Packaged liquid preparation

Abstract

Provided is technology that can reduce the hardness of a frozen dessert caused by freezing a liquid preparation that does not require freezing during transportation. A packaged liquid preparation (2A) comprises: a sealed container (21A); and a liquid preparation (22A) that is housed in the container (21A) and is frozen to form a frozen dessert. In a state in which the liquid preparation (22A) is not foamed, the percentage of the volume of the container (21A) occupied by the volume of the headspace of the container (21A) falls in the range of 10-95%.

Description

Bottled mixed liquid

[0001] The present invention relates to a packaged preparation.

[0002] Generally, ice cream is sold in a ready-to-eat form, i.e., the ice cream is generally stored in a refrigerated environment as a packaged ice cream product and is removed from the refrigerated environment immediately before consumption.

[0003] Such ice cream products require refrigeration during distribution, which means that the transportation costs of the ice cream products are high.

[0004] Furthermore, if the temperature of the above ice cream products rises due to some problem during transportation, the ice cream may melt. If the melted ice cream is re-frozen, it becomes so hard that it is difficult to eat. In other words, if the ice cream melts during transportation, the commercial value of the above ice cream products will be lost.

[0005] In response to this, a method has been proposed for producing ice cream by distributing ice cream concentrate filled in a container at room temperature and freezing it before consumption (Patent Document 1). This ice cream concentrate can be stored in a liquid state at room temperature by packaging it under aseptic conditions, and even when frozen without whipping, it produces an ice cream product with a microcrystalline structure.

[0006] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-54357

[0007] The above-mentioned technology has the advantage that freezing is not required during transportation. However, the inventors have found that the ice cream products obtained by freezing the ice cream concentrate in its packaging are too hard compared to general ice creams that are distributed by being transported frozen.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of reducing the hardness of frozen desserts that occurs when a preparation that does not require freezing during transportation is frozen.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a packaged preparation comprising a sealed container and a preparation contained in the container that produces a frozen dessert upon freezing, wherein when the preparation is not foamed, the volume of the headspace of the container is in the range of 10% to 95% of the volume of the container.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bottled preparation according to the above aspect, wherein the preparation has a milk solids content in the range of 10% to 27% by weight.

[0011] According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a bottled preparation according to any of the above aspects, further comprising an edible solid contained within the container.

[0012] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bottled preparation according to the above aspect, wherein the edible solid material comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of nuts, cookies, fruit, lemonade, and chocolate.

[0013] According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a bottled preparation according to any of the above aspects, wherein the preparation comprises a thickener.

[0014] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bottled preparation according to the above aspect, wherein the thickener comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of agar, κ-carrageenan, locust bean gum, desacylated gellan gum, native gellan gum, glucomannan, and xanthan gum.

[0015] According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a bottled preparation according to any of the above aspects, wherein the preparation includes a foaming agent.

[0016] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bottled preparation according to the above aspect, wherein the foaming agent comprises at least one of soy protein and wheat protein.

[0017] According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a bottled preparation according to any of the above aspects, wherein the preparation is ultra-high temperature flash sterilized.

[0018] According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a bottled preparation according to any of the above aspects which has been retorted.

[0019] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bottled preparation according to any of the above aspects, wherein the container is a metal can.

[0020] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a packaged preparation comprising a packaged preparation according to any of the above aspects and an instruction manual including a procedure for shaking the packaged preparation followed by freezing.

[0021] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a packaged frozen dessert obtained by shaking the packaged preparation according to any one of the above aspects and then freezing it.

[0022] The present invention provides a technique that can reduce the hardness of frozen desserts caused by freezing a liquid preparation.

[0023] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a packaged preparation liquid with instruction manual according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the packaged preparation liquid with instruction manual shown in Fig. 1 taken along line II-II. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a packaged frozen dessert with instruction manual obtained from the packaged preparation liquid with instruction manual shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a side view of a packaged preparation liquid with instruction manual according to a modified example. Fig. 5 is a graph showing the effect of the internal pressure of the container on the variation in hardness of the frozen dessert.

[0024] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Elements having the same or similar functions are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0025] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a packaged preparation liquid with instruction manual according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of the packaged preparation liquid with instruction manual shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a packaged frozen dessert with instruction manual obtained from the packaged preparation liquid with instruction manual shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

[0026] The bottled preparation 1A with instruction manual shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a bottled preparation 2A and an instruction manual 3A.

