JPH04237469A - Production of food and drink utilizing gellan gm - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the title food and drink capable of freely forming jelly having various kinds of viscosities without needing to keep high temperature and having excellent texture and productivity by cooling a solution in which gellan gum is dissolved with a raw material water from which cation is removed. CONSTITUTION:A solution obtained by completely dissolving gellan gum in raw material water from which cation is removed as much as possible is previously cooled and prepared. On the one hand, a cationic solution of calcium ion is prepared and the above-mentioned gellan gum solution is added to the cationic solution and mixed therewith while stirring the cationic solution to provide the objective food and drink.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to foods and drinks using gellan gum and a method for producing the same. More specifically, the present invention allows jelly with various viscosities to be freely formed depending on the purpose, and furthermore, there is no need to maintain high temperatures during production, and the production process can be carried out by assembly line operation using simple equipment. It concerns a system that is extremely suitable for industrialization.

0002

[Prior Art] It has long been known that gellan gum produces a heat-resistant gel that can withstand retorting, and also has good flavor release.
It also has the characteristic that very high quality jelly can be obtained.

[0003] A conventional method for gelling gellan gum is to add and mix cations to an aqueous gellan gum system and then cool the mixture. however,
Since the aqueous gellan gum system loses fluidity and turns into a gel at temperatures below 85°C, it is necessary to perform cation treatment while maintaining the aqueous gellan gum system at a high temperature to maintain fluidity.

[0004] Therefore, unless the gellan gum aqueous system is maintained at a high temperature, it will irreversibly gel inside pipes and will not dissolve even if reheated. Equipment for this purpose is required, and as a matter of course, energy requirements are also high, which poses major problems for industrial processing. In addition, due to the temperature limitations of conventional methods, the type of gel produced must be within a certain production limit, and a wide variety of gels with various viscosities and properties can be produced. It cannot be freely prepared as desired.

[0005]Also, in recent years, a method using an acid instead of a cation has been developed (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 126942/1983).
In this method as well, it is necessary to add acid while the gellan gum aqueous system maintains its fluidity, so the aqueous system must be maintained at a high temperature as in the conventional method described above.

[0006] As described above, in conventional methods, no special attention has been paid to the raw material water itself for preparing the aqueous system of gellan gum, and the major premise is that the raw water is used as it is without treatment. As a matter of fact, the state of the art in this industry is such that it has not even been considered to perform any special treatment on the raw water itself, let alone to remove cations from the raw water.

[0007]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As mentioned above, it has been known for a long time that gellan gum forms a heat-resistant gel that can withstand retorting. It is also characterized by its ability to produce very high quality jelly with good flavor release. However, this feature actually becomes a drawback. That is, it does not re-dissolve even when heated, so if it solidifies in the container, it will not come out, and if it solidifies in the piping, it will have to be disassembled and cleaned. Furthermore, when producing a jelly-containing drink, it was necessary to cool a liquid preparation containing gellan gum to gel it, and then cut or break it. Moreover, with conventional methods, it has not been possible to freely produce a wide variety of gels or jellies.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, but as a result of examination from various aspects, it was found that the intended purpose could not be achieved by simple modification of the conventional method. In light of this, it was recognized that a major change in thinking was needed.

[0009] Therefore, we focused on the cations that were conventionally necessary for gelling gellan gum, and when we used raw water from which cations had been removed in the preparation of an aqueous gellan gum system, we found that a 1% aqueous solution was obtained. We have obtained a new and useful finding that even a gellan gum solution with such a high concentration does not gel even if it is cooled to 35°C. This greatly exceeds the conventional technical level, which states that gellan gum aqueous systems gel unless they are heated to 85° C. or higher.

[0010] Next, cations, for example in the form of organic acid salts, are added and mixed to the gellan gum aqueous solution prepared in this way, which exhibits a sol-like state even at low temperatures, and when this is cooled, excellent gelation occurs. I discovered this for the first time. According to this method, the aqueous gellan gum system maintains a sol state at approximately room temperature, so there is no need to heat and maintain piping, containers, and other equipment as in conventional methods, and the temperature does not drop to some extent during the process. It was also confirmed that because it does not gel even when it is used, assembly line work is possible, making it extremely suitable for industrial mass production.

On the other hand, according to the present method, it is possible to freely control the temperature of the gellan gum aqueous solution, the organic acid salt solution, and the mixture thereof, including the low temperature.
It has also been confirmed that various types of gelation are possible, and that it is possible to prepare jelly that could not be prepared using conventional methods. Furthermore, since this method enables low-temperature processing for the first time, flavors and volatile components can also be used freely, and it has been confirmed that it is possible to prepare even better flavor products and spice products. Based on new findings,
The present invention has finally been completed. The present invention will be explained in detail below.

