JP7749205B2 - Food quality improver, its manufacturing method, and food using the same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a food quality improver, a method for producing the same, and a food product using the same.

In recent years, many prepared foods have been displayed and sold in convenience stores, supermarkets, and food sections of department stores, stimulating consumer purchasing desire. Among these, it is said that it is difficult to maintain the original texture (hardness) and crispness of prepared noodles such as udon, soba, and Chinese noodles. In particular, the texture of soba noodles deteriorates over time, even immediately after boiling, and technological improvements are being made to prevent or reduce this.

For example, Patent Document 1 proposes adding a glutenin-based fraction separated from wheat gluten to instant noodles and other noodles to achieve a texture similar to that of fresh noodles. Patent Document 2 proposes adding a dairy protein concentrate, xanthan gum, and a hydrophilic emulsifier to boiled noodles to improve texture, such as hardness, viscoelasticity, chewiness, crispness, and smoothness, when eaten. Patent Document 3 proposes adding one or more of egg white, plasma, and protein materials to wheat flour when producing wheat flour products such as udon, Chinese noodles, and soba noodles, to improve the viscoelasticity, firmness, etc. of the wheat flour products.

However, the above technology has not yet succeeded in improving the change in texture of cooked noodles over time, and further technological improvements are desired.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-153832 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-141803 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 58-134959

The present invention aims to solve the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a food quality improver that can suppress changes in the texture of foods such as cooked noodles over time, a method for producing the same, and foods made using the same.

The present invention is composed of a dry ground material containing buckwheat husks and gluten,
A mixture of 10 g of the dried powder and 20 g of distilled water is heated at 90°C for 45 minutes, and then ice-cooled with ice water until the gel temperature reaches 5°C, to obtain a gel having a hardness of 3N to 20N as measured by a rheometer, which is a food quality improver.

In one embodiment, the mass ratio (S/G) of the buckwheat hulls (S) to the gluten (G) in the dried and ground product is 19/1 to 1/19.

In one embodiment, the average particle size of the dried and ground material is 20 μm to 60 μm.

In one embodiment, the food quality improver of the present invention is used to improve the quality of noodles.

The present invention also provides a method for producing the food quality improver, comprising the steps of:
The method includes the step of milling a dry blend of buckwheat hulls and gluten until the average particle size is between 20 μm and 60 μm.

In one embodiment, the grinding process is carried out using a ball mill, jet mill, pin mill, or hammer mill.

The present invention also relates to a food product comprising a food ingredient and the food quality improver.

In one embodiment, the food ingredient is a noodle-making ingredient.

According to the present invention, deterioration in texture over time can be suppressed. This allows foods to be displayed for longer periods of time, reducing food waste after a certain time has passed since production. It also enables longer transportation periods, which is expected to lead to the consolidation of food production bases. The food quality improver of the present invention is also useful in producing foods with appropriate hardness and crispness, such as cooked noodles.

(Food quality improver)
The food quality improver of the present invention is composed of a dry pulverized material.

The term "dried pulverized material" as used herein refers to a group of particles that are themselves dry and have been pulverized to a predetermined size by physical or mechanical means. The dried pulverized material has a moisture content of, for example, at most 15% by weight, preferably at most 8% by weight, based on the total weight.

Such dried ground material contains buckwheat husks and gluten, and optionally other additives.

Buckwheat hulls are the part of harvested buckwheat that surrounds the buckwheat kernels. Buckwheat hulls contain active ingredients such as polyphenols such as rutin and quercetin, and catechin-catechin polymers. In the present invention, the buckwheat hulls may be the residue left after the buckwheat kernels have been removed, or may contain buckwheat kernels (i.e., before the buckwheat kernels have been removed), or a combination of these. In the food quality improver of the present invention, the buckwheat hulls themselves are preferably contained in a dried state.

Gluten, also known as gluten, contains glutenin and gliadin produced from the endosperm of grains such as wheat and rye. Glutenin and gliadin can bind together in a mesh-like structure when they contain water, and this state is generally called raw gluten.

Gluten is also known as a by-product of the production of wheat starch from wheat flour. For example, by adding water to wheat flour and kneading it, and then rinsing the resulting kneaded mixture with water, wheat starch is suspended in the water. On the other hand, the solid mass that remains without being suspended in water is raw gluten. Raw gluten can be obtained by separating and recovering it from this suspension.

