Meat-like foods

Abstract

To provide a meat-like food that has random irregularities in appearance like natural meat and can reproduce versatile (non-uniform) eat-texture of natural meat when masticated.SOLUTION: Provided is a meat-like food that is characterized in that it contains a tissue-like soybean protein material composed of fibrous soybean protein and a seasoning material, and in which the fibrous soybean protein contains carbohydrate and calcium, the surface of the tissue-like soybean protein material has a plurality of lumpy parts containing pores, and the plurality of lumpy parts are in contact with each other to form a surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a meat-like food product. [Background technology]

[0002] Recently, the social situation surrounding meat ingredients has become increasingly severe, and there is a growing trend toward using vegetable proteins such as soy protein as substitutes for meat or as bulking agents.

[0003] Among vegetable proteins, textured soy protein, which is textured using defatted soybeans or powdered soy protein material as raw materials, is used for a variety of purposes, and textured soy protein is used as a filler for ground meat in processed meat foods such as hamburgers and meatballs. On the other hand, one of the characteristics of the texture of meat-like foods using textured soy protein is that they are inferior in terms of the ability to break apart during mastication compared to natural meat. In particular, there is a problem in that the breaking apart of meat fibers cannot be fully reproduced. Therefore, various studies have been conducted to improve the texture of such textured soy protein. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a textured protein material produced by reacting soy protein raw material and water under heat and pressure in an extruder, blending calcium and starches together, extruding the mixture through a die, and slicing the mixture horizontally in the extrusion direction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6844736 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The inventors have discovered that meat-like foods using such textured plant proteins lack the diversity (uneven texture) of natural meat and have an artificial texture. Furthermore, meat-like foods using textured plant proteins lack the natural texture of natural meat and only have an unnatural, artificial appearance. The researchers discovered that the reason why such meat-like foods have an artificial texture is that the texture extruded from the extruder in meat-like foods is uniform in the direction perpendicular to the extrusion direction, resulting in a uniform texture when chewed. It was also discovered that the unnatural appearance of meat-like foods is due to the fact that they are sliced ​​horizontally in the extrusion direction, resulting in regular and lacking variety in the irregularities in their appearance. The object of the present invention is to provide a meat-like food product that has a randomly uneven appearance like natural meat and that can reproduce the diverse (non-uniform) texture of natural meat when chewed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention provides a meat-like food that faithfully reproduces the appearance and diverse textures of natural meat.

[0007] That is, the meat-like food of the present invention comprises a textured soy protein material made of fibrous soy protein and a seasoning, the fibrous soy protein containing carbohydrates and calcium, and the surface of the textured soy protein material has a plurality of lumps containing pores, the plurality of lumps being in contact with each other to form the surface. The meat-like food of the present invention has a surface on which a plurality of lumps containing pores formed by the swelling of carbohydrates are randomly formed, and these lumps come into contact with or adhere to one another to form the surface of the meat-like food, thereby reproducing the uneven texture that occurs accidentally in natural meat. Furthermore, because the meat-like food of the present invention is composed of fibrous soy protein containing calcium, the fibers are easily loosened when chewed, and the texture of natural meat can be reproduced.

[0008] It is preferable that the fibrous soy protein is oriented, the plurality of aggregates are in contact with each other and adhere to each other to form the surface of the textured soy protein material, and that the porosity of the surface and back surfaces of the textured soy protein material is lower than the porosity of the central portion. The meat-like food of the present invention is made up of oriented fibrous soy protein, and the surface is made up of a surface with a difference in porosity between the surface, back and center, and a cluster of randomly sized parts densely packed together, so it can reproduce the diverse texture (unevenness) of natural meat.

[0009] In the meat-like food of the present invention, the porosity of the surface and back surfaces of the textured soy protein material (when the thickness is L, the region from the top surface to L / 3 and the region from the bottom surface to L / 3 of the textured soy protein material) is desirably 50 to 80%, and the porosity of the central portion (when the thickness is L, the remaining region of thickness L / 3 excluding the regions from the top surface to L / 3 and the region from the bottom surface to L / 3 of the textured soy protein material) is desirably 60 to 90%. The meat-like food of the present invention has an increased surface density of the textured soy protein material, thereby improving the chewiness at the first bite and maintaining the loosening feeling from the second bite onwards.

