JP2020129967A - Steamed bread like food product, mixed powder for steamed bread like food product, and method for manufacturing steamed bread like food product - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a steamed bread like food product, a mixed powder for a steamed bread like food product, and a method for manufacturing the steamed bread like food product, each of which makes it possible to simply adjust texture, such as moist feeling, with excellent ease of work even in a household.SOLUTION: A steamed bread like food product and a mixed powder for a steamed bread like food product include carboxymethylated cellulose in which a degree of carboxymethyl substitution is 0.50 or less and a degree of crystallization of cellulose type I is 50% or more. A method for manufacturing the steamed bread like food product is also provided.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

The present invention relates to a method for producing a steamed bun-like food, a mixed powder for a steamed bun-like food, and a steamed bun-like food.

Steamed bread-like foods include those produced from bread dough fermented with yeast using wheat flour or the like as a raw material, and those produced from bread dough expanded with a leavening agent.

In recent years, the mainstream of steamed bread is that it is steamed and heated in a steamer or a steamer without fermentation using a leavening agent. Examples of such steamed bread-like foods include steamed bread, castella, bun skin, and dim sum skin.

In addition, steamed bun-like foods do not require high-temperature heating such as in an oven and can be made by steaming and heating at home, so they are also sold in the form of a premix in which only powder raw materials are blended in advance. By using this premix, for example, water or milk is added to make a kneaded product, and then the steamed bread can be easily enjoyed at home by heating in a microwave oven (Patent Document 1).

Most of such conventional steamed bun-like foods have a moist and chewy texture, but with the diversification of foods in recent years, they are combined with various ingredients to steam various textures. A method of applying to bread-like foods (Patent Document 2) is mentioned.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-183843 Tokukai 2006-115778

In Patent Document 1, by adding a specific additive (grain powder adjusted to a constant water content, edible oil or fat, emulsifier) to the premix for steamed bread, the adhesiveness at the time of water addition is adjusted, which is most suitable for infants and the like. A method has been proposed that achieves both smooth swallowing and hand-grabbing properties, but it is difficult to adjust the appropriate water ratio, etc., and when combined with other ingredients, the balance is lost, and the texture and swallowing properties, etc. There was room for improvement because there was a concern that the compatibility with the above would be lost.

Further, Patent Document 2 describes a method of adding okara in order to give a moist and refreshing feeling, but the taste is limited because it is necessary to add a certain amount of okara. It ends up. In addition, it was not possible to further emphasize only the moist feeling, and there was room for improvement in combination with other ingredients.

Therefore, in the present invention, steamed bread-like foods and steamed bread-like foods that can be easily combined with foodstuffs such as cocoa and fruits, have excellent workability at home, and can easily adjust the texture such as moist feeling. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing a mixed powder for food and a steamed bread-like food.

As a result of diligent efforts, the present inventors have found that the problems can be solved by the following (1) to (5).
(1) A steamed bun-like food containing carboxymethylated cellulose having a carboxymethyl substitution degree of 0.50 or less and a cellulose type I crystallinity of 50% or more.
(2) The steamed bun-like food according to claim 1, wherein the carboxymethylated cellulose is contained in the range of 0.1 to 5 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the flour.
(3) A steamed bread-like food mix powder containing carboxymethylated cellulose having a degree of carboxymethyl substitution of 0.50 or less and a degree of crystallinity of cellulose type I of 50% or more.
(4) The steamed bread-like food mix powder according to claim 3, wherein the carboxymethylated cellulose is contained in the range of 0.1 to 5 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the grain flour.
(5) 0.1 to 5 parts by weight of carboxymethylated cellulose having a carboxymethyl substitution degree of 0.50 or less and a cellulose type I crystallinity of 50% or more with respect to 100 parts by weight of grain flour. A method for producing a steamed bread-like food, which comprises obtaining a dough kneaded in the range of the dough and steaming the dough.

According to the present invention, steamed bun-like foods and steamed buns that can be easily combined with foodstuffs such as cocoa and fruits, have excellent workability at home, and can easily adjust the texture such as moistness. It is possible to provide a method for producing a mixed powder for foods and steamed bread-like foods.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. However, the embodiments described below are examples of preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. Unless otherwise specified in the present specification, the description such as "AA to BB%" shall mean "AA% or more and BB% or less".

According to the present invention, a steamed bun-like food containing carboxymethylated cellulose having a carboxymethyl substitution degree of 0.50 or less and a cellulose type I crystallization degree of 50% or more, a mixed powder for steamed bun-like food, And a method for producing steamed bread-like food.

<Grain flour>
As the grain flour used in the present invention, any of the wheat flours usually used for bread making and the like can be used as the main raw material, and examples thereof include strong flour, semi-strong flour, medium-strength flour, weak flour, and durum wheat flour. Strong flour, semi-strong flour and durum wheat flour are preferred. Further, as the flour other than wheat flour, soybean flour, rye flour, rye flour, corn flour, starches, rice flour, buckwheat flour, various starches, mixed flours thereof, etc. are appropriately selected according to the type of bread to be intended. Can be used.
These can be used alone or in admixture of several.

<Carboxymethylated cellulose>
The steamed bun-like food and the mixed powder for steamed bun-like food of the present invention contain carboxymethylated cellulose having a carboxymethyl substitution degree of 0.50 or less and a cellulose type I crystallinity of 50% or more. This is very important.

Carboxymethylated cellulose has a structure in which some of the hydroxyl groups in the glucose residue of cellulose are ether-bonded to a carboxymethyl group. The carboxymethylated cellulose may be in the form of a salt, and the carboxymethylated cellulose of the present invention also includes a salt of the carboxymethylated cellulose. Examples of the salt of carboxymethylated cellulose include metal salts such as sodium salt.

The pulp used as a raw material for carboxymethylated cellulose is, for example, bleached or unbleached pulp such as wood, cotton, straw, bamboo, hemp, jute, and kenaf. The method for producing bleached pulp or unbleached pulp is not particularly limited, and a mechanical method, a chemical method, or a method in which the two are combined may be used. The bleached pulp or unbleached pulp classified according to the production method includes, for example, mechanical pulp (thermomechanical pulp (TMP), crushed wood pulp), chemical pulp (conifer unbleached sulphite pulp (NUSP), conifer bleached sulphite pulp (NBSP). ) And the like, unbleached coniferous kraft pulp (NUKP), bleached coniferous kraft pulp (NBKP), unbleached broadleaf kraft pulp (LUKP), kraft pulp such as broadleaf bleached kraft pulp (LBKP)) and the like. Further, dissolved pulp may be used in addition to the pulp for papermaking. Dissolving pulp is chemically refined pulp, which is mainly dissolved in chemicals and used as a main raw material for artificial fibers, cellophane, and the like.

