Freeze-dried instant pasta mix

Abstract

To provide a mix for freeze-dried instant pasta that enables the preparation of freeze-dried instant pasta with quick rehydration.SOLUTION: A mix for pasta includes wheat flour, 5-20 mass% of starch with a gelatinization start temperature of 65°C or lower, and 1-2 mass% of powdery oil and fat. A method for producing freeze-dried instant pasta includes the steps of: preparing dough using the mix for pasta, extrusion-molding the dough and making pasta; pregelatinizing the pasta; and freeze-drying the pregelatinized pasta.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a freeze-dried instant pasta mix that can be used to produce freeze-dried instant pasta that is easily reconstituted with water. [Background technology]

[0002] Instant foods are foods that have been processed to be easily cooked and eaten, and have a shelf life. From the perspective of preservation method, instant foods can be classified into dried instant foods, which have a low moisture content due to drying or other methods, allowing for long-term storage; canned or retort foods, which are sealed and then heat-sterilized at high temperatures exceeding 100°C, allowing for long-term storage at room temperature; and frozen foods, which can be stored for about a year by freezing. A wide variety of instant foods are currently being manufactured and distributed.

[0003] Among foods, pasta foods such as spaghetti and macaroni lose their flavor significantly when heated at temperatures exceeding 100°C, so there are almost no examples of canned or retort pouches of pasta. Furthermore, pasta is produced by high-pressure extrusion molding under reduced pressure, and its compacted, dense structure gives it its unique texture, making it very difficult to rehydrate when made into a dried instant food. Therefore, when making pasta into a dried instant food, the pasta content is usually kept very low, and it is rehydrated in a large amount of hot water. For this reason, most instant foods currently on the market that contain pasta as the main ingredient are frozen foods.

[0004] It has been proposed to use freeze-dried pasta as an instant food. Patent Document 1 describes a method for producing freeze-dried pasta in which gelatinized pasta is frozen, thawed once, and then pre-frozen and freeze-dried. Patent Document 2 describes a method for producing freeze-dried pasta in which pasta obtained by kneading and shaping dough without reducing the pressure is freeze-dried. Patent Document 3 describes a method for producing freeze-dried noodles in which noodles are boiled in a trehalose solution with a concentration of 3% to 30% by weight, frozen while immersed in water, further frozen after adding a seasoning liquid, and freeze-dried. These techniques are said to have excellent reconstitution properties when reconstituted with water, but the resulting pasta has an unsatisfactory texture.

[0005] Furthermore, attempts have been made to use various starches as raw material flours for noodles in order to improve the texture of noodles. Patent Document 4 describes a method for producing noodles using a modified starch obtained by subjecting tapioca starch to both extremely light cross-linking and etherification. Patent Document 5 describes a method for producing noodles in which noodles are made by adding a first starch and a second starch that gelatinizes at a lower temperature than the first starch, and then the noodles are gelatinized by heating to create a gelatinization gradient between the starch in the surface layer and the noodle core. Patent Document 6 describes a noodle rehydration or boiling time improver whose active ingredient is a sweet starch that has low-temperature gelatinization properties and has a gelatinization onset temperature of 77°C or lower.

[0006] Patent Documents 4 to 6 state that the gelatinization onset temperature of the starches used is 57.1 to 60.5°C (paragraph 0021 of Patent Document 4), 85°C or lower (claim 8 of Patent Document 5), and 77°C or lower (claim 1 of Patent Document 6). However, even when the techniques described in Patent Documents 4 to 6 are applied to freeze-dried pasta, it has not been possible to achieve both a good texture as pasta and good reconstitution with water. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-330162 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-208865 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-161274 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-93104 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-301794 [Patent Document 6] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-54226 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The present invention relates to providing a mix for freeze-dried instant pasta that can be used to produce freeze-dried instant pasta that is easily reconstituted with water. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention provides a freeze-dried instant pasta mix containing wheat flour, 5 to 20% by mass of starch having a gelatinization onset temperature of 65°C or lower, and 1 to 2% by mass of powdered oil or fat. The present invention also provides a method for producing freeze-dried instant pasta, comprising the steps of preparing dough using the pasta mix and extruding the dough to obtain pasta, subjecting the pasta to a gelatinization treatment, and freeze-drying the gelatinized pasta. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] By producing pasta using the freeze-dried instant pasta mix of the present invention as freeze-dried instant pasta, a pasta food product that is easy to reconstitute with water and has an excellent texture can be obtained. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The freeze-dried instant pasta mix of the present invention contains wheat flour. As the wheat flour, any wheat flour that can be used in the production of pasta can be used without particular limitation, and examples thereof include medium-strength wheat flour, bread wheat flour, and durum wheat flour. Any one of these wheat flours can be used alone, or two or more can be used in combination. The wheat flour content in the freeze-dried instant pasta mix of the present invention is preferably 75 to 94% by mass, more preferably 78 to 92% by mass, and even more preferably 80 to 90% by mass, of the total amount of the mix.

