Puffed composition

Abstract

Provided is a puffed composition that excels in crispiness of texture and in melting in the mouth. The puffed composition satisfies all of (1) to (4): (1) having a dietary fiber content of 6.0 mass% or greater; (2) having a starch content of 10.0 mass% or greater; (3) having a starch gelatinization degree of 30 mass% or greater; and (4) having a dry-basis water content of 20.0 mass% or less.

Description

Puffing composition

[0001] The present invention relates to a puffing composition and the like.

[0002] Puffed compositions containing starch have been widely used in confectioneries and other foods. Various puffed compositions with different textures have been proposed to meet diverse tastes. One such puffed composition is a puffed composition obtained by heat-treating dried pasta in oil (so-called fried pasta). This type of puffed composition has a crispy texture and is considered suitable for eating with alcoholic beverages, for example.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-159546

[0004] When dried wheat flour pasta is directly heat-treated in oil, the resulting puffed composition has a certain degree of crispy texture, but does not melt in the mouth when eaten. On the other hand, when dried wheat flour pasta is boiled and then heat-treated in oil, the resulting puffed composition has excellent melt-in-the-mouth texture, but does not melt in the mouth in an adequate manner. Patent Document 1 proposes rice flour pasta, but when dried rice flour pasta is directly heat-treated in oil, the resulting puffed composition has a certain degree of crispy texture, but does not melt in the mouth when eaten in an adequate manner.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a puffed composition that has a crispy chewing texture and melts in the mouth.

[0006] The present inventors have conducted extensive research in light of the above-mentioned problems and have found that the above-mentioned problems can be solved by a puffed composition that satisfies all of the following requirements (1) to (4): (1) a dietary fiber content of 6.0% by mass or more, (2) a starch content of 10.0% by mass or more, (3) a starch gelatinization degree of 30% by mass or more, and (4) a dry weight moisture content of 20.0% by mass or less. Based on this finding, the present inventors have conducted further research and have completed the present invention. That is, the present invention encompasses the following aspects.

[0007] Item 1. The following (1) to (4): (1) The dietary fiber content is 6.0% by mass or more, or 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, or 10.0% by mass or more, or 11.0% by mass or more, particularly 12.0% by mass or more, and also, for example, 40.0% by mass or less, or 30.0% by mass or less, or 25.0% by mass or less, or 20.0% by mass or less, the range being, for example, 6.0% by mass or more and 40.0% by mass or less; (2) The starch content is 10.0% by mass or more, or 15.0% by mass or more, or 20.0% by mass or more, or 25.0% by mass or more, or 30.0% by mass or more, or 35.0% by mass or more, or 40.0% by mass or more, or 45.0% by mass or more, particularly 50.0% by mass or more, and for example, 80.0% by mass or less, or 75.0% by mass or less, or 70.0% by mass or less, the range being, for example, 10.0% by mass or more and 80.0% by mass or less; (3) The starch gelatinization degree is 30% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, particularly 90% by mass or more, and for example, 100% by mass or less, the range being, for example, 30% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less; (4) The moisture content on a dry basis is 20.0% by mass or less, or 19.0% by mass or less, or 18.0% by mass or less, or 17.0% by mass or less, or 16.0% by mass or less, or 15.0% by mass or less, or 14.0% by mass or less, or 13.0% by mass or less, or 12.0% by mass or less, or 11.0% by mass or less, or 10.0% by mass or less, or 9.0% by mass or less, or 8.0% by mass or less, or 7.0% by mass or less, or 6.0% by mass or less, or 5.0% by mass or less, or 4.0% by mass or less, or 3.0% by mass or less, particularly 2.3% by mass or less. % by mass or less, or, for example, 0.01% by mass or more, or 0.1% by mass or more, or 0.2% by mass or more, or 0.3% by mass or more, or 0.4% by mass or more, or 0.5% by mass or more, or 0.6% by mass or more, or 0.7% by mass or more, or 0.8% by mass or more, or 0.9% by mass or more, or 1.0% by mass or more, or 1.1% by mass or more, or 1.2% by mass or more, or 1.3% by mass or more, or 1.4% by mass or more, or 1.5% by mass or more, the range being, for example, 0.01% by mass or more to 20.0% by mass or less.Item 2. The puffed composition according to Item 1, having a protein content of 10.0% by mass or more, or 11.0% by mass or more, or 12.0% by mass or more, or 13.0% by mass or more, or 14.0% by mass or more, or 15.0% by mass or more, or 16.0% by mass or more, or 17.0% by mass or more, or 18.0% by mass or more, or 19.0% by mass or more, or 20.0% by mass or more, and also, for example, 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less, for example, in the range of 10.0% by mass or more to 40% by mass or less. Item 3. The puffed composition according to Item 1, having the following (a) and / or (b): (a) When a 6% by mass suspension of a pulverized product of the puffed composition is observed, the number of starch granule structures observed is 300 / mm. ２ or less, or 250 pieces / mm ２ or less, or 200 pieces / mm ２ or less, or 150 pieces / mm ２ or less, or 100 pieces / mm ２ or less, or 50 pieces / mm ２ or less, or 30 pieces / mm ２ or less, or 10 pieces / mm ２ Below, especially 0 pieces / mm ２and / or (b) the gelatinization peak temperature, measured using a Rapid Visco Analyzer by heating a 14% by mass aqueous slurry of the pulverized product of the puffed composition from 50°C to 140°C at a heating rate of 12.5°C / min, is less than 120°C, or 115°C or less, or 110°C or less, or 105°C or less, or 100°C or less, or 95°C or less, or 90°C or less, or 85°C or less, or 80°C or less, or, for example, 50°C or more, or 55°C or more, or 60°C or more, the range being, for example, 50°C or more but less than 120°C. Item 4. The puffed composition according to any one of Items 1 to 3, wherein the haze value of the water after the puffed composition is subjected to constant temperature treatment in 40 times the amount of water at 90°C for 10 minutes is greater than 25.0%, or 26.0% or more, or 27.0% or more, or 28.0% or more, or 29.0% or more, and is, for example, 100% or less, or 90.0% or less, or 80.0% or less, or 70.0% or less, or 60.0% or less, or 50.0% or less, or 40.0% or less, or 30.0% or less, the range being, for example, greater than 25.0% and 100% or less. Item 6. The puffed composition according to any one of Items 1 to 4, wherein the total fat / oil content is 19.5% by mass or less, or 19.0% by mass or less, or 18.0% by mass or less, or 17.0% by mass or less, or 16.0% by mass or less, or, for example, 0.01% by mass or more, or 0.05% by mass or more, or 0.1% by mass or more, or 0.5% by mass or more, or 1.0% by mass or more, or 2.0% by mass or more, or 3.0% by mass or more, or 4.0% by mass or more, or 5.0% by mass or more, or 6.0% by mass or more, or 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, or 10.0% by mass or more, the range being, for example, 0.01% by mass or more and 19.5% by mass or less. Item 7. The puffed composition according to any one of Items 1 to 5, wherein the puffed composition contains pulses and / or miscellaneous grains.Item 7. The puffed composition according to Item 6, wherein the legume is one or more legumes selected from the group consisting of Pisum sativum, Phaseolus vulgaris, Pigeonpea, Vigna spp., Vicia faba, Cicer abies, Glycine max, and Lentil abies, more specifically, one or more legumes selected from the group consisting of peas (particularly yellow peas, white peas, etc.), common beans (kingen), kidney beans, red beans, white beans, black beans, pinto beans, tiger beans, lima beans, scarlet runner beans, pigeon peas, mung beans, cowpeas, adzuki beans, broad beans, soybeans, chickpeas, lentils, lentils, blue peas, purple peas, lentils, peanuts, lupine beans, grass peas, carob, Parkia sativa, Parkia longifolia, coffee beans, cacao beans, and Mexican jack peas. Item 8. The puffed composition according to Item 6 or 7, wherein the cereals are one or more cereals selected from the group consisting of Poaceae, Chenopodiaceae, and Amaranthaceae, more specifically, one or more cereals selected from the group consisting of foxtail millet, barnyard millet, common millet, sorghum, rye, oats, Job's tears, corn, buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa. Item 10. The puffed composition according to any one of Items 6 to 8, wherein the content of the beans and / or miscellaneous grains is 1% by mass or more, particularly 3% by mass or more, or 5% by mass or more, or 8% by mass or more, or 10% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 45% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 55% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 65% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 75% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 85% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, or 95% by mass or more, and for example, 100% by mass or 100% by mass or less, the range being, for example, 1% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less. Items 6 to 9. The puffed composition according to any one of Items 6 to 9, wherein the ratio of the starch content derived from the pulses and / or cereals to the total starch content (100% by mass) of the puffed composition is 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, or 95% by mass or more, or, for example, 100% by mass or less, the range being, for example, 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less.Item 11. The puffed composition according to any one of Items 6 to 10, wherein the ratio of the dietary fiber content derived from the pulses and / or cereals to the total dietary fiber content of the puffed composition (100% by mass) is 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, or 95% by mass or more, or, for example, 100% by mass or less, the range being, for example, 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less. The puffed composition according to any one of Items 6 to 11, wherein the ratio of the protein content derived from the pulses and / or millet to the total protein content (100% by mass) of the puffed composition is 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, or 95% by mass or more, or, for example, 100% by mass or less, the range being, for example, 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less. Item 13. The puffed composition according to any one of Items 1 to 12, which is substantially free of gluten. Item 14. The puffed composition according to any one of Items 1 to 13, which contains a dietary fiber localized portion. Item 15. The puffed composition according to Item 14, wherein the dietary fiber localized portion comprises a pulse seed coat. Item 16. Item 16. The puffed composition according to any one of Items 1 to 15, wherein the total content of the edible parts of beans and / or millet and the dietary fiber-containing parts of edible plants is 8.0% by mass or more, or 10% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, or 95% by mass or more, or 99% by mass or more, or 100% by mass or less, for example, in the range of 8.0% by mass or more to 100% by mass or less. Item 17. The puffed composition according to any one of Items 1 to 16, which contains both the edible parts of beans and the dietary fiber-containing parts of beans. Item 18. The puffed composition according to any one of Items 1 to 17, which contains the edible parts and the dietary fiber-containing parts derived from the same type of beans and / or millet.Item 19. The following steps (i) and (ii): (i) The following (1) to (3): (1) The dietary fiber content is 6.0% by mass or more, or 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, or 10.0% by mass or more, or 11.0% by mass or more, particularly 12.0% by mass or more, and for example, 40.0% by mass or less, or 30.0% by mass or less, or 25.0% by mass or less, or 20.0% by mass or less, the range being, for example, 6.0% by mass or more and 40.0% by mass or less; (2) a starch content of 10.0% by mass or more, or 15.0% by mass or more, or 20.0% by mass or more, or 25.0% by mass or more, or 30.0% by mass or more, or 35.0% by mass or more, or 40.0% by mass or more, or 45.0% by mass or more, particularly 50.0% by mass or more, and for example 80.0% by mass or less, or 75.0% by mass or less, or 70.0% by mass or less, the range being, for example, 10.0% by mass or more and 80.0% by mass or less, and (3) a starch gelatinization degree of 30% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, particularly 90% by mass or more, and for example 100% by mass or less, the range being, for example, 30% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, and Item 19. The method for producing a puffed composition according to any one of Items 1 to 18, comprising: (ii) a step of puffing the mixture of step (i) so that the moisture content on a dry basis is reduced by 50% or more after the puffing treatment. Item 20. The method for producing a puffed composition according to item 19, wherein the puffing treatment of step (ii) is a heat treatment in oil. Item 21. The method for producing a puffed composition according to item 19 or 20, wherein paragraph (ii) is a heat treatment in oil using an edible oil at, for example, 140 to 240°C, preferably 160 to 220°C, more preferably 170 to 200°C.Item 22. The method for producing according to Item 19, wherein step (ii) comprises the following steps (ii-1a) and (ii-1b): (ii-1a) kneading the mixture of step (i) under pressure at a temperature of 100°C or higher, preferably 105°C or higher, further 110°C or higher, particularly 115°C or higher, and 140°C or higher for pulses in particular, and for example 200°C or lower, further 190°C or lower, further 180°C or lower, further 170°C or lower, further 165°C or lower, further 160°C or lower, particularly 155°C or lower, or in the range of, for example, 100°C to 200°C, and (ii-1b) returning the composition after kneading in step (ii-1a) to normal pressure at a temperature of 100°C or higher, preferably 105°C or higher, further 110°C or higher, particularly 115°C or higher. Item 24. The method according to Item 22, comprising: Step (ii-1c): (ii-1c) a step of coating the composition obtained in Step (ii-1b) with an edible oil. Item 25. The method according to Item 23, wherein the coating treatment in Step (ii-1c) is a heat treatment with an edible oil at, for example, 140 to 240°C, preferably 160 to 220°C, more preferably 170 to 200°C.

