Method for producing container-packaged solid food, container-packaged solid food, and method for improving shape retention of container-packaged solid food

Abstract

The problem addressed by the present invention is that of providing a novel method for producing a container-packaged solid food.　The solution to the problem is a method for producing a container-packaged solid food comprising a solid edible portion and a packaging portion, said method comprising a packaging portion formation step for forming the packaging portion by packaging the solid edible portion in vacuum or deaerated packaging, the solid edible portion being produced by a method including: a filling step for filling a mould with a powder containing a lipid and a carbohydrate; and a wet heat treatment step for performing a wet heat treatment under conditions of a relative humidity of 10% or more and a temperature of 80°C or more.

Description

Method for manufacturing packaged solid food, packaged solid food, and method for improving shape retention of packaged solid food

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a packaged solid food, a packaged solid food, and a method for improving the shape retention of a packaged solid food.

[0002] Solid foods such as solid milk produced by compressing and molding powdered milk have been attracting attention in recent years (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, a known solid food molding technique is, as described in Patent Document 1, a technique in which powder is compressed and molded using a compression molding machine, and then recesses are formed at predetermined positions.

[0004] Furthermore, with regard to the molding of solid foods, Patent Document 2 describes a technique for compressing and molding powder and hardening the solid food to a hardness of 20 N or more.

[0005] Patent No. 5744963 Patent No. 6972446

[0006] In light of the above-mentioned prior art, the present inventors conducted extensive research and have now produced a solid edible portion with excellent solubility. However, the solid edible portion with excellent solubility has a problem with its shape retention. In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a unique, unconventional packaged solid food. In addition, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an object of the present invention is to provide a technology for improving the shape retention of an edible portion of a solid food with excellent solubility.

[0007] That is, the present invention, which solves the above-mentioned problems, is a method for producing a container-packaged solid food comprising a solid edible portion and a packaging portion, the method comprising a packaging portion forming step of forming the packaging portion by vacuum-packaging and / or degassing packaging the solid edible portion, wherein the solid edible portion is produced by a method including: a filling step of filling a mold with a powder containing lipids and carbohydrates; and a moist heat treatment step of performing moist heat treatment under conditions of a relative humidity of 10% or more and a temperature of 80°C or more.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the solid edible portion has a moisture content of 10% by mass or less, and the solid edible portion contains at least 5% by mass of a milk component. By adopting the above-mentioned embodiment, a unique packaged solid food product that has not been available in the past can be produced.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the filling step is a step of filling the mold without compressing the powder, and no step of compressing the powder is included between the filling step and the moist heat treatment step.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the moist heat treatment step is a step of moist heat treating the powder in a steam oven. By adopting this embodiment, the solid edible portion can be produced efficiently.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the moist heat treatment step serves both as a binding treatment for binding the powder particles on the outer surface together and as a solidification treatment for solidifying the bound powder particles by drying them. By adopting the above-described embodiment, a unique packaged solid food can be produced.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the density of the solid edible part after the moist heat treatment step is 0.6 g / cm ３ The following is the result.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the particle size distribution of the powder satisfies at least one of the following conditions (A) to (D): (A) 50% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less of particles having a particle diameter of 125 μm or more, (B) 25% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less of particles having a particle diameter of 125 μm or more and less than 250 μm, (C) 90% by mass or more of particles having a particle diameter of 75 μm or more, and (D) preferably 98% by mass or less of particles having a particle diameter of less than 425 μm.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the packaging part has gas barrier properties.

[0015] The present invention also provides a container-packaged solid food comprising a solid edible portion and a packaging portion, wherein the solid edible portion contains lipids and carbohydrates and has a grippable outer surface, and the density of the solid edible portion is 0.6 g / cm ３The present invention also provides a container-packaged solid food product, wherein the packaging portion is a member that packages the solid edible portion so as to vacuum-package and / or degass the solid edible portion. The solid edible portion in the above form has excellent solubility. Furthermore, the solid edible portion in the above form can be packaged without losing its shape when subjected to the packaging portion forming step described below.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the solid edible portion has a moisture content of 10% by mass or less, and contains at least 5% by mass of a milk component.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the solid edible portion has a hardness of 1 kgf or more and 5 kgf or less under the following hardness measurement conditions. [Hardness Measurement] Using a texture analyzer "TA.XT.plus" manufactured by Eiko Seiki Co., Ltd., a 10 mm diameter spherical plunger is inserted 5 mm into a sample measuring 1.9 cm x 1.9 cm x 2.0 cm high at room temperature at 1.0 mm / s, and the measured breaking strength is taken as the hardness. In the present invention, "room temperature" refers to a temperature in an environment of 15 to 30°C.

[0018] Furthermore, the present invention, which solves the above-mentioned problems, is a method for improving the shape retention of a solid edible part with excellent solubility, comprising: a packaging part forming step of placing the solid edible part into a packaging container; and a packaging part forming step of forming the packaging part by vacuum-packaging and / or deaeration-packaging the solid edible part, wherein the solid edible part is produced by a method including: a filling step of filling a form with a powder containing lipids and carbohydrates; and a moist heat treatment step of moist heat treating the powder after the filling step under conditions of a relative humidity of 10% or more and a temperature of 80°C or more.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment of the shape retention improving method of the present invention, the filling step is a step of filling the form with the powder without compressing it, and no step of compressing the powder is included between the filling step and the moist heat treatment step.

[0020] According to the present invention, a novel method for producing a packaged solid food can be provided.

[0021] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the particle size distribution of powder A. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the results of Test Example 1. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the results of Test Example 3. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the results of Test Example 5, a shape retention improvement test result for a test system (comparative example) for solid food C. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing solid milk after vacuum packaging (corresponding to the container-packaged solid food in the present invention).

[0022] The following describes embodiments of the present invention to aid in understanding the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the following preferred embodiments and can be freely modified within the scope of the present invention. In this specification, percentages are expressed by mass unless otherwise specified.

[0023] <Method for manufacturing a packaged solid food> The packaged solid food according to the present invention is characterized by comprising a solid edible portion and a packaging portion. Hereinafter, the manufacturing of the solid edible portion in the method for manufacturing a packaged solid food will be described in detail.

[0024] In this specification, "powder" refers to raw materials before being used to produce the solid edible portion of the present invention. In addition, in this specification, "solid edible portion" refers to a food product in a state ready for consumption by consumers after the filling process and the moist heat treatment process. In addition, in this specification, "packaging material" refers to a packaging material as a raw material before the packaging portion forming process. In addition, in this specification, "packaging portion" refers to a packaging material in a state in which the solid edible portion is vacuum-sealed after the packaging portion forming process. In addition, in this specification, "container-packaged solid food" refers to a food product in a state ready for distribution, comprising a solid edible portion and a packaging portion.

