Coffee beverage, and method for improving clear feeling of aftertaste of coffee beverage

Abstract

To provide a coffee beverage that has a strong coffee feeling but a clear aftertaste.SOLUTION: The present invention is a coffee beverage comprising caffeine and one or more components selected from linalool and geraniol, and in which the content of the caffeine is 20 mg or more per 100 g of the coffee beverage, and for the case in which the coffee beverage contains linalool, the mass ratio of linalool to caffeine is 0.00001 or more and for the case in which the coffee beverage contains geraniol, the mass ratio of geraniol to caffeine is 0.00001 or more.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a coffee beverage and a method for improving the refreshing aftertaste of a coffee beverage. [Background technology]

[0002] Beverages containing components extracted or dissolved from coffee beans (hereinafter referred to as "coffee bean extracts") (hereinafter referred to as "coffee beverages") are one type of beverage that is widely accepted by consumers due to their unique flavor, etc.

[0003] On the other hand, in order to meet more diverse consumer needs, various techniques have been proposed to further enhance the palatability of coffee beverages by blending various ingredients into the coffee beverage (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-79649 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, there is a need for a more drinkable coffee beverage.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a coffee beverage that has a strong coffee flavor but a clean aftertaste. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present inventors discovered that the above problems can be solved by adding specific ingredients to a coffee beverage, and have thus completed the present invention. More specifically, the present invention provides the following.

[0008] (1) A coffee beverage comprising caffeine and one or more components selected from linalool and geraniol, The caffeine content is 20 mg or more per 100 g of the coffee beverage, In the case where linalool is contained in the coffee beverage, the mass ratio of linalool to caffeine is 0.00001 or more; In the case where geraniol is contained in the coffee beverage, the mass ratio of geraniol to caffeine is 0.00001 or more. Coffee drinks.

[0009] (2) A method for improving the refreshing aftertaste of a coffee beverage, comprising adding one or more components selected from linalool and geraniol to a coffee beverage containing 20 mg or more of caffeine per 100 ml of the coffee beverage.

[0010] (3) The method according to (2), wherein the ingredient is added as a green tea extract. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, a coffee beverage having a strong coffee flavor but with a clean aftertaste can be provided. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail, however, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0013] <Coffee drinks> The coffee beverage of the present invention contains caffeine and one or more components selected from linalool and geraniol, and satisfies the following conditions. (1) The caffeine content is 20 mg or more per 100 g of coffee beverage. (2) If linalool is contained, the mass ratio of linalool to caffeine in the coffee beverage is 0.00001 or more. (3) If geraniol is contained, the mass ratio of geraniol to caffeine in the coffee beverage is 0.00001 or more.

[0014] In the present invention, the term "coffee beverage" refers to a beverage containing a coffee bean extract and a beverage to which other ingredients have been added. The coffee beverage of the present invention may be a beverage that is consumed as is without dilution, or a beverage that is diluted with a diluent such as water before consumption (also called a concentrated coffee beverage).

[0015] (Caffeine) Caffeine is a component contained in the extract from coffee beans, and imparts a unique flavor such as coffee taste and bitterness to coffee beverages. However, if the bitterness of caffeine is too strong, it may impair drinkability even if the coffee taste can be enhanced. On the other hand, as a result of the study by the present inventor, it was found that by blending a predetermined amount of one or more components selected from linalool and geraniol described later, it is possible to impart a refreshing aftertaste to coffee beverages while suppressing the decrease in the coffee taste caused by caffeine.

[0016] The caffeine content in the coffee beverage is 20 mg or more per 100 ml of the coffee beverage, since the present invention prevents the deterioration of drinkability due to caffeine and allows the desired amount of caffeine to be freely blended. The upper limit of the caffeine content is not particularly limited, but is preferably 50 mg or less, more preferably 40 mg or less, and even more preferably 30 mg or less per 100 ml of the coffee beverage, since the coffee flavor due to the caffeine in the coffee beverage is not unnecessarily impaired and an excessive amount of caffeine is not required in the present invention.

[0017] The caffeine content of a coffee beverage can be adjusted to a desired value by adjusting the roasting conditions of the coffee beans, the extraction conditions of the coffee beans, etc.

[0018] The caffeine content in the coffee beverage is determined by the method shown in the Examples.

[0019] (Linalool) Linalool is an aroma component known to be contained in tea leaves. When linalool is contained in the coffee beverage of the present invention, it is blended so that the mass ratio of linalool to caffeine is 0.00001 or more. Hereinafter, the "mass ratio of linalool to caffeine" is also referred to as "linalool / caffeine".

