Frozen food and method for producing frozen food

Abstract

Provided are a frozen food and a method for producing the frozen food, which can shorten the thawing and heating time by a microwave oven, uniformly heat the entire food, and effectively prevent the food from being burned in the microwave oven. 【Solution means】A frozen food in which a frozen seasoning liquid 10 is contained in a package, wherein the frozen seasoning liquid 10 is obtained by freezing a slurry 11 containing ice pieces 12, and is frozen in a state of having entered into the gaps of the contents 3 other than the slurry 11.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to frozen foods and a method for manufacturing frozen foods.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been a demand for frozen foods that can shorten the thawing and heating time by a microwave oven and uniformly thaw and heat the entire food. To solve such problems, the applicant has proposed a frozen food characterized by having a first layer containing frozen solid food ingredients and a second layer containing a seasoning liquid of solid food ingredients formed as a plurality of ice pieces by freezing (see Patent Document 1). Further, the applicant has proposed a frozen food that can further shorten the freezing and heating time by a microwave oven, can uniformly thaw and heat the entire food, and has ice pieces that are easy to shave, have low adhesion to blades for shaving ice, etc., or are difficult to melt even when the ice pieces are put into a container (Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In Patent Document 2, by providing the seasoning liquid as ice pieces, the seasoning liquid is easily thawed by a microwave oven. However, there is a risk that ingredients and noodles that are exposed without being covered by the ice pieces may be scorched by the microwave oven. Further, since the seasoning liquid is completely separated from the noodles and ingredients, there is also a problem that the bulk of the contents increases. In order to solve such problems, it is conceivable to freeze the seasoning liquid in a state where it is immersed in the noodles or ingredients. However, in this case, there is also a problem that the liquid seasoning liquid penetrates into the noodles or ingredients, and the noodles or ingredients become swollen with the seasoning liquid.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a frozen food that can suppress scorching of noodles and ingredients in a microwave oven, can shorten the thawing and heating time by a microwave oven, can thaw and heat the whole food uniformly, and can reduce the bulk of the contents, and a method for producing the frozen food.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention is directed to a frozen food as set forth in the following (1) to ( 8 ). (1) A frozen food containing a frozen seasoning liquid in a package, wherein the frozen seasoning liquid is obtained by freezing a slurry containing ice flakes, and is frozen in a state of entering the gaps between the contents other than the slurry and the slurry is a mixture of ice pieces of the first seasoning liquid and a coolant of a second seasoning liquid having a composition different from that of the first seasoning liquid, the first seasoning liquid is dispersed in the coolant of the second seasoning liquid in the slurry, the slurry has a penetrometer value of 100 or more and 350 or less at the time of topping, and the slurry is eaten as a seasoning liquid after range-up. Frozen food. (2) The frozen food according to (1) above, wherein the frozen seasoning liquid covers at least a part of the upper surface and a part of the side surface of the contents. ( 3 ) The frozen food according to ( 1 ) above, wherein the first seasoning liquid or the second seasoning liquid is emulsified. ( 4 ) The frozen food according to ( 1 ) above, wherein the second seasoning liquid has a lower fat content than the first seasoning liquid. ( 5 ) The frozen food according to ( 1 ) above, wherein the first seasoning liquid contains saccharides, salt, umami components, or vinegar. ( 6 ) The frozen food according to ( 1 ) above, wherein the second seasoning liquid contains more saccharides, salt, umami components, or vinegar than the first seasoning liquid. ( 7 ) The frozen food according to ( 1 ) above, wherein the second seasoning liquid has a higher viscosity than the first seasoning liquid. ( 8 ) In the slurry, the ratio of the ice pieces of the first seasoning liquid to the cooling liquid of the second seasoning liquid is within the range of 7:3 to 3:7 by weight, the frozen food according to the above ([ 1 ). Further, the present invention is summarized in a method for manufacturing a frozen food according to the following ([ 9 ). ( 9 ) A step of freezing the first seasoning liquid into ice pieces, a step of mixing the ice pieces of the first seasoning liquid with a cooling liquid of a second seasoning liquid having a composition different from that of the first seasoning liquid to produce a slurry, a step of applying the slurry to contents other than the slurry, and allowing the slurry to enter the gaps between the contents by the weight of the slurry, and a step of freezing the slurry and the contents in a state where the slurry has entered the gaps between the contents. A method for producing a frozen food, wherein the slurry is a mixture of ice pieces of the first seasoning liquid and a coolant of a second seasoning liquid having a composition different from that of the first seasoning liquid, the first seasoning liquid is dispersed in the coolant of the second seasoning liquid in the slurry, the slurry has a penetrometer value of 100 or more and 350 or less at the time of topping, and the slurry is eaten as a seasoning liquid after range-up. . [Advantages of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, by freezing the seasoning liquid in a slurry state, the slurry enters the gaps between the contents, and the area covering the contents increases, so that range burning of the contents can be effectively prevented. Further, according to the present invention, by allowing the frozen seasoning liquid to enter the gaps between the contents, the surface area of the frozen seasoning liquid increases, so that the thawing and heating time by a microwave oven can be shortened accordingly, and the whole food can be thawed and heated uniformly. A frozen food and a method for manufacturing the frozen food can be provided. Furthermore, in the present invention, by topping the seasoning liquid in a slurry state, compared with the case of topping the seasoning liquid in a liquid state, it becomes difficult for the seasoning liquid to penetrate into the contents such as noodles, and it is possible to prevent the noodles and ingredients from swelling during topping, and improve the texture of the frozen food after thawing. [Brief Description of the Drawings]

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

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Figure 8

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Figure 11

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, embodiments of the frozen food according to the present invention will be described. In the following, the frozen food according to the present invention will be described by exemplifying frozen ramen. However, the frozen food according to the present invention is not limited to frozen ramen as long as it is a food containing soup when thawed. For example, it can also be applied to noodles such as udon, soba, and soup pasta, soups such as miso soup and minestrone, hot pots, curries, frozen drinks such as lemonade and frappé, and confectioneries with a large amount of liquid components such as zenzai.