[0010] The meat-like food of the present invention preferably contains 300 mg to 1500 mg of the calcium per 100 g of the textured soy protein material. When the amount of calcium in the textured soy protein material is within the above range, the soy protein is likely to be fibrous. The calcium content mentioned above means the amount (mg) contained per 100 g of dry weight of the textured soy protein material.

[0011] The meat-like food of the present invention preferably contains 10 to 50 parts by mass of the carbohydrates described above per 100 parts by mass of the textured soy protein material. When the carbohydrate content is within the above range, the textured soy protein material is more likely to swell and form lumps. The carbohydrate in the meat-like food product of the present invention is preferably cornstarch. When the carbohydrate is cornstarch, the textured soy protein material is more likely to swell and form lumps.

[0012] In the meat-like food of the present invention, the seasoning contains salt and / or sugar, and it is desirable that when the meat-like food is immersed in water in an amount 10 times the weight of the meat-like food for 10 minutes at 80°C, the seasoning is dissolved into the water and the salt concentration in the water is 0.1% by weight or more and / or the sugar concentration is 0.2% by weight or more. If the meat-like food contains the seasoning to the above-mentioned extent, it can reproduce the texture and taste of cooked natural meat.

[0013] The meat-like food product of the present invention preferably further contains a colorant. By including a coloring agent in the meat-like food of the present invention, the appearance becomes closer to that of natural meat. The seasoning and coloring agents may be contained in the fibrous soy protein or may be held within the pores.

[0014] The meat-like food of the present invention can be produced by, for example, using a roller or the like to crush and compress the surface lumps in a direction perpendicular to the orientation direction of the fibrous soy protein, thereby reproducing the uneven texture that occurs accidentally in natural meat.

[0015] The meat-like food of the present invention can be dried to form a dried product when distributed, or may be provided as a frozen food. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1A is a photograph of the surface of the textured soy protein material in a dry state that serves as the basis for the meat-like food product of Example 1. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is a photograph of the surface of the textured soy protein material that serves as the basis for the meat-like food of Example 1 in a water-absorbed state. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the meat-like food according to the present invention. [Figure 3]FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the meat-like food according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The meat-like food of the present invention comprises a textured soy protein material made of fibrous soy protein and a seasoning, the fibrous soy protein containing carbohydrates and calcium, and the textured soy protein material has a plurality of lumps containing pores on the surface thereof, the plurality of lumps being in contact with one another to form the surface. The term "meat" as used herein refers to meat of birds, animals, and fish used for food. Fish meat is conventionally classified as a separate category from the meat of birds, animals, and fish, but the term "meat" as used herein also includes fish meat.

[0018] One embodiment (first embodiment) of the meat-like food of the present invention will be described below using Figure 2. The meat-like food 1A of the present invention shown in Figure 2 is composed of fibrous soy protein 2 containing calcium, so the fibers are easily loosened when chewed. Furthermore, the surface of the meat-like food 1A is composed of multiple, densely packed, lumpy portions 4 of various sizes, including pores 3 formed by the swelling of carbohydrates, which are in contact with each other, so that the appearance of the random unevenness that occurs by chance in natural meat can be achieved. Furthermore, the meat-like food 1A of the present invention can reproduce the diversity of texture (unevenness) and achieve the appearance and texture of natural meat. The chunks 4 are formed by the random swelling of the fibrous soy protein 2 by carbohydrates. The chunks 4 contain pores 3. There are multiple chunks 4, and they gather together and come into contact with each other to form the surface of the meat-like food 1A. This results in a randomly uneven texture just like the surface of natural meat. Furthermore, because the chunks 4 of various sizes gather together, a diverse (non-uniform) texture like that of natural meat is obtained when chewed.

[0019] It is desirable that the seasoning contains salt and / or sugar, and that when the meat-like food is immersed in water in an amount 10 times the weight of the meat-like food for 10 minutes at 80°C, the seasoning is dissolved into the water and the salt concentration in the water is 0.1% by weight or more and / or the sugar concentration is 0.2% by weight or more. If the meat-like food contains the seasoning to the above-mentioned extent, it can reproduce the texture and taste of cooked natural meat.

[0020] The planar size of the lump (when the lump is observed in a planar view and sandwiched between two parallel lines, the largest distance between the two parallel lines is taken as the planar size of the lump) is preferably 1 to 30 mm in a dry state, and 1 to 30 mm in a water-absorbed state. In this specification, the term "water-absorbed state" refers to the state after adding 100 g of water at 15°C to 10 g of a textured soy protein material sample, leaving the mixture for 2 hours, and then draining the water through a 30 mesh colander.

