Fat lump composition, fat lump mixture, meat substitute, and method for producing fat lump composition

Abstract

A fatty mass composition, a fatty mass mixture, a meat analog, and a method for producing a fatty mass composition, including oil-and-fat-containing granules and an edible ion-crosslinked polymer that is crosslinked using cations, and, in at least one cross-section that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the ratio b / a being 2.00 or greater, where "b" is the length of a line on which the length between two points is maximized, and "a" is the length of a line having the greatest length from among lines that are perpendicular to the line on which the length between two points is maximized.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to fat chunk compositions, fat chunk mixtures, meat substitutes and methods for producing fat chunk compositions. [Background technology]

[0002] Meat is a widely consumed foodstuff around the world. However, from the perspective of maintaining health, attempts are being made to reduce meat intake and instead consume meat-like foods made from plant proteins such as soybeans (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "meat substitutes"). Therefore, in recent years, attempts have been made to make the texture of meat substitutes closer to that of livestock meat. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2-41315 proposes a method for producing a meat-like food, which comprises kneading an O / W emulsion having an oil separation rate on compression of 15% or more, and consisting mainly of (a) protein, (b) fats and oils, and (c) water, in a weight composition ratio of a:b:c = 1:7-40:1-20, with a vegetable protein-containing substance and water, applying shear stress in a heated state to orient the mixture, and then mixing the resulting fibrous protein and binder so that the O / W emulsion accounts for 5-50% by weight of the total meat-like food, and then molding and heating the mixture. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] The meat substitutes currently available on the market are either meat substitutes whose appearance before cooking does not resemble that of livestock meat, or meat substitutes whose appearance resembles minced livestock meat (livestock meat that has been ground and chopped using a mincer or the like). However, there is a high demand for livestock meat as a chunk of raw meat (chunk meat; the same applies below). Therefore, in light of the increasing demand for meat substitutes, there is a demand for meat substitutes that have an appearance similar to chunk meat. Therefore, an object of an embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a fat chunk composition, a fat chunk mixture, and a method for producing a fat chunk composition that can produce a substitute meat having an appearance similar to that of a chunk of meat. Another object of the embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a meat substitute that has an appearance similar to that of a whole piece of meat. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] The present disclosure includes the following aspects. <1> A granular material containing oil and fat; an edible ionically cross-linked polymer cross-linked with a cation, A fat chunk composition, in which, in at least one cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fat chunk composition, the length of the line between two points that is the longest is b, and the length of the line that is the longest among the lines perpendicular to the line between the two points that is the longest is a, and b / a is 2.00 or more. <2> When the length of the fat chunk composition in the longitudinal direction is c, c / b is 2.00 or more. <1> The fat mass composition described in <3> The length c is 10.0 mm to 100.0 mm. <2> The fat mass composition described in <4> The length a is 0.5 mm to 8.0 mm. <1> ~ <3> A fat mass composition described in any one of the above. <5> Among the lines perpendicular to the line that is the longest between the two points and whose length ratio to the line that is the longest between the two points is 0.10 or more, when the length of the line with the shortest length is d, d / a is 0.80 or less. <1> ~ <4> A fat mass composition described in any one of the above. <6> the above <1> ~ <5> The fat mass composition according to any one of the above items is contained. A fat chunk mixture in which the content of the above fat chunk composition relative to the total mass of the fat chunk mixture is 30 mass% or more. <7> A lean meat-like portion containing protein; the above <1> ~ <5> The fat mass composition according to any one of the above, or <6> A meat substitute comprising the fat chunk mixture described in 1. <8> The content of the fat chunk composition or the fat chunk mixture relative to the total mass of the meat substitute is 3% by mass or more. <7> The meat substitute described in <9> A process of contacting a liquid containing granules including an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer and fats and oils with a liquid containing cations to produce a fat chunk composition precursor; A step of shaping the fat mass composition precursor; A method for producing a fat mass composition comprising: <10> The time from contact of the liquid containing the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer and the granular material containing fats and oils with the liquid containing the cation to the start of shaping of the fat mass composition precursor is within 1 minute. <9> A method for producing the fat chunk composition described in claim 1. <11> The shaping of the fat lump composition precursor is carried out by pressing the fat lump composition precursor with a shaping member and a supporting member. <9> or <10> A method for producing the fat chunk composition described in claim 1. <12> The shaping member is a shaping roller arranged to face the support member, The shaping roller has a shaping portion including a convex portion, and the minimum distance between the protrusion and the support member is 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm; <11> A method for producing the fat chunk composition described in claim 1. <13> The contact between the liquid containing the granules containing the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer and fats and the liquid containing the cations is carried out by supplying the liquid containing the granules containing the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer and fats and fats to the shaping roller or the support member on the surface of which the liquid containing the cations is present, and then supplying the liquid containing the cations. <12> A method for producing the fat chunk composition described in claim 1. <14> The ratio of the rotation speed or movement speed of the shaping roller or the support member to the supply speed of the liquid containing the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer and the granular material containing oils and fats to the shaping roller or the support member is 1.00 or more. <13> A method for producing the fat chunk composition described in claim 1. <15> The shaping portion includes two or more of the convex portions, The protrusion extends in one direction, and The distance between adjacent convex portions is 10.0 mm or less. <12> ~ <14> A method for producing a fat mass composition described in any one of the above. <16> The shaping roller is provided with a singulation unit. <12> ~ <15> A method for producing a fat mass composition described in any one of the above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0005] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a fat chunk composition, a fat chunk mixture, and a method for producing a fat chunk composition are provided that can produce a meat substitute having an appearance similar to that of a chunk of meat. Furthermore, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a meat substitute having an appearance similar to that of a whole piece of meat is provided. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a top view of one embodiment of the fat mass composition of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the fat chunk composition shown in FIG. 1 taken along line AA. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of a manufacturing apparatus that can be used in the method for manufacturing a fat chunk composition of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a front view of a steak substitute meat produced using the fat block composition of Example 1. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional image of a steak substitute meat produced using the fat chunk composition of Example 1. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a front view of a steak substitute meat produced using the fat chunk composition of Example 2. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional image of a steak substitute meat produced using the fat chunk composition of Example 2. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a front image of the steak substitute meat produced using the fat block composition of Comparative Example 1. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional image of a steak substitute meat produced using the fat block composition of Comparative Example 1. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a front image of the steak substitute meat produced using the fat block composition of Comparative Example 2. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional image of a steak substitute meat produced using the fat block composition of Comparative Example 2. [Figure 12]FIG. 12 is a front view of a steak substitute meat produced using the fat chunk composition of Example 13. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional image of a steak substitute meat produced using the fat chunk composition of Example 13. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a front view of a steak substitute meat produced using the fat chunk composition of Example 14. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional image of a steak substitute meat produced using the fat chunk composition of Example 14. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a front view of a steak substitute meat produced using the fat chunk composition of Example 15. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional image of a steak substitute meat produced using the fat chunk composition of Example 15. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of a manufacturing apparatus that can be used in the method for manufacturing a fat mass composition of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. These descriptions and examples are intended to illustrate the embodiment and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. In the numerical ranges described in stages in this disclosure, the upper or lower limit value described in one numerical range may be replaced with the upper or lower limit value of another numerical range described in stages. In addition, in the numerical ranges described in this disclosure, the upper or lower limit value of that numerical range may be replaced with a value shown in the examples.

[0008] Each component may contain multiple types of the corresponding substance. When referring to the amount of each component in a composition, if there are multiple substances corresponding to each component in the composition, the amount refers to the total amount of those multiple substances present in the composition, unless otherwise specified. In the present disclosure, the term "process" includes not only an independent process but also a process that cannot be clearly distinguished from other processes, as long as the intended purpose of the process is achieved. In the present disclosure, a combination of two or more preferred embodiments is a more preferred embodiment. When embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to the drawings, the configuration of the embodiment is not limited to the configuration shown in the drawings. Furthermore, the sizes of the components in each drawing are conceptual, and the relative size relationships between the components are not limited to these.

[0009] <Fat mass composition> The fat chunk composition according to an embodiment of the present disclosure (hereinafter also referred to as the specific fat chunk composition) contains a granular material containing fats and oils, and an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer cross-linked with a cation, In at least one cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of a specific fat block composition, when the length of the line between two points that is the longest is b and the length of the line that is the longest among the lines perpendicular to the line between the longest points is a, b / a is 2.00 or more.

[0010] The specific fat chunk composition makes it possible to produce a meat substitute that looks similar to a chunk of meat. The reason for this is presumed to be as follows. In this disclosure, the term "chunk of meat" refers to raw, uncooked meat cut into any size from livestock for meat production, and not ground or chopped after being cut from the livestock. Fat often has an elongated shape on the surface of the chunk of meat.

[0011] In at least one cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the specific fat chunk composition, when the length of the longest line between two points is b and the length of the longest line perpendicular to the longest line between the two points is a, the ratio b / a is 2.00 or more. This results in the cross section of the specific fat chunk composition having an elongated shape. Therefore, the substitute meat obtained by using the specific fat chunk composition has an appearance similar to that of a chunk of meat.

[0012] From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute more similar to that of a whole piece of meat, b / a is preferably 2.20 or more, more preferably 2.40 or more, and even more preferably 2.60 or more. From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute more similar to that of a whole piece of meat, b / a is preferably 50.00 or less, more preferably 30.00 or less, even more preferably 10.00 or less, and particularly preferably 5.00 or less. From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute more similar to that of a whole piece of meat, b / a is preferably 2.00 to 50.00.

[0013] From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute more similar to that of a whole piece of meat, the length a is preferably 0.5 mm to 8.0 mm, and more preferably 1.0 mm to 6.0 mm. From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the substitute meat closer to that of a whole piece of meat, the length b is preferably 1.0 mm to 16.0 mm, and more preferably 3.0 mm to 12.0 mm.

[0014] In the longitudinal direction of the fat chunk composition, when the maximum value of length b is b1 and the minimum value of length b is b2, from the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute closer to that of a whole piece of meat, b2 / b1 is preferably 0.90 or less, more preferably 0.80 or less, and even more preferably 0.70 or less. From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute closer to that of a whole piece of meat, b2 / b1 is preferably 0.45 or more. From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute closer to that of a whole piece of meat, b2 / b1 is preferably 0.45 to 0.90.

[0015] When the longitudinal length of the fat chunk composition is c, from the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute closer to that of a whole piece of meat, c / b is preferably 1.00 or more, more preferably 2.00 or more, and even more preferably 2.50 or more. From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute closer to that of a whole piece of meat, c / b is preferably 25.00 or less. From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute closer to that of a whole piece of meat, c / b is preferably 1.00 to 25.00 or less.

[0016] From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute more similar to that of a whole piece of meat, the length c is preferably 5.0 mm to 150.0 mm, more preferably 10.0 mm to 100.0 mm, and even more preferably 15.0 mm to 70.0 mm.

[0017] When the length of the shortest line among lines perpendicular to the line where the length between two points is the longest and where the ratio of its length to the line where the length between two points is the longest is 0.10 or more, is taken as d, from the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute closer to that of a whole piece of meat, d / a is preferably 0.80 or less, more preferably 0.70 or less, and even more preferably 0.60 or less. From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute closer to that of a whole piece of meat, d / a is preferably 0.05 or more. From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute closer to that of a whole piece of meat, d / a is preferably 0.05 to 0.80.

[0018] From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute closer to that of a whole piece of meat, the length d is preferably 0.1 mm to 3.0 mm, more preferably 0.1 mm to 2.5 mm, and even more preferably 0.2 mm to 2.5 mm.

[0019] In the present disclosure, the above-mentioned lengths a, b, c and d are measured by photographing the cross section and longitudinal direction of the fat mass composition using a digital camera and a scale (e.g., Shibuya Engineering, glass reference scale 100 mm, 500 equal division line width 0.005 mm), and using image processing software (e.g., ImageJ).

