A polysaccharide compound stabilizer for improving the foam performance of low-alcohol wine and application thereof

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of alcoholic beverage processing technology, and discloses a polysaccharide compound stabilizer for improving the foam performance of low-alcohol baijiu (Chinese white liquor) and its application. The compound stabilizer comprises astragalus polysaccharide, tanshinone polysaccharide, and β-cyclodextrin. The mass ratio of astragalus polysaccharide to tanshinone polysaccharide is 1:3 to 3:1, and the two polysaccharides account for more than 70% of the solid mass of the compound stabilizer. β-cyclodextrin accounts for more than 0% and no more than 30% of the solid mass. The compound stabilizer is added to low-alcohol baijiu (Chinese white liquor) obtained by blending or reducing the alcohol content of light-aroma baijiu, with a final alcohol content of 5% vol to 15% vol, at an addition amount of 15 g / 100 mL to 20 g / 100 mL. After mixing, dispersion, static stabilization, and membrane filtration, low-alcohol baijiu with improved foam performance is obtained. This invention can increase the maximum foam height of low-alcohol baijiu and prolong the foam disappearance time, while maintaining the clarity, suitable viscosity, and sensory harmony of the liquor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of alcoholic beverage processing technology, specifically to a polysaccharide compound stabilizer for improving the foaming properties of low-alcohol baijiu, and the application of this compound stabilizer in improving the foaming properties and foam stability of low-alcohol baijiu. Background Technology

[0002] Low-alcohol baijiu is a beverage made by blending, reducing the alcohol content, or reconstructing the flavor of baijiu. Compared to high-alcohol baijiu, low-alcohol baijiu has a lower alcohol content and is more suitable for light drinking and casual consumption scenarios. For low-alcohol baijiu products that are shaken, mixed, or require a display of foam, the maximum height of the foam, the duration of the foam, and the fineness of the foam will affect the visual appearance and drinking experience after opening, shaking, or mixing.

[0003] Existing methods for improving the foam performance of alcoholic beverages include adding colloidal stabilizers, saponin foaming agents, protein substances, or improving foam performance through process control. Some colloidal substances can prolong foam retention time, but may lead to increased viscosity, decreased clarity, or unbalanced taste; saponins have strong foaming ability, but may bring bitterness or aftertaste; while single polysaccharides can improve some foam indicators, in low-ethanol systems, it is often difficult to simultaneously achieve foam generation, foam retention, clarity, and sensory harmony.

[0004] Therefore, how to provide a foam performance improvement solution with clearly defined components, simple process, applicable to low-alcohol baijiu systems, and capable of simultaneously improving the maximum foam height and foam disappearance time while maintaining the clarity, appropriate viscosity, and sensory harmony of the liquor, is a technical problem that needs to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the present invention proposes a polysaccharide compound stabilizer for improving the foam performance of low-alcohol baijiu and its application, in order to solve the problems of insufficient foam generation, rapid foam dissipation, and the potential impact of some existing foam improvers on the clarity, viscosity, or flavor harmony of the liquor.

[0006] The technical solution of the present invention is implemented as follows: The present invention provides a method for improving the foam performance of low-alcohol baijiu, which includes adding a compound stabilizer containing astragalus polysaccharide, tanshinone polysaccharide and β-cyclodextrin to low-alcohol baijiu obtained by blending or reducing the alcohol content of light-aroma baijiu, and after mixing, standing stabilization and membrane filtration, low-alcohol baijiu with improved foam performance is obtained.

[0007] In some embodiments, the mass ratio of Astragalus polysaccharide to Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide is 1:5 to 5:1, preferably 1:3 to 3:1, and more preferably 1:1. This ratio range covers cases where Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide is relatively higher, Astragalus polysaccharide is relatively higher, and the two are nearly equal in amount, which is beneficial for adjustment according to the basic foam state of low-alcohol baijiu.

[0008] In some embodiments, the solids of the compound stabilizer are composed of astragalus polysaccharide, tanshinone polysaccharide, and β-cyclodextrin, wherein the astragalus polysaccharide and tanshinone polysaccharide account for more than 70% of the solids of the compound stabilizer, and the β-cyclodextrin accounts for more than 0% and no more than 30% of the solids of the compound stabilizer. By limiting the proportions of the main polysaccharide component and auxiliary components in the solids, it is possible to avoid the auxiliary component proportion being too high, which would weaken the foam performance improvement effect.