[0025] <1> Production of solid edible portion <1-1> Production method of solid edible portion The production method of the solid edible portion according to the present invention includes filling a form with powder and subjecting the powder to a moist heat treatment under specific conditions.

[0026] Hereinafter, an embodiment of each step in the method for producing a solid edible portion according to the present invention will be described in detail.

[0027] [Filling Step] The filling step is a step of filling the powder into a mold. Here, the mold in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it can be filled with powder, but it is preferably a heat-resistant material that does not deform even when subjected to the moist heat treatment described below, and is preferably made of, for example, a metal such as stainless steel, a heat-resistant plastic, or silicone. Specifically, a confectionery cutter (mold) or a mold formed into a desired shape can be used as the mold in the present invention.

[0028] First, a preferred form of the raw material (powder) before being subjected to the filling step will be shown.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the powder comprises a lipid.

[0030] The lipid content in the powder is preferably 10% by mass or more, more preferably 15% by mass or more, more preferably 20% by mass or more, more preferably 25% by mass or more, and even more preferably 26.5% by mass or more of the total powder. By using the powder in the above form, a solid edible portion with high solubility can be produced.

[0031] The lipid content in the powder is preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 45% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, more preferably 35% by mass or less, and more preferably 30% by mass or less of the total powder. By using the powder in the above form, a highly soluble solid edible portion can be produced.

[0032] Here, in the present invention, a form containing fat other than milk fat (hereinafter referred to as regulated fat) can also be used. When regulated fat is contained as lipid, the content of regulated fat in the powder is preferably 10% by mass or more, more preferably 15% by mass or more, more preferably 20% by mass or more, more preferably 25% by mass or more, and even more preferably 26% by mass or more of the total powder. By using the powder in the above form, a highly soluble solid edible portion can be produced.

[0033] Furthermore, when the lipid contains a modified fat, the content of the modified fat in the powder is preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 45% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, more preferably 35% by mass or less, and even more preferably 30% by mass or less, of the total powder. By using the powder in the above form, a highly soluble solid edible portion can be produced.

[0034] When milk fat is contained as the lipid, the milk fat content in the powder is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 3% by mass or more, more preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 10% by mass or more, more preferably 15% by mass or more, more preferably 25% by mass or more, and even more preferably 26% by mass or more of the total powder. By using the powder in the above form, a highly soluble solid edible portion can be produced.

[0035] When milk fat is contained as the lipid, the milk fat content in the powder is preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 45% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, more preferably 35% by mass or less, and even more preferably 30% by mass or less, based on the total mass of the powder. By using the powder in the above form, a highly soluble solid edible portion can be produced.

[0036] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the powder contains a sugar.

[0037] The sugar content in the powder is preferably 30% by mass or more, more preferably 35% by mass or more, more preferably 40% by mass or more, more preferably 45% by mass or more, and more preferably 50% by mass or more of the total powder. By using the powder in the above form, a solid edible portion with high solubility can be produced.

[0038] The sugar content in the powder is preferably 80% by mass or less, more preferably 75% by mass or less, more preferably 70% by mass or less, more preferably 65% ​​by mass or less, and even more preferably 60% by mass or less, of the total powder. By using the powder in the above form, a highly soluble solid edible portion can be produced.

[0039] When lactose is contained as a carbohydrate, the lactose content in the powder is preferably 30% by mass or more, more preferably 35% by mass or more, more preferably 40% by mass or more, more preferably 45% by mass or more, and more preferably 50% by mass or more of the total powder. By using the powder in the above form, a highly soluble solid edible portion can be produced.

[0040] Furthermore, when lactose is contained as a carbohydrate, the lactose content in the powder is preferably 80% by mass or less, more preferably 75% by mass or less, more preferably 70% by mass or less, more preferably 65% ​​by mass or less, more preferably 60% by mass or less, and even more preferably 55% by mass or less of the total powder. By using the powder in the above form, a solid edible portion with high solubility can be produced.

[0041] When sugars other than lactose are contained as carbohydrates, the content of sugars other than lactose in the powder is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 2% by mass or more, more preferably 3% by mass or more, and more preferably 4% by mass or more of the total powder. By using the powder in the above form, a highly soluble solid edible portion can be produced.

[0042] Furthermore, when sugars other than lactose are contained as carbohydrates, the content of sugars other than lactose in the powder is preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 7% by mass or less, and more preferably 5% by mass or less of the total powder. By using the powder in the above form, a solid edible portion with high solubility can be produced.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the powder contains protein.

[0044] The protein content of the powder is preferably 3% by mass or more, more preferably 5% by mass or more, and even more preferably 7% by mass or more of the total powder. By using the powder in the above form, a highly soluble solid edible portion can be produced.

[0045] The protein content of the powder is preferably 25% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or less, and more preferably 15% by mass or less, of the total powder. By using the powder in the above form, a highly soluble solid edible portion can be produced.

[0046] Examples of proteins that can be used in the present invention include animal proteins such as milk protein, egg protein, and collagen, and vegetable proteins such as soy protein, rice protein, and wheat protein.

[0047] In the present invention, milk proteins are particularly preferably used. Here, examples of milk protein sources that can be used include casein, casein hydrolysates, caseinates such as sodium caseinate and calcium caseinate, skim milk powder, concentrated skim milk, milk protein concentrate (MPC), whey powder, whey protein concentrate (WPC), and whey protein hydrolysates. There are no particular limitations on the type of protein, as long as it is suitable for use in foods.

[0048] Here, it is preferable that the total mass of lipids and carbohydrates in the powder accounts for the largest proportion of the total mass of the powder. By increasing the content ratio of lipids and carbohydrates in the powder, a solid edible portion with higher solubility can be produced.

[0049] The lipid and carbohydrate content in the entire powder is preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, more preferably 70% by mass or more, more preferably 75% by mass or more, more preferably 80% by mass or more, and even more preferably 83% by mass or more. By increasing the lipid and carbohydrate content in the powder, a solid edible portion with higher solubility can be produced.

[0050] The lipid and protein content of the entire powder is preferably 20% by mass or more, more preferably 30% by mass or more, and even more preferably 35% by mass or more. By increasing the lipid and protein content in the solid content of the powder, a more soluble solid edible portion can be produced.

[0051] The mass ratio of lipid to carbohydrate in the solid edible portion is preferably within the range of 1:0.5 to 1:4.0, more preferably 1:0.5 to 1:3.7, and more preferably 1:0.5 to 1:3.5. By setting the lipid to carbohydrate content ratio in the powder within the above range, a solid edible portion with higher solubility can be produced.

[0052] It is also preferable that the particle size distribution of the powder satisfies at least one of the following conditions (A) to (D):

[0053] (A) Particles having a particle size of 125 μm or more preferably account for 50% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, even more preferably 70% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 75% by mass or more. (A') Particles having a particle size of 125 μm or more preferably account for 90% by mass or less, more preferably 80% by mass or less.

