Coffee beverage and method for improving post-drinking gratification and drinkability of the same

Abstract

[The technical problem to be solved] The subject of this invention is to provide a novel coffee beverage that provides post-drinking satisfaction or is easy to drink. Technical means to solve the problem The solution to the aforementioned problem relates to a coffee beverage having (A) a caffeine concentration to chlorogenic acid concentration ratio (caffeine concentration / chlorogenic acid concentration ratio) of 5.0 to 12.0, (B) an isovaleraldehyde content of 300 to 1100 ppb, and (C) a thioacetic acid S-furan methyl ester content of 3 to 35 ppb. This coffee beverage may be a container-packaged coffee beverage.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to coffee beverages that provide post-drinking satisfaction or easy drinkability, and a method for improving post-drinking satisfaction or easy drinkability. [Previous Technology]

[0002] Coffee is widely consumed in countries around the world, and it is also one of the well-known favorite beverages in our country. Currently, we are actively developing technologies to provide even greater enjoyment.

[0002] In addition, various technologies have been developed to adjust the ingredients in coffee beverages in order to enhance their appeal.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a container-packaged coffee beverage containing specific amounts of indigestible dextrin, chlorogenic acid, and caffeine, resulting in a container-packaged coffee beverage with good aroma, acidity, and refreshing aftertaste. Patent Document 2 discloses a coffee beverage in which the content of caffeine and quercetin glycoside is adjusted to a specific range, and the ratio of caffeine to quercetin glycoside (quercetin glycoside content / caffeine content) is adjusted to a specific value or higher, resulting in a low-caffeine coffee beverage with a better balance of bitterness and refreshing taste. Patent Document 3 discloses a coffee beverage in which the content of iso-α-acid, caffeine, and chlorogenic acid is adjusted to a specific range, resulting in a coffee beverage with a strong bitterness but a good aftertaste.

[0003] In the 4th patent document of the hobby, a manufacturing method for improving the manufacturing efficiency of coffee-containing beverages is disclosed. It describes that 100ml of coffee extract with a Brix value of 1.0 relative to the obtained coffee beverage has a caffeine content / chlorogenic acid content of 2.0 or more.

[0003] Thus, in order to improve the palatability, flavor, or processability of coffee beverages, techniques are improved from various levels. Palatability.

[0003] [Previous Technical Documents]

[0003] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-228816

[0004] [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-143831

[0004] [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-119763

[0004] [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent No. 6513384

[0005] The subject of this invention is to provide a novel coffee beverage that provides post-drinking satisfaction and is easy to drink.

[0006] For example, in black coffee, in order to achieve both a satisfying aftertaste and easy-drinking qualities, precise adjustments must be made to the roasting and extraction of each bean, making it difficult to standardize the manufacturing process. Therefore, it is generally not easy to consistently produce black coffee that simultaneously achieves both a satisfying aftertaste and easy-drinking qualities.

[0006] Therefore, the inventors conducted in-depth research and found that coffee beverages contain a predetermined amount of chlorogenic acid related to astringency and that the content of specific aroma components is adjusted to a predetermined range of values, thereby stably bringing a sense of satisfaction after drinking, thus completing the present invention.

[0006] That is, the present invention includes the following [1] to [3].

[0006] Other embodiments of the present invention may also be as follows.

[0006] 〔1〕A coffee beverage, wherein (A) the ratio of caffeine concentration to chlorogenic acid concentration (caffeine concentration / chlorogenic acid concentration ratio) is 5.0 to 12.0,

[0006] (B) The content of isovaleraldehyde is 300 to 1100 ppb.

[0006] (C) The content of S-Furfuryl Thioacetate is 3 to 35 ppb.

[0006] 〔2〕The coffee beverage described in 〔1〕 above is a container-packaged coffee beverage.

[0006] [3] A method for improving the post-drinking satisfaction or drinkability of coffee beverages, comprising the following steps:

[0006] The ratio of (A) caffeine concentration to chlorogenic acid concentration (caffeine concentration / chlorogenic acid concentration ratio) in the coffee beverage is adjusted to 5.0 to 12.0, the content of (B) isovaleraldehyde is adjusted to 300 to 1100 ppb, and the content of (C) thioacetic acid S-furan methyl ester is adjusted to 3 to 35 ppb.

[0007] The present invention can provide a coffee beverage that provides a satisfying aftertaste and is easy to drink.

Implementation Method

[0008] The coffee beverage of the present invention is characterized by containing a predetermined amount of isovaleraldehyde (CAS: 590-86-3), thioacetic acid S-furan methyl ester (CAS: 13678-68-7), caffeine and chlorogenic acid.

