JP7503290B2 - Food performance improver and method for producing food using the same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a food performance improver for improving taste and yield, a food whose performance has been improved using the same, and a method for producing the food.

In the food industry, research into improving food performance, such as improving taste, is being actively conducted. In addition, since many retort foods are distributed, taste stability and production yield are also important factors when considering their production and distribution. However, even when classified as food, the ingredients and cooking methods are completely different, such as cooked meat or seafood foods, bread, and sweets. Therefore, unique methods have been proposed for cooking methods and food performance improvers to improve food performance, such as taste, taste stability, and yield improvement, depending on the type of food and purpose.

For example, in the case of meat and seafood, there is a demand to improve the texture of fried chicken, pork cutlets, grilled meat, steak, tempura, etc., while maintaining a juicy texture even over time. Furthermore, when cooking, there is also a demand for a high yield of ingredients. On the other hand, in the case of bread and confectionery, there is a demand to suppress the retrogradation of the starch in wheat, which is the main ingredient, to increase the volume of the product and improve its softness, moistness, and chewiness.

Regarding the improvement of meat and seafood, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 4 below propose methods of modifying meat tissue using alkaline agents such as phosphates and carbonates. Although these methods are effective in improving the juiciness and increasing yield, they have the problem of homogenizing the meat tissue and impairing the fibrous texture.

In addition, the following Patent Document 5 proposes a method of using calcium salt in combination with rice starch. This method can impart a juicy texture, but the texture is melty and lacks a fibrous feel.

In addition, the following Patent Document 6 proposes a method of using a protease in combination with an alkaline agent such as trisodium citrate. This method can impart a juicy texture, but it is only intended for minced meat products, and the texture is melty and lacks a fibrous feel. In addition, the reaction proceeds even at room temperature, and there is a problem that the amount of change in the softening effect is extremely large between 1 hour after the initial flow and 24 hours after the final flow during the process after addition, resulting in unstable quality.

On the other hand, when it comes to improving breads and confectioneries, for example, yeast food has traditionally been used to activate yeast. However, there are doubts about the use of yeast food, and methods that do not rely on it are being considered. For example, Patent Document 7 below proposes the use of enzymes in the production of mochi dough. This method uses a combination of transglutaminase, branching enzyme, α-glucosidase, and a reducing agent to reduce the stickiness of the mochi dough and achieve the hardness required for cutting. This proposal is interesting in terms of the use of enzymes, but is a method that is limited to mochi dough.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-036167 JP 2001-000148 A Patent No. 2568946 JP 2000-060492 A Publication No. WO2013/015401 JP 2014-158463 A JP 2016-171762 A

As such, when it comes to meat and seafood, there are many requests to improve the juiciness of the texture, but as a result, no satisfactory method has been found in terms of taste, as the fibrous texture is often lost. There are also few proposals for improving the stability of taste or yield. The same is true for bread, confectionery, etc.

Therefore, in order to address the above-mentioned problems, the present invention aims to provide a food performance improver that can be used in foods consisting of meat and seafood, and that can improve only a specific texture without degrading other tactile sensations, while maintaining and improving the original taste of the food and improving food performance such as increasing yield , and a method for producing food using the same.

In order to solve the above problems, the inventors conducted extensive research and discovered a method that utilizes a specific enzyme that acts on starch, and is effective not only for bread, confectionery, and other foods made from starch, but also for meat and seafood, leading to the completion of the present invention.

That is, the food performance improver according to the present invention has the following features according to claim 1:
A food performance improver used in the manufacturing process of meat and seafood foods to improve the taste and yield of the food ,
The enzyme is characterized in that it contains 4-α-glucanotransferase derived from Aeribacillus pallidus as a main component and starch as a minor component, and that the 4-α-glucanotransferase, which is the main component, modifies the starch, which is the minor component .

According to claim 2 , the present invention provides a food performance improver according to claim 1 ,
The starch is characterized in that it is a starch consisting of small particles selected from rice starch , tapioca starch, waxy corn starch, sweet potato starch, wheat starch, and phosphate cross-linked starch.