[0054] (B) Particles having a particle size of 125 μm or more and less than 250 μm are preferably 25% by mass or more, more preferably 30% by mass or more, and even more preferably 40% by mass or more. (B') Particles having a particle size of 125 μm or more and less than 250 μm are preferably 60% by mass or less, more preferably 55% by mass or less, and even more preferably 50% by mass or less.

[0055] (C) Particles having a particle size of 75 μm or more account for preferably 90% by mass or more, more preferably 89% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 88% by mass or more.

[0056] (D) Particles having a particle size of less than 425 μm preferably account for 98% by mass or less, more preferably 97% by mass or less.

[0057] Here, it is preferable that the form satisfies preferably two or more, more preferably three or more, more preferably four or more, more preferably five or more, and even more preferably all of the above conditions relating to the particle size distribution of the powder.

[0058] By setting the particle size distribution of the powder within the above range, a solid edible portion with higher solubility can be produced.

[0059] The median diameter can be measured using a laser diffraction particle size distribution measuring device, such as Mastersizer 3000 manufactured by Malvern Panalytical.

[0060] The powder can be prepared by pulverizing the raw material liquid by spray drying, freeze drying, vacuum drying, or the like. Alternatively, a mixture of the powders obtained in this manner may be used. Alternatively, commercially available creaming powder or infant formula may be used. Mixing can be performed using a V-type, W-type, or drum-type mixer used in the industrial production of pharmaceuticals and foods.

[0061] Next, the filling method in the filling step will be described in detail.

[0062] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the filling step is a step of filling the mold with powder in a compact manner.

[0063] Here, "without compressing the powder" in this specification does not include the application of pressure to the entire powder using equipment such as a compressor. Specifically, in this example, after the powder is poured into a pre-prepared mold, the mold is gently vibrated to level the powder. The powder that protrudes from the top edge of the mold is then leveled by scraping. By filling the mold as described above without compressing the powder, a more soluble solid edible portion can be produced.

[0064] The loose bulk density of the powder filled in the mold is preferably 0.3 g / cm ３ More preferably, 0.35 g / cm ３ More preferably, 0.4 g / cm ３ By filling the mold with powder so as to achieve the above loose bulk density, a solid edible portion with higher solubility can be produced.

[0065] The loose bulk density of the powder filled in the mold is preferably 0.6 g / cm ３ or less, more preferably 0.55 g / cm ３ More preferably, 0.5 g / cm ３By filling the mold with powder so that the loose bulk density is as described above, a solid edible portion with higher solubility can be produced.

[0066] The volume of the formwork is preferably 3 cm ３ More preferably, 5 cm ３ More than 7cm, more preferably ３ More preferably, 10 cm ３ More preferably, 14 cm ３ The above can be used as a guideline. The volume of the formwork is preferably 30 cm ３ Less than 25cm, more preferably ３ Less than 20 cm, more preferably ３ Less than 15 cm, more preferably ３ The following can be used as a guide: By filling the above mold with powder, a solid edible portion with higher solubility can be produced.

[0067] Here, the volume of the mold can be measured using a VOLSCAN (laser), and the loose bulk density of the powder filled in the mold can be calculated based on the volume of the mold measured using a VOLSCAN VSP600 (Eiko Seiki) and the weight of the filled powder.

[0068] Furthermore, the thickness of the mold can be preferably 0.3 cm or more, more preferably 0.4 cm or more, and even more preferably 0.5 cm or more. Furthermore, the thickness of the mold can be preferably 5 cm or less, more preferably 3 cm or less, more preferably 1.5 cm or less, and even more preferably 1.1 cm or less. By filling the mold with powder, a solid edible portion with higher solubility can be produced. Furthermore, by setting the thickness of the mold below the upper limit, the electric heating efficiency of the mold itself is superior, and therefore, a solid edible portion can be produced more efficiently.

[0069] In this embodiment, the mold is formed into a rectangular or elliptical shape when viewed from above. However, there are no particular limitations on the three-dimensional shape of the mold, and it may be a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, a substantially hexagonal prism, a substantially spherical shape, or a shape that imitates the shape of a specific design such as an animal (dog, cat, etc.), a building (the Arc de Triomphe, Tokyo Dome), a vehicle (motorcycle, ship, etc.), or an everyday item (cup, dish, etc.).

[0070] The mold may be any mold that can be filled with powder, and may be, for example, a molding tool having only a side portion, with the contact surface of the mold also serving as the bottom portion. Alternatively, the mold may have both a side portion and a bottom portion.

[0071] [Moisture Heat Treatment Step] The moisture heat treatment step is a step of humidifying and heating the powder after the filling step. In the present invention, "moisture heat treatment" refers to a method of heating an object in a high-humidity atmosphere using saturated steam, superheated steam, or the like as a heat medium.

[0072] Here, the method for heating the object in a high-humidity atmosphere is not particularly limited as long as the heating temperature and relative humidity can be set, and examples include methods using devices such as a steam oven or an autoclave. Among these, the moist heat treatment step is preferably a step of moist heat treating the powder using a steam oven.

[0073] Here, the moist heat treatment in the present invention is a process that combines a binding process for binding powder particles on the outer surface together and a solidification process for solidifying the bound powder particles by drying them. That is, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is no need to perform a separate drying process in addition to the moist heat treatment process.

[0074] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a step of compressing powder is not included between the filling step and the moist heat treatment step.

[0075] More preferable conditions for the heat-moisture treatment will be described below.

[0076] The relative humidity during the moist heat treatment is preferably 10% or higher, more preferably 15% or higher, more preferably 20% or higher, and more preferably 25% or higher. By subjecting the solid edible portion to moist heat treatment under the above conditions, it is possible to produce a solid edible portion with higher solubility. Here, "relative humidity" refers to the ratio (% RH) of the amount of water vapor present in the air to the amount required to saturate the air at the same temperature, and is the value at the heating temperature during the moist heat treatment.

[0077] The relative humidity in the moist heat treatment is preferably 100% or less, more preferably 90% or less, more preferably 80% or less, more preferably 70% or less, more preferably 60% or less, more preferably 50% or less, more preferably 40% or less, and even more preferably 30% or less. By subjecting the product to moist heat treatment under the above conditions, a solid edible portion with higher solubility can be produced.

[0078] The relative humidity in the moist heat treatment is preferably 10 to 100%, more preferably 10 to 80%, more preferably 10 to 70%, more preferably 10 to 60%, more preferably 10 to 50%, more preferably 10 to 40%, and even more preferably 10 to 30%.

