Coating composition for heated foods

Abstract

A coating composition for heated foods that is to be adhered to the surface of a heated food and then heated to form a coating on said food, the composition containing one or more processed starches selected from the group consisting of acid-treated starches and heat-treated starches, and the acid-treated starches and the heat-treated starches having the following properties (A) and (B):　(A) when the viscosity of an aqueous suspension containing the acid-treated starch or the heat-treated starch is measured using the Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) (here, the aqueous suspension contains 25 mass% of said starch, and when the viscosity is measured, the temperature of the aqueous suspension is first held at 50°C for 1 minute, then raised to 95°C over a period of 7 minutes and 30 seconds, and then maintained at 95°C for 5 minutes), the peak viscosity is no higher than 2500 mPa·s; and (B) the light absorbance of an aqueous suspension containing the acid-treated starch or the heat-treated starch (the aqueous suspension containing 0.5 mass% of said starch) is 0.6 or higher at 660 nm.

Description

Cooked food coating composition

[0001] The present invention relates to a coating composition for cooked food that is used to coat cooked food.

[0002] Heated foods have a variety of textures, with the interior being moderately soft while the surface is relatively hard due to heating. This texture is particularly pronounced in deep-fried and baked foods, where the moisture near the surface of the food evaporates during heating.

[0003] On the other hand, when cooked foods are stored, the moisture in the food migrates over time, causing the surface to soften, reducing the aforementioned variation in texture. In recent years, various cooked foods have been prepared in central kitchens and then stored at low temperatures before being transported and sold. However, during low-temperature storage, moisture migration within the food occurs even while the food is frozen, and moisture in the air can condense on the surface of the food at low temperatures, so low-temperature storage often further reduces the variation in texture of cooked foods.

[0004] Techniques have been proposed for improving the texture deterioration of coatings in fried foods with coatings. Patent Document 1 describes a coating material for fried foods containing one or more selected from the group consisting of acid-treated acetylated starch and acid-treated hydroxypropylated starch, and states that the use of this coating material allows for the production of fried foods with a well-balanced texture and excellent texture maintenance. Patent Document 2 describes a mix for deep-fried food coatings containing wheat flour and at least one of acid-treated starch, heat-moisture treated starch, and cross-linked pregelatinized starch, and further states that the use of this mix allows for the production of deep-fried food coatings that have a crispy texture and maintain their quality even after long-term storage. Patent Document 3 describes a coating material for use in microwave cooking, which contains a heat-treated starch obtained by heating a starch selected from etherified starch with a specific degree of substitution, acetylated starch with a specific degree of substitution, oxidized starch with a maximum RVA viscosity of 100 to 4,000 mPa·s, and cross-linked starch with a maximum RVA viscosity of 50 to 4,000 mPa·s to a gelatinization peak temperature 0.5 to 5.0°C higher than the gelatinization peak temperature before the heat treatment, and describes that deep-fried foods produced using this coating material have a crispy coating even when heated in a microwave oven.

[0005] International Publication No. 2015 / 162972 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-303457 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-079334

[0006] The present invention provides a cooked food product whose surface texture is unlikely to soften and which can maintain a crispy and crunchy texture even when time has passed after cooking or when stored at low temperature.

[0007] The present invention provides the following as representative embodiments: [1] A coating composition for heated food to be applied to the surface of a heated food and then heated to form a coating for the food, the composition containing one or more modified starches selected from the group consisting of acid-treated starches and heat-treated starches, the acid-treated starch and heat-treated starch having the following properties (A) and (B): (A) When an aqueous suspension containing the acid-treated starch or heat-treated starch is measured for viscosity using a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) (wherein the aqueous suspension contains 25% by mass of the starch, and the viscosity measurement is performed by first holding the temperature of the aqueous suspension at 50°C for 1 minute, then raising the temperature to 95°C over 7 minutes and 30 seconds, and then maintaining the temperature at 95°C for 5 minutes), the peak viscosity is 2500 mPa s or less; (B) An aqueous suspension containing the acid-treated starch or heat-treated starch (wherein the aqueous suspension contains 0.5% by mass of the starch) has an absorbance at 660 nm of 0.6 or more. [2] The coating composition according to [1], wherein the content of the modified starch is 10 to 100% by mass. [3] The coating composition according to [1] or [2], wherein the modified starch is made using waxy cornstarch as a raw starch. [4] The coating composition according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the heated food is a fried food. [5] A method for producing a heated food, comprising: applying the coating composition for heated food according to any one of [1] to [4] to the surface of a heated food; and heating the food with the composition applied thereto to form a coating on the food. [6] A method for improving the quality of heated food, comprising: applying a coating composition for heated food according to any one of [1] to [4] to the surface of a heated food; and heating the food with the composition applied thereto to form a coating on the food. [7] The method according to [5] or [6], wherein the composition applied to the heated food is in the form of a powder or a liquid containing the composition. [8] The method according to any one of [5] to [7], wherein the amount of the composition applied to the heated food is 0.3 to 40 parts by mass, in terms of solid content equivalent, per 100 parts by mass of the heated food. [9] The method according to any one of [5] to [8], wherein the food with the composition applied thereto is heated using oil as a heat medium.

