A material for improving molded rice, molded rice, a method for manufacturing a material for improving molded rice, a method for manufacturing molded rice, and a method for improving the flaking properties of molded rice.

Abstract

The present invention pertains to: a molded cooked rice improver for improving the loosening properties of molded cooked rice after molding; a molded cooked rice using the molded cooked rice improver; a production method for the molded cooked rice improver; a production method for molded cooked rice; and a method for improving the loosening properties of molded cooked rice. The molded cooked rice improver according to the present invention contains, as an active ingredient, a starch-lipid complex obtained by subjecting, to a heat treatment under a pressure condition of more than 0 MPa but not more than 100 MPa, a glycerol fatty acid ester and one or more potato starches selected from the group consisting of raw potato starch and starches obtained by chemically processing the raw potato starch.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a molded rice improver, molded rice, a method for producing a molded rice improver, a method for producing molded rice, and a method for improving the looseness of molded rice.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, in supermarkets and convenience stores, a variety of boxed lunches are sold, and molded rice such as onigiri is not only made from molded white rice, but also molded fried rice, cooked rice, etc. are sold.

[0003] However, since fried rice and cooked rice contain fats and oils and ingredients, the binding property of the rice is low, making it difficult to mold into onigiri, and even if molded, there are problems such as the shape collapsing due to vibrations during transportation.

[0004] Therefore, Patent Document 1 discloses molded rice characterized by adding gelatinized starch and / or gelatinized processed starch to cooked rice fried in oil and then molding. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a molded rice binder having an effective component of gelatinized starch, with a sieve fraction of 18% by mass or more on a 250 μm (60 mesh) sieve.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] While molded rice disclosed in Patent Document 1 and molded rice using the molded rice binder disclosed in Patent Document 2 exhibit excellent moldability, there was room for improvement in that the texture of the molded rice itself could sometimes feel sticky. In particular, when molded rice was made from cooked rice dishes such as fried rice, which are characterized by their fluffy texture, the ability to break apart when eaten was sometimes poor.

[0007] Thus, with conventional technology, there was a problem in that attempts to improve the moldability of molded rice sometimes resulted in a decrease in how easily the molded rice could be broken apart when eaten. Therefore, the present invention provides a molded rice improvement material that has excellent moldability and excellent ease of breaking apart when eaten. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] As a result of diligent research to solve the above problems, the inventors of the present invention have found that molded rice made with a molded rice improver containing a specific starch and a specific emulsifier exhibits excellent moldability and ease of crumbling when eaten, thus completing the present invention.

[0009] In other words, the present invention provides the following molded rice improving material, molded rice, a method for producing the molded rice improving material, a method for producing molded rice, and a method for improving the fluffability of molded rice. [1] A molded rice improver comprising a starch-lipid complex as an active ingredient, which is obtained by heat-treating one or more potato starches selected from the group consisting of raw potato starch and modified starches of the raw potato starch, and a glycerin fatty acid ester under pressure conditions of 0 MPa or more and less than 100 MPa. [2] The molded rice improver according to [1], wherein the glycerin fatty acid ester is a polyglycerin fatty acid ester. [3] The molded rice improver according to [1] or [2], wherein the starch-lipid complex contains 0.1 parts by mass or more and 5 parts by mass or less of the glycerin fatty acid ester per 100 parts by mass of the potato starch. [4] The molded rice improver according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the molded rice is molded cooked rice. [5] The molded rice improver according to any one of [1] to [4], comprising 60% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less of the starch-lipid complex with respect to the entire molded rice improver. [6] A molded rice improver according to any one of items [1] to [5], which is added to grains before cooking. [7] A molded rice improver as described in any one of items [1] to [5], which is added to cooked rice after cooking. Molded rice containing the molded rice improver described in any one of items [8][1] to [7]. [9] A step of preparing a mixture comprising one or more potato starches selected from the group consisting of raw potato starch and modified starches of the raw potato starch, and a glycerin fatty acid ester, A step of heat-treating the mixture under pressure conditions of 0 MPa or more and less than 100 MPa, A method for producing a molded rice improver, including the following.

[10] The manufacturing method according to [9], wherein the heat treatment is an extruder treatment.

[11] A step of cooking rice by adding a starch-lipid complex to cereals, which is obtained by heat-treating one or more potato starches selected from the group consisting of raw potato starch and modified starches of the raw potato starch, and glycerin fatty acid ester, under pressure conditions of 0 MPa or more and less than 100 MPa, A step of shaping the cooked rice obtained in the above step of cooking rice, A method for producing molded rice, including the method described above.

[12] The manufacturing method according to

[11] , wherein the cooked rice is a cooked rice obtained in a step of cooking after the step of cooking rice.

[13] The manufacturing method according to

[11] or

[12] , wherein in the step of cooking rice, the amount of the starch-lipid complex added is 0.01 parts by mass or more and 5 parts by mass or less per 100 parts by mass of the grain.

