Oven-type heating appliance

Abstract

To provide an oven-type heating cooker capable of baking potatoes having desired sweetness and texture.SOLUTION: The oven-type heating cooker includes: an upper heater and a lower heater for heating sweet potatoes contained in a cooking chamber; heating control means for controlling the upper heater and the lower heater to maintain the temperature in the chamber at a baking temperature O-2 to adjust the texture of the sweet potatoes; and a main screen and operation means for variably setting a period T-3 of a heating and cooking process of the upper heater and the lower heater in the heating control means, an enzyme activation temperature O-1, and the baking temperature O-2. The enzyme activation temperature O-1 is variably set at 40°C to 80°C, the baking temperature O-2 is set to be variable at 130°C or higher, and the sweetness and texture of the cooked sweet potato can be arbitrarily selected by the main screen and the operation means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an oven-type cooking appliance that cooks potatoes as the food to be cooked.

Background Art

[0002] As this type of cooking appliance, for example, in Patent Document 1, there are provided heating means for cooking sweet potatoes housed in an oven chamber, a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the oven chamber, a menu key for selecting the "sweet potato" menu, and a timer key for setting the cooking time. After holding the sweet potatoes housed in the oven chamber at 45°C to 65°C within the enzyme activity temperature range for a predetermined time, they are heated to a baking temperature of about 140°C to bake the sweet potatoes.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Potatoes vary in their heating methods for bringing out their characteristics such as sweetness and texture depending on the type and variety. For example, even among sweet potatoes, which are typical potatoes cooked by "roasted sweet potatoes", there are various varieties such as Annai potatoes, Silk Sweet, and Naruto Gold potatoes, and the heating methods for bringing out the characteristics of these sweet potatoes and baking them deliciously are different. However, in order to bake sweet potatoes with the cooking appliance having a sweet potato manufacturing function described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to select the "roasted sweet potato" menu and set the cooking time. Since the only parameter that can be varied in the setting is the cooking time, only a single heating method is disclosed.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an oven-type cooking appliance capable of baking potatoes with a desired sweetness and texture. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The oven-type cooking appliance of the present invention includes a heating means for heating potatoes and other vegetables placed in a cooking chamber, a temperature sensing means for detecting the internal temperature of the cooking chamber, and a control of the heating means to maintain the internal temperature at a first set temperature in order to adjust the sweetness of the potatoes and other vegetables. After that The heating means includes a heating control means that controls the internal temperature of the heating means to maintain the internal temperature at a second set temperature in order to adjust the texture of the potatoes, and a setting means that allows the heating time of the heating means, the first set temperature and the second set temperature to be set variably, wherein the first set temperature is set variably between 40°C and 80°C, and the second set temperature is set variably above 130°C, and the setting means allows the sweetness and texture of the potatoes after heating to be arbitrarily selected, and the heating control means further includes a third set temperature which, when the second set temperature is set above a predetermined temperature, maintains the internal temperature at the second set temperature for a predetermined high-temperature period, and then lowers and maintains it at a gelatinization-promoting temperature lower than the second set temperature. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to bake potatoes with a desired sweetness and texture. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is an external perspective view of an oven toaster showing a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] The same as above, this is a schematic diagram of the vertical cross-section of the heating chamber. [Figure 3] The above is a block diagram showing the main electrical configuration. [Figure 4] The same as above, this is a plan view of the display means. [Figure 5] The above is a map in which the texture information of each sweet potato variety after cooking is used to place the sweetness and stickiness textures at corresponding coordinates for each variety. [Figure 6] The graph above shows the changes over time between the temperature detected by the oven temperature sensor and the internal temperature of the sweet potato at the bottom during cooking, when the cooking course is set to the "baked sweet potato" menu with sweetness set to "3" and stickiness set to "2". [Figure 7] The graph above shows the changes over time between the temperature detected by the oven temperature sensor and the internal temperature of the sweet potato at the bottom during cooking, when the cooking course is set to the "baked sweet potato" menu with sweetness set to "1" and stickiness set to "1". [Figure 8] The graph above shows the changes over time between the temperature detected by the oven temperature sensor and the internal temperature of the sweet potato at the bottom during cooking, when the cooking course is set to the "baked sweet potato" menu with sweetness set to "2" and stickiness set to "4". [Figure 9] This is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the heating chamber of an oven toaster, showing a modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] This is a plan view of a display means for an oven toaster, illustrating a second embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the heating appliance according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Common reference numerals will be used for common parts throughout all of these drawings. [Examples]

[0010] Figures 1 to 8 show a configuration in which an oven-type heating cooker according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied to an oven toaster. First, based on Figure 1, the overall configuration of the oven toaster is described as follows: 1 is a main body configured in a roughly rectangular box shape, and this main body 1 is equipped with a metal cabinet 2 as a component that covers the outer casing of the oven range product. The cabinet 2 that forms the left and right sides and the top of the main body 1 is provided to cover a metal heating chamber 6, and this heating chamber 6 forms a cooking chamber 7 that houses the food to be heated. Also, on the front of the main body 1, a door 3 that can be opened and closed and an operation panel 5 for display, notification and operation are arranged side by side on the left and right. The top of the door 3 is equipped with a handle 4 for opening and closing the vertically opening door 3.

[0011] The control panel section 5 includes a display means 11, which consists of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or the like, for displaying various information related to cooking, and an operation means 12, which consists of a touch sensor and is positioned above the display means 11, for starting cooking, selecting time, menu, etc. 14 is a power cord with a power plug that can be plugged into and unplugged from a household outlet.

[0012] The operating means 12, which consists of touch sensors, is configured such that multiple touch keys are arranged, each consisting of a transparent electrode portion made of conductive polymer and a contact portion connected to a control PC board, connected by pattern wiring. By touching one of the multiple button display portions displayed on the display means 11, the touch key located above that button display portion and corresponding to that button display portion is touched, and that button display portion is selected.

[0013] Reference numeral 15 denotes a metal baking net on which the object to be cooked is placed. The baking net 15 moves back and forth in conjunction with the opening and closing of the door 3, and is configured to be disposed in a substantially horizontal state between an upper heater 16 and a lower heater 17, which will be described later, in the cooking chamber 7 when the door 3 is closed. The front surface of the cooking chamber 7 reaches a front plate (not shown) that forms the front surface of the heating cabinet 6, and is open for the baking net 15 on which the object to be cooked is placed to move back and forth. The door 3 is configured to open and close this opening.

[0014] FIG. 2 shows a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the heating cabinet 6. In this figure, an upper heater 16 is disposed on the ceiling wall 6a of the heating cabinet 6, and a lower heater 17 is disposed on the bottom wall 6b of the heating cabinet 6. The upper heater 16 and the lower heater 17 are configured to radiatively heat the object to be cooked placed on the baking net 15. In the present embodiment, the upper heater 16 is constituted by, for example, a sheathed heater with an output of 325 W, and the lower heater 17 is constituted by, for example, a sheathed heater with an output of 275 W. Two upper heaters 16 and two lower heaters 17 are provided. Note that this is merely an example, and in the present invention, the configurations and outputs of the upper heater 16 and the lower heater 17 are not limited to these.