[0020] Next, the lengths a, b, c, and d will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Note that the fat mass composition of the present disclosure is not limited to those shown in Figs. FIG. 1 is a top view showing one embodiment of a specific fat chunk composition, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the specific fat chunk composition shown in FIG. 1 taken along line AA. As shown in FIG. 1, line AA is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the specific fat mass composition 10 (the direction of arrow X in FIG. 1). In FIG. 1, the longitudinal length of the specific fat mass composition 10 is indicated by the symbol c. FIG. 2 shows a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fat mass composition 10. In a cross section (cross section along line AA) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fat chunk composition 10, the length of the line between two points that is the maximum is indicated by the symbol b in FIG. In a cross section (AA cross section) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fat block composition 10, the length of the line with the longest length among the lines perpendicular to the line with the longest length between two points is indicated by the symbol a in Figure 2. In a cross section (AA line cross section) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of a specific fat mass composition 10, the length of the line with the shortest length among the lines perpendicular to the line with the longest length between two points and having a length ratio of 0.10 or more to the line with the longest length between two points is indicated by the symbol d in Figure 2.

[0021] (granular material) -Composition of granular material- The granules contain oil and fat, and, if necessary, water and other additives. ·Oils and fats Examples of the fats and oils contained in the granules include vegetable fats and oils, animal fats and oils, and fatty acids. Here, fatty acids are monocarboxylic acids of long-chain hydrocarbons and have the general formula C n H m It can be expressed as COOH (n and m are integers of 1 or greater).

[0022] Examples of vegetable oils include rapeseed oil, soybean oil, palm oil, olive oil, coconut oil, rice bran oil, corn oil, coconut oil, and canola oil. Examples of animal fats and oils include beef tallow, lard, whale fat, and fish oil. Examples of fatty acids include saturated fatty acids such as lauric acid, stearic acid, isostearic acid, palmitic acid, myristic acid, arachidic acid, and behenic acid; and unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid, eicosenoic acid, and erucic acid.

[0023] The oil or fat contained in the granules is preferably at least one selected from coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil, canola oil, and oleic acid, in order to increase the amount of oil released when the fat block composition is chewed.

[0024] The melting point of the oil or fat is preferably 0.1°C or higher, more preferably 1°C to 30°C, even more preferably 2°C to 25°C, and particularly preferably 5°C to 25°C. By setting the melting point of the fat to 1°C or higher, granules are more easily formed in the production of the fat block composition described below. Also, by setting the melting point of the fat to 1°C or higher, the structure of the fat block composition becomes similar to the structure of the fat contained in livestock meat. This makes it easier to release oil from the fat block composition during mastication, just like the fat in livestock meat. In addition, by setting the melting point of the fat or oil to 30°C or below, it becomes easier to produce a fat lump composition containing water in granular form at room temperature (e.g., 25°C) in the production of the fat lump composition described below, which makes the production process easier.

[0025] The melting point of fats and oils is measured in accordance with the "Standard Test Method for Analysis of Fats and Oils 2.2.4.2 (1996) 1996 Edition, Established by the Japan Oil Chemists' Society."

[0026] The fat content is preferably 10% by mass to 98% by mass, more preferably 20% by mass to 95% by mass, and even more preferably 25% by mass to 90% by mass, relative to the total mass of the fat chunk composition.

[0027] ·water In some applications, it is preferred that the granules contain water. The water is not particularly limited as long as it is water that can be used in food.

[0028] When the granules contain water, when the fat block composition is chewed, water as well as oils and fats are released from the fat block composition, which may make the texture more similar to that of fat contained in livestock meat. Furthermore, by allowing the granules to contain water, it becomes easier to incorporate water-soluble ingredients (for example, seasonings such as umami components, flavorings, etc.) into the granules, making it easier to create a texture that is closer to the fat contained in livestock meat.

[0029] The water content is preferably 1% to 90% by mass, more preferably 5% to 70% by mass, and even more preferably 10% to 50% by mass, relative to the amount of oil and fat contained in the granules.

[0030] Other additives Examples of other additives include seasonings, acidulants, bittering agents, spices, sweeteners, antioxidants, coloring agents, color formers, flavorings, stabilizers, preservatives, etc. The content of other additives is preferably 0% by mass to 5% by mass relative to the total mass of the granules.

[0031] -Characteristics of granular materials- Average particle size of granules The average particle size of the granules is preferably 50 μm to 500 μm, more preferably 50 μm to 400 μm, and even more preferably 90 μm to 300 μm.

[0032] By making the average particle size of the granules 50 μm or more, the amount of oil released when the fat block composition is chewed tends to be improved. Furthermore, by setting the average particle size of the granules to 500 μm or less, the particle size of the granules becomes small, so that when the fat chunk composition is visually inspected, it becomes difficult to visually recognize that a large number of granules are contained in the fat chunk composition. Therefore, the appearance of the fat chunk composition becomes more similar to the fat contained in livestock meat. Furthermore, by setting the average particle size of the granules to 500 μm or less, the particle size of the granules becomes small, which tends to make the fat block composition feel smoother on the tongue when eaten, and therefore tends to make the texture of the fat block composition more favorable.

[0033] The average particle size of the granules is measured by observing the fat mass composition with a transmission optical microscope. As a transmission microscope, for example, an inverted microscope Axio Observer.Z1 manufactured by Zeiss can be used. The procedure for measuring the average particle size of the granular material will be described below. The fat chunk composition is immersed in a 100 mM aqueous solution of sodium ethylenediamine-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetate (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) for 1 hour. After 1 hour, the floating particulates are separated by specific gravity to recover the particulates from the fat chunk composition and placed on a 60 mm diameter polystyrene petri dish. At this time, the recovered particulates are made to not overlap in the depth direction of the petri dish. The particulates recovered in the petri dish are then observed under a transmission optical microscope and photographed at 5x objective magnification. More than 200 images of the particulates contained in the photographed screen are selected, and the circle-equivalent diameter (the diameter of a perfect circle equivalent to the area of the image of the particulate) of each particulate is calculated using image processing software (e.g., ImageJ). The arithmetic mean of the calculated circle-equivalent diameters of each particulate is calculated, and this arithmetic mean is used as the average particle size of the particulates.

[0034] CV value of particle size of granular material The CV value (coefficient of variation) of the particle size of the granules is preferably 30% or less, more preferably 25% or less, and even more preferably 20% or less.

[0035] Granules with a small particle size contain a small amount of fat and oil. Therefore, when a fat block composition contains granules with a small particle size, the amount of oil released when chewed tends to be small. On the other hand, granules with a large particle size are unstable, so that fat and oil tend to leak out from the granules when cooked by heating or the like. From the above, in order to obtain a fat block composition that contains a large amount of fat and oil and is stably maintained during storage, but releases a large amount of oil when chewed, it is preferable that there is little variation in particle size due to the presence of granules with small particle sizes and granules with large particle sizes. In other words, it is preferable that the particle size distribution of the granules contained in the fat block composition is narrow. By setting the CV value of the particle size of the granules to 30% or less, the particle size of the granules contained in the fat block composition tends to be close to uniform, which tends to result in a fat block composition that releases a large amount of oil when chewed.

[0036] The CV value of particle size is a value calculated by the following formula. CV value of particle size (%) = (standard deviation of equivalent circle diameter of granular material / average particle size of granular material) x 100 Here, the average particle size of the granular material is a value measured by the method already described. The standard deviation of the equivalent circle diameter of the granular material is the standard deviation of the equivalent circle diameter of 200 granular materials calculated in measuring the average particle size of the granular material.

[0037] (ionically cross-linkable polymer) The fat mass composition contains an edible, ionically crosslinkable polymer that is crosslinked with cations. Here, "edible" means the property of not having adverse effects on human health when orally ingested. "Ionically crosslinkable polymer" means a polymer that crosslinks upon reaction with ions.

[0038] Edible ionically cross-linkable polymers include those containing carboxyl groups and carboxylic acid anion groups (-COO - ), sulfo group, and sulfonic acid anion group (-SO3 - ) is a polysaccharide having at least one selected from the group consisting of Examples of edible ionically cross-linked polymers include alginic acid, carrageenan, low methoxyl (LM pectin), high methoxyl (HM pectin), and deacylated (LA) gellan gum. From the viewpoint of improving the heat resistance of the fat chunk composition, the edible ionically cross-linkable polymer is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of alginic acid, LM pectin, and LA gellan gum.

[0039] The viscosity of a 1% by mass aqueous solution of an edible ionically crosslinkable polymer (aqueous solution containing 1% by mass of ionically crosslinkable polymer relative to the entire aqueous solution) is preferably 10 mPa·s to 3000 mPa·s, and more preferably 20 mPa·s to 1000 mPa·s.

[0040] The viscosity of a 1% by mass aqueous solution of the edible ionically cross-linkable polymer is a value measured at a temperature of 20°C using a tuning fork vibro viscometer. As the tuning fork vibro viscometer, for example, SV-10 (manufactured by A&D) can be used.

[0041] The cation is preferably a metal ion having an ionic valence of two or more. Examples of metal ions include divalent metal ions such as calcium ion, magnesium ion, iron (II), copper (II), zinc ion, and manganese ion; and trivalent metal ions such as aluminum ion and iron (III) ion. From the viewpoint of obtaining a stable crosslinked structure, the metal ion is preferably at least one selected from calcium ions, magnesium ions, and zinc ions, and more preferably calcium ions.

[0042] The content of the edible ionically cross-linked polymer cross-linked with cations is preferably 0.01% by mass to 20% by mass, more preferably 0.1% by mass to 10% by mass, and even more preferably 0.5% by mass to 5% by mass, relative to the total mass of the fat block composition.

[0043] (surfactant) The fat mass composition preferably comprises a surfactant. When the fat block composition contains a surfactant, a greater amount of oil and fat is released when the fat block composition is chewed after cooking. The reason for this is presumed to be as follows. When the granules in the fat block composition are in contact with each other, the oil and fat are likely to leak out from the granules during cooking, which tends to reduce the amount of oil and fat released when biting the fat block composition after cooking. The inclusion of a surfactant facilitates good compatibility between the granules and the ionically cross-linkable polymer, making it easier for the ionically cross-linkable polymer to exist in the gaps between the granules. This facilitates maintaining an appropriate distance between the granules, thereby suppressing leakage of fat from the granules during cooking. As a result, the amount of fat released when chewing the fat block composition after cooking is increased.

[0044] The surfactant may be an edible surfactant. Examples of edible surfactants 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, and lecithin.

[0045] The glycerin fatty acid ester preferably contains monoglyceride as a main component. Here, the term "main component" means that the content of monoglyceride is 90% by mass or more based on the total amount of glycerin fatty acid esters. The monoglyceride is preferably a monoester of glycerin with a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having from 2 to 24 carbon atoms. Examples of fatty acids include behenic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid, and the like. The glycerin fatty acid ester may contain a diglyceride. The diglyceride is preferably a diester of glycerin and a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having from 2 to 24 carbon atoms.

[0046] The polyglycerol fatty acid ester is preferably an ester of a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having from 2 to 24 carbon atoms with polyglycerol. Specific examples of polyglycerol fatty acid esters 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 dimonooleate, and polyglyceryl trimonooleate.

[0047] Organic acid monoglycerides are those in which the hydroxyl groups derived from glycerin in monoglycerides are further esterified with organic acids. Examples of organic acids include citric acid, succinic acid, acetic acid, and lactic acid, with citric acid and succinic acid being preferred, and citric acid being more preferred.

[0048] Sorbitan fatty acid ester refers to an esterification product of sorbitan and a fatty acid. The sorbitan fatty acid ester is preferably an ester of sorbitan and a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms. Specific examples of sorbitan fatty acid esters include sorbitan monocaprate, sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monopalmitate, sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan distearate, sorbitan sesquistearate, sorbitan tristearate, sorbitan trioleate, sorbitan monoisostearate, sorbitan sesquiisostearate, sorbitan monooleate, sorbitan sesquioleate, and sorbitan coconut oil fatty acid.

[0049] Propylene glycol fatty acid esters are esters of fatty acids and propylene glycol. The fatty acid used in the synthesis of the propylene glycol fatty acid ester is preferably a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having from 2 to 24 carbon atoms. Specific examples of propylene glycol fatty acid esters include propylene glycol palmitate, propylene glycol stearate, and propylene glycol behenate.

[0050] Sucrose fatty acid esters are esters of sucrose and fatty acids. The fatty acid used in the synthesis of sucrose fatty acid ester is preferably a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having 2 to 24 carbon atoms. The sucrose fatty acid ester is preferably an ester of sucrose with 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.

