Retort pouch molded food and its manufacturing method

Abstract

To provide a retort-pouch molded food having a palate feeling like that of oatmeal porridge, which is highly nutritious and can be eaten directly from the bag, and to provide a method for producing the same.SOLUTION: Provided is a retort-pouch molded food containing oats and psyllium, which can be taken out from the retort-pouch in a lump state and eaten as it is. The retort-pouch molded food is obtained by dispersing oat grains and psyllium in water at 50°C or less to obtain a viscous liquid in which the oat grains are dispersed, filling the pouch with the viscous liquid, and retort-sterilizing the viscous liquid contained in the pouch to solidify the viscous liquid into a lump.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a retort pouch-shaped food product made primarily from oats and psyllium, which is rich in dietary fiber, and a method for producing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a retort pouch-shaped food product made primarily from oats and psyllium, which can be eaten as is at room temperature, and a method for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Oatmeal, made from oats (also known as barley or oats) and eaten by soaking it in water or milk, is known as a filling, low-calorie, and nutritious food, with plenty of fiber. The most common ways to prepare it are by adding water and simmering it, or by soaking it in water and leaving it in the refrigerator overnight, which is called "oatmeal porridge." However, both methods require a lot of time and effort to prepare, making it difficult to incorporate into your breakfast on busy mornings.

[0003] To date, oatmeal packages that can be easily and conveniently eaten by retort cooking have been proposed, including not only porridge-like oatmeal but also oatmeal that has been solidified into a mochi-like shape by adjusting the moisture content (Patent Document 1). However, the porridge-like oatmeal requires tableware and is not convenient, while the mochi-like oatmeal is sticky and difficult to remove from the retort pouch, making it unsuitable for eating directly from the retort pouch. Also proposed is a packaged grain food product in which grain grains with husks and an O / W emulsion containing edible oils and fats, an emulsion stabilizer, and the remainder water are placed in a packaging container and retorted (Patent Document 2). Another proposal involves mixing grains containing barley seeds with a viscous solution in which xanthan gum and guar gum are dissolved in water, followed by retort processing (Patent Document 3). A loosening agent for retort grain foods has also been proposed, the active ingredient of which is an oil-in-water emulsion obtained from edible oils and fats and an emulsifier (Patent Document 4). However, in all cases, the food is taken out of the retort pouch and transferred to another container before being eaten, and the food inside the retort pouch is loose, and none of the food is mentioned or suggested as being eaten directly from the bag in a single lump. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-128154 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 3027435 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 6645827 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-276938 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a retort pouch food product which has a texture similar to oatmeal porridge and is made from nutritious oats so that it can be eaten directly from the bag, and a method for producing the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a result of intensive research to solve the above problems, the inventors discovered that by mixing oats with water containing psyllium and retorting the mixture, it is possible to form the mixture into a single mass that can be easily removed from the retort pouch. What's more, they surprisingly discovered that the resulting mass prevents the grains from softening (losing their shape and texture), allowing the grains to maintain a texture similar to oatmeal porridge for a long period of time, thereby completing the present invention.

[0007] That is, the present invention provides: (1) A retort pouch-shaped food containing oats and psyllium, which can be taken out of the retort pouch in one piece and eaten as is; (2) 10 to 15g of oats 25 % by weight of the retort pouch-shaped food product according to (1), which contains 0.1 to 2% by weight of psyllium and 60 to 80% by weight of water. (3) The retort-pouch food according to (1) or (2), which contains 0.1 to 5% by weight of fats and oils. (4) A first step of dispersing oat grains and psyllium in water at a temperature of 50°C or less to obtain a viscous liquid; a second step of filling the viscous liquid into a pouch; A third step of solidifying the viscous liquid contained in the pouch into a mass by retort sterilization; A method for producing a retort pouch-formed food product comprising the steps of: Regarding. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The retort pouch-molded food product of the present invention is a molded food product that can be neatly removed from the retort pouch in one lump and eaten immediately. Furthermore, by suppressing the softening of the oats caused by retort heating, the grainy texture is retained, giving it a texture similar to oatmeal porridge, and since this texture is maintained for a long period of time, it can also be used as a preserved food. Furthermore, by suppressing sedimentation and viscosity increase during production, the food product exhibits good slipperiness when filled into the retort pouch, allowing for efficient production, and the food product is also suppressed from sticking to the retort pouch when removed after retort heating. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the retort pouch-shaped food product obtained in Example 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The retort pouch-shaped food product of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0011] The retort pouch food of the present invention is defined as a retort pouch food in the "Retort Pouch Food Quality Labeling Standards (Notification of the Consumer Affairs Agency)" as "a container (limited to those that are airtight and light-blocking) made of plastic film, metal foil, or a combination of these in multiple layers, molded into a bag or other shape, in which prepared food is packed, sealed by thermal fusion, and sterilized by heating under pressure." In the present invention, the term "pouch" refers to the container, and the term "retort pouch" refers to a pouch that can be sterilized by heating under pressure.

