Fatty acid-containing beverage

Abstract

To improve the sharpness of a beverage with a low Brix and low acidity.SOLUTION: The present invention employs a specific type of fatty acid in a beverage with a low Brix and low acidity.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to beverages containing specific fatty acids and related methods. [Background technology]

[0002] In the field of beverages, efforts are being made to improve various tastes, including the improvement of "sharpness."

[0003] For example, in Patent Document 1, the content of D-alanine and D-isoleucine is adjusted to improve the crispness of a non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage, and in Patent Document 2, the content of 3-carene is adjusted to 0.01 ppm or more to improve the crispness of the aftertaste of a citrus-flavored beverage. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-023191 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2021-016342 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In this specification, the "sharpness" of the taste of a beverage refers to the taste felt when ingesting the beverage and putting it in the mouth not leaving an aftertaste and being pleasant to drink. Therefore, it is assumed that a certain level of taste is present before the occurrence of "sharpness." In other words, normally, unless a certain level of components that impart flavor to a beverage is present, "sharpness" is unlikely to occur.

[0006] Although beverage preferences have changed in recent years, the need for low-calorie beverages remains strong. There is also a growing need for beverages with a relatively light taste. To meet these needs, it is necessary to provide beverages with a low Brix value and low acidity. However, in such beverages, the amount of components that provide a certain level of flavor that must be present before a sharp taste occurs is small, and therefore it is not easy to provide a sharp taste.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to improve the sharpness of low Brix and low acidity beverages. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] As a result of extensive research, the present inventors have found that specific types of fatty acids are effective in improving the sharpness of beverages with low Brix and low acidity.

[0009] That is, the present invention relates to, but is not limited to, the following: [1] The Brix value is 2.0 or less. The acidity calculated as citric acid is 0.2g / 100ml or less, and The total concentration of fatty acids with carbon numbers between 8 and 18 is 1650 ppb or more. Beverages. [2] The beverage described in [1], in which the total concentration of ethyl esters of fatty acids having 12 to 18 carbon atoms is less than 1,800 ppb. [3] A beverage described in [1] or [2], which is a non-alcoholic beverage. [4] A beverage according to [1] or [2], which is an alcoholic beverage. [5] The beverage described in any one of [1] to [4], having an absorbance at a wavelength of 550 nm of less than 0.68. [6] A method for improving the crispness of a beverage having a Brix value of 2.0 or less and an acidity calculated as citric acid of 0.2 g / 100 ml or less, comprising the steps of: The method further comprises a step of mixing the raw materials so that the total concentration of fatty acids having 8 to 18 carbon atoms in the beverage is 1650 ppb or more. Effect of the Invention

[0010] The present invention can improve the crispness of beverages with low Brix and low acidity, and this effect is particularly excellent in the low Brix and low acidity ranges. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] The beverages of the present invention, and related methods, are described below.

[0012] Unless otherwise specified, "ppb" as used herein means parts per billion by weight per volume (w / v), which is synonymous with "μg / L."

[0013] Additionally, in this specification, the term "alcohol" means ethyl alcohol, unless otherwise specified.

[0014] (beverage) In one embodiment, the beverage of the present invention is a non-alcoholic beverage. In this specification, the term "non-alcoholic beverage" refers to a beverage having an alcohol content of less than 1 v / v%. Examples of the alcohol content in a non-alcoholic beverage are 0.9 v / v% or less, 0.8 v / v% or less, 0.7 v / v% or less, 0.6 v / v% or less, 0.5 v / v% or less, 0.4 v / v% or less, 0.3 v / v% or less, 0.2 v / v% or less, 0.1 v / v% or less, and 0.00 v / v%. To be clear, "0.00 v / v%" also includes values ​​that are 0.00 v / v% when rounded down to the third decimal place, such as 0.001 v / v% or 0.009 v / v%.

[0015] In recent years, the demand for non-alcoholic beverages has increased with the growing health consciousness of consumers. In non-alcoholic beverages, the amount of alcohol that provides a certain taste is small, so the problem of lack of sharpness becomes more serious. Therefore, the present invention is particularly useful for non-alcoholic beverages.

