Manufacturing method of frozen fried chicken

Abstract

To provide a juicy and soft frozen fried chicken having good taste and little dry feeling after thawing, by improving dry texture after thawing in a frozen fried chicken using conventional chicken breast or fillet.SOLUTION: A frozen fried chicken contains chicken breast and / or chicken fillet, organic acid monoglyceride, and an emulsifier different from organic acid monoglyceride, and does not contain fat or has a fat content of less than 30 pts. wt. to 100 pts. wt. of chicken breast and / or chicken fillet. As the emulsifier different from organic acid monoglyceride, sucrose fatty acid ester and / or polyglyceryl fatty acid ester are preferable.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a frozen fried chicken and a method for producing the same, and more particularly to a frozen fried chicken made of chicken breast or fillet that has an improved dry texture after thawing, and a method for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Chicken breast and chicken fillet are attracting attention because the protein they contain contains more amino acids that help recover from fatigue. Fried chicken breast and chicken fillet are often frozen for their convenience of being able to eat them after heating in the microwave or thawing naturally, and to shorten cooking time. However, because chicken breast and chicken fillet have little oil and tend to be dry, there is a problem that frozen fried chicken made from chicken breast or chicken fillet loses moisture when heated in a microwave oven or other device during thawing, resulting in a drier texture and loss of juiciness.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses the addition of oils and fats to improve the juiciness of frozen fried chicken when thawed. On the other hand, Patent Document 2 discloses that the use of a food modifier containing an emulsifier, sugars, and a lamellar structure of diacetyl tartaric acid monoglyceride in fried chicken improves the crispness and adhesion of the coating and suppresses the odor of the meat. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2002-000231 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2011-172563 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In Patent Document 1, a large amount of fats and oils are added in the form of a water-in-oil emulsion, and if the emulsion becomes unstable, the fats and oils may separate inside the meat, resulting in an oily texture. Furthermore, although Patent Document 2 is effective in improving the texture of the coating and suppressing the odor of the chicken, it does not consider the dry texture that occurs when breast meat or chicken fillet is used as the chicken.

[0006] To provide fried chicken which has less dry texture after thawing, is juicy, soft and has good taste by improving the dry texture after thawing of conventional frozen fried chicken using chicken breast or fillet. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] Means for Solving the Problems The present inventors have conducted extensive research to solve the above problems and have found that by incorporating an organic acid monoglyceride and an emulsifier different from the organic acid monoglyceride in combination into frozen fried chicken, it is possible to reduce the dryness after thawing and improve the texture and taste. That is, the present invention relates to the following.

[0008] [1] Frozen fried chicken containing chicken breast meat and / or chicken fillet meat, an organic acid monoglyceride, and an emulsifier other than the organic acid monoglyceride, and which does not contain any fat or oil as defined below or the content of said fat or oil is less than 30 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the chicken breast meat and / or chicken fillet meat. <Definition of fats and oils in frozen fried chicken> Fats and oils originally contained in chicken breast meat and / or chicken fillet, as well as fats and oils other than those contained in frozen fried chicken due to frying during the production of frozen fried chicken

[0009] [2] The frozen fried chicken described in [1], which contains 0.0001 to 5% by weight of organic acid monoglyceride relative to the chicken breast meat and / or chicken fillet.

[0010] [3] The frozen fried chicken described in [1] or [2], which contains an emulsifier other than an organic acid monoglyceride in an amount of 0.0001 to 5% by weight based on the chicken breast meat and / or chicken fillet.

[0011] [4] The frozen fried chicken described in any one of [1] to [3], further containing sugar.

[0012] [5] Frozen fried chicken according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the emulsifier other than the organic acid monoglyceride is at least one selected from the group consisting of sucrose fatty acid esters and polyglycerin fatty acid esters.

[0013] [6] The frozen fried chicken described in any one of [1] to [5], which is intended for natural thawing.

[0014] [7] A method for producing frozen fried chicken according to any one of [1] to [6], comprising the steps of: preparing a dispersion liquid in which an organic acid monoglyceride and an emulsifier other than the organic acid monoglyceride are dispersed at 45 to 100°C; pre-treating chicken breast meat and / or chicken fillet meat with a pre-treatment liquid containing the dispersion liquid; and coating the pre-treated chicken breast meat and / or chicken fillet meat with batter and heating it. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide frozen fried chicken using chicken breast meat or chicken fillet, which is less dry after thawing, is juicy, tender, and has a good taste. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. The following description of the constituent elements is one example (typical example) of an embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these contents as long as it does not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

[0017] [mechanism] According to the present invention, the texture and taste of thawed fried chicken can be improved by using an organic acid monoglyceride in combination with an emulsifier different from the organic acid monoglyceride. Although the details of the mechanism by which such effects are achieved are not clear, it is presumed that the organic acid monoglyceride and the emulsifier other than the organic acid monoglyceride penetrate evenly into the chicken breast meat and chicken fillet and exert a strong water-retaining effect, thereby improving the dryness after thawing and the texture and taste.