[0008] The coffee beverage of the present invention has the following characteristics: (A) the ratio of caffeine concentration to chlorogenic acid concentration (caffeine concentration / chlorogenic acid concentration ratio) is 5.0 to 12.0; (B) the content of isovaleraldehyde is 300 to 1100 ppb; and (C) the content of thioacetic acid S-furan methyl ester is 3 to 35 ppb.

[0008] In the coffee beverage of the present invention, the aforementioned ratio (A) may be 6.0 to 11.0, or 7.0 to 10.0. Furthermore, in the coffee beverage, the aforementioned content (B) may be 400 to 1,000 ppb, or 500 to 900 ppb. In the coffee beverage, the aforementioned content (C) may be 8 to 33 ppb, or 13 to 30 ppb. In the present invention, since the aforementioned ratio (A) and the aforementioned contents (B) and (C) in the coffee beverage are adjusted to the above conditions, a coffee beverage with improved post-drinking satisfaction or drinkability can be provided.

[0008] Furthermore, the caffeine content of this coffee beverage may be 30 to 120 mg / 100 ml, or 40 to 110 mg / 100 ml. Additionally, the chlorogenic acid content of this coffee beverage may be 2.5 to 24.0 mg / 100 ml, or 3.3 to 22.0 mg / 100 ml. Since the amount of caffeine or chlorogenic acid is generally a characteristic of coffee beverages, by setting it within the ranges described above, bitterness and other aftertastes can be reduced without compromising the pleasant coffee sensation.

[0009] Furthermore, the analytical methods for isovaleraldehyde and S-furan methyl thioacetate (hereinafter collectively referred to as aroma components), as well as chlorogenic acid and caffeine in the coffee beverage of the present invention can be adopted using the methods shown in the embodiments described later.

[0010] The coffee extract contained in the coffee beverage of the present invention includes a coffee extract containing components derived from coffee beans. Examples of such coffee extracts include: extracts obtained by extracting ground roasted beans using water or warm water. Furthermore, the coffee extract also includes: concentrated coffee extract, or instant coffee obtained by drying coffee extract or the coffee extract.

[0010] The coffee beverage of the present invention can be any of the following as defined in the "Fair Competition Regulations and Enforcement Rules Concerning the Labelling of Coffee Beverages, etc." (amended and implemented on August 19, Reiwa 1), namely "coffee," "coffee beverage," "coffee-containing soft drink," and "coffee-containing carbonated beverage." In the case of so-called black coffee without the addition of milk, emulsified edible oils, etc., the post-drinking satisfaction and easy-drinking properties obtained by the present invention can be enjoyed even more. Furthermore, although the black coffee may contain sugar or sweeteners, the post-drinking satisfaction and easy-drinking properties obtained by the present invention can be enjoyed even more when these are not present.

[0011] Here, the "post-drinking satisfaction" in this invention refers to a strong sense of richness (bodyiness) experienced through a combination of strong layers of flavor, acidity, bitterness, and sweetness. Furthermore, the "drinkability" in this invention refers to a refreshing taste with minimal aftertaste and a lack of off-flavors, suppressing bitterness or astringency. The coffee beverage of this invention can be, for example, a black coffee that offers a refreshing taste even when experiencing a strong coffee flavor. Additionally, the overall deliciousness (pleasure) of the coffee beverage of this invention can be evaluated by appropriately combining factors such as the balance of bitterness and acidity, the intensity of the initial bitterness and acidity, the intensity of bodyiness (bodyiness), the intensity of the aftertaste, the intensity of the aroma, the intensity of the acidity, the intensity of the bitterness, the intensity of the sweetness, and the intensity of complex flavors, with a well-balanced taste. Furthermore, the temperature of the coffee beverage of this invention is not particularly limited; for example, a greater sense of post-drinking satisfaction or drinkability can be experienced when consumed at temperatures between 4°C and 75°C.

[0012] In the coffee beverage of the present invention, the method for adjusting the content of aroma components, chlorogenic acid, and caffeine is not particularly limited. For example, each aroma component, chlorogenic acid, and caffeine may be appropriately added to the coffee extract and their contents adjusted. Alternatively, in the coffee beverage of the present invention, multiple coffee extracts or coffee extracts having aroma components, chlorogenic acid, and caffeine in various ratios obtained under various conditions may be mixed to adjust the content of aroma components, chlorogenic acid, and caffeine. Furthermore, the content of chlorogenic acid may also be adjusted by appropriately changing the roasting degree of the coffee beans used to obtain the coffee extract in the manner described below.

