Method for manufacturing fried egg-like food and fried egg-like food

Abstract

The present invention provides a fried egg-like food product that substantially does not contain egg yolk or egg white, and has an appearance similar to a real fried egg in which the raised egg yolk portion is covered by the egg white portion, as well as a method for producing the same. [Solution] A method for producing a fried egg-like food that substantially does not contain egg yolk and egg white, comprising: an egg yolk preparation step; a step of preparing an egg white slurry by dissolving a poorly soluble calcium agent in a raw material liquid; a first egg white placement step of arranging a portion of the egg white slurry on a plane; a step of arranging the egg yolk in the egg white slurry; a second egg white placement step of arranging the remaining egg white slurry; and a gelling step of gelling the egg white slurry to form an egg yolk portion that rises from the surrounding egg white portion and an egg white portion that encloses the egg yolk portion and has no seams, wherein the viscosity of the prepared egg yolk portion at 25°C is 25,000 mPa·s or more.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a tamagoyaki-like food having a yolk part and a white part and substantially free of yolk and white, and a method for producing the same.

Background Art

[0002] Tamagoyaki is usually cooked by steaming a raw egg that has been cracked in a heated frying pan, and is widely popular as a side dish or a topping for cooking. Such tamagoyaki has an egg-like appearance with a flat egg white and a raised yolk, and a thin film of egg white is formed on the surface of the yolk, and the egg white and the yolk are integrated.

[0003] On the other hand, a tamagoyaki-like processed food having an appearance exactly like that of real tamagoyaki and a method for producing the same are known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a process of obtaining a first egg white part by disposing a first egg white part liquid in a heated first mold having a first recess, a process of obtaining a second egg white part having at least a fluid surface by disposing a second egg white part liquid in a heated second mold having a second recess and a third recess, a process of obtaining a yolk part by disposing a yolk part liquid having a high specific gravity in the third recess above the second egg white part liquid, and a process of binding the first egg white part, the second egg white part, and the yolk part.

[0004] In recent years, due to the increasing preference for plant-based foods and fluctuations in the supply of chicken eggs, the demand for alternatives to egg-free egg dishes has been increasing, and attempts have been made to produce alternatives to tamagoyaki. For example, Patent Document 2 describes an example of producing a plant-based vegan tamagoyaki (Fried egg)-like food, in which a yolk part spheroidized by an alginate is added to a heated egg white part sample and heated.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

[0006] The fried egg-like food described in Patent Document 2 had a shape in which the yolk was not covered by the egg white and the yolk protruded unnaturally from the egg white, thus having an appearance different from the real fried egg described above.

[0007] In view of the above circumstances, the object of the present invention is to provide a fried egg-like food product that substantially does not contain egg yolk and egg white, and has an appearance similar to a real fried egg in which the raised egg yolk portion is covered by the egg white portion, and a method for producing the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The inventors diligently researched fried egg-like foods to achieve the above objective. The inventors conceived that by gelling the egg white portion with calcium alginate obtained by the reaction of alginate and calcium salt, it is possible to produce a fried egg-like food with the desired shape without the viscosity of the slurry before gelling becoming too high. Furthermore, the inventors found that conventional egg white portions that enclose the egg yolk portion could not be obtained due to the rapid reaction speed of alginate and calcium salt. They investigated conditions for forming an egg white portion that encloses the egg yolk portion by controlling the reaction speed of alginate and calcium salt, and discovered that by adjusting the viscosity of the egg yolk portion to a predetermined range, it can be made to rise like a real fried egg, thus completing the present invention.

[0009] This invention relates, for example, to the following inventions. (1) A method for producing a fried egg-like food having an egg yolk portion and an egg white portion, but substantially not containing egg yolk and egg white, An egg yolk preparation step for preparing the egg yolk portion containing a thickening agent, A slurry preparation step for the egg white portion, which involves preparing a fluid slurry for the egg white portion by dissolving the sparingly soluble calcium agent in a raw material solution containing a water-soluble alginate, water, and a sparingly soluble calcium agent, A first egg white portion placement step involves placing a portion of the egg white portion slurry, which is in a fluid state, onto a flat surface. A step of placing the egg yolk portion in the egg white portion slurry, A second egg white portion placement step involves placing the remaining egg white portion slurry, which is in a fluid state, so as to cover the egg yolk portion. The process includes a gelling step, in which the slurry for the egg white portion, which was arranged in the first egg white portion arrangement step and the second egg white portion arrangement step, is gelled to form the egg yolk portion which is raised from the surrounding egg white portion, and the egg white portion which encloses the egg yolk portion and has no seams. The viscosity of the prepared egg yolk portion at 25°C is 25,000 mPa·s or higher. A method for manufacturing fried egg-like food products. (2) The poorly soluble calcium agent comprises at least one selected from calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, and calcium citrate. (1) A method for producing the fried egg-like food described in (1). (3) The process of dissolving the sparingly soluble calcium agent includes the process of mixing the sparingly soluble calcium agent with the raw material liquid. A method for producing a fried egg-like food product as described in (1) or (2). (4) The process of dissolving the poorly soluble calcium agent includes the process of adding a pH adjusting agent to the raw material solution to lower the pH. A method for producing a fried egg-like food according to any one of (1) to (3). (5) The slurry for the egg white portion further contains a chelating agent. A method for producing a fried egg-like food according to any one of (1) to (4). (6) In the first egg white portion placement step, a portion of the egg white portion slurry is placed in the container, The aforementioned container is It has a bottom, a side wall, and a recess, The bottom portion includes a substantially circular or substantially elliptical bottom surface formed by the plane. (1) The method for producing a food product in the shape of a tamagoyaki according to any one of (1) to (5). (7) The viscosity of the egg white slurry in the first egg white placement step at 25°C is 200 mPa·s or more and 100,000 mPa·s or less. (1) The method for producing a food product in the shape of a tamagoyaki according to any one of (1) to (6). (8) The thickening agent in the egg yolk portion includes gum and / or starch. (1) The method for producing a food product in the shape of a tamagoyaki according to any one of (1) to (7). (9) The entire egg yolk portion is not gelled by calcium alginate. (1) The method for producing a food product in the shape of a tamagoyaki according to any one of (1) to (8). (10) A food product in the shape of a tamagoyaki having an egg yolk portion and an egg white portion and substantially free of egg yolk and egg white, wherein the egg yolk portion includes a thickening agent and protrudes from the surrounding egg white portion, the viscosity of the egg yolk portion at 25°C is 25,000 mPa·s or more, the egg white portion includes calcium alginate and encloses the egg yolk portion to form a seamless structure. Food product in the shape of a tamagoyaki.

