Beverage reduced in unfavorable taste or smell originating from alcohol

Abstract

To reduce at least one selected from the group consisting of irritating smell, acridity and astringency originating from alcohol in an alcoholic beverage.SOLUTION: Myristicin is used.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to alcoholic beverages containing myristicin and related methods. [Background technology]

[0002] In alcoholic beverages, the stimulating sensation and bitterness of alcohol are often problems. Several methods are known to solve such problems. For example, a method using a combination of milk and caramel coloring (Patent Document 1) and a method using specific sugars (Patent Document 2) are known. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2021-129517 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2019-193602 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Alcoholic beverages impart unpleasant tastes or odors derived from alcohol (ethanol) during and after consumption, such as pungent odors, bitterness, and astringency.

[0005] Here, the pungent odor derived from alcohol means the aroma that stimulates the nasal cavity when drinking, the astringency derived from alcohol means the bitterness felt after drinking, and the astringent taste derived from alcohol means the astringent taste felt after drinking.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a novel means for reducing at least one selected from the group consisting of irritating odor, harshness, and astringency derived from alcohol in an alcoholic beverage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of intensive research, the present inventors have found that myristicin can reduce at least one selected from the group consisting of irritating odor, harshness, and astringency derived from alcohol.

[0008] The present invention relates to, but is not limited to, the following: [1] An alcoholic beverage having a myristicin content of 20 ppb or more, an alcohol content of 30 v / v% or less, a sugar content of 4.0 g / 100 ml or less, a fruit juice content converted to a fruit juice ratio of less than 8.0 w / w%, and an absorbance at a wavelength of 550 nm of less than 0.68. [2] The alcoholic beverage according to [1], having a myristicin content of 20 to 1,000 ppb. [3] The alcoholic beverage according to [1] or [2], having a pH in the range of 2.0 to 6.6. [4] The beverage according to any one of [1] to [3], comprising a frozen crushed and infused liquor of fruit and / or vegetables. [5] A method for reducing at least one selected from the group consisting of irritating odor, bitterness, and astringency derived from alcohol in an alcoholic beverage having an alcohol content of 30 v / v% or less, a sugar content of 4.0 g / 100 ml or less, a fruit juice content converted to a fruit juice ratio of less than 8.0 w / w%, and an absorbance at a wavelength of 550 nm of less than 0.68, comprising: The method includes mixing the ingredients so that the beverage contains 20 ppb or more of myristicin. [6] The step of mixing the raw materials comprises: freezing one or more fruits and / or vegetables to obtain a frozen product; pulverizing the frozen product to obtain a frozen and pulverized product; A step of immersing the finely pulverized material in an alcohol-containing liquid as it is or after thawing it into a paste form to obtain an infused liquor; and mixing the infused liquor with other ingredients; The method according to [5], wherein the beverage comprises the infused liquor. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce at least one selected from the group consisting of irritating odor, harshness, and astringency derived from alcohol in an alcoholic beverage. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] The beverages of the present invention, and related methods, are described below.

[0011] Unless otherwise specified, "ppb" as used herein means weight / volume (w / v) ppb, which is synonymous with "μg / L."

[0012] (alcohol) The beverage of the present invention is an alcoholic beverage, i.e., a beverage containing alcohol. As used herein, the term "alcohol" means ethanol unless otherwise specified.

[0013] The alcohol content of the beverage of the present invention is 30 v / v % or less, preferably 1 to 30 v / v %, and more preferably 3 to 30 v / v %.

[0014] In this specification, the alcohol content of a beverage can be measured by any known method, for example, by a vibration density meter. Specifically, a sample is prepared by removing carbon dioxide gas from the beverage using filtration or ultrasonic waves as necessary, and the sample is steam distilled, the density of the obtained distillate is measured at 15°C, and the alcohol content can be calculated by conversion using "Table 2: Conversion table of alcohol content, density (15°C) and specific gravity (15 / 15°C)" which is an appendix to the National Tax Agency Specified Analysis Method (National Tax Agency Instruction No. 6 of 2007, revised June 22, 2007). Alternatively, gas chromatography or HPLC may be used.