According to claim 3 , the method for producing food according to the present invention comprises the steps of:
A method for producing food products having improved taste and yield of meat and seafood foods , comprising:
An application step of applying a food performance improver containing 4-α-glucanotransferase derived from Aeribacillus pallidus as a main component and starch as a minor component to a raw material or a work-in-progress of a food to be improved in performance;
A heating step of subjecting the food raw material or in-process product after the application step to a heat treatment,
The method is characterized in that, in the heating step , the major component, 4-α-glucanotransferase, modifies the minor component, starch.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing the food product according to the third aspect, comprising the steps of:
The starch is characterized in that it is a starch consisting of small particles selected from rice starch, tapioca starch, waxy corn starch, sweet potato starch, wheat starch, and phosphate cross-linked starch .

According to claim 5 , the present invention provides a method for producing the food according to claim 3 or 4 ,
In the application step,
The method is characterized in that an aqueous solution of the food performance improver is applied to the raw materials or in-process food of the food to be improved in performance at a temperature range of 0°C to 50°C.

According to claim 6 , the present invention provides a method for producing a food product according to any one of claims 3 to 5 ,
In the heating step,
The method is characterized in that the food raw materials or in-process products to which the food performance improving agent has been added are subjected to a heat treatment in the temperature range of 60°C to 300°C.

According to the above configuration, the food performance improver of the present invention is used in the food manufacturing stage to improve the taste and yield of the food. The food performance improver contains 4-α-glucanotransferase derived from Aeribacillus pallidus as a main component and starch as a secondary component, and the main component 4-α-glucanotransferase modifies the secondary component starch. This makes it possible to provide a food performance improver that can be used for foods consisting of meat and seafood, and that can improve the original taste of the food and improve the performance of the food, such as improving the yield, by improving only a specific texture without deteriorating other tactile sensations.

According to the above configuration, the starch, which is a secondary component, is preferably a starch consisting of small particles selected from rice starch , tapioca starch, waxy corn starch, sweet potato starch, wheat starch, and phosphate cross-linked starch, which allows the above-mentioned action and effect to be exerted more specifically and effectively.

According to the above configuration, the food manufacturing method of the present invention is a method for manufacturing food having improved performance in improving the taste and yield of meat and seafood foods . This manufacturing method includes an application step of applying a food performance improver containing 4-α-glucanotransferase derived from Aeribacillus pallidus as a main component and starch as a minor component to a raw material or a work-in-progress of the food to be improved in performance, and a heating step of subjecting the raw material or work-in-progress of the food after the application step to a heat treatment. In the heating step, the main component, 4-α-glucanotransferase, modifies the minor component, starch. This makes it possible to more specifically exert the above-mentioned action and effect.

Furthermore, according to the above configuration, in the application process, an aqueous solution of the food performance improver may be applied to the raw materials or in-process product of the food to be improved in performance at a temperature range of 0°C to 50°C. This allows the above-mentioned action and effect to be exerted more specifically and effectively.

Furthermore, according to the above configuration, in the heating process, the raw materials or in-process food products to which the food performance improving agent has been added may be subjected to a heat treatment in the temperature range of 60°C to 300°C. This allows the above-mentioned effects to be exerted more specifically and effectively.

The present invention will be described in detail below. The food performance improver according to the present invention has glucosyltransferase as its main component. Glucosyltransferase is a glucosyl group transfer enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of glucose residues. There are many types of enzymes classified as glucosyltransferase. Among these, α-glucanotransferase is preferred in the present invention. Examples of α-glucanotransferase include 4-α-glucanotransferase and 6-α-glucanotransferase.

In the present invention, it is particularly preferable to use 4-α-glucanotransferase. 4-α-glucanotransferase catalyzes a chemical reaction that transfers a portion of 1,4-α-glucan to another portion of a carbohydrate such as glucose or 1,4-α-glucan. In the present invention, 4-α-glucanotransferase modifies starch that constitutes food or starch added during the manufacturing stage of food as a substrate. Specifically, it has a mechanism for modifying amylose and amylopectin contained in starch as a substrate, lengthening the molecular chain and branching it.

In the present invention, the aim is for the enzyme to act most effectively on the substrate (the heating step described below) rather than on the substrate (the addition step described below) where 4-α-glucanotransferase is added to the food and the enzyme is allowed to blend with the substrate. For this purpose, the heat resistance of the enzyme is important, and 4-α-glucanotransferase is good in this respect. In the present invention, the source of 4-α-glucanotransferase is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use an enzyme with excellent heat resistance. For example, one based on Aeribacillus pallidus is preferable.

