Retort-pouch molded food

Abstract

A retort-pouch molded food that contains barley and / or oat, an oligosaccharide, a gelling agent, an oil or fat, and water. The gelling agent may be one or more selected from glucomannan, psyllium and gellan gum. In the retort-pouch molded food, the barley and / or oat content may be 20-45 wt%, the oligosaccharide content may be 0.5-20 wt%, the gelling agent content may be 0.1-3 wt%, the oil or fat content may be 0.5-7 wt%, and the water content may be 50-75 wt%.

Description

Retort pouch food

[0001] The present invention relates to a retort-pouched food product made primarily from barley and / or oats. More specifically, the present invention relates to a retort-pouched food product made primarily from barley and / or oats, which is molded into a loaf that can be eaten as is at room temperature.

[0002] Barley and oats are richer in dietary fiber than white rice, and are widely used as health ingredients, either mixed with white rice or eaten as a substitute for white rice. Recently, retort pouch foods have been released on the market, in which barley and oats are retorted so that they can be eaten as is without heating. However, the starch in barley and oats ages over time, causing a deterioration in texture, making them insufficient for long-term storage.

[0003] Several retort pouch products using barley or oats have been proposed (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). However, none of them were designed for long-term storage and consumption as is, nor was there any mention of such products.

[0004] The present inventors have already developed a retort pouch-shaped food product containing glutinous barley and glucomannan (Patent Document 3). However, the texture changes after long-term storage of about 12 months from production, and the long-term storage stability was not sufficient.

[0005] Furthermore, techniques for preventing aging and improving the texture of cooked rice are known (for example, Patent Document 4). However, the anti-aging effect has only been confirmed when stored in a refrigerator for about 1 to 4 days, and the effect when stored at room temperature for a long period of about 12 months has been unknown.

[0006] JP 2002-128154 A JP 2022-086054 A JP 2022-072068 A Japanese Patent No. 5694811 A

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a retort pouch-shaped food product which is made from highly nutritious barley and / or oats and is shaped so that it can be eaten directly from the retort pouch as is, and which has excellent long-term storage properties.

[0008] As a result of intensive research to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors have surprisingly found that by adding oligosaccharides, a gelling agent, and fats to a retort pouch-formed food product obtained by retort heat-treating barley and / or oats, the texture of the barley and / or oats at the time of production can be maintained for a long period of time, thereby completing the present invention.

[0009] That is, the gist of the present invention relates to: (1) a retort-pouch-shaped food containing barley and / or oats, oligosaccharides, a gelling agent, fats and oils, and water; (2) the retort-pouch-shaped food according to (1) above, in which the gelling agent is one or more selected from glucomannan, psyllium, and gellan gum; (3) the retort-pouch-shaped food according to (1) or (2) above, in which the barley and / or oats content is 20 to 45% by weight, the oligosaccharide content is 0.5 to 20% by weight, the gelling agent content is 0.1 to 3% by weight, the fats and oils content is 0.5 to 7% by weight, and the water content is 50 to 75% by weight; and (4) the retort-pouch-shaped food according to any of (1) to (3) above, in which the oligosaccharides contain 50% by weight or more of trisaccharides.

[0010] The retort pouch-molded food of the present invention is a molded food that can be taken out of the retort pouch and eaten immediately without heating, and maintains a moderate softness and chewy texture even when stored in the retort pouch at room temperature for a long period of 12 months.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the retort pouch-shaped food product obtained in Example 1.

[0012] The retort pouch-shaped food product of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0013] The retort pouch-shaped food of the present invention refers to a retort pouch food defined in the "Retort Pouch Food Quality Labeling Standard (Notice of the Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan)" as "a container (limited to those that are airtight and light-blocking) made of plastic film, metal foil, or a combination of these in multiple layers, molded into a bag or other shape, filled with prepared food, sealed by thermal fusion, and sterilized by pressure and heat." In addition, in the present invention, the term "pouch" refers to the container, and the term "retort pouch" refers to a pouch that can be sterilized by pressure and heat.

[0014] The retort pouch-shaped food product of the present invention is a shaped product formed by retort processing, in which the food material placed in the retort pouch is sterilized under heat and pressure. In the present invention, the "shaped product" specifically refers to a mass of barley and / or oats bound together.

[0015] The retort-pouched food product of the present invention contains (a) barley and / or oats, (b) oligosaccharides, (c) a gelling agent, (d) fats and oils, and (e) water.

