Containerized liquid or paste food composition

Abstract

To provide a packaged liquid or paste food composition containing non-gelatinized starch, saccharide and water, in which precipitation of starch in water diluted solution is suppressed.SOLUTION: One or more embodiments of the invention disclosed in the specification relate to a packaged liquid or paste food composition, which is a liquid or paste food composition containing non-gelatinized starch, saccharide and water and having a water content of less than 40 mass%, as well as a packaged liquid or paste food composition comprising a container containing the composition, in which a gellan gum is contained, and when a diluted solution is prepared by mixing 3 pts.mass of water per 1 pt.mass of the composition, the diluted solution has a viscosity of 900 mPa-s or more at a shear rate of 0.1 s-1 at 30°C.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present specification discloses a packaged liquid or paste-like food composition. [Background technology]

[0002] Liquid or paste-like food compositions containing non-gelatinized starch, sugars, and water have been known for some time and are used as bases for liquid foods such as soups and sauces. Liquid foods with appropriate viscosity can be obtained by diluting the composition with water and heating the diluted solution.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a method for producing a packaged paste-like roux that contains starch, water, and carbohydrates, and may further contain salt. Patent Document 1 also describes that when the starch is a mixture of pregelatinized starch and non-pregelatinized starch, sedimentation and separation of the starch in the paste-like roux is less likely to occur than when the starch is composed only of non-pregelatinized starch.

[0004] Patent Document 2 describes a method for producing a thick soup base, in which a seasoning liquid containing a seasoning composition is heated and cooled, and after cooling, ungelatinized starch for thickening is added, and then a thickener and oil for stabilizing the dispersion of the starch are added, and the mixture is filled and packaged in one packet. Patent Document 2 describes that by generating viscosity with the thickener, the dispersion of the ungelatinized starch is stabilized and sedimentation is prevented. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-233339 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-124130 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Liquid or paste-like food compositions containing non-gelatinized starch, sugars, and water, which are used as base materials for liquid foods such as soups and sauces, are typically used to prepare liquid foods to be consumed by diluting them with water to prepare a diluted solution, adding ingredients as needed to the prepared diluted solution, and then heating the diluted solution. It is necessary to suppress precipitation of non-gelatinized starch in the diluted solution. Since it is particularly difficult to stir the diluted solution after adding ingredients, it is desirable that precipitation be suppressed even without stirring. Furthermore, if the viscosity of the liquid food to be consumed is too high, it may have an undesirable texture.

[0007] As described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a technique for increasing viscosity by incorporating pregelatinized starch or a thickener is known to inhibit starch precipitation in liquid or paste-like food compositions containing non-gelatinized (non-gelatinized) starch. However, no liquid or paste-like food composition in which starch precipitation is inhibited when diluted with water has been provided.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the embodiments disclosed in this specification is to provide a containerized liquid or paste-like food composition that contains non-gelatinized starch, sugars, and water, in which precipitation of starch when diluted with water is suppressed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present inventors surprisingly discovered that in order to prevent starch precipitation in a water-diluted liquid of a liquid or paste-like food composition containing non-gelatinized starch, sugars, and water, it is preferable that the shear viscosity of the diluted liquid at low shear rates be equal to or greater than a certain value, and that in order for a liquid food obtained by heating the diluted liquid to have a desirable texture, it is even more preferable that the shear viscosity of the diluted liquid at high shear rates be equal to or less than a certain value, which led to the completion of the following embodiments.

[0010] (1) A container-packed liquid or paste food composition comprising a liquid or paste food composition containing non-gelatinized starch, sugars, and water, and having a moisture content of less than 40% by mass, and a container containing the composition, containing gellan gum; and When a diluted solution is prepared by mixing 3 parts by mass of water with 1 part by mass of the composition, the shear rate of the diluted solution at 30°C is 0.1 s -1 Viscosity at 900 mPa·s or more A containerized liquid or paste-like food composition, characterized by: (2) The container-packed liquid or paste-like food composition according to (1), which contains 1 to 30% by mass of the non-gelatinized starch. (3) Shear rate of the diluted solution at 30 ° C.: 10 s -1 The container-packed liquid or paste-like food composition according to (1) or (2), having a viscosity of 350 mPa·s or less at 20°C. (4) A container-packed liquid or paste-like food composition according to any one of (1) to (3), further comprising a thickener other than the gellan gum. (5) The containerized liquid or paste-like food composition according to (4), wherein the thickener is one or more selected from xanthan gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, and pectin. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] In a diluted liquid obtained by diluting the packaged liquid or paste-like food composition according to one or more embodiments disclosed herein with water, starch precipitation is suppressed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] 1. Ingredients A containerized liquid or paste-like food composition according to one or more embodiments disclosed herein comprises a liquid or paste-like food composition and a container for containing the composition.