[0051] The polyglycerol condensed ricinoleic acid ester is an esterification product of a polyglycerol fatty acid ester and a ricinoleic acid condensate. Specific examples of polyglycerol condensed ricinoleic acid esters include esters of the compounds described above as specific examples of polyglycerol fatty acid esters with ricinoleic acid condensates.

[0052] Lecithin refers to phosphatidylcholine itself or a mixture containing at least phosphatidylcholine. A mixture containing at least phosphatidylcholine is generally a mixture that may contain, in addition to phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidic acid, lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidic acid, sphingomyelin, sphingoethanolamine, etc.

[0053] As the lecithin, enzymatically decomposed lecithin (so-called lysolecithin) can be used. The enzymatically degraded lecithin is a composition containing lysophosphatidylcholine in which one fatty acid contained in the phosphatidylcholine molecule has been lost by an enzyme such as phospholipase. Note that in the fat block composition, the enzymatically degraded lecithin includes so-called hydrogenated enzymatically degraded lecithin, which has been subjected to a hydrogenation treatment to convert the bound fatty acid into a saturated fatty acid, thereby improving its oxidative stability.

[0054] The surfactants may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0055] The HLB value of the surfactant is preferably 8 or more, more preferably 10 or more, and even more preferably 12 or more, from the viewpoint of emulsifying and dispersing properties, for example. The upper limit of the HLB value of the emulsifier is not particularly limited, but is generally 20 or less, and preferably 18 or less. The HLB value of the emulsifier is preferably 8 to 20. HLB is a term commonly used in surfactants to refer to the hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance. The HLB value is calculated using the Kawakami formula shown below. When using commercially available surfactants, the catalog data should be used as the basis.

[0056] 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 a 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 "glycerin fatty acid ester, polyglycerin fatty acid ester, organic acid monoglyceride, sorbitan fatty acid ester, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleate ester, or lecithin," the hydrophobic group refers to an alkyl group or alkenyl group derived from a fatty acid. The hydrophilic group of a surfactant is an atomic group that has a high affinity for water. Specifically, it refers to the atomic group other than the hydrophobic group in the structure of the surfactant.

[0057] The Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) distance between the ionically crosslinkable polymer and the hydrophilic portion of the surfactant is preferably 10 or less, more preferably 9 or less, and even more preferably 8 or less.

[0058] If the granules in the fat block composition are in contact with each other, the fat will easily leak out from the granules during cooking. The amount of release is likely to decrease. By setting the HSP distance between the ionically cross-linkable polymer and the hydrophilic portion of the surfactant within the above-mentioned range, the ionically cross-linkable polymer is likely to be present in the gaps between the granules. This makes it easier for the granules to have an appropriate distance between them, making it less likely for oil and fat to leak from the granules during cooking. As a result, the amount of oil and fat released when chewing the fat block composition after cooking increases.

[0059] The HSP distance can be adjusted by changing the structure of the hydrophilic part of the ionically crosslinkable polymer and surfactant. The HSP distance is a combination of three cohesive energy density values (δD: dispersion term, δP: dispersion pole, and δH: hydrogen bond term), each expressed in units of [J / cm 3 ] 1 / 2 is.

[0060] The HSP distance is calculated as follows: The HSP distance is calculated using the commercially available software HSPiP 4th Edition. It can be obtained as a registered value or estimated value in version 4.0.04.

[0061] This software can be obtained from sites such as http: / / hansen-solubility.com / index.html. To calculate HSP using this software, please refer to the literature by Hansen et al. (e.g., C.M. Hansen solubility parameters: a user7S handbook 2nd edition, CEC press, 2007, ISBN-10: 0849372488).

[0062] The content of the surfactant relative to the total mass of the fat chunk composition is preferably 0.05% by mass to 2% by mass, and more preferably 0.10% by mass to 1% by mass.

[0063] (Gel containing an edible ionically cross-linked polymer cross-linked with cations) Preferably, the fat mass composition comprises a gel comprising an edible, ionically crosslinkable polymer that is crosslinked with cations. A gel refers to a substance that contains at least water and an edible ionically cross-linked polymer that is cross-linked with cations, and behaves as an elastic solid. The fat chunk composition containing gel makes it easier to maintain a state in which the granules are spaced apart from one another. This makes it more difficult for oil and fat to leak from the granules during cooking. As a result, when the fat chunk composition is chewed after cooking, a larger amount of oil and fat is released.

[0064] The gel preferably contains at least an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer cross-linked with cations and water, and preferably contains other additives other than an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer cross-linked with cations and water as needed.

[0065] The edible ionically cross-linkable polymer cross-linked with cations contained in the gel may be any of the edible ionically cross-linkable polymers cross-linked with cations described above. The water contained in the gel is not particularly limited as long as it is water that can be used in food. Other additives contained in the gel include seasonings, acidulants, bittering agents, spices, sweeteners, antioxidants, coloring agents, color formers, fragrances, stabilizers, preservatives, and the like.

[0066] The content of the edible ionically cross-linked polymer cross-linked with cations in the gel is preferably 0.1% by mass to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.2% by mass to 5% by mass, and even more preferably 0.5% by mass to 3% by mass, relative to the total mass of the gel. The content of other additives in the gel is preferably 0% by mass to 20% by mass relative to the total mass of the gel.

[0067] The ratio of the volume of the gel to the volume of the granules is preferably 10% to 300%, more preferably 30% to 200%, and even more preferably 50% to 150%.

[0068] The volume of the gel relative to the volume of the granules is measured as follows. First, the volume of the fat mass composition is measured using a laser volumeter, such as Keyence VL-300. The granules are then recovered from the fat block composition using the procedure described in the procedure for measuring the average particle size of the granules, and the recovered granules are allowed to stand at 50°C for 1 hour to coalesce, after which their volume is measured using a volumeter. A measuring cylinder, for example, can be used as the volumeter. The volume of the gel is calculated using the following formula: Formula: Gel volume = [(volume of fat mass composition (m 3 ) - Volume of granular material (m 3 )) / volume of fat mass composition (m 3 )] × 100

[0069] The specific fat chunk composition can be produced by the method for producing a fat chunk composition described below. However, the method for producing the specific fat chunk composition is not limited to this, and may involve contacting a liquid containing granules containing an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer and fats with a liquid containing cations in a stainless steel tray or the like, cross-linking the edible ionically cross-linkable polymer, and then cutting the mixture so that b / a is 2.00 or more.

[0070] <Fat lump mixture> The fat chunk mixture according to an embodiment of the present disclosure contains a specific fat chunk composition, and the content of the specific fat chunk composition relative to the total mass of the fat chunk mixture is 30 mass% or more. In order to make the appearance of the substitute meat closer to that of whole meat, the content of the specific fat chunk composition relative to the total mass of the fat chunk mixture is preferably 50% by mass or more, and more preferably 90% by mass to 99% by mass. The fat chunk mixture may contain two or more specific fat chunk compositions.

[0071] The fat chunk mixture of the present disclosure may include fat chunk compositions other than the specified fat chunk composition. In order to make the appearance of the substitute meat closer to that of whole meat, the content of fat chunk compositions other than the specific fat chunk composition relative to the total mass of the fat chunk mixture is preferably 70% by mass or less, more preferably 50% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.1% by mass to 10% by mass.

[0072] The fat chunk mixture may contain additives such as seasonings, acidulants, bittering agents, spices, sweeteners, antioxidants, coloring agents, color formers, flavoring agents, stabilizers, preservatives, and the like.

[0073] <Meat substitute> The alternative meat according to an embodiment of the present disclosure contains a lean meat-like portion containing protein and a specific fat chunk composition or the above-mentioned fat chunk mixture.

[0074] (Lean meat part) The lean meat-like portion refers to the portion of the meat-like meat substitute that appears to be lean meat. The lean meat-like portion preferably contains protein and, if necessary, fats and oils, binders, and other additives.

[0075] -protein- The lean portion contains protein. The protein preferably contains at least one of a vegetable protein and an animal protein, and more preferably contains a vegetable protein.

[0076] Plant protein is protein extracted from plants. The vegetable protein is not particularly limited as long as it is a protein extracted from a plant. Examples of sources of plant proteins include grains such as wheat, barley, oats, rice, and corn; beans such as soybeans, peas, adzuki beans, chickpeas, lentils, fava beans, mung beans, and lupin beans; nuts and seeds such as almonds, peanuts, cashew nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, flaxseed, sesame, rapeseed, cottonseed, safflower, and sunflower; potatoes such as potato, sweet potato, mountain yam, Jerusalem artichoke, and cassava; vegetables such as asparagus, artichoke, cauliflower, broccoli, and edamame; fruits such as banana, jackfruit, kiwifruit, coconut, avocado, and olive; mushrooms such as mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, shimeji mushrooms, and maitake mushrooms; and algae such as chlorella, spirulina, euglena, nori seaweed, kelp, wakame seaweed, hijiki seaweed, tengusa seaweed, and mozuku seaweed. Among these, from the viewpoint of obtaining a meat substitute having an appearance and texture similar to that of a whole piece of meat, it is preferable that the origin of the edible protein is at least one selected from the group consisting of wheat, soybeans, peas, and rice, and it is more preferable that the origin is at least one selected from the group consisting of soybeans and wheat. The vegetable protein may contain a protein derived from one type of plant, or may contain proteins derived from two or more types of plants.

[0077] Animal protein is protein obtained from animals. The animal protein is not particularly limited as long as it is a protein extracted from an animal, and examples of the animal protein include collagen, gelatin, keratin, fibroin, sericin, casein, conchiolin, elastin, protamine, egg yolk protein, and egg white protein. The animal protein may contain only one type or two or more types.

[0078] From the viewpoint of obtaining a meat substitute having a texture closer to that of livestock meat, it is preferable that the protein has muscle-like tissue. Here, muscle-like tissue refers to tissue that has a structure similar to a bundle of fibers and can be split into fibers in a certain direction. Lean meat originates from muscle. Muscle is composed of muscle fiber bundles. Therefore, lean meat has a fiber bundle-like structure. The protein contained in the alternative lean meat-like portion according to this embodiment has muscle-like tissue, making it possible to create the texture brought about by the presence of muscle fiber that can be felt when eating meat.

[0079] A method for making a protein have muscle-like tissue includes extruding the protein (water and the like may be added together with the protein, if necessary) using an extruder. By extruding a protein, the protein has a structure similar to a bundle of fibers aligned in the extrusion direction of the extruder, and has a texture that can be split into fibers in the extrusion direction of the extruder.

[0080] The protein content is preferably 50% to 100% by mass, more preferably 60% to 95% by mass, and even more preferably 70% to 90% by mass, relative to the total mass of the lean meat-like portion.

[0081] The meat substitute according to the embodiment of the present disclosure preferably contains fiber bundle-structured protein. stomach. Here, the fiber bundle-organized protein refers to a protein that has a certain fiber bundle-like organization. The term "fiber bundle-like" refers to a structure similar to a bundle of fibers extending in one direction. From the viewpoint of shape and texture, the protein textured in the form of fiber bundles is preferably a protein textured in the form of fiber bundles having muscle-like tissue. Here, muscle-like tissue refers to tissue that has a structure similar to a bundle of fibers and can be split in one direction. Among these, the muscle-like tissue is preferably a tissue that has a structure similar to a fiber bundle and can be split into fibers in one direction. Lean meat from livestock comes from muscle. Muscle is composed of bundles of muscle fibers. Therefore, lean meat from livestock has a structure similar to that of fiber bundles. By applying a fiber bundle-structured protein having muscle-like tissue to the meat substitute according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to obtain a meat substitute with a texture closer to that of livestock meat.

[0082] The fiber bundle-structured protein is preferably composed of a vegetable protein. The vegetable protein has the same meaning as that described above, and the preferred embodiments are also the same. The vegetable protein may contain a protein derived from one type of plant, or may contain proteins derived from two or more types of plants.

