Pretreated block-meat-containing food material production method

Abstract

Provided is a new technical means capable of producing a heated block-meat processed food which has good texture, even when frozen and thawed.　A pretreated block-meat-containing food material production method for producing a heated block-meat processed food includes: a first contact step in which a block-meat-containing processing material is brought into contact with a first pretreatment composition having a salt concentration of more than 12 mass%; and a second contact step in which, after the first contact step, the block-meat-containing processing material is brought into contact with a second pretreatment composition having a salt concentration of less than 10 mass% to obtain a pretreated block-meat-containing food material.

Description

A method for producing a pre-treated chunked meat-containing food material

[0001] This patent application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-053252 filed on March 27, 2025, and the entire disclosure content of said prior patent application is incorporated herein by reference as part of the present specification.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a method for producing a pre-treated chunked meat-containing food material.

[0003] It is known that for processed chunked meat foods such as fried chicken, chicken steak, pork steak, pork cutlet and the like, proteins are denatured by heating such as frying, grilling or steaming, resulting in loss of texture such as juiciness. Therefore, methods for producing heated processed chunked meat foods that allow consumers to perceive good texture (e.g., juiciness, uneven texture, and / or meat elasticity) have been studied.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a method for producing juicy chicken cutlet by frying a whole piece of chicken meat with a thickness of 10 to 30 mm and a size of about 50 × 100 cm in oil, providing a predetermined heat retention time, and then frying again in oil.

[0005] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-54029

[0006] However, studies conducted by the present disclosers have revealed that with conventional methods, it is difficult to produce heated processed chunked meat foods having excellent texture (particularly excellent juiciness, uneven texture, and meat elasticity) when the obtained heated processed chunked meat is frozen and thawed.

[0007] Accordingly, one object of the present disclosure is to provide a new technical means capable of producing heated processed chunked meat foods that have good texture even when frozen and thawed.

[0008] Through intensive studies, the present disclosers have unexpectedly found that by using a pretreatment composition with controlled salt concentration, it is possible to produce heated processed chunked meat foods having good texture (particularly excellent juiciness, uneven texture, and meat elasticity). The present disclosure is based on this finding.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method is provided for producing a pre-treated meat-containing food material for the production of a heated meat-based food product, comprising: a first contact step of contacting a meat-containing processing raw material with a first pre-treatment composition having a salt concentration of more than 12% by mass; and a second contact step of contacting the meat-containing processing raw material after the first contact step with a second pre-treatment composition having a salt concentration of less than 10% by mass to obtain a pre-treated meat-containing food material.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, by using a pre-processed block meat-containing food material manufactured by the method of the present disclosure, it is possible to produce a cooked block meat processed food that has a good texture even after freezing and thawing. Detailed description of the invention

[0011] [Method for producing pre-processed chunk meat-containing food material] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for producing pre-processed chunk meat-containing food material for the production of a cooked chunk meat processed food is provided, comprising: a first contact step of contacting a chunk meat-containing processing raw material with a first pre-processing composition having a salt concentration of more than 12% by mass; and a second contact step of contacting the chunk meat-containing processing raw material after the first contact step with a second pre-processing composition having a salt concentration of less than 10% by mass to obtain a pre-processed chunk meat-containing food material. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, obtaining a pre-processed chunk meat-containing food material using pre-processing compositions with different salt concentrations in the first contact step and the second contact step is advantageous in that the cooked chunk meat processed food produced using the pre-processed chunk meat-containing food material has a superior texture even when frozen and thawed (in particular, it has a superior juiciness, uniformity of texture, and elasticity of the meat).

[0012] <Step of preparing a first pre-treatment composition> According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, in a method for producing a pre-treated meat-containing food material, a step of preparing a first pre-treatment composition (also referred to in the present disclosure as the "first preparation step") may be performed.

[0013] In the first preparation step, the first pretreatment composition may be prepared by any method (for example, by mixing salt with other desired components (water, other components, etc.)), or a pre-prepared first pretreatment composition (for example, a commercially available one) may be obtained.

[0014] (First pretreatment composition) According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first pretreatment composition is characterized in that the salt concentration is greater than 12% by mass, based on the total mass of the first pretreatment composition.

[0015] The first pre-treatment composition described above is not particularly limited, as long as it can be used for pre-treatment of a meat-containing processed raw material. In this disclosure, "pre-treatment" means bringing a pre-treatment composition (including the first pre-treatment composition and the second pre-treatment composition described later) into contact with a meat-containing processed raw material and performing pre-treatment. Therefore, the above pre-treatment includes seasoning, aging, etc., of the meat-containing processed raw material. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the pre-treatment composition does not include a batter. Therefore, according to one embodiment of this disclosure, the first pre-treatment composition may be defined as "the first pre-treatment composition (excluding the batter)." According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the first pre-treatment composition is a seasoning composition.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the salt concentration of the first pretreatment composition is 13.5% by mass or more, preferably 15% by mass or more, based on the total mass of the first pretreatment composition. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the salt concentration of the first pretreatment composition is 100% by mass or less, preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 25% by mass or less, based on the total mass of the first pretreatment composition. In particular, having a salt concentration of 25% by mass or less based on the total mass of the first pretreatment composition is advantageous from the viewpoint of improving the workability of the first contact process described later when mass-producing pre-treated block meat-containing food materials, heated block meat processed foods and / or frozen processed foods described later in a factory or other facility.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the salt concentration of the first pretreatment composition is 15 to 25% by mass, based on the total mass of the first pretreatment composition.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first pretreatment composition contains water. The water content in the first pretreatment composition is not particularly limited as long as it can achieve the objectives of the present disclosure. If the first pretreatment composition contains water, the water content in the first pretreatment composition may be, for example, 10 to 87% by mass, preferably 20 to 85% by mass, and more preferably 50 to 85% by mass, based on the total mass of the first pretreatment composition.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first pretreatment composition is a pretreatment liquid composition (preferably a flavoring liquid composition).

