Alcoholic beverages containing fruit juice

Abstract

One of the objects of the present invention is to improve the fruity taste that is often lacking in a zero-sugar type alcoholic beverage containing fruit juice without a high-intensity sweetener. In the present invention, a specific amount of a polysaccharide having a degree of polymerization of 3 or more is used in an alcoholic beverage containing fruit juice, and the acidity converted to citric acid is set to a specific range.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverage that does not contain a high-intensity sweetener. Specifically, it relates to a beverage and a method related thereto, wherein the beverage is characterized in that the total content of monosaccharides and disaccharides other than sugar alcohols is low, a specific amount of polysaccharides having a polymerization degree of 3 or more is contained, and the acidity converted to citric acid is above a certain value. Background Art

[0002] Fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverages are made to have fruit juice added to them to give them sweetness, sourness, and aroma, thereby enhancing the palatability of the alcoholic beverages. Fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverages include, for example, a variety of products containing citrus fruit juices such as grapefruit, lemon, lime, and orange, and products containing fruit juices such as plum, apple, grape, and berry. Among such products, for example, there is carbonated shochu.

[0003] When drinking alcoholic beverages containing fruit juice, you can enjoy the sweetness and sourness of the fruit, and the pleasure of the taste filling your mouth. The sugar, citric acid, amino acids and other ingredients contained in the fruit juice give the taste a mellow or mellow flavor, which has the effect of reducing the irritation of alcohol and is beneficial to improving the palatability.

[0004] In recent years, consumers have paid more and more attention to health, and thus demanded zero-sugar alcoholic beverages with as low calories as possible. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a zero-sugar alcoholic beverage containing a high-intensity sweetener and citrus juice. The so-called sugars here refer to monosaccharides or disaccharides, and are not sugar alcohols. In addition, in alcoholic beverages that use high-intensity sweeteners to suppress calories and sugary substances, the retention of sweetness from the high-intensity sweetener can be cited as a problem.

[0005] In addition, regarding alcoholic beverages containing fruit juice, Patent Document 2 discloses a flavor improving composition for providing a beverage having a fruit juice texture but a non-greasy taste, characterized in that the ratio of malic acid to citric acid is 10:90 to 40:60.

[0006] Patent Document 3 discloses frozen, ground, and infused liquor with fruits and the like.

[0007] Patent Literature

[0008] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-135837

[0009] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-126393

[0010] Patent Document 3: WO2006 / 009252 Summary of the invention

[0011] Sugars, juices containing sugars, and sweeteners give beverages a mellow or mellow taste through sweetness or sugars and other ingredients, and are further expected to reduce the effect of irritation. However, in zero-sugar alcoholic beverages, which have a limited amount of sugars, their effects can hardly be expected. Therefore, for zero-sugar alcoholic beverages, there is a problem that not only the juice or fruity taste is easily lacking, but also the irritation based on alcohol is easily prominent. This problem is further deepened when high-intensity sweeteners are not included.

[0012] The present invention aims to improve the fruity taste that is often lacking in a fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverage that does not contain a high-intensity sweetener and is a zero-sugar type. Another object of the present invention is to reduce the stimulating feeling of alcohol in a fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverage that does not contain a high-intensity sweetener and is a zero-sugar type.

[0013] The present inventors have studied means for solving the above-mentioned problems and have found that polysaccharides having a degree of polymerization of 3 or more are effective. In addition, it has been found that the value of acidity converted to citric acid also has an influence.

[0014] The present invention relates to the following contents, but is not limited thereto.

[0015] 1. A beverage, which is an alcoholic beverage containing fruit juice and does not contain a high-intensity sweetener, characterized in that:

[0016] The total content of monosaccharides and disaccharides other than sugar alcohols is less than 0.5w / w%;

[0017] The total content of polysaccharides having a degree of polymerization of 3 or more is 0.08 w / v% or more; and

[0018] The acidity converted to citric acid is 0.1 g / 100 ml or more.

[0019] 2. The beverage according to item 1, wherein the total content of the fruit juice, calculated as a fruit juice ratio, is 0.5 w / w% or more.

[0020] 3. The beverage according to 2, characterized in that the juice is citrus juice.

[0021] 4. The beverage according to any one of 1 to 3, wherein the fruit juice is cloudy fruit juice.

[0022] 5. The beverage according to any one of 1 to 4, characterized in that the alcohol content is 1 to 10 v / v%.

[0023] 6. The beverage according to any one of 1 to 5, wherein the polysaccharide is dietary fiber.

[0024] 7. The beverage according to 6, wherein the dietary fiber is at least one substance selected from the group consisting of indigestible dextrin and polydextrose.

[0025] 8. The beverage according to any one of 1 to 7, comprising carbonic acid.