The carboxymethylated cellulose used in the present invention is not limited to this, but the average particle size is preferably 0.1 to 300 μm, preferably about 10 to 100 μm. If it is less than 0.1 μm, manufacturing is complicated, and if it exceeds 300 μm, it becomes difficult to uniformly mix it with an object such as food or pharmaceutical product.

The carboxymethylated cellulose used in the present invention preferably maintains at least a part of its fibrous shape even when dispersed in water. That is, when the aqueous dispersion of carboxymethylated cellulose is observed with an electron microscope or the like, it is preferable that a fibrous substance can be observed. When such carboxymethylated cellulose is measured by X-ray diffraction, the peak of cellulose type I crystal can be observed.

The carboxymethylated cellulose used in the present invention may be appropriately modified with a carboxyl group (-COOH) derived from the carboxymethyl group as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Examples of such modification include bonding an amine compound or a phosphorus compound having an alkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group or the like to a carboxyl group to make it hydrophobic.

Further, the carboxymethylated cellulose used in the present invention may be metal-supported as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Metal support means that a metal compound is coordinated with a carboxylate group (-COO-) derived from the carboxyl group (-COOH) of the carboxymethylated cellulose by contacting an aqueous solution containing the metal compound with the carboxymethylated cellulose. It means bonding or hydrogen bonding. This makes it possible to obtain carboxymethylated cellulose containing a metal compound in which metal ions derived from the metal compound are ionically bonded. Examples of such a metal compound include metal salts containing ions of one or more metal elements selected from the group of Ag, Au, Pt, Pd, Mn, Fe, Ti, Al, Zn and Cu. it can.

<Carboxymethyl degree of substitution>
The carboxymethylated cellulose used in the present invention has a carboxymethyl substitution degree of cellulose per anhydrous glucose unit of 0.50 or less, preferably 0.40 or less. If the degree of substitution exceeds 0.50, it tends to dissolve in water, the fiber morphology cannot be maintained in water, and the effect of imparting shape retention and the like may be reduced. In order to obtain effects such as water retention and shape retention, it is necessary to have a certain degree of carboxymethyl substitution. For example, if the degree of carboxymethyl substitution is less than 0.02, carboxy may be used depending on the application. The benefits of introducing a methyl group may not be obtained. Therefore, the degree of carboxymethyl substitution is preferably 0.02 or more, more preferably 0.05 or more, further preferably 0.10 or more, still more preferably 0.15 or more. , 0.20 or more, more preferably 0.25 or more, and even more preferably 0.30 or more. In particular, in the range of carboxymethyl substitution degree of 0.20 or more and 0.50 or less, it was difficult to obtain carboxymethylated cellulose having a cellulose type I crystallinity of 50% or more, which will be described later. The present inventors have a carboxymethyl substitution degree of 0.20 or more and 0.50 or less, a cellulose I type crystallinity of 50% or more, and homogeneous formation of lumps in water by, for example, a production method described later. We have found that it is possible to produce difficult carboxymethylated cellulose. The degree of carboxymethyl substitution can be adjusted by controlling the amount of the carboxymethylating agent to be reacted, the amount of the mercerizing agent, the composition ratio of water and the organic solvent, and the like.

In the present invention, the anhydrous glucose unit means individual anhydrous glucose (glucose residue) constituting cellulose. The degree of carboxymethyl substitution (also referred to as the degree of etherification) is the ratio of hydroxyl groups in glucose residues constituting cellulose that are substituted with carboxymethyl ether groups (carboxymethyl per glucose residue). The number of ether groups) is shown. The degree of carboxymethyl substitution may be abbreviated as DS.

The method for measuring the degree of carboxymethyl substitution is as follows:
Weigh approximately 2.0 g of the sample and place it in an Erlenmeyer flask with a 300 mL stopper. 100 mL of a solution prepared by adding 100 mL of special grade concentrated nitric acid to 1000 mL of methanol is added, and the mixture is shaken for 3 hours to convert the salt of carboxymethylated cellulose (CMC) into H-CMC (hydrogen-type carboxymethylated cellulose). Weigh 1.5 to 2.0 g of the absolutely dry H-CMC and place it in an Erlenmeyer flask with a 300 mL stopper. Wet H-CMC with 15 mL of 80% methanol, add 100 mL of 0.1N-NaOH, and shake at room temperature for 3 hours. Using phenolphthalein as an indicator, back titrate excess NaOH with 0.1 N-H ₂ SO ₄ , and calculate the degree of carboxymethyl substitution (DS value) by the following formula.
A = [(100 x F'-0.1N-H ₂ SO ₄ (mL) x F) x 0.1] / (H-CMC
Absolute dry mass (g))
Degree of substitution of carboxymethyl = 0.162 × A / (1-0.058 × A)
F': 0.1N-H ₂ SO ₄ factor F: 0.1N-NaOH factor.

<Crystallinity of cellulose type I>
The crystallinity of cellulose in the carboxymethylated cellulose used in the additive of the present invention is more preferably 50% or more, and more preferably 60% or more for crystal type I. By adjusting the crystallinity within the above range, it becomes possible to obtain a high effect such as imparting shape retention by the carboxymethylated cellulose. The crystallinity of cellulose can be controlled by the concentration of the mercerizing agent, the temperature during treatment, and the degree of carboxymethylation. Since a high concentration of alkali is used in mercerization and carboxymethylation, type I crystals of cellulose are easily converted to type II, but they are modified by adjusting the amount of alkali (mercerizing agent) used. By adjusting the degree, the desired crystallinity can be maintained. The upper limit of the crystallinity of cellulose type I is not particularly limited. In reality, about 90% is considered to be the upper limit.

