Meat substitute food containing curd and its manufacturing method

Abstract

The present invention provides a meat substitute having physical properties similar to those of animal-derived meat, and having good workability. The present invention also provides a meat substitute that, when cooked, provides mouthfeel, flavor, appearance, and the like similar to those obtained from cooked animal-derived meat.　According to the present invention, a meat substitute contains a curd containing curdlan and a cellulose derivative as constituent components thereof. According to the present invention, a meat substitute contains a curd containing curdlan and a cellulose derivative as constituent components thereof, the cellulose derivative being at least one of methyl cellulose or hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose. According to the present invention, a meat substitute contains a curd containing curdlan and a cellulose derivative as constituent components thereof, and further contains a plant protein. According to the present invention, a meat alternative contains a curd containing curdlan and a cellulose derivative as constituent components thereof, and further contains a powder containing starch as a constituent component thereof.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to alternative meat. More specifically, it relates to alternative meat and the like containing a card containing curdlan and a cellulose derivative as constituent components.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, due to climate change, global population growth, etc., there is concern about a protein crisis in which it is difficult to obtain protein from animal-derived meat. As foods that can replace meat, various technologies for producing alternative meat from plant-derived proteins have been developed.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for providing a meat-like food by using plant tissue protein containing starch, starch-containing materials, wheat protein, etc. and making it a plant tissue protein containing a specific amount of water per 100 parts by mass on a dry basis. Patent Document 1 also discloses that this meat-like food can be used as a substitute for meat such as meat for processed meat products such as steak, grilled meat, and roast beef, and exhibits a texture similar to natural meat (elasticity, hardness, fiber feeling). In addition, Patent Document 2 discloses an emulsion base prepared by using methylcellulose, modified gluten, plant protein, and oil step by step. And a technique for producing a plant-based meat analogue that can be used for burger patties, sausages, etc. by cooking this emulsion base is disclosed. Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses a composition for processed soy protein food that contains soy protein, a gelling agent, a coagulant, and water and is heated to be gelled as a substitute for processed livestock meat food.

[0004] Thus, various meat substitutes have been developed using plant proteins, such as wheat protein with a special texture, and soy-derived proteins. However, these require the use of plant proteins with a special texture, and because starch and thickening polysaccharides are used to bind them together as meat substitutes, there have been problems such as stickiness during cooking or, conversely, the meat crumbling easily. Furthermore, when cooked and eaten, there have been problems such as a sticky or paste-like texture, and a lack of the elasticity and firmness of meat. Therefore, it could not be said that these technologies could produce meat substitutes equivalent to animal-derived meat. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-150892 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-21163 [Patent Document 3] Re-tabled publication 2007 / 013146 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a meat substitute that has similar physical properties to animal-derived meat and is easy to handle. Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a meat substitute that, when cooked, has the same texture, flavor, and appearance as animal-derived meat. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The inventors of this invention conducted diligent research to solve the above problems and, as a result, discovered that by including curdlan and a cellulose derivative as constituent components, a meat substitute with similar physical properties to animal-derived meat and good workability can be obtained, thus completing the present invention. By using the meat substitute of the present invention, it is possible to provide a meat substitute food product that has the same texture, flavor, and appearance as when using animal-derived meat. Furthermore, since the meat substitute of the present invention has little concern about spoilage, it is possible to provide a meat substitute food product with excellent shelf life even if no animal-derived meat (raw meat) is used at all, or even if only a small amount is used.

