Fat mass composition, and alternative meat

Abstract

To provide a fat lump composition and a meat substitute, which release an abundant amount of an oily component during chewing, in comparison to traditional food materials.SOLUTION: There are provided a fat lump composition that contains granular bodies containing oil and / or fat with a melting point of 0.1°C or higher, and an edible, ionically crosslinkable polymer that is crosslinked with a cation, with the average particle diameter of the granular bodies being 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less; and a meat substitute.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to adipose tissue compositions and alternative meat.

Background Art

[0002] The fat contained in livestock meat has elasticity and a unique texture in which oil oozes out during chewing. And the properties of the fat are important factors that greatly affect the texture, flavor, etc. when eating livestock meat. In recent years, from the perspective of maintaining health, the situation is changing to recommend reducing the intake of livestock meat and consuming meat-like foods made from plant-derived proteins such as soybeans (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "alternative meat"). Under such circumstances, in order to make the texture, flavor, etc. of alternative meat closer to those of livestock meat, attempts have been made to include ingredients with a texture similar to that of fat in alternative meat. Along with this, the development of ingredients with a texture similar to that of fat has been carried out.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 proposes "an oil-in-water type composition containing at least an alkyl cellulose having a viscosity of 4,000 to 11,000 mPa·s as measured by a B-type viscometer for a 1 mass% aqueous solution at 20°C and a storage elastic modulus G'(65°C) of 2,500 to 4,500 Pa for a 1.5 mass% aqueous solution at 65°C, an edible oil and fat, and water." Patent Document 2 proposes "a method for producing marbled meat, characterized in that microcapsules containing an oil or a seasoned oil are dispersed in a liquid obtained by appropriately dispersing water or proteins, polysaccharides, plant fibers, etc. in water, and this is injected or inserted into meat at a low temperature." Patent Document 3 proposes "an oil-in-water type emulsion soy protein gel food obtained by subjecting an oil-in-water type emulsified slurry containing 10 to 60% by weight of oil droplets having a particle diameter of 50 μm to 800 μm to a gelation treatment, wherein the planar occupancy of the oil droplets having a diameter of 50 μm to 800 μm is 10 to 60%, a gel made of a gelation material of non-myosin exists as a continuous phase, and the gel is crosslinked by a protein crosslinking enzyme."

[0004] Patent Document 4 proposes "a composition containing an ionic complex formed from at least one ionizable emulsifier or a salt thereof and one or more substances selected from the group consisting of an ionizable polypeptide, a salt thereof, an ionizable hydrocolloid, and a salt thereof, and when the charges on the aforementioned emulsifier, polypeptide, and hydrocolloid are of the same sign, formed in the presence of a crosslinking agent." Patent Document 5 proposes "a method for texturizing fat for use in meat-like products, characterized by: (a) mixing 100 parts of triglyceride fat and about 2 to about 20 parts of an oil-soluble gelling agent at a temperature higher than the gelling temperature; (b) cooling the mixture to a temperature lower than the gelling temperature while stirring the mixture, thereby providing discrete irregularly shaped particles of gelled fat."

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 6446473 Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 62-146584 Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent No. 6265121 Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Publication for International Patent Cooperation No. 7-502172 Patent Document 5: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 52-057357

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] In order to produce a texture similar to that of fat, it is preferable that a large amount of oil is released during chewing. However, conventional food ingredients, although having a texture similar to that of fat, have an insufficient oil release amount. Therefore, the problem of the embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a fat mass composition and a substitute meat that have a larger oil release amount when chewed compared to conventional food ingredients.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The above problems are solved by the following means. That is <1> Granules containing an oil or fat having a melting point of 0.1°C or higher, and an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer crosslinked with a cation, A fat mass composition in which the average particle size of the granular bodies is 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less. <2> containing a surfactant, The fat mass composition according to <1>, wherein the HSP distance between the ion-crosslinkable polymer and the hydrophilic part of the surfactant is 10 or less. <3> including a gel containing an ion-crosslinkable polymer, The fat mass composition according to <1> or <2>, wherein the volume of the gel with respect to the volume of the granular bodies is 10% or more and 300% or less. <4> After heating a fat mass composition with a thickness of 2 mm, a ratio of longitudinal length:transverse length = 1:1, and a weight of 2 g on a hot plate at 90°C for 5 minutes, and then applying a pressure of 300 g / cm in the thickness direction from the surface of the fat mass composition after heating for 1 minute, the amount of the liquid released from the fat mass composition after heating during pressurization with respect to the amount of the oil and fat contained in the fat mass composition before heating is 30% by mass or more. The fat mass composition according to any one of <1> to <3>. 2 <5> The fat mass composition according to any one of <1> to <4>, wherein the CV value of the particle size of the granular bodies is 30% or less. <6> The fat mass composition according to any one of <1> to <5>, wherein the melting point of the oil and fat is 1°C or more and 30°C or less. <7> The fat mass composition according to any one of <1> to <6>, wherein the oil and fat is at least one selected from coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil, canola oil, and oleic acid. <8> The fat mass composition according to any one of <1> to <7>, wherein the granular bodies contain water. <9> The fat mass composition according to any one of <1> to <8>, which is in a sheet shape and has a thickness of 0.5 mm or more. <10> a lean-like part containing protein, An alternative meat including the fat mass composition according to any one of <1> to <9>.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, there are provided a fat mass composition and an alternative meat having a larger amount of oil released when chewed compared to conventional food ingredients.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments which are an example of the present disclosure will be described. These descriptions and examples are illustrative of the embodiments and do not limit the scope of the invention. In the numerical ranges described stepwise in this specification, the upper limit value or the lower limit value described in one numerical range may be replaced with the upper limit value or the lower limit value of the numerical range described in other stepwise descriptions. Further, in the numerical ranges described in this specification, the upper limit value or the lower limit value of the numerical range may be replaced with the value shown in the examples.

[0010] Each component may contain a plurality of corresponding substances. When referring to the amount of each component in the composition, when there are a plurality of substances corresponding to each component in the composition in the case of the existence of species, unless otherwise specified, it means the total amount of the plurality of substances present in the composition. In this specification, the term "step" includes not only an independent step but also, even when it cannot be clearly distinguished from other steps, as long as the intended purpose of the step is achieved. In this specification, a combination of two or more preferred embodiments is a more preferred embodiment.

[0011] <Fat mass composition> The fat mass composition according to the present disclosure includes granular bodies containing an oil having a melting point of 0.1°C or higher, and an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer crosslinked with a cation. And, in the fat mass composition according to the present disclosure, the average particle diameter of the granular bodies is 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less.

[0012] Due to the above configuration, the fat mass composition according to the present disclosure has an increased oil release amount when chewed. The reason is presumed as follows.

[0013] The fat in livestock meat is composed of a large number of fat cells containing oil inside. Therefore, the fat in livestock meat is close to a state containing a large number of oil droplets. Since the fat mass composition of the present disclosure contains granular bodies containing an oil with a melting point of 0.1 °C or higher, the structure of the fat mass composition becomes similar to the structure of the fat in livestock meat. As a result, when chewing, like the fat in livestock meat, the fat mass composition according to the present disclosure easily releases oil from the fat mass composition. And, in the fat mass composition according to the present disclosure, the average particle size of the granular bodies is 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less. Granular bodies with a small particle size contain a small amount of the enclosed oil. Therefore, when granular bodies with a small particle size are included, the amount of oil released when chewing the fat mass composition tends to be small. On the other hand, since granular bodies with a large particle size are unstable, when cooking such as heat cooking is performed, the oil easily leaks from the granular bodies. Thus, when the average particle size of the granular bodies is within the above numerical range, the amount of oil contained in the fat mass composition tends to increase. Therefore, when chewing the fat mass composition, the amount of oil released is likely to be improved. In addition, the fat mass composition according to the present disclosure contains an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer crosslinked with a cation, so that the granular bodies contained in the fat mass composition can be maintained at a preferable particle size. Furthermore, elasticity is imparted to the fat mass composition, and the texture is more likely to be closer to that of the fat in livestock meat.

[0014] Therefore, it is considered that the fat mass composition according to the present disclosure has a larger amount of oil released when chewed compared to conventional food materials.

