Room-temperature-storable container-packed liquid food / drink, method for producing same, and container for room-temperature storage of liquid food / drink

Abstract

To provide a container-packed liquid food and drink excellent in preservability of the liquid food and drink even in long-term preservation at normal temperature.SOLUTION: A container-packed liquid food / drink storable at room temperature, comprising a vessel and a liquid food / drink filled in the vessel, wherein the vessel has a bottomed cylindrical shape, and when an area (mm2) of a top surface of the liquid food / drink in the vessel is A1, and an area (mm2) of a bottom surface of the liquid food / drink is A2, a ratio represented by A1 / A2 exceeds 1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a container-packed liquid food or drink that can be stored at room temperature, a method for producing the same, and a container for storing the liquid food or drink at room temperature. [Background technology]

[0002] Packaged dairy drinks are generally stored refrigerated, although some are stored at room temperature. BACKGROUND ART As containers for bottled milk drinks that can be stored at room temperature, for example, rectangular parallelepiped paper containers made of a laminated sheet having a paper base layer and an aluminum foil layer are used (Non-Patent Documents 1 to 4). [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0003] [Non-Patent Document 1] Milk Science, Vol.53, No.3 2004, pp.169-173 [Non-patent document 2] https: / / www.choi-stock-raku.com / [Non-patent document 3] https: / / www.cao.go.jp / consumer / doc / 101213_shiryou1-6.pdf [Non-patent document 4] https: / / nyukyou.jp / dairyqa / 2107_013_464 / Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for bottled milk beverages that can be stored at room temperature, and there is also a desire for a longer shelf life. However, conventional containerized milk beverages generally have inferior shelf life when stored at room temperature compared to when stored refrigerated, and when containerized milk beverages are stored at room temperature for long periods of time, there tends to be greater differences in the appearance, flavor, properties, etc. of the milk beverage before and after storage compared to when stored refrigerated for the same period of time.

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a containerized liquid food or drink that has excellent shelf life even when stored at room temperature for long periods of time, a container for storing liquid food or drink at room temperature, and a manufacturing method for obtaining a containerized liquid food or drink that has excellent shelf life even when stored at room temperature for long periods of time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention has the following aspects. [1] A container-packed liquid food or drink that can be stored at room temperature, comprising a container and a liquid food or drink filled in the container, The container is a cylindrical container with a bottom, and the area of ​​the top surface of the liquid food or drink in the container (mm 2 ) is A1, the area of ​​the bottom of the liquid food or drink (mm 2 ) is A2, the ratio A1 / A2 exceeds 1. [2] A container-packed liquid food or beverage according to [1], wherein the capacity of the container is 150 mL or more. [3] A container-packed liquid food or beverage according to [1] or [2], wherein the container has a plastic base material. [4] The container-packed liquid food or beverage described in [3], wherein the container further has an oxygen barrier layer. [5] The container-packed liquid food or beverage described in [4], wherein the oxygen barrier layer has a thickness of 25 μm or more. [6] The container-packed liquid food or drink according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the liquid food or drink is a milk drink. [7] A method for producing a container-packed liquid food or drink that can be stored at room temperature, in which a sterilized liquid food or drink is filled into a container in a sterile environment, The container is a cylindrical container with a bottom, and the area of ​​the top surface of the liquid food or drink in the container (mm 2 ) is A1, the area of ​​the bottom of the liquid food or drink (mm 2 ) is A2, the ratio A1 / A2 exceeds 1. [8] The method for producing a container-packed liquid food or beverage described in [7], wherein the capacity of the container is 150 mL or more. [9] A method for producing a container-packed liquid food or beverage according to [7] or [8], wherein the container has a plastic base material.

[10] The method for producing a container-packed liquid food or beverage described in [9], wherein the container further has an oxygen barrier layer.

[11] The method for producing a container-packed liquid food or beverage according to

[10] , wherein the oxygen barrier layer has a thickness of 25 μm or more.

[12] The method for producing a container-packed liquid food or drink according to any one of [7] to

[11] , wherein the liquid food or drink is a milk drink.