[0008] In other words, the present invention relates to meat substitutes, etc., as shown in (1) to (8) below. (1) A meat substitute containing curdlan and cellulose derivatives as components. (2) The meat substitute described in (1) above, wherein the cellulose derivative is one or more of methylcellulose or hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. (3) The meat substitute described in (1) or (2) above, further containing plant protein. (4) A meat substitute according to any of (1) to (3) above, further comprising a powder having starch as a component. (5) The meat substitute described in (4) above, wherein the powder is a powder containing a cellulose derivative. (6) The meat substitute according to (5) above, wherein the cellulose derivative is one or more of methylcellulose or hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. (7) A method for producing meat substitutes, comprising the following steps. A. Steps for preparing a curd comprising curdlan and a cellulose derivative. The process of mixing the curd prepared in the BA process with other materials. (8) A method for producing a meat substitute food product, which includes a step of processing the meat substitute described in any of (1) to (6) above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] This invention makes it possible to provide a meat substitute that has similar physical properties to animal-derived meat and is easy to handle. Foods using this meat substitute feel juicy when eaten and exhibit similar texture, flavor, and appearance to foods using animal-derived meat, so they can be used in a variety of dishes such as hamburgers, sausages, meatloaf, meatballs, and dumplings. Furthermore, these meat substitutes can also be used to provide frozen foods and the like. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This figure shows the appearance of a meat substitute food product (Example 1). [Figure 2] This figure shows a photograph of the meat substitute during cooking (Example 6). [Figure 3] This figure shows a meat substitute food product and its cross-sectional appearance (Example 6).

[0011] The present invention will be described in detail below. In this invention, "meat substitute" refers to a material that has physical properties equivalent to animal-derived meat and, when cooked, can produce a food product similar to one made using animal-derived meat. Such "meat substitutes" of the present invention may contain curd comprising "curdlan and cellulose derivatives" as constituent components. The "curdlan and cellulose derivatives" may be any that can be used to produce the "meat substitutes" of the present invention. Examples of "cellulose derivatives" include methylcellulose and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. Two or more of these "cellulose derivatives" can also be used in combination.

[0012] The "meat substitute" of the present invention can be manufactured by adding any amount of "curdlan and cellulose derivatives". "Curdlan and cellulose derivatives" are preferably added so that the total amount is 3.0 w / w% or more based on the total amount of curd. When the total amount of "curdlan and cellulose derivatives" contained in the curd is less than 3.0 w / w%, the moldability of the substitute meat product tends to deteriorate, or the firmness as a substitute meat product tends to be insufficient. The ratio of "curdlan and cellulose derivatives" contained in the curd may be any ratio as long as the "substitute meat" of the present invention can be produced. For example, it is preferably blended so that the ratio is 1:9 to 9:1, and more preferably blended so that the ratio is 2:8 to 8:2.

[0013] As long as the total amount of "curdlan and cellulose derivatives" contained in the curd is 3.0 w / w% or more and the amount is sufficient to produce the "substitute meat" of the present invention, the amounts of "curdlan" and "cellulose derivatives" contained in the "substitute meat" of the present invention may be any amounts. "Curdlan" may be contained, for example, in an amount of 0.05 w / w% or more and 10.0 w / w% or less, 0.1 w / w% or more and 9.0 w / w% or less, or 0.2 w / w% or more and 8.0 w / w% or less, but the upper and lower limits are not limited. Also, "cellulose derivatives" may be contained, for example, in an amount of 0.05 w / w% or more and 10.0 w / w% or less, 0.1 w / w% or more and 9.0 w / w% or less, or 0.2 w / w% or more and 8.0 w / w% or less, but the upper and lower limits are not limited.

[0014] "Curdlan and cellulose derivatives" as constituent components of the "substitute meat" of the present invention may be any as long as they can be used as foods, and those prepared independently or commercially available ones can be used. Curdlan may be any as long as the "substitute meat" of the present invention can be produced. For example, it is preferable to use pulverized curdlan. Examples of such curdlan include curdlan NS (Mitsubishi Corporation Life Sciences). When methyl cellulose is used as the cellulose derivative, examples include those exceeding Heat Gel (registered trademark), Heat Gel Extreme (Unitex Foods), Heat Gel Ultra CL (both from Unitex Foods), and Methocel MCE-100TS (Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.). Thermomate (Aoba Kasei Co., Ltd.) formulated by blending methyl cellulose with other components may also be used. Furthermore, when hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose is used, examples include Heat Sol (registered trademark) Relax and Heat Sol (registered trademark) Soft (both from Unitex Foods). These cellulose derivatives may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds.

