Rice product improver

Abstract

The present invention provides a rice cooker for cooking grains including glutinous rice, which can suppress undercooked rice after cooking, a method for producing cooked rice, a seasoning liquid for cooking rice, and a method for suppressing undercooked rice. [Solution] A rice cooker for cooking grains including glutinous rice, comprising (A) 40% to 99% by mass of acid-treated or oxidized starch with an amylose content of 20% or less.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cooked rice improver.

Background Art

[0002] Sekihan rice containing a large amount of glutinous rice is generally produced by "steam rice cooking" (so-called steaming cooking), but there is a need to produce it by "kettle rice cooking" (so-called rice boiling cooking) due to the constraints of the production line.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, when producing sekihan rice by kettle rice cooking, if the water addition amount is set to a low level to achieve physical properties equivalent to that of glutinous rice produced by steam rice cooking, unsoftened core portions tend to remain. On the other hand, if a relatively large amount of water is added to the extent that no unsoftened core remains, the resulting sekihan rice becomes mushy, which is not preferable. An object of the present disclosure is to provide a cooked rice improver for rice boiling cooking of cereals containing glutinous rice, which can suppress the remaining of unsoftened core portions in cooked rice after rice boiling, a method for producing cooked rice, a seasoning liquid for rice boiling cooking, and a method for suppressing remaining of unsoftened core portions.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The present disclosure includes the following aspects. A cooked rice improver for rice boiling cooking of cereals containing glutinous rice, which comprises 40% by mass or more and 99% by mass or less of starch having an amylose content of 20% or less that has been subjected to acid treatment or oxidation treatment, the cooked rice improver.

Effects of the Invention

[0006] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a rice cooker for cooking grains including glutinous rice, which can suppress undercooked rice after cooking, a method for producing cooked rice, a seasoning liquid for cooking rice, and a method for suppressing undercooked rice. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This graph shows the results of evaluating the hardness of cooked rice using a texture analyzer, after adding 1.5 to 9 parts by mass (0.5 to 3% by mass) of a rice improver to 300 parts by mass of glutinous rice and cooking it. [Figure 2] This graph shows the results of evaluating the stickiness of cooked rice using a texture analyzer, after adding 1.5 to 9 parts by mass (0.5 to 3% by mass) of a rice improver to 300 parts by mass of glutinous rice and cooking it. [Figure 3] This graph shows the results of evaluating the hardness of cooked rice using a texture analyzer, after adding 0 or 2.4 parts by mass (0.8% by mass) of a rice improver to 300 parts by mass of grains containing 5% by mass of non-glutinous rice and 10% by mass of non-glutinous rice and cooking it. [Figure 4] This graph shows the results of evaluating the stickiness of cooked rice using a texture analyzer, obtained by adding 0 or 2.4 parts by mass (0.8% by mass) of a rice improver to 300 parts by mass of grains containing 5% by mass of non-glutinous rice and 10% by mass of non-glutinous rice, and then cooking it. [Figure 5] This graph shows the results of evaluating the hardness of cooked rice using a texture analyzer, after adding 2.4 to 4.5 parts by mass (0.8 to 1.5% by mass) of a rice improver to 300 parts by mass of glutinous rice and cooking it with a seasoning liquid. [Figure 6] This graph shows the results of evaluating the stickiness of cooked rice using a texture analyzer, after adding 2.4 to 6 parts by mass (0.8 to 2% by mass) of a rice improver to 300 parts by mass of glutinous rice and cooking it with a seasoning liquid. [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 ordinary 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 a 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. In this disclosure, descriptions such as "A and / or B" encompass three different embodiments: "A and B," "A," and "B." For example, the description "including A and / or B" encompasses embodiments that include "A and B" and one or more other components, "A" and one or more other components, and "B" and one or more other components.

[0009] [First Embodiment: Rice Product Improver] The rice-based food improver according to this embodiment is a rice-based food improver for cooking grains including glutinous rice, and contains 40 to 99% by mass of component (A) acid-treated or oxidized starch with an amylose content of 20% or less. In this disclosure, the rice product improver is also simply referred to as the "improver."

[0010] In one embodiment, the cooked rice modifier may contain 1 to 45 mass% of component (B) pregelatinized starch (in the present disclosure, "pregelatinized starch" and "alpha-starch" are synonymous).

[0011] In one embodiment, the total amount of component (A) and component (B) in the cooked rice modifier may be 50 mass% or more.

[0012] In the present embodiment, "rice cooking" refers to a cooking method in which cereals are immersed in water or a seasoning liquid and then cooked by heating, and is distinguished from steaming cooking in which cereals are steamed using water vapor. In particular, when cereals are cooked by rice cooking, glutinous rice tends to more easily retain an unsoftened core as compared with the case of steaming cooking. Therefore, from the viewpoint that the effect of suppressing the unsoftened core of cooked rice is easily exhibited, the cooked rice modifier is preferably used for rice cooking.

[0013] [Component (A)] Component (A) is a starch with an amylose content of 20% or less that has been subjected to acid treatment or oxidation treatment. Component (A) does not include component (B) described later and / or other components.

