Frozen gel composition and method for producing the same

Abstract

To provide a frozen product of a gel composition that is suitable for microwave heating, retains its shape well during microwave heating, prevents the gel composition from being liquefied, improves unevenness in thawing, and can be adequately thawed.SOLUTION: A frozen product of a gel composition contains oil and fat with a Brix value of 24%-60%.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a frozen gel composition suitable for microwave heating and a method for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] With the spread of frozen foods, frozen gel-like desserts such as jellies and mousses have also been put on the market. Conventionally, these frozen products have been thawed by leaving them in a refrigerator or at room temperature for a while before being eaten. However, with the spread of microwave cookers, it has become possible to thaw frozen foods easily and quickly, and frozen gel desserts have also come to be thawed using microwave heating. However, it has become clear that there are problems such as the gel composition melting (liquefaction) due to heating and the gel composition not thawing all the way to the center (uneven thawing).

[0003] A technique using dilan gum or dilan gum and one or more polymeric polysaccharides has been proposed as a technique for making frozen desserts tasty even when heated in a microwave (Patent Document 1), and a technique using curdlan, a heat-coagulating polysaccharide, has been proposed as a technique for improving the texture of frozen jellies when heated in a microwave (Patent Document 2). In addition, a two-layer jelly for heating and eating has been proposed, which can be heated in a microwave oven, and when the jelly reaches the appropriate temperature for eating, only the upper gel layer completely dissolves, and the upper gel layer covers the undissolved lower gel layer, and can be eaten in this state (Patent Document 3).The upper layer is a gel made from κ-carrageenan and / or ι-carrageenan and xanthan gum, and the lower layer is a gel made from gellan gum. However, simply by devising the selection and combination of gelling agents used in preparing a gel composition to be frozen, it was not possible to adequately maintain the shape retention of the gel composition during microwave heating and to adequately improve uneven thawing.

[0004] Therefore, there is a demand for a frozen gel composition that is suitable for microwave heating, has good shape retention during microwave heating, prevents the gel composition from liquefying, improves uneven thawing, and can be thawed well. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 1-257434 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2-000411 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-187232 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a frozen gel composition that is suitable for microwave heating, has good shape retention when heated by microwave, suppresses liquefaction of the gel composition, improves uneven thawing, and can be thawed well. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of extensive research to solve the above problems, the inventors discovered that by setting the Brix value of a gel composition containing fats and oils to 24% to 60% and freezing it, the shape retention during microwave heating is improved, liquefaction of the gel composition is suppressed, and uneven thawing is improved. Further research led to the completion of the present invention.

[0008] That is, the present invention relates to the following: [1] A frozen gel composition containing fats and oils and having a Brix value of 24% to 60%. [2] The frozen product according to [1], wherein the content of oil and fat is 5% by weight to 46% by weight based on the total amount of the gel composition. [3] The frozen product according to [1] or [2], wherein the gel composition contains an emulsifier. [4] The frozen product according to [3], wherein the emulsifier has an HLB value of 11 to 15. [5] A frozen product according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the gel composition contains one or more selected from the group consisting of gelatin, agar, locust bean gum, carrageenan and pectin. [6] The frozen product according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the gel composition is an emulsion composition. [7] The frozen product according to [6], wherein the emulsion composition is an oil-in-water emulsion composition. [8] The frozen product according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein the gel composition contains bubbles. [9] A frozen product according to any one of [1] to [8], which is suitable for microwave heating.

[10] The frozen product according to [9], wherein the microwave heating conditions are 200 W·sec to 400 W·sec per 1 g.

[11] A method for producing a frozen gel composition, comprising the steps of preparing a gel composition containing fats and oils and having a Brix value of 24% to 60%, and freezing the gel composition.

[12] The method according to

[11] , wherein the content of the oil or fat is 5% by weight to 46% by weight based on the total weight of the gel composition.

[13] The method according to

[11] or

[12] , wherein the gel composition contains an emulsifier.

[14] The method according to

[13] , wherein the emulsifier has an HLB value of 11 to 15.

[15] The method according to any one of

[11] to

[14] , wherein the gel composition contains one or more selected from the group consisting of gelatin, agar, locust bean gum, carrageenan, and pectin.