[0015] An in-cabinet temperature sensor 18, which is constituted by, for example, an NTC (Negative Temperature Coefficient) thermistor or the like as temperature detection means for detecting the in-cabinet temperature of the cooking chamber 7, is provided at the upper part of the rear wall 6c. Note that the in-cabinet temperature sensor 18 may be constituted by an infrared radiation temperature sensor or the like. Further, a temperature sensor heat insulation wall 19 is formed between the upper heater 16 and the in-cabinet temperature sensor 18 on the ceiling wall 6a so that the radiant heat from the upper heater 16 is not directly radiated to the in-cabinet temperature sensor 18.

[0016] Near the center of the bottom wall 6b of the heating chamber 6 and between the lower heaters 17, a temperature sensor heat insulation wall 21 is provided so as to project inward up to the vicinity of the arrangement position of the wire mesh 15. The temperature sensor heat insulation wall 21 is arranged so as to reflect the radiant heat radiated from the lower heater 17 in the direction of the temperature sensor heat insulation wall 21 toward the sweet potato S wrapped in aluminum foil as the object to be cooked placed on the wire mesh 15. Therefore, the temperature sensor heat insulation wall 21 is made of a material such as an aluminum plate, a material obtained by scientifically polishing an aluminum plate into a mirror surface, an aluminized steel plate, etc., which has high heat reflection efficiency and is difficult to discolor even at high temperatures.

[0017] Inside the temperature sensor heat insulation wall 21, a lower temperature sensor 22 is provided so as to be movable in the vertical direction and is arranged to project inward from the upper part of the temperature sensor heat insulation wall 21. An elastic member 23 is provided at the lower part of the lower temperature sensor 22, which biases the lower temperature sensor 22 upward. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, when the sweet potato S wrapped in aluminum foil is accommodated in the cooking chamber 7 of the oven toaster body 1, the tip of the lower temperature sensor 22 elastically contacts the aluminum foil of the sweet potato S, so that the lower temperature sensor 22 can directly detect the temperature of the sweet potato S through the aluminum foil. Therefore, the lower temperature sensor 22 also has a function as a temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the sweet potato S. And a temperature sensor heat insulator 24 is provided so as to cover the lower temperature sensor 22 and the elastic member 23.

[0018] A hole for the lower temperature sensor 22 to pass through may be provided near the center of the wire mesh 15 at a position corresponding to the position of the lower temperature sensor 22. Also, the size of the holes in the mesh of the wire mesh 15 is such that the lower temperature sensor 22 can pass through, and the wire mesh 15 may be arranged so that the holes in the mesh of the wire mesh 15 are at positions where the lower temperature sensor 22 can pass through.

[0019] A handle heat shield wall 26 is formed near the center of the ceiling wall 6a of the heating chamber 6, between the upper heaters 16. As shown in Figure 2, this handle heat shield wall 26 is formed to approximately the same height as the temperature sensor heat shield wall 19 and is configured to be located above the temperature sensor heat shield wall 21. The handle heat shield wall 26 is positioned so as to reflect the radiant heat emitted from the upper heaters 16 towards the handle heat shield wall 26, towards the sweet potatoes S placed on the grilling rack 15. For this reason, the temperature sensor heat shield wall 21 is made of a material that has high heat reflection efficiency and does not easily discolor even at high temperatures, such as an aluminum plate, a material made by chemically polishing an aluminum plate to a mirror finish, or an aluminum-plated steel plate.

[0020] Figure 3 illustrates the main electrical configuration of the oven toaster of this embodiment. In the figure, 31 is a control means configured by a microcomputer, and as is well known, this control means 31 includes a CPU as a calculation processing means, a storage means 32 such as memory, a timing means 33 for measuring various times such as the time of day and cooking time, and input / output devices.

[0021] The input ports of the control unit 31 are electrically connected to the operating unit 12, the internal temperature sensor 18, and the lower temperature sensor 22, respectively. The output ports of the control unit 31 are electrically connected to the display unit 11, the upper heater 16, and the lower heater 17, respectively.

[0022] The control means 31 receives operation signals from the operation means 12 and temperature detection signals from the internal temperature sensor 18 and the lower temperature sensor 22, and has the function of outputting drive control signals to the upper heater 16 and the lower heater 17, and outputting display control signals to the display means 11. These functions are realized by the control means 31 reading a program stored in the storage means 32, but in this embodiment in particular, the control means 31 is equipped with a program that makes it function as a heating and cooking control unit 34 and a display control means 35.

[0023] The heating and cooking control unit 34 primarily controls the operation of various parts related to the heating and cooking of the food being cooked. Upon receiving an operation signal from the operating means 12, it sends control signals to the upper heater 16 and lower heater 17 at predetermined timings based on timing from the timing means 33, thereby controlling various heating and cooking processes for the food being cooked. The display control means 35 generates various control signals based on the operation signals from the operating means 12 and also controls the display operation of the display means 11.

[0024] In the oven toaster of this embodiment, cooking courses corresponding to the settings for each cooking menu, sweetness, and stickiness are stored in the storage means 32. The settings for the cooking menu, sweetness, and stickiness of the stored cooking courses are displayed on the display means 11 in a selectable manner, and the cooking course is selected and set by making these settings. The heating and cooking control unit 34 controls the upper heater 16 and the lower heater 17, i.e., the heating and cooking process, for each cooking course setting. Specifically, for example, when the cooking menu is "baked sweet potato," the setting value for the enzyme activation temperature O-1 and the setting value for the enzyme activation process period T-1, which will be described later, are set for each sweetness level, and the setting value for the baking temperature O-2, the setting value for the baking process period T-2, and the setting value for the high-temperature period T-4, which will be described later, are set for each stickiness setting and stored in the storage means 32. Therefore, in this embodiment, the storage means 32 has a table of set values ​​for the enzyme activation temperature O-1 and the baking temperature O-2 corresponding to the cooking course setting, and a table of set values ​​for the enzyme activation process period T-1 and the baking process period T-2. It also has a table of set values ​​for the enzyme activation temperature O-1 and the enzyme activation process period T-1 corresponding to the sweetness level, and a table of set values ​​for the baking temperature O-2 and the baking process period T-2 corresponding to the stickiness level. By selecting a cooking menu, sweetness setting, and stickiness setting, the user can set the heating time and set temperature for each step of the cooking process. For example, if the cooking menu is "baked sweet potato," appropriate cooking that brings out the characteristics of the potato can be performed, and potatoes with the desired sweetness and texture can be baked.