[0027] The bottled preparation 2A includes a container 21A and a preparation 22A. The container 21A is a sealed container. In this example, the container 21A is a metal can serving as a sealed or airtight container, and is a two-piece can consisting of a container body 211A and a lid 212A.

[0028] The container body 211A is cylindrical with a bottom and includes an integrally molded body and bottom. The lid 212A includes a disk-shaped can lid body 212P with a score 212S, such as a V-shaped groove, on its surface, and a tab 212T attached to the can lid body 212P with a rivet 212R. The can lid body 212P is integrated with the body of the container body 211A by double seaming. Pulling the tab 212T can cause the can lid body 212P to break along the score 212S.

[0029] The volume of the container 21A is preferably in the range of 20 mL to 1000 mL, and more preferably in the range of 90 mL to 500 mL. If the volume of the container 21A is too small, the amount of the frozen dessert 22A1 shown in Figure 3 may be insufficient for one serving. If the volume of the container 21A is too large, it may be difficult to shake the container-packed preparation 2A or store it in a freezer.

[0030] Furthermore, when the preparation 22A is not foamed, the ratio of the headspace volume of the container 21A to the total volume of the container 21A is preferably within a range of 10% to 95%. That is, the ratio of the volume of the preparation 22A to the total volume of the container 21A is preferably 5% to 90%, and more preferably 50% to 80%. When the container 21A is a container capable of being filled with 200 mL, the volume of the preparation 22A is preferably within a range of 10 mL to 180 mL, and more preferably within a range of 100 mL to 160 mL. The container 21A may be any type of container that can be sealed, including resin containers such as PET bottles, plastic bottles, pouch containers, and tube containers, glass containers such as glass bottles, and ceramic containers such as ceramic cups.

[0031] The prepared liquid 22A is contained in the container 21A. The prepared liquid 22A is a liquid that produces the frozen dessert 22A1 shown in Fig. 3 when frozen. The frozen dessert 22A1 is, for example, ice cream, ice milk, lacto ice cream, or other ice cream varieties, preferably ice cream or ice milk, and more preferably ice cream. The frozen dessert 22A1 may further include an edible solid material, which will be described later.

[0032] The terms "ice cream products," "ice cream," "ice milk," and "lacto ice cream" used here follow the definitions in the "Ministry Ordinance on the Ingredient Standards of Milk and Dairy Products" and the "Fair Competition Code and Fair Competition Code Enforcement Regulations on the Labeling of Ice Cream Products and Frozen Confections."

[0033] When the prepared liquid 22A is frozen to produce ice cream as the frozen dessert 22A1, the prepared liquid 22A contains water, milk solids, and a sweetener.

[0034] The milk solids are, for example, those contained in cow's or goat's milk. The milk solids content of preparation 22A is preferably in the range of 3% to 27% by weight, more preferably in the range of 10% to 27% by weight.

[0035] Preferably, the preparation 22A contains milk fat. If the preparation 22A contains milk fat, the milk fat content is preferably in the range of 1% to 16% by mass, and more preferably in the range of 3% to 9% by mass.

[0036] The non-fat milk solids, particularly casein, can smooth the texture of the frozen dessert 22A1, and the milk fat can enhance the body of the frozen dessert 22A1.

[0037] The sweetener may be a carbohydrate sweetener, a non-carbohydrate sweetener, or a combination thereof. The carbohydrate sweetener may be a sugar such as sucrose, glucose, maltose, fructose, or high fructose corn syrup; a sugar alcohol such as sorbitol or mannitol; or a combination thereof. The non-carbohydrate sweetener may be a natural sweetener such as stevia; an artificial sweetener such as saccharin or aspartame; or a combination thereof.

[0038] The sweetener content of the preparation 22A is preferably in the range of 0.5% to 30% by weight, more preferably in the range of 2% to 9% by weight.

[0039] Preparation 22A may further include vegetable oils such as coconut oil, palm oil, and rapeseed oil. Preparation 22A including vegetable oils may produce a frozen dessert with an ice cream-like flavor, even if the preparation has a low milk fat content.