[13] A container for storing liquid food and drink at room temperature, The container is cylindrical with a bottom, and the area of ​​the top surface of the liquid food or drink when the container is filled with a specified amount of the liquid food or drink (mm 2 ) is A1, the area of ​​the bottom of the liquid food or drink (mm 2 ) is A2, the ratio A1 / A2 exceeds 1.

[14] The container according to

[13] , having a capacity of 150 mL or more.

[15] The container according to

[13] or

[14] , having a plastic substrate.

[16] The container according to

[15] , further comprising an oxygen barrier layer.

[17] The container according to

[16] , wherein the oxygen barrier layer has a thickness of 25 μm or more.

[18] The container according to any one of

[13] to

[17] , wherein the liquid food or drink is a milk drink. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide containerized liquid foods and beverages that have excellent shelf life even when stored at room temperature for long periods of time, containers for storing liquid foods and beverages at room temperature, and a manufacturing method for obtaining containerized liquid foods and beverages that have excellent shelf life even when stored at room temperature for long periods of time. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a container-packed liquid food or beverage according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the containers (plastic cup containers, paper cup containers) used in Test Example 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a paper container with a cap used in Test Example 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In this specification, a liquid food or drink is a drink or food that is liquid at room temperature. Normal temperature is a temperature above 10°C that does not exceed the outside air temperature in summer, and particularly refers to a temperature between 10 and 30°C. Volumes are at 20°C unless otherwise specified. The symbol "~" used in a range of values ​​includes the lower and upper limits.

[0010] (Containerized liquid food and drink that can be stored at room temperature) The container-packed liquid food or drink of the present invention has a container and a liquid food or drink packed in the container, and is storable at room temperature.

[0011] The container is cylindrical with a bottom. The area of ​​the top surface of the liquid food or drink in the container (mm 2 ) is A1, the area of ​​the bottom of the liquid food and drink (mm 2 ) is A2, the ratio represented by A1 / A2 (hereinafter also referred to simply as "A1 / A2") exceeds 1. When A1 / A2 exceeds 1, the liquid food or drink has excellent shelf life even when stored at room temperature for a long period of time, and the appearance, properties, and flavor of the liquid food or drink are less likely to deteriorate even when stored at room temperature for a long period of time. A1 / A2 is preferably 1.1 or more, more preferably 1.2 or more, and even more preferably 1.3 or more. In terms of storage stability, the larger A1 / A2 is the better, and although there is no particular upper limit, it is preferably 3 or less, more preferably 2.5 or less, and even more preferably 2 or less. The above lower limit and the above upper limit can be combined as appropriate. A1 / A2 can be adjusted depending on the shape of the container, the amount of liquid food or beverage filled, etc.

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the container-packed liquid food or drink of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a container-packed liquid food or drink according to this embodiment, in which reference numeral 1 denotes the container-packed liquid food or drink, reference numeral 2 denotes the container, and reference numeral 3 denotes the liquid food or drink.

[0013] The container 2 is cup-shaped and has a bottom wall 21 and a peripheral wall 22 that rises from the periphery of the bottom wall 21. The bottom wall 21 and the peripheral wall 22 are integrally formed. An opening of the container 2 is formed by the upper edge of the peripheral wall 22. The opening of the container 2 is sealed with a sheet-like sealing material 4. A fringe 23 is provided at the upper edge of the peripheral wall 22, protruding radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall 22. The peripheral wall 22 and the fringe 23 are integrally formed. The lower surface of the sealing material 4 is fixed to the upper surface of the fringe 23.

[0014] The bottom wall 21 is circular in top view. The bottom wall 21 has an annular peripheral portion in top view and a bulging portion located inside the peripheral portion. The bulging portion bulges upward from the peripheral portion. When the container-packed liquid food or beverage 1 in the container 2 is placed on a flat surface, the peripheral portion of the bottom wall 21 comes into contact with the flat surface. The area of ​​the surface of the bottom wall 21 that comes into contact with the liquid food or beverage 3 is equal to the area A2 of the bottom surface 3b of the liquid food or beverage 3.

