Method for producing granular rice flour product, granular rice flour product, method for producing granular food product, granular food product, and food composition

Abstract

Provided is a method for producing a granular rice flour product that has a superior flavor and texture, and is suitable for consumption by people who adhere to a plant-based diet, such as vegetarians and vegans, or who are allergic to certain foods such as wheat.　The method for producing a granular rice flour product comprises: a granulation step for granulating a mixture of a starting material rice flour and water to obtain granules; a heating step for heating the obtained granules until the starting material rice flour contained in the granules is gelatinized; and a drying step for drying the heated granules. The granulated rice flour product thus produced is gluten-free, and exhibits a chewy texture similar to that of couscous.

Description

Method for producing granular rice flour processed product and granular rice flour processed product, method for producing granular food processed product and granular food processed product, and food composition

[0001] (Citation of Related Applications) This application claims the benefit of and priority to Japanese Patent Applications (Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2022-212359 and 2022-212360), filed on December 28, 2022. Priority to the aforementioned patent applications is expressly claimed, and the entire disclosures of those applications are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

[0002] The present invention relates to a granulated rice flour product having excellent taste and texture, a granular food product having excellent taste and texture, and a food composition containing the granulated rice flour product and / or the granular food product.

[0003] In recent years, processed foods (noodles, bread, sweets, etc.) that use rice flour instead of wheat flour have been attracting attention in order to prevent food allergies caused by wheat flour and to increase rice consumption.

[0004] However, processed foods using rice flour are characterized by their chewy texture due to the action of amylopectin, a sticky component contained in rice. Furthermore, unlike wheat flour, rice flour does not contain gluten (gluten-free). Therefore, even when water is added and kneaded, bonding between the rice flour particles is not expected, and the dough does not easily stick together. Therefore, when producing processed foods using rice flour, it is necessary to treat the rice flour itself or add a large amount of water during kneading. Examples of processed foods using rice flour that have been reported include pasta made using rice flour as a binder in the form of a paste (Patent Document 1) and rice flour bread made without gluten or thickeners (Patent Document 2).

[0005] Furthermore, the number of consumers who prefer vegetarian and vegan diets is increasing worldwide, and various vegetarian and vegan foods have been developed (for example, Patent Document 3).

[0006] JP 2017-23043 A JP 2007-244220 A JP 2021-500043 A (WO2019 / 88834)

[0007] As described above, the methods of Patent Documents 1 and 2 have problems in terms of production efficiency and the texture of the produced processed foods due to the treatment of the rice flour itself, the amount of water during mixing, and other factors.

[0008] Under these circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a granular rice flour processed product having excellent taste and texture and a method for producing the same. Another object of the present invention is to provide a granular processed food product having excellent taste and texture and a method for producing the same. A further object of the present invention is to provide the granular rice flour processed product or a food composition containing the granular processed food product.

[0009] The present inventors have conducted extensive research to solve the above problems, and as a result have found that the following invention meets the above object, thereby completing the present invention.

[0010] That is, the present invention relates to the following: <1> A method for producing a granular rice flour processed product, comprising: a granulation step of granulating a mixture containing raw material rice flour and water to obtain a granulated product; a heating step of heating the obtained granulated product until the raw material rice flour contained in the granulated product is gelatinized; and a drying step of drying the heated granulated product. <2> A method for producing a granular rice flour processed product according to <1>, in which the particle size is 0.3 mm or more and 4.5 mm or less (preferably 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less). <3> A method for producing a granular rice flour processed product according to <1> or <2>, in which the heating method in the heating step is heating by steaming. <4> The raw material rice flour has an average particle size (D ５０ <5> A method for producing a granular rice flour processed product according to any one of <1> to <4>, wherein the raw material rice flour is white rice flour and / or brown rice flour. <6> A method for producing a granular rice flour processed product according to <5>, wherein the raw material rice flour is brown rice flour.

[0011] <1A> A granular rice flour processed product obtained by the manufacturing method according to any one of <1> to <6>. <2A> The granular rice flour processed product according to <1A>, having a particle size of 0.3 mm or more and 4.5 mm or less (preferably 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less). <3A> A granular rice flour processed product obtained by gelatinizing granulated raw material rice flour and then drying it. <4A> The granular rice flour processed product according to <3A>, having a particle size of 0.3 mm or more and 4.5 mm or less (preferably 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less). <5A> The granular rice flour processed product according to any one of <1A> to <4A>, which is for use as a vegetarian or vegan food product. <6A> The granular rice flour processed product according to any one of <1A> to <4A>, which is for use as hospital food, food for sick people, food for caregivers, or baby food.

[0012] <1B> A method for producing a granular rice flour processed product, comprising: a granulation step of granulating a mixture containing raw material rice flour, additional ingredients, and water to obtain a granule; a heating step of heating the raw material rice flour contained in the obtained granules until it gelatinizes; and a drying step of drying the heated granules. <2B> A method for producing a granular processed food product according to <1B>, in which the particle size is 0.3 mm or more and 4.5 mm or less (preferably 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less). <3B> A method for producing a granular processed food product according to <1B> or <2B>, in which the heating method in the heating step is heating by steaming. <4B> A method for producing a granular processed food product according to any one of <1B> to <3B>, in which the raw material rice flour is white rice flour and / or brown rice flour. <5B> A method for producing a granular processed food product according to <4B>, in which the raw material rice flour is brown rice flour. <6B> A method for producing a granular processed food product according to any one of <1B> to <5B>, wherein the additional ingredient is one or more plant foods selected from the group consisting of grains, potatoes, nuts and seeds, beans, vegetables, fruits, mushrooms and algae.

[0013] <1C> A granular processed food product obtained by the manufacturing method described in any one of <1B> to <6B>. <2C> A granular processed food product described in <1C>, having a particle size of 0.3 mm to 4.5 mm (preferably 0.5 mm to 3 mm). <3C> A granular processed food product obtained by granulating a mixture containing raw material rice flour, additional ingredients, and water, heating the granulated product until the raw material rice flour contained in the granulated product is gelatinized, and then drying it. <4C> A granular processed food product described in <3C>, having a particle size of 0.3 mm to 4.5 mm (preferably 0.5 mm to 3 mm). <5C> A granular processed food product described in <3C> or <4C>, in which the additional ingredients are one or more plant foods selected from cereals, potatoes, nuts and seeds, legumes, vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, and algae. <6C> A granular processed food product described in any one of <1C> to <5C>, which is intended for vegetarian or vegan food products. <7C> The food composition according to any one of <1C> to <5C>, which is for hospital food, sick food, nursing care food, or baby food. <8C> The granular processed food according to any one of <1C> to <5C>, which is a food with nutritional functions.

[0014] <1D> A food composition comprising both or either of the granular rice flour processed product according to any one of <1A> to <4A> and the granular processed food product according to any one of <1C> to <4C>, and an ingredient to be mixed. <2D> The food composition according to <1D>, which contains a plant-based food as the ingredient to be mixed. <3D> The food composition according to <1D> or <2D>, which is for vegetarian or vegan food. <4D> The food composition according to <1D> or <2D>, which is for hospital food, food for sick people, food for nursing care, or baby food.

[0015] The present invention provides granular rice flour processed products with excellent taste and texture. The present invention also provides granular processed food products with excellent taste and texture. The present invention also provides granular rice flour processed products and food compositions containing the granular processed food products of the present invention.

[0016] The granular rice flour processed products and granular processed foods of the present invention can be stored at room temperature and can be consumed simply by reconstituting them with liquid, making them suitable not only for everyday meals but also for portable meals and emergency rations. Furthermore, the granular rice flour processed products and granular processed foods of the present invention are suitable for vegans and those with food allergies to wheat, etc. Furthermore, the granular rice flour processed products and granular processed foods of the present invention are also suitable for use in hospitals, sick people, nursing homes, and as baby food.

[0017] 1 is a flowchart showing the steps of producing a granular rice flour processed product of the present invention. 2 is a flowchart showing another step of producing a granular rice flour processed product of the present invention. 3 is a flowchart showing the steps of producing a granular food processed product of the present invention. 4 is a photograph showing an example of a granular rice flour processed product of the present invention. 5 is a summary of a questionnaire from a sensory test. 6 is a photograph showing an example of a granular food processed product of the present invention.

[0018] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments and can be implemented with any modifications within the scope of the present invention. The dimensions, materials, and other specific numerical values ​​shown in the embodiments are merely examples to facilitate understanding of the invention and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified.

[0019] In this specification, the expression "~" is used to include the numerical values ​​or physical quantities before and after it. Furthermore, in this specification, the expression "A and / or B" includes "A only," "B only," and "both A and B."

[0020] One aspect of the present invention relates to a method for producing a granular rice flour processed product, which includes a granulation step of granulating a mixture containing raw material rice flour and water to obtain a granulated product, a heating step of heating the obtained granulated product until the raw material rice flour contained in the granulated product is gelatinized, and a drying step of drying the heated granulated product (hereinafter, this may be referred to as the "method for producing a granular rice flour processed product of the present invention" or simply as the "method for producing a granular rice flour processed product").

