JP7405571B2 - Processed fruit manufacturing method and processed food - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for producing processed fruits and processed foods .

BACKGROUND ART One known distribution method for citrus fruits such as lemons and limes is to package a plurality of fruit pieces cut into wedges into bags and distribute them in a frozen state. The above-mentioned fruit pieces are used, for example, in a frozen state as a substitute for ice, or when thawed to squeeze out fruit juice for food or the like.

As shown in FIG. 7, a citrus fruit 50 has a fruit core 51 extending from the urn, and around this fruit core 51, pouch-shaped funnels containing fruit pulp are arranged radially. Non-Patent Document 1 describes a method of cutting the fruit 50 into wedges along a plurality of cutting lines 52a to 52h extending radially when viewed from the front view of the fruit shown in FIG. A method of cutting is disclosed.

In this case, each fruit piece 53 divided from the fruit 50 has at least one cut surface 53a cut along cutting lines 52b to 52d and 52f to 52h that do not pass through the fruit center 51. As shown in FIG. 8(a), in the cut surface 53a, the fruit center 51 is located in the center of the straight part, and the cut capsule membrane 55 extends radially from the fruit center 51 toward the arc-shaped pericarp 54. As it extends, it becomes a cut surface where the pulp 56 is exposed between the capsule membranes 55. The fruit piece 53 has a cut surface 53a that allows juice to be efficiently squeezed out from the cut surface 53a and has a good appearance.

Recipe site Puchiguru, "How to cut a lemon: This is how the French cut it", searched on September 25, 2020, Internet "https://oisiso.com/lemon.html"

Among the fruit pieces 53 obtained by the method of Non-Patent Document 1, the fruit piece 53 including the fruit center 51 has a cut surface 53b cut along cutting lines 52a and 52e passing through the fruit center 51. As shown in FIG. 8(b), the cut surface 53b is a cut surface in which the fruit center 51 is exposed in a thick line from the center of the straight portion toward the arcuate pericarp 54. That is, the fruit piece 53 including the fruit center 51 has one cut surface as the cut surface 53a and the other cut surface as the cut surface 53b.

Therefore, when the method of Non-Patent Document 1 is adopted, a fruit piece 53 that does not include the fruit center 51 whose two cut surfaces are both the cut surface 53a, and a fruit piece 53 that does not include the fruit center 51 whose two cut surfaces are the cut surface 53a and the other cut surface A fruit piece 53 including the fruit center 51 whose cut surface 53b is the fruit piece 53 is obtained. When considering distributing citrus fruit in the form of a plurality of fruit pieces cut into wedges, it is undesirable for the appearance of the cut surfaces of the fruit pieces to vary.

This invention was made in view of these circumstances, and its purpose is to suppress variations in the cut surfaces of fruit pieces obtained by cutting citrus fruits into wedges.

A method for producing a processed fruit that solves the above problems includes cutting a citrus fruit having a fruit center by a plurality of cutting lines extending radially from a central point on the center, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the center. , a dividing step of dividing the fruit into four or more comb-shaped fruit pieces by cutting along a cutting line set such that the center of the fruit is located between two adjacent cutting lines.

According to the above configuration, the fruit pieces including the fruit core are also separated from the cut surface by positioning the fruit core between the pulp exposed on one side of the cut surface and the pulp exposed on the other side of the cut surface. The center of the fruit becomes difficult to see, and both cut surfaces have the same shape as other fruit pieces. Therefore, variations in the cut surfaces of fruit pieces can be suppressed.

In the dividing step, the fruit is preferably divided into five or more comb-shaped fruit pieces.
When the angle formed by the two cutting lines adjacent to each other across the center of fruit is θ1, the axis of the center of fruit and the cut that is closer to the axis of the two cutting lines adjacent to each other with the center of fruit in between. The angle formed by the line is preferably within the range of (θ1/2)±5°.

In the dividing step, it is preferable to perform a process of removing the buds of the fruit.
Preferably, the fruit is an aromatic citrus fruit.
A processed food that solves the above problems is a processed food that includes a plurality of fruit pieces obtained by cutting a citrus fruit having a fruit core into a wedge shape, and a container for accommodating a plurality of the fruit pieces. The fruit pieces are formed by cutting the fruit along cutting lines extending radially from a central point on the fruit center when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the fruit center. In at least one of the fruit pieces, the fruit center is located between the pulp exposed at the first cut surface and the pulp exposed at the second cut surface.

