Beverage containing γ-decalactone, tea polyphenols, and fruit juice

Abstract

To provide a fruit juice-containing beverage having good storage stability and little change in flavor even when stored at room temperature for a long period of time. [Solution] A fruit juice-containing beverage containing 5 to 30% fruit juice contains 3 to 100 ppm of γ-decalactone and 100 to 1500 ppm of tea polyphenols.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fruit juice-containing beverage having improved storage stability. [Background technology]

[0002] Foods and beverages containing fruit juice are required to have a natural (authentic) feel, freshness (freshness), and ripeness (maturity) that evoke the taste of fruit. However, foods and beverages containing fruit juice are susceptible to deterioration in flavor due to heat sterilization and other factors during the manufacturing process, resulting in a decrease in palatability. Therefore, a method of adding fruit flavors (fragrances) is known as a way to enhance the flavor of foods and beverages made from fruit juice.

[0003] Lactones, a type of cyclic ester, are widely used as fruit flavor components. For example, it has been reported that adding γ-octadecalactone and / or δ-octadecalactone to a fruit juice-containing beverage can enhance the fruit juice flavor (freshness and volume) (Patent Document 1), and that adding δ-decalactone in combination with 2-alkyl-3-methoxypyrazine to a fruit-flavored food or drink can enhance natural sweetness, richness, volume, and ripeness (Patent Document 2). Furthermore, as a method for improving the balance between the rich fruit juice flavor and refreshing feeling felt when drinking a fruit juice-containing beverage, it has been proposed to include 3 ppm or more of γ-decalactone and ethyl DL-2-methylbutyrate in a specific ratio (Patent Document 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-97562 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-103098 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-97489 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Lactones (especially γ-decalactone) are used as components that impart a fruity aroma and characterize the aroma of fruit. However, lactones are susceptible to deterioration due to environmental conditions such as storage temperature, oxygen, and light. In recent years, many bottled fruit juice beverages have been offered in the form of RTD (Ready to Drink) at retail stores and vending machines. However, beverages in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, among other bottled beverages, are susceptible to environmental conditions due to the container material and transparency, resulting in the problem of flavor deterioration during long-term storage.

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a fruit juice-containing beverage that has a fruit juice content of approximately 5 to 30% and whose fruit-like aroma is supplemented by fruit flavors (fragrances), and that exhibits little change in flavor even when stored at room temperature for a long period of time and has good storage stability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of extensive research to solve the above problems, the present inventors have found that the inclusion of relatively high concentrations of γ-decalactone and tea polyphenols in the above-mentioned fruit juice-containing beverages can suppress flavor changes during storage. They have also found that the inclusion of jasmine lactone can further effectively suppress flavor changes during storage. That is, the present invention relates to the following. (1) A fruit juice-containing beverage containing 5 to 30% fruit juice, and containing 3 to 100 ppm of gamma-decalactone and 100 to 1500 ppm of tea polyphenols. (2) The beverage according to (1), further comprising 0.001 to 1.0 ppm of jasmine lactone. (3) The beverage according to (1) or (2), further comprising emulsified particles having a volume-based median diameter (D50) of 0.01 to 3.00 μm. (4) The beverage described in (3), wherein the emulsified particles are carotenoid pigments. (5) The beverage according to any one of (1) to (4), which is contained in a polyethylene terephthalate container. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a fruit juice-containing beverage having good storage stability, in which the flavor changes little even when stored at room temperature for a long period of time. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] (Beverage containing fruit juice) In this specification, "fruit juice-containing beverage" refers to a beverage containing fruit juice extracted from any fruit. Specific examples of "fruit juice-containing beverage" include "fruit juice," "mixed fruit juice," "fruit juice with fruit pieces," "mixed fruit and vegetable juice," and "fruit juice beverage," which are included in the definition of "fruit beverage" in the "Fair Competition Code Enforcement Regulations for the Labeling of Fruit Drinks, etc.", which came into effect in 2019, as well as "other beverages" which are included in the definition of "fair competition code for the labeling of fruit drinks, etc.", which came into effect in 2019.

