Topping food, powdery / granular topping food, and method for producing same

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a powdery / granular topping food which enables the easy ingestion of dietary fibers by simply placing or springling the topping food on a dish and can taste delicious on its own. The present invention relates to a slurry-like topping food containing an insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdery food and an oil / fat, wherein the mass ratio of the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdery food to the oil / fat is 1:(0.3-2.5), and the total content of the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdery food and the oil / fat relative to the whole mass of the topping food is 70-100 mass%.

Description

Topping food, powdery topping food, and manufacturing method thereof

[0001] The present invention relates to a topped food, a topped powdery or granular food, and a method for producing a topped powdery or granular food.

[0002] Okara, the soybean pulp produced when soy milk is extracted during tofu production, is produced annually at a rate of 700,000 tons, but only about 1% (7,000 tons) is used for food. Most of this 700,000 tons is either given free of charge by tofu shops to farmers and livestock farmers for use as fertilizer or animal feed, or disposed of after paying a disposal fee. This calls for the upcycling of okara. Okara is the residue left over from soy milk extraction, but it is highly nutritionally rich. Typical analytical values ​​for dry matter are approximately 26% crude protein, 13% crude fat, 33% nitrogen-free soluble matter, and 15% crude fiber. For this reason, powdered okara, which is made by drying and powdering okara, has traditionally been manufactured and sold and used as a food ingredient. However, as mentioned above, when eaten raw, it has significant issues, such as a powdery, dry, and gritty texture, as well as an unpleasant sensation that it absorbs all moisture from the mouth, resulting in limited growth in consumption. Similar poor texture and unpleasant sensations are also issues with powdered foods containing insoluble dietary fiber, such as wheat bran, bamboo fiber, apple fiber, citrus fiber, prune fiber, oat fiber, bagasse powder, sugar beet fiber powder, cellulose powder, prune residue, barley tea dregs, black tea dregs, green tea dregs, oolong tea dregs, shochu lees, beer lees, soybean husks, barley bran, rye bran, corn husks, and coffee grounds.

[0003] JP 2004-41168 A JP 2009-034007 A JP 2021-159077 A

[0004] To provide a powdery and granular topping food which can be easily taken in as insoluble dietary fiber by simply placing it on or sprinkling it on a dish and which can be eaten deliciously as it is.

[0005] The present inventors have found that the above-mentioned problems can be solved by adjusting the blending amounts of an insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdered food and an oil or fat. Specifically, the present invention provides the following: [1] A slurry topping food containing an insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdered food and an oil or fat, wherein the mass ratio of the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdered food to the oil or fat is 1:0.3-2.5, and the total content of the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdered food and the oil or fat is 70-100% by mass relative to the total mass of the topping food. [2] A topping powdery food in which the topping food according to [1] is coated with a vitrified carbohydrate, wherein the total content of the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdered food and the oil or fat is 11-91% by mass relative to the total mass of the topping powdery food. [3] The topping powdery food according to [2], wherein the mass ratio of the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdered food to the carbohydrate is 1:0.2-15. [4] The topping food according to [1] or the topping powdery granular food according to [2] or [3], wherein the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdery food contains 32% by mass or more of dietary fiber calculated as a solid content. [5] The topping food according to [1] or the topping powdery granular food according to [2] or [3], wherein the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdery food is at least one selected from the group consisting of dried powdered soybean pulp, wheat bran, bamboo fiber, apple fiber, citrus fiber, prune fiber, oat fiber, bagasse powder, sugar beet fiber powder, cellulose powder, prune residue, barley tea dregs, black tea dregs, green tea dregs, oolong tea dregs, shochu lees, beer lees, soybean husks, barley bran, rye bran, corn husks, and coffee grounds. [6] The topping food according to [1] above or the topping powdery or granular food according to [2] or [3] above, further containing a seasoning material. [7] The topping food according to [1] above or the topping powdery or granular food according to [2] or [3] above, for use by being placed on or poured over a dish. [8] (1) A method for producing a topping powdery or granular food, comprising the steps of: heating and drying a mixture containing an insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdery food, carbohydrates, and fats and oils, and then cooling the mixture to vitrify the carbohydrates.[9] (2) The method according to [8], further comprising a step of crushing the mixture obtained in step (1).

[0006] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a powdery and granular topping food which can be easily taken in by simply placing it on or sprinkling it on a dish and which is also tasty even when eaten as is.

[0007] 1 is a micrograph of the soy pulp powder (dried powder soy pulp) used in the examples, 2 is a micrograph of the powder obtained in Example 3, and 3 is a micrograph of the powder obtained in Example 8.

