Rice crackers, dough manufacturing method and rice cracker manufacturing method

Abstract

In the manufacturing process of rice crackers, depending on the variety of rice used as an ingredient of the rice crackers, the dough may be difficult to hold together and to roll out. The main purpose of this technology is to improve the processing characteristics of the dough, such as its ease of collection and stretching, in order to properly shape the dough using die-cutting, etc. [Solution] As a result of extensive research, the inventors have discovered that the processing characteristics of the dough, such as ease of cohesion and spreadability, can be improved by adding an alkali metal salt of an organic acid or the like to raw materials containing rice-derived components in a step before forming the dough.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present technology relates to a rice snack, a method for producing dough, and a method for producing rice snack. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, efforts have been made to develop improved methods for producing rice crackers and raw materials for producing rice crackers.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a technique for preventing cracks, breakage, and the like from occurring during the drying process by adding an alkaline salt of an organic acid to rice flour. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 3-216155 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the manufacturing process of rice crackers, depending on the variety of rice used as an ingredient of the rice crackers, the dough may be difficult to hold together and to roll out.

[0006] The main purpose of this technology is to improve the processing characteristics of the dough, such as its ease of collection and stretching, in order to properly shape the dough using die-cutting, etc. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present technology provides a rice snack containing rice-derived ingredients, wherein at least the central portion of the rice snack contains an alkali metal salt of an organic acid. In the rice snack of the present technology, the organic acid may be one or more organic acids selected from citric acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, ascorbic acid, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. The rice may include an Indica variety. The rice may also be an Indica variety. Furthermore, the alkali metal of the alkali metal salt may be one or more selected from potassium and sodium. The rice snacks of the present technology may be produced by heating dough whose processing characteristics have been improved by adding an alkali metal salt of the organic acid or a combination of the organic acid and a compound containing the alkali metal to a raw material containing the rice-derived component. The present technology also provides a dough for producing rice crackers that contains rice-derived ingredients and an alkali metal salt of an organic acid. In the dough of the present technology, the organic acid may be one or more organic acids selected from citric acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, ascorbic acid, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. The rice may include an Indica variety. The rice may also be an Indica variety. Furthermore, the alkali metal of the alkali metal salt may be one or more selected from potassium and sodium.

[0008] Next, the present technology provides a method for producing dough containing rice-derived ingredients, in which an alkali metal salt of an organic acid or a combination of the organic acid and a compound containing the alkali metal is added to a raw material containing rice-derived ingredients in any step of the method. In the dough manufacturing method of the present technology, the organic acid may be one or more organic acids selected from citric acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, ascorbic acid, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. The rice may include an Indica variety. The rice may also be an Indica variety. Furthermore, the alkali metal of the alkali metal salt may be one or more selected from potassium and sodium. In the dough manufacturing method of the present technology, the amount of the alkali metal salt of the organic acid or the combination of the organic acid and the compound containing the alkali metal added may be 0.05% by mass or more and 10.00% by mass or less, calculated as the alkali metal salt of the organic acid, based on the dry content of the rice-derived component. The present technology also provides a method for producing rice snacks obtained by heating dough produced by the production method of the present technology. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] A flow diagram of a representative example of a method for producing dough containing rice-derived ingredients is shown. [Figure 2] A flow chart of a representative example of a method for producing rice snacks using dough containing rice-derived ingredients is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Preferred embodiments of the present technology will be described below. However, the embodiments shown below are examples of typical embodiments of the present technology, and the present technology is not limited to only the preferred embodiments below and can be freely modified within the scope of the present technology.

[0011] In the present specification, the upper or lower limit of one numerical range may be replaced with the upper or lower limit of another numerical range. In addition, in the present specification, the upper or lower limit of a numerical range may be replaced with a value shown in the examples. In this specification, the term "process" includes not only an independent process but also a process that cannot be clearly distinguished from other processes as long as the intended purpose of the process is achieved.

[0012] [Fabric manufacturing method] This technology adds an alkali metal salt of an organic acid or a combination of an organic acid and a compound containing the alkali metal to a raw material containing rice-derived ingredients in any step of a method for producing dough containing rice-derived ingredients, thereby improving the processing properties of the resulting dough, such as its ease of cohesion and spreadability.

[0013] The "dough" produced by the method of this technology can be used to make rice crackers, and is made by kneading raw material flour containing rice-derived ingredients through processes such as pounding and kneading, and is in the state before the drying process.

[0014] The dough ingredients produced by the method of the present technology contain rice-derived ingredients. In addition to the rice-derived ingredients, the ingredients may contain optional ingredients depending on the characteristics of the rice cracker to be produced. Examples of such optional ingredients include starches such as starch, modified starch, and gelatinized starch; grain flour; seafood such as shrimp and seaweed; beans such as soybeans; seeds such as sesame; seasonings; and dairy products.

[0015] The rice-derived ingredients that are used as raw materials for the dough produced by the method of this technology are ingredients obtained using rice (rice seeds) as raw materials, and include all substances derived from rice.

[0016] This technology addresses the issue that, depending on the rice variety used as an ingredient in rice crackers, dough can be difficult to form and roll, making it difficult to properly shape the dough by die-cutting or other methods required before the drying process. Therefore, this technology is particularly effective for improving the processing characteristics of dough when using a rice variety that is difficult to shape into dough when used as an ingredient. Rice varieties that fall into this category are not particularly limited, but are likely to be varieties with a high amylose content (e.g., varieties with an amylose content of approximately 25% to 40%). Examples of such rice include, but are not limited to, indica rice.