[0009] In some embodiments, β-cyclodextrin is used as an auxiliary dispersant and flavor harmonizing component to improve the dispersion compatibility of the compound stabilizer in low-alcohol baijiu systems. The amount of the compound stabilizer added is based on dry weight; when the compound stabilizer is added in an aqueous state or in dispersion form, it is converted to dry weight.

[0010] In some embodiments, the compound stabilizer is added to the low-alcohol spirit at a rate of 10 g / 100 mL to 25 g / 100 mL, preferably 15 g / 100 mL to 20 g / 100 mL. This amount is based on the dry weight of the compound stabilizer relative to the volume of the low-alcohol spirit. This range achieves a good balance between foam improvement, clarification, apparent viscosity, and sensory harmony.

[0011] In some embodiments, the final alcohol content of the low-alcohol baijiu is between 5% vol and 15% vol, preferably 10% vol. The final alcohol content refers to the alcohol content after the addition of the compound stabilizer, static stabilization, and necessary blending. This range falls within the common alcohol content range for low-alcohol baijiu and matches the foam performance improvement target of this invention.

[0012] In some embodiments, the low-alcohol baijiu is a blended or diluted version of light-aroma baijiu. This type of baijiu has a relatively delicate aroma and requires high levels of flavor harmony and clarity. The compound stabilizer of this invention is suitable for improving the foam quality of this type of baijiu.

[0013] In some embodiments, before adding the compound stabilizer to low-alcohol liquor, astragalus polysaccharide, tanshinone polysaccharide, and β-cyclodextrin are mixed and added to purified water. The amount of purified water is 2 to 5 times the dry weight of the compound stabilizer. The mixture is stirred at 500 to 800 r / min for 20 to 30 minutes, followed by ultrasonic-assisted treatment. This treatment facilitates the uniform dispersion of astragalus polysaccharide and tanshinone polysaccharide, reducing local aggregation.

[0014] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic-assisted treatment is performed at a frequency of 30 kHz to 40 kHz, a power of 200 W to 400 W, a duration of 5 min, and a treatment temperature of room temperature. These treatment conditions can be considered as preferred process conditions for the pretreatment of compound stabilizer dispersion.

[0015] In some implementations, after adding the compound stabilizer to the low-alcohol spirit, it is sealed and left to stand at room temperature for 5 to 7 days. This stabilization step helps the compound stabilizer to fully adapt to the spirit system, resulting in more stable foam performance.

[0016] In some embodiments, after settling and stabilizing, a 0.45 μm membrane filtration step is also included. This filtration step can remove insufficiently dispersed fine suspended matter, which is beneficial for obtaining a low-alcohol liquor product with better clarity.

[0017] In some embodiments, the resulting low-alcohol liquor has a transmittance of not less than 90% at 660 nm, and an apparent viscosity measured at 25°C, rotor No. 2, and 60 r / min is not higher than 8.0 mPa·s. These transmittance and viscosity indicators demonstrate that the present invention improves foam performance while maintaining a clear liquor and suitable fluidity.

[0018] The present invention has the following advantages over the prior art: This invention uses Astragalus polysaccharide and Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide as the core components of a compound stabilizer, limiting their mass ratio and addition amount to a range suitable for light-aroma low-alcohol baijiu systems. Compared to low-alcohol baijiu without the compound stabilizer and under otherwise identical conditions, this invention simultaneously increases the maximum foam height and prolongs the foam disappearance time. Compared to adding Astragalus polysaccharide alone, adding Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide alone, adding β-cyclodextrin alone, and other common polysaccharide compounding methods, the compounding method of this invention exhibits better overall performance in terms of foam height and foam retention. Furthermore, by controlling the proportion of the main polysaccharide components in the compound stabilizer and employing steps such as mixing and dispersion, static stabilization, and membrane filtration, this invention ensures that the compound stabilizer exhibits good dispersion consistency, clarification compatibility, and sensory harmony in low-alcohol baijiu. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1Sensory score changes of light-aroma low-alcohol baijiu with added compound stabilizer during storage at 25℃ in the dark. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] Unless otherwise stated, the "amount added" below refers to the amount of compound stabilizer added on a dry basis relative to the volume of low-alcohol baijiu, in g / 100 mL. The dry basis mass of the compound stabilizer refers to the mass of the compound stabilizer solids after deducting moisture. When the compound stabilizer is added in an aqueous state or in dispersion form, it is converted to a dry basis mass based on its solids content. The alcohol content in the following examples refers to the final alcohol content after adding the compound stabilizer dispersion and blending.

