Beer-flavored fermented beverage and its manufacturing method

Abstract

To provide a novel beer-flavored fermented beverage in which the sugar concentration is reduced while the deterioration of flavor due to the reduced sugar concentration is improved. The present invention provides a beer-flavored fermented beverage having a carbohydrate concentration of 2.0 g / 100 mL or less and a 5-methylfurfural concentration of 10 ppb or more. The malt content of the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention can be 25% or more and 100% or less.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a beer-taste fermented beverage and a method for producing the same, and more particularly to a beer-taste fermented beverage with a reduced carbohydrate concentration and a method for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] With the recent increase in health consciousness, there is a demand for beer-flavored beverages with reduced carbohydrate content. Various technologies have been developed to date with the aim of creating beer-flavored beverages with reduced carbohydrate content (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). Meanwhile, a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage that has a reduced carbohydrate content yet maintains a rich flavor is known (Patent Document 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-131202 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-157323 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-154438 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present inventors have found that in beer-taste fermented beverages with reduced carbohydrate concentrations, the reduction in carbohydrate concentration weakens the overall flavor of the beverage, resulting in a pronounced negative aroma. An object of the present invention is to provide a novel beer-taste fermented beverage that has a reduced carbohydrate concentration but is improved in terms of the deterioration in flavor that results from the reduction in carbohydrate concentration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to the present invention, the following inventions are provided. [1] A beer-flavored fermented beverage having a carbohydrate concentration of 2.0 g / 100 mL or less and a 5-methylfurfural concentration of 10 ppb or more. [2] The beer-flavored fermented beverage described in [1] above, in which the malt usage ratio is 25% or more and 100% or less. [3] A beer-flavored fermented beverage according to [1] or [2] above, having a carbohydrate concentration of 0.5 g / 100 mL or less. [4] The beer-flavored fermented beverage according to any one of [1] to [3] above, wherein the 5-methylfurfural concentration is 1,000 ppb or less. [5] The beer-flavored fermented beverage according to any one of [1] to [4] above, having an alcohol concentration of 10.0 v / v% or less. [6] A beer-flavored fermented beverage according to any one of [1] to [5] above, which contains dietary fiber. [7] A method for producing a beer-flavored fermented beverage having a carbohydrate concentration of 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, the method including a step of incorporating 5-methylfurfural so that the 5-methylfurfural concentration of the produced beverage is 10 ppb or more. [8] A method for improving the flavor of a beer-flavored fermented beverage having a carbohydrate concentration of 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, the method comprising a step of adding 5-methylfurfural so that the 5-methylfurfural concentration of the produced beverage is 10 ppb or more.

[0006] According to the present invention, by adjusting the 5-methylfurfural concentration to a predetermined level in a beer-taste fermented beverage with a reduced carbohydrate concentration, it is possible to provide a beer-taste fermented beverage with a good flavor and aroma while still having a reduced carbohydrate concentration.

[0007] In the present invention, "beer-taste beverage" refers to a beverage with a beer-like flavor. In the present invention, "beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage" refers to a beverage fermented with yeast using ingredients such as a carbon source, a nitrogen source, and water, and includes beer and happoshu. Preferred embodiments of beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverages include those made at least in part from malt and / or ungerminated barley and wheat, and more preferably those made at least in part from malt. In the present invention, "beer-taste fermented non-alcoholic beverage" refers to a beverage produced by removing alcoholic components generated during a beer-taste fermentation process using yeast, and a beverage produced by terminating the fermentation process when the ethanol concentration is less than 1 v / v%. In the present invention, "beer-taste fermented non-alcoholic beverage" includes beverages that contain no alcohol, i.e., beverages with an ethanol concentration of 0.00 v / v%, and beverages with an ethanol concentration of more than 0.00 v / v% and less than 1 v / v%. In the present invention, the term "fermented beer-flavored beverage" includes "fermented alcoholic beer-flavored beverage" and "fermented non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage."

[0008] In this invention, "happoshu" includes those that contain distilled alcohol as an ingredient and those that do not contain malt or hops. In this invention, "beer" refers to a product fermented with malt, hops, and water, or a product fermented with malt, hops, and water in addition to certain auxiliary ingredients, and that meets the following two conditions (limited to those with an alcohol content of less than 20%): The malt ratio must be 50% or more. The weight of fruits (including dried, boiled or concentrated fruit juice) and certain flavorings used does not exceed 5 / 100 of the weight of the malt (including those not used). (See the Liquor Tax Act (Act No. 6 of 1953), which came into effect on October 1, 2023.)

[0009] When the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention uses malt as at least a part of an ingredient, the malt usage ratio is, for example, 10% or less, 10% or more, 12.5% ​​or less, 12.5% ​​or more, 15% or less, 15% or more, 17.5% or less, 17.5% or more, 20% or less, 20% or more, 22.5% or less, 22.5% or more, 25% or less, 25% or more, 27.5% or less, 27.5% or more 30% or more, 30% or less, 32.5% or less, 32.5% or more, 35% or less, 35% or more, 37.5% or less, 37.5% or more, 40% or less, 40% or more, 42.5% or less, 4 2.5% or more, 45% or less, 45% or more, 47.5% or less, 47.5% or more, 50% or less, 50% or more, 52.5% or less, 52.5% or more, 55% or less, 55% or more, 57.5% or more Lower, 57.5% or more, 60% or less, 60% or more, 62.5% or less, 62.5% or more, 65% or less, 65% or more, 67.5% or less, 67.5% or more, 70% or less, 70% or more, 72 .5% or less, 72.5% or more, 75% or less, 75% or more, 77.5% or less, 77.5% or more, 80% or less, 80% or more, 82.5% or less, 82.5% or more, 85% or less, 85% or more The upper and lower limits can be set to 87.5% or less, 87.5% or more, 90% or less, 90% or more, 92.5% or less, 92.5% or more, 95% or less, 95% or more, 97.5% or less, 97.5% or more, 100% or less, or 100%, and preferably 50% or more, 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 100% or less, or 100%. These upper and lower limits can be arbitrarily combined, and "or less" can be interpreted as "less than," and "or more" can be interpreted as "greater than." In the present invention, the "malt usage ratio" refers to the ratio of the mass of malt to the mass of all raw materials excluding hops and brewing water.