In the present invention, gluten includes, for example, frozen fresh gluten or fresh gluten that has been dried and powdered and is distributed as gluten powder.

Furthermore, the gluten may be what is called modified gluten.

Modified gluten is processed gluten, preferably in powder or granular form, that has been given properties different from those of raw gluten by processing raw gluten. Examples of modified gluten include oil-modified gluten, reducing sugar-modified gluten, and combinations thereof.

Oil-modified gluten is obtained by kneading raw gluten with an oil containing, for example, 50% or more by weight of unsaturated fatty acids, followed by drying and pulverization. Oils and fats that can be used to form oil-modified gluten include, but are not limited to, animal oils and fats such as beef tallow, lard, and fish oil; vegetable oils and fats such as coconut oil, palm oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, rice oil, safflower oil, corn oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, cottonseed oil, and medium-chain triglycerides; and combinations thereof. Oil-modified gluten can be easily produced by those skilled in the art, for example, by following the method described in JP 2008-136481 A.

Reducing sugar-modified gluten is obtained by kneading raw gluten with a reducing sugar, drying, and pulverizing the mixture. Reducing sugars that can be used to form reducing sugar-modified gluten include, but are not limited to, fructose, xylose, glucose, maltose, sucrose, lactose, xylooligosaccharides, isomaltulose, lactosucrose, rhamnose, N-acetylglucosamine, L-arabinose, D-ribose, L-fucose, and L-sorbose, as well as combinations thereof. Reducing sugar-modified gluten can be easily produced by those skilled in the art, for example, by following the method described in JP 2012-044985 A.

Furthermore, in the present invention, gluten may be a mixture of the above-mentioned raw gluten and modified gluten. The mixing ratio of raw gluten to modified gluten is not particularly limited, and an appropriate mixing ratio can be selected by one skilled in the art.

The mass ratio (S/G) of buckwheat hulls (S) to gluten (G) in the dried and ground product is not necessarily limited, but is preferably 19/1 to 1/19, more preferably 7/3 to 1/9, and even more preferably 7/3 to 3/7 in an absolutely dry state. When the dried and ground product contains buckwheat hulls and gluten in this mass ratio, the resulting preparation exhibits particularly excellent effects as a food quality improver. For example, by adding it together with noodle ingredients, cooked noodles with a moderate firmness and a good bite can be produced.

Other additives that may be contained in the dried and pulverized product include, but are not necessarily limited to, thickening polysaccharides, starch, modified starch, sugars, unmodified protein, unmodified protein hydrolysates, oils and fats, emulsifiers, sorbitol, water, excipients, and other additives that are acceptable for the manufacturing of food additives. The amount of other additives that may be contained in the dried and pulverized product is not particularly limited, and an appropriate amount can be selected by one skilled in the art.

In the present invention, the average particle size of the dried pulverized material is preferably adjusted to fall within a specified range in order to maintain a substantially constant quality as a food quality improver. The average particle size of the dried pulverized material is preferably 20 μm to 60 μm, and more preferably 30 μm to 58 μm. If the average particle size of the dried pulverized material is below 20 μm, the individual particles may be too small, resulting in little change in the quality of the food obtained by mixing the dried pulverized material with the food ingredients described below, and reduced productivity. If the average particle size of the dried pulverized material exceeds 60 μm, the texture of the resulting food may be significantly impaired.

In the present invention, the above-mentioned dried pulverized material also has a specified hardness when gelled. Specifically, a mixture of 10 g of dried pulverized material and 20 g of distilled water is heated at 90°C for 45 minutes, and then ice-cooled in ice water until the gel temperature reaches 5°C. The hardness of the gel obtained as measured by a rheometer is 3N to 20N, preferably 10N to 15N. If the hardness of this gel is below 3N, foods obtained by combining such dried pulverized material with food ingredients will have problems such as no substantial change in texture or being difficult to chew. If the hardness of this gel exceeds 20N, foods obtained by combining such dried pulverized material with food ingredients will have problems such as a worsened texture.

The food quality improver of the present invention is mixed with food ingredients as described below to produce various foods. The food quality improver of the present invention can be used, for example, to improve the quality of noodles. Noodles obtained using the food quality improver of the present invention have an appropriate hardness and an improved texture, with improved crispness.

(Method for producing food quality improver)
The food quality improver of the present invention is produced, for example, by grinding a dry blend of buckwheat husks and gluten to a predetermined size.

