Vitamin c-containing beverage

Abstract

To reduce discomfort after drinking a beverage containing a high concentration of vitamin C.SOLUTION: The present invention provides a beverage that contains 50 to 1000 ppm of tannin, 1000 ppm or more of vitamin C, and 0.05 ppm or more of γ-nonalactone.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage containing a high concentration of vitamin C and a method for producing the same.

Background Art

[0002] With the recent trend towards health consciousness, a large number of food and beverage products containing relatively high concentrations of health ingredients such as vitamins have been developed. Among them, vitamin C is a typical health ingredient, and many vitamin C-enriched food and beverage products are commercially available.

[0003] As a conventional technique for beverages containing vitamin C, Patent Document 1 describes a technique for masking the peculiar unpleasant odor (vitamin odor) derived from various vitamins including vitamin C by blending sucralose. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for enhancing the nose-through fragrance by containing astragalin in a tea beverage containing ascorbic acid or its salt.

[0004] On the other hand, in beverages containing tannin such as tea beverages, although a small amount of vitamin C has been blended as an antioxidant, beverages containing a high concentration of vitamin C have not been on the market.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] In the process of researching and developing beverages, the inventors of the present invention found that when vitamin C is added to beverages containing tannins, if the vitamin C content is low, there is almost no effect on the flavor. However, when a large amount of vitamin C is added to the beverage, an unpleasant feeling such as a scratch in the throat occurs when drinking. Specifically, when a beverage containing tannins contains 1000 ppm or more of vitamin C, an unpleasant feeling such as a scratch in the throat becomes apparent when drinking.

[0007] In view of such a situation, the problem of the present invention is to develop a technology for reducing the unpleasant feeling in the throat during drinking, which occurs when a beverage containing tannins contains a high concentration of vitamin C.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the inventors of the present invention have conducted intensive studies and tested various components. As a result, they have found that γ-nonalactone effectively suppresses the unpleasant feeling that occurs when a high concentration of vitamin C and tannins coexist. Based on such findings, the inventors of the present invention have completed the present invention.

[0009] That is, the present invention includes, but is not limited to, the following aspects. [1] A beverage having a tannin content of 50 to 1000 ppm, a vitamin C content of 1000 ppm or more, and a γ-nonalactone content of 0.05 ppm or more. [2] The beverage according to [1], containing a tea extract. [3] The beverage according to [1], containing a black tea extract or an oolong tea extract. [4] The beverage according to [1], which is a beverage containing fruit juice. [5] The beverage according to [1], containing vanillin. [6] The beverage according to [1], containing niacin. [7] The beverage according to [1], which is a beverage not containing a milk component. [8] A method for producing a beverage, including adjusting the tannin content to 50 to 1000 ppm, the vitamin C content to 1000 ppm or more, and the γ-nonalactone content to 0.05 ppm or more. [9] A method for improving the flavor of a beverage having a tannin content of 50 to 1000 ppm and a vitamin C content of 1000 ppm or more, the method comprising setting the content of γ-nonalactone to 0.05 ppm or more.

Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, when a high concentration of vitamin C is blended in a beverage containing tannin, the discomfort in the throat during drinking can be reduced. By utilizing the technology of the present invention, for example, a beverage that can be deliciously and easily supplemented with vitamins can be provided.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] One aspect of the present invention is a beverage containing a predetermined amount of tannin and vitamin C and containing γ-nonalactone.

[0012] Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) The beverage of the present invention contains 1000 ppm or more of vitamin C. As described above, when a high concentration of vitamin C is blended in a beverage containing tannin, an uncomfortable feeling such as a catch in the throat during drinking is perceived. In particular, this problem becomes apparent when the concentration of vitamin C is 1000 ppm or more. However, this problem can be suppressed by blending γ-nonalactone based on the present invention.

[0013] The lower limit value of the vitamin C content is preferably 1100 ppm, more preferably 1200 ppm. The upper limit value of the vitamin C content is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of maintaining a good flavor of the beverage, it can be 3000 ppm, preferably 2000 ppm, more preferably 1700 ppm, and most preferably 1500 ppm. The vitamin C content can be measured using methods known to those skilled in the art. For example, it can be quantified using HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography). Here, in the present invention, the vitamin C content is calculated as the total value of the contents of L-ascorbic acid (reduced form) and L-dehydroascorbic acid (oxidized form). The vitamin C of the present invention includes those added in the form of salts (for example, sodium ascorbate, potassium ascorbate or calcium ascorbate), and those derived from natural products such as fruit juices. In addition, in one aspect, when formulating L-ascorbic acid in the beverage according to the present invention, an L-ascorbic acid preparation may be used. By formulating an L-ascorbic acid preparation, it becomes easier to prepare a beverage containing a high concentration of vitamin C.

