Improved flavor of tea beverage and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to provide a tea beverage with improved flavor and a method for producing the same. [Solution] A tea beverage containing an emulsifier, but free from both dairy ingredients and sweeteners.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to tea beverages and their manufacturing methods, etc. More specifically, it relates to tea beverages with improved flavor and their manufacturing methods, etc.

Background Art

[0002] Tea beverages have long been popular as favorite beverages and healthy beverages due to their unique aroma and refreshing flavor produced by bitterness and astringency. There are tea beverages prepared from various teas such as unfermented tea (e.g., green tea), fermented tea (e.g., black tea), semi-fermented tea (e.g., oolong tea), and post-fermented tea (e.g., pu-erh tea). In recent years, they are distributed as container-packed beverages such as canned, PET bottled, or paper-packed. Among them, tea beverages such as green tea beverages and black tea beverages contain health components such as polyphenols centered on catechins and theaflavins, and theanine, and the demand from consumers is also increasing.

[0003] By the way, in beverages called RTD (Ready To Drink) distributed in the market, beverages containing milk components such as coffee beverages and black tea beverages are subjected to heat sterilization treatment (UHT sterilization, retort sterilization, etc.) to enable long-term storage. In coffee beverages and black tea beverages containing milk components, it is known that aggregation and precipitation derived from milk proteins occur due to such heat sterilization treatment, and the storage stability and the like also deteriorate. In order to improve such storage stability, it is known to use an emulsifier, etc. (Patent Document 1).

[0004] However, it has not been known until now that in a tea beverage containing neither milk components nor sweeteners, adding an emulsifier can improve the flavor in the tea beverage. <​​​​​​​​​​​​ [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a tea beverage with improved flavor and a method for producing the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The inventors of the present invention, after diligently studying to solve the above problems, discovered that the flavor of a tea beverage can be improved by including an emulsifier in a tea beverage that does not contain either dairy components or sweeteners, and thus completed the present invention. Although it is relatively common to include emulsifiers in tea beverages that contain dairy components, it was surprising to those skilled in the art that an emulsifier could be included in a tea beverage that does not contain dairy components, and that this could improve the flavor of the tea beverage.

[0008] In other words, the present invention provides the following inventions, etc. [1] A tea beverage that contains an emulsifier but does not contain any milk ingredients or sweeteners; [2] The tea beverage described in [1] above, wherein the emulsifier is one or more selected from the group consisting of glycerin fatty acid esters and sucrose fatty acid esters; [3] The tea beverage described in [1] or [2] above, wherein the mass ratio of (A) nonpolymerized catechins to (B) caffeine [(B) / (A)] is greater than 0.01; [4] A tea beverage according to any of [1] to [3] above, wherein the total concentration of emulsifiers in the tea beverage is 2.0 ppm or more; [5] A tea beverage described in any of [1] to [4] above, having a turbidity of 0.2 or higher according to OD660; [6] A tea beverage according to any of [1] to [5] above, further containing crushed tea leaves; [7] A method for producing a tea beverage that does not contain either milk ingredients or sweeteners, A step of preparing the tea beverage so that it contains an emulsifier, and The process of heat sterilizing the aforementioned tea beverage. The manufacturing method, including; [8] The manufacturing method according to [7] above, wherein the step of preparing the tea beverage to contain an emulsifier is the step of preparing the tea beverage to contain one or more selected from the group consisting of glycerin fatty acid esters and sucrose fatty acid esters at a total concentration of 2.0 ppm or more of the emulsifier in the tea beverage; [9] A method for improving the flavor of a tea beverage that does not contain either milk ingredients or sweeteners, A step of preparing the tea beverage so that it contains an emulsifier, and The process of heat sterilizing the aforementioned tea beverage. The method, including;

[10] The method according to [9] above, wherein the step of preparing the tea beverage to contain an emulsifier is the step of preparing the tea beverage to contain one or more selected from the group consisting of glycerin fatty acid esters and sucrose fatty acid esters at a total concentration of 2.0 ppm or more of the emulsifier in the tea beverage; [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide tea beverages with improved flavor and methods for producing the same. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The present invention [1] A tea beverage containing an emulsifier and free from both milk components and sweeteners (hereinafter also referred to as "the beverage of the present invention"); [2] A method for producing a tea beverage that does not contain either milk ingredients or sweeteners, A step of preparing the tea beverage so that it contains an emulsifier, and The process of heat sterilizing the aforementioned tea beverage. The manufacturing method, including the aforementioned method (hereinafter also referred to as "the manufacturing method of the present invention"); [3] A method for improving the flavor of a tea beverage that does not contain either milk ingredients or sweeteners, A step of preparing the tea beverage so that it contains an emulsifier, and The process of heat sterilizing the aforementioned tea beverage. The above method, including (hereinafter also referred to as "the improved method of the present invention"); This includes embodiments such as the following. In this specification, "ppm" represents mass per unit mass.

[0011] (tea drink) The beverage of the present invention is a tea beverage. The "tea beverage" in the present invention is not particularly limited, but examples include unfermented tea (e.g., green tea) beverages, fermented tea (e.g., black tea) beverages, semi-fermented tea (e.g., oolong tea) beverages, and post-fermented tea (e.g., pu-erh tea), as well as blended tea beverages of some or all of these. Among these, green tea beverages, black tea beverages, and oolong tea beverages are preferred, green tea beverages and black tea beverages are more preferred, and green tea beverages are even more preferred.