[0010] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the frozen food 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the frozen food 1 according to the present embodiment is housed in a container 2 and includes a frozen seasoning liquid 10, frozen noodles 20, and ingredients 30. In the following, the noodles 20 and ingredients 30, excluding the frozen seasoning liquid 10, will also be referred to as the contents 3 for explanation.

[0011] The container 2 has a bowl-shaped container body 21 that houses the frozen seasoning liquid 10, noodles 20, and ingredients 30, and a container lid 22 that covers the upper part of the container body 21. The materials of the container body 21 and the container lid 22 are heat-resistant materials that do not allow oil or water to pass through, and are not particularly limited as long as they are materials that can be used in a microwave oven. For example, they can be made of polypropylene, foamed polypropylene, polystyrene, foamed polystyrene, synthetic resin film, etc.

[0012] The frozen noodles 20 are those frozen after boiling the noodles. For example, they can be udon, soba, somen, Chinese noodles, pasta, vermicelli, cellophane noodles, etc., but other types of noodles are also acceptable. The ingredients 30 are also not particularly limited, and examples include meat, fish, omelette, vegetables, herbs, etc.

[0013] The frozen seasoning liquid 10 melts when the frozen food 1 is thawed using a microwave oven or the like, and constitutes the soup of the frozen food 1. In the present embodiment, the frozen seasoning liquid 10 is obtained by freezing a slurry 11 containing ice pieces 12. In the present embodiment, the slurry 11 is poured from above the noodles 20 or the ingredients 30, and while the slurry 11 enters the gaps between the noodles 20 and the ingredients 30 and at least covers a part of the upper surface and a part of the side surface of the noodles 20 and the ingredients 30, the slurry 11 is frozen. As a result, a part of the frozen seasoning liquid 10 enters the gaps between the noodles 20 and the ingredients 30, and a part of the frozen seasoning liquid 10 covers a part of the upper surface and a part of the side surface of the noodles 20 and the ingredients 30, thereby forming the frozen seasoning liquid 10.

[0014] Here, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an image of the slurry 11 according to the present embodiment. Specifically, FIG. 2(A) is a photograph of the produced slurry 11, which is the state before topping the slurry 11 on the content 3. Further, FIG. 2(B) is a photograph of the state where the slurry 11 is topped on the frozen noodles 20 placed in the container 2 and the slurry 11 is allowed to enter the gaps between the noodles 20, and then the slurry 11 is frozen to form the frozen seasoning liquid 10. Furthermore, FIG. 2(C) is a photograph of the frozen seasoning liquid 10 and the noodles 20 shown in FIG. 2(B) taken out from the container 2 and imaged from the side, and FIG. 2(D) is a photograph of the frozen seasoning liquid 10 and the noodles 20 shown in FIG. 2(B) taken out from the container 2 and imaged from above.

[0015] First, the slurry 11 before freezing as the frozen seasoning liquid 10 will be described. The slurry 11 according to the present embodiment is a fluid in which ice pieces 12 constituting the soup and the cooling liquid 13 are mixed. The ice pieces 12 are produced by freezing only water, the soup itself of the frozen food 1, or the first seasoning liquid, and then shaving the ice with a blade. As described above, the ice pieces 12 may be only water or the ice pieces of the soup itself of the frozen food 1, but it is preferable to use a first seasoning liquid having different components from the second seasoning liquid used in the cooling liquid 13. By using the first seasoning liquid having different components from the second seasoning liquid used in the cooling liquid 13 for the ice pieces 12, it is possible to give a sharpness to the taste of the soup obtained by thawing the frozen seasoning liquid 10. In the following, the ice pieces 12 will be described as being produced using the first seasoning liquid.

[0016] The first seasoning liquid is not particularly limited as long as it contains seasonings such as saccharides, salt, umami components, and / or vinegar. However, when the second seasoning liquid is a so-called "kaeshi," it is preferably a seasoning liquid that serves as a "dashi." The saccharides contained in the first seasoning liquid are not particularly limited, and examples include monosaccharides such as glucose, fructose, galactose, mannose, ribose, arabinose, and xylose, and oligosaccharides such as sucrose, lactose, maltose, raffinose, and stachyose. Also, the umami components contained in the first seasoning liquid are not particularly limited, and examples include amino acids such as glutamic acid, alanine, and glycine or their salts, or nucleic acids such as inosinic acid and guanylic acid or their salts. Furthermore, the first seasoning liquid can also be configured to contain two or more types of saccharides or two or more types of umami components. In addition, the first seasoning liquid can also be configured to contain two or more of the components among saccharides, salt, umami components, and vinegar. Furthermore, the first seasoning liquid can also be configured to contain a seasoning containing saccharides such as mirin or a seasoning containing salt such as cooking wine, soy sauce, or miso. Also, as long as the first seasoning liquid contains saccharides, salt, umami components, or vinegar, it can be configured to contain other components. For example, the first seasoning liquid can also be configured to contain fats and oils such as lard.

[0017] Since the first flavoring liquid contains saccharides, when shaving ice made with the first flavoring liquid, compared to the case where saccharides are not contained, the ice can be shaved softer and more easily, and the workability for producing ice pieces 12 can be improved. That is, the ice pieces 12 are produced by shaving ice containing saccharides, salt, umami components, or vinegar with a blade, and the produced ice pieces 12 are collected using a conveying device such as a belt conveyor. Here, depending on the type and concentration of the components contained in the ice pieces 12, there may be problems such as the ice being hard and the efficiency of shaving the ice decreasing, or the ice pieces 12 adhering to the blade or belt conveyor for shaving the ice and the work efficiency decreasing. Also, the produced ice pieces 12 may be served, for example, by an operator in a workroom at a room temperature of about 10°C, and depending on the type and concentration of the components contained in the ice pieces 12, the ice pieces 12 may start to melt in such a room temperature in a short time. However, the ice pieces 12 according to the present embodiment can have the properties of being easy to shave, difficult to adhere to the blade or belt conveyor, or difficult to melt at a temperature of about 10°C by containing saccharides.

