Coating composition for bakery foods with breadcrumbs

Abstract

A coating composition for bakery foods with breadcrumbs for coating bakery food dough prior to attaching breadcrumbs, said composition containing one or more processed starches selected from the group consisting of an oxidized starch, an acid-treated starch and a heat-treated starch, wherein the oxidized starch, the acid-treated starch and the heat-treated starch having the following properties (A) and (B).　(A) When the viscosity of an aqueous suspension containing the oxidized starch, the acid-treated starch or the heat-treated starch is measured using a 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. (B) The light absorbance of an aqueous suspension containing the oxidized starch, acid-treated starch or the heat-treated starch (where the aqueous suspension contains 0.5 mass% of said starch) is 0.6 or higher at 660 nm.

Description

Coating composition for breaded bakery foods

[0001] The present invention relates to a coating composition for breaded bakery foods, which is used to coat the dough of a bakery food with an inner layer of breadcrumbs in the production of breaded bakery foods.

[0002] Breaded bakery foods such as fried bread, curry bread, and piroshki are produced by attaching breadcrumbs to the surface of the dough of a molded bakery food and cooking it, and are foods that have the desirable texture of crispy breadcrumbs.

[0003] As described above, breaded bakery foods are characterized by the crispy texture of the breadcrumbs. However, if breaded bakery foods are left after production, the breadcrumbs become damp due to moisture absorption from the surroundings and migration of moisture from within the food, resulting in a loss of crispness.

[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 starches 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] To provide a breaded bakery food product that can maintain the crispy texture of the bread crumbs even after the passage of time after production.

[0007] The present invention provides the following as representative embodiments: [1] A coating composition for bakery foods with breadcrumbs, for coating bakery food dough before the breadcrumbs are attached, comprising one or more modified starches selected from the group consisting of oxidized starch, acid-treated starch, and heat-treated starch, wherein the oxidized starch, acid-treated starch, and heat-treated starch have the following properties (A) and (B): (A) When an aqueous suspension containing the oxidized starch, acid-treated starch, or heat-treated starch is viscosity-measured with 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 product temperature 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 oxidized starch, 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 from tapioca starch or waxy cornstarch as a raw starch. [4] The coating composition according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the breaded bakery food is a fried food. [5] A method for producing a breaded bakery food, comprising: applying the coating composition for breaded bakery food according to any one of [1] to [4] to the surface of bakery food dough; applying breadcrumbs to the bakery food dough to which the composition has been applied; and heating the bakery food dough to which the breadcrumbs have been applied. [6] A method for improving the quality of breaded bakery foods, comprising: applying the coating composition for breaded bakery foods according to any one of [1] to [4] to the surface of bakery food dough; applying breadcrumbs to the bakery food dough to which the composition has been applied; and heating the bakery food dough to which the breadcrumbs have been applied. [7] The method according to [5] or [6], wherein the composition applied to the bakery food dough is in the form of a liquid containing the composition.[8] The method according to any one of [5] to [7], wherein the amount of the composition adhered to the bakery food dough is 0.3 to 13 parts by mass, in terms of the solid content equivalent, per 100 parts by mass of the dough. [9] The method according to any one of [5] to [8], wherein the bakery food dough to which the breadcrumbs are adhered is heated by deep frying.

[0008] The coating composition for breaded bakery foods of the present invention is used to coat bakery food dough before the attachment of breadcrumbs in the production of breaded bakery foods. The breaded bakery foods produced using the coating composition of the present invention can maintain the crispy texture of the breadcrumbs even after a long time has passed since production.

[0009] As used herein, "bakery food" refers to a food obtained by cooking dough made primarily from cereal flour. Furthermore, as used herein, "breaded bakery food" refers to a bakery food obtained by applying breadcrumbs to the surface of dough and frying or baking it. Breaded bakery foods have the crispy texture of the breadcrumbs on the surface. Examples of breaded bakery foods include deep-fried sausage bread, deep-fried curry bread, and other fried breads, baked curry bread, and piroshki.