[0008] The topping food of the present invention contains a powdered food containing insoluble dietary fiber. The insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdered food is not particularly limited, and for example, a food containing 32% or more dietary fiber by weight in terms of solid content can be used. The insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdered food is preferably dried powdered soybean pulp, wheat bran, bamboo fiber, apple fiber, citrus fiber, prune fiber, oat fiber, bagasse powder, sugar beet fiber powder, cellulose powder, prune dregs, barley tea dregs, black tea dregs, green tea dregs, oolong tea dregs, shochu lees, beer lees, soybean husks, barley bran, rye bran, corn husks, coffee grounds, etc. The content of the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdered food in the topping food is preferably 30% to 75% by weight, more preferably 41% to 67% by weight.

[0009] The topping food of the present invention contains oils and fats. The oils and fats are not particularly limited, and examples thereof include liquid oils such as corn oil, rapeseed oil, canola oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, rice oil, sesame oil, grapeseed oil, olive oil, perilla oil, cottonseed oil, kapok oil, linseed oil, mustard oil, almond oil, peanut oil, chicken oil, medium-chain triglyceride (MCT), peanut oil, and evening primrose oil. The oils and fats preferably contain oils and fats with a melting point of 40°C or lower. The oils and fats may be solid fats or mixtures of solid fats and liquid oils. The solid fats are not particularly limited, and examples thereof include palm oil, coconut oil, beef tallow, lard, fish oil, whale oil, milk fat, shea butter, cocoa butter, shortening, coconut oil, and the like. Furthermore, processed oils and fats obtained by subjecting these liquid oils and solid fats to one or more treatments selected from hydrogenation, fractionation, and interesterification may also be used. In the topping food of the present invention, since the oil and fat are absorbed into the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdered food, the conventional difficulty in eating is not felt when eaten, and the food has a moist, easy-to-eat texture, resulting in a delicious insoluble dietary fiber-containing food. The oil and fat content in the topping food is preferably 26% to 70% by mass, and more preferably 33% to 59% by mass. In the topping food, the mass ratio of the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdered food to the oil and fat is 1:0.3 to 2.5, preferably 1:0.3 to 2.4, and more preferably 1:0.35 to 2.3. Furthermore, the total content of the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdered food and the oil and fat relative to the total mass of the topping food is 70 to 100% by mass, preferably 73 to 87% by mass, and more preferably 75 to 83% by mass.

[0010] The topping food of the present invention is in a slurry state. Although a slurry generally refers to a state in which solids are mixed without dissolving in a fluid liquid, the topping food of the present invention also includes a state in which there is no fluidity and the liquid is held in the dietary fiber.

[0011] The powdery topping food of the present invention is a topping food coated with a vitrified carbohydrate. The carbohydrate is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, galactose, mannose, tagatose, psicose, etc.), disaccharides (sucrose, maltose, lactulose, trehalose, isomaltulose, cellobiose, isomaltose, etc.), oligosaccharides (isomaltooligosaccharides, fructooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, etc.), sugar alcohols (sorbitol, erythritol, xylitol, etc.), dextrin, and starch hydrolysates. When sweetness is not required or is not particularly important, it is preferable to use maltose or dextrin, which have a low sweetness, while when sweetness is required, it is preferable to use sucrose, glucose, fructose, etc. Furthermore, if the vitrified carbohydrate is highly hygroscopic, it will become rubbery due to moisture in the air, so trehalose, isomaltulose, and other carbohydrates that are less hygroscopic are more preferred. The carbohydrate content in the topping powdery food is preferably 9 to 89% by mass, more preferably 11 to 84% by mass. In the topping powdery food, the mass ratio of the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdery food to the carbohydrate is preferably 1:0.2 to 15, more preferably 1:0.25 to 10. In the topping powdery food of the present invention, the vitrified carbohydrate coats the outside of the easy-to-eat topping food, making it non-sticky and suitable for sprinkling. Vitrification refers to the state in which substances such as carbohydrates lose their fluidity while remaining in an amorphous state.

[0012] The content of oils and fats in the topping granular food is preferably 5% to 61% by mass, more preferably 8% to 49% by mass. In the topping granular food, the mass ratio of the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdered food to the oils and fats is 1:0.3 to 2.5, preferably 1:0.3 to 2.4, more preferably 1:0.35 to 2.3. The total content of the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdered food and the oils and fats relative to the total mass of the topping granular food is 11 to 91% by mass, preferably 13 to 90% by mass, more preferably 16 to 89% by mass. The content of the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdered food in the topping granular food is preferably 5% to 54% by mass, more preferably 8% to 50% by mass.

