Beverage

Abstract

To provide a beverage which satisfactorily maintains a green color of green vegetables and has desirable flavor.SOLUTION: A beverage includes: green vegetables; one or more metal ions selected from copper ion and zinc ion; and calcium ion. Concentration of the copper ion and / or the zinc ion is 1 to 100 mass.ppm, and concentration of calcium ion exceeds 200 mass.ppm.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to beverages containing green vegetables. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, so-called green juice drinks using green vegetables such as young barley leaves and kale have been used to easily address vegetable deficiencies. However, the green color of these green vegetable drinks, such as green juice drinks, deteriorates over time, making it difficult to maintain the vivid green color characteristic of green vegetables for a long period of time.

[0003] Research has been conducted to date on preventing discoloration of these green vegetable beverages, and for example, a beverage has been proposed that contains ground green vegetables, crystalline cellulose, and an aqueous medium, and has a green color retention rate of 0.8 or more, defined as green color retention rate = (-a / b after sterilization) ÷ (-a / b before sterilization) (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] Another known method for preventing discoloration is to substitute magnesium in chlorophyll contained in green vegetables with copper or zinc to stabilize the chlorophyll. In such discoloration prevention methods using copper or zinc, the metallic taste increases as the metal ion concentration increases. Therefore, a method for reducing the copper ion or zinc ion concentration to suppress this metallic taste has been proposed, in which calcium ions are added at a concentration of 200 mass ppm or less (see, for example, Patent Document 2). However, although this green vegetable-containing beverage can prevent the green color of green vegetables from discoloring and suppress the metallic taste, there is still room for further improvement in the grassy odor caused by green vegetables. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-093203 A [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2020-137455 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a beverage that maintains the green color of green vegetables well and has a pleasant aroma. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of extensive research, the inventors discovered that by adjusting the calcium ion concentration to a high level in a beverage containing green vegetables and copper ions and / or zinc ions, the green color of the green vegetables is well maintained, the grassy smell caused by the green vegetables is suppressed, and a beverage with a pleasant aroma is obtained, leading to the completion of the present invention.

[0008] That is, the present invention is as follows. [1] A beverage containing green vegetables, one or more metal ions selected from copper ions and zinc ions, and calcium ions, wherein the concentration of the copper ions and / or zinc ions (the total concentration when both are contained) is 1 to 100 ppm by mass, and the concentration of the calcium ions is more than 200 ppm by mass. [2] The beverage according to [1] above, characterized in that it is a packaged beverage. [3] The beverage according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the green vegetables are green juice ingredients. [4] The beverage according to any one of [1] to [3] above, characterized in that the green vegetables are one or more green juice ingredients selected from young barley leaves, kale, Angelica keiskei, mugwort, mulberry leaves, choujuso, young sweet potato leaves, and kumazasa. [5] The beverage according to any one of [1] to [4] above, wherein the green vegetables are one or more green juice ingredients selected from young barley leaves and kale. [6] The beverage according to any one of [1] to [5] above, wherein the green vegetable is young barley leaves.

[0009] [7] The beverage according to any one of [1] to [6] above, wherein the concentration of the copper ions and / or zinc ions (total concentration when both are contained) is 2.5 to 30 ppm. [8] The beverage according to any one of [1] to [7] above, wherein the calcium ion concentration is 1000 ppm by mass or less. [9] A beverage according to any one of [1] to [8] above, characterized in that the copper ions and / or zinc ions are blended into the beverage by a method of dissolving copper ions and / or zinc ions using a copper and / or zinc pot, or by a method of using copper ion water and / or zinc ion water.

[10] A method for producing a beverage, comprising a step of blending green vegetables with one or more metal ions selected from copper ions and zinc ions, and calcium ions so that the concentration of the copper ions and / or zinc ions (total concentration when both are contained) is 1 to 100 ppm by mass, and the concentration of the calcium ions is more than 200 ppm by mass.

