JPH044840A - Preservation of food - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent flavor deterioration and improve preservability of food with eliminating drying and oozing of drip by sufficiently applying water to food, covering, etc., the food with a waterproof film having numberless pores, further covering with a water-absorbing sheet or a water-absorbing sheet-like material and cooling to a low temperature. CONSTITUTION:A live fish, an aquatic life or dried food, etc., is sufficiently supplied with water and covered with a waterproof film having numberless pores or not covered, then an antibacterial agent or an antiseptic agent, etc., hardly giving a harm is added to the water-absorbing sheet or water-absorbing sheet-like material, as necessary, thus the fish, the aquatic life or the food is covered with the sheet containing the antibacterial agent or the antiseptic agent, etc., and cooled to <=10 deg.C (preferably <=2 deg.C and a temperature higher than a temperature not generating freezing at all, occasionally a temperature higher than a temperature scarcely generating freezing) to perform the aimed preservation.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Technical field of invention) The present invention relates to a method for preserving food.

(Prior Art and its Problems) Absorbent sheets or absorbent sheets covered with plastic films having numerous micropores are known.

This is used in diapers or sanitary belts and excreted. For example, the human body is always kept dry by absorbing small amounts of water into a water absorbent sheet.

It is also known to coat tuna fillets with a sheet of a water-absorbing agent coated with a hydrophilic vinylon film to absorb and remove drips exuding from the tuna to maintain freshness.

However, the purpose of these methods is to cover a covering body with a dry water-absorbing sheet and absorb moisture on the surface of the covering body, or to generate and remove drips that ooze out by absorbing moisture.

By chance, after making a water-absorbent sheet absorb enough water, I coated food with it and cooled it at a low temperature, and discovered that the food retained its moisture for a long time and had a significantly longer shelf life. did.

In addition, if you cover a water-absorbent sheet with a waterproof film that has countless micropores and allow it to absorb enough water, then cover food with this film and cool it at a low temperature, the moisture in the food will be retained for a long time, improving its shelf life. Moreover, the water-absorbing agent, which is the material of the water-absorbing sheet, did not adhere to the food.

(Structure and operation of the invention) The present invention provides food after the food is covered with a water-absorbent sheet or body which has sufficiently absorbed water and is coated with or without a waterproof film having numerous micropores at least in the portion contacting the coated surface of the food. It is characterized by low temperature cooling.

For this reason, even if there are restrictions on the use of water-absorbing sheets or body water-absorbing agents as food additives, the countless micropores in the waterproof film are small, and the water-absorbing agent will absorb enough water to form a gel. Because of this, it does not seep out through the countless micropores. Moreover, since the food is cooled at a low temperature, the moisture content of the food is sufficiently retained and the food does not dry out, resulting in a significantly longer shelf life.

If you add a bactericide or preservative that is less harmful or non-toxic to food, such as zeolite or its analogues, ascorbate-hyglucose-based substances (stable vitamin C) are added to the water-absorbent sheet or in the body or water. , the shelf life is significantly increased.

Low-temperature cooling is optional as long as it is below room temperature.

Cooling at a temperature of approximately 10°C or lower, preferably 5°C or lower, at which it does not freeze at all or almost never freezes, will not freeze the food, so it is ideal for preserving food whose flavor would deteriorate if frozen. be.

In particular, when a live fish or aquatic animal is coated with the water-absorbing sheet or body and then cooled at a low temperature at the above-mentioned temperature, the live fish or aquatic animal retains its own moisture, and moreover, the water-absorbent sheet passes through the countless micropores of the waterproof film. Alternatively, they gradually absorb the moisture that has impregnated their bodies, become quiet and do not become violent, and live in a so-called hibernation state. In the present invention, since it is sufficient to cover the fish with a water-absorbing sheet or body that has sufficiently absorbed water, one or more fish can be housed in a narrow container, and it is extremely economical.

Live fish and aquatic animals breathe quietly even during hibernation, so by injecting or blowing an appropriate amount of air, especially oxygen, into a low-temperature cooling room or (and) into a water-absorbing sheet or body, live fish can be grown. Alternatively, aquatic animals can breathe easily and survive more easily, which is extremely favorable.

The live fish or aquatic animal may be any fish, crab, shrimp, sculpin, sea otter, sea otter, etc.

In addition, if food is covered with a water-absorbent sheet or body that absorbs enough water and then frozen, especially quickly frozen at an ultra-low temperature, the food will not sublimate and dry even during freezing, so it will not change in quality. Even when this is taken out of the freezing chamber, it remains frozen for a long time because it is covered with a frozen water-absorbing sheet or body and does not thaw easily, resulting in a significantly longer shelf life than in conventional methods.

