Alcoholic beverage containing saccharides

Abstract

To provide an alcoholic beverage containing saccharides and / or disaccharides in which sweetness, especially sticky sweetness, is improved.SOLUTION: The present invention employs sodium gluconate.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to alcoholic beverages containing monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, methods for producing the same, and related methods. [Background technology]

[0002] Important flavors in alcoholic beverages such as chuhai and cocktails include sweetness, sourness, bitterness, alcoholic taste, and carbonation, with sweetness playing an important role among these.

[0003] Numerous studies have been conducted on the quality of sweetness in alcoholic beverages. For example, Patent Document 1 describes an alcoholic beverage containing specific amounts of acesulfame potassium and sugars such as monosaccharides. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-216991 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The inventors of the present invention have investigated the sweetness of alcoholic beverages containing monosaccharides and / or disaccharides and have found that combining these sugars with alcohol reduces the quality of the sweetness and produces a sticky sweetness. Here, "sticky sweetness" refers to a persistent sweetness that clings to the tongue.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to improve the sweetness, particularly the sticky sweetness, of alcoholic beverages containing sugars and / or disaccharides. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of extensive research, the present inventors have found that the use of sodium gluconate in alcoholic beverages containing monosaccharides and / or disaccharides can improve the sweetness, particularly the sticky sweetness, of the beverages.

[0008] The present invention relates to, but is not limited to, the following: [1] 0.5 to 3.0 g / L sodium gluconate, Alcohol, and A beverage containing monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, The beverage described above, wherein the total content of the sugars is 3.0 g / 100 ml or more when converted to sucrose based on sweetness. [2] The beverage according to [1], having an alcohol content of 1.0 to 15.0 v / v%. [3] The beverage according to [1] or [2], wherein the total content of the sugars is 3.0 to 20.0 g / 100 ml when converted to sucrose based on sweetness. [4] A beverage according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the sugar is at least one, two or three selected from the group consisting of glucose, galactose, mannose, fructose, maltose, lactose, and sucrose. [5] A method for producing an alcoholic beverage containing monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, The method includes a step of mixing ingredients so that the beverage contains 0.5 to 3.0 g / L of sodium gluconate, alcohol, and monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, and the total content of the sugars in the beverage is 3.0 g / 100 ml or more when converted to the amount of sucrose based on sweetness. [6] A method for improving the sweetness of an alcoholic beverage containing monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, comprising: The method includes a step of mixing ingredients so that the beverage contains 0.5 to 3.0 g / L of sodium gluconate, alcohol, and monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, and the total content of the sugars in the beverage is 3.0 g / 100 ml or more when converted to the amount of sucrose based on sweetness. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The present invention can improve the sweetness, particularly the sticky sweetness, of alcoholic beverages containing monosaccharides and / or disaccharides. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The beverages of the present invention and related methods are described below.

[0011] (Sodium gluconate) The beverage of the present invention contains 0.5 to 3.0 g / L, preferably 1.0 to 2.5 g / L, of sodium gluconate.

[0012] Sodium gluconate can improve the sticky sweetness caused by the combination of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides with alcohol, whereas this effect is not clearly observed when using gluconic acid itself or other salts of gluconic acid.

[0013] The method for measuring the content of sodium gluconate is not particularly limited, and known methods such as HPLC can be used.

[0014] (alcohol) The beverage of the present invention is an alcohol-containing beverage, i.e., an alcoholic beverage. The term "alcohol" as used herein means ethanol unless otherwise specified.

[0015] The alcohol content of the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1.0 to 15.0 v / v%, preferably 1.0 to 11.0 v / v%, more preferably 1.0 to 10.0 v / v%, more preferably 3.0 to 10.0 v / v%. Another preferred range of alcohol content is 1.0 to 7.0 v / v%, or 1.0 to 8.0 v / v%.