[0015] (Granular bodies) The granular bodies contain an oil with a melting point of 0.1 °C or higher (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "specific oil"). And, the average particle size of the granular bodies is 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less.

[0016] -Composition of granular bodies- The granular bodies contain an oil with a melting point of 0.1 °C or higher, and, if necessary, contain water and other additives. ·Oil Examples of the fats and oils having a melting point of 0.1°C or higher and contained in the granular material include vegetable fats and oils, animal fats and oils, fatty acids, and the like. Here, the fatty acid is a monovalent carboxylic acid of a long-chain hydrocarbon and has a general formula C n H m COOH (n and m are integers of 1 or more).

[0017] Examples of the vegetable fats and oils include rapeseed oil, soybean oil, palm oil, olive oil, coconut oil, rice bran oil, corn oil, coconut oil, canola oil, and the like. Examples of the animal fats and oils include beef tallow, lard, lard, whale oil, fish oil, and the like. Examples of the fatty acids include saturated fatty acids such as lauric acid, stearic acid, isostearic acid, palmitic acid, myristic acid, arachidic acid, behenic acid; unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid, eicosenoic acid, erucic acid, and the like.

[0018] The fat and oil contained in the granular material is preferably at least one selected from coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil, canola oil, and oleic acid from the viewpoint of increasing the amount of oil released when chewing the fat mass composition.

[0019] The above-mentioned fat and oil has a melting point of 0.1°C or higher. Therefore, when the above-mentioned fat and oil is used, in the production of the fat mass composition described later, granular materials are more likely to be formed. Therefore, it is easy to increase the amount of oil released when chewing the fat mass composition.

[0020] The melting point of the fat and oil is 0.1°C or higher, preferably 1°C or higher and 30°C or lower, more preferably 2°C or higher and 25°C or lower, and still more preferably 5°C or higher and 25°C or lower. By setting the melting point of the fat and oil to 1°C or higher, in the production of the fat mass composition described later, granular materials are more likely to be formed. Moreover, by setting the melting point of the fats and oils to 30°C or lower, in the production of the fat mass composition described later, it becomes easier to produce a fat mass composition containing water in granular form at room temperature (for example, 25°C), and the production process tends to be simplified.

[0021] The melting point of the fats and oils is measured in accordance with "Standard Oil Chemical Society of Japan Standard Oil Analysis Test Method 2.2.4.2 (1996) 1996 Edition".

[0022] The content of the fats and oils is preferably 10% by mass or more and 98% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or more and 95% by mass or less, and still more preferably 25% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less with respect to the whole fat mass composition.

[0023] · Water Depending on the use, the granular material may preferably contain water. The water may be any water that can be used in food, and there is no particular limitation.

[0024] When the granular material contains water, when chewing the fat mass composition, in addition to the fats and oils, water is also released from the fat mass composition, and it may be easier to obtain a texture closer to the fat in livestock meat. In addition, when the granular material contains water, it becomes easier to include water-soluble components (for example, seasonings such as umami components, fragrances, etc.) in the granular material, and it becomes easier to produce a texture closer to the fat in livestock meat.

[0025] The water content is preferably 1% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less, and still more preferably 10% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less with respect to the amount of specific fats and oils contained in the granular material.

[0026] · Other additives Examples of other additives include seasonings, acidulants, bitter agents, spices, sweeteners, antioxidants, colorants, color developers, fragrances, stabilizers, preservatives, etc. The content of other additives is preferably 0% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less based on the whole granule.

[0027] -Characteristics of the granule- ·Average particle size of the granule The average particle size of the granule is 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less, preferably 50 μm or more and 400 μm or less, and more preferably 90 μm or more and 300 μm or less.

[0028] By setting the average particle size of the granule to 50 μm or more, as described above, the amount of oil released when chewing the fat mass composition is likely to be improved. Also, by setting the average particle size of the granule to 500 μm or less, the particle size of the granule becomes smaller. Therefore, when visually observing the fat mass composition, it becomes difficult to visually recognize that a large number of granules are contained in the fat mass composition. Therefore, the appearance of the fat mass composition also becomes closer to the fat contained in livestock meat. Furthermore, by setting the average particle size of the granule to 500 μm or less, the particle size of the granule becomes smaller, so the texture when eating the fat mass composition is likely to be smooth. Therefore, the texture of the fat mass composition is also likely to be better.

[0029] The average particle size of the granule is measured by observing the fat mass composition with a transmission optical microscope. As the transmission microscope, for example, a product made by Zeiss, product name: Inverted Microscope Axio Observer.Z1, etc. can be used. Hereinafter, the measurement procedure of the average particle size of the granule will be described. The fat mass composition is immersed in an aqueous solution of 100 mM sodium ethylenediamine-N,N,N’,N’-tetraacetate (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Corporation) for 1 hour. After 1 hour, the granular bodies floating on the surface are separated by specific gravity to recover the granular bodies from the fat mass composition, and placed in a 60 mmΦ polystyrene petri dish. At this time, ensure that the recovered granular bodies do not overlap in the depth direction of the petri dish. Then, observe the granular bodies recovered in the petri dish with a transmission optical microscope and photograph them at an objective magnification of 5 times. Select 200 or more images of the granular bodies included in the photographed screen. Calculate the equivalent circle diameter (the diameter of a perfect circle corresponding to the area of the image of the granular body) of each granular body using image processing software (e.g., ImageJ). Calculate the arithmetic mean value of the equivalent circle diameters of the calculated granular bodies, and use the arithmetic mean value as the average particle size of the granular bodies.

[0030] ·CV value of the particle size of the granular bodies The CV value (coefficient of variation) of the particle size of the granular bodies is preferably 30% or less, more preferably 25% or less, and even more preferably 20% or less.

[0031] Granular bodies with a small particle size contain a small amount of the encapsulated oil and fat. Therefore, when the fat mass composition containing granular bodies with a small particle size is chewed, the amount of oil released is likely to be small. On the other hand, granular bodies with a large particle size are unstable, so when cooking such as heat cooking is performed, the oil and fat are likely to leak from the granular bodies. From the above, in order to obtain a fat mass composition that is stably maintained while containing a large amount of oil and fat during storage but has a large amount of oil released when chewed, it is preferable that the variation in the particle size of the granular bodies is small. That is, it is preferable that the particle size distribution of the granular bodies contained in the fat mass composition is narrow. By setting the CV value of the particle size of the granular bodies to 30% or less, the particle sizes of the granular bodies contained in the fat mass composition are likely to be in a state close to being uniform. Therefore, it is likely to obtain a fat mass composition with a large amount of oil released when chewed.

[0032] The CV value of the particle size is a value obtained by the following formula. Formula: CV value of particle size (%) = (standard deviation of equivalent circle diameter of granular material / average particle size of granular material) × 100 Here, the average particle size of the granular material is the value measured by the method described above. In addition, the standard deviation of the equivalent circle diameter of the granular material is the standard deviation of the equivalent circle diameters of 200 granular materials calculated in the measurement of the average particle size of the granular material.

[0033] (Ion-crosslinkable polymer) The fat mass composition contains an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer crosslinked with a cation. Here, "edible" means a property that does not have an adverse effect on the health when orally ingested by humans. "Ion-crosslinkable polymer" means a polymer that crosslinks by reaction with an ion.

[0034] Examples of the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer include polysaccharides having at least one selected from the group consisting of a carboxy group, a carboxylic acid anion group (-COO - ), a sulfo group, and a sulfonic acid anion group (-SO3 - ). Examples of the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer include alginic acid, carrageenan, LM pectin, HM pectin, LA gellan gum, and the like. From the viewpoint of improving the heat resistance of the fat mass composition, the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of alginic acid, LM pectin, and LA gellan gum.

[0035] The viscosity of a 1% by mass aqueous solution of the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer (an aqueous solution containing 1% by mass of the ion-crosslinkable polymer with respect to the whole aqueous solution) is preferably 10 mPa·s or more and 3000 mPa·s or less, more preferably 20 mPa·s or more and 1000 mPa·s or less.

[0036] The viscosity of a 1% by mass aqueous solution of the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer is the value measured by a tuning fork vibration viscometer under the temperature condition of 20°C. As a tuning fork vibration type viscometer, for example, SV-10 manufactured by A&D can be used.