[0020] The lower limit of "linalool / caffeine" is preferably 0.00002 or more, more preferably 0.00004 or more, even more preferably 0.00005 or more, and even more preferably 0.00010 or more, from the viewpoint of easily imparting a refreshing aftertaste to the coffee beverage. The upper limit of "linalool / caffeine" is preferably 0.00020 or less, more preferably 0.00018 or less, and even more preferably 0.00015 or less, from the viewpoint of being able to sufficiently impart an easy-to-drink coffee beverage and a refreshing aftertaste.

[0021] The content of linalool in coffee beverage is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of giving coffee beverage a sufficient refreshing aftertaste, the lower limit is preferably 1 ppb or more, more preferably 5 ppb or more, and even more preferably 10 ppb or more in coffee beverage.The upper limit is preferably 100 ppb or less, more preferably 50 ppb or less, and even more preferably 45 ppb or less in coffee beverage.

[0022] As the linalool in the present invention, a purified product may be used, or a composition containing linalool, such as a green tea extract from tea leaves (green tea extract, etc.), may be used.

[0023] The linalool content in a coffee beverage can be adjusted by adjusting the extraction conditions of the green tea extract used, mixing different green tea extracts, adding linalool externally, diluting with coffee bean extract or a solvent (water, hot water, etc.), etc.

[0024] The linalool content in a coffee beverage is determined by the method shown in the Examples.

[0025] (Geraniol) Geraniol is an aroma component known to be contained in tea leaves. When geraniol is contained in the coffee beverage of the present invention, it is blended so that the mass ratio of geraniol to caffeine is 0.00001 or more. Hereinafter, the "mass ratio of geraniol to caffeine" is also referred to as "geraniol / caffeine".

[0026] The lower limit of "geraniol / caffeine" is preferably 0.00002 or more, more preferably 0.00004 or more, even more preferably 0.00005 or more, and even more preferably 0.00010 or more, from the viewpoint of easily imparting a refreshing aftertaste to a coffee beverage. The upper limit of "geraniol / caffeine" is preferably 0.00020 or less, more preferably 0.00018 or less, and more preferably 0.00015 or less, from the viewpoint of easily imparting a refreshing aftertaste to a coffee beverage.

[0027] The content of geraniol in a coffee beverage is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of imparting a sufficiently refreshing aftertaste to the coffee beverage, the lower limit is preferably 1 ppb or more, more preferably 5 ppb or more, even more preferably 10 ppb or more, and even more preferably 13 ppb or more in the coffee beverage. The upper limit is preferably 100 ppb or less, more preferably 50 ppb or less, even more preferably 45 ppb or less, even more preferably 25 ppb or less, and even more preferably 20 ppb or less in the coffee beverage.

[0028] As the geraniol in the present invention, a purified product may be used, or a composition containing geraniol, such as a green tea extract from tea leaves (such as green tea extract), may be used.

[0029] The geraniol content in a coffee beverage can be adjusted by adjusting the extraction conditions of the green tea extract used, mixing different green tea extracts, adding geraniol externally, diluting with coffee bean extract or a solvent (water, hot water, etc.), etc.

[0030] The geraniol content in a coffee beverage is determined by the method shown in the Examples.

[0031] The coffee beverage of the present invention may contain one or more components selected from linalool and geraniol, and may contain both of them. When both linalool and geraniol are contained in the coffee beverage, it is preferable that each of linalool and geraniol satisfies the above-mentioned mass ratio condition. When both linalool and geraniol are contained in the coffee beverage, "linalool / caffeine" may be 0.00005 or more and 0.00030 or less (preferably 0.00006 or more and 0.00020 or less, more preferably 0.0008 or more and 0.00012 or less), and "geraniol / caffeine" may be 0.00001 or more and 0.00010 or less (preferably 0.00003 or more and 0.00008 or less, more preferably 0.00004 or more and 0.00006 or less).

[0032] (Coffee Bean Extract) The coffee bean extract to be blended in the coffee beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but typically, a coffee bean extract or a concentrate thereof (coffee extract) extracted or dissolved from coffee beans, or instant coffee is used. These may also be used in combination.

[0033] The coffee beans used are not particularly limited, and may be raw beans, roasted beans, or a mixture thereof. The origin, brand, and variety of the coffee beans used are also not particularly limited, and examples of the origin include Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Honduras, Peru, Guatemala, Mexico, Laos, Nigaragua, Costa Rica, Tanzania, and Kenya, and examples of the brands include Blue Mountain, Crystal Mountain, Kona, Mocha, Kilimanjaro, and Mandheling. Examples of the varieties include Arabica and Robusta.

