Method for improving flavor of roasted plant extract

Abstract

To provide a method for improving the flavor of a roasted plant extract in a simple and highly effective manner, specifically, to reduce or remove the robusta odor from roasted robusta coffee bean extract, thus making it more similar in flavor to roasted arabica coffee bean extract.SOLUTION: A method for improving the flavor of a roasted plant extract is provided, wherein, when extracting a roasted plant material and preparing the roasted plant extract, tyrosinase treatment is carried out on the roasted plant material during the extraction process and / or on extract liquid of the roasted plant material.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for improving the flavor of roasted plant extracts.

Background Art

[0002] Coffee is one of the most widely loved beverages in the world.

[0003] Coffee is made by roasting raw coffee beans and extracting them with hot water for drinking. During roasting, various chemical reactions occur, resulting in the unique brown color of roasted coffee beans. At the same time, a large number of chemical substances are intricately intertwined to form the unique complex aroma of roasted coffee. Coffee is a beverage obtained by extracting roasted coffee beans with hot water, and its aroma varies greatly depending on factors such as the variety of raw coffee beans, the origin and cultivation conditions, the roasting conditions of raw beans, and the extraction conditions of roasted beans. Among these, the influence of the variety of raw coffee beans as raw materials is particularly large.

[0004] The varieties of raw coffee beans are roughly classified into three types: Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica. Among them, Arabica has good taste and aroma and is regarded as high-quality. It is the most preferred and widely distributed in Japan.

[0005] On the other hand, Robusta generally has a strong bitterness and a unique lobster odor (also called lobster smell; expressed as the smell of burnt wheat, the flavor of decocted Chinese herbal medicine, chemical smell, sulfur smell, earthy smell, mold smell, smoky smell, phenolic smell, etc.), and is regarded as low-quality beans. However, Robusta is resistant to pests and diseases, has the characteristics of fast growth and high yield, is relatively inexpensive and widely distributed in the market, and is easily available. Therefore, it is widely used in blends with Arabica. Also, because the aftertaste such as taste, aroma, and bitterness is generally strong, it is often used in iced coffee.

[0006] In view of such a background, various methods have been proposed for improving the quality of low-quality coffee beans such as Robusta.

[0007] For example, when steaming wet raw Robusta coffee beans and then roasting the processed beans, a method for improving the quality of Robusta coffee beans by performing the process under specific conditions (Patent Document 1); a method for producing roasted coffee beans, which comprises treating roasted coffee beans with an acidic solution (excluding tannic acid) and then reducing the moisture content of the roasted coffee beans to 4% or less (Patent Document 2); in the manufacturing process of coffee beans where green coffee beans are surface-ground and then water is sprayed during the roasting process, when grinding the obtained roasted coffee beans, after coarse grinding, the silver skin is removed by suction together with fine particles, and further grinding to a predetermined basic particle size to reduce the lobster smell, a method for modifying Robusta variety coffee ground beans (Patent Document 3); a method for producing a canned coffee beverage in which the concentration of diterpene compounds (cafestol palmitate and kahweol palmitate) is adjusted to be within a specific range (Patent Document 4); a method for improving the unpleasant flavor of an extract of Robusta variety coffee beans, characterized by adding sucralose or thaumatin to the extract of Robusta variety coffee beans (Patent Document 5); a method for reducing the lobster smell of a coffee beverage in which an orange flavor is included in an extract of Robusta variety coffee beans (Patent Document 6); a method for improving the flavor of raw Robusta variety coffee beans, which comprises contacting green coffee beans with an acidic solution, absorbing the acidic solution into the green coffee beans, and making the β-damascenone content in the solid content 5 ppb or more (Patent Document 7), etc. are known.

[0008] Also, although the problem is different from that of the present invention, as an invention that may be related to the present invention, a method for reducing the toxicity of coffee, characterized by allowing tyrosinase to act on coffee (Patent Document 8) is known.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0009]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

[0010] However, a method for simply and highly effectively approximating the flavor of roasted Robusta coffee beans to that of roasted Arabica coffee beans has not yet been developed.

[0011] The above are problems regarding roasted coffee beans, which are one of the roasted plant raw materials. However, for other roasted plant raw materials, such as roasted barley, roasted malt, roasted rice, roasted brown rice, roasted germinated brown rice, and roasted adzuki beans, a method for improving the flavor simply and highly effectively has not been established.

[0012] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for simply and highly effectively improving the flavor of a roasted plant extract. [Means for Solving the Problems]

[0013] In view of the above problems, the present inventors conducted intensive research. As a result, it was found that by subjecting an extract of roasted Robusta coffee beans to tyrosinase treatment, the so-called "lobster odor" is reduced or eliminated, and the flavor becomes extremely close to that of an extract of roasted Arabica coffee beans. Furthermore, it was found that the tyrosinase treatment is effective in improving the flavor, particularly the aroma, of extracts of other roasted plant raw materials, and thus the present invention was completed.

[0014] Thus, the present invention provides the following. [1] A method for improving the flavor of a roasted plant extract, which comprises performing tyrosinase treatment on the roasted plant material during extraction of the roasted plant material and / or on the extract of the roasted plant material when preparing the roasted plant extract. [2] The method for improving the flavor of a roasted plant extract according to [1], wherein the roasted plant material is a roasted seed. [3] The method for improving the flavor of a roasted plant extract according to [1], wherein the roasted plant material is roasted coffee beans. [4] The method for improving the flavor of a roasted plant extract according to [1], wherein the flavor improvement is reduction of an unpleasant odor. [5] The method for improving the flavor of a roasted plant extract according to [1], wherein the flavor improvement is reduction of a phenolic odor. [6] The method for improving the flavor of a roasted plant extract according to [1], wherein the roasted plant material is roasted coffee beans containing varieties other than Arabica. [7] The method for improving the flavor of a roasted plant extract according to [6], wherein the flavor improvement is making the flavor of roasted coffee beans of varieties other than Arabica similar to the flavor of roasted Arabica coffee beans. [8] A method for producing a roasted coffee bean extract, which comprises performing tyrosinase treatment on the roasted coffee beans during extraction of the roasted coffee beans and / or on the extract obtained by extracting the roasted coffee beans when extracting roasted coffee beans other than Arabica. [9] A method for producing a roasted plant extract, which comprises performing tyrosinase treatment on the roasted plant material during extraction of the roasted plant material and / or on the extract obtained by extracting the roasted plant material when extracting one or more roasted plant materials selected from the following group (X). Group (X): roasted barley, roasted malt, roasted rice, roasted brown rice, roasted germinated brown rice, and roasted Job's tears

[10] A method for producing a roasted plant extract, which comprises the following steps (A) and (B). Step (A): A step of steam-distilling the roasted plant material to obtain a distillate. Step (B): A step of performing tyrosinase treatment on the distillate obtained in the step (A) to obtain a roasted plant extract.

[11] A method for producing a roasted plant extract, comprising the following steps (A) to (D). Step (A): A step of subjecting a roasted plant raw material to steam distillation to obtain a distillate. Step (B): A step of subjecting the distillate obtained in the step (A) to tyrosinase treatment to obtain a tyrosinase-treated distillate. Step (C): A step of extracting the roasted plant raw material before and / or after performing the step (A) with an aqueous solvent to obtain an aqueous solvent extract. Step (D): A step of mixing the tyrosinase-treated distillate obtained in the step (B) with the aqueous solvent extract obtained in the step (C) to obtain a roasted plant extract.

