JP7631380B2 - Flour mix for deep frying - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a flour mix for fried foods.

Deep-fried food coating materials are broadly classified into powdered coating materials called blenders and liquid coating materials called batters. In either case, in deep-fried foods made using these coating materials, the ingredients are heated without coming into direct contact with the frying oil by the coating formed from the coating material, giving them a juicy finish, while the moisture in the coating evaporates in the frying oil, giving the food a crispy, dry texture.

When cooking fried foods, the ingredients shrink or deform when heated, causing the batter to peel off from the ingredients during or after cooking. To address this issue, the traditional method is to coat the ingredients with flour before cooking so that the batter adheres well to the ingredients. However, when the ingredients and batter are in close contact with each other, moisture from the ingredients is likely to transfer to the batter, and the crisp texture of the batter is likely to be lost over time after cooking. This tendency is more pronounced when fried foods are stored at low temperatures.

Conventionally, coating materials containing oil- or fat-processed starch to improve adhesion to ingredients have been disclosed (for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3). With regard to dusting powder for deep-fried foods, Patent Documents 4 and 5 describe the use of oil- or fat-processed acetylated starch as a dusting powder. Furthermore, Patent Document 6 describes the use of oil- or fat-processed phosphate cross-linked starch as a dusting powder. The objective of these technologies is to improve the adhesiveness so that the coating material does not peel off from the ingredients, and to improve the crispy texture of deep-fried food coatings.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 14756/1983 JP 2005-073506 A JP 2005-185122 A JP 2002-291431 A JP 2012-165724 A JP 2007-28905 A

When oil-processed starch is used as a dusting powder as in Patent Documents 1 to 6, the adhesiveness between the coating material and ingredients is improved, but a slimy texture may be felt between the ingredients and the coating. Furthermore, when oil-processed processed starch is used as a dusting powder, the resulting fried food may have an odor derived from the processed starch, resulting in a deterioration in the flavor of the fried food. The present invention provides a dusting powder that can improve the adhesiveness between the coating material and ingredients while suppressing the slimy texture between the coating and ingredients and the processed starch odor.

The inventors have discovered that by applying a dusting powder containing silicon dioxide and oil-processed starch to ingredients, then applying a coating material and frying the ingredients, it is possible to produce fried foods that have excellent adhesion between the ingredients and the coating material, so that the coating is not easily peeled off, and that have a crisp, good texture even after a long time has passed since cooking, and that have a good flavor with reduced sliminess between the coating and ingredients and reduced processed starch odor.

Thus, the present invention provides the following:
[1] A dusting mix for deep-frying containing silicon dioxide and oil-processed starch.
[2] The flour mix for deep-fried foods according to [1], wherein the content of the oil-processed starch is 50% by mass or more.
[3] The flour mix for deep-frying according to [1] or [2], wherein the content of the silicon dioxide is 0.01 to 0.3% by mass.
[4] The flour mix for deep-fried foods according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the oil- or fat-processed starch is made from one or more ingredients selected from the group consisting of unprocessed starch, acetylated starch, and phosphate cross-linked starch.
[5] A method for producing fried foods, comprising applying a coating material to an ingredient having the flour mix for fried foods according to any one of [1] to [4] adhered thereto, and then deep-frying the ingredient.
[6] Use of a mix containing silicon dioxide and oil-processed starch as a dusting agent for deep-fried foods.
[7] The use according to [6], wherein the content of the oil- or fat-processed starch in the mix is 50% by mass or more.
[8] The use according to [6] or [7], wherein the content of silicon dioxide in the mix is 0.01 to 0.3 mass%.
[9] The use according to any one of [6] to [8], wherein the oil/fat-processed starch is made from one or more raw materials selected from the group consisting of unprocessed starch, acetylated starch, and phosphate cross-linked starch.

Fried foods obtained using the deep-frying flour mix of the present invention have excellent adhesion between the ingredients and the coating, and the coating does not easily come off. In addition, even after a certain amount of time has passed since cooking, the coating has a good, crisp texture. Furthermore, the present invention can improve the flavor of fried foods by suppressing the slime between the coating and ingredients that occurs with conventional coating flours and the odor caused by processed starch.