The food performance improver using the glucosyltransferase according to the present invention will be described below, and as an example, a food performance improver using 4-α-glucanotransferase will be specifically described, but this does not mean that the present invention is limited to only 4-α-glucanotransferase.

In addition, when the target of performance improvement is a food product that is mainly composed of starch, such as confectionery or bread, the food performance improver of the present invention has 4-α-glucanotransferase as its main component. This is because starch, which is the substrate for 4-α-glucanotransferase, is included as an ingredient of confectionery, bread, etc.

On the other hand, when the target of performance improvement is food such as meat or seafood, 4-α-glucanotransferase is the main component and starch is the secondary component. This is because starch, which is the substrate for 4-α-glucanotransferase, is not contained in meat or seafood, so it is either included in the food performance improver beforehand, or added separately from 4-α-glucanotransferase to the product in the cooking process.

Here, the starch that is the substrate for 4-α-glucanotransferase is not particularly limited, and may be large-particle starch or small-particle starch. In terms of enzyme action, small-particle starch is preferable to large-particle starch such as potato starch (average particle size 50 μm). Examples of small-particle starch include rice starch such as rice glutinous starch and rice non-glutinous starch (average particle size 5 μm), corn starch such as waxy corn starch (average particle size 15 μm), sweet potato starch (average particle size 15 μm), tapioca starch (average particle size 20 μm), and wheat starch (average particle size 10 to 20 μm). Phosphate cross-linked starch, which is a type of processed starch, is also preferable. In particular, when the target for performance improvement is food such as meat or seafood, starch can be added from the outside, so small-particle starch, in which the effect of 4-α-glucanotransferase is more pronounced, can be used.

In addition to the main component, 4-α-glucanotransferase, other additives can be used in the food performance improver. For example, α-glucans such as dextrin, maltotriose, and maltose, which are thought not to inhibit enzyme activity, can be used in combination as additives other than starch. Furthermore, enzymes such as α-glucan degrading enzymes that catalyze the reaction of hydrolyzing the 1,4-α-glucosidic bonds in starch can be used in combination.

Next, the method for producing food using the food performance improving agent of the present invention will be described in each embodiment. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

First Embodiment
This first embodiment is intended for foods such as meat and seafood. Specifically, a method for producing fried chicken will be described using chicken thigh meat as an example of meat. The food properties required for fried chicken are mainly improved taste, such as juiciness and looseness, as well as improved yield.

1. Step of applying food performance improving agent First, 4-α-glucanotransferase and starch are mixed to prepare the food performance improving agent according to the first embodiment. It is also possible to apply 4-α-glucanotransferase and starch separately to chicken thigh meat without mixing them in advance. As described above, it is preferable that the starch is a small particle starch such as rice starch (rice waxy starch, rice non-glutinous starch), tapioca starch, waxy corn starch, or phosphate crosslinked starch, but large particle starch such as potato starch can also be effective.

The ratio of 4-α-glucanotransferase to starch is not particularly limited, but for example, 1 to 100 units, preferably 2 to 30 units, of 4-α-glucanotransferase enzyme activity should be added to 1 g of starch. It is not particularly problematic to add 100 or more units of 4-α-glucanotransferase to 1 g of starch, but this is difficult in terms of food cost. The amount of starch to meat or seafood is not particularly limited, but for example, 0.5 g to 5 g, preferably 1 g to 3 g, of starch should be used to 100 g of meat.

The method of adding the food performance improver to meat or seafood may be one that is commonly used in food processing. For example, meat or seafood may be soaked in an aqueous solution in which the food performance improver is dissolved (4-α-glucanotransferase and starch are dissolved). In the case of soaking the meat, it is preferable to use a food additive pH regulator such as carbonate or citrate in combination for soaking the meat. The soaking temperature and soaking time are not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the type of food and cooking method. For example, the soaking temperature may be in the range of 0°C to 50°C. In addition, the soaking time does not contribute much to the enzyme action in relation to the soaking temperature. Therefore, soaking for 5 minutes to 100 hours, or about 5 hours to 20 hours in terms of normal cooking work, may be sufficient. In the case of deep-fried chicken thigh meat in this first embodiment, it is usually sufficient to soak it for a dozen hours at 4°C in the refrigerator. Also, instead of the soaking method, the food performance improving agent may be applied to meat by a tumbling method (pounding method).

