A process for the extraction and carbonation control of malt aroma for a pineapple-flavored beer

Abstract

This invention discloses a process for controlling the extraction and carbonation of malt aroma in pineapple beer-flavored soft drink, belonging to the field of carbonated beverage processing technology. The method includes mixing and dissolving malt extract with syrup, adding β-glucanase and / or α-amylase to enzymatically activate malt aroma precursors, adjusting the acidity before carbonation, adding pineapple beer flavoring and pineapple hop flavoring in a compound, carbonation, bottling, and filling with CO₂ protective gas. This invention utilizes a four-parameter linkage window—pre-carbonation acidity T, finished product pH, carbonation temperature, and CO₂ pressure—to synergistically address the balance between aroma release, burnt taste, and effervescence persistence. Simultaneously, the aroma precursors released by enzymatic decomposition continue to be released throughout the shelf life, creating an aroma compensation effect. Compared to traditional processes, burnt taste and shelf-life aroma retention are significantly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of carbonated beverage processing technology, specifically relating to a process for extracting malt aroma and controlling carbonation in pineapple beer-flavored soda, and particularly to a method for preparing high-quality pineapple beer-flavored soda by enzymatically activating malt aroma precursors, compounding two flavorings, and precisely controlling multiple parameters of carbonation. Background Technology

[0002] Pineapple beer-flavored soda is a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage with malt aroma and pineapple fruit aroma as its main flavor characteristics. Its flavor quality depends on three interrelated key factors: (1) the intensity and realism of the malt aroma; (2) the degree of integration and harmony between the pineapple fruit aroma and the malt aroma; and (3) the burnt taste and its persistence brought about by carbonation.

[0003] The production process of commercially available pineapple beer-flavored soft drinks currently has the following four defects:

[0004] First, the malt aroma is weak and lacks authenticity. Current processes typically involve directly mixing and dissolving commercial malt extract with syrup before proceeding to subsequent steps. However, during the preparation of commercial malt extract, high-temperature concentration and drying occur, causing the malt aroma precursors (such as maltol glycosides and isomaltol glycosides) to be encapsulated by residual cell wall components, resulting in a "passivated" state. This prevents them from being fully released as flavorful free maltol and isomaltol during subsequent room-temperature blending. Consequently, the finished product lacks sufficient malt aroma intensity and the full-bodied fermented malt aroma layers characteristic of authentic pineapple beer.

[0005] Secondly, the flavor is unbalanced and differs significantly from authentic pineapple beer. To compensate for the lack of malt aroma, current technologies often use pineapple beer flavoring alone. However, a single flavoring can only provide a sweet pineapple fruit flavor, lacking the complex aroma layers produced by pineapple hop fermentation (such as the slightly bitter aftertaste and fermentation ester aromas provided by hop ketones, humulene, and other derivatives). Therefore, the product's flavor exhibits a clear "two-layer" phenomenon—the malt aroma and fruit aroma are independent and lack fusion, resulting in an overall taste that differs significantly from authentic pineapple beer.

[0006] Third, the lack of systematic optimization in the selection of carbonation parameters leads to unstable carbonation and an unstable taste. Current processes lack coordinated control among carbonation temperature, CO2 pressure, and acidity: if an excessively low carbonation temperature (e.g., 0–2°C) is used to pursue high CO2 solubility, while increasing the initial CO2 solubility, the low temperature simultaneously inhibits the volatilization and diffusion of flavor molecules, resulting in insufficient aroma release upon opening. Furthermore, the excessively low temperature causes CO2 to escape too quickly after the beverage is removed from the bottle, resulting in a brief but not lasting carbonation. Conversely, if a higher carbonation temperature (e.g., 12–15°C) is used to pursue aroma release, CO2 solubility decreases significantly, resulting in a weak carbonation. Simultaneously, if the pH of the finished product does not match the acidity before carbonation, the CO2 hydration balance (CO2 + H2O ⇌ H2CO3 ⇌ H⁺ + HCO3⁻) will shift, further exacerbating CO2 escape and leading to decreased bubble persistence during shelf life.

[0007] Fourth, poor aroma retention during shelf life. During the shelf life of carbonated beverages, the partial pressure of CO2 in the headspace of the bottle slowly decreases, causing the atmosphere inside the bottle to gradually shift from a CO2-protected state to an oxygen-containing state. Under acidic and oxygen-containing conditions, free maltol and pineapple ester flavor components undergo oxidative degradation, resulting in a significant decrease in both malt aroma and pineapple fruit aroma after opening. Current technology does not consider the role of the continuous release effect of enzymatically activated malt aroma precursors in compensating for aroma loss during shelf life, nor does it provide targeted protection for the filling atmosphere after carbonation. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, this invention provides a process for malt aroma extraction and carbonation control of pineapple beer-flavored soda. The core invention is "enzymatic activation of malt aroma precursor + compounding of two flavorings + precise control of multiple carbonation parameters", which systematically solves the problems of weak malt aroma, uncoordinated flavor, unstable taste, and poor aroma retention during shelf life.

