Coarse grain starch composition and fried food batter

Abstract

Provided is a coarse grain starch composition that contains 50-100 mass% of a crosslinked starch, has a degree of gelatinization of 30% or more, and has a bulk specific gravity of 0.1-0.4 g / mL. Further provided is a fried food batter containing the coarse grain starch composition. Still further provided is a method for producing a fried food using the fried food batter.

Description

Coarse starch composition and coating material for fried food

[0001] The present invention relates to a coarse grain starch composition and a coating material for fried foods containing the same.

[0002] Because fried foods require high-temperature oil for cooking, people tend to avoid cooking them at home. Meanwhile, in recent years, pre-cooked fried foods have become widely available in restaurants, convenience stores, and other establishments. However, the crispy texture that characterizes fried foods tends to be lost as time passes after cooking.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a breading flour containing 70 to 100% by mass of starch including low-molecular-weight starch, with 20 to 100% by mass of starch that passes through a 0.1 mm sieve, and describes that fried foods obtained using this breading flour can maintain a crispy, light texture by suppressing the coating from sticking even after storage or heating in a microwave. Patent Document 2 describes a coating material for fried foods containing 5 to 100% by mass of flaky starch masses that contain pregelatinized starch, have a thickness of 100 μm to 1000 μm, and contain 50% or more by mass of a fraction that does not pass through a 400 μm sieve but passes through a 2000 μm sieve, and describes that fried foods obtained using this coating material have a unique appearance covered with small sword-shaped flakes and a crispy, non-greasy, light texture. Patent Document 3 describes a coating material for fried foods containing 5 to 100% by mass of pregelatinized cross-linked starch having a degree of gelatinization of 65% or more and containing 50% by mass or more of a fraction that does not pass through a 400 μm sieve but passes through a 2000 μm sieve, and that fried foods obtained using this coating material have a crispy, light texture that is not oily and a coating that does not have a powdery, oily appearance. Patent Document 4 describes a coating type fried chicken flour containing 5% by mass or more of pregelatinized phosphate cross-linked cornstarch with a particle size that passes through a 2.38 mm sieve but remains on a 0.35 mm sieve, and that by using this fried chicken flour, fried chicken with an appearance and texture similar to Tatsuta-age can be produced without using potato starch.

[0004] International Publication No. 2017 / 188089 International Publication No. 2020 / 110307 International Publication No. 2020 / 110308 JP 2021-036836 A

[0005] To provide a material for a coating material for fried foods, which enables the production of fried foods having a dry, powdery appearance on the surface, a crispy texture in the coating, and which maintain such a good appearance and texture even when stored at room temperature or in a warming cabinet after deep-frying.

[0006] The present invention provides the following as representative embodiments. [1] A coarse grain starch composition containing 50% to 100% by mass of cross-linked starch, having a degree of gelatinization of 30% or more, and a bulk density of 0.1 to 0.4 g / mL. [2] The starch composition according to [1], wherein the cross-linked starch is a phosphate-cross-linked starch. [3] The starch composition according to [1] or [2], which is in the form of an expanded product or a granulated product. [4] The starch composition according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the content of a fraction that does not pass through a 1.18 mm sieve is 35% by mass or less, the content of a fraction that does not pass through a 0.16 mm sieve but does pass through a 1.18 mm sieve is 60 to 90% by mass, and the content of a fraction that passes through a 0.16 mm sieve is 15% by mass or less. [5] The starch composition according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the content of unmodified starch is 0 to 50% by mass. [6] A method for producing a coarse-grained starch composition, comprising coarse-granulating a starch raw material containing 50% to 100% by mass of cross-linked starch to a bulk density of 0.1 to 0.4 g / mL, wherein the coarse-grained starch composition has a degree of gelatinization of 30% or more. [7] The method according to [6], comprising pregelatinizing the starch raw material before the coarse-granulation, or pregelatinizing the starch raw material while coarsening it. [8] The method according to [6] or [7], wherein the cross-linked starch is a pregelatinized cross-linked starch. [9] The method according to any one of [6] to [8], wherein the cross-linked starch is a phosphate-cross-linked starch.

[10] The method according to any one of [6] to [9], wherein the coarse-granulation includes swelling or granulation.

[11] The method according to

[10] , wherein the swelling is performed using an extruder.

[12] The method according to

[10] or

[11] , wherein the coarse-graining comprises grinding or sizing the granulated or expanded product obtained by the swelling or granulation.

[13] The method according to any one of [6] to

[12] , comprising adjusting the particle size of the coarse-grain starch composition so that the content of a fraction that does not pass through a 1.18 mm sieve is 35% by mass or less, the content of a fraction that does not pass through a 0.16 mm sieve but passes through a 1.18 mm sieve is 60 to 90% by mass, and the content of a fraction that passes through a 0.16 mm sieve is 15% by mass or less.

