The components of a solid viscous substance used in cooking, and the methods for producing the same.

Abstract

------14 / 02 / 2563------(OCR) Solid thickening agent for cooking with beans and complies with the following (1) to (4): all (1) containing 3% by mass or higher of insoluble dietary fiber on a dry mass basis. (2) containing 10% by mass or more of flour on a dry mass basis (3) containing 4% by mass or higher of protein on a dry mass basis (4)After isothermal treatment of the viscous solid components in water, which is 40 times greater. Soak in 90 degrees Celsius for 5 minutes; the water opacity should be 25% or lower. ------------

Description

Solid paste composition for cooking with heat and method for producing the same

[0001] The present invention relates to a solid paste composition for cooking with heat and a method for producing the same.

[0002] A wide variety of solid paste compositions for cooking exist around the world, which are made by adding water, salt, etc. to various ingredients such as grain flour and starch as raw materials, kneading them to obtain dough, and then molding them into various shapes. While elongated shapes (e.g., pasta and noodle-like foods) are common, some are molded into strips, plates, strips, cylinders, dumplings, granules, etc. These solid paste compositions for cooking, whether raw or dried, are consumed after cooking. However, there has been a problem in that, as time passes after cooking, the solid paste compositions for cooking lose their smoothness and tend to stick together.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a conventional technique for preventing sticking, in which a polysaccharide that irreversibly gels upon heating is added to noodle ingredients to produce noodles, which are then heated to form a gelled film of the polysaccharide on the surface of the noodles. This suppresses the elution of adhesive components such as soluble proteins and starches originating from the noodle ingredients, thereby preventing noodles from sticking together.

[0004] Furthermore, as a technique with an even simpler production process, Patent Document 2 discloses a technique relating to low-adhesion chilled noodles in which the surface of boiled noodles is treated with an aqueous solution containing a fermented seasoning (cooking sake) and the like, and then refrigerated. Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses a technique relating to a method for producing semi-cooked noodles, which includes a step of immersing boiled or steamed dried noodles in an aqueous solution containing a water-soluble polysaccharide.

[0005] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-253759 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2013-247953 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-221024

[0006] However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 has a narrow range of suitable heating temperatures and heating times, and insufficient heating impairs the anti-sticking effect, while excessive heating causes the noodle surface to burn, reducing food quality, making it difficult to stably supply noodles of a consistent quality. Furthermore, the technologies described in Patent Documents 2 and 3 both prevent noodles from sticking together, and while the methods are relatively simple, they still have the problem of imparting the flavor of cooking sake or polysaccharides to the noodles. An object of the present invention is to provide a solid paste composition for cooking with heat that is resistant to sticking even after a period of time has passed after cooking with heat, and a method for producing the same.

[0007] In light of the above circumstances, the present inventors conducted extensive research and found that, by focusing on the effects of bean-derived protein, insoluble dietary fiber, and starch, which are not present in conventional technology, a solid paste composition for cooking can be obtained that solves the above-mentioned problems by controlling the content of each of these components to a specific value or higher and then suppressing the elution of components in water using the degree of turbidity when treated with water under specific conditions as an indicator. Furthermore, by focusing on high-temperature and high-pressure conditions, which are not commonly used according to the technical common sense of those skilled in the art because they denature gluten contained in wheat and the like, the present inventors discovered that the above solid paste composition for cooking can be produced in a simple manner by treating a raw material containing finely divided beans under specific conditions. Based on the above findings, the present inventors further conducted extensive research and completed the following invention.

[0008] That is, the present invention provides the following [Item 1] to [Item 39]. [Item 1] A solid paste composition for cooking with heat containing beans, which satisfies all of the following (1) to (4): (1) The composition contains insoluble dietary fiber in an amount of 3% or more by dry weight. (2) The composition contains starch in an amount of 10% or more by dry weight. (3) The composition contains protein in an amount of 4% or more by dry weight. (4) The haze value of the water after incubation of the composition at 90°C for 5 minutes in 40 times the amount of water is 25% or less. [Item 2] The composition according to Item 1, which further satisfies the following (5): (5) The difference between the absorbance of a 0.25 mM iodine solution and the absorbance (500 nm) of the filtrate after treating the composition with 10 times the amount of 0.25 mM iodine solution at 20°C for 5 minutes and filtering it through a 0.20 μm filter is 0.35 or less. [Item 3] The composition according to item 1 or 2, further satisfying the following condition (6): (6) The total fat and oil content is less than 17% by mass in terms of dry mass. [Item 4] The composition according to any one of items 1 to 3, further satisfying the following condition (7): (7) The dry basis moisture content is 50% by mass or less. [Item 5] The composition according to any one of items 1 to 4, which does not contain native gluten. [Item 6] The particle size distribution d when the composition after adding the following treatment A is subjected to ultrasonic treatment ９０The composition according to any one of Items 1 to 5, wherein the particle size is 1000 μm or less. [Treatment A] A 6% by mass aqueous suspension of the composition is treated with 0.4% by volume of protease and 0.02% by mass of α-amylase at 20°C for 3 days. [Item 7] The composition according to any one of Items 1 to 6, wherein the ratio of starch derived from beans to the total starch in the composition is 10% by mass or more, calculated on a dry mass basis. [Item 8] The composition according to any one of Items 1 to 7, wherein the beans are derived from one or more beans selected from the genus Pisum, Phaseolus, Pigeonpea, Vigna, Vicia, Cicer, and Lentil. [Item 9] A pulverized composition obtained by pulverizing the composition according to any one of Items 1 to 8. [Item 10] A pulverized composition agglomerate obtained by agglomerating the pulverized composition according to Item 9. [Item 11] A method for producing a solid paste composition containing beans for cooking with heat, comprising the following steps (i) to (iii): (i) adjusting a paste dough composition containing micronized beans so that the insoluble dietary fiber content is 3% by mass or more, calculated on a dry basis, the starch content is 10% by mass or more, calculated on a dry basis, and the protein content is 4% by mass or more, calculated on a dry basis; (ii) kneading the composition after step (i) at a temperature of 100°C or more and 200°C or less; (iii) lowering the temperature of the composition after step (ii) to a temperature at which the composition does not expand. [Item 12] The production method according to Item 11, further comprising step (iv) after step (iii); (iv) moistening the composition after step (iii) in an environment where the atmospheric relative humidity (RH%) is greater than 50%. [Item 13] The production method according to Item 12, wherein the moistening treatment in step (iv) is carried out under conditions that satisfy the following formula 1: A×T≧40 (Equation 1) (In the equation, A represents the relative humidity (RH%) of the atmosphere, and T represents the moistening treatment time (hr), provided that A>50RH%.) [Item 14] The manufacturing method according to any one of Items 11 to 13, wherein the step (ii) and / or the step (iii) are carried out under pressurized conditions. [Item 15] The manufacturing method according to Item 14, wherein the pressurized conditions are conditions for applying a pressure of 0.1 MPa or more. [Item 16] The particle size distribution d ９０The manufacturing method according to any one of Items 11 to 15, wherein the ground beans are pulverized to a size of 1000 μm or less. [Treatment A] A 6% by mass aqueous suspension of pulverized beans is treated with 0.4% by volume of protease and 0.02% by mass of α-amylase at 20°C for 3 days. [Item 17] The manufacturing method according to any one of Items 11 to 16, wherein the kneading in step (ii) is carried out under conditions of a specific mechanical energy (SME) value of 350 kJ / kg or more. [Item 18] The manufacturing method according to any one of Items 11 to 17, wherein step (ii) and / or step (iii) are carried out using an extruder. [Item 19] The manufacturing method according to Item 18, wherein the extruder is a single-screw extruder or a twin-screw extruder. [Item 20] The manufacturing method according to Item 18 or 19, wherein the ratio of the length of the flight screw portion to the total length of the barrel of the extruder is 95% or less. [Item 21] The manufacturing method according to any one of Items 11 to 20, wherein the kneading time in step (ii) is from 0.1 minute to 60 minutes. [Item 22] The manufacturing method according to any one of Items 11 to 21, wherein the temperature-lowering temperature in step (iii) is 95°C or less. [Item 23] The manufacturing method according to any one of Items 11 to 22, further comprising the following step (v) after step (iii): (v) a step of pulverizing the composition to obtain a pulverized composition. [Item 24] The manufacturing method according to Item 23, further comprising the following step (vi) after step (v): (vi) a step of agglomerating the pulverized composition to obtain a pulverized composition agglomerate. [Item 25] A solid paste composition for cooking with heat produced by the manufacturing method according to any one of Items 11 to 24. [Item 26] A method for improving the quality of a solid paste composition for cooking with heat containing beans, comprising the following steps (i) to (iii): (i) A step of adjusting a paste dough composition containing micronized beans so that the content of insoluble dietary fiber is 3% by mass or more, calculated on a dry basis, the content of starch is 10% by mass or more, calculated on a dry basis, and the content of protein is 4% by mass or more, calculated on a dry basis. (ii) A step of kneading the composition after step (i) at a temperature of 100°C or more and 200°C or less. (iii) A step of lowering the temperature of the composition after step (ii) to a temperature at which the composition does not expand. [Item 27] ​​The method according to Item 26, further comprising step (iv) after step (iii).(iv) A step of moistening the composition after step (iii) in an environment where the atmospheric relative humidity (RH%) is greater than 50RH%. [Item 28] The method of item 27, wherein the moistening treatment of step (iv) is carried out under conditions that satisfy the following formula 1: A×T≧40 (Formula 1) (wherein A represents the atmospheric relative humidity (RH%), and T represents the moistening treatment time (hr). However, A>50RH%.) [Item 29] The method of any one of items 26 to 28, wherein step (ii) and / or step (iii) are carried out under pressurized conditions. [Item 30] The method of item 29, wherein the pressurized conditions are conditions in which a pressure of 0.1 MPa or more is applied. [Item 31] Particle size distribution d when the micronized pulses in step (i) are subjected to ultrasonic treatment after adding the following treatment A: ９０ The method according to any one of Items 26 to 30, wherein the ground beans are pulverized to a size of 1,000 μm or less. [Treatment A] A 6% by mass aqueous suspension of pulverized beans is treated with 0.4% by volume of protease and 0.02% by mass of α-amylase at 20°C for 3 days. [Item 32] The method according to any one of Items 26 to 31, wherein the kneading in step (ii) is carried out under conditions of a specific mechanical energy (SME) value of 350 kJ / kg or more. [Item 33] The method according to any one of Items 26 to 32, wherein step (ii) and / or step (iii) are carried out using an extruder. [Item 34] The method according to Item 33, wherein the extruder is a single-screw extruder or a twin-screw extruder. [Item 35] The method according to Item 33 or 34, wherein the ratio of the length of the flight screw portion to the total length of the barrel of the extruder is 95% or less. [Item 36] The method according to any one of Items 26 to 35, wherein the kneading time in step (ii) is 0.1 minute or more and 60 minutes or less. [Item 37] The method according to any one of Items 26 to 36, wherein the temperature-lowering temperature in step (iii) is 95°C or less. [Item 38] The method according to any one of Items 26 to 37, wherein the quality improvement is suppression of binding and / or loss of elasticity after cooking of the composition. [Item 39] A solid paste composition for cooking, the quality of which is improved by the method according to any one of Items 26 to 38.

[0009] According to the present invention, there are provided a solid paste composition for cooking with heat that retains its smoothness even after cooking and is inhibited from sticking, and a method for producing the same.

[0010] The present invention will be described below based on specific embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and can be implemented with any modifications as long as they do not deviate from the gist of the invention.

[0011] [I: Solid Paste Composition for Heat Cooking] The present invention relates to a solid paste composition for heat cooking containing beans (hereinafter also referred to as the "solid paste composition of the present invention"). In the present invention, "heat cooking" generally refers to a cooking method in which the temperature of food is raised by applying heat to the food directly using fire or microwaves, or indirectly through a medium such as water or air, and generally refers to cooking at a heating temperature of, for example, about 70°C or higher, typically about 80°C to 180°C, for a period of, for example, 1 minute to 60 minutes. Examples of cooking methods include, but are not limited to, baking, boiling, frying, and steaming. In the present invention, "solid" refers to a solidity that allows the food to retain its shape even after being cooked, and "paste composition" refers to a food composition produced by kneading food ingredients such as beans.

[0012] The solid paste composition of the present invention has the property of suppressing component elution in water, and is therefore preferably subjected to cooking by heating in a liquid (particularly in water), which is a cooking environment in which components are particularly likely to elute. For example, when the solid paste composition for cooking by heating is a noodle strand or noodle strip composition such as noodles or pasta, it is preferred that the solid paste composition be a noodle strand or noodle strip composition such as noodles or pasta, since the solid paste composition has the property of maintaining an edible shape even after cooking by heating in water for consumption (for example, in water at 90°C or higher for 5 minutes or more).

