A composition comprising citrus fruit juice containing citrus peel oil and pulp, and ethanol, and a method for producing the same.

Abstract

To provide a citrus peel oil-containing composition that reduces oil separation after being incorporated into alcoholic beverages and stored, and a method for producing the same. [Solution] A citrus peel oil-containing composition is used, comprising citrus peel oil, citrus juice containing pulp, and ethanol, wherein the cumulative 50% diameter (D50; median diameter) in the particle size distribution (by volume) of the particles present in the composition is 2.0 to 3.5 μm.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a composition comprising citrus fruit juice containing citrus peel oil and pulp, ethanol, and a method for producing the same.

Background Art

[0002] The oil of citrus peel contains highly fragrant components. For example, lemon oil is contained in the oil glands of lemon peel and contains a rich amount of fragrant components, so it can be expected to impart a fragrance to alcoholic beverages such as RTD products. However, since the oil of citrus peel has high hydrophobicity and there is a quality risk of oil floating, it has not been utilized in alcoholic beverages and the like until now.

[0003] As a liquid composition that does not generate floating substances when blended with water-based foods and can impart the original citrus fragrance of citrus fruits, Patent Document 1 discloses a liquid composition containing citrus peel microparticles, citrus peel oil, and water, which satisfies the following (a) and (b): (a) the ratio of the citrus peel oil content (ml / kg) to the content of insoluble solids (g / kg) in the composition is 0.10 to 1.30 ml / g; (b) in the particle size distribution (volume basis) of the microparticles containing citrus peel oil in the composition after ultrasonic treatment, the cumulative 10% diameter (D10) is 0.01 to 20.0 μm, the cumulative 50% diameter (D50) is 0.1 to 50.0 μm, and the cumulative 90% diameter (D90) is 1.0 to 100.0 μm. However, the water-based food of Patent Document 1 is basically intended as a liquid seasoning and is not targeted at alcoholic beverages.

[0004] Therefore, it can still be said that there is a need to reduce oil floating of citrus peel oil in alcoholic beverages.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

[0006] The present inventors have found that by providing a citrus peel oil-containing composition comprising citrus peel oil, citrus juice containing pulp, and ethanol, and by setting the cumulative 50% diameter in the particle size distribution (by volume) of the particles present in the composition to a specific range, oil separation after storage when the citrus peel oil-containing composition is incorporated into an alcoholic beverage can be reduced. The present invention is based on this finding.

[0007] Accordingly, the present invention provides a citrus peel oil-containing composition that reduces oil separation after being incorporated into and stored in alcoholic beverages, and a method for producing the same.

[0008] In other words, the present invention provides the following invention. [1] A citrus peel oil-containing composition comprising citrus peel oil, citrus juice containing pulp, and ethanol, A citrus peel oil-containing composition wherein the cumulative 50% diameter (D50; median diameter) in the particle size distribution (by volume) of the particles present in the composition is 2.0 to 3.5 μm. [2] The citrus peel oil-containing composition according to claim 1, wherein the standard deviation of the particle size of the particles is 0.25 or less. [3] The citrus peel oil-containing composition according to [1] or [2], wherein the coefficient of variation of the particles is 1.0 or less. [4] The citrus peel oil-containing composition according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the cumulative 10% diameter (D10) in the particle size distribution (by volume) of the particles is 0.1 to 1.8 μm. [5] The citrus peel oil-containing composition according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the cumulative 90% diameter (D90) in the particle size distribution (by volume) of the particles is 3.6 to 12 μm. [6] The citrus peel oil-containing composition according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the content of citrus peel oil relative to the total amount of the composition is 1 to 30% by mass. [7] The citrus peel oil-containing composition according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the ethanol content relative to the total amount of the composition is 5 to 50 v / v%. [8] The citrus peel oil-containing composition according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein the content of citrus juice containing pulp relative to the total amount of the composition is 30 to 90% by mass. An alcoholic beverage comprising a citrus peel oil-containing composition as described in any of [9] [1] to [8].

[10] An alcoholic beverage comprising a citrus peel oil-containing composition comprising citrus peel oil, citrus juice containing pulp, and ethanol, An alcoholic beverage in which the cumulative 50% diameter (D50; median diameter) of the particles present in the alcoholic beverage (by volume) is 2.0 to 3.5 μm.

