JP2000201661A - Frozen food and its thawing - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a frozen food not needing a wrapping work, capable of being cooked to give the food having an excellent taste and an excellent texture without staining hands and a container used for thawing the frozen food by wrapping the frozen food to be thawed and eaten with a wrapping material in a twisted form. SOLUTION: This frozen food is obtained by wrapping a frozen food 11 to be thawed and eaten with a wrapping material 10 in a twisted form. The length of the overlapped portion 12 of the wrapping material 10 in the twisted wrapped portion is preferably 2/3 to 1/20 based on the circumferential length of the frozen food 11. When the frozen food 11 is thawed and cooked with a microwave oven, a vapor-impermeable wrapping material is preferably used as the wrapping material 10 for a food (for example, boiled rice) requiring the retention of water, or a vapor-permeable material is preferably used as the wrapping material 10 for a food (for example, fried foods) requiring the dissipation of water.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a frozen food and a method for thawing the same, and more particularly, to a packaged frozen food and a method for thawing the same which can be easily thawed without soiling hands or containers when thawing. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Small frozen foods, such as prepared foods and desserts, are generally roughly classified into products packed in a large bag, and products packaged individually for each person. . Both large bags and individual packages are circulated and stored in a sealed state with a gas barrier packaging film, and when thawing, the sealed state is opened.

[0003] In the case of a product in which a plurality of bags are packed in a large bag, the required number is taken out of the large bag, transferred to another container for thawing, thawed and cooked in a microwave oven, or the thawed product is taken out. Carry in a container such as a lunch box. At this time, the food comes into contact with the hand or the thawing container when transferring from the large bag to another thawing container, so that it must be washed before and after the thawing cooking. In addition, it is necessary to confirm the necessity of wrapping at the time of thawing, and in the case of food requiring wrapping, labor time for wrapping is generated.

On the other hand, in the case of individually packaged products, as in the case of large bag products, the packaging film is opened and the frozen food is taken out and transferred to another thawing container to be thawed or cooked. Defrost and cook with part of the film open. The thawed food is then eaten or carried in a lunch box. When transferring to another container from the packaging film for thawing cooking, it is necessary to wash hands and containers before and after cooking, as in the case of large bag products. In the case of thawing cooking in a state where a part of the packaging film is opened, it is necessary to open the film before and after heating.

[0005] Further, twisted packaging is adopted as a simple packaging form in foods distributed at ordinary temperature and some low-temperature distribution foods such as candy, rice crackers, middle, cheese and frozen confectionery. It does not consider long-term storage and thawing and heating operations like frozen foods, and for the purpose of long-term storage, frozen foods that require thawing and heating operations when eating, in order to accommodate long-term storage in a frozen state, The principle is to individually seal and package, and such twist packaging has not been adopted.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a frozen food which can be easily thawed, heated and opened, and a method for thawing the frozen food.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems To achieve the above object, the frozen food of the present invention is characterized in that the frozen food to be thawed and eaten is twist-wrapped with a film-like or sheet-like packaging material. In the twist packaging, the length of the overlapping portion of the packaging material is set to 2/3 to 1/2 of the circumference of the frozen food.
It is characterized by being in the range of 0.

In the case where the frozen food is a food that needs to retain moisture when being thawed and cooked by heating in a microwave oven, for example, in the case of cooked rice, hamburgers, shumai, meatballs or fried noodles, the wrapping material is used. As a vapor-impermeable packaging material, on the other hand, if the food is required to disperse water when thawing and heating in a microwave oven, for example, in the case of fries, takoyaki, doria or gratin, the packaging material It is preferable to use a vapor-permeable packaging material. Further, the twisted packaged frozen food is sealed and packaged with a packaging material having gas barrier properties, and particularly, vacuum packaged.

Further, the method of thawing frozen food of the present invention is characterized in that the above-described twisted packaged frozen food is heated in a microwave oven in the twist-wrapped state. When vacuum-packaged with a packaging material having the following characteristics, it is characterized in that it is heated in a hot water bath in this vacuum-packaged state.

