JP7565725B2 - Noodle-like foods - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a noodle-like food product.

In recent years, with the rise in health consciousness, noodle substitute foods using low-sugar, low-fat konjac and shirataki are gaining attention.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses konjac noodles that are produced by adding an alkaline coagulant to konjac paste containing konjac flour, rice flour, and cellulose powder, forming the paste into noodles, and then subjecting the noodles to a special manufacturing process.

JP 2008-306951 A

However, the conventional konjac noodles disclosed in Patent Document 1 and the like have a problem in that the konjac noodles contain a lot of water, and therefore the water transfers to soups, pasta sauces, etc., resulting in a weak taste and flavor. In addition, if noodles with low water content are intentionally made, there is a drawback in that the konjac flour, rice flour, and cellulose have high water absorption rates, and the noodles become stretched if left for a long time after boiling or cooking.
In addition, with konjac noodles, it was not possible to fully reproduce the texture unique to noodles (elasticity and smoothness), leaving room for improvement.

The present invention was made in consideration of these problems, and aims to provide a noodle-like food product that does not allow water to flow in or out during cooking, does not dilute the taste or flavor of soup or pasta sauce, does not cause the noodles to become soggy, and is excellent in reproducing the texture (elasticity and smoothness) unique to noodles.

The noodle-like food of the present invention is a noodle-like food comprising a vegetable protein material having structured vegetable protein, a moisturizing gel, and a coating that covers these, and is characterized in that the hardness at 25°C measured with a rheometer is 50 to 500 kN/ ^m2 , the oil content in the vegetable protein material is less than 10% by weight, the vegetable protein material is fibrous, and the average fiber diameter of the vegetable protein material is 800 to 10,000 μm.

The noodle-like food of the present invention has a structure in which the vegetable protein material is coated with a film of structured vegetable protein and moisturizing gel, so that water does not flow in or out during cooking, the taste and flavor of soup or pasta sauce is not diluted, and the noodles do not become soggy.
In addition, since the noodle-like food has a specified hardness and oil content, and the vegetable protein material has a specified average fiber diameter, it is excellent in reproducing the texture (elasticity and smoothness) unique to noodles.

Here, vegetable protein is widely used in the field of processed foods, and is defined by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan in the "Japanese Agricultural Standard for Vegetable Protein." In this standard, the raw material for vegetable protein is selected from soy flour, defatted soy flour, wheat flour, wheat gluten, etc. Furthermore, the types of vegetable protein are classified into powdered vegetable protein, paste-like vegetable protein, granular vegetable protein, and fibrous vegetable protein.

The hardness measured by the rheometer refers to the pressure that a cylindrical plunger with a diameter of 3 mm receives when it is pressed into the sample to 95% of its thickness.

In addition, 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 Protein." "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 Protein," and is formed by stacking multiple layers of tissue of a certain thickness that spreads two-dimensionally.

In the noodle-like food product of the present invention, the moisturizing gel preferably contains oil or fat.
In the noodle-like food of the present invention, the moisturizing gel contains fats and oils, so that the texture of the food can be suitably prevented from becoming dry or gritty.

In the noodle-like food product of the present invention, the oil or fat is preferably made from a vegetable raw material.
In the noodle-like food of the present invention, if the oil and fat contained in the moisturizing gel is made from a vegetable raw material, it can be eaten by people who cannot consume animal foods for religious reasons.In addition, the content of saturated fatty acids and lipids is reduced, which is preferable from the viewpoint of health.

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

In the noodle-like food product of the present invention, the moisturizing gel preferably contains carbohydrates.
In the noodle-like food product of the present invention, when the moisturizing gel contains a carbohydrate, the carbohydrate hydrates the moisture contained in the moisturizing gel, thereby enhancing the moisturizing effect and imparting a suitable noodle-like flavor.

According to the present invention, water does not flow out or in during cooking, so the taste and flavor of soup or pasta sauce is not diluted, the noodles do not become soggy, and a noodle-like food product can be provided that has excellent reproducibility of the texture (elasticity and smoothness) unique to noodles.

The noodle-like food of the present invention is a noodle-like food comprising a vegetable protein material having structured vegetable protein, a moisturizing gel, and a coating that covers these, and is characterized in that the hardness at 25°C measured with a rheometer is 50 to 500 kN/ ^m2 , the oil content in the vegetable protein material is less than 10% by weight, the vegetable protein material is fibrous, and the average fiber diameter of the vegetable protein material is 800 to 10,000 μm.
The noodle-like food product of the present invention has the following effects.