[0017] That is, even when the rice-derived components contained in the raw material include a rice variety that is difficult to mold into dough, or even when the raw material is made of a rice variety that is difficult to mold into dough, the method of the present technology can improve the processing characteristics of the dough. In other words, by using the method of the present technology, even rice varieties that have traditionally tended to have poor processing characteristics can be used as raw materials for rice crackers. In addition, blended raw materials containing a mixture of such rice varieties can also be used. This makes it possible to provide rice crackers prepared to meet customer needs.

[0018] Furthermore, the dough with improved processing characteristics achieved by the method of the present technology is well-formed, and when it is subjected to a process such as heating to produce rice snacks, the texture of the resulting rice snacks can be easily softened by the heating. Furthermore, the dough obtained by the production method of the present technology is easy to prepare with little change in taste, such as sourness or saltiness.

[0019] Here, "indica rice" refers to a group of rice (Oryza sativa) varieties that have specific genetic characteristics and are cultivated primarily in tropical and subtropical regions. Genetically, they can be classified as japonica (Oryza sativa ssp. japonica) based on specific genetic differences in their genomes.

[0020] Genetic differences that are believed to contribute to the differentiation of indica and japonica varieties include, for example, base sequences related to starch debranching enzymes and base sequences related to the composition of glutelin proteins. Various other genes are known as genetic markers used for classification. Indica rice can be identified based on any of these genetic markers that have been confirmed to be used for classification.

[0021] In the method of the present technology, the rice used as a raw material for rice crackers may include varieties of rice that are difficult to mold into dough, for example, may include Indica species, or may be Indica species. Here, "including Indica species" means that the rice used as a raw material may include one or more Indica species, and may also include rice other than Indica species (so-called "blended rice"). Furthermore, "Indica species" means that the rice used as a raw material is composed only of Indica species. Note that this includes cases where the raw material contains multiple Indica species of rice.

[0022] Examples of indica rice include jasmine rice, white rice, and basmati rice.

[0023] In the method of the present technology, the rice used as a raw material for rice crackers may be non-glutinous rice or glutinous rice, but from the viewpoint of the processing properties of the dough, non-glutinous rice is preferred. That is, in the method of the present technology, the rice used as a raw material for rice crackers may be non-glutinous jasmine rice, non-glutinous white rice, non-glutinous basmati rice, glutinous jasmine rice, glutinous white rice, glutinous basmati rice, etc. In the method of the present technology, even if the rice used as the raw material for rice crackers is at least one type selected from the group consisting of non-glutinous jasmine rice, non-glutinous white rice, and non-glutinous basmati rice, the dough can be sufficiently held together and can be suitably produced into rice crackers after undergoing processes such as heating.

[0024] In this specification, "dough processing" refers to making dough easier to shape by methods such as pounding and kneading. Specifically, this includes gathering and rolling out the dough. "Dough processing characteristics" refers to the ease with which dough can be gathered and rolled out. In other words, in this specification, "improving dough processing characteristics" refers to improving the ease with which dough can be gathered and rolled out when made from ingredients containing rice-derived components.

[0025] Furthermore, "rice crackers" produced using dough produced using the method of the present technology refer to foods produced by molding dough whose main ingredient is rice-derived ingredients, and then subjecting it to a process such as heating. Examples of heating methods for producing such foods include baking, deep-frying, and heating and pressurizing using an extruder or the like.

[0026] Examples of rice snacks that can be obtained by baking dough produced using the method of the present technology include baked rice snacks such as rice crackers, arare, okaki, wet rice crackers, and wet rice crackers.

[0027] Examples of rice snacks obtained by frying dough produced using the method of the present technology include fried rice crackers, fried rice cakes, fried arare rice crackers, and fried rice crackers.

[0028] Examples of rice snacks that are made by heating the dough produced using the method of the present technology and then heating and pressurizing it using an extruder or the like include rice snacks, puffed snacks, rice cookies, and the like.

[0029] The dough produced using the method of the present technology has improved processing properties such as ease of dough cohesion and ease of spreadability, and is therefore particularly suitable for use in shaping using dies, etc., which require the above processing properties. From this perspective, the dough produced using the method of the present technology is particularly suitable for use in baked rice snacks obtained by baking and fried rice snacks obtained by frying, among the rice snacks listed above.

[0030] The term "organic acid" used in the method of the present technology refers to a compound having at least one carboxyl group (-COOH). Examples of such compounds include citric acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, ascorbic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, and acetic acid. These may be used alone or in combination. Among these organic acids, from the viewpoint of improving the processing properties of dough, citric acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, ascorbic acid, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid are preferred, with citric acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, and succinic acid being more preferred, and citric acid being particularly preferred.

[0031] The organic acids exemplified above include isomers, if any, such as erythorbic acid (isoascorbic acid) in ascorbic acid.

[0032] Furthermore, the term "alkali metal salt of an organic acid" refers to a compound formed from a carboxylate anion derived from an organic acid (i.e., an anion generated when an organic acid releases a proton from at least one carboxy group) and an alkali metal cation. The alkali metal is an element in Group 1 of the periodic table excluding hydrogen, and examples of such alkali metals include potassium and sodium. These may be used alone or in combination.

[0033] In the method of the present technology, in any step of the method for producing dough containing rice-derived components, the raw material containing rice-derived components is made to contain an alkali metal salt of an organic acid. One possible method for making such a state is to add an alkali metal salt of an organic acid or a combination of an organic acid and a compound containing an alkali metal.

[0034] Of the above, "adding an alkali metal salt of an organic acid" refers to directly adding an alkali metal salt of an organic acid to ingredients containing rice-derived components. In this case, the alkali metal salt of an organic acid, which is a compound formed by combining an organic acid and an alkali metal, is directly added, so that the dough contains the alkali metal salt of an organic acid.