[0040] The total content of milk fat and vegetable oil in the prepared liquid 22A is preferably in the range of 3% to 30% by mass, and more preferably in the range of 10% to 27% by mass.

[0041] The preparation 22A may further include additives, such as one or more of fruit juice, flavorings, colorings, emulsifiers, foaming agents, and thickeners.

[0042] The fruit juice, flavoring, and coloring are ingredients that impart at least one of a flavor and a color to the frozen dessert. When the preparation 22A is to produce frozen desserts with various flavors such as vanilla, chocolate, fruit, vegetable, herb, seed, matcha, and coffee, the preparation 22A preferably contains one or more of the fruit juice, flavoring, and coloring.

[0043] The emulsifier is, for example, one or more of glycerin fatty acid ester, monoglyceride, and lecithin. The emulsifier contributes to the generation and stabilization of an oil-in-water (O / W) emulsion in the preparation 22A. The emulsifier also promotes the aggregation of fat globules, which are emulsified particles, during whipping and freezing. The aggregated fat globules protect the air bubbles and maintain foam stability. As the emulsifier, a saturated fatty acid ester, which exhibits excellent emulsion stability effects, and an unsaturated fatty acid ester, which is excellent in promoting the aggregation of emulsified particles during whipping and freezing, may be used in combination.

[0044] The foaming agent promotes foaming when the gas filling the headspace of the container 21A mixes with the preparation 22A when the container-packed preparation 2A is shaken. The foaming agent may be, for example, a protein-based foaming agent. More preferably, the foaming agent contains at least one of soy protein and wheat protein.

[0045] When protein-based foaming agents such as soy protein and wheat protein are adsorbed to the gas-liquid interface, they change their tertiary and quaternary structures so that their hydrophobic groups are exposed to the gas phase, making them irreversibly insoluble. Fat globules are then adsorbed to the protein membrane at the gas-liquid interface. Thus, the bubbles generated by shaking the bottled formulation 2A can be protected by the protein-based foaming agent and fat.

[0046] The foaming agent content of the preparation 22A is preferably in the range of 0.01% to 5.0% by mass, and more preferably in the range of 0.5% to 1.0% by mass. If the foaming agent content is low, the foaming promotion effect of the foaming agent is small. If the foaming agent content is excessively high, the mixability with other ingredients may be impaired, and the ingredients may not be mixed uniformly. Furthermore, if the foaming agent content exceeds a certain level, the difference in foaming effect depending on the foaming agent content may disappear, or the foaming effect may decrease as the foaming agent content increases.

[0047] The thickener increases the viscosity of preparation 22A and inhibits defoaming. The thickener also inhibits the growth of ice crystals both during the freezing process of preparation 22A and during storage of frozen dessert 22A1. The thickener preferably contains one or more selected from the group consisting of agar, κ-carrageenan, locust bean gum, desacyl gellan gum, native gellan gum, glucomannan, and xanthan gum.

[0048] The thickener content of the preparation 22A is preferably in the range of 0.01% to 5.5% by mass, and more preferably in the range of 0.3% to 1.2% by mass.

[0049] The viscosity of the prepared liquid 22A at 20°C measured at 20 rpm using an E-type viscometer as specified in JIS Z8803:2011 is preferably in the range of 5 mPa·s to 100 mPa·s, more preferably in the range of 7 mPa·s to 50 mPa·s, and even more preferably in the range of 12 mPa·s to 30 mPa·s.

[0050] The volume of the unfoamed preparation 22A at 20°C is preferably within the range of 5% to 90% of the volume of the container 21A, more preferably within the range of 50% to 90%, even more preferably within the range of 55% to 85%, and most preferably within the range of 60% to 80%. In the specification and claims, unless otherwise specified, the volume is the value at the above temperature conditions.

[0051] The packaged preparation 2A may further include an edible solid contained in the container 21A. The edible solid may include, for example, one or more selected from the group consisting of nuts, cookies, fruit, lemonade (candy tablets), and chocolate. The edible solid may promote agitation of the preparation 22A upon shaking, thereby promoting foaming.

[0052] Edible solids have a specific gravity of 0.1 g / cm ３ ~2g / cm ３ and preferably in the range of 0.25 g / cm ３ ~0.70g / cm ３ It is more preferable that the specific gravity of the edible solid material is within the range of 100 to 2000. Edible solid materials with a high specific gravity are effective in promoting the stirring of the preparation 22A. However, edible solid materials with an excessively high specific gravity tend to settle after shaking.