[0012] Tea beverages contain tea extracts. In this invention, "tea extract" means an extract obtained by subjecting tea leaves to an extraction process. The tea extract may be a liquid or a solid such as a powder. Examples of tea extracts used in this invention include the extract from tea leaves (tea leaf extract) itself, processed products thereof (e.g., concentrated liquid extract, powder extract), or diluted solutions thereof. There are no particular limitations, and any tea extract raw material (preferably green tea extract raw material, black tea extract raw material, and / or oolong tea extract raw material) that has been conventionally used in the manufacture of tea beverages can be appropriately selected. In this specification, "tea extract" refers to unfermented tea extract (e.g., green tea extract), fermented tea extract (e.g., black tea extract), semi-fermented tea extract (e.g., oolong tea extract), and post-fermented tea extract (e.g., pu-erh tea extract). Among these, green tea extract, black tea extract, and oolong tea extract are preferred, and among these, green tea extract and black tea extract are more preferred, and among these, green tea extract is even more preferred. In this invention, the extraction process refers to a process in which tea components are eluted into an extraction solvent.

[0013] As the tea leaves used for the preparation of the tea extract, tea leaves belonging to the tea plant Camellia sinensis, which is an evergreen tree of the Theaceae family, can be used. The tea leaves used for the production of the tea beverage of the present invention are not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, and are not limited to the tea leaves of non-fermented teas represented by green teas such as sencha, gyokuro, matcha, pan-fired tea, deep-steamed tea, bancha, roasted tea, etc., but also tea leaves of fermented teas such as black tea, tea leaves of semi-fermented teas such as oolong tea, tea leaves of post-fermented teas such as pu-erh tea, etc. can be used. As the tea leaves used in the present invention, green tea leaves, black tea leaves, and oolong tea are preferably mentioned, green tea leaves and black tea leaves are more preferably mentioned, and green tea leaves are even more preferably mentioned. Further, the tea season, the shape of the tea leaves, the place of origin, the variety, the grade, and the presence or absence and conditions of fermentation, etc. are not particularly limited and can be appropriately set by those skilled in the art. In the present invention, a plurality of types of raw materials and tea leaves may also be used.

[0014] The conditions such as the amount of tea leaves, the amount of solvent, the extraction temperature, and the extraction time when extracting the tea leaves are not particularly limited, and usually, the conditions for extracting tea leaves can be used. Here, as the extraction solvent used in solvent extraction, water (for example, hard water, soft water, ion-exchanged water, and natural water) is desirable. The amount of the extraction solvent can be appropriately selected by those skilled in the art and is not particularly limited. For example, when the extraction solvent is water, the amount thereof is 1 to 100 times the amount (mass) of the tea leaves. The extraction temperature and extraction time can be appropriately selected by those skilled in the art and are not particularly limited. For example, when the extraction solvent is water, the temperature and time thereof are 10 to 120°C for 1 minute to 12 hours. As an example of the extraction treatment, a method of immersing and stirring the tea leaves in water at 0 to 90°C for 1 minute to 24 hours and then filtering or centrifuging the tea leaves can be mentioned. Here, the conditions such as the temperature and time during extraction are not particularly limited and can be arbitrarily selected and set by those skilled in the art according to the type and amount of the tea leaves.

[0015] In the preparation of the tea extract, concentrates or purified products of tea extracts such as tea extracts and tea powders may be used. For example, commercially available products such as Polyphenon (manufactured by Mitsui Norin Co., Ltd.), Sunphenon (manufactured by Sun Chemical Co., Ltd.), and Theafuran (manufactured by Ito En Co., Ltd.) can be used. Also, these tea concentrates (preferably green tea concentrate, black tea concentrate and / or oolong tea concentrate, etc.) and tea purified products (preferably green tea purified product, black tea purified product and / or oolong tea purified product, etc.) may be used alone as they are, or after being dissolved or diluted with water, or a plurality of types may be mixed and used, or they may be used in mixture with the tea extract.

[0016] (Tannin) The content concentration of tannin in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited. Examples of the lower limit value include 100 mg / L or more, 200 mg / L or more, 300 mg / L or more, etc., and examples of the upper limit value include 2500 mg / L or less, 2000 mg / L or less, 1500 mg / L or less, 1000 mg / L or less, etc. These lower limit values and upper limit values can be arbitrarily combined respectively. For example, 100 - 2500 mg / L, etc. can be mentioned.

[0017] The content concentration of tannin in the beverage of the present invention can be adjusted, for example, by adjusting the amount of tea leaves and water used when preparing the tea extract, adding tannin or a tannin-containing composition, or selectively removing tannin, etc. The tannin or tannin-containing composition is not particularly limited, and for example, commercially available ones can be used.

[0018] The content concentration of tannin in the beverage is the standard when evaluating the amount of polyphenols in tea. It can be measured using the official method (ferric tartrate absorbance method) described in "Explanation of the Fifth Revised Japanese Food Standard Component Analysis Manual" edited by the Japan Food Analysis Center (edited by the Japan Food Analysis Center, Chuouhouki, July 2001, p. 252). Center, Chuouhouki, July 2001, p. 252) and other methods such as the official method (ferric tartrate absorbance method).

