Jelly beverage

Abstract

To provide a jelly drink suppressing excessive stimulation feeling derived from a sour taste component even when a large amount of the sour taste component such as citric acid is formulated, and giving good sour taste feeling when drinking.SOLUTION: The jelly drink contained in a pouch-container with a spout contains a sour ingredient and has a viscosity of 700mPa s or more measured by the following measurement method. (1) The jelly beverage filled in the spouted pouch container is maintained at a product temperature of 20 °C. (2) The jelly beverage is extruded from the spouted pouch container, and 180g of the jelly beverage is weighed into a stainless steel beaker. (3) The jelly drink is stirred with a homomixer MARKII2 type 5 at 1 000rpm for 30 seconds. (4) The total amount of the jelly drink after the stirring treatment is placed in a tall beaker, and the viscosity (product temperature: 20 °C.) of the jelly drink after stirring for 1 minute using a B-type viscosimeter with a rotor No. 3 at a rotation speed of 60rpm is measured.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a jelly drink having a pleasant acidity with a suppressed strong acidity. [Background technology]

[0002] Foods and beverages containing functional ingredients are being developed every day. Citric acid is one of the most widely used functional ingredients, expected to have a fatigue recovery effect. However, beverages containing large amounts of acidulants such as citric acid or lemon juice have the problem of being too sour and unsuitable for drinking.

[0003] To address this issue, jelly drinks with a moderate sourness have been developed by adjusting the gel strength of the jelly drink to a certain range. Patent Document 1 describes that a jelly drink with an acidity of 0.7 to 1.5 (w / v%) and a gel strength of 40 to 90 (g) allows the taste and flavor of lemon to be felt in the mouth with a balance of mellowness, sourness, and stimulation.

[0004] Furthermore, technology has been developed to reduce the sourness of food and beverages by adding thickeners such as polysaccharides. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a method for reducing the irritating sensation of vinegar by adjusting the viscosity through the addition of polysaccharides, and Patent Document 3 describes a method for improving the taste of malt beverages by adding a thickener. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-148011 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-61510 [Patent Document 3] JP 2014-55 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Jelly drinks are sold in pouch containers with spouts for easy consumption, and can be easily taken by simply compressing the container body or sucking on the spout.

[0007] However, there was a problem that the jelly drink sucked out from the spout became coarsely particulate as it passed through the spout, and furthermore, the viscosity decreased due to the temperature rise in the mouth and chewing, etc., resulting in an increased perception of sourness. In particular, when a large amount of acidulant was blended, the jelly drink taken from the spouted pouch container had a strong irritating sensation due to the sourness, and was hardly good from the viewpoint of palatability.

[0008] Therefore, the inventors focused on the change in viscosity of a jelly drink contained in a spouted pouch container when it is squeezed out of the container and placed in the mouth, and identified the viscosity necessary to suppress excessive sourness when drinking.

[0009] In other words, the present invention aims to provide a jelly beverage that suppresses the excessive irritation caused by the sour component, even when a large amount of sour component such as citric acid is blended, and that allows the drinker to feel a pleasant sour taste when drinking it. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides a jelly drink in a spouted pouch container, which contains a sour component and has a viscosity of 700 mPa·s or more as measured by the following measurement method. <Measurement method> (1) The temperature of a jelly drink filled in a spouted pouch container is maintained at 20°C. (2) The jelly drink is pushed out of the spouted pouch container, and 180 g of the jelly drink is measured out into a stainless steel beaker (diameter: 80 mm, height: 110 mm, capacity: 500 ml). (3) Using a homogenizer MARK II 2.5 type (manufactured by PRIMIX), the jelly drink is stirred at 1,000 rpm for 30 seconds. (4) The entire amount of the jelly drink after the stirring process is placed in a tall beaker (diameter: 50 mm, height: 120 mm, capacity: 200 ml), and the viscosity (product temperature: 20°C) is measured using a B-type viscometer after stirring for 1 minute at 60 rpm with a rotor No. 3. A jelly drink having such a form has excellent flavor and texture when drunk.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the acidity is 0.5 to 3.0. By using such a form, a jelly drink with a pleasant sour taste can be obtained.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the acidity is 1.0 to 3.0. By using such a form, it is possible to feel a good sour taste and to ingest a large amount of sour components.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pH is 3 to 4.6. By using such a form, a stable sour taste can be felt, and further, hygiene and safety are excellent.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the composition contains at least one or more selected from agar, deacylated gellan gum, caranagin, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, glucomannan, pectin, and gelatin. By using such a form, it is possible to impart an appropriate viscosity to the jelly drink and reduce the sourness of the jelly drink.

