Theanine-containing composition

Abstract

To provide a composition that imparts depth to the taste of theanine.SOLUTION: The foregoing problem is solved by a theanine-containing composition comprising (A) theanine and (B) an organic nitrogen compound, wherein it is preferable that the organic nitrogen compound (B) is at least one selected from the group consisting of amide compounds, imide compounds, and primary amines, and it is also preferable that the organic nitrogen compound (B) is at least one selected from the group consisting of ethylformamide, ethylacetamide, and acetamide.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a theanine-containing composition. [Background technology]

[0002] Theanine is known as one of the components contained in tea extracts and is known to have physiological effects such as relaxation effects and improving sleep quality. Theanine is known as the umami component of tea and can suppress the astringency of catechins. Patent Document 1, for example, is an example of a technology that attempts to add something new to theanine's taste. This document discloses a technology to improve the unpleasant aftertaste and the poor taste characteristic of theanine that can occur when high concentrations of theanine are ingested with a beverage. It states that the taste of theanine can be improved by adding appropriate amounts of starch and monosaccharides. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-012077 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, theanine has the potential to add depth to flavor in addition to improving taste, so there is room for further improvement. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a composition that adds depth to the taste of theanine. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The theanine-containing composition according to the present invention, which is intended to achieve the above object, is characterized by containing (A) theanine and (B) an organic nitrogen compound. In this case, it is preferable that the (B) organic nitrogen compound is at least one selected from the group consisting of amide compounds, imide compounds, and primary amines. The (B) organic nitrogen compound is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of ethylformamide, ethylacetamide, and acetamide. In this case, the ratio of the ethylformamide to the theanine is preferably 5 ppm to 5000 ppm. The ratio of the ethylacetamide to the theanine is preferably 5 ppm to 5000 ppm. The ratio of the acetamide to the theanine is preferably 5 ppm to 5000 ppm.

[0006] Another invention relates to a food or drink product characterized by containing the theanine-containing composition. Examples of the food or drink product include beverages (dairy-containing beverages, coffee, tea, juice, processed milk, sports drinks, etc.), bakery products (bread, pizza, pie, etc.), Western confectionery products (cookies, crackers, biscuits, cakes, castella, etc.), noodles, pasta, snacks, confectionery products (candy, caramel, gum, chocolate, etc.), frozen desserts (ice cream, sorbet, etc.), dairy products (cream, cheese, mousse, powdered milk, condensed milk, dairy drinks, etc.), Western confectionery products (jelly, pudding, mousse, yogurt, buttercream, custard cream, etc.), and other products. This includes foods such as ham, sausage, bacon, hamburger steak, meatballs, croquettes, gyoza, pilaf, rice balls, etc.), processed seafood (such as mochi, syrup, mochi, ohagi, dorayaki, etc.), processed fruit and vegetable foods (such as jam, marmalade, preserved fruit in syrup, candied fruit, etc.), pastes (such as flower paste, fruit paste, peanut paste, etc.), seasonings (soy sauce, sauce, noodle soup, dashi stock, soup stock, etc.), frozen and refrigerated foods (such as ham, sausage, bacon, hamburger steak, meatballs, croquettes, gyoza, pilaf, rice balls, etc.), processed seafood (such as chikuwa, kamaboko, etc.), and health care products such as supplements. Note that food and drink is not limited to food for humans, but also includes food for pets (such as dogs and cats). In the present invention, the at least one organic nitrogen compound selected from the group consisting of amide compounds, imide compounds, and primary amines includes at least one selected from the group consisting of acetamide, ethylacetamide, ethylpropionamide, ethylformamide, succinimide, hydroxysuccinimide, diethyloxamide, and ethylamine, and preferably ethylformamide, ethylacetamide, and acetamide. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, a composition that enhances the taste of theanine can be provided. In particular, theanine and ethylacetamide significantly affect umami and sweetness. Theanine and ethylformamide significantly affect bitterness. Theanine and acetamide significantly affect umami. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. <Theanine production> Example 1: Enzymatic production of theanine 21.9 g of glutamine and 28.5 g of ethylamine hydrochloride were reacted with 0.3 U of glutaminase (Amano Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) in 0.5 L of 0.05 M borate buffer (pH 9.5) at 30° C. for 22 hours. The reaction solution was then subjected to column chromatography using Dowex 50×8 and Dowex 1×2 (both manufactured by Muromachi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), and the target substance, L-theanine, was isolated from the reaction solution by treating with ethanol. The substance's identity as L-theanine was confirmed by subjecting the isolated material to an amino acid analyzer and paper chromatography, which showed the same behavior as a standard substance. Hydrolysis with hydrochloric acid or glutaminase produced glutamic acid and ethylamine in a 1:1 ratio. Thus, the isolated material was hydrolyzed by glutaminase, indicating that ethylamine was bonded to the γ-position of glutamic acid. Furthermore, glutamate dehydrogenase confirmed that the glutamic acid produced by hydrolysis was L-form. From the above, 8.5 g of L-theanine was obtained. In this embodiment, the theanine produced in Example 1 was used, but according to the present invention, a similar composition can be provided using theanine obtained by other methods (e.g., chemical synthesis, extraction from tea leaves, microbial fermentation, etc.).