[0025] Figure 4 shows a plan view of the display means 11 of the oven toaster of this embodiment. In the drawing, the top side is referred to as "top," the bottom side as "bottom," the left side as "left," the right side as "right," the front side as "front," and the back side as "rear." Figure 4 shows the main screen G1. When the user plugs the power plug, which is pre-installed on the main unit 1, into a household outlet, the necessary power is supplied to each part, such as the display means 11 and the control means 31. At this time, the display control means 35 controls the display means 11 to display the top screen (not shown) as the initial screen to be displayed on the display means 11 after a predetermined time has elapsed or to display a predetermined startup display screen. When the cooking menu "baked sweet potato" is selected on this top screen, the display control means 35 controls the display means 11 to display the arrangement of the main screen G1 as shown in Figure 4.

[0026] Referring to Figure 4, the main screen G1 is described as having a menu selection key display area A1 at its top, where three button display areas B1 to B3 are arranged side by side. Here, the "Back" button display area B1 includes a text display element D1 that reads "<Back". The "HOME" button display area B2 includes a text display element D2 that reads "HOME". And the "Next" button display area B3 includes a text display element D3 that reads "Next>".

[0027] The "Back" button display section B1 and the "Next" button display section B3 are operated to switch the cooking menu displayed on the display means 11 without returning to the cooking menu selection screen (not shown), which will be described later. When the "Back" button display section B1 or the "Next" button display section B3 is touched, the display control means 35 receives an operation signal from the operation means 12 located above the "Back" button display section B1 or the "Next" button display section B3, and the display control means 35 controls the display means 11 to display the previous cooking menu or the next cooking menu in a predetermined order.

[0028] The "HOME" button display unit B2 is operated when you want to discard the settings on the current screen, for example, the main screen G1, and return to the top screen. When you touch the "HOME" button display unit B2, the display control means 35 controls the display means 11 to discard the settings currently displayed on the display means 11, return to the top screen, and display the settings that were displayed on the most recent top screen.

[0029] Below the menu selection key display area A1, a text display element D4 that reads "Roasted Sweet Potato," suggesting that the currently displayed cooking menu is roasted sweet potato, and an illustration display element D5 showing a roasted sweet potato are placed side by side. Below the "Roasted Sweet Potato" text display element D4 and illustration display element D5, a sweetness selection display area A2 is formed, with a "Sweetness" button display area B6, cursor display elements C1-C5, and a text display element D7 that reads "Rich" arranged side by side. Here, the "Sweetness" button display area B6 includes the "Sweetness" text display element D6. Also, the currently selected cursor display elements, for example, cursor display elements C1-C3 in Figure 4, are lit up, while the other cursor display elements C4 and C5 are turned off.

[0030] Cursor indicators C1 to C5 display the sweetness setting for the potato being cooked. As you move to the right cursor indicator, that is, towards the "rich" text indicator D7, the sweetness increases and the richness increases. The cooking course is set according to the sweetness setting of the potato displayed in these cursor indicators. Therefore, cursor indicators C1 to C5 also function as levels of sweetness to be set. In this embodiment, the sweetness setting can be selected from five levels of cursor indicators C1 to C5, but the present invention is not limited to this, and there may be more or fewer settings that can be selected than five.

[0031] The "Sweetness" button display section B6 is operated to change the sweetness setting of the sweet potato. When the "Sweetness" button display section B6 is touched once, the display control means 35 controls the display means 11 to light up the cursor display located to the right of the currently lit cursor display. For example, when the "Sweetness" button display section B6 is touched once in the state shown in Figure 4, the display control means 35 controls the display means 11 to light up the cursor display C4 located to the right of the currently lit cursor display C1 to C3. Also, when the "Sweetness" button display section B6 is touched once while cursor display C1 to C5 are lit, the display control means 35 controls the display means 11 to switch cursor display C2 to C5 to off and light up only cursor display C1. The sweetness setting may also be configured to be changed by directly touching the cursor display C1 to C5.

[0032] Below the sweetness selection display area A2, a sweetness selection display area A2 is formed with the "stickiness" button display area B8, cursor indicators C6-C10, and the "richness" text indicator D7 displayed side by side. Here, the "stickiness" button display area B8 includes the "stickiness" text indicator D8. Also, the currently selected cursor indicators, for example, in Figure 4, cursor indicators C6-C9 are lit, while the other cursor indicator C10 is unlit.

[0033] Cursor indicators C6 to C10 display the setting for the stickiness of the potato being cooked. As you move to the right cursor indicator, that is, towards the "sticky" text indicator D7, the stickiness increases and the stickiness increases. The cooking course is set according to the viscosity setting of the potato displayed in these cursor indicators. Therefore, cursor indicators C1 to C5 also function as levels of texture to be set. In this embodiment, the stickiness setting can be selected from five levels of cursor indicators C6 to C10, but the present invention is not limited to this, and there may be more or fewer settings that can be selected than five.

[0034] The "stickiness" button display section B8 is operated to change the setting of the potato's stickiness. When the "stickiness" button display section B8 is touched once, the display control means 35 controls the display means 11 to light up the cursor display located to the right of the currently lit cursor display. For example, when the "stickiness" button display section B8 is touched once in the state shown in Figure 4, the display control means 35 controls the display means 11 to light up the cursor display C10 located to the right of the currently lit cursor display C6~C9. Furthermore, when the "stickiness" button display section B8 is touched once while cursor display C6~C10 are lit, the display control means 35 controls the display means 11 to switch cursor display C7~C10 to off and light up only cursor display C6. Alternatively, the stickiness setting may be configured to be changed by directly touching the cursor display C6~C10.

[0035] Furthermore, at the rear of the main screen G1, there are two buttons arranged side-by-side: a button display area B11 for the "Menu" which includes a text display area D11 labeled "Menu," a button display area B12 for the "Cooking" which includes a text display area D12 labeled "Cooking," and a button display area B13 for the "Off" which includes a text display area D13 labeled "Off."

[0036] The "Menu" button display unit B11 is operated to select the type of cooking menu for heating the food to be cooked. When the "Menu" button display unit B11 is touched, the display control means 23 controls the display means 11 to display, for example, a cooking menu selection screen in which selectable cooking menus are displayed. When a type of cooking menu, for example, "baked sweet potato," is selected on this cooking menu selection screen, the display control means 23 controls the display means 11 to display the main screen of the selected cooking menu, for example, the main screen G1 shown in Figure 4.

[0037] The "Cooking" button display unit B12 is operated when cooking is started. When the "Cooking" button display unit B12 is touched, the heating and cooking control unit 34 stores the cooking menu, sweetness setting, and viscosity setting currently displayed on the main screen G1 as the settings for the current cooking course in the storage means 32. The unit is configured to then control the start of heating and cooking of the food to be cooked in the cooking chamber 7 using the settings for the current cooking course stored in the storage means 32.

