Non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage with reduced odd taste

Abstract

To provide a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage with a reduced odd taste and a method for producing the same.SOLUTION: The present invention provides: a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage with a methionol content of 2 ppm or more; and a method for reducing an odd taste in a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage, including the step for adjusting a methionol content to 2 ppm or more in the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a non-alcohol beer-taste beverage and a method for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, the demand for non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages has been increasing from a health perspective. However, non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages have various flavor balance problems due to their low alcohol concentration.

[0003] In the art, various efforts have been made to solve such problems. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses adjusting the contents of glutamic acid, succinic acid, alanine and glycine in order to impart thickness to a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2020 / 241754 Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present inventors have discovered the problem of unpleasant flavors and inharmonious aftertastes in non-alcoholic beer-taste beverages.

[0006] The present inventors have investigated the above problems and found that the unpleasant flavors in non-alcoholic beer-taste beverages can be reduced by adjusting the methionine concentration. The present invention is based on this finding.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention provides a non-alcohol beer-taste beverage with reduced unpleasant flavors and a method for producing the same.

[0008] According to the present invention, the following inventions are provided. (1) A non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage with a methionine content of 2 ppm or more. (2) A non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage as described in (1) above, having an alcohol (ethanol) concentration of less than 0.01 v / v%. (3) A non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage according to (1) or (2) above, having a linalool content of 0.1 ppb or more. (4) A non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage according to (1) or (2) above, having a capric acid content of 0.01 ppm or more. (5) A non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage according to (1) or (2) above, having a linalool content of 0.1 ppb or more and a capric acid content of 0.01 ppm or more. (6) A method for producing a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage, the method comprising a step of adjusting the methionine content in the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage to 2 ppm or more. (7) The method described in (6) above, wherein the alcohol (ethanol) concentration of the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage is less than 0.01 v / v%. (8) A method for reducing unpleasant flavors in a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage, the method comprising the step of adjusting the methionine content in the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage to 2 ppm or more. (9) A method for reducing aftertaste discordance in a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage, the method comprising a step of adjusting the methionine content in the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage to 2 ppm or more. (10) The method according to (8) or (9) above, wherein the alcohol (ethanol) concentration of the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage is less than 0.01 v / v%.

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce unpleasant flavors in non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is also possible to reduce disharmony in the aftertaste of non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages.

[0010] According to the present invention, as described above, it is possible to reduce unpleasant flavors in non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages, and also to reduce disharmony in the aftertaste. The present invention is particularly advantageous in that it makes it possible to reduce unpleasant flavors and disharmony in the aftertaste even in non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages with an alcohol content of 0.00 v / v% obtained through a wort fermentation process. In particular, it has been confirmed that the present invention reduces harshness and astringency, among unpleasant flavors, and such effects are included in the effects in the examples described below. Furthermore, it has been confirmed that the present invention reduces the unnatural aftertaste felt after drinking a beverage, among disharmony in the aftertaste, and such effects are included in the effects in the examples described below.

[0011] In the present invention, the term "beer-taste beverage" refers to a beverage that has a beer-like flavor. "Beer-like flavor" means that the beverage exhibits the unique taste and aroma of beer that can be obtained when beer is produced in the usual manner, i.e., when beer is produced based on fermentation by yeast or the like.

[0012] In the present invention, the term "non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage" refers to a beer-taste beverage with an alcohol (ethanol) concentration of less than 1% (v / v). According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the alcohol concentration of the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention is less than 0.75% (v / v), more preferably less than 0.5% (v / v), even more preferably less than 0.05% (v / v), even more preferably less than 0.01% (v / v), even more preferably less than 0.009% (v / v), even more preferably less than 0.008% (v / v), even more preferably less than 0.007% (v / v), and even more preferably It is preferably less than 0.006% (v / v), more preferably less than 0.005% (v / v), even more preferably less than 0.004% (v / v), even more preferably less than 0.003% (v / v), and even more preferably less than 0.002% (v / v), and is preferably 0.002% (v / v) or more, more preferably 0.003% (v / v) or more, even more preferably 0.003% (v / v) or more, and even more preferably 0.004% (v / v) or more.