[11] A method for producing a composition containing citrus peel oil, A process of mixing citrus peel oil, citrus juice containing pulp, and ethanol. A method that includes the following:

[12] The method according to

[11] , wherein the mixing is carried out by stirring with a stirrer.

[13] The method according to

[11] or

[12] , wherein the mixing time is 0.1 to 10 hours.

[14] The method according to

[12] or

[13] , wherein the rotation speed of the stirring blades of the agitator is 180 to 500 rpm.

[0009] According to the present invention, a citrus peel oil-containing composition comprising citrus peel oil, citrus juice containing pulp, and ethanol can be incorporated into an alcoholic beverage, and the resulting alcoholic beverage can reduce oil separation after storage. Furthermore, an alcoholic beverage incorporating the above citrus peel oil-containing composition is advantageous in that it can reduce the floating of sediment and / or pulp after storage. Furthermore, an alcoholic beverage incorporating the above citrus peel oil-containing composition is advantageous in that it can impart a rich citrus aroma derived from citrus peel oil. Furthermore, the above citrus peel oil-containing composition is advantageous in that it reduces separation into an emulsion layer and a hydrophilic layer after storage. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This shows the particle size distribution of fine particles present in the samples from test section 1 and test section 2. [Figure 2] This shows the particle size distribution of fine particles present in the samples from test section 3 and test section 2. [Figure 3] This figure shows the superimposed particle size distribution of the fine particles present in the samples from test sections 1 to 3. Detailed description of the invention

[0011] In this invention, "alcoholic beverage" means a beverage with an alcohol content of 1% or more that is considered an alcoholic beverage under the Liquor Tax Act.

[0012] Citrus peel oil-containing composition The citrus peel oil-containing composition of the present invention (hereinafter also simply referred to as "the composition") comprises citrus peel oil, citrus juice containing pulp, and ethanol, and is characterized in that the cumulative 50% diameter (D50; median diameter) in the particle size distribution (by volume) of the particles present in the composition is 2.0 to 3.5 μm.

[0013] The citrus fruits used as raw materials can be of any kind as long as they are citrus fruits, and are appropriately selected by those skilled in the art according to the flavor of the alcoholic beverage to be produced. Therefore, the type of citrus fruits is not particularly limited. For example, lemons, grapefruit, oranges, mandarins, pummelos, kumquats, kabosu, sudachi, sekuwasha, limes, citrons, bushukan, etc., which are easy to adopt as raw materials for alcoholic beverages, are preferred, and more preferably lemons and grapefruit. These citrus fruits may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0014] (Oil of citrus fruit peel) The citrus fruit peel generally consists of a thick outer peel (flavedo) and a white fibrous inner peel (albedo) inside it. In the present invention, it is preferable to use the entire peel mainly composed of the outer peel (flavedo). A large number of oil cells exist in the outer peel (flavedo), and it contains a peel oil with a strong aroma (hereinafter, may be referred to as "oil of citrus fruit peel" or simply "oil" in this specification). Examples of the peel oil include the peel oils of the above-mentioned types of citrus fruits, and preferably lemon oil and grapefruit oil.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the lower limit value of the oil content with respect to the total amount of the composition of the present invention is, for example, 1% by mass or more, preferably 3% by mass or more, more preferably 6% by mass or more, and even more preferably 8% by mass or more. Regarding the upper limit value of the oil content with respect to the total amount of the composition, it is preferably 30% by mass or less, more preferably 25% by mass or less, even more preferably 20% by mass or less, and even more preferably 15% by mass or less. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the range of the oil content with respect to the total amount of the composition of the present invention is, for example, 1 to 30% by mass, preferably 3 to 25% by mass, more preferably 6 to 20% by mass, and even more preferably 8 to 15% by mass.

[0016] (Juice of citrus fruit containing pulp) The citrus juice containing pulp (hereinafter also referred to as pulp-containing citrus juice) is not particularly limited as long as it contains pulp. For example, it includes juices containing the pulp of citrus fruits, and is preferably a cloudy citrus juice.