[0023] The Astragalus polysaccharide used in this embodiment is a light yellow powder with a polysaccharide content of 90.6%, a moisture content of 5.2%, and a weight-average molecular weight of 8.7 × 10⁻⁶. 5 The tanshinone polysaccharide used was a brownish-yellow powder with a polysaccharide content of 88.9%, a moisture content of 6.1%, and a weight-average molecular weight of 3.2 × 10⁻⁶. 5 Da; The cyclodextrin used was β-cyclodextrin. Astragalus polysaccharide and Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide were sieved through an 80-mesh sieve before use and placed in a desiccator for 24 hours to equilibrate.

[0024] The polysaccharide content was determined by the phenol-sulfuric acid method, the moisture content was determined by the atmospheric pressure drying method, and the weight-average molecular weight was determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and converted using dextran standards.

[0025] The foam performance test method is as follows: Take 200 mL of wine sample and place it in a 500 mL beaker. Stir at 1200 r / min for 3 min using a high-speed disperser at 25℃. Immediately after stopping stirring, read the maximum foam height Hmax in mm. Record the time t required for the foam to completely disappear in seconds. Each group is measured in triplicate, and the results are expressed as mean ± standard deviation.

[0026] The clarity test method is as follows: Take the filtered wine sample and place it in a 1 cm cuvette. Measure the transmittance at a wavelength of 660 nm, using purified water as a blank.

[0027] The viscosity test method is as follows: Take wine samples and measure the apparent viscosity using a rotational viscometer at 25℃. The test conditions are rotor No. 2, 60 r / min. Each group is measured in parallel 3 times. The results are expressed as mean ± standard deviation.

[0028] The sensory evaluation method is as follows: Five evaluators specializing in baijiu tasting will evaluate the color, clarity, aroma, taste, mouthfeel, and overall harmony of the baijiu sample. The total score is 100 points, and the average value of the results will be taken.

[0029] Example 1: Effect of different compounding ratios on the foam performance of low-alcohol baijiu Using a light-aroma, low-alcohol baijiu with a final alcohol content of 10% vol as the base liquor, control, Astragalus polysaccharide-only, Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide-only, and groups with different compound ratios were set up. The amount of compound stabilizer added in each group was 15 g / 100 mL, based on the dry weight of the compound stabilizer; among which, Astragalus polysaccharide and Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide accounted for 70% of the solid content of the compound stabilizer, and the remaining solids were β-cyclodextrin.

[0030] Table 1. Effects of different blending ratios on the foam performance of low-alcohol baijiu

[0031] As shown in Table 1, compared with the control group without stabilizers, the addition of either Astragalus polysaccharide or Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide alone improved foaming performance. Compared with the addition of either Astragalus polysaccharide or Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide alone, the combination of Astragalus polysaccharide and Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide showed better overall improvement in maximum foam height and foam disappearance time. Among them, the mass ratio of Astragalus polysaccharide to Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide was 1:1, resulting in better maximum foam height and foam disappearance time.

[0032] Example 2: Effect of Addition Amount on Foaming Properties, Clarity, Viscosity, and Sensory Evaluation Using a light-aroma, low-alcohol baijiu (Chinese liquor) with a final alcohol content of 10% vol as the base liquor, the mass ratio of Astragalus polysaccharide to Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide was fixed at 1:1. The amounts of compound stabilizer added were 10 g / 100 mL, 15 g / 100 mL, 20 g / 100 mL, and 25 g / 100 mL, respectively, based on the dry weight of the compound stabilizer. In the compound stabilizer, Astragalus polysaccharide and Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide accounted for 70% of the solid content, with the remaining solids being β-cyclodextrin.

[0033] Table 2. Effects of Addition Amount on Foaming Properties, Clarity, Viscosity, and Sensory Evaluation

[0034] As shown in Table 2, with the increase of the amount of compound stabilizer added, the maximum foam height and foam disappearance time generally increased; however, when the addition amount reached 25 g / 100 mL, the light transmittance of the wine sample decreased, the apparent viscosity increased, and the sensory score decreased. Considering foam performance, clarification state, fluidity, and sensory harmony, 15 g / 100 mL to 20 g / 100 mL is the optimal addition range.

