JP7565724B2 - Shrimp-like food - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to shrimp-like foods.

In recent years, global demand for seafood has increased, and there are concerns that the supply of shrimp in particular may become unstable.
Therefore, there is a demand for alternative foods that can replicate the texture of shrimp.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an imitation shrimp in which a calcium alginate film is formed on the surface of a protein-containing fiber material and the fiber is solidified with a gel.

U.S. Patent No. 4,554,166

The inventors attempted to recreate the texture of shrimp based on the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, but it was difficult to recreate the bouncy texture that is characteristic of shrimp, and there was room for improvement.

The present invention was made in consideration of these problems, and aims to provide a shrimp-like food product that has the bouncy texture that is characteristic of shrimp.

The shrimp-like food of the present invention is a shrimp-like food containing a vegetable protein material having structured vegetable protein, a moisturizing gel, and a coating that covers these, and is characterized in that, in measurements of the hardness of the shrimp-like food measured at 25°C using a rheometer, the hardness reaches a maximum value at a point up to 70% of the penetration distance, and the ratio of the hardness measured at a point where the penetration distance has increased by 10% from the penetration distance at which the hardness reaches the maximum value is more than 0% and 70% or less relative to the maximum hardness, and the vegetable protein material contains less than 10% by weight of oil.

In the shrimp-like food product of the present invention, "hardness" refers to the degree of force required to deform the moisturizing gel complexed with the structured vegetable protein by biting the shrimp-like food product with teeth.
According to the shrimp-like food product of the present invention, in measurements of hardness using a rheometer at 25°C, the hardness reaches a maximum value at a point up to 70% of the penetration distance, and the ratio of the hardness measured at a point where the penetration distance has increased by 10% from the penetration distance at which the hardness reaches the maximum value exceeds 0% and is not more than 70% of the maximum hardness value.
This means that when a shrimp-like food is chewed, its hardness increases (it is chewy) up to a certain depth, but once it passes a maximum value, the hardness drops suddenly without breaking. This corresponds to the sensation of eating shrimp, where the shrimp meat pops when chewed to a certain depth, giving it a bouncy texture.

In the shrimp-like food product of the present invention, the hardness measured by a rheometer is defined as the pressure that a cylindrical plunger having a diameter of 3 mm receives when the plunger is pressed into the food product.
The thickness of the shrimp-like food to be measured is taken as 100% of the penetration distance.
The measurement temperature is 25°C.

Furthermore, in the shrimp-like food of the present invention, the oil content of the vegetable protein material is less than 10% by weight, so the texture is closer to that of shrimp than that of oily meat.

In this specification, "structured vegetable protein" refers to vegetable protein having a meat-like texture consisting of granular vegetable protein and/or fibrous vegetable protein as specified in the "Japanese Agricultural Standards for Vegetable Proteins." "Structured vegetable protein" also includes those that are "layered." "Layered" refers to a structure that is slightly different from that specified in the "Japanese Agricultural Standards for Vegetable Proteins," and is formed by stacking multiple layers of tissue of a certain thickness that spreads two-dimensionally.

In the shrimp-like food product of the present invention, it is preferable that the vegetable protein material is fibrous and the average major axis of the cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is less than 1000 μm.
In this way, it is possible to impart a fibrous texture similar to that of wild shrimp.
In the shrimp-like food product of the present invention, the longest diameter of a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the vegetable protein material refers to a cross section having a shape constituted by a closed curve such as an ellipse or oval, and the longest diameter is defined as the length of a straight line passing through the center of gravity to reach two curves that constitute the cross section. The longest diameter of the cross section of the vegetable protein material is defined as the longest diameter, and the longest diameters of 30 pieces of vegetable protein material are measured using an optical microscope with a scale, and the average value of the measurements is defined as the average long diameter.

In the shrimp-like food product of the present invention, the maximum value is preferably 500 kN/m2 ^or more.
When the maximum value is 500 kN/ ^m2 or more, the bouncy texture peculiar to shrimp can be felt more.

In the shrimp-like food product of the present invention, the structured vegetable protein is preferably in the form of a layer or fiber.
In the shrimp-like food product of the present invention, if the above-mentioned structured vegetable protein is layered or fibrous, the moisturizing gel can be composited with the layered or fibrous vegetable protein, thereby imparting a shrimp-like texture to the vegetable protein material.

In the shrimp-like food product of the present invention, the moisturizing gel preferably contains carbohydrates.
In the shrimp-like food product of the present invention, when the moisturizing gel contains carbohydrates, the carbohydrates hydrate the water contained in the moisturizing gel, thereby enhancing the moisturizing effect and imparting the flavor of natural shrimp.

The shrimp-like food product of the present invention is preferably colored and shaped to resemble shrimp. By making the food look like shrimp, the sensation of eating shrimp can be enhanced.

