Packaged citrus-flavored beverage

JP2025036728A5Pending Publication Date: 2025-12-19ASAHI BREWERIES LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2025001931
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-01-06
Publication Date
2025-12-19

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

【0006】 本発明により、香味にネガティブな影響を与えず、かつ、経時による劣化臭の発生が抑制され、マスキングされた柑橘風味飲料を提供することができる。

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Abstract

To provide a citrus-flavored beverage which is masked and resistant to generation of deterioration odor over time while avoiding adverse effects on the flavor.SOLUTION: The present invention provides a packaged citrus-flavored beverage containing the peel and / or seeds of citrus fruits.SELECTED DRAWING: None
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Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a citrus-flavored beverage in which the generation of a stagnant odor is suppressed and masked. [Background technology]

[0002] The aroma components such as citral contained in citrus-flavored beverages are oxidized over time during storage and turn into odorous substances, so that there is a problem that the citrus-flavored beverage generates an odor after long-term storage. In particular, lemon-flavored beverages contain a large amount of citral as an aroma component, and when this citral is oxidized, it turns into odorous substances such as p-cresol and p-methylacetophenone, so that the deterioration of the flavor of the lemon-flavored beverage after long-term storage is significant. Therefore, for citrus-flavored beverages, especially lemon-flavored beverages, measures such as reducing the amount of oxygen mixed in as much as possible, setting a short expiration date, and appropriately managing the storage temperature have been taken, but it cannot be said that sufficient effects have been obtained. In order to solve such problems, various technologies have been developed. For example, JP 2016-116504 A (Patent Document 1) discloses a technology for suppressing the generation of odorous substances. In addition, JP 2016-36319 A (Patent Document 2) discloses a technology for masking the generated deterioration odor by adjusting the concentration of cineole or cis-3-hexenol. Furthermore, JP 2019-037171 A (Patent Document 3) discloses a technology for masking the deterioration odor of citrus fruits after deterioration over time by including a predetermined concentration of thymol. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-116504 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2016-36319 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2019-037171 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when a beverage contains a component that suppresses the generation of deterioration odor or a component that has the effect of masking the deterioration odor, there is a problem that the component affects the flavor of the beverage to a certain extent. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a citrus-flavored beverage that does not negatively affect the flavor and that suppresses and masks the generation of deterioration odor over time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In the course of developing a novel packaged fruit-containing beverage, the inventors unexpectedly discovered a phenomenon in which, under certain conditions, the fruit slowly floats up to the liquid surface of the beverage when the container is opened, even though the fruit is immersed in the beverage when the container is sealed. Focusing on this phenomenon, the inventors conducted extensive research and completed the present invention. That is, the present invention may be as follows. [1] A packaged citrus-flavored beverage containing citrus peel and / or seeds. [2] The bottled citrus-flavored beverage according to [1] above, further comprising citrus pulp and / or albedo. [3] The bottled citrus-flavored beverage according to [1], wherein the citrus peel and / or seeds include dried peel and / or seeds. [4] The bottled citrus-flavored beverage according to [1], wherein the citrus fruit includes an acidic citrus fruit. [5] A bottled citrus-flavored beverage according to [3], which contains dried fruit as the dried peel and / or seeds, or contains dried fruit in addition to the dried peel and / or seeds. [6] The bottled citrus-flavored beverage according to [5] above, which is a carbonated beverage, The carbonated beverage contains a gas volume such that the dried fruit is immersed in the carbonated beverage when the container is sealed, and the immersed dried fruit rises to the surface of the carbonated beverage when the container is opened. [7] The bottled citrus-flavored beverage according to [6], wherein the dried fruit is in a slice shape and has a thickness of 1.0 to 3.0 mm. [8] The bottled citrus-flavored beverage according to [6], wherein the dried fruit is made from lemon, lime, or orange. [9] The bottled citrus-flavored beverage according to any one of [6] to [8] above, wherein the dried fruit is sugar-coated dried fruit.

[10] The bottled citrus-flavored beverage according to [6] above, having a carbon dioxide content of 1.0 GV or more at 20°C.

