Frozen noodles are packaged.

Abstract

The invention relates to cooked and frozen noodles packaged, comprising: cooked noodles packaged with a moisture content of 9 to 15% by mass, pre-mixed liquid seasonings packaged, and containers containing them. A method for producing cooked noodles, comprising pouring water into containers containing cooked and frozen noodles packaged and heating them in a microwave oven.

Description

Packaged frozen noodles

[0001] The present invention relates to packaged frozen noodles.

[0002] Frozen foods have a long shelf life because they are frozen, but they can still lose quality over time. Frozen noodles in particular are prone to quality loss due to moisture migration and starch crystallization during freezing.

[0003] Frozen cooked noodles containing a set of cooked noodles, seasoning liquid, and ingredients are commercially available. Many of these have frozen cooked noodles placed inside a frozen seasoning liquid, and ready-to-eat cooked noodles with soup can be produced simply by heating them in a container using a microwave oven or the like. However, with foods in this form, moisture from the seasoning liquid transfers to the noodles during frozen storage, and the noodles tend to have an overly soft texture after heating.

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes frozen cold noodles in which frozen or dried noodles and frozen soup are sealed in a container and thawed by pouring hot water into the container. Patent Document 2 describes packaged frozen noodles in which, from the bottom up, frozen concentrated soup, sheet material, and frozen boiled noodles are stored, and which can be eaten simply by adding water to the container and heating in a microwave oven.

[0005] JP 2002-360199 A JP 2014-147382 A

[0006] To provide container-packed frozen noodles which can be frozen and stored in the container, can be eaten simply by adding water to the container and heating, and the texture of the noodles is not likely to deteriorate during frozen storage.

[0007] The present inventors have discovered that cooked noodles with a good texture can be produced through simple cooking by freezing and storing cooked noodles, the moisture content of which has been adjusted to a specific range, together with a seasoning liquid, and then adding water and heating the noodles.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention provides packaged, cooked, frozen noodles, comprising cooked frozen noodles with a water content of 9 to 15% by mass, a frozen seasoning liquid, and a container containing these. The present invention also provides a method for producing cooked noodles, comprising injecting water into the packaged, cooked, frozen noodles and heating the noodles in a microwave oven. The present invention also provides a method for producing packaged, cooked, frozen noodles, comprising placing cooked frozen noodles with a water content of 9 to 15% by mass and a frozen seasoning liquid in a container, wherein the cooked frozen noodles with a water content of 9 to 15% by mass are obtained by drying noodles that have been cooked to a water content of 9 to 15% by mass and then freezing them.

[0009] The packaged frozen cooked noodles of the present invention are stored frozen with the cooked noodles and seasoning liquid contained in the container, so that cooked noodles with a good texture can be produced simply by adding water to the noodles and heating them in a microwave oven or the like.

[0010] The containerized frozen cooked noodles of the present invention are a set of cooked frozen noodles and frozen seasoning liquid stored in a container, and by adding water to the set and heating the container, cooked noodles that can be eaten as is can be produced.

[0011] The cooked frozen noodles used in the present invention are prepared by freezing cooked noodles with a moisture content of 9 to 15% by mass. Preferably, the cooked frozen noodles are prepared by cooking noodles so that they are ready to eat, drying them to a moisture content of 9 to 15% by mass, and then freezing them.

[0012] As the noodles that are used as the raw material for the cooked noodles, any of fresh noodles, semi-fresh noodles, and dried noodles that are commonly used as noodles for cooking can be used. The type of noodles is not particularly limited, and examples include noodles made from buckwheat flour, wheat flour, rice flour, etc., more specifically, soba, udon, somen, hiyamugi, Chinese noodles, short pasta, long pasta, etc. Preferably, the noodles used in the present invention are noodles that are prone to quality deterioration due to frozen storage, such as rice flour noodles, somen, or long pasta.

[0013] The method for cooking the raw material noodles to make them edible may be a conventional method, such as boiling, steaming, etc. Noodles cooked to be edible usually have a moisture content of about 55 to 70% by mass.

