JPWO2008020568A1 - Gel-like food and method for producing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a method for producing a gel-like food product such as whey cheese that is not fragile, has a non-sticky texture, is not starchy, has a smooth mouthfeel and a low texture, has little water separation, and has a good texture and flavor. . A treatment liquid containing whey protein and fat, having a whey protein concentration of 4 to 12% by weight and a weight ratio of fat to whey protein of 5 times or less, is heated under two-stage heating conditions. To produce a gel food. In the first stage of the two-stage heating conditions, the heating temperature is set to 65 to 75 ° C., and the whole treatment liquid is held at 65 to 75 ° C. at a substantially uniform temperature. In the second stage of the two-stage heating conditions, the heating temperature is 90 ° C. or lower and exceeds 75 ° C., and the entire treatment liquid is substantially uniform at a temperature of 90 ° C. or lower and exceeds 75 ° C. To hold. [Selection figure] None

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for producing a gel-like food product such as whey cheese having a smooth mouth feel and a touch, little water separation, and good texture and flavor, and a gel-like food product produced thereby.

  Whey is obtained as a by-product during the production of natural cheese and casein.

  Whey is well known for its nutritional value, and it contains whey protein, lactose, minerals, vitamins and so on. Among these whey components, whey protein is particularly useful as a raw material in various nutritional compositions and the like because of its high nutritional value and excellent protein utilization efficiency.

  However, effective use of whey protein is not sufficient, and further development of applications is desired.

  Whey protein is denatured when heat-treated at a temperature of 60 ° C or higher, becomes an acid coagulum when heat-treated in a low pH solution, and becomes a gelled product with excellent water retention when heat-treated in the presence of salts. (Non-Patent Document 1).

  Whey cheese typified by ricotta cheese is a food that uses the heat coagulation property of whey protein.

  This whey cheese is prepared, for example, by adding whole milk, skim milk, cream, etc. to the whey obtained as a by-product during the production of ordinary natural cheese, and preparing a treatment liquid. Etc.), etc., and then heated to a temperature of 85 to 95 ° C. in a large-capacity tank (kettle) to form a card (aggregate) (Non-patent Documents 2 and 3).

  First of all, since the card floats near the liquid level in a large-capacity tank, the floated card is scooped up with a colander (net) and collected. Next, a small amount of acid (such as citric acid) is added to the treatment liquid in a heated (high temperature) state to further form a card (aggregate). These cards are combined, dehydrated, filled into a cup-shaped container, and sealed to obtain whey cheese.

  On the other hand, several attempts have been made in the manufacture of cheese-like foods using whey protein. For example, in Patent Document 1, in the production of whey cheese, a whey protein concentrate (WPC) having a high nutritional value is heated as a main raw material, ripened with rennet, and natural cheese with good flavor and texture. I'm getting food.

  In Patent Document 2, whey protein cheese having a smooth texture is obtained by subjecting whey protein to limited decomposition, followed by heat treatment and then acid treatment.

  Moreover, in patent document 3, a whey protein is added to raw material milk, and it heats and stirs after pH adjustment, The cottage cheese-like fresh cheese curd excellent in water retention, heat resistance, and preservability is obtained in high yield in a short time. It is gained in.

  However, the above-mentioned cards may be brittle in structure, have a soft touch, may be starchy, or may be easy to release water, and some of the cards remain unsatisfactory in terms of texture and flavor.

  In addition, in the manufacturing method described above, the heating time becomes longer, an overheated part is generated in the processing liquid due to the structural characteristics of the heating method and the heating device, and the heat history is different for each part of the processing liquid. In some cases, the card becomes too stiff, or the texture and flavor of the inside of the container, etc. are not constant and vary.

  Note that an overheated portion is generated in the processing liquid, for example, when the temperature of the processing liquid is increased by indirectly performing heat processing from the outside of the tank (such as a jacket), at the periphery of the edge inside the tank. As a phenomenon. In addition, heat treatment is performed directly by injecting a heating element, hot water, water vapor, etc. into the treatment liquid, bringing the electrode into contact with the treatment liquid and energizing it, or irradiating the treatment liquid with electromagnetic waves (microwaves). When the temperature of the processing liquid is increased, it is assumed that the phenomenon occurs in the vicinity of the heating element, hot water, water vapor, electrode, irradiated portion, and the like.