[0034] (Other Ingredients) The coffee beverage of the present invention may contain ingredients that are usually added to beverages, etc., to the extent that the effects of the present invention are not impaired. The types and amounts of the ingredients to be added can be appropriately set depending on the effects to be obtained and the dosage form. Such ingredients include solvents (water, hot water, etc.), milk, antioxidants (sodium L-ascorbate, vitamin C, etc.), pH adjusters (sodium bicarbonate, etc.), sugar, sweeteners (acesulfame K, sucralose), etc. However, from the viewpoint of making it easier to enjoy the coffee flavor and refreshing aftertaste of the coffee beverage of the present invention, it is preferable that the coffee beverage of the present invention does not contain milk (more preferably milk and sugar) and is prepared as black coffee.

[0035] <How to make coffee drinks> The coffee beverage of the present invention can be produced by the same method as that for producing conventional coffee beverages, for example, by a method using known devices, including a step of roasting coffee beans, a step of extracting from the coffee beans, and a step of blending the above-mentioned ingredients into the extract.

[0036] The obtained coffee beverage of the present invention may be filled into a container, or may be appropriately sterilized before or after filling into the container. Examples of the filling method include a hot pack filling method and an aseptic (sterile) filling method. Examples of the sterilization method include a method in which the coffee beverage is heated to a high temperature for a short time to sterilize, and then filled into a container that has been sterilized under sterile conditions (UHT sterilization method), and a retort sterilization method in which the coffee beverage is filled into a container and then retorted.

[0037] <Method for improving the refreshing aftertaste of coffee beverages> According to the present invention, as described above, by adding one or more components selected from linalool and geraniol, and further adjusting "linalool / caffeine" and / or "geraniol / caffeine", it is possible to improve the refreshing aftertaste of a coffee beverage while maintaining the strength of the coffee flavor. In addition, according to the present invention, the deliciousness, smoothness, and drinkability can also be improved.

[0038] The strength of the coffee flavor of the coffee beverage, the refreshing aftertaste, etc. can be evaluated by the method shown in the Examples. EXAMPLES

[0039] The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0040] <Component analysis> The following component analysis of the coffee beverages was carried out according to the following method.

[0041] The content of each component in each coffee beverage was measured by solid phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography / mass spectrometry (GC / MS) under the following conditions. Quantitative analysis was performed using the standard addition method, in which a commercially available reagent was added as an internal standard.

[0042] [Equipment used] GC:7890A(Agilent Technologies) MSD:5975C(Agilent Technologies)

[0043] [Columns used] Agilent J&C DB-WAX UI 30m×0.25mmI.D.×0.25μm(Polar)

[0044] [SPME fiber] SUPELCO 50 / 30μm DVB / CAR / PDMS Stableflex 23Ga(Gray)

[0045] [GC / MS conditions] (1) Inlet Mode: Splitless Heater: 240℃ Pressure: 122kPa Total flow: 55.215ml / min Septum purge flow rate: 3ml / min Gas saver: 20ml / min

[0046] (2) Column Mode: Constant Pressure Column specifications: Agilent J&C DB-WAX UI 30m x 0.25mm I.D. x 0.25μm (polarity)

[0047] (3) Oven The heating program is shown in Table 1. Initial: 40℃, 5min → (5℃ / min) → 240℃, 0min → Post-run: 240℃, 3min (runtime: 45min) Set value: 40℃ Maximum temperature: 250℃ Equilibrium time: 0.5min

[0048] [Table 1]

[0049] (4) AUX AUX3 temperature: 250℃ (MSD transfer line)

[0050] (5) MS Solvent waiting time: 0.00 min Mode: SCAN Ion

[0051] [SPME analysis conditions] (1) System Settings Run time: 48.00 min GC Cool Down Time: 5.00 min

[0052] (2) Sample Preparation Incubation Temp: 50℃ Incubation Time: 10.00 min

[0053] (3) Sample Extraction Time: 5.00 min Desorption Time: 300 seconds

[0054] (4) Fiber Bakeout Bakeout at:NdlHeatr Bakeout Temp: 200℃ Pre-bakeout time: 15.00 min Post Bakeout Time:0.00min

[0055] <Coffee drink production-1> Coffee beverages were obtained by the following method and subjected to sensory evaluation.

[0056] Roasted coffee beans were extracted with a solvent (hot water) to different degrees to obtain two types of coffee bean extracts with different caffeine concentrations. Sodium bicarbonate was then added to the coffee bean extracts to prepare two types of coffee beverages, A and B, which were used as base beverages in the following tests. The compositions of coffee beverages A and B are shown in Table 2.

[0057] [Table 2]

[0058] Linalool and / or geraniol (refined products) in the amounts shown in Tables 3 and 4 were added to coffee beverages A and B, respectively, to obtain coffee beverages (black coffee).

[0059] <Coffee drink evaluation-1> The resulting coffee beverages were subjected to sensory evaluation by the following method, and the results are shown in Tables 3 and 4.