[0026] 9. The beverage according to any one of 1 to 8, characterized in that it contains liquor infused with frozen and ground fruits and / or vegetables.

[0027] 10. A method for producing a fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverage without a high-intensity sweetener, comprising:

[0028] The step of adjusting the total content of monosaccharides and disaccharides other than sugar alcohols in the beverage to less than 0.5 w / w%;

[0029] A step of adjusting the total content of polysaccharides having a degree of polymerization of 3 or more in the beverage to 0.08 w / v% or more; and

[0030] A step of adjusting the acidity of the beverage in terms of citric acid to 0.1 g / 100 ml or more.

[0031] 11. The manufacturing method according to 10, further comprising:

[0032] A process of freezing one or more kinds of fruits and / or vegetables to obtain frozen products;

[0033] The step of finely pulverizing the frozen product to obtain a frozen finely pulverized product;

[0034] The process of soaking the finely pulverized product directly or after thawing and making it into a paste in an alcohol-containing liquid to obtain an impregnated liquor; and

[0035] The process of mixing the infused wine with other raw materials,

[0036] Wherein, the beverage comprises the infused wine.

[0037] The present invention can improve the fruitiness of alcoholic beverages that are sugar-free and do not contain high-intensity sweeteners. In addition, the present invention can reduce the stimulation of alcohol in such beverages. Here, the so-called "fruitiness" refers to the natural taste that can be felt, which is rich in the taste of fruits or the original flavor of fruits. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverage and related methods of the present invention are described below.

[0039] (Polysaccharides)

[0040] The beverage of the present invention contains polysaccharides having a degree of polymerization of 3 or more. The total content is 0.08 w / v% or more, preferably 0.08 to 2.4 w / v%, more preferably 0.08 to 1.6 w / v%, and even more preferably 0.24 to 1.6 w / v%. If the content of the polysaccharides is within this range, the fruity taste can be sufficiently improved or the stimulation of alcohol can be sufficiently reduced.

[0041] The polysaccharide refers to a saccharide in which three or more monosaccharide molecules are linked by glycosidic bonds.

[0042] Such polysaccharides include digestible substances such as starch and indigestible dietary fibers. Preferred examples of polysaccharides are dietary fibers, particularly water-soluble dietary fibers, including pectin, xanthan gum, soybean polysaccharides, guar gum, gum arabic, agar, carrageenan, polydextrose, and indigestible dextrin. Particularly preferred polysaccharides are indigestible dextrin and polydextrose.

[0043] Indigestible dextrin is a type of dextrin, and is an indigestible starch degradation product that is not easily digested by human digestive enzymes. For example, it can be obtained by hydrolyzing roasted dextrin with α-amylase and glucoamylase. Indigestible dextrin in the present invention also includes hydrogenated reduced indigestible dextrin.

[0044] The term "soybean polysaccharide" in this specification refers to water-soluble dietary fiber containing hemicellulose as a main component derived from soybeans. The soybean polysaccharide can be generally produced by extracting and refining insoluble raw materials such as dregs generated in the process of manufacturing soybean processed products such as tofu from soybeans.

[0045] Guar gum is a water-soluble natural polysaccharide obtained from guar beans. The main chain of the guar gum molecule is composed of mannose, and the side chain is composed of galactose, and galactose and mannose exist evenly in a ratio of 1:2.

[0046] Gum Arabic is a polysaccharide obtained from the resin of Acacia senegal. The molecule of gum Arabic has a structure called polyuronic acid, the main chain of which is composed of galactose, and the side chains are composed of galactose, arabinose, rhamnose, and glucuronic acid.

[0047] Agar is a polysaccharide obtained from the mucilage of red algae such as Gelidium amansii (Amakusa) and Gracilaria. The main components are agarose and agar gel.

[0048] Carrageenan is a polysaccharide extracted from red algae, composed of D-galactose and sulfuric acid. It must have a sulfate group, and can be classified into three types according to the bonding state of its sulfate group: κ-carrageenan, ι-carrageenan, and λ-carrageenan. All of them can be used in the present invention, and the preferred carrageenans are κ-carrageenan and ι-carrageenan.

[0049] Polydextrose is a water-soluble dietary fiber obtained by polymerization of glucose and sorbitol.

[0050] Pectin is a type of polysaccharide, the main constituent sugars of which are galacturonic acid and galacturonic acid methyl ester.

[0051] Xanthan gum is a type of polysaccharide, and has a repeating unit consisting of 2 molecules of glucose, 2 molecules of mannose, and 1 molecule of glucuronic acid.