A fruit dividing method that solves the above problem is a fruit dividing method in which a citrus fruit having a fruit center is cut into a plurality of wedge-shaped fruit pieces. By cutting along a plurality of cutting lines extending radially from a central point on the center and set so that the center of the fruit is located between two adjacent cutting lines, four or more Divide into wedge-shaped fruit pieces and align the cut surfaces of each fruit piece.

According to the present invention, variations in the cut surfaces of fruit pieces can be suppressed.

An explanatory diagram of a dividing process. A perspective view of a cutter. (a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams of a dividing process using a cutter. A perspective view of bagged processed fruit. A plan view of a cut surface of a fruit piece including the fruit core. FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 5. An explanatory diagram of conventional lemon wedge cutting. (a), (b) is a top view of a cut surface of a conventional fruit piece.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below.
The fruit used in the method for producing processed fruit of this embodiment is a citrus fruit having a fruit core. Examples of the above fruits include lemons, limes, shikwasa, sudachi, yuzu, daidai, kabosu, and other aromatic citrus fruits, grapefruit, navel oranges, Valencia oranges, sour oranges, hassaku, unshiu mandarin oranges, iyokan, ponkan, amaka, and buntan. can be mentioned. Among these fruits, aromatic citrus fruits are preferred, and lemons are more preferred. Below, as an example, a method for producing processed fruit using lemon will be described.

The processed fruit manufacturing method of this embodiment includes a dividing step of cutting a fresh lemon into a plurality of wedge-shaped fruit pieces.
As shown in FIG. 1, in the dividing step, first, the urn 11 and the tip portion 12 are cut off from the lemon 10, thereby obtaining the main body portion 13 from which the urn 11 and the tip portion 12 have been removed. The bulge 11 and the tip portion 12 are perpendicular to the axis 14a and do not reach the central pulp when viewed from the front view of the fruit shown in FIG. It is cut by cutting along the first cutting line 21. The cutting width D of the bulge 11 and the tip portion 12 is, for example, 4 mm or more and 18 mm or less. Note that the axis 14a of the fruit center 14 is a line that approximates a line passing through the center of the fruit center 14 as a straight line.

Next, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axis 14a of the fruit center 14, the body portion 13 is cut along a plurality of second cutting lines 22 extending radially from a center point 14b, which is an arbitrary point on the axis 14a. By cutting, the main body portion 13 is divided into four or more comb-shaped fruit pieces 15.

The number of second cutting lines 22 is four or more, preferably five or more, and more preferably six or more. Further, the number of second cutting lines 22 is preferably 12 or less, more preferably 10 or less. Note that FIG. 1 illustrates a case where there are eight second cutting lines 22, and the eight second cutting lines 22 are illustrated as second cutting lines 22a to 22h, respectively. In this specification, the second cutting line 22 refers to a concept that combines the individual second cutting lines 22a to 22h.

The main body portion 13 is divided into the same number of fruit pieces 15 as the second cutting line 22 . Therefore, the number of divisions (number of cuts) when the main body portion 13 is cut along the second cutting line 22 is 4 cuts or more, preferably 5 cuts or more, and more preferably 6 cuts or more. Further, the number of divisions is preferably 12 cuts or less, more preferably 10 cuts or less.

The plurality of second cutting lines 22 are set at equal angular intervals around the center point 14b. For example, when there are eight second cutting lines 22, the angular interval between the second cutting lines 22 is 45°.
The angular interval between the second cutting lines 22 is preferably 30° or more, more preferably 36° or more. Further, the angular interval between the second cutting lines 22 is preferably 90° or less, more preferably 72° or less, and still more preferably 60° or less. When the angular interval of the second cutting lines 22 is 90° or less, fruit pieces 15 having a shape suitable as a substitute for ice and fruit pieces 15 having a shape from which fruit juice can be easily squeezed can be obtained.

Further, the plurality of second cutting lines 22 are set such that the fruit center 14 is located between two adjacent second cutting lines 22. Note that the fruit center 14 is located between two adjacent second cutting lines 22 when one of the second cutting lines 22 is located closer to the edge 14c of the fruit center 14 in the circumferential direction centered on the center point 14b. This also means that the other second cutting line 22 is located on the other side in the circumferential direction with respect to the end portion 14c of the fruit center 14. In FIG. 1, the fruit center 14 is located between the second cutting line 22a and the second cutting line 22h, and between the second cutting line 22d and the second cutting line 22e.