[0083] Fiber bundle-organizing proteins having muscle-like structures include spongy fiber bundle-organizing proteins and fibrous fiber bundle-organizing proteins. Here, the term "spongy" refers to an isotropic porous structure in appearance. On the other hand, fibrous refers to an anisotropic fiber structure in appearance. The isotropic porous structure refers to a structure in which the pore shapes on a cut surface cut at any position are approximately elliptical and are substantially the same regardless of the direction. The anisotropic fiber structure refers to a structure in which the cut surface when cut at an arbitrary position is fibrous, and preferably has a pore shape, and the pore shape varies depending on the cutting direction, being generally elliptical or generally fibrous. Methods for observing the cut surface include a method of cutting out a slice and observing it under a microscope, or a method of observing it using X-ray CT (Computed Tomography).

[0084] The meat substitute according to the embodiment of the present disclosure preferably comprises a fiber bundle-structured protein in which the fiber axis direction of the fiber bundle-structured protein is oriented in one direction in a nearby region. Here, the fiber axis direction of the fiber bundle-structuring protein means the longitudinal direction of the fibers that form the muscle-like tissue. Furthermore, the fiber axis directions of the fiber bundle-shaped organizing proteins being oriented in one direction in the proximal region may include some organizing proteins with different fiber axes, but the fiber axis directions of the organizing proteins may be oriented in a consistent direction overall, or the fiber axis directions may be oriented in one direction in the proximal region while fluctuating overall. Spongy organized proteins with an isotropic porous structure can also be made into fiber bundle-like organized proteins by loosening or cutting them into fibers. From the viewpoint of appearance and texture, the fiber bundle textured protein contained in the meat substitute is more preferably a fibrous fiber bundle textured protein.

[0085] The content of the fiber bundle-structured protein is preferably 5% to 95% by mass, more preferably 7% to 90% by mass, and even more preferably 10% to 85% by mass, relative to the total mass of the meat substitute.

[0086] -Oils- The lean meat-like portion may contain fats and oils. Examples of fats and oils include vegetable fats and oils, animal fats and oils, etc. Examples of the vegetable oils and fats include the same ones as those mentioned in the description of the fat mass composition. Examples of animal fats and oils include beef tallow, lard, whale fat, and fish oil.

[0087] -Binder- The lean meat-like portion preferably contains a binder as needed. When the lean meat-like portion contains a binder, the lean meat-like portion can easily maintain a unified shape.

[0088] The binder is not particularly limited as long as it is edible and can maintain the shape of the lean meat-like portion. Examples of the binder include proteins, thickening polysaccharides, and starch. The protein used as the binder may be the same as or different from the protein contained in the lean meat-like portion.

[0089] Examples of proteins used as binders include vegetable proteins, animal proteins, and enzymes. Examples of vegetable proteins used as binders include proteins derived from wheat, soybeans, rice, etc. Examples of animal proteins used as binders include milk proteins and egg whites. The enzyme includes, for example, transglutaminase.

[0090] Examples of 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, methylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, and dextrin.

[0091] Examples of starches 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, and waxy wheat starch.

[0092] The binder preferably contains a polysaccharide, including a thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide and a thermo-reversible gel-forming polysaccharide, and a gelation retarder.

[0093] -Thermal irreversible gel-forming polysaccharides- Here, a thermo-irreversible gel is a gel that, once formed (in this paragraph, "gel" refers to a substance that contains at least water and a thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide and behaves as an elastic solid), maintains its gel state even when heated. The thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide is a polysaccharide that forms a thermo-irreversible gel.

[0094] The thermally irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide is preferably a polysaccharide that crosslinks by reaction with cations, from the viewpoint of solubility before gelation. The cation serving as the gelling agent is preferably a metal ion having an ionic valence of two or more. Examples of metal ions include divalent metal ions such as calcium ion, magnesium ion, iron (II), copper (II), zinc ion, and manganese ion; and trivalent metal ions such as aluminum ion and iron (III) ion. From the viewpoint of obtaining a stable crosslinked structure, the metal ion is preferably at least one selected from calcium ions, magnesium ions, and zinc ions, and more preferably calcium ions.

[0095] Thermoirreversible gel-forming polysaccharides include those with carboxyl groups and carboxylate anion groups (-COO - ), sulfo group, and sulfonic acid anion group (-SO3 - ) is a polysaccharide having at least one selected from the group consisting of Examples of thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharides include alginic acid, LM pectin, and LA gellan gum.

[0096] From the viewpoint of improving moldability and heat resistance of the gel, the thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of alginic acid and pectin.

[0097] The viscosity of a 1% by mass aqueous solution of a thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide (an aqueous solution containing 1% by mass of a thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide relative to the total aqueous solution) is preferably 10 mPa·s or more and 3000 mPa·s or less, and more preferably 20 mPas or more and 1000 mPas or less.

[0098] The viscosity of a 1% by mass aqueous solution of the thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide is a value measured at a temperature of 20°C using a tuning fork vibro viscometer. As the tuning fork vibro viscometer, for example, SV-10 (manufactured by A&D) can be used.

[0099] The content of the thermally irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide is preferably 10% by mass to 90% by mass, more preferably 20% by mass to 80% by mass, and even more preferably 30% by mass to 70% by mass, relative to the total mass of the binder.

[0100] -Thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharides- Here, a thermoreversible gel is a gel that maintains a gel state (in this paragraph, "gel" refers to a substance that contains at least water and a thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharide and behaves as an elastic solid) at room temperature (25°C) and melts and becomes liquid (sol) when heated. The thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharide is a polysaccharide that forms a thermoreversible gel.

[0101] Examples of thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharides include agar, carrageenan, furcellaran, native gellan gum, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, guar gum, psyllium seed gum, glucomannan, tara gum, and tamarind seed gum.

[0102] From the viewpoint of maintaining the shape of the meat substitute after cooking and of texture, the thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharide is preferably carrageenan.

[0103] The content of the thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharide is preferably 10% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less, and even more preferably 30% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less, based on the total weight of the binder.

[0104] --Combination of thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharides and thermo-reversible gel-forming polysaccharides-- A preferred combination of a thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide and a thermo-reversible gel-forming polysaccharide is one in which the thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide is at least one selected from the group consisting of alginic acid and pectin, and the thermo-reversible gel-forming polysaccharide is carrageenan.

[0105] -Gelation retardant- The binder preferably contains a gelation retarder. The gelation retarder is a compound that has the function of inhibiting the gelation of a thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide or a thermo-reversible gel-forming polysaccharide.

[0106] From the viewpoint of maintaining the shape of the meat substitute after cooking and improving the texture, the gelation retarder is preferably a compound that has the function of inhibiting the gelation of the thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide. From the viewpoint of maintaining the shape of the meat substitute after cooking and the texture, the gelation retarder is preferably a chelating agent.

[0107] As the chelating agent, known chelating agents can be suitably used. Examples of chelating agents include hydroxycarboxylic acids such as tartaric acid, citric acid, and gluconic acid; aminocarboxylic acids such as iminodiacetic acid (IDA), nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA); condensed phosphoric acids such as pyrophosphoric acid and tripolyphosphoric acid; and salts thereof. Among these, the chelating agent is preferably condensed phosphoric acid or a salt thereof, and more preferably pyrophosphoric acid or a pyrophosphate salt, from the viewpoints of maintaining the shape of the meat substitute after cooking, the texture, and the flavor of the meat substitute.

[0108] The content of the gelation retarder is preferably 0.1% by mass to 20% by mass, more preferably 0.5% by mass to 15% by mass, and even more preferably 0.3% by mass to 10% by mass, relative to the total mass of polysaccharides including thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharides and thermo-reversible gel-forming polysaccharides.

[0109] The content of the binder contained in the lean meat-like portion is preferably 0.01% by mass to 10% by mass with respect to the total mass of the lean meat-like portion.

[0110] -Other additives- The lean meat-like portion preferably contains other additives other than the protein, fats and oils, and binders, as needed. Examples of other additives include water, seasonings, acidulants, bittering agents, spices, sweeteners, antioxidants, coloring agents, color formers, flavoring agents, stabilizers, preservatives, etc. The content of other additives is preferably 0% by mass to 20% by mass.

[0111] (Fat chunk composition or the above-mentioned fat chunk mixture) In order to make the appearance of the meat substitute closer to that of a whole piece of meat, the content of the fat chunk composition or fat chunk mixture relative to the total mass of the meat substitute is preferably 3% by mass or more, more preferably 5% by mass or more, and even more preferably 7% by mass to 50% by mass.

[0112] <Method of manufacturing fat chunk composition> The method for producing a fat chunk composition according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: A process for producing a fat lump composition precursor by contacting a liquid containing granules including an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer and fats and oils (hereinafter also referred to as specific liquid A) with a liquid containing cations (hereinafter also referred to as specific liquid B) (hereinafter also referred to as a fat lump composition precursor production process); A step of shaping the fat chunk composition precursor (hereinafter also referred to as the shaping step); It has. The granular material containing an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer and fats and oils has been described above, so a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0113] According to the method for producing the fat chunk composition, it is possible to produce a fat chunk composition that can be used to produce a meat substitute having an appearance similar to that of a meat chunk. The reason for this is presumed to be as follows. In the above-mentioned method for producing a fat chunk composition, shaping is carried out after contact between specific liquid A and specific liquid B. Contact between specific liquid A and specific liquid B initiates cross-linking of the edible ionically cross-linkable polymer in specific liquid A, and as this is shaped, the cross-section of the produced fat chunk composition has an elongated shape. Therefore, the meat substitute obtained by using this fat chunk composition has an appearance similar to that of a chunk of meat.

[0114] (Fat lump composition precursor production process) In the present disclosure, a fat mass composition precursor refers to a fat mass composition before a shaping step is performed. The edible ionically crosslinkable polymer can be partially or entirely crosslinked by contacting specific liquid A with specific liquid B. From the viewpoint of ease of shaping, it is preferable that a portion of the edible ionically crosslinkable polymer is crosslinked at the time when shaping of the fat mass composition precursor begins.

[0115] The amount of specific liquid B added relative to 100 parts by mass of specific liquid A is preferably 50 parts by mass to 200 parts by mass.

[0116] The specific liquid B may be an aqueous solution in which a salt containing a cation is dissolved, such as calcium chloride, calcium gluconate, or calcium lactate. The content of the salt in the aqueous solution in which the cation-containing salt is dissolved is preferably 0.5% by mass to 5% by mass relative to the total mass of the aqueous solution.

[0117] The content of the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer relative to the total mass of the specific liquid A is preferably 0.5% by mass to 5.0% by mass. The content of the granular material containing oil or fat relative to the total mass of the liquid containing the specific liquid A is preferably 10% by mass to 70% by mass.

[0118] The specific liquid A is prepared by the following steps: forming droplets containing oil in an aqueous solution (droplet forming step); solidifying the oil in the droplets to obtain particles containing the solidified oil (oil solidifying step); and mixing the particles with a liquid containing an edible ionically crosslinkable polymer (mixing step). It can be prepared by a method having the following structure: The present invention is not limited to those prepared by the above method, and commercially available products may also be used.

[0119] -Droplet formation process- As a method for forming droplets containing oil or fat in an aqueous solution, a method of dispersing oil or fat in an aqueous solution can be mentioned. A preferred method for dispersing the oil or fat in the aqueous solution is to emulsify the aqueous solution and the oil or fat using an emulsifier.

[0120] Examples of emulsifiers include rotary mixers equipped with propeller-, anchor-, paddle-, or turbine-type stirring blades, static mixers such as static mixers, rotor-stator emulsifiers such as homogenizers and Clearmix, mill-type emulsifiers equipped with a grinding function, high-pressure emulsifiers such as Manton-Gaulin pressure emulsifiers, high-pressure nozzle-type emulsifiers that generate cavitation under high pressure, high-pressure collision-type emulsifiers such as microfluidizers that apply shear force by causing liquids to collide with each other under high pressure, ultrasonic emulsifiers that generate cavitation using ultrasound, and membrane emulsifiers that emulsify uniformly through fine pores.

[0121] From the viewpoint of improving the uniformity of the particle size of droplets containing oil or fat, it is preferable to use a membrane emulsifier as the emulsifier. When emulsification is carried out using a membrane emulsifier, the emulsification method may be either a direct membrane emulsification method or a permeable membrane emulsification method, but a direct membrane emulsification method is preferred. The porous membrane provided in the membrane emulsifier is, for example, SPG (Shirasu Porous Glass (Shirasu porous glass) membranes are suitable and can be purchased from, for example, SPG Techno Co., Ltd.