[0037] The cation is preferably a metal ion having a valence of 2 or more. Examples of the metal ion include divalent metal ions such as calcium ion, magnesium ion, iron ion (II), copper ion (II), zinc ion, and manganese ion; and trivalent metal ions such as aluminum ion and iron ion (III). From the viewpoint of obtaining a stable crosslinked structure, the metal ion is preferably at least one selected from calcium ion, magnesium ion, and zinc ion, and more preferably calcium ion.

[0038] The content of the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer crosslinked with the cation is preferably 0.01% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less, more preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less, and still more preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less with respect to the whole fat mass composition.

[0039] (Surfactant) The fat mass composition preferably contains a surfactant. When the fat mass composition contains a surfactant, the amount of oil and fat released when biting the fat mass composition after heat cooking becomes larger. The reason is presumed as follows. When the granules in the fat mass composition are in contact with each other, oil and fat easily leaks from the granules during heat cooking. Then, when biting the fat mass composition after heat cooking, the amount of oil and fat released tends to decrease. By containing a surfactant, the compatibility between the granules and the ion-crosslinkable polymer tends to be good, and the ion-crosslinkable polymer tends to exist in the gaps between the granules. Then, the granules tend to have an appropriate distance from each other, and the leakage of oil and fat from the granules can be suppressed during heat cooking. As a result, the amount of oil and fat released when biting the fat mass composition after heat cooking increases.

[0040] Examples of the surfactant include edible surfactants. Examples of the edible surfactant include glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, organic acid monoglycerides, sorbitan fatty acid esters, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleic acid esters, lecithin, and the like.

[0041] The glycerin fatty acid ester preferably contains monoglyceride as a main component. Here, the main component means that the content of monoglyceride is 90% by mass or more based on the total amount of the glycerin fatty acid ester. The monoglyceride is preferably a monoesterified product of glycerin and a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having 2 to 24 carbon atoms. Examples of the fatty acid include behenic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid, and the like. The glycerin fatty acid ester may contain diglyceride. The diglyceride is preferably a diesterified product of glycerin and a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having 2 to 24 carbon atoms.

[0042] The polyglycerin fatty acid ester is preferably an esterified product of polyglycerin and a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having 2 to 24 carbon atoms. Specific examples of the polyglycerin fatty acid ester include polyglyceryl monomyristate, polyglyceryl dimyristate, polyglyceryl trimyristate, polyglyceryl monopalmitate, polyglyceryl dipalmitate, polyglyceryl tripalmitate, polyglyceryl monostearate, polyglyceryl distearate, polyglyceryl tristearate, polyglyceryl monoisostearate, polyglyceryl diisostearate, polyglyceryl triisostearate, polyglyceryl monooleate, polyglyceryl dioleate, polyglyceryl trioleate, and the like.

[0043] An organic acid monoglyceride is a compound obtained by further esterifying the hydroxyl group derived from glycerin in monoglyceride with an organic acid. Examples of the organic acid include citric acid, succinic acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, etc. Citric acid and succinic acid are preferred, and citric acid is more preferred.

[0044] Sorbitan fatty acid ester refers to an ester compound of sorbitan and a fatty acid. The sorbitan fatty acid ester is preferably an ester compound of sorbitan and a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having 2 to 18 carbon atoms. Specific examples of the sorbitan fatty acid ester include sorbitan monocaprylate, sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monopalmitate, sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan distearate, sorbitan sesquistearate, sorbitan tristearate, sorbitan trioleate, sorbitan monoisostearate, sorbitan sesquiisostearate, sorbitan monooleate, sorbitan sesquioleate, sorbitan coconut oil fatty acid, etc.

[0045] Propylene glycol fatty acid ester is an ester compound of a fatty acid and propylene glycol. As the fatty acid used for synthesizing the propylene glycol fatty acid ester, a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having 2 to 24 carbon atoms is preferred. Specific examples of the propylene glycol fatty acid ester include, for example, propylene glycol palmitate, propylene glycol stearate, and prop ylene glycol behenate, etc.

[0046] Sucrose fatty acid ester is an ester compound of sucrose and a fatty acid. As the fatty acid used for synthesizing the sucrose fatty acid ester, a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having 2 to 24 carbon atoms is preferred. As the sucrose fatty acid ester, an esterified product of one or more fatty acids selected from the group consisting of caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, arachidic acid, and behenic acid and sucrose is preferred.

[0047] The polyglycerol condensed ricinoleic acid ester is an esterified product of a polyglycerol fatty acid ester and a ricinoleic acid condensate. Specific examples of the polyglycerol condensed ricinoleic acid ester include esterified products of the compounds described as specific examples of the aforementioned polyglycerol fatty acid esters and ricinoleic acid condensates.

[0048] Lecithin refers to phosphatidylcholine itself or a mixture containing at least phosphatidylcholine. The mixture containing at least phosphatidylcholine is generally a mixture that may contain, in addition to phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, N-acyl phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidic acid, lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidic acid, sphingomyelin, sphingoethanolamine, and the like.

[0049] As lecithin, enzymatically decomposed lecithin (so-called lysolecithin) can be used. The enzymatically decomposed lecithin is a composition containing lysophosphatidylcholine in which one fatty acid possessed by a phosphatidylcholine molecule is lost by an enzyme such as phospholipase. In the fat mass composition of the present disclosure, the enzymatically decomposed lecithin contains hydrogenated enzymatically decomposed lecithin whose oxidative stability is improved by subjecting it to a hydrogenation treatment to convert the bound fatty acid into a saturated fatty acid.

[0050] The surfactant may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0051] The HLB value of the surfactant is preferably 8 or more, more preferably 10 or more, and still more preferably 12 or more, from the viewpoint of, for example, emulsifying and dispersing properties. The upper limit of the HLB value of the emulsifier is not particularly limited, but is generally 20 or less, preferably 18 or less. HLB generally means the hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance used in the field of surfactants. The HLB value is calculated using the Kawakami formula shown below. When using a commercially available product as the surfactant, the commercially available catalog data is preferably adopted first.

[0052] HLB = 7 + 11.7 log (Mw / Mo) Here, Mw represents the molecular weight of the hydrophilic group of the surfactant, and Mo represents the molecular weight of the hydrophobic group of the surfactant. The hydrophobic group of the surfactant is an atomic group with low affinity for water. Examples of the hydrophobic group include an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkylsilyl group, and a perfluoroalkyl group. Specifically, when the surfactant is the above-mentioned "glycerol fatty acid ester, polyglycerol fatty acid ester, organic acid monoglyceride, sorbitan fatty acid ester, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester, polyglycerol condensed ricinoleic acid ester, or lecithin", it refers to an alkyl group and an alkenyl group derived from a fatty acid. The hydrophilic group of the surfactant is an atomic group with high affinity for water. Specifically, it refers to an atomic group other than the hydrophobic group in the structure of the surfactant.

[0053] The HSP distance between the ion-crosslinkable polymer and the hydrophilic part of the surfactant is preferably 10 or less, more preferably 9 or less, and still more preferably 8 or less.

[0054] When the granules in the fat mass composition are in contact with each other, oil and fat are likely to leak from the granules during heat cooking. Then, when biting the fat mass composition after heat cooking, the amount of oil and fat released is likely to decrease. By setting the HSP distance between the ion-crosslinkable polymer and the hydrophilic part of the surfactant within the above numerical range, the ion-crosslinkable polymer is likely to be present in the gaps between the granular bodies. Then, the granular bodies are likely to have an appropriate distance from each other, and during heat cooking, it becomes difficult for oil and fat to leak from the granular bodies. Along with this, when biting into the fat mass composition after heat cooking, the amount of oil and fat released increases.

[0055] The HSP distance can be adjusted by changing the structures of the ion-crosslinkable polymer and the hydrophilic part of the surfactant. The HSP distance is a combination of three types of cohesive energy density values (δD: dispersion term, δP: dipole term, and δH: hydrogen bond term), and the unit of each is [J / cm 3 1 / 2 is.

[0056] The calculation of the HSP distance is performed as follows. The HSP distance can be obtained as a registered value or an estimated value in HSPiP 4th Edition version 4.0.04, which is commercially available software.

[0057] This software can be obtained from websites such as http: / / hansen-solubility.com / index.html. Also, to determine the HSP based on such software, it can be based on the literature by Hansen et al. (for example, C. M. Hansen solubility parameteres: a user7S handbook 2nd edition, CEC press, 2007, ISBN -10: 0849372488).