During this addition process, 4-α-glucanotransferase penetrates between the fibers of the meat while acting on the starch. During this addition process, 4-α-glucanotransferase also acts on the starch substrate, but the degree of action is minor due to the low temperature.

2. Food Heating Process This heating process can be carried out by a normal food cooking process. The processing temperature in the heating process is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the type of food and cooking method. For example, the raw material or in-process product of the food to which the food performance improving agent has been added may be subjected to a heat treatment at a temperature range of 60°C to 300°C. At this time, 4-α-glucanotransferase is inactivated by the high temperature, but has a certain degree of heat resistance and acts on the starch that has permeated the meat or seafood before inactivation. The degree of action at this time is the main reaction of the enzyme. In the case of deep-fried chicken thigh meat in this first embodiment, it is usually deep-fried at a temperature of about 190°C for about 4 to 5 minutes.

In this process, 4-α-glucanotransferase acts on the substrate starch, lengthening and modifying the amylose and amylopectin molecules to make them branched. This gives the modified starch held in the meat fibers the ability to retain a lot of water and juices, improving the juiciness. Unlike conventional methods, this first embodiment does not destroy the meat fibers, so the juiciness is improved while maintaining the fibrous texture.

The contents of this first embodiment will be specifically explained below using examples. Note that this first embodiment is not limited to only the following examples.

This Example 1 was aimed at deep-fried chicken thigh meat, and the effect of 4-α-glucanotransferase on small and large starch particles as substrates was confirmed.

1. Addition process of food performance improver First, a permeation solution was prepared by dissolving 0.1 g of carbonate and citrate as pH adjusters per 100 g of meat in 30 g of city water. Next, a food performance improver was dissolved in the permeation solution. As food performance improvers, various commercially available starches were used at 1 g per 100 g of meat, and 4-α-glucanotransferase (manufactured by Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.) was used at 30 units per 100 g of meat/1 g of starch.

Five types of starch were used: potato starch (Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), waxy corn starch (Sanas Co., Ltd.), phosphate cross-linked starch (Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), rice non-glucan starch (Joetsu Starch Co., Ltd.), and rice waxy starch (Joetsu Starch Co., Ltd.). As comparative examples, a permeation liquid that dissolves neither 4-α-glucanotransferase nor starch, a permeation liquid that dissolves only 4-α-glucanotransferase but not starch, and a permeation liquid that dissolves only starch but not 4-α-glucanotransferase were prepared. The blending amounts of the examples and comparative examples are shown in Table 1.

Next, 100 g of commercially available chicken thigh meat was immersed in each of the prepared infiltration solutions of the Examples and Comparative Examples at 4°C for 16 hours.

2. Food Heating Process Next, the liquid was drained from the chicken thigh meat after soaking, the chicken thigh meat was coated with weak flour, and fried in oil at 190° C. for 4 minutes to prepare fried chicken.

3. Evaluation In this Example 1, the taste and yield were evaluated. As for the taste, the juiciness and the looseness were scored by sensory evaluation. Specifically, four skilled evaluators evaluated the taste from 0 points (bad) to 5 points (good), and the average value was taken. Here, the juiciness means that the balance of moisture and fat is favorable, and the meat has an original taste and feels juicy. The higher the score, the better and more preferable the juiciness. The looseness means that the meat is not hard and is loosened moderately, and the higher the score, the better and more preferable the looseness. On the other hand, the yield was the value (%) obtained by dividing the weight after cooking (after frying) by the weight of the original meat. In addition, as an overall evaluation, if the two items of the sensory evaluation were 4 points or more, it was A, if they were 2.5 points or more, it was B, and otherwise it was C. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

As can be seen from Table 1, all samples in Examples 1a to 1e, which used a combination of 4-α-glucanotransferase and starch, were judged to have good sensory evaluations and yields, and to have received an overall rating of A or B. In particular, Examples 1b to 1e, which used small particle starch, received a high overall rating of A.

In contrast, Comparative Example 1g, which used only 4-α-glucanotransferase without using starch, did not show any improvement in sensory evaluation or yield, similar to Comparative Example 1a, which used only the alkaline agent, and was rated an overall C. In addition, Comparative Examples 1b to 1f, which used only starch without using 4-α-glucanotransferase, showed a slight improvement in sensory evaluation, but did not show any improvement in yield, and were rated an overall C.