[0008] According to the present invention, a puffed composition having a crispy chewing sensation and excellent melt-in-the-mouth texture can be provided.

[0009] In this specification, the expressions "contain" and "comprise" include the concepts of "contain," "comprise," "consist essentially of," and "consist only of."

[0010] In this specification, "% by mass" (= w / w%) represents the mass of a target component relative to the total mass expressed as a percentage.

[0011] In this specification, "wet mass equivalent" (sometimes simply referred to as "wet mass basis") refers to the content ratio of a target component in a sample, calculated using the wet mass of the sample, including moisture, as the denominator and the mass of the target component in the sample as the numerator. Furthermore, in the definition of percentages in this invention, when "mass %" is simply stated without any special designation, it refers to the percentage "wet mass equivalent." The moisture content of a sample is measured by the vacuum heating and drying method in accordance with the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th Edition), Supplementary Edition, 2023. The specific method is the same as that described below for moisture content.

[0012] In this specification, the term "dry mass equivalent" refers to the content ratio of each component, etc., calculated using the dry mass of the composition or each fraction excluding water (in the above case, the dry mass of the insoluble dietary fiber localized portion) as the denominator and the content of each target component or target substance (in the above case, the dry mass of the insoluble dietary fiber) as the numerator.

[0013] In this specification, when multiple upper and / or lower limits are indicated for a numerical range, even if not otherwise specified, it is assumed that the numerical range is directly described by combining at least the maximum value of the upper limit and the minimum value of the lower limit, and furthermore, all numerical ranges obtained by combining any upper limit among the upper limits with any lower limit among the lower limits are included in one embodiment of the present invention. Also, in this specification, a numerical range connected by "to" means a numerical range that includes the numbers before and after "to" as the lower and upper limits. When multiple lower limits and multiple upper limits are indicated separately, it is assumed that any lower limit and upper limit can be selected and connected by "to".

[0014] In one aspect, the present invention relates to a puffed composition (sometimes referred to in this specification as the "puffed composition of the present invention") that satisfies all of the following (1) to (4): (1) a dietary fiber content of 6.0% by mass or more, (2) a starch content of 10.0% by mass or more, (3) a starch gelatinization degree of 30% by mass or more, and (4) a dry weight moisture content of 20.0% by mass or less.

[0015] In the present invention, the term "puffed composition" refers to a composition having voids of a certain size or more within the composition. Typically, the puffed composition can be produced by expanding the void volume by expanding a liquid or gas within the dough composition, and then cooling the composition to harden it. Specific examples include snacks produced by frying a dough composition in high-temperature oil to expand and evaporate the water in the dough, puffing it up; cereal puffs produced by applying pressure to ingredients containing dried edible plants and then suddenly releasing the pressure to normal pressure to expand and evaporate the water in the ingredients; and cereal puffs produced by adding water to powder of dried edible plants and kneading them under heat and pressure to form a dough composition, and then rapidly reducing the pressure on the dough composition to rapidly evaporate the water within the composition, increasing the void volume, expanding the composition, and cooling and hardening the dough composition by the heat of vaporization.

[0016] The puffed composition of the present invention preferably has a dietary fiber content (wet mass equivalent) within a predetermined range, because it provides a crispy, chewy texture. Furthermore, it is also possible to more easily achieve the effect of maintaining the desirable flavor inherent in the raw materials. The dietary fiber content (wet mass equivalent) in the puffed composition of the present invention has a lower limit of, for example, typically 6.0% by mass or more, and an upper limit, although not limited, that can be, for example, 40.0% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is typically 6.0% by mass or more. The lower limit of the content is preferably 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, or 10.0% by mass or more, or 11.0% by mass or more, particularly 12.0% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, typically 40.0% by mass or less, or 30.0% by mass or less, or 25.0% by mass or less, or 20.0% by mass or less. The range can be, for example, 6.0% by mass or more to 40.0% by mass or less.

[0017] Furthermore, it is preferable that the above-mentioned dietary fiber regulations also be satisfied for soluble dietary fiber and / or insoluble dietary fiber. That is, the content of soluble dietary fiber and / or insoluble dietary fiber in the puffed composition of the present invention (converted to wet mass) can be, for example, typically in the range of 6.0% by mass or more and 40.0% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is typically 6.0% by mass or more, particularly 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, or 10.0% by mass or more, or 11.0% by mass or more, and particularly 12.0% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, typically 40.0% by mass or less, or 30.0% by mass or less, or 25.0% by mass or less, or 20.0% by mass or less.

[0018] In addition, it is preferable that the dietary fiber (preferably soluble dietary fiber and / or insoluble dietary fiber) derived from edible plants (particularly pulses and / or millet) satisfies the above-mentioned requirements. That is, the content (wet mass equivalent) of dietary fiber (preferably soluble dietary fiber and / or insoluble dietary fiber) derived from edible plants (particularly pulses and / or millet) in the puffed composition of the present invention can be, for example, typically in the range of 6.0% to 40.0% by mass. More specifically, the lower limit is typically 6.0% by mass or more, particularly 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, or 10.0% by mass or more, or 11.0% by mass or more, and particularly 12.0% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, typically 40.0% by mass or less, or 30.0% by mass or less, or 25.0% by mass or less, or 20.0% by mass or less.

[0019] The puffed composition of the present invention preferably contains, as dietary fiber, at least dietary fiber derived from edible plants (particularly pulses and / or millet). That is, the puffed composition of the present invention preferably contains dietary fiber derived from edible plants (particularly at least one or both of dietary fiber derived from pulses and dietary fiber derived from millet). Pulses and millet will be described in detail later.

[0020] The puffed composition of the present invention can contain other dietary fibers instead of or in addition to dietary fiber derived from beans and / or millet. Examples of other dietary fibers include dietary fiber derived from edible plants other than beans and / or millet, synthetic dietary fiber, and isolated pure dietary fiber, with dietary fiber derived from edible plants being preferred. The ratio of the content of dietary fiber derived from edible plants (particularly beans and / or millet) or dietary fiber contained in edible plants (particularly beans and / or millet) to the total dietary fiber content of the puffed composition of the present invention (100% by mass) is preferably in the range of 50% by mass or more to 100% by mass or less, calculated on a wet mass basis. More specifically, the lower limit is preferably 50% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more, 90% by mass or more, or 95% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can typically be 100% by mass or less. When the dietary fiber derived from edible plants (particularly pulses and / or millet) in the puffed composition of the present invention is equal to or greater than the above-mentioned predetermined value, a crispy chewiness may be maintained. Furthermore, the ratio of the dietary fiber derived from edible plants to the total dietary fiber content in the puffed composition of the present invention may satisfy the above-mentioned ratio, the ratio of the dietary fiber derived from pulses may satisfy the above-mentioned ratio, the ratio of the dietary fiber derived from millet may satisfy the above-mentioned ratio, or the ratio of the total content of the dietary fiber derived from pulses and millet may satisfy the above-mentioned ratio.

[0021] When using dietary fiber derived from beans, the beans may be used with or without the seed coat, but using beans with the seed coat is preferable because they contain more dietary fiber. Similarly, when using dietary fiber derived from millet, the millet may be used with or without the bran, but using millet with the bran is preferable because it contains more dietary fiber. When using the seed coat and / or bran separately, protein fraction removal or carbohydrate removal may be performed, but from the viewpoint of maintaining the desirable flavor derived from the raw material, it is preferable to use the seed coat and / or bran as it is without removal treatment. From this viewpoint, the protein content in the seed coat and / or bran is preferably 10% by mass or more, 20% by mass or more, 30% by mass or more, 40% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more, 90% by mass or more, 95% by mass or more, or 100% by mass relative to 100% by mass of the protein content in the seed coat and / or bran that has not been removed. Similarly, the carbohydrate content in the seed coat and / or bran is preferably 10% by mass or more, 20% by mass or more, 30% by mass or more, 40% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more, 90% by mass or more, 95% by mass or more, or 100% by mass relative to 100% by mass of the carbohydrate content in the seed coat and / or bran that has not been removed.

[0022] According to one aspect, the total content of dietary fiber derived from rice, wheat, and / or barley (preferably wheat and / or barley) in the puffed composition of the present invention is preferably within a predetermined range. Specifically, the ratio of the total content of dietary fiber derived from rice, wheat, and / or barley (preferably wheat and / or barley) to the total dietary fiber content of the entire puffed composition of the present invention is preferably, for example, in the range of 0% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less. More specifically, the upper limit of this ratio is typically 10% by mass or less, or 9% by mass or less, or 8% by mass or less, or 7% by mass or less, or 6% by mass or less, or 5% by mass or less, or 4% by mass or less, or 3% by mass or less, or 2% by mass or less, or 1% by mass or less, and it is particularly desirable that the dietary fiber be substantially absent (specifically, a content of less than 1 ppm, which is the lower limit of a typical measurement method) or be absent altogether. On the other hand, the lower limit of this ratio is not particularly limited, but can typically be 0% by mass or 0% by mass or more.

[0023] The dietary fiber content (converted to wet mass) is measured according to the method described in "(2-5) Measurement of dietary fiber content" in the Examples below.

[0024] The puffed composition of the present invention is preferably one having a starch content (wet mass equivalent) within a predetermined range, since this facilitates the achievement of good melt-in-the-mouth properties. The starch content (wet mass equivalent) of the puffed composition of the present invention has a lower limit of, for example, typically 10.0% by mass or more, and an upper limit, although not limited, of, for example, 80.0% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is typically 10.0% by mass or more. Among these, 15.0% by mass or more, 20.0% by mass or more, 25.0% by mass or more, 30.0% by mass or more, 35.0% by mass or more, 40.0% by mass or more, or 45.0% by mass or more, and particularly 50.0% by mass or more is preferred. The upper limit, although not particularly limited, can be, for example, typically 80.0% by mass or less, 75.0% by mass or less, or 70.0% by mass or less. The range can be, for example, 10.0% by mass or more and 80.0% by mass or less. It is also preferable that starch derived from edible plants (particularly pulses and / or cereals) satisfies the above requirements.

