Beverage composition and taste sensitization method

Abstract

To provide a beverage composition which sensitizes taste such as saltiness of a food product to be ingested while drinking the same.SOLUTION: A beverage composition for sensitizing taste of a food product to be ingested while drinking the same contains a salt-free beverage and taste enhancer. The taste enhancer is at least one product subjected to pressure and heat treatment selected from a group consisting of fruits, vegetables, seafood, meat, eggs, alcoholic beverages, honey and seasonings.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage composition and a method for enhancing taste sensitization. [Background technology]

[0002] Salt (sodium chloride) is an important ingredient in cooking, used as a seasoning to give foods a salty taste and to bring out the umami of food ingredients. Salt is not only used as a seasoning, but is also used in salting foods, such as pickles, to improve their shelf life. Furthermore, salt is an essential ingredient for maintaining human life. However, excessive salt intake can lead to various diseases, including hypertension, kidney disease, and heart disease. Therefore, reducing salt intake (reducing salt intake) is recommended.

[0003] For example, many foods consumed while enjoying alcoholic beverages tend to be relatively salty. This leads to a high salt intake. Generally, to reduce salt, the amount of salt used in foods is reduced. However, simply reducing the amount of salt used not only weakens the saltiness, but also leads to a loss of flavor cohesion and a significant loss of the food's inherent umami. To address this issue, Patent Document 1, for example, describes the addition of a mixture of vegetable protein hydrolysate and yeast extract to reduced-salt foods and beverages.

[0004] However, the method described in Patent Document 1 is a method for adjusting the balance of flavors without imparting a salty taste. Therefore, it cannot be said to be necessarily satisfactory in terms of providing a sufficient salty taste. Furthermore, since the salty taste is not sufficiently perceived, the umami of the food is also difficult to sense. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-4668 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a beverage composition that enhances the taste, such as saltiness, of food ingested while drinking it. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of extensive research into solving the above problems, the present inventors have found a solution comprising the following configuration, and have completed the present invention. (1) A beverage composition for enhancing the taste of food ingested while drinking, comprising a salt-free beverage and a flavor enhancer, wherein the flavor enhancer is at least one product of pressure-heat treatment selected from the group consisting of fruits, vegetables, seafood, meat, eggs, alcoholic beverages, honey, and seasonings. (2) The beverage composition described in (1) above, wherein the salt-free beverage is an alcoholic beverage or an alcohol-flavored beverage. (3) A beverage composition according to (1) or (2) above, which enhances at least one of the salty taste and umami taste of food. (4) A beverage composition according to any one of (1) to (3) above, in which the flavor enhancer is contained in an amount of 0.01 to 1 part by mass per 100 parts by mass of the salt-free beverage. (5) A method for enhancing the taste of food by consuming a beverage composition containing a salt-free beverage and a taste enhancer, wherein the taste enhancer is at least one product that has been subjected to pressure heating and is selected from the group consisting of fruits, vegetables, seafood, meat, eggs, alcoholic beverages, honey, and seasonings. (6) The taste sensitization method according to (5) above, wherein the salt-free beverage is an alcoholic beverage or an alcohol-flavored beverage. (7) A method for enhancing taste sensitization according to (5) or (6) above, which enhances at least one of the saltiness and umami of a food. (8) A taste sensitization method according to any one of (5) to (7) above, wherein the taste enhancer is contained in an amount of 0.01 to 1 part by mass per 100 parts by mass of the salt-free beverage. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The beverage composition according to the present invention has the constitution described in the above-mentioned means for solving the problems, and thereby enhances the taste, such as saltiness, of food ingested while drinking it. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The beverage composition of the present invention is a beverage composition for enhancing the taste of food ingested while drinking, and as described above, comprises a salt-free beverage and a taste enhancer. In this specification, "salt-free beverage" refers to a beverage that does not contain salt (sodium chloride), or a beverage that contains salt, but at a concentration below the threshold for perceiving saltiness.

[0010] The salt-free beverages contained in the beverage composition of the present invention include alcoholic beverages, alcohol-flavored beverages, soft drinks, coffee beverages, tea beverages, etc. Examples of alcoholic beverages include beer, beer-flavored sparkling alcoholic beverages (happoshu and third beer), chuhai, highball, cocktail, sake, wine, shochu, plum wine, whiskey, brandy, and spirits.

[0011] An alcohol-flavored beverage is intended for consumption by adults aged 20 or over, and refers to a beverage with an alcohol content of less than 1% by volume that resembles an alcoholic beverage in terms of aroma, taste, and throat feel. Examples of alcohol-flavored beverages include beer-flavored beverages, chuhai-flavored beverages, non-alcoholic cocktails, non-alcoholic wine, and non-alcoholic highballs.