[11] The bottled citrus-flavored beverage according to [6], wherein the container is a full open-end can or a transparent container.

[12] The bottled citrus-flavored beverage according to any one of [6] to [8] above, wherein the dried fruit is produced by a hot air drying method.

[13] A method for suppressing the deterioration odor of a bottled citrus-flavored beverage, the method comprising adding citrus peel and / or seeds. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a masked citrus flavored beverage that does not negatively affect the flavor and inhibits the generation of deterioration odor over time. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a graph showing the ratio of the component concentrations of citrus flavored beverages stored at 60°C to the component concentrations of citrus flavored beverages stored at 4°C in Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] <Packaged citrus-flavored beverage> The packaged citrus-flavored beverage of the present invention is characterized by containing citrus peel and / or seeds. By containing citrus peel or seeds in the packaged citrus-flavored beverage, the generation of a deterioration odor can be suppressed and the deterioration odor can be made less noticeable (i.e., masked). That is, by adding citrus peel and / or seeds to the packaged citrus-flavored beverage, the deterioration odor of the packaged citrus-flavored beverage can be suppressed, and a method for suppressing the deterioration odor of a packaged citrus-flavored beverage can be provided. Here, the term "citrus-flavored beverage" refers to a beverage imparted with a citrus flavor. The citrus-flavored beverage of the present invention contains citral, a typical component contained in citrus fruits, and thus the beverage is imparted with a citrus flavor. The bottled citrus flavored beverage of the present invention may contain citrus pulp and / or albedo in addition to the citrus peel and / or seeds. Although the citrus pulp and albedo do not have a high effect of masking the deterioration odor, they can suppress the production of deterioration odor components. As the citrus peel and / or seeds, dried peel and / or seeds may be used. By using dried peel and / or seeds, a higher masking effect of deterioration odor can be obtained, which is preferable. Here, "dried peel" refers to peel that has been subjected to a drying process, and "dried seeds" refers to seeds that have been subjected to a drying process. For convenience, "dried peel" and "dried seeds" are called "dried peel" and "dried seeds", respectively, even if they are impregnated with, for example, a carbonated beverage.

[0009] <Citrus> The type of citrus fruit is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include yuzu, sudachi, kabosu, lemon, lime, shikuwasa, daidai, jabara, Buddha's hand, kumquat, orange, grapefruit, etc. One type of citrus fruit may be used, or two or more types of citrus fruits may be used. Among citrus fruits, fragrant citrus fruits are preferred because they have a high effect of masking the deterioration odor.

[0010] <Dried fruits> Furthermore, the bottled citrus flavored beverage of the present invention may use dried fruit as the citrus peel and / or seeds, or may further contain dried fruit in addition to the citrus peel and / or seeds. The dried fruit used as the citrus peel and / or seeds may be dried fruit made from lemon, lime, or orange. The type of fruit that is the raw material of the dried fruit contained in addition to the citrus peel and / or seeds is not particularly limited, and may be selected appropriately from fruits that are generally used in beverages, such as citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, and oranges, apples, blueberries, plums (including pickled plums), peaches, strawberries, pineapples, grapes, mangoes, figs, apricots, pears, bananas, and kiwis. One type of dried fruit may be used, or two or more types may be used. Dried fruits made from lemons, limes, or oranges are preferred. In the case of dried fruits of citrus fruits, the albedo and exocarp may be included, or the albedo and exocarp may be removed. In the case of fruits other than citrus fruits, the exocarp may be included or removed. In addition, the term "dried fruit" in the present invention refers to all fruit materials that have been subjected to a drying process, and for convenience, the dried fruit will be referred to as "dried fruit" even if it is in a state in which it has been impregnated with, for example, the carbonated beverage of the present invention.

