JP2023059447A - Soft food product in container, and production method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a production method of a soft food product in a container, hardly generating discoloration of the soft food product due to retort sterilization.SOLUTION: A production method of a soft food product 1 in a container includes: a step for preparing a container body 11 having an opening, a food product 12 comprising a soft food product 121 and seasoning liquid 122 and stored in the container body 11, and a lid body 13 for blocking the opening; and a step for performing retort sterilization to an untreated product of the food product 12 having a volume V1 which is smaller in comparison with a volume V2 of the container body 11, in a state where the lid body 13 is positioned under the container body 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to containerized soft food and a method for producing the same.

In recent years, soft foods have been distributed as nursing care foods for elderly people who have difficulty in chewing and swallowing. A soft food product is, for example, a solid food product that has been ground and reformed by hardening into a desired shape. Such soft foods are soft and easy to swallow.

JP-A-11-221029

Some of the soft foods described above are distributed in the form of container-packed soft foods that are housed in a cup-shaped container body together with a seasoning liquid, and the opening of the container body is closed with a lid. Such soft foods and liquid seasonings can be eaten using, for example, the container body containing them as tableware. In this case, the packaged soft food preferably has a head space within the container body.

By the way, container-packaged soft foods are sometimes subjected to retort sterilization in their production so that they can be stored at room temperature for a long period of time. The present inventors have found that retort sterilization in the production of containerized soft food can cause the following problems.

That is, if retort sterilization is performed in the production of the container-packed soft food, a part of the soft food may be discolored. This discoloration can give consumers the impression that the packaged soft food product is of poor quality.

Discoloration of soft foods can be prevented by performing retort sterilization while repeatedly shaking the container upside down in the horizontal direction. However, in this case, the soft food may lose its shape.

The present invention makes it difficult for the soft food to lose its shape in the production of containerized soft food that undergoes retort sterilization, and gives the consumer an impression that the containerized soft food is of low quality due to discoloration of the soft food. The goal is to reduce the chance of giving

According to one aspect of the present invention, a container body having an opening, a soft food and a seasoning liquid, the food contained in the container body, and a lid closing the opening, wherein the volume V1 of the food is provides a method for producing container-packed soft food, comprising retort-sterilizing an untreated product, which is smaller than the volume V2 of the container body, while the lid is positioned below the container body. .

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing container-packed soft food according to the above aspect, wherein the ratio V1/V2 between the volume V1 and the volume V2 is in the range of 0.4 to 0.7. .

According to still another aspect of the present invention, the soft food has a maximum height in the range of 10 to 60 mm, or has a maximum height in the range of 10 to 60 mm and There is provided a method for producing a container-packed soft food according to any of the above aspects, which has a smaller height.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing a container-packed soft food according to any of the aspects above, wherein the soft food has a hardness of 5×10 ⁴ N/m ² or less.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing a container-packaged soft food according to any one of the above aspects, wherein the seasoning liquid has a viscosity of 0.5 Pa·s or more.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, the ratio V1 _L /V1 _S between the volume V1 _L of the seasoning liquid and the volume V1 _S of the soft food is in the range of 1/4 to 1. A method for producing such packaged soft food is provided.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, the lid is a film, and the retort sterilization is performed in a state in which a heat medium can reach the outer surface of the lid. A manufacturing method is provided.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container-packaged soft food manufactured by the method for manufacturing a container-packaged soft food according to any one of the aspects described above.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, a container body having an opening, a soft food and a seasoning liquid are provided, and the food is contained in the container body. The volume V1 is smaller compared to the volume V2 of the container body, and the soft food is not discolored on the opening side and is at least partially discolored on the bottom side of the container body, retort-sterilized. A packaged soft food product is provided.

According to the present invention, in the production of containerized soft food that undergoes retort sterilization, it is possible to make it difficult for the soft food to lose its shape and to give the consumer the impression that the containerized soft food is of low quality due to the discoloration of the soft food. It is possible to reduce the possibility of giving

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of packaged soft food that can be produced by a method according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a top view schematically showing a state in which the container-packed soft food shown in FIG. 1 is opened; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a retort sterilization step in manufacturing the container-packaged soft food shown in FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 4 is a top view schematically showing a state in which a packaged soft food product manufactured by a method according to a comparative example is opened.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Elements having the same or similar functions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping descriptions are omitted.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of packaged soft food that can be produced by a method according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a top view schematically showing a state in which the container-packed soft food shown in FIG. 1 is opened.