[14] The process of cooking grains, A step of adding 0.1 to 5 parts by mass of a starch-lipid complex, which is obtained by heat-treating one or more potato starches selected from the group consisting of raw potato starch and modified starch of the raw potato starch, and glycerin fatty acid ester under pressure conditions of 0 MPa to less than 100 MPa, to 100 parts by mass of cooked rice obtained in the above step of cooking rice, and mixing it, A step of forming the mixed cooked rice obtained in the above step of mixing, A method for producing molded rice, including the method described above.

[15] The manufacturing method according to

[14] , wherein the cooked rice is a cooked rice obtained in a step of cooking after the step of cooking rice.

[16] The manufacturing method according to

[15] , wherein the mixing step is performed at one or more timings selected from the group consisting of before the cooking step, during the cooking step, and after the cooking step.

[17] The manufacturing method according to any one of

[14] to

[16] , wherein in the mixing step, the amount of the starch-lipid complex added is 0.005 parts by mass or more and 5 parts by mass or less per 100 parts by mass of the cooked rice.

[18] A step of cooking rice by adding a starch-lipid complex to cereals, which is obtained by heat-treating one or more potato starches selected from the group consisting of raw potato starch and modified starch of the raw potato starch, and glycerin fatty acid ester, under pressure conditions of 0 MPa or more and less than 100 MPa, The process involves shaping the cooked rice obtained in the above step of cooking rice to make shaped rice, A method for improving the looseness of molded rice, including [the specified ingredient].

[19] The process of cooking grains, A step of adding and mixing a starch-lipid complex, which is obtained by heat-treating one or more potato starches selected from the group consisting of raw potato starch and the modified starch of the raw potato starch, and a glycerin fatty acid ester, under pressure conditions of 0 MPa to less than 100 MPa, to the cooked rice obtained in the above step of cooking rice, The process involves shaping the mixed cooked rice obtained in the above step of mixing to form shaped rice, A method for improving the looseness of molded rice, including [the specified ingredient]. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The shaped rice improver of the present invention is excellent in formability, so it is easy to form shaped rice, and the shaped rice formed using the shaped rice improver can have excellent looseness when eaten.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0011] Specific embodiments of the shaped rice improver of the present invention, the method for producing the shaped rice improver, the shaped rice and the method for producing the shaped rice, and the method for improving the looseness of the shaped rice will be described below.

[0012] 1. Shaped rice improver and method for producing shaped rice improver In the present invention, the shaped rice improver contains one or more potato starches selected from the group consisting of raw potato starch and chemically modified starch of the raw potato starch, and glycerin fatty acid ester, and is heat-treated under a pressure condition of 0 MPa or more and less than 100 MPa to form a starch-lipid complex as an active ingredient. In this specification, the pressure means gauge pressure.

[0013] Here, the "starch-lipid complex" means a complex formed by the interaction of starch and glycerin fatty acid ester. It is not easy to specifically identify its structure, and there are still many parts that have not been elucidated. For example, it is considered that glycerin fatty acid ester is included in the helical structure of amylose molecules in the raw potato starch. Alternatively, glycerin fatty acid ester may be attached to the surface of the helical structure of the amylose molecules. Alternatively, glycerin fatty acid ester may interact with parts other than the amylose molecules. In the starch-lipid complex, the potato starch may have its starch chains cleaved and reduced in molecular weight, or its starch chains may be polymerized and increased in molecular weight, or it may contain both.

[0014] Examples of the chemically modified starch of the raw potato starch include chemically modified starch obtained by subjecting the raw potato starch to one or more chemical modification treatments selected from the group consisting of crosslinking, etherification, and monoesterification. Examples of the chemical modification treatments include, for example, crosslinking such as phosphoric acid crosslinking and adipic acid crosslinking; etherification such as hydroxypropylation; monoesterification such as phosphoric acid monoesterification; and one or more of these.

[0015] The potato starch is preferably raw potato starch.

[0016] Examples of the glycerin fatty acid ester include polyglycerin fatty acid ester, monoglycerin fatty acid ester, and organic acid glycerin fatty acid ester. Among them, polyglycerin fatty acid ester is preferable. The constituent fatty acid of the glycerin fatty acid ester is not particularly limited, but is preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, and behenic acid, and more preferably one or two selected from the group consisting of palmitic acid and stearic acid.

[0017] The polyglycerin fatty acid ester preferably has an HLB value of 1 or more and 13 or less and an average degree of polymerization of 2 or more and 9 or less. Here, the HLB value is more preferably 1 or more and 11 or less, and further preferably 3 or more and 10 or less. The average degree of polymerization of polyglycerin is more preferably 2 or more and 7 or less, and further preferably 2 or more and 5 or less. In the present specification, the average degree of polymerization of polyglycerin is measured by a method calculated from the hydroxyl value or a method of determining the composition of polyglycerin and calculating the average degree of polymerization from gas chromatography, liquid chromatography, thin-layer chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, or liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

[0018] The amount of glycerin fatty acid ester in the starch-lipid complex is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.1 parts by mass or more and 5 parts by mass or less per 100 parts by mass of potato starch, more preferably 0.2 parts by mass or more and 4 parts by mass or less, more preferably 0.3 parts by mass or more and 2 parts by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.5 parts by mass or more and 1 part by mass or less. By setting the amount within the above range, it is possible to produce molded rice that has good moldability and excellent ability to break apart when eaten. In this specification, when a numerical range is indicated, the upper and lower limits may be combined as appropriate, and the resulting numerical range shall also be disclosed.