[0011] The packaged citrus-flavored beverage of the present invention may comprise a carbonated beverage and dried fruit, and may be characterized in that the dried fruit is immersed in the carbonated beverage when the container is sealed, and the immersed dried fruit rises to the surface of the carbonated beverage when the container is opened. This makes it possible to provide a packaged citrus-flavored beverage that can be visually enjoyed when opened. The state in which the dried fruit is immersed in the carbonated beverage may mean a state in which the dried fruit is immersed in the carbonated beverage without floating on the surface of the carbonated beverage, and may be a state in which the dried fruit sinks to the bottom of the container or a state in which the dried fruit floats in the carbonated beverage. The time required from the time the container is opened to the time the dried fruit floats to the surface of the carbonated beverage is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0 (immediately after) to 120 seconds, 0.1 to 60 seconds, 0.5 to 30 seconds, or 1 to 10 seconds. The movement of the dried fruit floating up after the container is opened can be visually enjoyed. The dried fruit after floating may remain floating on the surface of the carbonated beverage or may be immersed again in the carbonated beverage. In addition, since the dried fruit contained in the bottled citrus flavored beverage of the present invention has the carbonated beverage impregnated in its tissue, the texture of the dried fruit may have a different preference from that of a dried fruit in a low moisture content state.

[0012] The form of the dried fruit is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, in the original form, sliced, or cut into wedges. When the dried fruit is sliced, the thickness before drying may be 1.0 to 8.0 mm or 2.0 to 6.0 mm. Here, in the present invention, for the sake of convenience, the "thickness of the dried fruit" refers to the thickness at the time when the dried fruit is added to the carbonated beverage, and the thickness of the dried fruit may be 0.5 to 5.0 mm or 1.0 to 3.0 mm. Furthermore, the dried fruit in the bottled citrus-flavored beverage of the present invention may have a thickness of 1.0 to 8.0 mm or 2.0 to 6.0 mm due to the impregnation with the carbonated beverage. By adjusting the thickness of the dried fruit in the present invention to fall within the above numerical range, it is less likely to break and the floating action can be easily controlled.

[0013] In addition, the "dried fruit" in the present invention may be sugar-coated. Depending on the type of dried fruit, sugar coating can maintain the shape and hardness at the time of adding to the beverage, or a shape and hardness close to that at the time of adding to the beverage, even after long-term storage in a state of being immersed in the beverage, and therefore can supplement the visual enjoyment when the container is opened. In particular, slice-shaped dried fruit may become like gluten when stored for a long period of time in a state of being immersed in the beverage, so sugar coating may be performed from the viewpoint of maintaining the aesthetic appearance of the dried fruit. Furthermore, sugar coating may increase the strength of the dried fruit. By improving the strength of the dried fruit, for example, in the production of a bottled citrus-flavored beverage, when the dried fruit is put into the container and then gassed (a process of replacing the air in the container with nitrogen to suppress oxidation), and then the beverage is added, the dried fruit may be prevented from jumping up due to the nitrogen gas sprayed during gassing and hitting the inner wall of the container and being damaged. The sugar used for sugar coating is not particularly limited as long as it is one commonly used in the field, and may be, for example, sugar (sucrose), glucose, fructose, maltose, trehalose, lactose, etc.

[0014] The method for producing the dried fruit is not particularly limited, and the dried fruit of the present invention can be produced by a general drying method such as hot air drying, vacuum freeze drying, and vacuum drying. In addition, dried fruit produced by the vacuum freeze drying or vacuum drying method tends to be porous and difficult to immerse in a carbonated beverage compared to dried fruit produced by the hot air drying method, so dried fruit produced by the hot air drying method may be used. The water content of the dried fruit of the present invention immediately after the drying process may be, for example, 20% by mass or less, or 10% by mass or less. The method for producing sugar-coated dried fruit is not particularly limited, but may include, for example, a step of soaking fruit (including fresh fruit) in a sugar liquid, such as an aqueous solution containing the above-mentioned sugar, and drying it using a drying method such as those described above.

