Abstract
Shimi-Mochi is a preserved food that has been eaten as daily food since the Kamakura era, especially in the Tohoku area.
The temperature-time characteristics of the internal part of traditional Shimi-Mochi were measured every 60 sec during the process of freeze drying. The results show that the temperature range for producing Shimi-Mochi was extremely limited and that the process of drying with repeated freezing and thawing was indispensable. Measurements were taken of the weight, volume and textural characteristics, an analysis was made of the internal structural image, and a sensory evaluation of traditional Shimi-Mochi was conducted, and the results were compared with those for common mochi. Many vacant spaces were revealed in the internal structure of Shimi-Mochi, and numerical values showed that the texture after cooking was retained with storage time.