[0017] (Cloudy citrus juice) The cloudy citrus juice is not particularly limited, and examples include cloudy juices of citrus fruits and comminuted juices, and preferably cloudy juices of citrus fruits. The cloudy juice of citrus fruits is the squeezed juice of citrus fruits and contains solids such as pulp derived from the fruits. The cloudy juice of citrus fruits used in the present invention may be any of fruit purees, squeezed juices of citrus fruits, their concentrates, and their dilutions, but is preferably a concentrated cloudy juice. Also, the cloudy juice may be made from one type of fruit or from two or more types of fruits. Examples of the cloudy juice include cloudy juices of the above-mentioned types of citrus fruits, and preferably lemon cloudy juice and grapefruit cloudy juice. Also, the citrus fruits used for the peel oil and the citrus fruits used for the cloudy juice may be of the same type or different types, but are preferably of the same type. Specifically, examples include the combination of lemon oil and lemon cloudy juice, and the combination of grapefruit oil and grapefruit cloudy juice.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the lower limit of the content of the pulp-containing citrus juice with respect to the total amount of the composition of the present invention is, for example, 30% by mass or more, preferably 40% by mass or more, more preferably 50% by mass or more, and still more preferably 55% by mass or more. Regarding the upper limit of the content of the pulp-containing citrus juice with respect to the total amount of the composition, it is preferably 90% by mass or less, more preferably 80% by mass or less, still more preferably 70% by mass or less, and still more preferably 65% by mass or less. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the range of the content of the pulp-containing citrus juice with respect to the total amount of the composition is, for example, 30 to 90% by mass, preferably 40 to 80% by mass, more preferably 50 to 70% by mass, and still more preferably 55 to 65% by mass.

[0019] (ethanol) The ethanol used in this invention may be any ethanol suitable for food use, such as industrial alcohol or alcoholic beverages. For example, alcoholic beverages can be suitably used as ethanol, and suitable alcoholic beverages include distilled spirits, spirits, and liqueurs, with vodka being particularly preferred.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the lower limit of the ethanol content relative to the total amount of the composition of the present invention is, for example, 5 v / v% or more, preferably 10 v / v% or more, more preferably 15 v / v% or more, and even more preferably 18 v / v% or more. The upper limit of the ethanol content relative to the total amount of the composition is preferably less than 50 v / v%, more preferably 40 v / v% or less, even more preferably 30 v / v% or less, and even more preferably 25 v / v% or less. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the range of the ethanol content relative to the total amount of the composition is, for example, 5 to 50 v / v%, preferably 10 to 40 v / v%, more preferably 15 to 30 v / v%, and even more preferably 18 to 25 v / v%.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present invention, from the viewpoint of suppressing separation, the fine particles present in the composition of the present invention have a cumulative 10% diameter (D10) within a predetermined range in their particle size distribution (by volume). The lower limit of the cumulative 10% diameter (D10) is, for example, 0.1 μm or more, preferably 0.5 μm or more, more preferably 1.0 μm or more, and even more preferably 1.1 μm or more. The upper limit of the cumulative 10% diameter (D10) is preferably 1.8 μm or less, more preferably 1.5 μm or less, even more preferably 1.4 μm or less, and even more preferably 1.3 μm or less. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the cumulative 10% diameter (D10) of the fine particles present in the composition of the present invention is, for example, 0.1 to 1.8 μm, preferably 0.5 to 1.5 μm, more preferably 1.0 to 1.4 μm, and even more preferably 1.1 to 1.3 μm.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the present invention, from the viewpoint of suppressing separation, the fine particles present in the composition of the present invention have a cumulative 50% diameter (D50) within a predetermined range in their particle size distribution (by volume). The lower limit of the cumulative 50% diameter (D50) is, for example, 2.0 μm or more, preferably 2.1 μm or more, more preferably 2.2 μm or more, and even more preferably 2.3 μm or more. The upper limit of the cumulative 50% diameter (D50) is preferably 3.5 μm or less, more preferably less than 3.5 μm, even more preferably 3.0 μm or less, and even more preferably 2.5 μm or less. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the cumulative 50% diameter (D50) of the fine particles present in the composition of the present invention is, for example, 2.0 to 3.5 μm or 2.0 μm or more and less than 3.5 μm, preferably 2.1 to 3.5 μm, more preferably 2.2 to 3.0 μm, and even more preferably 2.3 to 2.5 μm.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the present invention, from the viewpoint of suppressing separation, the fine particles present in the composition of the present invention have a cumulative 90% diameter (D90) within a predetermined range in their particle size distribution (by volume). The lower limit of the cumulative 90% diameter (D90) is, for example, 3.6 μm or more, 4.1 μm or more, preferably 4.2 μm or more, more preferably 4.3 μm or more, and even more preferably 4.4 μm or more. The upper limit of the cumulative 90% diameter (D90) is, preferably 12 μm or less, more preferably 8.0 μm or less, even more preferably 6.0 μm or less, and even more preferably 5.0 μm or less. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the cumulative 90% diameter (D90) of the fine particles present in the composition of the present invention is, for example, 3.6 to 12 μm, preferably 4.1 to 12 μm, more preferably 4.2 to 8.0 μm, even more preferably 4.3 to 6.0 μm, and even more preferably 4.4 to 5.0 μm.

