Protein-containing beverage

Abstract

To provide a protein-containing beverage reduced in protein odor and powderiness.SOLUTION: A protein-containing beverage is produced by a method that includes adding powdered protein so that the amount of protein becomes 3.5-8.0 g per 100 g of the beverage and adding a purified product of γ-aminobutyric acid containing 80 mass% or more γ-aminobutyric acid so that the amount of γ-aminobutyric acid becomes 5-70 mg per 100 g of the beverage.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to protein-containing beverages. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, with the increasing health consciousness of consumers, including exercise enthusiasts and the elderly, there has been an increasing demand for efficient protein intake. Accordingly, protein-containing foods and beverages have been developed and are provided in the form of noodles, bread, candy, jelly, cookies, soup, beverages, etc. Among these, many beverage-type products (also referred to as "protein-containing beverages" in this specification) have been developed from the viewpoint of convenience, such as ease of intake and portability.

[0003] Protein sources for protein-containing beverages include proteins derived from various foods. However, each protein has a distinctive protein odor, which can adversely affect the flavor of the beverage when used in large quantities. Therefore, various beverages with reduced protein odor have been proposed. Examples include a peptide-containing beverage containing cyclodextrin to suppress peptide odor (Patent Document 1), a protein-containing beverage in which the protein odor is masked by adding glycine and / or aspartame (Patent Document 2), a soy protein-containing beverage in which the distinctive flavor of soy protein is improved by using a heated sugar powder containing maltose as the main carbohydrate (Patent Document 3), and a protein-containing beverage containing 0.5 w / v% or more protein and 0.3 mg / L or more ketooctadecadienoic acid to reduce the grassy flavor (Patent Document 4).

[0004] On the other hand, it has also been reported that the flavor of beverages can be improved by adding γ-aminobutyric acid (hereinafter abbreviated as "GABA"), an amino acid widely distributed in nature, including plants and animals, and an inhibitory neurotransmitter present in the brain and spinal cord of mammals. For example, non-fermented alcoholic beverages such as beer-flavored beverages, wine-flavored beverages, chuhai-flavored beverages, and cocktail-flavored beverages have been reported in which the incorporation of GABA has enhanced body, mellowness, and depth of flavor, while suppressing sourness (Patent Document 5). Also reported are syrups, energy drinks, and other oral liquid compositions containing iron compounds, such as syrups and energy drinks, which, by incorporating GABA, have reduced the astringent taste derived from iron ions, making them easy to drink and leaving no unpleasant aftertaste (Patent Document 6). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-75064 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-141559 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-236678 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-226521 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-184697 [Patent Document 6] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-315441 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Beverages containing high concentrations of protein can have problems not only with the protein odor but also with a powdery texture felt in the mouth, tongue, throat, etc. The present invention aims to provide a protein-containing beverage with reduced protein odor and powdery texture. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of intensive research to solve the above problems, the inventors discovered that adding a certain amount of gamma-aminobutyric acid to a beverage containing a high concentration of protein not only reduces the protein odor but also reduces the powdery texture caused by protein, leading to the completion of the present invention.

[0008] The present invention includes, but is not limited to, the following aspects. [1] A protein-containing beverage containing 3.5-8.0g of protein and 5-70mg of gamma-aminobutyric acid per 100g of beverage. [2] The beverage described in [1], wherein the protein is milk protein and / or soy protein. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to easily provide a protein-containing beverage with a good flavor and reduced protein odor and powdery texture. Conventionally, to reduce unpleasant odors such as protein odor in beverages, the unpleasant odor has often been masked by emphasizing another flavor, such as sourness or sweetness. Furthermore, to improve the powdery texture of beverages, the powdery texture has often been masked by thickening the beverage or by aerating it with carbon dioxide or the like. The present invention has the advantage that the protein odor and powdery texture can be reduced by blending a certain amount of GABA into a protein-containing beverage, eliminating the need to emphasize sourness or sweetness, or thicken or aerate the beverage as in the past, and making it easier to design a beverage with the desired flavor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] (Protein-containing drinks) The protein-containing beverage referred to in the present invention refers to a highly nutritious beverage with an increased protein content due to the addition of protein. The beverages of the present invention include liquid beverages such as soups and soft drinks, gel-like beverages such as jellies and yogurt, and powdered beverages in which these beverages are dried and powdered and dissolved in cold or hot water for consumption. Liquid or gel-like beverages are preferred from the standpoint of ease of intake. Furthermore, liquid beverages, among these, typically tend to have a powdery protein texture compared to gel-like beverages. Because the present invention can improve the powdery texture of beverages that typically have a powdery texture, liquid beverages are particularly suitable as the subject of the present invention. Furthermore, packaged beverages, which are produced, packaged, and stored in warehouses, stores, etc. for a certain period before consumption, typically tend to have a powdery texture. However, because the present invention can improve this powdery texture as described above, packaged beverages are particularly suitable as the subject of the present invention.