[0015] The "substitute meat" of the present invention preferably further contains "plant protein". The "plant protein" may be included as a constituent component of the card or as other materials other than the card. Examples of such "plant protein" include legumes such as soy protein, wheat protein, and pea protein, and proteins derived from grains such as mushrooms, brown rice, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Any of these plant proteins may be used as long as they can be used as food, and those prepared independently or commercially available may be used. Two or more kinds of these plant proteins may also be used in combination. For example, in the case of soy protein, Powdered Soy Protein San Rubber 20, Granular Fujinic, Fujinic 550RN, Vegetex, Apex (all from Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) can be used. In the case of wheat protein, Powdered Wheat Protein A-Glu K (Glyco Nutrition Foods Co., Ltd.), Granular Wheat Protein (Unitex Foods), Granular Wheat Gluten (Unitex Foods) can be used. In the case of pea protein, Nutralys (registered trademark) (Roquette) can be used. These plant proteins may be produced by any manufacturing method, but it is preferable that they be produced by extruding them in an extruder, cutting them to any size, and then drying them. The granular wheat protein (Unitech Foods Co., Ltd.) used as a sample in the examples was produced using this method.

[0016] The "meat substitute" of the present invention is particularly preferably further comprising a "powder" having starch as a component. Here, "powder" refers to a powdery substance having starch as a component, and may also contain "other powdery components" in addition to starch. Any starch that can be used as a food product is acceptable, regardless of its origin, and can be homemade or commercially available. Examples of such "starchs" include potato starch, tapioca starch, corn starch, mung bean starch, wheat starch, and rice starch. Processed starches such as dehydroxypropylated phosphate cross-linked starch may also be used. As for potato starch, commercially available products such as SweeGel 700 (Oji Corn Starch Co., Ltd.) may be used.

[0017] The "powder" may further contain a "cellulose derivative." Examples of "cellulose derivatives" include methylcellulose and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. Two or more of these "cellulose derivatives" can also be used in combination. Furthermore, the "powder" may also include "other powdered ingredients," such as curdlan, and, if necessary, a mixture of umami components such as trehalose, salt, monosodium glutamate, kelp powder, and spices (powder mix) may be used. The "cellulose derivatives" and "other powdered ingredients" such as curdlan contained in these "powdered" materials can all be food-grade, and can be home-prepared or commercially available.

[0018] The "meat substitute" of the present invention may include "other materials" in addition to "curd". Other ingredients include, in addition to the aforementioned "plant-based protein" and "powder," vegetables such as onions, carrots, bell peppers, and leeks; animal-derived meat (raw meat); seasonings such as salt, soy sauce, sugar, miso, mirin, and oil; umami components such as kelp and bonito flakes; flavorings such as champignon extract and charcoal oil; and flavorings such as flavored oils. Depending on the type and form of the desired food product, the ingredients can be minced, diced, julienned, etc., and their shape and size can be adjusted as desired. Adding ingredients such as champignon extract or kelp can create a synergistic effect of umami from guanylic acid and inosinic acid, and by adding flavoring oils to adjust the flavor, it is possible to produce a more flavorful and delicious meat substitute.

[0019] The meat substitute of the present invention can be stored at room temperature as is after preparation, and can also be stored by refrigeration, chilling, or freezing, allowing for distribution under various storage conditions. Frozen meat substitutes can be thawed and processed for the manufacture of meat substitute foods when needed.

[0020] The "method for producing meat substitute" of the present invention may include the following steps A and B, and may also include other steps useful for producing meat substitute. A. Steps for preparing a curd comprising curdlan and a cellulose derivative. The process of mixing the curd prepared in the BA process with other materials. Alternatively, the method may include the following steps. A process for molding the mixture prepared in the CB process.

[0021] The preparation of the curd in step A can be carried out, for example, by dispersing the various components (powder) contained in the curd, such as curdlan or cellulose derivatives, in oil, and then adding cold water and stirring. At this time, the various components of the "powder" may also be dispersed in the oil at the same time. Any equipment capable of preparing a curd can be used for stirring, such as a vertical mixer or a food processor (MK-K61, Panasonic). The card may be used immediately after preparation, or it may be used after being stored for a certain period of time, such as 8 hours or more, by refrigeration.

