Pre-cooked refrigerated pasta

Abstract

To provide a refrigerated cooked pasta food product intended to inhibit pasta quality deterioration during refrigerated storage.SOLUTION: A refrigerated cooked pasta is one in which a refrigerated pasta and a water gel are accommodated in a container. A moisture content of the cooked pasta is 55-60 mass%. A gel melting temperature of the water gel is 20-70°C. The cooked pasta and the water gel are partially contacted with each other. The cooked pasta is preferably one which is obtained by boiling and cooking a dry pasta whose gluten vitality is 25% or less.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooked refrigerated pasta that is stored in a refrigerated state, heated in a microwave oven or the like, and then eaten after adding a sauce or the like.

Background Art

[0002] Pasta such as spaghetti and macaroni has a unique texture with a bite among noodles and is a popular food that matches well with various sauces. Pasta is cooked by boiling and then eaten together with a sauce. However, generally, boiling requires about ten minutes in boiling water, so it is energy-wasteful when cooking for one person. In recent years, there has been a trend towards individual meals, and in order to reduce such waste, pasta foods in which pre-cooked pasta is packed in a container together with a sauce are commercially available.

[0003] When time passes after cooking noodles such as pasta, so-called cooking elongation occurs and the quality deteriorates. In particular, pasta immediately after boiling has a high water content on the surface side and a low water content on the central side, resulting in a water gradient state, which is the so-called best al dente state with one strand of hair-like core remaining. However, as time passes after cooking, the water gradient disappears and the water content becomes averaged throughout, resulting in a hard texture where elasticity is hardly felt. Also, when storing cooked pasta in contact with a sauce, extra water may move from the sauce to the pasta, further reducing the elasticity in some cases.

[0004] Regarding the quality improvement of cooked refrigerated pasta foods, Patent Document 1 describes a refrigerated pasta set including a half-cooked pasta noodle cooked for 30 to 50% of the standard cooking time of dried pasta and a refrigerated pasta sauce having a water content 5 to 25% higher than normal. Patent Document 2 describes a cooking method characterized by coexisting water solidified by an edible solidifying agent during heating in a method of cooking a half-cooked pasta having a water content of 4o to 60% by microwave heating. Patent Document 3 describes a semi-prepared food for cooking over an open flame, characterized in that a gel-like seasoning liquid is placed directly on the bottom surface of an aluminum foil container, and semi-prepared ingredients such as noodles are placed directly on top of the gel-like seasoning liquid. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-197919 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-295302 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-81897 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] The improvement technologies described in Patent Documents 1 to 3 all aim to improve the quality of pre-cooked noodles, but there is still room for improvement in the quality of pre-cooked refrigerated pasta foods, and higher quality foods are desired.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide pre-cooked refrigerated pasta in which the deterioration of pasta quality during refrigerated storage is suppressed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention relates to a pre-cooked refrigerated pasta in which cooked pasta and water gel are contained in a container, wherein the moisture content of the cooked pasta is 55-60% by mass, the gel dissolution temperature of the water gel is 20-70°C, and the cooked pasta and the water gel are in partial contact. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, the deterioration of pasta quality during refrigerated storage is suppressed, and cooked refrigerated pasta with a good texture can be provided. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The pre-cooked refrigerated pasta of the present invention is a type of pre-cooked pasta in which a water gel adheres to a portion of its surface, and is stored in a container and refrigerated for preservation. The container is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of storing this type of pre-cooked food, and examples include plastic, metal, and ceramic containers. Since the present invention deals with food that is stored in the refrigerator, it is not necessary to ensure the highest level of airtightness or sealing performance as long as it does not degrade the quality of the food or affect its shelf life. From the viewpoint of container cost, variety of variations, and the ability to store the pre-cooked refrigerated pasta in an aesthetically pleasing manner, it is preferable to use a plastic container.

