JP2001147064A - Storing method for food, and refrigerator using the storing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a storing method for food and refrigerator, using the storing method with the preservation and taste properties of food and ease of use. SOLUTION: A temperature-changing chamber 6, for keeping room temperature within -10 deg.C±2 deg.C is provided in addition to a freezer for setting the room temperature to -18 deg.C or lower, thus newly providing improved taste property and ease of use in addition to a preservation property when storing short-term storage food with a high flow property, and hence increasing the function value of a refrigerator. In addition, in combination with the conventional freezer being set to -18 deg.C or lower, classification can be made according to the kind and preservation period of the food, thus increasing practical ease of, and saving energy.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a reasonable new food storage method and a refrigerator using the storage method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a freezer compartment of a refrigerator,
Usually, it is considered that maintaining the temperature at -18 ° C or lower is preferable for storing frozen foods.

[0003] The freezing temperature of -18 ° C is such that the length of time for which frozen foods maintain their quality (including both microbial and taste) varies depending on the storage temperature.
(Time-Temperature-Toleran
ce: permissible time temperature relationship)
It fulfills the performance of three-star and four-star in the freezing room performance specified in C9607.

[0004] T-TT is related to the fact that the lower the temperature, the longer the shelf life. According to a study of T-TT conducted in the United States, most frozen foods are kept at -18 ° C for more than one year. Based on the results, the storage target for frozen foods is set at a minimum of one year, taking into account that it matches the harvest cycle of vegetables and fruits. There is also a background that a temperature of -18 ° C or less is set as a temperature for guaranteeing a storage period of one year for most foods.

Further, according to the guidance standard provided by the Japan Frozen Foods Association, the definition of frozen foods is that "preserved frozen foods are packaged foods that have been subjected to pretreatment, quick frozen, and kept in a frozen state at -18 ° C or lower. It says. " However, since the storage period differs depending on the type of food, the temperature history, and the freezing method, the storage period of the frozen food in the freezer at −18 ° C. is generally set to three months.

On the other hand, in recent years, frozen storage is not required for fresh foods and processed foods. However, in the case of refrigerated storage, there are concerns about quality and storage period, but in the temperature range of 0 ° C to -7 ° C. Refrigerators provided with storage methods and storage rooms in consideration of practical convenience of storage have been proposed.

[0007]

However, in the freezer compartment of the above-mentioned conventional refrigerator, although the purpose of preserving the frozen food can be almost achieved, it also has the following disadvantages in practical use.

That is, frozen desserts such as ice cream and sherbet stored in a temperature range of -18 ° C. or less are hard and difficult to eat, and it is necessary to wait until they are ready to eat. In addition, it is too cold and does not taste good and delicious.

[0009] In addition, foods such as jams for a long time are -1.
When stored at a temperature of 8 ° C. or less, tissue destruction occurs due to the formation of ice crystals due to freezing, which hinders taste and handling.

[0010] Furthermore, beef that is often frozen and stored at home, at a temperature of -18 ° C or lower, the degradation of proteins by enzymes is suppressed, so that aging hardly progresses during storage, and no improvement in taste can be expected.

On the other hand, in recent years, the quality of commercially available frozen foods has been improved,
In addition to the conventional “simple” and “convenient”, the number of frozen foods that are considered “delicious” has increased, coupled with the need for simplified cooking.
The usage rate and usage frequency are increasing, and the storage period in the freezer is also shortening.

[0012] While the utilization rate of the freezer compartment has been increasing, many people have conventionally set the storage period of frozen foods such as meat and fish stored in the freezer compartment to one month. For example, the ratio of people who eat food has been increasing, and the usage style has increased from the center of stock to the type of flow type, and the food in the freezer compartment has been changed to a two-polarization of stock and flow.

Also, as a social background due to the occurrence of food poisoning of O157, etc., there is concern about the growth of bacteria causing food poisoning. The number of cases that are preserved even for short-term storage is increasing.

As described above, regardless of the type of food and the demand for the storage period, uniformly setting the freezing temperature to -18 ° C. or less wastes power and is economically problematic.

On the other hand, a storage method for storing in a temperature range of 0 ° C. to -7 ° C. and a refrigerator having a storage room have the following disadvantages.

That is, from the viewpoint of safety and health, the growth of putrefactive bacteria cannot be suppressed at -7 ° C or higher, is suppressed at -7 ° C or higher, and stops at -10 ° C or lower. For this reason, the temperature range of 0 ° C. to −7 ° C. is insufficient as a storage method for giving a sense of security to the user.

