Manufacturing method for retort food

Abstract

To provide a production method of retort foods which have a meat-rich appearance and texture.SOLUTION: A production method of retort foods includes the steps of: heating minced meat in an aqueous solution including a seasoning to prepare a seasoning sauce; heating minced meat in water to prepare a heat-treated meat mass; and mixing the seasoning sauce with the heat-treated meat mass.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a retort food product. [Background technology]

[0002] Stewed foods such as curry are known as retort foods, and stewed meat foods are also known as such retort foods.

[0003] One of the requirements for retort stewed foods containing meat is an improvement in texture. For example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent No. 4083779) discloses a method for producing a processed solid food, which includes: (a) contacting an alkaline substance and unswollen starch with the surface of a raw solid food whose proteins have not been thermally denatured; (b) placing the food in an atmosphere above the gelatinization temperature of the starch, where the protein of the food is thermally denatured and the starch is viscous and forms a film, thereby causing the surface structure of the food to shrink and gelatinizing and viscous the starch, which then adheres to the surface and inner surface layer of the food; (c) heat-treating the film-treated food in a sealed state under conditions equivalent to at least 15 minutes at 80°C; and (d) sequentially performing at least the above steps (a) to (c). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4083779 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Incidentally, some foods offered at specialty stores, other than retort pouch foods, are made by simmering a chunk of meat in a sauce for a long period of time. In such stewed foods, the chunk of meat falls apart during simmering for a long period of time, resulting in a distinctive appearance and texture. The inventors of the present invention attempted to recreate the stewed food served at such specialty stores in a retort pouch food. The stewed food served at specialty stores is characterized by the presence of large chunks of meat and small pieces of meat that have fallen apart during cooking, and by the appearance of meat that has fallen apart during cooking and the texture of soft, melted meat. However, it has been difficult to recreate such a stewed food in a retort pouch food. This is because the stewed food cannot be recreated industrially using a method in which sauce and chunks of meat are heated in a general heating kettle equipped with a stirrer and then retorted. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a retort pouch food product having the appearance and texture of meat that has fallen apart after being cooked. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present inventors have found that the above problems can be solved by the means described below. [1] A step of heating ground meat in an aqueous solution containing a seasoning to prepare a seasoning sauce; A step of heating the block of meat in water to prepare a heat-treated block of meat; A step of combining the seasoning sauce and the heat-treated block meat and retorting; A method for producing a retort food, comprising: [2] The method according to [1], wherein the content of the minced meat is 1.5 to 30% by mass relative to the total mass of the retort pouch food. [3] The method according to [1] or [2], wherein the content of the chunk of meat is 2.5 to 45% by mass relative to the total mass of the retort pouch food. [4] The method according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the chunk of meat has a larger volume and / or mass per piece than the minced meat. [5] The method according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the particle size of the ground meat is 3 to 20 mm. [6] The volume of the meat is 10,000 to 90,000 mm 3 The method for producing a semiconductor device according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein [7] The method according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the block of meat is rectangular. [8] The step of preparing the heat-treated block meat, A step of contacting a surface of the block of meat with a treatment component containing an alkaline substance and starch; After the contacting step, the method comprises a step of heating the block of meat in water at a temperature equal to or higher than the gelatinization temperature of the starch. The manufacturing method according to any one of [1] to [7]. [9] The method according to any one of [1] to [8], wherein the ground meat and the chunk of meat are chicken meat.

[10] The method according to any one of [1] to [9], wherein the retort food is curry sauce. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, there is provided a method for producing a retort pouch food product having the appearance and texture of meat that has fallen apart during cooking. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0009] The present embodiment relates to a method for producing a retort food product.

[0010] In this specification, the term "retort food" refers to a food that has been sealed in a container and has been sterilized (also referred to as retort processed). In other words, the retort food obtained by the production method according to this embodiment has been sterilized, and therefore can be stored and then heated as needed before eating.

[0011] The method for producing a retort food product according to this embodiment includes a step of heating ground meat in an aqueous solution containing a seasoning to prepare a seasoning sauce (step S1), a step of heating a block of meat in water to prepare a heat-treated block of meat (step S2), and a step of combining the seasoning sauce with the heat-treated block of meat and retorting (step S3).