[0013] Preferred embodiments of the ingredients constituting the liquid or paste-like food composition (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "food composition of the present disclosure"), which is the content contained in the container, are described below.

[0014] 1.1. Non-gelatinized starch

[0015] The food composition according to the present disclosure contains non-gelatinized (non-gelatinized) starch. Examples of non-gelatinized starch include wheat starch, corn starch, waxy corn starch, potato starch, and tapioca starch. The starch may be in the form of grain flour containing non-gelatinized starch, such as wheat flour, rice flour, or glutinous rice flour. Grain flour may be heated alone or in combination with fats and oils to improve flavor and dispersibility. The non-gelatinized starch may be a moist heat-treated starch that has been subjected to moist heat treatment, or a processed starch that has been chemically modified, such as by crosslinking or by adding functional groups. Non-gelatinized starch may be used alone or in combination.

[0016] The content of non-gelatinized starch in the food composition according to the present disclosure is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 to 50% by mass, more preferably 1 to 30% by mass, and particularly preferably 10 to 20% by mass, based on the total mass of the composition.

[0017] The amount of non-gelatinized starch in the food composition according to the present disclosure can be measured by separating the non-gelatinized starch from the water-soluble fraction by taking advantage of its insolubility in water, gelatinizing the non-gelatinized starch contained in the water-insoluble fraction by heating, hydrolyzing it with glucoamylase, and quantifying the amount of glucose. When the food composition according to the present disclosure contains fats and oils, it is preferable to perform a defatting treatment beforehand.

[0018] 1.2.Sugars The food composition according to the present disclosure contains sugars. Examples of sugars include monosaccharides such as glucose, disaccharides such as sucrose, maltose, and trehalose, oligosaccharides, maltosyltrehalose, starch syrup, dextrin, and sugar alcohols (xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, lactitol, oligosaccharide alcohols, etc.). The sugars may be used alone or in combination. Preferably, the sugars are water-soluble sugars. The sugars do not include non-gelatinized starch.

[0019] The sugars contained in the food composition according to the present disclosure are preferably one or more sugars selected from sugar alcohols, trehalose, maltosyltrehalose, and sugars (particularly dextrins) with a dextrose equivalent (DE) of greater than 15, and low in sweetness. The use of sugars with a DE greater than 15 is preferred because it improves the fluidity of the liquid or paste-like food composition and makes it easier for the composition to become viscous when cooked with water or hot water. DE can be measured by measuring reducing sugars as glucose and determining the ratio of the reducing sugars to the total solids.

[0020] The sugar content in the food composition according to the present disclosure is not particularly limited, but is preferably 15 to 60% by mass, more preferably 17 to 50% by mass, based on the total mass of the composition.

[0021] The method for measuring sugars in a food composition according to the present disclosure is to calculate the value obtained by subtracting the amounts of water, protein, lipid, dietary fiber, ash, and starch from the total amount of the composition. Water, protein, lipid, dietary fiber, and ash can be measured according to the measurement methods specified in the Nutrition Labeling Standards. Starch can be measured according to the same method.

[0022] In the food composition according to the present disclosure, the ratio of sugars to water is more preferably 80% by mass or more. This range is preferable because it increases the fluidity of the food composition according to the present disclosure, suppresses the gelatinization of starch during heat sterilization, and allows the fluidity of the composition to be maintained even after heat sterilization. There is no particular upper limit to the ratio of sugars to water, but typically the ratio is 300% by mass or less of sugars to water.

