Liquid food

Abstract

To provide a flowable food which gives operability in production and exhibits a good texture at drinking and eating.SOLUTION: A refrigerated or frozen flowable food comprises a liquid part which contains 0.3 to 3 mass% of phosphate-crosslinked starch and 0.5 to 5 mass% of acetylated phosphate-crosslinked starch.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a flowable food product. [Background technology]

[0002] Fluid foods such as sauces and soups have different viscosities depending on the ingredients they contain. Typical fluid foods have viscosities of about 5 to 10 mPa·s for Worcestershire sauce, about 800 to 5000 mPa·s for medium-thick sauce, and about 6000 to 100,000 mPa·s for mayonnaise and curry sauce. The method of eating fluid foods varies depending on their viscosity. Typically, low-viscosity fluid foods are eaten by scooping them up with a spoon or other eating utensil, or by soaking them in other foods. On the other hand, higher-viscosity fluid foods can be eaten with a spoon, chopsticks, or fork, or by adhering to, placing on, or wrapping them around other foods.

[0003] Because liquid foods can be easily stirred, it is relatively easy to mix and heat them uniformly during the manufacturing process. On the other hand, liquid foods, especially those with low viscosity, are prone to dripping and drying out, which can lead to variations in product quality when portioned into individual servings, especially when mass-produced in factories. Therefore, in conventional liquid food manufacturing, thickeners are sometimes added at the end of the manufacturing process to increase the viscosity of the liquid food, thereby improving the ease of portioning the liquid food. However, increasing the viscosity of the liquid food can cause stringiness during portioning and impair the smooth texture.

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes that a cooking sauce containing oils and fats with a solid fat content of 5 to 40%, starch, protein, a thickener, and water does not separate, lose viscosity, or emulsify poorly even when baked or stored in the freezer. Patent Document 2 describes an oil-in-water emulsified seasoning that contains a first thickener in an undissolved state and a second thickener in a dissolved state in the aqueous phase and has a viscosity of 140 to 1,000 Pa s at 5°C, and that when this is applied to ingredients and then cooked to produce a mass-produced dish, the dish has a smooth surface and a desirable appearance. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-231518 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-120571 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present invention provides a fluid food product that is easy to handle during production, particularly during portioning, and that has a smooth, pleasant texture when eaten. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present inventors have discovered that by adding a specific processed starch to a liquid food product, it is possible to produce a liquid food product that is excellent in both operability during production and texture when eaten.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention provides a refrigerated or frozen liquid food product having a liquid portion containing 0.3 to 3 mass% of phosphate cross-linked starch and 0.5 to 5 mass% of acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch, wherein the viscosity of the liquid portion at the time of consumption is 5000 mPa s or less at 25°C. The present invention also provides a method for producing a refrigerated or frozen liquid food product, comprising: 1) mixing water and raw materials, and then mixing the phosphate cross-linked starch and acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch therewith to produce a fluid food product; 2) refrigerating or freezing the liquid food product; Including, the fluid food product has a liquid portion containing 0.3 to 3% by mass of the phosphate cross-linked starch and 0.5 to 5% by mass of the acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch, The viscosity of the liquid portion when eaten is 5000 mPa·s or less at 25°C. A method is provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The fluid food product of the present invention is easy to handle during production, and is less likely to drip or run out when divided into individual servings at the end of production, which reduces the risk of staining of equipment or containers or uneven division. On the other hand, the fluid food product of the present invention can present a smooth texture when eaten. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] In this specification, when it is written "X to Y[Z]" (X and Y are arbitrary numbers, and [Z] is an arbitrary unit), it means "X[Z] or more and Y[Z] or less" unless otherwise specified.

[0011] The fluid food product of the present invention has a liquid portion that is fluid when eaten and optionally contains solid ingredients. The liquid portion is the portion of the fluid food product that is fluid at room temperature and normal pressure (25°C, 1 atmosphere) and is a liquid or paste-like substance mainly composed of water. The liquid portion is obtained by removing solids (e.g., solid ingredients) from the fluid food product.

[0012] Examples of the fluid food of the present invention include sauces and soups. "Sauce" refers to a fluid food that is primarily added to other ingredients or dishes for seasoning or decoration, such as seasoning sauces (pasta sauce, steak sauce, yogurt sauce, etc.), dressings, and noodle soups. "Soup" refers to a fluid food that is primarily provided for consumption by itself, such as consommé soup, egg soup, Chinese soup, and potage. The above-mentioned sauces and soups may contain ingredients or may not contain ingredients.