According to the shrimp-like food product of the present invention, in measurements of hardness using a rheometer at 25° C., the hardness reaches a maximum value at a point up to 70% of the penetration distance, and the ratio of the hardness measured at a point where the penetration distance has increased by 10% from the penetration distance at which the hardness reaches the maximum value exceeds 0% and is not more than 70% of the maximum hardness, thereby making it possible to provide a shrimp-like food product having the chewy texture characteristic of shrimp.
Furthermore, in the shrimp-like food of the present invention, the oil content in the vegetable protein material is less than 10% by weight, so that the oil content is relatively low and a light shrimp-like taste can be imparted when eaten.

FIG. 1 shows the results of measuring the hardness of the shrimp-like food product obtained in Example 1 and boiled shrimp using a rheometer.

The shrimp-like food of the present invention is a shrimp-like food containing a vegetable protein material having structured vegetable protein, a moisturizing gel, and a coating that covers these, and is characterized in that, in measurements of the hardness of the shrimp-like food measured at 25°C using a rheometer, the hardness reaches a maximum value at a point up to 70% of the penetration distance, and the ratio of the hardness measured at a point where the penetration distance has increased by 10% from the penetration distance at which the hardness reaches the maximum value is more than 0% and 70% or less relative to the maximum hardness, and the vegetable protein material contains less than 10% by weight of oil.

In the shrimp-like food product of the present invention, when hardness is measured at 25°C using a rheometer, the hardness reaches a maximum value at a point up to 70% of the penetration distance, and the ratio of the hardness measured at a point where the penetration distance has increased by 10% from the penetration distance at which the maximum value is reached exceeds 0% and is not more than 70% of the maximum hardness.
This means that when a shrimp-like food is chewed, the hardness increases (it is chewy) up to a certain depth, but once the maximum value is reached, the hardness drops suddenly without breaking. This corresponds to the sensation of eating shrimp, where the shrimp meat pops when chewed to a certain depth, giving it a bouncy texture.
When the hardness measurement does not show a maximum value, the food does not have a texture like that of a shrimp-like food. Also, when the ratio of the hardness measured at the point where the penetration distance has increased by 10% from the penetration distance at which the maximum value is shown is greater than 70% of the maximum value, the change in hardness is small, and the shrimp does not have a springy texture like popping.
Furthermore, the ratio of hardness measured at a point where the penetration distance has increased by 10% from the penetration distance at which the above-mentioned maximum value is reached is 0% of the above-mentioned maximum value of hardness, meaning that even if the shrimp-like food breaks, it becomes too soft and does not have a chewy texture.

It is also preferable that the above-mentioned maximum value is 500 kN/m2 or ^more . If the above-mentioned maximum value is too low, the food is too soft and it is difficult to feel the elasticity of shrimp when eating. If the above-mentioned maximum value is 500 kN/m2 or ^more , the bouncy texture characteristic of shrimp can be felt more clearly.

In addition, in the shrimp-like food of the present invention, the oil content of the vegetable protein material is less than 10% by weight. Therefore, the texture is closer to that of shrimp than that of oily meat.

In the shrimp-like food product of the present invention, it is preferable that the vegetable protein material is in a fibrous form, and the average major axis of the cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is less than 1000 μm.
In this way, it is possible to impart a fibrous texture similar to that of wild shrimp.

(structured vegetable protein)
The vegetable protein material constituting the shrimp-like food of the present invention contains textured vegetable protein.

The structured vegetable protein is preferably formed using a protein source.
Examples of protein sources include proteins derived from plants such as soybeans, peas, yellow peas, broad beans, mung beans, rice, pumpkin, alfalfa, lentils, beans, clover, mucuna pruriens, frijoles red beans, frijoles black beans, lima beans, chickpeas, wheat, corn, canola, bush clover, licorice, lupin, mesquite, carob, peanuts, tamarind, wisteria, cassia, garbanzo beans, fenugreek, and green peas.

In the shrimp-like food of the present invention, these plant-based raw materials may be used as they are as the plant-based protein, but the plant-based protein may also be obtained by extracting protein from the plant-based raw materials, or by removing some or all of the components other than protein, i.e., lipids, soluble carbohydrates, starch, insoluble fiber (okara), minerals, etc., to make the protein content more concentrated. The protein raw material may be in powder form or paste form. The plant-based protein may be one of the plant-based raw materials, or a combination of two or more of them.

Structured vegetable protein can also be formed by combining protein ingredients with carbohydrates, lipids, nutrients, and flavoring ingredients, etc.

Examples of carbohydrates include sugars and dietary fiber, and specific examples of such carbohydrates include fructose, glucose, sugar, maltose, lactose, trehalose, starch syrup, coupling sugar, honey, isomerized sugar, invert sugar, oligosaccharides (isomaltooligosaccharides, reduced xylooligosaccharides, reduced gentiooligosaccharides, xylooligosaccharides, gentiooligosaccharides, nigerooligosaccharides, theanderoligosaccharides, soybean oligosaccharides, etc.), sugar alcohols (maltitol, erythritol, sorbitol, palatinit, xylitol, lactitol, reduced starch syrup, etc.), dextrin, and starches (raw starch, modified starch, etc.).
Examples of dietary fibers include agar, alginate, soybean lecithin, polydextrose, indigestible dextrin, crystalline cellulose, and thickening polysaccharides (carrageenan, cassia gum, cellulose gum, curdlan gum, guar gum, hydroxypropyl cellulose, konjac, locust bean gum, pectin, xanthin gum), etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