[16] The method according to any one of

[11] to

[15] , wherein the gel composition is an emulsion composition.

[17] The method according to

[16] , wherein the emulsion composition is an oil-in-water emulsion composition.

[18] The method of any one of

[11] to

[17] , further comprising a step of foaming the gel composition before the step of freezing the gel composition.

[19] The method for producing a frozen product suitable for microwave heating according to any one of

[11] to

[18] .

[20] The method according to

[19] , wherein the microwave heating conditions are 200 W·sec to 400 W·sec per 1 g of frozen material. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The present invention makes it possible to provide a frozen gel composition that is suitable for microwave heating, has good shape retention during microwave heating, is inhibited from liquefying the gel composition, and has improved uneven thawing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention provides a frozen product of a gel composition suitable for microwave heating (hereinafter also referred to as "the frozen product of the present invention" in this specification). The frozen product of the present invention is a frozen gel composition containing fat and oil and having a Brix value of 24% to 60%.

[0011] The oils and fats contained in the gel composition used to prepare the frozen product of the present invention are not particularly limited, as long as they are edible oils and fats that can be uniformly dispersed in the gel composition. Examples include vegetable oils and fats such as avocado oil, linseed oil, almond oil, apricot oil, perilla oil, olive oil, cocoa butter, blackcurrant oil, cashew oil, canola oil, walnut oil, sesame oil, wheat oil, rice oil, perilla oil, soybean oil, evening primrose oil, camellia oil, corn oil, rapeseed oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, sunflower oil, grape seed oil, hazelnut oil, safflower oil, macadamia oil, cottonseed oil, coconut oil, and peanut oil; refined processed oils and fats such as salad oil; animal oils and fats such as beef tallow, whale oil, shark oil, and lard; and semi-solid or solid processed oils and fats such as butter, margarine, shortening, and cocoa substitutes. From the viewpoint of the effect on the texture of the gel composition when the frozen product of the present invention is thawed by microwave heating, shortening, rapeseed oil, butter, margarine, etc. are preferably used. In the present invention, one of the above-mentioned fats and oils may be used alone, or two or more of them may be selected and mixed and used. As the fats and oils, commercially available products for food use provided by various companies can be used. The content of fats and oils in the gel composition used to prepare the frozen product of the present invention is preferably 5% to 46% by weight, more preferably 10% to 40% by weight.

[0012] In the gel composition used to prepare the frozen product of the present invention, the Brix value is 24% to 60%, preferably 30% to 55%, and more preferably 36% to 50%. Here, the "Brix value" is a physical quantity used as sugar content to measure the content of so-called sugars such as sucrose, fructose, invert sugar, and glucose, and is defined as a value equivalent to the mass percentage of a sucrose solution at 20°C. That is, when 100 g of an aqueous solution containing only 1 g of sucrose as a solute is measured with a Brix refractometer (sugar content refractometer), the reading (Brix value) is said to be 1%, and the Brix value of a solution that shows the same sugar content refractometer value as the sucrose solution is defined as 1%.

[0013] In the present invention, the Brix value of the gel composition can be adjusted by the type and amount of sugar added to the gel composition. The sugar that can be added to the gel composition is not particularly limited as long as it is a sugar that is used as a carbohydrate in foods, and examples thereof include monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, invert sugar, and the like. Examples of monosaccharides include aldotetroses such as erythrose and threose; ketotetroses such as erythrulose; aldopentoses such as ribose, lyxose, xylose, arabinose, and apiose; ketopentoses such as ribulose and xylulose; aldohexoses such as allose, talose, gulose, glucose (grape sugar), altrose, mannose, galactose, and idose; ketohexoses such as psicose, fructose, sorbose, and tagatose; and ketoheptoses such as sedoheptulose. Examples of disaccharides include trehalose, kojibiose, nigerose, maltose, isomaltose, lactose, and sucrose (cane sugar). Examples of oligosaccharides include fructooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, and lactose oligosaccharides. Invert sugar is a mixture of fructose and glucose obtained by hydrolyzing sucrose with acid or an enzyme (invertase). In the present invention, one of the above sugars may be used alone, or two or more of them may be selected and used in combination. In the present invention, glucose (grape sugar), fructose (fruit sugar), sucrose (cane sugar), trehalose, etc. are preferably used as sugars. As the sugar, commercially available products for food use provided by various companies can be used.