[14] The method according to any one of [6] to

[13] , wherein the content of unmodified starch in the starch raw material is 0 to 50% by mass.

[15] A coating material for fried foods containing 5 to 100% by mass of the coarse grain starch composition according to any one of [1] to [5].

[16] Use of the coarse grain starch composition according to any one of [1] to [5] in a coating material for fried foods.

[17] Use of the coarse grain starch composition according to any one of [1] to [5] in the production of a coating material for fried foods.

[18] A method for producing fried foods, comprising adhering the coating material for fried foods according to

[15] to ingredients and frying them.

[0007] The present invention provides a starch product suitable as an ingredient for coating materials for fried foods. Fried foods obtained using a coating material for fried foods containing the starch product have a dry, powdery appearance on the surface and a crispy texture in the coating, and can maintain such a good appearance and texture even when stored at room temperature or in a warming cabinet after frying.

[0008] The present invention provides a starch product that can be suitably used as a coating material for fried foods. The starch product provided by the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as the "starch product of the present invention") is prepared from a raw starch containing crosslinked starch, and has a specific degree of gelatinization and bulk gravity. The starch product of the present invention has a bulk density of 0.1 to 0.4 g / mL, which is lower than the bulk density of typical starches, which is 0.45 to 0.8 g / mL, meaning that the starch product of the present invention is a coarse-grained starch compared to typical starches. By using coarse-grained starch in a coating material for fried foods instead of commonly used fine-powdered ingredients such as wheat flour or starch, it is possible to impart a crispiness to the fried food due to the breakdown of the coarse-grained starch.

[0009] The raw material starch for the starch product of the present invention contains crosslinked starch. Examples of such crosslinked starch include edible crosslinked starches, preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of phosphate crosslinked starch and adipic acid crosslinked starch, more preferably phosphate crosslinked starch. The crosslinking treatment of the starch can be carried out according to a conventional method. For example, the crosslinking treatment can be carried out by using phosphate crosslinking treatment, adipic acid crosslinking treatment, or the like, either alone or in combination.

[0010] The cross-linked starch contained in the raw material starch may be pregelatinized. Furthermore, the cross-linked starch may be subjected to other chemical treatments other than cross-linking and pregelatinization to make it edible. Examples of such other chemical treatments include esterification, etherification, and oxidation. Preferably, the cross-linked starch has not been subjected to any chemical treatment other than the cross-linking treatment or the cross-linking and pregelatinization treatments. The cross-linked starch contained in the raw material starch may be a commercially available product. For example, commercially available cross-linked starch or pregelatinized cross-linked starch can be used.

[0011] The content of the crosslinked starch in the raw material starch may be 50% by mass or more, for example, 50 to 100% by mass, preferably 60 to 100% by mass, more preferably 70 to 100% by mass, and even more preferably 80 to 100% by mass.

[0012] The raw material starch can contain starches other than the cross-linked starch. The other starches may be unmodified starches or modified starches other than cross-linked starches. Examples of modified starches include acetylated starch, etherified starch, oxidized starch, and pregelatinized starch. The content of the other starches in the raw material starch may be 50% by mass or less, for example, 0 to 50% by mass, preferably 0 to 40% by mass, more preferably 0 to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 0 to 20% by mass.

[0013] The raw material for the crosslinked starch and other starches can be starch refined from raw materials such as grains and potatoes. The raw starch can be any edible starch, such as wheat starch, corn starch, waxy corn starch, tapioca starch, potato starch, etc., and any one or a combination of two or more of these can be used. Among these, one or more selected from corn starch and tapioca starch are preferred, and tapioca starch is more preferred.

[0014] The raw starch may further contain other components in addition to the cross-linked starch and other starches. Examples of such other components include cereal flours such as wheat flour and rice flour; proteins; sugars, lipids, dietary fiber, thickeners, spices, seasonings, colorings, and flavorings, and any one of these may be used alone or in combination of two or more. When the raw starch contains such other components, the total content thereof is preferably less than 50% by mass, more preferably less than 45% by mass, even more preferably less than 40% by mass, even more preferably less than 35% by mass, even more preferably 30% by mass or less, and even more preferably 20% by mass or less.

[0015] The starch product of the present invention has a specific degree of gelatinization and bulk gravity, and is produced by subjecting a raw starch containing the crosslinked starch to coarse granulation and, if necessary, gelatinization. In one embodiment, the raw starch containing the crosslinked starch is pregelatinized to prepare a pregelatinized starch, which is then coarse-granulated to produce the starch product of the present invention. In another embodiment, the starch product of the present invention is produced by coarse-granulating and pregelatinizing the raw starch that has not been pregelatinized. In another embodiment, the starch product of the present invention is produced by preparing a pregelatinized crosslinked starch as the raw starch and coarsening it. When the raw starch is pregelatinized before coarse-granulation, the degree of gelatinization of the starch product can be more easily adjusted.