[0122] A preferred emulsification method using a membrane emulsifier is, for example, a method in which oils and fats are dispersed in an aqueous solution containing water and a surfactant through a porous membrane. The mass ratio of the aqueous solution to the oil or fat used for emulsification (aqueous solution / oil or fat) is preferably 10 / 1 to 2 / 1.

[0123] -Oil solidification process- Methods for solidifying the oil in the droplets and obtaining particles containing the solidified oil include, for example, hardening using an oil hardener and cooling the droplets containing the oil.However, from the viewpoint of obtaining a fat block composition that releases a large amount of oil when chewed, the method of cooling the droplets containing the oil is preferred.

[0124] Examples of methods for cooling droplets containing oil or fat include (1) a method in which an aqueous solution containing droplets containing oil or fat obtained by a step of forming droplets containing oil or fat in an aqueous solution is cooled using a refrigerator or the like.

[0125] The cooling temperature is preferably above 0°C and equal to or lower than the melting point of the oil or fat. The cooling time is not particularly limited, and it is preferable to continue cooling until the oil contained in the droplets is solidified.

[0126] After cooling, particles containing the solidified oil or fat may collect in the supernatant of the solution, and in this case, it is preferable to recover the supernatant containing the particles. Then, it is preferable to carry out the crosslinking step described below using the recovered supernatant containing the particles. The supernatant containing the particles can be recovered, for example, by using a separatory funnel to drain the aqueous solution other than the supernatant containing the particles.

[0127] The content of the oil and fat in the aqueous solution containing the particles obtained by the oil and fat solidification step is preferably 40% by mass to 90% by mass with respect to the total mass of the solution.

[0128] -Mixing process- By mixing the particles obtained by the fat solidification step with an aqueous solution containing an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer, a liquid containing granular materials containing an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer and fats and oils can be obtained.

[0129] From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute more similar to that of a whole piece of meat, the viscosity of specific liquid A is preferably 30 mPa·s to 3000 mPa·s, and more preferably 50 mPa·s to 2000 mPa·s. The viscosity of specific liquid A is a value measured using a tuning fork vibro viscometer under a temperature condition of 20°C. As the tuning fork vibro viscometer, for example, SV-10 (manufactured by A&D) can be used.

[0130] From the viewpoint of food hygiene, liquid properties, etc., the temperature of the specific liquid A is preferably 5°C to 20°C. From the viewpoint of food hygiene, liquid properties, etc., the temperature of specific liquid B is preferably 5°C to 20°C.

[0131] (Formation process) A method for producing a fat chunk composition according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a step of shaping the fat chunk composition precursor obtained in the fat chunk composition precursor production step.

[0132] The time from contact between specific liquid A and specific liquid B to the start of shaping of the fat chunk composition precursor is preferably within 1 minute, more preferably 0.01 to 10 seconds. This allows shaping to be carried out before the crosslinking of the edible ionically crosslinkable polymer has fully progressed, and the appearance of the meat substitute produced using the fat chunk composition can be made closer to that of a chunk of meat.

[0133] The method for shaping the fat lump composition precursor is not particularly limited, but from the standpoint of productivity, it is preferable that the shaping of the fat lump composition precursor is carried out by pressurizing the fat lump composition precursor using a shaping member and a support member. The shapes of the shaping member and the support member are not particularly limited, and may be roller-shaped or plate-shaped. Note that plate-shaped shaping members and support members include those equipped with a moving mechanism such as a belt conveyor. The material of the shaping member and the supporting member is not particularly limited, and from the viewpoint of food hygiene, examples include stainless steel, silicone rubber, and vinylidene fluoride rubber (FKM). From the viewpoint of productivity, the shaping member is preferably a shaping roller arranged to face a support member. The fat mass composition precursor is shaped when passing between the shaping roller and the support member. The shaping roller can have a shaping portion including a convex portion. This allows the fat chunk composition precursor to be shaped, and the cross section of the specific fat chunk composition produced has an elongated shape. Therefore, the meat substitute obtained by using the specific fat chunk composition has an appearance similar to that of chunk meat. The number of convex portions contained in the shaped portion may be one or two or more, but from the viewpoint of making the appearance of the substitute meat closer to that of a whole piece of meat, it is preferable that there are two or more convex portions per shaped portion, and it is more preferable that there are 3 to 200 convex portions. The shaping roller may have one shaping portion or two or more shaping portions. A specific example of a shaping roller having two or more shaping sections is a shaping roller having singulating sections and shaping sections alternately, as will be described later. When the shaping member is a shaping roller having a shaping portion including a convex portion, from the viewpoint of making the appearance of the substitute meat closer to that of a whole piece of meat, the minimum distance between the convex portion and the support member is preferably 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm, and more preferably 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm. The shape of the protrusions is not particularly limited, and may extend in one direction (for example, perpendicular to the tangent to the outer periphery of the shaping roller). Specifically, the protrusions may be in the shape of a triangular prism, a semi-cylindrical prism, or a prism with a trapezoidal cross section. When the shaped portion includes two or more convex portions extending in one direction, from the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute closer to that of a whole piece of meat, the distance between adjacent convex portions is preferably 10.0 mm or less, more preferably 8.0 mm or less, and even more preferably 5.0 mm or less. From the viewpoint of improving the strength of the fat chunk composition, the distance between adjacent convex portions is preferably 0.5 mm or more, more preferably 1.0 mm or more, and even more preferably 3.0 mm or more. From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute closer to that of a whole piece of meat and from the viewpoint of improving the strength of the fat chunk composition, the distance between adjacent convex portions is preferably 0.5 mm to 10.0 mm. In the present disclosure, the distance between adjacent protrusions means the distance between the positions of the protrusions at which the distance from the support member is smallest. In other words, it means the distance between the apexes of the protrusions. If the apexes of the protrusions are flat, the distance at which the distance between the apexes is smallest is taken as the distance between adjacent protrusions.

[0134] The shaping roller may include a singulation section. By providing the shaping roller with a dicing section, the shaped fat chunk composition precursor or fat chunk composition can be cut (diced) into pieces of a desired size. From the viewpoint of ease of cutting, the minimum distance between the singulation portion and the support member is preferably 0.5 mm or less, more preferably 0.3 mm or less, even more preferably 0.1 mm or less, and may be 0 mm. The shape of the singulation part is not particularly limited, and may be a shape extending in a tangential direction of the outer periphery of the shaping roller and a direction perpendicular to the tangential direction. Specifically, the singulation part may be a cubic shape, a semi-cylindrical shape, or the like. When the singulation portion has a cubic shape, from the viewpoint of ease of cutting, the length of the singulation portion in the tangential direction of the outer periphery of the shaping roller is preferably 1.0 mm or more, more preferably 5.0 mm or more, and even more preferably 10.0 mm or more. From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute more similar to that of a whole piece of meat, the length of the singulation portion in the tangential direction of the outer periphery of the shaping roller is preferably 200.0 mm or less. From the viewpoint of ease of cutting and making the appearance of the meat substitute more similar to that of a whole piece of meat, the length of the singulation portion in the tangential direction of the outer periphery of the shaping roller is preferably 1.0 mm to 200.0 mm. The shaping roller may have two or more singulating parts. When the shaping roller has two or more singulating parts, it is preferable to adjust the interval between adjacent singulating parts as appropriate, and for example, it is preferable that it is 10.0 mm to 100.0 mm, and more preferably 13.0 mm to 70.0 mm. In the present disclosure, the distance between adjacent singulation units means the distance between the positions of the singulation units at which the distance from the support member is smallest. In other words, it means the distance between the vertices of the singulation units. In addition, if the vertices of the singulation units are flat, the distance at which the distance between the vertices is smallest is taken as the distance between adjacent singulation units.

[0135] When the shaping of the fat lump composition precursor is carried out by applying pressure to the fat lump composition precursor using a shaping roller and a support member, contact between a liquid (specific liquid A) containing granules containing an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer and fats and oils and a liquid (specific liquid B) containing cations can be carried out by supplying specific liquid A to a shaping roller or support member on the surface of which specific liquid B is present, and then supplying specific liquid B. When specific liquid A and specific liquid B are contacted by the above method, from the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute more similar to that of whole meat, the ratio of the rotation speed (mm / sec) or movement speed (mm / sec) of the shaping roller or support member to the supply speed (mm / sec) of specific liquid A to the shaping roller or support member (rotation speed (mm / sec) or movement speed (mm / sec) of the shaping roller or support member / supply speed of specific liquid A) is preferably 1.00 or more, more preferably 1.50 or more, and even more preferably 2.00 or more. From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute more similar to that of whole meat, the above speed ratio is preferably 20.00 or less. From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute more similar to that of whole meat, the above speed ratio is preferably 1.00 to 20.00. The supply speed of the specific liquid A is calculated by dividing the discharge flow rate of the specific liquid A by the cross-sectional area of the tip of the nozzle that discharges the specific liquid A. The rotation speed of the shaping roller or the support member refers to the speed of the roll surface, and is calculated from the number of rotations measured using a non-contact rotation system (for example, a hand tachometer manufactured by Line Seiki) and the roll diameter. The moving speed of the shaping roller or the support member is measured by an incremental measuring wheel encoder (for example, DFV60 manufactured by SICK).

[0136] From the viewpoint of productivity and making the appearance of the substitute meat closer to that of a whole piece of meat, the supply speed of specific liquid A is preferably 40.0 mm / sec to 120.0 mm / sec, and more preferably 60.0 mm / sec to 100.0 mm / sec. From the viewpoint of productivity and making the appearance of the substitute meat closer to that of a whole piece of meat, the rotation speed of the shaping roller is preferably 50.0 mm / sec to 400.0 mm / sec, more preferably 80.0 mm / sec to 360.0 mm / sec, and even more preferably 150.0 mm / sec to 200.0 mm / sec.

[0137] When the shaping of the fat lump composition precursor is carried out by pressurizing the fat lump composition precursor with a shaping roller and a support member, contact between specific liquid A and specific liquid B can be carried out by immersing the shaping roller and support member in a tank filled with specific liquid B and supplying specific liquid A to the shaping roller or support member. The specific liquid A may be brought into contact with the specific liquid B by being supplied onto the specific liquid B present on the surface of the shaping roller or the support member. Alternatively, the specific liquid A may be brought into contact with the specific liquid B by supplying the specific liquid A to one surface of the shaping roller and the support member where the specific liquid B is not present, and bringing the specific liquid A into contact with the specific liquid B present on the other surface before shaping. The shaping roller and the support member are preferably immersed so that they are partially exposed from the specific liquid B, thereby providing a region to which the specific liquid A is supplied.

[0138] The fat block composition obtained by shaping may be washed with tap water, etc. After washing, it may be frozen in a freezer, etc.

[0139] After producing a fat chunk composition, the fat chunk composition adhering to the shaping roller and support member may be removed before the next fat chunk composition is produced. The method for removing the fat chunk composition is not particularly limited, and can be performed by washing with water, specific liquid B, gas, etc. By removing the fat chunk composition, the fat chunk composition precursor can be shaped well, and the fat chunk composition can be produced continuously.

