Low-purine sake

Abstract

To provide sake having a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less, the purine concentration being reduced without relying solely on activated carbon treatment and without addition of brewing alcohol.SOLUTION: Sake as defined by the Liquor Tax Act of Japan other than specially designated sake, having a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less and containing no brewing alcohol, is provided.. The sake is brewed with a koji ratio of less than 15% and without addition of brewing alcohol.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to sake with a low purine concentration and a method for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] With consumers becoming increasingly health-conscious in recent years, there is a demand for daily beverages that are low in sugar and purines. In particular, purines are metabolized in the body to form uric acid, which can cause gout, and alcohol also increases blood uric acid levels, which can cause gout, so many consumers are concerned about the purine content of alcoholic beverages.

[0003] Patent Document 1, which discloses sake with a reduced purine concentration, teaches that the purine concentration can be reduced without reducing the flavor by contacting activated carbon with extremely low-carbohydrate sake (sugar concentration of 1.5 g / dL or less). However, when the method of Patent Document 1 uses health-conscious pure rice sake as the raw material, even with activated carbon treatment it is only possible to reduce the purine concentration to 0.64 mg / dL, and it is only when sake containing brewer's alcohol is used as the raw material that it is possible to reduce the purine concentration to 0.5 mg / dL or less. Furthermore, because the purine concentration is reduced by activated carbon treatment, the resulting sake tends to have a weak flavor.

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 teaches that the purine concentration in sake can be reduced by bringing sake into contact with activated carbon having a specific specific surface area and arithmetic mean diameter. However, the method of Patent Document 2 cannot reduce the purine concentration to 0.5 mg / dL or less. Furthermore, because the purine concentration is reduced by activated carbon treatment, the resulting sake tends to have a weak flavor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2016-165261 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2013-106581 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The main objective of the present invention is to provide sake having a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less, in which the purine concentration is reduced not only by activated carbon treatment but also without adding brewer's alcohol, and to provide a method for producing the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present inventors have conducted extensive research to solve the above problems and have obtained the following findings. (1) If the weight ratio of koji rice to the total weight of rice is less than 15% by weight (koji ratio less than 15%), the purine concentration can be reduced without relying solely on activated carbon treatment or adding brewer's alcohol. Such sake obtained by brewing, particularly sake with a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less, containing no brewer's alcohol, and regulated by the Japanese Liquor Tax Law other than designated sake, was not known. However, in this invention, we have succeeded for the first time in producing such sake by brewing. (2) Among purines, guanine is a bitter component, and low concentrations of guanine are known to impart richness to sake (Sake Brewing Association, Vol. 107, No. 12, pp. 923-930, 2012). Sake with a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less and a guanine concentration of 0.002 mg / dL or more is in line with health-conscious trends and has a good flavor and aroma, but no sake with this concentration has been known to be produced by brewing. In this invention, we have succeeded for the first time in producing such sake by brewing.

[0008] The present invention was completed based on the above findings, and provides the following [1] to [6]. [1] Sake with a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less, containing no brewed alcohol, and other than designated sake as defined by the Japanese Liquor Tax Act. [2] Sake defined by the Liquor Tax Law of Japan as having a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less and a guanine concentration of 0.002 mg / dL or more. [3] The sake according to [2], to which no brewer's alcohol is added. [4] A method for producing sake with a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less by brewing mash with a koji ratio of less than 15% and brewing without adding brewer's alcohol. [5] A method for producing sake by brewing with a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less and a guanine concentration of 0.002 mg / dL or more. [6] The method for producing sake according to [5], wherein heat-treated rice koji is used. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The first sake of the present invention has a significantly lower purine concentration than regular sake, at 0.5 mg / dL or less. In particular, if the purine concentration is less than 0.5 mg / dL, it can be labeled as "purine-free." This labeling appeals to consumers that the purine concentration is extremely low, greatly improving the commercial value of the sake.

