Noodle loosening agent

Abstract

A noodle loosening agent according to the present invention comprises: a polyglycerol fatty acid ester comprising polyglycerol having an average polymerization degree of 4.0-6.0 and oleic acid; and water. The noodle loosening agent according to the present invention can be suitably used for various noodles.

Description

Noodle loosening agent

[0001] The present invention relates to a noodle loosening agent, noodles using the noodle loosening agent, and a method for producing the noodles.

[0002] Various proposals have been made to improve the loosening properties of noodles. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a method for producing noodles that prevents noodles from sticking together without impairing the original texture and taste of the noodles, which method comprises boiling or steaming noodles and then treating them with an aqueous dispersion of a polyglycerol fatty acid ester.

[0003] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 proposes a water-dispersible noodle loosening agent that easily and finely disperses in water, improves the loosening properties of noodles, and reduces the cloudiness of soup when the noodles are eaten. The loosening agent is characterized by containing (a) one or more members selected from the group consisting of sugar alcohols and monosaccharides, or an alcohol, (b) a diglycerin fatty acid ester and / or a triglycerin fatty acid ester, and (c) a glycerin citric acid fatty acid ester, and does not contain edible oils or fats.

[0004] JP-A-10-201440 Patent No. 4751800

[0005] On the other hand, in the case of noodles, there are cases where a uniform and smooth noodle surface is required, and an aqueous noodle loosening agent that can impart smoothness to the noodle surface in addition to the ability to loosen the noodles is required.

[0006] The present invention relates to providing a novel noodle loosening agent that can impart noodle loosening properties and smoothness to the noodle surface, and also to providing noodles using the noodle loosening agent and a method for producing the noodles.

[0007] The present invention relates to the following items [1] to [7]. [1] A noodle loosening agent comprising water and a polyglycerol fatty acid ester composed of oleic acid and polyglycerol having an average degree of polymerization of 4.0 to 6.0. [2] A method for producing noodles, comprising the step of adding a noodle loosening agent comprising water and a polyglycerol fatty acid ester composed of oleic acid and polyglycerol having an average degree of polymerization of 4.0 to 6.0. [3] Noodles obtained by the production method described in [2]. [4] A method for improving the loosening properties of noodles, comprising the step of adding a noodle loosening agent comprising water and a polyglycerol fatty acid ester composed of oleic acid and polyglycerol having an average degree of polymerization of 4.0 to 6.0. [5] A method for imparting smoothness to the surface of noodles, comprising the step of adding a noodle loosening agent comprising water and a polyglycerol fatty acid ester composed of oleic acid and polyglycerol having an average degree of polymerization of 4.0 to 6.0. [6] A method for suppressing the sticking of dried noodles to a container, comprising the step of adding a noodle loosening agent containing water and a polyglycerol fatty acid ester composed of oleic acid and polyglycerol having an average degree of polymerization of 4.0 to 6.0. [7] A method for suppressing the sticking of dried noodles to a container, comprising the step of adding a noodle loosening agent containing water and a polyglycerol fatty acid ester composed of oleic acid and polyglycerol having an average degree of polymerization of 4.0 to 6.0.

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a novel noodle loosening agent that can impart noodle loosening properties and smoothness to the noodle surface. It is also possible to provide noodles using the noodle loosening agent and a method for producing the noodles.

[0009] The inventors of the present invention have conducted extensive research into the above-mentioned problems and have newly discovered that by using a noodle loosening agent containing water and a polyglycerol fatty acid ester composed of polyglycerol and oleic acid and having an average degree of polymerization of 4.0 to 6.0, it is possible to impart noodle loosening properties and a smooth noodle surface. The mechanism behind this is thought to be that the loosening agent is applied to the noodle strands, coating the noodle surface. Furthermore, unexpectedly, it has also been newly discovered that dried noodles obtained using the noodle loosening agent of the present invention can be prevented from becoming too thick when boiled in hot water and from sticking to the container. Although the detailed mechanism behind this is not known, it is thought to be that the loosening agent is applied to the noodle strands, coating the noodle surface.

[0010] The noodle loosening agent of the present invention contains a polyglycerol fatty acid ester composed of polyglycerol having an average degree of polymerization of 4.0 to 6.0 and oleic acid, and water.

