Fat mass-simulating structure, method for producing same, and meat substitute

Abstract

Provided are a fat mass-simulating structure, a method for producing the same, and a meat substitute, comprising: granules that contain oil / fat, are solid at 10°C and liquid at 35°C; an edible ion-crosslinkable polymer crosslinked with cations; and a polyvalent metal salt having a solubility in water at 20°C of 1 g / 100 g or less. The volume average particle diameter of the granules is 50-500 μm.

Description

Fat lump simulated structure, method for manufacturing fat lump simulated structure, and meat substitute

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a simulated fat mass structure, a method for manufacturing a simulated fat mass structure, and a meat substitute.

[0002] In recent years, from the viewpoint of maintaining health, etc., people have been refraining from consuming livestock meat and instead consuming meat foods made from plant-derived protein such as soybeans (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "meat substitutes"). Under these circumstances, attempts have been made to incorporate ingredients with a texture similar to fat into meat substitutes in order to make the texture, flavor, etc. of meat substitutes closer to that of livestock meat. Attempts have also been made to develop substitutes for animal fat. Accordingly, various developments have been made.

[0003] Patent Document 1 proposes a fat block composition and a method for producing the same, which comprises granules containing fats and oils having a melting point of 0.1°C or higher and an edible ionically cross-linked polymer cross-linked with cations, and the granules have an average particle size of 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less.

[0004] Patent Document 2 proposes a solid oil-like composition containing propylene glycol alginate (hereinafter abbreviated as PGA), alginic acid and / or a salt thereof, a polyvalent metal salt, a gelation reaction retarder, an oil and fat, and water, wherein the contents of PGA, alginic acid and / or a salt thereof, a gelation reaction retarder, water, and an oil and fat are within specific ranges relative to the total amount of the solid oil-like composition.

[0005] Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2023 / 008581 Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-216917

[0006] Incidentally, simulated fat mass structures, which are structures that mimic the fat contained in livestock meat, are required to be homogeneous throughout. Furthermore, the fat contained in livestock meat is elastic and has a unique texture in which oil seeps out when chewed, and the properties of the fat are factors that greatly affect the texture and flavor of the meat when eaten. Therefore, in order to create a texture similar to that of fat, it is preferable that the simulated fat mass structure releases a large amount of oil when chewed and has a juicy texture. Furthermore, when producing a simulated fat mass structure, it is desirable to be free from shape restrictions, but in the past, it has been difficult to produce a homogeneous simulated fat mass structure with a large thickness.

[0007] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances. An object of one embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a simulated fat lump structure that is homogeneous and has an excellent juicy texture when chewed. An object of another embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a method for manufacturing a simulated fat lump structure that can manufacture a simulated fat lump structure in a desired shape that is homogeneous and has an excellent juicy texture when chewed. An object of another embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a meat substitute that includes the above-mentioned simulated fat lump composition.

[0008] The present disclosure includes the following aspects.

[0009] <1> A simulated fat structure comprising granules containing oils and fats, which are solid at 10°C and liquid at 35°C, an edible ionically crosslinkable polymer crosslinked with cations, and a polyvalent metal salt having a solubility in water at 20°C of 1 g / 100 g or less, wherein the granules have a volume average particle size of 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less. <2> The simulated fat structure according to <1>, further comprising a monovalent metal salt. <3> The simulated fat structure according to <1> or <2>, further comprising a chelating agent. <4> The simulated fat structure according to any one of <1> to <3>, wherein the arithmetic mean value of thickness values ​​measured at each of five arbitrarily selected points on the simulated fat structure is 10 mm or more and 1,000 mm or less. <5> The simulated fat structure according to any one of <1> to <4>, wherein the swelling degree is 20% or more and 180% or less. <6> The simulated fat mass structure according to any one of <1> to <5>, wherein the coefficient of variation of swelling degrees of samples cut out from three arbitrarily selected locations is within 30%. <7> The simulated fat mass structure according to any one of <1> to <5>, wherein the coefficient of variation of swelling degrees of samples cut out from three arbitrarily selected locations is within 30%. ２ More than 100000N / m ２ <6> A simulated fat mass structure according to any one of <1> to <6> below.

[0010] <8> Step A of emulsifying an oil phase A containing an oil and fat, which is solid at 10°C and liquid at 35°C, and an aqueous phase A under conditions in which both the oil phase A and the aqueous phase A are liquid, to prepare an oil-in-water emulsion dispersion A; Step B of cooling the emulsion dispersion A prepared in Step A to 10°C or below to prepare a particulate dispersion B containing particulates formed by solidifying the oil phase A; Step C of preparing an aqueous solution C1 in which an edible cationic crosslinkable polymer is dissolved in water, and a liquid C2 in which a polyvalent metal salt having a solubility in water at 20°C of 1 g / 100 g or less is dissolved or dispersed in water; Step D of mixing the particulate dispersion B prepared in Step B with the aqueous solution C1 prepared in Step C at 10°C or below to prepare a mixed liquid D; Step E of mixing the mixed liquid D prepared in Step D with the liquid C2 prepared in Step C to prepare a mixed liquid E; and step F of allowing the mixed solution E prepared in step E to stand at 10°C or below to obtain a simulated fat structure having a desired degree of swelling. <9> A method for producing a simulated fat structure according to <8>, in which the aqueous solution C1 contains a monovalent metal salt. <10> A method for producing a simulated fat structure according to <8> or <9>, in which the liquid C2 contains a chelating agent.

[0011] <11> A meat substitute comprising a lean meat-like portion containing protein and the fat mass mimic structure according to any one of <1> to <7>.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a simulated fat mass structure can be provided that is homogeneous and has an excellent juicy texture when chewed. According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing a simulated fat mass structure can be provided that can manufacture a simulated fat mass structure in a desired shape that is homogeneous and has an excellent juicy texture when chewed. According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a meat substitute can be provided that includes the above-mentioned simulated fat mass composition.

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described as an example. These descriptions and examples are intended to illustrate the embodiments and do not limit the scope of the invention. In the numerical ranges described in stages in this disclosure, the upper or lower limit value described in one numerical range may be replaced with the upper or lower limit value of another numerical range described in stages. Furthermore, in the numerical ranges described in this disclosure, the upper or lower limit value of that numerical range may be replaced with a value shown in an example.

[0014] Each component may contain multiple corresponding substances. When referring to the amount of each component in a composition, if multiple substances corresponding to each component are present in the composition, it means the total amount of those multiple substances present in the composition unless otherwise specified. In the present disclosure, the term "process" includes not only an independent process but also a process that cannot be clearly distinguished from other processes, as long as the intended purpose of the process is achieved. In the present disclosure, a combination of two or more preferred embodiments is a more preferred embodiment.

[0015] In this disclosure, normal temperature means 25°C.

[0016] <Fat lump simulated structure and method for manufacturing fat lump simulated structure> The fat lump simulated structure according to the present disclosure comprises: a granular material containing oil and fat, which is solid at 10°C and liquid at 35°C; an edible ionically cross-linked polymer cross-linked with cations; and a polyvalent metal salt having a solubility in water at 20°C of 1 g / 100 g or less, and the volume average particle size of the granular material is 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less.

[0017] In the following, "a granular material containing fats and oils, which is solid at 10°C and liquid at 35°C" will also be referred to as "a specific granular material." Furthermore, "a polyvalent metal salt having a solubility in water at 20°C of 1 g / 100 g or less" will also be referred to as "a specific polyvalent metal salt."

[0018] The simulated fat mass structure according to the present disclosure is homogeneous and has an excellent juicy texture when chewed.

[0019] In the present disclosure, a simulated fat mass structure being "homogeneous" means that when the simulated fat mass structure is visually observed in its prepared state, the simulated fat mass structure is maintained in the intended shape, the appearance (i.e., color and properties) is unlikely to change from the surface to the interior of the simulated fat mass structure, and the feel (i.e., texture) obtained when eating the simulated fat mass structure is uniform throughout the entire simulated fat mass structure.

[0020] In the present disclosure, the term "juicy texture" refers to a texture in which the liquid components contained in the simulated fat mass structure overflow from the simulated fat mass structure when the simulated fat mass structure is masticated. In the present disclosure, the juicy texture of the simulated fat mass structure is determined by the liquid leakage ratio when the simulated fat mass structure is pressurized (hereinafter also referred to as "pressurized liquid release property"). Details of the method for measuring the liquid leakage ratio when pressurized will be described later.

[0021] The fat contained in livestock meat is composed of many fat cells containing fats and oils inside. Therefore, the fat contained in livestock meat is similar to a state containing many oil droplets. A simulated fat mass structure is a structure that mimics the fat contained in such livestock meat. There is a demand for the simulated fat mass structure to have a homogeneity that reminds consumers of the fat contained in livestock meat, and to have a juicy texture when chewed, but conventional technologies have not been able to adequately meet these demands.

[0022] In contrast, the fat mass simulation structure of the present disclosure, which contains specific granules, an edible ionically cross-linked polymer cross-linked with cations, and a specific polyvalent metal salt, and in which the average particle size of the specific granules is 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less, is homogeneous and has an excellent juicy texture when chewed.

[0023] Patent Documents 1 and 2 do not pay attention to the compatibility between the homogeneity of the fat mass simulated structure and a juicy texture when chewed.

[0024] In the simulated fat mass structure according to the present disclosure, the specific particulate matter may constitute an oil phase and may be a phase (i.e., a dispersed phase) dispersed in a phase (i.e., a continuous phase) containing an ionically cross-linkable polymer cross-linked with a cation. The specific particulate matter may be present in its entirety embedded in the simulated fat mass structure, or may be present with a portion exposed from the surface of the simulated fat mass structure.

[0025] In the present disclosure, the term "aqueous phase" is used as a term for the oil phase in the process of producing a simulated fat mass structure. In the process of producing a simulated fat mass structure, the aqueous phase may be a liquid containing water and a surfactant, a liquid containing water and an ionically cross-linkable polymer, or a liquid containing water and a salt containing a cation, and each of these liquids may contain other components. The water contained in the aqueous phase is not particularly limited as long as it is water that can be used in food.

[0026] There are no particular limitations on the method for producing the simulated fat mass structure according to the present disclosure. The simulated fat mass structure according to the present disclosure is preferably produced by the method for producing a simulated fat mass structure according to the present disclosure.

[0027] The method for producing a simulated fat mass structure according to the present disclosure (hereinafter also referred to as "the production method according to the present disclosure") includes: Step A of emulsifying an oil phase A containing oil and fat, which is solid at 10°C and liquid at 35°C, and an aqueous phase A under conditions where both the oil phase A and the aqueous phase A are liquid, to prepare an oil-in-water emulsion dispersion A; Step B of cooling the emulsion dispersion A prepared in Step A to 10°C or below to prepare a particulate dispersion B containing particulates formed by solidifying the oil phase A; Step C of preparing an aqueous solution C1 in which an edible cationic crosslinkable polymer is dissolved in water, and a liquid C2 in which a polyvalent metal salt (specific polyvalent metal salt) having a solubility in water at 20°C of 1 g / 100 g or less is dissolved or dispersed in water; Step D of mixing the particulate dispersion B prepared in Step B with the aqueous solution C1 prepared in Step C at 10°C or below to prepare a mixed liquid D; The method includes a step E of mixing the mixed solution D prepared in the step D with the solution C2 prepared in the step C to prepare a mixed solution E, and a step F of allowing the mixed solution E prepared in the step E to stand at 10°C or less to obtain a simulated fat mass structure having a desired degree of swelling.

