JP7851567B2 - Frozen solid food composition and method for producing the same - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a frozen solid food composition containing starch derived from edible plants and a method for producing the same.

Solid compositions such as noodles, primarily composed of starch, have been widely known. Traditionally, wheat-derived and rice-derived starch have been the main raw materials for such solid compositions. Recently, with the diversification of dietary habits, attempts have been made to provide these solid compositions as frozen products together with seasoning liquids. For example, Patent Document 2 describes a frozen product in a container containing pre-cooked noodles and seasoning liquid with a moisture content of 9-15% by mass, and also describes an example where the pre-cooked noodles and seasoning liquid are frozen together (Manufacturing Example 20). Furthermore, in recent years, solid compositions primarily composed of legume-derived starch, as described in Patent Document 2, have been developed, and there is a growing need for these compositions as frozen foods.

International Publication No. 2022/176881 Patent No. 6792308

However, such starch-containing solid compositions present challenges in terms of adjusting freezing conditions. Simply freezing them results in the components easily sticking together when heated, and also makes it difficult to adjust the texture.

This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a technology that makes it difficult for frozen compositions to stick together when heated, and also improves the texture of solid food compositions.

Furthermore, the description of these problems does not preclude the existence of other problems. Moreover, one aspect of the present invention does not need to solve all of these problems. Furthermore, it is possible to extract other problems from the description in the specification, drawings, and claims.

As a result of diligent research, the present inventors have discovered that by immersing a basic solid composition containing starch derived from edible plants (especially legumes and/or grains), in which the dietary fiber content, starch content, protein content, wet-based moisture content, and degree of starch gelatinization are adjusted to a predetermined range, and the number of predetermined starch granule structures is below a predetermined value and/or the gelatinization peak temperature is below a predetermined value, in an aqueous medium to form a solid composition and then freezing it, it is possible to produce a frozen solid food composition that suppresses surface stickiness and has excellent texture, thus completing the present invention.

In other words, the purpose of this invention relates, for example, to the following:
[Item 1] A method for producing a frozen solid food composition containing starch derived from edible plants, comprising the following steps (i) to (iv).
(i) The step of preparing the aqueous medium.
(ii) The step of preparing a base solid composition that satisfies the following (1) to (5).
(1) The dietary fiber content is 3.0% by mass or more, or 4.0% by mass or more, or 5.0% by mass or more, or 6.0% by mass or more, or 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, or 10% by mass or more, on a wet mass basis, and there is no particular upper limit, but for example, 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less.
(2) The starch content is 10.0% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 45% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, on a wet mass basis, and there is no particular upper limit, but for example it is 80% by mass or less, or 75% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or less.
(3) The protein content is 3.0% by mass or more, or 4.0% by mass or more, or 5.0% by mass or more, or 6.0% by mass or more, or 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, or 10% by mass or more, or 11% by mass or more, or 12% by mass or more, or 13% by mass or more, or 14% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 16% by mass or more, or 17% by mass or more, or 18% by mass or more, and there is no particular upper limit, but for example, 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less.
(4) The wet moisture content is less than 50% by mass, or less than 48% by mass, or less than 46% by mass, or less than 43% by mass, or less than 40% by mass, and there is no particular lower limit, but for example it is 0% by mass or more, or 1% by mass or more, or 2% by mass or more, or 3% by mass or more, or 4% by mass or more, or 5% by mass or more, or 10% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 16% by mass or more, or 18% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 22% by mass or more.
(5) The degree of gelatinization of the starch is 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, and there is no particular upper limit, but for example it is 100% by mass or less.
(6) The following (a) and/or (b) are satisfied:
(a) When a 6% by mass suspension of the pulverized material of the composition is observed, the starch particle structure observed is 300 particles/ ^mm² or less, or 250 particles/ ^mm² or less, or 200 particles/ ^mm² or less, or 150 particles/ ^mm² or less, or 100 particles/ ^mm² or less, or 50 particles/ ^mm² or less, or 30 particles/ ^mm² or less, or 10 particles/ ^mm² or less, or 0 particles/ ^mm² .
(b) When a 14% by mass aqueous slurry of the pulverized composition is heated from 50°C to 140°C at a heating rate of 12.5°C/min using a rapid viscoanalyzer, the gelatinization peak temperature is less than 120°C, or 115°C or less, or 110°C or less, or 105°C or less, or 100°C or less, or 95°C or less, or 90°C or less, or 85°C or less, or 80°C or less, and the lower limit is not particularly limited, but for example, 50°C or more, or 55°C or more, or 60°C or more.
(iii) A step in which the base solid composition of step (ii) is immersed in the aqueous medium of step (i) to form a solid composition.
(iv) A step in which the solid composition is frozen so that its temperature is below 0°C, or -5°C or below, or -10°C or below, with no particular lower limit, but for example -80°C or above, or -70°C or above, or -60°C or above, or -50°C or above.
[Item 2] The manufacturing method according to item 1, wherein the aqueous medium in step (i) is a basic seasoning liquid.
[Item 3] The manufacturing method according to Item 2, wherein the sodium chloride content of the base seasoning liquid in step (i) is 10.0% by mass or less, or 9.0% by mass or less, or 8.0% by mass or less, or 7.0% by mass or less, or 6.0% by mass or less, or 5.0% by mass or less, or 4.0% by mass or less, or 3.0% by mass or less on a wet mass basis, and the lower limit is not particularly limited, but for example, 0.1% by mass or more, or 0.3% by mass or more, or 0.5% by mass or more, or 0.7% by mass or more, or 0.8% by mass or more.
[Item 4] The manufacturing method according to item 2 or 3, wherein the oil and fat content of the base seasoning liquid in step (i) is 10.0% by mass or less, or 9.0% by mass or less, or 8.0% by mass or less, or 7.0% by mass or less, or 6.0% by mass or less, or 5.0% by mass or less, or 4.0% by mass or less, or 3.0% by mass or less on a wet mass basis, and the lower limit is not particularly limited, but for example, 0.1% by mass or more, or 0.3% by mass or more, or 0.5% by mass or more, or 0.7% by mass or more, or 0.8% by mass or more, or 1.0% by mass or more, or 1.5% by mass or more, or 1.8% by mass or more.
[Clause 5] The manufacturing method according to any one of Clauses 1 to 4, wherein the aqueous medium in step (i) comprises pure water and/or ultrapure water.
[Item 6] The manufacturing method according to any one of items 1 to 5, wherein during the freezing process in step (iv), the solid composition is frozen together with the aqueous medium.
[Clause 7] The manufacturing method according to Clauses 1 to 5, wherein after the immersion treatment in step (iii), the solid composition is separated from the aqueous medium and subjected to the freezing treatment in step (iv).
[Item 8] The manufacturing method according to any one of items 1 to 7, wherein the average temperature during the immersion treatment in step (iii) is 60°C or less, or 55°C or less, or 50°C or less, and the lower limit is not particularly limited, but for example, 0°C or higher, or 5°C or higher, or 10°C or higher, or 15°C or higher.
[Item 9] The manufacturing method according to any one of items 1 to 8, wherein the immersion treatment in step (iii) is performed in a temperature zone of 10°C or lower for 10 minutes or more, or 20 minutes or more, or 30 minutes or more, with no particular lower limit, but for a period of time of, for example, 10 hours or less, or 5 hours or less.
[Item 10] The manufacturing method according to any one of items 1 to 9, wherein, during the immersion treatment of step (iii), the average temperature when the wet standard water content of the solid composition is 20% by mass or more is 60°C or less, or 55°C or less, or 50°C or less, and the lower limit is not particularly limited, but for example, 0°C or more, or 5°C or more, or 10°C or more, or 15°C or more.
[Item 11] The manufacturing method according to any one of items 1 to 10, wherein, after the immersion treatment of step (iii), the ratio of the amount of water absorbed to the maximum water content of the solid composition is 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, and there is no particular upper limit, but for example, 100% by mass or less, or 95% by mass or less, or 90% by mass or less, or 85% by mass or less, or 80% by mass or less, or 75% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or less, or 65% by mass or less.
[Item 12] The manufacturing method according to any one of items 1 to 11, wherein, after the immersion treatment in step (iii), the salt concentration of the solid composition is 5.0% by mass or less, or 4.0% by mass or less, or 3.0% by mass or less on a wet mass basis, and the lower limit is not particularly limited, but for example, 0% by mass or more, or 0.001% by mass or more, or 0.01% by mass or more.
[Item 13] The manufacturing method according to any one of items 1 to 12, wherein the rate of reduction in the degree of gelatinization of the starch of the solid composition before and after the immersion treatment in step (iii) and the freezing treatment in step (iv) is 2% by mass or more, or 3% by mass or more, or 4% by mass or more, and there is no particular upper limit, but for example, 60% by mass or less, or 55% by mass or less, or 50% by mass or less.
[Item 14] The manufacturing method according to any one of items 1 to 13, wherein the increase in crystallinity of the solid composition obtained under the following [Condition A] before and after the immersion treatment of step (iii) and the freezing treatment of step (iv) is 2% or more, or 3% or more, or 4% or more, or 5% or more, or 10% or more, or 15% or more, or 20% or more, or 30% or more, or 40% or more, or 50% or more, or 60% or more, or 70% or more, or 80% or more, or 90% or more, or 95% or more, and there is no particular upper limit, for example, 100% or less, or 98% or less.
[Condition A] The composition is dried to a wet-based moisture content of 10% by mass, then pulverized, and fractions with a mesh size of 43 μm or larger are removed. The peak intensity of the diffracted X-ray peak detected with a diffraction angle 2θ of 16 degrees (deg) or more and 18 degrees or less is determined by X-ray diffraction.
[Item 15] The manufacturing method according to any one of items 1 to 14, wherein, after the freezing treatment in step (iv), the wet-based water content of the solid composition is 16% by mass or more, or 18% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 22% by mass or more, or 24% by mass or more, and there is no particular upper limit, but for example, 85% by mass or less, or 80% by mass or less, or 75% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or less, or 65% by mass or less.
[Item 16] The manufacturing method according to any one of items 1 to 15, wherein, after the freezing treatment in step (iv), the degree of gelatinization of the starch in the solid composition is 99% by mass or less, or 95% by mass or less, or 90% by mass or less, or 85% by mass or less, and the lower limit is not particularly limited, but for example, 10% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more.
[Item 17] The method of production according to any one of items 1 to 16, wherein the composition contains an edible plant.
[Clause 18] The manufacturing method according to Clause 17, wherein the ratio of the starch content contained in the edible plant to the total starch content in the composition is 30% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, or 95% by mass or more on a dry mass basis, and there is no particular upper limit, but for example, 100% by mass or 100% by mass or less.
[Item 19] The method of manufacture according to any one of items 1 to 18, wherein the edible plant is a legume and/or a cereal.
[Item 20] The manufacturing method according to item 19, wherein the legume is one or more legumes selected from the genera of pea, kidney bean, pigeon bean, cowpea, broad bean, chickpea, soybean, and lentil.
[Item 21] The method of production according to item 19 or 20, wherein the grains are one or more selected from millet, barnyard millet, foxtail millet, sorghum, rye, oats, adlay, corn, buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa.
[Item 22] A frozen solid food composition manufactured by the manufacturing method described in any one of items 1 to 21.
[Item 23] A frozen solid food composition that contains starch derived from edible plants and satisfies all of the following conditions (1) to (6).
(1) The dietary fiber content is 3.0% by mass or more, or 4.0% by mass or more, or 5.0% by mass or more, or 6.0% by mass or more, or 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, or 10% by mass or more, on a wet mass basis, and there is no particular upper limit, but for example, it is 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less.
(2) The starch content is 10.0% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 45% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, on a wet mass basis, and there is no particular upper limit, but for example it is 80% by mass or less, or 75% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or less.
(3) The protein content is 3.0% by mass or more, or 4.0% by mass or more, or 5.0% by mass or more, or 6.0% by mass or more, or 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, or 10% by mass or more, or 11% by mass or more, or 12% by mass or more, or 13% by mass or more, or 14% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 16% by mass or more, or 17% by mass or more, or 18% by mass or more, and there is no particular upper limit, but for example, 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less.
(4) The wet standard moisture content is 10% by mass or more, or 12% by mass or more, or 14% by mass or more, or 16% by mass or more, or 18% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 22% by mass or more, or 24% by mass or more, and also 85% by mass or less, or 80% by mass or less, or 75% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or less, or 65% by mass or less.
(5) The degree of gelatinization of the starch is 88% by mass or less, or 85% by mass or less, or 80% by mass or less, or 75% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or less, and there is no particular upper limit, but for example it is 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 45% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more.
(6) The following (a) and/or (b) are satisfied:
(a) When a 6% by mass suspension of the pulverized material of the composition is observed, the starch particle structure observed is 300 particles/ ^mm² or less, or 250 particles/ ^mm² or less, or 200 particles/ ^mm² or less, or 150 particles/ ^mm² or less, or 100 particles/ ^mm² or less, or 50 particles/ ^mm² or less, or 30 particles/ ^mm² or less, or 10 particles/ ^mm² or less, or 0 particles/ ^mm² .
(b) When a 14% by mass aqueous slurry of the pulverized composition is heated from 50°C to 140°C at a heating rate of 12.5°C/min using a rapid viscoanalyzer, the gelatinization peak temperature is less than 120°C, or 115°C or less, or 110°C or less, or 105°C or less, or 100°C or less, or 95°C or less, or 90°C or less, or 85°C or less, or 80°C or less, and the lower limit is not particularly limited, but for example, 50°C or more, or 55°C or more, or 60°C or more.
[Item 24] A frozen solid food composition according to item 22 or 23, which is consumed after thawing and/or heating.
[Item 25] A frozen solid food composition according to any one of items 22 to 24, which is consumed after being immersed in a seasoning liquid.
[Item 26] A frozen solid food composition according to any one of items 22 to 25, wherein the edible plant is a legume and/or a cereal.
[Clause 27] A frozen solid food composition according to any one of Clauses 22 to 26, wherein the solid food composition contains 1% by mass or more of legumes and/or grains on a dry weight basis, particularly 3% by mass or 5% by mass or 8% by mass or 10% by mass or 15% by mass or 20% by mass or 25% by mass or 30% by mass or 35% by mass or 40% by mass or 45% by mass or 50% by mass or 55% by mass or 60% by mass or 65% by mass or 70% by mass or 75% by mass or 80% by mass or 85% by mass or 90% by mass or 95% by mass or more, and there is no particular upper limit, but for example, 100% by mass or 100% by mass or less.

According to the present invention, it is possible to produce a frozen solid food composition containing starch derived from edible plants (particularly legumes and/or grains) that has reduced surface stickiness and excellent texture.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating two embodiments of the manufacturing method of the present invention, namely, (A) an embodiment in which a solid composition immersed in an aqueous medium (e.g., a seasoning liquid) is frozen as is, and (B) an embodiment in which the aqueous medium is removed after immersion and only the solid composition is frozen.