[0010] The coating composition for breadcrumb-containing bakery food products of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as "the composition of the present invention") contains one or more modified starches selected from the group consisting of oxidized starch, acid-treated starch, and heat-treated starch. The oxidized starch, acid-treated starch, and heat-treated starch used in the present invention have the following properties (A) and (B): (A) When any one of the oxidized starch, acid-treated starch, and heat-treated starch is used as a sample starch and an aqueous suspension containing the sample starch is subjected to viscosity measurement with a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) (here, the aqueous suspension contains 25% by mass of the sample starch, and in the viscosity measurement, the product temperature of the aqueous suspension is first held at 50°C for 1 minute, then raised to 95°C over 7 minutes and 30 seconds, and then maintained 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): Using any one of the oxidized starch, acid-treated starch, and heat-treated starch as a sample starch, an aqueous suspension containing the sample starch (wherein the aqueous suspension contains 0.5% by mass of the sample starch) preferably has an absorbance at 660 nm of 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] Oxidized starch is a processed starch obtained by oxidizing raw starch with an oxidizing agent such as sodium hypochlorite. The raw starch for the oxidized 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, tapioca starch, corn starch, and waxy corn starch are preferred, with tapioca starch being more preferred. These raw starches can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Alternatively, oxidized starches prepared from different raw starches can be used in combination. The oxidizing agent used in the oxidation treatment can be any oxidizing agent that is suitable for food, and examples thereof include sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide.

[0015] The oxidized starch used in the present invention can be prepared by oxidizing the raw starch under conditions that result in an oxidized starch having the properties (A) and (B). The oxidized starch can be prepared by a conventional method. For example, the oxidized starch can be prepared by suspending the raw starch in water to prepare a suspension of about 10 to 50% by mass, adding sodium hypochlorite in an amount of available chlorine of 5,000 to 50,000 ppm relative to the mass of starch while maintaining the pH at approximately 9 to 11.5, and treating the suspension at 30 to 50°C for 1 to 5 hours. Alternatively, commercially available oxidized starches having the properties (A) and (B) can be selected and used as the oxidized starch used in the present invention. The oxidized starch used in the present invention may also be subjected to processing other than oxidation, such as esterification, etherification, crosslinking, etc.

[0016] Acid-treated starch is a modified starch obtained by treating raw starch with an acid. Examples of raw starches for the acid-treated starch used in the present invention include those exemplified as raw starches for the oxidized starch. Among these, cornstarch and waxy cornstarch are preferred, with waxy cornstarch being more preferred. Alternatively, oxidized starches prepared from different raw starches may be used in combination. The acid used in the acid treatment may be any acid that is suitable for food applications, including, for example, hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid.

[0017] 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.

[0018] 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 oxidized starch. Among these, cornstarch and waxy cornstarch are preferred, and waxy cornstarch is more preferred. Alternatively, heat-treated starches prepared from different raw starches may be used in combination.

[0019] 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.

[0020] The composition of the present invention contains one or a combination of two or more of the modified starches selected from the group consisting of oxidized starch, acid-treated starch, and heat-treated starch. 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.

[0021] In addition to the oxidized starch, 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 oxidized starch, 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, 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.

[0022] The composition of the present invention can be prepared by mixing one or more modified starches selected from the group consisting of oxidized starch, acid-treated starch, and heat-treated starch, and, if necessary, the other components described above. The composition of the present invention is usually in powder form.

[0023] The composition of the present invention is used to produce breaded bakery foods. More specifically, the composition of the present invention is used to coat bakery food dough before applying breadcrumbs. Thus, in a method for producing breaded bakery foods using the composition of the present invention, the composition of the present invention is applied to the surface of the bakery food dough, and then breadcrumbs are applied to the bakery food dough to which the composition has been applied. At this time, the composition coats the bakery food dough with an inner layer of breadcrumbs. The breaded bakery food is produced by heating the breadcrumb-applied bakery food dough. Breaded bakery foods produced from dough coated with the composition of the present invention have improved quality compared to those produced from dough not coated with the composition of the present invention, i.e., they can maintain the crispy texture of the breadcrumbs even after a period of time has passed since production.

