, which includes pouring water into a container of frozen cooked noodles and heating it in a microwave oven. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for producing frozen, pre-cooked noodles in a container, This includes storing pre-cooked frozen noodles with a moisture content of 9-15% by mass and frozen seasoning liquid in a container. The pre-cooked frozen noodles with a moisture content of 9-15% by mass are made by cooking noodles until they are edible, drying them to a moisture content of 9-15% by mass, and then freezing them. Provide a method. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The frozen pre-cooked noodles in the container of the present invention are stored frozen with the pre-cooked noodles and seasoning liquid contained in the container. Therefore, by simply adding water and heating it in a microwave oven or the like, you can produce pre-cooked noodles with a good texture. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The present invention provides a container of pre-cooked frozen noodles, in which pre-cooked frozen noodles and frozen seasoning liquid are stored together in a container. By adding water to this and heating the container, ready-to-eat pre-cooked noodles can be produced.

[0011] The pre-cooked frozen noodles used in this invention are pre-cooked noodles with a moisture content of 9 to 15% by mass that have been frozen. Preferably, the pre-cooked frozen noodles are made by cooking noodles so that they are edible, drying them to a moisture content of 9 to 15% by mass, and then freezing them.

[0012] The noodles used as raw materials for the cooked noodles can be any of the fresh noodles, semi-fresh noodles, and dried noodles that are commonly used as cooking noodles. The type of noodles is not particularly limited, and examples include noodles made from buckwheat flour, wheat flour, rice flour, etc., and more specifically, soba, udon, somen, hiyamugi, Chinese noodles, short pasta, long pasta, etc. Preferably, the noodles used in the present invention are noodles that are prone to quality deterioration due to freezing, such as rice flour noodles, somen, or long pasta.

[0013] The method for preparing the noodles used as raw materials for consumption can be the usual method, such as boiling or steaming. The noodles, once prepared for consumption, typically have a moisture content of about 55-70% by mass.

[0014] In this invention, the cooked noodles, which have been prepared to be edible, are dried to a moisture content of 9 to 15% by mass, preferably 10 to 13% by mass. If the moisture content is less than 9% by mass, the noodles will not be heated sufficiently when the frozen cooked noodles in the container are heated, resulting in a decrease in the texture of the noodles. On the other hand, if the moisture content exceeds 15% by mass, the noodles will be too soft after heating. In this specification, the moisture content (by mass) of the noodles can be calculated as the percentage of the mass difference (i.e., the moisture content of the noodles) between the noodles that have been oven-dried and the noodles before oven-drying, relative to the mass of the noodles before oven-drying. The drying method for the cooked noodles is not particularly limited as long as it can adjust the moisture content of the noodles as described above, and can be carried out according to conventional methods. Examples of drying methods include heat drying, hot air drying, and forced-air drying, of which forced-air drying is preferred. On the other hand, deep-frying and freeze-drying are undesirable because the noodles may become too dry. The moisture content of regular fried dried noodles is approximately 2-5% by mass, while the moisture content of freeze-dried noodles is approximately 1-5% by mass.

[0015] Examples of frozen seasoning liquids used in this invention include soups, sauces, and dressings that are consumed with noodles. The frozen seasoning liquid may also contain ingredients as needed. If the frozen seasoning liquid is in its normal state when consumed (the so-called "straight" state), its large volume makes it undesirable for storage and requires a long heating time. Furthermore, as will be described later, since the frozen pre-cooked noodles in the container of this invention are heated after adding water, a straight seasoning liquid is undesirable because its flavor becomes diluted. Therefore, it is preferable that the frozen seasoning liquid be in a concentrated state.

[0016] The degree of concentration of the frozen seasoning liquid (how many times it is concentrated compared to the seasoning liquid consumed) is preferably about 6.5 to 50% of the straight version, based on volume at 25°C. For example, if the volume is 50% of the straight version, it is twice as concentrated. Therefore, the degree of concentration of the frozen seasoning liquid is preferably 2 to 15 times, and more preferably 3 to 10 times.

[0017] The cooked noodles and seasoning liquid may be frozen according to conventional methods. Preferably, the cooked noodles and seasoning liquid are rapidly frozen. Examples of rapid freezing methods include air blast, liquid, contact, and liquefied gas methods. The cooked noodles and seasoning liquid may be frozen before or after being placed in the container described later. Preferably, the cooked noodles and seasoning liquid are placed in the container after they have been frozen.

[0018] The frozen pre-cooked noodles in a container of the present invention consist of the pre-cooked frozen noodles (hereinafter also simply referred to as frozen noodles), a frozen seasoning liquid, and a container in which they are stored. Furthermore, the frozen pre-cooked noodles in a container may also include ingredients or toppings separately. The arrangement of the frozen noodles and frozen seasoning liquid within the container is not particularly limited. Preferably, the frozen noodles are placed on top of the frozen seasoning liquid. Since the frozen seasoning liquid has a greater mass than the frozen noodles, this arrangement stabilizes the container containing the frozen noodles and frozen seasoning liquid. This arrangement is also advantageous when considering that the frozen noodles will be heated after adding water.