[0010] The beer-taste fermented malt beverage of the present invention can use, for example, barley malt or wheat malt as the malt, and either one type of malt or a combination of multiple types of malt may be used. In the beer-taste fermented malt beverage of the present invention, the proportion of barley malt (by mass) in the raw material malt (by mass) is, for example, 10% or more, 10% or less, 12.5% ​​or more, 12.5% ​​or less, 15% or more, 15% or less, 17.5% or more, 17.5% or less, 20% or more, 20% or less, 22.5% or more, 22.5% or less, 25% or more, 25% or less, 27.5% or more, 27.5% or less, 30% or more, 30% or less, 32.5% or more, 32.5% or less, 35% or more, 35% or less, 37.5% or more, 37.5% or less, 40% or more, 40% or less, 42.5% or more, 42.5% or less, 45% or more, 45% or less, 47.5% or more, 47.5% or less, 50% or more, 50% or less or less, 52.5% or more, 52.5% or less, 55% or more, 55% or less, 57.5% or more, 57.5% or less, 60% or more, 60% or less, 62.5% or more, 62.5% or less, 65% or more, 65% or less, 67.5% or more, 67.5% or less, 70% or more, 70% or less, 72.5% or more, 72.5% or less, 75% or more, 75% or less, 77.5% or more, 77.5% or less, 80% or more, 80% or less, 82.5% or more, 82.5% or less, 85% or more, 85% or less, 87.5% or more, 87.5% or less, 90% or more, 90% or less, 92.5% or more, 92.5% or less, 95% or more, 95% or less, 97.5% or more, 97.5% or less, or 100%. These upper and lower limit values ​​can be combined in any way, and "equal to or less" can be "less than," and "equal to or greater" can be "exceed."In the beer-taste fermented malt beverage of the present invention, the proportion of wheat malt (by mass) in the raw material malt (by mass) is, for example, 10% or more, 10% or less, 12.5% ​​or more, 12.5% ​​or less, 15% or more, 15% or less, 17.5% or more, 17.5% or less, 20% or more, 20% or less, 22.5% or more, 22.5% or less, 25% or more, 25% or less, 27.5% or more, 27.5% or less, 30% or more, 30% or less, 32.5% or more, 32.5% or less, 35% or more, 35% or less, 37.5% or more, 37.5% or less, 40% or more, 40% or less, 42.5% or more, 42.5% or less, 45% or more, 45% or less, 47.5% or more, 47.5% or less, 50% or more, 50% or more, The value can be 52.5% or less, 52.5% or more, 52.5% or less, 55% or more, 55% or less, 57.5% or more, 57.5% or more, 60% or more, 60% or less, 62.5% or more, 62.5% or less, 65% or more, 65% or less, 67.5% or more, 67.5% or more, 70% or less, 72.5% or more, 72.5% or less, 75% or more, 75% or less, 77.5% or more, 77.5% or less, 80% or more, 80% or less, 82.5% or more, 82.5% or less, 85% or more, 85% or less, 87.5% or more, 87.5% or less, 90% or more, 90% or less, 92.5% or more, 92.5% or less, 95% or more, 95% or less, 97.5% or more, 97.5% or less, or 100%. In the above, "equal to or greater than" can be interpreted as "exceeding." These upper and lower limits can be arbitrarily combined, and "equal to or less than" can be interpreted as "below," and "equal to or greater than" can be interpreted as "exceeding."

[0011] The beer-taste fermented malt beverage of the present invention can use dark malt as part of the malt raw material. As used herein, "dark malt" refers to malt that has been roasted at a relatively high temperature (e.g., about 120°C or higher) during the production of malt from barley, resulting in a deep brown scorched color. Non-limiting examples of dark malt include caramel malt and black malt. Generally, dark malt roasted at a higher temperature tends to have a darker color.

[0012] The beer-taste fermented malt beverage of the present invention may also contain malt other than dark malt, including light malt (base malt), non-limiting examples of which include pale malt, pilsner malt, and wheat malt.

[0013] The beer-taste fermented malt beverage of the present invention can preferably contain dark malt as part of the malt raw materials, and in this case, the malt other than the dark malt may contain light malt.

[0014] In the beer-taste fermented malt beverage of the present invention, the ratio of dark malt (by mass) to the total malt raw materials (by mass) may be, for example, 10% or more, 10% or less, 12.5% ​​or more, 12.5% ​​or less, 15% or more, 15% or less, 17.5% or more, 17.5% or less, 20% or more, 20% or less, 22.5% or more, 22.5% or less, 25% or more, 25% or less, 27.5% or more, 27.5% or less, 30% or more, 30% or less, 32.5% or more, 32.5% or less, 35% or more, 35% or less, 37.5% or more, 37.5% or less, 40% or more, 40% or less, 42.5% or more, 42.5% or less, 45% or more, 45% or less, 47.5% or more, 47.5% or less, 50% or more, 50% or more, %, or less, 52.5% or more, 52.5% or less, 55% or more, 55% or less, 57.5% or more, 57.5% or less, 60% or more, 60% or less, 62.5% or more, 62.5% or less, 65% or more, 65% or less, 67.5% or more, 67.5% or less, 70% or more, 70% or less, 72.5% or more, 72.5% or less, 75% or more, 75% or less, 77.5% or more, 77.5% or less, 80% or more, 80% or less, 82.5% or more, 82.5% or less, 85% or more, 85% or less, 87.5% or more, 87.5% or less, 90% or more, 90% or less, 92.5% or more, 92.5% or less, 95% or more, 95% or less, 97.5% or more, 97.5% or less, or 100%. These upper and lower limit values ​​can be combined in any way, and "equal to or less" can be "less than," and "equal to or greater" can be "exceed."