[0018] In the first flavoring liquid, the content of saccharides is not particularly limited, but since the ice pieces 12 have the properties of "ease of shaving", "difficulty of adhesion", and "difficulty of melting", the saccharides have a concentration higher than 0% by mass. For example, it is preferable to have a configuration in which saccharides are contained at a concentration of 0.1% by mass or more, 0.5% by mass or more, 1.0% by mass or more, or 3.0% by mass or more, and it is preferable to contain saccharides at a concentration of less than 15% by mass, preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or less. Similarly, since the ice pieces 12 have the properties of "ease of shaving", "difficulty of adhesion", and "difficulty of melting", the first flavoring liquid constituting the ice pieces 12 contains salt at a concentration higher than 0% by mass. For example, it contains salt at a concentration of 0.1% by mass or more, 0.3% by mass or more, or 0.5% by mass or more, and can have a configuration in which it contains salt at a concentration of less than 5% by mass, preferably 3% by mass or less, more preferably 1% by mass or less.

[0019] Furthermore, when the first flavoring liquid is used as ice pieces 12, in order to improve the properties of "ease of shaving", "difficulty of adhesion", and "difficulty of melting", when it contains umami components such as sodium glutamate, the umami component is contained at a concentration higher than 0% by mass, for example, at a concentration of 0.1% by mass or more, 1.0% by mass or more, or 3.0% by mass or more, and the umami component can be configured to be contained at a concentration of less than 10% by mass, more preferably 5% by mass or less. Furthermore, when the first flavoring liquid is used as ice pieces 12, in order to improve the properties of "ease of shaving", "difficulty of adhesion", and "difficulty of melting", it contains vinegar at a concentration higher than 0% by mass, for example, at a concentration of 0.1% by mass or more, 1.0% by mass or more, 3.0% by mass or more, or 5.0% by mass or more, and the vinegar can be configured to be contained at a concentration of 15% by mass or less. Furthermore, when saccharides and salt are contained, it is preferable that the saccharides are contained in an amount more than 0% by mass and 5% by mass or less, and the salt is contained in an amount more than 0% by mass and 1% by mass or less.

[0020] Also, the shape of the ice pieces 12 according to the present embodiment is not particularly limited, but for example, it can be in a granular or powdery form close to a spherical shape (including an ellipsoid). The size of the ice pieces 12 is also not particularly limited, and the average particle diameter (D50) can be 0.1 mm to several cm, preferably 0.1 mm to 1 cm, and more preferably 0.3 mm to several mm. When preparing the slurry 11, the ice pieces 12 only need to be stored at a temperature at which they do not melt. For example, they can be stored in a state of -1°C to -10°C, and it is more preferable to store them in a state of -3°C to -6°C.

[0021] Next, the coolant 13 that forms the basis of the slurry 11 will be described. The coolant 13 is a liquid that is mixed with the ice pieces 12 to form the slurry 11, and is a liquid maintained at a temperature lower than normal temperature (or 25°C). In the present embodiment, the coolant 13 is a cooled second seasoning liquid having a composition different from that of the first seasoning liquid. The second seasoning liquid is not particularly limited as long as it contains a seasoning, and can be configured to contain, for example, saccharides, salt, umami components, or vinegar. Further, the second seasoning liquid forms the soup of the frozen food 1 together with the first seasoning liquid when the frozen food 1 is thawed, and preferably contains components not included in the first seasoning liquid among the components of the soup.

[0022] Also, it is desirable that the second seasoning liquid, which is the coolant 13, has a viscosity that allows it to disperse the ice pieces 12 within the slurry 11 without causing the ice pieces 12 to precipitate when mixed with the ice pieces 12. Specifically, the second seasoning liquid that becomes the coolant 13 preferably has a higher viscosity than water, and also preferably has a higher viscosity than the first seasoning liquid that becomes the ice pieces 12. In order to obtain such a viscosity, the second seasoning liquid can be configured to contain more saccharides and thickeners than the first seasoning liquid. Also, the saccharides and thickeners for imparting viscosity are not particularly limited, and for example, materials mainly used in foods such as wheat flour, xanthan gum, carrageenan, guar gum, agar, gelatin, pectin, modified starches such as tapioca starch, dextrin, trehalose, and fats and oils can be used. Further, the coolant 13 of the second seasoning liquid can be set to 0.5 to 100 mPa·s, 0.8 to 50 mPa·s, or 1.0 to 30 mPa·s at 5°C in order to appropriately disperse the ice pieces 12 of the first seasoning liquid in the slurry 11. Note that the viscosity of the coolant 13 of the second seasoning liquid can be measured with a commercially available B-type viscometer or the like.

[0023] Next, the slurry 11 will be described. In the present embodiment, the slurry 11 is produced by mixing ice pieces 12 and a coolant 13. In the present embodiment, when topping, it is preferable that the slurry 11 has a viscosity such that a part of the slurry 11 enters the gaps of the content 3 and the rest of the slurry 11 can cover at least a part of the upper surface and the side surface of the content 3. Such a viscosity of the slurry 11 can be specified based on the temperature of the slurry 11 at the time of topping, in addition to the viscosity of the coolant 13 of the second seasoning liquid constituting the slurry 11, and the ratio of the ice pieces 12 of the first seasoning liquid and the coolant 13 of the second seasoning liquid in the slurry 11.