[0009] <Confirmation test of the effect on taste of the combination of theanine and organic nitrogen compounds> Test Example 1: Confirmation of the effects of individual organic nitrogen compounds As examples of the organic nitrogen compounds of the present invention, ethylacetamide (organic nitrogen compound A), ethylformamide (organic nitrogen compound B), acetamide (organic nitrogen compound C), and ethylpropionamide (organic nitrogen compound D) were used. The effects of combining theanine with organic nitrogen compounds A to D were investigated by the following method. (1) Preparation of theanine solution containing organic nitrogen compounds Theanine (Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd.: Suntheanine (registered trademark) U001) was mixed with any one of organic nitrogen compounds A to D at concentrations of 0 (control), 1, 5, 10, 50, and 100 ppm to prepare solutions. The theanine control solution (2 mg / mL theanine solution) was prepared by dissolving 4 g of theanine in 1996 mL of purified water. The taste threshold of theanine is 1.5 mg / mL, so the concentration was set higher than this. 0.1 mg of each organic nitrogen compound was weighed out and 500 mL of theanine control solution was added to each to prepare a 100 ppm solution (meaning a ratio of 0.2 μg / mL of organic nitrogen compound to 2 mg / mL of theanine). A 50 ppm solution was prepared by adding 150 mL of theanine control solution to 150 mL of the 100 ppm solution. A 10 ppm solution was prepared by adding 180 mL of theanine control solution to 20 mL of the 100 ppm solution. A 5 ppm solution was prepared by adding 180 mL of theanine control solution to 20 mL of the 50 ppm solution. A 1 ppm solution was prepared by adding 180 mL of theanine control solution to 20 mL of the 10 ppm solution.

[0010] (2) Sensory evaluation test A sensory evaluation was conducted by six panelists. The evaluation items were sweetness, bitterness, and umami. The evaluation was conducted to determine whether there was a difference in the taste of these three items compared to a control that did not contain organic nitrogen compounds. The difference was scored on a five-point scale (-2: weaker than the control, -1: slightly weaker than the control, 0: no difference, +1: slightly stronger than the control, +2: stronger than the control). For statistical analysis, a significance level of less than 10% (p<0.10) was considered significant. (3) Test results Tables 1 to 4 show the evaluation results of organic nitrogen compounds A to D, respectively. Tables 5 to 7 show the results of Student's paired t-test for organic nitrogen compounds A to C, respectively, showing that at least one significant difference was observed. That is, Table 1 shows the results of the sensory evaluation of theanine and organic nitrogen compound A (ethylacetamide), Table 2 shows the results of the sensory evaluation of theanine and organic nitrogen compound B (ethylformamide), Table 3 shows the results of the sensory evaluation of theanine and organic nitrogen compound C (acetamide), Table 4 shows the results of the sensory evaluation of theanine and organic nitrogen compound D (ethylpropionamide), Table 5 shows the analytical results of the sensory evaluation of theanine and organic nitrogen compound A (ethylacetamide), Table 6 shows the analytical results of the sensory evaluation of theanine and organic nitrogen compound B (ethylformamide), and Table 7 shows the analytical results of the sensory evaluation of theanine and organic nitrogen compound C (acetamide).

