JPH11276109A - Production of fermented soybeans mixed with sea tangle, and production device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an efficient method and an efficient device for automatically packing fermented soybeans mixed with a sea tangle, more concretely to ensure the free flowability of steamed soybeans before packed in containers. SOLUTION: This method for producing fermented soybeans mixed with a sea tangle comprises again spraying and inoculating Bacillus natto diluted to a prescribed concentration on the mixed materials just before the mixed materials comprising the soybeans and the sea tangle are packed in containers. The device for producing the fermented soybeans mixed with the sea tangle is obtained by disposing a spray device for spraying diluted Bacillus natto on steamed soybeans at the lowest flow portion of an inclined stand. It is preferable that the inclined stand used for packing the fermented soybeans mixed with the sea tangle has a steep inclination angle of about 17 degree.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a technique for producing kelp natto obtained by mixing kelp pieces cut into a predetermined size, and more particularly to means for improving the production efficiency in mass production.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Konbu natto has recently attracted attention as an excellent health food because of its unique flavor and high nutrition.

[0003] Proposals for kelp natto have been around for a long time.
For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 52-41253, steamed soybeans and broth are separated, kelp (or shiitake mushrooms or the like) may be immersed in the broth, and the broth and soybean containing the kelp extract are mixed. Then, a technique of inoculating natto bacteria to produce natto in which soybean is impregnated with kelp extract is disclosed.

However, since there are various chemical seasonings, the natto produced in this way and the natto obtained by adding a chemical seasoning at home to ordinary natto do not actually change much in texture. However, the fact is that the manufacturing cost only increases and the demand does not increase. In recent years, chemical seasonings have also been used in the seasoning liquid attached to the product natto, so the meaning of impregnating the steamed soybean itself with the kelp extract has diminished.

On the other hand, natto mixed with actual kelp pieces cut to a size of several millimeters seems to have a high nutritional appearance and also has a texture unique to kelp. The market value is higher than that of products impregnated with soybeans.

[0006] As such kelp natto, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 53-38647 is known. This kelp natto is cut using a kelp cut to a width of about 3 mm and a length of about 6 mm, and after baking, seasoned with a chemical seasoning containing sodium glutamate as a main component, inoculated with natto bacteria, and steamed soybeans. It is characterized by mixing. This technology is characterized by the fact that the actual kelp is mixed with natto instead of using kelp extract, and has been highly evaluated as a product.

[0007]

The problem is that the manufacturing steps described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 53-38647 have certain limitations in mass production. The reason is as follows.

[0008] That is, the conventional production method is characterized by simply mixing the cut kelp with the steamed soybeans. The procedure for fermenting the steamed soybeans to natto is a well-known technique that has been known for a long time, that is, natto bacteria. To soybean (JP-A-53-3864
In No. 7, kelp pieces are inoculated and entrusted to the subsequent temperature control. Of course, it is also possible to produce kelp natto having kelp pieces by such a production method, and such a method has been adopted for many years.

However, in the production of natto, automation has been advanced. Particularly, in the step of packing steamed soybeans, as shown in the figure, the steamed soybeans are moved downward from the upper side according to the inclined table 1 and the filling device (nozzle device) 2 Automatic processing of packing soybeans in the product container 3 by opening and closing the lid is performed. Conveyor 5 for transporting product containers (pack containers) 3
The opening and closing of the lid of the filling device 2 is driven and controlled based on a synchronization signal from a command device (control device) 6 by manual operation or fully automatic.

[0010] Packing using such an automatic device does not cause any particular problem when producing ordinary natto. This is because the steamed soybean has sufficient water on its surface and has fluidity, and flows freely along the inclined table 1 according to the opening and closing of the filling device 2.

However, steamed soybeans mixed with kelp pieces often do not flow freely downward on the inclined table 1 in the actual production process. Kelp pieces are described in the above-mentioned JP-A-53-3
As described in No. 8647, it is baked to increase the fragrance and then re-watered for a suitable time and then mixed with steamed soybeans. The re-watered kelp has a specific viscosity, This is because the stickiness is agitated with the steamed soybeans and hinders the free downward flow of the whole.

That is, the raw material of soybeans agglomerates due to the viscosity of the kelp, does not move on the inclined table 1, and even if the lid of the filling device 2 is opened, the steamed soybean does not flow into the pack container 3 and the production line stops. That is.

In order to solve such a problem, conventionally,
In the case of employing the automatic packing method, a dedicated staff is arranged in front of the inclined table 1, and the operation of flowing the steamed soybeans appropriately downward according to the opening and closing of the filling device 2 is performed, thereby realizing a smooth manufacturing environment.

However, arranging full-time staff for the production of kelp natto is very old in terms of production efficiency. Certainly, at the nationwide level, kelp natto is currently not sufficiently recognized in the market, and product costs are slightly higher, so the demand is reduced compared to normal natto. Therefore, even if dedicated staff is allocated, the product cost does not increase extremely.