[0012] The retort pouch-shaped food product of the present invention is a shaped product formed by retort processing as described above. In the present invention, the term "shaped product" specifically refers to a mass of oat grains that have been bound together to form a single mass, such as oatmeal porridge.

[0013] The retort pouch-shaped food product of the present invention contains (a) oats, (b) psyllium, and (c) water.

[0014] (a) Oats The oats used in the present invention may be any granular oats, such as "oat groats" from which the husks have been removed, "steel-cut oats" from oat groats that have been broken into small pieces, "rolled oats" from oat groats that have been steamed, pressed, and dried, "quick oats" from oat groats that have been broken into small pieces, and "instant oats" from rolled oats that have been heated and dried once. Of these, oat groats, steel-cut oats, and rolled oats are preferred in terms of the physical properties during production, as they are likely to have a texture similar to oatmeal porridge.

[0015] In the retort-pouch-molded food product of the present invention, the oat content is preferably 10 to 40% by weight, more preferably 20 to 40% by weight, in terms of solid weight, from the viewpoint that the resulting retort-pouch-molded food product is likely to be in a lump state and to have a texture similar to that of oatmeal porridge.

[0016] (b) Psyllium Psyllium is a natural plant gum obtained from the outer husks of the seeds of the Plantaginaceae plant (Plantago ovata), and is a dietary fiber also known as psyllium husk, psyllium husk, or isagol. Most of the components in psyllium are non-cellulose polysaccharides, with a highly branched structure based on xylan as the main chain, and side chains consisting of arabinose, xylose, galacturonic acid, rhamnose, etc. The psyllium used in the present invention can be either ground unrefined psyllium husk or psyllium extracted and purified from psyllium husk, without any particular limitations.

[0017] In the retort pouch-formed food product of the present invention, the psyllium content is preferably 0.1 to 2 wt %, more preferably 0.2 to 1 wt %, in terms of solid weight, from the viewpoints of reducing adhesion to the retort pouch, making it easier to create a texture similar to oatmeal porridge, reducing the viscosity of the viscous liquid before filling into the pouch and preventing the settling of oat grains, resulting in favorable physical properties during production, and increasing the amount of dietary fiber contained in the retort pouch-formed food product.

[0018] (c) water The retort pouch-molded food product of the present invention desirably contains 60 to 80% by weight, preferably 70 to 80% by weight, of water, from the viewpoint that it is easy to achieve a viscosity appropriate for manufacturing and to easily obtain a texture similar to that of oatmeal porridge. The water content refers to the total amount of water including not only the amount of water added but also the water derived from the oats and other optional ingredients. The moisture content may be determined by a calculation method based on the moisture content of each raw material, a vacuum drying method, a Karl Fischer method, an infrared absorption method, or the like.

[0019] (d) Other optional ingredients In addition to the ingredients (a) to (c) above, the retort-pouch-shaped food product of the present invention may contain optional ingredients such as other grains, beans, nuts, seeds, potatoes, meat, seafood, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, plant- or animal-derived extracts, sugars, dietary fiber, oils and fats, salt, spices, herbs, seasonings, acidulants, flavorings, coloring agents, sweeteners, thickeners, gelling agents, etc. By appropriately selecting these optional ingredients to adjust the physical properties and flavor, the retort-pouch-shaped food product can be endowed with a wide range of palatability. The optional ingredients may be used in an amount that does not adversely affect palatability or physicochemical stability, and there are no particular limitations on the amount contained.

[0020] Among the optional ingredients, the retort-pouched food product of the present invention preferably contains 0.1 to 5% by weight of oils and fats. When the retort pouch-formed food product of the present invention contains the above-mentioned predetermined amount of fat or oil, it is preferable because it can be easily peeled from the retort pouch and the viscosity of the viscous liquid before filling is reduced. The fats and oils are not particularly limited as long as they can be used in foods, and examples thereof include vegetable fats and oils such as rapeseed oil, animal fats and oils such as lard, processed fats and oils with medium chain fatty acids, and the like.