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments and can be implemented in any form without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In this disclosure, "wet mass conversion" (sometimes simply referred to as "wet mass basis") represents the content ratio of the target component in the sample, calculated using the wet mass of the sample (including water) as the denominator and the mass of the target component in the sample as the numerator. Furthermore, in this disclosure, "dry mass conversion" (sometimes simply referred to as "dry mass basis") represents the content ratio of the target component in the sample, calculated using the dry mass of the sample (excluding water) as the denominator and the mass of the target component in the sample as the numerator. Also, in the proportion specifications of this invention, when simply stated as "mass %" without further specification, it represents the "wet mass conversion" ratio.

In this invention, "dry-weight moisture content" refers to the ratio of the total amount of moisture derived from the raw materials of the composition of this invention and the amount of moisture added separately, to the total amount of solids. This value is measured by heating to 90°C using a reduced-pressure heating drying method, in accordance with the 2015 edition (7th revised) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. Specifically, an appropriate amount of sample is taken into a weighing container ( _W0 ) that has been pre-weighed to a constant weight and weighed ( _W1 ). At atmospheric pressure, the weighing container is placed in a reduced-pressure electric constant-temperature drying oven adjusted to a predetermined temperature (more specifically, 90°C) with the lid removed or the opening left open. The door is closed, a vacuum pump is operated, and the sample is dried for a certain period of time at a predetermined reduced pressure. The vacuum pump is stopped, dry air is sent to return to atmospheric pressure, the weighing container is removed, the lid is put on, and after cooling in a desiccator, the mass is measured. This drying, cooling, and weighing process is repeated until a constant weight is reached ( _W2 ), and the moisture content (dry-weight moisture content) (mass%) is calculated using the following formula. The wet-based moisture content (mass%) can be calculated using the formula ( _W1 - _W2 ) / ( _W1 - _W0 ).

In this specification, when specifying multiple upper and/or lower limits for a numerical range, even if not explicitly stated, the specification of a numerical range combining at least the maximum value of the upper limit and the minimum value of the lower limit is directly described, and all numerical ranges obtained by combining any upper limit from among the upper limits and any lower limit from among the lower limits are included in one embodiment of the present invention. Also, in this specification, a numerical range connected by "~" means a numerical range that includes the numbers before and after "~" as the lower and upper limits. When multiple lower limits and multiple upper limits are shown separately, any lower and upper limits can be selected and connected by "~".

[I. Method for producing frozen solid food compositions]
<Overview>
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for producing a frozen solid food composition containing starch derived from edible plants (particularly legumes and/or grains) is provided, comprising the following steps (i) to (iv) (hereinafter referred to as "the production method of the present invention" as appropriate).
(i) The step of preparing the aqueous medium.
(ii) A step of preparing a base solid composition that satisfies the predetermined characteristics described later.
(iii) A step in which the base solid composition of step (ii) is immersed in the aqueous medium of step (i) to form a solid composition.
(iv) A step of freezing the solid composition so that its temperature is below 0°C.

The main embodiments of the manufacturing method of the present invention are not limited to these, but based on the manufacturing method, they can be divided into two embodiments, (A) and (B), as shown in Figure 1.

(A) Simultaneous Freezing Method: A method of producing a frozen solid food composition by immersing a basic solid composition in an aqueous medium to form a solid composition, and then freezing it as is. The frozen solid food composition according to method (A) is served in a state in which it is immersed in an aqueous medium and frozen together. When consuming the frozen solid food composition according to method (A), the solid food composition can be served for consumption by thawing and heating the frozen solid food composition in which it is immersed in the aqueous medium. In particular, as shown in Figure 1(A), when a basic seasoning, which is a precursor of a seasoning, is used as the aqueous medium, the frozen solid food composition is served in a state in which it is immersed in a frozen seasoning and frozen together. By thawing and heating this frozen solid food composition together with the frozen seasoning, the solid food composition in which it is immersed in the seasoning can be served for consumption.

(B) Individual freezing method: A method of producing a frozen solid food composition by immersing a basic solid composition in an aqueous medium to form a solid composition, then removing the aqueous medium and freezing only the solid composition. The frozen solid food composition according to method (B) is separated from the aqueous medium after immersion in the aqueous medium and is provided frozen on its own. When consuming the frozen solid food composition according to method (B), the solid food composition can be served for consumption in a state not immersed in seasoning by thawing and heating it as is. Alternatively, the solid food composition can be served for consumption in a state containing seasoning by thawing and heating it together with a separately prepared seasoning liquid, or by thawing and heating it together with a separately prepared frozen seasoning liquid.

In both embodiments (A) and (B), a common feature is that a frozen solid food composition is obtained by immersing a basic solid composition in an aqueous medium and then freezing the resulting solid composition. The following description will summarize the commonalities between embodiments (A) and (B), and then add comments on the characteristics of each embodiment. However, the manufacturing method of the present invention is not limited to embodiments (A) and (B), and can be carried out in any embodiment as long as a frozen solid food composition containing starch derived from edible plants (especially legumes and/or grains) is obtained as a result of carrying out the following steps (i) to (iv).

<Step (i): Preparation of aqueous media>
In this stage, an aqueous medium is prepared. In this disclosure, "aqueous medium" refers to a medium consisting of a liquid mainly composed of water. The water content of the aqueous medium has a lower limit of, for example, 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, and there is no particular upper limit, but it can be, for example, 100% by mass or 100% by mass or less. Examples of aqueous mediums are not limited to, but include water or a seasoning liquid mainly composed of water.

Furthermore, the aqueous medium may contain pure water and/or ultrapure water as water. When the aqueous medium contains pure water and/or ultrapure water, its total weight may be 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, or 100% by mass, relative to the total weight of the water mixed. Alternatively, the total weight of pure water and/or ultrapure water may satisfy the above provisions with respect to the total water weight of the aqueous medium. In this disclosure, "pure water" means water with few impurities. In this disclosure, "ultrapure water" refers to water with fewer impurities than pure water and a resistivity of 18 MΩ·cm or more. There are no particular restrictions on the purification method of the pure water and ultrapure water used in the present invention, but for example, they can be obtained by removing impurities from water containing impurities, such as tap water or well water, using reverse osmosis membranes, ion exchange resins, or distillation.

According to one embodiment, a base seasoning liquid can be used as the aqueous medium. In this disclosure, "base seasoning liquid" means a composition that is a precursor to the seasoning liquid of the present invention and becomes a seasoning liquid after immersion, freezing, and thawing/heating. According to one embodiment, the base seasoning liquid may be used as is as the aqueous medium. In this case, the frozen seasoning liquid obtained after immersion in step (iii) and freezing in step (iv) can be made into a seasoning liquid by thawing and heating it at the time of consumption. According to one embodiment, the base seasoning liquid may be diluted and used as the aqueous medium. In this case, the diluted frozen seasoning liquid obtained after immersion in step (iii) and freezing in step (iv) can be made into a seasoning liquid by thawing and heating it at the time of consumption and concentrating it (for example, by heating and boiling the seasoning liquid). Furthermore, according to one embodiment, a concentrated base seasoning liquid may be used as the aqueous medium. In this case, the concentrated seasoning liquid obtained in a frozen state after immersion in step (iii) and freezing in step (iv) can be used as a seasoning liquid by thawing and heating it at the time of consumption and diluting it with a medium such as water.

The sodium chloride content of the base seasoning liquid is preferably within a predetermined range. Specifically, it is preferable to set the upper limit of the sodium chloride content of the base seasoning liquid to a predetermined value or less, as this allows for rapid water migration to the base solid composition, promoting starch retrogradation in the composition and resulting in a composition with high suitability for heating when frozen. Specifically, the content may be 0.1% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less. More specifically, the upper limit is not particularly limited, but for example, it can be 10% by mass or less, 9.0% by mass or less, 8.0% by mass or less, 7.0% by mass or less, 6.0% by mass or less, 5.0% by mass or less, 4.0% by mass or less, or 3.0% by mass or less. The lower limit is also not particularly limited, but for example, it can be 0.1% by mass or more, 0.3% by mass or more, 0.5% by mass or more, 0.7% by mass or more, or 0.8% by mass or more. Furthermore, the sodium chloride content of the aqueous medium may satisfy the above provisions. Alternatively, a base seasoning liquid may be used in which the sodium chloride content of the aqueous medium is concentrated to satisfy the above requirements.

The oil and fat content of the base seasoning liquid is preferably within a predetermined range. Specifically, it is preferable to set the upper limit of the oil and fat content of the base seasoning liquid to a predetermined value or higher, as this allows for rapid water migration into the base solid composition, promoting starch retrogradation in the composition and resulting in a composition with high suitability for heating when frozen. Specifically, the content may be 0.1% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less. More specifically, the upper limit is not particularly limited, but for example, it can be 10% by mass or less, 9.0% by mass or less, 8.0% by mass or less, 7.0% by mass or less, 6.0% by mass or less, 5.0% by mass or less, 4.0% by mass or less, or 3.0% by mass or less. Furthermore, there is no particular limit to the lower limit, but it can be, for example, 0.1% by mass or more, or 0.3% by mass or more, or 0.5% by mass or more, or 0.7% by mass or more, or 0.8% by mass or more, or 1.0% by mass or more, or 1.5% by mass or more, or 1.8% by mass or more.

<Stage (ii): Preparation of the base solid composition>
In this stage, a basic solid composition is prepared. In this disclosure, "basic solid composition" means a precursor of the frozen solid food composition of the present invention, which becomes the frozen solid food composition of the invention after immersion in an aqueous medium in step (iii) and freezing in step (iv).

- Dietary fiber content of the basic solid composition The wet mass ratio of dietary fiber in the basic solid composition has a lower limit of, for example, usually 3.0% by mass or more, and an upper limit that is not limited, but can be in the range of, for example, 40% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 3.0% by mass or more. In particular, it is preferable to have 4.0% by mass or more, or 5.0% by mass or more, or 6.0% by mass or more, or 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, and especially 10% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, usually 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the above-mentioned provisions regarding dietary fiber also satisfy soluble dietary fiber and/or insoluble dietary fiber. That is, the wet mass-based ratio of soluble dietary fiber and/or insoluble dietary fiber in the basic solid composition can be, for example, in the range of 3.0% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 3.0% by mass or more, and more preferably 4.0% by mass or more, or 5.0% by mass or more, or 6.0% by mass or more, or 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 10% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but for example it can be usually 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the dietary fiber (preferably soluble dietary fiber and/or insoluble dietary fiber) derived from edible plants (especially legumes and/or cereals) satisfies the above requirements. That is, the wet mass-based ratio of dietary fiber (preferably soluble dietary fiber and/or insoluble dietary fiber) derived from edible plants (especially legumes and/or cereals) in the basic solid composition can be, for example, in the range of 3.0% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 3.0% by mass or more, more preferably 4.0% by mass or more, or 5.0% by mass or more, or 6.0% by mass or more, or 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 10% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but for example, it can be usually 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less.

- Starch content of the basic solid composition The starch content of the basic solid composition, on a wet mass basis, has a lower limit of, for example, usually 10.0% by mass or more, and an upper limit that is not limited, but can be, for example, 80% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 10.0% by mass or more. In particular, it is preferable to have 15% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 45% by mass or more, and especially 50% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, usually 80% by mass or less, or 75% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or less. Furthermore, it is preferable that the starch derived from edible plants (especially legumes and/or grains) satisfies the above requirements.

Furthermore, the base solid composition contains starch derived from at least edible plants (especially legumes and/or cereals). That is, the base solid composition contains starch derived from edible plants (at least one or both of the following: starch derived from legumes and starch derived from cereals). Legumes and cereals will be described in detail later.

The basic solid composition contains starch derived from edible plants. That is, in addition to starch derived from legumes and/or cereals, it may also contain other starches. Examples of other starches include starch derived from edible plants other than legumes and/or cereals, and synthetic starch, but starch derived from edible plants is preferred. However, it is preferable that the ratio of the starch content derived from edible plants (especially legumes and/or cereals) to the total starch content in the solid composition be in the range of, for example, 30% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less on a dry mass basis. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 30% by mass or more, and more preferably 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, or 95% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is not particularly limited, but it can usually be 100% by mass or 100% by mass or less. If the amount of starch derived from edible plants (especially legumes and/or grains) in the basic solid composition is above the predetermined value, the texture (for example, the elasticity of noodles like freshly made pasta) may be maintained even after a certain period of time (for example, 3 days or more) has passed during storage at room temperature. Furthermore, the ratio of the amount of starch derived from edible plants to the total starch content in the basic solid composition may satisfy the above ratio, the ratio of the amount of starch derived from legumes may satisfy the above ratio, the ratio of the amount of starch derived from grains may satisfy the above ratio, and the ratio of the total amount of starch derived from legumes and grains may satisfy the above ratio.

The total starch content (including starch derived from legumes and/or grains and other starches) in the basic solid composition is not limited, but is preferably in the range of 30% to 100% by mass on a dry weight basis. More specifically, the lower limit is preferably 30% or 35% by mass or 35% or more by mass. The upper limit is not particularly limited and is usually 100% by mass or less, but can be, for example, 90% or less by mass, 80% or less by mass, or 70% or less by mass.

The starch in the base solid composition may be incorporated into the composition as an isolated pure product, but it is preferable that it be incorporated into the composition in the state in which it is contained in edible plants. Specifically, it is preferable that the ratio of the starch content incorporated in the state in which it is contained in edible plants to the total starch content of the entire base solid composition be in the range of, for example, 30% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less on a dry mass basis. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 30% by mass or more, and more preferably 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, or 95% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is not particularly limited, but it can usually be 100% by mass or 100% by mass or less. In the base solid composition, if the starch incorporated in the state in which it is contained in edible plants is above the above predetermined value, the texture (for example, the elasticity of noodles like freshly made pasta) may be maintained.

In particular, it is preferable that the starch in the basic solid composition is incorporated into the composition in the form it is contained in edible plants (especially legumes and/or cereals). Specifically, it is preferable that the ratio of the starch content incorporated in the form it is contained in edible plants (especially legumes and/or cereals) to the total starch content of the entire basic solid composition be in the range of, for example, 30% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less on a dry mass basis. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 30% by mass or more, and more preferably 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, or 95% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 100% by mass or 100% by mass or less. In a basic solid composition, if the amount of starch contained in edible plants (especially legumes and/or grains) is above the predetermined value, the texture (for example, the elasticity of noodles like freshly made pasta) may be maintained.

Furthermore, when starch is incorporated into a basic solid composition while contained in edible plants (especially legumes and/or cereals), it is preferable to further include finely processed insoluble dietary fiber localized parts of edible plants (especially legumes and/or cereals) of a size specified in "particle size of edible plants (insoluble dietary fiber localized parts)," and it is preferable that the insoluble dietary fiber localized parts are insoluble dietary fiber localized parts in oats and millet. In particular, it is preferable that the insoluble dietary fiber localized parts are insoluble dietary fiber localized parts in mature legumes, and even more preferably that the insoluble dietary fiber localized parts are insoluble dietary fiber localized parts in peas (for example, the thin seed coat (sometimes called "hull") or pod (sometimes called "pod") attached to the edible part of legumes). Furthermore, it is preferable to contain both a finely processed product of insoluble dietary fiber localized sites in the same type of edible plant (especially legumes and/or cereals) and starch derived from edible plants (especially legumes and/or cereals). In addition, the finely processed product of insoluble dietary fiber localized sites may be included in the base solid composition after the insoluble dietary fiber localized sites have been separated from the food ingredients and then finely processed, or the base solid composition may be included after the insoluble dietary fiber-containing food ingredients, including the insoluble dietary fiber localized sites, have been finely processed.