[0013] The liquid portion constituting the fluid food product of the present invention contains water as a main component and may contain raw materials commonly used in the production of the desired fluid food product, as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved. Examples of such raw materials include various fats and oils such as vegetable oil, animal oil, and hardened oil, various seasonings such as salt, soy sauce, and vinegar, various spices, various thickeners, wheat flour, various emulsifiers, milk, eggs, fruit juice, fruit paste, vegetable juice, and vegetable paste, and these may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0014] The fluid food of the present invention contains phosphate-crosslinked starch and acetylated phosphate-crosslinked starch in the liquid portion. Phosphate-crosslinked starch is starch crosslinked by phosphate groups, obtained by esterifying raw starch with phosphorus oxychloride, phosphoric anhydride, trimetaphosphate, or the like. Acetylated phosphate-crosslinked starch is starch obtained by subjecting acetylated starch to the above-mentioned phosphate crosslinking treatment. Acetylated starch is starch esterified by reacting starch with acetic anhydride. Phosphate-crosslinked starch and acetylated phosphate-crosslinked starch are ingredients that have conventionally been used as food additives for the purpose of improving texture and physical properties. In the present invention, commercially available phosphate-crosslinked starch and acetylated phosphate-crosslinked starch may be used.

[0015] The raw material starch for the phosphate cross-linked starch and acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch is not particularly limited and may be, for example, corn starch, waxy corn starch, tapioca starch, potato starch, wheat starch, rice starch, etc., with waxy corn starch and tapioca starch being preferred. Any one or a combination of two or more of these starches can be used as the raw material starch for the phosphate cross-linked starch or acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch. More preferably, the phosphate cross-linked starch is phosphate cross-linked tapioca starch, and the acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch is acetylated phosphate cross-linked tapioca starch.

[0016] The content of the phosphate-crosslinked starch in the liquid portion of the fluid food product of the present invention is preferably 0.3 to 3 mass% and more preferably 0.5 to 2 mass% of the total mass of the liquid portion. Furthermore, the content of the acetylated phosphate-crosslinked starch in the liquid portion of the fluid food product of the present invention is preferably 0.5 to 5 mass% and more preferably 1 to 3 mass% of the total mass of the liquid portion. By setting the contents of the phosphate-crosslinked starch and the acetylated phosphate-crosslinked starch within these ranges, the fluid food product can be easily handled during production and exhibit a smooth mouthfeel when eaten.

[0017] The mass ratio of the phosphate cross-linked starch to the acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch in the liquid portion of the fluid food product of the present invention is preferably phosphate cross-linked starch:acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch = 1:0.5 to 1:5, more preferably 1:1 to 1:3. By setting the mass ratio within this range, the effects of the present invention can be more easily achieved.

[0018] The incorporation of xanthan gum into the fluid food product of the present invention is preferred because it reduces stickiness and stringiness of the resulting fluid food product, further improving handling. Commercially available xanthan gum can be used. The content of xanthan gum in the liquid portion of the fluid food product of the present invention is preferably 0.01 to 0.1% by mass, more preferably 0.05 to 0.08% by mass, based on the total mass of the liquid portion.

[0019] The fluid food product of the present invention may contain, in addition to the liquid portion, solid ingredients (hereinafter simply referred to as ingredients) as needed. The ingredients can be any ingredients commonly used as ingredients for the intended fluid food product, without any particular limitations. Examples of ingredients include meats such as chicken, pork, and beef; seafood such as fish, shellfish, squid, and octopus; vegetables such as carrots and potatoes; mushrooms; seaweed; grains, beans; and eggs. Any one of these ingredients can be used alone or in combination of two or more. The ingredients have dimensions that can be recognized by the naked eye when the fluid food product is visually observed. For example, the ingredients are small pieces with a maximum diameter of 3 to 30 mm and a minimum diameter of 3 to 30 mm. When the small pieces of the ingredients are spherical, the major axis length is 3 to 30 mm.

[0020] When the fluid food product of the present invention contains ingredients, the mass of the liquid portion of the fluid food product can be measured by the following method: the fluid food product is passed through a sieve with 2 mm openings, rinsed with water, and the remaining portion is taken as the solid portion.The weight of the liquid portion can be calculated by subtracting the weight of the solid portion from the total weight of the fluid food product.

[0021] The fluid food of the present invention can be produced according to a conventional method for preparing fluid foods, except for the addition of phosphate-crosslinked starch, acetylated phosphate-crosslinked starch, and, if necessary, xanthan gum. In producing the fluid food of the present invention, the timing and order of mixing the phosphate-crosslinked starch, acetylated phosphate-crosslinked starch, and xanthan gum with other components of the fluid food are not particularly limited. For example, the fluid food of the present invention can be produced by mixing water with the above-mentioned raw materials and, if necessary, heating the mixture, and then adding the phosphate-crosslinked starch, acetylated phosphate-crosslinked starch, and, if necessary, xanthan gum in any order or simultaneously. Alternatively, the fluid food of the present invention can be produced by mixing water with some of the above-mentioned raw materials and, if necessary, heating the mixture, and then adding the phosphate-crosslinked starch, acetylated phosphate-crosslinked starch, and, if necessary, xanthan gum in any order or simultaneously, and then adding the remaining raw materials. In consideration of the operability of mixing and heating the raw materials, the fluid food of the present invention is preferably produced by mixing water with raw materials other than phosphate cross-linked starch, acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch, and xanthan gum, heating as necessary, and then mixing the phosphate cross-linked starch, acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch, and as necessary, xanthan gum in any order or simultaneously.

