JP3053289B2 - Cutting method for plastic fat-like products - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for cutting a plastic fat-like product.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, for example, margarine, butter, or the like in the form of small blocks such as dice, columns, etc. has been used for kneading into puff pastry or the like.

[0003] When a plastic oil or fat-like product such as margarine or butter is cut with a cutting blade at normal temperature, the product adheres to the cutting blade, and it is difficult to obtain a small block such as a dice or a column. For this reason, as a method for obtaining small blocks such as margarine and butter, a method of cutting a product with a heated blade, a method of cutting a product (especially a surface layer portion) after cooling it in, for example, a freezer, and the like are adopted. .

[0004]

However, in the method of cutting a product with a heated blade, heat is applied to the product, so that the emulsion on the cut surface of margarine or butter is destroyed, mold and the like are generated, and the quality of the product is reduced. Deterioration and quality change are liable to occur, and the cut surface is melted, so that the obtained small blocks are easily recombined into large blocks.

On the other hand, in the method of cutting the product after cooling, the energy required to cool the product to a temperature at which the product can be cut is large, and if the cooling is excessive, the product may be broken at the time of cutting. There is a disadvantage that the temperature range in which cutting can be performed is narrow, and it is difficult to control the temperature for cooling to that temperature.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above points,
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for cutting a plastic oil-like product, such as margarine or butter, which can efficiently and reliably cut a plastic oil-like product.

[0007]

That is, the method for cutting a plastic oil-like product of the present invention comprises cutting a solid or semi-solid plastic oil-like product with a cutting blade having a surface temperature of 0 ° C. or less. It is characterized by. In the method of the present invention, the temperature of the plastic oil-like product at the time of cutting is from + 30 ° C to -10 ° C.
It is preferred that Further, a cutting blade provided with a cooling means using a refrigerant can be used as the cutting blade. In the method of the present invention, the product may be cooled after cutting.

In the present invention, examples of the plastic fat-like product include margarine, butter, shortening, cheese and the like. In particular, the present invention is preferably applied to margarine, butter, shortening, and the like, which exhibit high viscosity at ordinary temperature, are difficult to cut, and have a narrow temperature range suitable for cutting.

The plastic fat-like product can be cut as long as it keeps a solid or semi-solid state, and the temperature of the plastic fat-like product at the time of cutting is at room temperature or lower (for example, 0 ° C. or lower). However, the temperature of the plastic fat-like product at the time of cutting is preferably from + 30 ° C to -10 ° C, particularly preferably from + 25 ° C to + 5 ° C. The solid or semi-solid state means a state having high viscosity, plasticity or shape retention.

The cutting blade used for cutting the plastic oil-like product in the method of the present invention needs to be cooled to a surface temperature of 0 ° C. or less.
It is preferable to use a cutting blade cooled to ℃, especially -20 ℃ to -100 ℃. However, the optimum temperature of the cutting blade varies depending on the properties (viscosity, plasticity, etc., at the time of cutting) of the plastic oil-like product to be cut, and it is preferable to use a cutting blade adjusted to an optimum temperature according to the product properties.

As a method of cooling the cutting blade, there is a method of directly or indirectly cooling using a refrigerant such as liquefied carbon dioxide, liquefied nitrogen, brine, and chlorofluorocarbon. For example, a method in which a cutting blade is immersed in a refrigerant, a method of directly cooling under a refrigerant airflow atmosphere, a method of cooling under an airflow of air cooled by a refrigerant, a cooling device for circulating or passing the refrigerant inside or on the surface of the cutting blade. Or a method provided in contact with the cutting blade to cool the cutting blade.

In the method of the present invention, the shape of the cutting blade can be such that the plastic oil-like product can be cut linearly in the vertical or horizontal direction, that it can be cut into a grid, or that it can be cut into a curve. Any shape can be adopted according to the purpose.

The method of the present invention is characterized in that the temperature of the plastic fat-like product at the time of cutting can be cut at around room temperature. However, when the cut product is stored, packed, or transported, the cut product adheres. It is preferable to cool the product after cutting to prevent mating. In order to cool the cut product, a dedicated cooling device, a normal storage refrigerator, or the like can be used.

[0014]

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples.

Examples 1 to 8 A margarine (length 24 cm × width 21 cm × thickness 1 cm, hereinafter referred to as a plate-shaped margarine) formed into a plate having the composition and properties shown in Table 1 was heated to the temperature shown in Table 1. In this state, the plate-shaped margarine was cut at 1 cm intervals along the width and length directions with a cutting blade cooled to the temperature shown in the same table. A stainless steel knife having a blade length of 30 cm was used as a cutting blade, and the surface temperature was adjusted to a predetermined temperature before use. To control the temperature of the cutting blade, a small container that can store liquefied nitrogen with a knife attached to the back of the bottom is attached to the kitchen knife, and the liquid surface of liquefied nitrogen and the amount of liquefied nitrogen supplied to the container are controlled. I went. Table 1 shows the state when the plate-shaped margarine is cut and the storage stability of the cut product. The time required for cooling the cutting blade was 30 seconds at −20 ° C. after injection of liquefied nitrogen, and −1
It was 90 seconds at 00 ° C.

[0016]

[Table 1]

* 1: The state at the time of cutting was determined according to the following criteria. A: The cut surface is smooth, there is no collapse of the structure, and there is no product adhered to the cutting blade. ：: The cut surface is flat and there is no collapse of the tissue, but the product has adhered to the cutting blade. Δ: Cracks and streaks were observed on the cut surface, and the shape of the cut product was broken. ×: The product has a strong adhesion to the cutting blade. XX: The hue has changed due to melting of the cut surface.

