Provided is food which can meet the visual satisfaction of an eater, and has appropriate hardness for the eater to chew and swallow, such that it can be sufficiently used in foods for eaters having difficulties in chewing and swallowing or reduced digestibility. Softened food, which can meet an easter’s visual satisfaction and be used in foods for eaters having difficulties in chewing and swallowing or reduced digestibility by having appropriate hardness for an eater to chew and swallow, is produced from the foods of the following processes 1) to 3): a process of introducing a lytic enzyme to a raw material for softening, 2) a process of producing food containing the raw material softened in the above process 1), and 3) a process of heating the food obtained in the above process 2) to adjust the physical properties.本發明提供一種食品,係攝食者在視覺上可得到滿足感,並且,具有適合於攝食者的阻嚼、嚥下功能的恰當硬度,並可充分使用做為阻嚼、嚥下困難者用的食品或消化功能減低者用的食品。藉由提供經由下列1)至3)製程的食品做為軟化食品而提供攝食者在視覺上得到滿足感,並且,具有適合於攝食者的阻嚼、嚥下功能的恰當硬度,並可充分使用做為阻嚼、嚥下困難者用的食品或消化功能減低者用的食品。1)在素材中導入分解酶,使軟質化的製程、2)製造含有在上述1)的製程而軟質化的素材的食品的製程、3)將在上述2)的製程所得的食品加熱而調整物性的製程。
