Soybean milk-containing beverage, and method for preventing flavor degradation of soybean milk-containing beverage

Abstract

To provide a soybean milk-containing beverage that has a good flavor of soybean milk, particularly a favorable sourness, while preventing flavor degradation during its storage: namely, a soybean milk-containing beverage that achieves both of reduction in green smells and the like during its storage and a good sourness (flavor).SOLUTION: A soybean milk-containing beverage contains lactic acid and citric acid. The acidity of citric acid is 0.1-0.4 mass%. The ratio between the lactic acid-derived citric acid acidity and the citric acid-derived citric acid acidity is 90: 10-50: 50.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a soy milk-containing beverage and a method for suppressing deterioration in flavor of a soy milk-containing beverage. [Background technology]

[0002] Various dairy beverages have been developed to meet a wide variety of needs. Meanwhile, against the backdrop of issues such as milk allergies, recent health trends, and diversifying taste preferences, new soy milk-containing beverages are being developed as alternatives to dairy beverages. Soy milk is popular as a nutritious plant-based milk, and many room-temperature storable products are available. However, it is known that soy milk and soy milk-containing beverages can develop a noticeable grassy soy milk odor derived from soybeans during storage, resulting in an unpleasant flavor that diminishes their palatability and makes them difficult to drink. To address this issue, efforts have been made to impart a fruity flavor to soy milk to make it more palatable, but this may also impair the inherent flavor of soy milk. Therefore, attempts have been made to mask the unpleasant soy milk odor in other ways. For example, Patent Document 1 describes that the unpleasant odor of soy milk can be masked by supplementing lactic acid or citric acid to lactic acid-fermented soy milk. Specifically, it describes that the unpleasant odor becomes noticeable when the acidity is less than 0.45. Attempts have also been made to improve the flavor of soy milk or soy milk-containing beverages. For example, Patent Document 2 describes a method for producing an acidic soy protein-containing beverage, and specifically describes that it is preferable to add citric acid or lactic acid to acidic beverages containing soy milk from the standpoint of flavor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-333692 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-61139 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As described above, development is underway to improve or enhance the flavor of soy milk or soy milk-containing beverages. However, there is no knowledge of a technique for achieving both a desirable sour taste and a reduced unpleasant soy milk odor in soy milk-containing beverages. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a soy milk-containing beverage that has the good flavor of soy milk, particularly a pleasant sour taste, while suppressing deterioration of flavor during storage, i.e., a soy milk-containing beverage that combines a reduced grassy smell and the like that occurs during storage with a good sour taste (flavor), and to provide a method for providing such a soy milk-containing beverage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present inventors have focused on the above-mentioned problems and, in the course of intensive research into means for solving the problems, have discovered that by adjusting the total content and ratio of citric acid and lactic acid as acidulants added to unflavored soy milk or soy milk-containing beverages, it is possible to maintain a pleasant sour taste while simultaneously suppressing deterioration in flavor, and have completed the present invention. That is, the present invention includes the following aspects. [1] Contains lactic acid and citric acid, The acidity of citric acid is 0.1 to 0.4% by mass, A soy milk-containing beverage, in which the ratio of the acidity of citric acid derived from lactic acid to the acidity of citric acid derived from citric acid is 90:10 to 50:50. [2] The soy milk-containing beverage according to [1] above, wherein the soybean solids concentration is 0.1 to 0.5% by mass. [3] The soy milk-containing beverage according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the soybean lipid concentration is 0.05 to 0.3% by mass. [4] A method for suppressing deterioration in flavor of a soy milk-containing beverage, comprising a step of adjusting the amounts of citric acid and lactic acid in the soy milk-containing beverage so that the citric acid acidity is 0.1 to 0.4 mass% and the ratio of the acidity derived from lactic acid to the acidity derived from citric acid is 90:10 to 50:50. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] The present invention can provide a soy milk-containing beverage that combines the good flavor of soy milk with suppressed deterioration of flavor during storage. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention contains lactic acid and citric acid, has a citric acid acidity of 0.1 to 0.4% by mass, and is characterized by a ratio of the citric acid acidity derived from lactic acid to the citric acid acid acidity derived from citric acid of 90:10 to 50:50. Soy milk produced using only soybeans as raw materials typically contains very little citric acid and lactic acid, so the soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention can be obtained by adding appropriate amounts of citric acid and lactic acid. In the present invention, the citric acid acidity is equivalent to the acidity of anhydrous citric acid and can be set to the value specified by the method described in this example. Furthermore, the soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention can be obtained by adjusting the amounts of lactic acid and citric acid used as acidulants while paying attention to the citric acid acidity of the entire beverage. The soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention has a refreshing aftertaste and a pleasant sour taste, while being able to suppress deterioration of flavor during storage.