[0021] The retort pouch-shaped food of the present invention is sealed in a retort pouch and heated under pressure to form a shaped product. The shaped product may be in a state in which the oat grains are bonded together to form a single mass as a whole. The shape of the shaped product is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a cube with four or more sides, a substantially sphere, a substantially oval sphere, a substantially cylinder, a substantially triangular pyramid, a substantially prismatic column, a plate, a substantially prismatic column, a rod, a substantially oval sphere, etc., depending on the internal shape of the retort pouch.

[0022] The strength of the bond between the oat grains in the molded product may be such that when the molded product having a predetermined shape is taken out of the retort pouch, the shape remains as a lump without disintegrating. As described above, the oat grains are bound together to form a single mass, so that the retort pouch-shaped food product of the present invention does not crumble when taken out of the retort pouch and can be eaten as is while maintaining a texture similar to that of oatmeal porridge.

[0023] The method for producing the retort pouch-shaped food of the present invention includes the following steps: A first step of dispersing oat grains and psyllium in water at a temperature of 50°C or less to obtain a viscous liquid; a second step of filling the viscous liquid into a pouch; A third step of solidifying the viscous liquid contained in the pouch into a mass by retort sterilization; The manufacturing method includes the steps of:

[0024] The pouch used in the present invention may be a container made of a plastic film, metal foil, or a combination of these in multiple layers, molded into a bag or other shape, such as a flat bag or a standing pouch.

[0025] In the first step, for example, water is placed in a tank equipped with a stirring blade, and raw materials such as oats and psyllium are added and mixed. The temperature when mixing the oats, psyllium, and water in the first step is preferably adjusted to 50° C. or less, and more preferably carried out at room temperature of 30° C. or less. If the water temperature exceeds 50° C., the viscosity increases due to gelatinization (gelatinization) of the oats, which tends to reduce the suitability for subsequent filling into pouches.

[0026] In the second step, the viscous liquid obtained in the first step is filled into pouches. The viscosity of the viscous liquid is preferably 7 Pa·s or less, and it is sufficient that the oats remain uniformly dispersed without settling even when left standing. If the viscosity of the viscous liquid is high, problems such as unstable filling volume and dripping that can cause the viscous liquid to adhere to the heat-sealed portion of the pouch can occur. Furthermore, if oats settle, individual differences in the amount of oats between pouches are likely to occur, with some pouches containing more oats than others, resulting in inconsistent quality.

[0027] The viscous liquid is in a fluid state and is filled into the pouch by a known method, for example, by opening the opening of the pouch, filling a predetermined amount of the viscous liquid, and then closing the opening of the pouch and sealing it by thermocompression.

[0028] In the third step, the viscous liquid contained in the pouch is retort sterilized. The retort sterilization may be performed using a pressurized heat treatment method known in the production of retort foods, such as placing a pouch filled with and sealed with the viscous liquid in a pressurized heating oven and heating it with steam or pressurized hot water at 100°C or higher. The heating temperature may be, for example, 110 to 130°C for 10 to 60 minutes. The oat grains are then allowed to cool at room temperature, whereby they are bound together and solidified into a single mass.

[0029] The retort pouch-formed food obtained in this manner is a highly portable and convenient food product with high nutritional value, in that the oat grains are in the form of a single mass of bound oats and can be eaten as is at room temperature after being removed from the retort pouch, and the food maintains a texture similar to that of oatmeal porridge for a long period of time. [Example]

[0030] The present invention will be specifically explained below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples in any way.

[0031] Examples 1 to 5 According to the formulation shown in Table 1 (values ​​indicate weight %), rolled oats (moisture content 8 weight %, Japan Food Manufacturing Co., Ltd., the same applies hereinafter) as oats, psyllium (trade name: "Healthy Gum", manufactured by DSP Gokyo Food & Chemical Co., Ltd., the same applies hereinafter), water, and other optional ingredients were mixed and dispersed at room temperature to prepare a viscous liquid, and 65 g of this viscous liquid was filled into a flat pouch measuring 100 mm x 130 mm, sealed, and then retort sterilized by heating under pressure at 120°C for 30 minutes to obtain a retort pouch-shaped food product.

[0032] (Comparative Example 1) A retort pouch-shaped food product was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that psyllium was not used.

[0033] (Comparative Examples 2 to 4) A retort pouch molded food product was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that konjac flour, agar, etc. were used instead of psyllium, as shown in Table 1 (values ​​indicate weight %).

[0034] (Reference Example 1) Preparation of oatmeal porridge 100 parts by weight of Quick Oats (manufactured by Nippon Food Manufacturing Co., Ltd.) and 200 parts by weight of water were mixed, heated in a microwave oven (500 W) for 2.5 minutes, and cooled to room temperature to obtain oatmeal porridge.