[0009] The technical solution adopted in this invention is as follows: This invention proposes a process for malt aroma extraction and carbonation control in pineapple beer-flavored soft drink, including the following steps:

[0010] S1. Mix the malt extract with the syrup, add pure water at 50-70℃ and stir to dissolve, to obtain malt syrup solution;

[0011] S2. Add an enzyme preparation to the malt syrup, enzymatically hydrolyze it at 40-50°C for 20-40 minutes to activate the malt aroma precursor and then pasteurize it.

[0012] S3. Add acidity regulator and preservative to the enzymatic hydrolysate, and adjust the mixture so that the titration acidity T before aeration is 18-26°T to obtain the acidity regulator;

[0013] S4. Add pineapple beer flavoring and pineapple hop flavoring to the acidity-adjusting liquid and mix well;

[0014] S5. Cool the mixture to 4-10°C, and carbonate it with CO2 gas at a pressure of 0.20-0.50 MPa, controlling the pH of the finished product to be 3.2-3.5;

[0015] S6. Filter the carbonated product to obtain the finished liquid;

[0016] S7. Fill the finished liquid into PET bottles, fill with CO2 protective gas, and seal the bottles.

[0017] Preferably, the enzyme preparation in step S2 is β-glucanase and / or α-amylase, and the dosage is 0.01-0.05 kg / 1000 L. β-glucanase can degrade β-glucan in the cell wall of malt, releasing the encapsulated malt aroma precursor substances (maltol glycosides, isomaltol glycosides, etc.), exposing them to the aqueous phase and partially hydrolyzing them into free maltol and isomaltol, thereby significantly enhancing the malt aroma intensity. α-amylase can partially degrade dextrin polysaccharides, reduce the viscosity of the system, improve the refreshing taste, and facilitate the release of aroma precursors.

[0018] Preferably, step S2 involves pasteurization at a temperature of 85–90°C for 15–20 seconds to inactivate enzymes and maintain the stability of the released aroma substances in the hydrolysate.

[0019] Preferably, the titration acidity T before aeration in step S3 is 20–22°T.

[0020] Furthermore, the acidity regulator preferably includes citric acid and sodium citrate. Sodium citrate is added first to dissolve, and then citric acid is added to adjust the acidity. This order of addition avoids the possibility of premature addition of citric acid, which could lead to excessively strong local acidity and acid-catalyzed degradation of aroma precursors in the enzymatic hydrolysate.

[0021] Preferably, in step S4, the amount of pineapple beer flavoring is 0.20-0.30 kg / 1000 L, the amount of pineapple hop flavoring is 0.15-0.25 kg / 1000 L, and the mass ratio of the two is 1.0-1.5:1.

[0022] Preferably, in step S5, the carbonation temperature is 4–8°C, the CO2 pressure is 0.30–0.45 MPa, and the pH of the finished product is 3.3–3.5.

[0023] The beneficial effects achieved by the present invention using the above structure are as follows:

[0024] (i) The malt aroma is more intense. Through enzymatic hydrolysis and activation by β-glucanase and / or α-amylase in S2, the precursor substances in the malt extract that are in a "passivated" state are converted into free maltol and isomaltol. The malt aroma score is improved from 6.0 points in the traditional process to 8.8 points (out of 10), an increase of 46.7%.

[0025] (ii) The flavor is closer to that of real pineapple beer. By blending pineapple beer flavoring and pineapple hop flavoring in S4 at a specific mass ratio of 1.0 to 1.5:1, the pineapple beer flavoring provides a sweet pineapple fruity framework, while the pineapple hop flavoring provides a slightly bitter aftertaste and ester aroma from hop fermentation. The two flavors are then combined with the full-bodied maltol aroma released by enzyme decomposition, eliminating the "two-layer" flavor phenomenon of traditional processes. The flavor harmony score has been improved from 5.5 points in traditional processes to 9.2 points, an increase of 67.3%.