[0016] Starch can be gelatinized by heating it to a temperature equal to or higher than its gelatinization onset temperature in the presence of an appropriate amount of moisture. The degree of gelatinization of the starch product of the present invention may be 30% or higher, preferably 60% or higher, more preferably 80% or higher, even more preferably 90% or higher, and may even be 100%. When the degree of gelatinization of the starch product of the present invention is within the above range, the appearance and texture of fried foods obtained using the starch product are improved, and the improved appearance and texture are maintained even after storage.

[0017] In this specification, the degree of gelatinization of starch can be determined by the β-amylase-amyloglucosidase method. An example of the procedure for measuring the degree of gelatinization by the β-amylase-amyloglucosidase method is described below.

[0018] [Procedure for measuring the degree of gelatinization] (A) Reagents The reagents used are as follows. 1) 0.8 M acetic acid-Na acetate buffer solution. 2) 10 N sodium hydroxide solution. 3) 2 N acetic acid solution. 4) Enzyme solution: 0.017 g of β-amylase (Nagase ChemteX, #1500S) and 0.005 g of amyloglucosidase (Sigma Aldrich, 10115-1G-F) were dissolved in the 0.8 M acetic acid-Na acetate buffer solution from 1) above to make a 200 mL solution. 5) Inactivated enzyme solution: Prepared by boiling the enzyme solution from 4) above for 10 minutes. 6) Somogyi reagent and Nelson reagent (reagents for measuring the amount of reducing sugars).

[0019] (B) Measurement Method 1) Pulverize the starch sample using a homogenizer to a mesh size of 100 or less. Transfer 0.08-0.10 g of this pulverized powder to a glass homogenizer. 2) Add 8.0 mL of demineralized water to the mixture in 1) above and disperse by moving the glass homogenizer up and down 10-20 times to prepare a dispersion. 3) Place 2 mL of the dispersion from 2) above into two 25 mL graduated test tubes. Dilute one tube to volume with 0.8 M acetic acid-sodium acetate buffer to use as the test group. 4) Add 0.2 mL of 10 N sodium hydroxide solution to the other tube and allow to react at 50°C for 3-5 minutes to completely gelatinize. Then, add 1.0 mL of 2 N acetic acid solution to adjust the pH to around 6.0, then dilute to volume with 0.8 M acetic acid-sodium acetate buffer to use as the gelatinized group. 5) Take 0.4 mL of each of the test solutions prepared in 3) and 4) above for the test section and the gelatinized section, add 0.1 mL of enzyme solution to each, and allow the enzyme reaction to occur at 40°C for 30 minutes. At the same time, prepare a blank by adding 0.1 mL of inactivated enzyme instead of the enzyme solution. The enzyme reaction is carried out while occasionally stirring the reaction solution during the reaction. 6) Add 0.5 mL of Somogyi reagent to 0.5 mL of the above reaction solution and boil in a boiling bath for 15 minutes. After boiling, cool in running water for 5 minutes, then add 1.0 mL of Nelson's reagent, stir, and leave for 15 minutes. 7) Then, add 8.00 mL of demineralized water, stir, and measure the absorbance at 500 nm.

[0020] (C) Calculation of the degree of gelatinization The degree of gelatinization is calculated using the following formula: Degree of gelatinization (%) = {(A-a) / (A'-a')} x 100 A = absorbance of test group A' = absorbance of gelatinized group a = absorbance of blank of test group a' = absorbance of blank of gelatinized group

[0021] In the starch coarsening process, the raw starch containing the crosslinked starch is adjusted to have a bulk density of 0.1 to 0.4 g / mL. Methods for coarsening the raw starch include a method of agglomerating the raw starch and a method of agglomerating and swelling the raw starch. Examples of the former method include granulation, such as spray granulation and fluidized bed granulation. Examples of the latter method include a method in which a dough prepared from the raw starch and water is exposed to high temperature and / or low pressure to cause swelling. Examples of such swelling treatments include vacuum drying, pressure heating followed by vacuum reduction, and swelling using an extruder. The latter method allows the starch to be gelatinized while swelling the dough. The resulting granulated or swollen product can be milled or sized using a sieve, as needed, to produce a coarse-grained starch product with a desired bulk density.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the starch product of the present invention is produced by granulating a raw starch consisting of a pregelatinized cross-linked starch, and optionally pulverizing or sizing the granules. In another preferred embodiment, the starch product of the present invention is produced by subjecting a starch dough prepared from a raw starch containing a cross-linked starch and water to a swelling treatment accompanied by heating, and optionally pulverizing or sizing the granules. Examples of the swelling treatment accompanied by heating include the aforementioned treatment of heating under pressure followed by decompression, and treatment using an extruder.

