Packaged beverages containing microgels

Abstract

The present invention provides a novel beverage containing microgels, in which there is a difference in taste between drinking the supernatant liquid with the microgels settled and drinking the beverage after stirring. [Solution] A packaged beverage containing a microgel containing a flavoring, wherein the microgel contains deacyl gellan gum or LM pectin, and the flavoring is an emulsified flavoring.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a container-packed beverage containing microgel.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been proposed a beverage that contains a microgel made from a thickening polysaccharide in the beverage and can provide a sensation such as a granular texture like that of pulp when drunk or a texture like a smoothie containing fine ice (for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a novel container-packed beverage containing microgel, in which there is a difference in taste between when the supernatant is drunk in a state where the microgel is deposited and when the beverage is stirred and then drunk.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] When the container-packed beverage containing microgel is left standing, the microgel settles and deposits at the bottom of the container. Here, the present inventor has found that when a fragrance is contained in the microgel, there is a difference in taste between when the supernatant is drunk when the microgel is deposited and when the beverage is stirred by shaking the container and the microgel is more uniformly present in the beverage and then drunk. Furthermore, the inventor has found that by using a predetermined thickening polysaccharide that constitutes the microgel and a predetermined fragrance contained in the microgel, the above-described difference in taste can be made greater.

[0006] The gist of this invention is as follows: [1] A packaged beverage containing a microgel containing flavorings, The packaged beverage wherein the microgel contains deacyl gellan gum or LM pectin, and the flavoring is an emulsified flavoring. [2] The packaged beverage according to [1], wherein the average particle size of the microgel is 5 μm or more and 500 μm or less. [3] The containerized beverage according to [1] or [2], wherein the deposition height of the microgel is 5% or more and 50% or less of the height inside the container. [4] A method for producing a packaged beverage containing a microgel containing a flavoring agent, The fragrance is added to a deacyl gellan gum solution or an LM pectin solution. A divalent cation source is added to the solution to which the fragrance has been added to form a gel. The process includes performing a microgelation treatment on the obtained gel so that its average particle size is between 5 μm and 500 μm. The manufacturing method wherein the fragrance is an emulsified fragrance. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a novel beverage containing microgels, in which there is a difference in taste between when the supernatant is drunk with the microgels settled and when the beverage is stirred before drinking. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This figure shows an overview of the appearance of the packaged beverage according to this embodiment, when the container is a transparent PET bottle (a cross-sectional view along the height inside the container). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] One embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below. This embodiment relates to a packaged beverage containing a microgel containing a flavoring agent.

[0010] Microgels are gel-like substances with an average particle size of 1 μm or more and less than 1000 μm, which can be constructed using thickening polysaccharides and other materials as raw materials. The microgel according to this embodiment can be constructed, for example, by forming a gel with a thickening polysaccharide and then performing a microgelation treatment on the gel. Specifically, a divalent cation source that promotes gelation can be added to a solution of thickening polysaccharide to form a gel, and then a microgelation treatment such as stirring can be performed. The size of the microgel is not particularly limited as long as the average particle diameter (D50) is 1 μm or more and less than 1000 μm, and can be appropriately set by those skilled in the art. However, from the viewpoint of ease of deposition and fluidity of the microgel, it is preferable that the average particle diameter of the microgel is 5 μm or more and 500 μm or less. The average particle diameter (D50) refers to the particle size at 50% of the cumulative value based on frequency in the particle size distribution obtained by laser diffraction and scattering. The average particle diameter D50 of the microgel can be measured, for example, using "Partica La-960" (manufactured by Horiba Techno Service Co., Ltd.) as described in the examples.

[0011] In this embodiment, deacyl gellan gum or LM pectin can be used as the thickening polysaccharide. Using deacyl gellan gum or LM pectin is preferable because it allows for a greater perception of the difference between the taste of the supernatant liquid when the microgel is settled and the taste of the beverage after stirring. Deacylated gellan gum refers to gellan gum produced by Sphingomonas elodea that has been deacylated. Furthermore, LM pectin refers to pectin that is mainly composed of galacturonic acid and has a methyl esterification degree of less than 50%. The deacylated gellan gum and LM pectin are not particularly limited, and commercially available products can be used, for example.

[0012] Deacyl gellan gum and LM pectin gel in the presence of divalent cations. Therefore, to promote gelation, a source of divalent cations should be added to the solution of deacyl gellan gum or LM pectin. Calcium ions (Ca) are a suitable source of divalent cations. 2+ ) and magnesium ions (Mg 2+ Examples of divalent cation sources include calcium lactate (Calcium 2-hydroxypropanoate) and magnesium chloride (MgCl2).