A container-packed soft food 1 shown in FIG. In FIG. 1, the container-packed soft food 1 is in a state in which the opening of the container body 11 is positioned above a bottom portion 111, which will be described later, and the bottom portion 111 is placed horizontally. Hereinafter, the state in which the opening of the container body 11 is positioned above the bottom portion 111 and the bottom portion 111 is horizontal is referred to as "upright placement." Also, the state in which the opening of the container body 11 is positioned below the bottom portion 111 and the opening is horizontal is called "upside down".

The container-packed soft food 1 is preferably a container-packed food that can be stored without freezing, and more preferably can be stored at room temperature. The container-packed soft food 1 is, for example, one in which the food 12 contained in the container body 11 is microwave-heated or heated in hot water when the food 12 is eaten. The container-packed soft food 1 may be one in which the food 12 is eaten without being heated.

When eating the food 12, for example, as shown in FIG. can be used as tableware. In addition, the container-packed soft food 1 has a head space in the container body 11, and other food such as rice porridge and tofu can be put into the container body 11 containing the food 12 therein.

According to the method according to one embodiment of the present invention, the packaged soft food 1 is produced by the following method.

First, the container main body 11 is prepared.
The container body 11 has an opening. The container body 11 has a cup shape here. The container body 11 may have other shapes such as bowl shapes and boat tray shapes.

The container body 11 is, for example, a molded product. The container body 11 has, for example, a shape retaining property that retains its shape before and after being filled with the food 12 .

The container body 11 is made of plastic, for example. The material of the container body 11 may be metal, glass, ceramic, or waterproof paper. The container body 11 may include one or more layers made of an inorganic substance or an organic substance on its inner surface. The container body 11 may include a printed layer and a protective layer for protecting the printed layer on its outer surface. When the food 12 is microwave-heated while it is in the container body 11, the container body 11 preferably does not contain a metal layer.

The container body 11 is, according to one example, opaque. The container body 11 may contain transparent portions, but is preferably opaque.

The container body 11 includes a bottom portion 111 , a side wall portion 112 and a flange portion 113 .

The bottom portion 111 has a disc shape with a central portion protruding toward the opening side of the container body 11 . The central portion of the bottom portion 111 does not have to protrude toward the opening. Also, the shape of the bottom portion 111 when viewed in the thickness direction may be a shape other than a circle, such as an ellipse, an oval, and polygons such as squares and rectangles. When the bottom 111 has a polygonal shape when viewed in the thickness direction, each corner is preferably rounded.

The side wall portion 112 extends upward from the edge of the bottom portion 111 . An upper end of the side wall portion 112 forms an opening of the container body 11 . A space surrounded by the side wall portion 112 and the bottom portion 111 expands in diameter from the bottom portion 111 toward the opening. This space may have a substantially constant diameter from the bottom 111 to the opening.

The flange portion 113 extends outward from the upper end of the side wall portion 112 . The flange portion 113 has a step near its outer edge that makes the height of the outer edge lower than the height of the other portions. The flange portion 113 may not have a step.

The flange portion 113 here has a square shape with rounded corners and an opening in the center. The flange portion 113 may have other shapes, such as a circular shape with an opening in the center.

When the food 12 for one person is filled in the container body 11, the volume V2 of the container body 11 is preferably in the range of 170 to 250 mL.

Next, the container main body 11 is filled with the food 12 . For example, the container body 11 is filled with food 12 for one person.

Food 12 includes soft food 121 and seasoning liquid 122 . The soft food 121 and the seasoning liquid 122 may be supplied into the container body 11 after being mixed, or may be supplied into the container body 11 separately.

Soft food 121 is, for example, mousse-like food. The soft food 121 may be made by solidifying a protein-containing liquid, such as pudding, by utilizing heat denaturation of the protein.

A mousse-like food is a food obtained by grinding a solid food, mixing it with a coagulant or the like, and then molding the mixture.

A solid food product is, for example, an animal food product, a vegetable food product, or a combination thereof. Solid foods can include meat, seafood, seaweed, fruits, nuts, grains, or two or more thereof. The solid food may be food before cooking or may be food that has been cooked. In the latter case, the solid food may further contain one or more of oils and fats and seasonings such as sugar and salt.