[0015] In the beer-taste fermented malt beverage of the present invention, the ratio of light-colored malt (by mass) to the total malt raw materials (by mass) is, for example, 10% or more, 10% or less, 12.5% ​​or more, 12.5% ​​or less, 15% or more, 15% or less, 17.5% or more, 17.5% or less, 20% or more, 20% or less, 22.5% or more, 22.5% or less, 25% or more, 25% or less, 27.5% or more, 27.5% or less, 30% or more, 30% or less, 32.5% or more, 32.5% or less, 35% or more, 35% or less, 37.5% or more, 37.5% or less, 40% or more, 40% or less, 42.5% or more, 42.5% or less, 45% or more, 45% or less, 47.5% or more, 47.5% or less, 50% or more, 50% or less or less, 52.5% or more, 52.5% or less, 55% or more, 55% or less, 57.5% or more, 57.5% or less, 60% or more, 60% or less, 62.5% or more, 62.5% or less, 65% or more, 65% or less, 67.5% or more, 67.5% or less, 70% or more, 70% or less, 72.5% or more, 72.5% or less, 75% or more, 75% or less, 77.5% or more, 77.5% or less, 80% or more, 80% or less, 82.5% or more, 82.5% or less, 85% or more, 85% or less, 87.5% or more, 87.5% or less, 90% or more, 90% or less, 92.5% or more, 92.5% or less, 95% or more, 95% or less, 97.5% or more, 97.5% or less, or 100%. These upper and lower limit values ​​can be combined in any way, and "equal to or less" can be "less than," and "equal to or greater" can be "exceed."

[0016] The alcohol concentration of the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention can be set at any desired value, but the lower limit of the alcohol concentration (above or above) can be, for example, 0.001 v / v%, 0.002 v / v%, 0.003 v / v%, 0.004 v / v%, 0.005 v / v%, 0.01 v / v%, 0.05 v / v%, 0.1 v / v%, 0.2 v / v%, 0.3 v / v%, 0.4 v / v%, 0.5 v / v%, 0.6 v / v%, 0.7 v / v%, 0.8 v / v%, 0.9 v / v%, 1 The upper limit (less than or equal to) can be, for example, 11.0 v / v%, 10.0 v / v%, 11.1 v / v%, 1.2 v / v%, 1.3 v / v%, 1.4 v / v%, 1.5 v / v%, 1.6 v / v%, 1.7 v / v%, 1.8 v / v%, 1.9 v / v%, 2.0 v / v%, 2.1 v / v%, 2.2 v / v%, 2.3 v / v%, 2.4 v / v%, 2.5 v / v%, 2.6 v / v%, 2.7 v / v%, 2.8 v / v%, 2.9 v / v% or 3.0 v / v%, and the upper limit (less than or equal to) can be, for example, 11.0 v / v%, 10.0 v / v%, 1 ... 9v / v%, 10.8v / v%, 10.7v / v%, 10.6v / v%, 10.5v / v%, 10.4v / v%, 10.3v / v%, 10.2v / v%, 10.1v / v%, 10.0v / v%, 9.9v / v%, 9.8v / v%, 9 .7v / v%, 9.6v / v%, 9.5v / v%, 9.4v / v%, 9.3v / v%, 9.2v / v%, 9.1v / v%, 9.0v / v%, 8.9v / v%, 8.8v / v%, 8.7v / v%, 8.6v / v%, 8.5v / v%, 8. 4v / v%, 8.3v / v%, 8.2v / v%, 8.1v / v%, 8.0v / v%, 7.9v / v%, 7.8v / v%, 7.7v / v%, 7.6v / v%, 7.5v / v%, 7.4v / v%, 7.3v / v%, 7.2v / v%, 7. It can be 1v / v%, 7.0v / v%, 6.9v / v%, 6.8v / v%, 6.7v / v%, 6.6v / v%, 6.5v / v%, 6.4v / v%, 6.3v / v%, 6.2v / v%, 6.1v / v% or 6.0v / v%. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any desired manner, and the alcohol concentration of the beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 1.0 v / v% or more and 10.0 v / v% or less, preferably 2.0 v / v% or more and 8.0 v / v% or less, and more preferably 3.0 v / v% or more and 6.0 v / v% or less.The alcohol concentration of the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 0.001 v / v% or more and 1 v / v% or less, 0.001 v / v% or more and 0.5 v / v% or less, or 0.001 v / v% or more and 0.1 v / v% or less.

[0017] Methods for measuring the alcohol concentration (ethanol concentration) of beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages are widely known to those skilled in the art. For example, the alcohol concentration can be measured using the method described in the "National Tax Agency Prescribed Analysis Method." The alcohol concentration (ethanol concentration) of beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverages can be measured using gas chromatography (GC) with an FID detector. In this case, for more accurate concentration measurement, it is desirable to use a calibration curve created based on the measurements of several control samples with known concentrations. It is preferable that these control samples with known concentrations are in the same range as the concentration to be measured. It is also preferable to use an internal standard, and an example of an internal standard is 2-propanol.

[0018] The beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention has a reduced carbohydrate concentration, and the upper limit of the carbohydrate concentration of the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention can be (not more than or less than) 2.0 g / 100 mL, 1.9 g / 100 mL, 1.8 g / 100 mL, 1.7 g / 100 mL, 1.6 g / 100 mL, 1.5 g / 100 mL, 1.4 g / 100 mL, 1.3 g / 100 mL, 1.2 g / 100 mL, 1.1 g / 100 mL, 1.0 g / 100 mL, 0.9 g / 100 mL, 0.8 g / 100 mL, 0.7 g / 100 mL, 0.6 g / 100 mL, 0.5 g / 100 mL, 0.4 g / 100 mL, 0.3 g / 100 mL, or 0.2 g / 100 mL. In addition, beverages with a carbohydrate concentration of less than 0.5g / 100mL qualify as "zero carbohydrate beverages."

