Flavor improving agent

Abstract

To provide a flavor improving agent including a Davana extract as an active ingredient, a method for improving a flavor of a food and drink by configuring the food and drink to contain a Davana extract as an active ingredient, and a food and drink having an improved flavor.SOLUTION: It has been found that addition of a Davana extract to a food and drink has an effect of improving a flavor of the food and drink.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a flavor improver for food and drink, a flavor improvement method, and the like.

Background Art

[0002] The Artemisia pallens Wallich extract obtained from Artemisia pallens of the Asteraceae family is used for various purposes.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an alcohol-imparting agent characterized by containing an Artemisia pallens extract and / or a tolu balsam extract. Patent Document 2 discloses a method for improving the aftertaste of sweetness of a stevia extract, a lacanca extract, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, thaumatin, or aspartame, characterized by adding Artemisia pallens oil. Patent Document 3 discloses a burning sensation inhibitor containing Artemisia pallens oil. Patent Document 4 discloses a flavor improver for menthol containing Artemisia pallens oil.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The present invention provides a flavor improver containing an Artemisia pallens extract as an active ingredient, and a method for improving the flavor of food and drink by incorporating the Artemisia pallens extract as an active ingredient into food and drink. Further, a food and drink with improved flavor is provided.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] The inventors have found that adding the Dubana extract to food and drink products has the effect of improving the flavor, and thus completed the present invention.

[0007] That is, the present invention relates to the following aspects [1] to [8]. [1] A flavor improver containing a Dubana extract as an active ingredient (however, excluding those for imparting an alcoholic taste, improving the aftertaste of sweetness of a sweetener, suppressing a burning sensation, and improving the flavor of menthol). [2] A flavor improver for enhancing tea flavor, reducing bitterness, reducing sourness, enhancing a fermentation feeling, or enhancing fruit flavor, containing a Dubana extract as an active ingredient. [3] A method for improving the flavor of food and drink products, characterized by containing a Dubana extract as an active ingredient (however, excluding imparting an alcoholic taste, improving the aftertaste of sweetness of a sweetener, suppressing a burning sensation, and improving the flavor of menthol). [4] A method for improving flavor, which enhances tea flavor, reduces bitterness, reduces sourness, enhances a fermentation feeling, or enhances fruit flavor, using a Dubana extract as an active ingredient. [5] Food and drink products containing the flavor improver according to [1] or [2]. [6] Tea flavor food and drink products in which the tea flavor is enhanced or the bitterness is reduced, containing the flavor improver according to [1] or [2]. [7] Fermented flavor food and drink products in which the sourness is reduced or the fermentation feeling is enhanced, containing the flavor improver according to [1] or [2]. [8] Fruit flavor food and drink products in which the fruit flavor is enhanced, containing the flavor improver according to [1] or [2].

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] The present invention can provide a flavor improver containing a patchouli extract as an active ingredient, and can provide a method for improving the flavor of food and drink by incorporating the patchouli extract as an active ingredient into food and drink. Further, food and drink with improved flavor can be provided, and by providing tea-flavored food and drink with enhanced tea flavor or reduced bitterness, fermented flavor food and drink with reduced sourness or enhanced fermentation feeling, and fruit-flavored food and drink with enhanced fruit flavor, food and drink with better palatability and higher satisfaction can be provided.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] The flavor improver of the present invention is a flavor improver containing a patchouli extract as an active ingredient (however, excluding those for imparting an alcoholic feeling, improving the aftertaste of sweetness of a sweetener, suppressing a burning feeling, and improving the flavor of menthol), and preferably, a flavor improver for enhancing the tea flavor, reducing bitterness, reducing sourness, enhancing the fermentation feeling, or enhancing the fruit flavor of food and drink.

[0010] The patchouli extract described in the present invention is obtained from patchouli (Artemisia pallens Wallich) of the genus Artemisia of the Asteraceae family, and patchouli oil, which is the main component of the essential oil of patchouli, is preferred. The patchouli extract serving as the active ingredient is not particularly limited as long as it can exhibit a flavor improving effect, and a patchouli oil-containing product may be used.