[0014] In a preferred aspect, the beverage according to the present invention can contain vitamins other than vitamin C. As the vitamins to be formulated in the beverage according to the present invention, water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin B are preferred, and examples include vitamin B1, B2, B6, B12, niacin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, biotin and the like.

[0015] In a preferred aspect, the beverage according to the present invention contains niacin. Niacin is a type of vitamin B and is also called nicotinic acid. In the present invention, when referring to niacin, unless otherwise specified, it shall include not only nicotinic acid but also the amide form of nicotinic acid (niacinamide). Niacin is said to be involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and energy production as a coenzyme of dehydrogenase after being biosynthesized into pyridine nucleotides in the body, and is known to be contained in coffee beverages.

[0016] When formulating niacin in the beverage according to the present invention, its origin is not particularly limited, and in addition to purified products, crude products can also be used. For example, natural products containing niacin or processed products thereof may be used, or preparations such as fragrances may be used. The content of niacin in the beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 0.1 to 100 ppm, preferably 1 to 60 ppm or 5 to 30 ppm. The content of niacin can be measured using methods known to those skilled in the art, and can be quantified using, for example, HPLC.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the beverage according to the present invention contains vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is a type of vitamin B and is known to be involved in protein metabolism and the like. When formulating vitamin B6 in the beverage according to the present invention, its origin is not particularly limited, and in addition to purified products, crude products can also be used. For example, natural products containing vitamin B6 or processed products thereof may be used, or preparations such as fragrances may be used. The content of vitamin B6 in the beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 0.1 to 100 ppm, preferably 0.5 to 60 ppm or 1 to 30 ppm. The content of vitamin B6 can be measured using methods known to those skilled in the art, and can be quantified using, for example, HPLC.

[0018] γ-nonalactone The beverage according to the present invention contains γ-nonalactone. γ-Nonalactone is an organic compound represented by C9H 16 O2 and has the following structure (CAS registration number: 104-61-0).

[0019]

Chemical formula

[0020] γ-Nonalactone is naturally contained in fruits such as peaches and apricots, jasmine oil, etc., and is known to have a coconut-like fragrance, but it is not a component contained in general tea beverages. In the present invention, the origin of γ-nonalactone is not particularly limited, and in addition to purified products, crude products can also be used. For example, natural products containing γ-nonalactone or processed products thereof may be used, or preparations such as fragrances may be used.

[0021] In the present invention, by including γ-nonalactone at 0.05 ppm or more in a beverage, it is possible to reduce the discomfort in the throat during drinking that occurs when a high concentration of vitamin C and tannin coexist. The content of γ-nonalactone in the beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 0.05 to 20 ppm, more preferably 0.08 to 10 ppm, and may also be 0.1 to 5 ppm or 0.12 to 3 ppm. Further, the lower limit value of the content of γ-nonalactone may be 0.15 ppm, and the upper limit value may be 1 ppm or 0.5 ppm.

[0022] Also, in the beverage of the present invention, the ratio of the vitamin C content to the γ-nonalactone content is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 500 to 35000, preferably 2000 to 20000, and more preferably 5000 to 10000.

[0023] Note that the content of γ-nonalactone can be measured using methods known to those skilled in the art. For example, it can be quantified as follows using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC / MS). (Measurement procedure) Collect 1 g of the sample and make up to 20 mL. Add 10 mL of hexane and 8 g of sodium chloride, shake (for 10 minutes), then perform centrifugation (2000 rpm, for 5 minutes), and measure the hexane layer of the resulting solution by GC / MS. (Measurement conditions) · Model: 7890B / 5977B [Agilent Technologies] · Column: DB-WAX UI [Agilent Technologies] (Diameter 0.25 mm × 30 m, film thickness: 0.25 μm) · Injection method: Splitless · Temperature: Sample injection port 220°C Column 40°C (held for 1 min) → temperature increase at 10°C / min → 240°C (held for 10 min) · Gas flow rate: Helium (carrier gas) 1 mL / min · Ion source temperature: 230°C · Ionization method: EI · Set mass number (m / z): 85 Tannin The beverage of the present invention contains 50 to 1000 ppm of tannin. Tannin is a name encompassing catechins, gallic acid, its esters, and their condensates. In a beverage containing high concentrations of vitamin C and tannin, it is considered that some interaction between these occurs, resulting in a sticky feeling on the tongue after drinking.