[0010] The beverage of the present invention is a "fruit juice-containing beverage" that contains 5 to 30% fruit juice. Therefore, among the above-mentioned "fruit juice-containing beverages," those containing more than 30% fruit juice are not included in the beverage of the present invention. In order to ensure that the desired effects of the present invention are significant, the fruit juice content is more preferably 9% or more, more preferably 10% or more, even more preferably 12% or more, particularly preferably 14% or more, and even more preferably 15% or more. In order to ensure that the desired effects of the present invention are significant, the upper limit of the fruit juice content is more preferably 25% or less.

[0011] In the present invention, the "percentage of fruit juice used" (%) is synonymous with the amount of fruit juice used and represents the relative concentration when the straight fruit juice obtained by squeezing fruit is taken as 100%. The percentage of fruit juice used can be calculated based on the sugar refractometer reading standard (°Bx) or acidity standard (%) for reconstituted fruit juice as specified in the Japanese Agricultural Standards for Fruit Drinks (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Notification No. 606, May 25, 2023). The sugar refractometer reading standard (unit: °Bx) for reconstituted fruit juice of representative fruits is as follows: orange: 11, Satsuma mandarin: 9, grapefruit: 9, apple: 10, grape: 11, peach: 8, pineapple: 11, guava: 8, banana: 23, mango: 13, papaya: 9, passion fruit: 14, Japanese pear: 8, apricot: 7, melon: 10, pear: 11, and plum: 6. The acidity standards (units: %) for the reconstituted juice of typical fruits are: lemon: 4.5, lime: 6, plum: 3.5, and kabosu: 3.5.

[0012] Fruits that can be used for the fruit juice of the beverage of the present invention are not particularly limited, and examples include citrus fruits (oranges, mandarins, lemons, grapefruits, limes, mandarins, yuzu, tangerines, temple oranges, tangelos, calamansi, etc.), apples, grapes, peaches, pineapples, guavas, bananas, mangoes, acerola, prunes, papayas, passion fruit, plums, pears, apricots, lychees, melons, pears, and plums. Fruits with a sweet, rich flavor are particularly suitable because they can maximize the effects of the present invention. Examples of such fruits include peaches, pineapples, guavas, bananas, mangoes, papayas, passion fruit, lychees, melons, and pears. Peaches, mangoes, and pineapples are particularly suitable for use in the beverage of the present invention. Any one of the above fruits may be used alone, or two or more may be mixed together to form a fruit mix.

[0013] The fruit juice contained in the fruit juice-containing beverage of the present invention may be straight fruit juice (no concentration process performed after squeezing) or may be derived from concentrated fruit juice. (γ-decalactone) The beverage of the present invention contains 5 to 30% fruit juice and 3 to 100 ppm γ-decalactone.

[0014] γ-Decalactone (CAS No. 706-14-9) is an organic compound represented by the structural formula (I), which has a sweet and fruity scent and is used as a food flavoring.

[0015] [ka]

[0016] γ-Decalactone is found in large amounts in fruits such as peaches and apricots, but the amount contained in natural fruit juices is not very high. For example, it has been reported that the γ-decalactone concentration in condensed water obtained by vacuum distillation of peach juice was approximately 1110 μg / L (1.11 ppm) ( Journal of the Food Science and Technology Society of Japan, Vol. 12, No. 4, pp. 131-136, 2011). On the other hand, the fruit juice-containing beverage of the present invention contains a relatively high concentration of γ-decalactone, at 3 ppm or more. This high concentration of γ-decalactone plays an important role in masking the stale odor of the fruit juice-containing beverage and enhancing its fruity flavor. The γ-decalactone content in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 5 ppm or more, more preferably 10 ppm or more. There is no particular upper limit, but it is usually 100 ppm or less, preferably 80 ppm or less, more preferably 70 ppm or less, even more preferably 60 ppm or less, and particularly preferably 50 ppm or less. The γ-decalactone content in a beverage can be measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

[0017] The γ-decalactone contained in the beverage may be one that has been concentrated and separated from a natural product, or may be a synthetic product. γ-Decalactone is usually present in natural products only in trace amounts, and it is difficult to concentrate and separate it from natural products. Therefore, it is generally preferred to use γ-decalactone synthesized by a known method in the beverage of the present invention, or to purchase commercially available γ-decalactone as a synthetic flavoring or reagent.