[0024] The types of breaded bakery foods produced using the composition of the present invention are as described above. Preferably, the breaded bakery foods are fried foods or baked foods, i.e., foods produced by frying or baking dough. More preferably, the breaded bakery foods are fried foods. Examples of fried foods include fried breads such as fried sausage bread, fried curry bread, and fried piroshki. Examples of baked foods include baked curry bread and baked piroshki.

[0025] The bakery food dough to which the composition of the present invention is applied can be prepared according to a conventional bakery food dough manufacturing method. Typically, the dough is prepared by combining and mixing the main ingredient, cereal flour or starch, with secondary ingredients and water. Examples of the main ingredient, cereal flour, include wheat flour, rice flour, buckwheat flour, rye flour, barley flour, corn flour, soy flour, etc. Examples of the wheat flour include soft flour, medium flour, hard flour, durum wheat flour, and durum semolina. Examples of the main ingredient, starch, include various unmodified starches and modified starches. Examples of such secondary ingredients include yeast; leavening agents; sugars such as glucose, fructose, lactose, sugar, and isomaltose; egg components such as egg yolk, egg white, and whole egg; dairy components such as milk, soy milk, powdered milk, and powdered skim milk; proteins such as gluten and soy protein; fats and oils such as shortening, lard, margarine, butter, and liquid oil; inorganic salts such as salt; yeast food; emulsifiers; preservatives; vitamins; and fortifiers such as calcium. Examples of moisture include water, milk, liquid egg, fruit juice, and vegetable juice.

[0026] A mixer or the like used in ordinary bread making can be used to mix the dough ingredients. The types and amounts of the main ingredients, auxiliary ingredients, and water used to prepare the dough can be appropriately determined by those skilled in the art depending on the type of bakery food to be produced, the desired quality, etc.

[0027] The prepared dough is prepared into a state ready for cooking by, if necessary, shaping, fermenting, filling, etc. in accordance with conventional procedures. In the usual procedure for producing breaded bakery foods, breadcrumbs are applied to the dough in this state, but in the present invention, the composition of the present invention is applied to the dough before the breadcrumbs are applied.

[0028] When applying the composition of the present invention to the bakery food dough, a powdered version of the composition of the present invention may be used, 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 may 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, it is preferable because it facilitates application of an appropriate amount of the mixed liquid to the bakery food and also facilitates the application operation.

[0029] The method for applying the composition of the present invention to the bakery food dough is not particularly limited, and any conventional method for applying a powder or liquid to the surface of a food product can be used. For example, examples of methods for applying a powdered composition include 1) sprinkling the composition onto the dough, 2) placing the composition and the dough into 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 dough on it or pressing the dough 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 dough, 5) putting the liquid into a container and immersing the dough in it, and 6) placing the dough on a relatively wide container such as a plate and rolling the dough while pouring or coating it with the liquid to spread the liquid over the entire dough.

[0030] The amount of the composition of the present invention applied to the bakery food dough is preferably 0.3 to 13 parts by mass, more preferably 0.5 to 10 parts by mass, even more preferably 1 to 8 parts by mass, and still more preferably 1.5 to 6 parts by mass, in terms of the amount equivalent to the solid content of the composition, relative to 100 parts by mass of the dough.

[0031] Next, breadcrumbs are applied to the bakery food dough to which the composition has been applied. The breadcrumbs can be those typically used for breaded bakery foods. For example, fresh breadcrumbs or dried breadcrumbs can be used. The application of breadcrumbs to the bakery food dough to which the composition has been applied can be carried out using the same method as the method for applying the powdered composition to dough described above. The amount of breadcrumbs applied to the bakery food dough can be determined in accordance with conventional methods, and is generally preferably 3 to 20 parts by mass, more preferably 5 to 16 parts by mass, and even more preferably 7 to 14 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the dough before the composition has been applied.