[0021] In the meat-like food of the present invention, the fibrous soy protein preferably has a fiber diameter of, for example, 0.01 to 1000 μm.

[0022] The carbohydrate used in the meat-like food of the present invention is preferably starch, and more preferably cornstarch, because cornstarch is more likely to cause soy protein to swell than wheat starch. The meat-like food of the present invention preferably contains 10 to 50 parts by mass of the carbohydrates per 100 parts by mass of the textured soy protein material, more preferably 20 to 35 parts by mass.

[0023] In the meat-like food of the present invention, calcium is preferably contained in an amount of 300 mg to 1500 mg per 100 g of the textured soy protein material, because when the amount of calcium in the meat-like food of the present invention is in the above range, the soy protein is easily fibrous. The calcium is preferably a calcium salt, and is not particularly limited as long as it is a compound that dissociates even slightly to form calcium ions. Examples of calcium salts that can be used include calcium sulfate, calcium carbonate, calcium chloride, and calcium hydroxide. While calcium is preferably added to the raw material, it may also be added by impregnating carbohydrate-containing soy protein extruded under heat and pressure in an extruder with an aqueous solution of such a calcium salt. In addition to calcium salts, magnesium salts can also be used.

[0024] The porosity of the chunks of the textured soy protein material in the meat-like food of the present invention is preferably 65% ​​to 85% in a water-absorbed state and in a dry state. When the porosity of the textured soy protein material is within the above range, the meat-like food can achieve a texture that is closer to that of natural meat. The average pore size of the chunks of the textured soy protein material in the meat-like food of the present invention is desirably 50 μm to 200 μm in both a water-absorbed state and a dry state. When the average pore size of the textured soy protein material is within the above range, the meat-like food can achieve a texture that is closer to that of natural meat.

[0025] In addition to common seasonings such as salt, sugar, corn syrup, pepper, and soy sauce, the following seasonings are available: phenylacetic acid, (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal, water-soluble resin onion, oil-soluble onion, p-cresol, acetonyl acetate, 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone, (E,E)-2,4-octadienal, 2-methyl-1-butanethiol, 2-methyl-3-furyltetrasulfide, ethyl 2-mercaptopropionate, 2-mercapto-3-butanol (mixture of isomers), n-decane-d22, oil-soluble garlic, sulfurol, sulfuryl acetate, mercapto-3-butanol, spiro These may include spiromeat, 1-penten-3-one, 2-methyl-3-furanthiol, 2-methyl-3-tetrahydrofuranthiol, oleic acid, dipropyl trisulfide, difurfuryl disulfide, methylcyclopentenolone, 3-methylthiohexanal, butyric acid, butyrolactone, 5-methyl-2(3H)-furanone, furaneol, 1-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl)-ethanone, hexanoic acid, and combinations thereof. The amount of seasoning contained in the meat-like food of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.1 to 80 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the water-absorbed textured soy protein material.

[0026] The meat-like food product of the present invention preferably further contains a colorant. Examples of coloring agents include natural coloring agents (e.g., caramel coloring agent, annatto, betanin, lycopene, β-carotene, cochineal extract, fruit extract, vegetable extract, etc.), artificial dyes (e.g., FD&C Blue No. 1, FD&C Blue No. 2, FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, etc.), and lakes (e.g., carmine, etc.). The content of the colorant in the meat-like food of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.01 to 5 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the water-absorbed textured soy protein material.

[0027] Next, a method for producing the meat-like food of the present invention will be described. The meat-like food of the present invention can be produced by first preparing a textured soy protein material and then adding a seasoning and, if necessary, a colorant to the textured soy protein material. Of course, the seasoning and, if necessary, a colorant can also be mixed into the raw material for the textured soy protein material.

[0028] (Soybean protein mixture preparation process) First, a raw material mixture for the textured soy protein material is prepared by adding water to a soy protein raw material such as isolated soy protein and a carbohydrate (corn starch), and then adding the aforementioned calcium salt and the like, and kneading the mixture. The carbohydrate content in the raw material, converted into solid content, is preferably 10 to 50 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the textured soy protein material. This is because when the carbohydrate content is within the above range, the textured soy protein material can be easily expanded to form clumps.