[0013] Examples of the solid paste composition of the present invention include, but are not limited to, pasta, Chinese noodles, udon, Inaniwa udon, Kishimen, Hoto, Suiton, Hiyamugi, Somen, Soba, Sobagaki, Rifun, Pho, Reimen noodles, Harusame, oatmeal, couscous, Kiritanpo, Tteok, Gyoza wrappers, and the like.

[0014] Examples of pasta include long pasta and short pasta. Long pasta is usually a general term for long, thin pasta, but in the present invention, it also encompasses udon, soba, and the like. Specific examples include, but are not limited to, spaghetti (diameter: 1.6 mm to 1.7 mm), spaghettini (diameter: 1.4 mm to 1.5 mm), vermicelli (diameter: 2.0 mm to 2.2 mm), capellini (diameter: 0.8 mm to 1.0 mm), linguine (minor axis: approximately 1 mm, major axis: approximately 3 mm), tagliatelle or fettuccine (flat noodles with a width of approximately 7 mm to 8 mm), and pappardelle (flat noodles with a width of approximately 10 mm to 30 mm). Because long pasta has a large contact area between its components and tends to lose smoothness, resulting in product characteristics that make it prone to sticking, it is useful and preferable to use it as the solid paste composition of the present invention. Short pasta is usually a general term for short pasta, but in the present invention, it also encompasses pasta that has been further processed into smaller sizes after molding, such as fregola (granular pasta) and couscous. Specific examples include, but are not limited to, macaroni (cylindrical with a diameter of approximately 3 mm to 5 mm), penne (cylindrical with both ends cut diagonally like the tip of a pen), farfalle (butterfly-shaped), conchiglie (shell-shaped), and orecchiette (dome-shaped like ears).

[0015] Among conventional solid paste compositions for cooking, compositions in particular in a dry state are prone to the aforementioned problem of the components sticking together after cooking before consumption. In contrast, the solid paste composition of the present invention is particularly useful in a dry state because it inhibits the components from sticking together after cooking. In the present invention, the "dry" state refers to a state in which the moisture content (dry basis moisture content) is 20% by mass or less and the water activity value is 0.85 or less. In such a dried form, the solid paste composition of the present invention preferably has a moisture content of 15% by mass or less, and more preferably 10% by mass or less. Furthermore, the solid paste composition of the present invention preferably has a water activity value of 0.80 or less, and even more preferably 0.75 or less. The water content (dry basis water content) in the solid paste composition can be measured, for example, by subjecting a dried powder to a reduced pressure heating drying method described below, and the water activity value can be measured according to a standard method using, for example, a general water activity measuring device (for example, "LabMaster-aw NEO" manufactured by Novacina using an electric resistance type (electrolyte type) humidity sensor).

[0016] Furthermore, among conventional solid paste compositions for cooking, compositions molded into elongated shapes, such as long pasta, are prone to the aforementioned problem of the components sticking together after cooking. In contrast, the solid paste composition of the present invention is particularly useful for compositions molded into elongated shapes because it inhibits the components from sticking together after cooking. The diameter of the solid paste composition of the present invention in such elongated shapes is not particularly limited, but is typically 20 mm or less, preferably 10 mm or less, more preferably 5 mm or less, even more preferably 3 mm or less, and even more preferably 2 mm or less. The "diameter" of a solid paste composition refers to the major axis of a cross section (the maximum length of a line segment connecting any two points in the cross section) when the solid paste composition is cut perpendicular to its longitudinal direction. Here, if the cross section is circular, the diameter corresponds to the diameter; if the cross section is elliptical, the major axis corresponds to the diameter; and if the cross section is rectangular (e.g., in the case of a composition molded into a plate), the diagonal corresponds to the diameter of the solid paste composition.

[0017] [Beans] The solid paste composition of the present invention contains beans. The properties of the beans are not particularly limited, but beans that have been pulverized (pulverized beans) are preferred. In the present invention, "pulverized beans" refers to beans having a particle diameter d after ultrasonic treatment. ９０ The term "pulverized beans" as used herein includes beans in a state where the pulverized beans in the dough composition are melted and mixed together in the paste composition during processing. The particle diameter d of the pulverized beans contained in the solid paste composition of the present invention after ultrasonic treatment is d ９０ is preferably 1500 μm or less, more preferably 1000 μm or less, and more preferably 800 μm or less, or 600 μm or less, or 500 μm or less, or 450 μm or less, or 400 μm or less, or 350 μm or less, or 300 μm or less, or 250 μm or less, or 200 μm or less, or 150 μm or less, or 100 μm or less. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of industrial production efficiency, it is, for example, usually 1 μm or more, or even 3 μm or more. Furthermore, the particle diameter d of the micronized beans contained in the solid paste composition of the present invention after ultrasonic treatment ５０ is preferably 1500 μm or less, more preferably 1000 μm or less, and more preferably 800 μm or less, or 600 μm or less, or 500 μm or less, or 450 μm or less, or 400 μm or less, or 350 μm or less, or 300 μm or less, or 250 μm or less, or 200 μm or less, or 150 μm or less, or 100 μm or less. There is no particular lower limit, but from the viewpoint of industrial production efficiency, it is, for example, usually 1 μm or more, or even 3 μm or more. Here, in the present invention, "particle diameter d ９０ " and "particle diameter d ５０ " is defined as the particle diameter at which, when the particle diameter distribution of the object to be measured is measured on a volume basis and divided into two at a certain particle diameter, the ratio of the cumulative value of particle frequency % on the larger side to the cumulative value of particle frequency % on the smaller side is 10:90 and 50:50, respectively. Furthermore, in the present invention, "ultrasonic treatment" means treatment with ultrasonic waves at a frequency of 40 kHz and an output of 40 W for 3 minutes, unless otherwise specified. The particle diameter d after ultrasonic treatment is ９０ and d ５０The measurement conditions shall be as described below.

[0018] In the present invention, the means for the micronization treatment of beans is not particularly limited. The temperature during the micronization treatment is not particularly limited, but since exposure of the powder to high temperatures tends to reduce the elasticity of the solid paste composition of the present invention, it is preferable to dry the powder at a temperature of, for example, 200°C or less. Furthermore, the pressure during the micronization treatment is also not limited, and any of high-pressure grinding, normal-pressure grinding, and low-pressure grinding may be used. Examples of equipment for such micronization treatment include, but are not limited to, blenders, mixers, mills, kneaders, pulverizers, crushers, and grinders. Specifically, for example, media-agitating mills such as dry bead mills and ball mills (rolling type, vibrating type, etc.), jet mills, high-speed rotation impact mills (pin mills, etc.), roll mills, hammer mills, etc. may be used.

[0019] As the pulses, it is preferable to use one or more pulses selected from the group consisting of the genus Pisum, Glycine, Phaseolus, Pigeonpea, Vigna, Vicia, Chickpea, Lentil, Lupin, Lathyrus, Guar, Mumpsonia, Carob and Parkia, and it is particularly preferable to use one or more pulses selected from the group consisting of the genus Pisum, Phaseolus, Pigeonpea, Vigna, Vicia, Chickpea and Lentil. Specific examples of beans include, but are not limited to, peas (particularly yellow peas, white peas, and green peas, which are immature seeds), common beans (kinton beans), kidney beans, red beans, white beans, black beans, pinto beans, tiger beans, lima beans, scarlet beans, pigeon peas, mung beans, cowpeas, adzuki beans, broad beans, soybeans (particularly edamame, which are immature seeds of soybeans harvested with the pods in an immature state and are characterized by their green appearance), chickpeas, lentils, lentils, blue peas, purple peas, lentils, groundnuts, lupine beans, grass peas, carob, parkiaca, longleaf bean, coffee beans, cacao beans, and Mexican jack beans.

[0020] As for pulses, pulses with a low starch content (such as soybeans) require additional starch supplementation, so pulses containing a predetermined amount or more of starch are preferred. Specifically, pulses with a starch content of typically 3% by mass or more, preferably 6% by mass or more, and even more preferably 10% by mass or more, calculated on a dry mass basis, are preferably used. Here, in the present invention, unless otherwise specified, the term "dry mass" refers to the mass remaining after subtracting the mass of water in a food, determined from the "moisture content (moisture content on a dry mass basis)" described below, from the mass of the entire food.

[0021] The solid paste composition of the present invention preferably contains beans containing a predetermined amount of starch, because this not only significantly exhibits the effect of the present invention of preventing the composition from sticking after cooking and maintaining its smoothness, but also exhibits the effect of making the composition less likely to break. The reason for this is not clear, but it is possible that the effect is achieved by the interaction of the protein and dietary fiber in the beans with the starch.

[0022] The content of beans in the solid paste composition of the present invention is typically 10% by mass or more in terms of dry mass. However, from the viewpoint of maintaining smoothness after cooking and preventing sticking and breaking, it is preferably 20% by mass or more, more preferably 30% by mass or more, even more preferably 40% by mass or more, even more preferably 50% by mass or more, even more preferably 60% by mass or more, and even more preferably 70% by mass or more. In the present invention, the content of beans in the solid paste composition can be estimated from the measured values ​​of the final solid paste composition, for example, using the characteristic nutritional components (e.g., protein, starch, dietary fiber, etc.) of the raw beans as indicators. In particular, more reliable estimation can be achieved by using the measured values ​​of two or more components, rather than just one, as indicators. The nutritional components of the raw beans can be found, for example, in the "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan 2015 Edition (Seventh Edition) Supplement 2018."

[0023] In the present invention, it is preferable to use beans that have not been subjected to gelatinization treatment.

[0024] [Particle diameter d ９０ , d ５０In the present invention, the particle diameter d ９０ and d ５０ The measurement conditions for various parameters related to particle size distribution, such as the above, are as follows: Ethanol is used as the solvent during measurement, as it is less likely to affect the structure of the composition. The laser diffraction particle size analyzer used for the measurement is not particularly limited, but for example, a Microtrac MT3300 EXII system from Microtrac Bell Corporation can be used. The measurement application software is not particularly limited, but for example, DMS2 (Data Management System version 2, Microtrac Bell Corporation) can be used. When using the above-mentioned measuring device and software, measurement is performed by pressing the software's cleaning button to perform cleaning, then pressing the software's Set Zero button to perform zero adjustment, and directly loading the sample until the sample concentration falls within the appropriate range. The measurement sample may be a sample that has been ultrasonicated in advance, or the sample may be ultrasonicated using the above-mentioned measuring device after loading, followed by measurement. In the latter case, a sample that has not been subjected to ultrasonic treatment is loaded, and the concentration is adjusted to within the appropriate range by sample loading. Then, ultrasonic treatment is performed by pressing the ultrasonic treatment button on the software. After three degassing treatments, the sample is loaded again. After confirming that the concentration is still within the appropriate range, the measurement value is quickly measured by laser diffraction at a flow rate of 60% for a measurement time of 10 seconds. The measurement parameters are, for example, distribution display: volume, particle refractive index: 1.60, solvent refractive index: 1.36, upper measurement limit (μm) = 2000.00 μm, and lower measurement limit (μm) = 0.021 μm.

[0025] [Insoluble Dietary Fiber] The solid paste composition of the present invention contains insoluble dietary fiber. In the present invention, "insoluble dietary fiber" refers to water-insoluble, indigestible components in foods that are not digested by human digestive enzymes. The amount of insoluble dietary fiber can be quantified, for example, using the modified Prosky method in accordance with the 2015 edition (7th revision) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. The solid paste composition of the present invention is useful because it does not have a gritty texture even when it contains a high amount of insoluble dietary fiber. Although the reason for this is unclear, it is possible that the high-temperature, high-pressure treatment causes the protein and dietary fiber in the legumes to interact with the starch to form a network structure, improving the texture of the insoluble dietary fiber.

[0026] The content of insoluble dietary fiber in the solid paste composition of the present invention is usually 3% by mass or more in dry mass equivalent, but from the viewpoint of maintaining smoothness after cooking and suppressing binding and breakage, it is preferably 4% by mass or more, more preferably 5% by mass or more, even more preferably 6% by mass or more, even more preferably 7% by mass or more, and even more preferably 8% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit of the content of insoluble dietary fiber is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of industrial production efficiency, it is desirable that the content in the solid paste composition of the present invention is usually 40% by mass or less, preferably 35% by mass or less, and even more preferably 30% by mass or less in dry mass equivalent.

[0027] The origin of the insoluble dietary fiber contained in the solid paste composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, and it may be derived from various natural materials containing insoluble dietary fiber, or may be synthesized. In the former case, the insoluble dietary fiber contained in various materials may be isolated and purified before use, or the material containing such insoluble dietary fiber may be used as is. In the latter case, it is preferable to use food materials as they are as the material containing insoluble dietary fiber, and it is preferable that 30% by mass or more of the insoluble dietary fiber is derived from the food materials.

[0028] The composition of the insoluble dietary fiber contained in the solid paste composition of the present invention is not particularly limited. However, when the ratio of lignin (especially acid-soluble lignin) to the total insoluble dietary fiber is equal to or greater than a certain value, the texture improving effect is more pronounced. Specifically, the ratio of lignin (especially acid-soluble lignin) to the total insoluble dietary fiber is usually 5% by mass or more, preferably 10% by mass or more, and more preferably 30% by mass or more, based on the dry mass.