[0053] The average mass per particle of the edible solid material is preferably in the range of 10 mg to 10,000 mg, and more preferably in the range of 500 mg to 3,000 mg. Particles with a large mass are effective in promoting stirring of the preparation 22A. However, particles with an excessively large mass may be difficult to chew when eating the frozen dessert 22A1.

[0054] The amount of edible solid material per 100 parts by weight of the preparation 22A is preferably in the range of 1 to 50 parts by weight, and more preferably in the range of 5 to 20 parts by weight.

[0055] When preparation 22A is not foamed, the headspace volume of container 21A occupies a ratio of 10% to 95% of the total volume of container 21A, preferably 10% to 65%, more preferably 15% to 60%, and even more preferably 20% to 55%.

[0056] Increasing this ratio makes it easier to generate foam by shaking. In addition, increasing this ratio allows for a larger ratio between the total volume of foam and the volume of the preparation 22A before foaming. However, increasing this ratio reduces the amount of frozen dessert 22A1 or requires a larger container 21A.

[0057] The headspace of the container 21A is filled with a gas, such as air or nitrogen.

[0058] The amount of gas filling the headspace is preferably such that the internal pressure of the container 21A at -20°C immediately after the containerized frozen dessert 2A1 is removed from the freezer is within the range of -10 kPa to -70 kPa relative to atmospheric pressure (101.3 kPa), and more preferably is such that the internal pressure is within the range of -30 kPa to -60 kPa.

[0059] Lowering the pressure inside the container 21A for the bottled prepared liquid 2A reduces contamination of the prepared liquid 22A during production of the bottled prepared liquid 2A and reduces deterioration of the prepared liquid 22A during long-term storage of the bottled prepared liquid 2A. However, lowering the pressure inside the container 21A for the bottled prepared liquid 2A increases the likelihood of variations in the hardness of the frozen dessert 22A1.

[0060] The procedure manual 3A shown in Figure 1 describes the procedure for obtaining the packaged frozen dessert 1A1 with the procedure manual shown in Figure 3 from the packaged preparation 1A with the procedure manual shown in Figures 1 and 2, i.e., the procedure for obtaining the packaged frozen dessert 2A1 from the packaged preparation 2A. This procedure includes shaking the packaged preparation 2A and then freezing it.

[0061] Here, the instruction manual 3A is a label attached to the body of the container 21A. In addition, the above-mentioned procedure is recorded in the instruction manual 3A as a string of characters, such as "Shake at least 10 times and freeze at -15°C or below before eating."

[0062] It is preferable that the procedure manual 3A further describes at least one of the number of times and the time of shaking. In this case, the procedure manual 3A may describe a single value for the number of times or the time of shaking, a range defined by only a lower limit, or a range defined by a lower limit and an upper limit.

[0063] When the number of shakings or its lower limit is specified in Procedure Manual 3A, the value is preferably in the range of 5 to 50 times, and more preferably in the range of 10 to 20 times. The upper limit of the number of shakings may be any value as long as it is greater than the lower limit of the number of shakings.

[0064] When the shaking time or its lower limit is specified in Procedure Manual 3A, the value is preferably in the range of 2 to 180 seconds, more preferably in the range of 5 to 20 seconds. The upper limit of the shaking time may be any value as long as it is greater than the lower limit of the shaking time.

[0065] It is preferable that the procedure manual 3A further describes at least one of the temperature and time for freezing. In this case, the procedure manual 3A may describe a single value for the freezing temperature, a range defined by only an upper limit, or a range defined by a lower limit and an upper limit. Furthermore, the procedure manual 3A may describe a single value for the freezing time, a range defined by only a lower limit, or a range defined by a lower limit and an upper limit.

[0066] When the freezing temperature or its upper limit is specified in the procedure manual 3A, the value is preferably within the range of −20° C. to −80° C., and more preferably within the range of −20° C. to −30° C. The lower limit of the freezing temperature may be any value as long as it is smaller than the upper limit of the freezing temperature.