[0012] The freeze-dried instant pasta mix of the present invention further contains starch having a gelatinization onset temperature of 65°C or lower. Here, the "gelatinization onset temperature" of starch in the present invention refers to the temperature at which a rapid increase in viscosity begins when starch is suspended in water and the suspension is gradually heated while stirring. More specifically, starch has the property of undergoing gelatinization (gelatinization) and swelling when heated with water, resulting in an increase in viscosity. Generally, the viscosity of starch does not change significantly at relatively low temperatures at the beginning of the heating process, but at a certain temperature, the viscosity begins to increase rapidly, reaching a peak (maximum viscosity), and then decreasing. The temperature at which this rapid increase in viscosity begins is the "gelatinization onset temperature" in the present invention. The gelatinization onset temperature of starch can be measured, for example, using a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) according to the manual. The RVA is an instrument that measures the viscosity of a starch suspension in water by gradually raising the temperature of the suspension while stirring.

[0013] The starch used in the present invention, which has a gelatinization onset temperature of 65°C or less, is not particularly limited as long as it is edible. Examples of unmodified starches having a gelatinization onset temperature of 65°C or less include potato starch and tapioca starch. Some modified starches have a lower gelatinization onset temperature than the raw starch, and even if the raw starch has a gelatinization onset temperature of more than 65°C, it can be used in the present invention as long as it has undergone chemical modification to have a gelatinization onset temperature of 65°C or less. Examples of types of chemical modification include esterification, etherification, oxidation, crosslinking, and combinations thereof. Examples of types of raw starches to be modified include starches derived from wheat, tapioca, potato, sweet potato, corn, rice, etc.

[0014] In the freeze-dried instant pasta mix of the present invention, the content of starch having a gelatinization onset temperature of 65°C or lower is 5 to 20% by mass, preferably 8 to 17% by mass, and more preferably 10 to 15% by mass, of the total amount of the mix. If the content of starch having a gelatinization onset temperature of 65°C or lower is less than 5% by mass or exceeds 20% by mass, the resulting freeze-dried instant pasta will have poor reconstitution with water.

[0015] The freeze-dried instant pasta mix of the present invention further contains powdered oils and fats. Any common edible oils and fats can be used as the powdered oils and fats without any particular limitations. Examples of edible oils and fats that can be used as raw materials for the powdered oils and fats include vegetable oils such as rapeseed oil, corn oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, palm oil, coconut oil, and rice bran oil; animal oils and fats such as beef tallow, lard, milk fat, and fish oil; hardened oils obtained by hardening these oils and fats; interesterified oils obtained from these oils and fats; and liquid oils and solid fats obtained by fractionating these oils and fats. These oils and fats can be used alone or in combination of two or more. The powdered oils and fats may also contain an emulsifier such as a glycerin fatty acid ester.

[0016] The content of powdered oil in the freeze-dried instant pasta mix of the present invention is 1 to 2% by mass, preferably 1.1 to 1.8% by mass, and more preferably 1.3 to 1.7% by mass, of the total amount of the mix. If the content of powdered oil is less than 1% by mass or more than 2% by mass, the reconstitution of the resulting freeze-dried instant pasta will be poor.

[0017] The freeze-dried instant pasta mix of the present invention may contain other ingredients that are commonly used in the production of pasta, as needed, and within the scope of not impairing the effects of the present invention. Examples of other ingredients include dextrin, sugars, seasonings such as salt and powdered soy sauce, emulsifiers (excluding those contained in powdered oils and fats), thickeners, leavening agents, proteins, etc. The content of other ingredients in the freeze-dried instant pasta mix of the present invention is preferably 30% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or less, of the total amount of the mix.

[0018] The freeze-dried instant pasta mix of the present invention can be obtained by measuring and mixing the above-mentioned wheat flour, starch having a gelatinization onset temperature of 65°C or less, powdered oil and fat, and, if necessary, other ingredients. The freeze-dried instant pasta mix of the present invention may be in powder, granules, or the like.