[0024] In the compositions of the present invention, D10, D50, and D90 are defined as particle sizes such that, when the particle size distribution of fine particles is divided into two groups from a certain particle size, the ratio of the cumulative value of the particle frequency % on the larger side to the cumulative value of the particle frequency % on the smaller side is 9:1, 5:5, and 1:9, respectively.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present invention, from the viewpoint of suppressing separation, the fine particles present in the composition of the present invention have an average diameter (specifically, a volume average diameter) within a predetermined range. The lower limit of the average particle size is, for example, 2.0 μm or more, preferably 2.1 μm or more, more preferably 2.2 μm or more, and even more preferably 2.3 μm or more. The upper limit of the average particle size is, preferably 4.0 μm or less, more preferably 3.5 μm or less, even more preferably 3.0 μm or less, and even more preferably 2.5 μm or less. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the average particle size of the fine particles present in the composition of the present invention is, for example, 2.0 to 4.0 μm, preferably 2.1 to 3.5 μm, more preferably 2.2 to 3.0 μm, and even more preferably 2.3 to 2.5 μm.

[0026] The particle size distribution (volume-based) of fine particles present in the composition of the present invention can be measured by laser diffraction / scattering. Such measurements can be performed using a commercially available laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer (for example, the Shimadzu SALD-2300 laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation). Here, a particle refractive index of 1.60-0.20i, a solvent refractive index of 1.333, a measurement upper limit of 2500.00 μm, and a measurement lower limit of 0.017 μm can be selected.

[0027] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the standard deviation of the particle size of the fine particles present in the composition of the present invention is reduced. The upper limit of the standard deviation of the particle size of the fine particles present in the composition of the present invention is, for example, 0.35 or less, preferably 0.30 or less, more preferably 0.25 or less, and even more preferably 0.21 or less. The lower limit of the standard deviation is not particularly limited, but examples include 0.001 or more and 0.01 or more.

[0028] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the upper limit of the coefficient of variation of the particle size of the fine particles present in the composition of the present invention is, for example, 1.0 or less, preferably 0.5 or less, more preferably 0.2 or less, even more preferably 0.1 or less, and even more preferably 0.09 or less. The lower limit of the coefficient of variation is not particularly limited, but for example, it may be 0.001 or more or 0.01 or more. Here, the coefficient of variation (CV) of the particle size of the fine particles in this disclosure is a value calculated by dividing the standard deviation (s) of the particle size distribution (volume basis) measured in the above measurement by the median diameter, and a lower value indicates a sharper particle size distribution.

[0029] Method for producing a composition containing citrus peel oil The present invention provides a method for producing a citrus peel oil-containing composition, comprising the steps of mixing citrus peel oil, citrus juice containing pulp, and ethanol. This mixing step yields a citrus peel oil-containing composition.

[0030] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the order in which citrus peel oil, pulp-containing citrus juice, ethanol, and water as needed are added to a container (e.g., the stirring tank of a stirrer) is not particularly limited. For example, the ethanol may be diluted with water beforehand, and this dilution may be added to the container, then the oil may be added, then the pulp-containing citrus juice may be added, and then water may be added. Alternatively, a predetermined amount of ethanol and oil may be added to the container, then the pulp-containing citrus juice may be added, and then water may be added to this mixture as needed. Alternatively, a predetermined amount of ethanol may be added to the container, and then the pulp-containing citrus juice may be added. Alcohol and oil may be added, and water may be added to this mixture as needed; or, first, the pulp-containing citrus juice may be placed in a container, then a predetermined amount of ethanol may be added, then oil may be added, and water may be added to this mixture as needed; or, the ethanol may be diluted with water beforehand, and this dilution and oil may be added to the pulp-containing citrus juice; or, water may be added to the pulp-containing citrus juice beforehand, then ethanol may be added to it, then oil may be added; or, ethanol, oil and water may be added to the pulp-containing citrus juice simultaneously.