[0012] According to the above-mentioned method, the seasoning sauce containing minced meat and the block of minced meat are heated separately. Then, the seasoning sauce and the block of minced meat after the heat treatment are combined. As a result, the resulting food contains blocks of minced meat of a certain size and small pieces of minced meat dispersed in one another. By retorting these, a retort pouch food product is obtained that has the appearance of meat that has fallen apart during cooking and the texture of soft, melted meat.

[0013] Each step of the manufacturing method according to this embodiment will be described in detail below.

[0014] Step S1: Preparation of seasoning sauce First, ground meat is prepared. Also, an aqueous solution containing a seasoning is prepared. Then, the ground meat is heat-treated in the aqueous solution containing the seasoning. In other words, the ground meat is simmered. This produces a seasoning sauce.

[0015] The minced meat is not particularly limited as long as it is made from edible meat. For example, the raw material for the minced meat can be at least one selected from the group consisting of chicken, beef, pork, and mutton. Preferably, the minced meat contains chicken as the raw material. The minced meat can be minced or chopped raw meat.

[0016] The amount of minced meat used is, for example, 1.5 to 30% by mass, preferably 5 to 25% by mass, and more preferably 10 to 20% by mass, relative to the total mass of the resulting retort food.

[0017] The particle size of each minced meat particle is arbitrary as long as the effects of the present invention are obtained, but is, for example, 3 to 20 mm, preferably 6 to 15 mm. Generally, the particle size falls within this range when minced using a plate knife with holes of about 6 mm in size. The particle size of the minced meat becomes smaller as a result of heat treatment in an aqueous solution, etc. It should be noted that the particle size of the minced meat specified here refers to the initial particle size before the heat treatment. In addition, as for minced meat, for example, the volume per grain is 9 to 135 mm 3A similar product can be used.

[0018] By ensuring that the particle size and amount of ground meat used are within the above-mentioned ranges, the resulting retort pouch food product will be more likely to have the appearance of meat that has fallen apart during cooking and the texture of soft, melted meat. Furthermore, by ensuring that the particle size and amount of ground meat used are within the above-mentioned ranges, the ground meat and chunk meat tend to be uniformly dispersed. As a result, the chunk meat is less likely to move within a container (such as a retort pouch or a plastic pouch, hereinafter referred to as a "pouch"). If the ground meat and chunk meat are unevenly distributed, the chunk meat tends to move within the pouch. This makes it difficult for the pouch to become stable when transported on a conveyor during mass production. The pouch also becomes unstable during packaging. In contrast, by ensuring that the ground meat and chunk meat are uniformly dispersed, the pouch becomes more stable, thereby improving productivity during mass production.

[0019] The seasoning contained in the aqueous solution is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include spices (curry powder, pepper, chili pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, etc.) and plant raw materials (tomato, potato, apple, onion, pumpkin, broccoli, etc.) etc. Paste-like substances are preferably used as the plant raw materials.

[0020] Preferably, the aqueous solution containing the seasoning further contains fats and oils. The amount of fats and oils used is, for example, 3 to 20% by mass, preferably 5 to 15% by mass, based on the total mass of the resulting food product.

[0021] The heating temperature in this step is, under normal pressure or under pressure, for example, 80 to 110° C., preferably 90 to 98° C. The heating time is, for example, 90 to 140 minutes, preferably 100 to 120 minutes.

[0022] Step S2: Heating the meat Separately from step S1, a block of meat is prepared. Examples of block of meat include raw meat cut into three-dimensional shapes known as block meat or cut meat. The block of meat used has a size (volume and / or mass) per piece that is larger than that of minced meat. The raw material for the chunk of meat is not particularly limited, as with the minced meat. For example, it may be at least one selected from the group consisting of chicken, beef, pork, and mutton. Preferably, the chunk of meat includes chicken. Preferably, the chunk of meat is made from the same type of meat as the minced meat.

[0023] The prepared block of meat is heated in water. Preferably, the block of meat is boiled. That is, the block of meat is heated by being placed in boiling water. The heating temperature is, for example, 80°C or higher, preferably 85°C or higher. The heating time is, for example, 5 to 60 minutes, preferably 10 to 20 minutes. After the heat treatment, the meat chunks are removed from the water.

[0024] For example, the volume of a piece of meat is 10,000 to 90,000 mm 3 , preferably 15,000 to 65,000 mm 3 The chunk of meat is preferably a rectangular parallelepiped, measuring approximately 25 to 30 mm x 25 to 30 mm x 25 to 30 mm. The size of the chunk of meat referred to here is the size before heat treatment.

