Candy for food coating, candy-coated food, and method for producing candy-coated food

Abstract

In a candy-coated food such as Daigaku-imo (fried and candy-coated sweet potato), the candy absorbs moisture in the food or air during storage after production and drips from the surface of the food, which sometimes damages the texture and appearance of the candy-coated food. The present invention addresses the problem of providing a candy for food coating capable of suppressing candy-dripping of a candy-coated food even under high humidity environment, a candy-coated food in which candy-dripping is suppressed, and a method for producing a candy-coated food in which candy-dripping is suppressed. A candy for food coating that contains a starch syrup, said starch syrup containing a linear reduced starch syrup, and satisfies the following (a) and / or (b).　(a) The total content of disaccharide(s) and trisaccharide(s) relative to the total starch syrup is 25 wt% or more, and / or the total content of pentasaccharide(s) and higher relative to the total starch syrup is 70 wt% or less. (b) The hardness test force of the candy at 25°C is 90 N or more.

Description

Candy for food coating, candy-coated food, and method for manufacturing candy-coated food

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for suppressing candy dripping from candy-coated foods.

[0002] Foods such as sweet potatoes coated with candy, for example, candy-coated foods such as candied sweet potatoes, are popular with many people for the distinctive texture and appearance of the candy on the surface. The candy on the surface of such candy-coated foods has a moderate viscosity and adheres to the food immediately after production, but during storage after production, frozen storage, storage after thawing, etc., the candy absorbs moisture from the coated food or absorbs moisture from the air, causing the candy to drip and melt off the food, resulting in a loss of texture and appearance and a loss of commercial value.

[0003] In order to prevent such candy dripping, various proposals have been made from the viewpoint of preventing the moisture of the coated food from transferring to the candy. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses candy made from candy coated with syrup containing agar. Patent Document 2 discloses a candy containing granulated sugar, maltose, and trehalose. Patent Document 3 discloses a candy containing agar.

[0004] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 57-86589 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-224958 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-007387

[0005] However, the candy-coated foods of these prior art technologies did not necessarily sufficiently suppress candy dripping. The inventors discovered that in kitchens where candy-coated foods are placed, high-humidity environments are often created, such as when cooking is performed simultaneously, and that it is difficult to individually place candy-coated foods in a low-humidity environment, making candy dripping particularly likely to occur in such high-humidity environments. The objective of the present invention is to provide a food-coating candy that can suppress candy dripping of candy-coated foods even in high-humidity environments, a candy-coated food with suppressed candy dripping, and a method for producing a candy-coated food with suppressed candy dripping.

[0006] In their intensive research to solve the above-mentioned problems, the inventors focused on the surface hardness of candy and tested candy with various compositions. They found that candy made using a starch syrup containing linear reduced starch syrup and rich in disaccharides and trisaccharides exhibited excellent drip suppression. When the surface hardness of such candy was measured immediately after production, it was found to have a higher hardness index than conventional candy. Until now, there has been no demand for hardening candy coatings for food products, and there was no knowledge that a hard candy surface would contribute to drip suppression. Furthermore, even if a person skilled in the art focused on hardening candy, conventional common knowledge would dictate an attempt to increase viscosity, which would normally lead to the use of high-molecular-weight sugars. In this context, the present invention unexpectedly achieved excellent drip suppression by using a starch syrup rich in short sugars and linear reduced starch syrup.

