Egg substitute

Abstract

To provide alternative food to fried egg food which is excellent in flavor and texture and an egg alternative from which the alternative food can be produced.SOLUTION: It has been found that fried egg food excellent in flavor and texture can be produced by using a product obtained by blending water, a protein material, an oil and fat, and a particular gelling agent as an egg alternative.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to egg substitutes. [Background technology]

[0002] Due to their excellent functionality and nutritional value, eggs are widely used in a variety of foods, including seasonings, side dishes, and confectioneries. However, in recent years, consumers have become more health-conscious, and as a result, they tend to avoid consuming eggs, which have a high cholesterol content. Against this background, various studies have been conducted on egg substitutes.

[0003] For example, there is a technology relating to an egg replacer composition containing 25% to 80% (w / w) protein, 5% to 50% (w / w) Fabaceae powder, and 5% to 60% (w / w) polysaccharides (Patent Document 1), and a technology relating to a liquid egg replacer composition containing almond extract protein and curdlan, with the almond extract protein content being 1% by mass or more and 15% by mass or less (Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2021-524738 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6963707 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When used as an egg substitute in the prior art, the texture and other aspects of the processed egg food are insufficient, and there is room for improvement. The present invention aims to provide a substitute food for baked egg food, which has excellent flavor and texture, and to provide an egg substitute from which the substitute food can be produced. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a result of extensive research into solving the above problems, the inventors discovered that when a mixture of water, a protein material, fats and oils, and a specific gelling agent is used as an egg substitute, it is possible to produce a fried egg-like food product with excellent flavor and texture, and thus completed the present invention.

[0007] That is, the present invention provides: (1) An egg substitute comprising water, a protein material, an oil or fat, and the following gelling agents (A) and (B), wherein, when the total amount of the protein material, the oil or fat, the gelling agent, and the water in the egg substitute is taken as 100% by mass, the protein material is 0.01 to 10% by mass, the oil or fat is 5 to 30% by mass, and the total amount of the gelling agents (A) and (B) is 1 to 10% by mass; (A) Curdlan, (B) one or more selected from methylcellulose, gellan gum, and konjac flour; (2) The egg replacer according to (1), further comprising dietary fiber, wherein, when the total amount of water, protein material, fats and oils, gelling agent, and dietary fiber in the egg replacer is taken as 100% by mass, the protein material is 0.01 to 5% by mass, the fats and oils are 5 to 30% by mass, the total amount of the gelling agents (A) and (B) is 1 to 10% by mass, and the dietary fiber is 0.1 to 10% by mass. (3) The egg substitute according to (1) or (2), wherein the protein material is a vegetable protein material. (4) An egg-based food product in which the egg substitute according to (1) or (2) is baked. (5) An egg-based food product in which the egg substitute according to (3) is baked. (6) A dried egg substitute according to (1) or (2). (7) A dried egg substitute according to (3). is. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] By using the egg substitute of the present invention, it is possible to obtain a fried egg-like food product having excellent flavor and texture. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] (egg substitute) The egg substitute of the present invention comprises water, a protein material, an oil or fat, and the following gelling agents (A) and (B), and is characterized in that, when the total amount of the protein material, oil or fat, gelling agents (A) and (B), and water in the egg substitute is taken as 100% by mass, the protein material is 0.01 to 10% by mass, the oil or fat is 5 to 30% by mass, and the total amount of the gelling agents (A) and (B) is 1 to 10% by mass. (A) Curdlan. (B) One or more selected from methylcellulose, gellan gum, and konjac flour. The egg substitute of the present invention may be further subjected to a heat treatment or a drying treatment.

[0010] (Oils and fats) Examples of fats and oils that can be used in the present invention include vegetable fats and oils such as soybean oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, high oleic sunflower oil, rice oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, olive oil, kapok oil, moringa oil, and sesame oil, as well as MCT, fractionated oils thereof, interesterified oils, and hardened oils thereof. These fats and oils can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Flavored oils and fats obtained by flavoring these vegetable oils and fats can also be used. Here, flavored oils and fats include oils and fats flavored by adding extracts, flavorings, spices, vegetables, seasonings, dairy ingredients, and other plant-derived ingredients such as rice bran, or by adding these ingredients and then treating them with heating or the like. They also include those in which flavors have been extracted using vegetable oils and fats from seasoning liquids containing amino acids, sugars, and lipids. Preferably, flavors have been extracted using vegetable oils and fats from seasoning liquids containing at least yeast extract, i.e., flavored oils and fats contain at least yeast extract. In other words, they include "flavored oils and fats" in which a flavor has been separately imparted to a vegetable oil and fat base. The flavored oils and fats may be used alone or in combination with the above-mentioned vegetable oils and fats. The fat and oil content in the egg replacer is 5 to 30% by mass, preferably 6 to 28% by mass, more preferably 7 to 25% by mass, and even more preferably 8 to 23% by mass, 8 to 20% by mass, 8 to 18% by mass, or 8 to 16% by mass, when the total amount of the protein material, fat and oil, gelling agents (A) and (B), and water is taken as 100% by mass.

