JP3029218B2 - Manufacturing method of frozen cut vegetables - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a method for producing frozen cut vegetables. Various frozen cut vegetables are widely used for salads, cooking, and the like. These frozen cut vegetables are trimmed, cut vegetables are sealed in a container and frozen and stored. The present invention relates to an improvement in a method for producing such frozen cut vegetables.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method for producing frozen cut vegetables, a method has been proposed in which vegetables are cut in contact with water, exposed to water, and then frozen (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-29).
4738). However, this conventional method has a drawback that vegetables are cut in contact with water and the cut products are exposed to water, so that it is inevitable that the original components of vegetables flow out. In particular, such outflow is remarkable in the case of soft vegetables having a jelly part such as tomato.

[0003] Conventionally, as a method for producing frozen cut vegetables, a method has been proposed in which onion is cut, the surface thereof is oil-baked, and then frozen (JP-A-2-238).
859). However, this conventional method has a drawback that its use is limited because the cut one is subjected to oil-baking treatment, and it is difficult to use it for salads, for example.

[0004]

The problem to be solved by the present invention is that in the conventional method, it is inevitable that the original components of vegetables flow out, or the use is limited.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention relates to a method for producing frozen cut vegetables, which comprises the following first step and second step. First step: a step in which vegetables are trimmed, frozen, and then cut in a half-thawed state. Second step: A step of filling the cut material into a container, freezing again, and then sealing.

In the present invention, the target vegetables are not particularly limited, such as tomato, onion, carrot, radish, burdock, pumpkin, bell pepper, cabbage, etc., but are particularly effective for tomato. Tomatoes have a jelly part,
Originally, the tissue is soft, and the original components are easy to flow out. However, according to the present invention, such outflow can be effectively prevented.

First, vegetables are trimmed, unnecessary materials such as cores, leaves, and epidermis are removed, and the trimmed products are frozen. Freezing may be slow freezing, but rapid freezing is preferred.
This is to minimize the destruction of the tissue. The product temperature is -10 to -50C within 30 minutes of the maximum ice crystal passage time
Preferably, it is rapidly frozen to around -50 ° C.

Next, the frozen product is cut in a half-thawed state. The frozen product is brought into a semi-thawed state by refrigerated storage, normal temperature storage, heating, or the like, but is preferably brought into a semi-thawed state by refrigerated storage. This is to minimize the destruction of the tissue. The frozen product is refrigerated and stored in a semi-thawed state so that the temperature of the frozen product is 0 to -5 ° C, preferably about -3 ° C. The semi-thawed one is cut into a desired size and shape using a dicer, a food slicer or the like, but is preferably cut into a dice of 5 mm to 5 cm square using a dicer.

Finally, the cut material is filled in a container,
After freezing again, seal. As the container, in addition to various autonomous containers, a plastic bag can be used.
For example, OPP / nylon laminated plastic bags are filled. The filling is preferably performed in a low-temperature room as much as possible. The filling is frozen before sealing. This is for shortening the freezing time. The freezing at this stage is the same as the freezing described above.
Then seal the frozen one. Although the frozen product may be sealed as it is, it is preferable to degas the inside of the container and replace with nitrogen before sealing. This is for preventing deterioration of the original color tone of vegetables. The sealed product is usually-
Store frozen at 20-50 ° C, preferably around -25 ° C.

[0010]

【Example】

-Example 1 Tomato (Momotaro) was trimmed to remove the core and the epidermis, and rapidly frozen to a product temperature of -50 ° C within a maximum ice crystal passage time of 20 minutes or less. The quick-frozen product was refrigerated at −3 ° C. to be in a half-thawed state, and cut into 2 cm square dice using a dicer. The cut product was filled in a plastic bag, and rapidly frozen again in the same manner as described above. Then, the inside of the plastic bag was degassed, replaced with nitrogen, and sealed. The sealed product was stored frozen at -25 ° C for 3 months and then thawed at room temperature. Thawed at room temperature
It retained its initial shape, had good color tone and flavor, and had a drip rate of 17%.

Comparative Example 1 Tomato (Momotaro) was trimmed to remove the core and the epidermis, and cut into 2 cm square dice at room temperature using a dicer. The cut product was filled, rapidly frozen, sealed, stored frozen, and thawed at room temperature in the same manner as in Example 1 below. Thawed at room temperature had remarkable shape collapse, had a drip rate of 55%, and had no commercial value.

Example 2 Carrots (Koyo sp.) Were trimmed to remove leaves and epidermis, and the maximum ice crystal passage time was within 15 minutes and the product temperature was -50 ° C.
Quickly frozen. The rapidly frozen product was refrigerated at −2 ° C. to be in a half-thawed state, and cut into 1 cm square dice using a dicer. The cut product was filled in a plastic bag, and rapidly frozen again in the same manner as described above. Then, the inside of the plastic bag was degassed, replaced with nitrogen, and sealed. The sealed product was stored frozen at -25 ° C for 3 months and then thawed at room temperature. Thawed at room temperature retained the initial shape, had good color tone and flavor, and had a drip rate of 3%.

Comparative Example 2 Carrot (Koyo sp.) Was trimmed to remove the leaves and epidermis, and cut into 1 cm square dice at room temperature using a dicer. The cut product was filled, rapidly frozen, sealed, stored frozen, and thawed at room temperature in the same manner as in Example 2 below. Thawed at room temperature was out of shape, with a drip rate of 18% and low commercial value.

[0014]

As is clear from the above, the present invention described above is intended to produce frozen cut vegetables of high commercial value which prevent the original components of vegetables from leaking out and are not limited in use. There is an effect that can be.

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Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A method for producing frozen cut vegetables, which comprises the following first step and second step. First step: a step in which vegetables are trimmed, frozen, and then cut in a half-thawed state. Second step: A step of filling the cut material into a container, freezing again, and then sealing. 2. The method for producing frozen cut vegetables according to claim 1, wherein the vegetables are tomatoes. 3. The method for producing frozen cut vegetables according to claim 1, wherein the freezing is rapid freezing within a maximum ice crystal transit time of 30 minutes or less. 4. The frozen product is refrigerated and stored, and the product temperature is 0 to 4.
The method for producing frozen cut vegetables according to claim 1, wherein the cut vegetables are cut in a half-thaw state at −5 ° C. 5. 5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sheet is cut into a die.
Or the method for producing frozen cut vegetables according to 4. 6. The method for producing frozen cut vegetables according to claim 1, wherein after freezing again, the inside of the container is replaced with nitrogen and sealed.