[0035] In the method of the present technology, when an alkali metal salt of an organic acid is added to make the raw material containing rice-derived components contain an alkali metal salt of an organic acid, a salt obtained by combining the organic acids listed above with an alkali metal can be suitably used as the alkali metal salt of the organic acid. For example, monosodium citrate, disodium citrate, trisodium citrate, monopotassium citrate, dipotassium citrate, tripotassium citrate, monosodium tartrate, disodium tartrate, monopotassium tartrate, dipotassium tartrate, potassium bitartrate, sodium gluconate, potassium gluconate, monosodium succinate, disodium succinate, monopotassium succinate, dipotassium succinate, monosodium adipate, disodium adipate, monopotassium adipate, dipotassium adipate, sodium ascorbate, potassium ascorbate, monosodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, trisodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, tetrasodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, monopotassium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, dipotassium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, tripotassium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, tetrapotassium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, sodium lactate, potassium lactate, monosodium malate, disodium malate, monopotassium malate, dipotassium malate, sodium acetate, potassium acetate, and the like. As described above, when the organic acid constituting the alkali metal salt of an organic acid has an isomer, a salt of the isomer with an alkali metal can also be used. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0036] Among the alkali metal salts of organic acids listed above, from the viewpoint of improving the processing characteristics of dough, the following may be used: monosodium citrate, disodium citrate, trisodium citrate, monopotassium citrate, dipotassium citrate, tripotassium citrate, monosodium tartrate, disodium tartrate, monopotassium tartrate, dipotassium tartrate, potassium bitartrate, sodium gluconate, potassium gluconate, monosodium succinate, disodium succinate, monopotassium succinate, dipotassium succinate, monosodium adipate, disodium adipate, monopotassium adipate, dipotassium adipate, sodium ascorbate, potassium ascorbate, monosodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, trisodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, tetrasodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate Preferred are sodium citrate, disodium citrate, trisodium citrate, monopotassium citrate, dipotassium citrate, tripotassium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, and tetrapotassium ethylenediaminetetraacetate; more preferred are sodium citrate, disodium citrate, trisodium citrate, monopotassium citrate, dipotassium citrate, tripotassium citrate, sodium tartrate, disodium tartrate, monopotassium tartrate, dipotassium tartrate, potassium bitartrate, sodium gluconate, potassium gluconate, sodium succinate, disodium succinate, monopotassium succinate, and dipotassium succinate; particularly preferred are sodium citrate, disodium citrate, trisodium citrate, monopotassium citrate, dipotassium citrate, and tripotassium citrate, and most preferred are trisodium citrate and tripotassium citrate.

[0037] On the other hand, "adding a combination of an organic acid and a compound containing an alkali metal" means adding the organic acid and the compound containing an alkali metal separately. This is thought to cause the organic acid to dissociate in the dough and react with the ions derived from the alkali metal, thereby producing an alkali metal salt of the organic acid in the dough.

[0038] In the method of the present technology, when a combination of an organic acid and an alkali metal-containing compound is added to a raw material containing rice-derived components to produce an alkali metal salt of the organic acid, any compound containing an alkali metal can be used as the compound added together with the organic acid. For example, to produce a salt of citric acid and sodium in the dough, it is envisioned that citric acid and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) can be added separately to the raw material.

[0039] In the method of the present technology, in any step of the method for producing dough containing rice-derived ingredients, in order to cause the raw material containing rice-derived ingredients to contain an alkali metal salt of an organic acid, the alkali metal salt of the organic acid or the combination of the organic acid and the compound containing the alkali metal is added in an amount calculated as the alkali metal salt of the organic acid based on the dry matter of the rice-derived ingredients, for example, in a range of 0.05% by mass or more, 0.10% by mass or more, 0.13% by mass or more, 0.15% by mass or more, 0.20% by mass or more, 0.23% by mass or more, 0.25% by mass or more, 0.30% by mass or more, 0.23% by mass or more, 0.25% by mass or more, 0.30% by mass or more, 0.33% by mass or more, 0.35% by mass or more, 0.40% by mass or more, 0.43% by mass or more, or 0.50% by mass or more, which can improve the processing properties of the resulting dough, such as ease of cohesion and spreadability.

[0040] The upper limit of the amount of the alkali metal salt of the organic acid or the combination of the organic acid and the compound containing the alkali metal can be set as desired within a range that does not impair the desired physical properties of the rice snack. The upper limit may be set within a range of, for example, 10.00% by mass or less, 9.50% by mass or less, 9.00% by mass or less, 8.50% by mass or less, 8.00% by mass or less, 7.50% by mass or less, 7.00% by mass or less, 6.50% by mass or less, 6.00% by mass or less, 5.50% by mass or less, or 5.00% by mass or less, calculated as the alkali metal salt of the organic acid based on the dry matter of the rice-derived components.

[0041] In this disclosure, the "dry content of rice-derived ingredients" refers to the mass of the residue after removing water from the rice-derived ingredients. The dry content of rice-derived ingredients can be determined by any method, such as a heat drying method in which rice-derived ingredients are dried in a thermostatic chamber at 135°C for at least 3 hours and then their mass is measured, or a reduced-pressure drying method in which rice-derived ingredients are dried in a low-pressure (reduced-pressure) environment and then their mass is measured.

[0042] In addition, in the present disclosure, the amount of alkali metal salt of an organic acid added based on the dry matter of the rice-derived component is the amount added when the alkali metal salt of an organic acid is an anhydride.

[0043] Next, a specific implementation method of the method of the present technology will be described using a flow chart of a representative example of a method for producing dough containing rice-derived ingredients shown in Figure 1.

[0044] As shown in Figure 1, dough containing rice-derived ingredients is generally made in the following order: rice washing and soaking step S101, milling step S102, steaming step S103, pounding and kneading step S104, and shaping step S105.