[0015] The beverage of the present invention may contain alcohol by any means, but typically, the beverage of the present invention contains an alcoholic raw material, and thus contains alcohol. The alcoholic raw material is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include spirits (rum, vodka, gin, tequila, etc.), liqueurs, whiskey, brandy, shochu, etc., and may also be brewed alcoholic beverages such as beer. These alcoholic raw materials may be used alone or in combination.

[0016] The type of alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably a highball, chuhai (Chuhai), cocktail, sour, etc. The terms "highball" and "chuhai" when used in relation to the beverage of the present invention refer to a beverage containing water, distilled alcohol, and carbon dioxide. Highballs and chuhai may further contain fruit juice. "Sour" The term "cocktail" when used in connection with the beverage of the present invention means a beverage containing spirits, sour fruit juice or flavoring, such as citrus juice or flavoring, and carbon dioxide. The term "cocktail" when used in connection with the beverage of the present invention means an alcoholic beverage made by mixing fruit juice or the like with a base alcoholic beverage.

[0017] When the beverage of the present invention has a relatively high alcohol content, it may be diluted before consumption.

[0018] (Myristicin) The beverage of the present invention contains myristicin. Myristicin is a phenylpropene compound known to be contained in essential oils obtained from certain plants. The origin of the myristicin contained in the beverage of the present invention is not limited, and for example, myristicin may be obtained from plants or by chemical synthesis.

[0019] The beverage of the present invention contains myristicin at 20 ppb or more, thereby reducing at least one selected from the group consisting of irritating odor, harshness, and astringency derived from alcohol. In order to produce the reduction effect, a high myristicin content is desired, but if the content is too high, the spicy flavor of myristicin itself may be too prominent. The range of the myristicin content in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 20 to 1000 ppb, more preferably 30 to 900 ppb, more preferably 40 to 800 ppb, more preferably 50 to 800 ppb, more preferably 50 to 700 ppb, more preferably 50 to 600 ppb, more preferably 60 to 600 ppb, more preferably 70 to 500 ppb, more preferably 80 to 450 ppb, more preferably 90 to 400 ppb, more preferably 100 to 400 ppb, and more preferably 100 to 350 ppb.

[0020] The content of myristicin in a beverage may be measured by any known method, for example, gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC / MS). Examples of measurement conditions for the GC / MS method are as follows.

[0021] GC / MS conditions Gas chromatograph: GC8890 (Agilent) Mass spectrometer: MSD5977B (manufactured by Agilent) Column: HP-INNOWAX (Agilent), inner diameter 0.25 mm, length 60 m, film thickness 0.5 μm Mobile phase: He (flow rate: 1.0mL / min constant flow rate) Sample introduction method: FE-DHS method (full evaporation-dynamic headspace method) Oven temperature: 40℃ (3 min) → 4℃ / min → 230℃ (14.5 min) Transfer line temperature: 220℃ Ion source temperature: 230℃ Quadrupole temperature: 150℃ Mode: SIM / Scan mode DHS(Dynamic Headspace): Adsorption resin: TENAX Sampling temperature: 80℃ Nitrogen gas purge volume: 3.5L Nitrogen gas purge flow rate: 100mL / min TDU: Heating conditions: 30℃ (0.3 min) → 720℃ / min → 240℃ (3 min) Transfer line temperature: 300℃ CIS: Heating conditions: 20℃ (0.5 min) → 720℃ / min → 250℃ (20 min) (Sugars) The beverage of the present invention may or may not contain sugars, but has a low sugar content. As used herein, the term "sugars" refers to monosaccharides or disaccharides, but not sugar alcohols, and the sugar content in the beverage therefore refers to the total content of these monosaccharides and disaccharides. If the beverage contains sugars, it may contain only monosaccharides, only disaccharides, or a combination of these.

[0022] Examples of the monosaccharides include glucose, fructose, D-xylose, and L-arabinose, and examples of the disaccharides include sucrose and lactose.