[0013] Furthermore, the microgel according to this embodiment contains a flavoring agent, which is a substance that can impart taste and aroma to the beverage. It is preferable that the flavoring agent be an emulsified flavoring agent, as this allows for a greater perception of the difference between the taste when drinking the supernatant with the microgel settled and the taste when drinking the beverage after stirring. In this specification, "emulsified fragrance" refers to an oil-in-water composition in which a fragrance substance is contained in particles (emulsified particles) due to the action of an emulsifier and dispersed in water, thereby exhibiting an emulsion state.

[0014] The type of emulsifier used in emulsified fragrances is not particularly limited and can be determined as appropriate by those skilled in the art. The type of flavoring used in the emulsified flavoring is not particularly limited and can be appropriately determined by those skilled in the art. For example, it may be used that evokes the taste and aroma of fruit, vegetables, or other specific foods and beverages when consumed. Here, it is preferable that the emulsified flavoring contained in the microgel is a citrus flavoring, as this allows for a greater perception of the difference between the taste of the supernatant when the microgel is settled and the taste of the beverage after stirring. As used herein, a citrus flavoring agent means a flavoring agent that can impart to a beverage a taste and aroma reminiscent of citrus fruits when added to the beverage. Examples of citrus fruits include oranges, unshu mikan, grapefruit, lemons, limes, pummelos, iyokan, natsumikan, hassaku, ponkan, shikuwasa, kabosu, and the like.

[0015] The container-packed beverage of this embodiment contains microgels as described above, and when the beverage is left standing, these microgels settle and deposit toward the bottom surface inside the container. Therefore, when left standing, the beverage is in a state having a layer in which the microgels are deposited and a layer (supernatant) located above it. Here, in this embodiment, it is preferable from the viewpoints of good appearance and flavor that the deposition height of the microgels when the microgels are deposited by leaving the container-packed beverage standing or the like is 5% or more and 50% or less of the inner height of the container. Specifically, when the container-packed beverage is left standing, it is more clearly and easily recognizable that it is divided into two layers, a layer in which the microgels are deposited and a layer (supernatant) located above it, and when the beverage is shaken, the state in which the microgels are floating is gradated and looks neat. Also, when the deposition height is 5% or more and 50% or less, the ease of drinking as a beverage is improved, and the difference between the taste of drinking the supernatant in the state where the microgels are deposited and the taste of drinking after stirring the beverage can be felt more. As used herein, the inner height of the container means the height inside the container (the maximum length inside the container in the direction perpendicular to the standing surface) when the container is placed in a state where it is stable as a single unit and the height of the container is maximized, and in FIG. 1, (A) corresponds to it. Also, the deposition height means the height of the layer in which the microgels are deposited (the maximum length of the layer in which the microgels are deposited in the direction perpendicular to the standing surface) when the container is placed in a state where it is stable as a single unit and the height of the container is maximized, and in FIG. 1, (B) corresponds to it. In addition, in this embodiment, the content ratio of the microgels in the beverage is not particularly limited and can be appropriately set by those skilled in the art.

[0016] The beverage according to this embodiment may contain other components in addition to the microgel containing the flavoring, to the extent that the objectives of the present invention can be achieved, and is not particularly limited. Examples of such other components include fruit juice, vegetable juice, sweeteners such as sugars and high-intensity sweeteners, salt, antioxidants, acidulants, pH adjusters, flavorings, colorants, extracts, vitamins, amino acids, dietary fiber, and antifoaming agents. These other components may be present in the microgel contained in the beverage. Furthermore, the sugar content, acidity, and pH of the beverage in this embodiment are not particularly limited and can be set as appropriate by those skilled in the art. For example, the sugar content can be 7 to 12 degrees, the acidity (citric acid) 0.2 to 0.4, and the pH less than 4.0.

[0017] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the beverage may be a carbonated beverage. In this specification, a carbonated beverage means a beverage that contains dissolved carbon dioxide (carbonic acid gas). When a carbonated beverage is used, the volume of carbon dioxide gas is not particularly limited and can be set as appropriate by those skilled in the art. Furthermore, the beverage in this embodiment may be a beverage containing alcohol such as ethanol, or it may be a beverage that substantially does not contain alcohol (specifically, a beverage with an alcohol content of less than 1.0 volume / vol%).