[0019] (Emulsifier) In this specification, "emulsifier" is not particularly limited as long as it can be used in food and beverages, and includes one or more selected from the group consisting of glycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters (sucrose palmitate, sucrose stearate, sucrose oleate, etc.), polyglycerin fatty acid esters (decaglycerin fatty acid ester, etc.), organic acid glycerin fatty acid esters (succinate glycerin fatty acid ester, diacetyl tartrate glycerin fatty acid ester, etc.), sorbitan fatty acid esters, lecithin, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleate, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, and calcium stearoyl lactylate, among which glycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters (sucrose palmitate, Preferably, one or more selected from the group consisting of sucrose stearate (sucrose oleate, etc.), polyglycerin fatty acid esters (decaglycerin fatty acid ester, etc.), and organic acid glycerin fatty acid esters (succinate glycerin fatty acid ester, diacetyl tartrate glycerin fatty acid ester, etc.) is preferred, and more preferably, one or more selected from the group consisting of glycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters (sucrose palmitate, sucrose stearate, sucrose oleate, etc.), and polyglycerin fatty acid esters (decaglycerin fatty acid ester, etc.), or one or more selected from the group consisting of glycerin fatty acid esters and sucrose fatty acid esters (sucrose palmitate, sucrose stearate, sucrose oleate, etc.).

[0020] The concentration of the emulsifier in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are obtained, but is preferably 2.0 ppm or more, preferably 10 ppm or more and 20 ppm or more, more preferably 25 ppm or more, 30 ppm or more and 40 ppm or more, even more preferably 50 ppm or more, 60 ppm or more, 70 ppm or more, 80 ppm or more, 90 ppm or more, 100 ppm or more, 150 ppm or more, 200 ppm or more, 300 ppm or more and 400 ppm or more, and even more preferably 500 ppm or more. There is no particular upper limit, but to avoid imparting undesirable flavors such as bitterness due to the amount used, it is 2000 ppm or less, 1500 ppm or less and 1000 ppm or less. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily. When two or more emulsifiers are contained, the concentration of the emulsifiers can be the sum of the concentrations of each emulsifier.

[0021] The concentration of the emulsifier in the beverage of the present invention can be adjusted, for example, by adjusting the amount of emulsifier used. Commercially available emulsifiers can be used.

[0022] (milk ingredient) The beverage of the present invention does not contain any dairy components. In this specification, "dairy components" means dairy components of animal origin (preferably mammalian), and / or dairy components of plant origin, and more specifically, dairy fat and / or non-fat dairy solids of animal origin, and / or dairy fat and / or non-fat dairy solids of plant origin. Examples of animal dairy components and dairy component-containing compositions include, specifically, one or more selected from the group consisting of milk, buffalo milk, sheep's milk, goat's milk, mare's milk, processed milk (component-adjusted milk, low-fat milk, non-fat milk, concentrated milk, etc.), skimmed concentrated milk, skimmed milk powder, partially skimmed milk powder, whole milk powder, fermented milk, cream, cheese, butter, buttermilk, condensed milk, lactose, milk protein concentrate, purified milk protein, whey protein concentrate, purified whey protein, casein protein concentrate, and purified casein protein. Examples of plant-based dairy components or dairy component-containing compositions include one or more selected from the group consisting of soy milk, oat milk, rice milk, almond milk, coconut milk, and concentrates thereof.

[0023] In this specification, the term "dairy-free" beverages include, for convenience, beverages that contain no dairy components at all, as well as beverages in which the total content of protein and / or lipids derived from dairy ingredients (animal-based dairy ingredients and / or plant-based dairy ingredients) is less than 0.03 g / mL. However, beverages that contain no dairy components at all are preferred. In this specification, the protein content refers to the value calculated by the protein combustion method, nitrogen quantitative conversion method, or Kjeldahl method, among the analytical methods for nutritional components, etc., based on the Japanese Food Labeling Act. In this specification, the lipid content refers to the value calculated by the Gerber method, among the analytical methods for nutritional components, etc., based on the Japanese Food Labeling Act. The ratio of protein and lipid content is not particularly limited.

[0024] (sweetener) The beverage of the present invention does not contain sweeteners. In this specification, "sweeteners" can refer to crystalline sugars such as monosaccharides like fructose, glucose, tagatose, and arabinose; disaccharides such as lactose, trehalose, maltose, and sucrose; oligosaccharides such as maltooligosaccharides and galactooligosaccharides; amorphous sugars such as corn syrup and isomerized liquid sugar (e.g., high-fructose corn syrup); sugar alcohols such as maltitol, lactitol, sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, and erythritol; and high-intensity sweeteners such as sucralose, stevia, licorice extract, thaumatin, glycyrrhizin, saccharin, aspartame, and acesulfame K.

[0025] (Non-polymerized catechins) The concentration of nonpolymeric catechins in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but examples of lower limits include 1 mg / 100g or more, 3 mg / 100g or more, 5 mg / 100g or more, 10 mg / 100g or more, 15 mg / 100g or more, 20 mg / 100g or more, etc., and examples of upper limits include 100 mg / 100g or less, 90 mg / 100g or less, 80 mg / 100g or less. These lower and upper limits can be arbitrarily combined. In the present invention, "nonpolymeric catechins" is a general term for non-epi catechins such as catechin, gallocatechin, catechin gallate and gallocatechin gallate, and epi catechins such as epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate and epigallocatechin gallate, and the concentration of nonpolymeric catechins is defined based on the total amount of the above eight types.

[0026] The concentration of nonpolymerized catechins in the beverage of the present invention can be adjusted, for example, by adjusting the amount of tea leaves and water used when preparing the tea extract, by adding nonpolymerized catechins or a nonpolymerized catechin-containing composition, or by selectively removing nonpolymerized catechins. The nonpolymerized catechins or nonpolymerized catechin-containing composition are not particularly limited, and commercially available products can be used, for example.