In addition, in terms of taste and flavor, there is a change due to biochemical action of enzymes and the like in addition to the influence of microorganisms, but the change is smaller as the temperature is lower. It is said that the oxidation rate of myoglobin contained in beef and tuna, which is a typical example of pigment oxidation, increases in a temperature range of about −5 ° C. to −7 ° C. For this reason, 0 ° C to -7
In the temperature range of ° C., the appearance quality of these foods is reduced, and the taste is hardly perceived.

[0018] Furthermore, the storage temperature of frozen desserts such as ice cream and sherbet is high, and there is also the inconvenience that, if care is not taken, the taste becomes too soft beyond the ease of eating.

From these facts, the conventional storage method or storage device in the temperature range of 0 ° C. or lower focuses on either the preservability or the usability, and both of them are satisfied or the taste is not improved. It did not have new features such as improvements.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method for storing food having both the preservability, taste and convenience of food, and a refrigerator using this storage method.

[0021]

In order to achieve this object, the present invention is to maintain the food temperature in the range of -10 ° C ± 2 ° C.

[0022] Thus, a method for storing food having both storage quality, taste, ease of use, and the like can be provided under a food storage period adapted to the tendency of eating habits in recent years.

Further, the refrigerator is provided with a storage room for maintaining the room temperature in the range of -10 ° C. ± 2 ° C.

[0024] Thus, it is possible to provide a refrigerator having a storage room having both storage quality, taste, and usability under the storage period of food adapted to the tendency of eating habits in recent years.

[0025]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is a method for storing food in which the temperature of the food is maintained within a range of -10 ° C. ± 2 ° C., wherein the growth of spoilage bacteria is suppressed or stopped. As long as the food is within one month, the food can be stored safely while enjoying the energy saving effect.

In addition, the oxidation rate of myoglobin in beef, tuna, and the like is reduced, so that browning is suppressed, and preservation while maintaining the appearance quality can be performed.

In addition, frozen desserts such as ice cream and sherbet are easy to eat, and those having a high sugar content, such as jam, are not frozen and can be stored in an easy-to-use state and preserved on a daily basis.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the room temperature is set to -10 ° C.
A refrigerator with a storage room that maintains the temperature in the range of ± 2 ° C.
It is possible to provide a storage room having both food preservability, taste and usability, and the functional value of the refrigerator is enhanced. Further, when used in combination with a conventional freezing room at −18 ° C. or lower, the food can be classified according to the type of food and the storage period, so that usability is improved and energy saving can be achieved.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the room temperature is set at -10 ° C.
A refrigerator with an aging room that maintains the temperature within the range of ± 2 ° C.
Foods requiring aging such as beef, squid, shrimp, and the like are gradually degraded during storage, and the taste is improved as compared with storage at -18 ° C. That is, aging of the flavor can be performed in a safe storage environment.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the second or third aspect, the room temperature can be switched to another temperature range. And the degree of freedom and convenience as a refrigerator increases.

[0031]

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a refrigerator main body, which is vertically divided by a heat insulating partition wall 2 and a heat insulating partition wall 3. Reference numeral 4 denotes a refrigerated compartment formed at the top, and 5 denotes a freezing compartment formed at the bottom. Reference numeral 6 denotes a temperature switching chamber formed between the refrigerated compartment 4 and the freezer compartment 5.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a cooler provided behind the freezer compartment 5, and reference numeral 8 denotes a blower for forcibly ventilating the cool air cooled by the cooler. Reference numeral 9 denotes a damper device provided behind the temperature switching chamber 6 to adjust the amount of cold air flowing into the room.

Then, the cool air cooled by the cooler 7 is forcibly blown into the freezing room 5 by the blower 8 to maintain the inside of the freezing room 5 at a freezing temperature of approximately −18 ° C. or less. On the other hand, the amount of the cool air sent to the damper device 9 is appropriately adjusted, and the temperature switching chamber 6 is set and maintained at a desired set temperature zone.

At this time, the temperature switching chamber 6 is normally set at -10
The temperature is set in the temperature range of ± 2 ° C. The temperature is switched to 0 ° C to 5 ° C, 0 ° C to -3 ° C, and -18 ° C or lower according to the user's demand. be able to.

In the above configuration, the temperature switching chamber 6
Since the inside is usually maintained at −10 ° C. ± 2 ° C., the growth of spoilage bacteria can be suppressed even at the upper limit of −8 ° C., and preferably, the growth of spoilage bacteria is stopped if the temperature is −10 ° C. or lower. Can be. If the lower limit is −12 ° C., JISC96
Among the freezing room performances specified in 07, since the two-star performance is satisfied, the frozen food can be stored for about one month.

