Beverage

Abstract

To provide a beverage with added or enhanced cool feeling.SOLUTION: A beverage contains fencon as much as 10 μg / L or more.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage, a method for producing the same, and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] In alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, refreshing flavors are preferred when consumed, and therefore beverages with a refreshing feel are often required. In particular, effervescent alcoholic beverages and the like often require such a feeling.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a carbon dioxide-containing alcoholic beverage that contains a hop-containing grain fermentation liquid (A), flavor components (B) containing at least sugars, fruit juice, an acidulant, and a flavoring, a foaming agent or a foaming agent and a foam-retaining agent (C), and carbon dioxide (D), and has a grain content of 0.1 to 10% by weight, and has a refreshing feel without upsetting the balance of sourness and sweetness, and has effervescence and foam-retaining properties. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-103954 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, there is room for further improvement in the refreshing sensation of this beverage in order to meet consumer preferences, etc. In this situation, the industry continues to demand the development of new technologies that can impart or enhance the refreshing sensation to beverages.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a beverage having an imparted or enhanced refreshing sensation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the present inventors have conducted extensive research and have found that fenchone, an aroma component, affects the refreshing sensation of beverages. Based on this knowledge, it has been found that by making a beverage containing 10 μg / L or more of fenchone, the refreshing sensation is imparted or enhanced, and the present invention has been completed.

[0008] That is, the present invention is as follows: <1> ~ <9> It is. <1> A beverage containing 10μg / L or more of fenchone. <2> The content of the fenchone is 70 μg / L or more and 1200 μg / L or less; <1> The beverage described in <3> In addition, it contains hexyl acetate at 5 μg / L or more and / or geranyl butyrate at 5 μg / L or more. <1> or <2> The beverage described in <4> It is a fruit-like drink. <1> ~ <3> 13. A beverage according to any one of the preceding claims. <5> A citrus fruit-like beverage, <4> The beverage described in <6> The acidity is 0.1g / 100ml or more. <1> ~ <5> 13. A beverage according to any one of the preceding claims. <7> It is an alcoholic drink, <1> ~ <6> 13. A beverage according to any one of the preceding claims. <8> A method for producing a beverage, comprising a step of containing 10 μg / L or more of fenchone. <9> A method for imparting or enhancing a refreshing sensation in a beverage, comprising adjusting the fenchone content in the beverage to 10 μg / L or more. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, a beverage having an imparted or enhanced refreshing sensation can be provided. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] The present invention will now be described in detail. The present invention relates to a beverage containing 10 μg / L or more of fenchone (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the ``beverage of the present invention''), and a method for producing a beverage including a step of containing 10 μg / L or more of fenchone (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the ``beverage production method of the present invention'').

[0011] The components constituting the beverage according to the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0012] The beverage of the present invention contains fenchone (C 10 H 16 The beverage contains 10 μg / L or more of fenchone (O, CAS No. 1195-79-5). This allows for a beverage to have a refreshing or enhanced feeling. In addition, the beverage can have a blue aroma (greenness) to be imparted or enhanced. Note that fenchone has stereoisomers, and the fenchone content of the beverage according to the present invention is the total content of all stereoisomers.

[0013] As described above, the fenchone content of the beverage of the present invention is 10 μg / L or more, but since this makes it easier for the effects of the present invention to be exerted, the lower limit is preferably 30 μg / L or more, more preferably 50 μg / L or more, even more preferably 70 μg / L or more, even more preferably 80 μg / L or more, even more preferably 90 μg / L or more, and even more preferably 100 μg / L or more. The upper limit is preferably 1500μg / L or less, more preferably 1200μg / L or less, more preferably 1000μg / L or less, more preferably 700μg / L or less, more preferably 500μg / L or less, more preferably 400μg / L or less, more preferably 300μg / L or less, more preferably 250μg / L or less, and more preferably 200μg / L or less. For example, the content of this fenchone is preferably 70μg / L or more and 1200μg / L or less, because the above-mentioned effect is more easily exhibited. The content of this fenchone can be adjusted by using commercially available fenchone (for example, pure product or refined product) or fenchone-containing raw material (fragrance, etc.), and a plurality of these may be used in combination.