[0014] In the present invention, the cooked noodles that have been cooked to a ready-to-eat state are dried to a moisture content of 9 to 15% by mass, preferably 10 to 13% by mass. If the moisture content is less than 9% by mass, the noodles will not be heated sufficiently when packaged, frozen, cooked noodles are heated, resulting in a poor texture. On the other hand, if the moisture content exceeds 15% by mass, the noodles will have an overly soft texture after heating. In this specification, the moisture content (% by mass) of noodles can be calculated as the percentage of the difference in mass between noodles that have been bone-drying-treated and noodles before the bone-drying-treatment (i.e., the moisture content of the noodles) relative to the mass of the noodles before the bone-drying-treatment. The method for drying cooked noodles is not particularly limited as long as it can adjust the moisture content of the noodles as described above, and can be carried out according to conventional methods. Examples of drying methods include heat drying, hot air drying, and ventilation drying, of which ventilation drying is preferred. On the other hand, deep-frying and freeze-drying are not preferred because they may result in over-drying of the noodles. The moisture content of ordinary fried dried noodles is about 2 to 5% by mass, and the moisture content of freeze-dried noodles is about 1 to 5% by mass.

[0015] Examples of frozen seasoning liquids used in the present invention include soups, sauces, and the like that are consumed with noodles. If necessary, the frozen seasoning liquid may contain ingredients. If the frozen seasoning liquid is in its usual state when consumed (the so-called "straight" state), it is undesirable because its volume increases, making it difficult to store and requiring a long heating time. Furthermore, as will be described later, the packaged, cooked frozen noodles of the present invention are heated by adding water, so a straight seasoning liquid is undesirable because the flavor becomes diluted. Therefore, it is preferable that the frozen seasoning liquid be in a concentrated state.

[0016] The concentration of the frozen liquid seasoning (how many times more concentrated it is than the liquid seasoning when consumed) is preferably about 6.5 to 50% of the volume of a straight drink at 25°C. For example, if the volume is 50% of the volume of a straight drink, it is twice as concentrated. Therefore, the concentration of the frozen liquid seasoning is preferably 2 to 15 times, and more preferably 3 to 10 times.

[0017] The cooked noodles and seasoning liquid may be frozen according to conventional methods. Preferably, the cooked noodles and seasoning liquid are rapidly frozen. Rapid freezing methods include, for example, the air blast method, liquid method, contact method, and liquefied gas method. The cooked noodles and seasoning liquid may be frozen either before or after being placed in the container described below. Preferably, the cooked noodles and seasoning liquid are placed in the container after being frozen.

[0018] The packaged, cooked and frozen noodles of the present invention are composed of the cooked frozen noodles (hereinafter simply referred to as frozen noodles), a frozen seasoning liquid, and a container that contains them. Furthermore, the packaged, cooked and frozen noodles may contain additional ingredients and toppings. The arrangement of the frozen noodles and frozen seasoning liquid within the container is not particularly limited. Preferably, the frozen noodles are placed on top of the frozen seasoning liquid. Because the frozen seasoning liquid has a larger mass than the frozen noodles, this arrangement stabilizes the container containing the frozen noodles and frozen seasoning liquid. Furthermore, this arrangement is advantageous when considering that the frozen noodles will be heated by adding water.

[0019] The amount of frozen noodles and frozen seasoning liquid to be placed in a container is not particularly limited. From the viewpoint of ease of handling of packaged frozen cooked noodles, it is preferable that the amount be one to two servings. The specific amount of frozen noodles and frozen seasoning liquid to be placed can vary depending on the moisture content of the frozen noodles and the concentration of the frozen seasoning liquid. For example, assuming that the amount of noodles per serving at the time of consumption is 200 to 300 g and that the moisture content of the cooked noodles is dried to 70% by mass to 10% by mass, the mass of one serving of frozen noodles placed in a container will be 80 to 120 g. Similarly, assuming that the amount of seasoning liquid per serving is 200 to 500 g and that the seasoning liquid is five times concentrated, the mass of one serving of frozen seasoning liquid placed in a container will be 40 to 100 g.

[0020] The type of container in which the frozen noodles and frozen seasoning liquid are stored is not particularly limited as long as it can be heated in a microwave oven or the like. Furthermore, it is preferable that the container can be used as a container for the cooked noodles obtained after the heating. For example, the container is preferably made of glass or heat-resistant plastic, and is preferably bowl-shaped or rice bowl-shaped. After storing the frozen noodles and frozen seasoning liquid in the container, it is preferable that the container is sealed separately with a lid, sealing material, plastic wrap, packaging bag, or the like.

