Scrambled Egg-like Dried Food

Abstract

The present invention provides a dried food product resembling scrambled eggs and a method for producing the dried food product resembling scrambled eggs. [Solution] A method for producing scrambled egg-like dried food, comprising mixing raw materials including whole egg powder, an egg substitute food composition containing wheat gluten, a leavening agent, water, and oil to make a dough, heating the dough with microwaves, and drying the heated dough with hot air.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a scrambled egg-like dried food and a method for producing the scrambled egg-like dried food.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Conventionally, instant foods that are reconstituted with hot water or the like such as instant noodles and instant soups for consumption are known, and scrambled egg-like dried foods are known as ingredients for such instant foods. In recent years, plant-based protein foods that do not use animal proteins have been under development, not only for vegetarians and vegans, but also from the perspectives of the SDGs and environmental considerations.

[0003] A scrambled egg-like food using an egg alternative technology for eggs has been disclosed (Patent Document 1). As alternative technologies for animal proteins, technologies using mung bean-derived protein (Patent Document 2) and gelling agents such as curdlan (Patent Document 3) have been disclosed.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0004]

PATENT DOCUMENT 1

PATENT DOCUMENT 2

PATENT DOCUMENT 3

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0005] However, conventional egg alternative technologies are not sufficient to achieve good reconstitution properties, flavor, and texture, particularly in scrambled egg-like dried foods that are reconstituted from a dried state. The object of this disclosure is to provide a scrambled egg-like dried food product that can reduce the amount of egg-derived ingredients used, has good reconstitution properties when hot water is added, and / or has excellent flavor and / or texture after reconstitution, and a method for producing said scrambled egg-like dried food product. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] This disclosure includes the following aspects: [1] A method for producing a scrambled egg-like dried food product, comprising mixing raw materials including whole egg powder, an egg substitute food composition containing wheat gluten, a leavening agent, water, and oil to make a dough, heating the dough with microwaves, and hot-air drying the heated dough. [2] A scrambled egg-like dried food comprising a whole egg, an egg substitute food composition containing wheat gluten, and a leavening agent. [3] A method for substituting whole egg powder in the manufacturing process of a scrambled egg-like dried food product manufactured using whole egg powder as a raw material, wherein an egg substitute food composition containing wheat gluten is used as at least a portion of the substitute raw material for whole egg powder. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a scrambled egg-like dried food product that can reduce the amount of egg-derived ingredients used, has good reconstitution properties when rehydrated with hot water, and / or has excellent flavor and texture after reconstitution, as well as a method for producing the scrambled egg-like dried food product. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] An embodiment of this disclosure will be described in detail below. This disclosure is not limited to the embodiment described below, and can be implemented with appropriate modifications as long as they do not impede the effects of this disclosure. Each configuration and combination thereof in each embodiment is an example, and additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications can be made as appropriate, as long as they do not deviate from the spirit of this disclosure. If a specific description given for one embodiment also applies to other embodiments, that description may be omitted in the other embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, all figures used in this specification and in the claims to represent features, items, quantities, parameters, characteristics, periods, etc., are understood in all cases to be modified by the term “approximately.” Each numerical indicator may be interpreted by taking significant figures into consideration and applying the usual rounding, at least so as not to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the claims. Any numerical range or value may include the range of error that inevitably arises from the standard deviation obtained in their respective test measurements. In this disclosure, the expression "X~Y" for a numerical range means "X or greater and Y or less". In this disclosure, "contains" means containing at least a portion of a certain component, and includes cases where the product consists solely of that component.

[0009] [First Embodiment: Manufacturing Method] The manufacturing method according to this embodiment is a method for producing scrambled egg-like dried food, comprising mixing raw materials including whole egg powder, an egg substitute food composition containing wheat gluten, a leavening agent, water, and oil to make a dough (step (1). dough making step), heating the dough with microwaves (step (2). microwave heating step), and drying the heated dough with hot air (step (3). hot air drying step). In the following, we will first describe the raw materials, and then each step of the process.

