Fatty mass composition and method for producing fatty mass composition

Abstract

Provided are: a fatty mass composition containing a granular body that contains an oil or fat having a melting point of 0.1°C or higher and an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer that is crosslinked by cations, wherein the average particle diameter of the granular body is 50-500 μm, the degree of swelling of the fatty mass composition is 20-180%, and the fatty mass composition is a hardened body having at least one plane; and a method for producing a fatty mass composition.

Description

Fat lump composition and method for producing fat lump composition

[0001] The present disclosure relates to fat chunk compositions and methods for making fat chunk compositions.

[0002] Meat is a widely consumed food ingredient worldwide. However, in order to maintain health, people are increasingly refraining from meat intake and instead consuming meat-like foods (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "meat substitutes") made from plant-derived vegetable proteins such as soybeans. In recent years, attempts have been made to make the texture of meat substitutes more similar to that of meat. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2-41315 proposes a method for producing a meat-like food, comprising: kneading an O / W emulsion having a compression oil separation rate of 15% or more, the emulsion being composed mainly of (a) protein, (b) fats and oils, and (c) water, in a weight ratio of a:b:c = 1:7 to 40:1 to 20, with a vegetable protein-containing substance; orienting the mixture by applying shear stress under heating; and then blending the resulting O / W emulsion with a fibrous protein and a binder so that the O / W emulsion accounts for 5 to 50% by weight of the total meat-like food; and then molding and heating the resulting mixture. In addition, for example, a livestock meat product improver containing oil-processed starch having a heat solubility of 3% to 25% and a heat swelling degree of 8 to 17 times has been disclosed (see JP 2020-162560 A).

[0003] Meat substitutes currently available on the market are either meat substitutes whose pre-cooked appearance does not resemble that of livestock meat, or meat substitutes whose appearance resembles minced livestock meat (livestock meat ground and chopped using a mincer or the like). However, livestock meat is in high demand as chunks of raw meat (chunks of meat; the same applies hereinafter). Therefore, in view of the increasing demand for meat substitutes, meat substitutes having an appearance similar to chunks of meat are required. In particular, for meat substitutes having an appearance similar to chunks of meat, the appearance, texture, and taste of the fat and oil portion are important. Therefore, an object of an embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a fat chunk composition contained in a meat substitute having an appearance similar to chunks of meat, which has a texture similar to beef tallow, and a method for producing the fat chunk composition.

[0004] The present disclosure includes the following aspects: <1> A fat chunk composition comprising a granular material containing a fat or oil having a melting point of 0.1°C or higher, and an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer cross-linked with a cation, wherein the granular material has an average particle size of 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less, a swelling degree of 20% or more and 180% or less, and is a hardened material having at least one plane.

[0005] <2> The fat chunk composition according to <1>, wherein the swelling degree on one plane of the fat chunk composition is different from the swelling degree on the surface opposite to the plane. <3> The fat chunk composition according to <1> or <2>, wherein the shape is a rectangular parallelepiped or a sheet.

[0006] <4> A method for producing a fat lump composition, comprising: (1) a step of forming droplets containing fats and oils in an aqueous solution (hereinafter also referred to as the "droplet formation step"); (2) a step of solidifying the fats and oils in the droplets to obtain particles containing the solidified fats and oils (hereinafter also referred to as the "fat solidification step"); (3) a step of mixing the particles, an aqueous solution containing an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer, and a hardening liquid containing a divalent cation to cross-link the edible ionically cross-linkable polymer and obtain a crude fat lump composition having at least one plane (hereinafter also referred to as the "cross-linking step"); and (4) a step of immersing the crude fat lump composition in an aqueous salt solution containing a monovalent cation to obtain a fat lump composition having a desired swelling degree (hereinafter also referred to as the "swelling degree adjustment step").

[0007] <5> A method for producing a fat lump composition, comprising: (I) a step of forming droplets containing fats and oils in an aqueous solution (hereinafter also referred to as the "droplet formation step"); (II) a step of solidifying the fats and oils in the droplets to obtain particles containing the solidified fats and oils (hereinafter also referred to as the "fat solidification step"); and (III) a step of mixing the particles with an aqueous solution containing an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer, and then adding a hardening liquid containing a divalent cation to cross-link the edible ionically cross-linkable polymer to obtain a fat lump composition having a desired degree of swelling and at least one plane (hereinafter also referred to as the "cross-linking step").

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a fat chunk composition contained in a meat substitute having an appearance similar to that of a chunk of meat and providing a texture similar to beef tallow, and a method for producing the fat chunk composition are provided.

[0009] Below, an embodiment that is an example of the fat chunk composition and method for producing a fat chunk composition according to the present disclosure will be described. These descriptions and examples are intended to illustrate the embodiments and do not limit the scope of the invention. In the numerical ranges described in stages in this disclosure, the upper or lower limit value described in one numerical range may be replaced by the upper or lower limit value of another numerical range described in stages. Furthermore, in the numerical ranges described in this disclosure, the upper or lower limit value of that numerical range may be replaced by the value shown in the examples.

[0010] Each component may contain multiple corresponding substances. When referring to the amount of each component in a composition, if the composition contains multiple substances corresponding to that component, the total amount of those multiple substances present in the composition is referred to unless otherwise specified. In this disclosure, the term "process" includes not only an independent process but also a process that cannot be clearly distinguished from other processes, as long as the intended purpose of the process is achieved. In this disclosure, a combination of two or more preferred embodiments is a more preferred embodiment. In this disclosure, "room temperature" refers to an uncontrolled ambient temperature, and refers to 25°C unless otherwise specified. In this disclosure, "texture similar to beef tallow" means a texture that is not too soft, has a moderate chewiness, and does not have the crunchy texture that is not found in beef tallow found in conventional encapsulated oils and fats. In this disclosure, a rectangular parallelepiped refers to a shape with six flat faces. In the present disclosure, a sheet-like shape refers to a shape having at least one pair of parallel planes, in which the dimension in the thickness direction perpendicular to the planes is 0.5 or less than both the longest dimension of the planes (i.e., the length direction) and the dimension in the width direction intersecting the longest dimension direction, i.e., a shape in which the ratio of the shortest dimension of the planes to the thickness is 2:1 or more.

[0011] <Fat lump composition> The fat lump composition according to an embodiment of the present disclosure (hereinafter also referred to as the specific fat lump composition) comprises a granular material containing fats and oils having a melting point of 0.1°C or higher, and an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer cross-linked with cations, and the granular material has an average particle size of 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less, a swelling degree of 20% or more and 180% or less, and is a hardened body having at least one flat surface.

[0012] In addition, a fat chunk composition having at least one plane means that it has a flat surface when the appearance of the fat chunk composition is observed visually. The plane is preferably smooth, but may have slight irregularities, for example, due to granular materials containing fats and oils. In other words, a plane with slight irregularities due to granular materials containing fats and oils is also included in the "plane of the fat chunk composition of the present disclosure." The specific fat chunk composition can impart a texture similar to beef tallow, and therefore, using the specific fat chunk composition, it is possible to produce a meat substitute having an appearance and texture similar to that of a chunk of meat. The reason for this is presumed to be as follows. Here, in the present disclosure, "chunk meat" refers to uncooked raw meat cut to any size from livestock for meat production, and meat that has not been ground or chopped after being cut from the livestock. Fat often has an elongated shape on the surface of a chunk of meat.

[0013] The specific fat lump composition is a hardened body having at least one plane, and can preferably take the form of a cube or sheet suitable for processing. When the average particle size of the granules contained in the specific fat lump composition is 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less, it presents an appearance similar to the fat content present inside the lump meat, and provides a texture that is moderately similar to beef tallow. Furthermore, when the swelling degree of the specific fat lump composition is 20% or more and 180% or less, it provides a texture similar to beef tallow, is not too soft, has a moderate chewiness, and suppresses the development of the crunchy texture that is not felt in beef tallow, which is found in encapsulated fats as conventionally known fat lump compositions. The reason why the specific fat lump composition provides a texture similar to beef tallow over the above wide range of swelling degrees is thought to be because the degree of crosslinking differs between the outermost plane surface of the fat lump composition and the deeper region, resulting in different swelling degrees depending on the region. Because the specific fat lump composition has at least one plane, in the production of the specific fat lump composition, the hardening of the edible ionically cross-linkable polymer begins from the plane and gradually progresses from the plane to the deeper regions.As a result, the degree of cross-linking differs between the outermost surface and the deeper regions of the plane of the obtained hardened fat lump composition, and the degree of cross-linking in one plane is relatively higher than in the deeper regions, and as a result, it is thought that the swelling degree of the specific fat lump composition varies depending on the region.Therefore, in the specific fat lump composition, the impact on the texture of regions with high swelling degree, i.e., regions with low cross-linking degree, is large, so even if there are regions with high swelling degree locally, the impact is limited, and it is thought that a good texture can be obtained over a wide range of average swelling degree of the hardened specific fat lump composition. When a specific fat block composition has at least one flat surface, controlling the swelling degree within a predetermined range can give the fat block composition a suitable texture.This is a new finding discovered by the inventors as a result of studying the problem that conventional encapsulated oils and fats become too soft or hard when heated, giving them a crunchy texture that is not found in beef tallow.

[0014] (Granules containing fats and oils with a melting point of 0.1°C or higher) The fat lump composition of the present disclosure contains granules containing fats and oils with a melting point of 0.1°C or higher. Granules containing fats and oils with a melting point of 0.1°C or higher will hereinafter also be referred to as granules according to the present disclosure. - Composition of granules according to the present disclosure - The granules according to the present disclosure contain fats and oils with a melting point of 0.1°C or higher, and contain water and other additives as needed. - Fat and oil The fat and oil contained in the granules is not particularly limited as long as it has a melting point of 0.1°C or higher, and examples include vegetable fats and oils, animal fats and oils, and fatty acids. Here, fatty acids are monocarboxylic acids of long-chain hydrocarbons and are represented by the general formula C ｎ H ｍ It can be expressed as COOH (n and m are integers of 1 or more).

[0015] Examples of vegetable oils and fats include rapeseed oil, soybean oil, palm oil, olive oil, coconut oil, rice bran oil, corn oil, coconut oil, canola oil, etc. Examples of animal oils and fats include beef tallow, lard, whale fat, fish oil, etc. Examples of fatty acids include saturated fatty acids such as lauric acid, stearic acid, isostearic acid, palmitic acid, myristic acid, arachidic acid, and behenic acid; and unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid, eicosenoic acid, and erucic acid.

[0016] The oil or fat contained in the granules is preferably at least one selected from coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil, canola oil, and oleic acid, in order to increase the amount of oil released when the fat block composition is chewed.

[0017] The melting point of the fats and oils contained in the granules of the present disclosure is 0.1°C or higher, preferably 1°C to 30°C, more preferably 2°C to 30°C, and even more preferably 5°C to 30°C. When the melting point of the fats and oils is 0.1°C or higher, granules are more easily formed in the production of the fat block composition described below. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the melting point of the fats and oils is 1°C or higher, making the structure of the fat block composition more similar to the structure of the fat contained in livestock meat. This makes it easier to release oil from the fat block composition during mastication, similar to the fat in livestock meat. Furthermore, there is no particular upper limit for the melting point of the fats and oils, but it is preferably 30°C or lower. When the fats and oils have a melting point of 30°C or lower, it becomes easier to produce a fat block composition containing water in a granule at room temperature (e.g., 25°C) in the production of the fat block composition described below, making the production process more convenient.