[0019] The carbohydrate concentration can be measured by known methods, and can be calculated by subtracting the amount of water, protein, fat, ash, and dietary fiber from the mass of the sample to be measured (see the Nutrition Labeling Standards (Partially revised Consumer Affairs Agency Notification No. 9 of December 16, 2009)).

[0020] The beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention may have reduced concentrations of any one or a combination of some or all of purines, adenosine, and guanosine. Specifically, the upper limit of the purine concentration of the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention (not exceeding or less than) is 35,000 ppb, 34,000 ppb, 33,000 ppb, 32,000 ppb, 31,000 ppb, 30,000 ppb, 29,000 ppb, 28,000 ppb, 27,000 ppb, 26,000 ppb, 25,000 ppb, or 36,000 ppb. The purine concentration can be 24,000 ppb, 23,000 ppb, 22,000 ppb, 21,000 ppb, 20,000 ppb, 19,000 ppb, 18,000 ppb, 17,000 ppb, 16,000 ppb, 15,000 ppb, 14,000 ppb, 13,000 ppb, 12,000 ppb, 11,000 ppb, 10,000 ppb, 9,000 ppb, 8,000 ppb, 7,000 ppb, 6,000 ppb, 5,000 ppb, 4,000 ppb, or 3,000 ppb. A beverage with a purine concentration of less than 5,0000 ppb corresponds to a "zero-purine beverage." In the present invention, the unit "ppb" is synonymous with "μg / L."

[0021] The purine concentration can be measured by known methods, for example, by a method in which the purine concentration is detected using LC-MS / MS (liquid chromatography mass spectrometry) after hydrolysis with perchloric acid (see Food Hygiene Journal 55(2):110-116(2014)). In this specification, the term "purine concentration" refers to the total amount of four purine bases: adenine, xanthine, guanine, and hypoxanthine.

[0022] The upper limit of the adenosine concentration in the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention (less than or equal to) can be 15,000 ppb, 14,000 ppb, 13,000 ppb, 12,000 ppb, 11,000 ppb, 10,000 ppb, 9,000 ppb, 8,000 ppb, 7,000 ppb, 6,000 ppb, 5,000 ppb, 4,000 ppb, 3,000 ppb, 2,000 ppb, 1,000 ppb, 500 ppb, 100 ppb, 50 ppb, 40 ppb, 30 ppb, or 20 ppb.

[0023] The upper limit of the guanosine concentration in the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention (less than or equal to) is 56,000 ppb, 50,000 ppb, 40,000 ppb, 30,000 ppb, 29,000 ppb, 28,000 ppb, 27,000 ppb, 26,000 ppb, 25,000 ppb, 24,000 ppb, 23,000 ppb, 22,000 ppb, 21,000 ppb, 20,000 ppb, 19,000 ppb, 18,000 ppb, and 20,000 ppb. ppb, 17,000 ppb, 16,000 ppb, 15,000 ppb, 14,000 ppb, 13,000 ppb, 12,000 ppb, 11,000 ppb, 10,000 ppb, 9,000 ppb, 8,000 ppb, 7,000 ppb, 6,000 ppb, 5,000 ppb, 4,000 ppb, 3,000 ppb, 2,000 ppb, 1,000 ppb, 500 ppb, 100 ppb, 50 ppb.

[0024] The adenosine and guanosine concentrations can be measured by known methods. For example, they can be measured by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry without decomposition treatment by perchloric acid treatment, with reference to the BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (Beer Brewers Association, 8.30 Purines; Total Purine Determination in Beer, Happoshu, and New Genre Beers by HPLC-UV Method).

[0025] The beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention is characterized by having a 5-methylfurfural concentration of a predetermined value. Specifically, the lower limit of the 5-methylfurfural concentration in the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention (not less than or exceeding) can be 10 ppb, and can be 15 ppb, 20 ppb, 25 ppb, 30 ppb, 35 ppb, 40 ppb, 45 ppb, 50 ppb, 55 ppb, 60 ppb, 65 ppb, 70 ppb, 75 ppb, 80 ppb, 85 ppb, 90 ppb, It can also be 95 ppb, 100 ppb, 105 ppb, 110 ppb, 115 ppb, 120 ppb, 125 ppb, 130 ppb, 135 ppb, 140 ppb, 145 ppb, 150 ppb, 155 ppb, 160 ppb, 165 ppb, 170 ppb, 175 ppb, 180 ppb, 185 ppb, 190 ppb, 195 ppb, or 200 ppb. Furthermore, the upper limit (or less than) of the 5-methylfurfural concentration in the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but can be, for example, 1000 ppb, 950 ppb, 900 ppb, 850 ppb, 800 ppb, 750 ppb, 700 ppb, 650 ppb, 600 ppb, 550 ppb, 500 ppb, 495 ppb, 490 ppb, 485 ppb, 480 ppb, 475 ppb, 470 ppb, 465 ppb, 460 ppb, 455 ppb, 450 ppb, 445 ppb, 440 ppb, 435 ppb, 430 ppb, 425 ppb, 420 ppb, 415 ppb, 410 ppb, 405 ppb, or 400 ppb.These lower and upper limits can be combined in any desired manner, and the 5-methylfurfural concentration of the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 10 to 1000 ppb, 50 to 500 ppb, 55 to 500 ppb, 75 to 500 ppb, 100 to 500 ppb, 125 to 500 ppb, 150 ppb to 500 ppb, 175 to 500 ppb, 200 ppb to 500 ppb, 50 to 475 ppb, 55 to 475 ppb, 75 to 475 ppb, 100 to 475 ppb, 125 to 475 ppb, 150 ppb to 475 ppb, 175 to 475 ppb, 200 ppb to 475 ppb, 50 to 450 ppb, The concentration can be 55 to 450 ppb, 75 to 450 ppb, 100 to 450 ppb, 125 to 450 ppb, 150 ppb to 450 ppb, 175 to 450 ppb, 200 ppb to 450 ppb, 50 to 425 ppb, 55 to 425 ppb, 75 to 425 ppb, 100 to 425 ppb, 125 to 425 ppb, 150 ppb to 425 ppb, 175 to 425 ppb, 200 ppb to 425 ppb, 50 to 400 ppb, 55 to 400 ppb, 75 to 400 ppb, 100 to 400 ppb, 125 to 400 ppb, 150 ppb to 400 ppb, 175 to 400 ppb, or 200 ppb to 400 ppb.