Further, at this time, if the processing operation from preparation of the treatment liquid to heat treatment, filling into a container or the like and sealing is an open system, there may be a concern about sanitary problems.
JP-A-1-148148 JP-A-7-264980 JP-A-9-299025 New Food Industry, 25 (3), 33 (1983): Shuichi Uenogawa CHEESE Chemistry, Physics and Microbiology-Volume2, Major Cheese Groups by Fox, McSweeney, Cogan and Guinee Application of ulrtafiltration in the dairy industry by Renner and Abd

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. The tissue is not brittle, the touch is not sticky, is not starchy, the mouth feel and the touch are smooth, the water is not loosened, the texture and the flavor. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a gel-like food such as whey cheese and a gel-like food such as whey cheese produced thereby.

  In light of the above problems, the present inventors have conducted extensive research and have devised heat treatment conditions in the production process of conventional whey cheese to provide a gel such as whey cheese with an unprecedented texture and flavor. The present inventors have found that a food product can be obtained and have completed the present invention.

  In addition, at this time, by appropriately selecting the concentration of whey protein, the mixing ratio of whey protein and fat, pH, volume, etc. in the treatment liquid to be heat-treated, it has an excellent texture and flavor and has a long-term At the same time, the inventors have found that a gel food that can be stored and is hygienic is obtained.

  That is, the present invention is as follows.

(1) A treatment solution containing whey protein and fat, wherein the concentration of whey protein is 4 to 12% by weight and the weight ratio of fat to whey protein is 5 times or less is heated under two-stage heating conditions. A method for producing a gel food,
In the first stage of the two-stage heating condition, the heating temperature is set to 65 to 75 ° C., and the whole treatment liquid is held at 65 to 75 ° C. at a substantially uniform temperature.
In the second stage of the two-stage heating conditions, the heating temperature is 90 ° C. or lower and exceeds 75 ° C., and the entire treatment liquid is substantially uniform at a temperature of 90 ° C. or lower and higher than 75 ° C. A method for producing a gel-like food, characterized by comprising:

(2) The method for producing a gel food product according to (1), wherein the treatment liquid is emulsified before the treatment liquid is heat-treated.

(3) In said (1) or (2), pH of the said process liquid is 5-9, The manufacturing method of the gel-like foodstuff characterized by the above (4) Any of said (1) thru | or (3) In this, the said process liquid contains at least 1 or more of an emulsifier, a stabilizer, and a gelatinizer, The manufacturing method of the gel-like foodstuff characterized by the above-mentioned.

(5) In any one of the above (1) to (4), the first stage heat treatment time and the second stage heat treatment time are both within 30 minutes. Method.

(6) The method for producing a gelled food according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the treatment liquid is filled in a container and sealed, followed by heat treatment.

(7) In the method (6), the capacity of the container is 50 ml (milliliter) to 150 ml (milliliter).

(8) The method for producing a gelled food according to (6) or (7), wherein the container is made of plastic.

(9) The method for producing a gel food according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein the gel food is whey cheese.

(10) A gel food produced using the production method of any one of (1) to (8) above.

(11) Whey cheese manufactured using the manufacturing method according to any one of (1) to (8) above.

  According to the present invention, a method for producing a gel-like food product such as whey cheese having a texture that is not fragile, has a non-sticky texture, is not starchy, has a smooth mouthfeel and has a low water separation, and has a good texture and flavor. And gel-like foodstuffs, such as whey cheese manufactured by this, can be provided.

  The inventors of the present application heat-treat the treatment liquid containing whey protein under various heating conditions to produce a gel food such as whey cheese, and the texture, flavor, physical properties, etc. of the gel food Evaluation and analysis. In addition, after filling a cup-shaped container with a treatment solution containing whey protein and sealing it, heat treatment is performed under various heating conditions to produce gel foods such as whey cheese, and the texture and flavor of these gel foods The physical properties were evaluated and analyzed.