Solid foods are preferably ground until the particle size becomes sufficiently small. The smaller the particle size, the smoother the mouthfeel of the soft food 121 becomes. The particle size of the ground food is preferably 2.0 mm or less, more preferably 0.5 mm or less, and even more preferably 0.1 mm or less. Here, the "particle size" is a value obtained by measuring the particle size distribution by a laser diffraction/scattering method.

A coagulant is, for example, a protein that is thermally denatured and irreversibly solidified by heating. Such proteins are, for example, in the form of an aqueous solution and mixed with the mashed food. For example, egg white can be used as the protein or its aqueous solution. The protein is preferably added so that the concentration in the soft food 121 is within the range of 0.1 to 25% by mass, more preferably within the range of 1 to 15% by mass.

The mixture of the mashed food and the coagulant or the like is formed into a shape similar to the food whose taste is to be reproduced by the food before mashing or the soft food 121, for example. For example, the mixture is placed in a mold and heated. This heating is preferably carried out at a temperature in the range of 50 to 130°C, more preferably in the range of 60 to 130°C, even more preferably in the range of 60 to 130°C. This causes heat denaturation of the proteins and coagulates the mixture.

The food 12 is, according to one example, a universal design food that serves as food for people with difficulty swallowing or food for people with difficulty chewing. Universal design hoods are classified into four categories, ie, "easily chewable", "can be crushed with gums", "can be crushed with tongue", and "no need to chew", according to hardness and the like. Foods classified as "easily chewable" are required to have a hardness of 5×10 ⁵ N/m ² or less, and foods classified as "crustable with gums" are required to have a hardness of 5×10 ⁴ N/m ^{2 .} 2×10 ⁴ N/m ² or less for foods classified as “can be crushed with tongue”; is required to be 5×10 ³ N/m ² or less.

Soft food 121 preferably has a hardness of 5×10 ⁴ N/m ² or less. The soft food 121 may have a hardness of 5×10 ³ N/m ² or less. The problem of shape collapse becomes conspicuous when the soft food 121 is soft. The method described here is particularly useful when the soft food 121 has a low hardness.

Soft food 121 preferably has a hardness of 2×10 ³ N/m ² or more. If the soft food 121 is made too soft, it becomes difficult for the soft food 121 to maintain its shape. The soft food 121 may have a hardness of 1×10 ⁴ N/m ² or more.

The hardness of soft foods is measured by the following method.
As a measuring device, a device capable of measuring the compressive stress of a substance by linear motion is used. A container with a diameter of 40 mm is filled with a sample to a height of 15 mm, and is compressed with a plunger with a diameter of 20 mm to measure the compressive stress. This measurement is performed at a temperature of 20±2° C., a compression rate of 10 mm/sec, and a clearance between the bottom surface of the container and the plunger of 5 mm. In cases such as when the sample has an irregular shape, the clearance may be measured as 30% of the thickness of the sample. This measurement is performed 5 times, and the average of the 3 values excluding the maximum and minimum values is taken as the measured value.

The soft food 121 preferably has a maximum height H within the range of 10 to 60 mm, more preferably within the range of 20 to 30 mm. The soft food product 121 can optionally further comprise a smaller maximum height H.

Here, the maximum height H of each soft food 121 is a value obtained by the following method. First, determine the first direction in which a given soft food product 121 has the greatest length. Next, determine the second direction in which this soft food product 121 has the largest dimension in the entire cross section perpendicular to the first direction. A maximum height H of the soft food 121 is defined as a maximum dimension of the soft food 121 in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

A large maximum height H can contribute to appetite enhancement. Moreover, it is highly likely that a container body 11 having a large maximum height H includes a portion located above the liquid surface of the seasoning liquid 122 . The method described here is particularly useful when the soft food 121 contains items with a large maximum height H.

However, if the maximum height H is increased, the portion of the container body 11 located above the liquid surface of the seasoning liquid 122 is likely to become larger. As this portion becomes larger, the area that is likely to be discolored during retort sterilization also becomes larger. If discoloration occurs over a wide area, the discoloration is likely to be conspicuous when the container is opened or the food 12 is eaten.

