Method for manufacturing non-heated oil jam and non-heated oil jam

Abstract

This invention provides a non-heated oil jam produced by stirring a mixture of freeze-dried food and edible oil at room temperature, and then stirring that mixture with highly viscous sugars. [Solution] A non-heating oil jam manufacturing method comprising: a first stirring step of mixing freeze-dried food and edible oil to produce a mixed oil; a sterilization step of photosterilizing the mixed oil with a germicidal lamp; and a second stirring step of mixing the mixed oil with highly viscous sugars.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to non-heated oil jam produced mainly from freeze-dried food and oil. Specifically, it relates to a method for manufacturing non-heated oil jam by adding highly viscous sugars to freeze-dried food and oil and stirring them under normal temperature environment, and to the non-heated oil jam produced by this manufacturing method.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, jams are produced by adding sugars to fruits and heating and boiling them down. Since such jams are sterilized against microorganisms by the heating in the production process, they are widely popular as foods with excellent preservability. However, there was a problem that active ingredients such as vitamin C contained in fruits were decomposed by the long-time heating in the boiling-down process. Also, when the heating process is not performed in the production of jam, the sterilization of the product becomes insufficient, and there was also a problem that the jam becomes unsuitable for long-term storage.

[0003] In order to solve the above problems, a technical proposal described in Patent Document 1 has been made. Specifically, it describes a fruit processing method including a step of blanching fruits at a high temperature using activated oil, and by removing the astringency and bitterness of the fruits, making it possible to use fruits that were conventionally difficult to use for jams and the like as processing raw materials. However, since it includes a configuration in which fruits are exposed to high temperatures and active ingredients such as heat-sensitive vitamins are lost, the above problems have not yet been solved.

[0004] The applicant of the present application focused on the conventional method for manufacturing jam that requires heating of materials, and under the idea of whether it is possible to provide a similar jam without heating, developed a method for manufacturing non-heated oil jam by mixing stirring oil obtained by stirring freeze-dried food and edible oil and highly viscous sugars, and arrived at the proposal of the "method for manufacturing non-heated oil jam and non-heated oil jam" according to the present invention. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2024-74211 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a non-heated oil jam produced by stirring a mixture of freeze-dried food and edible oil at room temperature, and then stirring the mixture with highly viscous sugars. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a non-heating oil jam manufacturing method comprising: a first stirring step of mixing freeze-dried food and edible oil to produce a mixed oil; a sterilization step of photosterilizing the mixed oil with a germicidal lamp; and a second stirring step of mixing the mixed oil with highly viscous sugars.

[0008] Furthermore, the present invention employs a means in which the stirring in the first stirring step is faster than the stirring in the second stirring step.

[0009] Furthermore, in the sterilization step, the present invention employs a means by which at least a portion of the agitated oil passes through while in contact with a germicidal lamp.

[0010] Furthermore, the present invention adopts the means that the edible oil is MCT oil.

[0011] Furthermore, the present invention also employs the means by which the highly viscous sugar is an oligosaccharide or honey.

[0012] Furthermore, the present invention employs a method that involves adding whey powder and / or powdered supplements.

[0013] Furthermore, the present invention also employs a means that includes a sealing step of filling a container with the oil jam and sealing it.

[0014] Furthermore, the present invention provides a non-heated oil jam produced by the non-heated oil jam production method described above, comprising a stirred oil produced by stirring freeze-dried food and edible oil, and a highly viscous sugar.

[0015] Furthermore, the present invention adopts a method in which the unheated oil jam contains whey powder and / or powdered supplements. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] The non-heated oil jam manufacturing method and non-heated oil jam according to the present invention provide excellent effects, such as generating stirred oil by stirring freeze-dried food and edible oil, which causes the freeze-dried food to be atomized by stirring and dispersed in the edible oil, while retaining heat-sensitive nutrients, and exhibiting an effect comparable to natural emulsifiers when high-viscosity sugars are added, thereby providing a food product similar to conventional jam. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the non-heated oil jam manufacturing method according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of the non-heated oil jam according to the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the non-heated oil jam according to the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] The most notable feature of the non-heated oil jam manufacturing method and non-heated oil jam according to the present invention is that oil jam can be produced without heating by stirring freeze-dried food, edible oil, and high-viscosity sugars at room temperature. Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing non-heated oil jam according to the present invention and an embodiment of the non-heated oil jam will be described based on the drawings.