[0010] A conventional method for lowering the purine concentration is to contact the sake obtained by the pressing process with activated carbon. Activated carbon treatment also removes the flavor components of the sake, resulting in a weaker flavor. In contrast, the sake of the present invention has a lower purine concentration by preparing the mash with a koji rice ratio of less than 15% by weight (koji ratio of less than 15%), resulting in a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less, even without activated carbon treatment or with reduced activated carbon treatment (reduced amount of activated carbon or contact time), and without the addition of brewer's alcohol.

[0011] Among designated sakes that meet the "Standards for Labeling Quality of Sake Production Methods" established by the National Tax Agency (standards for labeling alcoholic beverages established by the Act on the Preservation of Liquor Tax and Liquor Industry Associations, etc.), sake with no added brewer's alcohol includes junmai sake, junmai ginjo sake, junmai daiginjo sake, and tokubetsu junmai sake. These sakes are produced using only rice and rice koji as ingredients. These junmai sakes are produced with a koji ratio of 15% or more. In recent years, many sakes made using only rice and rice koji as ingredients, with no added brewer's alcohol but with a koji ratio of less than 15%, have been sold commercially under product names such as "rice-only sake." These sakes are sakes other than designated sakes with no added brewer's alcohol. The first sake of the present invention is sake with no added brewer's alcohol, other than designated sake with a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less. This sake is rich in flavor, not only because of activated carbon treatment but also because it does not contain brewer's alcohol. Although it does not contain brewer's alcohol, it is not a designated name sake, which meets the needs of consumers who are concerned about ingredients and those who are looking for an authentic taste at an affordable price. The present invention is the first to successfully produce by brewing sake that has a purine concentration within the above range, does not contain added brewer's alcohol, and is not designated as a designated sake. The sake obtained by brewing is sake as defined by the Liquor Tax Act of Japan.

[0012] Furthermore, among purines, guanine is a bitter component, and low concentrations of guanine are known to impart richness to sake (Sake Brewing Association, Vol. 107, No. 12, pp. 923-930, 2012). Therefore, even if the purine concentration is low, it is desirable to contain a certain level of guanine. Sake brewed with a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less and a guanine concentration of 0.002 mg / dL or more is in line with health-conscious trends and has a good flavor and aroma, but such sake has not been known until now. This invention is the first to successfully produce sake with purine and guanine concentrations within these ranges by brewing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The present invention will be described in detail below. Unless otherwise specified, the names of various chemical substances, laws and regulations, measurement and analysis methods, labeling standards, and website URLs refer to those as of the day before the filing date of this application. (1) The first low-purine sake The first low-purine sake of the present invention is sake defined by the Japanese Liquor Tax Act that has a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less, does not contain brewer's alcohol, and is other than designated name sake.

[0014] purines In the present invention, "purine concentration" refers to the total content of purine bases consisting of adenine, guanine, xanthine, and hypoxanthine. Purines contained in the test sake are hydrolyzed with acid (preferably perchloric acid), and then the total concentration of adenine, guanine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine is quantified using LC-MS / MS ("Guide to Microanalysis of Purines in Alcoholic Beverages," Japan Food Research Laboratories (https: / / www.jfrl.or.jp / storage / file / news_vo14_no23.pdf)). The concentrations of adenine, guanine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine are measured using the same method as the purine concentration. The quantification limit for guanine is known to be 0.002 mg / 100 mL (Food Hygiene Journal, Vol. 55, No. 2, pp. 110-116, 2014).

[0015] The purine concentration of the total volume of sake is 0.5 mg / dL or less (particularly less than 0.5 mg / dL), but can also be 0.4 mg / dL or less, 0.3 mg / dL or less, 0.2 mg / dL or less, or 0.1 mg / dL or less. This range meets the health-conscious needs of consumers. The purine concentration can be, for example, 0.001 mg / dL or more, 0.002 mg / dL or more, 0.005 mg / dL or more, 0.01 mg / dL or more, 0.05 mg / dL or more, or 0.1 mg / dL or more relative to the total volume of sake. The percentage of guanine in the total purine content of sake (guanine concentration divided by purine concentration multiplied by 100) can be 10% or more, 20% or more, 30% or more, or 40% or more, and can be 95% or less, 90% or less, 85% or less, or 80% or less. It may also be 60% or less, 40% or less, or 20% or less.

