Beverage

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of improving aftertaste and refreshing feeling impaired by γ-aminobutyric acid in a γ-aminobutyric acid-containing beverage.SOLUTION: The present invention provides a beverage comprising γ-aminobutyric acid and α-pinene and / or camphor, wherein the content of the γ-aminobutyric acid is 100 mg / L or more, the content of the α-pinene is 1-1000 ppb, and the content of the camphor is 1-1000 ppb.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to beverages. [Background technology]

[0002] γ-aminobutyric acid is an amino acid known as an inhibitory neurotransmitter and is known to have stress-reducing effects.

[0003] Although γ-aminobutyric acid is added to various foods and beverages due to its effects as described above, it is known that its flavor can be less palatable. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes mixing γ-aminobutyric acid with D-allulose as a method for improving the unpleasant flavor of γ-aminobutyric acid. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2024-063983 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] On the other hand, there is a need for beverages that contain gamma-aminobutyric acid and are highly palatable. The present inventors have noticed that γ-aminobutyric acid tends to impair the aftertaste and refreshing feeling of beverages in particular.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a technology that can improve the aftertaste and refreshing feeling that are impaired by γ-aminobutyric acid in γ-aminobutyric acid-containing beverages. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present inventors have discovered that the above problems can be solved by blending a predetermined amount of α-pinene and / or camphor in a γ-aminobutyric acid-containing beverage, and have completed the present invention. Specifically, the present invention provides the following.

[0008] (1) A beverage, The beverage comprises gamma-aminobutyric acid and alpha-pinene and / or camphor; The content of the γ-aminobutyric acid is 100 mg / L or more, The content of the α-pinene is 1 to 1000 ppb, The camphor content is 1 to 1000 ppb. Beverage. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, a technology is provided that can improve the aftertaste and refreshing feeling that are impaired by γ-aminobutyric acid in γ-aminobutyric acid-containing beverages. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0011] <Beverage of the present invention> In one aspect of the present invention, the beverage of the present invention meets the following requirements: The beverage comprises gamma-aminobutyric acid and alpha-pinene and / or camphor. - The gamma-aminobutyric acid content is 100 mg / L or more. The α-pinene content is 1 to 1000 ppb. The camphor content is 1 to 1000 ppb.

[0012] Since gamma-aminobutyric acid has stress-reducing effects, foods and beverages containing gamma-aminobutyric acid have great appeal. On the other hand, the flavor of γ-aminobutyric acid may be less palatable. The present inventors have found that γ-aminobutyric acid is particularly likely to impair the pleasant aftertaste and refreshing feeling of beverages.

[0013] Therefore, as a result of intensive research conducted by the present inventors, it was found that blending α-pinene and / or camphor together with γ-aminobutyric acid in a beverage can improve the aftertaste and refreshing feeling that are impaired by γ-aminobutyric acid.

[0014] In the present invention, "improvement of aftertaste (impaired by γ-aminobutyric acid)" includes a beverage that satisfies the requirements of the present invention having a more pleasant aftertaste than a beverage that has a common composition except for not satisfying the requirements of the present invention regarding α-pinene and / or camphor.

[0015] In the present invention, "improvement of the refreshing feeling (impaired by γ-aminobutyric acid)" includes a higher degree of refreshing feeling in a beverage that satisfies the requirements of the present invention compared to a beverage that has a common composition except for not satisfying the requirements of the present invention regarding α-pinene and / or camphor.

[0016] The aftertaste and refreshing feeling of the beverage can be determined by the method shown in the Examples.

[0017] The composition of the beverage of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0018] (1) γ-aminobutyric acid The beverage of the present invention contains 100 mg / L or more of γ-aminobutyric acid.

[0019] "γ-aminobutyric acid" (CAS number: 56-12-2, chemical formula: C4H9NO2), also known as "4-aminobutyric acid" or "GABA," is known as an inhibitory neurotransmitter. If the concentration of γ-aminobutyric acid in the beverage is 100 mg / L or higher, the aftertaste and refreshing feeling tend to be inferior. However, as a result of the inventor's investigations, it was discovered, quite surprisingly, that the effects of α-pinene and / or camphor, as described below, can improve the aftertaste and refreshing feeling even in beverages containing γ-aminobutyric acid at such concentrations.

[0020] The lower limit of the content of γ-aminobutyric acid in the beverage is 100 mg / L or more, preferably 135 mg / L or more, and more preferably 140 mg / L or more.