[0011] [Table 1]

[0012] [Table 2]

[0013] [Table 3]

[0014] [Table 4]

[0015] [Table 5]

[0016] [Table 6]

[0017] [Table 7]

[0018] These results show that organic nitrogen compound A, ethylacetamide, had a significant effect (p<0.10) on umami at concentrations above 10 ppm and on sweetness at concentrations above 100 ppm. Organic nitrogen compound B, ethylformamide, had a significant effect (p<0.10) on bitterness at concentrations above 5 ppm, and organic nitrogen compound C, acetamide, had a significant effect (p<0.10) on umami at concentrations above 5 ppm.

[0019] Test Example 2: Confirmation of the effects of ethylacetamide and acetamide The organic nitrogen compounds used were ethylacetamide (organic nitrogen compound A) and acetamide (organic nitrogen compound C). The effect of combining theanine with organic nitrogen compounds A and C on taste was investigated using the following method. (1) Preparation of theanine solution containing organic nitrogen compounds The organic nitrogen compounds A and C were added in equivalent amounts to theanine (Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd.: Suntheanine (registered trademark) U001) at concentrations of 0 (control), 1, 5, 10, 50, and 100 ppm, respectively. Specifically, 4 g of theanine was dissolved in 1996 mL of purified water to prepare the theanine control solution (2 mg / mL theanine solution). A 100 ppm solution was prepared by adding 500 mL of theanine control solution to 0.1 mg each of organic nitrogen compound A and organic nitrogen compound C. The 50, 10, 5, and 1 ppm solutions were prepared according to the same procedure as in Test Example 1 above. (2) Sensory evaluation test A sensory evaluation was conducted by six panelists. The evaluation items were sweetness, bitterness, and umami. The evaluation was conducted to determine whether there was a difference in the taste of these three items compared to a control that did not contain organic nitrogen compounds. The difference was scored on a five-point scale (-2: weaker than the control, -1: slightly weaker than the control, 0: no difference, +1: slightly stronger than the control, +2: stronger than the control). (3) Test results Table 8 shows the evaluation results of organic nitrogen compounds A and C. Table 9 also shows the results of Student's paired t-test in which at least one significant difference was observed.

[0020] [Table 8]

[0021] [Table 9]

[0022] These results showed that the combination of ethylacetamide and acetamide had a significant effect on umami (umami flavor) at concentrations of 10 ppm or more (p<0.10).

[0023] Test Example 3: Confirmation of the effects of ethylacetamide and acetamide (upper limit confirmation) The organic nitrogen compounds used were ethylacetamide (organic nitrogen compound A) or acetamide (organic nitrogen compound C). The effects of combining theanine with organic nitrogen compounds A and C at high concentrations on physiologically unacceptable unpleasant taste were investigated using the following method. (1) Preparation of theanine solution containing organic nitrogen compounds Theanine (Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd.: Suntheanine (registered trademark) U001) was mixed with organic nitrogen compound A or organic nitrogen compound C at concentrations of 0 (control), 100, 500, 1000, 5000, and 10000 ppm to prepare solutions. Specifically, 4 g of theanine was dissolved in 1996 mL of purified water to prepare the theanine control solution (2 mg / mL theanine solution). 10000 ppm solutions were prepared by adding 500 mL of theanine control solution to 10 g of each of the organic nitrogen compound A. The 5000, 1000, 500, and 100 ppm solutions were prepared in the same manner as in Test Example 1. A similar solution of organic nitrogen compound C was also prepared. (2) Sensory evaluation test A sensory evaluation was conducted by six panelists. The evaluation item was an unpleasant taste, which was defined as an off-taste. Each panelist evaluated whether there was a difference in off-taste between each concentration and a control that did not contain organic nitrogen compounds, and marked the concentration at which an unpleasant taste was detected with a "○". (3) Test results Table 10 shows the evaluation results for organic nitrogen compound A and organic nitrogen compound C. For organic nitrogen compound A, one of six subjects detected an off-taste at concentrations of 100 to 5,000 ppm, but at 10,000 ppm, three of the six subjects (half of the six) detected an off-taste. For organic nitrogen compound C, one of six subjects detected an off-taste at concentrations of 100 to 500 ppm, two of six subjects detected an off-taste at concentrations of 1,000 to 5,000 ppm, and all six subjects detected an off-taste at 10,000 ppm. The effect of organic nitrogen compound A and organic nitrogen compounds on off-taste was tolerated up to a concentration of 5,000 ppm in theanine.

