JP7744840B2 - Method for producing cheese-like food - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cheese-like food product and a method for producing a cheese-like food product.

In recent years, cheese has been used in a variety of dishes, and demand for cheese has been on the rise. However, due to factors such as a decline in the number of livestock farmers, the amount of milk used to make cheese has been decreasing year by year. As a result, it has become difficult to supply the market with enough cheese to meet demand. For these reasons, cheese-like foods that can be made without using milk have been attracting attention.

Patent Document 1 discloses technology related to molded cheese-like foods containing acid-treated starch. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses technology related to heat-resistant cheese-like processed foods containing oxidized starch.

JP 2015-065948 A Patent No. 6222788

When producing cheese-like foods, raw materials containing starch, water, oils, etc. are heated and stirred to emulsify the raw materials. The emulsified raw materials are then cooled and solidified to produce the cheese-like food.

However, the manufacturing process for cheese-like foods has the problem of low productivity because it takes time to cool and solidify the emulsified ingredients. On the other hand, it is possible to improve productivity by shortening the solidification time of the ingredients during cooling by changing the ratio of the ingredients, but this can lead to the problem of a deterioration in the texture of the cheese-like food depending on the ratio of the ingredients.

In view of the above problems, the object of the present invention is to improve the productivity of cheese-like foods and to provide cheese-like foods with an appropriate texture, as well as a method for producing cheese-like foods.

A method for producing a cheese-like food product according to one aspect of the present invention comprises the steps of preparing a mixture containing starch, including at least acid-treated starch, water, and fats and oils; emulsifying the mixture by heating and stirring; and solidifying the emulsified mixture by cooling, wherein the mass ratio of the starch to the water contained in the mixture is 0.55 or more and 0.92 or less, and the mass ratio of the fat to the starch contained in the mixture is 0.25 or more and 1.80 or less.

In the above-mentioned method for producing a cheese-like food product, the mass ratio of the starch to the water may be 0.60 or more and 0.86 or less.

In the above-mentioned method for producing a cheese-like food product, the mass ratio of the starch to the water may be 0.62 or more and 0.80 or less.

In the above-mentioned method for producing a cheese-like food product, the proportion of starch contained in the mixture may be 21.0% by mass or more and 35.3% by mass or less.

In the above-mentioned method for producing a cheese-like food product, the proportion of the fat or oil contained in the mixture may be 8.0% by mass or more and 40.0% by mass or less.

In the above-mentioned method for producing a cheese-like food product, the starch may further include hydroxypropylated starch.

In the above-mentioned method for producing a cheese-like food product, the proportion of hydroxypropylated starch contained in the mixture may be 5.5% by mass or less.

In the above-mentioned method for producing a cheese-like food product, the hydroxypropylated starch may be hydroxypropylated tapioca starch.

In the above-mentioned method for producing a cheese-like food product, the acid-treated starch may be acid-treated potato starch.

In the above-mentioned method for producing a cheese-like food product, the acid-treated starch may be acid-treated acetylated potato starch.

In the above-mentioned method for producing a cheese-like food product, the mixture may further contain an emulsifier.

In the above-mentioned method for producing a cheese-like food product, the emulsifier may be starch sodium octenyl succinate.

In the above-mentioned method for producing a cheese-like food product, the moisture may include at least one of water, soy milk, and coconut milk.

A cheese-like food product according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises starch, including at least acid-treated starch, water, and fats and oils, wherein the mass ratio of the starch to the water is 0.55 or more and 0.92 or less, and the mass ratio of the fats and oils to the starch is 0.25 or more and 1.80 or less.

The present invention makes it possible to improve the productivity of cheese-like foods and provide cheese-like foods with an appropriate texture, as well as a method for producing cheese-like foods.

<Cheese-like foods>
The cheese-like food product according to this embodiment comprises starch containing at least acid-treated starch, water, and fats and oils, and is characterized in that the mass ratio of starch to water is 0.55 or more and 0.92 or less, and the mass ratio of starch to fats and oils is 0.25 or more and 1.80 or less. Furthermore, the mass ratio of starch to water is preferably 0.60 or more and 0.86 or less, more preferably 0.62 or more and 0.80 or less, and even more preferably 0.65 or more and 0.77 or less.