[0014] The "starch with an amylose content of 20% or less that has been subjected to acid treatment or oxidation treatment" refers to a starch obtained by subjecting a starch with an amylose content of 20% or less to acid treatment or oxidation treatment, which may be one subjected to either acid treatment or oxidation treatment, or may be one subjected to both acid treatment and oxidation treatment. By containing component (A) in the cooked rice modifier, when cereals including glutinous rice are cooked by rice cooking, it becomes easy to suppress the unsoftened core of the cooked rice after rice cooking.

[0015] Examples of the starch having an amylose content of 20% or less in Component (A) include waxy corn starch, glutinous rice starch and other waxy variety starches, as well as potato starch, tapioca starch and the like. It is also possible to use starch that is produced from such starch as a raw material and subjected to processing that imparts aging resistance, that is, subjected to esterification treatment (for example, starch acetate, octenylsuccinate esterified starch) or etherification treatment (for example, hydroxypropyl starch). These aging-resistant starches may also be used in combination with a crosslinking treatment (for example, phosphoric acid crosslinked starch). Component (A) may contain two or more of the above starches.

[0016] In one embodiment, Component (A) may comprise at least one of acid-treated waxy corn starch and / or oxidized waxy corn starch, may be oxidized waxy corn starch, or may be acid-treated waxy corn starch.

[0017] The production method of the acid-treated starch is not limited. For example, starch is suspended in a dilute acid solution such as 0.5 to 10% hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid, and stirring is continued at a temperature of 20 to 60°C for 1 to 100 hours to reduce the viscosity of the starch. The acid decomposes the amorphous regions of the starch granules, which is characterized by easy gelatinization but reduced viscosity of the paste solution.

[0018] On the other hand, the oxidized starch is specifically a processed starch obtained by reacting starch and sodium hypochlorite in an alkaline solution, where carboxyl groups or carbonyl groups are introduced into the starch molecules, and starch chain cleavage also occurs, leading to a decrease in the viscosity of the paste solution. The oxidation treatment conditions are not limited. For example, sodium hypochlorite with an available chlorine concentration of about 10% is added dropwise to a starch suspension adjusted to pH 8 to 11 and a temperature of 40 to 60°C, and the reaction is carried out for 30 minutes to 4 hours.

[0019] In Component (A), the viscosity of the starch paste solution decreases as the reaction progresses in both the product obtained by acid treatment and the product obtained by oxidation treatment. From the viewpoint of making it easier to suppress undercooked rice after cooking when grains including glutinous rice are cooked, the viscosity of acid-treated or oxidized starch (Type B viscosity of a 30% aqueous solution at 40°C) measured with a Type B viscometer (for example, manufactured by Tokyo Keiki Co., Ltd.) after holding a 30% suspension of starch in a 95°C water bath for 30 minutes while stirring to completely gelatinize it and then holding it at 40°C for 1 hour is preferably 25 cps or more, more preferably 50 cps or more, preferably 15,500 cps or less, more preferably 7,000 cps or less, and even more preferably 1,000 cps or less. In this disclosure, the viscosity measured by a Type B viscometer is also referred to as "Type B viscosity".

[0020] The content of component (A) in the rice improver is 40 to 99% by mass of the total rice improver, preferably 45 to 95% by mass, more preferably 50 to 95% by mass, even more preferably 70 to 95% by mass, and even more preferably 80 to 95% by mass, from the viewpoint of making it easier to suppress undercooked rice when grains including glutinous rice are cooked. In the case of 80 to 95% by mass, it may be 80%, 85%, 90%, 92%, or 95% by mass, and one of these may be the upper limit and the other the lower limit.

[0021] [Component (B)] Component (B) is pregelatinized starch. Component (B) does not contain component (A).

[0022] The inclusion of ingredient (B) in the rice improver makes it easier to suppress undercooked rice when cooking grains including glutinous rice.

[0023] Component (B) is obtained by gelatinizing starch. Examples of raw starches for component (B) include tapioca starch, corn starch, non-glutinous rice flour, and potato starch. Methods for gelatinizing raw starch include, for example, preparing a suspension of raw starch, heating it to a temperature above the gelatinization temperature, and then drying and grinding it using an appropriate method. Drying methods such as drum drying, extruder drying, and spray drying can be used.

[0024] Pregelatinized starch may be starch that has been subjected to pregelatinization treatment and one or more processing treatments selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropylation, acetylation, and crosslinking such as phosphate crosslinking. Examples of such pregelatinized starch include hydroxypropyl tapioca starch, acetylated phosphate crosslinked tapioca starch, and phosphate crosslinked potato starch.

[0025] As an indicator of the degree of gelatinization of component (B), the degree of gelatinization measured by the β-amylase-pullulanase (BAP) method, in accordance with the method described in Starch Science, Vol. 28, No. 4, pp. 235-240, 1981, can be used. For example, the degree of gelatinization of pregelatinized products with a starch content of 70% by mass or more by the BAP method is 50% or more, preferably 60% or more, more preferably 70% or more, and even more preferably 80% or more, and for example, 100% or less.