[0019] The shape and type of pasta produced using the freeze-dried instant pasta mix of the present invention are not particularly limited. Examples of pasta include short pasta such as macaroni and penne, long pasta such as spaghetti and fettuccine, and flat pasta such as lasagna.

[0020] The method for producing pasta using the freeze-dried instant pasta mix of the present invention may be any method as long as it is pasta that can be dried by freeze-drying and used as instant pasta. A typical example of a method for producing pasta is a production method that sequentially comprises a step of preparing dough using the pasta mix and extruding it to obtain pasta (forming step), a step of gelatinizing the pasta (gelatinization step), and a step of freeze-drying the gelatinized pasta (freeze-drying step).

[0021] (molding process) In the forming step, kneading water is first added to the freeze-dried instant pasta mix of the present invention and kneaded to prepare a dough. As the kneading water, any water that is normally used in the production of pasta can be used without any particular limitation, and examples include clear water, acidic water, alkaline water, and brine. The amount of kneading water added may be the amount normally used in the production of pasta, and is generally 20 to 40 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the mix.

[0022] The obtained dough is then extruded under a predetermined pressure to obtain pasta. The dough extrusion can be carried out in a conventional manner using a molding machine (pasta manufacturing machine) commonly used for producing this type of pasta. The molding machine typically comprises a cylinder, a screw arranged within the cylinder so as to be movable along the axial direction of the cylinder, and a die (extrusion mold) arranged at one end of the axial direction of the cylinder. In a molding machine configured as described above, when dough is fed into the cylinder while the screw is rotating around its axis within the cylinder, the dough is compressed under high pressure between the inner wall of the cylinder and the screw, and advances within the cylinder toward the die as the screw rotates, and is continuously extruded through the die holes. The product extruded through the die holes is pasta (fresh pasta). The shape of the pasta can be adjusted, for example, by appropriately selecting the die (extrusion mold) in the molding machine. After molding, the pasta may be dried, if necessary, in a conventional manner to produce dried pasta with improved shelf life, which can then be stored for a certain period of time.

[0023] In extrusion molding, the pressure inside the device is reduced, and the pressure (extrusion pressure) is 60 to 160 kgf / cm 2It is preferable to extrude the dough under reduced pressure. The reduced pressure conditions may be either high reduced pressure conditions of "less than -80 kPa and -101.3 kPa (equivalent to a vacuum) or higher" or low reduced pressure conditions of "0 kPa or lower and -80 kPa or higher." However, extrusion molding under reduced pressure conditions is preferable because it improves water reconstitution. The reduced pressure conditions can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of gas in the molding machine using a degassing means such as a pump. The degree of reduced pressure and extrusion pressure can be measured using a pressure gauge attached to the molding machine.

[0024] (gelatinization process) The pasta prepared in the shaping step is subjected to a gelatinization treatment either as is or after being dried as described above to form dried pasta. The method of gelatinization is not particularly limited, and a conventional method may be used. For example, the gelatinization treatment can be carried out by appropriately adopting a cooking method using heat in the presence of water, such as boiling or steaming. The gelatinization treatment may be carried out until the pasta is ready to eat, and is preferably carried out until the yield is about 190 to 230%.

[0025] (lyophilization process) The pasta after the gelatinization step is freeze-dried using standard methods, thereby obtaining the desired freeze-dried instant pasta. Prior to freeze-drying, it is preferable to pre-freeze the pasta at normal pressure, for example, to below -20°C, preferably between -20 and -40°C, since this prevents deterioration in quality due to bumping and other causes. Freeze-drying can be carried out by placing the pre-frozen, gelatinized pasta, as needed, in a container or the like and loading it into a vacuum freeze-dryer to sublimate the water. Freeze-drying is preferably carried out until the water content is 15% by mass or less, particularly 4 to 12% by mass. In the present invention, the water content (% by mass) of pasta can be calculated as the percentage of the difference in mass between the bone-drying-treated pasta and the pasta before the bone-drying-treatment (i.e., the water content of the pasta) relative to the mass of the pasta before the bone-drying-treatment.

[0026] The freeze-dried instant pasta produced in this manner can be stored for long periods at room temperature. The freeze-dried instant pasta can be stored by placing it in a container or the like together with freeze-dried ingredients and soup, depending on the type of pasta food, and sealing the container. The freeze-dried instant pasta-containing food obtained in this manner can be well reconstituted and eaten simply by adding water, such as hot water.