[0015] <Carbonated drinks> The carbonated beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a beverage containing carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide content of the carbonated beverage is not particularly limited as long as the dried fruit is immersed in the carbonated beverage when the container containing the carbonated beverage and the dried fruit is sealed, and the gas volume is such that the immersed dried fruit floats toward the liquid surface of the carbonated beverage when the container is opened. The carbon dioxide content may be adjusted, for example, according to the type, thickness, size, mass, etc. of the dried fruit. The carbonated beverage of the present invention may be produced by injecting carbon dioxide gas into a non-carbonated beverage as a base in a general manner as necessary. The carbon dioxide content may be 0.5 GV or more, 1.0 GV or more, 1.5 GV or more, or 2.0 GV or more at 20°C. The carbon dioxide content may be 5.0 GV or less, or 4.0 GV or less. The carbon dioxide content in the carbonated beverage of the present invention may be a value measured using a GV tester commonly used in this field, for example, GVA-500B (manufactured by Kyoto Electronics Co., Ltd.).

[0016] The gas volume of a carbonated drink is also limited by the pressure resistance of the container and the manufacturing conditions: for example, when heat sterilization is performed in the manufacturing process, the pressure inside the container during heating must be kept below the pressure resistance of the container, so the gas volume is limited compared to when heat sterilization is not performed. Also, since carbon dioxide has a bacteriostatic effect, if the carbon dioxide pressure inside the container is 98 kPa or more at 20°C and the drink does not contain plant or animal tissue components such as fruit juice, fruit, or milk, heat sterilization is not necessary and the gas volume can be increased.

[0017] The carbonated drink may be a non-alcoholic drink or an alcoholic drink. It may also be a drink produced through a fermentation process or a drink produced without a fermentation process. When the carbonated drink of the present invention is an alcoholic drink, the alcohol content (volume concentration of ethanol) is not particularly limited and is appropriately determined according to the desired product quality. For example, the alcohol content of the carbonated drink may be adjusted so that the alcohol content is 0.7% by volume or more, 1% by volume or more, 2% by volume or more, or 3% by volume or more. When the carbonated drink of the present invention is an alcoholic drink, the extract content may be 0 to 15%, 1 to 10%, or 3 to 7%. Furthermore, the carbonated beverage of the present invention may contain flavorings such as the same or different fruits as the dried fruits contained in the bottled citrus-flavored beverage, or flavorings other than fruit flavors.

[0018] The pH of the carbonated beverage of the present invention may be adjusted according to the purpose of controlling microorganisms and suppressing the deterioration of aroma components. Generally, the lower the pH of the beverage, the more difficult it is for microorganisms to grow, but if the pH is too low, the acidity becomes too strong. Some aroma components are also prone to deterioration when the pH is low. From the viewpoint of the strength of acidity suitable for a beverage and the suppression of deterioration of aroma components, the pH of the carbonated beverage is preferably 2.0 or more, more preferably 2.5 or more, and even more preferably 3.0 or more. In addition, taking into consideration the inhibition of microbial growth and the strength of sterilization conditions, the pH of the carbonated beverage of the present invention is preferably 5.0 or less, more preferably 4.0 or less, and even more preferably less than 4.0, when the carbonated beverage does not contain alcohol. When the carbonated beverage contains alcohol, the pH is preferably 6.5 or less, more preferably 5.0 or less. For example, when a beverage contains a large amount of aroma components that deteriorate more easily as the pH is lower, it is preferable to make the pH of the carbonated beverage relatively high. For example, since citral deteriorates more easily as the pH is lower, when the bottled citrus flavored beverage according to the present invention is a lemon flavored beverage containing citral, it is preferable to make the pH of the carbonated beverage 3.0 or higher, more preferably 3.5 or higher, and since it is possible to sufficiently inhibit the growth of microorganisms and to easily achieve a preferred sourness for the lemon flavor, it is preferable to make the pH 3.0 to 4.0, and particularly preferably 3.5 to 3.7.

[0019] <Optional ingredients that may be contained> The carbonated drink of the present invention may contain optional ingredients such as alcoholic beverages, carbonated water, fruits, vegetables, herbs, sugars, flavorings, other food ingredients, food additives, etc. The optional ingredients are described below.

[0020] Examples of the optional alcoholic beverage include raw alcohol; distilled alcohol such as vodka, whiskey, brandy, shochu, rum, spirits, and gin; brewed alcohol such as wine, cider, beer, and sake; and mixed alcohol such as liqueur and vermouth. The alcoholic beverage may contain one type or two or more types. When the bottled citrus-flavored beverage according to the present invention is a liquid carbonated beverage containing an alcoholic beverage and a food ingredient, the beverage is classified as a liqueur (extract content of 2% or more) or a spirit (extract content of less than 2%) under the Liquor Tax Act of Japan (enforced on April 1, 2018).