[0011] (gelling agent) The gelling agent of the present invention includes the following (A) and (B): (A) curdlan, and (B) one or more selected from methylcellulose, gellan gum, and konjac flour. The curdlan of the present invention is a heat-coagulable polysaccharide mainly composed of β-1,3-glucosidic bonds. Examples of this polysaccharide include those produced by microorganisms of the genus Alcaligenes or Agrobacterium. The curdlan of the present invention also includes curdlan preparations. Examples of commercially available curdlan include Curdlan NS and Curdlan Preparation CD-ES, both of which are available from Mitsubishi Corporation Life Sciences Co., Ltd. Curdlan can be used alone or in combination of two or more types. The methylcellulose of the present invention is one in which the hydroxyl groups in the cellulose skeleton are substituted with methoxyl groups found in pectin, etc. Commercially available methylcelluloses include, for example, the Metrose (registered trademark) series from Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd., such as Metrose MCE-15, Metrose MCE-25, Metrose MCE-100, Metrose MCE-400, Metrose MCE-1500, and Metrose MCE-4000. Methylcelluloses can be used singly or in combination of two or more. The gellan gum of the present invention is a fermented polysaccharide produced by Sphingomonas elodea, and includes native gellan gum and deacylated gellan gum. Examples of native gellan gum include "Kelcogel (registered trademark) LT-100" and "Kelcogel (registered trademark) HM" manufactured by DSP Gokyo Food & Chemical Co., Ltd. Examples of deacylated gellan gum include "Kelcogel (registered trademark)" manufactured by DSP Gokyo Food & Chemical Co., Ltd. The konjac flour of the present invention may be either one that gels under alkaline conditions or one that gels under neutral conditions, but it is preferable to use one that gels under neutral conditions. An example of one that gels under neutral conditions is "Ultramannan" manufactured by Ina Food Industry Co., Ltd. Furthermore, other gelling agents, such as gelatin, agar, carrageenan, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, guar gum, alginic acid, psyllium seed gum, tamarind gum, LM-pectin, HM pectin, and tamarind seed polysaccharides, may be added within the range that does not affect the effects of the present invention. The content of the gelling agents (A) and (B) in the egg replacer is 1 to 10% by mass, preferably 2 to 9% by mass, more preferably 2.5 to 9.5% by mass, and even more preferably 2.5 to 9% by mass, when the total amount of water, protein material, oils and fats, and gelling agents (A) and (B) is taken as 100% by mass.

[0012] (Protein material) The protein material of the present invention can be a vegetable protein material or an animal protein material, and the vegetable protein material and the animal protein material can be used in combination. The vegetable protein material is preferred. The concept of the protein material of the present invention is a food material that is primarily composed of vegetable or animal protein and is used as an ingredient in various processed foods and beverages. Examples of sources of the vegetable protein material include beans such as soybeans, peas, mung beans, lupin beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, lentil beans, and cowpeas; seeds such as sesame seeds, canola seeds, coconut seeds, and almond seeds; grains such as corn, buckwheat, wheat, and rice; vegetables; and fruits. In a more specific embodiment, the vegetable protein material is prepared from bean protein. In an even more specific embodiment, the vegetable protein material is prepared from soybean protein, pea protein, mung bean protein, or broad bean protein. In an even more specific embodiment, the vegetable protein material is prepared from soybean protein or pea protein. As an example, soybean-derived protein materials are prepared by further concentrating and processing proteins from soybean raw materials such as defatted soybeans and whole soybeans, and generally conceptually include isolated soybean protein, concentrated soybean protein, powdered soy milk, and various processed versions of these. Examples of animal protein materials include milk proteins such as casein, sodium caseinate, whey protein, and egg white. In some embodiments, the animal protein material may be free of egg white, and in other embodiments, the animal protein material may be free of animal protein. The content of the protein material in the egg replacer is 0.01 to 10% by mass, preferably 0.05 to 5% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 3.5% by mass, and even more preferably 0.1 to 3% by mass, 0.2 to 2.5% by mass, 0.2 to 2% by mass, or 0.2 to 1.5% by mass, when the total amount of water, protein material, oil / fat, and gelling agents (A) and (B) is taken as 100% by mass.

[0013] (Plant protein material A) In the present invention, one embodiment of the vegetable protein material that can be used is vegetable protein material A that has properties that satisfy the following a) to c).

[0014] a) Protein purity The plant-based protein material A has a protein content of 70% by mass or more, for example, 80% by mass or more, 85% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more in the solid content. As the raw material of the plant-based protein material included in the above range, a separated protein is preferable, and examples thereof include separated soy protein and separated pea protein.

[0015] <Measurement of Protein Purity> The protein purity is measured by the Kjeldahl method. Specifically, with respect to the mass of the protein material dried at 105°C for 12 hours, the mass of nitrogen measured by the Kjeldahl method is expressed as "mass%" as the protein content in the dried product. The nitrogen conversion factor is 6.25. Basically, it is obtained by rounding off the numerical value of the second digit after the decimal point.

[0016] b) NSI of Protein The plant-based protein material A has an NSI (Nitrogen Solubility Index), which is used as an index of protein solubility, of 80 or more. More preferably, those with an NSI of 85 or more, 90 or more, 95 or more, or 97 or more can be used. For example, as the plant-based protein material with a high NSI, it is preferable to use one that has not been subjected to a treatment that insolubilizes the protein, such as an enzymatic decomposition treatment or a mineral addition treatment, or one that has been subjected to such a treatment only slightly. Note that NSI is expressed as the ratio (mass%) of water-soluble nitrogen in the total nitrogen amount based on the method described later, and in the present invention, it is a value measured according to the method described later.