The dry blend of buckwheat husks and gluten is obtained, for example, by mixing dried buckwheat husks and gluten, and at this stage, it is preferable that both the buckwheat husks and gluten are unground. The buckwheat husks and gluten may be pre-mixed until they are substantially uniform, or the buckwheat husks and gluten may simply be blended together. Alternatively, this dry blend may be obtained by feeding the buckwheat husks and gluten together (for example, simultaneously) into a grinding device described below.

The dry blend is ground using, for example, a grinding device. Examples of grinding devices that can be used in the method of the present invention include a ball mill, jet mill, pin mill, and hammer mill. It is preferable to use a ball mill because of its good grinding efficiency.

Such grinding is carried out until the dry blend (i.e., buckwheat hulls and gluten) becomes a dry ground product with an average particle size of preferably 20 μm to 60 μm, more preferably 30 μm to 58 μm. If the average particle size of the dry ground product obtained by grinding is less than 20 μm, the individual particles will be too small, and the quality of the food obtained by mixing with the food ingredients described below may not change significantly, resulting in poor productivity. If the average particle size of the dry ground product obtained by grinding exceeds 60 μm, the texture of the resulting food may be significantly impaired. The grinding time is not necessarily limited, as it varies depending on the amount of dry blend to be ground, the presence or absence, type, and amount of other additives, etc., but is preferably 1 hour to 60 hours, more preferably 4 hours to 8 hours. If the grinding time is less than 1 hour, the particle size of the dry ground product obtained by grinding the dry blend will not be uniform and will be composed of ground particles with a relatively wide particle size distribution, which may lead to inconsistent effectiveness when used as a quality improver. If the grinding time exceeds 60 hours, the particle size of the dried ground product obtained by grinding the dry blend will be uniform and will be composed of ground particles with a relatively narrow particle size distribution, but long grinding times will reduce production efficiency and the texture (e.g., crispness) of the food obtained when combined with the food ingredient may be reduced and may exhibit a rubbery texture.

In the present invention, in order to increase the efficiency of the grinding, the dry blend may be ground after the components have been frozen. For example, the buckwheat hulls and/or gluten may be frozen in advance in a refrigerant such as liquid nitrogen, and then placed in the grinding device while still frozen for grinding.

In this way, the food quality improvement of the present invention, which consists of a dried pulverized product, can be obtained.

(Foods using food quality improvers)
The food quality improver of the present invention can be used in combination with any food material that is rich in polysaccharide components such as starch and agar, and/or protein components such as gelatin. The food quality improver of the present invention is particularly useful in that it can effectively improve the quality of noodles.

Examples of noodles to which the food quality improver of the present invention can be applied include soba (including, for example, 100% buckwheat soba, 28% buckwheat soba, Sarashina soba, inaka soba, and yabusoba), udon, hiyamugi (cold noodles), somen (thin noodles), Chinese noodles, Chinese noodles, spaghetti, spaghettini, fedellini, capellini, tagliatelle, bucatini, harusame (glass noodles), hiyashi (cold noodles), kudzu noodles, millet noodles, rice vermicelli, pho, rice string noodles, shirataki (traditional Japanese udon noodles), low-calorie noodles (konjac noodles), black bean noodles, hiemen (cold noodles), seaweed noodles, gyoza wrappers, shumai wrappers, spring roll wrappers, and wontons. Examples of foods other than noodles to which the food quality improver of the present invention can be applied include hamburger steak, Chinese buns, meatballs, meatballs, sausages, ham, bacon, chicken nuggets, fried chicken, pork cutlet (with pickle liquid), tamagoyaki (rolled omelet), dashi-maki (rolled omelet), atsuyaki (thick omelet), utsuyaki (thin omelet), sear-fried eggs, omelets, scrambled eggs, crab omelet, chawanmushi (savory egg custard), pizza, Chinese buns, manju, dorayaki (Japanese pancakes), bread, sponge cake, pancakes, cookies, muffins, bouche, and choux pastry. Because the food quality improver of the present invention can achieve both good hardness and improved crispness, it is preferably used in the production of buckwheat noodles. Furthermore, the food quality improver of the present invention can be applied not only to noodles eaten immediately after cooking, but also to the production of noodles such as cooked noodles, raw instant noodles (LL noodles), frozen noodles, and instant noodles.