[0029] (Textured soy protein production process) The prepared raw material mixture of textured soy protein material is fed into an extruder (extrusion molding machine), and then the raw material is pressurized and heated to become thermoplastic, and is extruded through a die (mouthpiece) attached to the tip of the screw. In the present invention, the size of the die slit through which the textured soy protein material is extruded is 1 to 2 mm thick and 45 mm or more wide. By making the slit width 45 mm or more, the degree of distribution of the size of the agglomerates increases, resulting in an undulating surface shape. The textured soy protein sheet emerging from the die slit expands under atmospheric pressure due to the action of carbohydrates, forming agglomerates of various sizes. The formed textured soy protein is cut to a predetermined length to produce a textured soy protein material. At this time, the raw material composition can be adjusted to 5 to 90% by weight of isolated soy protein, and the pressurized heating conditions can be adjusted to a screw rotation speed of 150 to 500 rpm, a heating temperature of 25 to 180°C, and a water content of 10 to 40%, thereby producing the textured soy protein material. In the textured soy protein material produced in this manner, the calcium-containing fibrous soy protein is oriented in the extrusion direction of the textured soy protein material, so that the material is prone to tearing in the direction in which the fibrous soy protein is oriented, and the fibers are prone to coming apart during mastication. Note that "orientation" refers to the fibers of the fibrous soy protein being aligned in a certain direction, and when a tensile force is applied manually to the hydrated textured soy protein material in the left-right, front-back, and up-down directions, if the textured soy protein material tears and separates in the direction in which the force is applied, this means that the fibrous soy protein is oriented perpendicular to the direction in which the force is applied.

[0030] (Rehydrate) The textured soy protein material obtained by extrusion may be reconstituted with water. Furthermore, the textured soy protein material may be dried as needed before being reconstituted with water. After the textured soy protein material has been reconstituted with water, it may be dehydrated as needed. The degree of dehydration is not particularly limited and can be selected depending on the purpose.

[0031] (Production of meat-like foods) A seasoning and, if necessary, a coloring agent are added to the textured soy protein material obtained in the above steps. For example, a meat-like food can be produced by immersing a textured soy protein material in a solution of water or an organic solvent in which a seasoning and a coloring agent have been dissolved, and allowing the seasoning and coloring agent to penetrate the material. The organic solvent is preferably ethanol or ethyl acetate. The seasoning and coloring agents may be mixed in advance with the raw material mixture of the textured soy protein material.

[0032] In the meat-like food of the present invention, the seasoning contains salt and / or sugar, and it is desirable that when the meat-like food is immersed in water in an amount 10 times the weight of the meat-like food for 10 minutes at 80°C, the seasoning is dissolved into the water and the salt concentration in the water is 0.1% by weight or more and / or the sugar concentration is 0.2% by weight or more. If the meat-like food contains the seasoning to the above-mentioned extent, it can reproduce the texture and taste of cooked natural meat.

[0033] Furthermore, in the present invention, fats and oils other than the above-mentioned seasonings, sugars, seasonings, vegetables such as carrots, burdock, sesame, and onions, seaweed such as wakame seaweed and hijiki seaweed, and meat such as minced meat may be added to the raw materials of the textured soy protein material, or may be added to the textured soy protein material to produce a meat-like food.

[0034] The meat-like food of the present invention can be used after being cut into a predetermined shape, processed, and cooked. Cooking may be performed by a suitable combination of baking, steaming, boiling, frying, electromagnetic heating, etc.

[0035] Next, another embodiment (second embodiment) of the meat-like food of the present invention will be described. A second aspect of the present invention is a meat-like food product comprising a textured soy protein material made of fibrous soy protein and a seasoning, wherein the fibrous soy protein contains carbohydrates and calcium, the fibrous soy protein is oriented, and the plurality of chunks are in contact with and adhere to each other to form the surface of the textured soy protein material, and the porosity of the surface and back surfaces of the textured soy protein material is lower than the porosity of the central portion.