[0014] In this specification, the term "gel composition" refers to a solid composition that does not have fluidity at room temperature, among compositions classified as colloids of a liquid dispersion medium like a sol. In the present invention, it is preferable to use a gelling agent to form a stable gel composition. In the present invention, any gelling agent can be used without particular limitation as long as it can gel the colloid in the liquid dispersion medium and is edible, and examples thereof include plant polysaccharides such as agar, pectin, guar gum, locust bean gum, tamarind gum, and carrageenan; microbial polysaccharides such as xanthan gum; semi-synthetic water-soluble polymers such as sodium carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose; synthetic water-soluble polymers such as sodium polyacrylate and polyvinylpyrrolidone; and proteins such as gelatin. In the present invention, one of the above gelling agents can be selected and used alone, or two or more can be selected and used in combination. In the present invention, agar, pectin, locust bean gum, carrageenan, gelatin, etc. are preferably used from the viewpoint of the texture of the resulting gel composition. As the gelling agent, commercially available products for food use provided by various companies can be used.

[0015] The content of gelling agent in the gel composition used to prepare the frozen product of the present invention can be set appropriately depending on the type and characteristics of the gelling agent and the desired properties of the gel composition (gel strength, etc.), but is usually 0.1 to 3% by weight, preferably 0.5 to 2% by weight, and more preferably 1 to 2% by weight, of the total amount of the gel composition.

[0016] In the present invention, one or more kinds selected from the above-mentioned fats and oils are dispersed in the gel composition. The above-mentioned polysaccharides and water-soluble polymers can also contribute to the dispersion stabilization of fats and oils as gelling agents, but from the viewpoint of dispersion stability of fats and oils, it is preferable to emulsify fats and oils using an emulsifier. The emulsifier that can be used for emulsifying fats and oils is not particularly limited as long as it is an edible emulsifier that can be used in foods, and examples thereof include glycerin fatty acid esters (glycerin stearate, glycerin oleate, etc.), organic acid monoglycerides (acetic acid monoglyceride, lactic acid monoglyceride, citric acid monoglyceride, succinic acid monoglyceride, diacetyltartaric acid monoglyceride, etc.), polyglycerin fatty acid esters (polyglycerin stearate, poly Examples of nonionic surfactants include glycerin oleate, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleate, propylene glycol fatty acid esters (propylene glycol stearate, propylene glycol oleate, etc.), sucrose fatty acid esters (sucrose stearate, sucrose palmitate, sucrose oleate, sucrose acetate, sucrose isobutyrate, etc.), lecithin (vegetable lecithin, egg yolk lecithin, etc.), and enzymatically hydrolyzed lecithin. In the present invention, one of the above emulsifiers may be selected and used alone, or two or more of them may be selected and used in combination. From the viewpoint of the emulsifying and dispersing effect of oils and fats in the gel composition, the emulsifier preferably used in the present invention is sucrose fatty acid ester, polyglycerin fatty acid ester, glycerin fatty acid ester, etc. Furthermore, in the present invention, a hydrophilic emulsifier suitable for preparing an oil-in-water emulsion is preferred, and an emulsifier having an HLB (Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balance) value of 11 to 15 is more preferred. As the emulsifier, commercially available products for food use provided by various companies can be used.

[0017] In the present invention, the amount of the emulsifier added to the gel composition is appropriately determined depending on the type and content of fats and oils, the type of emulsifier, etc., but in a gel composition containing 5% to 46% by weight of fats and oils, the amount is usually 0.01% to 2% by weight, and preferably 0.1% to 1.5% by weight. In the present invention, the oil or fat is preferably dispersed in the gel composition by emulsification, more preferably by oil-in-water emulsification.