[0021] There is no particular upper limit to the content of γ-aminobutyric acid. However, even if the content of γ-aminobutyric acid is high, as long as it satisfies the requirements of the present invention, the aftertaste and refreshing feeling are not likely to be impaired. Therefore, the content is preferably 900 mg / L or less, more preferably 270 mg / L or less, and even more preferably 200 mg / L or less, relative to the beverage.

[0022] The form of γ-aminobutyric acid to be added to the beverage is not particularly limited, and it may be a purified product or a food or beverage ingredient that contains γ-aminobutyric acid as a part thereof. When the form of γ-aminobutyric acid is a food or beverage ingredient that contains γ-aminobutyric acid as a part of it, the amount converted to γ-aminobutyric acid may satisfy the above content requirements.

[0023] The content of γ-aminobutyric acid in the beverage is determined by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC / MS) measurement using the solid phase microextraction (SPME) method shown in the Examples.

[0024] (2) α-pinene In one embodiment of the present invention, the beverage of the present invention contains 1 to 1000 ppb of α-pinene together with γ-aminobutyric acid.

[0025] "α-pinene" (CAS number: 80-56-8, chemical formula: C 10 H 16 ) is also known as "(±)-2-pinene, 2,6,6-trimethylbicyclo[3.1.1]hept-2-ene" and is known as an aromatic component extracted from Japanese cypress and other trees. The present inventors have found that α-pinene alone can improve the aftertaste and refreshing feeling that are impaired by γ-aminobutyric acid.

[0026] The lower limit of the α-pinene content is 1 ppb or more, preferably 5 ppb or more, based on the beverage, from the viewpoint of being able to sufficiently improve the aftertaste and refreshing feeling.

[0027] The upper limit of the α-pinene content is 1000 ppb or less, preferably 100 ppb or less, based on the viewpoint that sufficient effects can be achieved even if the blending amount is not excessive.

[0028] The form of α-pinene to be added to the beverage is not particularly limited, and it may be a purified product or a food or beverage ingredient that contains α-pinene as a part thereof. When the form of α-pinene is a food or beverage ingredient that contains α-pinene as a part of it, the amount of α-pinene converted thereto should satisfy the above content requirements.

[0029] The α-pinene content in the beverage is determined by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC / MS) measurement using the solid phase microextraction (SPME) method shown in the examples.

[0030] (3) Camphor In one embodiment of the present invention, the beverage of the present invention contains 1 to 1000 ppb of camphor together with γ-aminobutyric acid.

[0031] "Camphor" (CAS number: 76-22-2, chemical formula: C 10 H 16 O) is also known as "camphor" or "1,7,7-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one" and is known as an aromatic component extracted from camphor trees. The present inventors have found that camphor alone can improve the aftertaste and refreshing feeling that are impaired by γ-aminobutyric acid.

[0032] The lower limit of the camphor content is 1 ppb or more, preferably 10 ppb or more, and more preferably 50 ppb or more, relative to the beverage, from the viewpoint of being able to sufficiently improve the aftertaste and refreshing feeling.

[0033] The upper limit of the camphor content is 1000 ppb or less, preferably 500 ppb or less, based on the viewpoint that sufficient effects can be achieved even if the amount of camphor is not excessive.

[0034] The form of camphor to be added to the beverage is not particularly limited, and it may be a purified product or a food or beverage ingredient containing camphor as a part thereof. When camphor is in the form of a food or beverage ingredient that contains camphor as a part thereof, the amount converted into camphor may satisfy the above content requirement.

[0035] The camphor content in the beverage is determined by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC / MS) measurement using the solid phase microextraction (SPME) method shown in the examples.

[0036] (4) α-pinene and camphor blending ratio The beverage of the present invention contains either α-pinene or camphor, or both α-pinene and / or camphor. Although α-pinene and camphor each independently exhibit the effects of the present invention, they also exhibit favorable effects when used in combination.

[0037] When the beverage contains both α-pinene and camphor, the blending ratio thereof can be appropriately set. In the beverage of the present invention, the blending ratio of α-pinene to camphor (mass ratio, α-pinene:camphor) is preferably 1:1 to 1:15, more preferably 1:1 to 1:11, and even more preferably 1:1 to 1:9.

[0038] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the beverage of the present invention contains 120 to 160 mg / L of γ-aminobutyric acid, as well as 5.5 to 7 ppb of α-pinene and 50 to 60 ppb of camphor.

