Beer-taste beverage, method for producing beer-taste beverage, and method for reducing purine bodies in beer-taste beverage

Abstract

To provide a beer-taste beverage having a malt ratio of ≥ 50 wt.% and a reduced content of purine bodies, and excellent in sharp taste and aftertaste.SOLUTION: The beer-taste beverage has a malt content of 50 wt.% or more, a purine content of 15ppm or less, and an ammoniacal nitrogen concentration of 380 μ mol / L or less.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a beer-taste beverage, a method for producing a beer-taste beverage, and a method for reducing purine content in a beer-taste beverage. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, growing health consciousness has led to increased demand for beer-flavored beverages with reduced or zero purines. Purines are a general term for compounds with a purine skeleton. Purines contained in beer-flavored beverages typically include eight types: nucleosides such as adenosine, guanosine, inosine, and xanthosine, and purine bases such as adenine, guanine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine. The purine content of beer-flavored beverages tends to increase with a higher malt content. Therefore, in conventional low-purine or zero-purine beer-flavored beverages, the malt content is reduced to, for example, less than 50% by weight, and further processes such as purine adsorption and dilution are performed as necessary to reduce the purine content. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a method for producing a beer-flavored beverage with a purine content of 0.50 mg / 100 mL or less, in which the malt content is reduced to less than 5% by weight and the purine content is reduced by treatment with activated carbon. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-168688 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, conventional purine-reduced or purine-free beer-flavored beverages have a low malt ratio of less than 50% by weight, resulting in insufficient flavor strength (drinkability). It is known that the drinkability of a beer-flavored beverage can be improved by increasing the malt ratio, but if the malt ratio is set to, for example, 50% by weight or more, the high malt ratio inevitably results in a high purine content. Thus, if an attempt is made to ensure the drinkability of a beer-flavored beverage, the purine content in the beer-flavored beverage will increase.

[0005] Furthermore, when beer-taste beverages with a malt content of 50% or more by weight are adsorbed and removed with an adsorbent such as activated carbon, it is possible to reduce the purine content, but attempting to remove most of the purines contained in the beer-taste beverage can result in a poor taste. Similarly, when the purine content of a beer-taste beverage with a malt content of 50% or more by dilution is reduced, there is also the problem of the beer taste becoming weak. Furthermore, the inventors' studies have revealed that when a beer-taste beverage with a malt content of 50% or more by weight is adsorbed and removed with an adsorbent such as activated carbon, the taste indicators of the beer-taste beverage, particularly the crispness and aftertaste, tend to become poor (see Reference Examples 1 to 4 below). Therefore, there is a need for a method for reducing the purine content in beer-taste beverages without significantly impairing the taste of the beer-taste beverage (particularly the crispness and aftertaste).

[0006] More specifically, it is known that purine content is reduced when nucleosides such as adenosine, guanosine, inosine, and xanthosine among purines are hydrolyzed by nucleosidase to form purine bases such as adenine, guanine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine, respectively, resulting in a reduction in their content. Among the purine bases, adenine, guanine, and hypoxanthine are known to be assimilated as nitrogen sources by common brewer's yeast (e.g., Saccharomyces) in the beer brewing process, resulting in a reduction in their content. However, common brewer's yeast cannot assimilate xanthine, and therefore, the content of only xanthine among purines (purine bases) cannot be reduced by assimilation by common brewer's yeast, resulting in the problem that it always remains in beer-flavored beverages. Therefore, in producing a beer-flavored beverage with a reduced purine content, there has been a demand for a method that can reduce the xanthine content and, in turn, the purine content, in addition to methods that have the potential to significantly impair the taste of the beer-flavored beverage, such as adsorption removal using adsorbents such as activated carbon or dilution.

[0007] As described above, the inventors' investigations have revealed that when a beer-taste beverage containing 50% or more malt by weight is subjected to adsorption and removal of most of the purines using an adsorbent such as activated carbon, the beer-taste beverage tends to have a worse sharpness and aftertaste (see Reference Examples 1 to 4 below). The inventors further investigated the sharpness and aftertaste of beer-taste beverages, and as a result, identified ammonia nitrogen as one of the components that can affect the sharpness and aftertaste of beer-taste beverages. They found that the higher the concentration of ammonia nitrogen in a beer-taste beverage, the worse the beer-taste beverage's sharpness and aftertaste tend to be. Supporting these new findings, it was confirmed that even when a beer-taste beverage containing 50% or more malt by weight is subjected to adsorption and removal of most of the purines using activated carbon, the concentration of ammonia nitrogen in the beer-taste beverage is barely reduced, and that the beer-taste beverage contains a high concentration of ammonia nitrogen after the purines have been adsorbed and removed (see Reference Examples 1 to 4 below). Based on the above-mentioned new findings, in beer-flavored beverages in which most of the purines have been adsorbed and removed using an adsorbent such as activated carbon, it is preferable to reduce the concentration of ammonia nitrogen in the beer-flavored beverage as much as possible in order to improve the crispness and aftertaste of the beer-flavored beverage. However, a method capable of efficiently reducing the concentration of ammonia nitrogen has not yet been discovered. Furthermore, there have been no cases to date in which the appropriate range of ammonia nitrogen concentration has been specifically examined from the perspective of crispness and aftertaste in beer-flavored beverages with reduced purine content.

[0008] The present invention aims to provide a beer-taste beverage that has a malt ratio of 50% by weight or more, has a reduced purine content, and has a crisp taste and excellent aftertaste. It also aims to provide a method for producing a beer-taste beverage with a reduced purine content, and a method for reducing the purine content of a beer-taste beverage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present inventors conducted extensive research into the effect of ammonia nitrogen concentration on the crispness and aftertaste of a beer-taste beverage with a malt ratio of 50% by weight or more and a reduced purine content. They discovered that ammonia nitrogen concentration within a specific range results in an excellent crispness and aftertaste, leading to the conception of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention. Furthermore, as a result of extensive research, the present inventors discovered that by carrying out a step of decomposing xanthine during the production of a beer-taste beverage, the xanthine content in the beer-taste beverage can be reduced, thereby reducing the purine content. Based on this discovery, they conceived the process for producing a beer-taste beverage and the method for reducing purines in a beer-taste beverage of the present invention.

[0010] That is, although not limited to the following, the present invention relates to the following beer-taste beverages, methods for producing beer-taste beverages, and methods for reducing purine content in beer-taste beverages. [1] A beer-flavored beverage having a malt ratio of 50% by weight or more, a purine content of 15 ppm or less, and an ammonia nitrogen concentration of 380 μmol / L or less. [2] The beer-flavored beverage according to [1] above, having a xanthine content of 5 ppm or less. [3] A beer-flavored beverage according to [1] or [2] above, having a carbohydrate content of less than 0.5 g / 100 mL. [4] A method for producing a beer-taste beverage, comprising a step (A) of decomposing xanthine. [5] The production method according to [4] above, wherein in step (A), a microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine or xanthine oxidase is added to the wort or the wort fermentation liquid. [6] The production method according to [4] or [5] above, wherein step (A) is step (A1) of allowing a microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine to assimilate xanthine. [7] The method for producing a microorganism according to [5] or [6] above, wherein the microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine has the XAN2 gene. [8] The method according to any one of [5] to [7] above, wherein the microorganism capable of xanthine assimilation is yeast capable of xanthine assimilation. [9] The production method described in [8] above, wherein the yeast having the ability to utilize xanthine is at least one species selected from the group consisting of yeast belonging to the genus Torulaspora, yeast belonging to the genus Lachancea, yeast belonging to the genus Zygosaccharomyces, and yeast belonging to the genus Kluyveromyces.

[10] The production method according to any one of [4] to [9] above, further comprising the step (B) of adding a nucleosidase.

[11] A method for reducing purines in a beer-flavored beverage, comprising a step (A) of decomposing xanthine.

[12] The method for reducing purines according to

[11] above, wherein in step (A), a microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine or xanthine oxidase is added to the wort or the wort fermentation liquid.

[13] The method for reducing purines according to

[11] or

[12] above, wherein step (A) is step (A1) of allowing a microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine to assimilate xanthine.

[14] The method for reducing purines according to

[12] or

[13] above, wherein the microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine has the XAN2 gene.

[15] The method for reducing purines according to any one of

[12] to

[14] above, wherein the microorganism capable of xanthine assimilation is yeast capable of xanthine assimilation.

[16] The method for reducing purines described in

[15] above, wherein the yeast having the ability to utilize xanthine is at least one species selected from the group consisting of yeast belonging to the genus Torulaspora, yeast belonging to the genus Lachancea, yeast belonging to the genus Zygosaccharomyces, and yeast belonging to the genus Kluyveromyces.

[17] The method for reducing purines according to any one of

[11] to

[16] above, further comprising the step (B) of adding nucleosidase. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The beer-taste beverage of the present invention has a malt ratio of 50% by weight or more, yet has a reduced purine content and an ammonia nitrogen concentration within a specific range, resulting in a crisp taste and excellent aftertaste. Furthermore, the method for producing a beer-taste beverage of the present invention can provide a beer-taste beverage with a reduced purine (xanthine) content. Furthermore, the method for reducing purines in a beer-taste beverage can reduce the purine (xanthine) content in the beer-taste beverage. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] <<Beer-flavored beverages>> First, the beer-taste beverage of the present invention will be described. The beer-taste beverage of the present invention has a malt ratio of 50% by weight or more, a purine content of 15 ppm or less, and an ammonia nitrogen concentration of 380 μmol / L or less. Because the beer-taste beverage of the present invention has a malt ratio of 50% by weight or more, a reduced purine content, and an ammonia nitrogen concentration of 380 μmol / L or less, it has an excellent crispness and aftertaste.