[0015] The inner diameter of the peripheral wall 22 gradually increases from the lower end toward the vicinity of the upper end of the peripheral wall 22. The inner diameter of the peripheral wall 22 from the vicinity of the upper end to the upper end is approximately the same. In this embodiment, the vicinity of the upper end is the position of the top surface 3 a of the liquid food or drink 3 in the container 2 . In the cross section at the position of the top surface 3a, the area of ​​the region surrounded by the peripheral wall 22 is equal to the area A1 of the top surface 3a of the liquid food or beverage 3. Between the lower end and the vicinity of the upper end of the peripheral wall 22, the inclination angle of the peripheral wall 22 with respect to the central axis P of the container 2 is, for example, 1 to 6°. A1 / A2 can be adjusted by the inclination angle.

[0016] The capacity of the container 2 is preferably 150 mL or more, more preferably 200 mL or more. There is no particular upper limit to the capacity of the container 2, but it is, for example, 2000 mL or less, or even 1500 mL or less. The above lower limit and upper limit can be combined as appropriate.

[0017] The container 2 may be, for example, a container having a plastic substrate (hereinafter also referred to as a "plastic container") or a container having a paper substrate (hereinafter also referred to as a "paper container"). Examples of plastics that can be used for the plastic substrate include polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which can be used alone or in combination of two or more. The thickness of the plastic substrate is, for example, 1500 to 4000 μm. The thickness of the paper substrate is, for example, 1500 to 4000 μm.

[0018] The plastic container and the paper container each preferably have an oxygen barrier layer. The oxygen barrier layer can prevent the dissolved oxygen concentration of the liquid food or drink in the container from increasing during storage. Examples of the oxygen barrier layer include a layer containing at least one material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, iron, silica, ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), and polyvinylidene chloride. In the case of a plastic container, the oxygen barrier layer is preferably an EVOH layer or an aluminum layer, more preferably an EVOH layer, because they are easy to mold.

[0019] The thickness of the oxygen barrier layer is, for example, 10 μm or more, preferably 20 μm or more, and more preferably 25 μm or more. When the thickness of the oxygen barrier layer is 25 μm or more, the shelf life of the liquid food or drink is better even when stored at room temperature for a long period of time. In particular, when the liquid food or drink contains fat, floating of fat during long-term storage at room temperature can be suppressed. The upper limit of the thickness of the oxygen barrier layer is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 50 μm.

[0020] The oxygen permeability of the oxygen barrier layer is 1 mL / (m 2 24h atm) or less is preferable. 2 When the oxygen permeability of the oxygen barrier layer is equal to or less than the upper limit, the shelf life of the liquid food or beverage is improved even when stored at room temperature for a long period of time. In particular, when the liquid food or beverage contains fat, floating of the fat during long-term storage at room temperature can be suppressed. The oxygen permeability of the oxygen barrier layer is measured using a MOCON oxygen permeability measuring device OX-TRAN in accordance with JIS K7126-2.

[0021] The plastic container and the paper container may each further have layers other than the plastic substrate, the paper substrate, and the oxygen barrier layer. The other layer may be, for example, a polyethylene layer.

[0022] An example of the layer structure of a plastic container is a structure in which, from the side that will become the inside surface of the container, a layer of a mixture of impact-resistant PS (HIPS) and heat-resistant PS, an EVOH layer, and a layer of a mixture of HIPS and heat-resistant PS are laminated. These layers may be laminated directly or via an adhesive layer. An example of the layer structure of a paper container is a structure in which a polyethylene layer, an aluminum foil layer, a polyethylene layer, a paper base layer, and a polyethylene layer are laminated in this order from the side that will become the inner surface of the container.

[0023] The sealing material 4 may be, for example, a laminated sheet in which a sealant layer and a base layer are laminated in this order from the side that will become the inner surface of the container. The base layer may be, for example, only aluminum foil, or may be a multi-layer including a film. The thickness of the sealing material 4 is, for example, 40 to 150 μm.

[0024] The liquid food or drink 3 may be a beverage or a food. Examples of beverages include milk drinks, soft drinks, etc. Examples of foods include gel foods, jelly-like foods, dessert foods, etc., which are beverages to which a coagulant such as agar or gelatin has been added. The liquid food and drink 3 is preferably a beverage, more preferably a milk beverage.