[0031] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, after placing citrus juice containing pulp, ethanol, citrus peel oil, and water into a container, a mixing process is performed to ensure thorough mixing and particle refinement. Examples of such mixing processes include stirring. Specifically, the mixing process can be carried out by means known in the art, such as stirring with a stirrer, bubbling, using a static mixer, or circulation in piping, and stirring with a stirrer is preferred. The above mixing process may also be a homogenization process. Although not bound by theory, it is believed that through the above mixing process, the citrus peel oil is adsorbed onto the pulp in the citrus juice containing the pulp (e.g., fruit pulp), and the oil is encapsulated within the pulp (e.g., fruit pulp).

[0032] When the above mixing process is carried out using a stirrer, the device used is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to have a structure that can apply a strong shear force to the composition so that the above particle size distribution is achieved. Examples of stirring blades used in such a stirrer include wide paddle blades such as wide flat plate paddle blades, wide inclined (tapered) paddle blades such as wide inclined flat plate paddle blades, and wide tapered paddle blades are preferred. The stirring blades may also be multi-stage blades. Furthermore, it is preferable that the stirring tank used in the stirrer is equipped with baffle plates (preferably tapered baffle plates).

[0033] In the above mixing process, the stirring power per unit volume of the stirring tank during stirring by a stirrer is not particularly limited, but for example, 1.5 to 4.0 kW / m³ 3 A range of 2.0 to 3.5 kW / m² is possible, preferably 2.0 to 3.5 kW / m². 3 The range is defined as follows. The stirring power per unit volume of the stirring tank and the distribution of stirring power within the stirring tank in the above mixing process can be determined by using fluid analysis software (Fluid analysis software RFLOW: manufactured by R-Flow Corporation) and appropriately inputting values ​​as variables such as composition density, composition viscosity, stirring tank shape (aspect ratio), impeller shape, impeller diameter, stirring tank wall conditions, and impeller rotation speed.

[0034] The time for the mixing process using the above-mentioned agitator is not particularly limited, but for example, it can be 0.1 to 10 hours, preferably 0.3 to 5 hours, and more preferably 0.5 to 2 hours.

[0035] The rotation speed of the stirring blades of the above-mentioned agitator is not particularly limited, but for example, it is 180 to 500 rpm, preferably 190 to 400 rpm, and more preferably 200 to 300 rpm.

[0036] The temperature during the mixing process is not particularly limited, but for example, it can be 0 to 60°C, preferably 0 to 50°C, and more preferably 0 to 40°C.

[0037] The citrus peel oil-containing composition obtained by the method of the present invention exhibits reduced separation of the composition into an emulsion layer and a hydrophilic layer after storage.

[0038] Alcoholic beverage comprising a composition containing citrus peel oil The composition of the present invention can be used as a product as is, or it can be provided as an alcoholic beverage containing the composition. By adding the composition of the present invention to a beverage, it can impart a citrusy flavor. The amount of the composition of the present invention in a beverage (i.e., the amount added) is not particularly limited and can be appropriately determined by those skilled in the art depending on the type of beverage and the desired flavor intensity. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the amount of the composition of the present invention relative to the total amount of the beverage (i.e., the amount added) is, for example, 0.001 to 1% by mass, preferably 0.005 to 0.8% by mass, and more preferably 0.01 to 0.5% by mass.

[0039] Accordingly, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is an alcoholic beverage comprising a citrus peel oil-containing composition comprising citrus peel oil, citrus juice containing pulp, and ethanol, wherein the cumulative 50% diameter (D50; median diameter) in the particle size distribution (by volume) of the particles present in the alcoholic beverage is 2.0 to 3.5 μm. The particle size distribution (by volume) of the particles present in the alcoholic beverage is the same as that of the citrus peel oil-containing composition added to the alcoholic beverage.

[0040] The pH of the alcoholic beverage in this invention is not particularly limited, but it can preferably be adjusted to 2.5 to 5.0. The pH of the beverage can be easily measured using a commercially available pH meter.