[0052] The polysaccharides having a degree of polymerization of 3 or more also include oligosaccharides having a degree of polymerization of 3 to 10. Among them, oligosaccharides such as xylooligosaccharides (xylooligosaccharides, xylotetraose, xylopentose, xylohexose, xyloheptose, etc.), oligosaccharides such as maltotriose, maltotetraose, maltopentose, maltohexaose and maltoheptaose, etc., and oligosaccharides such as Aspergillus niger oligosaccharides (Aspergillus niger trisaccharides, Aspergillus niger tetrasaccharides, Aspergillus niger pentose, Aspergillus niger hexaose, Aspergillus niger heptose, etc.) are included, but are not limited to these. Preferred oligosaccharides are xylooligosaccharides, maltotriose, oligosaccharides, oligosaccharides, etc. The beverage of the present invention may contain only one type of oligosaccharide, or may contain two or more types of oligosaccharides. There are mixtures of various oligosaccharides on the market, and these products can also be used.

[0053] The beverage of the present invention may contain only one of the above-mentioned polysaccharides, or may contain two or more thereof.

[0054] When the polysaccharide is limited to the above-mentioned specific substance, the total value of the content of the polysaccharide in the limited range is also in the same range as above.

[0055] The determination method of the content of the polysaccharide is not particularly limited, for example, HPLC can be used. For example, the content of polydextrose or indigestible dextrin can be determined by high performance liquid chromatography (enzyme-HPLC method) of the analytical method of dietary fiber recorded in Japan Health No. 13 ("Analysis method of nutrients in nutrition labeling criteria, etc.").

[0056] (acidity)

[0057] The acidity of the beverage of the present invention is 0.1 g / 100 ml or more, preferably 0.2 to 0.6 g / 100 ml, more preferably 0.3 to 0.6 g / 100 ml, calculated as citric acid. Another preferred acidity is 0.4 to 0.6 g / 100 ml. When the acidity is within the above range, the fruity taste is sufficiently improved.

[0058] The so-called "acidity" in this specification refers to the value obtained by converting the total molar concentration of the acid into the amount of citric acid when the acid in the beverage is assumed to be monoprotic acid. In the case of carbonated beverages, it refers to the acidity after degassing. The total molar concentration of the acid in the beverage as a sample can be measured by known methods such as titration. For example, it can be calculated by the amount of sodium hydroxide added when the sample reaches neutrality (pH8.2). In detail, take a beaker of 10mL to 200mL of the sample with a full-volume pipette, add distilled water to make the liquid volume about 100mL, and insert the electrode of the pH meter into the liquid. Then, while stirring the liquid, drip 1 / 10N sodium hydroxide solution with a burette, and the end point is when the pH meter shows 8.2. Then, the total molar concentration of the acid in the sample is obtained by the amount of sodium hydroxide solution required when the end point is reached. Furthermore, the total molar concentration of the obtained acid and the molecular weight and number of carboxyl groups of citric acid (recorded for confirmation, here refers to free citric acid) are considered, and the total acid in the sample is calculated based on the following formula: Total acid = total molar concentration of acid in the sample × (molecular weight of citric acid / number of carboxyl groups of citric acid). In addition, an automatic titrator can be used for titration.

[0059] Typical examples of the acid contained in the beverage of the present invention include citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, phosphoric acid, tartaric acid, etc. Among them, citric acid, malic acid, and tartaric acid are preferred.

[0060] (juice)

[0061] The fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverage of the present invention contains fruit juice.

[0062] The type of the fruit juice is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include fruit juices of citrus fruits (orange, mandarin orange, grapefruit, lemon, sour orange, pomelo, Iyo orange, summer orange, Hassaku orange, ponkan, flat lemon, stinky orange, etc.), pomelo (apple, pear, etc.), drupe (peach, plum, apricot, plum, cherry, etc.), berry (grape, black currant, blueberry, etc.), tropical or subtropical fruit (pineapple, guava, banana, mango, lychee, etc.), and fruit vegetables (strawberry, cantaloupe, watermelon, etc.). One of these fruit juices may be used alone, or two or more may be used in combination. A preferred fruit juice is a citrus fruit juice, and more preferably a citrus fruit juice selected from orange, grapefruit, and lemon.

[0063] The fruit juice content of the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.5 w / w% or more, more preferably 1 to 8 w / w%, and even more preferably 4 to 8 w / w%, in terms of fruit juice ratio.

[0064] In the present invention, the "juice ratio" in the beverage is calculated by using the amount of juice prepared in 100 ml of the beverage (g) using the following conversion formula. In addition, when calculating the concentration ratio, sugar-containing substances added to the juice, such as honey, are excluded and the refractometer is used according to the Japanese Agricultural Standards (JAS).

[0065] Juice ratio (w / w%) = <Juice blending amount (g)> × <Concentration ratio> / 100mL / <Density of beverage> × 100

[0066] The fruit juice may be pure fruit juice obtained by squeezing the fruit directly, or concentrated fruit juice. In addition, transparent fruit juice, cloudy fruit juice, whole fruit juice obtained by crushing the whole fruit including the fruit skin and removing only hard solids such as seeds, puree obtained by filtering the fruit, or fruit juice obtained by crushing or extracting the pulp of dried fruit may be used.