However, there is a high possibility that the demand for natto mixed with kelp pieces will further increase in the future, such as the so-called natto smell is remarkably reduced and the health is good.
When demand grows, it is difficult to reduce product costs if conventional manual manufacturing steps are adopted, and it is also necessary to ensure rapid production that can reasonably cope with large demands. It becomes difficult.

Accordingly, the present invention relates to the production of kelp natto,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a more efficient method and apparatus for automatic packing, and more specifically, to ensure free fluidity of steamed soybeans before packing.

[0017]

According to the present invention, there is provided a method for producing kelp natto according to the present invention, wherein the natto bacterium diluted to a predetermined concentration is prepared immediately before packing a mixed material of soybean and kelp pieces. Is spray-inoculated again to the mixed material.

Further, the apparatus for producing kelp natto according to the present invention comprises:
An opening disposed corresponding to the stop position of the plurality of pack containers, a filling device that opens and closes the opening at a predetermined timing,
A slope for feeding the mixed material of the steamed soybean and kelp pieces to the opening of the filling device, and spraying the diluted soybean bacterium solution to the steamed soybean on the lowermost part of the slope. The spraying device is arranged.

Further, in order to obtain a device having higher operation efficiency, the spraying device dilutes natto to soybean kelp at a predetermined timing of several seconds or less based on an opening operation command signal from a command device for controlling the opening / closing timing of the filling device. A spraying device for spraying bacteria may be provided. In some cases, the slope for feeding the mixed material of steamed soybeans and kelp pieces to the filling device has a steep angle of about 17 degrees.

[0020]

The conventional method for producing konto natto is the same as the traditional method for producing natto, in which diluted soybean natto is inoculated into steamed soybeans (or kelp) as usual, and packed as it is. In contrast, the production method according to the present invention spray-inoculates the diluted natto bacteria again immediately before packing the mixed material of soybean and kelp pieces. In other words, two natto inoculations are performed.

The feature of the present invention lies in the timing and frequency of inoculation of diluted natto. When performing an automated packing process, conventional natto inoculation is performed when soybeans are removed from the steaming vessel. The time from this inoculation process to packing is approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute for the soybean at the top of the ramp,
It takes about 10 minutes for the last soybean. As the time is later, the nodule phenomenon due to the viscosity of the kelp and the delicate temperature drop progresses.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the diluted natto is sprayed immediately before packing (just before the lid of the nozzle device is opened), so that the soybean which can no longer slide on the inclined table due to the viscosity of the kelp. Can give sufficient lubricating moisture to the surface. Since the diluted Bacillus natto contains a large amount of water, the soybean material having viscosity is imparted to the soybean surface immediately before the downward movement by virtue of the lubrication so that the viscous soybean material can easily descend on the inclined table.

By inoculating the natto bacteria for the second time immediately before packing, soybeans in each container can be uniformly fermented and grown. Bacillus natto 45 ℃ -5 after inoculation
By soaking at a temperature of about 2 ° C., the soybean component is changed every moment, but with the conventional single inoculation, there is a possibility that the natto bacteria in each container may have slight variations. However, as in the production method according to the present invention, the second inoculation immediately before packing makes it possible to inoculate all the products with Bacillus natto uniformly and sufficiently, completely eliminating the possibility of product variations in the final stage. It becomes possible to wipe away. In addition, by increasing the number of bacteria in the initial stage by inoculating natto twice, the ripening time can be shortened and the flavor can be improved.

A second aspect of the present invention is an apparatus for realizing the method for producing kelp natto, wherein the diluted natto solution is placed at a position immediately before packing steamed soybeans in a product container, specifically, at a position above an inclined table. A device for spraying soybeans is provided. With this spraying device, the steamed soybeans and kelp immediately before packing are provided with water lubricity, and a predetermined amount is stored in the product container as the lid is opened and closed by smoothly sliding on the inclined base immediately before packing.

In this manufacturing apparatus, the reason why the second inoculation of Bacillus natto immediately before packing is that the inclined table branches at this portion corresponding to a plurality of packed containers (for example, four).
This is because it becomes tapered and clogs easily. The lane width is sufficient upstream of the ramp and the material naturally descends due to its own weight, so the upstream side (general surface of the ramp)
Does not require any special spraying device. However, it is free to arrange the spraying device also in the upstream part. The present apparatus is characterized in that a spraying device is provided in the vicinity of the inclined table portion (the most downstream portion of the inclined table; branching portion) immediately before packing.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the operation timing of the spray device is controlled based on an opening command signal from a command device for controlling the opening / closing timing of the lid device in order to obtain a device having high operation efficiency. That is, the spray device is driven in conjunction with the opening / closing timing of the lid device. Here, the operation start timing and the operation time have been described.

More specifically, the operation start timing is immediately before the opening of the lid device, together with the opening, or immediately after the closing. Any method may be used, but from the viewpoint of the flow of the production line, it is desirable to spray the diluted natto bacteria immediately before or simultaneously with the opening of the nozzle of the filling device. Spraying may be performed after the closing movement, but if the line stops for some reason, there is a possibility that a non-slip state may occur at the time of resumption.