Examples of lipids include linseed oil, perilla oil, sesame oil, perilla oil, walnut oil, safflower oil, grape oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, sesame oil, rapeseed oil, peanut oil, olive oil, palm oil, coconut oil, essential oils, almond oil, aloe vera oil, apricot kernel oil, avocado oil, baobab oil, calendula oil, canola oil, evening primrose oil, grapeseed oil, hazelnut oil, jojoba oil, macadamia oil, natural oils, neem oil, non-hydrogenated oils, partially hydrogenated oils, peanut oil, synthetic oils, vegetable oils, ω-fatty acids (e.g., arachidonic acid, ω-3-fatty acids, ω-6-fatty acids, ω-7-fatty acids, ω-9-fatty acids), beef tallow, lard, chicken fat, mutton tallow, whale oil, and fish oils. Other fats and oils include medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides (MCT) having about 6 to 12 carbon atoms, docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds.
The lipids are preferably of vegetable origin, since they can be consumed by people who cannot consume animal products for religious reasons.

Examples of nutrients include vitamins, minerals (sodium, magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium, zinc, etc.), polyphenols, carotenoids, saponins, etc. These nutrients may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

It is preferable to use shrimp extract extracted from shrimp shells, meat, etc. as a seasoning ingredient.
In addition to shrimp extract, other seasoning ingredients include vegetable extracts such as ginger extract, carrot extract, tomato extract, etc., seafood extracts or seafood-flavored plant extracts such as crab extract, oyster extract, scallop extract, etc., meat extracts or meat-flavored plant extracts such as beef extract, bok extract, chicken extract, etc., yeast extract, sugar, salt, vinegar, soy sauce, miso, mirin, consomme, monosodium glutamate, etc., amino acid seasoning ingredients, spices such as pepper, and flavorings (natural flavorings prepared using roots, bark, flowers, fruits, fruit peels, or other animals and plants, and synthetic flavorings derived from coffee, black tea, green tea, oolong tea, cocoa, herbs, spices, fruits, etc.). These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

When a capsule containing wax molecules or the like is used as a conventional agent release system, the meat structured protein product (textured vegetable protein) and the capsule exist as separate structures, which causes the agent release system to be localized, resulting in a non-uniform taste.By containing the seasoning ingredient within the region covered by the coating (textured vegetable protein), the seasoning ingredient is not localized, and a uniform taste can be obtained during chewing, compared to when the seasoning ingredient is enclosed within a capsule.
Furthermore, the seasoning ingredients are preferably plant-derived, since they can be consumed by people who cannot consume animal products for religious reasons.

When the structured vegetable protein is formed by combining a protein raw material with carbohydrates, lipids, nutrients, seasoning ingredients, etc., the carbohydrates, lipids, nutrients, seasoning ingredients, etc. are preferably contained in an amount of 0.1 to 500 parts by weight, more preferably 50 to 300 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the protein raw material.

The structured vegetable protein may optionally contain pH adjusters, antifoaming agents, surfactants, colorants, plasticizers, and the like.
Examples of the pH adjuster include phosphoric acid or a polycondensate thereof, phytic acid, citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, fumaric acid, acetic acid, adipic acid, tartaric acid, carbonic acid, gluconic acid, glucono-delta-lactone, and salts thereof such as potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, etc. These pH adjusters may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

The structured vegetable protein is not particularly limited in its form, and any form such as granular, lamellar, fibrous, etc. can be used.
Among these, lamellar or fibrous structure is preferred. When the above-mentioned structured vegetable protein is lamellar or fibrous, a moisturizing gel can be combined with the lamellar or fibrous vegetable protein, and a shrimp-like texture can be imparted to the vegetable protein material.

When structured vegetable protein is "layered," it has a layered structure formed by multiple layers of tissue of a certain thickness that extend two-dimensionally, which differs slightly from that specified in the "Japanese Agricultural Standards for Vegetable Protein."
In this case, the thickness of the constituent layered vegetable protein is preferably 0.01 μm to 1000 μm, and the structure is preferably such that it can be torn in the layer direction by an external force.
In addition, when the structured vegetable protein is layered, the thickness means the average value obtained by measuring the shortest part of any 30 pieces of the lamellar textured vegetable protein in a dry state, and the number of layers means the average value measured for any 30 pieces of the lamellar textured vegetable protein.

When the structured vegetable protein is "fibrous", it has a shrimp meat-like texture made of fibrous vegetable protein as defined in the "Japanese Agricultural Standards for Vegetable Protein".
In this case, the average fiber diameter is preferably 0.01 μm to 1000 μm, and the structure is preferably such that it can be torn in the fiber direction by an external force.
In addition, the aspect ratio is preferably 10 or more.
The aspect ratio is calculated by dividing the fiber length by the average fiber diameter.
When the textured vegetable protein is fibrous, the average fiber diameter and aspect ratio refer to the average values measured for any 30 pieces of fibrous textured vegetable protein in a dry state.