[0021] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a granular rice flour processed product obtained by heating granulated raw material rice flour to gelatinize it and then drying it (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the "granular rice flour processed product of the present invention" or simply as the "granular rice flour processed product"). The granular rice flour processed product of the present invention can be suitably produced by the method for producing a granular rice flour processed product of the present invention.

[0022] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for producing a granular processed food product (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the "method for producing a granular processed food product of the present invention" or simply as the "method for producing a granular processed food product"), which comprises a granulation step of granulating a mixture containing raw material rice flour, additional ingredients, and water to obtain a granulated product, a heating step of heating the raw material rice flour contained in the obtained granulated product until it gelatinizes, and a heating step of drying the heated granulated product.

[0023] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a granular processed food product (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "granular processed food product of the present invention" or simply the "granular processed food product") obtained by granulating a mixture containing raw material rice flour, additional ingredients, and water, heating the granulated product until the raw material rice flour contained in the granulated product is gelatinized, and then drying the granulated product. The granular processed food product of the present invention can be suitably produced by the method for producing a granular processed food product of the present invention.

[0024] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a food composition (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "food composition of the present invention") containing both or either of the granular rice flour processed product of the present invention and the granular food processed product of the present invention, together with ingredients to be mixed.

[0025] As will be described in detail later, in the present invention, "granular rice flour processed products" and "granular processed food products" have the common technical feature of being produced by similar manufacturing methods, except for whether or not additional ingredients are included as raw materials for producing the granulated product. In other words, "granular rice flour processed products" can also be called "granular processed food products that do not include additional ingredients."

[0026] Furthermore, the particle size (size) of the "granular rice flour processed product" or "granular processed food product" is not limited as long as it does not impair the object of the present invention, but can be 0.3 mm or more and 4.5 mm or less. The particle size of the granular processed food product of the present invention is measured by a sieving method and expressed as the sieve opening. In the case of such particle sizes (0.3 mm or more and 4.5 mm or less), the granular rice flour processed product and granular processed food product are smaller in size (length) than the rice (short grain variety (approximately 5 mm)) commonly distributed in Japan.

[0027] Below, we will explain each of the ``method for producing a granular rice flour processed product of the present invention,'' ``granular rice flour processed product of the present invention,'' ``method for producing a granular processed food product of the present invention,'' ``granular processed food product of the present invention,'' and ``food composition of the present invention.''

[0028] "1. Method for producing granular rice flour processed product and granular rice flour processed product" [1-1. Method for producing granular rice flour processed product] The method for producing granular rice flour processed product of the present invention comprises a granulation step of granulating a mixture containing raw material rice flour and water to obtain granules, a heating step of heating the obtained granules until the raw material rice flour contained in the granules is gelatinized, and a drying step of drying the heated granules.

[0029] The method for producing granulated rice flour products of the present invention involves molding a mixture containing raw rice flour and water, granulating the resulting granules, heating the granules, and then drying the heated granules. The granular rice flour products to be produced are not limited as long as the object of the invention is not impaired, but can have a particle size of 0.3 mm to 4.5 mm (preferably 0.5 mm to 3 mm).

[0030] According to the method for producing granular rice flour processed products of the present invention, granular rice flour processed products having excellent taste and texture can be obtained.

[0031] The method for producing granular rice flour processed products of the present invention will be described in detail below. Each step of the method for producing granular rice flour processed products of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in Figure 1.

[0032] As shown in Figure 1, the method for producing granular rice flour processed products of the present invention involves the steps of granulation, heating, and drying in that order. If necessary, other steps such as coating with oil or fat, seasoning, and sieving can be added.

[0033] In the following description, the granulation step may be referred to as "step (1)", the heating step as "step (2)", and the drying step as "step (3)".

[0034] <Step (1)> Step (1) is a step of granulating a mixture containing raw rice flour and water to obtain a granulated product.

[0035] (Raw material rice flour) The raw material rice flour is rice flour used in producing the granular rice flour processed product of the present invention, and is obtained by grinding and powdering the raw material rice.

[0036] Non-glutinous rice is usually used as the raw material rice, but colored rice, ancient rice, glutinous rice, etc. may also be used as long as it does not impair the effects of the present invention. Types of non-glutinous rice include Japonica rice, Indica rice, Javanica rice, etc., and are appropriately selected depending on the purpose of the present invention. The raw material rice is not particularly limited in terms of whether it has germinated, its place of origin, or its variety, and can be produced in Japan or overseas. The raw material rice can be any of long-grain varieties (length: 6.61 mm or more, length / width ratio: 3.0 or more), medium-grain varieties (length: approximately 5.5 to 6.60 mm, length / width ratio: 2.1 to 2.9), and short-grain varieties (length: approximately 5 mm, length / width ratio: 2.0 or less).

[0037] The type of rice used as the raw material for the raw rice flour may be one type alone or two or more types in combination.

[0038] Furthermore, the rice used as the raw material is not particularly limited in the degree of polishing, and examples include white rice, polished rice, brown rice, etc. White rice flour is typically used as the raw material rice flour in the present invention, but there is no particular limitation as long as it does not impair the effects of the present invention, and other rice flours may also be used.

[0039] The raw rice flour may be used alone or in combination of two or more. When two or more types are used in combination, they can be mixed in any ratio.

[0040] The raw material rice flour may be both white rice flour and brown rice flour, or either one of them. When the raw material rice flour is both white rice flour and brown rice flour (a mixture of white rice flour and brown rice flour), the blending ratio (weight ratio) of white rice flour to brown rice flour can be, for example, 1:0.01 to 1:100.

[0041] In order to enhance nutritional value, it is preferable to use brown rice flour obtained by grinding brown rice as the raw rice flour. Brown rice is rice seeds from which only the husk has been removed, and the white rice layer (endosperm) is covered from the outside with a wax layer and a bran layer (pericarp, seed coat, and aleurone layer) in that order. In the present invention, the outer layer of brown rice includes the wax layer and the bran layer.

[0042] The raw material brown rice is non-glutinous rice (Japonica rice, Indica rice, Javanica rice, etc.), but may also contain other brown rice. Examples of other brown rice include colored rice (black rice, red rice, green rice, etc.), fragrant rice, etc. The brown rice is not particularly limited in terms of its place of origin or variety.

[0043] While any method for producing raw rice flour can be used, raw rice flour can typically be obtained by grinding the raw rice. A known food grinder, such as a hammer mill or jet mill, is used for the grinding process. After grinding, other processes may be carried out as necessary.

[0044] The obtained raw rice flour is usually classified to the desired particle size using a sieve, etc. The raw rice flour can be adjusted to the desired particle size by adjusting the type of grinder and grinding time.

[0045] Furthermore, the particle size of the raw material rice flour may be any size that can be mixed with water and granulated, and raw material rice flour of various particle sizes may be included. The raw material rice flour may be a single type of rice flour with one particle size, or a combination of two or more types of rice flour with different particle sizes. Furthermore, when rice flours with different particle sizes are combined and mixed, the content of each rice flour (raw material rice flour with different particle sizes) can be adjusted as appropriate within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention.

[0046] The particle size of the raw rice flour may be appropriately selected in consideration of the desired texture and granulation properties of the granular rice flour processed product.５０ When rice flour having an average particle size (D) of 140 μm or more and less than 450 μm is used, the granular rice flour processed product has a chewy texture. ５０ ) represents the particle size at which the cumulative volume distribution is 50%, and is also called the median diameter.

[0047] In addition, in order to obtain the desired crunchy texture when eating the granular rice flour processed product, the average particle size (D ５０ It is preferable to use rice flour with a particle size of 450 μm or more and 650 μm or less. Granular rice flour processed products made using rice flour with such particle sizes have a crunchy texture (similar to that of couscous made from durum wheat), as will be described in the Examples below.

[0048] In addition, in order to prevent the formation of lumps during granulation, the average particle size (D ５０ It is preferable to use rice flour having a particle size of 450 μm or more and 650 μm or less, in which case the yield rate of the granular rice flour processed product obtained can be improved.

[0049] The raw rice flour has an average particle size (D ５０ If the average particle size (D) exceeds 650 μm, lumps are likely to form when the raw rice flour is mixed with water, making granulation difficult. ５０ If the particle size is less than 450 μm, it is difficult to mix the raw material rice flour with water, and a large amount of water is required to mix them sufficiently, which may make granulation difficult.

[0050] (Mixing ratio) The amount of water used in step (1) can be adjusted appropriately depending on the type and particle size of the raw rice flour, etc., within a range that allows the effects of the present invention to be achieved and that allows the granules to be produced.

[0051] The type of raw rice flour is not particularly limited as long as it does not impair the effects of the present invention. Below, we will explain the blending ratios when using white rice flour or brown rice flour as the raw rice flour.

[0052] When using only polished rice flour, the amount of water is, for example, 20 to 50% by weight when the total amount of polished rice flour is taken as 100% by weight.

[0053] When using only brown rice flour, the amount of water is, for example, 30 to 45% by weight when the total amount of brown rice flour is taken as 100% by weight.

[0054] When both white rice flour and brown rice flour are used, the amount of water can be, for example, 20 to 50% by weight when the total amount of white rice flour and brown rice flour is 100% by weight. In this case, the blending ratio (weight ratio) of white rice flour to brown rice flour can be, for example, 1:0.01 to 1:100.