The method for measuring the crystallinity of cellulose type I of carboxymethylated cellulose is as follows:
The sample is placed on a glass cell and measured using an X-ray diffraction measuring device (LabX XRD-6000, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation). The degree of crystallinity is calculated using a method such as Segal, and the diffraction intensity of the 002 surface at 2θ = 22.6 ° and 2θ = with the diffraction intensity of 2θ = 10 ° to 30 ° in the X-ray diffraction diagram as the baseline. It is calculated by the following formula from the diffraction intensity of the amorphous portion of 18.5 °.

Xc = (I002c-Ia) / I002c × 100
Xc = Cellulose type I crystallinity (%)
I002c: 2θ = 22.6 °, diffraction intensity of 002 surface Ia: 2θ = 18.5 °, diffraction intensity of amorphous part.

In general, carboxymethylated cellulose is obtained by treating cellulose with an alkali (mercerization) and then reacting the obtained mercerized cellulose (also referred to as alkali cellulose) with a carboxymethylating agent (also referred to as etherifying agent). It can be manufactured by.

<Ratio of filtration residue>
The carboxymethylated cellulose used in the additive of the present invention has a small amount of lumps (lumps) formed when water is used as a dispersion medium as a dispersion (aqueous dispersion) (that is, a small proportion of filtration residues is formed). ) Is preferable. Specifically, carboxymethylated cellulose was added to 500 g of water, stirred at 400 rpm for 5 seconds, and then the dry mass of the filtration residue on the filter when naturally filtered using a 20-mesh filter was added to water. It is preferably 0 to 30% by mass based on the dry mass of the carboxymethylated cellulose (in the present specification, after natural filtration with respect to the dry mass of the carboxymethylated cellulose added to the water calculated by the above method. The ratio of the dry mass of the filtered residue is referred to as the "ratio of the filtered residue"). Specific methods for measuring the proportion of filtration residue are as follows:

(1) Measurement of the amount of filtration residue Collect 500 g of water in a 1 L beaker. 5 g of carboxymethylated cellulose is fractionated and the mass is recorded (mass of carboxymethylated cellulose). A stirring blade is set in a stirrer (IKA (registered trademark) EUROSTAR PCV S1 (manufactured by IKA)), and water is stirred at 400 rpm. The carboxymethylated cellulose whose mass has been recorded is poured into the stirring water at once, and the mixture is stirred for 5 seconds after the addition. After stirring is completed, turn off the power of the stirrer. After the stirring is completed, natural filtration is quickly performed using a 20-mesh filter whose mass has been measured in advance. After natural filtration, both the filter and the residue on it are dried on a vat at 100 ° C. for 2 hours. The absolute dry mass (g) of the residue is calculated by measuring the mass of the filter and the residue on it and subtracting the mass of the filter (absolute dry residue mass).

(2) Calculation of the water content of carboxymethylated cellulose The weighing bottle is heated at 100 ° C. for 2 hours, cooled in a desiccator containing silica gel, and the absolute dry mass of the weighing bottle is precisely weighed (absolute dry weighing bottle mass). .. Approximately 1.5 g of carboxymethylated cellulose is weighed in a weighing bottle and weighed precisely (CMC mass before drying). Open the lid of the weighing bottle and heat dry at 105 ° C for 2 hours. Close the lid of the weighing bottle and cool in a desiccator containing silica gel for 15 minutes. The mass of the weighing bottle after drying (including the carboxymethylated cellulose after drying) is precisely weighed (the mass of the weighing bottle containing CMC after drying).

Calculate the water content of carboxymethylated cellulose using the following formula:
Moisture (%) of carboxymethylated cellulose = [{CMC mass before drying (g)-(mass of weighing bottle containing CMC after drying (g) -mass of absolute dry weighing bottle (g))} / mass of CMC before drying (g) ] × 100.

(3) Calculation of the ratio of filtered residue The mass (g) of carboxymethylated cellulose and the mass of absolute dry residue (g) measured in (1), and the water content (%) of carboxymethylated cellulose calculated in (2) are calculated. Using the following formula, calculate the proportion of filtration residue of carboxymethylated pulp:
Percentage of filtered residue of carboxymethylated cellulose (%) = [mass of absolute dry residue (g) / {mass of carboxymethylated cellulose (g) x (water content of 100-carboxymethylated cellulose (%)) / 100}] × 100.

The ratio of the filtration residue of the carboxymethylated cellulose calculated by the above formula is preferably 0 to 30%, more preferably 0 to 20%, still more preferably 0 to 10%. Carboxymethylated cellulose, which has a small proportion of filtration residue, is easy to disperse and has excellent handleability. Such carboxymethylated cellulose having a small proportion of filtration residue can be produced, for example, by the method described later.

<Shopper Rigra Water Degree>
The carboxymethylated cellulose used in the additive of the present invention preferably has a shopper-ligra freeness of 60.0 ° SR or more. The method for measuring the freeness of shopper / leaguer is based on JISP 82121-1: 2012, and specifically, it is as follows:
Carboxymethylated cellulose is dispersed in water to prepare an aqueous dispersion having a solid content of 10 g / L, and the mixture is stirred with a magnetic stirrer at 1000 rpm for a whole day and night. The resulting slurry is diluted to 1 g / L. A 60 mesh screen (wire thickness 0.17 mm) was set on the Mutec DFR-04, and the amount of liquid passing through the mesh was measured for 60 seconds from 1000 ml of the test solution, and according to JISP 8121-1: 2012. Calculate the Shopper-Regula free water content by the above method.

The Shopper-Leigler filtrate is a measure of the degree of drainage of the fiber suspension, the lower limit is 0 ° SR, the upper limit is 100 ° SR, and the shopper-Leiger filtrate is 100 ° SR. The closer to, the smaller the drainage (drainage amount), that is, the higher the water retention of the fiber.

The shopper-rigra freeness of the carboxymethylated cellulose is preferably 60.0 ° SR or higher, and more preferably 65.0 ° SR or higher. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but is 100.0 ° SR or less, preferably 90.0 ° SR or less. Shopper-Regula Carboxymethylated cellulose having a free water content of 60.0 ° SR or higher has high water retention, and is, for example, not limited to these, as a water retention agent in various compositions such as foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. It can be said that it is suitable for use. Carboxymethylated cellulose having such a shopper-ligula freeness can be produced, for example, by the method described later.