[0025] A milk drink is a milk drink as defined in Article 2, Paragraph 41 of the Order on the Compositional Standards of Milk and Dairy Products (hereinafter referred to as the "Milk Order"), which contains 3.0% or more milk solids by mass. Examples of ingredients used in dairy beverages include milk and dairy products specified in the Milk and Other Products Ordinance, such as raw milk, cow's milk, skim milk, part-skim milk, concentrated milk, concentrated skim milk, unsweetened condensed skim milk, unsweetened condensed skim milk, sweetened condensed milk, sweetened condensed skim milk, whole milk powder, skim milk powder, sweetened milk powder, whey, whey protein concentrate (WPC), whey protein isolate (WPI), whey powder, whole milk protein concentrate whey powder (TMP), cream, cream powder, butter, butter oil, buttermilk powder, and cheese, but are not limited to these.

[0026] The dairy beverage may further contain other ingredients other than milk and dairy products. Examples of other ingredients include sweeteners, coffee ingredients, tea ingredients, fruit juice, etc.

[0027] The coffee ingredient may be, for example, coffee beans or ingredients derived from coffee beans. The coffee beans may be processed by selection, roasting, grinding, etc. Examples of coffee bean-derived raw materials include coffee extract and instant coffee. Coffee extract is obtained, for example, by extracting coffee beans. Specifically, the coffee extract may be green coffee bean extract obtained by extracting green coffee beans, or roasted coffee bean extract obtained by extracting roasted coffee beans with hot water. As a method for extracting coffee beans, for example, a known extraction method can be applied, such as a drip method using paper or flannel, a boiling method, an espresso method, or a siphon method, but is not particularly limited to these. The variety of coffee beans is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica. Coffee bean producing regions include Brazil, Colombia, Tanzania, Mocha, Mandheling, Blue Mountain, and Guatemala. These coffee beans may be one or more types, or multiple types or beans from multiple origins may be blended. The roasting degree (L) of the coffee beans is not particularly limited, but an L of about 15 to 20 is preferred.

[0028] The tea-based raw material may be tea leaves or an extract obtained by extracting tea leaves. Examples of tea leaves include the leaves and stems of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis), an evergreen shrub of the Theaceae family. Other examples of tea leaves include raw materials for non-tea drinks such as barley tea, buckwheat tea, herbal tea, yerba mate tea, and corn tea, specifically roasted barley seeds, buckwheat seeds, dried herbs, yerba mate leaves, and corn seeds. Additionally, examples of tea leaves include raw materials for flower teas such as jasmine tea, specifically tea leaves that have absorbed the scent of jasmine flowers. There are various types of tea leaves depending on the tea-making method, such as roasting and fermentation, and all of these types can be applied to the present application. For example, green tea, black tea, black tea, and green tea (also known as oolong tea) can be used as tea leaves. The tea extract may contain one or more of these raw materials. A liquid extract can be produced by applying a known extraction method to tea leaves. Examples of the extraction method include, but are not limited to, a simple steeping method, a packed tower method, and a kneader method. An example of a solvent used in extracting tea or coffee is water. The temperature of the water used during extraction is not particularly limited, and is preferably 20 to 140° C., more preferably 50 to 130° C., more preferably 60 to 120° C., more preferably 80 to 110° C., and more preferably 90 to 100° C. During extraction, pressure may be applied as appropriate, in which case the temperature can be set to above 100° C.

[0029] The liquid food or drink 3 may contain oil or fat. Conventionally, when liquid food or drink containing oil or fat is stored at room temperature, the oil or fat tends to float to the top. In this embodiment, the floating of the oil or fat can be suppressed even when stored at room temperature. The fats and oils may be animal-derived fats and oils, plant-derived fats and oils, or both. Examples of animal-derived fats and oils include milk fat and fish oil. Examples of plant-derived fats and oils include soybean oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, palm fruit oil, palm kernel oil, sesame oil, linseed oil, castor oil, olive oil, and corn oil. In terms of flavor, milk fat is preferred.