[0012] Examples of soft drinks include fruit drinks, vegetable drinks, carbonated drinks, sports drinks, health drinks such as energy drinks, dairy drinks such as lactic acid bacteria drinks, and soy milk. Examples of coffee drinks include sugar-free coffee, coffee containing a sweetener, and coffee containing milk. Examples of tea drinks include beverages extracted from tea leaves such as green tea, black tea, and oolong tea, and beverages extracted from plants other than tea leaves such as barley tea and black bean tea.

[0013] Among these salt-free beverages, alcoholic beverages or alcohol-flavored beverages, which are often consumed while eating food such as cooking, are preferred, and beer, beer-flavored sparkling alcoholic beverages (happoshu and third beer), or beer-flavored beverages are more preferred.

[0014] The flavor enhancer contained in the beverage composition of the present invention is a pressure-heat-treated product of at least one material selected from the group consisting of fruits, vegetables, seafood, meat, eggs, alcoholic beverages, honey, and seasonings (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as "raw material such as fruits"). The pressure-heat-treated product is obtained by heating raw materials such as fruits under pressurized conditions. The pressure conditions are not limited, but are preferably 0.08 MPa or higher and 0.2 MPa or lower. The heating conditions are not limited, but are preferably 110°C or higher and 130°C or lower. The pressure-heat treatment is carried out using, for example, an autoclave or a vacuum heating and pressure mixer.

[0015] Examples of fruits include the following fruits: Pome fruits: apples, pears, quince, and quince. Stone fruits: peaches, plums, cherries, and apricots. Citrus fruits: oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes, yuzu, mandarins, kabosu, sudachi, shekwasha, kumquats, etc. Grapes: Kyoho and Muscat, etc. Tropical fruits: pineapple, banana, mango, papaya and passion fruit. Berries: strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, and raspberries. Other: melons and watermelons, etc.

[0016] Examples of vegetables include the following: Fruit vegetables: eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, cucumbers and chilies. Leafy vegetables: cabbage, kale, celery, chives, Chinese cabbage, parsley, spinach and lettuce. Stem vegetables: asparagus, bamboo shoots, garlic, leeks and onions. Root vegetables: radish, turnip, wasabi, burdock, ginger, carrot and lotus root. Others: Bean sprouts, broccoli, aloe and cactus.

[0017] Fruits and vegetables may be used in a crushed or pulverized form, in the form of squeezed juice (fruit juice or vegetable juice) or paste, or in a dried or other processed form (e.g., dried fruit, dried strips of daikon radish, dried shiitake mushrooms, etc.), and the form of use is not particularly limited. The squeezed juice may be in a straight or concentrated form. Fruits and vegetables may also be used as extracts extracted from fruits and vegetables. In this specification, "extract" includes not only extracts obtained by extracting specific components using a solvent, but also cooking liquid, stock, and soaking liquid of dried products.

[0018] Examples of seafood include fish such as bonito, sardines, mackerel, tuna, flying fish, eel, conger eel, and whitebait; shellfish such as clams, shijimi clams, scallops, oysters, hard clams, turban shells, and abalone; crustaceans such as shrimp and crab; seaweed such as kelp, wakame seaweed, nori seaweed, hijiki seaweed, and sea lettuce; squid, octopus, sea cucumber, sea urchin, fish eggs (salmon roe, cod roe, herring roe, flying fish roe, and flying fish roe), and crustacean eggs. The seafood may be used as is, crushed, or pulverized, or may be used after processing such as drying or fermentation; the form of use is not particularly limited. Examples of processed seafood products include bonito flakes, dried sardines, dried scallops, dried shrimp, dried kelp, fish sauce, and salted fish. The seafood may be used in the form of a seafood extract extracted from the seafood.

[0019] Examples of meat include beef, pork, lamb, chicken, duck, crossbred duck, and goat. As with seafood, meat may be used as is, crushed or pulverized, or processed by drying or fermentation, or in the form of an extract such as broth or stock. The form of use is not particularly limited.