When the food quality improver of the present invention is used, for example, to produce noodles, a predetermined amount is mixed with noodle ingredients (e.g., wheat flour, buckwheat flour, udon flour, or other noodle flour), and noodles are made using methods known to those skilled in the art.

The food products (e.g., noodles) obtained in this way have a moderate hardness and a good crispness without compromising the taste.

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples. However, the present invention is not limited to these examples.

(Example 1: Preparation of dried pulverized material (E1))
Buckwheat hulls and dried gluten (activated gluten (A-Glu G manufactured by Glico Nutrition Foods Co., Ltd.)) were mixed in a mass ratio of 1/1 and pulverized for 5 hours in a vibration ball mill (MB-3 manufactured by Chuo Kakoki Co., Ltd.) to obtain a dried pulverized product (E1). The average particle size of the dried pulverized product (E1) was measured using a particle size distribution analyzer (SALD-2100 manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation).

Next, 10 g of this dried pulverized material (E1) was mixed with 20 g of distilled water to prepare a 33 (w/w)% gel, which was then packed into a casing tube. The casing tube was heated in a 90°C water bath for 45 minutes and then cooled to 5°C in ice water. The gel that had undergone this procedure was removed from the casing tube, and the hardness of the gel was measured using a rheometer (Texture Analyzer EZ-SX, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) at a compression rate of 20 mm/min using a spherical tool as the compression tool. The results are shown in Table 1.

(Comparative Example 1: Preparation of Dry Mixture (C1))
Buckwheat hulls and dry gluten (activated gluten (A-Glu G manufactured by Glico Nutrition Foods Co., Ltd.)) were mixed at a mass ratio of 1/1 without being pulverized with a vibration bowl to obtain a dry mixture (C1). The average particle size of the dry mixture (C1) was measured in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 1.

A gel was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that this dry mixture (C1) was used, and the hardness of the gel was measured using the rheometer described above. The results are shown in Table 1.

(Comparative Example 2: Preparation of dry ground mixture (C2))
Buckwheat husks were milled for 5 hours in a vibration ball mill (MB-3, manufactured by Chuo Kakoki Co., Ltd.) to obtain a pulverized buckwheat husk product. Meanwhile, dried gluten (activated gluten (A-Glu G, manufactured by Glico Nutrition Foods Co., Ltd.)) was milled for 5 hours in a vibration ball mill to obtain a pulverized gluten product. The pulverized buckwheat husks and the pulverized gluten were then mixed at a mass ratio of 1/1 to obtain a dried pulverized mixture (C2). The average particle size of the dried pulverized mixture (C2) was measured in the same manner as in Example 1.

A gel was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that this dry pulverized mixture (C2) was used, and the hardness of the gel was measured using the rheometer described above. The results are shown in Table 1.

As shown in Table 1, the gel hardness measured by a rheometer for the dried pulverized product (E1) obtained in Example 1 was clearly higher than that of the products obtained in Comparative Examples 1 and 2 ((C1) and (C2)).

(Example 2: Preparation of buckwheat gel (SE1))
Buckwheat gel (SE1) was obtained by mixing 14.7 parts by mass of buckwheat flour, 15 parts by mass of distilled water, and 0.3 parts by mass of the dried pulverized material (E1) obtained in Example 1.

Next, this buckwheat gel (SE1) was packed into a casing tube. This casing tube was heated in a 90°C water bath for 45 minutes and then cooled to 5°C in ice water. After this procedure, the buckwheat gel was removed from the casing tube, and the hardness of the buckwheat gel was measured using a rheometer (Texture Analyzer EZ-SX, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) at a compression rate of 20 mm/min using a spherical tool as the compression tool. The results are shown in Table 2.

(Comparative Example 3: Preparation of buckwheat gel (SC1))
A buckwheat gel (SC1) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 2, except that 0.15 parts by mass of buckwheat hulls and 0.15 parts by mass of dried gluten (activated gluten (A-Glu G manufactured by Glico Nutrition Foods Co., Ltd.)) were used instead of the dried pulverized product (E1) obtained in Example 1.

Then, the hardness of the buckwheat gel was measured using the rheometer in the same manner as in Example 2, except that this buckwheat gel (SC1) was used instead of the buckwheat gel (SE1) in Example 2. The results are shown in Table 2.