[0016] The purine concentration per alcohol content can be 0.037 mg / dL or less, 0.03 mg / dL or less, 0.022 mg / dL or less, 0.015 mg / dL or less, or 0.0074 mg / dL or less. This range meets the health-conscious needs of consumers. The purine concentration can be 0.000074 mg / dL or more, 0.00015 mg / dL or more, 0.00037 mg / dL or more, 0.00074 mg / dL or more, 0.0037 mg / dL or more, or 0.0074 mg / dL or more per 1% alcohol content.

[0017] "Per 1% alcohol content" is determined based on the alcohol content, as the purine concentration and glucose concentration change when the drink is concentrated or diluted with water. "1% alcohol" can also be written as "1% alcohol by volume," "1% alcohol by volume," or "1% v / v alcohol by volume."

[0018] glucose In the sake of the present invention, the glucose concentration can be 0.05 g / dL or more, 0.1 g / dL or more, 0.2 g / dL or more, 0.4 g / dL or more, or 1 g / dL or more relative to the total volume of sake. Within these ranges, sake with a rich aroma can be produced even with a low purine concentration. Furthermore, the glucose concentration can be 10 g / dL or less, 7 g / dL or less, 5 g / dL or less, 3 g / dL or less, 2 g / dL or less, or 1 g / dL or less relative to the total volume of sake. Within these ranges, the concentration of carbohydrates, including glucose, will not be too high, matching the health-conscious needs of consumers. In the present invention, the glucose concentration is a value measured according to the National Tax Agency's prescribed analytical method "3-10 Glucose."

[0019] The glucose concentration can be set to 3.7 mg / dL or more, 7.4 mg / dL or more, 14.8 mg / dL or more, 29.6 mg / dL or more, or 74.1 mg / dL or more per 1% alcohol by volume. Within this range, sake will be rich in flavor even with a low purine concentration. The glucose concentration can also be set to 740.7 mg / dL or less, 518.5 mg / dL or less, 370.3 mg / dL or less, 222.2 mg / dL or less, 148.1 mg / dL or less, or 74.1 mg / dL or less per 1% alcohol by volume. Within this range, the carbohydrate concentration, including glucose, will not be too high, matching the health-conscious consumer needs.

[0020] Carbohydrates In the sake of the present invention, the carbohydrate concentration can be 0.5 g / dL or more (particularly, more than 0.5 g / dL), 1 g / dL or more (particularly, more than 1 g / dL), 1.5 g / dL or more (particularly, more than 1.5 g / dL), or 2 g / dL or more relative to the total volume of sake. Within these ranges, sake with a rich aroma and flavor can be produced despite a low purine concentration. Furthermore, since the carbohydrate concentration is slightly higher than that of so-called "zero carbohydrate sake" with a carbohydrate concentration of less than 0.5 g / dL, the sake has a correspondingly richer aroma and flavor. Furthermore, the carbohydrate concentration can be 50 g / dL or less, 40 g / dL or less, 30 g / dL or less, or 20 g / dL or less relative to the total volume of sake. Within these ranges, the carbohydrate concentration is not too high, matching the health-conscious consumer needs. Furthermore, sake with a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less and a carbohydrate concentration of 1.5 g / dL or less can be excluded from the present invention.

[0021] The carbohydrate concentration can be 37.0 mg / dL or more (especially above 37.0 mg / dL), 74.1 mg / dL or more (especially above 74.1 mg / dL), 111 mg / dL or more (especially above 111 mg / dL), or 148 mg / dL or more per 1% alcohol by volume. Within these ranges, sake will be rich in flavor even with a low carbohydrate concentration. Furthermore, the carbohydrate concentration can be 3700 mg / dL or less, 2960 mg / dL or less, 2220 mg / dL or less, or 1480 mg / dL or less per 1% alcohol by volume. Within these ranges, the carbohydrate concentration will not be too high, matching the health-conscious consumer needs.