[0019] Note that the method for manufacturing non-heated oil jam and the non-heated oil jam according to the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described below, and can be appropriately changed within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention, that is, within the scope of shapes, dimensions, materials, configurations, etc. that can exhibit the same effects.

[0020] FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of a method for manufacturing non-heated oil jam according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of a method for manufacturing non-heated oil jam according to the present invention. (a) shows the state of material input before the first stirring step 31, (b) shows the state after the first stirring step 31, (c) shows the state of material input before the second stirring step 33, and (d) shows the state after the second stirring step 33. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of a method for manufacturing non-heated oil jam according to the present invention. Specifically, it shows the implementation status of photo sterilization in the sterilization step 32. The method 30 for manufacturing non-heated oil jam according to the present invention mainly consists of a first stirring step 31, a sterilization step 32, and a second stirring step 33.

[0021] The non-heated oil jam 1 in the present invention is significantly different from "fruits, vegetables or flower petals heated until they become gelatinized with sugars, etc., or those added with fruit juice, gelling agents, acidulants, flavors, etc." according to the JAS quality display standard. It is an oil jam that (1) is produced without heating in a normal temperature environment, (2) is produced by stirring edible oil 13, freeze-dried food 12, and high-viscosity sugars 15, and (3) contains additives 16 (such as whey powder and powdered supplements) as required.

[0022] In the non-heated oil jam manufacturing method 30 according to the present invention, "emulsification" is not limited to the emulsified state formed using a surfactant as in the conventional method, but also includes a pseudo-emulsified state in which oil droplets or water droplets are suspended or mixed. A pseudo-emulsified state is a structure formed by stirring an oil 14, in which freeze-dried food 12 is micronized and dispersed in edible oil 13, with high-viscosity sugars 15. In this process, microparticles derived from the freeze-dried food 12 (e.g., dietary fiber, carbohydrates, proteins, etc.) adsorb and remain at the interface between the oil and sugars, acting like a natural emulsifier to form a stable dispersion structure. Therefore, a key feature of the present invention is that a jam-like composition with stability and texture can be obtained even without achieving a complete emulsified state using a surfactant.

[0023] The non-heated oil jam manufacturing method 30 according to the present invention consists of the following four steps: (1) a first stirring step 31 in which freeze-dried food 12 and edible oil 13 are stirred to produce stirred oil 14; (2) a sterilization step 32 in which the stirred oil 14 is photosterilized with a germicidal lamp 20; (3) a second stirring step 33 in which the sterilized stirred oil 14 and high-viscosity sugars 15 are stirred to produce non-heated oil jam 1; and (4) a sealing step in which the produced non-heated oil jam 1 is filled into a sealed container and sealed. The following explains each step in order.

[0024] The first stirring step 31 is a step in which the freeze-dried food 12 and edible oil 13 placed in the first stirring container 11A are stirred to produce stirred oil 14. The stirring in the first stirring step 31 aims to atomize the freeze-dried food 12 and disperse it uniformly in the edible oil 13. The rotation speed during stirring is set appropriately according to the type of freeze-dried food 12 (hardness and size) and the amount of edible oil 13, but a medium-high rotation speed of about 200 to 300 rpm is preferred as a guideline. In particular, since this process requires the physical crushing and micronization of the freeze-dried food 12, if the stirring speed is too slow, it may not be sufficiently micronized, resulting in uneven dispersion in the edible oil 13. Therefore, it is desirable to perform the rotation in this process at the medium-to-high speed described above. The stirring time will vary depending on the amount and properties of the ingredients being stirred, but for example, when using 50g of freeze-dried food 12 and 300g of edible oil 13, stirring for about 3 minutes is appropriate. The stirring oil 14 obtained by this stirring contains stably dispersed micronized freeze-dried food 12, and is expected to act as a natural emulsifier when mixed with the highly viscous sugars 15 in the subsequent step. Furthermore, by stirring the freeze-dried food 12 and edible oil 13 to produce stirred oil 14, the freeze-dried food 12, which has been micronized by stirring, is dispersed within the edible oil 13. This provides excellent effects, such as preserving heat-sensitive nutrients while exhibiting an effect comparable to that of natural emulsifiers when high-viscosity sugars 15 are added. The agitated oil 14 obtained in the first agitation step 31 is sent to the next step, the sterilization step 32.