Advantages of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a food product in the shape of a tamagoyaki having an appearance similar to that of a genuine tamagoyaki, which is substantially free of egg yolk and egg white and has a raised egg yolk portion covered by an egg white portion, and a method for producing the same.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of a food product in the shape of a tamagoyaki according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a cross-sectional view of the above-mentioned food product in the shape of a tamagoyaki as viewed from the II-II direction. [Figure 3] It is a flowchart showing the manufacturing process of the above-mentioned food product in the shape of a tamagoyaki. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing a container used in the manufacturing process of the above-mentioned tamagoyaki-like food. (A) is a plan view (top view), and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken from the IV-IV direction of (A). [Figure 5] (A) to (D) are all diagrams schematically showing the manufacturing process of the above-mentioned tamagoyaki-like food.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail. In the present invention, the expression "content of B in A" refers to the ratio of the mass of B in A when the mass of A is set to 100%, and it may be a theoretical value or an analytical value. Also, in this specification, a product temperature of 25°C allows a range of from 25°C ± 2°C.

[0013] <Tamagoyaki-like food> The tamagoyaki-like food of the present invention is a food imitating tamagoyaki, having a yolk part and an egg white part, and is characterized by substantially not containing egg yolk and egg white. In the present invention, "substantially not containing egg yolk and egg white" means that the total content of the components of egg white and egg yolk of the eggs of birds generally used for food in the tamagoyaki-like food is 0.1% by mass or less. It is preferable that the tamagoyaki-like food of the present invention does not contain any egg white and egg yolk at all. The egg white here includes, in addition to the liquid egg white obtained by cracking an egg such as a chicken egg and separating the egg yolk, those obtained by subjecting it to freeze-thaw treatment, heat sterilization treatment, de-sugaring treatment, drying treatment, lysozyme removal treatment, concentration treatment, etc. Similarly, the egg yolk includes, in addition to the liquid egg yolk obtained by cracking an egg such as a chicken egg, those obtained by subjecting it to freezing and thawing treatment, heat sterilization treatment, de-sugaring treatment, concentration treatment, etc. Also, it is preferable that the tamagoyaki-like food of the present invention contains a small amount of animal-derived raw materials or does not contain animal-derived raw materials. For example, the content of animal-derived raw materials in the tamagoyaki-like food is preferably 5% by mass or less, more preferably 1% by mass or less, still more preferably 0.5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0% by mass. The tamagoyaki-like food of the present invention may be, for example, a refrigerated product stored and distributed at 0°C or higher and 10°C or lower, or a frozen product stored and distributed at -15°C or lower.

[0014] <Fried egg> In this invention, "fried egg" refers to an egg dish prepared by pouring a raw egg, which has not been cracked and the egg white and yolk have not been intentionally mixed, into a frying pan or the like and cooking it. In a cooked fried egg, the yolk and egg white exist independently, but at least the egg white has solidified, and the yolk and egg white are integrated. Furthermore, the cooked fried egg has an egg yolk that rises from the surrounding egg white. In addition, by steaming it during cooking, the egg white thinly covers the egg yolk, and the egg white encloses the entire egg yolk.

[0015] <Shape of fried egg-like food> Referring to the perspective view in Figure 1 and the cross-sectional view in Figure 2, the shape of the fried egg-like food 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. As shown in these figures, the fried egg-like food 10 has a yolk portion 11 that rises from the surrounding egg white portion 12, and a seamless egg white portion 12 that encloses the yolk portion 11. As a result, even without substantially containing egg yolk and egg white, it is possible to obtain an appearance close to that of a real fried egg, in which the raised egg yolk portion is enclosed by the egg white portion.

[0016] The egg white portion 12 constitutes the outer shape of the fried egg-like food 10 and includes an upper surface 12a and a lower surface 12b. The upper surface 12a has a raised portion 12c formed above the egg yolk portion 11 in the thickness direction T. In the illustrated example, the lower surface 12b is formed to be substantially flat. In this specification, "substantially flat" means a shape that does not have clear irregularities, and includes configurations with microscopic irregularities. In the illustrated example, the egg yolk portion 11 is positioned approximately in the center of the fried egg-like food 10 (egg white portion 12) in a plan view as seen from the thickness direction T, but it may be off-center. Furthermore, the fried egg-like food 10 may have multiple (for example, two) egg yolk portions 11, and may imitate a fried egg containing multiple egg yolks.

[0017] In the present invention, "the yolk portion 11 rises above the surrounding egg white portion 12" means, referring to the cross-sectional view in Figure 2, that when the boundary portion 12d is defined as the portion located above the outer edge of the yolk portion 11 in the thickness direction T on the upper surface 12a of the egg white portion 12, the uppermost part of the yolk portion 11 (the highest part in the thickness direction T) is higher in the thickness direction T than the boundary portion 12d. Note that the dashed line in Figure 2 represents a virtual line extending in the thickness direction T through the outer edge of the yolk portion 11, and does not represent the actual pattern or structure formed on the egg white portion 12.

[0018] <Egg yolk portion> In the present invention, the egg yolk portion is a part that mimics the egg yolk of a fried egg in a fried egg-like food product, as illustrated by the egg yolk portion 11 in Figures 1 and 2. The egg yolk portion may be semi-cooked and fluid, or it may be solid and coagulated throughout. The egg yolk portion contains a thickening agent to satisfy the viscosity requirements described later. Furthermore, the egg yolk portion may contain a coloring agent to achieve the color of an egg yolk. In addition, the egg yolk portion can contain a variety of raw materials as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention. Examples include one or more selected from edible oils and fats (preferably vegetable oils and fats), sugars other than thickeners (monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, sugar alcohols, fructose-glucose liquid sugar, dextrin, etc.), dietary fiber, seasonings (soy sauce, salt, pepper, amino acids, etc.), emulsifiers, legumes (soybeans, peas, kidney beans, mung beans, adzuki beans, etc.) and their processed products, nuts and seeds (almonds, coconuts, etc.) and their processed products, grains (wheat, barley, rice, corn, etc.) and their processed products. In particular, the egg yolk portion preferably contains plant-based milk made from legumes, nuts and seeds, and / or grains, from the viewpoint of supplying protein and lipids to reproduce the richness of real egg yolk. Such plant-based milks are not particularly limited, but examples include soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, rice milk, etc. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of being able to adjust the desired viscosity, it is preferable that the egg yolk portion is not entirely gelled by calcium alginate. In other words, it is preferable that the egg yolk portion is not a gelled substance that does not have fluidity overall, but rather that at least a part of it has fluidity, and it is preferable that it is not a gelled substance made by calcium alginate, for example.