[0022] The carbohydrate content in the present invention refers to the carbohydrate content based on the Nutrition Labeling Standards (Cabinet Office Ordinance No. 10 of 2015). Specifically, it is the value obtained by subtracting the weight of protein, lipid, dietary fiber, ash, alcohol, and water from the weight of the food. The amounts of carbohydrates, protein, lipids, dietary fiber, ash, and water contained in the sake of this invention are values ​​measured using the methods set forth in the Nutrition Labeling Standards. Specifically, the amount of protein can be measured using the nitrogen quantitative conversion method, the amount of lipids can be measured using the "solvent extraction-gravimetric method," the amount of dietary fiber can be measured using the Prosky method, the amount of ash can be measured using the direct ashing method, and the amount of water can be measured using the vacuum heating and drying method. In the examples of this invention, a simple carbohydrate measurement was used, where the value obtained by subtracting protein from the extract (extract minus protein).

[0023] Alcohol content The alcohol content (v / v%) of the sake of the present invention may be at least 1 v / v% but less than 22 v / v%, as defined by the Liquor Tax Act, but can also be at least 3 v / v%, at least 5 v / v%, at least 7 v / v%, or at least 10 v / v%, or can be at most 20 v / v%, at most 18 v / v%, at most 16 v / v%, or at most 14 v / v%. Alcohol content (alcohol content) is the volume concentration of alcohol (ethanol) expressed as a percentage relative to the total volume of an alcoholic beverage. Alcohol content can be measured using the analytical method prescribed by the National Tax Agency, as recognized by the Liquor Tax Act, or the "Standard Analytical Methods of the National Research Institute of Brewing" (partially revised on April 6, 2017, https: / / www.nrib.go.jp / bun / nribanalysis.html) established by the National Research Institute of Brewing. However, the alcohol content in this invention is a value analyzed based on the provisions of "3. Sake" in the "Standard Analytical Methods of the National Research Institute of Brewing" established by the National Research Institute of Brewing (hereinafter referred to as the "Sake Analytical Method").

[0024] acidity The acidity of the sake of the present invention can be 0.1 or more, 0.2 or more, 0.3 or more, 0.4 or more, 0.5 or more, or 0.6 or more, and can be 10 or less, 6 or less, 3 or less, 1.5 or less, or 1.3. Sake in these ranges will have a flavor that is popular with consumers. Acidity is a value that indicates the total amount of free acids (mainly lactic acid, malic acid, succinic acid, etc.) contained in sake. Specifically, acidity refers to the mL of 0.1N sodium hydroxide solution required to neutralize 10 mL of sake. Acidity is a value measured using the sake analysis method described above.

[0025] The first sake of the present invention is sake as defined by the Liquor Tax Act of Japan. The Liquor Tax Act and various laws and regulations related to the Liquor Tax Act (such as the Liquor Tax Act Enforcement Order) and notices limit the ingredients that can be used for sake to rice, rice koji, water, sake lees, brewer's alcohol, specific organic acids, etc., and do not permit the addition of flavorings that are generally recognized as food additives. Furthermore, the amount and purpose of enzyme preparations to be used are also limited.

[0026] The first sake of the present invention is sake defined by the Liquor Tax Law of Japan that does not contain brewer's alcohol. Examples of sake that do not contain brewer's alcohol include junmai sake, junmai ginjo sake, junmai daiginjo sake, and tokubetsu junmai sake, which are designated-name sakes that meet the "Standards for Labeling Quality of Sake Production Methods" established by a notice from the National Tax Agency, and ordinary sake that does not fall under the category of designated-name sake, and does not contain brewer's alcohol. The first sake of the present invention is ordinary sake that does not contain brewer's alcohol. According to the "Standards for Labeling Quality of Sake Production Methods," junmai sake, junmai ginjo sake, junmai daiginjo sake, and tokubetsu junmai sake have a koji ratio (the percentage of the weight of koji rice used to the total weight of polished rice used in production, in w / w%) of 15% by weight or more. The sake of the present invention is sake that does not contain brewer's alcohol and is produced with a koji ratio of less than 15% by weight.