[0067] (Alcohol)

[0068] The fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverage of the present invention contains alcohol. The term "alcohol" described in this specification refers to ethanol unless otherwise specified.

[0069] Alcohol can be contained in the beverage by any method. The beverage of the present invention can contain distilled alcohol or brewed alcohol, preferably distilled alcohol. Distilled alcohol is not limited by its raw materials or production method. Examples of the distilled alcohol include strong alcohol (e.g., vodka, rum, tequila, gin, aquavit, cohn), neutral spirits, liqueurs, whiskeys (e.g., whiskey and brandy), and soju.

[0070] The alcohol content of the beverage of the present invention is preferably 1 to 10 v / v%, more preferably 3 to 10 v / v%.

[0071] In this specification, the alcohol content of a beverage can also be measured by any known method, for example, it can be measured by a vibrating density meter. Specifically, a sample can be prepared by removing carbon dioxide from a beverage by filtration or ultrasound, and then the sample can be directly distilled, and the density of the resulting distillate at 15°C is measured, and the density is calculated using the "Table 2 Alcohol Content and Density (15°C) and Specific Gravity (15 / 15°C) Conversion Table" in the appendix of the analysis method prescribed by the National Tax Agency of Japan (National Tax Agency Instruction No. 6, 2007 (Heisei 19), revised on June 22, 2007 (Heisei 19)).

[0072] The type of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but carbonated shochu, cocktails, sour cocktails, and the like are preferred.

[0073] Originally, Soju HighBall was an abbreviation of Soju HighBall. Now, its definition is broad, and generally refers to alcoholic beverages obtained by mixing distilled liquor with other beverages. Soju is characterized by a refreshing taste with a balanced alcoholic, sweet, sour, and fruity taste. Sour cocktails are also alcoholic beverages obtained by mixing distilled liquor with other beverages, and further contain citrus juice. Cocktails are alcoholic beverages made by mixing fruit juice and the like with the base liquor.

[0074] (High-intensity sweetener)

[0075] The term "high-intensity sweetener" used in this specification refers to natural sweeteners and synthetic sweeteners that have a stronger sweetness than sucrose (for example, having a sweetness several to hundreds of times that of sucrose). Examples of such high-intensity sweeteners include peptide sweeteners such as aspartame and alitame; glycoside sweeteners such as stevia sweeteners (including stevia extracts and enzyme-treated stevia obtained by enzymatically treating stevia and adding glucose, and rebaudioside A, which is the sweetest and best-tasting sweet component of stevia), licorice extract, etc.; sucrose derivatives such as sucralose, etc.; and synthetic sweeteners such as acesulfame potassium and saccharin, etc.

[0076] The beverage of the present invention does not contain a high-intensity sweetener. Here, not containing a high-intensity sweetener does not exclude the situation of containing a very small amount of high sweetness. Specifically, the beverage does not contain a high-intensity sweetener and contains a high-intensity sweetener below the detection limit in the analysis, for example, below 10ppm. Its concentration can be measured by a known method such as HPLC.

[0077] (Zero Sugar)

[0078] The alcoholic beverage of the present invention is an alcoholic beverage equivalent to "zero sugar" as specified in the Nutrition Labeling Standards of the Health Promotion Act of Japan. Specifically, the amount of sugar (monosaccharide or disaccharide, non-sugar alcohol) contained in the beverage of the present invention is less than 0.5 g per 100 g of the beverage.

[0079] Specific examples of monosaccharides having a specified content include glucose, fructose, D-xylose, and L-arabinose. In addition, examples of disaccharides having a specified content include sucrose and lactose.

[0080] The amount of sugars contained in the alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be obtained by entrusting the Japan Food Analysis Center. It can also be measured by common methods such as high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In addition, as specific conditions of HPLC, for example, the following examples can be cited.

[0081] Machine used: HP1100 system

[0082] Column used: LiChrospher100 NH2 (5μm) (4mm×250mm)

[0083] Mobile phase: acetonitrile: water = 75:25

[0084] Flow rate: 1.0mL / min

[0085] Column temperature: 40℃

[0086] Injection volume: 10 μL

[0087] Detector: Sugar content differential refractometer (Shodex RI-71)

[0088] (carbon dioxide)

[0089] The beverage of the present invention may also contain carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide may be added to the beverage using methods commonly known to those skilled in the art, for example, although not limited to these, carbon dioxide may be dissolved in the beverage under pressure, carbon dioxide may be mixed with the beverage in a pipe using a stirrer such as a carbonator from Tuchenhagen, and carbon dioxide may be absorbed by the beverage by spraying the beverage into a can filled with carbon dioxide, or the beverage may be mixed with carbonated water. These methods may be used appropriately to adjust the carbon dioxide pressure.

