JPH0428348B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a method for producing a functional food, and more particularly to a method for producing a functional food using chlorella. [Prior art] Chlorella is the genus name of unicellular green algae belonging to the order Chlorella, and its protein content is 50 to 60% by weight (dry weight basis), and it is also rich in essential amino acids such as lysine and methionine. Highly nutritious. For this reason, large-scale culture production is carried out industrially, and it is used as a health food or as an additive to mixed feed for fish farming. It also contains a substance that promotes the growth of lactic acid bacteria, and has been put into practical use as a chlorella lactic acid bacteria drink (trade name: Chlorella Yakult). Among these, as a health food, chlorella cultured in water is collected, dried to about 5% on a wet weight basis, and this dried chlorella is made into particles with a diameter of 2 to 5 mm using known granulation techniques. It was used like a so-called pill. By the way, single cells of Chlorella are surrounded by a cell wall containing indigestible polysaccharides called dietary fibers such as cellulose and hemicellulose, and in order to improve digestibility it is necessary to destroy this cell wall. In addition, chlorella has a characteristic odor of green algae. Since granular chlorella with a diameter of 2 to 5 mm as described above is usually used in the form of pills, these points do not pose a problem, but they become a problem when chlorella is used as a regular food. [Problem to be solved by the invention] Recently, food has a primary function (nutrition), a secondary function (preference), and a tertiary function (biological function regulation effect).
In particular, foods with tertiary functions are desired due to health needs. Chlorella is high in protein and rich in essential amino acids, and it has also been pointed out that it contains various substances that regulate biological functions, so it can be used as a functional food. However, if chlorella is used as it is in foods with such tertiary functions, it is necessary to destroy the cell walls and remove the odor characteristic of green algae in order to improve digestibility. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a functional food using chlorella, which can simultaneously destroy the cell walls of chlorella and deodorize it. [Means for solving the problem] There has never been a method for producing a functional food that uses chlorella and can simultaneously destroy the cell walls of chlorella and deodorize it, so after conducting day and night research, we found that: In order to destroy the cell walls of chlorella, it is necessary to apply compression and shear force to chlorella, and in order to deodorize it, it is necessary to swell it when it exits the die, and these purposes can be achieved at the same time by processing it with a twin-screw extruder. I found out. That is, the present invention relates to a method for producing a chlorella-containing functional food, which comprises extruding and expanding chlorella or a mixture of chlorella and starch and/or vegetable protein powder using a twin-screw extruder. [Function] In the method of the present invention, the use of a twin-screw extruder is an essential condition in order to destroy the cell walls of chlorella. Known devices equipped with heating/cooling devices, water addition devices and cutting devices can be used. As mentioned above, since chlorella is cultured in water, it contains 80 to 90% water by weight (wet weight basis), but it can be stored for a long period of time and handled easily. For about 5
It is usually available in a form with reduced moisture content up to % by weight (wet weight basis). Note that the water content is reduced by known means. Note that chlorella can be obtained in the form of particles of several to several tens of micrometers, and therefore, there is no need to perform pretreatment such as pulverization in order to process it with a twin-screw extruder. Chlorella alone or chlorella containing about 5% water by weight as described above, cornflour,
It is mixed with starches such as wheat flour, cornstarch, and rice flour, and vegetable proteins such as defatted soybean flour. This mixing may be performed by a known method and is not particularly limited. In addition, any commonly available raw materials other than chlorella can be used, and the particle size is usually about several tens to several μm, and the moisture content is about 10 to 15 μm.