[0018] The melting point of fats and oils is measured in accordance with the "Standard Methods for Analysis of Fats, Oils and Oils 2.2.4.2 (1996) 1996 Edition, Established by the Japan Oil Chemists' Society."

[0019] The fat content is preferably 10% to 98% by mass, more preferably 20% to 95% by mass, and even more preferably 25% to 90% by mass, relative to the total mass of the fat mass composition.

[0020] Water: In some applications, the granules preferably contain water. There are no particular limitations on the water, as long as it is water that can be used in food.

[0021] When the granules contain water, when the fat block composition is chewed, water is released from the fat block composition in addition to the fat, which may make the texture more similar to that of the fat contained in livestock meat. Also, when the granules contain water, it becomes easier to incorporate water-soluble ingredients (e.g., seasonings such as umami components, flavorings, etc.) into the granules, making it easier to create a texture more similar to that of the fat contained in livestock meat.

[0022] When the granules contain water, the water content is preferably 1% by mass to 90% by mass, more preferably 5% by mass to 70% by mass, and even more preferably 10% by mass to 50% by mass, relative to the amount of oil or fat contained in the granules.

[0023] Other additives that may be contained in the granules of the present disclosure include, for example, seasonings, acidulants, bittering agents, spices, sweeteners, antioxidants, colorants, colorants, flavorings, stabilizers, preservatives, etc. Flavorings may include, for example, compounds that impart a beef tallow flavor to the fat or oil contained in the granules. Examples of compounds that impart a beef tallow flavor to fat or oil include tallow oil extracted from beef tallow, non-animal beef tallow-like oils that combine non-animal ingredients to impart a beef tallow flavor, vegetable beef tallow-like oils containing components extracted from plant-derived ingredients, and microbial beef tallow-like oils containing components derived from microorganisms. Because the granules are used as a meat substitute material, non-animal beef tallow-like oils, vegetable beef tallow-like oils, or microbial beef tallow-like oils are preferred as compounds that impart a beef tallow flavor to fat or oil. The content of other additives is preferably 0% to 5% by mass relative to the total mass of the granules.

[0024] -Characteristics of Granules- Average Particle Size of Granules The average particle size of the granules is 50 μm to 500 μm, preferably 50 μm to 400 μm, and more preferably 90 μm to 300 μm.

[0025] By making the average particle size of the granules 50 μm or more, the amount of oil released when the fat chunk composition is chewed is likely to be improved. Furthermore, by making the average particle size of the granules 500 μm or less, the particle size of the granules becomes small, making it difficult to visually recognize that the fat chunk composition contains a large number of granules. Therefore, the appearance of the fat chunk composition is more similar to the fat contained in livestock meat. Furthermore, by making the average particle size of the granules 500 μm or less, the particle size of the granules becomes small, making it easier for the fat chunk composition to feel smoother on the tongue when eaten. Therefore, the texture of the fat chunk composition is also likely to be better.

[0026] The average particle size of the granules is measured by observing the fat chunk composition with a transmission optical microscope. Examples of transmission microscopes that can be used include an inverted microscope Axio Observer. Z1 manufactured by Zeiss. The procedure for measuring the average particle size of the granules is described below. The fat chunk composition is immersed in a 100 mM aqueous solution of sodium ethylenediamine-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetate (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) for 1 hour, and the granules floating after 1 hour are recovered from the fat chunk composition by gravity separation and placed on a 60 mm diameter polystyrene petri dish. At this time, the recovered granules are made to not overlap in the depth direction of the petri dish. The granules recovered in the petri dish are then observed with a transmission optical microscope and photographed at an objective magnification of 5x. At least 200 images of granules are selected from the captured image, and the equivalent circle diameter (the diameter of a perfect circle equivalent to the area of ​​the image of the granule) of each granule is calculated using image processing software (e.g., ImageJ). The arithmetic mean value of the calculated equivalent circle diameters of each granule is calculated, and this arithmetic mean value is used as the average particle size of the granules.

[0027] CV Value of Particle Size of Granules The CV value (coefficient of variation) of the particle size of the granules is preferably 30% or less, more preferably 25% or less, and even more preferably 20% or less.

[0028] Granules with a small particle size contain a small amount of fat and oil. Therefore, when granules with a small particle size are contained, the amount of oil released when the fat block composition is chewed is likely to be small. On the other hand, granules with a large particle size are unstable, and therefore oil and fat are likely to leak from the granules when cooked, such as by heating. From the above, in order to obtain a fat block composition that contains a large amount of fat and oil but is stably maintained during storage, and releases a large amount of oil when chewed, it is preferable that there is little variation in particle size due to the presence of granules with a small particle size and granules with a large particle size. In other words, from the viewpoint of achieving a more stable amount of oil release when chewed, it is preferable that the particle size distribution of the granules contained in the fat block composition is narrow. By setting the CV value of the particle size of the granules to 30% or less, the particle size of the granules contained in the fat block composition is likely to be close to uniform. Therefore, the fat block composition is likely to release a large amount of oil when chewed.

[0029] The CV value of particle size is a value calculated by the following formula: CV value of particle size (%) = (standard deviation of equivalent circle diameters of granules / average particle size of granules) x 100, where the average particle size of granules is a value measured by the method described above. The standard deviation of equivalent circle diameters of granules is the standard deviation of the equivalent circle diameters of 200 granules calculated in measuring the average particle size of the granules.

[0030] (Edible ionically cross-linkable polymer cross-linked with cations) The fat mass composition of the present disclosure contains an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer cross-linked with cations. Here, "edible" means the property of not having adverse effects on health when orally ingested by humans. "Ionically cross-linkable polymer" means a polymer that cross-links by reaction with ions.

[0031] The edible ion-crosslinkable polymers include those containing a carboxyl group, a carboxylate anion group (-COO － ), sulfo group, and sulfonic acid anion group (—SO ３ －) Examples of edible ionically cross-linkable polymers include alginic acid, carrageenan, low methoxyl (LM) pectin, high methoxyl (HM) pectin, and deacylated (LA) gellan gum. From the viewpoint of improving the heat resistance of the fat block composition, the edible ionically cross-linkable polymer is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of alginic acid, LM pectin, and LA gellan gum.

[0032] The viscosity of a 1% by mass aqueous solution of the edible ionically crosslinkable polymer (an aqueous solution containing 1% by mass of the ionically crosslinkable polymer relative to the entire aqueous solution) is preferably 10 mPa·s to 3000 mPa·s, and more preferably 20 mPa·s to 1000 mPa·s.

[0033] The viscosity of a 1% by mass aqueous solution of the edible ionically crosslinkable polymer is a value measured using a tuning fork vibro viscometer at a temperature of 20° C. As the tuning fork vibro viscometer, for example, an SV-10 (manufactured by A&D) can be used.

[0034] The cation is preferably a metal ion having an ionic valence of divalent or higher. Examples of the metal ion include divalent metal ions such as calcium ion, magnesium ion, iron (II), copper (II), zinc ion, and manganese ion; and trivalent metal ions such as aluminum ion and iron (III). From the viewpoint of obtaining a stable crosslinked structure, the metal ion is preferably at least one selected from calcium ion, magnesium ion, and zinc ion, and more preferably calcium ion.

[0035] The content of the edible ionically cross-linked polymer cross-linked with cations is preferably 0.01% by mass to 20% by mass, more preferably 0.1% by mass to 10% by mass, and even more preferably 0.5% by mass to 5% by mass, relative to the total mass of the fat mass composition.

[0036] In particular, the fat block composition of the present disclosure preferably contains 100 ppm or more of divalent cations and 100 ppm or more of monovalent cations.

[0037] Examples of divalent cations include at least one selected from calcium ions, magnesium ions, iron ions (II), copper ions (II), zinc ions, and manganese ions, with calcium ions being preferred. The fat block composition of the present disclosure may contain only one type of divalent cation, or may contain two or more types. The content of divalent cations in the fat block composition of the present disclosure is preferably 100 ppm or more, more preferably 200 ppm or more, and even more preferably 300 ppm or more. There is no particular upper limit to the content of divalent cations, but it can be 10,000 ppm or less from the viewpoint of making it easier to achieve the swelling degree described below.

[0038] Examples of monovalent cations include at least one selected from sodium ions and potassium ions, and sodium ions are particularly preferred. The fat block composition of the present disclosure may contain only one type of monovalent cation, or may contain two or more types. The content of monovalent cations in the fat block composition of the present disclosure is preferably 100 ppm or more, more preferably 200 ppm or more, and even more preferably 300 ppm or more. There is no particular upper limit for the content of monovalent cations, but from the viewpoint of easily achieving the swelling degree described below, it can be set to 10,000 ppm or less. The content of monovalent cations and divalent cations in the fat block composition of the present disclosure is measured by the following method.

[0039] Three sheets (10 mm long, 5 mm wide, 2 mm thick) of fat block composition samples (approximately 100 mg) were cut using a single-edged razor blade. Each sheet sample was transferred to a Teflon (registered trademark) vial. A 60% by mass aqueous solution of nitric acid (5 mL) was added to each vial containing the sample, followed by ashing, and the volume was adjusted to 50 mL with pure water. The adjusted volume was used to quantify Na and Ca using ICP-OES (absolute calibration curve method).

[0040] (Swelling degree) The swelling degree of the fat chunk composition of the present disclosure is 20% or more and 180% or less, preferably 30% or more and 150% or less, and more preferably 35% or more and 120% or less.

[0041] When the swelling degree is 20% or more, the fat block composition is less likely to exhibit a crunchy texture unlike beef tallow, and has a texture similar to beef tallow. On the other hand, when the swelling degree is 180% or less, the fat block composition is not too soft, has a hardness that feels moderately chewy, and has good shape retention and retention of the aroma, taste, etc. resulting from seasonings, etc. contained in the fat block composition.

[0042] (Method for Measuring Swelling Degree) The swelling degree of the specific fat lump composition in the present disclosure is measured by the following method. A sample is prepared by freezing a specific fat lump composition (size: 1 sheet: 4 cm x 4 cm) at -20°C. After thawing the frozen samples at room temperature (25°C), each sample is placed in a plastic container (manufacturer: Nikko Hansen, model number: Clear Jar PP 250 ml) and dried for 12 hours in an 80°C oven (manufacturer: AS ONE, model number: DO-450PC) to obtain a dried sample, and the dry mass is measured. 200 mL of ion-exchanged water is then placed in the plastic container, and the dried sample is allowed to swell for 24 hours at 5°C. The swollen sample is placed on a Kimtowel (registered trademark: Nippon Paper Crecia Co., Ltd.) at room temperature, and another Kimtowel is placed over the sample to drain the water from the surface of the sample and remove excess moisture. The mass of the drained sample is measured, and the measured value is the mass after water absorption. The swelling degree is calculated from the dry mass of the sample and the mass after water absorption using the following formula: Swelling degree (%) = [[(mass after water absorption) - (dry mass)] / (dry mass)] x 100 The measurement is carried out three times using different samples, and the average value is taken as the swelling degree of the sample.