[0016] (a) Barley and / or Oats Barley refers to the seeds of the grass plant "barley" (scientific name: Hordeum vulgare). In the present invention, the seeds are used in a granular state. The seeds may be polished seeds from which the outer husks have been removed, or seeds with the outer husks still attached. There are no particular limitations on the type of barley used in the present invention, and examples include two-row barley, six-row barley, naked barley, and Barley Max (super barley). Waxy barley, "mochi mugi," can also be used. As for the barley variety, any variety available in Japan can be used. For example, examples of waxy barley include Daishimochi, Kirarimochi, Haneumamochi, Agrimochi, Waxy Fiber, White Fiber, Kusumochi Nijo, Yatomimochi, Murasakiwase Naked Barley, and Fukumi Fiber. Oats are a plant of the Poaceae family, Avena genus (scientific name: Avena sativa), also known as oats or wild oats. Any granular oats may be used, including, for example, "oat groats" (which are obtained by simply removing the husks), "steel-cut oats" (which are oat groats broken into small pieces), "rolled oats" (which are oat groats steamed, pressed, and dried), "quick oats" (which are oat groats broken into small pieces), and "instant oats" (which are rolled oats heated and dried once). In the retort pouch-shaped food product of the present invention, the barley or oats may be used alone, or a mixture of barley and oats may be used. Furthermore, the varieties of barley and oats may be used alone, or two or more varieties may be used in combination.

[0017] In the retort-pouch-molded food product of the present invention, the content of barley and / or oats is preferably 20 to 45% by weight, more preferably 20 to 40% by weight, in terms of solid weight, from the viewpoint of the physical properties of the resulting retort-pouch-molded food product in a lump state and from the viewpoint of texture.

[0018] (b) Oligosaccharides Oligosaccharides are oligomers in which 3 to 10 monosaccharides are linked by glycosidic bonds. Specific examples include maltooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, fructooligosaccharides, lactoferrin oligosaccharides, soybean oligosaccharides, xylooligosaccharides, and isomaltooligosaccharides. Among these, so-called trisaccharides to pentasaccharides in which 3 to 5 monosaccharides are linked are preferred, and trisaccharides are more preferred. Specific examples include maltotriose, isomaltotriose, raffinose, and panose. In the retort-pouched food product of the present invention, oligosaccharides are used to inhibit starch retrogradation during long-term storage of barley and / or oats, and to maintain an appropriate softness and chewy texture.

[0019] In the retort-pouched food product of the present invention, the content of oligosaccharides may be 0.5 to 20% by weight, preferably 0.5 to 15% by weight, and more preferably 1 to 10% by weight, based on the solid weight. Furthermore, when the oligosaccharides contain trisaccharides, the content of trisaccharides in the oligosaccharides is preferably 50% by weight or more.

[0020] (b) Gelling Agent Gelling agents are used to disperse barley and / or oats, prevent precipitation during the manufacturing process, and improve the texture and shape retention of the final product. If a thickener such as xanthan gum is used without using a gelling agent, the product will be more likely to lose its shape after retort sterilization and will not form a neat, uniform mass.

[0021] The gelling agent used in the present invention is not limited to gelling agents used as food additives, and may be any agent that gels an aqueous solution upon heating, such as agar, konjac flour (glucomannan), psyllium, pectin, gellan gum, carrageenan, and other polysaccharides, gelatin, and modified starch. Among these, polysaccharides such as glucomannan, psyllium, and gellan gum are preferred in view of manufacturing suitability. The gelling agent may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0022] In the retort-pouch-formed food product of the present invention, the content of the gelling agent is not particularly limited as long as it exhibits a moderate thickening effect that prevents the sedimentation of the barley and / or oats, and can solidify the contents of the retort-pouch-formed food product into a lump in the final product without impairing its texture; for example, it is preferably 0.1 to 3 wt %, and more preferably 0.3 to 2 wt %.

[0023] (c) Oils and Fats The retort pouch-shaped food product of the present invention has the advantage of improving manufacturability and facilitating peeling of the final product from the retort pouch when it contains oils and fats. The oils and fats are not particularly limited as long as they are suitable for food use, and examples include vegetable oils and fats such as rapeseed oil, animal oils and fats such as lard, processed oils and fats, and medium-chain fatty acid oils. Among these, the use of oils and fats that are liquid at room temperature is preferred in terms of the manufacturing process and the physical properties of the final product. Only one type of oil or fat may be used, or two or more types may be mixed together.

[0024] In the retort-pouched food product of the present invention, the content of the oil or fat is preferably 0.5 to 7% by weight.

[0025] (d) Water: The amount of water in the retort-pouch-shaped food product of the present invention is adjusted to achieve the desired texture. For example, the retort-pouch-shaped food product of the present invention exhibits a moderately soft and chewy texture by containing 50 to 75% by weight of water overall. The water content refers to the total amount of water, including not only the amount of water added but also the water derived from barley and / or oats and other optional ingredients. The water content can be determined by a calculation method based on the water content of each ingredient, a vacuum drying method, a Karl Fischer method, an infrared absorption method, or the like.

[0026] (e) Other Optional Components In addition to the components described in (a) to (d) above, the retort-pouch-formed food product of the present invention may contain optional components such as other grains, beans, nuts, seeds, potatoes, meat, seafood, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, plant- or animal-derived extracts, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, salt, spices, herbs, seasonings, acidulants, flavorings, colorings, and sweeteners. By appropriately selecting these optional components to adjust the physical properties and flavor, it is possible to impart a wide range of palatability to the retort-pouch-formed food product. The optional components may be used in amounts that do not adversely affect the palatability or physicochemical stability of the retort-pouch-formed food product, and there are no particular limitations on the amount of the optional components.