[0021] The fruits, vegetables, and herbs as optional ingredients are not particularly limited, and fruits, etc. that are generally used in beverages can be appropriately selected and used. The fruits, vegetables, and herbs contained in the carbonated beverage may be one type, or two or more types. The carbonated beverage may contain shredded fruit or the like as is, or may contain squeezed juice such as fruit juice or vegetable juice as a raw material. Fruit juice is defined in Japan by the Japanese Agricultural Standard for Fruit Drinks, and internationally by the Codex Standard for Fruit Juice and Nectar (CODEX STAN 247-2005). Concentrated fruit juice or reduced fruit juice may be used as the fruit, or clarified fruit juice from which a part of the insoluble solids has been removed may be used. Fruit extracts or vegetable extracts may be added as raw materials as the fruits or vegetables. In particular, it is preferable to contain fruit juice or extracts of the same kind of fruit as the dried fruit contained in the bottled citrus flavored beverage. Fruit extracts and vegetable extracts are obtained by extracting components contained in fruits or vegetables from shredded fruits or vegetables using water or alcohol. These extracts are produced, for example, by a method using hot water extraction, or a method in which fruit components are dissolved using liquefied gas, and then the liquefied gas is vaporized to separate and collect the fruit components.

[0022] Optional sugars (a general term for monosaccharides and disaccharides) may include sugar (sucrose), glucose, fructose, isomerized sugar, etc. Adding these sugars to carbonated beverages can impart sweetness, body, etc. The sugars to be added may be one type or two or more types.

[0023] Examples of optional flavorings and other food materials include dietary fiber, yeast extract, protein or its decomposition products, etc. Among them, water-soluble dietary fiber is widely used to impart a full body feeling and other functionalities to beverages. Water-soluble dietary fiber means carbohydrates that dissolve in water and are not digested or are difficult to digest by human digestive enzymes. Examples of water-soluble dietary fiber include soybean dietary fiber, polydextrose, indigestible dextrin, galactomannan, inulin, guar gum decomposition products, pectin, gum arabic, etc. These water-soluble dietary fibers may be used alone or in combination of two or more types.

[0024] The optional food additives may be any product that is available under national laws and regulations, and are not particularly limited in scope. For example, preservatives and antioxidants for maintaining food quality, colorants, flavorings, sweeteners, acidulants, emulsifiers, etc. for improving food palatability, pH adjusters, antifoaming agents, foaming agents, etc. necessary for food manufacturing or processing, and nutritional enhancers used to supplement or enhance nutritional components may be included as necessary.

[0025] A brief explanation of some food additives is provided below. Coloring agents are food additives that improve the color tone of food. They are broadly divided into synthetic coloring agents and natural coloring agents, and under the Food Sanitation Act of Japan, they are classified as designated additives, existing additives, and general food and beverage additives. Caramel coloring, which colors food brown, is often used as a coloring agent. As a side effect of caramel coloring, it can impart a roasted flavor and richness to beverages.

[0026] Flavorings are used to give or enhance the aroma of food. Food flavorings include natural flavorings extracted from natural products and synthetic flavorings that are chemically synthesized. In Japan's Food Sanitation Act, natural flavorings are defined as "substances obtained from animals and plants or mixtures thereof that are additives used for the purpose of flavoring food," and examples of the names of animals and plants that can be used are listed in the "List of Natural Flavoring Substances." In addition, most synthetic flavorings are compounds that are chemically synthesized from the same ingredients that are present in food, and are specified in "Appendix 1 of the Enforcement Regulations of the Food Sanitation Act."