[0020] The first pretreatment composition described above may contain other food-safe ingredients (e.g., seasoning ingredients such as sugar and soy sauce; oil; colorants; thickeners, etc.) to the extent that it does not impair the purpose of this disclosure.

[0021] <First Contact Step> According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for producing a pre-processed block meat-containing food material is characterized in that a first contact step is performed.

[0022] The "contact" in the first contact step is not particularly limited, as long as the first pre-treatment composition and the meat-containing processed raw material described later come into contact and the objectives of this disclosure can be achieved. Examples of such contact include injection, tumbling, immersion, spraying, coating (preferably tumbling), etc. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the first contact step includes tumbling. Although not bound by theory, including tumbling in the first contact step is advantageous in that the meat-containing processed raw material described later comes into further contact with the salt contained in the first pre-treatment composition (for example, the meat-containing processed raw material and the salt contained in the first pre-treatment composition are physically rubbed together more), and salt-soluble proteins (e.g., myosin, actin) derived from the meat-containing processed raw material are further eluted, resulting in a further improvement in the juiciness and / or elasticity of the resulting heated processed meat food.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first pretreatment composition is to be applied to a meat-containing raw material by at least one method (preferably tumbling) selected from the group consisting of injection, tumbling, immersion, spraying, and coating.

[0024] The contact conditions (temperature, time, pressure, etc.) in the first contact step are not particularly limited as long as they can achieve the objectives of this disclosure, and a person skilled in the art may adjust them as appropriate depending on the contact method used, the desired pre-treated meat-containing food material, the heated meat processed food product and / or the frozen processed food product.

[0025] The temperature during the above contact may be, for example, 0 to 20°C, preferably 0 to 15°C, and more preferably 0 to 10°C.

[0026] The contact time may be, for example, 1 to 120 minutes, preferably 3 to 60 minutes, more preferably 5 to 30 minutes, and even more preferably 5 to 20 minutes. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the contact time in the first contact step is the same as or longer than the second contact time described later.

[0027] The pressure during the above contact may be normal pressure or reduced pressure.

[0028] The amount of the first pretreatment composition used in the first contact step is not particularly limited as long as the objectives of this disclosure can be achieved, and a person skilled in the art can adjust it as appropriate, taking into consideration the amount of the meat-containing processed raw material described later, the amount of the second pretreatment composition used in the second contact step described later, etc. The amount of the first pretreatment composition used in the first contact step may be, for example, 1 to 30 g, preferably 2 to 20 g, and more preferably 2.5 to 15 g per 100 g of the meat-containing processed raw material.

[0029] (Processed raw materials containing chunks of meat) According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, processed raw materials containing chunks of meat include chunks of meat. In the present disclosure, “chunks of meat” means chunks of meat having a desired size and shape. Therefore, “chunks of meat” does not include meat that is not in chunk form (for example, minced meat, ground meat, or those formed into a desired size).

[0030] The mass of the processed raw material containing the chunk of meat described above is not particularly limited as long as it can achieve the objectives of this disclosure, and is, for example, 15 g or more, preferably 15 to 100 g, more preferably 20 to 90 g, and even more preferably 25 to 85 g.

[0031] The above-mentioned processed raw material containing chunks of meat may include not only chunks of meat but also any other food items (e.g., cheese, vegetables, sauces, etc.) to the extent that it does not impair the effects of this disclosure. These other food items may be, for example, injected into the inside of one type of chunk of meat, or sandwiched between two or more chunks of meat.

[0032] The processed raw material containing the chunk of meat described above may be molded into any shape (for example, a block) or it may be irregular in shape.

[0033] The chunks of meat contained in the above-mentioned processed raw material containing chunks of meat may be raw meat, or aged meat, pre-cooked meat, etc., as long as it does not impair the purpose of this disclosure. Furthermore, the chunks of meat contained in the processed raw material containing chunks of meat may be unprocessed chunks of meat, or chunks of meat that have been seasoned, massaged, etc. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the above-mentioned processed raw material containing chunks of meat includes raw chunks of meat (preferably unprocessed raw chunks of meat).

[0034] The above-mentioned chunks of meat are not limited to these, but include, for example, chicken; chunks of meat derived from livestock such as pork, beef, horse meat, lamb, and goat meat; chunks of meat derived from poultry; and so on. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the chunk-containing processed raw material includes at least one selected from the group consisting of chicken chunks, pork chunks, and beef chunks. According to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the chunk-containing processed raw material includes chicken chunks, more preferably raw chicken chunks.