[0028] The manufacturing method according to the present disclosure makes it possible to manufacture a simulated fat mass structure in a desired shape that is homogeneous and has an excellent juicy texture when chewed. In the manufacturing method according to the present disclosure, a simulated fat mass structure in a desired shape can be manufactured, for example, by pouring the mixed liquid E prepared in step E into a container or mold of any shape and allowing it to harden when it is left to stand and harden, and cutting or trimming the mass obtained by hardening into any shape. In the present disclosure, the "shape of the simulated fat mass structure" means the outer shape defined by the contour of the simulated fat mass structure.

[0029] In the manufacturing method according to the present disclosure, a mixed solution E is prepared through steps D and E using particulate dispersion B prepared through steps A and B and aqueous solution C1 and solution C2 prepared in step C, and then the simulated fat mass structure is obtained through leaving in step F. In particular, in the manufacturing method according to the present disclosure, mixed solution D is prepared by mixing particulate dispersion B with aqueous solution C1 in which an edible cationic cross-linkable polymer is dissolved, and then the resulting mixed solution D is mixed with solution C2 in which a specific polyvalent metal salt is dissolved or dispersed to obtain mixed solution E. That is, up until step F, all of the raw materials for constituting the simulated fat mass structure are contained in mixed solution E, and after the preparation of mixed solution E is completed, in step F, the entire mixed solution E gradually hardens until it reaches the desired swelling degree. Here, the specific polyvalent metal salt contained in liquid C2 is a component that can function as a source of cations at an appropriate rate when the edible cation-crosslinkable polymer crosslinks, and by having a solubility in water at 20°C of 1 g / 100 g or less, it contributes to adjusting the curing rate so that curing progresses after preparation of mixed liquid E. The use of a chelating agent also contributes to adjusting the curing rate. Furthermore, the use of a monovalent metal salt contributes to adjusting the degree of crosslinking. As a result, the production method according to the present disclosure makes it possible to produce a fat lump-like structure in a desired shape that is homogeneous and has an excellent juicy texture when chewed.

[0030] The manufacturing method according to the present disclosure can be suitably used for manufacturing a simulated fat mass structure with a large thickness (for example, a simulated fat mass structure with a thickness of 10 mm or more).

[0031] Below, first, each component of the simulated fat mass structure according to the present disclosure will be described, and then each step of the manufacturing method according to the present disclosure will be described in detail.

[0032] (Specific granules) The simulated fat mass structure according to the present disclosure includes granules (specific granules) that contain fats and oils and are solid at 10° C. and liquid at 35° C. The specific granules have a volume average particle size of 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less.

[0033] Volume average particle size The volume average particle size of the specific granules is 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less, preferably 50 μm or more and 400 μm or less, and more preferably 90 μm or more and 300 μm or less.

[0034] When the volume average particle size of the specific granules is 50 μm or more, the amount of oil released when the simulated fat lump structure is chewed is likely to be improved. When the volume average particle size of the specific granules is 500 μm or less, the particle size of the specific granules becomes small, so when the simulated fat lump structure is visually inspected, it becomes difficult to visually recognize that a large number of granules are contained in the simulated fat lump structure. Therefore, the appearance of the simulated fat lump structure becomes closer to the fat contained in livestock meat. Furthermore, when the volume average particle size of the specific granules is 500 μm or less, the particle size of the specific granules becomes small, so the simulated fat lump structure tends to have a smooth texture on the tongue when eaten. Therefore, the texture of the simulated fat lump structure is also likely to be better.

[0035] In the present disclosure, the volume average particle diameter is measured by the following method. The procedure for measuring the volume average particle diameter is described below. A simulated fat mass structure is immersed for one hour in an aqueous solution of 100 mM ethylenediamine-N,N,N',N'-sodium tetraacetate (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) adjusted to 10°C. After one hour, the floating particles are recovered from the simulated fat mass structure by gravity separation and placed in a 60 mm diameter polystyrene Petri dish. At this time, the recovered particles are made to not overlap in the depth direction of the Petri dish. The particles recovered in the Petri dish are then observed with a transmission optical microscope and photographed at 5x objective magnification. More than 200 images of the particles are selected from the captured image, and the circle-equivalent diameter (the diameter of a perfect circle equivalent to the area of ​​the image of the particle) of each particle is calculated using image processing software (e.g., ImageJ). The volume average particle diameter Mv is calculated as follows. Assume that there are n1, n2, ..., nk particles with particle diameters d1, d2, ..., dk, respectively, in order of smallest particle diameter. Also, the volume of each particle is Vi. In this case, the volume average particle diameter Mv can be calculated using the following formula.

[0036]

[0037] The fluid specific granules are solid at 10°C and liquid at 35°C. The specific granules being solid at 10°C are excellent in inhibiting oil leakage from the simulated fat lump structure during production and storage. The specific granules being liquid at 35°C facilitates an increase in the amount of oil released when the simulated fat lump structure is masticated, and the simulated fat lump structure has an excellent juicy texture.

[0038] In the present disclosure, the terms "liquid" and "solid" are used as indicators for determining whether an object has fluidity. Whether an object is "liquid" or "solid" is determined using the determination method shown below.

[0039] A sample is prepared as an object to be used to determine whether it has fluidity. 10 g of the sample is weighed into a 30 mL glass vial. After adjusting the temperature of the contents (sample) in the glass vial to the temperature conditions to be measured, the glass vial is tilted 90 degrees. If the entire contents flow and move within 5 seconds, it is judged to be "liquid-like." If the entire contents do not flow within 5 seconds, it is judged to be "solid-like."

[0040] In the present disclosure, whether the granular material contained in the simulated fat mass structure is liquid at 35° C. and solid at 10° C. is determined in the above-described determination method by adjusting the temperature of the contents (sample) weighed in the glass vial to 35° C.±0.5° C. or 10° C.±0.5° C. Specifically, the presence or absence of fluidity of the granular material contained in the simulated fat mass structure is determined by the determination method described in the Examples section below.

[0041] CV Value of Particle Size The CV value (coefficient of variation) of the particle size of the granules is preferably 40% or less, more preferably 35% or less, and even more preferably 30% or less.

[0042] Granules with a small particle size contain a small amount of oil and fat. Therefore, if granules with a small particle size are included, the amount of oil released when the simulated fat lump structure is chewed is likely to be small. On the other hand, granules with a large particle size are unstable, and therefore oil and fat are likely to leak from the granules when cooked, such as by heating. For the above reasons, in order to obtain a simulated fat lump structure that contains a large amount of oil but is stably maintained during storage, but releases a large amount of oil when chewed, it is preferable that there is little variation in particle size due to the presence of granules with a small particle size and granules with a large particle size. In other words, it is preferable that the particle size distribution of the granules contained in the simulated fat lump structure is narrower. By setting the CV value of the particle size of the granules to 40% or less, the particle size of the granules contained in the simulated fat lump structure is likely to be nearly uniform. Therefore, it is likely to result in a simulated fat lump structure that has a good texture when chewed and releases a large amount of oil.

[0043] The CV value of particle size is a value calculated by the following formula: CV value of particle size (%) = (standard deviation of equivalent circle diameters of granules / volume average particle diameter of granules) x 100, where the average particle diameter of granules is a value measured by the method described above. The standard deviation of equivalent circle diameters of granules is the standard deviation of the equivalent circle diameters of 200 granules calculated in measuring the volume average particle diameter of the granules.

[0044] The specific granules of fats and oils contain fats and oils. The specific granules may contain only one type of fat or oil, or may contain two or more types of fats and oils.

[0045] The fats and oils are preferably those having a melting point of 0.1° C. or higher. There are no particular limitations on the fats and oils, and examples thereof include vegetable fats and oils, animal fats and oils, and fatty acids. Here, fatty acids are monocarboxylic acids of long-chain hydrocarbons, and are represented by the general formula C ｎ H ｍ It can be expressed as COOH (n and m are integers of 1 or more).

[0046] Examples of vegetable oils and fats include rapeseed oil, soybean oil, palm oil, olive oil, rice bran oil, corn oil, coconut oil, linseed oil, canola oil, etc. Examples of animal oils and fats include beef tallow, lard, whale fat, fish oil, etc. Examples of fatty acids include saturated fatty acids such as lauric acid, stearic acid, isostearic acid, palmitic acid, myristic acid, arachidic acid, and behenic acid; and unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid, eicosenoic acid, and erucic acid.

[0047] The oil or fat contained in the specific granules is preferably at least one selected from coconut oil, linseed oil, olive oil, palm oil, canola oil, and oleic acid, from the viewpoint of increasing the amount of oil released when the fat lump simulating structure is chewed.

[0048] The melting point of the fats and oils contained in the granules according to the present disclosure is preferably 0.1°C or higher, preferably 1°C or higher and 30°C or lower, more preferably 2°C or higher and 30°C or lower, and even more preferably 5°C or higher and 30°C or lower. When the melting point of the fats and oils is 0.1°C or higher, granules are more easily formed in the production of the simulated fat lump structure described below. Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, by setting the melting point of the fats and oils to 1°C or higher, the structure of the simulated fat lump structure becomes more similar to the structure of the fat contained in livestock meat. This makes it easier to release oil from the simulated fat lump structure during mastication, similar to the fat in livestock meat. Furthermore, there is no particular upper limit on the melting point of the fats and oils, but it is preferably 30°C or lower. When using fats and oils with a melting point of 30°C or lower, it becomes easier to produce a simulated fat lump structure containing water in the granules at room temperature (e.g., 25°C) in the production of the simulated fat lump structure described below, and the production process tends to be simplified.

[0049] The melting point of the fat or oil is measured in accordance with the "Japan Oil Chemists' Society Standard Test Method for Analysis of Fats, Oils, etc. 2.2.4.2 (1996) 1996 Edition."

[0050] The fat content is preferably 10% by mass or more and 98% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or more and 95% by mass or less, and even more preferably 25% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less, relative to the total mass of the simulated fat mass structure.

[0051] In some applications, the specific granules preferably contain water. There are no particular limitations on the water, as long as it is water that can be used in food.

[0052] When the specific granules contain water, when the simulated fat mass structure is chewed, water as well as oils and fats are released from the simulated fat mass structure, which may result in a texture that is more similar to the fat contained in livestock meat. Also, when the specific granules contain water, it becomes easier to include water-soluble ingredients (for example, seasonings such as umami ingredients, flavorings, etc.) in the specific granules, making it easier to create a texture that is more similar to the fat contained in livestock meat.

[0053] The water content is preferably 1% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less, and even more preferably 10% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less, relative to the amount of oil or fat contained in the specific granules.

[0054] Other additives The simulated fat mass structure may further contain other additives depending on the purpose. Examples of other additives include seasonings, acidulants, bittering agents, spices, sweeteners, antioxidants, coloring agents, color formers, fragrances, stabilizers, preservatives, and refractive index adjusters. The content of other additives is preferably 0% by mass or more and 25% by mass or less relative to the total amount of the specific granules.

[0055] (Edible ionically cross-linkable polymer cross-linked with cations) The fat mass-mimicking structure according to the present disclosure contains an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer cross-linked with cations. Here, "edible" means a property that does not adversely affect the health condition of humans when orally ingested. "Ionically cross-linkable polymer" means a polymer that cross-links by reacting with ions.

[0056] The edible ion-crosslinkable polymers include those containing a carboxyl group, a carboxylate anion group (-COO － ), sulfo group, and sulfonic acid anion group (—SO ３ －) Examples of the edible ionically cross-linkable polymer include alginic acid, carrageenan, low methoxyl (LM) pectin, high methoxyl (HM) pectin, and deacylated (LA) gellan gum. From the viewpoint of improving the heat resistance of the fat mass simulated structure, the edible ionically cross-linkable polymer is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of alginic acid, LM pectin, and LA gellan gum.