In the cheese-like food product of this embodiment, by setting the mass ratio of starch to water within the above-mentioned range, the hardening rate can be increased when the emulsified ingredients are cooled and solidified during the cheese-like food production process. This allows the production process to be shortened, thereby improving the productivity of the cheese-like food product. Furthermore, in the cheese-like food product of this embodiment, by setting the mass ratio of starch to water within the above-mentioned range, the hardness of the cheese-like food product after production can be set within an appropriate range. Therefore, the texture of the cheese-like food product can be made closer to that of cheese, making it possible to provide a cheese-like food product with an appropriate texture.

The cheese-like food product of this embodiment is described in detail below.

(starch)
The starch used in the cheese-like food product according to this embodiment is a starch containing at least an acid-treated starch. In this embodiment, it is preferable to use acid-treated potato starch as the acid-treated starch, and it is more preferable to use acid-treated acetylated starch. The acid-treated acetylated starch is a starch obtained by subjecting a raw starch to an acid treatment and an acetylation treatment. The raw starch may be, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of potato starch, tapioca starch, waxy corn starch, corn starch, high-amylose corn starch, sweet potato starch, wheat starch, rice starch, and sago starch, but is not limited to these. In this embodiment, it is preferable to use potato starch as the raw starch.

The acid-treated acetylated starch used in this embodiment may be an acid-treated starch that has been acetylated, or an acetylated starch that has been acid-treated. When acetylated starch is acid-treated, some of the acetyl groups may be eliminated during the acid treatment. Therefore, in consideration of reaction efficiency, it is preferable to use an acid-treated acetylated starch that is obtained by acid treatment followed by acetylation. Furthermore, the acid-treated acetylated starch may be a starch that has been subjected to other processing treatments (e.g., cross-linking, etherification, enzyme treatment, etc.) as long as it has been subjected to both acid treatment and acetylation.

In the cheese-like food product of this embodiment, the proportion of starch contained in the cheese-like food product (i.e., the total amount of starch in the cheese-like food product) is 21.0% by mass or more and 35.3% by mass or less, preferably 23.3% by mass or more and 34.0% by mass or less, and more preferably 24.0% by mass or more and 32.5% by mass or less. By keeping the starch proportion within this range, it is possible to improve the productivity of the cheese-like food product and ensure that the texture of the cheese-like food product falls within an appropriate range.

Furthermore, in the cheese-like food product according to this embodiment, the proportion of acid-treated acetylated starch contained in the cheese-like food product is preferably 21.0% or more and 31.0% or less.

In this embodiment, the starch may further include hydroxypropylated starch. Hydroxypropylated starch is starch obtained by subjecting raw starch to a hydroxypropylation treatment. While the raw starch for the hydroxypropylated starch is not particularly limited, it is preferable to use tapioca starch in this embodiment. That is, it is preferable to use hydroxypropylated tapioca starch as the hydroxypropylated starch in this embodiment.

In the cheese-like food product according to this embodiment, the proportion of hydroxypropylated starch contained in the cheese-like food product can be 5.5% by mass or less. By ensuring that the proportion of hydroxypropylated starch contained in the cheese-like food product falls within this range, the productivity of the cheese-like food product can be improved while also improving the texture of the cheese-like food product. Note that when hydroxypropylated starch is included in the starch, the total amount of starch described above is the combined amount of acid-treated acetylated starch and hydroxypropylated starch. Furthermore, in this embodiment, acetylated starch such as acetylated tapioca starch may be used in addition to hydroxypropylated starch.

(Oils and fats)
Examples of fats and oils that can be used in the cheese-like food product of this embodiment include, but are not limited to, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, rice bran oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, olive oil, and processed fats obtained by subjecting these fats and oils to one or more processes selected from the group consisting of interesterification, hydrogenation, fractionation, and hardening. These edible fats and oils may be used alone or in combination of two or more. In this embodiment, palm oil, palm kernel oil, and coconut oil are particularly preferred.

In the cheese-like food product of this embodiment, the proportion of fats and oils contained in the cheese-like food product is 8.0% by mass or more and 40.0% by mass or less, preferably 10.0% by mass or more and 38.8% by mass or less, and more preferably 10.0% by mass or more and 30.0% by mass or less. By keeping the proportion of fats and oils within this range, the productivity of the cheese-like food product can be improved, and the texture of the cheese-like food product can be kept within an appropriate range.

In particular, in this embodiment, it is preferable that the mass ratio of fat to starch is 0.25 or more and 1.80 or less, preferably 0.28 or more and 1.67 or less, and more preferably 0.30 or more and 1.50 or less.