[0018] [Frozen fried chicken] The frozen fried chicken of the present invention contains chicken breast meat and / or chicken fillet meat, an organic acid monoglyceride, and an emulsifier different from the organic acid monoglyceride, and is characterized in that it does not contain fats and oils defined below or the content of the fats and oils is less than 30 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the chicken breast meat and / or chicken fillet meat, and preferably further contains sugars. <Definition of fats and oils in frozen fried chicken> Fats and oils contained in chicken breast meat and / or chicken fillet, and fats and oils other than those contained in frozen fried chicken due to frying during the production of frozen fried chicken Typically, this oil and fat is contained in the preparation liquid used in the preparation of chicken breast meat and / or chicken fillet, and is contained in the frozen fried chicken.

[0019] <Chicken breast and / or chicken fillet> The frozen fried chicken of the present invention uses chicken breast meat and / or chicken fillet meat (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "chicken meat") as the chicken meat ingredient for the fried chicken, which is low in oil and tends to become dry after thawing. However, the frozen fried chicken of the present invention may contain ingredients other than chicken meat, such as small amounts of vegetables (root vegetables, leafy vegetables, etc.), eggs, beans, etc.

[0020] <Oils> The frozen fried chicken of the present invention is characterized in that it does not contain fats or oils, or the fat content is less than 30 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of chicken meat. If the oil content is 30 parts by weight or more per 100 parts by weight of chicken meat, the texture will be oily, and the unique texture and flavor achieved by using chicken breast or fillet, which have a low oil content, as an ingredient will be lost.

[0021] Here, the fats and oils contained in the frozen fried chicken of the present invention are fats and oils other than those originally contained in chicken meat and those that become contained in the frozen fried chicken by frying in the process of producing the frozen fried chicken, specifically, fats and oils added to the pre-treatment liquid attached to the chicken meat during the preparation of the chicken meat during the production of the frozen fried chicken. The fats and oils are not particularly limited, but examples thereof include vegetable oils such as rapeseed oil, hardened rapeseed oil, rice oil, soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, sesame oil, olive oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, and hardened coconut oil; animal oils such as butter oil, beef tallow, lard, chicken fat, and fish oil; hydrogenated oils thereof, and transesterified oils obtained by mixing one or more of them; and water-in-oil emulsions and oil-in-water emulsions such as margarine and shortening produced using these fats and oils.

[0022] In the present invention, the amount of these oils and fats used can be reduced, and the dryness after thawing can be improved while reducing the content.

[0023] The content of fats and oils in the frozen fried chicken of the present invention is preferably 20 parts by weight or less, more preferably 10 parts by weight or less, per 100 parts by weight of chicken meat. The frozen fried chicken of the present invention does not contain fats and oils, i.e., fats and oils do not need to be added to the chicken meat pre-treatment liquid, but the chicken meat can be softened after frying by adding a small amount of fats and oils to the pre-treatment liquid and rubbing the chicken meat with this. In this case, the fats and oils are preferably used in a ratio of about 0.5 to 5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of chicken meat.

[0024] <Organic acid monoglyceride> Organic acid monoglycerides have a structure in which one molecule of glycerin is bound to one molecule of fatty acid and one molecule of organic acid, and are generally obtained by reacting an acid anhydride of an organic acid with a fatty acid monoglyceride. The reaction is usually carried out under solvent-free conditions, and for example, the reaction of succinic anhydride with a monoglyceride having 18 carbon atoms is completed in about 90 minutes at a temperature of about 120°C. The organic acid monoglyceride thus obtained is usually a mixture containing an organic acid, unreacted monoglyceride, diglyceride, and other oligomers. In the present invention, such a mixture may be used as it is, or if the purity of the organic acid monoglyceride is to be increased, a commercially available distilled monoglyceride may be used. A monoglyceride in which the organic acid portion is partially neutralized may also be used.

[0025] Examples of organic acids constituting organic acid monoglycerides include succinic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, diacetyltartaric acid, malic acid, adipic acid, glutaric acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, etc. Among these, succinic acid, citric acid, and diacetyltartaric acid, which are used for food applications, are preferred, and succinic acid is particularly preferred from the viewpoint of flavor.