In one embodiment, it is preferable that the total content of starch derived from rice, wheat, and/or barley (preferably wheat and/or barley) in the base solid composition is within a predetermined range. Specifically, it is preferable that the ratio of the total content of starch derived from rice, wheat, and/or barley (preferably wheat and/or barley) to the total starch content of the entire base solid composition is in the range of, for example, 0% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less. More specifically, the upper limit of the ratio is usually 10% by mass or less, or 9% by mass or less, or 8% by mass or less, or 7% by mass or less, or 6% by mass or less, or 5% by mass or less, or 4% by mass or less, or 3% by mass or less, or 2% by mass or less, or 1% by mass or less, and is particularly desirable to be substantially not contained (specifically, a content of less than 1 ppm, which is the lower limit of a general measurement method) or not contained. On the other hand, the lower limit of the ratio is not particularly limited, but can usually be 0% by mass or 0% by mass or more.

The starch content in the composition is measured according to the 2015 edition (7th revised) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, using the method of AOAC 996.11, by removing soluble carbohydrates (glucose, maltose, maltodextrin, etc.) that may affect the measurement by 80% ethanol extraction. The degree of starch gelatinization in the composition is measured using the glucoamylase method II (following the Japan Food Research Laboratories method: https://web.archive.org/web/20200611054551/https://www.jfrl.or.jp/storage/file/221.pdf), which is a modified version of the Bulletin of the Central Laboratory for Customs.

- Protein content of the basic solid composition The wet mass ratio of protein in the basic solid composition has a lower limit, for example, usually 3.0% by mass or more, and an upper limit, which is not limited, but can be in the range of, for example, 40% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 3.0% by mass or more. In particular, it is preferable that it be 4.0% by mass or more, or 5.0% by mass or more, or 6.0% by mass or more, or 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, or 10% by mass or more, or 11% by mass or more, or 12% by mass or more, or 13% by mass or more, or 14% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 16% by mass or more, or 17% by mass or more, or 18% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, usually 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less. Furthermore, it is preferable that the protein derived from edible plants (especially legumes and/or grains) satisfies the above requirements.

- Wet-based moisture content of the base solid composition The wet-based moisture content of the base solid composition has an upper limit, for example, usually less than 50% by mass, and a lower limit, although not limited, can be, for example, 0% by mass or more. More specifically, the upper limit is usually less than 50% by mass. In particular, it is preferable to have a lower limit, for example, less than 48% by mass, less than 46% by mass, less than 43% by mass, or less than 40% by mass. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 0% by mass or more, 1% by mass or more, 2% by mass or more, 3% by mass or more, 4% by mass or more, 5% by mass or more, 10% by mass or more, 15% by mass or more, 16% by mass or more, 18% by mass or more, 20% by mass or more, or 22% by mass or more.

Here, the content of dietary fiber (preferably soluble dietary fiber and/or insoluble dietary fiber), starch, and protein, as well as the water content, in the basic solid composition are wet mass conversion ratios calculated with the total mass of the basic solid composition including water as the denominator and the content of each component as the numerator. These ratios can be adjusted so that each component derived from the raw material edible plants (e.g., legumes and/or grains) is equal to or greater than a specified value. In other words, in the present invention, the "wet mass conversion ratio" (sometimes simply referred to as "wet mass standard ratio," "wet mass standard," "wet mass conversion," or "wet weight standard") represents the content ratio of each component, etc., calculated with the wet mass including water in the composition or each fraction as the denominator and the content of each target component or target substance as the numerator.

- Starch gelatinization degree of the base solid composition It is preferable to use starch that has been highly gelatinized in advance for the base solid composition. Specifically, the lower limit of the starch gelatinization degree of the base solid composition is usually 40% by mass or more, and although there is no upper limit, it can be in the range of, for example, 100% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 40% by mass or more. In particular, it is preferable to have a value of 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more. There is no particular upper limit, but it is usually 100% by mass or less.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the starch in the base solid composition is preheated to a certain temperature or higher. For example, in the present invention, it is preferable that the starch contained in the base solid composition is preheated to a maximum temperature of 100°C or higher under moisture conditions of a dry weight moisture content of 25% by mass or more (or 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more). More specifically, the starch in the base solid composition can be, for example, preheated to a range of 100°C or more and 200°C or lower. More specifically, it is preferable that the starch in the base solid composition is preheated to a maximum temperature of 100°C or higher, or 110°C or higher, or 120°C or higher. There is no particular upper limit to the preheating temperature of the starch, but it can usually be 200°C or lower, or 180°C or lower.

Furthermore, starch that is heated at high temperatures while its dry-weight moisture content is below a certain level during preheating has the characteristic of being less processable due to thermal decomposition. Therefore, it is even more preferable that the starch in the base solid composition is starch that has been heated under a dry-weight moisture content above a certain level. Specifically, the dry-weight moisture content of the starch used in the base solid composition during preheating can be, for example, in the range of 40% by mass or more and 200% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 40% by mass or more, and more preferably 45% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 55% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 65% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 75% by mass or more, and especially preferably 80% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 200% by mass or less, or 175% by mass or less, or 150% by mass or less.

Furthermore, the starch is preferably derived from edible plants (preferably legumes and/or cereals), and more preferably is starch contained in the edible plants (preferably legumes and/or cereals). The ratio of the starch content derived from the edible plants (preferably legumes and/or cereals) to the total starch content of the entire composition can be, for example, in the range of 30% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less on a dry mass basis. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 30% by mass or more, more preferably 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 100% by mass.

• Starch granular structure of the basic solid composition:
The basic solid-form composition is characterized in that the number of starch granule structures observed under specific conditions is below a predetermined value. This is preferable because it allows for rapid water migration into the basic solid-form food composition, promoting starch retrogradation within the composition, resulting in a composition with high suitability for cooking when frozen. Although the principle is unclear, it is thought that the breakdown of the starch granule structure makes it less susceptible to the obstruction of water penetration.

Starch granule structure refers to iodine-stainable structures with a circular shape of approximately 1 to 50 μm in diameter in a planar image. For example, a 6% by mass aqueous suspension can be prepared by suspending the pulverized composition in water and observed under magnification. Specifically, the pulverized composition is classified using a sieve with a mesh size of 150 μm, and 3 mg of the composition powder with a 150 μm pass is suspended in 50 μL of water to prepare a 6% by mass suspension of the composition powder. A slide containing this suspension can be prepared and observed under polarized light using a phase-contrast microscope, or an iodine-stained slide can be observed under an optical microscope. The magnification is not limited, but for example, it can be 100x or 200x. If the distribution of starch granules in a slide is uniform, the proportion of starch granules in the entire slide can be estimated by observing a representative field of view. However, if there is a bias in the distribution, the measurement for the entire slide can be obtained by observing a finite number of fields of view (for example, two or more locations, such as five or ten locations) and summing the observation results.

Specifically, the base solid composition preferably satisfies the following requirements (a) and/or (b) regarding the starch granule structure.
(a) The number of starch particles observed when a 6% suspension of the pulverized material of the composition is 300 or less per ^mm² .
(b) When a 14% by mass aqueous slurry of the pulverized composition is heated from 50°C to 140°C at a heating rate of 12.5°C/min using a rapid viscoanalytic analyzer (RVA), the gelatinization peak temperature is less than 120°C.

With regard to requirement (a) above, specifically, the composition of the present invention can have a number of starch granule structures observed under the above conditions in the range of, for example, 0 or ^more and 300 or less per ^mm² . More specifically, the number of starch granule structures in the composition of the present invention is usually 300 or less per ^mm² , more preferably 250 or less per ^mm² , or 200 or less per ^mm² , or 150 or less per ^mm² , or 100 or less per ^mm² , or 50 or less per ^mm² , or 30 or less per ^mm² , or 10 or less per ^mm² , and particularly preferably 0 or less per ^mm² .

Regarding (b) above, the gelatinization peak temperature of the composition of the present invention, as measured by a rapid viscoanalyzer (RVA) under the conditions described later, can be in the range of, for example, 50°C or more and less than 120°C. More specifically, the upper limit is usually less than 120°C, and more preferably 115°C or less, or 110°C or less, or 105°C or less, or 100°C or less, or 95°C or less, or 90°C or less, or 85°C or less, or 80°C or less. On the other hand, the lower limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 50°C or more, or 55°C or more, or 60°C or more. The rapid viscoanalyzer (RVA) and its measurement conditions will be described later.

In this invention, unless otherwise specified, "pulverized composition,""pulverizedcomposition," or "pulverized composition" refers to a composition pulverized such that the particle diameters d ₅₀ and/or d ₉₀ (preferably both d ₅₀ and d ₉₀ ) after ultrasonic treatment, measured by the same method as described later for specific surface area per unit volume, are approximately 1000 μm or less, 750 μm or less, or 500 μm or less. The lower limit of the particle diameters d ₅₀ and/or d ₉₀ (preferably both d ₅₀ and d ₉₀ ) after ultrasonic treatment is not particularly limited, but it is generally preferable to be 1 μm or more.

• Raw materials for the base solid composition:
The raw materials for the basic solid composition are not particularly limited, but it is preferable that they include at least one type of edible plant. The type of edible plant is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that it includes at least one type of dried edible plant. Here, the dried edible plant preferably has a dry weight moisture content of less than 25% by mass, or less than 20% by mass, or less than 15% by mass. On the other hand, the lower limit is not particularly limited, but it can usually be 0% by mass or more. Furthermore, the dried edible plant preferably has a water activity value of 0.85 or less, or 0.80 or less, or 0.75 or less. On the other hand, the lower limit is not particularly limited, but it can usually be 0.10 or more. Furthermore, it is preferable to use finely ground or powdered edible plants. Furthermore, as specific edible plants, it is preferable that it includes at least one type of legume and/or grain. However, the raw materials for the basic solid composition are not limited to these, and edible plants other than legumes or grains, or other raw materials, may be used in combination as long as the various characteristics described later are satisfied.

When using legumes as a raw material and/or starch source for a basic solid composition, the type of legume is not limited, but it is preferable to use mature legumes rather than immature seeds (for example, green peas, which are immature pea seeds, or edamame, which are immature soybean seeds). For the same reason, it is also preferable to use legumes whose dry weight moisture content is below a predetermined value as they mature. Specifically, the dry weight moisture content of legumes from which starch is derived can be, for example, in the range of 0.01% by mass or more and less than 15% by mass. More specifically, the upper limit of this percentage is usually preferably less than 15% by mass, or less than 13% by mass, or less than 11% by mass, or less than 10% by mass. On the other hand, the lower limit of the dry weight moisture content of such legumes is not particularly limited, but it can usually be 0.01% by mass or more.

・Edible plants:
The edible plants of the present invention may contain processed edible plant products. The processed edible plant products may be in liquid, solid, or paste form, but are usually contained in a 4-mesh pass fraction. Therefore, the processed edible plant products constitute a part of the seasoning liquid. Furthermore, it is preferable that the size of most of the particles of the processed edible plant products (for example, 80% by mass or more) is 200 mesh-on. Specifically, when the seasoning liquid corresponding to the 4-mesh pass fraction of the food composition of the present invention is further sieved with a 200-mesh sieve, it is preferable that the mass ratio of the fractions that become 200 mesh-on (the mass ratio of [processed edible plant products] / [seasoning liquid] described later) is above a predetermined ratio. More details will be described later.

The types of edible plants are not limited, but in one embodiment, one or more edible foods selected from grains, potatoes, beans, nuts, vegetables, fruits, and mushrooms may be used. Specific examples are given below.

The type of grain used is arbitrary. Specific examples, though not limited to these, include amaranth, millet, oats, barley, foxtail millet, quinoa, wheat, rice, sugarcane, buckwheat, corn, adlay, barnyard millet, fonio, and sorghum. Corn is preferred, and sweet corn is particularly preferred.

The type of tuber is arbitrary. Specific examples, though not limited to these, include Jerusalem artichoke, konjac, sweet potato, taro, water yam, yam, potato, wild yam, ginkgo yam, Chinese yam, Japanese yam, Japanese yam, daikon yam, cassava, yacon, taro, white yam, purple sweet potato, and yam. Among these, sweet potato and purple sweet potato are preferred, and sweet potato is particularly preferred.

The type of legume is arbitrary. Specific examples, though not limited to these, include kidney beans, safflower beans, pinto beans, soybeans, peas, pigeon peas, mung beans, cowpeas, adzuki beans, broad beans, black beans, chickpeas, lentils, flat beans, peanuts, lupine beans, grass peas, carob beans, coffee beans, and cocoa beans. Among these, soybeans, peas, and black beans are preferred, with soybeans and peas being particularly preferred. Edamame refers to soybeans harvested in an immature state, without drying before harvesting, and with the pod intact, resulting in beans that have a green appearance. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of nutritional value (dietary fiber), the insoluble dietary fiber localization site is preferred to be in mature legumes, and it is preferable to use the insoluble dietary fiber localization site in peas (for example, the thin seed coat attached to the edible part of the legume (sometimes called "hull"), or the pod (sometimes called "pod")).

The type of nuts and seeds is arbitrary. Specific examples, though not limited to these, include almonds, hemp, flax, perilla, cashews, pumpkin seeds, kaya seeds, ginkgo nuts, chestnuts, walnuts, poppy seeds, coconuts, sesame seeds, oak seeds, horse chestnut seeds, lotus seeds, water chestnuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, pine nuts, and peanuts. Among these, sesame seeds, almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, and coconuts are preferred.

The types of vegetables are arbitrary. Examples, though not limited to these, include garlic, onion, tomato, carrot, celery, artichoke, chives, angelica tree, asparagus, aloe, melon, green beans, udo, pea sprouts, snow peas, snap peas, okra, turnip, pumpkin, mustard greens, cauliflower, chrysanthemum, cabbage, cucumber, wild garlic, water spinach, watercress, arrowhead, kale, burdock, komatsuna, zha cai, shishito pepper, perilla, cowpea, garland chrysanthemum, ginger, taro stem, sugukina, zucchini, celery, tatsoi, daikon radish, and taka Examples include vegetables such as na, bamboo shoots, chicory, bok choy, chili peppers, eggplant, rapeseed, bitter melon, chives, Nozawana, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, basil, parsley, beets (beetroot), bell peppers, butterbur, broccoli, loofah, spinach, horseradish, mizuna, mitsuba, myoga ginger, bean sprouts, cucumber, molokhia, lily bulb, mugwort, shallots, arugula, rhubarb, lettuce, lotus root, scallions, wasabi, bracken, and herbs (coriander, sage, thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary, mint, lemongrass, dill, etc.). Garlic, onions, tomatoes, carrots, celery, pumpkin, cabbage, kale, bell peppers, beets (beetroot), broccoli, and spinach are particularly preferred.