[0027] (Caffeine) The caffeine concentration in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but examples of lower limits include 0.01 mg / 100g or more, 1 mg / 100g or more, 3 mg / 100g or more, 5 mg / 100g or more, and 7 mg / 100g or more, and examples of upper limits include 70 mg / 100g or less, 50 mg / 100g or less, 40 mg / 100g or less, and 30 mg / 100g or less. These upper and lower limits can be combined arbitrarily.

[0028] The caffeine concentration in the beverage of the present invention can be adjusted, for example, by adjusting the amount of tea leaves and water used when preparing the tea extract, by adding caffeine or a caffeine-containing composition, or by selectively removing caffeine. The caffeine or caffeine-containing composition is not particularly limited, and commercially available products can be used, for example.

[0029] ((A) Non-polymerized catechins and (B) Caffeine content ratio by mass) The mass ratio of (A) nonpolymerized catechins to (B) caffeine [(B) / (A)] in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably greater than 0.01, and more preferably 0.02 or more, 0.03 or more, 0.04 or more, 0.06 or more, 0.08 or more, 0.1 or more, or 0.2 or more. Furthermore, there is no particular limit to the upper limit of the above mass ratio [(B) / (A)], but examples include 5.0 or less, 4.0 or less, 3.0 or less, 2.7 or less, 2.5 or less, 2.0 or less, 1.6 or less, 1.5 or less, 1.0 or less, 0.8 or less, 0.6 or less, 0.4 or less, 0.35 or less, and 0.3 or less. These lower and upper limits can be arbitrarily combined. The amounts of nonpolymerized catechins and caffeine in the tea beverage of the present invention can be measured by known methods, for example, by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

[0030] (optional ingredient) The beverage of the present invention may contain, or may not contain, one or more selected from the group consisting of, for example, crushed tea leaves, acidulants, colorants, antioxidants (such as vitamin C), preservatives, dietary fiber, and pH adjusters (such as sodium bicarbonate).

[0031] (Powdered tea leaves) The beverage of the present invention does not necessarily have to contain tea leaf pulverized material, but it is preferable to contain tea leaf pulverized material from the viewpoint of obtaining a greater effect in improving flavor. In this specification, "tea leaf pulverized material" means material obtained by pulverizing tea leaves, and examples include tea leaves that have been made into a powder. The tea leaf pulverized material consists of water-insoluble particles, and its shape is not particularly limited, and fibrous material is also included. One type of tea leaf pulverized material may be used, or multiple types may be used in combination. The tea leaf pulverized material is not particularly limited in terms of the pulverization method (wet pulverization, dry pulverization) or the type of pulverizer (stone mill, mill, mixer, homogenizer, line mixer, emulder, milder, chopper, pulper fisher, etc.), and can be produced by methods well known in the art. When manufacturing tea leaf powder, the tea leaves used can include, for example, unfermented tea leaves (e.g., green tea), fermented tea leaves (e.g., black tea), semi-fermented tea leaves (e.g., oolong tea), and post-fermented tea leaves (e.g., pu-erh tea), as well as blends of some or all of these. Examples of tea leaf powder include powdered green tea leaves such as sencha, kabusecha, gyokuro, and hojicha, as well as powdered black tea leaves and oolong tea leaves. More specifically, examples include powdered sencha, powdered kabusecha, matcha, and powdered hojicha.

[0032] For example, the particle size of the crushed tea leaves is 90% cumulative particle size (D 90 The 90% cumulative particle size (D) is preferably 1 to 100 μm, more preferably 10 to 80 μm, more preferably 20 to 70 μm, and even more preferably 25 to 60 μm. 90 ) refers to the D22 particle size distribution measured by a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer. 90 This measurement method represents the particle size that contains 90% of the smallest particles by volume fraction.

[0033] When using crushed tea leaves as an optional ingredient, the amount of crushed tea leaves in the beverage of the present invention (or the amount of crushed tea leaves added to the beverage of the present invention) is not particularly limited. However, as a lower limit, an amount (or addition) such that the turbidity of the beverage of the present invention by OD660 is, for example, 0.075 or higher is given. From the viewpoint of obtaining a greater flavor improvement effect, preferably an amount (or addition) such that the turbidity is 0.2 or higher, 0.3 or higher, 0.4 or higher or 0.5 or higher, 0.6 or higher, 0.7 or higher, 0.8 or higher, and more preferably 0.89 or higher is given. As an upper limit, there is no particular limit, but an amount (or addition) such that the turbidity is 10 or lower, 7 or lower, 5 or lower, and 3 or lower is given. These lower and upper limits can be arbitrarily combined. Turbidity using OD660 can be measured by warming the tea beverage to 20°C, stirring it, and immediately measuring the absorbance of OD660 using a spectrophotometer (U-3900H, manufactured by Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation).

[0034] (pH) The pH of the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but examples of lower limits include 4 or higher, 4.1 or higher, 4.2 or higher, 4.3 or higher, 4.4 or higher, 4.5 or higher, 4.6 or higher, 4.7 or higher, 4.8 or higher, 4.9 or higher, 5 or higher, and 6 or higher, while examples of upper limits include 8 or lower, 7 or lower, 6 or lower, and 5 or lower. These upper and lower limits can be combined in any way. In this specification, pH values ​​are measured at 20°C. The pH of the beverage can be measured by conventional methods using a pH meter or the like.

