Manufacturing method for cereal-shaped foods

Abstract

To provide a molded food that can suppress sugar content, can be finished with moderate hardness (softness) texture or can be finished with harder or softer texture, and can be continuously produced with simple process and small-scale equipment, and to provide a method for producing the same.SOLUTION: The molded food according to the present invention is a molded food in which a food material bound by a binder is molded, and in which, characterized, the binder contains saccharide and a gelling agent, and the gelling agent contains a polysaccharide having a gelling action alone or in combination of multiple types.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to Cereal molded foods a manufacturing method.

Background Art

[0002] There are known molded foods in which food materials such as cereals, seeds, beans, dried fruits, etc. are bound and molded by a binder that is a binder. As an example, there are confectionery known by names such as "okoshi", and foods eaten for various purposes known by names such as "cereal bar".

[0003] In molded foods, a binder for binding food materials together is required. Conventionally, in confectionery such as the above-mentioned "okoshi", a boiled-down sugar solution has been used as a binder, which is mixed with food materials such as puff-shaped cereals and cooled to bind them. In this case, unless the ratio of the sugar solution to the food materials to be bound is increased to a certain extent, the food materials cannot be bound together, so the molded food has a high sugar content and a strong sweetness. Also, since the sugar solution crystallizes, the molded food has a hard texture.

[0004] On the other hand, in a cereal block confectionery which is one form of the above-mentioned "cereal bar" described in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2015-211653), it is described that dissolved gummy is used as a binder. According to this, by using a gummy dough containing gelatin in addition to saccharides, the viscosity can be suppressed and it becomes easier to handle, but unless the ratio of the sugar solution to the food materials to be bound is increased to a certain extent, the food materials cannot be bound together, and the molded food has a high sugar content and a strong sweetness. Thus, being too high in sugar content and having too strong sweetness is one of the problems that require improvement in molded foods eaten for various purposes. Also, in the case of conventional okoshi and the cereal block confectionery described in Patent Document 1, since it is necessary to boil down the sugar solution or dissolve the gummy, a plurality of dissolving facilities are required to continuously supply the binder. Therefore, there are also equipment problems in continuous production of products.

Prior Art Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-211653 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] In recent years, a mixture of starch or pullulan in a sugar solution has been used as a binder for molded foods to address the above challenges. This results in a lower sugar content and reduced sweetness in the molded food compared to using boiled sugar solution. Furthermore, since there is no need to boil the sugar solution, it is also suitable for continuous supply of the binder. However, with binders such as a mixture of starch or pullulan in a sugar solution, it becomes necessary to reduce the moisture content of the product in order to improve its shelf life. Therefore, after pressing the mixture of the binder and food material into a mold and shaping it, a heating and drying process is required, such as baking or hot-air drying of the molded product, and then a cooling process is required afterward, creating a new challenge in that the process becomes complicated and requires large-scale equipment. In addition, molded foods that have undergone the heating and drying process are limited to having a hard texture, which is another challenge in that it does not allow for flexibility in texture. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a molded food product that can have its sugar content suppressed, a texture of appropriate hardness (softness), or a texture that is harder or softer, and that can be continuously produced with a simple process and small-scale equipment, as well as a method for producing the same.

[0008] The present invention solves the above problem by a solution described below as one embodiment.

[0009] According to the present invention serialThe manufacturing method for molded foods is: Includes cereal Food ingredients and, A gel-like binder with a sugar content of 70-85, made by dissolving agar by heating, then cooling an agar-containing aqueous solution to form a gel. The mixture is introduced into an extruder, heated and mixed within the extruder, and then extruded outside the extruder. Natural cooling Including the molding process The method is such that the mixing ratio (a:b) of the food material (a) containing the cereal and the gel-like binder (b) is in the range of 65:35 to 90:10 by mass ratio. It is characterized by the following:

[0010] Alternatively, the method for producing molded food according to the present invention includes the steps of introducing food material and a binder containing a gelling agent and carbohydrates into an extruder, heating and mixing them in the extruder, extruding them out of the extruder, and then molding them, wherein the gelling agent contains polysaccharides that have a gelling effect, either alone or in combination of several types.