[0140] Next, one embodiment of the method for producing a fat chunk composition of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figure 3. Note that the method for producing a fat chunk composition of the present disclosure is not limited to the following method. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of a fat chunk composition manufacturing apparatus (hereinafter also simply referred to as a manufacturing apparatus). The manufacturing apparatus 100 includes a supply section 101 (hereinafter also simply referred to as supply section 101) for a liquid (specific liquid A) containing granular material including an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer and oils and fats, a supply section 102 (hereinafter also simply referred to as supply section 102) for a liquid (specific liquid B) containing cations, a roller-shaped shaping member (shaping roller) 103, and a roller-shaped support member (support roller) 104. The manufacturing apparatus 100 may include a bathtub 105 . As shown in Figure 3, the shaping roller 103 has three alternating shaping sections 107 each including six convex sections 106 and three alternating individual sections 108. Because the shaping roller has shaping sections including convex sections, the fat chunk composition precursor is shaped, and the cross section of the specific fat chunk composition produced has an elongated shape. Therefore, the substitute meat obtained by using the specific fat chunk composition has an appearance similar to that of chunk meat. Each of the protrusions 106 extends in a direction perpendicular to the tangent to the outer periphery of the shaping roller 103 . Each of the singulating portions 108 extends in a tangential direction to the outer periphery of the shaping roller 103 and in a direction perpendicular to the tangential direction. First, the specific liquid B is supplied from the supply unit 102 to the surface of the shaping roller 103 . Next, the specific liquid A (indicated by the symbol A in FIG. 3) is supplied from the supply unit 101 to the surface of the shaping roller 103 to which the specific liquid B has been supplied. Next, the specific liquid B (indicated by the symbol B in FIG. 3) is supplied from the supply unit 102 to the surface of the shaping roller 103 to which the specific liquid A has been supplied. On the surface of the shaping roller 103, the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer contained in the supplied specific liquid A is crosslinked by the cations contained in the specific liquid B, thereby producing a fat chunk composition precursor. The fat mass composition precursor is then pressed and shaped by the shaping section 107 of the shaping roller 103 and the support roller 104, and then cut into pieces of the desired size by the cutting section 108 of the shaping roller 103 to obtain the fat mass composition 109. The obtained fat chunk composition 109 is placed in a bathtub 105 and washed with water or the like. In one embodiment, the manufacturing apparatus 100 may be equipped with a cleaning section 110. The cleaning section 110 can remove fat lump composition adhering to the shaping roller 103 or the support roller 104. While Figure 3 shows a cleaning section 110 for removing fat lump composition adhering to the support roller 104, this is not limited thereto, and the manufacturing apparatus 100 may also be equipped with a cleaning section for removing fat lump composition adhering to the shaping roller 103. The cleaning section is not particularly limited as long as it can supply water, specific liquid B, gas, etc., and examples include nozzles capable of supplying these.

[0141] The supply unit for specific liquid A may have a nozzle. The cross-sectional shape of the nozzle is not particularly limited and can be adjusted as appropriate. From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the substitute meat closer to that of a whole piece of meat, the cross-sectional shape of the nozzle is preferably elliptical, rectangular, semicircular, or rhombic. When the nozzle shape is rectangular, the aspect ratio (length of long side / length of short side) is preferably 3 to 50, and more preferably 4 to 40.

[0142] Next, another embodiment of the method for producing a fat chunk composition of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figure 18. Note that the method for producing a fat chunk composition of the present disclosure is not limited to the following method. FIG. 18 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the apparatus for producing a fat chunk composition (hereinafter also simply referred to as the production apparatus). The manufacturing apparatus 200 includes a supply section 201 (hereinafter simply referred to as supply section 201) for a liquid (specific liquid A) containing granular material including an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer and oils and fats, a roller-shaped shaping member (shaping roller) 202, a roller-shaped support member (support roller) 203, and a tank 204 filled with a liquid (specific liquid B) containing cations. As shown in FIG. 18, the shaping roller 202 has three shaping sections 207 each including a plurality of convex sections 206 and three singulating sections 208 arranged alternately. The shaping roller has a shaping portion including a convex portion, so that the fat chunk composition precursor is shaped, and the cross section of the specific fat chunk composition produced has an elongated shape. Therefore, the meat substitute obtained by using the specific fat chunk composition has an appearance similar to that of a chunk of meat. Each of the protrusions 206 extends in a direction perpendicular to a tangent to the outer periphery of the shaping roller 202 . The singulation portions 208 each extend in a tangential direction to the outer periphery of the shaping roller 202 and in a direction perpendicular to the tangential direction. First, the shaping roller 202 and the support roller 203 are rotated in the tank 204 filled with the specific liquid B, and the specific liquid B (not shown) is supplied to the surfaces of these rollers. Next, the specific liquid A (indicated by the symbol A in FIG. 18) is supplied from the supply unit 201 onto the surface of the support roller 203 . By supplying specific liquid A, specific liquid A and specific liquid B come into contact on the surface of support roller 203. Furthermore, by rotation of support roller 203 and shaping roller 202, specific liquid A present on the surface of support roller 203 comes into contact with specific liquid B present on the surface of shaping roller 202. A fat chunk composition precursor is produced by the contact of specific liquid A and specific liquid B. The fat mass composition precursor is then pressed and shaped by the shaping section 207 of the shaping roller 202 and the support roller 203, and then cut into pieces of the desired size by the cutting section 208 of the shaping roller 202 to obtain the fat mass composition 205.

[0143] <Fat mass composition> The fat chunk composition according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a fat chunk composition produced by the above-mentioned method for producing a fat chunk composition.

[0144] <Fat lump mixture> A fat chunk mixture according to an embodiment of the present disclosure contains a fat chunk composition produced by the above-mentioned method for producing a fat chunk composition, and the content of the fat chunk composition produced by the above-mentioned method for producing a fat chunk composition relative to the total mass of the fat chunk mixture is 30 mass% or more. In order to make the appearance of the substitute meat closer to that of whole meat, the content of the fat chunk composition produced by the above-mentioned method for producing a fat chunk composition relative to the total mass of the fat chunk mixture is preferably 50% by mass or more, and more preferably 90% by mass to 99% by mass. The fat chunk mixture may contain two or more types of fat chunk compositions produced by the above-mentioned method for producing a fat chunk composition.

[0145] The fat chunk mixture of the present disclosure may contain a fat chunk composition other than the fat chunk composition produced by the above-mentioned method for producing a fat chunk composition. In order to make the appearance of the substitute meat closer to that of whole meat, the content of fat chunk compositions other than the fat chunk composition produced by the above-mentioned method for producing a fat chunk composition relative to the total mass of the fat chunk mixture is preferably 70% by mass or less, more preferably 50% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.1% by mass to 10% by mass.

[0146] The fat chunk mixture may contain additives such as seasonings, acidulants, bittering agents, spices, sweeteners, antioxidants, coloring agents, color formers, flavoring agents, stabilizers, preservatives, and the like.

[0147] <Meat substitute> The meat substitute according to an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a lean meat-like portion containing protein and a fat chunk mixture containing a fat chunk composition produced by the above-mentioned method for producing a fat chunk composition or a fat chunk composition other than the above-mentioned method for producing a fat chunk composition. The lean meat portion has been described above, so a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0148] <Method of producing meat substitutes> The method for producing alternative meat according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first step of mixing a lean meat precursor with a specific fat chunk composition or a fat chunk mixture containing the specific fat chunk composition to obtain a first mixture; and a second step of stretching the first mixture. An embodiment of a method for producing alternative meat according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below, but the present disclosure is not limited to this.

[0149] (1st step) The method for mixing the lean meat-like portion precursor with the specific fat chunk composition or the fat chunk mixture containing the specific fat chunk composition is not particularly limited, and examples include mixing by hand and using a known mixer. The mixer may be a mixer, and the attachment preferably has a structure that scrapes up the matter adhering to the wall surface.

[0150] The lean meat-like portion precursor can be obtained by mixing the fiber bundle-like textured protein with a binder. The amount of binder added is preferably 1% to 30% by mass, more preferably 3% to 25% by mass, and even more preferably 5% to 20% by mass, relative to the mass of the fiber bundle-shaped textured protein swollen with water.

[0151] Before mixing the fiber bundle-structured protein with the binder, it is preferable to adjust the fiber bundle-structured protein to an appropriate size. Methods for adjusting the size of the fiber bundle-shaped organized protein include tearing the fiber bundle-shaped organized protein, cutting it with a blade, or both. The size of the fiber bundle-shaped textured protein can be adjusted by crushing it near the discharge port of the extruder in the above-mentioned (preparation step), or by crushing it using a meat disintegrator or the like after recovery from the extruder.

[0152] Before being mixed with the vegetable protein binder, the fiber bundle-like textured protein is preferably formed into dimensions of 2 mm to 35 mm in width and 35 mm to 500 mm in length. The thickness of the fiber bundle-like textured protein is not particularly limited, and is preferably adjusted appropriately depending on the thickness of the fiber bundle-like textured protein produced using an extruder, etc. The vertical width of the fiber bundle-like textured protein is preferably, for example, 0.1 to 2 times the vertical width of the chunk meat-like meat substitute to be produced.

[0153] Here, when the meat substitute to be produced contains other additives, it is preferable to mix them together with the lean meat-like portion precursor, etc. in the first step.

[0154] The fiber bundle-organizing protein used may be a prepared fiber bundle-organizing protein or a commercially available fiber bundle-organizing protein. When preparing a fiber bundle-like textured protein, it is preferable to extrude a raw material containing a vegetable protein from an extruder. The extrusion conditions are preferably as follows:

[0155] When preparing a textured protein, it is preferable to extrude a raw material containing a vegetable protein from an extruder. The extrusion conditions are preferably as follows:

[0156] Ingredients containing plant protein The vegetable protein-containing raw material contains at least vegetable protein, but from the viewpoint of improving extrusion efficiency, it preferably also contains water. The water content is preferably 2 to 30 parts by mass per 10 parts by mass of protein.

[0157] Extrusion conditions The extruder is not particularly limited, and known single-screw extruders, non-intermeshing counter-rotating twin-screw extruders, intermeshing counter-rotating twin-screw extruders, and intermeshing co-rotating twin-screw extruders can be used.

[0158] The barrel temperature of the extruder is preferably 60°C or higher and 100°C or lower in the first half of the barrel (the section from the raw material supply section to the center of the barrel), 90°C or higher and 170°C or lower in the center of the barrel (the center of the axial length of the barrel), and 140°C or higher and 180°C or lower in the second half of the barrel (the section from the center of the barrel to the tip of the barrel).

[0159] The extruder preferably has a die attached to the end of the barrel. The die is preferably one that produces a sheet-like extrudate. The gap (lip clearance) at the discharge port of the die is preferably 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less. The length of the die is preferably 30 mm or more. The die may be a cooled die, which refers to a die that is cooled, for example, by circulating a cooling liquid (such as water or glycol). The use of a cooling die tends to suppress the expansion of the extruded raw material, and therefore the texturized protein extruded using a cooling die tends 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.

[0160] When using commercially available textured proteins, examples of fibrous bundle textured proteins that can be used include What the Cluck manufactured by Vegetarian Butcher and Apex 1000 manufactured by Fuji Oil.

[0161] (2nd process) The second step is to stretch the first mixture.

[0162] When the first mixture contains a fiber bundle-like organized protein, it is preferable that the drawing of the first mixture obtained in the first step results in a drawn mixture in which the fiber axes of the fiber bundle-like organized protein are oriented in one direction. Here, the fiber axis direction of the fiber bundle-structuring protein means the longitudinal direction of the fibers that form the muscle-like tissue. Furthermore, the fiber axis directions of the fiber bundle-like organizing proteins being oriented in one direction includes cases where the fiber axis directions of the fiber bundle-like organizing proteins are completely the same, and cases where the fiber axis directions of the fiber bundle-like organizing proteins are different but point in a certain direction.

[0163] The second step is preferably a step of stretching the first mixture to obtain a stretched mixture in which the degree of orientation of the fiber direction of the fiber bundle-shaped texturing protein in a cross section along the stretching direction (hereinafter also simply referred to as the "specific orientation degree") is 1.1 or more.

[0164] From the viewpoint of the degree of orientation, the method of stretching the first mixture may be (i) A method of passing the mixture through an area surrounded by a set of rollers in a direction perpendicular to a plane including the rotation axes of the set of rollers, and pressing the mixture with the rollers, thereby stretching the first mixture in a direction perpendicular to the plane including the rotation axes of the set of rollers; (ii) A method in which the mixture is sandwiched between a pair of rollers whose rotation axes are parallel and rotating in the same direction, and the distance between the rollers is reduced while the mixture is being rotated, thereby pressing the first mixture and stretching it in a direction parallel to the rotation axes of the rollers; (iii) A method of stretching the first mixture by gripping and pulling the surface of the first mixture; (iv) A method of stretching the first mixture by pressing the first mixture with a plate.

[0165] The stretching ratio of the first mixture is preferably 2 times or more, more preferably 4 times or more, and even more preferably 6 times or more. The stretching ratio is the value obtained by dividing the length of the stretched mixture in the stretching direction by the length of the first mixture in the stretching direction. The stretching direction refers to the direction in which the first mixture is stretched in the second step.