[0041] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the alcohol concentration in the alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but for example, it is 1 to 30 v / v%, preferably 3 to 20 v / v%, more preferably 4 to 15 v / v%, and even more preferably 5 to 10 v / v%.

[0042] The alcohol concentration in the alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be measured using gas chromatography in accordance with the method prescribed by the National Tax Agency of Japan (the "National Tax Agency's Prescribed Analytical Method" issued by the National Tax Agency of Japan).

[0043] The alcohol concentration may be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the amount of ethanol itself in the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, by increasing or decreasing the amount of ethanol-containing raw materials in the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, or by incorporating raw materials that produce ethanol during the manufacturing process of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention. These adjustments may be made individually or in combination of two or more. When increasing or decreasing the content of ethanol-containing raw materials in the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, such ethanol-containing raw materials are not particularly limited as long as they are raw materials whose safety as food has been confirmed, and examples include raw alcohol, distilled spirits, fermented products of grains or fruit components (e.g., fruit juice, etc.). The ethanol-containing raw materials may be used individually or in combination of two or more. As for distilled spirits, for example, vodka, shochu, tequila, rum, gin, whiskey, etc. can be used. According to one embodiment, the alcohol concentration of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention is adjusted by incorporating raw alcohol into the alcoholic beverage of the present invention.

[0044] The gin used as a distilled spirit in the alcoholic beverage of the present invention is a distilled spirit made from grains such as barley, rye, and potatoes, which are saccharified, fermented, and distilled. The distillate is then flavored with botanical components (flavoring components) from herbs, roots, and bark, and contains juniper berries as a botanical component. Therefore, the gin contained in the alcoholic beverage of the present invention uses botanicals as raw materials and contains at least juniper berries as a botanical component. Other botanical components that can be used include, for example, coriander seeds, angelica root, angelica seeds, cardamom seeds, cinnamon, bitter orange peel, lemon peel, or yuzu, green tea, and ginger. In addition, other botanical components that can be used include the fruits, juices, pulp, peels, and bark of citrus species. Examples of such citrus fruits include oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes, mandarins, yuzu, kabosu, and iyokan. Furthermore, the gin contained in the alcoholic beverage of the present invention may be a macerated liquor obtained by macerating fruit in alcohol, or a distilled liquor obtained by further distilling the macerated liquor. When macerating fruit in alcohol, the entire fruit may be macerated, or only a part of the fruit, such as the peel, may be macerated. Alternatively, the entire fruit or a part of the fruit, such as the peel, may be cut into appropriate sizes, frozen or crushed, and then macerated in alcohol. Furthermore, the gin contained in the alcoholic beverage of the present invention may be, for example, a distilled liquor obtained by macerating and distilling lemon peel, and it is also possible to use gin as a citrus macerated distilled liquor.

[0045] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the alcoholic beverage of the present invention may contain sugars, and the sugar content (i.e., sugar concentration) is adjusted to less than 0.5 g / 100 mL. The sugar content can be adjusted to, for example, less than 0.4 g / 100 mL, less than 0.3 g / 100 mL, less than 0.2 g / 100 mL, etc.

[0046] In this specification, "sugars" refers to "sugars" as defined by the Food Labeling Standards of the Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan, i.e., a general term for monosaccharides and disaccharides. Since the sugar content is less than 0.5g / 100mL, the alcoholic beverage of the present invention falls under the category of "sugar-free" as defined by the Food Labeling Standards.

[0047] Examples of alcoholic beverages of the present invention include mixed alcoholic beverages, brewed alcoholic beverages, and distilled alcoholic beverages, with mixed alcoholic beverages being preferred. Mixed alcoholic beverages are a general term for alcoholic beverages that are not brewed alcoholic beverages or distilled alcoholic beverages themselves (for example, chuhai, sours, RTD, RTS, macerated alcoholic beverages, liqueurs, etc.), and include "mixed alcoholic beverages" as defined by the Liquor Tax Law of Japan.

[0048] The alcoholic beverage of the present invention includes those classified as liqueurs, spirits, etc. Spirits, as defined by the Japanese Liquor Tax Law, are alcoholic beverages that do not fall under any of the categories from sake to whiskey and have an extract content of less than 2% (2 w / v%). Liqueurs, as defined by the Liquor Tax Law, are alcoholic beverages made from alcoholic beverages, sugars, and other items (including alcoholic beverages) and have an extract content of 2% (2 w / v%) or more. The alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be carbonated by injecting carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide pressure can be adjusted as appropriate according to preference, for example, within the range of 0.05 to 0.24 MPa (gas pressure at 20°C).