[0025] Freeze-dried foods 12 are manufactured from fresh foods, and their raw materials are not particularly limited. For example, suitable vegetables include tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, shishito peppers, nuts, broccoli, asparagus, corn, garlic, carrots, and chili peppers. Suitable fruits include strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, kiwis, pineapples, grapes, oranges, loquats, apples, bananas, figs, peaches, persimmons, watermelons, melons, lemons, pears, plums, cherries, mangoes, mangosteens, papayas, and pomegranates. These freeze-dried foods 12 are obtained in a dried state by rapidly freezing them at a temperature of approximately -20°C to -45°C or lower, and then reducing the pressure to a vacuum to sublimate the water. Furthermore, the freeze-dried food 12 is one of the main components that determine the color, flavor, and nutritional value of the unheated oil jam 1, and is crushed and micronized in the first stirring step 31 so that it is uniformly dispersed in the stirred oil 14. Furthermore, by using not just a single type but a combination of multiple freeze-dried foods 12, it becomes possible to adjust the color and nutritional balance of the unheated oil jam 1.

[0026] The edible oil 13 may be animal-based or vegetable-based, or a mixture of both may be used. Examples of animal-based edible oils 13 include lard, tallow, ghee, and butter, while examples of vegetable-based edible oils 13 include canola oil, olive oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, palm oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, and cocoa butter. In particular, since the present invention does not involve a heating process, it is easier to use MCT oil (medium-chain triglyceride oil), which has a low smoke point and is unsuitable for cooking, and it is preferable to conventional edible oils 13 in that it is quickly digested and absorbed and converted into energy. Furthermore, since animal-based edible oils often solidify at room temperature, it is desirable to use them as a mixed oil by combining them with vegetable-based edible oils. The mixing ratio in such a mixed oil should be determined appropriately, taking into consideration its compatibility with the freeze-dried food 12 used.

[0027] The first stirring container 11A is a container into which freeze-dried food 12 and edible oil 13 are added, and stirring is performed in the first stirring step 31. The size and shape of the first stirring container 11A are not particularly limited, but can be appropriately selected depending on the size of the freeze-dried food 12 to be introduced and the amount of stirring oil 14 to be produced. As an example of a stirring mechanism, one can cite a structure in which a screw-shaped blade is provided at the bottom of the first stirring container 11A, and the freeze-dried food 12 is crushed and the contents are stirred by rotating the blade at high speed.

[0028] The sterilization step 32 is a step of photosterilizing the stirring oil 14 generated in the first stirring step 31. The sterilization step 32 is a step in which bacteria introduced by the first stirring step 31 are sterilized by irradiating the stirring oil 14, which is stored in the second stirring container 11B via the sterilization piping 21, with ultraviolet light emitted from the germicidal lamp 20. This sterilization process 32 ensures that the stirring oil 14 is clean and free from bacteria, and by storing it in the second stirring container 11B, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the quality of the unheated oil jam 1 due to bacteria.

[0029] The sterilization piping 21 is equipped with a germicidal lamp 20 for sterilizing the stirring oil 14 and functions as a flow path for storing the oil from the first stirring container 11A to the second stirring container 11B. As shown in Figure 3, the sterilization piping 21 has a structure in which a germicidal lamp 20 is installed in a hollow section. The inner diameter of the piping must be larger than the diameter of the germicidal lamp 20, and must be such that the flow of the agitated oil 14 is not obstructed by the germicidal lamp 20. For example, if the diameter of the germicidal lamp 20 is 10 mm, an inner diameter of about 40 mm is suitable for the piping. Furthermore, a quartz tube 22 made of quartz glass, an inorganic compound, is preferred as the material for the sterilization piping 21. By using such a quartz tube 22, it is possible to prevent deterioration caused by ultraviolet rays from the germicidal lamp 20. Furthermore, by providing an aluminum layer 23 that reflects ultraviolet light on the inside of the hollow portion of the quartz tube 22, the ultraviolet light is reflected inside the quartz tube 22 and irradiated onto the stirring oil 14 from multiple directions, thereby improving the sterilization effect.