[0011] The protein to be added to the beverage of the present invention may be any protein commonly used in beverages, and is not particularly limited. Examples include animal proteins derived from animals, plant proteins derived from plants, fish proteins, proteins derived from microorganisms such as yeast and lactic acid bacteria, and combinations thereof. Among these, it is preferable to contain at least one animal protein or plant protein. Examples of the animal proteins include proteins derived from animal milk (such as cow's milk, goat's milk, and sheep's milk) (hereinafter referred to as milk proteins), egg proteins derived from chicken eggs, porcine proteins, and bovine proteins. Examples of the plant proteins include proteins derived from plant seeds, such as soybean proteins, wheat proteins, rice proteins, adlay proteins, and corn proteins. The above proteins may also be hydrolyzed physically, chemically, or enzymatically. A single type of protein may be used, or two or more types may be mixed together.

[0012] Among the above proteins, milk protein and soy protein are particularly highly digestible and absorbable. The milk protein is preferably used because it is not only useful for efficient protein intake but also more remarkably exhibits the effects of the present invention. Examples of milk proteins include total milk protein (TMP), milk protein concentrate (MPC), milk protein isolate (MPI), whey protein concentrate (WPC), whey protein isolate (WPI), micellar casein isolate (MCI), and the like. ), micellar casein concentrate (MCC), etc., and particularly WPC and WPI are preferably used for this purpose. Examples of soy protein include isolated soy protein and concentrated soy protein.

[0013] Furthermore, when powdered protein (also referred to as "powdered protein" in this specification) is heated during drying, it develops a strong unpleasant protein flavor, and the protein aggregates, causing a powdery texture and flavor. When powdered protein is used as a protein to be blended into a beverage, the beverage usually tends to have a strong protein odor and powdery texture. Since the present invention can reduce the protein odor and powdery texture of such beverages, beverages that use powdered protein as a protein to be blended into the beverage are suitable targets for the present invention.

[0014] By adding the above protein, the beverage of the present invention contains 3.5 to 8.0 g, preferably 4.0 to 8.0 g, more preferably 4.5 to 8.0 g, more preferably 5.0 to 8.0 g, and even more preferably 5.5 to 8.0 g of protein per 100 g of beverage. The protein content in the beverage can be measured by the Kjeldahl method.

[0015] (γ-aminobutyric acid) The beverage of the present invention contains gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which reduces the unpleasant protein odor caused by incorporating high concentrations of protein, and also reduces powdery texture. Here, powdery texture refers to the powdery feeling (texture) perceived in the mouth, tongue, and throat when or after ingesting the beverage. When the powdery texture is strong, the beverage does not go down smoothly, and is accompanied by a dry, slightly itchy feeling after drinking. The beverage of the present invention with reduced powdery texture does not have a powdery feeling from the time of ingestion to the time of ingestion, and can be enjoyed as a smooth drink down the throat.

[0016] GABA is an amino acid found in a wide variety of foods, including vegetables, fruits, grains, and fermented foods. The GABA used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and examples include GABA extracted from vegetables, fruits, and grains, GABA produced by fermentation, and GABA obtained by organic synthesis. To maximize the benefits of the present invention while minimizing the impact on the flavor of the beverage itself, it is preferable to use a purified GABA product containing 80% or more, preferably 85% or more, and more preferably 90% or more GABA. The purified product can be in various forms, including solid, aqueous solution, and slurry. Commercially available purified GABA products include GABA 100% Pure Powder (NOW FOODS) and Oryza GABA Extract HC-90 (Oryza Oil & Fat Chemical).