[0019] The total content of potato starch and glycerin fatty acid ester in the starch-lipid complex is preferably 90% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, more preferably 95% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, and even more preferably 98% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less.

[0020] The content of the starch-lipid complex in the particles below a sieve with a mesh size of 0.25 mm, according to the JIS-Z8801-1 standard, is preferably 70% by mass or more, more preferably 80% by mass or more, even more preferably 90% by mass or more, and even more preferably 95% by mass or more, relative to the entire starch-lipid complex. There is no upper limit to the content of the particles below the sieve with a mesh size of 0.25 mm, and it is 100% by mass or less relative to the entire starch-lipid complex. By using a molded rice improving material containing the starch-lipid complex within the above range, the fluffability of the resulting molded rice can be improved.

[0021] The content of the starch-lipid complex on a sieve with a mesh size of 0.075 mm according to the JIS-Z8801-1 standard is 50% by mass or more of the total starch-lipid complex, preferably 60% by mass or more, more preferably 65% ​​by mass or more, and even more preferably 70% by mass or more. From a similar viewpoint, the content of the particles on a sieve with a mesh size of 0.075 mm is 100% by mass or less of the total starch-lipid complex, preferably 90% by mass or less. By using a molded rice improving material containing the starch-lipid complex within the above range, the fluffability of the resulting molded rice can be improved.

[0022] The aforementioned molded rice improver preferably contains 60% to 100% by mass of the starch-lipid complex, more preferably 70% to 100% by mass, even more preferably 80% to 100% by mass, and even more preferably 90% to 100% by mass.

[0023] The aforementioned molded rice improver may be added to grains before cooking, or to cooked rice after cooking.

[0024] In this invention, rice cooking includes not only cooking rice by heating grains soaked in water, but also steam cooking and cooking rice using a steamer, and can be carried out using known equipment. There are no particular restrictions on the cooking conditions, and they can be set appropriately depending on the type and properties of the grains, as well as the type and amount of other cooking ingredients added.

[0025] In the present invention, molded rice is made by shaping cooked rice, and specifically includes rice balls; molded rice; sushi such as nigiri sushi, gunkanmaki sushi, maki sushi, and inari sushi; and kimbap.

[0026] Examples of grains used in this invention include rice, millet, barnyard millet, quinoa, and wheat. The grains preferably contain rice, more preferably 50% by mass or more rice, even more preferably 90% by mass or more rice, and even more preferably 100% by mass rice. The type and origin of the rice are not particularly limited. For example, not only Japonica rice, Indica rice, and Javanica rice, but also hybrid varieties thereof can be used. Furthermore, the degree of rice milling is not particularly limited; not only white rice, but also brown rice, partially milled rice, germinated brown rice, and pre-washed rice can be used.

[0027] The aforementioned cooked rice dish is prepared by cooking a rice cooking ingredient that includes the aforementioned grains. The rice cooking ingredient contains water in addition to the grains. There are no particular restrictions on the rice cooking ingredients other than water, and edible oils and fats; seasonings such as soy sauce, salt, sugar, miso, sake, dashi, and vinegar; and ingredients such as beans, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, meat, seafood, and seaweed may be added. Examples of the aforementioned cooked rice dish include cooked rice, mixed rice, paella, jambalaya, red bean rice, and sticky rice.

[0028] The cooked rice to which the aforementioned molded rice improver is applied is not particularly limited, but it is preferably a cooked rice dish that has been prepared after cooking. There are no particular restrictions on the cooking method, and it includes methods such as stir-frying, mixing in the aforementioned seasonings, ingredients, or cooked ingredients. Examples of the cooked rice dishes include stir-fried rice dishes such as fried rice, pilaf, chicken rice, butter rice, and garlic rice; and mixed rice dishes such as mixed rice and vinegared rice. It is particularly suitable for stir-fried rice dishes among cooked rice dishes because it easily exhibits the effect of improving the ease with which molded rice can be separated when eaten.

[0029] The starch-lipid complex is obtained by adding water to a raw material mixture containing potato starch and glycerin fatty acid ester, and then heating it. The heat treatment is not particularly limited as long as it is heated to a temperature above the gelatinization temperature of potato starch under pressure conditions of 0 MPa to less than 100 MPa, and may also be a process of boiling the hydrated raw material mixture under atmospheric pressure. Heat treatment may also be performed using machinery such as an extruder or an onlator, but treatment with an extruder is preferred. It is preferable to perform a drying treatment after the heat treatment. A drum dryer or a forced-air dryer can be used for the drying treatment. If necessary, a pulverization treatment may be performed after the drying treatment, and it is preferable to perform a pulverization treatment.