[0017] <Measurement Method of NSI> Add 60 ml of water to 3 g of sample, stir with a propeller at 37°C for 1 hour, then centrifuge at 1,400 x g for 10 minutes and collect the supernatant (I). Next, add 100 ml of water to the remaining precipitate, stir with a propeller again at 37°C for 1 hour, then centrifuge and collect the supernatant (II). Combine solutions (I) and (II) and add water to the mixture to make 250 ml. Filter this through filter paper (No. 5), and measure the nitrogen content (water-soluble nitrogen) of the filtrate using the Kjeldahl method. Simultaneously, measure the total nitrogen content in the sample using the Kjeldahl method. The ratio of water-soluble nitrogen to the total nitrogen, expressed as a mass percent, is taken as the NSI. Essentially, the value is calculated by rounding off the second decimal place.

[0018] c) Molecular weight distribution When the molecular weight distribution of the plant protein material A is measured by gel filtration chromatography, the area ratio of molecular weights of 2,000 or more but less than 20,000 is 30% or more and the area ratio of molecular weights of 20,000 or more is 70% or less. In a specific embodiment, the area ratio of molecular weights of 2,000 or more but less than 20,000 is 35% or more and the area ratio of molecular weights of 20,000 or more is 65% or less. In a specific embodiment, when the molecular weight distribution of the plant protein material A is measured by gel filtration chromatography, the area ratio of molecular weights of 2,000 or more and less than 10,000 is 10 to 40%, preferably 15 to 35%, and more preferably 20 to 30%, and the area ratio of molecular weights of 10,000 or more is 50 to 80%, preferably 55 to 75%, and more preferably 60 to 75%. In another specific embodiment, when the molecular weight distribution of the plant protein material A is measured by gel filtration chromatography, the area ratio of molecular weights of 2,000 or more but less than 20,000 is 45 to 90%, preferably 47 to 85%, and more preferably 50 to 75%.

[0019] <Molecular weight distribution> The protein material was adjusted to a concentration of 0.1% by mass in the eluent and filtered through a 0.2 μm filter to prepare the sample solution. A gel filtration system was constructed by connecting two columns in series. First, known proteins, such as molecular weight markers described in paragraph 0020, were loaded, and a calibration curve was created based on the relationship between molecular weight and retention time. Next, the sample solution was loaded, and the percentage content of each molecular weight fraction was calculated by the ratio of the area of a specific molecular weight range (time range) to the total area of the absorbance chart (1st column: "TSK gel G3000SWXL" (SIGMA-ALDRICH), 2nd column: "TSK gel G2000SWXL" (SIGMA-ALDRICH), eluent: 1% SDS + 1.17% NaCl + 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0), 23°C, flow rate: 0.4 ml / min, detection: UV 220 nm). Generally, values are calculated by rounding to two decimal places.

[0020] TIFF0007726312000001.tif153164

[0021] <Molecular weight distribution adjustment treatment or decomposition / modification / molecular weight distribution adjustment treatment> The vegetable protein material used in the oil / fat emulsion composition of this embodiment can be obtained by combining protein degradation and / or denaturation with adjustment of molecular weight distribution. Examples of treatments for protein degradation and / or denaturation include enzyme treatment, pH adjustment treatment (e.g., acid treatment, alkali treatment), denaturant treatment, heat treatment, cooling treatment, high-pressure treatment, organic solvent treatment, mineral addition treatment, supercritical treatment, ultrasonic treatment, electrolysis treatment, and combinations thereof. Examples of treatments for adjusting molecular weight distribution include filtration, gel filtration chromatography, centrifugation, electrophoresis, dialysis, and combinations thereof. The order and number of times of the protein degradation and / or denaturation treatment and the molecular weight distribution adjustment treatment are not particularly limited. The protein degradation and / or denaturation treatment may be performed before the molecular weight distribution adjustment treatment, the molecular weight distribution adjustment treatment may be performed before the protein degradation and / or denaturation treatment, or both treatments may be performed simultaneously. Furthermore, it is also possible to perform a protein degradation and / or denaturation treatment between two or more molecular weight distribution adjustment treatments, a molecular weight distribution adjustment treatment between two or more protein degradation and / or denaturation treatments, or multiple treatments of each type in any order. If the desired molecular weight distribution can be obtained by a protein degradation and / or denaturation treatment, the treatment for adjusting the molecular weight distribution may not be necessary. When these treatments are combined and performed multiple times, all treatments from the raw material may be performed consecutively or at intervals. For example, a commercially available product that has undergone a certain treatment may be used as the raw material for another treatment. For convenience, in this specification, a treatment for degradation and / or denaturation of protein is referred to as a "degradation / denaturation treatment," and a treatment that involves molecular weight distribution adjustment is referred to as a "degradation / denaturation and molecular weight distribution adjustment treatment." As long as the above characteristics are met, a specific plant protein material may be produced by mixing a plant protein material that has undergone a degradation / denaturation treatment or a degradation / denaturation and molecular weight distribution adjustment treatment with a protein that has not undergone a degradation / denaturation treatment or a degradation / denaturation and molecular weight distribution adjustment treatment. In this case, the ratio of the two (processed protein material: unprocessed protein) can be adjusted as appropriate within a range that satisfies the above-mentioned properties, and examples of the mass ratio include 1:99 to 99:1, 50:50 to 95:5, 75:25 to 90:10, etc.In one embodiment, the plant protein material comprises a plant protein material that has been subjected to a molecular weight distribution adjustment process or a decomposition / denaturation / molecular weight distribution adjustment process.