[0013] As used herein, the term "beer-taste beverage" refers to an alcoholic or non-alcoholic carbonated beverage that has a beer-like flavor. In other words, unless otherwise specified, the term "beer-taste beverage" as used herein encompasses any carbonated beverage that has a beer flavor. Therefore, the term "beer-taste beverage" encompasses not only beer, a malt fermented beverage obtained by fermenting malt, hops, and water using yeast, but also fermented beer-taste beverages, as well as carbonated beverages to which beer flavorings containing esters, higher alcohols, lactones, etc. One embodiment of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is beer. Furthermore, the "beer-taste beverage" may be a fermented beer-taste beverage that has undergone a fermentation process using yeast, or a non-fermented beer-taste beverage that has not undergone a fermentation process. Furthermore, the "beer-taste beverage" may be a beer-taste beverage containing distilled alcohol, such as spirits, whiskey, or shochu. Of these, spirit-containing beer-taste beverages are preferred.

[0014] As used herein, "crispness" refers to a sensation that cannot be expressed by the five basic tastes, i.e., sweetness, saltiness, sourness, bitterness, and umami, and refers to the sensation of a beer-taste beverage fading over time after drinking it. Furthermore, as used herein, "aftertaste" refers to a sensation that can be expressed by the five basic tastes, and refers to the taste experienced after the beer-taste beverage has changed over time from immediately after drinking it (the taste just before the taste completely disappears). Furthermore, as used herein, "drinkability" refers to the strength of the taste (the umami of barley) of a beer-taste beverage. The presence and degree of "crispness," "aftertaste," and "drinkability" can be evaluated by sensory evaluation by a specialist panel.

[0015] The beer-taste beverage of the present invention has a malt ratio of 50% by weight or more. The malt ratio of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is 50% by weight or more, and may be 55% by weight or more, 60% by weight or more, 65% by weight or more, 66% by weight or more, more than 66% by weight, 67% by weight or more, 70% by weight or more, 75% by weight or more, 80% by weight or more, 85% by weight or more, 90% by weight or more, 95% by weight or more, or 100% by weight, or may be 100% by weight or less, less than 100% by weight, 98% by weight or less, 95% by weight or less, 90% by weight or less, 87% by weight or less, 85% by weight or less, 82% by weight or less, 80% by weight or less, 78% by weight or less, 76% by weight or less, or 74% by weight or less. In this specification, "malt ratio" means a value calculated in accordance with the Liquor Tax Act and the Interpretation Notice of Liquor Administration-related Laws and Regulations, etc., which came into effect on April 1, 2018.

[0016] In this specification, "malt" refers to germinated seeds of wheat, such as barley, wheat, rye, oats, oats, adlay, and oats, which have been dried and have their roots removed, and may be from any place of origin or variety. Barley malt is one of the malts most commonly used as an ingredient in Japanese beer-flavored beverages. There are various types of barley, such as two-row barley and six-row barley, and either can be used. In addition to regular malt, colored malt can also be used. When using colored malt, different types of colored malt can be used in combination as appropriate, or a single type of colored malt can be used. In the beer-taste beverage of the present invention, the malt is preferably barley malt.

[0017] As long as the malt ratio of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is 50% by weight or more, ingredients other than malt may include grains other than malt, proteins, sugar solutions, etc. Examples of grains other than malt include barley (barley, wheat, rye, oats, oats, pearl barley, oats, etc.) that does not fall under the category of malt, rice (white rice, brown rice, etc.), corn (corn grits, etc.), sorghum, potatoes, beans (soybeans, peas, etc.), buckwheat, sorghum, millet, barnyard millet, and starch obtained therefrom, as well as extracts thereof. Among these, those using corn (corn grits, etc.) are preferred. Examples of proteins include soybean protein, pea protein, and their decomposition products.

[0018] The beer-taste beverage of the present invention has a purine content of 15 ppm or less. As used herein, "purines" refers to eight compounds in total: four nucleosides, adenosine, guanosine, inosine, and xanthosine, and four purine bases, adenine, guanine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine. Furthermore, as used herein, "purine content" refers to the total content of adenosine, guanosine, inosine, xanthosine, adenine, guanine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine. In the beer-taste beverage of the present invention, the purine content is not particularly limited as long as it is 15 ppm or less, but from a health-conscious perspective, 10 ppm or less is preferable, and 5 ppm or less is even more preferable. The lower limit of the purine content is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 0 ppm, 0.01 ppm, or 0.1 ppm. In this specification, the purine content in a beer-taste beverage refers to the value measured by a method of detection using a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometer (LC-MS / MS) ("Guide to Microanalysis of Purines in Alcoholic Beverages," Japan Food Research Laboratories, Internet (https: / / www.jfrl.or.jp / storage / file / news_vol4_no23.pdf, searched March 2024)). The beer-taste beverage of the present invention may be a low-purine beverage, a purine-free beverage, or a zero-purine beverage.

[0019] In the beer-taste beverage of the present invention, the xanthine content is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5 ppm or less, more preferably 4 ppm or less, and even more preferably 3 ppm or less. The lower limit of the xanthine content is also not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 0 ppm, 0.01 ppm, or 0.1 ppm. In this specification, the xanthine content in beer-taste beverages refers to the value measured using a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometer (LC-MS / MS) detection method ("Guide to Microanalysis of Purines in Alcoholic Beverages," Japan Food Research Laboratories, Internet (https: / / www.jfrl.or.jp / storage / file / news_vol4_no23.pdf), searched March 2024).

[0020] In this specification, "ppm" means "ppm by weight", and -4 Unless otherwise specified, "mg / 100mL" represents 10 -3 It is expressed in weight percent, i.e., 1 ppm = 1 mg / L = 0.1 mg / 100 mL = 0.0001 weight percent.

[0021] The beer-taste beverage of the present invention has an ammonia nitrogen concentration of 380 μmol / L or less, and therefore has an excellent crisp taste and aftertaste. In this specification, ammonia nitrogen refers to nitrogen present in the form of ammonium ions in a beer-taste beverage. In the beer-taste beverage of the present invention, the concentration of ammonia nitrogen is not particularly limited as long as it is 380 μmol / L or less, but is preferably 350 μmol / L or less, more preferably 250 μmol / L or less, even more preferably 200 μmol / L or less, even more preferably 150 μmol / L or less, even more preferably 100 μmol / L or less, even more preferably 50 μmol / L or less, even more preferably 25 μmol / L or less, and particularly preferably 10 μmol / L or less. The lower limit of the ammonia nitrogen concentration is also not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 0 μmol / L or 0.01 μmol / L. In this specification, the concentration of ammonia nitrogen refers to a value measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a high-speed amino acid analyzer L-8900 (manufactured by Hitachi High-Tech Corporation) under the conditions described in the Examples below. Methods for reducing the concentration of ammonia nitrogen in a beer-taste beverage include, for example, performing step (A1) in the production method of the present invention described below, an ion exchange method using zeolite, and a reverse osmosis membrane method. However, the method of performing step (A1) in the production method of the present invention is preferred because it allows for efficient reduction of the concentration of ammonia nitrogen.

[0022] The beer-taste beverage of the present invention may be an alcohol-containing beer-taste beverage with an alcohol content of 1% (v / v) or more, or a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage with an alcohol content of less than 1% (v / v).The beer-taste beverage of the present invention is preferably an alcohol-containing beer-taste beverage.

[0023] As used herein, "alcohol-containing beer-flavored beverage" refers to a beer-flavored beverage with an alcohol content of 1% (v / v) or more. The source of the alcohol contained in an alcohol-containing beer-flavored beverage is not limited to fermented or non-fermented.

[0024] As used herein, the term "non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage" refers to a beer-flavored beverage with an alcohol content of less than 1% (v / v), and includes any carbonated beverage that has a beer flavor and an alcohol content of less than 1% (v / v). "Non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages" are not limited to fermented beverages produced by adding yeast to wort or a pre-fermentation liquid containing the components necessary for fermentation and fermenting the resulting mixture. They also include fermented and non-fermented carbonated beverages to which beer flavorings (flavorings that evoke a beer-like aroma) have been added, including esters, higher alcohols, and lactones, such as isoamyl acetate, ethyl acetate, n-propanol, isobutanol, acetaldehyde, ethyl caproate, ethyl caprylate, isoamyl propionate, linalool, geraniol, citral, 4-vinylguaiacol (4-VG), 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid, 2-methyl-2-pentenoic acid, 1,4-cineole, 1,8-cineole, 2,3-diethyl-5-methylpyrazine, γ-decanolactone, γ-undecalactone, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl n-butyrate, and myrcene. A "non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage" may be a fermented beverage obtained by fermenting using yeast (top-fermenting yeast and / or bottom-fermenting yeast) in the production process, followed by removal of the alcohol produced during the fermentation process, resulting in an alcohol content of less than 1 (v / v%). It may also be a fermented beverage obtained by terminating fermentation so that the alcohol content is less than 1 (v / v%). It may also be a fermented beverage diluted with water or other suitable ingredients so that the alcohol content is less than 1 (v / v%). When fermentation is terminated, it is preferable to terminate the fermentation so that the levels of off-flavors such as hydrogen sulfide, diacetyl, 2,3-pentanedione, and acetaldehyde are below a threshold, but this is not necessarily required. The concentration of off-flavors such as hydrogen sulfide, diacetyl, 2,3-pentanedione, and acetaldehyde is not limited as long as they blend with the flavor and aroma of the beer-taste beverage to create a favorable flavor. A "non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage" may also be a non-fermented beverage prepared without a fermentation process.

[0025] In this specification, the alcohol content of a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage is less than 1 (v / v)%, and may be 0.8 (v / v)% or less, 0.6 (v / v)% or less, 0.5 (v / v)% or less, 0.4 (v / v)% or less, 0.2 (v / v)% or less, 0.1 (v / v)% or less, 0.05 (v / v)% or less, 0.01 (v / v)% or less, or 0.005 (v / v)% or less. Types of non-alcoholic beer-taste beverages include, for example, non-alcoholic beer-taste beverages and beer-taste soft drinks. In this specification, "alcohol content (alcohol content)" means the content of ethanol (v / v%) and does not include the content of aliphatic alcohols other than ethanol. In this specification, "volume %" and "v / v %" have the same meaning.