This Example 2, like Example 1 above, targets deep-fried chicken thighs, and the effect of changing the amount of 4-α-glucanotransferase used (enzyme activity) was confirmed. The starch used in combination was rice glutinous starch, a small-particle starch that was highly effective in Example 1 above.

1. Step of applying food performance improver As in Example 1, an infiltration solution was prepared by dissolving 0.1 g of carbonate and citrate as pH adjusters per 100 g of meat in 30 g of city water. Next, a food performance improver was dissolved in the infiltration solution. As food performance improvers, 1 g of rice glutinous starch (manufactured by Joetsu Starch Co., Ltd.) per 100 g of meat and 4-α-glucanotransferase (manufactured by Amano Enzyme Inc.) were used. In this Example 2, the amount of 4-α-glucanotransferase used (enzyme activity) was changed from 1 unit to 100 units per 100 g of meat/g of starch.

As comparative examples, we also prepared an infiltration liquid that did not dissolve either 4-α-glucanotransferase or starch, an infiltration liquid that dissolved only 100 units of 4-α-glucanotransferase but did not dissolve starch, and an infiltration liquid that dissolved only starch but did not dissolve 4-α-glucanotransferase. The blending amounts of the examples and comparative examples are shown in Table 2.

Next, in the same manner as in Example 1 above, 100 g of commercially available chicken thigh meat was immersed in each of the prepared infiltration solutions of the Examples and Comparative Examples at 4°C for 16 hours in a refrigerator.

2. Food Heating Step Next, in the same manner as in Example 1 above, the liquid was drained from the chicken thigh meat after soaking, the chicken thigh meat was coated with weak flour, and fried in oil at 190° C. for 4 minutes to prepare fried chicken.

3. Evaluation In this Example 2, evaluation was performed in the same manner as in the above Example 1. The evaluation results are shown in Table 2.

As can be seen from Table 2, all samples in Examples 2a to 2i, which used a combination of 4-α-glucanotransferase and starch, were judged to have good sensory evaluations and yields, and to have received an overall rating of A or B. In particular, Examples 2b to 2i, which used 4-α-glucanotransferase in an amount (enzyme activity) of 2 units or more per 100 g of meat/g of starch, received a high overall rating of A.

Regarding the amount of 4-α-glucanotransferase used (enzyme activity), the sensory evaluation gave a perfect score of 5.0 when 30 units or more were used. In addition, the yield improved with an increase in enzyme activity, and using 15 units or more resulted in a high yield of over 85%.

In contrast, Comparative Example 2b, which used 100 units of 4-α-glucanotransferase alone and did not use starch, did not show any improvement in sensory evaluation or yield, similar to Comparative Example 2a, which used only the alkaline agent, and received an overall rating of C. In addition, Comparative Example 2c, which used only starch and did not use 4-α-glucanotransferase, also showed some improvement in sensory evaluation and yield, but received an overall rating of C.

This Example 3, like Examples 1 and 2 above, is directed to fried chicken thighs, and uses a tumbling method (pounding method) rather than a soaking method in the process of applying the food performance improving agent.

1. Application of food performance improver First, the food performance improver was dissolved in 30 g of city water to prepare an infiltration solution. In the tumbling method, the combined use of carbonate and citrate as pH adjusters was not required. As the food performance improver, 1 g or 2 g of rice glutinous starch (manufactured by Joetsu Starch Co., Ltd.) was used per 100 g of meat. In addition, 30 units or 40 units of 4-α-glucanotransferase (manufactured by Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.) were used.

As comparative examples, we also prepared an infiltration liquid that dissolved neither 4-α-glucanotransferase nor starch, an infiltration liquid that dissolved only 30 or 40 units of 4-α-glucanotransferase but did not dissolve starch, and an infiltration liquid that dissolved only 1 g or 2 g of starch but did not dissolve 4-α-glucanotransferase. The blending amounts in the examples and comparative examples are shown in Table 3.

Next, each of the infusion solutions of the examples and comparative examples was mixed with 100 g of commercially available chicken thigh meat, and tumbling was performed in a tumbler. The tumbling conditions were refrigerated at 4°C, 30 rpm, continuous operation (no breaks), and operation time of 1.0 hour.