[0027] Food flavors are rarely used alone, and are usually compounded products that combine a number of flavor compounds. Flavor products come in various forms, including water-soluble flavors, oil-soluble flavors, emulsified flavors, and powdered flavors. Water-soluble flavors are made by extracting and dissolving a flavor base in water-soluble solvents such as water-containing alcohol and propylene glycol. Oil-soluble flavors are made by dissolving a flavor base in vegetable oil. Emulsified flavors are made by emulsifying a flavor base in water using emulsifiers and stabilizers to create a fine particle state. They can make beverages cloudy, and are also called cloudy. Powdered flavors are made by emulsifying a flavor base with excipients such as dextrin, natural gums, sugar, and starch, and then spray-drying it to powder, or attaching the flavor base to lactose, etc. Water-soluble flavors and emulsified flavors are usually used in beverages.

[0028] Sweeteners are used to sweeten foods, but the aforementioned sugars and some low-sweetness substances (such as starch syrup, erythritol, maltitol, and lactitol) are classified as foods, not as food additives. Low-sweetness substances classified as food additives include L-arabinose, D-xylose, trehalose, D-sorbitol, xylitol, and mannitol, while high-sweetness substances include aspartame, neotame, acesulfame potassium, saccharins, sucralose, disodium glycyrrhizinate, stevia extract, licorice extract, and thaumatin. In Japan's Food Sanitation Act, sweeteners are classified as designated additives, existing additives, and general food and beverage additives. In beverages, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose, which have sweetness characteristics similar to those of sugar, glucose, and fructose, which are sugars traditionally used in beverages, are often used. In the carbonated beverage of the present invention, it is preferable to use one or more sweeteners that are commonly used in these beverages.

[0029] Acidulants are used to give foods a sour taste or to enhance their sour taste. Acidulants include organic acids such as citric acid and lactic acid and their salts, as well as inorganic acids such as phosphoric acid and carbon dioxide. When organic acids and their salts are used together, they can easily maintain a specific pH through their buffering effect. In Japan, substances that can be labeled under a collective name as an acidulant include, among designated food additives, adipic acid, citric acid, trisodium citrate, glucono-delta-lactone, gluconic acid, potassium gluconate, sodium gluconate, succinic acid, monosodium succinate, disodium succinate, sodium acetate, DL-tartaric acid, L-tartaric acid, sodium DL-tartrate, L-sodium tartrate, carbon dioxide, lactic acid, sodium lactate, glacial acetic acid, fumaric acid, monosodium fumarate, DL-malic acid, sodium DL-malate, and phosphoric acid, and among existing food additives, itaconic acid, phytic acid, and α-ketoglutaric acid. The acidulant used in a beverage is selected according to the flavor of the beverage. For example, citric acid and citrates, which are abundant in citrus fruits, are often selected for citrus-flavored beverages, tartaric acid and tartrates, which are abundant in grapes, are often selected for grape-flavored beverages, and malic acid and malate, which are abundant in apples, are often selected for apple-flavored beverages.

[0030] Emulsifiers are used in food for the purposes of emulsification, dispersion, penetration, cleaning, foaming, defoaming, and demolding, but in beverages they are often used to disperse oil in liquid (emulsify). For example, they are used to uniformly disperse hydrophobic components in water and to suppress separation of fats and oils derived from raw materials. The above-mentioned food ingredients and food additives are merely examples, and the ingredients contained in the bottled citrus-flavored beverage according to the present invention are not limited to these. The types and contents of the food ingredients and food additives used may be appropriately selected and adjusted depending on the purpose.

[0031] <Container> There is no particular limitation on the container used in the bottled citrus-flavored beverage of the present invention, and two-piece beverage cans, three-piece beverage cans, bottle cans, flexible containers, glass bottles, etc. can be used. Flexible containers include containers made by molding flexible resins such as PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), EVOH (ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer), and PET (polyethylene terephthalate) into a bottle shape, etc. Flexible containers may be made of a single-layer resin or a multi-layer resin. The container may be a full open-ended can or a transparent container so that the viewer can visually enjoy the appearance of the dried fruit floating up from the bottom of the carbonated beverage, for example. Also, the container may be a full open-ended can so that the size of the dried fruit to be placed in the container is not limited by the opening when the dried fruit is placed in the container.