[0018] The gel composition used to prepare the frozen product of the present invention may contain, in addition to the above-mentioned fats and oils, sugars, gelling agents, and emulsifiers, nutritional components and additives typically contained in gel foods, as long as the characteristics of the present invention are not impaired. The nutritional components include proteins such as egg yolk, casein, collagen, and soy protein; protein hydrolysates; partial protein hydrolysates; amino acids such as sodium L-aspartate, DL-alanine, and L-isoleucine; vitamin A (retinol, etc.), carotenoids (β-carotene, etc.), and B vitamins (vitamins B1, B2, B6, B7, B8). 12 Vitamins such as niacin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, biotin, etc., vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid, etc.), vitamin D (ergocalciferol, cholecalciferol, etc.), vitamin E (α-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, etc.), vitamin K (phylloquinone, menaquinone, menadione, etc.); minerals such as zinc salts, calcium chloride, and ferric chloride. Examples of the additives include solvents such as water (water for food production such as purified water and tap water) and polyhydric alcohols (such as glycerin); thickeners such as alginic acid and starch; seasonings such as salt, sugar, soy sauce, amino acid salts, nucleic acids, and yeast extract; extracts such as vegetable extracts, fruit extracts, meat extracts, and seafood extracts; pH adjusters such as organic acid salts (such as fumarates); colorants; acidulants; and flavorings. In the present invention, one or more of the above-mentioned nutritional components and additives can be used, and they can be used in amounts similar to those normally used in gel foods.

[0019] Therefore, the gel composition used to prepare the frozen product of the present invention contains fats and oils, sugars capable of adjusting the Brix value to a range of 24% to 60%, gelling agents and emulsifiers, and, as necessary, nutritional components and additives, and is preferably prepared as an emulsion composition, more preferably as an oil-in-water emulsion composition.

[0020] The frozen product of the present invention can be prepared by preparing a gel composition containing fats and oils and having a Brix value of 24% to 60%, and freezing the gel composition. A gel composition containing fats and oils and having a Brix value of 24% to 60% can be prepared by a method commonly used for preparing a gel composition in which fats and oils are dispersed or a gel composition in which fats and oils are emulsified. For example, sugar capable of adjusting the Brix value to the range of 24% to 60%, an emulsifier, and a hydrophilic additive added as needed are added to water for food production and mixed, and the aqueous phase component is heated to about 75°C to 85°C to make it uniform. A lipophilic additive added as needed to oils and fats is then added and mixed, and the oil phase component is heated to about 75°C to 85°C to make it uniform. The oils and fats, lipophilic additive, sugar, an emulsifier, and a hydrophilic emulsifier are added to water for food production and mixed with stirring, and the mixture is emulsified by heating to about 75°C to 85°C and homogenizing, and then a gelling agent is added separately to water for food production and mixed with stirring, and the mixture is mixed with a gelling liquid prepared by heating to about 75°C to 85°C, and cooled to produce a gel composition. The gel composition can be appropriately frozen using a freezer that is typically used in the food industry for quick freezing of gel foods, such as an air blast freezer, a liquefied gas freezer, or a contact freezer, depending on the type and amount of the gel composition.

[0021] In the present invention, from the viewpoint of ease of thawing the frozen product, the gel composition used in preparing the frozen product of the present invention preferably contains air bubbles. The air bubbles can be incorporated into the gel composition by the foaming action of an emulsifier, for example, by foaming the gel composition using a hand mixer, a continuous foaming machine, or the like. The foaming emulsifier capable of incorporating bubbles into the gel composition can be any foaming emulsifier used in the food industry without any particular limitations, but a mixture of sucrose fatty acid ester, glycerin fatty acid ester, and sorbitan fatty acid ester is preferably used.

[0022] In the present invention, the gel composition may be a single-layer gel composition or a multi-layer gel composition having two or more layers. The multi-layer gel composition can be produced according to a conventional method for producing a multi-layer gel composition for food. The gel composition used to prepare the frozen product of the present invention may be topped with fresh cream, whipped cream prepared by emulsifying vegetable oils, etc. Such toppings can be made using commonly used raw materials and by a common method.