[0007] The present invention is as follows. [1] A candy for food coating containing starch syrup, wherein the starch syrup includes linear reduced starch syrup and satisfies the following (a) and / or (b): (a) The total content of disaccharides and trisaccharides relative to the total starch syrup is 25% by weight or more, and / or the total content of pentasaccharides or more relative to the total starch syrup is 70% by weight or less; (b) The hardness test force of the candy at 25°C is 90 N or more; [2] The candy according to [1], wherein the content of linear reduced starch syrup is 20% by weight or more relative to the total starch syrup; [3] The candy according to [1] or [2], wherein the content of linear reduced starch syrup is 10% by weight or more relative to the total candy (excluding water); [4] The candy according to any of [1] to [3], wherein the content of monosaccharides relative to the total starch syrup is 15% by weight or less; [5] The candy according to any of [1] to [4], wherein the content of tetrasaccharides relative to the total starch syrup is 1.0% by weight or less. [6] The candy according to any one of [1] to [5], further comprising monosaccharides and / or oligosaccharides other than the starch syrup at 10 to 70% by weight of the entire candy (excluding water). [7] The candy according to [6], wherein the oligosaccharide comprises trehalose, and the trehalose content is 1.0 to 30% by weight of the entire candy (excluding water). [8] The candy according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein the moisture content adjusted during production is 5.0% by weight or less of the entire candy. [9] The candy according to any one of [1] to [8], further comprising a gelling agent.

[10] The candy according to [9], wherein the content of the gelling agent is 0.01% by weight or more and 10% by weight or less of the entire candy (excluding water).

[11] The candy according to [9] or

[10] , wherein the gelling agent is one or more selected from the group consisting of agar, gellan gum, and gelatin.

[12] A candy-coated food having a coating made of the candy described in any one of [1] to

[11] on its surface.

[13] The candy-coated food according to

[12] , wherein the food to be coated with the candy is a deep-fried potato.

[14] The candy-coated food according to

[12] or

[13] , wherein the candy-coated food is a frozen food.

[15] A method for producing the candy described in any one of [1] to

[11] , comprising a step of melting raw materials at 150°C or less.

[16] A method for producing a candy-coated food, comprising a coating step of coating a food with the candy described in any one of [1] to

[11] , and a storage step of maintaining the candy-coated food obtained in the previous step at an internal temperature of the food of -20°C or higher and 30°C or lower.

[17] The method of manufacturing according to

[16] , further comprising a freezing step of freezing the candy-coated food obtained in the coating step before the preserving step.

[18] The method of manufacturing according to

[16] or

[17] , wherein the food is a fried potato.

[0008] According to the present invention, there are provided candy for food coating that can suppress candy dripping of candy-coated foods even in a high-humidity environment, candy-coated foods with suppressed candy dripping, and a method for producing candy-coated foods with suppressed candy dripping.The candy of the present invention suppresses candy dripping when coated on various foods, including candy sweet potato.

[0009] The candy of the present invention is a candy for food coating containing starch syrup, wherein the starch syrup includes linear reduced starch syrup and satisfies the following (a), (b), or both (a) and (b): (a) the total content of disaccharides and trisaccharides relative to the entire starch syrup is 25% by weight or more, and / or the total content of sugars with five or more sugars relative to the entire starch syrup is 70% by weight or less, (b) the hardness test force of the candy at 25°C is 90 N or more Here, the candy is obtained by heating and mixing starch syrup and, if necessary, other sugars, water, and other ingredients, and then boiling it down.

[0010] The hardness test force of a candy can be, for example, the maximum load measured using a RHEONER II CREEPMETER RE2-3305S (Yamaden Co., Ltd.). Preferred measurement conditions include a load cell of 200 N, a plunger with a φ3 mm ball, and a sample entry speed of 1.0 mm / sec, with measurements being performed on a 2 mm thick candy. The temperature during measurement is preferably 25°C. Preferably, the candy is stored in a degassed container until measurement to prevent it from being affected by moisture in the air. Preferably, measurements are performed within one hour after the candy is manufactured. The hardness test force for the candy of the present invention is typically measured on the candy surface, and is 90 N or more at 25°C, preferably 100 N or more, and more preferably 110 N or more. Such a hard surface makes the candy less susceptible to moisture absorption, making it easier to suppress sagging. Furthermore, it is easier to create a moderate chewiness and a crispy texture when eaten.