[0023] The sugar content in the beverage of the present invention is 4.0g / 100ml or less, preferably 3.9g / 100ml or less, more preferably 3.8g / 100ml or less, more preferably 3.7g / 100ml or less, more preferably 3.6g / 100ml or less, more preferably 3.5g / 100ml or less, more preferably 3.4g / 100ml or less, more preferably 3.3g / 100ml or less, more preferably 3.2g / 100ml or less, more preferably 3.1g / 100ml or less, more preferably 3.0g / 100ml or less, more preferably 2.0g / 100ml or less, more preferably 1.0g / 100ml or less. The lower limit is not particularly important, but may be, for example, 0g / 100ml, 0.01g / 100ml, 0.1g / 100ml, 0.5g / 100ml, or 0.8g / 100ml. Examples of the preferred range of the saccharide content are 0.01 to 4.0 g / 100 ml, 0.01 to 3.4 g / 100 ml, or 0.01 to 3.0 g / 100 ml. At such low saccharide contents, the effect of the present invention of reducing at least one selected from the group consisting of irritating odor, harshness, and astringency derived from alcohol becomes particularly remarkable.

[0024] The method for measuring the sugar content in a beverage is not particularly limited, but for example, high performance liquid chromatography is used. Preferred measurement conditions for high performance liquid chromatography are shown below.

[0025] Equipment: Shimadzu Corporation LC-20 series Detector: UV detector (SPD-20A), RID detector (RID-20A) Column: COSMOSIL Sugar-D 4.6mm x 250mm (Nacalai Tesque, Inc.) Analyte: Monosaccharides, disaccharides Mobile phase: 75% acetonitrile Flow rate: 1.0ml / min Oven temperature: 30℃ (fruit juice) The beverage of the present invention may or may not contain fruit juice, but the content of fruit juice in the beverage is less than 8.0 w / w%, preferably 7.0 w / w% or less, preferably 6.0 w / w% or less, preferably 5.0 w / w% or less, preferably 4.0 w / w% or less, preferably 3.0 w / w% or less, preferably 2.0 w / w% or less, more preferably 1.0 w / w% or less, in terms of the fruit juice ratio. The lower limit of the fruit juice ratio is not particularly important, but may be, for example, 0 w / w%, 0.01 w / w%, 0.1 w / w%, 0.5 w / w%, or 0.8 w / w%. Examples of preferred ranges of the fruit juice ratio are 0.01 or more and less than 8.0 w / w%, 0.01 to 7.0 w / w%, 0.01 to 4.0 w / w%, or 0.01 to 3.0 w / w%. At such a low fruit juice content, the effect of the present invention in reducing at least one selected from the group consisting of irritating odor, harshness and astringency derived from alcohol becomes particularly remarkable.

[0026] In the present invention, the "fruit juice ratio" in a beverage is calculated using the amount of fruit juice (g) blended in 100 g of beverage according to the following conversion formula. The concentration ratio is calculated in accordance with JAS standards, excluding the sugar refractometer readings for sugars, honey, etc. added to the fruit juice.

[0027] Fruit juice percentage (w / w%) = <amount of fruit juice (g)> x <concentration ratio> / 100mL / <specific gravity of beverage> x 100 When the beverage of the present invention contains fruit juice, the fruit juice may be in any form, such as straight fruit juice obtained by squeezing fruit and using the fruit juice as is, or concentrated fruit juice obtained by concentrating the straight fruit juice, etc. Also, clear fruit juice or cloudy fruit juice may be used, and whole fruit juice obtained by crushing the whole fruit including the skin and removing only particularly hard solids such as seeds, fruit puree obtained by straining fruit, or fruit juice obtained by crushing or extracting the pulp of dried fruit may also be used.