[0023] The frozen product of the present invention is suitable for microwave heating, and when thawed by microwave heating, the gel composition retains its shape well, the composition is prevented from liquefying, and uneven thawing is improved. The conditions for microwave heating are not particularly limited, but are preferably 200 W·sec to 400 W·sec per 1 g of the frozen product of the present invention, and more preferably 260 W·sec to 300 W·sec.

[0024] The present invention also provides a method for producing a frozen gel composition suitable for microwave heating (hereinafter also referred to as "the production method of the present invention" in this specification). The production method of the present invention includes the steps of preparing a gel composition containing fats and oils and having a Brix value of 24% to 60%, and freezing the gel composition.

[0025] In the production method of the present invention, the oil or fat contained in the gel composition is as described above for the frozen product of the present invention. In the production method of the present invention, the Brix value of the gel composition is adjusted to 24% to 60%, preferably 30% to 55%, and more preferably 36% to 50%, depending on the type and amount of sugar added to the gel composition. The sugar contained in the gel composition and the method for measuring the Brix value are as described above for the frozen product of the present invention. In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the gelling agent used to prepare the gel composition, the emulsifier used to disperse and emulsify the oil and fat, and the gel composition to be prepared are as described above for the frozen product of the present invention. In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the step of freezing the gel composition can be carried out using the flash freezing machine described above for the frozen product of the present invention under conditions (temperature, time, etc.) that are typically used when flash freezing food.

[0026] The production method of the present invention preferably includes a step of foaming the gel composition to incorporate gas bubbles before the step of freezing the gel composition. Foaming the gel composition is as described above for the frozen product of the present invention. The production method of the present invention may also include a step of applying a topping to the gel composition before the step of freezing the gel composition. The topping for the gel composition is as described above for the frozen product of the present invention.

[0027] Furthermore, the production method of the present invention can include filling and packaging steps that are commonly employed in the production of frozen foods, such as a step of filling the gel composition into a plastic container or the like, and a step of packaging it with a plastic film or the like.

[0028] According to the production method of the present invention, a frozen gel composition suitable for microwave heating can be produced. In the case of a frozen gel composition produced by the manufacturing method of the present invention, the shape retention of the gel composition is good when thawed by microwave heating, liquefaction of the composition is suppressed, and uneven thawing is improved. The conditions for microwave heating are as described above for the frozen product of the present invention. [Example]

[0029] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples. In the following examples and comparative examples, the fats and oils, emulsifiers, sugars, gelling agents and other raw materials used in preparing the frozen mousses were all commercially available products for food use, and water for food production was used as the water.

[0030] [Examples 1 to 4, Comparative Example 1] Frozen mousse Frozen mousses (one layer) of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Example 1 were prepared by the following method based on the compositions shown in Table 1. The Brix value of each mousse prepared was measured using a Brix refractometer ("Sugar Content Meter RA-250H", Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd.). <Manufacturing method> The ingredients (1) to (4) in Table 1 were mixed by stirring, heated to 80°C, and homogenized using a homogenizer (Ultra Turrax 2, IKA Corporation) to prepare an emulsion. Separately, ingredients (5) to (7) were mixed and heated to 80°C to prepare a gelled liquid. This was mixed with the emulsion and filled into cups at 50 g each. The liquid was then frozen at -30°C for 60 minutes in a flash freezer (MC-173, Nakano Reiki Co., Ltd.).

[0031] [Table 1]

[0032] Each of the frozen mousses from Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Example 1 was thawed by heating at 1,900 W for 7 seconds (6 seconds for the frozen mousse from Example 3) in a microwave oven ("NE-1901", Panasonic Corporation), and four panelists were asked to observe the appearance of the thawed mousses and evaluate the hardness of the sides and center. The evaluation results were decided by consensus among the four panelists and expressed on a three-level scale of "◎", "◯", or "×" according to the following evaluation criteria. The evaluation results are shown in Table 2, along with the Brix value measurement results. <Evaluation criteria> (1) Appearance The mousse maintains its shape well. The mousse maintains its shape but is slightly softened; The mousse has melted and become liquid; × (2) Side stiffness It holds its shape when scooped with a spoon. When scooped with a spoon, the shape is somewhat maintained (the cross-section of the scooped piece remains somewhat); ○ The sides are liquefied; × (3) Hardness of the center It's thawed and the spoon goes in easily. It's almost thawed, but the spoon is a little hard to insert. It's not thawed and the spoon won't go in naturally; ×