[0010]

[11] A beverage containing green vegetables, copper ions, and calcium ions, wherein the copper ions are present in an amount of 1 to 100 ppm by mass, and the calcium ions have a concentration of more than 200 ppm by mass.

[12] The beverage according to

[11] above, characterized in that it is a packaged beverage.

[13] The beverage according to

[11] or

[12] above, wherein the green vegetables are green juice ingredients.

[14] The beverage according to any one of

[11] to

[13] above, characterized in that the green vegetables are one or more green juice ingredients selected from young barley leaves, kale, Angelica keiskei, mugwort, mulberry leaves, chou-mei-sou, young sweet potato leaves, and kumazasa.

[15] The beverage according to any one of

[11] to

[14] above, wherein the green vegetables are one or more green juice ingredients selected from young barley leaves and kale.

[16] The beverage according to any one of

[11] to

[15] above, wherein the green vegetable is young barley leaves.

[0011]

[17] The beverage according to any one of the above

[11] to

[16] , wherein the copper ion concentration is 2.5 to 30 ppm.

[18] The beverage according to any one of

[11] to

[17] above, wherein the calcium ion concentration is 1000 ppm by mass or less.

[19] The beverage according to any one of

[11] to

[18] above, wherein the copper ions are blended into the beverage by a method of dissolving the copper ions using a copper pot or a method of using copper ion water.

[20] A method for producing a beverage, comprising a step of blending green vegetables with copper ions and calcium ions so that the concentration of the copper ions is 1 to 100 ppm by mass and the concentration of the calcium ions is more than 200 ppm by mass. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The beverage of the present invention maintains the green color of green vegetables well and exhibits a pleasant aroma. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The beverage of the present invention contains green vegetables, one or more metal ions selected from copper ions and zinc ions, and calcium ions, and is characterized in that the concentration of copper ions and / or zinc ions (total concentration when both are contained) is 1 to 100 ppm by mass, and the concentration of calcium ions is greater than 200 ppm by mass.

[0014] The beverage of the present invention contains a high concentration of calcium ions along with copper ions and / or zinc ions, which allows the green color of green vegetables to be well maintained, suppresses the grassy smell caused by green vegetables, and exhibits a pleasant aroma.

[0015] [Green vegetables] The green vegetables of the present invention are vegetables that contain chlorophyll and generally exhibit a green color. Specific examples include young barley leaves, kale, Angelica keiskei, mugwort, mulberry leaves, chou-meisou, young sweet potato leaves, Kumazasa, tea, bitter melon, spinach, celery, broccoli, cabbage, Japanese mustard spinach, lettuce, parsley, mulukhiyah, watercress, and bell peppers. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among these, green juice ingredients are preferred in terms of better enjoying the effects of the present invention. Examples include young barley leaves, kale, Angelica keiskei, mugwort, mulberry leaves, chou-meisou, young sweet potato leaves, Kumazasa, etc. Young barley leaves and kale are preferred, and young barley leaves are particularly preferred.

[0016] Green vegetables can be blended, for example, as pulverized material, squeezed juice, extract, etc. Examples of pulverized material include dry powder and granules, which can be used by adding water to form a paste (paste-like material). The squeezed juice or extract may be in liquid form, but can also be used as a paste or dry powder (juice powder, extract powder). The extract can be obtained by extraction using an appropriate solvent, and examples of the solvent that can be used include water (warm water, hot water), ethanol, and aqueous ethanol. As the green vegetables used in the present invention, it is preferable to use a dried powder (pulverized powder) of a green juice ingredient or a paste-like product thereof, from the viewpoint of further enjoying the effects of the present invention, and it is particularly preferable to use a dried powder of young barley leaves (pulverized young barley leaves) or a paste-like product thereof.