[0043] It is preferable that the fat chunk composition of the present disclosure has a swelling degree different between one plane of the fat chunk composition and the surface opposite to the plane. For example, when the specific fat chunk composition is in the form of a sheet, it is preferable that the swelling degree different between one plane of the sheet (e.g., the front surface of the sheet) and the surface opposite to the plane (e.g., the back surface of the sheet).

[0044] -Method for measuring the swelling degree of a region of a fat chunk composition- (Preparation of a measurement sample from a specified region of a fat chunk composition) In order to measure the swelling degree of one plane of the sheet-like fat chunk composition and the swelling degree of the surface opposite to the plane, a sample of a specified region of the fat chunk composition is prepared. For example, when measuring the swelling degree of each of the front and back surfaces of a sheet-like fat chunk composition, a sample of the fat chunk composition is cut from one surface of the sheet-like fat chunk composition in the thickness direction of the sheet-like fat chunk composition (i.e., in a direction perpendicular to one plane of the sheet) to prepare a thin sheet-like measurement sample. Similarly, a sample of the fat chunk composition is cut from the other surface to prepare a thin sheet-like measurement sample. The swelling degree of a specified region of the fat chunk composition can be measured by measuring the swelling degree of each of the above two types of samples using the methods described above. Here, a sample with a thickness of 30% of the total thickness of the fat chunk composition is prepared, but this is not limited to this, and the sample collection conditions can be adjusted depending on the size (volume), thickness, etc. of the sheet-like fat chunk composition. For example, in the case of a thin sheet-like fat chunk composition with a thickness of 5 mm or less, the fat chunk composition can be cut parallel to the plane at the center of the total thickness to obtain two divided samples, and the swelling degree of each sample can be measured.

[0045] The method for adjusting the swelling degree of the specific fat chunk composition will be described in detail in the section on the method for producing the fat chunk composition.

[0046] (Preferred Shape of Fat Lump Composition) The fat lump composition of the present disclosure has at least one flat surface. The shape of the fat lump composition of the present disclosure is preferably a rectangular parallelepiped or a sheet.

[0047] By having the specific fat chunk composition in the shape of a rectangular prism or sheet, it is possible to easily produce a fat chunk composition having regions with different swelling degrees, for example. That is, by applying the solidifying liquid described below to the plane of the crude fat chunk composition, it is possible to easily produce a fat chunk composition having different swelling degrees between the plane (surface) and deeper regions. Furthermore, for example, a sheet-like fat chunk composition can be used to form fat for a meat substitute in its sheet form, and by punching out the sheet-like fat chunk composition, it is also possible to easily form fat chunk composition pieces of any shape. This increases the freedom of the shape of the fat in the meat substitute, and allows the fat shape to be such that the appearance of the meat substitute is closer to that of a whole piece of meat.

[0048] From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute closer to that of a whole piece of meat, when the fat chunk composition is a rectangular parallelepiped, the length of one piece is preferably 0.5 mm to 12.0 mm, and more preferably 1.0 mm to 10.0 mm. From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute closer to that of a whole piece of meat and from the viewpoint of good processability, when the fat chunk composition is in sheet form, the thickness is preferably 0.5 mm to 12.0 mm, and more preferably 1.0 mm to 10.0 mm. The planar area and thickness of the sheet-like fat chunk composition can be set according to the purpose. The sheet-like fat chunk composition may be cut to any size for use, or, as already described, may be punched to obtain fat chunk composition pieces of any shape.

[0049] In the present disclosure, the size of the above-mentioned rectangular or sheet-shaped fat mass composition is measured by photographing the cross section and longitudinal direction of the fat mass composition using a digital camera and a scale (e.g., Shibuya Engineering, glass reference scale 100 mm, 500 equal division line width 0.005 mm), and measuring it using image processing software (e.g., ImageJ).

[0050] (Other Components) The specific fat mass composition may further contain other components in addition to the granules containing fats and oils having a melting point of 0.1°C or higher and the edible ionically cross-linked polymer, to the extent that the effects of the present disclosure are not impaired. Examples of other components include surfactants, seasonings, acidulants, bittering agents, spices, sweetening agents, antioxidants, coloring agents, color formers, fragrances, stabilizers, preservatives, etc. Other components such as seasonings, acidulants, bittering agents, spices, sweetening agents, antioxidants, coloring agents, color formers, fragrances, stabilizers, preservatives, etc. may also be contained in a gel containing the edible ionically cross-linked polymer cross-linked with cations described below, which may be contained in the specific fat mass composition.

[0051] -Surfactant- It is preferable that the specific fat lump composition contains a surfactant. When the fat lump composition contains a surfactant, a greater amount of oil and fat is released when the fat lump composition after cooking is chewed. The reason for this is presumed to be as follows. When the granules in the fat lump composition are in contact with each other, oil and fat are more likely to leak from the granules during cooking. As a result, the amount of oil and fat released when the fat lump composition after cooking is more likely to decrease. By containing a surfactant, the granules and the ionically cross-linkable polymer tend to blend well together, making it easier for the ionically cross-linkable polymer to be present in the gaps between the granules. As a result, the granules tend to be spaced apart at an appropriate distance, which prevents oil and fat from leaking from the granules during cooking. As a result, a greater amount of oil and fat is released when the fat lump composition after cooking is chewed.

[0052] The surfactant may be an edible surfactant, such as glycerin fatty acid ester, polyglycerin fatty acid ester, organic acid monoglyceride, sorbitan fatty acid ester, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleate, or lecithin.

[0053] The glycerin fatty acid ester preferably contains a monoglyceride as a main component. Here, "main component" means that the content of monoglyceride is 90% by mass or more of the total glycerin fatty acid ester. The monoglyceride is preferably a monoester of glycerin with a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having from 2 to 24 carbon atoms. Examples of fatty acids include behenic acid, stearic acid, and palmitic acid. The glycerin fatty acid ester may contain a diglyceride. The diglyceride is preferably a diester of glycerin with a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having from 2 to 24 carbon atoms.

[0054] The polyglycerol fatty acid ester is preferably an esterification product of polyglycerol with a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having from 2 to 24 carbon atoms. Specific examples of the polyglycerol fatty acid ester include polyglyceryl monomyristate, polyglyceryl dimyristate, polyglyceryl trimyristate, polyglyceryl monopalmitate, polyglyceryl dipalmitate, polyglyceryl tripalmitate, polyglyceryl monostearate, polyglyceryl distearate, polyglyceryl tristearate, polyglyceryl monoisostearate, polyglyceryl diisostearate, polyglyceryl triisostearate, polyglyceryl monooleate, polyglyceryl dimonooleate, and polyglyceryl trimonooleate.

[0055] Organic acid monoglycerides are those in which the hydroxyl groups derived from glycerin in monoglycerides are further esterified with organic acids, such as citric acid, succinic acid, acetic acid, and lactic acid, with citric acid and succinic acid being preferred, and citric acid being more preferred.

[0056] Sorbitan fatty acid ester refers to an esterification product of sorbitan and a fatty acid. The sorbitan fatty acid ester is preferably an esterification product of sorbitan and a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms. Specific examples of the sorbitan fatty acid ester include sorbitan monocaprate, sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monopalmitate, sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan distearate, sorbitan sesquistearate, sorbitan tristearate, sorbitan trioleate, sorbitan monoisostearate, sorbitan sesquiisostearate, sorbitan monooleate, sorbitan sesquioleate, and sorbitan coconut oil fatty acid.

[0057] Propylene glycol fatty acid esters are esters of fatty acids and propylene glycol. The fatty acids used in the synthesis of propylene glycol fatty acid esters are preferably saturated or unsaturated fatty acids having from 2 to 24 carbon atoms. Specific examples of propylene glycol fatty acid esters include propylene glycol palmitate, propylene glycol stearate, and propylene glycol behenate.

[0058] Sucrose fatty acid esters are esters of sucrose and fatty acids. Fatty acids used in the synthesis of sucrose fatty acid esters are preferably saturated or unsaturated fatty acids having from 2 to 24 carbon atoms. Preferred sucrose fatty acid esters are esters of sucrose with one or more fatty acids selected from the group consisting of caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, arachidic acid, and behenic acid.

[0059] The polyglycerol condensed ricinoleate is an ester of a polyglycerol fatty acid ester and a ricinoleic acid condensate. Specific examples of the polyglycerol condensed ricinoleate include esters of the compounds described above as specific examples of the polyglycerol fatty acid ester with a ricinoleic acid condensate.

[0060] Lecithin refers to phosphatidylcholine itself or a mixture containing at least phosphatidylcholine. A mixture containing at least phosphatidylcholine is generally a mixture that may contain, in addition to phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidic acid, lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidic acid, sphingomyelin, sphingoethanolamine, and the like.

[0061] As the lecithin, enzymatically decomposed lecithin (so-called lysolecithin) can be used. Enzymatically decomposed lecithin is a composition containing lysophosphatidylcholine in which one fatty acid contained in the phosphatidylcholine molecule has been lost by an enzyme such as phospholipase. In the fat block composition, the enzymatically decomposed lecithin includes so-called hydrogenated enzymatically decomposed lecithin, which has been subjected to a hydrogenation treatment to convert the bound fatty acid into a saturated fatty acid, thereby improving its oxidative stability.

[0062] The surfactants may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0063] From the viewpoint of emulsification and dispersibility, the HLB value of the surfactant is preferably 8 or more, more preferably 10 or more, and even more preferably 12 or more. There is no particular upper limit to the HLB value of the emulsifier, but it is generally 20 or less, and preferably 18 or less. The HLB value of the emulsifier is preferably 8 to 20. HLB refers to the hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance that is usually used in the field of surfactants. The HLB value is calculated using the Kawakami formula shown below. When a commercially available product is used as the surfactant, priority is given to the HLB value from the catalog data of the commercially available product.

[0064] HLB = 7 + 11.7 log (Mw / Mo) Here, Mw represents the molecular weight of the hydrophilic group of the surfactant, and Mo represents the molecular weight of the hydrophobic group of the surfactant. The hydrophobic group of a surfactant is an atomic group that has low affinity for water and that the surfactant possesses. Examples of hydrophobic groups include alkyl groups, alkenyl groups, alkylsilyl groups, and perfluoroalkyl groups. Specifically, when the surfactant is the above-mentioned "glycerin fatty acid ester, polyglycerin fatty acid ester, organic acid monoglyceride, sorbitan fatty acid ester, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleic acid ester, or lecithin," the hydrophobic group refers to the alkyl and alkenyl groups derived from fatty acids. The hydrophilic group of a surfactant is an atomic group that has high affinity for water and that the surfactant possesses. Specifically, the hydrophobic group refers to the atomic group other than the hydrophobic group in the surfactant structure.

[0065] The Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) distance between the ionically crosslinkable polymer and the hydrophilic portion of the surfactant is preferably 10 or less, more preferably 9 or less, and even more preferably 8 or less.