[0015] The present invention also provides a method for reducing the sourness of a sour jelly drink, comprising: A method for suppressing the sourness of a jelly drink in a spouted pouch container, characterized by adjusting the composition of the jelly drink so that the viscosity of the jelly drink measured under the following conditions is 700 mPa·s or more. <Measurement method> (1) The temperature of a jelly drink filled in a spouted pouch container is maintained at 20°C. (2) The jelly drink is pushed out of the spouted pouch container, and 180 g of the jelly drink is measured out into a stainless steel beaker (diameter: 80 mm, height: 110 mm, capacity: 500 ml). (3) Using a homogenizer MARK II 2.5 type (manufactured by PRIMIX), the jelly drink is stirred at 1,000 rpm for 30 seconds. (4) The entire amount of the jelly drink after the stirring process is placed in a tall beaker (diameter: 50 mm, height: 120 mm, capacity: 200 ml), and the viscosity (product temperature: 20°C) is measured using a B-type viscometer after stirring for 1 minute at 60 rpm with a rotor No. 3. By using the method for suppressing sourness of the present invention, the sourness of a jelly drink can be suppressed when consumed.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the composition of the jelly drink is adjusted by adding at least one or more selected from agar, deacylated gellan gum, caranagin, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, glucomannan, pectin, and gelatin. By adjusting the composition of the jelly drink in this way, it is possible to impart an appropriate viscosity to the jelly drink and reduce the sourness of the jelly drink. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a jelly drink that suppresses the excessive stimulating sensation caused by sour components and that gives a pleasant sour taste when drunk. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the crushed state of a jelly drink immediately after being extruded from a spouted pouch container in Test Example 1. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the crushed state of a jelly drink immediately before being swallowed in Test Example 1. [Figure 3]FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the crushed state of a jelly drink after stirring for 30 seconds at 1,000 rpm using a homogenizer in Test Example 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The following describes embodiments of the present invention to help understand the present invention. Note that the following embodiments are examples of specific embodiments of the present invention, and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the claims.

[0020] The jelly drink of the present invention is mainly composed of a structure in which water is retained in a network of polymeric raw materials including polysaccharides, gelatin, etc., and has elasticity and shape retention as a whole.

[0021] Furthermore, the jelly drink of the present invention contains a sour component and has a pleasant sour taste when drunk.

[0022] The jelly drink of the present invention has a viscosity of 700 mPa·s or more when the jelly drink is stirred under certain conditions. The stirring conditions correspond to a typical example of the crushed state of the contents obtained by the normal intake action of a jelly drink, as shown in Test Example 1 below.

[0023] The viscosity of the jelly drink of the present invention is measured according to the following procedure. (1) The temperature of a jelly drink filled in a spouted pouch container is maintained at 20°C. (2) The jelly drink is pushed out of the spouted pouch container, and 180 g of the jelly drink is measured out into a stainless steel beaker (diameter: 80 mm, height: 110 mm, capacity: 500 ml). (3) Using a homogenizer MARK II 2.5 type (manufactured by PRIMIX), the jelly drink is stirred at 1,000 rpm for 30 seconds. (4) The entire amount of the jelly drink after the stirring process is placed in a tall beaker (diameter: 50 mm, height: 120 mm, capacity: 200 ml), and the viscosity (product temperature: 20°C) is measured using a B-type viscometer (manufactured by Tokyo Keiki Co., Ltd.) after stirring for 1 minute at 60 rpm with rotor No. 3.