[0060] (Sensory evaluation) Each coffee beverage was subjected to a sensory evaluation by a panel of six experts. Specifically, each coffee beverage was scored for its deliciousness, smoothness in the mouth, refreshing aftertaste, drinkability, and coffee flavor, and the average score was calculated. Note that a higher score indicates better deliciousness, smoothness in the mouth, refreshing aftertaste, drinkability, and stronger coffee flavor (minimum score: 1.0 points, maximum score: 7.0 points).

[0061] [Table 3]

[0062] [Table 4]

[0063] As shown in Table 3, when the "linalool / caffeine" ratio in coffee drink A was 0.00002 or more, the deliciousness of the coffee drink, the refreshing aftertaste, and the drinkability were improved without compromising the strength of the coffee flavor or the pleasant mouthfeel. Furthermore, when the "linalool / caffeine" ratio was 0.00004 to 0.00020, and further 0.00010 to 0.00015, the effect was even more remarkable.

[0064] In coffee drink A, when the "geraniol / caffeine" ratio was 0.00002 or more, the deliciousness of the coffee drink, the refreshing aftertaste, and the ease of drinking were improved without compromising the strength of the coffee flavor and pleasant mouthfeel. Furthermore, when the "geraniol / caffeine" ratio was 0.00004 to 0.00010, the effect was even more remarkable.

[0065] As shown in Table 4, when coffee drink B was used, the trends were roughly the same as when coffee drink A was used.

[0066] <Coffee drink production-2>

[0067] The coffee beverage obtained by adding green tea extract (containing linalool and geraniol) to the above coffee beverage A was evaluated in the same manner as in <Evaluation of coffee beverages-1>. The composition of the coffee beverage and the results of the sensory evaluation are shown in Table 5.

[0068] [Table 5]

[0069] As shown in Table 5, in a coffee beverage containing linalool and geraniol so as to satisfy the mass ratio of the present invention, the strong coffee flavor was maintained, while the deliciousness, pleasant mouthfeel, refreshing aftertaste, and ease of drinking were improved, as in the case where either linalool or geraniol was used.

[0070] Furthermore, even when green tea extract was used as linalool and geraniol, good sensory evaluation results were obtained, similar to when purified products of linalool and geraniol were used.

Claims

1. A coffee beverage containing caffeine and linalool (excluding coffee beverages containing black tea extract). ) The caffeine content is 20 mg or more and 51 mg or less per 100 g of the coffee beverage, The linalool content is 30.9 ppb or more and 45.9 ppb or less, In the coffee beverage, the mass ratio of linalool to caffeine is 0.00004 or more; Coffee drinks.

2. A coffee beverage containing caffeine, linalool, and geraniol (excluding coffee beverages containing black tea extract). ) The caffeine content is 20 mg or more and 51 mg or less per 100 g of the coffee beverage, The linalool content is 45 ppb or more and 60.9 ppb or less, The content of the geraniol is an amount such that the mass ratio to caffeine is 0.00001 or more, In the coffee beverage, the mass ratio of linalool to caffeine is 0.00004 or more; Coffee drinks.

3. A coffee beverage as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the caffeine content is 20 mg or more and 30 mg or less per 100 g of the coffee beverage.

4. A coffee beverage described in any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a coffee bean extract or a concentrate thereof extracted or dissolved from coffee beans, or a combination thereof (excluding instant coffee).

5. A coffee beverage containing 20 mg or more and 51 mg or less of caffeine per 100 ml of the coffee beverage, comprising a step of adding linalool, The linalool is added to the coffee beverage in an amount such that the linalool content is 30.9 ppb or more and 45.9 ppb or less; In the coffee beverage, the mass ratio of linalool to caffeine is 0.00004 or more; Coffee drinks (excluding coffee drinks containing tea extract) A method for improving the refreshing aftertaste of beverages.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the linalool is added as a green tea extract.

7. A coffee beverage containing 20 mg or more and 51 mg or less of caffeine per 100 ml of the coffee beverage, comprising the step of adding linalool and geraniol, The linalool is added to the coffee beverage in an amount such that the linalool content is 45 ppb or more and 60.9 ppb or less; In the coffee beverage, the mass ratio of linalool to caffeine is 0.00004 or more; In the coffee beverage, the mass ratio of geraniol to caffeine is 0.00001 or more. Coffee drinks (excluding coffee drinks containing tea extract) A method for improving the refreshing aftertaste of beverages.

8. A coffee beverage described in any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the caffeine content is 20 mg or more and 30 mg or less per 100 g of the coffee beverage.

9. A coffee beverage described in any one of claims 5 to 8, comprising a coffee bean extract or a concentrate thereof extracted or dissolved from coffee beans, or a combination thereof (excluding instant coffee).