  At this time, a sensory test was used to evaluate the texture and flavor, and a bacterial test or photomicrograph was used to evaluate the physical properties. By simultaneously evaluating and analyzing the texture, flavor and physical properties, a method for producing a gel-like food having a good texture and flavor and a gel-like food produced thereby were found.

  The method for producing a gel-like food according to the present invention comprises a treatment solution containing whey protein and fat, wherein the concentration of whey protein is 4 to 12% by weight and the weight ratio of fat to whey protein is 5 times or less. It heat-processes according to the heating conditions of a step, and manufactures a gel-like foodstuff.

  Here, in the first stage of the two-stage heating conditions, the heating temperature is set to 65 to 75 ° C., and the entire treatment liquid is held at 65 to 75 ° C. at a substantially uniform temperature. In the second stage, the heating temperature is 90 ° C. or lower and exceeds 75 ° C., and the whole treatment liquid is maintained at a substantially uniform temperature and 90 ° C. or lower and higher than 75 ° C. is there.

  By subjecting the treatment liquid to heat treatment under the two-stage heating conditions described above, the tissue is not brittle, the touch is not sticky, is not starchy, the mouth feel and the touch are smooth, and the water release is low. A gel-like food product such as whey cheese having good flavor can be produced.

  In the present invention, “the entire treatment liquid is maintained at 65 to 75 ° C. at a substantially uniform temperature”, “the entire treatment liquid is at a substantially uniform temperature of 90 ° C. or less and a temperature exceeding 75 ° C. "Hold so that" the temperature of the "part of the processing liquid that is most difficult to rise" is heated to the predetermined temperature range so that the temperature of the entire processing liquid is maintained. That means.

  Here, the “part where the temperature of the processing liquid is most difficult to raise” means, for example, when the processing liquid is heated indirectly from the outside of the container containing the processing liquid to heat the processing liquid. It means a portion where heat is most difficult to be transmitted in the processing liquid, such as a central portion inside.

  In addition, when heating a treatment liquid by injecting a heating element, hot water, water vapor, etc. into the treatment liquid and heating the treatment liquid directly, it is far away from the heat generation element, hot water, water vapor, etc. It means a position where it is difficult to change temperature due to physical properties such as density.

  The whey protein used in the present invention is contained in cheese whey and acid whey.

  Cheese whey is obtained as a by-product when producing natural cheese from milk. Acid whey is obtained as a supernatant when casein is produced by adding acid to milk, utilizing the phenomenon that proteins precipitate near the isoelectric point.

  Specific examples of the whey protein source (material) used in the present invention include whey, whey powder, whey protein concentrate (WPC) obtained by treating whey with an ultrafiltration membrane, and ion exchange of whey. Examples thereof include a whey protein isolate (WPI) obtained by treatment with a resin or the like.

  The whey protein concentration (water concentration) in the treatment solution is preferably 4 to 12% by weight.

  If the whey protein concentration in the treatment solution is lower than 4% by weight, the strength of the gel obtained by the heat treatment becomes too weak. If the whey protein concentration is higher than 12% by weight, the gel strength is increased. Therefore, it is not suitable for food as a gel food as it is.

  From this viewpoint, the concentration of the whey protein in the treatment liquid is more preferably 5 to 11% by weight, and further preferably 6 to 10% by weight.

  The fat content in the treatment liquid is preferably 5 times or less by weight ratio to whey protein.

  It is preferable that the treatment liquid contains an appropriate amount of fat in order to make the mouthfeel and the mouth feel of the gel food and to obtain a rich texture and flavor. However, if the fat content in the treatment liquid exceeds 5 times by weight with respect to whey protein, it is not preferable because the food texture and flavor of the gel food may be felt.

  From this point of view, the fat content in the treatment liquid is more preferably 0.5 to 4 times, and still more preferably 1 to 3 times, by weight ratio to whey protein.

  Specific examples of the fat source (raw material) include whole milk, whole fat concentrated milk, whole milk powder, condensed milk, cream, butter, fermented butter, buttermilk, buttermilk powder, vegetable and animal nature. And soy-based foods such as soy milk.

