Freeze-dried shio-koji and shio-koji-containing seasoning

Abstract

[Problem] To provide freeze-dried shio-koji and a freeze-dried shio-koji-containing seasoning each having crispy texture and flavor of shio-koji itself. [Solution] Granular freeze-dried shio-koji having crispy texture according to the present invention is produced by crushing a shio-koji product that is prepared by blending dietary fibers in shio-koji and then freeze-drying the resultant product so that the resultant product can contain 10 mass% or more of a granular material having a mesh size of 840 μm to 8 mm inclusive. Freeze-dried shio-koji according to the present invention, which is prepared by blending dietary fibers in a shio-koji product and then freeze-drying the resultant product and which has a salt content of 38 mass% or less and a dietary fiber content of 1.7 to 9.0 mass% inclusive after freeze-drying, is prevented from expansion / puffing during freeze-drying. Therefore, the freeze-dried shio-koji serves as solid freeze-dried shio-koji having a crunchy texture, and is made into a granular material without easily turning into a powder when crushed. By adding a powdery or granular seasoning ingredient to the granular freeze-dried shio-koji or mixing the granular freeze-dried shio-koji with an edible oil, it is possible to produce a shio-koji-containing seasoning in which the texture and good taste of the freeze-dried shio-koji are retained without deterioration.

Description

Freeze-dried salt koji and salt-containing seasonings

[0001] The present invention relates to freeze-dried salted koji and a seasoning containing freeze-dried salted koji.

[0002] Shio koji is a cloudy, thick, porridge-like condiment made by mixing rice koji, salt, and water and saccharifying the rice koji with the enzymes contained in the rice koji. It is a versatile condiment characterized by a complex flavor with a good balance of umami, sweetness, and saltiness. It can be applied thinly to the entire surface of ingredients before cooking, or rubbed into or soaked in. In addition to the sweetness and umami of the shio koji itself, the enzymes contained in it break down ingredients, bringing out their unique flavors.

[0003] Since salt koji is a fluid seasoning with a high water content, reducing the salt concentration can reduce its shelf life, and so Patent Document 1 describes powdered salt koji produced by drying and pulverizing salt koji. Commercially available powdered salt koji, like fluid salt koji, is used for pre-treating food ingredients, such as sprinkling it over meat and other foods. Meanwhile, as a soy sauce made by solidifying liquid soy sauce, in addition to powdered soy sauce and granulated soy sauce, freeze-dried soy sauce (Patent Documents 2 and 3) produced by blending soy sauce and soy sauce moromi with an excipient and freeze-drying the mixture is known as a seasoning with a crispy texture.

[0004] JP 2013-106598 A JP 2013-17424 A Japanese Patent No. 5864580 A

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a granular freeze-dried salt koji, which has conventionally been used as a pretreatment seasoning for food ingredients, that can be sprinkled on food ingredients not only before cooking but also after cooking to enjoy its taste and crispy texture.Another object of the present invention is to provide a salt koji-containing seasoning that retains the flavor and texture of the granular freeze-dried salt koji.

[0006] The present inventors have discovered that granular freeze-dried salted koji with a crispy texture can be obtained by blending dietary fiber and other ingredients into salted koji and freeze-drying it, and then crushing the resulting salted koji so that it contains a certain proportion of granular particles within a certain size range. Furthermore, the present inventors have discovered that freeze-dried salted koji with reduced foaming and swelling during freeze-drying can be obtained by blending a certain amount of dietary fiber into a salted koji raw material whose salt content has been adjusted so that the salt content after freeze-drying is a certain mass % or less, and then freeze-drying the resulting mixture.