[0024] For example, in the present embodiment, when the slurry 11 is produced using the second seasoning liquid having the above-described viscosity at a temperature of -1°C to -10°C, which is the temperature at the time of topping, in order to make the slurry 11 have the above viscosity under these conditions, the ratio of the ice pieces 12 of the first seasoning liquid and the coolant 13 of the second seasoning liquid in the slurry 11 can be in the range of 1:9 to 9:1, in the range of 3:7 to 7:3, or in the range of 4:6 to 6:4 by weight ratio. Further, from another perspective, the second seasoning liquid serving as the coolant 13 preferably has a viscosity such that the viscosity of the slurry 11 is 350 or less in terms of the penetrometer value when topping the slurry 11 (at a temperature of -1°C to -10°C). On the other hand, in order for the slurry 11 to enter the gaps of the content 3, the viscosity of the slurry 11 is preferably 100 or more, for example, 150 or more in terms of the penetrometer value. The penetrometer value can be measured using a simple penetrometer, for example, by the method described in Japanese Patent No. 5594921. Furthermore, the temperatures of the ice pieces 12 and the coolant 13 when mixing the ice pieces 12 and the coolant 13 to mix the slurry 11 are not particularly limited as long as they can be the temperatures at which the slurry 11 has the desired viscosity, but the temperature of the ice pieces 12 can be, for example, -30 to 0°C, -20 to -2°C, or -10 to -4°C, etc., and the temperature of the coolant 13 can be 0 to 20°C, 2 to 10°C, or 4 to 6°C, etc.

[0025] Also, in the present embodiment, by using the slurry 11 having a certain viscosity and ice pieces 12, it is possible to prevent the noodles 20 and ingredients 30 from swelling during topping. Here, when the seasoning liquid is directly applied to the noodles 20 and ingredients 30 in a liquid state without being made into a slurry and then frozen, the liquid seasoning liquid easily penetrates into the noodles 20 and ingredients 30, and there is a risk that the noodles 20 and ingredients 30 will swell during topping. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, since the slurry 11 has a certain viscosity and contains many particles having a particle size of a certain size or more, the seasoning liquid hardly penetrates into the noodles 20 and ingredients 30, and it is possible to effectively suppress the swelling of the noodles 20 and ingredients 30.

[0026] Also, when the slurry 11 is topped on the noodles 20 and ingredients 30, as shown in FIG. 2(C), a part of the slurry 11 enters the gaps between the noodles 20 and ingredients 30 due to its own weight, and is frozen in a state of covering each material of the content 3, such as around each noodle line and the cut ingredients 30. As a result, in the frozen food 1 according to the present embodiment, during range-up, it is possible to reduce the exposed area of the noodles 20 and ingredients 30 where the microwave is directly irradiated onto the noodles 20 and ingredients 30, and it is possible to reduce the range burning of the noodles 20 and ingredients 30.

[0027] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, part of the slurry 11 enters the gaps between the noodles 20 and the ingredients 30, while the other part of the slurry 11 does not enter the gaps between the noodles 20 and the ingredients 30, and as shown in FIGS. 2(B) to (D), it is frozen in a state of covering at least a part of the upper surface and a part of the side surface of the noodles 20 and the ingredients 30. Therefore, in the frozen food 1 according to the present embodiment, during range cooking, the microwave can be prevented from directly irradiating the noodles 20 and the ingredients 30, the exposed area of the noodles 20 and the ingredients 30 can be further reduced, and the range burning of the noodles 20 and the ingredients 30 can be further reduced. In particular, in a conventional frozen food topped with ice flakes, since the ice flakes cover only the upper surface of the noodles 20, the side surfaces of the noodles 20 tend to be exposed. However, in the frozen food 1 according to the present embodiment, by topping the upper surface of the noodles 20 so that the slurry 11 spills from the side surfaces of the noodles 20, the slurry 11 drips down along the side surfaces of the noodles 20, and the side surfaces of the noodles 20 can also be appropriately covered with the slurry 11. In this state, by freezing the slurry 11, the frozen seasoning liquid 10 can be made to cover the side surfaces of the noodles 20 as well.

[0028] Next, a method for manufacturing the frozen food 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, as the ice flakes 12 contained in the slurry 11, a first seasoning liquid containing a seasoning containing a saccharide, a salt, a umami component, or vinegar instead of water will be used for the description. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a method for manufacturing the frozen food 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, first, in step S101, the cooked noodles 20 are frozen. Also, in step S102, the ingredients 30 are cooked.

[0029] In step S103, ice pieces 12 are manufactured. Here, FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the ice piece manufacturing process of step S103. As shown in FIG. 4, first, in step S301, a first seasoning liquid is prepared. The first seasoning liquid is a seasoning liquid containing seasonings, and more preferably a seasoning liquid containing saccharides, salt, umami components and / or vinegar. The composition of the first seasoning liquid is not particularly limited, but compared with the second seasoning liquid used as the coolant 13, the content concentrations of saccharides, salt, umami components and / or vinegar can be made lower, and when the soup contains fats and oils, it is preferable to configure the first seasoning liquid to contain more fats and oils than the second seasoning liquid.

[0030] In step S302, an emulsification process of the first seasoning liquid is performed. In the first seasoning liquid, when fats and oils are contained, by performing the emulsification process, even when the temperature is relatively low, the fats and oils will not solidify (resulting in relatively soft ice), and clogging of the ice maker can be prevented. The method of the emulsification process is not particularly limited, and known methods can be used. In this embodiment, a vacuum concentrator is used, for example, by boiling the first seasoning liquid at 60° C. under reduced pressure, the first seasoning liquid can be emulsified. When the first seasoning liquid does not contain fats and oils or contains only a small amount of fats and oils, the emulsification process in step S302 can be omitted.

[0031] In step S303, an ice making process of the first seasoning liquid is performed. In step S304, a defrosting process of the ice of the first seasoning liquid manufactured in step S303 is performed. In this embodiment, by using an ice shaver to shave the ice with a dedicated blade, ice pieces 12 made of the first seasoning liquid can be manufactured. The manufactured ice pieces 12 are collected by a belt conveyor. Then, in step S305, the manufactured ice pieces 12 are stored frozen. The storage temperature of the ice pieces 12 is not particularly limited as long as the ice pieces 12 do not melt. For example, it can be 0° C. or lower, and preferably -2° C. or lower.