[0011] The pre-cooked refrigerated pasta of the present invention is made by boiling pasta. The type of pasta is not particularly limited, and commonly consumed pasta such as long pasta, short pasta, and sheet pasta can be used. Specific examples of long pasta include spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine, and bucatini. Specific examples of short pasta include macaroni, penne, rigatoni, fusilli, conchiglie, farfalle, ravioli, and tortelli. Specific examples of sheet pasta include lasagna.

[0012] The pasta used for boiling may be fresh pasta or dried pasta. Fresh pasta is made by shaping pasta dough into pasta shape, and is not dried after shaping. Its moisture content in its uncooked state is approximately 38-46% by mass. Dried pasta is made by drying fresh pasta, and its moisture content in its uncooked state is approximately 10-14% by mass. Because fresh pasta is not dried, it already has a high moisture content before cooking. Therefore, when boiling fresh pasta to obtain cooked pasta, if the moisture content is to be brought within the specific range (55-60% by mass) according to the present invention, the heating may be insufficient, making it unsuitable for consumption. For this reason, in the present invention, it is preferable to use dried pasta, and in particular, it is preferable to use dried pasta with a moisture content of 13% by mass or less.

[0013] From the viewpoint of further enhancing the texture of the cooked refrigerated pasta of the present invention, it is preferable to use dry pasta with a gluten vitality (GV) of 25% or less, more preferably 22% or less, and even more preferably 20% or less. If the GV is too low, the pasta tends to become brittle and turn reddish, so it is preferably 18% or more. For reference, the GV of typical fresh pasta is 42-48%, and the GV of dry pasta is about 36-45%.

[0014] To obtain dry pasta having such a desirable GV, one method is to heat-treat it at a high temperature. Specifically, it is efficient to heat-treat it at a temperature of preferably 60-85°C, more preferably 75-85°C. The heating time can be appropriately determined according to the heating temperature so that the desired GV is achieved.

[0015] The gross volume (GV) of dry pasta is measured using a pulverized sample prepared by grinding the dry pasta to be measured, by the following method. The GV measurement method described below is performed in the following order: (i) measurement of the soluble crude protein content of the pulverized sample, (ii) measurement of the total crude protein content of the pulverized sample, and (iii) calculation of the GV. In addition, known methods such as the Kjeldahl method or the combustion method can be used for measuring the crude protein content in (i) and (ii) above. The Kjeldahl method will be explained below as an example of the measurement method.

[0016] <Method for measuring gluten vitality (GV)> (i) Measurement of soluble crude protein content of the pulverized material: (a) Weigh 2g of the sample (ground material) accurately and place it in a 100mL beaker. (b) Add 40 mL of 0.05 N acetic acid to the beaker and stir at room temperature for 60 minutes to prepare a suspension. (c) Transfer the suspension obtained in (b) above to a centrifuge tube and centrifuge at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes, then filter it using filter paper and collect the filtrate. (d) Wash the beaker with 40 mL of 0.05 N acetic acid, transfer the washings to a centrifuge tube, and centrifuge at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes. Then filter through filter paper and collect the filtrate. (e) Combine the filtrates collected in (c) and (d) above and make up to 100 mL. (f) Put 25 mL of the liquid obtained in (e) into a Kjeldahl tube of the Keltec Auto System from Tikater GmbH (Sweden) using a volumetric pipette, and add one tablet of the decomposition accelerator ("Keltab C" manufactured by Nippon General Co., Ltd.; potassium sulfate:copper sulfate = 9:1 (mass ratio)) and 15 mL of concentrated sulfuric acid. (g) Using the Kjeltec digestion furnace (DIGESTION SYSTEM 20 1015 type) incorporated in the Kjeltec auto system, perform a digestion treatment for 1 hour at dial 4, and then automatically perform a digestion treatment for 1 hour at dial 9 or 10. Subsequently, continuously and automatically following this digestion treatment, use the Kjeltec distillation titration system (KJELTEC AUTO 1030 type) incorporated in the same Kjeltec auto system to distill and titrate the liquid obtained from the digestion treatment (use 0.1 N sulfuric acid for titration), and determine the soluble crude protein content in the sample (ground material) according to the following formula (A1).