[0030] The germicidal lamp 20 is installed in the hollow section of the germicidal piping 21 and is a device that irradiates ultraviolet light. A common method for sterilizing liquids using germicidal lamps involves irradiating the liquid to be sterilized with ultraviolet light from above and outside the device. However, this irradiation method has the drawback that ultraviolet light tends to reach only the surface layer of the liquid, making it difficult to achieve sufficient sterilization effect on the entire liquid. In order to solve this problem, the present invention employs a configuration in which a germicidal lamp 20 is installed inside the germicidal piping 21 through which the agitated oil 14 passes. This makes it possible to irradiate the agitated oil 14 with ultraviolet light in close proximity and directly, thereby efficiently sterilizing the entire liquid. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, it is preferable to configure the agitation oil 14 flowing through the sterilization piping 21 to pass through while in contact with the germicidal lamp 20. With this configuration, the agitation oil 14 temporarily remains in the piping and can receive ultraviolet irradiation from the germicidal lamp 20 for a longer period of time, thus improving the sterilization effect. In this invention, a preferred arrangement of the germicidal lamps 20 is one in which a germicidal lamp 20A is provided above the quartz tube 22 and a germicidal lamp 20B is provided below it, thereby performing photosterilization through two-stage irradiation from above and below. With this configuration, the ultraviolet light emitted from the upper and lower germicidal lamps 20 is reflected multiple times by the aluminum layer 23, and the entire hollow portion of the quartz tube 22 is efficiently irradiated, thereby further enhancing the germicidal effect on the agitated oil 14.

[0031] The agitated oil 14, which has been sterilized by light using the germicidal lamp 20, is stored in the second agitation container 11B. The size of the second stirring container 11B is not particularly limited, but it must have a capacity that can store the stirring oil 14 and the high-viscosity sugars 15 that will be added in a later process. Furthermore, the second stirring container 11B is equipped with a stirring structure for performing the second stirring step. This stirring structure is not particularly limited as long as it uses prior art, and for example, a structure similar to that of the first stirring container 11A, or a structure in which a rotating shaft is extended from the bottom of the second stirring container 11B to near the liquid surface, and stirring is performed by providing multiple stirring blades on the rotating shaft, can be considered.

[0032] The second stirring step 33 is a step in which stirring oil 14 and high-viscosity sugars 15 are stirred to produce unheated oil jam 1. The second stirring step 33 involves adding highly viscous sugars 15 to the stirring oil 14, which has been purified by the sterilization step 32, and stirring, thereby forming a non-heated oil jam 1, which is a jam-like viscous composition. Unlike the stirring in the first stirring step 31, which micronizes the freeze-dried food 12, the stirring in the second stirring step 33 aims to promote the emulsification of the oils in both by mixing the water-containing high-viscosity sugars 15 with the oil-based stirring oil 14. In the stirring process described above, if the stirring speed is too fast, air may be introduced into the unheated oil jam 1, accelerating oxidation. In addition, the emulsification may become unstable, leading to separation of oil and water, or failure to obtain sufficient viscosity. On the other hand, if the stirring speed is too slow, the ingredients may not mix properly, resulting in uneven mixing, some ingredients may settle or float, impairing the texture, or it may take a long time to reach an emulsified state. From this perspective, it is desirable that the stirring speed in the second stirring step 33 be lower than that of the first stirring step 31, and specifically, it is appropriate to set it to 70 to 100 times / minute, more preferably 60 to 90 times / minute. Furthermore, the stirring time is adjusted as appropriate depending on the target viscosity of the unheated oil jam 1, but generally, stirring for about 5 minutes is preferable.

[0033] The highly viscous sugar 15 is a sugar with high viscosity, and after being added to the stirring oil 14 stored in the second stirring container 11B, emulsification is promoted by stirring. Examples of highly viscous sugars 15 include liquid oligosaccharides, corn syrup, and honey. These contain water, and when mixed with the oil in the stirring oil 14, an oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsion structure is formed. In this invention, "high viscosity" refers to a viscosity range from approximately 10,000 mPa·s (millipascal-seconds), as seen in honey, to approximately 100,000 mPa·s, as seen in corn syrup. The specific viscosity value is appropriately selected depending on the amount of stirring oil 14 and the target viscosity of the unheated oil jam 1 to be produced. It is desirable to set the amount of high-viscosity sugars 15 added to be greater than the amount of stirring oil 14. For example, if the amount of edible oil 13 is 200 to 300 g, it is preferable to add about 700 to 1000 g of high-viscosity sugars 15, and more preferably 800 to 900 g.