Also, when defrosting, first the water absorbent sheet or the surface layer of the body thaws, some of the water evaporates and dries, this gradually moves inside, and then the food thaws, so the food thaws very slowly and naturally. What's more, almost no drips ooze out from the food, and even if they do, they are absorbed by the water-absorbing sheet or the body through the countless micropores in the waterproof film, so the drips accumulate during that time and cause the food to deteriorate. There's nothing to do.

The best food is fresh fish or animal meat, but
It is not limited to this.

It is also suitable for foods that have been seasoned with flavoring agents such as seasonings, spices, spices, sweeteners, and salt, or that have been heated and flavored.

Therefore, it may be any food that does not like drying, such as vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, etc.

The food of the present invention includes any food.

The waterproof film may be any waterproof film, but polyolefin plastics such as polyethylene and polypropylene are generally used. Vinylon-based semi-waterproof films are also included in waterproof films.

Numerous micropores may be made on the entire surface of the waterproof film, but the holes must be made at least on the surface on which food, live fish, etc. are covered.

The water absorbent sheet or body may be any commonly known water absorbent sheet or water absorbent material.

The method for making the water-absorbent sheet or the body absorb enough water may be by making it absorb enough water and then covering the food, or by making it absorb enough water after covering it.

Water-absorbing sheets are made of highly water-absorbing materials such as water-absorbing paper, water-absorbing fibers, water-absorbing polymers, polysaccharides, saccharides, glues, etc., either singly or in combination, and are difficult to form into sheets by themselves. Usually, things are placed in a waterproof film bag with countless micropores to absorb enough water to turn it into a gel.

(Effects of the invention) 1. Live fish or aquatic animals can stay alive for a long time even if one or more of them are stored in a narrow container, making it extremely economical.

2. Even when food is frozen, especially at very low temperatures and quickly frozen, it does not sublimate and dry.

3. Even if frozen foods are left at room temperature, they have a significantly longer shelf life than conventional products.

4. Furthermore, even when it is thawed, it does not cause drips or accelerate deterioration like in conventional products.

5. Even when foods with a high moisture content are cooled at low temperatures, they do not dry out, drips do not ooze out, and they do not accelerate deterioration.

6. In the present invention, especially when a water-absorbing sheet or body is covered with a waterproof film having countless micropores, there is extremely little risk of the water-absorbing agent adhering to food even when there are restrictions on its use as a food additive.

Example 1 A space is made to have a height of about 1 cm above the bottom of a polyethylene container, a perforated plate is placed there to allow air or oxygen to circulate, and this is covered with a lid that allows ventilation to some extent.

In addition, air or oxygen is blown into a space of about 1 cm, and the amount of air or oxygen can be adjusted freely, and the space is pre-cooled to 2°C.

Next, the live sea bream is immediately covered with a water-absorbent sheet made of polyethylene film with countless micropores, and then
When the containers were immersed in seawater at a temperature of 0.degree. C. to allow the water-absorbing sheet to absorb enough water and then stored vertically in the container, 10 animals made light contact and the container was full.

Next, after spraying seawater at about 2°C, the vessel was covered with a lid, oxygen was blown in little by little, and the vessel was cooled at about 2°C for 10 days.

Next, they were taken out, the water-absorbent sheet was removed, and when they were released into seawater at 10°C, they all began to swim vigorously.

Example 2 After coating raw beef with a water-absorbing sheet covered with polyethylene film having countless micropores, 0.1% at about 5°C
The water absorbent sheet was sprayed with ozonated water to sufficiently absorb water and sterilize it.

Next, after freezing this at an ultra-low temperature for 20 minutes at -60°C, -2
It was gently frozen at 0°C and stored for one month.

After taking it out and leaving it at room temperature for 4 days, the water absorbent sheet was removed, but there was no dripping at all and it was extremely fresh. For comparison, a test using the same method except that no water-absorbing sheet was used not only caused severe dripping but also rotted.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. The food is covered with a water-absorbing sheet or body that has sufficiently absorbed water and is coated with or without a waterproof film having numerous micropores at least in the portion that contacts the coated surface of the food, and then cooled at a low temperature. A food preservation method characterized by: 2. A method for preserving foods, characterized in that the low-temperature cooling described in item 1 above is performed at a temperature of 5° C. or lower, at which no or almost no freezing occurs. 3. A method for preserving food, characterized in that the low-temperature cooling described in item 1 above involves freezing at a temperature below the freezing temperature or rapidly freezing at an ultra-low temperature. 4. A method for preserving food, characterized in that the food according to item 1, item 2, or item 3 above is a live fish or an aquatic animal.