[0017] Soluble crude protein content (%) = 0.14 × (T1 - B1) × F1 × N1 × (100 / S1) × (1 / 25) ···(A1) In the above formula (A1), the symbols represent the following contents. T: The amount of 0.1 N sulfuric acid required for titration (mL) B: The amount of 0.1 N sulfuric acid required for blank titration (mL) F: The titer of 0.1 N sulfuric acid used for titration (measure at the time of use or use a commercially available product with a titer indication) N: Nitrogen-protein conversion factor (5.70) S: The weighed amount of the sample (ground material) (g)

[0018] (ii) Measurement of the total crude protein content of the ground material: (a) Weigh accurately 0.5 g of the sample (ground material) and put it into the Kjeldahl tube of the same Kjeltec auto system of Tecator used in the measurement of (i) above, and add 1 tablet of the same digestion accelerator used in (f) in the measurement of (i) above and 5 mL of concentrated sulfuric acid. (b) Using the Keltech decomposition furnace of the Keltech auto system used in the measurement of (i) above, after performing a decomposition treatment for 1 hour at dial 9 or 10, following this decomposition treatment, continuously and automatically, using the same Keltech distillation titration system as that used in (i) incorporated in the same Keltech auto system, distill and titrate the liquid subjected to the decomposition treatment above (0.1 N sulfuric acid is used for titration), and determine the total crude protein content of the sample (ground material) by the following formula (A2).

[0019] Total crude protein content (%) = (0.14 × T × F × N) / S ···(A2) In the above formula (A2), the symbols indicate the following contents. T: Amount of 0.1 N sulfuric acid required for titration (mL) F: Titer of 0.1 N sulfuric acid used for titration (measured at the time of use) N: Nitrogen to protein conversion factor (5.70) S: Weight of the sample (ground material) taken (g)

[0020] (iii) Calculation of GV: From the soluble crude protein content of the sample (ground material) determined in the measurement of (i) above and the total crude protein content of the sample (ground material) determined in the measurement of (ii) above, calculate the GV of the sample (ground material) by the following formula (A3). GV (%) = (Soluble crude protein content / Total crude protein content) × 100 ···(A3)

[0021] The boiling and cooking of the fresh pasta or dried pasta can be carried out by a conventional method. Typically, the pasta is put into a large amount of boiling water and heated for cooking. The cooked pasta contained in the cooked refrigerated pasta of the present invention has a water content of 55 to 60% by mass, preferably 56 to 59% by mass, more preferably 57 to 58% by mass, and is boiled and cooked so as to have such a water content. If the water content is less than 55% by mass, the texture of the cooked pasta may become too hard. If the water content exceeds 60% by mass, the texture of the cooked pasta may become too soft.

[0022] In this specification, the moisture content of cooked pasta is determined according to the following <Method for determining moisture content>. <How to determine the amount of water> First, the mass of the sample (cooked pasta) is measured. Next, the sample is dried at 80°C for 12 hours according to the oven-drying method, and then the mass of the dried sample is measured. The difference in mass before and after drying is taken as the moisture content, and the moisture content is calculated as a percentage of the mass of the sample before drying.

[0023] The water gel contained in the pre-cooked refrigerated pasta of the present invention is a water gel with a gel dissolution temperature of 20 to 70°C. In other words, in the temperature range from the refrigeration temperature to very close to its gel dissolution temperature (and therefore at least 20°C), the water gel is gel-like with almost no fluidity, and only when heated to above its gel dissolution temperature does it become a fluid sol state. Therefore, in the pre-cooked refrigerated pasta of the present invention, the water gel is almost solid in the refrigerated state and remains in partial contact with the pre-cooked pasta, with almost no water transfer occurring. When the pre-cooked refrigerated pasta is heated, for example in a microwave oven, and the product temperature rises above the gel dissolution temperature, the water gel becomes fluid and adheres to a larger portion of the pre-cooked refrigerated pasta, and water is transferred to the pre-cooked pasta, resulting in a state that is preferable for consumption.