[0035] (container) The beverage of the present invention may or may not be a packaged tea beverage, but from the viewpoint of improving shelf life, it is preferable to be a packaged tea beverage. Such a container means an airtight container that can prevent contact between the contents and the outside air, and examples include metal cans, barrel containers, plastic bottles (e.g., PET bottles, cups), paper containers, bottles, pouch containers, etc.

[0036] (Heat sterilization treatment) The beverage of the present invention is heat-sterilized. The heat-sterilization method and conditions can be those commonly used for beverages such as bottled beverages.

[0037] (The present invention's beverage) The beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a tea beverage that contains an emulsifier and does not contain any milk components or sweeteners.

[0038] The beverage of the present invention can be manufactured, for example, by preparing it to contain an emulsifier at any stage in a general manufacturing method for "tea beverages," and preferably by preparing it to contain an emulsifier before the heat sterilization step.

[0039] (Manufacturing method of the present invention) The present invention relates to a method for producing a tea beverage that does not contain either milk components or sweeteners, A step of preparing the tea beverage so that it contains an emulsifier, and The process of heat sterilizing the aforementioned tea beverage. The manufacturing method is not particularly limited as long as it includes the above.

[0040] The present invention relates to a method for producing a tea beverage that does not contain either milk components or sweeteners, and can be produced by general methods for producing tea beverages or packaged tea beverages, except that the tea beverage is prepared to contain an emulsifier and the tea beverage is heat-sterilized. General methods for producing packaged tea beverages are well known, and for example, a tea extract can be prepared, and the tea beverage can be produced through a blending step, a heat-sterilization step, and a filling step. In the production of the beverage of the present invention, the aforementioned optional components may be added, and there are no particular restrictions on the timing of the addition of these optional components.

[0041] In the manufacturing method of the present invention, there are no particular restrictions on the order in which the raw materials are added, as long as the beverage of the present invention can be produced. For example, the beverage of the present invention can be obtained by preparing a liquid in which the raw materials are mixed, or, if the beverage of the present invention is to be packaged, the beverage of the present invention can be obtained by preparing a liquid in which the raw materials are mixed, filling it into a container, and sealing it.

[0042] (heat sterilization) The manufacturing method of the present invention includes a step of heat sterilizing a tea beverage. The method of heat sterilization can be any conventional heat sterilization method used for packaged beverages, without any particular limitations. For example, in cases where heat sterilization can be performed after filling, such as with metal cans, sterilization can be carried out under the sterilization conditions specified in the Food Sanitation Act. Furthermore, for containers that cannot be retorted, such as PET bottles and paper containers, a method can be employed in which the beverage is pre-sterilized under sterilization conditions equivalent to those described above, for example, by high-temperature short-time sterilization (UHT sterilization) using a plate-type heat exchanger, then cooled to a certain temperature, and finally filled into the sterilized container.

[0043] (Improved method of the present invention) As an improvement method of the present invention, A method for improving the flavor of a tea beverage that does not contain either dairy ingredients or sweeteners, A step of preparing the tea beverage so that it contains an emulsifier, and The process of heat sterilizing the aforementioned tea beverage. The method is not particularly limited as long as it includes the aforementioned method.

[0044] In the present invention, the method for preparing the tea beverage to contain an emulsifier and the method for heat-sterilizing the tea beverage can be the same as the method described above (manufacturing method of the present invention).

[0045] (Tea beverage with improved flavor) The beverage of the present invention is a tea beverage with improved flavor. In this specification, "flavor" refers to the flavor characteristic of a tea beverage, specifically including the characteristic aroma and aftertaste of tea, and / or the tea character (the body of the tea). Such flavors are also easily diminished by heat sterilization of tea beverages. In this specification, a tea beverage with "improved flavor" is preferably one with improved flavor compared to a tea beverage that does not contain emulsifiers, milk components, or sweeteners (hereinafter also referred to as the "control beverage"). Whether and to what extent the flavor of a tea beverage has improved can be easily and clearly determined, for example, by a trained panel of several people, using the level of flavor in the control beverage as a benchmark. In such sensory evaluations, the average of the evaluations from multiple panel members may be used.

[0046] The present invention will be specifically described based on the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. [Examples]

[0047] Test 1. [Effect of sterilization on flavor] The following experiment investigated how sterilization treatment affects the flavor of tea beverages.

[0048] (1. Preparation of green tea beverages) Dried green tea leaves (sencha) were mixed with ion-exchanged water at 50°C and extracted for 7 minutes. After solid-liquid separation, vitamin C (0.04% by mass) was added, and sodium bicarbonate was added as needed to adjust the pH. The tannin concentration of this green tea extract was 400 mg / L. In Tests 1 to 5, the tannin concentration in the green tea extract was measured using the official method (ferrous tartrate absorbance method) described in "Commentary on the Fifth Revised Japanese Standard Food Composition Analysis Manual" (edited by the Japan Food Analysis Center, Chuohoki, July 2001, p. 252). In this measurement method, the purple component produced by reacting polyphenols in the liquid with ferrous tartrate reagent was quantified using a calibration curve created with ethyl gallate as the standard substance by measuring its absorbance (540 nm). The tannin amount was calculated by multiplying the quantified value obtained in this way by 1.5.