[0036] The following explanation will be made using Figure 3. The meat-like food 1B of the present invention shown in Figure 3 is composed of calcium-containing fibrous soy protein 2, and because the fibrous soy protein 2 is oriented in the extrusion direction of the textured soy protein material, the fibers are easily loosened during mastication. Furthermore, the surface of the meat-like food 1B is formed by multiple large and small chunks 4 that contact and adhere to each other and contain pores 3 formed by random swelling of carbohydrates. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the chunks 4 are crushed in a direction perpendicular to the orientation direction of the fibrous soy protein (perpendicular to the extrusion direction) using a roller or press, etc., so that the chunks 4 come into contact and adhere to each other, and the crushed compressed surfaces collectively form the surface of the meat-like food, thereby achieving the appearance of random irregularities characteristic of natural meat. Furthermore, the porosity differs between the large and small chunks 4, the surface and back surfaces of the textured soy protein material (when the thickness of the meat-like food in Figure 3 is L, the region from the top surface to L / 3 and the region from the bottom surface to L / 3) and the central portion (when the thickness of the meat-like food in Figure 3 is L, the region with a thickness of L / 3 excluding the region from the top surface to L / 3 and the region from the bottom surface to L / 3) and the porosity of the surface and back surfaces is smaller than the porosity of the central portion, thereby achieving a variety in texture (unevenness) and reproducing the texture of natural meat. The chunks 4 are formed by the random swelling of the fibrous soy protein 2 by carbohydrates. The chunks 4 contain pores 3. There are multiple chunks 4 of various sizes, which come together and adhere to each other to form the surface of the meat-like food 1B. This results in a randomly uneven texture just like the surface of natural meat. Furthermore, because the chunks of various sizes adhere to each other and there is a difference in porosity between the surface and the interior of the textured soy protein material, a diverse (non-uniform) texture like that of natural meat is obtained when chewed.

[0037] The following description will focus on the differences from the first aspect. The meat-like food of the present invention preferably has a flat shape having a surface along the direction in which the fibrous soy protein is oriented and a thickness in the direction perpendicular to the surface. When the meat-like food of the present invention has the above-mentioned shape, its appearance becomes closer to that of natural meat.

[0038] The porosity of the surface and back surfaces of the textured soy protein material in the meat-like food of the present invention is preferably 50 to 80% in a dry state. When the porosity of the surface portion and the back surface portion is within the above range, the chewiness of the meat-like food at first bite can be improved, and a texture similar to that of natural meat can be achieved. The porosity of the central portion of the textured soy protein material in the meat-like food of the present invention is preferably 60 to 90% in a dry state. When the porosity of the central portion is within the above range, the meat-like food maintains a loose feeling from the second bite onwards, and a texture closer to that of natural meat can be achieved. Furthermore, the porosity of the surface and back portions of the textured soy protein material in the meat-like food of the present invention is lower than the porosity of the central portion, and it is desirable that the porosity of the surface and back portions of the textured soy protein material is 5 to 10% lower than the porosity of the central portion in a dry state. The meat-like food of the present invention has low porosity in the surface and back surfaces of the textured soy protein material, so that it has a chewy texture when first chewed and becomes soft as chewing progresses, and can approximate the texture of cooked natural meat.

[0039] The average pore size of the surface and back surfaces of the textured soy protein material in the meat-like food of the present invention is preferably 200 to 600 μm in a water-absorbed state, and 50 to 150 μm in a dry state. When the average pore size of the surface and back surface of the textured soy protein material is within the above range, the chewiness of the meat-like food at first bite can be improved, and a texture similar to that of natural meat can be achieved. The average pore size in the central portion of the textured soy protein material in the meat-like food of the present invention is desirably 400 to 800 μm in a water-absorbed state, and preferably 100 to 200 μm in a dry state. When the average pore size in the central portion of the textured soy protein material is within the above range, the meat-like food maintains a loose feeling from the second bite onwards, and a texture closer to that of natural meat can be achieved.

[0040] Next, a method for producing a meat-like food product according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The meat-like food of the second embodiment is produced through an extrusion step (textured soy protein production step) in which a raw material mixture containing a soy protein raw material is extruded to produce textured soy protein, and a compression step (press step) in which the textured soy protein is compressed in a direction perpendicular to the extrusion direction to crush it. The seasoning and coloring agent may be added to the textured soy protein material, or may be mixed into the raw material mixture of the woven soy protein material.

[0041] The meat-like food of the second embodiment can be produced by a soy protein mixture preparation step, a textured soy protein preparation step, a pressing step, a water reconstitution step, and a meat-like food manufacturing step. In preparing the meat-like food of the second embodiment, the soy protein mixture preparation process, the textured soy protein preparation process, the water reconstitution process, and the meat-like food manufacturing process, other than the pressing process, can be carried out in the same manner as in preparing the meat-like food of the first embodiment.

[0042] (pressing process) The textured soy protein sheet extruded in the textured soy protein production process is pressed vertically (up and down) to the extrusion direction using a roller or press. Pressing can be performed by setting the clearance of the press to a range of 1 to 5 mm, for example, and pressing to a predetermined thickness. The chunks are crushed with a roller or a press, and the crushed surfaces come together to form the surface of the textured soy protein material, which takes on a flattened shape as a whole. The flat (sheet-like) textured soy protein material thus formed is cut to a predetermined length in a direction perpendicular to the extrusion direction to produce flat textured soy protein material of a size suitable for cooking or eating.