[0014] The beverage according to the present invention further contains hexyl acetate (C8H 16 It is more preferable that the beverage contains 5 μg / L or more of geranyl butyrate (C02, CAS No. 142-92-7), because this can impart a sweet, candy-like aroma while maintaining the aforementioned refreshing sensation to a high degree. 14 H 24It is even more preferable for the beverage to contain 5 μg / L or more of O2 (CAS No. 106-29-6). This is because it is possible to impart a mellow vanilla bean-like aroma and a genuine citrus fruit (particularly grapefruit) feel while maintaining the aforementioned refreshing sensation to a high degree. Furthermore, when the beverage according to the present invention is a fruit-like beverage (particularly a citrus fruit-like beverage) described below, it is preferable to have at least one of these configurations, since this makes it easier to achieve the above-mentioned effects. In addition, it is more preferable that the beverage according to the present invention contains 10 μg / L or more of fenchone and contains a predetermined amount or more of hexyl acetate and geranyl butyrate. In particular, when the beverage according to the present invention is a fruit-like alcoholic beverage (e.g., a citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage), the aforementioned refreshing sensation is highly maintained, and in addition to the above effects, the synergistic effect of hexyl acetate and geranyl butyrate can reduce the juiciness and enhance the chuhai sensation.

[0015] In the beverage of the present invention, the content of hexyl acetate is preferably 5 μg / L or more as described above, but the lower limit is more preferably 10 μg / L or more, more preferably 20 μg / L or more, more preferably 30 μg / L or more, more preferably 40 μg / L or more, and more preferably 50 μg / L or more because the synergistic effect with fenchone makes it easier to enhance or maintain the cooling sensation to a high degree. The upper limit is preferably 500 μg / L or less, more preferably 400 μg / L or less, more preferably 300 μg / L or less, more preferably 250 μg / L or less, more preferably 200 μg / L or less, more preferably 150 μg / L or less, more preferably 100 μg / L or less, and more preferably 80 μg / L or less because the overall balance of flavor is easily maintained to a high degree. For example, the hexyl acetate content is more preferably 30 μg / L or more and 200 μg / L or less. The hexyl acetate content can be adjusted by using commercially available hexyl acetate (e.g., pure or refined products) or hexyl acetate-containing raw materials (fragrances, etc.), and a plurality of these may be used in combination.

[0016] In addition, in the beverage of the present invention, the content of geranyl butyrate is preferably 5 μg / L or more as described above, but because the refreshing feeling is more easily enhanced by the synergistic effect with fenchone, the lower limit is more preferably 10 μg / L or more, even more preferably 20 μg / L or more, even more preferably 30 μg / L or more, even more preferably 40 μg / L or more, even more preferably 50 μg / L or more, even more preferably 60 μg / L or more, even more preferably 70 μg / L or more, and even more preferably 80 μg / L or more. The upper limit is preferably 600 μg / L or less, more preferably 500 μg / L or less, more preferably 450 μg / L or less, more preferably 400 μg / L or less, more preferably 350 μg / L or less, and even more preferably 300 μg / L or less, because it is easy to maintain the overall balance of flavor and taste and to make bitterness difficult to be felt. For example, the geranyl butyrate content is more preferably 40 μg / L or more and 400 μg / L or less. The content of geranyl butyrate can also be adjusted by using commercially available geranyl butyrate (for example, pure product or refined product) or geranyl butyrate-containing raw material (flavoring, etc.), and a plurality of these may be used in combination.