[0018] (Tea polyphenols) The beverage of the present invention contains, in addition to fruit juice, the above-mentioned γ-decalactone and tea polyphenols, thereby effectively suppressing flavor changes (also referred to as "deterioration" in this specification) that occur during storage of fruit juice-containing beverages. Herein, "tea polyphenols" refers to polyphenols derived from tea leaves obtained from tea plants (Camellia sinensis). The type of tea leaves is not limited, and may be, for example, fermented teas such as black tea and pu-erh tea, semi-fermented teas such as oolong tea, or unfermented teas such as green tea and roasted green tea. Mixtures of these may also be used. From the perspective of maximizing the benefits of the present invention, it is preferable to use tea polyphenols derived from oolong tea or black tea. The tea polyphenols to be contained in the beverage may be those extracted from the above-mentioned tea leaves with hot water, warm water, or cold water, or concentrates thereof (including powdered extracts), or those obtained by purifying tea leaf extracts to contain high concentrations of tea polyphenols.

[0019] Tea polyphenols specifically include unpolymerized monomeric catechins ((+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, (+)-gallocatechin, (-)-epigallocatechin, (-)-catechin gallate, (-)-epicatechin gallate, (-)-gallocatechin gallate, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate) and polymerized catechins, which are structures in which multiple of these monomeric catechins are linked (polymerized) by tea-derived enzymes, other enzymes, light, or the like. For example, representative polymerized catechins derived from oolong tea include the epigallocatechin gallate dimer of formula (1), the epigallocatechin gallate trimer of formula (2), the epigallocatechin dimer of formula (3), the epigallocatechin trimer of formula (4), and oolongtheanine-3'-O-gallate of formula (5). Representative polymerized catechins derived from black tea include theaflavins (theaflavin, theaflavin 3-O-gallate, theaflavin 3'-O-gallate, and theaflavin 3',3'-O-digallate) and thearubigins.

[0020] [ka]

[0021] The beverage of the present invention contains tea polyphenols at a concentration of 100 to 1500 ppm, preferably 120 to 1000 ppm, and more preferably 150 to 800 ppm. The tea polyphenol content referred to in this specification refers to the value of polyphenols contained in the tea raw material (tea extract) determined according to the ferric tartrate reagent method.

[0022] (Jasmine lactone) The beverage of the present invention preferably further contains jasmine lactone (CAS No. 9000-92-4). Jasmine lactone is an organic compound represented by structural formula (II), has a floral scent similar to that of jasmine or lily of the valley, and is used as a food flavoring. The jasmine lactone contained in the beverage may be concentrated and separated from a natural product, or may be a synthetic product.

[0023] [ka]

[0024] The ratio of the jasmine lactone content (B) to the gamma-decalactone content (A) in the beverage of the present invention ((B) / (A)) is preferably 0.0002 or more, as this further enhances the effects of the present invention. Specifically, the flavor tends to be well maintained even under harsher environmental conditions, such as when stored for long periods at room temperature in a PET bottle. Furthermore, the same level of flavor change suppression effect tends to be obtained with a smaller amount of tea polyphenols than when jasmine lactone is not included. It is more preferable that (B) / (A) is 0.0003 or more. Furthermore, it is preferable that (B) / (A) is 0.5000 or less, and even more preferable that it is 0.4000 or less. The jasmine lactone content in the beverage is preferably 0.001 to 1.0 ppm. The jasmine lactone content in the beverage can be measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

[0025] (emulsified particles) The beverage of the present invention preferably further contains emulsified particles having a median diameter (D50) (sometimes simply referred to as "particle diameter" herein) of 0.01 to 3.00 μm, as determined by volumetric particle size distribution measurement. The inclusion of emulsified particles in a fruit juice-containing beverage can impart a fruit-like texture and richness to the beverage, enhancing the feeling of ripe fruit. There is also a tendency for flavor changes during storage to be further reduced. The smaller the particle size of the emulsified particles, the more stable they are, and they do not aggregate even during heat treatments such as sterilization or long-term storage, thereby providing the effects of imparting a fruity flavor and suppressing flavor changes. The median diameter (D50) of the emulsified particles is preferably 0.05 to 2.00 μm, more preferably 0.10 to 1.50 μm, and even more preferably 0.30 to 1.00 μm.

