Abstract: In a state where food ingredients, degradative enzymes, and liquid seasonings are housed and sealed in a hard vessel, it has become possible to develop food products packaged in the hard vessel for normal temperature distribution or chilled distribution by a method of carrying out all of the steps inside the hard vessel, which method comprises carrying out an enzyme impregnation step and an enzymatic reaction step by heating and carrying out an enzyme deactivation step and sterilization step by continuous heating; or by a method of carrying out, after introducing the degradative enzyme into the food ingredient, some steps of enzymatic reaction step, enzyme deactivation step, and sterilization step inside the hard vessel.

Abstract: A process for producing a food is disclosed. The food material is contacted with a degradative enzyme and any one or more of a thickener in a non-solvated state, microorganism which generates a viscous material, nutritious substance and seasoning according to need. Then, a pressure treatment is performed followed by cooking after softening the food material by the action of the degradative enzyme. The process may be carried out in a packaging material for vacuum packaging such that the food retains the shape, color, taste, and flavor of the food material and includes the degradative enzyme inside the vacuum packaging uniformly.

Abstract: The present invention can efficiently and readily produce in a short time a matured food which is softened while retaining the original shape of the food material and in which a person who has difficulty in chewing and swallowing can also recognize what food is taken and take the food with a sense of satisfaction. In particular, the present invention can produce a matured food, in which mainly the connective tissue protein in an animal food material is degraded, the degree of the degradation is adjusted and the elasticity is reduced, so that the taste can be improved.

Abstract: The present invention retains the original shape, color, taste, flavor and texture, suppresses liquating out nutritional contents, can easily adjust the hardness of a food, can efficiently manufacture a processed food which uses a wide variety of food materials, can preserve by suppressing microbial deterioration due to its hygienic manufacture, and can easily and manufacture a processed food in a short period of time, wherein the food is capable of supplying nutritious substance according to need. The method of manufacturing a food of the present invention including bringing either one or both of a thickener in a non-solvated state and microorganism which generates a viscous material into contact with the surface of a food material, and performing a pressure treatment, such that the food retains the shape of the food material and uniformly includes either one or both of a thickener in a non-solvated state and microorganism which generates a viscous material inside.