Container packaged beverage

Abstract

The aim of the invention is to produce a container-packed beverage that has not been made up to now and that can provide consumers with a new experience value. The present invention relates to a beverage packaged in a container containing a carbonated beverage and dried fruits, the carbonated beverage having a carbonated content that is a gas volume such that the dried fruits are immersed in the carbonated beverage when the container is in a closed state and the immersed dried fruits float toward the liquid level of the carbonated beverage when the container is unsealed. The invention can provide a novel container-packaged beverage which can be visually enjoyed when unsealed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a novel container-packaged beverage which is visually enjoyable when opened. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, in the field of beverages, there is a demand not only for physical values ​​such as taste but also for providing new experience values. Summary of the invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to produce a beverage packaged in a container which has not been available so far and which can provide consumers with a new experience value.

[0004] The inventors of the present invention unexpectedly discovered during the process of developing a new type of fruit-packed beverage in a container that under certain conditions, although the fruit is immersed in the beverage when the container is sealed, the fruit slowly floats toward the surface of the beverage when the container is opened. Then, focusing on this phenomenon, the inventors conducted repeated and in-depth studies and completed the present invention.

[0005] That is, the present invention can be described as follows.

[0006] [1] A container-packaged beverage comprising a carbonated beverage and dried fruit,

[0007] The carbonation content of a carbonated beverage is the volume of gas produced when the dried fruit is immersed in the carbonated beverage when the container is sealed and the immersed dried fruit floats toward the surface of the carbonated beverage when the container is opened.

[0008] [2] The container-packaged beverage according to [1] above, wherein the dried fruit is in the form of a thin slice having a thickness of 1.0 to 3.0 mm.

[0009] [3] The container-packaged beverage according to [1] above, wherein the dried fruit is a dried fruit made from citrus fruits, apples, blueberries, plums or peaches.

[0010] [4] The container-packaged beverage according to [1] above, wherein the dried fruit is a dried fruit made from citrus fruits, lemons, limes, or oranges.

[0011] [5] The container-packaged beverage according to [1] above, wherein the dried fruit is sugar-coated dried fruit.

[0012] [6] The container-packaged beverage according to [1] above, wherein the carbonation content is 1.0 GV or more at 20°C.

[0013] [7] The container-packaged beverage according to the above [1], wherein the container is a fully open can or a transparent container.

[0014] [8] The container-packaged beverage according to any one of [1] to [7] above, wherein the dried fruit is produced by a hot air drying method.

[0015] [9] A method for producing a container-packaged beverage, wherein the container-packaged beverage comprises a carbonated beverage and dried fruits, the method comprising the following steps:

[0016] The carbonation content of the carbonated beverage is adjusted to a gas volume such that the dried fruit is immersed in the carbonated beverage when the container is in a sealed state, and the immersed dried fruit floats toward the surface of the carbonated beverage when the container is opened.

[0017]

[10] The method for producing a container-packaged beverage according to [9], further comprising the step of drying the fruit immersed in the sugar solution to produce sugar-coated dried fruit.

[0018]

[11] A container-packaged beverage comprising a carbonated beverage and dried fruits,

[0019] When the container is in a sealed state, the dried fruit is immersed in the carbonated beverage, and when the container is opened, the immersed dried fruit floats toward the surface of the carbonated beverage.

[0020] The present invention provides a novel container-packaged beverage which is visually enjoyable when opened. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The container-packaged beverage of the present invention is characterized in that it contains a carbonated beverage and dried fruits, the dried fruits are immersed in the carbonated beverage when the container is in a sealed state, and the immersed dried fruits float toward the carbonated beverage liquid surface when the container is opened.

[0022] The state of the dried fruit immersed in the carbonated beverage can be any state in which the dried fruit is immersed in the carbonated beverage without floating on the surface of the carbonated beverage. The dried fruit may be sunk to the bottom of the container or may be floating in the carbonated beverage. The time required from the moment the container is opened to the moment the dried fruit floats on the surface of the carbonated beverage is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, 0 (immediately) to 120 seconds, 0.1 to 60 seconds, 0.5 to 30 seconds, or 1 to 10 seconds. After the container is opened, the movement of the dried fruit floating up lightly and gradually can be visually enjoyed.