As mentioned above, gellan gum forms a strong gel in the presence of cations. The present invention utilizes this feature in reverse, and a solution in which gellan gum is completely dissolved in raw water containing no cations is cooled in advance in a plate sterilizer. Preferably, cooling is carried out below 50°C. Furthermore, if the temperature is below 35°C, the setting time is too short, making it difficult to obtain a jelly with good texture. If it does not contain cations, the temperature is 35℃ even if the gellan gum concentration is 1%.
But it doesn't gel. After that, it is transferred to a storage tank equipped with a stirrer, where a cationic solution consisting of salts such as various organic acids is mixed and the temperature is lower than the gelling temperature of gellan gum with that cationic concentration, so that gelation occurs. arise. Gellan gum usually begins to gel in the presence of cations at 30 to 40°C, and if the cation concentration is high, it will gel even at 40°C or higher. The strength of the gel changes depending on the concentration of cations, but if the cation concentration is too low, the gel will dissolve during subsequent sterilization and gel again during cooling, making it impossible to obtain the desired jelly solution. For example, in the case of calcium concentration, 80℃, 20-30℃
For sterilization for about minutes, 50 ppm or more, 115℃, 20
For sterilization for about a minute, 200 ppm or more is required.

In the present invention, raw water from which cations have been removed is used. In this case, although it is preferable to completely remove cations, it is sufficient to remove as much as possible, and even if some cations are contained, there is no particular problem as long as the insulating temperature is slightly raised. Generally, a hardness of 1 or less is preferred. As the water from which cations have been removed, any water from which cations have been removed, such as deionized water obtained by treating water with an ion exchange resin or the like, distilled water, etc., can be used.

[0014] Since the gellan gum aqueous solution prepared using such raw water does not contain cations, it does not gel even at a low temperature of, for example, 35°C. Therefore, there is no need to heat and maintain piping and other equipment at high temperatures, and the aqueous gellan gum solution can be freely transported in the form of a sol or stored in a storage tank, making it particularly suitable for industrialization.

In the present invention, cations are added and mixed to gellan gum aqueous solution to form a gel. As the cation source, alkali (earth) metal salts of organic acids and inorganic acids, their contents, various kinds Food and drink products such as seasonings, dairy products, spices, fruit juices, and vegetable juices can be used as appropriate. Among these, preferred examples include alkaline earth metal salts (calcium lactate, calcium gluconate, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, etc.), and calcium salts of organic acids are particularly advantageous from an industrial perspective. At this time, not only a cation source but also raw materials necessary for producing the desired jelly-like food or drink may be added as appropriate.

Gelation begins when the mixing temperature reaches a gelation temperature. Although there is an upper limit, the higher the calcium concentration at this time, the stronger the gel will be produced, and the lower the calcium concentration, the more easily dissolved the gel will be when reheated. However, since the lower the flavor release is, the better the taste will be, so it is preferable not to make it more intense than necessary. Here, the term "more than necessary" refers to a concentration that does not dissolve under the heat applied during reheating after gelation. If the temperature is too low, the gel will become solubilized and when the temperature returns to room temperature, a very strong gel will be produced, resulting in gelation inside the container or piping, making it impossible to manufacture.

The temperature of the solution to be mixed is lowered in advance so that when the concentration of cations exceeds a specified concentration, the mixing temperature becomes lower than the gelation temperature of that concentration. At this time, if the temperature of gellan gum is lowered, the viscosity will be higher and more fine jelly will be produced, and if the cation solution is lowered, the jelly solution will have a crispier texture. Also, if you mix at a high temperature after mixing, a soft and large jelly will be produced, resulting in a drinkable jelly.On the other hand, by keeping the temperature low and mixing speed fast, you can create a sauce-like solution. .

As the stirring speed is increased, the size of the gel becomes smaller, resulting in a jelly solution containing fine jelly. Furthermore, by increasing the stirring speed, the jelly completely collapses and becomes a highly viscous solution, which when used in sauces, etc., has an unprecedented non-sticky and smooth texture.
You can create sauces with completely new flavors. Also, if the stirring speed is lowered, the jelly will become larger and have a jelly-like texture. If you stop stirring and stir, a larger jelly will be formed and the texture will be crisper.

[0019] Furthermore, by mixing locust bean gum, xanthan gum, and carrageenan individually or in combination instead of using gellan gum alone, it is possible to improve the crispy texture to a gelatin-like elastic texture with less syneresis. .

According to the present invention, the viscosity and gel state can be freely changed by various factors. For example, by simply changing the stirring speed, a wide variety of jelly can be produced as shown in Table 1 below. can get.

[0021]

[Table 1]

As described above, according to the present invention, various viscosities,
Gel foods and drinks of any size and shape can be freely produced, from hard jelly to extremely soft sauce-like foods. Non-limiting examples thereof include: confectionery jellies (which may have internal fillings), deli jellies (which may have internal fillings), jelly drinks, dressings, Sauces, mayonnaise, spices, and other types of food and beverages that are hard gelled jelly, soft semi-solid, or drink-like. )

The present invention will be further explained below with reference to Examples.