[0011] The polyglycerol fatty acid ester of the present invention is an ester of polyglycerol and oleic acid having an average degree of polymerization of 4.0 to 6.0, preferably 4.2 to 5.5, and more preferably 4.5 to 5.0. The polyglycerol of the present invention can be obtained by etherifying glycerol or the like using a conventional synthetic method, and may be further purified using known methods. For example, it can be produced by adding a catalyst such as an alkali to the raw material glycerol and carrying out an etherification reaction at 200°C or higher under atmospheric pressure or reduced pressure. The polyglycerol fatty acid ester of the present invention can be prepared by esterifying polyglycerol and a fatty acid using a conventional synthetic method. Commercially available products include Sunsoft Q-17JC (tetraglyceryl oleate, manufactured by Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd.).

[0012] The average degree of polymerization of polyglycerol in this specification is the average degree of polymerization of polyglycerol calculated from the hydroxyl value by terminal group analysis, and is the average degree of polymerization calculated from (Equation 1) and (Equation 2). (Equation 1) Average degree of polymerization = (112.2 × 10 ３ −18 × hydroxyl value) / (74 × hydroxyl value − 56.1 × 10 ３ ) (Formula 2) Hydroxyl value = (a - b) x 28.05 / sample amount (g) a: Amount (ml) of 0.5N potassium hydroxide solution consumed in blank test b: Amount (ml) of 0.5N potassium hydroxide solution consumed in main test The hydroxyl value in (Formula 1) above is calculated using (Formula 2) in accordance with "Standard Test Methods for Analysis of Fats, Oils and Related Materials (I) 1996 Edition, Established by the Japan Oil Chemists' Society," edited by the Japan Oil Chemists' Society.

[0013] From the viewpoint of solubility in water, the HLB of the polyglycerol fatty acid ester according to the present invention is preferably at least 10. Furthermore, from the viewpoints of noodle loosening ability, noodle surface smoothness, suppression of dried noodles becoming thick when boiled in water, and suppression of dried noodles sticking to a container, the saponification value of the polyglycerol fatty acid ester according to the present invention is preferably at least 50, more preferably at least 60, even more preferably at least 70, and even more preferably at least 80, and from the same viewpoints, it is preferably at most 100, more preferably at most 95, and even more preferably at most 90, and can be 50 to 100, 80 to 100, etc.

[0014] In this specification, HLB refers to a value measured by the following Griffin calculation method. The saponification value and neutralization value are measured by known methods. HLB = 20 (1 - S / A), where S is the saponification value of the polyglycerol fatty acid ester and A is the neutralization value of the raw material fatty acid.

[0015] The content of the polyglycerol fatty acid ester according to the present invention in the noodle loosening agent of the present invention can be, for example, 0.1 to 20.0% by mass, preferably 1.0 to 10.0% by mass, or 1.0 to 5.0% by mass.

[0016] The water content in the noodle loosening agent of the present invention can be, for example, 80.0 to 99.9% by mass, preferably 90.0 to 99.0% by mass, or 95.0 to 99.0%, etc.

[0017] The mass ratio of the polyglycerol fatty acid ester of the present invention to the water content (polyglycerol fatty acid ester / water) is preferably 0.001 to 0.25, more preferably 0.01 to 0.10, and even more preferably 0.01 to 0.05.

[0018] The noodle loosening agent of the present invention may further contain carbohydrates such as sorbitol, reduced starch hydrolysates, and starch syrup, and alcohols such as ethanol, glycerin, and propylene glycol.

[0019] The noodle loosening agent of the present invention is an aqueous noodle loosening agent that can contain edible oils and fats. The content of edible oils and fats in the noodle loosening agent of the present invention is preferably 20% by mass or less, more preferably 10% by mass or less, even more preferably 1% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0% by mass. Examples of edible oils and fats include avocado oil, linseed oil, argan oil, almond oil, perilla oil, olive oil, orange roughy oil, cocoa butter, carrot oil, cucumber oil, beef tallow, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, sesame oil, wheat germ oil, rice bran oil, camellia oil, safflower oil, shea butter, soybean oil, turtle oil, clove oil, tea oil, evening primrose oil, camellia oil, corn oil, lard, rapeseed oil, Job's tears oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, peanut oil, castor oil, sunflower oil, hazelnut oil, macadamia nut oil, mink oil, meadowfoam oil, cottonseed oil, coconut oil, rosehip oil, milk fat, Job's tears oil, jojoba oil, lavender oil, egg yolk oil, rice bran oil, lanolin, and rosemary oil.

[0020] The noodle loosening agent of the present invention can be prepared by mixing the above-mentioned components in a conventional manner.