  In the present invention, the treatment liquid described above is heat-treated under two-stage heating conditions.

  These two-stage heating conditions are the first stage, the heating temperature is 65 to 75 ° C., and the whole treatment liquid is held at 65 to 75 ° C. at a substantially uniform temperature, and the heating temperature is the second stage. Is 90 ° C. or lower and exceeds 75 ° C., and the entire treatment liquid is held at a substantially uniform temperature so that the temperature is 90 ° C. or lower and exceeds 75 ° C.

  The first stage heat treatment (preliminary heating) and the second stage heat treatment (final heating) change the heating temperature to two stages, and the entire treatment liquid is gelled in a nearly uniform state, thereby producing a uniform card. Is formed. As a result, a gel-like food product having a good texture and flavor with little texture and texture is produced.

  The temperature range of 65 to 75 ° C. by the first stage heat treatment (preheating) is a temperature at which the whey protein gradually heat coagulates, for example, about 70 ° C.

  A temperature range of 90 ° C. or lower and higher than 75 ° C. by the second stage heat treatment (final heating) is a temperature at which the whey protein is completely thermally coagulated, for example, about 80 ° C.

  In the present invention, the heating temperature at the first stage is preferably set to 65 to 75 ° C., more preferably 70 to 75 ° C., and further preferably 70 to 73 ° C., and the entire processing liquid is maintained at a substantially uniform temperature. That is, the treatment liquid is subjected to heat treatment so that the temperature of the portion of the treatment liquid that is most difficult to rise is preferably 65 to 75 ° C, more preferably 70 to 75 ° C, and even more preferably 70 to 73 ° C. To maintain the temperature of the entire processing solution.

  If the temperature is set lower than 65 ° C., it takes a long time for the portion of the processing liquid that is most difficult to increase the temperature to reach a predetermined temperature, resulting in poor production efficiency.

  On the other hand, if the heating temperature at the first stage is set higher than 75 ° C., the whey protein is denatured at once, and the treatment liquid is solidified non-uniformly, so that a gel-like food with a rough texture can be obtained. It is not preferable.

  In other words, it is preferable to set the heating temperature appropriately while taking into consideration the production efficiency and quality (feel and flavor) of the gel food.

  By the first stage of heat treatment (preheating), the entire treatment liquid is gelled in a uniform and uniform state, forming a uniform card, with a smooth texture with less texture and flavor. You can get food.

  Note that setting the temperature of the heat treatment to 65 ° C. to 75 ° C. means, for example, controlling the temperature within a range of 65 ° C. to 75 ° C. at a constant temperature (for example, 70 ° C.) and changing the temperature ( For example, it means both controlling at 66 ° C. to 73 ° C.).

  In the present invention, the heating temperature of the second stage is preferably set to a temperature range of 90 ° C. or less and exceeding 75 ° C., more preferably 80 ° C. to 90 ° C., and further preferably 80 to 85 ° C. Is maintained at a substantially uniform temperature. That is, the temperature of the portion of the processing liquid that is most difficult to raise is preferably 90 ° C. or less and more than 75 ° C., more preferably 80 ° C. to 90 ° C., and even more preferably 80 to 85 ° C. In addition, heat treatment is applied to the treatment liquid to maintain the temperature of the entire treatment liquid.

  If the heating temperature at the second stage is set to 75 ° C. or lower, it takes a long time for the portion of the processing liquid that is most difficult to rise to reach a predetermined temperature, resulting in poor production efficiency.

  On the other hand, if the heating temperature is set higher than about 90 ° C., the whey protein is denatured at once, and the treatment liquid is solidified strongly, so that a gel-like food with a rough texture is obtained.

  That is, it is preferable to appropriately set the heating temperature in consideration of the production efficiency and quality of the gel food at the second stage.

  Note that setting the temperature of the heat treatment to a temperature range of 90 ° C. or less and exceeding 75 ° C. means, for example, that the temperature is 90 ° C. or less and exceeding 75 ° C. within a certain temperature range (for example, 80 ° C.). C.) and control at a fluctuating temperature (for example, 76 ° C. to 88 ° C.).