[0017] The content of green vegetables is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0.1 to 5% by mass in the beverage of the present invention, and from the viewpoint of further enjoying the effects of the present invention, it is preferably 0.2 to 4% by mass, more preferably 0.3 to 3% by mass, even more preferably 0.5 to 2% by mass, and most preferably 0.5 to 1.5% by mass. When the beverage of the present invention is a powdered beverage, the concentration in the beverage means the concentration when it is suspended in a liquid such as water and ingested as a beverage (the same applies to other components).

[0018] The green juice ingredients that can be preferably blended into the beverage of the present invention will be described below.

[0019] <Young barley leaves> Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is believed to be native to Central Asia and is an annual or biennial herb belonging to the genus Hordeum of the family Poaceae. Barley grass refers to young barley leaves. There are no particular limitations on the variety of barley used in the present invention. Any variety of barley can be used, including wild species and hybrid species. Examples include two-row barley, six-row barley, and naked barley, and these can be used alone or in combination of two or more types.

[0020] The young barley leaves may be harvested at any time, and are not particularly limited, but are preferably harvested before maturity, i.e., from the time when tillering begins to the time before heading begins. Specifically, it is preferable to use young barley leaves harvested from barley that is, for example, 10 cm or more tall, preferably about 10-90 cm, particularly preferably about 20-80 cm, and especially about 30-70 cm tall. In the present invention, the term "leaves (young leaves)" is sufficient as long as it includes the leaf portion, and may also include the stem together with the leaf.

[0021] <Kale> The kale of the present invention refers to a plant of the genus Brassica in the family Brassicaceae, whose scientific name is Brassica oleracea var. acephala. The variety of kale is not particularly limited, and various types of kale can be used, such as kitchen kale, tree kale, bush kale, marrow kale, collards (sometimes called collard greens), and green-leaf kale. The green leaves of kale may be harvested at any time and are not particularly limited.

[0022] <Ashitaba> The term "Angelica keiskei" as used herein refers to a plant of the genus Angelica in the family Apiaceae, with the scientific name Angelica keiskei. The variety of Angelica keiskei is not particularly limited, and any suitable variety can be used. The green leaves of Angelica keiskei may be harvested at any harvesting season, and are not particularly limited.

[0023] <Mugwort> In the present invention, mugwort refers to a perennial plant of the genus Artemisia in the family Asteraceae. The species of mugwort is not particularly limited, and examples that can be used include artemisia princeps, Artemisia absinthium, tarragon, nitro artemisia, Artemisia major, Artemisia capillaris, Artemisia mandshurica, Artemisia serrata, Artemisia serrata, Artemisia umbellata, Artemisia umbellata, Artemisia capillaris, Artemisia artemisia, Artemisia umbellata ... The green leaves of mugwort may be harvested at any harvesting season and are not particularly limited.

[0024] <Mulberry leaves> The mulberry leaves of the present invention refer to the leaves of plants of the genus Morus in the family Moraceae. The mulberry species is not particularly limited, and examples that can be used include Morus alba, Morus japonica, Morus japonica, Morus boninensis, and Morus gracilis. The mulberry leaves may be harvested at any time and are not particularly limited.

[0025] <Long life grass> The term "Chomeisou" as used herein refers to a plant of the genus Peucedanum in the family Apiaceae, with the scientific name Peucedanum japonicum. Depending on the region, Chomeisou is also known as Botanboufu, Chomeisou, Chomeigusa, Chomifusa, Bohu, Sakuna, Upbasafuna, Chomigusa, Botanboufu, etc. The variety of Chomeisou is not particularly limited and can be used as appropriate. The green leaves of Chomeisou may be harvested at any time and are not particularly limited.