[0026] Examples of fatty acids constituting the organic acid monoglycerides derived from the fatty acid monoglycerides include saturated or unsaturated fatty acids having 8 to 22 carbon atoms, such as caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, behenic acid, oleic acid, etc. Among these, fatty acids containing stearic acid as the main component are preferred from the viewpoint of flavor, and particularly preferred are those in which 70% by weight or more of the constituent fatty acids are stearic acid.

[0027] As the organic acid monoglyceride, only one type may be used, or two or more types of monoglycerides having different organic acids or fatty acids may be mixed and used.

[0028] The frozen fried chicken of the present invention preferably contains an organic acid monoglyceride in a ratio of 0.0001 to 5% by weight based on the chicken meat. When the content of the organic acid monoglyceride is equal to or higher than the above lower limit, the effect of the present invention due to the inclusion of the organic acid monoglyceride can be effectively obtained. When the content of the organic acid monoglyceride is equal to or lower than the above upper limit, the flavor is not significantly affected and the effect of the present invention due to the inclusion of the organic acid monoglyceride can be obtained. The content of the organic acid monoglyceride is more preferably 0.001 to 3% by weight based on the chicken meat, and even more preferably 0.01 to 1% by weight.

[0029] As described below, the organic acid monoglyceride is used as an aqueous dispersion in the production of frozen fried chicken, and is blended into the frozen fried chicken in the form of a lamellar structure of the organic acid monoglyceride.

[0030] <An emulsifier different from organic acid monoglycerides> The emulsifier other than the organic acid monoglyceride (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "other emulsifier") is not particularly limited, but sucrose fatty acid ester and polyglycerin fatty acid ester are preferable.

[0031] The sucrose fatty acid ester is preferably one that is highly hydrophilic (HLB value is usually 5 to 18, preferably 8 to 15), has excellent water dispersibility, and becomes a highly viscous aqueous dispersion at high temperatures. Examples of the constituent fatty acids include saturated or unsaturated fatty acids having 14 to 22 carbon atoms, such as myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, behenic acid, and oleic acid. Of these, saturated fatty acids having 14 to 18 carbon atoms are preferred. Furthermore, fatty acids in which 70% by weight or more of the constituent fatty acids is stearic acid are more preferred.

[0032] The sucrose fatty acid ester is a food emulsifier known per se, and commercially available products can be used. Examples of commercially available sucrose fatty acid esters include "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-1670", "Ryoto Sugar Ester P-1670", "Ryoto Sugar Ester M-1695", "Ryoto Sugar Ester O-1570", "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-1170", "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-570", "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-370", "Ryoto Sugar Ester B-370", "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-170", "Ryoto Sugar Ester ER-190", and "Ryoto Sugar Ester POS-135" (all manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Foods Corporation, product names); "DK Ester F-160", "DK Ester F-140", "DK Ester F-110", "DK Ester F-70", and "DK Ester F-50" (all manufactured by Daiichi Kogyo Seiyaku Co., Ltd., product names).

[0033] As with sucrose fatty acid esters, polyglycerol fatty acid esters are preferably highly hydrophilic (HLB value is usually 5 to 18, preferably 9 to 16), have excellent water dispersibility, and become a highly viscous aqueous dispersion at high temperatures. Such polyglycerol fatty acid esters are not particularly limited, but include those having an average degree of polymerization of polyglycerol of usually 2 to 20, preferably 3 to 10. In addition, the constituent fatty acid is usually a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having 14 to 22 carbon atoms, and polyglycerol fatty acid esters in which 70% by weight or more of the constituent fatty acid is stearic acid are preferred. In addition, as polyglycerol fatty acid esters, those having the same degree of polymerization of glycerol can also be used, and those having a degree of polymerization of 2 are called diglycerol fatty acid esters, and those having a degree of polymerization of 3 are called triglycerol fatty acid esters, and these are also included in the polyglycerol fatty acid esters of the present invention.

[0034] The polyglycerol fatty acid ester is a known food emulsifier, and commercially available products can be used. Commercially available polyglycerol fatty acid esters include, for example, "Ryoto Polyglycester S-10D", "Ryoto Polyglycester M-10D", "Ryoto Polyglycester S-24D", "Ryoto Polyglycester S-28D", "Ryoto Polyglycester O-50D", and "Ryoto Polyglycester B-100D" (all of which are product names manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Foods Corporation); "SY Glyster MSW-7S", "SY Glyster MS-5S", "SY Glyster MS-3S", and "SY Examples of such products include "Glister TS-3S," "SY Glister MO-5S," "SY Glister ML-750," "SY Glister HB-750," and "SY Glister CR-500" (all product names manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.); "Sunsoft Q-18S," "Sunsoft Q-14S," "Sunsoft Q-12S," "Sunsoft A-141E," and "Sunsoft A-17E" (all product names manufactured by Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd.), "Poem DP-95RF," and "Poem TRP-97RF" (all product names manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd.).

