JP2002233324A - Composite tofu nd apparatus for producing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique for producing composite tofu, capable of automatically, efficiently and hygienically producing high value-added composite tofu having a tasting feeling with different texture, color tone, taste, etc., in one piece. SOLUTION: This apparatus is equipped with a tofu-forming cylinder 1 whose interior is partitioned in plural coagulating spaces 12 and 13 by a partition wall (inner cylinder 11), soybean milk feeders 2 and 3 for each feeding raw material soybean milk from the lower direction into each coagulating space and a tofu take out devices 6 for cutting rod-like composite tofu T0 coagulated in the tofu-forming cylinder at the upper end of the tofu forming cylinder and taking out the rod-like composite tofu T0. Each coagulating space is formed so that raw material soybean milk fed from the soybean milk feeder is gradually coagulated in rod-like state while raising the soybean milk with the feed and the partition wall is formed in height up to position at which soybean milk in the coagulating space passes through on the way of coagulation. Thereby, composite tofu T formed by plural tofu layers T1 and T2 which are different in texture, color tone, taste, etc., can be produced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a composite tofu in which a plurality of tofu layers having different textures, colors, tastes and the like are formed in one tofu, and an apparatus for producing the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various types of tofu-related foods have come to market due to the high nutritional value of raw soybeans and the growing health consciousness of consumers. . Conventionally familiar tofu products include cotton tofu, silk tofu, thick fried, and the like, and it is desired to provide tofu products in a form having added value. In particular, among consumers, the image that tofu itself is uniform in white and pale in terms of taste is also strong among consumers.

On the other hand, as tofu with added value, the entire tofu is colored with a coloring agent such as green or red,
Products to which various seasonings and extracts are added have been developed.
In addition, a product has been developed in which conventional tofu such as cotton tofu or silk tofu is mixed with a different texture and enclosed as a unit (for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 9-13907).
No. 9). In addition to foods related to tofu, foods such as Kamaboko with characters and patterns are known.

[0004]

However, as for tofu, there is no composite tofu in which a plurality of tofu layers having different textures, colors and tastes are formed in one tofu. In addition, if such composite tofu is produced by hand, it is difficult for even a skilled worker to produce it efficiently, and an apparatus for producing such composite tofu is also known. Not. An apparatus for continuously producing tofu is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-32273.
Although an example of an apparatus for producing tofu in a tubular shape as in the invention of JP-A No. 1 is generally known, an apparatus for producing a composite tofu as described above has not been found.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides a high value-added composite tofu which allows one tofu to have different textures, colors, tastes, and the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide a manufacturing apparatus that can automatically and efficiently manufacture tofu.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the composite tofu of the present invention (Claim 1) has a texture, a color tone,
It was configured to be formed by a plurality of tofu layers having different tastes and the like.

The composite tofu manufacturing apparatus of the present invention (Claim 1) is characterized in that a tofu molding cylinder whose interior is divided into a plurality of coagulation spaces by a partition wall and a coagulation space adjacent to each other with the partition wall interposed therebetween. Soymilk supply device for supplying raw soymilk from below into each of a plurality of coagulation spaces so that raw soymilk (a mixture of soymilk and a coagulant) having different color, taste, etc. is supplied, and a tofu molding cylinder A tofu take-out device that cuts out the bar-shaped composite tofu solidified at the upper end of the tofu molding cylinder and cuts it out to a size of one tofu, and wherein each of the plurality of coagulated spaces is
The raw material soy milk supplied from the soy milk supply device is formed so as to be gradually solidified in a rod shape while rising with the supply, and the partition wall provided in the tofu molding cylinder is partitioned by the partition wall. The soy milk in the coagulation space was formed at a height up to a position where the soy milk passes during coagulation.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing an embodiment of a composite tofu production apparatus according to the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are operation explanatory views of this production apparatus.

In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes a tofu molding cylinder, an outer cylinder 10 having a circular cross section and extending in the vertical direction, and a hexagonal cross section in the outer cylinder 10 extending in the vertical direction. It is formed in a double cylinder structure with the provided inner cylinder 11 as a partition wall. Therefore, inside the tofu molding cylinder 1, an inner coagulation space 12 is formed at the center portion, and an outer coagulation space 13 is formed so as to surround the inner coagulation space 12 so as to be adjacent to each other with the inner cylinder 11 interposed therebetween. ing.

An outer soymilk supply port 14 is formed at a lower end of the outer coagulation space 13, and an inner soymilk supply port 15 is similarly formed at a lower end of the inner coagulation space 12. The soymilk from the soymilk supply port 14 is supplied with soymilk obtained by mixing the soymilk from the soymilk tank 20 and the coagulant from the coagulant tank 21 by the soymilk pump 22 and the coagulant pump 23 while mixing them with the static mixer 24. The outer soymilk supply device 2 adapted to be supplied to the mouth 14 is connected. Similarly, the soymilk from the soymilk tank 20 shared with the outer soymilk supply device 2 and the coagulant from the coagulant tank 31 are fed to the inner soymilk supply port 15 by the soymilk pump 32 and the coagulant pump 33, respectively. Static mixer 3
The inside soymilk supply device 3 configured to supply the raw soymilk mixed in 4 to the soymilk supply port 15 is connected. In this embodiment, the coagulant tank 21 of the outer soymilk supply device 2 is used.
Contains only a normal coagulant, while the coagulant tank 31 of the inner soymilk supply device 3 contains, in addition to the coagulant,
A green colorant is added so that the color tone is different from that of the raw soymilk from the outer soymilk supply device 2.