[0038] The "Off" button display unit B13 is operated when the heating cooking is stopped. When the "Off" button display unit B13 is touched, the heating control unit 34 controls the heating to stop heating the food being cooked in the cooking chamber 7 and switches it to the "Off" state, and the display control means 23 controls the display means 11 to display the top screen.

[0039] Next, the operation of the oven range of this embodiment will be explained. First, regarding the sweet potato used as the food to be cooked, it is known that sweet potatoes are rich in dietary fiber and vitamins such as vitamin B1, vitamin C, vitamin E, and carotene. They also contain polyphenols such as chlorogenic acid, mainly found in the skin, and jalapin, and in particular, the synergistic effect of dietary fiber and jalapin means that eating sweet potatoes can improve constipation, thus meeting health needs. Here, the main sweetness when sweet potatoes are heated comes from maltose, which is produced by enzymatic decomposition when sweet potatoes are heated, but there is also sucrose, which has a mild sweetness. Furthermore, there are varieties that contain fructose, which has a sticky sweetness, and glucose, which has a refreshing sweetness, so sweet potatoes also meet needs in terms of taste.

[0040] Furthermore, sweet potatoes can be prepared in a variety of ways, including sweet potato pie, baked sweet potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, sweet potato tempura, steamed sweet potatoes, and as an ingredient in miso soup. There is a high demand for easy and delicious ways to enjoy the health benefits of sweet potatoes without much effort. As a result, baked sweet potatoes have become popular with people of all ages.

[0041] When making baked sweet potatoes at home, the common method is to use a microwave oven and heat them at 200°C to 250°C for 20 to 30 minutes. For larger sweet potatoes, heating may take 50 to 60 minutes. Commercially available stone-baked sweet potatoes are known to be sweetened by slowly heating them, which promotes the conversion of starch to maltose by the starch-transferring enzyme β-amylase.

[0042] It is generally said that sweet potatoes become sweeter when heated slowly at a temperature of around 70°C, but even if heated at 70°C, sweet potatoes remain hard and do not soften. The reason for this is that when sweet potatoes are heated between 50°C and 70°C, the enzyme pectin methylesterase, which is contained in sweet potatoes, is activated, and pectin, a polysaccharide found in vegetables and plants that is the main component of pectin, a binding substance between cells, hardens. Also, the temperature at which the starch in sweet potatoes begins to gelatinize and soften varies depending on the variety, but it is between 65°C and 75°C. Therefore, in order to soften sweet potatoes when baking them, it is necessary to heat them at a temperature at which the pectin softens and the starch gelatinizes. On the other hand, the enzyme amylase becomes inactive in about 10 minutes at a temperature of 70°C, and is destroyed and inactive at temperatures above 80°C. Therefore, commercially available stone-roasted sweet potatoes are typically heated by slowly raising the temperature using far-infrared radiation at a temperature between 65°C and 80°C, and then raising the heating temperature to a higher level and maintaining it.

[0043] Therefore, if sweet potatoes are cooked using a microwave oven at a high temperature of 200°C to 250°C with rapid heating, as mentioned above, they will turn out soft but less sweet. Also, if cooked using a microwave oven at a temperature of 150°C or lower with slow heating, the sweet potatoes will turn out sweet but hard. Furthermore, if cooked at a temperature of 125°C or lower, the sweet potatoes will cool down due to the heat of vaporization, resulting in an even lower cooking temperature and an even harder finish. On the other hand, if sweet potatoes are heated continuously at temperatures above 180°C, the maltose, a reducing sugar in the starch, will caramelize, causing the area between the skin and flesh of the sweet potato to burn, and if the sweet potato is cut before cooking, the cut surface will also burn.

[0044] Based on these points, when cooking sweet potatoes in a microwave oven, set the oven temperature to 150°C to 200°C, and while the temperature is rising, if it reaches between 65°C and 80°C, slowly heat it over a long period of time. This method will result in baked sweet potatoes with the right balance of firmness, stickiness, and sweetness.

[0045] Figure 5 is a map showing the texture information of each sweet potato variety after cooking, with the sweetness and stickiness textures placed at corresponding coordinates according to the texture of each sweet potato variety. As shown in Figure 5, the sweetness and stickiness textures differ depending on the sweet potato variety, as do the gelatinization temperature and the sweetness components. Furthermore, the way heat penetrates the inside differs depending on the size of the sweet potato. Therefore, it is preferable to adjust the cooking method of sweet potatoes as appropriate. However, as mentioned above, when cooking sweet potatoes in a household electric oven, gas oven, oven range, or toaster oven, the sweet potatoes were cooked using a single heating method, with the recommended internal temperature setting and heating time specified for each oven. Therefore, the heating patterns set for each oven to automatically cook baked sweet potatoes are fixed heating methods. To achieve the desired taste and texture according to the user's preferences or the variety of sweet potato, it was necessary to manually adjust the internal temperature and heating time, which often involved trial and error, including failures and having to start over, making it a time-consuming process.

[0046] Therefore, in this embodiment, the internal temperature of the cooking chamber 7 is maintained at a first set temperature that can be variablely set between 40°C and 80°C in order to adjust the sweetness of the sweet potatoes, and then the internal temperature of the cooking chamber 7 is maintained at a second set temperature that can be variablely set to 130°C or higher in order to determine the texture of the sweet potatoes. This configuration allows for the arbitrary selection of sweetness and texture after cooking the sweet potatoes, making it possible to bake sweet potatoes with the desired sweetness and texture.

[0047] Figure 6 is a graph showing the time-dependent changes in the internal temperature t1, detected by the internal temperature sensor 18, and the internal temperature t2 of the sweet potato being cooked, calculated from the temperature detected by the lower temperature sensor 22, during the heating process when the cooking course is set to the "baked sweet potato" menu with sweetness set to "3" and stickiness set to "2". T-1 is the duration of the enzyme activation process, T-2 is the duration of the baking process, and the heating process duration T-3 is the sum of the duration of the enzyme activation process T-1 and the baking process T-2.

[0048] To describe the operation of heating in this embodiment, when the user places their hand on the handle 4 to open the door 3, places the sweet potato S wrapped in aluminum foil in the center of the grilling rack 15, and then closes the door 3, the tip of the lower temperature sensor 22 elastically contacts the aluminum foil on the sweet potato S. Around the same time, when the power plug of the oven range is plugged into the outlet and power is turned on, the oven range enters an initial off (standby) state in which no heating is taking place, and the display control means 35 controls the display means 11 to display the top screen. Subsequently, for example, when the cooking menu "baked sweet potato" is selected from the cooking menu selection screen, the display control means 35 controls the display means 11 to display the main screen G1 as shown in Figure 4.