[0023] The dried fruit after floating can remain floating on the carbonated beverage liquid surface, or can be immersed in the carbonated beverage again. In addition, the dried fruit contained in the container packaged beverage of the present invention can have a different taste from that in the dry state with low water content because the carbonated beverage is infiltrated into the dried fruit.

[0024] <Dried Fruit>

[0025] The types of fruits used as the raw materials of the dried fruits of the present invention are not particularly limited, and for example, fruits commonly used in beverages, such as citrus fruits such as lemons, limes and oranges, apples, blueberries, plums (including prunes), peaches, strawberries, pineapples, grapes, mangoes, figs, apricots, pears, bananas, kiwis, etc., can be appropriately selected and used. The dried fruits may be one kind or two or more kinds.

[0026] In addition, when the dried fruit is a citrus fruit, the endocarp and the exocarp may be included, or the endocarp and the exocarp may be removed. In addition, when the dried fruit is a fruit other than a citrus fruit, the exocarp may be included, or the exocarp may be removed.

[0027] The form of the dried fruit is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, in its original shape, in the form of slices, or in the form of comb-shaped cuts.

[0028] In addition, the "dried fruit" in the present invention refers to all fruit materials that have been dried. For example, even if the dried fruit is in a state impregnated with the carbonated beverage of the present invention, it is also referred to as "dried fruit" for convenience.

[0029] When the dried fruit is formed into a thin sheet, the thickness before drying can be 1.0 to 8.0 mm, or 2.0 to 6.0 mm. Here, the "thickness of the dried fruit" in the present invention is conveniently recorded as the thickness at the time when the dried fruit is added to the carbonated beverage, and the thickness of the dried fruit can be 0.5 to 5.0 mm, or 1.0 to 3.0 mm. In addition, the dried fruit in the container-packaged beverage of the present invention is impregnated with the carbonated beverage so that the thickness can be 1.0 to 8.0 mm, or 2.0 to 6.0 mm.

[0030] By adjusting the thickness of the dried fruit in the present invention to fall within the above numerical range, the dried fruit is less likely to be broken and the floating motion can be easily controlled.

[0031] In addition, the "dried fruit" in the present invention can be coated with sugar. Sugar coating is carried out according to the type of dried fruit, so that even after being stored in a state immersed in a beverage for a long time, the shape, hardness, or shape and hardness close to it at the moment of adding to the beverage can be further maintained, so that the visual enjoyment when the container is opened can be compensated. In particular, when the dried fruit in the shape of a sheet is stored for a long time in a state immersed in a beverage, it sometimes becomes a state like bran, so from the viewpoint of keeping the beauty of the dried fruit, it can be coated with sugar. In addition, by sugar coating, the strength of the dried fruit can also be increased. By improving the strength of the dried fruit, for example, in the manufacture of container-packaged beverages, it is as follows: after the dried fruit is put into the container, it is inflated (gassing) (a process of replacing the air in the container with nitrogen for the purpose of suppressing oxidation), and then the process of adding the beverage, the dried fruit jumps up by the nitrogen blown during the inflation, collides with the inner wall of the container, and can also prevent damage. The sugar used in the sugar coating is not particularly limited as long as it is commonly used in the art, and examples thereof include granulated sugar (sucrose), glucose, fructose, maltose, trehalose, and lactose.

[0032] The method for manufacturing dried fruit is not particularly limited, and the dried fruit of the present invention can be manufactured by general drying methods such as hot air drying (air drying), vacuum freeze drying, and vacuum drying. In addition, the dried fruit manufactured by vacuum freeze drying and vacuum drying is porous compared to the dried fruit manufactured by hot air drying, and has a tendency to become difficult to be immersed in carbonated beverages, so the dried fruit manufactured by hot air drying can also be used. The moisture content of the dried fruit of the present invention just after drying can be, for example, less than 20% by mass, or less than 10% by mass.