[0090] When the beverage of the present invention contains carbon dioxide, the carbon dioxide pressure is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.7 to 3.5 kgf / cm 2 , more preferably 0.8 to 2.8 kgf / cm 2 In the present invention, the carbon dioxide pressure can be measured using a gas volume measuring device GVA-500A manufactured by Kyoto Electronics Industries. For example, the sample temperature can be set to 20°C, and the gas in the air in the container can be released (snifted) in the gas volume measuring device, and then the carbon dioxide pressure can be measured after vibration. In this specification, unless otherwise specified, the carbon dioxide pressure refers to the carbon dioxide pressure at 20°C.

[0091] (Frozen crushed wine)

[0092] The beverage of the present invention may also contain frozen and crushed fruit and / or vegetable wine. The content thereof is not limited, and is, for example, 0.1 v / v% or more or 0.1 to 1 v / v%.

[0093] The frozen and crushed wine infused with fruits and / or vegetables refers to a wine obtained by freezing one or more kinds of fruits and / or vegetables as raw materials to obtain a frozen product, finely crushing the frozen product to obtain a frozen finely crushed product, and then immersing the finely crushed product in an alcohol-containing liquid directly or after thawing and making it into a paste.

[0094] The fruits used to make the frozen, crushed and infused wine are not limited. For example, the fruits described above for the fruit juice include citrus fruits (orange, mandarin orange, grapefruit, lemon, sour orange, pomelo, iyo orange, summer orange, hassakukan, ponkan, flat lemon, citrus, etc.), pomelo (apple, pear, etc.), drupe (peach, plum, apricot, plum, cherry, etc.), berry (grape, black currant, blueberry, etc.), tropical or subtropical fruits (pineapple, guava, banana, mango, lychee, etc.), and fruit vegetables (strawberry, cantaloupe, watermelon, etc.). Preferably, the fruits are citrus fruits, and more preferably, the fruits are citrus fruits selected from orange, grapefruit and lemon.

[0095] The vegetables used to make the frozen, crushed, infused wine may contain, except for leafy vegetables, fruiting vegetables (except vegetables considered as fruits in the market), cauliflowers, and root vegetables, beans, edible plant seeds, basil, ginger, peppers, herbs (e.g., mint, lemongrass, coriander, Italian parsley, rosemary), mustard, etc. Preferred examples of vegetables are tomatoes, celery, carrots, parsley, spinach, water celery, green peppers, lettuce, cabbage, beets, gingers (ginger, leaf ginger), and basil (blue basil, red basil).

[0096] The following description of frozen, crushed and infused wine takes fruit as an example. Unless there are special circumstances, this description also applies to vegetables.

[0097] In addition, in this specification, when the raw materials are referred to as "fruits" or "vegetables", except for special cases, they refer to the raw fruit or vegetable as a whole including juice and solid components, which can be distinguished from "fruit juice" or "vegetable juice". When the terms "fruit juice" or "vegetable juice" are used, except for special cases, they refer to the juice of fruits or vegetables obtained in advance through processes such as squeezing, and do not include fruit and / or vegetable juice contained in the final product etc. as a result of using the whole fruit and / or vegetable as a raw material.

[0098] In the freezing process, the raw fruits and / or vegetables are frozen to solidify. There is no limitation on the freezer and freezing method used for freezing, and any one of air freezing, strong wind freezing, contact freezing, concentrated brine freezing, and freezing using liquid nitrogen can be used. The preferred freezing method is freezing using liquid nitrogen. The temperature of liquid nitrogen is -196°C. The freezing temperature is preferably below the brittle temperature of the raw fruits and vegetables used. The "brittle temperature" in this specification refers to the temperature at which an object becomes rapidly brittle (becomes brittle and easily damaged) at low temperatures. The brittle temperature can be determined by applying a conventional method implemented using polymers, etc.

[0099] The size of the fruits and vegetables provided for the freezing process is not limited as long as they can be put into a freezer. However, in order to freeze as quickly as possible, it is sometimes appropriate to cut them into small pieces, and in order to avoid damage as much as possible or to avoid exposure to the air, it is sometimes appropriate not to cut them into pieces when used for freezing. The fruits and vegetables can be delivered to the freezing process as a whole including the peel and seeds, or they can be delivered to the freezing process after removing the inedible parts or unpreferable components. Such partial removal can also be implemented after the freezing process. After the freezing process, frozen fruits or vegetables can be obtained.