[0026] Emulsified particles refer to particles that are dispersed (emulsified) in a beverage (aqueous phase). The emulsified particles used in the present invention are not particularly limited as long as they can be used in beverages. Examples of such emulsified particles include emulsified colorants, emulsified flavorings, emulsified vitamins, emulsified minerals, etc. Among them, emulsified colorants are preferred because they help maintain the good flavor of the beverage and also have the effect of improving the stability of the color tone of the beverage. Emulsified colorants generally refer to formulations in which oil-soluble colorants are dispersed in an aqueous phase using surfactants or the like. Carotenoid colorants can be suitably used as emulsified colorants. Carotenoid pigments include annatto pigment, potato carotene, shrimp pigment, krill pigment, crab pigment, carotene, lycopene, gardenia yellow pigment, Dunaliella carotene, paprika pigment (chili pepper pigment), tomato pigment, carrot carotene, norbixin potassium and sodium (water-soluble annatto), palm oil carotene, Phaffia pigment, annatto powder pigment, Haematococcus algae pigment, marigold pigment, and saffron pigment. Among these, carotene, lycopene, marigold pigment, and paprika pigment are preferred, and carotene is more preferred. When using these, one type may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination.

[0027] The content of emulsified particles can be appropriately set taking into consideration the type of emulsified particles, the desired texture and color, the concentration in the emulsion formulation, etc., but it is preferable to add them in an amount that will result in a turbidity of the beverage of 0.10 or more (preferably 0.15 or more). Here, turbidity as used herein refers to the OD (optical density) value at a wavelength of 660 nm measured using a spectrophotometer with distilled water as a blank.

[0028] (Other ingredients) In addition to the above-mentioned components, the fruit juice-containing beverage of the present invention may contain other components commonly used in fruit juice-containing beverages, such as sugars, acidulants, thickeners, antioxidants, vitamins, etc., as appropriate, provided that the intended object of the present invention is not deviated from. Antioxidants are expected to additively or synergistically enhance the effects of the present invention. Therefore, beverages containing antioxidants are a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The antioxidant is not particularly limited as long as it is a component that can be used in beverages and has antioxidant properties, but ascorbic acids such as L-ascorbic acid and sodium L-ascorbate are preferred.

[0029] On the other hand, since milk and dairy products can make it difficult to perceive the effects of the present invention, it is preferable that the beverage of the present invention does not contain milk components. Here, milk components refer to milk-derived components added to impart a milk flavor or milky texture, and examples include milk, whole milk, skim milk, concentrated milk, concentrated skim milk, condensed milk, skim milk, whole milk powder, skim milk powder, fresh cream, butter, butter oil, buttermilk, buttermilk powder, casein, whey, and cheese. Among milk components, milk proteins and milk fats in particular are prone to producing stagnant odors and are likely to inhibit the stagnant odor reduction effect of the fruit juice of the present invention. Since proteins and lipids derived from sources other than milk also have a similar tendency, the protein content in the beverage is preferably less than 0.5 g / 100 ml, and the lipid content is preferably less than 0.5 g / 100 ml. Here, the protein content of the beverage can be determined using the Kjeldahl method described in the "Food Labeling Standards (June 29, 2023, Food Labeling Table No. 343) Appendix: Analytical Methods for Nutritional Components, etc.", and the lipid content of the beverage can be determined using the acid hydrolysis method described in the same method.