[0032] Returning to Fig. 3, in step S104, the coolant 13 that serves as the base of the slurry 11 is manufactured. Here, Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the coolant manufacturing process according to step S104. As shown in Fig. 5, in step S401, first, the second seasoning liquid that becomes the coolant 13 is prepared. Here, the second seasoning liquid mixes with the first seasoning liquid that is the ice pieces 12 during thawing to form the soup of the frozen food 1. In this embodiment, since the ice pieces 12 contain saccharides, salt, umami components, and / or vinegar, the saccharides, salt, umami components, and / or vinegar in the second seasoning liquid are adjusted to a concentration obtained by subtracting the saccharides, salt, umami components, and / or vinegar contained in the ice pieces 12 from the saccharides, salt, umami components, and / or vinegar finally contained in the soup. Also, in this embodiment, the second seasoning liquid that becomes the coolant 13 preferably serves as a so-called "kaeshi", and preferably has a higher concentration of saccharides, salt, umami components, and / or vinegar than the first seasoning liquid that serves as "dashi". On the other hand, when the soup of the frozen food 1 contains oil and fat, the second seasoning liquid preferably contains less oil and fat than the first seasoning liquid.

[0033] In step S402, the emulsification treatment of the second seasoning liquid is performed. When the second seasoning liquid contains oil and fat, by performing the emulsification treatment, it is possible to prevent the oil and fat from solidifying even at a relatively low temperature and prevent clogging of the cooler. The emulsification treatment of the second seasoning liquid can also be performed using a known method. In this embodiment, similar to step S302, a vacuum concentrator is used, for example, by boiling the second seasoning liquid at 60°C under reduced pressure, the second seasoning liquid can be emulsified. When the second seasoning liquid does not contain oil and fat, or when it contains only a small amount of oil and fat, the emulsification treatment in step S402 can be omitted.

[0034] Then, in step S403, the second seasoning liquid is cooled, and in the subsequent step S403, the second seasoning liquid is stored while being cooled. The second seasoning liquid is cooled and stored at a temperature of 0°C or higher, preferably 2°C or higher, more preferably 4°C or higher, and 20°C or lower, preferably 10°C or lower, more preferably 7°C or lower. Thereby, it becomes possible to use the second seasoning liquid as the coolant 13.

[0035] Returning to FIG. 3, in step S105, the slurry 11 is manufactured. Specifically, the ice pieces 12 of the first seasoning liquid manufactured in step S103 and the coolant 13 of the second seasoning liquid manufactured in step S104 are mixed to manufacture the slurry 11. The mixing can be performed using a device such as a mixer.

[0036] In step S106, the noodles 20, the ingredients 30, and the slurry 11 are topped. Specifically, first, the noodles 20 and the ingredients 30 are placed in the container body 21, and then the slurry 11 is topped thereon, and thereafter, the container lid 22 is attached. It is preferable that the slurry 11 is topped on the noodles 20 and the ingredients 30 such that a part of the slurry 11 spills from the side surface of the noodles 20 and covers the side surface of the noodles 20. Also, in the present embodiment, the above topping is performed in a topping chamber at about 10°C. Then, in step S107, the entire container 2 is frozen to freeze the slurry 11 to become the frozen seasoning liquid 10, and the frozen food 1 is manufactured.

Example

[0037] (Measurement of the viscosity of the slurry 11) In Example 1, slurry 11 was prepared, and the viscosity of the prepared slurry 11 was measured using a simple penetrometer (manufactured by Nakamura Ika Rika Kikai Co., Ltd.). Specifically, in Example 1, first, the first seasoning liquid and the second seasoning liquid that constitute the soup of miso ramen were each adjusted. Specifically, the first seasoning liquid was obtained by adding glutamic acid, which is a umami component, to the soup extracted from pork bones, and the second seasoning liquid was a seasoning liquid prepared by dissolving vegetable oil, lard, miso, soy sauce, milk, soy milk, sugar, and gelatin in hot water. However, the fats and oils of vegetable oil and lard in the second seasoning liquid are trace amounts, approximately 0.3% of the entire second seasoning liquid, and most of the fats and oils in the entire soup are contained in the first seasoning liquid. Also, in the second seasoning liquid, approximately 1% by weight of gelatin (gelatin SE-300PS manufactured by Taiyo Chemical Co., Ltd. was used in Example 1) was added. Then, after freezing the first seasoning liquid and shaving the ice to produce ice pieces 12, the ice pieces 12 frozen at -10°C and the cooling liquid 13 of the second seasoning liquid cooled to 5°C were mixed at a ratio of 1.2:1.0 to produce slurry 11, and at room temperature of 15°C, the penetrometer value was measured every 2 minutes from immediately after production (immediately after mixing of ice pieces 12 and cooling liquid 13) until 8 minutes had elapsed, and the penetrometer value was also measured 30 minutes after production. FIG. 6 is a table and graph showing the transition of the penetrometer value of slurry 11 according to Example 1. As shown in FIG. 6, in the slurry 11 according to Example 1, the penetrometer value was 350 or less until 8 minutes had elapsed from immediately after the production of slurry 11, and when 30 minutes had elapsed, the penetrometer value was a value exceeding 350.

