Method for manufacturing aseptic filled tofu

Abstract

Provided is a method for manufacturing aseptic filled tofu that has a long shelf life and that can be distributed at room temperature without requiring expensive container sterilization equipment or aseptic filling equipment. Provided is an aseptic tofu manufacturing container having a structure separately filled with soy milk and a coagulant. Further, provided is a manufacturing method in which retort sterilization is performed on both soy milk and coagulant in the container as a whole while keeping the soy milk and coagulant that are filled utilizing the container separate.

Description

Aseptic filling tofu manufacturing method

[0001] The present invention relates to a container for aseptically filled tofu and to a method for producing aseptically filled tofu.

[0002] Tofu has long been known as a food that allows easy intake of plant-based protein. Tofu is a processed food made by solidifying soy milk made from soybeans using a coagulant, but it has a short shelf life and requires careful freshness management. However, in recent years, products have been developed that can withstand long shelf lives and room temperature distribution by filling sterilized ingredients in containers sterilized in a sterile environment.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 3-272660

[0004] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method for producing aseptic packed tofu that does not require complex and expensive sterilization equipment.

[0005] Conventional methods for producing aseptic tofu in sealed containers, such as that described in Patent Document 1, require complex and expensive equipment, such as an aseptic tank for storing sterilized mixed soy milk and coagulant, a sterilizer for filling containers, and an aseptic chamber for the container filling process, resulting in high costs.

[0006] The aseptic filled tofu container (product container body 1) of the present disclosure is characterized in that a soy milk filling chamber 3 and a coagulant filling chamber 5 are separated by an isolating seal 6, and the isolating seal 6 is opened without opening the product container body 1, and the filled soy milk and coagulant are mixed inside the product container 1.

[0007] In the method for producing aseptic packed tofu of the present disclosure, the soy milk and coagulant packed in the container are subjected to retort sterilization together with the container.

[0008] According to the present invention, no sterilization equipment other than a retort machine is required, and no raw material filling aseptic chamber is required. Instead, aseptic tofu that has a long shelf life and can be distributed at room temperature can be produced using conventional, very common filled tofu production equipment and widely used retort sterilization equipment.

[0009] 2 is a schematic diagram of a packed tofu container according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

[0010] <Filled container body (product container body 1)> The product container body 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is a filled container for producing the aseptic tofu of Claim 1. It is made from an existing synthetic resin material, paper, aluminum foil, etc. that has a certain degree of heat resistance, thermal conductivity, rigidity, flexibility, air barrier properties, light blocking properties, etc.

[0011] The soy milk filling port 2 and the coagulant filling port 4 are provided independently and separately, and are isolated by an isolating seal 6 to prevent the filled soy milk and coagulant from mixing. Therefore, the soy milk filled in the container will not coagulate even when heated for sterilization. Unlike other strong welded sealing parts, the isolating seal 6 has a heat-sealed structure that can be peeled open with a certain amount of pressure.

[0012] <Method for Producing Filled Tofu> The method for producing aseptic filled tofu according to the claims and claim 2 of the present invention utilizes the product container body 1 shown in Figs.

[0013] 1 and 2, the soy milk filling port 2 and the coagulant filling port 4 are filled to capacity and heat sealed, and then a sterilization process with an F value of 4 or more is carried out in a retort sterilizer. This sterilizes the product container body 1, the soy milk, and the coagulant.

[0014] After the sterilization step, the product is cooled to 20°C or below, preferably to about 8°C, to avoid unintended coagulation reactions. After cooling, a compressive pressure is applied to the coagulant chamber 5 to increase the pressure inside the coagulant chamber, peeling open the isolation seal 6 and spraying the coagulant inside the coagulant filling chamber 5 into the soy milk filling chamber 3. At this time, the soy milk and coagulant are mixed without opening the product container body 1, so the sterility inside the product container body 1 is maintained.

[0015] In order to mix the soy milk and the coagulant thoroughly, it is possible to use a rotating device such as a concrete mixer to vibrate the container after peeling open the isolating seal 6 .

[0016] Through the above process, the soy milk and coagulant that were packed separately in the container are mixed together, and aseptic packed tofu is produced through the same coagulation process using heat as for regular packed tofu.

[0017] Although the above examples have been described as specific examples of forms for implementing the invention, the present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is indicated by the scope of the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of the claims.

[0018] 1 Product container body 2 Soy milk filling port (sealed and sealed after filling) 3 Soy milk filling chamber 4 Coagulant filling port (sealed and sealed after filling) 5 Coagulant filling chamber 6 Isolation seal (isolation between soy milk chamber 3 and coagulant chamber 5)

Claims

1. A method for producing aseptically filled tofu using a product container (1) characterized by a structure in which a soy milk filling chamber (3) and a coagulant filling chamber (5) are separated by an isolating seal (6), and the filled soy milk and coagulant are mixed inside the product container (1) by opening the isolating seal (6) without opening the product container body (1), the method comprising the steps of: filling soy milk through the soy milk filling port (2) of the product container (1) and filling the coagulant through the coagulant filling port (4) and sealing; sterilizing the soy milk and coagulant that have been separately filled in the product container (1) together with the product container (1) in a retort sterilizer to an F value of 4 or more; cooling the product container (1); opening the isolating seal (6) and mixing the soy milk and coagulant that have been separately filled inside the product container (1); and heating the product container (1) to coagulate.

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