The present invention provides a dusting mix for deep-fried foods. The dusting mix for deep-fried foods of the present invention (hereinafter also simply referred to as the mix of the present invention) is used as a dusting mix to be sprinkled on ingredients before coating with a batter during the production of deep-fried foods.

The mix of the present invention contains silicon dioxide. Silicon dioxide is a component that has been conventionally used as a food additive for the purposes of adsorbent, excipient, and anti-caking agent. The silicon dioxide used in the mix of the present invention preferably contains 99% by volume or more of particles with a particle size of 50 μm or less, more preferably 99% by volume or more of particles with a particle size of 30 μm or less, and even more preferably 99% by volume or more of particles with a particle size of 15 μm or less, based on the particle size distribution by laser diffraction method. Such silicon dioxide is commercially available, and these may be used.

The content of silicon dioxide in the mix of the present invention is preferably 0.01 to 0.3% by mass, more preferably 0.03 to 0.2% by mass, and even more preferably 0.05 to 0.1% by mass, based on the total mass of the mix. If the content of silicon dioxide in the mix is too low, the resulting deep-fried food may not have a slimy texture between the ingredients and the batter or may not have a bad odor due to processed starch. On the other hand, if the content of silicon dioxide in the mix is too high, the resulting deep-fried food may have a batter that adheres less well or has a poor texture.

The mix of the present invention further contains an oil- or fat-processed starch. Preferably, the oil- or fat-processed starch used in the mix of the present invention is an oil- or fat-processed starch prepared by mixing 100 parts by mass of raw starch with about 0.01 to 30 parts by mass, preferably 0.05 to 1 part by mass, of edible oil or fat, and appropriately drying the resulting mixture. If necessary, the mixture may be heat-treated before or after drying. Alternatively, a commercially available oil- or fat-processed starch may be used.

The origin of the raw starch for the oil-processed starch is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include corn starch, waxy corn starch, tapioca starch, potato starch, wheat starch, rice starch, etc., with underground starches being preferred, and tapioca starch being more preferred. These starches can be used as unprocessed starches or as processed starches that have been subjected to processes such as gelatinization, etherification, esterification, crosslinking, and oxidation. The raw starch may be any one or a combination of two or more of the unprocessed and processed starches listed above.

Preferably, the oil-processed starch used in the present invention is made from one or more raw materials selected from the group consisting of unprocessed starch, acetylated starch, and phosphate-crosslinked starch. Acetylated starch is starch esterified by reacting starch with acetic anhydride. Acetylated starch is a component that has been conventionally used as a food additive for the purpose of improving texture and physical properties. The acetylated starch may be one that has been subjected to processing other than acetylation, and examples thereof include acetylated phosphate-crosslinked starch, acetylated adipic acid-crosslinked starch, and acetylated oxidized starch. Such acetylated starch is commercially available, and these may be used as the raw starch. Phosphate-crosslinked starch is starch that has been crosslinked by esterification by reacting starch with phosphorus oxychloride, phosphoric anhydride, trimetaphosphate, etc.. Phosphate-crosslinked starch is a component that has been conventionally used as a food additive for the purpose of improving texture. Such phosphate-crosslinked starch is commercially available, and these may be used as the raw starch.

The oil- or fat-processed starch used in the present invention may be prepared by processing one or more of the unprocessed starch, acetylated starch, and phosphate cross-linked starch in oil or fat by the above-mentioned procedure, or by mixing the starches after processing them separately in oil or fat.

The type of edible oil or fat used in the preparation of the oil-processed starch is not particularly limited, and examples include edible vegetable oils and animal oils such as soybean oil, rapeseed oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, rice oil, corn oil, palm oil, perilla oil, beef tallow, and lard. These edible oils and fats can be used alone or in combination of two or more. In addition, as a substitute for part or all of the edible oil or fat, oil-rich cereal flour, such as undefatted soybean flour, can be used.

The content of the oil- or fat-processed starch in the mix of the present invention is preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 55 to 99.5% by mass, and even more preferably 60 to 99% by mass, based on the total mass of the mix. By making the content of the oil- or fat-processed starch in the mix 50% by mass or more, it is possible to improve the adhesion of the batter and the texture of fried foods obtained using the mix.