[0025] The puffed composition of the present invention preferably contains, as the starch, at least starch derived from an edible plant (particularly, pulses and / or millet). That is, the puffed composition of the present invention preferably contains starch derived from an edible plant (particularly, at least one or both of starch derived from pulses and starch derived from millet). Pulses and millet will be described in detail later.

[0026] The puffed composition of the present invention can contain other starches instead of or in addition to the starch derived from beans and / or millet. Examples of other starches include starches derived from edible plants other than beans and / or millet, synthetic starches, and isolated pure starches, with starches derived from edible plants being preferred. The ratio of the content of starch derived from edible plants (particularly beans and / or millet) or starch contained in edible plants (particularly beans and / or millet) to the total starch content of the puffed composition of the present invention (100% by mass) is preferably in the range of 50% by mass or more to 100% by mass or less, calculated on a wet mass basis. More specifically, the lower limit is preferably 50% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more, 90% by mass or more, or 95% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 100% by mass or less. When the content of starch derived from edible plants (particularly pulses and / or millet) in the puffed composition of the present invention is equal to or greater than the above-mentioned predetermined value, melt-in-the-mouth texture may be maintained. Furthermore, the ratio of the edible plant-derived starch content to the total starch content in the puffed composition of the present invention may satisfy the above-mentioned ratio, the ratio of the pulse-derived starch content may satisfy the above-mentioned ratio, the ratio of the millet-derived starch content may satisfy the above-mentioned ratio, or the ratio of the total content of pulse-derived starch and millet-derived starch may satisfy the above-mentioned ratio.

[0027] When the puffed composition of the present invention contains starch derived from an edible plant (particularly pulses and / or millet), or starch contained in an edible plant (particularly pulses and / or millet), it preferably further contains a refined product of a localized insoluble dietary fiber portion of an edible plant (particularly pulses and / or millet) having a size defined as "particle size of an edible plant (particularly insoluble dietary fiber portion)." The localized insoluble dietary fiber portion is preferably a localized insoluble dietary fiber portion of a mature pulse, and is preferably a localized insoluble dietary fiber portion of a pea (e.g., a thin seed coat (sometimes called a "hull") or a pod (sometimes called a "pod") attached to the edible part of a pulse). It is also preferable for the composition to contain both a refined product of a localized insoluble dietary fiber portion of an edible plant (particularly pulses and / or millet) and starch derived from an edible plant (particularly pulses and / or millet). Furthermore, the insoluble dietary fiber localized portion may be micronized after being separated from the food material, and then incorporated into the basic solid composition, or the insoluble dietary fiber-containing food material containing the insoluble dietary fiber localized portion may be micronized and incorporated into the basic solid composition.

[0028] Edible plants usually have an edible part and a part containing insoluble dietary fiber (e.g., a seed coat or a non-edible part), but for any edible plant, only the edible part may be used, only the part containing insoluble dietary fiber (e.g., a seed coat or a non-edible part) may be used, or the edible part and the part containing insoluble dietary fiber (e.g., a seed coat or a non-edible part) may be used in combination. When the edible part and the part containing insoluble dietary fiber (e.g., a seed coat or a non-edible part) are used in combination, the combination may be an edible part and the part containing insoluble dietary fiber (e.g., a seed coat or a non-edible part) derived from the same one or more edible plants, or a combination of an edible part derived from one or more edible plants and an insoluble dietary fiber part (e.g., a seed coat or a non-edible part) derived from another one or more edible plants. That is, in the present invention, there are no limitations on the selection and combination of edible parts and / or insoluble dietary fiber-containing parts (for example, seed coats or inedible parts) of one or more edible plants.

[0029] In this disclosure, the term "inedible parts" of an edible plant refers to parts of the plant that are not suitable for consumption or that are discarded under normal eating habits, while the term "edible parts" refers to the entire edible plant excluding the discarded parts (inedible parts). Furthermore, the location and proportion of the inedible parts of the edible plants used in the present invention would be readily understood by those skilled in the art who handle such edible plants and their processed products. For example, the "discarded parts" and "discard rate" listed in the 2015 edition (7th revision) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan can be used as the location and proportion of the inedible parts, respectively. Table A below lists the "discarded parts" and "discard rate" (i.e., the location and proportion of the inedible parts) for major edible plants listed in the 2015 edition (7th revision) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. Furthermore, the location and proportion of the edible parts can also be understood from the location and proportion of the inedible parts of an edible plant.

[0030]

[0031] According to one aspect, the total content of starch derived from rice, wheat, and / or barley (preferably wheat and / or barley) in the puffed composition of the present invention is preferably within a predetermined range. Specifically, the ratio of the total content of starch derived from rice, wheat, and / or barley (preferably wheat and / or barley) to the total starch content of the entire puffed composition of the present invention is preferably, for example, in the range of 0% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less. More specifically, the upper limit of this ratio is typically 10% by mass or less, or 9% by mass or less, or 8% by mass or less, or 7% by mass or less, or 6% by mass or less, or 5% by mass or less, or 4% by mass or less, or 3% by mass or less, or 2% by mass or less, or 1% by mass or less, and it is particularly desirable that the starch is substantially absent (specifically, a content of less than 1 ppm, which is the lower limit of a typical measurement method) or is absent. On the other hand, the lower limit of this ratio is not particularly limited, but can typically be 0% by mass or 0% by mass or more.

[0032] The starch content (converted to wet mass) is measured according to the method described in "(2-1) Measurement of starch content" in the Examples below.

[0033] The degree of gelatinization of the starch in the puffed composition of the present invention is preferably a predetermined value or higher, since this facilitates the achievement of the effect of good melt-in-the-mouth texture. Specifically, the lower limit of the degree of gelatinization of the starch in the puffed composition of the present invention is typically 30% by mass or higher, and the upper limit is not limited, but can be, for example, 100% by mass or lower. More specifically, the lower limit is typically 30% by mass or higher. Of these, 40% by mass or higher, 50% by mass or higher, 60% by mass or higher, 70% by mass or higher, or 80% by mass or higher, and particularly 90% by mass or higher, is preferred. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but is typically 100% by mass or lower. The range can be, for example, 30% by mass or higher and 100% by mass or lower.

[0034] The degree of gelatinization of starch is measured according to the method described in "(2-2) Measurement of starch gelatinization degree" in the Examples below.

[0035] Furthermore, the starch in the puffed composition of the present invention is preferably starch that has been preheated at a certain temperature or higher. For example, in the present invention, the starch contained in the puffed composition of the present invention is preferably starch that has been preheated to a maximum temperature of 100°C or higher under moisture conditions with a dry weight moisture content of 25% by mass or higher (or 30% by mass or higher, or 35% by mass or higher, or 40% by mass or higher). More specifically, the starch in the puffed composition of the present invention can be starch that has been preheated under the moisture conditions, for example, typically in the range of 100°C or higher to 200°C or lower. More specifically, the starch in the puffed composition of the present invention is preferably starch that has been preheated under the moisture conditions, typically to a maximum temperature of 100°C or higher, 110°C or higher, or 120°C or higher. The upper limit of the preheating temperature of the starch is not particularly limited, but it can usually be 200°C or lower, or 180°C or lower.

[0036] Furthermore, starch heated at high temperatures under conditions of a dry weight moisture content below a certain level during preheating exhibits poor processability due to thermal decomposition. Therefore, it is more preferable that the starch in the puffed composition of the present invention be a starch heated at a dry weight moisture content above a certain level. Specifically, the dry weight moisture content of the starch used in the puffed composition of the present invention during preheating can be, for example, in the range of 40% to 200% by mass. More specifically, the lower limit is typically 40% by mass or more, preferably 45% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 55% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 65% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, or 75% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 80% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can typically be 200% by mass or less, 175% by mass or less, or 150% by mass or less.

[0037] The puffed composition of the present invention has the following (a) and / or (b): (a) when a 6% by mass suspension of pulverized material of the puffed composition is observed, the number of starch granules observed is 300 / mm ２ and / or (b) the gelatinization peak temperature, measured using a Rapid Visco Analyzer, of a 14% by mass aqueous slurry of the pulverized product of the puffed composition by heating it from 50° C. to 140° C. at a heating rate of 12.5° C. / min, is less than 120° C. This makes it easier to achieve the effect of good melt-in-the-mouth texture.

[0038] Regarding requirement (a), the puffed composition of the present invention has a starch granule structure whose number is, for example, 0 granules / mm ２ More than 300 pieces / mm ２ More specifically, the number of starch granule structures in the puffed composition of the present invention is usually 300 / mm ２ Below, 250 pieces / mm ２ or less, or 200 pieces / mm ２ or less, or 150 pieces / mm ２ or less, or 100 pieces / mm ２ or less, or 50 pieces / mm ２ or less, or 30 pieces / mm ２ or less, or 10 pieces / mm ２ Below, especially 0 pieces / mm ２It is preferable that:

[0039] Regarding requirement (b), the gelatinization peak temperature of the expanded composition of the present invention can be, for example, in the range of 50°C or higher and lower than 120°C. More specifically, the upper limit is usually lower than 120°C, and preferably 115°C or lower, or 110°C or lower, or 105°C or lower, or 100°C or lower, or 95°C or lower, or 90°C or lower, or 85°C or lower, or 80°C or lower. On the other hand, the lower limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 50°C or higher, or 55°C or higher, or 60°C or higher. The range can also be, for example, 50°C or higher and lower than 120°C.

[0040] The number of starch granule structures in requirement (a) is measured according to the method described in "(2-3) Measurement of the number of starch granule structures" in the Examples below.

[0041] The gelatinization peak temperature of requirement (b) is measured according to the method described in "(2-4) Measurement of gelatinization peak temperature" in the Examples below.

[0042] The puffed composition of the present invention preferably has a dry weight moisture content within a predetermined range, because it has a crispy, chewy texture. The dry weight moisture content of the puffed composition of the present invention is not limited, but can be, for example, in the range of 0.01% by mass or more and 20.0% by mass or less. More specifically, for example, it is preferably 20.0% by mass or less, or 19.0% by mass or less, or 18.0% by mass or less, or 17.0% by mass or less, or 16.0% by mass or less, or 15.0% by mass or less, or 14.0% by mass or less, or 13.0% by mass or less, or 12.0% by mass or less, or 11.0% by mass or less, or 10.0% by mass or less, or 9.0% by mass or less, or 8.0% by mass or less, or 7.0% by mass or less, or 6.0% by mass or less, or 5.0% by mass or less, or 4.0% by mass or less, or 3.0% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 2.3% by mass or less. On the other hand, the lower limit of the dry weight basis moisture content of the expanded composition of the present invention is not limited, but from the viewpoint of industrial production efficiency, it can be, for example, 0.01 mass% or more, or 0.1 mass% or more, or 0.2 mass% or more, or 0.3 mass% or more, or 0.4 mass% or more, or 0.5 mass% or more, or 0.6 mass% or more, or 0.7 mass% or more, or 0.8 mass% or more, or 0.9 mass% or more, or 1.0 mass% or more, or 1.1 mass% or more, or 1.2 mass% or more, or 1.3 mass% or more, or 1.4 mass% or more, or 1.5 mass% or more.

[0043] In the present invention, the "dry weight moisture content" means the ratio of the total amount of moisture derived from the raw materials of the puffed composition of the present invention and the amount of moisture added separately to the total amount of solids. The dry weight moisture content is measured according to the method described in "(2-8) Measurement of dry weight moisture content" in the Examples below.

