Porridge-like food product to be cooked through pouring of hot water

Abstract

[Abstract] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a porridge-like food product that can be reconstituted by pouring hot water thereon, and that is provided with a range of texture. In particular, the purpose of the present invention is to enable eating of a porridge-like food product even in environments without a microwave oven, such as in and around mountains and seas and such as when a disaster occurs. [Solution] This porridge-like food product to be cooked through pouring of hot water is characterized by comprising: a puffed dry rice having a grain size of 3.0-5.5 mm; a starch puff having a particle size of 1200-2300 µm, and obtained by kneading starch with water and puffing the same; and a thickener. The porridge-like food product to be cooked through pouring of hot water is also characterized by containing at least one of starch, dextrin, or gellan gum.

Description

Porridge-like food cooked with hot water

[0001] The present invention relates to an instant food product for cooking with hot water, and more particularly to a porridge-like food product for cooking with hot water using puffed dried rice that can be eaten by pouring hot water over it.

[0002] In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for instant foods that can be provided immediately. One example of such instant foods is instant foods made with puffed dried rice. Puffed dried rice is made by pregelatinizing starch and then drying at high temperature to expand the rice structure. To eat puffed dried rice, it is generally reconstituted by adding water and cooking with heat, or by pouring hot water over it.

[0003] There are a wide variety of instant foods made with puffed dried rice, such as curry and hayashi rice, which are eaten with thick, creamy sauces, as well as porridge made with puffed dried rice.

[0004] Porridge is generally recognized as a dish made by boiling grains such as rice, wheat, millet, and buckwheat (especially rice) in a large amount of water until it falls apart. When recreating porridge using puffed dried rice, it is necessary to recreate the thickness of the rice due to the starch dissolved from the rice and the feeling of it falling apart when cooked. In Patent Document 1, the feeling of it falling apart when cooked is recreated by crushing pregelatinized rice, and the thickness is recreated by adding starch powder.

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-46702

[0006] Incidentally, the pregelatinized rice in Patent Document 1 is not puffed dried rice. Therefore, to restore it to an edible state, it must be cooked in a microwave oven, which presents a problem of difficulty in situations where a microwave oven is unavailable. On the other hand, when the pregelatinized rice in Patent Document 1 is replaced with puffed dried rice, it can be restored by pouring hot water depending on the degree of swelling, but because the entire rice grain is swollen, there is a problem that it is difficult to provide a wide range of texture for the rice grain itself, although the texture varies depending on the size of the rice grain.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a porridge-like food that can be reconstituted by pouring hot water over it and has a wide range of textures.

[0008] The present inventors have conducted extensive research into porridge-like foods that can be reconstituted by cooking with hot water, and have discovered that by combining puffed dried rice with a specific degree of puffing and particle size, a thickening polysaccharide, and puffed starch granules with a specific particle size, it is possible to reproduce porridge-like foods with a wide range of appearances and textures, which led to the completion of the present invention.

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a rice porridge-like food product to be cooked with hot water, which comprises puffed dried rice having a particle size of 3.0 to 5.5 mm, starch puffs having a particle size of 1200 to 2300 μm obtained by kneading starch with water and then puffing the starch, and a thickener.

[0010] According to this configuration, by using puffed dried rice and starch puffs, it is possible to reproduce the appearance and texture of porridge.

[0011] In the above-mentioned configuration, the thickener preferably contains at least one of starch, dextrin, and gellan gum.

[0012] This configuration makes it possible to reproduce the thick, viscous texture of porridge.

[0013] The present invention makes it possible to reproduce porridge-like foods with a wide range of appearances and textures using puffed dried rice and starch puffs, which allows porridge-like foods to be easily consumed even in environments where microwave ovens are unavailable, such as in the mountains, at the sea, or during disasters.

[0014] Preferred embodiments for carrying out the present invention will now be described.

[0015] <Puffed and dried rice> The raw rice used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and various types of rice can be used, such as Japonica, Indica, long grain rice, short grain rice, etc. Furthermore, old rice can also be effectively used.

[0016] Next, the manufacturing process of expanded dried rice using raw material rice will be described. First, the rice washing process will be described. In the rice washing process, raw material rice after polishing is washed. There are no particular restrictions on the rice washing method, and publicly known techniques can be used.

