GB2224629A

GB2224629A - Foodstuffs containing konjak paste

Info

Publication number: GB2224629A
Application number: GB8923865A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hisashi Nozaki; Seiya Sakurai
Original assignee: Kyowa Shokuhin KK; Kibun KK
Current assignee: Kyowa Shokuhin KK; Kibun KK
Priority date: 1988-10-31
Filing date: 1989-10-24
Publication date: 1990-05-16
Anticipated expiration: 2009-10-24
Also published as: AU614882B2; HK14493A; IT8948489A0; JPH0773482B2; GB8923865D0; DE3936117A1; CA2001430C; ES2016917A6; IT1237427B; CA2001430A1; SG130492G; KR900005897A; AU4374589A; KR950011136B1; NL8902665A; GB2224629B; JPH02119763A; FR2638332B1; FR2638332A1; DE3936117C2

Description

1 2224629 KONJAK-ADDED FOODSTUFFS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a process for preparing foodstuffs to which konjak is added.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a process for preparing hamburgers or the like to which konjak is added without injuring taste of foodstuffs.

According to the present invention, konjak can be added to foodstuffs without injuring taste, by using konjak paste prepared in a pH range of from 9.0 to 10.3, preferably a pH range of 9.5 to 10.2. Such foodstuffs greatly contribute to rendering foodstuffs low calorie. STATEMENT OF THE PRIOR ART

Konjak has been utilized as food from old. In recent years, attention has been focused on its usefulness because of non-calorie property of konjak or as dietary fibers.

However, it is the actual situation that konjak has been used mostly in a board-like form provided as daily food but it has been insufficient to make use of konjak as a material for processed foodstuffs, for example, to add konjak to other foodstuffs thereby to impart its peculiar texture to the foodstuff, to improve physical properties of foodstuffs or to use as a "liaison" or for calorie control.

A cause therefor may be found in that development on technology for adapting konjak raw materials such as konjak powders, etc. for processed foodstuff materials or foodstuff additives is behind.

That is, in a conventional method for preparing konjak, 900 to 1200 liters of water is added to about 30 kg of konjak powders, the resulting mixture is swollen to make konjak paste and 3 to 6% of lime is then added to and mixed with konjak powders.

Subsequently, the mixture is filled up in a container, a molding box or the like and heated at a temperature of about 80C for about 60 minutes to obtain konjak. This process has been used from old.

Therefore, in the case of using konjak powders as food materials for other processed foodstuffs, etc., there have been adopted techniques of finely dividing konjak into powders and adding such fine konjak powders, or swelling konjak in water and adding as konjak paste, or adding lime to konjak and adding the resulting konjak paste, etc.

However, these techniques involve a problem that konjak mannan is not gelled even at the stage of final products so that the paste state remains, a problem that a smell of slaked lime used as a solidifying agent for konjak remains, a problem that taste is deteriorated because pH is inclined toward an alkaline side, and the like.

Accordingly, an amount of konjak to be added has been greatly limited under the actual situation though it is wished to add a much more amount of konjak for purposes 6 of improving physical properties or controlling calorie.

As a result of extensive investigations to add konjak to foodstuffs without injuring taste of foodstuffs, the present inventors have found that by adjusting a pH value of konjak paste in a range of from 9.0 to 10. 3, the alkali taste or paste-like texture can be prevented.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is concerned with a process for preparing konjakadded foodstuffs which comprises incorporating into food raw materials konjak paste prepared to show a pH range of from 9.0 to 10.3, preferably 9.5 to 10.2 and processing the mixture.

The thus-prepared konjak paste is allowed to stand at 20 to 250C for at least 1-5 hours, preferably for 2 to 4 hours, after the above-mentioned pH adjustment and then used. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Next, representative embodiments of the present invention for preparing pH-controlled konjak paste are described below.