[0035] The above-mentioned chunks of meat may be derived from any part of the animal (for example, breast meat, thigh meat, or shoulder loin).

[0036] The size (major axis, minor axis, thickness, surface area, etc.) of the meat chunks included in the processed raw materials containing the meat chunks described above is not particularly limited as long as it can achieve the purpose of this disclosure. The major axis, minor axis, thickness, and surface area of ​​the meat chunks can be measured as the major axis (length), minor axis (width), and thickness (height) when the meat chunks are placed on a plane.

[0037] The shape of the chunks of meat contained in the processed raw materials containing chunks of meat described above is not particularly limited as long as it can achieve the purpose of this disclosure. The shape of the chunks of meat may be, for example, block-shaped, sliced, or cut into chunks.

[0038] The mass of the chunk of meat contained in the above-mentioned chunk of meat-containing processed raw material is not particularly limited as long as it can achieve the purpose of this disclosure, and is 15 g or more, preferably 15 to 100 g, more preferably 20 to 90 g, and even more preferably 25 to 85 g.

[0039] The meat included in the processed raw material containing chunks of meat may be a single type, or it may be any combination of two or more types that differ in one or more of the following: type of meat, cut of meat, size, shape, etc.

[0040] <Step of preparing a second pre-treatment composition> According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, in a method for producing a pre-treated block meat-containing food material, a step of preparing a second pre-treatment composition (also referred to in the present disclosure as the "second preparation step") may be performed.

[0041] In the second preparation step, the second pretreatment composition may be prepared by any method (for example, by mixing salt with other desired components (water, other components, etc.)), or a pre-prepared second pretreatment composition (for example, a commercially available one) may be obtained.

[0042] (Second Pre-treatment Composition) According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second pre-treatment composition is characterized in that its salt concentration is less than 10% by mass, based on the total mass of the second pre-treatment composition. Although not bound by theory, setting the salt concentration of the second pre-treatment composition to less than 10% by mass is advantageous in that it can prevent the second pre-treatment composition from being excessively incorporated into the raw material for processing the chunk meat, and the resulting cooked chunk meat processed food may not have an uneven texture and / or may not be juicy. Although not bound by theory, if the second pre-treatment composition is excessively incorporated into the raw material for processing the chunk meat, it is thought that the resulting cooked chunk meat processed food will not have an uneven texture and / or may not be juicy.

[0043] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the salt concentration of the second pretreatment composition is 7.5% by mass or less, preferably 5% by mass or less, more preferably 3% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1% by mass or less, based on the total mass of the second pretreatment composition. In particular, a salt concentration of 5% by mass or less (preferably 3% by mass or less, more preferably 1% by mass or less) based on the total mass of the second pretreatment composition is advantageous from the viewpoint of enabling appropriate elution and water retention of salt-soluble proteins in meat, and / or gelation.

[0044] According to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the salt concentration of the second pretreatment composition is 0 to 5% by mass, preferably 0 to 3% by mass, more preferably 0 to 1% by mass, based on the total mass of the first pretreatment composition.

[0045] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second pretreatment composition contains water. The content of water in the second pretreatment composition is not particularly limited as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved. When the second pretreatment composition contains water, the content of water in the second pretreatment composition is, for example, 70 to 100% by mass, preferably 80 to 100% by mass, more preferably 90 to 100% by mass, based on the total mass of the first pretreatment composition.

[0046] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second pretreatment composition is a liquid pretreatment composition.

[0047] The second pretreatment composition may contain other food hygiene-acceptable components (for example, seasoning components such as sugar and soy sauce; oil; colorants; thickeners, etc.) within a range that does not impair the object of the present disclosure.

[0048] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second pretreatment composition is a seasoning composition (preferably a liquid seasoning composition).

[0049] <Second Contacting Step> According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in a method for producing a pre-treated chunked meat-containing food material, the method is characterized in that the second contacting step is carried out.

[0050] The "contacting" in the second contacting step is not particularly limited as long as the second pretreatment composition is brought into contact with the chunked meat-containing processing raw material described later and the object of the present disclosure can be achieved. Examples of the contacting include injection, tumbling, immersion, spraying, coating (preferably tumbling) and the like. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second contacting step includes tumbling.

[0051] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second pretreatment composition is intended to be applied to a meat-containing raw material by at least one method (preferably tumbling) selected from the group consisting of injection, tumbling, immersion, spraying, and coating.

[0052] The contact conditions (temperature, time, pressure, etc.) in the second contact step are not particularly limited as long as they can achieve the objectives of this disclosure, and a person skilled in the art may adjust them as appropriate depending on the contact method used, the desired pre-treated meat-containing food material, the heated meat processed food product and / or the frozen processed food product.

[0053] The temperature during the above contact may be, for example, 0 to 20°C, preferably 0 to 15°C, and more preferably 0 to 10°C.

[0054] The duration of the above contact may be, for example, 1 to 120 minutes, preferably 3 to 60 minutes, more preferably 5 to 30 minutes, and even more preferably 5 to 20 minutes.