The height of the inner cylinder 11 as the partition wall is determined by the inner solidification space 12 defined by the inner cylinder 11.
The height is limited to the position where the raw soy milk in the middle passes during coagulation.

Accordingly, the raw soymilk supplied from each of the soymilk supply devices 2 and 3 gradually solidifies into a rod shape while rising in the coagulation spaces 13 and 12 with the supply. That is, each raw soymilk supplied into each of the coagulation spaces 13 and 12 shows a liquid phase state immediately after the supply, but the coagulation progresses with the passage of time and gradually has a solid phase. . Further, by supplying the raw soybean milk at a supply speed that does not break the solid phase, that is, at a supply speed that moves the solid phase statically in the coagulation spaces 13 and 12, finally the solidified solidified. The rod-shaped composite tofu T0 (coagulated) is extruded from the upper end opening of the tofu molding cylinder 1.

At this time, the height of the inner cylinder 11, that is, the height of the inner coagulation space 12 is set to a height in the middle of coagulation to a position through which the raw soymilk which has started to have a solid phase passes. Due to the restriction, hereafter the inner coagulation space 1
In the outer coagulation space 13, the raw soymilk in the middle of coagulation is in direct contact with the raw soymilk in the middle of coagulation. Since the coagulation has not been completed at this time, the solid phase in both coagulation spaces 12 and 13 is integrated over time by moving statically with the supply of the raw soymilk in this state. And the solidification is completed. Finally, the rod-shaped composite tofu T0 having the white outer tofu layer T1 formed so as to surround the green inner tofu layer T2 is formed in the tofu molding cylinder 1. Become.

In this embodiment, the outer solidification space 1
Although warm soybean milk is used as the soymilk supplied to 3 and the inner coagulation space 12, it is also possible to mix the coagulant with the coagulant using cooled soymilk, and then heat the coagulation space 12 and 13 to coagulate. Further, the soymilk tank 20 is connected to the outer soymilk supply device 2.
And the inner soymilk supply device 3 shared the outer coagulation space 1
This is because the difference between the coagulation state in both coagulation spaces 13 and 12 is less likely to occur using soymilk in the same state in 3 and inner coagulation space 12. The soymilk pumps 22, 32 use separate pumps for the outer soymilk supply device 2 and the inner soymilk supply device 3, respectively. The ratio is set to the same as the cross-sectional area. This is to make the rising speed of the soymilk in both coagulation spaces 13 and 12 equal. In addition, both soymilk pumps 22 and 3
Operation 2 is controlled to synchronize.
Similarly, the discharge amounts of the coagulant pumps 23 and 33 are set such that the amount of the coagulant finally supplied is the same as the cross-sectional area of the respective coagulation spaces 13 and 12. Further, as for the coagulant tanks 21 and 31, only the normal coagulant is contained in one coagulant tank (for example, the outer soymilk supply device 2), and the other coagulant tank (for example, the inner soymilk supply device 3) is provided. Is, in addition to the coagulant, a coloring agent, or various seasonings,
Alternatively, ingredients having different tastes and textures (eg, soy sauce, broth, alcohol such as plum wine, wasabi, gelatin, etc.) may be added, or different ingredients are added to both coagulant tanks 21 and 31. It is also possible. Further, a normal coagulant is used for the coagulant tanks 21 and 31, and the soymilk tank 2 is used.
The ingredients may be added to 0. In this case, when there are a plurality of soymilk tanks, it is also possible to add ingredients to only some of them.

Further, above the tofu molding cylinder 1, a tofu take-out device which takes out the rod-shaped composite tofu T0 solidified in the tofu molding cylinder 1 by cutting it to the height of one tofu at the upper end of the tofu molding cylinder 1. 6 are provided. The tofu take-out device 6 is provided with a take-out frame 7 whose interior is formed in the accommodation space 70 above the tofu mold cylinder 1 so as to be continuous with the tofu mold cylinder 1. Therefore, the rod-shaped composite tofu T0 molded in the tofu molding cylinder 1 is in a state where the take-out frame 7 is in the accommodation position (the position in FIG. 2) in which the accommodation space 70 is aligned with the upper end opening of the tofu molding cylinder 1. When it rises with the supply of raw soy milk,
The upper end of the bar-shaped composite tofu T0 is pushed up and accommodated in the accommodation space 70 as shown in FIG. The upper end of the rod-shaped composite tofu T0 is pushed out of the tofu molding cylinder 1 into the accommodation space 70, and once the amount of the composite tofu T0 reaches a fixed amount (the amount of the first tofu), the supply of the raw soybean milk is temporarily stopped. The soymilk supply devices 2 and 3 are operated intermittently.