[0018] The beverage according to this embodiment can be a packaged beverage sealed in a container. The container is not particularly limited in terms of material or shape. Specific examples of containers include glass bottles, plastic containers such as PET bottles, and metal cans such as steel cans and aluminum cans. Transparent containers that allow the beverage contents to be seen are preferred.

[0019] The method for manufacturing the packaged beverages of this embodiment is not particularly limited, but for example, it can be manufactured as follows. First, a thickening polysaccharide such as deacyl gellan gum or LM pectin, along with other ingredients as needed, is dissolved in water to form a thickening polysaccharide solution. Next, a flavoring agent such as an emulsifying flavoring agent is added to this solution, followed by the addition of a divalent cation source to form a gel and perform a microgelation process to prepare a liquid containing microgels. Finally, the resulting liquid containing microgels is mixed with solutions or suspensions of other ingredients to form the beverage. Microgelation treatments include stirring the gel-containing solution, and the conditions for this treatment are not particularly limited as long as microgel formation is possible. Furthermore, in the dissolution of thickening polysaccharides and gel formation, the raw water or solution may be heated or cooled to promote these processes. Furthermore, if the beverage in this embodiment is a carbonated beverage, the process of dissolving carbon dioxide is not particularly limited. Examples include a method of mixing water with dissolved carbon dioxide into a solution to make a carbonated beverage (post-mix method), or a method of directly injecting carbon dioxide into the solution to dissolve it (pre-mix method).

[0020] Next, the beverage obtained as described above is sealed in a container to become a packaged beverage. The method of sealing the container is not particularly limited and can be carried out, for example, according to conventional methods. Furthermore, when packaging beverages, they may be manufactured through processes such as sterilization as necessary. The sterilization method is not particularly limited and can be appropriately determined by those skilled in the art. Examples include heat sterilization such as hot water shower sterilization after filling the beverage into containers, or sterilization of the beverage before filling it into containers.

[0021] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a microgel-containing packaged beverage in which the taste differs depending on whether the beverage is stirred so that the microgel is more uniformly distributed in the beverage, or when the supernatant is consumed after the beverage has been allowed to stand for a period of time. Therefore, it is expected to contribute to improving the palatability of the beverage. [Examples]

[0022] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0023] [Preparation of microgels] In preparing the liquid containing the microgel, the following were used: 12.5 g / L of sugar, 0.25 g / L of modified starch, thickening polysaccharides (deacyl gellan gum or LM pectin), 0.25 g / L of emulsifying flavoring (emulsifier: gum arabic), and calcium lactate or magnesium chloride. First, hot water was prepared at a constant temperature of 80°C. The amount of water was adjusted so that the final concentration of the thickening polysaccharide was 1.5%. Sugar and modified starch were added to the hot water in that order, and the mixture was stirred for 10 minutes. Next, thickening polysaccharides and emulsifying flavorings were added in that order, and the mixture was diluted to a final volume minus a 10% calcium lactate (or magnesium chloride) solution using hot water at around 80°C. Next, a 10% calcium lactate (or magnesium chloride) solution was added over 15 seconds while stirring. After stirring at 80°C for 10 minutes, the mixture was placed in a 25°C constant temperature bath and stirred until it reached below 30°C, allowing it to cool and obtain a liquid containing microgels. Stirring was performed using a "Lab-StirrerLT400" (manufactured by Yamato Science Co., Ltd.) at 450 rpm.

[0024] [Preparation of packaged beverages] The resulting liquid containing the microgel was mixed with a separately prepared base liquid (80 g / L fructose-glucose syrup, 2.0 g / L anhydrous citric acid, 1.0 g / L trisodium citrate), and the mixture was diluted to the desired volume to obtain a beverage with Bx: 7.4, acidity: 0.20, and pH: 3.5. The microgel was adjusted to 5% of the total beverage volume (final amount). After heat sterilization, the beverage was filled into transparent containers and sealed to produce a bottled beverage.

[0025] [Test 1] The bottled beverage of Example 1 was prepared as described above, using a deacyl-type gellan gum as the thickening polysaccharide and an orange-flavored emulsifying flavor as the emulsifying flavor, and was subjected to testing. In addition, we also used in the test containerized beverages of Control Example 1, which was prepared without incorporating flavorings into the microgel, and Comparative Examples 1, 2, and 3, which were prepared by adding an aqueous flavoring of orange, lemon, or peach instead of the emulsified flavoring. For these beverages, the taste of the upper layer (supernatant) without microgels and the taste after stirring to include microgels were compared and evaluated according to the evaluation criteria. Five panelists were asked to evaluate the difference in taste between the top layer after standing and after stirring, using a quantity-based rating system where control example 1 was assigned a score of 1. The average of their scores is shown in Table 1. Each panelist evaluated the difference in flavor on a four-point scale (higher numbers indicate a greater difference in flavor). 4 points: There is a significant difference compared to the standard. 3 points: There are differences compared to the standard. Points 2: There are slight differences compared to the standard. 1 point: Standard. No difference in taste (taste only in the top layer).