<Canadian Standard Freeness>
The carboxymethylated cellulose used in the additive of the present invention preferably has a Canadian standard freedom (Canadian standard drainage degree) of 150 ml or less, more preferably 120 ml or less, and even more preferably 110 ml or less. Carboxymethylated cellulose having such Canadian standard freedom can be produced, for example, by the method described later. The Canadian standard freeness measures the degree of drainage of the fiber suspension, and the smaller the value, the smaller the drainage (displacement), that is, the higher the water retention of the fiber. The measurement method of Canadian Standard Freeness is as follows:
Prepare a sample by the same method as the above-mentioned shopper-rigra drainage degree, set a 60 mesh screen (wire thickness 0.17 mm) on DFR-04 manufactured by Mutec, and apply the above mesh from 1000 ml of the test solution. The amount of liquid passing through is measured for 60 seconds, and the Canadian standard freeness is calculated by a method according to JISP 8121-2: 2012.

<Amount of drainage>
The amount of filtered water of the carboxymethylated cellulose used in the additive of the present invention is preferably 400 ml or less, more preferably 380 ml or less, still more preferably 370 ml or less. Carboxymethylated cellulose having such a drainage amount can be produced, for example, by a method described later. The amount of drained water measures the degree of drainage of the fiber suspension, and the smaller the value, the smaller the drainage (displacement), that is, the higher the water retention of the fiber. The method for measuring the amount of drained water is as follows:
Prepare the sample by the same method as the above-mentioned Shopper-Regula drainage degree, set a 60 mesh screen (wire thickness 0.17 mm) on DFR-04 manufactured by Mutec, and apply the above mesh from 1000 ml of the test solution. The amount of liquid passing through was measured for 60 seconds, and the amount of filtered water was calculated.

<Viscosity in aqueous dispersion>
The carboxymethylated cellulose of the present invention preferably exhibits a low viscosity when water is used as a dispersion medium as a dispersion (aqueous dispersion). In the present invention, the method for measuring viscosity is as follows:
Carboxymethylated cellulose is measured in a 1000 ml glass beaker and dispersed in 900 ml of distilled water to prepare an aqueous dispersion having a solid content of 1% (w / v). The aqueous dispersion is stirred at 25 ° C. using a stirrer at 600 rpm for 3 hours. Then, according to the method of JIS-Z-8803, a B-type viscometer (manufactured by Toki Sangyo Co., Ltd.) was used to obtain No. The viscosity after 3 minutes is measured at 1 rotor / rotation speed of 30 rpm.

The viscosity of the carboxymethylated cellulose is preferably 10.0 mPa · s or less. It is more preferably 8.0 mPa · s or less, and further preferably 7.0 mPa · s or less. In such low-viscosity carboxymethylated cellulose, the carboxymethyl group is considered to be introduced uniformly throughout the cellulose rather than locally, and the effects peculiar to the carboxymethylated cellulose, for example, shape retention, It is considered that water absorption and the like can be obtained more stably.
Carboxymethylated cellulose having such a viscosity can be produced, for example, by a method described later. The lower limit of the viscosity is not particularly limited. In reality, it is considered that the lower limit is about 1.0 mPa · s.

<Degree of anionization>
The carboxymethylated cellulose used in the additive of the present invention preferably has an anionization degree (also referred to as anion charge density) of 0.00 meq / g or more and 1.00 meq / g or less. The method for measuring the degree of anionization is as follows:
Carboxymethylated cellulose is dispersed in water to prepare an aqueous dispersion having a solid content of 10 g / L, and the mixture is stirred with a magnetic stirrer at 1000 rpm for a whole day and night. After diluting the obtained slurry to 0.1 g / L, 10 ml was sampled, titrated with 1/1000 normal diallyldimethylammonium chloride (DADMAC) using a flow current detector (Mutek Particle Charge Detector 03), and flowed. Using the amount of DADMAC added until the current becomes zero, calculate the degree of anionization by the following formula:
q = (V × c) / m
q: Degree of anionization (meq / g)
V: Addition amount (L) of DADMAC until the flow current becomes zero
c: DADMAC concentration (meq / L)
m: Mass (g) of carboxymethylated pulp in the measurement sample.

In the present specification, the "degree of anionization" corresponds to the equivalent amount of DADMAC required to neutralize an anionic group in a unit mass of carboxymethylated cellulose, as can be seen from the above measurement method, and is a unit. Corresponds to the equivalent of anions per mass of carboxymethylated cellulose.

The degree of anionization of carboxymethylated cellulose is preferably 0.00 meq / g or more and 1.00 meq / g or less, more preferably 0.00 meq / g or more and 0.80 meq / g or less, and more preferably 0.00 meq / g or more. It is more preferably 0.60 meq / g or less. Carboxymethylated cellulose having a degree of anionization in such a range has a uniform carboxymethyl group throughout the cellulose, rather than locally, as compared with carboxymethylated cellulose having a degree of anionization higher than 1.00 meq / g. It is considered that the effect peculiar to carboxymethylated cellulose, such as shape retention and water absorption, can be obtained more stably. Carboxymethylated cellulose having such a degree of anionization can be produced, for example, by a method described later.

The water absorption of the carboxymethylated cellulose is preferably 6 ml / g or more, more preferably 7 ml / g or more, still more preferably 8 ml / g or more. The carboxymethylated cellulose having a water absorption in such a range can impart stable water absorption and water retention as compared with the carboxymethylated cellulose having a water absorption of less than 6 ml / g.

As a method for measuring the amount of water absorption in the present invention, 1 g of carboxymethylated cellulose is collected on a table placed horizontally, water is dropped therein, and the carboxymethylated cellulose is separated from water (a state in which the dropped water remains without being adsorbed). ) Measure the amount of water dropped.

The swelling rate of the carboxymethylated cellulose is preferably 150% or less, more preferably 130% or less, still more preferably 110% or less. Carboxymethylated cellulose having a swelling rate in such a range is less sticky than carboxymethylated cellulose having a swelling rate of more than 150%, leading to improvement in workability and the like.

As a method for measuring the swelling rate in the present invention, a particle size distribution measuring device (master sizer 2000) is used to measure carboxymethylated cellulose in water and methanol, respectively, to obtain an average particle size (particle size D50 having a cumulative volume of 50%). The value) is measured and calculated by the following formula.
Swelling rate (%) = average particle size (dispersant: water) / average particle size (dispersion medium: methanol) x 100

<Manufacturing method of carboxymethylated cellulose>
In general, carboxymethylated cellulose is obtained by treating cellulose with an alkali (mercerization) and then reacting the obtained mercerized cellulose (also referred to as alkali cellulose) with a carboxymethylating agent (also referred to as etherifying agent). It can be manufactured by.