[0026] In the present invention, in addition to adding 5-methylfurfural during the beverage production process, 5-methylfurfural can be contained in a beer-taste fermented beverage by adjusting raw materials or production conditions. Non-limiting examples of such raw materials and production conditions include adjusting brewing conditions, increasing the amount of raw materials containing the substance, increasing the amount of raw materials that produce the substance in the final product, and adjusting the concentration of substances that are converted to the substance by fermentation with yeast. Raw materials that contain 5-methylfurfural and raw materials that produce 5-methylfurfural in the final product include roasted grains such as dark malt.

[0027] When adding 5-methylfurfural in the production of the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention, the 5-methylfurfural may be in any form suitable for food production, and its form is not particularly limited as long as it is easily soluble in an aqueous solvent.

[0028] In the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention, the 5-methylfurfural concentration can be quantified by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC / MS).

[0029] The beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention is characterized by an improvement in the deterioration of flavor due to reduced carbohydrate concentration, despite its reduced carbohydrate concentration. Beer-taste fermented beverages with reduced carbohydrate concentrations (particularly beer and happoshu) have a flavor problem of a perceived sour odor due to the reduced carbohydrate concentration. The beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention has an improved sour odor due to the reduced carbohydrate concentration, thereby solving the above-mentioned problem of beer-taste fermented beverages with reduced carbohydrate concentrations. Beer-taste fermented beverages with reduced carbohydrate concentrations (particularly beer and happoshu) also have a flavor problem of a perceived weak orthonasal due to the reduced carbohydrate concentration. The beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention has an improved weak orthonasal due to the reduced carbohydrate concentration, thereby solving the above-mentioned problem of beer-taste fermented beverages with reduced carbohydrate concentrations. Here, the term "sour odor" refers to an overall flavor consisting of sourness and a sour odor, and the sour odor refers to a negative aroma reminiscent of an organic acid (e.g., acetic acid). "Orthonasal" refers to the aroma that enters through the nose (initial aroma), and is the opposite of "retronasal." "Retronasal" refers to the aroma that passes through the throat and exits the nose after being taken to the mouth (aftertaste).

[0030] The beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be produced by any production procedure, as long as the carbohydrate concentration is reduced to a predetermined level and the 5-methylfurfural concentration is maintained at a predetermined level. For example, the beverage can be produced as follows. Specifically, a beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage can be produced by adding fermentation yeast to wort prepared from brewing ingredients such as malt, hops, auxiliary ingredients, and brewing water, fermenting the resulting fermented liquid, storing it at low temperature, and then removing the yeast through a filtration process. The carbohydrate concentration in a beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage can be reduced according to known methods described below. Furthermore, a predetermined concentration of 5-methylfurfural can be achieved in a beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage by adding 5-methylfurfural during the beverage production process or by appropriately selecting the raw materials or production conditions, as described above. In this manner, a beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage with a reduced carbohydrate concentration and a predetermined 5-methylfurfural concentration can be produced.

[0031] The beer-taste fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can also be produced, for example, by producing a beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage and then removing alcohol from the resulting beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage, or by terminating fermentation at a stage in the fermentation process of producing a beer-taste fermented alcoholic beverage when the ethanol concentration is less than 1 v / v%. In this method, the 5-methylfurfural concentration can be adjusted at any stage in the production process, and can also be adjusted by adding 5-methylfurfural.

[0032] Methods for removing alcohol from beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverages include, for example, (i) removing alcohol and low-boiling-point components by distillation under reduced pressure or normal pressure, (ii) removing alcohol and low-molecular-weight components using a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane, and (iii) removing volatile components by adsorbing them into steam using centrifugal force.

[0033] The carbohydrate concentration in a beer-taste fermented beverage can be reduced by known methods, including, but not limited to, adding glucoamylase during the saccharification process, adding glucoamylase during the fermentation process (see Enzyme Utilization Technology Encyclopedia: From Basics and Analysis to Modification, Advanced Functionalization, and Industrial Use (edited by Makoto Komiyama, NTS Co., Ltd., 2010)), reducing carbohydrates by increasing yeast assimilation using liquid sugar containing a large amount of carbohydrates that can be assimilated by yeast (see JP 2009-131202 A), and filtering wort during the saccharification process (see JP 2012-147780 A).

[0034] The purine concentration in a beer-taste fermented beverage can be reduced by known methods. Non-limiting examples of methods for reducing the purine concentration in a beer-taste fermented beverage include methods of contacting a pre-fermentation solution or a fermentation solution with an adsorbent such as activated carbon or zeolite to reduce the purine content in the beverage (see, for example, JP 2003-169658 A, JP 2004-290071 A, JP 2004-290072 A, and JP 2015-112090 A), and methods of using raw materials other than malt that contain less purine (for example, soybeans). Examples of such methods include a method of reducing the purine content in a beverage using yeast-derived enzymes (such as malt extract, malt protein, and corn grits) (see, for example, JP 2014-117204 A and JP 2014-117205 A), and a method of reducing yeast-unavailable purines in the wort by performing an enzyme inactivation process to inactivate at least a portion of the malt-derived enzymes, and then treating the brewing liquid with purine nucleosidase (see, for example, JP 2018-64502 A).