[0026] In one embodiment, component (B) comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of pregelatinized tapioca starch and modified tapioca starch. For example, component (B) may be pregelatinized tapioca starch (including pregelatinized hydroxypropyl tapioca starch and pregelatinized phosphate-crosslinked tapioca starch), pregelatinized corn starch, pregelatinized non-glutinous rice flour, or pregelatinized potato starch (including pregelatinized phosphate-crosslinked potato starch), and may contain two or more of these pregelatinized starches. In one embodiment, component (B) may be pregelatinized tapioca starch, pregelatinized hydroxypropyl tapioca starch, or pregelatinized phosphate crosslinked tapioca starch, or it may be pregelatinized tapioca starch.

[0027] The content of component (B) in the rice improver is 1 to 45% by mass of the total rice improver, preferably 5 to 40% by mass, more preferably 5 to 30% by mass, even more preferably 5 to 25% by mass, and even more preferably 7 to 20% by mass, and may be 7% by mass, 10% by mass, or 20% by mass, with one of these as the upper limit and the other as the lower limit.

[0028] [Content of ingredients (A) and (B)] In one embodiment, the total of component (A) and component (B) in the rice improver is 50% by mass or more, preferably 70% by mass or more, more preferably 80% by mass or more, and even more preferably 90% by mass or more. When it is 90% by mass or more, it may be 90% by mass or 100% by mass.

[0029] [Other ingredients] In one embodiment, the rice improver may contain one or more components other than the above-mentioned components (A) and (B). The other components do not contain component (B) and / or component (A).

[0030] The preferred range can be appropriately set depending on the type of component, but the content of components other than component (A) and component (B) in the rice improver is less than 50% by mass, preferably less than 30% by mass, more preferably less than 20% by mass, and even more preferably less than 10% by mass. In the case of less than 10% by mass, it may be 5% by mass, 1% by mass, or 0.5% by mass, and the range may be one of these as the upper limit and the other as the lower limit.

[0031] In one embodiment, the other components do not include component (B) and / or component (A).

[0032] Other ingredients may include one or more selected from the group consisting of: starch with an amylose content of 20% or less that has not undergone acid treatment or oxidation treatment; emulsifiers such as glycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, and fatty acid esters; cellulose such as crystalline cellulose; dextrins such as enzymatically hydrolyzed dextrin, indigestible dextrin, cluster dextrin, and cyclodextrin; sugars such as maltose, trehalose, maltitol, oligosaccharides, corn syrup, and powdered corn syrup; edible oils and fats; and nutrients such as minerals such as calcium and iron, vitamins, and dietary fiber.

[0033] Examples of starches with an amylose content of 20% or less that have not undergone either acid treatment or oxidation treatment include waxy corn starch, glutinous rice starch and other glutinous starches, potato starch, tapioca starch and their modified starches (excluding those that have undergone one or more treatments other than acid treatment, oxidation treatment, or gelatinization). Examples of modified starches include etherified starch, esterified starch such as acetylated starch, cross-linked starch such as phosphate cross-linked starch, and acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch. The raw material starch for other components may be the same as or different from the raw material starch of component (A).

[0034] The emulsifier, a glycerol fatty acid ester, is preferably a monoglycerol fatty acid ester. The number of carbon atoms in the fatty acid in the monoglycerol fatty acid ester may be, for example, 6 or more, 10 or more, 14 or more, 24 or less, 22 or less, or 20 or less. The fatty acid in monoglycerol fatty acid esters may be saturated fatty acid or monounsaturated fatty acid, or it may be saturated fatty acid. Examples of monoglycerol fatty acid esters include glycerol monocaprate, glycerol monopalmitate, glycerol monostearate, and glycerol monobehenate.

[0035] [Shape of rice-based food improver] The form of the rice improver should be such that it is easy to add to grains and dissolves quickly during cooking. It may be in the form of a powder mixed with the above-described components, or in the form of a liquid, gel, or paste obtained by mixing the powder with water, oil, seasoning liquid, etc., or in the form of granules obtained by solidifying the powder. When granulating, it is possible to create various shapes such as spherical, cylindrical, or rice-grain-shaped by changing the shape of the discharge port (die) of the granulation device.

[0036] In one embodiment, the bulk density of the rice improver is preferably 0.5 g / ml or more. A bulk density of 0.5 g / ml or more of the rice improver makes it easier to disperse the rice improver during cooking, which helps to suppress undercooked rice, including glutinous rice, after cooking. Furthermore, because the rice improver disperses well during cooking, it is easier to suppress the occurrence of unwanted scorching.

[0037] For example, when cooking rice on a commercial rice cooking line, from the viewpoint of process efficiency, it is desirable to obtain good dispersibility without stirring or mixing the grains and rice improver before cooking. If the bulk density is preferably 0.5 g / ml or higher, and more preferably 0.55 g / ml or higher, it becomes easier to achieve the above-mentioned good dispersibility even more stably. From a similar perspective, the bulk density is, for example, 1.0 g / ml or less, and preferably 0.9 g / ml or less.