[12] A method for producing a roasted plant extract, comprising the following steps (A) to (D). Step (A): A step of subjecting a roasted plant raw material to steam distillation to obtain a distillate. Step (B): A step of extracting the roasted plant raw material before and / or after performing the step (A) with an aqueous solvent to obtain an aqueous solvent extract. Step (C): A step of mixing the distillate obtained in the step (A) with the aqueous solvent extract obtained in the step (B) to obtain an extract. Step (D): A step of subjecting the extract obtained in the step (C) to tyrosinase treatment to obtain a roasted plant extract. [Advantages of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, the flavor of a roasted plant extract can be improved with simplicity and high effectiveness, and a roasted plant extract with an improved flavor can be provided. In particular, the flavor of a roasted coffee bean extract of the Robusta variety can be made similar to that of a roasted coffee bean extract of the Arabica variety. [Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0016] [Roasted Plant Raw Material] Examples of the roasted plant raw materials that can be used in the present invention include raw materials classified as so-called preferred beverages such as roasted coffee beans, roasted barley, roasted malt, roasted rice, roasted brown rice, roasted germinated brown rice, roasted adzuki beans, cocoa, roasted green tea, bancha tea, and black mate tea. During the processing steps, it refers to plant raw materials that have undergone roasting treatment. Even for green tea, black tea, oolong tea, green mate tea, etc., if they are strongly fired at 100°C or higher during the processing step and have a "fired aroma", they can be included in the roasted plant raw materials referred to in the present invention. Among these, as the roasted plant raw materials that can be used in the present invention, roasted coffee beans, roasted barley, roasted malt, roasted rice, roasted brown rice, roasted germinated brown rice, and roasted adzuki beans can be preferably exemplified. More preferably, roasted coffee beans can be mentioned, and most preferably, roasted coffee beans other than Arabica species such as Robusta can be mentioned.

[0017] Although roasted plant raw materials vary depending on the degree of roasting, usually, sugars, amino acids, and other components undergo Maillard reactions and the like due to heating during roasting, generating a preferable fragrant flavor. On the other hand, when roasting plant raw materials, flavors that bring negative aspects such as phenolic odor, chemical odor, sulfur odor, earthy odor, mold odor, and smoky odor often occur along with the preferable flavor.

[0018] [Grinding of raw materials] The roasted plant raw materials used in the present invention can be ground to a particle size of about 0.1 mm to 10 mm, preferably about 1 mm to 5 mm, as needed, and the extraction and improvement of tyrosinase treatment efficiency described later can be carried out.

[0019] [Roasted coffee beans] A preferred example of the roasted plant raw material of the present invention is roasted coffee beans. As the variety of raw coffee beans that can be used for roasted coffee beans, any of Arabica, Liberica, Robusta, etc. may be used, and raw coffee beans from any origin such as Brazil, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Tanzania, Yemen, Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, etc. can be used regardless of the type and origin. Also, the raw coffee beans may be used alone with only one type of bean, or may be used by blending two or more types of beans. Among these, particularly preferred are raw coffee beans other than Arabica, such as Robusta raw coffee beans.

[0020] Also, the degree of roasting of the roasted coffee beans may be within any range as long as it is the degree of roasting for normal drinking, but it can be exemplified that roasting is performed at an L value of 16 to 30. The L value is an index representing the degree of roasting of coffee, and is a value obtained by measuring the lightness of the ground product of roasted coffee beans with a color difference meter. Black is represented by an L value of 0, and white is represented by an L value of 100. Therefore, the deeper the roasting of the coffee beans, the lower the numerical value, and the shallower the roasting, the higher the numerical value. For reference, the L values of roasted beans usually used for drinking are approximately as follows. Italian roast: 16 - 19, French roast: 19 - 21, Full City roast: 21 - 23, City roast: 23 - 25, High roast: 25 - 27, Medium roast: 27 - 29. The roasted coffee beans are subsequently ground, but there are no particular restrictions on the grinding method either, and any grinding method and grinding particle size can be adopted, and the grinding device is also not particularly limited. However, it is more preferable to adopt a device that can be appropriately cooled in an inert gas without contact with the outside air and can be ground in a short time, because the dispersion of aroma can be prevented.

[0021] [Aroma and taste] In the present invention, "aroma and taste" means one or more sensations that can be changed by smell, typically including sensations including smell and / or taste, and may also be referred to as "flavor".

[0022] [Tyrosinase] In the present invention, when extracting roasted plant raw materials to prepare a roasted plant extract, tyrosinase treatment is performed during the extraction of the roasted plant raw materials and / or on the extract of the roasted plant raw materials. In the present invention, tyrosinase is an enzyme classified under the enzyme number (Enzyme Commission number) EC1.14.18.1 as determined by the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Tyrosinase is an enzyme that oxidizes monophenols to o-diphenols and o-diphenols to o-quinones, and is widely distributed in the biological world. Any tyrosinase that can be used in food may be used in the present invention, and those containing tyrosinase may also be used. The tyrosinase that can be used in the present invention can be obtained, for example, by extraction from the culture solutions of fungi such as mushrooms, extracts of animal skin cells, Neurospora crassa, Streptomyces, Bacillus, Myrotheium, Mucor, Miriococcum, Aspergillus, Chaetotomastia, Ascovaginospora, Chaetomium, Trametes, Serpula lacrymans, Conidiophora puteana, Pycnoporus, Scytalium, and Trichoderma.

[0023] As commercially available products, for example, tyrosinase from mushroom (T3824: lyophilized powder; 1000 unit / mg solid or more) (manufactured by MERCK), which is a tyrosinase preparation, can be used.

[0024] [Tyrosinase treatment] The tyrosinase treatment may be performed on the roasted plant material itself during the extraction of the roasted plant material, on a mixture of the raw material roasted plant material and a solvent, or on an extract obtained by extracting the roasted plant material (an extract at any method and any stage as described later).

[0025] When performing on the roasted plant material itself, for example, an aqueous solution containing tyrosinase can be prepared and sprayed onto the roasted plant material, or the tyrosinase can be brought into contact with the roasted plant material by methods such as stirring and mixing using a kneader, etc., and the reaction at the temperature and time described later can be carried out.

[0026] When performing on a mixture of the roasted plant material and a solvent, for example, an extraction solvent containing tyrosinase can be prepared and mixed and stirred with the roasted plant material, etc., so that the tyrosinase can be uniformly brought into contact with the roasted plant material, and the reaction at the temperature and time described later can be carried out.

[0027] In the case where the extraction mode is stirring extraction, during the extraction of the stirring extraction described later, tyrosinase can be dissolved in the extraction system, and the reaction at the temperature and time described later can be carried out. Furthermore, for example, in the case where the extraction mode is column extraction, tyrosinase can be dissolved in the extraction solvent in advance and extraction can be carried out using the extraction solvent.

[0028] Also, when performing on the extract of the roasted plant material, once the extraction described later is carried out to obtain the extract, the reaction can be carried out on the extract under the temperature and time conditions described later.

[0029] In the present invention, the addition amount of tyrosinase can be appropriately changed according to the treatment temperature and treatment time. For example, as the reaction conditions of the enzyme, the range of usually 0.01 U to 50,000 U, preferably 0.05 U to 10,000 U, can be exemplified per 1 g of the roasted plant raw material. Further, the temperature of the enzyme treatment can be exemplified by a range of usually 5°C to 50°C, preferably 10°C to 45°C, more preferably 20°C to 45°C, and even more preferably 25°C to 45°C. Further, the time of the enzyme treatment can be exemplified by a range of usually 5 minutes to 72 hours, preferably 10 minutes to 48 hours, more preferably 20 minutes to 36 hours, and even more preferably 30 minutes to 24 hours.

[0030] In addition, the optimum pH of tyrosinase is usually pH 4 to 10, and preferably pH 4.5 to 9. Therefore, pH adjustment may be performed before the tyrosinase treatment as necessary. For the pH adjustment, those generally used in foods can be used as the pH adjuster. For example, hydrochloric acid, citric acid, acetic acid, sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium hydroxide, potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, etc. can be exemplified.

[0031] [Change in flavor by tyrosinase treatment] By performing the tyrosinase treatment of the present invention, the flavor of the roasted plant extract is improved.

[0032] Specifically, the unpleasant flavor can be greatly reduced with little to little change in the preferred flavor of the roasted plant raw material.

[0033] Examples of the preferred flavor include a light roasting aroma, a sweet and light fragrance, a fragrant roasted feeling, etc. More specifically, if the roasted plant raw material is roasted coffee beans, the aroma when grinding roasted coffee, the aroma when brewing freshly ground roasted coffee beans, etc. can be exemplified. Also, in terms of taste, a light and refreshing bitterness, a light and refreshing astringency, a light and refreshing sourness, etc. can be exemplified.

[0034] Examples of unpleasant flavors include odors such as phenolic odor, cresol odor, chemical odor, sulfur odor, earthy odor, mold odor, and smoke odor, as well as unpleasant bitterness, unpleasant astringency, and unpleasant sourness.