The type of fruit is arbitrary. Specific examples, though not limited to these, include acerola, avocado, apricot, strawberry, fig, plum, citrus fruits (Iyokan, Satsuma mandarin, orange, grapefruit, lime, lemon, etc.), olive, persimmon, kiwi, guava, coconut, pomegranate, watermelon, plum, cherry (cherry, black cherry, etc.), jujube, pineapple, haskap, banana, papaya, loquat, grape, berry (blueberry, raspberry, etc.), mango, mangosteen, melon, peach, and apple. Among these, avocado, strawberry, berry, citrus fruits, mango, pineapple, grape, and apple are preferred.

The type of mushroom is arbitrary. Specific examples, though not limited to these, include shiitake, matsutake, wood ear mushroom, maitake, bracket fungus, oyster mushroom, king oyster mushroom, enoki mushroom, shimeji, oyster mushroom, button mushroom, nameko, mitsuke, husk mushroom, and tangerine mushroom.

Furthermore, any one of the aforementioned edible plants may be used alone, or two or more may be used in any combination and ratio. Edible plants typically contain both edible and insoluble fiber-containing parts (e.g., seed coat or non-edible parts). For any edible plant, only the edible part may be used, only the insoluble fiber-containing part (e.g., seed coat or non-edible part) may be used, or both may be used in combination. When using both edible and insoluble fiber-containing parts, the combination may be from the same one or more edible plants, or it may be from one or more edible plants and one or more edible plants with insoluble fiber-containing parts (e.g., seed coat or non-edible parts). In other words, in the present invention, there are no restrictions on the selection and combination of edible parts and/or insoluble dietary fiber localized parts (e.g., seed coat or non-edible parts) of one or more edible plants.

In this disclosure, the "non-edible portion" of an edible plant refers to the part of the edible plant that is not normally suitable for consumption or that is discarded in normal eating habits, while the "edible portion" refers to the portion of the edible plant excluding the discarded parts (non-edible portion). Furthermore, the parts and proportions of the non-edible portion in the edible plant used in this invention can be naturally understood by those skilled in the art who handle such edible plants and their processed products. For example, the "discarded parts" and "discard rate" listed in the 2015 edition (7th revision) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan can be referred to and treated as the parts and proportions of the non-edible portion, respectively. Table A below lists the "discarded parts" and "discard rate" (i.e., parts and proportions of the non-edible portion) (i.e., the parts and proportions of the non-edible portion) for major edible plants as listed in the 2015 edition (7th revision) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. Furthermore, the parts and proportions of the edible portion can also be understood from the parts and proportions of the non-edible portion in an edible plant.

- Insoluble dietary fiber localized parts When the composition of the present invention (particularly the basic solid composition or solid composition) contains processed edible plant products, it is preferable to include processed products of insoluble dietary fiber localized parts among the various parts of the edible plant. By including insoluble dietary fiber localized parts of edible plants in the composition (particularly the basic solid composition or solid composition), water absorption is more easily improved, and the effects of the present invention may be more easily achieved.

In this disclosure, the "insoluble dietary fiber localized site" of an edible plant means the site in the edible plant where insoluble dietary fiber is localized, or in other words, the site having a relatively higher proportion of insoluble dietary fiber than the edible part of the edible plant. More specifically, the "insoluble dietary fiber localized site" of an edible plant means the site having, in a dry state, an insoluble dietary fiber content that is, for example, 1.1 times or more, 1.2 times or more, 1.3 times or more, 1.4 times or more, 1.5 times or more, 1.6 times or more, 1.7 times or more, 1.8 times or more, 1.9 times or more, or 2.0 times or more than that of the edible part of the edible plant. For example, in legumes, the seed coat, which has a relatively higher proportion of insoluble dietary fiber than the edible part (cotyledon, etc.), corresponds to the insoluble dietary fiber localized site. Furthermore, in grains, the outer layer (bran or rice bran) which has a relatively higher proportion of insoluble dietary fiber than the proportion of insoluble dietary fiber in the edible portion (endosperm, etc.) corresponds to the localized site of insoluble dietary fiber.

Furthermore, the insoluble dietary fiber content in the localized insoluble dietary fiber area, calculated on a dry weight basis, is preferably in the range of more than 8% by mass and 50% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually preferably more than 8% by mass, or more than 9% by mass, or more than 10% by mass, or more than 11% by mass, or more than 12% by mass, or more than 13% by mass, or more than 14% by mass, or more than 15% by mass, or more than 16% by mass, or more than 17% by mass, or more than 18% by mass, or more than 19% by mass, or more than 20% by mass. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but is usually 50% by mass or less, or 40% by mass or less, and more particularly 30% by mass or less. Here, in this disclosure, "calculated on a dry weight basis" refers to the content ratio of each component, etc., calculated by using the dry weight of the composition or each fraction without water (in the above case, the dry weight of the localized insoluble dietary fiber area) as the denominator and the content of each target component or target substance (in the above case, the dry weight of insoluble dietary fiber) as the numerator.

The localized sites of insoluble dietary fiber in various edible plants include, as a typical example, the "discarded parts" of various edible plants listed in the 2015 edition (seventh revised edition) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (an example is shown in Table A above). However, insoluble dietary fiber localized sites can also be found in "edible parts" other than these "non-edible parts," such as the peels and seeds of grains, beans, nuts, and vegetables, as well as particularly hard and thick parts of the stems and leaves of vegetables. In the present invention, when using insoluble dietary fiber localized parts of edible plants, it may be a part of the "edible part" of the edible plant (for example, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds or hulls of vegetables, especially seeds or hulls of vegetables) or a "non-edible part" (for example, the cob of corn, the pod of legumes), but it is preferable that it be a part of the "edible part," and it is particularly preferable that legumes are used in a manner that includes both the seed coat and/or cotyledons of legumes (especially peas and chickpeas), or that grains are used in a manner that includes both the outer hull (bran or rice bran) of grains (especially oats and millet).

When the composition of the present invention (particularly the basic solid composition or solid composition) contains a processed product of the localized portion of insoluble dietary fiber from edible plants, the proportion is not limited, but is as follows for example. The wet mass basis ratio of the localized portion of insoluble dietary fiber to the total mass of the entire composition (particularly the basic solid composition or solid composition) is preferably in the range of 0.1% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit can be, for example, 0.1% by mass or more, or 0.2% by mass or more, or 0.3% by mass or more, and also, for example, 20% by mass or less, or 10% by mass or less, or 5% by mass or less.

When the composition of the present invention (particularly the basic solid composition or solid composition) contains a processed product of the insoluble dietary fiber localized part of an edible plant, the insoluble dietary fiber localized part separated from the edible plant may be contained alone, or it may be contained in a state in which the insoluble dietary fiber localized part and other parts are included. However, it is preferable to contain both the insoluble dietary fiber localized part and other parts from the same type of edible plant, and it is particularly preferable to contain both the insoluble dietary fiber localized part and other parts from the same individual edible plant. Edible plants containing insoluble dietary fiber localized part from the same type or the same individual edible plant may contain the insoluble dietary fiber localized part and other parts separately, or they may contain edible plants in a state in which the insoluble dietary fiber localized part is included.

Furthermore, when incorporating processed products of edible plants (particularly their insoluble dietary fiber localized parts) into the composition of the present invention (especially the basic solid composition or solid composition), it is preferable to incorporate them in the form of finely processed particles having a predetermined particle size. This tends to improve the mouthfeel of the resulting seasoning liquid, and in some embodiments, it may also improve the viscosity of the seasoning liquid. Although the principle is unknown, it is possible that components such as pectin contained in the insoluble dietary fiber localized parts of the seasoning liquid react with the extract to produce viscosity. The characteristics of the particle distribution of edible plants (particularly their insoluble dietary fiber localized parts) will be described later in the section on the manufacturing method of the present invention.

When using legumes as raw materials and/or starch sources for a basic solid composition, the specific types of legumes are not limited, but it is preferable that they be one or more legumes selected from the genera of pea, kidney bean, pigeon pea, cowpea, broad bean, chickpea, soybean, and lentil. Specific examples, though not limited to these, include peas (especially yellow peas and white peas), kidney beans, red kidney beans, white kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, tiger beans, lima beans, scarlet beans, pigeon peas, mung beans, cowpeas, adzuki beans, broad beans, soybeans, chickpeas, lentils, flat beans, blue peas, purple kidney beans, lentils, peanuts, lupine beans, grass peas, carob, twisted crowberry, broad crowberry, coffee beans, cocoa beans, Mexican flying beans, etc. The classification of other legumes not listed can be naturally understood by those skilled in the art who handle such legumes and their processed products. Specifically, it can be clearly understood by referring to the food group classification (page 249, Table 1) described in the 2015 edition (7th revised) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, which is widely used in daily life in ordinary households. These legumes may be used individually or in any combination of two or more types.

When using legumes as a raw material and/or starch source for a basic solid composition, it is preferable to use legumes with a starch content of a predetermined value or higher. Specifically, the starch content of the legumes is preferably in the range of 5.0% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less on a wet mass basis. More specifically, the lower limit is usually preferably 5.0% by mass or more, or 10.0% by mass or more, or 15.0% by mass or more, or 20.0% by mass or more, or 25.0% by mass or more, or 30.0% by mass or more, or 35.0% by mass or more, or 40.0% by mass or more. On the other hand, there is no particular upper limit to the starch content of the legumes, but it can be, for example, usually 70.0% by mass or less, or 65.0% by mass or less, or 60.0% by mass or less.

In this invention, "miscellaneous grains" generally refers to grains other than the major grains of rice, wheat, and barley, and is a concept that includes so-called pseudo-grains other than grass grains (Chenopodiaceae, Amaranthaceae). When miscellaneous grains are used as raw materials and/or starch sources for a basic solid composition, the types of miscellaneous grains used are not limited, but preferably, for example, one or more types of miscellaneous grains selected from the grass family, Chenopodiaceae, and Amaranthaceae, and more preferably from the grass family. Specific examples, though not limited to these, include millet, foxtail millet, proso millet, sorghum, rye, oats, Job's tears, corn, buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa. It is particularly preferable to use one or more of oats, amaranth, quinoa, and proso millet, and especially preferable to use oats, which are rich in soluble dietary fiber. Furthermore, it is preferable that the grains are substantially gluten-free (specifically, with a gluten content of less than 10 ppm by mass), and even more preferable that they are gluten-free.

When using grains as a raw material and/or starch source for a basic solid composition, it is preferable to use grains with a starch content of a predetermined value or higher. Specifically, the starch content of the grains is preferably in the range of 5.0% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less on a wet mass basis. More specifically, the lower limit is usually preferably 5.0% by mass or more, or 10.0% by mass or more, or 15.0% by mass or more, or 20.0% by mass or more, or 25.0% by mass or more, or 30.0% by mass or more. On the other hand, there is no particular upper limit to the starch content of the grains, but it can be, for example, usually 70% by mass or less, or 65.0% by mass or less, or 60.0% by mass or less, or 55.0% by mass or less, or 50.0% by mass or less.

When using grains as a raw material and/or starch source for the basic solid composition, it is preferable to use dried grains. Specifically, it is preferable that the grains have a dry weight moisture content of less than or equal to a predetermined value. More specifically, it is preferable that the dry weight moisture content of the grains used in the solid composition of the present invention be in the range of, for example, 0% by mass or more and less than 15% by mass. More specifically, the upper limit is usually less than 15% by mass, or less than 13% by mass, or less than 11% by mass, or less than 10% by mass. On the other hand, the lower limit of the dry weight moisture content of such grains is not particularly limited, but it is usually 0% by mass or more, or 0.01% by mass or more.

When legumes are used as raw materials and/or starch sources for the basic solid composition, the legume content in the solid composition of the present invention is not limited, but is preferably in the range of 1% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less on a wet mass basis. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 1% by mass or more, and more preferably 3% by mass or more, or 5% by mass or more, or 8% by mass or more, or 10% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 45% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 55% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 65% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 75% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 85% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, or 95% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 100% by mass or 100% by mass or less.

When using grains as raw materials and/or starch sources for the basic solid composition, the content of grains in the solid composition of the present invention is not limited, but is preferably in the range of 1% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less on a wet mass basis. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 1% by mass or more, and more preferably 3% by mass or more, or 5% by mass or more, or 8% by mass or more, or 10% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 45% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 55% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 65% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 75% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 85% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, or 95% by mass or more. On the other hand, there is no particular upper limit, but it can usually be 100% by mass or less.

The total content of legumes and grains as raw materials and/or starch sources in the basic solid composition is not limited, but is preferably in the range of 1% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less on a wet mass basis. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 1% by mass or more, and more preferably 3% by mass or more, or 5% by mass or more, or 8% by mass or more, or 10% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 45% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 55% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 65% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 75% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 85% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, or 95% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 100% by mass or 100% by mass or less.

Furthermore, when edible plants (e.g., legumes and/or cereals) are used as raw materials for the basic solid composition, the wet mass percentage of such edible plants (e.g., legumes and/or cereals) can be, for example, in the range of 30% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 30% by mass or more, and more preferably 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, or 100% by mass. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 100% by mass or less.

Furthermore, when edible plants (e.g., legumes and/or cereals) are used as raw materials for the basic solid composition, it is preferable that the ratio of the starch content and/or protein content derived from the edible plants (e.g., legumes and/or cereals) to the total starch content and/or total protein content of the basic solid composition is above a predetermined value. Specifically, the ratio of the starch content derived from the edible plants (e.g., legumes and/or cereals) to the total starch content of the basic solid composition can be in the range of, for example, 30% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less on a dry mass basis. More specifically, it is preferable that it be 30% by mass or more, and more preferably 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more. There is no particular upper limit, but it can usually be 100% by mass or 100% by mass or less.

Furthermore, the ratio of protein content derived from edible plants (e.g., legumes and/or grains) to the total protein content of the basic solid composition can be in the range of, for example, 10% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less on a dry mass basis. More specifically, it is usually 10% by mass or more, more preferably 20% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 100% by mass or more.

As for starches and proteins derived from legumes, those derived from peas are particularly preferred, and those derived from yellow peas are most preferred. As for starches and proteins derived from grains, those derived from oats are preferred. Furthermore, it is preferable that the total amount of starches derived from legumes and grains satisfies the above requirements, and it is preferable that the total amount of proteins derived from legumes and grains satisfies the above requirements.

Other ingredients:
The basic solid composition may contain any one or more other ingredients. Examples of such ingredients include plant-based ingredients (vegetables, potatoes, mushrooms, fruits, algae, grains (especially major grains not included in coarse grains such as rice, wheat, and barley), nuts and seeds, etc.), animal-based ingredients (fish and shellfish, meat, eggs, dairy products, etc.), and microbial foods. The content of these ingredients can be appropriately set within a range that does not impair the purpose of the present invention.