[0030] For example, when using an extruder, a slurry is prepared by adding water to a raw material mixture containing potato starch and glycerin fatty acid ester to adjust the water content to approximately 10% to 60% by mass, based on the mass of the raw material mixture and water. Then, the raw material mixture is heated and expanded under conditions such as a barrel temperature of 30°C to 200°C, an outlet temperature of 80°C to 180°C, a screw rotation speed of 100 rpm to 1000 rpm, and a heat treatment time of 5 seconds to 60 seconds, thereby obtaining the desired starch-lipid complex. Here, the temperature conditions are more preferably a barrel temperature of 30°C to 170°C and an outlet temperature of 100°C to 160°C, and even more preferably a barrel temperature of 30°C to 140°C and an outlet temperature of 110°C to 145°C. Regarding the hydration conditions, it is more preferable to adjust the water content to 15% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less, based on the mass basis of the composition containing the raw material mixture and water, and even more preferable to adjust it to 20% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less. The screw rotation speed is more preferably between 150 rpm and 900 rpm, and even more preferably between 200 rpm and 850 rpm. The preferred pressure conditions are 0.5 MPa or more and less than 100 MPa, more preferably 0.5 MPa or more and 50 MPa or less, even more preferably 0.5 MPa or more and 20 MPa or less, even more preferably 0.5 MPa or more and 18 MPa or less, even more preferably 0.5 MPa or more and 15 MPa or less, even more preferably 1 MPa or more and 10 MPa or less, and especially preferably 3 MPa or more and 7 MPa or less. Furthermore, the heating time is more preferably 7 seconds to 50 seconds, and even more preferably 10 seconds to 45 seconds.

[0031] The raw material mixture may contain components other than potato starch and glycerin fatty acid ester, to the extent that they do not impair the effects of the present invention. Examples of such components include emulsifiers other than glycerin fatty acid ester, such as propylene glycol fatty acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester, sorbitan fatty acid ester, lecithin, and polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, as well as calcium carbonate.

[0032] 2. Molded rice and method for manufacturing molded rice (Method for manufacturing molded rice 1) One embodiment of the present invention is a method for producing molded rice, comprising the steps of: adding a starch-lipid complex to cereals, which is obtained by heat-treating one or more potato starches selected from the group consisting of raw potato starch and modified starch of the raw potato starch, and a glycerin fatty acid ester, under pressure conditions of 0 MPa to less than 100 MPa, and cooking the rice; and shaping the cooked rice obtained in the cooking step. The molded rice produced in this way has excellent moldability and shape retention, and can be made to break apart when eaten. Here, shape retention means the property of being able to maintain its shape until the molded rice is eaten.

[0033] The starch-lipid complex used in this embodiment is as described in "1. Molded rice improver and method for producing the molded rice improver" above.

[0034] Since improved ease of preparation is desired when eating, it is preferable that the cooked rice is a cooked rice product obtained in a cooking step after the cooking step.

[0035] In the rice cooking step, the amount of starch-lipid complex added is preferably 0.01 parts by mass or more and 5 parts by mass or less, more preferably 0.02 parts by mass or more and 3 parts by mass or less, even more preferably 0.03 parts by mass or more and 2 parts by mass or less, even more preferably 0.05 parts by mass or more and 1.2 parts by mass or less, especially preferably 0.08 parts by mass or more and 0.7 parts by mass or less, and particularly preferably 0.1 parts by mass or more and 0.5 parts by mass or less. By setting the amount within the above range, it is possible to produce molded rice with good moldability and shape retention, and excellent looseness when eaten.

[0036] (Method for manufacturing molded rice 2) Another embodiment of the present invention is a method for producing molded rice, comprising the steps of: cooking grains; adding 0.1 to 5 parts by mass of a starch-lipid complex, which is obtained by heat-treating one or more potato starches selected from the group consisting of raw potato starch and modified starch of the raw potato starch, and a glycerin fatty acid ester, under pressure conditions of 0 MPa to less than 100 MPa, to 100 parts by mass of the cooked rice obtained in the cooking step, and mixing; and molding the mixed cooked rice obtained in the mixing step. The molded rice produced in this way has excellent moldability and improved ease of breaking apart when eaten.

[0037] The starch-lipid complex used in this embodiment is as described in "1. Method for manufacturing molded rice and molded rice".

[0038] Since improved ease of preparation is desired when eating, it is preferable that the cooked rice is a cooked rice product obtained in a cooking step after the cooking step.

[0039] It is preferable that the mixing step is performed at one or more timings selected from the group consisting of before the cooking step, during the cooking step, and after the cooking step. From the viewpoint of workability, it is more preferable that the mixing step is performed at least during the cooking step, and even more preferable that it is performed during the cooking step. By mixing in the above step, it is possible to make molded rice that has good moldability and excellent ability to break apart when eaten.

[0040] In the mixing step, the amount of starch-lipid complex added is preferably 0.005 parts by mass or more and 5 parts by mass or less, more preferably 0.008 parts by mass or more and 3 parts by mass or less, even more preferably 0.01 parts by mass or more and 2 parts by mass or less, even more preferably 0.05 parts by mass or more and 1 part by mass or less, especially preferably 0.1 parts by mass or more and 0.8 parts by mass or less, and particularly preferably 0.2 parts by mass or more and 0.6 parts by mass or less.