[0035] As a roasted plant extract that particularly exhibits a great flavor improving effect by the tyrosinase treatment of the present invention, it is a roasted coffee bean extract. The aroma when grinding roasted coffee beans and the aroma when brewing freshly ground roasted coffee beans remain as they are, and odors such as phenolic odor, cresol odor, chemical odor, sulfur odor, earthy odor, mold odor, and smoke odor, as well as unpleasant bitterness and unpleasant astringency, are reduced.

[0036] Among roasted coffee beans, especially roasted coffee beans of the Robusta variety are said to have an unpleasant flavor called the so-called "Robusta odor" and are regarded as low-quality coffee beans. However, by performing the tyrosinase treatment of the present invention during the extraction of roasted Robusta coffee beans or on its extract, the so-called fresh, brewed coffee-like flavor can be maintained as it is, and the "Robusta odor" can be reduced or eliminated. As a result, the flavor of the roasted Robusta coffee bean extract can be made similar to that of the extract of roasted coffee beans of the Arabica variety. This effect is also brought about when using so-called low-quality beans other than the Robusta variety, such as the Liberica variety and the Arabusta variety (a hybrid variety of the Arabica and Robusta varieties).

[0037] In addition, so-called barley tea, which is made by boiling roasted barley, roasted malt, roasted Job's tears, etc. with water, hot water, etc., may sometimes have an unpleasant burnt-like odor (also called smoke odor). However, by performing the tyrosinase treatment of the present invention, the fragrant, barley tea-like flavor can be maintained as it is, and the unpleasant burnt-like odor can be reduced or eliminated.

[0038] In addition, so-called "brown rice tea" made by boiling roasted rice, roasted brown rice, roasted germinated brown rice (which are often used as mixtures with green tea) with water, hot water, etc. may sometimes have a strong so-called "phenol odor, cresol odor". However, by performing the tyrosinase treatment of the present invention, the fragrant aroma of brown rice tea can be maintained while reducing or eliminating the "phenol odor, cresol odor".

[0039] [Extraction] In the terms of the present invention, "extract solution" means the in-process liquid obtained during the extraction process. Also, "extract" means the target substance of the present invention.

[0040] In addition, when the tyrosinase treatment is performed on the roasted plant raw material itself during the extraction of the roasted plant raw material, or when it is performed on a mixture of the raw roasted plant raw material and the solvent, the extract solution may sometimes directly become the extract.

[0041] The extraction of the roasted plant raw material (including the roasted plant raw material treated with tyrosinase) can be carried out by known extraction methods, for example, aqueous solvent extraction, steam distillation, etc. can be exemplified, and these methods can also be combined in multiple ways.

[0042] For example, before or after the extraction with the aqueous solvent, the roasted plant raw material can be extracted by steam distillation to obtain an extract solution mainly composed of aroma components (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "steam distillation distillate" or simply "distillate"). Also, when extracting the residue with an aqueous solvent after steam distillation, a deodorized aqueous solvent extract solution can be obtained by not using the steam distillation distillate (not mixing it with the aqueous solvent extract).

[0043] [Aqueous Solvent Extraction] Aqueous solvents that can be used as extraction solvents include, for example, water, ethanol, glycerin, propylene glycol, and mixed solvents thereof. Among these, water and a mixed solvent of water and ethanol are preferred, and water is particularly preferred.

[0044] Examples of extraction methods using an aqueous solvent include stirring extraction, static extraction, column extraction, etc.

[0045] Specifically showing stirring extraction and static extraction, for example, 1 to 100 parts by weight of an aqueous solvent is added per 1 part by weight of roasted plant raw material, and extraction is carried out at room temperature to about 100 °C for about 2 minutes to about 5 hours according to the use temperature under stirring or static conditions. After cooling, the extract can be obtained by removing insolubles by solid-liquid separation by a method known per se such as centrifugation, pressing, filtration, etc.

[0046] Also, for column extraction, for example, the roasted plant raw material is filled in a column made of an appropriate material such as glass or stainless steel, and an aqueous solvent at room temperature to about 100 °C is flowed from the upper or lower part of the column using a metering pump or the like for column extraction to obtain an extract. Such column extraction can also be carried out by connecting a plurality of columns in series as desired.

[0047] [Concentration] The aqueous solvent extract may be concentrated to increase the concentration and also to remove organic solvents such as ethanol. As the concentration method, for example, an appropriate concentration means such as vacuum concentration, reverse osmosis membrane (RO membrane) concentration, freeze concentration, etc. is adopted for concentration to obtain a concentrated solution of the water-soluble solvent extract. The concentration of the concentrated solution can generally be in the range of Bx 2° to 70°, preferably 5° to 60°, and more preferably 8° to 55°.

[0048] [Centrifugation and Filtration] According to the solid-liquid separation during the extraction with the aqueous solvent, the generation of precipitates during concentration and dilution, the generation of precipitates due to the mixing of the aqueous solvent extract and extracts obtained by other methods, the generation of precipitates by heating, the generation of precipitates due to changes over time, etc., a step for removing insoluble solids or a clarification step can be provided. The degree of centrifugation and filtration (fluidity, degree of particulate content, clarity) can be appropriately selected according to the purpose of the steps in the adjustment of the product of the present invention and the purpose and use of the final product in which the product of the present invention is formulated. Examples of such means include pressure filtration by a filter press, separation of liquid from slurry by a centrifugal filter, removal of insolubles by centrifugation, filtration by a polyvinylidene chloride mesh filter cloth, filtration by filter paper, pressure filtration by a sparkler coated with cellulose powder and / or diatomaceous earth on filter paper, suction filtration by a nutsche coated with cellulose powder and / or diatomaceous earth on filter paper, etc.

[0049] [Steam distillation] Steam distillation is a phenomenon in which when steam is blown into a raw material, the volatile components in the raw material are distilled and distilled out together with the steam when the sum of the vapor pressure (partial pressure) of the volatile substances contained in the raw material and the vapor pressure (partial pressure) of the steam added from the outside becomes equal to or higher than the surrounding pressure (atmospheric pressure in the case of atmospheric steam distillation). By cooling the volatile components that distill out together with the steam, an aqueous solution containing the volatile components (generally so-called aroma components) can be obtained as the distillate.

[0050] Examples of the method for extracting aroma components from roasted plant raw materials by steam distillation include a method in which the roasted plant raw materials are filled into a container such as a column, steam is sent into the column, the roasted plant raw materials are brought into contact with the steam, and the steam after contact is condensed and recovered, and a method in which the roasted plant raw materials are mixed with water to form a slurry and the aroma is recovered by a gas-liquid countercurrent contact method.

[0051] The steam distillation method using a column is a method in which steam is passed through a raw material, and the aroma components distilled out along with the steam are condensed together with the steam, and any of the distillation means of pressurized steam distillation, atmospheric pressure steam distillation, and reduced pressure steam distillation can be adopted. Specifically, for example, steam is blown in from the bottom of a steam distillation kettle charged with roasted plant raw materials, and the distillate steam is cooled by a cooler connected to the upper distillate side, whereby a distillate containing volatile aroma components as a condensate can be collected. If necessary, by connecting a cold trap using a refrigerant (such as liquid nitrogen, dry ice - acetone, dry ice - ethanol, etc.) or a solvent trap (such as water, ethanol, glycerin, animal and vegetable oils and fats, medium - chain fatty acid triglycerides, etc.) at the front of this aroma collection device, more low - boiling volatile aroma components can be surely collected. The recoveries by these traps can be mixed with the distillate and used. Also, during steam distillation, it is preferable because the deterioration of aroma components due to heating can be effectively prevented by distilling in the presence of an inert gas such as nitrogen gas and / or an antioxidant such as vitamin C. Further, when performing steam distillation, by moistening the roasted plant raw materials in advance with about 0.5 to 2 parts by mass of water per 1 part by mass of the roasted plant raw materials and then performing steam distillation, it is possible to improve the quality of the aroma. Also, as the collection amount of the distillate, 10 to 400% by mass can be adopted based on the mass of the roasted plant raw materials used.