[0024] From the viewpoint of maintaining the good texture of pasta at a higher level, the gel dissolution temperature of the water gel is preferably 20 to 60°C. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of reliably preventing the water gel from dissolving while cooked refrigerated pasta is being distributed, the lower limit of the gel dissolution temperature is preferably 25°C or higher.

[0025] In this invention, the gel dissolution temperature refers to the temperature at which a water gel is heated and becomes a sol. More specifically, it refers to the temperature measured in accordance with the melting point measurement method described in "5.8 Melting Point" of the Japanese Industrial Standard JIS K 6503:2001 "Glue and Gelatin". A specific example of the measurement method is described below. <Measurement of gel dissolution temperature> A glass melting point measuring tube is filled with water gel that has been heated to a sol state, cooled with ice to gel, and the tube is filled with water gel containing air bubbles at the bottom. This tube is placed in a constant temperature water bath containing 15°C water, and the water in the bath is heated using a heating device so that the temperature rises by 1°C per minute. The water temperature at which the air bubbles in the water gel rise and reach the mark on the melting point measuring tube is defined as the gel melting temperature.

[0026] The aforementioned water gel is prepared by blending a gelling agent with an aqueous liquid, heating it as needed to dissolve the gelling agent, and then cooling it to below the gel dissolution temperature to obtain a gel having a gel dissolution temperature within the aforementioned range. The aqueous liquid is typically plain water. Plain water is preferred because it does not significantly affect the flavor of the pasta. As the aqueous liquid, water containing trace components (acidifying agents, alkaline agents, salt, etc.) such as acidic water, alkaline water, or saline solution may be used. If the water contains trace components, it is preferable that the amount is small, specifically, that the content in the water gel be 10% by mass or less.

[0027] Examples of gelling agents include polysaccharides other than starch, such as locust bean gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, agar, tara gum, gellan gum, LM pectin, and HM pectin, as well as proteins such as gelatin and hyaluronic acid. Among these, gelatin is preferred from the viewpoint of improving the texture of the pasta when eaten. As long as the gel dissolution temperature is within the aforementioned range, any one of the gelling agents selected from the group consisting of the various gelling agents listed above can be used alone or in combination of any two or more.

[0028] The gelling agent content in the water gel (total content if two or more types are used) is preferably 0.5 to 10% by mass, more preferably 1 to 7% by mass, and even more preferably 2 to 4% by mass, of the total mass of the water gel. If the gelling agent content is too high, the pasta may become sticky when eaten, and if it is too low, the pasta may become watery when eaten. Furthermore, the water content in the water gel is preferably 90% by mass or more, more preferably 92% by mass or more, and even more preferably 96% by mass or more. The remainder after removing water from the water gel consists of the gelling agent mentioned above and trace components used as needed.

[0029] The pre-cooked refrigerated pasta of the present invention can be manufactured by placing the pre-cooked pasta and water gel described above in a container in a state where they are in partial contact with each other. The method for partially contacting the surface of the pre-cooked pasta with the water gel is not particularly limited and can be adapted to the desired form of pasta food. For example, the pre-cooked pasta and water gel can each be formed into lumps so that they are in partial contact with each other in the container. More specifically, the lumps of pre-cooked pasta and the lumps of water gel may be placed adjacent to each other horizontally in the container, but preferably, the lumps of water gel are placed on top of the lumps of pre-cooked pasta. This makes it easier for the sol-formed water gel to spread throughout the pre-cooked pasta when it is heated in a microwave oven or the like. More preferably, the pre-cooked pasta is formed into a large lump and placed in the container, and a lump of water gel that is relatively small compared to the lump of pre-cooked pasta is partially placed on top of it.