[0016] In this specification, the alcohol content of a beverage can be measured by any known method, for example, using a vibration density meter. Specifically, a sample is prepared by removing carbon dioxide from the beverage using filtration or ultrasound as necessary, and the sample is then steam distilled. The density of the resulting distillate is measured and converted using "Table 2: Conversion Table of Alcohol Content, Density (15°C) and Specific Gravity (15 / 15°C)," an appendix to the National Tax Agency's Prescribed Analysis Methods (National Tax Agency Ordinance No. 6 of 2007, revised June 22, 2007). Alternatively, gas chromatography or HPLC may be used.

[0017] The beverage of the present invention may contain alcohol by any means, but typically, the beverage of the present invention contains alcohol through the inclusion of an alcoholic raw material. The alcoholic raw material is not particularly limited, and examples include spirits (rum, vodka, gin, tequila, etc.), liqueurs, distilled alcoholic beverages such as whiskey, brandy, and shochu, and may also include brewed alcoholic beverages such as beer. These alcoholic raw materials may be used alone or in combination.

[0018] The type of alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably a highball, chuhai (chuhai), cocktail, sour, or the like. The terms "highball" and "chuhai," when used in connection with the beverage of the present invention, refer to a beverage containing water, distilled alcohol, and carbon dioxide. Highballs and chuhai may further contain fruit juice. Furthermore, the term "sour," when used in connection with the beverage of the present invention, refers to a beverage containing spirits, sour fruit juice or flavoring, such as citrus juice or flavoring, and carbon dioxide. The term "cocktail," when used in connection with the beverage of the present invention, refers to an alcoholic beverage made by mixing fruit juice or the like with a base alcoholic beverage.

[0019] In one embodiment, the beverage of the present invention is not a wine-flavored beverage. As used herein, the term "wine-flavored beverage" refers to a beverage having a wine-like flavor, including both those that have been fermented with yeast and those that have not been fermented with yeast. Examples of such beverages include wine, low-alcohol beverages made by diluting wine to reduce its alcohol content, and wine-flavored beverages made without using wine as an ingredient.

[0020] (monosaccharides and disaccharides) The beverage of the present invention contains monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, and the total content thereof, converted to sucrose based on sweetness, is 3.0 g / 100 ml or more, preferably 3.0 to 20.0 g / 100 ml, more preferably 4.0 to 12.0 g / 100 ml, and more preferably 4.0 to 11.0 g / 100 ml. If the sugar content falls below a certain level, the sticky sweetness that is the object of the present invention is not felt very much. Therefore, the present invention is particularly advantageous when the sugar content is within the above range.

[0021] For clarity, the beverages of the present invention may contain only monosaccharides, only disaccharides, or a mixture of both.

[0022] The term "monosaccharide" as used herein has the usual meaning as used in the art. Monosaccharides used in the present invention include, but are not limited to, glucose, galactose, mannose, fructose, etc. Preferred monosaccharides are glucose and fructose. The beverage of the present invention may contain only one of these monosaccharides, or two or more of them. Therefore, an example of a preferred source of monosaccharides is high fructose corn syrup.

[0023] The term "disaccharide" as used herein refers to a sugar formed by a glycosidic bond between two monosaccharide molecules. Disaccharides used in the present invention include, but are not limited to, maltose, lactose, sucrose (cane sugar), trehalose, cellobiose, etc. Preferred disaccharides are maltose, lactose, and sucrose. The beverage of the present invention may contain only one of these disaccharides, or two or more of them.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, the monosaccharides and disaccharides are at least one, two, or three selected from the group consisting of glucose, galactose, mannose, fructose, maltose, lactose, and sucrose, and it is particularly preferred that the monosaccharides and disaccharides are at least one, two, or three selected from the group consisting of glucose, fructose, and sucrose.

[0025] Even when the monosaccharides and disaccharides are limited to the above specific ones, the total content thereof is as described above.

[0026] The method for measuring the content of monosaccharides and disaccharides is not particularly limited, and known methods such as HPLC can be used. Furthermore, in the present invention, the content of monosaccharides and disaccharides measured in this manner is converted to the amount of sucrose based on sweetness. For this conversion, the measured content of each sugar is multiplied by the relative value of the sweetness of each sugar, where the sweetness of sucrose is set to 1, i.e., the sweetness value. Sweetness can be determined from known sugar sweetness conversion tables (e.g., Beverage Japan's "Beverage Terminology Dictionary," p. 11).