[0010] [Raw materials] The ingredients include whole egg powder, an egg substitute food composition containing wheat gluten, a leavening agent, water, and oil.

[0011] Whole egg powder is made by removing the eggshells, sterilizing the egg, and then drying it. Chicken eggs are preferred, but eggs from quail, ducks, geese, or emus may also be used. In the case of chicken eggs, the criteria are not limited by the breed of chicken, age, feed or rearing conditions, number of days since laying, or storage conditions after laying, nor are they limited by the type or amount of components contained in the eggs. The whole egg powder may be treated to prevent deterioration during transportation or storage, for example, it may be desaccharified.

[0012] The egg substitute food composition contains wheat gluten. The inclusion of wheat gluten in the egg substitute food composition makes it easier for the scrambled egg-like dried food (hereinafter also simply referred to as "dried food") to rehydrate with hot water, resulting in good rehydration properties and / or good flavor and / or texture (melt-in-the-mouth quality, powderiness, elasticity). Good rehydration properties mean that it easily expands well from its dry state and returns to its pre-dried state.

[0013] The egg substitute food composition may contain ingredients other than wheat gluten. For example, in one embodiment, it may contain plant protein as a protein substitute for egg-derived ingredients (in this disclosure, "protein" and "protein" are synonymous, following the conventions of the art). Non-limiting examples of plant protein include mung bean protein, pea protein, broad bean protein, chickpea protein, rice protein, and sunflower seed protein, and may be multiple types of plant protein derived from different plants. When plant protein is included, it may be used alone or in combination of two or more types. When considering the flavor when the dried food is rehydrated with hot water, mung bean protein is preferred as the plant protein. When mung bean protein is used, the undesirable beany odor is more easily reduced compared to other bean-derived proteins. The egg substitute food composition contains wheat gluten and plant protein, which makes it easier to improve the reconstitution, flavor, and / or texture (melt-in-the-mouth, powdery, elastic) when the dried food is rehydrated by adding hot water. In one embodiment, the egg substitute food composition may be a composition comprising wheat gluten and a protein substitute.

[0014] In the egg substitute food composition, the mass ratio of wheat gluten to plant protein is preferably 1:0 to 1:4, more preferably 1:1 to 1:4, even more preferably 1:1 to 1:3, still more preferably 1:1 to 1:2, and may be 1:1. By including plant protein in addition to wheat gluten in the egg substitute food composition, as described above, the rehydratability, flavor, and / or texture (melt-in-mouth feel, chalkiness, elasticity) tend to be favorable when the dried food is reconstituted with hot water. Furthermore, when the mass ratio of wheat gluten to plant protein in the egg substitute food composition is 1:1 to 1:4 (for example, 1:1), the chalkiness and / or poor melt-in-mouth feel caused by the incorporation of plant protein can be easily reduced.

[0015] The mass ratio of whole egg powder to the egg substitute food composition is preferably 90:10 to 60:40, more preferably 80:20 to 60:40, even more preferably 75:25 to 60:40, still more preferably 75:25 to 65:35, and may be 70:30 to 75:25, or 75:25. When the mass ratio of whole egg powder to the egg substitute food composition is 90:10 to 60:40, the connectivity of the dough obtained by mixing whole egg powder, the egg substitute food composition, and other raw materials tends to be favorable, and / or the rehydratability, flavor, and / or texture (melt-in-mouth feel, chalkiness, elasticity) tend to be favorable when the dried food is reconstituted with hot water. In addition, the favorable connectivity of the dough improves production suitability. In one embodiment, the egg substitute food composition may be a composition consisting of wheat gluten and substitute protein, and in that case, the mass ratio of whole egg powder to the egg substitute food composition is the mass ratio of whole egg powder to wheat gluten and substitute protein.