[0021] When producing packaged frozen cooked noodles, for example, unfrozen seasoning liquid and noodles may be placed in a container and then frozen; seasoning liquid may be placed in a container and frozen, and then frozen noodles may be placed on top of it; seasoning liquid may be placed in a container and frozen, and then noodles may be placed on top of it and then frozen again; or frozen seasoning liquid may be placed in a container, and then frozen noodles may be placed on top of it.

[0022] From the perspective of preventing the transfer of moisture from the seasoning liquid to the noodles, it is preferable that the contact area between the frozen noodles and the frozen seasoning liquid inside the container is small. If the frozen seasoning liquid is concentrated, the transfer of moisture to the frozen noodles during frozen storage can be reduced. Furthermore, by freezing the frozen noodles and frozen seasoning liquid separately and then storing them in a container, the contact area between the frozen noodles and frozen seasoning liquid can be minimized. Alternatively, a watertight auxiliary material such as a vinyl sheet can be placed between the frozen noodles and frozen seasoning liquid inside the container.

[0023] The containerized frozen cooked noodles thus produced may be frozen and stored as is, or may be frozen and stored after the container is fitted with a lid or sealing material, or after being wrapped in a cling film or packaging bag. The frozen storage method may be conventional, and the noodles are preferably stored at a temperature of -20 to -80°C.

[0024] Cooked, edible noodles can be produced by adding water to the packaged, cooked, frozen noodles of the present invention and heating the noodles. Preferably, the packaged, cooked, frozen noodles are heated in a microwave oven. In the present invention, by heating the frozen noodles with the specific water content in contact with the water, the frozen noodles are heated while being appropriately watered, and high-quality noodles are obtained after heating is completed. Meanwhile, during the heating, the frozen seasoning liquid is thawed and mixed with the water, causing convection and dilution.

[0025] The temperature of the water added during heating is preferably 1 to 40°C, more preferably 5 to 30°C. The temperature of the added water may affect the texture of the noodles after heating. The amount of water to be added can be determined appropriately taking into consideration the moisture content of the frozen noodles and the concentration of the frozen seasoning liquid. In this case, if a strong seasoning is desired, the amount of water added can be reduced, and conversely, if a light seasoning is desired, the amount of water added can be increased.

[0026] The heating method for the packaged frozen cooked noodles of the present invention, for example, the heating means (heating in a microwave oven, etc.) and the amount and temperature of water to be added, are preferably indicated on the container, lid, packaging bag, etc. By adopting such a configuration, anyone can easily prepare and eat cooked noodles with a good texture.

[0027] The effects of the present invention will be specifically explained below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0028] (Production Example 1) Commercially available dried somen noodles were boiled for a specified time to obtain cooked somen noodles (moisture content 67%). The resulting cooked somen noodles were divided into individual servings (100 g), evenly packed into 10 cm diameter sieves, and air-dried to a moisture content of 9% by mass. After drying, the somen noodles were removed and quickly frozen to produce freeze-dried cooked somen noodles (frozen somen noodles). The moisture content of the somen noodles was determined by drying the sample at 60°C for 24 hours to an absolutely dry state, and the difference in mass before and after drying was used as the moisture content, and the percentage of moisture content relative to the mass before the absolutely drying process was calculated. Separately, commercially available straight-type noodle soup was placed in a pot and simmered over very low heat until the mass was reduced to 20% of the original mass, producing a 5x concentrated noodle soup. The concentrated noodle soup was filled into a heat-resistant plastic bowl-shaped container in an amount of 40 mL (1 / 5 of a serving) and quickly frozen to obtain frozen noodle soup. The frozen somen noodles produced above were placed on top of the frozen noodle soup in the container, and the container was covered with plastic wrap to produce containerized frozen cooked somen noodles. The produced product was stored frozen at -20°C.

[0029] (Production Examples 2 to 5, Comparative Examples 1 to 3) Containerized, frozen, cooked somen noodles of Examples 2 to 5 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 were produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the drying time of the cooked somen noodles was adjusted to the moisture content shown in Table 1, and then stored frozen.