[0032] The bakery food dough to which the breadcrumbs have been attached may be cooked immediately, or may be left for several minutes to an hour, if necessary, to allow the composition of the present invention and the breadcrumbs to soak into the dough, and then cooked. It is preferable to subject the bakery food dough to secondary fermentation before cooking. Examples of cooking methods include deep-frying (frying, deep-frying, etc.) and baking in an oven, pan, etc. Of these, deep-frying is preferred from the viewpoint of the texture of the breadcrumbs and the flavor of the dough after heating.

[0033] One example of a method for producing breaded bakery foods using the composition of the present invention is a method for producing deep-fried sausage bread, in which bread dough is wrapped around a sausage, the composition (powder or liquid) of the present invention is applied to the surface, bread crumbs are then applied, and the resulting product is deep-fried. Another example is a method for producing curry bread, in which the composition (powder or liquid) of the present invention is applied to the surface of bread dough containing a curry filling, bread crumbs are then applied, and the resulting product is deep-fried.

[0034] The produced breaded bakery food product may be eaten immediately, or may be stored at room temperature, refrigerated, or frozen and then eaten. If the bakery food product is stored at room temperature, refrigerated, or frozen, it may be thawed or reheated before eating as needed. Examples of reheating methods include microwave heating.

[0035] The present invention will be described in more detail below by showing examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0036] Preparation Example (Preparation of Oxidized Starch) Unprocessed tapioca starch was used as the raw starch. Water was added to the raw starch to prepare a 40% starch suspension. After keeping the temperature at 37°C, a 4% sodium hydroxide solution was added to adjust the pH to 10.5. 26,000 ppm of sodium hypochlorite with 13% available chlorine was added to the suspension so that the pH of the reaction solution was 10.8 to 11.3, and the oxidation reaction was carried out with thorough stirring for the time shown in Table 1. After completion of the reaction, the suspension was neutralized, washed with water, dehydrated, and then dried to prepare oxidized starch.

[0037] (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 then dried to prepare acid-treated starch.

[0038] (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.

[0039] (Viscosity and absorbance measurements) Using the obtained oxidized starch, 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 method. 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.

[0040] <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.

[0041] <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).

[0042]

[0043] (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.

[0044] (2) Production of Curry Bread Curry bread was prepared as a breadcrumb-containing bakery food. First, 700 g of strong wheat flour, 3 g of yeast, and 360 g of lukewarm water were mixed and mixed in a bread mixer at low speed for 2 minutes, then at medium speed for 2 minutes. The mixture was then fermented at 28°C for 2 hours to prepare a dough. 300 g of strong wheat flour, 80 g of sugar, 15 g of salt, 15 g of baking powder, 50 g of whole egg liquid, and 200 g of water were added to the dough, and the mixture was mixed in a bread mixer at low speed for 3 minutes, then at medium speed for 5 minutes. 40 g of salad oil was added, and the mixture was further mixed at low speed for 1 minute, then at medium speed for 5 minutes to prepare a dough. The dough was allowed to rest for 30 minutes, and then divided into 50 g portions. The divided dough was spread with a rolling pin and filled with 30 g of curry filling to prepare a curry bread dough. The mixture containing the coating composition prepared in (1) above was sprayed onto each curry bread dough at a rate of 10 g per 100 g of dough (4 g equivalent to solids), and the mixture was allowed to adhere to the entire surface. The dough with the mixture applied was placed in a tray containing dried breadcrumbs and rolled to adhere the breadcrumbs to the entire surface. The amount of breadcrumbs attached per 100 g of curry bread dough was in the range of 9 to 10 g. The dough with the breadcrumbs attached was proofed for 30 minutes for final fermentation, fried in 170°C oil for 2 minutes, turned over and fried for another 2 minutes to produce curry bread.