[0011] Reduced starch syrup is produced by adding hydrogen to starch syrup obtained by hydrolyzing starch with acid or enzymes to reduce the glucose terminals of the sugars in the starch syrup. Typically, the sugars in starch syrup include monosaccharides and oligosaccharides, and trisaccharide or higher oligosaccharides include both linear and branched chains. In this specification, linear-chain reduced starch syrup refers to reduced starch syrup containing linear oligosaccharides at 20% by weight or more of the total solid content of the starch syrup. However, the inclusion of branched-chain oligosaccharides in linear-chain reduced starch syrup is not excluded. Furthermore, in this specification, branched-chain reduced starch syrup refers to reduced starch syrup containing branched-chain oligosaccharides at 50% by weight or more of the total solid content of the starch syrup. However, the inclusion of linear oligosaccharides in branched-chain reduced starch syrup is not excluded.

[0012] The candy of the present invention essentially contains straight-chain reduced starch syrup, but may also contain branched-chain reduced starch syrup or non-reduced starch syrup. The content of straight-chain reduced starch syrup in the candy of the present invention is preferably 20% by weight or more of the total starch syrup, more preferably 25% by weight or more, even more preferably 30% by weight or more, even more preferably 35% by weight or more, still more preferably 40% by weight or more, even more preferably 45% by weight or more, and most preferably 50% by weight or more. Furthermore, the content of straight-chain reduced starch syrup in the candy of the present invention is preferably 10% by weight or more of the total candy (excluding water), more preferably 15% by weight or more, and even more preferably 20% by weight or more. Note that non-reduced starch syrup refers to starch syrup obtained by hydrolyzing starch with acid or enzyme, which has not been subjected to reduction treatment by hydrogenation.

[0013] The candy of the present invention contains more short sugars, such as disaccharides and trisaccharides, than other oligosaccharides or monosaccharides. The oligosaccharides are preferably derived from those contained in linear reduced starch syrup, but may also be derived from those contained in branched reduced starch syrup or non-reduced starch syrup. The total content of disaccharides and trisaccharides relative to the total starch syrup (solid content) contained in the candy of the present invention is 25% by weight or more, preferably 30% by weight or more, more preferably 35% by weight or more, even more preferably 40% by weight or more, even more preferably 45% by weight or more, and most preferably 50% by weight or more. The total content of disaccharides and trisaccharides relative to the total starch syrup (solid content) contained in the candy of the present invention is usually 95% by weight or less, preferably 90% by weight or less, more preferably 85% by weight or less, and even more preferably 80% by weight or less. The upper and lower limits of the total content of disaccharides and trisaccharides relative to the total starch syrup (solid content) contained in the candy of the present invention can be arbitrarily combined within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0014] The total content of oligosaccharides with a length of five or more sugars relative to the total solid content of the starch syrup contained in the candy of the present invention is 70% by weight or less, preferably 60% by weight or less, more preferably 50% by weight or less, and even more preferably 45% by weight or less. The lower limit may be 0% by weight, and is usually 5.0% by weight or more. The content of monosaccharides relative to the total (solid) content of the starch syrup contained in the candy of the present invention is preferably 15% by weight or less, more preferably 10% by weight or less, even more preferably 5.0% by weight or less, and even more preferably 2.0% by weight or less. The lower limit may be 0% by weight, and is usually 0.5% by weight or more. The content of tetrasaccharides relative to the total (solid) content of the starch syrup contained in the candy of the present invention is preferably 1.0% by weight or less, more preferably 0.5% by weight or less, and even more preferably 0.3% by weight or less. The lower limit may be 0% by weight, and is usually 0.00001% by weight or more.

[0015] The candy of the present invention may further contain monosaccharides and / or oligosaccharides other than the starch syrup. Examples of monosaccharides include glucose, erythritol, sorbitol, fructose, etc. Examples of oligosaccharides include disaccharides such as sucrose, maltose, and trehalose, trisaccharides such as maltotriose, kestose, and raffinose, and oligosaccharides of tetrasaccharide or longer lengths. One or more of these can be used. Among these, trehalose is more preferred. Examples of sucrose include granulated sugar, sugar, and granulated sugar. The content of monosaccharides and / or oligosaccharides other than the starch syrup in the candy of the present invention is preferably 10% by weight or more, more preferably 20% by weight or more, even more preferably 30% by weight or more, even more preferably 40% by weight or more, and preferably 70% by weight or less, more preferably 65% ​​by weight or less, even more preferably 60% by weight or less, and even more preferably 55% by weight or less of the total candy (excluding water). When trehalose is contained as another oligosaccharide, its content is preferably 1.0% by weight or more, more preferably 5.0% by weight or more, even more preferably 10% by weight or more, and preferably 30% by weight or less, more preferably 20% by weight or less, and even more preferably 15% by weight or less of the total candy (excluding water). Note that any combination of these upper and lower limits is acceptable.