[0035] The above sucrose fatty acid esters and polyglycerol fatty acid esters may be used alone, or one or more sucrose fatty acid esters and one or more polyglycerol fatty acid esters may be used in combination.

[0036] As the other emulsifiers, in addition to the above-mentioned sucrose fatty acid esters and polyglycerin fatty acid esters, for example, lecithin, lysolecithin, monoglycerides, sorbitan fatty acid esters, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, etc. can also be used. However, it is preferable to use sucrose fatty acid esters and / or polyglycerin fatty acid esters, and it is preferable that at least 30% by weight or more of the other emulsifiers are sucrose fatty acid esters and / or polyglycerin fatty acid esters.

[0037] The content of other emulsifiers, such as sucrose fatty acid esters and polyglycerol fatty acid esters, contained in the frozen fried chicken of the present invention is preferably 0.0001 to 5% by weight based on the chicken meat. When the content of other emulsifiers is within the above range, the water dispersibility and stability of the lamellar structure of the organic acid monoglyceride in the dispersion liquid described below used in the production of the frozen fried chicken of the present invention can be improved, and the effects of the present invention can be effectively exhibited. The content of the other emulsifiers relative to the chicken meat is more preferably 0.001 to 3% by weight, and even more preferably 0.01 to 1% by weight.

[0038] In order to more effectively obtain the effects of the present invention by using the organic acid monoglyceride in combination with other emulsifiers, the content ratio of the organic acid monoglyceride to the other emulsifiers in the frozen fried chicken is preferably in the range of organic acid monoglyceride:other emulsifier (weight ratio)=500:1 to 1:500, particularly 100:1 to 1:100, and especially 3:1 to 1:3. The content (weight ratio) of the organic acid monoglyceride to the other emulsifiers is more preferably 1:1. Furthermore, the total content of organic acid monoglyceride and other emulsifiers in the frozen fried chicken of the present invention is preferably 0.01 to 20% by weight, more preferably 0.1 to 10% by weight, and even more preferably 1 to 5% by weight, based on the chicken meat.

[0039] <Sugars> The frozen fried chicken of the present invention may contain one or more kinds of sugars, and the inclusion of sugars improves the dispersion stability of the lamellar structure of the organic acid monoglyceride in the dispersion liquid described below. In addition, when producing the frozen fried chicken, it is preferable to add a sugar separately together with the organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion liquid described below, since this improves the texture and taste compared to the case of using only the organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion liquid.

[0040] Examples of sugars that can be used include white sugar, powdered sugar, liquid sugar, sugar, maltose, lactose, invert sugar, isomerized sugar, glucose, fructose, starch syrup, trehalose, sorbitol, maltitol, lactitol, erythritol, mannitol, honey, and other sugars and sugar alcohols, various oligosaccharides, and mixtures thereof.

[0041] Among these, oligosaccharides are preferred. Examples of oligosaccharides include maltooligosaccharides (preferably with a degree of polymerization of 3 to 7), nigerooligosaccharides, isomaltooligosaccharides, panose oligosaccharides, gentiooligosaccharides, fructooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, xylooligosaccharides, lactoferrin oligosaccharides, and syrups thereof.

[0042] When the frozen fried chicken of the present invention contains a sugar, the amount of the sugar used in the organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion described below is 0.001 to 30% by weight, particularly 0.01 to 20% by weight, and especially 0.1 to 10% by weight, expressed as the content of the sugar relative to the chicken meat, and the content of the sugar relative to the organic acid monoglyceride is preferably in the range of organic acid monoglyceride:sugar (weight ratio)=10:7 to 1:850, and preferably in the range of 1:4 to 1:20. When the content of the sugar is equal to or more than the above lower limit, the dispersion stability of the lamellar structure of the organic acid monoglyceride in the dispersion described below is improved, and when the content is equal to or less than the above upper limit, problems such as crystal precipitation and high viscosity depending on the type of sugar are unlikely to occur.

[0043] The amount of sugar added when sugar is further added and mixed together with the organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion during the production of frozen fried chicken will be described later.

[0044] <Clothing materials> For the coating material for fried chicken, a batter mix or breading mix containing wheat flour, potato starch, or the like as a main ingredient can be used. Nuts, corn flakes, etc. can also be added to this coating material.