[0058] The content of the surfactant in the whole fat mass composition is preferably 0.05% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less, and more preferably 0.10% by mass or more and 1% by mass or less.

[0059] (Gel containing an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer crosslinked with a cation) ​The fat mass composition preferably contains a gel containing an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer crosslinked with a cation. A gel refers to a substance that contains at least water and an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer crosslinked with a cation and exhibits the behavior of an elastic solid. When the fat mass composition contains a gel, it becomes easier to maintain a state where the granules are appropriately spaced apart from each other. Therefore, during heat cooking, it becomes less likely for oil and fat to leak from the granules. Along with this, when biting into the fat mass composition after heat cooking, the amount of oil and fat released is more likely to be greater.

[0060] The gel preferably contains at least an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer crosslinked with a cation and water, and preferably contains, if necessary, an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer crosslinked with a cation and other additives other than water.

[0061] The edible ion-crosslinkable polymer crosslinked with a cation contained in the gel is the above-mentioned edible ion-crosslinkable polymer crosslinked with a cation applied. The water contained in the gel may be any water that can be used in food, and there is no particular limitation. Examples of other additives contained in the gel include seasonings, acidulants, bitter agents, spices, sweeteners, antioxidants, colorants, color developers, fragrances, stabilizers, preservatives, and the like.

[0062] The content of the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer crosslinked with a cation in the gel is preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less, more preferably 0.2% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less, and still more preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 3% by mass or less, based on the total amount of the gel. The content of other additives in the gel is preferably 0% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less, based on the total amount of the gel.

[0063] ​The volume of the gel relative to the volume of the granular material is preferably 10% or more and 300% or less, more preferably 30% or more and 200% or less, and even more preferably 50% or more and 150% or less.

[0064] The volume of the gel relative to the volume of the granular material is measured as follows. First, the volume of the fat mass composition is measured using a laser volumeter. As the laser volumeter, for example, the VL-300 manufactured by Keyence can be used. Thereafter, the granular material is recovered from the fat mass composition by the procedure described in the measurement procedure of the average particle diameter of the granular material, and the recovered granular materials are allowed to stand at 50 ° C for 1 hour to combine the granular materials, and then the volume is measured with a volumeter. As the volumeter, for example, a graduated cylinder can be used. The volume of the gel relative to the volume of the granular material is determined from the following formula. Formula: Volume of gel relative to volume of granular material = [(Volume of fat mass composition (m 3 ) - Volume of granular material (m 3 )) / Volume of fat mass composition (m 3 )] × 100

[0065] (Liquid leakage ratio) When a fat mass composition with a thickness of 2 mm, a ratio of longitudinal length: transverse length = 1:1, and 2 g is heated on a hot plate at 90 ° C for 5 minutes, and then pressed from the surface of the heated fat mass composition in the thickness direction at a pressure of 200 g / cm 2 for 1 minute, the amount of liquid released from the heated fat mass composition during pressurization of the heated fat mass composition (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "liquid leakage ratio - 1 during pressurization") relative to the amount of oil and fat contained in the fat mass composition before heating is preferably 30% by mass or more. When a fat mass composition with a thickness of 2 mm, a ratio of longitudinal length: transverse length = 1:1, and 2 g is heated on a hot plate at 90 ° C for 5 minutes, and then pressed from the surface of the heated fat mass composition in the thickness direction at a pressure of 300 g / cm 2When pressurized at the pressure for 1 minute, the amount of the liquid released from the fat mass composition after heating during pressurization of the fat mass composition after heating with respect to the amount of the oil and fat contained in the fat mass composition before heating (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "liquid leakage ratio during pressurization - 2") is more preferably 30% by mass or more.

[0066] By setting the liquid leakage ratio during pressurization - 1 and the liquid leakage ratio during pressurization - 2 to 30% by mass or more, it is likely to obtain a fat mass composition with a larger amount of oil released when chewed.

[0067] From the viewpoint of obtaining a fat mass composition with an even larger amount of oil released when chewed, the liquid leakage ratio during pressurization - 1 and the liquid leakage ratio during pressurization - 2 are more preferably 40% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less.

[0068] Hereinafter, the measurement procedures for the liquid leakage ratio during pressurization - 1 and the liquid leakage ratio during pressurization - 2 (hereinafter, the liquid leakage ratio during pressurization - 1 and the liquid leakage ratio during pressurization - 2 are collectively also referred to as the "liquid leakage ratio during pressurization") will be described in detail. · Outline of the measurement procedure The measurement procedure for the liquid leakage ratio during pressurization goes through four steps: (1) the step of cutting out test pieces, (2) the drying step, (3) the heating step, and (4) the pressurization step. And the calculation of the liquid leakage ratio during pressurization is performed by the following formula using the "amount of oil and fat contained in the test piece before treatment" calculated in (2) the drying step and the "liquid leakage amount during pressurization" calculated in (4) the pressurization step. Formula: ("Liquid leakage amount during pressurization" ÷ "Amount of oil and fat contained in the test piece before treatment") × 100

[0069] · Specific description of the measurement procedure Hereinafter, the measurement procedure for the liquid leakage ratio during pressurization will be specifically described.

[0070] (1) Step of cutting out test pieces Two fat mass compositions (hereinafter, also referred to as test pieces) with a thickness of 2 mm, a ratio of the longitudinal length to the transverse length = 1:1, and a weight of 2 g are cut out from the fat mass composition.

[0071] (2) Drying process One of the two test pieces is dried in an 80°C oven (the oven is manufactured by Yamato Scientific, DG400) for 2 days, and then its mass is weighed. The change in mass from the initial mass of the test piece (i.e., 2 g) corresponds to the amount of moisture contained in the test piece. Then, from the calculated moisture content, the content of the surfactant and the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer crosslinked with cations contained in the test piece is calculated. Calculate the difference between the initial mass of the test piece and the calculated content of water, surfactant, and the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer crosslinked with cations [i.e., the initial mass of the test piece - (the content of water + the content of surfactant + the content of the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer crosslinked with cations)], and take the value of this difference as "the amount of oil and fat contained in the test piece before treatment".

[0072] (3) Heating process Next, place the remaining one of the two test pieces on a slide glass (manufactured by Matsunami Glass Industry Co., Ltd., S2441). At this time, make the thickness direction of the test piece perpendicular to the surface of the slide glass. Heat it on a hot plate (manufactured by AS ONE, DP-1S) at 90°C for 5 minutes through the slide glass. Wipe the surface of the heated test piece with Kimwipe (registered trademark, manufactured by Nippon Paper Crecia Co., Ltd. The same shall apply hereinafter). At this time, wipe until the mass of the Kimwipe does not change before and after wiping. Here, the test piece after wiping is referred to as "the test piece after heating". Then, weigh the mass of the test piece after heating. Calculate the difference between the initial mass of the test piece (i.e., 2 g) and the mass of the test piece after wiping (i.e., the initial mass of the test piece - the mass of the test piece after wiping), and take this difference as "the amount of liquid leakage during heating".

[0073] (4) Pressing process Subsequently, apply pressure to the heated test piece from its surface in the thickness direction for 1 minute. At this time, in the measurement of the liquid leakage ratio - 1 during pressing, apply pressure at a pressure of 200 g / cm 2 for 1 minute (for example, place a 25 mm square, 200 g SUS-made weight on the surface of the heated test piece and let it stand for 1 minute). On the other hand, in the measurement of the liquid leakage ratio - 2 during pressing, apply pressure at 300 g / cm 2Pressurize at the pressure for 1 minute (for example, place a 25 mm square, 1875 g SUS hammer on the surface of the test piece after heating and let it stand for 1 minute). Wipe the surface of the pressurized test piece with a Kimwipe. At this time, wipe until the mass of the Kimwipe does not change before and after wiping. Here, the test piece after wiping is referred to as the "test piece after pressurization". Weigh the mass of the test piece after pressurization, and calculate the difference between the mass of the test piece after heating and the mass of the test piece after pressurization (mass of the test piece after heating - mass of the test piece after pressurization), and define this difference as the "liquid leakage amount during pressurization".