[0013] The alcohol concentration in a beverage can be determined by gas chromatography (GC) with an FID detector. For more accurate concentration measurement, it is desirable to use a calibration curve based on the measurements of several control samples with known concentrations. 2-propanol can also be used as an internal standard.

[0014] In this specification, the unit "ppm" is synonymous with "mg / L", and the unit "ppb" is synonymous with "μg / L".

[0015] The non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention contains methionine in a specified concentration range. Furthermore, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention further contains linalool and / or capric acid in specified concentrations.

[0016] The non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention can be produced by adjusting the methionine content during the production process of the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the linalool and / or capric acid content is also adjusted during the production process of the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention.

[0017] The content of methionine, linalool and capric acid may be adjusted, for example, by adding these substances during the production process of the non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage, or by increasing or decreasing the raw materials that provide these substances to the non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage, or by adjusting various conditions during production (e.g., conditions in the brewing process, saccharification process, fermentation process, etc.).

[0018] The lower limit of the methionine content in the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention is 2 ppm, preferably 2.5 ppm, more preferably 3 ppm, even more preferably 3.5 ppm, even more preferably 4 ppm, even more preferably 4.5 ppm, even more preferably 5 ppm, even more preferably 5.5 ppm, even more preferably 6 ppm, even more preferably 6.5 ppm, even more preferably 7 ppm, even more preferably 7.5 ppm, even more preferably 8 ppm, even more preferably 8.5 ppm, even more preferably 9 ppm, even more preferably 9.5 ppm, even more preferably 10 ppm, even more preferably 15 ppm, even more preferably 20 ppm, even more preferably 50 ppm. The upper limit of the methionine content is 1000 ppm, preferably 750 ppm, more preferably 500 ppm, even more preferably 250 ppm, even more preferably 100 ppm, even more preferably 75 ppm.

[0019] The amount of methionine in a beverage can be determined by high performance liquid chromatography, or by separating amino acids using a cation exchange resin, adding a ninhydrin reaction solution and reacting at 135° C., followed by quantifying with a UV-VIS detector. For example, it can also be determined using a commercially available amino acid analyzer according to the method described in the Examples below.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the linalool content in the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention is 0.1 ppb or more, more preferably 0.2 ppb or more, even more preferably 0.5 ppb or more, even more preferably 1 ppb or more, even more preferably 5 ppb or more, even more preferably 10 ppb or more, even more preferably 10 ppb or more, even more preferably 11 ppb or more, even more preferably 12 ppb or more, even more preferably 13 ppb or more, even more preferably 14 ppb or more, even more preferably 15 ppb or more, even more preferably 16 ppb or more, even more preferably 17 ppb or more, even more preferably 18 ppb or more, even more preferably 19 ppb or more, and even more preferably It is preferably 20 ppb or more, and more preferably 3000 ppb or less, more preferably 1000 ppb or less, more preferably 500 ppb or less, more preferably 300 ppb or less, more preferably 200 ppb or less, more preferably 100 ppb or less, more preferably 50 ppb or less, more preferably 20 ppb or less, more preferably 19 ppb or less, more preferably 18 ppb or less, more preferably 17 ppb or less, more preferably 16 ppb or less, more preferably 15 ppb or less, more preferably 14 ppb or less, more preferably 13 ppb or less, more preferably 12 ppb or less, more preferably 11 ppb or less, and more preferably 10 ppb or less.

[0021] The quantification of linalool in a beverage can be carried out by a method known to those skilled in the art, for example, GC / MS analysis. In this case, for more accurate concentration measurement, it is desirable to use a calibration curve created based on the measured values ​​of several control samples having known concentrations. This GC / MS analysis can be carried out, for example, as follows. First, the components in the beverage are separated using a C18 solid phase column, and the resulting analytical sample is subjected to GC / MS. The quantification is carried out by the internal standard method, and Borneol is used as the internal standard substance, and is added to the analytical sample to be 25 ppb. For example, the conditions shown in the following examples can be used as GC analysis conditions.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the capric acid content in the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention is 0.01 ppm or more, preferably 0.015 ppm or more, more preferably 0.02 ppm or more, even more preferably 0.025 ppm or more, even more preferably 0.03 ppm or more, even more preferably 0.035 ppm or more, even more preferably 0.04 ppm or more, even more preferably 0.045 ppm or more, even more preferably 0.05 ppm or more, even more preferably 0.055 ppm or more, even more preferably 0.06 ppm or more, even more preferably 0.065 ppm or more, even more preferably 0.07 ppm or more, and even more preferably 0.1 ppm or more, and is 10 ppm or less, preferably 5 ppm or less, more preferably 1 ppm or less, and even more preferably 0.5 ppm or less.