[0045] <Other ingredients> The frozen fried chicken of the present invention may contain chicken meat, organic acid monoglyceride, other emulsifiers, sugars and oils and fats which are added as necessary, the above-mentioned coating material, and other ingredients. Other ingredients are seasonings and the like that are usually mixed into the pre-processing liquid used to pre-process chicken and contained in the frozen fried chicken.

[0046] Examples of seasonings include salt (which also serves as salt), sugar (which also serves as sugar), pepper, soy sauce, sake, mirin, miso, dashi (bonito dashi, kelp dashi), and chemical seasonings.

[0047] The salts include one or more of table salt, baking soda, ammonium bicarbonate, and the like.

[0048] A pH adjuster may also be used. The pH adjuster may be any pH adjuster that can be used in food and may be selected as appropriate. From the standpoint of water solubility, taste, etc., preferred examples include hydroxides such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, etc.; carbonates such as sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, etc.; phosphates such as disodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, etc.; and organic acid salts other than those mentioned above, such as trisodium citrate, sodium acetate, sodium lactate, disodium succinate, sodium gluconate, sodium tartrate, monosodium fumarate, etc. Among these, phosphates and organic acid salts are more preferable, such as sodium pyrophosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, disodium hydrogen phosphate, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, trisodium citrate, sodium succinate, and sodium lactate.

[0049] When eggs are used in the pretreatment liquid, the eggs are not particularly limited, but examples thereof include whole eggs, raw egg yolks, raw egg whites, frozen egg yolks, frozen egg whites, and the like.

[0050] If necessary, the pretreatment liquid may contain known additives such as sweeteners, flavorings, vitamins, antioxidants, colorants, dietary fiber, thickening polysaccharides, and leavening agents.

[0051] Examples of optional ingredients added to the pretreatment solution include gel-forming substances (e.g., glucomannan, galactomannan, agar, gelatin, pectin, carrageenan, curdlan, xanthan gum, gellan gum, gum arabic, tamarind gum, carboxymethylcellulose, alginic acids, polyglutamic acids, etc.), starch added separately from the coating material (e.g., natural starches such as corn starch, wheat starch, rice starch, tapioca starch, high amylose corn starch, waxy corn starch, sago starch, potato starch, kudzu starch, and sweet potato starch), esterified starch, etc. starch, etherified starch, crosslinked starch, periodate oxidized starch, hydroxypropylated starch, and other modified starches, granulated starch, pregelatinized starch, moist heat treated starch, and other processed starches), organic acids (e.g., fumaric acid, succinic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, diacetyltartaric acid, malic acid, adipic acid, glutaric acid, maleic acid, and other), lipoproteins (e.g., mixtures of milk protein, lecithin, and water, mixtures of egg yolk protein, lecithin, and water, mixtures of soy protein, lecithin, and water, mixtures of corn protein, phospholipids, and water, and other), sweeteners, flavorings, vitamins, antioxidants, and the like.

[0052] [Method of manufacturing frozen fried chicken] The method for producing the frozen fried chicken of the present invention is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a method in which the following steps (1) to (5) are carried out in order. (1) An organic acid monoglyceride and other emulsifiers are dispersed in water at 45 to 100°C to prepare a dispersion (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as an "organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion") (organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion preparation step). (2) The organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion, seasonings and other additives are mixed with water to prepare a pre-treatment liquid, which is then rubbed into chicken meat (pre-treatment step). (3) Coat the prepared chicken with batter (coating process). (4) Deep fry the coated chicken (deep frying process). (5) The fried chicken is frozen (freezing process).

[0053] <Organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion preparation process> In the present invention, the organic acid monoglyceride and other emulsifiers may be directly dispersed in a chicken meat pretreatment liquid to prepare the pretreatment liquid. However, it is preferable in terms of the formation of lamellar structures of organic acid monoglycerides and stabilization of the formed lamellar structures to prepare the pretreatment liquid by dispersing the organic acid monoglyceride and other emulsifiers in water to form lamellar structures of organic acid monoglycerides as described below, and using an organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion in which lamellar structures of organic acid monoglycerides have been formed.

[0054] In the following, a method will be described in which an organic acid monoglyceride and other emulsifiers are dispersed in water to produce an organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion, and the aqueous dispersion is used to produce a pretreatment liquid, but the present invention is not limited to this method.

[0055] When an organic acid monoglyceride and other emulsifiers are dispersed in water at 45 to 100° C., a lamellar structure (lamellar liquid crystal structure) of the organic acid monoglyceride is formed in the aqueous dispersion.