[0055] The amount of water to be mixed with the raw rice flour is set appropriately depending on the amount and type of raw rice flour to be mixed, as well as the temperature and humidity of the external environment. If there is too much water compared to the raw rice flour, the rice flour will become dough-like, while if there is too little, the raw rice flour will not hold together, making granulation difficult.

[0056] The water to be mixed with the raw rice flour may contain other ingredients, such as, but not limited to, salt, as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention.

[0057] Water of various temperatures may be used to mix with the raw rice flour as long as it does not impair the effects of the present invention, such as temperatures of 0°C to 100°C, 10°C to 80°C, 15°C to 60°C, and 20°C to 50°C.

[0058] In the granulation step, any mixing method can be used as long as the raw material rice flour and water are sufficiently mixed, and the order of mixing is not particularly limited. One may be added to the other and mixed, or both may be added and mixed simultaneously.

[0059] The conditions for mixing the raw material rice flour and water are arbitrary, as long as they are sufficiently mixed, and are determined appropriately depending on the types, amounts, and blending ratios of the ingredients to be mixed (raw material rice flour and water). For mixing, any known mixing tool or device can be used.

[0060] The granulated product can be granulated into granules by a known granulation method, such as a method of naturally granulating the product during mixing or a method of granulating the product using a known granulator such as an agitator granulator.

[0061] In the present invention, the term "granulated product" refers to a state in which powdery raw materials are bound and aggregated to form granules. The granulated product obtained in step (1) is subjected to a heating treatment or a drying treatment in a subsequent step (step (2), step (3), etc.) to change its state. In this specification, unless otherwise specified, the granulated product after the treatment will also be simply referred to as "granulated product."

[0062] The size of the granules is not particularly limited as long as it does not impair the object of the present invention, but the size of the granules can be, for example, 0.3 mm to 5 mm, 0.5 mm to 4 mm, or 1 mm to 3 mm. Granules of the desired size can be obtained by sieving. For example, to obtain granules of 1 mm to 3 mm in size, sieving can be performed to exclude granules of less than 1 mm or more than 3 mm.

[0063] Alternatively, the size of the granules may be determined visually without sieving. When determining the size of the granules visually, the size of the granules is determined as the diameter if the granules are spherical, or as the length in the direction showing the maximum length if the granules are non-spherical. Any granules outside a specific range can be removed.

[0064] The size of the granules corresponds to the size (particle diameter) of the desired granular rice flour processed product, but the size (particle diameter) of the granular rice flour processed product changes depending on the subsequent heating and drying steps (steps (2) and (3)). Therefore, if necessary, the granules may be sieved or otherwise refined to the desired size after the heating step (step (2)) or drying treatment (step (3)) and then collected.

[0065] <Step (2)> Step (2) is a step of heating the granules obtained in step (1).

[0066] In the method for producing granular rice flour processed products, the heating method in the heating step is not particularly limited as long as it does not impair the effects of the present invention, and examples include heating by direct flame or steaming. Heating by direct flame may cause excessive evaporation of moisture from the surface of the granules, but heating by steaming allows the granules to be heated in the presence of water vapor. Therefore, heating by steaming is preferred.

[0067] In step (2), the heating conditions may be any conditions that can gelatinize the raw rice flour contained in the granules. Here, "gelatinization" refers to heating starch with water, causing the starch molecules to lose their regularity and become pasty. Gelatinized starch is more easily decomposed by enzymes, improving its digestibility in the body.

[0068] The heating conditions are appropriately set within a range in which the raw rice flour contained in the granules is gelatinized and the shape of the granules can be maintained, and are determined appropriately depending on the amount and type of granules, etc.

[0069] The heating conditions may be such that all of the raw rice flour contained in the granules is gelatinized. By completely gelatinizing all of the raw rice flour contained in the granules in step (2), the desired granular rice flour processed product can be eaten as is, or after reconstitution with water or hot water (including soup, tea, etc.), without additional heating. In order to gelatinize all of the raw rice flour contained in the granules, steaming at 100°C is performed for, for example, 15 to 15 minutes.

[0070] Furthermore, when the desired granular rice flour processed product is cooked by heating, it is not necessary to gelatinize all of the raw material rice flour contained in the granules in step (2), and the heating conditions may be such that only a portion of the raw material rice flour contained in the granules is gelatinized. In this case, the degree of gelatinization of the raw material rice flour contained in the granules can be determined appropriately depending on the cooking method for the desired granular rice flour processed product.

[0071] When heating by steaming is performed, the heating temperature is, for example, in the range of 80° C. to 120° C. The heating time is determined appropriately depending on the heating temperature, the amount and type of granulated product, the degree of gelatinization of the raw rice flour, the heating temperature, etc.

[0072] The heat-treated granules may be directly subjected to the subsequent step (step (3)), or may be subjected to the subsequent step after being classified to the desired particle size using a sieve or the like.

[0073] <Step (3)> Step (3) is a step of drying the granulated product after heating. In step (3), by drying the granulated product after the heating step, the moisture content can be reduced.

[0074] The conditions for step (3) are not particularly limited as long as they can reduce the moisture content of the granules after step (2). Examples of drying methods include hot air drying, cold air drying, vacuum drying, freeze drying, and reduced pressure drying.

[0075] The drying temperature is appropriately set within a range in which the moisture content of the granulated product decreases, for example, in the range of 50 to 80°C.

[0076] The drying time is determined taking into consideration the amount of granules to be dried, the temperature, etc., as long as the moisture content of the granules after step (2) is reduced. The moisture content of the granules after drying is, for example, 15% by weight or less, or 10% by weight or less, when the granules after drying are taken as 100% by weight. The moisture content can be appropriately adjusted by the dehydration method and dehydration device, and the temperature and humidity during production and storage.

[0077] (Other Steps) In addition to the above-described steps (Steps (1) to (3)), the method for producing granular rice flour processed products of the present invention may include other steps as needed, as long as the object of the present invention is not impaired. Examples of other steps include a sieving step to make the granulated product uniform in size, and a step of seasoning the granulated product.

[0078] For example, as another step, a sieving step can be carried out to make the size of the granulated material uniform. By carrying out the sieving step, the granulated material can be separated into granulated material remaining on the sieve (so-called lumps) and granulated material passing through the sieve. When the sieving step is carried out, it can be carried out after step (1) or after step (3). The sieving step may be carried out after both steps or after one of the steps, but is preferably carried out after step (3).

[0079] In the sieving step, the size of the sieve openings is appropriately selected depending on the size of the granular rice flour product to be produced. The sieving step can produce granular rice flour products with a particle size of, for example, 0.3 mm to 4.5 mm, or 0.5 mm to 3 mm.

[0080] Furthermore, as another step, for example, a coating step can be further included in addition to the above-mentioned steps (1) to (3) as shown in Figure 2. When the method for producing a granular rice flour processed product of the present invention includes a coating step, it is preferable to carry out the coating step after the heating step (step (2)).

[0081] The coating step is a step in which the heated granules are coated with oil or fat. Since the rice flour mixed with the granules after step (2) has been gelatinized, if the granules are dried in this state, the granules may adhere to each other and form large lumps. By performing the coating step, it is possible to prevent the granules from adhering to each other.

[0082] The fat or oil used may be any fat or oil commonly used for cooking, and may be either liquid or solid at room temperature. If the fat or oil is liquid at room temperature, it may be used as is; if it is solid at room temperature, it may be heated to a liquid state before use. Examples of vegetable fats and oils include rice bran oil, olive oil, sesame oil, linseed oil, soybean oil, and corn oil, while examples of animal fats and oils include beef tallow, lard, butter, margarine, and fish oil. In the present invention, rice bran oil, which is made from the same material as the raw rice flour, is preferably used.

[0083] [1-2. Granular rice flour processed product] The granular rice flour processed product of the present invention is a granular rice flour processed product obtained by heating granulated raw material rice flour to gelatinize and dry it. The granular rice flour processed product of the present invention has excellent taste and texture (chewy texture, crunchy texture, etc.). The granular rice flour processed product of the present invention is suitably produced by the above-mentioned method for producing a granular rice flour processed product.

[0084] The size (particle size) of the granular rice flour processed product can be adjusted appropriately by sieving. The particle size of the granular rice flour processed product of the present invention is measured by a sieving method and expressed in terms of the sieve openings.

[0085] To obtain particularly excellent taste and texture, the particle size of the granular rice flour processed product is 0.3 mm to 4.5 mm, preferably 0.5 mm to 3 mm. This particle size allows the product to have a crunchy texture (similar to that of couscous made from durum wheat), making the granular rice flour processed product of the present invention a couscous-like food.

[0086] The granular rice flour processed product of the present invention is suitable as a couscous-like food (a substitute for wheat couscous, so-called "rice flour couscous"). The couscous-like food, which is a suitable example of the granular rice flour processed product of the present invention, will be described below.

[0087] Couscous is usually produced by steaming and drying durum wheat semolina flour granules. Couscous is characterized by its unique, crunchy texture, so even when it is produced using ordinary rice flour, it tends to be difficult to achieve the unique texture. In particular, the average particle size (D ５０ By including rice flour having a particle size of 450 μm or more and 650 μm or less, the characteristic crunchy texture of couscous can be achieved even when rice flour is used.