[0013] Furthermore, the coffee beverage of the present invention can be a container-packaged coffee beverage. The present invention also provides a method for easily achieving both post-drinking satisfaction and easy drinkability in commonly circulated container-packaged coffee beverages, such as canned or PET bottle-packaged coffee beverages.

[0013] Furthermore, there are no particular limitations on the containers used to fill the coffee beverages packaged in the containers of the present invention. Examples of commonly used containers in circulation include PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles, PE (polyethylene) containers, PP (polypropylene) containers, glass bottles, aluminum cans, iron cans, paper containers, aluminum bags, beverage cups, etc.

[0014] Here, the roasting degree of the coffee beans used as raw materials for the coffee extract is not particularly limited. For example, in order to adjust the chlorogenic acid content in the obtained coffee extract, it can be light roast to dark roast. In this case, the L value, which indicates the roasting degree of the coffee beans, can be 15 to 28, or 15 to 24. The L value here refers to the numerical value of the surface color of the coffee particles after grinding and roasting the coffee beans, and is an index value of brightness (0 is black, 100 is white). The L value can be measured using, for example, a colorimeter (e.g., model CR-410 manufactured by Konica Minolta Co., Ltd.). The coffee beans used in this invention can be Arabica or Robusta, and there is no particular limitation. For example, the green beans may be selected from: beans from Mexico, Guatemala, Blue Mountain, Crystal Mountain, Costa Rica, Colombia, Venezuela, Santos, Hawaiian Kona, Mocha, Kenya, Gilimanjaro, Mandheling, and Robusta, or blends thereof. There is no particular limitation on the grind size of the coffee beans used in this invention; it may be, for example, fine to coarse.

[0015] Furthermore, in this invention, the extraction rate of the coffee extract is not particularly limited. For example, 20 to 250g of coffee beans (preferably 50 to 150g) can be extracted with 1L of water, and the water temperature during extraction can be, for example, 4 to 95°C. Furthermore, the extraction time of the coffee extract is not particularly limited and can be, for example, 30 to 120 minutes. Furthermore, the extraction method of the coffee extract in this invention is not particularly limited and can be performed by, for example, conventional drip filtration, immersion, or espresso.

[0015] Here, in the coffee beverage of the present invention, the concentration of soluble solids in the coffee beverage can be set to be synonymous with the Brix (Brix concentration) value. The Brix value in the present invention is preferably, for example, 0.5 to 10.0, more preferably 0.5 to 5.0, and particularly preferably 0.5 to 2.0. The Brix value can also be adjusted to a predetermined value using instant coffee or coffee extract, sugar, or sweeteners. The Brix value in the present invention can be measured using, for example, a product called "Digital Refractometer Rx-5000" (manufactured by Atago Corporation) on a sample at 20°C.

[0015] Generally speaking, when the concentration of soluble solids in coffee extract increases, the flavor becomes stronger and sweetness or mouthfeel becomes more easily perceived. On the other hand, bitterness or astringency increases, and bitterness or astringency becomes more easily perceived when the extraction rate increases, and there is a tendency to make sourness less perceptible. Therefore, in the container-packaged coffee beverage of the present invention, these tendencies can be taken into consideration and the concentration of soluble solids or extraction rate of the coffee extract contained therein can be appropriately set.

[0015] Furthermore, the pH of the coffee beverage is not limited, for example, it can be below 8.0 or below 7.0, or above 4.0 or above 5.0.

[0016] In addition, the coffee beverage of the present invention may also contain one or more sugars, sweeteners, antioxidants, pH adjusters, acidulants, flavorings, milk components, etc., besides the coffee extract mentioned above. When sugars or sweeteners are contained, sugars may include: sucrose, glucose, granulated sugar, fructose, lactose, as well as maltose, fructose-glucose syrup, glucose-fructose syrup, etc., and sweeteners may include: low-sweetness sweeteners such as xylitol and D-sorbitol; and high-sweetness sweeteners such as thaumatin, stevia extract, disodium glycyrrhizate, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, neotame, and sodium saccharin.

[0016] Furthermore, various nutrients, extracts, colorants, diluents, and other food additives may be added without compromising the purpose of the present invention. In the container-packaged coffee beverage of the present invention, homogenization or sterilization treatment may be added as needed during the manufacturing process.

[0017] Homogenesis can usually be performed using a homogenizer. There are no particular limitations on the homogenization conditions, and commonly used methods can be followed.

[0017] There are no particular restrictions on the sterilization method. Common methods such as plate sterilization, tube sterilization, pressure sterilization, intermittent sterilization, and autoclave sterilization can be used.

[0017] The method of filling the sterilized milk-containing beverage of the present invention into a container can be carried out by, for example: hot filling the beverage into the container and cooling the filled container; or cooling the beverage to a temperature suitable for filling the container and then aseptically filling it into a pre-washed and sterilized container.