[0056] A lamellar structure is a structure in which, when an organic acid monoglyceride is dispersed in water, the hydrophilic groups of two organic acid monoglyceride molecules face toward the water and the hydrophobic groups (fatty acids) face each other, spreading out two-dimensionally.

[0057] It is known that organic acid monoglycerides are likely to form lamellar structures in a wide range of concentrations from low to high. For example, succinic acid stearic acid monoglyceride, in the form of a sodium salt, forms lamellar structures at a high concentration range of about 35 to 85% by weight and at a temperature of 50°C or higher. In this case, a state in which the lamellar structures are layered on top of each other is observed, and the viscosity of the aqueous solution also increases. When the concentration is higher than 85% by weight, the solution becomes solid, and when the concentration is lower than 35% by weight, the lamellar structures are dispersed in the aqueous solution, resulting in a relatively low viscosity state. Considering workability, it is preferable to form lamellar structures at a low concentration and a high temperature range.

[0058] The lamellar structure can be prepared as a dispersion by dispersing an organic acid monoglyceride in a dispersion medium such as water, and physically stirring and heating it. The heating temperature in this case is usually 45° C. or higher, preferably 50° C. or higher, and usually 100° C. or lower, preferably 80° C. or lower, and more preferably 70° C. or lower, in terms of the temperature of the dispersion. For the physical dispersion, it is preferable to stir slowly using an anchor mixer or the like to avoid the inclusion of air bubbles.

[0059] The content of organic acid monoglyceride in the dispersion for producing the lamellar structure obtained in this manner (hereinafter sometimes referred to as lamellar structure dispersion) is usually 0.1% by weight or more, preferably 1% by weight or more, more preferably 5% by weight or more, and usually 99.9% by weight or less, preferably 60% by weight or less, more preferably 40% by weight or less, even more preferably 30% by weight or less, and particularly preferably 20% by weight or less.

[0060] As described above, when dispersing an organic acid monoglyceride in water, the stability of the lamellar structure of the organic acid monoglyceride is increased and its dispersibility in water is improved by using one or more emulsifiers such as sucrose fatty acid esters and polyglycerol fatty acid esters. The stabilized lamellar structure retains a large amount of water between layers due to the strong hydration power of the hydrophilic group moiety.

[0061] The other emulsifier may be dispersed in a dispersion medium such as ethanol, water, or an aqueous solution of a sugar, and then mixed with the above-mentioned aqueous dispersion of the lamellar structure. Alternatively, the other emulsifier may be directly added to the aqueous dispersion of the lamellar structure.

[0062] The content of organic acid monoglyceride in an organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion, which is an aqueous dispersion of an organic acid monoglyceride and other emulsifiers, is usually 0.1% by weight or more, preferably 1% by weight or more, more preferably 3% by weight or more, and usually 50% by weight or less, preferably 20% by weight or less, more preferably 10% by weight or less, and particularly preferably 5% by weight or less. If the content of organic acid monoglyceride is too low, the effect of the present invention becomes insufficient, and if it is too high, the organic acid monoglyceride may not be uniformly dispersed in water (dispersion medium).

[0063] The content of other emulsifiers such as sucrose fatty acid esters and polyglycerol fatty acid esters in the organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion is usually 0.1% by weight or more, preferably 1% by weight or more, more preferably 2% by weight or more, and even more preferably 3% by weight or more, and usually 50% by weight or less, preferably 20% by weight or less, more preferably 10% by weight or less, and even more preferably 5% by weight or less. When the content of other emulsifiers is within this range, the water dispersibility of the lamellar structure of the organic acid monoglyceride is further improved.

[0064] It is preferable that the organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion contains a sugar from the viewpoint of improving the dispersion stability of the lamellar structure.

[0065] When a sugar is used, a dispersion of the other emulsifier and an aqueous solution of the sugar may be mixed, and then mixed with an aqueous dispersion in which an organic acid monoglyceride is dispersed, such as an aqueous dispersion of a lamellar structure-containing emulsion; alternatively, a sugar may be added to a dispersion of the other emulsifier, or another emulsifier may be added to an aqueous solution of the sugar, and then these dispersions or aqueous solutions may be mixed with an aqueous dispersion in which an organic acid monoglyceride is dispersed, such as an aqueous dispersion of a lamellar structure-containing emulsion.