[0088] When consuming granular rice flour processed products, it is preferable to rehydrate them (soften them by allowing them to absorb water) in liquid at various temperatures (for example, 0°C to 100°C) before eating. The liquid used to rehydrate the granular rice flour processed products may be water, tea, milk, soy milk, flavored soup, or the like.

[0089] Granular rice flour processed products can be rehydrated using various amounts of liquid depending on the purpose. If the product is soaked in the same amount of liquid as the granular rice flour processed product or a smaller amount, you can enjoy the characteristic crunchy texture of couscous, and the rehydrated granular rice flour processed product can be enjoyed as a drizzle on salads, etc. Also, if the product is soaked in a larger amount of liquid than the granular rice flour processed product, the granular rice flour processed product will become softer and have a thicker texture, making it suitable for use in hospital food, food for sick people, nursing care food, baby food, etc.

[0090] As described above, the granular rice flour processed product of the present invention can be reconstituted in a liquid (e.g., water, hot water, soup, soft drinks, milk, etc.) and then consumed, and can be preferably used as hospital food, sick food, or nursing food for people who are hospitalized or recuperating at home, or who are receiving nursing care, or as baby food for weaning infants.

[0091] When used as hospital food, food for sick people, food for caregivers, or baby food, the granular rice flour processed product of the present invention may be pulverized to further reduce the particle size and then mixed with liquid to be used as a liquid food.

[0092] Although the couscous-like food has been described above, the foods to which the granular rice flour processed product of the present invention can be applied are not limited to this.

[0093] The granular rice flour processed product of the present invention has excellent taste and texture (e.g., a chewy texture), and can therefore be used not only in the couscous-like foods described above, but also as a coating material for fried foods and other processed foods.

[0094] The form of the granular processed food product of the present invention is not limited as long as it does not impair the object of the present invention, and it may be used as is, or may be molded or used as an ingredient in processed foods. Specific examples of processed foods using the granular rice flour processed product of the present invention include bread, baked goods, and bar-shaped foods (such as cereal bars and granola bars).

[0095] The granular rice flour processed product of the present invention can be used not only in general foods but also in health functional foods (specified health functional foods, nutrient functional foods, or functional food), so-called health foods (including beverages), concentrated nutrients, liquid foods, hospital foods, foods for sick people, nursing care foods, health supplements (balanced nutritional foods, complete nutritional foods, etc.), foods for infants and young children, etc. (including when the granular rice flour processed product is used as an ingredient for these foods).

[0096] Furthermore, the granular rice flour processed product of the present invention can be stored at room temperature and can be eaten as is or after reconstituting it in liquid (by absorbing water to soften it), making it suitable not only for everyday use but also for portable food and emergency food.

[0097] The granular rice flour processed product of the present invention is substantially derived from rice flour and can therefore be used as a gluten-free food product. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the granular rice flour processed product of the present invention does not contain any animal products and can therefore be used as a vegetarian or vegan food product.

[0098] 2. Method for producing granular processed food products and granular processed food products 2-1. Method for producing granular processed food products The method for producing granular processed food products of the present invention comprises a granulation step of granulating a mixture containing raw material rice flour, additional ingredients, and water to obtain granules, a heating step of heating the obtained granules until the raw material rice flour contained in the granules is gelatinized, and a heating step of drying the heated granules. There are no limitations on the size of the granular processed food products produced as long as the object of the invention is not impaired, but the particle size can be 0.3 mm to 4.5 mm (preferably 0.5 mm to 3 mm).

[0099] The method for producing granular processed food products of the present invention is the same as the method described above in [1-1. Method for producing granular rice flour processed products], except that a "mixture containing raw material rice flour, additional ingredients, and water" is used in place of the "mixture containing raw material rice flour and water" when producing the granules.

[0100] According to the method for producing granular processed food products of the present invention, granular processed food products having excellent taste and texture can be obtained.

[0101] The method for producing granular processed food products of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0102] The steps of the method for producing granular processed food products of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 3, the method for producing granular processed food products is carried out in the order of granulation, heating, and drying. If necessary, other steps such as coating with oil or fat, seasoning, and sieving can be added.

[0103] In the following description, the granulation step may be referred to as "step (1)", the heating step as "step (2)", and the drying step as "step (3)".

[0104] <Step (1)> Step (1) is a step of granulating a mixture containing raw material rice flour, additional ingredients, and water to obtain a granulated product. Here, the term "granulated product" refers to a state in which the raw material rice flour and additional ingredients are bound and aggregated to form granules.

[0105] (Raw material rice flour) The raw material rice flour is the rice flour used in producing the granular processed food product of the present invention, and is obtained by grinding and powdering the raw material rice. The raw material rice flour is the same as the raw material rice flour described above in [1. Method for producing the granular rice flour processed product of the present invention], so a detailed description will be omitted.

[0106] The raw rice flour may be used alone or in combination of two or more. When two or more types are used in combination, they can be mixed in any ratio.

[0107] The raw material rice flour is preferably both or either one of white rice flour and brown rice flour. When the raw material rice flour is both white rice flour and brown rice flour (a mixture of white rice flour and brown rice flour), the blending ratio (weight ratio) of white rice flour to brown rice flour can be, for example, 1:0.01 to 1:100.

[0108] To increase the nutritional value, it is preferable to use brown rice flour obtained by pulverizing brown rice as the raw rice flour. Brown rice is as explained above in [1. Method for producing the granular rice flour product of the present invention].

[0109] The obtained raw rice flour is usually classified to the desired particle size using a sieve, etc. The raw rice flour can be adjusted to the desired particle size by adjusting the type of grinder and grinding time.

[0110] Furthermore, the particle size of the raw material rice flour may be any size as long as it can be mixed with additional ingredients and water to form granules, and raw material rice flour of various particle sizes can be used. The raw material rice flour may be one type of rice flour with a single particle size, or two or more types of rice flour with different particle sizes may be used in combination. Furthermore, when rice flours with different particle sizes are mixed in combination, the content of each rice flour (raw material rice flour with different particle sizes) can be adjusted appropriately within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention.

[0111] The particle size of the raw rice flour may be appropriately selected taking into consideration the desired texture and granulation properties of the granular food product. ５０ ) Rice flour with a particle size of 140 μm or more and 650 μm or less can be used.

[0112] (Additional Components) The additional components are components that constitute the granules together with the raw rice flour. By including the additional components as raw materials, the processed granular food product of the present invention is endowed with nutrients and flavors that would be lacking in rice flour alone.

[0113] The form of the additional ingredients can be selected appropriately depending on the type and amount of the ingredients, as long as they can form a granule together with the raw material rice flour, and examples include powder, granules, liquid, paste, cream, etc. From the standpoint of granulation properties, if they are in powder or granule form, they may have a particle size similar to that of the raw material rice flour. However, as mentioned above, as long as they can form a granule together with the raw material rice flour, additional ingredients with particle sizes smaller or larger than the raw material rice flour can also be used in combination.

[0114] The type of the additional component is not particularly limited as long as it is an edible component and can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose. The additional component may be used alone or in combination of two or more. When two or more additional components are combined, the mixing ratio of each can be appropriately set within a range that does not impair the purpose of the present invention.

[0115] The additional ingredients are not particularly limited as long as they are raw materials typically used in the production of processed foods, and may include plant foods, animal foods, seasonings, spices, optional additive ingredients, etc. Examples of optional additive ingredients include emulsifiers, preservatives, antioxidants, thickeners, coloring agents, seasonings, fragrances, etc.

[0116] Additional ingredients may include plant foods and / or animal foods.

[0117] When the granular processed food product of the present invention does not contain any animal-derived food but contains plant-derived food (and optionally non-animal additive ingredients) as additional ingredients, it can be used as a vegetarian or vegan food product. However, even if it does not contain any animal-derived food, the food product does not have to be a vegetarian or vegan food product and can naturally be used as a general food product.

[0118] Examples of plant foods as additional ingredients include one or more plant foods selected from grains, potatoes, nuts and seeds, beans, vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, and algae.

[0119] Examples of grains include millet, oats, barley, millet, quinoa, wheat, sugarcane, buckwheat, corn, etc. Examples of tubers include konnyaku, potato, taro, sweet potato, wild yam, cassava, etc. Examples of nuts and seeds include almonds, sesame, cashew nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, ginkgo nuts, chestnuts, walnuts, coconuts, perilla, etc. Examples of pulses include kidney beans, soybeans, peas, adzuki beans, fava beans, lentils, peanuts, etc.

[0120] Examples of vegetables include tomatoes, radishes, asparagus, pumpkins, ginger, burdock, onions, carrots, broccoli, and spinach. Examples of fruits include avocados, strawberries, grapes, blueberries, figs, citrus fruits, kiwi, bananas, and mangoes. Examples of mushrooms include shiitake mushrooms, enokitake mushrooms, maitake mushrooms, buna-shimeji mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, and mushrooms. Examples of algae include kelp, wakame seaweed, hijiki seaweed, mozuku seaweed, spirulina, chlorella, and euglena.