[0010]

1 and 2 are perspective views showing an embodiment of the frozen food of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the frozen food shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. FIG. 2 shows an example of each embodiment having two twist portions. That is, the frozen food shown in FIG. 1 wraps the frozen food 11 with one packaging material 10, and twists (twists) the peripheral parts of the packaging material 10 together and twist-wraps with one twist part 12. It was done. In addition, the frozen food shown in FIG.
1 is wrapped, and both sides of the packaging material 10 are twisted and twist-wrapped at two twist portions 13, 13. In addition, the direction of the twist of the two twist parts 13 and 13 may be the same direction as shown in FIG. 2, but may be the opposite direction. It is convenient because you can do it.

First, the food 11 to be a frozen food is
There is no particular limitation on the type and manufacturing method, and various foods generally distributed as frozen foods, for example, white rice, pilaf, rice balls, rice such as omelet, hamburgers, hamburgers such as meatballs, shrimp, meat buns, Fried noodles, takoyaki, various dishes, croquettes, fried white fish, fried chicken, spring rolls, donut-like fries, doria, gratin, hot cakes, etc. There is no limitation.

The freezing treatment can be performed before or after twist packaging depending on the type of food. Generally, however, it is industrially possible to freeze-process food before twist packaging. Is preferred. Further, the method of thawing the frozen food is also optional, and thawing and heating can be performed by a known thawing method such as microwave thawing, natural thawing, steam thawing, etc. It is most suitable for heating and thawing.

As the packaging material 10, various materials used as packaging materials for various foods can be used according to the type and properties of the food to be packaged. For example, polyethylene, polypropylene and polyvinylidene chloride can be used. Such a synthetic resin film or sheet, paper, synthetic resin nonwoven fabric, and the like can be used. Further, as the packaging material 10, a material having a characteristic capable of maintaining the twisted state of the twisted portions 12, 13 is preferable. However, the twisting portions 12, 13 are tied with another string-shaped material to maintain the packaging form. May be
Furthermore, in the frozen food shown in FIG.
It is also possible to tie them together, or to tie them with another string-like thing while the kinks 13 are tied together. Further, if a transparent material is used for the packaging material 10, the contents of the food can be visually recognized, and those having various patterns by printing or the like can be used.

The tightness of the twist portions 12 and 13 may be such that the food can be held and the moisture generated at the time of thawing does not flow out. The generated steam may cause the internal pressure to rise and cause rupture, or it may be difficult to open after thawing.

Further, when the food 11 is twist-wrapped in the packaging material 10, an overlapping portion 14 of the packaging material is formed as shown in FIG. The overlapping portion 14 of the packaging material is preferably set so as to have a length of the overlapping portion of the packaging material, that is, an overlapping margin R such that the food is not exposed by a normal operation and can be easily opened at the time of opening. The overlapping margin R is appropriately set according to various conditions such as the shape and size of the food 11, the properties of the food including soup, sauce, and juice, the amount of steam generated upon heating after thawing, and the like. be able to. For example, the ratio to the peripheral length (perimeter) of the frozen food is in the range of ／ to 1/20 of the perimeter, preferably 1/20.
The range of 2 to 1/10, particularly the range of 1/3 to 1/10 is optimal. If the overlap ratio exceeds 2/3, it becomes difficult for steam to escape, and it becomes difficult to take out food. Also, 1/2
If the value is less than 0, the twist packaging is loosened, and the food inside may be exposed or fly out.

On the other hand, the specific dimension of the overlap margin R depends on the size and softness of the food, but generally, the size and shape of the frozen food on the market is that of the central portion. The minimum overlap margin is 3 to 100 mm, preferably 10 to 60 mm, and more preferably 15 to 40 mm, and it is preferable to set the dimension within this range. Also in this case, if the overlapping allowance is less than 3 mm, the food may be exposed or fly out.
If it exceeds m, it becomes difficult to take out food.

By twisting the package so as to provide an appropriate overlap margin, even if a large amount of steam is generated from the food at the time of thawing or heating, a slight gap between the packaging material surfaces of the overlapping portion 14 can be obtained. Is released to the outside, so that the packaging itself does not rupture, and the foods, sauces, and the like can be reliably held in the packaging material 10.

