JPS632573B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

Press-dried food bars are utilized by athletic enthusiasts, hikers, and others who require easily preserved food. A notable advantage of this type of food is its compact and convenient form and its high nutritional value. They can also be stored for a considerable length of time without spoiling, especially when their moisture content is low enough to prevent the growth of microorganisms. The big problem with fruit sticks is that if they are pressed and compressed to create a stick form, and if the moisture content is as low as desired for stability, it is extremely difficult to chew directly without adding water. The point is that it becomes so hard that it is difficult to In some cases these are known to be so hard that they damage the teeth when attempted to be chewed directly. On the other hand, if enough moisture remains in the fruit stick that it is possible to chew it directly without fear of damaging the teeth, it is unstable for long-term storage. Furthermore, when making these rods, fruit fibers must be extruded from the mold, making molding very difficult. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing compressed dried fruit bars that can be eaten directly without any prior addition of water and without damaging the teeth of the eater. A fruit bar according to the invention comprises the steps of: cutting the fruit into separate strips having a moisture content of greater than 15% by weight; and drying the strips to a moisture content of 6 to 15% by weight. , coating the surface of the dried strips with 1 to 15% by weight of an additive selected from the group consisting of lecithin, modified lecithin, modified starch, and methylcellulose in a substantially uniformly distributed manner; compressing the coated strips at a pressure of 7 to 210 kg/cm ² so that the strips adhere to each other. An example of the above-mentioned modified starch is known under the trade name Maltolin, and an example of methylcellulose is known under the trade name Mesocel. The inventors of the present invention have discovered that when small amounts of the aforementioned additives, such as lecithin, usually less than 5% by weight, are well dispersed on the surface of the strips to be compressed into fruit sticks, the addition Whereas chewing fruit sticks without substances is very difficult, it is possible to change the composition of the fruit to result in a fruit stick that is easy to chew without damaging the teeth and is also satisfying. discovered. The inventor of the present invention has confirmed that lecithin (including modified lecithin), modified starch, and methyl cellulose can be used as substances that achieve the purpose of softening. Additives such as lecithin are applied to the fruit strips as a solution, such as a solution in soybean oil, as a spray, such as an aerosol spray using a non-toxic propellant, or as a dry mist. When applied to strips in the form of a soybean oil solution, Centromics C from Central Soya Company
It is preferred to use a solution having a lecithin concentration of about 15% by weight, such as that sold under the trade name Centromix C. A purer version of lecithin manufactured by the company, sold under the trade name RG Lecithin, can also be used, but it is more expensive than other edible forms of lecithin, such as those mentioned above. To put it simply, the longest part of fruit is about 3.2 mm.
mm to approximately 12.7 mm (1/8 to 1/2 inch), and the strips have a moisture content ranging from approximately 6 to 15% by weight before adding additives such as lecithin. It is dried until it becomes dry. An excess of a solution of an additive such as lecithin is applied to the fruit so as to obtain a coating of about 1-5% by weight of the additive on the strips. Approximately 2% lecithin or modified lecithin has been found to be effective. In general, if the fruit strips are dried to a moisture content of less than 6% before adding lecithin and compacting, the compacted fruit sticks will be easily jarred when eaten directly, even with the addition of lecithin. It becomes so hard that it doesn't. On the other hand, if the moisture content is greater than 15%, the fruit tends to be extruded from the mold, making it difficult to compress. Generally speaking, if less than 1% lecithin or other additives are added to the fruit, it is not sufficient to make the compressed dry fruit food-friendly enough to be eaten without damaging the teeth. That's enough. On the other hand, when more than 5% lecithin is added, the fibers of the fruit tend to be extruded from the mold as much as when it has a moisture content of more than 14%. The pressure required to compress the fruit strips coated with lecithin or modified lecithin generally depends on the moisture content in the fruit. As the moisture content of the fruit decreases to as low as 6%, the pressure required to obtain properly bonded fruit bars increases to 210 Kg/cm ² (3000 psi).
As the moisture content of the fruit increases to as high as 15%, the pressure required to obtain a fruit bar with proper degree of adhesion decreases to 7 kg/cm ² (100 psi). The type of fruit has some influence on the pressure required, with figs and pears generally requiring higher pressure than many other fruits. The present invention is particularly effective on dried dates, raisins, cherries, figs, pears, peaches, apricots, plums, and the like. However, it can also be applied to other fruits, and edible seeds or nuts can also be added to the compressed fruit sticks for variety. Additionally, grains, proteinaceous substances, fatty substances, tiocholate, spices and other flavor enhancers and chemical additives may be added to the compressed fruit bar in small amounts relative to the fruit. Example Dates, cherries and almonds were diced into strips approximately 1 cm in longest dimension.
These strips were mixed in the ratios shown in the table below.

[Table] These mixtures coated the surface of the strips as uniformly as possible. The coated materials and their percentages are shown in the table above.
Each of the different mixtures is placed into a mold and approximately 84
It was molded into bars measuring 8 x 2 x 1 cm at a pressure of ¹²⁰⁰ psi. The bars were taste tested by 15 experts. The table above shows 1
Based on a satisfaction rating scale ranging from 1 to 9.
9 indicates that you dislike it extremely, 9 indicates that you like it very much, and 5 indicates that it is acceptable as food. In the table above, the compositions indicate chewiness, again using the same scale, so that 1 is extremely hard, 9 is extremely soft, and 5 is in between, thus indicating the acceptable limit, respectively. Each sample was tested after storage periods of 5, 10, and 30 days, respectively. A similar number of the mixtures described above were compressed into similar rods at a pressure of about 84 Kg/cm ² (1200 psi) without the use of a coating material.
Valid testing was not possible because the rod was unacceptably hard. Note that all percentages used in the above description are by weight.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A method for making compressed fruit bars with a low moisture content that can be eaten directly and is easily chewed, comprising the steps of: cutting the fruit into discrete pieces having a moisture content of greater than 15% by weight; , drying the strips to a moisture content of 6 to 15% by weight; and 1 to 5% by weight of lecithin, modified lecithin,
coating the plurality of coated strips with a material selected from the group consisting of modified starch and methylcellulose so as to be substantially uniformly dispersed on the surface of the dried strips;
A method of making a compressed fruit bar, comprising: compressing with a pressure of 210 kg/cm ² so that the pieces adhere to each other; 2. In the method described in claim 1,
The step of compressing the coated strips is 70
A method of making compressed fruit bars characterized by being made at a pressure of 105Kg/ ^cm2 . 3. In the method described in claim 1,
In the step of coating the strips, lecithin or modified lecithin is added at 2% by weight based on the weight of the strips.
A method of making compressed fruit sticks, which is characterized by using. 4. In the method described in claim 1,
A method for making compressed fruit sticks, characterized in that the step of cutting the fruit into strips is performed so that the longest dimension of the strips is 3.2 to 12.7 mm. 5. In the method described in claim 1,
A method for making compressed fruit bars, characterized in that the step of coating the strips is performed with lecithin extracted from soybeans or modified lecithin.