[0057] The viscosity of a 1% by mass aqueous solution of the edible ionically cross-linkable polymer (an aqueous solution containing 1% by mass of the ionically cross-linkable polymer relative to the entire aqueous solution) is preferably 10 mPa·s or more and 3000 mPa·s or less, and more preferably 20 mPa·s or more and 1000 mPa·s or less.

[0058] The viscosity of a 1% by mass aqueous solution of the edible ionically crosslinkable polymer is a value measured using a tuning fork vibro viscometer at a temperature of 20° C. As the tuning fork vibro viscometer, for example, an SV-10 (manufactured by A&D) can be used.

[0059] The cation is preferably a metal ion having an ionic valence of divalent or higher. Examples of the metal ion include divalent metal ions such as calcium ion, magnesium ion, iron ion (II), copper ion (II), zinc ion, and manganese ion; and trivalent metal ions such as aluminum ion and iron ion (III). From the viewpoint of obtaining a stable crosslinked structure, the metal ion is preferably at least one selected from calcium ion, magnesium ion, and zinc ion, and more preferably calcium ion. The cation is preferably a cation derived from a specific polyvalent metal salt described below.

[0060] The content of the ionically cross-linkable polymer cross-linked with cations is preferably 0.01% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less, more preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less, relative to the total amount of the simulated fat mass structure.

[0061] (Polyvalent metal salt having a solubility in water at 20°C of 1 g / 100 g or less) The simulated fat mass structure according to the present disclosure contains a polyvalent metal salt (specific polyvalent metal salt) having a solubility in water at 20°C of 1 g / 100 g or less. The specific polyvalent metal salt is a component that can function as a source of cations at an appropriate rate in the production method according to the present disclosure. The cations contribute to crosslinking of the edible ionically crosslinkable polymer.

[0062] From the viewpoint of controlling the hardening rate when producing a simulated fat mass structure, the specific polyvalent metal salt preferably contains at least one selected from the group consisting of calcium sulfate (0.255), calcium hydroxide (0.165), calcium oxalate (0.00067), and tricalcium phosphate (0.002), and more preferably contains at least one selected from the group consisting of calcium sulfate, calcium hydroxide, and tricalcium phosphate. The numerical values ​​in parentheses following the compound names indicate the solubility in water at 20°C (g / 100g).

[0063] Furthermore, polyvalent metal salts (e.g., calcium chloride, calcium gluconate, etc.) with a solubility in water at 20°C of more than 1 g / 100 g do not have an appropriate hardening rate, and the resulting fat lump simulated structure has poor pressurized liquid release properties, which correlate with homogeneity and / or a juicy texture.

[0064] The content of the specific polyvalent metal salt is preferably 0.05% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less, more preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.3% by mass or more and 3% by mass or less, relative to the total amount of the simulated fat mass structure. The content of the specific polyvalent metal salt in the simulated fat mass structure can be confirmed by a combination of inorganic analysis methods such as ICP optical emission spectrometry or atomic absorption spectrometry and organic analysis methods such as gas chromatography mass spectrometry.

[0065] (Monovalent metal salt) The simulated fat mass structure according to the present disclosure preferably contains a monovalent metal salt. By including the monovalent metal salt, the degree of crosslinking (i.e., the degree of swelling) of the simulated fat mass structure can be adjusted.

[0066] The monovalent metal salt may be an organic salt or an inorganic salt. The monovalent metal constituting the monovalent metal salt is preferably a metal that generates a monovalent cation, such as sodium or potassium, and is preferably sodium.

[0067] Examples of monovalent metal salts include sodium glutamate, potassium glutamate, trisodium citrate, disodium hydrogen citrate, sodium dihydrogen citrate, sodium L-aspartate, disodium 5'-inosinate, disodium 5'-uridylate, salt (sodium chloride), trisodium phosphate, potassium gluconate, potassium chloride, tripotassium phosphate, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, sodium lactate, potassium lactate, etc., and sodium glutamate or potassium glutamate are preferred from the viewpoints of having a good swelling degree adjusting effect and not having an undesired effect on the texture, taste, etc. of the simulated fat lump structure. Furthermore, sodium glutamate has the advantage of having a good swelling degree adjusting effect and not having an undesired effect on the texture, taste, etc. of the simulated fat lump structure.

[0068] The content of the monovalent metal salt is preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less, more preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less, based on the total amount of the simulated fat mass structure. The content of the monovalent metal salt in the simulated fat mass structure can be confirmed by a combination of inorganic analysis methods such as ICP optical emission spectrometry or atomic absorption spectrometry and organic analysis methods such as gas chromatography mass spectrometry.

[0069] (Chelating Agent) The simulated fat mass structure according to the present disclosure preferably contains a chelating agent, which can function as a gelation reaction retardant when producing the simulated fat mass structure.

[0070] Examples of the chelating agent include edible compounds having chelating ability, such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), citrate, pyrophosphate, metaphosphate, and polyphosphate, with sodium pyrophosphate, sodium metaphosphate, and sodium polyphosphate being preferred from the viewpoint of having little effect on taste.

[0071] The content of the chelating agent is preferably 0.01% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less, more preferably 0.05% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 1% by mass or less, relative to the total amount of the fat mass simulated structure.

[0072] (Surfactant) The simulated fat lump structure according to the present disclosure preferably contains a surfactant. When the simulated fat lump structure contains a surfactant, a greater amount of oil is released when the simulated fat lump structure after cooking is chewed. The reason for this is presumed to be as follows. When the granules in the simulated fat lump structure are in contact with each other, oil and fat are more likely to leak from the granules during cooking. As a result, the amount of oil released when the simulated fat lump structure after cooking is more likely to decrease. The inclusion of a surfactant facilitates good compatibility between the granules and the ionically cross-linkable polymer, making it easier for the ionically cross-linkable polymer to exist in the gaps between the granules. This makes it easier for the granules to be spaced apart appropriately, suppressing oil leakage from the granules during cooking. As a result, a greater amount of oil is released when the simulated fat lump structure after cooking is chewed.

[0073] The surfactant may be an edible surfactant, such as glycerin fatty acid ester, polyglycerin fatty acid ester, organic acid monoglyceride, sorbitan fatty acid ester, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleate, lecithin, or fatty acid salt.

[0074] The glycerin fatty acid ester preferably contains a monoglyceride as a main component. Here, "main component" means that the content of monoglyceride is 90% by mass or more of the total glycerin fatty acid ester. The monoglyceride is preferably a monoester of glycerin with a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having from 2 to 24 carbon atoms. Examples of fatty acids include behenic acid, stearic acid, and palmitic acid. The glycerin fatty acid ester may contain a diglyceride. The diglyceride is preferably a diester of glycerin with a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having from 2 to 24 carbon atoms.

[0075] The polyglycerol fatty acid ester is preferably an esterification product of polyglycerol with a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having from 2 to 24 carbon atoms. Specific examples of the polyglycerol fatty acid ester include polyglyceryl monomyristate, polyglyceryl dimyristate, polyglyceryl trimyristate, polyglyceryl monopalmitate, polyglyceryl dipalmitate, polyglyceryl tripalmitate, polyglyceryl monostearate, polyglyceryl distearate, polyglyceryl tristearate, polyglyceryl monoisostearate, polyglyceryl diisostearate, polyglyceryl triisostearate, polyglyceryl monooleate, polyglyceryl dimonooleate, and polyglyceryl trimonooleate.

[0076] Organic acid monoglycerides are those in which the hydroxyl groups derived from glycerin in monoglycerides are further esterified with an organic acid, such as citric acid, succinic acid, acetic acid, and lactic acid, with citric acid and succinic acid being preferred, and citric acid being more preferred.

[0077] Sorbitan fatty acid ester refers to an esterification product of sorbitan and a fatty acid. The sorbitan fatty acid ester is preferably an esterification product of sorbitan and a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms. Specific examples of the sorbitan fatty acid ester include sorbitan monocaprate, sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monopalmitate, sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan distearate, sorbitan sesquistearate, sorbitan tristearate, sorbitan trioleate, sorbitan monoisostearate, sorbitan sesquiisostearate, sorbitan monooleate, sorbitan sesquioleate, and sorbitan coconut oil fatty acid.

[0078] Propylene glycol fatty acid esters are esters of fatty acids and propylene glycol. The fatty acids used in the synthesis of propylene glycol fatty acid esters are preferably saturated or unsaturated fatty acids having from 2 to 24 carbon atoms. Specific examples of propylene glycol fatty acid esters include propylene glycol palmitate, propylene glycol stearate, and propylene glycol behenate.

[0079] Sucrose fatty acid esters are esters of sucrose and fatty acids. Fatty acids used in the synthesis of sucrose fatty acid esters are preferably saturated or unsaturated fatty acids having from 2 to 24 carbon atoms. Preferred sucrose fatty acid esters are esters of sucrose with one or more fatty acids selected from the group consisting of caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, arachidic acid, and behenic acid.

[0080] The polyglycerol condensed ricinoleate is an ester of a polyglycerol fatty acid ester and a ricinoleic acid condensate. Specific examples of the polyglycerol condensed ricinoleate include esters of the compounds described above as specific examples of the polyglycerol fatty acid ester with a ricinoleic acid condensate.

[0081] Lecithin refers to phosphatidylcholine itself or a mixture containing at least phosphatidylcholine. A mixture containing at least phosphatidylcholine is generally a mixture that may contain, in addition to phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidic acid, lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidic acid, sphingomyelin, sphingoethanolamine, and the like.

[0082] As the lecithin, enzymatically decomposed lecithin (so-called lysolecithin) can be used. Enzymatically decomposed lecithin is a composition containing lysophosphatidylcholine in which one fatty acid contained in the phosphatidylcholine molecule has been lost by an enzyme such as phospholipase. Note that in the fat lump-mimicking structure, the enzymatically decomposed lecithin includes so-called hydrogenated enzymatically decomposed lecithin, which has been subjected to a hydrogenation treatment to convert the bound fatty acid into a saturated fatty acid, thereby improving its oxidative stability.

[0083] Fatty acid salts include, for example, sodium laurate, sodium stearate, and potassium stearate.

[0084] The surfactants may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0085] The HLB value of the surfactant is preferably 8 or more, more preferably 10 or more, and even more preferably 12 or more, from the viewpoint of emulsification and dispersibility, for example. There is no particular upper limit to the HLB value of the surfactant, but it is generally 20 or less, and preferably 18 or less. HLB refers to the hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance that is usually used in the field of surfactants. The HLB value is calculated using the Kawakami formula shown below. When a commercially available product is used as the surfactant, priority is given to the data in the catalog of the commercially available product.

[0086] HLB = 7 + 11.7 log (Mw / Mo) Here, Mw represents the molecular weight of the hydrophilic group of the surfactant, and Mo represents the molecular weight of the hydrophobic group of the surfactant. The hydrophobic group of a surfactant is an atomic group with low affinity for water. Examples of hydrophobic groups include alkyl groups, alkenyl groups, alkylsilyl groups, and perfluoroalkyl groups. Specifically, when the surfactant is the above-mentioned "glycerin fatty acid ester, polyglycerin fatty acid ester, organic acid monoglyceride, sorbitan fatty acid ester, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleic acid ester, or lecithin," it refers to the alkyl and alkenyl groups derived from fatty acids. The hydrophilic group of a surfactant is an atomic group with high affinity for water. Specifically, it refers to the atomic groups other than the hydrophobic group in the surfactant structure.

[0087] The Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) distance between the ionically crosslinkable polymer and the hydrophilic portion of the surfactant is preferably 10 or less, more preferably 9 or less, and even more preferably 8 or less.