[0025] The amount of the chunk of meat used is, for example, 2.5 to 45% by mass, and preferably 10 to 30% by mass, based on the total mass of the resulting food product.

[0026] When the chunk of meat has the above-mentioned size and shape and the amount used is within the above-mentioned range, the resulting retort pouch food product is likely to have the appearance of meat that has fallen apart when cooked and the rich texture of tender, melted meat. Furthermore, the minced meat and chunk of meat are more likely to be dispersed uniformly. As a result, the chunk of meat is less likely to move within the container (pouch). This makes it easier to stabilize the pouch, thereby increasing productivity during mass production.

[0027] [Preprocessing] In a preferred embodiment, a pretreatment is carried out before the block of meat is boiled. Specifically, a treatment component containing an alkaline substance and starch is brought into contact with the surface of the block of meat. The block of meat is then boiled at a temperature equal to or higher than the gelatinization temperature of the starch. That is, the treatment described in Patent Document 1 is carried out. By carrying out such pre-treatment, the soft chunk of meat is more likely to feel integrated with the minced meat, and a texture can be obtained in which the chunk of meat and the small pieces of minced meat that have fallen apart during cooking are in harmony.

[0028] (alkaline substances) The alkaline substance is not particularly limited as long as it is edible and shows alkaline properties when dissolved in water. By using an alkaline substance, the state of the chunk of meat is maintained on the alkaline side. This maintains the texture of the chunk of meat and improves its shelf life. Examples of alkaline substances include alkalis such as alkali metal and alkaline earth metal hydroxides and their salts with weak acids. Specific examples include substances containing alkali metal salts or alkaline earth metal salts. Preferably, the alkaline substance used is a substance that has the effect of buffering the pH to the alkaline side. Examples of such substances include salts formed from an alkali and an acid with an acid dissociation constant pKa value of 4 or more, preferably 5 or more, and more preferably 6 or more. When such a substance is used, even when the boiled block of meat is combined with a seasoning sauce having a lower pH, a good buffering effect is exhibited, and the pH of the block of meat is maintained on the alkaline side, for example, pH 5.5 to 7.5, preferably pH 6 to 7. Maintaining the pH of the block of meat within this range contributes to maintaining the texture and improving the shelf life.

[0029] Examples of alkaline substances include hydroxides such as alkali metal hydroxides (sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, etc.), alkaline earth metal hydroxides (calcium hydroxide, etc.), and magnesium hydroxide. Examples of carbonates include alkali metal carbonates, alkaline earth metal carbonates, and magnesium carbonate. Examples of bicarbonates include alkali metal bicarbonates (sodium bicarbonate (sodium bicarbonate) and alkaline earth metal bicarbonates). Examples of organic acid salts include alkali metal organic acid salts (sodium acetate, trisodium citrate, disodium succinate, sodium tartrate, sodium bitartrate, disodium malate, sodium ascorbate, sodium gluconate, etc.), alkaline earth metal organic acid salts (calcium lactate, etc.), and magnesium organic acid salts. Examples of phosphates include alkali metal phosphates, alkaline earth metal phosphates, and magnesium phosphates. Among these, carbonates and bicarbonates, particularly sodium bicarbonate, and organic acid salts, particularly trisodium citrate, are preferred.

[0030] The amount of alkaline substance used is, for example, 0.1 to 10 parts by mass, preferably 0.3 to 5 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the whole meat.

[0031] (starch) The starch is used to form a film on the surface of the meat during boiling, and unswollen starch is used. As the starch, either unmodified starch or modified starch can be used. Examples of starch include potato starch, wheat starch, corn starch, tapioca starch, and glutinous rice starch. Food ingredients containing starch, such as wheat flour, can also be used. Potato starch is preferably used. Preferably, the starch used has a gelatinization temperature of 45 to 100° C. The gelatinization temperature of the starch is more preferably 80 to 100° C. The use of such starch allows for a more satisfactory film-forming treatment. In other words, the film formed during boiling is less likely to fall off.

[0032] The amount of starch used is, for example, 0.1 to 20 parts by mass, preferably 0.5 to 10 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the meat.