[0022] When adding the phosphate cross-linked starch, acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch, or xanthan gum, the product temperature of the mixture of water and other raw materials is preferably 50° C. or lower, and preferably in the range of 15 to 40° C. After adding the phosphate cross-linked starch, acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch, and xanthan gum to the mixture of water and other raw materials, it is preferable to heat the mixture to 75° C. or higher, preferably about 80 to 100° C., while stirring, in order to promote mixing.

[0023] In the produced fluid food, the viscosity of the liquid portion immediately after mixing with the phosphate cross-linked starch, the acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch, and, if necessary, the xanthan gum at 25°C is preferably more than 5000 mPa s, more preferably from more than 5000 to 7000 mPa s, and even more preferably from more than 5000 to 6000 mPa s. When the viscosity of the liquid portion is within this range, dripping and running out are less likely to occur when the fluid food is divided into portions, resulting in improved operability.

[0024] Preferably, the fluid food of the present invention is divided into appropriate amounts and packaged (portion-packaged). More preferably, it is divided into individual servings. Portioning means, for example, filling a fluid food into a portion-packaged container. The fluid food of the present invention is less likely to drip or run out when divided, and is less likely to have uneven distribution of ingredients among the divided products. Therefore, the fluid food of the present invention can ensure that each divided product has uniform quality, and can be easily divided and packaged without causing damage to the manufacturing equipment or packaging container during division. From the viewpoint of operational safety, the product temperature of the fluid food during division is preferably 50°C or less, preferably in the range of 0 to 40°C.

[0025] The fluid food product of the present invention is stored refrigerated or frozen after production. Preferably, the fluid food product of the present invention is stored at below 5°C after production. For example, the produced fluid food product is divided into appropriate amounts as described above and placed in packaging containers, and then preferably refrigerated at 0 to below 5°C or frozen at 0°C or below. Examples of packaging containers used to store the fluid food include bags or molded products made of plastic, glass, metal, or a combination thereof, and preferred examples include plastic containers, bottles, cans, and pouch containers. From the perspective of shelf life, the fluid food product is preferably sealed and packaged. When sealing and packaging the fluid food product, a gas replacement treatment such as inert gas replacement filling may be performed. Note that sealed packaging refers to a form of packaging that prevents the contents from being mixed with any solid, liquid, or gas. The fluid food product of the present invention can be thawed or reheated after being stored refrigerated or frozen and then consumed.

[0026] In the fluid food of the present invention, the water-retaining function of the added starch is lost after a certain period of time has passed since refrigeration or freezing, resulting in a decrease in viscosity compared to immediately after production. Storing the fluid food at low temperatures accelerates the decrease in viscosity of the liquid portion, and the viscosity of the liquid portion is less likely to change even upon reheating. The decrease in viscosity is thought to further enhance the smoothness of the fluid food. Preferably, the viscosity of the liquid portion of the fluid food of the present invention at 25°C after one week or more of refrigerated or frozen storage is preferably 5000 mPa·s or less, more preferably 4500 mPa·s or less, and even more preferably 4500 to 4000 mPa·s. Furthermore, preferably, the viscosity of the liquid portion of the fluid food of the present invention at 25°C upon consumption is preferably 5000 mPa·s or less, more preferably 4500 mPa·s or less, and even more preferably 4500 to 4000 mPa·s. In this specification, the viscosity of the liquid portion of a fluid food refers to a value measured using a B-type rotational viscometer at a rotational speed of 3 to 13 rpm.

[0027] The fluid food of the present invention is easy to handle during production, particularly when portioned. Furthermore, by portioning and packaging the fluid food, the handling, transportability, and storage properties of the fluid food can be improved, making it suitable for market distribution. Meanwhile, the fluid food of the present invention can have a smooth mouthfeel when eaten. [Example]

[0028] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0029] In the following examples, the viscosity of the liquid food was measured by filtering the liquid food through a wire mesh with 2 mm openings and leaving it to stand for 30 seconds, and then measuring the viscosity of the liquid portion that passed through the wire mesh using a B-type rotational viscometer at a product temperature of 25°C and a rotation speed of 3 to 13 rpm.