[0028] The type of fruit juice is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include citrus juices (oranges such as Valencia oranges and navel oranges, grapefruits such as grapefruits, lemons, limes, shikuwasa, daidai, yuzu, kabosu, sudachi, citron, bush citrus fruits such as natsumikan, hassaku, hyuganatsu, sweetie, and dekopon, pomelo fruits such as iyokan and tankan, mandarin oranges, and unshu Examples of the fruit juice include citrus juices (e.g., citrus juices of citrus fruits such as citrus, ponkan, and Kishu mandarin oranges, and kumquat juices of kinkan and other types of fruit juices), apple juice, grape juice, peach juice, tropical fruit juice (e.g., pineapple juice, guava juice, banana juice, mango juice, acerola juice, lychee juice, papaya juice, passion fruit juice, etc.), other fruit juices (e.g., plum juice, pear juice, apricot juice, plum juice, berry juice, kiwi fruit juice, etc.), strawberry juice, melon juice, etc. These fruit juices may be used alone or in combination of two or more types. The fruit juice is preferably a citrus juice, more preferably selected from the group consisting of oranges, grapefruits, and fragrant citrus fruits, and more preferably selected from the group consisting of oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes.

[0029] (absorbance) Myristicin is a colorless and transparent liquid at room temperature and does not impart a strong color to beverages. In other words, the present invention does not significantly affect the inherent color of beverages containing myristicin. As a result of utilizing this, the beverage of the present invention is colorless or has a light color. This property can be defined by the absorbance at a wavelength of 550 nm measured using, for example, an ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer (UV-1600 (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation)). Specifically, the absorbance at a wavelength of 550 nm of the beverage of the present invention is less than 0.68. Examples of preferred absorbance at a wavelength of 550 nm are 0.67 or less, 0.65 or less, 0.63 or less, 0.60 or less, 0.55 or less, 0.50 or less, 0.40 or less, 0.30 or less, 0.20 or less, and 0.10 or less. The lower limit of the absorbance is not particularly important, but for example, the absorbance may be 0 or more, 0.01 or more, 0.02 or more, 0.05 or more, 0.07 or more, or 0.10 or more.

[0030] (pH) In one embodiment, the pH of the alcoholic beverage according to the present invention is 2.0 to 6.6, preferably 2.6 to 5.0, more preferably 3.0 to 4.5, and more preferably 3.3 to 4.2. When the pH is within such a range, the reduction effect of the present invention is good.

[0031] To adjust the pH, a pH adjuster such as malic acid, phosphoric acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, gluconic acid, phytic acid, acetic acid, fumaric acid, sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate, potassium citrate, or potassium carbonate can be used, and the pH may also be adjusted by adjusting the content of other ingredients (e.g., fruit juice, etc.).

[0032] Although the method for measuring pH is not particularly limited, it is preferable to use a thermostatic bath at 25°C for the measurement in order to reduce the influence of temperature. In this specification, the pH of a beverage means the pH measured in a decarbonated state. Thus, for example, the pH can be measured after the steps of degassing and shaking the beverage are performed.

[0033] (Carbon dioxide) The beverage of the present invention may contain carbon dioxide gas. Carbon dioxide gas can be added to the beverage by a method commonly known to those skilled in the art, for example, but not limited to, dissolving carbon dioxide in the beverage under pressure, mixing carbon dioxide and the beverage in a pipe using a mixer such as a Zuhenhagen carbonator, or spraying the beverage into a tank filled with carbon dioxide to absorb the carbon dioxide, or mixing the beverage with carbonated water. Carbon dioxide pressure can be adjusted by appropriately using these means.

[0034] When the beverage of the present invention contains carbon dioxide gas, the carbon dioxide gas pressure is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.7 to 4.5 kgf / cm. 2 , more preferably 0.8 to 2.8 kgf / cm 2In the present invention, the carbon dioxide pressure can be measured using a gas volume measuring device GVA-500A manufactured by Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd. For example, the sample temperature is set to 20°C, and the gas in the air in the container is degassed (sniffed) in the gas volume measuring device, shaken, and then the carbon dioxide pressure is measured. In this specification, unless otherwise specified, the carbon dioxide pressure means the carbon dioxide pressure at 20°C.

[0035] (Frozen crushed and steeped sake) The beverage of the present invention may contain a liquor made by infusing frozen crushed fruits and / or vegetables. The content is not limited, but may be, for example, 0.1 v / v % or more, or 0.1 to 1 v / v %.