The carboxymethylated cellulose of the present invention having a degree of carboxymethyl substitution of 0.50 or less and a degree of crystallization of cellulose type I of 50% or more is not limited to this, and is, for example, mercerization (alkaline treatment of cellulose). Is carried out under a solvent mainly containing water, and then carboxymethylation (also referred to as etherification) is carried out under a mixed solvent of water and an organic solvent. The carboxymethylated cellulose thus obtained can be obtained by using a conventional water medium method (a method in which both marcelation and carboxymethylation are carried out using water as a solvent) and a solvent method (both marcelation and carboxymethylation are carried out using an organic solvent). Compared to the carboxymethylated cellulose obtained by (the method performed under the main solvent), it is homogeneous and stable in quality, has excellent dispersion stability, is excellent in water retention and shape retention, and is in contact with water. It is relatively non-greasy even when it is used, and it is also difficult to form lumps in water, so it is suitable for use as an additive. In addition, the above method has an advantage that the effective utilization rate of the carboxymethylating agent is high.

<Mercerization>
Mercerized cellulose is obtained by using the above-mentioned pulp as a raw material and adding a mercerizing agent (alkali). According to the method described in the present specification, water is mainly used as the solvent in this mercerization reaction, and a mixed solvent of an organic solvent and water is used in the next carboxymethylation, which is suitable as the above-mentioned additive. Carboxymethylated cellulose can be obtained economically.

The term "water-based solvent" as a solvent mainly uses water means a solvent containing water in a proportion higher than 50% by mass. The amount of water in the solvent mainly containing water is preferably 55% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, more preferably 70% by mass or more, still more preferably 80% by mass or more, and further. It is preferably 90% by mass or more, and more preferably 95% by mass or more. Particularly preferably, the solvent mainly containing water is 100% by mass (that is, water) of water. The greater the proportion of water during mercerization, the more the advantage of uniform introduction of carboxymethyl groups by cellulose. Examples of the solvent other than water (used by mixing with water) in the solvent mainly containing water include an organic solvent used as a solvent in the subsequent carboxymethylation. For example, alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, N-propyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, N-butanol, isobutanol and tertiary butanol, ketones such as acetone, diethyl ketone and methyl ethyl ketone, and dioxane, diethyl ether, benzene and dichloromethane. And the like, these alone or a mixture of two or more kinds can be added to water in an amount of less than 50% by mass and used as a solvent for marcel formation. The organic solvent in the solvent mainly containing water is preferably 45% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, further preferably 30% by mass or less, still more preferably 20% by mass or less. , More preferably 10% by mass or less, further preferably 5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0% by mass.

Examples of the mercerizing agent include alkali metal hydroxides such as lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, and potassium hydroxide, and any one or a combination of two or more of these can be used. The mercerizing agent is not limited to this, but these alkali metal hydroxides are used in the reactor as an aqueous solution of, for example, 1 to 60% by mass, preferably 2 to 45% by mass, and more preferably 3 to 25% by mass. Can be added.

The amount of the marcel agent used is not particularly limited as long as it can achieve both a carboxymethyl substitution degree of 0.50 or less in carboxymethylated cellulose and a crystallization degree of cellulose type I of 50% or more, but in one embodiment, it is not particularly limited. It is preferably 0.1 mol or more and 2.5 mol or less, more preferably 0.3 mol or more and 2.0 mol or less, and 0.4 mol or more and 1.5 mol or less with respect to 100 g (absolutely dried) of cellulose. It is more preferably mol or less.

The amount of the solvent mainly containing water at the time of mercerization is preferably an amount capable of stirring and mixing the raw materials. Specifically, but not limited to this, it is preferably 1.5 to 20 times by mass, more preferably 2 to 10 times by mass with respect to the cellulose raw material. With such an amount, the reaction can be generated homogeneously.

In the mercerization treatment, the raw material (pulp) and a solvent mainly composed of water are mixed, and the temperature of the reactor is adjusted to 0 to 70 ° C., preferably 10 to 60 ° C., more preferably 10 to 40 ° C. , An aqueous solution of the mercerizing agent is added, and the mixture is stirred for 15 minutes to 8 hours, preferably 30 minutes to 7 hours, more preferably 30 minutes to 3 hours. This gives mercerized pulp.

The pH at the time of mercerization is preferably 9 or more, whereby the mercerization reaction can proceed. The pH is more preferably 11 or more, still more preferably 12 or more, and may be 13 or more. The upper limit of pH is not particularly limited.

Mercerization can be carried out using a reactor capable of mixing and stirring each of the above components while controlling the temperature, and various reactors conventionally used for the mercerization reaction can be used. For example, a batch type agitator in which two shafts agitate and each of the above components is mixed is preferable from the viewpoint of both uniform mixing property and productivity.

<Carboxymethylation>
Carboxymethylated cellulose is obtained by adding a carboxymethylating agent (also referred to as an etherifying agent) to mercerized pulp. According to the method described in the present specification, water is used as the main solvent for mercerization, and a mixed solvent of water and an organic solvent is used for carboxymethylation, which is suitable as the above-mentioned additive. Carboxymethylated cellulose can be obtained economically.

Examples of the carboxymethylating agent include monochloroacetic acid, sodium monochloroacetate, methyl monochloroacetate, ethyl monochloroacetic acid, isopropyl monochloroacetate and the like. Of these, monochloroacetic acid or sodium monochloroacetate is preferable in terms of availability of raw materials.

The amount of the carboxymethylating agent used is not particularly limited as long as it can achieve both a carboxymethyl substitution degree of 0.50 or less in the carboxymethylated cellulose and a crystallinity of 50% or more of the cellulose type I, but in one embodiment. , It is preferable to add in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 mol per anhydrous glucose unit of cellulose. The lower limit of the above range is more preferably 0.6 mol or more, further preferably 0.7 mol or more, and the upper limit is more preferably 1.3 mol or less, still more preferably 1.1 mol or less. The carboxymethylating agent can be added to the reactor as, for example, 5 to 80% by mass, more preferably 30 to 60% by mass of an aqueous solution, and is not dissolved and is added in a powder state. You can also do it.