In addition, when eating the food after thawing, the food can be taken out from the package by opening the twisted portion or opening the overlapping portion, so that the package can be opened very easily during eating. The food can be opened and eaten without touching the food and without splashing the food.

Further, by selecting an appropriate packaging material 10 according to the type of food to be packaged, thawing and heating can be performed in a preferable state. In other words, foods that are covered with plastic wrap when thawing cooking by heating in a microwave oven,
For example, such as the cooked rice, hamburger steak, meat selling, meat buns, fried noodles, prepared foods, etc., and foods that require moderate moisture in the food itself, or foods that require the presence of relatively many sauces and juices, As the packaging material 10, a vapor-impermeable packaging material, for example, a synthetic resin film (sheet) as described above.
By using, it is possible to suppress the dissipation of water during heating and maintain an appropriate amount of water, and also prevent the dissipation of umami and aroma, so that the taste and texture during eating can be improved. it can.

On the other hand, in the case of foods that preferably have a small amount of water during eating, that is, foods that are thawed in a microwave and heated without being covered with plastic wrap, the packaging material has high vapor permeability and high moisture absorption. By using, it is possible to suppress stickiness due to excessive moisture and obtain a crisp good texture. Such foods include the fries,
Takoyaki, doria, gratin and the like,
Examples of the packaging material used include the above-mentioned paper and nonwoven fabric.

The twist-packaged frozen food thus formed is obtained by storing one or a plurality of twist-packaged frozen foods 21 in a sealed container or bag, for example, a sealed bag 20 as shown in a perspective view in FIG. Should be preserved for distribution. By storing in such a sealed bag 20, it is possible to prevent the water value from gradually being lost during long-term distribution and storage, thereby reducing the commercial value. When the twist-packaged frozen food 21 is stored in the sealed bag 20 as described above, the inside of the sealed bag 20 may be in a state in which air is present. Can be prevented.

When the whole twist-packaged frozen food 21 stored in the vacuum-sealed sealed bag 20 is to be thawed, the sealed bag 20 can be opened and a microwave oven can be used.
The sealed bag 20 can be put into hot water as it is without opening to perform hot water thawing. Examples of such foods include meatballs, hamburgers, rice balls, takoyaki, fries, cakes, and the like.

Normally, an appropriate number is taken out of the sealed bag 20 or a suitable sealed container and heated by a microwave oven or steam, or thawed by natural thawing and eaten. On the other hand, the frozen frozen food 21 in the remaining sealed bag 20 or the like can be kept frozen as it is by resealing the sealed bag 20 or the like.

The food after thawing can be used for eating as it is in twisted packaging, or can be opened and transferred to a plate or the like for eating. When eating with twist packaging, twist packaging may be opened by hand, etc., but usually,
By opening the overlapping portion with chopsticks or the like, it can be easily taken out and eaten. In any case, the food can be taken out without directly touching the food, so that the hands are not stained, and in some cases, the food can be eaten without using dishes such as dishes.

As described above, the twisted packaged frozen food can be thawed and cooked in a microwave oven or the like as it is in the twisted package regardless of whether or not wrapping is necessary in a normal thawing operation. It is. In addition, even after thawing cooking, twist packaging is maintained,
For example, it can be carried in a container such as a lunch box. Furthermore, since the user can open the twist package and eat the food while holding the packaging material in his hand, it is extremely convenient without soiling his hands. Further, by individually twist-wrapping the packaging with a packaging material corresponding to the thawing characteristics of the frozen food, frozen foods having different thawing characteristics can be thawed at once.

[0026]

Example 1 A 25 g frozen small rice ball produced by a conventional method was
It was wrapped with a wrapping material made of a polyvinyl imidized polyvinylidene chloride film that was impermeable to vapor and had low hygroscopicity. The overlap at the center was about 20 mm.

After this was frozen and stored for one month, six pieces were heated in a microwave oven of 500 W for about 3 minutes while being twisted and packed, and thawed and cooked. After thawing, it was possible to release the twisted portion and open the overlapped portion very easily and without eating the food, and to eat.