[0007] The present invention relates to the freeze-dried salted koji described in (1) to (6) below, or the salted koji-containing seasoning described in (7) and (8). (1) Freeze-dried salted koji containing 10% by mass or more of granular material with a mesh size of 840 μm to 8 mm, and in a breaking strength measurement using a creep meter, the value B calculated under the following conditions is 10% or more for n=188. a) The load applied when pushing the plunger at a constant speed from 0 to 50% strain rate is measured at n points over time, and each load is N ｎ b) N ２ -N １ , N ３ -N ２ , ..., N ｎ -N ｎ－１ The difference between these values ​​is calculated, and the number of negative values ​​is designated as A. c) A / (n-1) x 100 = B (%) (2) Freeze-dried salt koji consisting of granular material with an opening of 350 μm or more and 840 μm or less, and in breaking strength measurement using a creep meter, the value B calculated under the following conditions is 10% or more for n = 188. a) The load applied when pushing the plunger at a constant speed from 0 to 50% strain rate is measured at n points over time, and each load is designated as N ｎ b) N ２ -N １ , N ３ -N ２ , ..., N ｎ -N ｎ－１The difference between these is calculated, and the number of negative values ​​is designated as A. c) A / (n-1) x 100 = B (%). (3) The freeze-dried salted koji according to (1) or (2) above, containing dietary fiber. (4) The freeze-dried salted koji, characterized in that the salt content after freeze-drying is 38% by mass or less and the dietary fiber content is 1.7% by mass or more and 9.0% by mass or less. (5) The freeze-dried salted koji according to (4) above, having a salt content of 24% by mass or more after freeze-drying. (6) The freeze-dried salted koji according to (4) above, containing an excipient. (7) A powdered and / or granular salted koji-containing seasoning containing the freeze-dried salted koji according to (1), (2), (4), or (5) above and seasoning ingredients. (8) A salted koji-containing seasoning containing the freeze-dried salted koji according to (1), (2), (4), or (5) above and edible oil. (9) A powdered and / or granular salt-koji-containing seasoning containing the freeze-dried salt-koji and seasoning ingredients according to any one of (1) to (5) above. (10) A salt-koji-containing seasoning containing the freeze-dried salt-koji and edible oil according to any one of (1) to (5) above.

[0008] The granular freeze-dried salt koji of the present invention provides a salt koji seasoning that can be sprinkled directly on cooked ingredients to give them a crispy texture and the enjoyable umami and flavor of salt koji. While powdered salt koji can be sprinkled on the surface of ingredients to achieve a consistent flavor, the freeze-dried salt koji of the present invention contains many granules, resulting in a strong flavor in places when sprinkled on the surface of ingredients. Furthermore, the breaking strength of the granules is adjusted so that they are appropriately crunchy in the mouth, resulting in a moderately crispy texture when eaten, resulting in a stronger flavor and umami. A solid salt koji can be provided that has a chewy texture and the flavor of salt koji itself when eaten. The granular freeze-dried salted koji of the present invention has a crispy texture and the flavor of salted koji, and can be sprinkled on various dishes or eaten as is. Furthermore, when mixed with edible oil, the freeze-dried salted koji can be inhibited from absorbing moisture or agglomerating, thereby providing a salted koji-containing seasoning that retains the texture and flavor of the freeze-dried salted koji for a long period of time.

[0009] Figure 1 shows an example of the change in load over time in breaking strength measurements using a creep meter for the granular freeze-dried salted koji of Comparative Example (Test Area 9) and Example (Test Area 11) of Example 1. The vertical axis shows load (gf), and the horizontal axis shows load measurement point n, where n=188; (a) Comparative Example, (b) Example. Figure 2 shows the relationship between salt concentration, dietary fiber concentration, and processing suitability (foaming) for the freeze-dried salted koji of Test Areas 1 to 39 of Example 2. The vertical axis shows salt concentration (% by mass), and the horizontal axis shows dietary fiber concentration (% by mass). Processing suitability is plotted with ● for no foaming, ▲ for slight foaming, and × for foaming.

[0010] The present invention relates to a granular freeze-dried salted koji obtained by freeze-drying (lyophilizing) salted koji, which has a crispy texture and the flavor of salted koji itself. In this invention, "%" means "% by mass" even if the unit is not specified, and "to" between numbers means a value that includes the numbers before and after it, meaning that it is equal to or greater than the previous number and equal to or less than the subsequent number.

[0011] Shio koji is produced by fermenting and aging a mixture of rice koji, salt, and water while stirring appropriately. The rice koji used in producing shio koji can be produced by a conventional rice koji production method or commercially available. For example, seed koji is sprinkled on steamed rice and cultured at 25 to 40°C for 2 to 4 days to allow the koji mold to grow. There are no particular restrictions on the rice used to produce rice koji, and the seed koji is also not particularly limited as long as it is one used in conventional koji production. Examples include species of the Aspergillus genus such as Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus sojae. Preferred koji molds are those with high productivity of starch and protein digestive enzymes.