[0030] In a more preferred example, when the area of ​​the cooked pasta in a block is viewed from above in a plan view, the water gel is placed on top of the cooked pasta so as to cover 5-50% of the area. In this case, the water gel may be in the form of one medium-sized block (smaller than the block of cooked pasta) or multiple small blocks (e.g., 2-8), but the latter is more preferable from the viewpoint of making it easier for the sol-formed water gel to spread evenly over the cooked pasta. In the latter case, the size of each small water gel block depends on the absolute amount of cooked pasta used and the mass ratio with the cooked pasta as described later, but for example, if each water gel block is 0.5-5.0g, it is easy to handle and easy to distribute evenly on the cooked pasta. Furthermore, there are no particular restrictions on the shape of the water gel block; for example, it may be a rectangular prism, cube, plate-shaped, disc-shaped, etc.

[0031] In the pre-cooked refrigerated pasta of the present invention, the mass ratio of the pre-cooked pasta to the water gel is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the mass ratio (former:latter) is 6:1 to 8:1, as this amount allows the effects of the present invention to be fully obtained without becoming watery.

[0032] Furthermore, when placing cooked pasta and water gel in a container with them partially in contact, if the cooked pasta is still warm shortly after boiling, the water gel in contact with the cooked pasta may dissolve immediately. Therefore, it is best to place the cooked pasta and water gel in the container only after the cooked pasta has cooled, preferably after it has been thoroughly cooled using a refrigeration device or similar.

[0033] The pre-cooked refrigerated pasta of the present invention may further contain other ingredients in the container in addition to the pre-cooked pasta and water gel. Examples of other ingredients include toppings. The type of toppings is not particularly limited, and depending on the desired flavor and texture, meats, seafood, vegetables (root vegetables, leafy vegetables, mushrooms, etc.) can be used.

[0034] The pre-cooked refrigerated pasta of the present invention is refrigerated in a container. The container is as described above, and the pre-cooked refrigerated pasta of the present invention is refrigerated together with the container. The refrigeration temperature is 0°C to 15°C, preferably 1°C to 12°C, and can be refrigerated using a standard refrigeration device.

[0035] The pre-cooked refrigerated pasta of the present invention is typically consumed after being removed from the refrigeration unit, heated in a microwave oven, and seasoned with pasta sauce, etc. Heating in a microwave oven should be done in accordance with general food heating methods, depending on the amount of pasta and the power output of the microwave oven. Heating in this manner causes the water gel to liquefy and adhere to a larger portion of the pre-cooked refrigerated pasta, and moisture is transferred to the pasta, making it a desirable state for consumption.

[0036] The method of seasoning when eating is not particularly limited. For example, a pasta sauce prepared separately from the pre-cooked refrigerated pasta of the present invention may be poured over or mixed with the pasta, or the sauce may be included in the container of the pre-cooked refrigerated pasta of the present invention, separated by a partition or the like so that it does not come into contact with the pre-cooked pasta. [Examples]

[0037] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. In the following examples, "%" refers to mass unless otherwise specified.

[0038] [Examples 1-5, Comparative Examples 1-2] Using commercially available dried spaghetti (long pasta), pre-cooked refrigerated pasta was manufactured following the procedure below. A predetermined amount of dried spaghetti was boiled, adjusting the boiling time as needed, to obtain cooked spaghetti with the moisture content shown in Table 1. The moisture content of the cooked spaghetti was measured according to the method described above in <Method for Determining Moisture Content>. In addition, the GV of the dried spaghetti was measured according to the method described above in <Method for Measuring Gluten Vitality (GV)>. The results are shown in Table 1. Separately, according to the water gel formulation described in Table 1, the gelling agent and purified water were combined, and the mixture was heated and stirred well to dissolve the gelling agent. The mixture was then cooled to 10°C to prepare the water gel. The gel dissolution temperature of the obtained water gel was measured according to the <Measurement of Gel Dissolution Temperature> procedure described above. The results are shown in Table 1. The gelling agents used are as follows. • Gelatin (gel dissolution temperature = 28℃: Nitta Gelatin APH-200) • Carrageenan (Gel dissolution temperature = 60℃: Carrageenan manufactured by San-Ei Gen F.F.I.) • Agar (Gel dissolution temperature = 75℃: Ina Food Industry Co., Ltd. Ina Agar UP-26)