[0044] The puffed composition of the present invention preferably has a protein content (wet mass equivalent) within a predetermined range, resulting in a crispy, chewy texture. The protein content (wet mass equivalent) of the puffed composition of the present invention has a lower limit of, for example, typically 10.0% by mass or more, and an upper limit, although not limited, of, for example, 40.0% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is typically 10.0% by mass or more. Among these, 11.0% by mass or more, 12.0% by mass or more, 13.0% by mass or more, 14.0% by mass or more, 15.0% by mass or more, 16.0% by mass or more, 17.0% by mass or more, 18.0% by mass or more, 19.0% by mass or more, or 20.0% by mass or more is preferred. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, typically 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less. The range can be, for example, 10.0% by mass or more to 40% by mass or less. It is also preferable that proteins derived from edible plants (particularly pulses and / or millet) satisfy the above-mentioned requirements.

[0045] The puffed composition of the present invention preferably contains, as a protein, at least a protein derived from an edible plant (particularly, pulses and / or millet). That is, the puffed composition of the present invention preferably contains a protein derived from an edible plant (particularly, at least one or both of a protein derived from pulses and a protein derived from millet). Pulses and millet will be described in detail below.

[0046] The puffed composition of the present invention can contain other proteins instead of or in addition to the protein derived from beans and / or millet. Examples of other proteins include proteins derived from edible plants other than beans and / or millet, synthetic proteins, and isolated pure proteins, with edible plant proteins being preferred. The ratio of the content of proteins derived from edible plants (particularly beans and / or millet) or proteins contained in edible plants (particularly beans and / or millet) to the total protein content (100% by mass) of the puffed composition of the present invention is preferably in the range of 50% by mass or more to 100% by mass or less, calculated on a wet mass basis. More specifically, the lower limit is preferably 50% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more, 90% by mass or more, or 95% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can typically be 100% by mass or less. When the content of edible plant-derived protein (particularly pulses and / or millet) in the puffed composition of the present invention is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, a crispy chewiness may be maintained. Furthermore, the ratio of the edible plant-derived protein content to the total protein content in the puffed composition of the present invention may satisfy the above ratio, the ratio of the pulse-derived protein content may satisfy the above ratio, the ratio of the millet-derived protein content may satisfy the above ratio, or the ratio of the total content of pulse-derived protein and millet-derived protein may satisfy the above ratio.

[0047] According to one aspect, the total content of proteins derived from rice, wheat, and / or barley (preferably wheat and / or barley) in the puffed composition of the present invention is preferably within a predetermined range. Specifically, the ratio of the total content of proteins derived from rice, wheat, and / or barley (preferably wheat and / or barley) to the total protein content of the entire puffed composition of the present invention is preferably, for example, in the range of 0% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less. More specifically, the upper limit of this ratio is typically 10% by mass or less, or 9% by mass or less, or 8% by mass or less, or 7% by mass or less, or 6% by mass or less, or 5% by mass or less, or 4% by mass or less, or 3% by mass or less, or 2% by mass or less, or 1% by mass or less, and it is particularly desirable that these proteins are not substantially contained (specifically, a content of less than 1 ppm, which is the lower limit of a typical measurement method), or that they are not contained at all. On the other hand, the lower limit of this ratio is not particularly limited, but can typically be 0% by mass or 0% by mass or more.

[0048] The protein content (converted to wet mass) is measured according to the method described in "(2-6) Measurement of protein content" in the Examples below.

[0049] It is preferable that the haze value of the water after the puffed composition of the present invention is subjected to isothermal treatment in 40 times the amount of water at 90°C for 10 minutes be within a predetermined range, since this maintains a crispy texture for a long time. That is, the haze value of the water after the puffed composition of the present invention is subjected to isothermal treatment in 40 times the amount of water at 90°C for 10 minutes is typically greater than 25.0%, and the upper limit is not limited, but can be, for example, 100% or less. More specifically, the lower limit is typically greater than 25.0%. Of these, it is preferable that the haze value be greater than 25.0%, 26.0% or more, 27.0% or more, 28.0% or more, or 29.0% or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but is typically 100% or less, for example, 90.0% or less, 80.0% or less, 70.0% or less, 60.0% or less, 50.0% or less, 40.0% or less, or 30.0% or less. The range can also be, for example, more than 25.0% to 100%.

[0050] The haze value is measured according to the method described in "(2-9) Measurement of Haze Value" in the Examples section below.

[0051] The puffed composition of the present invention is preferred because the total fat content (converted to wet mass) within a predetermined range makes it easier to feel a crispy texture and has a light mouthfeel. The upper limit of the total fat content (converted to wet mass) of the puffed composition of the present invention is, for example, typically 19.5% by mass or less, and the lower limit is not limited, but can be, for example, 0.01% by mass or more. More specifically, the upper limit is typically 19.5% by mass or less. Among these, it is preferably 19.0% by mass or less, 18.0% by mass or less, 17.0% by mass or less, or 16.0% by mass or less. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, typically 0.01% by mass or more, or 0.05% by mass or more, or 0.1% by mass or more, or 0.5% by mass or more, or 1.0% by mass or more, or 2.0% by mass or more, or 3.0% by mass or more, or 4.0% by mass or more, or 5.0% by mass or more, or 6.0% by mass or more, or 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, or 10.0% by mass or more. The range can be, for example, 0.01% by mass or more to 19.5% by mass or less.

[0052] The total fat and oil content is measured according to the method described in "(2-7) Measurement of total fat and oil content" in the Examples below.

[0053] The puffed composition of the present invention preferably contains an edible plant, and particularly preferably contains beans and / or cereals.

[0054] When beans are used as a raw material and / or a starch source for the puffed composition of the present invention, the specific type of beans is not limited, but is preferably one or more types of beans selected from the group consisting of the genus Pisum, genus Phaseolus, genus Pigeonpea, genus Vitis, genus Vicia, genus Chickpea, genus Glycine, and genus Lentil. Specific examples include, but are not limited to, peas (especially yellow peas, white peas, etc.), common beans (kingen), kidney beans, red beans, white beans, black beans, pinto beans, tiger beans, lima beans, scarlet beans, pigeon peas, mung beans, cowpeas, adzuki beans, broad beans, soybeans, chickpeas, lentils, lentils, blue peas, purple peas, lentils, peanuts, lupins, grass peas, carob, jack bean, broad bean, coffee beans, cocoa beans, and Mexican jack beans. The classification of other beans not listed above would be readily understood by those skilled in the art who handle such beans and their processed products. Specifically, this classification can be clearly understood by referring to the food group classification (page 249, Table 1) in the 2015 edition (7th revision) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, which is widely used in everyday life in ordinary households. These legumes may be used singly or in any combination of two or more.

[0055] When beans are used as a raw material and / or starch source for the puffed composition of the present invention, it is preferable to use beans with a starch content of a predetermined value or more. Specifically, the starch content of the beans is preferably in the range of, for example, 5.0% by mass or more to 70% by mass or less, calculated as wet mass. More specifically, the lower limit is preferably 5.0% by mass or more, 10.0% by mass or more, 15.0% by mass or more, 20.0% by mass or more, 25.0% by mass or more, 30.0% by mass or more, 35.0% by mass or more, or 40.0% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit of the starch content of the beans is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 70.0% by mass or less, 65.0% by mass or less, or 60.0% by mass or less.

[0056] In the present invention, "miscellaneous grains" generally refers to grains other than the major grains rice, wheat, and barley, and includes so-called pseudo-miscellaneous grains (Chenopodiaceae, Amaranthaceae) other than Poaceae grains. When miscellaneous grains are used as raw materials and / or starch sources for the puffed composition of the present invention, the type of miscellaneous grain used is not limited, but examples include one or more miscellaneous grains selected from the group consisting of Poaceae, Chenopodiaceae, and Amaranthaceae, and more preferably Poaceae. Specific examples include, but are not limited to, foxtail millet, barley, millet, sorghum, rye, oats, Job's tears, corn, buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa. In particular, it is preferable to use one or more types selected from the group consisting of oats, amaranth, and quinoa, and it is particularly preferable to use oats, which contain a large amount of soluble dietary fiber. Furthermore, it is preferable that the miscellaneous grains are substantially free of gluten (specifically, the gluten content is less than 10 ppm by mass), and it is more preferable that they are free of gluten.

[0057] The edible plants may be used alone or in any combination of two or more in any ratio.

[0058] When using millet as a raw material and / or starch source for the puffed composition of the present invention, millet having a starch content of a predetermined value or more is preferably used. Specifically, the starch content of the millet is preferably in the range of, for example, 5.0% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less, calculated as wet mass. More specifically, the lower limit is preferably 5.0% by mass or more, 10.0% by mass or more, 15.0% by mass or more, 20.0% by mass or more, 25.0% by mass or more, or 30.0% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit of the starch content of the millet is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 70% by mass or less, 65.0% by mass or less, 60.0% by mass or less, 55.0% by mass or less, or 50.0% by mass or less.

[0059] When using millet as a raw material and / or starch source for the puffed composition of the present invention, it is preferable to use dried millet. Specifically, millet with a dry weight moisture content of a predetermined value or less is preferred. More specifically, the dry weight moisture content of the millet used in the solid composition of the present invention is preferably in the range of, for example, 0% to less than 15% by mass. More specifically, the upper limit is preferably typically less than 15% by mass, or less than 13% by mass, or less than 11% by mass, or less than 10% by mass. On the other hand, the lower limit of the dry weight moisture content of such millet is not particularly limited, but is preferably typically 0% by mass or more, or 0.01% by mass or more.

[0060] When beans are used as a raw material and / or starch source for the puffed composition of the present invention, the content of beans in the puffed composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably in the range of, for example, 1% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, calculated as wet mass. More specifically, the lower limit is typically 1% by mass or more, more preferably 3% by mass or more, or 5% by mass or more, or 8% by mass or more, or 10% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 45% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 55% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 65% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 75% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 85% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, or 95% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is not particularly limited, but can typically be 100% by mass or less. The range can be, for example, 1% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less.

[0061] When using millet as a raw material and / or starch source for the puffed composition of the present invention, the content of millet in the puffed composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably in the range of, for example, 1% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, calculated as wet mass. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 1% by mass or more, particularly 3% by mass or more, or 5% by mass or more, or 8% by mass or more, or 10% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 45% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 55% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 65% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 75% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 85% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, or 95% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 100% by mass or less. The range can be, for example, 1% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less.

[0062] The total content of beans and grains as raw materials and / or starch sources in the puffed composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably in the range of 1% by weight to 100% by weight in wet mass. More specifically, the lower limit is typically 1% by weight or more, more preferably 3% by weight or more, or 5% by weight or more, or 8% by weight or more, or 10% by weight or more, or 15% by weight or more, or 20% by weight or more, or 25% by weight or more, or 30% by weight or more, or 35% by weight or more, or 40% by weight or more, or 45% by weight or more, or 50% by weight or more, or 55% by weight or more, or 60% by weight or more, or 65% by weight or more, or 70% by weight or more, or 75% by weight or more, or 80% by weight or more, or 85% by weight or more, or 90% by weight or more, or 95% by weight or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is not particularly limited, but can typically be 100% by weight or less. The range can be, for example, 1% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less.

[0063] Furthermore, when edible plants (e.g., beans and / or cereals) are used as raw materials for the puffed composition of the present invention, the wet mass equivalent ratio of such edible plants (e.g., beans and / or cereals) can be, for example, in the range of 30% by mass to 100% by mass. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 30% by mass or more, and preferably 40% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more, 90% by mass or more, or 100% by mass. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 100% by mass or less. The range can also be, for example, 1% by mass to 100% by mass.