[0049] The aforementioned green tea extract was mixed with ground tea leaves and divided into two equal portions. One portion was bottled as is to obtain a green tea beverage sample before heat sterilization, and the other portion was subjected to ultra-high temperature (UHT) sterilization before being bottled to obtain a green tea beverage sample after heat sterilization. These green tea beverage samples were brought to 20°C, stirred, and their OD660 absorbance was measured immediately using a spectrophotometer (U-3900H, Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation). Turbidity (OD660) was measured in the same manner in tests 2 to 6. The turbidity of the green tea beverage samples before and after heat sterilization was 2.39, and the pH was 6.8 to 7.2.

[0050] Sensory evaluation tests were conducted on green tea beverage samples before and after heat sterilization. The results showed that the green tea beverage sample before heat sterilization had a strong initial aroma, represented by the fresh scent, and a lingering aftertaste, along with a strong tea character (body). However, the green tea beverage sample after heat sterilization had a weaker initial aroma, a less pronounced aftertaste, and a less pronounced tea character. This indicates that the "flavor of tea," defined by its characteristic aroma, aftertaste, and tea character (tea body), is diminished by heat sterilization.

[0051] Test 2. [Effects of emulsifiers in bottled tea beverages] The following experiment investigated the effect of emulsifiers on the flavor of tea beverages.

[0052] (1. Preparation of green tea beverages) Dried green tea leaves (sencha) were mixed with ion-exchanged water at 50°C and extracted for 7 minutes. After solid-liquid separation, vitamin C (0.04% by mass) was added, and then sodium bicarbonate was added as needed to adjust the pH. The tannin concentration of this green tea extract was 400 mg / L.

[0053] The aforementioned green tea extract was designated as the green tea extract for Test Example 1. Furthermore, to achieve the turbidity (OD660) shown in Table 2, tea leaf powder (powdered kabusecha) was added to the aforementioned green tea extract to prepare the green tea extracts for Test Examples 2-4. Additionally, glycerin fatty acid ester was added to each of the green tea extracts for Test Examples 1-4 to a concentration of 500 ppm to prepare the green tea extracts for Test Examples 5-8, differing only in the presence or absence of glycerin fatty acid ester. After ultra-high temperature (UHT) sterilization of each of these green tea extracts, they were bottled to obtain the green tea beverage samples for Test Examples 1-8. These green tea beverage samples were stirred at 20°C, and the absorbance at OD660 was immediately measured using a spectrophotometer (U-3900H, Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation) to evaluate the turbidity (OD660). Furthermore, after performing all the above preparations, tannin and pH were measured in Test Examples 1-8 of Test 2. The tannin concentrations ranged from 400 mg / L to 660 mg / L, and the pH ranged from 6.8 to 7.0. In addition, the non-polymerized catechin content and caffeine content of these green tea beverage samples were measured by the following method.

[0054] (Method for measuring non-polymerized catechin content and caffeine content) The samples used for measurement were filtered through a membrane filter (Advantec Co., Ltd.) (DISMIC hydrophilic PTFE, 0.45 μm), and the nonpolymer catechin content (total amount of catechin, gallocatechin, catechin gallate, gallocatechin gallate, epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, and epigallocatechin gallate) and caffeine content were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The HPLC conditions used for the measurements are shown in Table 1 below.

[0055] [Table 1]

[0056] (2. Sensory evaluation test) The degree of "tea flavor" in the containerized green tea beverage samples of Test Examples 1-8 was evaluated by a panel of five trained experts using the evaluation criteria described in Table 2 below. Specifically, for "tea flavor" (i.e., the characteristic aroma and aftertaste of tea, and / or tea sensation (tea body)), a sensory evaluation test was conducted using a 7-point scale from -1.5 to +1.5 in 0.5-point increments, as shown in Table 2, with the degree of tea flavor in samples without emulsifiers serving as the baseline. In each evaluation, the difference in the degree of sensory experience for each 0.5-point increment was considered to be approximately the same, with higher scores indicating a higher degree of flavor. For each test example, the evaluation result was obtained by rounding the average of the panel's evaluation scores to two decimal places. The standard deviation of each panel's evaluation scores was 0.7 points or less in all test examples.

[0057] [Table 2]

[0058] Table 3 shows the results of the sensory evaluation tests for the containerized green tea beverage samples from Test Examples 1 to 8.

[0059] [Table 3]

[0060] Table 3 compares the results of Test Examples 1 and 5, 2 and 6, 3 and 7, and 4 and 8, which differ only in the presence or absence of emulsifiers. The results show that the tea flavor improved in the Test Examples containing emulsifiers. Furthermore, the degree of improvement in tea flavor due to the addition of emulsifiers was +0.6 points for Test Example 5 compared to Test Example 1, +0.9 points for Test Example 6 compared to Test Example 2, +1.3 points for Test Example 7 compared to Test Example 3, and +1.3 points for Test Example 8 compared to Test Example 4. These results indicate that the higher the turbidity (OD660) of the Test Examples, the greater the improvement in tea flavor by adding emulsifiers. Therefore, it was shown that, in the embodiment of the present invention, a turbidity (OD660) of 0.075 or higher is preferable, regardless of the content of crushed tea leaves. Moreover, it was shown that containing crushed tea leaves and having a turbidity (OD660) of 0.2 or higher is more preferable, as the top green aroma is more pronounced.

[0061] Test 3. [Effects of different types of emulsifiers] The following experiment investigated how different types of emulsifiers affect the improvement of the flavor of tea beverages.