[0026] Yeast may be used to produce alcoholic and non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages to produce fermented beer-flavored beverages. The fermented beer-flavored beverage may be a top-fermented beer-flavored beverage (ale beer-flavored beverage) brewed through a fermentation process using top-fermenting yeast (e.g., Saccharomyces), or a bottom-fermented beer-flavored beverage (lager beer-flavored beverage, pilsner beer-flavored beverage) brewed through a fermentation process using bottom-fermenting yeast (e.g., Saccharomyces), or a blend thereof. Fermentation may be performed using alcohol-producing yeast (e.g., Saccharomyces) or wild yeast (e.g., Brettanomyces), or may also use non-alcoholic yeast (e.g., Saccharomyces), wild yeast (e.g., Brettanomyces), or bacteria that perform lactic acid fermentation or gluconic acid fermentation.

[0027] The alcohol content is expressed as a percentage ((v / v)%) on a volume / volume basis. The alcohol content of a beverage can be measured by any known method, for example, according to "8.3 Alcohol" in the "Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods, 2013, Supplement and Revision (edited by the International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee) of the Brewers Association of Japan, published by the Brewery Society of Japan, a public interest incorporated foundation)."

[0028] The alcohol content can be adjusted by adding diluted water or carbonated water, the type of raw materials (malt, corn grits, sugar solution, etc.), the amount of raw materials, the type of enzyme, the amount of enzyme added, the timing of adding the enzyme, the saccharification time in the brewing tank, the proteolysis time in the brewing tank, the pH in the brewing tank, the pH during the brewing process (the wort production process from the addition of malt to before the addition of yeast), the amount of acid added when adjusting the pH, the timing of pH adjustment (during brewing, during fermentation, at the end of fermentation, before beer filtration, after beer filtration, etc.), and the temperatures during wort preparation (including during saccharification). The temperature setting and holding time of the region, the original extract concentration of the pre-fermentation liquid, the original extract concentration during the fermentation process, the fermentation conditions (oxygen concentration, aeration conditions, yeast variety, amount of yeast added, number of yeast grown, timing of yeast removal, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, carbon dioxide concentration, etc.), addition of ethanol, addition of ethanol composition (raw material alcohol, spirits (distilled liquor) such as shochu, awamori, whiskey, brandy, vodka, rum, tequila, gin, etc., brewer's alcohol, etc.), etc. can be appropriately set.

[0029] When the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is an alcohol-containing beer-taste beverage, the alcohol content is not particularly limited as long as it is 1% by volume or more, and examples thereof include 1.5% by volume or more, 2.0% by volume or more, 2.5% by volume or more, 3.0% by volume or more, 3.5% by volume or more, 3.6% by volume or more, 3.7% by volume or more, 3.8% by volume or more, 3.9% by volume or more, 4.0% by volume or more, 4.1% by volume or more, 4.2% by volume or more, 4.3% by volume or more, 4.4% by volume or more, 4.5% by volume or more, 4.6% by volume or more, 4.7% by volume or more, 4.8% by volume or more, It is preferably 4.9% by volume or more, 5.0% by volume or more, 5.1% by volume or more, 5.2% by volume or more, 5.3% by volume or more, 5.4% by volume or more, 5.5% by volume or more, 5.6% by volume or more, 5.7% by volume or more, 5.8% by volume or more, 5.9% by volume or more, 6.0% by volume or more, 6.1% by volume or more, 6.2% by volume or more, 6.3% by volume or more, 6.4% by volume or more, 6.5% by volume or more, 7.0% by volume or more, 7.5% by volume or more, 8.0% by volume or more, 8.5% by volume or more, 9.0% by volume or more, 9.5% by volume or more, or 10.0% by volume or more. Furthermore, it is preferably 20.0 vol% or less, 19.5 vol% or less, 19.0 vol% or less, 18.5 vol% or less, 18.0 vol% or less, 17.5 vol% or less, 17.0 vol% or less, 16.5 vol% or less, 16.0 vol% or less, 15.5 vol% or less, 15.0 vol% or less, 14.5 vol% or less, 14.0 vol% or less, 13.5 vol% or less, 13.0 vol% or less, 12.5 vol% or less, 12.0 vol% or less, 11.5 vol% or less, 11.0 vol% or less, 10.5 vol% or less, or 10 vol% or less.

[0030] The manufacturing process for a typical beer-flavored beverage is shown below. First, a mixture containing malt and other barley, as well as other grains, starch, sugars, bittering agents, or coloring agents, and water, is gelatinized and saccharified, optionally with the addition of enzymes such as amylase. The mixture is then filtered to produce a saccharified liquid. Hops and bittering agents are added as needed, and the resulting saccharified liquid is boiled, with solids such as coagulated proteins removed in a clarifying tank. As an alternative to this saccharified liquid, hops can be added to malt extract and warm water, and then boiled. Hops can be added at any stage, from the beginning to the end of the boiling process. Known conditions can be used for the saccharification, boiling, solids removal, fermentation, and storage processes. The resulting fermented liquid is filtered, and carbon dioxide gas is added to the filtrate. The saccharified liquid is then filled into containers and sterilized to produce the desired beer-flavored beverage.

[0031] The beer-taste beverage of the present invention may or may not use hops as an ingredient. Hops may be in the form of pelleted hops, powdered hops, hop extract, etc. In addition, processed hop products such as isomerized hops and reduced hops may also be used. Furthermore, when hops are used as a raw material, the amount of hops used is not particularly limited, but is typically about 0.0001 to 1% by weight based on the total amount of the beer-flavored beverage.

[0032] The beer-taste beverage of the present invention may contain various additives as needed, provided that the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Examples of such additives include sweeteners (including high-intensity sweeteners), bittering agents or bitterness-imparting agents, flavorings, coloring agents, foam-forming agents, fermentation promoters, protein-based substances such as peptide-containing substances, dietary fiber, seasonings such as amino acids, antioxidants, and other additives. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0033] Examples of sweeteners include commercially available saccharified solutions obtained by hydrolyzing grain-derived starch with acid or enzymes, sugars such as sucrose and commercially available starch syrup, trisaccharides or higher, sugar alcohols, isomerized sugar, and natural sweeteners such as stevia, and artificial sweeteners. These sugars may be in the form of liquids such as solutions or solids such as powders. Furthermore, there are no particular limitations on the type of grain from which the starch is derived, the starch purification method, or the treatment conditions for enzymatic or acidic hydrolysis. For example, sugars with a higher maltose content may be used by appropriately setting the conditions for enzymatic or acidic hydrolysis. Other examples include sucrose, fructose, glucose, maltose, trehalose, maltotriose, maltotetraose, isomaltose, isomaltotriose, isomaltotetraose, and solutions (sugar solutions) of these. Examples of artificial sweeteners include aspartame, acesulfame potassium (acesulfame K), sucralose, and neotame. These sweeteners may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0034] The bittering agent or bitterness imparting agent is not particularly limited, and includes, in addition to hops, those used as bittering agents in ordinary beer and happoshu, such as rosemary, lychee, anise, juniper nut, sage, cinnamon, Ganoderma lucidum, bay leaf, mulberry, citrus extract, bitter persimmon extract, coffee extract, tea extract, bitter gourd extract, lotus germ extract, aloe arborescens extract, rosemary extract, lychee extract, laurel extract, sage extract, caraway extract, naringin, wormwood and wormwood extract, absinthin, alginic acid, etc. These bittering agents or bitterness imparting agents may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0035] The flavoring agent is not particularly limited, and general beer flavoring agents can be used. Beer flavoring agents are used to impart a beer-like flavor and include brewing components generated by fermentation. Examples of beer flavorings include isoamyl acetate, ethyl acetate, n-propanol, isobutanol, acetaldehyde, ethyl caproate, ethyl caprylate, isoamyl propionate, linalool, geraniol, citral, 4-vinylguaiacol (4-VG), 4-methyl-3-pentenoic acid, 2-methyl-2-pentenoic acid, 1,4-cineole, 1,8-cineole, 2,3-diethyl-5-methylpyrazine, γ-decanolactone, and γ-undecalactone. , Ethyl hexanoate, Ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, Ethyl n-butyrate, Myrcene, Citral, Limonene, Maltol, Ethyl maltol, Phenylacetic acid, Furaneol, Furfural, Methional, 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol, 3-methyl-2-butanethiol, Diacetyl, Ferulic acid, Geranic acid, Geranyl acetate, Ethyl butyrate, Octanoic acid, Decanoic acid, 9-decenoic acid, Nonanoic acid, Tetradecanoic acid, Propanoic acid, 2-methylpropanoic acid, γ-butyro Lactone, 2-aminoacetophenone, ethyl 3-phenylpropionate, 2-ethyl-4-hydroxy-5-methyl-3(2H)-furanone, dimethyl sulfone, 3-methylcyclopentane-1,2-dione, 2-methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran-3-one, 2-acetylfuran, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran-3-one, hexanal, hexanol, cis-3-hexenal, 1-octen-3-ol, β-eutectic alcohol Desmol, 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one, β-caryophyllene, β-myrcene, furfuryl alcohol, 2-ethylpyrazine, 2,3-dimethylpyrazine, 2-methylbutyl acetate, isoamyl alcohol, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, phenylacetaldehyde, 1-phenyl-3-buten-1-one, trans-2-hexenal, nonanal, phenethyl alcohol, nerol, citronellol, methyl p-toluate, 1,2,3,5-Tetramethylbenzene, triethyl citrate, tributyl citrate, diethyl tartrate, dibutyl malate, perillaldehyde, methylheptenone, lemon myrtle, cinnamaldehyde, 2-propanol, n-butanol, 2-butanol, activated amyl alcohol, 2-heptanol, 2-octanol, 5-methylfurfuryl alcohol, ethyl butyrate, ethyl isobutyrate, ethyl heptanoate, isobutyl acetate, activated amyl acetate, propionate Examples of suitable amines include ethyl octanoate, isoamyl octanoate, 2,3-butanediol, methionol, isovaleraldehyde, pentanal, octanal, 2-nonanal, trans-2-nonenal, methylfurfural, β-ionone, hydroxymethylfurfural, acetoin, 2,3-butanedione, 2,3-pentanedione, 2,3-hexanedione, guaiacol, α-terpineol, damascenone, nerolidol, humulene, and linalool oxide. These fragrances may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0036] Coloring agents are used to impart a beer-like color to beverages, and examples thereof include caramel color, lycopene color, elderberry color, cocoa color, safflower color, etc. These coloring agents may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0037] Foam-forming agents are used to form beer-like foam in beverages or to maintain the foam of beverages, and examples include plant-extracted saponin substances such as soybean saponin and quillaja saponin, plant proteins such as corn and soybean, peptide-containing substances such as collagen peptide, raw materials derived from milk, etc. These foam-forming agents may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0038] Fermentation promoters are used to promote fermentation by yeast, and examples thereof include bran components from rice, wheat, etc., vitamins, mineral supplements, etc. These fermentation promoters may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0039] Examples of dietary fibers include water-soluble dietary fibers. Examples of water-soluble dietary fibers include indigestible dextrin, polydextrose, guar gum hydrolysate, pectin, glucomannan, alginic acid, laminarin, fucoidin, and carrageenan. From the viewpoint of versatility such as stability and safety, indigestible dextrin or polydextrose is preferred. These dietary fibers may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0040] The antioxidant is not particularly limited, and those used as antioxidants in ordinary beer and happoshu can be used, such as ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, catechin, etc. These antioxidants may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0041] Other additives include, but are not limited to, fruits (including dried or boiled fruits, or concentrated fruit juice); coriander or its seeds; pepper, cinnamon, cloves, Japanese pepper and other spices or their raw materials; chamomile, sage, basil, lemongrass and other herbs; sweet potato, pumpkin and other vegetables (including dried or boiled vegetables); buckwheat or sesame; honey and other sugar-containing substances, salt or miso; flowers or tea, coffee, cocoa or preparations thereof; oysters, kelp, wakame seaweed or bonito flakes, etc. When the beer-taste beverage of the present invention contains other additives, the content thereof is not particularly limited, but is typically 5% by weight or less based on the weight of the malt used as an ingredient in the beer-taste beverage.