[0024] The upper limit of the tannin content in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 800 ppm, more preferably 600 ppm, still more preferably 400 ppm, and most preferably 200 ppm. Also, the lower limit of the tannin content in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 80 ppm, more preferably 110 ppm, still more preferably 130 ppm, and most preferably 150 ppm. In the present invention, if the tannin concentration in the beverage becomes too high, the effects of the present invention become difficult to perceive due to the astringency derived from tannin, and if the tannin concentration becomes too low, the problems of the present invention do not occur.

[0025] In the present invention, the tannin concentration in the beverage can be measured by the ferric tartrate spectrophotometric method. Specifically, the tannin concentration may be measured based on the method (ferric tartrate spectrophotometric method) described in the "Japanese Food Standard Composition Table 2020 Edition (Eighth Edition) Analysis Manual" (February 2022). In this method, ferric tartrate reagent is used as a color-developing agent, and after color development with this reagent, the amount of tannin can be determined by measuring the absorbance at a wavelength of 540 nm. In this method, a calibration curve is created using ethyl gallate as a standard substance, the amount of ethyl gallate corresponding to the absorbance of the sample is obtained from the calibration curve, and the amount of tannin can be determined by converting the obtained value.

[0026] In the present invention, there is no limitation on the form of tannin to be blended. For example, it can be preferably used in the form of tea extracts or their concentrates. Extracts of plants containing tannin and their concentrates can be prepared from tea leaves belonging to Camellia sinensis such as black tea, green tea, oolong tea, Pu-erh tea, etc., and of course, those prepared from plants other than Camellia sinensis such as rooibos tea can be used. Among them, from the aspect of the effects of the present invention, extracts obtained from black tea leaves can be preferably used. Tannin is preferably derived from tea extracts, and more preferably derived from black tea extracts. The beverage of the present invention may contain tea extracts (preferably black tea extracts).

[0027] Beverage In the present invention, the type of beverage is not particularly limited. In a preferred embodiment, the beverage of the present invention is a soft drink and not an alcoholic beverage. For example, it may be any of nutritional beverages, functional beverages, flavored water (near water) - based beverages, tea - based beverages (black tea, oolong tea, green tea, rooibos tea, etc.), coffee beverages, etc. In the present invention, since the effects of the present invention are difficult to be perceived due to the stimulation of carbonic acid, the beverage of the present invention is preferably a beverage that does not contain carbon dioxide gas (that is, a non - carbonated beverage). Also, from the viewpoints of flavor and storage stability, the pH of the beverage according to the present invention is preferably 2.5 to 7.0, and more preferably 3.0 to 4.5.

[0028] In one embodiment, the beverage of the present invention is preferably a tea beverage. Here, the "tea beverage" is a beverage containing extracts from plant raw materials such as tea leaves of tea trees (scientific name: Camellia sinensis), grains, stems, leaves, and roots other than tea trees. Specifically, it includes black tea beverages, oolong tea beverages, green tea beverages, barley tea beverages, genmaicha beverages, rooibos tea beverages, chamomile tea beverages, mulberry leaf tea beverages, etc. Since it contains tannin, black tea beverages, oolong tea beverages, green tea beverages, and rooibos tea beverages are preferred, and black tea beverages are more preferred.

[0029] In one aspect, the beverage according to the present invention may contain vanillin. Vanillin belongs to the vanilloids and is an organic compound represented by the chemical formula C8H8O3 (CAS registration number: 121-33-5). Vanillin is also known as 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde and is known to have a sweet aroma characteristic of vanilla. When vanillin is blended in the beverage according to the present invention, the origin of vanillin is not particularly limited, and in addition to purified products, crude products can also be used. For example, natural products containing vanillin or processed products thereof may be used, or preparations such as fragrances may be used.