[0016] In one embodiment, a person skilled in the art can appropriately combine the mass ratio of wheat gluten to plant protein in the egg substitute food composition and the mass ratio of whole egg powder to the egg substitute food composition. For example, the mass ratio of wheat gluten to plant protein in the egg substitute food composition is 1:0 to 1:4, and the mass ratio of whole egg powder to the egg substitute food composition is 90:10 to 60:40; the mass ratio of wheat gluten to plant protein in the egg substitute food composition is 1:1 to 1:4, and the mass ratio of whole egg powder to the egg substitute food composition is 80:20 to 60:40; the mass ratio of wheat gluten to plant protein in the egg substitute food composition is 1:1 to 1:3, and the mass ratio of whole egg powder to the egg substitute food composition is 75:25 to 60:40; the mass ratio of wheat gluten to plant protein in the egg substitute food composition is 1:1 to 1:2, and the mass ratio of whole egg powder to the egg substitute food composition is 75:25 to 65:35; the mass ratio of wheat gluten to plant protein in the egg substitute food composition is 1:1 to 1:2, and the mass ratio of whole egg powder to the egg substitute food composition is 70:30 to 75:25; or, the mass ratio of wheat gluten to plant protein in the egg substitute food composition is 1:1, and the mass ratio of whole egg powder to the egg substitute food composition may be 75:25.

[0017] The total content of whole egg powder and the egg substitute food composition in the raw materials is preferably 20 mass% or more, more preferably 22 mass% or more, and even more preferably 24 mass% or more in the entire raw materials (100 mass%) from the viewpoint of the texture when the dry food is reconstituted with hot water. The total content of whole egg powder and the egg substitute food composition in the raw materials may be less than 100 mass%, 90 mass% or less, 80 mass% or less, 70 mass% or less, or 60 mass% or less in the entire raw materials.

[0018] The leavening agent is not limited as long as it can generate gas (preferably carbon dioxide gas) upon heating, and can be appropriately selected by those skilled in the art from substances that can be used for leavening foods. Non-limiting examples of the leavening agent include, for example, ammonium bicarbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate (baking soda), baking powder (a leavening agent containing baking soda as a main component), magnesium carbonate, ammonia-based synthetic leavening agents (ammonium hydrogen carbonate, ammonium carbonate), glucono delta-lactone and the like. The leavening agent may be used alone or in combination of two or more. In one embodiment, the leavening agent is ammonium bicarbonate.

[0019] The amount of leavening agent added can be appropriately adjusted depending on the dough composition and / or the hardness of the dough, and the type of leavening agent, but it is preferable to add the leavening agent so that it is 0.1 to 5% by mass of the total ingredients (100% by mass) of the dough, more preferably 0.5 to 3% by mass, even more preferably 0.7 to 2% by mass, and even more preferably 1% by mass.

[0020] The oil can be appropriately selected by those skilled in the art from those used as food ingredients, and non-limiting examples include vegetable oils such as sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, rice oil, soybean oil, palm oil (e.g., palm olein oil or palm stearin oil), and olive oil, as well as animal oils such as beef tallow, lard, chicken fat, fish oil, liver oil, and whale oil. The oil may be used alone or in combination of two or more types. In one embodiment, considering the reduction of egg-derived raw materials (animal materials) in this disclosure, the oil is preferably a vegetable oil. In one embodiment, from the viewpoint of flavor and / or preservation (e.g., oxidation inhibition), the oil is preferably palm olein oil, or sunflower oil or rapeseed oil with high oleic acid content.

[0021] The amount of oil can be adjusted as appropriate depending on the dough composition and / or the hardness of the dough, but it is preferable to add oil so that the total amount of oil in the dough (100% by mass) is 1 to 10%, more preferably 2 to 7%, even more preferably 3 to 5%, and even more preferably 4%.

[0022] The amount of water can be adjusted as appropriate depending on the dough composition and / or the hardness of the dough, but it is preferable to add water so that the total amount of water in the dough (100% by mass) is 5 to 30%, more preferably 7 to 15%, even more preferably 9 to 12%, and even more preferably 11.5% by mass. Too much moisture makes the dough too soft, making it difficult to shape, resulting in uneven rising and uneven drying. Too little moisture makes the dough too hard, leading to insufficient rising and poor recovery.