[0022] Those skilled in the art can appropriately determine the conditions for the treatment of decomposing and / or denaturing proteins, such as the type and concentration of enzymes, acids, alkalis, organic solvents, minerals, etc., as well as temperature, pressure, output intensity, current, and time. In the case of enzymes, examples of enzymes that can be used include proteases classified as "metalloproteases," "acid proteases," "thiol proteases," and "serine proteases." The reaction can be carried out at a reaction temperature of 20 to 80°C, preferably 40 to 60°C. In the case of pH adjustment treatment, treatment can be carried out within a pH range with any of the following upper and lower limits: pH 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, and 12. In the case of acid treatment, a method of adding an acid or a method of performing a fermentation treatment such as lactic acid fermentation may be used. Examples of acids to be added include inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid and phosphoric acid, and organic acids such as acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, phytic acid, sorbic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, and ascorbic acid. Acids may also be added using acid-containing foods and beverages such as lemon juice, concentrated fruit juice, fermented milk, yogurt, and brewed vinegar. For alkali treatment, alkalis such as sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide may be added. For denaturant treatment, denaturants such as guanidine hydrochloride, urea, arginine, and PEG may be added. For heating or cooling treatment, examples of heating temperatures include a range of 60°C, 70°C, 80°C, 90°C, 100°C, 110°C, 120°C, 125°C, 130°C, 135°C, 140°C, 145°C, and 150°C, for example, 60°C to 150°C. Examples of cooling temperatures include a range with any of the following temperatures as upper and lower limits: −10° C., −15° C., −20° C., −25° C., −30° C., −35° C., −40° C., −45° C., −50° C., −55° C., −60° C., −65° C., −70° C., and −75° C. Examples of heating or cooling times include a range with any of the following times as upper and lower limits: 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 40 minutes, 50 minutes, 60 minutes, 70 minutes, 80 minutes, 90 minutes, 100 minutes, 120 minutes, 150 minutes, 180 minutes, and 200 minutes, for example, 5 seconds to 200 minutes.In the case of high-pressure treatment, the pressure conditions are within a range of 100 MPa, 200 MPa, 300 MPa, 400 MPa, 500 MPa, 600 MPa, 700 MPa, 800 MPa, 900 MPa, or 1,000 MPa, for example, 100 MPa to 1,000 MPa. In the case of organic solvent treatment, examples of solvents used include alcohols and ketones, such as ethanol and acetone. In the case of mineral addition treatment, examples of minerals used include divalent metal ions such as calcium and magnesium. In the case of supercritical treatment, for example, treatment can be performed using carbon dioxide in a supercritical state at a temperature of about 30°C or higher and a pressure of about 7 MPa or higher. In the case of ultrasonic treatment, for example, treatment can be performed by irradiating with a frequency of 100 kHz to 2 MHz at an output of 100 to 1,000 W. In the case of electrolysis treatment, for example, treatment can be performed by applying a voltage of 100 mV to 1,000 mV to an aqueous protein solution. In a specific embodiment, the treatment that degrades and / or denatures proteins is selected from denaturant treatment, heat treatment, and combinations thereof.

[0023] The conditions for the treatment to adjust the molecular weight distribution of proteins, such as the type of filter material, the carrier for gel filtration chromatography, the centrifugation rotation speed, the current, and the time, can be appropriately determined by those skilled in the art. Examples of filter materials include filter paper, filter cloth, diatomaceous earth, ceramic, glass, and membranes. Examples of carriers for gel filtration chromatography include polyacrylamide and agarose. Examples of centrifugation conditions include 1,000 to 3,000 × g and 5 to 20 minutes.

[0024] (Dietary fiber) The egg substitute of the present invention may further contain dietary fiber. Examples of dietary fibers of the present invention include bean refuse (okara) from soybeans and other legumes, chitosan, cellulose, crystalline cellulose, hemicellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, lignin, wheat bran, wheat germ, oat fiber, corn fiber, oatmeal, cornmeal, sesame seed powder, yeast cell walls, etc. Oat fiber and sesame seed powder are preferred. The dietary fiber content in the egg replacer is 0.1 to 10% by mass, preferably 0.3 to 8% by mass, more preferably 0.5 to 6% by mass, and even more preferably 0.5 to 5% by mass, 0.5 to 4% by mass, 0.5 to 3% by mass, or 0.5 to 2% by mass, when the total amount of water, protein material, oils and fats, gelling agents (A) and (B) and the total amount of dietary fiber is taken as 100% by mass. When dietary fiber is blended, the content of the protein material in the egg replacer is 0.01 to 5 mass% of the protein material, 5 to 30 mass% of the oil, and 1 to 10 mass% of the gelling agents (A) and (B), where the total amount of water, protein material, oil and fat, gelling agents (A) and (B) and the total amount of dietary fiber is 100 mass%.

[0025] (Other ingredients) The egg substitute of the present invention can contain various ingredients as needed. Examples include sugars, sugar alcohols, starch, water-soluble polysaccharides such as water-soluble soybean polysaccharides and water-soluble pea polysaccharides, thickening polysaccharides, dextrin, emulsifiers, salts, flavorings, sweeteners, coloring agents, preservatives, pH adjusters, stabilizers, seasonings, and spices.