[0012] Shio-koji is produced, for example, by adding 20 to 50 parts by weight of salt per 100 parts by weight of rice koji, mixing, adding 100 to 200 parts by weight of water or hot water, and fermenting, preferably at around 25°C, for approximately 7 to 14 days. Mixing once per day during fermentation ensures uniform fermentation and produces a savory shio-koji. Shio-koji can be easily produced at home; for example, rice koji and approximately 30 to 40% by weight of salt are placed in a container, water is added so that the rice koji is completely submerged, and the mixture is allowed to mature and ferment at room temperature. By stirring approximately once per day during maturation, the mixture is ready in approximately one week to ten days. Once completed, it can be stored in a refrigerator for several months. An even simpler method for producing shio-koji is to ferment it at approximately 55 to 60°C for approximately 6 to 12 hours using a yogurt maker or similar device, which also produces shio-koji.

[0013] The shio koji used in the present invention, which is crushed to contain a certain proportion of granular particles within a predetermined size range, can be any type, such as commercially available or home-made, but it is preferable to select a raw shio koji that will result in a salt content of about 40% by mass or less after freeze-drying. The dietary fiber content of the freeze-dried shio koji of the present invention is preferably 1 to 10% by mass. If the dietary fiber content is low, the koji is likely to foam during freeze-drying and become powdery when crushed after freeze-drying, making it difficult to produce a freeze-dried shio koji with a crispy texture. If the dietary fiber content is too high, the koji is likely to foam during freeze-drying and may weaken the original flavor and umami of the shio koji.

[0014] Furthermore, in the present invention, in an embodiment in which the salt content and dietary fiber content after freeze-drying are adjusted to a predetermined range, the salt content contained in the freeze-dried salted koji is 38% by mass or less, preferably 36% by mass or less, and preferably 24% by mass or more. If the salt content after freeze-drying exceeds 38% by mass, the addition of dietary fiber does not suppress foaming and swelling during freeze-drying, and therefore a chewy texture cannot be obtained. Furthermore, if the salt content after freeze-drying is less than 24% by mass, the original flavor and umami of the salted koji may be weakened depending on the amount of dietary fiber added. In this case, the dietary fiber content contained in the freeze-dried salted koji is 1.7% by mass or more and 9.0% by mass or less. If the dietary fiber content after freeze-drying is less than 1.7% by mass, foaming and swelling during freeze-drying is not sufficiently suppressed, resulting in a brittle texture, making it difficult to obtain freeze-dried salted koji with a chewy texture. On the other hand, if the dietary fiber content after freeze-drying exceeds 9.0% by mass, the product is likely to foam during freeze-drying, and the inherent flavor and umami of the salted koji will be weakened.

[0015] The term "dietary fiber" as used herein refers to carbohydrates that are indigestible or difficult to digest by human digestive enzymes. In addition to dietary fiber derived from shio koji, the dietary fiber may be any of soluble dietary fiber, insoluble dietary fiber, or a combination thereof, which are used as raw materials for freeze-dried shio koji. Examples of soluble dietary fiber include indigestible dextrin, pectin, guar gum, guar gum hydrolysate, agarose, glucomannan, polydextrose, alginic acid and its salts, β-glucan, inulin, carrageenan, agar, fucoidan, and derivatives thereof. Examples of insoluble dietary fiber include insoluble glucomannan, chitin, chitosan, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, etc.

[0016] The freeze-dried shio koji of the present invention may also contain an excipient to ensure freeze-drying. Examples of excipients that can be used include, but are not limited to, various starches, dextrins, and gelatins. The use of an excipient imparts viscosity to the shio koji mixture before freeze-drying, making it easier to fill into a freeze-drying container. When viscous dietary fiber is used, freeze-drying can be performed without using an excipient or with a small amount of an excipient. Furthermore, while an excipient can reduce the dietary fiber content, using a large amount of excipient reduces the flavor of the granular freeze-dried shio koji. Therefore, the content of excipient after freeze-drying is preferably 25% by mass or less, and the use of an excipient further reinforces the solid state of the freeze-dried shio koji.

[0017] The freeze-dried salted koji of the present invention may also be a freeze-dried mixture of salted koji, dietary fiber, excipients, and seasonings such as sugar, salt, vinegar, miso, monosodium glutamate, monosodium inosinate, etc. This allows for the production of freeze-dried salted koji with a flavor suited to the intended use.