[10] The method according to any one of [5] to [9], wherein the heated food to which the composition is applied is a fried food.

[0008] The coating composition for heated foods of the present invention is applied to the surface of a heated food, which is then heated to form a coating on the food. The heated food, which has been coated with the coating composition for heated foods of the present invention and then heated, has a crispy and crunchy texture with little softening of the surface even after long-term storage, refrigeration or freezing, or reheating.

[0009] The term "cooked food," to which the coating composition for cooked food of the present invention (hereinafter also simply referred to as "the composition of the present invention") is applied, refers to food that is obtained through cooking and is ready to eat, and does not include semi-cooked products or pre-prepared ingredients even if they have been cooked through cooking. Preferably, the cooked food has a crispy or crunchy texture on the surface. Examples of cooked foods with such a texture include fried foods, baked foods, and heated and dried foods. Of these, fried foods and baked foods are preferred because a crispy or crunchy texture is preferred.

[0010] The composition of the present invention contains one or more modified starches selected from the group consisting of acid-treated starches and heat-treated starches. The acid-treated starches and heat-treated starches used in the present invention have the following properties (A) and (B): (A) When the viscosity of an aqueous suspension containing the acid-treated starch or heat-treated starch as a sample starch is measured with a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) (the aqueous suspension contains 25% by mass of the sample starch, and the viscosity measurement is performed by first holding the temperature of the aqueous suspension at 50°C for 1 minute, then raising the temperature to 95°C over 7 minutes and 30 seconds, and then maintaining it at 95°C for 5 minutes), the peak viscosity is preferably 2500 mPa·s or less, more preferably 10 to 2000 mPa·s, and even more preferably 40 to 1500 mPa·s; (B): When the acid-treated starch or heat-treated starch is used as a sample starch, an aqueous suspension containing the sample starch (wherein the aqueous suspension contains 0.5% by mass of the sample starch) has an absorbance at 660 nm of preferably 0.6 or more, more preferably 0.7 or more, and even more preferably 0.8 or more.

[0011] Regarding the property (A), a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) is an apparatus for measuring the viscosity of a starch or flour suspension. In viscosity measurement using an RVA, a starch or flour suspension (measurement object) is filled into a container equipped with a paddle (stirring bar), and the viscosity of the object is measured by rotating the paddle and measuring the resistance force applied to the paddle. At this time, by measuring the viscosity while heating the container, it is possible to measure the viscosity change accompanying the gelatinization of starch. RVA devices are commercially available, and RVAs are widely used for quality inspection of foods containing a large amount of starch, etc.

[0012] An example of the procedure for measuring the viscosity of starch using RVA is described below. 25 mL of an aqueous suspension containing 25% by mass of sample starch, calculated as dry mass, is placed in an aluminum can (container for the measurement target) attached to a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) (e.g., Newport Scientific's Series 4 RVA-4), and then a paddle (stirring bar) attached to the instrument is placed inside, and the aluminum can is set in the tower of the instrument. While rotating the paddle at a rotation speed of 160 rpm / min, the contents of the aluminum can (aqueous suspension containing the sample starch) are heated and its viscosity is measured. The heating conditions are as follows: the aqueous suspension is first held at a product temperature of 50°C for 1 minute, then raised to a product temperature of 95°C over 7 minutes and 30 seconds, and held at that temperature for 5 minutes. If necessary, the aqueous suspension is further cooled to a product temperature of 50°C over 7 minutes and 30 seconds, and then held at that temperature for 2 minutes. The viscosity of the aqueous suspension is measured during this heating period, and the maximum viscosity is obtained, which is designated as the peak viscosity.