[0166] (3rd step) The method for producing alternative meat according to an embodiment of the present disclosure preferably includes, after the second step, a third step in which the stretched mixture is shaped to obtain a shaped body, and then the shaped body is heated to harden it. When the binder contains a thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide, heating the molded body promotes the formation of a gel containing the thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide, which hardens the molded body and makes it easier for the chunk of meat-like meat substitute to maintain its shape.

[0167] The shape of the formed body is preferably similar to that of steak meat, stew meat, or the like. The method for shaping the stretched mixture is not particularly limited, and examples include a method of cutting the stretched mixture, and a method of deforming the stretched mixture by applying an external force, and from the viewpoint of texture, a method of cutting the stretched mixture is preferred. When the stretched mixture is cut, it is preferable to cut it in a direction perpendicular to the fiber axis direction of the texturized protein contained in the stretched mixture. When the mixture is cut after stretching, it is preferable to cut it using a blade such as a cutter or a kitchen knife.

[0168] When the stretched mixture is molded to obtain a molded body, the third step preferably includes a step of cutting the stretched mixture perpendicular to the fiber orientation direction, and a step of bundling multiple stretched mixtures before or after cutting. A plurality of cut pieces of the stretched mixture may be bundled together with the fiber direction aligned and molded, or a plurality of cut pieces of the stretched mixture or the stretched mixture may be bundled together with the fiber direction aligned and then cut perpendicular to the fiber direction and molded.

[0169] By molding the stretched mixture so that the fiber direction is in the thickness direction of the steak, it becomes easier to obtain a substitute meat that looks similar to steak meat.

[0170] The third step may include a step of forming a pattern resembling fat (marbling pattern) on the surface of the shaped body after the stretched mixture has been shaped to give the appearance of the meat-like substitute meat closer to that of livestock meat (hereinafter also referred to as a fat-like portion forming step). The fat-like portion forming step is preferably a step of forming grooves, for example, 100 μm or more deep, on the surface of the molded body and attaching oil or fat to the formed grooves to form fat-like portions.

[0171] Methods for forming grooves on the surface of a molded body include, for example, a method of digging the surface with a blade, and a method of forming grooves using a mold, with the method of forming grooves using a mold being preferred.

[0172] Next, oil is applied to the grooves formed on the surface of the molded body, filling the grooves and forming a pattern resembling fat. When applying oil to the grooves formed on the surface of the molded body, the oil must be in the form of a liquid. The liquid may be in either a solid state, a semi-solid state in which liquid and solid are mixed, or a solid state, but is preferably in a liquid state or a semi-solid state. When applying oil to the grooves formed on the surface of the molded body, the oil may be applied in the form of an emulsion.

[0173] When the oil or fat is attached in the form of an emulsion, it is preferable to attach an emulsion containing a gelling agent, oil or fat, and water (referred to as a "gelling emulsifier") to grooves formed on the surface of the molded body, and then gel the gelling emulsion attached to the grooves. The gelling emulsion is preferably an oil-in-water emulsion. The oil droplet diameter of the oil or fat in the gelling emulsion is preferably 20 μm to 500 μm or less, more preferably 30 μm to 400 μm or less, and even more preferably 50 μm to 300 μm.

[0174] As a method for gelling the gelling emulsion adhered to the grooves, for example, a method in which the molded body with the gelling emulsion adhered to the grooves is placed in an aqueous solution containing a gelation promoter to gel it is mentioned.

[0175] The method for heating the molded body is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include wet heating (a heating method using water as a heat source), dry heating (a heating method using a heat source other than water, such as a metal or gas), Examples include dielectric heating. When producing a product with a raw meat-like appearance, from the viewpoint of the heat resistance of the colorant, it is preferable to heat the molded product uniformly and quickly by a wet heating method after vacuum-pouching the molded product. Examples of wet heating include steaming and boiling in hot water, with the boiling in hot water being preferred as this allows for uniform and rapid treatment.

[0176] The heating temperature of the molded body is preferably set so that the temperature inside the molded body is, for example, 70°C or higher and 100°C or lower.

[0177] The temperature inside the molded body is a value measured by a thermometer. The thermometer can be, for example, a data logger (TR-W550) manufactured by Keyence Corp. The internal temperature of the molded product can be measured by inserting a thermocouple into the meat substitute during vacuum pouching. [Example]

[0178] 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 by mass.

[0179] Example 1 (1) Droplet formation process The aqueous and oil phases 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) as a surfactant were weighed out to a total of 5 kg, and stirred with a Three-One Motor (manufactured by Shinto Scientific) for 30 minutes to completely dissolve. Oil phase: 1 kg of coconut oil (manufactured by Alcapia, product name: Pia Cocona, melting point 24°C) was weighed out as the oil. Membrane emulsification was performed using a pipe-shaped SPG membrane (SPG Techno, pore size 50 μm) with the aqueous phase as the continuous phase and the oil phase as the dispersed phase. Specifically, the pipe-shaped SPG membrane was inserted into a tubular container, and the aqueous phase was flowed through the inner channel of the pipe-shaped SPG membrane at a flow rate of 50 mL / min from one end of the container to the other. The oil phase was flowed through the outer channel (the channel between the container and the SPG membrane) at a flow rate of 10 mL / min. As a result, a liquid containing droplets containing oil and fat (hereinafter also referred to as a droplet dispersion) was obtained. The particle size of the droplets (granules) containing oil and fat was 215 μm.

[0180] (2) Oil solidification process The droplet dispersion was added to the separatory funnel and then allowed to stand for 30 minutes. The droplet dispersion separated into a phase containing droplets containing oil and fat and an aqueous phase, so the aqueous phase was discharged from the separatory funnel and the phase containing droplets containing oil and fat was collected. The phase containing the recovered oil-containing droplets was left to cool in a refrigerator with an internal temperature of 5°C for 1 hour, allowing the oil to solidify and obtaining a liquid containing particles (hereinafter also referred to as particle-containing liquid).

[0181] (3) Production of fat chunk composition One part by mass of sodium alginate (Kimica Algin I-1, manufactured by Kimica Co., Ltd.) as an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer, 0.5 parts by mass of Ryoto Sugar Ester M-1695 (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical) as a surfactant, and 98.5 parts by mass of tap water were mixed to obtain a liquid containing an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer (hereinafter also referred to as an ionically cross-linkable polymer solution). To 100 parts by mass of the ionically cross-linkable polymer solution, 100 parts by mass of the particle-containing liquid was added, and the mixture was slowly stirred with a mixer (Three-One Motor, Yamato Scientific Co., Ltd.) to prepare a liquid containing edible ionically cross-linkable polymer and particulate matter containing oil and fat (specific liquid A, viscosity 96 mPa s, temperature 15°C).Specific liquid A was poured into a stainless steel tray to a thickness of 2 mm. One part by mass of calcium chloride (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd., food additive grade) was dissolved in 99 parts by mass of tap water to prepare a solution containing cations (specific solution B, viscosity 1.1 mPa·s, temperature 15°C). Specific liquid B, the same mass as specific liquid A contained in the stainless steel tray, was poured into the stainless steel tray and left to stand in a refrigerator with an internal temperature of 5°C for 2 hours to crosslink (gel) the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer, thereby obtaining a fat block composition. The fat block composition was washed with tap water, and then the water on the surface was wiped off with Kimtowel (registered trademark, manufactured by Nippon Paper Crecia Co., Ltd.). The fat chunk composition was washed with tap water, frozen in a freezer at -20°C for half a day, and then cut into the following sizes.

[0182] In a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fat block composition, the length of the longest line between two points is b, and the length of the longest line perpendicular to the line between the longest two points is a.Length a was 2.1 mm, length b was 5.2 mm, and the longitudinal length c of the fat block composition was 37 mm.Therefore, b / a was 2.48 and c / b was 7.12. Furthermore, when the length of the line with the shortest length among the lines perpendicular to the line with the longest length between two points and having a length ratio to the line with the longest length between two points of 0.10 or more is defined as d, the length d was 1.5 mm and d / a was 0.71. The length b of the line between two points on a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fat block composition was measured at any 10 locations along the longitudinal direction, and the maximum value b1 and minimum value b2 were calculated.The ratio b2 / b1 was calculated to be 0.63. In the following examples and comparative examples, length a, length b, length c, length d, b / a, c / b, d / a, and b2 / b1 were measured or calculated and are summarized in Table 1.

[0183] <Example 2> A fat chunk composition was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the size of the fat chunk composition to be cut was changed.

[0184] Example 3 (3) A fat chunk composition was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the fat chunk composition was produced as follows. Specific liquid A was filled into a 50 mL plastic syringe (Terumo, SS-50LZ), which was then set in a syringe pump (HARVARD, PHD2000). A PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) tube (manufactured by Nichias, Naflon® PTFE tube) with an inner diameter of 2 mm and an outer diameter of 3 mm was connected to the tip of the syringe pump, and a 2 mm x 10 mm (rectangular) nozzle was connected to the tip of this tube to create a supply section (indicated by the symbol 101 in Figure 3) for a liquid (specific liquid A) containing granular material including an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer and oil.

[0185] As shown in Figure 3, a fat mass composition manufacturing apparatus 100 was prepared, which was equipped with a supply section 101 for a liquid (specific liquid A) containing granular material including an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer and fats and oils, a supply section 102 for a liquid (specific liquid B) containing cations, a shaping roller 103, and a support roller 104. As shown in FIG. 3, the shaping roller 103 has three shaping sections 107 each including six convex sections 106 and three singulating sections 108 arranged alternately. Each of the protrusions 106 extends in a direction perpendicular to the tangent to the outer periphery of the shaping roller 103 (triangular prism shape). The singulation unit 108 is configured to separate the shaping roller 103 in the tangential direction of the outer periphery thereof and the tangential direction of the shaping roller 103. It extends perpendicular to the direction of the axis (cubic shape). The interval between adjacent convex portions 106 in the shaping portion 107 was 5.0 mm. The length of the singulating portion 108 in the tangential direction of the outer periphery of the shaping roller 103 was 10.0 mm, and the interval between adjacent singulating portions 108 was 40.0 mm. The minimum distance between the protrusion 106 and the support roller 104 was 0.5 mm, and the minimum distance between the singulating section 108 and the support roller 104 was 0.1 mm.

[0186] First, the specific liquid B was supplied from the supply unit 102 to the surface of the shaping roller 103 at a flow rate of 1 L / min. Next, the specific liquid A was supplied from the supply unit 101 to the surface of the shaping roller 103 to which the specific liquid B had been supplied at a supply speed (when passing through the nozzle cross section) of 83.3 mm / sec. The rotation speed (roll surface) of the shaping roller 103 was set to 178.0 mm / sec. The ratio of the rotation speed of the shaping roller to the supply speed of specific liquid A to the shaping roller 103 (rotation speed of the shaping roller / supply speed of specific liquid A) was 2.14 (simply referred to as the speed ratio in Table 1). Next, the specific liquid B was supplied from the supply unit 102 at a flow rate of 1 L / min onto the surface of the shaping roller 103 to which the specific liquid A had been supplied. 0.275 seconds after the supplied specific liquid B comes into contact with the specific liquid A, the obtained fat lump composition precursor is pressurized (shaped) by the shaping section 107 and support roller 104 of the shaping roller 103, and then the shaped fat lump composition precursor (fat lump composition) is diced into individual pieces by the dicing section 108. The fat chunk composition was washed with tap water in the bathtub 105, and then frozen in a freezer at -20°C for half a day to obtain a fat chunk composition.

[0187] <Examples 4 to 12> A fat block composition was produced in the same manner as in Example 3, except that the supply rate of specific liquid A, the rotation speed of the shaping roller, the minimum distance between the convex portion and the support roller, the spacing between adjacent convex portions, or the minimum distance between the individualization portion and the support roller were changed as shown in Table 1. In Example 9, the minimum distance between the slicing unit and the support roller was large, and the obtained fat block composition was not slicing, so it was cut. In Table 1, the length after cutting is shown. The time from contact between specific liquid B and specific liquid A to the start of shaping of the fat mass composition precursor was 0.275 seconds in Examples 4 to 9, 0.138 seconds in Example 10, 0.550 seconds in Example 11, and 0.826 seconds in Example 12.