[0024] [Table 10]

[0025] Test Example 4: Confirmation of the effectiveness of ethylformamide using the three-point discrimination method The effect of using only ethylformamide (organic nitrogen compound B) (not containing theanine) as the organic nitrogen compound was investigated using the method described below to verify whether the significant difference in bitterness observed when the combination of theanine and ethylformamide was used was due to the combination of theanine and ethylformamide or to ethylformamide alone. (1) Preparation of test solution Theanine-free purified water was mixed with organic nitrogen compound B at an equivalent concentration of 0 (control), 5, 50, and 100 ppm. That is, 0.1 mg of organic nitrogen compound B was weighed out and added to 500 mL of purified water (control) to prepare a 100 ppm solution. 150 mL of purified water was added to 150 mL of the 100 ppm solution to make a 50 ppm solution. 20 mL of the 50 ppm solution was mixed with 180 mL of purified water to make a 5 ppm solution. (2) Sensory evaluation test A three-point discrimination sensory evaluation was conducted by eight panelists. Bitterness was the evaluation item. Two control solutions (purified water) containing no organic nitrogen compounds were combined with one 5 ppm test solution, and panelists were asked to select the one they perceived as bitter. Analysis was performed using a binomial test. The significance level of p-values ​​was set at 10% (p<0.10). (3) Test results Table 11 shows the results of the three-point discrimination sensory evaluation. Testing was conducted by eight panelists, but the p-value was greater than the significance level, resulting in a "no significant difference." Thus, the bitterness could not be detected when ethylformamide alone was added, suggesting that the effect of ethylformamide on flavor was due to its combination with theanine. In addition, sensory evaluation of the umami and sweetness of ethylacetamide (organic nitrogen compound A) and the umami of acetamide (organic nitrogen compound C) yielded results similar to those of ethylformamide (organic nitrogen compound B).

[0026] [Table 11]

[0027] As described above, this embodiment provides a composition that adds depth to the taste of theanine. The composition of this embodiment can be added to various foods and beverages.

Claims

1. A theanine-containing composition containing (A) theanine and (B) an organic nitrogen compound.

2. 2. The theanine-containing composition according to claim 1, wherein the organic nitrogen compound (B) is at least one selected from the group consisting of amide compounds, imide compounds, and primary amines.

3. 2. The theanine-containing composition according to claim 1, wherein the organic nitrogen compound (B) is at least one selected from the group consisting of ethylformamide, ethylacetamide, and acetamide.

4. 4. The theanine-containing composition according to claim 3, wherein the ratio of ethylformamide to the theanine is 5 ppm to 5000 ppm.

5. 4. The theanine-containing composition according to claim 3, wherein the ratio of the ethylacetamide to the theanine is 5 ppm to 5000 ppm.

6. 4. The theanine-containing composition according to claim 3, wherein the ratio of acetamide to the theanine is 5 ppm to 5000 ppm.

7. A food or drink comprising the theanine-containing composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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