[0027] Furthermore, the sake of the present invention can be bottled sake, and the container is preferably labeled with a term meaning sake, such as "sake" or "Nihonshu," which is a geographical indication (standard) for alcoholic beverages designated by the Commissioner of the National Tax Agency.

[0028] Sake is generally produced by adding rice koji, steamed rice, and brewing water to the starter yeast to create the mash, which is then saccharified and fermented, followed by the processes of pressing (a process in which the liquid fraction of the mash is separated from the sake lees and collected), heat treatment, removal of sediment, and filtration. The liquid fraction obtained from pressing is sake as defined by the Japanese Liquor Tax Act, and the liquid fractions obtained from each of the subsequent processes are also considered "sake." The sake of the present invention is produced by brewing with a koji ratio of less than 15% during mash preparation and without adding brewer's alcohol. The koji ratio can be 12% or less, 10% or less, or 8% or less. The koji ratio can also be 1% or more, 2% or more, or 4% or more. The first sake of the present invention is preferably produced by setting the yeast mortality rate in the mash immediately before transfer to 60% or less, preferably 50% or less, and more preferably 40% or less. The yeast mortality rate in the mash during fermentation is preferably set to 30% or less, preferably 20% or less, and more preferably 10% or less. The yeast mortality rate in the mash immediately before transfer can be 0%, 5% or more, or 10% or more, and the yeast mortality rate in the mash during fermentation can be 0% or more, 0.5% or more, or 1% or more. The yeast mortality rate can be adjusted by adjusting the mash temperature and fermentation period. In the present invention, the yeast mortality rate is the ratio (%) of the number of yeast cells stained with methylene blue to the total number of yeast cells in the mash. The first sake of the present invention is preferably produced by a method in which rice koji and steamed rice are brewed together with glucoamylase. This produces sake that has a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less, does not contain brewer's alcohol, and is regulated by the Japanese Liquor Tax Law as being other than designated name sake.

[0029] In the sake production of the present invention, the koji ratio during mash preparation is kept below 15%, yeast death during mash fermentation is inhibited, and rice koji and steamed rice are prepared together with glucoamylase, thereby making it possible to reduce the purine concentration to 0.5 mg / dL or less; therefore, activated carbon treatment may or may not be performed. When activated carbon treatment is performed, it is preferable to contact the sake (after separation) with activated carbon, but it may also be contacted with activated carbon in a step before separation. Of these, it is preferable to contact the sake with activated carbon after or simultaneously with the heat treatment and sediment removal steps. Hereinafter, to clarify the invention, sake before contact with activated carbon will be referred to as "untreated sake."

[0030] The activated carbon may be any carbon used as an adsorbent in food production. Preferred activated carbons are those used for water treatment for soft drinks, etc., or those approved as food additives, and more preferably activated carbon for brewing. Furthermore, activated carbons activated with chemicals such as zinc chloride or phosphoric acid, or gases such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, air, or combustion gases, are preferred. Commercially available activated carbons are usually activated. Activated carbon may be commercially available or homemade, and examples of commercially available activated carbon include those from Shinagawa Carbon Co., Ltd., Serachem Co., Ltd., Musashino Shoji Co., Ltd., Futamura Chemical Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Kitamura Chemical Research Institute, Kirin Kyowa Foods Co., Ltd., and Ajinomoto Fine-Techno Co., Ltd.