[0045] Here, the rice washing and soaking process S101 is a process in which the raw rice is washed in water to remove surface dirt and unnecessary components, and then soaked in water for an appropriate time and under appropriate conditions to allow the rice to absorb sufficient water, making it easier to steam and improving its processability in the next process.

[0046] In the milling step S102, the rice that has been washed and soaked is dried or adjusted to an appropriate state, and then milled into rice flour to a particle size appropriate for the texture and manufacturing method of the rice cracker to be produced, making it easier to steam. Depending on the rice cracker to be produced, the milling step S102 may be omitted, and the raw material grains obtained after the rice washing and soaking step S101 may be used in the subsequent steaming step S103. Furthermore, the method for milling the rice in the milling step S102 is not particularly limited, and any method such as dry milling or wet milling may be used. For example, air milling, impact milling, roller milling, etc. may be used.

[0047] The steaming step S103 is a step in which the milled rice flour is steamed with heated steam or the like to promote the gelatinization (gelatinization) of the starch in the rice flour. There are no particular restrictions on the method for steaming the raw rice flour in the steaming step S103, and any method can be used. For example, the rice flour raw material and water can be placed in a steam-kneader and steamed by stirring while blowing steam into the mixture.

[0048] The pounding and kneading step S104 is a step in which the steamed rice flour is pounded and kneaded to form a dough. This step makes the rice flour sticky and makes it easier to hold together as a uniform dough. There are no particular restrictions on the method for pounding and kneading the rice flour in the pounding and kneading step S104, and any method can be used. For example, a screw-type kneader, a pestle pounder, a mixer, etc. can be used.

[0049] The shaping step S105 is a step in which the dough formed as described above is shaped by any method such as die-cutting, cutting, extrusion, etc. The method of shaping the dough is selected as appropriate depending on the shape and texture of the rice cracker to be produced. For example, when shaping the dough by die-cutting, the dough may be sandwiched between rolls and rolled out, and then cut out with a die. Furthermore, when shaping the dough by cutting, the dough formed in the pounding and kneading step S104 may be hardened by refrigeration, and the hardened dough may then be cut into the desired shape using a cutting machine with a blade.

[0050] As mentioned above, the dough produced using the method of the present technology has improved processing characteristics such as ease of dough cohesion and ease of spreadability, and is therefore particularly suitable for use as dough for baked rice snacks obtained by baking, or fried rice snacks obtained by frying, which are shaped using molds or the like that require the above processing characteristics.

[0051] The addition of an alkali metal salt of an organic acid or a combination of an organic acid and a compound containing an alkali metal to a raw material containing a rice-derived component according to the present technology may be carried out in any step of a method for producing a dough containing a rice-derived component. Specifically, when producing a dough containing a rice-derived component according to the representative example flow shown in Figure 1, the alkali metal salt of an organic acid or the combination of an organic acid and a compound containing an alkali metal may be added in any step from S101 to S104. Note that this addition preferably allows the alkali metal salt of an organic acid or the combination of an organic acid and a compound containing an alkali metal to be distributed throughout the raw material.

[0052] From the above viewpoint, it is particularly efficient and preferable to add the alkali metal salt of an organic acid or the combination of the organic acid and the compound containing the alkali metal at a stage prior to the steaming step S103. For example, in the preparation stage for the steaming step S103, the alkali metal salt of an organic acid or the combination of the organic acid and the compound containing the alkali metal may be added to a steam-kneader together with milled rice flour and water, and the mixture may be steamed by stirring while blowing in steam.

[0053] The above is a specific method of the present technology that can be particularly suitably implemented for baked rice snacks obtained by baking or fried rice snacks obtained by frying in oil. However, for example, when producing dough for rice snacks or other rice snacks that are heated and pressurized in an extruder or the like, a mixture of an alkali salt of an organic acid or a combination of an organic acid and a compound containing an alkali metal can be added to the extruder to prepare the dough in the extruder.

[0054] [Rice cracker manufacturing method] As mentioned above, the dough obtained by this technology can be used to produce the desired rice snacks. Figure 2 shows a typical flow diagram for producing baked rice snacks obtained by baking and fried rice snacks obtained by frying, as representative examples of methods for producing rice snacks using dough containing rice-derived ingredients. Using this flow diagram, we will specifically explain the method for producing rice snacks obtained by heating the dough produced by the method of this technology.

[0055] The method for producing rice crackers using dough containing rice-derived ingredients generally includes a drying step S201, a baking / frying step S202, and a seasoning step S203, in that order, as shown in FIG.

[0056] The drying step S201 is a step in which the dough is dried after being shaped to remove excess moisture and stabilize the shaped state. By drying the dough, the dough will properly expand when heated in the subsequent baking and frying step S202. There are no particular restrictions on the drying method used in the drying step S201, and any method can be used. For example, natural drying, hot air drying, infrared drying, etc. can be used. Furthermore, the degree of drying and drying conditions (temperature and time) can be adjusted depending on the texture and manufacturing method of the rice cracker to be produced.

[0057] In the drying step S201, depending on the texture of the rice cracker to be produced, the dough may be rested after primary drying, followed by secondary drying. Here, "primary drying" is a drying process to remove moisture from the surface and inside of the formed dough, uniformly distribute the moisture inside the dough, and stabilize the shape of the dough. "Resting" is a process in which the dough after the primary drying is left for a certain period of time to uniformly distribute the moisture inside. The moisture remaining inside the dough moves to the outside, allowing for even moisture removal during the subsequent secondary drying. "Secondary drying" is a drying process to prepare the dough that has undergone the resting step in a state suitable for the baking / frying step S202, and adjusts the moisture in the dough to an appropriate level.