[0079] The heating temperature in the moist heat treatment is preferably 80° C. or higher, more preferably 90° C. or higher, more preferably 100° C. or higher, more preferably 110° C. or higher, more preferably 120° C. or higher, and more preferably 130° C. or higher. By subjecting the product to moist heat treatment under the above conditions, a solid edible portion with higher solubility can be produced.

[0080] The heating temperature in the moist heat treatment is preferably 180° C. or less, more preferably 170° C. or less, more preferably 160° C. or less, more preferably 150° C. or less, more preferably 145° C. or less, and more preferably 140° C. or less. By subjecting the product to moist heat treatment under the above conditions, a solid edible portion with higher solubility can be produced.

[0081] The treatment time in the moist heat treatment is preferably 30 seconds or more, more preferably 40 seconds or more, more preferably 50 seconds or more, and more preferably 55 seconds or more. By subjecting the solid edible portion to moist heat treatment under the above conditions, a more soluble solid edible portion can be produced.

[0082] The treatment time in the moist heat treatment is preferably 5 minutes or less, more preferably 4 minutes or less, more preferably 3 minutes or less, more preferably 2 minutes or less, and more preferably 1.5 minutes or less. By subjecting the solid edible portion to moist heat treatment under the above conditions, a more soluble solid edible portion can be produced.

[0083] Here, the degree of change in density from the powder before the moist heat treatment step to the solid edible portion after the moist heat treatment step is expressed by the following formula (1): Density change rate = (density of solid edible portion) / (loose bulk density of powder before the moist heat treatment step) (1)

[0084] The degree of change in density from the powder before the moist heat treatment step to the solid edible portion after the moist heat treatment step, as represented by the above formula (1), is preferably 0.7 or more, more preferably 0.8 or more, more preferably 0.85 or more, more preferably 0.9 or more, more preferably 0.95 or more, and even more preferably 0.97 or more. By subjecting the powder to moist heat treatment under the above conditions, a solid edible portion with higher solubility can be produced.

[0085] Furthermore, the rate of change in density from the powder before the moist heat treatment step to the solid edible portion after the moist heat treatment step, as represented by the above formula (1), is preferably 1.3 or less, more preferably 1.2 or less, more preferably 1.15 or less, more preferably 1.1 or less, and more preferably 1.05 or less. By subjecting the powder to moist heat treatment under the above conditions, a solid edible portion with higher solubility can be produced.

[0086] <1-2> Form of the solid edible portion Next, a more preferred embodiment of the solid edible portion of the present invention will be described in detail, using the above-mentioned production method as a production example.

[0087] First, a preferred embodiment of the composition of the solid edible portion of the present invention will be described.

[0088] In the present invention, the solid edible portion preferably contains lipids.

[0089] The lipid content of the solid edible portion is preferably 10% by mass or more, more preferably 15% by mass or more, more preferably 20% by mass or more, more preferably 25% by mass or more, and even more preferably 26.5% by mass or more of the entire solid edible portion. The solid edible portion in the above form has excellent solubility. Furthermore, when the solid edible portion in the above form is subjected to the packaging part formation process described below, it can be packaged without losing its shape.

[0090] The lipid content of the solid edible portion is preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 45% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, more preferably 35% by mass or less, and more preferably 30% by mass or less, based on the total weight of the solid edible portion. The solid edible portion in the above form has excellent solubility. Furthermore, the solid edible portion in the above form can be packaged without losing its shape when subjected to the packaging process described below.

[0091] When the lipid contains a modified fat, the content of the modified fat in the solid edible portion is preferably 10% by mass or more, more preferably 15% by mass or more, more preferably 20% by mass or more, more preferably 25% by mass or more, and even more preferably 26% by mass or more of the entire solid edible portion. The solid edible portion in the above form has excellent solubility. Furthermore, when the solid edible portion in the above form is subjected to the packaging part forming process described below, it can be packaged without losing its shape.

[0092] Furthermore, when the lipid contains a modified fat, the content of the modified fat in the solid edible portion is preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 45% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, more preferably 35% by mass or less, and even more preferably 30% by mass or less of the entire solid edible portion. The solid edible portion in the above form has excellent solubility. Furthermore, when the solid edible portion in the above form is subjected to the packaging part forming process described below, it can be packaged without losing its shape.

[0093] When milk fat is contained as the lipid, the milk fat content in the solid edible portion is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 3% by mass or more, more preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 10% by mass or more, more preferably 15% by mass or more, more preferably 25% by mass or more, and even more preferably 26% by mass or more of the total powder. The solid edible portion in the above form has excellent solubility. Furthermore, the solid edible portion in the above form can be packaged without losing its shape when subjected to the packaging part formation process described below.

[0094] Furthermore, when milk fat is contained as lipid, the content of milk fat in the solid edible portion is preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 45% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, more preferably 35% by mass or less, and even more preferably 30% by mass or less of the entire solid edible portion. The solid edible portion in the above form has excellent solubility. Furthermore, when the solid edible portion in the above form is subjected to the packaging part formation process described below, it can be packaged without losing its shape.

[0095] In the present invention, the solid edible portion preferably contains carbohydrates.

[0096] The carbohydrate content of the solid edible portion is preferably 30% by mass or more, more preferably 35% by mass or more, more preferably 40% by mass or more, more preferably 45% by mass or more, and more preferably 50% by mass or more of the entire solid edible portion. The solid edible portion in this form has excellent solubility. Furthermore, the solid edible portion in this form can be packaged without losing its shape when subjected to the packaging portion formation process described below.

[0097] The carbohydrate content of the solid edible portion is preferably 80% by mass or less, more preferably 75% by mass or less, more preferably 70% by mass or less, more preferably 65% ​​by mass or less, and even more preferably 60% by mass or less, based on the total mass of the solid edible portion. The solid edible portion in the above form has excellent solubility. Furthermore, the solid edible portion in the above form can be packaged without losing its shape when subjected to the packaging part formation process described below.

[0098] When lactose is contained as a carbohydrate, the lactose content in the solid edible portion is preferably 30% by mass or more, more preferably 35% by mass or more, more preferably 40% by mass or more, more preferably 45% by mass or more, and more preferably 50% by mass or more of the entire solid edible portion. The solid edible portion in this form has excellent solubility. Furthermore, the solid edible portion in this form can be packaged without losing its shape when subjected to the packaging part formation process described below.

[0099] Furthermore, when lactose is contained as a carbohydrate, the lactose content in the solid edible portion is preferably 80% by mass or less, more preferably 75% by mass or less, more preferably 70% by mass or less, more preferably 65% ​​by mass or less, more preferably 60% by mass or less, and even more preferably 55% by mass or less of the entire solid edible portion. The solid edible portion in the above form has excellent solubility. Furthermore, the solid edible portion in the above form can be packaged without losing its shape when subjected to the packaging part formation process described below.