[0038] Here, the method for measuring bulk density is as follows. 1. Weigh approximately 100g of the sample (using the sieved portion after sieving with a 0.5mm (32 mesh) sieve) into a test scoop. 2. Measure the empty weight of the 100 mL test chamber. 3. Place the test container inside the tray and gently fill it with the measured sample. 4. Gently level the top surface of the test container, measure the total weight of the test container and the sample, and use the following formula Calculate the bulk density. Bulk density (g / ml) = (Total weight of test container and sample - Empty weight of test container) / 100

[0039] In another embodiment, the rice improver is preferably an improver whose content in the fraction on a sieve with a mesh size of 0.5 mm (32 mesh) is 5% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less. When the rice improver contains 5 to 100% by mass of the fraction found on a 0.5 mm (32 mesh) sieve, the dispersibility of the rice improver during cooking is improved, making it easier to suppress undercooked rice (including glutinous rice) after cooking, and / or to suppress the occurrence of unwanted scorching. If the amount of the 0.5 mm (32 mesh) sieve component is too small, the improver will settle, and the settled starch will gelatinize first during cooking, thickening the cooking water and potentially hindering uniform cooking.

[0040] The rice improver may have a bulk density of 0.5 g / ml or more, and its content in the fraction on a sieve with a mesh size of 0.5 mm (32 mesh) may be 5 to 100% by mass.

[0041] [Method for manufacturing rice-based food improvers] A method for producing a rice product improver includes, for example, the steps of preparing a raw material containing components (A) to (C) and having a mass ratio ((A) / (C)) of 0.15 or more and 2.4 or less, and granulating the raw material so that it becomes granular matter with a size of 5% to 100% by mass on a sieve with a mesh opening of 0.5 mm (32 mesh).

[0042] The equipment used in the production of rice improvers is not limited, and commonly used granulation and sizing equipment such as vibrating, rolling, stirring, mixing, fluid, and crushing type granulators, compression molding, and wet or dry extrusion granulators can be used. Among these, the method using an extrusion granulator such as a twin-screw extruder is preferred due to its production efficiency and granule binding properties. When using an extruder, the raw material is usually hydrated to adjust the moisture content to 10-50% by mass, and then extruded at a temperature of 20-200°C, with a screw rotation of 50-1000 rpm and a heat treatment time of 5-60 seconds to obtain the rice improver.

[0043] [cereals] The rice-based food improver according to this embodiment is for cooking grains. The grains include glutinous rice, preferably containing 50% or more by mass of glutinous rice, more preferably 70% or more by mass, even more preferably 80% or more by mass, and even more preferably 90% or more by mass. In the case of 90% or more by mass, it may be 95% by mass, 98% by mass, or 100% by mass. Using a rice improver makes it easier to suppress undercooked rice after cooking when grains are cooked, and this suppression of undercooked rice is particularly effective for glutinous rice. Therefore, by including 50% or more by mass of glutinous rice in the grains, the effect of the rice improver in suppressing undercooked rice is more easily achieved. Here, glutinous rice is defined as rice that has been milled for food use, and is not limited by its variety, brand, or place of origin.

[0044] Other grains besides glutinous rice can be appropriately selected by those skilled in the art from among edible grains, and examples include non-glutinous rice, legumes (e.g., soybeans, adzuki beans), corn, barley, wheat, glutinous barley, ancient rice (e.g., red rice, black rice), millet, barnyard millet, foxtail millet, Job's tears, sesame, etc. Here, non-glutinous rice refers to rice that has been milled for food use, and is not limited by its variety, brand, or growing region. In one embodiment, the grain consists solely of glutinous rice, or of glutinous rice and non-glutinous rice.

[0045] [Rice] In one embodiment, the cooked rice may be prepared by soaking grains in water and cooking them, or by soaking grains in a seasoning liquid containing ingredients, seasonings, and / or edible oils and fats and cooking them. In particular, when cooking rice by soaking grains in a seasoning liquid, glutinous rice tends to remain undercooked in the center compared to cooking with water alone. Therefore, cooking rice with a seasoning liquid is more likely to be effective in suppressing undercooking of cooked rice.

[0046] In other words, in this embodiment, the cooked rice may be cooked rice in which at least one selected from the group consisting of ingredients, seasonings, and edible oils and fats is added, and the total amount of ingredients, seasonings, and edible oils and fats is 10 to 100 parts by mass per 300 parts by mass of grain. In one embodiment, the total amount of ingredients, seasonings, and edible oils and fats may be 20 to 70 parts by mass, 30 to 60 parts by mass, 40 to 50 parts by mass, or 50 parts by mass, relative to 300 parts by mass of grains. Such rice products can be obtained, for example, by mixing ingredients, seasonings, and / or edible oils and fats in the above proportions with grains before or during cooking, and then cooking them.

[0047] Examples of rice dishes containing ingredients, seasonings, and / or edible oils include chameshi (rice with tea) without ingredients, sekihan (red bean rice) without edible oils, and gomoku okowa (mixed sticky rice) containing ingredients, seasonings, and edible oils.