[0100] In the fine pulverizing step, the frozen product is finely pulverized. The pulverizer and fine pulverizing method used in this step are not limited. The fine pulverizing is preferably carried out at a low temperature where the frozen product remains in a solidified state, preferably under freezing conditions using liquid nitrogen. The temperature of liquid nitrogen is -196°C. The degree of fine pulverization is not particularly limited, and it is carried out until the average particle size of the obtained fine pulverized product preferably reaches about 1μm to about 1000μm, more preferably about 1μm to about 200μm, and more preferably about 1μm to about 100μm. In addition, the average particle size in this specification refers to the median particle size (the particle size corresponding to 50% of the distribution curve on the sieve. It is also called the median diameter or 50% particle size.). After the fine pulverizing step, frozen fine pulverized products of fruits and / or vegetables can be obtained.

[0101] The obtained frozen finely pulverized material is then delivered to an impregnation step. Specifically, the frozen finely pulverized material is immersed in a liquid containing alcohol. The frozen finely pulverized material can be delivered directly to the impregnation step, or it can be delivered after being thawed and made into a paste. The impregnation step temperature is not particularly limited as long as it is not heated. In addition, the impregnation period is also not limited, and typically, it can be about half a day to several months, or about 1 day to about 3 days, or it can be several months.

[0102] The so-called alcoholic liquid refers to a liquid containing ethanol that is drinkable or can be used for food production, and may also contain water. Typically, the alcoholic liquid is a mixture of ethanol and water, which contains the distilled liquor or brewed wine mentioned above. In this process, the alcoholic liquid is preferably a distilled liquor containing the substances exemplified above. The alcohol content of the alcoholic liquid used in this process is preferably about 15 v / v% to about 100 v / v%, preferably about 25 v / v% to about 60 v / v%.

[0103] The impregnation ratio is not limited, but typically, the frozen finely pulverized material is about 1 g to 500 g, about 5 g to 300 g, or about 10 g to 200 g per 1 L of the alcohol-containing liquid.

[0104] After the impregnation step, an impregnated wine can be obtained as a frozen crushed impregnated wine. The impregnated wine can be used directly or after filtering to remove solids.

[0105] In order to prepare the beverage of the present invention, the frozen pulverized infusion wine may also be mixed with other materials.

[0106] (Other ingredients)

[0107] The beverage of the present invention may also contain additives commonly used in beverages, such as flavors, vitamins, pigments, antioxidants, preservatives, flavoring agents, extracts, pH adjusters, quality stabilizers, etc., as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired.

[0108] (Containerized beverages)

[0109] The beverage of the present invention can be provided in a container. The form of the container includes metal containers such as cans, PET bottles, paper boxes, bottles, bags, etc., but is not limited to these. For example, a sterilized container product can be manufactured by a method of filling the beverage of the present invention into a container and then performing a heat sterilization method such as retort sterilization, or by a method of sterilizing the beverage and then filling it into a container.

[0110] (Manufacturing method)

[0111] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverage without a high-intensity sweetener. The method comprises:

[0112] The step of adjusting the total content of monosaccharides and disaccharides other than sugar alcohols in the beverage to less than 0.5 w / w%;

[0113] A step of adjusting the total content of polysaccharides having a degree of polymerization of 3 or more in the beverage to 0.08 w / v% or more; and

[0114] A step of adjusting the acidity of the beverage in terms of citric acid to 0.1 g / 100 ml or more.

[0115] The method for adjusting the content of each component in the beverage is obvious from the above description of the beverage. The timing is also not limited. For example, the above steps can be performed simultaneously, separately, or the order of the steps can be changed. The final beverage meets the above conditions. In addition, the preferred range of the type or content of each component is as described above for the beverage. In addition, the specific examples or amounts of other additional components are also as described above for the beverage.

[0116] In addition, the manufacturing method may further include:

[0117] A process of freezing one or more kinds of fruits and / or vegetables to obtain frozen products;

[0118] The step of finely pulverizing the frozen product to obtain a frozen finely pulverized product;

[0119] The process of soaking the finely pulverized product directly or after thawing it into a paste and then soaking it in an alcohol-containing liquid to obtain an impregnated liquor; and

[0120] The process of mixing the infused wine with other raw materials. In this case, the beverage contains the infused wine.

[0121] The production method of the present invention can improve the fruitiness of an alcoholic beverage containing fruit juice without a high-intensity sweetener, or reduce the irritation of alcohol. Therefore, the production method is a method for improving the fruitiness of an alcoholic beverage containing fruit juice without a high-intensity sweetener, or reducing the irritation of alcohol in another aspect.

[0122] (Numerical range)

[0123] For the sake of clarity, in the present specification, a numerical range expressed by a lower limit value and an upper limit value, that is, "a lower limit value to an upper limit value" includes the lower limit value and the upper limit value.