[0074] And the value obtained by calculating ( "liquid leakage amount during pressurization" ÷ "amount of oil and fat contained in the test piece before treatment" ) × 100 is defined as the "liquid leakage amount ratio during pressurization".

[0075] Note that the "liquid leakage amount ratio during heating" calculated in the examples described later is the value obtained by calculating ( "liquid leakage amount during heating" ÷ "amount of oil and fat contained in the test piece before treatment" ) × 100.

[0076] (Shape of the fat mass composition) The shape of the fat mass composition is not particularly limited, but from the perspective of increasing the amount of oil released when chewing the fat mass composition, it is preferably sheet-shaped and has a thickness of 0.5 mm or more. Here, being sheet-shaped means a shape with a small thickness relative to the length and width.

[0077] Depending on the usage method, from the perspective of further increasing the amount of oil released when chewing the fat mass composition the thickness of the sheet-shaped fat mass composition is more preferably 1 mm or more. From the perspective of ease of manufacturing the fat mass composition, the thickness of the sheet-shaped fat mass composition is more preferably 50 mm or less, still more preferably 10 mm or less, and still more preferably 5 mm or less.

[0078] The thickness of the sheet-shaped fat mass composition is measured with a non-contact thickness gauge. As the thickness gauge, for example, TAP-2H-50XY manufactured by Coms Co., Ltd. can be used.

[0079] (Method for producing fat mass composition) The method for producing a fat mass composition (1) A step of forming droplets containing oil and fat in an aqueous solution (droplet formation step); (2) A step of solidifying the oil and fat in the droplets to obtain particles containing the solidified oil and fat (oil and fat solidification step); (3) A step of adding an aqueous solution containing an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer and an aqueous solution containing a cation to the above particles to crosslink the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer (crosslinking step); preferably has the above steps.

[0080] (1) Droplet formation step As a method for forming droplets containing oil and fat in an aqueous solution, a method of dispersing oil and fat in an aqueous solution can be mentioned. As a method for dispersing oil and fat in an aqueous solution, a method of emulsifying an aqueous solution and oil and fat with an emulsifier is preferable. Note that oils and fats with a melting point of 0.1°C or higher are applicable.

[0081] Examples of emulsifiers include rotary stirrers equipped with propeller-type, anchor-type, paddle-type, or turbine-type stirring blades, static mixers such as static mixers, homogenizers, rotor-stator type emulsifiers such as creamix, mill-type emulsifiers equipped with a grinding function, high-pressure emulsifiers such as Manton Gorin type high-pressure emulsifiers, high-pressure nozzle type emulsifiers that generate cavitation under high pressure, high-pressure collision type emulsifiers that apply shear force by colliding liquids with each other under high pressure such as microfluidizers, ultrasonic emulsifiers that generate cavitation with ultrasonic waves, and membrane emulsifiers that perform uniform emulsification through pores.

[0082] From the viewpoint of improving the uniformity of the particle size of the droplets containing oil and fat, it is preferable to use a membrane emulsifier as the emulsifier. When emulsifying using a membrane emulsifier, the emulsification method may be either a direct membrane emulsification method or a permeation membrane emulsification method, but the direct membrane emulsification method is preferred. As the porous membrane provided in the membrane emulsifier, for example, an SPG (Shirasu Porous Glass: Shirasu porous glass) membrane is suitable. The SPG membrane can be purchased, for example, from SPG Techno Co., Ltd.

[0083] As an emulsification method using a membrane emulsifier, for example, a method of dispersing fats and oils through a porous membrane in an aqueous solution containing water and a surfactant is preferred. The mass ratio (mass of aqueous solution / mass of fats and oils) of the aqueous solution used for emulsification to the fats and oils is preferably 10 / 1 or more and 2 / 1 or less.

[0084] (2) Fats and oils solidification step Examples of the method for solidifying the fats and oils in the droplets to obtain particles containing the solidified fats and oils include a method of curing using an oil curing agent, a method of cooling the droplets containing the fats and oils, etc. However, From the viewpoint of obtaining a fat mass composition with a large amount of oil released when chewed, a method of cooling the droplets containing the fats and oils is preferred.

[0085] Examples of the method for cooling the droplets containing the fats and oils include, for example, a method of cooling an aqueous solution containing the droplets containing the fats and oils obtained by the step of forming droplets containing the fats and oils in the aqueous solution using a refrigerator or the like.

[0086] The cooling temperature is preferably above 0°C and below the melting point of the fats and oils. The cooling time is not particularly limited, and it is preferably carried out until the fats and oils contained in the droplets are solidified.

[0087] After cooling, the particles containing the solidified fats and oils may gather in the supernatant of the solution. In that case, it is preferable to recover the supernatant containing the particles. And it is preferable to perform the following crosslinking step using the recovered supernatant containing the particles. As a method for recovering the supernatant containing particles, for example, there is a method of discharging an aqueous solution other than the supernatant containing particles using a separatory funnel.

[0088] The oil and fat content in the aqueous solution containing particles obtained by the oil and fat solidification step is preferably 40% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less based on the entire solution.

[0089] (3) Crosslinking step This is a step of adding an aqueous solution containing an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer and an aqueous solution containing a cation to the particles obtained by the oil and fat solidification step to crosslink the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer.

[0090] Specifically, in the crosslinking step, an aqueous solution containing an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer is added to the aqueous solution containing the particles obtained by the oil and fat solidification step, stirred, and then an aqueous solution containing a cation is added to crosslink the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer.

[0091] The content of the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer in the aqueous solution containing the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer is preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less based on the entire aqueous solution. The addition amount of the aqueous solution containing the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer is preferably 50% by mass or more and 200% by mass or less based on the mass of the aqueous solution containing the particles obtained by the oil and fat solidification step.

[0092] Examples of the aqueous solution containing a cation include an aqueous solution in which a salt containing a cation is dissolved. The salt content in the aqueous solution in which the salt containing a cation is dissolved is preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less based on the entire aqueous solution. The addition amount of the aqueous solution containing a cation is preferably 50% by mass or more and 200% by mass or less based on the addition amount of the aqueous solution containing the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer.

[0093] <Alternative meat> Preferably, the meat substitute comprises a lean-like part containing protein and a fat mass composition. Here, as the fat mass composition, the above-described fat mass composition is applicable.

[0094] (Lean-like part) The lean-like part refers to the part corresponding to the part that looks like lean meat in the raw meat-like meat substitute. The lean-like part preferably contains protein and, if necessary, fats and oils, binders, and other additives.

[0095] -Protein- The lean-like part contains protein. The protein preferably contains at least one of vegetable protein and animal protein, and more preferably contains vegetable protein.

[0096] Vegetable protein is protein extracted from plants. The plant-derived protein is not particularly limited as long as it is a protein extracted from plants. Examples of the sources of plant-derived proteins include grains such as wheat, barley, oats, rice, and corn; beans such as soybeans, peas, adzuki beans, chickpeas, lentils, broad beans, mung beans, and winged beans; seeds such as almonds, peanuts, cashew nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, flaxseeds, sesame seeds, rapeseeds, cottonseeds, safflower seeds, and sunflower seeds; tubers such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, taro, and cassava; vegetables such as asparagus, artichokes, cauliflower, broccoli, and edamame; fruits such as bananas, jackfruits, kiwifruits, coconuts, avocados, and olives; mushrooms such as shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, shimeji mushrooms, and maitake mushrooms; and algae such as chlorella, spirulina, euglena, nori, kombu, wakame, hijiki, tengusa, and mozuku. Among these, from the perspective of obtaining alternative meat with an appearance and texture similar to that of meat chunks, it is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of wheat, soybeans, peas, and rice as the source of edible part protein, and more preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of soybeans and wheat. The plant-derived protein may contain a protein derived from one type of plant, or may contain proteins derived from two or more types of plants.

[0097] Animal-derived protein is a protein extracted from animals. The animal-derived protein is not particularly limited as long as it is a protein extracted from animals. Examples of animal-derived proteins include collagen, gelatin, keratin, fibroin, sericin, casein, conchiolin, elastin, protamine, egg yolk protein, and egg white protein. The animal-derived protein may contain only one type, or may contain two or more types.