[0033] Step S3: Retort processing of the seasoning sauce and the heated block meat Next, the seasoning sauce obtained in step S1 and the heat-treated chunk of meat obtained in step S2 are sealed in a container such as a pouch and subjected to a retort process.

[0034] The retort treatment can be carried out by a conventional method. The retort treatment may be carried out under pressure. The conditions for the retort treatment are not particularly limited, but examples include a temperature of 110 to 140°C for 3 to 30 minutes. The effects of the present invention can be achieved by ensuring that the packaged, pressure-heat-sterilized food complies with the conditions set forth in the Food Sanitation Act.

[0035] By the method described above, a retort pouch food product can be obtained.

[0036] According to the method of this embodiment, small pieces of minced meat obtained by heating the seasoning sauce in step S1 are combined with a block of meat that has been heat-treated in step S2, and then retort-processed, thereby recreating the block of meat and its state of being melted in the boil, and a retort food product is obtained that has the appearance of meat that has fallen apart in the boil and the texture of soft, melted meat.

[0037] If the seasoning sauce were prepared by heat-treating chunks of meat in addition to the ground meat in an aqueous solution in step S1, the texture of the chunks of meat and the ground meat would become hard, making it impossible to reproduce the texture of soft, melted meat. Furthermore, chunks of meat would be present in the seasoning sauce. In mass production, the prepared seasoning sauce is typically divided and filled into multiple containers. If chunks of meat are present in the seasoning sauce, it would be difficult to distribute the meat in uniform amounts when filling multiple containers. In contrast, the method according to this embodiment does not involve chunks of meat in the seasoning sauce, so this problem does not arise.

[0038] The type of retort food product of this embodiment is not particularly limited as long as it is a sauce containing meat. For example, the retort food product may be a sauce for curry, stew, hayashi, etc., and preferably a curry sauce. More preferably, the retort food product is a chicken curry sauce. [Example]

[0039] EXAMPLES In the following, examples will be described in more detail to explain the present invention, but the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the examples.

[0040] Table 1 shows the formulations of the retort pouch foods according to Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Example 1. The numerical values ​​shown in Table 1 indicate the blend amounts (% by mass). Also, "←" means the same as the column to the left.

[0041] Example 1 A sauce (seasoning sauce) was prepared according to the composition shown in Table 1. Specifically, tomato paste, onion paste, oil, curry powder, other seasonings, water, and minced chicken (ground meat) were mixed in a heating pot equipped with a stirrer while heating to 95°C. In other words, a simmering process was performed. This resulted in the seasoning sauce. The heating time was approximately 120 minutes. The minced chicken used had a particle size of approximately 3 to 20 mm. On the other hand, a treatment solution containing 6 g of baking soda, 25 g of potato starch, and 15 g of water was added to 1 kg of cut chicken thigh blocks and mixed, and the treatment solution was uniformly applied to the surface of the chicken thigh blocks (hereinafter referred to as pretreatment). Next, the chicken thigh blocks were placed in boiling water and boiled for 5 minutes to obtain boiled chicken thigh blocks. The chicken thigh blocks had a volume of 18,000 to 25,000 mm. 3 Specifically, a rectangular parallelepiped (long side 30 to 40 mm, short side 25 mm, height 25 mm) was used. Approximately 115 g of the resulting seasoning sauce and approximately 35 g of boiled chicken thigh meat were packed into a resin pouch and sealed. The pouch was then subjected to a retort process (heat sterilization process), resulting in the retort stew food product (chicken curry) of Example 1.

[0042] (Comparative Example 1) A retort stewed food product according to Comparative Example 1 was obtained using the same composition as in Example 1. However, instead of boiling the chicken thigh chunks separately, they were stewed together with the minced chicken when preparing the seasoning sauce.

[0043] (Examples 2 and 3) Retort stewed foods according to Examples 2 and 3 were obtained in the same manner as in Example 1. However, the blending amounts of minced chicken and chunks of chicken thigh were changed.

[0044] Example 4 A retort stewed food product according to Example 4 was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1. However, the above-mentioned pretreatment was not carried out when the chicken thigh block was boiled.