[0023] The treatment of reducing the pressure after pressurizing and heating the starch dough can be carried out, for example, by the following procedure. First, 10 to 40 parts by mass of water is added to 100 parts by mass of raw starch containing the crosslinked starch, and the mixture is kneaded until homogeneous to prepare a dough. The dough is placed in a pressure-resistant container capable of pressurizing and heating, such as an autoclave or pressure cooker, and subjected to a pressurized and heated treatment at a temperature of 105 to 150°C for 10 to 60 minutes. The container is then opened and the pressure is rapidly reduced to atmospheric pressure, thereby obtaining a puffed dough having the desired degree of gelatinization and the desired bulk specific gravity. It is preferable to form the dough into a sheet with a thickness of 0.3 to 1.0 cm before pressurizing and heating, as this allows for nearly uniform puffing.

[0024] The extruder treatment of the starch dough can be carried out using, for example, a commercially available extruder, as follows: 100 parts by mass of raw starch containing the crosslinked starch is charged into the extruder together with 3 to 40 parts by mass of water, and extruded while adjusting the temperature inside the extruder to preferably about 100 to 280°C, more preferably about 120 to 250°C, and the temperature at the outlet to preferably about 100 to 280°C, more preferably about 120 to 250°C, to obtain a puffed dough having a desired degree of gelatinization and a desired bulk density.

[0025] The obtained granulated or expanded product may be dried, if necessary, to a moisture content of 5 to 15% by mass before or after being subjected to grinding or sizing. The starch product of the present invention preferably has a moisture content of 10 to 15% by mass in an equilibrium state at room temperature and normal pressure.

[0026] The granulated material and puffed material can be pulverized by known means. For example, for pulverization, a pulverizer that can be used for pulverizing food, such as a wet pulverizer such as a ball mill, an impact pulverizer such as a hammer mill or a pin mill, a blade pulverizer, or an airflow pulverizer, can be used. These pulverizers can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Furthermore, the puffed material may be roughly cut using a cutting machine such as a slicer or a cutter before being subjected to pulverization. The size regulation of the granulated material and puffed material can be performed by known methods, such as classification using a classifier or a sieve.

[0027] The resulting starch product of the present invention has a bulk density of 0.1 to 0.4 g / mL, preferably 0.13 to 0.35 g / mL, and more preferably 0.15 to 0.30 g / mL. In this specification, the bulk density of starch means loose bulk density, and specifically, is a value determined according to the following "Procedure for measuring bulk density." If the bulk density of the starch product of the present invention is outside the above range, the effect of improving the texture of fried foods will be reduced, and the texture of fried foods, particularly after storage, may become insufficient.

[0028] [Procedure for measuring bulk specific gravity] A 100 mL container is filled with the starch to be measured without compressing the bulk volume by tapping, pressing, shaking the container, etc., and the top is leveled off as necessary to measure out exactly 100 mL of starch, and the mass of this 100 mL of starch is measured. The value obtained by dividing the measured mass by 100, i.e., the mass of starch per mL, is taken as the bulk specific gravity.

[0029] The bulk density of the starch product of the present invention can be adjusted by changing the conditions of the coarse-graining treatment. For example, when performing coarse-graining treatment using an extruder, lowering the screw rotation speed of the extruder reduces the pressure on the contents, resulting in a relatively lower bulk density. Conversely, increasing the screw rotation speed increases the pressure on the dough, resulting in a relatively higher bulk density. Alternatively, increasing the amount of water relative to the raw material flour fed into the extruder and raising the temperature during the extruder treatment will result in a relatively lower bulk density. Conversely, decreasing the amount of water and lowering the temperature during the extruder treatment will result in a relatively higher bulk density. The degree of gelatinization of the starch product of the present invention can be adjusted by changing the amount of water added to the raw material starch to be heat-treated. For example, increasing the amount of water relative to the raw material flour fed into the extruder will result in a relatively higher degree of gelatinization. When using an extruder, a twin-screw extruder can perform coarse grain processing on dough with a wide range of moisture content compared to a single-screw extruder, making it easier to adjust the bulk density.

[0030] When the coarse-graining treatment is carried out using the above-mentioned pressurized heating followed by reduced pressure method, the relationship between the upper pressure limit of the autoclave or pressure cooker and the bulk density, and the relationship between the amount of water added to the raw materials and the bulk density or degree of gelatinization are the same as those for the extruder described above.

[0031] The starch product of the present invention is a granular material composed of starch containing cross-linked starch. That is, the starch product of the present invention can be a starch composition containing 50% by mass or more of cross-linked starch in the starch constituting the starch product. Preferably, the content of the cross-linked starch in the starch product of the present invention is 50 to 100% by mass, preferably 60 to 100% by mass, more preferably 70 to 100% by mass, and even more preferably 80 to 100% by mass. When the content of the cross-linked starch is within the above range, the appearance and texture of fried foods obtained using the same are improved, and the improved appearance and texture are maintained even after storage.