[0017] Next, the soaking process will be described. The soaking process is not an essential process and can be selected as appropriate. In the soaking process, the washed raw rice is soaked in water to absorb water. The soaking time depends on the season, temperature, type and condition of the rice, but for white rice, soaking for 30 minutes or more is preferable. Soaking the washed raw rice in water allows the rice to absorb water, resulting in cooked rice with good texture and flavor.

[0018] In the present invention, auxiliary ingredients such as oil, emulsifier, polymerized phosphate, antioxidant, and enzymes such as amylase may be added. Seasonings such as salt, soy sauce, and sugar may also be used for flavoring.

[0019] Next, the rice cooking process will be described. The rice cooking method in the present invention is not particularly limited, and rice may be cooked by a conventional method such as gas rice cooking, electric rice cooking, induction rice cooking, or steaming. The amount of water added during cooking may be adjusted appropriately to obtain cooked rice with the desired stickiness and hardness after cooking. For example, rice can be cooked by adjusting the amount of water added appropriately so that the cooked rice yield is 1.6 to 2.6 (corresponding to 49 to 68% cooked moisture). Here, the cooked rice yield is the weight ratio of cooked rice to the weight of rice before cooking. Generally, to obtain cooked rice with the appropriate stickiness and hardness, a cooked rice yield of approximately 1.8 to 2.4 (corresponding to 53 to 63% cooked moisture) is recommended.

[0020] Finally, the processing step will be described. The processing step is a step in which cooked rice is processed into puffed dried rice by drying, pressing, and swelling and drying. Specifically, cooked or steamed cooked rice is loosened, and then subjected to primary drying to adjust the moisture content until it is in a state where it can be pressed. The primary drying is preferably carried out with ventilation at 100°C or less, and the moisture content is preferably 20% to 30% (weight %: the same hereinafter), and more preferably 22% to 28%. By drying to this range, the rice will not break down even when pressed.

[0021] After adjusting the moisture content by primary drying, the rice is pressed. The simplest method for pressing is to pass the rice grains between narrow rolls, but pressing can also be done using a press, crusher, or the like. When pressing with rolls, the roll spacing should be about 0.1 to 1 mm, but pressing with a roll spacing of 0.10 mm to 0.60 mm is particularly preferred, and pressing with a roll spacing of 0.10 mm to 0.30 mm is even more preferred. Pressing can also be done multiple times. Pressing causes tissue destruction within the rice grain, and this destruction makes it easier for expansion to occur. Note that the stronger the pressing, the easier it is for expansion to occur. In the present invention, a roll spacing of 0.10 mm to 0.30 mm is preferred to achieve a better texture.

[0022] After pressing, the moisture content is adjusted by secondary drying before swelling and drying. The secondary drying is performed to obtain an appropriate swelling state. As with the primary drying, the secondary drying is preferably performed by ventilation at 100°C or less. After drying, the moisture content is preferably 10% to 25%, and more preferably 12% or more but less than 18%. After drying, the product is preferably sieved and then swelling and drying is performed at a high temperature exceeding 100°C.

[0023] The swelling and drying can be carried out in a high-temperature hot air dryer for drying or baking food. In the present invention, in order to achieve sufficient swelling and good resilience, the temperature inside the dryer is set to be higher than 100°C, preferably 190°C or higher, and more preferably 200°C or higher. In the present invention, the smaller the bulk density of the puffed and dried rice, the better, specifically, 0.30 g / ml or less. To achieve such a bulk density, the degree of swelling can be adjusted by adjusting the temperature, air velocity, time, etc.

[0024] In order to achieve uniform swelling by applying high-temperature heat all at once, it is preferable to blow a high-temperature, high-velocity air current, for example, at a speed of 40 m / s or more, onto the rice grains for swelling and drying. At this time, saturated steam may be added to the high-temperature air current dryer chamber to increase the amount of energy imparted to the rice. Furthermore, in addition to the high-temperature, high-velocity air current, superheated steam may also be blown onto the rice to cause swelling.

[0025] Although swelling at a very high temperature for a short period of time can reduce the bulk density, problems such as uneven swelling and insufficient drying due to high moisture content are likely to occur, so when using a high-speed hot air dryer, particular attention must be paid to the temperature and air speed.

[0026] The swelling and drying time varies greatly depending on the temperature, wind speed, and amount of rice, and should be adjusted appropriately, but roughly speaking, about 10 seconds to 1 minute is preferable, and it is best to adjust it so that the final moisture content is about 5% to 12% and the bulk density is 0.30 g / mL or less.