[0067] If the freezing time or its lower limit is specified in Procedure Manual 3A, the value is preferably in the range of 1 to 72 hours, more preferably in the range of 1 to 24 hours. The upper limit of the freezing time may be any value as long as it is greater than the lower limit of the freezing time.

[0068] Procedure 3A may further include chilling the bottled preparation 2A before shaking. The viscosity of preparation 22A increases with decreasing temperature. Shaking preparation 22A in a sufficiently chilled state can reduce the likelihood of foam loss during the period from the end of shaking to the completion of freezing.

[0069] If Procedure 3A describes chilling the bottled formulation 2A before shaking, then Procedure 3A preferably also describes the method of cooling, such as cooling at or above 0°C in a refrigerator or by contact with water.

[0070] If the procedure manual 3A specifies that the bottled preparation 2A be cooled before shaking, the procedure manual 3A preferably further specifies at least one of the temperature and time for this cooling. In this case, the procedure manual 3A may specify a single value for the cooling temperature, a range defined by only an upper limit, or a range defined by a lower and upper limit. Furthermore, the procedure manual 3A may specify a single value for the cooling time, a range defined by only a lower limit, or a range defined by a lower and upper limit.

[0071] If the cooling temperature, its upper limit, or its lower and upper limits are specified in Procedure Manual 3A, these values ​​are preferably in the range of 0°C to 10°C, and more preferably in the range of 0°C to 7°C.

[0072] When the cooling time or its lower limit is specified in the procedure manual 3A, the value is preferably in the range of 1 hour to 24 hours, more preferably in the range of 6 hours to 12 hours. The upper limit of the cooling time may be any value as long as it is greater than the lower limit of the cooling time.

[0073] The instruction manual 3A may further include a description that the frozen dessert 22A1 should be warmed immediately before eating, i.e., after the container-packed frozen dessert 1A1 or the container-packed frozen dessert 2A1 with the instruction manual is taken out of the freezer. The frozen dessert 22A1 becomes soft when warmed.

[0074] If the instruction manual 3A specifies that the frozen dessert 22A1 should be heated immediately before consumption, the instruction manual 3A preferably further specifies a method for heating the dessert 22A1, such as by leaving the dessert 22A1 in a refrigerator that is temperature-controlled at 0°C or above, or in a room temperature environment, or by contacting the dessert 22A1 with water.

[0075] If the instruction manual 3A specifies that the frozen dessert 22A1 should be heated immediately before consumption, the instruction manual 3A preferably further specifies the heating time. In this case, the instruction manual 3A may specify a single value for the heating time, a range defined by only a lower limit, a range defined by only an upper limit, or a range defined by both a lower limit and an upper limit. These values ​​are preferably within the range of 3 to 20 minutes, and more preferably within the range of 5 to 10 minutes.

[0076] The above-mentioned bottled preparation 1A with instruction manual can be produced, for example, by the following method.

[0077] First, the preparation 22A is prepared by mixing the components described above for the preparation 22A, and emulsifying the mixture at a temperature preferably in the range of 50° C. to 65° C. This results in an O / W emulsion as the preparation 22A.

[0078] Next, the preparation 22A is subjected to ultra-high temperature flash sterilization, which is a sterilization method that involves heating at an ultra-high temperature for a short period of time, for example, at a temperature in the range of 110°C to 150°C for a time in the range of 8 seconds to 40 seconds.

[0079] Next, the preparation 22A after ultra-high temperature flash sterilization is filled into the container body 211A. When producing the bottled preparation 2A by storing the preparation 22A and an edible solid material in the container 21A, the edible solid material may be mixed with the preparation 22A before the filling, or may be filled into the container 21A separately from the preparation 22A. This filling is performed so as to obtain the bottled preparation 2A having a predetermined volume of headspace.

[0080] Thereafter, the flange of the lid 212A and the open end of the container body 211A are double-seamed to integrate the lid 212A and the container body 211A, thereby obtaining the bottled preparation 2A.

[0081] The packaged formulation 2A may be retorted, for example at a temperature in the range of 110° C. to 135° C. for a time in the range of 10 to 45 minutes.

[0082] Thereafter, the instruction manual 3A as a label is attached to the barrel of the container body 211A of the bottled preparation 2A. In this way, a bottled preparation 1A with an instruction manual is obtained.