[0033] The method for producing the sugar-coated dried fruit is not particularly limited, and may include, for example, a step of drying the fruit (including raw fruit) immersed in a sugar liquid such as an aqueous solution containing the sugar by the above-mentioned drying method.

[0034] <Carbonated drinks>

[0035] The carbonated beverage in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a beverage containing carbonic acid. The carbonated beverage has no particular limitation as long as the carbonated beverage content is the gas volume that the dried fruit is immersed in the carbonated beverage when the container containing the carbonated beverage and the dried fruit is in a sealed state, and the immersed dried fruit floats toward the carbonated beverage liquid surface when the container is opened. The carbonated beverage in the present invention can be adjusted, for example, according to the type, thickness, size, quality, etc. of the dried fruit. In addition, the carbonated beverage in the present invention can be manufactured by pressing carbon dioxide gas into the carbonated beverage that does not contain carbonic acid as a basis according to a general method as needed. The carbonated content can be 0.5GV or more at 20°C, can be 1.0GV or more, can be 1.5GV or more, can be 2.0GV or more. In addition, the carbonated content can be 5.0GV or less, can be 4.0GV or less. The carbonated beverage in the present invention can be recorded as a value measured by a GV detector commonly used in the art, such as GVA-500B (Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd.).

[0036] It should be noted that the gas volume of carbonated beverages is also limited by the pressure resistance of the container and the manufacturing conditions. For example, when heat sterilization is performed during the manufacturing process, the pressure in the heated container must be below the pressure resistance of the container. Therefore, the gas volume is limited compared to the case where heat sterilization is not performed. In addition, carbon dioxide gas has a bacteriostatic effect. Therefore, the carbon dioxide gas pressure in the container is above 98 kPa at 20°C. If the beverage does not contain plant or animal tissue components such as juice, fruit, and milk, heat sterilization is not required, and the gas volume can be increased.

[0037] Carbonated beverages can be non-alcoholic beverages or alcoholic beverages. In addition, they can be beverages manufactured through a fermentation process or beverages manufactured without a fermentation process. When the carbonated beverage in the present invention is an alcoholic beverage, the alcohol content (volume concentration of ethanol) is not particularly limited and is appropriately determined according to the target product quality. For example, the alcohol content of the carbonated beverage can be adjusted so that the alcohol content is 0.7% by volume or more, or 1% by volume or more, or 2% by volume or more, or 3% by volume or more. In addition, when the carbonated beverage in the present invention is an alcoholic beverage, the extracted components can be 0 to 15 degrees, 1 to 10 degrees, or 3 to 7 degrees.

[0038] Furthermore, the carbonated beverage of the present invention may contain flavors of fruits of the same or different species as the dried fruit contained in the container-packaged beverage, or flavors other than fruit-based flavors.

[0039] The pH of the carbonated beverage in the present invention can be adjusted for purposes such as controlling microorganisms and inhibiting the deterioration of aroma components. Generally, the lower the pH of the beverage, the less likely it is for microorganisms to grow, but if the pH is too low, the sour taste becomes excessively strong. In addition, there are aroma components that are easily deteriorated if the pH becomes low. In terms of the intensity of the sour taste suitable as a beverage and the inhibition of the deterioration of the aroma components, the pH of the carbonated beverage is preferably above 2.0, more preferably above 2.5, and further preferably above 3.0. In addition, considering the inhibition of the growth of microorganisms, the intensity of the sterilization conditions, etc., when no alcohol is contained, the pH of the carbonated beverage in the present invention is preferably below 5.0, more preferably below 4.0, and further preferably below 4.0. When the carbonated beverage contains alcohol, the pH is preferably below 6.5, more preferably below 5.0.

[0040] For example, when the beverage contains many aroma components that are more likely to deteriorate at a lower pH, the pH of the carbonated beverage is preferably higher. For example, citral is more likely to deteriorate at a lower pH, so when the container-packaged beverage of the present invention is a lemon-flavored beverage containing citral, the pH of the carbonated beverage is preferably 3.0 or higher, more preferably 3.5 or higher. In order to fully inhibit the growth of microorganisms and easily achieve the preferred sour taste as a lemon flavor, the pH is preferably 3.0 to 4.0, particularly preferably 3.5 to 3.7.