[0027] For example, if 100ml of a beverage contains 1g of glucose (sweetness level 0.6) and 1g of fructose (sweetness level 1.2), the total content of these sugars, converted to sucrose based on sweetness level, is (1g x 0.6 + 1g x 1.2) = 1.8g / 100ml.

[0028] (carbon dioxide) The beverage of the present invention may contain carbon dioxide gas. Carbon dioxide gas can be added to the beverage using methods commonly known to those skilled in the art, including, but not limited to, dissolving carbon dioxide in the beverage under pressure, mixing the carbon dioxide and the beverage in a pipe using a mixer such as a Zühenhagen carbonator, spraying the beverage into a tank filled with carbon dioxide to absorb the carbon dioxide, or mixing the beverage with carbonated water. Carbon dioxide pressure can be adjusted using any of these methods.

[0029] When the beverage of the present invention contains carbon dioxide gas, the carbon dioxide gas pressure is not particularly limited, but is preferably Preferably 0.7 to 3.5 kgf / cm 2 , more preferably 0.8 to 2.8 kgf / cm 2 In the present invention, the carbon dioxide pressure can be measured using a gas volume measuring device GVA-500A manufactured by Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd. For example, the sample temperature is set to 20°C, and the air in the container is degassed (sniffed) using the gas volume measuring device, shaken, and then the carbon dioxide pressure is measured. In this specification, unless otherwise specified, the carbon dioxide pressure refers to the carbon dioxide pressure at 20°C.

[0030] (fruit or vegetable juice) The beverage of the present invention may contain fruit juice and / or vegetable juice. The fruit juice may be in the form of either straight fruit juice, which is obtained by squeezing fruit and using the juice as is, or concentrated fruit juice. Clear or cloudy fruit juice may also be used. Whole fruit juice obtained by crushing the whole fruit, including the outer skin, and removing only particularly hard solids such as seeds, fruit puree obtained by straining fruit, or fruit juice obtained by crushing or extracting the pulp of dried fruit may also be used. Vegetable juice may also be used in the same form as the above fruit juice.

[0031] The type of fruit juice is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include citrus fruits (orange, Unshu mandarin orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime, yuzu, iyokan, natsumikan, hassaku citrus, ponkan, shiikuwasha, kabosu, etc.), pome fruits (apple, pear, etc.), stone fruits (peach, plum, apricot, plum, cherry, etc.), citrus fruits (grape, black currant, blueberry, etc.), tropical and subtropical fruits (pineapple, guava, banana, mango, lychee, etc.), and fruit-like vegetables (strawberry, melon, watermelon, etc.). These fruit juices may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Examples of vegetable juices include tomato juice, corn juice, pumpkin juice, and carrot juice. Vegetable juices may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Fruit juices and vegetable juices may also be combined.

[0032] The content of fruit juice in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is typically 0 to 100 w / w %, or less than 10 w / w %, converted into fruit juice percentage.

[0033] In the present invention, the "fruit juice ratio" in a beverage is defined as the amount of fruit juice (g) blended in 100 g of beverage. The following conversion formula shall be used to calculate the concentration ratio. The calculation shall conform to JAS standards, and shall exclude the readings of a sugar refractometer for sugars, honey, etc. added to fruit juice.

[0034] Juice percentage (w / w%) = <amount of juice (g)> x <concentration ratio> / 100 mL / <specific gravity of beverage> x 100 The content of vegetable juice in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is typically 0 to 100 w / w%, or less than 10 w / w%. Here, the content of vegetable juice is determined according to the content of fruit juice converted into the above-mentioned fruit juice ratio.

[0035] (Other ingredients) The beverage of the present invention may also contain additives that are typically added to beverages, such as flavorings, vitamins, colorings, antioxidants, preservatives, seasonings, extracts, pH adjusters, acidulants, and quality stabilizers, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired.