[0039] Next, 210g of the cooked spaghetti was packed into a commercially available heat-resistant polypropylene container to form a single mass, and the container was covered and cooled in a refrigerator. Separately, several roughly rectangular pieces of the water gel prepared above were cut out, each weighing 5g. The container of spaghetti was removed from the refrigerator, and six roughly rectangular pieces of water gel (totaling 30g) were placed on top of the mass of cooked spaghetti, individually separated so as evenly as possible distributed on the spaghetti, and the container was covered again to form cooked spaghetti. At this time, if the area of ​​the mass of cooked spaghetti viewed from above in a plan view is considered 100%, then 40% of the area was covered with water gel. This was then placed in a refrigerator and refrigerated to 5°C to obtain cooked refrigerated pasta (cooked refrigerated spaghetti).

[0040] [Test Example 1] After storing the cooked refrigerated pasta of each example and comparative example at 5°C for 24 hours, it was removed from the refrigerator and heated in a microwave oven at 600W for 2 minutes. Ten expert panelists tasted the resulting spaghetti and evaluated its texture according to the evaluation criteria below. The results, as the average values ​​of the ten panelists, are shown in Table 1.

[0041] <Criteria for evaluating spaghetti texture> 5 points: It has elasticity and a good bite, comparable to freshly boiled spaghetti, and is very good. 4 points: It has elasticity and chewiness, and while not as good as freshly boiled spaghetti, it's still good. 3 points: It feels slightly too hard, but it's within acceptable limits. 2 points: It's a bit too hard and lacks elasticity; it's a defect. 1 point: Too hard and lacks elasticity; extremely poor quality.

[0042] [Table 1]

[0043] [Examples 6-9 and Comparative Examples 3-4] Except for adjusting the boiling time of the dried spaghetti and changing the moisture content of the cooked spaghetti as shown in Table 2, cooked refrigerated pasta was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1 and evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 2. Note that the results of Example 1 are also reproduced in Table 2.

[0044] [Table 2]

[0045] [Examples 10-13] Cooked refrigerated pasta was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that dried spaghetti was heat-treated in a constant temperature bath at 80°C to achieve the GV (Gross Value) listed in Table 3, and then boiled. The results were evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 3. Note that the results of Example 1 are also reproduced in Table 3.

[0046] [Table 3]

[0047] [Examples 14-17] Except for changing the amount of cooked spaghetti filled into the container, which altered the mass ratio of cooked pasta to water gel as shown in Table 4, cooked refrigerated pasta was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1 (however, in Examples 14-17, if the area of ​​the cooked spaghetti mass viewed from above in a plan view is considered 100%, the thickness of the mass was slightly adjusted when filling the container with the cooked pasta in a single mass so that 40% of the area was covered by water gel, as in Example 1), and evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 4. Note that the results of Example 1 are also reproduced in Table 4.

[0048] [Table 4]

Claims

1. A pre-cooked refrigerated pasta in which cooked pasta and water gel are contained in a container, wherein the moisture content of the cooked pasta is 55 to 60% by mass, the gel dissolution temperature of the water gel is 20 to 70°C, and the cooked pasta and the water gel are in partial contact. The aforementioned water gel is placed on top of the cooked pasta in a lump form, and the rest is cooked refrigerated pasta.

2. The cooked refrigerated pasta according to claim 1, wherein the cooked pasta is made by boiling dry pasta with a gluten vitality of 25% or less.

3. The cooked refrigerated pasta according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the water content of the water gel is 90% by mass or more.

4. The cooked refrigerated pasta according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mass ratio of the cooked pasta to the water gel is 6:1 to 8:1 as the former:the latter.

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