[0026] <Sweet potato young leaves> The young sweet potato leaves of the present invention refer to the young leaves of a plant belonging to the Ipomoea genus of the Convolvulaceae family, whose scientific name is Ipomoea batatas. The sweet potato is not particularly limited as long as it is one that is commonly called a sweet potato. The variety of sweet potato is not particularly limited, and examples include Suio, Joy White, Koganesengan, Shiroyutaka, Satsuma Starch, and Ayamurasaki. Among these, Suio, which has a high polyphenol content, is preferred. The young sweet potato leaves may be harvested at any time and are not particularly limited, but the tips of the stems and leaves (young stems and leaves) are preferred, and young leaves that retain a yellowish-green color are even more preferred.

[0027] <Kumazasa> Kumazasa in the present invention refers to a plant of the genus Sasa in the family Poaceae. The species of Kumazasa is not particularly limited, and examples that can be used include Sasa veitchii, Sasa kurilensis, Sasamorpha borealis, Sasa senanensis, Sasa palmata, and Sasa niponica. The green leaves of Kumazasa may be harvested at any time and are not particularly limited.

[0028] [Copper ions, zinc ions] Copper ions and zinc ions substitute for magnesium in the chlorophyll contained in green vegetables, stabilizing the chlorophyll. The concentration of copper ions and / or zinc ions in the beverage (total concentration when both are contained) is 1 to 100 ppm by mass. If the concentration of copper ions and / or zinc ions is less than 1 ppm by mass, the effect of preventing discoloration of green vegetables is not fully exhibited. Furthermore, if the concentration of copper ions and / or zinc ions exceeds 100 ppm by mass, the metallic taste is too strong, making it difficult to adequately mask the metallic taste with calcium ions or green vegetables. The concentration of copper ions and / or zinc ions in the beverage is not particularly limited as long as it is in the range of 1 to 100 ppm by mass. However, from the viewpoints of preventing green discoloration and suppressing the metallic taste, it is preferably 1 to 50 ppm by mass, more preferably 2 to 40 ppm by mass, even more preferably 2.5 to 30 ppm by mass, and particularly preferably 3 to 20 ppm by mass. When both metal ions are present, the concentration of copper ions and / or zinc ions refers to the total concentration of both metal ions. When only one metal ion is present, the concentration refers to the concentration of the metal ion contained. The concentrations of copper ions and zinc ions can be measured by known measurement methods such as ICP optical emission spectroscopy. For example, they can be measured using an Agilent Technologies "Agilent 5900 ICP-OES" ICP optical emission spectroscopy analyzer. In the following examples, the ICP optical emission spectroscopy analyzer "Agilent 5900 ICP-OES" was used for measurement.

[0029] The method for incorporating copper ions and zinc ions into the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, and examples include a method of using a copper or zinc pot to heat a liquid ingredient (water, water containing green vegetables, etc.) and eluting the copper ions or zinc ions from the pot, as described in JP 60-075249 A, a method using copper-ionized water or zinc-ionized water, as described in JP 2011-147347 A, and a method of incorporating additives containing copper or zinc. Examples of methods for incorporating additives containing copper or zinc include adding and incorporating water-soluble salts of copper or zinc, such as gluconates, sulfates, and citrates, or adding and incorporating materials containing high concentrations of copper ions or zinc ions, such as zinc yeast or copper yeast. When additives containing copper or zinc are added, precipitation may occur in the beverage, which may impair its appearance. Therefore, among the methods for adding copper ions and zinc ions to the beverage of the present invention, a method in which copper ions and / or zinc ions are eluted using a copper and / or zinc pot, or a method in which copper ion water and / or zinc ion water is used, is particularly preferred.

[0030] [Calcium ion] The calcium ion concentration in the beverage is greater than 200 ppm by mass, and is preferably 205 ppm by mass or more, more preferably 210 ppm by mass or more, and particularly preferably 215 ppm by mass or more, in order to further suppress the grassy smell and achieve a more pleasant aroma. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, about 1000 ppm by mass or about 800 ppm by mass. The calcium ion concentration can be measured by known measurement methods such as ICP optical emission spectroscopy. For example, it can be measured using an Agilent Technologies "Agilent 5900 ICP-OES" ICP optical emission spectroscopy analyzer. In the following examples, an Agilent 5900 ICP-OES ICP optical emission spectroscopy analyzer was used for measurement.