[0038] In Example 2, in the same manner as in Example 1, the soup of pork bone ramen was prepared as Slurry 11, and its penetrometer value was measured. Specifically, in the soup of pork bone ramen, the first seasoning liquid was the pork bone soup extracted from pork bones, which was boiled at a low temperature under reduced pressure until the amount of the pork bone soup became half, and then concentrated and emulsified. Further, the second seasoning liquid was prepared by adding milk, soy sauce, salt, nam pla, mirin, sugar, glutamic acid, etc. to the above-mentioned pork bone soup. Then, after freezing and making ice of the first seasoning liquid, it was shaved to produce ice pieces 12, and the ice pieces 12 frozen at -10°C and the cooling liquid 13 of the second seasoning liquid cooled to 5°C were mixed at a ratio of 1:1 to produce Slurry 11. Then, the penetrometer value of Slurry 11 of the soup of pork bone ramen was measured at room temperature of 15°C immediately after preparation (0 minute) and after 40 minutes had elapsed. Here, FIG. 7(A) is a table showing the measurement results of the penetrometer value of Slurry 11 according to Example 2. As shown in FIG. 7(A), in Example 2, immediately after the preparation of Slurry 11, the penetrometer value was less than 300, and after 30 to 40 minutes had elapsed, the penetrometer value exceeded 350. Further, as Example 3, in the same manner as in Example 1, the soup of meat udon was prepared as Slurry 11, and the penetrometer value of Slurry 11 of the soup of meat udon was measured at room temperature of 15°C immediately after preparation (0 minute) and after 30 minutes had elapsed. FIG. 7(B) is a table showing the measurement results of the penetrometer value of Slurry 11 according to Example 3. As shown in FIG. 7(B), also in Example 3, immediately after the preparation of Slurry 11, the penetrometer value was less than 300, and after 30 to 40 minutes had elapsed, the penetrometer value exceeded 350.

[0039] Thus, the slurry 11 according to this embodiment was able to have a relatively high viscosity with a penetrometer value of 350 or less within 8 minutes after production. Here, in the actual production process of the frozen food 1, from the production of the slurry 11 to the topping of the slurry 11 and the transfer of the food topped with the slurry 11 to the freezer can be completed within 8 minutes. Therefore, the frozen seasoning liquid 10 can be produced without softening the slurry 11 to a viscosity exceeding 350 in terms of the penetrometer value. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 2(B) to (D), a part of the frozen seasoning liquid 10 can enter between the noodles 20 and the ingredients 30, and the frozen food 1 can be produced such that another part of the frozen seasoning liquid 10 covers at least a part of the upper surface and a part of the side surface of the noodles 20 and the ingredients 30.

[0040] (Measurement of the Viscosity of the Cooling Liquid 13) Next, in Examples 3 and 4, the cooling liquid 13 used for the slurry 11 of the miso ramen soup and the cooling liquid 13 used for the slurry 11 of the tonkotsu ramen soup were prepared, and the viscosities of each were measured. The cooling liquid 13 for the miso ramen according to Example 3 was prepared in the same manner as the cooling liquid 13 of the second seasoning liquid used for the slurry 11 of the miso ramen soup according to Example 1, and the cooling liquid 13 for the tonkotsu ramen according to Example 4 was prepared in the same manner as the cooling liquid 13 of the second seasoning liquid used for the slurry 11 of the tonkotsu ramen soup according to Example 2. Here, FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the measurement results of the viscosity of the cooling liquid 13 used for the slurry 11 of the miso ramen soup according to Example 3 and the measurement results of the viscosity of the cooling liquid 13 used for the slurry 11 of the tonkotsu ramen soup according to Example 4. In this embodiment, a B-type viscometer (Anton Paar ViscoQC100L, manufactured by Anton Paar) was used, and the viscosity of the cooling liquid 13 was measured under the conditions of rotor No. 3 and the temperature, torque, and rotation speed shown in FIG. 8.

[0041] As shown in Fig. 8, when the coolant 13 is at 3.3 to 6.6 °C, the viscosity of the coolant 13 is 10 to 21 mPa·s in the miso ramen according to Example 3 and 0.9 to 14 mPa·s in the pork bone ramen according to Example 4. As in Examples 3 and 4, by setting the viscosity of the coolant 13 to 0.9 to 14 mPa·s, as shown in Figs. 2(A) to (D), the ice pieces 12 can be appropriately dispersed, and when the slurry 11 is topped, a part of the slurry 11 can enter the gaps of the contents 3, and it was confirmed that the rest of the slurry 11 can cover at least a part of the upper surface and the side surface of the contents 3. In this example, although there is a difference between the viscosity of the coolant 13 used in the slurry 11 of the miso ramen soup according to Example 3 and the viscosity of the coolant 13 used in the slurry 11 of the pork bone ramen soup according to Example 4, as will be described later, since the ratio of the ice pieces 12 and the coolant 13 in the slurry 11 greatly affects the viscosity of the slurry 11, it was found that even if there is a certain difference between Example 3 and Example 4, a slurry 11 with an appropriate viscosity can be formed.

[0042] (Ratio of ice pieces 12 and coolant 13 in slurry 11) In Example 5, the ratio of ice pieces 12 to coolant 13 in slurry 11 was changed, and it was verified whether, when the slurry 11 was topped, a part of the slurry 11 could enter the gaps of the contents 3 and the rest of the slurry 11 could cover at least a part of the upper and side surfaces of the contents 3. Specifically, similar to Example 1, a slurry 11 of miso ramen soup was prepared, and the slurry 11 of miso ramen soup was adjusted so that the ice pieces 12:coolant 13 had weight ratios of 1:9, 3:7, 4:6, 5:5, 6:4, 7:3, and 9:1 respectively, and the temperature of the slurry was -1 to -10 °C and it was topped on the frozen noodles 20. In this case, when the weight ratio of ice pieces 12:coolant 13 was 1:9 or 9:1, the slurry 11 was too soft or too hard, so there were cases where it was difficult for the slurry 11 to cover the upper and side surfaces of the contents 3 or for the slurry 11 to enter the gaps of the contents 3. Also, when the weight ratio of ice pieces 12:coolant 13 was 3:7 or 7:3, the slurry 11 was slightly too soft or slightly too hard, so there were cases where it was difficult for the slurry 11 to cover the upper and side surfaces of the contents 3 or for the slurry 11 to enter the gaps of the contents 3. On the other hand, when the weight ratio of ice pieces 12:coolant 13 was within the range of 4:6 to 6:4, a part of the slurry 11 could enter the gaps of the contents 3 and the rest of the slurry 11 could cover at least a part of the upper and side surfaces of the contents 3. From this, it was found that the ratio of ice pieces 12 to coolant 13 in the slurry 11 preferably ranges from 3:7 to 7:3 for ice pieces 12:coolant 13, and more preferably ranges from 4:6 to 6:4.