[0066] When the granules in the fat block composition are in contact with each other, oils and fats are more likely to leak from the granules during cooking. As a result, the amount of oils and fats released when the fat block composition after cooking is chewed is more likely to decrease. By setting the HSP distance between the ionically cross-linkable polymer and the hydrophilic part of the surfactant within the above numerical range, the ionically cross-linkable polymer is more likely to be present in the gaps between the granules. As a result, the granules are more likely to have an appropriate distance between them, making it less likely for oils and fats to leak from the granules during cooking. As a result, the amount of oils and fats released when the fat block composition after cooking is chewed is greater.

[0067] The HSP distance can be adjusted by changing the structure of the hydrophilic part of the ionically crosslinkable polymer and surfactant. The HSP distance is a combination of three cohesive energy density values ​​(δD: dispersion term, δP: dispersion pole, and δH: hydrogen bond term), each expressed in units of [J / cm ３ ] １／２ is.

[0068] The HSP distance is calculated as follows: The HSP distance can be obtained as a registered value or an estimated value in commercially available software HSPiP4th Edition version 4.0.04.

[0069] This software can be obtained from sites such as http: / / hansen-solubility.com / index.html. Furthermore, in order to obtain HSPs based on such software, references to literature by Hansen et al. (e.g., C. M. Hansen Solubility Parameters: A User's Handbook) ２ｎｄ edition, CEC press, 2007, ISBN-10: 0849372488).

[0070] The content of the surfactant relative to the total mass of the fat chunk composition is preferably 0.05% by mass to 2% by mass, and more preferably 0.10% by mass to 1% by mass.

[0071] (Gel containing an edible ionically cross-linked polymer cross-linked with cations) The fat block composition of the present disclosure preferably contains a gel containing the edible ionically cross-linked polymer cross-linked with cations described above. A gel refers to a substance that contains at least water and an edible ionically cross-linked polymer cross-linked with cations and behaves as an elastic solid. When the fat block composition contains a gel, it becomes easier to maintain a state in which the granules are spaced apart at an appropriate distance. Therefore, oil and fat are less likely to leak from the granules during cooking. As a result, a greater amount of oil and fat is likely to be released when the fat block composition after cooking is chewed.

[0072] The gel preferably contains at least an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer cross-linked with cations and water, and preferably contains other additives other than an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer cross-linked with cations and water as needed.

[0073] The edible ionically cross-linked polymer cross-linked with cations contained in the gel may be the edible ionically cross-linked polymer cross-linked with cations described above. The water contained in the gel is not particularly limited as long as it is water that can be used in food. Other additives that can be contained in the gel include seasonings, acidulants, bittering agents, spices, sweeteners, antioxidants, coloring agents, color formers, fragrances, stabilizers, preservatives, etc.

[0074] The content of the edible ionically cross-linked polymer cross-linked with cations in the gel is preferably 0.1% by mass to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.2% by mass to 5% by mass, and even more preferably 0.5% by mass to 3% by mass, relative to the total mass of the gel. The content of other additives in the gel is preferably 0% by mass to 20% by mass, relative to the total mass of the gel.

[0075] The ratio of the volume of the gel to the volume of the granules is preferably 10% to 300%, more preferably 30% to 200%, and even more preferably 50% to 150%.

[0076] The volume of the gel relative to the volume of the granules is measured as follows. First, the volume of the fat lump composition is measured using a laser volumeter. As a laser volumeter, for example, a VL-300 manufactured by Keyence can be used. Then, the granules are recovered from the fat lump composition using the procedure described in the procedure for measuring the average particle size of the granules, and the recovered granules are allowed to stand at 50°C for 1 hour to coalesce, after which the volume is measured using the volumeter. As a volumeter, for example, a measuring cylinder can be used. The volume of the gel is calculated using the following formula: Formula: Volume of gel = (Volume of fat lump composition (m ３ ) - volume of granular material (m ３ )) / volume of fat mass composition (m ３ ) × 100

[0077] The specific fat chunk composition can be produced by the method for producing a fat chunk composition described below. However, the method for producing the specific fat chunk composition is not limited to this, and may involve contacting a liquid containing granules containing an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer and fats with a liquid containing cations in a stainless steel tray or the like, cross-linking the edible ionically cross-linkable polymer, and then cutting the mixture to the desired size.

[0078] The specific fat chunk composition may be a fat chunk mixture containing other fat chunk compositions. Examples of fat chunk mixtures include mixtures in which the content of the above-mentioned specific fat chunk composition relative to the total mass of the fat chunk mixture is 30% by mass or more. When the specific fat chunk composition is used as the fat chunk mixture, from the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute closer to that of chunk meat and favorably maintaining the texture of the fat chunk composition, the content of the specific fat chunk composition relative to the total mass of the fat chunk mixture is preferably 50% by mass or more, and more preferably 90% to 99% by mass. When preparing the fat chunk mixture, two or more specific fat chunk compositions may be contained.

[0079] From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the substitute meat closer to that of a piece of meat and maintaining the texture of the fat chunk composition in a favorable manner, the content of the fat chunk composition other than the specific fat chunk composition contained in the fat chunk mixture relative to the total mass of the fat chunk mixture is preferably 70% by mass or less, more preferably 50% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.1% by mass to 10% by mass.

[0080] The fat chunk mixture may contain additives such as seasonings, acidulants, bittering agents, spices, sweeteners, antioxidants, coloring agents, color formers, flavoring agents, stabilizers, preservatives, and the like.

[0081] The specific fat chunk composition is suitable for use in meat substitutes. The meat substitute containing the specific fat chunk composition contains a lean meat-like portion containing protein and the specific fat chunk composition described above or a fat chunk mixture containing the specific fat chunk composition.

[0082] The lean meat-like portion refers to a portion of the meat-like meat substitute that appears to be lean. The lean meat-like portion preferably contains protein and, as necessary, fats and oils, binders, and other additives.

[0083] -Protein- The lean meat-like portion contains protein. The protein preferably contains at least one of vegetable protein and animal protein, and more preferably contains vegetable protein.

[0084] Vegetable proteins are proteins extracted from plants. There are no particular limitations on the vegetable proteins, as long as they are extracted from plants. Examples of sources of plant proteins include grains such as wheat, barley, oats, rice, and corn; beans such as soybeans, peas, adzuki beans, chickpeas, lentils, fava beans, mung beans, and lupin beans; nuts and seeds such as almonds, peanuts, cashew nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, flaxseed, sesame, rapeseed, cottonseed, safflower, and sunflower; potatoes such as potato, sweet potato, mountain yam, Jerusalem artichoke, and cassava; vegetables such as asparagus, artichoke, cauliflower, broccoli, and edamame; fruits such as banana, jackfruit, kiwifruit, coconut, avocado, and olive; mushrooms such as mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, shimeji mushrooms, and maitake mushrooms; and algae such as chlorella, spirulina, euglena, nori seaweed, kelp, wakame seaweed, hijiki seaweed, tengusa seaweed, and mozuku seaweed. Among these, from the viewpoint of obtaining a meat substitute having an appearance and texture similar to that of a whole piece of meat, the origin of the edible protein is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of wheat, soybean, pea, and rice, and more preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of soybean and wheat. The vegetable protein may contain a protein derived from one type of plant, or may contain proteins derived from two or more types of plants.

[0085] Animal protein is a protein obtained from an animal. The animal protein is not particularly limited as long as it is a protein obtained from an animal. Examples of animal proteins include collagen, gelatin, keratin, fibroin, sericin, casein, conchiolin, elastin, protamine, egg yolk protein, and egg white protein. Only one type of animal protein may be contained, or two or more types may be contained.

[0086] From the viewpoint of obtaining a meat substitute having a texture closer to that of livestock meat, it is preferable that the protein has muscle-like tissue. Here, muscle-like tissue refers to tissue that has a structure similar to a fiber bundle and can be split into fibers in a certain direction. Red meat of livestock meat originates from muscle. And muscle is composed of bundles of muscle fibers. Therefore, red meat of livestock meat has a structure similar to a fiber bundle. When the protein contained in the substitute lean meat-like portion according to this embodiment has muscle-like tissue, it becomes possible to produce the texture brought about by the presence of muscle fibers that is felt when eating livestock meat.

[0087] A method for making a protein have muscle-like texture includes extruding the protein (with water or the like added together with the protein, if necessary) using an extruder. By extruding the protein, the protein has a structure similar to fiber bundles aligned in the extrusion direction of the extruder, and has a texture that can be split into fibers in the extrusion direction of the extruder, i.e., it is possible to obtain a protein having muscle-like texture.

[0088] The protein content is preferably 50% to 100% by mass, more preferably 60% to 95% by mass, and even more preferably 70% to 90% by mass, relative to the total mass of the lean meat-like portion.

[0089] The meat substitute containing the specific fat chunk composition preferably contains a fiber bundle-structured protein. Here, the fiber bundle-structured protein is a protein having a uniform fiber bundle-like structure. Furthermore, fiber bundle-like refers to a structure similar to bundles of fibers extending in one direction. From the standpoint of shape and texture, the fiber bundle-structured protein is preferably a fiber bundle-structured protein having muscle-like tissue. Here, muscle-like tissue refers to tissue that has a structure similar to fiber bundles and can be split in one direction. In particular, the muscle-like tissue is preferably tissue that has a structure similar to fiber bundles and can be split in one direction like fibers. Lean meat of livestock meat is derived from muscle. Muscle is composed of bundles of muscle fibers. Therefore, lean meat of livestock meat has a structure similar to fiber bundles. By applying a fiber bundle-structured protein having muscle-like tissue to the meat substitute according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a meat substitute having a texture more similar to livestock meat can be obtained.

[0090] The fiber bundle-like textured protein is preferably composed of a vegetable protein. The vegetable protein has the same meaning as that described above, and the preferred embodiments are also the same. The vegetable protein may contain a protein derived from one type of plant, or may contain proteins derived from two or more types of plants.

[0091] Examples of fiber bundle-organized proteins having muscle-like tissue include spongy fiber bundle-organized proteins and fibrous fiber bundle-organized proteins. Here, "spongy" refers to an isotropic porous structure in appearance. On the other hand, "fibrous" refers to an anisotropic fibrous structure in appearance. An isotropic porous structure refers to a structure in which the pore shape in a cut surface cut at an arbitrary position is approximately elliptical and is substantially the same regardless of the direction. An anisotropic fibrous structure refers to a structure in which the cut surface cut at an arbitrary position is fibrous. Preferably, the cut surface has a pore shape, and the pore shape varies between approximately elliptical and approximately fibrous depending on the cutting direction. Methods for observing the cut surface include cutting a slice and observing it under a microscope, or observing it with X-ray CT (Computed Tomography).

[0092] Meat alternatives containing specific fat chunk compositions preferably contain fiber bundle-structured proteins in which the fiber axis direction of the fiber bundle-structured proteins is oriented in one direction in the proximal region. Here, the fiber axis direction of the fiber bundle-structured protein refers to the longitudinal direction of the fibers that form the muscle-like tissue. Furthermore, the fiber axis direction of the fiber bundle-structured proteins being oriented in one direction in the proximal region may mean that some of the structured proteins have different fiber axes, or that the fiber axis direction of the structured proteins is oriented in a constant direction overall, or that the structured proteins are oriented in one direction in the proximal region while fluctuating overall. Spongy structured proteins with an isotropic porous structure can also be made into fiber bundle-structured proteins by disintegrating them into fibers or cutting them into fibers. From the standpoint of appearance and texture, the fiber bundle-structured proteins contained in meat alternatives are more preferably fibrous fiber bundle-structured proteins.