[0035] In the above-described production procedure, wort can be prepared by a conventional method. For example, a mixture of brewing raw materials and brewing water is saccharified, filtered to obtain wort, and then hops are added to the wort, followed by boiling and cooling the boiled wort to prepare the wort. Alternatively, wort can be prepared by adding a commercially available enzyme preparation during the saccharification process. For example, a protease preparation can be used for protein degradation; an α-amylase preparation, a glucoamylase preparation, a pullulanase preparation, or the like can be used for carbohydrate degradation; and a β-glucanase preparation, a cellulase-degrading enzyme preparation, or the like can be used for cellulolysis. Alternatively, a mixture of these preparations can also be used.

[0036] In the production of the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention, in addition to malt, ungerminated wheat and barley (for example, ungerminated barley (including extracts), ungerminated wheat (including extracts)); rice, corn, koryang, potato, starch, sugars (for example, liquid sugar), dietary fiber (including dietary fiber contained in liquid sugar), fruit (for example, fruit juice, concentrated fruit juice), coriander or its seeds, spices or ingredients thereof (for example, pepper, cinnamon, Japanese pepper), herbs (for example, chamomile, sage, basil), vegetables (for example, sweet potato, pumpkin), buckwheat Alternatively, secondary ingredients such as sesame, carbohydrate-containing substances (e.g., honey, brown sugar), salt, miso, flowers, tea, coffee, cocoa (including preparations of tea, coffee, and cocoa), and seafood (e.g., oysters, kelp, wakame seaweed, and bonito flakes); nitrogen sources such as protein hydrolysates and yeast extract; grains other than those mentioned above (e.g., soybeans); and other additives such as flavorings, colorings, foaming and foam retention improvers, water quality conditioners, and fermentation aids can be used as brewing ingredients, but the above are merely examples, and ingredients other than those mentioned above can also be used in the production of the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention.

[0037] In the production of the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention, a raw material containing 5-methylfurfural (e.g., roasted grains such as dark malt) is used as a brewing raw material, thereby allowing the beer-taste fermented beverage to contain 5-methylfurfural at a predetermined concentration. When the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention is beer, 5-methylfurfural itself cannot be blended as a brewing raw material for beer. However, according to the present invention, by selecting the brewing raw materials, it is possible to include 5-methylfurfural in beer at a predetermined concentration, which is advantageous in that it improves the flavor of the beer.

[0038] The raw materials used in the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention, other than brewing water, can be at least malt and hops, and in some cases can further include sugars, rice, corn, starch, etc. Of the beer-taste fermented beverages, it goes without saying that all-malt beer can be produced from malt, hops, and water.

[0039] In the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention, the ethyl acetate concentration can be, for example, 100 ppm or less, and from the viewpoint of achieving a better taste intensity, refreshment, and balance between aroma and taste, it can be preferably 50 ppm or less, more preferably 40 ppm or less, and even more preferably 30 ppm or less. Furthermore, in the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention, the ethyl acetate concentration can be, for example, 1 ppm or more, 2 ppm or more, or 3 ppm or more. The ethyl acetate concentration of the beer-taste fermented beverage can be adjusted by known methods (e.g., using yeast with low ethyl acetate production ability, adjusting brewing conditions such as fermentation temperature, etc.).

[0040] The ethyl acetate concentration in the beer-flavored fermented beverage of the present invention can be measured using a headspace gas chromatograph equipped with an FID as described in Section 8.22 of the BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (revised and expanded in 2013). For example, the ethyl acetate concentration can be measured by introducing the gas phase of a beer sample heated in a vial into a gas chromatograph equipped with an FID detector, reading the area of ​​ethyl acetate on the gas chromatogram, and calculating the amount of each component from the ratio to the area of ​​the internal standard (n-butanol). For more accurate concentration measurements, it is desirable to use a calibration curve prepared based on the measurements of several control samples with known concentrations.

[0041] The concentration of malic acid in the fermented beer-taste beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 20 to 120 ppm, preferably 30 to 100 ppm. The concentration of malic acid in the fermented beer-taste beverage can be measured by capillary electrophoresis as described in "8.24.2" of the BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods (revised and expanded in 2013).

[0042] In the present invention, the term "bitterness value (BU)" refers to a value measured according to the method described in Section 8.15 of the BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods (revised and expanded in 2013). Specifically, the bitterness value can be determined by adding an acid to a sample beverage, extracting it with isooctane, measuring the absorbance (275 nm) of the isooctane layer, and multiplying this measured value by 50.

[0043] The upper limit of the bitterness value (BU) of the beverage of the present invention can be (not more than or less than) 60, 50, 40, 30, 25, 22, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, or 10, and the lower limit (not less than or greater than) can be 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, or 2. The bitterness value (BU) of the beverage of the present invention can be in the range of, for example, 2 to 60, and from the viewpoint of obtaining a beer-taste fermented beverage with a more favorable flavor, can be, for example, 3 to 30, preferably 4 to 25, 5 to 22, or 5 to 20.