[0029] The insoluble dietary fiber contained in the solid paste composition of the present invention preferably has a particle size within a predetermined range. Specifically, the particle size d of the insoluble dietary fiber contained in the solid paste composition when subjected to ultrasonic treatment is ９０ is usually preferably 1000 μm or less, and more preferably 900 μm or less, further 800 μm or less, or 700 μm or less, or 600 μm or less, or 500 μm or less, or 450 μm or less, or 400 μm or less, or 350 μm or less, or 300 μm or less, or 250 μm or less, or 200 μm or less, or 150 μm or less. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of industrial production efficiency, it is, for example, usually 1 μm or more, or even 3 μm or more. Similarly, the particle diameter d of the insoluble dietary fiber contained in the solid paste composition after ultrasonic treatment ５０ is usually preferably 1000 μm or less, and more preferably 900 μm or less, further 800 μm or less, or 700 μm or less, or 600 μm or less, or 500 μm or less, or 450 μm or less, or 400 μm or less, or 350 μm or less, or 300 μm or less, or 250 μm or less, or 200 μm or less, or 150 μm or less. There is no particular lower limit, but from the viewpoint of industrial production efficiency, it is, for example, usually 1 μm or more, or even 3 μm or more. The particle diameter d of the insoluble dietary fiber after ultrasonic treatment ９０ and d ５０If the amount exceeds the upper limit, the effects of the present invention may be difficult to achieve. Although the reason for this is unclear, it is thought that because insoluble dietary fiber has a very strong structure, the presence of coarse insoluble dietary fiber inhibits the formation of a network structure of starch, etc., thereby inhibiting the effects of the present invention from being achieved.

[0030] The size (d ９０ and d ５０ ) can be measured by measuring the residue after enzymatic decomposition of starch and protein from a solid paste. Specifically, a 6% by mass suspension of the composition is treated with 0.4% by volume of protease and 0.02% by mass of α-amylase at 20°C for 3 days (this is referred to as "Treatment A"). After that, the particle size distribution (d ９０ and d ５０ ) is measured. As a more specific example of the method of the treatment A, 300 mg of the composition is placed in a plastic tube together with 5 mL of water, and after swelling at 20°C for about 1 hour, it is treated with a small hyscotron (10,000 rpm, about 15 seconds) until it becomes a porridge-like substance. After that, 2.5 mL of the treated sample is taken, and 10 μL of protease (Proteinase K manufactured by Takara Bio Inc.) and 0.5 mg of α-amylase (α-Amylase from Bacillus subtilis manufactured by Sigma) are added, and the mixture is reacted at 20°C for 3 days. The composition thus subjected to treatment A is subjected to ultrasonic treatment, and the particle size distribution (d ９０ and d ５０ ) is measured using a laser diffraction particle size analyzer under the conditions described above. This decomposes starch and protein from the components of the solid paste composition, making it possible to measure the size of the insoluble dietary fiber.

[0031] In addition, it is preferable that the insoluble dietary fiber contained in the finely divided beans used as a raw material before processing to produce the solid paste composition of the present invention has a particle size within a predetermined range. Specifically, the particle size d of the insoluble dietary fiber contained in the beans after ultrasonic treatment is ９０is usually preferably 1000 μm or less, and more preferably 900 μm or less, further 800 μm or less, or 700 μm or less, or 600 μm or less, or 500 μm or less, or 450 μm or less, or 400 μm or less, or 350 μm or less, or 300 μm or less, or 250 μm or less, or 200 μm or less, or 150 μm or less. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of industrial production efficiency, it is, for example, usually 1 μm or more, or even 3 μm or more. Similarly, the particle diameter d of the insoluble dietary fiber contained in the raw material micronized beans after ultrasonic treatment ５０ is usually preferably 1000 μm or less, and more preferably 900 μm or less, further 800 μm or less, or 700 μm or less, or 600 μm or less, or 500 μm or less, or 450 μm or less, or 400 μm or less, or 350 μm or less, or 300 μm or less, or 250 μm or less, or 200 μm or less, or 150 μm or less. There is no particular lower limit, but from the viewpoint of industrial production efficiency, it is, for example, usually 1 μm or more, or even 3 μm or more. The particle diameter d of the insoluble dietary fiber after ultrasonic treatment ９０ and d ５０ If the content exceeds the upper limit, the effects of the present invention may be difficult to achieve. The reason for this is unclear, but since insoluble dietary fiber has a very strong structure, it is thought that if coarse insoluble dietary fiber is present in the raw material micronized beans, it will inhibit the formation of a network structure of starch, etc., as in the case of a solid paste composition, and will inhibit the effects of the present invention from being achieved. The size of the insoluble dietary fiber contained in the raw material micronized beans can be measured using the same method as the size of the insoluble dietary fiber contained in the solid paste composition.

[0032] [Starch] When the solid paste composition of the present invention contains a predetermined proportion of starch or more, the effect of the present invention is achieved, that is, the composition is less likely to stick after cooking and maintains its smoothness. Although the reason for this is not clear, it is possible that the protein and dietary fiber in the beans interact with the starch to form a network structure, thereby achieving the effect of the present invention.

[0033] The starch content in the solid paste composition of the present invention is typically 10% by mass or more, preferably 13% by mass or more, more preferably 15% by mass or more, even more preferably 18% by mass or more, and even more preferably 20% by mass or more, calculated on a dry mass basis. While the upper limit of the starch content is not particularly limited, it is typically 60% by mass or less, preferably 50% by mass or less, and even more preferably 40% by mass or less, calculated on a dry mass basis. In the present invention, the starch content in the solid paste composition can be measured, for example, in accordance with the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, 2015 Edition (7th Edition), in accordance with the AOAC 996.11 method, in which soluble carbohydrates (glucose, maltose, maltodextrin, etc.) that affect the measurement value are removed by extraction with 80% ethanol.

[0034] Furthermore, the solid paste composition of the present invention preferably contains a predetermined proportion or more of bean-derived starch, since this improves the quality of the composition by making it less likely to stick to itself. Specifically, the ratio of bean-derived starch to the total starch in the solid paste composition of the present invention is preferably 10% by mass or more, calculated on a dry mass basis, and particularly preferably 20% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, and particularly preferably substantially 100% by mass.

[0035] [Protein] The solid paste composition of the present invention, containing a protein in a predetermined proportion or more, exhibits the effect of preventing the composition from sticking even when cooked. Although the reason for this is not clear, it is possible that the protein and dietary fiber in the beans interact with the starch to form a network structure, thereby producing the effect of the present invention.

[0036] The protein content in the solid paste composition of the present invention is typically 4% by mass or more, preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 6% by mass or more, even more preferably 7% by mass or more, and even more preferably 9% by mass or more, calculated as a dry mass. While the upper limit of the protein content is not particularly limited, it is typically 40% by mass or less, preferably 35% by mass or less, and even more preferably 30% by mass or less, calculated as a dry mass. In the present invention, the protein content in the solid paste composition can be measured, for example, according to the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, 2015 Edition (7th Edition), by multiplying the amount of nitrogen quantified by the modified Kjeldahl method by the "nitrogen-protein conversion factor."

[0037] Furthermore, the solid paste composition of the present invention preferably contains a protein derived from beans in a predetermined proportion or more, thereby improving the quality of the composition so that the composition is less likely to stick to itself. Specifically, the ratio of the protein derived from beans to the protein in the entire solid paste composition of the present invention is preferably 10% by mass or more, calculated on a dry mass basis, and particularly preferably 20% by mass or more, 30% by mass or more, 40% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, and particularly preferably substantially 100% by mass.

[0038] [Total fat and oil content] Conventional solid paste compositions for cooking are made less likely to stick by adding fat and oil to the composition (for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3 mentioned above), but this has problems such as affecting the taste and increasing the calorie content. On the other hand, the solid paste composition of the present invention is useful because it can be obtained with a less likely to stick composition even if the amount of fat and oil used is kept to a minimum, or even if no fat and oil is used at all. In other words, the solid paste composition of the present invention is preferable because it has a less likely to stick quality even if its total fat and oil content is below a certain value. Here, in the present invention, "total fat and oil content" means the total amount of fat and oil derived from the raw materials of the solid paste composition of the present invention.

[0039] The total oil and fat content in the solid paste composition of the present invention is typically less than 17% by mass, calculated as dry mass, but is preferably less than 15% by mass, more preferably less than 13% by mass, even more preferably less than 10% by mass, even more preferably less than 8% by mass, even more preferably less than 7% by mass, even more preferably less than 6% by mass, even more preferably less than 5% by mass, even more preferably less than 4% by mass, even more preferably less than 3% by mass, even more preferably less than 2% by mass, even more preferably less than 1% by mass, and particularly preferably less than 0.8% by mass. While the lower limit of the total oil and fat content is not particularly limited, it is preferably typically 0.01% by mass or more, calculated as dry mass, in the solid paste composition of the present invention. In the present invention, the total oil and fat content in the solid paste composition can be measured, for example, by Soxhlet extraction using diethyl ether in accordance with the 2015 edition (7th revision) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan.

[0040] The solid paste composition of the present invention preferably contains a predetermined proportion or more of oils and fats derived from beans. Specifically, the ratio of the total oils and fats content derived from beans to the total oils and fats content of the entire solid paste composition of the present invention is preferably usually 10% by mass or more in terms of dry mass, particularly preferably 20% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, and particularly preferably substantially 100% by mass.

[0041] [Moisture Content (Dry Basis Moisture Content)] Among conventional solid paste compositions for cooking, those with a low moisture content (dry basis moisture content) are prone to damage to the cellular tissue in the composition due to stresses such as pressure and temperature during the processing step, which can severely affect the problem of the present application after cooking. Therefore, the solid paste composition of the present invention is particularly useful when the moisture content is below a certain value. That is, even if the moisture content is below a certain value, the solid paste composition of the present invention is preferred because it maintains a quality with reduced binding properties after cooking. Specifically, the moisture content (dry basis moisture content) of the solid paste composition of the present invention may be, for example, typically 50% by mass or less, preferably 40% by mass or less, further 30% by mass or less, even 25% by mass or less, further 20% by mass or less, and particularly 10% by mass or less. The lower limit of the moisture content of the solid paste composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of industrial production efficiency, it may be, for example, 0.5% by mass or more, 1% by mass or more, or 2% by mass or more. The water content in the solid paste composition of the present invention may be derived from the various components of the composition, but may also be added as water.

[0042] In the present invention, the term "moisture content" (moisture content on a dry basis) means the ratio of the total amount of moisture derived from the raw materials of the solid paste composition of the present invention and the amount of moisture added separately to the total amount of solids. The value can be measured, for example, in accordance with the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, 2015 edition (7th revision), by heating to 90°C using a vacuum heating and drying method. Specifically, the value can be measured by heating a weighing vessel (W) that has been previously brought to a constant weight. ０ ) and weigh an appropriate amount of sample (W １ The weighing container is placed in a vacuum electric constant temperature dryer adjusted to a predetermined temperature (more specifically, 90°C) at normal pressure, with the lid off or with the mouth open, the door is closed, the vacuum pump is operated, and the container is dried at a predetermined reduced pressure for a certain period of time, the vacuum pump is stopped, dry air is pumped to return the pressure to normal, the weighing container is removed, the lid is put back on, and the container is allowed to cool in a desiccator, and then the mass is measured. In this way, the container is dried, allowed to cool, and weighed until it reaches a constant weight (W ２ ) and calculate the moisture content (dry weight moisture content) (mass%) using the following formula.

[0043]

[0044] [Insoluble Components / Haze Value] The solid paste composition of the present invention is preferred because it has the property of preventing insoluble components from leaking out of the composition even when heated in liquid, thereby achieving the effect of the present invention, namely, preventing the composition from sticking and maintaining its smoothness after cooking. This property of preventing insoluble components from leaking out can be determined using the haze value of the water subjected to constant temperature treatment in water, as described below, of the composition. For example, 1 part by mass of the solid paste composition of the present invention is placed in 40 parts by mass of 90°C water, and the composition is subjected to constant temperature treatment at 90°C for 5 minutes, after which the haze value of the water into which the composition was placed is measured. Having such a haze value below a predetermined value achieves the effect of the present invention, namely, preventing the composition from sticking and maintaining its smoothness after cooking. While the reason for this is unclear, it is speculated that in the case of compositions processed under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions described below, the starch, protein, and dietary fiber form a network structure on the surface of the composition, thereby suppressing the leakage of relatively large tissues that make up the composition.