[0041] The carbonated beverage in the present invention may contain, for example, alcoholic beverages, carbonated water, fruits, vegetables, herbs, sugars, flavorings, other food ingredients, food additives, and other optional ingredients. The optional ingredients are described below.

[0042] 《Optional ingredients》

[0043] The aforementioned alcoholic beverages as any component include raw alcohol; distilled alcoholic beverages such as vodka, whiskey, brandy, shochu, rum, liquor and gin; brewed alcoholic beverages such as wine, cider, beer, sake; mixed alcoholic beverages such as liqueurs and vermouth, etc. The alcoholic beverages contained in the carbonated beverage may be one type or two or more types. It should be noted that when the container-packaged beverage of the present invention is a carbonated beverage in which alcoholic beverages and food raw materials are mixed, the beverage is classified as a liqueur (extracted component is more than two degrees) or a liquor (extracted component is less than two degrees) in Japan's Liquor Tax Law (implemented on April 1, 1993).

[0044] The aforementioned fruits, vegetables and herbs as optional ingredients are not particularly limited, and fruits and the like commonly used in beverages can be appropriately selected and used. The fruits, vegetables and herbs finally contained in the carbonated beverage may be one kind or two or more kinds.

[0045] In addition, the carbonated beverage can directly contain chopped fruits, etc., or squeezed juices such as fruit juices and vegetable juices can be added as raw materials. It should be noted that fruit juice is defined by the Japanese Agricultural and Forestry Standards for fruit drinks in Japan, and is defined by the CODEX standard (CODEX STAN 247-2005) involving fruit juices and pulp drinks internationally. As the aforementioned fruit, concentrated fruit juice, reconstituted fruit juice, etc. can be used, and a portion of the insoluble solid components can be removed and clarified fruit juice can be used. In addition, as the aforementioned fruits and vegetables, fruit extracts and vegetable extracts can be added as raw materials. It is particularly preferred to contain fruit juices and extracts of the same kind of fruits as the dried fruits contained in the container-packaged beverage. Fruit extracts and vegetable extracts can be those formed by extracting the components contained in fruits and vegetables from the chopped fruits and vegetables with water or alcohol. These extracts are manufactured, for example, by the following methods, etc.: a method based on hot water extraction; a method in which the fruit components are separated and recovered by gasifying the liquefied gas after the fruit components are dissolved using liquefied gas.

[0046] The sugar (a general term for monosaccharides and disaccharides) as an optional component may include sucrose, glucose, fructose, isomerized sugar, etc. By including these sugars in carbonated beverages, sweetness, richness, etc. may be imparted. The sugars may be contained in one type or in two or more types.

[0047] As the flavoring material of arbitrary components, other food raw materials, for example, dietary fiber, yeast extract, protein or its decomposition product etc. can be cited. Wherein, water-soluble dietary fiber is widely used in order to give rich feeling and other functionalities to beverage. Water-soluble dietary fiber refers to carbohydrates that are dissolved in water and not digested by human digestive enzyme or are difficult to digest. As water-soluble dietary fiber, for example, soybean dietary fiber, polydextrose, indigestible dextrin, galactomannan, inulin, guar gum decomposition product, pectin, gum arabic etc. can be cited. These water-soluble dietary fibers can use only one kind, and can also use more than two kinds.

[0048] The food additives of any component can use articles that can be used based on national laws and regulations, and there is no special restriction within the scope. For example, it can contain as needed: preservatives for maintaining the quality of food, antioxidants, etc., colorants, spices, sweeteners, acidulants, emulsifiers, etc. for improving the food's taste, pH regulators, defoamers, foaming agents, etc. required for the manufacture or processing of food, and nutritional enhancers used in supplementation and enhancement of nutritional ingredients.

[0049] Some food additives are briefly described.

[0050] Colorants are food additives that improve the color tone of food. They are roughly divided into chemically synthesized colorants and natural colorants. In Japan's Food Sanitation Law, they are classified as designated additives, existing additives, and general food additives. As a colorant, caramel coloring that colors food brown is mostly used. It should be noted that as a secondary effect of caramel coloring, it can give beverages a toasty feeling, a rich feeling, etc.