[0030] When blending vanillin, the content of vanillin in the beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 0.1 to 10 ppm, preferably 0.3 to 5 ppm or 0.5 to 2 ppm. The content of vanillin can be measured using methods known to those skilled in the art. For example, it can be quantified as follows using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC / MS). (Measurement procedure) Collect 2 g of the sample, add 1 mL of water, 3 mL of ethanol, and 10 mL of a mixed solution of water and ethanol (1:1), irradiate with ultrasonic waves for 5 minutes for extraction, and make up to 20 mL to obtain a test solution, and then analyze using LC / MS. (Measurement conditions) · Column: Intersil ODS-2 (diameter 2.1 mm × 150 mm, particle size: 5 μm) · Column temperature: 40 °C · Mobile phase: A mixed solution of 1% acetic acid and acetonitrile (85:15) · Flow rate: 0.2 mL / min · Ionization method: Electrospray (positive ion detection mode) · Set mass number (m / z): 152.8 → 64.7 In one aspect, the beverage according to the present invention does not contain milk components. As used herein, milk components refer to components containing milk protein such as, for example, milk, condensed milk, skim milk, reconstituted milk (reconstituted milk reconstituted from whole milk powder, skim milk powder or prepared milk powder), concentrated whey, concentrated milk, cream and the like. When milk components are blended into the beverage, milk protein may affect the effects of the present invention. Therefore, when blending milk components into the beverage, it is necessary to determine the formulation of the beverage considering the influence of milk protein.

[0031] The sweetness of the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited. According to the study by the present inventors, since the effects of the present invention are significantly perceived when the sweetness is a certain level or higher, in a preferred embodiment, the sweetness of the beverage is, for example, 1 to 30, preferably 3 to 20 or 5 to 10.

[0032] Here, the sweetness is a measure indicating the intensity of sweetness and is the relative ratio when the sweetness of 1% by weight of sucrose (20 °C) is taken as 1. As used herein, the sweetness of the beverage is an index representing the relative sweetness of the beverage when the sweetness of a beverage containing 1 g of sucrose in 100 g of the beverage is taken as "1". The sweetness of the beverage is obtained by converting the content of each sweet component into an equivalent amount of sucrose based on the relative ratio of the sweetness of the sweet component to the sweetness of sucrose of 1, and then summing up the sucrose sweetness conversion amounts of all the sweet components contained in the beverage (including sweet components derived from fruit juice, extract, etc.). The relative ratio of the sweetness of various typical sweet components to the sweetness of sucrose of 1 may be determined using a known sweetness conversion table (for example, Macmurray's Organic Chemistry, 7th Edition, page 988) or by determining the sweetness through sensory evaluation.

[0033] The sweetness of the beverage may be adjusted by a known method, and for example, a sweetener may be used. The sweetener is not particularly limited as long as it can impart sweetness, and examples thereof include natural sweeteners such as fructose, sugar, fructose glucose liquid sugar, glucose, maltose, sucrose, high fructose liquid sugar, sugar alcohol, oligosaccharides, honey, sugarcane juice (brown sugar syrup), starch syrup, stevia powder, stevia extract, Monk fruit powder, Monk fruit extract, licorice powder, licorice extract, Thaumatococcus daniellii seed powder, and Thaumatococcus daniellii seed extract, and artificial sweeteners such as acesulfame potassium, sucralose, neotame, aspartame, and saccharin.

[0034] The Brix value of the beverage according to the present invention is not particularly limited. However, since the effect of the present invention becomes more noticeable when the Brix value of the beverage is high, in a preferred embodiment, the Brix value of the beverage according to the present invention can be, for example, 1 to 30, preferably 3 or more, and more preferably 5 or more. Here, the Brix value is a value obtained by converting the refractive index measured at 20°C into mass / mass percent of the sucrose solution based on the conversion table of ICUMSA (International Commission on Uniformity of Sugar Analysis), and is generally expressed in units of "°Bx", "%" or "degrees". The Brix value may be measured by a conventional method using a saccharometer, a refractometer, or the like.