[0055] The pressure during the above contact may be normal pressure or reduced pressure, but it is preferably normal pressure.

[0056] The amount of the second pretreatment composition used in the second contact step is not particularly limited as long as the objectives of this disclosure can be achieved, and a person skilled in the art can adjust it as appropriate, taking into consideration the amount of the meat-containing processed raw material described later, the amount of the first pretreatment composition used in the first contact step, etc. The amount of the second pretreatment composition used in the second contact step may be, for example, 5 to 30 g, preferably 10 to 25 g, and more preferably 15 to 20 g per 100 g of the meat-containing processed raw material.

[0057] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the total amount of the first pretreatment composition and the second pretreatment composition may be 6 to 60 g, preferably 12 to 45 g, and more preferably 17.5 to 35 g, per 100 g of the meat-containing processed raw material.

[0058] <Other Processes, etc.> The method for producing the pre-processed block meat-containing food material described above may include any other processes, insofar as they do not impair the purpose of this disclosure. These optional processes may be included at any position before or after each of the above processes. For example, if the pre-cooked block meat processed food described later is a fried food, the method may include a step after the second contact step in which the pre-processed block meat-containing food material obtained in the second contact step is brought into contact with a batter liquid of any composition.

[0059] A pre-cooked processed meat product made using the pre-processed meat-containing food material obtained by the above manufacturing method is advantageous in that it has an excellent texture (e.g., juiciness) even when it is frozen once and then reheated before consumption. Therefore, the method for producing the pre-processed meat-containing food material can be advantageously used for the production of pre-cooked processed meat products for frozen foods. According to a preferred embodiment of this disclosure, the method for producing the pre-processed meat-containing food material is for producing pre-cooked processed meat products for freezing.

[0060] A pre-cooked processed meat product made using the pre-processed meat-containing food material obtained by the above manufacturing method is advantageous in that it has an excellent texture (e.g., juiciness) even when it is heated again (e.g., boiled, deep-fried, microwaved) before consumption. Therefore, the method for producing the pre-processed meat-containing food material can be advantageously used for producing pre-cooked processed meat products for heated foods. According to a preferred embodiment of this disclosure, the method for producing the pre-processed meat-containing food material is for producing pre-cooked processed meat products for heated foods (preferably for fried foods).

[0061] [Pre-processed chunk meat-containing food material] The above-mentioned pre-processed chunk meat-containing food material may be used to produce the pre-cooked chunk meat processed food described later by simply heating it, or it may be used to produce the pre-cooked chunk meat processed food described later by further processing or treatment of any other choice.

[0062] A pre-cooked processed meat product manufactured using the above-mentioned pre-processed meat-containing food material is advantageous in that it has an excellent texture (e.g., juiciness) even when it is frozen once and then reheated before consumption. Therefore, the above-mentioned pre-processed meat-containing food material can be advantageously used in the manufacture of pre-cooked processed meat products for frozen foods. According to a preferred embodiment of this disclosure, the above-mentioned pre-processed meat-containing food material is for use in frozen foods. According to a preferred embodiment of this disclosure, the above-mentioned pre-processed meat-containing food material is for manufacturing pre-cooked processed meat products for freezing.

[0063] A pre-cooked processed meat product manufactured using the above-mentioned pre-processed meat-containing food material is advantageous in that it has an excellent texture (e.g., juiciness) even when it is heated again (e.g., boiled, deep-fried, microwaved) before consumption. Therefore, the above-mentioned pre-processed meat-containing food material can be advantageously used in the manufacture of pre-cooked processed meat products for heated foods. According to a preferred embodiment of this disclosure, the above-mentioned pre-processed meat-containing food material is for heated foods. According to a preferred embodiment of this disclosure, the above-mentioned pre-processed meat-containing food material is for manufacturing pre-cooked processed meat products for heated foods (preferably for fried foods).

[0064] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a pre-processed meat-containing food material obtained by the above manufacturing method is provided.

[0065] [Method for producing pre-cooked block meat processed food] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for producing pre-cooked block meat processed food is provided, which includes the step of heat-treating a pre-processed block meat-containing food material obtained by the method of the present disclosure. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for producing pre-cooked block meat processed food is provided, which includes the step of heat-treating a pre-processed block meat-containing food material obtained by the method of the present disclosure to obtain pre-cooked block meat processed food.

[0066] (Heating Method) The heating method in the above heating process is not particularly limited as long as it can achieve the objectives of this disclosure, and can be appropriately adjusted according to the desired heated processed meat product. Examples of the above heating methods are not limited to these, but include direct flame, boiling, steaming, deep frying, microwave, etc., and these may be used individually or in any combination of two or more. From the viewpoint of suppressing the outflow of moisture from the processed raw material containing the meat and obtaining a processed meat product with a better texture (e.g., juiciness), it is preferable to include boiling, steaming, or deep frying. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the above heating includes deep frying. When the above heating method includes deep frying, the oil used is not particularly limited and may be a known oil that can be used in the manufacture of food.