[0032] The starch product of the present invention may be a starch granule prepared from the same raw starch, or may be a mixture of starch granules prepared from different raw starches. For example, raw starches with different cross-linked starch contents may be pregelatinized and coarsely granulated to prepare starch granules, which may then be appropriately mixed to produce a starch product of the present invention having a desired cross-linked starch content, degree of pregelatinization, or bulk gravity.

[0033] Controlling the particle size of the starch product of the present invention and eliminating coarse and fine particles can improve the handleability of the starch product of the present invention, or further improve the appearance and texture of fried foods. Preferably, the starch product of the present invention has a content of a fraction that does not pass through a 1.18 mm sieve with a mesh size of 35% by mass or less, a content of a fraction that does not pass through a 0.16 mm sieve but does pass through a 1.18 mm sieve with a mesh size of 60 to 90% by mass, and a content of a fraction that passes through a 0.16 mm sieve with a mesh size of 15% by mass or less. More preferably, the starch product of the present invention has a content of a fraction that does not pass through a 1.18 mm sieve with a mesh size of 30% by mass or less, a content of a fraction that does not pass through a 0.16 mm sieve but does pass through a 1.18 mm sieve with a mesh size of 66 to 90% by mass, and a content of a fraction that passes through a 0.16 mm sieve with a mesh size of less than 10% by mass. More preferably, the starch product of the present invention has a content of a fraction that does not pass through a sieve with 1.18 mm openings of 25% by mass or less, a content of a fraction that does not pass through a sieve with 0.16 mm openings but passes through a sieve with 1.18 mm openings of 70 to 85% by mass, and a content of a fraction that passes through a sieve with 0.16 mm openings of 5% by mass or less.

[0034] In order to satisfy the above particle size distribution, the pulverized product may be sized, for example, as follows. First, the pulverized product is classified using a classifier, sieve, or the like into three fractions: a fraction that passes through a sieve with a mesh size of 0.16 mm, a fraction that does not pass through the sieve with a mesh size of 0.16 mm but passes through a sieve with a mesh size of 1.18 mm, and a fraction that does not pass through the sieve with a mesh size of 1.18 mm. Next, the required amounts of each of the three fractions obtained are weighed out so as to satisfy the above particle size distribution, and these are mixed to obtain the starch product of the present invention that satisfies the above particle size distribution.

[0035] The starch product of the present invention is suitable for use as an ingredient in coating materials for fried foods. Accordingly, the present invention also provides a coating material for fried foods comprising the starch product of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as the "coating material of the present invention"). The content of the starch product of the present invention in the coating material of the present invention varies depending on the type of fried food to be produced using the coating material and is not particularly limited. However, the content is preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 7% by mass or more, even more preferably 10% by mass or more, and even more preferably 25% by mass or more, relative to the total mass of the coating material, and is sufficient as long as it is 100% by mass or less, preferably 90% by mass or less, more preferably 80% by mass or less, and even more preferably 70% by mass or less. For example, the content of the starch product of the present invention in the coating material of the present invention is preferably 5 to 100% by mass, more preferably 7 to 90% by mass, even more preferably 10 to 80% by mass, and even more preferably 25 to 70% by mass, relative to the total mass of the coating material.

[0036] The coating material of the present invention can contain ingredients other than the starch product of the present invention. These ingredients can be any ingredients commonly used in coating materials for fried foods, without any particular limitations. Examples include cereal flours such as wheat flour and rice flour; starches other than the starch product of the present invention, including unmodified starches such as cornstarch and potato starch, and modified starches; sugars; proteins such as egg white powder; ground dough such as breadcrumbs; dietary fiber, thickeners, leavening agents, emulsifiers, spices, seasonings, vitamins, minerals, colorings, and flavorings. These other ingredients can be used alone or in appropriate combinations of two or more. The type and content of the other ingredients used in the coating material of the present invention can be adjusted appropriately depending on the type and characteristics of the fried food to be produced.

[0037] The coating material of the present invention can be prepared by mixing the starch product of the present invention with the other ingredients as needed. From the standpoint of flavor and texture, the coating material of the present invention preferably contains, in addition to the starch product of the present invention, one or more ingredients selected from the group consisting of cereal flours, other starches, sugars, oils and fats, and emulsifiers. Preferably, the other ingredients that can be contained in the coating material of the present invention include cereal flours and / or other starches other than the starch product of the present invention. Preferably, the cereal flours are not expanded or pregelatinized. Preferably, the cereal flours are wheat flour or rice flour, more preferably wheat flour. Preferably, the other starches are not expanded or pregelatinized starches, more preferably unmodified starches. Even more preferably, the other starches are unmodified corn starch or potato starch. The total content of the cereal flours, other starches, and starch product of the present invention in the coating material of the present invention is preferably 80% by mass or more, more preferably 85% by mass or more, and even more preferably 90% by mass or more of the total mass of the coating material. The coating material for fried foods of the present invention is usually in a powder or granular form at room temperature and normal pressure.