[0036] In one embodiment, the beverage of the present invention does not contain a high-intensity sweetener. Therefore, the beverage of the present invention in this embodiment can have a natural taste. Here, the absence of a high-intensity sweetener does not exclude the inclusion of a very small amount of a high-intensity sweetener. Specifically, the absence of a high-intensity sweetener in a beverage includes a high-intensity sweetener being present at a level below the detection limit of an analytical method such as an HPLC method, for example, less than 0.5 ppm.

[0037] The term "high-intensity sweetener" as used herein refers to natural and synthetic sweeteners that have a sweetness that is stronger than that of sucrose (e.g., several to several hundred times sweeter than sucrose). Examples of such high-intensity sweeteners include peptide-based sweeteners such as aspartame and alitame; glycoside-based sweeteners such as stevia sweeteners (including stevia extract, enzyme-treated stevia obtained by enzymatically treating stevia with glucose, and various rebaudiosides, the sweet components of stevia); licorice extract; sucrose derivatives such as sucralose; and synthetic sweeteners such as acesulfame K and saccharin.

[0038] (packaged beverages) The beverage of the present invention can be provided in a container-packed form. Container forms include, but are not limited to, metal containers such as cans, PET bottles, paper cartons, bottles, pouches, etc. For example, a sterilized container-packed product can be produced by filling a container with the beverage of the present invention and then subjecting it to heat sterilization such as retort sterilization, or by sterilizing the beverage and filling it into a container.

[0039] (method) Another aspect of the present invention is a method for producing an alcoholic beverage containing monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, which includes a step of mixing ingredients so that the beverage contains 0.5 to 3.0 g / L of sodium gluconate, alcohol, and monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, and the total content of the sugars in the beverage is 3.0 g / 100 ml or more, converted to sucrose based on sweetness.

[0040] The method for adjusting the contents of sodium gluconate, alcohol, and the sugars in the beverage is obvious from the above description of the beverage. Furthermore, the preferred ranges of their contents and preferred examples of the sugars are as described above for the beverage. Specific examples and amounts of other ingredients to be added are also as described above for the beverage.

[0041] The production method of the present invention can improve the sweetness of alcoholic beverages containing monosaccharides and / or disaccharides. Therefore, in another aspect, the production method is a method for improving the sweetness of alcoholic beverages containing monosaccharides and / or disaccharides.

[0042] (Numerical range) For clarity, numerical ranges expressed herein by lower and upper limits include the endpoints of the lower and upper limits. [Example]

[0043] The present invention will be described below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. It's not something like that.

[0044] Experiment 1: The combination of sugar and alcohol creates a sticky sweetness Several beverages were prepared using water, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, and alcohol (neutral spirits as the alcohol source) in the amounts shown in the table below.

[0045] The resulting beverages were subjected to sensory evaluation by three trained expert panelists, who evaluated each beverage for its rich sweetness and overall drinkability (the overall drinkability of the beverage as a whole, including sweetness and alcoholic taste). The evaluation criteria are shown below. In all cases, a high score indicates a favorable result. An average score was then calculated from the obtained evaluation scores. In order to minimize individual differences in evaluation, the expert panelists established a common understanding in advance of the relationship between each evaluation score and taste using standard samples corresponding to each evaluation score.

[0046] <Sweet and sticky> 4: I don't feel it 3: Slightly felt 2: Feel 1: I feel strongly <Overall drinkability> 4: I feel strongly 3: Feel 2: Slightly felt 1: I don't feel it The results of these sensory evaluations are also shown in the table below. The above sensory evaluation method was also adopted in other experiments.

[0047] [Table 1]

[0048] In both cases where high fructose corn syrup, which yields a monosaccharide, and where sucrose, which is a disaccharide, is used, the coexistence of these sugars with alcohol clearly produces the sticky sweetness that is the subject of the present invention. Furthermore, when the amount of the sugar falls below a certain level, the sticky sweetness is not felt as much.

[0049] Experiment 2: Effect of sodium gluconate The effect of sodium gluconate was investigated.