[0052] In addition, the gas-liquid countercurrent contact extraction method can be carried out by various methods known per se. For example, a method of extraction using the apparatus described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-22646 can be adopted. Specifically explaining the means for recovering fragrance using this apparatus, a liquid or paste-like roasted plant raw material is allowed to flow down from above onto the rotating cone of a gas-liquid countercurrent contact extraction apparatus having a structure in which rotating cones and fixed cones are alternately combined, and at the same time, steam is caused to rise from below to recover the fragrance components originally present in the raw material. As the operating conditions of this gas-liquid countercurrent contact extraction apparatus, they can be arbitrarily selected depending on the processing capacity of the apparatus, the type and concentration of the raw material, the intensity of the fragrance, and others. The ratio of the roasted plant raw material to water in the roasted plant raw material slurry can be any ratio as long as the roasted plant raw material slurry has a fluid state, but approximately 5 to 30 times the amount of water relative to 1 part by weight of the roasted plant raw material can be exemplified. When the water is below this range, fluidity is difficult to obtain, and when the water is outside this range and excessive, the fragrance of the resulting distillate tends to become weak. An example of the operating conditions of the gas-liquid countercurrent contact extraction apparatus is as follows.

[0053] Raw material supply rate: 300 to 700 L / hr Steam flow rate: 5 to 50 kg / hr Evaporation amount: 3 to 35 kg / hr Column bottom temperature: 40 to 100 °C Column top temperature: 40 to 100 °C Degree of vacuum: Atmospheric pressure to -100 kPa (based on atmospheric pressure)

[0054] The steam distillation distillate can be used as the distillate obtained by the above-described method itself, or it can be made into the form of an aroma concentrate using any concentration means. As such concentration means, for example, it can be obtained by adsorbing the distillate onto a synthetic adsorbent and then desorbing it with ethanol. The synthetic adsorbent is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include copolymers of styrene and divinylbenzene, copolymers of ethylvinylbenzene and divinylbenzene, polymers of 2,6-diphenyl-9-phenyloxide, polycondensation polymers of methacrylic acid and diols, and chemically bonded silica gels (modified silica gels) obtained by chemically bonding, for example, alcohols, amines, silanes, etc. to the reactive silanol groups on the surface of silica gel. Preferred examples of such synthetic adsorbents include porous polymer resins having a surface area of, for example, about 300 m 2 / g or more, more preferably about 500 m 2 / g or more and a pore distribution preferably in the range of about 1 nm to about 50 nm. Examples of porous polymer resins that meet this condition include HP resin (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation), SP resin (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation), XAD-4 (manufactured by Rohm and Haas Company), etc., which can be easily obtained on the market. Also, methacrylic acid ester resins can be obtained as products such as XAD-7 and XAD-8 (manufactured by Rohm and Haas Company). Further, as the treatment means for adsorbing the above-described distillate onto the synthetic adsorbent, either a batch method or a column method can be adopted, but from the viewpoint of workability, the column method can be preferably adopted. As a method of adsorbing by the column method, for example, by passing the recovered fragrance 10 to 1000 times the amount of the adsorbent through a column filled with the synthetic adsorbent as described above at a flow rate of SV = 1 to 100, the fragrance components can be adsorbed. Then, after washing the adsorbent with water, a 50 to 95 wt% ethanol solution is passed through at a flow rate of SV = 0.1 to 10, and the fragrance components adsorbed on the adsorbent are eluted to obtain a water-soluble aroma concentrate.

[0055] The water vapor distillate obtained in this way or its aroma concentrate is a kind of the extract of the present invention, and can be mixed with the roasted plant extract and used to enhance the aroma of the roasted plant extract of the present invention.

[0056] [Timing of mixing the extracts and timing of tyrosinase treatment] The aqueous solvent extract (or its concentrate) and the water vapor distillate (or its concentrate) can be mixed and used. Also, the tyrosinase treatment at this time may be performed on the aqueous solvent extract alone, on the water vapor distillate (or its concentrate) alone, or on the mixture of the aqueous solvent extract and the water vapor distillate (or its concentrate).

[0057] In the present invention, in particular, by performing tyrosinase treatment on the water vapor distillate or the mixture of the water vapor distillate and the water extract, flavor improvement, especially reduction of unpleasant odor, can be more effectively achieved.

[0058] [Other enzyme treatments] In the present invention, enzymes other than tyrosinase may be allowed to act on the roasted plant raw material during extraction and / or on the extract of the roasted plant raw material, together with and / or independently of the tyrosinase treatment.

[0059] Examples of such enzymes include, for example, galactomannan-degrading enzyme, glucoamylase, lipase, etc. if the roasted plant raw material is coffee, tannase, protease, cellulase, hemicellulase, pectinase, amylase, etc. if the roasted plant raw material is tea, and amylase, protease, hemicellulase, pectinase, etc. if the roasted plant raw material is roasted barley or roasted rice.

[0060] Also, when laccase acts on the roasted plant extract, it has the same effect as the tyrosinase of the present invention, and by using it in combination with the tyrosinase of the present invention, the effect of the present invention can be further enhanced.

[0061] [Enzyme Inactivation and Heat Sterilization] The roasted plant extract of the present invention can be made into a microbiologically stable roasted plant extract by inactivating tyrosinase by performing heat treatment after and / or before the tyrosinase treatment and at any stage of the above steps, and by heat sterilization.

[0062] Preferred locations for performing the heat treatment are usually after the tyrosinase treatment of the roasted plant extract and before or after filling into the container, but are not limited to these steps. As long as the purpose of inactivating tyrosinase and / or heat sterilization can be achieved, it can be performed in any step.

[0063] The heat sterilization can be performed by either a batch method or a plate method. In the case of the batch method, the temperature is usually 80°C to 110°C, preferably 85°C to 105°C, more preferably 90°C to 100°C, and the heating time is usually 30 seconds to 60 minutes, preferably 1 minute to 30 minutes, more preferably 2 minutes to 15 minutes. In the case of the plate method, the heating temperature is usually 80°C to 140°C, preferably 85°C to 135°C, more preferably 90°C to 130°C, and the heating time is usually the time to reach the temperature (i.e., cooling) to 5 minutes, preferably 15 seconds to 3 minutes, more preferably 30 seconds to 2 minutes.

[0064] The roasted plant extract of the present invention obtained in this way can be filled into the container after cooling, or filled into the container while hot and then cooled, and further stored in a refrigerated or frozen state. [Addition to Food and Beverages] The roasted plant extract of the present invention obtained as described above can be blended into various food and beverages, and can impart to the food and beverages the preferable flavor of the roasted plant raw material (gentle roasted aroma, sweet and gentle fragrance, fragrant roasted feeling, gentle and refreshing bitterness, gentle and refreshing astringency, gentle and refreshing sourness) without containing the unpleasant flavor of the roasted plant raw material or with reduced unpleasant flavor.

[0065] Examples of foods and beverages to which the addition of the roasted plant extract of the present invention can impart, improve, or enhance the fermented flavor or the flavor inherent in the plant raw materials of the ingredients include beverages, seasonings, dressings, frozen desserts, desserts, retort pouch foods, processed meat foods, processed seafood foods, etc. The amount of the roasted plant extract of the present invention to be added to these foods and beverages varies depending on the type and form of the food and beverage, but can generally be in the range of 0.01% by mass to 20% by mass of the total amount of the food and beverage. Specific examples of these foods and beverages include carbonated drinks such as cola drinks, fruit juice carbonated drinks, and dairy carbonated drinks; soft drinks such as fruit juice drinks, vegetable drinks, sports drinks, honey drinks, soy milk, vitamin supplement drinks, mineral supplement drinks, energy drinks, nutritious drinks, lactic acid bacteria drinks, and dairy drinks; beverages such as green tea, black tea, oolong tea, herbal tea, milk tea, and coffee; alcoholic beverages such as chuhai, cocktail drinks, sparkling wine, fruit wine, and condiment wine; dairy products such as butter, cheese, milk, and yogurt; desserts such as ice cream, lacto ice cream, frozen desserts, yogurt, pudding, jelly, and daily desserts, and mixes for producing them; confectioneries such as caramel, candy, tablet candy, crackers, biscuits, cookies, pies, chocolate, and snacks, and mixes such as cake mixes for producing them; general foods such as bread, soup, and various instant foods; and oral compositions such as toothpaste.