(1) To konjak powders is added a 20 to 40-fold amount of water to swell and dissolve the konjak powders in water. Basic amino acids and basic salts are added to the resulting konjak paste. The mixture is thoroughly mixed. Alternatively; (2) Basic amino acids and basic salts are dissolved water in an amount of 20 to 40 times that of konjak powders and konjak powders are swollen and dissolved in the resulting solution. Alternatively, (3) Necessary amounts of basic amino acids and basic salts are previously mixed with konjak powders and a 20 to 40-fold amount of water is added to the resulting powdery mixture to swell and dissolve the basic amino acids and basic salts therein.

In a manner as described above, konjak powders and alkali agents are swollen and dissolved to prepare konjak paste having pH of 9.0 to 10.3, preferably pH of 9.5 to 10.2.

Examples of the alkali agent which can be used in the present invention are, as the basic amino acid, arginine, histidine, lysine, citrulline, ornithine, etc. Arginine and lysine are particularly preferred.

Any basic salts are usable so long as they are used for foodstuffs but basic phosphates and organic acid salts are preferred. For example, sodium carbonate, calcium carbonate, disodium phosphate, trisodium phosphate, dipotassium phosphate, tripotassium phosphate, sodium ---20 polyphosphate, sodium citrate, sodium lactate, etc. are preferably used.

In order to give a buffering effect, acids such as citric acid, lactic acid, etc. or acidic salts such as sodium dihydrogenphosphate, potassium dihydrogenphosphate, etc. may also be used in a suitable combination to finally adjust pH to 9. 0 to 10.3, preferably 9.5 to 10.2.

According to the present invention, the alkali 1 agent is chosen from the basic salts for foodstuff additives described above and is used singly or in combination.

Since pH of konjak paste varies depending upon kind of the alkali agent, it is necessary that an amount required for the desired pH be previously determined by preparing konjak paste using an alkali agent.

In the present invention, 1 to 50% of konjak paste prepared to show a pH in a range of 9.0 to 10.3 is incorporated into raw food materials and the mixture is processed, whereby foodstuffs free of deterioration in taste due to alkali and substantially free of konjak-like texture or konjak paste-like texture can be obtained. Thus, excellent low calorie foodstuffs can be provided according to the present invention.

In the present invention, approximately 1 to 50% of konjak paste is added to raw food material such as meat for hamburger, meat for sausage, fish meat, etc. The mixture is then processed by heating, steaming, etc. to prepare konjak-added foodstuffs.

The konjak paste controlled to the pH range in accordance with the present invention can be added to various foodstuffs to make assistance in calorie control. In addition thereto, the konjak paste can be added to marine processed foodstuffs or meat processed foodstuffs to improve their taste, texture, water-retaining properties, etc., or added to Chinese noodle, Japanese noodle, etc. to improve texture and otherwise physical properties or to use as liaison; alternatively, the konjak paste may be added to bread, cookie, etc. to improve texture, swellability and 5 otherwise physical properties.

Next, test examples and examples of the present invention are given below. Test Example To 5.6 g of konjak powders was added 200 ml of sodium carbonate solution in a 0 to 0.5% concentration. While stirring, konjak was swollen and the mixture was allowed to stand at room temperature for 2 hours to swell konjak completely. The resulting alkaline konjak paste, 60 g, was mixed with 140 g of minced beef and 50 g of the mixture was shaped into a cif-cle of a 8 cm diameter. A part of this hamburger pathe was baked, on a pan, as it was and another part was baked after freezing at -201C. Physical properties and taste of the hamburger were then examined. At the same time, pH of the alkaline konjak paste and hamburger pathe was determined.

The results are shown in Table 1 below.

- 7 Table 1 Results of pH measurement and Physical Properties and Taste of Pathe Concent ration Physical Physical of So- pH of Properties Properties dium Alkaline pH of and Taste and Taste Carbo- Konjak Hamburger When Baked When Baked nate Paste Pathe As It Was After Freezing 0 6.60 6.10 x Konjak paste is x Konjak paste is not solidified not solidified but strong paste but strong paste like taste. like taste.