[0048] The ingredients can be any ingredients commonly used as toppings for rice dishes, such as vegetables, meat, eggs, seafood, and processed foods made from these ingredients. Examples of seasonings include solid seasonings such as sugar and salt; liquid or fluid seasonings that may contain solid components, such as ketchup, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, and oyster sauce; and liquid seasonings such as sake, mirin, vinegar, and soy sauce. Edible oils and fats are not limited to those used in food. Examples of raw materials for edible oils and fats include vegetable oils such as soybean oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, rice oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, olive oil, peanut oil, kapok oil, sesame oil, evening primrose oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, and coconut oil; animal oils such as fish oil, lard, beef tallow, and milk fat; medium-chain triglycerides; and processed oils and fats that have undergone one or more processing methods selected from the group consisting of transesterification, hydrogenation, and fractionation.

[0049] [Second Embodiment: Seasoning Liquid for Rice Cooking] The rice cooking seasoning liquid according to this embodiment comprises a rice improver and one or more selected from the group consisting of ingredients, seasonings, and edible oils and fats. Here, the rice improver is the rice improver according to the first embodiment. Including this rice improver makes it easier to suppress undercooked rice obtained by cooking grains using a rice cooking seasoning liquid. The ingredients, seasonings, and edible oils and fats are as described in the "Rice Dishes" section of the first embodiment.

[0050] In this embodiment, "grains," "cooked rice," and "cooked rice" are as described in the first embodiment.

[0051] The seasoning liquid for cooking rice should be prepared so that the amount of grains and the amount of rice improver are in the desired proportions during rice cooking. The desired proportions are as described in the third embodiment, and preferably, 1 part by mass or more of rice improver per 300 parts by mass of grains. More specifically, the ratio of the rice improver to other components (one or more selected from the group consisting of ingredients, seasonings, and edible oils and fats) in the rice cooking seasoning liquid is such that the rice improver is 2 parts by mass or more, more preferably 2.4 parts by mass or more, even more preferably 3 parts by mass or more, and even more preferably 4.5 parts by mass or more, per 50 parts by mass of the other components. When it is 4.5 parts by mass or more, it may be 4.5 parts by mass, 5 parts by mass, 6 parts by mass, 8 parts by mass, or 10 parts by mass, and one of these may be the upper limit and the other the lower limit. From the viewpoint of efficiently suppressing undercooked rice with the smallest possible amount of improver, it is preferable to add 2.4 to 6 parts by mass, and it may also be 4.5 parts by mass. In one embodiment, the seasoning liquid may contain ingredients other than the other components, for example, it may contain water. In that case, the amount of water may include all of the water necessary for cooking the grains, or only a portion of it.

[0052] The proportions of ingredients, seasonings, and edible oils in the seasoning liquid for cooking rice can be appropriately selected by those skilled in the art. For example, the liquid may contain 20-30 parts by mass, 10-20 parts by mass, and 1-5 parts by mass of liquid seasonings, liquid or fluid seasonings that may contain solid components, and solid seasonings, respectively.

[0053] The rice cooking seasoning liquid may be added when cooking grains, for example, in an amount of 30 to 100 parts by mass, preferably 30 to 70 parts by mass, more preferably 40 to 60 parts by mass, and even more preferably 50 parts by mass, of the rice cooking seasoning liquid (excluding water) per 300 parts by mass of grains.

[0054] [Third Embodiment: Method for Suppressing Core Retention] The method for suppressing undercooked rice according to this embodiment includes adding a rice improver to grains containing glutinous rice before or during the cooking process of the grains containing glutinous rice. Here, the rice improver is the rice improver according to the first embodiment. By using this rice improver, the suppression method makes it easier to suppress undercooked rice after cooking.

[0055] In this embodiment, "grains," "cooked rice," and "cooked rice" are as described in the first embodiment.

[0056] When cooking rice on a commercial rice cooking line, from the viewpoint of process efficiency, it is preferable that the rice improver be added to the grains before cooking. The rice improver may be added to the grains as a seasoning for cooking rice according to the second embodiment, or it may be added together with ingredients, seasonings, and / or edible oils and fats, water, etc. When rice improvers are added during the cooking process, the timing can be appropriately selected by those skilled in the art.

[0057] The amount of rice improver added is preferably 1 part by mass or more, more preferably 1.5 parts by mass, even more preferably 2 parts by mass or more, and even more preferably 2.4 parts by mass or more, per 300 parts by mass of grain. If it is 2.4 parts by mass or more, it may be 2.4 parts by mass, 3 parts by mass, 4.5 parts by mass, 6 parts by mass, 8 parts by mass, 9 parts by mass, or 10 parts by mass, and one of these may be the upper limit and the other the lower limit. From the viewpoint of efficiently suppressing undercooked rice with the smallest possible amount of improver, it is preferable to have an amount of 1.5 to 6 parts by mass. Here, the amount of rice improver added can be adjusted by a person skilled in the art, taking into consideration conditions such as the type of grain and the type or amount of seasoning liquid. For example, when cooking rice using seasoning liquid, the amount of rice improver added may be increased compared to when cooking rice with water. For example, 2.4 to 6 parts by mass of rice improver may be added per 300 parts by mass of grain, or 4.5 parts by mass may be added.