[0021] The noodle loosening agent of the present invention can be suitably used for various types of noodles, such as udon, Chinese noodles, Japanese soba, and rice noodles, and can be suitably used for any of these noodles, whether fresh, dried, chilled, or frozen. In this specification, fresh noodles are defined by the National Federation of Noodle Manufacturers' Cooperative Associations and refer to "fresh udon, fresh soba, fresh Chinese noodles, or similar noodles produced by conventional methods," and "noodles made by mixing ingredients such as wheat flour with water, kneading the resulting dough, and forming the resulting dough into a linear shape." Dried noodles are defined in the Japanese Agricultural Standards for dried noodles and refer to "dried noodles made by kneading wheat flour or buckwheat flour with salt, mountain yam, matcha, eggs, etc., and then processing and drying them." Chilled noodles refer to boiled noodles that have been heat-sterilized, placed in a bag, sealed, and refrigerated at 10°C or below. The Japan Frozen Noodle Association defines frozen noodles as "noodles that are made by rinsing fresh noodles in cold water immediately after boiling (in a boiling state) and then flash-freezing them." Dried noodles include dried instant noodles, and examples of dried instant noodles in the present invention include non-fried noodles and fried noodles. A document from the Agricultural and Forestry Products Standards Research Council dated February 21, 2014, defines instant noodles (non-fried noodles, fried noodles) as follows: "instant noodles are made from wheat flour or buckwheat flour as the main ingredient, to which salt, alkaline water, or other substances that increase the elasticity and viscosity of the noodles are added, kneaded, and then processed into noodles, some of which contain accompanying seasonings or are seasoned with seasonings, and can be consumed with a simple cooking procedure. The processing methods for instant noodles include "fried noodles," which are deep-fried noodles, and "non-fried noodles," which are dried without being deep-fried. " and the instant noodles (non-fried noodles, fried noodles) in this specification also refer to the above.

[0022] The method of adding the noodle loosening agent of the present invention is not particularly limited, and it can be added to noodles or their intermediate products by known methods such as spraying, immersion, coating, or kneading. By adding the noodle loosening agent of the present invention to various types of noodles, the loosening properties of the noodles can be improved and smoothness can be imparted to the noodle surface. Therefore, the present invention also provides a noodle production method that includes a step of adding the noodle loosening agent of the present invention, noodles obtained by this production method, a method for improving the loosening properties of noodles, and a method for imparting smoothness to the noodle surface.

[0023] A preferred embodiment of using the noodle loosening agent of the present invention is a production embodiment in which the dried noodle production process includes a step of drying noodles to which the noodle loosening agent of the present invention has been added. Dried noodles are obtained by preparing dough using a known method, steaming the resulting dough, and then drying it. A preferred embodiment is to add the noodle loosening agent of the present invention to the noodles before drying by spraying, etc., and a more preferred embodiment is to add it between steaming and drying. In this embodiment, known drying methods can be used, such as hot air drying and freeze-drying. The dried noodles obtained in this embodiment not only have excellent noodle loosening properties and surface smoothness after reconstitution with hot water, but also exhibit reduced stretching in hot water, resulting in suitable dried noodles. Furthermore, in this embodiment, adhesion of the dried noodles to the container during the drying step is reduced, which is expected to also improve production efficiency. Therefore, the present invention also provides the dried noodles obtained in this embodiment, a method for reducing stretching of the dried noodles in hot water, and a method for reducing adhesion of the dried noodles to the container during the drying step. The container to which adhesion is inhibited is not particularly limited, but examples include polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, stainless steel, and glass. Furthermore, the shape of the container to which adhesion is inhibited is also not particularly limited, but examples include cylindrical, disk-shaped, rectangular, cubic, and mortar-shaped. Furthermore, the effects of the noodle loosening agent of the present invention are particularly pronounced with dried noodles, particularly non-fried noodles.

[0024] EXAMPLES The present invention will be specifically explained below with reference to examples and comparative examples, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0025] Preparation of Polyglycerol Fatty Acid Esters Preparation Examples 1 to 11 As shown in Table 1, polyglycerols 1 to 6 with different average degrees of polymerization were prepared by known methods to prepare polyglycerol fatty acid esters. As a representative example, the preparation method of Preparation Example 1 will be described in more detail. 912 g of polyglycerol 3 with an average degree of polymerization of 4.5 and 688 g of oleic acid were placed in a reaction flask, and after adding an alkali catalyst, an esterification reaction was carried out at 260°C. Neutralization with phosphoric acid yielded a polyglycerol fatty acid ester with a saponification value of 88.0. Similarly, the polyglycerol fatty acid esters of Preparation Examples 2 to 11 were prepared. The saponification value was adjusted by the charging ratio of polyglycerol to fatty acid during the esterification reaction, and calculated by measuring the saponification value after sample preparation. The saponification value refers to the "number of milligrams of potassium hydroxide required to completely saponify 1 g of sample according to a specified method," and this specified method refers to a method generally applied to oils and fats.