0.1 8.92 6.23 x Same as above x Same as above 0.15 9.36 6.30 x Same as above o Konjak paste is solidified and has good texture.

0.2 9.62 6.36 Konjak paste is o Same as above not solidified but weak paste like taste.

0.25 9.78 6.46 o Konjak paste o Same as above is solidified and has good texture.

0.3 9.94 6.47 o Same as above o Same as above 0.35 10.05 6.59 o Same as above o Same as above 0.4 10.11 6.66 c Same as above 0 Same as above 0.45 10.14 6.88 Konjak paste Konjak paste is solidified is solidified and has good and has good texture. texture.

Somewhat weak Somewhat weak alkali taste. alkali taste.

0.5 10.30 6.94 x Same as above x Same as above 0.6 10.40 7.00 x Alkali taste x Alkali taste and unpleasant and unpleasant odor. odor.

0.8 10.50 7.21 x Same as above x Same as above It Table 1 (continued) Concent ration Physical of So- pH of Properties dium Alkaline pH of and Taste Carbo- Konjak Hamburger When Baked nate Paste Pathe As It Was 1.0_ 10.60 7.44 x Same as above X Beef alone: pH 6.01 Example 1

Physical Properties and Taste When Baked After Freezing Same as above To 30 g of konjak powders was added 1000 ml of 0.3% sodium carbonate solution. While stirring, konjak was swollen and the mixture was allowed to stand at room temperature for further 2 hours to swell konjak completely.

The pH of the konjak paste was 9.9. To 200 g of the resulting alkaline konjak paste was added 500 g of minced beef. The mixture was well mixed and shaped into 60 g of hamburger pathe of a 8 cm diameter. The hamburger pathe was good pathe having good texture.

This hamburger pathe was baked for tasting. It was delicious hamburger free of unpleasant odor and free of konjak-like texture.

Example 2

To 28 g of konjak powders was added 1000 ml of 0.2% sodium carbonate solution. While stirring, konjak was 1 i 11 swollen and the mixture was allowed to stand at room temperature for further 2 hours to swell konjak completely. The pH of the konjak paste was 9.6. To 300 g of the resulting alkaline konjak paste was added 700 g of salmon fish meat. The mixture was well mixed. After shaping into a piece of 5 cm 0 40 g, the piece was covered with a batter obtained by dissolving wheat powders in water and then with bread crumbs, which was freezed at -250C overnight in a refrigerator. It was a soft salmon fry free of unpleasant odor and free of dry texture. Example 3 Minced pork, 1750 g, 100 g of lard and 52 g of table salt were mixed and stirred with a cutting mixer and 12 g of sugar, 7 g of sodium glutamate, 70 g of starch, 35 g of a smoking so-lution, 18 g of spice mixture (mixture of pepper, paprika, coriander, ginger, cinnamon, sace, onion mace) and 350 g of ice water were further added to the mixture. To the resulting meat mixture was added 600 a of alkaline konjak paste used in Example 1. The mixture was further mixed and stirred and packed in a collagen casing for Vienna sausage. Boiling with hot water of 80C for 20 minutes gave Vienna sausage. The sausage was free of unpleasant odor and had soft texture.

While the invention has been described in detail and with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it is apparent to one skilled in the art that various changes and b modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.

h

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A foodstuff containing 1 to 50% of konja'E paste having a pH value of 9.0 to 10.3.

2. A process for preparing konjak-added foodstuff whIch comprises incorporating konjak paste having a pH adjusted to a range of 9.0 to 10.3 into a food raw material and processing the resulting mixture.

Published 1990 at The Patent Office. State House. 66'7lHigtHolbcrnLondonWC I R4TP Further copesmay be obtainecfrorn The Patent Office Sales Branch, St Mary Cray. Orpington Kent BRS 3RD Printed kv Multiplex techmques Ita. St Ma-y Cray. Kent C,- _ I a-