[0026] (Method of manufacturing egg substitute) The egg substitute of the present invention is characterized by having the following steps (1) and (2): (1) A step of mixing and emulsifying water, a protein material, and fats and oils to prepare an oil-in-water emulsion having an oil and fat content of 40% by mass or more. (2) A step of adding the gelling agents shown in (A) and (B) below to the oil-in-water emulsion obtained in step (A) and mixing them to prepare a dough. (A) Curdlan. (B) One or more selected from methylcellulose, gellan gum, and konjac flour.

[0027] First, the step (1) of preparing the oil-in-water emulsion will be described. Water, protein material, oils and fats, and optionally other raw materials such as carbohydrates, emulsifiers, minerals, etc. are mixed, and the solution is homogenized using a high-pressure homogenizer or the like to obtain an oil-in-water emulsion. The fat content in the oil-in-water emulsion is 40% by mass or more, preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, and even more preferably 70% by mass or more, 75% by mass or more, or even 80% by mass or more. The upper limit of the fat content is not particularly limited, but examples include 99% by mass or less, 95% by mass or less, and 90% by mass or less.

[0028] ○Mixing / homogenization The aqueous phase can be prepared by preparing an aqueous solution of the protein material. Other ingredients may or may not be added to the aqueous solution as needed. The concentration of the protein material in the aqueous solution is not particularly limited, and examples include 1 to 40% by mass, 2 to 35% by mass, 3 to 30% by mass, 4 to 28% by mass, 5 to 25% by mass, and 6 to 22% by mass. The pH of the aqueous phase is not particularly limited, and may be unadjusted or adjusted by adding an acid or alkali. Examples of pH values for the aqueous phase include 3 to 10, 4 to 6.5, and 7 to 9. The temperature at which the aqueous phase is prepared is not particularly limited, and may be room temperature, for example. In a more specific embodiment, when a hydrophilic emulsifier or carbohydrate whose solubility improves upon heating is included, the aqueous phase can be prepared by dissolving or dispersing the substance at a temperature ranging from 20 to 70°C, preferably from 55 to 65°C. The ingredients to be added to the aqueous phase can be appropriately determined by those skilled in the art. For example, when salts or water-soluble flavorings are added, they are added to the aqueous phase.

[0029] The oil phase may be prepared using only oils and fats, or may be prepared by mixing an oil-soluble material with the oil and fats and dissolving or dispersing it at a temperature of, for example, 50 to 80°C, preferably 55 to 70°C. Furthermore, a protein material may be dispersed in the oil phase. The raw materials to be added to the oil phase can be appropriately determined by those skilled in the art. For example, when a lipophilic emulsifier or a lipophilic flavoring is used, it may be added to part or all of the raw oil or fat.

[0030] The obtained oil phase and aqueous phase are heated, for example, to 40 to 80°C, preferably 55 to 70°C, and mixed to perform pre-emulsification. Pre-emulsification can be performed using a rotary mixer such as a homomixer. After pre-emulsification, the mixture is homogenized in a homogenizer. Alternatively, all ingredients may be mixed without pre-emulsification and homogenized in a homogenizer. In a more specific embodiment, pre-emulsification and / or homogenization may be performed multiple times. In an even more specific embodiment, all or a portion of the aqueous phase and a portion of the oil phase may be mixed and pre-emulsified, and the remaining ingredients may be added and homogenized; or a portion of the aqueous phase and all or a portion of the oil phase may be mixed and pre-emulsified, and the remaining ingredients may be added and homogenized; or these steps may be repeated. Examples of homogenization devices include homomixers, homogenizers, colloid mills, ultrasonic emulsifiers, agitator-mixers with both agitator and homomixer functions, cutter blade mixers such as silent cutters and Stephan cookers, and rotor-stator in-line mixers such as extruders and emulsifiers. For example, when homogenizing with a homogenizer, the pressure can be 10 to 100 MPa, preferably 30 to 100 MPa.

[0031] Next, the step of preparing the dough (2) above will be described. The oil-in-water emulsion obtained in step (1) is mixed with a gelling agent, which may be one or more gelling agents selected from (A) curdlan, (B) methylcellulose, gellan gum, and konjac flour. An aqueous solution of each gelling agent is prepared, and the aqueous solution is mixed with an oil-in-water emulsion to prepare a dough, thereby obtaining the egg replacer of the present invention. The aqueous solution of the gelling agent (A) and the aqueous solution of the gelling agent (B) may be added separately to the oil-in-water emulsion, or the aqueous solutions of the gelling agents may be mixed in advance and then added to the oil-in-water emulsion. The concentration of the aqueous solution of the gelling agent is not particularly limited, and an appropriate concentration can be selected taking into consideration the viscosity of the aqueous solution and the like. The mixing equipment is not limited, but examples thereof include a food processor, a juice mixer, a cutter blade mixer such as a silent cutter or a Stephan cooker, an extruder, a kneader, and the like.

[0032] (Egg products and egg-like foods) In the present invention, the term "fried egg products" refers to solidified foods obtained by frying eggs in a frying pan or the like, such as scrambled eggs, fried eggs, omelet wrappers, omelet rice wrappers, thin omelets, omelets, rolled omelets, and rolled omelets. Furthermore, fried egg-like foods are foods that have an appearance and texture that mimic the above-mentioned "fried egg products" and are obtained by replacing part or all of the eggs with other ingredients. Fried eggs can be eaten as is, but can also be used as an ingredient in fried rice.