[0017] In the present invention, GABA is added so that the concentration in the beverage is 5 mg / 100 g or more, preferably 10 mg / 100 g or more, more preferably 20 mg / 100 g or more, and even more preferably 25 mg / 100 g or more. The GABA content is preferably 70 mg / 100 g or less, more preferably 65 mg / 100 g or less. The GABA content can be measured using an amino acid analyzer.

[0018] (Other ingredients) In addition to the above-mentioned components, the beverage of the present invention may contain, as appropriate, components that are commonly added to beverages, such as sweeteners, pH adjusters, antioxidants, acidulants, fruit juice, extracts, flavorings, coloring agents, vitamins, emulsifiers, thickening stabilizers, etc., provided that the addition does not deviate from the intended object of the present invention.

[0019] (packaged beverages) As described above, the beverage of the present invention may be in the form of a liquid beverage such as soup or soft drink, a gel-like beverage such as jelly or yogurt, or a powdered beverage prepared by drying or powdering these beverages and dissolving them in cold or hot water for consumption. It does not have to be packaged in a container, but as described above, a packaged beverage is one preferred embodiment of the present invention. Here, a packaged beverage refers to a beverage that is packaged in a sealed container and is used synonymously with an RTD beverage (RTD = Ready To Drink: a beverage packaged in a PET bottle, can, glass bottle, paper, or other container that can be consumed immediately after opening the lid). There are two types of RTD beverages: beverages that are consistently stored refrigerated and beverages that can be stored at room temperature. The beverage of the present invention may be either. Packaged beverages may be heat-sterilized according to a known method. The heat-sterilization method is not particularly limited, but examples include ultra-high temperature (UHT; 120-150°C, 1-120 seconds) and retort sterilization (110-130°C, 10-30 minutes). [Example]

[0020] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to experimental examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Furthermore, in this specification, unless otherwise specified, numerical ranges are stated to include their endpoints.

[0021] The protein content of the beverages in the examples was measured by the Kjeldahl method. The GABA content was measured by collecting a measurement sample, centrifuging it, treating the supernatant with 0.02 N hydrochloric acid, filtering it through a cylinder equipped with a 0.45 μm filter, and quantifying it with a fully automatic amino acid analyzer (JLC-500 / V, manufactured by JEOL Ltd.).

[0022] Reference Example 1: Effect of protein addition (1) Acidic drinks Powdered whey protein concentrate (WPC / 80, Nutra Food Ingredients, LLC) (hereafter referred to as WPC) was added to a commercially available peach-flavored acidic beverage (pH 3.5, ingredients: sugar, sweetener (sucralose), flavoring, citric acid, sodium citrate) to achieve the contents shown in Table 1. The protein-containing beverage was prepared by stirring slowly, taking care to avoid foaming. A five-person expert panel was presented with pairs of beverages: one without WPC and one with WPC. The panel evaluated which of the paired beverages had the strongest protein odor. They also evaluated whether the beverage with WPC had a powdery texture. As shown in Table 1, the protein odor was perceived when the protein content was 3.5g / 100g or higher, and both the protein odor and powdery texture were clearly perceived when the protein content was 4.5g / 100g or higher.

[0023] [Table 1]

[0024] (2) Reconstituted milk A WPC-added beverage was prepared in the same manner as in (1) above, except that the commercially available peach-flavored beverage used in (1) above was replaced with reconstituted milk (pH 7.0), and evaluated in the same manner as in (1) above. Reconstituted milk was produced by adding water to 40 g of commercially available skim milk powder to a total volume of 500 g, and dissolving the mixture by heating. The evaluation results are shown in Table 2. In the case of reconstituted milk, a protein odor was perceived when the protein content was 3.5 g / 100 g or more, and a protein odor and powdery texture were clearly perceived when the protein content was 5.5 g / 100 g or more.