[0016] From the viewpoint of preventing candy dripping, it is preferable that the candy of the present invention does not contain much moisture during production. Specifically, the moisture content adjusted during production is preferably 5.0% by weight or less of the total candy, more preferably 3.0% by weight or less, and even more preferably 1.0% by weight or less. The moisture content during production can be adjusted using known methods, for example, by taking a portion of the candy during heating and measuring the moisture content so as not to include moisture from the air. The moisture content can be measured using known methods, for example, by placing the candy in an oven and checking the change in weight. The moisture content of the candy adjusted during production can be measured using known methods. Examples of measurement methods include the reduced pressure heating / drying aid method, the atmospheric pressure heating / drying aid method, and the atmospheric pressure heating / direct method. These methods may be used alone or in combination.

[0017] The candy of the present invention may further contain a gelling agent. The use of a gelling agent can further prevent the candy from dripping. It can also provide a better texture when eaten. Examples of gelling agents include agar, gellan gum, gelatin, guar gum, locust bean gum, tara gum, fenugreek gum, tamarind gum, carrageenan, pectin, starch, etc., and these can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Of these, agar, gellan gum, and gelatin are more preferred, and agar is particularly preferred. Examples of agar include those prepared from agar, Gracilaria, Obakusa, etc.

[0018] The gelling agent used in this specification is preferably one that remains dissolved when the moisture content of the candy is 5% by weight or less after being mixed with the candy ingredients and heated to dissolve. A dissolved state of the gelling agent means that the candy is free of lumps at 85°C to 150°C and / or has a transparent appearance. When the moisture content of the candy containing the gelling agent is 5% by weight or less, the candy is visually inspected at 85°C to 150°C, and if either the free of lumps or the transparent appearance of the candy is met, the gelling agent can be determined to be dissolved.

[0019] The weight-average molecular weight of the gelling agent is usually 300,000 or less, preferably 250,000 or less, more preferably 200,000 or less, and even more preferably 150,000 or less, and usually 10,000 or more, preferably 20,000 or more, more preferably 30,000 or more, and even more preferably 50,000 or more. Any combination of these upper and lower limits is acceptable. The weight-average molecular weight of the gelling agent is usually 10,000 or more and 300,000 or less, preferably 20,000 or more and 250,000 or less, more preferably 30,000 or more and 200,000 or less, and even more preferably 50,000 or more and 150,000 or less. The weight-average molecular weight of the gelling agent is a value measured according to the GPC method using HPLC. Specifically, 0.3 g of the gelling agent is dissolved in 200 mL of distilled water (110° C., 5 minutes), and the gelling agent is measured using a column (TOSOH TSK-GEL for HPLC, TSK-GELGMPWXL).

[0020] The 1.5 wt % jelly strength of the agar used in the present invention is measured by the Nikkansui method, that is, by preparing a 1.5 wt % solution of agar, leaving it to solidify at 20°C for 15 hours, and measuring the surface strength of the gel at 1 cm ２ The jelly strength is measured by the maximum load (g) that can be withstood for 20 seconds per unit area, and is usually 500 g / cm ２ Preferably 300 g / cm or less ２ or less, more preferably 50 g / cm ２ and is usually 1 g / cm ２ or more, preferably 5 g / cm ２ More preferably, 10 g / cm ２ These upper and lower limits may be in any combination. The 1.5 wt % jelly strength of agar is usually 1 g / cm ２ More than 500g / cm ２ Preferably 5 g / cm or less ２ More than 300g / cm ２ or less, more preferably 10 g / cm ２ More than 50g / cm ２ Within the above range, the amount of candy dripping can be further reduced. However, in the Nissui method, ２ Since it is not possible to measure jelly strengths below this level, in practice, the proportional relationship between jelly strength and agar concentration is utilized, and for example, the jelly strength of an agar concentration of 1.5 wt % is taken to be one-tenth of the measured value of the jelly strength of an agar concentration of 15.0 wt %.