[0027] The retort pouch-shaped food product of the present invention is formed into a shaped product by being sealed in a pouch and pressurized and heated. The shaped product may be in a state in which the barley and / or oats are bound together to form a single mass as a whole. The shape of the shaped product is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a cube with four or more sides, a substantially sphere, a substantially oval sphere, a substantially cylinder, a substantially triangular pyramid, a substantially prismatic prism, a plate, a substantially prismatic prism, a rod, a substantially oval sphere, etc., depending on the internal shape of the pouch.

[0028] The retort pouch-shaped food product of the present invention is produced by mixing and dispersing barley and / or oats, oligosaccharides, a gelling agent, and fats and oils in water, filling the resulting viscous liquid raw material mixture into a pouch, and sterilizing it by retort heat.

[0029] The pouch used in the present invention may be a container made of a plastic film, a metal foil, or a combination of these in multiple layers, molded into a bag or other shape, such as a flat bag or a standing pouch.

[0030] The retort heat sterilization may be performed using a pressurized heat treatment method known in the production of retort foods, such as a method in which a pouch filled with the viscous liquid raw material mixture and sealed is placed in a pressurized heating oven and heated with steam or pressurized hot water at 100°C or higher. The heating temperature may be, for example, 110 to 130°C for 10 to 60 minutes. The barley and / or oats are then allowed to cool at room temperature, whereby they are bound together and solidified into a single mass.

[0031] The retort pouch-shaped food product obtained as described above is a highly portable and convenient food product that can be taken out of the retort pouch in the form of a single mass of bound barley and / or oats and eaten as is at room temperature, and that is highly nutritious and can maintain a moderately soft and chewy texture similar to that of rice for a long period of time, such as about 12 months.

[0032] The present invention will be specifically explained below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples in any way.

[0033] Example 1: Water was placed in a tank equipped with a stirring blade, and a mixture of a gelling agent and oil was added and dispersed in water to produce an emulsion. Next, barley (glutinous barley) and oligosaccharide syrup (trade name: Puretose L, 55% by weight trisaccharide (maltotriose) in the carbohydrates, Bx.75, manufactured by Gun-ei Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) were added to the emulsion and mixed at room temperature to produce a viscous liquid raw material mixture. 65 g of this viscous liquid raw material mixture was filled into a 100 mm x 130 mm flat pouch, sealed, and then pressurized and heated at 120°C for 30 minutes for retort sterilization to produce a retort pouch-shaped food product. As shown in Figure 1, the resulting retort pouch-shaped food product was removed from the pouch as a 11 mm-thick plate-like lump that could be eaten as is. The final composition ratio of each ingredient in the retort pouch-shaped food product was as shown in Table 1.

[0034] Examples 2 to 7 Retort pouch foods were obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the ingredients were used according to the formulations shown in Table 1.

[0035] (Comparative Examples 1 to 10) Retort pouch molded foods were produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that, as shown in Table 1, no oligosaccharides were added (Comparative Examples 1 and 2), other carbohydrates were added instead of oligosaccharides (Comparative Examples 3 and 4), a starch retrogradation inhibitor was added instead of oligosaccharides (Comparative Examples 5 to 9), and white rice was used instead of barley (Comparative Example 10).

[0036] [Test Example] Long-term storage test The retort pouch foods obtained in Examples 1 to 7 and Comparative Examples 1 to 10 were stored at room temperature for 12 months, and then subjected to a sensory evaluation according to the following evaluation items. The results are shown in Table 1. The sensory evaluation was performed by three panelists, and the results were determined by discussion.

[0037] ◯: A pleasant texture like chewy white rice. ×: Hard, crumbly and brittle, with an undesirable texture for rice.

[0038] As shown in Table 1, the retort-pouched foods obtained in Examples 1 to 7 maintained a moderate softness and chewy texture even after 12 months at room temperature from production. On the other hand, the retort-pouched foods obtained in Comparative Examples 1 to 10 had progressed in aging of the starch contained in the glutinous barley, oats, or polished rice after 12 months at room temperature from production, resulting in a crumbly and brittle texture.

[0039]

[0040] 1. Retort pouch molded food 2. Barley or oat grains 3. Retort pouch

Claims

Claim 1 A retort pouch-shaped food product in the form of a single mass, containing barley and / or oats, oligosaccharides, a gelling agent, fats and oils, and water. Claim 2 The retort pouch-shaped food product according to Claim 1, wherein the gelling agent is one or more selected from glucomannan, psyllium, and gellan gum. Claim 3 The retort pouch-shaped food product according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the content of barley and / or oats is 20 to 45% by weight, the content of oligosaccharides is 0.5 to 20% by weight, the content of the gelling agent is 0.1 to 3% by weight, the content of fats and oils is 0.5 to 7% by weight, and the content of water is 50 to 75% by weight. Claim 4 The retort pouch-shaped food product according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the content of trisaccharides in the oligosaccharides is 50% by weight or more. Claim 5 The retort pouch-shaped food product according to Claim 1 or 2, which can be eaten as it is at room temperature.