[0043] The meat-like food of the present invention obtained as described above can be provided in the form of meat-like foods such as hamburger steak, meatballs, fried chicken, and ingredients for grilled meat. [Example]

[0044] Example 1 (1) Preparation of textured soy protein material 70 parts by weight of isolated soy protein (New Fuji Pro E, protein content 92%, Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) and 25 parts by weight of cornstarch were mixed, and 4 parts by weight of calcium sulfate and 1 part by weight of powdered oil were further added to this mixed material. 100 parts by weight of this mixture and 28 parts by weight of water were fed into a twin-screw extruder and heated and pressurized. A textured soy protein sheet was extruded from the twin-screw extruder and cut at the extruder outlet in a direction perpendicular to the extrusion direction, with a length of 30 cm in the extrusion direction. The extruded and expanded textured soy protein was pressed in a roller press to obtain a textured soy protein material compressed perpendicular to the extrusion direction. The extruder processing was performed at a screw rotation speed of 200 rpm, an outlet temperature of 120°C, and a die slit width of 45 mm and a thickness of 1 mm. The pressing process was performed using a twin-screw roller with a roller clearance adjusted to 4 mm. To 1 part by weight of the obtained textured soy protein material, 20 parts by weight of 6% by weight saline solution was added and stirred for 30 minutes to rehydrate, followed by washing with running water. Next, 20 parts by weight of an acidic solution adjusted to pH 3.6 with phosphoric acid was added and stirred for 30 minutes to rehydrate, followed by washing with 100 parts by weight of water to remove the sourness, thereby producing the textured soy protein material of Example 1. The obtained textured soy protein material was dried for 24 hours in an incubator at 80°C. Figure 1A is a photograph of the surface of the dried textured soy protein material of Example 1. The extruded sheet-like product expanded under atmospheric pressure, and large and small lumps were formed on the surface (Figure 1A). The lumps were composed of fibrous soy protein and had various sizes in plan view, approximately 1 to 30 mm. The lumps were crushed by the rollers and adhered to each other, and the flat surfaces crushed by the rollers came together to form the flat surface of the textured soy protein material. Figure 1B is a photograph of the surface of the water-absorbed textured soy protein material of Example 1. The porosity of the textured soy protein material in a dry state was 69% in the surface region, 76% in the center region, and 71% in the back region. The average pore diameter in a dry state was 77 μm in the surface region and 149 μm in the center region. It is believed that roller pressing caused the porosity and average pore diameter of the surface and back regions of the textured soy protein material to be smaller than those of the center region.

[0045] (2) A seasoning solution containing the following seasoning materials and coloring agents was prepared. (Composition of seasoning solution) Reduced starch syrup 40 parts by weight 20 parts by weight of white sugar Regular salt 5 parts by weight Pepper 0.5 parts by weight Monosodium glutamate 5 parts by weight Soy sauce 10 parts by weight Garlic powder 2 parts by weight Solid fat 20 parts by weight 120 parts by weight of water Caramel color 2 parts by weight

[0046] The textured soy protein material produced in (1) and rehydrated was immersed in the aqueous seasoning solution containing the seasoning and coloring agents for 24 hours, and the seasoning and coloring agents were allowed to penetrate the material while the material was refrigerated at 4°C, to produce a meat-like food for grilling.

[0047] (Calculation of porosity) The porosity was measured using a Carl Zeiss X-ray CT (METROTOM800) under the following conditions: X-ray tube voltage: 60 kV, X-ray tube current: 120 μA, number of views: 1500, exposure time: 400 ms, metal filter: Al 0.5 mm, magnification: 10.85, Vx size: 0.012 mm. The X-ray CT images were binarized using the image analysis software ImageJ, and the porosity was calculated from the ratio of pores to walls in the observation area.

[0048] (Measuring the average pore diameter) The average pore diameter was measured by image analysis of SEM images taken with a low-vacuum scanning electron microscope (Hitachi Tabletop Microscope TM3030, accelerating voltage 15 kV) manufactured by Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation. Image analysis software ImageJ was used to measure the minor axis of each of 10 randomly selected pores. The minor axis is the smallest distance between two parallel lines measured by sandwiching the outline of the pore between them. The calculation of the porosity and the measurement of the average pore diameter can also be carried out for the water-absorbed textured soy protein material in the same manner as above.