[0019] <Thickening agent> The egg yolk portion of the present invention contains one or more thickening agents. Examples of thickening agents include modified starch, gums, pectin, curdlan, pullulan, mannan, cellulose derivatives, and unprocessed starch. Examples of modified starch include hydroxypropyl starch, acetylated oxidized starch, sodium octenyl succinate starch, acetic acid starch, oxidized starch, hydroxypropylated phosphate crosslinked starch, and phosphorylated starch. Examples of gums include xanthan gum, native gellan gum, deacyl gellan gum, carrageenan, locust bean gum, tara gum, guar gum, gum arabic, tamarind gum, and psyllium seed gum. Examples of cellulose derivatives include methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and carboxymethylcellulose. Examples of unprocessed starch include rice starch, corn starch, tapioca starch, potato starch, and wheat starch. Of these, the thickening agent for the egg yolk portion of the present invention preferably contains a gum and / or starch, and more preferably contains both a gum and starch, from the viewpoint of satisfying the viscosity conditions described later. Examples of gums include xanthan gum, but the invention is not limited to this. The starch includes at least one selected from modified starch and unprocessed starch, and it is particularly preferable to include modified starch, which has high thickening properties and stability.

[0020] <Content of thickener in the egg yolk portion> The lower limit of the thickening agent content in the egg yolk portion of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as a viscosity within the range described later can be achieved, but is preferably 3.8% by mass or more, more preferably 4.0% by mass or more. The upper limit of the thickening agent content in the egg yolk portion is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of improving the flexibility of the egg yolk portion, is preferably 20% by mass or less, more preferably 15% by mass or less. If the egg yolk portion contains multiple types of thickening agents, the thickening agent content in the egg yolk portion shall be the total content of these multiple types of thickening agents. If the thickening agent contains modified starch, the modified starch content in the egg yolk portion is, for example, 3.7% by mass or more and 15% by mass or less. If the thickening agent contains gum, the gum content in the egg yolk portion is, for example, 0.05% by mass or more and 1.0% by mass or less.

[0021] <Viscosity of the egg yolk> In the present invention, the viscosity of the egg yolk portion at 25°C is 25,000 mPa·s or higher. This suppresses flattening due to the flow of the egg yolk portion and allows for the formation of a raised egg yolk portion. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of more reliably obtaining the above effects, the lower limit of the viscosity is preferably 30,000 mPa·s or higher, more preferably 40,000 mPa·s or higher, and even more preferably 50,000 mPa·s or higher. The upper limit of the viscosity is not particularly limited, and it may be in a state without fluidity, but from the viewpoint of obtaining a soft texture, it is preferably 500,000 mPa·s or lower, more preferably 400,000 mPa·s or lower. The viscosity of the egg yolk portion can be measured using, for example, a digital viscometer (e.g., RVDV-1 Prime (Brookfield Corporation)). When using the above digital viscometer, for example, measurement can be performed using spindle RV-6 under conditions of product temperature 25°C and speed 4 rpm, and if the viscosity exceeds 240,000 mPa·s, measurement can then be performed using spindle RV-7. Furthermore, if the torque percentage displayed on the screen falls below 10% when measuring with spindle RV-6, the measurement should then be performed using spindle RV-2. Viscosity values ​​should be read when the viscometer reading is stable.

[0022] <Egg white portion> The egg white portion of the present invention, as illustrated by the egg white portion 12 in Figures 1 and 2, contains calcium alginate and is formed seamlessly, encompassing the entire egg yolk portion. The egg white portion of the present invention is a gelled product formed by the gelling of calcium alginate. Furthermore, "formed seamlessly" in the egg white portion of the present invention means that it is formed as a continuous and integrated gelled product, rather than being formed by bonding multiple gelled products together. For example, a characteristic that can be confirmed from the appearance of the seamlessly formed egg white portion 12 is that, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, there are no visible seams (linear irregularities, etc.) on the periphery 12e. Such a seamlessly formed egg white portion that encompasses the entire egg yolk portion can be achieved, as will be described later, by controlling the reaction speed of the alginate and calcium salt contained in the egg white portion slurry, placing the fluid egg white portion slurry above and below the egg yolk portion, and then forming a calcium alginate gel.

[0023] <Ingredients for the egg white portion> In the present invention, the egg white portion preferably contains a chelating agent and / or a pH adjuster in addition to calcium alginate, from the viewpoint of controlling the reaction speed between alginate and calcium salt. Details of these will be described later. The egg white portion can also contain a variety of other ingredients as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention. Examples include one or more selected from edible oils and fats (preferably vegetable oils and fats), thickeners, sugars other than thickeners (monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, sugar alcohols, fructose-glucose liquid sugar, dextrin, etc.), dietary fiber, seasonings (soy sauce, salt, pepper, amino acids, etc.), emulsifiers, legumes (soybeans, peas, kidney beans, mung beans, adzuki beans, etc.) and their processed products, nuts and seeds (almonds, coconuts, etc.) and their processed products, grains (wheat, barley, rice, corn, etc.) and their processed products. In particular, the egg white portion preferably contains plant-based milk made from legumes, nuts, and / or grains, in order to reproduce the white color while supplying protein and lipids to make it nutritionally closer to a real egg. Such plant-based milks are not particularly limited, but examples include soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, and rice milk. Although some of the listed ingredients, such as soy milk, contain calcium, the amount of calcium salts derived from these ingredients is so small that the contribution of calcium alginate to gelation can be ignored.

[0024] <Percentage and content of egg yolk and egg white> In the fried egg-like food of the present invention, the ratio and content of the egg yolk and egg white can be appropriately set from the viewpoint of making it resemble the appearance of a real fried egg. For example, the amount of egg white relative to 1 part by mass of egg yolk is preferably 1 part by mass or more and 15 parts by mass or less, more preferably 1.5 parts by mass or more and 10 parts by mass or less. Also, the amount of egg yolk contained in one fried egg-like food is preferably 2 g or more and 30 g or less. The amount of egg white contained in one fried egg-like food is preferably 2 g or more and 60 g or less.

[0025] <Method for manufacturing fried egg-like food> The method for producing the fried egg-like food according to the present invention includes, as shown in the flowchart of Figure 3, an egg yolk preparation step S01, an egg white slurry preparation step S02, a first egg white placement step S03, an egg yolk placement step S04, a second egg white placement step S05, and an egg white slurry gelation step S06. The order of the above steps is not limited to the example in Figure 3 and can be changed as much as possible. For example, the egg yolk preparation step S01 may be performed at any time before the egg yolk placement step S04. Each step will be described below.

[0026] <Egg yolk preparation process S01> In this step, the egg yolk portion containing a thickening agent is prepared. In this step, for example, the egg yolk portion can be prepared by mixing all the raw materials for the egg yolk portion using a stirrer or the like.