[0043] (Range-up test of frozen food 1) In addition, in Examples 6 and 7, miso ramen and frozen curry udon were produced as frozen food 1 by the production method according to the present embodiment, and were heated in a microwave oven to verify the heating efficiency and the microwave burn. Specifically, in the frozen miso ramen of Example 6, slurry 11 was prepared similarly to the slurry 11 of the miso ramen soup of Example 1, and this slurry 11 was topped on frozen noodles 20 and ingredients 30. In addition, in the frozen curry udon of Example 7, slurry 11 was prepared by adding a small amount of soy sauce, mirin, and sugar to a broth using kelp, dried sardines, etc. as the first seasoning liquid, and curry sauce was prepared by adding curry powder, tapioca flour, soy sauce, mirin, salt, milk, spices, etc. as the second seasoning liquid to prepare slurry 11. As comparative examples, miso ramen and frozen curry udon were produced by the conventional method, that is, a part of the seasoning liquid constituting the soup was produced as ice chips, and the remaining seasoning liquid constituting the soup was frozen as it was to form ice blocks, and the ice blocks, noodles, ingredients, and ice chips were topped in this order in a container to produce frozen foods. Here, Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the results of verification of the product temperature before and after heating and the presence or absence of microwave burn for the miso ramen of Example 6 and Comparative Example 1 produced as frozen food 1. Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the results of verification of the product temperature before and after heating and the presence or absence of microwave burn for the tonkotsu ramen of Example 7 and Comparative Example 2 produced as frozen food 1.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 9, in Comparative Example 1 and Example 6, the wattage of the microwave oven during heating and the heating time were the same, and the food was heated up in the microwave. As a result, in Comparative Example 1, the average product temperature before heating up in the microwave was -16.84°C, and the average product temperature after heating up in the microwave was 62.65°C, whereas in Example 6, the average product temperature before heating up in the microwave was -17.51°C, and the average product temperature after heating up in the microwave was 65.46°C, showing that the heating efficiency of heating up in the microwave was high. In addition, as shown in FIG. 9, when heating up in the microwave at 1500W, in Comparative Example 1, two out of five frozen foods suffered from microwave burn on the lower side of the noodles, but in Example 6, no microwave burn was observed in frozen food 1, showing that microwave burn can be suppressed.

[0045] Similarly, in the example shown in FIG. 10, in Comparative Example 2, the average value of the product temperature before range-up was -17.36°C, and the average value of the product temperature after range-up was 62.30°C. In Example 7, on the other hand, the average value of the product temperature before range-up was -17.93°C, and the average value of the product temperature after range-up was 66.6°C, indicating that the heating efficiency of range-up is high. Also, as shown in FIG. 10, when range-up was performed at 1500W, in Comparative Example 2, range burns occurred on the lower side of the noodles in 3 out of 5 frozen foods, but in Example 7, no range burns were confirmed in Frozen Food 1, indicating that range burns can be suppressed. Note that FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the state of range burns of curry udon according to Comparative Example 2. In the curry udon according to Example 7, as shown in FIGS. 11(A) and (B), no range burns were observed on the noodles 20 or the ingredients 30, and the soup itself of the curry udon did not undergo range burns either. On the other hand, in Comparative Example 2, as shown in FIGS. 11(C) to (E), there were cases where the ingredients of the curry udon were range-burned, or as shown in FIGS. 11(F) and (G), there were cases where the sauce of the curry udon was range-burned.

[0046] As described above, the frozen food 1 according to the present embodiment is a frozen food 1 that contains the frozen seasoning liquid 10 inside the package. The frozen seasoning liquid 10 is obtained by freezing a slurry 11 containing ice pieces 12, and is frozen in a state where it has entered the gaps between the contents 3 other than the slurry 11. Thus, in the frozen food 1 according to the present embodiment, since the frozen seasoning liquid 10 enters the gaps between the contents 3, the surface area of the frozen seasoning liquid 10 can be increased, and the range-up efficiency can be further enhanced. Also, since the frozen seasoning liquid 10 can freeze while covering the contents 3 more, at the time of range-up, the exposed area of the contents 3 where the microwave directly irradiates the contents 3 can be reduced, and range burns of the contents 3 can be prevented. In particular, in the present embodiment, since the slurry 11 has viscosity and can freeze while covering the side surfaces of the contents 3, the exposed area of the contents 3 can be further reduced by the frozen seasoning liquid 10, and range burns can be further reduced.

[0047] Further, in the frozen food 1 according to the present embodiment, by freezing the frozen seasoning liquid 10 in the state of the slurry 11, the surface area of the frozen seasoning liquid 10 increases as compared with the case of freezing it in the liquid state, and accordingly, the thawing and heating time by the microwave oven is shortened, and the whole food can be thawed and heated uniformly. Further, in the frozen food 1 according to the present embodiment, by topping the seasoning liquid on the contents 3 in the state of the slurry 11, it becomes difficult for the seasoning liquid to penetrate into the contents such as noodles as compared with the case of pouring the seasoning liquid from above the contents in the liquid state, and it is possible to effectively prevent the noodles 20 and the ingredients 30 from becoming soggy, and the texture of the frozen food after thawing can be enhanced.

[0048] Furthermore, in the frozen food 1 according to the present embodiment, the slurry 11 is made by mixing ice pieces 12 of the first seasoning liquid and a cooling liquid 13 of a second seasoning liquid having a composition different from that of the first seasoning liquid. When the frozen seasoning liquid 10 is thawed, the first seasoning liquid functioning as "dashi" and the second seasoning liquid functioning as "kaeshi" are mixed together, and the taste of the soup can be made more flavorful.

