The miracle of food micro-industry: the rise of capsule technology, powdered liquor, and high-quality imitation artificial seafood.

The function of capsules. Encapsulating liquids into capsules to solidify them prevents oxidation and stabilizes volatile and perishable substances. Previously, capsules were widely used in pharmaceuticals such as vitamins and in health foods as nutritional supplements. Artificial caviar is also a capsule-based food. Many candies, chewing gums, and mouthwashes are also produced using encapsulation technology.

Capsules with a size between 1 micrometer and a few millimeters are called microcapsules. These microcapsules are also used in the food industry. Oils, when mixed directly with other ingredients, are highly susceptible to oxidation during storage. Encapsulating oils in microcapsules prevents oxidation by isolating them from air and also improves mixing with other ingredients. In instant noodles, when soup is added and heated, the oil dissolves from the microcapsules made of gelatin and other materials.

Fried tofu, fried shrimp, and other fried foods are popular and delicious, but making them at home involves many hassles, such as the risk of fire, oil splattering, and the disposal of used oil. Therefore, many families avoid them. However, if oil is microencapsulated and frozen, it can be easily heated to taste just like fried food. Such foods are already commercially available; simply buy them and heat them in a microwave or oven to enjoy this delicious fried treat at home.

After being encapsulated, sauces and seasoning oils become much easier to process. Furthermore, the capsules themselves can be colored or flavored. Solid ethanol. Since the invention of instant noodles in 1950, convenience foods have become popular, with various beverages and foods being made into convenient versions. Liquid foods such as juice, coffee, broth, and sauces, after being powdered, become convenience foods and are widely sold in the market.

Alcohol is one of the oldest liquid foods. From brewed wines to later distilled spirits and liqueurs, its consumption worldwide is enormous. However, the essence of alcoholic beverages is ethanol, a volatile substance, making it seem impossible to powder them. Sato Foods Industries discovered that by adding dextrin to a mixture of water and ethanol and then spray-drying it, the ethanol becomes less volatile, thus allowing the production of ethanol-containing powders. For example, in the production of whiskey-type powdered spirits, dissolving 650 grams of dextrin in 1000 grams of a mixture containing 40% ethanol and 60% water, followed by spray drying, yields 500 grams of whiskey powder containing 35% ethanol, 3% water, and 62% dextrin.

Adding water to this powder, while giving it a slightly sweet dextrin flavor, instantly transforms it into a whiskey-flavored drink. Before the invention of powdered spirits, the liquor tax law defined alcohol as a beverage containing 1% or more ethanol. After the invention of powdered spirits, the liquor tax law was amended in 1981 to include powdered substances that, when dissolved, become beverages containing 1% or more ethanol. Thus, powdered spirits were officially recognized as a type of alcoholic beverage. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Sato Foods Co., Ltd. developed various types of powdered spirits and launched them on the market.

Many natural seasonings contain ethanol or other volatile aroma components. Cooking wine has been used in cooking since ancient times. Therefore, this ethanol-containing powder can also be used in other processed foods. Adding powdered ethanol-fermented seasonings to various powdered convenience foods can enhance their flavor. Adding powdered ethanol-fermented seasonings to seafood can also enhance their flavor. It's common to add a touch of whiskey, brandy, or liqueur to black tea and desserts to enhance their aroma.

By using various powdered spirits or flavorings, delicious food can be easily produced. LL milk powder, which can be stored at room temperature for a relatively long time, is aseptically filled and packaged by heating it to 135-150°C for a few seconds before packaging to achieve complete sterility, and then aseptically filling it into sterilized containers. However, if the shelf life exceeds 3 months, it will gel (solidify into a tofu-like consistency), therefore it cannot be stored indefinitely. This technology is also widely used in liquid foods other than fruit juices.

For solid foods like rice cakes and cheese slices, achieving complete sterility is difficult; therefore, only near-sterility can be achieved, followed by aseptic packaging. Such foods are called commercially aseptically packaged foods. Currently, commercially available aseptically packaged foods include not only milk powder but also pudding, fruit juices, sake, soft cream, ham slices, and smoked meat slices, as well as large packages of tomato juice and mixed ice cream. Although the percentage of aseptically packaged foods is still relatively low, and preservatives are generally avoided, aseptically packaged foods are expected to develop rapidly in the future.

Artificial foods are foods made using substitute ingredients, and their taste and appearance are very similar to the original natural foods. Some are also made into nutritionally ideal artificial foods with low calories and low cholesterol. Artificial crab meat is an example. China is a major producer of sea crabs. In 1958, due to the deterioration of Sino-Japanese relations and the disruption of trade, it became impossible to import sea crabs from China. Therefore, seafood processing plants on the Noto Peninsula began researching artificial crab meat to meet the needs of seafood retailers.

By adding alginic acid extracted from seaweed to a calcium chloride solution and processing it, a substance resembling crab meat can be obtained. Inspired by this, in 1974, extracts from kelp and bonito were used to give the base a crab flavor. The surface was then colored with red pigment obtained from red yeast rice, and after steaming, artificial crab meat (crab-flavored cake) was created. When marketed as "crab legs," it sold extremely well. Artificial crab meat has a lower cholesterol concentration than natural crab meat, and because natural crabs are difficult to catch, it commands a high price on the international market.

Since its development, this food has been a success in the food industry for 30 years, with consistently strong sales. It began exporting to the United States in 1976, but due to its popularity as a healthy seafood, it is now also manufactured in the United States and South Korea. Artificial scallops are a food product made from fish meat that resembles dried scallops. It is made primarily from frozen pollock meat and has fibrous texture similar to dried scallops. Because of its high fibrous content and flour coating, it is easily fried.

Processed caviar. Natural caviar is made from the roe of various fish, including mullet, cod, and others, and is quite expensive. Therefore, cheaper shark roe and cod roe are used, along with food additives primarily consisting of chemical flavorings, to create a product that mimics natural caviar. This is processed caviar. Processed caviar has a delicious flavor and costs only about 1/5 the price of natural caviar. Because it is vacuum-packed, it can be stored at room temperature for 1-2 months. Artificial caviar is made by adding vegetable oil to capsules made from polysaccharides.

This polysaccharide is extracted from seaweed. At first glance, this artificial caviar looks exactly like natural caviar, but it can be distinguished by its different taste and lack of fishy smell. Its advantages include low calorie content and no cholesterol. It is a substitute for Russian caviar. Russian caviar is made from sturgeon roe. The substitute is a replica of natural Russian caviar made by dyeing the roe of salmon, cod, herring, flounder, carp, etc., with black or brown pigments, and adding seasonings and benzoic acid (a preservative).

This imitation looks exactly like caviar made from sturgeon roe, but the taste is far inferior. Dried willow roe is shaped and processed into the form of dried herring roe. Although it becomes egg-like after absorbing water, its golden color is similar to that of herring roe. After processing, it becomes a shaped fish egg similar to dried herring roe.