(Comparative Example 4: Preparation of buckwheat gel (SC2))
A buckwheat gel (SC2) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 2, except that 0.15 parts by mass of buckwheat hull powder and 0.15 parts by mass of gluten powder prepared in Comparative Example 2 were used instead of the dried powder (E1) obtained in Example 1.

Next, the hardness of the buckwheat gel was measured using the rheometer in the same manner as in Example 2, except that this buckwheat gel (SC2) was used instead of the buckwheat gel (SE1) in Example 2. The results are shown in Table 2.

(Comparative Example 5: Preparation of buckwheat gel (SC3))
A buckwheat gel (SC3) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 2, except that the dried pulverized material (E1) obtained in Example 1 was not added and the amount of buckwheat flour added was changed to 15 parts by mass.

Then, the hardness of the buckwheat gel was measured using the rheometer in the same manner as in Example 2, except that this buckwheat gel (SC3) was used instead of the buckwheat gel (SE1) in Example 2. The results are shown in Table 2.

As shown in Table 2, the buckwheat gel (SE1) obtained in Example 2 (gel containing the dried pulverized material (E1) of Example 1) had a gel hardness measured by a rheometer that was clearly higher than those obtained in Comparative Examples 3 to 5 ((SC1), (SC2), and (SC3)).

(Example 3: Preparation of boiled soba noodles (BE1))
As shown in Table 3, 30 parts by mass of buckwheat flour, 50 parts by mass of wheat flour, 15 parts by mass of processed starch, 5 parts by mass of dried gluten (activated gluten (A-Glu G manufactured by Glico Nutrition Foods Co., Ltd.)), and 0.4 parts by mass of the dried pulverized product (E1) obtained in Example 1 were each weighed out and placed in a polyethylene bag for pre-mixing. 33 parts by mass of kneading water was then added while the contents were stirred at low speed using a universal mixer, and mixing was continued for 8 minutes to obtain a dough. The dough was then rolled out using a noodle making machine to obtain a noodle sheet with a thickness of approximately 1.5 mm. Soba noodles were prepared by cutting this noodle sheet into a noodle width of 1.5 mm.

The soba noodles were then placed in a boiling basket and boiled in hot water for 90 seconds, then removed and immediately cooled in cold water for 30 seconds and then in ice water for a further 30 seconds, after which the water was thoroughly drained to obtain boiled soba noodles (BE1).

Ten panelists ate this boiled soba (BE1) on the day it was made, one day after it was made, and two days after it was made. They evaluated the hardness and crispness of the boiled soba using the following five-point scale based on the hardness and crispness of 80% of the soba noodles immediately after boiling, and calculated the average total score (rounded down to the nearest whole number). The results are shown in Tables 4 and 5.

(Comparative Example 6: Preparation of boiled soba noodles (BC1))
As shown in Table 3, boiled soba noodles (BC1) were obtained in the same manner as in Example 3, except that the dry gluten content was changed to 8.2 parts by mass and 0.2 parts by mass of buckwheat hulls were used instead of the dried pulverized material (E1) obtained in Example 1. Ten panelists evaluated the hardness and crispness of this boiled soba noodles (BC1) in the same manner as in Example 3. The results are shown in Tables 4 and 5.

(Comparative Example 7: Preparation of boiled soba noodles (BC2))
As shown in Table 3, boiled soba noodles (BC2) were obtained in the same manner as in Example 3, except that 0.2 parts by mass of the buckwheat hull pulverized material and 0.2 parts by mass of the gluten pulverized material prepared in Comparative Example 2 were used instead of the dried pulverized material (E1) obtained in Example 1. Ten panelists evaluated the hardness and crispness of this boiled soba noodles (BC2) in the same manner as in Example 3. The results are shown in Tables 4 and 5.

(Comparative Example 8: Preparation of boiled soba noodles (BC3))
As shown in Table 3, boiled soba noodles (BC3) were obtained in the same manner as in Example 3, except that the dried pulverized material (E1) obtained in Example 1 was not added. This boiled soba noodles (BC3) was evaluated for hardness and crispness by 10 panelists in the same manner as in Example 3. The results are shown in Tables 4 and 5.