  Both the first-stage heat treatment and the second-stage heat treatment described above can be indirect heat treatment. Alternatively, both can be direct heat treatment. Furthermore, either one can be indirect heat treatment and the other can be direct heat treatment.

  Indirect heat treatment is a heat treatment that is indirectly performed from the outside of a tank or a container that contains a treatment liquid. For example, the temperature of the processing liquid is raised by indirectly heat-treating from the outside of the tank (such as a jacket) containing the processing liquid. Alternatively, a cup-shaped plastic container filled with a treatment liquid, a retort container, or the like is introduced into an atmosphere of warm water or steam to raise the temperature of the treatment liquid.

  In the direct heat treatment, a heating element, hot water, water vapor, or the like is injected into the treatment liquid and the heat treatment is performed directly. For example, heat treatment is performed directly by injecting a heating element, hot water, water vapor, etc. into the treatment liquid, bringing the electrode into contact with the treatment liquid and energizing it, or irradiating the treatment liquid with electromagnetic waves (microwaves). As a result, the temperature of the treatment liquid is increased.

  In the present invention, the property of heat denaturation (temperature) of a protein is used in a method for producing a gel food, and can be applied to egg white protein in addition to whey protein.

  In the manufacturing method of the gel food of this invention, the said process liquid can be emulsified before heat-processing with respect to the said process liquid.

  By emulsifying the treatment liquid, the treatment liquid is mixed in a nearly uniform state, so that the structure of the gel food is also likely to be uniform.

  When the treatment liquid is not emulsified, tank agitation, a static mixer, or the like can be used.

  When emulsifying the treatment liquid, a mesh filter, a nozzle, a homomixer, a milder, a homogenizer (homogenizer), or the like can be used. These may be used in general operating conditions or operating conditions.

  In the method for producing a gelled food according to the present invention, it is desirable that the treatment liquid has a pH of 5 to 9.

  When the pH of the treatment liquid is within this range, the denaturation of the protein proceeds stably, so that the tissue of the gel food is also likely to be uniform.

  From this viewpoint, the preferable pH of the treatment liquid is 5 to 9, more preferable pH is 5.55 to 8.5, and further preferable pH is 6 to 8.

  Specific examples of the pH adjusting agent for adjusting the pH of the treatment liquid include lactic acid, acetic acid, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, citric acid, lemon juice, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and the like. When mixing the pH adjusting agent with the treatment solution, it is preferable to gradually add the pH adjustment agent little by little while stirring the treatment solution, because aggregates due to proteins and the like are less likely to be generated.

  In the method for producing a gel food of the present invention, the treatment liquid may contain at least one of an emulsifier, a stabilizer, and a gelling agent.

  By adding an emulsifier, stabilizer, gelling agent, etc. to the treatment liquid, the oil and water phases are not separated or precipitated, and the treatment liquid is stabilized in a nearly uniform state. The structure of the food product is also preferable because it tends to be uniform.

  Specific examples of the emulsifier include glycerin fatty acid ester, organic acid monoglyceride, sucrose fatty acid ester, sorbitan fatty acid ester, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, lecithin, enzymatically decomposed lecithin, polyglycerin fatty acid ester and the like.

  Specific examples of the stabilizer include locust bin gum, guar gum, xanthan gum, gellan gum, tara gum, and gum arabic.

  Specific examples of the gelling agent include agar, pectin, and curdlan.

  In the method for producing a gel food according to the present invention, the treatment liquid is a protein, carbohydrate, vitamin, mineral, vegetable or animal oil or fat conventionally known in the production of gel food such as whey cheese, It may further contain soy-based foods such as soy milk, fruit-based foods such as fruit juice and pulp, and useful microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria. These can be included in the treatment liquid by adding and mixing with the treatment liquid.

  In the above, as the protein source (material), specifically, full milk, whole fat concentrated milk, whole fat milk powder, skim milk, skim concentrated milk, skim milk powder, condensed milk, butter milk, butter milk powder, casein, Examples include calcium caseinate and sodium caseinate.

  Specific examples of the lipid supply source (material) include full-fat milk, full-fat concentrated milk, full-fat powdered milk, condensed milk, cream, butter, and fermented butter.