[0024] The viscosity of the jelly drink of the present invention after stirring is 700 mPa·s or more, more preferably 800 mPa·s or more, and particularly preferably 1000 mPa·s or more. A jelly drink having such a viscosity can suppress excessive sourness when drunk.

[0025] The viscosity of the jelly drink of the present invention after stirring is preferably 5000 mPa·s or less, more preferably 3000 mPa·s or less. A jelly drink having such a viscosity can be easily consumed from a pouch container with a spout.

[0026] The lower limit of the acidity of the jelly drink of the present invention is preferably 0.5 or higher, more preferably 0.7 or higher, and even more preferably 1.0 or higher. When the acidity is equal to or higher than the lower limit, a pleasant sour taste can be felt when drinking. The acidity in the present invention refers to the acidity (w / w%) converted to citric acid, and can be measured by neutralization titration (Article 25 of the Japanese Agricultural Standards for Fruit Drinks).

[0027] The upper limit of the acidity of the jelly drink of the present invention is preferably 3.0 or less, more preferably 2.5 or less, and even more preferably 2.0 or less. By keeping the acidity at or below the upper limit, a pleasant sourness suitable for drinking can be felt.

[0028] The spout-equipped pouch container used for the jelly drink of the present invention is preferably, for example, a bag-shaped container made of a flexible sheet laminated with a plastic film and a metal foil, and equipped with a straw (see Patent Nos. 3663084, 3477396, and 3659775).

[0029] The spouted pouch container of the present invention preferably has a capacity of 50 to 500 mL, more preferably 80 to 300 mL, and even more preferably 100 to 200 mL. Furthermore, the spout of the spouted container of the present invention preferably has a straw that extends into the pouch, and the outer diameter of the mouth part of the straw is preferably 5 to 20 mm, more preferably 10 to 15 mm, and the total length of the straw is preferably 50 to 300 mm, more preferably 80 to 100 mm. Furthermore, the shape of the straw portion of the spouted container of the present invention is not limited, but is preferably cylindrical.

[0030] Hereinafter, preferred forms of each component contained in the jelly drink of the present invention will be described. In this specification, the content (concentration) of each component refers to the mass of the composition (edible portion) contained in a container, and does not include the mass of the container.

[0031] The jelly drink of the present invention contains a sour component having a sour taste. By adjusting the amount of the sour component added, the acidity of the jelly drink can be adjusted. Examples of sour components include citric acid, lactic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, adipic acid, itaconic acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid, acetic acid, fumaric acid, phytic acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), phosphoric acid, etc., and it is particularly preferable to add citric acid.

[0032] Furthermore, citrus juice such as lemon juice may be used as the sour component of the jelly drink of the present invention, and the juice may be either clear or cloudy.

[0033] When citric acid is blended as the sour component, the content of the sour component is preferably 0.5 to 3.0 mass %, more preferably 0.7 to 2.5 mass %, and even more preferably 1.5 to 2.5 mass %. When ascorbic acid is blended as the sour component, the content of the sour component is preferably 1.0 to 9.0 mass %, more preferably 1.5 to 5.0 mass %, and even more preferably 3.0 to 4.5 mass %. By setting the content of the sour component within the above range, a jelly drink having a refreshing feeling and a moderate stimulating feeling derived from the sour component can be obtained.

[0034] The jelly drink of the present invention also contains a gelling agent. The gelling agent used in the present invention may include one or more selected from glucomannan, carrageenan, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, native gellan gum, tamarind gum, guar gum, agar, desacyl gellan gum, gelatin, sodium alginate, and pectin.