[0064] A preferred feature of the puffed composition of the present invention is that the wheat content is within a predetermined range. Specifically, the wheat content of the puffed composition of the present invention is preferably, for example, in the range of 0% by mass to 50% by mass in wet mass equivalent. More specifically, the upper limit is usually 50% by mass or less. In particular, it is preferably 40% by mass or less, 30% by mass or less, 20% by mass or less, or 10% by mass or less, and particularly preferably substantially absent (specifically, a content of less than 1 ppm, the lower limit of a typical measurement method) or absent. The puffed composition of the present invention is useful because it provides the unique texture of puffed foods even if its wheat content ratio is below the upper limit. Meanwhile, the lower limit of this ratio is not particularly limited, but can usually be 0% by mass or 0% by mass or more.

[0065] A preferred feature of the puffed composition of the present invention is that the rice content of the composition is within a predetermined range. Specifically, the rice content of the puffed composition of the present invention is preferably, for example, in the range of 0% to 50% by weight, calculated as wet mass. More specifically, the upper limit is typically 50% by weight or less. It is particularly preferred that the rice content be 40% by weight or less, 30% by weight or less, 20% by weight or less, or 10% by weight or less, and particularly that it be substantially absent (specifically, a content of less than 1 ppm, the lower limit of a typical measurement method) or be absent altogether. The puffed composition of the present invention is useful because it provides the unique texture of puffed foods even if its wheat content ratio is below the above upper limit. Meanwhile, the lower limit of this ratio is not particularly limited, but can typically be 0% by weight or 0% by weight or more.

[0066] A preferred feature of the puffed composition of the present invention is that the ratio of wheat-derived protein to the total protein content of the composition is within a predetermined range. Specifically, the ratio of wheat-derived protein to the total protein content of the puffed composition of the present invention is preferably, for example, between 0% and 50% by mass. More specifically, the upper limit is typically 50% by mass or less. Among these, it is preferable that the ratio be 40% by mass or less, 30% by mass or less, 20% by mass or less, or 10% by mass or less, and particularly that the wheat-derived protein is substantially absent (specifically, a content of less than 1 ppm, the lower limit of a typical measurement method). The puffed composition of the present invention is useful because, by having the wheat-derived protein content ratio to the total protein content below the upper limit, it can be a composition that can provide the unique texture of puffed foods even with a relatively low wheat content. Meanwhile, the lower limit of this ratio is not particularly limited, but can typically be 0% by mass or 0% by mass or more.

[0067] The puffed composition of the present invention is preferably substantially free of gluten (specifically, the content is less than 1 ppm, which is the lower limit of a common measurement method), or contains no gluten at all. The puffed composition of the present invention is useful because it provides a desirable texture unique to puffed foods, even if it is substantially free of gluten.

[0068] When an edible plant processed product is contained in the puffed composition of the present invention, it is preferable to contain a dietary fiber-containing part (e.g., a processed product thereof) among various parts of an edible plant. By containing a dietary fiber-containing part of an edible plant in the composition, a crispy and chewy texture can be achieved, which may make the effects of the present invention more easily achieved.

[0069] In the present invention, the "localized dietary fiber portion" of an edible plant refers to the portion of the edible plant where dietary fiber is localized, in other words, the portion having a relatively higher dietary fiber content than the edible portion of the edible plant. More specifically, the "localized dietary fiber portion" of an edible plant refers to a portion having, in a dry state, a dietary fiber content that is, for example, typically 1.1 times or more, 1.2 times or more, 1.3 times or more, 1.4 times or more, 1.5 times or more, 1.6 times or more, 1.7 times or more, 1.8 times or more, 1.9 times or more, or 2.0 times or more that of the edible portion of the edible plant. For example, the seed coat of pulses, which has a relatively higher dietary fiber content than the edible portion (cotyledons, etc.), corresponds to the localized dietary fiber portion. In addition, in millet, the outer skin (bran or rice bran) has a relatively higher dietary fiber content than the edible part (endosperm, etc.), and corresponds to the part containing dietary fiber locally.

[0070] Furthermore, the dietary fiber content in the dietary fiber localized portion, calculated as a dry mass, is preferably in the range of, for example, more than 8.0% by mass to 50% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually more than 8.0% by mass, or more than 9.0% by mass, or more than 10.0% by mass, or more than 11.0% by mass, or more than 12.0% by mass, or more than 13.0% by mass, or more than 14.0% by mass, or more than 15.0% by mass, or more than 16.0% by mass, or more than 17.0% by mass, or more than 18.0% by mass, or more than 19.0% by mass, or more than 20.0% by mass. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 50.0% by mass or less, or 40.0% by mass or less, and preferably 30.0% by mass or less.

[0071] Representative examples of parts of edible plants where dietary fiber is found include the "discarded parts" of various edible plants listed in the 2015 edition (7th revision) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (an example is shown in Table A above). However, dietary fiber can also be found in "edible parts" other than these "inedible parts," such as the skins and seeds of the above-mentioned grains, beans, nuts and seeds, and vegetables, as well as in the particularly hard and thick parts of the stems and leaves of vegetables. When a localized portion of an edible plant containing insoluble dietary fiber is used in the present invention, it may be a part of the "edible portion" of the edible plant (for example, grains, beans, nuts, seeds, vegetable seeds or skins, etc., particularly vegetable seeds or skins, etc.) or a "non-edible portion (for example, corn cobs, bean pods)", but it is preferably a part of the "edible portion", and it is particularly preferred to use beans (particularly peas and chickpeas are preferred) so as to include both the seed coat and / or cotyledons, or to use millet (particularly oats and millet are preferred) so as to include both the outer skin (bran or rice bran) of the millet.

[0072] When a processed product of a dietary fiber-containing portion of an edible plant is contained in the puffed composition of the present invention, the proportion is not limited, but is, for example, as follows: The wet mass ratio of the dietary fiber-containing portion to the total mass of the entire composition is preferably, for example, in the range of 0.1% to 20% by mass. More specifically, the lower limit can be, for example, 0.1% by mass or more, 0.2% by mass or more, or 0.3% by mass or more, and can be, for example, 20% by mass or less, 10% by mass or less, or 5% by mass or less.

[0073] When the puffed composition of the present invention contains a processed product of a dietary fiber-containing portion of an edible plant, the dietary fiber-containing portion separated from the edible plant may be contained alone, or the dietary fiber-containing portion may be contained together with other portions. However, it is preferable to contain both the dietary fiber-containing portion and other portions of the same edible plant, and it is particularly preferable to contain both the dietary fiber-containing portion and other portions of the same edible plant. The dietary fiber-containing edible plant containing the dietary fiber-containing portion of an edible plant of the same type or the same individual may contain the dietary fiber-containing portion and other portions of the edible plant separately, or may contain the edible plant in a state containing the dietary fiber-containing portion.

[0074] The puffed composition of the present invention preferably has a total content of edible parts of beans and / or cereals and dietary fiber-containing parts of edible plants of 8.0% by mass or more in dry mass terms. This makes it easier to maintain the desirable flavor of the raw materials. The total content is more preferably 10% by mass or more, 20% by mass or more, 30% by mass or more, 40% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more, 90% by mass or more, 95% by mass or more, 99% by mass or more, or 100% by mass. The range can be, for example, 8.0% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less. The content of the edible portion of the pulses and / or millet in the total content is more preferably 10% by mass or more, 20% by mass or more, 30% by mass or more, 40% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more, 90% by mass or more, 95% by mass or more, 99% by mass or more, or 100% by mass. The range may be, for example, 8.0 to 100% by mass.

[0075] According to one aspect of the present invention, the puffed composition of the present invention may contain a powdered seasoning. This allows for a variety of flavors to be achieved, resulting in a unique food composition. Examples of powdered seasonings include, but are not limited to, bean powder, cereal powder, potato powder, nut and seed powder, vegetable powder, fruit powder, fish meal, spices, powdered soy sauce, powdered vinegar, etc., as well as combinations of two or more of these. In a preferred embodiment, the puffed composition of the present invention contains at least vegetable powder or spice as a powdered seasoning. Examples of beans and grains in this embodiment include the beans and grains exemplified above.

[0076] Examples of tubers include, but are not limited to, Jerusalem artichoke, konjac, sweet potato, taro, water yam, hoopoe, potato, Chinese yam, ginkgo, Chinese yam, Japanese yam, water yam, cassava, yacon, taro, Chinese yam, purple yam, yam, etc. Among these, sweet potato and purple yam are preferred, and sweet potato is particularly preferred.

[0077] Examples of nuts and seeds include, but are not limited to, almonds, hemp, linseed, perilla, cashew nuts, pumpkin seeds, torreya, ginkgo nuts, chestnuts, walnuts, poppy seeds, coconuts, sesame seeds, Japanese chestnuts, horse chestnuts, lotus seeds, water chestnuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, pine nuts, and peanuts. Among these, almonds, cashew nuts, pumpkin seeds, macadamia nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, and coconuts are preferred, with almonds, cashew nuts, pumpkin seeds, and hazelnuts being more preferred.

[0078] Vegetables may be of any type as long as they contain dietary fiber (particularly insoluble dietary fiber) in their edible and / or inedible parts. Examples include, but are not limited to, artichokes, chives, angelica tree, asparagus, aloe, melon, green beans, udo, tomyo, snow peas, snap peas, okra, turnip, pumpkin, mustard greens, cauliflower, chrysanthemum, cabbage, cucumber, wild onion, garlic, swiss cabbage, watercress, arrowhead, kale, burdock, komatsuna, mustard greens, shishito peppers, perilla, cowpeas, garland chrysanthemum, ginger, radish, sugukina, zucchini, parsley, celery, tatsoi, radish, takana, bamboo shoots, onion, chicory, and Chinese ginger. Examples of vegetables that can be used include spinach, chili peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, turnips, bitter melon, chives, carrots, Nozawana, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, basil, parsley, beets (beetroot), bell peppers, butterbur, broccoli, loofah, spinach, horseradish, mizuna, mitsuba, myoga, bean sprouts, cucumbers, mulukhiyah, lily of the valley, mugwort, shallots, rakkyo, arugula, rhubarb, lettuce, lotus root, scallions, wasabi, bracken, plantain (psyllium), and herbs (coriander, sage, thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary, mint, lemongrass, dill, etc.). Among these, carrot, pumpkin, cabbage, kale, paprika, beetroot, broccoli, spinach, onion, burdock, lotus root, tomato, etc. are preferred, and particularly preferred are onion and tomato powder, etc. By including onion and / or tomato powder, a rich consommé-like flavor can be obtained.

[0079] Examples of fruits include, but are not limited to, acerola, avocado, apricot, strawberry, fig, plum, citrus fruits (iyokan, satsuma mandarin, orange, grapefruit, lime, lemon, etc.), olive, persimmon, kiwi, guava, coconut, pomegranate, watermelon, plum, cherry (cherry, black cherry, etc.), jujube, date palm (date), pineapple, haskap, banana, papaya, loquat, grape, berry (blueberry, raspberry, etc.), mango, mangosteen, melon, peach, apple, etc. Among them, avocado, strawberry, berry, citrus fruits, mango, pineapple, grape, apple, etc. are preferred, and citrus fruits, mango, pineapple, and date are particularly preferred.

[0080] Examples of spices include, but are not limited to, pepper, Japanese pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, etc., and inclusion of pepper in particular can be one preferred embodiment.