[0027] <Viscosity of egg yolk after preparation> In the present invention, the viscosity of the prepared egg yolk portion at 25°C is 25,000 mPa·s or higher, from the viewpoint of forming the raised egg yolk portion as described above. Furthermore, the lower limit of the viscosity is preferably 30,000 mPa·s or higher, more preferably 40,000 mPa·s or higher, and even more preferably 50,000 mPa·s or higher, from the viewpoint of more reliably obtaining the above effects. The upper limit of the viscosity is not particularly limited, and it may be in a state with almost no fluidity, but from the viewpoint of obtaining a soft texture and improving handling during manufacturing, it is preferably 500,000 mPa·s or lower, more preferably 400,000 mPa·s or lower. The viscosity of the prepared egg yolk portion is also measured in the same way as the viscosity of the egg yolk portion of the fried egg-like food described above. Note that if it is considered that the viscosity of the egg yolk portion does not substantially change in each step after the egg yolk portion preparation step S01, the "viscosity of the prepared egg yolk portion" may be considered the same as the "viscosity of the egg yolk portion of the fried egg-like food."

[0028] <Step S02: Preparation of Slurry for Egg White> In this process, a slurry for the egg white portion with good fluidity is prepared by dissolving the sparingly soluble calcium agent in a raw material solution containing water-soluble alginate, water, and sparingly soluble calcium agent (hereinafter also referred to as the "dissolution process").

[0029] <Raw material liquid> The raw material liquid in this process is a liquid containing the raw materials for the egg white slurry before dissolution treatment. It is preferable that the reaction between alginate and calcium salt is suppressed in the raw material liquid. "Moisture" refers to the total moisture content of the water added as a raw material and the moisture contained in each raw material. The raw material liquid may contain water-soluble alginate, moisture, and sparingly soluble calcium, as well as the raw materials for the egg white as appropriate.

[0030] <Water-soluble alginate> In the present invention, a water-soluble alginate refers to a salt in which the hydrogen atoms of the carboxyl groups in alginic acid are replaced by ions, and which is water-soluble and used in food applications. Examples of water-soluble alginates include at least one selected from sodium alginate, potassium alginate, and ammonium alginate. Of these, the water-soluble alginate preferably contains at least one selected from sodium alginate, which is easily soluble in water and easy to handle, and potassium alginate, which has similar physical properties, and it is particularly preferable that it contains sodium alginate.

[0031] <Poorly soluble calcium preparation> In the present invention, the sparingly soluble calcium agent is a calcium agent used in food applications and generally known to be sparingly soluble in water. Specifically, the sparingly soluble calcium agent of the present invention preferably contains at least one selected from calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, and calcium citrate, and more preferably contains these as main components. In addition to these, examples of sparingly soluble calcium agents include those that have been processed or treated to become sparingly soluble in calcium salts, for example, those whose main component is an oil-coated calcium salt. The main component of the sparingly soluble calcium agent as used herein refers to a calcium compound whose content in the sparingly soluble calcium agent is 80% by mass or more, preferably 90% by mass or more, and more preferably 100% by mass. For example, if the sparingly soluble calcium agent contains multiple types of calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, and calcium citrate, and the total content of these in the sparingly soluble calcium agent is 80% by mass or more, then these multiple types of calcium compounds are considered to be the main components of the sparingly soluble calcium agent.

[0032] Of these, calcium carbonate is known to be very poorly soluble in water. Calcium sulfate and calcium citrate are also known to be poorly soluble in water, though not as poorly soluble as calcium carbonate. Because sparingly soluble calcium salts like these are included in sparingly soluble calcium preparations, their slow dissolution rate in water can slow down the reaction speed with alginates. Furthermore, if the dissolution rate in water is too low, such as when using a sparingly soluble calcium preparation with calcium carbonate as the main component, dissolution in water and the ionization of the calcium salt can be promoted using pH adjusters, as described later.

[0033] <Slurry for egg white portion> In this project, the "slurry for egg white part" contains a calcium salt with a part of the poorly soluble calcium agent dissolved, but it is not in a completely gelled state as a whole and is a composition in a state with fluidity. The slurry for egg white part is obtained by performing the dissolution treatment described below on the above-mentioned raw material liquid and contains, in addition to the water-soluble alginate and the poorly soluble calcium agent, other raw materials of the egg white part. Hereinafter, specific examples of the dissolution treatment will be described.

[0034] <Example of dissolution treatment including mixing treatment> For example, the dissolution treatment in this process preferably includes a process of mixing a poorly soluble calcium agent into the raw material liquid. The mixing treatment is performed, for example, by a stirrer or the like. In this example, the poorly soluble calcium agent preferably contains a calcium compound with higher water solubility compared to calcium carbonate, for example, preferably contains calcium sulfate and / or calcium citrate, and more preferably contains these as the main components. By using a poorly soluble calcium agent that is slightly soluble in water, the poorly soluble calcium agent is gradually dissolved by the mixing treatment, the ionization of the calcium salt is promoted, and the reaction between the water-soluble alginate and the calcium salt is initiated. Note that the timing of adding the poorly soluble calcium agent to the raw material liquid in this example may be approximately the same as that of other raw materials or may be after mixing other raw materials. Further, the poorly soluble calcium agent may be added as a calcium agent-containing liquid mixed with water.

[0035] <Example of dissolution treatment including the process of adding a pH adjuster> Alternatively, the dissolution process in this step may include adding a pH adjusting agent to the raw material solution to lower the pH. In this example, the sparingly soluble calcium agent preferably contains calcium carbonate, which has particularly low solubility, and preferably contains calcium carbonate as its main component. By adding the pH adjusting agent to the raw material solution, the pH of the raw material solution is lowered, promoting the ionization of the calcium salt of the sparingly soluble calcium agent and initiating dissolution. This initiates the reaction between the water-soluble alginate and the calcium salt. Furthermore, after adding the pH adjusting agent to the raw material solution, it is preferable to mix them with a stirrer or the like to further promote the reaction. The pH adjusting agent may also be added as a pH adjusting agent-containing solution mixed with water.

[0036] <Content of poorly soluble calcium agent in egg white slurry when the poorly soluble calcium agent contains calcium carbonate as its main component> When the poorly soluble calcium agent contains calcium carbonate as its main component, the content of the poorly soluble calcium agent in the egg white slurry is not particularly limited as long as a gelled egg white portion can be formed, but is preferably 0.05% by mass or more, more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.3% by mass or more, preferably 2.0% by mass or less, more preferably 1.5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1.0% by mass or less.

[0037] <Content of poorly soluble calcium agent in egg white slurry when the poorly soluble calcium agent contains at least one of calcium sulfate and calcium citrate as the main component> When the poorly soluble calcium agent mainly contains at least one of calcium sulfate and calcium citrate, the content of the poorly soluble calcium agent in the egg white slurry is not particularly limited as long as a gelled egg white portion can be formed, but is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.3% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, preferably 2.0% by mass or less, more preferably 1.5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1.3% by mass or less.