[0026] (III) Stable and lasting carbonation effect. Through the coordinated control of four parameters in S5 (carbonation temperature 4-10℃, CO2 pressure 0.20-0.50MPa, finished product pH 3.2-3.5) and S3 (pre-aeration titration acidity T 18-26), the optimal matching of CO2 dissolution, release rate and hydration balance is achieved. When the bottle is opened, the bubbles are fine and dense, and the carbonation effect is full and lasting. After filling, the CO2 escape rate is reduced, and the bubble persistence is improved by more than 40% compared with the traditional process (pH 2.8, carbonation temperature 25℃).

[0027] (iv) Excellent aroma retention during shelf life. The S7 filling process uses a CO2 protective atmosphere to reduce oxygen concentration inside the bottle, inhibiting the oxidative degradation of aroma components. Simultaneously, the aroma precursors released by the S2 enzymatic decomposition continuously and slowly release free maltol in the acidic finished product liquid, creating a "shelf-life aroma compensation release" effect. After a shelf life of 35–40 days, the malt aroma retention rate of this invention is significantly better than that of traditional processes, and the decay of pineapple fruit aroma is also effectively suppressed. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a process flow diagram of the malt aroma extraction and carbonation control process for pineapple beer-flavored soda proposed in this invention.

[0029] Figure 2 The effect of enzymatic activation on malt aroma in the malt aroma extraction and carbonation control process of pineapple beer-flavored soft drink;

[0030] Figure 3 For comparison of aroma retention during shelf life;

[0031] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the invention and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of the invention to explain the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0033] Example 1

[0034] A method for preparing pineapple beer-flavored soft drink, with the following ingredient ratios (per 1000L of finished product):

[0035] Malt extract 10kg; white sugar 80kg; α-amylase 0.03kg; citric acid 1.5kg; sodium citrate 0.4kg; acesulfame potassium 0.2kg; cyclamate 0.55kg; aspartame 0.18kg; sodium benzoate 0.2kg; sodium hexametaphosphate 0.2kg; pineapple beer flavoring (V8497) 0.25kg; pineapple hop flavoring (TF-6015) 0.20kg; tartrazine 0.001kg; caramel color 0.05kg; CO2 as needed; pure water to 1000L.

[0036] The preparation method is as follows:

[0037] S1. Mix malt extract with white sugar, add 60℃ pure water and stir to dissolve to obtain malt syrup;

[0038] S2. Add 0.03 kg of α-amylase to the malt syrup, incubate at 45°C for 30 minutes to enzymatically hydrolyze and activate the malt aroma precursors, and then heat to 88°C for pasteurization for 18 seconds to inactivate the enzyme.

[0039] S3. First, add sodium citrate to the enzymatic hydrolysate to dissolve it, then add citric acid to adjust the acidity, and then add acesulfame potassium, cyclamate, aspartame, sodium benzoate and sodium hexametaphosphate. Stir thoroughly and adjust the mixture so that the titration acidity T before aeration is 22 to obtain the acidity adjustment solution.

[0040] S4. Add pineapple beer flavoring and pineapple hop flavoring to the acidity adjustment liquid, then add lemon yellow and caramel coloring, and mix well;

[0041] S5. Cool the mixture to 6°C, and carbonate it with CO2 gas at a pressure of 0.35 MPa, controlling the pH of the finished product to 3.4;

[0042] S6. Filter the carbonated product through diatomaceous earth to obtain the finished liquid;

[0043] S7. Fill the finished liquid into PET bottles, fill with CO2 protective gas, and seal the bottles.

[0044] The pineapple beer-flavored soda prepared in this embodiment has a rich and full malt aroma, a fresh and natural pineapple fruit aroma, and a harmonious blend of malt and fruit aromas, exhibiting the flavor layers of authentic pineapple beer, with a delicate and lasting carbonation.

[0045] Example 2

[0046] A method for preparing pineapple beer-flavored soft drink, with the following ingredient ratios (per 1000L of finished product):

[0047] Malt extract 8kg; malt syrup 60kg; β-glucanase 0.02kg; citric acid 1.3kg; sodium citrate 0.35kg; acesulfame potassium 0.18kg; cyclamate 0.50kg; sodium benzoate 0.18kg; sodium hexametaphosphate 0.15kg; pineapple beer flavoring (V8497) 0.22kg; pineapple hop flavoring (TF-6015) 0.18kg; tartrazine 0.0008kg; CO2 as needed; pure water to 1000L.

[0048] Preparation method: The basic steps are the same as in Example 1, except that: the water temperature in S1 is 55℃; in S2, 0.02kg of β-glucanase is used, the enzymatic hydrolysis temperature is 48℃ and the time is 35 minutes, and the pasteurization is carried out at 86℃ for 20 seconds; in S5, the carbonation temperature is 5℃, the CO2 pressure is 0.30MPa, the pH of the finished product is controlled at 3.3, and the titration acidity T before aeration is 20.