[0038] As an example, a preferred composition of the coating material of the present invention is shown below: (Preferred composition example) Coarse grain starch composition of the present invention 5 to 80% by mass Cereal flour (preferably soft wheat flour) 10 to 50% by mass Starch (preferably unmodified corn starch) 10 to 50% by mass Other ingredients 0 to 15% by mass

[0039] Fried foods can be produced by applying the coating material for fried foods of the present invention to ingredients and frying them in oil. More specifically, in producing fried foods using the coating material of the present invention, first the coating material of the present invention is applied to ingredients to produce a fried food material. Next, the fried food material to which the coating material of the present invention has been applied is fried in oil to produce the fried food. In producing fried foods using the coating material of the present invention, the procedures for producing the fried food, such as applying the coating material to ingredients and frying, can be carried out in accordance with the procedures for producing ordinary fried foods.

[0040] The type of fried food produced using the coating material of the present invention is not particularly limited, and examples include fried chicken, breaded fries, tempura, fritters, etc. Preferably, the coating material of the present invention is used to produce fried chicken.

[0041] The ingredients to which the coating material of the present invention is applied can be any ingredients commonly used in fried foods, without any particular limitations. Examples of such ingredients include, but are not limited to, meats such as chicken and pork, seafood such as fish, squid, octopus, and shellfish, vegetables, and mushrooms. The size of the ingredients is also not particularly limited. The ingredients may be seasoned in advance before the coating material of the present invention is applied.

[0042] Generally, coating materials for fried foods are broadly divided into so-called dusting-type coating materials (e.g., dusting powder or blender) that are dusted on ingredients in powder or granular form, and liquid-type coating materials (e.g., batter). The coating material of the present invention may be used as a dusting-type coating material or as a batter. The batter can be prepared by dissolving or dispersing the coating material of the present invention in an aqueous liquid such as water according to a conventional method.

[0043] The coating material of the present invention can be attached to ingredients by a general procedure for attaching a coating material to ingredients. For example, when the coating material of the present invention is applied to ingredients by sprinkling it on them as a dusting powder or blender, it can be attached to the ingredients by any of the following procedures: 1) sprinkling the coating material of the present invention over the ingredients, 2) placing the coating material of the present invention and the ingredients in a bag and shaking the bag with the opening closed, or 3) spreading the coating material of the present invention in a relatively wide container such as a plate and rolling the ingredients on it or pressing the ingredients against the coating material. When attaching a batter containing the coating material of the present invention to ingredients, the batter can be attached to the surface of the ingredients by, for example, immersing the ingredients in the batter, or spraying, applying, pouring, or dripping the batter onto the ingredients.

[0044] The coating material of the present invention may be applied to only a portion of the surface of the ingredient, but from the viewpoint of obtaining a fried food with a good texture, it is preferable to apply it to the entire surface of the ingredient. The amount of the coating material of the present invention applied to the ingredient is preferably 1 to 50 parts by mass, more preferably 3 to 30 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the ingredient. When using a batter containing the coating material of the present invention, the amount of the batter applied may be adjusted so that the amount of the coating material of the present invention relative to the ingredient falls within the above-mentioned range. Before applying the coating material of the present invention to the ingredient, another coating material (e.g., dusting flour) may be applied. On the other hand, it is not preferable to apply another coating material on top of an ingredient to which the coating material of the present invention has been applied.

[0045] The ingredients coated with the coating material of the present invention, i.e., the fried food material, can then be fried to produce a fried food. The fried food material coated with the coating material of the present invention may be fried immediately, or, if necessary, may be fried after refrigeration or freezing. The frying can be carried out by a conventional method, for example, so-called deep frying, pan-frying in a small amount of oil, shallow frying, etc.

[0046] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0047] [Ingredients] ・Phosphate cross-linked starch: (derived from tapioca starch) ・Pregelatinized phosphate cross-linked starch: (derived from tapioca starch) ・Acetylated starch: (derived from tapioca starch) ・Hydroxypropyl starch: (derived from tapioca starch) ・Unmodified starch: tapioca starch

[0048] [Measurement] The degree of gelatinization and bulk specific gravity of starch were measured according to the above-mentioned [Procedure for measuring the degree of gelatinization] and [Procedure for measuring the bulk specific gravity], respectively.