[0081] The upper limit of the content of the powdered seasoning and / or the powder contained in the powdered seasoning in the puffed composition is preferably 40.0% by mass or less, or 35.0% by mass or less, or 30.0% by mass or less, or 25.0% by mass or less, or 20.0% by mass or less, or 19.0% by mass or less, or 18.0% by mass or less, or 17.0% by mass or less, or 16.0% by mass or less, or 15.0% by mass or less, or 14.0% by mass or less, or 13.0% by mass or less, or 12.0% by mass or less. On the other hand, the lower limit is not limited, but can be, for example, 0.01 mass% or more, or 0.1 mass% or more, or 0.5 mass% or more, or 1.0 mass% or more, or 2.0 mass% or more, or 3.0 mass% or more, or 4.0 mass% or more, or 5.0 mass% or more, or 6.0 mass% or more, or 7.0 mass% or more, or 8.0 mass% or more, or 9.0 mass% or more.

[0082] The upper limit of the moisture content on a dry basis of the above powdered seasoning and / or the powder contained in the powdered seasoning is preferably 40.0% by mass or less, or 35.0% by mass or less, or 30.0% by mass or less, or 25.0% by mass or less, or 20.0% by mass or less, or 19.0% by mass or less, or 18.0% by mass or less, or 17.0% by mass or less, or 16.0% by mass or less, or 15.0% by mass or less, or 14.0% by mass or less, or 13.0% by mass or less, or 12.0% by mass or less. On the other hand, the lower limit is not limited, but can be, for example, 0.01 mass% or more, or 0.1 mass% or more, or 0.5 mass% or more, or 1.0 mass% or more, or 2.0 mass% or more, or 3.0 mass% or more, or 4.0 mass% or more, or 5.0 mass% or more, or 6.0 mass% or more, or 7.0 mass% or more, or 8.0 mass% or more, or 9.0 mass% or more.

[0083] The powdered seasoning can be easily incorporated into the puffed composition by incorporating it after step (ii) described below. In particular, by incorporating the powdered seasoning while employing the oil heat treatment in step (ii), the efficiency of impregnation of the powdered seasoning into the puffed composition can be increased, and a rich flavor can be imparted, making this a preferred embodiment.

[0084] The puffed composition of the present invention can be produced by any method, but is preferably produced by a method including the following steps (i) and (ii): (i) a step of preparing a mixture that satisfies all of the following (1) to (3): (1) a dietary fiber content of 6.0% by mass or more, (2) a starch content of 10.0% by mass or more, and (3) a starch gelatinization degree of 30% by mass or more, and (ii) a step of puffing the mixture of step (i) so that the dry weight moisture content is reduced by 50% or more before and after the puffing treatment.

[0085] For the mixture of paragraph (i), the specifications other than the specific specifications (total fat and oil content, moisture content on a dry basis, haze value) relating to the puffed composition of the present invention may be applied.

[0086] The mixture of paragraph (i) may have a total fat and oil content (in terms of wet mass) within a predetermined range. The upper limit of the total fat and oil content (in terms of wet mass) of the mixture of paragraph (i) is typically 10.0% by mass or less, and the lower limit is not limited, but may be, for example, 0.01% by mass or more. More specifically, the upper limit is typically 10.0% by mass or less. It is particularly preferably 9.0% by mass or less, or 8.0% by mass or less, or 7.0% by mass or less, or 6.0% by mass or less, or 5.0% by mass or less, or 4.0% by mass or less. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, typically 0.01% by mass or more, or 0.05% by mass or more, or 0.1% by mass or more, or 0.5% by mass or more, or 1.0% by mass or more, or 2.0% by mass or more.

[0087] The mixture of paragraph (i) may have a dry weight moisture content within a predetermined range. The dry weight moisture content of the mixture of paragraph (i) is not limited, but may be, for example, in the range of 0.01% by mass to 40.0% by mass. By adjusting the dry weight moisture content of the mixture of paragraph (i) to a certain level or less, the resulting puffed composition of the present invention is more likely to have a crispy texture. More specifically, the upper limit of the dry weight moisture content of the mixture of paragraph (i) is preferably, for example, 40.0% by mass or less, or 35.0% by mass or less, or 30.0% by mass or less, or 25.0% by mass or less, or 20.0% by mass or less, or 19.0% by mass or less, or 18.0% by mass or less, or 17.0% by mass or less, or 16.0% by mass or less, or 15.0% by mass or less, or 14.0% by mass or less, or 13.0% by mass or less, or 12.0% by mass or less. On the other hand, the lower limit of the dry weight basis moisture content of the mixture in paragraph (i) is not limited, and can be, for example, 0.01% by mass or more, or 0.1% by mass or more, or 0.5% by mass or more, or 1.0% by mass or more, or 2.0% by mass or more, or 3.0% by mass or more, or 4.0% by mass or more, or 5.0% by mass or more, or 6.0% by mass or more, or 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more.

[0088] The mixture of paragraph (i) can be obtained, for example, by kneading a dietary fiber source material and a starch source material (preferably an edible plant, particularly preferably a legume and / or cereal), optionally with water. Heating the mixture can improve the degree of gelatinization of the starch. The maximum temperature reached during heating is usually 100°C or higher, or 110°C or higher, or 120°C or higher. There is no particular upper limit to the temperature, but it can usually be 200°C or lower, or 180°C or lower.

[0089] The mixture of paragraph (i) preferably contains a dietary fiber-containing portion of pulses and / or cereals. Typical examples of dietary fiber-containing portions are as described above, but particularly preferred are those using pulses (particularly peas and chickpeas) so as to contain both the seed coat and / or cotyledon of pulses, or those using cereals (particularly oats and millet) so as to contain both the outer skin (bran or rice bran). The content is 1.0% by mass or more, calculated as wet mass. This facilitates the effect of maintaining the favorable flavor inherent in the raw materials. Furthermore, when performing expansion using an extruder, this is preferred because it can promote the degree of expansion. The total content is more preferably 5.0% by mass or more, 10% by mass or more, 20% by mass or more, 30% by mass or more, 40% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more, 90% by mass or more, 95% by mass or more, 99% by mass or more, or 100% by mass.

[0090] Examples of the mixture in paragraph (i) include, but are not limited to, solid paste compositions such as pasta, Chinese noodles, udon, Inaniwa udon, Kishimen, Hoto, Suiton, Hiyamugi, Somen, Soba, Sobagaki, Rifun, Pho, Reimen noodles, Harusame, oatmeal, couscous, Kiritanpo, Tteok, and Gyoza wrappers.

[0091] Examples of pasta include long pasta and short pasta.

[0092] Long pasta is usually a general term for long, thin pasta, but in the present invention, the concept also encompasses udon, soba, and the like. Specific examples include, but are not limited to, spaghetti (diameter: 1.6 mm to 1.7 mm), spaghettini (diameter: 1.4 mm to 1.5 mm), vermicelli (diameter: 2.0 mm to 2.2 mm), capellini (diameter: 0.8 mm to 1.0 mm), linguine (minor axis: about 1 mm, major axis: about 3 mm), tagliatelle or fettuccine (flat noodles with a width of about 7 mm to 8 mm), and pappardelle (flat noodles with a width of about 10 mm to 30 mm). Since long pasta has a large contact area between its components and tends to lose smoothness, resulting in a product characteristic of being prone to sticking, it is useful and preferable to make it into the solid paste composition of the present invention.

[0093] Short pasta is usually a general term for short pasta, but in the present invention, it also encompasses pasta that has been further processed into smaller sizes after molding, such as fregola (granular pasta) and couscous. Specific examples include, but are not limited to, macaroni (a cylindrical, straight shape with a diameter of approximately 3 mm to 5 mm), elbow (a cylindrical, curved shape with a diameter of approximately 3 mm to 5 mm), rottini (a spiral shape with a diameter of approximately 8 mm to 12 mm), penne (a cylindrical shape with both ends cut diagonally like the tip of a pen), farfalle (butterfly-shaped), conchiglie (shell-shaped), and orecchiette (dome-shaped like ears).

[0094] In a preferred embodiment, the puffing treatment in step (ii) can be an oil heat treatment. The oil heat treatment includes a method of heating the mixture of paragraph (i) by completely or partially immersing it in oil. This process includes a full-immersion oil heat treatment (frying), in which the mixture of paragraph (i) is completely covered with oil, and a partial-immersion oil heat treatment (frying), in which the surface of the mixture of paragraph (i) is partially covered with oil while being heated.

[0095] The oils and fats used in the oil heat treatment are not particularly limited as long as they are commonly used edible oils and fats, but examples include rice bran oil, olive oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, rice bran oil, peanut oil, rapeseed oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, etc. Alternatively, processed oils and fats such as esterified or hydrogenated products of these may be used, or mixtures of two or more types may be used. Furthermore, antioxidants, surfactants, antifoaming agents, etc. may be added as appropriate in amounts that do not affect the taste.

[0096] The temperature of the oil heat treatment is not particularly limited as long as the mixture of step (i) can be expanded so that the dry weight moisture content is reduced by 50% or more before and after the expansion treatment. The temperature is, for example, 140 to 240°C, preferably 160 to 220°C, and more preferably 170 to 200°C. The time of the oil heat treatment can be appropriately changed depending on the temperature, the shape and size of the mixture of step (i), and the like, but can be, for example, 30 to 300 seconds, preferably 50 to 150 seconds.

[0097] In a preferred embodiment, step (ii) can include the following steps (ii-1a) and (ii-1b): (ii-1a) kneading the mixture of step (i) under pressure while heating it at a temperature of 100°C or higher, and (ii-1b) returning the kneaded composition of step (ii-1a) to normal pressure at a temperature of 100°C or higher.

[0098] In step (ii-1a), for example, the mixture of step (i) is kneaded under pressure at a temperature of 100°C or higher. Kneading the mixture under such high-temperature and pressurized conditions promotes the formation of complexes of insoluble dietary fiber, starch, protein, etc., making it easier to control the properties to the desired level. Furthermore, this temperature is preferably high enough not to burn the dough composition. When step (ii-1a) is performed, steps (i) and (ii) may be performed partially simultaneously. That is, step (ii-1a) may be performed to obtain a mixture that satisfies (1) to (3).

[0099] The lower limit of the temperature during kneading is usually 100°C or higher, and is preferably 105°C or higher, further preferably 110°C or higher, and particularly preferably 115°C or higher. By setting the lower limit temperature during kneading as described above, the puffed composition of the present invention can be made to have a crispy texture without being sticky. In particular, for beans, a temperature of 140°C or higher is preferable. On the other hand, the upper limit of the temperature during kneading is usually 200°C or lower, further preferably 190°C or lower, further preferably 180°C or lower, further preferably 170°C or lower, further preferably 165°C or lower, further preferably 160°C or lower, and particularly preferably 155°C or lower. The range can be, for example, 100 to 200°C. By setting the upper limit temperature during kneading as described above, the puffed composition of the present invention can be made to have a crispy texture without being too hard.

[0100] The lower limit of the pressure during kneading is usually 0.1 MPa or more, preferably 0.3 MPa or more, further 0.5 MPa or more, further 1 MPa or more, further 2 MPa or more, and further preferably 3 MPa or more. On the other hand, the upper limit of the pressure during kneading may be appropriately determined based on requirements such as the pressure resistance of the pressure equipment, and can be, for example, 50 MPa or less.

[0101] The kneading time may be appropriately determined depending on the kneading temperature and pressure, the size of the kneading vessel, etc., but in general, the lower limit of the kneading time is usually 0.5 minutes or more, preferably 0.8 minutes or more, more preferably 1 minute or more, and even more preferably 2 minutes or more. On the other hand, the upper limit of the kneading time can be usually 60 minutes or less, preferably 30 minutes or less, and even more preferably 15 minutes or less.