[0049] Then, after setting the "sweetness" and "stickiness" on the main screen G1, the user touches the "Cook" button display unit B12. The heating and cooking control unit 34 then stores the cooking menu, sweetness setting, and stickiness setting currently displayed on the main screen G1—for example, in this case, the "baked sweet potato" cooking menu, with cursor indicators C1-C3 lit up indicating a sweetness of "3," and cursor indicators C6-C7 lit up indicating a stickiness of "2"—in the storage unit 32 as the setting for the current cooking course. The heating control unit 41 then performs a heating and cooking process in the cooking chamber 7, in the order of enzyme activation and baking, for the sweet potatoes S wrapped in aluminum foil.

[0050] When the heating and cooking process begins, the process transitions to an enzyme activation process in which the internal temperature t1 is maintained at a predetermined temperature O-1 for a predetermined period T-1. When the enzyme activation process begins, the heating control means 41 receives a detection signal from the internal temperature sensor 18 and controls the power supply of the upper heater 16 and lower heater 17 to raise and maintain the internal temperature of the cooking chamber 7 to the enzyme activation temperature O-1, which is the first set temperature, according to the set value group stored in the storage means 32, thereby concentrating the sweetness of the sweet potato S. This enzyme activation temperature O-1 is adjusted to be set between 40°C, which is the lower limit temperature at which the enzyme amylase is activated, and 80°C, which is the temperature at which amylase becomes inactive. Here, it is preferable that the enzyme activation temperature O-1 be set to 50°C, which is the optimal temperature at which the enzyme activity is highest and which is preferable for bringing out the maximum sweetness of the sweet potato. In Figure 6, 60°C, which is close to 50°C, is adopted as the enzyme activation temperature O-1, but this is just one example.

[0051] Referring to Figure 6, once cooking begins and the enzyme activation process starts, the internal temperature t1 in the cooking chamber 7 rises. When the internal temperature t1 reaches the set enzyme activation temperature O-1 of 60°C, the internal temperature t1 does not rise any further during the first heating period T-1 of the enzyme activation process, and the enzyme activation temperature O-1 is maintained. Meanwhile, the internal temperature t2 of the sweet potato begins to rise after cooking has started, gradually approaching the internal temperature t1, and is maintained at around the optimal temperature of 50°C during the period T-1.

[0052] Here, the heating control means 41, based on the sweetness setting information set on the main screen G1, changes the period T-1 to a range of, for example, 0 to 90 minutes using the set value group stored in the memory means 32, and controls the power supply to the upper heater 16 and lower heater 17. Specifically, the heating control means 41 is configured to shorten the period T-1 as the sweetness setting decreases and lengthen the period T-1 as the sweetness setting increases. For example, if the sweetness setting is "1", the period T-1 is set to 0 minutes, and as shown in Figure 7, once the heating cooking process starts, it immediately moves to the baking process. Also, for example, if the sweetness setting is "4", the period T-1 is set to a longer period T-1 than when the sweetness setting is "3", such as 75 minutes, to give the amylase more time to be activated and bring out more of the sweetness of the sweet potato. For example, in this case, the heating control means 41 is set to a sweetness level of "3," so as shown in Figure 6, the period T-1 is set to 60 minutes. Since the sweetness can be enhanced if the inside of the sweet potato S is kept at 50°C for 30 minutes or more, the sweet potato S can be baked to a sufficiently strong sweetness. In this way, by varying and selecting the period T-1, which is the time during which the enzyme activation temperature O-1 is maintained—the enzyme that activates β-amylase, a starch saccharifying enzyme, to promote the production of maltose from starch and extract sweetness—the sweetness, umami, and other flavor characteristics of the sweet potato S can be arbitrarily varied and selected. Note that this is just one example, and the length of the period T-1 is not limited to these values. It may also be determined by the amount and size of the sweet potato S, based on the time it takes for the heat to penetrate uniformly to the inside. Furthermore, the heating control means 41 may be configured to change the enzyme activation temperature O-1, in addition to the enzyme activation process period T-1, between, for example, 40°C and 80°C, based on the sweetness setting information set on the main screen G1, and to control the power supply to the upper heater 16 and the lower heater 17.

[0053] Subsequently, the heating control means 41 determines, based on the timing means 33, that a set period T-1 has elapsed, at which point the enzyme activation process ends and the process moves on to the next calcination process.

[0054] The baking process is a process in which the internal oven temperature t1 is maintained at a predetermined temperature O-2 for a predetermined period T-2. When the enzyme activation process is started, the heating control means 41 receives a detection signal from the internal oven temperature sensor 18 and controls the power on and off of the upper heater 16 and lower heater 17 according to the set value group stored in the storage means 32 so that the internal oven temperature of the cooking chamber 7 is raised to a predetermined baking temperature O-2 and maintained thereafter, thereby baking the sweet potatoes S. In this embodiment, this baking temperature O-2 is adjusted to be set between approximately 130°C and 260°C.

[0055] Regarding the firing temperature O-2, if the firing temperature O-2 is 125°C or lower, the sweet potato S will be cooled by the heat of vaporization caused by the evaporation of moisture from the sweet potato S. As a result, the effect will be the same as when heated at a low temperature, the gelatinization of the starch in the sweet potato S will not proceed, and the sweet potato S will become hard after cooking. To suppress this cooling of the sweet potato S due to the heat of vaporization, in this embodiment, the lower limit of the firing temperature O-2 is set to 130°C.

[0056] Although the upper limit of the baking temperature O-2 is set to 260°C, this upper limit may be set lower than 260°C, for example, to 200°C or 250°C, or higher than 260°C, for example, to 300°C or 350°C. If the baking temperature O-2 is high, the surface and skin of the sweet potato S will burn in a short time. Therefore, in this embodiment, if the baking temperature O-2 is high, for example, 250°C or higher, a method is employed in which the sweet potato S is heated at 250°C for a predetermined high-temperature period T-4 of, for example, 10 to 15 minutes, and then the baking temperature O-2 is lowered to a gelatinization promoting temperature of, for example, 200°C. This suppresses burning and dehydration of the sweet potato S while promoting gelatinization of the sweet potato S.

[0057] Referring to Figure 6, when the baking process begins, the internal temperature t1 rises, and once it reaches the set baking temperature O-2 of 240°C, the internal temperature t1 does not rise any further during the baking period T-2, and the baking temperature O-2 is maintained. On the other hand, the internal temperature t2 of the sweet potato rises a little after the internal temperature t1 rises when the baking process begins, and it can be understood that a little after the internal temperature t1 maintains the baking temperature O-2 of 240°C, it is maintained at the same baking temperature O-2 as the internal temperature t1.