[0093] The content of the fiber bundle-textured protein is preferably 5% by mass to 95% by mass, more preferably 7% by mass to 90% by mass, and even more preferably 10% by mass to 85% by mass, relative to the total mass of the meat substitute.

[0094] - Fats and Oils - The lean meat-like portion may contain fats and oils. Examples of fats and oils include vegetable fats and oils, animal fats and oils, etc. Examples of vegetable fats and oils include the same as those described in the description of the fat chunk composition. Examples of animal fats and oils include beef tallow, lard, whale fat, and fish oil.

[0095] - Binder - The lean meat-like portion preferably contains a binder as needed. When the lean meat-like portion contains a binder, the lean meat-like portion can more easily maintain a cohesive shape.

[0096] The binder is not particularly limited as long as it is edible and can maintain the shape of the lean meat-like portion. Examples of binders include proteins, thickening polysaccharides, starch, etc. The protein used as the binder may be the same as or different from the protein contained in the lean meat-like portion.

[0097] Examples of proteins used as binders include vegetable proteins, animal proteins, enzymes, etc. Vegetable proteins used as binders include proteins derived from wheat, soybeans, rice, etc. Animal proteins used as binders include milk proteins, egg whites, etc. Enzymes include transglutaminase, etc.

[0098] Examples of thickening polysaccharides include carrageenan, xanthan gum, pectin, locust bean gum, curdlan, guar gum, tragacanth gum, gum arabic, gellan gum, tamarind seed gum, cassia gum, tara gum, alginic acid, agar, glucomannan, soybean polysaccharides, gelatin, pullulan, psyllium, chitosan, methylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, and dextrin.

[0099] Examples of starches include wheat starch, cassava starch, rice starch, glutinous rice starch, corn starch, waxy corn starch, sago starch, potato starch, kudzu starch, lotus root starch, mung bean starch, sweet potato starch, waxy potato starch, waxy cassava starch, and waxy wheat starch.

[0100] The binder preferably contains a polysaccharide, including a thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide and a thermo-reversible gel-forming polysaccharide, and a gelation retarder.

[0101] -Thermoreversible Gel-Forming Polysaccharide- Here, a thermoreversible gel is a gel that, once formed (in this paragraph, "gel" refers to a substance that contains at least water and a thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharide and behaves as an elastic solid), maintains its gel state even when heated. A thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharide is a polysaccharide that forms a thermoreversible gel.

[0102] The thermally irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide is preferably a polysaccharide that crosslinks by reaction with a cation, from the viewpoint of solubility before gelation. The cation serving as the gelling agent is preferably a metal ion having an ionic valence of divalent or higher. Examples of the metal ion include divalent metal ions such as calcium ion, magnesium ion, iron (II), copper (II), zinc ion, and manganese ion; and trivalent metal ions such as aluminum ion and iron (III). From the viewpoint of obtaining a stable crosslinked structure, the metal ion is preferably at least one selected from calcium ion, magnesium ion, and zinc ion, and more preferably calcium ion.

[0103] The thermally irreversible gel-forming polysaccharides include those having a carboxyl group, a carboxylate anion group (-COO － ), sulfo group, and sulfonic acid anion group (—SO ３ － Examples of the thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide include alginic acid, LM pectin, and LA gellan gum.

[0104] From the viewpoint of improving moldability and heat resistance of the gel, the thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of alginic acid and pectin.

[0105] The viscosity of a 1% by mass aqueous solution of the thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharide (an aqueous solution containing 1% by mass of the thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharide relative to the total amount of the aqueous solution) is preferably 10 mPa·s or more and 3000 mPa·s or less, and more preferably 20 mPa·s or more and 1000 mPa·s or less.

[0106] The viscosity of a 1% by mass aqueous solution of the thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide is a value measured using a tuning fork vibro viscometer at a temperature of 20° C. As the tuning fork vibro viscometer, for example, an SV-10 (manufactured by A&D) can be used.

[0107] The content of the thermally irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide is preferably 10% by mass to 90% by mass, more preferably 20% by mass to 80% by mass, and even more preferably 30% by mass to 70% by mass, relative to the total mass of the binder.

[0108] - Thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharides - Here, a thermoreversible gel is a gel that maintains a gel state (in this paragraph, "gel" refers to a substance that contains at least water and a thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharide and behaves as an elastic solid) at room temperature (25°C) and melts and becomes a liquid (sol) when heated. A thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharide is a polysaccharide that forms a thermoreversible gel.

[0109] Examples of thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharides include agar, carrageenan, furcellaran, native gellan gum, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, guar gum, psyllium seed gum, glucomannan, tara gum, and tamarind seed gum.

[0110] From the viewpoint of maintaining the shape of the meat substitute after cooking and of texture, the thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharide is preferably carrageenan.

[0111] The content of the thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharide is preferably 10% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less, and even more preferably 30% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less, based on the total amount of the binder.

[0112] --Combination of a thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharide and a thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharide-- A preferred combination of a thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharide and a thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharide is one in which the thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharide is at least one selected from the group consisting of alginic acid and pectin, and the thermoreversible gel-forming polysaccharide is carrageenan.

[0113] -Gelling Retardant- The binder preferably contains a gelling retardant, which is a compound that inhibits the gelling of thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharides or thermo-reversible gel-forming polysaccharides.

[0114] From the viewpoints of maintaining the shape of the meat substitute after cooking and of texture, the gelation retarder is preferably a compound that has the function of inhibiting the gelation of the thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide. From the viewpoints of maintaining the shape of the meat substitute after cooking and of texture, the gelation retarder is preferably a chelating agent.

[0115] As the chelating agent, known chelating agents can be suitably used. Examples of chelating agents include oxycarboxylic acids such as tartaric acid, citric acid, and gluconic acid; aminocarboxylic acids such as iminodiacetic acid (IDA), nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA); condensed phosphoric acids such as pyrophosphoric acid and tripolyphosphoric acid; and salts thereof. Among these, the chelating agent is preferably condensed phosphoric acid or a salt thereof, and more preferably pyrophosphoric acid or a pyrophosphate salt, from the viewpoints of maintaining the shape of the meat substitute after cooking, the texture, and the flavor of the meat substitute.

[0116] The content of the gelation retarder is preferably 0.1% by mass to 20% by mass, more preferably 0.5% by mass to 15% by mass, and even more preferably 0.3% by mass to 10% by mass, relative to the total mass of polysaccharides including thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharides and thermo-reversible gel-forming polysaccharides.

[0117] The content of the binder contained in the lean meat-like portion is preferably 0.01% by mass to 10% by mass relative to the total mass of the lean meat-like portion.

[0118] -Other Additives- The lean meat-like portion preferably contains other additives in addition to proteins, fats and oils, and binders, as necessary. Examples of other additives include water, seasonings, acidulants, bittering agents, spices, sweeteners, antioxidants, coloring agents, color formers, flavorings, stabilizers, preservatives, etc. The content of other additives is preferably 0% by mass to 20% by mass of the total mass of the lean meat-like portion.

[0119] (Fat chunk composition or fat chunk mixture) In order to make the appearance of the meat substitute closer to that of a chunk of meat, the content of the specific fat chunk composition or the fat chunk mixture containing the specific fat chunk composition relative to the total mass of the meat substitute is preferably 3% by mass or more, more preferably 5% by mass or more, and even more preferably 7% by mass to 50% by mass.

[0120] <Method for producing fat chunk composition> There are no particular limitations on the method for producing the specific fat chunk composition described above, but it is preferable that it be produced by the first aspect of the method for producing a fat chunk composition described below (hereinafter also referred to as production method (1) of the present disclosure) or the second aspect of the method for producing a fat chunk composition (hereinafter also referred to as production method (2) of the present disclosure).

[0121] (Method for producing a fat chunk composition: First aspect) The production method (1) of the present disclosure comprises: (1) a step of forming droplets containing fats and oils in an aqueous solution (droplet formation step); (2) a step of solidifying the fats and oils in the droplets to obtain particles containing the solidified fats and oils (fat solidification step); (3) a step of adding an aqueous solution containing an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer and a hardening liquid containing a divalent cation to the particles to cross-link the edible ionically cross-linkable polymer and obtain a crude fat chunk composition having at least one plane (cross-linking step); and (4) a step of immersing the crude fat chunk composition in an aqueous salt solution containing a monovalent cation to obtain a fat chunk composition having the desired swelling degree (swelling degree adjustment step). Each step in the production method (1) of the present disclosure is described below.

[0122] - (1) Droplet Forming Step - (1) The droplet forming step is a step of forming droplets containing an oil or fat in an aqueous solution, and as the oil or fat, at least the aforementioned oil or fat having a melting point of 0.1°C or higher is used. As the oil or fat having a melting point of 0.1°C or higher has been described above, a description thereof will be omitted here. As the aqueous solution, i.e., the aqueous phase, an aqueous solution containing water as a solvent and a surfactant is preferred. The oil or fat is added dropwise to the aqueous solution to form droplets, i.e., an emulsion, with the aqueous phase as the continuous phase and the oil phase containing the oil or fat as the dispersed phase.

[0123] A method for forming droplets containing an oil or fat in an aqueous solution includes a method for dispersing an oil or fat in an aqueous solution. As a method for dispersing an oil or fat in an aqueous solution, a method for emulsifying the aqueous solution and the oil or fat using an emulsifier is preferred.

[0124] Examples of emulsifiers include rotary mixers equipped with propeller-type, anchor-type, paddle-type, or turbine-type stirring blades, static mixers such as static mixers, rotor-stator emulsifiers such as homogenizers and Clearmix, mill-type emulsifiers equipped with a grinding function, high-pressure emulsifiers such as Manton-Gaulin pressure emulsifiers, high-pressure nozzle-type emulsifiers that generate cavitation under high pressure, high-pressure collision-type emulsifiers such as microfluidizers that apply shear force by causing liquids to collide with each other under high pressure, ultrasonic emulsifiers that generate cavitation using ultrasound, and membrane emulsifiers that perform uniform emulsification through fine pores.

[0125] From the viewpoint of improving the uniformity of the particle size of droplets containing oils and fats, it is preferable to use a membrane emulsifier as the emulsifier. When emulsifying using a membrane emulsifier, the emulsification method may be either direct membrane emulsification or permeable membrane emulsification, but direct membrane emulsification is preferred. As the porous membrane provided in the membrane emulsifier, for example, an SPG (Shirasu Porous Glass) membrane is suitable, and can be purchased from, for example, SPG Techno Co., Ltd.

[0126] A preferred emulsification method using a membrane emulsifier is, for example, a method in which an oil or fat is dispersed in an aqueous solution containing water and a surfactant through a porous membrane. The mass ratio of the aqueous solution to the oil or fat used for emulsification (aqueous solution / oil or fat) is preferably 10 / 1 to 2 / 1.