[0044] In the present invention, the method for adjusting the bitterness value (BU) is not particularly limited, but a preferred example is a method of adjusting the amount of hops and / or hop processed products used in the production of a beer-flavored fermented beverage and / or the boiling time. Generally, increasing the amount of hops and / or hop processed products used and / or the boiling time increases the concentration of iso-α acids and other components in the resulting beer-flavored fermented beverage, thereby increasing the BU of the resulting beer-flavored fermented beverage. Decreasing the amount of hops and / or hop processed products used and / or the boiling time decreases the concentration of iso-α acids and other components in the resulting beer-flavored fermented beverage, thereby decreasing the BU of the resulting beer-flavored fermented beverage. Examples of hops that can be used include fresh hops, hop pellets that have been crushed and processed into pellets, hop pellets that have been sieved to increase the lupulin content during processing, and hop extracts from which lupulin's bitterness, essential oils, and the like have been extracted. Examples of hop processed products that can be used include low hops, hexahops, tetrahops, and isomerized hop extracts (isomerized hop extracts).

[0045] The pH of the fermented beer-taste beverage of the present invention can be adjusted to 2.0 to 7.0, preferably 2.3 to 5.0, more preferably 3.0 to 4.7, and most preferably 3.5 to 4.5. The pH of the fermented beer-taste beverage of the present invention can be adjusted using a pH adjuster. The pH of the fermented beer-taste beverage can be measured using a commercially available pH meter (e.g., a HORIBA Scientific tabletop pH meter, manufactured by Horiba Advanced Techno Co., Ltd.).

[0046] The beverage provided by the present invention can be provided as a bottled beverage after being subjected to a step of adding carbon dioxide gas, and further subjected to steps such as a filling step and a sterilization step. Sterilization may be carried out before or after filling into the container. Furthermore, if the pH of the beverage is adjusted to less than 4, the beverage can be filled directly without going through the sterilization step to produce a bottled beverage.

[0047] The container used for the beverage of the present invention may be any container normally used for filling beverages, such as a metal can, a barrel, a plastic bottle (e.g., a PET bottle or cup), a paper container, a bottle, or a pouch container, but metal cans, barrels, plastic bottles (e.g., a PET bottle), and bottles are preferred.

[0048] Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for producing a beer-taste fermented beverage having a carbohydrate concentration of 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, the method comprising the step of adding 5-methylfurfural so that the 5-methylfurfural concentration in the produced beverage is 10 ppb or higher. The production method of the present invention improves the flavor of the produced beer-taste fermented beverage. Here, "improved flavor" or "flavor improvement" of a beer-taste fermented beverage refers to the improvement of the deterioration in flavor (e.g., increased sourness, decreased orthonasal) caused by a reduction in carbohydrate concentration in the beer-taste fermented beverage. The production method of the present invention can be carried out in accordance with the above and other descriptions of the beer-taste fermented beverage of the present invention.

[0049] Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for improving the flavor of a beer-taste fermented beverage having a carbohydrate concentration of 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, the method comprising the step of adding 5-methylfurfural to the beverage so that the 5-methylfurfural concentration in the produced beverage is 10 ppb or more. This flavor-improving method can improve the flavor of a beer-taste fermented beverage with a reduced carbohydrate concentration. The flavor-improving method of the present invention can be carried out in accordance with the above-described and other descriptions of the beer-taste fermented beverage and its production method of the present invention. [Example]

[0050] The present invention will be described in more detail based on the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0051] Measuring alcohol concentration The alcohol concentration (ethanol concentration) was measured according to the method described in the "National Tax Agency Prescribed Analysis Method."

[0052] Carbohydrate concentration analysis The carbohydrate concentration based on the nutrition labeling standards was measured according to the method described in the publicly known 5th edition of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan Analysis Manual, calculated by subtracting the amounts of water, protein, lipid, ash and dietary fiber from the mass of the sample beverage.

[0053] Measurement of purine concentration The purine concentration was measured by a method in which purine was hydrolyzed with perchloric acid and then detected using LC-MS / MS (liquid chromatography mass spectrometry) (see Food Hygiene Journal 55(2):110-116(2014)).

[0054] Measurement of adenosine and guanosine concentrations The adenosine and guanosine concentrations were measured using a liquid chromatography mass spectrometer without decomposition by perchloric acid treatment, based on the BCOJ beer analysis method (Beer Brewers Association, 8.30 Purines; total purine quantification in beer, happoshu, and new genre beers using HPLC-UV).

[0055] Measurement of 5-methylfurfural concentration The concentration of 5-methylfurfural (CAS RN: 620-02-0) was measured as follows. First, the aroma components in the beverage were separated using a C18 solid-phase extraction column, and the resulting analytical sample was subjected to GC / MS. In addition, borneol was used as an internal standard substance and added to the sample so that the concentration in the analytical sample was 50 ppb. The GC / MS analysis conditions were as shown in Table 1 below.

[0056] [Table 1]

[0057] Example 1: Production and evaluation of a beer-flavored fermented beverage In Example 1, test samples of beer-taste fermented beverages were prepared, and evaluation tests were carried out on each sample.

[0058] (1) Method A. Preparation of test samples (1) Barley malt and dark malt were used as the main raw materials (malt ratio: 59%). An enzyme preparation was used for saccharification, and the saccharification temperature and time were adjusted. Wort was obtained by filtration. Specifically, 10 parts by mass of barley malt, a β-glucanase enzyme preparation, and an enzyme preparation mainly composed of glucoamylase were added to 100 parts by mass of hot water at 50°C. The mixture was then maintained for 30 minutes, heated to 64°C, and maintained for 70 minutes. The mixture was then heated to 78°C and maintained for 5 minutes, after which it was filtered to obtain wort. Following the above wort preparation process, 9.5 parts by mass of liquid sugar mainly composed of hops and assimilable sugars was added to the resulting wort and boiled at 100°C for 90 minutes. The wort was then allowed to stand, the trub was separated, and the mixture was cooled to obtain a pre-fermentation solution. Bottom-fermenting yeast was then added to the pre-fermentation solution, and primary and secondary fermentations were carried out according to conventional methods. The fermented solution after secondary fermentation was then stored at a lower temperature and filtered to produce a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage. A trace amount of 5-methylfurfural was added to this beverage to prepare base beverage A1 (test group 1 shown in Table 3). Brewing ethanol (95%) was added to base beverage A1 to prepare base beverage A2 (test group 12 shown in Table 3). Base beverage A1 was diluted with water to prepare base beverage A3 (test group 16 shown in Table 3). Test sample beverages for test groups 2, 13, and 17 shown in Table 3 were prepared by adding 5-methylfurfural to base beverages A1, A2, and A3, respectively.