[0033] The method for producing the fried egg-like food of the present invention will now be described. The egg substitute of the present invention is baked to produce a fried egg-like food. Baking methods include, for example, direct flame heating, steam heating, frying heating, hot air heating, infrared heating, and microwave heating. For example, when producing the food by frying pan heating, a frying pan or the like is heated, oil is added if necessary, and then the batter is poured in and heated. Once the batter begins to solidify, it can be shaped by stirring or rolling depending on the form of the fried egg-like food to obtain the fried egg-like food. The food can then be stored by refrigeration or freezing depending on the distribution form.

[0034] (Dried egg substitute or egg-like food) The egg substitute or fried egg-like food of the present invention can be dried to produce a dried product. Known drying methods can be used, such as heat drying, ventilation drying, freeze drying, and vacuum heat drying (with or without microwaves). In one embodiment, the moisture content of the dried egg substitute or fried egg-like food of the present invention is less than 10% by mass, for example, less than 5% by mass, 1 to 9% by mass, 2 to 8% by mass, 3 to 7% by mass, or 1 to 4% by mass. If necessary, general food processing such as molding or pulverization may be performed. The dried egg substitute or the dried egg-like food obtained by this method can be reconstituted in hot water, and after reconstitution, it exhibits a good texture and flavor. [Example]

[0035] The present invention will be described below by way of examples, in which parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise specified.

[0036] (Preparation of protein materials) The following vegetable protein materials were obtained and prepared. The protein content of each of these vegetable protein materials was 80% by mass or more. Vegetable protein material A-1: Decomposition / denaturation of isolated soy protein and molecular weight distribution adjustment treatment (Fuji Oil Co., Ltd. test production product, raw material isolated soy protein: FujiPro F (Fuji Oil Co., Ltd. commercial product), molecular weight distribution: 2,000 to less than 20,000 64% / 20,000 or more 14%; NSI 98.1) Vegetable protein material A-2: Decomposed / denatured soy protein isolate (Fuji Oil Co., Ltd. test product; raw material soy protein isolate: FujiPro F (Fuji Oil Co., Ltd. commercial product); molecular weight distribution: 2,000 to 20,000: 38% / 20,000 or more: 55%; NSI 98.4) Vegetable protein ingredient A-3: Denatured and molecular weight distribution adjusted pea protein isolate (Fuji Oil Co., Ltd. test product; raw material pea protein isolate: Empro E 86HV (commercially available from Emsland); molecular weight distribution: 2,000 to 20,000 68% / 20,000 Da or more 12%; NSI 100.1) Plant protein material B: Soy protein isolate (FujiPro F, commercially available from Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) Vegetable protein ingredient C: Enzyme-treated isolated soy protein (Fujipro-CLE, commercially available from Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) ○Plant protein ingredient D: Pea protein isolate (Empro E 86HV, commercially available from Emsland)

[0037] (Examples 1 to 4, Comparative Examples 1 to 3) According to the formulation in Table 1, a 20% aqueous solution of vegetable protein material A-1 was used as the aqueous phase, and high oleic sunflower oil (Hi-all 75B, Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) was used as the oil phase. The aqueous phase was added to a cutter blade mixer (Robo Coupe R-3D, FMI Co., Ltd.) and stirred for 10 seconds. After that, the oil phase was gradually added while stirring, and the mixture was stirred for 2 minutes to prepare oil-in-water emulsion 1 with an oil content of 85%. Next, curdlan (Curdlan Preparation CD-ES, manufactured by Mitsubishi Corporation Life Sciences Co., Ltd.), methylcellulose (Metolose MCE-4000, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), gellan gum (Kelcogel HM, manufactured by DSP Gokyo Food & Chemical Co., Ltd., native gellan gum), and konjac flour (Inagel (Ultramannan G5), manufactured by Ina Food Industry Co., Ltd.) were prepared as gelling agents and dissolved in water to obtain a 15% curdlan aqueous solution, a 2% methylcellulose aqueous solution, a 2% gellan gum aqueous solution, and a 4% konjac flour aqueous solution. According to the formulations in Table 2, an aqueous solution of each gelling agent was added to the oil-in-water emulsion and mixed with a cutter blade mixer (Robo Coupe R-3D, manufactured by FMI Co., Ltd.) to prepare a dough, and an egg replacer was obtained.

[0038] (Preparation of scrambled egg-like food) 100 g of each egg substitute was placed in a frying pan and heated on medium heat number 5 using an IH heater (KZPH38, manufactured by Panasonic Corporation) while stirring the egg substitute until the weight reached 80 g, to obtain a scrambled egg-like food product. The resulting scrambled egg-like food was evaluated by eight panelists using a rating system to evaluate the flavor and texture after heating. The evaluation scores were given on the following five-point scale, and the average score was calculated. ○Flavor 5 points: No strange taste or smell at all, very good. 4 points: Almost no strange taste or smell, good. 3 points: There is a slight strange taste and smell, but it is within the acceptable range and is in fairly good condition. 2 points: There is a strong strange taste and smell, and it is poor quality. 1 point: Very strong strange taste and smell, very poor. Appearance and texture 5 points: Crumbly, elastic, and has a very good texture for scrambled eggs. 4 points: Crumbly, slightly elastic, and has a good texture for scrambled eggs. 3 points: Slightly crumbly, slightly elastic, and has a fairly good texture similar to scrambled eggs. 2 points: It was difficult to form crumbs, the elasticity was slightly inferior, and the texture of the scrambled eggs was somewhat poor. 1 point: It is difficult to form crumbs, the elasticity is poor, and the texture of the scrambled eggs is poor. The average values were then evaluated on a five-point scale of A to E. Evaluations of A to C for both flavor and texture were judged to be acceptable. A: 4.5 points or more B: 3.5 points or more and less than 4.5 points C: 3.0 points or more and less than 3.5 points D: 2.0 points or more and less than 3.0 points E: Less than 2.0 points