[0088] If the granules in the simulated fat lump structure are in contact with each other, oils and fats are more likely to leak from the granules during cooking. As a result, the amount of oils and fats released when the simulated fat lump structure after cooking is bitten is more likely to decrease. By setting the HSP distance between the ionically cross-linkable polymer and the hydrophilic part of the surfactant within the above numerical range, the ionically cross-linkable polymer is more likely to be present in the gaps between the granules. As a result, the granules are more likely to have an appropriate distance between them, making it less likely for oils and fats to leak from the granules during cooking. As a result, the amount of oils and fats released when the simulated fat lump structure after cooking is bitten is more likely to increase.

[0089] The HSP distance can be adjusted by changing the structure of the hydrophilic part of the ionically crosslinkable polymer and surfactant. The HSP distance is a combination of three cohesive energy density values ​​(δD: dispersion term, δP: dispersion pole, and δH: hydrogen bond term), each expressed in units of [J / cm ３ ] １／２ is.

[0090] The HSP distance is calculated as follows: The HSP distance can be obtained as a registered value or an estimated value in commercially available software HSPiP4th Edition version 4.0.04.

[0091] This software can be obtained from sites such as http: / / hansen-solubility.com / index.html. Furthermore, in order to obtain HSPs based on such software, references to literature by Hansen et al. (e.g., C. M. Hansen Solubility Parameters: A User's Handbook) ２ｎｄ edition, CEC press, 2007, ISBN-10: 0849372488).

[0092] The content of the surfactant in the entire simulated fat mass structure is preferably 0.05% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less, and more preferably 0.10% by mass or more and 1% by mass or less.

[0093] (Gel containing an edible ionically cross-linked polymer cross-linked with cations) The simulated fat lump structure preferably contains a gel containing an edible ionically cross-linked polymer cross-linked with cations. A gel refers to a substance that contains at least water and an edible ionically cross-linked polymer cross-linked with cations and behaves as an elastic solid. When the simulated fat lump structure contains a gel, it becomes easier to maintain a state in which the granules are spaced apart at an appropriate distance. Therefore, oil and fat are less likely to leak from the granules during cooking. As a result, a greater amount of oil and fat is likely to be released when the simulated fat lump structure is chewed after cooking.

[0094] The gel preferably contains at least an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer cross-linked with cations and water, and preferably contains other additives other than an edible ionically cross-linkable polymer cross-linked with cations and water as needed.

[0095] The edible ionically cross-linked polymer cross-linked with cations contained in the gel may be any of the edible ionically cross-linked polymers cross-linked with cations described above. The water contained in the gel is not particularly limited as long as it is water that can be used in food. Other additives that can be contained in the gel include seasonings, acidulants, bittering agents, spices, sweeteners, antioxidants, colorants, color formers, fragrances, stabilizers, preservatives, refractive index adjusters, etc.

[0096] The content of the edible ionically cross-linked polymer cross-linked with cations in the gel is preferably 0.1% by mass to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.2% by mass to 5% by mass, and even more preferably 0.5% by mass to 3% by mass. The content of other additives in the gel is preferably 0% by mass to 20% by mass, based on the total mass of the gel.

[0097] The volume of the gel relative to the volume of the granules is preferably 10% or more and 300% or less, more preferably 30% or more and 200% or less, and even more preferably 50% or more and 150% or less.

[0098] The volume of the gel relative to the volume of the granules is measured as follows. First, the volume of the simulated fat lump structure is measured using a laser volumeter. As the laser volumeter, for example, a VL-300 manufactured by Keyence can be used. Thereafter, the granules are recovered from the simulated fat lump structure using the procedure described in the procedure for measuring the average particle size of the granules, and the recovered granules are allowed to stand at 50°C for 1 hour to coalesce, after which the volume is measured using the volumeter. As the volumeter, for example, a measuring cylinder can be used. The volume of the gel relative to the volume of the granules is calculated using the following formula. Formula: Volume of gel relative to the volume of granules = [(volume of simulated fat lump structure (m ３ ) - volume of granular material (m ３ )) / Volume of simulated fat mass structure (m ３ ) × 100

[0099] The simulated fat mass structure according to the present disclosure can be manufactured by the method for manufacturing a simulated fat mass structure described below.

[0100] (Liquid leakage rate ratio under pressure (pressure release property)) The simulated fat mass structure according to the present disclosure has a thickness of 2 mm, a vertical length:horizontal length ratio of 1:1, and weighs 2 g. After adjusting the temperature to simulate the temperature during mastication, the simulated fat mass structure was subjected to a pressure of 300 g / cm in the thickness direction from the surface of the simulated fat mass structure after temperature adjustment. ２ It is more preferable that when pressurized at a pressure of 1000 kJ / min for 1 minute, the amount of liquid released from the simulated fat mass structure after pressurization is 30% by mass or more relative to the mass of the simulated fat mass structure before pressurization.

[0101] By setting the liquid leakage ratio under pressure to 30% by mass or more, a simulated fat lump structure is likely to release a larger amount of oil when chewed. In the present disclosure, the liquid leakage ratio under pressure is used as an index for determining juicy texture, and a simulated fat lump structure having a liquid leakage ratio under pressure of 30% by mass or more is determined to have an excellent juicy texture.

[0102] From the viewpoint of obtaining a fat mass simulation structure that releases even more oil when chewed, the liquid leakage ratio when pressurized is more preferably 40% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less.

[0103] The procedure for measuring the liquid leakage rate ratio under pressure will be described in detail below.

[0104] Overview of the measurement procedure The measurement procedure for the liquid leakage ratio under pressure involves three steps: (1) a test piece cutting step, (2) a temperature adjustment step, and (3) a pressurization step. The liquid leakage ratio under pressure is calculated using the "liquid leakage amount under pressure" calculated in the (3) pressurization step, according to the following formula: ("liquid leakage amount under pressure" ÷ "mass of test piece before pressure treatment") × 100

[0105] - Specific explanation of measurement procedure (1) Test piece cutting process Two fat lump simulated structures (hereinafter also referred to as test pieces) with a thickness of 2 mm, a vertical length:horizontal length ratio of 1:1, and weighing 2 g are cut out from the fat lump simulated structure.

[0106] (2) Temperature adjustment step: The cut-out test piece is placed in a polyethylene storage bag (e.g., Unipack S-4, manufactured by Nippon Seisan Co., Ltd.) and sealed, and then placed in a dry oven (e.g., DG400, manufactured by Yamato Scientific Co., Ltd.) set to a constant temperature of 30 ° C. After leaving it for 2 hours, the surface of the test piece is wiped with Kimwipe (registered trademark, manufactured by Nippon Paper Crecia Co., Ltd.; the same applies hereinafter). At this time, the Kimwipe is wiped until the mass of the Kimwipe before and after wiping no longer changes. Here, the test piece after wiping is referred to as a "temperature-adjusted test piece".

[0107] (3) Pressurization Step In measuring the liquid leakage ratio under pressure, the pressurization step is carried out after the temperature adjustment step. The temperature-adjusted test piece is pressed from the surface in the thickness direction for 1 minute. At this time, a pressure of 300 g / cm ２ The test piece is then pressed for 1 minute at a pressure of 0.05 psi. Specifically, a 25 mm square, 1875 g SUS weight is placed on the surface of the test piece after the temperature adjustment process and allowed to stand for 1 minute. The surface of the pressed test piece is wiped with a Kimwipe. At this time, the Kimwipe is wiped until the mass of the Kimwipe before and after wiping no longer changes. Here, the test piece after wiping is referred to as the "test piece after pressurization." The mass of the test piece after pressurization is weighed, and the difference between the mass of the test piece before pressurization and the mass of the test piece after pressurization (mass of the test piece before pressurization - mass of the test piece after pressurization) is calculated, and this difference is defined as the "liquid leakage amount under pressurization." The value obtained by calculating ("liquid leakage amount under pressurization" ÷ "mass of the test piece before pressurization") × 100 is defined as the "liquid leakage amount under pressurization ratio."

[0108] (Shape of Fat Lump Simulation Structure) The shape of the fat lump simulation structure is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of increasing the amount of oil released when the fat lump simulation structure is bitten, it is preferably sheet-like or rod-like. Here, sheet-like means a shape that is thin relative to its length and width. Furthermore, rod-like means a shape in which, in at least one cross section perpendicular to the longest direction of the fat lump simulation structure, the length of the line that is the longest between two points is b, and the length of the line that is the longest among the lines perpendicular to the line that is the longest between the two points is a, and b / a is 2.00 or more.

[0109] The simulated fat mass structure according to the present disclosure can have an arithmetic mean value of thickness measured at each of five arbitrarily selected locations on the simulated fat mass structure of 10 mm or more, and from the viewpoints of the homogeneity, productivity, and manufacturability of the simulated fat mass structure, it is more preferable that the arithmetic mean value be 10 mm or more and 1000 mm or less.

[0110] The thickness of the simulated fat mass structure is measured using a non-contact thickness gauge, such as a TAP-2H-50XY manufactured by COMS Co., Ltd.

[0111] (Swelling degree) The simulated fat mass structure according to the present disclosure preferably has a swelling degree of 20% or more and 180% or less, more preferably 30% or more and 160% or less, and even more preferably 50% or more and 150% or less. The swelling degree is a value that reflects the degree of crosslinking of the simulated fat mass structure.

[0112] When the swelling degree is 20% or more, the simulated fat mass structure has a texture similar to that of fat contained in livestock meat (e.g., beef tallow). When the swelling degree is 180% or less, the simulated fat mass structure has a hardness that is not too soft and has a moderate chewiness, and the shape retention and the retention of the aroma and taste resulting from the seasonings contained in the simulated fat mass structure are good.

[0113] Measurement Method of Swelling Degree: In the present disclosure, the swelling degree of a simulated fat mass structure is measured by the following method. Three samples are cut out at three random locations from the simulated fat mass structure to be measured using a cutting tool (e.g., a utility knife) so that the thickness is 5 mm and the weight is 1 g to 1.5 g. The cut samples are frozen at -20°C. After thawing the frozen samples at room temperature (25°C, the same applies below), each sample is placed in a vial container (manufacturer: Nichiden Rika Glass, model number: SV-30) and dried in an 80°C oven (manufacturer: AS ONE, model number: DO-450PC) for 5 hours to obtain a dried sample, and the dry mass is measured. Then, 20 mL of ion-exchanged water is placed in the plastic container and allowed to swell at 5°C for 24 hours. The swollen sample is placed on a Kimtowel (registered trademark: Nippon Paper Crecia Co., Ltd.) at room temperature, and another Kimtowel is placed over the sample to remove water from the surface of the sample and remove excess moisture. The mass of the drained sample is measured and this measurement is regarded as the mass after water absorption. The swelling degree is calculated using the dry mass of the sample and the mass after water absorption using the following formula X: Formula X: Swelling degree (%) = [[(mass after water absorption) - (dry mass)] / (dry mass)] x 100 The measurement is carried out three times using different samples, and the average value is regarded as the swelling degree of the sample (n = 3).

[0114] The swelling degree of the simulated fat mass structure can be adjusted by the concentration of the polyvalent metal salt added, the concentration of the monovalent metal salt added, the concentration of the chelating agent added, and the like.