[0013] Regarding the property (B), the absorbance of the aqueous suspension containing the sample starch is measured at an optical path length of 10 mm. An example of the procedure for measuring the absorbance of an aqueous suspension containing starch is described below. An aqueous suspension containing 0.5% by mass of the sample starch, calculated as the dry mass, is prepared at an ambient temperature of 25°C. The suspension is filled into a measurement cell with an optical path length of 10 mm without allowing the starch to settle, and the absorbance at 660 nm is measured using an absorption spectrometer (V-630, manufactured by JASCO Corporation). When dextrin is measured under the same conditions, the absorbance is in the range of 0.2 to 0.4. When candy obtained by decomposing starch is measured under the same conditions, the absorbance is 0.04 or less.

[0014] Acid-treated starch is a modified starch obtained by treating raw starch with an acid. The raw starch for the acid-treated starch used in the present invention can be any starch that can be used for food, without any particular limitation, and examples thereof include corn starch, waxy corn starch, tapioca starch, potato starch, wheat starch, and rice starch. Among these, corn starch and waxy corn starch are preferred, and waxy corn starch is more preferred. These raw starches can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Alternatively, acid-treated starches prepared from different raw starches can be used in combination. The acid used for the acid treatment can be any acid that is suitable for food, and examples thereof include hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid.

[0015] The acid-treated starch used in the present invention can be prepared by acid-treating the raw starch under conditions that result in an acid-treated starch having the properties (A) and (B) described above. The acid-treated starch can be prepared by a conventional method. For example, the acid-treated starch can be prepared by adding the raw starch to a 0.5 to 2% acid solution to prepare a suspension of about 10 to 50% by mass, and treating the suspension at 20 to 50°C for 1 to 16 hours. Alternatively, commercially available acid-treated starches having the properties (A) and (B) described above can be selected and used as the acid-treated starch used in the present invention. The acid-treated starch used in the present invention may also be subjected to processing other than acid treatment, such as esterification, etherification, or oxidation.

[0016] Heat-treated starch is a modified starch obtained by thermally decomposing raw starch. Unlike dextrin, which is also obtained by thermally decomposing starch, heat-treated starch has the property of not dissolving in cold water, similar to unmodified starch. Examples of raw starches for the heat-treated starch used in the present invention include those exemplified as raw starches for the acid-treated starch. Alternatively, heat-treated starches prepared from different raw starches may be used in combination.

[0017] The heat-treated starch used in the present invention can be prepared by adding water to a raw starch, followed by heat treatment under conditions such that the resulting heat-treated starch has the properties (A) and (B) described above. For example, by adjusting the heating temperature and time of the raw starch within the ranges of 130 to 170°C and 1 to 7 hours, a heat-treated starch having the properties (A) and (B) described above can be prepared. Alternatively, commercially available heat-treated starches having the properties (A) and (B) can be selected and used as the heat-treated starch used in the present invention. The heat-treated starch used in the present invention may also be subjected to processing other than heat treatment, such as esterification, etherification, or oxidation.

[0018] The composition of the present invention contains one or a combination of two or more modified starches selected from the group consisting of the acid-treated starches and heat-treated starches described above. The total content of the modified starches in the composition of the present invention is 5% by mass or more, preferably 10 to 100% by mass, more preferably 20 to 90 parts by mass, even more preferably 30 to 80 parts by mass, and even more preferably 40 to 75 parts by mass, based on the total mass of the composition.

[0019] In addition to the acid-treated starch and heat-treated starch, the composition of the present invention may contain other ingredients as needed. Examples of such other ingredients include unmodified starch; modified starches other than the acid-treated starch and heat-treated starch; cereal flours such as wheat flour, barley flour, and rice flour; proteins such as wheat protein and milk protein; egg powders such as whole egg powder and egg white powder; thickeners; seasonings such as salt, powdered soy sauce, fermented seasonings, sugars, powdered miso paste, and amino acids; leavening agents; emulsifiers; spices; flavorings; nutritional components such as vitamins; coloring agents; and powdered oils and fats. These other ingredients may be used alone or in combination of two or more. When the composition of the present invention contains such other ingredients, the content thereof may be 95% by mass or less, preferably 90% by mass or less, more preferably 10 to 80 parts by mass, even more preferably 20 to 70 parts by mass, and even more preferably 25 to 60 parts by mass, based on the total mass of the composition.