[0039] (Table 1) Composition % of oil-in-water emulsion 1 TIFF0007726312000002.tif50118

[0040] Table 2: Egg substitute formulation TIFF0007726312000003.tif66146

[0041] (Table 3) Evaluation results TIFF0007726312000004.tif62151

[0042] The evaluation results are shown in Table 3. The scrambled egg-like foods prepared from the egg replacers of Comparative Examples 1 to 3, which used only one type of gelling agent, had poor flavor and texture. On the other hand, the scrambled egg-like foods prepared from the egg replacers of Examples 1 to 4, which used a combination of curdlan and methylcellulose, curdlan and konjac flour, curdlan and gellan gum, curdlan and methylcellulose, or gellan gum, had good flavor and texture. Among these, Example 4, which used a combination of curdlan, methylcellulose, and gellan gum, showed the best results.

[0043] (Examples 5 to 10) Examination of protein types According to the formulations in Table 4, a 10% aqueous solution of each protein material was used as the aqueous phase, and high oleic sunflower oil (Hi-all 75B, Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) was used as the oil phase. The aqueous phase was added to a cutter blade mixer (Robo Coupe R-3D, FMI Co., Ltd.) and stirred for 10 seconds. After that, the oil phase was gradually added while stirring, and the mixture was stirred for 2 minutes to prepare oil-in-water emulsions 2 to 7 with an oil content of 80%. Next, curdlan (Curdlan Preparation CD-ES, manufactured by Mitsubishi Corporation Life Sciences Co., Ltd.), methylcellulose (Metolose MCE-4000, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), and gellan gum (Kelcogel HM, manufactured by DSP Gokyo Food & Chemical Co., Ltd.) were prepared as gelling agents and dissolved in water to obtain a 15% curdlan aqueous solution, a 2% methylcellulose aqueous solution, and a 2% gellan gum aqueous solution. According to the formulations in Table 5, aqueous solutions of each gelling agent and other ingredients were added to the oil-in-water emulsion and mixed in a cutter blade mixer (Robo Coupe R-3D, manufactured by FMI Co., Ltd.) to prepare dough and obtain egg replacers. The dietary fiber used was oat fiber (Vitacel HF200, manufactured by Rettenmeyer Japan Co., Ltd.) and dextrin (TK-16, manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.). Evaluation was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1, and the results are shown in Table 6.

[0044] Table 4: Composition percentage of oil-in-water emulsions 2 to 7 TIFF0007726312000005.tif94161

[0045] Table 5. Egg replacer formulation TIFF0007726312000006.tif131136

[0046] (Table 6) Evaluation results TIFF0007726312000007.tif62130

[0047] The scrambled egg-like foods prepared from the egg substitutes of Examples 5 to 10 had good flavor and texture.

[0048] (Examples 11 to 16) Examination of fat and oil content in oil-in-water emulsions According to the formulation in Table 7, a 20% aqueous solution of protein material A-1 was used as the aqueous phase, and high oleic sunflower oil (Hi-ol 75B, Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) was used as the oil phase. The aqueous phase was added to a cutter blade mixer (Robo Coupe R-3D, FMI Co., Ltd.) and stirred for 10 seconds. After that, the oil phase was gradually added while stirring, and the mixture was stirred for 2 minutes to prepare oil-in-water emulsions with an oil content of 50 to 85% (oil-in-water emulsions 1 and 8 to 12). Next, in the same manner as in Example 5, aqueous solutions of each gelling agent were prepared. According to the formulations in Table 8, aqueous solutions of each gelling agent and other ingredients were added to each oil-in-water emulsion (oil-in-water emulsion 1 and oil-in-water emulsions 8–12) and mixed in a cutter blade mixer (Robo Coupe R-3D, FMI Co., Ltd.) to prepare dough and obtain egg substitutes. The gelling agents used were curdlan (Curdlan Preparation CD-ES, Mitsubishi Corporation Life Sciences), methylcellulose (Metolose MCE-4000, Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), and gellan gum (Kelcogel HM, DSP Gokyo Food & Chemical Co., Ltd.). Oat fiber (Vitacel HF200, Rettenmeyer Japan Co., Ltd.) and dextrin (TK-16, Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.). Evaluation was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1, and the evaluation results are shown in Table 9.

[0049] (Table 7) Composition percentage of oil-in-water emulsions 8 to 12 TIFF0007726312000008.tif37153

[0050] Table 8. Egg replacer formulation TIFF0007726312000009.tif132134

[0051] (Table 9) Evaluation results TIFF0007726312000010.tif59140

[0052] The scrambled egg-like foods prepared from the egg substitutes of Examples 11 to 16, which used oil-in-water emulsions with an oil content of 50 to 85%, had good flavor and texture. In particular, when egg substitutes were prepared using oil-in-water emulsions with an oil content of 80% or more in Examples 11 and 12, the texture was very good.