[0059] Preparation of test samples (2) Barley malt and dark malt were used as raw materials (15% malt). The malt was saccharified using enzymes and filtered to obtain wort. Hops and liquid sugar containing primarily assimilable sugars were added to the resulting wort and boiled at 100°C. The wort was then allowed to stand to separate the coagulated protein (trube), after which it was cooled to obtain a pre-fermentation solution. Bottom-fermenting yeast was added to the resulting pre-fermentation solution, and primary and secondary fermentations were carried out to obtain a fermented liquor. The resulting fermented liquor was stored at low temperature to terminate the fermentation, and then filtered to produce a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage. A trace amount of 5-methylfurfural was added to this beverage to prepare base beverage B1 (Test Group 3 shown in Table 3). Brewing ethanol (95%) was added to base beverage B1 to prepare base beverage B2 (Test Group 14 shown in Table 3). Base beverage B1 was diluted with water to prepare base beverage B3 (Test Group 18 shown in Table 3). Furthermore, by adding 5-methylfurfural to base beverage B1, test sample beverages for test plots 4 to 7 shown in Table 3 were prepared. Furthermore, by adding 5-methylfurfural to base beverages B2 and B3, test sample beverages for test plots 15 and 19 shown in Table 3 were prepared.

[0060] C. Preparation of test samples (3) Barley malt and dark malt were used as the main ingredients (100% malt). The malt was saccharified using enzymes and filtered to obtain wort. Hops were added to the resulting wort and boiled at 100°C. The wort was then left to stand, and the coagulated protein (trube) was separated. The wort was then cooled to obtain a pre-fermentation solution. Bottom-fermenting yeast was added to the resulting pre-fermentation solution, and primary and secondary fermentations were carried out to obtain a fermented liquor. The resulting fermented liquor was stored at low temperature to terminate the fermentation, and then filtered to produce a beer-flavored fermented alcoholic beverage. Base beverage C1 (Test Group 8 shown in Table 3) was prepared by diluting this beverage 3-fold with water and adding 5-methylfurfural. Base beverage C2 (Test Group 10 shown in Table 3) was prepared by diluting the beverage 6.5-fold with water and adding 5-methylfurfural. Furthermore, test sample beverages for Test Groups 9 and 11 shown in Table 3 were prepared by adding 5-methylfurfural to base beverages C1 and C2, respectively.

[0061] D. Evaluation test The sensory evaluation test was conducted by six trained panelists. The evaluation criteria for sour odor intensity, orthonasal intensity, and orthonasal balance are shown in Table 2. These evaluation items were evaluated using scores in increments of 0.5 within a range of 1.0 (minimum) to 5.0 (maximum) based on the evaluation criteria in Table 2, and the average scores of the six panelists were calculated. Furthermore, the scores for each evaluation item in test groups 1, 3, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 were set to 2.0, 1.5, or 2.5 to standardize the evaluation criteria among panelists, and sensory evaluation was conducted while comparing samples with the same base beverage. Samples with a score of 3.0 or higher were judged to have a favorable effect on the evaluation item, and samples with a score of 3.5 or higher were judged to have a more favorable effect on the evaluation item.

[0062] [Table 2]

[0063] The strength of sourness refers to the strength of the overall aroma consisting of sourness and sourness. Furthermore, the strength of orthonasal notes refers to the strength of the aroma that enters the nose (initial aroma). Furthermore, the balance of orthonasal notes refers to the degree of harmony of the aroma that enters the nose (initial aroma). When there is a prominent aroma, the degree of harmony is judged to be low, and when multiple aromas are perceived together, the degree of harmony is judged to be high.

[0064] (2) Results The results are shown in Table 3. Although the sour odor of the base beverage was perceived as being slightly stronger due to the reduction in carbohydrate concentration (Test Areas 1, 3, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18), it was confirmed that the sour odor tended to be reduced by increasing the 5-methylfurfural concentration (Test Areas 2, 4-7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19). Furthermore, although the orthonasal of the base beverage was perceived as being slightly weaker due to the reduction in carbohydrate concentration (Test Areas 1, 3, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18), it was confirmed that the orthonasal tended to be enhanced by increasing the 5-methylfurfural concentration (Test Areas 2, 4-7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19).

[0065] [Table 3]

Claims

1. A beer-flavored fermented beverage having a carbohydrate concentration of 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, and a 5-methylfurfural concentration of 30 ppb or more.

2. A beer-flavored fermented beverage according to claim 1, wherein the malt usage ratio is 25% or more and 100% or less.

3. A beer-flavored fermented beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the carbohydrate concentration is 0.5 g / 100 mL or less.

4. A beer-flavored fermented beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the 5-methylfurfural concentration is 1,000 ppb or less.

5. A beer-flavored fermented beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the alcohol concentration is 10.0 v / v% or less.

6. A beer-flavored fermented beverage according to claim 1 or 2, which contains dietary fiber.

7. A method for producing a beer-flavored fermented beverage having a carbohydrate concentration of 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, comprising the step of adding 5-methylfurfural to the produced beverage so that the 5-methylfurfural concentration is 30 ppb or more.

8. A method for improving the flavor of a beer-flavored fermented beverage having a carbohydrate concentration of 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, comprising the step of adding 5-methylfurfural to the manufactured beverage so that the 5-methylfurfural concentration is 30 ppb or more.