[0051] Flavors are used to provide aroma to food or to enhance the aroma. Food flavors include natural flavors extracted from natural substances and synthetic flavors synthesized by chemical means. In Japan's Food Sanitation Law, natural flavors are defined as "substances obtained from animals and plants or mixtures thereof, and additives used to flavor food." The names of animals and plants that can be used are listed as examples in the "List of Natural Flavoring Base Substances." In addition, most synthetic flavors are compounds obtained by chemically synthesizing the same ingredients as substances present in food, and are regulated in "Annex 1 to the Enforcement Ordinance of the Food Sanitation Law."

[0052] Food flavorings are rarely used in single products, and blended products that combine a large number of flavor compounds are usually used. As the form of flavor products, there are: water-soluble flavors, oil-soluble flavors, emulsified flavors, powdered flavors, etc. Water-soluble flavors are those that are made by extracting / dissolving the flavor base with water-containing alcohol, propylene glycol, etc., which are water-soluble solvents. Oil-soluble flavors are those that are made by dissolving the flavor base with vegetable oils, etc. Emulsified flavors are those that use emulsifiers and stabilizers to emulsify the flavor base in water to form a particulate state. Sometimes it also brings turbidity to the beverage, and is also called a clouding agent. Powdered flavors are those that are spray-dried and powdered after emulsifying the flavor base with excipients such as dextrin, natural gum, sugar, starch, etc., or those that are attached to lactose, etc. Water-soluble flavors and emulsified flavors are commonly used in beverages.

[0053] Sweeteners are used to bring sweetness to food. The aforementioned sugars and some low-sweetness substances (treacle, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, etc.) are classified as foods, but not as food additives. As low-sweetness substances that are classified as food additives, there are: L-arabinose, D-xylose, trehalose, D-sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol, etc., as high-sweetness substances, there are: aspartame, neotame, acesulfame potassium, saccharin, sucralose, disodium glycyrrhizinate, stevia extract, licorice extract, thaumatin, etc. It should be noted that in Japan's Food Sanitation Law, sweeteners are classified as designated additives, existing additives, and general dietary additives. Aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, etc., whose sweetness characteristics are close to the sugars that have been used in beverages, namely sugar, glucose, and fructose, are often used in beverages. In the carbonated beverage of the present invention, it is also preferred to use one or more sweeteners commonly used in these beverages.

[0054] Acidulants are used to impart sour taste to food or to enhance sour taste. Acidulants include organic acids such as citric acid and lactic acid and their salts, and inorganic acids such as phosphoric acid and carbon dioxide. If an organic acid and its salt are used in combination, a specific pH can be easily maintained due to the buffering effect.

[0055] It should be noted that in Japan, the substances that can be collectively referred to as acidulants are as follows: designated additives include adipic acid, citric acid, trisodium citrate, gluconolactone, gluconic acid, potassium gluconate, sodium gluconate, succinic acid, monosodium succinate, disodium succinate, sodium acetate, DL-tartaric acid, L-tartaric acid, DL-sodium tartrate, L-sodium tartrate, carbon dioxide, lactic acid, sodium lactate, glacial acetic acid, fumaric acid, monosodium fumarate, DL-malic acid, DL-sodium malate, and phosphoric acid; existing additives include itaconic acid, phytic acid, and α-ketoglutaric acid.

[0056] The acidulant used in the beverage is selected according to the flavor (spice) of the beverage. For example, in citrus-flavored beverages, citric acid and citrates, which are contained in large quantities in citrus, are mostly selected; in grape-flavored beverages, tartaric acid and tartrates, which are contained in large quantities in grapes, are mostly selected; in apple-flavored beverages, malic acid and malate, which are contained in large quantities in apples, are mostly selected.

[0057] Emulsifiers are used to emulsify, disperse, penetrate, clean, foam, defoam, demould, etc. in food. In beverages, they are often used to disperse (emulsify) oil in liquid. For example, they are used to evenly disperse hydrophobic components in water or to suppress the separation of oil and fat components from raw materials.