[0098] From the perspective of obtaining alternative meat with a texture closer to that of livestock meat, it is preferable that the protein has muscle-like tissue. Here, the muscle-like tissue refers to a tissue that has a structure similar to a bundle of fibers and can be split into fibers in a certain direction. The red meat of livestock is derived from muscle. And muscle is composed of bundles of muscle fibers. Therefore, the red meat of livestock has a structure like a bundle of fibers. Since the protein contained in the red meat-like part of the alternative meat according to the present disclosure has a muscle-like tissue, it is possible to produce the texture brought about by the presence of muscle fibers felt when eating livestock meat.

[0099] As a method for making the protein have a muscle-like tissue, there is a method of extruding the protein (optionally, water or the like may be added together with the protein) by an extruder. By extruding the protein, the protein has a structure similar to a bundle of fibers along the extrusion direction of the extruder and has a tissue that can be split into fibers in the extrusion direction of the extruder.

[0100] The protein content is preferably 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, more preferably 60% by mass or more and 95% by mass or less, and still more preferably 70% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less with respect to the whole red meat-like part.

[0101] - Oil and fat - The red meat-like part may contain oil and fat. Examples of the oil and fat include vegetable oil and animal oil. Examples of the vegetable oil are the same as those described in the description of the fat mass composition. Examples of the animal oil include beef tallow, lard, lard, whale oil, fish oil, and the like.

[0102] - Binder - The red meat-like part preferably contains a binder as needed. When the red meat-like part contains a binder, it becomes easier for the red meat-like part to maintain a single united shape.

[0103] The binder is not particularly limited as long as it is edible and can maintain the shape of the red meat-like part. Examples of the binder include proteins, thickening polysaccharides, starches, and the like. The protein used as the binder may be the same as or different from the protein contained in the red meat-like part.

[0104] Examples of the protein used as the binder include vegetable proteins, animal proteins, enzymes, and the like. Examples of the vegetable protein used as the binder include proteins derived from wheat, soybeans, rice, and the like. Examples of the animal protein used as the binder include milk protein, egg white, and the like. Examples of the enzyme include transglutaminase and the like.

[0105] Examples of the thickening polysaccharides include carrageenan, xanthan gum, pectin, locust bean gum, curdlan, guar gum, tragacanth gum, gum arabic, gellan gum, tamarind seed gum, cassia gum, tara gum, alginic acid, agar, glucomannan, soybean polysaccharides, gelatin, pullulan, psyllium, chitosan, methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, dextrin, and the like.

[0106] Examples of the starch include wheat starch, cassava starch, rice starch, glutinous rice starch, corn starch, waxy corn starch, sago starch, potato starch, kudzu starch, lotus root starch, mung bean starch, sweet potato starch, waxy potato starch, waxy cassava starch, waxy wheat starch, and the like.

[0107] Here, it is preferable to use transglutaminase as the binder. Commercially available products of transglutaminase can be used, for example, the Activa (registered trademark) series manufactured by Ajinomoto Co., Inc.

[0108] The content of the binder contained in the lean-like part is preferably 0.01% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less based on the whole lean-like part.

[0109] -Other additives- The lean-like part preferably contains other additives other than protein, oil and fat, and binder as required. Examples of other additives include, for example, water, seasonings, acidulants, bitter agents, spices, sweeteners, antioxidants, colorants, color developers, fragrances, stabilizers, preservatives and the like. The content of other additives is preferably 0% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less.

[0110] <Method for producing alternative meat> As a method for producing alternative meat, it preferably includes a step of bringing the lean-like part into contact with the fat mass composition (first step) and a step of fixing using a binder (second step).

[0111] (Method for producing lean-like part) The method for producing alternative meat according to the present disclosure is preferably carried out as follows.

[0112] Examples of the procedure for producing the lean-like part include the following procedures. Procedure (1-1) Extrude the raw material of the lean-like part containing at least protein from an extruder, color the extruded raw material of the lean-like part red, and then mold it into a shape similar to the shape of the lean meat of livestock meat. Procedure (1-2) Color commercially available soy meat with a red colorant, and mold the colored alternative meat into a shape similar to the shape of the lean meat of livestock meat. Procedure (1-3) Extrude the raw material of the lean-like part containing at least protein and a colorant from an extruder, and mold the extruded red-colored lean-like part into a shape similar to the shape of the lean meat of chunk meat. Procedure (1-4) Mold the red-colored commercially available soy meat into a shape similar to the shape of the lean meat of chunk meat. The procedures of the above procedures (1-1) to (1-4) will be described in detail below.

[0113] - Step (1-1)- · Raw material of the raw meat-like part The raw material of the raw meat-like part contains at least protein, but from the viewpoint of improving the extrusion efficiency of the raw material of the raw meat-like part from the extruder, it preferably contains water as well. The raw material of the raw meat-like part preferably contains 2 parts by mass or more and 6 parts by mass or more of water with respect to 10 parts by mass of protein.

[0114] · Extrusion conditions The extruder is not particularly limited, and a known single-screw extruder, a non-intermeshing co-rotating twin-screw extruder, an intermeshing co-rotating twin-screw extruder, and an intermeshing counter-rotating twin-screw extruder can be used.

[0115] The barrel temperature of the extruder is preferably such that the temperature of the front half of the barrel (the part from the raw material supply part of the raw meat-like part to the center of the barrel) is 60°C or higher and 100°C or lower, the temperature at the center of the barrel (the center of the axial length of the barrel) is preferably 90°C or higher and 170°C or lower, and the temperature of the rear half of the barrel (the part from the center of the barrel to the tip of the barrel) is preferably 140°C or higher and 180°C or lower.

[0116] The extruder preferably has a die attached to the tip of the barrel. The die is preferably a die from which a sheet-like extrudate can be obtained. The gap (lip clearance) of the die outlet is preferably 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less. The length of the die is preferably 30 mm or more and 100 mm or less. The die is preferably a cooling die. Here, the cooling die refers to a die cooled by, for example, the circulation of a coolant (such as water or glycol). By using a cooling die, the expansion of the extruded raw material of the raw meat-like part is easily suppressed. Therefore, the raw meat-like part produced using the raw material of the raw meat-like part extruded using a cooling die is likely to be fibrous. When a cooling die is used, the temperature of the discharge opening of the cooling die is preferably set to 90°C or higher and 120°C or lower.

[0117] ·Molding The extruded lean meat-like portion of the raw material is preferably cut into pieces for use as required. From the viewpoint of producing a substitute meat having an appearance similar to that of a whole piece of meat, it is preferable that the length of the extruded lean meat-like portion in the extrusion direction of the raw material be 10 mm or more and 50 mm or less, and the length in the direction perpendicular to the extrusion direction be 2 mm or more and 8 mm or less.

[0118] The extruded lean meat raw material is preferably coloured red using a colouring agent. The coloring agent is preferably an edible red coloring agent. Coloring agents include, for example, natural beet red pigment.

[0119] It is preferable to add a binder to the extruded lean meat-like portion raw material, and a seasoning may be added as necessary. The extruded raw material of the lean meat-like portion is collected in a block form and molded into a shape similar to that of lean livestock meat, thereby producing the lean meat-like portion of the substitute meat. From the viewpoint of obtaining a substitute meat having a texture closer to that of livestock meat, when the extruded lean meat-like portions of the raw material are collected in a block, it is preferable to align the extrusion directions of the extruded lean meat-like portions of the raw material in approximately the same direction.

[0120] -Step (1-2)- The procedure for producing the lean meat-like portion may involve coloring commercially available soy meat with a red coloring agent and molding the colored substitute meat into a shape that resembles the shape of lean livestock meat. Soy meat is a food ingredient artificially produced using ingredients containing vegetable protein derived from soybeans, and has a texture similar to that of animal meat.

[0121] It is preferable to cut the soybean meat into pieces as needed. From the perspective of using alternative meat with an appearance similar to that of livestock meat, for example, it is preferable that the vertical width of the soy meat is 10 mm or more and 50 mm, the horizontal width is 2 mm or more and 8 mm or less, and the thickness is 1 mm or more and 5 mm or less. In addition, generally commercially available soy meat is obtained by extruding and expanding a raw material containing plant protein derived from soybeans from an extruder. Therefore, it is common for commercially available soy meat to have a muscle-like tissue. Therefore, when adjusting the dimensions of the soy meat, it is preferable to adjust it by cutting along a structure similar to the bundle of fibers of the muscle-like tissue of the soy meat.