[0031] The method for incorporating calcium ions into the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, and examples include adding various calcium salts or natural calcium. Examples of calcium salts include calcium lactate, calcium acetate, calcium chloride, calcium citrate, calcium glycerophosphate, calcium gluconate, calcium glutamate, calcium silicate, calcium hydroxide, calcium stearate, calcium carbonate, and calcium bicarbonate. Examples of natural calcium include those derived from living organisms such as coral calcium, scallop shell calcium, eggshell calcium, beef bone powder, and fish bone powder, as well as those derived from minerals such as limestone and dolomite. A single type of calcium may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination. Commercially available calcium products may also be used. Among these, calcium preparations such as calcium lactate, calcium acetate, calcium chloride, and calcium carbonate are preferred, with calcium lactate being particularly preferred due to its high water solubility.

[0032] The beverage of the present invention can be produced, for example, by mixing green vegetables, a substance containing copper ions or zinc ions, a substance containing calcium ions, and water. Alternatively, the beverage can be produced by heating water or water containing green vegetables in a copper or zinc pot to elute the copper ions or zinc ions, which are then mixed with other ingredients. Additives commonly used in the food industry may also be added as appropriate.

[0033] Preferred forms of the beverage of the present invention include packaged beverages filled in PET bottles, cans, jars, etc., and powdered beverages. In this application, the term "powdered beverage" refers to powdered processed foods (including quasi-drugs and pharmaceuticals) that are mixed with water, hot water, milk, soy milk, or other liquids by consumers at the time of consumption and consumed as a beverage. Of these beverages, packaged beverages are preferred because they allow for greater enjoyment of the effects of the present invention. [Example]

[0034] The present invention will be described in more detail below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In the examples, concentrations such as %, ppm, etc. are by mass unless otherwise specified.

[0035] <Production of young barley leaf paste (composition of the present invention)> The barley leaves used were the above-ground parts (leaves and stems) of barley harvested at approximately 30 cm in height. They were pretreated by washing with water to remove any adhering dirt and then cutting into pieces approximately 5–10 cm in size. The pretreated barley leaves were blanched once in hot water at 90–100°C for 90–120 seconds and then cooled in cold water. The resulting barley leaves were then dried in a dryer for 20–180 minutes with hot air at 80–130°C until the moisture content was 5% by mass or less. The dried barley leaves were coarsely crushed to a size of approximately 1 mm. The resulting barley leaves were finely crushed to produce barley leaf powder with a median diameter of 20 μm. The median diameter was measured using a laser diffraction / scattering particle size distribution analyzer (LMS-300; Seishin Enterprise Co., Ltd.). The calcium concentration of the resulting barley leaf powder was approximately 2500 ppm.

[0036] The obtained barley leaf powder was mixed with water, and the mixture was brought into contact with a copper plate and heated using the method described in Patent No. 7261483 to obtain a paste-like barley leaf (hereinafter referred to as barley leaf paste). The obtained barley leaf paste contained 20% by mass of barley leaf powder and copper ions. The copper concentration in the barley leaf paste was 256 ppm.

[0037] <Production of packaged green juice drinks>

[0038] (control) The resulting barley leaf powder (not barley leaf paste) was mixed with water to a concentration of 1% by mass. 200 mL of the mixture was then filled into a PET bottle (volume 200 mL, diameter 54 mm x height 132 mm, opening diameter 28 mm) and the cap was closed to produce a control bottled green juice beverage. Note that, because no calcium salt was added to the control, the calcium ion concentration listed in Table 1 is derived from the barley leaf powder.