[0025] [Table 2]

[0026] Experimental Example 1: Flavor Improvement Effect of GABA Addition (1) (1) Acidic drinks A GABA-containing beverage was prepared by adding the amount of GABA (purity 99% or more) shown in Table 3 to a peach-flavored beverage containing 4.5 g / 100 g of protein by adding the WPC prepared in Reference Example (1) and completely dissolving it. The resulting GABA-containing beverage was subjected to a sensory evaluation by a panel of five experts. The evaluation was carried out using the protein content of an acidic beverage containing WPC but not GABA (negative control, WPC 4.5 g / 100 g) (Sample No. 1-1). The odor and powdery feel were scored as 0 points, and the protein odor and powdery feel of a commercially available acidic beverage (positive control) (Sample No. 1-2) that did not contain WPC or GABA were scored as 2 points. The evaluation score for the GABA-containing beverage (0 points) was calculated as 1 point when the score approached the evaluation score for the positive control (2 points), and was somewhere between the two. 0 points: Protein smell and powdery taste similar to the negative control 1 point: Stronger than the positive control, but weaker than the negative control, protein smell, powder Looks like 2 points: Protein smell and powdery taste similar to the positive control The number of panelists who evaluated was counted as 1. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0027] [Table 3]

[0028] As shown in Table 3, the addition of GABA at 5 mg / 100 g or more resulted in a reduction in protein odor and powdery texture. The reduction in protein odor became more pronounced when GABA was added at 10 mg / 100 g or more, and the reduction in protein odor and powdery texture became even more pronounced when GABA was added at 25 mg / 100 g.

[0029] (2) Reconstituted milk The amount of GABA (purity 99% or more) shown in Table 4 was added to reconstituted milk containing 7.5 g of protein per 100 g by adding the WPC prepared in Reference Example (2) and dissolving it completely to prepare reconstituted milk containing GABA. Reconstituted milk containing WPC but no GABA (WPC 7.5 g / 100 g) (Sample No. 2-1) was used as a negative control, and the WPC was also used. Reconstituted milk (sample No. 2-2) without GABA was used as a positive control. The prepared GABA-containing beverage was subjected to a sensory evaluation in the same manner as in Experimental Example 1(1).

[0030] [Table 4]

[0031] As shown in Table 4, the addition of GABA at 5 mg / 100 g or more resulted in a reduction in protein odor and powdery texture. The reduction in protein odor became more pronounced when GABA was added at 10 mg / 100 g or more, and the reduction in protein odor and powdery texture became even more pronounced when GABA was added at 25 mg / 100 g or more.

[0032] Experimental Example 2: Flavor Improvement Effect of GABA Addition (2) In the reconstituted milk of Experimental Example 1(2), the powdered protein was changed from WPC to concentrated milk protein (MPC480, Fonterra Japan) (hereinafter abbreviated as MPC), and an MPC-containing reconstituted milk was prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Experimental Example 1(2). The results are shown in Table 5. Even when MPC was used as the protein, the protein odor and powdery texture were effectively reduced by adding GABA.

[0033] [Table 5]

[0034] Experimental Example 3: Flavor Improvement Effect of GABA Addition (3) In the reconstituted milk of Experimental Example 1(2), the powdered protein was changed from WPC to soy protein (Bakers Nutrisoy; ADM Co.), and a reconstituted milk containing 5.5 g of protein per 100 g was prepared. Milk was prepared. It was divided into two portions; one was used as a control sample without any addition, and the other was mixed with 10 mg / 100 g of GABA to create a GABA-containing beverage. The flavor of the GABA-containing beverage was evaluated by sensory evaluation to determine whether it had the protein smell unique to soy protein and whether it was powdery. All expert panel members evaluated that the GABA-containing beverage had a reduced protein smell and was not powdery.

Claims

1. adding powdered protein to provide 3.5-8.0 g of protein per 100 g of beverage; and Add a refined product of γ-aminobutyric acid so that the amount of γ-aminobutyric acid per 100 g of beverage is 5 to 70 mg. Including, A method for producing a protein-containing beverage, in which a purified product of γ-aminobutyric acid contains 80% by mass or more of γ-aminobutyric acid.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the powdered protein is a milk protein.

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