[0020] Examples of eggs include chicken eggs, quail eggs, duck eggs, and century eggs. Examples of alcoholic beverages include brewed alcoholic beverages such as wine (including fortified wine and sweetened wine), Shaoxing wine, mead (honey wine), makgeolli, rice wine (a Yunnan province alcoholic beverage), sake, and beer, as well as liqueurs (distilled alcoholic beverages and sugar-soaked ingredients), and mixed alcoholic beverages such as mirin. When using alcoholic beverages, it is preferable to dealcoholize them before use, as heat treatment while alcohol is present is dangerous. Alcoholic beverages that can be used include amazake (sweet sake) made from sake lees or rice koji, or beverages from which the alcohol has been almost completely removed, such as wine extract. Examples of honey include blackstrap molasses, honey, and maple syrup. Examples of seasonings include miso, soy sauce, sauces, sake lees, mash, and yeast.

[0021] As described above, raw materials such as fruits are used in any form, such as juice, extract, or paste. If necessary, a solvent may be used to dissolve, suspend, or disperse the food in the solvent. Examples of solvents include water, propylene glycol, glycerin, and glycerin fatty acid esters. Among these, water and propylene glycol are preferred. Solvents may be used alone or in combination of two or more. In addition to raw materials such as fruits, at least one of amino acids, peptides, proteins, and sugars may be added when the raw materials such as fruits are subjected to pressure and heat treatment.

[0022] The pressure-heat treated product (flavor enhancer) obtained in this manner is added to a salt-free beverage. The mixing ratio of the salt-free beverage and the flavor enhancer is not limited. The flavor enhancer is preferably contained in an amount of 0.01 to 1 part by mass, more preferably 0.05 to 0.2 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the salt-free beverage. When the flavor enhancer is diluted with a solvent, this content does not refer to the content in its pure form including the solvent, but to the content of the flavor enhancer (active ingredient).

[0023] As described above, the beverage composition of the present invention enhances the taste of food ingested while drinking it. The taste of food refers to, for example, saltiness, umami, sweetness, sourness, bitterness, and spiciness. The beverage composition of the present invention particularly enhances at least one of the saltiness and umami of food ingested while drinking it. Therefore, even if the food ingested is a low-salt food, the saltiness can be sufficiently perceived, and the umami flavor can also be strongly perceived.

[0024] Foods to be consumed while drinking are not limited as long as they are eaten as meals, snacks, or between-meals meals. Specific examples of foods include rice dishes such as fried rice, pilaf, gyudon (beef bowl), katsudon (pork cutlet bowl), and oyakodon (chicken and egg bowl), and curry rice; noodles such as ramen, udon, soba, yakisoba (fried noodles), yakisoba (fried udon), and spaghetti; side dishes such as fried, stir-fried, simmered, and grilled foods; processed seafood and meat products such as kamaboko (fish paste), chikuwa (fish cake), satsumaage (fried fish cake), ham, sausage, and dried fish; prepared dishes such as tamagoyaki (rolled omelet), potato salad, macaroni salad, ohitashi (boiled green soybeans), and edamame; various frozen foods; breads such as white bread and French baguette; cooked breads such as sandwiches, hot dogs, and hamburgers; pizza; soups such as miso soup, pork miso soup, consommé soup, and potage soup; and sweets such as snacks and rice crackers. [Example]

[0025] EXAMPLES The present invention will be specifically explained below with reference to examples and comparative examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0026] Example 1 Flavor enhancer 1 was added at a ratio of 0.1 parts by mass to 100 parts by mass of commercially available beer. The mixture was gently stirred to prevent carbonation from escaping, yielding a test beer. Flavor enhancer 1 was prepared as follows: 100 g of onion extract (Onion Extract IM, manufactured by Imuraya Seasoning Co., Ltd.) was heat-treated for 60 minutes at 120°C and 0.12 MPa. The heat-treated product was cooled to room temperature, and ion-exchanged water was added to adjust the concentration of the heat-treated product to 25% by mass, yielding flavor enhancer 1.

[0027] Seven well-experienced and trained male and female panelists were asked to taste approximately 20 mL of commercially available beer. Immediately after tasting, they were asked to taste commercially available potato chips. Next, the seven panelists were asked to taste approximately 20 mL of the resulting test beer. Immediately after tasting, the seven panelists were asked to taste the potato chips again. After tasting the test beer, the panelists were asked to evaluate the saltiness and umami of the potato chips using the following criteria, and a total score was calculated for the seven panelists. A total score of 14 points or higher was considered to indicate that the test beer strongly enhanced the saltiness and umami of the potato chips. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0028] <Evaluation criteria> 3 points: If the taste is significantly stronger than when drinking commercially available beer. 2 points: If it felt stronger than when drinking commercial beer. 1 point: If it feels slightly stronger than regular beer. 0 points: If you did not notice any difference compared to drinking commercially available beer.