[0033] [Table 2]

[0034] As shown in Table 2, when the frozen mousse of Example 1, which had a Brix value of 44.9, was thawed in a microwave oven, the shape of the mousse was well maintained, no liquefaction was observed on the sides, and the center was also evaluated as being well thawed. For the frozen mousses of Examples 2 and 3, which had Brix values ​​of 24.2 and 57.1, respectively, the appearance of the mousse after thawing in a microwave oven was rated as "Excellent", and it was rated that the shape of the mousse was well maintained, but the shape retention of the sides was slightly reduced and there were some areas in the center that were slightly insufficiently thawed. For the frozen mousse of Example 4, which had a Brix value of 60 or more, after thawing in a microwave oven, the shape of the mousse was maintained but it was slightly softened, and it was rated that the thawing in the center was within the acceptable range but slightly insufficient. On the other hand, when the frozen mousse of Comparative Example 1, which had a Brix value of 16.5%, was thawed in a microwave oven, liquidation was observed on the sides, and it was evaluated that the thawing in the center was insufficient. The above results suggest that in order to maintain good shape retention of the gel and eliminate uneven thawing when thawing by heating in a microwave cooker, it is preferable to adjust the Brix value of the gel composition to 24% to 60%.

[0035] [Examples 5 to 8, Comparative Example 2] Examination of the effect of the type of gelling agent on the thawing properties of frozen mousse Frozen mousses were prepared by the following method based on the compositions shown in Table 3. As foaming emulsifiers, a mixture of sucrose fatty acid ester, glycerin fatty acid ester, and sorbitan fatty acid ester, and an aqueous solution of ethanol, D-sorbitol, and propylene glycol were used. <Manufacturing method> In Table 3, components (7) to (11) and (14) were added to component (2) and mixed by stirring. Then, components (1), (12), and (13) were added and dissolved by heating to 80°C. The mixture was homogenized using a homogenizer (Ultra Turrax 2, IKA) to prepare an emulsion. Separately, components (3) and (4) were added to component (5), mixed by stirring, and heated to 80°C to prepare a gelled liquid. This was mixed with the emulsion and filled into cups at 50 g each. The mixture was topped with whipped cream prepared with component (6). The resulting mixture was then frozen at -30°C for 60 minutes in a flash freezer (MC-173, Nakano Reiki Co., Ltd.).

[0036] [Table 3]

[0037] The frozen mousses of Examples 5 to 8 and Comparative Example 2 were thawed by heating at 1,900W for 8 seconds in a microwave oven ("NE-1901", Panasonic Corporation), and the appearance, side and center hardness of the thawed mousses were evaluated in the same manner as in Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Example 1 above. Furthermore, to confirm the effect of air bubbles present in the frozen mousse, evaluation was conducted both with and without foaming. The evaluation results are shown in Table 4. The Brix values ​​measured before foaming using a Brix refractometer ("Saccharimeter RA-250H", Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd.) are also shown in Table 4.

[0038] [Table 4]

[0039] When the gel composition was whipped and then frozen, the gel was destroyed during whipping, and no shape retention was observed for the frozen mousse of Example 7. However, as shown in Table 4, the frozen mousses of Examples 5, 6, and 8 of the present invention were evaluated favorably for all of the appearance, side and center hardness after thawing. Furthermore, when the gel composition was frozen without being whipped, the frozen mousses of Examples 5 to 8 were all rated favorably for appearance after thawing and hardness of the sides and center. On the other hand, the frozen mousse of Comparative Example 2, which did not contain a gelling agent, did not retain its shape whether it was whipped and frozen or frozen without whipping, and the shape of the mousse was not maintained after thawing. These results suggest that although it is necessary to use a gelling agent to maintain the shape of the gel composition, the type of gelling agent does not affect the shape retention or unevenness of thawing when thawed by microwave heating.