[0115] Coefficient of variation of swelling degree In the simulated fat mass structure according to the present disclosure, the coefficient of variation of swelling degree of samples cut out from three arbitrarily selected locations is preferably within 30%, more preferably within 20%. The swelling degree of the samples (n=3) is measured by the above-mentioned measurement method. The coefficient of variation of swelling degree is calculated using the measured swelling degree by the following formula Y. Formula Y: Coefficient of variation [%] = [(standard deviation of swelling degree for n=3) / (average swelling degree for n=3)] x 100

[0116] (Indentation strength at 10°C) The simulated fat mass structure according to the present disclosure has an indentation strength of 1000 N / m ２ More than 100000N / m ２It is preferable that the indentation strength at 10°C is 1000 N / m or less. ２ More than 100000N / m ２ Therefore, it is easy to obtain a fat mass simulated structure having a texture similar to that of fat contained in meat (for example, beef tallow).

[0117] The indentation strength at 10°C is 3000 N / m ２ More than 90000N / m ２ More preferably, 5000 N / m or less ２ More than 80000N / m ２ The following is even more preferred:

[0118] The indentation strength of the simulated fat mass structure at 10°C is measured as follows.

[0119] - Sample preparation: Prepare a simulated fat mass structure to be measured. The size of the sample needs to be large enough to be placed on the measuring device. The thickness of the sample needs to be large enough to allow the probe of the measuring device to be pressed into it.

[0120] Measurement method: The sample prepared as described above is placed in a refrigerator (manufactured by Hoshizaki Corporation) and left to stand overnight. After standing, the sample is removed from the refrigerator and left to stand at room temperature (25°C). The liquid temperature of the sample is measured with a digital thermometer (manufactured by Chino Corporation) to confirm that it is within 10°C ± 0.5°C, and measurement is carried out using the following equipment and under the following measurement conditions.

[0121] (Apparatus used) Tensipresser My Boy II system (manufactured by Taketomo Electric Co., Ltd.) (Measurement conditions) Test method: ONEBITE Push-in speed: 2 mm / sec Probe shape: φ10 mm spherical plunger (Measurement procedure) The probe is pushed into the sample under the above conditions, and the largest value of the time history of the push-in force obtained by the measurement is used. The measurement is performed twice, and the arithmetic mean of the two measured values ​​is taken, rounded to one decimal place, to obtain the push-in strength of the simulated fat mass structure.

[0122] The indentation strength of the simulated fat mass structure can be adjusted by, for example, the concentration of the polyvalent metal salt added, the concentration of the monovalent metal salt added, the concentration of the chelating agent added, or the like.

[0123] (Method for manufacturing simulated fat mass structure) The simulated fat mass structure according to the present disclosure is preferably manufactured by the manufacturing method according to the present disclosure.

[0124] As described above, the production method according to the present disclosure includes steps A, B, C, D, E, and F. Each step of the production method according to the present disclosure will be described below.

[0125] -Step A- Step A is a step of preparing an oil-in-water emulsion dispersion A by emulsifying an oil phase A that contains an oil and is solid at 10°C and liquid at 35°C, and an aqueous phase A, under conditions where both the oil phase A and the aqueous phase A are liquid.

[0126] The oil phase A contains an oil. The oil contained in the oil phase A may be the same as the oil described in the description of the simulated fat lump structure, and preferred embodiments are also the same, so description thereof will be omitted here.

[0127] Oil phase A is solid at 10°C and liquid at 35°C.

[0128] The aqueous phase A is preferably an aqueous solution containing water as a solvent and a surfactant. The aqueous phase A can be prepared by mixing water with ingredients such as the surfactant and stirring the mixture.

[0129] The surfactant contained in the aqueous phase A may be the same as the surfactant described in the description of the fat mass simulated structure, and the preferred embodiments are also the same, so the description will be omitted here.

[0130] The content of the surfactant in the aqueous phase A may be, for example, 0.1% by mass or more and 3% by mass or less relative to the total amount of the aqueous phase A.

[0131] The oil phase A may contain optional ingredients such as oil-soluble food additives in addition to fats and oils.

[0132] In step A, an oil-in-water emulsion dispersion A is prepared by emulsifying an oil phase A and an aqueous phase A under conditions in which both the oil phase A and the aqueous phase A are liquid.

[0133] Conditions for making both oil phase A and water phase A liquid include, for example, adjusting the liquid temperatures of oil phase A and water phase A to 25°C to 50°C.

[0134] The emulsification of the oil phase A and the water phase A is preferably carried out by a method of emulsifying the oil phase A and the water phase A using an emulsifier.

[0135] Examples of emulsifiers include rotary mixers equipped with propeller-type, anchor-type, paddle-type, or turbine-type stirring blades, static mixers such as static mixers, rotor-stator emulsifiers such as homogenizers and Clearmix, mill-type emulsifiers equipped with a grinding function, high-pressure emulsifiers such as Manton-Gaulin pressure emulsifiers, high-pressure nozzle-type emulsifiers that generate cavitation under high pressure, high-pressure collision-type emulsifiers such as microfluidizers that apply shear force by causing liquids to collide with each other under high pressure, ultrasonic emulsifiers that generate cavitation using ultrasound, and membrane emulsifiers that perform uniform emulsification through fine pores.

[0136] From the viewpoint of improving the uniformity of the particle size of the emulsified particles, it is preferable to use a membrane emulsifier as the emulsifier. When emulsifying using a membrane emulsifier, the emulsification method may be either a direct membrane emulsification method or a permeable membrane emulsification method, but a direct membrane emulsification method is preferable. As the porous membrane provided in the membrane emulsifier, for example, an SPG (Shirasu Porous Glass) membrane is suitable. The SPG membrane can be purchased from, for example, SPG Techno Co., Ltd.

[0137] A preferred emulsification method using a membrane emulsifier is, for example, a method in which an oil phase A is dispersed through a porous membrane in an aqueous phase A. The mass ratio of the aqueous phase A to the oil phase A used for emulsification (mass of aqueous solution / mass of oil or fat) is preferably 10 / 1 or more and 2 / 1 or less.

[0138] In this way, an oil-in-water emulsion dispersion A is prepared, in which the aqueous phase A is the continuous phase and the oil phase A is the dispersed phase.

[0139] -Step B- Step B is a step of cooling the emulsion dispersion A prepared in step A to 10°C or less to prepare a particulate dispersion B containing particulates formed by solidifying the oil phase A. That is, in step B, the oil phase A (i.e., droplets containing oil or fat) contained in the emulsion dispersion A is solidified by cooling to obtain a particulate dispersion B in which particulates (i.e., specific particulates) are dispersed in the aqueous phase A, which is the continuous phase.

[0140] The emulsion dispersion A can be cooled, for example, in a constant temperature room such as a refrigerator. The cooling temperature is 10° C. or lower, preferably 6° C. or lower. The cooling time is not particularly limited, and it is preferable to continue cooling until the oil phase (i.e., droplets containing oil or fat) solidifies.

[0141] The emulsion dispersion A may be allowed to stand before cooling to separate into a phase containing droplets containing oil or fat and an aqueous phase, the aqueous phase being discharged from the separatory funnel, and the phase containing droplets containing oil or fat may be recovered and used. In this case, the phase containing droplets containing oil or fat is cooled to 10°C or lower.

[0142] After cooling, recovery of the particulate dispersion B containing particulates (specific particulates) formed by solidifying droplets containing oil or fat may be recovery of a supernatant containing the particulates. Examples of a method for recovering the supernatant containing the particulates include a method in which a separatory funnel is used to discharge the aqueous solution other than the supernatant containing the particulates.

[0143] The content of the specific particulate material in the particulate material dispersion B is preferably 40% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less based on the total amount of the particulate material dispersion B.

[0144] -Step C- Step C is a step of preparing an aqueous solution C1 in which an edible cationically cross-linkable polymer is dissolved in water, and a liquid C2 in which a polyvalent metal salt (specific polyvalent metal salt) having a solubility of 1 g / 100 g or less in water at 20°C is dissolved or dispersed in water. Note that, hereinafter, the aqueous solution C1 may be referred to as the aqueous phase C1, and the liquid C2 may be referred to as the aqueous phase C2.

[0145] Step C may be performed prior to step D. That is, step C may be performed before step A and / or step B, or may be performed after step A and / or step B.

[0146] The aqueous solution C1 preferably contains at least the above-described edible cationically crosslinkable polymer, a surfactant, and water. The aqueous solution C1 preferably further contains a monovalent metal salt.

[0147] The edible cation-crosslinkable polymer, surfactant, and monovalent metal salt contained in aqueous solution C1 may be the same as the edible cation-crosslinkable polymer, surfactant, and monovalent metal salt described in the description of the fat mass simulated structure, and the preferred embodiments are also the same, so description thereof will be omitted here.

[0148] The aqueous solution C1 may contain optional components such as seasonings (e.g., sodium glutamate, etc.), sweeteners (e.g., sucrose, reduced starch syrup, etc.), antioxidants, coloring agents, color formers, flavorings, stabilizers, preservatives, and pH adjusters (e.g., citric acid, sodium lactate, etc.), as needed. A monovalent metal salt may be contained in the aqueous solution C1 as one embodiment of the optional components.

[0149] The content of the edible cationically crosslinkable polymer in the aqueous solution C1 is preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less relative to the total amount of the aqueous solution C1.

[0150] When a monovalent metal salt is used, the amount of the monovalent metal salt used is, from the viewpoint of adjusting the degree of crosslinking by decrosslinking, preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less, more preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less, relative to the total amount of components used in all steps of the production method according to the present disclosure.

[0151] Liquid C2 is a liquid in which a specific polyvalent metal salt is dissolved or dispersed in water. The specific polyvalent metal salt contained in Liquid C2 may be the same as the specific polyvalent metal salt described in the description of the simulated fat mass structure, and preferred embodiments are also the same, so description thereof will be omitted here.

[0152] It is preferable that the liquid C2 further contains a chelating agent. Examples of the chelating agent contained in the liquid C2 include the same chelating agents as those described in the description of the simulated fat mass structure, and preferred embodiments are also the same, so description thereof will be omitted here.

[0153] The amount of the specific polyvalent metal salt used is preferably 0.05% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less, and more preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less, relative to the total amount of components used in all steps of the production method according to the present disclosure. In one embodiment, when the specific polyvalent metal salt is a calcium salt, the concentration of the specific polyvalent metal salt, in terms of the amount of calcium, is preferably 0.01% by mass or more and 2.5% by mass or less, and more preferably 0.02% by mass or more and 1% by mass or less, relative to the total amount of liquid C2.

[0154] When a chelating agent is used, the amount of the chelating agent used is preferably 0.01% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less, more preferably 0.05% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 1% by mass or less, relative to the total amount of components used in all steps of the production method according to the present disclosure.

[0155] -Step D- Step D is a step of mixing the granular dispersion B prepared in step B with the aqueous solution C1 prepared in step C at 10°C or less to prepare a mixed solution D. By mixing the granular dispersion B with the aqueous solution C1, a mixed solution D is obtained that contains an edible cationically crosslinkable polymer and specific granules obtained by solidifying the oil phase A. When the aqueous solution C1 contains a monovalent metal salt, the mixed solution D also contains the monovalent metal salt.

[0156] The particulate dispersion B and the aqueous solution C1 can be mixed using any stirring means. The mixing ratio of the particulate dispersion B to the aqueous solution C1 is preferably in the range of 10:1 to 1:4 by mass, and more preferably in the range of 3:1 to 1:2 by mass.

[0157] The particulate dispersion B and the aqueous solution C1 are mixed at a temperature of 10°C or lower, preferably 0.1 to 9°C, from the viewpoint of preventing coalescence or destruction of the particulates and maintaining a desirable particle size.