[0027] Furthermore, the puffed dried rice according to the present invention preferably has a particle size of 3.0 to 5.5 mm. By producing puffed dried rice of this size, the rice does not deviate from the original size of rice, and is easy to rehydrate when cooked with hot water, allowing the soft, water-absorbent texture of rice porridge to be reproduced.

[0028] <Starch Puffs> The use of starch puffs is also one of the features of the present invention. Various starches can be used in the present invention, including, but not limited to, tapioca starch, potato starch, cornstarch, waxy corn starch, sweet potato starch, wheat starch, rice starch, sago, high-amylose corn, pea starch, cassava, waxy cornstarch, and waxy tapioca.

[0029] The starch according to the present invention may also be a modified starch. Here, modified starch as used herein refers to starch that has been chemically processed using starch as a raw material. Examples of chemical processing include cross-linking, phosphate treatment, esterification, and hydroxypropylation. Examples of modified starch include acetylated starch, acetylated adipic acid cross-linked starch, acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch, hydroxypropyl starch, hydroxypropylated phosphate cross-linked starch, phosphorylated starch, and phosphate cross-linked starch. In the present invention, it is preferable to use starch that has been acetylated phosphate cross-linked or hydroxypropylated phosphate cross-linked.

[0030] The method for producing starch puffs is not particularly limited. For example, starch is steamed and kneaded, and then compressed. The compressed material is then shredded to an appropriate size and dried. The dried material is crushed and sized, and then roasted to expand. However, expanded puffs can also be obtained by methods other than those described above.

[0031] <Thickener> In the present invention, it is preferable to use a thickener to reproduce the viscosity of the porridge. Examples of thickeners include thickening polysaccharides such as starch, LM pectin, HM pectin, pullulan, guar gum, guar gum hydrolyzate, xanthan gum, native gellan gum, deacylated gellan gum, locust bean gum, tara gum, galactomannan, glucomannan, konjac mannan, curdlan, carrageenan, tamarind seed gum, psyllium seed gum, succinoglycan, rhamsan gum, alginic acid, sodium alginate, propylene glycol alginate, soybean polysaccharides, methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, agar, and gelatin. Among these, starch, LM pectin, HM pectin, native gellan gum, deacylated gellan gum, curdlan, and carrageenan are preferred. The preferred amount of thickener to be added cannot be determined in general terms, as it differs depending on the ratio of the puffed dried rice, the starch puffs, and the amount of hot water supplied, as well as the titer of the thickener. However, it is preferable to set the amount of thickener so that the viscosity 5 minutes after the start of rehydration is 300 to 3,000 mPa s (measured with a viscometer (VISCO-895, Atago Co., Ltd.) at a product temperature of 70°C), and the viscosity 10 minutes after the start of rehydration is 300 to 3,000 mPa s (measured with a viscometer (VISCO-895, Atago Co., Ltd.) at a product temperature of 70°C).

[0032] The container for storing the porridge-like food of the present invention is preferably a rigid container such as a cup or bowl, and more preferably a container made of insulating foam paper. It may also be a flexible packaging type such as a stand-up pouch. A waterline indicating the amount of water required for reconstitution cooking is provided inside the container, but if the container is transparent, the waterline may be provided on the outside of the container. In the present invention, it is preferable that the puffed dried rice, puffed starch granules, and thickener are all stored together in the container. This configuration allows the food to be consumed simply by pouring hot water over it.

[0033] To eat the porridge-like food product of the present invention, the container is opened and hot water is poured from the opening up to the water line indicated inside the container. After the hot water is poured, the container is left to stand for several minutes to reconstitute the puffed dried rice and puffed starch granules. The contents are then mixed with a spoon or other container to combine them and then eaten.

[0034] Furthermore, since the product of the present invention does not require a microwave or other heating appliance, it can be eaten in the mountains, at the sea, or even during a disaster.

[0035] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples. The properties of the present invention were evaluated by the following methods.