[0035] In the jelly drink of the present invention, it is preferable to use one or more types selected from agar, carrageenan, deacylated gellan gum, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, glucomannan, pectin, and gelatin, and it is more preferable to use one or more types selected from agar, carrageenan, and deacylated gellan gum, and of these, it is preferable to use kappa carrageenan (k-carrageenan) as the carrageenan. By using such a gelling agent, it is possible to enjoy both the texture of a jelly and the texture of a beverage, and the resulting product has physical properties suitable for consumption from a pouch container with a spout.

[0036] The content of the gelling agent in the jelly drink of the present invention can be adjusted appropriately depending on the type of gelling agent so that the jelly drink will have the above-mentioned viscosity when stirred under the above-mentioned conditions. Basically, increasing the amount of gelling agent increases the viscosity when stirred under the above-mentioned conditions.

[0037] The content of the gelling agent is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.15% by mass or more, and more preferably 0.3% by mass or more. When the content of the gelling agent is equal to or greater than the lower limit, a texture suitable for a jelly drink can be obtained.

[0038] The content of the gelling agent is preferably 2.0% by mass or less, more preferably 1.8% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1.5% by mass or less. By keeping the content of gelling agent at or below the upper limit, a texture that is easy to drink as a jelly drink can be obtained.

[0039] The content of agar is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.15% by mass or more, and more preferably 0.3% by mass or more. By ensuring that the agar content is equal to or greater than the lower limit, a texture suitable for a jelly drink can be obtained.

[0040] The agar content is preferably 2.0% by mass or less, more preferably 1.5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1.0% by mass or less. By keeping the agar content below the upper limit, the jelly drink has a texture that is easy to drink.

[0041] The content of k-carrageenan is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.15% by mass or more, and more preferably 0.3% by mass or more. By ensuring that the k-carrageenan content is equal to or greater than the lower limit, a texture suitable for a jelly drink can be obtained.

[0042] The content of k-carrageenan is preferably 2.0% by mass or less, more preferably 1.8% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1.5% by mass or less. By keeping the k-carrageenan content below the upper limit, the jelly drink has a texture that makes it easy to drink.

[0043] The content of deacylated gellan gum is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, and more preferably 0.15% by mass or more. By ensuring that the content of deacylated gellan gum is equal to or greater than the lower limit, a texture suitable for a jelly drink can be obtained.

[0044] The content of deacylated gellan gum is preferably 2.0% by mass or less, more preferably 1.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.5% by mass or less. By keeping the content of deacylated gellan gum below the upper limit, a texture that is easy to drink as a jelly drink can be obtained.

[0045] The Brix value of the present invention is preferably in the range of 5-40, more preferably 5-30, and even more preferably 10-25. By setting the Brix value within this range, excessive irritation caused by sour components can be suppressed, and a good sour taste can be imparted.

[0046] Methods for calculating the Brix value of a jelly drink include measuring the Brix value using a saccharometer, calculating the Brix value using a refractometer, and determining the Brix value by comparing the sugar concentration in the jelly drink with a Brix calibration curve.

[0047] Here, the Brix value of the jelly drink can be adjusted by adjusting the sugar content in the jelly drink.

[0048] The water content of the jelly drink of the present invention is preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 55% by mass or more, and more preferably 60% by mass or more. Furthermore, the water content of the jelly drink of the present invention is 90% by mass or less, more preferably 85% by mass or less, and more preferably 75% by mass or less. By setting the water content within the above range, it is possible to impart a good sour taste with suppressed excessive irritation.

[0049] The jelly drink of the present invention has a syneresis rate of preferably 15% by mass or less, more preferably 10% by mass or less, and even more preferably 5% by mass or less. By setting the syneresis rate within the above range, it is possible to impart a good sour taste with suppressed excessive irritation.