(Evaluation criteria for hardness of boiled soba noodles)
5 points: Very good (80% hardness of soba noodles immediately after boiling, or harder)
4 points: Good (slightly less firm than 80% soba noodles immediately after boiling, but still good)
3 points: Normal (not as hard as 80% of soba noodles immediately after boiling, but still edible)
2 points: Bad (It is not as firm as 80% of soba noodles immediately after boiling, and the texture is rather bad)
1 point: Extremely poor (80% of the firmness of soba noodles immediately after boiling is gone, and the texture is significantly inferior)

(Evaluation criteria for crispness of boiled soba noodles)
5 points: Excellent (80% crispness equal to or better than that of soba noodles immediately after boiling)
4 points: Good (slightly less crisp than 80% soba noodles immediately after boiling, but still good)
3 points: Average (80% of the soba noodles are not crispy right after boiling, but still edible)
2 points: Bad (80% of the soba noodles are not crispy right after boiling, and the texture is rather bad)
1 point: Extremely poor (80% of the soba noodles are not crispy immediately after boiling, and the texture is significantly inferior)

As shown in Tables 4 and 5, the boiled soba noodles (BE1) produced in Example 3 (boiled soba noodles containing the dried pulverized material (E1) of Example 1) were clearly superior to those obtained in Comparative Examples 6 to 8 ((BC1), (BC2), and (BC3)) in both hardness and crispness on the day of production. Furthermore, while the boiled soba noodles of Example 3 and Comparative Examples 6 to 8 all declined in both hardness and crispness over time after production, the boiled soba noodles (BE1) produced in Example 3 had good hardness and crispness after one and two days compared to those obtained in Comparative Examples 6 to 8 ((BC1), (BC2), and (BC3)), demonstrating a tendency for the good quality of the boiled soba noodles to be maintained for a longer period of time.

(Example 4: Preparation of dried pulverized material (E4) and boiled soba noodles (BE4) using the same)
A dried pulverized material (E4) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that buckwheat hulls and dried gluten were mixed in a mass ratio of 9/1. The average particle size of the dried pulverized material (E4) and the hardness of a gel using the dried pulverized material (E4) were measured in the same manner as in Example 1.

Next, 30 parts by mass of buckwheat flour, 70 parts by mass of wheat flour, and 2 parts by mass of the dried pulverized material (E4) were weighed and placed in a polyethylene bag and premixed. 30 parts by mass of kneading water was then added while stirring the contents at low speed using a universal mixer, and mixing was continued for 8 minutes to obtain a dough. The dough was then rolled out using a noodle making machine to obtain a noodle sheet with a thickness of approximately 1.5 mm. This noodle sheet was then cut with a cutting blade to a noodle width of 1.5 mm to produce soba noodles.

The soba noodles were then placed in a boiling basket and boiled in boiling water for 90 seconds, then removed and immediately cooled in cold water for 30 seconds and then in ice water for a further 30 seconds, after which the water was thoroughly drained to obtain boiled soba noodles (BE4).

Ten panelists tasted this boiled soba (BE4) on the day it was made and one day after it was made, and decided by discussion on the hardness and crispness of the boiled soba according to the following criteria.

(Evaluation criteria for hardness and crispness of boiled soba noodles)
◯: Improved compared to uncrushed product △: Equivalent to uncrushed product ×: Lower than uncrushed product

In the above evaluation criteria, "unmilled product" refers to boiled soba noodles made by simply mixing, without milling, buckwheat husks and gluten in the same mass ratio as the comparative dried and milled product to obtain a dry mixture, and then using this mixture instead of the dried and milled product. For example, an unmilled boiled soba noodle product using dried and milled product (E4) refers to boiled soba noodles made using an unmilled (unmilled) dry mixture containing buckwheat husks and gluten in a mass ratio of 9/1. The hardness of the gel made using the (unmilled) dry mixture was also measured in the same manner as in Example 1.

The results are shown in Table 6.

(Examples 5 to 8: Preparation of dried pulverized materials (E5) to (E8) and boiled soba noodles (BE5) to (BE8) using them)
Dried pulverized materials (E5) to (E8) were obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that buckwheat hulls and dried gluten were mixed in the mass ratios shown in Table 7. The average particle diameters of the dried pulverized materials (E5) to (E8) and the hardness of gels made using the dried pulverized materials (E5) to (E8) were measured in the same manner as in Example 1.

Next, boiled soba noodles (BE5) to (BE8) were obtained in the same manner as in Example 4, except that dried pulverized materials (E5) to (E8) were used instead of the dried pulverized material (E4). The hardness and crispness of the boiled soba noodles (BE5) to (BE8) were evaluated in the same manner as in Example 4. The results are shown in Table 6.