[0045] Specifically, the solid paste composition of the present invention typically exhibits a haze value of 25% or less, preferably 20% or less, more preferably 17% or less, and even more preferably 15% or less, after 5 minutes of constant temperature treatment in 40 times the amount of water at 90°C. The lower limit of the haze value is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of industrial production efficiency, it is typically 0% or more, preferably 0.3% or more, and even more preferably 0.6% or more. In the present invention, the "haze value" refers to a value obtained by dividing the diffuse transmittance by the total light transmittance, and is specifically calculated by the formula "haze value (%) = diffuse transmittance / total light transmittance × 100." In the formula, "total light transmittance" refers to the light transmittance taking into account reflection and scattering, and "diffuse transmittance" refers to the transmittance of diffuse light, excluding components of light passing through a sample that are parallel to the light beam. These total light transmittance and diffuse transmittance are measured in accordance with a standard method using a turbidity meter (WA6000T (manufactured by Nippon Denshoku Industries Co., Ltd.)) based on an integrating sphere photoelectric photometry method, by placing a sample adjusted to 20°C in a quartz cell with an optical path length of 5 mm and measuring the transmittance using distilled water as a control.

[0046] In producing the solid paste composition of the present invention, the conditions such as temperature, pressure, and residence time during processing of the composition can be appropriately adjusted using the haze value as an index so that the composition satisfies the haze value range. Specific conditions will be described later, but from the viewpoint of keeping the haze value within the preferred range, it is particularly preferable to set the heating temperature to a predetermined temperature or higher (e.g., 100°C or higher).

[0047] [Soluble Component / Absorbance Difference] The solid paste composition of the present invention is more preferable because its soluble components (e.g., amylose) are less likely to leach out of the composition, resulting in smoothness and the composition retaining its elasticity over time after cooking. This resistance to leaching of soluble components can be determined based on the absorbance of the iodine solution (unless otherwise specified, a 0.5 mol / L iodine solution manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd. is diluted with water and used) treated with the composition described below. Specifically, 1 part by mass of the composition (which is removed prior to measurement, if any, from the surface without damaging the composition surface) is added to 10 parts by mass of iodine solution (0.25 mM), allowed to stand at room temperature (20°C) for 5 minutes, and then filtered through a 0.20 μm filter (Millex-LG, 0.20 μm hydrophilic polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), 13 mm). Thereafter, the absorbance (500 nm) of each of the iodine solution before the addition of the composition and the filtrate of the iodine solution after the addition of the composition is measured using a square cell with a light path length of 10 mm using a conventional spectrophotometer (e.g., Shimadzu UV-1800) to determine the difference in absorbance between the two (the absorbance of the filtrate of the iodine solution after the addition of the composition minus the absorbance of the iodine solution before the addition of the composition, i.e., the difference between the absorbance of the iodine solution (0.25 mM) and the absorbance (500 nm) of the filtrate after treating the composition with 10 times the amount of iodine solution (0.25 mM) at 20°C for 5 minutes and filtering it through a 0.20 μm filter). Having such an absorbance difference equal to or less than a predetermined value is useful because it ensures that the composition does not lose its elasticity over time after cooking. Although the reason for this is unclear, it is thought that in compositions from which water-soluble components such as amylose are likely to leach out, the plant cell tissue in the composition is damaged by the temperature and pressure (especially high temperatures) during processing, causing the components of the composition to leak out over time, resulting in a loss of elasticity. Specifically, the absorbance difference measured by the above method is usually 0.35 or less, preferably 0.30 or less, more preferably 0.25 or less, and even more preferably 0.20 or less. The lower limit of the absorbance difference is not particularly limited, but is usually -0.20 or more.In particular, from the viewpoint of preventing damage to cell tissue due to drying of the composition and preventing a decrease in elasticity due to the outflow of soluble components, it is useful to prepare a composition in which the absorbance difference is adjusted to fall within a specified range.

[0048] In addition, when producing the solid paste composition of the present invention, the conditions such as temperature, pressure, and residence time during processing of the composition can be appropriately adjusted using the absorbance difference as an index so that the composition satisfies the range of the absorbance difference. Specific conditions will be described later, but from the viewpoint of keeping the absorbance difference within a suitable range, it is particularly preferable to set the heating temperature to a predetermined temperature or lower (for example, 170°C or lower).

[0049] [Gluten] The solid paste composition of the present invention may be a composition that does not contain native gluten. In the present invention, "native gluten" refers to gluten that has not been treated at a high temperature of 100°C or higher. The solid paste composition of the present invention may also be a composition that does not contain wheat gluten (particularly wheat gliadin), or may even be a composition that does not contain any gluten. In particular, when using the production method of the present invention described below, high-temperature, high-pressure processing conditions are applied, so that gluten contained in wheat, etc., is usually inactivated and loses its function (particularly elasticity). Therefore, the resulting solid paste composition of the present invention is usually a composition that does not contain native gluten, or a composition that does not contain wheat gluten (particularly wheat gliadin), or a composition that does not contain any gluten. In the present invention, the content of native gluten and wheat gluten in the solid paste composition is measured by the sandwich method using, for example, Biomedal's GlutenTox ELISA Kit (KT-5196) or the like.

[0050] [Seasonings, Food Additives, etc.] The solid paste composition of the present invention may contain any one or more seasonings, food additives, etc. Examples of seasonings, food additives, etc. include soy sauce, miso, alcohols, sugars (e.g., glucose, sucrose, fructose, glucose-fructose corn syrup, fructose-glucose corn syrup, etc.), sugar alcohols (e.g., xylitol, erythritol, maltitol, etc.), artificial sweeteners (e.g., sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame K, etc.), minerals (e.g., calcium, potassium, sodium, iron, zinc, magnesium, etc., and salts thereof, etc.), flavorings, pH adjusters (e.g., sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lactic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, acetic acid, etc.), cyclodextrin, antioxidants (e.g., vitamins, Examples of the additives include vitamin E, vitamin C, tea extract, green coffee bean extract, chlorogenic acid, spice extract, caffeic acid, rosemary extract, vitamin C palmitate, rutin, quercetin, bayberry extract, sesame extract, etc.), emulsifiers (for example, glycerin fatty acid ester, acetate monoglyceride, lactate monoglyceride, citric acid monoglyceride, diacetyltartaric acid monoglyceride, succinic acid monoglyceride, polyglycerin fatty acid ester, polyglycerin condensed linosyl acid ester, quillaja extract, soybean saponin, tea seed saponin, sucrose fatty acid ester, lecithin, etc.), coloring agents, thickening stabilizers, etc.

[0051] In view of the recent growing trend toward natural foods, the solid paste composition of the present invention preferably does not contain any one selected from so-called emulsifiers, colorants, and thickening stabilizers (for example, those listed as "colorants," "thickening stabilizers," and "emulsifiers" in the "Table of Food Additive Substance Names for Labeling" in the Food Additive Labeling Pocket Book (2011 edition)), more preferably does not contain any two of them, and even more preferably does not contain all three. In particular, the solid paste composition of the present invention preferably does not contain a gelling agent, as this can impart elasticity to the composition without the inclusion of a gelling agent and prevents excessive elasticity. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of achieving a quality that allows the flavor of the ingredients to be easily perceived, the solid paste composition of the present invention preferably does not contain an emulsifier. Furthermore, it is particularly desirable that the solid paste composition of the present invention does not contain a food additive (for example, a substance listed in the "Table of Food Additive Substance Names for Labeling" in the Food Additive Labeling Pocket Book (2011 edition) used for food additive purposes). Furthermore, from the viewpoint of making the sweetness of the food itself more noticeable, it is preferable that the solid paste composition of the present invention does not contain added sugars (glucose, sucrose, fructose, glucose-fructose syrup, fructose-glucose syrup, etc.).

[0052] Furthermore, conventional solid paste compositions for cooking (especially compositions containing gluten) maintain their elasticity by adding sodium chloride, but this has problems such as an impact on taste and excessive salt intake. This problem is particularly pronounced in dry compositions (e.g., dried udon noodles, dried hiyamugi noodles, etc.), where sodium chloride is typically used in amounts of 3% by mass or more to maintain the elasticity of the composition. On the other hand, the solid paste composition of the present invention is preferable because it can be obtained with minimal sodium chloride usage or even without the addition of sodium chloride, thereby suppressing loss of elasticity and resulting in a high-quality composition. Furthermore, the present invention is also preferable for solid paste compositions for cooking, such as pasta, udon, and bread, which typically derive their adhesiveness and elasticity from gluten and sodium chloride, because it can produce high-quality compositions (noodles) without the addition of sodium chloride. Specifically, the sodium chloride content in the solid paste composition of the present invention is typically 3% by mass or less, preferably 2% by mass or less, more preferably 1% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.7% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 0.5% by mass or less, calculated on a dry mass basis. The lower limit of the sodium chloride content in the solid paste composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, and may be 0% by mass. In the present invention, the sodium chloride content in the solid paste composition is determined, for example, by multiplying the amount of sodium measured by atomic absorption spectrometry by 2.54, in accordance with the "salt equivalent" in the 2015 edition (7th revision) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan.

[0053] [Other Food Materials] The solid paste composition of the present invention may contain any one or more food materials other than beans. Examples of such food materials include plant-based food materials (vegetables, potatoes, mushrooms, fruits, algae, grains, nuts, etc.), animal-based food materials (seafood, meat, eggs, dairy products, etc.), and microbial foods. The content of these food materials can be appropriately set within a range that does not impair the object of the present invention.

[0054] [II: Method for producing a solid paste composition for cooking with heat] The method for preparing the solid paste composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, and any method can be used as long as a composition that satisfies the various requirements described above can be obtained. Specifically, the materials for the solid paste composition of the present invention, such as finely divided beans, are mixed with other food ingredients, seasonings, and other components that are optionally used. If necessary, treatments such as heating and molding may be added. In particular, the solid paste composition of the present invention can be efficiently produced by using a specific method (hereinafter appropriately referred to as the "production method of the present invention") in which a paste dough composition obtained by mixing the materials described above so as to satisfy the above composition is kneaded under predetermined high-temperature and pressurized conditions, and then the temperature is lowered so as not to cause swelling.

[0055] Specifically, the manufacturing method of the present invention includes, for example, the following steps (i) to (iii). It may further include, for example, the following step (iv): (i) a step of adjusting a paste dough composition containing micronized pulses so that the contents of insoluble dietary fiber, starch, and protein are within the above-mentioned ranges; (ii) a step of kneading the composition after step (i) under predetermined high-temperature conditions; (iii) a step of lowering the temperature of the composition after step (ii) to below a predetermined temperature so as not to cause swelling; and (iv) a step of moistening the composition after step (iii) so as to satisfy the below-described formula 1 while maintaining a moisture content equal to or higher than a predetermined value. The manufacturing method of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0056] [Preparation of Paste Dough Composition (Step (i))] First, a paste dough composition containing micronized beans is prepared. The paste dough composition is a composition obtained by mixing the above-mentioned materials of the solid paste composition of the present invention, such as micronized beans, with other food ingredients, seasonings, and other components that are optionally used. At this time, the contents of insoluble dietary fiber, starch, and protein are adjusted so that they fall within the above-mentioned ranges. Specific and preferred embodiments of the materials, insoluble dietary fiber, starch, and protein of the solid paste composition of the present invention are as described above.

[0057] [Kneading Treatment at High Temperature Conditions (Step (ii))] The paste dough composition obtained in step (i) is kneaded under predetermined high temperature conditions. Kneading under such high temperature conditions makes it difficult for insoluble components in the composition to leak out. In particular, kneading under constant high temperature and pressure conditions enhances the effect of preventing the leakage of such insoluble components. Although the reason for this is unclear, it is possible that treatment under constant high temperature conditions, preferably high temperature and pressure conditions, causes the proteins, starch, and insoluble dietary fiber in the paste dough to form a complex on the surface of the composition, thereby particularly preventing the leakage of insoluble components. On the other hand, ordinary cold noodles and the like that use refined starch as a raw material contain only a very small amount of dietary fiber, and therefore the elution of insoluble components cannot be prevented, and therefore the effects of the present invention are not achieved.

[0058] Specific high-temperature pressurization conditions during kneading are not particularly limited, but are as follows. The lower limit of the kneading temperature is usually 100°C or higher, preferably 105°C or higher, further preferably 110°C or higher, and particularly preferably 115°C or higher. By setting the lower limit of the kneading temperature as described above, it is possible to obtain a solid paste composition of the present invention having the characteristics of suppressing elution of insoluble components, making the composition less likely to stick after cooking, and maintaining smoothness; in other words, a solid paste composition of the present invention having the above-mentioned haze value suppressed to the specified value or less. On the other hand, if the kneading temperature is too low, the starch, protein, and insoluble dietary fiber in the composition will not form a suitable network structure, and after cooking, the insoluble components in the composition will flow out of the composition, which may make the composition more likely to stick to itself.