[0011] According to this method, even if the ratio of carbohydrates to the food materials to be bound is low, the binding action of the gelling agent allows the food materials to be suitably bound together, resulting in molded foods with a texture of appropriate hardness (or softness). Specifically, the sugar content of the molded food can be reduced to around 70 by the binder sugar content, thereby reducing sweetness. Furthermore, by using a poorly soluble gel-like binder, the strength of the jelly can be adjusted, and the degree of dissolution and collapse of the gel when mixed with food materials can be controlled, allowing for variations in the texture of the molded food, either harder or softer. Moreover, by simply introducing pre-made or stored gel-like binder directly into an extruder, heating and mixing it with food materials in the extruder, and extruding it out of the extruder, the food materials can be bound together. Then, by simply allowing a certain amount of moisture to evaporate through natural cooling, molded foods with a certain degree of shelf life can be produced. Therefore, continuous supply of the binder and continuous production of the product become possible with a simple process and small-scale equipment, while also reducing manufacturing costs.

[0012] Furthermore, it is preferable that the gelling agent contains at least one selected from the group consisting of agar, carrageenan, pectin, xanthan gum, galactomannan, tamarind seed gum, and glucomannan. When incorporating (adding) these polysaccharides as gelling agents, it is sufficient to incorporate (add) them so that they are included, and it is not necessarily limited to purified or washed products. For example, in the case of glucomannan, it may be included by incorporating (adding) konjac powder.

[0013] Furthermore, the molded food according to the present invention is a molded food in which food materials bound together by a binder are molded, wherein the binder contains carbohydrates and a gelling agent, and the gelling agent contains polysaccharides that have a gelling effect, either alone or in combination of multiple types.

[0014] Furthermore, it is preferable that the gelling agent contains at least one selected from the group consisting of agar, carrageenan, pectin, xanthan gum, galactomannan, tamarind seed gum, and glucomannan. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, molded foods can be made with reduced sugar content and a texture of appropriate firmness (or softness), or they can be made firmer or softer. Furthermore, continuous production becomes possible with a simple process and small-scale equipment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In this application, sugar content refers to the Brix value measured by a refractometer.

[0017] The molded food according to this embodiment is a molded food in which food materials bound together by a binder are molded, wherein the binder contains carbohydrates and a gelling agent, and the gelling agent contains polysaccharides that have a gelling effect, either alone or in combination of multiple types.

[0018] The food ingredients are not particularly limited as long as they can be bound together by a binder, and examples include grains, nuts and seeds, beans, and dried fruits. A mix of several of these may also be used. These ingredients may be used as they are, or they may be cut into appropriate sizes or powdered. These ingredients may also be processed into flakes or puffs, or they may be defatted or fermented. Furthermore, seasonings, vitamins, minerals, flavorings, colorings, emulsifiers, excipients, etc., may be added to these ingredients as appropriate, depending on the purpose.

[0019] The grains mentioned above are generally referred to collectively as "cereals" and include various grains. The nuts and seeds mentioned above include almonds, macadamia nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, pistachios, walnuts, and other nuts, as well as chestnuts. Furthermore, the fruits (fruits) mentioned above in relation to dried fruits include not only horticultural fruits but also those generally recognized as fruits by consumers, and therefore include, for example, strawberries and bananas.

[0020] Furthermore, as a binder that binds food ingredients together, the binder according to this embodiment contains a carbohydrate having binding properties and a gelling agent having gelling properties. The carbohydrate is not particularly limited, and examples include monosaccharides, disaccharides, starch syrup, sugar alcohols, oligosaccharides, dextrin, starch, etc. A mixture of several of these may also be used. Note that these carbohydrates are not limited to refined forms, and for example, maple syrup, honey, etc. may be used.