(Comparative Examples 9 and 10: Preparation of dried products (C9) to (C10) and boiled soba noodles (BC9) to (BC10) using them)
Dried materials (C9) and (C10) were obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that buckwheat hulls and dried gluten were added in the mass ratio shown in Table 7 (i.e., either buckwheat hulls or gluten was added). In addition, the average particle diameters of the dried materials (C9) and (C10) and the hardness of gels using the dried materials (C9) and (C10) were measured in the same manner as in Example 1.

Next, boiled soba noodles (BC9) to (BC10) were obtained in the same manner as in Example 4, except that either the dried product (C9) or (C10) was used instead of the dried pulverized product (E4). The hardness and crispness of the boiled soba noodles (BC9) to (BC10) were evaluated in the same manner as in Example 4. The results are shown in Table 6.

As shown in Table 6, the dried and ground products (E4) to (E8), which used a combination of buckwheat hulls and gluten, had improved gel hardness compared to the dry mixture used for the unground product. Furthermore, compared to the dried products (C9) and (C10), which did not contain either buckwheat hulls or gluten, the dried and ground products (E4) to (E8) had both hardness and crispness of boiled soba noodles that were equal to or better than those of the unground products. It was also found that the hardness and crispness of the boiled soba noodles were effectively maintained even one day after preparation.

(Example 9: Preparation of boiled soba noodles (BE9))
30 parts by mass of buckwheat flour, 70 parts by mass of wheat flour, and 2 parts by mass of the dried pulverized material (E1) obtained in Example 1 were each weighed and placed in a polyethylene bag and premixed. Then, while stirring the contents at low speed using a universal mixer, 30 parts by mass of kneading water was added, and mixing was continued for 8 minutes to obtain a dough. Next, the dough was rolled using a noodle making machine to obtain a noodle sheet with a thickness of approximately 1.5 mm. This noodle sheet was cut with a cutting blade to obtain a noodle width of 1.5 mm to produce soba noodles.

The soba noodles were then placed in a boiling basket and boiled in hot water for 2 minutes, after which they were removed to obtain boiled soba noodles (BE9).

The hardness of this boiled soba (BE9) was measured using a rheometer (Texture Analyzer EZ-SX, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) at a compression rate of 10 mm/min using a piano wire as a compression tool. The results are shown in Table 7.

(Comparative Example 11: Preparation of boiled soba noodles (BC11))
Boiled soba noodles (BC11) were obtained in the same manner as in Example 9, except that 1 part by mass of buckwheat hulls and 1 part by mass of dried gluten (activated gluten (A-Glu G manufactured by Glico Nutrition Foods Co., Ltd.)) were used instead of the dried pulverized product (E1) obtained in Example 1.

Next, the hardness of the boiled soba noodles was measured using the rheometer in the same manner as in Example 9, except that this boiled soba noodles (BC11) was used instead of the boiled soba noodles (BE9) in Example 9. The results are shown in Table 7.

(Comparative Example 12: Preparation of boiled soba noodles (BC12))
Boiled soba noodles (BC12) were obtained in the same manner as in Example 9, except that 1 part by mass of buckwheat hull powder and 1 part by mass of gluten powder prepared in Comparative Example 2 were used instead of the dried powder (E1) obtained in Example 1.

Next, the hardness of the boiled soba gel was measured using the rheometer in the same manner as in Example 9, except that this boiled soba (BC12) was used instead of the boiled soba (BE9) in Example 9. The results are shown in Table 7.

(Comparative Example 13: Preparation of boiled soba noodles (BC13))
Boiled soba noodles (BE13) were obtained in the same manner as in Example 9, except that the dried pulverized product (E1) obtained in Example 1 was not added.

Next, the hardness of the boiled soba noodles was measured using the rheometer in the same manner as in Example 9, except that this boiled soba noodles (BC13) was used instead of the boiled soba noodles (BE9) in Example 9. The results are shown in Table 7.

As shown in Table 7, the boiled soba noodles obtained in Example 9 (BE9) (boiled soba noodles containing the dried pulverized material (E1) of Example 1) had a gel hardness measured by a rheometer that was clearly higher than those obtained in Comparative Examples 11 to 13 ((BC11), (BC12), and (BC13)).