[0030] Furthermore, due to the volatility of alcohol, beverages containing alcohol tend to have a different perception of stale odor compared to alcohol-free beverages. Since the effects of the present invention may be difficult to perceive in beverages containing alcohol, it is preferable that the beverage of the present invention does not contain alcohol. Specifically, the alcohol content in the beverage is preferably 1% by volume or less, more preferably 0.5% by volume or less, and even more preferably 0.2% by volume or less. The alcohol referred to here is ethanol.

[0031] The beverage of the present invention may be a carbonated or non-carbonated beverage, but is preferably a non-carbonated beverage in view of the remarkable effects.

[0032] (Containerized beverages) The beverage of the present invention is preferably a packaged beverage that is heat-sterilized, filled into a container, and distributed in a sealed state. The heat sterilization method is not particularly limited as long as it complies with the conditions stipulated in the Food Sanitation Act. Examples include retort sterilization, high-temperature short-time sterilization (HTST), and ultra-high-temperature sterilization (UHT). The heat sterilization method can be appropriately selected depending on the type of beverage container. When heat sterilization conditions that allow for long-term storage at room temperature, such as heat sterilization at temperatures above 100°C, are adopted, fruit juice beverages are generally more likely to develop a stagnant odor. However, the present invention can achieve a reduced stagnant odor even in beverages that have undergone such heat sterilization. Therefore, beverages that have been heat-sterilized to a level that allows for long-term storage at room temperature are one of the preferred targets of the present invention. In other words, the beverage of the present invention is preferably a beverage that can be stored at room temperature, rather than a beverage that is stored and distributed refrigerated (e.g., a chilled beverage).

[0033] There are no particular limitations on the type of container used to prepare the packaged beverage. When a transparent resin container such as a PET bottle (a container made of polyethylene terephthalate) is used as the container for the packaged beverage and the beverage is stored for a long period of time, the flavor of the beverage generally becomes susceptible to change due to environmental conditions such as temperature, oxygen, and light. However, the present invention can achieve the effect of suppressing change in flavor even when a PET bottle container is used, and therefore, a PET bottled beverage is one of the preferred targets of the present invention. [Example]

[0034] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to experimental examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Furthermore, in this specification, unless otherwise specified, numerical ranges are stated to include their endpoints.

[0035] Production Example 1: Preparation of concentrated oolong tea extract containing polymerized catechins (Extract A) 600 kg of oolong tea leaves were extracted with 7,800 kg of sodium bicarbonate solution (95°C warm water with 0.15 wt.% sodium bicarbonate), yielding approximately 7,000 kg of oolong tea extract. While maintaining the temperature of this extract at 60-65°C, it was passed through 400 kg of granular activated carbon (GW-H32 / 60, manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd.) to remove non-polymerized catechins and caffeine. The effluent (liquid after activated carbon treatment) was concentrated under reduced pressure to yield approximately 900 kg of concentrated oolong tea extract (Extract A) containing polymerized catechins at 11°Bx. The tea polyphenol content of the resulting Extract A was 12,820 ppm. Furthermore, component analysis of extract A confirmed the presence of epigallocatechin gallate dimers and trimers, epigallocatechin dimers and trimers, and oolongtheanine-3'-O-gallate, as represented by the following formulas (1) to (5).

[0036] [ka]

[0037] Production Example 2: Preparation of concentrated black tea extract containing polymerized catechins (Extract B) 200 g of hot water (90°C or higher) was added to 100 g of black tea leaves and the mixture was kept at 90°C or higher for 1 hour to obtain a black tea extract. After cooling, the extract was centrifuged (6000 rpm, 5 minutes) to remove insoluble matter, and treated with activated carbon in the same manner as in Production Example 1 to obtain a black tea extract containing polymerized catechins (2°Bx). This was further concentrated under reduced pressure to produce a concentrated black tea extract containing polymerized catechins (Extract B). The amount of tea polyphenols in the resulting Extract B was 2230 ppm. The presence of theaflavins and thearubigins was confirmed in Extract B.