[0035] Example 3: Verification of alcohol content range Low-alcohol baijiu with final alcohol contents of 5%, 10%, and 15% vol were obtained by blending with light-aroma baijiu. The compound stabilizer contained Astragalus polysaccharide in a 1:1 mass ratio to Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide, with Astragalus and Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharides accounting for 70% of the solid content of the compound stabilizer, and the remaining solids being β-cyclodextrin. The amount of compound stabilizer added was 15 g / 100 mL, based on dry weight. A baijiu sample without stabilizer and under identical other conditions served as a control.

[0036] Table 3. Effect of alcohol content range on foam performance improvement

[0037] As shown in Table 3, in the light-aroma low-alcohol baijiu system with a final alcohol content of 5% vol to 15% vol, the compound stabilizer of the present invention can increase the maximum height of foam and prolong the foam disappearance time compared with the control sample without stabilizer.

[0038] Example 4: Preparation process and membrane filtration effect verification A light-aroma, low-alcohol baijiu with a final alcohol content of 10% vol was used to prepare a compound stabilizer by mixing Astragalus polysaccharide and Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide in a 1:1 mass ratio. Astragalus polysaccharide and Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide comprised 70% of the solid content of the compound stabilizer, with the remaining solids being β-cyclodextrin. The compound stabilizer was added at a rate of 15 g / 100 mL, based on a dry basis.

[0039] Astragalus polysaccharide, tanshinone polysaccharide, and β-cyclodextrin were mixed and added to purified water, with the volume of purified water being three times the dry weight of the compound stabilizer. The mixture was stirred at 600 r / min for 25 min, followed by ultrasonic treatment at 35 kHz and 300 W for 5 min. Then, it was slowly added to low-alcohol baijiu (Chinese liquor) while stirring continuously. After thorough mixing, the mixture was adjusted to a final alcohol content of 10% vol and then sealed and allowed to stand at room temperature for 6 days. After standing, the mixture was subjected to unfiltered, 0.80 μm membrane filtration, and 0.45 μm membrane filtration treatments, respectively.

[0040] Table 4. Effects of membrane filtration on foam performance and appearance.

[0041] As shown in Table 4, 0.45 μm membrane filtration can improve the appearance and clarity of wine samples without significantly weakening the improvement effect on maximum foam height and foam disappearance time.

[0042] Example 5: Storage Stability Verification A light-aroma, low-alcohol baijiu with a final alcohol content of 10% vol was prepared and a compound stabilizer was added with a mass ratio of Astragalus polysaccharide to Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide of 1:1. Astragalus polysaccharide and Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide accounted for 70% of the solid content of the compound stabilizer, with the remaining solids being β-cyclodextrin. The amount of compound stabilizer added was 15 g / 100 mL, based on dry weight. The mixture was prepared according to the process described in Example 4 and filtered through a 0.45 μm membrane, then stored at 25°C in the dark for 6 months. Samples were taken monthly to measure the maximum foam height, foam disappearance time, 660 nm transmittance, and apparent viscosity.

[0043] Table 5. Changes in foam properties, clarity, and viscosity during storage.

[0044] As shown in Table 5, during the 6-month storage period at 25℃ in the dark, the light-aroma low-alcohol baijiu with the addition of the compound stabilizer of the present invention can still maintain relatively stable foam performance, clarification state and apparent viscosity, indicating that the method is suitable for maintaining foam performance during the storage process of low-alcohol baijiu.

[0045] Meanwhile, five evaluators specializing in baijiu tasting conducted sensory evaluations of the baijiu samples during storage, assessing their color, clarity, aroma, taste, and style. The evaluation results are available in [link to evaluation]. Figure 1 .

[0046] Figure 1 A graph showing the changes in sensory scores of a light-aroma, low-alcohol baijiu (Chinese liquor) with added compound stabilizers during storage at 25°C in the dark. Figure 1 It is evident that during the storage period from 0 to 6 months, after adding a compound stabilizer with a mass ratio of Astragalus polysaccharide to Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide of 1:1, the overall sensory score of low-alcohol baijiu remained within the range of 89.37 to 91.22. This indicates that the compound stabilizer improved foam performance and maintained clarity without causing a significant decline in sensory quality during storage.