[0067] (Heating Temperature) The heating temperature in the above heat treatment is not particularly limited as long as it can achieve the objectives of this disclosure, and can be appropriately adjusted depending on the amount of chunk meat contained in the chunk meat-containing processed raw material, the shape of the chunk meat-containing processed raw material, the heating method and heating time, etc. The heating temperature may be, for example, 55 to 250°C, preferably 100 to 200°C, and more preferably 120 to 190°C. In the above heat treatment, heating may be performed at a constant temperature, or heating may be performed in two or more different temperature ranges.

[0068] (Heating Time) The heating time in the above heating process is not particularly limited as long as the objectives of this disclosure can be achieved, and can be appropriately adjusted according to the amount of chunk meat contained in the chunk meat-containing processed raw material, the shape of the chunk meat-containing processed raw material, the heating method and heating temperature, etc. The heating time may be, for example, 1 to 120 minutes, preferably 1 to 60 minutes, more preferably 2 to 30 minutes, and even more preferably 2 to 20 minutes. When heating in two or more different temperature ranges in the above heating process, the heating time refers to the total heating time in the above heating process.

[0069] (Pressure) The pressure in the above heat treatment is not particularly limited as long as it can achieve the purposes of this disclosure. The above pressure may be, for example, atmospheric pressure.

[0070] In the method for producing the above-described preheated block meat processed food, any other steps may be included in addition to the heat treatment. These optional steps may be included at any position before or after each of the above-described steps.

[0071] According to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the method for producing the above-mentioned pre-cooked processed meat product is a method for producing a pre-cooked processed meat product for freezing. According to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the above-mentioned method is a method for producing a pre-cooked processed meat product for use as a heated food (preferably for use as a fried food).

[0072] [Preheated processed meat product] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a preheated processed meat product is provided, obtained by heat-treating the above-mentioned pre-treated meat-containing food material.

[0073] The above-mentioned preheated processed meat product may be obtained by heat-treating the above-mentioned pre-processed meat-containing food material by any method (e.g., direct flame, boiling, steaming, deep-frying, microwave, etc.) and conditions (temperature, time, pressure, etc.). A person skilled in the art can appropriately adjust the method and conditions of such heat treatment according to the amount of meat contained in the meat-containing processed raw material, the shape of the meat-containing processed raw material, and the desired preheated processed meat product. The conditions of the heat treatment may be, for example, those described in the method for producing the preheated processed meat product. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the heat treatment includes deep-frying. Furthermore, the preheated processed meat product may be edible as is, or it may become edible after further processing or treatment, as long as it achieves the purpose of this disclosure.

[0074] The above-mentioned pre-cooked processed meat products are not limited to these, but include, for example, steaks of various meats, chicken cutlets, pork cutlets, fried chicken, and karaage (Japanese fried chicken). According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the above-mentioned pre-cooked processed meat product is selected from the group consisting of chicken steak, chicken cutlets, fried chicken, and karaage (preferably karaage), and is preferably selected from fried chicken and karaage.

[0075] The above-mentioned pre-cooked processed meat product is advantageous in that it retains an excellent texture (e.g., juiciness) even when it is frozen once and then reheated before consumption. Therefore, according to a preferred embodiment of this disclosure, the above-mentioned pre-cooked processed meat product is intended for freezing.

[0076] The above-mentioned preheated processed meat product is advantageous in that it has an excellent texture (e.g., juiciness) even when it is heated again (e.g., boiled, deep-fried, microwaved) before consumption. Therefore, according to a preferred embodiment of this disclosure, the above-mentioned preheated processed meat product is for use as a heated food (preferably for use as a fried food).

[0077] Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a pre-cooked meat product manufactured by the method of the present disclosure. A preferred embodiment of the present disclosure provides a pre-cooked meat product for freezing manufactured by the method of the present disclosure. A preferred embodiment of the present disclosure provides a pre-cooked meat product for hot food (preferably for fried food) manufactured by the method of the present disclosure.

[0078] [Method for Manufacturing Frozen Processed Foods] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing frozen processed foods is provided, comprising the step of freezing a pre-cooked block of processed meat obtained by the method of the present disclosure. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing frozen processed foods is provided, comprising the step of freezing a pre-cooked block of processed meat obtained by the method of the present disclosure to obtain a frozen processed food.

[0079] The freezing temperature in the above freezing process is not particularly limited, as long as it can freeze the processed meat product and obtain a frozen processed food product. The freezing temperature in the above freezing process may be, for example, -196 to -5°C, preferably -80 to -10°C, and more preferably -40 to -15°C.

[0080] The above-mentioned frozen processed food can be made edible by heating it by any method (e.g., boiling, deep-frying, microwave heating). According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the above-mentioned frozen processed food is for deep-frying.

[0081] [Frozen Processed Food] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a frozen processed food is provided obtained by freezing the above-mentioned heated block meat processed food.

[0082] The above-mentioned frozen processed food may be obtained by freezing the above-mentioned pre-cooked block meat processed food using any method or conditions. A person skilled in the art can appropriately adjust the freezing method and conditions according to the amount of block meat contained in the pre-cooked block meat processed food, the shape of the pre-cooked block meat processed food, the desired frozen processed food, etc. The freezing conditions may be, for example, those described in the manufacturing method of the above-mentioned frozen processed food.