[0102] In step (ii-1b), the composition after step (ii-1a) is returned to normal pressure at a temperature of 100° C. or higher. By reducing the pressure of the composition while maintaining the temperature at a certain level or higher, the water in the composition rapidly evaporates, making the composition more likely to expand.

[0103] The temperature and pressure conditions when the pressure is returned to normal pressure are not particularly limited as long as they can promote the expansion of the composition, but typically the temperature in step (ii-1b) is preferably equal to or lower than the temperature in step (ii-1a), and more preferably is lowered by 10°C or more from the temperature in step (ii-1a). The lower limit is typically 100°C or higher, with 105°C or higher, further 110°C or higher, and particularly 115°C or higher being preferred. Furthermore, it is preferred that the pressure during temperature reduction be reduced to approximately atmospheric pressure.

[0104] It is preferable to use an extruder for the steps (ii-1a) and (ii-1b). That is, when the steps (ii-1a) and (ii-1b) are performed using an extruder, it is not necessary to control the pressure conditions to satisfy the above range, and it is possible to efficiently adjust and maintain the temperature conditions within the above range. Therefore, by using an extruder, it is possible to efficiently and simply produce the expanded composition of the present invention.

[0105] The type of extruder is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the extruder be one that can perform each process of adding water, kneading, heating, cooling, and extrusion molding in one unit. Specifically, either a single-screw extruder or a twin-screw extruder can be used, but from the viewpoint of industrial productivity, it is preferable to use a twin-screw extruder.

[0106] When the production method of the present invention is carried out using an extruder, the conditions are as follows.

[0107] In step (i), the raw materials for preparing the paste dough composition are put into an extruder and mixed. Usually, solid materials such as pulverized edible plants as raw materials are first put into the extruder, and then water is added.

[0108] The residence time of the input raw materials in the extruder (residence time in the barrel from when they are input into the barrel until they are discharged from the discharge port) can be adjusted appropriately taking into consideration the internal volume of the barrel, the internal pressure of the barrel, etc., and is not particularly limited. From the viewpoint of further enhancing the effects of the present invention, however, the residence time is usually 0.5 minutes or more, preferably 0.8 minutes or more, more preferably 1 minute or more, even more preferably 2 minutes or more, and even more preferably 3 minutes or more, and is usually 60 minutes or less, preferably 30 minutes or less, and even more preferably 15 minutes or less.

[0109] The feed flow rate of the raw material fed into the extruder is not particularly limited, and may be adjusted appropriately taking into consideration the volume of the barrel, residence time, pressure inside the barrel, etc. For example, it is usually 0.06 kg / hour (hr) or more, preferably 0.1 kg / hour (hr) or more, more preferably 0.2 kg / hour (hr) or more, and even more preferably 0.3 kg / hour (hr) or more, and usually 1000 kg / hour (hr) or less, preferably 800 kg / hour (hr) or less, more preferably 600 kg / hour (hr) or less, and even more preferably 400 kg / hour (hr) or less.

[0110] The amount of water added to the extruder can be adjusted appropriately depending on the desired physical properties of the paste-like dough composition, but it is preferable to add 20 to 60 mass% of water relative to the dry weight of the solid content of the pulverized edible plants, etc. (also referred to as dry weight moisture content, % moisture content relative to powder). If the % moisture content relative to powder is too low, operability during kneading may be impaired. If the % moisture content relative to powder is too high, it may be difficult to obtain a crispy texture.

[0111] In step (ii-1a), the pasty dough composition is kneaded under high temperature and pressure using an extruder. The temperature conditions during kneading are as described above, but it is preferable that the temperature for the majority of the residence time in the extruder barrel is within the above temperature range. The pressure conditions during kneading are also as described above, but when kneading is performed using an extruder, the above-mentioned pressure conditions are usually met, so pressure management is usually not necessary. The screw rotation speed of the extruder during the kneading process is not particularly limited and can be set to general conditions. For example, it is desirable to set it within the range of 50 to 500 rpm (for example, about 250 rpm).

[0112] In step (ii-1b), the composition kneaded under high-temperature and pressurized conditions is returned to atmospheric pressure by, for example, extrusion molding under atmospheric pressure while maintaining the temperature, which causes the water in the composition to expand and evaporate all at once, resulting in swelling, and the particle sizes of the particles before and after the disturbance are controlled to be within the above range.

[0113] When the method comprises steps (ii-1a) and (ii-1b), it is preferable to further comprise step (ii-1c): (ii-1c) coating the composition obtained in step (ii-1b) with an edible oil.

[0114] The coating treatment is not particularly limited, but for example, a method of carrying out the above-mentioned oil heat treatment for a relatively short period of time, a method of spraying oil, a method of coating using a rotating drum, etc. can be employed.

[0115] The present invention will be described in detail below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0116] (1) Preparation of Puffed Composition (Example 1) A mixture (dried elbow pasta) was obtained using only yellow peas (with seed coats) as a raw material. The mixture was immersed in rice bran oil at 180°C and heat-treated for 80 seconds to obtain a puffed composition.

[0117] Example 2: A mixture (dried rottini pasta) was obtained using only yellow peas (with seed coats) as a raw material. The mixture was immersed in rice bran oil at 180°C and heat-treated for 80 seconds to obtain a puffed composition.

[0118] Example 3: A mixture (dried penne pasta) was obtained using only yellow peas (with seed coats) as a raw material. The mixture was immersed in rice bran oil at 180°C for 80 seconds to obtain a puffed composition.

[0119] Example 4: A mixture (dry long pasta) was obtained using only yellow peas (with seed coats) as a raw material. The mixture was immersed in rice bran oil at 180°C and heat-treated for 80 seconds to obtain a puffed composition.

[0120] Example 5 A puffed composition (puff) was obtained using only yellow peas (with seed coats) as the raw material as follows: The raw material was kneaded in an extruder having a kneading section at an average temperature of less than 100°C under a pressure of 1.0 MPa or more to produce a mixture, which was then coated with room temperature rice bran oil by spraying.

[0121] (Example 6) A puffed composition (puff) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 5, except that only yellow peas (with seed coats) were used as the raw material and the final coating was carried out by treating them in rice bran oil at 180°C for 15 seconds.

[0122] Example 7: A mixture (dried elbow pasta) with an adjusted degree of gelatinization was obtained using only yellow peas (with seed coats) as a raw material. The mixture was immersed in rice bran oil at 180°C for 80 seconds to obtain a puffed composition.

[0123] Example 8: A mixture (dried elbow pasta) with an adjusted degree of gelatinization was obtained using only yellow peas (with seed coats) as a raw material. The mixture was immersed in rice bran oil at 180°C and heat-treated for 80 seconds to obtain a puffed composition.

[0124] Example 9: A mixture (dried elbow pasta) with an adjusted degree of gelatinization was obtained using only yellow peas (with seed coats) as a raw material. The mixture was immersed in rice bran oil at 180°C and heat-treated for 80 seconds to obtain a puffed composition.

[0125] Example 10: A mixture (dried elbow pasta) was obtained using only yellow peas (without seed coats) as a raw material. The mixture was immersed in rice bran oil at 180°C for 80 seconds to obtain a puffed composition.

[0126] Example 11 A mixture (dried elbow pasta) was obtained using only oats as a raw material. The mixture was immersed in rice bran oil at 180°C for 80 seconds to be heat-treated, thereby obtaining a puffed composition.

[0127] Example 12: A mixture (dried elbow pasta) was obtained using only yellow peas (with seed coats) as a raw material. The mixture was immersed in a 180°C mixed oil (a mixed oil of palm oil and rice bran oil) and heat-treated for 80 seconds to obtain a puffed composition.

[0128] Example 13: A mixture (dry elbow pasta) was obtained using only dry lentil powder as a raw material. The mixture was immersed in rice bran oil at 180°C for 80 seconds to be heat-treated, thereby obtaining a puffed composition.

[0129] Example 14: A mixture (dry elbow pasta) was obtained using only dried chickpea powder as a raw material. The mixture was immersed in rice bran oil at 180°C for 80 seconds to obtain a puffed composition.

[0130] Comparative Example 1: Dried macaroni pasta made solely from wheat flour was used as a mixture. The mixture was immersed in rice bran oil at 180°C for 80 seconds to be heat-treated, thereby obtaining a puffed composition.

[0131] (Comparative Example 2) Dried macaroni pasta made solely from wheat flour was boiled in boiling water for 9 minutes, then drained, allowed to stand for 5 minutes, and then scalded with a cold air dryer for 30 seconds to obtain a mixture. The mixture was then immersed in rice bran oil at 180°C and heat-treated for 80 seconds to obtain a puffed composition.

[0132] Comparative Example 3: Dried macaroni pasta made solely from rice flour was used as a mixture. The mixture was immersed in rice bran oil at 180°C for 80 seconds to be heat-treated, thereby obtaining a puffed composition.

[0133] (2) Measurement of ingredients and physical properties The puffed compositions of the Examples and Comparative Examples, and the mixtures of the puffed compositions before puffing (Examples 5 and 6 are raw materials fed into the extruder), were measured for starch content (wet mass equivalent), starch gelatinization degree, number of starch granule structures, gelatinization peak temperature, dietary fiber content (wet mass equivalent), protein content (wet mass equivalent), total fat and oil content (wet mass equivalent), and dry weight moisture content, and the reduction rate of dry weight moisture content before and after puffing treatment was calculated based on the measured dry weight moisture content. In addition, the haze value of the puffed compositions of the Examples and Comparative Examples was measured when water was added.

[0134] (2-1) Measurement of starch content The starch content was measured in accordance with the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, 2015 Edition (7th revision), in accordance with the method of AOAC996.11, by extracting with 80% ethanol to remove soluble carbohydrates (glucose, maltose, maltodextrin, etc.) that may affect the measurement value.

[0135] (2-2) Measurement of starch gelatinization degree Measured using the glucoamylase 2 method (according to the Japan Food Research Laboratories method: https: / / web.archive.org / web / 20200611054551 / https: / / www.jfrl.or.jp / storage / file / 221.pdf), which is a partial modification of the Central Customs Analysis Laboratory report.

[0136] (2-3) Measurement of the Number of Starch Granule Structures Starch granule structures are structures that have a circular shape with a diameter of approximately 1 to 50 μm in a planar image and are iodine-stainable. The number of starch granule structures observed when observing a 6% by mass suspension of a pulverized composition (puffed composition / mixture) was measured as follows. The pulverized composition (puffed composition / mixture) was sieved using a 150 μm mesh sieve, and 3 mg of the composition powder that passed through the 150 μm mesh was suspended in 50 μL of water to prepare a 6% by mass suspension of the composition powder. A slide on which this suspension was placed was prepared and observed under polarized light using a phase-contrast microscope at a magnification of 100x. When the distribution of starch granule structures in the slide was uniform, the proportion of starch granule structures in the entire slide was estimated by observing a representative field of view. On the other hand, when a bias in the distribution was observed, multiple fields of view were observed, and the average of the observation results was used as the measurement value for the entire slide. Based on the measurements, a certain area (mm ２ The number of starch granule structures per 100g of starch was calculated.