[0121] Furthermore, when the additional ingredient is a plant-based food, as long as it can form a granule together with the raw rice flour, the additional ingredient (plant-based food) may be used raw, or may be subjected to various processes such as heating (baking, simmering, steaming, boiling, etc.), freezing, drying, etc., either singly or in combination. Furthermore, it may be subjected to processes such as crushing or shredding to obtain the desired size and shape.

[0122] An example of the additional ingredient is one or more animal foods selected from meat, eggs, dairy products, and seafood. Animal foods include meat, eggs, dairy products, seafood, etc. These may be raw or processed (dried, smoked, etc.). Meat includes beef, pork, horse, sheep, boar, venison, chicken, quail, duck, goose, and geese. Eggs include whole eggs, egg yolks, egg whites, and the like. Dairy products include cheese, butter, yogurt, whole milk powder, skim milk powder, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk. Seafood includes fish, shellfish, crustaceans, and cephalopods.

[0123] Furthermore, when the additional ingredient is an animal food, depending on the purpose of the granular processed food product, the additional ingredient (animal food) may be used raw, or may be subjected to various processes such as heating (baking, simmering, steaming, boiling, etc.), freezing, drying, etc., either singly or in combination. Furthermore, it may be subjected to processes such as crushing or shredding to obtain the desired size and shape.

[0124] The additional ingredients may also include nutritional ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, etc. Examples of such ingredients include vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc, molybdenum, and manganese.

[0125] (Mixing ratio) The mixing ratio of raw rice flour to added ingredients is selected appropriately depending on the type of raw rice flour (white rice flour, brown rice flour) and particle size, the type and form of the added ingredients, the nutrients to be added, etc.

[0126] When the total of the raw material rice flour and the added components is 100% by weight, the amount of the raw material rice flour can be, for example, 10% by weight to 90% by weight, or 20% by weight to 80% by weight.

[0127] The amount of water used in step (1) can be adjusted as appropriate within a range that allows the effects of the present invention to be achieved and that allows granulation of a granule, depending on the type and particle size of the raw rice flour, the type and form of the added ingredient, etc. In particular, when the added ingredient is a liquid or a material containing a liquid (e.g., fruits, vegetables), the amount of water used in step (1) can be determined taking into account the amount of water contained in the added ingredient.

[0128] When the total of the raw rice flour and the added ingredients is 100% by weight, the water content is, for example, 5 to 50% by weight.

[0129] The amount of water used may be adjusted appropriately depending on the temperature and humidity of the external environment.

[0130] The water used may be water of various temperature ranges as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. The temperature range of the water to be mixed may be, for example, from 0°C to 100°C.

[0131] The water used may contain other ingredients as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention. Typical examples of other ingredients include, but are not limited to, table salt.

[0132] In the granulation step, any mixing method may be used as long as the raw material rice flour, the added ingredients, and the water are sufficiently mixed, and the order of mixing is not particularly limited. One may be added to the other and mixed, or all may be added and mixed simultaneously.

[0133] The mixing conditions for the raw material rice flour, added components, and water are arbitrary, as long as they are sufficiently mixed, and are determined appropriately depending on the types, amounts, and blending ratios of the ingredients to be mixed (raw material rice flour and water). For mixing, known mixing tools or devices can be used.

[0134] The granulated product can be granulated into granules by a known granulation method, such as a method of naturally granulating the product during mixing or a method of granulating the product using a known granulator such as an agitator granulator.

[0135] The size of the granules is not particularly limited as long as it does not impair the object of the present invention, but the size of the granules can be, for example, 0.3 mm to 5 mm, 0.5 mm to 4 mm, or 1 mm to 3 mm. Granules of the desired size can be obtained by sieving. Alternatively, the size of the granules may be determined visually without sieving. Details are the same as those described above in [1-1. Method for producing granular rice flour processed products], so further explanation will be omitted.

[0136] <Step (2)> Step (2) is a step of heating the granulated product obtained in step (1). Step (2) is the same as step (2) described above in [1. Method for producing granular rice flour processed product of the present invention], so a detailed description will be omitted.

[0137] The heating method in step (2) is not particularly limited as long as it does not impair the effects of the present invention, and examples thereof include heating by direct flame or steaming. Heating by direct flame may cause excessive evaporation of moisture from the surface of the granules, but heating by steaming allows the granules to be heated in the presence of water vapor. Therefore, heating by steaming is preferred as the heating method.

[0138] When heating by steaming is performed, the heating temperature is, for example, in the range of 80° C. to 120° C. The heating time is determined appropriately depending on the amount and type of granulated product, the degree of gelatinization of the raw rice flour, the type and form of the added ingredients, the heating temperature, etc.

[0139] The heating conditions may be determined appropriately depending on the amount and type of granulated material, the type and form of added ingredients, etc., within a range in which the raw material rice flour contained in the granulated material is gelatinized and the shape of the granulated material can be maintained.

[0140] The heating conditions may be such that all of the raw rice flour contained in the granules is gelatinized. In order to gelatinize all of the raw rice flour contained in the granules, steaming at 100°C is performed for, for example, 15 to 15 minutes. If the additional ingredients contained in the granules together with the raw rice flour are edible under the above heating conditions (heating conditions that gelatinize all of the raw rice flour), the desired granular processed food product can be eaten as is, or after reconstitution with water or hot water (including soup, tea, etc.), without additional heating.

[0141] Furthermore, when the target granular processed food product is cooked by heating, the heating conditions in step (2) may be such that a portion of the raw material rice flour contained in the granules is gelatinized. In this case, the degree of gelatinization of the raw material rice flour contained in the granules may be determined according to the cooking method (heating conditions) for the target granular rice flour processed product. In other words, when the target granular processed food product is cooked by heating, the cooking method (heating conditions) may be appropriately determined so that all of the raw material rice flour contained in the granular food product is gelatinized and the added ingredients become edible.

[0142] The heat-treated granules may be directly subjected to the subsequent step (step (3)), or may be subjected to the subsequent step after being classified to the desired particle size using a sieve or the like.

[0143] <Step (3)> Step (3) is a step of drying the granulated product after heating. In step (3), by drying the granulated product after the heating step, the moisture content can be reduced.

[0144] Step (3) is the same as step (3) described in [1-1. Method for producing granular rice flour processed product] above, so a detailed description will be omitted.

[0145] The conditions for step (3) are not particularly limited as long as they can reduce the moisture content of the granules after step (2). Examples of drying methods include hot air drying, cold air drying, vacuum drying, freeze drying, and reduced pressure drying.

[0146] The drying temperature is appropriately set within a range in which the moisture content of the granulated product decreases, for example, in the range of 50 to 80°C.

[0147] The drying time should be such that the moisture content of the granules after step (2) is reduced, and is determined taking into consideration the types and proportions of the raw rice flour and additional ingredients in the granules to be dried, the temperature, etc. The moisture content of the granules after drying is, for example, 15% by weight or less, or 10% by weight or less, when the dried granules are taken as 100% by weight. The moisture content can be adjusted appropriately by the dehydration method and dehydration device, and the temperature and humidity during production and storage.

[0148] (Other Steps) The method for producing a granular processed food product of the present invention may include other steps, as necessary, in addition to the steps described above (steps (1) to (3)), as long as the object of the present invention is not impaired. Examples of such other steps include a sieving step for aligning the size of the granulated product, and a step of seasoning the granulated product.

[0149] For example, as another step, a sieving step can be carried out to make the size of the granulated material uniform. By carrying out the sieving step, the granulated material can be separated into granulated material remaining on the sieve (so-called lumps) and granulated material passing through the sieve. When the sieving step is carried out, it can be carried out after step (1) or after step (3). The sieving step may be carried out after both steps or after one of the steps, but is preferably carried out after step (3).

[0150] In the sieving step, the size of the sieve openings is appropriately selected depending on the size of the granular food product to be produced. The sieving step can reduce the particle size of the granular food product to, for example, 0.3 mm to 4.5 mm, or 0.5 mm to 3 mm.

[0151] [2-2. Granular processed food product] The granular processed food product of the present invention is a granulated product obtained by granulating a mixture containing raw material rice flour, additional ingredients, and water, heating the granulated product until the raw material rice flour contained in the granulated product is gelatinized, and then drying it. The granular processed food product of the present invention is suitably produced by the above-mentioned method for producing a granular processed food product.

[0152] The size (particle size) of the granular processed food product can be adjusted appropriately by sieving. The particle size of the granular processed food product of the present invention is measured by a sieving method and expressed as the mesh size of the sieve.

[0153] In order to obtain particularly excellent taste and texture, the particle size of the granular food product is 0.3 mm or more and 4.5 mm or less, and preferably 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less.

[0154] The granular processed food product of the present invention is suitable as a couscous-like food (a substitute for wheat couscous).

[0155] When consuming granular processed foods, it is preferable to rehydrate them (soften them by allowing them to absorb water) in liquid at various temperatures (for example, 0°C to 100°C) before eating. The liquid used to rehydrate the granular processed foods may be water, tea, milk, soy milk, flavored soup, or the like.

[0156] The granular processed food product of the present invention can be reconstituted in various amounts of liquid depending on the purpose. The granular processed food product of the present invention can be reconstituted in liquid (e.g., water, hot water, soup, soft drinks, milk, etc.) before consumption.