[0029] Example 2 To 100 parts by mass of a commercially available beer-taste beverage, 0.1 parts by mass of the flavor enhancer 1 prepared in Example 1 was added. The mixture was gently stirred to prevent carbonation from escaping, yielding a test beer-taste beverage.

[0030] The seven panelists were asked to taste approximately 20 mL of a commercially available beer-flavored beverage. Immediately after tasting, they were asked to sample commercially available potato chips. Next, the seven panelists were asked to taste approximately 20 mL of the resulting test beer-flavored beverage. Immediately after tasting, the seven panelists were asked to taste the potato chips again. After tasting the test beer-flavored beverage, the panelists were asked to evaluate the saltiness and umami of the potato chips using the following criteria, and a total score was calculated for the seven panelists. A total score of 14 points or higher was considered to indicate that the test beer-flavored beverage strongly enhanced the saltiness and umami of the potato chips. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0031] <Evaluation criteria> 3 points: If the taste is significantly stronger than when drinking a commercially available beer-flavored beverage. 2 points: If the taste was stronger than when drinking a commercially available beer-flavored beverage. 1 point: If the taste is slightly stronger than when drinking a commercially available beer-flavored beverage. 0 points: No difference was felt compared to drinking a commercially available beer-flavored beverage.

[0032] Example 3 A mixture of 10 g of bonito extract (Bonito Extract P, manufactured by Maruha Nichiro Foods Co., Ltd.) and 100 g of high-fructose corn syrup was heat-treated at 120°C and 0.12 MPa for 60 minutes. The heat-treated product was cooled to room temperature, and ion-exchanged water was added so that the concentration of the heat-treated product became 25% by mass, thereby obtaining taste enhancer 2.

[0033] Seven panelists evaluated the saltiness and umami of the potato chips in the same manner as in Example 1, except that flavor enhancer 2 was used instead of flavor enhancer 1. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0034] Example 4 Seven panelists evaluated the saltiness and umami of the potato chips in the same manner as in Example 2, except that flavor enhancer 2 was used instead of flavor enhancer 1. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0035] Example 5 A mixture of 10 g of chicken extract (mz Chicken Extract 309NDW manufactured by Maruzen Food Industry Co., Ltd.) and 100 g of high-fructose corn syrup was heat-treated at 120°C and 0.12 MPa for 60 minutes. The heat-treated product was cooled to room temperature, and ion-exchanged water was added to adjust the concentration of the heat-treated product to 25% by mass, thereby obtaining taste enhancer 3.

[0036] Seven panelists evaluated the saltiness and umami of the potato chips in the same manner as in Example 1, except that flavor enhancer 3 was used instead of flavor enhancer 1. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0037] Example 6 Seven panelists evaluated the saltiness and umami of the potato chips in the same manner as in Example 2, except that flavor enhancer 3 was used instead of flavor enhancer 1. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0038] [Table 1]

[0039] As shown in Table 1, when eating a meal after drinking the test beer beverages (Examples 1, 3, and 5) and the test beer-flavored beverages (Examples 2, 4, and 6), the saltiness and umami of the food were perceived more strongly than when eating a meal after drinking commercially available beer or a commercially available beer-flavored beverage.

Claims

1. A salt-free beverage and a flavor enhancer, The flavor enhancer is at least one product that has been subjected to pressure and heat treatment and is selected from the group consisting of fruits, vegetables, seafood, meat, eggs, alcoholic beverages, honey, and seasonings. A beverage composition for enhancing the taste of food ingested while drinking.

2. The beverage composition according to claim 1, wherein the unsalted beverage is an alcoholic beverage or an alcohol-flavored beverage.

3. The beverage composition of claim 1 , which enhances at least one of the saltiness and umami of the food.

4. The beverage composition according to claim 1, wherein the taste enhancer is contained in an amount of 0.01 parts by mass or more and 1 part by mass or less per 100 parts by mass of the salt-free beverage.

5. A method for enhancing the taste of food by consuming a beverage composition containing a salt-free beverage and a taste enhancer, comprising: A taste sensitization method, wherein the taste enhancer is at least one product that has been subjected to pressure and heat treatment and is selected from the group consisting of fruits, vegetables, seafood, meat, eggs, alcoholic beverages, honey, and seasonings.

6. The taste sensitization method according to claim 5, wherein the salt-free beverage is an alcoholic beverage or an alcohol-flavored beverage.

7. The taste sensitization method according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the salty taste and the umami taste of the food is enhanced.

8. The taste sensitization method according to claim 5 , wherein the taste enhancer is contained in an amount of 0.01 parts by mass or more and 1 part by mass or less per 100 parts by mass of the salt-free beverage.

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