[0040] [Examples 9 to 13, Comparative Example 3] Examination of the effect of fat and oil content on the thawing properties of frozen mousse Based on the compositions shown in Table 5, the frozen mousses (one layer) of Examples 9 to 13 were prepared in the same manner as the frozen mousses of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Example 1. The frozen mousse of Comparative Example 3 was prepared by mixing ingredients (2) to (4) in Table 5, heating to 80°C, mixing ingredients (5) to (7), heating to 80°C, mixing with a gelling liquid prepared, and filling 50 g into cups and freezing in the same manner as Examples 9 to 13.

[0041] [Table 5]

[0042] The frozen mousses of Examples 9 to 13 and Comparative Example 3 were thawed by heating in a microwave oven ("NE-1901", Panasonic Corporation) at 1,900 W for 7 seconds (6 seconds for Example 12), and the appearance and hardness of the sides and center of the thawed mousses were evaluated in the same manner as in Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Example 1 above. The evaluation results are shown in Table 6. Table 6 also shows the Brix values ​​measured using a Brix refractometer ("Sugar Meter RA-250H", Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd.).

[0043] [Table 6]

[0044] As shown in Table 6, the frozen mousses of Examples 10 to 12, which contained 10 wt%, 33 wt%, and 40 wt%, respectively, retained their shape well when thawed by microwave heating, and no uneven thawing was observed. The frozen mousses of Example 9, which contained 5 wt%, and Example 13, which contained 46.4 wt%, maintained their shape after thawing, but softened slightly, and when scooped from the sides with a spoon, some liquid was observed, indicating that the center had not thawed sufficiently. In particular, the frozen mousse of Example 13, which contained a high fat content, had difficulty dissolving the granulated sugar and was prone to separation of the fat, posing stability problems for the gel composition. On the other hand, in the case of the frozen mousse of Comparative Example 3, which did not contain any fats or oils, the mousse melted after thawing, did not maintain its shape, and liquefaction was observed on the sides. When the heating time was shortened to prevent the sides from melting, the center part did not thaw sufficiently. The above results suggest that, from the viewpoint of the shape retention of the gel composition, it is necessary to contain fats and oils, but in order to eliminate uneven thawing, it is preferable that the fat and oil content be 5% to 46% by weight, and more preferably 10% to 40% by weight.

[0045] [Examples 14 to 17] Examination of the effect of type of fat on the thawing properties of frozen mousse Based on the compositions shown in Table 7, frozen mousses (one layer) of Examples 14 to 17 were prepared by the following method. <Manufacturing method> In Table 7, components (6), (7), (8), and (9) were added to component (2) and mixed by stirring. Then, component (1), which had been dissolved by heating, was added, and the mixture was heated to 70-75°C. The mixture was homogenized using a homogenizer (Ultra Turrax 2, IKA Corporation) to prepare an emulsion. Next, components (3) and (4) were added to component (5) and mixed by stirring. This mixture was then mixed with a gelling liquid prepared by heating to 80°C, and 50 g of the mixture was poured into cups. The mixture was then frozen at -30°C for 60 minutes in a flash freezer (MC-173, Nakano Reiki Co., Ltd.).

[0046] [Table 7]

[0047] Each of the frozen mousses of Examples 14 to 17 was thawed by heating at 1,900 W for 8 seconds in a microwave oven ("NE-1901", Panasonic Corporation), and the appearance and hardness of the sides and center of the thawed mousse were evaluated in the same manner as in Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Example 1 above, and the results are shown in Table 8. For each of the frozen mousses of Examples 14 to 17, the Brix value measured using a Brix refractometer ("Sugar Meter RA-250H", Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd.) before whipping is also shown in Table 8.

[0048] [Table 8]

[0049] As shown in Table 8, the frozen mousses of Examples 14 to 17, which contained 18.20% by weight each of shortening, cocoa butter substitute, salad oil, and margarine as fats and oils, all had good shape retention when thawed by heating in a microwave oven, and no uneven thawing was observed, indicating that the type of fat and melting point did not have any effect on the thawing properties of the frozen mousses. The above results suggest that the type of fat or oil and the melting point of the fat or oil do not affect the shape retention or uniformity of thawing when thawing the frozen product of the present invention.