[0041] 3. Method for improving the ability of molded rice to break apart One embodiment of the present invention is a method for improving the looseness of molded rice. The phrase "improving the looseness of molded rice" means making it easier for the cooked grains to separate individually in the mouth when the molded rice is eaten. Such molded rice can be realized by the method described in "2. Molded Rice and Method for Manufacturing Molded Rice" above. [Examples]

[0042] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited in any way to these examples.

[0043] The following materials were used during implementation.

[0044] (1) Potato starch Raw potato starch: Gelcol BP-200, manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd. Modified potato starch: Gelcol KPS-200 (Phosphate-crosslinked potato starch), manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd.

[0045] (2) Glycerin fatty acid ester Polyglycerin fatty acid ester 1: Grindsted PGE55-M (HLB: approx. 7, average degree of polymerization of polyglycerin: 3 or less, constituent fatty acids: stearic acid, a few percent palmitic acid), manufactured by DuPont Specialty Products.

[0046] (3) Edible fats and oils Rapeseed oil: AJINOMOTO Smooth Canola Oil, manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd.

[0047] [1] Preparation of molded rice improvement material 1 (Comparative examples 1 and 2) 1. To 30g of potato starch, water was added in an amount equivalent to 6% by mass on a dry weight basis. After adding another 30g of water, the mixture was stirred to prepare a slurry. 2. The slurry from step 1 above was heated and boiled until 30g of water evaporated to obtain a paste. 3. The adhesive solution from step 2 above was applied to a hot plate heated to 200°C and heated until it formed a film. 4. The film described in step 3 above was peeled off with a spatula and collected, then placed in a constant temperature bath set to 40°C for 24 hours to dry. 5. The dried film described in 4. above was crushed using a tabletop pulverizer, and the fraction below the sieve, which was passed through a sieve with a mesh size of 0.25 mm according to JIS-Z8801-1 standards, was collected to obtain a molded rice improvement material. Note that the above procedures 1-5 were performed under atmospheric pressure (gauge pressure: 0 MPa).

[0048] [2] Preparation of molded rice improvement material 2 (Example 1) A raw material mixture consisting of 2 kg of raw potato starch and 15 g of polyglycerin fatty acid ester 1 was heat-treated using a twin-screw extruder (Kowa Kogyo Co., Ltd. "KEI-45-15") while adding water at a rate of 11.5% by mass (50 g / min) relative to the powder. The resulting heat-treated material was dried in a constant temperature bath set to 110°C for 30 minutes. The dried heat-treated material was pulverized using a benchtop pulverizer, and the fraction below the sieve, which was passed through a sieve with a mesh size of 0.25 mm according to JIS-Z8801-1 standards, was collected to obtain a molded rice improvement material. The conditions for the twin-screw extruder were as follows: barrel temperature 30°C to 170°C, outlet temperature 100°C to 170°C, maximum barrel pressure 5 MPa, and screw rotation speed 230 rpm.

[0049] Table 1 shows the composition and particle size distribution of the molded rice improvers obtained in Comparative Examples 1 and 2 and Example 1. Note that both the 0.25 mm and 0.075 mm sieves listed in Table 1 conform to the JIS-Z8801-1 standard.

[0050] [Table 1]

[0051] [3] Preparation and evaluation of molded rice (onigiri) (1) [3]-1 Preparation of rice Rice (cooked food) was obtained by cooking it according to the proportions shown in Table 2.

[0052] [Table 2]

[0053] [3]-2 Preparation of fried rice Using the rice prepared in [3]-1, fried rice was prepared according to the following procedure using the proportions shown in Table 3. 1. After coating a frying pan with rapeseed oil, I placed it on an induction cooktop (MR-Z30J, manufactured by Toshiba Lifestyle Corporation) and set the induction cooktop's heating intensity to maximum. 2. Once the frying pan reached 180°C, add the eggs and stir well with a wooden spatula to emulsify them with the rapeseed oil. 3. Add the rice 30 seconds after adding the egg, and mix with a wooden spatula, being careful not to crush the rice grains. In preparation example 1, the rice shaping improver was added after the rice was added. 4. Two minutes after adding the rice, add the salt and soy sauce and mix with a wooden spatula. 5. After adding salt and soy sauce, turn off the induction cooktop after 1 minute to make fried rice.

[0054] [Table 3]

[0055] [3]-3 Preparing rice balls [3]-2 The cooked rice was transferred to a bowl and allowed to cool at 25°C for 10 minutes, after which rice balls were prepared according to the following procedure. Rice balls prepared using the fried rice from the control example were designated as control example 1. 1. 80g of fried rice was placed into a rice ball mold (large rice ball mold, manufactured by Akebono Sangyo Co., Ltd.). 2. Place the lid of the rice ball mold on top and press down on it for 5 seconds to make a rice ball.

[0056] [3]-4 Evaluation of rice balls [3]-3 The rice balls prepared were wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in a refrigerator at 5°C for 24 hours. The stored rice balls were heated in a microwave oven (MRB-207, manufactured by Yamazen Corporation) at 1400W for 20 seconds and used for evaluation. The evaluation was performed on moldability, stringiness, and crumbling properties. The evaluation methods for each are shown below.