[0124] Example

[0125] The present invention will be described below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0126] (Test Example 1) Problems in the case of zero sugar and the influence of polysaccharides

[0127] By changing the sugar content (monosaccharides or disaccharides, not sugar alcohols) without using high-intensity sweeteners, it was confirmed that the fruity taste was reduced when it was reduced to the so-called zero sugar range. In addition, the stimulation of alcohol was also confirmed. Therefore, the effect of polysaccharides on zero sugar beverages was studied.

[0128] Specifically, a predetermined amount of lemon juice, citric acid, neutral liquor, and different amounts of sugar (sometimes not used) were mixed with water to prepare three beverages of equal total amount. The amounts of these sugars were 1 g / 100 ml, 0.5 g / 100 ml, and 0 g / 100 ml (A-1 to A-3). In these beverages, the amount of lemon juice was 1 w / w% in terms of juice rate, the acidity was 0.1 g / 100 ml in terms of citric acid, and the alcohol content was 7 v / v%. The sugar used was fructose syrup.

[0129] Next, a plurality of beverages (A-4 to A-11) were prepared which were the same as the beverage (A-3) except that the content of sugar was 0 g / 100 ml, except that a polysaccharide was added. The polysaccharide used was polydextrose (LITESSE manufactured by Danisco Corporation).

[0130] The content of sugars and polysaccharides in each beverage is shown in the table below. The amount of polysaccharides listed in the table is a value obtained from the content of polydextrose in LITESSE and the amount of LITESSE used.

[0131] For the obtained beverage, 5 trained professional judges carried out sensory evaluation. The evaluation items were fruity feel, reduction of alcohol feel and / or wine feel (corresponding to the reduction of alcohol stimulation) and comprehensive evaluation. Taking beverage A-3 (a beverage containing neither sugars nor polysaccharides) as the benchmark, the degree of reduction of alcohol feel and / or wine feel was evaluated. Their evaluation criteria are as follows. Unless otherwise specified, the evaluation criteria are used in all test examples, and the tests are carried out by the same 5 professional judges. In addition, before the evaluation, each score and the corresponding benchmark beverage are used to form a consensus on each score.

[0132] (Fruity)

[0133] 1: No fruitiness

[0134] 2: Only some fruity feeling

[0135] 3: Fruity

[0136] 4: Excellent fruitiness

[0137] 5: Excellent fruitiness

[0138] (Reduction of alcohol and / or drinking sensation)

[0139] 1: No alcohol, reduced alcohol taste

[0140] 2: Only some alcohol and wine sensations are reduced

[0141] 3: Reduced alcohol and drinking sensation

[0142] 4: The sense of alcohol and wine is greatly reduced

[0143] 5: The sense of alcohol and wine is greatly reduced

[0144] The average of the scores obtained by five professional panelists is shown in the table below along with other information.

[0145] [Table 1]

[0146]

[0147] When the sugar content is reduced without using high-intensity sweeteners, the fruitiness is reduced and the stimulation of alcohol increases. On the other hand, when polysaccharides are added, the fruitiness is enhanced and the stimulation of alcohol is reduced.

[0148] (Test Example 2) Effect of Acidity

[0149] Discuss the effect of acidity.

[0150] Specifically, the same materials as A-6 of Test Example 1 were used, and a variety of beverages with different acidity were prepared without using a high-intensity sweetener. The acidity was adjusted using citric acid. In all the obtained beverages, the content of sugars was 0 g / 100 ml, the content of lemon juice was 1 w / w% calculated as juice rate, the content of polysaccharides (polydextrose) was 0.08 w / v%, and the alcohol content was 7 v / v%.

[0151] The acidity of the obtained beverages and the results of the sensory evaluation are shown in the following table. A high acidity yields a high effect.

[0152] [Table 2]

[0153]

[0154] (Test Example 3) Effect of the amount of juice

[0155] Discuss the effect of juice amount.

[0156] Specifically, the same materials as those of A-6 in Test Example 1 were used, but high-intensity sweeteners were not used, and a variety of beverages were prepared that differed only in the amount of fruit juice. In all the beverages obtained, the content of sugars was 0 g / 100 ml, the content of polysaccharides (polydextrose) was 0.08 w / v%, the acidity converted to citric acid was 0.4 g / 100 ml, and the alcohol content was 7 v / v%.

[0157] The following table shows the content of lemon juice in the obtained beverage in terms of juice ratio and the results of the sensory evaluation.

[0158] [Table 3]

[0159]

[0160] (Test Example 4) Types of polysaccharides

[0161] Discuss the effect of the type of polysaccharide.