  Specific examples of the sugar supply source (raw material) include lactose and glucose.

  Specific examples of vitamin sources (materials) include various vitamins such as vitamin C and vitamin E, and fruit-based foods such as fruit juice and pulp.

  Specific examples of the mineral supply source (material) include various salts such as sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, and calcium carbonate.

  In the present invention, additives conventionally known in the production of gel foods such as whey cheese other than the above-mentioned additives can be blended in the treatment liquid as necessary.

  Specific examples of additives include salting agents, viscosity adjusting agents, acidulants, sweeteners, flavoring agents, acidity adjusting agents, food preservatives, cereals, beans, vegetables, meats, seafood, guanidine hydrochloride, Examples include urea, ethylene glycol, glycerin, propanol, sodium phosphite, sodium naphthalene sulfonate, and sodium laurin sulfonate.

  Examples of the salting agent include sodium chloride (salt) and potassium chloride.

  Examples of the viscosity adjusting agent include whole egg, egg yolk, starch, gelatin, and gum.

  Examples of the acidulant include acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, succinic acid, malic acid, gluconic acid, adipic acid, phytic acid, glucono delta lactone, ascorbic acid and the like.

  Examples of the sweetener include fructose, sucrose, sugar alcohol, mannitol, sorbitol, maltitol and the like.

  Examples of the flavoring agent include coffee, matcha tea, peanut paste, almond paste, spice, cacao mass, cocoa powder, amino acid, nucleic acid and the like.

  Examples of sourness preparation agents include antioxidants, sodium acetate, sodium citrate, sodium malate, sodium tartrate, sodium succinate, and sodium fumarate.

  Examples of food preservation include coloring agents, sorbic acid, potassium sorbate, sodium sorbate, and ethyl alcohol.

  These can be blended singly or in combination within a range not contrary to the object of the present invention.

  In the method for producing a gel food according to the present invention, it is desirable that both the first stage processing time and the second stage processing time are within 30 minutes. The effect of improving the texture and flavor by the two-stage heat treatment of the present invention is fully exhibited, while the heat treatment time in this range is to maintain better production efficiency of the gel food. It is because it is preferable.

  From this point of view, the processing time for the first stage and the second stage is preferably within 30 minutes, more preferably within 20 minutes for both the first stage and the second stage, and even more preferably for the first stage / The second stage is within 15 minutes.

  In the present invention, the heat treatment time for the first stage and the second stage means that the treatment liquid to be heat-treated in the first-stage heat treatment or the second-stage heat treatment or the treatment liquid to be heat-treated is accommodated. It means the elapsed time after a container such as a tank or a part of a container filled and sealed with a processing solution reaches a predetermined temperature targeted in the heat treatment.

  In the present invention, in the first stage, the entire treatment liquid is held at a substantially uniform temperature so as to be 65 to 75 ° C, more preferably 70 to 75 ° C, and further preferably 70 to 73 ° C. In the second stage, the entire treatment liquid is maintained at a substantially uniform temperature of 90 ° C. or lower and higher than 75 ° C., more preferably 80 ° C. to 90 ° C., further preferably 80 to 85 ° C. is doing. The first and second stage treatment times are preferably 30 minutes or less, more preferably 20 minutes or less, and still more preferably 15 minutes or less. The control of these conditions includes, for example, the volume of the processing liquid, the composition of the processing liquid, the capacity / size / shape / material of the container containing the processing liquid, and the capacity / size / shape of the container filled and sealed with the processing liquid. This can be done by adjusting at least one of the materials.

  In the method for producing a gel food according to the present invention, the treatment liquid can be heat-treated after being filled in a container and sealed.

  In this case, indirect heating is preferable for both the first stage heat treatment and the second stage heat treatment.

  After filling and sealing the processing liquid into a container, etc., heat treatment is indirectly performed from the outside of the container, so that there is little deterioration in quality over time, the shelf life is relatively long, and long-term storage is possible and hygienic. A gel food can be obtained.