[0066] To give a specific example, by adding 0.01 to 20% by mass, preferably 0.05 to 5% by mass, of the roasted plant extract of the present invention to beverages, frozen desserts, creams, mousses, breads, cakes, etc. that have the flavor of various roasted plant materials (e.g., coffee), along with an appropriate blended flavoring, it is possible to impart a desirable roasted flavor derived from the roasted plant materials. [Example]

[0067] Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to Examples and Comparative Examples. However, the essence of the present invention lies in the above-disclosed technical idea and is not limited by the Examples. In the following description, when there are numbers indicating ratios, they mean ratios based on mass. (Example 1) Tyrosinase treatment of water extract of roasted coffee beans of the Robusta variety 1000 g of ground roasted coffee beans (L value 18, medium grind) of the Robusta variety (produced in Vietnam, G1) were packed into five columns (inner diameter 7 cm, length 25 cm), 200 g each. After sprinkling 80 g of normal-temperature soft water on each column from above to moisten the coffee beans, while heating the column jacket with steam, soft water heated to 98 °C (±2 °C) was fed from the top to the bottom of the column. When the column was completely immersed, it was allowed to stand for 30 minutes, and then the extract was withdrawn from the bottom of the column. The extract with a Bx of 20° or more was directly recovered as the recovered extract, cooled to 30 °C or lower, and stored. When the withdrawn extract fell below Bx 20°, the withdrawn liquid was sequentially fed to the top of the next column. Also, when the withdrawn extract fell below Bx 1.0°, the extraction of that column was terminated. Extraction was carried out up to the fifth column, and continuous extraction was carried out by the method of withdrawing the final recovered extract from the fifth column. Extraction was terminated when the Bx of the entire recovered extract reached 20.0° (required time: about 3 hours), and 1571 g (Bx 20.2°, pH 4.99) of the recovered extract (coffee extract 1) was obtained.

[0068] 350 g of coffee extract 1 was placed in a three-necked flask equipped with a stirring blade. After adjusting the product temperature to 55 °C, 0.35 g (0.1% of coffee extract 1) of tyrosinase T3824 (manufactured by MERCK) was dissolved, and the mixture was stirred and reacted at 40 °C for 2 hours. After 2 hours, the product temperature was raised to 90 °C to inactivate the enzyme and perform heat sterilization. After cooling to 30 °C, it was filtered through a polyvinylidene chloride mesh filter cloth (100 mesh) and filled into a container to obtain an extract of roasted coffee beans of the product of the present invention (Product of the present invention 1, Bx 20.2°, pH 4.99)

[0069] (Comparative Example 1) In Example 1, the coffee extract 1 was placed in a three-necked flask equipped with a stirring blade, heated to a product temperature of 90°C for heat sterilization, cooled to 30°C, filtered through a polyvinylidene chloride mesh filter cloth (100 mesh), filled into a container, and a roasted coffee bean extract of a comparative product was obtained (Comparative Product 1, Bx 20.1°, pH 5.01).

[0070] (Reference Example 1) Except that a 1:1 blend of Brazilian 4 / 5 (L value 18) and Colombian Excelso (L value 18) was used as the roasted coffee beans of the Arabica species instead of the ground product (medium grind) of the roasted beans (L value 18) of the Robusta species of coffee green beans (produced in Vietnam, G1) in Example 1, the same operations as in Comparative Example 1 were carried out to obtain a roasted coffee bean extract (Reference Product 1, Bx 20.0°, pH 5.02).

[0071] (Sensory Evaluation 1) Each of the product of the present invention 1, Comparative Product 1, and Reference Product 1 was diluted 20-fold with pure water and sensory evaluated by having 10 well-trained panelists taste it in the mouth to evaluate the aroma and flavor.

[0072] The sensory evaluation items were as follows: (1) lightness and richness of the aroma, (2) sweetness of the aroma, (3) amount of Robusta odor (aroma such as burnt wheat, flavor such as decocted Chinese herbal medicine, chemical odor, sulfur odor, earthy odor, mold odor, smoky odor, phenolic odor, etc., which are characteristic of the Robusta species), (4) lightness of bitterness and astringency (light, refreshing, without heavy and unpleasant bitterness and astringency), (5) sharpness of acidity (sharp, without a heavy aftertaste). For each item of Reference Product 1, a 5-point scale of 1 to 5 points (the better the aroma and flavor, the larger the score) was used with 3 points as the reference (1 point: clearly inferior, 2 points: slightly inferior, 3 points: almost equivalent, 4 points: slightly better, 5 points: extremely good). In addition, a comprehensive evaluation was filled in as a free item. The average value and average content of the results are shown in Table 1.

[0073]

Table 1

[0074] As shown in Table 1, the Robusta smell of Invention Product 1 was reduced and the coffee became mellow. Furthermore, the unpleasant flavor was reduced, resulting in a flavor closer to that of Arabica coffee beans.

[0075] (Example 2) Tyrosinase treatment of aqueous extract of roasted Arabica coffee beans 1000g of ground (medium grind) Arabica roasted coffee beans, a 1:1 blend of Brazil 4 / 5 (L value 18) and Colombia Excelso (L value 18), were packed into five columns (inner diameter 7cm, length 25cm) at 200g each. 80g of room temperature soft water was sprinkled onto each column from above to moisten the coffee beans. After that, while the column jacket was heated with steam, soft water heated to 98°C (±2°C) was pumped from the top to the bottom of the column. Once the columns were completely submerged, the columns were left to stand for 30 minutes, after which the extract was extracted from the bottom of the columns. The extract with a Bx of 20° or higher was cooled to below 30°C and stored as recovered extract. When the extracted extract dropped below 20°Bx, the extracted extract was fed to the top of the next column. When the extracted extract dropped below 1.0°Bx, the extraction of that column was terminated. This method was continued up to the fifth column, and the final recovered extract was extracted from the fifth column. The extraction was terminated when the Bx of the entire recovered extract reached 20.0°Bx (a required time of approximately 3 hours), yielding 1,555 g of recovered extract (coffee extract 2) (Bx 20.2°B, pH 5.03).

[0076] Coffee extract 2 (350 g) was placed in a three-neck flask equipped with a stirring blade, and the temperature was raised to 40°C. 0.35 g (0.1% of coffee extract 2) of tyrosinase T3824 (manufactured by Merck) was then dissolved in the flask. The mixture was stirred at 40°C for 60 minutes to allow the reaction to proceed, and then allowed to stand at 40°C for 16 hours. The temperature was then raised to 90°C for enzyme inactivation and heat sterilization. The mixture was then cooled to 30°C, filtered through a polyvinylidene chloride mesh filter cloth (100 mesh), and filled into a container to obtain the roasted coffee bean extract of the present invention (Invention Product 2, Bx 20.3°C, pH 4.97).

[0077] (Comparative Example 2) Take 2 (350 g) of coffee extract and place it in a 3-necked flask equipped with a stirring blade. Raise the product temperature to 90 °C for heat sterilization. After cooling to 30 °C, filter it through a mesh filter cloth (100 mesh) made of polyvinylidene chloride, fill it into a container, and obtain a roasted coffee bean extract of the comparative product (Comparative Product 2, Bx 20.2°, pH 5.02).

[0078] (Sensory Evaluation 2) Dilute each of the product of the present invention 2 and the comparative product 2 20-fold with pure water, and conduct sensory evaluation of each sample by having 10 well-trained panelists taste it in the mouth for aroma evaluation.

[0079] The sensory evaluation items were as follows: (1) lightness and richness of aroma, (2) sweetness of aroma, (3) low unpleasant odor (mainly phenolic odor), (4) lightness of bitterness and astringency (light, refreshing, without heavy and unpleasant bitterness and astringency), (5) freshness of acidity (fresh, without heavy aftertaste). Using each item of the comparative product 2 as 3 points (reference), evaluate on a 5-point scale from 1 to 5 points (the better the aroma, the larger the score) (1 point: clearly inferior, 2 points: slightly inferior, 3 points: almost the same, 4 points: slightly better, 5 points: extremely good). In addition, a comprehensive evaluation was filled in as a free item. The average value and average content of the results are shown in Table 2.

[0080]

Table 2

[0081] As shown in Table 2, even when tyrosinase treatment was performed on the water extract of Arabica roasted coffee beans, the unpleasant odor was reduced, it became mellow, and there were no particular changes in the lightness, richness, and sweetness of the aroma. In addition, the taste became lighter and it was evaluated that it became easier to drink overall.