The operation time of the spraying device is several seconds or less, preferably, for example, about 0.5 to 1 second. If it is too short, sufficient lubricating water cannot be provided, and if it is too long, deterioration due to excessive water is a concern.

A fourth aspect of the present invention relates to a technique relating to the angle of the inclined platform immediately before the filling device (the inclined platform at the most downstream portion).
The tilt angle of this part is about 16 to 20 degrees,
Preferably, the inclination angle is 17 degrees. The inclination angle in the usual natto production is about 10 to 11 degrees, but by making the inclination more steep, the viscous steamed soybean can be more smoothly lowered. If the angle is greater than this, it becomes difficult to stabilize the operation timing of the filling device, and unfavorable results such as variation in the filling amount of the product are likely to occur.

[0030]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a production example of kelp natto according to the present invention. In the production of kelp natto, soybeans and kelp pieces are individually processed, mixed and packed into product containers.
First, the kelp pieces cut to an appropriate size are fired (S-
1) Reconstitute with hot water (S-2) and mix with seasonings (S-3). On the other hand, soybeans are steamed (S-4),
The first inoculation of Bacillus natto is performed (S-5). Next, these were mixed and stirred (S-6), and transferred to a tilting table (S-7).
Immediately before the packing (S-9), the spraying device arranged near the filling device is driven to inoculate the second natto inoculation (S-).
8). After that, the material packed in the product container is subjected to normal temperature control (S-10) to obtain a final product (S-1).
1).

FIG. 2 shows an example of a configuration around the filling device 10. The filling device 10 opens and closes the lid 12 based on the opening and closing signal sent via the control device 11, and sends the soybean / kelp mixed material 15 on the inclined table 14 to the product container 16. Reference numeral 17 denotes a unit for transporting the product container, for example, a belt device, the stop position of which is controlled in conjunction with the opening and closing of the lid 12. Numeral 18 is a spraying device for injecting the diluted natto bacteria, at an appropriate position at the most downstream part of the inclined table,
For example, the soybean / kelp mixed material 15 is sprayed at a wide angle onto the soybean / kelp mixed material 15 at the lowermost part of the inclined table by disposing it at a position above the filling device 10. In addition, the natto bacteria used for the second time is, for example, 1 cc diluted 500 times, and the raw material 60 kg
It is desirable to use about 500 cc per unit. 4
The amount used per pack is about 0.83 cc. In addition, it is desirable to dilute 1 cc of the natto bacteria sprayed for the first time by 1000 times and use about 1000 cc for 60 kg of the raw material. The second Bacillus natto uses less

FIG. 3 shows a control example of the opening and closing operation of the lid 12 of the filling device 10 and the spraying operation of the spraying device 18 together with the flow of time (indicated by an arrow T). In this embodiment, a case is illustrated in which the spraying device 18 first injects the diluted natto bacteria based on the timing signal from the control device 11, and the filling device 10 opens the lid 12 after the operation is completed. As described above, the timing of opening and closing the lid and the timing of spraying the Bacillus natto may be simultaneous or may be reversed.

[0033]

As described above, according to the method and the apparatus for producing kelp natto according to the present invention, it is possible to ensure free flow of raw materials when packing products, and to perform automatic packing processing. Efficiency can be improved. In addition, it is possible to inoculate natto (into a smaller amount of soybeans) immediately before the product pack, so that the product can be homogenized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating steps for producing kelp natto according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a spraying device for a second inoculation of Bacillus natto according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the timing of the second inoculation of Bacillus natto according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a conventional packing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 Filling device 11 Control device 12 Lid 14 Inclined table 15 Mixed material of soybean and kelp 16 Product container 17 Belt device 18 Spraying device

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A method for producing konbu natto, comprising: spraying and inoculating a diluted natto solution onto at least one of steamed soybeans and cut kelp pieces, and then mixing the soybeans and kelp pieces. A method for producing kelp natto, characterized in that natto bacteria diluted to a predetermined concentration are spray-inoculated again to the mixed material at a timing immediately before packing the mixed material of kelp and kelp pieces. 2. An apparatus for packing a mixed material of steamed soybeans and kelp pieces, which has been inoculated with natto, and is provided corresponding to the stop positions of a plurality of pack containers. A filling device, a lid device for opening and closing the opening of the filling device at a predetermined timing, and a slope for feeding the mixed material of the steamed soybeans and kelp pieces to the filling device. An apparatus for manufacturing kelp natto, characterized in that a spraying device for spraying a diluted natto solution onto the mixed material is disposed in a portion. 3. The spraying device according to claim 1, wherein the spraying device sprays diluted natto bacteria on the mixed material at a predetermined timing of several seconds or less based on an opening command signal from a command device for controlling the opening / closing timing of the lid device. 3. The apparatus for producing kelp natto according to claim 2, further comprising: 4. A tilting table for feeding a mixed material of steamed soybeans and kelp pieces to a filling device has a steep angle of about 17 degrees. 3. The apparatus for producing kelp natto according to 3.