[0020] The composition of the present invention can be prepared by mixing one or more modified starches selected from the group consisting of the acid-treated starch and the heat-treated starch, and, if necessary, the other ingredients described above. The composition of the present invention is usually in powder form.

[0021] The composition of the present invention is used to produce cooked foods. More specifically, the composition of the present invention is applied to the surface of a cooked food, and then heated to form a coating on the food. Thus, in a method for producing cooked foods using the composition of the present invention, the composition of the present invention is applied to the surface of a cooked food. The food to which the composition has been applied is then heated to form a coating on the food, producing a coated cooked food. The coated cooked food has improved quality compared to a cooked food not coated with the composition of the present invention, i.e., the food surface has less softening and a crispy or crunchy texture even after long-term storage, refrigerated or frozen storage, or reheating.

[0022] The type of heated food (target heated food) to which the composition of the present invention is applied is as described above. Preferably, the target heated food is a fried food, a baked food, or a heated and dried food, more preferably a fried food or a baked food. Examples of fried foods include battered fried foods such as fried chicken, tempura, breaded fries such as tonkatsu and croquettes; battered fried food-like foods having a texture similar to these; fried donuts; fried bread; corn hot dogs; etc. Examples of baked foods include baked donuts, baked foods such as pies, quiches, and Danish pastries; and snacks such as takoyaki.

[0023] Therefore, the heated food produced by the present invention is produced by heating the target heated food (first heating) to cook it and then heating it after applying the composition of the present invention (second heating). The first heating is not limited to a single heating, but includes all of the one or more heating processes required to produce a heated food from raw ingredients. The heated food produced by the first heating may be heat-sterilized as needed, or may be reheated to reheat the cooled food for consumption. The second heating may also serve as heat-sterilization and reheating of the target heated food.

[0024] When applying the composition of the present invention to the target cooked food, the composition of the present invention may be used in powder form, or a liquid (including a paste) containing the composition of the present invention may be used. For example, a mixed liquid prepared by mixing the composition of the present invention with an aqueous liquid such as water can be used. The mixed liquid is preferably prepared by mixing the powdered composition of the present invention with the aqueous liquid at a mass ratio (composition:aqueous liquid) of 100:100 to 500, more preferably 100:150 to 350. Alternatively, the mixed liquid preferably has a viscosity of 20 to 400 mPa·s, more preferably 30 to 300 mPa·s, and even more preferably 40 to 200 mPa·s, when measured using a Brookfield viscometer at a product temperature of 25°C and a rotor rotation speed of 30 to 60 rpm. When the mixing ratio of the composition of the present invention to the aqueous liquid in the mixed liquid is within the above range, or when the viscosity of the mixed liquid is within the above range, the mixed liquid is less likely to adhere unevenly to the food and the application process is smooth, which is preferable.

[0025] The method for applying the composition of the present invention to the target cooked food is not particularly limited, and any conventional method for applying a powder or liquid to the surface of food can be used. For example, examples of methods for applying a powdered composition include 1) sprinkling the composition over the food, 2) placing the composition and the food in a bag and shaking the bag with the opening closed, 3) spreading the composition on a relatively wide container such as a plate and rolling the food on it or pressing the food against the composition, etc. Furthermore, examples of methods for applying a liquid containing the composition of the present invention include 4) spraying the liquid onto the food, 5) putting the liquid into a container and immersing the food in it, and 6) placing the food on a relatively wide container such as a plate and rolling the food while pouring or smearing the liquid over it to spread the liquid over the entire food.

[0026] The amount of the composition of the present invention adhered to the target heated food is preferably 0.3 to 40 parts by mass, more preferably 0.5 to 35 parts by mass, even more preferably 1 to 25 parts by mass, and even more preferably 1.5 to 15 parts by mass, in terms of the amount equivalent to the solids content of the composition, per 100 parts by mass of the target heated food.

[0027] If the temperature of the heated food to which the composition of the present invention is to be applied is high, the application of the composition may be uneven, or the applied composition may be easily peeled off from the food. The temperature of the heated food to which the composition of the present invention is to be applied is preferably 60°C or lower, more preferably -40 to 45°C, and even more preferably -20 to 30°C.