[0082] (Example 3) Tyrosinase Treatment of Commercially Available Instant Coffee Commercially available instant coffee (a blend of Arabica and Robusta beans) was dissolved and diluted with 40°C ion-exchanged water to prepare a Bx20° solution (Bx20.0°, pH 4.68).

[0083] 350 g of this solution was placed in a three-neck flask equipped with a stirring blade, and after the temperature was raised to 40°C, 1.75 g (0.5% of the Bx20°C solution) of tyrosinase T3824 (Merck) was dissolved therein, and the mixture was stirred at 40°C for 2 hours to allow the reaction to proceed. The temperature was then raised to 90°C to inactivate the enzyme and sterilize the mixture by heating. After cooling to 30°C, the mixture was filtered through a polyvinylidene chloride mesh filter cloth (100 mesh) and filled into a container to obtain the roasted coffee bean extract of the present invention (Invention Product 3, Bx20.2°C, pH 4.61).

[0084] (Comparative Example 3) The same instant coffee used in Example 3 was dissolved and diluted with 40°C ion-exchanged water to prepare a Bx 20°C solution (Bx 20.0°C, pH 4.68). 350 g of this solution was placed in a three-neck flask equipped with a stirring blade, heated to 90°C for heat sterilization, cooled to 30°C, filtered through a polyvinylidene chloride mesh filter cloth (100 mesh), and filled into a container to obtain a comparative roasted coffee bean extract (Comparative Product 3, Bx 20.2°C, pH 4.62).

[0085] (Sensory evaluation 3) Each of the present invention product 3 and comparative product 3 was diluted 20 times with pure water, and each sample was subjected to a sensory evaluation by having 10 well-trained panelists taste the samples in their mouths and evaluate their flavor.

[0086] The sensory evaluation items were evaluated on a five - point scale from 1 to 5 (with a higher score indicating better flavor, where 1 point means clearly inferior, 2 points means slightly inferior, 3 points means approximately equivalent, 4 points means slightly better, and 5 points means extremely good), taking each item of Comparative Product 3 as 3 points (the reference). The items were: (1) lightness and richness of the aroma, (2) sweetness of the aroma, (3) low level of lobster odor (such as the aroma of scorched wheat, the flavor of decocted Chinese herbal medicine, chemical odor, sulfur odor, earthy odor, mold odor, smoke odor, phenolic odor, etc., which are specific to the lobster variety), (4) lightness of bitterness and astringency (being light, refreshing, without heavy and unpleasant bitterness and astringency), and (5) freshness of sourness (being fresh, without a strong aftertaste). In addition, a comprehensive evaluation was filled in as a free item. Table 3 shows the average value and average content of the results.

[0087]

Table 3

[0088] As shown in Table 3, it was confirmed that even for instant coffee using Arabica and Robusta blend roasted coffee beans, the lobster odor was reduced by tyrosinase treatment and it approached the flavor of Arabica coffee.

[0089] (Example 4) Tyrosinase treatment of the steam - distilled distillate 500 g of ground (coarse - ground) roasted beans (G1, L value 24) of Robusta coffee green beans (produced in Vietnam) were charged into a 3 - L column (inner diameter 15 cm, length 20 cm). 200 g of normal - temperature soft water (containing 0.05% sodium ascorbate) was sprinkled from above the column to moisten the coffee beans. Then, the inside of the column was purged with nitrogen. Nitrogen - gas - mixed steam (100 °C) at normal pressure was blown in from the bottom of the column, and the steam ejected from the top of the column was cooled with a cooling pipe (cooled with tap water). Steam distillation was carried out for 45 minutes to obtain 375 g of distillate (pH 3.45). Sodium hydrogen carbonate (1.7 g) was added to this distillate to adjust the pH to 5.25, which was used as Coffee Extract 3.

[0090] Coffee Extract 3 (150 g) was placed in a three-neck flask equipped with a stirring blade, and the temperature was raised to 40°C. Then, 0.6 g of sodium L-ascorbate (0.4% of Coffee Extract 3) and 0.3 g of tyrosinase T3824 (manufactured by Merck) (0.2% of Coffee Extract 3) were dissolved therein, and the mixture was stirred at 40°C for 60 minutes to allow the reaction to proceed. The temperature was then raised to 90°C for enzyme inactivation and heat sterilization. After cooling to 30°C, 37.5 g of 95% ethanol was added and mixed. The mixture was filtered through a polyvinylidene chloride mesh filter cloth (200 mesh) and filled into a container to obtain the roasted coffee bean extract of the present invention (Product 4, pH 5.05).

[0091] Comparative Example 4 The coffee extract 3 (150 g) was placed in a three-neck flask equipped with a stirring blade, 0.6 g of sodium L-ascorbate (0.4% of coffee extract 3) was added, the temperature was raised to 90°C for heat sterilization, and after cooling to 30°C, 37.5 g of 95% ethanol was added and mixed, and the mixture was filtered through a mesh filter cloth (200 mesh) made of polyvinylidene chloride and filled into a container to obtain a comparative roasted coffee bean extract (comparative product 4, pH 5.02).

[0092] (Sensory evaluation 4) Each of Invention Product 4 and Comparative Product 4 was added to pure water at a concentration of 0.2%, and each sample was subjected to a sensory evaluation by having 10 well-trained panelists taste the sample in their mouths and evaluate the flavor.

[0093] The sensory evaluation consisted of (1) lightness and savory aroma, (2) sweetness of aroma, and (3) the absence of Robusta odor (the aroma of burnt barley, the flavor of boiled herbal medicine, the medicinal odor, sulfur odor, earthy odor, moldy odor, smoky odor, and phenolic odor, which are unique to Robusta). Each item was rated on a 5-point scale (1 point: clearly inferior, 2 points: slightly inferior, 3 points: almost the same, 4 points: somewhat good, 5 points: extremely good) with comparison product 4 being given a standard score of 3 points, and the comparison product 4 being given a 5-point scale (1 point: clearly inferior, 2 points: slightly inferior, 3 points: almost the same, 4 points: somewhat good, 5 points: extremely good). Subjects were also asked to provide an overall evaluation as a free-form item. The average scores and average details are shown in Table 4.

[0094] [Table 4]

[0095] As shown in Table 4, when the steam distillate of roasted Robusta coffee beans was treated with tyrosinase, the Robusta odor was reduced and a mellow flavor was achieved. In addition, the unpleasant flavor characteristic of Robusta was reduced, resulting in a flavor similar to that of Arabica coffee beans.

[0096] (Example 5) Tyrosinase treatment of extract containing steam distillate (Robusta species) 1000 g of ground (coarsely ground) Robusta coffee beans (produced in Vietnam) (G1, L value 24) were placed in a 3 L column (internal diameter 15 cm, length 20 cm). 400 g of room temperature soft water (containing 0.05% sodium ascorbate) was sprinkled onto the column from above to moisten the coffee beans, after which the inside of the column was replaced with nitrogen, and atmospheric pressure steam (100°C) was blown into the bottom of the column. The steam spraying out from the top of the column was cooled in a cooling tube (cooled with tap water). Steam distillation was carried out for 2 hours, yielding 2000 g of distillate.

[0097] 2000 g of the distillate was passed through a column packed with 8 ml of Sepabeads SP-207 (a styrene-divinylbenzene synthetic adsorbent manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) at SV=50, and desorbed with 95% ethanol at SV=2, yielding 40 g of desorbed liquid.

[0098] On one hand, 4000 g of 90°C hot water was fed into the steam distillation residue in the column from the top at a rate of 2000 g / hr. After the raw materials in the column were immersed in the hot water, the extract was withdrawn from the lower part of the column while being cooled by a cooling pipe, and 3672 g (Bx 8.9°) of the extract was obtained. The extract was transferred to a stirring tank, heated to 45°C, and then 20 g (2% based on coffee beans) of cellulase GM5 (galactomannan-degrading enzyme manufactured by HBI Enzyme Co., Ltd.) and 20 g (2% based on coffee beans) of Sumiteam (glucoamylase manufactured by Shin Nippon Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) were added. After stirring at 45°C for 30 minutes, it was left standing at the same temperature for 16 hours. After standing, it was heat-sterilized by heating at 90°C for 1 minute, cooled to 25°C, and then filtered using a Nutsche coated with diatomaceous earth to obtain 3584 g of a clear filtrate. The obtained filtrate was concentrated to Bx 30° using a rotary evaporator to obtain 1073 g of a concentrated solution (Bx 30.0°, pH 5.54).