[0023] The raw materials may optionally include one or more of the ingredients listed under "Other Ingredients" above. From the viewpoint of obtaining an egg-like flavor, the other ingredients are preferably 70% by mass or less of the total raw materials, and more preferably 60% by mass or less. The other ingredients in the raw materials may be 5% by mass or more, 10% by mass or more, 30% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more of the total raw materials.

[0024] Other ingredients that can be used include seasonings such as salt, sugar, granulated sugar, reduced starch syrup, soy sauce, amino acids (including monosodium glutamate), nucleic acids, and protein hydrolysates; emulsifiers (e.g., lecithin); egg-flavorings to enhance the egg flavor (including flavorings and flavoring oils); pigments such as carotene, gardenia, and rosemary to adjust the color; spices such as pepper; antioxidants such as tocopherol; vitamins such as vitamin B1; and wheat flour, corn flour, starch (e.g., potato starch), and dextrin to adjust the solid content. In addition, other ingredients that can be used include thickeners such as guar gum, xanthan gum, and alginate to fine-tune the texture; gelling agents such as methylcellulose, gellan gum, and glucomannan; and pH adjusters such as phosphates and citrates.

[0025] [Manufacturing method] (Process (1) Dough preparation process) In the dough preparation process, the above ingredients, including whole egg powder, egg substitute food composition, leavening agent, water, and oil, are mixed using equipment such as a food mixer, food processor, or chopper to produce the dough.

[0026] In one embodiment, first, (a) powder ingredients such as whole egg powder, egg substitute food composition, and other powder ingredients are mixed, and then (b) liquid ingredients such as water and oil, and a leavening agent may be added to the powder ingredients and mixed. The mixing times for steps (a) and (b) are not limited, but for example, in step (b), it is preferable to adjust the mixing time while observing the reaction of the leavening agent, and the mixture may be mixed for 30 seconds. If the leavening agent reacts too quickly, the degree of expansion may be adjusted by adding the liquid raw material to the powder raw material, mixing them, and then adding the leavening agent.

[0027] The dough obtained in step (b) is preferably shaped into a scrambled egg-like form before the microwave heating step described later. In other words, the method for producing the scrambled egg-like dried food according to this embodiment preferably includes a dough shaping step after the dough preparation step (step (1)). The molding method is not limited; the dough may be crushed and molded using a food mixer, molded by placing the dough in a mold, molded after being stretched into a rod shape and then cut, or molded by extruding it through a nozzle or the like. Alternatively, the dough may be formed into a sheet, lump, rod shape, etc., and then cut or crushed using a food mixer to form the dough. From the viewpoint that an irregular shape is desirable for a scrambled egg-like form, it is preferable to crush and shape the ingredients using a food mixer. The dough obtained in step (b) may be shaped into a sheet, lump, rod, or other form, and after the microwave heating step described later, it may be cut or pulverized using a food mixer to form the dough.

[0028] If the dough is cut or crushed in a food mixer and shaped before or after the microwave heating process, it is preferable to sift the dough to select a dough of a certain size, and the size of the sieve can be appropriately selected by those skilled in the art. For example, in the case of sieving, a sieve with a mesh pass of 20 mm or less, or a mesh pass of 15 mm or less, may be used to remove large lumps. Alternatively, a sieve with a mesh on of 3 mm or more, or a mesh on of 5 mm or more, may be used to remove lumps that are too fine. In one embodiment, sieving may be performed using a sieve with a mesh pass of 13.2 mm and / or a sieve with a mesh on of 6.7 mm.

[0029] (Step (2) Microwave heating step) In the microwave heating process, the dough prepared in the dough preparation process, preferably shaped, is heated by microwaves. Because the dough is heated from the inside out by microwave heating, heat is transferred throughout the dough, causing proteins to denature and gelation to proceed more easily, as well as uniform expansion of the dough. The heating conditions in the microwave process are not limited to those selected appropriately so that the dough expands but does not burn. For example, it is preferable to adjust the wattage so that the dough temperature is maintained at 80-105°C for 1-3 minutes. For example, for a total of 170g of dough, it may be 300-1000W for 1-5 minutes, 400-600W for 2-4 minutes, or 500W for 2 minutes and 40 seconds. In one embodiment, the dough may be spread to a uniform thickness before heating so that it is heated evenly. For example, the dough may be spread evenly to a thickness of 0.5-5cm, 1-3cm, or 2cm. The dough, which has expanded due to heating, may be shaped into a suitable form by crushing, pulverizing, cutting, and / or sifting as appropriate.