The noodle-like food of the present invention has a structure in which the vegetable protein material is coated with a film of structured vegetable protein and moisturizing gel, so that water does not flow in or out even during cooking, and the taste and flavor of soup or pasta sauce is not diluted or becomes runny.
In addition, since the noodle-like food has a specified hardness and oil content, and the vegetable protein material has a specified average fiber diameter, it is excellent in reproducing the texture (elasticity and smoothness) unique to noodles.

In the noodle-like food of the present invention, the vegetable protein material has a structure in which structured vegetable protein and a moisturizing gel are coated with a coating film.
First, each component of the vegetable protein material will be described.

(structured vegetable protein)
The vegetable protein material comprises structured vegetable protein.

The structured vegetable protein is preferably formed using a protein source.
Examples of protein raw materials 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. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.
The protein raw material may be defatted, may be in powder form, may be a purified protein, may be a concentrated protein, or may be any of these in a paste form.

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 fiber include agar, alginate, soybean lecithin, polydextrose, indigestible dextrin, crystalline cellulose, thickening polysaccharides (carrageenan, cassia gum, cellulose gum, curdlan gum, guar gum, hydroxypropyl cellulose, konjac, locust bean gum, pectin, and xanthin gum).
These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

Examples of lipids include linseed oil, perilla 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 oil, 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 oil, neem oil, non-hydrogenated oil, partially hydrogenated oil, peanut oil, synthetic oil, vegetable oil, ω-fatty acid (e.g., arachidonic acid, ω-3-fatty acid, ω-6-fatty acid, ω-7-fatty acid, ω-9-fatty acid), beef tallow, lard, chicken fat, mutton tallow, whale oil, and fish oil. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.
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 may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

Examples of the seasoning components include vegetable extracts such as ginger extract, carrot extract, tomato extract, etc., seafood extracts or seafood-flavored plant extracts such as shrimp extract, 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 components, spices such as pepper, and flavorings (natural flavorings prepared using roots, bark, flowers, fruits, fruit peels, or other animals and plants as materials, 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.
By combining the structured vegetable protein with seasoning ingredients, the vegetable protein material is given a taste and flavor, making soup or pasta sauce unnecessary, making it suitable for use in portable foods, space foods, etc.

Flavoring ingredients that are plant-derived are preferred, because they can be eaten 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 contain pH adjusters, antifoaming agents, surfactants, colorants, plasticizers, etc., as required.

The shape of the structured vegetable protein is not particularly limited, and sheet-like, fibrous, etc., may be used.
Among these, a sheet or fiber form is preferred. When the texturized vegetable protein is in a sheet form, the sheet can be cut into a noodle shape.
The thickness of the sheet is preferably 0.01 μm to 1000 μm.
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 can be formed into a noodle shape as long as it is fibrous.
In this case, the average fiber diameter of the fibrous vegetable protein is preferably 0.01 μm to 1000 μm, and it is preferable that the structure be such that it can be torn in the fiber direction by an external force.
In addition, the aspect ratio is preferably 10 or more.
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 allows the moisturizing gel described below to be suitably encapsulated, thereby imparting a suitable chewy and smooth texture to the noodle-like food product.
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, a noodle-like texture can be suitably imparted to the vegetable protein material, and the moisturizing gel can be suitably encapsulated therein.

(Moisturizing gel)
The vegetable protein material has a moisturizing gel.

The moisturizing gel preferably has a melting point of less than 100°C.
The moisturizing gel melts as you chew it, giving the food a deeper taste and flavor.
The melting point of the moisturizing gel is more preferably less than 80°C, and even more preferably less than 60°C.

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, gelatin, various amino acids and their peptides, agar, locust bean gum, galactomannan, glucomannan, konjac mannan, tamarind seed gum, psyllium seed gum, ghatti gum, arabinogalactan, kombu acid, soy protein, soy lecithin, and crystalline cellulose. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. In addition, moisturizing gels derived from plants are preferable. This is 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.
When the moisturizing gel contains carbohydrates, the carbohydrates hydrate the moisture contained in the moisturizing gel, thereby enhancing the moisturizing effect. In addition, a noodle-like flavor can be suitably imparted to the moisturizing gel.
The carbohydrate may be appropriately selected from those described above in relation to the structured vegetable protein or those described above as gelling agents.