[0100] When sugars other than lactose are contained as carbohydrates, the content of sugars other than lactose in the solid edible portion is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 2% by mass or more, more preferably 3% by mass or more, and more preferably 4% by mass or more of the entire solid edible portion. The solid edible portion in the above form has excellent solubility. Furthermore, the solid edible portion in the above form can be packaged without losing its shape when subjected to the packaging part formation process described below.

[0101] Furthermore, when sugars other than lactose are contained as carbohydrates, the content of sugars other than lactose in the solid edible portion is preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 7% by mass or less, and more preferably 5% by mass or less of the entire solid edible portion. The solid edible portion in the above form has excellent solubility. Furthermore, the solid edible portion in the above form can be packaged without losing its shape when subjected to the packaging part formation process described below.

[0102] In the present invention, the solid edible portion preferably contains protein.

[0103] The protein content of the solid edible portion is preferably 3% by mass or more, more preferably 5% by mass or more, and even more preferably 7% by mass or more of the entire solid edible portion. The solid edible portion in the above form has excellent solubility. Furthermore, the solid edible portion in the above form can be packaged without losing its shape when subjected to the packaging part formation process described below.

[0104] The protein content of the solid edible portion is preferably 25% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or less, and more preferably 15% by mass or less, of the total powder. The solid edible portion in this form has excellent solubility. Furthermore, the solid edible portion in this form can be packaged without losing its shape when subjected to the packaging process described below.

[0105] Here, the above content can be used as a reference for preferred embodiments of the protein to be used.

[0106] The water content of the solid edible portion is preferably 5% by mass or less, more preferably 4% by mass or less, and more preferably 3% by mass or less. The water content of the solid edible portion is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 1% by mass or more, and more preferably 2% by mass or more. The solid edible portion in the above form has excellent solubility. Furthermore, the solid edible portion in the above form can be packaged without losing its shape when subjected to the packaging portion formation process described below.

[0107] Here, it is preferable that the total mass of lipids and carbohydrates in the solid edible portion accounts for the largest proportion of the total mass of the solid edible portion. By increasing the content of lipids and carbohydrates in the solid edible portion, a solid edible portion with higher solubility can be provided. Furthermore, the solid edible portion in the above form can be packaged without losing its shape when subjected to the packaging part formation process described below.

[0108] The lipid and carbohydrate content in the solid edible portion is preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, more preferably 70% by mass or more, more preferably 75% by mass or more, more preferably 80% by mass or more, and even more preferably 83% by mass or more. By increasing the lipid and carbohydrate content in the solid edible portion, a more soluble solid edible portion can be provided. Furthermore, the solid edible portion in the above form can be packaged without losing its shape when subjected to the packaging portion formation process described below.

[0109] The lipid and protein content of the solid edible portion is preferably 20% by mass or more, more preferably 30% by mass or more, and even more preferably 35% by mass or more. By increasing the lipid and protein content in the solid content of the solid edible portion, a more soluble solid edible portion can be provided. Furthermore, the solid edible portion in the above form can be packaged without losing its shape when subjected to the packaging part formation process described below.

[0110] The mass ratio of lipid to carbohydrate content in the solid edible portion is preferably within the range of 1:0.5 to 1:4.0, more preferably 1:0.5 to 1:3.7, and more preferably 1:0.5 to 1:3.5.

[0111] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the water content of the solid edible portion is preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 8% by mass or less, and more preferably 6% by mass or less. By adjusting the water content of the solid content in the solid edible portion to the above-mentioned form, a solid edible portion with higher solubility can be provided. Furthermore, when the solid edible portion in the above-mentioned form is subjected to the packaging part formation process described below, it can be packaged without losing its shape.

[0112] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the milk component content of the solid edible portion is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 3% by mass or more, and more preferably 5% by mass or more. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the milk component content of the solid edible portion is preferably 100% by mass, but may be 80% by mass or less or 60% by mass or less. By setting the milk component content in the solid content of the solid edible portion to the above-described form, a solid edible portion with higher solubility can be provided. Furthermore, the solid edible portion in the above-described form can be packaged without losing its shape when subjected to the packaging portion formation process described below.

[0113] Here, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the solid edible portion is solid milk.

[0114] In a preferred embodiment of the solid edible portion of the present invention, the density of the solid edible portion is 0.6 g / cm ３ The present invention is characterized by the following:

[0115] The density of the solid edible part is preferably 0.3 g / cm ３ More preferably, 0.35 g / cm ３ More preferably, 0.4 g / cm ３ By achieving the above density, it is possible to provide a solid edible portion that has both high solubility and strength.

[0116] The density of the solid edible part is preferably 0.6 g / cm ３ or less, more preferably 0.55 g / cm ３ More preferably, 0.5 g / cm ３ By setting the density as described above, a solid edible portion with higher solubility can be provided. Furthermore, when the solid edible portion in the above form is subjected to the packaging part forming step described below, it can be packaged without losing its shape.

[0117] The volume of the solid edible portion is preferably 3 cm ３ More preferably, 5 cm ３ More than 7cm, more preferably ３ More preferably, 10 cm ３ More preferably, 14 cm ３The volume of the solid edible portion is preferably 30 cm ３ Less than 25cm, more preferably ３ Less than 20 cm, more preferably ３ Less than 15 cm, more preferably ３ The following can be used as a guideline: By using the above-mentioned form, it is possible to provide a solid edible portion that has both high solubility and strength.

[0118] Here, the volume of the solid edible portion can be measured using a VOLSCAN (laser), and the density of the solid edible portion can be calculated based on the volume measured using the VOLSCAN (laser) and the weight.

[0119] The thickness of the solid edible portion is preferably 0.5 cm or more, more preferably 1 cm or more, and even more preferably 1.5 cm or more. The thickness of the solid edible portion is preferably 5 cm or less, more preferably 3 cm or less, and even more preferably 2 cm or less. By using the above-mentioned form, it is possible to provide a solid edible portion that has both high solubility and strength.

[0120] Here, in this embodiment, the three-dimensional shape of the solid edible portion can be obtained by referring to the above-mentioned explanation regarding the shape of the container.

[0121] The solid edible portion of the present invention is characterized by having a grippable outer surface. Here, in this specification, "having a grippable outer surface" means that the entire solid edible portion has enough shape retention to be easily gripped with fingers, and the surface is formed to the extent that the solid edible portion does not clearly stick to fingers.

[0122] The solid edible portion preferably has the following characteristics regarding hardness under the following measurement conditions: [Measurement of Hardness] Using a texture analyzer "TA.XT.plus" manufactured by Eiko Seiki Co., Ltd. as the device, a spherical plunger with a diameter of 10 mm is inserted 5 mm into a sample of 1.9 cm x 1.9 cm x 2.0 cm height at room temperature at 1.0 mm / s, and the measured breaking strength is taken as the hardness.