[0008] The amounts of citric acid and lactic acid in the soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention are set so that the citric acid acidity of the soy milk-containing beverage is 0.1 to 0.4% by mass, preferably 0.15 to 0.35% by mass, and more preferably 0.2 to 0.3% by mass. In the present invention, commercially available citric acid and lactic acid may be blended into the soy milk-containing beverage, or a food or drink containing citric acid and lactic acid at known concentrations may be blended into the soy milk-containing beverage. Furthermore, the soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention may contain, in addition to lactic acid and citric acid, other acidulants such as phosphoric acid or malic acid, or the citric acid acidity may be adjusted using only lactic acid and citric acid as acidulants.

[0009] In the soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention, the ratio of the acidity of citric acid derived from lactic acid to the acidity of citric acid derived from citric acid is preferably 90:10 to 50:50, more preferably 86:14 to 50:50, even more preferably 80:20 to 50:50, and particularly preferably 60:40 to 50:50. Here, when focusing only on a desirable sourness in a soy milk-containing beverage, it is preferable to use only lactic acid as an acidulant. However, in the soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention, in order to achieve both a desirable sourness and suppression of flavor deterioration, it is necessary to have lactic acid and citric acid in the above ratio. One of the reasons for this suppression of flavor deterioration is thought to be that by adjusting the ratio of the citric acid to the lactic acid in the present invention as citric acid acidity, the flavor of soy milk-derived components in the soy milk-containing beverage, particularly unsaturated aldehydes such as hexanal, which are generated by the oxidation of soy lipids during storage and contribute to the grassy or oily odor of soy milk, can be masked. In the present invention, the acidity of citric acid derived from lactic acid and the acidity of citric acid derived from citric acid as an acidulant in a soy milk-containing beverage can be values calculated by the method described in this example.

[0010] The soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it includes, for example, soy milk, prepared soy milk, or soy milk beverages described in Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Notification No. 683 of March 29, 2018. The soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention may also be a beverage containing soy milk powder as a raw material. The soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention preferably has a soy solids content of 0.1 to 0.5% by mass, more preferably 0.2 to 0.4% by mass. The soy solids content can be determined by calculation based on the raw materials used in the production of the soy milk-containing beverage. The soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention preferably has a soy lipid content (contained in the soy solids content) of 0.05 to 0.3% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 0.2% by mass. The ratio of the total concentration (% by mass) of lactic acid and citric acid to the soy solids content (% by mass) of the soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention is preferably 0.1 to 1.0, more preferably 0.2 to 0.8.

[0011] Here, the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention preferably has a pH of 4.6 or less, more preferably 4.0 or less, and preferably 3.0 or more, and more preferably 3.3 or more. If the pH exceeds 4.6, the stability of the soy protein may be impaired and precipitation may increase, and if the pH is less than 2.6, the beverage may taste too sour, making it less drinkable.

[0012] Preferred embodiments of the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention include, but are not limited to, soy milk-containing soft drinks having a citric acid acidity of 0.1 to 0.4% by mass, and particularly preferably 0.15 to 0.3% by mass, a citric acidity derived from lactic acid:citric acid acidity derived from citric acid of 90:10 to 50:50, and particularly preferably 80:20 to 50:50, a soybean solids concentration of 0.2 to 0.3% by mass, and particularly preferably 0.25% by mass, and a soybean lipid concentration of 0.1 to 0.4% by mass, and particularly preferably 0.2 to 0.3% by mass.

[0013] The sugar content of the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention is synonymous with the Brix (also referred to as Brix or Bx) value. In the present invention, the sugar content is the reading of a sugar refractometer at 20°C, and can be, for example, the solid content measured at 20°C using a Digital Refractometer Rx-5000 (manufactured by Atago Co., Ltd.). The sugar content is not particularly limited, but is preferably 3 to 12°Bx, and more preferably 5 to 10°Bx. The sugar content of the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention can be adjusted to the above-mentioned value by using known sweeteners. For example, sugars such as sucrose, glucose, granulated sugar, fructose, lactose, maltose, high-fructose glucose syrup, and high-fructose glucose syrup are preferably used alone or in combination with two or more of the following: low-intensity sweeteners such as xylitol and D-sorbitol; and high-intensity sweeteners such as thaumatin, stevia extract, disodium glycyrrhizinate, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, neotame, and saccharin sodium. Adjusting the sugar content with sucrose, high-fructose glucose syrup, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, or aspartame is particularly preferred from the viewpoint of the taste preferences, such as the natural sweetness and refreshing acidity, that are desired in soy milk-containing beverages.