[0023] The amount of capric acid in a beverage can be determined by gas chromatography (GC) with an FID detector. Specifically, the aroma components in the beverage are extracted using a hydroxylated polystyrene divinylbenzene copolymer solid-phase column, and the resulting extract is subjected to GC / FID. In addition, trans-2-hexanoic acid and methyl caprylate can be used as internal standards. The analytical conditions for GC can be, for example, those shown in the Examples. For more accurate concentration measurement, it is desirable to use a calibration curve prepared based on the measured values ​​of several control samples with known concentrations.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the carbohydrate content in the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention is 0.5 g / 100 mL or more, preferably 1.0 g / 100 mL, and is preferably less than 7.0 g / 100 mL, less than 6.95 g / 100 mL, less than 6.9 g / 100 mL, less than 6.85 g / 100 mL, less than 6.8 g / 100 mL, less than 6.75 g / 100 mL, less than 6. The following are defined as less than 7g / 100mL, less than 6.65g / 100mL, less than 6.6g / 100mL, less than 6.55g / 100mL, less than 6.5g / 100mL, less than 6.4g / 100mL, less than 6.3g / 100mL, less than 6.2g / 100mL, less than 6.1g / 100mL, less than 6.0g / 100mL, less than 5.5g / 100mL, and less than 5.0g / 100mL.

[0025] The carbohydrate concentration can be measured by known methods, and can be calculated by subtracting the amounts of water, protein, lipids, ash and dietary fiber from the mass of the sample (see the Nutrition Labeling Standards (Partially revised, Consumer Affairs Agency Notification No. 9, December 16, 2009)).

[0026] The extract content can be 0.3 degrees or more, preferably 0.5 degrees or more, more preferably 1 degree or more, 1.5 degrees or more, 2 degrees or more, and can be less than 10 degrees, less than 9 degrees, less than 8 degrees, less than 7 degrees, less than 6 degrees, or less than 5 degrees. The "extract content" can be measured using a commercially available device (for example, Alcolyzer (manufactured by Anton Paar)).

[0027] The non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention may contain other ingredients as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. That is, in the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention, colorants (e.g., caramel color), sweeteners (e.g., high-intensity sweeteners), seasoning components (e.g., amino acids), flavorings (e.g., commercially available beer flavors containing ethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, isoamyl alcohol, etc., which are typical aroma components of beer), acidulants (e.g., gluconic acid), bitter components such as isomerized hop extract, dietary fiber (e.g., resistant dextrin), fruit juice, herbs, yeast extract, antioxidants, salts, etc. can be used as ingredients.

[0028] The pH (measured at 25° C.) of the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention is preferably 3.5 or higher and 4.6 or lower, more preferably 3.7 or higher and 4.6 or lower, even more preferably 3.8 or higher and 4.6 or lower, and most preferably 3.8 or higher and 4.4 or lower. The pH of the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention can be adjusted using a pH adjuster.

[0029] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the non-alcoholic beer-tasted beverage of the present invention is a non-alcoholic beer-tasted beverage made from malt, more preferably a non-alcoholic beer-tasted beverage made from barley malt. According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the non-alcoholic beer-tasted beverage of the present invention is a non-alcoholic beer-tasted beverage made from ungerminated barley. According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the non-alcoholic beer-tasted beverage of the present invention is a non-alcoholic beer-tasted beverage made from wort. According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the non-alcoholic beer-tasted beverage of the present invention is a non-alcoholic beer-tasted beverage made from hops. According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the non-alcoholic beer-tasted beverage of the present invention is a non-alcoholic beer-tasted beverage that is not made from starch. According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the non-alcoholic beer-tasted beverage of the present invention is a non-alcoholic beer-tasted beverage that is not made from corn. According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the non-alcoholic beer-tasted beverage of the present invention is a non-alcoholic beer-tasted beverage that is not made from rice. According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention is a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage that does not use flavorings as a raw material. According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention is a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage that is substantially free of propylene glycol. Here, "substantially free of propylene glycol" means that the beverage may contain a small amount of propylene glycol that may be contained in a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage produced through a fermentation process using malt, hops, various enzymes, and yeast, but does not contain propylene glycol in an amount exceeding this amount. For example, the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention may have a propylene glycol content below the detection limit or below 20 ppm. According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention is a beverage in which carbon dioxide gas is dissolved, that is, a non-alcoholic beer-taste carbonated beverage.According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention is a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage obtained through a wort fermentation process.