[0036] The term "frozen-pulverized infusion liquor made from fruits and / or vegetables" refers to a process in which one or more raw fruits and / or vegetables are frozen to obtain a frozen product, the frozen product is finely pulverized to obtain a frozen finely pulverized product, and the finely pulverized product is soaked in an alcohol-containing liquid either as is or after being thawed into a paste form to obtain the infusion liquor.

[0037] Fruits used to produce the frozen crushed and infused liquor include, but are not limited to, citrus fruits (oranges such as Valencia oranges and navel oranges, grapefruits such as grapefruits, lemons, limes, shikuwasa, daidai, yuzu, kabosu, sudachi, citron, bush citrus fruits such as natsumikan, hassaku, hyuganatsu, sweetie, dekopon, other citrus fruits such as iyokan and tankan, mandarin oranges, unshu mandarins, ponkan, Kishu mandarins, kumquats such as kumquats, etc.), apples, grapes, peaches, tropical fruits (pineapples, guavas, bananas, mangoes, acerola, lychees, papayas, passion fruits, etc.), other fruits (plums, pears, apricots, plums, berries, kiwi fruits, etc.), strawberries, melons, etc. These fruits may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds. The fruit is preferably a citrus fruit, more preferably selected from the group consisting of oranges, grapefruits, and citrus fruits, more preferably selected from the group consisting of oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes.

[0038] The vegetables used to produce the frozen crushed infused liquor include, except in special cases, leafy and stem vegetables, fruit vegetables (excluding those treated as fruits in the market), flower vegetables, and root vegetables, as well as beans and edible plant seeds, including perilla, ginger, chili pepper, herbs (e.g., mint, lemongrass, coriander, Italian parsley, rosemary), wasabi, etc. Preferred examples of vegetables are tomatoes, celery, carrots, parsley, spinach, watercress, bell peppers, lettuce, cabbage, beets, gingers (ginger, leaf ginger), and perilla (green shiso, red shiso).

[0039] In the following, the frozen crushed soaked liquor may be explained using fruits as an example, but such explanation also applies to vegetables, except in special cases.

[0040] In this specification, when referring to raw materials, "fruit" and "vegetable" refer to whole raw fruits or vegetables, including juice and solids, except in special cases, and are distinguished from "fruit juice" and "vegetable juice". When the terms "fruit juice" and "vegetable juice" are used, they refer to fruit or vegetable juice obtained in advance by a process such as squeezing, except in special cases, and do not include fruit and / or vegetable juice that is contained in the final product, etc., as a result of using the whole fruit and / or vegetable as a raw material.

[0041] In the freezing step, the raw fruit and / or vegetable are frozen and solidified. There are no limitations on the freezing machine and freezing method used for freezing, and any of air freezing, air blast freezing, contact freezing, brine freezing, and freezing using liquid nitrogen may be used. A preferred freezing method is a freezing method using liquid nitrogen. The temperature of liquid nitrogen is -196°C. The freezing temperature is preferably below the brittle temperature of the raw fruit or vegetable used. In this specification, the "brittle temperature" means the temperature at which an object becomes suddenly brittle (brittle and easily broken) at low temperatures. The brittle temperature can be determined by applying a conventional method carried out for polymers, etc.

[0042] The size of the fruits and vegetables to be subjected to the freezing process is not limited as long as they can be put into the freezer. However, in order to freeze them in the shortest possible time, it may be more appropriate to cut them into small pieces, and in order to freeze them without damaging them as much as possible and without exposing them to air, it may be more appropriate not to cut them into too many pieces. Fruits and vegetables should be subjected to the freezing process whole, including the peel and seeds. Alternatively, the inedible parts or parts containing undesirable components can be removed before the freezing step. The removal of such parts can also be performed after the freezing step. Through the freezing step, frozen fruits or vegetables can be obtained.