[0157] When used for hospital food, food for sick people, nursing care food, or baby food, the granular food product of the present invention may be crushed to further reduce the particle size and then mixed with liquid to be used as a liquid food.

[0158] The granular processed food product of the present invention has excellent taste and texture and contains nutrients derived from the added ingredients. Therefore, the granular processed food product of the present invention can be used not only in general foods but also in health functional foods (specified health functional foods, nutrient functional foods, or functional food), so-called health foods (including beverages), concentrated nutrients, liquid foods, hospital foods, sick foods, nursing care foods, health supplements (balanced nutritional foods, complete nutritional foods, etc.), infant and toddler foods, etc. (including when the granular rice flour processed product is used as an ingredient in these products).

[0159] In particular, by selecting as the added ingredient an added ingredient containing nutrients necessary for maintaining human health, the granular processed food product of the present invention can be used as a nutritionally balanced food. To make the granular processed food product of the present invention a nutritionally balanced food, the types and amounts of the added ingredients can be designed so that the protein, lipid, carbohydrate, vitamin, mineral, etc. are contained in an appropriate ratio so that ingesting the granular processed food product of the present invention provides the energy necessary for daily activities, body repair, growth, and health maintenance.

[0160] The form of the granular processed food product of the present invention is not limited as long as it does not impair the object of the present invention, and it may be used as is, or may be molded or used as an ingredient in processed foods. Specific examples of processed foods using the granular rice flour processed product of the present invention include bread, baked goods, and bar-shaped foods (such as cereal bars and granola bars).

[0161] Furthermore, the granular processed food product of the present invention can be stored at room temperature and can be eaten as is or rehydrated in liquid (to soften it by absorbing water), making it suitable not only for everyday meals but also for portable meals and emergency food.

[0162] The granular processed food product of the present invention can be used as a gluten-free food product when wheat is not used as an added ingredient. Furthermore, since the granular processed food product of the present invention does not contain any animal-derived food products in one embodiment, it can be used as a vegetarian or vegan food product.

[0163] "3. Food composition containing granular rice flour processed product and / or granular processed food product" The food composition of the present invention is a food composition containing both or either of the granular rice flour processed product of the present invention and the granular processed food product of the present invention described above, and ingredients to be mixed.

[0164] The food composition of the present invention is endowed with the texture and taste derived from the granular processed product of the present invention (granular rice flour processed product or granular food product), as well as functionality and nutrients derived from the ingredients mixed therewith.

[0165] In describing the food composition of the present invention, the "granular rice flour processed product of the present invention" and the "granular food processed product of the present invention" will be collectively referred to as the "granular processed product of the present invention." When distinguishing between the two, they will be referred to as the "granular rice flour processed product of the present invention" and the "granular food processed product of the present invention."

[0166] The food composition of the present invention comprises the granular processed product of the present invention (granular processed rice flour product and / or granular processed food product) and any ingredients to be mixed.

[0167] The "granular rice flour processed product" in the food composition of the present invention is substantially the same as the granular rice flour processed product of the present invention described above, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.Similarly, the "granular processed food product" in the food composition of the present invention is substantially the same as the granular processed food product of the present invention described above, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0168] The granular processed product contained in the food composition of the present invention may be both or either of the granular rice flour processed product of the present invention and the granular processed food product of the present invention. When the granular processed product of the present invention is both the granular rice flour processed product of the present invention and the granular processed food product of the present invention, the mixing ratio of each can be appropriately set within a range that does not impair the object of the present invention. For example, the blending ratio (weight ratio) of the granular rice flour processed product of the present invention to the granular processed food product of the present invention can be 1:0.01 to 1:100.

[0169] In the food composition of the present invention, the "mixed ingredients" refer to additional ingredients that are blended together with the granular processed product of the present invention, and are ingredients whose presence affects the properties and quality of the food composition. By including the mixed ingredients, the food composition of the present invention is endowed with functionality and nutrients derived from the mixed ingredients.

[0170] The form of the ingredients to be mixed can be selected appropriately depending on the type and amount of the ingredients to be mixed, as long as it does not impair the object of the present invention, and examples include powder, granules, liquid, paste, cream, etc.

[0171] The type of ingredients to be mixed is not particularly limited as long as they are edible and can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose. For example, plant foods, animal foods, seasonings, spices, etc., exemplified as "added ingredients" in [2-1. Method for producing granular processed food products] above can be used. Any ingredients can be used as long as they do not impair the purpose of the present invention, and can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose of use of the food composition of the present invention.

[0172] Examples of ingredients that can be mixed to impart functionality to the food composition of the present invention include gelatin, alginate, xanthan gum, pectin, cellulose gum, etc. These ingredients can be used as diet foods because they provide a specific texture, are low in calories, and give a feeling of fullness.

[0173] The components to be mixed may be used alone or in combination of two or more. When two or more components to be mixed are combined, the mixing ratio of each component can be appropriately set within a range that does not impair the object of the present invention.

[0174] The mixing ratio of the granular processed product of the present invention (granular rice flour processed product and / or granular processed food product) to the ingredients to be mixed can be any ratio as long as it does not impair the object of the present invention, and may be determined appropriately depending on the intended use of the food composition of the present invention. In the food composition of the present invention, the mixing ratio (weight ratio) of the granular processed product of the present invention (granular rice flour processed product and / or granular processed food product) to the ingredients to be mixed can be, for example, 1:0.01 to 1:100.

[0175] A preferred example of the food composition of the present invention contains a plant food as a mixed ingredient, and in particular, one or more plant foods selected from cereals, potatoes, nuts, seeds, beans, vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, and algae. Specific examples of each of these ingredients are the same as those exemplified for the "added ingredient" in [2-1. Manufacturing method for granular processed food products] above, and therefore further explanation is omitted.

[0176] (Bulking ratio) The food composition of the present invention can be produced by mixing the granular processed product with the ingredients to be mixed by any method, and then subjecting the ingredients to additional processing (heat treatment, etc.) as necessary. The ratio of the granular processed product (granular rice flour processed product or granular food product) to the ingredients to be mixed in the food composition of the present invention can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose of the food composition of the present invention. There are no particular restrictions on the ratio of the granular processed product in the food composition of the present invention, but it can be, for example, 30% to 95% by weight, or 40% to 80% by weight, when the total of the granular processed product and the ingredients to be mixed is 100% by weight.

[0177] The food composition of the present invention can be used not only as a general food, but also as a health food (a food with specified health claims, a food with nutrient functions, or a food with functional claims), so-called health foods (including beverages), concentrated nutrients, liquid foods, hospital foods, sick foods, nursing care foods, health supplements (balanced nutritional foods, complete nutritional foods, etc.), infant and toddler foods, etc. In the food composition of the present invention, if both the granular processed product of the present invention and the ingredients to be mixed do not contain animal foods but contain plant foods (and non-animal additive ingredients as needed), the food composition of the present invention can be used as a vegetarian or vegan food. However, even if it does not contain animal foods, the food does not necessarily have to be a vegetarian or vegan food and can naturally be used as a general food.

[0178] Furthermore, the food composition of the present invention can be used as a gluten-free food product when wheat or wheat-derived ingredients are not used in the granular processed product and the mixed ingredients.

[0179] The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0180] <1. Granular rice flour processed products> The following granular rice flour processed products were produced, assuming they would be used as couscous-like foods. <1-1. Method for producing raw rice flour> Raw rice flour (white rice flour, brown rice flour) was produced using the following method. (Production of white rice flour) Raw rice (white rice) was pulverized using a flour mill (Satake Corporation, SRG05C) and passed through screens (A2, A4 to A7) attached to the flour mill to produce granular rice with an average particle size (D ５０The raw rice flours (white rice flours) with different particle sizes were produced. The white rice flours produced are as follows: White rice flour A: Screen A2 (average particle size (D ５０ ) 140 μm) White rice flour B: Screen A4 (average particle size (D ５０ ) 270 μm) White rice flour C: Screen A5 (average particle size (D ５０ ) 450 μm) White rice flour D: Screen A6 (average particle size (D ５０ ) 500 μm) White rice flour E: Screen A7 (average particle size (D ５０ ) 650 μm)

[0181] (Production of brown rice flour) Brown rice flour A was produced in the same manner as in (Production of white rice flour) above, except that brown rice was used as the raw rice. The brown rice flour was produced using a screen A6 attached to the flour mill.

[0182] <1-2. Manufacturing method of granular rice flour processed products> Using the white rice flour (white rice flour A to E) manufactured in the above <1-1. Manufacturing method of raw rice flour>, granular rice flour processed products were manufactured in the following manner. ５０ The blending amounts of white rice flour (white rice flour A to E) with different granule sizes and water were as shown in Table 1. (Granulation process) White rice flour and water (tap water) were mixed until uniform, and granulated to form granules with grains of approximately 1 to 3 mm each. (Heating process) The granulated material was steamed at 100°C for 10 minutes using a steam convection oven (manufactured by Tanico Co., Ltd.). (Seasoning process) 0.3 parts by weight of salt was added to 100 parts by weight of the granules after the steaming process, and the mixture was thoroughly mixed. (Coating process) Next, 6 parts by weight of rice oil was added to 100 parts by weight of the granules, and the mixture was thoroughly mixed to coat the granules. (Drying process) The resulting granules were then dried in a dryer at 75°C for 5 hours. (Sieving step) After the drying step, it was confirmed that the granulated material was in a loose state, and the obtained granulated material was sieved through a sieve with 2 mm openings to adjust the size of the granulated material, thereby obtaining a granular rice flour processed product.