[0058] The drying step S201 may be followed by a final drying step after the seasoning step S203, which will be described later. By carrying out this final drying step, for example, it is possible to finely adjust the moisture content after the baking / frying step S202, which will be described later, thereby achieving a uniform texture and improving shelf life. Furthermore, it is expected that the moisture content of the liquid seasoning or seasoning added in the seasoning step S203 can be appropriately removed, stabilizing the flavor of the rice crackers produced. Furthermore, removing excess moisture from the dough can reduce the risk of mold and quality deterioration.

[0059] Here, "liquid seasoning" refers to a liquid seasoning used to coat the surface of rice crackers by methods such as spreading or dipping, while "seasoning" refers to a powdered or finely divided seasoning that is sprinkled on the surface of rice crackers.

[0060] The baking and frying process S202 is a process in which the dried dough is heated to create the texture and flavor unique to rice crackers.

[0061] When the object of manufacture is a baked rice confectionery, the dough is heated using a gas-powered burner or the like, which allows the starch in the dough to expand appropriately and creates a desirable texture.

[0062] The baking means and conditions in this step are not particularly limited, and any means and conditions that can be used for baking rice snacks can be used. Baking means that can be used include, for example, a gas-fired kiln, a roaster, a repetitive roaster, a hot air oven, a rotary oven, etc. Baking can be carried out by adjusting the heat and time in accordance with conventional methods depending on the texture and manufacturing method of the rice snack to be produced.

[0063] When the product to be manufactured is a fried rice snack, the dough is heated by frying in oil, which rapidly evaporates the water in the dough, causing the dough to rise and imparting a fragrant flavor.

[0064] The frying method and conditions in this step are not particularly limited, and any method and conditions that can be used for frying rice snacks can be used. For example, a fryer can be used as the frying method. Furthermore, frying can be performed by adjusting the oil temperature and time in accordance with conventional methods depending on the texture and manufacturing method of the rice snack to be produced.

[0065] The seasoning step S203 is a step in which seasonings or condiments are applied to the dough that has been subjected to the baking and frying step S202 to finalize the flavor of the rice cracker. The means for applying the seasonings or condiments in the seasoning step S203 is not particularly limited, and any method can be used. Examples of methods include coating, dipping, wetting the dough surface with oil or water and then sprinkling the seasoning on it, using a drum mixer or spray device, dripping the seasoning, showering the seasoning, and using a drum mixer.

[0066] Furthermore, as mentioned above, depending on the rice snack to be produced, a final drying step may be carried out after the seasoning step S203.

[0067] The above is a specific example of a method for producing rice snacks that can be suitably applied to baked rice snacks and fried rice snacks, but in the case of rice snacks, such as rice snacks, which are heated and pressurized in an extruder, instead of the drying step S201 and the baking / frying step S202, a dough prepared based on ingredients added to an extruder can be extruded under heat and pressure, and the extruded dough can be cut to an appropriate size and shaped into a rice snack shape. Subsequent steps, such as the seasoning step S203, can then be carried out as appropriate depending on the rice snack to be produced, as in the specific example of the method for producing rice snacks described above.

[0068] [Rice crackers] In the manufacturing process of the rice confectionery of the present technology, an alkali metal salt of an organic acid or a combination of a compound containing the organic acid and the alkali metal is added to the raw material containing the rice-derived component in one of the steps of the method for manufacturing dough containing rice-derived components, so that at least the central portion of the rice confectionery contains an alkali metal salt of an organic acid.

[0069] The rice crackers of the present technology contain an alkali metal salt of an organic acid in the center, so that they can be suitably produced as rice crackers even if the rice contained in the raw materials includes varieties of rice that are difficult to form into dough, as described above. Furthermore, by adjusting the raw rice, it is possible to provide rice crackers that meet customer needs.

[0070] Here, the "center portion of the rice cracker" refers to the portion inside the surface layer of the rice cracker. Specifically, if a surface layer different from the center portion is created by adding seasonings or condiments in the seasoning process described above, the "center portion of the rice cracker" does not include the surface layer, but refers to the portion inside the surface layer.

[0071] The organic acids and alkali metals contained in the rice snack of the present technology are the organic acids and alkali metals described in this specification. These may be contained alone or in combination of multiple types.

[0072] Furthermore, in the rice snack of the present technology, the organic acid and alkali metal may be present in the form of ions in the center of the rice snack. Specifically, the organic acid and alkali metal ions contained in the rice snack of the present technology may be ions generated by dissociation of an alkali metal salt of an organic acid when the alkali metal salt is added to the rice snack dough, or may be ions generated from a compound containing an organic acid and an alkali metal that is added separately to the rice snack dough.

[0073] The content ratio of organic acids and alkali metals in the central part of the rice crackers of the present technology may be affected by the manufacturing process after these ingredients are added to the raw materials, but is based on the amount of alkali metal salt of an organic acid or a combination of the organic acid and a compound containing the alkali metal added to the raw materials containing rice-derived ingredients.

[0074] Whether the rice cracker center contains an alkali metal salt of an organic acid can be confirmed using any method for detecting organic acids and alkali metal salts. For example, organic acids and alkali metal salts can be confirmed using the methods described below. Based on the organic acid content and alkali metal salt content determined from these measurement results, the content (molar concentration) of the alkali metal salt of an organic acid in the rice cracker center can be determined.

[0075] For example, if the alkali metal salt of an organic acid contained in a rice cracker is trisodium citrate, the molar concentration of sodium will be three times that of citric acid. Therefore, the concentrations of citric acid and sodium are determined. The mass of rice-derived components is then determined by subtracting the water, lipid, and determined amount of sodium citrate equivalent from the total mass of the sample. By calculating the percentage of the amount of sodium citrate equivalent relative to this mass, the content of sodium citrate relative to 100 rice-derived components in the sample can be determined.