[0083] The packaged preparation 2A contained in this packaged preparation 1A with instructions has a headspace within the container 21A. Because this headspace is sufficiently large, shaking the packaged preparation 2A allows the preparation 22A and the gas within the headspace to mix thoroughly, thereby enabling sufficient foaming. Therefore, the packaged frozen dessert 2A1 obtained by freezing the packaged preparation 2A after shaking is softer than a frozen dessert frozen without foaming. Thus, the above-described technology makes it possible to reduce the hardness of a frozen dessert that occurs when a preparation that does not require refrigeration during transportation is frozen.

[0084] The above-described containerized mixed liquid 1A with instruction manual, containerized mixed liquid 2A, containerized frozen dessert 1A1 with instruction manual, and containerized frozen dessert 2A1 can be modified in various ways.

[0085] For example, in the above embodiment, the above procedures are recorded as character strings in the procedure manual 3A. The above procedures may be recorded in the procedure manual 3A as character strings, figures, photographs, or a combination thereof.

[0086] In the above embodiment, the instruction manual 3A is a label attached to the barrel of the container body 211A. The instruction manual 3A may also be a printed layer provided on the container 21A. The instruction manual 3A may be supported on the barrel of the container body 211A, on the bottom of the container body 211A, or on the lid 212A. When the bottled preparation 1A with instruction manual further includes an exterior body, such as a box or bag, containing the bottled preparation 2A, the instruction manual 3A may also be a label attached to the exterior body or a printed layer provided on the exterior body.

[0087] The procedure manual 3A may also be in other forms such as a booklet, a card, etc. When the bottled preparation 1A with the procedure manual further includes the above-mentioned outer packaging, the booklet, the card, etc. may be contained in the outer packaging together with the bottled preparation 2A.

[0088] When the packaged preparation 1A with instruction manuals further includes the above-described packaging, the packaging may contain two or more packaged preparations 2A. In this case, the number of instruction manuals 3A may or may not match the number of packaged preparations 2A. For example, the number of instruction manuals 3A may be fewer than the number of packaged preparations 2A.

[0089] In the above embodiment, the container 21A is a two-piece can with an easy-open-end structure for the lid 212A. The container for storing the preparation 22A may have a different structure.

[0090]

[0033] Figure 4 is a side view of a modified bottled preparation with instruction manual. The bottled preparation with instruction manual 1B shown in Figure 4 includes a bottled preparation 2B and an instruction manual 3B. The instruction manual 3B is similar to the instruction manual 3A described above for the bottled preparation with instruction manual 1A.

[0091] The bottled preparation 2B includes a container 21B and a preparation (not shown) similar to the preparation 22A described above for the packaged preparation 1A with instructions.

[0092] The container 21B is a three-piece can consisting of a can body 211B1, a can bottom 211B2, and a can lid 212B. In this example, the container 21B is a bottle-shaped can with a resealing function.

[0093] The can body 211B1 and the can bottom 211B2 constitute the container main body 211B. When the container 21B is in an upright position, the can body 211B1 has a body portion, a shoulder portion, and a mouth portion, in this order from bottom to top. The body portion has a generally cylindrical shape. The lower end of the body portion and the flange portion of the can bottom 211B2 are double-seamed, thereby integrating the can body 211B1 and the can bottom 211B2. The shoulder portion has a cylindrical shape whose lower end is continuous with the upper end of the body and whose diameter tapers upward. The mouth portion has a generally cylindrical shape whose lower end is continuous with the upper end of the shoulder.

[0094] The can lid 212B is a lid body including a can lid body and a sealing member. The sealing member is a circular resin sheet. The can lid body has a top plate and a skirt portion. The top plate is circular and faces the upper end of the mouth portion with the sealing member sandwiched therebetween. The skirt portion has a generally cylindrical shape whose upper end is continuous with the periphery of the top plate, and its inner surface is in contact with the outer surface of the mouth portion. The skirt portion and the mouth portion each have irregularities in their vertically intermediate regions that function as screw grooves and threads. This allows the can lid 212B to be screwed onto the mouth portion.

[0095] The height of the container interior space of the container 21B, i.e., the distance from the can bottom 211B2 to the sealing member of the can lid 212B, is greater than the maximum inner diameter. Therefore, when the direction of shaking is the height direction of the container 21B, the preparation 22A may move significantly within the container 21B. Therefore, adopting a structure in which the height of the container interior space is greater than the maximum inner diameter enables more efficient foaming.