[0083] Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a frozen processed food manufactured by the method of the present disclosure. A preferred embodiment of the present disclosure provides a frozen processed food for heating (preferably for frying) manufactured by the method of the present disclosure.

[0084] [Method for pre-treating processed raw materials containing chunks of meat] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for pre-treating processed raw materials containing chunks of meat is provided, comprising: a first contact step of contacting the processed raw materials containing chunks of meat with a first pre-treatment composition having a salt concentration of more than 12% by mass; and a second contact step of contacting the processed raw materials containing chunks of meat after the first contact step with a second pre-treatment composition having a salt concentration of less than 10% by mass to obtain a pre-treated food material containing chunks of meat.

[0085] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a pre-treated meat-containing food ingredient pre-treated by the above method is provided.

[0086] [Method for improving the texture of pre-cooked processed meat products] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for improving the texture of pre-cooked processed meat products is provided, comprising: a first contact step of contacting a processed raw material containing chunks of meat with a first pre-treatment composition having a salt concentration of more than 12% by mass; a second contact step of contacting the processed raw material containing chunks of meat after the first contact step with a second pre-treatment composition having a salt concentration of less than 10% by mass to obtain a pre-treated chunk-of-meat food material; and a step of heat-treating the pre-treated chunk-of-meat food material to obtain a pre-cooked processed meat product.

[0087] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the above texture was evaluated by the method described in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0088] This disclosure includes: [1] A method for producing a pre-treated meat-containing food material for the production of a cooked meat-filled processed food product, comprising: a first contact step of contacting a meat-filled processing raw material with a first pre-treatment composition having a salt concentration of more than 12% by mass; and a second contact step of contacting the meat-filled processing raw material after the first contact step with a second pre-treatment composition having a salt concentration of less than 10% by mass to obtain a pre-treated meat-filled food material. [2] The method according to [1], wherein the salt concentration of the first pre-treatment composition is 25% by mass or less. [3] The method according to [1] or [2], wherein the first contact step includes tumbling. [4] The method according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the salt concentration of the second pre-treatment composition is less than 3% by mass. [5] The method according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the meat-filled material is chicken meat. A method for producing a preheated block meat processed food, comprising the step of heat-treating a pre-processed block meat-containing food material obtained by any of the methods in [1] to [5]. [7] The method according to [6], wherein the heat treatment comprises deep-frying. [8] The method according to [6] or [7], wherein the preheated block meat processed food is selected from fried chicken and karaage chicken. [9] The method according to any of [6] to [8], wherein the preheated block meat processed food is for freezing.

[10] A method for producing a frozen processed food, comprising the step of freezing a preheated block meat processed food obtained by any of the methods in [6] to [9].

[0089] The methods of this disclosure will be described in more detail below using examples. However, the following examples are not intended to limit the methods of this disclosure in any way. Unless otherwise specified, the percentages and ratios described herein are in terms of mass. Unless otherwise specified, the units and measurement methods described herein are in accordance with the provisions of the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS).

[0090] [Example 1: Production of pre-processed chunk meat-containing food ingredient 1] The pre-processed chunk meat-containing food ingredient of Example 1 was produced by the following process. (1) Raw chicken meat was cut with a knife into pieces of 100 g ± 5 g (80 mm x 100 mm, thickness 20 mm). (2) The raw meat and the first pre-processing composition with a salt concentration of 15% by mass (water: 5.67 g, salt: 1 g) were placed in a polyethylene (PE) bag. (3) The opening was sealed so that air would accumulate inside the bag and it would inflate. (4) The bag was massaged with a tumbler (vacuum massage tumbler, MG-40 model, manufactured by Takeuchi Food Machinery Co., Ltd.) at atmospheric pressure and chilled temperature for 10 rpm for 20 minutes. (5) The raw meat after tumbling and the second pre-processing composition with a salt concentration of 0% by mass (water: 3.33 g, salt: 0 g) were placed in a polyethylene (PE) bag separate from the one above. (6) The meat was massaged in a tumbler (vacuum massage tumbler, MG-40 model, manufactured by Takeuchi Food Machinery Co., Ltd.) at atmospheric pressure and chilled temperature for 10 rpm for 20 minutes. (7) The tumbling raw meat was placed in a bowl, and modified starch (product name: Matsutani Bara, manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) was added as dusting powder at a rate of 1.0 g per 100 g of raw meat before seasoning, and mixed until evenly combined. (8) The mixture from (7) was coated onto a batter (36.7% cake flour, 10.0% modified starch (product name: Matsutani Bara), 4.7% monosodium glutamate, 3.3% granulated sugar, 2.7% salt, 42.7% water) at a rate of 15.0 g per 100 g of seasoned raw meat. (9) The pre-processed block meat-containing food material of Example 1 was produced by attaching 6 g of cake flour to the material obtained in (8) for every 100 g of raw meat.

[0091] [Example 2: Production of pre-processed meat-containing food material 2] The same method as in Example 1 was carried out, except that the first pre-processing composition was replaced with one with a salt concentration of 25% by mass (water: 3 g, salt: 1 g), and the second pre-processing composition was replaced with one with a salt concentration of 0% by mass (water: 6 g, salt: 0 g), to obtain the pre-processed meat-containing food material of Example 2.