[0028] Heated foods to which the composition of the present invention has been applied may be heated immediately, or, if necessary, may be heated after allowing the composition to soak into the food for several minutes to an hour. By heating the heated food to which the composition has been applied (second heating), the composition attached to the food surface is solidified by heat and immobilized on the heated food. The second heating method may be any method that can achieve the immobilization of the composition described above, including, for example, heating using oil as a heat medium, such as deep-frying or pan-frying; heating using water as a heat medium, such as boiling or steaming; heating using air as a heat medium, such as oven-baking or hot air heating; heating using a solid as a heat medium, such as teppanyaki; microwave heating; and combinations thereof. However, among the above heating methods, heating using water as a heat medium may cause the composition of the present invention to flow and detach from the surface of the food. Furthermore, heating using a solid as a heat medium or microwave heating may cause the composition of the present invention to burn, resulting in discoloration of the heated food, or the heated food may be rapidly heated locally, resulting in rupture. Therefore, the second heating is preferably performed by heating using oil as a heat medium or heating using air as a heat medium, and more preferably by heating using oil as a heat medium. Frying with oil is even more preferable because it can heat the entire food evenly.

[0029] The heating conditions for the second heating can be adjusted appropriately depending on the state of the composition of the present invention attached to the food, the heating method used, etc., so that the composition can be immobilized without causing excessive discoloration or scorching of the food. For example, in the case of a food to which a mixture of the composition of the present invention and an aqueous liquid has been attached, the food is heated under conditions that do not cause discoloration or scorching of the food until the water content of the mixture is consumed and the composition solidifies. If the heating temperature is high or the heating time is long, the food is more likely to discolor or scorch. Furthermore, if the heating time is long, the food may become dry and hard in texture. For example, in the case of deep-frying, a temperature of 150 to 180°C for about 15 to 45 seconds is preferred.

[0030] Specific examples of methods for producing cooked foods using the composition of the present invention are given below: 1) A method in which the composition of the present invention (powder or liquid) is applied to fried fried chicken karaage and then fried or baked again; 2) A method in which the composition of the present invention (powder or liquid) is applied to fried donuts and then fried or baked again; 3) A method in which the composition of the present invention (powder or liquid) is applied to grilled fish and then baked or fried again; 4) As a variation, a method in which the composition of the present invention (powder) is applied to fried pork cutlet (fried with breadcrumbs) and then batter and breadcrumbs are applied, and then the pork cutlet is fried again.

[0031] The second heating forms a coating of the composition of the present invention on the food, producing a coated cooked food. The produced cooked food may be eaten immediately, or may be stored at room temperature, refrigerated, or frozen and then eaten. If the cooked food is stored at room temperature, refrigerated, or frozen, it may be reheated to thaw or reheat as needed before eating. Examples of reheating methods include microwave heating.

[0032] The present invention will be described in more detail below by showing examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0033] Preparation Example (Preparation of Acid-Treated Starch) Unmodified waxy corn starch and unmodified wheat starch were used as raw starches. 35% hydrochloric acid was diluted to 1.2%, and the raw starch was added thereto to a concentration of 40% by mass and stirred thoroughly to obtain a suspension. The container containing the suspension was kept at 45°C, and the acid treatment reaction was carried out with stirring for the time shown in Table 1. After completion of the reaction, the suspension was neutralized, washed with water, dehydrated, and dried to prepare acid-treated starch.

[0034] (Preparation of Heat-Treated Starch) Unmodified waxy corn starch and unmodified wheat starch were used as raw starches. The raw starches were mixed with water and adjusted to a moisture content of 27% by mass, and then placed flat on a glass sheet to a thickness of 8 mm. The mixture, together with the glass sheet, was placed in a thermostatic oven set at 160°C and heat-treated for the times shown in Table 1 to prepare heat-treated starches.