[0188] <Comparative Example 1> (3) A fat chunk composition and a fat chunk mixture were produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the fat chunk composition was produced as follows. Specific liquid A was filled into a 50 mL plastic syringe (Terumo, SS-50LZ), which was then set in a syringe pump (HARVARD, PHD2000). A PTFE tube (manufactured by Nichias, Naflon® PTFE tube) with an inner diameter of 2 mm and an outer diameter of 3 mm was connected to the tip of the syringe pump, and a nozzle (made of SUS304, manufactured by cutting) with an inner diameter of 2.4 mm was connected to the tip of this tube. On the other hand, 1 part by mass of calcium chloride (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd., food additive grade) as a salt containing a cation was dissolved in 99 parts by mass of tap water to prepare a liquid containing a cation (specific liquid B). Specific liquid B was placed in a stainless steel tray, and the tip of the nozzle was immersed in this liquid. Using a syringe pump, specific liquid A was supplied from the nozzle tip at a supply rate of 10 mL / min (when passing through the nozzle cross section) to obtain a fat chunk composition. The fat block composition was washed with tap water and then frozen in a freezer at -20°C for half a day. I cut things.

[0189] <Comparative Example 2> A fat chunk composition was produced in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1, except that the nozzle with an inner diameter of 2.4 mm was changed to a nozzle with a size of 2 mm x 10 mm (rectangular).

[0190] <Comparative Example 3> (3) A fat chunk composition was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the fat chunk composition was produced as follows. Specific liquid A was filled into a 50 mL plastic syringe (Terumo, SS-50LZ), which was then set in a syringe pump (HARVARD, PHD2000). A PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) tube (manufactured by Nichias, Naflon® PTFE tube) with an inner diameter of 2 mm and an outer diameter of 3 mm was connected to the tip of the syringe pump, and a 2 mm x 10 mm (rectangular) nozzle was connected to the tip of this tube to create a supply section (indicated by the symbol 101 in Figure 3) for a liquid (specific liquid A) containing granular material including an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer and oil. On the other hand, 1 part by mass of calcium chloride (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd., food additive grade) as a salt containing a cation was dissolved in 99 parts by mass of tap water to prepare a liquid containing a cation (specific liquid B).

[0191] A production apparatus similar to the fat chunk composition production apparatus used in Example 3 was prepared, except that it was not equipped with a supply unit for the cation-containing liquid (specific liquid B).

[0192] First, the specific liquid A was supplied from the supply unit 101 to the surface of the shaping roller 103 at a supply speed of 83.3 mm / sec (when passing through the nozzle cross section). The rotation speed of the shaping roller 103 (roll surface) was set to 178.0 mm / sec. The ratio of the rotation speed of the shaping roller to the supply speed of specific liquid A to the shaping roller 103 (rotation speed of the shaping roller / supply speed of specific liquid A) was 2.14 (simply referred to as the speed ratio in Table 1). The supplied specific liquid A was pressurized (shaped) by the shaping part 107 of the shaping roller 103 and the support roller 104 . The pressurized specific liquid was placed in a stainless steel tray filled with specific liquid B and left to stand in a refrigerator with an internal temperature of 5°C for 2 hours to crosslink (gel) the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer and obtain a fat block composition. The fat block composition was washed with tap water, and then the water on the surface was wiped off with a Kimtowel. The fat chunk composition was washed with tap water, frozen in a freezer at -20°C for half a day, and then cut into pieces.

[0193] Example 13 The fat chunk composition produced in Example 3 and the fat chunk composition produced in Comparison Example 1 were mixed so that the content of the fat chunk composition produced in Example 3 was 30% by mass and the content of the fat chunk composition produced in Comparison Example 1 was 70% by mass, thereby producing a fat chunk mixture.

[0194] Example 14 The fat chunk composition produced in Example 3 and the fat chunk composition produced in Comparison Example 1 were mixed so that the content of the fat chunk composition produced in Example 3 was 60% by mass and the content of the fat chunk composition produced in Comparison Example 1 was 40% by mass, thereby producing a fat chunk mixture.

[0195] Example 15 The fat chunk composition produced in Example 3 and the fat chunk composition produced in Comparison Example 1 were mixed so that the content of the fat chunk composition produced in Example 3 was 90% by mass and the content of the fat chunk composition produced in Comparison Example 1 was 10% by mass, thereby producing a fat chunk mixture.

[0196] <<Appearance evaluation of meat substitutes>> (Production of lean meat-like raw materials) Defatted soy flour (Showa Fresh RF, manufactured by Showa Sangyo Co., Ltd.) as a protein and wheat gluten (PRO-Glu 65, manufactured by Torigoe Flour Milling Co., Ltd.) as a protein were mixed in a ratio of 7:3 (= defatted soy flour: wheat gluten [mass ratio]) to obtain mixed powder 1. A 350 mm long cooling die (die width: 50 mm, lip clearance: 3 mm) was attached to the discharge section of a twin-screw extruder with a screw length of 1100 mm and a maximum screw tip temperature of 155°C, and the outlet temperature of the cooling die was stabilized at 105°C. Mixed powder 1 was introduced into the extruder at a rate of 250 g / min, and while adding water in an amount of 50% by mass of the mass of mixed powder 1 to the extruder, the mixture was discharged from the extruder to obtain Raw Material 1, a lean meat-like portion having muscle-like tissue in the extrusion direction (fibrous).

[0197] (Creating lean meat-like portions) The lean meat-like portion of ingredient 1 was boiled in 3 L (liter) of boiling water for 10 minutes and then drained. The lean meat-like portion of Raw Material 1 was cut into 30 mm lengths and torn along the fiber direction to a width of approximately 5 mm. The cut pieces were immersed in an aqueous solution containing Sanbeet Concentrate (beet juice concentrate manufactured by San-Ei Gen FSI) as a colorant (concentration: 3% by mass of colorant relative to the total aqueous solution) to color them red, then removed and drained. Salt, pepper, and Haimee (a seasoning manufactured by Ajinomoto Co.) were added as seasonings and rubbed in to obtain strip-shaped fibrous soy protein 1. Then, 300 g of strip-shaped fibrous soy protein 1 was mixed with 15 g of GENUTINE 310-C (carrageenan manufactured by Sansho Co., Ltd.) and 15 g of kombu acid 429S (sodium alginate containing a hardener manufactured by Kimika Co., Ltd.) as binders, and 60 g of water, and the mixture was mixed evenly to obtain a lean meat-like portion precursor A. Thereafter, 30 g of the fat chunk composition produced in Example 1 was added to the lean meat-like portion precursor A and mixed uniformly to obtain a steak substitute meat precursor A (first mixture). Thereafter, using a hand-made noodle finishing machine (manufactured by Fukui Kogyosho, hand-made finishing machine), the steak substitute meat precursor A was stretched to at least six times its original length. The stretched steak substitute meat precursor A (post-molding mixture) was placed in a laminated bag (manufactured by Asahi Kasei, Ziploc) and left to stand at 75°C for 5 minutes to set. The steak substitute meat precursor A was cut perpendicular to the stretching direction to a thickness of 25 mm, to obtain steak substitute meat.

[0198] The fat chunk compositions or fat chunk mixtures produced in the other Examples and Comparative Examples were used to obtain steak substitute meat in the same manner as described above.

[0199] The content of the fat chunk composition or fat chunk mixture relative to the total mass of the steak substitute meat was 15 mass %.

[0200] A front image (Image A: an image showing the fat chunk composition extending in the longitudinal direction) and a cross-sectional image (Image B: an image showing a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fat chunk composition) of each steak substitute meat were obtained, and five panelists evaluated whether the steak substitute meat had an appearance similar to marbled meat, and the number of people was tallied. Evaluation was carried out according to the following evaluation criteria, and the results are summarized in Table 2. Image A is an image taken from a direction perpendicular to the stretching direction of the steak substitute meat precursor, and image B is an image of a cut surface of the steak substitute meat precursor.

[0201] Image A of the steak substitute meat produced using the fat block composition of Example 1 is shown in FIG. 4, and image B is shown in FIG. Image A of the steak substitute meat produced using the fat block composition of Example 2 is shown in FIG. 6, and image B is shown in FIG. Image A of the steak substitute meat produced using the fat block composition of Comparative Example 1 is shown in FIG. 8, and image B is shown in FIG. Image A of the steak substitute meat produced using the fat block composition of Comparative Example 2 is shown in FIG. 10, and image B is shown in FIG. Image A of the steak substitute meat produced using the fat chunk mixture of Example 13 is shown in FIG. 12, and image B is shown in FIG. Image A of the steak substitute meat produced using the fat chunk mixture of Example 14 is shown in FIG. 14, and image B is shown in FIG. Image A of the steak substitute meat produced using the fat chunk mixture of Example 15 is shown in FIG. 16, and image B is shown in FIG.

[0202] (Evaluation criteria) A: Five panelists answered that it had an appearance similar to marbled meat. B: Four panelists answered that it had an appearance similar to marbled meat. C: Three panelists answered that it had an appearance similar to marbled meat. D: Two panelists answered that it had an appearance similar to marbled meat. E: One or zero panelists answered that the appearance was similar to marbled meat.

[0203] [Table 1]

[0204] [Table 2]

[0205] The above results show that the meat substitutes produced using the fat chunk compositions or fat chunk mixtures of the Examples have an appearance similar to that of chunk meat.

[0206] (Explanation of symbols) 10: Fat mass composition 100: Fat mass composition manufacturing apparatus 101: Supply unit for specific liquid A 102: Specific liquid B supply unit 103: Shaping roller 104: Support roller 105: Bathtub 106: Convex 107: Forming section 108:Singulation section 109: Fat mass composition 110: Cleaning section 200: Fat mass composition manufacturing apparatus 201: Supply unit for specific liquid A 202: Shaping roller 203: Support roller 204: Tank filled with specific liquid B 205: Fat mass composition 206: Convex 207: Forming section 208:Singulation section A: Specific liquid A B: Specific liquid B, X: Longitudinal direction a: In a cross section (AA cross section) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fat block composition 10, the length of the longest line among the lines perpendicular to the line with the longest length between two points; b: The length of the line between two points that is the longest in a cross section (cross section along line AA) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fat block composition 10 c: longitudinal length of fat mass composition d: In a cross section (AA cross section) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fat block composition 10, the length of the line that is perpendicular to the line with the longest length between two points and has a length ratio of 0.10 or more to the line with the longest length between the two points, is the shortest

[0207] The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-105051, filed on June 29, 2022, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In addition, all documents, patent applications, and technical standards described herein are incorporated herein by reference to the same extent as if each individual document, patent application, and technical standard was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

Claims

1. A process of contacting a liquid containing granules including an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer and fats and oils with a liquid containing cations to produce a fat chunk composition precursor; A step of shaping the fat mass composition precursor; and The shaping of the fat chunk composition precursor is carried out by pressing the fat chunk composition precursor with a shaping member and a supporting member, The shaping member is a shaping roller arranged to face the support member, The shaping roller has a shaping portion including a convex portion, and The minimum distance between the protrusion and the support member is 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm. A method for producing a fat mass composition.

2. A method for producing a fat lump composition as described in claim 1, wherein the time from contact of a liquid containing a granular material comprising the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer and fats with a liquid containing the cation to the start of shaping of the fat lump composition precursor is within 1 minute.

3. A method for producing a fat lump composition as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein contact between a liquid containing granules comprising the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer and fats and a liquid containing cations is carried out by supplying a liquid containing granules comprising the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer and fats to the shaping roller or support member on whose surface the liquid containing cations is present, and then supplying a liquid containing cations.

4. A method for producing a fat lump composition as described in claim 3, wherein the ratio of the rotation speed or movement speed of the shaping roller or the support member to the supply speed of a liquid containing granular material comprising the edible ionically crosslinkable polymer and fat to the shaping roller or the support member is 1.00 or more.

5. The shaping portion includes two or more of the convex portions, The protrusion extends in one direction, and A method for producing a fat chunk composition according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the distance between adjacent convex portions is 10.0 mm or less.

6. A method for producing a fat lump composition as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the shaping roller is equipped with a singulation section.

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