For comparison, small rice balls were frozen as they were and stored for one month, and then six frozen rice balls were wrapped in plastic wrap and heated in a 500 W microwave for about 3 minutes to defrost. When wrapped in plastic wrap, one frozen rice ball was picked up by hand. After thawing, the wrap was removed, and the food was eaten. The two were compared in terms of appearance, fragrance, texture, and taste. In each case, the evaluation was without significant difference.

That is, considering the time required for eating, the twisted packaged frozen small rice ball does not require wrapping, so that it can be thawed as it is in the state at the time of manufacture and can be eaten with the package opened. It turns out that it can be easily performed.

Example 2 A spherical takoyaki having a short diameter of 30 mm and a long diameter of 40 mm and weighing 18 g was twist-wrapped using a paper towel having high vapor permeability and high moisture absorption as a packaging material. After being frozen and stored for one month, six of them were directly heated in a microwave oven of 500 W for about 3 minutes and thawed. After thawing, untwist it very easily and without touching the food with your hands,
We were able to eat with the joints open.

For comparison, after freezing the takoyaki and storing it for one month, the six frozen takoyaki
It was thawed by heating in a microwave oven of 00W for about 3 minutes, and ate after thawing. When the two were compared in terms of appearance, fragrance, texture, and taste, the evaluation without any significant difference was obtained in any of the items.

Example 3 The thawed rice balls in the twisted package and the thawed takoyaki in the twisted package, which were thawed and cooked in Examples 1 and 2, were transferred to separate containers as the twisted package, and the container was carried. The situation of twist packaging when shaking or vibration was applied was confirmed. As a result, the twist package was kept in a good state. In addition, when eating the food, the user could hold the entire packaging material in his hand, untwist the part, open the seam, and eat the food without touching the food.

[0033]

As described above, the frozen food of the present invention can be thawed and cooked while being twist-wrapped.
It does not contaminate hands and thawing containers even with sauces and juices, and eliminates the hassle of opening the packaging film and transferring it to the thawing containers as in conventional products. It is possible to easily perform thawing cooking without checking the properties or wrapping work, and also to easily carry the food after thawing cooking.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an example of one embodiment of a frozen food having a single twist portion.

FIG. 2 is a partially broken perspective view showing an example of a frozen food having two twist portions.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the frozen food shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the twist-packaged frozen food is stored in a sealed bag.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... packaging material, 11 ... food, 12, 13 ... twist part, 14
… Overlapping part, 20… sealing bag, 21… twist wrapped frozen food

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Kazuo Takemura 1-16-7 Nishi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo F-term in Nippon Sanso Corporation (reference) 3E067 AA11 AB01 BA24A BB01A BB06A BB14A BB15A BB16A BC10A CA04 CA10 CA11 EE02 EE48 FB11 4B022 LA01 LB01 LF08 LJ06 LQ07 LT07

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A frozen food, wherein the frozen food to be thawed and eaten is twist-wrapped with a packaging material. 2. The frozen food according to claim 1, wherein the length of the overlapping portion of the packaging material in the twist packaging is in the range of 2/3 to 1/20 of the circumference of the frozen food. 3. In the case where the frozen food is a food that requires moisture retention when being thawed by heating in a microwave oven, a vapor-impermeable packaging material is used as the packaging material. The frozen food according to claim 1. 4. The frozen food according to claim 3, wherein the food which is required to retain moisture is cooked rice, hamburgers, shoyu, meat buns or fried noodles. 5. In the case where the frozen food is a food that requires water dispersion loss when being heated and thawed in a microwave oven, a vapor-permeable packaging material is used as the packaging material. Item 7. The frozen food according to Item 1. 6. The frozen food according to claim 5, wherein the food required to be dispersed in water is fried food, takoyaki, doria or gratin. 7. The frozen food according to claim 1, wherein the twist-wrapped frozen food is hermetically packaged with a packaging material having gas barrier properties. 8. The frozen food according to claim 7, wherein the sealed package is a vacuum package. 9. The method for thawing frozen food according to claim 1, wherein the twist-packaged frozen food is heated in a microwave oven while being twist-wrapped. How to defrost food. 10. The method for thawing frozen food according to claim 8, wherein the frozen food is heated in a hot water bath while being vacuum-packaged.