[0021] In addition, as the gelling agent, it contains polysaccharides having a gelling action alone or in combination of multiple types. Examples of such polysaccharides include agar, carrageenan, pectin, xanthan gum, galactomannan, tamarind seed gum, glucomannan, etc. Galactomannan is a polysaccharide composed of a main chain of mannose and a side chain of galactose, and includes guar gum (ratio 2:1), tara gum (ratio 3:1), locust bean gum (ratio 4:1), cassia gum (ratio 5:1), etc., which are classified according to the difference in the ratio of mannose to galactose (mannose:galactose). Among these polysaccharides, agar, carrageenan, pectin, tamarind seed gum, glucomannan, etc. have a gelling action alone, and xanthan gum, galactomannan, etc. have a gelling action in combinations of multiple types such as, for example, carrageenan and galactomannan, xanthan gum and galactomannan. Also, when appropriately combined like carrageenan and glucomannan, xanthan gum and glucomannan, a synergistic effect may occur and the gelling action may be enhanced. Therefore, among these polysaccharides, a mixture of multiple types may be used.

[0022] In other words, the gelling agent according to this embodiment contains at least one selected from the group consisting of agar, carrageenan, pectin, xanthan gum, galactomannan, tamarind seed gum, and glucomannan. The binder according to this embodiment is characterized by being produced as a "gel-like binder," or "binder jelly," by the gelling action of the gelling agent. For example, it can be produced by dissolving the gelling agent and carbohydrates in a predetermined amount of water, heating it to dissolve completely, or by dissolving the gelling agent in a predetermined amount of water, heating it to dissolve, adding carbohydrates to dissolve completely, filling it into a mold, bag, or solid container, and cooling it to gel. The gelling agent, carbohydrates, and water may each be added in multiple portions as appropriate. Commercial products can be used for these gelling agents and carbohydrates. Furthermore, the polysaccharides used as gelling agents are not limited to purified products. For example, in the case of glucomannan, any form (stage) of glucomannan may be used, such as konjac powder, alcohol-washed konjac powder, or highly purified products. In this case, even if the strength of the gelling effect changes depending on the degree of purification, the desired gel-like binder can be produced by adjusting the amount of glucomannan used as appropriate. However, it has been confirmed that the same effect of the invention as glucomannan can be achieved by substituting it with konjac powder in the same proportions, and konjac powder can be used as glucomannan (added) directly.

[0023] The binder jelly produced in this way can be prepared in advance and stored. Then, the pre-prepared or stored binder jelly is directly introduced into an extruder and heated and mixed with the aforementioned food materials in the extruder. By doing so, the gel is kneaded, dissolved, and disintegrated, and the binding action as a binder is exerted, and the food materials can be bound together just by extruding them outside the molding machine. The set temperature in the extruder is not limited, but as an example, it may be set to about 90°C to 100°C. Furthermore, since a gel-like binder is used, afterwards, by simply evaporating a certain amount of moisture through natural cooling, a molded food with a certain degree of preservability can be produced. Therefore, continuous supply of the binder and continuous production of the product are possible with a simple process and small-scale equipment, and the manufacturing cost can be suppressed.

[0024] Also, according to the binder according to this embodiment, even if the ratio of carbohydrates to the food material to be bound is lowered, the food materials can be suitably bound together by the binding action of the gelling agent, and a molded food having a texture with appropriate hardness (softness) can be realized. Specifically, the sugar content of the molded food can be suppressed to about 70 in terms of the binder sugar content, and the sweetness can be suppressed. In addition, by using a poorly soluble binder jelly, the jelly strength can be adjusted, or the dissolution and disintegration conditions of the gel when mixed with the food material can be adjusted, so that the molded food can be finished to have a harder or softer texture, and the texture can be given variations. The jelly strength of the binder jelly can be easily adjusted, for example, by selecting appropriate gelling agents, appropriately combining them, or appropriately adjusting their blending amounts. Also, the dissolution and disintegration conditions of the binder jelly can be easily adjusted by appropriately adjusting the heating temperature of the extruder, the shape, number, and rotation speed (rotation rate) of the screw, etc.