[0096] As described above, the container for holding the preparation 22A may be a two-piece can or a three-piece can. The container for holding the preparation 22A may have an easy-open-end lid, may not have an easy-open-end lid, or may have a resealable function. The body of the container may be tapered, with a larger diameter at the opening.

[0097] In the above-described embodiment and modified examples, the container that contains the preparation 22A is made of metal, which has advantages such as high thermal conductivity, being less susceptible to breakage, and being suitable for long-term storage of the preparation 22A.

[0098] The container for holding the prepared liquid 22A does not have to be made of metal, but may be made of metal, plastic, glass, ceramic, waterproof paper, or a combination thereof.

[0099] The container for holding the preparation 22A is not limited to a can or a bottle, but may be, for example, a bag such as a gusset bag or a stand-up pouch, or a box such as a gable top or a brick pack.

[0100] The following describes tests carried out in connection with the present invention.

[0101] (Test 1) In this test, a preparation was first prepared by the following method: The components of the preparation were mixed according to the ratio shown in Table 1. The water temperature was 60°C. The mixture was stirred for 5 minutes using a homomixer.

[0102]

[0103] In Table 1, Neosoft IS-10 is a thickening stabilizer manufactured by Taiyo Chemical Co., Ltd., Sunsoft (registered trademark) No. 118, A-181EP, and No. 681SPV are emulsifiers manufactured by Taiyo Chemical Co., Ltd., Sunlact SV-3 is a whey protein manufactured by Taiyo Chemical Co., Ltd., and Sweet NT is a reduced starch syrup (concentration 70%) manufactured by Bussan Food Science Co., Ltd.

[0104] Next, this mixture was heated to 65°C and treated in a homogenizer. The target pressure settings of the homogenizer were 150 MPa on the primary side and 50 MPa on the secondary side. In this way, an O / W emulsion was obtained as a prepared liquid.

[0105] Next, the preparation was cooled to 25°C. A portion of the cooled preparation was used to measure the pH, Brix, and specific gravity. As a result, the preparation had a pH of 6.50, a Brix of 40.0%, and a specific gravity of 1.08 g / cm ３ It was.

[0106] The remaining cooled formulation was subjected to ultra-high temperature flash sterilization using direct steam injection at a temperature and time of 139°C for 40 seconds, respectively.

[0107] Next, a portion of the preparation after ultra-high temperature flash sterilization was filled into a container under the following conditions to obtain a first group of samples consisting of a plurality of containerized preparations: Container: 200 mL food can Filling amount: 100 mL ± 2 mL Vacuum: -40 kPa ± 2 kPa The remainder of the preparation after ultra-high temperature flash sterilization was filled into a container under the same conditions as above, except that the vacuum was -20 kPa ± 2 kPa, to obtain a second group of samples consisting of a plurality of containerized preparations.

[0108] The bottled formulations of Sample Groups 1 and 2 were then subjected to a retort process at a temperature of 121°C for 9 minutes and 30 seconds.

[0109] The container-packed preparations after the retort treatment were cooled to room temperature, then shaken and frozen to obtain container-packed frozen desserts.

[0110] The shaking was performed by horizontally reciprocating the bottled preparation, with the height of the container parallel to the direction of the reciprocating motion. The reciprocating shaking was performed at a speed of 160 times per minute for 1 minute.

[0111] Freezing was carried out by placing the containerized preparation immediately after shaking in a freezer, the temperature of which was kept within the range of -15°C to -25°C.

[0112] After being frozen for more than half a day in the freezer, the container-packed frozen dessert was removed from the freezer. Immediately after removing the container, the internal pressure of the container and the hardness of the frozen dessert (ice cream) were measured.

[0113] The temperature of the container-packed frozen dessert when the internal pressure of the container was measured was -20°C. A precision universal testing machine, Autograph AG-Xplus, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation was used to measure the hardness. The crosshead speed was 0.1 mm / sec. A punch with a tip having a shape and dimensions similar to the tip of an ice cream spoon was used as the indenter. Specifically, the tip of the punch used here had a flat plate-like shape with a pair of raised edges along the length of the punch, a width of 30 mm, and a corner connecting the flat central portion and the edges with a radius of curvature of 0.5 mm.