[0127] - (2) Oil and fat solidification step - The (2) oil and fat solidification step is a step of solidifying the oil and fat in the droplets to obtain particles containing solidified oil and fat. The droplet dispersion obtained in the (1) droplet formation step is allowed to stand to separate into a phase containing droplets containing oil and fat and an aqueous phase, the aqueous phase is discharged from a separatory funnel, and the phase containing droplets containing oil and fat (i.e., the oil phase) is recovered. The recovered oil phase containing droplets containing oil and fat is cooled to a temperature below the melting point of the oil, for example, 5°C, and allowed to stand for, for example, about 12 hours to solidify the oil and fat. Cooling can be performed, for example, in a constant temperature room such as a refrigerator. In this way, an aqueous solution containing solidified particulate oil and fat is obtained. Hereinafter, the aqueous solution containing solidified particulate oil and fat will also be referred to as a particle-containing liquid.

[0128] Methods for solidifying the oil in the droplets and obtaining particles containing the solidified oil include, for example, hardening using an oil hardener and cooling the droplets containing the oil.However, from the viewpoint of obtaining a fat block composition that releases a large amount of oil when chewed, the method of cooling the droplets containing the oil is preferred.

[0129] Examples of methods for cooling droplets containing oil or fat include (1) a method in which an aqueous solution containing droplets containing oil or fat, obtained by a step of forming droplets containing oil or fat in an aqueous solution, is cooled using a refrigerator or the like.

[0130] The cooling temperature is preferably above 0° C. and equal to or lower than the melting point of the oil or fat. The cooling time is not particularly limited, and it is preferable to continue cooling until the oil or fat contained in the droplets is solidified.

[0131] After cooling, particles containing solidified oil or fat may collect in the supernatant of the solution. In this case, it is preferable to recover the supernatant containing the particles. Then, it is preferable to carry out the crosslinking step described below using the recovered supernatant containing the particles. As a method for recovering the supernatant containing the particles, for example, a method of using a separatory funnel to discharge the aqueous solution other than the supernatant containing the particles can be mentioned.

[0132] The content of the oil and fat in the aqueous solution containing the particles obtained by the oil and fat solidification step is preferably 40% by mass to 90% by mass relative to the total mass of the solution.

[0133] - (3) Crosslinking Step - The (3) crosslinking step is a step in which the particles containing the solidified fat obtained in step (2) are mixed with an aqueous solution containing an edible ionically crosslinkable polymer and a hardening liquid containing a divalent cation to crosslink the edible ionically crosslinkable polymer and obtain a crude fat block composition having at least one plane. A preferred example of the divalent cation is calcium ion. The aqueous solution containing the edible ionically crosslinkable polymer (hereinafter also referred to as the ionically crosslinkable polymer solution) is prepared in advance. The ionically crosslinkable polymer solution contains, for example, at least the edible ionically crosslinkable polymer, a surfactant, and water. A particle-containing liquid containing the particulate fat containing the solidified fat obtained in step (2) is added to the ionically crosslinkable polymer solution and mixed, thereby obtaining a liquid containing granules containing an edible ionically crosslinkable polymer and fat (hereinafter also referred to as specific liquid A).

[0134] By mixing the particles obtained by the fat solidification step with an aqueous solution containing an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer, a liquid containing granular materials containing an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer and fats and oils can be obtained.

[0135] From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute closer to that of a whole piece of meat, the viscosity of specific liquid A is preferably 30 mPa·s to 3000 mPa·s, and more preferably 50 mPa·s to 2000 mPa·s. The viscosity of specific liquid A is a value measured using a tuning fork vibro viscometer at a temperature of 20°C. As the tuning fork vibro viscometer, for example, an SV-10 (manufactured by A&D) can be used.

[0136] From the viewpoints of food hygiene and liquid properties, the temperature of specific liquid A is preferably 5°C to 20°C. The crosslinking process is preferably carried out by pouring specific liquid A into a mold with a smooth bottom, such as a stainless steel tray, in order to form at least one flat surface in the crude fat lump composition. Next, a setting liquid containing cations including calcium (hereinafter also referred to as specific liquid B) is added to specific liquid A in the mold. By adding the setting liquid and allowing it to stand, the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer contained in specific liquid A crosslinks and gels, thereby obtaining a crude fat lump composition. From the viewpoints of food hygiene and liquid properties, the temperature of specific liquid B is preferably 5°C to 20°C. By forming the crude fat lump composition in a mold, the upper surface of the poured mixture of specific liquid A and specific liquid B becomes flat due to its own weight.

[0137] -(4) Swelling degree adjusting step- The (4) swelling degree adjusting step is a step in which the crude fat block composition obtained in step (3) is immersed in an aqueous salt solution containing a monovalent cation (hereinafter referred to as swelling degree adjusting liquid) to improve the crosslinkability of the ionically crosslinkable polymer contained in the fat block composition, thereby adjusting the swelling degree of the fat block composition to a preferred range.

[0138] The swelling degree adjusting liquid is an aqueous solution of a salt capable of forming a monovalent cation, and includes an edible salt capable of forming a monovalent cation. Examples of salts capable of forming a monovalent cation include sodium glutamate, potassium glutamate, trisodium citrate, disodium hydrogen citrate, sodium dihydrogen citrate, sodium L-aspartate, disodium 5'-inosinate, disodium 5'-uridylate, table salt (sodium chloride), trisodium phosphate, potassium gluconate, potassium chloride, tripotassium phosphate, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, sodium lactate, potassium lactate, etc., and sodium glutamate, potassium glutamate, etc. are preferred from the viewpoint of having a good swelling degree adjusting effect and not having an undesired effect on the texture, taste, etc. of the fat block composition. Furthermore, sodium glutamate has the advantage of having a good swelling degree adjusting effect and not having an undesired effect on the texture, taste, etc. of the fat block composition. The salt content in the swelling degree adjusting liquid is adjusted appropriately depending on the target swelling degree, but can be 0.5% by mass to 20% by mass, and preferably in the range of 1% by mass to 10% by mass. In general, the higher the concentration of the swelling degree adjusting liquid, the lower the swelling degree tends to be.

[0139] Hereinafter, the sodium glutamate aqueous solution suitable for the present disclosure may be referred to as "specific liquid C."

[0140] By immersing the crude fat chunk composition in a swelling degree adjusting liquid, the degree of crosslinking increases and the degree of swelling decreases, starting from the flat surface of the crude fat chunk composition. Therefore, the fat chunk composition obtained as the degree of crosslinking of the crude fat chunk composition progresses will have different swelling degrees between the flat surface and the deeper part. The time for adding the sodium glutamate aqueous solution and contacting it with the crude fat chunk composition is adjusted appropriately depending on the desired swelling degree, but can be from 0.5 minutes to 1400 minutes, and is preferably in the range of 5 minutes to 120 minutes. In general, the longer the time for which the crude fat chunk composition is immersed in the swelling degree adjusting liquid, the lower the swelling degree tends to be.

[0141] From the viewpoint of food hygiene and liquid properties, the temperature of the swelling degree adjusting liquid (for example, specific liquid C) is preferably 5°C to 20°C.

[0142] Next, the manufacturing method (2) of the present disclosure will be described. (Manufacturing method of fat chunk composition: second aspect) Manufacturing method (2) of the present disclosure comprises: (I) a step of forming droplets containing fats and oils in an aqueous solution (droplet formation step), (II) a step of solidifying the fats and oils in the droplets to obtain particles containing the solidified fats and oils (fat solidification step), and (III) a step of adding an aqueous solution containing an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer to the particles, and then adding a hardening liquid containing a divalent cation to cross-link the edible ionically cross-linkable polymer to obtain a fat chunk composition having a desired degree of swelling and at least one plane (cross-linking step).

[0143] The (I) droplet formation step in the production method (2) of the present disclosure is the same as the (1) droplet formation step in the production method (1) of the present disclosure, and the preferred embodiments are also the same. The (II) oil solidification step in the production method (2) of the present disclosure is the same as the (2) oil solidification step in the production method (1) of the present disclosure, and the preferred embodiments are also the same.

[0144] -(III) Crosslinking step- The crosslinking step (III) in the manufacturing method (2) of the present disclosure is a step in which an aqueous solution containing an edible ionically crosslinkable polymer (i.e., specific liquid A in the manufacturing method (1) of the present disclosure) is added to the particles obtained through step (II), and then a hardening liquid containing a divalent cation (i.e., specific liquid B in the manufacturing method (1) of the present disclosure) is added to crosslink the edible ionically crosslinkable polymer, thereby obtaining a fat mass composition having the desired degree of swelling and at least one plane.

[0145] In the manufacturing method (2) of the present disclosure, specific liquid A and specific liquid B are mixed to crosslink the edible ionically crosslinkable polymer contained in specific liquid A and obtain a fat mass composition. Here, by carrying out the mixing preferably in a predetermined mold with a smooth bottom surface, the top surface of the obtained fat mass composition becomes smooth, and a fat mass composition having at least one flat surface is obtained. (III) In the crosslinking process, the degree of swelling can be controlled by adjusting the content of calcium-containing cations in the hardening liquid containing calcium-containing cations contained in specific liquid B, the standing time after mixing until crosslinking is allowed to proceed, etc.

[0146] Furthermore, in order to improve the crosslinkability of the fat chunk composition, a swelling degree adjusting liquid (e.g., specific liquid C) may be added to the mixed liquid. By adding the swelling degree adjusting liquid, the crosslinking of the ionically crosslinkable polymer in the fat chunk composition can be controlled, and the swelling degree can be controlled.

[0147] In the manufacturing method (2) of the present disclosure, crosslinking progresses in the region that comes into contact with specific liquid B and the region that comes into contact with the swelling degree adjusting liquid, and the swelling degree increases. However, it is thought that within the mixture, for example, in regions that have little contact with the swelling degree adjusting liquid, regions with low swelling degree are formed.

[0148] In addition, the edible ionically cross-linkable polymer, granules containing fats and oils with a melting point of 0.1°C or less, and the preferred additive surfactant used in the manufacturing method of the present disclosure are the same as the respective components in the specific fat block composition described above, and the preferred aspects are also the same.

[0149] Both the manufacturing method (1) and the manufacturing method (2) disclosed herein can produce a fat chunk composition that has an appearance similar to beef tallow and that suppresses the development of a crunchy texture. The reason for this is presumed to be as follows: In the above-mentioned method for producing a fat chunk composition, shaping is carried out after contact between specific liquid A and specific liquid B. Contact between specific liquid A and specific liquid B initiates crosslinking of the edible ionically crosslinkable polymer in specific liquid A, and when this is shaped, the fat chunk composition produced has at least one plane. Therefore, the specific fat chunk composition has regions with different swelling degrees locally, and the substitute meat obtained by using the specific fat chunk composition has an appearance and texture similar to that of chunk meat.

[0150] By mixing the particles obtained by the fat solidification step with an aqueous solution containing an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer, a liquid containing granular materials containing an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer and fats and oils can be obtained.

[0151] From the viewpoint of making the appearance of the meat substitute closer to that of a whole piece of meat, the viscosity of specific liquid A is preferably 30 mPa·s to 3000 mPa·s, and more preferably 50 mPa·s to 2000 mPa·s. The viscosity of specific liquid A is a value measured using a tuning fork vibro viscometer at a temperature of 20°C. As the tuning fork vibro viscometer, for example, an SV-10 (manufactured by A&D) can be used.