[0026]

[0027] Preparation of Chilled Noodles Example 1 A noodle loosening agent was prepared by mixing 93.5 parts by mass of water and 6.5 parts by mass of tetraglyceryl oleate from Preparation Example 1. 100 g of commercially available frozen Chinese noodles were boiled in hot water for 1 minute, and then rinsed in running water and ice water to obtain 120 g of Chinese noodles. 4.8 g of the noodle loosening agent was sprayed onto the noodles, and the noodles were stored in a refrigerator for 24 hours to prepare chilled noodles for evaluation.

[0028] Preparation of noodle loosening agents Examples 2 to 5 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 Chilled noodles were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the polyglycerol fatty acid esters listed in Table 2 were used instead of the tetraglyceryl oleate used in Preparation Example 1.

[0029] <Test Example 1: Noodle Disentanglement> The disentanglement properties of the chilled noodles obtained above were evaluated by five expert panelists according to the following evaluation criteria. A rating of 4 or higher was considered a pass. The average scores of the five expert panelists are shown in Table 2. (Evaluation criteria) 5: Just like freshly boiled noodles, the noodles disentangle completely when scooped up with chopsticks without any sticking 4: Compared to freshly boiled noodles, the noodles disentangle about 10-30% when scooped up with chopsticks, but are mostly disentangled 3: Compared to freshly boiled noodles, the noodles disentangle about half as much when scooped up with chopsticks 2: Compared to freshly boiled noodles, the noodles disentangle about 10-20% when scooped up with chopsticks 1: Compared to freshly boiled noodles, the noodles are hardened when scooped up with chopsticks and do not disentangle

[0030] <Test Example 2: Smoothness of Noodle Surface> The smoothness of the chilled noodle surface obtained above was visually observed by five expert panelists according to the following evaluation criteria. "Smooth" is defined as a noodle surface that appears uniform and has no visible irregularities. A rating of 4 or higher was rated as passing. The average scores of the five expert panelists are shown in Table 2. (Evaluation criteria) 5: Almost no irregularities are visible, just like freshly boiled noodles, and the noodle surface is very smooth 4: Approximately 10-30% of the irregularities are visible compared to freshly boiled noodles, but the noodle surface is smooth 3: Approximately 50% of the irregularities are visible compared to freshly boiled noodles 2: Approximately 70-80% of the irregularities are visible compared to freshly boiled noodles 1: Almost all irregularities are visible compared to freshly boiled noodles, and the noodle surface is very uneven

[0031]

[0032] As shown in Table 2, all of the chilled noodles prepared using the noodle loosening agents of Examples 1 to 5 were excellent in noodle loosening properties and noodle surface smoothness.

[0033] Preparation of Non-fried Noodles Examples 6 to 10, Comparative Examples 5 to 10 A noodle dough containing 2000 g of wheat flour, 500 g of processed starch, 900 g of water, 50 g of wheat flour gluten, 35 g of salt, and 5 g of alkaline mineral water was mixed, aged, rolled, cut, and otherwise processed, and then steamed at 1.5 Pa for 150 seconds. The resulting noodles were divided into 80 g portions, sprayed with 10 g of a noodle loosening agent having the composition shown in Table 3, and then hot air dried (temperature: 100°C, humidity: 50%, 25 minutes) to prepare non-fried noodles.

[0034] Test Example 3: Noodle disentanglement The non-fried noodles obtained above were reconstituted in hot water for 5 minutes, and the disentanglement properties were evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1, except that steamed noodles were used as the standard instead of freshly boiled noodles. A rating of 4 or higher was rated as passing. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0035] Test Example 4: Noodle Surface Smoothness The non-fried noodles obtained above were reconstituted in hot water for 5 minutes, and then the surface smoothness was evaluated in the same manner as Test Example 2, except that steamed noodles were used instead of freshly boiled noodles. A rating of 4 or higher was considered to be acceptable. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0036] <Test Example 5: Suppression of Hot Water Soap> The non-fried noodles obtained above were evaluated by five expert panelists for their ability to suppress hot water soap five minutes after the start of eating, using the following evaluation criteria. Note that "start of eating" refers to five minutes after the non-fried noodles were reconstituted in hot water, and "5 minutes after the start of eating" refers to another five minutes after the start of eating after the reconstitution. The standard for suppression of hot water soap is that the same texture as at the start of eating is maintained. A rating of 4 or higher was rated as passing. The average scores of the five expert panelists are shown in Table 3. (Evaluation criteria) 5: Same texture as at the start of eating is maintained 4: Almost the same texture as at the start of eating is maintained, but slightly softer 3: About half the texture at the start of eating is maintained 2: Texture is softer than at the start of eating 1: Texture is much softer than at the start of eating