[0030] (Step (3) Hot air drying step) In step (2) above, the dough, which has been heated and expanded by microwaves, is not completely dry, so in the hot air drying process, it is dried with hot air to prevent spoilage. The conditions for hot air drying can be appropriately selected within a range that yields a scrambled egg-like dried food product with the desired moisture content, and are not limited to these conditions. For example, the drying temperature may be preferably 40 to 90°C, more preferably 70 to 90°C, even more preferably 80°C, and the drying time may be preferably 10 minutes to 5 hours, more preferably 10 minutes to 3 hours, even more preferably 15 minutes to 2 hours, even more preferably 15 minutes to 1 hour, even more preferably 15 to 30 minutes, and even more preferably 20 minutes. This dries the dough so that its moisture content is 14% by mass or less, more preferably 10% by weight, to produce a scrambled egg-like dried food product.

[0031] The dried dough may be further processed into a suitable shape by crushing, pulverizing, cutting, and / or sieving as appropriate, to produce a scrambled egg-like dried food. For example, when sieving, a sieve with a mesh pass of 20 mm or less, or a mesh pass of 15 mm or less, may be used to remove large lumps. Alternatively, a sieve with a mesh on of 1 mm or more, or a mesh on of 3 mm or more, may be used to remove lumps that are too fine. In one embodiment, sieving with a mesh pass of 11.2 mm and / or a mesh on of 4.0 mm may be performed.

[0032] [Second Embodiment: Alternative Method] The alternative method according to this embodiment is a method for substituting whole egg powder in the manufacturing process of a scrambled egg-like dried food product manufactured using whole egg powder as a raw material, wherein an egg substitute food composition is used as at least a portion of the substitute raw material for whole egg powder.

[0033] Here, the “process for manufacturing scrambled egg-like dried food” is not limited to the extent to which scrambled egg-like dried food is produced, but may be, for example, the method described in the “manufacturing method” of the first embodiment. The “egg substitute food composition” is as described in the first embodiment.

[0034] According to this alternative method, by using a predetermined egg substitute food composition in place of all or part of the whole egg powder, the amount of egg-derived ingredients used in the production of scrambled egg-like dried food can be reduced. By implementing this alternative method in the production process of scrambled egg-like dried food, it is possible to produce scrambled egg-like dried food that has good reconstitution properties when hot water is added and / or has a superior texture after reconstitution.

[0035] [Third Embodiment: Dried Food] The dried food according to this embodiment is a scrambled egg-like dried food containing whole eggs, an egg substitute food composition containing wheat gluten, and a leavening agent.

[0036] The whole egg is not limited to the range containing the components of a whole egg, nor is it limited by the form of the whole egg. For example, it may be the whole egg powder described in the first embodiment. The type of egg is not limited as described in the first embodiment.

[0037] In this embodiment, the "egg substitute food composition" and "leavening agent" are as described in the first embodiment. The dried food may contain one or more other ingredients, within the range of whole eggs, an egg substitute food composition containing wheat gluten, and a leavening agent, and the other ingredients may be, for example, the "other raw materials" described in the first embodiment or ingredients derived from such raw materials.

[0038] In one embodiment, the dried food according to this embodiment is manufactured by the manufacturing method described in the first embodiment.

[0039] The dried food according to this embodiment contains an egg substitute food composition containing wheat gluten, which makes it easier for the dried food to rehydrate with hot water, and / or to have good flavor and / or texture (melt-in-the-mouth, powdery, elastic). The effects of including ingredients other than wheat gluten in dried foods are as described in the first embodiment.