[0025] Furthermore, according to the binder of this embodiment, when mixed with food materials in a gelled state as a binder jelly, the gel dissolves upon contact with the heated food materials, exhibiting a binding effect that binds the food materials together. Therefore, only a sufficient amount of binder needs to be added for binding. On the other hand, with conventional liquid binders using starch, pullulan, etc., excess liquid flows into the gaps between food materials and around them, requiring the addition of a larger amount. Consequently, excessive binder incorporation tends to make molded foods too sweet and hard in texture. In contrast, with a gel-type binder, the gel is less likely to enter the gaps between food materials or remain around them, thus requiring a smaller amount to be added. As a result, problems caused by excessive binder incorporation can be prevented, and material costs can be reduced.

[0026] Furthermore, the binder may contain thickeners such as gellan gum, psyllium seed gum, gum arabic, starch, modified starch, or succinoglucan to impart viscoelasticity to the texture, thereby providing further variations in texture. Depending on the purpose, the binder may also contain seasonings, vitamins, minerals, flavorings, colorings, emulsifiers, excipients, etc. as appropriate.

[0027] The term "extruder" as used herein refers to a device, exemplified by an extruder, that heats and mixes or kneads raw materials introduced into the device at a predetermined temperature, and then extrudes them out of the device through an extrusion port. In the case of an extruder, there is no limitation on whether it is a single-screw or twin-screw type. Furthermore, the device may also have pressure adjustments that can be appropriately controlled during mixing or kneading.

[0028] The mixture extruded from the extruder is already bound together by the binder according to this embodiment, and can be molded into a predetermined shape and size as appropriate. The shape and size of the molded food according to this embodiment are not limited, and it can be molded into any form, nor is the molding method limited. For example, the mixture extruded from the extruder may be allowed to cool naturally and solidify, and then cut into a predetermined shape and size (wherein "cut" includes cutting out with a mold). Alternatively, the mixture extruded from the extruder may be pressed or stretched with rollers to form a predetermined shape (for example, a plate with a certain thickness), then allowed to cool naturally, and then cut into a predetermined shape and size. Alternatively, the mixture may be extruded from the extruder into a mold of a predetermined shape and molded by allowing it to cool naturally. By such methods, it can be molded into a rectangular bar shape (so-called bar shape), a cube shape or a rectangular parallelepiped shape (so-called block shape), a plate shape (so-called sheet shape), or other specific shapes such as a star shape. [Examples]

[0029] A binder jelly containing carbohydrates and a gelling agent was manufactured, and a molded food product was produced by binding food ingredients together with the binder jelly.

[0030] (method) The binder jelly was prepared by combining granulated sugar and starch syrup (enzyme-fermented starch syrup), which are carbohydrates, with a specified polysaccharide, which is a gelling agent, and water. Commercially available products were used for the granulated sugar, starch syrup, and polysaccharide. A mixture of a portion of the granulated sugar and the gelling agent was dissolved in water, heated until completely dissolved, then the remaining granulated sugar and starch syrup were added and boiled down to obtain a binder (solution) with the set sugar content. This solution was then filled into molds or bags, cooled, and gelled to obtain the binder jelly.

[0031] Furthermore, the molded food was manufactured by blending commercially available food ingredients such as cereal, almond crunch, and diced dried mango with binder jelly. The cereal, almond crunch, and diced dried mango were mixed uniformly in a rocking mixer and set in the hopper of an extruder. A fixed amount was then dispensed into the extruder, and the binder jelly was pumped into the extruder from a nozzle, adjusting the amount so that the food ingredients and binder were in the set blending ratio. The mixture was heated and mixed in the extruder and then extruded out of the extruder. The extruder used was model name: TEX-32F (manufactured by Japan Steel Works), with a straight screw configuration as the basic design, and the heating temperature was set to 100°C. Next, the extruded mixture was pressed on a belt to form a plate, and after natural cooling, each piece was cut into a shape and size of 20mm x 20mm x 120mm.

[0032] (Measurement and evaluation) The jelly strength of the obtained binder jelly was measured, and the binding properties and texture of the food ingredients in the resulting molded food products were evaluated.