[0021] When the candy of the present invention contains a gelling agent, its content is preferably 0.01% by weight or more, more preferably 0.1% by weight or more, even more preferably 0.3% by weight or more, and preferably 10% by weight or less, more preferably 5% by weight or less, and even more preferably 1% by weight or less, based on the total weight of the candy (excluding water). Any combination of these upper and lower limits is acceptable. The content of the gelling agent relative to the total weight of the candy is usually 0.01% by weight or more and 10% by weight or less, preferably 0.1% by weight or more and 5% by weight or less, and more preferably 0.3% by weight or more and 1% by weight or less.

[0022] The candy of the present invention may contain other optional ingredients as long as they do not interfere with the desired effect. Optional ingredients include flavorings, oils and fats, emulsifiers, and proteins. Flavorings, oils and fats, and emulsifiers that are commonly used in foods can be used. Examples of proteins include collagen, casein, and whey. These may be used in appropriate combinations.

[0023] The candy of the present invention can be produced by a conventional method. For example, it can be produced by mixing the raw materials, melting them, and heating them. In a preferred embodiment, the temperature when melting the raw materials is 150°C or less.

[0024] The candy of the present invention, when coated on food, is less likely to produce candy drips, i.e., it exhibits the effect of suppressing candy drips. In this specification, candy drips refer to the candy on the surface of a candy-coated food that drips down from the surface of the food. When food is stored in a container without holes, the candy remaining in the container when the food is lifted is also considered candy drips. In the latter example, after the food is placed on a net placed above a tray and stored, the candy that remains on the tray is considered candy drips.

[0025] The cause of candy dripping is thought to be that the candy absorbs moisture from the coated food or moisture in the air during storage after production, frozen storage, or storage after thawing, increasing the moisture content of the candy and decreasing the viscosity of the candy. The transfer of moisture from the coated food to the candy is thought to be affected by osmotic pressure, and the decrease in viscosity of the candy is thought to be affected by the moisture content of the candy, temperature, and / or humidity. In the present invention, by using a starch syrup of a specified composition or by ensuring that the hardness of the candy is above a certain level, it is thought that the transfer of moisture to the candy is suppressed and the candy is prevented from running off the surface of the food.

[0026] The amount of candy run can be determined by measuring the amount (weight or volume) of candy run that occurs when a candy-coated food is stored in an environment between -20°C and 30°C and a humidity between 50% and 100%. The candy run rate is the percentage of the amount of candy run that occurs when the food is stored in an environment between -20°C and 30°C and a humidity between 50% and 100% relative to the amount of candy (excluding moisture) that coats the food during production. When the candy run rate is 5% by weight or less, preferably 3% by weight or less, and more preferably 1% by weight or less, after a 6-hour storage period, candy run can be determined to be suppressed. When the candy run rate is 12% by weight or less, preferably 10% by weight or less, and more preferably 8% by weight or less, after a 24-hour storage period, candy run can be determined to be suppressed. When the candy run rate is 15% by weight or less, preferably 12% by weight or less, and more preferably 10% by weight or less, after a 48-hour storage period, candy run can be determined to be suppressed. The candy of the present invention is particularly resistant to dripping under high humidity conditions, particularly in environments where the average humidity is 85% or more, and even 90% or more during storage.

[0027] The candy of the present invention can be suitably used to coat the surface of food. That is, a candy-coated food product is provided, which has a coating made of the candy of the present invention on its surface.

[0028] The type of food is not particularly limited, but examples include foods that contain a lot of starch, such as potatoes and chestnuts. Examples of potatoes include sweet potatoes, taro, potatoes, and yams. The food is preferably sweet potato, which is the ingredient for candy-coated daifukuimo (sweet potato) and Chinese potatoes.