The moisturizing gel may include oils or fats.
By including oil or fat in the moisturizing gel, the texture of the gel can be suitably prevented from becoming dry or gritty.

As for the fat or oil, any of those described above as lipids in the structured vegetable protein can be appropriately selected and used.

The oil or fat may be contained by emulsifying it with an emulsifier.
The emulsifier may be an anionic emulsifier, a nonionic emulsifier, a cationic emulsifier, or an amphoteric emulsifier, and examples of the emulsifier 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 contained in the moisturizing gel may be a solid oil.
The moisturizing gel may also contain flavoring ingredients and nutrients.
By including such ingredients, the vegetable protein material is given a taste and flavor, making soup or pasta sauce unnecessary, and therefore the vegetable protein material can be suitably used for portable meals, space food, and the like.
The seasoning ingredients and nutrients can be appropriately selected from those described above for the structured vegetable protein.

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 has a coating.

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, the inflow and outflow of moisture can be effectively suppressed even during cooking, preventing the taste and flavor of soup or pasta sauce from being diluted or becoming runny.
The melting point of the coating is more preferably at least 40° C. higher than the melting point of the moisturizing gel, and even more preferably at least 50° C. higher.

Examples of the coating 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.
Other examples include those containing gelling agents such as sodium carboxymethylcellulose, tara gum, gellan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, tragacanth gum, karaya gum, curdlan, pullulan, gelatin, agar, locust bean gum, collagen, 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 the metal ion include a calcium ion, a magnesium ion, an ammonium ion, and an aluminum ion.
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 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 outflow or inflow of the moisturizing gel can be effectively prevented even when cooking with heat, and the taste and flavor of soup or pasta sauce can be effectively prevented from being diluted or becoming runny.
Similarly, since the inflow of moisture from the outside is prevented, the noodles do not become stretched and the firmness of the noodles can be maintained.
The thickness of the coating is determined by observing the coating with a microscope and measuring the part with the smallest thickness.

(Plant protein ingredients)
The vegetable protein material has a hardness of 50 to 500 kN/m ² at 25° C. as measured by a rheometer, an oil content in the vegetable protein material is less than 10% by weight, the vegetable protein material is fibrous, and the average fiber diameter of the vegetable protein material is 800 to 10,000 μm.

The vegetable protein material has a hardness of 50 to 500 kN/ ^m2 at 25°C as measured by a rheometer.
By providing the noodles with this hardness, it is possible to reproduce the elasticity that is characteristic of noodles.
The measurement using a rheometer is defined as the pressure received by a cylindrical plunger having a diameter of 3 mm when the plunger is pressed into 95% of the thickness of the sample.

The oil content in the vegetable protein material is less than 10% by weight.
If the oil content is more than 10% by weight, the texture peculiar to the noodles (such as smoothness) will be lost.
The oil content in the vegetable protein material is preferably less than 10% by weight, and more preferably less than 5% by weight.

The vegetable protein material is fibrous, and the average fiber diameter of the vegetable protein material is 800 to 10,000 μm.
By making the noodles into such a shape, it is possible to excellently reproduce the texture (elasticity and smoothness) specific to noodles and also to reproduce the appearance.
The average fiber diameter of the vegetable protein material is preferably 1,000 to 5,000 μm.
The fiber diameter referred to here is the diameter (or major axis) of the cross section for round noodles, the length of the long side for flat noodles with a triangular or rectangular cross section, the length of the longest diagonal for noodles with a pentagon or higher polygonal cross section, and the major axis for noodles with an irregular shape. For hollow noodles such as macaroni, the diameter is the midpoint between the outer and inner diameters.
In addition, the aspect ratio, expressed as noodle length/fiber diameter, is preferably 10 or greater.
The average fiber diameter and aspect ratio refer to average values measured for 30 randomly selected particles of the vegetable protein material.

The vegetable protein material preferably has a water retention rate of 40 to 90%, and more preferably 50 to 85%.
The water retention rate can be determined from the difference in weight before and after drying at 105° C. for 4 hours.