[0011] The perilla extract added to food and drink is preferably used as an emulsion containing the perilla extract. For example, an emulsion containing a perilla extract, phospholipids such as lysophosphatidylcholine, polyglycerol fatty acid esters with an HLB value of 10 to 20 or 12 to 18, glycerol, polyols such as reduced starch syrup, and water is preferred, and it is preferable to use two or more kinds of polyols. When the perilla extract-containing substance is 1 part by weight, the phospholipid is preferably 0.2 to 10 parts by weight, more preferably 0.5 to 5 parts by weight, the polyglycerol fatty acid ester is preferably 0.2 to 10 parts by weight, more preferably 0.5 to 5 parts by weight, the polyol is preferably 1 to 50 parts by weight per kind, more preferably 2 to 40 parts by weight, and water is preferably 1 to 50 parts by weight, more preferably 2 to 40 parts by weight. Emulsification treatment may be performed using an emulsifying device such as a high-pressure homogenizer, a colloid mill, an ultrasonic emulsifier, a homomixer, or a homodisper, or two or more kinds of devices may be combined, and the perilla extract-containing emulsion obtained by the emulsification treatment can be used.

[0012] By containing the perilla extract as an active ingredient in food and drink, the flavor improver of the present invention improves the flavor, preferably enhances the tea flavor, reduces bitterness, reduces sourness, enhances the fermentation feeling, or enhances the fruit flavor, and a food or drink with an improved flavor can be obtained. In particular, by containing it in a tea-flavored food or drink, a tea-flavored food or drink with an enhanced tea flavor or reduced bitterness can be obtained, and by containing it in a fermented-flavored food or drink, a fermented-flavored food or drink with reduced sourness or enhanced fermentation feeling can be obtained. Also, by containing it in a fruit-flavored food or drink, a fruit-flavored food or drink with enhanced fruit flavor can be obtained.

[0013] The food and drink of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a food and drink that can improve flavor with a flavor improver containing davana extract as an active ingredient. Examples include tea beverages such as black tea, oolong tea, and green tea, tea-flavored food and drink such as confectionery using tea leaves, fermented seasonings such as vinegar and miso, dressings and other seasonings containing fermented seasonings such as vinegar, pickles, fermented milk, wine-like beverages, beer-like beverages, fermented flavor food and drink such as alcoholic beverages, fruit-flavored confectionery, fruit-flavored food and drink such as beverages, etc. For the food and drink, as the davana extract, an addition of 0.05 ppm or more is preferable, an addition of 0.1 ppm or more is more preferable, an addition of 0.2 ppm or more is even more preferable, and an addition of 100 ppm or less is preferable, an addition of 80 ppm or less is more preferable, and an addition of 50 ppm or less is even more preferable.

Example

[0014] Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited by the following examples. In the present invention, % is all by weight unless otherwise specified.

[0015] [Example 1] After mixing 67.5 g of tap water, 19.5 g of SLP White Lysophosphatidylcholine (manufactured by Tsujido Oil Co., Ltd.) which is lysophosphatidylcholine, 22.5 g of NIKKOL Decaglyn 1-MVEXF (manufactured by Nikko Chemicals Co., Ltd.) which is glycerin fatty acid ester, 105 g of food additive glycerin (manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.), and 75 g of reduced starch syrup PO-500 (manufactured by Mitsubishi Corporation Life Science Co., Ltd.), 10.5 g of Davana Oil (manufactured by Ozone Naturals) which is davana extract was added, and dispersion treatment was performed at 20,000 rpm for 5 minutes with a clarifier to prepare an emulsion containing davana extract of Product 1.

[0016] [Evaluation Test 1] For commercially available black tea beverages (Dilmah, straight, sweetened), Sample 1 was added so that the concentration of the damiana extract was 3.5 ppm (Example 1-1), 1.75 ppm (Example 1-2), or 0.35 ppm (Example 1-3), resulting in Samples 1-1 to 1-4. For Samples 1-1 to 1-4, three trained panelists conducted sensory evaluations on the "black tea flavor" and "bitterness". The sensory evaluation used the beverage before addition as a blank and evaluated the "black tea flavor" and "bitterness" according to the following criteria. The damiana extract concentration and the results of each sensory evaluation are shown in Table 1.

[0017] "Enhancement of black tea flavor" Compared with the blank, the degree of enhancement of the black tea flavor was evaluated on a 5-point scale from 1 to 5. The higher the score, the more the black tea flavor was enhanced. "Reduction of bitterness" Compared with the blank, the degree of reduction of bitterness was evaluated on a 5-point scale from 1 to 5. The higher the score, the more the bitterness was reduced.