[0059] The upper limit of the temperature during kneading is usually 200°C or less, preferably 190°C or less, further 180°C or less, further 170°C or less, further 165°C or less, even further 160°C or less, and particularly preferably 155°C or less. By setting the upper limit of the kneading temperature as described above, it is possible to obtain a solid paste composition of the present invention having excellent properties in terms of maintaining elasticity after cooking, in other words, a solid paste composition of the present invention in which the absorbance difference is suppressed to the predetermined value or less. On the other hand, if the kneading temperature is too high, the plant tissue in the composition may be damaged by the temperature and pressure during processing, and water-soluble components such as amylose in the composition may leak out of the composition after cooking at the time of consumption, resulting in a decrease in elasticity over time.

[0060] When kneading is carried out under pressurized conditions relative to atmospheric pressure, the lower limit of the pressure to be applied in addition to atmospheric pressure is usually 0.1 MPa or more, preferably 0.3 MPa or more, more preferably 0.5 MPa or more, more preferably 1 MPa or more, more preferably 2 MPa or more, and even more preferably 3 MPa or more. On the other hand, the upper limit of the pressure during kneading may be appropriately determined based on requirements such as the pressure resistance of the pressure equipment, and can be, for example, 50 MPa or less.

[0061] The kneading time may be appropriately determined based on the kneading temperature and pressure, the size of the kneading vessel, etc. In particular, since the amount of heat applied to the composition varies greatly mainly depending on the characteristics of the apparatus used, it is preferable to process the composition so that the physical properties (particularly the insoluble components and / or soluble components) of the composition after treatment are adjusted within a predetermined range. However, in general, the lower limit of the kneading time is, for example, usually 0.1 minutes or more, preferably 0.2 minutes or more, more preferably 0.3 minutes or more, more preferably 0.5 minutes or more, more preferably 0.7 minutes or more, more preferably 1 minute or more, and even more preferably 2 minutes or more, and the upper limit of the kneading time can be, for example, usually within 60 minutes, preferably within 30 minutes, and even more preferably within 15 minutes.

[0062] It is a surprising finding that was completely unknown before: that kneading a paste dough composition under such harsh conditions of high temperature and high pressure causes proteins, starch, insoluble dietary fiber, etc. to form a complex, that the outflow of insoluble and soluble components of the composition is suppressed, and that the binding properties and elasticity of the composition are improved.

[0063] [Temperature-Lowering Treatment (Step (iii))] If the composition is decompressed without lowering the temperature after step (ii), the water in the composition will rapidly evaporate, causing the composition to swell, which is undesirable. Therefore, after the kneading treatment under high-temperature conditions, the temperature is lowered so as not to cause the composition to swell. From the viewpoint of preventing rapid evaporation of the water in the composition, the temperature is usually lowered to less than 110°C, preferably less than 105°C, more preferably less than 102°C, and even more preferably less than 100°C. Note that, when steps (ii) and (iii) are carried out using an extruder as described below, the temperature-lowering temperature in step (iii) can be controlled by adjusting the outlet temperature of the extruder.

[0064] Furthermore, it is preferable that the temperature-reducing temperature in this step (iii) (the outlet temperature when an extruder is used) is set to a predetermined temperature or lower. Specifically, the temperature-reducing temperature is usually preferably 95°C or lower, more preferably 90°C or lower, even more preferably less than 90°C, or 85°C or lower, particularly preferably 80°C or lower. By setting the temperature-reducing temperature in this step (iii) (the outlet temperature when an extruder is used) to the upper limit or lower, outflow of insoluble and soluble components from the resulting composition is further suppressed, which in turn suppresses the binding property of the composition and allows for the production of a composition with better properties in which elasticity is maintained.

[0065] Furthermore, it is preferable that the temperature difference between the maximum heating temperature during kneading in step (ii) and the temperature-reducing temperature in step (iii) be equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Specifically, the temperature difference between the maximum heating temperature during kneading in step (ii) (when an extruder is used, the temperature of the highest heating point) and the temperature-reducing temperature in step (iii) (when an extruder is used, the outlet temperature) is preferably 15°C or greater, more preferably 20°C or greater, even more preferably 25°C or greater, and particularly preferably 30°C or greater. By making the temperature difference equal to or greater than the lower limit, the outflow of insoluble and soluble components from the resulting composition is further suppressed, which in turn suppresses the binding property of the composition and allows for the production of a composition with better properties that maintain elasticity, which is preferable.

[0066] In particular, in this step (iii), it is preferable to carry out the temperature-lowering treatment under a certain pressurized condition. In this case, the pressurized conditions during the temperature-lowering treatment are not particularly limited as long as they can prevent the composition from swelling, but it is preferable that they are the same as the pressure during the kneading treatment. Specifically, the lower limit of the pressure to be applied during the temperature-lowering treatment (pressure applied in addition to atmospheric pressure) is usually 0.1 MPa or more, preferably 0.3 MPa or more, more preferably 0.5 MPa or more, even more preferably 1 MPa or more, even more preferably 2 MPa or more, and even more preferably 3 MPa or more. On the other hand, the upper limit of the pressure to be applied during the temperature-lowering treatment can be, for example, 50 MPa or less.

[0067] In consideration of this treatment, the solid paste composition of the present invention is preferably not a puffed food (particularly a puffed food whose density becomes less than 1.0 due to puffing). After lowering the temperature while preventing puffing, the solid paste composition of the present invention can usually be obtained by reducing the pressure to about atmospheric pressure.

[0068] It goes without saying that the steps described above may be carried out in the same facility or in different facilities.

[0069] [Extruder] The solid paste composition of the present invention can be efficiently produced by the production method of the present invention described above, but it is preferable to use an extruder for the steps (i) to (iii), particularly the kneading treatment under high-temperature conditions (step (ii)) and the temperature-lowering treatment (step (iii)). That is, if the steps (ii) and (iii) are carried out using an extruder, it is usually not necessary to control the pressure conditions to satisfy the above-mentioned range, and it is also possible to efficiently adjust and maintain the temperature conditions within the above-mentioned range. Therefore, by using an extruder, it is possible to more efficiently and simply produce the solid paste composition of the present invention.

[0070] The type of extruder is not limited, but is preferably one that can perform all the processes from adding water, kneading, heating, cooling, and extrusion molding in a single unit. Furthermore, devices generally called single-screw extruders and twin-screw extruders (particularly devices called extruders or twin-screw extruders overseas) include extrusion devices that merely have mixer or kneader functions, but such devices are not preferred because they do not provide the intense kneading required to form the composition structure of the present invention. Specifically, either single-screw or twin-screw extruders can be used, but it is preferable to use a single-screw or twin-screw extruder that employs a special barrel (described below) to enhance the kneading intensity rather than a typical single-screw extruder. In particular, single-screw extruders are preferred from an economical standpoint, while twin-screw extruders are preferred from the standpoint of obtaining higher kneading power. On the other hand, extruders using a normal barrel, screw extruders using a normal screw (drive screw), and normal spiral propulsion devices are devices whose main purpose is to quickly discharge the contents, and since they have insufficient kneading power, they may not be suitable for the manufacturing method of the present invention.

[0071] In addition, it is further preferable that the extruder used in the production method of the present invention employ a significantly greater number of barrel sections having a kneading effect than usual, from the viewpoint of achieving strong kneading to promote the formation of the characteristic structure of the composition. Specifically, it is preferable that the ratio of the flight screw section to the total barrel length of the extruder is 95% or less, because this results in strong kneading of the composition and promotes the formation of the characteristic structure of the composition of the present invention. The flight screw section is the most common barrel section, also known as a transport element. As the ratio of the flight screw section to the total barrel length increases, the ability to extrude the dough composition toward the die increases, but the ability to knead the dough composition and promote its reaction decreases. The ratio of the flight screw section to the total barrel length is more preferably 90% or less, and even more preferably 85% or less. In addition, when producing expanded products such as puffs using an extruder, the composition must be extruded vigorously at high pressure, so there is an incentive to increase the ratio of the flight screw section to the total barrel length (even when kneading at a high SME value), and the ratio of the flight screw section to the total barrel length is usually 95% to 100%. In addition, 5% or more of the total length of the barrel can be the barrel portion having the kneading effect, more preferably 7% or more, even more preferably 10% or more, and even more preferably 12% or more. Specifically, for example, as the twin-screw extruder, a twin-screw extruder manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific (HAAKE Process 11, screw diameter 11 mm x 2, screw length 41 cm, segment type, co-rotating screw) can be used, and as the single-screw extruder, a single-screw extruder manufactured by NP Foods Co., Ltd. (screw diameter 70 mm x screw length 140 cm) can be used. On the other hand, extruders using a normal barrel, screw extruders using a normal screw (drive screw), and normal spiral propulsion devices are devices whose main purpose is to quickly discharge the contents, and are not intended to achieve strong kneading, so the proportion of the flight screw portion to the total length of the barrel often does not satisfy the above range.

[0072] When the manufacturing method of the present invention is carried out using an extruder, the conditions are as follows (for conditions not explained below, the conditions of the manufacturing method of the present invention described above may be adopted as appropriate).

[0073] In step (i) (preparation of a paste dough composition), the ingredients of the paste dough composition are put into an extruder and mixed. Usually, the solid ingredients such as the raw material, micronized beans, are first put into the extruder, and then water is added.

[0074] The residence time of the input raw materials (solid ingredients of the paste dough composition) in the extruder (residence time in the barrel from when they are input into the barrel until they are discharged from the discharge port) can be adjusted appropriately taking into account the internal volume of the barrel, the internal pressure of the barrel, etc., and is not particularly limited. However, from the viewpoint of further enhancing the effects of the present invention, it is usually 0.5 minutes or more, preferably 0.8 minutes or more, more preferably 1 minute or more, even more preferably 2 minutes or more, even more preferably 3 minutes or more, and usually 60 minutes or less, preferably 30 minutes or less, even more preferably 15 minutes or less. Furthermore, the residence time is the residence time when the composition temperature is within a predetermined temperature range, for example, the lower limit temperature is 100°C or more, preferably 105°C or more, more preferably 110°C or more, even more preferably 115°C or more, and the upper limit temperature is usually 200°C or less, preferably 190°C or less, more preferably 180°C or less, even more preferably 170°C or less, even more preferably 165°C or less, even more preferably 160°C or less, and even more preferably 155°C or less. By using an extruder, a composition having desired properties can be obtained continuously and in a shorter time than by using other moist heat treatment devices (such as an autoclave).

[0075] The feed flow rate of the raw materials (solid materials of the paste dough composition) fed into the extruder is not particularly limited, and may be adjusted appropriately taking into consideration the barrel internal volume, residence time, internal barrel pressure, etc. For example, it is usually 0.06 kg / hour (hr) or more, preferably 0.1 kg / hour (hr) or more, more preferably 0.2 kg / hour (hr) or more, and even more preferably 0.3 kg / hour (hr) or more, and can be usually 1000 kg / hour (hr) or less, preferably 800 kg / hour (hr) or less, more preferably 600 kg / hour (hr) or less, and even more preferably 400 kg / hour (hr) or less.

[0076] The amount of water added to the extruder can be adjusted appropriately depending on the desired physical properties of the paste dough composition, but it is preferable to add 20 to 60% by mass of water relative to the dry mass of the solid content of the pulverized beans, etc. (% of water content of powder). If the % of water content of powder is too low, the operability during kneading may be poor. If the % of water content of powder is too high, the paste may have a watery quality.

[0077] In step (ii) (mixing treatment under high temperature conditions), the paste dough composition is mixed under high temperature and pressure using an extruder. The temperature conditions during mixing are as described above, but it is preferable that the temperature for the majority of the residence time in the extruder barrel is within the above temperature range. The pressure conditions during mixing are also as described above, but when mixing is performed using an extruder, the above-mentioned pressure conditions are usually met, so pressure management is usually not necessary. The screw rotation speed of the extruder during the mixing treatment is not particularly limited and can be set to general conditions. For example, it is desirable to set it within the range of 50 to 500 rpm (for example, about 250 rpm).

[0078] More specifically, it is desirable to carry out the kneading using an extruder under strong kneading conditions such that the SME (specific mechanical energy) value calculated by the following formula I is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Specifically, the SME value during kneading is usually preferably 350 kJ / kg or more, more preferably 400 kJ / kg or more, further more preferably 450 kJ / kg or more, or 500 kJ / kg or more, or 550 kJ / kg or more, or 600 kJ / kg or more, or 700 kJ / kg or more, and particularly preferably 800 kJ / kg or more. By setting the SME value during kneading to the above-mentioned lower limit or more, the composition is kneaded with a sufficiently strong intensity, so that starch granules are sufficiently broken down, and the resulting composition is more likely to exhibit the effects of the present invention.

[0079]

[0080] Furthermore, it is preferable to set the screw rotation speed of the extruder to a predetermined value or more. Specifically, the screw rotation speed of the extruder is usually preferably greater than 150 rpm, more preferably greater than 200 rpm, and even more preferably greater than 250 rpm. By setting the screw rotation speed of the extruder during kneading within the above range, the composition is kneaded with a sufficiently high intensity, so that the starch granules are sufficiently broken down, and the resulting composition is more likely to exhibit the effects of the present invention.