・Seasonings, food additives, etc.:
The basic solid composition may contain one or more seasonings, food additives, etc. Examples of seasonings, food additives, etc. include soy sauce, miso, alcohols, sugars (e.g., glucose, sucrose, fructose, glucose-fructose syrup, fructose-glucose syrup, etc.), sugar alcohols (e.g., xylitol, erythritol, maltitol, etc.), artificial sweeteners (e.g., sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame K, etc.), minerals (e.g., calcium, potassium, sodium, iron, zinc, magnesium, etc., and their salts, etc.), flavorings, pH adjusters (e.g., sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lactic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, and acetic acid, etc.), cyclodextrin, antioxidants (e.g., vitamins Ingredients include vitamin E, vitamin C, tea extract, green coffee bean extract, chlorogenic acid, spice extract, caffeic acid, rosemary extract, vitamin C palmitate, rutin, quercetin, bayberry extract, sesame extract, etc.), emulsifiers (examples include glycerin fatty acid ester, monoglyceride acetate, monoglyceride lactate, monoglyceride citrate, monoglyceride diacetyl tartaric acid, monoglyceride succinate, polyglycerin fatty acid ester, polyglycerin condensed linosyl ester, quillaja extract, soybean saponin, tea seed saponin, sucrose fatty acid ester, lecithin, etc.), colorants, thickeners and stabilizers, etc.

However, given the recent rise in natural food trends, it is preferable that the basic solid composition does not contain any one of the following: emulsifiers, colorants, and thickening/stabilizing agents (for example, those listed as "colorants," "thickening/stabilizing agents," and "emulsifiers" in the "List of Food Additive Substances for Labeling" in the Food Additive Labeling Pocketbook (2011 edition)). It is more preferable that it does not contain any two of these, and even more preferable that it does not contain any three.

In particular, the base solid composition is preferably free of gelling agents, as this allows for elasticity to be imparted to the composition without the need for gelling agents, and also prevents excessive elasticity. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of achieving a quality that allows the flavor of the ingredients to be easily perceived, the composition of the present invention is preferably free of emulsifiers. Moreover, it is especially desirable that the composition of the present invention is free of food additives (for example, substances listed in the "List of Food Additive Substances for Labeling" in the Food Additive Labeling Pocketbook (2011 edition) used for food additive purposes). Furthermore, from the viewpoint of making the sweetness of the food itself more easily perceived, it is preferable that the composition of the present invention does not contain sugars (glucose, sucrose, fructose, glucose-fructose syrup, fructose-glucose syrup, etc.).

Furthermore, it is preferable that the basic solid composition has a low sodium chloride content or does not contain sodium chloride at all. Conventional starch-containing solid compositions for cooking (especially compositions containing gluten with a network structure) maintain compositional elasticity by containing sodium chloride, but this has problems in terms of affecting taste and excessive salt intake. In particular, in dry compositions (dried udon, dried hiyamugi, etc.), 3% by mass or more of sodium chloride is usually used to maintain compositional elasticity, so these problems were particularly pronounced. On the other hand, with the composition of the present invention, it is possible to obtain a composition in which the decrease in elasticity is suppressed even with the use of a very small amount of sodium chloride or without the addition of sodium chloride, resulting in a composition of good quality, which is preferable. Furthermore, even for starch-containing solid compositions for cooking such as pasta, udon, and bread, which normally have adhesiveness and elasticity due to gluten with a network structure and sodium chloride, it is preferable to apply the present invention to obtain a composition of good quality without adding sodium chloride, which is preferable. Specifically, the sodium chloride content in the composition of the present invention can be in the range of 0% by mass or more and 3% by mass or less on a dry mass basis. More specifically, it is preferable that the sodium chloride content is usually 3% by mass or less, more preferably 2% by mass or less, or 1% by mass or less, or 0.7% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 0.5% by mass or less. Furthermore, the sodium chloride content in the dough composition can be in the range of 0% by mass or more and 3% by mass or less on a wet mass basis. More specifically, it is preferable that the lower limit is usually 3% by mass or less, more preferably 2% by mass or less, or 1% by mass or less, or 0.7% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 0.5% by mass or less. The lower limit of the sodium chloride content in the composition and dough composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, and may be 0% by mass, but may also be 0.05% by mass or more, or 0.10% by mass or more. Furthermore, the frozen solid composition may satisfy the above provisions, and in particular, the above provisions may be satisfied in a configuration in which the solid composition is frozen in a basic seasoning liquid to produce the frozen solid composition. In this invention, the method for quantifying sodium chloride in a starch-containing solid composition is, for example, to calculate it by multiplying the amount of sodium measured using atomic absorption spectrometry by 2.54, in accordance with the "salt equivalent" in the 2015 edition (seventh revised edition) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan.

• Method for manufacturing the base solid composition:
The method for producing the basic solid composition is arbitrary. Edible plants that serve as raw materials for starch (especially legumes and/or grains, preferably their powder) can be mixed together with other components used as optional (other ingredients, seasonings, food additives, etc.). When mixing the components, solvents such as water or aqueous media may be used as needed. The mixing method is also arbitrary; for example, mixing may be done using a conventional stirring device, or mixing may be done while kneading using a single-screw or twin-screw extruder.

Furthermore, heat treatment may be performed before mixing the components of the base solid composition (for example, at the stage of edible plants (especially legumes and/or cereals) or edible plant (especially legumes and/or cereals) powder that will be used as raw materials for the base solid composition), during mixing, or after mixing. The conditions for heat treatment are not limited, but it is preferable to perform the heat treatment in such a way as to satisfy the requirements (a) and/or (b) above regarding the starch granule structure. The heating temperature can be, for example, in the range of 100°C to 200°C, and the treatment time can be, for example, in the range of 0.1 minutes to 2 hours. More specifically, the lower limit of the heating temperature may be, for example, 100°C or higher, or 110°C or higher, or 120°C or higher, and the maximum temperature may be, for example, 200°C or lower, or 190°C or lower, or 180°C or lower. The lower limit of the processing time may be, for example, 0.1 minutes or more, or 0.2 minutes or more, or 0.3 minutes or more, and the processing may be carried out for, for example, 2 hours or less, or 1.5 hours or less, or 1 hour or less. However, generally speaking, there is a roughly interdependent relationship between heating temperature and heating time; the higher the heating temperature, the shorter the heating time generally needs to be, while the longer the heating time, the lower the heating temperature generally needs to be. Therefore, considering this relationship between heating temperature and heating time, they should be set to an appropriate range. Furthermore, when manufacturing the basic solid composition, the above heat treatment may be carried out in any of the processes, or the heat treatment may be carried out over multiple processes. More specifically, the above heat treatment may be performed at the raw material stage (for example, the stage of grinding edible plants (especially legumes and/or grains) into a powder), at the molding stage (for example, in the case of a pasta-like base solid composition, at the extrusion stage using an extruder or other device), or at the post-molding stage (for example, in the case of a pasta-like composition, at the drying stage). Alternatively, the above heat treatment conditions may be satisfied by combining the heat treatments performed at multiple of these stages.

Furthermore, when performing the heat treatment, it is preferable to perform the heat treatment in the presence of a predetermined percentage or more of moisture. This makes it easier to adjust the requirements (a) and/or (b) concerning the starch granule structure to below predetermined values. The reason for this is not entirely clear, but it is thought that this makes it easier to crush the starch granules of edible plants (especially legumes and/or grains) which have a very strong structure, and as a result satisfies the requirements (a) and/or (b) concerning the starch granule structure. Specifically, the dry weight moisture content can be, for example, in the range of more than 40% by mass and 200% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is preferably when the heat treatment is performed at a state of more than 40% by mass, more preferably at more than 45% by mass, and particularly preferably at more than 50% by mass. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but it can usually be 200% by mass or less, or 150% by mass or less, or 100% by mass or less.

Furthermore, it is preferable to knead the mixture with a certain level of strength when performing the heat treatment. This makes it easier to adjust the requirements (a) and/or (b) concerning the starch granule structure to below predetermined values. Although the reason is not clear, it is thought that by kneading vigorously under high temperature conditions in this way, the preferred molecular weight distribution of starch described above is formed, and the effects of the present invention are achieved. In particular, kneading under constant high temperature and pressure conditions is more preferable because it enhances the effect of preventing the leakage of such insoluble components. Although the reason is not clear, it is possible that processing under constant high temperature conditions, preferably high temperature and pressure conditions, causes the proteins, starch, and insoluble dietary fiber in the dough to form a complex structure on the surface of the composition, particularly suppressing the leakage of insoluble components. On the other hand, the solid composition of the present invention may be ordinary cold noodles or glass noodles (glass noodles made from potato starch or glass noodles made from mung bean starch) made from refined starch, but these contain very little dietary fiber, so the structure of the composition of the present invention may not develop properly.

The specific conditions during kneading are preferable because the specific mechanical energy (SME) value, calculated by the following formula I, is above a predetermined value, which allows the starch granules to be sufficiently broken down and exhibit matrix properties. Specifically, it is preferable to knead under conditions where the SME value is typically 350 kJ/kg or higher, and more preferably 400 kJ/kg or higher, 450 kJ/kg or higher, 500 kJ/kg or higher, 550 kJ/kg or higher, 600 kJ/kg or higher, 700 kJ/kg or higher, and especially 800 kJ/kg or higher. Furthermore, when using an extruder, it is preferable to set the screw rotation speed to typically over 150 rpm, more preferably over 200 rpm, and even more preferably over 250 rpm.

N: Screw rotation speed during mixing (rpm)
N _max : Maximum screw rotation speed (rpm)
τ: Torque during mixing / Maximum torque (%)
τ _empty : Torque when idle / Maximum torque (%)
Q: Total mass flow rate (kg/hour)
P _max : Maximum power (kW) of the agitator (e.g., extruder)

Furthermore, it is preferable to perform the aforementioned kneading at a high temperature, such as 100°C or higher, more preferably 110°C or higher, and even more preferably 120°C or higher, because this makes the starch granule structure more easily destroyed. Also, for example, when an extruder is used for kneading, it is preferable that the high-temperature and high-SME value treatment described above be performed in a region of 3% or more of the total barrel length, more preferably 5% or more, more preferably 8% or more, or 10% or more, or 15% or more, and especially 20% or more. In particular, the high-temperature and high-SME value treatment described above is more useful for starch granules derived from legumes because their structure is stronger. On the other hand, the upper limit of the treatment temperature is usually 200°C or lower. It is preferable to have a temperature of 190°C or lower, more preferably 180°C or lower, or 170°C or lower, and especially 160°C or lower. If the temperature at this stage exceeds the above upper limit, for example, when an extruder is used for kneading, there is a risk that the temperature of the composition when it is extruded from the die of the extruder will not decrease sufficiently.

Furthermore, when the above-mentioned kneading is performed under pressurized conditions relative to atmospheric pressure, it is more preferable to perform the kneading under conditions where a higher pressure than usual is applied. The kneading pressure can be measured by measuring the outlet pressure when an extruder is used. When kneading is performed under pressurized conditions relative to atmospheric pressure, the lower limit of the additional pressure to be applied in addition to atmospheric pressure is usually 0.01 MPa or higher, more preferably 0.03 MPa or higher, even more preferably 0.05 MPa or higher, or 0.1 MPa or higher, or 0.2 MPa or higher, or 0.3 MPa or higher, or 0.5 MPa or higher, or 1.0 MPa or higher, or 2.0 MPa or higher, or 3.0 MPa or higher. On the other hand, there is no particular upper limit to the additional pressure to be applied in addition to atmospheric pressure, but it can be, for example, 50 MPa or lower, or 40 MPa or lower. Also, it is preferable to install a flow delay structure near the end point of the kneading section (preferably immediately after the end point of the kneading section) because this can increase the pressure in the kneading section.

The mixing time can be appropriately determined based on the mixing temperature and pressure, the size of the mixing container, etc. In particular, since the amount of heat applied to the composition varies greatly depending on the characteristics of the equipment mainly used, it is preferable to process the composition so that its physical properties before and after processing are adjusted to a predetermined range. The mixing time is not limited, but generally it is as follows. That is, the lower limit of the mixing time is preferably, for example, 0.1 minutes or more, or 0.2 minutes or more, or 0.3 minutes or more, or 0.4 minutes or more, or 0.5 minutes or more, or 0.8 minutes or more, or 1 minute or more, and especially preferably 2 minutes or more. The upper limit of the mixing time is not limited, but for example it can be within 60 minutes, more preferably within 30 minutes, and even more preferably within 15 minutes.

When using an extruder for mixing, the type of extruder is not limited, but it is preferable to use one that can perform each process from hydration, strong mixing (at least an SME value of 350 kJ/kg or more), heating, cooling, and extrusion molding in a single unit. In particular, an extruder having a structure that allows hydration to be added to the raw material before heating and pressurizing is preferred. Specifically, either a single-screw extruder or a twin-screw extruder can be used, but from the viewpoint of achieving strong mixing to promote the formation of the composition structure of the present invention, it is preferable to use a twin-screw extruder rather than a general single-screw extruder. Furthermore, among devices generally called single-screw extruders or twin-screw extruders (especially devices called extruders or twin screw extruders overseas), there are also extruders that merely have mixer and kneader functions, but such devices are undesirable because they cannot obtain the strong mixing necessary to form the composition structure of the present invention. Furthermore, when using composition raw materials having a starch granule structure, the structure is robust, and in order for the starch granule structure to be sufficiently broken down, it is even more preferable to use a significantly larger amount of barrel portion having a kneading effect than usual, compared to an extruder using only a normal flight screw. Specifically, it is preferable that the ratio of the flight screw portion to the total barrel length in the extruder is 95% or less, as this strongly kneads the composition and promotes the formation of the characteristic structure of the composition of the present invention. The flight screw portion is the most common shape of barrel portion, also called the transport element, and as its ratio to the total barrel length increases, the ability to extrude the dough composition toward the die increases, but the ability to knead the dough composition and promote its reaction decreases. More preferably it is 90% or less, and even more preferably 85% or less. When producing puffs or other expanded products using an extruder, it is necessary to extrude the composition vigorously under high pressure, so there is an incentive to increase the ratio of the flight screw portion to the total barrel length, and (even when kneading with a high SME value) the ratio of the flight screw portion to the total barrel length is usually 95% to 100%. Furthermore, 5% or more of the total barrel length, more preferably 7% or more, even more preferably 10% or more, and even more preferably 12% or more can be made into a barrel portion that has a kneading effect.

Furthermore, while the wet-based moisture content of the base solid composition is as described above, according to one embodiment, the base solid composition obtained may be dried after mixing the components of the base solid composition and optionally after heat treatment. In the case of a base solid composition in such a dried state (e.g., dried noodles), the wet-based moisture content can be less than 30% by mass, less than 25% by mass, less than 20% by mass, less than 15% by mass, or less than 10% by mass. Alternatively, it is possible to omit such a drying step for the base solid composition and use a base solid composition in a moist state (e.g., semi-dried noodles or fresh noodles) with a relatively high moisture content within the range that satisfies the above-mentioned wet-based moisture content, in subsequent stages. For example, the lower limit of the wet-based moisture content in that case can be 30% by mass or more, 32% by mass or more, or 34% by mass or more.