[0032] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. EXAMPLES

[0033] (Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3) Samples were prepared by adding each of the citrus parts (additives) listed in Table 1 to a commercially available citrus-flavored beverage (Asahi Breweries, Ltd. Clear Cooler Strong Lemon & Lime Sour) and resealing the beverage. One dried lemon slice (2-3 g) was added, one fresh lemon slice (7 g) was added, and 2 g of each of the other parts was added. Each product was stored at 4°C for 3 days and at 60°C for 3 days, and a comparative sensory test and quantitative determination of the deterioration odor components were conducted. In the comparative sensory test, five expert panelists evaluated the intensity of the fresh lemon odor and the deterioration odor, and the results are shown in Table 1. The intensity of the fresh lemon odor was evaluated using three levels: almost the same, slightly weak, and very weak, compared to the control products stored at 4°C for 3 days. The deterioration odor (deterioration odor) was also evaluated on a five-level scale (weak 1 ⇔ strong 5), with Comparative Example 1 stored at 4°C for 3 days being given a score of "1" and Comparative Example 1 stored at 60°C for 3 days being given a score of "5," and the average score was shown. The quantified odor components were p-cymene, p-methylacetophenone, and p-cresol, which are known to be components of the odor of citral, a characteristic citrus aroma component. Quantitative analysis of deterioration odor components was carried out using the following method. 100μL of 100ppm 2-octanol solution was added as an internal standard to 20g of each beverage, 100μL of ethanol was added, and the mixture was diluted with 20mL of pure water and stirred with a stirrer for 5-10 minutes. The entire amount of the sample was allowed to flow onto the solid phase for adsorption. Approximately 25mL of pure water was run through to remove excess components that passed through, and air was run through for more than 30 minutes to dehydrate the mixture. After elution with 5mL of dichloromethane, approximately 1g of sodium sulfate was added for dehydration, and the mixture was concentrated to 400μL with nitrogen purging and subjected to GC / MS analysis under the following conditions. Quantitative analysis was performed using a calibration curve created by adding a standard substance. Figure 1 shows the ratio of the component concentrations of the samples stored at 60℃ to those stored at 4℃. (GC / MS analysis conditions) A DB-WAX (60 m × 0.25 mm ID; 0.25 μm F.T.) (J&W) column was used, and 1.0 μL (split ratio 30:1) was injected (injection port temperature: 250°C), held at 40°C for 1 minute, then heated to 210°C at 5°C / min and held for 5 minutes. Helium (flow rate: 1.2 mL / min) was used as the carrier gas.

[0034] [Table 1]

[0035] The results of the graph in Figure 1 show that each part of citrus fruits has an inhibitory effect on the production of deterioration odor components, especially p-cresol. On the other hand, although the flesh has a higher inhibitory effect on the production of deterioration odor components compared to other parts, the results in Table 1 show that it does not have a high effect of masking deterioration odors. Similarly, albedo does not have a high effect of masking deterioration odors. Therefore, it was found that the addition of citrus peels, seeds, and slices containing the peels (and seeds) can suppress the generation of deterioration odors and can also sensorily suppress (i.e., mask) the deterioration odors. In particular, it was found that the deterioration odor suppression effect of fragrant citrus fruits such as lemons and limes was high, and that dried products had a higher deterioration odor suppression effect. Furthermore, since citrus fruits are added to citrus-flavored beverages, there is no negative effect on the flavor.

[0036] (Reference example) 1. Preparation of Base Solution The ingredients were mixed as shown in Table 2 to prepare a base liquid with an alcohol content of 6%, extract content of 3.5%, and pH of 3.5.

[0037] [Table 2]

[0038] 2. Experiment (1) In this experiment, we used dried lemons (1 mm thick) obtained by drying 3 mm thick fresh lemon slices with hot air. Next, carbon dioxide was added to the base liquid to prepare beverages with each carbon dioxide content (GV) as shown in Table 3. A dried lemon was then placed into a beverage can, after which the beverage was filled and the full open-end can lid was seamed to produce a packaged beverage sample. The produced bottled beverage samples were stored at 25°C for 48 hours and then opened. When opened, it was visually confirmed whether the immersed dried lemon floated to the beverage surface. The results are shown in Table 3. After opening, samples in which the immersed dried lemon floated to the beverage surface were rated as ◯, and samples that did not float while immersed were rated as ×.