[0014] The soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention preferably contains a protein stabilizer. Any thickening polysaccharide that can be used in foods and beverages can be used as the stabilizer without particular limitations, with soy polysaccharides being particularly preferred. The thickening polysaccharides may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Examples of thickening polysaccharides that can be used include, but are not limited to, soy polysaccharides and pectin. Soybean polysaccharides are water-soluble polysaccharides obtained from soybeans, primarily composed of hemicellulose and other sugars such as galactose, arabinose, galacturonic acid, rhamnose, xylose, fucose, and glucose. Soybean polysaccharides can be obtained by extracting, purifying, and sterilizing okara (fibrous residue) produced during the production of soybean oil and isolated soybean protein from soybeans. Commercially available soybean polysaccharides may also be used, such as those sold under the trade names "SM-700," "SM-900," and "SM-1200" (all manufactured by San-ei Gen F.F.I.).

[0015] The blending ratio of the stabilizer in the soy milk-containing beverage can be determined appropriately depending on the type of stabilizer, etc., within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention. The blending ratio is not particularly limited, but for example, to maintain good protein stability and a good flavor, the lower limit based on the total mass of the beverage is usually 2 g / L, preferably 4 g / L, and the upper limit is usually 8 g / L, preferably 6 g / L. If the blending ratio of the stabilizer is high, there is a risk that the flavor and texture specific to the stabilizer will become stronger. Furthermore, if necessary, minerals such as sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and the like, or salts thereof may be added to adjust the flavor of the soy milk-containing beverage.

[0016] The soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention may also contain a milk component. The milk component may be derived from either raw milk, such as animal milk or plant milk. Examples of animal milk include cow's milk, goat's milk, sheep's milk, and horse's milk. Examples of the milk component include whole milk, skim milk, whey, milk protein concentrate, buttermilk powder, evaporated milk, sweetened skim condensed milk, sweetened whole milk condensed milk, fresh cream, and fermented milk. Milk reconstituted from powdered milk or concentrated milk can also be used. Of these, skim milk is preferred, and skim milk powder is particularly preferred due to its ease of handling. The milk component may be derived from a single type of raw material or from several types of raw materials.

[0017] Furthermore, fruit juice, for example, citrus fruit juice such as orange, lemon, grapefruit, or fruit juice such as grape, peach, apple, or banana, may be added as an optional acidic component as needed within a range that does not impair the flavor, etc., of the soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention. The soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention may also include liquid or paste-like fermented soy milk food and drink products obtained by fermenting raw materials (such as soy milk) using lactic acid bacteria, yeast, or the like. Furthermore, the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention may contain commonly used food additives such as sweeteners and flavorings not mentioned above, various nutritional components, various plant extracts, coloring agents, diluents, antioxidants, etc., as long as the purpose of the present invention is not impaired. The soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a beverage containing soy milk, and examples thereof include unadjusted soy milk, adjusted soy milk, soy milk beverages, soft drinks, coffee beverages, tea beverages, fruit drinks, sports drinks, health drinks, and alcoholic beverages. The water used (added) when producing the soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, and for example, ion-exchanged water can be used.

[0018] The soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention can be obtained by appropriately mixing soy milk and the above-mentioned food additives such as acidulants, sweeteners, flavorings, various nutritional components, various plant extracts, coloring agents, diluents, antioxidants, etc. In the production process of the soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention, homogenization treatment and sterilization treatment can be added as appropriate and necessary. The homogenization treatment can be usually carried out using a homogenizer. The homogenization conditions are not particularly limited, and can be carried out in accordance with conventional methods. The sterilization method is not particularly limited, and conventional methods such as plate sterilization, tubular sterilization, retort sterilization, batch sterilization, and autoclave sterilization can be used. The soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention after sterilization can be filled into containers, for example, by hot-packing the beverage into the containers and then cooling the filled containers, or by cooling the beverage to a temperature suitable for filling into containers and then aseptically filling the beverage into containers that have been washed and sterilized in advance. The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples and comparative examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples in any way. [Example]

[0019] The following raw materials (components) were used in the following examples and comparative examples. Soy milk (soybean solids 18%) High fructose corn syrup (55% isomerized sugar) soybean polysaccharide pectin 50% lactic acid Anhydrous citric acid Trisodium Citrate Ion-exchanged water (solvent making up the remainder)

[0020] The methods for obtaining analytical or calculated values of the content of each component are as follows. ≪1 Sugar content (Bx°)≫ The sugar content was measured on the sample at 20°C using a Digital Refractometer Rx-5000 (manufactured by Atago Co., Ltd.).

[0021] <2 pH> The pH was measured using a pH meter. ≪3 Soybean solid content (mass%)≫ Soy solids were calculated based on the raw materials used to make each beverage sample. ≪4 Soybean lipid (mass%)≫ The fat content of the soy solids was calculated based on the raw materials used to manufacture each beverage sample.