The mix of the present invention may further contain other ingredients as necessary in addition to the silicon dioxide and oil-processed starch described above. Examples of the other ingredients include, but are not limited to, cereal flours such as wheat flour and rice flour; starches other than oil-processed starch; sugars; proteins; gelling agents, thickeners; seasonings such as salt and amino acids; spices; flavorings; powdered oils and fats. The mix of the present invention may contain one or more of the other ingredients in combination depending on the desired characteristics of the fried food. The total content of the other ingredients in the mix of the present invention may be the remainder of the silicon dioxide and oil-processed starch, and is preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 45% by mass or less, and even more preferably 40% by mass or less of the total mass of the mix. The content of each of the other ingredients may be appropriately adjusted depending on the desired characteristics of the fried food.

The mix of the present invention can be used in the same way as a conventional dusting powder for deep-fried foods. Typically, in the production of deep-fried foods, the mix of the present invention can be directly attached to the surface of the ingredients. The procedure for attaching the mix of the present invention to the ingredients is not particularly limited, but preferably, the mix is sprinkled on the ingredients to attach it. The "sprinkling" operation includes all operations that can directly attach the mix of the present invention to the surface of the ingredients. Specifically, examples of the "sprinkling" operation include an operation of sprinkling the mix from above the ingredients, an operation of putting the mix and the ingredients in a sealable bag and shaking the bag with the opening closed, an operation of spreading the mix on a plate or the like and rolling the ingredients on the mix, etc.

The ingredients are not particularly limited, and examples thereof include meats such as chicken, pork, beef, lamb, and goat; seafood such as squid, shrimp, fish, and shellfish; vegetables, and imitation meats such as soy meat. From the viewpoint of preventing odors derived from processed starch, the mix of the present invention is preferably used for ingredients that are prone to have an unpleasant odor, such as seafood. If necessary, the ingredients may be seasoned before the mix of the present invention is applied.

The desired fried food can be obtained by frying the ingredients to which the mix of the present invention is applied in a conventional manner. Therefore, the present invention also provides a method for producing fried food, which comprises applying a coating material to the ingredients to which the mix of the present invention is applied, and then frying the ingredients in oil. The procedure for producing fried food in the method of the present invention can be carried out in accordance with the procedure for producing normal fried food, except that the mix of the present invention is used as a dusting powder. The type of coating material used in the method of the present invention is not particularly limited, and may be a powdered coating material (blender) or a liquid coating material (batter). Examples of blenders include, but are not limited to, bread crumbs, fried chicken flour, grain flour, starch flour, etc. Examples of batters include, but are not limited to, egg liquid, batter for tempura or breaded fries, batter for fried chicken, etc.

For example, when producing tempura according to the method for producing fried foods of the present invention, the mix of the present invention is directly applied to the surface of the ingredient, then the ingredient with the mix of the present invention applied is coated with batter, and then deep-fried. For example, when producing breaded fries according to the method of the present invention, the mix of the present invention is directly applied to the surface of the ingredient, then the ingredient with the mix of the present invention applied is coated with egg liquid or batter, then coated with breadcrumbs, and then deep-fried. In the method for producing fried foods of the present invention, the means of deep-frying include deep frying in a large amount of oil and pan-frying in a small amount of oil, and are not particularly limited.

The present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

Test 1
(Preparation of flour mix for deep-frying)
Fine silicon dioxide (containing 99% by volume or more of particles with a particle size of 15 μm or less), oil-processed starch (oil-processed unprocessed starch, oil-processed acetylated starch, or oil-processed phosphate cross-linked starch; each containing 0.5 parts by mass or less of oil per 100 parts by mass of starch), acetylated starch, phosphate cross-linked starch, oxidized starch, and wheat flour (weak flour) were mixed in the proportions shown in Tables 1 and 2 below to prepare dusting mixes for deep-fried foods (Production Examples 1 to 7, Comparative Examples 1 to 9).