2. Food Heating Process Next, in the same manner as in Examples 1 and 2 above, the liquid was drained from the chicken thigh meat after soaking, and the chicken thigh meat was coated with weak flour and deep-fried in oil at 190° C. for 4 minutes to prepare fried chicken.

3. Evaluation In this Example 3, evaluation was performed in the same manner as in the above Examples 1 and 2. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

As can be seen from Table 3, the samples of Examples 3a and 3b, which used a combination of 4-α-glucanotransferase and starch, were excellent in both sensory evaluation and yield, and received a high overall rating of A. This shows that the effects of this embodiment are confirmed not only in the soaking method but also in the tumbling method, and can be used in other methods as well.

In contrast, Comparative Example 3d, in which 30 units of 4-α-glucanotransferase was used without starch, was similar to Comparative Example 3a, in which neither 4-α-glucanotransferase nor starch was used, in that no improvements were observed in the sensory evaluation and yield, resulting in an overall rating of C. On the other hand, Comparative Example 3e, in which 60 units of 4-α-glucanotransferase was used without starch, was effective in improving the juiciness of the sensory evaluation, but no effects were observed in the loosening sensation, resulting in an overall rating of C. Comparative Examples 3b and 3c, in which 1 g or 2 g of starch was used without 4-α-glucanotransferase, also showed some improvements in the sensory evaluation and yield, but were also overall rated C.

Second Embodiment
This second embodiment is intended for foods that are mainly made of starch, such as confectionery and bread. Specifically, a method for producing bread, pound cake, mochi, and the like will be described. The food properties required for these foods are mainly that the taste, such as moistness and chewiness, is improved, and that the taste does not change over time. The following description will be given using bread as an example.

1. Step of applying food performance improver In this embodiment, starch, which is a substrate for 4-α-glucanotransferase, is blended as a main ingredient of foods such as bread. Therefore, the food performance improver according to this second embodiment is composed of only 4-α-glucanotransferase, or a component other than starch, such as dextrin. For simplicity, this second embodiment will be described as a food performance improver composed of only 4-α-glucanotransferase.

The ratio of 4-α-glucanotransferase to starch, the main ingredient of foods such as bread, is not particularly limited, but for example, it is good to use 1 to 100 units, preferably 2 to 30 units, of 4-α-glucanotransferase enzyme activity per 1 g of starch. There is no particular problem with adding 100 or more units of 4-α-glucanotransferase to 1 g of starch, but it is difficult in terms of the cost of the food.

The method of adding food performance improvers during food manufacturing varies depending on the cooking method of each food. For example, in the case of bread, 4-α-glucanotransferase can be mixed in when preparing the bread dough. During this addition process, 4-α-glucanotransferase begins to act on starch, but due to the low temperature, the extent of the effect is minor.

2. Food Heating Process In the case of bread, this heating process involves a normal baking process, for example, baking at a temperature of about 200°C for about 20 to 30 minutes. At this time, 4-α-glucanotransferase is inactivated by the high temperature, but it has a certain degree of heat resistance and acts on starch. The extent of the action at this time is determined by the main reaction of the enzyme. The heating process in this second embodiment will be specifically described in each embodiment described later.

In this process, 4-α-glucanotransferase acts on the substrate starch, lengthening the amylose and amylopectin molecules and modifying them so that they branch. The modified starch modified by this action has improved moisture retention and elasticity of the starch itself, which improves the moist and chewy feel.

The contents of this second embodiment will be specifically explained below using examples. Note that this second embodiment is not limited to the following examples.

This Example 4 is targeted at bread, and starch as a substrate is included as the main ingredient of bread dough. The effect of 4-α-glucanotransferase on the starch in this bread dough was confirmed.

1. Addition process of food performance improver First, 371 g of strong flour (Super Camellia), 7 g of yeast (Safu's instant dry yeast red) and 220 g of city water were put into a muller, mixed at low speed for 3 minutes and at medium speed for 1 minute to obtain dough. Next, the dough was fermented in a proofer at a temperature of 28°C and a humidity of 78% for 2 hours to obtain a sponge. Next, 159.4 g of strong flour, 10 g of skim milk powder, 10 g of salt, 146.2 g of water and 10 units of 4-α-glucanotransferase (Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.) per 1 g of wheat were added to the sponge. A comparative example was prepared without adding 4-α-glucanotransferase. The blending amounts of the examples and comparative examples are shown in Table 4.