The structured vegetable protein preferably has a water absorption rate of at least 200% but less than 600%.
This is because it can be suitably combined with the moisturizing gel described below, and can suitably impart a shrimp-like texture.
The water absorption rate can be measured, for example, by placing 10 g of the structured vegetable protein as a sample in a 200 mL beaker, adding 200 g of water at 98° C., and leaving it to stand for 5 minutes. After that, the water is drained using a sieve for 5 minutes, and the weight of the sample after reconstitution with hot water is measured, and the water absorption rate can be calculated by the following formula.
Water absorption rate (%)=(weight of sample after rehydration/weight of solid content in 10 g of sample)×100

The amount of the structured vegetable protein is preferably from 5 to 80% by weight, more preferably from 10 to 30% by weight, based on the total weight of the vegetable protein material.
When the weight of the structured vegetable protein is within the above range, the vegetable protein material is endowed with a texture similar to that of natural shrimp, and can be suitably combined with the moisturizing gel.

(Moisturizing gel)
The vegetable protein material constituting the shrimp-like food product of the present invention has a moisturizing gel.

The melting point of the moisturizing gel is preferably less than 100°C, more preferably less than 80°C, and even more preferably less than 60°C. If the melting point of the moisturizing gel is within the above range, the coating breaks down when chewed, and the molten moisturizing gel flows out, resulting in an excellent juicy feeling and a texture similar to the sensation of shrimp bursting with delicious flavor.

Examples of moisturizing gels include gelling agents such as carrageenan (κ type, ι type, λ type), sodium carboxymethylcellulose, cellulose gum, hydroxypropylcellulose, tara gum, gellan gum, sodium alginate, potassium alginate, alginic acid ester, guar gum, gum arabic, tragacanth gum, karaya gum, pectin, xanthan gum, curdlan, pullulan, collagen, various amino acids and their peptides, gelatin, agar, locust bean gum, galactomannan, glucomannan, konjac mannan, tamarind seed gum, psyllium seed gum, ghatti gum, arabinogalactan, soy lecithin, kombu acid, soy protein, and crystalline cellulose. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. In addition, moisturizing gels derived from plants are preferable because they can be eaten by people who cannot consume animal foods for religious reasons.

The content of the gelling agent in the moisturizing gel is preferably 0.3 to 20% by weight, and more preferably 0.5 to 5% by weight, based on the total weight of the moisturizing gel.

The moisturizing gel preferably contains water.
The water content is preferably 40 to 99.7% by weight, and more preferably 80 to 99% by weight, based on the total weight of the moisturizing gel.

The moisturizing gel preferably comprises a carbohydrate.
The moisture-retaining gel contains carbohydrates, which hydrate the moisture contained in the moisture-retaining gel, thereby enhancing the moisture-retaining properties. In addition, the moisture-retaining gel can be imparted with the flavor of natural shrimp.
The carbohydrate can be appropriately selected from those described above as carbohydrates that can be contained in the structured vegetable protein or those described above as gelling agents.

The moisturizing gel may include oils or fats.
In the shrimp-like food product of the present invention, the moisturizing gel contains fats and oils, but the amount of fats and oils is small, so that when eaten, the fats and oils are released, and although the taste due to the fats and oils is felt, it is not heavy, and the food product imparts a light texture like that of natural shrimp meat while also imparting a rich flavor.

The fat or oil may be appropriately selected from those described above as the lipids that can be contained in the structured vegetable protein.
The oil or fat is preferably a solid oil or fat.

The oil or fat may be contained by emulsifying it with an emulsifier.
Examples of the emulsifier that can be used include anionic emulsifiers, nonionic emulsifiers, cationic emulsifiers, and amphoteric emulsifiers. Specific examples include glycerin fatty acid esters, lecithin, glycolipids, oligopeptides, lipopeptides, phospholipids, and saponin.

The fat or oil is preferably made from a vegetable source.
The oils and fats contained in the moisturizing gel are made from plant-based ingredients, so they can be consumed by people who cannot consume animal products for religious reasons.In addition, the low content of saturated fatty acids and lipids makes it preferable from a health perspective.

The oil content is preferably 0.1 to 10% by weight, and more preferably 1 to 3% by weight, based on the total weight of the moisturizing gel.

The moisturizing gel preferably contains flavoring ingredients and nutrients.
The seasoning ingredients and nutrients can be appropriately selected from those described above for the structured vegetable protein.
When flavoring ingredients are contained in a moisturizing gel, the flavoring ingredients are not localized, and a uniform taste can be obtained when chewing compared to when flavoring materials are enclosed in conventional capsules.
Furthermore, the seasoning ingredients are preferably plant-derived, since they can be consumed by people who cannot consume animal products for religious reasons.

The amount of flavoring ingredients in the moisturizing gel can be adjusted appropriately depending on the taste or flavor you want to impart.

If necessary, the moisturizing gel may contain pH adjusters, antifoaming agents, surfactants, colorants, plasticizers, thickeners, binders, etc.