[0039] (Comparative Example 1, Examples 1 to 5) Young barley leaf paste, calcium salt, and water were mixed to achieve the concentrations shown in Table 1. As the calcium salt, calcium lactate pentahydrate was used in Comparative Example 1 and Examples 1 to 3, calcium acetate in Example 4, and calcium chloride in Example 5. 200 mL of the mixture was then filled into a PET bottle (volume 200 mL, diameter 54 mm x height 132 mm, mouth diameter 28 mm) and the cap was closed to produce the packaged green juice beverages of Comparative Example 1 and Examples 1 to 5.

[0040] The packaged green juice beverage produced as described above was stored for 7 days in an environment of 55°C, and then the following tests were carried out. Note that 55°C is the general temperature at which hot beverages are heated in vending machines.

[0041] <Evaluation test> The appearance (green color) and aroma of the produced packaged green juice beverage were evaluated by a panel of sensory experts engaged in the development of green juice.

[0042] The appearance (green color) of the packaged green juice drink was evaluated in comparison with the control according to the following criteria.

[0043] [Evaluation criteria] ◎: The green color is more vivid than the control. 〇: The green color is slightly more vivid than the control. △: The vividness of the green color is the same as the control. ×: The vividness of the green color is slightly inferior to that of the control. ××: The vividness of the green color is inferior to that of the control.

[0044] The aroma of the packaged green juice beverage was evaluated in comparison with a control according to the following criteria.

[0045] [Evaluation criteria] ◯: The grassy smell is suppressed and the aroma is better than the control. △: Aroma is as pleasant as the control. ×: The smell was grassy and worse than the control.

[0046] Table 1 shows the evaluation results.

[0047] [Table 1]

[0048] As shown in Table 1, all of the packaged green juice beverages (Examples 1-5) containing copper ions and having a calcium ion concentration of more than 200 ppm maintained the green color of the green juice beverage. Furthermore, the packaged green juice beverages (Examples 1-5) with a calcium ion concentration of more than 200 ppm had a more suppressed grassy odor and a more pleasant aroma than the packaged green juice beverage (Comparative Example 1) with a calcium ion concentration of 200 ppm or less. This demonstrates that by adjusting the calcium ion concentration in a copper ion-containing green juice beverage to more than 200 ppm, it is possible to obtain a green juice beverage that maintains the green color of green vegetables well and has a more pleasant aroma with a suppressed grassy odor. The green juice beverages of Examples 1-5 also had a reduced metallic taste due to copper ions.

[0049] (Examples 7 to 52) Ground green juice ingredients, copper or zinc, calcium salt, and water were mixed to adjust the concentrations shown in Tables 2 to 4, followed by sterilization (90°C for 20 minutes). 200 mL of each mixture was filled into a PET bottle (volume 200 mL, diameter 54 mm × height 132 mm, mouth diameter 28 mm) and capped to produce the packaged green juice beverages of Examples 7 to 52. Copper gluconate or copper-containing yeast (copper content 1% by mass) was used as the copper, zinc gluconate or zinc-containing yeast (zinc content 5% by mass) was used as the zinc, and calcium lactate pentahydrate, calcium acetate, or calcium chloride was used as the calcium salt. The resulting packaged green juice beverages all maintained the green color of green vegetables well and exhibited a pleasant aroma with a suppressed grassy odor. The metallic taste caused by copper ions or zinc ions was also suppressed in the green juice beverages of Examples 7 to 52.

[0050] [Table 2]

[0051] [Table 3]

[0052] [Table 4] [Industrial Applicability]

[0053] The beverage of the present invention is industrially useful because it can be used as a beverage to compensate for a lack of vegetables.

Claims

1. The present invention relates to a method for producing a green vegetable containing one or more metal ions selected from the group consisting of copper ions and zinc ions, and calcium ions. the concentration of the copper ions and / or zinc ions is 1 to 100 ppm by mass, A beverage characterized in that the calcium ion concentration is more than 200 ppm by mass.

2. 2. The beverage according to claim 1, which is a packaged beverage.

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