[0038] <Content of water-soluble alginate in the egg white slurry> During preparation, that is, during the dissolution treatment, the content of water-soluble alginate in the egg white slurry is not particularly limited as long as it can form a gelled egg white part in cooperation with the calcium salt, but it is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, and preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or less.

[0039] <pH adjuster> As described above, the egg white slurry of the present invention preferably contains a pH adjuster having an action of lowering the pH. By the pH adjuster that lowers the pH, the ionization of the calcium salt of the poorly soluble calcium agent can be promoted, and the reaction between the alginate and the calcium salt can be promoted. As described above, when the poorly soluble calcium agent contains calcium carbonate or an equivalent poorly soluble calcium compound as the main component, since the solubility of the poorly soluble calcium agent is extremely low, it is particularly preferable that the egg white slurry contains a pH adjuster. Also, when the poorly soluble calcium agent contains calcium sulfate and / or calcium citrate, etc. as the main component, it is preferable that the egg white slurry contains a pH adjuster from the viewpoint of promoting the dissolution of the poorly soluble calcium agent. Examples of the pH adjuster that lowers the pH include glucono delta lactone, gluconic acid, adipic acid, citric acid, succinic acid, DL-tartaric acid, L-tartaric acid, lactic acid, glacial acetic acid, fumaric acid, DL-malic acid, sodium DL-malic acid, etc. Among these, the pH adjuster used in the present invention preferably contains glucono delta lactone. Glucono delta lactone has an action of gently lowering the pH, so it can gently dissolve the poorly soluble calcium agent and relax the reaction speed between the alginate and the calcium salt.

[0040] <Content of pH adjuster in the egg white slurry> The lower limit of the pH adjusting agent content in the egg white slurry is not particularly limited as long as it promotes the dissolution of the poorly soluble calcium agent, but is preferably 0.05% by mass or more, more preferably 0.1% by mass or more. The upper limit of the pH adjusting agent content is not particularly limited as long as it suppresses a rapid increase in calcium salts, but is preferably 5% by mass or less, more preferably 2% by mass or less.

[0041] <Chelating agent> The egg white slurry of the present invention preferably contains a chelating agent, regardless of the main component of the poorly soluble calcium agent. This allows for the chelating of a portion of the released calcium salt by the chelating agent, thereby slowing down the reaction rate between the alginate and the calcium salt. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the gelation of the entire egg white slurry by the second egg white placement step S05 described later. Examples of chelating agents include condensed phosphates, which are also used in food applications. Specific examples include at least one selected from sodium metaphosphate, sodium pyrophosphate, sodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate, sodium polyphosphate (sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium tetrapolyphosphate, etc.), with sodium polyphosphate being particularly preferred. The chelating agent may be added to the raw material solution or added during the dissolution process.

[0042] <Chelating agent content in egg white slurry> The content of the chelating agent in the egg white slurry is not particularly limited as long as it provides an effect of slowing the reaction rate between the alginate and the calcium salt, but is preferably 0.01% by mass or more, more preferably 0.05% by mass or more, preferably 1.0% by mass or less, and more preferably 0.5% by mass or less.

[0043] <First albumen part placement process S03> In this step, as illustrated in Figure 5(A), a portion 31 of the egg white slurry, which is in a fluid state, is placed on a flat surface. In this step, it is sufficient to place the egg white slurry 31 on a substantially flat surface, but from the viewpoint of forming the egg white portion, it is preferable to fill the container 20 with the egg white slurry 31. "Egg white slurry in a fluid state" means that the entire egg white slurry is not gelled, and at least the surface maintains a fluid state. Also, "a portion of the egg white slurry" means a portion of the egg white slurry used to manufacture one fried egg-like food product. The amount of egg white slurry placed in this step is not particularly limited as long as it is enough to form an egg white portion, including the bottom surface, below the thickness direction of the egg yolk portion that is placed later. For example, the amount of egg white slurry placed in this step is preferably 0.5 parts by mass or more and 5 parts by mass or less per 1 part by mass of egg yolk portion. In this step, the egg white slurry can be filled using a known filling machine for food manufacturing.

[0044] <Container> The container 20 used in this process preferably has a recess 21, as illustrated in Figures 4(A) and (B). The recess 21 includes, for example, a bottom 22 and a side wall 23. The bottom 22 preferably includes a substantially circular or substantially elliptical bottom surface 24 that is formed on a flat surface. The side wall 23 is connected to the periphery of the bottom 22 and forms the side surface of the recess 21. By placing the egg white slurry in such a recess 21, a fried egg-like food product with an appearance similar to a fried egg, which is substantially circular or substantially elliptical and has a flat bottom surface, can be prepared. The container 20 may have one recess 21 or may have multiple recesses 21. Furthermore, the container used in this process is not limited to the examples in Figures 4(A) and (B).

[0045] <Viscosity of the egg white slurry> In the present invention, the viscosity of the egg white slurry at 25°C in the first egg white placement step S03 is preferably between 200 mPa·s and 100,000 mPa·s. This allows the viscosity of the egg white slurry to be adjusted to a range that facilitates placement and molding. The viscosity of the egg white slurry can be adjusted, for example, by the content of a thickening agent. The viscosity of the egg white slurry can be measured, similar to the viscosity of the egg yolk, using, for example, a digital viscometer (e.g., RVDV-1 Prime (Brookfield Corporation)). When using the above digital viscometer, for example, measurement can be performed using spindle RV-6 under conditions of product temperature 25°C and speed 4 rpm. If the viscosity exceeds 240,000 mPa·s, then measurement can be performed using spindle RV-7. Also, if the torque % value displayed on the screen when measuring with spindle RV-6 is less than 10%, then measurement can be performed using spindle RV-2. The viscosity value should be read when the viscometer reading is stable.

[0046] <Egg yolk placement process S04> In this step, as illustrated in Figure 5(B), the egg yolk portion 11 is placed in the egg white slurry 31, for example, which is placed in the container 20. In this step, the egg yolk portion 11 may be placed on top of the egg white slurry 31, or a portion of it may sink into the egg white slurry 31. In this step, it is preferable that the egg yolk portion 11 is placed in the center of the egg white slurry 31. As described above, the egg yolk portion 11 in this step has high viscosity, so it is less likely to spread or collapse on the egg white slurry 31 and can maintain a thick shape on the egg white slurry 31. Therefore, a fried egg-like food product 10 with a raised egg yolk portion 11 can be prepared. In this step, the egg yolk portion may be placed using a known food processing machine.