The plurality of second cutting lines 22 are preferably set so that the fruit center 14 is located near the center of two adjacent second cutting lines 22. For example, the angle formed by two adjacent second cutting lines 22 with the fruit center 14 in between (for example, the angle formed by the second cutting line 22a and the second cutting line 22h) is defined as "θ1". In this case, the angle formed by the axis 14a of the fruit center 14 and the second cutting line 22 (for example, the second cutting line 22a) that is closer to the axis 14a among the two adjacent second cutting lines 22 with the fruit center 14 in between. The plurality of second cutting lines 22 are set so that θ2 is within the range of “(θ1/2)±5°”.

For example, when the angle θ1 is 45°, the plurality of second cutting lines 22 are set so that the angle θ2 is 17.5° or more and 27.5° or less. The range of the angle θ1 is the same as the range of the angular interval of the second cutting line 22 described above.

The method of cutting the main body portion 13 along the plurality of second cutting lines 22 is not particularly limited. For example, cuts may be made simultaneously along all the second cutting lines 22, or cuts may be made multiple times along one or more of the plurality of second cutting lines 22. Good too.

When cutting along all the second cutting lines 22 at the same time, for example, a cutter 30 shown in FIG. 2 can be used. The cutter 30 includes a cylindrical frame 31 and a plurality of divided blades 32 arranged within the frame 31. The plurality of divided blades 32 are arranged in a radial pattern corresponding to the plurality of second cutting lines 22 described above, and are connected to each other on the radially center side of the frame 31 and to the frame 31 on the radially outer side. . The cutting edges 32a of the plurality of divided blades 32 are all provided on the first edge 31a side of the frame 31.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the main body portion 13 obtained by removing the urn 11 and the tip portion 12 from the lemon 10 is placed on the cutter 30 with the first edge 31a facing upward. At this time, the main body is adjusted so that the positional relationship between the fruit center 14 of the main body portion 13 and the split blade 32 of the cutter 30 matches the positional relationship between the fruit center 14 of the main body portion 13 and the second cutting line 22 shown in FIG. Adjust the orientation of portion 13.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), the main body portion is 13 toward the cutter 30. Thereby, when the main body portion 13 passes through the dividing blade 32 of the cutter 30, it is divided into a plurality of comb-shaped fruit pieces 15. The fruit pieces 15 that have passed through the cutter 30 fall and are collected by a container 34 disposed below the cutter 30.

Through the above dividing step, a plurality of comb-shaped fruit pieces 15 as processed fruits are obtained. As shown in FIG. 4, the plurality of fruit pieces 15 obtained are subjected to a freezing process in which the fruit pieces 15 are cooled in a freezer or the like to produce frozen fruit pieces, and the frozen fruit pieces are placed in a container 40 such as a bag or box. The steps of accommodating the containers are carried out in sequence. The cooling temperature in the freezing step is, for example, -50°C or more and -10°C or less. One container 40 stores a plurality of fruit pieces 15, for example, 4 to 120 pieces. By going through the freezing step and the storing step, a processed food in which a plurality of fruit pieces 15 are stored in the container 40 is obtained. The processed food contains at least one fruit piece 15 including a fruit core 14.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.
In the dividing step of dividing the main body portion 13 of the lemon 10 into wedge-shaped fruit pieces 15, a plurality of second cutting lines 22 extending radially from the center point 14b on the fruit center 14, and two adjacent second cutting lines 22 are formed. The main body portion 13 is cut along the second cutting line 22, which is set so that the fruit center 14 is located between the lines 22.

Thereby, as shown in FIG. 5, the fruit piece 15 including the fruit center 14 is cut along the second cutting line 22a and the second cutting line 22h, and the fruit piece 15 is cut along the second cutting line 22d and the second cutting line. The cut surface of the fruit piece 15 cut by 22e also has the same shape as the other fruit pieces 15. That is, the fruit center 14 is located in the center of the straight part of the comb-shaped fruit piece 15, and the cut capsule membrane 17 extends radially from the fruit center 14 toward the arc-shaped pericarp 16, and the capsule membrane 17 extends radially from the fruit center 14 toward the arc-shaped pericarp 16. This is the cut surface where the pulp 18 is exposed between the membranes 17.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the fruit piece 15 including the fruit center 14, most of the end 14c side of the fruit center 14 has a pulp 18a exposed on the first cut surface 15a, which is a cut surface on one side, and a pulp 18a on the other side. It is sandwiched between the second cut surface 15b, which is the side cut surface, and the exposed fruit pulp 18b. Thereby, when looking at the first cut surface 15a and the second cut surface 15b of the fruit piece 15, the fruit center 14 is hidden behind the pulp 18a, 18b and becomes difficult to see. As described above, by using the dividing step of the present embodiment, the cut surfaces of all the obtained fruit pieces 15 are aligned in the shape shown in FIG. 5, and as a result, variations in the cut surfaces of the fruit pieces 15 can be suppressed. .