The molar ratio of the marcel agent to the carboxymethylating agent (merselling agent / carboxymethylating agent) is generally 0.99 to 2.45 when monochloroacetic acid or sodium monochloroacetate is used as the carboxymethylating agent. Will be adopted by. The reason is that if it is less than 0.90, the carboxymethylation reaction may be insufficient, and unreacted monochloroacetic acid or sodium monochloroacetate may remain, resulting in waste, and 2.45. If the amount exceeds the above, a side reaction between the excess marcel agent and monochloroacetic acid or sodium monochloroacetic acid may proceed to form an alkali metal glycolic acid salt, which may be uneconomical.

In carboxymethylation, the effective utilization rate of the carboxymethylating agent is preferably 15% or more. It is more preferably 20% or more, further preferably 25% or more, and particularly preferably 30% or more. The effective utilization rate of the carboxymethylating agent refers to the ratio of the carboxymethyl group introduced into cellulose among the carboxymethyl groups in the carboxymethylating agent. By using a solvent mainly containing water for marcellation and using a mixed solvent of water and an organic solvent for carboxymethylation, the effective utilization rate of the carboxymethylating agent is high (that is, the carboxymethylating agent). The carboxymethylated cellulose of the present invention can be obtained economically without significantly increasing the amount of the solvent used. The upper limit of the effective utilization rate of the carboxymethylating agent is not particularly limited, but in reality, the upper limit is about 80%. The effective utilization rate of the carboxymethylating agent may be abbreviated as AM.

The calculation method of the effective utilization rate of the carboxymethylating agent is as follows:
AM = (DS x number of moles of cellulose) / number of moles of carboxymethylating agent DS: degree of carboxymethyl substitution (measurement method will be described later)
Number of moles of cellulose: Pulp mass (dry mass when dried at 100 ° C. for 60 minutes) / 162
(162 is the molecular weight of cellulose per glucose unit).

The concentration of the pulp raw material in the carboxymethylation reaction is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 to 40% (w / v) from the viewpoint of increasing the effective utilization rate of the carboxymethylating agent.

At the same time as the addition of the carboxymethylating agent, or immediately before or after the addition of the carboxymethylating agent, an organic solvent or an aqueous solution of the organic solvent is appropriately added to the reactor, or water other than the water used for the marcelification treatment by reducing the pressure or the like The organic solvent and the like of the above are appropriately reduced to form a mixed solvent of water and the organic solvent, and the carboxymethylation reaction is allowed to proceed under the mixed solvent of the water and the organic solvent. The timing of addition or reduction of the organic solvent may be between the end of the mercerization reaction and immediately after the addition of the carboxymethylating agent, and is not particularly limited, but for example, 30 minutes before and after the addition of the carboxymethylating agent. Within is preferable.

Examples of the organic solvent include alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, N-propyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, N-butanol, isobutanol and tertiary butanol, ketones such as acetone, diethyl ketone and methyl ethyl ketone, and dioxane and diethyl ether. Examples thereof include benzene and dichloromethane, and these alone or a mixture of two or more thereof can be added to water and used as a solvent for carboxymethylation. Of these, monohydric alcohols having 1 to 4 carbon atoms are preferable, and monohydric alcohols having 1 to 3 carbon atoms are more preferable because of their excellent compatibility with water.

The ratio of the organic solvent in the mixed solvent at the time of carboxymethylation is preferably 20% by mass or more, more preferably 30% by mass or more, based on the total amount of water and the organic solvent. It is more preferably 40% by mass or more, further preferably 45% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 50% by mass or more. The higher the proportion of the organic solvent, the more likely it is that uniform carboxymethyl group substitutions will occur, and the advantage is that homogeneous, stable quality carboxymethylated cellulose can be obtained. The upper limit of the proportion of the organic solvent is not limited and may be, for example, 99% by mass or less. Considering the cost of the organic solvent to be added, it is preferably 90% by mass or less, more preferably 85% by mass or less, still more preferably 80% by mass or less, still more preferably 70% by mass or less.

The reaction medium for carboxymethylation (pulp-free, mixed solvent of water and organic solvent, etc.) has a smaller proportion of water than the reaction medium for mercerization (in other words, the proportion of organic solvent is higher). Many) is preferable. By satisfying this range, it becomes easy to maintain the crystallinity of the obtained carboxymethylated cellulose, and the carboxymethylated cellulose of the present invention can be obtained more efficiently. In addition, when the reaction medium for carboxymethylation has a smaller proportion of water (more proportion of organic solvent) than the reaction medium for mercerization, the transition from the mercerization reaction to the carboxymethylation reaction occurs. Another advantage is that a mixed solvent for the carboxymethylation reaction can be formed by a simple means of adding a desired amount of an organic solvent to the reaction system after the completion of the mercerization reaction.

After forming a mixed solvent of water and an organic solvent and adding a carboxymethylating agent to the mercerized pulp, the temperature is preferably kept constant in the range of 10 to 40 ° C. for 15 minutes to 4 hours, preferably 15 Stir for about 1 minute to 1 hour. The mixing of the liquid containing the mercerized pulp and the carboxymethylating agent is preferably carried out in a plurality of times or by dropping in order to prevent the reaction mixture from becoming hot. After adding the carboxymethylating agent and stirring for a certain period of time, the temperature is raised if necessary, and the reaction temperature is set to 30 to 90 ° C., preferably 40 to 90 ° C., more preferably 60 to 80 ° C. for 30 minutes to The etherification (carboxymethylation) reaction is carried out for 10 hours, preferably 1 to 4 hours to obtain carboxymethylated pulp. By raising the temperature during the carboxymethylation reaction, there is an advantage that the etherification reaction can be efficiently carried out in a short time.

In the case of carboxymethylation, the reactor used for mercerization may be used as it is, or another reactor capable of mixing and stirring each of the above components while controlling the temperature may be used. ..