[0035] (Viscosity and absorbance measurements) Using the obtained acid-treated starch and heat-treated starch as samples, the RVA peak viscosity and the absorbance of the starch suspension were measured by the following methods. Similarly, using the raw starches waxy cornstarch and wheat starch, as well as acetylated waxy cornstarch and dextrin as samples, the RVA peak viscosity and the absorbance of the starch suspension were measured. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0036] <Peak Viscosity Measurement> 25 mL of an aqueous suspension containing 25% by mass of sample starch, calculated as dry mass, was placed in an aluminum can attached to a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) (Newport Scientific Series 4 RVA-4), and then a paddle (stirring bar) attached to the instrument was placed inside. The aluminum can was then set in the tower of the instrument. While rotating the paddle at a rotation speed of 160 rpm / min, the contents of the aluminum can (aqueous suspension containing sample starch) were heated and its viscosity was measured. The heating conditions were as follows: the aqueous suspension was first held at a product temperature of 50°C for 1 minute, then raised to a product temperature of 95°C over 7 minutes and 30 seconds, and held at that temperature for 5 minutes. The viscosity of the aqueous suspension was measured during this heating period, and the maximum viscosity was taken as the peak viscosity.

[0037] <Absorbance Measurement> At an ambient temperature of 25°C, 0.5 g of sample starch (calculated as a dry mass) was placed in a beaker, 90 mL of distilled water was added, and the mixture was stirred thoroughly to prepare a suspension. This was then transferred to a measuring cylinder, and distilled water was added to bring the total volume to 100 mL. The resulting aqueous suspension was filled into a measurement cell with an optical path length of 10 mm without allowing the starch to settle, and the absorbance at 660 nm was measured using an absorption spectrometer (V-630, manufactured by JASCO Corporation).

[0038]

[0039] (Test Example 1) (1) Preparation of Coating Composition The starch-containing raw materials prepared in the Preparation Examples were mixed according to the formulation shown in Table 2 to prepare a powdered composition. 100 g of the composition was thoroughly mixed with 150 mL of water to prepare a mixed solution. The viscosity of the mixed solution was measured using a Brookfield viscometer at a product temperature of 25°C and a rotor rotation speed of 30 to 60 rpm, and was found to be 10 to 200 mPa s.

[0040] (2) Preparation of Fried Chicken Fried chicken was prepared as a cooked food product. Specifically, chicken thighs were cut into pieces weighing 30 g each. A batter was prepared by mixing 20 parts by mass of soft wheat flour, 20 parts by mass of potato starch, and 60 parts by mass of fresh water. 8 g of the batter was applied to each chicken thigh, and the pieces were deep-fried in oil at 170°C for 4 minutes to produce fried chicken. The weight of each piece of fried chicken was 35 to 36 g.

[0041] (3) Coating Treatment After allowing the obtained fried chicken pieces to cool to 40°C, ten pieces were taken out of each group and 10 g of the mixture containing the coating composition prepared in (1) above (4 g as the solid content of the composition) was sprayed onto the entire surface of each 100 g of fried chicken pieces. The fried chicken pieces with the mixture applied were deep-fried in oil at 170°C for 30 seconds to produce fried chicken pieces coated with the composition.

[0042] (4) Evaluation The coated fried chicken pieces produced in (3) above were allowed to cool and then frozen and stored in a -20°C freezer. After one week, the frozen fried chicken pieces were reheated in a 500W microwave oven for 60 seconds each. The texture of the reheated fried chicken pieces was evaluated by 10 expert panelists according to the following criteria. In the evaluation, the texture of freshly cooked fried chicken pieces (Reference Example) obtained in the same manner as the above fried chicken pieces except that the coating composition was not applied was assigned a score of 4, and the texture of the reheated fried chicken pieces was evaluated based on this score. The average of the scores of the 10 panelists was calculated. The results are shown in Table 2. <Evaluation criteria for texture> 5 points: Chewy crispness and crispness throughout, extremely good as fried chicken 4 points: Moderate crispness and crispness throughout, good as fried chicken (same as reference example) 3 points: Some soft parts, but crispness and crunchiness can be felt in most parts, no problem as fried chicken 2 points: Crispy and crispness can be felt in some parts, but many parts are a little too soft, slightly poor as fried chicken 1 point: Only soft overall, extremely poor as fried chicken

[0043]

[0044] The results in Table 2 show that fried chicken (Production Examples 1-1 to 1-8) coated with compositions containing acid-treated starch and heat-treated starches having specific RVA peak viscosities and absorbances (acid-treated starches 1 to 3 and heat-treated starches 2 to 6) had a crispy and crunchy texture even when reheated after freezing. In contrast, texture was reduced in Comparative Example 1-1, which used heat-treated starch 1 with an RVA peak viscosity of more than 2500 mPa s. Furthermore, texture was also poorly evaluated in Comparative Examples 1-2 to 1-5, which used acetylated starch, unmodified starch, or dextrin. Comparisons between Production Examples 1-2 and 1-3, between Production Examples 1-4 and 1-5 and 1-7, and between Production Examples 1-6 and 1-8 indicate that waxy cornstarch is a preferable raw starch for the processed starch used in the coating composition.