The soft food 121 preferably has a ratio H/D _max of the maximum height H to the maximum depth D _max of the container body 11 within the range of 0.5 to 1, more preferably 0.6 to 0.6. within the range of 8. Here, the maximum depth D _max of the container body 11 is the maximum value in the depth direction of the distance from the opening of the container body 11 or the lid 13 to the bottom 111 .

When the ratio H/D _max is increased, it becomes difficult for the soft food 121 to rotate inside the container body 11 when the packaged soft food 1 is turned upside down. However, when the ratio H/D _max is increased, when an untreated product described later is placed upside down, the area of the surface of the soft food 121 that is not covered with a sufficient amount of the seasoning liquid 122 becomes wider, and retort sterilization is not possible. The area that is likely to be discolored in the process is also widened.

The seasoning liquid 122 is a liquid containing water, a seasoning, an extract of an animal food material, an extract of a vegetable food material, or a combination thereof. The seasoning liquid 122 is, for example, a solution, a dispersion such as a sol, or a combination thereof.

The seasoning liquid 122 may further include a thickening agent. Examples of thickeners include, but are not limited to, guar gum, xanthan gum, tamarind gum, carrageenan, carboxymethylcellulose, tara gum, locust bean gum, curdlan, sodium alginate, psyllium seed gum, gellan gum, gum arabic, karaya gum. , Chitin, Chitosan, Arabinogalactan, Welan Gum, Sesbania Gum, Aloe Vera Extract, Dalman Resin, Gadigum, Elemi Resin, Dextran, Oligoglucosamine, Tororo Aoi, Microfibrous Cellulose, Tragacanth Gum, Bacillus Natto Gum, Fukuronori Extract, Furcelleran, Cassia gum, macrohomopsis gum, pullulan, aloe vera extract, peach resin, aureobasidium broth, guar gum enzymatic hydrolyzate, rhamsan gum, glucosamine, levan, Agrobacterium succinoculcan, yeast cell membrane, linseed gum, mugwort seed gum, almonds gum, sclero gum, or two or more thereof.

Preferably, the thickening agent is guar gum, xanthan gum, tamarind gum, carboxymethylcellulose, tara gum, locust bean gum, sodium alginate, psyllium seed gum, gum arabic, karaya gum, welan gum, tragacanth gum, natto yeast gum, furcelleran, cassia gum, peach resin. , guar gum enzymatic hydrolyzate, rhamzan gum, Agrobacterium succinoculican, or two or more thereof.

More preferably, the thickening agent is guar gum, xanthan gum, tamarind gum, carboxymethylcellulose, tara gum, locust bean gum, sodium alginate, psyllium seed gum, welan gum, tragacanth gum, rhamsan gum, Agrobacterium succinoculican, or two or more thereof. is.

According to one example, the seasoning liquid 122 includes xanthan gum and guar gum as thickeners. Also, according to one example, the concentration of the thickening agent in the food product 12 is in the range of 0.16 to 1.16% by weight.

The seasoning liquid 122 may further contain a gelling agent. Gelling agents are, for example, pectin, gelatin, agar, or two or more thereof. The concentration of the gelling agent in the seasoning liquid 122 is preferably 0.2% by mass or less, more preferably 0.1% by mass or less.

The seasoning liquid 122 preferably has a viscosity in the range of 0.5 to 20.0 Pa·s, more preferably in the range of 0.5 to 10.0 Pa·s, and 1.5 to 2.0 Pa·s. It is more preferably in the range of 0 Pa·s. Solutions or sols in the categories "can be crushed with the tongue" and "do not need to be chewed" are required to have a viscosity of 1500 mPa·s or more. In addition, the sol of the category “can be crushed with the tongue” is required to have a hardness of 1×10 ⁴ N/m ² or less. In addition, a sol classified as "not chewable" is required to have a hardness of 3×10 ³ N/m ² or less.