[0013] The topping food or topping powdery / granular food of the present invention may further contain a seasoning ingredient. By including the seasoning ingredient, a desired amount can be added to a dish or simply sprinkled on top. The seasoning ingredient can be easily added to a dish to a desired strength or flavor. The seasoning ingredient is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include salt, vinegar, umami seasonings, fermented foods such as yogurt and cheese, fermented seasonings such as soy sauce and miso, sauces, mayonnaise, ketchup, garlic, onion, celery, bouillon, consommé, spices, yeast extract, and flavorings. The content of the seasoning ingredient in the topping food is preferably 60% by mass or less, and more preferably 1% to 50% by mass. The content of the seasoning ingredient in the topping powdery / granular food is preferably 60% by mass or less, and more preferably 1% to 50% by mass.

[0014] The topping food or topping powdery or granular food of the present invention may further contain food additives such as coloring agents, antioxidants, emulsifiers, modified starch, preservatives, thickeners, etc., starch, etc. These food additives and starches are not particularly limited as long as they are usable in ordinary foods, and can be contained in appropriate amounts.

[0015] The topping food or powdery or granular topping food of the present invention can be used by being placed on or poured over a dish. The dishes onto which the topping food or powdery or granular topping food of the present invention can be placed or poured are not particularly limited, and examples thereof include pasta, Chinese noodles, gratin, lasagna, raw vegetable salad, boiled vegetables, roasted vegetables, rice cakes, white rice, French fries, mashed potatoes, potato salad, curry, stew, soup, etc.

[0016] The method for producing a powdery or granular topping food of the present invention includes, for example, the following steps: (1) heat-drying a mixture containing an insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdery food, carbohydrates, and fats and oils, followed by cooling to vitrify the carbohydrates. The mixture containing an insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdery food, carbohydrates, and fats and oils can be prepared by any method. For example, the powder ingredients containing the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdery food and carbohydrates can be placed in a plastic bag and mixed by hand, and then a liquid ingredient containing fats and oils can be added to the resulting powder mixture. The powder ingredients can also be mixed using a food processor or mixer. The resulting mixture containing the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdery food, carbohydrates, and fats and oils is then heat-dried. Heat-drying can be performed using an oven, a jacket-type heating device (such as a vertical heating and mixing device), a pan-type heating device (such as a pan-type heating and mixing device), a rotary drum-type heating device (such as an in-drum type or an external drum supply type), a thermostatic bath, or the like. The heat source can be electricity, gas, steam, or any type. The heat drying temperature is, for example, 50° C. to 200° C., and preferably 120° C. to 170° C. The heat drying time is, for example, 5 minutes to 180 minutes, and preferably 8 minutes to 120 minutes. After heat drying, the sugar is allowed to cool to vitrify the sugar.

[0017] The method for producing a powdery or granular topping food of the present invention may include (2) a step of crushing the mixture obtained in step (1). The method for crushing the mixture obtained in step (1) is not particularly limited, and for example, a stirring device with blades that rotates at high speed, such as a food processor or a high-speed mixer, a stirring device with blades that rotates at low speed, such as a kneader, or a crushing device such as a hammer mill or a cyclone mill can be used. Note that the mixture obtained in step (1) is brittle and easily crumbles, so it may crumble naturally without using a crushing device.

[0018] (Comparative Example 1 and Examples 1-10) Okara powder and maltose were placed in a plastic bag in the amounts shown in Tables 1 and 2 and mixed by hand. The resulting mixture was placed in a food processor (Bamix M300, ESGE, 17,500 rpm), and rapeseed oil (rapeseed oil and water in Example 10) was poured in while the blades were rotating. The mixture was lightly mixed with a spatula for 15 seconds. The contents were again lightly mixed with a spatula for 15 seconds. The mixture was spread on a baking sheet to a thickness of about 2-3 cm and placed in an oven (Noritz Corporation, NLR9320EA) and heated at 150°C for 9 minutes. After cooling, the mixture was placed in a food processor and mixed for 3 seconds to break down lumps. The resulting powder was evaluated for "ease of eating" and "ease of swallowing" according to the following criteria. The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2. <Scoring Criteria> 1 point: Equivalent to Okara powder 2 points: Slightly better than Okara powder, but unacceptable. 3 points: Better than okara powder and acceptable. 4 points: Better than okara powder and acceptable without any problems. 5 points: Much better than okara powder and acceptable without any problems.

[0019]

[0020]

[0021] Optical and electron microscope photographs were taken of the raw material soybean pulp powder and the powders obtained in Examples 3 and 8. It can be seen that the soybean pulp powder has a large surface area with many irregularities (Figure 1). On the other hand, it can be confirmed that the powders obtained in Examples 3 and 8 have a smooth surface with no irregularities (Figures 2 and 3). From this, it can be inferred that the powders obtained in Examples 3 and 8 do not have a rough, uneven surface that comes into contact with the tongue when eaten, and therefore have improved poor texture such as a foreign body sensation in the mouth, dryness due to moisture absorption, and difficulty in swallowing.