[0081] The temperature during kneading in step (ii) using an extruder is not particularly limited, but is preferably high. Specifically, the lower limit of the temperature during kneading using an extruder is usually preferably 100°C or higher, more preferably 110°C or higher, and even more preferably 120°C or higher. In particular, the temperature of the non-flight screw portion of the extruder is usually preferably 100°C or higher, more preferably 110°C or higher, and even more preferably 120°C or higher. By setting the temperature during kneading using an extruder to a temperature equal to or higher than the lower limit, the starch granule structure in the composition is more likely to be destroyed. In particular, starch granule structures derived from pulses and nuts and seeds have stronger structures, so kneading at such high temperatures is more useful. On the other hand, the upper limit of the temperature during kneading using an extruder is not limited, but is usually preferably 200°C or less, more preferably 190°C or less, further preferably 180°C or less, or 170°C or less, and particularly preferably 160°C or less.

[0082] The pressure during kneading in step (ii) using an extruder is not particularly limited, but is preferably higher than usual. Specifically, the lower limit of the pressure during kneading using an extruder (pressure applied in addition to atmospheric pressure) is usually preferably 0.1 MPa or higher, more preferably 0.3 MPa or higher, even more preferably 0.5 MPa or higher, or 1 MPa or higher, or 2 MPa or higher, and particularly preferably 3 MPa or higher. By performing kneading in step (ii) under such high pressure, the starch granule structure is destroyed by the sudden pressure change in the subsequent step (iii), making it easier to achieve the effects of the present invention. On the other hand, the upper limit of the pressure during kneading is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 50 MPa or lower. The pressure during kneading using an extruder (pressure applied in addition to atmospheric pressure) can be measured by measuring the outlet pressure.

[0083] The kneading time may be determined appropriately based on the kneading temperature and pressure, the size of the kneading vessel, etc. In particular, since the amount of heat applied to the composition varies greatly mainly depending on the characteristics of the apparatus used, it is preferable to process the composition so that the physical properties of the composition before and after treatment are adjusted to a predetermined range. Specifically, it is preferable to perform the treatment in step (ii) until the haze value of the water after the composition is subjected to isothermal treatment at 90°C in 40 times the amount of water for 5 minutes becomes equal to or less than a specified value. The specific time cannot be generalized because it varies depending on the conditions, but generally, the lower limit of the kneading time (residence time in the non-flighted screw portion) is preferably, for example, usually 0.1 minute or more, particularly 0.3 minutes or more, or 0.5 minutes or more, and particularly 1 minute or more. Furthermore, it is preferable to set the upper limit of the kneading time to, for example, usually 60 minutes or less, particularly 30 minutes or less, and even 15 minutes or less.

[0084] The surprising finding that the haze value is adjusted by subjecting a paste dough composition to a kneading treatment under such harsh high-temperature and high-pressure conditions, thereby improving the binding properties of the compositions and the eating properties, is something that was completely unknown before.

[0085] In step (iii) (temperature-reducing treatment), the composition kneaded under high-temperature and pressurized conditions is cooled (for example, to less than 100°C, more preferably 95°C or less) while being kept pressurized in the extruder and preventing swelling. The pressure and temperature conditions during temperature reduction are as described above, but when an extruder is used, the above-mentioned pressure conditions are usually satisfied, and therefore pressure management is not required.

[0086] The resulting composition is then extruded using an extruder to obtain a paste dough composition in a desired shape.

[0087] The above-described stages may be carried out using the same extruder or different extruders (for example, a twin-screw extruder may be used only for stage (ii), which requires intensive kneading).

[0088] [Wetting Treatment (Step (iv))] The composition obtained through steps (i) to (iii) may be used as is as the solid paste composition of the present invention, but it is preferable to subject the composition obtained after step (iii) to a predetermined wetting treatment in a humid environment as a post-treatment. Specifically, the relative humidity (RH) during the wetting treatment is usually greater than 50 RH%, preferably greater than 60 RH, more preferably greater than 70 RH, or greater than 80 RH, and even more preferably greater than 90 RH.

[0089] The wetting treatment may be carried out in a sealed device where the humidity is kept constant, or in a device that supplies an atmosphere where the humidity is kept constant. Alternatively, a method of wetting treatment by maintaining the relative humidity by keeping water vapor evaporating from the composition around the composition may be used, or these methods may be used in combination. Furthermore, when the moisture content of the composition is reduced, the wetting treatment may be carried out before the reduction of the moisture content. Note that although the wetting treatment may be carried out after the reduction of the moisture content, it is preferable to carry out the wetting treatment before the reduction of the moisture content, since the effects of the present invention are more pronounced.

[0090] In particular, it is preferable to wet treat the composition after step (iii) so as to satisfy the following formula 1. The wet treatment is preferably carried out in a state where the water content in the composition is a predetermined value or more (for example, 20% by mass or more, preferably 25% by mass or more, and more preferably 30% by mass or more).

[0091]

[0092] In the above formula 1, A represents the relative humidity (RH%) of the atmosphere, and T represents the wetting treatment time (hr). As described above, the relative humidity A of the atmosphere is usually more than 50 RH%, but is preferably more than 60 RH%, more preferably more than 70 RH%, or more than 80 RH%, and even more preferably more than 90 RH%.

[0093] It is more preferable that the wetting treatment is carried out so that A×T≧50. For example, when the relative humidity of the atmosphere is 95 RH% (A) and the wetting treatment time is 1 hour (T), A×T=95.

[0094] Furthermore, it is preferable to carry out the wet treatment so that "A x T ≥ 60", more preferably "A x T ≥ 70", even more preferably "A x T ≥ 80", and especially preferably "A x T ≥ 90".

[0095] The temperature during the moistening treatment is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of obtaining a composition that more significantly exhibits the effects of the present invention, it is preferable to perform the treatment at a composition temperature of 4°C or higher, more preferably 30°C or higher, and particularly preferably 60°C or higher. The upper limit of the temperature of such a composition is preferably 99°C or lower, more preferably 95°C or lower, even more preferably 90°C or lower, even more preferably 80°C or lower, and even more preferably 70°C or lower. Furthermore, if the ambient temperature during the moistening treatment is higher than a predetermined temperature, the amount of saturated water vapor in the atmosphere increases, and the effect is more significantly exhibited even at the same relative humidity, which is preferable. Such an ambient temperature is, for example, preferably 30°C or higher, particularly preferably 40°C or higher, more preferably 50°C or higher, and even more preferably 60°C or higher.

[0096] By carrying out such a wetting treatment, the outflow of insoluble and soluble components of the resulting solid paste composition is further suppressed, which in turn suppresses the binding property of the composition and maintains elasticity, resulting in better properties. In particular, when the composition after step (iii) is used as the solid paste composition of the present invention as is, cutting the composition may cause slight outflow of insoluble and soluble components. However, by carrying out the wetting treatment as a post-treatment, outflow of these components can be reliably prevented even in such cases (see Examples 3 and 5).

[0097] [Post-treatment] The solid paste composition of the present invention can be obtained through the above steps (i) to (iii) and, if necessary, step (vi), but further post-treatment may be added.

[0098] Examples of post-treatments include molding and drying. Examples of molding include molding the solid paste composition into a desired shape (e.g., the aforementioned pasta, Chinese noodles, udon, Inaniwa udon, Kishimen, Hoto, Suiton, Hiyamugi, somen, soba, sobagaki, rice vermicelli, pho, hiyashi-men noodles, harusame, oatmeal, couscous, kiritanpo, tteok, gyoza wrappers, etc.). For such molding, methods commonly known in the art can be appropriately adopted. For example, when preparing a long and thin composition like noodles such as pasta or Chinese noodles, the composition can be extruded into a long and thin shape using an apparatus such as the aforementioned extruder. On the other hand, when preparing a flat-plate-shaped composition, the composition can be molded into a flat plate. Furthermore, compositions of any shape, such as long and thin, granular, or flaky, can be obtained by press-molding the composition or by cutting or die-cutting a flat-plate-shaped composition.

[0099] As the drying method, any method generally used for drying foods can be used. Examples include sun drying, shade drying, freeze drying, air drying (e.g., hot air drying, fluidized bed drying, spray drying, drum drying, low-temperature drying, etc.), pressure drying, reduced-pressure drying, microwave drying, oil drying, etc. Among these, air drying (e.g., hot air drying, fluidized bed drying, spray drying, drum drying, low-temperature drying, etc.) or freeze drying is preferred because it causes only a small change in the color and flavor inherent to the food material and can control aromas other than food (burnt odor, etc.).

[0100] The temperature in the drying treatment is not limited, but is preferably less than 40°C, more preferably 35°C or less, and even more preferably 30°C or less.

[0101] [III: Ground Composition] The solid paste composition for cooking of the present invention may be ground into a ground product (hereinafter, this will be referred to as the "ground composition of the present invention"). Here, the "ground composition" in the present invention is a composition comprising: ９０ The particle size of the pulverized material is 50 μm or more and 1000 μm or less. ９０ is measured under the above conditions.

[0102] The method for producing the pulverized composition of the present invention comprises the steps of: ９０ Any method can be used as long as it can produce a pulverized product that satisfies the above requirements. For example, the solid paste composition of the present invention can be produced by the following method: ９０ Examples of methods for pulverizing the composition so that the pore size falls within the above range include, but in the above-described production method of the present invention, after step (iii), a further step (v) of pulverizing the composition after step (iii) may be performed. If necessary, other steps may be included before or after step (v). A pulverizing device can be used for pulverization. Specific examples of pulverizing devices are as described above. Furthermore, the pulverization conditions are not particularly limited, but since the elasticity of the composition is likely to decrease when exposed to high temperatures, a temperature of 200°C or less is preferred. Furthermore, the pressure during the pulverization process is not limited, and any of high-pressure pulverization, normal pressure pulverization, and low-pressure pulverization may be used.

[0103] [IV: Ground Composition Agglomerate] The solid paste composition for cooking of the present invention may be formed by aggregating the ground composition described above (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as the "ground composition agglomerate of the present invention"). The method for producing the ground composition agglomerate of the present invention may involve, for example, aggregating the ground composition of the present invention as a raw material. For example, in the method for producing the ground composition described above, step (v) may be followed by step (vi) of aggregating the ground product obtained after step (v). If necessary, other steps may be included before or after step (vi). The aggregation in step (vi) may be achieved, for example, by carrying out the kneading treatment under high-temperature and pressurized conditions described in step (ii). The ground composition agglomerate of the present invention thus obtained is a composition in which a CBB-stained site structure is likely to form, and therefore is suitable for use as a solid paste composition for cooking. The shape of the ground composition agglomerate is not particularly limited, as long as it is edible. The aforementioned CBB staining is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include staining using a CBB solution (Coomassie Brilliant Blue R250: 0.1% by mass, methanol: 40% by mass, acetic acid: 10% by mass).

[0104] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples. However, these examples are merely examples shown for the convenience of explanation, and the present invention is not limited to these examples in any sense.

[0105] The micronized beans used in the preparation of the following Examples and Comparative Examples are as follows: (1) Powdered "Dried Yellow Pea" made from yellow peas (2) Powdered "Dried Green Pea" (3) Powdered "Dried White Pea" (4) Powdered "Dried Mung Bean" (5) Powdered "Dried Blue Pea" (6) Powdered "Dried Chickpea" (7) Powdered "Dried Kidney Bean" (8) Powdered "Dried Lentil" (9) Powdered "Dried Purple Adzuki Bean" The micronized beans were prepared using a powdered sonication method described in the present specification, with a particle diameter d ９０ All of them were 1900 μm or less.

[0106] I. Examples 1 to 12 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3: [Preparation of solid paste compositions for cooking with heat] (Composition) Solid paste compositions for cooking with heat were produced using powdered "dried yellow peas" under the conditions shown in Table 1. In Examples 9 to 12, "wheat flour powder" was added so that the dry mass ratio of the finely divided beans in the composition was 75%, 50%, 30%, or 15%, and in Comparative Example 3, 100% wheat was used as the raw material.

[0107] (After ultrasonic treatment ５０ ) "After ultrasonic treatment of finely divided beans" ５０The particle size distribution (μm) was measured using a laser diffraction particle size analyzer under the following conditions. Ethanol was used as the solvent during measurement. The laser diffraction particle size analyzer used was a Microtrac MT3300 EXII system manufactured by Microtrac Bell Corporation. The measurement application software used was DMS2 (Data Management System version 2, Microtrac Bell Corporation). For the measurement, the software's cleaning button was pressed to perform cleaning, the software's "Set zero" button was pressed to perform zero adjustment, and the sample was directly loaded until the sample concentration was within the appropriate range. For the measurement sample, a sample that had not been subjected to ultrasonic treatment was loaded, and the concentration was adjusted to within the appropriate range using sample loading. Then, the ultrasonic treatment button on the software was pressed to perform ultrasonic treatment. After three degassing treatments and a sample loading treatment, the sample was again loaded to confirm that the concentration was still within the appropriate range. The results of laser diffraction at a flow rate of 60% and a measurement time of 10 seconds were quickly adopted as the measured value. The parameters for measurement were, for example, distribution display: volume, particle refractive index: 1.60, solvent refractive index: 1.36, upper measurement limit: 2000.00 μm, and lower measurement limit: 0.021 μm.