[0017] Here, in the beverage of the present invention, since the synergistic effect between fenchone and hexyl acetate or between fenchone and geranyl butyrate is easier to enhance, it is more preferable to adjust the ratio of the above-mentioned hexyl acetate content or geranyl butyrate content to the fenchone content within a predetermined range.In other words, in the beverage of the present invention, if the mass ratio of fenchone to hexyl acetate or geranyl butyrate is adjusted within a predetermined range, its effect is more easily exhibited. Specifically, the mass ratio of fenchone to hexyl acetate (fenchone (μg) / hexyl acetate (μg)) is preferably 0.5 or more, more preferably 1.0 or more, and the upper limit is preferably 5.0 or less, and even more preferably 3.0 or less. The mass ratio of fenchone to geranyl butyrate (fenchone (μg) / geranyl butyrate (μg)) is preferably 0.3 or more, more preferably 0.5 or more, and even more preferably 1.0 or more, and the upper limit is preferably 5.0 or less, and even more preferably 3.0 or less. It is more preferable to satisfy all of these.

[0018] The fenchone content, hexyl acetate content, and geranyl butyrate content in the beverage according to the present invention can all be measured, for example, by GC-MS analysis (gas chromatography mass spectrometry) using the SPME (solid phase microextraction) method.

[0019] The beverage according to the present invention is preferably a fruit-like beverage. In other words, it is preferable that the beverage has a fruit-like flavor. This is because the fruit-like flavor (e.g., fruity flavor, real fruit flavor, etc.) is easily felt in addition to the refreshing sensation. In particular, it is more preferable that the beverage according to the present invention is a citrus-like beverage having a citrus-like flavor. For example, beverages containing fruit-derived components (such as fruit juice, fruit peel, and extracts thereof) and fruit flavorings (fruit-like flavors) are exemplified, and beverages containing a combination of these may also be used. In particular, an embodiment containing citrus juice is preferred.

[0020] Here, the "citrus fruits" refer to citrus fruits such as fragrant citrus fruits (lemon, lime, yuzu, sudachi, kabosu, daidai, shekwasha, etc.), grapefruits, mandarin oranges (unshu mandarin, mandarin orange, ponkan, etc.), oranges (Valencia orange, navel orange, etc.), tangors (iyokan, tankan, etc.), tangerines, pomelo, miscellaneous citrus fruits (summer mandarin, hassaku, dekopon, etc.), or kumquats. The present invention is particularly effective in grapefruit-based fruit-like beverages.

[0021] Furthermore, when fruit juice is used in the beverage according to the present invention, either clear fruit juice or cloudy fruit juice may be used, or a combination of these may be used. Cloudy fruit juice, as used herein, differs from clear fruit juice obtained by subjecting squeezed fruit juice to a clarification process (a process for removing solid components: more specifically, a process for breaking down dietary fibers such as pectin into smaller molecules through enzymatic treatment, followed by removal by filtration or centrifugation) and refers to fruit juice that contains solid components such as peel, or a concentrate, concentrated and reduced solution, or diluted solution thereof, in which dietary fibers such as pectin form a colloid and become cloudy.

[0022] When fruit juice is used in the beverage of the present invention, the usage rate of fruit juice converted into straight fruit juice may be 10 w / w% or less, further 8 w / w% or less, further 7 w / w% or less, further 6 w / w% or less, further 5 w / w% or less, further 4 w / w% or less, or even 3 w / w% or less. The lower limit is, for example, 0.5 w / w% or more, or even 1 w / w% or more. Here, the usage rate of fruit juice converted into straight fruit juice is the ratio of the mass of the fruit juice contained in the beverage converted into straight fruit juice according to JAS (Japanese Agricultural Standards) to the total mass of the beverage. However, the beverage of the present invention is characterized in that the above-mentioned effects can be obtained even if the fruit juice content, calculated as straight fruit juice, is less than 0.5 w / w%, or even if the beverage is a juice-free beverage that contains essentially no fruit juice.