[0045] The texture and appearance of each of the resulting retort stewed foods were evaluated by sensory evaluation, and the evaluation results are shown below. The results of evaluation of each evaluation item of appearance and texture according to the following evaluation criteria are shown in Table 1. Each was evaluated on a three-point scale, with a higher value indicating higher quality, and a value of 2 or higher indicating that the effects of the invention are met. Industrial suitability was judged as "yes" or "no" according to the evaluation criteria. (Appearance of cooked meat that has fallen apart) 3: The overall dish (minced chicken, chicken thighs, and sauce) has a good appearance, harmony, and balance, as the chicken thighs are simmered for a long time, causing some parts to fall apart. Compared to the 2:3 version, the chicken thighs are less likely to fall apart, but the overall flavor is well-balanced. 1: The chicken thigh chunks don't seem to have fallen apart, and the overall dish lacks cohesion. Compared to 2, it feels strange and lacking as a meat dish. (The texture of soft, melted meat) 3: The chicken thigh chunks have a soft texture and a chewy texture, and the sauce and tender pieces of chicken are mixed together, creating a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture throughout. Although it is slightly inferior to the 2:3, you can feel the texture of the soft, melted meat throughout. 1: The texture of the chicken thigh chunks and small pieces of chicken becomes hard, and you can't feel the texture of the tender meat that has been cooked. (Industrial suitability) Yes: From transporting ingredients on the production line to filling containers uniformly, the process can be completed using standard industrial retort food manufacturing equipment. None: The above industrial suitability is lacking

[0046] (Comparative Example 1) Almost all of the chicken pieces had a crumbled appearance and a hard texture. The texture of the chicken thigh chunks was also hard and dry. Overall, the meat had a poor appearance, as it had fallen apart after being cooked. In Comparative Example 1, when filling the resin pouch with sauce, chunks of chicken thigh meat remained, making it difficult to fill the pouch with a uniform amount. (Industrial suitability: None)

[0047] Example 1 Small pieces of minced chicken meat that had fallen apart were scattered around the chicken thigh chunk, giving it the appearance of meat that had fallen apart and the texture of soft, melted meat.The appearance and texture of chicken thigh chunks served at specialty restaurants, which have been simmered for a long time and have fallen apart in parts, were reproduced. Example 2 Because only a small amount of ground chicken and chicken thigh meat was used, the two were dispersed, albeit partially, resulting in the appearance of meat that had fallen apart during cooking and the texture of soft, melted meat.

[0048] Example 3 The amount of ground chicken and chicken thigh meat used was large, and most of the chicken thigh meat remained in chunks, with small pieces of broken down chicken meat scattered around it, giving it a meaty appearance. It had the characteristic texture of soft, melted meat. Even when a large amount of meat was used, the broken down state of the chunks was reproduced, similar to Example 1.

[0049] Example 4 The meaty appearance and texture were improved compared to Comparative Example 1. This shows that by boiling the chunk of meat separately from the minced meat, rather than stewing it together with the minced meat, it is possible to obtain the appearance of meat that has fallen apart while being cooked, and the texture of soft, melted meat. The texture of the chicken thigh block tended to be harder than in Example 1. In other words, the texture of Example 1 was superior to that of Example 4. This shows that by subjecting the block to a specific pretreatment, the texture is further improved, and the soft block of meat feels more integrated with the small pieces of chicken meat that have fallen apart during cooking. Furthermore, in Examples 1 to 4, it was confirmed that the process from transport on the production line to uniform filling of the material into the containers could be completed using ordinary industrial retort food production equipment, which was not possible in Comparative Example 1.

[0050] [Table 1]

Claims

1. A step of heating the minced meat in an aqueous solution containing a seasoning to prepare a seasoning sauce; A step of heating the block of meat in water to prepare a heat-treated block of meat; A step of combining the seasoning sauce and the heat-treated block meat and retorting; A method for producing a retort food, comprising: The step of preparing the heat-treated block meat A step of contacting a surface of the block of meat with a treatment component containing an alkaline substance and starch; After the contacting step, the block of meat is heated in water at a temperature equal to or higher than the gelatinization temperature of the starch, The particle size of the minced meat is 3 to 20 mm, The volume of the meat block is 10,000 to 90,000 mm 3 , The method for producing the retort pouch food, wherein the minced meat content is 10 to 30% by mass and the chunk meat content is 10 to 45% by mass relative to the total mass of the retort pouch food.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the block of meat has a larger volume and / or mass per piece than the minced meat.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the block of meat is rectangular.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the minced meat and the chunk of meat are each chicken meat.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the retort food is curry sauce.

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