[0049] (Measurement of salt and sugar content) Ten parts by weight of the meat-like food containing the seasoning and coloring agent produced in Example 1 were immersed in 100 parts by weight of water at 80°C for 10 minutes, and the salt content of the water into which the seasoning and coloring agent had dissolved was measured using a PAL-SALT Pocket Salt Meter manufactured by ATAGO Co., Ltd., and the sugar content was measured using an EFRACTOMETER PAL-J manufactured by ATAGO Co., Ltd. The salt content was 0.2% by weight, and the sugar content was 1.0% by weight.

[0050] Example 2 (1) Preparation of textured soy protein material 70 parts by weight of isolated soy protein (New Fuji Pro E, protein content 92%, Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) and 25 parts by weight of cornstarch were mixed, and 4 parts by weight of calcium sulfate and 1 part by weight of powdered oil were further added to this mixed raw material and mixed. 100 parts by weight of this mixture and 28 parts by weight of water were fed into a twin-screw extruder and heated and pressurized to obtain expanded textured soy protein. The extruder treatment was carried out at a screw rotation speed of 200 rpm, an outlet side temperature of 120°C, and a die slit width of 45 mm and thickness of 1 mm. At the outlet of the extruder, the textured soy protein was cut perpendicular to the extrusion direction at a length of 30 cm in the extrusion direction to produce a textured soy protein material. To 1 part by weight of the obtained textured soy protein material, 20 parts by weight of 6% by weight saline solution was added and stirred for 30 minutes to rehydrate, followed by washing with running water. Next, 20 parts by weight of an acidic solution adjusted to pH 3.6 with phosphoric acid was added and stirred for 30 minutes to rehydrate, followed by washing with 100 parts by weight of water to remove the sourness, thereby producing the textured soy protein material of Example 2. The extruded sheet-like molding expanded under atmospheric pressure, forming densely packed agglomerates on the surface. The agglomerates were composed of fibrous soy protein and varied in size in plan view, ranging from approximately 1 to 30 mm. When the cross section of the textured soy protein material was observed under an optical microscope at 50x magnification, sponge-like pores surrounded by fibrous soy protein were observed. The porosity of the agglomerates of the textured soy protein material was 76% in a dry state. The average pore diameter of the agglomerates was 112 μm in a dry state. (2) The textured soy protein material produced in (1) was immersed in the same seasoning aqueous solution as in Example 1 to allow the seasoning and coloring agent to penetrate into the material, thereby producing a meat-like food for deep-frying.

[0051] (Measurement of salt and sugar content) Ten parts by weight of the meat-like food containing the seasoning and coloring agent produced in Example 2 were immersed in 100 parts by weight of water at 80°C for 10 minutes, and the salt content of the water into which the seasoning and coloring agent had dissolved was measured using a PAL-SALT Pocket Salt Meter manufactured by ATAGO Co., Ltd., and the sugar content was measured using an EFRACTOMETER PAL-J manufactured by ATAGO Co., Ltd. The salt content was 0.2% by weight, and the sugar content was 1.0% by weight.

[0052] (Comparative Example 1) (1) Preparation of soy protein sheets 75 parts by weight of isolated soy protein (New Fuji Pro E, protein content 92%, Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.), 25 parts by weight of corn starch, and 3 parts by weight of calcium sulfate were mixed. 100 parts by weight of this mixture and 20 parts by weight of water were fed into a twin-screw extruder and heated and pressurized to obtain disintegrated soy protein. The extruder treatment was performed at a screw rotation speed of 200 rpm, an outlet temperature of 120°C, and a die slit width of 15 mm and thickness of 1 mm. The extruded sheet was expanded to a thickness of approximately 20 mm, and was cut into 30 cm lengths and then cut parallel to the extrusion direction with a cutter to a thickness of 3 mm. One part by weight of this soy protein sheet was immersed in 6% by weight saline for 30 minutes to rehydrate, and then washed with running water. Next, the sheet was immersed in an acidic solution adjusted to pH 3.6 with phosphoric acid for 30 minutes to rehydrate, and then washed with running water to remove the sourness, to produce a sheet of the textured soy protein material of Comparative Example 1. The extruded sheet-like molding expanded under atmospheric pressure, but no lumpy portions were observed on the surface because the surface had been sliced. The porosity of the textured soy protein material of Comparative Example 1 was 75% in a dry state, 75% in the center, and 75% in the back surface. The average pore diameter was 110 μm in the surface, 110 μm in the center, and 110 μm in the back surface in a dry state. No difference was observed between the surface and back surfaces and the center. (2) The sheet-shaped soy protein produced in (1) was immersed in the same seasoning aqueous solution as in Example 1 to allow the seasoning and coloring agents to penetrate, thereby producing a meat-like food for grilling and deep-frying.