[0043] In the fine pulverization step, the frozen material is finely pulverized. There are no limitations on the pulverizer and the method of fine pulverization used in this step. The fine pulverization is preferably carried out under freezing conditions at a low temperature, preferably using liquid nitrogen, so that the frozen material is kept in a solidified state. The temperature of the liquid nitrogen is -196°C. The degree of fine pulverization is not particularly limited, but the process is carried out until the average particle size of the obtained finely pulverized material is preferably about 1 μm to about 1000 μm, more preferably about 1 μm to about 200 μm, and more preferably about 1 μm to about 100 μm. In this specification, the average particle size means the median diameter (particle size corresponding to 50% of the distribution curve on a sieve. It is also called the median diameter or 50% particle size). Through the fine pulverization step, a frozen finely pulverized product of fruit and / or vegetable can be obtained.

[0044] The obtained frozen and pulverized product is then subjected to a soaking step. Specifically, the frozen and pulverized product is soaked in an alcohol-containing liquid. The frozen and pulverized product may be soaked as it is, or may be thawed and made into a paste before being soaked. The soaking step temperature is not particularly limited as long as heat is not applied. The soaking period is also not limited, but is typically about half a day to several months, or about one day to about three days, and may be several months.

[0045] The alcohol-containing liquid means a liquid containing ethanol that can be consumed or used in food production, and may contain water. Typically, the alcohol-containing liquid is a mixture of ethanol and water, including distilled alcohol and brewed alcohol. In this process, the alcohol-containing liquid is preferably a distilled alcohol. The alcohol content of the alcohol-containing liquid used in this process is preferably about 15.0 v / v% to about 100.0 v / v%, and more preferably about 25.0 v / v% to about 60.0 v / v%.

[0046] The immersion ratio is not limited, but is typically about 1 g to about 500 g, about 5 g to about 300 g, or about 10 g to about 200 g of frozen, finely pulverized material per 1 L of alcohol-containing liquid.

[0047] Through the steeping process, a steeped liquor that is a frozen-pulverized steeped liquor is obtained. The steeped liquor may be used as it is, or may be used after removing solid matter through filtration.

[0048] To produce the beverage of the present invention, the frozen-ground, infused liquor may be mixed with other ingredients.

[0049] (Other ingredients) The beverage of the present invention may contain various additives, as in the case of ordinary beverages, within the scope of not impairing the effects of the present invention. Examples of the various additives include acidulants, flavorings, vitamins, colorants, antioxidants, emulsifiers, preservatives, seasonings, extracts, pH adjusters, thickeners, quality stabilizers, etc.

[0050] (Packaged beverages) The beverage of the present invention can be provided in a container-packed form. The container form includes, but is not limited to, metal containers such as cans, PET bottles, paper packs, bottles, pouches, etc. For example, a sterilized container-packed product can be produced by filling a container with the beverage of the present invention and then subjecting it to heat sterilization such as retort sterilization, or by sterilizing the beverage and filling it into a container.

[0051] (Related Methods) In one aspect, the present invention relates to a method for reducing at least one selected from the group consisting of irritating odor, harshness, and astringency derived from alcohol in an alcoholic beverage having an alcohol content of 30 v / v% or less, a sugar content of 4.0 g / 100 ml or less, a fruit juice content calculated as a fruit juice percentage of less than 8.0 w / w%, and an absorbance at a wavelength of 550 nm of less than 0.68, the method comprising mixing raw materials so that the myristicin content in the beverage is 20 ppb or more.

[0052] Examples of such raw materials include myristicin and plant extracts containing it, water, and the like.

[0053] The types of ingredients in the beverage, their contents, absorbance, pH, carbon dioxide pressure, and their preferred ranges, as well as the method of adjusting them, are as described above for the beverage of the present invention or are obvious from them. The timing is also not limited. Furthermore, specific examples and amounts of other additional ingredients are as described above for the beverage.

[0054] For example, when the beverage comprises a frozen crushed infusion of fruit and / or vegetables, the step of mixing the ingredients may include: freezing one or more fruits and / or vegetables to obtain a frozen product; pulverizing the frozen product to obtain a frozen and pulverized product; A step of immersing the finely pulverized material in an alcohol-containing liquid as it is or after thawing it into a paste form to obtain an infused liquor; and mixing the infused liquor with other ingredients; may include:

[0055] (Numerical range) For clarity, the numerical ranges set forth herein include their endpoints, i.e. lower and upper limits. EXAMPLES

[0056] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to specific experimental examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following experimental examples.