[0030] When the liquid food or beverage 3 contains fats and oils, the fat content is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 1.0% by mass or more, and preferably 5.0% by mass or less, more preferably 4.0% by mass or less, relative to the total mass of the liquid food or beverage 3. When the fat and oil content is equal to or greater than the above lower limit, the usefulness of the present invention is high. When the fat and oil content is equal to or less than the above upper limit, the effect of inhibiting the floating of fats and oils is more excellent. The above upper and lower limits can be combined as appropriate. The fat and oil content is measured by the Gerber method.

[0031] The water content of the liquid food or beverage 3 is, for example, 0 to 98% by mass relative to the total mass of the liquid food or beverage 3. When the liquid food or beverage 3 is a liquid food, the water content of the liquid food or beverage 3 is preferably 5 to 95% by mass, more preferably 10 to 93% by mass, more preferably 20 to 90% by mass, and more preferably 30 to 89% by mass relative to the total mass of the liquid food or beverage 3. When the liquid food or beverage 3 is a beverage, the water content of the liquid food or beverage 3 is preferably 75 to 98% by mass, more preferably 80 to 95% by mass, and more preferably 83 to 90% by mass relative to the total mass of the liquid food or beverage 3. The moisture content is measured by the atmospheric pressure heating drying method (drying aid addition method). Specifically, 1 g of the sample (liquid food or drink) is dried at a drying temperature of 100 ± 1°C, the mass of the sample after drying is obtained, and the moisture content is calculated using the following formula. (Formula) Moisture content (mass%) = {(mass of sample before drying - mass of sample after drying) / Drying Mass of previous sample} × 100 The water content of the liquid food or drink 3 can also be determined by subtracting the mass of the solid content from the total mass of the liquid food or drink 3.

[0032] In the container-packed liquid food or drink 1, the volume of the liquid food or drink 3 in the container 2 is smaller than the capacity of the container 2. Therefore, a headspace is formed between the top surface 3a of the liquid food or drink 3 in the container 2 and the sealing material 4. The ratio of the volume of the liquid food or drink 3 in the container 2 to the capacity of the container 2 is, for example, 60 to 95% by volume.

[0033] The headspace is typically filled with a gas. Examples of the gas that fills the headspace include air and inert gas. Among these, an inert gas is preferred. If the gas that fills the headspace is an inert gas, an increase in the dissolved oxygen concentration in the liquid food or beverage 3 during storage of the container-packed liquid food or beverage 1 can be suppressed, and deterioration of the liquid food or beverage 3 due to dissolved oxygen can be suppressed. Examples of the inert gas include nitrogen gas.

[0034] The container-packed liquid food or drink 1 can be produced by a method including a step (filling step) of filling a container 2 with a sterilized liquid food or drink 3 in a sterile environment. The filling step may be preceded by a step (sterilization step) of sterilizing the liquid food or drink 3. In this case, the steps after the sterilization step and up to the filling step are carried out in a sterile environment. The liquid food or drink 3 may be an existing product or may be prepared by a known method.

[0035] <Sterilization process> Sterilization of liquid foods and beverages can be carried out using a known heat sterilization device. The heat sterilization device may be any device that can be used to produce containerized liquid foods and beverages, but from the viewpoint of maintaining the flavor of the liquid foods and beverages, a sterilization device that uses the ultra-high temperature short time sterilization method (UHT method) is preferred. The heat sterilization device may be a sterilization device using a direct heat sterilization method or a sterilization device using an indirect heat sterilization method. Preferred sterilization devices using the direct heat sterilization method include a steam injection type UHT sterilizer that injects high-temperature steam into the flow of liquid food and drink, and a steam infusion type UHT sterilizer that injects liquid food and drink into high-temperature steam. As the sterilizer for the indirect heat sterilization method, a plate type heat exchange type UHT sterilizer, a tubular type heat exchange type UHT sterilizer, a scraped surface type heat exchange type UHT sterilizer, etc. are preferred. The heat sterilization device may be provided with a means for preheating the liquid food or drink, a means for performing a homogenization treatment before or after sterilization, and a means for cooling the liquid food or drink after sterilization, as necessary.

