JPH02227061A - Packaged food composition - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a packed food composition absorbing excess moisture in a dessicant and getting crispy feel of in case of re-heating for consuming the food by simultaneously packing the food and the dessicant. CONSTITUTION: The food suitable for chilling or deeply freezing a meat product sticking butter or fluor, pancake, gratin, pie or filled bakery product and to be crispy after reheating for consuming one part of food or the whole food and the dessicant of silica gel or calcium chloride in 5-80wt.% as a weight reference allowable for this food are directly contacted or the both is packed in a material air-tight to steam while capsuling this dessicant in a fine porous plastic sheet permeable for steam but non-permeable for the particles of the dessicant.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Industrial applications The present invention relates to packaging compositions containing food products and desiccants.

A major problem with tilted or frozen foods, such as coated or coated fish products, where part or all of the product must be broken up after heating for consumption. is the transfer of moisture from a part of the product with a high moisture content to a part with a low moisture content during storage, for example from fish or meat to the coating of frozen or tilt-coated fish or meat parts. When these products are heated in an oven for consumption, they develop an undesirable mushy state, and this problem is particularly acute when heated in a microwave oven. Microwave ovens do not produce chewy, brown products;
Parts of the product that are loose and require crunching become soft and mushy. Although it is possible to burst or brown the product using special susceptors or browning dishes in microwave ovens, this is not only inconvenient and expensive for the consumer, but can also create problems and dangers. .

Means to solve the problem When food is then reheated for consumption, it is not placed in the parts of the food that should retain a low moisture content, but at the same time as these foods in order to allow the desiccant to absorb excess moisture. It has been found that a very desirable chewy texture can be obtained when packaging the desiccant.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a packaged food composition comprising a package containing three food products and a desiccant agent.

The food product may be any processed food product suitable for deep freezing or chilling where part or all of the food product must be broken up in order to be consumed, especially after heating in a microwave oven. Examples of suitable foods are battered and breaded products (
coated products such as fish, poultry, meat), pancakes, gratins, pies and stuffed bakery products.

In addition to batters and breadcrumbs, suitable coating materials are, for example, pasta, rice and cheese (eg gratin).

The edible desiccant may be any food-acceptable desiccant, such as silica gel, preferably in finely divided form, calcium chloride glucomannan, sodium acrylate, silicon dioxide, bentonite, or absorb water during storage to form a true source. Like a specially crafted sauce premix,
Other foods may act as desiccant agents themselves. The amount of desiccant can vary widely depending on a number of factors such as desiccant type, product type, storage temperature, and desired shelf life. Generally the amount of desiccant is from 5 to 80% by weight, more commonly from 10 to 60% by weight, based on the weight of the food product.

The desiccant can be in direct contact with the food product within the package, or it can be encapsulated in a microporous plastic sheet having a pore size that is permeable to water vapor but impermeable to the desiccant particles. Such microporous plastic materials are well known to those skilled in the art and can be made from a variety of plastic materials, such as polyolefins, vinyl polymers, polyamides, polyurethanes or polyesters.

If desired, the food can be separated from the desiccant within the package by wrapping the food in a protective envelope, such as sandwich paper.

The food product can be packaged in any conventional packaging suitable for storage under tilt or deep freeze conditions with a desiccant or, if necessary, subsequent reheating in a microwave oven. The packaging should be water vapor tight and may be a bag made of materials such as polyurethane, polyolefin, polyester or polyamide.

The packaged food composition after sealing has a storage temperature of 10°C or less,
- layer It is generally preferred to tilt or deep freeze at +8° to -30°C.

The following section further describes the invention.

Example 1 A breaded cod piece weighing 100 g and 30 g of fine silica gel (average particle size 0.5
~4 mm) was deep frozen and packaged in packaging suitable for deep freezing.

The package was heat sealed and stored in the freezer for 3 months, then the coated cod pieces were thawed and heated in a microwave oven for consumption. The heated product had a desirable crunchy texture.

Example 2 Multiple crumb-shaped breaded chicken parts weighing 190 g were packaged in a plastic bag made from polyester together with 60 g of silica gel in a microporous polyolefin pouch permeable only to water vapor.

The packages were heat sealed and after 10 weeks of storage in the freezer the coated chicken pieces were thawed and reheated in a microwave oven. The cooked product had a chewy coating, while the chicken meat was juicy and had a good texture.

Claims (10)

[Claims] (1) A packaged food composition comprising a packaged product containing a food and a desiccant. 2. The packaged food composition of claim 1, wherein the food is suitable for chilling or deep freezing, in which case part or all of the food must remain crisp after being heated for consumption. (3) The packaged food composition of claim 1, wherein the food product is a battered or breaded meat, fish or poultry product, pancake, gratin, pie or stuffed bakery product. (4) The packaged food composition according to claim 1, wherein the desiccant is silica gel. (5) The packaged food composition according to claim 1, wherein the amount of desiccant is 5 to 80% by weight based on the weight of the food. (6) The packaged food composition of claim 1, wherein the desiccant is in fine particulate form. 7. The packaged food composition of claim 1, wherein the desiccant is encapsulated in a microporous plastic sheet that is permeable to water vapor but impermeable to desiccant particles. (8) The packaging shall be manufactured from materials that are airtight against water vapor;
The packaged food composition according to claim 1. 9. The packaged food composition of claim 1, wherein the packaging is suitable for subsequent reheating in a microwave oven. (10) The packaged food composition according to claim 1, which is tilted or deep frozen.