[0022] If the individual components of the "powder" are not added in step A, the "powder" may be mixed with the card as "other materials" in step B. By mixing the "powder" in processes A and B, the consistency of the curd can be easily adjusted. This results in a consistency that is easy to mix when molding the "meat substitute" in process C, etc., further improving the workability in the production of the "meat substitute".

[0023] The meat substitute formed in step C preferably has a visible shape, such as a block, thick slice, or thin slice, and, as with animal-derived meat, its size and shape can be arbitrarily adjusted according to the form of the target food. For example, if the target food is a hamburger, possible shapes include oval, round, square, triangular, star, or heart shapes.

[0024] The "method for producing meat substitute food products" of the present invention may include any method that includes a step of processing meat substitutes, and may also include other steps that are useful for producing meat substitute food products. Here, "processing" refers to heat treatments such as baking, steaming, boiling, frying, and pan-frying. Examples of "meat substitute foods" produced in this manner include hamburgers, sausages, meatloaf, ham, meatballs, dumplings, steamed buns, shumai, minced meat cutlets, hamburger patties, nuggets, fried chicken, minced meat, and stuffed cabbage rolls. Curries, stews, etc., that use the "meat substitute" of the present invention as an ingredient also fall under the category of "meat substitute foods" of the present invention. The "meat substitute food" containing the "meat substitute" of the present invention is preferably free from animal-derived meat, but may contain animal-derived meat in combination as needed. Furthermore, a food in which the meat substitute of the present invention is mixed with a food mainly composed of animal-derived meat is also included in the "meat substitute food" of the present invention. The meat substitute food of the present invention can be stored at room temperature, refrigerated, chilled, or frozen, and can be distributed under various storage conditions. Frozen meat substitute food can be thawed and reheated before consumption.

[0025] Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to examples. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. [Examples]

[0026] In the embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, the following samples and basic meat substitute formulations were used to evaluate each meat substitute food product produced. The development of the embodiments of the present invention was conducted jointly with the cooperation of Cosmo Japan Co., Ltd. 1. Sample In the examples of this specification, unless otherwise specified, the following samples were used. 1) Card Run Cardran NS (Mitsubishi Corporation Life Sciences Co., Ltd.) 2) Cellulose derivatives (methylcellulose) Heat Gel (Registered Trademark) Super (Unitech Foods Co., Ltd.) 3) Soy protein A. Fuji Pro FR (Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) B. Powdered soy protein Sun Rubber 20 (Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) 4) Wheat protein Granular wheat protein (Unitech Foods Co.) 5) Potato starch: SweeGel 700 (Oji Corn Starch Co., Ltd.)

[0027] 2. Basic meat substitute recipe The basic formulations for meat substitutes are shown in Tables 1 and 2.

[0028] [Table 1]

[0029] [Table 2]

[0030] 3. Evaluation of meat substitutes [Evaluation Method] A meat substitute food product was manufactured by shaping 40g of meat substitute into a circle (approximately 65mm in diameter and 10mm in height) and baking it (240℃, 2 minutes on each side (4 minutes total), core temperature 75℃ (Sharp KX-E13E hot plate)). After reheating a meat substitute product that had been frozen for three days in a microwave (600W, 1 min), the product was tasted and a sensory evaluation was conducted based on the following criteria. The average score of the five panelists was used as the evaluation result.

[0031] [Evaluation Criteria] 1) Shape retention 5 points: It maintains its shape well and can be handled like regular meat. 4 points: It has relatively good shape retention and can be handled in the same way as regular meat. 3 points: It has good shape retention and can be handled like regular meat. Points 2: It has slightly poor shape retention, is softer than regular meat, and is difficult to handle like regular meat. 1. It lacks shape retention and is too soft to be handled like regular meat.

[0032] 2) Desirability 5 points: It has a texture and flavor that is as good as or better than regular meat, making it very suitable as a meat substitute. 4 points: It has the same texture and flavor as regular meat and is suitable as a meat substitute. 3 points: It has a texture and flavor almost identical to regular meat and can be used as a meat substitute. Points 2: The texture and flavor are slightly inferior to regular meat, making it somewhat unsatisfying as a meat substitute. 1 point: It is inferior to regular meat in terms of texture and flavor, making it unsuitable as a meat substitute.