[0029] It is preferable that the food is cooked before being coated with the candy. The cooking method is not particularly limited, but examples include steaming, baking, and deep-frying, with deep-frying being more preferable. Note that deep-frying means deep-frying in oil.

[0030] Candy-coated foods have a candy coating. Here, the coverage rate of the candy coating relative to the surface area of ​​the food is usually 90% or more, preferably 95% or more. There is no particular upper limit to the coverage rate of the candy coating relative to the surface area of ​​the food, but it is usually 100% or less. The coverage rate of the candy coating relative to the surface area of ​​the food can also be an indicator for determining whether candy dripping is suppressed. Furthermore, there is no particular limit to the thickness of the candy in candy-coated foods, but it is usually about 0.1 to 5 mm.

[0031] The distribution form of the candy-coated food is not particularly limited, but it is preferably a frozen food or a chilled food. The temperature of a frozen food is usually -25°C or higher, preferably -20°C or higher, and usually -5°C or lower, preferably -10°C or lower. Any combination of these upper and lower limits may be used. The temperature of a frozen food is usually -25°C or higher and -5°C or lower, preferably -20°C or higher and -10°C or lower. The temperature of a chilled food is usually -5°C or higher and 5°C or lower. A room temperature food is usually 5°C or higher, preferably 10°C or higher, and usually 30°C or lower, preferably 25°C or lower. Any combination of these upper and lower limits may be used. The temperature of a room temperature food is usually 5°C or higher and 30°C or lower, preferably 10°C or higher and 30°C or lower, more preferably 10°C or higher and 25°C or lower.

[0032] Such candy-coated foods can be produced by a method including a coating step in which a food is coated with the candy of the present invention, and a preservation step in which the candy-coated food obtained in the previous step is maintained at an internal temperature of the food of between -20° C. and 30° C. Preferably, such a production method further includes a freezing step in which the candy-coated food obtained in the coating step is frozen prior to the preservation step.

[0033] In the coating process, the food and candy are mixed together to coat the food with the candy. The weight ratio of the mixed food to the candy (food / candy) is usually 2 or more, preferably 3 or more, and usually 10 or less, preferably 8 or less.

[0034] In the preservation step, the candy-coated food is preserved in a state where the internal temperature of the food is between -20°C and 30°C. The preservation time is not particularly limited. The internal temperature of the food can be measured using a known method, for example, by piercing the food with a thermometer having a measuring part that is sharp enough to be pierced. For example, the thermometer that can be used is the "TX10" manufactured by Yokogawa Measurement Co., Ltd.

[0035] In the freezing process, the food product after being coated with the candy is typically kept at a temperature below -10°C, preferably below -20°C, and more preferably below -30°C. The freezing time is typically 30 minutes or more, preferably 1 hour or more, and more preferably 2 hours or more, and the food product is kept in the above temperature range. The internal temperature of the frozen food product is typically -25°C or more, preferably -20°C or more, and typically -5°C or less, preferably -10°C or less. Any combination of these upper and lower limits is acceptable. The temperature of the frozen food product is typically -25°C or more and -5°C or less, and preferably -20°C or more and -10°C or less.

[0036] If there is a freezing step, the food is considered to be thawed if the internal temperature of the food is 10°C or higher during the subsequent storage step.

[0037] The present invention will be described below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. Unless otherwise specified, units are by weight.

[0038] <1> Confirmation of sugar composition in starch syrup Commercially available starch syrup was measured by high performance liquid chromatography under the following conditions, and the sugar composition was confirmed by quantifying each sugar using pure sugars as the standard. Note that sugars that were not detected up to tetrasaccharides were considered to be pentasaccharides or more. Column: Shodex Asahipak NH2P-504E connected in series with NH2P-50G4A Column temperature: 35°C Mobile phase: Mixed solvent of acetonitrile:water = 75:25 (weight ratio) Detector: RID-10A Reference materials: Monosaccharides: Fructose (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries), glucose (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries), galactose (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries), sorbitol (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries) Disaccharides: Sucrose (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries), maltose (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries), lactose (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries), maltitol (Hayashibara) Trisaccharides: Raffinose (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries), maltotriose (Tokyo Kasei) Tetrasaccharides: Maltotetraose (Hayashibara) Each starch syrup and its sugar composition are shown in Table 1.