[0024]

[Example 1. Coffee jelly drink] Gellan gum 0
．． 2 parts and 15 parts of granulated sugar are mixed in powder form, and added to boiling water at 95°C with stirring to completely dissolve. It was filtered through a 20 mesh filter, and 20 parts of water was added to the filtrate. At this time, about 4
The temperature of the water added in advance was adjusted to 5°C. This is called solution A. On the other hand, 0.2 parts of calcium lactate and 1 part of sugar were mixed in powder form and completely dissolved in boiling water at 95°C. Add 50 parts of coffee extract to this and bring the temperature of the solution to 35.
The temperature was adjusted to ℃. This will be referred to as solution B. When solution B is gradually added to solution A while stirring gently, gelation occurs at about 40°C, and solution B is further added and mixed completely. Finally, after timely addition of flavor, water is added to make up to 100 parts.

[0025] The thus obtained liquid mixture is in the form of a mixture of crumbled jelly and coffee liquid, and has extremely good fluidity, so it can be easily filled into containers and sterilized. In addition, its texture makes it a completely new drink.

Of course, adding coffee extract to this drink jelly solution will make it even easier to drink, and if you add milk instead of coffee, you can create a coffee-milk jelly like never before.

[0027]

[Example 2. Non-oil dressing] Gellan gum 0
．． Mix 3 parts of granulated sugar and 1.5 parts of granulated sugar as powder, and completely dissolve in 95°C boiling water while stirring. It was filtered through 20 mesh, and 50 parts of water was added to the filtrate. At this time, the temperature of the water added was adjusted in advance so that the liquid temperature was about 45°C. This is called solution A.

On the other hand, 7 parts of granulated sugar, 1 part of fermented seasoning.
5 parts, citrus juice 3 parts, brewed vinegar 0.8 parts, salt 3 parts,
Dissolve and mix 0.2 parts of chemical seasoning with 40 parts of water, A
As with the solution, adjust the water temperature to 25°C. This will be referred to as solution B. Solution A is stirred at high speed, and solution B is gradually added into it using a pump. At this time, the temperature of the mixed solution is about 4
Gelation occurs when the temperature drops to 0°C, but it collapses immediately due to stirring, and the viscosity of the mixed solution appears to increase. Finally, after adding the flavor at the appropriate time, add water to make 100 parts.

Since the thus obtained liquid mixture never gels again, it can be easily sterilized and a very refreshing and fragrant non-oil lemon dressing can be obtained.

[0030]

[Example 3. Yogurt jelly drink] Gellan gum 0.1 part, locust bean gum 0.1 part, xanthan gum 0.1 part, carrageenan 0.1 part and granulated sugar 5 parts
1 part was mixed into powder and added to 38.6 parts of 95°C hot water with stirring to completely dissolve. Filter through 20 mesh and add 15 parts of water to the filtrate. At this time, the temperature of the water added in advance was adjusted to about 45°C. This is called solution A.

On the other hand, 0.2 parts of calcium lactate and 1 part of sugar were mixed in powder form and completely dissolved in 3.8 parts of boiling water at 95°C. 45 parts of a mixture of yogurt liquid stabilized with pectin and fruit juice was added, and the temperature of the solution was adjusted to 25°C. This will be referred to as solution B.

While gently stirring solution A, solution B is gradually added to the solution A, and the solution B is completely mixed. At this time, if you stop stirring once and continue stirring after allowing the mixture to stand still, you can obtain a larger jelly with a softer texture.

The thus obtained liquid mixture becomes a jelly that is softer and more elastic than gellan gum alone. By adding 50 parts of solution B, a mixture of jelly and yogurt liquid is created, which can be filled into containers and sterilized.

[0034]

[Effects of the Invention] The present invention employs a completely new two-component process that uses cation-removed water that far exceeds the conventional technical level and then performs cation treatment. This makes it possible to process at extremely low temperatures, which reduces energy costs, makes it possible to process continuously, and makes industrial large-scale processing possible for the first time, increasing safety and making a major contribution in terms of labor. It is something.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the processing temperature range is greatly expanded, it becomes possible to freely produce various types of jelly-like foods and drinks, and the development of new types of foods and drinks that were previously unknown is greatly facilitated. You can expect it.

Claims (7)

[Claims] Claim 1: A solution in which gellan gum is completely dissolved in raw water from which cations have been removed as much as possible is cooled and prepared in advance, and a cation solution is prepared separately, and this cation solution is prepared. A method for producing food and drink products using gellan gum, which comprises adding and mixing the above-mentioned gellan gum solution while stirring the gellan gum solution. 2. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature at the time of mixing is lower than the gelling temperature of gellan gum having the cation concentration. 3. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the viscosity is controlled by changing the stirring speed during mixing. 4. The production method according to claim 1, wherein an organic acid salt is used as a cation source. 5. The production method according to claim 4, wherein the cations used are calcium ions. [Claim 6] Further, by using locust bean gum, xanthan gum and/or carrageenan,
The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the texture is improved to be gelatin-like with elasticity and less syneresis. 7. A food or drink using gellan gum produced by the production method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.