As a result, due to the shortening of the storage period in daily use of frozen foods in recent years, the usage style has increased from the stock center to the flow type, and the food in the freezer compartment 5 has the stock and the flow. In accordance with the tendency to change into two poles, the stock food is stored in the freezing room 5 at −18 ° C. or lower, and the flow food is stored in the temperature switching room 6 at −10 ° C. ± 2 ° C. The long-term storage, the temperature switching chamber 6 can provide a reasonable storage form while satisfying each required storage quality, that is, storage within one month.

Further, since the food to be frozen and stored is not uniformly cooled at -18 ° C. or lower, power consumption is reduced and energy saving can be achieved.

The oxidation reaction rate of red pigment myoglobin such as beef and tuna reaches its maximum around -5 ° C. to -7 ° C. When the temperature falls below this temperature range, the reaction rate decreases and it is difficult to brown. In the temperature range of −10 ° C. ± 2 ° C., the discoloration can be suppressed and the product can be stored without deteriorating its commercial value or quality.

In addition, ice cream and sorbet, which are particularly consumed in the summer, are usually used for short-term storage or short-term storage for short-term storage without the purpose of long-term storage. Therefore, -10 ℃ ± 2
A reasonable storage method is to select the merit that it is easy to eat under a moderate storage period in a temperature range of ° C. and has a pleasant taste.

In addition, foods having a high sugar content, such as jams, can have the storage period extended as long as ice crystals do not form, and can achieve both preservability and ease of use.

Further, it is said that beef that is often frozen and stored at home becomes delicious when it is aged.
At the following temperatures, degradation of the protein by the enzyme is suppressed, so that ripening hardly proceeds during storage. On the other hand, if the freezing temperature is increased, the decomposition of proteins by enzymes gradually occurs,
The flavor component increases. In addition, proteins such as squid and shrimp are gradually decomposed during storage to improve the taste. Therefore, -10
Within a temperature range of ° C ± 2 ° C, the growth of spoilage bacteria can be suppressed or stopped, and ripening of the umami can be performed in a safe environment.

Therefore, the function of the refrigerator is not limited only to the preservability that suppresses the quality deterioration rate of the food by the cooling action of refrigeration or freezing to extend the preservation period as much as possible, but also the taste of the stored food. The useful value can be increased as a highly convenient storage device having a new function of improving usability.

The temperature switching chamber 6 is not limited to the temperature setting range of -10.degree. C .. +-. 2.degree. C., but is a versatile function switching chamber including refrigeration, low-temperature refrigeration, and freezing. For life, the temperature switching room 6 is -18 ° C
It is possible to provide a refrigerator with higher flexibility and convenience that can respond to changes and diversification of user demands, such as a large-capacity stock freezing room in combination with the freezing room 5 as the following freezing temperature. it can.

[0045]

As described above, the invention according to claim 1 is a storage method for maintaining the food temperature in a range of -10 ° C ± 2 ° C, which suppresses or stops the growth of spoilage bacteria,
If the food is within one month, it can be stored with peace of mind while enjoying the energy saving effect.

Further, in beef, tuna, and the like, discoloration can be suppressed and storage can be performed while maintaining the appearance quality.

In addition, frozen desserts such as ice cream and sherbet are easy to eat, and those having high sugar content such as jams can be preserved without freezing and having both ease of use and taste.

Further, the invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the room temperature is
This is a refrigerator provided with a storage room for maintaining the temperature in the range of 10 ° C. ± 2 ° C. The storage room having both the preservability, taste, and convenience of food can be provided, and the functional value of the refrigerator is enhanced.
Further, when used in combination with a conventional freezing room at −18 ° C. or lower, the food can be classified according to the type of food and the storage period, so that usability is improved and energy saving can be achieved.

Further, the invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the room temperature is
A refrigerator with an aging room that maintains the temperature within the range of 10 ° C ± 2 ° C. Foods requiring aging such as beef, squid, shrimp, etc. can be ripened in a safe storage environment, and the conventional shelf life It is possible to add a new functional value of improving the taste to the function of the refrigerator which emphasizes the function.

The invention described in claim 4 is the same as the invention described in claim 2.
Alternatively, in the invention according to the third aspect, the room temperature can be switched to another temperature range, so that the range of choices can be expanded according to the demand of the user, and the degree of freedom and convenience as a refrigerator is enhanced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of Embodiment 1 of a refrigerator using a storage method according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Refrigerator body 5 Freezer room 6 Temperature switching room

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A method for storing food, wherein the temperature of the food is maintained within a range of −10 ° C. ± 2 ° C. 2. A refrigerator provided with a storage room for maintaining a room temperature in a range of −10 ° C. ± 2 ° C. 3. A refrigerator provided with an aging room for maintaining a room temperature in a range of −10 ° C. ± 2 ° C. 4. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the room temperature can be switched to another temperature range.