[0036] The sterilization conditions can be appropriately set depending on the sterilization method. In the case of sterilization by direct heat sterilization, specifically, heat sterilization is preferably carried out by steam injection or steam infusion at 120 to 160°C for about 1 to 6 seconds, and more preferably by steam infusion at 148 to 152°C for 2 to 3 seconds. In the case of sterilization by indirect heat sterilization, it is preferable to carry out heat sterilization at 120 to 140°C for about 1 to 5 seconds using a plate heat exchanger, a tubular heat exchanger, or a scraped surface heat exchanger.

[0037] Before the sterilization step, the liquid food or drink may be preheated to a temperature of, for example, 70 to 90°C. The liquid food or drink may be homogenized before or after the sterilization step. The homogenization temperature is, for example, 70 to 90° C. The homogenization pressure is, for example, 20 to 30 MPa. After the sterilization step, the liquid food or drink may be cooled to a temperature of, for example, 15 to 20°C. After the cooling step, the cooled liquid food or drink may be stored in a tank for a storage period of, for example, 0.5 to 24 hours.

[0038] <Filling process> Filling of the liquid food or drink can be carried out using a known aseptic filling device. Aseptic filling devices typically include a means for sterilizing containers, allowing the containers to be filled aseptically. Furthermore, the aseptic filling device is preferably a device that fills a container with a liquid food or beverage while shielding it from the atmosphere. In the present invention, "atmosphere" means an ordinary atmosphere, and "shielded from the atmosphere" means a state in which the liquid food or beverage is not in contact with such ordinary air. Such a "shielded from the atmosphere" naturally includes, for example, a mode in which the liquid food or beverage is filled into a container and sealed without being in contact with the atmosphere at all, but also includes a mode in which filling is performed not in ordinary atmosphere but in a special atmosphere in which the oxygen concentration is lower than that of the atmosphere. An example of a mode of filling under a special air atmosphere with an oxygen concentration lower than that of normal air is to use a filling device that fills and seals liquid food and beverages while transporting the containers sequentially using a conveying means, and to surround and partition the area from filling with the liquid food and beverages to sealing, and to seal this compartment with an inert gas to lower the oxygen concentration within the compartment.

[0039] In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of using a container for a shelf-stable packaged liquid food or beverage, comprising the steps of: The container is a cylindrical container with a bottom, and the area of ​​the top surface of the liquid food or drink in the container (mm 2 ) is A1, the area of ​​the bottom of the liquid food or drink (mm 2 ) is A2, the ratio A1 / A2 exceeds 1.

[0040] Although the present invention has been described above by showing the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified as appropriate. For example, the shape of the container is not limited to that of the above embodiment as long as A1 / A2 is greater than 1. In the above embodiment, the bottom wall 21 has a circular shape when viewed from above, but may have other shapes, such as a polygonal shape such as a square. In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the inclination angle of the peripheral wall 22 changes at the position that becomes the top surface 3a of the liquid food or beverage 3, but the inclination angle of the peripheral wall 22 does not have to change. A step, groove, etc. may be provided at the position that becomes the top surface 3a of the liquid food or beverage 3. The container may have a shape other than a cup shape, but the cup shape is preferred from the viewpoint of design. [Example]

[0041] The present invention will be described in more detail below using examples. However, the present invention is not limited to these examples. Unless otherwise specified, "%" means "% by mass."

[0042] <Test Example 1> (1) Sample preparation According to the formulation in Table 1, the ingredients were mixed and heat sterilized (conditions: 140°C for 2 seconds) to prepare a milk drink containing 7.1% non-fat milk solids and 3.0% milk fat. In Table 1, the unit of blending amount is %. The obtained milk drink was aseptically filled into two types of sterilized containers to prepare Sample 1 and Sample 2. A plastic cup container (hereinafter also referred to as a "plastic cup container") was used as the container for Sample 1. A paper cup container was used as the container for Sample 2. Both containers had the shape shown in Figure 1 and an internal volume of 294.5 mL. Furthermore, for each sample, the filling volume of the milk drink was 240 mL, and the A1 / A2 ratio was 1.45.