[0162] Specifically, the same materials as those of A-6 of Test Example 1 were used except that the polysaccharide was changed, and a variety of beverages were prepared without using a high-intensity sweetener. In all the obtained beverages, the content of sugar was 0 g / 100 ml, the content of lemon juice converted to a juice rate was 1 w / w%, the content of polysaccharide was 0.1 w / v%, the acidity converted to citric acid was 0.1 g / 100 ml, and the alcohol content was 7 v / v%. The polysaccharides used were polydextrose (LITESSE), indigestible dextrin (Sandec#150, Sanwa Starch Industry Co., Ltd.), oligosaccharide (Fujioligo#360, Japan Food Chemical Co., Ltd.), pectin (GENU pectin type JM-150-J, Sanjing Co., Ltd.), and xanthan gum (San-Eigen F.F.I. Co., Ltd., (ST) San-ace ES).

[0163] The following table shows the polysaccharides used and the results of the sensory evaluation. All polysaccharides showed the same effect.

[0164] [Table 4]

[0165]

[0166] (Test Example 5) Type of Juice

[0167] Discuss the effect of the type of juice.

[0168] Specifically, a variety of beverages were prepared using the same materials as A-6 of Test Example 1 except that the type of fruit juice was changed, and no high-intensity sweetener was used. In all the obtained beverages, the content of sugars was 0 g / 100 ml, the content of fruit juice converted to a fruit juice rate was 3 w / w%, the content of polysaccharides (polydextrose) was 0.24 w / v%, the acidity converted to citric acid was 0.3 g / 100 ml, and the alcohol content was 7 v / v%. The fruit juices used were lemon juice, grapefruit juice, and peach juice.

[0169] The following table shows the types of fruit juices used, the amounts of polysaccharides, and the results of the sensory evaluation. The effects were observed using any of the fruit juices.

[0170] [Table 5]

[0171]

[0172] (Test Example 6) Effect of Freezing and Crushing Soaked Wine

[0173] The effect of the addition of frozen crushed infused alcohol (FCI) was discussed.

[0174] Specifically, a variety of beverages were prepared using the same materials as A-6 of Test Example 1 except that a predetermined amount of frozen pulverized infused liquor was added, and no high-intensity sweetener was used. In all the obtained beverages, the content of sugars was 0 g / 100 ml, the content of fruit juice converted to a juice rate was 1 w / w%, the content of polysaccharides (polydextrose) was 0.08 w / v%, the acidity converted to citric acid was 0.1 g / 100 ml, and the alcohol content was 7 v / v%. The frozen pulverized infused liquor used was obtained by freezing lemons, finely pulverizing them at a temperature below the brittle temperature, and immersing them in an alcohol-containing liquid.

[0175] The following table shows the amount of frozen pulverized infusion liquor used and the results of the sensory evaluation. The effect was enhanced when frozen pulverized infusion liquor was added.

[0176] [Table 6]

[0177]

Claims

1. A beverage, which is a fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverage without high-sweetness sweeteners, characterized in that, the total content of monosaccharides and disaccharides other than sugar alcohols is less than 0.5 w / w%; the total content of polysaccharides with a degree of polymerization of 3 or more is 0.08 w / v% to 2.4 w / v%; the acidity in terms of citric acid is 0.1 g / 100 ml or more; the total content of fruit juice is 0.5 w / w% or more in terms of fruit juice rate; and, the alcohol content is 1 to 7 v / v%, wherein the polysaccharide is at least one substance selected from resistant dextrin and polydextrose.

2. The beverage according to claim 1, characterized in that, the fruit juice is citrus fruit juice.

3. The beverage according to claim 1, characterized in that, the fruit juice is cloudy fruit juice.

4. The beverage according to claim 2, characterized in that, the fruit juice is cloudy fruit juice.

5. The beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, it contains carbonic acid.

6. The beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, it contains a frozen pulverized and impregnated liquor of fruits and / or vegetables.

7. A manufacturing method, which is a manufacturing method of a fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverage without high-sweetness sweeteners, characterized in that, it includes: a step of adjusting the total content of monosaccharides and disaccharides other than sugar alcohols in the beverage to less than 0.5 w / w%; a step of adjusting the total content of polysaccharides with a degree of polymerization of 3 or more in the beverage to 0.08 w / v% to 2.4 w / v%; and, a step of adjusting the acidity in terms of citric acid in the beverage to 0.1 g / 100 ml or more, wherein the total content of fruit juice in the beverage is 0.5 w / w% or more in terms of fruit juice rate; and, the alcohol content in the beverage is 1 to 7 v / v%, the polysaccharide is at least one substance selected from resistant dextrin and polydextrose.

8. The manufacturing method according to claim 7, characterized in that, it further includes: a step of freezing one or more of fruits and / or vegetables to obtain a frozen product; a step of finely pulverizing the frozen product to obtain a frozen finely pulverized product; a step of directly impregnating the finely pulverized product or, after thawing, making it into a paste and then impregnating it in an alcohol-containing liquid to obtain an impregnated liquor; and, a step of mixing the impregnated liquor with other raw materials, wherein the beverage contains the impregnated liquor.

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