[0057] (Evaluation of moldability) Two expert panelists evaluated the rice balls based on the following criteria, assessing their manageability and ease of shaping. The average of the two panelists' evaluations was used as the evaluation value. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0058] (standard) 3: Very good 2: Good 1: Fairly good 0: Bad

[0059] (Evaluation of thread-pulling properties) Two expert panelists evaluated the stringiness observed when a rice ball was cut in half, using the following criteria. The average of the two evaluations was used as the evaluation value. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0060] (standard) 3: Not seen at all 2: Rarely seen 1: Slightly visible 0: Clearly visible

[0061] (Evaluation of looseness) Three expert panelists evaluated the degree to which rice balls crumbled in the mouth based on the following criteria. The average of the three evaluations was used as the evaluation value. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0062] (standard) 3: Very easy to loosen 2: Easy to loosen 1: Relatively easy to loosen 0: Difficult to loosen

[0063] [Table 4]

[0064] As shown in Table 4, Example 1-1, which used the molded rice improver of Example 1, exhibited excellent moldability, stringiness, and looseness. In particular, its looseness was superior to that of Control Example 1, which did not use the molded rice improver. Control Example 1, which did not use the molded rice improver, was very difficult to mold. When the molded rice improvers of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 were used, there was little to no improvement in moldability. Furthermore, stringiness and looseness were also inferior to that of Example 1.

[0065] [4] Preparation of molded rice improvement material 3 (Examples 2-5) In the preparation of molded rice improver 1 described above, the molded rice improver was prepared in the same manner as in preparation of molded rice improver 1, except that the amount of glycerin fatty acid ester shown in Table 5 was added to potato starch before adding water. The particle size distribution of the prepared molded rice improver is shown in Table 5.

[0066] [Table 5]

[0067] [5] Preparation and evaluation of molded rice (onigiri) (2)

[0068] [5]-1 Preparation of rice Rice was prepared using the same method as described in [3]-1 above.

[0069] [5]-2 Preparation of fried rice Fried rice was prepared using the same method as in [3]-2 above, except that the ingredients in Table 3 were changed to those in Table 6, and Preparation Example 1 was changed to Preparation Example 2.

[0070] [Table 6]

[0071] [5]-3 Preparation of rice balls The rice balls were prepared using the same method as described in [3]-3 above.

[0072] [5]-4 Evaluation of rice balls The rice balls were evaluated using the same method as described in [3]-4 above, except that the ease of breaking apart was assessed by two expert panelists. The results are shown in Table 7.

[0073] [Table 7]

[0074] As shown in Table 7, using the molded rice improvers of Examples 1-5 resulted in superior moldability and looseness compared to Control Example 1, which did not use any molded rice improvers. Furthermore, Examples 1-2, 3-2, and 5-2 were superior to Control Example 1 in terms of moldability, stringiness, and looseness, and in particular, Example 1-2, which used the molded rice improver of Example 1, was significantly superior to Control Example 1 in all three evaluations. When using the molded rice improvers of Comparative Examples 1 and 2, there was little improvement in moldability, and stringiness and looseness were inferior to Control Example 1.

[0075] [6] Preparation and evaluation of molded rice (onigiri) (3)

[0076] [6]-1 Preparation of rice Rice was prepared using the same method as described in [3]-1 above.

[0077] [6]-2 Preparation of fried rice Fried rice was prepared using the same method as in [3]-2 above, except that the ingredients in Table 3 were changed to those in Table 8, and Preparation Example 1 was changed to Preparation Examples 2-6, respectively.

[0078] [Table 8]

[0079] [6]-3 Preparing rice balls The rice balls were prepared using the same method as described in [3]-3 above.

[0080] [6]-4 Evaluation of Onigiri The rice balls were evaluated using the same method as described in [3]-4 above, except that the ease of breaking apart was evaluated by two expert panelists. The results are shown in Table 9.

[0081] [Table 9]

[0082] As shown in Table 9, Examples 1-3-2 to 1-3-6, which used 0.01 to 0.5 parts by mass of the molded rice improver of Example 1 per 100 parts by mass of cooked rice, all exhibited superior moldability, stringiness, and looseness compared to Control Example 1, which did not use the molded rice improver. In particular, Examples 1-3-2 and 1-3-3, which used 0.25 to 0.5 parts by mass of the molded rice improver of Example 1 per 100 parts by mass of cooked rice, showed remarkably superior performance.

[0083] [7] Preparation and evaluation of molded rice (onigiri) (4) [7]-1 Preparation of rice Rice was obtained by soaking it in water for 30 minutes according to the formulations shown in Table 10, and then cooking it. The rice used was "Directly Sourced Akita Komachi Wash-Free Rice" (manufactured by Preco Foods Co., Ltd.). In Examples 1-4-1 to 1-4-4, the rice and the molded rice improver were mixed beforehand before being soaked in water.

[0084] [Table 10]

[0085] [7]-2 Preparation of fried rice Using the rice prepared in [7]-1, fried rice was prepared using the same procedure as in [3]-2 above, with the proportions of the control example in Table 3.