[0039]

[0040] <2> Preparation of candy and candy sweet potato Candy was prepared according to the following procedure. The raw materials used were as follows: Trehalose: Treha (Hayashibara Co., Ltd.) Granulated sugar: Granulated sugar (Nippon Beet Sugar Co., Ltd.) Agar: Ultra Agar AX-30 (Ina Food Industry Co., Ltd.) Starch syrup: Starch syrup A to H shown in Table 1

[0041] All candy ingredients with the composition shown in Table 2 were heated to 135°C and mixed to produce a raw candy. The additive liquid with the composition shown in Table 3 was also heated to 90°C and dissolved. The resulting raw candy and additive liquid were then mixed in a weight ratio of approximately 94:6 (raw candy:additive liquid), heated to 135°C, and the moisture content was adjusted to 1% by weight to obtain the candies of the Examples and Comparative Examples. It was confirmed that none of these candies had lumps when visually inspected at 135°C, and that they were transparent, and the gelling agent (agar) was dissolved. The values ​​for sugar in Table 2 indicate the proportion (by weight) of each sugar relative to the total amount of starch syrup used.

[0042]

[0043]

[0044] Next, chopped sweet potato with a moisture content of approximately 45 to 70% by weight was fried at 130°C for 8 minutes. The fried sweet potato was mixed with the candy in a weight ratio of 22:78 candy:sweet potato, and the surface of the sweet potato was coated with the candy. This was then flash-frozen at -30°C to obtain frozen daigakuimo.

[0045] <3> Evaluation of the effect of suppressing candy dripping The obtained candy sweet potatoes were removed from the freezer, a net was placed on a tray, and the frozen candy sweet potatoes were placed on the net. Then, they were placed in a room with air conditioning set to 19 ° C and allowed to thaw naturally. After 6 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours, the weight of the candy (candy dripping) dripping onto the tray was measured, and the candy dripping rate was calculated based on the following formula. The average humidity in the room at the time of evaluation of the candy dripping was 86.9%.

[0046]

[0047] The results for the candy drip rate (%) are shown in Table 4. In the candies of Examples 1 to 6, in which the starch syrup used contained linear reduced starch syrup and the total content of disaccharides and trisaccharides relative to the total starch syrup was 25% by weight or more, it was confirmed that candy drip was suppressed even in a high humidity environment with an average humidity of 86.9%. Examples 4, 5, and 6 contain non-reduced starch syrup as well as linear reduced starch syrup, but the total content of disaccharides and trisaccharides satisfied the above amount, and the candy drip suppression effect was obtained. In Comparative Examples 1, 3, and 5, which did not contain linear reduced starch syrup, even though the total content of disaccharides and trisaccharides satisfied the above amount, candy drip was not sufficiently suppressed.

[0048]

[0049] <4> Evaluation of Candy Hardness Next, the surface hardness of the candies of Examples 1, 4-6, and Comparative Example 1 was measured immediately after production. Each candy was prepared to a thickness of 2 mm and stored in a degassed container until measurement to prevent the influence of moisture in the air. All measurements were performed within one hour of production. Candy hardness was measured using a RHEONER II CREEPMETER RE2-3305S (Yamaden Co., Ltd.). The measurement conditions were a load cell of 200 N, a plunger with a φ3 mm ball, and a sample penetration speed of 1.0 mm / sec. The maximum load (N: Newtons) was measured at a temperature of 25°C. The results are shown in Table 5. It was confirmed that the surface of the candy of Example 1, which used linear reduced starch syrup, had harder physical properties compared to the candy of Comparative Example 1, which used enzyme-saccharified starch syrup. In addition, the candies of Examples 4 to 6, which combined linear reduced starch syrup and enzyme-saccharified starch syrup and had a predetermined total content of disaccharides and trisaccharides, were also confirmed to have hard physical properties, and it was confirmed that the hardness could be adjusted by the blending ratio of linear reduced starch syrup and enzyme-saccharified starch syrup.