[0049] The alcoholic beverage in this invention may contain other components used in the manufacture of beverages. Such other components may include, for example, sweeteners (e.g., oligosaccharides, isomerized liquid sugar, sugar alcohols, high-intensity sweeteners, etc.), acidulants (e.g., citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, phosphoric acid, phytic acid, itaconic acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid, adipic acid, acetic acid, or salts thereof, etc.), colorants, food additives (e.g., foaming and foam retention enhancers, bittering agents, preservatives, antioxidants, thickening and stabilizing agents, emulsifiers, dietary fiber, pH adjusters, etc.) as appropriate.

[0050] The alcoholic beverage in this invention is preferably provided as a packaged beverage. The container used may be any container commonly used for filling beverages, such as a metal can, barrel, plastic bottle (e.g., PET bottle, cup), paper container, glass bottle, pouch container, etc., but preferably a metal can or barrel, plastic bottle (e.g., PET bottle), or glass bottle.

[0051] Method for producing an alcoholic beverage containing a citrus peel oil composition The method for producing the above-mentioned alcoholic beverage is not particularly limited, but for example, it can be produced by mixing fruit juice, sugar or sweetener, acidulant, flavoring, and the citrus peel oil-containing composition of the present invention with an aqueous solution containing alcohol in a tank, and adjusting the flavor of the mixture. If necessary, carbon dioxide gas may be injected into the flavor-adjusted mixture to produce a carbonated beverage. The use or non-use of the above-mentioned raw materials and the order of addition and mixing are not particularly limited and can be appropriately determined by those skilled in the art depending on the type of beverage and the desired effect of suppressing oil separation and improving flavor and its degree. [Examples]

[0052] The present invention will be specifically described based on the following test examples, but the present invention is not limited to these test examples.

[0053] The following methods were used in the experiments in the test examples. • Median diameter of particles contained in the sample The particle size distribution of the sample (cumulative 10% particle size (D10), cumulative 50% particle size (D50), and cumulative 90% particle size (D90)) was measured using the laser diffraction and scattering method with a Shimadzu SALD-2300 laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation). Distilled water was used as the solvent during measurement. WingSALD II version 3.4.6 (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) was used as the measurement application software. The measurements were performed under the following conditions. <Measurement conditions> Distribution display: Volume Particle refractive index: 1.60-0.20i Solvent refractive index: 1.333 Measurement upper limit: 2500.00μm Measurement lower limit: 0.017μm

[0054] Test Example 1: Investigation of stirring speed in the preparation of citrus peel oil-containing compositions In this test, the stirring speed in the preparation of a citrus peel oil-containing composition was investigated. Specifically, ethanol, concentrated lemon juice, lemon oil, and water were placed in a stirrer to the following concentrations, and then the mixture was stirred at 150 rpm for 60 minutes to obtain a sample of the citrus peel oil-containing composition (sample of test section 1). The stirrer used had wide, tapered paddle blades arranged in a multi-stage configuration, and the stirring tank was equipped with tapered baffle plates. The stirring power per unit volume of the stirring tank during the above stirring was 1.3 kW / m³. 3 During the experiment, all samples were kept at a temperature of 20°C. • Ethanol concentration: 20v / v% • Cloudy concentrated lemon juice: 60% by mass Lemon oil: 10% by mass • Water: Remaining amount

[0055] A sample of the citrus peel oil-containing composition was prepared in the same manner as in Test Section 1, except that the rotation speed of the impeller during stirring was changed to 200 rpm (Test Section 2). The stirring power per unit volume of the stirring tank during the above stirring was 3.1 kW / m³. 3 That was the case.

[0056] The particle distribution of the samples from test section 1 and test section 2 obtained above was measured. The particle size distributions (D10, D50, D90) of the above samples are shown in Figure 1 and Table 1. [Table 1]

[0057] Test Example 2: Investigation of stirring time in the preparation of citrus peel oil-containing compositions In this test example, the stirring time in the preparation of a citrus peel oil-containing composition was investigated. Specifically, a sample of the citrus peel oil-containing composition (Test Section 3) was prepared in the same manner as in Test Section 1, except that the rotation speed during homogenization stirring was changed to 200 rpm and the stirring time to 5 minutes. The stirring power per unit volume of the stirring tank during the above stirring was 3.1 kW / m³. 3 That was the case.