[0047] <Second albumen placement process S05> In this step, as illustrated in Figure 5(C), the remaining egg white slurry 32, which is in a fluid state, is placed so as to cover the egg yolk portion 11. The amount of egg white slurry placed in this step is not particularly limited as long as it covers the entire egg yolk portion, but for example, it is 1 to 10 parts by mass per 1 part by mass of egg yolk portion. This step may also be performed in parallel with all or part of the egg yolk portion placement step S04, and in this case, this step may be performed continuously from the first egg white portion placement step S03. Furthermore, the time from the start of the dissolution treatment in the egg white slurry preparation step S02 to the end of the second egg white portion placement step S05 is preferably 60 minutes or less, more preferably 30 minutes or less, from the viewpoint of maintaining the fluidity of the egg white slurry.

[0048] <Percentage change in viscosity of the egg white slurry> Furthermore, in the present invention, when the viscosity of the egg white slurry at 25°C immediately after dissolution treatment is X (mPa·s) and the viscosity of the egg white slurry at 25°C 10 minutes after dissolution treatment is Y (mPa·s), the viscosity change rate expressed as (YX) / X × 100 is preferably 0% to 20%, more preferably 0% to 15%. In other words, it is preferable that the viscosity increase of the egg white slurry within 10 minutes after preparation is small. This suppresses the viscosity increase and gelation of the egg white slurry in the egg white placement steps S03 and S05, making it possible to form an egg white portion of the desired shape that encloses the raised egg yolk portion.

[0049] <Gelation process S06> In this process, as illustrated in Figure 5(D), the egg white slurries 31 and 32 placed in the first egg white placement step S03 and the second egg white placement step S05 are gelled to form an egg yolk portion 11 that rises from the surrounding egg white portion 12, and an egg white portion 12 that encloses the egg yolk portion 11 and has no seams. This produces a fried egg-like food product 10. In this process, the egg white slurries 31 and 32 with the egg yolk portion 11 enclosed are left to stand and held. If a container 20 is used, the egg white slurries 31 and 32 are held in the container 20. The holding temperature should be such that the reaction between the alginate and calcium salt is promoted, for example, between 5°C and 40°C. Furthermore, the time from the start of the dissolution process in the egg white slurry preparation step S02 to the end of the gelling step S06 is preferably 60 minutes or more, more preferably 90 minutes or more, from the viewpoint of preparing the gelled egg white portion, while preferably 10 hours or less, more preferably 4 hours or less, from the viewpoint of preventing a decrease in manufacturing efficiency.

[0050] <Other processes> The method for producing the fried egg-like food according to the present invention may, in addition to the above steps, optionally include a heat sterilization step (e.g., 70-100°C), a freezing step, etc. The heat sterilization step may be carried out under heating conditions that provide a sterilizing effect without changing the physical properties of the egg yolk and egg white portions.

[0051] <Summary of Embodiments of the Invention> As described above, in the method for producing the fried egg-like food of the present invention, a slurry for the egg white portion is prepared by dissolving a poorly soluble calcium agent in the raw material liquid, and then the egg white portion slurry, which is in a fluid state, is placed so as to sandwich the egg yolk portion. In the present invention, by deliberately using a poorly soluble calcium agent to suppress the reaction speed between alginate and calcium salt, it is possible to prevent the formation of calcium alginate gel during the preparation and placement of the egg white portion slurry. Therefore, by enclosing the egg yolk portion with the egg white portion slurry in a fluid state and then gelling the entire mixture, it is possible to prepare an egg white portion that encloses the egg yolk portion and is formed seamlessly. Furthermore, because the egg white portion encloses the egg yolk portion and is formed seamlessly, the shedding of the egg yolk portion and separation within the egg white portion during distribution and cooking are suppressed, and the desirable appearance of the fried egg-like food can be maintained. In addition, by maintaining a fluid state of the egg white portion slurry in the egg white portion placement steps S03 and S05, efficient processing using general filling techniques in food manufacturing becomes possible.

[0052] Furthermore, by making the viscosity of the egg yolk portion at 25°C 25,000 mPa·s or higher, it is possible to form the raised egg yolk portion as described above. As a result, it is possible to manufacture a fried egg-like food product that has an appearance similar to a real fried egg, with a thin layer of egg white formed on top of the raised egg yolk, even though it contains virtually no egg yolk or egg white.

[0053] Furthermore, by using alginate as the main component of the gelling agent in the egg white slurry, it is possible to obtain a fried egg-like food product with an appearance closer to that of a real egg compared to other gelling agents such as gum or curdlan. If the egg white portion is gelled using other gelling agents such as gum or curdlan, it is necessary to increase the amount of gelling agent to obtain an egg white-like texture and sufficient gelling ability, which can increase the viscosity of the slurry before gelling. In this case, the fluidity of the egg white portion decreases, the thickness of the egg white portion on the egg yolk portion increases, and it becomes difficult to obtain a raised shape for the egg yolk portion. In contrast, in this invention, by using alginate and a poorly soluble calcium agent, the viscosity of the egg white slurry can be suppressed and sufficient fluidity can be provided. As a result, it is possible to form an egg white portion with a raised shape that encloses the egg yolk portion, making the appearance closer to that of a real fried egg. In addition, because the egg white slurry has sufficient fluidity, the slurry spreads to adhere closely to the egg yolk portion, and an egg white portion with a high degree of unity with the egg yolk portion can be formed.

[0054] Furthermore, the egg white slurry may contain a pH adjuster and / or chelating agent to lower the pH and control the rate of calcium salt release and gelation by calcium alginate. By including a pH adjuster in addition to the sparingly soluble calcium agent in the egg white slurry, the ionization of calcium salt from the sparingly soluble calcium agent can be promoted. In particular, when using a sparingly soluble calcium agent mainly composed of calcium carbonate, which has very low solubility in water, the addition of a pH adjuster enables the ionization of calcium salt and initiates the reaction between alginate and calcium salt. On the other hand, by including a chelating agent in the egg white slurry, excess calcium salt can be chelated, and the reaction rate between calcium salt and alginate can be slowed. This makes it possible to maintain the fluidity of the egg white slurry until the second egg white placement step S05. Furthermore, by using a pH adjuster and a chelating agent in combination, the reaction speed between alginate and calcium salt can be effectively controlled in the egg white slurry by ionizing the calcium salt from the poorly soluble calcium agent while simultaneously chelating excess calcium salt that would otherwise lead to premature gelation. Therefore, by including a pH adjuster and / or chelating agent in the egg white slurry, the speed of gelation by calcium alginate can be controlled, allowing for the more stable production of egg white portions with a seamless shape that encloses the raised egg yolk portion.