[0030] Test Example 1: 160 mL of water at 15°C was added to a container of frozen cooked somen noodles that had been frozen for 14 days, and the noodles were heated in a microwave oven at 500W for 4 minutes to produce hot somen noodles with a noodle soup temperature of 80°C. The amount of water added to the container was determined taking into account the amount of water (80 mL) required to dilute the concentrated noodle soup straight and the amount of water removed from the cooked somen noodles by the drying process. The texture of the produced hot somen noodles was evaluated by 10 trained panelists according to the following evaluation criteria, and the average of the 10 evaluations was calculated. As a standard, dried somen noodles were boiled for a specified time, and the evaluation score for hot somen noodles produced with commercially available straight noodle soup was rated on a 5-point scale. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

[0031] (Evaluation criteria for texture) 5 points: Very smooth in the mouth, with sufficient firmness and elasticity, extremely good. 4 points: Smooth in the mouth, with firmness and elasticity, good. 3 points: Slightly sticky in the mouth, but firmness and elasticity are felt. 2 points: Sticky in the mouth, with slightly weak firmness and elasticity, poor. 1 point: Very sticky in the mouth, with weak firmness and elasticity, extremely poor.

[0032]

[0033] (Test Example 2) The concentration of the frozen noodle soup was changed as shown in Table 2, and in each case, water was added to the container in an amount sufficient to dilute the noodle soup to the equivalent of straight soup, and other than this, hot somen noodles were produced in the same manner as in Production Example 2, and the texture was evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The evaluation results are shown in Table 2. In Production Examples 11 and 12, the texture of the somen noodles themselves was good, but the flavor of the soup was reduced due to the high concentration of the soup, and as a result, the quality was somewhat inferior overall.

[0034]

[0035] Test Example 3 Warm somen noodles were produced in the same manner as in Example 2, except that the temperature of the water added to the container during microwave heating was changed as shown in Table 3, and the texture thereof was evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

[0036]

[0037] (Test Example 4) Hot somen noodles were produced using the same procedure as in Production Example 2, except that the arrangement of the frozen somen noodles and frozen noodle soup in the container was changed as shown in Table 4, using the following procedure. That is, in Production Example 20, unfrozen concentrated noodle soup was filled into a container, and then unfrozen dried and cooked somen noodles were added thereto and quickly frozen. In Production Example 21, concentrated noodle soup was placed in a container, quickly frozen, and then removed from the container. Next, frozen somen noodles were placed in the container, and the frozen concentrated noodle soup was placed on top of them. The texture of the produced hot somen noodles was evaluated using the same procedure as in Test Example 1. The evaluation results are shown in Table 4.

[0038]

Claims

1. A packaged frozen cooked noodles comprising cooked frozen noodles with a moisture content of 9 to 15% by mass, a frozen seasoning liquid, and a container containing these.

2. The packaged frozen cooked noodles according to claim 1, wherein the cooked frozen noodles are placed on top of the frozen seasoning liquid.

3. The packaged, frozen, cooked noodles according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the liquid seasoning is a concentrated liquid seasoning.

4. The packaged, frozen, cooked noodles according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which are intended to be heated in a microwave oven after adding water.

5. The packaged frozen cooked noodles according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the water has a temperature of 1 to 40°C.

6. The packaged, frozen, cooked noodles according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the cooked frozen noodles with a moisture content of 9 to 15% by mass are noodles that have been cooked to a ready-to-eat state, dried to a moisture content of 9 to 15% by mass, and then frozen.

7. A method for producing cooked noodles, comprising injecting water into the container of the packaged frozen cooked noodles according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and heating the noodles in a microwave oven.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the water is at a temperature of 1 to 40°C.

9. A method for producing packaged frozen cooked noodles, comprising storing cooked frozen noodles with a moisture content of 9-15% by mass and frozen seasoning liquid in a container, wherein the cooked frozen noodles with a moisture content of 9-15% by mass are noodles that have been cooked to a moisture content of 9-15% by mass and then frozen.

10. The method according to claim 9, comprising: placing the frozen seasoning liquid in the container and placing the cooked frozen noodles on top of it; or placing seasoning liquid in the container and freezing it, and placing the cooked frozen noodles on top of it.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the seasoning liquid is a concentrated seasoning liquid.

12. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the packaged frozen cooked noodles are intended to be heated in a microwave oven by adding water.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the water is at a temperature of 1 to 40°C.