[0042] During the production process of a beer-taste beverage, at any time between the brewing step and the filling step, steps such as fermentation (purine assimilation by a microorganism such as yeast, such as xanthine assimilation by a microorganism capable of xanthine assimilation (step (A1) in the production method of the present invention)), xanthine degradation using xanthine oxidase (step (A2) in the production method of the present invention), hydrolysis using nucleosidase, adsorption and removal of purines using an adsorbent, and dilution can be carried out to obtain a beer-taste beverage with a purine content reduced to 15 ppm or less. These steps may be carried out individually, or two or more of them may be combined. In one embodiment of the present invention, the fermentation step (assimilation of purines by microorganisms such as yeast) can be performed using, for example, a method similar to step (A1) (a step of causing a microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine to assimilate xanthine) in the production method of the present invention, which will be described later. Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the xanthine degradation step using xanthine oxidase can be performed using, for example, a method similar to step (A2) (a step of degrading xanthine using xanthine oxidase) in the production method of the present invention, which will be described later. Furthermore, the steps of fermentation (assimilation of purines by microorganisms such as yeast), decomposition of xanthine using xanthine oxidase, hydrolysis using nucleosidase, adsorption and removal of purines using an adsorbent, and dilution are not particularly limited, and conventionally known methods and conditions can be used. The adsorbent used for adsorbing and removing purines is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include activated carbon, zeolite, activated clay, and the like. The beer-taste beverage of the present invention is preferably produced by the production method of the present invention described below.

[0043] When the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is intended to be an alcohol-containing beer-taste beverage, the alcohol content of the final product can be adjusted by adding a raw material alcohol, etc. The raw material alcohol may be added at any step from the saccharification step to the filling step.

[0044] An aliphatic alcohol may be added to the beer-taste beverage of the present invention in order to impart a boozy flavor. There are no particular limitations on the aliphatic alcohol as long as it is a known alcohol, but an aliphatic alcohol having 4 to 5 carbon atoms is preferred. Examples of aliphatic alcohols having 4 carbon atoms include 2-methyl-1-propanol and 1-butanol. Examples of aliphatic alcohols having 5 carbon atoms include 3-methyl-1-butanol, 1-pentanol, and 2-pentanol. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0045] In the beer-taste beverage of the present invention, the content of the aliphatic alcohol having 4 to 5 carbon atoms is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.0002 to 0.0007% by weight, and more preferably 0.0003 to 0.0006% by weight. In this specification, the content of the aliphatic alcohol having 4 to 5 carbon atoms can be measured using headspace gas chromatography.

[0046] The beer-taste beverage of the present invention may be a low-carbohydrate beverage or a reduced-carbohydrate beverage in line with the recent trend toward low-carbohydrate beverages. In the beer-taste beverage of the present invention, the carbohydrate content can be set according to the desired characteristics of the beverage, and may be, for example, 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, 1.9 g / 100 mL or less, 1.8 g / 100 mL or less, 1.7 g / 100 mL or less, 1.6 g / 100 mL or less, 1.5 g / 100 mL or less, less than 1.5 g / 100 mL, 1.4 g / 100 mL or less, 1.3 g / 100 mL or less, 1.2g / 100mL or less, 1.1g / 100mL or less, 1.0g / 100mL or less, 1.0g / 100mL or less, 0.95g / 100mL or less, 0.9g / 100mL or less, 0.85 g / 100mL or less, 0.8g / 100mL or less, 0.75g / 100mL or less, 0.7g / 100mL or less, 0.65g / 100mL or less, 0.6g / 100mL or less, 0.55g / It may be 100mL or less, 0.5g / 100mL or less, or less than 0.5g / 100mL, or it may be 0.1g / 100mL or more, 0.2g / 100mL or more, 0.3g / 100mL or more, 0.4g / 100mL or more, 0.5g / 100mL or more, more than 0.5g / 100mL, 0.55g / 100mL or more, 0.6g / 100mL or more, 0.65g / 100mL or more, or 0. It may be 7g / 100mL or more, 0.75g / 100mL or more, 0.8g / 100mL or more, 0.85g / 100mL or more, 0.9g / 100mL or more, 0.95g / 100mL or more, 1.0g / 100mL or more, 1.1g / 100mL or more, 1.2g / 100mL or more, 1.3g / 100mL or more, 1.4g / 100mL or more, or 1.5g / 100mL or more. From a health-conscious perspective, the beer-taste beverage of the present invention preferably has a carbohydrate content of less than 0.5 g / 100 mL.

[0047] In this specification, "carbohydrates" refers to carbohydrates based on the Food Nutrition Labeling Standards (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Notification No. 176 of 2003, partially revised by Consumer Affairs Agency Notification No. 8 of September 27, 2013), and specifically refers to the carbohydrates remaining after excluding protein, lipids, dietary fiber, ash, alcohol and water from the food in question. The carbohydrate content of a food product can be calculated by subtracting the amounts of protein, fat, dietary fiber, ash, and water from the weight of the food product. The amounts of protein, lipid, dietary fiber, ash, and moisture can be measured by the methods specified in the Nutrition Labeling Standards. Specifically, the amount of protein can be measured by the nitrogen quantitative conversion method, the amount of lipid by the ether extraction method, the amount of dietary fiber by the Prosky method, the amount of ash by the direct ashing method, and the amount of moisture by the reduced pressure heat drying method.

[0048] The beer-taste beverage of the present invention typically contains peptides with a molecular weight of 35 to 50 kDa derived from malt or the like. The peptides with a molecular weight of 35 to 50 kDa are those peptides found in the molecular weight range of 35 to 50 kDa when the raw material liquid of the beer-taste beverage is subjected to ultrafiltration using a 30 kDa cutoff membrane and then subjected to SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. Peptides with a molecular weight of approximately 40 kDa are preferred, and peptides of approximately 40 kDa are also referred to as 40 kDa peptides in this specification. In the beer-taste beverage of the present invention, the content of the 40 kDa peptide is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5 to 60 ppm, and more preferably 10 to 40 ppm, for example. In this specification, the content of the 40 kDa peptide refers to the value measured by the Bradford method.

[0049] The beer-taste beverage of the present invention contains, in addition to the 40 kDa peptide described above, other peptides derived from malt or the like. These other peptides are peptides with molecular weights of less than 35 kDa or more than 50 kDa, and more specifically, refer to peptides other than the 40 kDa peptides found in the molecular weight range of 35 to 50 kDa when measured by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis after ultrafiltration of the beer-taste beverage raw material using a 30 kDa cutoff membrane. The total peptide content of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention, which is the combined content of the 40 kDa peptide and other peptides, is not particularly limited, but is preferably 100 to 500 ppm, and more preferably 200 to 400 ppm. In this specification, the total peptide content refers to the value measured by the Lowry method.