If the viscosity of the seasoning liquid 122 is sufficiently high, the vibration of the soft food 121 is alleviated when the packaged soft food 1 is transported. Also, if the viscosity of the seasoning liquid 122 is sufficiently high, the movement of the soft food 121 within the container body 11 is impeded, making it difficult for the soft food 121 to come into contact with the inner surface of the container or between the soft foods 121 to come into contact with each other. Therefore, it becomes difficult for the soft food 121 to lose its shape due to these factors. Furthermore, if the viscosity of the seasoning liquid 122 is sufficiently high, the surface of the soft food 121 will remain above the liquid level of the seasoning liquid 122 for a while after the unprocessed product, which will be described later, is turned upside down from the upright position to the upside down position. A sufficient amount of seasoning liquid 122 can remain covered in the area located at . Therefore, in these areas, the possibility of discoloration during retort sterilization can be reduced.

The viscosity of the seasoning liquid was measured using a B-type rotational viscometer at a measurement temperature of 20±2° C., rotating the M3 rotor at 12 rpm, reading the reading after 2 minutes, and multiplying the value by the corresponding count. is expressed in Pa·s.

The ratio V1 L /V1 _S between the volume _{V1 L} of the seasoning liquid 122 and the volume V1 _S of the soft food 121 is preferably in the range of 1/4 to 1, and preferably in the range of 2/5 to 4/5. is more preferable. The seasoning liquid 122 facilitates swallowing of the soft food 121 and the second soft food. In addition, the seasoning liquid 122 prevents the shape of the soft food 121 from collapsing when the container-packed soft food 1 is transported. When the ratio V1 _L /V1 _S is increased, the problem of discoloration becomes less likely to occur. On the other hand, if the ratio V1 _L /V1 _S is decreased, when an untreated product (to be described later) is placed upside down, the area of the surface of the soft food 121 that is not covered with a sufficient amount of the seasoning liquid 122 is widened and retort sterilized. The area that is likely to be discolored at the time of is also widened.

Food 12 is, for example, a main dish or a side dish. Examples of main dishes and side dishes that can be reproduced by Food 12 include, but are not limited to, curries, stews, simmered vegetables, and simmered dishes such as sukiyaki, or hamburgers, chicken combined with sauces. simmered tomato; a combination of grilled, stir-fried or steamed food and sauce, such as stir-fried meat and vegetables, boiled fish, and boiled vegetables. When the food 12 is a main dish or a side dish, other foods to be put into the container main body 11 containing the food 12 are staple foods such as porridge and tofu, for example.

A ratio V1/V2 between the volume V1 of the food 12 and the volume V2 of the container body 11 is preferably 0.7 or less, more preferably 0.55 or less. If the ratio V1/V2 is large, other food such as porridge and tofu cannot be put into the container body 11 containing the food 12 . Moreover, since the problem of shape collapse becomes conspicuous when the ratio V1/V2 is small, the method described here is particularly useful when the ratio V1/V2 is small.

The ratio V1/V2 is preferably 0.4 or more, more preferably 0.5 or more. If the ratio V1/V2 is too small, the food 12 tends to move greatly within the container body 11 during transportation of the packaged soft food 1, and as a result, the shape of the soft food 121 tends to collapse. Also, if the ratio V1/V2 is too small, a large head space may remain in the container body 11 even if another food is put into the container body 11 containing the food 12 . Therefore, a larger space is required for displaying and storing the container-packed soft food 1 . Furthermore, if the ratio V1/V2 is made smaller, depending on the shape of the soft food 121, one or more of the soft food 121 may fall out of the container main body when the container-packed soft food 1 is turned upside down after retort sterilization. The portion exposed from the seasoning liquid 122 when it rotates inside 11 and is retort-sterilized in an inverted position is more likely to face the lid body 13 when it is returned to an upright position.

Next, the food 12 is hermetically sealed by closing the opening of the container body 11 with the lid 13 . In the structure thus obtained, the lid 13 constitutes the container together with the container body 11 .

The lid 13 is here a film adhered to the upper surface of the flange portion 113 . Such a lid 13 includes, for example, a base material made of polymer, paper, or a combination thereof, an adhesive layer for bonding the lid 13 to the upper surface of the flange portion 113, and a gas barrier layer interposed therebetween. including.

The lid 13 can be adhered to the upper surface of the flange portion 113 by heat sealing, for example. In this case, a thermoplastic resin is used for the adhesive layer.

The lid 13 may further include a printed layer and a protective layer on its upper surface. When the food 12 is microwave-heated in a container composed of the container body 11 and the lid 13, the lid 13 preferably does not contain a metal layer.