* 2: The shelf life of the cut product was determined by placing the cut product in a plastic bag for each Example and Comparative Example in a random order. 2
After standing in a refrigerator at −10 ° C. for 4 hours, and in other cases for 24 hours, the state was observed and judged according to the following criteria. ：: When the plastic bag is shaken, each cut product moves independently. Δ: When the plastic bag was shaken, two or three cut products adhered to each other. X: Almost the whole becomes one lump, and when peeled by hand, peels off from the part other than the cut surface.

Comparative Example 1 The same plate-like margarine as in Example 1 was kept at room temperature (20 ° C.), and cut into the same size as in each of the above examples by a non-cooled cutting blade having a surface temperature of 20 ° C. did. Table 1 also shows the state of the plate-shaped margarine when cut, and the shelf life of the cut product.

Comparative Example 2 The same plate-shaped margarine as in Example 1 was cooled to 0 ° C. in a freezer, and then cut by a cutting blade having the same surface temperature as in Comparative Example 1. Table 1 also shows the state when the plate-shaped margarine is cut and the storage stability of the cut product.

Comparative Example 3 The same plate-like margarine as in Example 5 was cut under the same conditions as in Comparative Example 1. The state when the plate-shaped margarine is cut,
Table 1 also shows the shelf life of the cut products.

Comparative Example 4 The same plate-like margarine as in Example 5 was cut under the same conditions as in Comparative Example 2. The state when the plate-shaped margarine is cut,
Table 1 also shows the shelf life of the cut products.

Comparative Example 5 The same plate-like margarine as in Example 5 was placed in a refrigerator at -20.
After cooling to ° C., it was cut in the same manner with a cutting blade having the same surface temperature as in Comparative Example 1. Table 1 also shows the state when the plate-shaped margarine is cut and the storage stability of the cut product.
In addition, one plate-shaped margarine was placed in a refrigerator at −25 ° C.—
It takes 25 minutes to cool to 20 ° C., and 5 sheets are stacked and 3 hours 2 to cool the temperature at the center to −20 ° C.
It took 10 hours and 45 minutes when 10 sheets were stacked. Further, in the case of a packaged product in which 10 sheet-like margarines were placed in a cardboard box, it took 48 hours to cool to -25 ° C.

Comparative Example 6 The same plate-like margarine as in Example 5 was cut at a room temperature (20 ° C.) and cut in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1 by a cutting blade heated to a surface temperature of 70 ° C. by a heater. Table 1 also shows the state when the plate-shaped margarine is cut and the storage stability of the cut product.

Example 9 A blade of a commercially available cutter knife (length 8 cm × width 1 cm × thickness 0.
4cm) is used as a cutting blade, which is connected to a rheometer, and the cutting blade is immersed in liquefied nitrogen to adjust to a predetermined temperature.
A margarine block (temperature 20 ° C., length 3 cm × width 1 cm × thickness 1 cm) having the same composition and properties as used in Example 5 was cut at 1 cm intervals along the width direction, and cut into cutting blades. The adhesion rate of margarine was determined. Table 2 shows the results.

The adhesion ratio of margarine to the cutting blade was determined as follows. First, the cutting blade is lowered at a speed of 200 mm / min to the margarine block, and cut.
Further, the cutting blade is raised along the cut surface. The force required during the movement of the cutting blade is determined from the rheometer reading, and then the value required from the start of cutting to the end of ascent is integrated. The integral value when a blade at normal temperature (20 ° C.) was used was taken as 100%, and the integral value when a cooled blade was used was determined as a percentage, and was defined as the adhesion ratio.

[0027]

[Table 2]

[0028]

As described above, the method of the present invention employs a method of cutting a plastic oil-like product with a cutting blade whose surface temperature is cooled to 0 ° C. or less. It does not change or degrade the quality of the product, and there is no risk of the product sticking to the cutting blade or the possibility of the cut product re-combining into a large block, ensuring a reliable and efficient plastic oil-like product. Can be cut.

In the method of the present invention, it is not necessary to cool the entire product at the time of cutting, and only the cutting blade needs to be cooled. Therefore, the energy required for cooling is small, and a large-sized product for cutting the product in a cooled state is required. No equipment needed,
Even when the product after cutting needs to be cooled, the conventional refrigeration equipment can be used as it is. Moreover, since the equipment for cooling the cutting blade can be a relatively small and simple equipment, there are various effects such as a small capital investment.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Yoshikazu Takahashi 4-66-1, Horikiri, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo Inside Miyoshi Oil & Fats Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kazunobu Shibuya 1-9-19-1 Koyama, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Toyo Oxygen Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Naoyuki Katayama 1-9-13 Koyama, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Toyo Oki Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hanichiro Mori 1-9-13, Oyama, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Toyo Oxygen Stock In-company (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A01J 23/00 A23D 7/04 B26D 7/08 JICST file (JOIS)

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A solid or semi-solid plastic oil-like product,
A method for cutting a plastic oil-like product, wherein the cutting is performed by a cutting blade whose surface temperature is cooled to 0 ° C. or less. 2. The temperature of the plastic fat-like product at the time of cutting is +
The method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature is from 30C to -10C. 3. The method for cutting a plastic oil-like product according to claim 1, wherein a cutting blade provided with a cooling means using a refrigerant is used. 4. The method for cutting a plastic oil-like product according to claim 1, wherein the product is cooled after cutting.