(Method of manufacturing vegetable protein material)
The method for producing the vegetable protein material is not particularly limited, but for example, it can be produced by the following method.
Either fibrous (noodle-like) structured vegetable protein is produced, or sheet-like structured vegetable protein is produced and then shredded into noodles.
A moisturizing gel is encapsulated in this noodle-like structured vegetable protein, and then a coating is formed to produce a vegetable protein material.

The method for producing structured vegetable protein is not particularly limited, but for example, the protein raw material and, if necessary, carbohydrates, lipids, nutrients, and seasoning ingredients are fed into an extruder (extrusion molding machine), and then the protein raw material, which has been pressurized and heated to become thermoplastic, is extruded from a die (mouthpiece) attached to the tip of the screw, and the structure is expanded to the desired extent. Next, the protein raw material is chopped or crushed, dried, cooled, etc., and formed into a noodle shape, thereby producing structured vegetable protein.

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 of the extruder are preferably 30 to 150°C.
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 an aqueous moisturizing gel solution, and then structured vegetable protein is added to this aqueous moisturizing gel solution, which is then allowed to stand to allow the aqueous moisturizing gel solution to be encapsulated in the structured vegetable protein. The structured vegetable protein containing the aqueous moisturizing gel solution is then removed, and cooled to gel the aqueous moisturizing gel solution, forming a moisturizing gel.

In the moisturizing gel aqueous solution, the gelling agent is preferably present in an amount of 0.1 to 50% by weight relative to the weight of the moisturizing gel aqueous solution.

The method for forming the coating involves immersing the structured vegetable protein encapsulating the moisturizing gel described above in an aqueous solution containing metal ions to which a metal salt has been added. The coating can then be formed by dissolving carbohydrates in the aqueous solution containing metal ions and bringing the metal ions into contact with the carbohydrates to coagulate them. This allows the vegetable protein material to be produced.

The aqueous solution containing metal ions may contain a binder.
As the binder, for example, transglutaminase, starch, etc. can be used.

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

(Noodle-like foods)
The noodle-like food of the present invention is characterized by containing a vegetable protein material.
As a result, even during cooking, water does not flow in or out, so the taste and flavor of the soup or pasta sauce is not diluted, the noodles do not become soggy, and the unique texture of the noodles (elasticity and smoothness) is excellently reproduced.

The term noodle-like food refers to food that has an appearance similar to noodles made primarily from common cereal flours such as wheat flour and rice flour.
Examples of noodles include pasta, Chinese noodles, udon, soba, hiyamugi, somen, hiyashimen, vermicelli, kudzu noodles, macaroni, lagman, rice vermicelli, kwaytiao, and pho.

The noodle-like food of the present invention can be used effectively for various types of noodles by combining a vegetable protein material with secondary ingredients.

Additional ingredients include water, fats, oils, sugars, seasonings, and other ingredients that make up the backbone of the dough, as well as vegetables such as green onions, bean sprouts, and cabbage, meats such as ginger, garlic, chili peppers, green laver, and pork, and seafood such as shrimp and octopus, and can be selected appropriately depending on the type of noodles.

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 80 parts by weight of defatted soybeans, 10 parts by weight of powdered soybean protein, and 10 parts by weight of corn starch was mixed and extruded through a die with a φ1.4 mm opening in a twin-screw extruder under conditions of a die head temperature of 42°C and a screw rotation speed of 150 RPM while feeding 50 parts by weight of a 1 wt% sodium bicarbonate solution to the raw material mixed powder, thereby producing a fibrous structured vegetable protein.
The fibrous structured vegetable protein was cut at the outlet in a direction perpendicular to the extrusion direction to produce round noodle-shaped structured vegetable protein pieces with an average length of 300 mm and an average fiber diameter of 3.5 mm.
The average fiber diameter was determined by measuring the diameter of the fibrous structured vegetable protein in a direction perpendicular to the extrusion direction with a vernier caliper (n=30).

[Preparation of moisturizing gel]
1.5% by weight of kappa-type carrageenan (WR-78-J), 0.5% by weight of agar, and bonito stock 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 that of the structured vegetable protein, and the mixture was allowed to stand at 92°C for 5 minutes to complex the structured vegetable protein with the moisturizing gel aqueous solution. The structured vegetable protein complexed with the moisturizing gel was then removed and allowed to stand in a refrigerator for 30 minutes to cool, yielding a structured vegetable protein encapsulating a moisturizing gel.