[0057] It should be noted that the absorbance at a wavelength of 550 nm of all beverages prepared in the following experiments was within the range of 0.05 to 0.67.

[0058] (Experiment 1) Effect of myristicin Neutral spirits and water were mixed to prepare several alcoholic aqueous solutions with alcohol contents of 7v / v%, 15v / v%, 30v / v%, and 40v / v%, and various amounts of myristicin were added to them to prepare sample beverages. In all the sample beverages obtained, the sugar content was 0g / 100ml, the fruit juice rate was 0w / w%, and the pH was a specific value within the range of 3.3 to 6.6.

[0059] Next, a panel of four experts performed a sensory evaluation of each sample beverage according to the following criteria, and the average scores were calculated. A higher score in each category indicates a better result. To reduce individual differences in evaluation, each panel used a standard product corresponding to each score to establish a common understanding in advance of the relationship between each score and taste.

[0060] (Pungent odor from alcohol (EtOH)) 6 points: No irritating odor from alcohol 5 points: Almost no pungent odor from alcohol 4 points: Weak alcohol odor 3 points: Slightly pungent odor from alcohol 2 points: A pungent odor from alcohol is felt 1 point: Strong irritating odor from alcohol (Bitterness and astringency from alcohol (EtOH)) 6 points: No bitterness or astringency from alcohol 5 points: Almost no bitterness or astringency from alcohol 4 points: Less bitterness and astringency from alcohol 3 points: Slightly bitter and astringent taste due to alcohol 2 points: Bitterness and astringency due to alcohol 1 point: Strong bitterness and astringency from alcohol (Spicy flavor derived from myristicin) 6 points: No spicy flavor at all 5 points: Almost no spice flavor. 4 points: Not much of a spicy flavor 3 points: A slight spicy flavor is felt 2 points: A slight spicy flavor is felt 1 point: Strong spicy flavor These evaluation criteria and methods were also used in other experiments.

[0061] The composition of each beverage and the results of the sensory evaluation are shown in the table below.

[0062] [Table 1]

[0063] As is clear from the above table, within a specific range of alcohol content, a specific or greater amount of myristicin was able to reduce at least one selected from the group consisting of irritating odor, bitterness, and astringency derived from alcohol.

[0064] In the above table, an "overall evaluation" is shown, which is an evaluation of beverages whose alcohol content falls within the range of the present invention (7v / v%, 15v / v%, and 30v / v%), and beverages that scored 3 or more points in all three categories of pungent odor, bitterness / astringency, and spicy flavor were given an "O" and the rest were given an "X". An evaluation of "O" was obtained within a specific range of myristicin content.

[0065] (Experiment 2) Study on lemon-flavored beverages An experiment similar to that of Experiment 1 was conducted by further adding carbon dioxide, high-intensity sweetener, acidulant, and pH adjuster to the beverage sample to prepare a lemon-flavored beverage. The amounts of carbon dioxide, high-intensity sweetener, acidulant, and pH adjuster used in all beverage samples were at the same level. In all sample beverages obtained, the sugar content was 0 g / 100 ml, the fruit juice rate was 0 w / w%, and the pH was a specific value within the range of 3.3 to 5.0.

[0066] In the sensory evaluation, in addition to the evaluation items described in Experiment 1, the "improvement of fruitiness" was also evaluated. The evaluation criteria are as follows:

[0067] (Improved fruitiness) 6 points: Great improvement in fruitiness 5 points: Improved fruitiness 4 points: Slight improvement in fruitiness 3 points: Slight improvement in fruitiness 2 points: Almost no improvement in fruitiness 1 point: No improvement in fruitiness The formulations and evaluation results of each beverage are shown in the table below.

[0068] [Table 2]

[0069] Similar trends to those in Experiment 1 were observed in beverages containing additional ingredients other than myristicin and alcohol.

[0070] In the "Overall Evaluation" section of the table, samples that scored 3 points or more in all three categories of pungent odor, bitterness / astringency, and spicy flavor were given a "O".