[0086] [7]-3 Preparation of rice balls Using the fried rice prepared in [7]-2, rice balls were prepared using the same procedure as in [3]-3 above.

[0087] [7]-4 Evaluation of Onigiri The rice balls prepared in [7]-3 were wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at 20°C for 3 hours. After the wrap was removed, the rice balls were evaluated. A rice ball without the molded rice improver was used as control example 3. The evaluation items and criteria were the same as those in [3]-4 above, except that shape retention, as described below, was added. Each evaluation item was evaluated by two expert panelists. The results are shown in Table 11.

[0088] (Evaluation of shape retention) During the evaluation of how easily the rice ball breaks apart, two expert panelists assessed whether the rice ball could maintain its shape when picked up, using the following criteria. The average of the two panelists' assessments was used as the evaluation value.

[0089] (standard) 3: It retains its shape and can be picked up easily. 2: Some cracks may appear, but the shape will not be lost. 1: It will lose its shape if not handled carefully. 0: It has crumbled and is completely unusable.

[0090] [Table 11]

[0091] As shown in Table 11, fried rice balls formed using rice cooked with the moldable rice improver of Example 1 had superior stringiness, looseness, and shape retention compared to fried rice balls of Control Example 3, which did not have the moldable rice improver added. When 0.5 to 2 parts by mass of the moldable rice improver of Example 1 were added to 100 parts by mass of rice, the moldability was superior to that of Control Example 3 (Examples 1-4-1, 1-4-3, 1-4-4). Looseness was particularly excellent when 0.1 to 0.5 parts by mass of the moldable rice improver of Example 1 were added to 100 parts by mass of rice (Examples 1-4-1, 1-4-2).

[0092] [8] Preparation and evaluation of molded rice (onigiri) (5) [8]-1 Preparation of rice 300g of rice and 1.5g of molded rice improver were mixed, 440g of water was added, and the mixture was soaked for 30 minutes before being cooked to obtain cooked rice. The rice used was "Directly Sourced Akita Komachi Wash-Free Rice" (manufactured by Preco Foods Co., Ltd.). The molded rice improvers used were Comparative Examples 1-2 and Examples 1-5, respectively.

[0093] [8]-2 Preparation of fried rice Using the rice prepared in [8]-1, fried rice was prepared using the same procedure as in [3]-2 above, with the proportions of the control example in Table 3.

[0094] [8]-3 Preparation of rice balls Using the fried rice prepared in [8]-2, rice balls were prepared using the same procedure as in [3]-3 above.

[0095] [8]-4 Evaluation of Onigiri The rice balls prepared in [8]-3 were wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at 20°C for 3 hours. After the wrap was removed, the rice balls were evaluated. A rice ball without the molded rice improver was used as control example 3. The evaluation items and criteria were the same as those in [7]-4 above. Each evaluation item was evaluated by two expert panelists. The results are shown in Table 12.

[0096] [Table 12]

[0097] As shown in Table 12, using the molded rice improvers of Examples 1-5 resulted in superior moldability, looseness, and shape retention compared to Control Example 3, which did not use any molded rice improvers, with particularly remarkable improvement in looseness. Examples 1-5, which used the molded rice improver of Example 1, were superior to Control Example 3 in all four evaluations, with particularly superior looseness and shape retention. Regarding shape retention, Examples 4-5 and 5-5 were particularly excellent in addition to Examples 1-5. Regarding looseness, Example 5-5 was particularly excellent in addition to Examples 1-5. When using the molded rice improvers of Comparative Examples 1 and 2, there was little improvement in looseness and shape retention, and stringiness was inferior to Control Example 3.

[0098] [9] Preparation and evaluation of molded rice (rolled sushi) [9]-1 Preparation of rice 300g of rice was soaked in 400g of water for 30 minutes, and then cooked to obtain cooked rice. The rice used was "Directly Sourced Akita Komachi Wash-Free Rice" (manufactured by Preco Foods Co., Ltd.).

[0099] [9]-2 Preparation of vinegared rice Using the rice prepared in [9]-1, vinegared rice (cooked rice product) was prepared according to the proportions in Table 13 (Preparation Example 7, Preparation Example 8). Specifically, freshly cooked rice was transferred to a rice container, sushi vinegar (sushi vinegar blend, manufactured by Mizkan Co., Ltd.) was added, and in Preparation Example 8, a shaped rice improver was also added, and the rice was mixed with a rice paddle for 2 minutes to obtain vinegared rice.

[0100] [Table 13]

[0101] [9]-3 Preparation of rolled sushi The vinegared rice prepared in [9]-2 was placed in a rice container, covered with a damp cloth, and left at 20°C for 30 minutes before being used for the rolled sushi. The rolled sushi was prepared according to the following procedure. 1. Place a sheet of nori (roasted nori, manufactured by Kozen Honten Co., Ltd., shaped into a rectangle with a long side of 9.5 cm and a short side of 6.5 cm) on a bamboo rolling mat, then place 50g of vinegared rice on top of the nori and spread it so that it covers the entire surface of the nori. 2. Spread the vinegared rice on the nori seaweed, and place 15g of minced tuna (minced tuna for negitoro, Preco Foods Co., Ltd.) on top of the rice, ensuring that the toppings are parallel to the shorter side of the nori. 3. Using a bamboo rolling mat, roll up the nori seaweed from step 2, which has the ingredients and vinegared rice on it, to make a sushi roll.