[0152] From the viewpoints of food hygiene and liquid properties, the temperature of specific liquid A is preferably 5° C. to 20° C. From the viewpoints of food hygiene and liquid properties, the temperature of specific liquid B is preferably 5° C. to 20° C.

[0153] (Process for preparing fat chunk composition precursor) In the manufacturing method disclosed herein, fat chunk composition precursor means the fat chunk composition before it is shaped. By contacting specific liquid A with specific liquid B, part or all of the edible ionically cross-linkable polymer can be cross-linked. From the standpoint of ease of shaping, it is preferable that part of the edible ionically cross-linkable polymer is cross-linked at the time when shaping of the fat chunk composition precursor begins.

[0154] The specific liquid B may be an aqueous solution in which a salt containing a cation is dissolved. Examples of the salt containing a cation include calcium chloride, calcium gluconate, and calcium lactate. The content of the salt in the aqueous solution in which the salt containing a cation is dissolved is preferably 0.5% by mass to 5% by mass relative to the total mass of the aqueous solution.

[0155] The content of the edible ionically cross-linkable polymer relative to the total mass of specific liquid A is preferably 0.5% by mass to 5.0% by mass. The content of the granular material containing oil or fat relative to the total mass of the liquid containing specific liquid A is preferably 10% by mass to 70% by mass.

[0156] The specific liquid A is prepared by a method including the above-mentioned (1) droplet formation step, (2) oil solidification step, and (3) crosslinking step. Note that the specific liquid A and the specific liquid B are not limited to those prepared by the above-mentioned method, and commercially available liquids may also be used.

[0157] The fat chunk composition obtained by the production method (1) or the production method (2) of the present disclosure may be washed with tap water, etc. After washing, it may be frozen using a freezer, etc.

[0158] <Production of meat substitute containing specific fat chunk composition> The meat substitute containing specific fat chunk composition preferably contains a lean meat-like portion containing protein and a fat chunk composition produced by the above-mentioned method for producing a fat chunk composition or a fat chunk mixture containing a fat chunk composition other than the fat chunk composition produced by the above-mentioned method for producing a fat chunk composition. As the lean meat-like portion has been described above, further description will be omitted here.

[0159] The alternative meat can be obtained, for example, by a production method including a first step of mixing a lean meat-like portion precursor with a specific fat chunk composition or a fat chunk mixture containing the specific fat chunk composition to obtain a first mixture, and a second step of stretching the first mixture. One embodiment of the production method for the alternative meat is described below, but the production method is not limited to the following description.

[0160] (Step 1) The method for mixing the lean meat-like portion precursor with the specific fat chunk composition or the fat chunk mixture containing the specific fat chunk composition is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a method of mixing by hand, a method using a known mixer, etc. Examples of the mixer include a mixer, and the attachment preferably has a structure that scrapes up any material adhering to the wall surface.

[0161] The lean meat-like portion precursor can be obtained by mixing the fiber bundle textured protein with a binder. The amount of binder added is preferably 1% to 30% by mass, more preferably 3% to 25% by mass, and even more preferably 5% to 20% by mass, relative to the mass of the fiber bundle textured protein swollen with water.

[0162] Before mixing the fiber bundle-structured protein with a binder, it is preferable to adjust the fiber bundle-structured protein to an appropriate size. Methods for adjusting the size of the fiber bundle-structured protein include tearing the fiber bundle-structured protein, cutting it with a blade, or both. The size of the fiber bundle-structured protein can be adjusted by crushing it near the discharge outlet of the extruder in the above-mentioned (preparation step), or by crushing it using a meat disintegrator or the like after recovery from the extruder.

[0163] Before mixing with the vegetable protein binder, the fiber bundle textured protein is preferably adjusted to a width of 2 mm to 35 mm and a vertical width of 35 mm to 500 mm. The thickness of the fiber bundle textured protein is not particularly limited, and is preferably adjusted appropriately depending on the thickness of the fiber bundle textured protein produced by an extruder or the like. The vertical width of the fiber bundle textured protein is preferably, for example, 0.1 to 2 times the vertical width of the meat-like meat substitute to be produced.

[0164] Here, when the substitute meat to be produced contains other additives, it is preferable to mix them together with the lean meat-like portion precursor, etc. in the first step.

[0165] The fiber bundle-structured protein may be a prepared fiber bundle-structured protein or a commercially available fiber bundle-structured protein. When preparing a fiber bundle-structured protein, it is preferable to extrude a raw material containing a plant protein from an extruder. The extrusion conditions are preferably as follows:

[0166] When preparing a texturized protein, it is preferable to extrude a raw material containing a vegetable protein through an extruder under the following extrusion conditions.

[0167] Vegetable protein-containing raw material The vegetable protein-containing raw material contains at least vegetable protein, but from the viewpoint of improving extrusion efficiency, it preferably also contains water. The water content is preferably 2 to 30 parts by mass per 10 parts by mass of protein.

[0168] Extrusion Conditions The extruder is not particularly limited, and known single-screw extruders, non-intermeshing counter-rotating twin-screw extruders, intermeshing counter-rotating twin-screw extruders, and intermeshing co-rotating twin-screw extruders can be used.

[0169] The barrel temperature of the extruder is preferably 60°C or higher and 100°C or lower in the front half of the barrel (the section from the raw material supply section to the center of the barrel), 90°C or higher and 170°C or lower in the center of the barrel (the center of the axial length of the barrel), and 140°C or higher and 180°C or lower in the rear half of the barrel (the section from the center of the barrel to the tip of the barrel).

[0170] The extruder preferably has a die attached to the tip of the barrel. The die is preferably a die that can produce a sheet-like extrudate. The gap (lip clearance) at the die outlet is preferably 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less. The length of the die is preferably 30 mm or more. The die may be a cooling die. Here, the cooling die refers to a die that is cooled, for example, by circulating a cooling liquid (such as water or glycol). The use of a cooling die makes it easier to suppress expansion of the extruded raw material. Therefore, the texturized protein extruded using a cooling die is likely to become fibrous. When a cooling die is used, the temperature of the cooling die outlet is preferably 90°C or more and 120°C or less.

[0171] When using commercially available textured proteins, examples of fiber bundle textured proteins that can be used include What the Cluck manufactured by Vegetarian Butcher and Apex 1000 manufactured by Fuji Oil.

[0172] (Second Step) The second step is a step of stretching the first mixture.

[0173] When the first mixture contains a fiber bundle-like organizing protein, drawing of the first mixture obtained in the first step preferably results in a drawn mixture in which the fiber axis directions of the fiber bundle-like organizing proteins are oriented in one direction. Here, the fiber axis direction of the fiber bundle-like organizing protein refers to the longitudinal direction of the fibers that form the muscle-like tissue. Furthermore, "the fiber axis directions of the fiber bundle-like organizing proteins are oriented in one direction" includes cases in which the fiber axis directions of the fiber bundle-like organizing proteins are completely identical, and cases in which the fiber axis directions of the fiber bundle-like organizing proteins are different but oriented in a consistent direction.

[0174] The second step is preferably a step of stretching the first mixture to obtain a stretched mixture in which the degree of orientation of the fiber direction of the fiber bundle-shaped texturing protein in a cross section along the stretching direction (hereinafter also simply referred to as the "specific orientation degree") is 1.1 or more.

[0175] From the viewpoint of the degree of orientation, the method of stretching the first mixture is preferably any one of the following: (i) a method of passing the mixture through an area surrounded by a set of rollers in a direction perpendicular to a plane including the rotation axes of the set of rollers, and stretching the first mixture in a direction perpendicular to the plane including the rotation axes of the set of rollers by pressing the mixture with the rollers; (ii) a method of sandwiching the mixture between a set of rollers whose rotation axes are parallel and rotating in the same direction, and stretching the first mixture in a direction parallel to the rotation axes of the rollers by compressing the first mixture by reducing the distance between the rollers while rotating the mixture; (iii) a method of stretching the first mixture by gripping and pulling the surface of the first mixture; or (iv) a method of stretching the first mixture by pressing the first mixture with a plate.

[0176] The stretching ratio of the first mixture is preferably 2 or more, more preferably 4 or more, and even more preferably 6 or more. The stretching ratio is the value obtained by dividing the length of the mixture in the stretching direction after stretching by the length of the first mixture in the stretching direction. The stretching direction refers to the direction in which the first mixture is stretched in the second step.

[0177] (Third Step) The method for producing a meat substitute according to an embodiment of the present disclosure preferably includes, after the second step, a third step in which the stretched mixture is shaped to obtain a shaped body, and then the shaped body is heated and hardened. When the binder contains a thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide, heating the shaped body promotes the formation of a gel containing the thermo-irreversible gel-forming polysaccharide. This hardens the shaped body, making it easier for the shape of the chunk meat-like meat substitute to be maintained.

[0178] The shape of the shaped product is preferably similar to that of steak meat, stewed meat, etc. The method for shaping the stretched mixture is not particularly limited, and examples include a method of cutting the stretched mixture and a method of deforming the stretched mixture by applying an external force. From the viewpoint of texture, a method of cutting the stretched mixture is preferred. When cutting the stretched mixture, it is preferable to cut it in a direction perpendicular to the fiber axis direction of the texturized protein contained in the stretched mixture. When cutting the stretched mixture, it is preferable to cut it using a blade such as a cutter or a kitchen knife.

[0179] The third step, when molding the stretched mixture to obtain a molded body, preferably includes a step of cutting the stretched mixture perpendicular to the fiber orientation direction and a step of bundling a plurality of stretched mixtures before or after cutting. A plurality of cut stretched mixtures may be bundled together with the same fiber direction and molded, or a plurality of stretched mixtures or cut stretched mixtures may be bundled together with the same fiber direction and then cut perpendicular to the fiber direction and molded.

[0180] By molding the stretched mixture so that the fiber direction is in the thickness direction of the steak, it becomes easier to obtain a substitute meat that looks similar to steak meat.

[0181] The third step may include a step of forming a pattern resembling fat (marbling pattern) on the surface of the shaped body after shaping the stretched mixture to obtain a shaped body, in order to make the appearance of the chunk meat-like meat substitute more similar to that of livestock meat (hereinafter also referred to as a fat-like portion forming step). The fat-like portion forming step is preferably a step of forming grooves, for example, with a depth of 100 μm or more, on the surface of the shaped body and attaching oil or fat to the formed grooves to form fat-like portions.

[0182] Methods for forming grooves on the surface of a molded body include, for example, a method of digging the surface with a blade, and a method of forming grooves using a mold, with the method of forming grooves using a mold being preferred.

[0183] Next, the oil or fat is applied to the grooves formed on the surface of the molded body, and the grooves are filled to form a pattern resembling fat. When the oil or fat is applied to the grooves formed on the surface of the molded body, the oil or fat may be in a liquid state, a semi-solid state in which a liquid and a solid are mixed, or a solid state, but is preferably in a liquid state or a semi-solid state. When the oil or fat is applied to the grooves formed on the surface of the molded body, the oil or fat may be applied in an emulsion state.

[0184] When the oil or fat is attached in an emulsion state, it is preferable to attach an emulsion containing a gelling agent, oil or fat, and water (referred to as a "gelling emulsifier") to grooves formed on the surface of the molded body, and then gel the gelling emulsion attached to the grooves. The gelling emulsion is preferably an oil-in-water emulsion. The oil droplet diameter of the oil or fat in the gelling emulsion is preferably 20 μm to 500 μm or less, more preferably 30 μm to 400 μm or less, and even more preferably 50 μm to 300 μm.