[0050] In the beer-taste beverage of the present invention, the total polyphenol content is not particularly limited, but from the standpoint of drinkability, it may be, for example, 40 ppm or more, 50 ppm or more, 60 ppm or more, 70 ppm or more, 80 ppm or more, 90 ppm or more, 100 ppm or more, or 110 ppm or more, and may be 250 ppm or less, 220 ppm or less, 200 ppm or less, 180 ppm or less, 160 ppm or less, 150 ppm or less, 140 ppm or less, 130 ppm or less, or 120 ppm or less. In this specification, the total polyphenol content refers to the total content of polyphenols contained in the beer-taste beverage. Examples of polyphenols include, but are not limited to, xanthohumol, catechin, hesperidin, chlorogenic acid, resveratrol, quercetin, anthocyanogen, and tannin. The total polyphenol content in a beer-flavored beverage can be measured, for example, by the method described in Section 8.19 Total Polyphenols in the Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods (published by the Brewery Association of Japan, edited by the International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee) of the Brewers Association of Japan, revised and expanded in 2013). The total polyphenol content can be adjusted by adding dilution water or carbonated water, the type of raw material (raw materials containing polyphenols such as malt, corn grits, sugar solution, etc.), the amount of raw material, the type of enzyme, the amount of enzyme added, the timing of enzyme addition, the polyphenol polymerization conditions in the mash tank (temperature, stirring speed, etc.), the aeration time in the mash tank (mash aeration, etc.), the pH in the mash tank, the pH during the mashing process (the wort production process from the addition of malt to before the addition of yeast), the time for filtering the wort, the set temperature and holding time for each temperature range when preparing the wort (including during saccharification), and the temperature of the pre-fermentation liquid. The original extract concentration, the original extract concentration during the fermentation process, fermentation conditions (oxygen concentration, aeration conditions, yeast variety, amount of yeast added, yeast growth rate, timing of yeast removal, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, carbon dioxide concentration, etc.), cooling timing, cooling temperature, cooling time, type of beer filtration (diatomaceous earth, membrane, sheet, cartridge, filter, etc.), activated carbon, stabilizers added during beer filtration (silica gel, PVPP (polyvinylpolypyrrolidone), bentonite, tannin, bentonite, etc.), etc. can be appropriately set. Furthermore, the total polyphenol content of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention can be controlled by adjusting the amount of raw materials with high polyphenol content, such as barley malt, malt husks, etc. Specifically, the total polyphenol content can be increased by increasing the amount of raw materials with high polyphenol content, such as malt. Generally, malt containing husks (grain husks) has a high nitrogen and polyphenol content, while soybeans, yeast extract, peas, corn, processed corn products (corn grits, corn protein, etc.), wheat, and wheat malt have a high nitrogen content but a low polyphenol content. Therefore, the total nitrogen and polyphenol content of a beer-flavored beverage can be increased or decreased by adjusting the blending ratio of the ingredients. Representative methods (1) to (4) for increasing or decreasing the total nitrogen and polyphenol content are listed below. (1) By increasing the amount of husk-containing malt used, the total nitrogen and polyphenol content of beer-flavored beverages can be increased. (2) By increasing or decreasing the amount of soybeans, yeast extract, etc. used, the total nitrogen content of the beer-flavored beverage can be increased or decreased while maintaining the total polyphenol content. (3) By increasing the amount of malt containing husk and decreasing the amount of soybeans, yeast extract, etc., the total polyphenol content can be increased while maintaining the total nitrogen content. (4) By reducing the amount of malt containing husk and increasing the amount of soybeans, yeast extract, etc. used, the total polyphenol content is reduced while maintaining the total nitrogen content.

[0051] The total nitrogen content of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited and may be, for example, 15 mg / 100 mL or more, 20 mg / 100 mL or more, or 25 mg / 100 mL or more, or 100 mg / 100 mL or less, 95 mg / 100 mL or less, 90 mg / 100 mL or less, 85 mg / 100 mL or less, or 80 mg / 100 mL or less. As used herein, the total nitrogen content refers to the total amount of all nitrogen compounds, such as proteins, amino acids, and the aforementioned compounds containing ammonia nitrogen. The total nitrogen content of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention can be measured, for example, by the method described in "8.9 Total Nitrogen" in the Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods (published by the Brewery Society of Japan, edited by the International Technical Committee of the Brewers Association of Japan (Analysis Committee) and expanded and revised in 2013). The total nitrogen amount can be adjusted by appropriately setting the beer filtration conditions, such as the addition of dilution water or carbonated water, the type of raw materials (malt, corn grits, sugar solution, etc.), the amount of raw materials, the type of enzyme, the amount of enzyme (including proteolytic enzymes, etc.) added, the temperature during the enzyme reaction, the timing of the enzyme addition, the proteolysis time in the mash tank, the pH in the mash tank, the temperature in the mash tank, the pH during the mashing process (the wort production process from the addition of malt to before the addition of yeast), the temperature during the mashing process, the temperature during wort filtration, the time of wort filtration, the pH during wort filtration, the amount of sparging water used during wort filtration, the set temperatures and holding times for each temperature range when preparing wort, the boiling time and pH in the boiling process, the original extract concentration of the pre-fermentation liquid, the original extract concentration in the fermentation process, and the fermentation conditions (oxygen concentration, aeration conditions, yeast variety, amount of yeast added, yeast growth rate, timing of yeast removal, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, carbon dioxide concentration, etc.).

[0052] In the beer-taste beverage of the present invention, the free amino nitrogen (FAN) content is not particularly limited and may be, for example, 0.5 mg / 100 mL or more, 1.0 mg / 100 mL or more, 1.5 mg / 100 mL or more, 2.0 mg / 100 mL or more, or 2.5 mg / 100 mL or more, or may be 15 mg / 100 mL or less, 14 mg / 100 mL or less, 13 mg / 100 mL or less, 12 mg / 100 mL or less, or 11 mg / 100 mL or less. The FAN content of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention can be measured, for example, by the method described in "8.18 Free amino nitrogen - ninhydrin colorimetric method" in the Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods (published by the Brewery Society of Japan, a public interest incorporated foundation, edited by the International Technical Committee of the Brewers Association of Japan (Analysis Committee), revised and expanded in 2013). The FAN content can be adjusted by appropriately setting the following: adding dilution water or carbonated water, adding distilled alcohol such as spirits, adding brewed alcohol such as brewer's alcohol, type of raw materials (malt, corn grits, sugar solution, etc.), amount of raw materials, type of enzyme, amount of enzyme (including proteolytic enzymes, etc.) added, temperature during enzyme reaction, timing of enzyme addition, proteolysis time in the brewing tank, pH in the brewing tank, temperature in the brewing tank, pH during the brewing process (the wort production process from adding malt to before adding yeast), temperature during the brewing process, time for wort filtration, set temperatures and holding times for each temperature range when preparing wort, boiling time and pH in the boiling process, original extract concentration in the pre-fermentation liquid, original extract concentration in the fermentation process, fermentation conditions (oxygen concentration, aeration conditions, yeast variety, amount of yeast added, yeast growth rate, timing of yeast removal, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, pressure setting, carbon dioxide concentration, etc.).

[0053] The beer-taste beverage of the present invention may be colorless and transparent, or may be colored. In this specification, the "color" of a beverage can be measured by the measurement method described in "8.8 Color" of the Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods (published by the Brewery Association of Japan, edited by the International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee) of the Brewers Association of Japan, revised and expanded in 2013). The "color" of a beverage is specified by the color unit (EBC unit) established by the European Brewery Convention. The smaller the value, the lighter the beverage, and conversely, the larger the value, the darker the beverage. The color may be 0EBC, 1EBC or more, 5EBC or more, 10EBC or more, 15EBC or more, 20EBC or more, 30EBC or more, or 40EBC or more. It may also be 200EBC or less, 150EBC or less, 100EBC or less, 50EBC or less, 30EBC or less, 20EBC or less, 15EBC or less, or 10EBC or less. The color can be adjusted by appropriately setting the addition of dilution water or carbonated water, the type of raw materials (malt, corn grits, sugar solution, etc.), the amount of raw materials, the mashing temperature, the pH during mashing, the mashing time, the wort filtration time, the pH during wort filtration, the boiling time, the boiling temperature, the amount of color components such as caramel color, the type of beer filtration (diatomaceous earth filtration, various membrane filtration, etc.), the amount of beer filtration, etc. The color of the beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention can be controlled by, for example, appropriately adjusting the type of malt used, the blending ratio when two or more types of malt are used, the ratio of malt to other ingredients, the boiling conditions when preparing the pre-fermentation solution, etc. More specifically, for example, the color of the beer-taste beverage can be increased by increasing the blending ratio of dark-colored malt, increasing the boiling temperature, extending the boiling time, or performing decoction when preparing the saccharified solution. The color can also be increased by increasing the concentration of raw wort extract or the proportion of malt. The color can also be adjusted by controlling the amount of food additives such as caramel color or colored sugar solution.

[0054] The beer-taste beverage of one embodiment of the present invention may be a packaged beverage. Packages of any shape and material may be used for packaged beverages. Examples of containers include glass bottles, cans, barrels, and plastic bottles. Cans, glass bottles, and plastic bottles are preferred from the viewpoint of portability.

[0055] <<Beer-flavored beverage manufacturing method>> Next, a method for producing the beer-taste beverage of the present invention will be described. The method for producing a beer-taste beverage of the present invention (hereinafter also simply referred to as the production method of the present invention) includes a step (A) of decomposing xanthine. The production method of the present invention can provide a beer-taste beverage with a reduced content of purines (xanthines).

[0056] <Process (A)> Step (A) is a step of decomposing xanthine. In this specification, decomposing xanthine refers to decomposing xanthine at least to uric acid, including assimilation of xanthine. The step (A) of decomposing xanthine is not particularly limited as long as it can decompose xanthine at least to uric acid. Specific examples of the step (A) of decomposing xanthine include step (A1) of allowing a microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine to assimilate xanthine, and step (A2) of decomposing xanthine using xanthine oxidase. In the production method of the present invention, step (A) may be performed as either step (A1) or step (A2) alone, or step (A1) and step (A2) may be performed in combination. Furthermore, when step (A1) and step (A2) are performed in combination, the order is not particularly limited. Step (A1) and step (A2) may be performed simultaneously, step (A1) may be followed by step (A2), or step (A1) may be performed after step (A2). Step (A1) and step (A2) will be described in order below.