[0108] (After amylase / protease treatment / sonication d ９０ ) Micronized beans (ingredients) "After amylase, protease treatment, and ultrasonic treatment" ９０ The particle size distribution (d (μm)) was measured by the following procedure. That is, a 6% by mass suspension of finely divided pulses was treated with 0.4% by volume of protease and 0.02% by mass of α-amylase at 20°C for 3 days, and then the treated composition was subjected to ultrasonic treatment. ９０) was measured using a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer. More specifically, 300 mg of the finely divided beans were placed in a plastic tube together with 5 mL of water, and the mixture was allowed to swell at 20°C for about 1 hour. After that, the mixture was treated with a small hyscotron until it became a porridge-like substance (10,000 rpm, about 15 seconds). 2.5 mL of the treated sample was taken, and 10 μL of protease (Proteinase K manufactured by Takara Bio Inc.) and 0.5 mg of α-amylase (α-Amylase from Bacillus subtilis manufactured by Sigma) were added thereto. The mixture was allowed to react at 20°C for 3 days, and then the treated composition was subjected to ultrasonic treatment, after which the particle size distribution (d ９０ ) was measured using a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer under the conditions described above.

[0109] The composition of "amylase, protease treatment, ultrasonic treatment" ９０ The particle size (μm) was also measured in the same manner as in the case of the finely divided beans.

[0110] (Processing conditions) Heating and pressurizing were carried out using a twin-screw extruder (manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific, HAAKE Process 11, screw diameter 11 mm x 2, screw length 41 cm, segmented, co-rotating screws) at a feed rate of approximately 10 g / min for a processing time of approximately 3 minutes under the conditions shown in Table 1. The amount of water added when the raw materials were added was calculated as % relative to powder (% relative to powder refers to the amount of water added relative to the dry mass of raw material powder in the paste dough composition. For example, a "water amount (relative to powder%)" of 50 means that 0.5 parts by mass of water was added per 1 part by mass of raw material powder). The maximum temperature was measured as the temperature at the center of the extruder barrel (the midpoint between the raw material inlet and the discharge outlet), and the heating conditions were adjusted so that the temperature was "unheated (no external heating, sample temperature of approximately 30 to 40°C)," "80°C," "120°C," or "180°C" for the majority of the residence time in the extruder barrel (and furthermore, in the non-flight screw portion), and the pressurization conditions were adjusted so that the discharge pressure (outlet pressure) during processing was 0.1 MPa or higher. The outlet temperature at the extrusion port was adjusted to the temperature shown in Table 1 so that the composition would not swell under pressure (less than 100°C), and then extrusion molding was performed under atmospheric pressure.

[0111] (Post-process - Wetting Treatment) Of the above extrusion-molded solid paste compositions for cooking with heat, those marked in Table 1 as "Yes" for "Room temperature drying" and "Yes" for "Refrigerated drying" were ventilated under the conditions shown in Table 1 until the moisture content was 20% by mass or less and the water activity was 0.85 or less ("Refrigerated drying" means ventilated drying at an ambient temperature of 4°C, and "Room temperature drying" means ventilated drying at an ambient temperature of 20°C for about 16 hours. "40°C drying" means ventilated drying at an ambient temperature of 40°C for about 24 hours).

[0112] In Example 3, the pre-drying composition extruded into noodles was cut into 5 mm lengths to produce a granular composition "Cut Composition (5 mm Length)." Furthermore, in order to promote the formation of a more favorable network structure of starch, protein, and insoluble dietary fiber, in Example 3, after the cutting step of the granular composition and before the aforementioned ventilation step, a "wet treatment" was performed in which the relative humidity, wetting time, and atmospheric temperature were adjusted under the conditions shown in Table 1 below. In Example 5, the composition extruded into noodles and before being subjected to the drying step was subjected to a "wet treatment" in which the relative humidity, wetting time, and atmospheric temperature were adjusted under the conditions shown in Table 1 below before the aforementioned ventilation step. For Examples 7 and 8, which were processed under the conditions shown in Table 1, the processed compositions were appropriately immersed in water, and the water content in the compositions was adjusted as shown in Tables 2-1 and 2-2.

[0113]

[0114] [Analysis and Sensory Evaluation] The solid paste compositions for cooking using heat obtained in Examples 1 to 37 and Comparative Examples 1 to 7 were subjected to the following analysis and sensory evaluation.

[0115] (Measurement of insoluble component outflow after heating at 90°C for 5 minutes) 1 part by mass of each composition was added to 40 parts by mass of water (90°C), and the water was collected after 5 minutes of constant temperature treatment at 90°C, and its haze value was measured. The haze value was measured using an integrating sphere photoelectric turbidity meter (WA6000T (manufactured by Nippon Denshoku Industries Co., Ltd.)) by placing a sample adjusted to 20°C in a quartz cell with an optical path length of 5 mm, and measuring the transmittance using distilled water as a control according to a standard method. Comments on the appearance of the water at the time of measurement were also recorded.

[0116] (Soluble Component Outflow Measurement) 1 part by mass of each composition prepared as described above (powder adhering to the surface was removed beforehand with a brush so as not to scratch the composition surface) was added to 10 parts by mass of a diluted iodine solution (0.25 mM), allowed to stand at room temperature (20°C) for 5 minutes, and then filtered through a 0.20 µm filter (Millex-LG, 0.20 µm hydrophilic polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), 13 mm). Next, the absorbance (500 nm) of the diluted iodine solution (0.25 mM) and the absorbance (500 nm) of the filtrate were measured using a spectrophotometer (Shimadzu Corporation UV-1800) using a square cell with an optical path length of 10 mm. Then, the difference between the two (absorbance of the filtrate of the iodine solution after addition of the composition - absorbance of the iodine solution before addition of the composition) was calculated from the obtained absorbance. We also provided comments regarding the outflow of components from the composition into the diluted iodine solution during measurement.

[0117] (Sensory Evaluation) One part by weight of each composition prepared as described above and commercially available pasta (Mama Spaghetti 1.4 mm) for comparison were cooked in 10 parts by weight of water at 90°C for 5 minutes, and then subjected to a sensory evaluation. Specifically, the cooked composition was placed on a paper plate and allowed to stand at room temperature (20°C) for 10 minutes. Ten trained sensory panelists then evaluated the physical properties of the dishes before tasting and the taste upon eating, including "decrease in elasticity after storage," "adhesion," and "evaluation after eating," according to the following criteria. The scores of the ten sensory panelists were then averaged and rounded to the nearest decimal place to obtain the final score.

[0118] Evaluation criteria for "decrease in elasticity after storage" The quality of the composition was compared with that before standing at room temperature (immediately after cooking) and evaluated on the following 5-point scale: 5: Elasticity does not decrease before and after storage 4: Elasticity does not decrease much before and after storage 3: Elasticity decreases slightly before and after storage, but at a level that does not pose a problem in terms of quality 2: Elasticity decreases before and after storage 1: Elasticity decreases significantly before and after storage

[0119] Evaluation criteria for "adhesion" After leaving the composition to stand for 10 minutes at room temperature (20°C), the ease with which the compositions adhere to each other when about 10 pieces of the composition were picked up was evaluated using the following 5-point scale. In addition, comments were made regarding the ease with which the compositions broke during the evaluation. 5: The compositions are not adhered to each other 4: Some of the compositions are adhered to each other 3: About half of the compositions are adhered to each other 2: The majority of the compositions are adhered to each other 1: Almost all of the compositions are adhered to each other

[0120] Evaluation criteria for "evaluation by eating" After leaving the composition to stand for 10 minutes at room temperature (20°C), the texture of the composition was compared with the texture of commercially available pasta and rated on the following 5-point scale: 5: Feels smoother and is superior to commercially available pasta 4: Feels slightly smoother and is slightly superior to commercially available pasta 3: Has the same level of smoothness as commercially available pasta 2: Feels slightly less smooth and is slightly inferior to commercially available pasta 1: Does not feel smoother and is inferior to commercially available pasta

[0121] Sensory testers underwent the following discrimination training (A) to (C), and were selected based on their outstanding performance, product development experience, extensive knowledge of food quality, such as taste and texture, and the ability to make absolute evaluations of each sensory test item. A) A taste quality discrimination test was conducted in which a sample of each of the five tastes (sweetness: sugar taste, sourness: tartaric acid taste, umami: monosodium glutamate taste, saltiness: sodium chloride taste, bitterness: caffeine taste) was accurately distinguished from seven samples prepared by adding two distilled water solutions to each of the five tastes at concentrations close to the threshold for each component. B) A concentration difference discrimination test was conducted in which the tester accurately distinguished the concentration differences between five slightly different saline solutions and an acetic acid solution. C) A three-point discrimination test was conducted in which the tester accurately distinguished soy sauce from three samples: two from manufacturer A and one from manufacturer B. Furthermore, for each of the above evaluation items, all the inspectors evaluated the standard sample in advance, and the scores of each evaluation criterion were standardized, and then an objective sensory test was conducted by 10 inspectors. Each evaluation item was evaluated by each inspector selecting the number that most closely matched their own evaluation from a five-point scale for each item. The evaluation results were calculated from the arithmetic mean of the scores of the 10 inspectors, and the standard deviation was calculated to evaluate the variability between the panelists.

[0122] [Results] The results of analysis and sensory evaluation of the solid paste compositions for cooking with heat obtained in Examples 1 to 12 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 are shown in Tables 2-1 and 2-2 below.

[0123]

[0124] II. Examples 13 to 37 and Comparative Examples 4 to 7: Instead of dried yellow peas, dried white peas, dried mung beans, dried green peas, dried blue peas, dried chickpeas, dried kidney beans, dried lentils, or dried purple peas were used and processed into the shapes shown in Tables 3-1 and 3-2 under the conditions set forth in Tables 3-1 and 3-2 below to produce solid paste compositions for cooking with heat. Details of the production conditions are as described above in I.

[0125]

[0126] The solid paste compositions for cooking using heat obtained in Examples 13 to 37 and Comparative Examples 4 to 7 were subjected to the following analyses and sensory evaluations. The details of the analyses and sensory evaluations are as explained in Section I above. The results are shown in Tables 4-1 to 4-4.

[0127]

[0128] Tables 2-1 and 2-2 and Tables 4-1 to 4-4 show that by controlling the contents of insoluble dietary fiber, starch, and protein to specific values ​​or more and suppressing the degree of turbidity when treated with water under specific conditions, a solid paste composition for cooking with heat that is less likely to stick over time and maintains its smoothness can be obtained. Furthermore, Table 1, 3-1, and 3-2 in I above show that by treating a raw material containing micronized beans under high-temperature, high-pressure conditions that are not normally used, a solid paste composition for cooking with heat that is less likely to stick over time and maintains its smoothness can be easily produced.

[0129] The solid paste composition for cooking with heat of the present invention is expected to be applied in the food industry because the composition is less likely to stick after cooking and maintains its smoothness.

Claims

------14 / 02 / 2020------(OCR)1. A solid viscous substance for heat cooking, which contains edible grains, where:(1) the substance contains 3% by mass or higher insoluble dietary fiber on a dry mass basis;(2) the substance contains 10% by mass or higher starch on a dry mass basis;(3) the substance contains 4% by mass or higher protein on a dry mass basis; and(4) when the substance has been isothermal treated in a volume of water 40 times.

1. The composition as defined in claim 1, where:(5)When the composition has been treated in a volume of 10 times iodine solution (0.25 millimolar) for 5 minutes at 20 degrees Celsius and then filtered through a 0.20 µm filter to obtain the filter fraction, the difference between the adsorption (500 nm) of the filter fraction and the adsorption (500 nm) of the iodine solution (0.25 millimolar) is 0.35 or lower.3.A component as defined in either claim 1 or 2 where:(6) the component has a total oil and fat content on a dry mass basis of less than 17% by mass.

4. A component as defined in either claim 1 to 3 where:(7) the component has a moisture content on a dry mass basis of 50% by mass or less.

5. A component as defined in either claim 1 to 4 where: the component does not contain natural gluten.

6. A component as defined in either claim 1 to 5 where: when the component has been treated on the side Below and then subjected to acoustic treatment, the resulting composition has a particle size distribution expressed with a d90 value of 1000 µm or less. [Treatment A] A suspension of 6% by mass of the composition in water was treated with 0.4% by volume of protease and 0.02% by mass of alpha-amylase at 20°C for 3 days.