(Example 10: Preparation of buckwheat flour cookies (CE10))
150 parts by weight of unsalted butter and 75 parts by weight of sugar were mixed, and then 50 parts by weight of eggs were gradually mixed in. A mixture of 2 parts by weight of the dried pulverized material (E1) obtained in Example 1 and 150 parts by weight of buckwheat flour was added to the mixture while sifting, and then mixed at low speed for 2 minutes to obtain a dough. This dough was wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at 4 ° C for 30 minutes. The dough was then rolled to a thickness of 5 mm, cut into 5 cm x 5 cm squares, baked in a preheated oven at 165 ° C for 25 minutes, and then allowed to cool to room temperature to obtain buckwheat flour cookies (CE10). This buckwheat flour cookie (CE10) was placed in a resealable laminated bag containing silica gel and stored at room temperature.

The hardness of these buckwheat flour cookies (CE10) was measured using a rheometer (Texture Analyzer EZ-SX, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) at a compression rate of 20 mm/min using a wedge-shaped compression tool (2 cm). The results are shown in Table 8.

(Comparative Example 14: Preparation of buckwheat flour cookies (CC14))
Buckwheat flour cookies (CC14) were obtained in the same manner as in Example 10, except that 1 part by mass of buckwheat hulls and 1 part by mass of dried gluten (activated gluten (A-Glu G manufactured by Glico Nutrition Foods Co., Ltd.)) were used instead of the dried pulverized product (E1) obtained in Example 1.

Then, the hardness of the buckwheat flour cookies was measured using the rheometer in the same manner as in Example 10, except that this buckwheat flour cookie (CC14) was used instead of the buckwheat flour cookie (CE10) of Example 10. The results are shown in Table 8.

(Comparative Example 15: Preparation of buckwheat flour cookies (CC15))
Buckwheat flour cookies (CC15) were obtained in the same manner as in Example 9, except that 1 part by mass of buckwheat hull powder and 1 part by mass of gluten powder prepared in Comparative Example 2 were used instead of the dried powder (E1) obtained in Example 1.

Then, the hardness of the buckwheat flour cookies was measured using the rheometer in the same manner as in Example 10, except that this buckwheat flour cookie (CC15) was used instead of the buckwheat flour cookie (CE10) of Example 10. The results are shown in Table 8.

(Comparative Example 16: Preparation of buckwheat flour cookies (CC16))
Buckwheat flour cookies (CC16) were obtained in the same manner as in Example 10, except that the dried pulverized product (E1) obtained in Example 1 was not added.

Then, the hardness of the buckwheat flour cookies was measured using the rheometer in the same manner as in Example 10, except that this buckwheat flour cookie (CC16) was used instead of the buckwheat flour cookie (CE10) of Example 10. The results are shown in Table 8.

As shown in Table 8, the buckwheat flour cookies obtained in Example 10 (CE10) (buckwheat flour cookies containing the dried pulverized product (E1) of Example 1) had a gel hardness measured by a rheometer that was clearly higher than those obtained in Comparative Examples 14 to 16 ((CC14), (CC15), and (CC16)).

The present invention is useful, for example, in the fields of food production and food additive production.

Claims (6)

It is made from dried ground buckwheat husks and a mixture containing gluten.
The mass ratio of the buckwheat hulls to the gluten is 7/3 to 3/7,
A preparation for improving the hardness and crispness of noodles or buckwheat flour-containing foods, in which a mixture of 10 g of the dried pulverized material and 20 g of distilled water is heated at 90°C for 45 minutes, and then ice-cooled in ice water until the temperature reaches 5°C, to obtain a gel, which has a hardness of 3N to 20N when measured at 5°C using a rheometer (Texture Analyzer EZ-SX, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) at a compression rate of 20 mm/min using a spherical tool as a compression tool. The formulation according to claim 1 , wherein the average particle size of the dried and pulverized product is 20 μm to 60 μm. A method for producing the formulation according to claim 1 or 2 , comprising the steps of:
The method includes the step of milling a dry blend of a mixture containing buckwheat hulls and gluten until the average particle size is between 20 μm and 60 μm. 4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the grinding step is carried out by a ball mill, a jet mill, a pin mill, or a hammer mill. A food product comprising a food material and the formulation according to claim 1 or 2 . The food product according to claim 5 , wherein the food material is a noodle-making material.