[0022] <5. Acidity of anhydrous citric acid (mass%)> The citric acid acidity of the entire beverage sample was measured by the following titration method. Specifically, the citric acid acidity was determined by titration using phenolphthalein indicator and sodium hydroxide according to the following procedure. (1) Accurately weigh 5 to 15 g of beverage into a 200 mL Erlenmeyer flask and dilute to approximately 50 mL with water. (2) Add a few drops of 1% phenolphthalein indicator to the diluted beverage and stir. (3) While stirring the diluted beverage solution in the Erlenmeyer flask with a magnetic stirrer, add 0.1 M sodium hydroxide in a 25 mL burette dropwise to the beverage solution to perform a titration test. The endpoint of this titration test is when the beverage solution in the Erlenmeyer flask remains red for 30 seconds.

[0023] (4) Calculate the citric acid acidity (%) using the following formula based on the results of the titration test. Acidity of citric acid (%) = A × f × (100 / W) × 0.0064 Equation (1) [In formula (1), A represents the titer (mL) of 0.1 M sodium hydroxide solution, f represents the titer of 0.1 M sodium hydroxide solution, and W represents the mass (g) of the sample. The value "0.0064" used in formula (1) represents the mass (g) of anhydrous citric acid equivalent to 1 mL of 0.1 M sodium hydroxide solution.] The titration test may be performed using a hydrogen ion concentration meter instead of the phenolphthalein indicator. In this case, the endpoint of the titration test is when the pH of the beverage solution in the Erlenmeyer flask reaches 8.1. The "acidity of citric acid derived from other raw materials" is a value calculated by adding up the acidity of each raw material.

[0024] We investigated the effects of different types (combinations) of acidulants added to soy milk-containing beverages and the amount added. [Control example] A liquid preparation was produced by blending water, prepared soy milk in an amount to give a soybean solids content of 0.26% by mass (including 0.20% by mass of soybean lipids), stabilizers (soybean polysaccharides, pectin) in amounts to give the Bx, anhydrous citric acid acidity, and pH shown in Table 1 below, 50% lactic acid as an acidulant, trisodium citrate, and high-fructose corn syrup (55% isomerized sugar). The resulting liquid preparation was sterilized by flash sterilization at 95°C and then filled into PET bottles to give packaged beverage samples.

[0025] [Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Example 1] A beverage sample was obtained in the same manner as the control product, except that 50% lactic acid and anhydrous citric acid were blended as acidulants in amounts that would result in the anhydrous citric acid acidity shown in Table 1.

[0026] [Table 1]

[0027] <Accelerated Deterioration Test and Sensory Evaluation> The beverage samples obtained in the Control Example, Examples 1 to 3, and Comparative Example 1 were stored in an environment of 55°C for 3 days to accelerate deterioration. After accelerating the deterioration of each beverage sample, the beverage samples were cooled to 4°C and subjected to a sensory evaluation by five expert panelists using a "control" beverage sample as the standard, and the scores were averaged. The sensory evaluation criteria were as shown in Table 2 below.

[0028] [Table 2]

[0029] In the accelerated test, the "control" was used as the standard, and this score was adjusted to 4 points. Expert panelists were asked to rate each beverage sample on a 7-point scale from 1 to 7 for "grainy soy milk smell, oily smell," "sourness," "aftertaste," and "taste (overall rating)." The final rating was calculated by rounding the average of the five expert panelists' ratings to the nearest tenth. Note that "taste (overall rating)" was a comprehensive evaluation of the beverage's palatability, taking into account factors other than the flavor inherent in soy milk. There was no variation in the ratings between the expert panelists. The sensory evaluation results after the accelerated degradation test are shown in Table 3.

[0030] [Table 3]

[0031] In the test groups of Examples 1 to 3, the "grassy smell and oily smell of soy milk" were masked compared to the control example, and the "pleasant sourness" and "pleasant aftertaste" were improved. On the other hand, in Comparative Example 1, no masking effect on the "grassy smell and oily smell of soy milk" was confirmed.

Claims

1. Contains lactic acid and citric acid, The citric acid acidity is 0.1 to 0.4% by mass, A soy milk-containing beverage in which the ratio of the acidity of citric acid derived from lactic acid to the acidity of citric acid derived from citric acid is 90:10 to 50:

50.

2. 2. The soy milk-containing beverage according to claim 1, wherein the soybean solids concentration is 0.1 to 0.5% by mass.

3. 3. The soy milk-containing beverage according to claim 1, wherein the soybean lipid concentration is 0.05 to 0.3% by mass.

4. A method for suppressing flavor deterioration in a soy milk-containing beverage, comprising a step of adjusting the amounts of citric acid and lactic acid in the soy milk-containing beverage so that the citric acid acidity is 0.1 to 0.4 mass % and the ratio of the citric acid acidity derived from lactic acid to the citric acid acid acidity is 90:10 to 50:50.

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