[0123] Here, the hardness of the solid edible part at room temperature is preferably 5 kgf or less, more preferably 4.5 kgf or less, and more preferably 4 kgf or less.

[0124] The hardness of the solid edible part at room temperature is preferably 1 kgf or more, more preferably 1.5 kgf or more, more preferably 2 kgf or more, more preferably 2.5 kgf or more, more preferably 3 kgf or more, and more preferably 3.5 kgf or more. By using the above-mentioned form, it is possible to provide a solid edible part that has both high solubility and strength.

[0125] Furthermore, when the solid edible portion is dropped into hot water at 60°C to 70°C so that the solute concentration is 3% to 15% by mass, the solid edible portion dissolves in the hot water. Here, in this specification, "the solid edible portion dissolves in hot water" means that a dissolution test results in almost no residue remaining. More specifically, when 3 g to 8 g of the solid edible portion is dropped into hot water at 60°C to 70°C so that the solute concentration is 3% to 15% by mass, the dissolution residue of the solid edible portion is 0.2 g or less, preferably 0.15 g or less, and more preferably 0.1 g or less.

[0126] More specifically, the solid edible portion produced by the above production method has a dissolved residue of 0.2 g or less, more preferably 0.15 g or less, and more preferably 0.1 g or less, when measured under the following solubility measurement conditions.

[0127] [Solubility Measurement Conditions—For Solid Edible Portion Containing Adjusted Fat] 55 g (55 mL) of 70°C hot water was poured into a beaker, and 8 g of the solid edible portion was added while stirring with a stirrer to adjust the solute concentration to 13 wt %, and the mixture was stirred for 10 seconds. Immediately after 10 seconds had elapsed, the entire contents of the beaker were sedimented and the mass [g] of the dissolved residue was measured.

[0128] [Solubility Measurement Conditions - For Solid Edible Portion Containing Milk Fat] Pour 100 g (100 ml) of 60°C hot water into a beaker, add 3.5 g of the solid edible portion while stirring with a stirrer to make the solute concentration 3.5 wt%, and stir for 30 seconds. Immediately after 30 seconds have passed, pour the entire content of the beaker into a sediment and measure the mass [g] of the dissolved residue.

[0129] <2> Production of Container-Packaged Solid Food: Packaging Portion Forming Step The method for producing a container-packaged solid food of the present invention includes a packaging portion forming step of forming a packaging portion by vacuum-packaging and / or deaeration-packaging the solid edible portion.

[0130] More specifically, the packaging part forming step in this embodiment is a step of forming a packaging part by enclosing the solid edible part in the packaging material and sealing it while subjecting the interior to a vacuum or degassing treatment, or by sealing the entire packaging material in a vacuum or reduced pressure environment. This configuration allows the solid edible part and the packaging part to be in close contact with each other. Therefore, this configuration allows for the provision of a container-packaged solid food with excellent shape retention. Furthermore, this configuration allows for the provision of a container-packaged solid food with excellent shelf life.

[0131] In the present invention, the degree of vacuum within the packaging section is preferably less than 1 atmosphere.

[0132] Furthermore, the sealing means for the packaging portion in the packaging portion forming step is not particularly limited as long as it can make the packaging portion airtight, and for example, a heat sealing process can be mentioned.

[0133] Here, in the packaging part forming step, for example, a known vacuum packaging machine (for example, tabletop vacuum gas packaging machine TM-HIIIG) can be used.

[0134] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in the packaging part forming step, the inside of the packaging material does not contain any liquid other than that derived from the solid edible part.

[0135] The packaging part preferably has gas barrier properties. Examples of packaging parts having gas barrier properties include aluminum-deposited PET, aluminum-deposited films, and metal-deposited films such as silica-deposited films.

[0136] The packaging part is preferably a heat-shrinkable film. Alternatively, the packaging part may be made of a thermoplastic resin film. Examples of the thermoplastic resin film include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.

[0137] <Method for Improving Shape Retention of Solid Edible Portion> The present invention also relates to a method for improving the shape retention of a solid edible portion. In particular, the present invention is a method for improving the shape retention of a solid edible portion having excellent solubility, the method comprising a packaging portion forming step of forming a packaging portion by vacuum-packaging and / or degassing packaging the solid edible portion.

[0138] Here, the solid edible portion is characterized by being produced by a method including: a filling step of filling a form with a powder containing lipids and carbohydrates; and a moist heat treatment step of moist heat treating the powder after the filling step under conditions of a relative humidity of 10% or more and a temperature of 80°C or more.

[0139] Furthermore, the shape retention improving method of the present invention is characterized in that the filling step is a step of filling the formwork with the powder without compressing it, and no step of compressing the powder is included between the filling step and the moist heat treatment step.

[0140] Here, the above description can be applied to preferred embodiments of the method for improving the shape retention of a solid edible portion of the present invention.

[0141] The present invention will be explained in more detail below using examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0142] <Powder Preparation> Raw materials were mixed to obtain the composition shown in Table 1, and powders were prepared by a conventional method (spray drying method). The particle size distributions of the prepared Powders A and B were measured (see FIG. 1 and Table 1). Here, the particle size distribution of Powder A was measured using a sieving method (mechanical shaking method). The particle size distribution of Powder B was measured using a Mastersizer 3000 (Malvern Panalytical).

[0143]

[0144] Test Example 1: Investigation of moist heat treatment conditions Using the powder B prepared above, the moist heat treatment conditions were investigated.

[0145] (1) Test Contents Powder B was formed into a flat plate and subjected to a moist heat treatment at a temperature of 140°C under the relative humidity and heating time shown in Figure 2. The solidification state was confirmed. The results are shown in Figure 2.

[0146] (2) Results With regard to the relative humidity, as shown in Fig. 2, it was found that Powder B solidified when the relative humidity was 10% or higher. Also, as shown in Fig. 2, it was found that Powder B did not solidify when the relative humidity was 0%. With regard to the heating time, as shown in Fig. 2, it was found that Powder B solidified under any conditions as long as the relative humidity was 10% or higher.

[0147] Test Example 2: Study on density change due to moist heat treatment (1) Test details Using the powders A and B prepared above, a study on density change due to moist heat treatment was carried out.

[0148] (1-1) Filling process After the powder was poured into a rectangular parallelepiped mold prepared in advance, the mold was gently vibrated to level the powder. The powder protruding from the top edge of the mold was then leveled by scraping, so that the powder was filled into the mold without being compressed. The powder was not compressed between filling and the moist heat treatment. The loose bulk density of the powder after the filling process was calculated (see Tables 2 and 3).

[0149] (1-2) Moisture Heat Treatment Step The powder was then subjected to a moist heat treatment under the conditions shown in Tables 2 and 3. It was confirmed that the powder solidified by the moist heat treatment, forming a solid edible portion having a grippable outer surface. The density of the rectangular solid edible portion after moist heat treatment (the solid edible portion of the present invention) was calculated.