[0027] The freeze-dried instant pasta produced using the freeze-dried instant pasta mix of the present invention has good reconstitution properties, being ready to eat within approximately 3 minutes after pouring hot water over it. [Example]

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

[0029] [Examples 1 to 15, Comparative Examples 1 to 8] Freeze-dried instant pasta mixes were produced by mixing the powder ingredients in the proportions (mass %) shown in Tables 1 to 3. The powder ingredients used are as follows: starch: Starch A: Tapioca starch (gelatinization start temperature 64.5℃) Starch B: Potato starch (gelatinization start temperature 64℃) Starch C: Waxy cornstarch (gelatinization temperature 68.5°C) Starch D: Sweet potato starch (gelatinization start temperature 70℃) Starch E: Corn starch (gelatinization temperature 82°C) Starch F: Wheat starch (gelatinization start temperature 90℃) Powdered oil: Product name "Spray Fat PM", manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd., raw material oil palm oil Wheat flour: durum semolina

[0030] (Pasta manufacturing) 100 parts by mass of the freeze-dried instant pasta mix of each Example or Comparative Example was mixed with 28 parts by mass of water and kneaded in a mixer to form a dough. Next, this dough was extruded into a macaroni shape using a molding machine (pasta manufacturing machine) at the extrusion pressure and reduced pressure shown in Tables 1 to 3 below to obtain fresh macaroni (forming step). Next, this fresh macaroni was left to stand in a tank at 90°C and a relative humidity of 75%RH for a predetermined time (drying treatment) to obtain dried macaroni. The dried macaroni was boiled in a large amount of hot water (yield 220%), cooled in water, and then drained to obtain cooked macaroni (gelatinization step). The cooked macaroni was placed in a freezer so as not to stick together, pre-frozen at -30°C, and then transferred to a freeze dryer and freeze-dried to obtain freeze-dried instant pasta (freeze-dried instant macaroni) (freeze-drying step). The freeze-drying was continued until the moisture content reached 10% by mass.

[0031] [Test Example 1] 30 g of each freeze-dried instant pasta from each Example and Comparative Example was placed in a deep dish, and 120 mL of boiling water was poured over the instant pasta. The pasta was stirred with a fork as needed, and reconstituted until ready to eat. Ten trained panelists evaluated the ease of reconstitution and the texture of the reconstituted pasta according to the following evaluation criteria, and the average of the 10 evaluations was calculated. The evaluation results are shown in Tables 1 to 3. Tables 2 and 3 also show the results of Example 1 from Table 1.

[0032] (Evaluation criteria for water reconstitution) 5 points: Simply pour boiling water over the macaroni and it disperses completely, and after 3 minutes it rehydrates, which is extremely good. 4 points: Pouring boiling water over the macaroni and stirring with a fork disperses all the macaroni, and it rehydrates after 3 minutes, which is good. 3 points: After pouring the boiling water over the macaroni, you need to stir thoroughly to disperse all the macaroni, but it rehydrates in 3 minutes, which is fairly good. 2 points: After pouring the boiling water over the macaroni, it was necessary to stir thoroughly to disperse all the macaroni, and even after 3 minutes, some parts were not completely rehydrated, making it defective. 1 point: After pouring the boiling water over the macaroni, it was necessary to stir thoroughly to disperse all the macaroni, and even after 5 minutes some parts were not fully rehydrated, resulting in a very poor result. (Texture evaluation criteria) 5 points: The macaroni has a good texture and elasticity, and is extremely good. 4 points: Macaroni has a good texture and elasticity. 3 points: The macaroni may feel a little hard or a little soft, but overall it is fairly good. 2 points: The macaroni is either a little too hard or a little too soft, and is poor quality. 1 point: The macaroni feels too hard or too soft, and is extremely poor.

[0033] [Table 1]

[0034] [Table 2]

[0035] [Table 3]

[0036] Examples 16 to 20 Freeze-dried instant pasta was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the degree of reduced pressure in the molding step was changed as shown in Table 4. This was evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 4. Table 4 also lists the results of Example 1.

[0037] [Table 4]

Claims

1. A freeze-dried instant pasta mix containing wheat flour including durum flour, 8 to 17% by mass of starch having a gelatinization onset temperature of 65°C or less, and 1.1 to 1.8% by mass of powdered oil, which is used to obtain pasta by extrusion molding.

2. A method for producing freeze-dried instant pasta, comprising the steps of preparing dough using the pasta mix according to claim 1 and extruding the dough to obtain pasta, subjecting the pasta to a gelatinization treatment, and freeze-drying the gelatinized pasta.

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