The lid 13 may not be a film adhered to the upper surface of the flange portion 113 . For example, the lid 13 may close the opening of the container body 11 by fitting.

Next, the structure obtained as described above (hereinafter referred to as an untreated product) is subjected to retort sterilization. This retort sterilization is performed with the lid 13 positioned below the container body 11 as shown in FIG. That is, the untreated product placed upside down is heated in the retort oven.

For example, the unprocessed product is turned upside down and supported in this state on a support such as a tray. Next, in this state, the support and the untreated product supported by the support are conveyed into the retort kettle. Then, while the untreated product is turned upside down, it is heated in the retort pot.

Alternatively, the untreated article is supported on a support, and the support is turned upside down together with the untreated article. In this state, the support and the untreated product supported by the support are conveyed into the retort kettle. Then, while the untreated product is turned upside down, it is heated in the retort pot.

Alternatively, the untreated product is supported on a support and conveyed into these retort ovens in this state. Then, the support is turned upside down together with the untreated product in the retort kettle, and the untreated product is heated in the retort kettle while being turned upside down.

Upside-down inversion for change from upright to upside down is preferably performed immediately before heating in the retort kettle.

Immediately after being turned upside down, the entire surface of the soft food 121 is covered with a sufficient amount of seasoning liquid 122 . However, in the portion of the soft food 121 above the surface of the liquid seasoning 122, the amount of the liquid seasoning 122 covering the surface decreases over time. Areas of the surface of the soft food 121 that are not coated with a sufficient amount of the seasoning liquid 122 are likely to be discolored due to heating in the retort pot. Therefore, by shortening the period from the completion of upside-down turning to the start of heating in the retort kettle, it is possible to prevent discoloration of the soft food 121 due to heating in the retort kettle.

Therefore, among the above three methods, the second and third methods are more preferable compared to the first method. And, among the above three methods, the third method is more preferable than the first and second methods.

Heating in the retort oven is performed by, for example, a hot water spray method or a hot water storage method. Heating in the retort oven may be performed by steam.

Heating in the retort oven is preferably carried out at a temperature within the range of 115-135°C. Heating within the above temperature range is preferably carried out for a time within the range of 5 to 200 minutes. According to one example, the heating in the retort is carried out at a temperature of 130° C. for 30 minutes.

This retort sterilization, that is, heating in the retort oven is preferably carried out in a state in which the outer surface of the lid 13 can be reached by a heat medium such as hot water and steam. When the lid 13 is a film, the lid 13 usually has a lower heat resistance value than the container body 11 . When heating is performed in the retort pot in a state where the heat medium can reach the outer surface of the lid 13, When heating is performed in the retort pot in a state where the heat medium cannot reach the outer surface of the lid 13 , the food 12 can be efficiently heated.

Considering this heating efficiency, the ratio V/S between the volume V of the food 12 and the opening area S of the container body 11 is preferably 60 mm or less, more preferably 40 mm or less.

The ratio V/S is preferably 30 mm or more, more preferably 20 mm or more. Although it depends on the shape of the container body 11, when the ratio V/S is decreased, the thickness of the layer of the food 12 becomes smaller when the container-packed soft food 1 is placed upright. If the thickness of the layer of food 12 is small, it may be difficult to scoop the food 12 with a spoon without leaving the food 12 inside the container body 11 .

After finishing the heating in the retort kettle, for example, the support is transported out of the retort kettle while being turned upside down together with the container-packed soft food 1 obtained by retort-sterilizing the untreated product. Then, the packaged soft food 1 is removed from the support and turned upside down. That is, the reverse position is returned to the normal position.

Alternatively, after finishing the heating in the retort oven, the support is transported out of the retort oven together with the container-packed soft food 1 while being placed upside down. Then, the packaged soft food 1 is turned upside down while being supported by the support. That is, the reverse position is returned to the normal position. After that, the packaged soft food 1 is removed from the support.

Alternatively, after finishing the heating in the retort pot, the container-packed soft food 1 is turned upside down in the retort pot while being supported by the support. That is, the reverse position is returned to the normal position. Then, in this state, the support is carried out from the retort kettle together with the container-packed soft food 1 . After that, the packaged soft food 1 is removed from the support.
The packaged soft food 1 is obtained as described above.