A cylinder 8 is provided below the take-out frame 7.
0 along the lower surface of the take-out frame 7 at the standby position (FIG. 2).
) And a cutting position (the position in FIG. 3) are provided with a shutter-like transverse cutter 8 which reciprocates. Therefore, after the upper end of the bar-shaped composite tofu T0 is stored in the storage space 70 of the take-out frame 7 as described above, when the transverse cutter 8 is operated from the standby position to the cutting position, the upper end of the bar-shaped composite tofu T0 is obtained. The portion is cut in the cross-sectional direction, and one composite tofu T is partitioned and stored in the storage space 70 of the take-out frame 7.

The take-out frame 7 has a storage position (the position shown in FIG. 2) and a take-out position (the position shown in FIG. 3) in which the composite tofu T is moved to the receiving plate 9 while being partitioned and stored in the storage space 70. It is connected to a cylinder 71 that reciprocates between them. Therefore, after one section of the composite tofu T is partitioned and accommodated in the accommodating space 70 of the take-out frame 7 by the operation of the transverse cutter 8, the take-out frame 7 is kept in a state where the transverse cutter 8 is kept at the cutting position.
Is moved from the storage position to the take-out position by the cylinder 71, the take-out frame 7 can be moved onto the receiving plate 9 while the divided tofu T is stored in the compartment.

Next, the receiving plate 9 is opened (retracted) by the cylinder 90, and the composite tofu T is dropped into the tofu container (not shown) from the storage space 70 of the take-out frame 7 as shown in FIG. The composite tofu T can be accommodated in this tofu container.

After the composite tofu T is stored in the tofu container as described above, the receiving plate 9 is closed (advanced), the take-out frame 7 is retracted to the storage position, and the transverse cutter 8 waits. It is retracted to the initial position, and the supply of the raw material soy milk is resumed. By repeating this flow, the composite tofu T can be continuously produced one by one.

In the present invention, the supply apparatus and the supply method of the soymilk and the coagulant are not limited, and in the embodiment, the soymilk tank of the inner soymilk supply apparatus and the outer soymilk supply apparatus are shared, but separate soymilk tanks are used. It may be a tank. Further, the cross-sectional shape of the solidification space of the tofu molding cylinder may be circular or square. Also, the number of inner cylinders is not limited, and may be multiplexed such as double, triple, quadruple, or multiple inner cylinders may be arranged in the outer cylinder. By forming a plurality of solidified spaces, which are formed by partitioning the inside of the molding cylinder with plate-like or grid-like partition walls, the tofu layer can be in contact with the side like a French flag, or a checkered pattern can be formed with a tofu layer. It doesn't matter. Further, if the manufacturing apparatuses shown in the embodiment are arranged in a plurality of rows, it becomes possible to mass-produce the composite tofu.

[0021]

As described above, in the composite tofu of the present invention (claim 1), since a single tofu can have different texture, color tone, taste, and the like, high value-added tofu can be obtained. Can be offered as a product.

Further, according to the composite tofu production apparatus of the present invention (claim 2), composite tofu can be produced automatically, efficiently, continuously and hygienically.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing one embodiment of a composite tofu manufacturing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory view of the composite tofu manufacturing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory view of the composite tofu manufacturing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 tofu molding cylinder 10 outer cylinder 11 inner cylinder 12 inner coagulation space 13 outer coagulation space 14 outer soymilk supply port 15 inner soymilk supply port 2 outer soymilk supply device 20 soymilk tank 21 coagulant tank 22 soymilk pump 23 coagulant pump 24 static mixer Reference Signs List 3 inner soymilk supply device 31 coagulant tank 32 soymilk pump 33 coagulant pump 34 static mixer 6 tofu take-out device 7 take-out frame 70 accommodating space 71 cylinder 8 transverse cutter 80 cylinder 9 receiving plate 90 cylinder T composite tofu T0 rod-like composite tofu T1 outside Tofu layer T2 Inner tofu layer

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A composite tofu characterized by being formed by a plurality of tofu layers having different textures, colors, tastes and the like. 2. A tofu molding cylinder whose interior is partitioned into a plurality of coagulation spaces by a partition wall, and raw soymilk having different textures, colors, tastes, etc. are supplied to coagulation spaces adjacent to each other across the partition wall. And a soy milk supply device for supplying raw soy milk from below to each of the plurality of coagulation spaces, and a tofu take-out device for cutting out the bar-shaped composite tofu solidified in the tofu molding tube at the upper end of the tofu molding tube. The plurality of coagulation spaces are formed so that the raw material soy milk supplied from the soy milk supply device gradually solidifies in a rod-like shape while rising with the supply, and a partition provided in the tofu molding cylinder. The composite tofu manufacturing apparatus, wherein the wall is formed at a height up to a position where soy milk in the coagulation space defined by the partition wall passes during coagulation.