[0018] The method for producing freeze-dried shio koji is similar to the conventional method of freeze-drying a mixture of raw materials. Freeze-drying is also known as freeze-drying, and involves, for example, rapidly freezing the mixture at approximately -40°C, then reducing the pressure to sublimate the water in a vacuum and drying it. The freeze-dried shio koji of the present invention is produced by mixing shio koji and dietary fiber to form a mixture and freeze-drying this mixture. For example, shio koji and dietary fiber, or excipients as needed, are placed in a container and mixed uniformly. If necessary, the above-mentioned seasonings may be added and mixed. The mixed mixture is heated, if necessary, and then freeze-dried. There are no limitations on the equipment used for freeze-drying or the production conditions. A freeze-dried product can be obtained by freeze-drying the mixture until the water content is, for example, approximately 5% by mass or less.

[0019] The freeze-dried salt koji of the present invention, in which the salt content and dietary fiber content after freeze-drying are adjusted to a predetermined range, contains a water content of 5% by mass or less, has a chewy texture, and is convenient for long-term storage and transportation.If necessary, it can then be crushed to a predetermined size or used as an ingredient in other seasonings or foods.

[0020] In the present invention, in which the freeze-dried salted koji is crushed to contain a certain proportion of granular particles within a predetermined size range, the particle size of the freeze-dried salted koji is preferably 840 μm or more and 8 mm or less in size, and the freeze-dried salted koji is crushed to contain 10% by mass or more of particles of this particle size, or the crushed and classified product is mixed. If the particle size of the freeze-dried salted koji is larger than 8 mm, the particles may be too large and the texture may be poor, while if the particle size is less than 840 μm, the texture will be fine and rough. A general crusher can be used.

[0021] The granular material obtained by crushing is placed on a mesh sieve with an opening of 840 μm or 8 mm and vibrated. Freeze-dried salt koji that passes through the 8 mm opening sieve is referred to as "8 mm or less" or "8 mm pass", and freeze-dried salt koji that does not pass through the 8 mm opening sieve and remains on the sieve is referred to as "8 mm or more" or "8 mm on". The same applies to other openings. An opening of 840 μm or more and 8 mm or less is synonymous with 840 μm on 8 mm pass.

[0022] The crushed freeze-dried salted koji is placed on mesh sieves with openings of 350 μm, 840 μm, and 1.7 mm, respectively, and vibrated to separate the particles by particle size into those that pass through each sieve and those that do not pass through. The freeze-dried salted koji of the present invention, which has 10% by mass of particles with openings of 840 μm to 8 mm, has a particle size distribution of, for example, 30.7% by mass (hereinafter, mass % is omitted), 19.5, 10.8, 39.0, or 22.5, 13.2, 8.2, and 56.2 for 350 μm pass, 350 μm on 840 μm pass, 840 μm on 1.7 mm pass, and 1.7 mm on. On the other hand, commercially available salt koji powder has a particle size distribution of, for example, 96.6, 3.4, 0.0, 0.0 or 90.5, 4.4, 3.5, 1.6 (see test plots 1 and 2 in Table 1).

[0023] Furthermore, the freeze-dried salt koji made from granular material with openings of 350 μm to 840 μm obtained by this classification is fine and slightly rough, but has no variation in particle size, so it has a crispy texture overall and can be used as a crispy substitute for salt.

[0024] The granular freeze-dried salt koji of the present invention, which is crushed so as to contain a certain proportion or more of granular particles within a predetermined size range, preferably has a breaking strength of 10% or more when the value B calculated under the following conditions is measured using a creep meter: a) The load applied when pushing the plunger at a constant speed from 0 to 50% strain is measured at n points over time, and each load is expressed as N ｎ b) N2-N １ , N3-N ２ , ..., N ｎ -N ｎ-1 The difference between these values ​​is calculated, and the number of negative values ​​is designated as A. c) A / (n-1) x 100 = B (%) For all n plots obtained by applying a load, the difference from the previous plot value (the difference between the nth value and the (n-1)th value) is calculated. Number of negative difference values ​​ / total number x 100 = percentage (%) of negative difference. It was found that if this value B is 10% or more, the product will have a crispy texture.

[0025] To measure breaking strength using a creep meter, freeze-dried shio koji is poured level into a 20 ml container and placed in the creep meter. A circular plunger with a diameter of 12 mm is used to press the container down to 50% of its thickness (7.5 mm) at 60 mm / min, and the load is measured every 0.04 seconds. An example of the measurement results is shown in Figure 1. Value B represents the percentage of the jagged, downward-sloping portion of the waveform shown in the lower part of Figure 1. If the number of times that no load is applied since the previous measurement point is 1 / 10 or more, the product is perceived as being crispy.