[0158] -Step E- Step E is a step of mixing the mixed liquid D prepared in step D with the liquid C2 prepared in step C to prepare a mixed liquid E. By mixing the mixed liquid D with the liquid C2, a mixed liquid E is obtained which contains an edible cation-crosslinkable polymer, a specific granule formed by solidifying the oil phase A, and a specific polyvalent metal salt, and further contains components such as a monovalent metal salt and a chelating agent, as desired.

[0159] Mixture of mixed solution D and solution C2 can be carried out using any stirring means. The mixing ratio of mixed solution D to solution C2 (mixture solution D:solution C2) is preferably 10:1 to 1:1 by mass, and more preferably 5:1 to 2:1 by mass.

[0160] -Step F- Step F is a step in which the mixed liquid E prepared in step E is allowed to stand at 10°C or below to obtain a simulated fat mass structure having the desired degree of swelling. That is, in the manufacturing method according to the present disclosure, mixed liquid E containing all of the raw materials that constitute the simulated fat mass structure is prepared through steps A, B, C, and D, and then in step F, mixed liquid E is allowed to stand at 10°C or below, allowing gradual hardening until the desired degree of swelling is achieved. As a result, a crosslinked state is formed uniformly throughout the mixed liquid E, and a homogeneous simulated fat mass structure having the desired shape can be easily obtained by the manufacturing method according to the present disclosure.

[0161] The temperature at which the mixed solution E is allowed to stand is 10°C or lower, and from the viewpoint of preventing coalescence and / or destruction of the granules and maintaining a preferred particle size, it is preferably 0.1°C to 9°C. The standing can be carried out, for example, in a constant temperature room such as a refrigerator. The standing time varies depending on the shape of the desired simulated fat mass structure, but can be, for example, 1 minute to 6 hours.

[0162] The obtained simulated fat mass structure may be washed with tap water, etc. After washing, it may be frozen in a freezer, etc.

[0163] <Meat substitute> The simulated fat mass structure according to the present disclosure is suitable for use in a meat substitute. The meat substitute preferably includes a lean meat-like portion containing protein and the simulated fat mass structure according to the present disclosure.

[0164] (Lean meat-like portion) The lean meat-like portion refers to a portion of the substitute meat that appears to be lean. The lean meat-like portion preferably contains protein and, if necessary, fats and oils, binders, and other additives.

[0165] -Protein- The lean meat-like portion contains protein. The protein preferably contains at least one of vegetable protein and animal protein, and more preferably contains vegetable protein.

[0166] Vegetable proteins are proteins extracted from plants. There are no particular limitations on the vegetable proteins, as long as they are extracted from plants. Examples of sources of plant proteins include grains such as wheat, barley, oats, rice, and corn; beans such as soybeans, peas, adzuki beans, chickpeas, lentils, fava beans, mung beans, and lupin beans; nuts and seeds such as almonds, peanuts, cashew nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, flaxseed, sesame, rapeseed, cottonseed, safflower, and sunflower; potatoes such as potato, sweet potato, mountain yam, Jerusalem artichoke, and cassava; vegetables such as asparagus, artichoke, cauliflower, broccoli, and edamame; fruits such as banana, jackfruit, kiwifruit, coconut, avocado, and olive; mushrooms such as mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, shimeji mushrooms, and maitake mushrooms; and algae such as chlorella, spirulina, euglena, nori seaweed, kelp, wakame seaweed, hijiki seaweed, tengusa seaweed, and mozuku seaweed. Among these, from the viewpoint of obtaining a meat substitute having an appearance and texture similar to that of a whole piece of meat, the vegetable protein is preferably derived from at least one selected from the group consisting of wheat, soybean, pea, and rice, and more preferably from at least one selected from the group consisting of soybean and wheat. The vegetable protein may contain a protein derived from one plant, or may contain proteins derived from two or more plants.

[0167] Animal protein is a protein obtained from an animal. The animal protein is not particularly limited as long as it is a protein obtained from an animal. Examples of animal proteins include collagen, gelatin, keratin, fibroin, sericin, casein, conchiolin, elastin, protamine, egg yolk protein, and egg white protein. Only one type of animal protein may be contained, or two or more types may be contained.

[0168] From the perspective of obtaining a meat substitute that has a texture closer to that of livestock meat, it is preferable that the protein has muscle-like tissue. Here, muscle-like tissue refers to tissue that has a structure similar to fiber bundles and can be split into fibers in a certain direction. Lean meat originates from muscle. Muscle is composed of bundles of muscle fibers. Therefore, lean meat has a structure similar to that of fiber bundles. When the protein contained in the lean meat-like portion of the meat substitute according to the present disclosure has muscle-like tissue, it becomes possible to create the texture brought about by the presence of muscle fibers that is felt when eating livestock meat.

[0169] A method for making a protein have a muscle-like texture includes extruding the protein (with water or the like added together with the protein, if necessary) using an extruder. By extruding the protein, the protein has a structure similar to a bundle of fibers aligned in the extrusion direction of the extruder, and has a texture that can be split into fibers in the extrusion direction of the extruder.

[0170] The protein content of the entire lean meat-like portion is preferably 50% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, more preferably 60% by mass or more and 95% by mass or less, and even more preferably 70% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less.

[0171] -Fats and Oils- The lean meat-like portion may contain fats and oils. Examples of fats and oils include vegetable fats and oils, and animal fats and oils. Examples of vegetable fats and oils include rapeseed oil, soybean oil, palm oil, olive oil, coconut oil, rice bran oil, corn oil, coconut oil, and canola oil. Examples of animal fats and oils include beef tallow, lard, whale fat, and fish oil.

[0172] - Binder - The lean meat-like portion preferably contains a binder as needed. By containing a binder in the lean meat-like portion, the lean meat-like portion can more easily maintain a unified shape.

[0173] The binder is not particularly limited as long as it is edible and can maintain the shape of the lean meat-like portion. Examples of binders include proteins, thickening polysaccharides, starch, etc. The protein used as the binder may be the same as or different from the protein contained in the lean meat-like portion.

[0174] Examples of proteins used as binders include vegetable proteins, animal proteins, enzymes, etc. Vegetable proteins used as binders include proteins derived from wheat, soybeans, rice, etc. Animal proteins used as binders include milk proteins, egg whites, etc. Enzymes include transglutaminase, etc.

[0175] Examples of thickening polysaccharides include carrageenan, xanthan gum, pectin, locust bean gum, curdlan, guar gum, tragacanth gum, gum arabic, gellan gum, tamarind seed gum, cassia gum, tara gum, alginic acid, agar, glucomannan, soybean polysaccharides, gelatin, pullulan, psyllium, chitosan, methylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, and dextrin.

[0176] Examples of starches include wheat starch, cassava starch, rice starch, glutinous rice starch, corn starch, waxy corn starch, sago starch, potato starch, kudzu starch, lotus root starch, mung bean starch, sweet potato starch, waxy potato starch, waxy cassava starch, and waxy wheat starch.

[0177] Here, it is preferable to use transglutaminase as the binder. Commercially available transglutaminase products can be used, such as the Activa (registered trademark) series manufactured by Ajinomoto Co., Inc.

[0178] The content of the binder contained in the red meat-like portion is preferably 0.01% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less with respect to the entire red meat-like portion.

[0179] -Other Additives- The lean meat-like portion preferably contains other additives in addition to proteins, fats and oils, and binders, as necessary. Examples of other additives include water, seasonings, acidulants, bittering agents, spices, sweeteners, antioxidants, coloring agents, color formers, flavorings, stabilizers, preservatives, etc. The content of other additives is preferably 0% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less of the entire lean meat-like portion.

[0180] <Method for producing substitute meat> The method for producing substitute meat preferably includes a step (first step) of contacting the lean meat-like portion with the simulated fat mass structure, and a step (second step) of fixing them using a binder.

[0181] (Method for producing lean meat-like portion) The method for producing the meat substitute according to the present disclosure is preferably carried out as follows.

[0182] Examples of procedures for producing lean meat-like portions include the following: Procedure (1-1) A lean meat-like portion raw material containing at least protein is extruded from an extruder, the extruded lean meat-like portion raw material is colored red, and then molded into a shape similar to that of lean livestock meat. Procedure (1-2) Commercially available soy meat is colored with a red colorant, and the colored substitute meat is molded into a shape similar to that of lean livestock meat. Procedure (1-3) A lean meat-like portion raw material containing at least protein and a colorant is extruded from an extruder, and the extruded red-colored lean meat-like portion is molded into a shape similar to that of lean meat from a block of meat. Procedure (1-4) The red-colored commercially available soy meat is molded into a shape similar to that of lean meat from a block of meat. The above procedures (1-1) to (1-4) are described in detail below.

[0183] The lean meat-like portion raw material contains at least protein, but preferably also contains water from the viewpoint of improving the efficiency of extrusion of the lean meat-like portion raw material from the extruder. The lean meat-like portion raw material preferably contains 2 to 6 parts by mass of water per 10 parts by mass of protein.

[0184] Extrusion Conditions The extruder is not particularly limited, and known single-screw extruders, non-intermeshing counter-rotating twin-screw extruders, intermeshing counter-rotating twin-screw extruders, and intermeshing co-rotating twin-screw extruders can be used.

[0185] The barrel temperature of the extruder is preferably 60°C or higher and 100°C or lower in the front half of the barrel (the portion from the raw material supply portion for the lean portion to the center of the barrel), 90°C or higher and 170°C or lower in the center of the barrel (the center of the axial length of the barrel), and 140°C or higher and 180°C or lower in the rear half of the barrel (the portion from the center of the barrel to the tip of the barrel).

[0186] The extruder preferably has a die attached to the tip of the barrel. The die is preferably a die that can produce a sheet-like extrudate. The gap (lip clearance) at the die outlet is preferably 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less. The length of the die is preferably 30 mm or more and 100 mm or less. The die is preferably a cooling die. Here, the cooling die refers to a die that is cooled, for example, by circulating a cooling liquid (such as water or glycol). By using a cooling die, expansion of the extruded lean meat-like portion raw material is easily suppressed. Therefore, the lean meat-like portion produced using the lean meat-like portion raw material extruded using the cooling die is likely to be fibrous. When a cooling die is used, the temperature of the cooling die outlet is preferably 90°C or more and 120°C or less.

[0187] The extruded lean meat-like portion raw material is preferably cut into pieces as needed. From the viewpoint of producing a meat substitute having an appearance similar to that of a whole piece of meat, it is preferable that the length of the extruded lean meat-like portion raw material in the extrusion direction be 10 mm to 50 mm, and the length in the direction perpendicular to the extrusion direction be 2 mm to 8 mm, for example.

[0188] The extruded lean meat-like portion raw material is preferably colored red using a coloring agent, preferably an edible red coloring agent, such as natural beet red pigment.

[0189] It is preferable to add a binder to the extruded lean meat-like portion raw material, and a seasoning may also be added as necessary. The extruded lean meat-like portion raw material is collected in a block form and formed into a shape similar to that of lean meat of livestock, thereby producing the lean meat-like portion of the substitute meat. From the viewpoint of obtaining a substitute meat having a texture closer to that of livestock meat, when collecting the extruded lean meat-like portion raw material in a block form, it is preferable to align the extrusion directions of the extruded lean meat-like portion raw material in approximately the same direction.

[0190] - Procedure (1-2) - The procedure for producing the lean meat-like portion may be a procedure in which commercially available soy meat is colored with a red coloring agent and the colored meat substitute is formed into a shape resembling that of lean meat from livestock. Soy meat is a food material artificially produced using raw materials containing soybean-derived vegetable protein, and refers to a food material that has a texture similar to that of livestock meat.