[0018]

Table 1

[0019] It was confirmed that by adding a damiana extract-containing emulsion containing a damiana extract to a black tea beverage at a final concentration of 0.35 to 3.5 ppm of the damiana extract, the black tea flavor was enhanced, the bitterness was reduced, and the aftertaste became mild.

[0020] [Evaluation Test 2] For commercially available non-alcoholic wine (red wine flavor), Sample 1 was added so that the concentration of the damiana extract was 35 ppm (Example 2-1) or 3.5 ppm (Example 2-2), resulting in Sample 2-1 or 2-2. For Samples 2-1 and 2-2, three trained panelists conducted sensory evaluations on the "sourness" and "fermentation feeling". The sensory evaluation used the beverage before addition as a blank and evaluated the "sourness" and "fermentation feeling" according to the following criteria. The damiana extract concentration and the results of each sensory evaluation are shown in Table 2.

[0021] "Reduction of sour taste" Compared with the blank, the reduction of sour taste was evaluated on a 5 - point scale from 1 to 5. The higher the score, the more the sour taste was reduced. "Enhancement of fermentation feeling" Compared with the blank, the enhancement of fermentation feeling was evaluated on a 5 - point scale from 1 to 5. The higher the score, the more the fermentation feeling was enhanced.

[0022]

Table 2

[0023] It was confirmed that by adding the patchouli extract to non - alcoholic wine as an emulsion containing the patchouli extract at a final concentration of 35 ppm or 3.5 ppm, the sour taste was reduced, the fermentation feeling was enhanced, and an overall mellow flavor was obtained.

[0024] [Example 3] To a commercially available non - alcoholic umeshu beverage, Example Product 1 was added so that the patchouli extract concentration became 35 ppm (Example 3 - 1), 3.5 ppm (Example 3 - 2), 1.75 ppm (Example 3 - 3), or 0.35 ppm (Example 3 - 4), and they were designated as Example Products 3 - 1 to 3 - 4. For Example Products 3 - 1 to 3 - 4, a sensory evaluation of "ume flavor" was conducted by 3 trained panelists. The sensory evaluation was carried out with the beverage before addition as the blank, and the "ume flavor" was evaluated according to the following criteria. The patchouli extract concentration and the results of each sensory evaluation are shown in Table 3.

[0025] "Enhancement of ume flavor" Compared with the blank, the enhancement of ume flavor was evaluated on a 5 - point scale from 1 to 5. The higher the score, the more the fermentation feeling was enhanced.

[0026]

Table 3

[0027] It was confirmed that the plum flavor was enhanced by adding a davana extract-containing emulsion containing a davana extract to a non-alcoholic plum liqueur beverage at a final concentration of the davana extract of 0.35 to 35 ppm.

Claims

**Claim 1** A flavor improver containing an extract of *Pogostemon cablin* (excluding those for imparting an alcoholic flavor, improving the aftertaste of sweetness of a sweetener, suppressing a burning sensation, and improving the flavor of menthol). **Claim 2** A flavor improver for enhancing tea flavor, reducing bitterness, reducing sourness, enhancing a fermented flavor, or enhancing fruit flavor, containing an extract of *Pogostemon cablin* as an active ingredient. **Claim 3** A method for improving the flavor of food and drink, characterized by containing an extract of *Pogostemon cablin* as an active ingredient (excluding imparting an alcoholic flavor, improving the aftertaste of sweetness of a sweetener, suppressing a burning sensation, and improving the flavor of menthol). **Claim 4** A flavor improvement method for enhancing tea flavor, reducing bitterness, reducing sourness, enhancing a fermented flavor, or enhancing fruit flavor, using an extract of *Pogostemon cablin* as an active ingredient. **Claim 5** Food and drink containing the flavor improver according to Claim 1 or 2. **Claim 6** Food and drink with tea flavor, in which the tea flavor is enhanced or the bitterness is reduced, containing the flavor improver according to Claim 1 or 2. **Claim 7** Fermented flavor food and drink in which the sourness is reduced or the fermented flavor is enhanced, containing the flavor improver according to Claim 1 or 2. **Claim 8** Fruit flavor food and drink in which the fruit flavor is enhanced, containing the flavor improver according to Claim 1 or 2.

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