After completion of the reaction, the remaining alkali metal salt may be neutralized with a mineral acid or an organic acid. Further, if necessary, the by-produced inorganic salts, organic acid salts and the like may be washed with hydrous methanol to remove them, and dried, pulverized and classified to obtain carboxymethylated cellulose or a salt thereof. The drying method is not limited, but for example, a freeze-drying method, a spray-drying method, a shelf-stage drying method, a drum drying method, a belt drying method, a method of thinly spreading and drying on a glass plate, a fluidized bed drying method, a microwave drying method, and a microwave drying method. Known methods such as the method and the heating fan type vacuum drying method can be used. The crushing method is not particularly limited, and the devices used for dry crushing include impact mills such as hammer mills and pin mills, medium mills such as ball mills and tower mills, dry crushing such as jet mills, and wet types such as homogenizers, mascoroiders, and pearl mills. It can be crushed.

Further, when producing the carboxymethylated cellulose used in the present invention, if necessary, the raw material pulp or the pulp after carboxymethylation is subjected to acid hydrolysis treatment using mineral acids such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and nitric acid. May be given. The acid-hydrolyzed carboxymethylated pulp can be used as a raw material for powdered cellulose, and when powdered cellulose is obtained, it is further neutralized, dried, pulverized, and classified as necessary. May be good.

By the above production method, although the degree of carboxymethyl substitution is 0.50 or less and the degree of crystallization of cellulose type I is 50% or more, carboxy is homogeneous and has good effects such as water retention and shape retention. The reason why methylated cellulose is obtained is not clear, but the present inventors speculate that the mercerization reaction is uniformly carried out by using a solvent mainly containing water. It becomes easier to mix, the mercerization reaction occurs more uniformly, and the presence of an organic solvent in carboxymethylation improves the effective utilization of the carboxymethylating agent, resulting in excess carboxymethylating agent. It is considered that side reactions (for example, formation of an alkali metal glycolic acid salt, etc.) are less likely to occur due to the above, and the quality is stabilized. It is considered that this causes uniform carboxymethylation, facilitates uniform dispersion of carboxymethylated cellulose, and reduces the proportion of filtration residue. However, it is not limited to this.

The steamed bun-like food and the mixed flour for steamed bun-like food of the present invention preferably contain 0.1 to 5 parts by weight of carboxymethylated cellulose with respect to 100 parts by weight of the grain flour, and contain 0.1 to 3 parts by weight. More preferably, it further preferably contains 0.1 to 2.0 parts by weight.

If the amount added is less than 0.1% by weight, the water retention is inferior, so that it is difficult to obtain a moist texture and the effects of the present invention are difficult to obtain. If the amount added exceeds 5.0% by weight, the water retention and the formation retention become too high, and there is a concern that firm expansion becomes difficult in the steaming process.

<Leavening agent>
The leavening agent used in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a leavening agent usually used in food applications, and examples thereof include a chemical leavening agent. Chemical leavening agents include gas generators and acid agents. In the present invention, both a gas generating agent and an acidic agent can be used. Examples of gas generating agents include sodium hydrogen carbonate, sodium carbonate, ammonium hydrogen carbonate, etc., and these can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Examples of acidic agents include tartaric acid, potassium hydrogen tartrate, monocalcium phosphate, sodium acidic pyrophosphate, baked alum, glucono delta lactone, calcium carbonate, etc., and one of these may be used alone or in combination of two or more. be able to.
Such a leavening agent is preferably contained in an amount of 2 to 8 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the flour.

<Other additives>
The steamed bun-like food and the mixed powder for steamed bun-like food of the present invention have other additives such as sugar, sucrose, water candy, malt sugar, lactose, glucose, isomerized sugar, oligosaccharide, fructose, sorbitol and trehalose. Solid / liquid / semi-liquid fats and oils such as sweeteners, salad oil, shortening, butter, starch, vegetable protein, salt, dairy products (milk, powdered milk, etc.), emulsifiers, fragrances, coloring agents, cellulose, increase A viscous agent, a foaming agent, a bean paste and the like can be blended in an appropriate amount.

<Manufacturing method of steamed bread-like food>
In the steamed bread-like food of the present invention, water and / or eggs are added to a mixed flour in which at least the above-mentioned grain flour, carboxymethylated cellulose, and leavening agent are mixed, and the mixture is mixed and kneaded well to prepare a dough. Can be obtained at. Alternatively, water and / or eggs are added to the above-mentioned grain flour (and leavening agent), and while kneading well, carboxymethylated cellulose is appropriately mixed and kneaded, and other additives are added as appropriate to prepare the dough. That's fine.

In the method for producing steamed buns of the present invention and the method for producing steamed bun-like foods of the present invention, the amount of water and / or eggs added when preparing the dough is suitable for the production of steamed buns. It can be appropriately selected so as to have a viscosity. The amount of water and / or egg used is generally in the range of 50 to 400 parts by mass, preferably 120 to 200 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of flour. As the egg, raw whole egg, frozen egg, sterilized filtered egg, raw egg white, raw egg yolk, dried whole egg, dried egg white, dried egg yolk or a mixture thereof can be used.

In the present invention, the dough for steamed bun-like food can be prepared according to a conventional method for producing steamed buns. To prepare the dough, for example, use a whipper with a vertical mixer for confectionery to mix the raw materials for about 1 minute at low speed and 1 minute at medium speed to obtain the dough. The dough thus prepared is placed in a mold, and the dough is steamed in a steaming atmosphere of 90 to 100 ° C., preferably in a steaming atmosphere of 92 to 94 ° C. The steaming time is generally 10 to 40 minutes. Examples of the steamer used include a box steamer and a tunnel type steamer. When high-pressure treatment is performed, the steaming time can be shortened as appropriate at a higher temperature.

The amount of dough in one mold is appropriately in the range of 30 to 500 g. As a mold, a glassine cup, an aluminum cup, a paper cup, a heat-resistant plastic cup, or the like can be used.