Note that the angle formed by the first cut surface 15a and the second cut surface 15b of the fruit piece 15 including the fruit center 14 corresponds to the above-mentioned angle θ1. When the angle between the first cutting surface 15a and the second cutting surface 15b is 30 degrees or more, that is, when the second cutting line 22 is set so that the angle θ1 is 30 degrees or more, the center of the fruit 14 The effect that the fruit center 14 is hidden by the pulp 18a, 18b in the fruit piece 15 containing the fruit and becomes difficult to see can be obtained more noticeably.

Next, the effects of this embodiment will be described.
(1) The method for producing processed fruit includes cutting the main body portion 13 of the lemon 10 by cutting a plurality of second cutting lines 22 radially from the center point 14b on the fruit center 14 when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the fruit center 14. Then, there is a dividing step of cutting along the second cutting line 22 set so that the fruit center 14 is located between two adjacent second cutting lines 22.

According to the above-mentioned configuration, also in the fruit piece 15 including the fruit center 14, the fruit center 14 is located between the fruit pulp 18a exposed on the first cut surface 15a and the fruit pulp 18b exposed on the second cut surface 15b. As a result, the fruit center 14 becomes difficult to see from the first cut surface 15a and the second cut surface 15b, and both the first cut surface 15a and the second cut surface 15b become cut surfaces having the same shape as the other fruit pieces 15. Therefore, variations in the cut surfaces of the fruit pieces 15 can be suppressed.

(2) When the angle between the two second cutting lines 22 adjacent to each other with the fruit center 14 in between is θ1, the axis 14a of the fruit center 14 and the two second cutting lines 22 adjacent to each other with the fruit center 14 in between are defined as θ1. The angle θ2 formed by the second cutting line 22 near the axis 14a is within the range of (θ1/2)±5°.

According to the above configuration, the effect (1) above can be more significantly obtained. Furthermore, when looking at the cut surface of the fruit piece 15 including the fruit center 14, it is possible to prevent the fruit center 14 from being visible through the pulp 18a, 18b.

(3) The method for producing processed fruit includes a freezing step of freezing the fruit pieces 15.
In the fruit piece 15 including the fruit core 14, the fruit core 14 is located between the pulp 18a exposed on the first cut surface 15a and the pulp 18b exposed on the second cut surface 15b. As a result, the pulp 18a, 18b is supported from the inside by the fruit core 14, and when the fruit piece 15 is frozen and used as a frozen fruit piece, the pulp 18a, 18b loses its shape when thawed and used. can be suppressed.

(4) In the dividing step, the bulge 11 and tip portion 12 of the lemon 10 are removed.
According to the above configuration, the outer shapes of all the obtained fruit pieces 15 are arranged in the shape shown in FIG. 5, so that variations in the outer shapes of the fruit pieces 15 can also be suppressed.

Note that this embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications. This embodiment and the following modified examples can be implemented in combination with each other within a technically consistent range.
- The center of the plurality of radially extending second cutting lines 22 may be a point located on the fruit center 14 when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the fruit center 14, and may be a point located on the axis 14a of the fruit center 14. but not limited to.

- The second cutting line 22 may be set so that the angle θ2 is outside the range of “(θ1/2)±5°”. In the fruit piece 15 including the fruit center 14 obtained in this case, the fruit center 14 is larger at the first cut surface 15a or the second cut surface 15b than at the center between the first cut surface 15a and the second cut surface 15b. The present invention also includes a manufacturing method in which such fruit pieces 15 are obtained, although they are unevenly located.

- In the above embodiment, the dividing step was performed using fresh citrus fruit, but the dividing step may be performed using frozen fruit. Note that it is more preferable to use fresh fruit because the fruit can be easily cut.