[0018] The present invention is specifically described below by way of embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and appropriate changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0018] [Example]

[0019] The methods used to determine or calculate the content of each component and the functional evaluation methods are described below.

[0019] (1) Analytical conditions for the content of aroma components (isopentanal and S-furan methyl thioacetate)

[0019] 10 ml of the beverage to be analyzed was placed into a 20 ml vial pre-filled with 3 g of NaCl and the vial was secured. After shaking each vial for 5 minutes at 50°C, the SPME fiber (DVB / CAR / PDMS, Stableflex 23Ga(Gray) 50 / 30 μm: manufactured by SIGMA-ALDRICH) was exposed to the headspace within the vial. Volatile components were adsorbed onto the fiber at 50°C for 30 minutes, followed by desorption at the injection port for 3 minutes, and analysis was performed by GC / MS. Calibration curves were prepared using the standard addition method, with cyclohexanol used as the internal standard.

[0020] [Analysis Conditions for GC / MC]

[0020] GC: 7890A manufactured by Agilent Technologies

[0020] MC: 5975C manufactured by Agilent Technologies

[0020] Column: DB-WAX UI 30m×0.25mm, film thickness 0.25μm, manufactured by Agilent Technologies

[0020] Constant pressure mode: 122 kPa, injection method: no splitting. Carrier gas: He

[0020] Injection port temperature: 240℃. Transmission line temperature: 240℃.

[0020] Oven temperature: 40℃ (5min) → 5℃ / min → 240℃ (5min)

[0020] MS Conditions: Scan Mode

[0020] Quantitative ion: Isovaleraldehyde m / z = 44.1

[0020] Thioacetic acid S-furan methyl ester m / z=156

[0020] Cyclohexanol (internal standard) m / z=82

[0021] (2) Analytical conditions for caffeine content and chlorogenic acid content

[0021] Samples were obtained by filtering various coffee beverages using filter paper (0.2μm Mixed Cellulose Ester). Then, UHPLC (Nexera (Shimadzu Corporation), detector: PDA) was used to determine the caffeine content (mg / 100ml) and chlorogenic acid content (mg / 100ml) in 100ml of the sample under the following conditions.

[0021] Series: ZORBAX Eclipse Plus C18, particle size 1.8μm × inner diameter 3.0mm × length 100mm (Agilent Technologies Inc.)

[0021] Column drying oven temperature: 45℃

[0021] Mobile phase: Ultrapure water containing 0.2% phosphoric acid and 8% methanol

[0021] Pump flow rate: 1.0 ml / min

[0021] Injection volume: 3μl

[0021] Unit temperature control: 40℃

[0021] Based on the area value of the standard substances (caffeine: CAS 58-08-2, Wako Pure Chemicals; chlorogenic acid: CAS 327-97-9, SIGMA-ALDRICH), the caffeine content and chlorogenic acid content are determined from the area of ​​each peak.

[0022] (3) Functional assessment method

[0022] For the beverages (20°C) of each embodiment / comparative example, 5 or 6 professional tasters evaluated two items: "drinkability" and "post-drink satisfaction," as well as "taste (pleasure)" as a comprehensive evaluation. Specifically, each item was evaluated according to the criteria shown in Tables 1 and 2 below. The control group was set to 4 points, and scores were given on a 7-point scale from 1 to 7. The average score (rounded to 3 decimal places) was used as the sensory evaluation result. There was no significant difference in the scores of the tasters among the control group.

[0022] Based on the overall results, if the scores of all three items are greater than 4, it is judged as qualified (○), otherwise it is judged as unqualified (×).

[0023] [Table 1]

[0024] [Table 2]

[0025] <Experiment 1>

[0025] Using 47.0g of coffee beans with a predetermined roasting degree (L value 16.8 or L value 21.0), approximately 400g of extract was obtained by extraction with 1L of warm water at 95°C. Then, 0.6g / L of sodium bicarbonate (pH adjuster) was added to the obtained extract and prepared to 1L. After UHT sterilization, the extract was filled into containers. The resulting containers were used to package beverages as base liquid 1 (L value 16.8) and base liquid 2 (L value 21.0). The analytical values ​​of each component of base liquid 1 and base liquid 2 are shown in Table 3 below.

[0026] [Table 3]

[0027] The beverages of Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Examples 1 to 6 were prepared by adding isovaleraldehyde and S-furan methyl thioacetate to base liquid 1 in the manner shown in Tables 4 to 6, and the functional evaluation of each example and each comparative example was performed using base liquid 1 as the control group.