[0049] In addition, in this embodiment, by emulsifying the first seasoning liquid or the second seasoning liquid, even when the first seasoning liquid or the second seasoning liquid contains fats and oils, clogging of mechanical parts (such as the piston part and the nozzle part) due to solidification of fats and oils can be reduced, and the slurry can be suitably produced. Also, when the second seasoning liquid to be the coolant 13 contains a large amount of fats and oils, the fats and oils may solidify when the second seasoning liquid is used as the coolant 13, which may adversely affect the fluidity of the slurry 11. However, by reducing the fat and oil content in the second seasoning liquid compared to the first seasoning liquid, the fluidity of the slurry 11 can be improved. Furthermore, in this embodiment, by making the slurry 11 have a viscosity capable of properly dispersing the ice pieces 12, for example, a penetro value of 350 or less, or a ratio of the ice pieces 12 to the coolant 13 within the range of 3:7 to 7:3, the ice pieces 12 and the coolant 13 can be made to be in a cloudy state in the slurry 11, and it is possible to effectively prevent the ice pieces 12 from settling in the slurry 11 and the coolant 13 from separating from the ice pieces 12 and accumulating at the bottom of the container body 21.

[0050] In addition, in this embodiment, the frozen seasoning liquid 10 is topped on the contents 3 in the form of a slurry 11 and then frozen, so that the surface area is increased compared to the case where the seasoning liquid is topped and frozen in a liquid state, and the thawing and heating time in a microwave oven is shortened accordingly, and the entire food can be thawed and heated uniformly. Furthermore, in this embodiment, unlike the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, since the frozen seasoning liquid in a block form in which the liquid seasoning liquid is frozen as it is is not included, the thawing and heating time in a microwave oven can be further shortened, and the entire food can be thawed and heated uniformly. In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 2(B) to (D), the frozen seasoning liquid 10 enters the gaps in the contents 3, so that the frozen seasoning liquid 10 and the contents 3 are integrated, and the volume of the frozen food 1 in the container (or package) can be reduced.

[0051] As described above, the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been explained. However, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the description of the above embodiments. Various changes and improvements can be made to the above embodiments, and forms with such changes or improvements are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0052] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the slurry 11 has a viscosity of 5000 mPa·s or less has been exemplified. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the slurry 11 can have a viscosity higher than 5000 mPa·s. In this case, it may be difficult for the slurry 11 to enter the gaps between the noodles 20 and the ingredients 30 by its own weight. In such a case, a configuration can also be adopted in which pressure is applied to the slurry 11 so that the slurry 11 enters the gaps between the noodles 20 and the ingredients 30.

[0053] Further, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the content 3 is covered with the slurry 11 by topping the slurry 11 from above the content 3 has been exemplified. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. After filling the slurry 11 into the container body 21, the content 3 can be topped into the container body 21 and pushed from above, etc., so that the gaps, sides, and upper surface of the content 3 are covered with the slurry 11.

[0054] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the slurry 11 is produced by mixing the ice pieces 12 made of the first seasoning liquid and the cooling liquid 13 made of the second seasoning liquid has been exemplified. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the slurry 11 can also be produced by slurrying the soup of the frozen food itself (or a soup with higher viscosity than usual or a soup subjected to emulsification treatment) using an ice cream freezer or the like.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0055] 1... Frozen food 2... Container 21... Container body 22... Container lid 10... Frozen seasoning liquid 11... Slurry 12…Borneol 13…Coolant 3…Contents 20…Noodles 30…Ingredients

Claims

1. A frozen food containing a frozen seasoning liquid in a package, wherein the frozen seasoning liquid is obtained by freezing a slurry containing ice flakes, and is frozen in a state of having entered the gaps between the contents other than the slurry, the slurry is a mixture of ice flakes of a first seasoning liquid and a coolant of a second seasoning liquid having a composition different from that of the first seasoning liquid, in the slurry, the first seasoning liquid is dispersed in the coolant of the second seasoning liquid, the slurry has a penetrometer value of 100 or more and 350 or less at the time of topping, the slurry is a frozen food that is eaten as a seasoning liquid after being cooked in a microwave oven.

2. The frozen food according to claim 1, wherein the frozen seasoning liquid covers at least a part of the upper surface and a part of the side surface of the contents.

3. The frozen food according to claim 1, wherein the first seasoning liquid or the second seasoning liquid is emulsified.

4. The frozen food according to claim 1, wherein the second seasoning liquid has a lower fat content than the first seasoning liquid.

5. The frozen food according to claim 1, wherein the first seasoning liquid contains saccharides, salt, umami components, or vinegar.

6. The frozen food according to claim 1, wherein the second seasoning liquid contains more saccharides, salt, umami components, or vinegar than the first seasoning liquid.

7. The frozen food according to claim 1, wherein the second seasoning liquid has a higher viscosity than the first seasoning liquid.

8. In the slurry, the ratio of the ice flakes of the first seasoning liquid to the coolant of the second seasoning liquid is in the range of 7:3 to 3:7 by weight. The frozen food according to claim 1.

9. A step of freezing the first seasoning liquid to form ice flakes, a step of mixing the ice flakes of the first seasoning liquid and a coolant of a second seasoning liquid having a composition different from that of the first seasoning liquid to prepare a slurry, applying the slurry to the contents other than the slurry, and allowing the slurry to enter the gaps between the contents by its own weight, a step of freezing the slurry and the contents in a state where the slurry has entered the gaps between the contents, and the slurry is a mixture of ice flakes of a first seasoning liquid and a coolant of a second seasoning liquid having a composition different from that of the first seasoning liquid, in the slurry, the first seasoning liquid is dispersed in the coolant of the second seasoning liquid, the slurry has a penetrometer value of 100 or more and 350 or less at the time of topping, A method for manufacturing a frozen food, wherein the slurry is eaten as a seasoning liquid after range-up.

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