[0030] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the proportion of barley malt in the raw material malt can be, for example, 40% or more, 50% or more, 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 90% or more, or 100%.

[0031] The non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage of the present invention can be produced by adjusting the methionine content at any stage in a general method well known in the art. Such a general method includes, for example, a method including a wort preparation step and a filtration step, and this method can be carried out, for example, by sequentially performing the steps of (a) saccharifying a mixture of malt powder and water, filtering the mixture to obtain wort, (b) adding hops to the obtained wort, followed by boiling, (c) cooling the boiled wort, and (d) filtering the cooled wort. Further, such a general method also includes a method of producing a fermented malt beverage such as beer, and then removing alcohol from the obtained fermented malt beverage. Methods for removing alcohol from beverages include (i) a method of removing alcohol and low-boiling point components by distillation at reduced pressure or normal pressure, (ii) a method of removing alcohol and low-molecular components using a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane, and (iii) a method of removing volatile components by adsorbing them to steam using centrifugal force.

[0032] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for reducing unpleasant flavors in a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage, the method comprising the step of adjusting the methionine content in the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage to 2 ppm or more.

[0033] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for reducing aftertaste discord in a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage, the method comprising the step of adjusting the methionine content in the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage to 2 ppm or more. EXAMPLES

[0034] The present invention will be specifically described based on the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0035] Example 1: Effect of adjusting the concentrations of methionine, linalool, and capric acid on the flavor of a non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage (1) Sample preparation After producing a fermented malt beverage using malt and hops, this beverage was subjected to an alcohol removal process, and the resulting liquid was used as a base beverage sample. Specifically, crushed malt, enzymes, and hot water were added to a brewing tank, and saccharification was performed at a temperature of 60°C to 78°C. This saccharified liquid was filtered, transferred to a boiling kettle, hops were added, and boiled for 70 minutes. After boiling, the evaporated hot water was added to the resulting mixture, and the heat trub was removed in a whirlpool tank, and then cooled to 10°C to obtain cold wort. Beer yeast was added to this wort, and fermented at around 10°C for 7 days, after which the beer yeast was removed. The resulting mixture was transferred to another tank and aged for 7 days, and then cooled to around -1°C and stabilized for 14 days. Thereafter, degassed water was added to the resulting mixture to dilute it, and then filtered to obtain a wort fermentation liquid. Next, the mixture was sprayed into a degassing tank to remove carbon dioxide, and then heated to around 50°C. The mixture was then brought into contact with steam heated to about 50°C in a reduced pressure column at about 60 mbar, the volatile components were adsorbed by the steam, and the alcohol and volatile components were removed to obtain a dealcoholized wort fermentation liquid with an alcohol concentration of 0.0005 v / v%, a sugar concentration of less than 5.0 g / 100 ml, and an extract content of 3.4%. This dealcoholized wort fermentation liquid was used as a base beverage sample.

[0036] In addition, methionine, linalool or capric acid were added to the base beverage samples at the concentrations shown in the table below.

[0037] The concentration of methionine in each beverage sample in the examples was measured using a high-speed amino acid analyzer LA80 (Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation). Specifically, the beverage sample was filtered through a 0.45 μm filter to obtain a filtrate, which was used as a sample liquid for amino acid analysis, and amino acid analysis was performed. Each methionine concentration was calculated from a calibration curve.

[0038] The concentration of linalool in each beverage sample in the examples was measured by GC / MS analysis under the following conditions. Specifically, first, the components in the beverage were separated using a C18 solid phase column, and the resulting analytical sample was subjected to GC / MS. Quantitation was performed by the internal standard method, and borneol was used as the internal standard substance, and was added to the analytical sample to be 25 ppb. The conditions for GC / MS analysis were as shown in the table below.