[0150] As a reference example, the density of solid food C (containing protein, lipids (adjusted fat), and carbohydrates; total amount of protein, lipids, and carbohydrates: approximately 95% by mass), which is an existing product that has been subjected to powder compression molding, was measured. The measured density of solid food C was 0.71 g / cm ３Here, the density of solid food C was calculated based on the volume measured by VOLSCAN (laser) and the weight.

[0151] (2) Results The results are shown in Tables 2 and 3.

[0152]

[0153]

[0154] (3) Discussion It was found that by filling a mold with powder and subjecting it to moist heat treatment in the above process, there is almost no change in density between the powder before the moist heat treatment process and the solid food (solid edible portion in the present invention) after the moist heat treatment process. More specifically, it was found that the density change rate (see formula (1) below) between the powder before the moist heat treatment process and the solid food (solid edible portion in the present invention) after the moist heat treatment process is 0.8 or more and 1.2 or less. Density change rate = (density of solid edible portion) / (loose bulk density of powder before the moist heat treatment process) (1).

[0155] Test Example 3: Examination of the physical properties of moist heat-treated solid food (solid edible portion in the present invention) (1) Test details Using Powder B prepared above, the physical properties of the moist heat-treated solid edible portion were examined.

[0156] (1-1) Filling Step After the powder was poured into a mold prepared in advance, the mold was gently vibrated to level the powder. Then, the powder protruding from the upper end of the mold was leveled by scraping, so that the powder was filled into the mold without being compressed. Then, the powder was not compressed between filling and the moist heat treatment.

[0157] (1-2) Moist heat treatment step The powder was then subjected to moist heat treatment under the conditions shown in Tables 4-1 and 4-2. It was confirmed that the powder was solidified by the moist heat treatment and became a solid food product (solid edible portion in the present invention) having a grippable outer surface.

[0158] (2) Results The results are shown in Tables 4-1 and 4-2, and in FIGS.

[0159]

[0160]

[0161] (3) Discussion As shown in Tables 4-1 and 4-2 and Figures 3 and 4, it was found that by filling a powder into a mold and subjecting it to moist heat treatment in the above process, solid milk (corresponding to the solid edible portion in the present invention) with excellent improved shape retention could be produced. Specifically, it was found that solid milk (corresponding to the solid edible portion in the present invention) with excellent improved shape retention could be produced by forming a process that includes a filling step in which a powder containing lipids and carbohydrates is filled into a mold, and a moist heat treatment step in which the powder after the filling step is moist heat treated under conditions of a relative humidity of 10% or more and a temperature of 80°C or more. Furthermore, it was found that solid milk (corresponding to the solid edible portion in the present invention) with excellent improved shape retention could be produced by filling the mold without compressing the powder in the filling step and by eliminating a step of compressing the powder between the filling step and the moist heat treatment step.

[0162] <Test Example 4> Investigation of the hardness of a solid food (solid edible portion in the present invention) subjected to moist heat treatment (1) Test details Using Powder B prepared above, the hardness of a solid food (solid edible portion in the present invention) subjected to moist heat treatment was investigated.

[0163] (1-1) Filling Step Powder B was poured into a mold prepared in advance, and then the mold was gently vibrated to level the powder. The powder protruding from the upper end of the mold was then leveled by scraping, so that the powder was filled into the mold without being compressed. The powder was not compressed between filling and the moist heat treatment.

[0164] (1-2) Moisture Heat Treatment Step The powder was then subjected to a moist heat treatment at a temperature of 130°C, a relative humidity of 10%, and for 1 minute. The moist heat treatment solidified the powder, and it was confirmed that the powder was a solid food (solid edible portion in the present invention) with a grippable outer surface. The hardness of the moist heat treated solid food (solid edible portion in the present invention) was then measured under the following measurement conditions. [Hardness Measurement] A texture analyzer "TA.XT.plus" manufactured by Eiko Seiki was used as the device. A spherical plunger with a diameter of 10 mm was inserted 5 mm into a sample measuring 1.9 cm x 1.9 cm x 2.0 cm high at room temperature at 1.0 mm / s, and the measured breaking strength was taken as the hardness.

[0165] Here, as a reference example, the hardness of solid food C (containing protein (adjusted fat), lipids, and carbohydrates; total amount of protein, lipids, and carbohydrates: approximately 95% by mass), which is an existing product that has been compression-molded from powder, was measured. The measured hardness of solid food C was 6 kgf or more (above the measurement limit).

[0166] (2) Results and Discussion The results are shown in Table 5.

[0167]

[0168] As shown in Table 5, it was found that filling a mold with powder and subjecting it to moist heat treatment in the above process allows the production of a solid edible portion with low hardness. Furthermore, solid foods (solid edible portions in the present invention) produced in the above process and having a hardness of a certain value or less have excellent solubility. It was also found that solid foods (solid edible portions in the present invention) in the above form can be packaged without losing their shape when subjected to the packaging portion formation process described below.

[0169] <Test Example 5> Examination of differences in solubility of solid foods (solid edible portion in the present invention) due to differences in manufacturing methods (1) Test details The difference in improved shape retention was examined between solid food B manufactured using powder B prepared as described above and solid food C (containing protein, lipids (adjusted fat), and carbohydrates; total amount of protein, lipids, and carbohydrates: approximately 95% by mass), an existing product made by compressing and molding powder.

[0170] (1-1) Production of solid food B (i) Filling step Powder A or powder B was poured into a mold prepared in advance, and then the mold was gently vibrated to level the powder. Any powder that protruded beyond the top edge of the mold was then leveled by scraping, and the powder was filled into the mold without being compressed. The powder was not compressed between filling and the moist heat treatment.

[0171] (ii) Moisture-heat treatment step The powder was then subjected to a moist heat treatment at a temperature of 130°C, a relative humidity of 30%, and for 1 minute. The moist heat treatment solidified the powder, and it was confirmed that the powder was a solid food product (the solid edible portion in the present invention) having a grippable outer surface.

[0172] (1-2) Comparative Observation Solid food A produced using powder A, solid food B produced using powder B, and solid food C (containing protein, lipids (adjusted fat), and carbohydrates; total amount of protein, lipids, and carbohydrates: approximately 95% by mass), an existing product obtained by compression molding of powder, were evaluated for improvement in shape retention under the following conditions. Here, the evaluation of improvement in shape retention was performed by visual evaluation by an evaluator who specializes in the production of solid foods (the solid edible portion in the present invention).

[0173] [Solubility measurement conditions]

[0174] (i) Solid Food A, Solid Food C: Pour 55 g (55 mL) of 70°C hot water into a beaker, add 8 g of the solid edible portion while stirring with a stirrer to make the solute concentration 13 wt%, and stir for 10 seconds. Immediately after 10 seconds, pour the entire contents of the beaker into a sediment and measure the mass [g] of the dissolved residue. After passing the liquid through the sediment, suction was continued for 1 minute.