(Tonkatsu production)
A batter liquid was prepared by mixing 30% by mass of soft flour, 10% by mass of whole egg, and 60% by mass of cold water. The flour mix prepared above was applied evenly to the entire surface of pork loin (200 g per piece, 1 cm thick). The meat with the mix attached was dipped in the batter liquid, then covered with breadcrumbs and fried in salad oil heated to 170°C for 4 minutes to produce a pork cutlet. The pork cutlet produced was cooled and stored in a refrigerator for 6 hours, and then stored at room temperature (about 25°C) for 1 hour. The pork cutlet after storage was cut into pieces with a knife, and the adhesion of the coating at that time was evaluated. In addition, the texture of the coating, the sliminess between the coating and the meat, and the processed starch odor when eating the pork cutlet after storage were evaluated. The evaluation was performed by 10 expert panelists according to the following evaluation criteria, and the average score of the 10 evaluations was calculated.

Evaluation criteria (batter adhesion)
5 points: The batter did not come off at all even when the fried food was cut with a knife, which was extremely good.
4 points: When fried food is cut with a knife, the batter hardly comes off, which is good.
3 points: When a deep-fried food is cut with a knife, the batter comes off over 10-20% of the circumference of the cut surface.
2 points: When a fried food is cut with a knife, the batter comes off over more than 20% but less than 50% of the circumference of the cut surface, making it defective.
1 point: When the fried food was cut with a knife, the batter came off over more than 50% of the circumference of the cut surface, which was extremely poor.
(Texture of the batter)
5 points: Crispy and brittle, extremely good.
4 points: Crispy and good.
3 points: A little lacking in crispiness.
2 points: A little soft or a little hard, brittle and lacking in crunchiness, poor quality.
1 point: Very soft or hard, no brittleness, extremely poor.
(The sticky layer between the batter and the ingredients)
5 points: No slime at all, extremely good.
4 points: Almost no slime, good.
3 points: Slightly slimy feeling.
2 points: Somewhat slimy, poor quality.
1 point: Very slimy, extremely poor.
(Processed starch odor)
5 points: Absolutely no processed starch smell, extremely good.
4 points: Almost no processed starch smell, good.
3 points: A slight odor of processed starch is detected.
2 points: A slight odor of processed starch was detected, poor quality.
1 point: A strong odor of processed starch was detected, and the product was extremely poor.

The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2. The pork cutlets obtained using the mixes of Production Examples 1 to 7 containing silicon dioxide and oil-processed starch had excellent batter adhesion and texture, and both the sliminess between the batter and the ingredients and the processed starch odor were suppressed. On the other hand, the mixes of Comparative Examples 1 to 3 containing silicon dioxide but not oil-processed starch were inferior in all evaluation items. The mixes of Comparative Examples 4 to 7 not containing silicon dioxide had a slimy texture and a processed starch odor. The mixes of Comparative Examples 8 and 9, which were mainly composed of wheat flour but not containing processed starch, were not slimy or had a processed starch odor, but had poor batter adhesion and texture. This shows that by using a dusting powder containing a combination of silicon dioxide and oil-processed starch, it is possible to produce fried foods with good batter adhesion and texture and no sliminess or processed starch odor.

Test 2
A pork cutlet was produced and evaluated in the same manner as in Test 1, except that the composition of the dusting flour mix was changed as shown in Table 3. The results are shown in Table 3. Table 3 also shows the results of Production Example 1.

Test 3
Except for changing the ingredients as shown in Table 4, fried foods with bread crumbs were produced and evaluated in the same manner as in Test 1. The results are shown in Table 4. Table 4 also lists the results of Production Example 1.

Claims (5)

This flour mix for deep-fried foods contains 0.005% by mass or more of silicon dioxide and 50% by mass or more of oil-processed starch. The flour mix for deep-frying according to claim 1, wherein the content of the oil-processed starch is 99.5% by mass or less . The flour mix for deep-frying according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the silicon dioxide content is 0.01 to 0.3% by mass. The flour mix for deep-fried foods according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the oil-processed starch is made from one or more ingredients selected from the group consisting of unprocessed starch, acetylated starch, and phosphate cross-linked starch. A method for producing fried foods, comprising applying a coating material to an ingredient to which the flour mix for deep-frying according to any one of claims 1 to 4 has been applied, and then deep-frying the ingredient.