[0057] Step (A1): A step of allowing a microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine to assimilate xanthine In the production method of the present invention, step (A) can include step (A1) of allowing a microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine to assimilate xanthine. The microorganism capable of xanthine assimilation is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of assimilating xanthine, and may be a eukaryote including fungi such as yeast, or a prokaryote such as bacteria or archaea, but is preferably a yeast capable of xanthine assimilation. As the microorganism capable of xanthine assimilation, one type may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination.

[0058] The microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine is preferably a microorganism having the XAN2 gene, and more preferably a yeast having the XAN2 gene. The XAN2 gene is a gene encoding xanthine oxidase. Xanthine oxidase is an enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation reaction of hypoxanthine to xanthine and the oxidation reaction of xanthine to uric acid. A microorganism (yeast) having the XAN2 gene can assimilate xanthine through the action of xanthine oxidase.

[0059] Examples of yeasts capable of assimilating xanthine include those of the genus Torulaspora, Lachancea, Zygosaccharomyces, Kluyveromyces, Hanseniaspora, Barnettozyma, Cyberlindnera, Wickerhamomyces, Ascoidea, Saccharomycopsis, Babjeviella, Candida / Lodderomyces, Debaryomyces, Diutina, Hyphopichia, Meyerozyma, Millerozyma, Sche Examples of yeasts that belong to the genera Fersomyces, Spathaspora, Suhomyces, Yamadazyma, Clavispora, Metschnikowia, Citeromyces, Komagataella, Kuraishia, Ambrosiozyma, Brettanomyces, Ogataea, Pichia, Saturnispora, Nakazawaea, Pachysolen, Peterozyma, Nadsonia, Galactomyces, Saprochaete, Yarrowia, Sugiyamaella, Tortispora, and Lipomyces. All yeasts that belong to these genera have the XAN2 gene. Examples of yeasts belonging to the genus Torulaspora include Torulaspora delbrueckii and Torulaspora pretoriensis. Examples of yeasts belonging to the genus Lachancea include Lachancea fermentati and Lachancea thermotolerans. Examples of yeasts belonging to the genus Zygosaccharomyces include Zygosaccharomyces rouxii. Examples of yeasts belonging to the genus Kluyveromyces include Kluyveromyces marxianus. In the production method of the present invention, the yeast capable of xanthine assimilation is preferably at least one species selected from the group consisting of yeasts belonging to the genus Torulaspora, yeasts belonging to the genus Lachancea, yeasts belonging to the genus Zygosaccharomyces, and yeasts belonging to the genus Kluyveromyces, and is preferably at least one species selected from the group consisting of Torulaspora delbrueckii, Torulaspora pretoriensis, Lachancea fermentati, Lachancea thermotolerans, Zygosaccharomyces rouxii, and Kluyveromyces marxianus. marxianus, more preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of Torulaspora delbrueckii, Lachancea fermentati, Zygosaccharomyces rouxii, and Kluyveromyces marxianus, and particularly preferably Torulaspora delbrueckii.

[0060] The microorganisms capable of xanthine assimilation may be commercially available products or may be those isolated and purified from nature. Alternatively, these microorganisms capable of xanthine assimilation may be grown in advance by pre-culture, and the resulting pre-culture solution may be used in step (A1). Furthermore, when the yeast is dried, it may be reconstituted with water by a conventionally known method before use in step (A1).

[0061] When a microorganism capable of xanthine assimilation is pre-cultured, the culture conditions are not particularly limited as long as the microorganism can grow, and can be appropriately set depending on the type of microorganism, etc. The culture temperature may be, for example, 10 to 35°C, and preferably 20 to 30°C. The culture time may be, for example, 5 hours to 5 days, and preferably 16 hours to 3 days.

[0062] In step (A1), examples of methods for allowing a microorganism capable of xanthine assimilation to assimilate xanthine include a method in which a microorganism capable of xanthine assimilation is added to wort or a wort fermentation liquid, and then fermentation is carried out by the microorganism in the wort or the wort fermentation liquid.

[0063] In step (A1), when a microorganism capable of xanthine assimilation is added to wort or a wort fermentation liquor, the wort or wort fermentation liquor preferably contains xanthine. The xanthine content in the wort or wort fermentation liquor is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0.1 to 50 ppm, and preferably 5 to 30 ppm.

[0064] In the step (A1), when a microorganism capable of xanthine assimilation is added to the wort or the wort fermentation broth, the amount of the microorganism capable of xanthine assimilation added is not particularly limited. For example, 1 to 200 × 10 microorganisms can be added to the wort or the wort fermentation broth. 6 cells / mL, and may be 10 to 100 × 10 6 cells / mL is preferred.

[0065] Fermentation conditions for allowing a microorganism capable of xanthine assimilation to assimilate xanthine are not particularly limited as long as the microorganism can assimilate xanthine, and can be appropriately set depending on the type and amount of the microorganism capable of xanthine assimilation, the xanthine content in the wort or fermented wort broth, etc. The fermentation temperature may be, for example, 5 to 35°C, and preferably 10 to 30°C. The fermentation time may be, for example, 5 hours to 10 days, and preferably 16 hours to 5 days.

[0066] In the production method of the present invention, step (A1) may be performed at any timing during the production process of a beer-taste beverage, from the saccharification step to the filling step. For example, a microorganism capable of xanthine assimilation may be added to wort simultaneously with a conventional brewer's yeast and fermented (primary fermentation), or a microorganism capable of xanthine assimilation may be added to a wort fermentation liquid obtained by fermentation using a conventional brewer's yeast, and further fermented (secondary fermentation).

[0067] Step (A2): Decomposing xanthine using xanthine oxidase In the production method of the present invention, step (A2) of decomposing xanthine using xanthine oxidase can be carried out as step (A). The xanthine oxidase may be a commercially available product, or may be one isolated and purified from nature. Furthermore, xanthine oxidase derived from the aforementioned microorganisms capable of xanthine assimilation (microorganisms having the XAN2 gene) may also be used. Examples of xanthine oxidase derived from microorganisms capable of xanthine assimilation (microorganisms having the XAN2 gene) include those obtained by disrupting microorganisms capable of xanthine assimilation (microorganisms having the XAN2 gene) or their precultures using a conventionally known cell disruption method (crude enzyme solution), those obtained by further extracting the contents of the microorganisms capable of xanthine assimilation (microorganisms having the XAN2 gene) from the crude enzyme solution (cell extract), and those obtained by removing cell residues from the crude enzyme solution or the cell extract. In the production method of the present invention, when step (A2) is carried out as step (A), the xanthine oxidase is preferably derived from a microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine (a microorganism having the XAN2 gene).

[0068] In the step (A2), examples of the method for decomposing xanthine using xanthine oxidase include a method in which xanthine oxidase is added to wort or a fermented wort broth. The conditions in step (A2), such as temperature, pH, and reaction time, are not particularly limited as long as the activity of xanthine oxidase is maintained and the enzymatic reaction (decomposition of xanthine) proceeds. For example, the temperature may be 5 to 35°C, preferably 10 to 30°C, and the reaction time may be 5 hours to 10 days, preferably 16 hours to 5 days.

[0069] When xanthine oxidase is added to the wort or the wort fermentation liquor in step (A2), the wort or the wort fermentation liquor preferably contains xanthine. The content of xanthine in the wort or the wort fermentation liquor is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0.1 to 50 ppm, and preferably 5 to 30 ppm.

[0070] When xanthine oxidase is added to the wort or wort fermentation liquor in step (A2), the amount added is not particularly limited, but is preferably an amount such that the activity of xanthine oxidase is, for example, 0.01 U or more, 0.05 U or more, 0.1 U or more, 0.3 U or more, 0.5 U or more, 0.7 U or more, 1.0 U or more, 1.5 U or more, 2.0 U or more, 2.5 U or more, 3.0 U or more, 3.5 U or more, 4.0 U or more, 5.0 U or more, 5.5 U or more, 6.0 U or more, 7.0 U or more, 8.0 U or more, 9.0 U or more, or 10.0 U or more, or 10,000 U or less, 9,000 U or less, 8,000 U or less, 7,000 U or less, or 6,000 U or less. In this specification, the activity value of xanthine oxidase means the relative enzyme amount when the amount of enzyme that produces 1 μmol of uric acid per minute under the following conditions is defined as 1 unit (U). Mix 2.9 ml of 50 mM Tris-HCl buffer and 0.1 ml of 10 mM xanthine aqueous solution and preheat at 37°C. Then, add 0.01 ml of the solution to be measured and gently mix. After that, measure the change in absorbance at 293 nm per minute using water as a control with a spectrophotometer controlled at 37°C. From this value, the amount of enzyme that produces 1 μmol of uric acid per minute is defined as 1 unit (U), and this is taken as the activity value of xanthine oxidase.

[0071] In the production method of the present invention, step (A2) may be performed at any timing during the production process of a beer-taste beverage, from the saccharification step to the filling step. For example, xanthine oxidase may be added to wort simultaneously with conventional brewer's yeast to decompose xanthine, or xanthine oxidase may be added to a wort fermentation liquid obtained by fermentation using conventional brewer's yeast to decompose xanthine.

[0072] In the production method of the present invention, it is preferable to add a microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine or xanthine oxidase to the wort or the wort fermentation broth in step (A).