[0050] [Examples 18-20] Examination of the effect of the HLB value of emulsifiers on the thawing properties of frozen mousse Based on the compositions shown in Table 9, frozen mousses (one layer) of Examples 18 to 20 were prepared in the same manner as the frozen mousses of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Example 1 above. Each of the frozen mousses in Examples 18 to 20 was thawed by heating at 1,900 W for 7 seconds in a microwave oven ("NE-1901", Panasonic Corporation), and the appearance and hardness of the sides and center of the thawed mousse were evaluated in the same manner as in Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Example 1 above. The evaluation results are shown in Table 10. Table 10 also shows the Brix values ​​measured using a Brix refractometer ("Sugar Meter RA-250H", Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd.).

[0051] [Table 9]

[0052] [Table 10]

[0053] As shown in Table 10, for all of the frozen mousses of Examples 18 to 20, no major problems were observed with respect to gel shape or uneven thawing after thawing by microwave heating. In particular, in the frozen mousses of Examples 19 and 20, which contained emulsifiers with HLB values ​​of 11 and 15, respectively, the gel shape was well maintained after thawing by microwave heating, and no uneven thawing was observed. These results suggest that when an emulsifier with an HLB value of 11 to 15, which is hydrophilic and suitable for preparing oil-in-water emulsions is used, the gel shape is well maintained when thawed by microwave heating, and uneven thawing is also well suppressed.

[0054] [Examples 21 to 23] Examination of microwave heating conditions The frozen mousse of Example 1 was thawed by heating in a microwave oven ("NE-1901", Panasonic Corporation) under the conditions shown in Table 11, and the thawed mousses, designated Examples 21 to 23, were evaluated for appearance, side and central hardness in the same manner as in the above-mentioned Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Example 1. The evaluation results are also shown in Table 11.

[0055] [Table 11]

[0056] As shown in Table 11, under all of the heating conditions in Examples 21 to 23, the appearance, side hardness and center hardness of the mousse after thawing were evaluated as good. The above results suggest that the heating conditions using a microwave cooker to thaw the frozen material of the present invention can be adjusted by adjusting the output and heating time depending on the performance of the microwave cooker, and that a setting of approximately 260 W·sec to 300 W·sec per 1 g of the frozen material of the present invention is appropriate. [Industrial Applicability]

[0057] As described above in detail, the present invention can provide a frozen gel composition that is suitable for microwave heating, has good shape retention during microwave heating, is inhibited from liquefying the gel composition, and has improved uneven thawing.

Claims

1. A frozen gel composition containing 10% to 40% by weight of fat or oil relative to the total weight of the gel composition, and an emulsifier having an HLB value of 11 to 15, and having a Brix value of 24% to 60%.

2. 2. The frozen product according to claim 1, wherein the gel composition contains one or more members selected from the group consisting of gelatin, agar, locust bean gum, carrageenan, and pectin.

3. 3. The frozen product according to claim 1, wherein the gel composition is an emulsion composition.

4. The frozen product according to claim 3, wherein the emulsion composition is an oil-in-water emulsion composition.

5. The frozen product according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the gel composition contains air bubbles.

6. The frozen product according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is prevented from liquefying and from being thawed unevenly by microwave heating.

7. The frozen product according to claim 6, wherein the microwave heating conditions are 200 W·sec to 400 W·sec per 1 g.

8. A method for producing a frozen gel composition, comprising the steps of: preparing a gel composition containing 10% by weight to 40% by weight of fat or oil relative to the total weight of the gel composition, and an emulsifier having an HLB value of 11 to 15, and having a Brix value of 24% to 60%, and freezing the gel composition.

9. 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the gel composition contains one or more selected from the group consisting of gelatin, agar, locust bean gum, carrageenan, and pectin.

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the gel composition is an emulsion composition.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the emulsion composition is an oil-in-water emulsion composition.

12. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, further comprising the step of frothing the gel composition before the step of freezing the gel composition.

13. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, which is a method for producing a frozen product in which liquefaction and uneven thawing when thawed by microwave heating are suppressed.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the microwave heating conditions are 200 W·sec to 400 W·sec per 1 g of frozen material.

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