[0023] 1.3.Water The food composition according to the present disclosure contains water in an amount such that the moisture content is less than 40% by mass. The moisture content of the food composition according to the present disclosure is preferably less than 30% by mass, more preferably 29.5% by mass or less. When the moisture content is within this range, the risk of microbial growth is reduced. The food composition according to the present disclosure preferably has a water activity (Aw) of 0.87 or less. Water activity can be measured using a water activity measuring device manufactured by Novacina.

[0024] The lower limit of the water content of the food composition according to the present disclosure is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10% by mass or more, and more preferably 15% by mass or more.

[0025] 1.4.Thickeners The food composition according to the present disclosure is characterized by containing gellan gum. A food composition according to the present disclosure containing an appropriate amount of gellan gum has a high shear viscosity at low shear rates (described below) when diluted 4 times, which makes it easy to suppress starch precipitation in the diluted solution. Furthermore, in one or more embodiments of the food composition according to the present disclosure containing an appropriate amount of gellan gum, the diluted solution has a low shear viscosity at high shear rates (described below), which makes it possible for a liquid food obtained by heating the diluted solution to have a favorable texture.

[0026] The content of gellan gum in the food composition according to the present disclosure is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.05 to 1.00% by mass, more preferably 0.05 to 0.50% by mass, and particularly preferably 0.05 to 0.25% by mass, based on the total mass of the composition. However, when no other thickeners are added, the content of gellan gum is preferably 0.09 to 1.00% by mass, more preferably 0.09 to 0.50% by mass, and particularly preferably 0.09 to 0.25% by mass.

[0027] The food composition according to the present disclosure may further contain a thickener other than gellan gum. Examples of thickeners other than gellan gum include xanthan gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, pectin, carrageenan, gelatin, and tamarind seed gum. Particularly preferred is one or more selected from xanthan gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, and pectin. The content of thickeners other than gellan gum in the food composition according to the present disclosure is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, a total of 0.05 to 2.00% by mass, and preferably 0.10 to 1.00% by mass, based on the total mass of the composition. The addition of a thickener other than gellan gum can stabilize the viscosity.

[0028] 1.5.Other Ingredients The food compositions according to the present disclosure may further contain any other ingredients to impart a desired flavor or taste, such as fats and oils, salts such as salt, meat extract, vegetable extract, miso, soy sauce, dairy products, wine, acidulants, seasonings such as monosodium glutamate, spices, and flavorings.

[0029] Examples of fats and oils include animal fats and oils such as beef tallow, lard, fish oil, butter, and ghee; vegetable fats and oils such as soybean oil, corn oil, palm oil, rapeseed oil, and olive oil; and processed fats and oils such as diacylglycerol and margarine. From the viewpoints of health, flavor, and separation stability of the food composition according to the present disclosure during storage, the fat and oil content is preferably 20% by mass or less. The food composition according to the present disclosure may further contain an emulsifier to ensure separation stability of the fat and oil.

[0030] 2. Food Compositions According to the Present Disclosure The food composition according to the present disclosure contains non-gelatinized starch, sugars, and water, has a moisture content of less than 40% by mass, and further contains gellan gum. When a diluted solution (4-fold diluted solution) is prepared by mixing 3 parts by mass of water with 1 part by mass of the food composition according to the present disclosure, the diluted solution has a shear rate of 0.1 s at 30°C. -1 The viscosity at low shear rate at 30°C (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "shear viscosity at low shear rate at 30°C") is 900 mPa·s or more.

[0031] The inventors have found that the shear viscosity at low shear rate at 30°C of a diluted solution of a food composition according to the present disclosure is positively correlated with the degree of inhibition of precipitation of non-gelatinized starch in the diluted solution, and that precipitation of non-gelatinized starch is inhibited in a diluted solution prepared by diluting a food composition according to the present disclosure that satisfies the above-mentioned conditions with water. While stirring is difficult when ingredients are further added to a diluted solution, a diluted solution of a food composition according to the present disclosure that satisfies the above-mentioned conditions is preferred because starch precipitation is inhibited even without stirring. The shear viscosity at low shear rate at 30°C of a 4-fold diluted solution of a food composition according to the present disclosure is more preferably 1000 mPa·s or higher.