[0037] <Test Example 6: Prevention of Container Adhesion> The above non-fried noodles were hot-air dried (temperature 100°C, humidity 50%, 25 minutes) and the effectiveness of preventing container adhesion was evaluated by five expert panelists according to the following evaluation criteria. Hot-air drying was carried out with the non-fried noodles placed in a stainless steel container (12 cm diameter, 3 cm height). After the drying process was completed, the stainless steel container was turned upside down and the container was struck by hand to vibrate. The number of strikes until the noodles came off and the amount of noodles remaining stuck inside the container were used as criteria. A rating of 4 or higher was considered a pass. The average scores of the five expert panelists are shown in Table 3. (Evaluation criteria) 5: Completely removed after one light strike 4: Completely removed after five light strikes 3: Completely removed after 10 strikes 2: Removed after 20-30 strikes, but 10-20% of the noodles remained attached 1: Not removed at all even after 30 or more strikes

[0038] <Test Example 7: Firmness> Five expert panelists evaluated the firmness of the non-fried noodles obtained above after reconstitution in hot water for 5 minutes using the following evaluation criteria. "Firm" refers to noodles that are more elastic and firm than non-fried noodles that do not contain the noodle loosening agent of the present invention. A rating of 4 or higher was considered to be acceptable. The average scores of the five expert panelists are shown in Table 3. (Evaluation criteria) 5: Very firm 4: Firm 3: Slightly firm 2: Lacking firmness 1: Very lame

[0039] <Test Example 8: Smoothness> The smoothness of the non-fried noodles obtained above was evaluated by five expert panelists according to the following evaluation criteria after being rehydrated in hot water for 5 minutes. Smoothness is measured by whether the noodles have a smoother texture when eaten than non-fried noodles that do not contain the noodle loosening agent of the present invention. A rating of 4 or higher was considered to be acceptable. The average scores of the five expert panelists are shown in Table 3. (Evaluation criteria) 5: Very smooth 4: Smooth 3: Slightly smooth 2: Poor smooth 1: Very poor smoothness

[0040]

[0041] As shown in Table 3, all of the non-fried noodles produced using the noodle loosening agents of Examples 6 to 10 exhibited excellent noodle loosening properties and a smooth noodle surface. In addition, stretching in hot water and adhesion to the container were suppressed, and the noodles also had excellent firmness and a smooth texture.

[0042] The noodle loosening agent of the present invention can be suitably used for various types of noodles.

Claims

1. A noodle loosening agent containing a polyglycerol fatty acid ester composed of polyglycerol with an average degree of polymerization of 4.0 to 6.0 and oleic acid, and water.

2. The noodle loosening agent according to claim 1, wherein the saponification value of the polyglycerol fatty acid ester is 100 or less.

3. The noodle loosening agent according to claim 1 or 2, which is used in the process of manufacturing dried noodles.

4. The noodle loosening agent according to claim 3, wherein the dried noodles are non-fried noodles.

5. A method for manufacturing noodles, comprising a step of adding a noodle loosening agent containing a polyglycerol fatty acid ester composed of polyglycerol with an average degree of polymerization of 4.0 to 6.0 and oleic acid, and water.

6. The manufacturing method according to claim 5, further comprising a step of drying the noodles obtained through the addition step.

7. Noodles obtained by the manufacturing method according to claim 5 or 6.

8. A method for improving the looseness of noodles, comprising a step of adding a noodle loosening agent containing a polyglycerol fatty acid ester composed of polyglycerol with an average degree of polymerization of 4.0 to 6.0 and oleic acid, and water.

9. A method for imparting smoothness to the noodle surface, comprising a step of adding a noodle loosening agent containing a polyglycerol fatty acid ester composed of polyglycerol with an average degree of polymerization of 4.0 to 6.0 and oleic acid, and water.

10. A method for suppressing the elongation of dried noodles in hot water, comprising a step of adding a noodle loosening agent containing a polyglycerol fatty acid ester composed of polyglycerol with an average degree of polymerization of 4.0 to 6.0 and oleic acid, and water.

11. A method for suppressing the adhesion of dried noodles to a container, comprising a step of adding a noodle loosening agent containing a polyglycerol fatty acid ester composed of polyglycerol with an average degree of polymerization of 4.0 to 6.0 and oleic acid, and water.

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