[0023] Furthermore, it is more preferable that the beverage according to the present invention has an acidity of 0.1 g / 100 ml or more. This is because it is possible to improve the drinking response while maintaining a high level of refreshing feeling. In addition, it is easy to obtain a beverage with a certain level of acidity or more while moderately reducing the sourness. This "acidity" is the acidity converted into citric acid (the acidity value converted into the amount of citric acid equivalent), and is a value obtained by the method specified in the Japanese Agricultural Standards for Fruit Drinks (Notification No. 489 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, February 24, 2016). Specifically, the beverage is neutralized by titrating with sodium hydroxide solution (0.1 mol / L), and the "titration amount (ml)" of the sodium hydroxide solution required in the neutralization titration, the "volume (ml)" of the beverage used in the titration, and a constant of "0.0064" (the weight (g) of citric acid equivalent to 1 mL of 0.1 mol / L aqueous sodium hydroxide solution) may be used to calculate.

[0024] The lower limit of the acidity of the beverage according to the present invention is more preferably 0.2 g / 100 ml or more, more preferably 0.3 g / 100 ml or more, even more preferably 0.4 g / 100 ml or more, and even more preferably 0.5 g / 100 ml or more, because the beverage is more likely to have a more favorable drinking experience. The upper limit is more preferably 1.5 g / 100 ml or less, even more preferably 1.0 g / 100 ml or less, even more preferably 0.9 g / 100 ml or less, even more preferably 0.8 g / 100 ml or less, even more preferably 0.7 g / 100 ml or less, and even more preferably 0.6 g / 100 ml or less, because the effects of the present invention are more easily exhibited. The acidity of the beverage according to the present invention can be adjusted by adding fruit juice, acidulants including citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, succinic acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, acetic acid, phosphoric acid, or salts thereof, food ingredients, etc.

[0025] The beverage according to the present invention is preferably an alcoholic beverage, and more preferably an effervescent alcoholic beverage, because the effects of the present invention are more easily achieved. In the case of an alcoholic beverage, the beverage may be either a fermented alcoholic beverage produced through an alcohol fermentation process using yeast (a process in which yeast produces alcohol, a metabolic product, from organic substances such as sugars), or a non-fermented alcoholic beverage produced without an alcohol fermentation process (for example, an alcoholic beverage produced by blending alcoholic beverages such as distilled liquor as a raw material). Here, in the present invention, "alcoholic beverage" refers to a beverage with an alcohol content of 1 v / v% or more, such as alcoholic beverages defined in the Liquor Tax Act (Act No. 63 of 2019) (for example, liqueurs, spirits, fruit wine, sweet fruit wine, other sparkling alcoholic beverages, etc. defined by the Liquor Tax Act). Note that this "alcohol content (v / v%)" is a value measured based on the National Tax Agency's prescribed analytical method (instruction) 3 sake 3-4 alcohol content (vibration density meter method or gas chromatography analysis method) (the same applies below). In addition, in the present invention, "alcohol" refers to ethanol.

[0026] When the beverage according to the present invention is an alcoholic beverage, its alcohol content is 1 v / v% or more, more preferably 2 v / v% or more, even more preferably 3 v / v% or more, and even more preferably 4 v / v% or more. The upper limit is 25 v / v% or less, further 20 v / v% or less, further 15 v / v% or less, further 10 v / v% or less, further 9 v / v% or less, further less than 8 v / v%, and further 7 v / v% or less. For example, the beverage according to the present invention may be an RTD beverage (Ready to drink beverage), which is an alcoholic beverage that can be opened and drunk as is (drinking as is without dilution). This alcohol content can be adjusted by the alcohol content of the alcoholic beverage (distilled alcohol, brewed alcohol, raw material alcohol, etc.) used in the production process, the blending ratio, etc., and in the case of a fermented alcoholic beverage, the alcohol content can also be adjusted by controlling the fermentation conditions of the alcoholic fermentation process. However, the beverage according to the present invention can achieve the above-mentioned effects even if it is a non-alcoholic beverage with an alcohol content of less than 1 v / v %, or even less than 0.05 v / v %.

