JPH0130464B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

The present invention relates to a method for producing foamed cheese (also referred to as puffed cheese) that exhibits a soft texture and mild flavor and has good shape retention. In recent years, with the diversification of dietary habits in Japan, cheese products have become quite popular, but on the other hand, some consumers dislike the sticky texture of cheese and the characteristic odor of cheese when eaten. It is also the cause of this. Due to these taste issues, there is a demand for cheese products that have a soft texture and a mild flavor with little cheese odor. In the past, attempts have been made to foam and expand cheese in order to make it softer.
−95452, JP-A-56-1847 and JP-A-56-
As seen in No. 1848, a technique has been proposed in which cheese is expanded by aerating inert gas under pressure. However, these known techniques can only expand the volume of cheese by about 200% at most, making it impossible to improve the flavor and texture of cheese.
Furthermore, as seen in JP-A-50-95452, it is necessary to add a substance such as alkali metal lactalbumin phosphate to prevent oil-off and maintain the foamed structure. The present inventor investigated the foaming (expanding) conditions by inert gas aeration, which are used to soften cheese, and the effects on the texture of cheese, the shape retention of foamed cheese, and the reduction of cheese odor. If the cheese is firstly foamed under heat and then secondly foamed under vacuum to expand the volume by at least 300%, preferably from 350 to 550%, both texture and flavor are significantly improved and storage is improved. The present invention was made based on the knowledge that foamed cheese with good shape can be obtained. The present invention will be explained in detail below. The characteristics of the present invention are that the cheese, which has natural cheese as a substrate, is heated and melted, and an inert gas is bubbled through it to cause primary foaming, and then the foamed cheese is adjusted to have a viscosity of about 1000 to 2000 poise, and then vacuumed. The purpose is to expand the volume by at least 300%, preferably from 350 to 550%, by holding the foam at the bottom and performing secondary foaming. In the present invention, first, one or more types of natural cheese are crushed and mixed, and a molten salt (for example, sodium citrate or sodium phosphate) is added thereto and the mixture is heated and melted. The cheese is first foamed by passing an inert gas such as nitrogen gas or carbon dioxide gas through the melted cheese at a temperature of preferably 75 to 85° C. and stirring at high speed (about 750 to 1500 rpm). At this time, inert gas ventilation is 1.0 to 3.0Kg/cm ² (gauge pressure), preferably 2.0Kg/cm 2 (gauge pressure)
This is done for about 30 to 60 seconds under a low pressure of Kg/cm ² to bring the cheese volume expansion to about 120 to about 150%. The reason why the volumetric expansion (foaming rate) of this primary foaming is lower than 120% is that the amount of aerated inert gas is insufficient for the subsequent secondary foaming under vacuum, and the volumetric expansion of the final product is lower than 300%. % or more, it is necessary to increase the secondary foaming rate, and as a result, the bubble diameter within the cheese increases, reducing the shape retention of the product. On the other hand, in order to increase the volume expansion higher than 150% during the first foaming, the pressure during gas ventilation must be increased, and when the cheese is returned to normal pressure during the second foaming under vacuum, the inside of the cheese must be increased. The fine bubbles formed in the process collide with each other, resulting in agglomeration of the bubbles and coarsening of the bubbles, resulting in a decrease in the shape retention of the product. Incidentally, during the above-mentioned primary foaming, the viscosity of the cheese is a factor that determines the number and size of bubbles generated by gas aeration, and according to the inventor's experimental results, the viscosity of the heated and melted cheese is 100 to 100%. 300
It has been found that when inert gas is introduced into Poise under a pressure of 1.0 to 3.0 Kg/cm ² while stirring at high speed (750 to 1500 rpm), many small-diameter bubbles are uniformly formed. It has also been found that in order to maintain the viscosity of the cheese within the above range, it is best to melt the cheese at a temperature of about 75 to 85°C and pass an inert gas through it. Next, in the present invention, the viscosity of the first foamed cheese as described above is adjusted to about 1000 to about 2000 poise prior to the second foaming under vacuum. This adjustment of the viscosity of the cheese affects the foaming rate during the subsequent secondary foaming under vacuum, and shows the soft texture, mild flavor, and good shape retention intended by the present invention. A viscosity within the above range is required to obtain a foaming rate (volume expansion) of at least 300%, preferably 350-550%. Table 1 shows the results of investigating the relationship between cheese viscosity and foaming rate under vacuum.

[Table] As shown in Table 1, as the viscosity of cheese decreases below 1000 poise, the foaming rate increases and shape retention deteriorates, while when the viscosity becomes too high (over 2000 poise), it is no longer desired. Foaming cannot be obtained. The above viscosity adjustment of cheese during secondary foaming is as follows:
For example, this can be achieved by cooling the foamed cheese to a temperature of 50°C or lower, preferably about 40 to 45°C. Note that when the cheese is cooled to the above temperature, it is possible to prevent the bubbles formed in the cheese from being destroyed due to changes in the internal pressure of the bubbles caused by rapid evaporation of water in the cheese during foaming under vacuum. In the present invention, the cheese whose viscosity has been adjusted as described above is then placed in a vacuum chamber and subjected to secondary foaming under vacuum. At this time, it is preferable to reach a degree of vacuum of 5 to 10 Torr and maintain this degree of vacuum for about 10 to 15 minutes. Due to this secondary foaming under vacuum, the cheese becomes approx.
Volume expansion (foaming rate) of 350 to approximately 550%. The cheese obtained by secondary foaming as described above has a soft texture and mild flavor, and has good shape retention. This foamed cheese also has a low shrinkage rate after storage. Next, Table 2 shows the results of examining the relationship between the secondary foaming rate (volume expansion) of cheese during secondary foaming in the present invention, the shrinkage rate after storage of the product, and the texture and shape retention using the following test method. Shown below. Test method: Cheese was melted at 75 to 85℃ according to a conventional method, and nitrogen gas was added at 1.5 kg/h under high-speed stirring at 750 rpm.
Firstly foamed cheese is injected under a pressure of cm ² to form primary foamed cheese with a foaming rate of 150%, and by controlling the temperature of the cheese, various viscosities are obtained. A fixed amount of cheese is injected into a deep squeezing container and placed in a vacuum chamber. The samples were placed in a vacuum chamber and evacuated until the degree of vacuum reached 5 to 10 Torr, and after maintaining the above degree of vacuum for 10 minutes, the vacuum was released and the foaming rate, shrinkage rate, texture, and flavor of each were examined.

【table】

[Table] After secondary foaming
gram volume
(Note) 1) Secondary foaming rate=

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Heat and melt cheese using natural cheese as a substrate, bubble inert gas through it to cause primary foaming, and then foam the cheese to a viscosity of about 1000.
A method for producing foamed cheese, which comprises adjusting the foamed cheese to about 2000 poise and then holding it under vacuum to cause secondary foaming to achieve a volumetric expansion of at least 300%. 2. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the inert gas is introduced at a temperature of 75 to 85°C. 3. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inert gas is aerated at a pressure of 1.0 to 3.0 Kg/cm ² while stirring the melted cheese at high speed. 4. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which expands the cheese by about 120 to about 150% in volume through primary foaming. 5. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the primarily foamed cheese is cooled to a temperature of about 40 to about 45°C to adjust its viscosity. 6. The production according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the viscosity-adjusted cheese is held under vacuum to reach a degree of vacuum of 5 to 10 Torr, thereby expanding its volume by 350 to 550%. Law. 7. The manufacturing method according to claim 6, wherein the cheese is held at a vacuum level of 5 to 10 Torr for 10 to 15 minutes.