(Coating)
The vegetable protein material constituting the shrimp-like food of the present invention has a coating which covers the vegetable protein and the moisturizing gel.

The melting point of the coating is preferably at least 35° C. higher than the melting point of the moisturizing gel.
By controlling the melting point of the coating within a prescribed range, it is possible to prevent the moisture-retaining gel from flowing out even when cooking with heat, and it is possible to maintain a juicy texture even after cooking with heat.

Examples of coatings include those containing carbohydrates such as sodium alginate, potassium alginate, calcium alginate, agar, konjac, carrageenan (κ type, ι type, λ type), gellan gum, pectin, and xanthan gum. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

Examples of the coating include those containing gelling agents such as sodium carboxymethylcellulose, tara gum, gellan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, tragacanth gum, karaya gum, curdlan, pullulan, collagen, gelatin, agar, locust bean gum, galactomannan, glucomannan, konjac mannan, tamarind seed gum, psyllium seed gum, ghatti gum, arabinogalactan, kombu acid, soy protein, cellulose gum, hydroxypropyl cellulose, soy lecithin, and crystalline cellulose. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.
Furthermore, the coating is preferably of plant origin, since it can be eaten by those who cannot consume animal products for religious reasons.
Among these, components that are coagulated by metal ions, such as sodium alginate and pectin, are preferred.

Examples of metal ions include calcium ions, magnesium ions, ammonium ions, and aluminum ions.
Examples of calcium salts that supply calcium ions include calcium lactate, calcium chloride, calcium gluconate, calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, calcium sulfate, and calcium hydrogen phosphate. Examples of magnesium salts that supply magnesium ions include magnesium chloride and magnesium carbonate. Examples of aluminum salts that supply aluminum ions include ammonium aluminum sulfate and potassium aluminum sulfate.

The thickness of the coating is preferably 0.01 μm to 1000 μm, and more preferably 10 μm to 300 μm.
By having the coating thickness within the above range, the moisture-retaining gel can be suitably prevented from flowing out even when cooking with heat, and the juicy texture can be maintained even after cooking with heat.
The thickness of the coating is determined by observing the coating with a microscope and measuring the part with the smallest thickness.

(Method of manufacturing vegetable protein material)
There are no particular limitations on the method for producing the vegetable protein material that constitutes the shrimp-like food product of the present invention, but examples include a method in which a structured vegetable protein is produced, the structured vegetable protein is compounded with a moisturizing gel, and then a coating is formed to produce the vegetable protein material.

The method for producing the structured vegetable protein is not particularly limited, but for example, a protein raw material and, if necessary, carbohydrates, lipids, nutrients, seasoning ingredients, etc. are placed in an extruder (extrusion molding machine), and then the protein raw material which has been pressurized and heated to become thermoplastic is extruded through a die (mouthpiece) attached to the tip of the screw, and the structure is expanded to the desired extent.
If the protein raw material is to be molded into a shrimp shape at this stage, it is possible to produce vegetable protein structured in the shape of shrimp by hollowing out the protein raw material or molding it into the shape of shrimp by a method such as injection molding.

It is also preferable to color the product to resemble shrimp when molding. The coloring can be the same as the color of shrimp after boiling (white and vermilion).

The pressurized heat treatment can be carried out using a known extruder and following a known method. It is preferable to use an extruder with two or more axes, which allows for strong kneading and facilitates stable organization.

The heating conditions for the extruder are preferably 80 to 150°C. As for the sizing method, methods such as sieving or air classification can be used. Furthermore, a method in which crushing and sieving are performed simultaneously, such as a power mill, may also be used. The water absorption rate can be adjusted by the raw material composition and the heating temperature of the extruder.

The method for producing the moisturizing gel is not particularly limited, but for example, a gelling agent is added to boiling water to produce a moisturizing gel aqueous solution, and then structured vegetable protein is added to this moisturizing gel aqueous solution, which is then left to stand to complex with the structured vegetable protein. The vegetable protein complexed with the moisturizing gel aqueous solution is then removed, and cooled to gel the moisturizing gel aqueous solution, forming a moisturizing gel.

In the moisturizing gel aqueous solution, the gelling agent is preferably present in an amount of 0.3 to 70% by weight, more preferably 0.5 to 10% by weight, based on the weight of the moisturizing gel aqueous solution.

The method for forming the coating involves immersing the above-mentioned complex of moisturizing gel and structured vegetable protein in an aqueous solution containing metal ions by adding a metal salt. The complex is then immersed in an aqueous solution in which carbohydrates such as sodium alginate or pectin are dissolved, and the coating is formed by bringing the metal ions into contact with the carbohydrates and solidifying them. This allows the production of a vegetable protein material.

The metal ion content in the aqueous solution containing the metal ions is preferably 0.2 to 5% by weight, and more preferably 0.5 to 2% by weight.

The weight of carbohydrate in the aqueous solution in which carbohydrate is dissolved is preferably 0.5 to 10% by weight, and more preferably 1 to 5% by weight.