[0031] There are no particular limitations on the method for contacting untreated sake with activated carbon. For example, activated carbon is added to untreated sake and allowed to stand or stirred for 0.1 to 168 hours, preferably 0.5 to 24 hours. After this, the activated carbon precipitates, and the supernatant can be recovered. Alternatively, the activated carbon can be removed using a filter or other filtering material.

[0032] The contact step may be carried out once or multiple times (2 to 5 times, 2 to 4 times, or 2 to 3 times, etc.). The amount of activated carbon used can be 0.1 g or more, 0.5 g or more, 1 g or more, 2 g or more, or 3 g or more per liter of untreated sake, and can be 20 g or less, 10 g or less, 9 g or less, 8 g or less, 7 g or less, 6 g or less, or 5 g or less per liter of untreated sake. Within the above ranges, purines can be sufficiently removed without impairing the flavor and aroma of the untreated sake. When contact is carried out multiple times, the total amount of activated carbon used should be within the above range. By dividing a predetermined amount of activated carbon into multiple uses, the efficiency of purine removal is further improved.

[0033] (2) The second low-purine sake The second low-purine sake of the present invention is sake having a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less and a guanine concentration of 0.002 mg / dL or more, as defined by the Liquor Tax Act of Japan. The preferred ranges and measurement methods for the purine concentration, glucose concentration, carbohydrate concentration, alcohol content, and acidity are as explained for the first sake of the present invention.

[0034] The guanine concentration is 0.002 mg / dL or more relative to the total volume of sake, but can also be 0.01 mg / dL or more, 0.03 mg / dL or more, 0.06 mg / dL or more, 0.07 mg / dL or more, or 0.15 mg / dL or more. Within this range, sake will have a rich flavor even if the total amount of purines is low. Furthermore, the guanine concentration can be 0.5 mg / dL or less, 0.4 mg / dL or less, 0.3 mg / dL or less, or 0.2 mg / dL or less relative to the total volume of sake. Within this range, sake will not have the bitterness of guanine. The ratio (%) of the amount of guanine to the total amount of purines is as described for the first sake of the present invention.

[0035] The guanine concentration can be 0.15 μg / dL or more, 0.75 μg / dL or more, 2.2 μg / dL or more, 4.44 μg / dL or more, 5.25 μg / dL or more, or 10.5 μg / dL or more per 1% alcohol by volume. Within these ranges, sake will have a rich flavor even if the total amount of purines is low. The guanine concentration can also be 0.037 mg / dL or less, 0.03 mg / dL or less, 0.022 mg / dL or less, or 0.015 mg / dL or less per 1% alcohol by volume. Within these ranges, sake will not have the bitterness of guanine.

[0036] The guanine concentration is determined by hydrolyzing the purines contained in the test sake using perchloric acid or other agents, and then quantifying the concentration using LC-MS / MS (Japan Food Research Laboratories: "Guide to trace analysis of purines in alcoholic beverages").

[0037] The second low-purine sake of the present invention is sake as defined by the Liquor Tax Act of Japan, and is therefore sake produced by brewing. The sake of the present invention is preferably a designated sake among the types of sake as defined by the Liquor Tax Act of Japan. Furthermore, the sake of the present invention preferably does not contain brewer's alcohol, and more preferably is a designated sake that does not contain brewer's alcohol, i.e., junmai sake, junmai ginjo sake, junmai daiginjo sake, or special junmai sake. Furthermore, like the first low-purine sake of the present invention, it may be bottled sake.

[0038] In the second method of producing low-purine sake according to the present invention, a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less and a guanine concentration of 0.002 mg / dL or more can be achieved by using heat-treated rice koji in a conventional sake brewing process and adding rice koji and steamed rice together with glucoamylase. The heat treatment can be carried out at 70 to 100°C, preferably 80 to 90°C, for 1 to 60 minutes, preferably 5 to 20 minutes. In the production of the second low-purine sake of the present invention, the purine concentration is reduced by using heat-treated rice koji or the like, so activated carbon treatment may or may not be performed. The activated carbon treatment is as explained for the first sake. [Example]

[0039] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. (1) Quantification method General analytical methods for sake The quality of commercially available sake and brewed alcoholic beverages was analyzed. Various parameters were analyzed in accordance with the provisions of "3. Sake" in the "Standard Analytical Methods of the National Research Institute of Brewing" (November 4, 2010, http: / / www.nrib.go.jp / data / nribanalysis.htm) established by the National Research Institute of Brewing. Specifically, alcohol content was measured according to "3-4 Alcohol Content A)-2 Vibration Density Meter Method," and acidity was measured according to "3-5 Total Acidity."