[0191] It is preferable to cut the soy meat as needed before use. From the viewpoint of obtaining a meat substitute with an appearance similar to that of livestock meat, for example, it is preferable that the vertical width of the soy meat is 10 mm to 50 mm, the horizontal width is 2 mm to 8 mm, and the thickness is 1 mm to 5 mm. In addition, commercially available soy meat is generally obtained by extruding a raw material containing soybean-derived plant protein from an extruder and expanding it. Therefore, commercially available soy meat generally has muscle-like tissue. Therefore, when adjusting the dimensions of the soy meat, it is preferable to adjust by splitting along a structure similar to the fiber bundles of the muscle-like tissue of the soy meat.

[0192] The soy meat is preferably colored red using a coloring agent. Examples of the coloring agent include the same coloring agents as those listed in step (1-1). It is also preferable to add a binder to the soy meat, and a seasoning may be added as needed. The red meat-like portion of the meat substitute is produced by collecting the soy meat into a block and forming it into a shape similar to the shape of lean meat of livestock. From the perspective of obtaining a meat substitute having a texture closer to that of livestock meat, when collecting the soy meat into a block, it is preferable to align the directions of the fiber bundle-like structures of the muscle-like tissue of the soy meat in nearly the same direction.

[0193] - Procedure (1-3) - It is preferable to produce a lean meat-like portion in the same manner as in procedure (1-1), except that instead of adding the colorant to the raw material of the lean meat-like portion after extrusion molding, the colorant is added to the raw material of the lean meat-like portion before extrusion molding.

[0194] - Procedure (1-4) - It is preferable to produce a lean meat-like portion in the same manner as in procedure (1-2), except that soy meat that has been pre-colored red is used instead of coloring commercially available soy meat with a coloring agent.

[0195] (First Step) The first step is a step of bringing the lean meat-like portion into contact with the simulated fat mass structure. The method of bringing the lean meat-like portion into contact with the simulated fat mass structure is not particularly limited, but for example, when producing a substitute meat having an appearance similar to steak meat, it is preferable to mold the lean meat-like portion into a shape similar to the lean meat of steak meat, mold the simulated fat mass structure into a shape similar to the fat of steak meat, and then bring the lean meat-like portion and the simulated fat mass structure into contact with each other.

[0196] (Second Step) The second step is a step of fixing the contact body of the lean meat-like portion obtained in the first step and the simulated fat mass structure using a binder. For example, a method of fixing the contact body includes a method of coating the entire contact body with a binder and then leaving it to stand. As the binder, the binders already mentioned can be used, but an enzyme is preferred, and transglutaminase is more preferred.

[0197] It is preferable that the meat substitute is produced through the above steps.

[0198] Examples are described below, but the simulated fat mass structure and the method for manufacturing the simulated fat mass structure according to the present disclosure are not limited to these examples. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, all "parts" and "%" are based on mass.

[0199] Example 1 (a) Step A Aqueous phase A and oil phase A were prepared as follows. Aqueous phase A: 99.5 parts by mass of tap water and 0.5 parts by mass of Ryoto Sugar Ester M-1695 (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) as a surfactant were weighed out to a total of 5 kg, and stirred for 30 minutes with a Three-One Motor (manufactured by Shinto Scientific Co., Ltd.) to achieve complete dissolution. Oil phase A: 1 kg of coconut oil (manufactured by Alcapia Co., Ltd., product name: Pia Cocona, melting point 24°C) was weighed out as an oil.

[0200] Using the aqueous phase as the continuous phase and the oil phase as the dispersed phase, membrane emulsification was carried out at 35 ° C. using a pipe-shaped SPG membrane (manufactured by SPG Techno Co., Ltd., pore diameter 50 μm). Specifically, a pipe-shaped SPG membrane was inserted into a tubular container, and the aqueous phase was flowed at a flow rate of 50 mL / min inside the pipe-shaped SPG membrane (inner pipe) from one end of the container to the other, and the oil phase was flowed at a flow rate of 10 mL / min outside the pipe-shaped SPG membrane (outer pipe (flow path between the container and the SPG membrane)). As a result, an emulsion dispersion A1 containing droplets containing oil (oil phase A) was obtained. The volume average particle size of the droplets (granules) containing oil was 210 μm.

[0201] (b) Step B: After adding the emulsified dispersion A to a separatory funnel, the mixture was allowed to stand for 30 minutes. The emulsified dispersion A separated into a phase containing droplets containing the specific vegetable oil and an aqueous phase, so the aqueous phase was discharged from the separatory funnel and the phase containing droplets containing the specific vegetable oil was recovered. The recovered phase containing droplets containing the specific vegetable oil was allowed to stand overnight in a refrigerator with an internal temperature of 5°C to cool and solidify the droplets, thereby obtaining a particulate dispersion B containing particulates (specific particulates).

[0202] (c) Step C Preparation of aqueous solution C1 One part by mass of sodium alginate (Kimika Algin I-1, manufactured by Kimika Co., Ltd.) as an edible cationic cross-linkable polymer, 0.5 parts by mass of Ryoto Sugar Ester M-1695 (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) as a surfactant, and 98.5 parts by mass of tap water were mixed to obtain an aqueous solution C1 (aqueous phase C1) containing an edible cationic cross-linkable polymer.

[0203] Preparation of Liquid C2 Seven parts by mass of calcium sulfate dihydrate (calcium sulfate dihydrate, manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) as a polyvalent metal salt and 94 parts by mass of tap water were mixed to obtain Liquid C2 (aqueous phase C2).

[0204] (d) Step D In a plastic cup (a 100 ml plastic cup manufactured by Sanplatec Co., Ltd.) was added 40 parts by mass of particulate dispersion B to 40 parts by mass of aqueous solution C1 containing an edible cationic cross-linking polymer, and the mixture was slowly stirred with a stirrer (Three-One Motor, manufactured by Yamato Scientific Co., Ltd.) to prepare a mixed liquid (mixed liquid D, viscosity 480 mPa s, temperature 10°C) containing an edible cationic cross-linking polymer and specific particulates.

[0205] (e) Step E: 20 parts by mass of liquid C2 (aqueous phase C2) was added to 80 parts by mass of mixed liquid D contained in a plastic cup, and the mixture was stirred for another 10 seconds, after which the stirring was stopped. Thus, mixed liquid E was obtained.

[0206] (f) Step (F) The mixed solution E was placed in the plastic cup and allowed to stand in a refrigerator at a temperature of 5°C for 24 hours to crosslink (gel) the edible cationically crosslinkable polymer, thereby obtaining the simulated fat mass structure of Example 1. The size of the obtained simulated fat mass structure was 49.5 mmΦ x 30 mm (h). The thickness was measured at each of five arbitrarily selected locations on the simulated fat mass structure, and the arithmetic mean value was found to be 35.8 mm.

[0207] <Examples 2 to 14, Comparative Examples 1 to 7> The simulated fat mass structures of Examples 2 to 14 and Comparative Examples 1 to 7 were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the compositions of the emulsified dispersion A, aqueous solution C1 (aqueous phase C1), and liquid C2 (aqueous phase C2) in Example 1 were changed as shown in Table 1.

[0208] <Comparative Example 8> In Example 1, instead of carrying out step E, 100 parts by mass of an aqueous solution of calcium chloride (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) was gently poured into a plastic cup as liquid C2 (aqueous phase C2), brought into contact with mixed liquid D, and allowed to stand as is. The fat mass simulated structure of Comparative Example 8 was prepared in the same manner as Example 1, except that.

[0209] <Comparative Example 9> The simulated fat lump structure of Comparative Example 9 was prepared in the same manner as in Comparative Example 8, except that the amount of mixed liquid D was adjusted so that the size of the simulated fat lump structure was 49.5 mmΦ x 5 mm (h).

[0210] <Comparative Example 10> In Comparative Example 8, after the contents in the plastic cup had completely hardened in step E, tap water was poured into the plastic cup and washed for 30 seconds. 100 parts by mass of a 15% aqueous solution of sodium glutamate was gently poured into the washed contents, brought into contact with them, and left to stand for 12 hours. In this way, the simulated fat mass structure of Comparative Example 10 was produced.

[0211] The obtained simulated fat mass structure was subjected to the following measurements and evaluations. The results are shown in Table 1 and Table 2.

[0212] <Measurement and Evaluation> 1. Evaluation of Granular Material (1) Fluidity at 10°C The prepared oil phase was used as a sample. 10 g of the oil phase was weighed and sealed in a 30 mL glass vial. The glass vial containing the sealed oil phase was placed in a dry oven (manufactured by Yamato Scientific Co., Ltd., DG400) set to a constant temperature of 35°C and left to stand overnight. The liquid temperature of the sample was measured with a digital thermometer (manufactured by Chino Corporation) and confirmed to be within 10°C ± 0.5°C. The fluidity was determined by tilting the glass vial by 90°C. If the entire contents flowed and moved within 5 seconds, it was determined to be "liquid", and if the entire contents did not flow within 5 seconds, it was determined to be "solid".

[0213] (2) Fluidity at 35°C The prepared oil phase was used as a sample. 10 g of the oil phase was weighed and sealed in a 30 mL glass vial. The glass vial containing the sealed oil phase was placed in a dry oven (DG400, manufactured by Yamato Scientific Co., Ltd.) set to a constant temperature of 35°C and left to stand overnight. The liquid temperature of the sample was measured with a digital thermometer (manufactured by Chino Corporation) and confirmed to be within 35°C ± 0.5°C. The fluidity was determined by tilting the glass vial by 90°C. If the entire contents flowed and moved within 5 seconds, it was determined to be "liquid", and if the entire contents did not flow within 5 seconds, it was determined to be "solid".

[0214] (3) Volume Average Particle Size The volume average particle size of the granules was measured by the following method. The procedure for measuring the volume average particle size is described below. The simulated fat mass structure was immersed in a 100 mM aqueous solution of ethylenediamine-N,N,N',N'-sodium tetraacetate (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) for 1 hour. After 1 hour, the floating particles were recovered from the simulated fat mass structure by gravity separation and placed on a 60 mm diameter polystyrene Petri dish. At this time, the recovered particles were made to not overlap in the depth direction of the Petri dish. The recovered particles were then observed with a transmission optical microscope and photographed at 5x objective magnification. More than 200 images of the particles were selected from the captured image, and the equivalent circle diameter (the diameter of a perfect circle equivalent to the area of ​​the image of the particle) of each particle was calculated using image processing software (e.g., ImageJ). The calculation method for the volume average particle size Mv is as follows. Assume that there are n1, n2, ..., nk particles with particle diameters d1, d2, ..., dk, respectively, in order of smallest particle diameter. Also, the volume of each particle is Vi. In this case, the volume average particle diameter Mv can be calculated using the following formula.

[0215]

[0216] 2. Evaluation of Fat Lump Simulation Structure (1) Evaluation of the Fabrication State The fabrication state of the obtained fat lump simulation structure was visually observed by visually observing the entire fat lump simulation structure after removal from the storage container (plastic cup) and a cross section cut through the center of the fat lump simulation structure (i.e., the center of 49.5 mmΦ). In Table 2, "homogeneous" means that the visually observed fat lump simulation structure maintained the intended shape and there was little change in appearance (color and properties) from the surface to the interior of the fat lump simulation structure. In Table 2, "irregular shape" means that the fat lump simulation structure was unable to maintain the intended shape. "Homogeneous" is preferred.

[0217] (2) Evaluation of Liquid Leakage Ratio Under Pressure (Liquid Release Under Pressure) The liquid leakage ratio under pressure (liquid release under pressure) of the simulated fat lump structures was measured by the following method. The liquid leakage ratio under pressure is an index of juicy texture, and when the liquid leakage ratio under pressure was 30% or more, the simulated fat lump structure was evaluated as having excellent liquid release under pressure and an excellent juicy texture.