[Formation of coating]
The structured vegetable protein containing the moisturizing gel was immersed in an aqueous solution containing 5% calcium lactate. Then, 10% by weight of pectin was dissolved in an aqueous solution containing metal ions, and the pectin was solidified to form a coating, producing a noodle-shaped vegetable protein material. The average fiber diameter (n=30) measured with a vernier caliper was 3.5 mm.

Example 2
A structured vegetable protein was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the raw materials were 90 parts by weight of powdered soy protein and 10 parts by weight of corn starch.

[Preparation of moisturizing gel]
2% by weight of kappa-type carrageenan (WR-78-J), 0.5% by weight of agar, 0.5% by weight of salad oil, and bonito stock 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 that of the structured vegetable protein, and the mixture was allowed to stand at 92°C for 5 minutes to complex the structured vegetable protein with the moisturizing gel aqueous solution. The structured vegetable protein complexed with the moisturizing gel was then removed and allowed to stand in a refrigerator for 30 minutes to cool, yielding a structured vegetable protein encapsulating a moisturizing gel.

[Formation of coating]
A coating was formed and a noodle-shaped vegetable protein material was produced in the same manner as in Example 1. The average fiber diameter (n=30) measured with a vernier caliper was 3.5 mm.

Example 3
A textured vegetable protein was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the raw materials were 90 parts by weight of defatted soybeans and 10 parts by weight of powdered soybean protein.

A moisturizing gel and a coating were formed in the same manner as in Example 1 to prepare a noodle-shaped vegetable protein material.
The average fiber diameter (n=30) measured with a vernier caliper was 3.5 mm.

Example 4
A main raw material flour consisting of 80 parts by weight of defatted soybeans, 10 parts by weight of powdered soy protein, and 10 parts by weight of corn starch was mixed and extruded through a 1 mm thick, 15 mm wide slit die at a die head temperature of 42°C and a screw rotation speed of 150 RPM while feeding 50 parts by weight of 1 wt% sodium bicarbonate solution to the raw material mixed powder, and cut vertically to produce a sheet-like structured vegetable protein with an average length of 300 mm. This was then slit-cut using a roller with a clearance of 1 mm to produce a flat noodle-shaped structured vegetable protein.

A moisturizing gel was encapsulated in the flat noodle-shaped structured vegetable protein in the same manner as in Example 1, and a coating was formed in the same manner as in Example 1 to produce a noodle-shaped vegetable protein material.
The average fiber diameter (n=30) measured with a vernier caliper was 1.0 mm.

(Comparative Example 1)
In the same manner as in Example 1, a textured vegetable protein was prepared and used as a vegetable protein material.
The average fiber diameter (n=30) measured with a vernier caliper was 3.5 mm.

(Comparative Example 2)
A main raw material flour consisting of 90 parts by weight of defatted soybeans and 10 parts by weight of wheat gluten was mixed and extruded through a die with a φ2.0 mm opening in a twin-screw extruder under conditions of a die head temperature of 120°C and a screw rotation speed of 450 RPM while supplying 80 parts by weight of water to the raw material mixed powder, to produce a fibrous structured vegetable protein.
The fibrous structured vegetable protein was cut at the outlet in a direction perpendicular to the extrusion direction to produce fibrous structured vegetable protein having an average length and width of 300 mm and an average fiber diameter of 4.6 mm.

In the same manner as in Example 1, a moisturizing gel and a coating were formed, and a vegetable protein material in the shape of round noodles was produced.
The average fiber diameter (n=30) measured with a vernier caliper was 4.6 mm.

(Comparative Example 3)
A main raw material flour consisting of 90 parts by weight of defatted soybeans and 10 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 supplying 20 parts by weight of water to the raw material mixed powder using a twin-screw extruder. The sheet-like structured vegetable protein was cut perpendicular to the extrusion direction at the outlet to produce a sheet-like structured vegetable protein with an average length of 300 mm, which was then slit-cut to an average width of 1.0 mm using a roller with a clearance of 1 mm to produce a flat noodle-shaped structured vegetable protein.

In the same manner as in Example 1, a moisturizing gel and a coating were formed, and a vegetable protein material in the shape of flat noodles was produced. The average fiber diameter (n=30) measured with a vernier caliper was 1.0 mm.