[0035] The beverage according to the present invention may contain fruit juice. In a preferred embodiment, for example, a gorgeous beverage such as fruit tea can be made by blending fruit juice with a tea beverage. There is no limit to the blending rate of fruit juice, but for example, it can be 40% or less in terms of straight fruit juice, and 1 to 30% or 3 to 15% is more preferable. There is no particular limit to the fruit juice used, but it may be straight fruit juice obtained by squeezing fruits or vegetables, or it may be fruit juice that has been treated by concentration, heating, sweetening, or the like. In addition, clear fruit juice or cloudy fruit juice may be used as the fruit juice, and whole fruit juice obtained by crushing whole fruit including the skin and removing only particularly rough solids such as seeds, fruit puree obtained by straining fruit, or fruit juice obtained by crushing or extracting the pulp of dried fruit may also be used.

[0036] The types of fruits and vegetables used as raw materials for the juice are not particularly limited. One type of juice may be used alone, or two or more types of juice may be used in combination. Specific examples of the juice to be used include, for example, citrus juices (such as orange juice, unshu mandarin juice, grapefruit juice, lemon juice, lime juice, yuzu juice, iyokan juice, natsumikan juice, hassaku juice, ponkan juice, shikuwasa juice, kabosu juice, etc.), grape juice, peach juice, tropical fruit juices (such as pineapple juice, guava juice, banana juice, kiwi juice, mango juice, acerola juice, lychee juice, papaya juice, passion fruit juice, etc.), other fruit juices (such as apple juice, plum juice, pear juice, apricot juice, plum juice, berry juice, kiwifruit juice, etc.), strawberry juice, melon juice, etc. Among them, since the effects of the present invention are easily perceivable, grape juice, peach juice, orange juice, apple juice, pineapple juice, strawberry juice, kiwi juice, and mango juice are preferred, and peach juice is more preferred.

[0037] In addition to the various components shown above, components generally used in beverages can be blended into the beverage of the present invention. For example, but not limited to, flavors, sugars, acidulants, nutritional fortifiers, antioxidants, emulsifiers, preservatives, extracts, dietary fibers, quality stabilizers, etc. can be added within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention.

[0038] The beverage of the present invention can be a container-packed beverage in a state of being filled and sealed in a container. The container used for the container-packed beverage is not particularly limited, and known containers can be used. For example, molded containers mainly composed of resins such as polyethylene terephthalate (so-called PET bottles, etc.), metal cans such as aluminum cans and steel cans, paper containers, glass bottles, etc. can be mentioned. In addition, containers combined with a plurality of materials, such as paper containers laminated with metal foils or plastic films, can also be preferably used. The content volume of the container-packed beverage is not particularly limited, but for example, it is 100 mL or more or 200 mL or more, preferably 300 mL to 3000 mL, and more preferably 350 mL to 2000 mL or 500 mL to 1000 mL.

[0039] The beverage according to the present invention may be subjected to heat sterilization. However, since vitamin C decreases by heat sterilization, when performing heat sterilization, it is advisable to adjust so that the vitamin C concentration after heat sterilization becomes a predetermined concentration.

[0040] The means of heat sterilization is not particularly limited. For example, it can be by known methods such as UHT sterilization and retort sterilization. The conditions of heat sterilization in the present invention can, for example, select a method that can obtain an effect equivalent to the conditions stipulated in the Food Sanitation Law. Specifically, it can be at 60 to 150 °C, preferably 90 to 150 °C, more preferably 110 to 150 °C, for 1 second to 60 minutes, preferably 1 second to 30 minutes. In one aspect, when using a heat-resistant container (metal can, glass, etc.) as the container, retort sterilization (110 to 140 °C, 1 to several tens of minutes) can be performed. Also, when using a non-heat-resistant container (PET bottle, paper container, etc.) as the container, for example, the prepared liquid can be pre-sterilized by a plate heat exchanger or the like at high temperature for a short time (UHT sterilization: 110 to 150 °C, 1 to several tens of seconds), cooled to a certain temperature, and then filled into the container.

[0041] Method for producing beverage, etc. In a certain aspect, the present invention is a method for manufacturing a beverage. More specifically, one aspect of the present invention has a step of preparing a beverage containing a predetermined amount of tannin, vitamin C, and γ-nonalactone, and may have a step of heat sterilization and a step of filling into a container, etc., as necessary. In the present invention, the order of each step can be interchanged, and it is also possible to insert another step between each step.