[0049] [Production Example 1] (Starch Products No. 1 to 5) 100 parts by mass of raw material flour having the composition shown in Table 1 was added with 30 parts by mass of fresh water and mixed thoroughly to obtain a dough (crumbly). The obtained dough was fed into a twin-screw extruder equipped with a 6 mm diameter die at the outlet, and the extruder internal and outlet temperatures were set to 120°C. The dough was expanded by extrusion granulation to obtain a puffed product. Note that since the dough contained a relatively large amount of water, the starch was gelatinized by the extruder treatment. The obtained puffed product was cut into pieces approximately 2 cm long and then cut into pieces with a maximum diameter of approximately 5 mm using a cutting machine with rotating blades. The cut puffed product was dried using airflow at 50°C until the moisture content reached 13% by mass, and then pulverized in a blender. The resulting pulverized product was sieved into three fractions: a fraction that passed through a 0.16 mm sieve (fraction A), a fraction that did not pass through the 0.16 mm sieve but passed through a 1.18 mm sieve (fraction B), and a fraction that did not pass through the 1.18 mm sieve (fraction C). The three fractions were mixed in the proportions shown in Table 1 to obtain starch products No. 1 to 5.

[0050] [Production Example 2] (Starch Products No. 6 to 9) Starch Products No. 6 to 9 were obtained in the same manner as in Production Example 1, except that the amount of fresh water added to 100 parts by mass of raw material flour was changed to 2 parts by mass. In this example, because the moisture content of the dough was low, the degree of gelatinization of the starch was not very high even after extruder treatment.

[0051] [Production Example 3] (Starch Product No. 10) Pregelatinized phosphate cross-linked starch was placed in a bowl and sprayed with clean water using a spray bottle while stirring with a hand mixer at 2000 rpm to obtain granules. The granules were dried with air at 50°C until the moisture content reached 13% by mass, and then sieved into three fractions, Fractions A, B, and C, in the same manner as in Production Example 1. The three fractions were mixed in the proportions shown in Table 1 to obtain Starch Product No. 10.

[0052] The degree of gelatinization and bulk density of each starch product were measured. The results are shown in Table 1. For confirmation, starch products Nos. 1 to 10 obtained by mixing the three fractions were sieved again into the three fractions A, B, and C using sieves with openings of 0.16 mm and 1.18 mm. As a result, the proportions of the three fractions in each starch product were the same as before mixing.

[0053]

[0054] [Test 1] Coating materials for fried foods having the compositions shown in Table 2 were prepared using the starch products No. 1 to 10. Fried foods were produced using the prepared coating materials according to the following procedure. Chicken thighs were cut into pieces weighing 30 g each. The cut chicken pieces were seasoned with a seasoning liquid (a mixture of soy sauce, sake, and ginger juice). The fried food coating materials were then evenly spread over the chicken pieces, weighing 6 g each, and thoroughly mixed to obtain fried food ingredients. The obtained fried food ingredients were deep-fried in salad oil heated to 170°C for 3 minutes and 30 seconds to produce fried chicken. As a reference example, fried chicken was produced using a fried food coating material consisting only of soft wheat flour according to the same procedure as above.

[0055] The fried chicken pieces were evaluated for appearance and texture by 10 expert panelists immediately after production. The fried chicken pieces were also stored in a hot warmer at 60°C for 6 hours and then similarly evaluated by the same expert panelists. The evaluation was conducted on the basis of a score of 3 based on the following criteria, and the average score of the 10 panelists was calculated.

[0056] <Evaluation criteria> (Appearance) 5: More than 80% of the surface is dry and rough like a powder, very good. 4: More than 50% to 80% of the surface is dry and rough like a powder, good. 3: More than 20% to 50% of the surface is dry and rough like a powder, acceptable range. 2: Oil floats on 80% or more of the surface, no powder is visible on 80% or more of the surface, poor. 1: Oil floats on 80% or more of the surface, no powder is visible at all, very poor. (Texture) 5: The batter is very crisp, very good. 4: The batter is crisp, good. 3: The batter is slightly sticky or soft, but crispy, acceptable range. 2: The batter is sticky or soft and not crisp enough, poor. 1: The batter is very sticky or very soft, no crispness is visible, very poor.

[0057] The results are shown in Table 2. The fried chicken of the Reference Example, produced using ordinary soft wheat flour as a coating, had an acceptable appearance and texture immediately after production, but after 6 hours of storage, oil floated to the surface and the texture was lacking in crispness. The fried chicken of the Comparative Example, produced using coating materials containing starch products Nos. 3 to 5 that did not contain cross-linked starch and starch products Nos. 6 to 9 with low degrees of gelatinization, received better evaluations than the Reference Example, but still showed a significant deterioration in appearance and texture after 6 hours of storage. In contrast, the fried chicken of the Production Examples, produced using coating materials containing cross-linked starch and pregelatinized starch products 1, 2, and 10, had little oil float, a dry feel, and a powdery texture, and good crispness not only immediately after production but also after 6 hours of storage. Furthermore, a comparison of Production Examples 1 to 3 showed that the fried chicken produced using starch product 10, which is a granulated product, tended to have a poorer appearance and texture after 6 hours of storage compared to starch products 1 and 2, which are puffed products.