[0062] (1. Preparation of green tea beverages) In the method of Test 2, sucrose fatty acid ester was used as the emulsifier instead of glycerin fatty acid ester to obtain the containerized green tea beverage sample of Test Example 10 shown in Table 4. Additionally, a containerized green tea beverage sample of Test Example 9 was obtained as a sample without sucrose fatty acid ester. In both Test Examples 9 and 10, as in Test 2, crushed kabusecha tea leaves were used as the tea leaf material. After all the above preparations were carried out, the tannin and pH were measured in Test Examples 9 and 10 of Test 3. The tannin concentration was 630 mg / L to 660 mg / L, and the pH was 6.8 to 6.9. Furthermore, the non-polymerized catechin content and caffeine content of these green tea beverage samples were measured using the method described in Test 2.

[0063] (2. Sensory evaluation test) The degree of "tea flavor" in the containerized green tea beverage samples of Test Examples 9 and 10 was evaluated using the same method as in Test 2 described above.

[0064] Table 4 shows the results of the sensory evaluation tests for the containerized green tea beverage samples from Test Examples 9 and 10.

[0065] [Table 4]

[0066] The results in Table 4 show that even when sucrose fatty acid ester was used instead of glycerin fatty acid ester as an emulsifier, the tea flavor was improved. Furthermore, since the evaluation scores were similar in Test Example 8 using glycerin fatty acid ester (evaluation score 1.3 points (Table 3)) and Test Example 10 using sucrose fatty acid ester (evaluation score 1.4 points (Table 4)), it was shown that both emulsifiers improved the flavor to a similar degree.

[0067] Test 4. [Effects of different emulsifier addition rates] The following experiment investigated how differences in the emulsifier addition rate affect the improvement of the flavor of tea beverages due to the emulsifier.

[0068] (1. Preparation of green tea beverages) Dried green tea leaves (sencha) were mixed with ion-exchanged water at 50°C and extracted for 7 minutes. After solid-liquid separation, vitamin C (0.04% by mass) was added, and then sodium bicarbonate was added as needed to adjust the pH. The tannin concentration of this green tea extract was 400 mg / L.

[0069] To the aforementioned green tea extract, crushed tea leaves (crushed kabusecha) were added to achieve the turbidity (OD660) shown in Table 5 to prepare the green tea extract of Test Example 11. Furthermore, glycerin fatty acid esters were added to the green tea extract of Test Example 11 to achieve the concentrations shown in Table 5 to prepare the green tea extracts of Test Examples 12-14. Each of these green tea extracts was subjected to ultra-high temperature (UHT) sterilization and then bottled to obtain the green tea beverage samples of Test Examples 11-14. After all the above preparations were completed, the tannin and pH were measured in Test Examples 11-14 of Test 4. The tannin concentration was 670 mg / L to 680 mg / L, and the pH was 6.6. The non-polymerized catechin and caffeine content of these green tea beverage samples was measured using the method described in Test 2 above.

[0070] (2. Sensory evaluation test) The degree of "tea flavor" in the containerized green tea beverage samples from Test Examples 11-14 was evaluated using the same method as in Test 2 described above.

[0071] Table 5 shows the results of the sensory evaluation tests for the containerized green tea beverage samples from Test Examples 11-14.

[0072] [Table 5]

[0073] The results in Table 5 show that the tea flavor improved more significantly in a concentration-dependent manner with the emulsifier.

[0074] Test 5. [Effects of differences in the type of crushed tea leaves] The following experiment investigated how different types of ground tea leaves affect the improvement of tea beverage flavor by emulsifiers.

[0075] (1. Preparation of green tea beverages) Dried green tea leaves (sencha) were mixed with ion-exchanged water at 50°C and extracted for 7 minutes. After solid-liquid separation, vitamin C (0.04% by mass) was added, and then sodium bicarbonate was added as needed to adjust the pH. The tannin concentration of this green tea extract was 400 mg / L.

[0076] To the aforementioned green tea extract, matcha powder was added as ground tea leaves to achieve the turbidity (OD660) shown in Table 6, thereby preparing the green tea extract of Test Example 15. To the green tea extract of Test Example 15, glycerin fatty acid ester was further added to achieve a concentration of 500 ppm to prepare the green tea extract of Test Example 16. Furthermore, to the aforementioned green tea extract, ground roasted green tea powder was added to achieve the turbidity (OD660) shown in Table 6, thereby preparing the green tea extract of Test Example 17. To the green tea extract of Test Example 17, glycerin fatty acid ester was further added to achieve a concentration of 500 ppm to prepare the green tea extract of Test Example 18. After each of these green tea extracts was subjected to ultra-high temperature (UHT) sterilization, they were bottled to obtain the green tea beverage samples of Test Examples 15 to 18. Furthermore, after performing all the above preparations, tannin and pH were measured in Test Examples 15-18 of Test 5. The tannin concentration was 550 mg / L to 560 mg / L, and the pH was 6.8. In addition, the non-polymerized catechin content and caffeine content of these green tea beverage samples were measured using the method described in Test 2 above.

[0077] (2. Sensory evaluation test) The degree of "tea flavor" in the containerized green tea beverage samples of Test Examples 15-18 was evaluated using the same method as in Test 2 described above.

[0078] Table 6 shows the results of the sensory evaluation tests for the containerized green tea beverage samples from Test Examples 15-18.

[0079] [Table 6]

[0080] The results in Table 6 show that, regardless of the type of crushed tea leaves used, the use of emulsifiers improves the flavor of tea beverages.