[0053] (Measurement of elements in meat-like foods) The calcium contained in the meat-like foods of Examples 1 and 2 and the meat-like food of Comparative Example 1 was identified and quantified by ICP (high-frequency inductively coupled plasma) method. The results are shown in Table 1. The measurements were carried out by drying the meat-like food in an incubator at 80°C for 24 hours and measuring the amount of elements in 100 g of the dried product.

[0054] [Table 1]

[0055] (Cooking meat-like foods) The meat-like foods according to Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 were heated at 180°C to prepare grilled meat samples. The meat-like foods according to Example 2 and Comparative Example 1 were also coated with wheat flour, placed in tempura oil at 200°C, and fried for 3 minutes to prepare deep-fried samples. The grilled meat samples and fried chicken samples of Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Example 1 were eaten and evaluated by five people. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0056] (exterior) The results were evaluated on a 4-point scale, with 0 points being completely different in appearance from grilled meat and fried chicken made with wild livestock meat, and 3 points being the same as grilled meat and fried chicken made with wild livestock meat. 0 points: The appearance of the meat is completely different from that of grilled or fried meat made from natural livestock. 1 point: The appearance of the yakiniku or fried chicken made from natural livestock meat is slightly different. 2 points: The appearance is roughly the same as that of grilled or fried meat made from natural livestock. 3 points: The appearance is the same as that of grilled or fried meat made from natural livestock.

[0057] (Texture) The diversity of texture (unevenness) was scored on a 6-point scale, ranging from 0 points (no sense of unevenness at all) to 5 points (full sense of unevenness in the texture of grilled and fried wild meat). Points are awarded based on each individual's experience, with the following criteria: 0 points: The variety of textures found in grilled and fried wild meat is not at all noticeable. 1 point: The variety of textures found in grilled and fried wild meat is barely noticeable. 2 points: The variety of textures that can be found in grilled and fried wild meat is not very noticeable. 3 points: The texture diversity of natural grilled and fried meat is slightly noticeable. 4 points: The texture diversity of natural grilled and fried meat can be felt to some extent. 5 points: The variety of textures of natural grilled and deep-fried meat is fully felt. The average values ​​for the five people are shown in Table 2.

[0058] [Table 2] [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 1A, 1B Meat-like foods 2. Fibrous soy protein 3 Stomata 4 Massive part 5 Seasonings 6. Coloring Agents

Claims

1. The food product contains a textured soy protein material made of fibrous soy protein and a seasoning material, the fibrous soy protein containing corn starch and calcium, the cornstarch is contained in an amount of 20 to 35 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the textured soy protein material; the surface of the textured soy protein material has a plurality of lumps containing pores, and the plurality of lumps come into contact with each other to form irregularities on the surface; The meat-like food is characterized in that the size of the chunks in a plan view is 1 to 30 mm.

2. The meat-like food of claim 1, wherein the fibrous soy protein is oriented and the multiple chunks are in contact with and adhere to each other to form the surface of the textured soy protein material, and when the thickness of the textured soy protein material is L, the region from the top surface of the textured soy protein material to L / 3 is the surface portion, the region from the bottom surface of the textured soy protein material to L / 3 is the back portion, and the region excluding the surface portion and the back portion is the central portion, the porosity of the surface portion and the back portion is lower than the porosity of the central portion.

3. 3. The meat-like food according to claim 2, wherein the porosity of the surface and back surfaces of the textured soy protein material is 50 to 80%, and the porosity of the central portion is 60 to 90%.

4. 4. The meat-like food according to claim 1, wherein the calcium content is 300 mg to 1500 mg per 100 g of the textured soy protein material.

5. The meat-like food according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a coloring agent.

6. The meat-like food according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the seasoning contains salt and / or sugar, and when the meat-like food is immersed in water in an amount 10 times the weight of the meat-like food at 80°C for 10 minutes, the seasoning is dissolved in the water and the salt concentration in the water is 0.1% by weight or more and / or the sugar concentration is 0.2% by weight or more.

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