[0036] <Study on Puffed Dried Rice> First, a study was conducted on puffed dried rice suitable for the present invention. For the study, two types of puffed dried rice with different swelling degrees were prepared. One was puffed dried rice with a particle size of 2.7 to 4.0 mm and a bulk specific gravity of 0.47 g / mL (hereinafter simply referred to as "puffed dried rice A"). The other was puffed dried rice with a particle size of 3.0 to 5.5 mm and a bulk specific gravity of 0.25 g / mL (hereinafter simply referred to as "puffed dried rice B"). 28 g of each of puffed dried rice A and B was placed in a container, and 250 g of hot water at 98°C was poured into it. After pouring the hot water, the rice was left to stand for 5 minutes, then stirred for 30 seconds. A sensory evaluation was performed by four panelists based on the following evaluation criteria, and the average value was calculated.

[0037] (Sensory evaluation) 2 points: Looks like it has been boiled and falls apart, has no resistance when chewed, and has a texture that crumbles easily 1 point: The shape of the rice grains is well-maintained, and it is softer than cooked rice, but does not crumble when chewed 0 point: The shape of the rice grains is well-maintained, and it feels about as hard as cooked rice when chewed.

[0038] The average results of the panelists are shown in Table 1.

[0039]

[0040] As is clear from Table 1, puffed dried rice B was rated as being more like porridge. On the other hand, puffed dried rice A was rated as being closer to cooked rice that had been cooked slightly softer. Therefore, it was suggested that the lower the bulk density, the more suitable it is for making porridge-like foods.

[0041] <Study on starch puffs> Next, starch puffs were studied using expanded dried rice B. The test was carried out as follows: 28 g of expanded dried rice B, 5 g of starch, 5 g of dextrin, and 0.3 g of gellan gum were placed in a container, and 10 g of starch puffs with different particle sizes as shown in the table below were also added.

[0042]

[0043] 250 g of hot water at 98°C was poured into each sample to which starch puffs of each particle size had been added. After pouring, the sample was left to stand for 5 minutes and then stirred for 30 seconds. A sensory evaluation was conducted by five panelists within 3 to 5 minutes after the completion of the rehydration cooking. The sensory evaluation was based on a commercially available retort pouched porridge (manufactured by Hong Kong Peichinro Japan Co., Ltd.: product name: Porridge with Dried Scallops; hereinafter referred to as "Reference Example") and evaluated the thickness, balance of graininess, texture, and other aspects of porridge-like properties. The results were calculated as an average value.

[0044] (Sensory evaluation) 2 points: The same balance of thickness and graininess and texture as the reference example are reproduced. 1 point: Slightly inferior to the reference example, but the balance of thickness and graininess and texture are good, and it can be called porridge. 0 point: The balance of thickness and graininess and texture are poor, and it cannot be called porridge.

[0045] The results are shown in Table 3.

[0046]

[0047] As is clear from the results in Table 3, the larger the particle size, the higher the evaluation. In particular, the results of Test Examples 3 and 4 suggest that a particle size of the starch puffs exceeding 1.0 mm is important for reproducing the balance of thickness and granularity and the texture. This is thought to be because if the particle size of the starch puffs is too small, it is difficult to feel the presence of the starch puffs when eating. On the other hand, the results of Test Examples 3 and 4 show that the evaluation decreases when the particle size of the starch puffs exceeds 2300 μm. This is thought to be because if the particle size of the starch puffs is greater than 2300 μm, it becomes difficult to distinguish them from puffed dried rice, and the feeling of them falling apart when cooked is less likely to be felt.

[0048] In this example, particularly favorable results were obtained in Test Examples 2 and 3. This suggests that a particle size range of 1200 to 2300 μm for the starch puffs is a favorable range in terms of achieving a balance between thickness and graininess and reproducing the desired texture.

[0049] Furthermore, as can be seen from Test Example 6, when starch puffs were not added, no matter how much thickener was added, the balance of thickness and graininess and the texture were poor, and it was evaluated as not being porridge-like.

[0050] As described above, according to the present invention, by combining puffed dried rice, starch puffs, and a thickener, it is possible to provide a porridge-like food product that can reproduce porridge with a good texture and a balanced graininess that has not been achieved before, simply by pouring hot water over it.

Claims

1. A porridge-like food product prepared by pouring hot water over the rice, comprising puffed dried rice having a particle size of 3.0 to 5.5 mm, starch puffs having a particle size of 1200 to 2300 μm obtained by kneading starch with water and then puffing the rice, and a thickening agent.

2. The boiled congee-like food according to claim 1, wherein the thickener comprises at least one of starch, dextrin, and gellan gum.

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