(moisture)
The moisture content of the cheese-like food product according to this embodiment can be 32.0% by mass or more and 51.0% by mass or less. In this embodiment, "moisture" refers to the amount of raw material water (blended water) added when producing the cheese-like food product, excluding the amount of moisture contained in the starch itself. The moisture content can be adjusted appropriately depending on the amount of starch. That is, in this embodiment, the moisture content can be adjusted so that the mass ratio of starch to moisture falls within the above-mentioned range. Furthermore, since the cheese-like food product according to this embodiment is mainly made of starch, oils and water, the moisture content may be adjusted appropriately when adjusting the mass ratio of starch to moisture and the mass ratio of oils and water to starch within the above-mentioned ranges.

In the cheese-like food product according to this embodiment, the moisture may be something other than water. For example, the moisture may be a vegetable emulsion such as soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk, or rice milk; an animal emulsion such as raw milk, low-fat milk, or non-fat milk; vegetable juice; or fruit juice. In this way, by including a liquid other than water as the moisture, flavor can be added to the cheese-like food product.

(emulsifier)
The cheese-like food product according to the present embodiment may contain an emulsifier. Examples of emulsifiers that can be used include lecithin, monoglycerin fatty acid esters, organic acid mono-fatty acid glycerides, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleic acid esters, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, and starch sodium octenyl succinate. In the present embodiment, it is preferable to use starch sodium octenyl succinate as the emulsifier. For example, the proportion of starch sodium octenyl succinate contained in the cheese-like food product can be 1% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less.

In this specification, starch sodium octenyl succinate is treated as an emulsifier, not as a starch. In other words, in this specification, starch sodium octenyl succinate is not included in the total amount of starch.

(Other ingredients)
The cheese-like food product according to the present embodiment may contain other ingredients (other ingredients) in addition to the above-mentioned ingredients, provided that the effects of the present invention are not impaired. For example, other ingredients may be used: L-ascorbic acid and L-ascorbic acid derivatives; antioxidants such as tocopherol, tocotrienol, lignan, ubiquinones, xanthines, oryzanol, catechins, polyphenols, and tea extract; colorants such as carotene; flavorings; seasonings such as salt, sugar, and amino acids; polysaccharides other than those mentioned above, such as starch, xanthan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, pectin, locust bean gum, carrageenan, alginic acid, dextrin, gellan gum, and cellulose; dairy ingredients such as sodium caseinate and skim milk powder; cheeses such as natural cheese and processed cheese; pH adjusters such as acetic acid, phosphoric acid, citric acid, lactic acid, and sodium salts thereof; and shelf-life extenders such as sodium acetate, glycine, and egg white lysozyme.

As described above, in the cheese-like food product of this embodiment, the mass ratio of starch to water is set to 0.55 or more and 0.92 or less. When the mass ratio of starch to water is set within this range, the hardening rate can be increased when the emulsified ingredients are cooled and solidified during the cheese-like food production process. This allows the production process to be shortened, thereby improving the productivity of the cheese-like food product. Furthermore, by setting the mass ratio of starch to water within the above range, the hardness of the cheese-like food product after production can be set within an appropriate range. Therefore, the texture of the cheese-like food product can be made closer to that of cheese, making it possible to provide a cheese-like food product with an appropriate texture.

That is, in cheese-like foods, increasing the amount of starch relative to the water content can increase the hardening rate when the emulsified ingredients are cooled and solidified. On the other hand, if the amount of starch relative to the water content is high, the produced cheese-like food will be hard and have a poor texture. Conversely, if the amount of starch relative to the water content is low, the produced cheese-like food will be soft, but the hardening rate when the emulsified ingredients are cooled and solidified will be slow. Therefore, in the cheese-like food of this embodiment, the mass ratio of starch to water is set to 0.55 or more and 0.92 or less, taking into consideration the balance between the hardening rate of the ingredients during production and the hardness of the produced cheese-like food. By setting the mass ratio of starch to water within this range, it is possible to improve the productivity of cheese-like foods while providing cheese-like foods with an appropriate texture.

<Method of manufacturing cheese-like food>
Next, a method for producing a cheese-like food product according to this embodiment will be described.
When producing a cheese-like food product according to this embodiment, first, a mixture (raw material) containing starch, including at least acid-treated starch, water, and fats and oils is prepared (preparation step). The mass ratio of starch to water contained in the prepared mixture is 0.55 to 0.92, and the mass ratio of fats and oils to starch is 0.25 to 1.80. In this embodiment, the mass ratio of starch to water contained in the prepared mixture is preferably 0.60 to 0.86, more preferably 0.62 to 0.80, and even more preferably 0.65 to 0.77. The above-described raw materials for cheese-like foods can be used for this mixture. When preparing the mixture, water, starch, and fats and oils may be mixed together, or any two components may be mixed in advance and the remaining components may be added and mixed.