It is about % by weight. Next, chlorella or the above-mentioned mixture is fed to a twin-screw extruder through a feeder, and the twin-screw extruder is operated by appropriately selecting the rotation speed of the twin-screw, the temperature of the cylinder, and the amount of water added. By doing so, the cell walls are destroyed, the digestibility is improved, and it is possible to produce food that is free from the odor characteristic of green algae. This is because the cell walls of chlorella are destroyed by the mixing, kneading, compression, and shearing functions of the twin-screw extruder, either singly or in synergy, and also because water vapor is generated when it flows out of the die and expands. This is because the odor evaporates and is deodorized. Chlorella used in the present invention contains approximately 5% water by weight, and commonly used (commercially available) starches and vegetable proteins contain 10 to 15% water by weight, as mentioned above. In order to extrude a puffed product that is palatable as food, the water content of the chlorella or mixture of chlorella and starch and/or vegetable protein fed to the twin-screw extruder should be 15-40% by weight.
It is necessary to If the moisture content of chlorella or the above mixture exceeds 40% by weight, swelling will be insufficient;
The extrudate becomes sticky, and if the water content is less than 15% by weight, the extrudate tends to be overheated and has a slightly burnt odor, which is not preferable. For this reason, it is necessary to install a water addition device, and it is desirable that the amount of water added can be adjusted. The processing of chlorella or a mixture with a predetermined moisture content fed from a feeder in a cylinder is preferably carried out at a temperature of 100 to 200°C.
Here, if the temperature inside the cylinder is less than 100°C,
Since the moisture contained in chlorella or the mixture does not turn into water vapor, swelling does not occur, and the odor peculiar to chlorella is not sufficiently released, which is undesirable.
Furthermore, if the temperature exceeds 200°C, the chlorella or the mixture may burn during processing, which is not preferable. Note that the temperature inside the cylinder can be controlled by the feed rate of raw materials to the twin-screw extruder, the rotation speed of the twin-screw extruder, and the cylinder heating/cooling device. Further, it is preferable to maintain the pressure inside the cylinder within a range of 10 to 100 Kg/cm ² . Here, if the pressure is less than 10 Kg/cm ² , the difference from atmospheric pressure (approximately 1 Kg/cm ² ) is small, swelling is insufficient, and chlorella-specific odor is not sufficiently released, which is not preferable. If the pressure exceeds 100 Kg/cm ² , the difference from atmospheric pressure (approximately 1 Kg/cm ² ) is so large that the extrudate may blow out from the die in the form of powder, which is not preferable. Note that the pressure inside the cylinder can be adjusted by controlling the feed rate of raw materials to the twin-screw extruder, the rotational speed of the twin-screw extruder, and selecting the flow path shape of the die used. Under the above-mentioned conditions inside the cylinder, the water contained in chlorella or the mixture tends to turn into water vapor, but inside the cylinder, as mentioned above,
Due to the high pressure of 100 kg/cm ² , the water is in the form of superheated water or compressed steam. When the chlorella or the extrudate containing this superheated water or compressed water vapor flows out from the die, the pressure is released from high pressure (10 to 100 Kg/cm ² ) to atmospheric pressure (approximately 1 Kg/cm ² ), and the superheated water or compressed water vapor is released. The water vapor is expanded all at once, and together with the water vapor, the unique odor of chlorella is emitted and deodorized. In addition, the die and cutting device determine the shape of the product, so they can be selected appropriately, but for the reasons mentioned above, the die should not be used in a flow path where a high pressure of 10 to 100 kg/ ^cm2 is generated inside the cylinder. Must have. As described above, according to the method of the present invention, a chlorella-containing functional food can be obtained by processing chlorella or a mixture of chlorella and starches and/or vegetable proteins using a twin-screw extruder. Although the chlorella-containing functional food obtained as described above has not yet been seasoned, it can be seasoned arbitrarily by spraying or frying, which is the method usually used for cutting the puffed product. I can do it. In addition, when the product is used after being rehydrated in hot water, flavoring can be added at the time of or after rehydrating the product. [Example] The method for producing the chlorella-containing functional food of the present invention will be further explained with reference to Examples below. Example 1 Chlorella, corn flour, wheat flour, cornstarch, and rice flour with a water content of 5% by weight (wet weight basis) were mixed in a weight ratio of 1.5:4:3:2:1, respectively.
This mixture is passed through a feeder using a twin-screw extruder [manufactured by Japan Steel Works, Ltd.: TEX52F].
The production was carried out under the production conditions shown in Table 1. In addition, the die has an outlet shape of 4
A cutter having 2 mmφ holes was used, and the cutting speed of the cutting device was adjusted so that the length and width of the product shape after cutting were approximately the same.