7. The composition as defined in any one of claims 1 to 6, where: the composition has a proportion of edible grain starch to total starch in the composition of 10% by mass or higher on a dry mass basis.8.Composition as defined in any one of the claims 1 through 7 where:

1. Edible seeds composed of one or more edible seeds selected from the species Pisum, Phaseolus, Cajanus, Vigna, Vicia, Cicer, and Lens 9. Crushed composition prepared by crushing the composition as defined in any one of the claims 1 through 8 10. Aggregate of crushed composition prepared by aggregating the crushed composition as defined in claim 9 11. Method of producing a solid viscous composition for heat cooking containing the seeds. The preparation of a viscous dough mixture containing edible grains ground into a powder to obtain a dry mass content of 3% by mass or higher, a dry mass content of 10% by mass or higher, and a dry mass content of 4% by mass or higher; (ii) kneading the mixture from step (i) at a temperature within the range of 100°C to 200°C; and (iii) cooling the mixture from step (ii) to a temperature at which the mixture does not swell.12.The method as defined in Reputation 11, which includes, subsequently, (iii), the steps of: (iv) delivery of the components from (iii) to the wet treatment environment in which the relative humidity (RH%) of the atmosphere exceeds 50RH%.

13. The method as defined in Reputation 12, where: the wet treatment therein (iv) is carried out under conditions which satisfy Formula 1 below: AxT greater than or equal to 40 (Formula 1), where A represents the relative humidity (RH%) of the atmosphere and T represents the treatment time of the wet treatment (hours), provided that A > 50RH%.

14. Any one of the methods as defined in Reputations 11 through 13, where: steps (ii) and / or (iii) are carried out under pressure conditions.

15. The method as defined in Reputation 14, where: the pressure condition is a condition in which a pressure of 0.1 MPa or higher is applied.16.The procedure is as defined in any one of the claims 11 to 15 where: when the edible grain powder used in step (i) is subjected to treatment A below and then to ultrasonication, the resulting composition has a particle size distribution expressed with a d90 value of 1000 μm or less. [Treatment A] A suspension of 6% by mass of the edible grain powder in water is treated with 0.4% by volume of protease and 0.02% by mass of alpha-amylase at 20°C.

17. The method as specified in any of the claims 11 to 16, where: the massage in step (ii) is performed under conditions of specific mechanical energy (SME) of 350 kJ / kg or higher.

18. The method as specified in any of the claims 11 to 17, where: step (ii) and / or step (iii) is performed using an extruder.

19. The method as specified in claim 18, where: the extruder is a single-axis or double-axis extruder. 20.

21. The method as specified in one of the claims 11 to 20, where: the ratio of the length of the screw section to the total length of the extruder barrel is 95% or lower.

22. The method as specified in one of the claims 11 to 21, where: the kneading time in step (ii) is within the range of 0.1 to 60 minutes.

23. The method as specified in one of the claims 11 to 21, where: the cooling temperature in (iii) is 95 degrees Celsius or lower.

24. The method as specified in one of the claims 11 to 21, where: 11 to 22. Any one of the following: additional assembly method, after step (iii), step of: (v) grinding of the components to produce the ground components.

24. The method as specified in claim 23, where: additional assembly method, after (v), step of: (vi) agglomeration of the ground components to produce the ground components aggregates.

25. A solid viscous component for heat-cooked food that can be produced by any one of the methods specified in claims 11 to 24. 26.The method for improving the quality of solid viscous dough compositions for heat cooking containing edible grains is as follows: (i) preparation of viscous dough compositions containing powdered edible grains to have an insoluble dietary fiber content based on dry mass of 3% by mass or higher, a starch content based on dry mass of 10% by mass or higher, and a protein content based on dry mass of 4% by mass or higher; (ii) kneading of the composition (i) at temperatures within the range of 100°C to 200°C; and (iii) cooling of the composition (ii) to a temperature where the composition does not swell.

27. The method as defined in claim 26, which includes, after step (iii), the step of: (iv) delivery of the composition from step (iii) to moist treatment in an environment where the relative humidity (RH%) of the atmosphere exceeds 50RH%.28.The method as defined in Claim 27, where: the wet treatment in step (iv) was carried out under conditions which satisfy Formula 1 below: AxT greater than or equal to 40 (Formula 1), where A represents the relative humidity (RH%) of the atmosphere and T represents the treatment time of the wet treatment (hours), provided that A > 50RH%.

29. The method as defined in Claim 26 to 28, where: step (ii) and / or step (iii) were carried out under pressure conditions.

30. The method as defined in Claim 29, where: the pressure conditions It is a condition in which a pressure of 0.1 megapascals or higher is applied31. The method is as specified in one of claims 26 to 30 where: when the edible grain powder used in step (i) is treated A below and then anesthetized, the resulting composition has a particle size distribution expressed with a d90 of 1000 micrometers or less. [Treatment A] A suspension of 6% by mass of edible grain powder in water is treated with 0.4% by volume of protease and 0.02% by mass of alpha-amylase at 20°C for 3 days.

32. The method as specified in any one of claims 26 to 31, where: the massage in step (ii) was performed under conditions of specific mechanical energy (SME) of 350 kJ / kg or higher.

33. The method as specified in any one of claims 26 to 32, where: step (ii) and / or step (iii) was performed using an extruder.

34. The method as specified in claim 33, where: the extruder is a single-axis or double-axis extruder.

35. The method as specified in claim 33 or 34, where: the ratio of the length of the screw section to the total length of the extruder barrel is 95% or less.

36. The method as specified in either claim 26 to 35, where: the kneading time in step (ii) is within the range of 0.1 to 60 minutes.

37. The method as specified in either claim 26 to 36, where: the cooling temperature in step (iii) is 95 degrees Celsius or less. 38.The quality of solid viscous compounds for heat cooking has been improved by one of the methods specified in claims 26 to 37, where:(1)the composition includes the suppression of the adhesion of the components and / or the reduction of the elasticity of the components after heat cooking.39.Solid viscous compounds for heat cooking, the quality of which has been improved by one of the methods specified in claims 26 to 38------------1.Solid viscous compounds for heat cooking which contain edible grains where:(1)the composition contains a strand content (2) The composition contains starch on a dry mass basis of 10% by mass or higher; (3) The composition contains protein on a dry mass basis of 4% by mass or higher; and (4) when the composition has been isothermal treated in a 40 times volume of water at 90°C for 5 minutes, the resulting water has a cloudiness of 25% or lower.

2. The composition as defined in Claim 1, where: (5) When the composition has been treated in a 10 times volume of iodine solution (0.25 millimolar) for 5 minutes at 20 degrees Celsius and then filtered through a 0.20 µm filter to obtain the filter fraction. The difference between the adsorption (500 nm) of the filter fraction and the adsorption (500 nm) of the iodine solution (0.25 millimolar) is 0.35 or lower.

3. The composition as defined in claim 1 or 2, where: (6) The composition has a total oil and fat content on a dry mass basis of less than 17% by mass.

4. The composition as defined in either claim 1 to 3, where: (7) The composition has a moisture content on a dry mass basis of less than 17% by mass. From a dry mass of 50% by mass or less.

5. Composition as defined in any one of Reservations 1 to 4, where: the composition does not contain natural gluten.

6. Composition as defined in any one of Reservations 1 to 5, where: when the composition has been treated with Treatment A below and then anionized, the resulting composition has a particle size distribution expressed with a d90 value of 1000 µm or less. [Treatment A] A suspension of 6% by mass of the composition in water was treated with 0.4% by volume of protease and 0.0.2% by mass of alpha-amylase at 20°C for 3 days.

7. Composition as defined in any one of Reservations 1 to 6 where: the composition contains a proportion of starch derived from edible seeds to total starch in the composition of 10% by mass or higher on a dry mass basis.

8. Composition as defined in any one of Reservations 1 to 7 where: the edible seeds consist of one or more edible seeds selected from the species Pisum, Phaseolus, Cajanus, Vigna, Vicia, Cicer, and Lens.

9. Crushed composition prepared by crushing the composition as defined in any one of Reservations 1 to 8.

10. Coagulation of crushed composition prepared by agglomeration of the crushed composition as defined in Reservation 9. 11.Method of production of solid viscous paste mixtures for heat treatment of edible grains incorporating the following: (i) preparation of the viscous paste mixture incorporating the ground edible grains to obtain an insoluble dietary fiber content based on dry mass of 3% by mass or higher, a starch content based on dry mass of 10% by mass or higher, and a protein content based on dry mass of 4% by mass or higher; (ii) kneading of the mixture from step (i) at temperatures within the range of 100°C to 200°C and under conditions of specific mechanical energy (SME) of 350 kJ / kg or higher; and (iii) cooling of the mixture from step (ii) to a temperature at which the mixture does not swell.

12. The method as defined in claim11, which includes, after step (iii), the following: (iv) delivery of the mixture from step (iii) to the final treatment in an environment in which the relative humidity (RH%) of the atmosphere exceeds 50RH%.13.The method as defined in Reputation 12, where: wet treatment in stage (iv) is performed under conditions which satisfy Formula 1 below: AXT ≥ 40 (Formula 1), where A represents the relative humidity (RH%) of the atmosphere and T represents the wet treatment time (hours), provided that A > 50RH%.

14. The method as defined in Reputation 11 through 13, where: stage (ii) and / or stage (iii) are performed under pressure conditions.

15. The method as defined in Reputation 14, where: the pressure condition is the condition in which a pressure of 0.1 MPa or higher is applied.

16. The method as defined in any one of claims 11 to 15 is such that: when the edible grain powder used in step (i) is subjected to treatment A below and then to ultrasonication, the resulting composition has a particle size distribution expressed with a d90 of 1000 µm or less. [Treatment A] A suspension of 6% by mass of the edible grain powder in water is treated with 0.4% by volume of protease and 0.0.2% by mass of alpha-amylase at 20°C for 3 days.

17. The method as defined in any one of Claims 11 to 16, where: Step (ii) and / or Step (iii) was performed using an extruder.

18. The method as defined in Claims 17, where: The extruder is a single-axis extruder or a double-axis extruder.

19. The method as specified in claim 17 or 18 where: the ratio of the length of the screw section to the total length of the extruder barrel is 95% or less.

20. The method as specified in one of claims 11 to 19 where: the kneading time in step (ii) is within the range of 0.1 to 60 minutes.

21. The method as specified in one of claims 11 to 20 where: the cooling temperature in step (iii) is 95 degrees Celsius or less.

22. The method as specified in one of claims 11 to 21 where: the method includes, after step (iii), a step of: (v) crushing the components to produce the crushed component step. 23.The method as defined in claim 22, whereby: the method is further composed of, after step (v), the steps of: (vi) the agglomeration of the crushed components to produce the mass of the crushed components.

24. The method of improving the quality of the solid viscous dough components for heat cooking with edible grains, which is composed of the steps of: (i) the preparation of the viscous dough components with crushed edible grains to have an insoluble dietary fiber content based on dry mass of 3% by mass or higher, a starch content based on dry mass of 10% by mass or higher, and a protein content based on dry mass of 4% by mass or higher; (ii) kneading of the components from step (i) at temperatures within the range of 100°C to 200°C and under conditions of specific mechanical energy (SME) of 350 kJ / kg or higher; and (iii) cooling of the components from step (ii) to a temperature at which the components do not swell.25.The method as defined in Reputation 24, which includes, after step (iii), step (iv) delivery of components from step (iii) to the treatment step in an environment where the relative humidity (RH%) of the atmosphere exceeds 50RH%.

26. The method as defined in Reputation 25, where: the treatment step in step (iv) is carried out under conditions which satisfy Formula 1 below: AXT ≥ 40 (Formula 1), where A represents the relative humidity (RH%) of the atmosphere and T represents the treatment time of the wet treatment (hours), provided that A > 50RH%.

27. Any one of the methods as defined in Reputation 24 to 26, where: (ii) and / or (iii) are carried out under pressurized conditions.

28. The method as defined in Reputation 27, where: the pressurized condition is a condition in which a pressure of 0.1 MPa or higher is applied. 29.The method as specified in any one of claims 24 to 28 where: when the edible grains that are ground into a powder to be used in it (i) have been subjected to treatment A below and then subjected to ultrasonication, the resulting composition has a particle size distribution expressed with a d90 value of 1000 μm or less. [Treatment A] A suspension of 6% by mass of edible grains that are ground into a powder in water was treated with 0.4% by volume of protease and 0.02% by mass of alpha-amylase at 20 °C for 3 days.

30. The method as specified in any one of claims 24 to 29 where: it (ii) and / or it (iii) were carried out using an extruder.

31. The method as specified in claim 30 where: the extruder is a single-axis or double-axis extruder.

32. The method as specified in claim 30 or 31, where: the ratio of the length of the screw section to the total length of the extruder barrel is 95% or less.

33. The method as specified in either claim 24 to 32, where: the kneading time (ii) is within the range of 0.1 to 60 minutes. 34.Methods as specified in any of the claims 24 to 33 where: the cooling temperature in it (iii) is 95 degrees Celsius or lower; 35. Methods as specified in any of the claims 24 to 34 where: the improvement of quality includes the suppression of the adhesion of the components and / or the reduction of the flexibility of the components after heat cooking;