[0099] 500 g of this concentrated solution and 20 g of the desorbing solution were placed in a 3-necked flask equipped with a stirring blade. After adjusting the product temperature to 40°C, 0.52 g (0.1% of the above-mentioned mixed solution) of tyrosinase T3824 (manufactured by MERCK) was dissolved, and the mixture was stirred at 40°C for 2 hours to react. Then, the product temperature was raised to 90°C for enzyme deactivation and heat sterilization. After cooling to 30°C, it was filtered through a polyvinylidene chloride mesh filter cloth (100 mesh) and filled into a container to obtain a roasted coffee bean extract of the comparative product (Product of the present invention 5, Bx 30.3°, pH 5.43).

[0100] (Comparative Example 5) 500 g of the mixed solution of the concentrated solution and 20 g of the desorbing solution during the process of Example 5 was placed in a 3-necked flask equipped with a stirring blade. The product temperature was raised to 90°C for heat sterilization. After cooling to 30°C, it was filtered through a polyvinylidene chloride mesh filter cloth (100 mesh) and filled into a container to obtain a roasted coffee bean extract of the product of the present invention (Comparative product 5, Bx 30.2°, pH 5.45).

[0101] (Sensory Evaluation 5) The product of the present invention 5 and the comparative product 5 were each diluted 100-fold with pure water, and sensory evaluation of each sample was performed by having 10 well-trained panelists taste them in the mouth for flavor evaluation.

[0102] For the sensory evaluation items, (1) lightness and richness of the aroma, (2) sweetness of the aroma, (3) amount of lobster odor (aroma like burnt wheat, flavor like decocted Chinese medicine, chemical odor, sulfur odor, earthy odor, mold odor, smoky odor, phenolic odor, etc., the unique flavor of the lobster variety), (4) lightness of bitterness and astringency (light, refreshing, without heavy and unpleasant bitterness and astringency), (5) sharpness of acidity (sharp, without a heavy aftertaste), taking each item of the comparative product 5 as 3 points (reference), evaluation was performed on a 5-point scale from 1 to 5 points (the better the flavor, the larger the score) (1 point: clearly inferior, 2 points: slightly inferior, 3 points: almost the same, 4 points: slightly better, 5 points: extremely good). In addition, a comprehensive evaluation was filled in as a free item. The average value and average content of the results are shown in Table 5.

[0103]

Table 5

[0104] As shown in Table 5, the lobster odor of the product of the present invention 5 was alleviated and became mellow. And by alleviating the unpleasant flavor, it became a flavor similar to that of Arabica coffee beans.

[0105] (Example 6) Tyrosinase treatment of the extract containing the steam distillation distillate (Arabica variety) In Example 5, except that the roasted coffee beans were replaced with the ground product (coarse grind) of roasted coffee beans of the lobster variety (produced in Vietnam) (G1, L value 24), and the ground product (coarse grind) of a 1:1 blend of roasted coffee beans of the Arabica variety (Brazil 4 / 5 (L value 24) and Colombia Excelso (L value 24)) was used, the same operations as in Example 5 were performed to obtain the product of the present invention 6.

[0106] (Comparative Example 6) Comparative Product 6 was obtained by carrying out the same operations as in Comparative Example 5, except that the roasted coffee beans in Comparative Example 5 were replaced with ground Robusta (Vietnam) roasted coffee beans (G1, L value 24) and ground Arabica roasted coffee beans (ground 1:1 blend of Brazil 4 / 5 (L value 24) and Colombia Excelso (L value 24)).

[0107] (Sensory evaluation 6) Each of the present invention product 6 and comparative product 6 was diluted 100 times with pure water, and each sample was subjected to a sensory evaluation by having 10 well-trained panelists taste the samples in their mouths and evaluate their flavor.

[0108] The sensory evaluation consisted of the following items: (1) lightness and fragrant aroma; (2) sweetness of aroma; (3) absence of unpleasant odor (mainly phenolic odor); (4) lightness of bitterness and astringency (light and refreshing, without a heavy, unpleasant bitterness or astringency); and (5) refreshing acidity (refreshing, without a heavy aftertaste). Each item of the comparison product 6 was rated on a 5-point scale from 1 to 5 (higher scores indicate better aroma and flavor) with 3 points (standard score) for comparison product 6 (1 point: clearly inferior, 2 points: slightly inferior, 3 points: almost the same, 4 points: somewhat good, 5 points: extremely good). Subjects were also asked to provide an overall evaluation as a free-form item. The average scores and average details are shown in Table 6.

[0109] [Table 6]

[0110] As shown in Table 6, when tyrosinase was applied to an extract containing the steam distillate of roasted Arabica coffee beans, the unpleasant odor was reduced and the coffee became mellower, while the lightness, savory flavor, and sweetness of the aroma remained unchanged. The flavor was also lighter, making the coffee easier to drink overall.

[0111] (Example 7) Tyrosinase-treated deodorized Robusta extract (extract for enhancing bitter and astringent taste) 1000 g of ground (coarsely ground) roasted Robusta coffee beans (produced in Vietnam) (G1, L value 20) were placed in a 3 L column (internal diameter 15 cm, length 20 cm). 400 g of room temperature soft water (containing 0.05% sodium ascorbate) was sprinkled onto the column from above to moisten the coffee beans, after which the inside of the column was replaced with nitrogen, and atmospheric pressure steam (100°C) was blown into the bottom of the column. The steam spraying out from the top of the column was cooled in a cooling tube (cooled with tap water). Steam distillation was carried out for 2 hours, yielding 2000 g of distillate.

[0112] Meanwhile, 4000 g of 90°C hot water was pumped into the steam distillation residue in the column from the top at a rate of 2000 g / hr. After the raw material in the column was soaked in the hot water, the extract was withdrawn from the bottom of the column while cooling with a cooling tube, yielding 3668 g of extract (Bx 8.9°). The extract was transferred to a stirring vessel and heated to 45°C. After that, 20 g (2% coffee bean ratio) of Cellulosin GM5 (a galactomannan-degrading enzyme manufactured by HBI Enzyme) and 20 g (2% coffee bean ratio) of Sumiteam (a glucoamylase manufactured by Shin-Nippon Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) were added, stirred at 45°C for 30 minutes, and then allowed to stand at the same temperature for 16 hours. After standing, the mixture was heat-sterilized at 90°C for 1 minute, cooled to 25°C, and filtered using a diatomaceous earth-coated funnel to obtain 3575 g of clear filtrate. The obtained filtrate was concentrated to Bx 30° using a rotary evaporator to obtain 1068 g of a concentrated liquid (Bx 30.1°, pH 5.53).

[0113] 500 g of this concentrate was placed in a three-neck flask equipped with a stirring blade, and after the product temperature was raised to 40°C, 0.52 g (0.1% of the mixed solution) of tyrosinase T3824 (manufactured by MERCK) was dissolved therein, and the mixture was stirred at 40°C for 120 minutes to allow the reaction to proceed. Thereafter, the product temperature was raised to 90°C to inactivate the enzyme and sterilize by heating. After cooling to 30°C, the mixture was filtered through a mesh filter cloth (100 mesh) made of polyvinylidene chloride and filled into a container to obtain the roasted coffee bean extract of the present invention (Product 7 of the present invention, Bx 30.3°C, pH 5.43).

[0114] (Comparative product 7) 500 g of the concentrated liquid (Bx 30.1, pH 5.53) obtained during the process of Example 7 was placed in a three-neck flask equipped with a stirring blade, and the product temperature was raised to 90°C to inactivate the enzymes and sterilize by heating. After cooling to 30°C, the liquid was filtered through a mesh filter cloth (100 mesh) made of polyvinylidene chloride and filled into a container to obtain a comparative roasted coffee bean extract (Comparative Product 7, Bx 30.1°, pH 5.47).

[0115] (Sensory evaluation 7) Present invention product 7 and comparative product 7 were each added at 0.1% to commercially available canned milk coffee, and a sensory evaluation was carried out by 10 panelists.

[0116] As a result, the sample to which Comparative Product 7 was added was evaluated as having a stronger bitter and astringent taste, but with a persistent aftertaste and a strong Robb smell, whereas the sample to which Invention Product 7 was added had a mildly bitter and astringent taste and no Robb smell.