[0049] Example 3

[0050] A method for preparing pineapple beer-flavored soft drink, with the following ingredient ratios (per 1000L of finished product):

[0051] Malt extract 12kg; white sugar 70kg; fructose syrup 30kg; α-amylase 0.015kg; β-glucanase 0.015kg; citric acid 1.6kg; sodium citrate 0.45kg; aspartame 0.15kg; cyclamate 0.60kg; sodium benzoate 0.2kg; sodium hexametaphosphate 0.22kg; pineapple beer flavoring (V8497) 0.28kg; pineapple hop flavoring (TF-6015) 0.22kg; tartrazine 0.001kg; caramel color 0.06kg; CO2 as needed; pure water to 1000L.

[0052] Preparation method: The basic steps are the same as in Example 1, except that: the water temperature in S1 is 65℃; in S2, 0.015 kg each of α-amylase and β-glucanase are used simultaneously, the enzymatic hydrolysis temperature is 42℃ and the time is 40 minutes, and the pasteurization is carried out at 90℃ for 15 seconds; in S5, the carbonation temperature is 7℃, the CO2 pressure is 0.40 MPa, the pH of the finished product is controlled at 3.5, and the titration acidity T before aeration is 24.

[0053] The pineapple beer-flavored soft drinks prepared in Examples 2 and 3 both exhibited excellent qualities such as rich malt aroma, harmonious flavor, stable and long-lasting carbonation, and good aroma retention during shelf life.

[0054] Comparative Example 1

[0055] Traditional process – omitting enzymatic hydrolysis and activation

[0056] Compared with Example 1, the difference is that step S2 enzymatic hydrolysis and activation is omitted, and the malt extract and white sugar are directly dissolved at 60°C before proceeding to the subsequent steps, which is the way malt extract is used in the traditional process.

[0057] Comparative Example 2

[0058] Carbonation parameters deviate from the window of this invention

[0059] Compared with Example 1, the difference is that the titration acidity T before aeration was set to 15, the carbonation temperature was 25°C, the CO2 pressure was 0.15 MPa, and the pH of the finished product was 2.8, simulating the carbonation parameter settings of the traditional process.

[0060] Comparative Example 3

[0061] Single flavoring – without the use of pineapple hop flavoring in a blend.

[0062] Compared with Example 1, the difference is that pineapple hop flavoring TF-6015 is not used, only pineapple beer flavoring V8497 (0.45kg) is used, and the mass ratio of pineapple beer flavoring to pineapple hop flavoring is not within the range of 1.0 to 1.5:1 limited by this invention.

[0063] Sensory evaluation and shelf life testing

[0064] Ten trained tasters were invited to conduct sensory evaluations of the pineapple beer-flavored soft drinks prepared in Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1-3 (evaluation items included malt aroma, pineapple fruit aroma, flavor harmony, carbonation, and overall acceptability, with each item scored out of 10). The malt aroma and pineapple fruit aroma were re-evaluated after a 35-day accelerated shelf-life test. The results are as follows:

[0065] Evaluation Project Example 1 Comparative Example 1 Comparative Example 2 Comparative Example 3 Malt aroma (initial) 8.8 6.0 6.2 7.8 Pineapple aroma (initial) 8.8 7.5 5.8 6.5 Flavor harmony 9.2 5.5 4.5 6.0 Kill the taste 8.5 7.0 4.0 7.8 Overall acceptance 9.0 6.0 5.0 6.8 Malt aroma (after 35 days) 8.0 3.5 2.8 5.5 Pineapple aroma (after 35 days) 7.8 4.5 3.0 4.0

[0066] Data Analysis:

[0067] (1) Comparison between Comparative Example 1 and Example 1: After omitting S2 enzymatic hydrolysis and activation, the initial malt aroma score plummeted from 8.8 to 6.0 (a decrease of 31.8%), and the flavor harmony plummeted from 9.2 to 5.5 (a decrease of 40.2%), demonstrating that enzymatic hydrolysis and activation play an irreplaceable key role in both malt aroma intensity and flavor fusion. Meanwhile, after a 35-day shelf life, the malt aroma of Comparative Example 1 further decreased from 6.0 to 3.5 (a decrease of 41.7%), while that of Example 1 only decreased from 8.8 to 8.0 (a decrease of 9.1%), demonstrating that the "shelf-life aroma compensation release" effect of the precursor substances released by enzymatic hydrolysis significantly improved the aroma retention effect.