If necessary, a pH adjuster, an antifoaming agent, a surfactant, a colorant, a plasticizer, a thickener, a binder, a flavoring ingredient, etc. may be added to the aqueous solution containing metal ions.

(Food)
The shrimp-like food of the present invention is characterized by containing the above-mentioned vegetable protein material.
Therefore, the plump texture of the shrimp can be maintained even after cooking.

As for forming and processing the above-mentioned vegetable protein material into a shrimp shape, as described above, the structured vegetable protein can be processed into a shrimp shape, compounded with a moisturizing gel, and further coated with a coating to form a vegetable protein material, or the vegetable protein material can be formed and processed into a shrimp shape after production.

Specifically, the vegetable protein material may be placed in a concave molding tool having a cylindrical or elliptical cylindrical shape, and pressed using a convex molding tool, and the resulting food product may be processed into the shape of shrimp to produce a shrimp-like food product.
The shape of the forming jig is not limited to a cylindrical shape or an elliptical cylindrical shape, and may be a concave forming jig having a shrimp-shaped concave portion and a convex forming jig having a convex portion that fits into the concave forming jig. In addition, the pressure forming may be performed using a multiaxial press, an isostatic press (cold isostatic press), or the like, in addition to a uniaxial press using a concave and convex jig.

The food product formed from the vegetable protein material may be immersed in a gelling agent solution or a solution for forming a coating to allow the gelling agent to penetrate into the food product, or a coating may be formed on the surface of the food product to produce a shrimp-like food. For example, when an aqueous solution of sodium alginate and an aqueous solution of a calcium salt are used to form a coating on the vegetable protein material, the food product containing the vegetable protein material may be immersed in an aqueous solution of a calcium salt such as calcium chloride or calcium lactate to promote a coagulation reaction of the coating, thereby improving the adhesion between the vegetable protein materials so that the shrimp-like food does not fall apart during cooking.
Furthermore, starch, a binder such as transglutaminase, commercially available vegetable protein particles, a colorant, seasoning ingredients, etc. can be added to the vegetable protein material and molded into a shrimp-like food product.

The shrimp-like food of the present invention can be cooked by an appropriate combination of baking, steaming, boiling, frying, electromagnetic heating, etc.

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples as long as they do not deviate from the spirit of the present invention. Note that, unless otherwise specified, parts are parts by weight and % is % by weight.

Example 1
[Preparation of organized plant proteins]
A main raw material flour consisting of 85 parts by weight of isolated soy protein, 10 parts by weight of wheat protein, and 5 parts by weight of corn starch was mixed and extruded through a 3 x 15 mm cooling slit die in a twin-screw extruder under conditions of a die head temperature of 140°C and a screw rotation speed of 450 RPM while supplying 120 parts by weight of water to the raw material mixed powder, to produce a sheet-like structured vegetable protein.
The structured vegetable protein was hollowed out into shrimp-like shapes and dried in an incubator at 85° C. to obtain a dried product.

[Preparation of moisturizing gel]
1% by weight of kappa-type carrageenan (WR-78-J), 1% by weight of xanthan gum (SATIAKINE CX90), 2% by weight of coconut oil, and 1% by weight of seaweed extract were added to boiling water and stirred to obtain a moisturizing gel aqueous solution.
The moisturizing gel aqueous solution was added in an amount 10 times by weight to the structured vegetable protein, and the mixture was allowed to stand at 92°C for 5 minutes to complex the vegetable protein with the moisturizing gel aqueous solution. The structured vegetable protein that had been complexed with the moisturizing gel was then removed and allowed to stand in a refrigerator for 30 minutes to cool, yielding a moisturizing gel-containing vegetable protein.

[Formation of coating]
The vegetable protein containing moisturizing gel was immersed in an aqueous solution containing 10% calcium lactate, and then immersed in a 2% by weight sodium alginate solution (IL-6M) at room temperature for about 10 seconds to solidify the sodium alginate and form a coating, thereby producing a shrimp-shaped vegetable protein material.

Example 2
[Preparation of organized plant proteins]
A main raw material flour consisting of 100 parts by weight of defatted soybeans was mixed, and 120 parts by weight of water was added to the raw material mixed powder using a twin-screw extruder. The mixture was extruded through a 3 x 15 mm cooling slit die at a die head temperature of 140°C and a screw rotation speed of 450 RPM to produce a sheet-like structured vegetable protein.
The structured vegetable protein was hollowed out into shrimp-like shapes and dried in an incubator at 85° C. to obtain a dried product.

[Preparation of moisturizing gel]
2% by weight of agar, 1% by weight of coconut oil, and vegetable shrimp flavor were added to boiling water and stirred to obtain a moisturizing gel aqueous solution.
The moisturizing gel aqueous solution was added in an amount 10 times by weight to the structured vegetable protein, and the mixture was allowed to stand at 92°C for 5 minutes to complex the vegetable protein with the moisturizing gel aqueous solution. The structured vegetable protein that had been complexed with the moisturizing gel was then removed and allowed to stand in a refrigerator for 30 minutes to cool, yielding a moisturizing gel-containing vegetable protein.