[0033] Jelly strength Samples for measuring jelly strength were prepared by filling a cylindrical container with an inner diameter of 45 mm with 60 g of the obtained binder (solution) and allowing it to gel by standing at 20°C for 15 hours. A texture analyzer (manufactured by Eiko Seiki) was used on this sample to measure the cross-sectional area of ​​1 cm². 2 A cylindrical plunger was inserted into the sample to a depth of 20 mm at a speed of 20 mm / min, and the maximum stress at that time was defined as the jelly strength.

[0034] Binding properties The resulting molded food products were sealed and stored at room temperature for one week, and evaluated according to the following criteria. Ten panelists independently conducted the evaluations, and the most frequent rating was used as the final result. ◎: Food ingredients bond together firmly and have sufficient strength to withstand transportation. ○: The food ingredients are firmly bonded together, but the bond is weaker than that of ◎, and chipping or cracking may occur with strong impact. △: The food ingredients are bonded together, but the bond is weaker compared to ○. ×: The food ingredients do not bind together and remain separate, not retaining their shape.

[0035] texture The resulting molded food products were consumed and evaluated according to the following criteria. Ten panelists independently conducted the evaluations, and the most frequent rating was used as the final result. ◎: The food ingredients are bound together appropriately, resulting in a desirable texture. ○: Slightly firm or slightly soft, inferior to ◎, but still a pleasant texture. △: The degree of binding is better than ×, but the texture is slightly undesirable. ×: The binding between food ingredients is too strong or too weak, resulting in a poor texture.

[0036] (Test 1) Multiple types of agar with different gelling strengths were used as gelling agents, and the amount of agar used (unit: "mass%"; the same applies hereinafter) was varied to produce binder jellies according to each example. The amount of agar used was as shown in Table 1 for each example, granulated sugar was added at 35% by mass, and corn syrup was added to adjust the binder sugar content to 75%, with the remainder being water. On the other hand, without adding a gelling agent, a binder according to Comparative Example 1 was produced by combining granulated sugar, starch syrup, and water in the same manner as in the above example. Furthermore, the binder jelly used in the example and the molded food product using the binder used in the comparative example were formulated with 35% by mass of cereal, 25% by mass of almond crunch, 25% by mass of diced dried mango, and 15% by mass of binder jelly, respectively. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0037] [Table 1]

[0038] As shown in Table 1, the binder consisting only of carbohydrates and water (Comparative Example 1) had too low a carbohydrate ratio to bind the food ingredients together (binding ability evaluation: ×), and a desirable texture was not obtained (texture evaluation: ×). In contrast, the binder jellies containing agar (Examples 1-21) all showed excellent binding ability and a desirable texture regardless of the type of agar (jelly strength) or the amount added (binding ability evaluation: ○ or higher, texture evaluation: ○ or higher). In other words, excellent binding ability and a desirable texture were obtained in the entire range of agar content in the binder jellies from 0.2% by mass to 1.2% by mass, but particularly excellent effects were observed in the range of 0.4% by mass to 0.8% by mass. Thus, binder jelly containing a gelling agent makes it possible to create molded foods with excellent binding properties and a desirable texture of appropriate firmness (or softness). Furthermore, by appropriately selecting the type of gelling agent or adjusting its amount, it is possible to achieve a firmer or softer texture.

[0039] (Exam 2) Agar with a gelling agent of 30 jelly strength was used, and binder jellies with different sugar content were produced for each example by varying the amount of starch syrup added. Agar was added at 0.8% by mass, granulated sugar at 35% by mass, and starch syrup was added to adjust the binder sugar content to match the examples shown in Table 2, with the remainder being water. Furthermore, the molded food product using the binder jelly described in the example had the same formulation as in Test 1. The results are shown in Table 2 (Example 3 is reproduced).