[0068] (2) Comparison of Comparative Example 2 and Example 1: When the carbonation temperature (25°C), CO2 pressure (0.15MPa), pre-charge acidity T (15) and finished product pH (2.8) all deviated from the four-parameter linkage window of the present invention, the kill taste score dropped sharply from 8.5 to 4.0 (a decrease of 52.9%), the flavor harmony dropped from 9.2 to 4.5 (a decrease of 51.1%), and the malt aroma dropped to 2.8 after 35 days (a decrease of 55.6%), which fully verified the indispensability of the four-parameter linkage regulation for kill taste stability and shelf-life aroma retention.

[0069] (3) Comparison of Comparative Example 3 and Example 1: When using pineapple beer flavoring alone (without adding pineapple hop flavoring), the flavor harmony decreased from 9.2 to 6.0 (a decrease of 34.8%), and after 35 days, the pineapple fruit aroma dropped to 4.0 (a decrease of 38.5%), while Example 1 only dropped to 7.8 (a decrease of 11.4%). This proves that the combination of two flavorings not only provides an immediate flavor fusion effect, but also delays the oxidative degradation of aroma through the antioxidant components in the hop flavoring.

[0070] In summary, Example 1 is significantly superior to the comparative examples in terms of various sensory indicators and shelf-life stability, verifying the unexpected comprehensive technical effect of the three-in-one core system of the present invention, which combines "enzymatic hydrolysis and activation of malt aroma precursor + dual flavor compounding + precise control of carbonation multi-parameters".

[0071] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0072] The present invention and its embodiments have been described above. This description is not restrictive, and the accompanying drawings are only one embodiment of the present invention; the actual structure is not limited thereto. In conclusion, if those skilled in the art are inspired by this description and design similar structures and embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention, such designs should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A process for the controlled extraction and carbonation of malt aroma for a pineapple-flavored soda, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Mix the malt extract with the syrup, add pure water at 50-70℃ and stir to dissolve, to obtain malt syrup solution; S2. Add an enzyme preparation to the malt syrup, enzymatically hydrolyze it at 40-50°C for 20-40 minutes to activate the malt aroma precursor and then pasteurize it. S3. Add acidity regulator and preservative to the enzymatic hydrolysate, and adjust the mixture so that the titration acidity T before aeration is 18-26°T to obtain the acidity regulator; S4. Add pineapple beer flavoring and pineapple hop flavoring to the acidity-adjusting liquid and mix well; S5. Cool the mixture to 4-10°C, and carbonate it with CO2 gas at a pressure of 0.20-0.50 MPa, controlling the pH of the finished product to be 3.2-3.5; S6. Filter the carbonated product to obtain the finished liquid; S7. Fill the finished liquid into PET bottles, fill with CO2 protective gas, and seal the bottles.

2. A process for the extraction and carbonation control of malt aroma of pineapple beer flavored soda as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The enzyme preparation in step S2 is β-glucanase and / or α-amylase.

3. A process for the extraction and carbonation control of malt aroma of pineapple beer flavored soda as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The amount of enzyme preparation used in step S2 is 0.01-0.05 kg / 1000 L.

4. The malt aroma extraction and carbonation control process for pineapple beer-flavored soda according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S2, the enzymatic hydrolysis temperature is 45℃ and the enzymatic hydrolysis time is 30 minutes.

5. A process for the extraction and carbonation control of malt aroma of pineapple beer flavored soda as claimed in claim 1, wherein: In step S2, the sterilization temperature is 85-90°C and the time is 15-20 seconds.

6. A process for the extraction and carbonation control of malt aroma of pineapple beer flavored soda as claimed in claim 1, wherein: In step S5, the carbonation temperature is 4–8°C and the CO2 pressure is 0.30–0.45 MPa.

7. A process for the extraction and carbonation control of malt aroma of a pineapple beer flavored soda as claimed in claim 1, wherein: In step S3, the titration acidity T before aeration is 20-22°T.

8. A process for the extraction and carbonation control of malt aroma of pineapple beer flavored soda as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The acidity regulator in step S3 includes citric acid and sodium citrate. Sodium citrate is added first to dissolve the acid, and then citric acid is added to adjust the acidity.

9. A process for the extraction and carbonation control of malt aroma of a pineapple beer flavored soda as claimed in claim 1, wherein: In step S4, the amount of pineapple beer flavoring is 0.20-0.30 kg / 1000L, and the amount of pineapple hop flavoring is 0.15-0.25 kg / 1000L, with a mass ratio of 1.0-1.5:

1.

10. A process for the extraction and carbonation control of malt aroma of a pineapple beer flavored soda as claimed in claim 1, wherein: In step S5, the pH of the finished product is controlled to be 3.3 to 3.5.

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