[0043] [Table 1]

[0044] (2) Preservation test Samples 1 and 2 obtained in (1) above were stored in storage cabinets at 10°C and 25°C for 85 to 88 days. The quality of the milk drinks after storage was evaluated by a panel of four sensory examiners. The quality was evaluated based on three sensory characteristics: appearance, properties, and flavor. The evaluation criteria for the sensory evaluation were as follows, with scores set in increments of 0.5: <Evaluation criteria> 5: No difference is recognized between the product characteristics and the original state. 4: There is a very slight difference in the product characteristics from the original state, but this difference does not affect the product as a whole. 3: There are slight differences in the product characteristics from the original state, but these differences are acceptable for the product. 2: The product characteristics differ from the original state, and the difference is unacceptable for the product. 1: There is a significant difference from the product characteristics in their original state, and the difference is unacceptable for the product.

[0045] (3) Results The results are shown in Table 2. As shown in Table 2, Sample 1 and Sample 2 were equivalent in appearance, properties, and flavor after storage at either 10°C or 25°C, and the storage stability of Sample 1 and Sample 2 was comparable. From the above results, it was found that there was no difference in storage stability between plastic cup containers and paper cup containers in terms of appearance, properties, and flavor, at either refrigerated or room temperature.

[0046] [Table 2]

[0047] <Test Example 2> (1) Sample preparation According to the formulation in Table 3, the ingredients were mixed and heat sterilized (conditions: 140°C for 2 seconds) to prepare a milk drink containing 6.0% non-fat milk solids and 2.7% milk fat. In Table 2, the unit of blending amount is %. The obtained milk drink was aseptically filled into two types of containers to prepare Sample 3 and Sample 4. The container used for Sample 3 was the same plastic cup container as used in Test Example 1. The container used for Sample 4 was a paper container with a cap shaped as shown in Figure 3. The differences between each sample are shown in Table 4.

[0048] [Table 3]

[0049] [Table 4]

[0050] (2) Preservation test Samples 3 and 4 obtained in (1) above were stored in storage cabinets at 10°C and 25°C for 79 to 89 days. The quality of the milk drinks after storage was evaluated by a panel of four sensory panelists. The evaluation procedure was the same as in Test Example 1.

[0051] (3) Results The results of the storage test are shown in Table 5. As shown in Table 5, the storage stability of Sample 3 and Sample 4 was equivalent when stored at 10°C. On the other hand, when stored at 25°C, Sample 3 was superior to Sample 4.

[0052] [Table 5]

[0053] In Test Example 1, it was confirmed that there was no difference in shelf life between the plastic cup container and the paper cup container in terms of appearance, properties, and flavor, both in the refrigerated and room temperature ranges. In other words, the shelf life was similar in the refrigerator, and the shelf life was also similar at room temperature if the containers had the same shape. Furthermore, in Test Example 2, it was shown that when containers of different shapes had similar refrigerated storage stability, the cup-shaped container had better storage stability at room temperature. These results indicate that the storage stability at room temperature is affected by the shape of the container.

[0054] <Test Example 3> (1) Sample preparation Containerized liquid food and beverage products were prepared by aseptically filling the following products 1 to 5 (all manufactured by Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd.) into plastic cup containers (all of the same shape as used in Test Example 1) with an oxygen barrier layer (EVOH layer) thickness of 0 μm, 25 μm, 30 μm, or 35 μm. Product 1: Commercially available dairy-containing coffee drink Product 2: Commercially available milk drink (non-fat milk solids 7.1%, milk fat 3.0%) Product 3: Commercially available high-protein beverage (protein content 10.5g / 330mL) Product 4: Commercially available matcha-containing beverage Product 5: Commercially available soft drinks containing fruit pulp and juice

[0055] (2) Preservation test The container-packed liquid food and drink obtained in (1) above was stored in a storage cabinet at 25°C for 95 days. The flavor of the product after storage was evaluated by a panel of four sensory panelists. The evaluation procedure was the same as in Test Example 1.

[0056] (3) Results The results are shown in Table 6. As shown in Table 6, it was found that when the oxygen barrier layer was 25 μm or more, the storage stability at room temperature was particularly good.