[0030] A basic fluid food was prepared by boiling 1 L of water in a pot, adding the consommé soup base, and mixing with heat. The viscosity of the liquid portion of this basic fluid food was 90 mPa·s. This basic fluid food was cooled to 40°C, and starch or thickener was added to it so as to obtain the composition shown in Tables 1 to 4. The starch or thickener was then dissolved by heating to 90°C or higher with stirring, thereby producing a fluid food. After production, the viscosity of the fluid food was measured after cooling to 25°C.

[0031] [Test Example 1] The temperature of the produced liquid food was stabilized at 15°C and then filled into a dispenser. Ten paper cups were lined up in a row, and the liquid food was dispensed from the dispenser toward the center of the bottom of the cups. The dispensing operation was carried out continuously so that dispensing into the 10 cups was completed within 5 seconds. After the dispensing operation was completed, the dripping of the liquid food was evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria based on the state of liquid food droplets adhering to the side of the cup. This evaluation was repeated 10 times, and the average of the 10 evaluations was calculated. The results are shown in Tables 1 to 4.

[0032] [Test Example 2] The produced fluid food was placed in a plastic container, covered, and stored in a freezer at -20°C for one week. After storage, the container was allowed to thaw naturally to 20°C. The viscosity (25°C) of the thawed fluid food was measured. Ten trained panelists scooped the fluid food with a spoon and ate it, and evaluated its texture in comparison with the basic fluid food (Comparative Example 1) according to the following evaluation criteria, and the average of the 10 panelists' evaluations was calculated. The results are shown in Tables 1 to 4.

[0033] Evaluation criteria [Dripping] 5 points: There was no dripping or splashing of liquid in all 10 cups, and the entire amount was dispensed at the bottom of the cup, which is very good. 4 points: One out of 10 cups had small droplets attached, but most of the liquid was dispensed to the bottom of the cup, which is good. 3 points: 2 to 3 out of 10 cups have small droplets attached. 2 points: Small droplets were found on 4 or more of the 10 cups, making them poor quality. 1 point: Four or more out of 10 cups have small droplets attached, and one or more have large drips, which is very poor. [Mouthfeel] 5 points: Has a smooth texture similar to that of basic liquid foods, and is very good. 4 points: Slightly sticky compared to basic liquid foods, but still good. 3 points: Feels sticky compared to basic liquid foods. 2 points: Stickier than basic liquid foods, feels like it sticks to the mouth, poor quality. 1 point: Compared to basic liquid foods, it is much stickier, feels like it sticks to the mouth, or remains in the mouth, and is very poor.

[0034] [Table 1]

[0035] [Table 2]

[0036]

Table 3

[0037]

Table 4

Claims

1. A refrigerated or frozen fluid food product having a liquid portion containing 0.3 to 3% by mass of phosphate cross-linked starch and 0.5 to 5% by mass of acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch, the liquid food product is a soup or sauce; The viscosity of the liquid portion at 25°C is Immediately after mixing the phosphate cross-linked starch and the acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch, the viscosity is higher than 5000 mPa s, After one week of refrigeration or freezing, the viscosity is 5000 mPa s or less, When eaten, the viscosity is 5000 mPa·s or less. Refrigerated or frozen liquid foods.

2. The refrigerated or frozen fluid food according to claim 1, wherein the liquid portion further contains 0.01 to 0.1% by mass of xanthan gum.

3. 3. The refrigerated or frozen fluid food product according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the phosphate cross-linked starch and the acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch is made from starch derived from tapioca.

4. The refrigerated or frozen liquid food product according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is packaged in individual servings.

5. A method for producing a refrigerated or frozen liquid food product, comprising: 1) mixing water and raw materials, and then mixing the phosphate cross-linked starch and the acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch therewith to produce a fluid food product; 2) refrigerating or freezing the liquid food product; Including, the liquid food product is a soup or sauce; the fluid food product has a liquid portion containing 0.3 to 3% by mass of the phosphate cross-linked starch and 0.5 to 5% by mass of the acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch; The viscosity of the liquid portion at 25°C is Immediately after mixing the phosphate cross-linked starch and the acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch, the viscosity is higher than 5000 mPa s, After one week of refrigeration or freezing, the viscosity is 5000 mPa s or less, When eaten, the viscosity is 5000 mPa·s or less. method.

6. 1) includes mixing water and raw materials, and then mixing the resulting mixture with phosphate cross-linked starch, acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch, and xanthan gum to produce a fluid food product; The liquid portion of the fluid food contains 0.01 to 0.2% by mass of xanthan gum. The method of claim 5.

7. 7. The method of claim 5 or 6, further comprising packaging the flowable food product in individual servings.

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