[0058] The amount of water added for cooking rice is preferably less than 360 parts by mass, more preferably 200 to 300 parts by mass, and even more preferably 240 to 270 parts by mass, relative to 300 parts by mass of grain. If the amount is between 240 and 270 parts by mass, it may be 240 parts by mass, 250 parts by mass, 260 parts by mass, or 270 parts by mass, with one of these being the upper limit and the other the lower limit. When adding liquid or fluid seasonings, or other seasonings containing water, during rice cooking, it is preferable to adjust the amount of water added so that the water content of these seasonings, including the water content of the seasonings, falls within the range of the above-mentioned amount of water. By adding less than 360 parts by mass of water per 300 parts by mass of grain, it becomes easier to suppress undercooked rice and / or unwanted gelatinization (stickiness) of the cooked rice. As a result, the hardness, stickiness, and texture of the rice grains tend to be good.

[0059] The suppression of undercooked rice can be evaluated based on sensory evaluation during consumption (hardness, stickiness, texture of rice grains, etc.) and measurements taken with a texture analyzer. "Suppression" includes not only statistically significant higher / lower performance of any of the above evaluation results compared to a control group, but also the observation of a tendency toward higher / lower performance. For example, "suppression" may mean that the sensory evaluation level improves by one level or more compared to the case where no rice improver is used, or that the measured hardness or stickiness values ​​measured by a texture analyzer improve by 0.1% or more, 0.2% or more, 0.5% or more, 1% or more, 5% or more, or 10% or more.

[0060] [Fourth Embodiment: Method for Manufacturing Rice Dishes] The method for manufacturing cooked rice according to this embodiment includes a method for suppressing undercooked rice according to the third embodiment. In one embodiment, the method for producing cooked rice includes (1) cooking grains containing glutinous rice to obtain cooked rice, and (2) adding a cooked rice improver to grains containing glutinous rice before or during cooking.

[0061] The method for manufacturing cooked rice according to this embodiment, by including the method for suppressing undercooked rice according to the third embodiment, makes it easier to suppress undercooked rice produced by cooking.

[0062] The method of cooking rice is not limited by the scale of the operation or the type of rice cooker used; for example, it may be cooking rice on a factory production line or cooking rice using a household rice cooker.

[0063] A non-limiting list of exemplary embodiments and combinations of exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are disclosed below. [1] A rice cooker for cooking grains including glutinous rice, Ingredient (A) contains 40% to 99% by mass of acid-treated or oxidized starch with an amylose content of 20% or less. Rice product improver. [2] The rice product improver described in [1], comprising component (B) pregelatinized starch in an amount of 1% by mass or more and 45% by mass or less. [3] The rice food improver described in [2], wherein the sum of component (A) and component (B) is 50% by mass or more. [4] A rice product improver according to any one of [1] to [3], having a bulk density of 0.5 g / ml or more. [5] A rice product improver according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the content of the fraction on a sieve with a mesh size of 0.5 mm (32 mesh) is 5% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less. [6] A rice food improver according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the grains consist of 50% by mass or more glutinous rice. [7] Rice dishes are rice dishes that contain at least one selected from the group consisting of ingredients, seasonings, and edible oils and fats, The total amount of ingredients, seasonings, and edible oils and fats is between 10 and 100 parts by mass per 300 parts by mass of grain. A rice product improver as described in any one of [1] to [6]. [8] The rice food improver according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein component (B) comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of pregelatinized tapioca starch and modified tapioca starch. [9] Cooking grains including glutinous rice to obtain cooked rice, and A method for producing cooked rice, comprising adding a cooked rice improver described in any one of [1] to [8] to grains including glutinous rice before or during cooking.

[10] A method for suppressing undercooked rice, comprising adding a rice improver described in any one of [1] to [8] to grains containing glutinous rice before or during cooking. A seasoning liquid for cooking grains including glutinous rice, comprising a rice improver described in any one of

[11] [1] to [8], and one or more selected from the group consisting of ingredients, seasonings, and edible oils and fats. [Examples]

[0064] The present disclosure will be further illustrated by the following examples, but these examples will not limit the interpretation of the present disclosure.

[0065] [1] Raw materials (Ingredients for rice-based food improvers) (1) Acid-treated waxy corn starch: Produced in Production Example 1 (2) Pregelatinized tapioca starch: Matsunolin M-22 manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. (3) Pregelatinized hydroxypropyl tapioca starch: "Gelcol GT-3" manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd. (4) Alpha-acetylated phosphate-crosslinked tapioca starch: "Gelcol GT-α" manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd. (5) Pregelatinized corn starch: "GelCall CB-10" manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd. (6) Alpha-coated non-glutinous rice flour: "Rice Meal" manufactured by Matsuya Co., Ltd. (7) Pregelatinized phosphate-crosslinked potato starch: "Bake-Up B-α" manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd. (8) Waxy corn starch: "Waxy Corn Starch Y" manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd. (9) Maltose: "San Maltoshiro" manufactured by Hayashibara Co., Ltd. (10) Glycerin fatty acid ester: Monoglycerin saturated fatty acid ester, constituent fatty acids C16 (60%), C18 (40%)