(Comparative Example 4)
The moisturizing gel was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, but under the following conditions:
1.5% by weight of kappa-type carrageenan (WR-78-J), 0.5% by weight of agar, 10% by weight of coconut oil, 5% by weight of palm oil, and bonito stock 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 that of the structured vegetable protein, and the mixture was allowed to stand at 92°C for 5 minutes to complex the structured vegetable protein with the moisturizing gel aqueous solution. The structured vegetable protein complexed with the moisturizing gel was then removed and allowed to stand in a refrigerator for 30 minutes to cool, yielding a structured vegetable protein encapsulating a moisturizing gel.
The average fiber diameter (n=30) measured with a vernier caliper was 3.5 mm.

(Comparative Example 5)
10.8 parts by weight of sodium alginate was mixed and dissolved with 1,000 parts by weight of water at 50°C by high-speed stirring, and 40 parts by weight of soy pulp powder and 30 parts by weight of dietary fiber (CEOLUS (registered trademark) Fiber DF-17) were added to this solution and further stirred and mixed.
The mixture thus prepared was discharged from a multi-hole nozzle with a diameter of 1.5 mm using a Mono Pump (Heishin Soubi Co., Ltd.) into a calcium chloride solution (0.5%) at 80°C, and allowed to react for 2 minutes to prepare soybean noodles.
The average fiber diameter (n=30) measured with a vernier caliper was 1.5 mm.

<Evaluation Results>
(Hardness measurement)
The hardness of the prepared vegetable protein material was evaluated using a rheometer.
Using a rheometer (SUN RHEO METER CR-100) equipped with a plunger with a diameter of 3 mm, the pressure received by the plunger when the sample was pressed down to 95% of its thickness was measured, and this value was taken as the hardness (kN/m ² ). The measurement temperature was 25° C.

(Sensory Evaluation)
The prepared vegetable protein material was cooked in boiling water at 100°C, and the texture was evaluated by the average score of sensory evaluation by five evaluators.
<Texture after cooking>
5 points: Has the same firmness as real noodles 4 points: Has a firmness close to real noodles 3 points: Slightly soft/slightly hard
2 points: Slightly brittle and easily crumbles/hard
1 point Brittle and crumbles easily/too hard

In the noodle-like food of the embodiment, which contains a vegetable protein material having structured vegetable protein, a moisturizing gel, and a coating that covers these, and in which the vegetable protein material has a specified hardness, oil content, and average fiber diameter, it was confirmed that the food has a firmness (the elasticity and smoothness characteristic of noodles) similar to that of real noodles or close to that of real noodles. In addition, since the vegetable protein material has a structure in which it is covered with a coating, no moisture flows in or out during cooking, so it is thought that the taste and flavor of soup or pasta sauce will not be diluted and the noodles will not become soggy.
On the other hand, the noodle-like food of Comparative Example 1 did not have a coating or a moisturizing gel, so the noodles became stretched immediately after cooking, and the texture was unsatisfactory.
Furthermore, in the noodle-like foods of Comparative Examples 2 and 3, the vegetable protein material did not have the required hardness, so the noodles were either too hard or too soft, and the texture was unsatisfactory.
The noodle-like food of Comparative Example 4 had an oil content of the vegetable protein ingredient that exceeded the specified value, and was therefore brittle and prone to crumbling, with an unsatisfactory texture.
Comparative Example 5 could not be evaluated because it fell apart when cooked, presumably because the soybean protein was not structured.

Claims (5)

A noodle-like food product comprising a noodle-shaped vegetable protein material having structured vegetable protein, a moisturizing gel, and a coating that covers these,
the structured vegetable protein comprises soy protein;
the coating comprises coagulated pectin;
The moisturizing gel comprises agar and/or carrageenan,
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 vegetable protein material has a hardness of 50 to 500 kN/m ² at 25°C measured by a rheometer, an oil content of less than 10% by weight , and an average fiber diameter of 800 to 10,000 μm. The noodle-like food product according to claim 1, wherein the moisturizing gel contains oil or fat. The noodle-like food according to claim 2, wherein the oil is made from a vegetable ingredient. The noodle-like food according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the structured vegetable protein is layered or fibrous. The noodle-like food product according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the moisturizing gel contains carbohydrates.