[0050] The water separation rate can be calculated by the following method. The pouch container is opened, the jelly drink is removed without breaking the gel, and gently placed on an 18 mesh (opening: 0.85 mm) sieve. After 1 minute, the amount of water separated A (unit: g) that falls below the sieve is measured, and the amount of water separated A can be calculated using the following formula. Syneresis rate (%) = (A / 180 (amount filled in the pouch container (unit: g)) x 100

[0051] The jelly drink of the present invention may contain any other ingredients commonly used in jelly drinks, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Examples of such optional ingredients include jelly drink additives, monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, amino acids, organic amines, pH adjusters, various vitamins, antioxidants, antioxidant aids, as well as dairy ingredients, dietary fiber, and stabilizers.

[0052] It is also preferred that the jelly drink be formulated so that the pH of the resulting jelly drink is 3.0 to 4.6, more preferably 3.0 to 4.0. By adjusting the pH of the resulting jelly drink to 4.6 or less, the growth of microorganisms can be inhibited, which is preferable from a hygienic standpoint.

[0053] The method for producing the jelly drink of the present invention will be described below. The above-mentioned explanation of the jelly drink of the present invention applies to the ingredients, physical properties, and preferred packaging form.

[0054] (1) Preparation process The preparation step is a step of preparing raw materials for the jelly drink. In this case, the present invention includes blending a sour component and a gelling agent. The present invention also includes preparing the composition of the jelly drink so that the viscosity of the jelly drink (at a product temperature of 20°C) measured under the specific conditions described above is 700 mPa·s or more, more preferably 800 mPa·s or more, and even more preferably 1000 mPa·s or more. The composition can be prepared by adjusting the type and content of the gelling agent, as described above.

[0055] (2) Filling process The filling step is a step of filling the prepared jelly drink into a spouted pouch container. The operation of filling a spouted pouch container with a jelly drink can be carried out by the method described in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 3527019 or Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-157502 filed by the present applicant.

[0056] Here, the method for producing a jelly drink of the present invention includes the steps (1) and (2) above, and includes any of the following methods: a method in which the jelly drink is heated and then cooled after the filling step; a method in which the jelly drink after the preparation step is heated once, then filled into a spouted pouch container and cooled; and a method in which no heating is performed. When heating is performed, the heating temperature is preferably 80° C. or higher, and more preferably 90° C. or higher. By using such a heating temperature, a high sterilization effect can be obtained.

[0057] The present invention also provides a method for suppressing the sourness of a jelly drink in a spouted pouch container, which method comprises adjusting the physical properties of the jelly drink so that the viscosity of the jelly drink when consumed is 700 mPa·s or more.

[0058] The viscosity of the sourness suppression method of the present invention is measured by a method similar to that of the jelly drink in a spouted pouch container described above, in which the viscosity of the jelly drink in a spouted pouch container is measured when the jelly drink is stirred under certain conditions.

[0059] In the method for suppressing sourness of the present invention, the viscosity of the jelly drink can be adjusted by adjusting the ingredients to be blended, for example, by adjusting the content, combination, content ratio, etc. of the gelling agent, as described above. [Example]

[0060] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples as long as it does not depart from the gist of the invention.

[0061] [Test Example 1] Comparison of a jelly drink just before swallowing and a jelly drink after mixing with a homogenizer In order to reproduce the crushed state of jelly immediately before swallowing, the following commercially available jelly drinks were used to compare the crushed state of the jelly after actually being placed in the mouth with the crushed state of the jelly after being stirred using a homomixer. <Commercially available jelly drinks used> (a) Product name: in Jelly Protein (Applicant's product) (b) Product name: in Jelly Multivitamin Zero Calories (Applicant's product) In addition, the containers used for the above products (a) and (b) were of the following specifications: Spout-equipped pouch containers (a) and (b) Dimensions (folded before filling with jelly drink): 80.0 (width) x 54.0 (folded) x 135.00 mm (height) Capacity: 180g, Straw outer diameter: 13.2mm, Straw total length: 79mm

[0062] The method for comparing jelly drinks will be explained below. The above-mentioned commercially available jelly drink was extruded from a spouted pouch container and placed in a circular container. The state of the extruded jelly drink is shown in Figure 1.