[0185] As a method for gelling the gelling emulsion adhered to the grooves, for example, a method in which the molded body with the gelling emulsion adhered to the grooves is placed in an aqueous solution containing a gelation promoter to gel it is mentioned.

[0186] The method for heating the molded body is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include wet heating (a heating method using water as a heat source), dry heating (a heating method using a heat source other than water, such as a metal or gas), and dielectric heating. When producing a raw meat-like appearance, from the viewpoint of the heat resistance of the colorant, the method for heating the molded body is preferably a wet heating method in which the molded body is vacuum-pouched and then uniformly and quickly heated. Examples of wet heating include steaming and boiling in water, and the boiling in water method is preferred because it allows for uniform and rapid treatment.

[0187] The heating temperature of the molded body is preferably adjusted so that the temperature inside the molded body is 70°C or higher and 100°C or lower, for example.

[0188] The temperature inside the molded product is measured using a thermometer. For example, a data logger (TR-W550) manufactured by Keyence Corporation can be used as the thermometer. The temperature inside the molded product can be measured by inserting a thermocouple into the lump meat substitute during vacuum pouching.

[0189] Examples are described below, but the fat chunk composition and method for producing the fat chunk composition according to the present disclosure are not limited to these examples. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, all "parts" and "%" are based on mass.

[0190] Example 1 (a) Droplet Formation Step An aqueous phase and an oil phase were prepared as follows. Aqueous phase: 99.5 parts by mass of tap water and 0.5 parts by mass of Ryoto Sugar Ester M-1695 (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) as a surfactant were weighed out to a total of 5 kg, and stirred for 30 minutes with a Three-One Motor (manufactured by Shinto Scientific Corporation) to achieve complete dissolution. Oil phase: As fats and oils, 1 part by mass of Tallow Oil SV23-3533 (melting point: -17°C, manufactured by San-Ei Gen F.F.I.) and 99 parts by mass of coconut oil (melting point: 25°C, manufactured by Alcapia, product name: Pia Cocona) were weighed out to a total of 1 kg, and stirred for 10 minutes with a Three-One Motor (manufactured by Shinto Scientific Corporation) to achieve complete dissolution.

[0191] Membrane emulsification was carried out using a pipe-shaped SPG membrane (manufactured by SPG Techno, pore diameter 50 μm) with the aqueous phase as the continuous phase and the oil phase as the dispersed phase. Specifically, a pipe-shaped SPG membrane was inserted into a tubular container, and the aqueous phase was flowed from one end of the container to the other through the inside (inner pipe) of the pipe-shaped SPG membrane at a flow rate of 50 mL / min, and the oil phase was flowed through the outside (outer pipe (flow path between the container and the SPG membrane)) of the pipe-shaped SPG membrane at a flow rate of 10 mL / min. ((1) Droplet formation process) As a result, a liquid containing droplets containing oil and fat (hereinafter also referred to as a droplet dispersion) was obtained. The average particle size of the droplets (granules) containing oil and fat was 190 μm, and the CV value was 19%. Here, the particle size and CV value of the droplets contained in the oil and fat-containing liquid were measured in the same manner as the measurement of the average particle size of the granules and the CV value of the particle size of the granules described above.

[0192] (b) Oil and fat solidification step After the droplet dispersion was added to a separatory funnel, it was left to stand for 30 minutes. The droplet dispersion separated into a phase containing droplets containing oil and fat and an aqueous phase, so the aqueous phase was discharged from the separatory funnel and the phase containing droplets containing oil and fat was recovered. The recovered phase containing droplets containing oil and fat was left to stand overnight (12 hours) in a refrigerator with an internal temperature of 5°C to cool and solidify the oil and fat, thereby obtaining a liquid containing particles (hereinafter also referred to as particle-containing liquid). ((2) Oil and fat solidification step)

[0193] (c) Crosslinking step 1 part by mass of sodium alginate (Kimica Co., Ltd., Kimica Algin I-1) as an edible ionically crosslinkable polymer, 0.5 parts by mass of Ryoto Sugar Ester M-1695 (Mitsubishi Chemical) as a surfactant, 21.4 parts by mass of Oligotos H-70 (Mitsubishi Chemical) and 76.1 parts by mass of tap water were mixed to obtain a liquid containing an edible ionically crosslinkable polymer (hereinafter also referred to as an ionically crosslinkable polymer solution). 100 parts by mass of particle-containing liquid was added to 100 parts by mass of the ionically crosslinkable polymer solution, and the mixture was slowly stirred with a stirrer (Three-One Motor, Yamato Scientific Co., Ltd.) to prepare a liquid containing granules containing an edible ionically crosslinkable polymer and oils (specific liquid A, viscosity 700 mPa s, temperature 10 ° C). The resulting solution (specific liquid A) was poured into a stainless steel tray so that the thickness of the solution was 3 mm. Five parts by mass of calcium chloride (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd., food additive grade) as a cation-containing salt and 21.4 parts by mass of Oligotose H-70 (Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) were dissolved in 73.6 parts by mass of tap water to prepare a cation-containing liquid (specific liquid B, viscosity 10 mPa s, temperature 15°C).

[0194] The specific liquid A contained in the stainless steel pad and an aqueous solution containing the same mass of cations (specific liquid B) were poured into the stainless steel pad and left to stand in a refrigerator with an internal temperature of 5°C for 16 hours to crosslink (gel) the edible ion-crosslinkable polymer, thereby obtaining a crude fat lump composition precursor. ((3) Crosslinking process) When the appearance of the obtained crude fat lump composition was observed, the surface was flat.

[0195] Thereafter, the fat chunk composition precursor obtained above, washed with tap water, was immersed in a stainless steel tray filled with a 5% by mass aqueous solution of sodium glutamate (Himee, Ajinomoto) (specific liquid C), and allowed to stand in a refrigerator at 4°C for 1 minute to obtain a crude fat chunk composition. ((4) Swelling degree adjustment step)

[0196] The obtained crude fat block composition was washed with tap water and then frozen in a freezer at -20°C for half a day to obtain a fat block composition.

[0197] <Evaluation of Fat Lump Composition> 1. Evaluation of Shape When the appearance of the obtained fat lump composition was visually observed, at least the surface (the surface on the upper side of the stainless steel tray) was flat.

[0198] 2. Sensory evaluation of texture and taste Five taste judges were selected using a 5-taste discrimination test kit (Delico, Taste Kit Pro) to conduct a sensory evaluation of texture and taste. The taste judges were blinded to the preparation conditions of the fat block composition, and evaluated the crispness, bitterness, and aroma (beef tallow flavor) of the fat block composition using a relative evaluation method. The evaluation criteria were as follows:

[0199] 2-1. Crunchy texture 5: No crunchy texture 4: Almost no crunchy texture 3: Crunchy texture is felt, but at an acceptable level 2: Crunchy texture is felt strongly 1: Crunchy texture is felt very strongly

[0200] 2-2. Bitterness 5: No bitterness 4: Almost no bitterness 3: Slight bitterness, but tolerable 2: Bitterness 1: Strong bitterness

[0201] 2-3. Beef tallow-like aroma 5: Strong aroma 4: Aroma can be detected 3: Aroma can be detected to a certain extent 2: Almost no aroma can be detected 1: No aroma can be detected at all

[0202] The average scores given by the five monitors for each item were rounded to the nearest whole number and are shown in Table 1. A score of 3 or more for each of the crunchy feeling, bitterness, and aroma was considered to be acceptable.

[0203] 3. Swelling Degree The swelling degree was measured as follows. A specific fat block composition (size: 4 cm x 4 cm per sheet) was frozen at -20°C to prepare a sample. After thawing the frozen sample at room temperature (25°C), each sample was placed in a plastic container (manufacturer: Nikko Hansen, model number: Clear Jar PP 250 ml) and dried for 12 hours in an 80°C oven (manufacturer: AS ONE, model number: DO-450PC) to obtain a dried sample, and its dry mass was measured. 200 mL of ion-exchanged water was then placed in the plastic container and allowed to swell at 5°C for 24 hours. The swollen sample was placed on a Kimtowel (registered trademark: Nippon Paper Crecia Co., Ltd.), and then another Kimtowel was placed over the sample to remove excess water. The mass of the drained sample was measured, and the measured value was used as the mass after water absorption. The swelling degree was calculated using the dry mass of the sample and the mass after water absorption using the following formula: Formula: Swelling degree (%) = [(mass after water absorption) - (dry mass)] / (dry mass) x 100 Measurement was performed three times using different samples, and the average value was taken as the swelling degree of the sample. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0204] <Examples 2 to 7, Comparative Examples 1 and 2> Fat block compositions of Examples 2 to 7 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 were obtained in the same manner as Example 1, except that the sodium glutamate concentration in specific liquid C (hardening liquid) and the time for immersion in specific liquid C (listed as "hardening time (min)" in the table) were changed as shown in Table 1. Evaluation was performed in the same manner as Example 1. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0205]

[0206] From the above results, the fat block compositions of the Examples had an appearance and texture similar to beef tallow, and also had a good aroma and taste. On the other hand, the fat block composition of Comparative Example 1, which had too low a swelling degree, had a crunchy texture not found in beef, and the fat block composition of Comparative Example 2, which had too high a swelling degree, did not have a crunchy texture but had an inferior aroma.

[0207] The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-174767, filed on October 6, 2023, is incorporated herein by reference. All documents, patent applications, and technical standards mentioned in this disclosure are incorporated herein by reference to the same extent as if each individual document, patent application, and technical standard was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

Claims

1. A fat mass composition comprising a granular material containing an oil or fat having a melting point of 0.1°C or higher and an edible ionically crosslinked polymer crosslinked with a cation, the granular material having an average particle size of 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less, a swelling degree of 20% or more and 180% or less, and being a hardened body having at least one plane.

2. The fat mass composition according to claim 1, wherein the degree of swelling on one plane of the fat mass composition is different from the degree of swelling on the surface opposite to the plane.

3. A fat mass composition according to claim 1 or claim 2, which is cuboid or sheet-like in shape.

4. A method for producing a fat lump composition comprising the steps of: (1) forming droplets containing fats and oils in an aqueous solution; (2) solidifying the fats and oils in the droplets to obtain particles containing solidified fats and oils; (3) mixing the particles, an aqueous solution containing an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer, and a hardening liquid containing a divalent cation to cross-link the edible ionically cross-linkable polymer and obtain a crude fat lump composition having at least one smooth surface; and (4) immersing the crude fat lump composition in an aqueous salt solution containing a monovalent cation to obtain a fat lump composition having a desired degree of swelling.

5. A method for producing a fat lump composition, comprising the steps of: (I) forming droplets containing fats and oils in an aqueous solution; (II) solidifying the fats and oils in the droplets to obtain particles containing the solidified fats and oils; and (III) mixing the particles with an aqueous solution containing an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer, and then adding a hardening liquid containing a divalent cation to cross-link the edible ionically cross-linkable polymer to obtain a fat lump composition having a desired degree of swelling and at least one smooth surface.

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