[0055] <Additional Note> Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0056] For example, if the sparingly soluble calcium agent mainly contains calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, and / or calcium citrate, the slurry preparation step S02 for the egg white portion can be performed in a dissolution treatment according to these formulations. Examples of such dissolution treatments include adding a pH adjuster and calcium sulfate and / or calcium citrate to a raw material solution containing calcium carbonate and mixing them, or adding the sparingly soluble calcium agent to a raw material solution containing a pH adjuster. Alternatively, in the dissolution treatment, the sparingly soluble calcium agent may be added to a raw material solution that contains a pH adjuster but does not contain the sparingly soluble calcium agent. [Examples]

[0057] The following describes some embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0058] <Test Example 1: Examination of Calcium Supplements in Egg White> [Preparation of egg white slurry 1] Using the formulations shown in Table 1, the raw materials other than the 10% glucono delta-lactone solution were uniformly mixed with a stirrer to prepare the raw material solution. Subsequently, the 10% glucono delta-lactone solution was added to the prepared raw material solution (corresponding to the "dissolution treatment") and uniformly mixed with a stirrer. This prepared slurry 1 for the egg white portion. In this example, the 10% glucono delta-lactone solution was an aqueous solution containing 10% by mass of glucono delta-lactone. In the following examples, hydroxypropylated phosphate crosslinked starch was used as the modified starch.

[0059] [Preparation of egg white slurry 2-5] The raw materials, excluding the calcium agents (calcium sulfate, calcium citrate, calcium chloride, and calcium lactate), were uniformly mixed according to the formulations shown in Table 1. Then, the calcium agents shown in Table 1 were added in the amounts indicated for each (corresponding to the "raw material liquid"), and the mixture was uniformly mixed using a stirrer (corresponding to the "dissolution process"). This prepared slurries 2 to 5 for the egg white portion.

[0060] [Table 1]

[0061] [First evaluation] The physical properties of egg white slurries 1-5 were evaluated by a trained panel with more than 6 years of experience in egg processing product development, approximately 20 minutes after the start of the dissolution process, based on the following scoring criteria. "Start of dissolution process" was defined as the addition of a 10% glucono delta-lactone solution to the raw material liquid for egg white slurry 1, and the start of mixing of the calcium agent for egg white slurries 2-5. (Evaluation Criteria) A: At least a portion of it was not gelled and retained its fluidity. B: The entire thing had turned into a gel.

[0062] As shown in Table 1, egg white slurries 1-3, containing calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, and calcium citrate respectively, were not completely gelled at the time of the first evaluation and retained fluidity, receiving an A rating. In contrast, egg white slurries 4 and 5, containing calcium chloride and calcium lactate respectively, underwent gelation from the very beginning of the dissolution process and were completely gelled at the time of the first evaluation, receiving a B rating.

[0063] [Preparation of the egg white portion] Egg white slurry samples 1-3, which received an A rating in the evaluation of the egg white slurry, were allowed to stand and gel. Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes after the start of the dissolution process, they were subjected to heat sterilization, followed by freezing to prepare egg white samples 1-3. In this example, the sample number for the egg white sample is the same as the sample number for the corresponding egg white slurry.

[0064] [Second evaluation] The frozen egg white portions 1-3 were thawed and subjected to a second evaluation. Three trained panel members with more than six years of experience in egg product development evaluated the egg whites based on the following scoring criteria. Next, the average score of all panel members was rounded to determine the second evaluation of the physical properties of each egg white portion based on the following overall evaluation criteria. (Scoring criteria) Points 2: Overall, it was a resilient gel with a cohesive feel. 1. The gel was formed in small, partial layers, or it was not an elastic gel. (Overall evaluation criteria) A: The average score of all panel members, rounded to 2 points (between 1.5 and 2 points). B: The average score of all panel members, rounded to 1 point (1 point or more, less than 1.5 points).

[0065] As shown in Table 1, egg white portions 1-3, which contain calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, and calcium citrate respectively, formed a cohesive, elastic gel and received an A rating.

[0066] These results show that in egg white slurry containing calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, or calcium citrate, the gelation speed is suppressed, and a resilient, cohesive gel can be formed after a predetermined period of time. Therefore, it was found that at least one of the calcium salts used in Test Example 1, selected from calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, and calcium citrate, is suitable as the main component of the poorly soluble calcium agent in the egg white slurry.

[0067] <Test Example 2: Examination of the egg yolk> [Preparation of the egg yolk] The raw materials were uniformly mixed using a stirrer according to the formulations shown in Table 2 to prepare egg yolk portions 1-9.

[0068] [Table 2]

[0069] [Viscosity measurement] The viscosity was measured using a digital viscometer (RVDV-1 Prime (Brookfield)) based on the viscosity measurement method described above. As shown in Table 2, the viscosity of egg yolk portions 1-4 was less than 25,000 mPa·s, and the viscosity of egg yolk portions 5-9 was 25,000 mPa·s or more. The viscosity of egg yolk portion 1 was below the lower limit of measurement, which is 100.

[0070] [Evaluation of the shape of the egg yolk] Each syringe was filled with egg yolk, and the tip of the syringe was fixed at a constant height (approximately 1 cm) above the surface. The maximum height of the egg yolk from the surface was measured after dispensing approximately 10 g. The time taken from dispensing to height measurement was approximately 5 minutes or less for each sample.

[0071] As a result, as shown in Table 2, yolk portion 1 flowed out onto a flat surface and did not form a shape, making it impossible to measure its height. Similarly, yolk portions 2 and 3 were 3.2 mm and 4.7 mm high, respectively, which were less than half the height of the syringe at the time of dispensing. Yolk portions 5-9 all had a height of 7.0 mm or more and maintained a raised shape. In particular, yolk portions 6-9 exceeded the height of the syringe at the time of dispensing, reaching a height of 10 mm or more. From these results, it was found that as the viscosity of the yolk portion increased, the yolk portion became more raised in the thickness direction.

[0072] <Test Example 3: Examination of the egg white and egg yolk ratio in fried egg-like food> [Preparation of the egg white slurry] Egg white slurries 6-8 were prepared using the formulations listed in Table 3, in the same manner as egg white slurry 1.

[0073] [Table 3]

[0074] [Measuring the viscosity of the egg white slurry] In the first egg white portion placement process described later, the viscosity of egg white slurries 1, 6-8 at 25°C was measured. The viscosity was measured at the time of the first egg white portion filling process described later. Viscosity was measured using a digital viscometer (RVDV-1 Prime (Brookfield Corporation)) based on the viscosity measurement method described above.

[0075] As shown in Table 3, the viscosities of egg white slurries 1, 6, 7, and 8 in the first egg white placement step were 14,000 mPa·s, 250 mPa·s, 6,000 mPa·s, and 73,000 mPa·s, respectively. Furthermore, the viscosity change rates were also measured and, as shown in Table 3, were all 20% or less. In other words, the egg white slurry remained fluid even 10 minutes after the dissolution process.