[0066] (Manufacturing example 1: Acid-treated waxy corn starch) 150 parts by mass of waxy corn starch was combined with 170 parts by mass of water to form a suspension. 80 parts by mass of a 6% hydrochloric acid aqueous solution (hydrochloric acid concentration relative to dry starch: 3.73%) was added to this suspension while stirring, and the reaction was carried out at 40°C for 24 hours with stirring. After the reaction, the starch was washed, recovered by vacuum filtration, and dried to obtain acid-treated waxy corn starch. As described below, the B-type viscosity was measured. The result was 220 cps.

[0067] (Method for measuring type B viscosity) For each starch obtained in Production Example 1, a 30% starch suspension was prepared, and It was held in a 95°C water bath for 30 minutes with stirring to allow it to gelatinize completely. Then, it was heated at 40°C for 1 The viscosity after holding for a period of time was measured using a B-type viscometer (Tokyo Keiki Co., Ltd., B-type viscometer BM, 30 rpm). It was measured.

[0068] [2] Method for manufacturing rice product improver The raw materials were mixed according to the "Composition of Rice Product Improver" listed in Table 1, and the extruder treatment was performed using a twin-screw extruder (KEI-45, manufactured by Kowa Kogyo Co., Ltd.) under the following conditions: barrel temperature 30-80°C, water content 20-28%, screw rotation speed 95-100 rpm, and outlet temperature 60-80°C. The granules obtained by extruder processing were dried at a drying temperature of 110°C until the moisture content reached 10%. Afterward, the granules passed through a 2.8 mm (6.5 mesh) sieve and then through a 0.5 mm (32 mesh) sieve, and the remaining material was used as a rice additive. In other words, the obtained rice product improver contains 100% by mass of the fraction below a 2.8 mm mesh sieve and above a 0.5 mm mesh sieve. Furthermore, the bulk density of the rice improvers all fell within the range of 0.55 to 0.80 g / mL.

[0069] [Table 1]

[0070] [3] Evaluation of the amount of additive added 300g of glutinous rice was washed and drained, then placed in an IH rice cooker NP-VQ10 (manufactured by Zojirushi). The amount of water added was subtracted from the amount absorbed during washing, and the rice was soaked in water for 1 hour. After that, the rice improver prepared in [2] for Test Example 1 was added as shown in the "Formulation" in Table 2, and the rice was cooked under the following cooking conditions. • Cooking conditions: White rice mode, normal setting

[0071] [Table 2]

[0072] After cooking, the rice was allowed to cool to room temperature, and then sensory evaluation and texture analysis were performed.

[0073] (Sensory evaluation) Three panelists evaluated the firmness, stickiness, and texture of the rice grains as indicators of undercooked rice during consumption. Rice without any added rice improvers was used as the control (0 points), and points were assigned according to the evaluation criteria shown in Table 3. [Table 3]

[0074] (Evaluation using a texture analyzer) After cooking, the rice was left at room temperature for two hours to cool, and each grain of rice was measured using a texture analyzer (device name: Texture Analyzer TA.XT Plus, manufactured by Stable Microsystems). A single grain of rice was compressed by 90% using a 20mm diameter disc plunger. The hardness of the rice grain was measured by the resistance value (in grams) when the plunger was pressed, and the stickiness of the rice grain was measured by the resistance value when the plunger was pulled back.

[0075] (Evaluation results) The results are shown in Figures 1 and 2, and Table 2. Compared to a control group without any rice improver, when 0.5-3% by mass of the improver was added, sensory evaluation showed that the rice grains became softer, stickier, and had a stronger grain texture. The grain texture was evaluated using a combination of criteria, including whether the gelatinization of the grains was good and the rice grains were plump, and whether the grains were less sticky and separated well when chewed. In particular, when 1% by mass of the rice improver was added (3 parts by mass of the rice improver added to 300 parts by mass of glutinous rice), the rice grains were softest, stickiest, and had the strongest grain texture within the evaluated range.

[0076] Texture analyzer evaluations also showed that when 0.5-3% by mass of the additive was added, the rice grains became softer and stickier compared to the control.

[0077] In the cooking of grains including glutinous rice, the addition of a rice improver improved the evaluation of the hardness, stickiness, and / or texture of the rice grains, which are indicators of undercooked rice, and thus suppressed undercooking.

[0078] [4] Evaluation of grain content A total of 300g of glutinous rice and non-glutinous rice were washed, drained, and placed in an IH rice cooker NP-VQ10 (manufactured by Zojirushi). An amount of water was added, minus the amount absorbed during washing, and the rice was soaked for 1 hour. The proportions of glutinous rice and non-glutinous rice are shown in Table 4. Subsequently, the rice improver prepared in [2] for Test Example 1 was added at a concentration of 0.8% by mass as shown in the "Formulation" section of Table 4, and the rice was cooked under the following cooking conditions. • Cooking conditions: White rice mode, normal setting

[0079] [Table 4] After cooking, the product temperature was lowered to room temperature, and sensory evaluation and texture analysis were performed in the same manner as in [3].