[0045] (Test Example 2) Except for changing the formulation of the coating composition as shown in Table 3, coated fried chicken was produced in the same manner as in Production Examples 1-2 and 1-6, and evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0046]

[0047] (Test Example 3) Coated fried chicken was produced in the same manner as in Production Example 1-2, except that the amount of the mixed liquid containing the coating composition sprayed was changed to change the amount of the composition attached to the fried chicken (equivalent to the solid content) as shown in Table 4, and the product was evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0048]

[0049] (Test Example 4) Commercially available fried donuts (French cruller type; approximately 40 g each) were used as the heated food. The coating composition prepared in Test Example 1 (1) was applied as a powder to the heated food. Each composition was rubbed onto the entire surface at an amount of 4 g per 100 g of donut. The donuts coated with the composition were deep-fried in oil heated to 160°C for 20 seconds to produce donuts coated with the composition. The resulting coated donuts were allowed to cool and then frozen in a -20°C freezer. After one week, the frozen donuts were allowed to thaw naturally at room temperature of 25°C for 6 hours. The texture of the thawed donuts was evaluated by 10 expert panelists using the following evaluation criteria. In the evaluation, the texture of the untreated commercially available fried donut (Reference Example) was assigned a score of 4, and the texture of the thawed coated donuts was evaluated based on this score. The average of the scores of the 10 panelists was calculated. The results are shown in Table 5. <Evaluation criteria for texture> 5 points: The entire surface is crisp and chewy, and extremely good as a donut 4 points: The entire surface is moderately crisp and crisp, and good as a donut (same as the reference example) 3 points: Although some parts are soft, the crispness and crunchiness can be felt in most parts of the surface, and there are no problems as a donut 2 points: Some parts are crisp and crisp, but many parts of the surface are slightly sticky or too soft, and the donut is somewhat poor 1 point: The entire surface is sticky or only feels soft, and extremely poor as a donut

[0050]

Claims

1. A coating composition for cooked food, which is to be attached to the surface of cooked food and then heated to form a coating for the food, comprising one or more modified starches selected from the group consisting of acid-treated starches and heat-treated starches, and the acid-treated starches and heat-treated starches have the following properties (A) and (B): (A) When an aqueous suspension containing the acid-treated starch or heat-treated starch is measured for viscosity using a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) (wherein the aqueous suspension contains 25% by mass of the starch, and the viscosity measurement involves first holding the temperature of the aqueous suspension at 50°C for 1 minute, then raising the temperature to 95°C over 7 minutes and 30 seconds, and then maintaining the temperature at 95°C for 5 minutes), the peak viscosity is 2,500 mPa s or less; (B) An aqueous suspension containing the acid-treated starch or heat-treated starch (wherein the aqueous suspension contains 0.5% by mass of the starch) has an absorbance at 660 nm of 0.6 or more.

2. The coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the content of the modified starch is 10 to 100% by mass.

3. The coating composition according to claim 1, wherein said modified starch is made from waxy corn starch as the starting starch.

4. The coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the cooked food is a deep-fried food.

5. A method for producing a heated food product, comprising: applying a coating composition for heated food according to any one of claims 1 to 4 to the surface of a heated food product; and heating the food product to which the composition has been applied to form a coating on the food product.

6. A method for improving the quality of cooked food, comprising: applying a coating composition for cooked food according to any one of claims 1 to 4 to the surface of a cooked food; and heating the food with the composition applied thereto to form a coating on the food.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the composition to be applied to the heated food is in the form of a powder or a liquid containing the composition.

8. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the amount of the composition applied to the heated food is 0.3 to 40 parts by mass, in terms of solid content equivalent, per 100 parts by mass of the heated food.

9. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the food to which the composition is applied is heated using oil as a heat medium.

10. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the cooked food to which the composition is applied is a deep-fried food.