[0050]

[0051] <5> Evaluation of Various Candy-Coated Foods The candy of Example 1 was prepared in the same manner as in <1>. Next, chopped sweet potato was fried at 130°C for 8 minutes. The candy and fried sweet potato were mixed in a weight ratio of 22:78 candy:sweet potato, and the surface of the sweet potato was coated with the candy of Example 1. In addition, 78 parts by weight of raw apples with skin, cookies (Moonlight, manufactured by Morinaga & Co.), and mini salami (Otsumami Dry, manufactured by Ito Ham) were mixed with 22 parts of the candy of Example 1 to prepare candy-coated foods. These candy-coated foods were flash-frozen at -30°C, then placed in an air-conditioned room set to 19°C and allowed to thaw naturally. After 24 hours, the candy smear was evaluated. The candy smear was visually evaluated by an experienced evaluator using the following four-point scale: A: No candy smear at all. B: Some candy smearing had progressed, but the candy remained throughout the entire food shell. C: The candy has runny, but some of the candy remains on the outer skin of the food. D: The candy has runny completely, and no candy remains on the outer skin of the food. The results are shown in Table 6. It was confirmed that the candy runny was suppressed for all foods by using the candy of Example 1 as a coating. The average humidity in the room at the time of the candy runny evaluation was 92.7%.

[0052]

Claims

1. A candy for food coating containing starch syrup, wherein the starch syrup contains linear reduced starch syrup and satisfies the following (a) and / or (b): (a) The total content of disaccharides and trisaccharides relative to the total starch syrup is 25% by weight or more, and / or the total content of sugars of five or more sugars relative to the total starch syrup is 70% by weight or less. (b) The hardness test force of the candy at 25°C is 90N or more.

2. The candy according to claim 1, wherein the content of the linear reduced starch syrup is 20% by weight or more of the total starch syrup.

3. The candy according to claim 1, wherein the content of the linear reduced starch syrup is 10% by weight or more of the total candy (excluding water).

4. The candy according to claim 1, wherein the content of monosaccharides relative to the total amount of the starch syrup is 15% by weight or less.

5. The candy according to claim 1, wherein the content of the tetrasaccharide relative to the total amount of the starch syrup is 1.0% by weight or less.

6. The candy according to claim 1, further comprising 10 to 70% by weight of the whole candy (excluding water) of monosaccharides and / or oligosaccharides other than the starch syrup.

7. The candy according to claim 6, wherein the oligosaccharide contains trehalose, and the trehalose content is 1.0 to 30% by weight of the entire candy (excluding water).

8. The candy according to claim 1, wherein the moisture content adjusted during production is 5.0% by weight or less of the total candy.

9. The candy according to claim 1, further comprising a gelling agent.

10. The candy according to claim 9, wherein the content of the gelling agent is 0.01% by weight or more and 10% by weight or less of the total candy (excluding water).

11. The gelling agent is one or more selected from the group consisting of agar, gellan gum, and gelatin. The candy according to claim 9, wherein the number of the ingredients is two or more.

12. A candy-coated food having a coating made of the candy according to any one of claims 1 to 11 on its surface.

13. The candy-coated food according to claim 12, wherein the food to be coated with the candy is fried potatoes.

14. The candy-coated food product according to claim 12, wherein the candy-coated food product is a frozen food product.

15. The method for producing the candy according to any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising a step of melting the raw materials at 150 ° C or less.

16. A coating step of coating a food product with the candy according to any one of claims 1 to 11; and This method for producing candy-coated food includes a preservation step of maintaining the candy-coated food obtained in the previous step at an internal temperature of -20°C or higher and 30°C or lower.

17. The method for producing according to claim 16, further comprising a freezing step of freezing the candy-coated food obtained in the coating step before the storage step.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the food product is fried potatoes.