[0081] Test 6. [Confirmation of the effects of the present invention in tea beverages using tea leaves with different degrees of fermentation] The following experiment investigated whether the effects of the present invention can be obtained even when the degree of fermentation of the tea leaves used in the tea extract for tea beverages differs.

[0082] (1. Preparation of tea beverages) Dried black tea leaves were mixed with ion-exchanged water at 80°C and extracted for 7 minutes. After solid-liquid separation, vitamin C (0.04% by mass) was added, and then sodium bicarbonate was added as needed to adjust the pH. The tannin concentration of this black tea extract was 400 mg / L.

[0083] The aforementioned black tea extract was designated as Test Example 19. Furthermore, glycerin fatty acid ester was added to the aforementioned black tea extract to a concentration of 500 ppm to prepare the black tea extract for Test Example 20. Each of these black tea extracts was subjected to ultra-high temperature (UHT) sterilization, then bottled to obtain the black tea beverage samples for Test Examples 19 and 20. Turbidity (OD660) was measured for Test Examples 19 and 20 in Test 6, and the results are shown in Table 7. The pH was 5.8 to 5.9. The non-polymerized catechin content and caffeine content of these black tea beverage samples were measured using the method described in Test 2 above.

[0084] (2. Sensory evaluation test) The degree of "tea flavor" in the containerized black tea beverage samples of Test Examples 19 and 20 was evaluated using the same method as in Test 2 described above.

[0085] Table 7 shows the results of the sensory evaluation tests for the bottled black tea beverage samples from Test Examples 19 and 20.

[0086] [Table 7]

[0087] The results in Table 7 show that even if the tea beverage is a black tea beverage, the flavor of the tea beverage can be improved by using an emulsifier.

[0088] Test 7. [Effects of differences in the mass ratio of (A) non-polymerized catechins and (B) caffeine [(B) / (A)]]] The following experiment investigated how differences in the mass ratio of (A) non-polymerized catechins and (B) caffeine affect the improvement of the flavor of tea beverages.

[0089] (1. Preparation of green tea beverages) Tea beverage of Test Example 21 was prepared by adding crushed tea leaves (crushed kabusecha) to a commercially available PET bottled sencha beverage (caffeine content: 0.6 ppm) to achieve the turbidity (OD660) shown in Table 8. Tea beverage of Test Example 23 was prepared by adding caffeine to the tea beverage of Test Example 21 to achieve the caffeine content shown in Table 8. Furthermore, glycerin fatty acid ester was added to each of the tea beverages of Test Examples 21 and 23 to a concentration of 500 ppm to prepare tea beverages of Test Examples 22 and 24, differing only in the presence or absence of glycerin fatty acid ester addition. After ultra-high temperature (UHT) sterilization, these tea beverages were bottled to obtain green tea beverage samples of Test Examples 21-24. Tannin and pH were measured in Test Examples 21-24 after all the above preparations were performed. The tannin concentration was 290 mg / L to 310 mg / L, and the pH was 6.3 to 6.4. Furthermore, the non-polymerized catechin content and caffeine content of these green tea beverage samples were measured using the method described in Test 2 above.

[0090] (2. Sensory evaluation test) The degree of "tea flavor" in the containerized green tea beverage samples of Test Examples 21-24 was evaluated using the same method as in Test 2 described above.

[0091] Table 8 shows the results of the sensory evaluation tests for the containerized green tea beverage samples from Test Examples 21-24.

[0092] [Table 8]

[0093] The results in Table 8 show that in test cases where the mass ratio of (A) non-polymerized catechins to (B) caffeine [(B) / (A)] was 0.01 or higher, the use of an emulsifier improved the flavor of the tea beverage. Furthermore, the use of an emulsifier resulted in a more pronounced and preferable initial green aroma when drinking the tea beverage. [Industrial applicability]

[0094] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide tea beverages with improved flavor and methods for producing the same.

Claims

1. A tea beverage that contains emulsifiers but does not contain any dairy ingredients or sweeteners.

2. The tea beverage according to claim 1, wherein the emulsifier is one or more selected from the group consisting of glycerin fatty acid esters and sucrose fatty acid esters.

3. The tea beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mass ratio of (A) nonpolymerized catechins to (B) caffeine [(B) / (A)] is greater than 0.

01.

4. The tea beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the total concentration of emulsifiers in the tea beverage is 2.0 ppm or more.

5. The tea beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the turbidity measured by OD660 is 0.2 or higher.

6. The tea beverage according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising crushed tea leaves.

7. A method for producing a tea beverage that does not contain either milk ingredients or sweeteners, A step of preparing the tea beverage so that it contains an emulsifier, and The process of heat sterilizing the aforementioned tea beverage. The manufacturing method, including the above.

8. The manufacturing method according to claim 7, wherein the step of preparing the tea beverage so that the tea beverage contains an emulsifier is the step of preparing the tea beverage so that the tea beverage contains one or more selected from the group consisting of glycerin fatty acid esters and sucrose fatty acid esters at a total concentration of 2.0 ppm or more of the emulsifier in the tea beverage.

9. A method for improving the flavor of a tea beverage that does not contain either dairy ingredients or sweeteners, A step of preparing the tea beverage so that it contains an emulsifier, and The process of heat sterilizing the aforementioned tea beverage. The method, including the method described above.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of preparing the tea beverage to contain an emulsifier is the step of preparing the tea beverage to contain one or more selected from the group consisting of glycerin fatty acid esters and sucrose fatty acid esters at a total concentration of 2.0 ppm or more of the emulsifier in the tea beverage.

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