[0092] [Example 3: Production of pre-processed meat-containing food material 3] The same method as in Example 1 was carried out, except that the first pre-processing composition was replaced with one with a salt concentration of 50% by mass (water: 1 g, salt: 1 g), and the second pre-processing composition was replaced with one with a salt concentration of 0% by mass (water: 8 g, salt: 0 g), to obtain the pre-processed meat-containing food material of Example 3.

[0093] [Example 4: Production of pre-processed meat-containing food material 4] The same method as in Example 1 was carried out, except that the first pre-processing composition was replaced with one with a salt concentration of 100% by mass (water: 0g, salt: 1g), and the second pre-processing composition was replaced with one with a salt concentration of 0% by mass (water: 9g, salt: 0g), to obtain the pre-processed meat-containing food material of Example 4.

[0094] [Example 5: Production of pre-processed meat-containing food material 5] The same method as in Example 1 was carried out, except that the first pre-processing composition was replaced with one with a salt concentration of 15% by mass (water: 5 g, salt: 0.88 g), and the second pre-processing composition was replaced with one with a salt concentration of 3% by mass (water: 3.88 g, salt: 0.12 g), to obtain the pre-processed meat-containing food material of Example 5.

[0095] [Example 6: Production of pre-processed meat-containing food material 6] The same method as in Example 1 was carried out, except that the first pre-processing composition was replaced with one with a salt concentration of 15% by mass (water: 4.8 g, salt: 0.85 g), and the second pre-processing composition was replaced with one with a salt concentration of 5% by mass (water: 2.85 g, salt: 0.15 g), to obtain the pre-processed meat-containing food material of Example 6.

[0096] [Reference Example 1: Production of Pre-processed Meat-Containing Food Material 7] In Example 1, the same method was used except that the first pre-processing composition was replaced with one containing 10% by mass of salt (water: 9 g, salt: 1 g), the tumbling time in (4) above was changed to 40 minutes, and (5) and (6) above were not performed (i.e., tumbling using the second pre-processing composition was not performed), to obtain the pre-processed meat-containing food material of Reference Example 1.

[0097] [Reference Example 2: Production of Pre-processed Meat-Containing Food Material 8] The same method as in Example 1 was carried out, except that the first pre-processing composition was replaced with one with a salt concentration of 0% by mass (water: 3.33 g, salt: 0 g), and the second pre-processing composition was replaced with one with a salt concentration of 15% by mass (water: 5.67 g, salt: 1 g), to obtain the pre-processed meat-containing food material of Reference Example 2.

[0098] [Reference Example 3: Production of Pre-processed Meat-Containing Food Material 9] The same method as in Example 1 was carried out, except that the first pre-processing composition was replaced with one containing 10% by mass of salt (water: 4.5 g, salt: 0.5 g), and the second pre-processing composition was replaced with one containing 10% by mass of salt (water: 4.5 g, salt: 0.5 g), to obtain the pre-processed meat-containing food material of Reference Example 3.

[0099] [Reference Example 4: Production of Pre-processed Meat-Containing Food Material 10] The same method as in Example 1 was carried out, except that the first pre-processing composition was replaced with one containing 12% by mass of salt (water: 7.33 g, salt: 1 g), and the second pre-processing composition was replaced with one containing 0% by mass of salt (water: 1.67 g, salt: 0 g), to obtain the pre-processed meat-containing food material of Reference Example 4.

[0100] [Reference Example 5: Production of Pre-processed Meat-Containing Food Material 11] The same method as in Example 1 was carried out, except that the first pre-processing composition was replaced with one with a salt concentration of 15% by mass (water: 3.96 g, salt: 0.7 g), and the second pre-processing composition was replaced with one with a salt concentration of 10% by mass (water: 2.7 g, salt: 0.3 g), to obtain the pre-processed meat-containing food material of Reference Example 5.

[0101] [Test Example 1: Sensory Evaluation] A sensory evaluation (juiciness of the meat, unevenness of the meat texture, elasticity of the meat) was conducted using pre-cooked processed meat products (fried chicken) made with each of the pre-processed meat-containing food ingredients produced as described above. Each pre-processed meat-containing food ingredient was fried at 160°C for 30 seconds, then steamed at 100°C and 100% humidity until the internal temperature of the meat reached 80°C. The resulting product was transferred to a -35°C freezer and rapidly frozen until the internal temperature reached -30°C. The frozen product was then fried at 170°C for 6 minutes and allowed to cool for 20 minutes. The sensory evaluation was conducted by a professional panel (5 members) trained to the extent that they could assign the same score to the same sample, according to the evaluation criteria below. Note that a score of "0" in each evaluation criterion is the score when evaluating the fried chicken made using the pre-processed meat-containing food ingredient from Reference Example 1. The results are shown in Table 1 (the results represent the average score of the five expert panel members). <Evaluation Criteria for Meat Juiciness> -2 points: Very weak -1 point: Weak 0 points: About the same as fried chicken made using the pre-processed chunk meat-containing food material of Reference Example 1 1 point: Strong 2 points: Very strong <Evaluation Criteria for Meat Elasticity> -2 points: Weak (the meat crumbles easily when chewed) -1 point: Slightly weak (the meat crumbles relatively easily when chewed) 0 points: About the same as fried chicken made using the pre-processed chunk meat-containing food material of Reference Example 1 1 point: Slightly strong (the meat does not crumble relatively easily when chewed) 2 points: Strong (the meat does not crumble easily when chewed) <Evaluation Criteria for Non-Uniformity of Meat Texture> -2 points: Uniform (uniform texture) -1 point: Slightly uniform 0 points: About the same as fried chicken made using the pre-processed chunk meat-containing food material of Reference Example 1 1 point: Slightly uneven 2 points: Uneven