[0022] (Example 11) Maltose was dissolved in water in advance in the amounts shown in Table 3. The okara powder was placed in a food processor (Bamix M300, ESGE, 17,500 rpm), and rapeseed oil and water in which maltose had been dissolved were poured in succession while the blades were rotating. Lightly mixed with a spatula and stirred for 15 seconds. The contents were again lightly mixed with a spatula and stirred for 15 seconds. The mixture was spread on a baking sheet to a thickness of about 2-3 cm and placed in an oven (Noritz Corporation, NLR9320EA) and heated at 50°C for 3 hours. After allowing to cool, the mixture was placed in a food processor and stirred for 3 seconds to break up any lumps. The resulting powder had the same "ease of eating" and "ease of swallowing" as Example 2.

[0023]

[0024] (Study on oils and fats) Powders were prepared in the same manner as in Example 3, except that olive oil, soybean oil, or canola oil was used instead of rapeseed oil. The obtained powders all had the same "ease of eating" and "ease of swallowing" as in Example 3.

[0025] (Examples 12 to 19 (Study of Carbohydrates)) For Examples 12 to 14 and 16 to 19, powders were prepared in the same manner as in Example 3, except that the carbohydrates shown in Table 4 were used instead of maltose, and the oven heating conditions shown in Table 5 were used. For Example 15, powders were prepared in the same manner as in Example 11, except that the carbohydrates shown in Table 4 were used instead of maltose, and the oven heating conditions shown in Table 5 were used. Table 4 shows the difference in texture of the obtained powders compared to Example 3, in which maltose was used.

[0026] Starch hydrolysate with DE=25: Pinex #3 manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. Starch hydrolysate with DE=8: Pinex #1 manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.

[0027]

[0028] (Example 20) Wheat bran and maltose were placed in a plastic bag in the amounts shown in Table 6 and mixed by hand shaking. The resulting mixture was placed in a food processor (Bamix M300, ESGE, 17,500 rpm), and rapeseed oil was poured in while the blades were rotating. Lightly mixed with a spatula for 15 seconds. The contents were again lightly mixed with a spatula for 15 seconds. The mixture was spread on a baking sheet to a thickness of about 2-3 cm and placed in an oven (Noritz Corporation, NLR9320EA) and heated at 160°C for 10 minutes. After cooling, the mixture was placed in a food processor and mixed for 3 seconds to break down lumps. The resulting powder had the same "ease of eating" and "ease of swallowing" as Example 6.

[0029]

Claims

1. A slurry topping food containing an insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdered food and oils and fats, wherein the mass ratio of the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdered food to the oils and fats is 1:0.3 to 2.5, and the total content of the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdered food and the oils and fats relative to the total mass of the topping food is 70 to 100 mass%.

2. A topping powdery or granular food in which the topping food according to claim 1 is coated with vitrified carbohydrate, wherein the total content of the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdery food and fats and oils relative to the total mass of the topping powdery or granular food is 11 to 91% by mass.

3. The powdery or granular topping food according to claim 2, wherein the mass ratio of the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdery food to the carbohydrate is 1:0.2-15.

4. A topping food as described in claim 1 or a topping powdery or granular food as described in claim 2 or 3, wherein the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdery food contains 32 mass% or more of dietary fiber in terms of solid content.

5. A topping food as described in claim 1 or a topping powdery or granular food as described in claim 2 or 3, wherein the insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdery food is at least one selected from the group consisting of dried powdered soybean pulp, wheat bran, bamboo fiber, apple fiber, citrus fiber, prune fiber, oat fiber, bagasse powder, sugar beet fiber powder, cellulose powder, prune residue, barley tea residue, black tea residue, green tea residue, oolong tea residue, shochu lees, beer lees, soybean husks, barley bran, rye bran, corn husks and coffee grounds.

6. The topping food according to claim 1 or the topping powdery or granular food according to claim 2 or 3, further containing a seasoning material.

7. The topping food according to claim 1 or the powdery or granular topping food according to claim 2 or 3, for use by being placed on or sprinkled on a dish.

8. (1) A method for producing a powdered or granular food topping, comprising the steps of heating and drying a mixture containing an insoluble dietary fiber-containing powdered food, carbohydrates, and fats and oils, and then cooling the mixture to vitrify the carbohydrates.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of (2) crushing the mixture obtained in step (1).

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