[0042] In another aspect, the present invention can also be understood as a method for improving the flavor of a beverage in a beverage containing a predetermined amount of tannin and vitamin C. That is, the present invention includes a step of blending γ-nonalactone into a beverage containing a predetermined amount of tannin and vitamin C, whereby it is possible to effectively suppress the discomfort in the throat during drinking that occurs when tannin and vitamin C coexist.

[0043] Unless otherwise specified, concentrations and the like in this specification are based on weight, but "ppm" means ppm by weight / volume (w / v). Also, the numerical ranges represented by lower and upper limits in this specification, that is, "lower limit to upper limit", shall include those lower and upper limits. For example, the range represented by "1 to 2" includes 1 and 2.

Example

[0044] Hereinafter, experimental examples will be shown to specifically explain the details of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0045] Experiment 1 (Reference example) Instant Black Tea (James Finlay Kenya Limited, tannin content approximately 5%) and vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) were dissolved in water to prepare beverages with tannin and vitamin C contents as shown in the following table.

[0046] For each beverage, sensory evaluation was conducted by 6 professional panelists. Specifically, the professional panelists individually drank the beverages and confirmed the presence or absence of discomfort in the throat during drinking.

[0047] As is clear from the results shown in the following table, in beverages containing tannin, it became clear that as the content of vitamin C increased, discomfort in the throat during drinking became apparent. On the other hand, in beverages not containing tannin, no discomfort occurred even when vitamin C was contained.

[0048]

Table 1

[0049] Experiment 2 (Black tea beverage) Using the same black tea extract powder and vitamin C as in Experiment 1, γ-nonalactone at the concentrations shown in the following table was added to the black tea beverage to produce a canned tea beverage (tannin content: approximately 150 ppm). In addition, vanilla was added to Samples 2-6 and niacin was added to Sample 2-7. Furthermore, fructose glucose liquid sugar was added to Sample 2-8 and transparent peach juice and fructose glucose liquid sugar were added to Sample 2-9 to prepare a beverage with a sweetness level of 8.

[0050] For each beverage, a sensory evaluation was conducted on the discomfort in the throat during drinking. The sensory evaluation was performed by 6 professional panelists, and each panelist evaluated on a scale of 1-5 points according to the following criteria. The average value of the obtained scores was used as the final evaluation score. (Evaluation criteria for discomfort) 1 point: Strongly felt (similar to or more than the control sample) 2 points: Felt 3 points: Slightly felt 4 points: Barely felt 5 points: Not felt at all As is clear from the results shown in the following table, it was found that the discomfort in the throat during drinking was reduced by including γ-nonalactone in the beverage. In addition, the discomfort in the throat during drinking was significantly reduced by further including vanilla. Furthermore, even when the sweetness level was increased, the discomfort after drinking was significantly reduced.

[0051]

Table 2

[0052] Experiment 3 (Oolong tea beverage) Using oolong tea powder (instant oolong tea, Super FI (M) Sdn. Bhd., tannin content: approximately 23%) instead of black tea extract, canned tea beverages were produced in the same manner as in Experiment 2 (tannin content: approximately 800 ppm).

[0053] For each beverage, a sensory evaluation regarding the discomfort in the throat during drinking was conducted in the same manner as in Experiment 2. As is clear from the results shown in the table below, it was found that even in the oolong tea beverage, the discomfort in the throat during drinking was reduced by containing γ-nonalactone. Further, by containing vanillin, the discomfort in the throat during drinking was significantly reduced.

[0054]

Table 3

Claims

1. A beverage having a tannin content of 50 to 1000 ppm, a vitamin C content of 1000 ppm or more, and a γ-nonalactone content of 0.05 ppm or more.

2. The beverage according to Claim 1, containing a tea extract.

3. The beverage according to Claim 1, containing a black tea extract or an oolong tea extract.

4. The beverage according to Claim 1, being a beverage containing fruit juice.

5. The beverage according to Claim 1, containing vanillin.

6. The beverage according to Claim 1, containing niacin.

7. The beverage according to Claim 1, being a beverage free of milk components.

8. A method for producing a beverage, comprising adjusting the tannin content to 50 to 1000 ppm, the vitamin C content to 1000 ppm or more, and the γ-nonalactone content to 0.05 ppm or more.

9. A method for improving the flavor of a beverage having a tannin content of 50 to 1000 ppm and a vitamin C content of 1000 ppm or more, the method comprising increasing the γ-nonalactone content to 0.05 ppm or more.

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