[0033] Methods for producing meat substitutes The meat substitute was produced using the following process. A. Steps for preparing a curd comprising curdlan and a cellulose derivative. The process of mixing the curd prepared in the BA process with other materials.

[0034] [Example 1] Manufacturing of meat substitutes (1) To prepare curds A to E, powdered samples such as curdlan and cellulose derivatives were dispersed in salad oil according to the formulations shown in Table 3, and then cold water was added and stirred. For curd A, not only the components in Table 3 but also the components of powder a from basic formulation (1) were added to the salad oil at the same time. To this curd, ingredients, protein, and seasoning liquid were added according to basic formulation (1), and the resulting mixture was molded to obtain a meat substitute (pate). Furthermore, for cards B to E, ingredients, protein, and seasoning liquid were added to each card to create the basic formula (1), and then powder a was gradually added and mixed while stirring. The resulting mixture was then molded to obtain meat substitute (patty).

[0035] [Table 3]

[0036] Sensory evaluations were conducted on meat substitute foods manufactured using meat substitutes including cards A to E, and the evaluation results are shown in Table 3. As a result, it was confirmed that by using curdlan A to E, which are formulations combining curdlan and methylcellulose, it is possible to produce meat substitute foods with good shape retention and excellent palatability. Curd A, in particular, which had powder a added during its preparation, had firm shape retention and could be handled like regular meat. Furthermore, curds B to E, which were prepared and then mixed with powder a, could be handled in the same way as regular meat, or even like regular meat. Figure 1 shows a photograph of a meat substitute food product made using card B. It was confirmed that the meat substitute foods made using cards A to E all exhibited an appearance equivalent to commercially available pate (comparative product). Furthermore, the texture and flavor when eaten were also equivalent. This confirmed that by using the meat substitute of the present invention, it is possible to produce a meat substitute food product that, when cooked, has the same texture and flavor as when animal-derived meat is cooked.

[0037] [Example 2] Manufacturing of meat substitutes (2) To prepare curd F, powdered samples such as curdlan and cellulose derivatives were dispersed in salad oil according to the formulation shown in Table 4, and then cold water was added and stirred. After adding the ingredients, protein, and seasoning liquid to the curd F to create the basic mixture (2), powder b was gradually added and mixed while stirring, and the resulting mixture was shaped to obtain a meat substitute (pate).

[0038] [Table 4]

[0039] Sensory evaluations were conducted on meat substitute foods manufactured using meat substitutes containing curd F, and on comparative foods manufactured using curds containing xanthan gum (SATIAXANE CX90, Cargill) (comparative products a-c). The evaluation results are shown in Table 4. As a result, it was confirmed that by using Curd F, which is a compound of curdlan and methylcellulose, it is possible to manufacture a meat substitute food with good shape retention and excellent palatability.

[0040] [Example 3] Manufacturing of meat substitutes (3) Powdered samples such as curdlan and cellulose derivatives were dispersed in salad oil according to the formulations shown in Table 5, and then cold water was added and stirred to prepare curds (G-K). The appearance of each curd was observed and its texture was examined to evaluate its properties. Subsequently, these curds (G-K) and other materials were mixed and molded according to the basic formulation (2) to obtain a meat substitute. The workability during molding was also evaluated. Furthermore, a sensory evaluation was conducted on the meat substitute food product using this meat substitute.

[0041] [Table 5]

[0042] [Table 6]

[0043] The prepared curds (G-K) were formulated by combining curdlan and methylcellulose in a ratio of 1:9 to 9:1. As shown in Table 6, some had moderate viscosity and shape retention, while others were somewhat hard or very hard. While high viscosity curds tend to be sticky and have poor moldability, and harder curds tend to have better shape retention, curds (G-K) were somewhat sticky, but all exhibited suitable moldability and shape retention. On the other hand, comparative product d was not hard at all and was too sticky, while comparative product e was hard and lacked viscosity, resulting in a material that crumbled easily. Neither was suitable for the production of meat substitutes. It was confirmed that meat substitute foods manufactured using meat substitutes containing curd (G-K) exhibited excellent shape retention and palatability, similar to foods made with regular meat. These characteristics were not obtained with curd containing only curdlan (comparative product d) or curd containing only methylcellulose (comparative product e), indicating that it is important to use a curd formulated with curdlan and methylcellulose in a ratio of 1:9 to 9:1 in the production of meat substitutes.