[0066] When an aqueous dispersion in which an organic acid monoglyceride is dispersed, such as an aqueous dispersion of lamellar structure-containing organic acid monoglyceride, is mixed with a dispersion of another emulsifier, an aqueous solution of a saccharide, or a mixture thereof, the dispersion of another emulsifier, the aqueous solution of a saccharide, or a mixture thereof may be heated to usually 45° C. or higher, preferably 50° C. or higher, and usually 100° C. or lower, preferably 80° C. or lower, and more preferably 70° C. or lower before use.

[0067] When sugars are used, the content of the sugars in the organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion is usually 35% by weight or more, preferably 40% by weight or more, and usually 85% by weight or less, preferably 60% by weight or less. When the content of the sugars is equal to or more than the above lower limit, the dispersion stability of the lamellar structure is improved, and when the content is equal to or less than the above upper limit, problems such as crystal precipitation or high viscosity depending on the type of sugar are unlikely to occur.

[0068] The content ratio of other emulsifiers and sugars relative to the organic acid monoglyceride in the organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion is the same as the content ratio of other emulsifiers and sugars relative to the organic acid monoglyceride in the frozen fried chicken of the present invention described above.

[0069] <Preparation process> The organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion prepared as above and a predetermined amount of seasoning and other additives are mixed with water to prepare a pre-treated liquid. When fats and oils are used in this pre-treated liquid, they are used so that the fats and oils content is less than the above-mentioned fats and oils content.

[0070] In preparing this pretreatment liquid, it is preferable to add and mix sugars separately from the sugars in the organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion, since this can improve the texture and taste. In this case, from the viewpoint of flavor, the content of the sugars added and mixed separately from the organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion is preferably 0.1 to 30% by weight, particularly 1 to 10% by weight, based on the chicken meat.

[0071] In this manner, the chicken meat is pretreated by rubbing the pretreatment liquid prepared using the organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion into the chicken meat, and in some cases leaving it for a predetermined period of time to allow the pretreatment liquid to fully penetrate into the chicken meat.

[0072] <Clothing process> Coat the chicken meat prepared as described above with batter. Coating can be done in the usual way using the batter ingredients dissolved in water.

[0073] <Frying process> The coated chicken is deep fried in the usual way.

[0074] The fried chicken to be used for the frozen fried chicken of the present invention may be produced by oven heating or steam heating without frying using a non-fry coating material.

[0075] <Freezing process> The fried chicken produced as described above is cooled and frozen to −15° C. to −30° C. in a conventional manner to produce frozen fried chicken. Either slow freezing or quick freezing can be used, but quick freezing is preferred because it can prevent ice crystals from becoming coarse.

[0076] <How to unzip> The thawing and heating method of the frozen fried chicken of the present invention can be natural thawing by leaving it at room temperature, thawing in a refrigerator overnight or overnight and then heating in a microwave oven, etc. It is also possible to directly heat the chicken as described above without thawing it in advance, and to thaw and heat it at the same time. The frozen fried chicken of the present invention is suitable for natural thawing, particularly due to the effect of improving the texture and taste, and can be eaten simply by taking it out of the freezer several hours before serving and leaving it as it is, making it highly convenient. EXAMPLES

[0077] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples as long as the gist of the present invention is not exceeded. In the following, "%" and "parts" are all by weight.

[0078] [Production Example 1: Production of an aqueous dispersion containing organic acid monoglyceride] 3.5 parts of HLB11 sucrose stearate ("Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-1170" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Foods Corporation) was dispersed in 68 parts of a mixture of 60 parts of a maltooligosaccharide aqueous solution ("Oligotose" manufactured by Sanwa Starch Co., Ltd., maltooligosaccharide solid content 72% by weight) and 8 parts of water at room temperature, and the mixture was heated with stirring to 75°C (hereinafter referred to as "oligosaccharide liquid"). Meanwhile, 3.5 parts of succinic acid monoglyceride (Poem B-30 manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd., using stearic acid as the fatty acid) was dispersed in 25 parts of desalted water and stirred while heating to 60°C to obtain an aqueous dispersion of lamellar structures. The oligosaccharide liquid was cooled to 55°C, and the aqueous dispersion of lamellar structures of succinic acid monoglyceride was added and stirred for 20 minutes. The aqueous dispersion of lamellar structures was then cooled to 45°C to prepare an aqueous dispersion of lamellar structures (hereinafter referred to as "Composition A"). The lamellar structures of succinic acid monoglyceride in Composition A were confirmed by observation with a polarizing microscope. A polarizing cross was observed in the polarizing microscope photograph, and it was found that Composition A had a lamellar structure. This composition A contains 3.5% by weight of sucrose stearate, 43% by weight of maltooligosaccharide, and 3.5% by weight of a lamellar structure of succinic acid monoglyceride.