[0040] [Table 2]

[0041] In Test 1, it was shown that even a binder with a low sugar content (sugar content 75) that could not bind food ingredients together could be effectively bound by adding agar, a gelling agent (Example 3). In Test 2, as shown in Table 2, it was shown that the binder jelly containing the agar could effectively bind food ingredients together even with an even lower sugar content. Specifically, even when the binder sugar content was set to 71 (Example 24), excellent binding properties (binding property evaluation: ○) and a desirable texture (texture evaluation: ○) were obtained. From the overall results, a binder sugar content in the range of 70 to 85 is preferable.

[0042] (Exam 3) The gelling agent was a variety of polysaccharides other than agar that have gelling properties, and binder jelly according to each example was produced by adding each in a predetermined amount. The polysaccharides were added in the amounts shown in Table 3 for each example, granulated sugar was added at 35% by mass, and corn syrup was added to adjust the binder sugar content to 75%, with the remainder being water. However, in Example 35, tamarind seed gum was added at 0.5% by mass as shown in Table 3, granulated sugar was added at 35% by mass, and corn syrup was added to adjust the binder sugar content to 50%, with the remainder being water. On the other hand, in Comparative Example 2, gelatin was used instead of the polysaccharide gelling agent, and in Comparative Example 3, pullulan was used instead of the polysaccharide gelling agent, in the amounts shown in Table 3 for each example. Granulated sugar, starch syrup, and water were also added in the same manner as in the above examples to produce binders for each comparative example (sugar content: 75). In Comparative Example 2, the gelatin was produced as a gel binder, and in Comparative Example 3, the pullulan was produced as a liquid binder. Furthermore, the binder jelly used in the example and the molded food using the binder used in the comparative example had the same formulation as in Test 1. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0043] [Table 3]

[0044] As shown in Table 3, each binder jelly containing polysaccharides other than agar that have gelling properties as a gelling agent (Examples 30-35) also obtained excellent binding properties (adhesion evaluation: ○ or higher) and a desirable texture with appropriate hardness (softness) (texture evaluation: ○). In particular, with the binder jelly using tamarind seed gum as the gelling agent (Example 35), even when the amount of sugar was reduced and the binder sugar content was set to 50, food materials were able to bind together well. From the results of Tests 1 and 3, it was found that the amount of gelling agent in the binder jelly is preferably in the range of 0.2% to 1.2% by mass, more preferably 0.4% to 1.0% by mass, and even more preferably 0.4% to 0.8% by mass.

[0045] (Exam 4) A gelling agent was selected: agar with a gelling strength of 30. A binder jelly was prepared by mixing 0.8% by mass of the agar, 35% by mass of granulated sugar, and corn syrup adjusted to achieve a binder sugar content of 75. The remainder was water. Using this binder jelly, molded foods were produced by varying the mixing ratio of food ingredients to the binder jelly, according to the formulations shown in each example in Table 4. The results are shown in Table 4 (Example 3 is reproduced).

[0046] [Table 4]

[0047] As shown in Table 4, molded foods containing 10% by mass or more of binder jelly (Examples 37-41, Example 3) exhibited excellent binding properties (binding property evaluation: ○ or higher). Furthermore, molded foods containing 35% by mass or less of binder jelly (Examples 36-40, Example 3) achieved a desirable texture with appropriate firmness (softness) (texture evaluation: ○ or higher). From the overall results, the optimal binder jelly content for molded foods is in the range of 7% to 40% by mass, and more preferably in the range of 10% to 35% by mass. Note that when the binder jelly content reached 45% by mass or more (Example 41), the sugar content increased, resulting in a sweeter taste.

Claims

[Claim 1] A method comprising the steps of introducing a food material including cereal and a gel-like binder with a sugar content of 70 to 85, which is made by cooling an agar-containing aqueous solution obtained by dissolving agar by heating into an extruder, heating and mixing them in the extruder, extruding them out of the extruder, and then allowing them to cool naturally and form, The mixing ratio (a:b) of the food material (a) containing the cereal and the gel-like binder (b) is in the range of 65:35 to 90:10 by mass. A method for manufacturing cereal-shaped food products characterized by the following.

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