[0040] [Fourth Embodiment: Food Composition for the Production of Dried Foods] The food composition according to this embodiment is a food composition for producing scrambled egg-like dried food (hereinafter also referred to as a food composition for producing dried food) that contains whole eggs, an egg substitute food composition containing wheat gluten, and a leavening agent.

[0041] The whole egg is as described in the third embodiment. The "egg substitute food composition" and "leavening agent" are as described in the first embodiment. The food composition for producing dried food according to this embodiment may also contain one or more other ingredients, within the range of whole eggs, an egg substitute food composition containing wheat gluten, and a leavening agent, the other ingredients may be, for example, the "other raw materials" described in the first embodiment or ingredients derived from said raw materials.

[0042] The food composition for producing dried food according to this embodiment includes an egg substitute food composition containing wheat gluten, which makes it easier for the dried food obtained by production to rehydrate with hot water, and / or to have good flavor and / or texture (melt-in-the-mouth, powdery, elastic). The effect on dried foods resulting from the inclusion of ingredients other than wheat gluten in the egg substitute food composition for dried food production is as described in the first embodiment.

[0043] A non-limiting list of exemplary embodiments and combinations of exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are disclosed below. [1-1] A method for producing a scrambled egg-like dried food product, comprising mixing raw materials including whole egg powder, an egg substitute food composition containing wheat gluten, a leavening agent, water, and oil to make a dough, heating the dough with microwaves, and hot-air drying the heated dough. [1-2] The method for producing the egg substitute food composition according to [1], further comprising a plant protein. [1-3] The method for producing the plant protein according to [1-2], wherein the plant protein is one or more plant proteins selected from the group consisting of mung bean protein, pea protein, broad bean protein, chickpea protein, rice protein, and sunflower seed protein. [1-4] A method for producing an egg product according to any one of claims [1-1] to [1-3], wherein whole egg powder and an egg substitute food composition are mixed in a mass ratio of 9:1 to 6:4. [1-5] A method for producing an egg substitute food composition comprising wheat gluten and vegetable protein in a mass ratio of 1:0 to 1:4, according to any one of [1-2] to [1-4]. [2-1] A scrambled egg-like dried food comprising a whole egg, an egg substitute food composition containing wheat gluten, and a leavening agent. [2-2] The food according to [2-1], wherein the egg substitute food composition further comprises a plant protein. [2-3] The food according to [2-2], wherein the plant protein is one or more plant proteins selected from the group consisting of mung bean protein, pea protein, broad bean protein, chickpea protein, rice protein, and sunflower seed protein. [2-4] A food product according to any one of [1-1] to [1-3], comprising whole egg and egg substitute food composition in a mass ratio of 9:1 to 6:4. [2-5] The food according to any one of [2-2] to [2-4], wherein the egg substitute food composition contains wheat gluten and vegetable protein in a mass ratio of 1:0 to 1:4. [3-1] A method for substituting whole egg powder in the manufacturing process of a scrambled egg-like dried food product manufactured using whole egg powder as a raw material, wherein an egg substitute food composition containing wheat gluten is used as at least a portion of the substitute raw material for whole egg powder. [3-2] The alternative method according to [3-1], wherein the egg substitute food composition further comprises a plant protein. [3-3] The alternative method according to [3-1] or [3-2], wherein the plant protein is one or more plant proteins selected from the group consisting of mung bean protein, pea protein, broad bean protein, chickpea protein, rice protein, and sunflower seed protein. [Examples]

[0044] The present disclosure will be further illustrated by the following examples, but these examples will not limit the interpretation of the present disclosure.

[0045] [1] Preparation of scrambled egg-like dried food sample For the comparative examples and test examples 1-13 as listed in Table 1, the powdered ingredients were first placed in a food mixer and stirred for 30 seconds, then the liquid ingredients and leavening agent were added and stirred for another 30 seconds. The resulting dough was further kneaded in a chopper. The kneaded material was ground in a food mixer and passed through a sieve with a mesh size of 13.2 mm. The material that passed the sieve was then passed through a sieve with a mesh size of 5.6 mm. This resulted in ground dough with a 5.6 mm mesh.