[0058] Here, the heating control means 41, based on the viscosity setting information set on the main screen G1, changes the baking temperature O-2 for the baking process between 130°C and 260°C using the set value group stored in the storage means 32. In addition, it changes the baking process period T-2, which is the duration of the baking process, between, for example, 20 minutes and 60 minutes, and controls the power supply to the upper heater 16 and lower heater 17 accordingly. Specifically, as the viscosity setting decreases, the heating control means 41 shortens the period T-2 and raises the baking temperature O-2, baking at a high temperature for a short time to achieve a less sticky, fluffy texture. Furthermore, as the viscosity setting increases, the heating control means 41 lowers the baking temperature O-2, promoting the gelatinization of the sweet potato S, which is the food being cooked, for a longer period of time while suppressing burning and dehydration, resulting in a sticky, chewy texture. For example, in this case, since the viscosity is set to "2", the heating control means 41 controls the power on and off of the upper heater 16 and lower heater 17 so that the sweet potato S is heated at a baking temperature of 240°C (O-2) for a period of 60 minutes (T-2), as shown in Figure 6, thereby baking the sweet potato S at a high temperature for a short time. In this way, by varying and selecting the baking temperature O-2 for heating the sweet potato S and the period T-2 for which the baking temperature O-2 is maintained, the degree of saccharification and moisture retention of the sweet potato S can be arbitrarily varied and selected, and the sticky texture of the sweet potato S, such as fluffy, moist, or sticky, can be arbitrarily varied and selected.

[0059] Subsequently, the heating control means 41 determines, based on the timing means 33, that a set period T-2 has elapsed, at which point the baking process ends and the heating and cooking process is completed. The heating control means 41 may also be configured to notify that cooking has finished using a notification means (not shown).

[0060] Figure 7 is a graph showing the changes over time between the internal temperature t1 during heating and the internal temperature t2 of the sweet potato being cooked, calculated from the temperature detected by the lower temperature sensor 22, when the cooking course is set to the "baked sweet potato" menu with sweetness set to "1" and stickiness set to "1". Referring to the figure, when the heating process starts, it moves to the enzyme activation process, but according to the set values ​​stored in the memory means 32, if the sweetness setting is "1", the period T-1 is set to 0 minutes, so it moves to the next baking process. In the baking process, since the stickiness setting is "1", the heating control means 41 receives the detection signal from the internal temperature sensor 18 and controls the power on and off of the upper heater 16 and lower heater 17 according to the set values ​​stored in the memory means 32 so that the internal temperature of the cooking chamber 7 is raised to and maintained at the baking temperature O-2 of 250°C.

[0061] As shown in Figure 7, when the viscosity is set to "1", the period T-2 is set to 60 minutes. However, as mentioned above, if the baking temperature O-2 is high, the baking temperature O-2 is lowered to a gelatinization promoting temperature of about 200°C after high-temperature period T-4. When the heating control means 41 receives a detection signal from the internal temperature sensor 18 indicating that the internal temperature of the cooking chamber 7 has reached the baking temperature O-2 of 250°C, the timing means 33 starts timing the baking temperature period T-2 and the high-temperature period T-4, and controls the power supply to the upper heater 16 and lower heater 17 to maintain the internal temperature at the baking temperature O-2 of 250°C.

[0062] Subsequently, when the heating control means 41 determines, based on the timing means 33, that a set high-temperature period T-4, for example 15 minutes, has elapsed, it receives a detection signal from the internal temperature sensor 18 and controls the power supply of the upper heater 16 and lower heater 17 to lower the internal temperature of the cooking chamber 7 to the gelatinization promotion temperature. Therefore, it can be understood that the internal temperature t2 of the sweet potato decreases in the same way as the internal temperature t1, and is maintained at the gelatinization promotion temperature. The heating control means 41 then receives a detection signal from the internal temperature sensor 18 and controls the power supply of the upper heater 16 and lower heater 17 to maintain the gelatinization promotion temperature, thereby maintaining the gelatinization promotion temperature at the internal temperature t1 and internal temperature t2 and promoting the gelatinization of the sweet potato S. Then, the heating control means 41 determines, based on the timing means 33, that the set period T-2 has elapsed, at which point the baking process ends and the heating and cooking process is completed, resulting in sweet potatoes S that are less sweet, less sticky, and have a fluffy texture.

[0063] Figure 8 is a graph showing the changes over time between the internal temperature t1 during cooking and the internal temperature t2 of the sweet potato being cooked, calculated from the temperature detected by the lower temperature sensor 22, when the cooking course is set to the "baked sweet potato" menu with sweetness set to "2" and stickiness set to "4". Referring to the figure, once the cooking process starts, it moves to the enzyme activation process. Since the sweetness is set to "2", the heating control means 41 receives the detection signal from the internal temperature sensor 18 and controls the power on and off of the upper heater 16 and lower heater 17 according to the set value group stored in the storage means 32 so that the internal temperature of the cooking chamber 7 is raised and maintained at, for example, the enzyme activation temperature O-1 of 50°C, thereby concentrating the sweetness of the sweet potato S and bringing out the sweetness to an appropriate degree. Subsequently, the heating control means 41 determines, based on the timing means 33, that a set period T-1 of, for example, 30 minutes has elapsed, at which point the enzyme activation process ends and the process moves on to the next calcination process.

[0064] When the process moves to the baking stage, the heating control means 41, since the viscosity is set to "4", receives a detection signal from the oven temperature sensor 18 and controls the power on and off of the upper heater 16 and lower heater 17 according to the set values ​​stored in the memory means 32, so that the oven temperature of the cooking chamber 7 is raised to and maintained at a low baking temperature of approximately 160°C, which is the baking temperature O-2. In this case, since the baking temperature O-2 is not high, the oven temperature of the cooking chamber 7 is not changed to the gelatinization promoting temperature during the baking process.

[0065] Subsequently, the heating control means 41 determines, based on the timing means 33, that a set period T-2 of, for example, 45 minutes has elapsed. At this point, the baking process ends and the heating and cooking process is completed, bringing out the sweetness of the sweet potatoes S appropriately while suppressing dehydration and increasing their stickiness, resulting in a baked product with a sticky texture. The period T-2 may be set to be longer as the desired level of stickiness increases.

[0066] As described above, the oven toaster of this embodiment, as an oven-type heating cooker, includes an upper heater 16 and a lower heater 17 as heating means for heating sweet potatoes S, which are potatoes, placed in the cooking chamber 7; an internal temperature sensor 18 as a temperature detection means for detecting the internal temperature of the cooking chamber 7; and an upper heater 16 and a lower heater 17 that control the internal temperature to maintain the enzyme activation temperature O-1, which is a first set temperature, in order to adjust the sweetness of the sweet potatoes S, and an upper heater 16 that controls the internal temperature to maintain the baking temperature O-2, which is a second set temperature, in order to adjust the texture of the sweet potatoes S. The device includes a heating control means 41 for controlling the lower heater 17, a main screen G1 and an operating means 12 as setting means for variably setting the heating time T-3 of the heating process as the heating time of the upper heater 16 and the lower heater 17 in the heating control means 41, the enzyme activation temperature O-1 and the baking temperature O-2, the enzyme activation temperature O-1 is set to be variable between 40°C and 80°C, and the baking temperature O-2 is set to be variable above 130°C. The main screen G1 and the operating means 12 allow the user to arbitrarily select the sweetness and texture of the sweet potato S after heating.