Next, the prepared mixture is stirred while heated to emulsify it (stirring process). For example, the prepared mixture is stirred for several minutes without heating, and then heating is started and stirring is continued until the starch gelatinizes and the entire mixture is emulsified. The temperature when stirring the mixture while heating is preferably set to a temperature of 80°C or higher and lower than 120°C. As a specific example of the emulsification process, the mixture is stirred at 1200 rpm using a propeller stirrer without heating for 1 minute. Then, the mixture is emulsified by stirring at 1000 rpm for 6 minutes while heating in a 90°C water bath. Note that live steam may be injected as a heating means during the stirring process. In this case, the injected live steam is calculated as the moisture content.

The stirring step may use equipment other than a propeller-type stirrer. For example, the mixture may be emulsified using an emulsifier such as a kettle-type emulsifier, a Stephan-type emulsifier, or a scraped-surface emulsifier, or after being emulsified using a homomixer or propeller-type stirrer, the mixture may be heated using a scraped-surface heat exchanger or the like. By including a heating step in this way, the mixture becomes a paste, imparting a cheese-like texture to the cheese-like food product.

The emulsified mixture is then cooled and solidified (cooling process). The cooling temperature can be, for example, in an atmosphere above 0°C and below 10°C. By cooling at this temperature, the emulsified mixture can be given an appropriate hardness. The solidified mixture (cheese-like food) can then be cut and filled into packaging containers, etc.

In the method for producing a cheese-like food product according to this embodiment, the cooling step may be carried out after the emulsified mixture (emulsion) has been filled into a packaging container or the like. For example, when producing individually packaged sliced cheese-like food products, the emulsion is filled into a hollow, strip-shaped packaging film, and the packaging film filled with the emulsion is cooled to solidify the emulsion, producing the cheese-like food product. At this time, the packaging film filled with the emulsion is pressed from above and below to form a flat shape (for example, by passing it between two rollers), and after cooling, the film is cut to produce sliced cheese-like food products packaged in packaging film.

In the method for producing a cheese-like food product according to this embodiment, the thickness of the cheese is not limited, but can be 3 cm or less, 2 cm or less, or 1.5 cm or less. From the standpoint of strength, it is preferably 0.2 mm or more, more preferably 0.5 mm or more, and even more preferably 1 mm or more. For example, when a packaging film filled with an emulsion is flattened, the thickness can be 0.2 mm to 3.0 mm, preferably 0.8 mm to 2.0 mm. According to the present invention, the hardening of the emulsion is promoted, thereby improving the productivity of thin cheese.

That is, in the method of producing a cheese-like food by filling a packaging film with an emulsion and then cooling the packaging film filled with the emulsion, the filling of the emulsion and the cooling of the emulsion are carried out continuously. Therefore, when producing a cheese-like food using this method, it is important that the emulsion solidifies quickly during the cooling process.

As described above, in this embodiment, the mass ratio of starch to water is 0.55 or more and 0.92 or less, which increases the hardening rate when the emulsion solidifies during the cooling process. For this reason, the method for producing a cheese-like food product according to this embodiment is particularly suitable for use in methods for producing cheese-like foods by filling a packaging film with an emulsion and cooling the packaging film filled with the emulsion. For example, the method for producing a cheese-like food product according to this embodiment is suitable for use in a production process using an IWS (Individual Wrapping Slice) type filling device.

The invention according to the present embodiment described above can improve the productivity of cheese-like foods and provide cheese-like foods with an appropriate texture, as well as a method for producing cheese-like foods.

Next, we will explain an example of the present invention.

<Experiment 1>
In Experiment 1, cheese-like foods according to Examples 1-1 to 1-7 and Comparative Examples 1-1 and 1-2 were prepared using the following method.

(Sample Preparation)
First, the following raw materials were prepared (see Table 1).
Acid-treated acetylated potato starch (Lyckeby 11200, manufactured by Lyckeby) and hydroxypropylated tapioca starch (Jelcol (registered trademark) POT-05, manufactured by J-Oil Mills, Inc.) were prepared as starches. Starch sodium octenyl succinate (N-CREAMER (registered trademark) 46, manufactured by Ingredion) was prepared as an emulsifier. Palm oil (manufactured by J-Oil Mills, Inc.) was prepared as an oil. These raw materials were then placed in a container together with salt, water, and flavoring. The proportions (mass%) of each raw material placed in the container are shown in Table 1.