[0026] The granular freeze-dried salted koji of the present invention obtained in this way is a granular product in which the umami components contained in salted koji are attached to dietary fiber and excipients, and contains 5% or less water by mass, giving it a crispy texture and making it convenient for long-term storage and transportation. This freeze-dried salted koji retains the flavor and umami inherent to salted koji and can be used as a salt substitute as is, so it can be eaten as is or used as a seasoning in various dishes. Furthermore, the freeze-dried salted koji can also be mixed with edible oil to produce a liquid salted koji-containing seasoning.

[0027] The liquid salt-koji-containing seasoning of the present invention is prepared by adding the granular freeze-dried salt-koji of the present invention to edible oil, and further adding various ingredients and seasoning components as needed. The granular freeze-dried salt-koji contained in the salt-koji-containing seasoning of the present invention is preferably 1 to 35% by mass, more preferably 5 to 30% by mass. The crispy texture of the freeze-dried salt-koji can be maintained even when the freeze-dried salt-koji is mixed with edible oil. If the granular freeze-dried salt-koji is 40% by mass or more of the salt-koji-containing seasoning, the fluidity of the seasoning will be poor, which may make it difficult to homogeneously mix the granular freeze-dried salt-koji with the ingredients and various seasoning components described below during production.

[0028] The ingredients are not particularly limited as long as they make the salt-koji-containing seasoning feel crispier, and examples thereof include nuts, dried vegetables and processed products thereof, dried fruits and processed products thereof, beans, etc. Seasoning ingredients include sugars such as sugar, liquid sugar, glucose, brown sugar, and starch syrup, soy sauce, salt, miso paste, brewed vinegar, spices, yeast extract, meat, seafood, vegetable, or fruit extracts and seasonings, alcoholic seasonings such as mirin, sake, wine, and ethanol, and citrus juices such as yuzu and kabosu, but are not limited to these, and various seasoning ingredients can be blended depending on the salt-koji-containing seasoning.

[0029] The edible oil used in the present invention is an edible oil that is liquid at room temperature. Examples of edible oils that can be used include vegetable oils such as rice oil, cottonseed oil, corn germ oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, and rapeseed oil, as well as salad oils made from these vegetable oils. Flavored oils obtained by transferring flavor components and pigments contained in spices and aromatic vegetables to vegetable oils can also be used. Only one of these edible oils can be selected, or a mixture of two or more of them can be used.

[0030] Furthermore, the liquid salt-koji-containing seasoning of the present invention may contain water, preferably 5% by mass or less. When no water is added to the salt-koji-containing seasoning, the freeze-dried salt-koji has a crunchy and relatively heavy texture, but when water is added to the salt-koji-containing seasoning, the freeze-dried salt-koji absorbs water and appears to dissolve slightly. By adding water in this way, the properties of the freeze-dried salt-koji can be changed, and the texture can be altered.

[0031] The granular freeze-dried salted koji of the present invention can be used as a substitute for salt as it is, and when sprinkled on meat instead of salt, the freeze-dried salted koji provides a crispy texture when biting into the meat and a strong salty taste in that area, resulting in a satisfying taste and reduced salt intake. The salt concentration of the freeze-dried salted koji obtained in Example 1 was about 30%, and the salt content of the freeze-dried salted koji obtained in Example 2 was 24% to 38%.

[0032] The powdered and / or granular salt-koji-containing seasoning of the present invention contains freeze-dried salt-koji and seasoning ingredients. The seasoning ingredients include powdered and granular types of the seasoning ingredients described above, such as fried garlic, fried onion, pepper, and dried mixed herbs, and are mixed to produce a powdered and / or granular freeze-dried salt-koji-containing seasoning (seasoning seasoning, etc.). In this case, the content of freeze-dried salt-koji is not particularly specified. While commercially available seasoning salts have a wide range of salt concentrations, from 30 to 88%, seasoning seasonings containing the freeze-dried salt-koji of the present invention have a salt concentration of up to 30%, depending on the blend, and are therefore expected to have a salt-reducing effect.

[0033] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In the examples, "%" simply means "% by mass."

[0034] [Preparation of Shio Koji] 300 g of dried rice koji (Masuya Miso Co., Ltd.), 90 g of salt, and 450 g of water were mixed, covered with plastic wrap to prevent evaporation, and fermented in a water bath for 9.5 hours while adjusting the product temperature to around 58° C. The enzymes in the finished Shio Koji were inactivated at a temperature of 80° C. to prevent decomposition of the starch, a raw material described below.