<Step (iii): Preparation of the solid composition by immersion of the base solid composition in an aqueous medium>
In this stage (iii), the base solid composition from stage (ii) is immersed in the aqueous medium from stage (i) to form a solid composition. Immersing the base solid composition in the aqueous medium improves the texture of the solid composition after the freezing treatment in stage (iv). Although the principle is unclear, it is thought that the immersion treatment in stage (iii) causes the starch near the surface of the base solid composition to absorb moisture from the aqueous medium, and by performing the freezing treatment in stage (iv) with the moisture content localized within the composition, the starch retrogradation in the relatively high moisture content (near the surface of the composition) is accelerated, making it possible to locally retrograde the starch near the surface of the composition. This prevents the composition from sticking together when the frozen composition is heated, thus resulting in a desirable quality (in this invention, this stage is sometimes referred to as the "retrogradation treatment" stage). Furthermore, retrogradation is less likely to progress in the relatively low moisture content (near the interior), so it is thought that the composition maintains a desirable texture after cooking.

In this invention, "solid composition" refers to a composition obtained by immersing the base solid composition in an aqueous medium. Because the base solid composition absorbs water when immersed in the aqueous medium, the wet mass moisture content of the solid composition increases compared to the wet mass moisture content of the base solid composition. Specifically, the difference in wet mass moisture content between the base solid composition and the solid composition is not limited, but is usually preferably 1% by mass or more, or 2% by mass or more, or 3% by mass or more, or 4% by mass or more, or 5% by mass or more. There is no particular upper limit, but for example, it may be 60% by mass or less, or 55% by mass or less, or 50% by mass or less.

In step (iii), the average immersion temperature of the solid composition during the immersion treatment is preferably within a predetermined range. This allows for control to prevent excessive penetration of moisture into the composition during immersion. On the other hand, if the average immersion temperature in step (iii) exceeds the upper limit (for example, if a solid composition that has been boiled is used in step (iv)), moisture may penetrate into the composition, and the desirable texture of the composition may be lost. More specifically, the upper limit of the average immersion temperature of the composition in step (iii) can be, for example, 60°C or less, 55°C or less, or 50°C or less. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 0°C or higher, 5°C or higher, 10°C or higher, or 15°C or higher. In this invention, the average immersion temperature refers to the arithmetic mean temperature when the basic solid composition is immersed in an aqueous medium in step (i), and can be calculated by measuring the composition temperature at finite equal intervals (for example, 1-minute intervals) during the immersion time. Furthermore, the immersion time in this invention begins when the base solid composition comes into contact with the aqueous medium and ends when the aqueous medium is removed or when the aqueous medium freezes due to freezing and ceases to function as a medium.

From the viewpoint of promoting aging near the surface of the composition, it is preferable to perform the aging treatment when the wet-reference moisture content of the composition surface is above a certain percentage. Specifically, the wet-reference moisture content of the composition surface during the aging treatment can be, for example, in the range of 16% by mass or more and 85% by mass or less. More specifically, it is preferable to perform the aging treatment when the lower limit is usually 16% by mass or more, or 18% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 22% by mass or more, or 24% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but is usually 85% by mass or less, or 80% by mass or less, or 75% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or less, or 65% by mass or less. The wet-reference moisture content of the composition surface can be determined by measuring a sample of the composition surface. Alternatively, the ratio at the time the aqueous medium freezes may fall within the above range, or the average value of the ratio during the immersion time may fall within the above range.

In step (iii), the immersion treatment time can usually be in the range of 0.1 hours or more and 20 hours or less. More specifically, the lower limit of this time can usually be adjusted to 0.1 hours or more, more particularly to 0.2 hours or more, or 0.3 hours or more, or 0.4 hours or more, or 0.5 hours or more, or 0.6 hours or more, or 0.7 hours or more, or 0.8 hours or more, or 0.9 hours or more, and especially to 1.0 hour or more. The upper limit of such time is not particularly limited, but for example, it can usually be 20 hours or less, or 15 hours or less, or 10 hours or less, or 5 hours or less. In particular, it is preferable that the immersion time in the range of an average immersion temperature of 0°C or more and 60°C or less satisfies the above time specification (0.1 hours or more and 20 hours or less).

During the immersion treatment in step (iii), it is preferable that the immersed composition passes through a temperature range of 10°C or lower for a predetermined period of time or longer. Specifically, the lower limit of the time during which the immersed composition passes through a temperature range of 10°C or lower is usually preferably 10 minutes or more, or 20 minutes or more, or 30 minutes or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is not particularly limited, but for example, it can usually be 10 hours or less, or 5 hours or less.

In step (iii), it is preferable that the immersion conditions when the solid composition has a wet-based moisture content of 20% by mass or more satisfy the above temperature requirement (0°C to 60°C) and/or the above time requirement (0.1 hours to 20 hours). That is, the upper limit of the immersion temperature when the solid composition has a wet-based moisture content of 20% by mass or more can be, for example, 60°C or less, 55°C or less, or 50°C or less. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 0°C or more, 5°C or more, 10°C or more, or 15°C or more. Furthermore, the lower limit of the immersion time when the solid composition has a wet-based moisture content of 20% by mass or more can usually be adjusted to 0.1 hours or more, more particularly 0.2 hours or more, 0.3 hours or more, 0.4 hours or more, 0.5 hours or more, 0.6 hours or more, 0.7 hours or more, 0.8 hours or more, or 0.9 hours or more, and especially 1.0 hour or more. There is no particular upper limit to such time, but for example, it can be 20 hours or less, or 15 hours or less, or 10 hours or less, or 5 hours or less.

In step (iii), it is preferable to adjust the ratio of water absorption to the maximum water content of the solid composition after immersion treatment to a certain level or higher, as this promotes the aging treatment. In the present invention, "maximum water content" refers to the wet standard water content after treating the basic solid composition with a sufficient amount of 90°C water for 10 minutes. Specifically, it is preferable to set this ratio to 20% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, as this suppresses quality deterioration of the solid composition after freezing and improves the texture of the solid composition after cooking. More specifically, the lower limit can be, for example, 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit can be 100% by mass or less, or 95% by mass or less, or 90% by mass or less, or 85% by mass or less, or 80% by mass or less, or 75% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or less, or 65% by mass or less. For example, in a solid composition after boiling, the proportion of this ratio exceeds 100% by mass (for example, about 120% by mass). However, if a composition exceeding this upper limit is used, moisture may penetrate into the composition, and the desirable texture of the composition may be lost. Furthermore, when some or all of steps (iii) and (iv) are carried out in parallel, it is preferable that the above provisions are satisfied at the start of step (iv). In addition, the ratio may be within the above range when the aqueous medium is frozen, or the average value of the ratio during the immersion time may be within the above range.

In step (iii), it is preferable to adjust the salt concentration of the solid composition after immersion treatment to a certain percentage or less on a wet mass basis. This suppresses quality deterioration of the solid composition after freezing, and the texture of the solid composition after processing may be of a desirable quality. Specifically, the salt concentration of the solid composition after immersion treatment can be in the range of, for example, 0% by mass or more and 5.0% by mass or less. More specifically, the upper limit can be, for example, 5.0% by mass or less, or 4.0% by mass or less, or 3.0% by mass or less. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 0% by mass or more, or 0.001% by mass or more, or 0.01% by mass or more.

In step (iii), it is preferable to adjust the difference in the increase in salt concentration of the solid composition before and after the immersion treatment to a certain percentage or less on a wet mass basis. This suppresses the deterioration of the quality of the solid composition after freezing and improves the texture of the solid composition after cooking. Specifically, the difference in the increase in salt concentration of the solid composition before and after the immersion treatment can be in the range of, for example, 0% by mass or more and 5.0% by mass or less. More specifically, the upper limit can be, for example, 5.0% by mass or less, or 4.0% by mass or less, or 3.0% by mass or less. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 0% by mass or more, or 0.001% by mass or more, or 0.01% by mass or more.

In step (iii), the wet-based moisture content of the solid composition after immersion treatment may satisfy a predetermined range. Specifically, the range of the wet-based moisture content of the solid composition after immersion treatment may be 10% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit can be, for example, 10% by mass or more, or 16% by mass or more, or 18% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 22% by mass or more, or 24% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit can be, for example, 70% by mass or less, or 65% by mass or less, or 60% by mass or less, or 55% by mass or less, or 50% by mass or less, or 45% by mass or less, or 41% by mass or less, or 40% by mass or less, or 35% by mass or less.

In particular, it is preferable that the ratio is within a predetermined range, as this makes the composition less likely to disintegrate due to evaporation of moisture from within the composition, thus making it easier to use in compositions that are microwave-heated. Specifically, the ratio can be, for example, in the range of 20% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less. More specifically, it is preferable that the upper limit is 60% by mass or less, or 55% by mass or less, or 50% by mass or less, or 45% by mass or less, or 41% by mass or less, or 40% by mass or less, or 35% by mass or less. By satisfying the upper limit, the composition may be less likely to disintegrate from within even when microwave-heated. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but it is usually preferable that it is 20% by mass or more, or 22% by mass or more, or 24% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more. By satisfying the upper limit, it may be less likely that the core will remain even when microwave-heated. Therefore, compositions adjusted to the above range can be suitably used as microwave-heated compositions. Furthermore, when the composition of the present invention is used as a microwave heating composition, the present invention is particularly useful when heating under conditions equivalent to 500W for 3 minutes or more (when heating at a different wattage, the time should be adjusted by converting the heat amount; for example, 600W is equivalent to 2 minutes and 30 seconds), as the composition tends to disintegrate more easily in such cases. It is particularly useful under heating conditions of 500W for 4 minutes or more, or 5 minutes or more, or 6 minutes or more. Moreover, the ratio may be within the above range when the aqueous medium is frozen, or the average value of the ratio during the immersion time may be within the above range.

<Step (iv): Freezing treatment of solid composition>
In this stage, the solid composition is frozen so that its temperature is below 0°C. Freezing is preferable because it suppresses the tendency of the solid composition to stick together after cooking. Although the principle is unknown, it is thought that freezing in step (iv) fixes the aging state near the surface and near the interior of the composition, resulting in a high-quality composition.

Specifically, the lower limit of the freezing temperature is not limited, but it can be, for example, -80°C or higher, -70°C or higher, -60°C or higher, or -50°C or higher. On the other hand, the upper limit of the freezing temperature can be below 0°C, -5°C or lower, or -10°C or lower.

The freezing time can typically be in the range of 0.1 hours to 20 hours. More specifically, the time can be adjusted to typically 0.1 hours or more, particularly 0.2 hours or more, or 0.3 hours or more, or 0.4 hours or more, or 0.5 hours or more, or 0.6 hours or more, or 0.7 hours or more, or 0.8 hours or more, or 0.9 hours or more, and especially 1.0 hour or more. There is no particular upper limit to such time, but for example, it can typically be 20 hours or less, or 15 hours or less, or 10 hours or less, or 5 hours or less. In this invention, the freezing time is defined as the time when the freezing process is started when the ambient temperature is below 0°C, and the time when the solid composition is frozen is defined as the end time.

Furthermore, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, by performing part or all of the immersion treatment in step (iii) at an ambient temperature of less than 0°C, part or all of step (iii) and part or all of step (iv) can be carried out in parallel.

In step (iii), the basic solid composition is immersed in an aqueous medium to form a solid composition. When subjecting it to the freezing treatment in step (iv), as described above, the solid composition may be frozen as is while immersed in the aqueous medium ((A) simultaneous freezing mode), or the aqueous medium may be removed and only the solid composition may be frozen ((B) individual freezing mode). After removing the aqueous medium from the solid composition, the solid composition may be frozen alongside or placed on top of a separately prepared seasoning liquid (either as is or individually packaged). Such a mode is included in the latter (B) individual freezing mode.

The method for the freezing treatment in step (iv) is not particularly limited. For example, the freezing treatment may be carried out using cooling air or a cooling gas surrounding the composition as a medium to lower the ambient temperature of the composition to below 0°C. Alternatively, the composition may be immersed in a cooled liquid such as liquid nitrogen or ethanol, and the freezing treatment may be carried out using such liquid as a medium to lower the ambient temperature of the composition to below 0°C. Alternatively, the composition may be brought into contact with a cooled metal plate, and the freezing treatment may be carried out using such metal plate as a medium to lower the ambient temperature of the composition to below 0°C.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the rate of decrease in the degree of starch gelatinization of the composition before and after the immersion treatment in step (iii) and the freezing treatment in step (iv) (i.e., the rate of decrease defined by "{(degree of starch gelatinization of the base solid composition before step (iii)) - (degree of starch gelatinization of the frozen solid food composition after step (iv))} / (degree of starch gelatinization of the base solid composition before step (iii))") is above a certain value. This suppresses the deterioration of the quality of the solid composition after freezing and may result in a more desirable texture of the solid composition after cooking. Specifically, the rate of decrease in the degree of starch gelatinization can be, for example, in the range of 2% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit can be, for example, 2% by mass or more, or 3% by mass or more, or 4% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 60% by mass or less, or 55% by mass or less, or 50% by mass or less.

Furthermore, it is even more preferable that the rate of decrease in the degree of starch gelatinization of the composition before and after the freezing treatment in step (iv) (i.e., the rate of decrease defined by "{(degree of starch gelatinization of the solid composition before step (iv)) - (degree of starch gelatinization of the frozen solid food composition after step (iv))} / (degree of starch gelatinization of the solid composition before step (iv))") is above a certain value. This suppresses the deterioration of the quality of the solid composition after freezing and may result in a more desirable texture of the solid composition after cooking. Specifically, such a rate of decrease in the degree of starch gelatinization can be, for example, in the range of 2% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit can be, for example, 2% by mass or more, or 3% by mass or more, or 4% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit can be, for example, 60% by mass or less, or 55% by mass or less, or 50% by mass or less.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the rate of increase in the crystallinity of the composition before and after the immersion treatment in step (iii) and the freezing treatment in step (iv) (i.e., the rate of increase defined by "{(crystallinity of the frozen solid food composition after step (iv)) - (crystallinity of the base solid composition before step (iii))} / (crystallinity of the frozen solid food composition after step (iv))") is above a certain value. This suppresses the deterioration of the quality of the solid composition after freezing and may result in a more desirable texture of the solid composition after cooking. Specifically, such a rate of increase in crystallinity can be in the range of, for example, 2% to 100%. More specifically, the lower limit can be, for example, 2% or more, or 3% or more, or 4% or more, or 5% or more, or 10% or more, or 15% or more, or 20% or more, or 30% or more, or 40% or more, or 50% or more, or 60% or more, or 70% or more, or 80% or more, or 90% or more, or 95% or more. On the other hand, the upper limit can be set to, for example, 100% or less, or 98% or less.

In this invention, "crystallinity" can be measured by determining the peak intensity of a diffracted X-ray peak detected by X-ray diffraction with a diffraction angle 2θ of 16 degrees (deg) or more and 18 degrees or less (typically the peak top is detected in the range of 17 degrees or more and 17.5 degrees or less, and more typically the peak top is detected around 17 degrees). Specifically, the composition is dried to a wet-based moisture content of 10% by mass using a known method (e.g., freeze-drying), then processed into a powder using a known method (e.g., hammer mill), and then the fraction of 45 μm or larger is removed using a sieve with a mesh size of 45 μm (more specifically, the fraction that passes through a sieve with a mesh size of 45 μm but not through a sieve with a mesh size of 25 μm may be used, and more specifically, the fraction with a 325 mesh pass and 500 mesh on may be used) and used as the measurement sample. In this invention, "mesh-on" refers to a fraction of powdery composition that remains on a sieve of a specific size, and "mesh-pass" refers to a fraction of powdery composition that passes through a sieve of a specific size. For example, "325 mesh-pass 500 mesh-on" means a fraction of powdery composition that passes through a 325-mesh sieve and remains on a 500-mesh sieve. In this invention, "mesh" is a unit that represents the density of the mesh of wire mesh, sieves, filters, etc., and represents the number of mesh openings per inch. That is, for example, "325 mesh-pass" means a fraction of powdery composition that passes through a sieve with a mesh opening of 45 μm, and "500 mesh-on" means a fraction of powdery composition that remains on a sieve with a mesh opening of 25 μm.