[0027] In addition, when the beverage according to the present invention is a sparkling beverage (particularly a sparkling alcoholic beverage), the carbon dioxide pressure (with snift) at 20°C is preferably 0.1 MPa or more, more preferably 0.15 MPa or more, and even more preferably 0.2 MPa or more. The upper limit of this carbon dioxide pressure may be 0.5 MPa or less, further 0.45 MPa or less, further 0.4 MPa or less, further 0.35 MPa or less, further 0.3 MPa or less, and further 0.25 MPa or less. Here, "sparkling" means that the carbon dioxide pressure (with snift) at 20°C is 0.05 MPa or more. The carbon dioxide may be derived from carbonated water used as a raw material, or may be imparted to the alcoholic beverage by a carbonation (carbon dioxide injection) process. The carbonation process may be performed in a batch manner, or may be performed continuously in an in-line manner in which a carbon dioxide injection system (carbonator) is incorporated in the piping. Moreover, in order to avoid the occurrence of foaming (bubbling), it is suitable to carry out this carbonation step with the liquid temperature kept at 10° C. or lower (preferably 4° C. or lower). However, the beverage according to the present invention can achieve the above-mentioned effects even if it is a non-sparkling beverage having a carbon dioxide pressure (with sniff) at 20° C. of less than 0.05 MPa.

[0028] In addition, when the beverage according to the present invention is the above-mentioned alcoholic beverage, the extract content is preferably 1.0 w / v% or more, more preferably 2.0 w / v% or more, even more preferably 3.0 w / v% or more, and even more preferably 4.0 w / v% or more, because the drinkability is more likely to be favorable. The upper limit is not limited, but may be 15 w / v% or less, further may be 12 w / v% or less, further may be 10 w / v% or less, further may be 8 w / v% or less, further may be 7 w / v% or less, and further may be 6 w / v% or less. The extract content of the beverage (alcoholic beverage) according to the present invention can be adjusted by adding fruit juice or sugars described later.

[0029] Here, the "extract content" is a value calculated by the following formula (1). (1) Extract content (w / v%) = (SA) x 260 + 0.21 In this formula (1), "S" is the specific gravity (15 / 4°C) of the beverage (alcoholic beverage) of the present invention, and "A" is a value calculated by converting the alcohol content of the beverage (alcoholic beverage) of the present invention to specific gravity (15 / 15°C). The conversion of the alcohol content to specific gravity (15 / 15°C) is performed based on Table 2 of the National Tax Agency's prescribed analytical method (instruction) of Japan, "Alcohol content, density (15°C) and specific gravity (15 / 15°C) conversion table." In addition, during the calculation using this formula, the value is rounded off to the fifth decimal place, and the final value of the extract content is truncated to two decimal places. In addition, the specific gravity (15 / 4°C) of the beverage (alcoholic beverage) of the present invention is calculated by measuring the density at 15°C using a vibration type density meter and dividing the obtained density value by 0.99997.

[0030] The beverage according to the present invention may be a beverage containing a sweetener. The sweetener includes sugars (glucose, fructose, galactose, sucrose, maltose, lactose, oligosaccharides, high fructose glucose liquid sugar, trehalose, etc.), sugar alcohols (xylitol, erythritol, etc.), high-intensity sweeteners (acesulfame K, sucralose, aspartame, stevia, etc.), etc. In particular, when the beverage according to the present invention is an alcoholic beverage, it is preferable to contain sugars, since it is easier to adjust the extract content as described above.

[0031] Furthermore, the beverage according to the present invention is preferably one that contains as an acidulant citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, succinic acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, acetic acid, phosphoric acid, or a salt thereof, since the acidity can be easily adjusted to within a predetermined range and the beverage is easy to drink. In particular, it is more preferable to have the beverage contain citric acid or a citrate salt.

[0032] Furthermore, the beverage according to the present invention may be a beverage containing a flavoring. The flavoring is an additive added to impart or enhance a specific aroma during the manufacturing or processing of food, and may be exemplified by, but not limited to, a fruit flavor (e.g., a citrus fruit flavor). The flavoring may include at least one of the above-mentioned fenchone, hexyl acetate, and geranyl butyrate.