[0073] In the production method of the present invention, by carrying out step (A1) or step (A2) as step (A), it is possible to decompose xanthine and reduce the content of purines (xanthines) in the beer-taste beverage. Furthermore, when step (A1) or step (A2) is performed as step (A), the contents of components that contribute to the drinking experience of a beer-taste beverage (the content of 40 kDa peptide, the total peptide content, and the total polyphenol content) do not decrease significantly before or after step (A1) or step (A2), and therefore the drinking experience of a beer-taste beverage with a malt ratio of 50% by weight or more is not significantly impaired. Furthermore, the present inventors have discovered for the first time that by carrying out step (A1) as step (A) in the production method of the present invention, not only can the purine (xanthine) content in a beer-taste beverage be reduced, but the concentration of ammonia nitrogen can also be efficiently reduced. Based on these findings, by carrying out step (A1) as step (A), it is possible to reduce the purine (xanthine) content and efficiently reduce the ammonia nitrogen concentration without significantly impairing the drinking experience of a beer-flavored beverage having a malt ratio of 50% by weight or more, thereby providing a beer-flavored beverage with a reduced purine content that is drinking experience, crisp in taste, and has an excellent aftertaste. For the reasons mentioned above, in the production method of the present invention, the step (A) of decomposing xanthine is preferably the step (A1) of allowing a microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine to assimilate xanthine.

[0074] <Process (B)> The method for producing a beer-taste beverage of the present invention preferably further comprises, in addition to the above-mentioned step (A), step (B) of adding a nucleosidase. Step (B) may be carried out at any timing during the production process of a beer-taste beverage, from the brewing step to the filling step, and may be carried out before, simultaneously with, or after step (A), but is preferably carried out before step (A). When step (B) is carried out, nucleosidase may be added as a raw material for the beer-taste beverage during the brewing step, or nucleosidase may be added to the wort or wort fermentation liquor at any timing during the saccharification step to the filling step. By adding nucleosidase, four types of purine nucleosides (adenosine, guanosine, inosine, and xanthosine) are hydrolyzed by the action of nucleosidase to form the purine bases (adenine, guanine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine), respectively, thereby reducing the content of the four types of nucleosides (adenosine, guanosine, inosine, and xanthosine). Meanwhile, the content of the purine bases (adenine, guanine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine) increases, but adenine, guanine, and hypoxanthine can be assimilated by common brewer's yeast, and xanthine can be decomposed in the above-mentioned step (A). Therefore, by performing step (B) before step (A), the purine content in the beer-flavored beverage can be further reduced.

[0075] In the manufacturing method of the present invention, when step (B) is performed in addition to step (A), the amount of nucleosidase added is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the amount be such that the activity value of the nucleosidase is, for example, 0.01 U or more, or 0.1 U or more, or 20 U or less, or 2 U or less. In this specification, the activity of nucleosidase was defined by quantifying the amount of ribose produced by the reaction using guanosine as a substrate. Each mL of reaction solution contained 0.1 M acetate buffer (pH 4.3), 8 mM guanosine, and an appropriate amount of enzyme. The reaction was initiated by adding guanosine and allowed to proceed at 55°C for 30 minutes. The reaction was stopped by adding 1.5 mL of 0.5% dinitrosalicylic acid solution and then boiled for 10 minutes. The absorbance of the cooled reaction solution at 540 nm was measured, and the activity was calculated by subtracting the absorbance of the reaction solution without enzyme. The amount of enzyme required to produce 1 μmol of ribose in 30 minutes was defined as 1 U of enzyme activity.

[0076] In the production method of the present invention, the above-mentioned steps (A) and (B) may be appropriately combined with other methods for reducing the purine content, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Methods for reducing the purine content other than steps (A) and (B) are not particularly limited, and examples include methods such as adsorption and removal of purines using an adsorbent such as activated carbon, and dilution.

[0077] In the production method of the present invention, the raw materials, production steps, content of each component, and preferred embodiments thereof of the beer-taste beverage, excluding steps (A) and (B), are the same as those for the beer-taste beverage of the present invention described above.

[0078] <<Method for reducing purines in beer-flavored beverages>> The method for reducing purines in a beer-taste beverage of the present invention (hereinafter also simply referred to as the purine-reducing method of the present invention) comprises a step (A) of decomposing xanthine. Therefore, the purine-reducing method of the present invention is also a method for reducing xanthine in a beer-taste beverage that comprises a step (A) of decomposing xanthine. The purine-reducing method of the present invention makes it possible to reduce the purine (xanthine) content in a beer-taste beverage.

[0079] In the purine reduction method of the present invention, step (A), step (B), the raw materials of the beer-taste beverage, the production process, the content of each component, and preferred aspects thereof are the same as those for the beer-taste beverage of the present invention and the production method of the present invention described above. In the purine reduction method of the present invention, step (A) is preferably step (A1) of allowing a microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine to assimilate xanthine.

[0080] In this specification, a numerical range expressed by a lower limit and an upper limit, i.e., "lower limit to upper limit," includes both the lower limit and the upper limit. For example, a range expressed by "1 to 2" means 1 or more and 2 or less, including 1 and 2. In this specification, the upper and lower limits may be in any combination. [Example]

[0081] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0082] (Materials used) Commercially available beer-flavored beverage A (malt ratio: 100% by weight, alcohol content: 5.5 v / v%) Commercially available beer-flavored beverage B (malt ratio: 64% by weight, alcohol content: 5.5% v / v) Activated carbon (Kawakita Chemical Co., Ltd., Kujaku Tokusen F) Ammonium sulfate (Junsei Chemical Co., Ltd., product number: 83111-2201) Ammonium bicarbonate (Junsei Chemical Co., Ltd., product number: 43296-2201)

[0083] <Reference Examples 1 and 2> (Activated carbon treatment) 100 mL of commercially available beer-taste beverage A was placed in an Erlenmeyer flask, 500 mg of activated carbon was added, and the mixture was stirred using a stirrer at 20°C and 500 rpm for 3 hours to adsorb the purines onto the activated carbon. The activated carbon with the adsorbed purines was then removed by filtration to obtain activated carbon-treated beer-taste beverage A.

[0084] (Measurement of purine content and ammonia nitrogen concentration) The purine content and ammonia nitrogen concentration were measured for beer-taste beverage A (Reference Example 1) and activated carbon-treated beer-taste beverage A (Reference Example 2).

[0085] The purine content was measured using a liquid chromatograph-tandem mass spectrometer (LC-MS / MS) (X500R QTOF, manufactured by SCIEX) under the following conditions. Column: Discovery (registered trademark) HS F5 HPLC column (product number: 567503-U, 3 μm particle size, L × ID 15 cm × 2.1 mm, manufactured by Merck) Eluent: Gradient using 0.1% formic acid / HO (solution A) and 0.1% formic acid / acetonitrile (solution B) Gradient conditions (% is volume %): 0.00 min (Solution A:Solution B = 98%:2%), 3.00 min (Solution A:Solution B = 98%:2%), 15.00 min (Solution A:Solution B = 62%:38%), 18.00 min (Solution A:Solution B = 2%:98%), 22.00 min (Solution A:Solution B = 2%:98%), 22.01 min (Solution A:Solution B = 98%:2%), 30.00 min (Solution A:Solution B = 98%:2%) Elution rate: 0.2mL / min Column temperature: 40℃

[0086] The concentration of ammonia nitrogen was measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a high speed amino acid analyzer L-8900 (Hitachi High-Tech Corporation) under the following conditions. Column: Protein hydrolysate analysis column #2622 (cation exchange resin #2622 Na type, Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation) Eluate: B1 solution (PH-1): First buffer solution for MCI buffer PH kit (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) B2 solution (PH-2): MCI buffer 2nd buffer solution for PH kit (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) B3 solution (PH-3): 3rd buffer solution for MCI buffer PH kit (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) B4 solution (PH-4): MCI buffer 4th buffer for PH kit (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) B5 liquid (H2O) B6 solution (PH-RG): PH-RG buffer solution for high-speed amino acid analyzers (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) R1 solution (ninhydrin solution) and R2 solution (buffer): Hitachi ninhydrin coloring solution kit (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) R3 liquid (5%EtOH) Gradient conditions (% is by volume): 0.0min(B1:R1:R2=100%:50%:50%), 2.7min(B1:R1:R2=100%:50%:50%), 2.8min(B2:R1:R2=100%:50%:50%), 4.8min(B2:R1:R2=100%:50%:50%), 4 .9min(B3:R1:R2=100%:50%:50%), 13.6min(B3:R1:R2=100%:50%:50%), 13.7min(B4:R1:R2=100%:50%:50%), 30.0min(B4:R1:R2=100%:50%:50%), 30.1min(B6:R1:R2=100%:50%:50%), 33.9min(B6:R1:R2=100%:50%:50%), 34.0mi n(B6:R3=100%:100%), 35.0min(B6:R3=100%:100%), 35.1min(B2:R3=100%:100%) , 36.0min(B2:R3=100%:100%), 36.1min(B1:R3=100%:100%), 39.2min(B1:R3=100 %:100%), 39.3min(B1:R1:R2=100%:50%:50%), 56.2min(B1:R1:R2=100%:50%:50%) Elution rate: 0.4mL / min Column temperature: 57℃ Sample dilution ratio: 5x Sample diluent: 0.02N HCl Diluted sample injection volume: 20 μL The results are shown in Table 1.

[0087] [Table 1]

[0088] <Reference Examples 3 and 4> Activated carbon treatment was carried out under the same conditions as in Reference Example 2, except that commercially available beer-taste beverage B was used instead of commercially available beer-taste beverage A. The purine content and ammonia nitrogen concentration were measured for beer-taste beverage B (Reference Example 3) and activated carbon-treated beer-taste beverage B (Reference Example 4) under the same measurement conditions as in Reference Examples 1 and 2. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0089] [Table 2]

[0090] The results in Tables 1 and 2 confirmed that activated carbon treatment reduced the purine content in commercially available beer-taste beverages A and B. It was also found that activated carbon treatment did little to reduce the concentration of ammonia nitrogen. Furthermore, activated carbon-treated beer-taste beverages A and B (Reference Examples 2 and 4) had the appearance and taste of ethanol water, far from the realm of beer-taste beverages, as a result of unintended components other than purines being adsorbed and removed by the activated carbon. These beverages were particularly harsh in terms of their sharpness and aftertaste.