[0027] The beverages of Comparative Examples 7 to 9 were prepared by adding isovaleraldehyde and S-furan methyl thioacetate to base liquid 2 in the manner shown in Table 7, and the functional evaluation of each example and each comparative example was performed using base liquid 2 as the control group.

[0027] The sensory evaluation in Experiment 1 was conducted by 6 professional evaluators. The sensory evaluation results of each embodiment and each comparative example are shown in Tables 4 to 7.

[0028] [Table 4]

[0029] [Table 5]

[0030] [Table 6]

[0031] [Table 7]

[0032] When isovaleraldehyde and S-furan methyl thioacetate were added alone to the base liquid 1, the "drinkability" was not improved due to the strong aftertaste of bitterness and astringency. However, when the isovaleraldehyde content was adjusted to 300 to 1100 ppb and the S-furan methyl thioacetate content was adjusted to 3 to 35 ppb, the aftertaste of bitterness and astringency was suppressed, and the improvement effect on "post-drink satisfaction" and "drinkability" was confirmed. On the other hand, even when the isovaleraldehyde content or the S-furan methyl thioacetate content in the base liquid 2 was adjusted to the above concentrations, the improvement effect on "post-drink satisfaction" and "drinkability" could not be confirmed. Therefore, it can be confirmed that by setting the caffeine concentration / chlorogenic acid concentration ratio as the conditions of the present invention, the unexpected improvement effect was obtained.

[0033] <Experiment 2>

[0033] Caffeine was added to base solution 1 (L value 16.8) or base solution 2 (L value 21.0) in Experiment 1 to prepare base solutions 3, 4 and 5 with adjusted caffeine concentration / chlorogenic acid concentration ratios. The content of each component in base solutions 3 to 5 is shown in Table 8 below.

[0034] [Table 8]

[0035] The beverages of Examples 6 and Comparative Examples 7 and 8 were prepared by adding isovaleraldehyde and S-furan methyl thioacetate to base liquid 3 in the manner shown in Table 9, and the functional evaluation of each example and each comparative example was performed using base liquid 3 as the control group.

[0035] The beverage of Example 7 was prepared by adding isovaleraldehyde and S-furan methyl thioacetate to base liquid 4 in the manner shown in Table 10, and the functional evaluation of this example was carried out using base liquid 4 as the control group.

[0035] The beverage of Comparative Example 9 was prepared by adding isovaleraldehyde and S-furan methyl thioacetate to base liquid 5 in the manner shown in Table 11, and the functional evaluation of the comparative example was performed using base liquid 5 as the control group.

[0035] The sensory evaluation in Experiment 2 was conducted by 5 professional evaluators. The sensory evaluation results of each embodiment and each comparative example are shown in Tables 9 to 11.

[0036] [Table 9]

[0037] [Table 10]

[0038] [Table 11]

[0039] In base solutions 3 to 5 with different caffeine / chlorogenic acid concentration ratios, when the isovaleraldehyde content was adjusted to 300 to 1100 ppb and the S-furan methyl thioacetate content was adjusted to 3 to 35 ppb, the improvement in "post-drinking satisfaction" and "drinkability" in base solutions 3 and 4 was confirmed. From these results, it is understood that when the caffeine / chlorogenic acid concentration ratio is set to a range of 5.0 to 12.0, this effect can be obtained by adjusting the isovaleraldehyde and S-furan methyl thioacetate contents to the ranges of this invention.

Claims

1. A coffee beverage having (A) a caffeine concentration to chlorogenic acid concentration ratio (caffeine concentration / chlorogenic acid concentration ratio) of 5.0 to 12.0, (B) an isovaleraldehyde content of 300 to 1100 ppb, (C) a thioacetic acid S-furan methyl ester content of 3 to 35 ppb, (D) a caffeine content of 30 to 120 mg / 100 ml, and (E) a chlorogenic acid content of 2.5 to 24.0 mg / 100 ml.

2. The coffee beverage described in claim 1 is a container-packaged coffee beverage.

3. A method for improving the post-drinking satisfaction or drinkability of a coffee beverage, comprising the following steps: adjusting the ratio of (A) caffeine concentration to chlorogenic acid concentration (caffeine concentration / chlorogenic acid concentration ratio) in the coffee beverage to 5.0 to 12.0, adjusting the content of (B) isovaleraldehyde to 300 to 1100 ppb, adjusting the content of (C) thioacetic acid S-furan methyl ester to 3 to 35 ppb, adjusting the content of (D) caffeine to 30 to 120 mg / 100 ml, and adjusting the content of (E) chlorogenic acid to 2.5 to 24.0 mg / 100 ml.