[Table] The results are shown in Table 1. Overall, the obtained product was a nearly spherical puffed product with a diameter of about 15 mm, and when I tried it, it was a snack-like food with a good taste. It was hot. Immediately after cutting, the product had a slight odor characteristic of green algae, but at room temperature it
After leaving it for 5 minutes, almost no odor was detected. Furthermore, when the product was observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), it was found that most of the cell walls of Chlorella were destroyed and were dispersed in the product as minute plant fibers. Example 2 Chlorella and rice flour with a water content of 5% by weight (wet weight basis) were mixed at a weight ratio of 2:8, and this mixture was transferred to the same twin-screw extruder as in Example 1 using a twin-screw feeder. Supplied in an amount of 50Kg/hour,
It was carried out under the manufacturing conditions shown in the table. Further, a die having an exit shape of 4 mmφ×2 holes was used, and the cutting speed of the cutting device was adjusted so that the vertical and horizontal lengths of the product shape after cutting were approximately the same.

[Table] The results are shown in Table 2. Overall, the obtained product was a nearly spherical puffed product with a diameter of about 12 mm, and when I tried it, it was a snack-like food with a good taste. It was hot. The product had a slight odor peculiar to green algae immediately after cutting, but it was
After leaving it for 5 minutes, I could hardly feel it anymore. In addition, when the product was observed using SEM,
Most of the cell walls of Chlorella were destroyed and were dispersed in the product as minute plant fibers. Example 3 Chlorella with a water content of 5% by weight (wet weight basis),
Weight ratio of defatted soybean flour and wheat flour is 1.5:
Mixed at a ratio of 7.5:1, this mixture was transferred to a twin-screw extruder similar to Example 1 using a feeder.
It was supplied in an amount of Kg/hour and conducted under the actual manufacturing conditions shown in Table 3. Also, the die has an exit shape with a thickness of 3
mm, width: 45 mm, and the cutting speed of the cutting device was adjusted so that the length of the cut product was approximately 100 mm.

[Table] The results are shown in Table 3. Overall, the obtained product has a thickness of about 5 mm, a width of about 50 mm,
It was a plate-shaped swelling with a length of approximately 100 mm. When I tried this, it had a slight seaweed flavor and the texture was similar to meat. Immediately after cutting, the product had a slight odor characteristic of green algae, but after being left at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes, it became almost unnoticeable. Furthermore, when the product was observed using SEM, it was found that most of the cell walls of Chlorella were destroyed and were dispersed in the product as minute plant fibers. Example 4 Chlorella with a moisture content of 5% by weight (wet weight basis) was fed into the same twin-screw extruder as in Example 1 at a rate of 20 kg/hour using a feeder, and the production was carried out under the manufacturing conditions shown in Table 4. did. Furthermore, the die had two holes with an exit shape of 6 mmφ, and the cutting speed of the cutting device was adjusted so that the vertical and horizontal lengths of the product shape after cutting were approximately the same.

【table】

[Table] The results are shown in Table 4. Overall, the obtained product was a nearly spherical puffed product with a diameter of about 8 mm, and when I tasted it, it had a dried seaweed flavor. . Immediately after cutting, the product had a characteristic odor of green algae, but after being left at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes, the odor changed from the characteristic odor of green algae to that of fragrant roasted seaweed. Furthermore, when the product was observed using SEM, it was found that most of the cell walls of Chlorella were destroyed and were dispersed in the product as minute amounts of dietary fiber. [Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above explanation, according to the present invention, since a twin-screw extruder is used, the functions of mixing, kneading, compression, shearing, and swelling work independently or in synergy. The cell walls of green algae are destroyed, improving digestibility and eliminating the odor characteristic of green algae. In addition, the cell walls that are destroyed and dispersed in the product act on the living body as dietary fiber, and the high-molecular medicinal ingredients contained in chlorella are also shredded into low molecules by the compression and shearing functions of the twin-screw extruder. It can also be expected to have the effect of making it more easily absorbed in the body. Furthermore, since a twin-screw extruder is used, the process can be performed continuously in a short period of time, and the process cost is lower than that of other methods.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A method for producing a functional food containing chlorella, which comprises extruding and swelling chlorella or a mixture of chlorella and starch and/or vegetable protein powder using a twin-screw extruder. 2 The temperature inside the extruder cylinder during extrusion is 100~
The method for producing a chlorella-containing functional food according to claim 1, wherein the temperature is 200°C. 3 The pressure inside the extruder cylinder during extrusion is 10 to 100
The method for producing a chlorella-containing functional food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the chlorella-containing functional food is 1 kg/cm ² . 4. The chlorella-containing function according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the moisture content of chlorella or a mixture of chlorella and starch and/or vegetable protein powder supplied to the twin-screw extruder is 15 to 40% by weight. Method of manufacturing sex food.