[0071] (Experiment 3) Effect of pH In the same manner as in Experiment 1, an alcoholic solution containing myristicin was prepared, and the pH was adjusted to obtain a sample beverage. 75% food additive phosphoric acid (Nippon Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) was used for pH adjustment. In all sample beverages, the myristicin content was 100 ppb, the alcohol content was 7 w / w%, the sugar content was 0 g / 100 ml, and the fruit juice content was 0 w / w%.

[0072] All of the sample beverages obtained were subjected to a sensory evaluation test similar to that in Experiment 1. The results are shown in the table below.

[0073] [Table 3]

[0074] In the "Overall Evaluation" section of the table, samples that scored 3 or more points in all three categories of pungent odor, bitterness / astringency, and spicy flavor were given a "O", and all other samples were given an "X".

[0075] Particularly good results were obtained when the pH was within a specific range. In particular, all evaluation results were very favorable in the pH range of 3.0 to 4.5.

[0076] (Experiment 4) Effects of sugar First, an alcoholic solution containing myristicin was prepared in the same manner as in Experiment 1, and then various amounts of sugar (sucrose) were added to prepare sample beverages. In all sample beverages, the myristicin content was 100 ppb, the alcohol content was 7 w / w%, the pH was a specific value within the range of 3.3 to 6.6, and the fruit juice content was 0 w / w%.

[0077] In addition, as a control, a sample beverage was prepared that was the same as the above sample beverage except that it did not contain myristicin.

[0078] A sensory evaluation test similar to that in Experiment 1 was carried out on all the sample beverages obtained. A value was then obtained by subtracting the score of the control containing the corresponding amount of sugar from the score of each beverage containing myristicin. The obtained value indicates the effect of myristicin in reducing at least one selected from the group consisting of irritating odor, bitterness, and astringency derived from alcohol (the greater the value for each item or the total value thereof, the greater the reduction effect). The results are shown in the table below.

[0079] [Table 4]

[0080] When the sugar content was within a specific range, the reduction effect was large.

[0081] (Experiment 5) Effect of fruit juice volume An experiment similar to experiment 4 was carried out, except that instead of adding sugar, various amounts of fruit juice were added. The fruit juice used was clear lemon juice. In this experiment, the score of each drink containing myristicin was subtracted from the score of the control containing the corresponding amount of sugar to obtain a value indicating the reduction effect. In all sample drinks except the control, the myristicin content was 100 ppb, the alcohol content was 7 w / w%, the pH was in the range of 2.0 to 5.0, and the sugar content was 1.0 g / 100 ml or less. The results are shown in the table below.

[0082] [Table 5]

[0083] When the fruit juice content was within a specific range, the reduction effect of myristicin was greater.

Claims

1. An alcoholic beverage having a myristicin content of 20 ppb or more, an alcohol content of 30 v / v% or less, a saccharide content of 4.0 g / 100 ml or less, a fruit juice content of less than 8.0 w / w% in terms of juice ratio, and an absorbance at a wavelength of 550 nm of less than 0.

68.

2. The alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, having a myristicin content of 20 to 1000 ppb.

3. The alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, having a pH in the range of 2.0 to 6.

6.

4. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, containing frozen pulverized and immersed liquor of fruits and / or vegetables.

5. A method for reducing at least one selected from the group consisting of a pungent odor derived from alcohol, astringency, and bitterness in an alcoholic beverage having an alcohol content of 30 v / v% or less, a saccharide content of 4.0 g / 100 ml or less, a fruit juice content of less than 8.0 w / w% in terms of juice ratio, and an absorbance at a wavelength of 550 nm of less than 0.68, the method comprising: mixing raw materials so that the myristicin content in the beverage becomes 20 ppb or more.

6. The step of mixing raw materials is: freezing one or more fruits and / or vegetables to obtain a frozen product; finely pulverizing the frozen product to obtain a frozen finely pulverized product; immersing the pulverized product as it is or after thawing and making it into a paste form in an alcohol-containing liquid to obtain an immersed liquor; and mixing the immersed liquor with other raw materials; The method according to claim 5, wherein the beverage contains the immersed liquor.