[0175] (ii) Solid Food B Pour 100 g (100 ml) of 60°C hot water into a beaker, add 3.5 g of the solid edible portion while stirring with a stirrer to make the solute concentration 3.5 wt %, and stir for 30 seconds.

[0176] (2) Results and Discussion As a result of visual evaluation and measurement by an evaluator specializing in the production of solid foods (solid edible portions in the present invention), no dissolved residue could be visually confirmed in the test systems of solid foods A and B. Furthermore, as a result of visual evaluation and measurement by an evaluator specializing in the production of solid edible portions, solid food A was clearly superior in improving shape retention to solid food C. Specifically, dissolved residue could be visually confirmed in the test system of solid food C, whereas no dissolved residue could be visually confirmed in the test system of solid food A.

[0177] Here, for solid food A, the entire content of the beaker was sedimented immediately after 10 seconds had elapsed, and the mass [g] of the dissolved residue was measured. The dissolved residue was 0 g. On the other hand, for solid food C, the dissolved residue was 0.2 g or more (n=3, Sample No. 1: 0.33 g, Sample No. 2: 0.24 g, Sample No. 3: 0.5 g) (see Figure 5).

[0178] Test Example 6: Examination of the effect of packaging on improving shape retention Next, the effect of packaging the produced solid milk (solid edible portion in the present invention) on improving shape retention was examined.

[0179] The solid milk (solid edible portion in the present invention) produced in a hexagonal prism shape (the shape shown in FIG. 6) by moist heat treatment (conditions of the example) at a temperature of 130°C, a relative humidity of 10%, and for 1 minute was vacuum-packaged in a vacuum packaging machine (tabletop vacuum gas packaging machine TM-HIIIG, manufactured by Furukawa Seisakusho) by sealing for 2 seconds at a vacuum level of 99.9%, so that the number of pieces per bag would be 1 to 4. The solid milk (corresponding to the container-packaged solid food in the present invention) after vacuum packaging is shown in FIG. 6.

[0180] The results of this example showed that solid milk could be vacuum-packaged without losing its shape even when subjected to vacuum packaging. Furthermore, the results of this example showed that the packaged solid food produced in this example had excellent shape retention.

[0181] Furthermore, this vacuum-packaged solid milk (corresponding to the container-packaged solid food of the present invention; hereinafter, also referred to as vacuum-packaged product) was stored at a temperature of 37°C for 70 days, then opened and a flavor evaluation was performed. For comparison, solid milk produced under the same conditions as in Test Example 6 was packaged in a bag under atmospheric pressure and stored at 37°C for 70 days (atmospheric pressure packaged product). Five evaluators specializing in the production of solid foods (solid edible portion of the present invention) ate and evaluated the opened solid milk. As a result of the evaluation, all evaluators perceived a difference in the oil-like flavor between the vacuum-packaged product and the atmospheric pressure packaged product. This result suggests that the vacuum-packaged product may have more suppressed oxidation of oils and fats than the atmospheric pressure packaged product.

[0182] The present invention can be applied to the production of packaged solid foods.

Claims

1. A method for producing a packaged solid food comprising a solid edible portion and a packaging portion, the method comprising a packaging portion forming step of forming the packaging portion by vacuum-packaging and / or degassing the solid edible portion, wherein the solid edible portion is produced by a method including: a filling step of filling a mold with a powder containing lipids and carbohydrates; and a moist heat treatment step of moist heat treating the solid edible portion under conditions of a relative humidity of 10% or more and a temperature of 80°C or more.

2. The method for producing a packaged solid food according to claim 1, wherein the water content of the solid edible portion is 10% by mass or less, and the solid edible portion contains at least 5% by mass of a milk component.

3. The method for producing a packaged solid food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the filling step is a step of filling the form without compressing the powder, and no step of compressing the powder is included between the filling step and the moist heat treatment step.

4. The method for producing a packaged solid food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the moist heat treatment step is a step of moist heat treating the powder in a steam oven.

5. A method for producing a packaged solid food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the moist heat treatment process combines a binding process for binding powder particles on the outer surface together and a solidification process for solidifying the bound powder particles by drying them.

6. A method for producing a packaged solid food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the moist heat treatment step is a step of moist heat treating the powder after the filling step under conditions of a relative humidity of 10% or more and 100% or less and a temperature of 120°C or more.

7. The density of the solid edible part after the moist heat treatment step is 0.6 g / cm ３ The method for producing a packaged solid food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the method is as follows:

8. The method for producing a packaged solid food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the particle size distribution of the powder satisfies at least one of the following conditions (A) to (D): (A) particles having a particle size of 125 μm or more account for 50% by mass to 90% by mass; (B) particles having a particle size of 125 μm or more but less than 250 μm account for 25% by mass to 60% by mass; (C) particles having a particle size of 75 μm or more account for 90% by mass or more; and (D) particles having a particle size of less than 425 μm account for preferably 98% by mass or less.

9. A method for producing a container-packaged solid food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the packaging portion has gas barrier properties.

10. A container-packaged solid food comprising a solid edible portion and a packaging portion, wherein the solid edible portion contains lipids and carbohydrates, has a grippable outer surface, and has a density of 0.6 g / cm ３ The container-packaged solid food, wherein the packaging portion is a member that packages the solid edible portion so as to vacuum-package and / or deaerate-package the solid edible portion.

11. The packaged solid food according to claim 10, wherein the water content of the solid edible portion is 10% by mass or less, and the solid edible portion contains at least 5% by mass of a milk component.

12. The packaged solid food according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the solid edible portion has a hardness of 1 kgf or more and 5 kgf or less under the following hardness measurement conditions: [Measurement of hardness] Using a texture analyzer "TA.XT.plus" manufactured by Eiko Seiki Co., Ltd., a spherical plunger with a diameter of 10 mm is inserted 5 mm into a sample of 1.9 cm x 1.9 cm x 2.0 cm height at room temperature at 1.0 mm / s, and the measured breaking strength is taken as the hardness.

13. A method for improving the shape retention of a solid edible part with excellent solubility, comprising a packaging part formation step of forming a packaging part by vacuum packaging and / or degassing packaging the solid edible part, wherein the solid edible part is produced by a method including: a filling step of filling a form with a powder containing lipids and carbohydrates; and a moist heat treatment step of moist heat treating the powder after the filling step under conditions of a relative humidity of 10% or more and a temperature of 80°C or more.

14. The method for improving the shape retention of a packaged solid food according to claim 13, wherein the filling step is a step of filling the form without compressing the powder, and no step of compressing the powder is included between the filling step and the moist heat treatment step.

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