[0035] [Preparation of freeze-dried shio koji] 305 g of the shio koji, 24 g of salt, 1.95 g of dietary fiber (Fibersol 2: indigestible dextrin, Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), and 30.5 g of potato starch (Kawahikari Bussan Co., Ltd.) were mixed and heated to a homogenous state, and then packed into a plastic tray. The mixture was completely frozen at -40°C, the atmosphere was reduced to 0.1 Torr, and then shelf-heated to a degree that did not dissolve the contents, followed by freeze-drying for thorough drying. The thoroughly dried freeze-dried shio koji was coarsely crushed using a metal tool and passed through an 8 mm mesh. The entire mixture was then classified through 5.66 mm, 3.66 mm, 1.7 mm, 840 μm, and 350 μm meshes. The classified test plots 3 to 8 and the classified and mixed test plots 9 to 14 were used for sensory evaluation and physical property measurements using a creep meter. Furthermore, any one of test plots 6 to 9 was mixed with test plot 3 to prepare test plots 15 to 22.

[0036] [Sensory evaluation] The crispness of each of test plots 3 to 22 (homemade products) and test plots 1 and 2 (commercially available products) was evaluated by three analytical panelists (trained for more than one year) on a three-point scale. The evaluation criteria were as follows: a crispy, good texture was given a score of 3, a slightly crispy texture was given a score of 2, and no crispness was given a score of 1. The results of the evaluation by the three panelists were all consistent.

[0037] [Measurement of physical properties using a creep meter] A RHEONER II CREEP METER RE2-33005 (Yamadensha) was used as the creep meter. Each test section was filled to the level in a stainless steel container with a diameter of approximately 40 mm and a height of approximately 15 mm, and the sample was pressed down to 50% (7.5 mm) of the sample thickness with a circular plunger with a diameter of 12 mm at a speed of 60 mm / min. The load during pressing was measured every 0.04 seconds over time, and 188 measurement points were obtained. Each load was N ｎ (n=1 to 188), and N ２ -N １ , N ３ -N ２ ,...,N ｎ＋１― N ｎ , ..., N １８８― N １８７ The number of negative values ​​(A) was calculated and applied to the following formula: A / (188-1) x 100 = B (%)

[0038] The particle size distribution, sensory evaluation, and B value measured by a creep meter for test plots 1 to 22 are shown in Table 1.

[0039] [Results] Test plots 1 to 3 and test plots 9, 15, 19, and 21 are comparative examples, while test plots 4 to 8, test plots 10 to 14, 16 to 18, 20, and 22 are examples. The commercially available product "Shio Koji Powder" (Natural Life Co., Ltd.) (Test plot 1) had no crispness at all. The commercially available product "Shio Koji Powder" (Marukome Co., Ltd.) (Test plot 2) also had a powdery texture with no crispness. The 350 μm pass product (Test plot 3) also had no crispness at all, but the 350 μm and 840 μm pass product (Test plot 4) had a slightly crispy texture, and the 840 μm and 1.7 mm pass product (Test plot 5) had a crispy texture, and all of the larger test plots 6 to 8 had a crispy texture.

[0040] A mixture of 840 μm on 1.7 mm pass (Test Area 5), ​​which had a crispy texture, and a 350 μm pass product (Test Area 3), which did not have a crispy texture, was used. Sensory evaluation was performed on 840 μm on 1.7 mm pass samples at 5% (Test Area 9), 10% (Test Area 10), 12.5% ​​(Test Area 11), 20% (Test Area 12), 30% (Test Area 13), and 40% (Test Area 14). 5% (Test Area 9) did not have a crispy texture, 10% (Test Area 10) had a slightly crispy texture, and 12.5% ​​or more (Test Areas 11-14) had a crispy texture. From the above, in order to obtain freeze-dried salt koji with a crispy texture, it is necessary to contain 10% or more of 840 μm particles.

[0041] In addition, a crispy texture was observed in either one of the test areas of 1.7mm on 3.66mm pass (test area 6), 3.66mm on 5.66mm pass (test area 7), and 5.66mm on 8mm pass (test area 8), and a 350μm pass product (test area 3) in which a crispy texture was not observed was mixed, and 1.7mm on 3.66mm pass was 5% (test area 15), 10% (test area 16), 20% (test area 17), and 30% (test area 18) were prepared as test areas 15-18. Similarly, 3.66mm on 5.66mm pass was 5% (test area 19), 10% (test area 20), and 5.66mm on 8mm pass was 5% (test area 21), 10% (test area 22) to prepare test areas 19-22, and sensory evaluation of test areas 15-22 was performed. In all cases, 5% (test plots 15, 19, 21) did not produce a crispy texture, while 10% (test plots 16, 20, 22) and 20% and 30% (test plots 17, 18) produced a crispy texture. From the above, it can be seen that freeze-dried shio koji with a crispy texture needs to contain 10% or more of 840 μm particles.