For example, in Example 1-1, the ingredients were weighed and placed in a container so that the total weight was 22.5% acid-treated acetylated potato starch, 2.6% hydroxypropylated tapioca starch, 2.0% starch sodium octenyl succinate, 1.8% salt, 42.0% water, 29.0% palm oil, and 0.1% flavoring.

The mixture (raw material) in the container was then stirred for 1 minute at 1200 rpm using a propeller stirrer without heating. The mixture was then emulsified by stirring for 6 minutes at 1000 rpm while heating in a 90°C water bath. In other words, the mixture was emulsified by gelatinizing the starch through stirring while heating.

The emulsified mixture was then poured into a cylindrical stainless steel container measuring 5 cm in diameter and 1.3 cm deep, and the container was covered with plastic wrap and then sealed with a rubber band. The entire container was then immersed in ice water to cool for 1 hour. Using this method, cheese-like foods according to Examples 1-1 to 1-7 and Comparative Examples 1-1 and 1-2, each with a different ratio of ingredients, were prepared.

(evaluation)
Each sample was evaluated for the following four items.

1. Manufacturing suitability (when heating and stirring)
The state of the mixture was visually observed while the mixture was stirred while being heated, and the manufacturability during heating and stirring was evaluated. Specifically, if the viscosity increased too much during heating and stirring, making stirring impossible, or if emulsification was not possible, the mixture was evaluated as not being manufacturable. Furthermore, a mixture that showed low viscosity during heating and stirring and a good emulsified state was evaluated as excellent. The evaluation criteria for manufacturability (when heated and stirred) are as follows. Grades A to C were considered to be acceptable.

A: Low viscosity and good emulsification B: Slightly high viscosity but emulsified C: High viscosity but emulsified D: High viscosity and poor fluidity; poor emulsification

2. Hardening Speed The hardness of the sample was evaluated after cooling it in ice water for 5 minutes. Specifically, the hardness of the sample was measured using the following method.

In the above manufacturing process, the emulsified mixture was placed in a stainless steel container, and the entire container was immersed in ice water to cool for 5 minutes. The hardness of the sample was then measured using a texture analyzer (TA-XT2i, manufactured by Eiko Seiki Co., Ltd.). Specifically, the yield point was measured using the texture analyzer, and this value was used to indicate the hardness of the sample. The measurement conditions were as follows:

Plunger: cylindrical with a diameter of 5 mm Stage advance speed: 6 cm/min Measurement time: 10 seconds after the plunger comes into contact with the sample

The specific evaluation criteria are as follows: A to C were considered to be acceptable.
A: 100g or more B: 75g or more and 99g or less C: 50g or more and 74g or less D: 49g or less

3. Product Hardness The hardness of the sample was evaluated after cooling in ice water for 1 hour. Specifically, the hardness of the sample was measured using the following method.

In the above manufacturing process, the emulsified mixture was placed in a stainless steel container, and the entire container was immersed in ice water to cool for one hour, after which the hardness of the sample was measured. The hardness of the sample after cooling in ice water for one hour was also measured using the same method as for the sample after cooling in ice water for five minutes.

The hardness of commercially available cheese was also measured using the same method as above. Specifically, commercially available cheese was melted by heating in a 90°C water bath and stirring for 6 minutes. The melted cheese was then placed in a stainless steel container, covered on top with plastic wrap, and sealed with a rubber band. The entire container was immersed in ice water to cool for 1 hour, after which the hardness of the sample was measured using a texture analyzer. The hardness of the commercially available cheese is as follows:

Commercially available cheese 1: Megmilk Snow Brand sliced cheese, hardness: 816g
Commercially available cheese 2: Rokko Butter QBB Baby Cheese, hardness: 511g

Using the hardness of the above Commercially Available Cheeses 1 and 2 as the standard, the hardness of the samples (Examples 1-1 to 1-7 and Comparative Examples 1-1 to 1-2) was evaluated after cooling in ice water for one hour. Specifically, samples whose measured hardness was closest to that of commercially available cheese were judged to be good. The specific evaluation criteria are as follows. Grades A to C were considered to be acceptable.