[0040] How to measure glucose levels The glucose concentration was measured according to the National Tax Agency's prescribed analytical method "3-10 Glucose."

[0041] How to measure carbohydrate concentration The value obtained by subtracting protein from the extract (extract minus protein) was used as the "simple calculated carbohydrates." Carbohydrates are calculated by subtracting protein, lipids, dietary fiber, and ash from the extract. In sake, lipids, dietary fiber, and ash are contained in negligible amounts compared to carbohydrates and protein, so "extract minus protein" can be used as a parameter that indirectly indicates carbohydrates.

[0042] Extract measurement method The extract content was measured according to the National Tax Agency's prescribed analytical method "3-7 Extract Content."

[0043] How to measure purine concentration The purine content in each example of sake was determined by hydrolysis with perchloric acid, followed by measurement of the concentrations or amounts of adenine, guanine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine using LC-MS / MS, and the sum of these concentrations was taken as the total purine concentration or amount. Quantitation was performed in accordance with the "Guide for Microanalysis of Purines in Alcoholic Beverages" published by the Japan Food Research Laboratories (including analysis commissioned to the Japan Food Research Laboratories).

[0044] Methylene blue staining rate The mash was adjusted to a yeast density of approximately 2 x 10 8 The yeast was diluted appropriately with 0.9% saline to a concentration of 100 (number of yeast cells / ml). 4.5 ml of 0.02% methylene blue solution was mixed with 4.5 ml of phosphate buffer (pH 4.6), to which 1 ml of the diluted yeast solution was added. Within 5 minutes of mixing, the number of yeast cells in 50 compartments of a fixed volume was counted under a microscope using a Thoma hemocytometer (EKDS). The methylene blue staining rate (%) is the ratio of the number of blue-stained yeast cells to the total number of yeast cells multiplied by 100.

[0045] (2) Sake production Comparative Example 1 A four-stage brewing process was carried out using 100g of total rice (20% koji rice by weight), a water ratio of 170%, and Kyokai yeast K-901 strain yeast. Domestically produced rice with a rice polishing ratio of 78% was used for the koji rice and koji rice. The produced rice koji and liquefied rice were mixed and used as the rice koji and kakemai. Fermentation was carried out at a temperature of 15°C, and the sake was transferred to the tank on the 16th day after brewing. The resulting sake was then fermented with 3.6g of activated carbon per liter (for sake brewing, steam activated, average fine particle size 3.2μm, average specific surface area: 1110m). 2 The sake was then contacted with fermented soybeans (rice bran) at 15°C, filtered, and pasteurized to obtain sake. The alcohol content of the resulting sake was 18% or higher. The resulting sake was pure rice sake, with an acidity (total acidity) of 1 or higher, a glucose concentration of 0.5g / dL, and a sugar content of 2.0g / dL.

[0046] Example 1 Sake was produced in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1 (20% by weight of koji rice), except that the koji rice was changed to 6% by weight of the total rice, and a glucoamylase enzyme preparation (Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd. glucoamylase enzyme preparation) was used in combination with the rice koji and the rice used for brewing. The glucoamylase enzyme preparation was added so that the glucoamylase activity was equivalent to that of the rice koji used in Comparative Example 1. The alcohol content was 18% or higher. The resulting sake was a regular sake (sake other than designated sake) to which no brewer's alcohol had been added. The acidity (total acidity) was 1 or higher, and the glucose concentration was 0.5 g / dL or higher. The sugar content was 2.0 g / dL or higher. Because the proportion of koji rice was lower than in Comparative Example 1, fermentation was controlled to prevent yeast death, and the methylene blue staining rate (yeast death rate) of the mash on the 13th day of fermentation was less than half that of Comparative Example 1.