[Formation of coating]
The vegetable protein containing moisturizing gel was immersed in an aqueous solution containing 10% calcium sulfate, and then immersed in a sodium alginate solution (IL-6M) with a concentration of 2% by weight at room temperature for about 10 seconds to solidify the sodium alginate and form a coating, thereby producing a shrimp-shaped vegetable protein material.

Example 3
Example 3 is an example of a minced form of texturized vegetable protein.
A vegetable protein material was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the textured vegetable protein obtained in Example 1 was ground into a minced form using a food processor.

[Processing into shrimp-like foods]
The vegetable protein material was placed in an elliptical cylindrical concave mold, and then pressure molded in a convex mold. The molded product was left to stand to disperse calcium ions and solidify the coating components, after which it was hollowed out into shrimp shapes. The hollowed-out molded product was then further immersed in a 10% calcium lactate solution to completely solidify the coating components, producing a shrimp-like food product.

(Comparative Example 1)
A shrimp-shaped vegetable protein material was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the moisturizing gel and coating were not formed.

(Comparative Example 2)
Comparative Example 2 is an example corresponding to Patent Document 1.
[Preparation of organized plant proteins]
A main raw material flour consisting of 85 parts by weight of defatted soybeans and 15 parts by weight of powdered soy protein was mixed and extruded through a 1 mm thick, 15 mm wide slit die at a die head temperature of 120°C and a screw rotation speed of 450 RPM while feeding 20 parts by weight of water to the raw material mixed powder in a twin-screw extruder to produce a sheet-like textured vegetable protein. The textured vegetable protein was cut perpendicular to the extrusion direction at the outlet to produce rod-like textured vegetable protein with an average width of 5 mm.

[Preparation of moisturizing gel]
2% by weight of sodium alginate, 5% by weight of salad oil, and consomme extract were added to boiling water and stirred to obtain a moisturizing aqueous gel solution.
The moisturizing gel aqueous solution was added in an amount 10 times by weight to the structured vegetable protein, and the mixture was allowed to stand at 92°C for 5 minutes to complex the vegetable protein with the moisturizing gel aqueous solution. The structured vegetable protein that had been complexed with the moisturizing gel was then removed and allowed to stand in a refrigerator for 30 minutes to cool, yielding a moisturizing gel-containing vegetable protein.
The vegetable protein containing moisturizing gel was immersed in an aqueous solution containing 5% calcium sulfate, and then immersed overnight in a 2% by weight sodium alginate solution (IL-6M) at room temperature so that calcium ions were sufficiently diffused, and the sodium alginate was coagulated to form a coating, thereby producing a vegetable protein material.

[Processing into shrimp-like foods]
The vegetable protein material was placed in a concave mold having a shrimp-shaped recess, and pressure-molded using a convex mold having a protrusion that fits into the recess to form an imitation shrimp.

(Test Example 1)
Test example 1 is an example in which the hardness does not have a maximum value.
[Preparation of organized plant proteins]
A main raw material flour consisting of 40 parts by weight of defatted soybeans, 45 parts by weight of powdered soybean protein, and 15 parts by weight of wheat protein was mixed and extruded through a cooling die with an opening of 14 mm in diameter using a twin-screw extruder while supplying 120 parts by weight of water to the raw material mixed powder under conditions of a die head temperature of 140°C and a screw rotation speed of 450 RPM to produce a sheet-like structured vegetable protein.
The sheet-like textured vegetable protein was pulverized in a food processor to produce minced textured vegetable protein, which was then pressed into a shrimp-shaped mold and dried in an incubator at 85°C to produce a shrimp-shaped dried product.

[Preparation of moisturizing gel]
1% by weight of kappa-type carrageenan (WR-78-J), 1% by weight of xanthan gum (SATIAKINE CX90), 10% by weight of coconut oil, 5% by weight of palm oil, and beef extract were added to boiling water and stirred to obtain a moisturizing gel solution.
The moisturizing gel aqueous solution was added in an amount 10 times by weight to the structured vegetable protein, and the mixture was allowed to stand at 92°C for 5 minutes to complex the vegetable protein with the moisturizing gel aqueous solution. The structured vegetable protein that had been complexed with the moisturizing gel was then removed and allowed to stand in a refrigerator for 30 minutes to cool, yielding a moisturizing gel-containing vegetable protein.

[Formation of coating]
The vegetable protein containing moisturizing gel was immersed in an aqueous solution containing 10% calcium chloride, and then immersed in a sodium alginate solution (IL-6M) with a concentration of 2% by weight at room temperature for about 10 seconds to solidify the sodium alginate and form a coating, thereby producing a shrimp-shaped vegetable protein material.

(Test Example 2)
Test Example 2 is an example where the oil content exceeds 10% by weight.
A moisturizing gel was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, but in the following manner.
1% by weight of kappa-type carrageenan (WR-78-J), 1% by weight of xanthan gum (SATIAKINE CX90), 10% by weight of coconut oil, 5% by weight of palm oil, and 1% by weight of seaweed extract were added to boiling water and stirred to obtain a moisturizing gel solution.
The moisturizing gel aqueous solution was added in an amount 10 times by weight to the structured vegetable protein, and the mixture was allowed to stand at 92°C for 5 minutes to complex the vegetable protein with the moisturizing gel aqueous solution. The structured vegetable protein that had been complexed with the moisturizing gel was then removed and allowed to stand in a refrigerator for 30 minutes to cool, yielding a moisturizing gel-containing vegetable protein.