[0038] Experimental Example 1 A commercially available paper-packaged mango juice-containing beverage (10% fruit juice, 1 ppm γ-decalactone concentration, raw materials: sugars (high-fructose corn syrup, sugar), mango, stabilizer (pectin), acidulant, flavoring, emulsifier, vitamin C) was used. γ-Decalactone (purity 99% or higher) and the concentrated oolong tea extract (Extract A) from Production Example 1 were added as needed to achieve the γ-decalactone and tea polyphenol contents shown in Table 1. The beverage was thoroughly mixed and then sterilized by heating at 90°C for 10 minutes. 350 ml of this liquid was filled into PET bottles to prepare bottled mango-flavored juice-containing beverages (Samples No. 1-2 to 1-6). A sample (Sample No. 1-1) was also prepared, which was sterilized by heating and filled into a PET bottle without the addition of γ-decalactone and Extract A.

[0039] Next, these PET bottled fruit juice-containing beverages were stored in an incubator at 50°C for four days (forced deterioration test), and then subjected to a sensory evaluation by a panel of 10 experts. For each beverage, a control was used that had been stored in a refrigerator (5°C) for four days without undergoing the forced deterioration test, and the control and the beverage that had undergone the forced deterioration test were presented and evaluated by each panelist according to the evaluation criteria shown in Table 2 below. The average scores of each panelist were calculated and coded according to the criteria shown in Table 2. The beverages stored in a refrigerator (5°C) for four days (control) can be considered to have the flavor of the beverage immediately after production.

[0040] The results are shown in Table 1. It was suggested that when γ-decalactone and tea polyphenols were used in combination, the flavor immediately after production tended to be well maintained.

[0041] [Table 1]

[0042] [Table 2]

[0043] Experimental Example 2 Fruit juice-containing beverages were prepared and subjected to a forced deterioration test and evaluation in the same manner as in Experimental Example 1, except that the amounts of γ-decalactone and tea polyphenols were changed as shown in Table 3. The results are shown in Table 3. The flavor of the fruit juice-containing beverage was well maintained by using 3 ppm or more of γ-decalactone and 100 ppm or more of tea polyphenols in combination.

[0044] [Table 3]

[0045] Experimental Example 3 In Experimental Example 2, a fruit juice-containing beverage was prepared in the same manner as in Production Example 2, except that the tea polyphenol was replaced with the concentrated black tea extract (Extract B) from Production Example 2, and then subjected to a forced deterioration test and evaluation. The results are shown in Table 4. Even when black tea polyphenols were used as the tea polyphenols, the flavor of the fruit juice-containing beverage was well maintained by combining 3 ppm or more of γ-decalactone and 100 ppm or more of tea polyphenols.

[0046] [Table 4]

[0047] Experimental Example 4 Fruit juice-containing beverages were prepared in the same manner as in Experimental Example 2, except that jasmine lactone was added to Samples No. 2-2 and 2-6 in the amounts shown in Table 5, and then subjected to a forced deterioration test and evaluation. The results are shown in Table 5. It was suggested that the addition of jasmine lactone allowed the flavor to be maintained even better.

[0048] [Table 5]

[0049] Experimental Example 5 Oolong tea leaves were extracted with 10 volumes of hot water (95°C) containing 0.1% by weight of sodium bicarbonate to obtain an oolong tea extract, which was then concentrated under reduced pressure to obtain an oolong tea polyphenol-containing extract. The tea polyphenol concentration in the resulting extract was 15,000 ppm.

[0050] A fruit juice-containing beverage was prepared using three types of flavorings with a mixed fruit flavor. After thoroughly mixing the ingredients in the formulation shown in Table 6, the mixture was sterilized by heating at 110°C for 10 seconds using a UHT sterilizer. 500 ml of each mixture was hot-packed into PET containers and cooled to below 10°C to prepare a fruit juice-containing beverage (fruit juice content: 15%, sugar content: 11.0%, acidity: 0.2%, pH 3.70). The resulting beverage was analyzed for its components and evaluated by a forced deterioration test similar to that in Experimental Example 1.