[0067] By configuring it in this way, the sweetness and texture of the sweet potato S after cooking can be arbitrarily varied and selected, allowing the sweet potato S to be baked to the desired sweetness and texture according to the sweet potato variety and the user's preference.

[0068] Furthermore, the oven toaster of this embodiment has a configuration in which the period T-1 of the enzyme activation process and the enzyme activation temperature O-1 in the heating process period T-3 are set and stored in the storage means 32 for each cursor indicator C1 to C5 representing the sweetness level, and has a first set value group of enzyme activation process period T-1 and enzyme activation temperature O-1 corresponding to cursor indicator C1 to C5. In addition, the oven toaster of this embodiment has a configuration in which the period T-2 of the baking process and the baking temperature O-2 in the heating process period T-3 are set and stored in the storage means 32 for each cursor indicator C6 to C10 representing the texture level, and has a second set value group of baking process period T-2 and baking temperature O-2 corresponding to cursor indicator C6 to C10.

[0069] By configuring it in this way, the sweetness and texture of the cooked sweet potato S can be arbitrarily varied and set by selecting cursor indicators C1-C5 or C6-C10, making it easy to select the desired sweetness and texture of the sweet potato S.

[0070] Figure 9 shows a modified version of the first embodiment. In this modified version, the sweet potatoes S are not wrapped in aluminum foil, and the sweet potatoes S are placed in a container 41, which is then placed in the cooking chamber 7.

[0071] Referring to Figure 9, 41 is a container that holds sweet potatoes S as the food to be cooked. When the container 41 is placed in the cooking chamber 7 of the oven toaster body 1, it is placed on the grill rack 15. The bottom 41a of the container 41 is formed to be substantially flat and has four downward-pointing leg protrusions 41b that serve as legs when the container 41 is placed on a flat surface such as a table. These four downward-pointing leg protrusions 41b are arranged on the front, back, left, and right sides of the bottom 41a, and are formed so that when the container 41 is placed on a flat surface, the bottom 41a is horizontal to the flat surface. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the number of downward-pointing leg protrusions 41b is not limited to four. The container 41 may also have a lid.

[0072] The grilling net 15 has a positioning portion 15a into which the downward-facing leg projections 41b fit when the container 41 is placed, and this positioning portion is provided corresponding to the position of the downward-facing leg projections 41b. Here, as shown in Figure 9, the positioning portion 15a may be a hole formed substantially identical to the outer circumference of the downward-facing leg projections 41b, or it may be a recess formed substantially identical to the outer shape of the downward-facing leg projections 41b. When the container 41 is placed, the downward-facing leg projections 41b fit into the positioning portion 15a, fixing the container 41 to the grilling net 15, positioning the container 41 relative to the grilling net 15, and restricting the movement of the container 41 in the front, back, left, and right directions on the grilling net 15. Therefore, the positioning portion 15a also functions as a restricting means for restricting the horizontal movement of the container 41.

[0073] The base material of the container 41 is, for example, aluminum, and is manufactured by forming it by molten metal forging or die casting, and then coating the inner and outer surfaces with heat-resistant paint. Alternatively, the base material of the container 41 is, for example, enamel steel sheet, and is manufactured by press molding and then enamel coating the inner and outer surfaces. This is just one example, and the present invention is not limited to this configuration.

[0074] Next, the operation of this modified oven range will be explained. Similar to the first embodiment, a heating and cooking process is carried out. When the heating and cooking process begins, the heating control means 41 receives a detection signal from the internal temperature sensor 18 and controls the power supply to the upper heater 16 and lower heater 17 according to the set values ​​stored in the storage means 32, so that the internal temperature of the cooking chamber 7 is raised to and maintained at the enzyme activation temperature O-1 or the baking temperature O-2. As a result, radiant heat is emitted from the upper heater 16 and lower heater 17, and the sweet potatoes S stored in the container 35 are radiantly heated by the upper heater 16, and heat is also transferred from the container 41 heated by the lower heater 17 to the sweet potatoes S. Therefore, even with this configuration, the sweetness and texture of the sweet potatoes S after heating can be arbitrarily varied and selected, and the sweet potatoes S can be baked to the desired sweetness and texture according to the variety of sweet potatoes and the user's preference. [Examples]

[0075] Figure 10 shows a second embodiment. In this embodiment, in addition to the "sweetness" cursor indicators C1-C5 and the "stickiness" cursor indicators C6-C10, the brand of sweet potato S can also be selected, allowing the sweetness and texture of the sweet potato S after cooking to be arbitrarily varied and selected.

[0076] Figure 10 shows a plan view of the display means 11 of the oven toaster of this embodiment. Referring to the same figure, the main screen G1' of this embodiment is described as follows: Below the text display unit D4 and illustration display unit D5 of the main screen G1', a brand selection display area A4 is formed, where the "brand" button display unit B21 and the "brand" setting display unit D22 are displayed side by side. Here, the "brand" button display unit B21 includes the text display unit D21 that reads "brand". The "brand" setting display unit D22 displays information about the selected sweet potato S and is located to the right of the "brand" button display unit B21, and in Figure 10, "Anno Imo" is displayed.

[0077] The "Brand" button display unit B21 is operated to select the brand of sweet potato S to be cooked. When the "Brand" button display unit B21 is touched, the display control means 35 controls the display means 11 to display a brand selection screen (not shown) that allows selection of sweet potato brands, for example, as shown in Figure 5. When a sweet potato S brand is selected on this brand selection screen, the display control means 35 returns to the main screen G1' and controls the display means 11 to display the selected sweet potato S brand on the "Brand" setting display unit D22.

[0078] In this embodiment of the toaster oven, in addition to the settings for each cooking menu, sweetness level, and stickiness, cooking courses corresponding to the sweet potato variety are stored in the storage means 32. The settings for the cooking menu, sweetness level, stickiness level, and sweet potato variety of the stored cooking courses are displayed on the display means 11 for selection, and the user selects and sets the cooking course by making these settings. Specifically, the storage means 32 has a table of setting values ​​corresponding to the aforementioned cooking course settings, sweetness level, and stickiness level, as well as a table of setting values ​​for the enzyme activation temperature O-1 and baking temperature O-2, and the enzyme activation process period T-1 and baking process period T-2, corresponding to the sweet potato variety. By selecting the cooking menu, sweetness level, stickiness level, and sweet potato variety, the user can set the heating time and set temperature for each step of the cooking process.