[0042] Furthermore, when the physical properties of each test group were measured using the method described above, a crispy texture was felt when the B value was 10% or higher. From the above, freeze-dried salted koji with a crispy texture needs to have a B value of 10% or higher, which is obtained from the physical properties described above. The salt concentration of the freeze-dried salted koji obtained in the example was 30%. When this was sprinkled on meat instead of salt, the crispy texture and a strong salty taste could be felt only in that area when chewing the freeze-dried salted koji, so the taste was not unsatisfactory and salt could be reduced as a result.

[0043] [Salt-Koji-Containing Seasoning] Sterilized 110 ml bottles were filled with 25, 30, and 35% of the freeze-dried salt-koji from Test Plot 5 or Test Plot 6, respectively, and the remainder was filled with salad oil. The bottles were then capped to prepare six salt-koji-containing seasonings. These were stored in a dark place. The seasonings were removed from the bottles on day 0 and after six months of storage, and a sensory evaluation was performed. As a result, it was confirmed that no moisture absorption or aggregation occurred in any of the test plots after six months, and the texture and taste of the freeze-dried salt-koji were equivalent to those before storage.

[0044] [Seasoning containing powdered and / or granular salt koji] A mixture of 85% freeze-dried salt koji, 5% fried garlic, 5% fried onion, 4% dried mixed herbs, and 1% pepper was prepared and sprinkled on the same meat in the same way as salt alone. When biting into the freeze-dried salt koji, a crispy texture was achieved and a strong salty taste could be felt in that area, allowing the meat to be eaten without feeling unsatisfied with the flavor.

[0045] [Investigation of Suitable Dietary Fiber Content and Salt Content After Freeze-Drying] The "salt koji" used in Example 2 was the commercially available product "Plus Koji Nama Shio Koji" (Marukome Co., Ltd.). Because there was a risk that the enzymes contained in the salt koji might decompose starch, the enzymes were inactivated by heating to 80°C. To the inactivated salt koji, salt, dietary fiber (Fibersol 2, indigestible dextrin, Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), water, and potato starch (Kawahikari Bussan Co., Ltd.) as an excipient were added and mixed in the amounts shown in Table 2 below. After heating to 80°C and homogenizing, the mixture was filled into a plastic tray and completely frozen at -40°C. The atmosphere was then reduced to 0.1 Torr, followed by shelf heating to a degree that did not dissolve the contents, and the mixture was thoroughly dried by freeze-drying.

[0046]

[0047] The freeze-dried product was observed to evaluate its suitability for processing. Products that showed almost no expansion in volume and had a chewy texture and the flavor of salted koji when crushed and eaten were classified as "non-foaming." Products that showed a slight expansion in volume but had the same chewy texture and flavor of salted koji when crushed and eaten were classified as "slightly foaming." Products that showed a large expansion in volume with bubbles expanding were classified as "foaming." The salt concentration and dietary fiber concentration of each test group were also calculated. A summary is shown in Table 3.

[0048]

[0049] The results in Table 3 are plotted in Figure 2, showing the relationship between salt concentration, dietary fiber concentration, and processing suitability (foaming). The plot is marked with a black circle (●) for no foaming, a black triangle (▲) for slight foaming, and an x ​​for foaming. These results confirm that good processing suitability is achieved with a salt concentration of 38% or less and a dietary fiber range of 1.7-9.0%. The freeze-dried salted koji samples obtained by crushing and classifying each test section after freeze-drying (840 μm mesh on, 1.7 mm mesh pass) were eaten. The foaming test sections in all cases were brittle due to insufficient suppression of foaming and swelling during freeze-drying, and the samples quickly dissolved in the mouth. On the other hand, the foaming and slight foaming test sections in all cases were chewy and had the flavor of salted koji.

[0050] [Study on types of dietary fiber] Different types of dietary fiber were blended to prepare freeze-dried salted koji in the same manner as above (Table 4). Cellulose was manufactured by Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd., pectin preparation "Homemade Pectin" manufactured by Kyoritsu Foods Co., Ltd., and guar gum was manufactured by MP Gokyo Food & Chemical Co., Ltd. Each was designed to have a dietary fiber content of 2% and salt content of 30% when freeze-dried (Table 4). The freeze-dried finished product was observed to evaluate its suitability for processing. As with test group 12, no foaming was observed in either case, and the processability was good.