[0039] [Table 3] They confirmed that by adjusting the thickness of the dried lemon and the gas volume of the carbonated beverage, the dried lemon could be controlled to behave as desired.

[0040] 3. Experiment (2) The same experiment as in the above experiment (1) was carried out, except that dried lemons (2 mm thick) obtained by drying 6 mm thick fresh lemon slices with hot air were used. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0041] [Table 4] It was confirmed that the behavior of the dried lemon could be controlled as desired by adjusting the gas volume of the carbonated beverage according to the thickness of the dried lemon.

[0042] 4. Experiment (3) Each fresh fruit shown in Table 5 was sliced ​​to the thickness before drying shown in Table 5 and dried with hot air to obtain each dried fruit. However, blueberries were not sliced ​​but left as is, and umeboshi plums were left as is after removing the seeds, and were dried with hot air under the same conditions (samples 22 and 23). The diameter of the dried umeboshi plums was about 35 mm. Next, the carbonation content of the base liquid was adjusted to the carbonation content (GV) shown in Table 5 and filled into each beverage can.The resulting dried fruit was then added and confirmed to be soaked, after which the full open-end can lid was sealed to produce a containerized beverage sample. The bottled beverage samples produced were stored at 25°C for 48 hours and then opened. When opened, it was visually confirmed whether each of the immersed dried fruits rose to the surface of the beverage. The evaluation was performed in the same manner as in the above experiment (1).

[0043] [Table 5] Regardless of the type of fruit, it was confirmed that each dried fruit could be controlled to behave as desired by adjusting the gas volume of the carbonated beverage.

[0044] 5. Experiment (4) In this experiment, we used sugar-coated dried lemons (2 mm thick) obtained by immersing 6 mm thick fresh lemon slices in a 10% glucose solution and then drying them with hot air, and dried lemons (2 mm thick) obtained by drying 6 mm thick fresh lemon slices with hot air without immersing them in a 10% glucose solution. Next, carbon dioxide was added to the base liquid to prepare a 2.3 GV beverage. The beverage was then filled into a beverage can containing one sugar-coated dried lemon and another beverage can containing one dried lemon. The full open-end can lids were then sealed to produce containerized beverage samples. The bottled beverage samples produced were sterilized at 65°C for 20 minutes, stored at 37°C for one week, and then opened. After opening, the condition of each dried fruit was confirmed. The test results showed that the packaged beverage sample containing sugar-coated dried lemon maintained the shape and firmness of the dried fruit compared to the packaged beverage sample containing dried lemon.

[0045] 6. Experiment (5) In this experiment, we used sugar-coated dried lemons (2 mm thick) obtained by immersing 6 mm thick fresh lemon slices in a 10% glucose solution and then drying them with hot air, and dried lemons (2 mm thick) obtained by drying 6 mm thick fresh lemon slices with hot air without immersing them in a 10% glucose solution. Next, one sugar-coated dried lemon and one dried lemon were placed in a beverage can, and nitrogen gas was sprayed into the can to replace the air inside the can with nitrogen. During this process, the dried fruit collided with the inner wall of the can. The test was carried out 10 times under each condition to confirm whether the dried fruit was damaged or not. The test results showed that no damage was observed in the samples containing sugar-coated dried lemons, while damage to the dried fruit was observed in 8 out of 10 samples containing dried lemons.

Claims

1. A packaged citrus-flavored beverage containing a slice including citrus peel and / or seeds, the beverage comprises citral; The beverage container is a full open-end can, The bottled citrus-flavored beverage has a gas volume of 2.0 GV or more at 20°C.

2. 2. The bottled citrus-flavored beverage according to claim 1, further comprising citrus pulp and / or albedo.

3. The bottled citrus-flavored beverage according to claim 1 , wherein the citrus fruit comprises an acidic citrus fruit.

4. A method for suppressing the stagnant odor of a bottled citrus-flavored beverage, the method comprising adding slices containing citrus peel and / or seeds.