[0033] In addition, in the beverage of the present invention, other salts (sodium chloride, potassium chloride, etc.), phosphoric acid or its salts, alcoholic beverages, carbonated water, water (pure water, etc.), coloring agents (caramel color, gardenia color, fruit juice color, etc.), bittering agents, seasonings (amino acids, etc.), antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, etc.), pH adjusters, emulsifiers, etc. may be optionally used as ingredients, in addition to the above, within the scope that does not significantly affect the effects of the present invention.

[0034] The method for producing a beverage according to the present invention may be any method for producing a beverage, as long as it includes a step of making fenchone contained at 10 μg / L or more, and is not particularly limited, but may further include a step of making hexyl acetate contained at 5 μg / L or more and / or geranyl butyrate contained at 5 μg / L or more. These steps may be in the ranges described above, for example, a step of making the fenchone content 70 μg / L or more and 1200 μg / L or less. The above-mentioned steps may be performed together in one step, or at least one of the steps may be performed in two or more steps. For example, a method of mixing vodka as a base alcoholic beverage with sugar, acidulant, fenchone, carbonated water, etc., adjusting the fenchone content to be within a predetermined range (as a final product), and filtering, sterilizing, etc., if necessary, to produce an alcoholic beverage product is exemplified.

[0035] Furthermore, if necessary, this manufacturing method may include a step of adjusting the acidity to within the above-mentioned range, a step of adjusting the fruit juice usage rate to within the above-mentioned range, a step of adjusting the alcohol content to within the above-mentioned range, a step of adjusting the extract content to within the above-mentioned range, a step of adjusting the mass ratio of fenchone to hexyl acetate or geranyl butyrate to a predetermined range, etc. These steps may also be performed together in one step, or at least one of the steps may be performed in two or more steps.

[0036] The beverage according to the present invention is preferably a packaged beverage in which the product obtained as described above is filled in a metal container (aluminum container, steel container, etc.), a PET bottle container, a glass container, a paper container, a barrel container, etc. By making the beverage into such a packaged beverage, not only is it easy to suppress deterioration of the flavor and the like over time, but it also becomes more convenient in distribution, sales, etc.

[0037] The beverage according to the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration has a refreshing or enhanced feeling. It is also possible to impart a sweet candy-like scent, a mellow vanilla bean-like scent, and a real citrus fruit scent to the beverage.

[0038] The present invention can also be said to provide a method for imparting or enhancing a refreshing sensation to a beverage, characterized by making the fenchone content of the beverage 10 μg / L or more. In other words, it can be said to provide a method for improving the flavor of a beverage. Furthermore, it can also provide a method for imparting or enhancing a refreshing sensation to a beverage, imparting a sweet candy-like aroma, a mellow vanilla bean-like aroma, and a real citrus fruit feel, characterized by making the fenchone content of the beverage 10 μg / L or more, the hexyl acetate content of the beverage 5 μg / L or more, and / or the geranyl butyrate content of the beverage 5 μg / L or more.

[0039] Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described, however, the present invention is not limited to the following examples, and various modifications are possible within the technical concept of the present invention. EXAMPLES

[0040] <Preparation and sensory evaluation of alcoholic beverages I> Using vodka as a base, liquid sugar (fructose glucose liquid sugar), acidulants (citric acid, trisodium citrate), and fenchone were added and mixed, and then carbonated water and pure water were added and mixed to prepare alcoholic beverage samples (Samples 1 to 4) with an alcohol content of 5 v / v%, an acidity of 0.5 g / 100 ml, an extract content of 5 w / v%, a carbon dioxide pressure (with sniff) of 0.2 MPa at 20°C, and a fenchone content as shown in the upper row of Table 1 below.

[0041] Each sample was then subjected to a sensory evaluation by three panelists with trained sensory discrimination abilities for the refreshing sensation, blue aroma (greenness), herbal odor (poultice odor), and overall evaluation as an alcoholic beverage (overall balance of flavor as an alcoholic beverage), using the evaluation criteria shown below.

[0042] [Evaluation criteria for refreshing sensation and blue scent] The cool feeling and blue scent of Sample 1 were both rated as 1 (very weak), and a comparative sensory evaluation was conducted in comparison with Sample 1 on a 5-point scale from 1 (very weak: equivalent to Sample 1) to 5 (very strong).