[0026] [Table 1]

[0027] As can be seen from Table 1, a difference was observed between the taste of the upper layer of the packaged beverage in the example, which did not contain microgels, and the taste after stirring, which included microgels.

[0028] [Exam 2] The thickening polysaccharide was replaced with a deacyl gellan gum, and an emulsifying flavoring of orange, lemon, or peach was used as the emulsifying flavoring. The resulting packaged beverages were prepared as described above and subjected to testing in the same manner as in Test 1. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0029] [Table 2]

[0030] As can be seen from Table 2, a difference was observed between the taste of the upper layer of the packaged beverage in the example, which did not contain microgels, and the taste after stirring, which included microgels.

[0031] [Exam 3] Using LM pectin as the thickening polysaccharide and orange-flavored, lemon-flavored, or peach-flavored emulsifying flavor as the emulsifying flavor, a packaged beverage of the example prepared as described above was obtained and subjected to testing in the same manner as in Test 1. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0032] [Table 3]

[0033] As can be seen from Table 3, a difference was observed between the taste of the upper layer of the packaged beverage in the example, which did not contain microgels, and the taste after stirring, which included microgels.

[0034] [Exam 4] Control Example 2, prepared using LM pectin and without incorporating flavoring into the microgel, and Comparative Example 4, prepared using sodium alginate as a thickening polysaccharide and with the addition of a lemon-flavored emulsified flavoring, were subjected to the same tests as in Test 1. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0035] [Table 4]

[0036] As can be seen from the results in Table 4, in the comparative example, where the thickening polysaccharide constituting the microgel is sodium alginate, there was not as much difference in taste between the upper layer without microgel and the taste after stirring, when the microgel was included, compared to the example.

[0037] [Exam 5] The beverage of Example 8 was obtained in the same manner as in Example 6, except that magnesium chloride was used as a source of divalent cations to promote gelation. The beverage was tested in the same manner as in Test 3. The results are shown in Table 5.

[0038] [Table 5]

[0039] As can be seen from Table 5, a difference was observed between the taste of the upper layer of the packaged beverage in the example, which did not contain microgels, and the taste after stirring, which included microgels.

[0040] [Exam 6] Except for the amounts of decylated gellan gum and calcium lactate added, which are shown in Table 6, the beverages of Examples 9 and 10 were obtained in the same manner as in Example 3. The beverages were tested in the same manner as in Test 2. The results are shown in Table 6.

[0041] [Table 6]

[0042] As can be seen from Table 6, a difference was observed between the taste of the upper layer of the packaged beverage in the example, which did not contain microgels, and the taste after stirring, which included microgels.

[0043] [Exam 7] Except for the amounts of LM pectin and calcium lactate added, which are shown in Table 7, the beverages of Examples 11 and 12 were obtained in the same manner as in Example 6. These beverages were tested in the same manner as in Test 3. The results are shown in Table 7.

[0044] [Table 7]

[0045] As can be seen from Table 7, a difference was observed between the taste of the upper layer of the packaged beverage in the example, which did not contain microgels, and the taste after stirring, which included microgels.

[0046] [Average particle size of microgels] The average particle size was measured for the microgels used in Examples 2 and 5. The measurement was performed using "Partica La-960" (manufactured by Horiba Techno Service Co., Ltd.). The measurement results are shown in Table 8.

[0047] [Table 8]

Claims

1. A packaged beverage containing a microgel containing flavorings, The containerized beverage wherein the microgel contains deacyl gellan gum or LM pectin, and the flavoring is an emulsified flavoring.

2. The packaged beverage according to claim 1, wherein the average particle size of the microgel is 5 μm or more and 500 μm or less.

3. The containerized beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the deposition height of the microgel is 5% or more and 50% or less of the height inside the container.

4. A method for producing a packaged beverage containing a microgel containing a flavoring agent, The fragrance is added to a deacylated gellan gum solution or an LM pectin solution. A divalent cation source is added to the solution to which the fragrance has been added to form a gel. The process includes performing a microgelation treatment on the obtained gel so that its average particle size is between 5 μm and 500 μm. The manufacturing method wherein the fragrance is an emulsified fragrance.

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