[0080] (Evaluation results) The results are shown in Figures 3 and 4, and Table 4. Compared to the control group without the rice improver, when 0.8% by mass of the improver was added, sensory evaluation showed that the rice grains were softer, stickier, and had a stronger grain texture. These effects were the same whether the non-glutinous rice content was 5% by mass or 10% by mass.

[0081] Texture analyzer evaluations also showed that, compared to the control, adding 0.8% by mass of the rice improver resulted in softer rice grains and increased stickiness. These effects were similar when 5% by mass of non-glutinous rice was added and when 10% by mass was added.

[0082] The effect of rice improvers in suppressing undercooked rice in the cooking of grains including glutinous rice has been shown to be obtained regardless of the proportions, even when non-glutinous rice is included.

[0083] [5] Evaluation of the use of seasoning liquid After washing and draining 300g of glutinous rice, I placed it in an IH rice cooker (NP-VQ10, manufactured by Zojirushi). I added water equal to the amount absorbed during washing and soaked the rice in water for one hour. Subsequently, the Chinese sticky rice seasoning liquid (see below; the proportions are as shown in Table 5) and the rice improver prepared in Test Example 1 in [2] were added in amounts of 0.8 to 2% by mass as shown in the "Proportions" column of Table 5, and the rice was cooked under the following cooking conditions. • Cooking conditions: White rice mode, normal setting • Chinese sticky rice seasoning liquid: Soy sauce (Kikkoman "Koikuchi Soy Sauce", S&B Foods "Lee Kum Kee Oyster Sauce", DM Mitsui Sugar Co., Ltd. "Spoon Brand White Sugar", Mizkan "Cooking Sake")

[0084] [Table 5] After cooking, the product temperature was lowered to room temperature, and sensory evaluation and texture analysis were performed in the same manner as in [3].

[0085] (Evaluation results) The results are shown in Figures 5 and 6, and Table 5. Compared to a control group without the addition of a rice improver, when 1.5-2% by mass of the improver was added, sensory evaluation showed that the rice grains became softer, stickier, and had a stronger grain texture.

[0086] Texture analyzer evaluations also showed that when 0.8-1.5% by mass (or 0.8-2% by mass) of the additive was added, the rice grains became softer and stickier compared to the control.

[0087] In both sensory evaluation and texture analysis, it was shown that when 1.5% by mass or more of the rice improver was added (4.5 parts by mass of the improver per 300 parts by mass of glutinous rice), the evaluation of the hardness, stickiness, and / or grain texture of the rice grains improved compared to the control or when a low concentration of the improver was added, indicating a greater effect in suppressing undercooking.

[0088] It has been shown that the effect of rice improvers in suppressing undercooked rice in the cooking of grains including glutinous rice can be obtained even when seasoning liquid is included.

[0089] [6] Rice product improver The effect of suppressing undercooked rice by the rice improvers shown in [3] to [5] is expected to be similarly obtained with the rice improvers in Test Examples 2 to 8. [Industrial applicability]

[0090] The rice improver of this disclosure can suppress undercooked rice after cooking when grains including glutinous rice are cooked, and is therefore suitable for use as a rice improver for cooking grains including glutinous rice. Accordingly, it has industrial applicability.

Claims

1. A rice cooker for preparing cooked grains, including glutinous rice, Component (A) contains 40% to 99% by mass of acid-treated or oxidized starch with an amylose content of 20% or less. Rice product improver.

2. Component (B) contains 1% to 45% by mass of pregelatinized starch. The rice product improver according to claim 1.

3. The rice product improver according to claim 2, wherein the sum of component (A) and component (B) is 50% by mass or more.

4. A rice product improver according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bulk density is 0.5 g / ml or more.

5. The rice product improver according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the content of the fraction on a sieve with a mesh size of 0.5 mm (32 mesh) is 5% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less.

6. The rice food improver according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the grains contain 50% by mass or more of glutinous rice.

7. Rice dishes are rice dishes that contain at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of ingredients, seasonings, and edible oils and fats, The total amount of ingredients, seasonings, and edible oils and fats is between 10 parts by mass and 100 parts by mass per 300 parts by mass of grains. The rice product improver according to claim 1 or 2.

8. The rice food improver according to claim 1 or 2, wherein component (B) comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of pregelatinized tapioca starch and modified tapioca starch.

9. The process of cooking grains, including glutinous rice, to obtain cooked rice dishes, and A method for producing cooked rice, comprising adding the cooked rice improver described in claim 1 or 2 to grains including glutinous rice before or during cooking.

10. A method for suppressing undercooked rice, comprising adding the rice improver described in claim 1 or 2 to grains containing glutinous rice before or during the cooking process of the grains containing glutinous rice.

11. A seasoning liquid for cooking grains including glutinous rice, comprising the rice improver described in claim 1 or 2, and one or more selected from the group consisting of ingredients, seasonings, and edible oils and fats.

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