[0183]

[0184] The granular rice flour processed product (Production Example 4) obtained in <1-2. Production method for granular rice flour processed product> above is shown in Figure 4. As shown in Figure 4 (bottom), the size of each grain of the granular rice flour processed product was 1 to 2 mm.

[0185] (Evaluation 1: Yield Rate Evaluation Test) The granulated material after the above (drying process) was sieved to evaluate the yield rate. As described above (sieving process), each of the obtained granular rice flour processed products was passed through a sieve with 2 mm openings. The weight (g) of the lumps remaining on the sieve and the weight (g) of the lumps remaining on the sieve were measured, and the yield rate was evaluated. The yield rate was calculated as a percentage (%) of the weight of the lumps remaining on the sieve relative to the total weight (above sieve + below sieve). Table 2 shows the sieving results.

[0186]

[0187] As shown in Table 2, the yield rates of the granular rice flour processed products of Production Examples 1-2 and 6 were 54% to 77%, while the yield rates of the granular rice flour processed products of Production Examples 3-5 were high, ranging from 92% to 100%.

[0188] (Evaluation 2: Sensory Test) Panelists (five women in their 30s to 60s) ate the granular rice flour processed products of Production Examples 1 to 6 produced by the above method, and conducted a sensory test on the texture, smell, and taste. Of the granular rice flour processed products of Production Examples 1 to 6, the size that passed through a sieve with 2 mm openings in the sieving step (the bottom of the sieve) was used as the couscous-like foods of Production Examples 1 to 6 and was used in the sensory test.

[0189] The sensory tests were conducted using the couscous-like foods of Production Examples 1 to 6 that had been reconstituted in hot water. The couscous-like foods were evaluated for their sensory properties (texture, smell, and taste) according to the following criteria. Figure 5 shows a summary of the questionnaire survey used in the evaluation tests that formed the basis of Table 3. Commercially available couscous (couscous made from durum wheat) was used as a reference example.

[0190] (Evaluation criteria: texture) 3 points: The texture is the same as that of the couscous of the reference example. 2 points: The texture is slightly inferior to that of the couscous of the reference example, but not noticeable. 1 point: The texture is significantly inferior to that of the couscous of the reference example.

[0191] (Evaluation criteria: odor) 3 points: Almost no grain odor is detected. 2 points: A slight grain odor is detected, but not bothersome. 1 point: A grain odor is detected.

[0192] (Evaluation criteria: taste) 3 points: A subtle sweetness derived from rice flour is felt. 2 points: A slight subtle sweetness derived from rice flour is felt. 1 point: The subtle sweetness derived from rice flour is hardly felt.

[0193] Table 3 shows the evaluation results expressed as the average scores of the panelists.

[0194]

[0195] As shown in Table 3, the couscous-like foods of Production Examples 3 to 6 received higher evaluation scores (texture) than the couscous-like foods of Production Examples 1 and 2. In particular, the couscous-like foods of Production Examples 3 and 4 received higher evaluation scores, and were found to have a texture comparable to that of the couscous of the Reference Example. Furthermore, the couscous-like foods made with rice flour (Production Examples 1 to 6) contained rice flour, and therefore had a subtle sweetness derived from the rice flour. Furthermore, the couscous-like foods made with rice flour (Production Examples 1 to 6) had almost no cereal odor, and are therefore thought to be suitable for a variety of dishes.

[0196] <1-3. Production method of granular rice flour processed product (raw rice flour: brown rice powder)>

[0197] The following describes the production and sensory testing of granular rice flour processed products blended with brown rice flour A produced in the above <1-1. Manufacturing method for raw rice flour> as the raw rice flour. The granular rice flour processed products blended with brown rice flour were produced by the following method.

[0198] (Mixing process) 29 parts by weight of water (tap water) was added to 100 parts by weight of brown rice flour A and mixed until uniform. (Granulation process) After mixing, the mixture was granulated to produce granules with each particle measuring approximately 1 to 2 mm. (Heating process) The granulated product was steamed at 100°C for 10 minutes using a steam convection oven (manufactured by Tanico Co., Ltd.). (Seasoning process) 0.3 parts by weight of salt was added to 100 parts by weight of the granules after the steaming process and mixed thoroughly. (Coating process) Next, 2.3 parts by weight of rice oil was added to 100 parts by weight of the granules and mixed thoroughly to coat the granules. (Drying process) The resulting granules were then dried in a dryer at 75°C for 5 hours. (Sieving step) After the drying step, it was confirmed that the granulated material was in a loose state, and the resulting granulated material was sieved through a sieve with 2 mm openings to adjust the size of the granulated material, thereby obtaining the granular rice flour product of Production Example A.

[0199] The granules after the drying step were evaluated for retention rate in the same manner as in the evaluation 1: yield rate evaluation test described above. No lumps remained on the sieve, and the retention rate was 100%.

[0200] In addition, in the sieving step, the size that passed through a sieve with 2 mm openings (the bottom of the sieve) was designated as the couscous-like food of Production Example A, and a sensory test was carried out in the same manner as above (Evaluation 2: Sensory test).

[0201] When the couscous-like food of Production Example A was eaten, it was confirmed that it had a texture similar to that of couscous made from white rice flour (the couscous-like food of Production Example 4). Furthermore, the couscous-like food of Production Example A also had a subtle sweetness derived from rice flour. Furthermore, the couscous-like food of Production Example A also had a brown rice aroma.

[0202] <1-4. Method for producing granular rice flour processed product (without coating step)> First, rice (polished rice, Japonica rice) was used as raw material to produce polished rice flour. The polished rice was pulverized using a flour mill (Satake Corporation, SRG05C), and the polished rice was passed through a screen A6 (average particle size (D ５０ Raw rice flour (white rice flour) was produced by passing it through a sieve of 1000 μm.

[0203] Next, the white rice flour produced by the above method was used to produce the granular rice flour processed product of Production Example 7 by the following method.

[0204] (Mixing step) 36.5 parts by weight of water (tap water) was added to 100 parts by weight of polished rice flour and mixed until uniform. (Granulation step) After mixing, the mixture was granulated to produce granules with a size of approximately 1 to 3 mm. (Heating step) The granulated product was steamed at 100°C for 10 minutes using a steam convection oven (manufactured by Tanico Co., Ltd.). (Seasoning step) 0.3 parts by weight of salt was added to 100 parts by weight of the granules obtained after the steaming step and mixed thoroughly. (Drying step) The resulting granules were then dried at 75°C for 5 hours using a dryer. (Sieving step) After confirming that the granules after the drying step were loose, the resulting granules were sieved through a sieve with 2 mm openings to adjust the size of the granules, and the granular rice flour processed product of Production Example 7 was obtained.

[0205] <1-5. Manufacturing method of granular rice flour processed product (raw rice flour: brown rice flour) (without coating process)> First, brown rice flour was manufactured using raw rice (brown rice, Japonica rice). The brown rice was pulverized using a flour mill (Satake Corporation, SRG05C), and the pulverized rice was screened using a screen A6 (average particle size (D ５０ Raw rice flour (brown rice flour) was produced by passing it through a sieve of 1000 μm.

[0206] Next, the brown rice flour produced by the above method was used to produce the granular rice flour product of Production Example B in the following manner.

[0207] (Mixing step) 29 parts by weight of water (tap water) was added to 100 parts by weight of brown rice flour and mixed until uniform. (Granulation step) After mixing, the mixture was granulated to produce granules with a size of approximately 1 to 3 mm. (Heating step) The granulated product was steamed at 100°C for 10 minutes using a steam convection oven (manufactured by Tanico Co., Ltd.). (Seasoning step) 0.3 parts by weight of salt was added to 100 parts by weight of the granules obtained after the steaming step and mixed thoroughly. (Drying step) The resulting granules were then dried at 75°C for 5 hours using a dryer. (Sieving step) After confirming that the granules after the drying step were loose, the resulting granules were sieved through a sieve with 2 mm openings to adjust the size of the granules, and the granular rice flour processed product of Production Example B was obtained.

[0208] A predetermined amount of hot water (60 to 90 mL) was added to the granular rice flour processed product of Production Example B. After about 5 minutes, the granular rice flour processed product of Production Example B to which hot water had been added was eaten, and it had a texture similar to that of porridge.

[0209] The granular rice flour product of Production Example B was then crushed again using a flour mill (SRG05C, Satake Corporation) and passed through a screen A6 attached to the flour mill. A specified amount of hot water (60-90 mL) was added to 15 g of the crushed granular rice flour product of Production Example B and stirred thoroughly until it thickened (creamy). Because the crushed granular rice flour product of Production Example B leaves few grains, it is expected to be useful in baby food and nursing care foods.

[0210] 2. Method for producing granular processed food products Granular processed food products were produced as follows.