[0045] (3) Evaluation The produced curry bread was allowed to cool and then frozen and stored in a -20°C freezer. After one week, the frozen curry bread was reheated in a 500W microwave oven for 60 seconds per piece. The texture of the reheated curry bread was evaluated by 10 expert panelists using the following evaluation criteria. In the evaluation, the texture of the freshly baked curry bread (Reference Example) produced by adhering breadcrumbs to the dough without adhering the coating composition prepared in (1) above was given a score of 5, and the texture of the reheated curry bread 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: The crispy texture of the breadcrumbs can be felt throughout the curry bread, and it is extremely good as a curry bread (same as the reference example) 4 points: The crispy texture of the breadcrumbs can be felt almost throughout, although some parts of the breadcrumbs feel a little soft, and it is good as a curry bread 3 points: The crispy texture can be felt in most parts, although some parts of the breadcrumbs feel a little soft, and it is acceptable as a curry bread 2 points: The crispy texture can be felt in some parts of the breadcrumbs, but it is soft in most parts, and it is somewhat poor as a curry bread 1 point: The crispy texture of the breadcrumbs cannot be felt at all, and it is extremely poor as a curry bread

[0046]

[0047] The results in Table 2 show that the curry breads (Production Examples 1-1 to 1-11) coated with compositions containing oxidized starch, acid-treated starch, and heat-treated starch having specific RVA peak viscosities and absorbances (oxidized starches 2 to 4, acid-treated starches 1 to 3, and heat-treated starches 2 to 6) had a crispy surface crumb and a desirable texture even when reheated after freezing. In contrast, the texture was deteriorated in Comparative Examples 1-1 to 1-2, which used oxidized starch 1 and heat-treated starch 1, each having an RVA peak viscosity of more than 2500 mPa s. Furthermore, the texture was also poorly evaluated in Comparative Examples 1-3 to 1-6, which used acetylated starch, unmodified starch, or dextrin. Comparison of Production Examples 1-4 and 1-6, comparison of Production Examples 1-7 and 1-8 and 1-10, and comparison of Production Examples 1-9 and 1-11 showed that waxy cornstarch is preferable as a raw material starch for the acid-treated starch and heat-treated starch used in the coating composition.

[0048] Test Example 2 Curry bread was produced in the same manner as in Production Examples 1-5 and 1-9, except that the formulation of the coating composition was changed as shown in Table 3, and evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0049]

[0050] (Test Example 3) Curry bread was produced in the same manner as in Production Examples 1-5, except that the amount of the mixed solution containing the coating composition sprayed was changed to change the amount of the composition attached to the curry bread dough (equivalent to the solid content) as shown in Table 4, and evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0051]

[0052] (Test Example 4) Curry bread was produced in the same manner as in Production Examples 1-5 and 1-9. The produced curry bread was allowed to cool, then placed in a polyethylene bag and stored at 20°C for 48 hours. The texture of the curry bread after storage was evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 5.

[0053]

Claims

1. A coating composition for bakery food with breadcrumbs, for coating bakery food dough before the application of breadcrumbs, comprising one or more modified starches selected from the group consisting of oxidized starch, acid-treated starch, and heat-treated starch, wherein the oxidized starch, acid-treated starch, and heat-treated starch have the following properties (A) and (B): (A) When an aqueous suspension containing the oxidized starch, 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 oxidized starch, 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 the modified starch is made from tapioca starch or waxy corn starch.

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

5. A method for producing a breaded bakery food product, comprising: applying the coating composition for breaded bakery food products according to any one of claims 1 to 4 to the surface of bakery food dough; applying breadcrumbs to the bakery food dough to which the composition has been applied; and heating the bakery food dough to which the breadcrumbs have been applied.

6. A method for improving the quality of breaded bakery foods, comprising: applying the coating composition for breaded bakery foods according to any one of claims 1 to 4 to the surface of bakery food dough; applying breadcrumbs to the bakery food dough to which the composition has been applied; and heating the bakery food dough to which the breadcrumbs have been applied.

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

8. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the amount of the composition applied to the bakery food dough is 0.3 to 13 parts by mass in terms of solid content equivalent per 100 parts by mass of the dough.

9. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the bakery food dough to which the breadcrumbs are attached is heated by deep frying.