[0063] Next, the commercially available jelly drink was placed in the mouth by either pushing or sucking it out of the spouted pouch container, and then the jelly drink was removed from the circular container just before swallowing. Figure 2 shows several reproduction patterns (No. 1 to 4) relating to the state of the jelly drink just before swallowing.

[0064] Next, the commercially available jelly drink was extruded from the spouted pouch container and stirred at 1,000 rpm for 30 seconds using a homogenizer MARK II 2.5 (manufactured by PRIMIX), and the particulate jelly drink was removed from the circular container. The state of the jelly drink after stirring is shown in Figure 3.

[0065] (Results and Discussion) As shown in Figures 1 and 2, it was observed that the jelly drink immediately before swallowing (Figure 2) was crushed into smaller pieces than the jelly drink immediately after being squeezed out of the spouted pouch container (Figure 1). As shown in Figure 3, the jelly drink that had been stirred for 30 seconds at 1,000 rpm using a homogenizer exhibited a crushed state similar to that of finely crushed jelly drinks (No. 2 or 4, etc.) immediately before swallowing.

[0066] Jelly drinks are taken into the mouth by pushing or sucking them out of a spouted pouch container and remain in the mouth for a certain period of time before being swallowed. Although the crushed state of jelly drinks just before being swallowed varies depending on the eating style, the relatively finely crushed state seen in typical eating styles can be reproduced with a certain degree of accuracy by stirring the jelly drinks at 1,000 rpm for 30 seconds in a homogenizer.

[0067] [Test Example 2] Sensory evaluation of sourness using jelly drinks with different viscosities To investigate the relationship between the viscosity of jelly drinks and the perception of sourness, jelly drinks with the same composition were crushed under different stirring conditions and the viscosity and sourness were evaluated. Citric acid was used as the sour component, and agar, k-carrageenan, or deacylated gellan gum was used as the gelling agent.

[0068] First, a jelly drink (acidity: 1.5) was prepared by a conventional method based on the following Table 1. The prepared jelly drink was filled into a spouted pouch container. Thereafter, the jelly drink was left to stand overnight or longer so that the product temperature reached 20°C.

[0069] The product names and specifications of the spouted pouch containers used in this test example are as follows: (Product name) CP07 Straw (Specifications) Pouch (folded before filling with jelly drink): 80.0 (width) x 54.0 (folded) x 135.00 mm (height) Straw length: 94.5mm Outer diameter of the straw's mouth: 12.5 mm (Manufacturer) Hosokawa Yoko Co., Ltd.

[0070] 180g of jelly drink extruded from a spouted pouch container was mixed with the homogenizer MARK A finely particulate jelly drink was obtained by stirring under the conditions shown in Table 2 below using a Type II 2.5 mixer (manufactured by PRIMIX Co., Ltd.). The resulting jelly drink was taken out and the entire amount was placed in a tall beaker (diameter 50 mm, height 120 mm, capacity 200 ml), and the viscosity was measured under the following conditions (product temperature 20°C) using a B-type viscometer (manufactured by Tokyo Keiki Co., Ltd.). <Viscosity measurement conditions> Rotation speed: 60 rpm, Time: 1 minute, Rotor: No. 3

[0071] [Table 1]

[0072] [Table 2]

[0073] Furthermore, three experts in food and beverages (Panels A to C in the table below) conducted a sensory evaluation of the sourness (sourness evaluation) of the jelly drinks obtained under the stirring conditions shown in Table 2. The average of the evaluation scores from the three experts was used as the sensory evaluation score for the sourness of each composition. The sensory evaluation was carried out according to the following criteria. <Sensory evaluation criteria for sourness> The sourness felt immediately after putting the jelly drink obtained under the above stirring conditions in the mouth was compared with the sourness felt when putting a solution containing only citric acid in the mouth, and the results were classified into the following 0 to 2 points. 2 points: Good acidity 1 point: Relatively strong sourness, but drinkable 0 points: Too sour to drink

[0074] [Table 3]

[0075] [Table 4]

[0076] [Table 5]

[0077] (Results and Discussion) As shown in Tables 3 to 5, it was confirmed that even for jelly drinks with the same composition, the perceived sourness changes depending on the viscosity. The same tendency was observed even when the type of gelling agent was different.