[0043] [Criteria for evaluating herbal odor] The herbal odor of sample 1 was rated as 1 (very weak), and a comparative sensory evaluation was conducted on a 5-point scale from 1 (very weak: equivalent to sample 1) to 5 (very strong) in comparison with sample 1. Note that the lower the score, the higher the evaluation.

[0044] [Evaluation criteria for overall evaluation of alcoholic beverages] The overall evaluation of the alcoholic beverage (overall balance of aroma and flavor) was made on an absolute scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (good).

[0045] The sensory evaluation results (average evaluation scores of three panelists) are shown in the lower part of Table 1 below. The panelists' comments on each sample are also shown in the lower part of Table 1 below. From these results, it was clear that samples 2 to 4, which contain 100 μg / L or more of fenchone, were imparted with a refreshing sensation. Furthermore, it was clear that a blue scent (green sensation) could also be imparted.

[0046] [Table 1]

[0047] <Preparation and sensory evaluation of alcoholic beverages II> Using vodka as a base, liquid sugar (fructose glucose liquid sugar), acidulant (citric acid, trisodium citrate), fenchone, and hexyl acetate were added and mixed, and then carbonated water and pure water were added and mixed to prepare alcoholic beverage samples (samples 5 to 7) with an alcohol content of 5 v / v%, an acidity of 0.5 g / 100 ml, an extract content of 5 w / v%, a carbon dioxide pressure at 20°C (with snift) of 0.2 MPa, and the fenchone content and hexyl acetate content shown in the upper part of Table 2 below.

[0048] Then, each sample obtained was subjected to a sensory evaluation for its refreshing sensation, blue aroma (greenness), herbal odor (compost odor), and overall evaluation as an alcoholic beverage (overall balance of flavor as an alcoholic beverage) using the same methods and evaluation criteria as in I above. In addition, regarding the sweet, candy-like aroma, each sample was subjected to a sensory evaluation using sample 2 in I above, according to the following evaluation criteria.

[0049] [Evaluation criteria for sweet, candy-like aroma] The sweet, candy-like aroma of sample 2 was rated as 1 (very weak), and a comparative sensory evaluation was conducted in comparison with sample 2 on a five-point scale from 1 (very weak: equivalent to sample 2) to 5 (very strong).

[0050] The sensory evaluation results (average evaluations by three panelists) are shown in the lower part of Table 2 below. The panelists' comments on each sample are also shown in the lower part of Table 2 below. From these results, it became clear that samples 5 to 7, which contain 100 μg / L of fenchone and 50 μg / L or more of hexyl acetate, maintained or improved the refreshing feeling and blue scent (greenness) and also imparted a sweet candy-like scent. In addition, these samples had a fruity or grapefruit-like feel despite not using any fruit juice.

[0051] [Table 2]

[0052] <Preparation and Sensory Evaluation of Alcoholic Beverages III> Using vodka as a base, liquid sugar (fructose glucose liquid sugar), acidulant (citric acid, trisodium citrate), fenchone, and geranyl butyrate were added and mixed, and then carbonated water and pure water were added and mixed to prepare alcoholic beverage samples (samples 8 to 10) with an alcohol content of 5 v / v%, an acidity of 0.5 g / 100 ml, an extract content of 5 w / v%, a carbon dioxide pressure at 20°C (with sniff) of 0.2 MPa, and fenchone content and geranyl butyrate content as shown in the upper row of Table 3 below.

[0053] Then, each sample obtained was subjected to a sensory evaluation for its refreshing sensation, blue aroma (greenness), herbal odor (compost odor), and overall evaluation as an alcoholic beverage (overall balance of flavor as an alcoholic beverage) using the same methods and evaluation criteria as in I above. In addition, each sample was subjected to a sensory evaluation of the rich vanilla bean-like aroma and the authentic feel of grapefruit fruit (the authentic feel of grapefruit fruit including the bitterness and the feel of the peel) using sample 2 from I above, according to the evaluation criteria shown below.