The dough was kneaded at low speed for 30 seconds and at medium speed for 3 minutes, after which 21 g of margarine was added. It was then mixed at low speed for 1 minute and kneaded at medium speed for an additional 4 minutes. The resulting dough was rested at 24°C for 20 minutes, after which it was molded, rested again at 24°C for 20 minutes, and then rounded and molded. The dough was then placed in a proofer and left to ferment for 53 minutes at a temperature of 38°C and a humidity of 85%.

2. Food Heating Process Next, the fermented dough was baked at 210° C. for 27 minutes to produce bread.

3. Evaluation In this Example 4, the taste was scored for the moistness and the chewy texture by sensory evaluation. Specifically, four skilled evaluators evaluated the taste on a scale of 0 (bad) to 5 (good), and the average value was taken. Here, the moistness means that the surface is moist and the tongue is not easily rough, and the higher the score, the better and more preferable the moistness. The chewy texture means the chewy repulsive force felt on the teeth when biting, and the higher the score, the better and more preferable the chewy texture. In addition, as an overall evaluation, the two items of the sensory evaluation were rated as A for 4 points or more, B for 2.5 points or more, and C for the rest. The sensory evaluation was performed 1 day and 3 days after baking, and the taste stability was also evaluated. The evaluation results are shown in Table 4.

As can be seen from Table 4, the sensory evaluation results for the samples of Examples 4a and 4b to which 4-α-glucanotransferase was added were good, and the samples were judged to have an overall rating of A or B. Note that, although Example 4b after 3 days of baking had a lower rating than Example 4a after 1 day of baking, it still averaged 3.0 points for both moistness and chewiness, and the food performance improver was evaluated to have improved taste and taste stability. Note that the samples of Comparative Examples 4a and 4b were already judged to have an overall rating of C after 1 day of baking.

This Example 4 is directed to pound cake, and starch as a substrate is included as the main ingredient of the cake batter. The effect of 4-α-glucanotransferase on the starch in this cake batter was confirmed.

1. Step of adding food performance improving agent First, 250g of granulated sugar was mixed with 250g of margarine, and then 250g of stirred whole egg was mixed, and then 250g of weak flour and 10 units of 4-α-glucanotransferase (manufactured by Amano Enzyme Inc.) per 1g of wheat were added. A comparative example was prepared without adding 4-α-glucanotransferase. The blending amounts in the examples and comparative examples are shown in Table 5.

2. Food Heating Process Next, 40 g of the mixed cake batter was poured into cups and baked at 210° C. for 20 minutes to prepare pound cakes.

3. Evaluation In this Example 5, the sensory evaluation was carried out in the same manner as in Example 4. The sensory evaluation was carried out 1 day, 3 days, 14 days, and 90 days after baking, and the long-term taste stability was also evaluated. The evaluation results are shown in Table 5.

As can be seen from Table 5, the sensory evaluation results for all samples of Examples 5a to 5d to which 4-α-glucanotransferase was added were good and judged to be an overall rating of A or B. Incidentally, the overall rating of Example 5b up to 3 days after baking was A, but in Example 5c after 14 days after baking, the overall rating dropped slightly to an overall rating of B. However, the overall rating of Example 5c, B, is a higher rating than that of Comparative Example 5a after 1 day after baking, and it is clear that the taste was improved by the food performance improver. Furthermore, the overall rating of B was maintained even in Example 5d after 90 days after baking, and it is clear that the taste was stable over a long period of time. Incidentally, all samples of Comparative Examples 5a to 5d were judged to be an overall rating of C already after 1 day after baking.

This Example 4 is targeted at Shiratama Dango, a type of mochi, and starch as a substrate is included as the main ingredient of the kneaded dough. The effect of 4-α-glucanotransferase on the starch in this dough was confirmed.

1. Step of adding food performance improving agent First, 4-α-glucanotransferase (manufactured by Amano Enzyme Inc.) or 6-α-glucanotransferase was added to 100 g of glutinous rice flour at 20 units per 1 g of wheat and mixed. A comparative example was prepared by adding neither enzyme. The blending amounts of the examples and comparative examples are shown in Table 6. In Table 6, 4-α-glucanotransferase is listed as Enzyme X and 6-α-glucanotransferase is listed as Enzyme Y.