- Although it is preferable that the angular intervals of the plurality of second cutting lines 22 are equal intervals, some or all of them may be different depending on the required fruit pieces 15. For example, when attempting to equalize the amount of pulp contained in each fruit piece 15 obtained, that is, when dividing the fruit pieces 15 to obtain a plurality of fruit pieces 15 having a uniform amount of pulp, the fruit piece 15 including the fruit center 14 The angular interval between the second cutting lines 22a that cut the fruit pieces 15 may be made larger than the angular interval between the second cutting lines 22 that cut the other fruit pieces 15.

- In the dividing step, the process of removing the bud 11 and the tip portion 12 may be performed after dividing into a plurality of fruit pieces 15. Furthermore, the process of removing only one of the bulge 11 and the tip portion 12 may be performed, or the process of removing the bulge 11 and the tip portion 12 may be omitted.

- A storage step may be performed before the freezing step of freezing the fruit pieces 15.
- Either or both of the storage step and the freezing step may be omitted.
- The fruit pieces 15 constituting the processed food may be in a frozen state or may be in an unfrozen state.

Next, the technical idea that can be understood from the above embodiment and modification examples will be described below.
(a) The method for producing the processed fruit, which includes a storing step of storing the fruit pieces in a container.
(b) The method for producing the processed fruit, which includes a freezing step of freezing the fruit pieces.

(c) A processed food comprising a plurality of fruit pieces obtained by cutting a citrus fruit having a fruit core into a wedge shape, and a container for accommodating the plurality of fruit pieces, wherein the plurality of fruit pieces are arranged in a first It has a cutting surface and a second cutting surface, and the first cutting surface and the second cutting surface are arranged so that the center of the fruit is located in the center of a straight portion, and the cut funnel extends from the fruit toward the arc-shaped pericarp. The sac is a cut surface in which the sac extends radially and the pulp is exposed between the sac, and the angle between the first cut surface and the second cut surface is 30° or more and 90° or less. In the processed food, in at least one of the fruit pieces, the fruit center is located between the pulp exposed on the first cut surface and the pulp exposed on the second cut surface.

(d) A frozen fruit piece using a fruit obtained by cutting a citrus fruit having a fruit center into a wedge shape, wherein the fruit piece is above the center of the fruit when the fruit is viewed from a direction perpendicular to the center of the fruit. has a first cut surface and a second cut surface formed by cutting along cutting lines extending radially from the center point of the fruit, and the pulp is exposed to the first cut surface and the pulp is exposed to the second cut surface. A frozen fruit piece in which the fruit core is located between the fruit pulp.

10... Lemon 14... Heart 14a... Axis line 14b... Center point 15... Fruit piece 15a... First cut surface 15b... Second cut surface 16... Pericarp 17... Carp membrane 18, 18a, 18b... Pulp 22, 22a~ 22d...Second cutting line 40...Accommodating tool

Claims (5)

When a citrus fruit having a fruit center is viewed from a direction perpendicular to the fruit center, a plurality of cutting lines extend radially from a central point on the fruit center, and the fruit is located between two adjacent cutting lines. A dividing step of dividing the fruit into four or more wedge-shaped fruit pieces by cutting along a cutting line set so that the heart is located ;
a freezing step of freezing the fruit pieces,
A method for producing a processed fruit, in which, in the dividing step, a bulge and a tip portion located at the end of the center of the fruit are removed . The method for producing a processed fruit according to claim 1, wherein in the dividing step, the fruit is divided into five or more comb-shaped fruit pieces. When the angle formed by the two adjacent cutting lines across the fruit center is θ1,
The angle between the axis of the fruit center and the cutting line that is closer to the axis of two adjacent cutting lines with the fruit center in between is within a range of (θ1/2) ±5°. The method for producing processed fruit according to claim 1 or claim 2. The method for producing a processed fruit according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the fruit is an aromatic citrus fruit. A processed food comprising a plurality of frozen fruit pieces obtained by cutting a citrus fruit having a fruit core into a wedge shape, and a container for accommodating the plurality of frozen fruit pieces,
A plurality of the frozen fruit pieces are formed by cutting the fruit along cutting lines extending radially from a center point on the fruit center when the fruit is viewed from a direction perpendicular to the fruit center; having a second cutting surface;
At least one of the frozen fruit pieces has the fruit core located between the pulp exposed on the first cut surface and the fruit pulp exposed on the second cut surface , and at the end of the fruit core in the fruit. Processed food from which the located bulge and tip have been removed .