[0054] [Evaluation criteria for vanilla bean-like rich aroma and grapefruit fruit authenticity] The rich vanilla bean-like aroma and the authentic grapefruit flavor of Sample 2 were both rated as 1 (very weak), and a comparative sensory evaluation was conducted in comparison with Sample 2 on a 5-point scale from 1 (very weak: equivalent to Sample 1) to 5 (very strong).

[0055] The sensory evaluation results (average evaluations by three panelists) are shown in the lower part of Table 3 below. The panelists' comments on each sample are also shown in the lower part of Table 3 below. From these results, it became clear that samples 8 to 10, which contain 100 μg / L of fenchone and 50 μg / L or more of geranyl butyrate, have improved refreshing sensation and blue aroma (greenness), and have a mellow vanilla bean-like aroma, and further have the feeling of real grapefruit fruit, even though no fruit juice is used. Additionally, samples 9 and 10 also had an enhanced citrus fruit feel.

[0056] [Table 3]

[0057] <Preparation of alcoholic beverages and sensory evaluation IV> Fenchone was added and mixed into a commercially available citrus fruit-like alcoholic beverage (sample 11) containing citrus juice to prepare an alcoholic beverage sample (sample 12) having an alcohol content of 5 v / v%, an acidity of 0.5 g / 100 ml, an extract content of 7 w / v%, and a carbon dioxide pressure (with snifting) of 0.2 MPa at 20°C, and the fruit juice usage rate (citrus juice usage rate), fenchone content, hexyl acetate content, and geranyl butyrate content are shown in the upper part of Table 4 below.

[0058] Then, for each of the obtained samples, a comparative sensory evaluation was conducted using the same methods and criteria as in I above for the refreshing sensation, blue aroma (greenness), herbal odor (compost odor), and overall evaluation as an alcoholic beverage (overall balance of flavor as an alcoholic beverage). The refreshing sensation, blue aroma, and herbal odor of sample 11 were all set to 1, and the evaluations were made in comparison with sample 11.

[0059] The sensory evaluation results (average evaluations by three panelists) are shown in the lower part of Table 4 below. The panelists' comments on each sample are also shown in the lower part of Table 4 below. From these results, it was clear that sample 12, which contains 100 μg / L of fenchone, 68 μg / L of hexyl acetate, and 94 μg / L of geranyl butyrate, was given a refreshing feeling and a blue fragrance (green feeling). It also gave a fresh feeling. In addition, due to the synergistic effect of fenchone, hexyl acetate, and geranyl butyrate, not only the grapefruit feeling was enhanced, but the juice feeling was further reduced, and the chuhai feeling was enhanced. Furthermore, the sourness (sourness) was also reduced. On the other hand, sample 11, which contains 0.1 μg / L of fenchone, had almost no refreshing feeling or blue fragrance (green feeling).

[0060] [Table 4]

Claims

1. It contains 10 μg / L or more of fencone and has an acidity of 0.1 g / 100 ml or more. Beverages.

2. Furthermore, the beverage according to claim 1 contains 5 μg / L or more of hexyl acetate and / or 5 μg / L or more of geranyl butyrate.

3. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fencone content is 50 μg / L or more and 1500 μg / L or less.

4. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, which is a fruit-like beverage.

5. The beverage according to claim 4, which is a citrus fruit-like beverage.

6. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the acidity is 0.3 g / 100 ml or more.

7. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, which is an alcoholic beverage.

8. The beverage according to claim 2, which contains 20 μg / L or more of the hexyl acetate.

9. The beverage according to claim 2, which contains 20 μg / L or more of the geranyl butyrate.

10. A method for producing a beverage, comprising the steps of: adding a fencone concentration of 10 μg / L or more; and adjusting the acidity to 0.1 g / 100 ml or more.

11. A method for imparting or enhancing a refreshing sensation in a beverage, characterized by having a fencone content of 10 μg / L or more and an acidity of 0.1 g / 100 ml or more.