A: 500g to 800g
B: 400g to 499g or 801g to 900g or C: 300g to 399g or 901g to 1000g or D: 299g or less or 1001g or more

4. Product Texture After trial production, each sample was stored at 5°C for several days and then tasted without heating to evaluate the texture. A texture that was not too hard, supple, and not too elastic was evaluated as excellent. The specific evaluation criteria are as follows. A to C were considered to be acceptable.

A: Cheese-like B: Slightly cheese-like C: Slightly lacking in cheese-like flavor, but not unacceptable D: No cheese-like flavor

(Results of Experiment 1)
In Experiment 1, the mass ratio of starch to water (moisture) was varied to investigate the optimum range of the mass ratio of starch to water. Specifically, the mass ratio of starch to water (starch/water) was varied within the range of 0.53 to 0.94 to investigate the optimum range of the mass ratio of starch to water. In Experiment 1, the proportions of emulsifier, salt, palm oil (oil and fat), and flavoring were kept approximately the same for each sample.

Focusing on the evaluation results for manufacturability (when heated and stirred), Comparative Example 1-1 and Example 1-1, which had a low mass ratio of starch to water (starch/water), received the highest rating (A). On the other hand, Comparative Example 1-2, which had a high mass ratio of starch to water (starch/water), received a low rating (D). This is thought to be because when the mass ratio of starch to water is high (a large amount of starch), the viscosity increases when heated and stirred, reducing the fluidity of the mixture.

Furthermore, when focusing on the evaluation results of hardening speed, Example 1-7 and Comparative Example 1-2, which had a high mass ratio of starch to water (starch/water), received the highest rating (A). On the other hand, Comparative Example 1-1, which had a low mass ratio of starch to water (starch/water), received a low rating (D).

Furthermore, when focusing on the evaluation results of product hardness, Examples 1-3 to 1-6 received the highest rating (A). On the other hand, Comparative Example 1-2, which had a high mass ratio of starch to water (starch/water), received a low rating (D).

As such, there is a trade-off between hardening speed and product hardness. That is, when the mass ratio of starch to water is high (a large amount of starch), the hardening speed is fast, but the product becomes hard. Conversely, when the mass ratio of starch to water is low (a small amount of starch), the product becomes hard, but the hardening speed is slow. Therefore, when producing cheese-like foods, the balance between the starch and water ratios is important, and based on the results of Experiment 1, it is preferable for the mass ratio of starch to water (starch/water) to be 0.60 or more and 0.86 or less, and even more preferable for it to be 0.60 or more and 0.77 or less. By keeping the mass ratio of starch to water (starch/water) within this range, both the hardening speed and product hardness can be improved.

Furthermore, based on the results of Experiment 1, the proportion of acid-treated acetylated potato starch in cheese-like foods is preferably 22.5% or more and 28.5% or less, and more preferably 22.5% or more and 26.5% or less.

The difference between Examples 1-3 and 1-4 is the presence or absence of hydroxypropylated tapioca starch, but the evaluation results for Examples 1-3 and 1-4 showed no significant difference. On the other hand, when the cheese-like foods of Examples 1-3 and 1-4 were heated and tasted, Example 1-3, which contained hydroxypropylated tapioca starch, had a better texture than Example 1-4.

<Experiment 2>
In Experiment 2, cheese-like foods according to Examples 2-1 to 2-6 and Comparative Examples 2-1 to 2-2 were prepared. The methods for preparing and evaluating the cheese-like foods were the same as those in Experiment 1. The proportions (mass%) of the ingredients for each Example and Comparative Example in Experiment 2 are as shown in Table 2.

In Experiment 2, the mass ratio of starch to water (moisture) (starch/water) was kept roughly constant, while the ratio of starch to palm oil (oil) was varied. Specifically, in Experiment 2, the mass ratio of palm oil to starch (palm oil/starch) was varied between 0.19 and 2.21 to investigate the optimal range for the mass ratio of palm oil to starch (palm oil/starch). In this case, the starch ratio was varied between 18.4% and 32.2%. The palm oil ratio was also varied between 6.7% and 45.0%.

Focusing on the evaluation results for manufacturability (when heated and stirred), Comparative Example 2-2 received a low rating of D due to the high proportion of palm oil, which resulted in a weak emulsification and some separation of the oil and fat. All other samples met the minimum standard (C) for manufacturability (when heated and stirred).