[0057] [Table 6]

[0058] <Test Example 4> (1) Sample preparation According to the formulation in Table 1 of Test Example 1, the same operations as in Test Example 1 were performed to prepare Sample 5, in which the milk drink was filled in a plastic cup container, and Sample 6, in which the milk drink was filled in a paper cup container.

[0059] (2) Preservation test Samples 5 and 6 obtained in (1) above were stored for 85 to 88 days in storage cabinets at 10° C. and 25° C., respectively. After storage, the samples were visually evaluated for precipitation and fat floating by a panel of four sensory panelists. <Evaluation criteria> -: No sedimentation or fat floating. +: There is a slight amount of sediment or fat floating up, but it is not a problem for the product. ++: Sedimentation or fat floating is observed, but the amount is acceptable for the product. +++: There is a large amount of sedimentation or fat floating up, and the amount is unacceptable for the product.

[0060] (3) Results The results are shown in Table 7. As shown in Table 7, sample 6, which was a paper cup, showed a large amount of both precipitation and fat floating after storage for 88 days at 25°C. On the other hand, sample 5, which was a plastic cup, showed slight precipitation and fat floating after storage for 85 days at 25°C, but the amount was not problematic for the product. From these results and the results of Test Example 1, it was found that although there is no difference in the storage stability of plastic cup containers and paper cup containers in terms of appearance, properties, and flavor, plastic cup containers are preferable to paper cup containers in terms of sedimentation and fat floating when stored at room temperature.

[0061] [Table 7] [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 1. Packaged liquid food and beverages 2 containers 21 Bottom wall 22 Peripheral wall 23 Fringe 3 Liquid food and drinks 3a Top 3b Bottom 4. Encapsulating material

Claims

1. A container-packed liquid food or drink that can be stored at room temperature, comprising a container and a liquid food or drink filled in the container, The container is a cylindrical container with a bottom, and the area of ​​the top surface of the liquid food or drink in the container (mm ２ ) is A1, the area of ​​the bottom of the liquid food or drink (mm ２ ) is A2, the ratio represented by A1 / A2 exceeds 1.

2. The container-packed liquid food or beverage according to claim 1, wherein the container has a capacity of 150 mL or more.

3. The container-packed liquid food or drink according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the container has a plastic base material.

4. The container-packed liquid food or beverage according to claim 3 , wherein the container further comprises an oxygen barrier layer.

5. The container-packed liquid food or drink according to claim 4, wherein the oxygen barrier layer has a thickness of 25 μm or more.

6. The container-packed liquid food or drink according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the liquid food or drink is a milk drink.

7. A method for producing a container-packed liquid food or drink that can be stored at room temperature, in which a sterilized liquid food or drink is filled into a container in a sterile environment, The container is a cylindrical container with a bottom, and the area of ​​the top surface of the liquid food or drink in the container (mm ２ ) is A1, the area of ​​the bottom of the liquid food or drink (mm ２ ) is A2, the ratio represented by A1 / A2 exceeds 1.

8. The method for producing a container-packed liquid food or drink according to claim 7, wherein the container has a capacity of 150 mL or more.

9. The method for producing a container-packed liquid food or drink according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the container has a plastic base material.

10. The method for producing a container-packed liquid food or drink according to claim 9, wherein the container further has an oxygen barrier layer.

11. The method for producing a container-packed liquid food or drink according to claim 10, wherein the oxygen barrier layer has a thickness of 25 μm or more.

12. The method for producing a container-packed liquid food or drink according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the liquid food or drink is a milk drink.

13. A container for storing liquid food and drink at room temperature, The container is cylindrical with a bottom, and the area of ​​the top surface of the liquid food or drink when the container is filled with a specified amount of the liquid food or drink (mm ２ ) is A1, the area of ​​the bottom of the liquid food or drink (mm ２ ) is defined as A2, the ratio represented by A1 / A2 exceeds 1.

14. 14. The container of claim 13, having a capacity of 150 mL or more.

15. Container according to claim 13 or 14, having a plastic substrate.

16. 16. The container of claim 15, further comprising an oxygen barrier layer.

17. 17. The container of claim 16, wherein the oxygen barrier layer has a thickness of 25 μm or more.

18. 15. The container according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the liquid food or drink is a milk drink.

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