  According to the present invention, heat treatment is performed under two-stage heating conditions, and the entire treatment liquid is held at 65 to 75 ° C. at a substantially uniform temperature (first stage). The temperature is kept at a uniform temperature of 90 ° C. or lower and exceeding 75 ° C. (second stage). That is, when heat treatment is performed under two-stage heating conditions and the treatment liquid is heated by indirectly heat treatment from the outside of the container containing the treatment liquid, the treatment is performed as in the central portion inside the container. Heat treatment is applied to the processing liquid to maintain the temperature of the entire processing liquid so that the temperature of the portion of the liquid where heat is most difficult to be transmitted falls within the predetermined temperature range.

  Therefore, after filling the container with the treatment liquid and sealing it, the gel-like food that has a nearly uniform texture and flavor at the center and the peripheral edge of the inside of the container even when indirectly heated from the outside of the container Can be obtained.

  As described above, when the heat treatment is performed after filling the container with the treatment liquid and sealing, the capacity of the container can be 50 ml (milliliter) to 150 ml (milliliter).

  When the volume of the treatment liquid or the container is smaller than 50 ml (milliliter), the effect of improving the texture and flavor by the two-stage heat treatment is reduced. On the other hand, if the volume of the treatment liquid or the container is larger than 150 ml (milliliter), the treatment time becomes longer, which is not preferable.

  In addition, specifically as a shape and form of a container, a cup-shaped container, the bag shape for retorts, etc. can be illustrated.

  In this case, the material of the container can be made of plastic.

  In the method for producing a gel food according to the present invention, the gel food may be whey cheese. Examples of whey cheese include those described in the “Codex standard”.

  Hereinafter, although an example is given and explained about the present invention, the present invention is not limited by this.

(Manufacture of whey cheese 1)
After whey powder (Meiji Dairies Co., Ltd.) 8.1g, whey protein isolate (WPI) 5.2g, fresh cream 13.5g, tap water 83.2g was stirred in a tank at room temperature, Citric acid was added little by little to adjust the pH of the treatment solution to 6.

  In this treatment solution, the concentration of whey protein in water was about 6.7% by weight, and the weight ratio of fat to whey protein was about 1.1 times.

  After 110 g of this treatment liquid was filled into a 150 ml capacity plastic cup, it was immersed and held in hot water at a temperature of 75 ° C. for 10 minutes and further in hot water at a temperature of 80 ° C. for 20 minutes.

  And it cooled to the temperature of 10 degrees C or less, and obtained the final product (gel food).

(Manufacture of whey cheese 2)
After whey powder (Meiji Dairies Co., Ltd.) 8.0g, whey protein isolate (WPI) 5.4g, fresh cream 39.2g, tap water 57.5g was stirred in a tank at room temperature, Citric acid was added little by little to adjust the pH of the treatment solution to 6.

  In this treatment solution, the concentration of whey protein in water was about 8.5% by weight, and the weight ratio of fat to whey protein was about 2.8 times. After 110 g of this treatment liquid was filled into a 150 ml capacity plastic cup, it was immersed in hot water at a temperature of 75 ° C. for 10 minutes and further immersed in hot water at a temperature of 80 ° C. for 20 minutes.

  And it cooled to the temperature of 10 degrees C or less, and obtained the final product (gel food).

(Comparative Example 1) (Prototype 1 of whey cheese)
After whey powder (Meiji Dairies Co., Ltd.) 8.1g, whey protein isolate (WPI) 5.2g, fresh cream 13.5g, tap water 83.2g was stirred in a tank at room temperature, Citric acid was added little by little to adjust the pH of the treatment solution to 6.

  In this treatment solution, the concentration of whey protein in water was about 6.7% by weight, and the weight ratio of fat to whey protein was about 1.1 times.

  After 110 g of this treatment liquid was filled in a 150 ml capacity plastic cup, it was immersed and held in hot water at a temperature of 80 ° C. for 30 minutes.

  And it cooled to the temperature of 10 degrees C or less, and obtained the final product (gel food).