[0032] The upper limit of the shear viscosity at a low shear rate at 30°C of a 4-fold diluted solution of the food composition according to the present disclosure is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 20,000 mPa·s or less.

[0033] In a further preferred embodiment of the food composition according to the present disclosure, the 4-fold diluted solution is subjected to a shear rate of 10 s at 30°C. -1 The viscosity at high shear rate at 30°C (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "shear viscosity at high shear rate at 30°C") is 350 mPa·s or less.

[0034] The present inventors have found that the shear viscosity at high shear rate at 30°C of a diluted solution of a food composition according to the present disclosure is positively correlated with the viscosity felt by a person when consuming a liquid food prepared by heating the diluted solution, and that a liquid food prepared by diluting a food composition according to the present disclosure that satisfies the above conditions with water and heating the diluted solution has a desirable, appropriate thickness. The shear viscosity at high shear rate at 30°C of a 4-fold diluted solution of a food composition according to the present disclosure is more preferably 200 mPa s or less, and particularly preferably 50 mPa s or less.

[0035] The lower limit of the shear viscosity at a high shear rate at 30°C of a 4-fold diluted solution of the food composition of the present disclosure is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 5 mPa·s or more, preferably 10 mPa·s or more.

[0036] When the food composition according to the present disclosure is diluted with water and the diluted solution is cooked by heating to prepare the desired liquid food, the dilution ratio with water is not particularly limited, but the upper limit is preferably 10 times or less, more preferably 7 times or less, and particularly preferably 5 times or less, and the lower limit is preferably 2 times or more, and more preferably 3 times or more.

[0037] The shear viscosity at low shear rate at 30°C and the shear viscosity at high shear rate at 30°C were both measured using a rotational viscoelasticity measuring device (e.g., MCR102 manufactured by AntonPaar) with a CC27 bob at 30°C and a shear rate of 0.1 s. -1 From the 300s -1 The shear rate can be measured by measuring the shear rate from the low shear rate side.

[0038] Examples of liquid foods prepared by diluting the food composition according to the present disclosure with water and heating include curry, stew, chowder, hayashi, gratin, pasta, Chinese thick-flavored dishes, custard cream, etc., which use viscous soups or viscous sauces (white sauce, demi-glace sauce, curry sauce, soup curry, tomato sauce, thick-flavored sauce, custard sauce, etc.).

[0039] 3. Containerized liquid or paste-like food composition A containerized liquid or paste-like food composition according to the present disclosure comprises the food composition according to the present disclosure and a container for containing the food composition.

[0040] The container is not particularly limited as long as it can contain and seal the food composition according to the present disclosure and the contents can be removed from it, but examples that can be used include pouch-shaped containers, pouches with stoppers, tube-shaped containers, bottle-shaped containers, cans, and jar containers.

[0041] The containerized liquid or paste-like food composition according to the present disclosure is preferably one that has been subjected to heat sterilization. Heat sterilization can be carried out using, for example, steam, hot water, etc. The conditions are preferably set so as to ensure sufficient sterilization and sufficient shelf life. For example, heat sterilization is preferably carried out so that the temperature (core temperature) of the food composition in the container is 70°C to 90°C. In the heat sterilization, for example, if the heat sterilization is post-sterilization as described below, the above temperature is preferably maintained for 5 to 60 minutes, and if the heat sterilization is hot-pack sterilization as described below, the above temperature is preferably maintained for 5 seconds to 5 minutes.

[0042] The order of filling and sealing a container with a food composition according to the present disclosure and heat sterilization is not particularly limited, and heat sterilization may be performed before or after filling the container with the food composition.Typical examples include a method in which the food composition according to the present disclosure is filled and sealed in a container and then heat sterilized (post-sterilization), and a method in which the food composition according to the present disclosure is first heat sterilized (preferably at a temperature of 70°C to 90°C), filled and sealed in a container while maintaining the heat sterilization temperature (preferably 70°C or higher), and then sterilized (hot pack sterilization).