[0076] The surface of the sample to be measured (rice cracker) is scraped off to obtain the center of the rice cracker, which is the part inside the surface layer of the rice cracker. The obtained center of the rice cracker is crushed, and the crushed material is used for each analysis.

[0077] <Identifying the organic acid content> 1 g of the ground material is subjected to shaking extraction using 30 mL of 0.1% formic acid solution. The resulting extract is diluted to an arbitrary concentration and used as a measurement sample. The amount of organic acid is measured using an LC / MS (1260 Infinity 2, manufactured by Agilent) under the conditions shown below. Based on the measurement results obtained, the content (mass % concentration) of organic acid in the measurement target (rice cracker) can be determined. Note that MS ionization is performed using negative ESI, and 191 can be used as the monitor ion (m / z) to determine the content of citric acid. The monitor ion can also be changed depending on the organic acid of interest.

[0078] Column: Agilent Hi-Plex H250 x 4.6mm Column temperature: 50 °C Mobile phase: 0.01% formic acid aqueous solution / acetonitrile = 80 / 20 (v / v) Flow rate: 0.2 mL / min Additive: 0.025% aqueous ammonia / acetonitrile = 50 / 50 (v / v) Additive flow rate: 0.1 mL / min Ionization method: ESI Polarity: Negative Monitor ion: 191 (citric acid)

[0079] <Specification of the content of alkali metal salts> To 2 g of the pulverized product, perform shaking extraction using 200 mL of 1% hydrochloric acid solution. Measure the amount of alkali metal salts contained in the extract using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (ZA3000, manufactured by Hitachi, Ltd.). Based on the obtained measurement results, the content (mass% concentration) of alkali metal salts in the measurement target (rice confectionery) can be specified.

[0080] <Specification of the water content> Dry 5 g of the pulverized product at 135 °C for 3 hours using a dryer, and based on the mass change before and after, specify the mass% concentration of water in the measurement target (rice confectionery).

[0081] <Specification of the lipid content> Put 2 g of the pulverized product into a cylindrical filter paper, and dry it at 105 °C for 1 hour using a dryer. Then, measure the dry mass of the extract obtained using a Soxhlet extractor with diethyl ether as the solvent. Based on the obtained measurement results, specify the mass% concentration of lipids in the measurement target (rice confectionery).

[0082] <Specification of pH> For the alkali metal salts of organic acids contained in rice confectionery, the alkali metal salts of the target organic acids may be estimated from their pH to improve the efficiency of specification. For example, when the alkali metal salt of the organic acid contained in rice confectionery is trisodium citrate, by confirming that the pH is greater than 5, subsequent specification can be made more efficient. Specifically, add 10 times the mass of distilled water to 2 g of the pulverized product, stir, and measure the pH of the suspension using a pH meter.

[0083] As described above, the rice-derived components contained in the rice crackers of the present technology are components obtained using rice (rice seeds) as a raw material, and include all substances derived from rice. Furthermore, the rice is not particularly limited, but in a form in which the effects of the present technology are more effectively exhibited, it may include a rice variety that is difficult to form into dough, or may be a rice variety that is difficult to form into dough. Examples of such rice include, but are not limited to, Indica rice, and therefore, as described above, the rice contained in the rice crackers of the present technology may include Indica rice or may be Indica rice. The Indica rice may be non-glutinous rice or glutinous rice.

[0084] Furthermore, the rice snack of the present technology may contain, in addition to rice-derived ingredients, any ingredients that suit the characteristics of the rice snack to be produced.

[0085] The present technology can have the following configurations. [1] A rice snack containing ingredients derived from rice, At least the central portion of the rice snack contains an alkali metal salt of an organic acid. [2] The rice snack according to [1], wherein the organic acid is one or more organic acids selected from citric acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, ascorbic acid, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. [3] The rice snack according to [1] or [2], wherein the rice includes an Indica variety. [4] The rice snack according to [1] or [2], wherein the rice is an Indica variety. [5] The rice snack according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the alkali metal in the alkali metal salt is one or more selected from potassium and sodium. [6] With ingredients derived from rice, A dough for producing rice crackers, comprising an alkali metal salt of an organic acid. [7] The dough for producing rice crackers according to [6], wherein the organic acid is one or more organic acids selected from citric acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, ascorbic acid, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. [8] The dough for producing rice crackers according to [6] or [7], wherein the rice includes Indica species. [9] The dough for producing rice crackers according to [6] or [7], wherein the rice is an Indica variety.

[10] The dough for producing rice crackers according to any one of [6] to [9], wherein the alkali metal of the alkali metal salt is one or more selected from potassium and sodium.

[11] A rice snack according to any one of [1] to [5], which is produced by heating a dough obtained by adding an alkali metal salt of the organic acid or a combination of the organic acid and a compound containing the alkali metal to a raw material containing the rice-derived component.

[12] In any step of the manufacturing process of dough containing rice-derived ingredients, The method for producing the dough comprises adding an alkali metal salt of an organic acid or a combination of the organic acid and a compound containing the alkali metal to a raw material containing a component derived from rice.

[13] The method according to

[12] , wherein the organic acid is one or more organic acids selected from citric acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, ascorbic acid, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid.

[14] The method according to

[12] or

[13] , wherein the rice comprises an Indica variety.

[15] The method according to

[12] or

[13] , wherein the rice is an Indica variety.

[16] The method according to any one of

[12] to

[15] , wherein the alkali metal in the alkali metal salt is one or more selected from potassium and sodium.