[0039] (5) Other ingredients The beverage of the present invention may contain other ingredients and additives that are commonly used in general beverages, as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention. The amounts of these ingredients and additives can be appropriately determined depending on the effects to be achieved.

[0040] Examples of ingredients that can be incorporated into the beverage of the present invention include the following: Solvent (water, alcohol, etc.) Fruit juice (grape juice, lemon juice, apple juice, etc.) Sugars (sucrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose, etc.) Sugar alcohols (erythritol, maltitol, etc.) High-fructose sugar (high-fructose corn syrup, etc.) Artificial sweeteners (stevia, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, etc.) Emulsifiers (sucrose fatty acid esters, lecithin, etc.) Thickening agents (soybean polysaccharides, pectin, carrageenan, gellan gum, xanthan gum, guar gum, etc.) Antioxidants (tocopherol, cysteine ​​hydrochloride, etc.) Colors (carotenoids, anthocyanins, caramel, various synthetic colorings, etc.) Vitamins (vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin E, etc.) Minerals (potassium, calcium, magnesium, etc.) pH adjuster (trisodium citrate, baking soda, etc.) Acidulants (citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, acetic acid, etc.) preservative preservatives Antifungal agent dietary fiber

[0041] (6) Types of beverages The type of beverage is not particularly limited, but examples include soft drinks (carbonated drinks, fruit drinks, vegetable drinks, dairy drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, etc.). Note that the term "soft drink" generally refers to a beverage with an alcohol content of less than 1% by volume (excluding lactic acid bacteria beverages, milk, and dairy products), but the beverages of the present invention also include beverages that do not meet this definition.

[0042] The Brix value (amount of soluble solids in the beverage) of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is usually 1 to 15%.

[0043] The acidity of citric acid in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is usually 0.1 to 0.4 g / 100 mL.

[0044] In the present invention, "citric acid acidity" refers to the amount of acid contained in a beverage converted into a citric acid equivalent (unit: %). The citric acid acidity is determined by the method shown in the Examples.

[0045] <Method of producing the beverage of the present invention> The beverage of the present invention is prepared using any conditions and methods employed in the production of beverages, depending on the type of beverage, etc.

[0046] When the beverage of the present invention is a carbonated beverage, the desired carbonated beverage can be obtained by injecting carbon dioxide gas into a solution that satisfies the requirements of the present invention. The gas pressure of the carbon dioxide gas is not particularly limited, but is usually 1.5 to 4.5 vol.

[0047] The beverage of the present invention thus obtained may be subjected to sterilization, container filling, and the like, as required.

[0048] The resulting beverage of the present invention may be consumed as is, or may be filled into containers and distributed. [Example]

[0049] The present invention will be described in more detail below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0050] <Analysis method> In this example, the contents of various aroma components were determined by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC / MS) measurement using the solid phase micro extraction (SPME) method using an "MPS robotic WorkStation" (manufactured by Gestell) under the following conditions:

[0051] (1) Equipment GC: Agilent Technologies 8890 MS: Agilent Technologies 5977B HS: Gerstel MPS SPME Fiber: SUPELCO 50 / 30μm DVB / CAR / PDMS

[0052] (2) Column used Agilent Technologies DB-WAX (0.25mm x 60m x 0.25μm)

[0053] (3) Quantitative Ion α-pinene: m / z=93 Camphor: m / z=152

[0054] (4) Temperature conditions 40℃ (5 min) → +5℃ / min temperature increase → 250℃ (10 min)

[0055] (5) Carrier gas flow rate He:1.0mL / min

[0056] (6) Injection method Splitless

[0057] (7) Ion source temperature 230℃

[0058] <Base drink> In this example, a base beverage (aqueous solution, heat sterilized) having the composition shown in Table 1 was commonly used in all formulations.

[0059] [Table 1]

[0060] Furthermore, the beverages produced in this example all met the following requirements, regardless of whether additives (such as γ-aminobutyric acid) were added to the base beverage, the type of additive, and the amount of additive added. Brix: 7.6% Citric acid acidity: 0.14g / 100mL pH: 3.6