[0050] Specifically, several beverages were prepared using water, sucrose, alcohol (neutral spirits), and sodium gluconate in the amounts shown in the table below. The resulting beverages were subjected to sensory evaluation in the same manner as in Experiment 1. The results are also shown in the table below.

[0051] [Table 2]

[0052] An improvement effect was observed when the sodium gluconate content was within a specific range.

[0053] Experiment 3 Alcohol content The effect of alcohol content was examined.

[0054] Specifically, several beverages were prepared using water, sucrose, alcohol (neutral spirits), and sodium gluconate in the amounts shown in the table below. The resulting beverages were subjected to sensory evaluation in the same manner as in Experiment 1. The results are also shown in the table below.

[0055] [Table 3]

[0056] Good sensory evaluation results were obtained over a wide range of alcohol contents. When the alcohol content was 12% (v / v) (Example 10), the sensory score was not high, but it was still considered to be a high score compared to a beverage with the same conditions except for the absence of sodium gluconate.

[0057] Experiment 4: Ingredients similar to sodium gluconate Sodium gluconate was replaced with other similar ingredients to examine changes such as sticky sweetness.

[0058] Specifically, several beverages were prepared using various ingredients in the amounts shown in the table below along with water. Similar ingredients to sodium gluconate include a combination of gluconic acid and sodium citrate, gluconic acid, potassium gluconate, and calcium gluconate. The amounts of these similar ingredients used were equivalent in moles to 1.5 g of sodium gluconate.

[0059] The resulting beverages were subjected to sensory evaluation in the same manner as in Experiment 1. The results are also shown in the table below.

[0060] [Table 4]

[0061] None of the similar ingredients provided the same effect as sodium gluconate.

[0062] Experiment 5: Types of sugars The effect of the type of sugar was examined.

[0063] Specifically, several beverages were prepared using various ingredients in the amounts shown in the table below along with water. In addition to sucrose, the sugars used included Fujioligo (registered trademark) #450 from Nihon Shokuhin Kako Co., Ltd., which contains maltotetraose (a tetrasaccharide) as its main component, and Tetrap (registered trademark) from Hayashibara Co., Ltd., which also contains maltotetraose (a tetrasaccharide) as its main component.

[0064] The resulting beverages were subjected to sensory evaluation in the same manner as in Experiment 1. The results are also shown in the table below.

[0065] [Table 5]

[0066] The effect of the present invention was observed even when the sugar was changed from sucrose to high fructose corn syrup, which yields monosaccharides.

[0067] On the other hand, when oligosaccharides were used, the sticky sweetness that was present even before the addition of sodium gluconate was hardly felt, despite the addition of a considerable amount of sugar (Comparative Examples 10 and 11). Therefore, in this case, the addition of sodium gluconate could hardly be expected to improve the sweetness, etc.

Claims

1. 0.5 to 3.0 g / L of sodium gluconate, Alcohol, and A beverage containing monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, The beverage, wherein the total content of the sugars, when converted to sucrose based on sweetness, is 3.0 g / 100 ml or more.

2. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the alcohol content is 1.0 to 15.0 v / v%.

3. The total content of the aforementioned sugars, when converted to sucrose based on sweetness level, ranges from 3.0 to 20.0 g. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the amount is 100 ml.

4. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sugars are at least one, two, or three selected from the group consisting of glucose, galactose, mannose, fructose, maltose, lactose, and sucrose.

5. A method for producing an alcoholic beverage containing monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, The method described above, comprising the step of mixing raw materials such that the beverage contains 0.5 to 3.0 g / L of sodium gluconate, alcohol, monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, and the total amount of sugars in the beverage, when converted to sucrose based on sweetness, is 3.0 g / 100 ml or more.

6. A method for improving the sweetness of an alcoholic beverage containing monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, The method described above, comprising the step of mixing raw materials such that the beverage contains 0.5 to 3.0 g / L of sodium gluconate, alcohol, monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, and the total amount of sugars in the beverage, when converted to sucrose based on sweetness, is 3.0 g / 100 ml or more.