[0044] [Example 4] Manufacturing of meat substitutes (4) Powdered samples such as curdlan and cellulose derivatives were dispersed in salad oil according to the formulations shown in Table 7, and then cold water was added and stirred to prepare curds (L~N). Subsequently, these curds and other materials were mixed and molded according to the basic formulation (2) to obtain a meat substitute. Furthermore, a sensory evaluation was performed on the meat substitute food product produced using this meat substitute.

[0045] [Table 7]

[0046] As shown in Table 7, it was confirmed that moderate to slightly strong shape retention was observed when the total amount of curdlan and methylcellulose contained in the curd was 3.0 w / w% or more (Curd M, N), or when it was further formulated to 4.0 w / w% or more (Curd L). Furthermore, it was a desirable meat substitute food that felt juicy when eaten.

[0047] [Example 5] Manufacturing of meat substitutes (5) A meat substitute was prepared using curd F, prepared in the same manner as in Example 3, and powder b or powder c, prepared according to the formulations shown in Table 8. Sensory evaluation was performed on each meat substitute food product prepared using these meat substitutes.

[0048] [Table 8]

[0049] As shown in Table 8, it was confirmed that meat substitutes produced using powder b containing methylcellulose and curdlan, or powder c containing methylcellulose, both exhibited excellent shape retention and palatability. Furthermore, these meat substitutes were pleasantly juicy when consumed.

[0050] [Example 6] A meat substitute was prepared using curd F, prepared in the same manner as in Example 3, and powder b, prepared according to the formulation shown in Table 2. 40g of this meat substitute was shaped into a circle (approximately 65mm in diameter and 10mm in height) and baked in a steam convection oven to produce a meat substitute food product. A photograph of the meat substitute during baking is shown in Figure 2. The appearance of this meat substitute during cooking was similar to that of commercially available pate (made with animal-derived meat). Furthermore, commercially available patties (using animal-derived meat) were baked in the same manner, and their appearance, texture, and flavor were compared. As a result, as shown in Figure 3, it was confirmed that the meat substitute food of the present invention exhibited an appearance equivalent to that of the commercially available patties (comparative product). In addition, the texture and flavor when eaten were also equivalent, confirming that by using the meat substitute of the present invention, it is possible to produce a meat substitute food that has the same texture and flavor as when animal-derived meat is cooked. [Industrial applicability]

[0051] This invention makes it possible to provide a meat substitute that has similar physical properties to animal-derived meat and is easy to handle. Foods using this meat substitute feel juicy when eaten and exhibit similar texture, flavor, and appearance to foods using animal-derived meat, so they can be used in a variety of dishes such as hamburgers, sausages, meatloaf, meatballs, and dumplings. Furthermore, these meat substitutes can also be used to provide frozen foods and the like.

Claims

1. Meat substitutes containing curdlan and methylcellulose as components (excluding curdlan and methylcellulose, and meat substitutes containing methylcellulose or powders containing methylcellulose and curdlan).

2. The meat substitute according to claim 1, further comprising plant protein.

3. The meat substitute according to claim 1, further comprising a powder having starch as a constituent component.

4. A method for producing meat substitutes, including the following steps. A. Process for preparing curd containing curdlan and methylcellulose as constituent components. B. A process of mixing the curd prepared in step A with other materials. (However, this excludes meat substitute manufacturing methods that include the following steps.) A. Process for preparing curd containing curdlan and methylcellulose. B. A step of mixing the curd prepared in step A, other materials, methylcellulose, or a powder containing methylcellulose and curdlan.

5. A method for producing a meat substitute food product, comprising the step of processing the meat substitute described in claims 1 to 3.

Images