Specifically, the wire thickness and mesh spacing of the MeshOn sieves are determined by using values specified in U.S.A. Standard Testing Sieves ASTM Specifications E 11-04 (for example, 325 mesh corresponds to "No. 325" specified under "Alternative" in Nominal Dimensions, Permissible Variation for Wire Cloth of Standard Testing Sieves (U.S.A.) Standard Series in the same document, and 500 mesh corresponds to "No. 500") or equivalent values. A 100g sample (at 20°C) containing the powdered composition to be measured is spread evenly on sieves stacked from top to bottom, starting with those with progressively larger mesh openings. The sample is then vibrated with a load that does not change the composition size until the fraction weight on each sieve becomes constant, thereby measuring the size.

For crystallinity measurement, after placing the sample on the sample stage, the surface of the powder is leveled using a ground glass to ensure uniform height. For X-ray diffraction, the crystallinity can be determined by integrating the peak areas in the diffraction X-ray graph obtained from a finite number of measurement points (e.g., two or more, e.g., five or ten) in each region, and calculating the arithmetic mean. More specifically, using a Rigaku Miniflex600-C desktop X-ray diffractometer, the crystallinity can be determined by integrating the peak areas in the diffraction X-ray graph obtained from measurements under the following conditions.

(Incidence side optical system conditions)
Source: CuKα (λ = 1.54186 Å), Output: 40 kV, 15 mA
Divergence angle: 0.1 deg
Irradiation system: 50μmφ
Incident angle (ω): 3deg
Step size: 0.0100 deg
Measurement range: 5 deg to 30 deg
(Receiving side optical system conditions)
Detector: D/teX Ultra2
Divergence slit angle: 1.25 deg
Solar-powered light receiver: Solar slit 2.5°

Furthermore, it is preferable that the rate of increase in the crystallinity of the composition before and after the step (iv) freezing treatment (i.e., the rate of increase defined by "{(crystallinity of the frozen solid food composition after step (iv)) - (crystallinity of the base solid composition before step (iv))} / (crystallinity of the frozen solid food composition after step (iv))") is above a certain value. This suppresses quality deterioration of the solid composition after freezing and may result in a more desirable texture of the solid composition after cooking. Specifically, such a rate of increase in crystallinity can be, for example, in the range of 2% to 100%. More specifically, the lower limit can be, for example, 2% or more, or 3% or more, or 4% or more, or 5% or more, or 10% or more, or 15% or more, or 20% or more, or 30% or more, or 40% or more, or 50% or more, or 60% or more, or 70% or more, or 80% or more, or 90% or more, or 95% or more. On the other hand, the upper limit can be set to, for example, 100% or less, or 98% or less.

In step (iv), the wet standard moisture content of the frozen solid food composition after freezing treatment may be within a predetermined range. Specifically, the wet standard moisture content of the frozen solid food composition after freezing treatment can be, for example, 16% by mass or more, and its upper limit is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 85% by mass or less. More specifically, its lower limit can be, for example, 16% by mass or more, or 18% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 22% by mass or more, or 24% by mass or more. On the other hand, its upper limit is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 85% by mass or less, or 80% by mass or less, or 75% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or less, or 65% by mass or less. Furthermore, as described above, even when part or all of step (iii) and part or all of step (iv) are carried out in parallel, it is preferable that the wet standard moisture content of the solid composition after freezing treatment satisfies the above provisions.

In step (iv), the degree of starch gelatinization of the frozen solid food composition after freezing treatment may be within a predetermined range. Specifically, the degree of starch gelatinization of the frozen solid food composition after freezing treatment may be, for example, 99% by mass or less, and the lower limit is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 10% by mass or more. More specifically, the upper limit may be, for example, 99% by mass or less, 95% by mass or less, 90% by mass or less, 85% by mass or less, or 80% by mass or less. On the other hand, the lower limit is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 10% by mass or more, 15% by mass or more, 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more. Furthermore, as described above, even when part or all of step (iii) and part or all of step (iv) are carried out in parallel, it is preferable that the degree of starch gelatinization of the frozen solid food composition after freezing treatment satisfies the above provisions.

In step (iv), the total content of edible plants (especially legumes and grains) in the frozen solid food composition after freezing treatment is not limited, but is preferably in the range of 10% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less on a dry mass basis. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 10% by mass or more, more preferably 12% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 18% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 45% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 55% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 65% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 75% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 85% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, or 95% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 100% by mass or 100% by mass or less. Furthermore, the basic solid composition may be in an embodiment that satisfies the above provisions, the proportion of edible plants other than major cereals (especially wheat) may be in an embodiment that satisfies the above provisions, and the proportion of edible plants other than gluten-containing foods (especially wheat) may be in an embodiment that satisfies the above provisions.

[II. Compositions for frozen solid foods]
·overview:
The solid composition of the present invention contains starch derived from edible plants (particularly legumes and/or cereals). That is, the solid composition of the present invention contains starch derived from edible plants (particularly starch derived from legumes and starch derived from cereals, at least one or both).

According to one aspect of the present invention, a frozen solid food composition is provided that contains starch derived from edible plants (particularly legumes and/or cereals) and satisfies the following predetermined characteristics. Furthermore, a frozen solid food composition obtained by the manufacturing method of the present invention described later also contains starch derived from edible plants (particularly legumes and/or cereals) and preferably satisfies the predetermined characteristics described later. In the following description, such a frozen solid food composition containing starch derived from edible plants (particularly legumes and/or cereals) and satisfying the predetermined characteristics described later, and a frozen solid food composition produced by the manufacturing method of the present invention, preferably satisfying the predetermined characteristics described later, will be collectively referred to as "the frozen solid food composition of the present invention" as appropriate. Therefore, the frozen solid food composition of the present invention is not necessarily limited to the frozen solid food composition obtained by the manufacturing method of the present invention described later.

Furthermore, the details of the composition and physical properties of the frozen solid food composition of the present invention are largely the same as those of its precursor, the basic solid composition. Therefore, the following explanation will focus mainly on the differences between the two.

・Aspects of frozen solid food composition:
The frozen solid food composition of the present invention has the property of suppressing the elution of components in water, and therefore it is preferable to use it for cooking in a liquid (especially water), which is a cooking environment in which components tend to elute. For example, if the starch-containing solid composition for cooking is a noodle or pasta noodle strip composition, it is preferable that it is a noodle or pasta noodle strip composition because it has the property of maintaining an edible shape even after being cooked in water for consumption (for example, in water at 90°C or higher for 5 minutes or more).

Examples of the frozen solid food composition of the present invention, though not limited to these, include pasta, Chinese noodles, udon, Inaniwa udon, kishimen, hoto, suito, hiyamugi, somen, soba, sobagaki, rice vermicelli, pho, cold noodle noodles, glass noodles, oatmeal, couscous, kiritanpo, tteok, gyoza wrappers, and the like.

Examples of pasta include long pasta and short pasta.

Long pasta is generally a general term for long, thin pasta, but in this invention, it is a concept that also includes udon and soba noodles. Specific examples, though not limited to these, include spaghetti (diameter: 1.6 mm to 1.7 mm), spaghettini (diameter: 1.4 mm to 1.5 mm), vermicelli (diameter: 2.0 mm to 2.2 mm), cappellini (diameter: 0.8 mm to 1.0 mm), linguine (short diameter about 1 mm, long diameter about 3 mm), tagliatelle or fettuccine (flat noodles about 7 mm to 8 mm wide), and pappardelle (flat noodles about 10 mm to 30 mm wide). Long pasta tends to lose its shape easily when heated, so using the composition of this invention is useful and preferable.

Short pasta is generally a general term for short pasta, but in this invention, it is a concept that also includes fregola (granular pasta) and couscous, which have been further processed into smaller sizes after shaping. Specific examples, though not limited to these, include macaroni (cylindrical with a diameter of approximately 3 mm to 5 mm), penne (cylindrical with both ends cut diagonally like a pen tip), farfalle (butterfly-shaped), conchiglie (shell-shaped), and orecchiette (dome-shaped with an ear-like form).

Furthermore, the shape of the frozen solid food composition of the present invention can be adjusted by molding the shape of the precursor base solid composition into a desired shape.

- Dietary fiber content of the frozen solid food composition The wet mass ratio of dietary fiber in the frozen solid food composition of the present invention is the same as that of the basic solid composition that serves as its precursor. Specifically, the lower limit is usually 3.0% by mass or more, and the upper limit is not limited, but can be in the range of, for example, 40% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 3.0% by mass or more. In particular, it is preferable to have 4.0% by mass or more, or 5.0% by mass or more, or 6.0% by mass or more, or 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, and especially 10% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, usually 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the above provisions regarding dietary fiber also satisfy soluble dietary fiber and/or insoluble dietary fiber. That is, the wet mass-based ratio of soluble dietary fiber and/or insoluble dietary fiber in the frozen solid food composition of the present invention can be, for example, in the range of 3.0% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 3.0% by mass or more, more preferably 4.0% by mass or more, or 5.0% by mass or more, or 6.0% by mass or more, or 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 10% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but for example it can be usually 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less.

Further details relating to the dietary fiber in the frozen solid food composition of the present invention are the same as further details relating to the dietary fiber in the precursor base solid composition.

• Starch content of the frozen solid food composition The starch content of the frozen solid food composition of the present invention is the same as that of the basic solid composition which is its precursor. Specifically, the lower limit is usually 10.0% by mass or more on a wet mass basis, and the upper limit is not limited, but can be in the range of, for example, 80% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 10.0% by mass or more. In particular, it is preferable to have 15% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 45% by mass or more, and especially 50% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, usually 80% by mass or less, or 75% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or less. Furthermore, it is preferable that the starch derived from edible plants (especially legumes and/or grains) satisfies the above requirements.

Further details relating to the starch in the frozen solid food composition of the present invention are the same as further details relating to the starch in the precursor base solid composition.

Protein content of the frozen solid food composition The protein content of the frozen solid food composition of the present invention is the same as that of the basic solid composition which is its precursor. Specifically, the lower limit is, for example, usually 3.0% by mass or more on a wet mass basis, and the upper limit is not limited, but can be, for example, 40% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 3.0% by mass or more. In particular, it is preferable to have 4.0% by mass or more, or 5.0% by mass or more, or 6.0% by mass or more, or 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 9.0% by mass or more, or 10% by mass or more, or 11% by mass or more, or 12% by mass or more, or 13% by mass or more, or 14% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 16% by mass or more, or 17% by mass or more, or 18% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, usually 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less. Furthermore, it is preferable that the protein derived from edible plants (especially legumes and/or grains) satisfies the above requirements.

Further details relating to the protein in the frozen solid food composition of the present invention are the same as further details relating to the protein in the precursor base solid composition.

- Moisture content of the frozen solid food composition based on wetness The moisture content of the frozen solid food composition of the present invention is higher than that of the basic solid composition that serves as its precursor. Specifically, for example, it can be in the range of 10% by mass or more and 85% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 10% by mass or more. In particular, it is preferable to have a moisture content of 12% by mass or more, or 14% by mass or more, or 16% by mass or more, or 18% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 22% by mass or more, or 24% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is usually 85% by mass or less. In particular, it is preferable to have a moisture content of 80% by mass or less, or 75% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or less, or 65% by mass or less.

Further details regarding the wet-based moisture content in the frozen solid food composition of the present invention are the same as the further details regarding the wet-based moisture content in the precursor base solid composition.

- Starch gelatinization degree of the frozen solid food composition The starch gelatinization degree of the frozen solid food composition of the present invention is lower than that of the basic solid composition that serves as its precursor. Specifically, the upper limit of the starch gelatinization degree of the frozen solid food composition of the present invention is, for example, 88% by mass or less, and the lower limit is not limited, but can be, for example, 30% by mass or more. More specifically, it is preferable that the upper limit is usually 88% by mass or less, or 85% by mass or less, or 80% by mass or less, or 75% by mass or less, or 70% by mass or less. On the other hand, it is preferable that the lower limit is not limited, but can be, for example, 30% by mass or more, or 35% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 45% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more.

Further details regarding the degree of starch gelatinization in the frozen solid food composition of the present invention are the same as further details regarding the degree of starch gelatinization in the precursor base solid composition.

• Starch granule structure of frozen solid food composition:
The starch granule structure of the frozen solid food composition of the present invention is the same as that of the basic solid composition that serves as its precursor. Specifically, the frozen solid food composition of the present invention preferably satisfies the following requirements (a) and/or (b) regarding the starch granule structure.
(a) The number of starch particles observed when a 6% suspension of the pulverized material of the composition is 300 or less per ^mm² .
(b) When a 14% by mass aqueous slurry of the pulverized composition is heated from 50°C to 140°C at a heating rate of 12.5°C/min using a rapid viscoanalytic analyzer (RVA), the gelatinization peak temperature is less than 120°C.

With regard to requirement (a) above, specifically, the number of starch granule structures observed under the above conditions in the frozen solid food composition of the present invention can be in the range of, for example, 0 or ^more and ³⁰⁰ or ^less . More specifically, the number of starch granule structures in the composition of the present invention is usually 300 or less, more preferably 250 or ^less , or 200 or less, or ¹⁵⁰ or ^less , or ¹⁰⁰ or less, or ⁵⁰ or ^less , or 30 or less, or 10 or ^less , and particularly preferably 0 or ^less .

Regarding (b) above, the gelatinization peak temperature of the frozen solid food composition of the present invention, as measured by a rapid viscoanalytic analyzer (RVA) under the conditions described later, can be in the range of, for example, 50°C or more and less than 120°C. More specifically, the upper limit is usually less than 120°C, and more preferably 115°C or less, or 110°C or less, or 105°C or less, or 100°C or less, or 95°C or less, or 90°C or less, or 85°C or less, or 80°C or less. On the other hand, the lower limit is not particularly limited, but can usually be 50°C or more, or 55°C or more, or 60°C or more. The rapid viscoanalytic analyzer (RVA) and its measurement conditions will be described later.

Further details regarding the degree of starch gelatinization in the frozen solid food composition of the present invention are the same as further details regarding the degree of starch gelatinization in the precursor base solid composition.

• Consumption Method: The frozen solid food composition of the present invention is consumed after thawing and/or heating. In the case of a frozen solid food composition that has been separated from the aqueous medium after immersion and frozen alone, the thawed solid food composition with the aqueous medium removed may be consumed as is, or it may be consumed after being immersed in a separately prepared seasoning liquid.