[0211] First, raw rice flour (brown rice flour) and additional ingredients (powder) were produced by the following method. (Production of Brown Rice Flour) Brown rice flour was produced using raw rice (brown rice, Japonica rice). The brown rice was pulverized using a flour mill (Satake Corporation, SRG05C), and the flour was passed through a screen A6 (average particle size (D ５０Raw rice flour (brown rice flour) was produced by passing the rice through a screen (500 μm) attached to the flour mill. (Production of Additional Ingredients) A processed product of the additional ingredients was produced. The following additional ingredients were used: - Soybeans (dried) - Sesame seeds (dried) - Shiitake mushrooms (dried) - Ginger (dried) - Dried strips of daikon radish (dried) - Pumpkin (fresh) - Tomato (fresh) The dried additional ingredients were pulverized using a flour mill (Satake Corporation, SRG05C) and passed through a screen A6 (average particle size (D ５０ The raw additional component was cut into 2 mm square pieces to produce processed products (2 mm squares) of the additional component.

[0212] Next, using the brown rice flour and additional ingredients (processed product) produced by the above method, a granular processed food product was produced by the following method.

[0213] (Granulation process) Brown rice flour, additional ingredients (processed product), and water were blended according to the amounts shown in Table 4, mixed until uniform, and granulated to form granules with a size of approximately 1 to 3 mm. The water used was prepared by pre-mixing salt, an additional ingredient, with brine (2 g of salt (NaCl) per 200 g of water). (Heating process) The granulated product was steamed at 100°C for 30 minutes using a steam convection oven (manufactured by Tanico Co., Ltd.). (Drying process) The resulting granulated product was then dried at 75°C for 12 hours using a dryer. (Sieving process) After confirming that the granulated product after the drying process was in a loose state, the resulting granulated product was sieved through a sieve with 2.8 mm openings to adjust the size of the granulated product and obtain a granular processed food product.

[0214]

[0215] The resulting granular processed food products are shown in Figure 6. As shown in Figure 6 (bottom), the size of each grain of the granular rice flour processed food products was 1 to 3 mm.

[0216] When the granular food product was eaten, it had a texture similar to that of couscous (reference example), and the aroma and flavor of brown rice and other added ingredients could also be detected.

[0217] Below are some examples of cooking using the produced granular food products.

[0218] (Cooking Example 1: Soup) A vegetable bouillon soup containing finely chopped ingredients (vegetables, meat, etc.) was poured over a granular food product placed in a plate in advance to prepare a soup.

[0219] (Cooking Example 2: Stew) First, ingredients (meat, vegetables, beans, etc.) were stewed with seasonings. The thoroughly stewed ingredients were placed on top of the granular food product placed on a plate.

[0220] (Cooking Example 3: Salad) First, a small amount of hot water was poured into the granular processed food product and steamed. After that, rice bran oil was added and mixed to prepare a flaky granular processed food product. Next, ingredients (such as vegetables cut to a specified size) and seasonings were mixed with the prepared granular processed food product.

[0221] Below are some examples of vegan food recipes using processed granular food products.

[0222] (Cooking Example 1: Hamburger steak) The ingredients were mixed in the following proportions and molded. The molded product was grilled to obtain a hamburger steak. Granular food product 30 g Tofu (drained) 180 g Boiled hijiki seaweed 60 g

[0223] (Cooking Example 2: Risotto) The ingredients were mixed in the following proportions and steamed to obtain risotto: 40 g of processed granular food product, 150 mL of water, 2 tablespoons of boiled lentils, and 2 teaspoons of salt koji.

[0224] Below are examples of how to prepare gluten-free food using processed granular food products.

[0225] (Cooking Example 1: Steamed Bread) The ingredients were mixed according to the following ratio and steamed in a steamer to obtain steamed bread. Granular food product 30 g Water 15 mL Raisins 1 tablespoon

[0226] (Cooking Example 2: Dumplings) Dumplings were obtained by mixing the ingredients in the following proportions: Granular processed food product 30 g Water 30 mL

[0227] 3. Food Compositions Comprising Granular Rice Flour Processed Products Hereinafter, examples of production of food compositions containing granular rice flour processed products will be described.

[0228] First, powders of the ingredients to be mixed, soybean, sesame, ginger, and pumpkin, were produced by grinding the ingredients using a flour mill (Satake Corporation, SRG05C) and passing the powder through a screen A6 attached to the flour mill.

[0229] (Food Composition A) The ingredients shown below were mixed uniformly to obtain Food Composition A. The granular rice flour processed product of Production Example 7 was produced according to the above <1-4. Method for producing granular rice flour processed product (without coating step)>. Granular rice flour processed product of Production Example 7 100 g Soybeans (dried powder) 40 g Sesame (dried powder) 10 g

[0230] (Food Composition B) The ingredients shown below were mixed uniformly to obtain Food Composition B. The granular rice flour processed product of Production Example B was produced according to the above <1-5. Production method for granular rice flour processed product (raw rice flour: brown rice flour) (without coating step)>. Granular rice flour processed product of Production Example B 100 g Soybeans (dried powder) 40 g Ginger (dried powder) 5 g Shiitake mushrooms (dried powder) 10 g

[0231] The granular rice flour processed product of Production Example B was mixed with the ingredients to be mixed, namely rice vinegar, white miso paste, salt, lemon juice, and brown rice starch syrup, in predetermined amounts, until homogeneous. When the food composition was eaten, it had a distinct cheese flavor.

Claims

1. a granulation step of granulating a mixture containing raw rice flour and water to obtain a granulated product; a heating step of heating the obtained granules until all of the raw material rice flour contained in the granules is gelatinized; a drying step of drying the heated granules, A method for producing a granular rice flour processed product having a particle size of 0.3 mm or more and 4.5 mm or less.

2. The method for producing granular rice flour processed products according to claim 1, wherein the particle size is 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less.

3. The method for producing a granular rice flour processed product according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heating method in the heating step is heating by steaming.

4. The raw rice flour has an average particle size (D ５０ 4. A method for producing a granular rice flour processed product according to claim 1, which contains rice flour having a particle size of 450 μm or more and 650 μm or less.

5. 5. The method for producing a granular rice flour processed product according to claim 1, wherein the raw rice flour is polished rice flour and / or brown rice flour.

6. 6. The method for producing a granular rice flour processed product according to claim 5, wherein the raw rice flour is brown rice flour.

7. A granular rice flour processed product having a size of 0.3 mm or more and 4.5 mm or less, obtained by the manufacturing method described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The granular rice flour processed product according to claim 7, wherein the particle size is 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less.

9. The processed granular rice flour product has a size of 0.3 mm to 4.5 mm and is obtained by heating a granulated product of raw rice flour so that all of the raw rice flour contained in the granulated product is gelatinized and then drying the granulated product.

10. The granular rice flour processed product according to claim 8, wherein the particle size is 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less.

11. The granular rice flour processed product according to any one of claims 7 to 10, which is for vegetarian or vegan food products.

12. a granulation step of granulating a mixture containing raw rice flour, additional ingredients, and water to obtain a granulated product; a heating step of heating the resulting granules until all of the raw material rice flour contained in the granules is gelatinized; a drying step of drying the heated granules, A method for producing granular food products having a particle size of 0.3 mm or more and 4.5 mm or less.

13. The method for producing granular processed food products according to claim 12, wherein the particle size is 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less.

14. The method for producing a granular food product according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the heating method in the heating step is heating by steaming.

15. 15. The method for producing a granular processed food product according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the raw material rice flour is polished rice flour and / or brown rice flour.

16. The method for producing a granular processed food product according to claim 15, wherein the raw rice flour is brown rice flour.

17. A method for producing a granular food product according to any one of claims 12 to 16, wherein the additional ingredient is one or more plant foods selected from the group consisting of grains, potatoes, nuts, seeds, beans, vegetables, fruits, mushrooms and algae.

18. A granular food product having a particle size of 0.3 mm or more and 4.5 mm or less, obtained by the manufacturing method according to any one of claims 12 to 17.

19. 19. The granular food product according to claim 18, wherein the particle size is 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less.

20. The granular processed food product is obtained by granulating a mixture containing raw rice flour, additional ingredients, and water, heating the granulated product until all of the raw rice flour contained in the granulated product is gelatinized, and then drying the granulated product.

21. The granular food product according to claim 20, wherein the particle size is 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less.

22. 22. A granular food product according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the additional ingredient is one or more plant foods selected from the group consisting of grains, potatoes, nuts, seeds, beans, vegetables, fruits, mushrooms and algae.

23. 23. The granular food product according to any one of claims 18 to 22, which is for vegetarian or vegan food.

24. A food composition comprising both or either one of the granular rice flour processed product according to any one of claims 7 to 10 and the granular food processed product according to any one of claims 18 to 22, and ingredients to be mixed.

25. The food composition according to claim 24, comprising a plant food as the mixed ingredient.

26. 26. The food composition according to claim 24 or 25, wherein the mixed ingredients include one or more plant foods selected from grains, potatoes, nuts, seeds, beans, vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, and algae.

27. 27. A food composition according to any one of claims 24 to 26, which is for vegetarian or vegan foodstuffs.