(Evaluation 1) (Sensory test)
The gel foods obtained in Example 1, Example 2 and Comparative Example 1 were subjected to a sensory test by five specialist panelists. The items evaluated were water separation, appearance, texture, and flavor as shown in Table 1. Each item is evaluated by a scoring method, and it is classified into five levels: “good” = 5 points, “slightly good” = 4 points, “normal” = 3 points, “slightly bad” = 2 points, and “bad” = 1 point. .

Example 1 and Example 2 in which heat treatment was performed in two stages of preliminary heating at a temperature of 75 ° C. and final heating at a temperature of 80 ° C. were generally better than Comparative Example 1 in which heat treatment was performed in one stage at a temperature of 80 ° C. there were. In particular, in terms of texture, Example 1 and Example 2 were clearly better than Comparative Example 1.

(Evaluation 2) (Bacteria test)
Bacterial tests (preservation test) were performed on the gel food obtained in Example 1 and the commercially available product A and the commercially available product B, which are commonly sold whey cheese.

  As shown in Table 2, the evaluated items were the viable cell count and anaerobic cell count, and the respective selective media were a standard agar medium (SMA medium) and GAM medium (manufactured by Nissui).

  In Example 1 of the product of the present invention, viable bacteria were below the detection limit value, whereas in commercial products A and B, viable bacteria were detected.

The product of the present invention did not increase in the number of viable bacteria even after 4 months from the date of manufacture, and it was proved that the expiration date is longer than that of the commercial products A and B. In addition, the expiration date of the commercial product A and the commercial product B was set to 21 days from the date of manufacture.

(Evaluation 3) (Microscope photography)
The gel food obtained in Example 1 and the commercially available product A, which is a commercially available whey cheese, were photographed with a stereomicroscope (25 times magnification). The photographed images are as shown in FIG. 1 (invention product) and FIG. 2 (commercial product A). In Example 1 of the product of the present invention, the structure was smooth, whereas in the commercial product A, the structure was rough.

  According to the present invention, a method for producing a gel-like food product such as whey cheese having a texture that is not fragile, has a non-sticky texture, is not starchy, has a smooth mouthfeel, has little water separation, and has a good texture and flavor. Can be provided.

  Also, after filling the treatment liquid into a cup-shaped container and sealing it, even if it is indirectly heat-treated from the outside of the container, the center part and the edge peripheral part inside the container are almost uniform in texture and flavor. The manufacturing method of the gel-like food which becomes can be provided.

The microscope picture (25-times multiplication factor) which photographed the surface of this invention product with the stereomicroscope. A photomicrograph (magnification 25 times) of the surface of a commercial product taken with a stereomicroscope.

Claims (11)

A treatment solution containing whey protein and fat, having a whey protein concentration of 4 to 12% by weight and a weight ratio of fat to whey protein of 5 times or less, is heat-treated under two-stage heating conditions to form a gel. A method of manufacturing food,
In the first stage of the two-stage heating condition, the heating temperature is set to 65 to 75 ° C., and the whole treatment liquid is held at 65 to 75 ° C. at a substantially uniform temperature.
In the second stage of the two-stage heating conditions, the heating temperature is 90 ° C. or lower and exceeds 75 ° C., and the entire treatment liquid is substantially uniform at a temperature of 90 ° C. or lower and higher than 75 ° C. A method for producing a gel-like food, characterized by comprising:   The method for producing a gel-like food according to claim 1, wherein the treatment liquid is emulsified before heat-treating the treatment liquid.   The method for producing a gel food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the treatment liquid has a pH of 5 to 9.   The method for producing a gel food product according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the treatment liquid contains at least one of an emulsifier, a stabilizer, and a gelling agent.   The method for producing a gel food according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein both the first stage heat treatment time and the second stage heat treatment time are within 30 minutes.   The method for producing a gelled food according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the treatment liquid is heat-treated after being filled in a container and sealed.   The method for producing a gel food according to claim 6, wherein the container has a capacity of 50 ml to 150 ml.   The method for producing a gel food according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the container is made of plastic.   The method for producing a gel food according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the gel food is whey cheese.   Gel-like food manufactured using the manufacturing method as described in any one of Claims 1-8.   Whey cheese manufactured using the manufacturing method as described in any one of Claims 1-8.

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