[0122] It is preferable to color the soy meat red using a coloring agent. Examples of the coloring agent include the same coloring agents as those listed in step (1-1). In addition, it is preferable to add a binder to the soy meat, and seasonings may be added as necessary. By collecting them in lumps and molding them into a shape similar to that of the lean meat of livestock meat, the lean-like part of the alternative meat is produced. From the perspective of obtaining alternative meat with a texture closer to that of livestock meat, when collecting the soy meat in lumps, it is preferable to align the directions of the structures similar to the bundles of fibers of the muscle-like tissue of the soy meat in the same direction as much as possible.

[0123] - Step (1-3)- Instead of adding the coloring agent to the raw material of the lean-like part after extrusion molding, it is preferable to produce the lean-like part in the same manner as step (1-1) except that the coloring agent is added to the raw material of the lean-like part before extrusion molding.

[0124] - Step (1-4)- Instead of coloring commercially available soy meat with a coloring agent, it is preferable to produce the lean-like part in the same manner as step (1-2) except that soy meat that has been colored red in advance is used.

[0125] (First step) The first step is a step of bringing the lean-like part into contact with the fat mass composition. As a method of bringing the lean-like part into contact with the fat mass composition, there is no particular limitation. For example, when producing alternative meat having an appearance similar to that of steak meat as shown in FIG. 1, it is preferable to mold the lean-like part into a shape similar to the lean of steak meat, mold the fat mass composition into a shape similar to the fat of steak meat, and then bring the lean-like part and the fat mass composition into contact with each other.

[0126] (Second step) The second step is a step of fixing the contact body of the lean-like part obtained in the first step and the fat mass composition using a binder. As a method of fixing the contact body, for example, there is a method of sprinkling a binder over the entire contact body and then allowing it to stand. Here, as the binder, those described above can be applied, but it is preferably an enzyme, and more preferably transglutaminase.

[0127] It is preferable that alternative meat is produced through the above steps.

Example

[0128] Examples will be described below, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, all "parts" and "%" are based on mass.

[0129] <Example 1> (1) Droplet formation step An aqueous phase and an oil phase were prepared as follows. Aqueous phase: 99.5 parts by mass of tap water and 0.5 parts by mass of Ryoto Sugar Ester M-1695 (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) as a surfactant were weighed to a total of 5 kg, stirred for 30 minutes with a Three One motor (manufactured by Shin-Toyo Kagaku), and completely dissolved. Oil phase: 1 kg of coconut oil (manufactured by COCOWELL, product name: Organic Premium Coconut Oil (M041)) was weighed as the oil and fat. Using a tubular SPG membrane (manufactured by SPG Techno, pore size 50 μm), membrane emulsification was carried out with the aqueous phase as the continuous phase and the oil phase as the dispersed phase. Specifically, the tubular SPG membrane was inserted and placed in a tubular container, and an aqueous phase was flowed through the inside (inner pipe) of the tubular SPG membrane at a flow rate of 50 mL / min from one end to the other end of the container, and an oil phase was flowed through the outside (outer pipe (flow path between the container and the SPG membrane)) of the tubular SPG membrane at a flow rate of 10 mL / min. As a result, an aqueous solution containing droplets containing fats and oils (hereinafter also referred to as a droplet dispersion) was obtained. The particle size of the droplets containing fats and oils was 190 μm, and the CV value was 19%. Here, the particle size and CV value of the droplets containing fats and oils were measured in the same manner as the measurement of the average particle size of the above-described granular bodies and the CV value of the particle size of the granular bodies.

[0130] (2) Fat and oil solidification step After adding the droplet dispersion to a separatory funnel, it was allowed to stand for 30 minutes. Since the droplet dispersion separated into a phase containing droplets containing fats and oils and an aqueous phase, the aqueous phase was drained from the separatory funnel, and the phase containing droplets containing fats and oils was recovered. The recovered phase containing droplets containing fats and oils was allowed to stand and cool in a refrigerator with the temperature in the warehouse set at 5°C for 1 hour to solidify the fats and oils, and an aqueous solution containing particles (hereinafter also referred to as a particle-containing solution) was obtained.

[0131] (3) Cross-linking step 1 part by mass of sodium alginate (manufactured by Kimi Chemical Co., Ltd., Kimi Chemical Alginate I-1) as an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer, 0.5 part by mass of Ryoto Sugar Ester M-1695 (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) as a surfactant, and 98.5 parts by mass of tap water were mixed to obtain an aqueous solution containing an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer (hereinafter also referred to as an ion-crosslinkable polymer solution). 100 parts by mass of the particle-containing solution was added to 100 parts by mass of the ion-crosslinkable polymer solution, and it was slowly stirred with a stirrer (Three One Motor, manufactured by Yamato Scientific Co., Ltd.), and the resulting solution (referred to as particle-containing solution 2) was poured into a stainless steel bath so that the thickness of the solution became 3 mm. 1 part by mass of calcium chloride (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Corporation, food additive grade), which is a salt containing cations, was dissolved in 99 parts by mass of tap water to prepare an aqueous solution containing cations. An aqueous solution containing the same mass of cations as the particle-containing liquid 2 contained in the stainless steel pad was poured into the stainless steel pad, and it was left standing in a refrigerator at a temperature of 5°C for 2 hours to crosslink (gel) the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer, obtaining a crude fat mass composition. After washing the crude fat mass composition with tap water, the surface moisture was wiped off with a Kim towel to obtain a fat mass composition.

[0132] <Examples 2 to 4> (1) In the droplet formation step, a fat mass composition was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the pore diameter of the pipe-shaped SPG membrane and the flow rates of the aqueous phase and the oil phase were changed as shown in Table 1.

[0133] <Examples 5 to 7> (1) In the droplet formation step and (3) the crosslinking step, a fat mass composition was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the type of surfactant used was changed as shown in Table 1.

[0134] <Examples 8 to 11> (3) In the crosslinking step, a fat mass composition was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the volume of the gel with respect to the volume of the granule was adjusted as shown in Tables 1 and 2 by changing the addition amount of the ion-crosslinkable polymer solution as follows. Example 8: 7 parts by mass Example 9: 21 parts by mass Example 10: 250 parts by mass Example 11: 400 parts by mass

[0135] <Examples 12, 13> (1) In the droplet formation step, a fat mass composition was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the flow rates of the aqueous phase and the oil phase were as shown in Table 2.

[0136] <Example 14> (1) In the droplet formation step, after preparing the aqueous phase and the oil phase, the aqueous phase and the oil phase were added to a 50 mL glass vial (manufactured by Kinis), and using a stir bar (diameter: 8 mm, length: 30 mm, manufactured by AS ONE) and a magnetic stirrer, the mixture was stirred at a stirring speed of 400 rpm (revolutions per minute) for 30 seconds to obtain a droplet dispersion liquid, and then a fat mass composition was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except for this.

[0137] <Examples 15 and 16> (1) A fat mass composition was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the addition amount of the surfactant used in the droplet formation step and the crosslinking step (3) was changed as follows. (Addition amount of surfactant in Example 15) (1) Droplet formation step: 0.1 part by mass (3) Crosslinking step: 0.1 part by mass (Addition amount of surfactant in Example 16) (1) Droplet formation step: 2 parts by mass (3) Crosslinking step: 2 parts by mass

[0138] <Examples 17 to 20> (1) A fat mass composition was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the oil and fat used as the oil phase in the droplet formation step was as shown in Table 2. Note that the details of the oil and fat are as follows. · Olive oil: manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd. · Palm oil: manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd. · Canola oil: manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group, Ltd., product name: Nisshin Canola Fat · Oleic acid: manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.

[0139] <Examples 21 and 22> (3) In the crosslinking step, a fat mass composition was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the ion-crosslinkable polymer solution was prepared as follows.

[0140] (Procedure for preparing the ion-crosslinkable polymer solution in Example 21) Sodium alginate (manufactured by Kimica Corporation, Kimica Alginate I-1) 0.2 parts by mass as an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer, Ryoto Sugar Ester M-1695 (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) 0.5 parts by mass as a surfactant, and 99.3 parts by mass of tap water were mixed and prepared.