[0058] The particle size distribution of the sample from test section 3 obtained above was measured. The particle size distributions (D10, D50, D90) of the samples from test section 3 and test section 2 are shown in Table 2, and the particle size distribution of the sample from test section 3 is shown in Figure 2. Figure 3 shows the result of overlaying the particle size distributions of the samples from test sections 1 to 3. [Table 2]

[0059] To evaluate the degree of separation of the obtained samples, 50 mL each of the samples from Test Group 1, Test Group 2, and Test Group 3 were placed in a 3 cm diameter cylindrical glass container and left to stand in a 50°C incubator for 4 days. The citrus peel oil-containing composition separated into two layers: an emulsion layer and a hydrophilic layer. The heights of these separated layers were measured. The separation rate (%) was calculated as "height from the bottom to the separation layer (i.e., height of the hydrophilic layer) / height from the bottom to the liquid level of the composition × 100". The results are shown in Table 3. [Table 3]

[0060] A lower separation rate indicates less separation. Therefore, the separation of the sample in test group 2 is reduced compared to the samples in test groups 1 and 3.

[0061] Test Example 3: Investigation of adding citrus peel oil-containing compositions to alcoholic beverages The sample from Test Group 1 was added to a 5v / v% alcohol beverage (specifically, a 5v / v% ethanol aqueous solution) and mixed, then stored in a refrigerator (4°C) for one week. Here, the sample from Test Group 1 was added at a ratio of 0.1 mass% to the alcohol beverage. The samples from Test Groups 2 and 3 were also added to a 5v / v% alcohol beverage and mixed, then stored in a refrigerator for one week, in the same manner as the sample from Test Group 1. As a result, the beverages to which the samples from Test Groups 1 and 3 were added showed pulp floating and oil floating on the surface of the liquid, and precipitate was observed. On the other hand, the beverage to which the sample from Test Group 2 was added did not show pulp floating, oil floating, or precipitate, and the uniform dispersion of the sample from Test Group 2 was maintained. Furthermore, a rich citrus aroma derived from citrus peel oil was detected in Test Group 2.

Claims

1. A citrus peel oil-containing composition comprising citrus peel oil, citrus juice containing pulp, and ethanol, A citrus peel oil-containing composition wherein the cumulative 50% diameter (D50) of the particles present in the composition, based on the particle size distribution (volume basis), is 2.0 to 3.5 μm.

2. The citrus peel oil-containing composition according to claim 1, wherein the standard deviation of the particle size of the aforementioned particles is 0.25 or less.

3. The citrus peel oil-containing composition according to claim 1, wherein the cumulative 10% diameter (D10) in the particle size distribution (by volume) of the aforementioned particles is 0.1 to 1.8 μm.

4. The citrus peel oil-containing composition according to claim 1, wherein the cumulative 90% diameter (D90) in the particle size distribution (by volume) of the aforementioned particles is 3.6 to 12 μm.

5. The citrus peel oil-containing composition according to claim 1, wherein the content of citrus peel oil relative to the total amount of the composition is 1 to 30% by mass.

6. The citrus peel oil-containing composition according to claim 1, wherein the ethanol content relative to the total amount of the composition is 5 to 50 v / v%.

7. The citrus peel oil-containing composition according to claim 1, wherein the content of citrus juice containing pulp relative to the total amount of the composition is 30 to 90% by mass.

8. An alcoholic beverage comprising the citrus peel oil-containing composition described in claim 1.

9. An alcoholic beverage comprising a citrus peel oil-containing composition comprising citrus peel oil, citrus juice containing pulp, and ethanol, An alcoholic beverage in which the cumulative 50% diameter (D50) of particles present in the alcoholic beverage, based on the particle size distribution (volume basis), is 2.0 to 3.5 μm.

10. A method for producing a composition containing citrus peel oil, A process of mixing citrus peel oil, citrus juice containing pulp, and ethanol. It includes, The aforementioned mixing is performed by stirring with a stirrer. The mixing time is 0.1 to 10 hours. A method wherein the rotation speed of the stirring blades of the agitator is 180 to 500 rpm.

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