[0016] Examples of non-alcoholic beverages are alcohol-flavored beverages that have a taste similar to that of alcoholic beverages. Examples of alcohol-flavored beverages include, but are not limited to, beer-flavored beverages, highball-flavored beverages, chuhai-flavored beverages, non-alcoholic cocktails, sour-flavored beverages, wine-flavored beverages, and sake-flavored beverages. To explain in more detail using highball-flavored beverages, chuhai-flavored beverages, non-alcoholic cocktails, and sour-flavored beverages as examples, these beverages refer to beverages that, while being non-alcoholic, have a taste similar to that of their model highball or chuhai (in the context of the present invention, this refers to an alcoholic carbonated beverage made by diluting distilled liquor such as whiskey or shochu with another beverage such as water, juice, or tea, which may contain fruit juice such as lemon), cocktail (in the context of the present invention, this refers to a beverage containing a base liquor such as spirits or liqueur, sour fruit juice such as citrus fruit, sweet ingredients, and optionally carbon dioxide), or sour (in the context of the present invention, this refers to a beverage containing spirits, sour fruit juice such as citrus fruit, sweet ingredients, and carbon dioxide).

[0017] Preferred alcohol-tasted beverages are highball-tasted beverages, chuhai-tasted beverages, non-alcoholic cocktails, sour-tasted beverages, wine-tasted beverages, and sake-tasted beverages.

[0018] Other examples of the non-alcoholic beverages of the present invention are soft drinks, carbonated drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, functional drinks, and flavored waters.

[0019] 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 by 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 is 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). GC-MS may also be used to measure the alcohol content.

[0020] In one embodiment, the beverage of the present invention is an alcoholic beverage. In this specification, the term "alcoholic beverage" refers to a beverage having an alcohol content of 1 v / v% or more. Examples of the alcohol content in the alcoholic beverage of the present invention are 1 to 15 v / v%, 3 to 12 v / v%, and 4 to 9 v / v%.

[0021] Examples of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention are highball, chuhai, cocktail, sour, wine, beer and sake.

[0022] Alcohol may be added to the alcoholic beverage by any means, but typically, the beverage of the present invention contains a distilled liquor, and thus contains alcohol. The distilled liquor is not limited by its raw material or production method. Examples of the distilled liquor include spirits (e.g., vodka, rum, tequila, gin, aquavit, korn), brewing alcohol, neutral spirits, liqueurs, whiskey, brandy, and shochu. In addition, fruits, vegetables, tea, spices, herbs, etc. may be infused in these distilled liquors.

[0023] (Brix value) The beverage of the present invention has a low Brix value of 2.0 or less, preferably 0.01 to 2.0, more preferably 0.05 to 2.0, and even more preferably 0.5 to 2.0.

[0024] In this specification, the term "Brix" refers to the weight of soluble solids (g) per 100 g of solution, and is usually calculated by converting the refractive index measured at 20°C using a saccharometer or refractometer into mass / mass percent of the sucrose solution based on the conversion table of the International Commission on Uniform Methods of Sugar Analysis (ICUMSA). If a beverage has a low Brix value, the concentration of soluble solids, including sugar, is low.

[0025] (acidity) The acidity of the beverage of the present invention, calculated as citric acid, is 0.2 g / 100 ml or less, preferably 0.01 to 0.2 g / 100 ml, and more preferably 0.05 to 0.2 g / 100 ml.

[0026] In this specification, "acidity in terms of citric acid" refers to the total molar concentration of the acid in the beverage converted into the amount of citric acid, assuming that all the acids in the beverage are monovalent acids. In the case of carbonated beverages, it means the acidity after degassing. The total molar concentration of the acid in the sample beverage can be measured by a known method such as titration, and can be calculated, for example, from the amount of sodium hydroxide added until the sample becomes neutral (pH 7.0). In detail, 20 mL of the sample is dispensed into a 100 mL beaker with a whole pipette, distilled water is added to make the liquid volume about 50 mL, and the electrode of a pH meter is inserted into the liquid. Then, 1 / 10 N sodium hydroxide solution is dropped from a burette while stirring the liquid, and the end point is when the pH meter scale indicates 7.0. The total molar concentration of the acid in the sample is then calculated from the amount of sodium hydroxide solution required to reach the end point. Furthermore, taking into consideration the total molar concentration of the obtained acids, the molecular weight of citric acid (for confirmation, this means free citric acid here), and the number of carboxylic acids, the acidity in the sample is calculated based on the following formula: acidity = total molar concentration of acids in the sample x (molecular weight of citric acid / number of carboxylic acids in citric acid). An automatic titrator may be used for titration when measuring the acidity.