After steaming the dough in this way, it can be taken out of the steamer and eaten while hot or after allowing to cool. In addition, the steamed product can be frozen and stored and distributed in a frozen state as a food for frozen steamed bread. The procedure for freezing the product can follow conventional methods, for example, quick freezing at -20 ° C to -30 ° C is suitable. Examples of the method of thawing the frozen product include thawing in a microwave oven and thawing the frozen product by leaving it at room temperature for about 1 hour.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Examples, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

(Manufacturing Example 1)
To a biaxial kneader whose rotation speed was adjusted to 100 rpm, 130 parts of water and 20 parts of sodium hydroxide dissolved in 100 parts of water were added, and hardwood pulp (LBKP manufactured by Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.) was added at 100 ° C. 60. 100 parts were charged by the dry mass when dried for 1 minute. Mercerized cellulose was prepared by stirring and mixing at 30 ° C. for 90 minutes. Further, 100 parts of isopropanol (IPA) and 60 parts of sodium monochloroacetate were added with stirring, and after stirring for 30 minutes, the temperature was raised to 70 ° C. and a carboxymethylation reaction was carried out for 90 minutes. The concentration of IPA in the reaction medium during the carboxymethylation reaction is 30%. After completion of the reaction, the reaction was neutralized with acetic acid to a pH of about 7, deliquesed, dried and pulverized, and a sodium salt of carboxymethyl cellulose having a carboxymethyl substitution degree of 0.24 and a cellulose type I crystallinity of 73% ( CMC1) was obtained. The effective utilization rate of the carboxymethylating agent was 29%. The method for measuring the degree of carboxymethyl substitution and the degree of crystallinity of cellulose type I, and the method for calculating the effective utilization rate of the carboxymethylating agent are as described above.

(Comparative Manufacturing Example 1)
To a biaxial kneader whose rotation speed is adjusted to 100 rpm, 500 parts of IPA and 40 parts of sodium hydroxide dissolved in 200 parts of water are added, and hardwood pulp (LBKP manufactured by Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.) is added at 100 ° C. for 60 minutes. 100 parts were charged by the dry mass when dried. Mercerized cellulose was prepared by stirring and mixing at 30 ° C. for 90 minutes. Further, 100 parts of isopropanol (IPA) and 120 parts of sodium monochloroacetate were added with stirring, and after stirring for 30 minutes, the temperature was raised to 70 ° C. and a carboxymethylation reaction was carried out for 90 minutes. The concentration of IPA in the reaction medium during the carboxymethylation reaction is 30%. After completion of the reaction, the reaction was neutralized with acetic acid to a pH of about 7, deliquesed, dried and pulverized, and a sodium salt of carboxymethyl cellulose having a carboxymethyl substitution degree of 0.25 and a cellulose type I crystallinity of 0% ( CMC2) was obtained. The effective utilization rate of the carboxymethylating agent was 15%.

(Example 1)
200 g of cake flour and 10 g of baking powder were combined to prepare seeds. Put 170 ml of milk, 1 g of salt, 80 g of sugar, 2 g of CMC of Production Example 1 and 15 ml of salad oil in a stainless steel bowl, mix well with a whisk, add the prepared seeds in two portions, and mix by cutting gently with a rubber spatula. , Got the dough. The prepared dough was put in a cup having a diameter of 6 cm until the 8th minute, arranged in a steamer with steam, and steamed on high heat for 15 minutes (about 92 ° C.) to obtain a steamed bread. The texture of the obtained steamed bread and the stickiness when kneading the dough were sensory evaluated.

(Example 2)
Steamed bread was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that 9 g of cocoa was combined and sieved when making seeds.

(Example 3)
A steamed bun was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that 80 g of raspberry was divided by hand into 4 equal parts and then added to the dough after mixing in a bowl and mixed lightly.

(Example 4)
Place the bowl on a scale, weigh 50 g of strong flour, 150 g of soft flour, 5 g of dry yeast, 5 g of baking powder, 30 g of sugar, 2 g of CMC1 of Production Example 1, 6 g of salad oil, 0.5 g of salt, and add 100 ml of lukewarm water little by little. I kneaded it well until the yeast mass was gone. Then, it was wrapped and left at room temperature for about 15 minutes to obtain a bun skin dough.
In addition, chop 1/2 onion and put 20 g of bread crumbs in a bowl, then put 150 g of minced meat, 8 g of waper, 15 g of soy sauce, 5 g of sesame oil, 5 g of sugar and 5 g of potato starch in a bowl and mix 8 pieces. A sesame tool was made by rolling it into pieces.
The obtained bun skin dough was divided into eight pieces, stretched with a cotton swab, wrapped with bun tools, placed in a steamer, and steamed on medium heat for 20 minutes (about 90 ° C) to obtain buns (meat buns). The texture of the obtained buns and the stickiness when kneading the skin were sensory-evaluated.

(Comparative Example 1)
A steamed bun was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that CMC2 of Comparative Production Example 1 was used instead of CMC1 of Production Example 1.

<Evaluation>
The steamed buns and buns obtained in Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Example 1 were evaluated according to the following criteria.

<Texture>
The texture was evaluated by a sensory evaluation by a panelist consisting of 5 people, and the steamed bread and bun skin were evaluated on a 5-point scale according to the following criteria.
5: You can feel the soft and moist feeling firmly and evenly.
4: Feel the fluffy feeling and the moist feeling evenly.
3: Feels fluffy and moist, but is slightly sticky and inferior in fluffy feeling.
2: Feels sticky and inferior in fluffy feeling.
1: Very sticky and inferior in texture.

<Stickiness>
After obtaining the dough in Example 1 and Comparative Example 1, the stainless steel bowl used was visually observed from above by 30 cm or more, and the stickiness (workability) was determined from the presence or absence of the dough residue adhering to the stainless steel bowl as follows. Evaluated by criteria.
〇: There is almost no dough residue adhering to the stainless steel bowl, and workability is good.
X: Dough residue is generally attached to the stainless steel bowl, resulting in poor workability.

Claims (5)

A steamed bun-like food containing carboxymethylated cellulose having a degree of carboxymethyl substitution of 0.50 or less and a degree of crystallinity of cellulose type I of 50% or more. The steamed bun-like food according to claim 1, wherein the carboxymethylated cellulose is contained in the range of 0.1 to 5 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the flour. A steamed bread-like food mix powder containing carboxymethylated cellulose having a degree of carboxymethyl substitution of 0.50 or less and a degree of crystallinity of cellulose type I of 50% or more. The steamed bread-like food mix powder according to claim 3, wherein the carboxymethylated cellulose is contained in the range of 0.1 to 5 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the grain flour. In the range of 0.1 to 5 parts by weight of carboxymethylated cellulose having a carboxymethyl substitution degree of 0.50 or less and a cellulose type I crystallization degree of 50% or more with respect to 100 parts by weight of grain flour. A method for producing a steamed bread-like food, which comprises obtaining a kneaded dough and steaming the dough.