[0051]

[0052] [Investigation of the minimum salt content after freeze-drying] Freeze-dried shio koji that showed good results in terms of processing suitability was roughly crushed using a metal tool and passed through an 8 mm mesh. The taste of the resulting freeze-dried coarsely crushed material was evaluated. The evaluation criterion was whether the flavor was strong enough to stand out against the ingredients when sprinkled on lettuce (Table 5). As a result, a salt concentration of 24% or higher resulted in a strong flavor that was strong enough to stand out against the ingredients.

[0053]

[0054] [Study on the presence or absence of excipient (starch)] Freeze-dried shio koji was prepared in the same manner as above, but without starch, using different types of dietary fiber (Table 6). Test plots were prepared using guar gum (test plots 44-47), agar (test plots 48-51), and mannan (test plot 52) ​​as dietary fiber, but without starch. The guar gum was manufactured by MP Gokyo Food & Chemical Co., Ltd., the agar was manufactured by Ina Food Industry Co., Ltd., and the mannan was manufactured by Shimizu Chemical Co., Ltd. The freeze-dried product was observed to evaluate its processing suitability. The results showed that freeze-dried shio koji with good processing suitability (non-foaming) could be obtained even in the test plots without starch by adjusting the salt and dietary fiber content after freeze-drying to the specified ranges.

[0055]

[0056] [Seasoning containing powdered and / or granular salt koji] A mixture of 85% freeze-dried salt koji (840 μm mesh on, 5.66 mm mesh pass) of test area 12, 5% fried garlic, 5% fried onion, 4% dried mixed herbs, and 1% pepper was prepared and sprinkled on meat, which could be eaten without feeling unsatisfied with the flavor.

[0057] [Salt-Koji-Containing Seasoning] Sterilized 110 ml bottles were filled with 25, 30, and 35% of the freeze-dried salt koji (840 μm mesh on, 5.66 mm mesh pass) from test area 12 or test area 44, respectively, and the remainder was filled with salad oil. The bottles were then covered with lids to prepare six salt-koji-containing seasonings. These were stored in a dark place. The seasonings were removed from the bottles on day 0 and after 6 months of storage and subjected to sensory evaluation. As a result, it was confirmed that no moisture absorption or aggregation occurred in any of the test areas after 6 months, and the texture and taste of the freeze-dried salt koji were equivalent to those before storage.

Claims

1. Freeze-dried salt koji containing 10% or more by mass of granular material with an opening of 840 μm or more and 8 mm or less, and in a breaking strength measurement using a creep meter, the value B calculated under the following conditions is 10% or more at n = 188. a) The load applied when pushing the plunger at a constant speed from 0 to 50% strain rate is measured at n points over time, and each load is N ｎ b) N ２ -N １ , N ３ -N ２ , ..., N ｎ -N ｎ－１ Calculate the difference between these two values, and let the number of negative values ​​be A. c) A / (n-1) x 100 = B (%) 2. Freeze-dried salt koji consisting of granular material with an opening size of 350 μm to 840 μm, and in a creep meter test, the value B calculated under the following conditions is 10% or more for n = 188. a) The load applied when the plunger is pressed in at a constant speed from 0 to 50% strain is measured at n points over time, and each load is N ｎ b) N ２ -N １ , N ３ -N ２ , ..., N ｎ -N ｎ－１ The difference between these is calculated, and the number of negative values ​​is defined as A. c) A / (n-1) x 100 = B (%).

3. The freeze-dried salt koji according to claim 1 or 2, which contains dietary fiber.

4. Freeze-dried salt koji characterized in that the salt content after freeze-drying is 38% by mass or less and the dietary fiber content is 1.7% by mass or more and 9.0% by mass or less.

5. The freeze-dried salt koji according to claim 4, having a salt content of 24% by mass or more after freeze-drying.

6. The freeze-dried salt koji according to claim 4, which contains an excipient.

7. A powdered and / or granular salt koji-containing seasoning containing the freeze-dried salt koji according to claim 1, 2, 4 or 5 and a seasoning ingredient.

8. A salt koji-containing seasoning containing the freeze-dried salt koji according to claim 1, 2, 4 or 5 and edible oil.

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