[Processing into shrimp-like foods]
The vegetable protein material was gathered and stacked in an elliptical cylindrical concave mold, then pressure molded in a convex mold, and the molded product was left to stand to disperse calcium ions and solidify the coating components. It was then hollowed out into a shrimp shape, and the hollowed out molded product was further immersed in a 10% calcium lactate solution to completely solidify the coating components, producing a shrimp-like food product.

<Evaluation Results>
(Measurement of penetration distance-hardness curve)
The hardness of the shrimp-like food prepared was evaluated using a rheometer.
The pressure applied to the plunger was measured using a rheometer (SUN RHEO METER CR-100) equipped with a plunger having a diameter of 3 mm, and the measured value was taken as hardness (kN/m ² ). The measurement temperature was 25°C.
A graph was drawn with the plunger penetration distance on the horizontal axis and the hardness on the vertical axis, and the penetration distance at which the hardness became maximum and the maximum value were determined. When the maximum value appeared at a point up to 70% of the plunger penetration distance, the maximum value was designated as hardness A.
The hardness which is the maximum value (hardness A), the penetration distance at which the hardness is the maximum value, the hardness measured at the point where the penetration distance has increased by 10% from the penetration distance at which the hardness is the maximum value (hardness B), and the ratio (%) of the hardness B to the hardness A were calculated and are shown in Table 1.
In Comparative Example 1 and Test Example 1, the maximum value did not appear at a point up to 70% of the plunger's penetration distance, so for reference, the hardness A shows the hardness at a point 95% of the penetration distance. In Comparative Example 1 and Test Example 1, hardness B does not exist.

FIG. 1 shows the results of measuring the hardness of the shrimp-like food product obtained in Example 1 and boiled shrimp using a rheometer.
It can be seen that the shrimp-like food obtained in Example 1 has a relationship between the penetration distance and the hardness similar to that of boiled shrimp.

(Sensory Evaluation)
After heating the prepared shrimp-like food, the texture and juiciness were evaluated by five panelists based on the average of sensory evaluations. The evaluation was performed according to the following evaluation criteria, and the evaluation results are shown in Table 2.

(Texture)
5 points: Has the same bouncy texture as real shrimp 4 points: Has a bouncy texture similar to real shrimp 3 points: Slightly soft or slightly hard 2 points: Slightly brittle and easily crumbles or hard 1 point: Brittle and easily crumbles or very hard

(Mouthfeel)
5 points: As moist as real shrimp meat 4 points: Moist as real shrimp meat 3 points: Slightly dry texture 2 points: Dry texture 1 point: Powdery texture

The shrimp-like foods of Examples 1 to 3 all had a bouncy texture similar to or equivalent to that of real shrimp, and also had a fresh mouthfeel similar to or equivalent to that of real shrimp.
The shrimp-like food product of Comparative Example 1 was inferior in texture and mouthfeel because it did not form a moisturizing gel or coating.
The shrimp-like food product of Comparative Example 2 had a low hardness A and a hardness B of 0. That is, the shrimp-like food product was broken. Therefore, the shrimp-like food product was too soft and did not have a bouncy texture.
The shrimp-like food product of Test Example 1 did not show a maximum value until 70% of the plunger's penetration distance and remained hard, so that the texture when chewed was hard.
The shrimp-like food of Test Example 2 had an oily texture, having an oily texture different from that of shrimp, because the oil content was high, exceeding 10% by weight.

Claims (6)

A shrimp-like food product comprising a vegetable protein material having a structured vegetable protein, a moisturizing gel, and a coating that covers these,
the structured vegetable protein comprises soy protein;
the coating comprises solidified sodium alginate;
The moisturizing gel contains at least one selected from the group consisting of agar, carrageenan, and xanthan gum,
the structured vegetable protein is present in an amount of from 5 to 80% by weight based on the total weight of the vegetable protein material;
The shrimp-like food is characterized in that, in measurements of hardness of the shrimp-like food product at 25°C using a rheometer, the hardness reaches a maximum value at a point up to 70% of the penetration distance, and the ratio of the hardness measured at a point where the penetration distance has increased by 10% from the penetration distance at which the maximum value is reached is more than 0% and not more than 70% of the maximum value of hardness, and the oil content of the vegetable protein material is less than 10% by weight. The shrimp-like food product according to claim 1, wherein the vegetable protein material is fibrous and the average major axis of the cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is less than 1000 μm. The shrimp-like food product according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the maximum value is 500 kN/ ^m2 or more. The shrimp-like food product according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the structured vegetable protein is layered or fibrous. The shrimp-like food product according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the moisturizing gel contains carbohydrates. The shrimp-like food product according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is colored and shaped to resemble shrimp.

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