[0047] Example 6: Verification using different polysaccharide combinations and β-cyclodextrin as a control Using a light-aroma, low-alcohol baijiu with a final alcohol content of 10% vol as the base spirit, the addition amount for each group was 15 g / 100 mL, based on dry weight. Except for the β-cyclodextrin-only group, the two main polysaccharide components accounted for 70% of the solid mass in each compound group, with the remaining solids being β-cyclodextrin; the mass ratio of the two main polysaccharides in each compound group was 1:1.

[0048] Table 6. Effects of different polysaccharide combinations and β-cyclodextrin control on foam properties

[0049] As shown in Table 6, adding β-cyclodextrin alone has limited effect on improving the maximum foam height and foam disappearance time. While other common polysaccharide blends can improve foam performance, their overall performance in terms of maximum foam height and foam disappearance time is lower than that of the Astragalus polysaccharide and Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide blend. These results indicate that the foam improvement effect of this invention is not solely due to β-cyclodextrin or any polysaccharide blend, but is related to the specific blending of Astragalus polysaccharide and Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide.

[0050] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for improving the foaming properties of low-alcohol baijiu (Chinese liquor), characterized in that, Includes the following steps: A compound stabilizer containing astragalus polysaccharide, tanshinone polysaccharide and β-cyclodextrin was added to low-alcohol baijiu obtained by blending or reducing the alcohol content of light-aroma baijiu, mixed and allowed to stand for stabilization, and then filtered through a membrane. The final alcohol content of the low-alcohol liquor is 5% vol to 15% vol, the mass ratio of Astragalus polysaccharide to Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide is 1:3 to 3:1, the solids of the compound stabilizer are composed of Astragalus polysaccharide, Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide and β-cyclodextrin, the Astragalus polysaccharide and Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide account for more than 70% of the solids of the compound stabilizer, the β-cyclodextrin accounts for more than 0 and no more than 30% of the solids of the compound stabilizer, and the amount of the compound stabilizer added to the low-alcohol liquor is 15 g / 100 mL to 20 g / 100 mL, the amount added is based on the dry weight of the compound stabilizer; Compared to low-alcohol liquor without the added compound stabilizer and under otherwise identical conditions, the resulting low-alcohol liquor exhibits increased maximum foam height and prolonged foam disappearance time.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mass ratio of Astragalus polysaccharide to Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide is 1:

1.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The final alcohol content of the low-alcohol baijiu is 10% vol.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preparation of the compound stabilizer includes: mixing Astragalus polysaccharide, Salvia miltiorrhiza polysaccharide and β-cyclodextrin and adding them to purified water, wherein the amount of purified water is 2 to 5 times the dry weight of the compound stabilizer, stirring at 500 r / min to 800 r / min for 20 to 30 minutes, and then performing ultrasonic-assisted treatment.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The ultrasonic-assisted treatment has a frequency of 30 kHz to 40 kHz, a power of 200 W to 400 W, a duration of 5 min, and a treatment temperature of room temperature.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The stabilization period is defined as 5 to 7 days of sealed standing at room temperature.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The membrane filter has a pore size of 0.45 μm.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The resulting low-alcohol liquor has a transmittance of no less than 90% at 660 nm and an apparent viscosity of no more than 8.0 mPa·s measured at 25℃, rotor No. 2, and 60 r / min.

9. A low-alcohol spirit with improved foaming properties, characterized in that, The low-alcohol liquor contains astragalus polysaccharide, tanshinone polysaccharide and β-cyclodextrin, and is prepared by the method described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The application of a compound stabilizer in the preparation of low-alcohol baijiu with improved foaming properties, characterized in that, The compound stabilizer comprises astragalus polysaccharide, tanshinone polysaccharide, and β-cyclodextrin. The mass ratio of astragalus polysaccharide to tanshinone polysaccharide is 1:3 to 3:

1. The solids of the compound stabilizer are composed of astragalus polysaccharide, tanshinone polysaccharide, and β-cyclodextrin. Astragalus polysaccharide and tanshinone polysaccharide account for more than 70% of the solids of the compound stabilizer, and β-cyclodextrin accounts for more than 0% and no more than 30% of the solids of the compound stabilizer. The low-alcohol baijiu is a low-alcohol baijiu obtained by blending or reducing the alcohol content of light-aroma baijiu and having a final alcohol content of 5% vol to 15% vol. The amount of compound stabilizer added to the low-alcohol baijiu is 15 g / 100 mL to 20 g / 100 mL, and the amount added is based on the dry weight of the compound stabilizer.

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