[0141] (Procedure for preparing the ion-crosslinkable polymer solution of Example 22) Sodium alginate (manufactured by Kimica Corporation, Kimica Alginate I-1) 3 parts by mass as an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer, Ryoto Sugar Ester M-1695 (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) 0.5 parts by mass as a surfactant, and 96.5 parts by mass of tap water were mixed and prepared.

[0142] <Example 23> (1) A fat mass composition was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that in the droplet formation step, an emulsion was prepared with the oil phase prepared as follows. Oil phase: 20 parts by mass of an aqueous solution containing 20% by mass of Hymee (manufactured by Ajinomoto Co., Inc.) with respect to the total solution was added to 80 parts by mass of coconut oil, which is a fat and oil, to obtain a total of 1 kg of a mixed solution. Then, this mixed solution was emulsified by stirring with a Three One Motor (manufactured by Shinto Kagaku) for 30 minutes to obtain an emulsion.

[0143] <Example 24> (3) A fat mass composition was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the type of the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer added in the crosslinking step was LM pectin (SLENDID (registered trademark) speciality pectin 100J manufactured by Sankyo).

[0144] <Comparative Example 1> A fat mass composition was obtained by the same procedure as in Example 1 of Japanese Patent No. 6446473.

[0145] <Comparative Example 2> A fat mass composition was obtained by the same procedure as in Example 1 of Japanese Patent No. 6265121.

[0146] <Comparative Example 3> (1) An adipose mass composition was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the fats and oils used as the oil phase in the droplet formation step were as shown in Table 3. Details of the fats and oils are as follows. · Castor oil: manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Corporation

[0147] <Comparative Examples 4 and 5> (1) An adipose mass composition was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the pore diameter of the tubular SPG membrane and the flow rates of the aqueous phase and the oil phase were as shown in Table 3.

[0148] <Comparative Example 6> (3) An adipose mass composition was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that gelatin was used instead of sodium alginate and tap water was poured onto the stainless steel pad instead of the aqueous solution containing cations in the crosslinking step.

[0149] <Various Measurements> For the adipose mass compositions obtained in each example, the "thickness", "average particle diameter of the granular bodies", "CV value of the particle diameter of the granular bodies", "volume of the gel with respect to the volume of the granular bodies", "liquid leakage ratio during heating", and "liquid leakage ratio during pressurization" were measured according to the methods described above. Note that the "liquid leakage ratio during pressurization" indicates the measurement result of the liquid leakage ratio during pressurization - 2.

[0150]

Table 1

[0151]

Table 2

[0152]

Table 3

[0153] The terms in the table are explained below. ·The numerical values within parentheses described next to the type of surfactant (1) Indicates the addition amount of the surfactant in the droplet formation step and (3) the crosslinking step. For example, Example 1 is described as "Ryo-Toh Sugar Ester M-1695 (0.5 parts by mass)". This means that the amount of Ryo-Toh Sugar Ester M-1695 added in the (1) droplet formation step is 0.5 parts by mass, and the amount of Ryo-Toh Sugar Ester M-1695 added in the (3) crosslinking step is 0.5 parts by mass.

[0154] ·Regarding the sodium alginate concentration (3) Indicates the addition amount of sodium alginate in the crosslinking step. For examples where sodium alginate is replaced with a polymer other than sodium alginate (specifically LM pectin, gelatin), the type of polymer is also indicated.

[0155] ·Other emulsification methods (1) When a droplet dispersion is obtained by a method other than membrane emulsification in the droplet formation step, an outline of the emulsification conditions is shown.

[0156] <Example 101> Alternative meat was produced according to the following procedure.

[0157] (Preparation of the raw material for the lean-like part) Showa Fresh RF (manufactured by Showa Sangyo Co., Ltd., defatted soy flour) and PRO-Gluten 65 (manufactured by Torigoe Flour Milling Co., Ltd., wheat gluten flour) were mixed at a mass ratio (defatted soy flour / wheat gluten flour) of 7:3 to obtain a raw material precursor for the lean-like part. A cooling die (die width: 100 mm, lip clearance: 3 mm) was attached to the discharge part of a twin-screw extruder with a screw length of 1100 mm and the maximum temperature at the tip of the screw set to 155°C so that the outlet temperature would be 105°C. The raw material precursor for the lean-like part was introduced into the extruder at 250 g / min, and while adding 50% by mass of water to the entire raw material precursor for the lean-like part, the raw material precursor for the lean-like part was extruded to obtain the raw material for the lean-like part.

[0158] (Preparation of meat substitute) 300 g of raw material of the lean-like part was boiled in 3 L of boiling water for 10 minutes and drained. It was torn into strip shapes about 5 mm thick, seasoned with salt and pepper and Hymie (manufactured by Ajinomoto Co., Inc.), and scented with nutmeg to obtain strip-shaped protein 1. 30 g of Super Card (transglutaminase manufactured by Ajinomoto Co., Inc.) and 30 g of Fujipro FR (soybean powder manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) were added to the strip-shaped protein 1 cooled to 4°C, and mixed evenly to obtain meat substitute precursor 1. The fat mass composition obtained in Example 1 was cut into strip shapes about 2 mm thick to obtain strip-shaped fat mass composition 1. While arranging and stacking the meat substitute precursor 1 cooled to 4°C so that the fiber directions (the extrusion direction of the raw material of the lean-like part) were aligned, the strip-shaped fat mass composition 1 cooled to 4°C was added, and the shape was adjusted to be block meat-like. At this time, the surface of the strip-shaped fat mass composition 1 was made to be like marbled meat on the surface of the steak-like meat substitute. Then, pressure was continuously applied at 4°C for 2 hours to form it, and a rough meat substitute was obtained. The rough meat substitute was cut in a direction perpendicular to the fiber direction (the extrusion direction of the raw material of the lean-like part) of the strip-shaped fat mass composition 1 in the rough meat substitute to obtain a steak-like meat substitute with a thickness of 25 mm.

[0159] <Evaluation> The obtained meat substitute was cooked by heating on a hot plate at 200°C. When eating the cooked meat substitute, when chewing the meat substitute, the oil release from the fat mass composition was sufficient, and it had a texture similar to that of livestock meat.

[0160] From the above results, it can be seen that the fat mass composition of this example is a fat mass composition with a larger liquid leakage ratio during pressurization and a larger oil release amount when chewed, compared with the fat mass composition of the comparative example.

[0161] The disclosures of Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-126192 filed on July 30, 2021 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-120580 filed on July 28, 2022 are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety into this specification. All documents, patent applications, and technical standards described in this specification are incorporated herein by reference to the same extent as if each individual document, patent application, and technical standard were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

Claims

1. A granular material containing an oil or fat having a melting point of 0.1°C or higher; an edible ionically crosslinkable polymer crosslinked with a cation; A surfactant, The average particle size of the granular material is 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less, The fat mass composition, wherein the surfactant is at least one selected from the group consisting of glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, organic acid monoglycerides, sorbitan fatty acid esters, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleic acid esters, and lecithin.

2. A gel containing the ionically crosslinkable polymer, 2. A fat mass composition as described in claim 1, wherein the volume of said gel is 10% or more and 300% or less of the volume of said granules.

3. A fat lump composition of 2 g having a thickness of 2 mm and a vertical length:horizontal length ratio of 1:1 was heated on a hot plate at 90° C. for 5 minutes, and then the fat lump composition was heated to a thickness of 300 g / cm from the surface of the heated fat lump composition in the thickness direction. ２ A fat lump composition as described in claim 1, wherein when pressurized at a pressure of 1000 psi for 1 minute, the amount of liquid released from the heated fat lump composition when pressurized is 30 mass% or more relative to the amount of fat or oil contained in the heated fat lump composition before heating.

4. A fat mass composition as described in claim 1, wherein the CV value of the particle size of the granules is 30% or less.

5. The fat block composition according to claim 1, wherein the melting point of the fat or oil is 1°C or higher and 30°C or lower.

6. The fat mass composition of claim 1, wherein the fat is at least one selected from the group consisting of coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil, canola oil, and oleic acid.

7. The fat mass composition according to claim 1, wherein the granules contain water.

8. 2. The fat block composition according to claim 1, which is in sheet form and has a thickness of 0.5 mm or more.

9. A red meat-like portion containing protein; A meat substitute comprising the fat chunk composition according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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