[0058] The above-mentioned food raw materials and food additives are merely examples, and the substances contained in the container-packaged beverage of the present invention are not limited thereto. The types and contents of the food raw materials and food additives used may be appropriately selected and adjusted according to the purpose.

[0059] <Container>

[0060] The container used for the container-packaged beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, and two-piece cans, three-piece cans, bottle cans, flexible containers, glass bottles, etc. can be used. Examples of flexible containers include containers formed by molding flexible resins such as PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), EVOH (ethylene / vinyl alcohol copolymer), and PET (polyethylene terephthalate) into a bottle shape. The flexible container may be formed of a single layer of resin or a multilayer of resin.

[0061] The dried fruit in the carbonated beverage, for example, visually enjoys the appearance of gradually floating from the bottom, so the container can be a full open can or a transparent container. In addition, the size of the dried fruit placed in the container is not limited by the opening when placing the dried fruit in the container, so a full open can can also be used.

[0062] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail based on Examples, but the present invention is not limited to these Examples.

[0063] Example

[0064] 1. Preparation of base solution

[0065] The raw materials were mixed as shown in Table 1 to adjust the base liquid to have an alcohol content of 6%, an extract content of 3.5 and a pH of 3.5.

[0066] [Table 1]

[0067]

[0068] 2. Experiment (1)

[0069] In this experiment, dried lemon (thickness 1 mm) obtained by hot-air drying raw lemon slices with a thickness of 3 mm was used.

[0070] Next, carbonic acid was added to the base liquid to prepare beverages having various carbonic acid contents (GV) shown in Table 2. After placing a dried lemon slice in a beverage can, the beverage was filled and the fully open can lid was rolled up to produce container-packaged beverage samples.

[0071] The prepared container-packaged beverage samples were stored at 25°C for 48 hours and then opened. When opened, visual inspection was performed to confirm whether the immersed dried lemon floated on the surface of the beverage. The results are shown in Table 2. After opening, for samples in which the immersed dried lemon floated toward the surface of the beverage, the floating evaluation was recorded as 0, and for samples that did not float while being immersed, the floating evaluation was recorded as ×.

[0072] [Table 2]

[0073] Sample No. 1 2 3 4 5 67 8 GV(20℃) 0.0 0.1 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.02.3 2.6 Floating evaluation × × × ○ ○ ○○ ○

[0074] It was confirmed that the dried lemon could be controlled to have a desired behavior by adjusting the thickness of the dried lemon and the gas volume of the carbonated beverage.

[0075] 3. Experiment (2)

[0076] The same experiment as in the above experiment (1) was conducted except that dried lemon (thickness 2 mm) obtained by hot-air drying a raw lemon slice having a thickness of 6 mm was used.

[0077] [Table 3]

[0078] Sample No. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 GV(20℃) 0.0 0.1 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.3 2.6 Floating evaluation × × × × × ○ ○ ○

[0079] It was confirmed that the gas volume of the carbonated beverage can be adjusted according to the thickness of the dried lemon, so that the dried lemon can be controlled to have a desired behavior.

[0080] 4. Experiment (3)

[0081] Each raw fruit shown in Table 4 was sliced ​​into slices of the thickness before drying shown in Table 4, and hot-air dried to obtain each dried fruit. Among them, blueberries were sliced ​​without being sliced ​​and dried plums were dried without being seeds and dried plums were dried under the same conditions (samples 22 and 23). The diameter of the dried dried plums was about 35 mm.

[0082] Next, the carbonation content of the base liquid was prepared to the carbonation content (GV) shown in Table 4, and each beverage can was filled with the obtained dried fruits. After confirming that the dried fruits were immersed, the can lids with the entire opening were rolled up to produce container-packaged beverage samples.

[0083] The prepared container-packaged beverage samples were stored at 25°C for 48 hours and then opened. Upon opening, it was visually confirmed whether the immersed dried fruits floated on the surface of the beverage. The evaluation was performed in the same manner as in the above experiment (1).