[0034] To enhance the nutritional value and functionality of the unheated oil jam 1, it is also preferable to add additive 16 as needed. Examples of additives 16 include whey powder rich in minerals and proteins, or powdered supplements mainly composed of iron and vitamins, all of which are processed into fine particles (powder form). These additives 16 can be used individually or in combination of multiple types, and are selected appropriately according to the desired nutrients and functionality. Furthermore, while there are no particular limitations on the amount of additive 16 to be added, in one embodiment of the present invention, an amount roughly equivalent to the weight of the freeze-dried food 12 (e.g., about 50g) can be used as a guideline. The timing of adding the additive 16 is selected according to the properties of the additive 16. Specifically, if it is a fat-soluble component, it is preferable to add it together with the edible oil 13 in the first stirring step 31, and if it is a water-soluble component, it is preferable to add it together with the highly viscous sugars 15 in the second stirring step 33. By adding additive 16 according to the appropriate process, it is possible to prevent uneven composition due to sedimentation or floating, and deterioration of texture due to insufficient dissolution.

[0035] The sealing step 34 is the step of filling a sealed container with the unheated oil jam 1 produced in the second stirring step 33 and sealing it. The sealed container used in sealing process 34 only needs to have airtight properties, and is preferably a container that can be displayed as a product. In particular, a transparent or translucent glass or synthetic resin container is desirable so that the color of the contents can be seen, and a sealed glass bottle is an example. The sealing process 34 prevents contact with the outside air, thereby preventing the attachment of bacteria, contamination with foreign matter, changes in taste and texture due to oxidation and drying, and deterioration, and thus improving the shelf life of the unheated oil jam 1.

[0036] The basic configuration and operation flow of the non-heated oil jam manufacturing method 30 according to the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the configurations shown in the embodiments and drawings described above. For example, a suitable configuration is to add a sterilization step 32 after the second stirring step 33, perform photosterilization, and then execute the sealing step 34. By adopting such a configuration, the sterilization process can be carried out immediately before filling the generated unheated oil jam 1 into a sealed container, making it possible to more reliably prevent the growth of bacteria during long-term storage. Furthermore, a configuration in which the freeze-dried food 12 is pre-ground into a fine powder prior to the first stirring step 31 is also conceivable. By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to shorten the stirring time in the first stirring step 31 and reduce the load on the stirring device. [Industrial applicability]

[0037] The present invention provides a method for producing oil jam that can be generated at room temperature, and can be used as a non-heated oil jam that allows for the intake of nutrients such as vitamins that are sensitive to high heat. Therefore, we believe that the "non-heated oil jam production method and non-heated oil jam" according to the present invention have great industrial applicability. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 1. Unheated oil jam 11A First stirring container 11B Second stirring container 12 Freeze-dried foods 13 Edible oil 14. Stirring oil 15 High viscosity sugars 16 Additives 20 germicidal lamp 20A upper germicidal light 20B lower germicidal lamp 21 Sterilization piping 22 Quartz tube 23 Aluminum layer 30. Method for manufacturing non-heated oil jam 31 First stirring process 32 Sterilization process 33 Second stirring process 34 Sealing process

Claims

1. A method for producing non-heated oil jam, The first stirring step involves mixing freeze-dried food and edible oil to produce a stirred oil, A sterilization step in which the stirred oil is photosterilized using a germicidal lamp, A second stirring step involves stirring the stirring oil and high-viscosity sugars to produce an oil jam, It consists of, A method for producing non-heated oil jam, characterized in that at least a portion of the agitated oil passes through the sterilization process while in contact with a germicidal lamp.

2. The method for producing non-heated oil jam according to claim 1, characterized in that the stirring in the first stirring step is faster than the stirring in the second stirring step.

3. The method for producing non-heated oil jam according to claim 1, characterized in that the edible oil is MCT oil.

4. The method for producing non-heated oil jam according to claim 1, characterized in that the high-viscosity sugar is an oligosaccharide or honey.

5. The method for producing a non-heated oil jam according to claim 1, characterized in that whey powder and / or powdered supplements are added.

6. A non-heated oil jam manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by comprising a sealing step of filling a container with the oil jam and sealing it.

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