[0061] The acidity of citric acid was determined by titration using a phenolphthalein indicator and sodium hydroxide according to the following procedure. (1) 5 to 15 g of the beverage was accurately weighed into a 200 mL Erlenmeyer flask and diluted to approximately 50 mL with water. (2) A few drops of 1% phenolphthalein indicator were added to the diluted beverage and stirred. (3) Next, while stirring the beverage solution in the Erlenmeyer flask with a magnetic stirrer, 0.1 M sodium hydroxide in a 25 mL burette was added dropwise to the beverage solution, and a titration test was performed. The titration test was terminated when the color of the beverage solution in the Erlenmeyer flask remained red for 30 seconds. (4) The acidity (%) of citric acid was calculated using the following formula based on the results of the titration test. Citric acid acidity (%) = A × f × (100 / W) × 0.0064 The symbols in the above formula represent the following: A: Titration volume of 0.1M sodium hydroxide solution (mL) f: Potency of 0.1M sodium hydroxide solution W is the mass of the beverage sample (g) The value "0.0064" used in the above formula means the mass (g) of anhydrous citric acid equivalent to 1 mL of 0.1 M sodium hydroxide solution.

[0062] <Test 1: Effect of gamma-aminobutyric acid on sensory perception> The beverages shown in Table 2 were prepared by adding γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA, CAS number: 56-12-2) at different concentrations to the base beverage. The sensory characteristics (aftertaste, refreshing feeling) of these beverages were evaluated by five panelists according to the following criteria. The scores are relative values, with "Standard 1" being "Score 4." Table 2 shows the average scores for the sensory evaluation of each beverage.

[0063] (Evaluation criteria: aftertaste) Rating 7: Very good compared to the standard Rating 6: Good compared to the standard Rating 5: Slightly better than the standard Rating 4: Standard Rating 3: Slightly worse than the standard Grade 2: Poor compared to the standard Grade 1: Very poor compared to the standard

[0064] (Evaluation criteria: refreshing feeling) Rating 7: Very strong feeling compared to the standard Rating 6: Stronger than the standard Rating 5: Somewhat noticeable compared to the standard Rating 4: Standard Rating 3: Feels slightly weaker than the standard Rating 2: Feels weak compared to the standard Rating 1: Feels very weak compared to the standard

[0065] [Table 2]

[0066] As shown in Table 2, it was confirmed that the incorporation of γ-aminobutyric acid (particularly γ-aminobutyric acid at 135 mg / L or more) impaired the aftertaste and refreshing feeling in a concentration-dependent manner.

[0067] <Test 2: Effect of the combination of γ-aminobutyric acid and aroma components on sensory perception> As in Test 1, it was confirmed that the incorporation of γ-aminobutyric acid into a beverage impairs the aftertaste and refreshing feeling. Therefore, we searched for ingredients that can suppress the decline in functionality caused by γ-aminobutyric acid. In this example, we focused on α-pinene (CAS number: 80-56-8) and camphor (CAS number: 76-22-2), which are known as aroma components.

[0068] The base beverage was blended with α-pinene or camphor at different concentrations together with γ-aminobutyric acid (135 mg / L) to prepare beverages having the compositions shown in Tables 3 and 4. The sensory evaluation of these beverages was carried out by panelists in the same manner as in Test 1. The scores are relative values, with "Standard 2" being "Score 4." Regarding the sensory evaluation of each beverage, the average scores are shown in Tables 3 and 4 for "Aftertaste" and "Refreshing feeling."

[0069] [Table 3]

[0070] [Table 4]

[0071] As shown in Table 3, by blending α-pinene with γ-aminobutyric acid, the deterioration of the aftertaste and refreshing feeling caused by γ-aminobutyric acid was suppressed, and the aftertaste and refreshing feeling were improved. Such an effect was achieved by adjusting the blending amount of α-pinene to the range of 1 to 1000 ppb, and was more stably achieved by adjusting the blending amount to 10 to 1000 ppb.

[0072] As shown in Table 4, by blending camphor with γ-aminobutyric acid, the deterioration of the aftertaste and refreshing feeling caused by γ-aminobutyric acid was suppressed, and the aftertaste and refreshing feeling were improved. Such an effect was achieved by adjusting the amount of camphor to within the range of 1 to 1000 ppb, and was more stably achieved by adjusting the amount to 10 to 100 ppb.

[0073] Although data is not shown, even when γ-aminobutyric acid was combined with 1 to 1000 ppb of α-pinene and 1 to 1000 ppb of camphor, the same effect was achieved as when each was combined alone.

Claims

[Claim 1] A beverage, The beverage comprises γ-aminobutyric acid and α-pinene and / or camphor; The content of the γ-aminobutyric acid is 100 mg / L or more, The α-pinene content is 1 to 1000 ppb, The camphor content is 1 to 1000 ppb. Beverage.

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