[0102]

[0103] [Test Example 2: Evaluation of Meat Juice Content] The amount of meat juice was evaluated using pre-cooked processed meat products (fried chicken) made using each of the pre-processed meat-containing food ingredients produced above. Each pre-processed meat-containing food ingredient was fried at 160°C for 30 seconds, then steamed at 100°C and 100% humidity until the internal temperature of the meat reached 80°C. The resulting product was transferred to a -35°C freezer and rapidly frozen until the internal temperature reached -30°C. The frozen product was then fried at 170°C for 6 minutes and allowed to cool for 20 minutes. After cooling, each piece of fried chicken was cut into four pieces, placed on filter paper with the cut surface facing down, and the meat juice was absorbed by the filter paper to calculate the mass ratio (%) of meat juice to the total mass of the fried chicken (n=5). The results are shown in Table 2.

[0104]

[0105] From the results of Test Example 1, it is considered that a pre-cooked processed meat product with excellent texture (juiciness, elasticity, and uniformity of texture) can be produced by contacting a processed meat product containing chunks of meat with a first pre-treatment composition having a salt concentration of more than 12% by mass, and then contacting the same processed meat product with a second pre-treatment composition having a salt concentration of less than 10% by mass (Table 1). Furthermore, from the results of Test Example 2, it is considered that a pre-cooked processed meat product with excellent leakage of meat juices (for example, 2.0% or more by mass, preferably 2.5% or more by mass, relative to the total mass of the pre-cooked processed meat product) can be produced by contacting a processed meat product containing chunks of meat with a first pre-treatment composition having a salt concentration of more than 12% by mass, and then contacting the same processed meat product with a second pre-treatment composition having a salt concentration of less than 10% by mass.

[0106] While not bound by theory, it is believed that the method disclosed herein allows the first pretreatment composition and / or the second pretreatment composition to penetrate the meat-containing processed raw material, while not being incorporated into the gel structure during the gelation of the meat-containing processed raw material during heating. This creates a state in which the first pretreatment composition and / or the second pretreatment composition exist in the gaps between the fibers. As a result, the resulting heated processed meat food is expected to release juices when chewed, resulting in a superior juiciness.

[0107] Furthermore, further investigations by the Discloser have revealed that simply bringing the raw material containing chunks of meat into contact with a first pre-treatment composition having a salt concentration of more than 12% by mass (i.e., without performing the second contact step) results in a less juicy pre-cooked processed meat product. While not bound by theory, it is believed that the superior juiciness of the pre-cooked processed meat product obtained by the method of the Disclosed is due to the effect that salt-soluble proteins (e.g., myosin, actin) eluted from the raw material containing chunks of meat during the first contact step weakly bind to the second pre-treatment composition, preventing them from being completely incorporated into the gel structure of the meat and preventing them from being released by heating, thus retaining them in the gaps between the meat fibers.

[0108] Furthermore, in Test Example 2, the amount of meat juice released was similar to that in Reference Example 2 as in Examples 1-6. Although not bound by theory, it is thought that in Reference Example 2, only the first pretreatment composition (i.e., an aqueous solution with a salt concentration of 0) that had seeped into the gaps in the meat was released. This is thought to be related to the fact that the elasticity of the meat in Reference Example 2 was -1.2, and the meat crumbled relatively easily when chewed (i.e., it had a dry texture).

[0109] The method disclosed herein is particularly advantageous in that it can produce a pre-cooked block meat processed food product that is excellent in terms of juiciness, texture uniformity, and meat elasticity.

Claims

1. A method for producing a pre-treated meat-containing food material for the production of a pre-cooked meat-based food product, comprising: a first contact step of contacting a meat-containing processing raw material with a first pre-treatment composition having a salt concentration of more than 12% by mass; and a second contact step of contacting the meat-containing processing raw material after the first contact step with a second pre-treatment composition having a salt concentration of less than 10% by mass to obtain a pre-treated meat-containing food material.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the salt concentration of the first pretreatment composition is 25% by mass or less.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first contact step includes tumbling.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the salt concentration of the second pretreatment composition is less than 3% by mass.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the block of meat is a block of chicken.

6. A method for producing a preheated block meat processed food product, comprising the step of heat-treating a pre-treated block meat-containing food material obtained by the method described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the heat treatment includes deep frying.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the preheated block meat processed food is selected from fried chicken and karaage (Japanese fried chicken).

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the preheated block meat processed food is for freezing.

10. A method for producing a frozen processed food, comprising the step of freezing a preheated block of processed meat obtained by the method described in claim 6.

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