[0114] A comparative sample group consisting of a plurality of bottled preparations was obtained in the same manner as above, except that the preparations were filled into containers so as to substantially eliminate headspace. These bottled preparations were used to produce bottled frozen desserts and measure the hardness of the frozen desserts in the same manner as above, except that shaking before freezing was omitted.

[0115] The results are shown in Table 2 below. Ｈ " / V" is the ratio of the headspace volume to the container volume. The values ​​shown in the columns labeled "internal pressure" and "hardness" are the average values ​​for each sample group.

[0116]

[0117] As shown in Table 2, the hardness of the frozen desserts of the first and second sample groups was reduced compared to the comparative sample group.

[0118] Furthermore, there was a difference in the variation in the hardness of the frozen dessert between the first and second sample groups, as shown in Figure 5. Figure 5 is a graph showing the effect of the internal pressure of the container on the variation in the hardness of the frozen dessert. In Figure 5, "target internal pressure -40 kPa" and "target internal pressure -20 kPa" represent the first sample group and the second sample group, respectively. As shown in Figure 5, the variation in the hardness of the frozen dessert was smaller in the second sample group than in the first sample group.

[0119] (Test 2) In this test, a fourth sample group was prepared in the same manner as described above for the first sample group, and each of the containerized preparations was shaken and frozen in the same manner as in Test 1. After being frozen in the freezer for at least half a day, the containerized frozen desserts were removed from the freezer. Immediately after removal from the freezer, the internal pressure of the container was measured under the same temperature conditions as in Test 1. The containerized frozen desserts removed from the freezer were left in a constant temperature room at 20°C for 10 minutes, and then the hardness of the frozen desserts was measured in the same manner as in Test 1.

[0120] The above results are shown in Table 3 below, along with the results obtained for the first sample group in Test 1. Ｈ " / V" is the ratio of the headspace volume to the container volume. The values ​​shown in the columns labeled "internal pressure" and "hardness" are the average values ​​for each sample group.

[0121]

[0122] As shown in Table 3, the hardness of the frozen dessert could be further reduced by removing the container-packed frozen dessert from the freezer and leaving it at 20°C for 10 minutes.

[0123] 1A...containerized mixed liquid with procedure manual, 1B...containerized mixed liquid with procedure manual, 2A...containerized mixed liquid, 2B...containerized mixed liquid, 3A...procedure manual, 3B...procedure manual, 21A...container, 21B...container, 22A...mixed liquid, 22A1...frozen dessert, 211A...container body, 211B...container body, 211B1...can body, 211B2...can bottom, 212A...lid body, 212B...can lid, 212P...can lid body, 212R...rivet, 212S...score, 212T...tab.

Claims

1. A container-packed mixture comprising: a sealed container; and a mixture contained within said container for producing a frozen dessert upon freezing, wherein when said mixture is not foamed, the volume of the head space of said container is within the range of 10% to 95% of the volume of said container.

2. The bottled preparation according to claim 1, wherein said preparation has a milk solids content in the range of 10% to 27% by weight.

3. The bottled preparation of claim 1 further comprising an edible solid contained within said container.

4. The bottled preparation according to claim 3, wherein said edible solid matter comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of nuts, cookies, fruits, lemonade, and chocolate.

5. A bottled preparation according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said preparation contains a thickening agent.

6. The bottled preparation according to claim 5, wherein said thickening agent comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of agar, κ-carrageenan, locust bean gum, deacylated gellan gum, native gellan gum, glucomannan, and xanthan gum.

7. A bottled preparation according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the preparation includes a foaming agent.

8. The packaged preparation of claim 7, wherein said foaming agent comprises at least one of soy protein and wheat protein.

9. A bottled preparation according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said preparation is ultra-high temperature flash pasteurized.

10. A bottled formulation according to claim 9 which has been retorted.

11. A bottled preparation according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein said container is a metal can.

12. A packaged preparation comprising: a packaged preparation according to any one of claims 1 to 11; and a procedure manual including a step of freezing the packaged preparation after shaking.

13. A packaged frozen dessert, which is obtained by shaking the packaged preparation according to any one of claims 1 to 11 and then freezing it.

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