[0102] [9]-4 Evaluation of rolled sushi The rolled sushi prepared in [9]-3 was evaluated for its moldability and ease of breaking apart. The evaluation methods are as follows.

[0103] (Evaluation of moldability) Two expert panelists evaluated the ease of forming sushi rolls based on the following criteria. The average of the two evaluations was used as the evaluation value. The results are shown in Table 14.

[0104] (standard) 3: Very good 2: Good 1: Fairly good 0: Bad

[0105] (Evaluation of looseness) Two expert panelists evaluated the texture of the sushi rolls, noting how easily they crumbled in the mouth, based on the following criteria. The average of their evaluations was used as the final score. The results are shown in Table 14.

[0106] (standard) 3: Very easy to loosen 2: Easy to loosen 1: Relatively easy to loosen 0: Difficult to loosen

[0107] [Table 14]

[0108] As shown in Table 14, the rolled sushi of Examples 1-6, which used vinegared rice prepared with the molded rice improver of Example 1, had superior moldability and ease of breaking apart compared to the rolled sushi of Control Example 4, which did not use the molded rice improver.

Claims

1. A molded rice improver comprising a starch-lipid complex as an active ingredient, which is obtained by heat-treating one or more potato starches selected from the group consisting of raw potato starch and the modified starch of the raw potato starch, and a polyglycerol fatty acid ester under pressure conditions of 0 MPa to less than 100 MPa.

2. The molded rice improver according to claim 1, wherein the starch-lipid complex contains 0.1 parts by mass or more and 5 parts by mass or less of the polyglycerin fatty acid ester per 100 parts by mass of the potato starch.

3. The molded rice improver according to claim 1, wherein the molded rice is molded cooked rice.

4. The molded rice improver according to claim 1, wherein the starch-lipid complex is contained in an amount of 60% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less with respect to the entire molded rice improver.

5. The molded rice improving material according to claim 1, which is added to grains before cooking.

6. The molded rice improving material according to claim 1, which is added to cooked rice after cooking.

7. A molded rice containing the molded rice improver described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A step of preparing a mixture containing one or more potato starches selected from the group consisting of raw potato starch and modified starches of the raw potato starch, and a polyglycerol fatty acid ester, A step of heat-treating the mixture under pressure conditions of 0 MPa or more and less than 100 MPa, A method for producing a molded rice improver, including the following:

9. The manufacturing method according to claim 8, wherein the heat treatment is an extruder treatment.

10. A step of cooking rice by adding a starch-lipid complex to cereals, which is obtained by heat-treating one or more potato starches selected from the group consisting of raw potato starch and the modified starch of the raw potato starch, and polyglycerol fatty acid ester, under pressure conditions of 0 MPa to less than 100 MPa, A step of shaping the cooked rice obtained in the above step of cooking rice, A method for producing molded rice, including the method described above.

11. The manufacturing method according to claim 10, wherein the cooked rice is a cooked rice obtained in a step of cooking after the step of cooking rice.

12. The manufacturing method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein in the step of cooking rice, the amount of the starch-lipid complex added is 0.01 parts by mass or more and 5 parts by mass or less per 100 parts by mass of the grain.

13. The process of cooking grains, A step of adding 0.005 to 5 parts by mass of a starch-lipid complex, which is obtained by heat-treating one or more potato starches selected from the group consisting of raw potato starch and the modified starch of the raw potato starch, and a polyglycerol fatty acid ester under pressure conditions of 0 MPa to less than 100 MPa, to 100 parts by mass of cooked rice obtained in the above step of cooking rice, and mixing it, A step of forming the mixed cooked rice obtained in the above step of mixing, A method for producing molded rice, including the method described above.

14. The manufacturing method according to claim 13, wherein the cooked rice is a cooked rice obtained in a step of cooking after the step of cooking rice.

15. The manufacturing method according to claim 14, wherein the mixing step is performed at one or more timings selected from the group consisting of before the cooking step, during the cooking step, and after the cooking step.

16. A step of cooking rice by adding a starch-lipid complex to cereals, which is obtained by heat-treating one or more potato starches selected from the group consisting of raw potato starch and the modified starch of the raw potato starch, and polyglycerol fatty acid ester, under pressure conditions of 0 MPa to less than 100 MPa, The process involves shaping the cooked rice obtained in the above step of cooking rice to make shaped rice, A method for improving the looseness of molded rice, including [the specified ingredient].

17. The process of cooking grains, The process involves adding and mixing a starch-lipid complex, which is obtained by heat-treating one or more potato starches selected from the group consisting of raw potato starch and modified starch of the raw potato starch, and polyglycerol fatty acid ester, under pressure conditions of 0 MPa to less than 100 MPa, to the cooked rice obtained in the aforementioned cooking step. The process involves shaping the mixed cooked rice obtained in the above step of mixing to form shaped rice, A method for improving the looseness of molded rice, including [the specified ingredient].

Images