[0078] It was found that regardless of whether agar, k-carrageenan, or deacylated gellan gum was used as the gelling agent, when the viscosity was 700 mPa·s or higher, the jelly drink exhibited a sour taste suitable for drinking. Therefore, regardless of the type of gelling agent, it is thought that if a jelly drink has a viscosity of 700 mPa·s or higher in the mouth, the strong sourness can be suppressed.

[0079] Furthermore, it was found that all of the jelly drinks of compositions 1 to 3 had a pleasant sour taste when stirred under stirring condition a (1,000 rpm, 30 seconds), which corresponds to a typical example of the state of a jelly drink when consumed.

[0080] [Test Example 3] Evaluation of the sourness suppression effect due to differences in acidity Jelly drinks of Formulation Examples 1b to 4b and Formulation Examples 1c to 4c were prepared in a conventional manner according to the compositions shown in Table 6. Then, Formulation Examples 1b to 4b were processed under stirring condition b (3,000 rpm, 30 seconds), and Formulation Examples 1c to 4c were processed under stirring condition c (5,000 rpm, 30 seconds), and then viscosity measurements and sensory evaluation of sourness (sourness evaluation) were performed in the same manner as in Test Example 2.

[0081] [Table 6]

[0082] (Results and Discussion) As shown in Table 6, regardless of the acidity level, the perceived sourness of the jelly drink improved once the viscosity reached 700 mPa·s.

[0083] Furthermore, when the acidity was between 0.7 and 2.5, if the viscosity of the jelly drink after stirring was 700 mPa·s or less, the sourness was not suppressed and the drink was too strong to be suitable for drinking. On the other hand, if the viscosity of the jelly drink after stirring was 700 mPa·s or more, the drink had a sourness suitable for drinking.

[0084] [Test Example 4] Examination of sour components The sourness suppression effect was investigated by adding sour ingredients other than citric acid. That is, for a jelly drink (acidity: 1.5) containing ascorbic acid according to the composition shown in Table 7, viscosity measurement and sensory evaluation of sourness (sourness evaluation) were carried out in the same manner as in Test Examples 2 and 3.

[0085] [Table 7]

[0086] (Results and Discussion) As shown in Table 7, Formulation Example 5b, with a viscosity of 700 mPa·s or more, had a sour taste suitable for drinking, whereas Formulation Example 5c, with a viscosity of 700 mPa·s or less, had a sour taste that was too strong for drinking. This result shows a similar tendency to Formulation Examples 3b and 3c, in which the acidity was set to 1.5 by adding citric acid. Therefore, it was revealed that jelly drinks with a viscosity of 700 mPa·s or higher after stirring had a good sour taste, regardless of the type of sour component. [Industrial Applicability]

[0087] The present invention can be applied to foods and beverages containing sour components.

Claims

[Claim 1] A jelly drink in a spouted pouch container, which contains a sour component and has a viscosity of 700 mPa·s or more as measured by the following measurement method. <Measurement method> (1) The temperature of the jelly drink filled in a spouted pouch container is maintained at 20°C. (2) The jelly drink is pushed out from the spouted pouch container, and 180 g of the jelly drink is measured out into a stainless steel beaker (diameter: 80 mm, height: 110 mm, capacity: 500 ml). (3) Using a homogenizer MARK II 2.5 type (manufactured by PRIMIX), the jelly drink is stirred at 1,000 rpm for 30 seconds. (4) The entire amount of the jelly drink after the stirring treatment was placed in a tall beaker (diameter: 50 mm, height: 120 mm, volume: 200 ml), and the viscosity (product temperature: 20°C) was measured using a B-type viscometer after stirring for 1 minute at a rotation speed of 60 rpm using a rotor No. 3.

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