[0079] For example, looking at the map in Figure 5, it becomes clear that Annouimo and Silk Sweet potatoes are characterized by their intense sweetness and sticky texture. Therefore, when the cooking menu is "baked sweet potato" and the "brand" setting display element D22 is "Annouimo" or "Silk Sweet," the sweetness and stickiness settings are adjusted to be more intensely sweet and sticky compared to the sweetness and stickiness settings of the brand at the center where the coordinate axes intersect. Specifically, for example, the storage means 32 stores sets of heating time and heating temperature settings for each sweetness level, such that the sweetness setting for "Anno Imo" and "Silk Sweet" corresponds to the heating time and heating temperature setting group "3", while the sweetness setting for the brand at the center where the coordinate axes intersect corresponds to the heating time and heating temperature setting groups "4" and "5". Similarly, the storage means 32 stores sets of heating time and heating temperature settings for each viscosity level, such that the stickiness setting for "Anno Imo" and "Silk Sweet" corresponds to the heating time and heating temperature setting group "3", while the stickiness setting for the brand at the center where the coordinate axes intersect corresponds to the heating time and heating temperature setting groups "4" and "5".

[0080] Looking at the map in Figure 5, it becomes clear that Kogane Sengan and Purple Sweet Road are characterized by their mild sweetness and fluffy texture. Therefore, when the cooking menu is "baked sweet potato" and the "brand" setting display element D22 is "Kogane Sengan" or "Purple Sweet Road," the sweetness and stickiness settings are adjusted to result in a milder sweetness and less stickiness, making it fluffier, compared to the sweetness and stickiness settings of the brand at the center where the coordinate axes intersect. Specifically, for example, the storage means 32 stores a set of heating time and heating temperature settings corresponding to the sweetness level, such that the setting for the sweetness of "Kogane Sengan" and "Purple Sweet Road" corresponds to the setting for the heating time and heating temperature of "3" in the sweetness setting of the brand at the center where the coordinate axes intersect. Similarly, the storage means 32 stores a set of heating time and heating temperature settings corresponding to the stickiness level, such that the setting for the stickiness of "Kogane Sengan" and "Purple Sweet Road" corresponds to the setting for the heating time and heating temperature of "2" and "1" in the stickiness setting of the brand at the center where the coordinate axes intersect. In this way, the heating time and heating temperature settings for each sweet potato variety are varied and stored in the storage means 32, making it possible to perform appropriate cooking that brings out the characteristics of that particular sweet potato variety.

[0081] Here, the optimal enzyme activation temperature O-1 for each sweet potato variety may be stored in the storage means 32 as a set of values. Furthermore, for varieties with a large volume and heavy weight, the enzyme activation process period T-1 and the baking process period T-2 may be set to be longer, and for varieties with a small volume and light weight, the enzyme activation process period T-1 and the baking process period T-2 may be set to be shorter and stored in the storage means 32 as a set of values. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to these, and these configurations are merely examples.

[0082] As described above, the oven toaster as an oven-type heating cooker of this embodiment has a configuration in which, for each display on the setting indicator D22 of the "brand" of sweet potato S, the period T-1 of the enzyme activation process and the period T-2 of the baking process in the heating process period T-3, as well as the enzyme activation temperature O-1 and the baking temperature O-2 are set and stored in the storage means 32, and the oven toaster has a configuration in which the period T-1 of the enzyme activation process and the period T-2 of the baking process in the heating process period T-3, as well as the enzyme activation temperature O-1 and the baking temperature O-2 correspond to the display on the setting indicator D22 of the "brand".

[0083] By configuring the system in this way, selecting a sweet potato variety (S) on the variety selection screen and displaying it in the "Variety" setting display unit D22 allows for appropriate cooking that brings out the characteristics of the selected sweet potato variety, and makes it easy to set the desired sweetness and texture for that sweet potato variety (S).

[0084] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the first and second embodiments and their variations may be combined. In this embodiment, sweet potatoes S were used as an example of the food to be cooked, but other root vegetables such as potatoes may also be used, or starch-containing vegetables such as corn, cassava, lotus root, and beans may be used as the food to be cooked. Furthermore, the oven toaster of the present invention may be equipped with a communication means, for example, it may be made possible to connect to a mobile terminal such as a smartphone via the internet, and the cooking course may be selected and set on the mobile terminal. In this case, the main screen G1 or G1' may be displayed on the screen of the mobile terminal for selection and setting. Furthermore, it may be made possible to connect to a mobile terminal via the internet and a server, and in this case, the cooking course according to the setting of the cooking menu, sweetness setting, stickiness setting, and sweet potato brand setting may be stored on the server. In this case, for example, if a new variety of sweet potato becomes available, the brand name of the new variety of sweet potato can be entered into the server, and the oven toaster can be heated using the cooking menu for that variety of sweet potato without any modifications to the oven toaster, allowing the new variety of sweet potato to be cooked with the optimal heating pattern. Furthermore, the configuration and shape of each part of the first and second embodiments and modified versions are not limited to those shown in the figures and can be changed as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 7 Galley 12 Operation means (setting means) 16. Upper heater (heating means) 17. Lower heater (heating means) 18. Internal temperature sensor (temperature detection means) 41 Heating control means C1, C2, C3, C4, C5 Cursor indicator (sweetness level) C6, C7, C8, C9, C10 Cursor indicator (texture level) D2 "Brand" setting display (Sweet potato brand S) G1 Main screen (settings method) O-1 Enzyme activation temperature (first set temperature) O-2 Firing temperature (second set temperature) S Sweet potato (potato) T-1 Duration of the enzyme activation process (heating time to maintain the first set temperature) T-3 Heating process duration (heating time) T-4 High-temperature period (specified high-temperature period)

Claims

1. A heating means for heating potatoes and other root vegetables placed in the cooking chamber, A temperature detection means for detecting the internal temperature of the aforementioned cooking chamber, A heating control means controls the heating means to maintain the internal temperature at a first set temperature in order to adjust the sweetness of the potatoes, and then controls the heating means to maintain the internal temperature at a second set temperature in order to adjust the texture of the potatoes. The heating control means includes setting means for variably setting the heating time of the heating means, the first set temperature, and the second set temperature, The first set temperature is set to be variable between 40°C and 80°C. The second set temperature is set to be variable and above 130°C. The setting means allows for arbitrary selection of the sweetness and texture of the potatoes after cooking. The oven-type cooking appliance is characterized in that, when the second set temperature is set to a predetermined temperature or higher, the oven maintains the internal temperature at the second set temperature for a predetermined high-temperature period, and then lowers and maintains it at a gelatinization-promoting temperature lower than the second set temperature.

2. It has a first set value group, which is the heating time and the first set temperature corresponding to the level of sweetness, and a second set value group, which is the heating time and the second set temperature corresponding to the level of texture. The oven-type cooking appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the heating control means is configured to shorten the heating time for maintaining the first set temperature as the sweetness setting in the setting means decreases, and to lengthen the heating time for maintaining the first set temperature as the sweetness setting increases.

3. The oven-type cooking appliance according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it has the heating time, the first set temperature, and the second set temperature corresponding to the brand of potatoes.

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