[17] The method according to any one of

[12] to

[16] , wherein the amount of the alkali metal salt of the organic acid or the combination of the organic acid and the compound containing the alkali metal added is 0.05% by mass or more and 10.00% by mass or less, calculated as the alkali metal salt of the organic acid, based on the dry matter of the rice-derived component.

[18] A method for producing rice crackers by heating dough produced by the method according to any one of

[12] to

[17] . [Example]

[0086] The present technology will be described in detail below based on specific examples, but the present technology is not limited to the contents of the examples shown below.

[0087] [Rice cracker ingredients] <Rice> Jasmine rice (from Thailand) White non-glutinous rice (Thailand) Non-glutinous Basmati rice (Indian) <Additives for forming alkali metal salts of organic acids in rice crackers> Trisodium citrate (Fuso Chemical Co., Ltd.) Tripotassium citrate (Fuso Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) Disodium tartrate (Fuso Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) Sodium gluconate (Fuso Chemical Co., Ltd.) Disodium succinate (Fuso Chemical Co., Ltd.) Disodium adipate (Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) Sodium ascorbate (Fuso Chemical Co., Ltd.) Sodium erythorbate (Fuso Chemical Co., Ltd.) Disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (Kanto Chemical) Sodium acetate (Yoneyama Chemical Industry) Sodium lactate (Fuso Chemical Co., Ltd.) Disodium malate (Fuso Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) Citric acid (Fuso Chemical) + baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) (Tosoh) Calcium citrate (Fuso Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) Salt (made by Nihon Kaisui)

[0088] Using the above-mentioned raw materials in the combinations shown in Tables 1 to 3, rice snacks of Examples 1 to 20 and Comparative Examples 1 to 6 were produced according to the following rice snack production procedures. Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 compare the present technology with the conventional technology when the raw rice material was changed. Examples 4 to 15 and Comparative Examples 4 to 6 confirm the effects of raw materials related to alkali metal salts of organic acids added during the rice snack production process. Examples 16 to 19 confirm the effects of the added amounts of raw materials related to alkali metal salts of organic acids added during the rice snack production process. Example 20 confirms the effects of the present technology when potato starch is added as another raw material.

[0089] [Table 1]

[0090] [Table 2]

[0091] [Table 3]

[0092] [Rice cracker manufacturing procedure] <Rice washing / soaking> The rice is washed in water to remove surface dirt and unwanted components, then soaked in water for an hour to make it easier to steam.

[0093] <Flour milling> After washing and soaking, the rice is crushed into rice flour using a pressure roll to make it easier to steam, until the average particle size is between 400 μm and 600 μm.

[0094] <Steamed> The rice flour milled as described above, the additives shown in Tables 1 to 3, and water are placed in a steaming kneader (manufactured by Kameda Seika Kaisha), and the additive concentrations are adjusted to those shown in the tables. The mixture is then steamed by blowing in steam and stirring. The specific conditions are shown below. Rice flour (containing 30% moisture): 9kg (mass of dry matter: 6.3kg) Water: 2.5 kg (excluding steam) Steaming time: 15 minutes

[0095] <Pounding and kneading> The steamed rice flour is passed through a screw-type kneading machine (manufactured by Kameda Seika) three times and kneaded into a ball-like mass to form the dough for the rice crackers.

[0096] <Molding> The dough balls formed above were rolled out using a roll-type rolling machine to meet the following diameter and mass, and then cut into rice cracker molds. The shapes and masses of the rice cracker dough cut out according to this procedure were as follows: Diameter 53mm round 4.8g (dry mass 2.5g)

[0097] <Drying> In order to remove excess moisture from the cut-out dough, a hot air dryer (manufactured by Kameda Seika) is used to dry the dough to a moisture content of 13% for baking and 12% for frying.

[0098] <Firing> The dried dough is baked in a gas oven (manufactured by Kameda Seika) to complete the baked rice crackers.

[0099] <Fry> The dried dough is fried in a fryer (manufactured by Kameda Seika) at an oil temperature of 230°C for 40 seconds to complete the fried rice crackers.

[0100] [Rice cracker evaluation] <Dough hardness when shaping (N)> For each example and comparative example, a 20g lump of dough was taken from the pounding and kneading steps of the rice cracker manufacturing procedure described above, kept at 50°C for 1 hour, and filled into a stainless steel petri dish with a diameter of 40mm and a depth of 15mm. This was used as a measurement sample, and the load measured when an 8mm diameter resin cylindrical plunger reached a penetration distance of 9mm was determined using a creep meter RE2-33005B (manufactured by Yamaden Co., Ltd.) at a compression speed of 1mm / sec. The results are shown in Tables 5 to 7.

[0101] <pH of dough when shaping> The pH of each measurement sample fabric of each of the above-mentioned Examples and Comparative Examples was measured by poking a pH tester (HALO2 / Hanna Instruments). The results are shown in Tables 5 to 7.

[0102] <Ease of processing the dough when shaping> For each example and comparative example, a portion of the dumpling-shaped dough obtained in the pounding and kneading process of the rice cracker manufacturing procedure was taken out, and five experienced developers evaluated the ease of processing of the obtained dough according to the following evaluation criteria. The evaluation results shown in Tables 5 to 7 are the average values ​​of the evaluation results of the developers.

[0103] Evaluation criteria The ease of processing of the dough was evaluated by evaluating the ease of forming the dough, the extensibility and the workability of the dough according to the following criteria, and based on the evaluation results, a score of 0 to 5 was assigned according to Table 4 below. Note that a higher score means that the dough is easier to process.

[0104] <Easy fabric organization> A: The dough is easy to gather. B: The dough is difficult to gather C: The dough is uneven and doesn't hold together, or it's too soft and doesn't hold its shape.