[0079] [Production and evaluation of frozen fried chicken] <Examples 1 and 2, Comparative Examples 1 and 2> Frozen fried chicken was produced according to the following procedure. The sugar used in the pretreatment liquid was "Oligotose" (72% by weight solids of maltooligosaccharides) manufactured by Sanwa Starch Co., Ltd. The fried chicken batter used was made by dissolving 120 g of Nihon Shokken's "Crispy Fried Chicken Base" in 120 g of water.

[0080] 1. The amount of chicken breast shown in Table 1 was pounded with a rolling pin to loosen the meat fibers. 2. The chicken breast meat processed in step 1 was then further processed in a tenderizer. 3. Composition A, oligotose, Nisshin Oillio's "Nissin Salad Oil" (a mixture of edible soybean oil and edible rapeseed oil), potato starch, salt, etc. were added to water in the ratio of the pretreatment liquid shown in Table 1 to prepare a pretreatment liquid. 4. Place the chicken breast chunks from step 2 and the preparation liquid from step 3 into a plastic bag and knead with your hands for 1 minute. The plastic bag from 5.4 was stored in a refrigerator for 18 hours, and was taken out once during the storage period to rub the meat into it. 6.5. Strain the chicken breast meat through a colander and then cut it into bite-sized pieces. 7. Add the cut meat from step 6 to the amount of fried chicken batter shown in Table 1 and coat it in batter. 8.7. The coated chicken breast meat was deep fried in oil at 165-175°C for 3 minutes and 30 seconds. The frying oil used was Nisshin Oillio's "Nissin Canola Oil" (edible rapeseed oil (with silicone)).

[0081] [Table 1]

[0082] In addition, the chicken breast meat soaked in the pretreatment liquid in step 5 above was strained through a sieve, and the pretreatment liquid adhering to the chicken breast meat could be determined from the weight of the pretreatment liquid used in the pretreatment and the weight of the filtered liquid. As a result, it was confirmed that the fried chicken meat of Example 1 contained 0.081 wt% organic acid monoglyceride, 0.081 wt% other emulsifiers, and 0.717 wt% sugars in the organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion relative to the chicken breast meat, and the fried chicken meat of Example 2 contained 0.066 wt% organic acid monoglyceride, 0.066 wt% other emulsifiers, 0.586 wt% sugars in the organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion, and 1.892 wt% sugars added separately from the sugars in the organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion relative to the chicken breast meat.

[0083] The fried chicken produced was evaluated for texture and taste when eaten immediately after frying, and when it was frozen at -18°C for 8 days and then thawed naturally at room temperature for 4 hours (simulating use in a lunch box).The results are shown in Tables 2 and 3. In the evaluations in Tables 2 and 3, the more "+" there are, the higher the rating, with the order being +3>+2>+1>±. Fewer + marks are preferable for dryness, and more + marks are preferable for crispiness and juiciness. Fewer + marks are preferable for hardness, and more + marks are preferable for taste. Each table shows the ranking of the overall evaluation, with No. 1 being the best and No. 4 being the worst.

[0084] [Table 2]

[0085] [Table 3]

[0086] From the above results, it can be seen that the frozen fried chicken of the present invention is less dry after thawing, is juicy, tender, and has a pleasant taste.

Claims

1. A pre-processing step 1 of pre-processing chicken breast meat and / or chicken fillet meat with a pre-processing liquid; A coating step 2 in which the chicken breast meat and / or chicken fillet prepared in the step 1 is coated with a coating material; A frying step 3 for frying the chicken breast meat and / or chicken fillet meat coated with the coating material in the step 2; A freezing step 4 in which the chicken breast meat and / or chicken fillet meat fried in the step 3 is frozen. A method for producing frozen fried chicken, comprising: The pretreatment liquid is The present invention comprises an organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion containing an organic acid monoglyceride, an emulsifier different from the organic acid monoglyceride, and a sugar, and a sugar added and mixed separately from the sugar in the organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion, The emulsifier other than the organic acid monoglyceride is a sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB value of 5 to 18 and / or a polyglycerin fatty acid ester having an HLB value of 5 to 18. A method for producing frozen fried chicken.

2. The method for producing frozen fried chicken according to claim 1, wherein the content of the sugar added and mixed in the pretreatment liquid separately from the sugar in the organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion is 0.1 to 30% by weight relative to the chicken breast meat and / or chicken fillet meat.

3. The method for producing frozen fried chicken according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the saccharides in the organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion and the saccharides added and mixed separately from the saccharides in the organic acid monoglyceride-containing aqueous dispersion are oligosaccharides.

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