[0076] [Preparation of fried egg-like food] As shown in Tables 4 and 5, egg yolk portions 1 to 9 were combined with egg white portion 1, and egg white portions 6 to 8 were combined with egg yolk portion 6 to prepare fried egg-like food samples for Examples 1 to 8 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 as follows. Note that the slurry preparation process for the egg white portion and the egg yolk portion preparation process are the same as in the above-described test examples, so their explanation is omitted.

[0077] A container with a roughly circular shape (approximately 7 cm in diameter) and a recess including the bottom and side walls (see Figure 4) was prepared. A portion (10 g) of the prepared egg white slurry was filled (placed) into the container using a syringe, and the first egg white placement step was performed. 10 g of egg yolk was then filled (placed) into the egg white slurry in the container using a syringe. Immediately thereafter, the remaining 20 g of egg white slurry was filled (placed) to cover a portion of the egg white slurry and the egg yolk, and the second egg white placement step was performed. The mixture was left to stand for approximately 2.5 hours from the start of the dissolution process to gel, and then heat sterilization (approximately 70°C) and freezing were performed to produce each fried egg-like food sample.

[0078] [Table 4]

[0079] [Table 5]

[0080] [Appearance Evaluation] Three trained panel members with over six years of experience in egg product development evaluated the appearance of each thawed fried egg-like food sample based on the scoring criteria outlined below. Next, the average score of all panel members was rounded to determine the final appearance evaluation of each fried egg-like food sample based on the overall evaluation criteria outlined below. (Scoring criteria) Point 2: The yolk, surrounded by the egg white, is raised and elevated from the surrounding egg white, giving it the appearance of a fried egg. 1 point: The yolk is embedded in the surrounding egg white. (Overall evaluation criteria) A: The average score of all panel members, rounded to 2 points (between 1.5 and 2 points). B: The average score of all panel members, rounded to 1 point (1 point or more, less than 1.5 points).

[0081] As shown in Tables 4 and 5, in Examples 1 to 8, where the viscosity of the egg yolk at 25°C was 25,000 mPa·s or higher, the egg yolk, enclosed in the egg white, had a raised appearance with height above the surrounding egg white, and all received an A rating. On the other hand, in Comparative Examples 1 to 4, where the viscosity of the egg yolk at 25°C was less than 25,000 mPa·s, the egg yolk was embedded in the egg white, and all received a B rating. Note that the viscosity of the egg white did not affect the evaluation of the appearance.

[0082] <Test Example 4: Examination of the ratio of egg white to egg yolk in fried egg-like food> [Preparation of fried egg-like food] Samples of fried egg-like food (Examples 10-12) were prepared in the same manner as in Test Example 3, except that the amounts of egg white slurry 1 and egg yolk 6 placed in the first egg white placement step, the amount of egg yolk, and the amount of egg white slurry placed in the second egg white placement step were changed to the amounts shown in Table 6.

[0083] [Table 6]

[0084] [Appearance Evaluation] Three trained panelists with over six years of experience in egg product development evaluated the appearance of each thawed fried egg-like food sample based on the same scoring criteria as in Test Example 3. They also determined the overall appearance evaluation of each fried egg-like food sample based on the same evaluation criteria as in Test Example 3.

[0085] As shown in Table 6, in Examples 10 to 12, in which the amount of slurry for the egg white portion and the amount of egg yolk portion placed in the first egg white portion placement step, and the amount of slurry for the egg white portion placed in the second egg white portion placement step were changed, the egg yolk portion enclosed in the egg white portion had a raised appearance with height from the surrounding egg white portion, and all were rated A.

[0086] <Summary of Examples> From the above, it was found that, in addition to being manufactured through the above processes, by increasing the viscosity of the egg yolk portion at 25°C after preparation to 25,000 mPa·s or higher, a fried egg-like food product can be obtained that has an appearance similar to a real fried egg, with a raised egg yolk portion enclosed within the egg white portion, even if it does not substantially contain egg yolk or egg white. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0087] 10 Fried Egg-like Food 11. Egg yolk 12 Egg white portion 20 containers 21 Recess 22 Bottom 23 Side wall 24 Bottom

Claims

1. A method for producing a fried egg-like food product having an egg yolk portion and an egg white portion, but substantially free of egg yolk and egg white, An egg yolk preparation step for preparing the egg yolk portion containing a thickening agent, A slurry preparation step for the egg white portion, which involves preparing a fluid slurry for the egg white portion by dissolving the sparingly soluble calcium agent in a raw material solution containing a water-soluble alginate, water, and a sparingly soluble calcium agent, A first egg white portion placement step involves placing a portion of the egg white portion slurry, which is in a fluid state, onto a flat surface. A step of placing the egg yolk portion in the egg white portion slurry, A second egg white portion placement step involves placing the remaining egg white portion slurry, which is in a fluid state, so as to cover the egg yolk portion. The process includes a gelling step, in which the slurry for the egg white portion, which was arranged in the first egg white portion arrangement step and the second egg white portion arrangement step, is gelled to form the egg yolk portion which is raised from the surrounding egg white portion, and the egg white portion which encloses the egg yolk portion and has no seams. The viscosity of the prepared egg yolk portion at 25°C is 25,000 mPa·s or higher. A method for manufacturing fried egg-like food products.

2. The poorly soluble calcium agent comprises at least one selected from calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, and calcium citrate. A method for producing a fried egg-like food according to claim 1.

3. The process of dissolving the poorly soluble calcium agent includes the process of mixing the poorly soluble calcium agent with the raw material liquid. A method for producing a fried egg-like food according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The process of dissolving the poorly soluble calcium agent includes adding a pH adjusting agent to the raw material solution to lower the pH. A method for producing a fried egg-like food according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The aforementioned slurry for the egg white portion further contains a chelating agent. A method for producing a fried egg-like food according to claim 1 or 2.

6. In the first egg white portion placement step, a portion of the egg white portion slurry is placed in the container, The aforementioned container is It has a bottom, a side wall, and a recess, The bottom portion includes a substantially circular or substantially elliptical bottom surface formed by the plane. A method for producing a fried egg-like food according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The viscosity of the egg white slurry arranged in the first egg white arrangement step at 25°C is 200 mPa·s or more and 100,000 mPa·s or less. A method for producing a fried egg-like food according to claim 1 or 2.

8. The thickening agent in the egg yolk portion comprises gum and / or starch. A method for producing a fried egg-like food according to claim 1 or 2.

9. The egg yolk portion is not entirely gelled by calcium alginate. A method for producing a fried egg-like food according to claim 1 or 2.

10. A fried egg-like food having an egg yolk portion and an egg white portion, but substantially free of egg yolk and egg white, The egg yolk portion contains a thickening agent and is raised from the surrounding egg white portion. The viscosity of the egg yolk portion at 25°C is 25,000 mPa·s or more. The egg white portion contains calcium alginate and encloses the egg yolk portion, forming a seamless structure. A food item resembling a fried egg.

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