[0046] 170g of dough was spread to a thickness of 2cm and heated in a microwave at 500W for 2 minutes and 40 seconds, so that the dough temperature was maintained at 80-105°C for 1-3 minutes. This caused the crushed dough to expand.

[0047] Next, the puffed dough was further air-dried with 80°C hot air for 20 minutes, so that the moisture content of the dough after air-drying was 10% by mass or less.

[0048] The hot-air dried pulverized dough was then passed through a 4mm mesh sieve. This yielded a 4mm mesh-on pulverized dough, which was used as a scrambled egg-like dried food sample.

[0049] [Table 1]

[0050] [2] Evaluation The scrambled egg-like dried food samples of the comparative examples and test examples 1 to 13 were evaluated for their suitability for dough production, resilience (resilience rate), flavor, and texture (meltability, powderiness, elasticity).

[0051] The evaluation was conducted in an open panel format by six veteran panelists. Regarding the suitability of the dough for manufacturing, the dough's cohesion and consistency were evaluated after it had been mixed in a chopper. For evaluation of resilience, flavor, and texture, 10g of the prepared scrambled egg-like dried food sample was placed in 300g of boiling water and left to stand for 3 minutes. Restorability, flavor, and texture were evaluated by consuming the samples. The rehydration rate (weight %) was calculated by adding 300g of boiling water to a 5g sample of scrambled egg-like dried food, letting it stand for 3 minutes, draining the water using a sieve, letting it stand for 1 minute, measuring the weight, and then multiplying the weight after rehydration (g) by the weight before rehydration (5g) by 100.

[0052] Each test example was compared to the "current" example, which does not contain an egg substitute food composition, and evaluated as "good" if it was similar to the standard, "acceptable" if it was slightly below the standard but within an acceptable range, and "unacceptable" if it was below the standard and unacceptable. The specific evaluation criteria are as follows.

[0053] (Suitability of the fabric for manufacturing) Good: The fabric has good cohesion and unity, just like the standard. Acceptable: While the connection and cohesion are inferior to the standard, the moldability and shape retention are generally acceptable from a manufacturing standpoint. Unacceptable: Compared to the standard, the fabric lacks cohesion and unity, has poor moldability and shape retention, and exhibits manufacturing problems.

[0054] (Restorability (sensory evaluation)) Excellent: Generally acceptable, but the water content is too high compared to the standard, making it watery. Good: Water ingress is good, comparable to the standard, and the water level is adequately restored. Acceptable: The water level is slightly lower than the standard, but the water has returned to the tank overall. Failure: Water ingress is worse than expected, and the water has not fully rehydrated.

[0055] (flavor) Good: Compared to the standard, the flavor of the plant material (unwanted smell, taste) is not noticeable or barely noticeable. Acceptable: Compared to the standard, the flavor of the plant ingredients is slightly noticeable, but overall it is acceptable. Unacceptable: The flavor of the plant-based ingredients is too strong compared to the standard.

[0056] (Melts in your mouth) Good: Melts in the mouth at a level comparable to the standard. Acceptable: Slightly inferior to the standard, but generally acceptable melt-in-your-mouth texture. Unacceptable: The texture is significantly worse than expected, leaving a gritty feeling.

[0057] (Powdery texture) Good: Compared to the standard, it is not powdery to the same extent. Acceptable: Slightly powdery compared to the standard, but generally acceptable. Unacceptable: The texture is too powdery compared to the standard; therefore unacceptable.

[0058] (elasticity) Good: Moderate elasticity, similar to the standard. Acceptable: The elasticity is slightly stronger or weaker than the standard, but generally acceptable. Unacceptable: Not acceptable if the elasticity is too strong or too weak compared to the standard.

[0059] The evaluation results are shown in Table 2.

[0060] [Table 2]

[0061] (Effects of wheat gluten) When comparing test examples with similar ratios of whole egg powder to egg substitute food composition (for example, whole egg powder:egg substitute food composition = 75:25, Test Examples 1-10), it was observed that when wheat gluten was included in the raw materials (Test Examples 1-9), workability, resilience, melt-in-the-mouth texture, powderiness, and elasticity tended to be better, and the flavor also tended to be better compared to cases without wheat gluten.