[0043] The production of a containerized liquid or paste-like food composition according to the present disclosure may further include a step of cooking the food composition according to the present disclosure before heat sterilization. Furthermore, in the case of the aforementioned hot pack sterilization, the heat cooking step can also serve as the heat sterilization step. Because starch may gelatinize during the heat cooking step, it is preferable to heat-cook a mixture of sugars, water, food ingredients, etc. in advance without adding starch, and mix the resulting cooked composition with non-gelatinized starch to prepare a liquid or paste-like food composition, which is then heat-sterilized. [Example]

[0044] 1. Food composition Paste-like food compositions of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 were prepared, each containing corn starch as the non-gelatinized starch, dextrin and sugar as the sugars, water, and gellan gum and / or xanthan gum, and having the compositions (units: mass %) shown in the table below. The paste-like food compositions of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 are soup base compositions that can be used to prepare thick soups by diluting them four-fold with water and heating. The paste-like food compositions of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 were each prepared by uniformly mixing the raw materials shown in the table.

[0045] 2. Evaluation 2.1.Shear Viscosity Each paste-like food composition was diluted 4-fold with 30°C water (1 part by mass of each paste-like food composition to 3 parts by mass of water) and mixed to prepare a diluted solution. The shear viscosity of the diluted solution at a low shear rate (low shear viscosity) and at a high shear rate (high shear viscosity) was measured by the following procedure. The diluted solution sample, from which particles of 1 mm or larger had been removed, was measured using a rotational viscoelasticity measuring device (MCR102 manufactured by Anton Paar) with a CC27 bob at 30°C and a shear rate of 0.1 s -1 From the 300s -1 The shear rate was measured from the low shear rate side to the shear rate of 0.1 s -1The viscosity measured at a shear rate of 10 s was defined as the low shear viscosity. -1 The viscosity measured at this temperature was taken as the high shear viscosity.

[0046] 2.2.Precipitation Each paste-like food composition was diluted 4-fold with water at room temperature (25°C) (1 part by mass of each paste-like food composition to 3 parts by mass of water) and mixed to prepare a diluted solution. After mixing, the glass container containing the diluted solution was left to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes, and after 10 minutes had passed, the presence or absence of precipitation was observed from the outside of the container. When no precipitate was found, it was evaluated as "good", and when precipitate was found, it was evaluated as "poor".

[0047] 2.3.Texture Each paste-like food composition was diluted 4-fold with water at room temperature (25°C) (1 part by mass of each paste-like food composition to 3 parts by mass of water) and mixed to prepare a diluted solution. The diluted solution was heated to gelatinize the cornstarch, and the soup was prepared without stirring during heating. The soup was tasted and the texture was evaluated. A thick texture that is preferable for a soup was rated as "◎", a texture that is acceptable for a soup was rated as "◯", and a texture that is unacceptable for a soup was rated as "×".

[0048] 3.Results The compositions and evaluation results of the paste-like food compositions of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 are shown in the table below. The units for each component are % by mass. Water was added in an amount that made the total 100% by mass.

[0049] [Table 1]

Claims

1. A liquid or paste-like food composition in a container, comprising: a liquid or paste-like food composition containing non-gelatinized starch, sugars, and water, having a water content of less than 40% by mass, and a sugar to water ratio of 80% by mass to 300% by mass; and a container containing the composition, containing gellan gum; The composition is heat sterilized; and When a diluted solution is prepared by mixing 3 parts by mass of water with 1 part by mass of the composition, the diluted solution has a shear rate of 0.1 s at 30°C. －１ The viscosity of the diluted solution is 900 mPa·s or more at a shear rate of 10 s at 30°C. －１ A container-packed liquid or paste-like food composition, characterized in that the viscosity at room temperature is 350 mPa·s or less.

2. 2. The container-packed liquid or paste-like food composition according to claim 1, wherein the non-gelatinized starch is contained in an amount of 1 to 30% by mass.

3. 3. The container-packed liquid or paste-like food composition according to claim 1, further comprising a thickener other than gellan gum.

4. 4. The container-packed liquid or paste-like food composition according to claim 3, wherein the thickener is one or more selected from the group consisting of xanthan gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, and pectin.

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