2. Food Heating Process Next, 100g of boiling water was added, and the mixture was steamed and kneaded. In this Example 4, the kneading with boiling water corresponds to the heat treatment. After kneading, 200g of white sugar was added, kneaded, and then molded into a round shape. The molded dumplings were placed in ice water, and the water was drained to produce shiratama dumplings.

3. Evaluation In this Example 6, the sensory evaluation was carried out in the same manner as in Examples 4 and 5. The sensory evaluation was carried out after 1 day, 3 days, and 5 days of refrigeration, and the long-term taste stability was also evaluated. The evaluation results are shown in Table 6.

As can be seen from Table 6, the sensory evaluation results for the samples of Examples 6b, 6d, and 6f to which 4-α-glucanotransferase (Enzyme X) was added were good, and the overall evaluation was judged to be A or B. Furthermore, the sensory evaluation results for the samples of Examples 6a, 6c, and 6e to which 6-α-glucanotransferase (Enzyme Y) was added were good up to three days after refrigeration, and the overall evaluation was judged to be B. However, after five days of refrigeration, the overall evaluation dropped to C. Note that, for all samples of Comparative Examples 6a to 7c, the overall evaluation was B after one day of refrigeration, but after three days of refrigeration, the overall evaluation dropped to C. From these findings, Enzyme X is more effective than Enzyme Y for the application of this Example 6. However, it can be seen that the sensory evaluation results for Enzyme Y are also improved compared to the comparative examples.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a food performance improver that can be used for foods consisting of meat or seafood, and that can improve only a specific texture without degrading other tactile sensations, while maintaining and improving the original taste of the food and improving food performance such as increasing yield , as well as a method for producing food using the same.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made as follows.
(1) In each of the above embodiments, 4-α-glucanotransferase is mainly used as the glucosyltransferase. However, this is not limited thereto, and other glucosyltransferases, such as the 6-α-glucanotransferase used in Example 6, may be used. Furthermore, glucosyltransferases other than these may be used.
(2) In each of the above embodiments, only glucosyltransferase and starch are used as components of the food performance improving agent. However, this is not limited to this, and other components may be added as long as they do not inhibit the enzyme activity.
(3) In the above first embodiment, the food performance improver is used in fried chicken thighs as an example of foods such as meat and seafood, but is not limited to this, and the food performance improver may be used in pork cutlets, grilled meat, steak, tempura, boiled seafood (squid, shrimp, octopus, scallops, crab, etc.), or other foods.
(4) In the above second embodiment, the food performance improver is described as being used in bread, pound cake, and rice-flour dumplings. However, this is not limited to this, and the food performance improver may be used in other confectioneries, breads, or other foods that use starch as a main ingredient.

Claims (6)

A food performance improver used in the manufacturing process of meat and seafood foods to improve the taste and yield of the food ,
A food performance improver comprising 4-α-glucanotransferase derived from Aeribacillus pallidus as a main component and starch as a minor component, the main component being 4-α-glucanotransferase modifying the minor component starch. The food performance improver according to claim 1 , characterized in that the starch is a starch consisting of small particles selected from rice starch , tapioca starch, waxy corn starch, sweet potato starch, wheat starch, and phosphate cross-linked starch. A method for producing food products having improved taste and yield of meat and seafood foods , comprising:
An application step of applying a food performance improver containing 4-α-glucanotransferase derived from Aeribacillus pallidus as a main component and starch as a minor component to a raw material or a work-in-progress of a food to be improved in performance;
A heating step of subjecting the food raw material or in-process product after the application step to a heat treatment,
A method for producing a food, characterized in that in the heating step, the major component, 4-α-glucanotransferase, modifies the minor component, starch. The method for producing a food product according to claim 3, characterized in that the starch is a starch consisting of small particles selected from rice starch, tapioca starch, waxy corn starch, sweet potato starch, wheat starch, and phosphate cross-linked starch. In the application step,
The method for producing a food product according to claim 3 or 4 , characterized in that an aqueous solution of the food performance improver is applied to the raw materials or in-process products of the food product to be improved in performance at a temperature range of 0°C to 50°C. In the heating step,
6. The method for producing a food according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the raw materials or in-process products of the food to which the food performance improving agent has been added are subjected to a heat treatment in the temperature range of 60°C to 300 °C.