[0027] (fatty acid) The beverage of the present invention contains fatty acids having 8 to 18 carbon atoms. The total concentration is 1650 ppb or more, preferably 1700 to 10000 ppb, and more preferably 2000 to 5000 ppb. When the total concentration of the fatty acids is within the above range, the sharpness of the taste of the low Brix and low acidity beverage is improved. For the sake of clarity, the beverage may contain only one type of fatty acid having 8 to 18 carbon atoms, or may contain two or more types, or may contain three or more types.

[0028] Examples of such fatty acids include saturated fatty acids such as octanoic acid (caprylic acid) having 8 carbon atoms, nonanoic acid (pelargonic acid) having 9 carbon atoms, decanoic acid (capric acid) having 10 carbon atoms, undecanoic acid (undecylic acid) having 11 carbon atoms, dodecanoic acid (lauric acid) having 12 carbon atoms, tridecanoic acid (tridecylic acid) having 13 carbon atoms, tetradecanoic acid (myristic acid) having 14 carbon atoms, pentadecanoic acid (pentadecylic acid) having 15 carbon atoms, hexadecanoic acid (palmitic acid) having 16 carbon atoms, heptadecanoic acid (margaric acid) having 17 carbon atoms, and octadecanoic acid (stearic acid) having 18 carbon atoms; and unsaturated fatty acids such as 9-hexadecenoic acid (C16:1 / palmitoleic acid).

[0029] The beverage of the present invention preferably contains a saturated fatty acid having 8 to 18 carbon atoms, and preferably contains at least one acid selected from the group consisting of octanoic acid, decanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, and octadecanoic acid.

[0030] The total concentration of the above fatty acids in the beverage of the present invention may be measured by any known method, for example, GC-MS or LC-MS.

[0031] (Fatty acid ethyl esters) In one embodiment of the beverage of the present invention, the total concentration of ethyl esters of fatty acids having from 12 to 18 carbon atoms is preferably low. Specifically, the total concentration is preferably less than 1800 ppb, more preferably 1500 ppb or less, and even more preferably 1000 ppb or less.

[0032] Examples of fatty acids constituting ethyl esters of fatty acids having 12 to 18 carbon atoms include dodecanoic acid (lauric acid) having 12 carbon atoms, tridecanoic acid (tridecylic acid) having 13 carbon atoms, tetradecanoic acid (myristic acid) having 14 carbon atoms, pentadecanoic acid (pentadecylic acid) having 15 carbon atoms, hexadecanoic acid (palmitic acid) having 16 carbon atoms, heptadecanoic acid (margaric acid) having 17 carbon atoms, and octadecanoic acid (stearic acid) having 18 carbon atoms.

[0033] The total concentration of the fatty acid ethyl esters in the beverage of the present invention can be measured using the methods mentioned above for measuring the concentration of fatty acids.

[0034] (absorbance) None of the fatty acids used in the beverages of the present invention impart strong color to the beverage, i.e., the present invention does not significantly affect the inherent color of the beverage in which they are incorporated.

[0035] For example, if the beverage is inherently colorless or light in color, the present invention does not significantly change the color. Thus, in one embodiment, the beverage of the present invention is colorless or light in 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, in this embodiment, 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.

[0036] (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.

[0037] 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 2 In 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. (Other ingredients) The beverage of the present invention may contain other additives that are typically added to beverages, such as flavorings, vitamins, colorants, antioxidants, preservatives, seasonings, extracts, pH adjusters, and quality stabilizers, as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention. (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. (method) In another aspect, the present invention is a method for improving the sharpness of a beverage having a Brix value of 2.0 or less and an acidity calculated as citric acid of 0.2 g / 100 ml or less. The method includes a step of mixing ingredients so that the total concentration of fatty acids having 8 to 18 carbon atoms in the beverage is 1650 ppb or more. The ingredients include a material containing fatty acids and, if necessary, water. Other ingredients are obvious from the above description of the beverage.

[0038] The method may also include the step of mixing ingredients such that the beverage has a Brix value of 2.0 or less and an acidity, calculated as citric acid, of 0.2 g / 100 ml or less.