Specifically, the frozen solid food composition according to embodiment (A) (simultaneous freezing embodiment) is provided in a state where it is immersed in an aqueous medium and frozen together, as described above. When consuming the frozen solid food composition according to such embodiment (A), the solid food composition can be made edible by thawing and heating the frozen solid food composition while it is immersed in the aqueous medium. In particular, as shown in Figure 1(A), when a basic seasoning, which is a precursor of a seasoning, is used as the aqueous medium, the frozen solid food composition is provided in a state where it is immersed in the frozen seasoning and frozen together. By thawing and heating this frozen solid food composition together with the frozen seasoning, the solid food composition while immersed in the seasoning can be made edible.

On the other hand, the frozen solid food composition according to embodiment (B) (individually frozen embodiment) is, as described above, separated from the aqueous medium after immersion in the aqueous medium and provided frozen individually. When consuming the frozen solid food composition according to such embodiment (B), the solid food composition can be served for consumption in a state not immersed in seasoning by thawing and heating it as is. Alternatively, the solid food composition can be served for consumption in a state immersed in seasoning by thawing and heating it and immersing it in a separately prepared seasoning liquid, or by thawing and heating it together with a separately prepared frozen seasoning liquid. In the latter case, where it is intended to be consumed immersed in seasoning liquid after thawing and heating, the aqueous medium may be removed from the solid composition, and then the solid composition may be frozen (as is or individually packaged) alongside or on top of a separately prepared seasoning liquid. If the frozen solid food composition is frozen alongside or placed on top of the frozen seasoning liquid, it can be consumed simply by heating or thawing it, with the solid food composition immersed in the seasoning liquid. On the other hand, if the frozen solid food composition and the frozen seasoning liquid are frozen in individual packaging, each should be heated or thawed before the solid food composition is immersed in the seasoning liquid and consumed. Of course, a solid food composition frozen separately can also be combined with a separately prepared (unfrozen) seasoning liquid.

The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but these examples are merely illustrative examples for explanatory purposes, and the present invention is not limited in any way to these examples.

For each of the test examples, comparative examples, and reference examples, the following procedures were followed to prepare a frozen solid food composition: preparation of an aqueous medium (step (i)), preparation of a basic solid composition (step (ii)), immersion treatment of the basic solid composition in the aqueous medium (step (iii)), and freezing treatment of the solid composition (step (iv)). The resulting frozen solid food compositions were subjected to physical property evaluation, and solid food compositions were prepared by thawing and heating, and then subjected to sensory evaluation.

1. Preparation of aqueous medium (step (i)):
Table 1 shows the aqueous media (basic seasoning liquid or water) used in each example. For the examples using basic seasoning liquid, Table 1 also shows the sodium chloride (NaCl) content and fat content (both calculated on a wet mass basis) in the basic seasoning liquid.

2. Preparation of the base solid composition (step (ii)):
Basic solid compositions for each example were prepared using one or more edible plants shown in Table 2. Specifically, edible plant powder (average particle size d50: 50 μm) was used and kneaded for 0.1 hours at a maximum temperature of 120°C with an SME (specific mechanical energy) value of 800 kJ/kg using a twin-screw extruder (Thermo Fisher Scientific HAAKE Process 11 twin-screw extruder, screw diameter 11 mm x 2, screw length 41 cm, segment type, co-rotating screws). For reference example 30, commercially available spaghetti was used. For each of the obtained basic solid compositions, the starch content (based on wet mass), degree of starch gelatinization, number of starch granules, gelatinization peak temperature by RVA, and wet-based moisture content were measured according to the procedure described above. The results are shown in Table 2.

3. Immersion treatment of the base solid composition in an aqueous medium (step (iii)):
For each example, the aforementioned solid composition was immersed in the aforementioned aqueous medium to prepare the solid composition. The average immersion temperature and immersion time for each example are shown in Table 3.

4. Freezing treatment of solid compositions (stage (iv)):
For each example, the solid composition after the immersion treatment described above was removed from the aqueous medium, the aqueous medium was thoroughly removed, and then subjected to freezing treatment under the conditions shown in the table to prepare a frozen solid food composition. The cooling medium used in each example and the ambient temperature of the composition are shown in Table 4.

5. Evaluation of the physical properties of frozen solid food compositions:
For each example, the following were measured for the frozen solid food composition obtained: the wet-based water content, the ratio of water absorption to maximum water content, the degree of starch gelatinization, the rate of decrease in the degree of starch gelatinization before and after the immersion treatment in step (iii) and the freezing treatment in step (iv), the rate of increase in crystallinity before and after the immersion treatment in step (iii) and the freezing treatment in step (iv), and the sodium chloride (NaCl) content (based on wet mass). The results are shown in Table 5.

6. Sensory evaluation of solid food compositions:
• Overview of the sensory evaluation procedure:
For each example of frozen solid food composition, the composition was heated in a boiling liquid (100°C) for 7 minutes while still frozen to prepare a solid food composition, which was then subjected to sensory evaluation. The sensory evaluation was conducted by 10 trained sensory evaluators. For each example of frozen solid food composition, the sensory evaluators visually evaluated the suppression of binding between components when the frozen composition was heated ((1) suppression of binding). In addition, the sensory evaluators consumed the thawed and heated solid food composition while it was still hot, and evaluated (2) texture and (3) overall evaluation.

• Sensory evaluators:
As sensory evaluators for each sensory test, we selected those who had undergone prior identification training as described in A) to C) below, demonstrated particularly excellent performance, had experience in product development, possessed extensive knowledge of food quality such as taste and texture, and were capable of performing absolute evaluations for each sensory test item.

A) A taste discrimination test in which, for each of the five basic tastes (sweetness: the taste of sugar, sourness: the taste of tartaric acid, umami: the taste of monosodium glutamate, saltiness: the taste of sodium chloride, bitterness: the taste of caffeine), one aqueous solution is prepared at a concentration close to the threshold for each component, and two distilled water solutions are added to these to create a total of seven samples, from which the tester must accurately identify the sample for each taste.
B) A concentration difference discrimination test to accurately identify the concentration differences between five types of saline solutions and acetic acid solutions with slightly different concentrations.
C) A three-point identification test to accurately identify soy sauce from manufacturer B from a total of three samples: two from manufacturer A and one from manufacturer B.

Furthermore, for all of the aforementioned evaluation items, all inspectors evaluated a standard sample in advance, standardizing the scores for each evaluation criterion. Then, ten inspectors conducted an objective sensory evaluation. Each evaluation item was assessed by selecting the number closest to their own evaluation from a five-point scale for that item. The final score was calculated from the arithmetic mean of the ten inspectors' scores, rounded to the nearest tenth.

(1) Suppression of binding of solid food compositions:
For each example of frozen solid food composition, the tendency of the compositions to stick together when heated in a frozen state was evaluated on a five-point scale based on how easily about 10 compositions stuck together when lifted.
5. The bonding between the compositions is suppressed, which is highly desirable.
4. The bonding between the compositions is generally suppressed, which is somewhat preferable.
3. The bonding between the compositions is somewhat suppressed and averaged.
2. The bonding between the compositions is hardly suppressed, which is somewhat undesirable.
1: The bonding between the compositions is not suppressed at all, which is undesirable.

(2) Texture of solid food composition:
The elastic texture of each example of frozen solid food composition was evaluated on a five-point scale after thawing and heating.
5: The firm, springy texture is very appealing.
4: The slightly firm texture is somewhat preferable.
3: There is a slight elasticity to the texture, but it is within an acceptable range.
2: The texture is not very springy, which is somewhat undesirable.
1. It completely lacks any elasticity or texture, which is undesirable.

(3) Overall evaluation of solid food compositions:
For each example of a frozen solid food composition, the overall deliciousness of the solid food composition was evaluated on a five-point scale as follows after thawing and heating. Comments regarding any special notes made during the evaluation are also included.
5: The balance between stickiness and elastic texture is excellent and very desirable.
4: The balance between stickiness and elastic texture is relatively good, which is somewhat desirable.
3: The balance between stickiness and elastic texture is average.
2: The balance between stickiness and elastic texture is slightly off, making it somewhat undesirable.
1. The balance between stickiness and elasticity is very poor and undesirable.

The sensory evaluation results for each example of solid food composition obtained using the above procedure are shown in Table 6 below. Comments have also been added to the table for some examples.

Furthermore, when the quality of the frozen solid food compositions of Test Examples 1-3, 11, and 12 was evaluated by thawing and heating them using microwave heating at 500W for 3 minutes, the composition of Test Example 3 was found to be slightly more prone to disintegration due to moisture evaporation from within the composition compared to the compositions of Test Examples 1 and 2. Therefore, it was found that in step (iii), compositions with a wet standard moisture content of 60% by mass or less after immersion treatment are more suitable for use as microwave heating compositions.

Furthermore, compared to the composition of Test Example 12, the composition of Test Example 11 felt like it still had a slightly firm core. Therefore, it was found that in step (iii), compositions with a wet-based water content of 20% by mass or more after immersion treatment are more suitably used as microwave heating compositions.

Claims (25)

A method for producing a frozen solid food composition containing starch derived from edible plants, comprising the following steps (i) to (iv).
(i) The step of preparing the aqueous medium.
(ii) The step of preparing a base solid composition that satisfies the following (1) to (5).
(1) The dietary fiber content is 3.0% by mass or more on a wet mass basis.
(2) The starch content is 10.0% by mass or more on a wet mass basis.
(3) The protein content is 3.0% by mass or more on a wet mass basis.
(4) The wet standard moisture content is less than 50% by mass.
(5) The degree of starch gelatinization is 40% by mass or more.
(6) The following (a) and/or (b) are satisfied:
(a) When a 6% by mass suspension of the pulverized material of the composition is observed, the number of starch particles observed is 300 or less per ^mm² .
(b) When a 14% by mass aqueous slurry of the pulverized composition is heated from 50°C to 140°C at a heating rate of 12.5°C/min using a rapid viscoanalytic analyzer, the gelatinization peak temperature is less than 120°C.
(iii) A step in which the base solid composition of step (ii) is immersed in the aqueous medium of step (i) to form a solid composition, wherein the average temperature during the immersion treatment is 60°C or less .
(iv) A step of freezing the solid composition so that its temperature is below 0°C. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the aqueous medium in step (i) is a basic seasoning liquid. The manufacturing method according to claim 2, wherein the sodium chloride content of the base seasoning liquid in step (i) is 10.0% by mass or less on a wet mass basis. The manufacturing method according to claim 2, wherein the oil and fat content of the base seasoning liquid in step (i) is 10.0% by mass or less on a wet mass basis. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the aqueous medium in step (i) includes pure water and/or ultrapure water. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein during the freezing process in step (iv), the solid composition is frozen together with an aqueous medium. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein after the immersion treatment in step (iii), the solid composition is separated from the aqueous medium and subjected to the freezing treatment in step (iv). The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the immersion treatment in step (iii) is performed in a temperature range of 10°C or lower for 10 minutes or more. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein, during the immersion treatment in step (iii), the average temperature when the wet standard water content of the solid composition is 20% by mass or more is 60°C or less. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein, after the immersion treatment in step (iii), the ratio of the amount of water absorbed to the maximum water content of the solid composition is 20% or more. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein, after the immersion treatment in step (iii), the salt concentration of the solid composition is 5% by mass or less on a wet mass basis. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the rate of reduction in the degree of gelatinization of the starch of the solid composition before and after the immersion treatment in step (iii) and the freezing treatment in step (iv) is 2% or more. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the increase in crystallinity of the solid composition obtained under the following [Condition A] before and after the immersion treatment in step (iii) and the freezing treatment in step (iv) is 2% or more.
[Condition A] The composition is dried to a wet-based moisture content of 10% by mass, then pulverized, and fractions with a mesh size of 43 μm or larger are removed. The peak intensity of the diffracted X-ray peak detected with a diffraction angle 2θ of 16 degrees (deg) or more and 18 degrees or less is determined by X-ray diffraction. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein, after the freezing treatment in step (iv), the wet-based water content of the solid composition is 10% by mass or more. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein, after the freezing treatment in step (iv), the degree of gelatinization of the starch in the solid composition is 99% by mass or less. The method for producing the composition according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the composition contains an edible plant. The manufacturing method according to claim 16 , wherein the ratio of the starch content contained in the edible plant to the total starch content in the composition is 30% by mass or more on a dry mass basis. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the edible plant is a legume and/or a grain. The manufacturing method according to claim 18 , wherein the legume is one or more legumes selected from the genera of pea, kidney bean, pigeon bean, cowpea, broad bean, chickpea, soybean, and lentil. The manufacturing method according to claim 18 or 19 , wherein the grains are one or more selected from millet, barnyard millet, foxtail millet, sorghum, rye, oats, adlay, corn, buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa. A frozen solid food composition containing starch derived from edible plants selected from legumes and/or grains , and satisfying all of the following conditions (1) to ( 7 ).
(1) The dietary fiber content is 3.0% by mass or more on a wet mass basis.
(2) The starch content is 10.0% by mass or more on a wet mass basis.
(3) The protein content is 3.0% by mass or more on a wet mass basis.
(4) The wet standard moisture content is 25 % by mass or more and 75 % by mass or less.
(5) The degree of starch gelatinization is 40% by mass or more and 88% by mass or less.
(6) The following (a) and/or (b) are satisfied:
(a) When a 6% by mass suspension of the pulverized material of the composition is observed, the number of starch particles observed is 300 or less per ^mm² .
(b) When a 14% by mass aqueous slurry of the pulverized composition is heated from 50°C to 140°C at a heating rate of 12.5°C/min using a rapid viscoanalytic analyzer, the gelatinization peak temperature is less than 120°C.
(7) The grains consist of one or more selected from millet, barnyard millet, foxtail millet, sorghum, rye, adlay, corn, amaranth, and quinoa. A frozen solid food composition containing starch derived from edible plants selected from legumes and/or grains, and satisfying all of the following conditions (1) to (7).
(1) The dietary fiber content is 3.0% by mass or more on a wet mass basis.
(2) The starch content is 10.0% by mass or more on a wet mass basis.
(3) The protein content is 3.0% by mass or more on a wet mass basis.
(4) The wet standard moisture content is 25% by mass or more and 85% by mass or less.
(5) The degree of gelatinization of the starch is 50% by mass or more and 88% by mass or less.
(6) The following (a) and/or (b) are satisfied:
(a) When a 6% by mass suspension of the pulverized material of the composition is observed, the starch granule structure observed is 300 granules/mm². ² The following applies:
(b) When a 14% by mass aqueous slurry of the pulverized composition is heated from 50°C to 140°C at a heating rate of 12.5°C/min using a rapid viscoanalytic analyzer, the gelatinization peak temperature is less than 120°C.
(7) The grains consist of one or more selected from millet, barnyard millet, foxtail millet, sorghum, rye, adlay, corn, amaranth, and quinoa. A frozen solid food composition according to claim 21 or 22, which is consumed after thawing and/or heating. A frozen solid food composition according to claim 21 or 22, which is consumed after being immersed in a seasoning liquid. The frozen solid food composition according to claim 21 or 22 , wherein the solid food composition contains 1% by mass or more of legumes and/or grains on a dry weight basis.