[0137] (2-4) Measurement of Gelatinization Peak Temperature A 14% by mass aqueous slurry of the pulverized composition (expanded composition / mixture) was heated from 50°C to 140°C at a heating rate of 12.5°C / min using a Rapid Visco Analyzer, and the gelatinization peak temperature was measured as follows. A Perten RVA4800 was used as the Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA). A composition sample with a dry mass of 3.5 g was pulverized (pulverized to 100 mesh pass (opening 150 μm) and 120 mesh on (opening 125 μm)), weighed into an aluminum cup for RVA measurement, and distilled water was added to adjust the total weight to 28.5 g to form a 14% by mass aqueous slurry sample, which was then subjected to RVA viscosity measurement. For a 14% by mass sample water slurry, measurement was started at 50°C, the rotation speed was 960 rpm from the start of measurement until 10 seconds after the start of measurement, and the rotation speed was 160 rpm from 10 seconds after the start of measurement until the end of measurement.After holding at 50°C for 1 minute, a heating process was started from 50°C to 140°C at a heating rate of 12.5°C / min, and the gelatinization peak temperature (°C) was measured.

[0138] (2-5) Measurement of dietary fiber content The dietary fiber content is the sum of the soluble dietary fiber content and the insoluble dietary fiber content. The soluble dietary fiber content and the insoluble dietary fiber content were measured using the modified Prosky method in accordance with the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, 2015 edition (7th revision).

[0139] (2-6) Measurement of protein content According to the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, 2015 edition (7th revision), the protein content was measured by multiplying the amount of nitrogen determined by the modified Kjeldahl method by the "nitrogen-protein conversion factor."

[0140] (2-7) Measurement of total fat and oil content. The total fat and oil content was measured by the Soxhlet extraction method using diethyl ether in accordance with the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan 2015 Edition (7th Edition).

[0141] (2-8) Measurement of Dry Moisture Content: This was measured by heating to 90°C using a vacuum heating drying method in accordance with the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, 2015 Edition (7th Edition). Specifically, an appropriate amount of sample was placed in a weighing container (W0) previously brought to constant weight and weighed (W1). The container was then placed, either with the lid removed or with the mouth open, in a vacuum electric constant temperature dryer adjusted to a predetermined temperature (more specifically, 90°C) at normal pressure. The door was closed, and the vacuum pump was operated to dry the container at the predetermined reduced pressure for a certain period of time. The vacuum pump was then stopped, dry air was pumped in to return the container to normal pressure, the container was removed, the lid was replaced, and the container was allowed to cool in a desiccator. The mass was then measured. This drying, cooling, and weighing process (W2) was repeated until a constant weight was reached, and the moisture content (dry moisture content) (% by mass) was calculated using the following formula:

[0142]

[0143] (2-9) Measurement of Haze Value The composition (expandable composition / mixture) was subjected to constant temperature treatment for 10 minutes in 40 times the amount of water at 90°C, and the haze value of the water was measured as follows. 1 part by mass of the composition (expandable composition / mixture) was added to 40 parts by mass of water at 90°C, and the mixture was subjected to constant temperature treatment at 90°C for 10 minutes. The water containing the composition was then mixed for 30 seconds using a vortex mixer, VORTEX-GENIE 2 (manufactured by Scientific Industries), and the haze value was measured. The "haze value" is a numerical value obtained by dividing the diffuse transmittance by the total luminous transmittance, and specifically, it was calculated using the formula "haze value (%) = diffuse transmittance / total luminous transmittance × 100". The total light transmittance and diffuse transmittance were measured in accordance with a standard method using a turbidity meter (WA6000T (manufactured by Nippon Denshoku Industries Co., Ltd.)) based on an integrating sphere photoelectric photometry method. A sample adjusted to 20°C was placed in a quartz cell with an optical path length of 5 mm, and transmittance was measured using distilled water as a control.

[0144] (3) Sensory Evaluation Sensory evaluation was carried out on the puffed compositions of the Examples and Comparative Examples.

[0145] First, as sensory inspectors to conduct each sensory test, we conducted prior training in discrimination of food taste, texture, appearance, etc., and then selected inspectors who had particularly excellent records, had experience in product development, had extensive knowledge about the quality of food taste, texture, appearance, etc., and were able to make absolute evaluations for each sensory test item. Specifically, we conducted the following discrimination training A) to C), and then selected inspectors who had particularly excellent records, had extensive knowledge about the quality of food taste, texture, appearance, etc., and were able to make absolute evaluations for each sensory test item.

[0146] A) A taste quality discrimination test in which one aqueous solution of each of the five tastes (sweetness: the taste of sugar, sourness: the taste of tartaric acid, umami: the taste of monosodium glutamate, saltiness: the taste of sodium chloride, bitterness: the taste of caffeine) was prepared at a concentration close to the threshold value of each component, and two distilled waters were added to these to create a total of seven samples, in which each taste sample was accurately distinguished. B) A concentration difference discrimination test in which the difference in concentration between five types of saline solutions and an acetic acid solution with slightly different concentrations was accurately distinguished. C) A three-point discrimination test in which the soy sauce from manufacturer B was accurately distinguished from a total of three samples, two from manufacturer A and one from manufacturer B.

[0147] Ten selected sensory panelists performed sensory evaluations of each puffed composition on the evaluation items of "crispy texture," "melt-in-the-mouth feel," and "overall evaluation" according to the following evaluation criteria. Each evaluation item was evaluated by each panelist selecting the number that most closely matched their own evaluation from a five-point scale. The evaluation results were compiled by calculating the arithmetic mean of the scores of the 10 panelists, with any decimals rounded off. All puffed compositions were left to stand at room temperature (20°C) and evaluated after reaching a product temperature of 20°C. Furthermore, for each of the above evaluation items, all panelists evaluated the compositions in advance, standardizing the scores of each evaluation criterion, and then conducting an objective sensory evaluation. Furthermore, for some compositions, comments on texture were provided.

[0148] <Evaluation criteria for crispy texture> 5: The crispy texture is very strong and very preferable. 4: The crispy texture is very strong and preferable. 3: The crispy texture is felt and is within the acceptable range. 2: The crispy texture is not felt very much and is not preferable. 1: The crispy texture is not felt and is very unfavorable.

[0149] <Evaluation criteria for meltability> 5: Meltability in the mouth is very good, very preferable. 4: Meltability in the mouth is good, preferable. 3: Meltability in the mouth is somewhat good, within the acceptable range. 2: Meltability in the mouth is somewhat poor, not preferable. 1: Meltability in the mouth is poor, very unfavorable.

[0150] <Evaluation criteria for overall evaluation> 5: The texture is extremely well balanced and very preferable. 4: The texture is well balanced and preferable. 3: The texture is somewhat well balanced and within the acceptable range. 2: The texture is somewhat unbalanced and not preferable. 1: The texture is poorly balanced and very unfavorable.

[0151] (4) Results For the mixtures of the puffed compositions of the Examples and Comparative Examples before puffing (the raw materials fed into the extruder in Examples 5 and 6), the results of "(2) Measurement of components and physical properties" are shown in Table 1. The puffing conditions are shown in Table 2. For the puffed compositions of the Examples and Comparative Examples, the results of "(2) Measurement of components and physical properties" are shown in Table 3, and the results of "(3) Sensory evaluation" are shown in Table 4.

[0152]

[0153]

[0154]

[0155]

[0156] As a result of the test, it was found that by adopting the embodiments disclosed herein, a puffed composition having a melt-in-the-mouth texture and / or a crispy texture can be obtained. In addition, when a powdered seasoning containing tomato powder, onion powder, and black pepper powder in a ratio of 10:2:0.5 was added to the obtained example after step (ii) so that the content of the powdered seasoning in the puffed composition was 5%, a rich puffed composition for consommé was obtained. Therefore, it was found that by adding a powdered seasoning to the composition of the present invention, compositions with various tastes can be obtained.

Claims

1. A puffed composition that satisfies all of the following requirements (1) to (4): (1) a dietary fiber content of 6.0% by mass or more, (2) a starch content of 10.0% by mass or more, (3) a starch gelatinization degree of 30% by mass or more, and (4) a moisture content on a dry basis of 20.0% by mass or less.

2. The puffed composition according to claim 1, wherein the protein content is 10.0% by mass or more.

3. The following (a) and / or (b): (a) When a 6% by mass suspension of the pulverized puffed composition is observed, the starch granule structure observed is 300 granules / mm ２ and / or (b) the gelatinization peak temperature is less than 120°C when a 14% by mass aqueous slurry of the pulverized product of the puffed composition is heated from 50°C to 140°C at a heating rate of 12.5°C / min using a Rapid Visco Analyzer.

4. The puffed composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the haze value of the water after the puffed composition is kept at a constant temperature of 40 times the amount of water at 90°C for 10 minutes is more than 25.0%.

5. A puffed composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, having a total fat content of 19.5% by mass or less.

6. The puffed composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which contains beans and / or miscellaneous grains.

7. The puffed composition according to claim 6, wherein the legume is one or more legumes selected from the group consisting of Pisum sativum, Phaseolus vulgaris, Pigeonpea, Vigna spp., Vicia faba, Chickpea, Glycine max, and Lentil spp.

8. The puffed composition according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the cereal grains are one or more selected from the group consisting of foxtail millet, barnyard millet, sorghum, rye, oats, Job's tears, corn, buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa.

9. The puffed composition according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the content of the beans and / or miscellaneous grains is 10% by mass or more.

10. A puffed composition according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the ratio of the starch content derived from the pulses and / or cereals to the total starch content of the puffed composition (100% by mass) is 50% by mass or more.

11. The puffed composition according to any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein the ratio of the dietary fiber content derived from the pulses and / or cereals to the total dietary fiber content of the puffed composition (100% by mass) is 50% by mass or more.

12. The puffed composition according to any one of claims 6 to 11, wherein the ratio of the protein content derived from the pulses and / or cereals to the total protein content of the puffed composition (100% by mass) is 50% by mass or more.

13. The puffed composition according to any one of claims 1 to 12, which is substantially free of gluten.

14. A puffed composition according to any one of claims 1 to 13, which contains a localized dietary fiber portion.

15. The puffed composition according to claim 14, wherein the dietary fiber-containing site comprises the seed coat of a bean.

16. A puffed composition according to any one of claims 1 to 15, in which the total content of the edible parts of beans and / or cereals and the parts of edible plants containing dietary fiber is 8.0 mass% or more in terms of dry mass.

17. A puffed composition according to any one of claims 1 to 16, which contains both an edible part of a legume and a part of a legume containing dietary fiber.

18. A puffed composition according to any one of claims 1 to 17, which contains an edible portion and a dietary fiber-containing portion derived from the same type of pulses and / or cereals.

19. A method for producing a puffed composition according to any one of claims 1 to 18, comprising the following steps (i) and (ii): (i) a step of preparing a mixture that satisfies all of the following (1) to (3): (1) a dietary fiber content of 6.0% by mass or more, (2) a starch content of 10.0% by mass or more, and (3) a starch gelatinization degree of 30% by mass or more, and (ii) a step of puffing the mixture of step (i) so that the dry weight moisture content is reduced by 50% or more before and after the puffing treatment.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the puffing treatment in step (ii) is an oil heat treatment.

21. The method according to claim 19 or 20, wherein paragraph (ii) is a heat treatment in edible oil at 160°C to 220°C.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein step (ii) comprises the following steps (ii-1a) and (ii-1b): (ii-1a) kneading the mixture of step (i) under pressure while heating it at a temperature of 100°C or higher, and (ii-1b) returning the kneaded composition of step (ii-1a) to atmospheric pressure at a temperature of 100°C or higher.

23. The method according to claim 22, comprising the step (ii-1c): (ii-1c) of coating the composition obtained in step (ii-1b) with an edible oil.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the coating treatment in step (ii-1c) is a heat treatment in oil using edible oil at 160°C to 220°C.

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