[0053] (Examples 17 to 24) Study of protein concentration when preparing oil-in-water emulsions According to the formulations in Table 10, a 5-20% aqueous solution of protein material A-1 was used as the aqueous phase, and high-oleic sunflower oil (Hi-ol 75B, Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) was used as the oil phase. The aqueous phase was added to a cutter blade mixer (Robo Coupe R-3D, FMI Co., Ltd.) and stirred for 10 seconds. After stirring, the oil phase was gradually added while stirring and continued for 2 minutes to prepare oil-in-water emulsions 13-17 with an oil content of 80-85%. Oil-in-water emulsions 13-17 were prepared by blending 15% or 20% of a 20% aqueous solution of protein material A-1, respectively, to prepare oil-in-water emulsions 13 (15% blend of 20% aqueous solution) and 8 (20% blend of 20% aqueous solution). Oil-in-water emulsion 2 was prepared by blending 20% of a 10% aqueous solution of protein material A-1. Next, in the same manner as in Example 5, aqueous solutions of each gelling agent were prepared. According to the formulations in Table 11, aqueous solutions of each gelling agent and other ingredients were added to each oil-in-water emulsion (oil-in-water emulsions 1, 2, 8, and 13-17) and mixed in a cutter blade mixer (Robo Coupe R-3D, FMI Co., Ltd.) to prepare dough and obtain egg substitutes. The gelling agents used were curdlan (Curdlan Preparation CD-ES, Mitsubishi Corporation Life Sciences), methylcellulose (Metolose MCE-4000, Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), and gellan gum (Kelcogel HM, DSP Gokyo Food & Chemical Co., Ltd.). Oat fiber (Vitacel HF200, Rettenmeyer Japan Co., Ltd.) and dextrin (TK-16, Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.). Evaluation was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1, and the evaluation results are shown in Table 12.

[0054] Table 10: Composition percentage of oil-in-water emulsions 13 to 17 TIFF0007726312000011.tif59153

[0055] Table 11. Egg replacer formulation TIFF0007726312000012.tif145157

[0056] (Table 12) Evaluation results TIFF0007726312000013.tif60158

[0057] The scrambled egg-like foods prepared from the egg substitutes of Examples 17 to 24 had good flavor and texture. In particular, Examples 17 to 19, which were prepared using an aqueous solution with a protein concentration of 10 to 20% and an oil-in-water emulsion with an 85% fat content, and Example 21, which was prepared using an aqueous solution with a protein concentration of 20% and an oil-in-water emulsion with an 80% fat content, showed very good results.

[0058] (Example 25) Preparation of tamagoyaki-like food 25 g of water was added to 100 g of the egg substitute of Example 17 and mixed well to obtain a dough for tamagoyaki-like foods.

[0059] After 0.1 to 2 g of edible oil was thinly spread over the entire surface of a frying pan for omelet cooking, 40 g of the dough for the omelet-like food was placed in the frying pan and spread over the entire surface with a rubber spatula. The dough was then heated on medium heat number 4 using an induction heater (KZPH38, manufactured by Panasonic Corporation). When the dough turned from a semi-solid to a solid sheet, the sheet was rolled up, and this process was repeated to obtain a omelet-like food. This omelet-like food had a good texture and flavor.

[0060] (Example 26) Preparation of thin omelet-like food 38 g of water was added to 100 g of the egg substitute of Example 17 and mixed well to obtain a dough for a thin omelet-like food product. After 0.1 to 2 g of edible oil was thinly spread over the entire surface of a frying pan, 50 g of the dough for the omelet-like food was placed in the frying pan and spread over the entire surface with a rubber spatula. The dough was then heated on medium heat number 4 using an induction heater (KZPH38, manufactured by Panasonic Corporation). When the dough had changed from a semi-solid to a solid sheet, the sheet was turned over and thoroughly browned to obtain a omelet-like food. This omelet-like food had a good texture and flavor.

[0061] (Example 27) Preparation of dried egg-like food Based on the formulation in Table 13, a dough was prepared in the same manner as in Example 17 to obtain an egg substitute. 100 g of this egg substitute was placed in a frying pan and heated using an IH heater (KZPH38, manufactured by Panasonic Corporation) on medium heat No. 5 while stirring the egg substitute until the weight reached 80 g, yielding a scrambled egg-like food. This scrambled egg-like food was frozen in a freezer at -25°C for 72 hours, and then freeze-dried for 72 hours in a freeze dryer (FD10BM, manufactured by Nippon Techno Service Co., Ltd.) to obtain a dried scrambled egg-like food. When this dried scrambled egg-like food was rehydrated in hot water at 90°C for 3 minutes, it had the appearance and texture of an egg added to soup as an ingredient, and it was confirmed that the rehydration properties were also good.

[0062] (Table 13) Composition of egg-like food (for drying) TIFF0007726312000014.tif189151

Claims

1. An egg substitute comprising water, a protein material, oils and fats, dietary fiber, and the following gelling agents (A) and (B), wherein, when the total amount of water, protein material, oils and fats, gelling agent, and dietary fiber in the egg substitute is taken as 100% by mass, the protein material is 0.01 to 5% by mass, the oils and fats are 5 to 30% by mass, the total amount of the gelling agents (A) and (B) is 1 to 10% by mass, and the dietary fiber is 0.1 to 10% by mass. (A) Curdlan. (B) One or more selected from methylcellulose, gellan gum, and konjac flour.

2. 2. The egg replacer according to claim 1, wherein the protein material is a vegetable protein material.

3. 3. A baked egg-like food product obtained by baking the egg substitute according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A dried product of the egg substitute according to claim 1 or 2.

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