[0019] The amount of frozen noodles and frozen seasoning liquid to be contained in the container is not particularly limited. From the viewpoint of ease of handling of the frozen cooked noodles in the container, it is preferable to use an amount for 1 to 2 servings. The specific amount of frozen noodles and frozen seasoning liquid to be contained may vary depending on the moisture content of the frozen noodles and the concentration of the frozen seasoning liquid. For example, assuming that the amount of noodles in one serving is 200 to 300 g and the moisture content of the cooked noodles is dried from 70% by mass to 10% by mass, the mass of one serving of frozen noodles contained in the container will be 80 to 120 g. Similarly, if the amount of seasoning liquid in one serving is 200 to 500 g and the seasoning liquid is concentrated five times, the mass of one serving of frozen seasoning liquid contained in the container will be 40 to 100 g.

[0020] The type of the container for storing the frozen noodles and the frozen seasoning liquid is not particularly limited as long as it can be heated by a microwave oven or the like. Further, it is preferable that it can be used as a container for the cooked noodles obtained after the heating. For example, the container is preferably made of glass or heat-resistant plastic, and preferably has a bowl shape or a donburi shape. After the container contains the frozen noodles and the frozen seasoning liquid, it is preferably sealed separately with a lid material, a sealing material, a wrap film, a packaging bag, or the like.

[0021] When manufacturing the frozen cooked noodles in a container, for example, unfrozen seasoning liquid and noodles may be put into the container and frozen, or after putting the seasoning liquid into the container and freezing it, frozen noodles may be placed thereon, or after putting the seasoning liquid into the container and freezing it, noodles may be placed thereon and frozen again, or frozen seasoning liquid may be put into the container and frozen noodles may be placed thereon.

[0022] From the viewpoint of preventing the transfer of the moisture of the seasoning liquid to the noodles, it is preferable that the contact area between the frozen noodles and the frozen seasoning liquid inside the container is small. If the frozen seasoning liquid is concentrated, the transfer of moisture to the frozen noodles during frozen storage can be reduced. Also, by freezing the frozen noodles and the frozen seasoning liquid separately and then storing them in the container, the contact portion between the frozen noodles and the frozen seasoning liquid can be minimized. Alternatively, an auxiliary material that does not allow water, such as a vinyl sheet, may be arranged between the frozen noodles and the frozen seasoning liquid inside the container.

[0023] The manufactured frozen cooked noodles in a container may be stored frozen as they are, or may be stored frozen after attaching the lid or the sealing material to the container or wrapping the container with the wrap film or the packaging bag. The method of frozen storage may follow a conventional method, and preferably, it is stored at -20 to -80°C.

[0024] In the present invention, edible pre-cooked noodles can be produced by adding water to the container containing the pre-cooked frozen noodles and heating it. Preferably, the container containing the pre-cooked frozen noodles is heated in a microwave oven. In this invention, by heating the frozen noodles with a specific moisture content in contact with the water, the frozen noodles are heated while absorbing water appropriately, and high-quality noodles are obtained after heating. Meanwhile, during heating, the frozen seasoning liquid is thawed and mixed with the water, and diluted while convection occurs.

[0025] The water added during heating is preferably at a temperature of 1 to 40°C, more preferably 5 to 30°C. The temperature of the added water may affect the texture of the noodles after heating. The amount of water added can be appropriately determined considering the moisture content of the frozen noodles and the concentration of the frozen seasoning liquid. In this case, if a stronger flavor is desired, the amount of water added can be reduced, and conversely, if a milder flavor is desired, the amount of water added can be increased.

[0026] The method for heating the frozen, pre-cooked noodles in a container according to the present invention, such as the heating method (e.g., microwave heating) and the amount and temperature of water to be added, is preferably indicated on the container, lid, or packaging bag. With this configuration, anyone can easily cook and eat pre-cooked noodles with a good texture. [Examples]

[0027] The effects of the present invention will be specifically explained below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0028] (Manufacturing Example 1) Commercially available dried somen noodles were boiled for the specified time to obtain cooked somen noodles (moisture content 67%). The cooked somen noodles were divided into single servings (100g each), packed evenly and flatly into a 10cm diameter sieve, and air-dried to reduce the moisture content to 9% by mass. After drying, the somen noodles were removed and rapidly frozen to produce freeze-dried cooked somen noodles (frozen somen noodles). The moisture content of the somen noodles was calculated by drying the sample at 60°C for 24 hours to achieve an oven-dry state, and then determining the moisture content by the difference in mass before and after the oven-drying treatment. Separately, a commercially available straight-type noodle soup base was placed in a pot and simmered over very low heat until its mass decreased to 20% of the original volume, thereby producing a 5x concentrated noodle soup base. Concentrated noodle soup was poured into a heat-resistant plastic bowl-shaped container in a 40 mL (1 / 5 of a single serving) portion and rapidly frozen to obtain frozen noodle soup. The frozen somen noodles prepared above were placed on top of the frozen noodle soup in the container, and the container was covered with plastic wrap to produce packaged frozen cooked somen noodles. The produced product was stored frozen at -20°C.