[0035] [Test Example 1] Sensory evaluation The retort pouch foods obtained in Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 were eaten and subjected to a sensory evaluation of the texture, ease of removal, and dispersibility based on the following evaluation criteria. The sensory evaluation was conducted by a panel of three people.

[0036] "Texture" ◯: Texture is similar to that of the oatmeal porridge of Reference Example 1. △: The grains are too soft and have no grainy texture, and there are undesirable elements such as stickiness, elasticity, adhesiveness, and wateriness.

[0037] "Ease of removal" 〇: Easy to remove from the pouch △: Difficult to remove from pouch due to adhesion to pouch and poor shape retention

[0038] [Test Example 2] Manufacturing Appropriateness Evaluation The raw materials were mixed and allowed to stand for 1 hour, after which the physical properties of the resulting viscous liquid were evaluated as follows. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0039] "Dispersibility" Good: The oats are uniformly dispersed without settling. △: The oats have settled slightly, and a small layer without oats can be seen at the top of the viscous liquid. ×: The oats have settled and accumulated at the bottom of the viscous liquid.

[0040] "viscosity" The raw materials were mixed, allowed to stand for 1 hour, and then mixed again, and the viscosity of the viscous liquid at this time was measured using a B-type viscometer. The viscosity of the viscous liquid was measured at 25°C using a B-type viscometer (trade name "VISCOMETER TVB-10" manufactured by Toki Sangyo Co., Ltd.) at a rotation speed of 50 rpm. The unit in the table is "Pa s."

[0041] [Table 1]

[0042] The results shown in Table 1 show that the retort pouch-molded foods of Examples 1 to 5 all had a texture similar to that of the oatmeal porridge of Reference Example 1, and could be easily removed from the retort pouch and eaten. On the other hand, the retort pouch-molded foods of Comparative Examples 1 to 4 had problems with texture or ease of removal. Furthermore, with regard to the physical properties of the viscous liquid before filling, it is clear that the viscous liquids of Examples 1 to 5 have uniformly dispersed oats and have low viscosity, making them suitable for continuous mass production by machine. On the other hand, in Comparative Examples 1, 3, and 4, although the viscosity of the viscous liquid was low, the oats settled when left to stand, which made it prone to individual differences between pouches and made them unsuitable for mass production. In particular, in Comparative Example 1 containing oats, rapeseed oil and water, the oats were prone to settling and the dispersibility was very poor. Furthermore, Comparative Example 2 had high viscosity, making it difficult to fill using a machine. Furthermore, when the retort pouch foods obtained in Examples 1 to 5 were stored for a long period of time, for more than six months after production, and the texture was evaluated as described above, it was confirmed that the food maintained a texture similar to oatmeal porridge and had excellent storage stability.

[0043] (Comparative Example 5) Barley was used instead of the oats used in Example 1, and a retort-pouched food product was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1. The obtained retort-pouched food product was not in the form of a single mass, and could not be removed cleanly from the retort pouch.

[0044] (Comparative Example 6) An attempt was made to produce a retort pouch-shaped food product in the same manner as in Example 2, using xanthan gum (trade name: Monart Gum HP, manufactured by DSP Gokyo Food & Chemical Co., Ltd.) instead of the psyllium used in Example 2. Although no settling of the oats occurred, the viscosity after 1 hour was 9.9 Pa·s, making the product too viscous and difficult to fill.

[0045] (Comparative Example 7) An attempt was made to manufacture a retort pouch food product in the same manner as in Comparative Example 6, except that the amount of xanthan gum used in Comparative Example 6 was reduced to 0.1% by weight. Although the viscosity was reduced to 4.4 Pa·s, the oats settled after leaving the product to stand for 1 hour, which meant that the quality of each pouch was likely to vary, making the product unsuitable for mass production. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 1. Retort pouch foods 2. Oats in a lump 3 Retort pouch

Claims

1. This retort pouch-shaped food contains oats and psyllium and can be taken out of the retort pouch in a lump form and eaten as is.

2. 2. The retort pouch-formed food product according to claim 1, which contains 10 to 25% by weight of oats, 0.1 to 2% by weight of psyllium, and 60 to 80% by weight of water.

3. 3. The retort pouch-shaped food product according to claim 1, which contains 0.1 to 5% by weight of fats and oils.

4. A first step of dispersing oat grains and psyllium in water at a temperature of 50°C or less to obtain a viscous liquid; a second step of filling the viscous liquid into a pouch; A third step of solidifying the viscous liquid contained in the pouch into a mass by retort sterilization; A method for producing a retort pouch-shaped food product comprising the steps of:

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