[0084] [Table 4]

[0085]

[0086] It was confirmed that, regardless of the type of fruit, each dried fruit could be controlled to have a desired behavior by adjusting the gas volume of the carbonated beverage.

[0087] 5. Experiment (4)

[0088] In this experiment, used were sugar-coated dried lemons (2 mm in thickness) obtained by immersing a 6 mm thick raw lemon slice in a 10% aqueous glucose solution and then hot-air drying; and dried lemons (2 mm in thickness) obtained by hot-air drying without immersing a 6 mm thick raw lemon slice in a 10% aqueous glucose solution.

[0089] Next, carbonic acid was added to the base liquid to prepare a 2.3 GV beverage, which was filled into a beverage can containing one piece of sugar-coated dried lemon and another beverage can containing one piece of dried lemon, and then the fully open can lids were rolled up to produce container-packaged beverage samples.

[0090] The prepared container-packaged beverage samples were sterilized at 65°C for 20 minutes, stored at 37°C for 1 week, and then opened. After opening, the state of each dried fruit was checked.

[0091] The results of the test are as follows: In the container-packaged beverage sample containing the sugar-coated dried lemon, the shape and hardness of the dried fruit were maintained compared to the container-packaged beverage sample containing the dried lemon.

[0092] 6. Experiment (5)

[0093] In this experiment, used were sugar-coated dried lemons (2 mm in thickness) obtained by immersing a 6 mm thick raw lemon slice in a 10% aqueous glucose solution and then hot-air drying; and dried lemons (2 mm in thickness) obtained by hot-air drying without immersing a 6 mm thick raw lemon slice in a 10% aqueous glucose solution.

[0094] Next, one piece of sugar-coated dried lemon and one piece of dried lemon were placed in the beverage can, and the air in the can was replaced with nitrogen, so nitrogen was blown into the can. At this time, the dried fruit collided with the inner wall of the can. The test was carried out 10 times under each condition to confirm whether the dried fruit was damaged.

[0095] The test results are as follows: in the sample containing the sugar-coated dried lemon, no damage to the dried fruit was observed, whereas in the sample containing the dried lemon, damage to the dried fruit was observed 8 out of 10 times.

Claims

1. A container-packaged beverage comprising a carbonated beverage and dried fruits, The carbonation content of a carbonated beverage is the volume of gas produced when the dried fruit is immersed in the carbonated beverage when the container is sealed and the immersed dried fruit floats toward the surface of the carbonated beverage when the container is opened.

2. The container-packaged beverage according to claim 1, wherein: The dried fruit is in the shape of thin slices with a thickness of 1.0 to 3.0 mm.

3. The container-packaged beverage according to claim 1, wherein: Dried fruits are dried fruits made from citrus, apples, blueberries, plums or peaches.

4. The container-packaged beverage according to claim 1, wherein: Dried fruits are dried fruits made from citrus fruits, such as lemons, limes, or oranges.

5. The container-packaged beverage according to claim 1, wherein: Dried fruits are sugar-coated dried fruits.

6. The container-packaged beverage according to claim 1, wherein: The carbonic acid content is 1.0 GV or more at 20°C.

7. The container-packaged beverage according to claim 1, wherein: The container is a fully open can or a transparent container.

8. The container-packaged beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein The dried fruits are manufactured by hot air drying method.

9. A method for manufacturing a container-packaged beverage, wherein: The container-packaged beverage comprises a carbonated beverage and dried fruits, and the manufacturing method comprises the following steps: The carbonation content of the carbonated beverage is adjusted to a gas volume such that the dried fruit is immersed in the carbonated beverage when the container is in a sealed state, and the immersed dried fruit floats toward the surface of the carbonated beverage when the container is opened. 10 . The method for producing a container-packaged beverage according to claim 9 , further comprising the step of drying the fruit immersed in the sugar solution to produce sugar-coated dried fruit.

11. A container-packaged beverage comprising a carbonated beverage and dried fruits, When the container is in a sealed state, the dried fruit is immersed in the carbonated beverage, and when the container is opened, the immersed dried fruit floats toward the surface of the carbonated beverage.

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