[0058]

[0059] [Test 2] Coating materials for fried foods were prepared in the same manner as in Test 1, except that the composition of the coating material was changed as shown in Table 3. Fried chicken was produced using the coating materials and evaluated. The results are shown in Table 3. Table 3 also lists the results of Production Example 1.

[0060]

[0061] [Production Example 4] (Starch Product Nos. 11 to 19) Starch Product Nos. 11 to 19 were produced in the same manner as Starch Product No. 1 in Production Example 1, except that the mixing ratio of the three fractions A to C obtained by sieving was changed as shown in Table 4.

[0062]

[0063] [Test 3] Coating materials for fried foods having the compositions shown in Table 5 were prepared using the starch products No. 11 to 19. Fried chicken was produced using the prepared coating materials in the same manner as in Test 1, and evaluated. The results are shown in Table 5. Table 5 also lists the results of Production Example 1.

[0064]

[0065] [Test 4] A coating material for fried foods was prepared in the same manner as in Test 1, except that the composition of the coating material was changed as shown in Table 6, and fried chicken was produced using the coating material and evaluated. The results are shown in Table 6. Table 6 also lists the results of Production Example 1.

[0066]

[0067] [Production Example 5] (Starch Product Nos. 20 to 31) Starch Product Nos. 20 to 23 having the degrees of gelatinization shown in Table 7 were produced in the same manner as in Production Example 1, except that the amounts of raw material flour and fresh water charged into the extruder were adjusted. Furthermore, Starch Product Nos. 24 to 31 having the bulk gravities shown in Table 7 were produced in the same manner as in Production Example 1, except that the conditions for extruder treatment were adjusted. The particle size distributions of these starch products were adjusted to be in the same range as Starch Product No. 1.

[0068]

[0069] [Test 5] Coating materials for fried foods having the compositions shown in Tables 8 and 9 were prepared using the starch products No. 20 to 31. Fried chicken was produced using the prepared coating materials in the same manner as in Test 1, and evaluated. The results are shown in Tables 8 and 9. Tables 8 and 9 also list the results of Production Example 1.

[0070]

[0071]

Claims

1. A coarse grain starch composition containing 50% to 100% by mass of crosslinked starch, having a degree of gelatinization of 30% or more, and a bulk density of 0.1 to 0.4 g / mL.

2. The starch composition of claim 1, wherein the cross-linked starch is a phosphate cross-linked starch.

3. The starch composition according to claim 1, which is a puffed or granulated product.

4. The starch composition according to claim 1, wherein the content of a fraction that does not pass through a sieve with a 1.18 mm mesh size is 35% by mass or less, the content of a fraction that does not pass through a sieve with a 0.16 mm mesh size but passes through a 1.18 mm mesh size is 60 to 90% by mass, and the content of a fraction that passes through a sieve with a 0.16 mm mesh size is 15% by mass or less.

5. The starch composition according to claim 1, wherein the content of unmodified starch is 0 to 50% by mass.

6. A method for producing a coarse-grained starch composition, comprising coarsening a starch raw material containing 50% to 100% by mass of cross-linked starch to a bulk density of 0.1 to 0.4 g / mL, wherein the degree of gelatinization of the coarse-grained starch composition is 30% or more.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising pregelatinizing the starch material before the coarse granulation or pregelatinizing the starch material while the starch material is coarse granulated.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the cross-linked starch is a pregelatinized cross-linked starch.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the cross-linked starch is phosphate cross-linked starch.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein said coarsening comprises puffing or granulation.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the expanding step is carried out by an extruder.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the coarse-graining step comprises grinding or sizing the granulated or expanded product obtained by the expansion or granulation step.

13. The method according to claim 6, comprising adjusting the particle size of the coarse starch composition so that the content of a fraction that does not pass through a 1.18 mm sieve is 35% by mass or less, the content of a fraction that does not pass through a 0.16 mm sieve but does pass through a 1.18 mm sieve is 60 to 90% by mass, and the content of a fraction that passes through a 0.16 mm sieve is 15% by mass or less.

14. The method according to claim 6, wherein the content of unmodified starch in the starch raw material is 0 to 50% by mass.

15. A coating material for fried foods containing 5 to 100% by mass of the coarse starch composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

16. Use of the coarse starch composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5 in a coating material for fried foods.

17. A method for producing fried foods, which comprises applying the coating material for fried foods according to claim 15 to ingredients and deep-frying the ingredients.

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