[0029] (Manufacturing Examples 2-5, Comparative Examples 1-3) Except for adjusting the drying time of the cooked somen noodles to achieve the moisture content shown in Table 1, the frozen cooked somen noodles in containers for Examples 2-5 and Comparative Examples 1-3 were manufactured and stored frozen using the same procedure as in Example 1.

[0030] (Test Example 1) To prepare warm somen noodles with a noodle soup at 80°C, 160 mL of 15°C water was added to a container of frozen, pre-cooked somen noodles that had been frozen for 14 days, and the mixture was heated in a microwave at 500W for 4 minutes. The amount of water added to the container was determined considering the 80 mL of water needed to dilute the concentrated noodle soup straight, and the amount of water removed from the pre-cooked somen noodles during the drying process. The texture of the prepared warm somen noodles was evaluated by 10 trained panelists according to the evaluation criteria below, and the average of the evaluations from the 10 panelists was calculated. As a benchmark, the evaluation score for warm somen noodles made with dried somen noodles boiled for the specified time and using commercially available straight-type noodle soup was set at a maximum of 5 points. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

[0031] (Criteria for evaluating texture) 5 points: The texture is very smooth, and it has plenty of chewiness and elasticity; it's excellent. 4 points: Smooth texture, good chewiness and elasticity, excellent. 3 points: It has a slightly sticky texture, but you can feel the chewiness and elasticity. 2 points: It has a sticky texture, and the chewiness and elasticity are somewhat weak; poor quality. 1 point: Extremely poor quality, with a sticky texture, weak chewiness and elasticity.

[0032] [Table 1]

[0033] (Test Example 2) The concentration of the frozen noodle soup was changed as shown in Table 2, and warm somen noodles were prepared using the same procedure as in Production Example 2, except that an amount of water equivalent to that of straight noodles was added to the container during microwave heating. The texture was then evaluated using the same procedure as in Test Example 1. The evaluation results are shown in Table 2. Although the texture of the somen noodles themselves was good in Production Examples 11 and 12, the flavor of the soup was reduced due to its high concentration, resulting in a slightly inferior overall quality.

[0034] [Table 2]

[0035] (Test Example 3) Except for changing the temperature of the water added to the container during microwave heating as shown in Table 3, warm somen noodles were prepared using the same procedure as in Example 2, and their texture was evaluated using the same procedure as in Test Example 1. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

[0036] [Table 3]

[0037] (Test example 4) The following procedure was used to produce hot somen noodles, except that the arrangement of the frozen somen noodles and frozen noodle soup in the container was changed as shown in Table 4. Specifically, in Production Example 20, unfrozen concentrated noodle soup was filled into a container, then unfrozen dried cooked somen noodles were added and rapidly frozen. In Production Example 21, concentrated noodle soup was rapidly frozen in a container, and then removed from the container. Frozen somen noodles were then placed in the container, and the aforementioned frozen concentrated noodle soup was poured on top. The texture of the produced hot somen noodles was evaluated using the same procedure as in Test Example 1. The evaluation results are shown in Table 4.

[0038] [Table 4]

Claims

1. A packaged frozen frozen noodle product comprising pre-cooked frozen noodles with a moisture content of 9-15% by mass, frozen seasoning liquid, and a container containing these.

2. The frozen cooked noodles in a container according to claim 1, wherein the cooked frozen noodles are placed on top of the frozen seasoning liquid.

3. The frozen, pre-cooked noodles in a container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the seasoning liquid is a concentrated seasoning liquid.

4. Frozen pre-cooked noodles in a container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which are intended for microwave heating after adding water.

5. The frozen, pre-cooked noodles in a container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the water is at a temperature of 1 to 40°C.

6. The frozen frozen noodles in a container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the cooked frozen noodles having a moisture content of 9 to 15% by mass are prepared by drying noodles that have been cooked to a edible state so that their moisture content is 9 to 15% by mass, and then freezing them.

7. A method for producing cooked noodles, comprising pouring water into a container of frozen cooked noodles described in any one of claims 1 to 6 and heating it in a microwave oven.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the water has a temperature of 1 to 40°C.

9. A method for manufacturing frozen pre-cooked noodles in a container, This includes storing pre-cooked frozen noodles with a moisture content of 9-15% by mass and frozen seasoning liquid in a container. The pre-cooked frozen noodles with a moisture content of 9-15% by mass are prepared by cooking the noodles to a edible state, drying them to a moisture content of 9-15% by mass, and then freezing them. method.

10. Place the frozen seasoning liquid into the container and place the cooked frozen noodles on top of it, or The seasoning liquid is placed in the aforementioned container and frozen, and the pre-cooked frozen noodles are placed on top of it. The method according to claim 9, including the method described in claim 9.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the seasoning liquid is a concentrated seasoning liquid.

12. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the frozen, pre-cooked noodles in a container are to be heated in a microwave oven after adding water.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the water is at a temperature of 1 to 40°C.

Images