[0051] The results are shown in Table 7. Beverages containing specific amounts of γ-decalactone and tea polyphenols maintained their flavor well, especially the beverage containing jasmine lactone.

[0052] [Table 6]

[0053] [Table 7]

[0054] Experimental Example 6 In Experimental Example 5, black tea leaves were used instead of oolong tea leaves to prepare a black tea polyphenol-containing extract with a black tea polyphenol concentration of 10,100 ppm.

[0055] A fruit juice-containing beverage was prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Experimental Example 6, except that the oolong tea polyphenol-containing extract in Table 6 was replaced with black tea polyphenol-containing extract to obtain the composition shown in Table 8. The results are shown in Table 8. The same results were obtained when black tea polyphenols were used.

[0056] [Table 8]

[0057] Furthermore, beverages containing carotene pigment (emulsifying pigment: median diameter 0.80 μm) were prepared and evaluated in beverages No. 6-2 and No. 6-6. The majority of panelists evaluated the beverages containing carotene pigment immediately after preparation as having a fruit-like texture and richness, enhancing the feeling of ripe fruit. Furthermore, when evaluated before and after the forced deterioration test, they noted that there was even less change in flavor and that the color and flavor were well maintained compared to beverages without carotene pigment.

[0058] Experimental Example 7 A commercially available PET bottled fruit-flavored black tea beverage (ingredients: fruit juice (orange, apple, peach, pineapple, mango), sugars (high-fructose corn syrup, sugar), black tea, flavoring, acidulant, vitamin C) was used. The fruit juice content of this beverage was 9%, and the tea polyphenol content was 187 ppm, pH 3.50, turbidity (OD 660 nm) was 0.02, γ-decalactone content was 0 ppm (specifically, 0.017 ppm), and jasmine lactone was undetectable. γ-decalactone (purity 99% or higher), jasmine lactone (purity 99% or higher), and a carotene pigment preparation were added to this beverage (No. 7-1) as needed to achieve the amounts of each component shown in Table 9. The carotene pigment preparation was an emulsified particle containing 0.9% by weight of β-carotene, 7.5% by weight of sucrose fatty acid ester, 22% by weight of gum arabic, etc., and had a median diameter (D50) of 0.57 μm.

[0059] These beverages were subjected to a forced aging test similar to that in Experimental Example 1, followed by a sensory evaluation by a panel of 10 experts. The panel was presented with a beverage without added γ-decalactone (No. 7-1: control) and beverages with added γ-decalactone (No. 7-2 to No. 7-5). The panelists used a two-point discrimination test to determine which of the presented pairs they perceived as having a better fruity flavor, i.e., reduced stale odor. The results are shown in Table 10. Adding γ-decalactone to a γ-decalactone content of 3 ppm or more reduced the stale odor, and the majority of the panelists rated the beverage as having a better fruity flavor than the control. In particular, all panelists rated the beverage containing jasmine lactone and emulsified particles (No. 7-5) as having a significantly reduced stale odor compared to the control and a better fruity flavor.

[0060] [Table 9]

[0061] [Table 10]

[0062] Experimental Example 8 The jasmine lactone content of Samples No. 7-3 and No. 7-5 in Experimental Example 7 was changed to 1.0 ppm, and beverages were prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Experimental Example 7. The results are shown in Table 12. When 1.0 ppm of jasmine lactone was added, all panelists evaluated that the staling odor was significantly reduced and the fruit flavor was enhanced.

[0063] [Table 11]

[0064] [Table 12]

Claims

1. The beverage contains 5 to 30% fruit juice and contains 3 to 100 ppm of γ-decalactone and 100 to 1500 ppm of tea polyphenols.

2. 10. The beverage of claim 1, further comprising 0.001 to 1.0 ppm of jasmine lactone.

3. The beverage according to claim 1, further comprising emulsified particles having a volume-based median diameter (D50) of 0.01 to 3.00 μm.

4. The beverage according to claim 3, wherein the emulsified particles are carotenoid pigments.

5. 10. The beverage according to claim 1, which is packaged in a polyethylene terephthalate container.

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