As described above, if retort sterilization is performed in manufacturing the packaged soft food 1, there is a possibility that part of the soft food 121 will be discolored. This discoloration is likely to occur in a portion of the surface of soft food 121 that is not covered with a sufficient amount of seasoning liquid 122 . If this discoloration is conspicuous when the container-packed soft food 1 is opened, the consumer may be given the impression that the container-packed soft food 1 is of low quality. This will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 4 is a top view schematically showing a state in which a packaged soft food product manufactured by a method according to a comparative example is opened.
In the untreated product placed upright, a sufficient amount of the seasoning liquid 122 does not exist in the area 121a exposed from the liquid surface of the seasoning liquid 122 on the surface of the soft food 121 . Therefore, if heating for retort sterilization is performed in this state, the soft food 121 may be discolored in the region 121a.

Since the discolored area 121a faces the lid 13, it is visible to an unsealer when the lid 13 is removed from the container body 11 with the container body 11 placed in an upright or nearly so position. Also, when eating after opening, for example, when the container body 11 is used as a tableware, the discolored region 121a is visible to the caregiver or the eater. Therefore, the container-packed soft food according to the comparative example is highly likely to give consumers the impression that the discoloration is conspicuous and that it is of low quality.

Discoloration of the soft food 121 can be prevented by performing retort sterilization while repeatedly turning the container upside down or rocking it horizontally. However, in this case, the soft food 121 may lose its shape.

In the method described with reference to FIG. 3, the untreated product is placed upside down, and heat treatment for retort sterilization is performed in this state. During this heating, the untreated food remains upside down, so that the shape of the soft food 121 is unlikely to be deformed due to repeated upside-down or horizontal rocking of the container.

Further, in this method, heat treatment for retort sterilization is performed while the untreated product is placed upside down. Therefore, even if the soft food 121 is discolored due to this heat treatment, the discolored region is the soft food product. 121 on the bottom 111 side. Since these regions face the bottom portion 111, as shown in FIG. do not have. Moreover, even when eating after opening, for example, when the container body 11 is used as tableware, the discolored area is less likely to be seen by the caregiver or the eater.

Therefore, according to the above method, in the production of the containerized soft food 1 that is subjected to retort sterilization, the soft food 121 is less likely to lose its shape, and the containerized soft food 1 is of low quality due to discoloration of the soft food 121. It is possible to reduce the possibility of giving consumers such as eaters and caregivers the impression that they are

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Container-packed soft food, 11... Container main body, 12... Food, 13... Lid, 111... Bottom, 112... Side wall part, 113... Flange, 121... Soft food, 122... Seasoning liquid.

Claims (9)

A container body having an opening, a soft food, and a seasoning liquid, comprising food stored in the container body and a lid covering the opening, wherein the volume V1 of the food is equal to the volume V2 of the container body. A method for producing container-packaged soft food, comprising retort-sterilizing a comparatively smaller untreated product while the lid is positioned below the container body. 2. The method for producing packaged soft food according to claim 1, wherein the ratio V1/V2 between the volume V1 and the volume V2 is in the range of 0.4 to 0.7. The soft food has a maximum height in the range of 10 to 60 mm, or has a maximum height in the range of 10 to 60 mm and has a smaller maximum height. Item 3. A method for producing a container-packaged soft food according to Item 1 or 2. The method for producing packaged soft food according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the soft food has a hardness of 5 x ¹⁰⁴ N/ ^m2 or less. 5. The method for producing packaged soft food according to claim 1, wherein the seasoning liquid has a viscosity of 0.5 Pa.s or more. 6. The packaged soft food according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the ratio V1 _L /V1 _S of the volume _V1 L of the seasoning liquid to the volume V1 _S of the soft food is in the range of 1/4 to 1. Food production method. 7. The method for producing container-packed soft food according to claim 1, wherein the lid is a film, and the retort sterilization is performed in a state in which a heating medium can reach the outer surface of the lid. Containerized soft food manufactured by the manufacturing method of containerized soft food according to any one of claims 1 to 7. a container body having an opening;
a food containing a soft food and a seasoning liquid and contained in the container main body;
and a lid that closes the opening,
the volume V1 of the food is smaller than the volume V2 of the container body,
A retort-sterilized packaged soft food product, wherein the soft food product is not discolored on the opening side and is at least partially discolored on the bottom side of the container body.

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