[0047] Example 2 In Comparative Example 1, a mixture of rice koji and liquefied rice was heated at 81-86°C for 10 minutes to prepare the rice koji and rice used. Glucoamylase (a glucoamylase enzyme preparation manufactured by Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.) was also added to the rice koji and rice used in the preparation. Sake was produced in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1, except that glucoamylase was added to achieve the same glucoamylase activity as that contained in the rice koji used in Comparative Example 1. The alcohol content was 18% or higher. The resulting sake was pure rice sake, with an acidity (total acidity) of 1 or higher and a glucose concentration of 0.5 g / dL or higher. The sugar content was 2.0 g / dL or higher. Because heated koji rice was used, fermentation was controlled in the same way as in Example 1 to prevent yeast death. The methylene blue staining rate (yeast death rate) of the mash on the 13th day of fermentation was less than half that of Comparative Example 1.

[0048] Table 1 shows the methylene blue staining rate of the mash on the 13th day of fermentation. [Table 1]

[0049] (3) Evaluation results Table 2 shows the concentrations of each component (immediately after pressing and immediately after activated carbon treatment) of the sake from each example, which was then subjected to pressing, activated carbon treatment, and further diluted to an alcohol content of 13.5%. The numbers in parentheses in Table 2 represent the concentration of each component divided by 13.5%. As shown in Table 2, the percentage of guanine in the total purine content was 0.22 ÷ 1.02 = 0.217 (21.7%) for the sake from Comparative Example 1 after activated carbon treatment. Similarly, the percentage was 16.2% for the sake from Example 1 after activated carbon treatment, and 43.8% for the sake from Example 2 after activated carbon treatment. [Table 2] By reducing the yeast mortality rate during fermentation, brewing rice koji and rice with glucoamylase, and keeping the koji ratio below 15%, we were able to brew sake with a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less.Furthermore, by reducing the yeast mortality rate during fermentation, brewing rice koji and rice with glucoamylase, and using heat-treated koji rice, we were able to brew sake with a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less and a guanine concentration of 0.002 mg / dL or more.

[0050] Furthermore, seven expert panel members evaluated the aroma and flavor of each example of sake (watered down to an alcohol content of 13.5%) and found no discernible difference in the aroma and flavor of the sake from Example 1, Example 2, and Comparative Example 1. The sensory evaluation method for the resulting sake followed the National Tax Agency disclosure documents, Chapter 1, Product Knowledge of Alcoholic Beverages, Section 4, Sake Tasting Method, and the quality of the sake was evaluated using a 5-point scale (1 point: excellent, 2 points: good, 3 points: average, 4 points: slightly questionable, 5 points: questionable) (National Tax Agency website: https: / / www.nta.go.jp / taxes / sake / hambai / moderatekisuto / pdf / pdf / h28_02_2.pdf), with a t-test confirming that there were no significant differences. [Industrial Applicability]

[0051] The sake of the present invention has a very low purine concentration but still has a good flavor and aroma, making it a sake with high commercial value.

Claims

1. Sake with a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less, containing no brewed alcohol, and other than designated sake as defined by the Japanese Liquor Tax Act.

2. Sake defined by the Japanese Liquor Tax Law as having a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less and a guanine concentration of 0.002 mg / dL or more.

3. 3. The sake according to claim 2, to which no brewer's alcohol has been added.

4. A method for producing sake having a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less by brewing mash with a koji ratio of less than 15% and without adding brewer's alcohol.

5. A method for producing sake by brewing, having a purine concentration of 0.5 mg / dL or less and a guanine concentration of 0.002 mg / dL or more.

6. The method for producing sake according to claim 5, wherein heat-treated rice koji is used.

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