[0091] Example 1 The yeast Torulaspora delbrueckii (LEVEL2 BIODIVA, LALLEMAND) was used as a microorganism capable of utilizing xanthine.

[0092] (preculture) The wort used for pre-culture was prepared by the following method. 50 g of ground barley malt was placed in a mash tank containing 200 mL of hot water maintained at 45°C and held there for 30 minutes. The temperature was then raised to 67°C at a rate of 1°C per minute and held there for 50 minutes. After further raising the temperature to 78°C, the mixture was filtered to remove malt grains and obtain a saccharified liquid. The resulting saccharified liquid was boiled and filtered to obtain wort. 10 mL of wort was placed in a test tube, and one loopful of Torulaspora delbrueckii was inoculated into it, followed by pre-culture under the following conditions. Culture temperature: 30℃ Culture time: 24hr Stirring: 120rpm The obtained preculture medium of Torulaspora delbrueckii was used in the following reaction.

[0093] (Xanthine utilization reaction conditions) Step (B): Nucleosidase (product name: PNF-L, manufactured by Shin-Nippon Chemical Co., Ltd., number of units: 1600 U / g) was added to a commercially available beer-flavored beverage B at 0.5 g / L and glucose was added to a concentration of 0.5 wt% to prepare a base beer. The nucleosidase activity in the base beer was 0.8 U.

[0094] Step (A1): 250 mL of the above base beer was placed in a 1000 mL Erlenmeyer flask, and a preculture solution of Torulaspora delbrueckii was added, followed by reaction under the following conditions. Reaction temperature: 20℃ Response time: 72 hours Stirring: 120rpm After the reaction, the reaction solution was filtered to obtain a filtrate, which was used as a sample.

[0095] (Measurement of purine content, ammonia nitrogen concentration, etc.) The purine content, ammonia nitrogen concentration, carbohydrate content, total peptide content, 40 kDa peptide content, and total polyphenol content were measured for each of beer-taste beverage B (Reference Example 3) and the sample obtained by the above-mentioned xanthine assimilation reaction (Example 1). The purine content and ammonia nitrogen concentration were measured in the same manner as in Reference Example 1. The carbohydrate content was calculated by subtracting the amounts of protein, lipid, dietary fiber, ash, and water from the weight of the beer-taste beverage. Here, the amounts of protein, lipid, dietary fiber, ash, and water were measured according to the methods set forth in the Nutrition Labeling Standards. Specifically, the amount of protein was measured using the nitrogen quantitative conversion method, the amount of lipid was measured using the ether extraction method, the amount of dietary fiber was measured using the Prosky method, the amount of ash was measured using the direct ashing method, and the amount of water was measured using the vacuum heating drying method. Total peptide content was measured by the Lowry method using a commercially available kit (DC Protein Assay, Bio-Rad). First, the sample was adjusted to an appropriate concentration range (0 mg / mL, 0.06125 mg / mL, 0.125 mg / mL, 0.25 mg / mL, 0.5 mg / mL, 1 mg / mL, and 2 mg / mL). 50 μL of solution A was added to 5 μL of the adjusted sample and vortexed, followed by 400 μL of solution B. After 15 minutes of color development at room temperature, 350 μL was transferred to a 96-well plate and the absorbance at 750 nm was measured. The total peptide content was calculated based on the absorbance and a previously prepared calibration curve. The calibration curve was prepared using bovine serum albumin (BSA). The 40 kDa peptide content was measured by the Bradford method using a commercially available kit (Protein Assay Dye Reagent Concentrate, Bio-Rad). First, the sample was adjusted to an appropriate concentration range (0 mg / mL, 0.06125 mg / mL, 0.125 mg / mL, 0.25 mg / mL, and 0.5 mg / mL). Next, 250 μL of Protein Assay Dye Reagent Concentrate, previously diluted 5-fold with distilled water, was added to a 96-well plate. Five μL of the adjusted sample was then added to the 96-well plate, stirred, and incubated at room temperature for 30 minutes. The absorbance at 595 nm was then measured. The 40 kDa peptide content was calculated based on the absorbance and a previously prepared calibration curve. The calibration curve was prepared using bovine serum albumin (BSA). The total polyphenol content was measured using the method described in 8.19 Total Polyphenols in the Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (published by the Brewery Association of Japan, edited by the International Technical Committee of the Brewers Association of Japan (Analysis Committee) and expanded and revised in 2013).

[0096] (sensory evaluation) Four expert panelists scored the "drinkability" of each of the beer-taste beverage B (Reference Example 3) and the sample obtained by the above xanthine assimilation reaction (Example 1) in increments of 0.1, with Reference Example 3 being assigned a score of 4.0. A higher score indicates a better "drinkability." Here, "good drinkability" means that the taste (the umami of barley) can be clearly felt. The average of the scores of the four expert panelists was used as the evaluation result. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0097] [Table 3]

[0098] The results in Table 3 show that by performing step (B) of adding nucleosidase and step (A1) of allowing a microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine to assimilate xanthine, the content of purines, including xanthine, could both be reduced to below the detection limit. Furthermore, it was found that the content of components that contribute to the drinking experience of the beer-flavored beverage (content of 40 kDa peptide, total peptide content, and total polyphenol content) did not decrease significantly before or after step (A1), and the drinking experience was not significantly impaired. Furthermore, it was found that by carrying out step (A1), the concentration of ammonia nitrogen could also be reduced to below the detection limit.

[0099] <Examples 2 to 11 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4> (Ammonia nitrogen addition) Ammonium sulfate and ammonium hydrogen carbonate were dissolved in water to obtain 100 mmol / L aqueous ammonium sulfate solutions and 100 mmol / L aqueous ammonium hydrogen carbonate solutions, respectively. 100 mL of the sample (Example 1) obtained in the above xanthine assimilation reaction was mixed with 100 mmol / L aqueous ammonium sulfate solution or 100 mmol / L aqueous ammonium bicarbonate solution in the amounts shown in Tables 4 and 5 to obtain samples of Examples 2 to 11 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4.

[0100] (sensory evaluation) The samples of Examples 1 to 11 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 were evaluated for "sharpness of taste" and "aftertaste" by the following sensory evaluation method. The results are shown in Tables 4 and 5.

[0101] (Sensory evaluation method) Four expert panelists scored "sharpness of taste" and "aftertaste" in increments of 0.1, with the sample of Example 1 receiving a score of 4.0. For both "sharpness of taste" and "aftertaste," the higher the score, the better the result. Here, "sharpness of taste" refers to a sensation that the taste of the beer-taste beverage disappears instantaneously. Furthermore, "good aftertaste" refers to an aftertaste (the taste just before the taste completely disappears) that is similar to the taste immediately after drinking the beer-taste beverage. The average of the scores of the four expert panelists was used as the evaluation result. In addition, the overall evaluation was based on the lower score of "sharpness of taste" or "aftertaste," with 3.5 points or more being rated as ◎, 2.5 points or more but less than 3.5 points being 〇, and less than 2.5 points being ×.

[0102] [Table 4]

[0103] [Table 5]

[0104] The results in Tables 4 and 5 show that in beer-flavored beverages with a malt ratio of 50% by weight or more and a purine content of 15 ppm or less, if the ammonia nitrogen concentration exceeds 380 μmol / L, the beer-flavored beverage has a poor crispness of taste and aftertaste, whereas if the ammonia nitrogen concentration is 380 μmol / L or less, the beer-flavored beverage has an excellent crispness of taste and aftertaste.

Claims

1. A beer-flavored beverage having a malt ratio of 50% by weight or more, a purine content of 15 ppm or less, and an ammonia nitrogen concentration of 380 μmol / L or less.

2. 2. The beer-taste beverage according to claim 1, wherein the xanthine content is 5 ppm or less.

3. 3. The beer-taste beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the carbohydrate content is less than 0.5 g / 100 mL.

4. A method for producing a beer-taste beverage, comprising a step (A) of decomposing xanthine.

5. 5. The production method according to claim 4, wherein in the step (A), a microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine or xanthine oxidase is added to the wort or the wort fermentation liquor.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the step (A) is a step (A1) of allowing a microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine to assimilate xanthine.

7. 7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine is a microorganism having the XAN2 gene.

8. 7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine is a yeast capable of assimilating xanthine.

9. 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the yeast having xanthine assimilation ability is at least one selected from the group consisting of yeast belonging to the genus Torulaspora, yeast belonging to the genus Lachancea, yeast belonging to the genus Zygosaccharomyces, and yeast belonging to the genus Kluyveromyces.

10. The method according to claim 4 or 5, further comprising a step (B) of adding a nucleosidase.

11. A method for reducing purines in a beer-flavored beverage, comprising a step (A) of decomposing xanthine.

12. The method for reducing purines according to claim 11, wherein in the step (A), a microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine or xanthine oxidase is added to the wort or the wort fermentation broth.

13. The method for reducing purines according to claim 11, wherein the step (A) is a step (A1) of allowing a microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine to assimilate xanthine.

14. The method for reducing purines according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine is a microorganism having the XAN2 gene.

15. The method for reducing purines according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the microorganism capable of assimilating xanthine is a yeast capable of assimilating xanthine.

16. 16. The method for reducing purines according to claim 15, wherein the yeast having the ability to assimilate xanthine is at least one selected from the group consisting of yeast belonging to the genus Torulaspora, yeast belonging to the genus Lachancea, yeast belonging to the genus Zygosaccharomyces, and yeast belonging to the genus Kluyveromyces.

17. The method for reducing purines according to claim 11 or 12, further comprising a step (B) of adding nucleosidase.

Images