[0062] (Effects of plant proteins) When comparing test examples with similar ratios of whole egg powder to egg substitute food composition (for example, whole egg powder:egg substitute food composition = 75:25, Test Examples 1-10), a tendency was observed for elasticity and melt-in-the-mouth texture to be better when plant protein was included in the raw materials compared to when it was not included (Test Example 1).

[0063] (The effect of the ratio of wheat gluten to plant protein) When the ratio of wheat gluten to plant protein in the raw materials is approximately the same (e.g., 1:1 (by mass)) (Test Examples 2-8, 11-13), there was a tendency for better flavor, melt-in-your-mouth texture, and powderiness compared to cases where the proportion of plant protein was higher than that of wheat gluten (Test Example 9).

[0064] (Effects of the blending ratio of whole egg powder and egg substitute food composition) Even when the ratio of wheat gluten to plant protein was roughly the same (for example, 1:1 (by mass)), when the ratio of whole egg powder to egg substitute food composition was 50:50 (Test Example 13), the dough did not hold together well and was deemed unsuitable for manufacturing. On the other hand, when the proportion of whole egg powder was high (higher than 60% by mass, test examples 2-8, 11, and 12), the workability tended to be better, and there was a tendency for resilience, melt-in-the-mouth texture, powderiness, and elasticity to all be better. This tendency was more pronounced when the proportion of whole egg powder was even higher (for example, 65% by mass, 75% by mass).

[0065] (Types of plant proteins) When the plant protein was derived from soybeans, peas, broad beans, chickpeas, sunflower seeds, or rice, the characteristic flavor of each ingredient (smell and taste of beans, rice, or sunflower seeds) was easily perceived, meaning that the flavor tended to be poor. On the other hand, when the plant protein was derived from mung beans, the mung bean odor was less noticeable, meaning that the flavor tended to be better. [Industrial applicability]

[0066] The method for producing scrambled egg-like dried food according to this embodiment has industrial applicability because it is possible to reduce the amount of egg-derived ingredients used, produce scrambled egg-like dried food that has good reconstitution properties by adding hot water, and / or has a superior texture after reconstitution.

Claims

1. Mixing raw materials including whole egg powder, an egg substitute food composition containing wheat gluten, a leavening agent, water, and oil to prepare dough. Heating the dough using microwaves, and The process of drying heated dough with hot air, A method for producing a scrambled egg-like dried food product, including [the specified ingredient].

2. The method for producing an egg substitute food composition according to claim 1, wherein the egg substitute food composition further comprises plant protein.

3. The manufacturing method according to claim 2, wherein the plant protein is one or more plant proteins selected from the group consisting of mung bean protein, pea protein, broad bean protein, chickpea protein, rice protein, and sunflower seed protein.

4. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein whole egg powder and an egg substitute food composition are mixed in a mass ratio of 90:10 to 60:

40.

5. The manufacturing method according to claim 2, wherein the egg substitute food composition contains wheat gluten and plant protein in a mass ratio of 1:0 to 1:

4.

6. A dried scrambled egg-like food product comprising a whole egg, an egg substitute food composition containing wheat gluten, and a leavening agent.

7. The food according to claim 6, wherein the egg substitute food composition further comprises plant protein.

8. The food according to claim 7, wherein the plant protein is one or more plant proteins selected from the group consisting of mung bean protein, pea protein, broad bean protein, chickpea protein, rice protein, and sunflower seed protein.

9. The food according to claim 6 or 7, comprising whole egg and egg substitute food composition in a mass ratio of 90:10 to 60:

40.

10. The food according to claim 7, wherein the egg substitute food composition contains wheat gluten and plant protein in a mass ratio of 1:0 to 1:

4.

11. A method for substituting whole egg powder in the manufacturing process of a scrambled egg-like dried food product made using whole egg powder as a raw material, A method for substituting whole egg powder, comprising using an egg substitute food composition containing wheat gluten as at least a portion of the whole egg powder's substitute ingredients.

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