[0117] (Example 8) Tyrosinase treatment of extract containing steam distillate of roasted barley (barley tea) 1000 g of roasted barley (L value 32, whole grain) was placed in a 3 L column (inner diameter 15 cm, length 20 cm). The inside of the column was replaced with nitrogen, and steam (100°C) at atmospheric pressure was blown into the bottom of the column. The steam gushing out from the top of the column was cooled in a cooling tube (cooled with tap water). Steam distillation was carried out for 1 hour, and 1000 g of distillate was obtained.

[0118] Meanwhile, 90°C hot water was fed into the steam distillation residue in the column from above at a rate of 2000 g / hr. After the raw material in the column was immersed in the hot water, the extract was withdrawn from the bottom of the column while being cooled with a cooling pipe. The extract was withdrawn so that the overall Bx was 20° (extract yield: 1585 g).

[0119] 500 g of the distillate and 500 g of the extract were mixed and the product temperature was raised to 55 ° C., after which 0.5 g (0.05% of the mixture) of tyrosinase T3824 (manufactured by Merck) and 0.5 g (0.05% of the mixture) of cocloranase (an amylase preparation manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) were added and dissolved, and the mixture was stirred at 40 ° C. for 120 minutes to react. The product temperature was raised to 90 ° C. for enzyme inactivation and heat sterilization, and then cooled to 30 ° C. After filtration through a polyvinylidene chloride mesh filter cloth (100 mesh), the mixture was filled into a container to obtain the roasted barley extract of the present invention (Product 8 of the present invention, Bx 10.3 °, pH 5.52).

[0120] (Comparative Example 8) 500 g of the distillate and 500 g of the extract from Example 8 were mixed to prepare a mixture, and the product temperature was raised to 55 ° C. After that, 0.5 g (0.05% of the mixture) of Coclase (an amylase preparation manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) was added and dissolved, and the mixture was stirred at 55 ° C. for 60 minutes to react. The product temperature was raised to 90 ° C. to inactivate the enzyme and sterilize it by heat, and then cooled to 30 ° C. After that, the mixture was filtered through a mesh filter cloth (100 mesh) made of polyvinylidene chloride and filled into a container to obtain a comparative roasted barley extract (Comparative Product 8, Bx 10.2 °, pH 5.50).

[0121] (Sensory evaluation 8) The present invention product 8 and the comparative product 8 were each diluted 20 times with ion-exchanged water, and subjected to a sensory evaluation by 10 panelists.

[0122] As a result, all of the panelists evaluated that invention product 8 had significantly less burnt flavor and phenolic odor than comparison product 8, and had a good flavor.

[0123] (Example 9) Tyrosinase treatment of steam distillate of roasted rice 1000 g of roasted rice (Koshihikari, L value 34, round grain) was placed in a 3 L column (inner diameter 15 cm, length 20 cm). The inside of the column was replaced with nitrogen, and steam (100°C) at atmospheric pressure was blown into the bottom of the column. The steam gushing out from the top of the column was cooled in a cooling tube (cooled with tap water). Steam distillation was carried out for 2 hours, and 2000 g of distillate was obtained.

[0124] This distillate was placed in a three-necked flask equipped with a stirring blade. After adjusting the product temperature to 55°C, 0.2 g (0.01% based on the distillate) of tyrosinase T3824 (manufactured by MERCK) was dissolved, and the mixture was stirred at 55°C for 60 minutes for reaction. Then, the product temperature was raised to 90°C to inactivate the enzyme and perform heat sterilization. After cooling to 30°C, it was filtered through a polyvinylidene chloride mesh filter cloth (100 mesh) to obtain 2000 g of the tyrosinase-treated distillate.

[0125] 2000 g of this tyrosinase-treated distillate was passed through a column filled with 8 mL of Sepabeads SP-207 (a styrene divinylbenzene-based synthetic adsorbent manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) at an SV of 50, and desorbed with 95% ethanol at an SV of 2 to obtain 40 g of the desorbed solution (Product 9 of the present invention).

[0126] (Comparative Example 9) 1000 g of roasted rice (Koshihikari, L value 34, round grains) was charged into a 3 L column (inner diameter 15 cm, length 20 cm). The inside of the column was purged with nitrogen, and atmospheric pressure steam (100°C) was blown in from the lower part of the column. The steam ejected from the upper part of the column was cooled with a cooling pipe (cooled with tap water), and steam distillation was performed for 2 hours to obtain 2000 g of the distillate.

[0127] 2000 g of this distillate was passed through a column filled with 8 mL of Sepabeads SP-207 (a styrene divinylbenzene-based synthetic adsorbent manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) at an SV of 50, and desorbed with 95% ethanol at an SV of 2 to obtain 40 g of the desorbed solution (Comparative Product 9).

[0128] (Sensory Evaluation 9) Product 9 of the present invention and Comparative Product 9 were each diluted 1000-fold with ion-exchanged water and subjected to sensory evaluation by 10 panelists.

[0129] As a result, all panelists evaluated that Product 9 of the present invention had significantly less phenol odor and cresol odor and better flavor compared to Comparative Product 9.

Claims

1. When extracting a roasted plant raw material to prepare a roasted plant extract, a method for improving the flavor of the roasted plant extract, wherein tyrosinase treatment is performed during the extraction of the roasted plant raw material and / or on the extract of the roasted plant raw material.

2. The method for improving the flavor of a roasted plant extract according to Claim 1, wherein the roasted plant raw material is a roasted seed.

3. The method for improving the flavor of a roasted plant extract according to Claim 1, wherein the roasted plant raw material is roasted coffee beans.

4. In the method for improving the flavor of a roasted plant extract according to Claim 1, a method wherein the flavor improvement is reduction of an unpleasant odor.

5. In the method for improving the flavor of a roasted plant extract according to Claim 1, a method wherein the flavor improvement is reduction of a phenolic odor.

6. The method for improving the flavor of a roasted plant extract according to Claim 1, wherein the roasted plant raw material is roasted coffee beans containing varieties other than Arabica.

7. In the method for improving the flavor of a roasted plant extract according to Claim 6, a method wherein the flavor improvement makes the flavor of roasted coffee beans of varieties other than Arabica similar to the flavor of roasted Arabica coffee beans.

8. A method for producing a roasted coffee bean extract, wherein during the extraction of roasted coffee beans other than Arabica, tyrosinase treatment is performed during the extraction of the roasted coffee beans and / or on the extract obtained by the extraction of the roasted coffee beans.

9. A method for producing a roasted plant extract, wherein during the extraction of one or more roasted plant raw materials selected from the following group (X), tyrosinase treatment is performed during the extraction of the roasted plant raw material and / or on the extract obtained by the extraction of the roasted plant raw material. Group (X): roasted barley, roasted malt, roasted rice, roasted brown rice, roasted germinated brown rice, and roasted Job's tears

10. A method for producing a roasted plant extract, comprising the following steps (A) and (B). Step (A): A step of steam-distilling a roasted plant raw material to obtain a distillate Step (B): A step of performing tyrosinase treatment on the distillate obtained in the step (A) to obtain a roasted plant extract

11. A method for producing a roasted plant extract, comprising the following steps (A) to (D). Step (A): A step of steam-distilling a roasted plant raw material to obtain a distillate Step (B): A step of performing tyrosinase treatment on the distillate obtained in the step (A) to obtain a tyrosinase-treated distillate Step (C): A step of extracting the roasted plant raw material before and / or after performing the step (A) with an aqueous solvent to obtain an aqueous solvent extract Step (D): A step of mixing the tyrosinase-treated distillate obtained in the step (B) with the aqueous solvent extract obtained in the step (C) to obtain a roasted plant extract

12. A method for producing a roasted plant extract, comprising the following steps (A) to (D). Step (A): A step of steam-distilling a roasted plant raw material to obtain a distillate Step (B): A step of extracting the roasted plant raw material before and / or after performing the step (A) with an aqueous solvent to obtain an aqueous solvent extract Step (C): A step of mixing the distillate obtained in the step (A) with the aqueous solvent extract obtained in the step (B) to obtain an extract Step (D): A step of subjecting the extract obtained in the step (C) to tyrosinase treatment to obtain a roasted plant extract

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