[0105] <Fabric extensibility> A: The fabric stretches well. B: The dough breaks easily while being rolled out C: Difficult to roll out the dough

[0106] <Workability> A: The dough is soft and can be stretched with a constant force. B: The dough is harder than A, and requires more force to stretch, making it harder to work with. C: The dough is hard or fluid and difficult to continue rolling.

[0107] [Table 4]

[0108] <Volume of rice crackers after heating (cm 3 )> For each example and each comparative example, the volume (cm ) of each piece of baked rice crackers and fried rice crackers produced according to the rice cracker production procedure described above was measured using a three-dimensional measuring machine VL series (manufactured by Keyence Corporation). 3 The results are shown in Tables 5 to 7.

[0109] <Hardness of rice crackers after heating (N)> For each example and comparative example, the hardness of the baked and fried rice snacks prepared according to the rice snack manufacturing procedure described above was measured using a creep meter RE2-33005B (manufactured by Yamaden Co., Ltd.). Specifically, the center of the baked or fried rice snack was compressed with a 3 mm diameter stainless steel cylindrical plunger at a compression rate of 1 mm / sec and a measurement strain rate of 70% to determine the breaking strength (maximum load). The results are shown in Tables 5 to 7.

[0110] <Taste of rice crackers after heating> For each example and comparative example, the taste of the baked and fried rice crackers prepared according to the rice cracker manufacturing procedures described above was evaluated by five experienced developers. Based on a discussion among the researchers, if the taste of a rice cracker was not found to be significantly different from that of a normal rice cracker, it was rated as "no off-flavor." For any off-flavor taste that was different from that of a normal rice cracker, the taste was specifically described. The results are shown in Tables 5 to 7.

[0111] [Table 5]

[0112] [Table 6]

[0113] [Table 7]

[0114] The evaluation results confirmed that adding an alkali metal salt of an organic acid or a combination of an organic acid and an alkali metal compound to ingredients containing rice-derived components in the process before forming the dough can improve processing characteristics such as the ease of forming and spreading the dough.

[0115] From the evaluation results of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3, it can be confirmed that even when the raw rice is changed, the processing characteristics such as the ease of dough formation and spreadability can be improved by the present technology.

[0116] Furthermore, the evaluation results of Examples 4 to 15 confirm that the effects of the present technology can be obtained even when the raw material related to the alkali metal salt of an organic acid added during the manufacturing process of the rice snack is changed. Furthermore, the evaluation results of Examples 16 to 19 confirm that the effects of the present technology can be obtained even when the amount of the raw material related to the alkali metal salt of an organic acid added during the manufacturing process of the rice snack is changed, and the evaluation result of Example 20 confirms that the effects of the present technology can be obtained even when other raw materials are added.

[0117] From the results of measuring the volume of the rice crackers after heating in the examples, it can be confirmed that the rice crackers obtained by heating (baking or frying) the dough produced by the method of the present technology have the dough properly expanded by heating. Furthermore, from the results of measuring the hardness of the rice crackers after heating in the examples, it can be determined that the rice crackers obtained by heating the dough produced by the method of the present technology have a suitable texture for rice crackers. From these results, it is considered that the dough produced by the method of the present technology can be suitably used for producing rice crackers.

[0118] From the above evaluation results, it is believed that by using the method of the present technology, even rice varieties that have not previously been used as ingredients for rice crackers can be used as ingredients for rice crackers, making it possible to provide rice crackers prepared to meet the diverse needs of customers.

Claims

1. A rice snack containing ingredients derived from rice, At least the central portion of the rice snack contains an alkali metal salt of an organic acid, The rice snack, wherein the organic acid is one or more organic acids selected from citric acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, ascorbic acid, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid.

2. The rice snack of claim 1 , wherein the rice comprises an Indica variety.

3. The rice snack according to claim 1, wherein the rice is an Indica variety.

4. A rice snack containing ingredients derived from rice, At least the central portion of the rice snack contains an alkali metal salt of an organic acid, A rice cracker, wherein the rice is an Indica variety.

5. The rice snack according to claim 1, wherein the alkali metal in the alkali metal salt is one or more selected from potassium and sodium.

6. With ingredients derived from rice, an alkali metal salt of an organic acid, The dough for producing rice crackers, wherein the organic acid is one or more organic acids selected from citric acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, ascorbic acid, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid.

7. The dough for making rice crackers according to claim 6, wherein the rice comprises an Indica variety.

8. The dough for making rice crackers according to claim 6, wherein the rice is an Indica variety.

9. A rice-derived ingredient; an alkali metal salt of an organic acid, The dough for producing rice crackers, wherein the rice is an Indica variety.

10. The dough for producing rice snacks according to claim 6, wherein the alkali metal of the alkali metal salt is one or more selected from potassium and sodium.

11. A rice snack according to any one of claims 1 to 5, produced by heating a dough obtained by adding an alkali metal salt of the organic acid or a combination of the organic acid and a compound containing the alkali metal to a raw material containing the rice-derived component.

12. In any step of the manufacturing process of dough containing rice-derived ingredients, The method for producing the dough comprises adding an alkali metal salt of one or more organic acids selected from citric acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, ascorbic acid, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, or a combination of the organic acid and a compound containing the alkali metal, to a raw material containing rice-derived components.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the rice comprises an Indica variety.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the alkali metal in the alkali metal salt is at least one selected from potassium and sodium.

15. 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the amount of the alkali metal salt of the organic acid or the combination of the organic acid and the compound containing the alkali metal added is 0.05% by mass or more and 10.00% by mass or less, calculated as the alkali metal salt of the organic acid, based on the dry matter content of the rice-derived component.

16. A method for producing rice snacks by heating dough produced by the method according to any one of claims 12 to 15.

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