Furthermore, in terms of texture evaluation, Comparative Example 2-1 received a low rating of (D). This is thought to be because the mass ratio of palm oil to starch (palm oil/starch) was low (in other words, the proportion of starch was high), making the sample hard. All other samples met the minimum standard (C) for texture evaluation.

As such, when producing cheese-like foods, the balance between the starch and palm oil (oil and fat) is also important, and the results of Experiment 2 showed that the mass ratio of palm oil to starch (palm oil/starch) is preferably 0.28 or more and 1.67 or less. From these results, it was considered that a ratio of 0.25 or more and 1.80 or less is preferable. Furthermore, it was considered that a ratio of 0.30 or more and 1.50 or less is more preferable, and a ratio of 0.49 or more and 1.48 or less is even more preferable.

In this case, the total amount of starch is preferably 21.0% to 35.3%, more preferably 23.3% to 34.0%, and even more preferably 24.0% to 32.5%. It was also found that the proportion of palm oil is preferably 8.0% to 40.0%, more preferably 10.0% to 38.8%, and even more preferably 16.0% to 36.1%.

Furthermore, the results of Experiment 2 show that the proportion of acid-treated acetylated potato starch in cheese-like foods is preferably 21.0% or more and 32.0% or less, more preferably 21.1% or more and 31.9% or less, and even more preferably 22.1% or more and 30.0% or less.

<Experiment 3>
In Experiment 3, cheese-like foods according to Example 3-1 and Comparative Examples 3-1 to 3-4 were prepared. In Experiment 3, cheese-like foods were prepared using starches other than acid-treated acetylated potato starch. Specifically, the following starches were used.

Example 3-1: Acid-treated acetylated potato starch (Lyckeby 11200: manufactured by Lyckeby)
Comparative Example 3-1: Acetylated tapioca starch (Actobody (registered trademark) N-5: manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd.)
Comparative Example 3-2: Potato starch (Gelcol (registered trademark) BP-200: manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd.)
Comparative Example 3-3: Phosphate cross-linked potato starch (Gelcol (registered trademark) KPS-200: manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd.)
Comparative Example 3-4: Hydroxypropylated phosphate cross-linked potato starch (Gelcol (registered trademark) EG-500: manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd.)

Otherwise, the methods for producing and evaluating the cheese-like food were the same as in Experiment 1. The proportions (mass%) of ingredients for the examples and comparative examples of Experiment 3 are as shown in Table 3. Since the purpose of Experiment 3 was to investigate the relationship between the type of starch and the state of the cheese-like food, the proportions of each ingredient in each sample were the same (i.e., only the type of starch was different).

As shown in Table 3, in Experiment 3, samples other than Example 3-1 (Comparative Example 3-1 to Comparative Example 3-4) received a low rating (D) for manufacturability (when heated and stirred). As a result, it was not possible to produce a cheese-like food that met the appropriate conditions. Therefore, based on the results of Experiment 3, it can be said that, in the present invention, by using acid-treated acetylated potato starch, it is possible to produce a cheese-like food that meets the objectives of the present invention.

<Experiment 4>
In Experiment 4, cheese-like foods according to Examples 4-1 to 4-4 were prepared. The methods for preparing and evaluating the cheese-like foods were the same as those in Experiment 1. The proportions (mass%) of the ingredients in each Example of Experiment 4 are as shown in Table 4.

As explained in Experiment 1, the addition of hydroxypropylated tapioca starch to the starch improved the texture of the cheese-like food. For this reason, Experiment 4 investigated the upper limit of the amount of hydroxypropylated tapioca starch added. Specifically, in Experiment 4, samples were prepared in which the proportion of hydroxypropylated tapioca starch was varied between 0% and 4.6%. In Experiment 4, the mass ratio of starch to water (starch/water) was set to 0.67 or 0.68.

As shown in Table 4, in Examples 4-1 to 4-4, each evaluation item achieved a standard value (C) or higher. These results demonstrate that hydroxypropylated tapioca starch is suitable for all samples as long as it is approximately 5.5% or less.

<Experiment 5>
In Experiment 5, cheese-like foods according to Examples 5-1 and 5-2 were prepared. In Experiment 5, cheese-like foods were prepared using liquids other than water as the moisture content. Specifically, in Example 5-2, soy milk (delicious unsweetened soy milk, water content 90% by mass, manufactured by Kikkoman Corporation) was used as the moisture content. The other methods for preparing and evaluating the cheese-like foods were the same as those in Experiment 1. The proportions (mass%) of ingredients in each Example of Experiment 5 are as shown in Table 5.