[0039] [Table 1]

[0040] The concentration of capric acid in each beverage in the examples was measured by gas chromatography (GC) with an FID detector. Specifically, the aroma components in the beverage were extracted using a hydroxide polystyrene divinylbenzene copolymer solid-phase column, and the resulting extract was subjected to GC / FID. In addition, trans-2-hexanoic acid and methyl caprylate were used as internal standards. The GC analysis conditions were as shown in the table below.

[0041] [Table 2]

[0042] (2) Sensory evaluation of tasting samples A sensory evaluation was conducted by six trained panelists on the tasting samples of each test group prepared in (1) above. The panel also conducted a pre-test to confirm that there was no significant difference in the scores between the panels. The evaluation items for the sensory evaluation were "off-flavor" (degree of strength of flavors that should be eliminated, such as bitterness and astringency felt immediately after drinking the beverage), "disharmony of aftertaste" (degree of unnatural aftertaste that lingers after drinking the beverage), and "balance as a beverage of choice" (balance of the five tastes and aroma, in addition to off-flavor and aftertaste disharmony). The sensory evaluation of "off-flavor" was conducted on a 10-point scale with a score of 1 (strong off-flavor) to 10 (weak off-flavor). The sensory evaluation of "disharmony of aftertaste" was conducted on a 10-point scale with a score of 1 (strong off-flavor) to 10 (weak off-flavor). In addition, the sensory evaluation of "balance as a beverage of choice" was performed on a 7-point scale with scores ranging from 1 (poor taste balance) to 7 (good taste balance) in increments of 1.

[0043] In this sensory evaluation, the evaluation score of the formulated base beverage sample containing no methionine, 0.01 ppb linalool, and 0.004 ppm capric acid was fixed at 1, and the evaluation score of the beverage sample containing 4.5 ppm methionine, 0.1 ppb linalool, and 0.01 ppm capric acid was fixed at 7.

[0044] (3) Results The results of the sensory evaluation are shown in the table below. The results of the sensory evaluation are presented as the mean and standard deviation of the scores of the six panelists.

[0045] [Table 3] TIFF2025026979000004.tif181170

[0046] From the results of Test 1 in Table 3, it was found that methionine has an effect of reducing the disharmony of unpleasant tastes and aftertaste, and the effect is particularly pronounced at a concentration of 4.5 ppm or more. Next, from the results of Test 2, it was found that, in addition to methionine, the concentration of linalool is adjusted to 0.1 ppb or more, the effect of reducing the disharmony of unpleasant tastes and aftertaste becomes more pronounced, and the balance as a favorite beverage is also improved. Also, from the results of Test 3, it was found that, in addition to methionine, the concentration of capric acid is adjusted to 0.01 ppm or more, the effect of reducing the disharmony of unpleasant tastes and aftertaste becomes more pronounced, and the balance as a favorite beverage is also improved. Furthermore, from the results of Test 4, it was found that by adjusting the concentration of the combination of methionine, linalool, and capric acid, the disharmony of unpleasant tastes and aftertaste can be further reduced, and the balance as a favorite beverage can be further improved.

Claims

1. A non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage having a methionine content of 2 ppm or more.

2. 2. The non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage according to claim 1, having an alcohol (ethanol) concentration of less than 0.01 v / v %.

3. 3. The non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1 or 2, having a linalool content of 0.1 ppb or more.

4. 3. The non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the capric acid content is 0.01 ppm or more.

5. 3. The non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage according to claim 1 or 2, having a linalool content of 0.1 ppb or more and a capric acid content of 0.01 ppm or more.

6. A method for producing a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage, the method comprising a step of adjusting the methionine content in the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage to 2 ppm or more.

7. 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the alcohol (ethanol) concentration of the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage is less than 0.01 v / v %.

8. A method for reducing unpleasant flavors in a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage, the method comprising the step of adjusting the methionine content in the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage to 2 ppm or more.

9. A method for reducing disharmony in an aftertaste in a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage, the method comprising the step of adjusting the methionine content in the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage to 2 ppm or more.

10. 10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the alcohol (ethanol) concentration of the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage is less than 0.01 v / v %.

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