[0039] The preferred ranges of the above numerical values ​​are as described above for the beverage, and the specific examples and amounts of additional other ingredients and parameters are as described above for the beverage. (Numerical range) For clarity, the numerical ranges set forth herein include their endpoints, i.e. lower and upper limits. EXAMPLES

[0040] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0041] Test Example 1: Effect of fatty acids First, a base beverage was prepared by mixing water with citric acid to adjust the acidity and high fructose glucose liquid sugar to adjust the Brix. The base beverage was also a control. Next, various amounts of saturated fatty acids with carbon numbers of 8 to 18 were added to prepare beverages of various comparative examples and examples. The Brix of the obtained beverages was 1.5, and the acidity converted to citric acid was 0.06 g / 100 ml. The types and contents of fatty acids are as shown in the table below (the "C8-C18 fatty acid" used in Comparative Example 7 and Example 7-1, etc. is an equal mixture of six types of fatty acids used in other examples). In addition, the absorbance at a wavelength of 550 nm of all the obtained beverages was less than 0.036.

[0042] A sensory evaluation was carried out by several trained expert panelists on the resulting beverages, and each beverage sample was evaluated for its effect of improving sharpness (degree of increase in sharpness compared to the control). The evaluation criteria are shown below. An average score was then calculated from the obtained evaluation scores. In order to reduce individual differences in evaluation, the expert panelists established a common understanding in advance of the relationship between each evaluation score and taste using a standard sample corresponding to each evaluation score.

[0043] <Improved sharpness> 3: Significant increase in effect 2: Has a rising effect 1: No increase effect Furthermore, evaluations such as ◎, 〇, etc. were given based on the average score obtained according to the above method (Table 1).

[0044] <Average score and evaluation>

[0045] [Table 1]

[0046] The results of these sensory evaluations are also shown in the table below. The above sensory evaluation method was also adopted in other test examples.

[0047] [Table 2]

[0048] The effect of improving sharpness was excellent when the fatty acid content was within a specific range. This tendency was observed when a single type of fatty acid was used and when multiple types of fatty acids were used.

[0049] Test Example 2: Effect of Brix and Acidity An experiment similar to that of Test Example 1 was carried out, except that an equal mixture of fatty acids with carbon numbers of 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 was used as the fatty acids, the content of which was fixed at 3000 ppb, and the Brix and acidity were varied. The values ​​of each parameter and the evaluation results are shown in the table below. The absorbance at a wavelength of 550 nm of all the obtained beverages was less than 0.036.

[0050] [Table 3]

[0051] The effect of improving sharpness was excellent within a specific Brix range and acidity range.

[0052] Test Example 3: Effect of the types of components that contribute to Brix and acidity The same experiment as in Test Example 2 was carried out, except that the Brix was fixed at 1.5, the acidity was fixed at 0.06 g / 100 ml, fructose glucose liquid sugar (sugar A) or sugar (sugar B) was used to adjust the Brix, and citric acid (acid A) or phosphoric acid (acid B) was used to adjust the acidity. The types of ingredients and the evaluation results are shown in the table below. The absorbance at a wavelength of 550 nm of all the obtained beverages was less than 0.036.

[0053] [Table 4]

[0054] Even when the types of components that cause Brix or acidity were changed, similar trends were observed as in other test examples.

[0055] Test Example 4: Effect of type of beverage An experiment similar to that of Test Example 1 was conducted, except that an equal mixture of fatty acids having carbon numbers of 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 was used as the fatty acids, the content of which was fixed at 3000 ppb, and a new base beverage was used.

[0056] The new base beverage was obtained by mixing water with flavoring, non-alcoholic spirit extract, salt, and dextrin. The Brix was adjusted using fructose glucose liquid sugar, and the acidity was adjusted using citric acid. The Brix of the resulting beverage was 1.5, and the acidity converted to citric acid was 0.06g / 100ml. The evaluation results are shown in the table below. The absorbance of the resulting beverage at a wavelength of 550nm was 0.036.

[0057] [Table 5]

[0058] Even when the type of beverage was changed, similar trends were observed as in other test examples.

Claims

1. The Brix value is 2.0 or less, The acidity in terms of citric acid is 0.2 g / 100 ml or less, and The total concentration of fatty acids having 8 to 18 carbon atoms is 1650 ppb or more, Beverage.

2. 2. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the total concentration of ethyl esters of fatty acids having 12 to 18 carbon atoms is less than 1800 ppb.

3. 3. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, which is a non-alcoholic beverage.

4. 3. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, which is an alcoholic beverage.

5. 3. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, having an absorbance at a wavelength of 550 nm of less than 0.

68.

6. 1. A method for improving the crispness of a beverage having a Brix value of 2.0 or less and an acidity in terms of citric acid of 0.2 g / 100 ml or less, comprising: The method further comprises a step of mixing the ingredients so that the total concentration of fatty acids having 8 to 18 carbon atoms in the beverage is 1650 ppb or more.