As shown in Table 5, in Experiment 5, the samples of Example 5-1 and Example 5-2 achieved the standard value (C) or higher for each evaluation item. Therefore, even when soy milk was used as the water content, a cheese-like food product that met the standard value could be produced. In this way, by using a component other than water as the water content, flavor can be added to the cheese-like food product. For example, a component other than water may be used as the water content, or a mixture of water and a component other than water may be used as the water content.

<Experiment 6>
In Experiment 6, cheese-like foods according to Examples 6-1 to 6-4 were prepared. In Experiment 6, acid-treated potato starch (non-acetylated) was used to prepare the cheese-like foods. The ratios (mass%) of the ingredients for each Example of Experiment 6 are shown in Table 6. In Experiment 6, the ratio of acid-treated potato starch to water (starch/water) was also set within the range of the present invention (0.55 or more and 0.92 or less).

In Experiment 6, acid-treated potato starch was used. Furthermore, the xanthan gum used was Bistop (registered trademark) D-3000-S, manufactured by San-Ei Gen F.F.I. Co., Ltd. Furthermore, rapeseed oil (manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd.) was used. The other ingredients of the cheese-like food were the same as in Experiment 1. Furthermore, the method of producing and evaluating the cheese-like food in Experiment 6 was also the same as in Experiment 1.

As shown in Table 6, the evaluation results for all of Examples 6-1 to 6-4 met Criterion (C). Therefore, even when acid-treated potato starch was used instead of acid-treated acetylated potato starch, a cheese-like food product that met the objectives of the present invention could be produced.

In Example 6-2, xanthan gum was used instead of hydroxypropylated tapioca starch, and the evaluation results for Example 6-2 also met criterion (C). Therefore, even when xanthan gum was used instead of hydroxypropylated tapioca starch, a cheese-like food product that met the objectives of the present invention could be produced.

In Example 6-3, rapeseed oil was used instead of palm oil, and the evaluation results for Example 6-3 also met Criterion (C). Therefore, even when rapeseed oil was used instead of palm oil, a cheese-like food product that met the objectives of the present invention could be produced.

In Example 6-4, acid-treated potato starch and hydroxypropylated tapioca starch were used as the starches. In Example 6-4, the texture evaluation results were particularly good compared to the other Examples in Experiment 6. Furthermore, in Examples 6-1 to 6-4, the hardening speed evaluation results (A) were generally good.

This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-068441, filed April 6, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety.

Claims (11)

A step of preparing a mixture containing starch including at least acid-treated potato starch, moisture, and oil;
emulsifying the mixture by heating and stirring;
and cooling the emulsified mixture to solidify it.
The step of cooling and solidifying the emulsified mixture is a step of filling the emulsified mixture into a strip-shaped packaging film, and then cooling and solidifying the emulsified mixture,
After the mixture has solidified, the packaging film filled with the mixture is cut into pieces,
a mass ratio of the starch to the water contained in the mixture of 0.55 or more and 0.92 or less;
The mass ratio of the oil and fat contained in the mixture to the starch is 0.25 or more and 1.80 or less.
A method for producing a cheese-like food product. 2. The method for producing a cheese-like food product according to claim 1 , wherein the mass ratio of the starch to the water is 0.60 or more and 0.86 or less. 2. The method for producing a cheese-like food product according to claim 1 , wherein the mass ratio of the starch to the water is 0.62 or more and 0.80 or less. The method for producing a cheese-like food product according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the proportion of the starch contained in the mixture is 21.0% by mass or more and 35.3% by mass or less. The method for producing a cheese-like food product according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the ratio of the fat or oil contained in the mixture is 8.0% by mass or more and 40.0% by mass or less. The method for producing a cheese-like food product according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , further comprising hydroxypropylated starch as the starch. The method for producing a cheese-like food product according to claim 6 , wherein the proportion of the hydroxypropylated starch contained in the mixture is 5.5% by mass or less. 8. The method for producing a cheese-like food product according to claim 6 or 7 , wherein the hydroxypropylated starch is hydroxypropylated tapioca starch. The method for producing a cheese-like food product according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , wherein the mixture further comprises an emulsifier. 10. The method for producing a cheese-like food product according to claim 9 , wherein the emulsifier is starch sodium octenyl succinate. The method for producing a cheese-like food product according to any one of claims 1 to 10 , wherein the moisture comprises at least one of water, soy milk, and coconut milk.