[0218] <1> Test piece cutting step Two fat lump simulated structures (hereinafter also referred to as test pieces) with a thickness of 2 mm, a vertical length:horizontal length ratio of 1:1, and weighing 2 g were cut out from the fat lump simulated structure. <2> Temperature adjustment step The cut out test pieces were placed in a polyethylene storage bag (Unipack S-4, manufactured by Nippon Seisaku Co., Ltd.) and sealed, and then placed in a dry oven (DG400, manufactured by Yamato Scientific Co., Ltd.) set to a constant temperature of 30°C, and left to stand for 2 hours. <3> Pressurization step The heated and temperature-adjusted test pieces were pressed from the surface in the thickness direction for 1 minute. At this time, 300 g / cm ２The test piece was then pressed at a pressure of 0.05 for 1 minute. Specifically, a 25 mm square, 1875 g SUS weight was placed on the surface of the test piece after the temperature adjustment process and allowed to stand for 1 minute. The surface of the pressurized test piece was wiped with a Kimwipe. At this time, wiping was continued until the mass of the Kimwipe before and after wiping no longer changed. Here, the test piece after wiping is referred to as the "test piece after pressurization." The mass of the test piece after pressurization was weighed, and the difference between the mass of the test piece before pressurization and the mass of the test piece after pressurization (mass of the test piece before pressurization - mass of the test piece after pressurization) was calculated, and this difference was defined as the "liquid leakage amount under pressurization." Then, the value obtained by calculating ("liquid leakage amount under pressurization" ÷ "mass of the test piece before pressurization") × 100 was defined as the "liquid leakage amount ratio under pressurization."

[0219] (3) Curing completion time At each stage (10 seconds, 1 minute, 10 minutes, 1 hour, 6 hours) starting from the mixing of mixed liquid D and liquid C2 or the contact between mixed liquid D and liquid C2, when the container was tilted 45 degrees, the time when the liquid level stopped fluctuating within 5 seconds was considered to be the time when curing was complete, and evaluation was performed according to the following criteria. The evaluation rank is preferably C, D, or E. - Evaluation criteria - A: Less than 10 seconds B: 10 seconds or more but less than 1 minute C: 1 minute or more but less than 10 minutes D: 10 minutes or more but less than 1 hour E: 1 hour or more but less than 6 hours F: 6 hours or more

[0220] (4) Swelling Degree (n = 3) The swelling degree was measured as follows. Three samples were randomly cut from three locations of the fat mass simulation structure to be measured using a cutting tool (e.g., a utility knife) to obtain a thickness of 5 mm and a weight of 1 g to 1.5 g. The cut samples were frozen at -20°C. After thawing the frozen samples at room temperature (25°C), each was placed in a vial container (manufacturer: Nichiden Rika Glass, model number: SV-30) and dried in an 80°C oven (manufacturer: AS ONE, model number: DO-450PC) for 5 hours to obtain a dried sample, and the dry mass was measured. 20 mL of ion-exchanged water was then added to the vial container and allowed to swell at 5°C for 24 hours. The swollen sample was placed on a Kimtowel (registered trademark) at room temperature, and then another Kimtowel was placed over the sample to remove excess water. The mass of the drained sample was measured, and the measured value was used as the mass after water absorption. The swelling degree was calculated from the dry mass of the sample and the mass after water absorption using the following formula: Formula X: Swelling degree (%) = [(mass after water absorption) - (dry mass)] / (dry mass) x 100 The measurement was carried out three times using different samples, and the average value was taken as the swelling degree of the sample (n = 3).

[0221] (5) Coefficient of variation of swelling degree Samples were prepared in the same manner as in the evaluation of "(4) Swelling degree (n=3)," and the swelling degree (n=3) of the samples was calculated. The coefficient of variation of swelling degree was calculated using the measured swelling degree by the following formula Y. Formula Y: Coefficient of variation [%] = [(standard deviation of swelling degree for n=3) / (average swelling degree for n=3)] × 100

[0222] (6) Indentation Strength at 10°C The indentation strength at 10°C was measured by the following method. - Preparation of Sample The simulated fat mass structures contained in plastic cups obtained in the Examples and Comparative Examples were used as samples.

[0223] Measurement method: The sample was placed in a refrigerator (manufactured by Hoshizaki Corporation) and left to stand overnight. After standing, the sample was removed from the refrigerator and left to stand at room temperature (25°C). The liquid temperature of the sample was measured with a digital thermometer (manufactured by Chino Corporation) and confirmed to be within 10°C ± 0.5°C, and measurement was performed using the following equipment and under the following conditions.

[0224] (Apparatus used) Tensipresser My Boy II system (manufactured by Taketomo Electric Co., Ltd.) (Measurement conditions) Test method: ONEBITE Push-in speed: 2 mm / sec Probe shape: φ10 mm spherical plunger (Measurement procedure) The probe was pushed into the sample under the above conditions, and the largest value among the time history of the push-in force obtained by the measurement was used. The measurement was performed twice, and the arithmetic mean of the two measured values ​​was calculated and rounded to the first decimal place, which was used as the push-in strength of the simulated fat mass structure.

[0225] In Table 1, "-" means that the corresponding component was not used. In Table 1, the concentration of the cationic crosslinkable polymer indicates the concentration in aqueous solution C1 (aqueous phase C1). In Table 1, the concentration of the polyvalent metal salt indicates the concentration in liquid C2 (aqueous phase C2). In Table 1, the amounts of particulate dispersion B, aqueous solution C1 (aqueous phase C1), and liquid C2 (aqueous phase C2) added indicate the amounts of particulate dispersion B, aqueous solution C1 (aqueous phase C1), and liquid C2 (aqueous phase C2) added to the total amount of particulate dispersion B, aqueous solution C1 (aqueous phase C1), and liquid C2 (aqueous phase C2) (i.e., mixed liquid E).

[0226]

[0227]

[0228] The above results show that the simulated fat mass structure of the Example is homogeneous and has a juicy texture when chewed, compared to the simulated fat mass structure of the Comparative Example. Furthermore, the simulated fat mass structure of the Example had a uniform texture when eaten throughout the entire structure.

[0229] Example 101 A meat substitute (steak meat substitute) was produced by the following procedure.

[0230] (Preparation of lean meat-like portion raw material) Defatted soy flour (Showa Fresh RF, manufactured by Showa Sangyo Co., Ltd.) as a protein and wheat gluten (PRO-Glu 65, manufactured by Torigoe Flour Milling Co., Ltd.) as a protein were mixed at a ratio of 7:3 (= defatted soy flour: wheat gluten [mass ratio]) to obtain mixed powder 1. A 350 mm long cooling die (die width: 50 mm, lip clearance: 3 mm) was attached to the discharge section of a twin-screw extruder with a screw length of 1100 mm and a maximum temperature at the screw tip set to 155 ° C., and the outlet temperature of the cooling die was stabilized at 105 ° C. Mixed powder 1 was introduced into the extruder at 250 g / min, and discharged from the extruder while adding water in an amount of 50% by mass of the mass of mixed powder 1 to the extruder, to obtain lean meat-like portion raw material 1 having muscle-like tissue in the extrusion direction (fibrous).

[0231] (Preparation of Lean Meat-like Portion) Lean meat-like portion raw material 1 was boiled in 3 L (liters) of boiling water for 10 minutes and drained. Lean meat-like portion raw material 1 was cut into lengths of 30 mm and torn along the fiber direction to widths of approximately 5 mm. The material was immersed in an aqueous solution (concentration: 3% by mass of colorant relative to the total aqueous solution) containing Sanbeet Concentrate (manufactured by San-Ei Gen FSI Co., Ltd.) as a colorant to color it red, then removed and drained. Salt, pepper, and Haimee (manufactured by Ajinomoto Co., Inc., seasoning) were added as seasonings and rubbed to obtain strip-shaped fibrous soy protein 1. Then, 300 g of strip-shaped fibrous soy protein 1 was added with 15 g of GENUTINE 310-C (manufactured by Sansho Co., Ltd., carrageenan) as a binder and 15 g of kombu acid 429S (manufactured by Kimika Co., Ltd., hardener-containing sodium alginate), and 60 g of water, and mixed until uniform to obtain a lean portion precursor A. Then, 30 g of the fat mass simulated structure produced in Example 1 was added to the lean portion precursor A and mixed until uniform to obtain a steak substitute meat precursor A (first mixture). Then, using a hand-made noodle finishing machine (manufactured by Fukui Kogyosho Co., Ltd., hand-made finishing machine), the steak substitute meat precursor A was stretched to a length of 6 times or more. The stretched steak substitute meat precursor A (post-molding mixture) was placed in a laminated bag (manufactured by Asahi Kasei Corporation, Ziploc (registered trademark)) and left to stand at 75 ° C for 5 minutes to fix it. The steak substitute meat precursor A was cut into a thickness of 25 mm in a direction perpendicular to the stretching direction of the steak substitute meat precursor A to obtain a steak substitute meat.

[0232] The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-146893, filed on August 28, 2024, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. All documents, patent applications, and technical standards mentioned herein are incorporated herein by reference to the same extent as if each individual document, patent application, and technical standard was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

Claims

1. A fat mass simulation structure comprising: granular material containing fats and oils, which is solid at 10°C and liquid at 35°C; an edible ionically cross-linked polymer cross-linked with cations; and a polyvalent metal salt whose solubility in water at 20°C is 1 g / 100 g or less, wherein the volume average particle size of the granular material is 50 μm or more and 500 μm or less.

2. The fat mass simulated structure according to claim 1, further comprising a monovalent metal salt.

3. The fat mass simulation structure according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a chelating agent.

4. A fat lump simulation structure as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the arithmetic mean value of thickness values ​​measured at each of five arbitrarily selected locations on the fat lump simulation structure is 10 mm or more and 1000 mm or less.

5. A simulated fat mass structure according to claim 1 or claim 2, having a swelling degree of 20% or more and 180% or less.

6. A simulated fat mass structure according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the coefficient of variation in swelling degree of samples cut out from three randomly selected locations is within 30%.

7. Indentation strength at 10°C is 1000 N / m ２ More than 100000N / m ２ The fat mass simulation structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

8. Step A: preparing an oil-in-water emulsion dispersion A by emulsifying an oil phase A containing oil and fat, which is solid at 10°C and liquid at 35°C, and an aqueous phase A under conditions where both the oil phase A and the aqueous phase A are liquid; Step B: preparing a particulate dispersion B containing particulates formed by solidifying the oil phase A by cooling the emulsion dispersion A prepared in Step A to 10°C or below; Step C: preparing an aqueous solution C1 in which an edible cationic crosslinkable polymer is dissolved in water, and a liquid C2 in which a polyvalent metal salt having a solubility in water at 20°C of 1 g / 100 g or less is dissolved or dispersed in water; Step D: preparing a mixed solution D by mixing the particulate dispersion B prepared in Step B with the aqueous solution C1 prepared in Step C at 10°C or below. A method for producing a simulated fat lump structure, comprising: a step E of mixing the mixed liquid D prepared in the step D with the liquid C2 prepared in the step C to prepare a mixed liquid E; and a step F of allowing the mixed liquid E prepared in the step E to stand at 10°C or below to obtain a simulated fat lump structure having a desired degree of swelling.

9. The method for producing a simulated fat mass structure according to claim 8, wherein the aqueous solution C1 contains a monovalent metal salt.

10. A method for producing a simulated fat mass structure according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein liquid C2 contains a chelating agent.

11. A meat substitute comprising a lean meat-like portion containing protein and the fat mass imitation structure according to claim 1 or 2.

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