Flavoring composition

Abstract

The present invention provides a novel flavor enhancer for vanilla flavoring compositions that improves the flavor of a vanilla flavoring composition to a high-quality flavor with a natural, luxurious feel of vanilla and / or a vanilla extract feel; a flavoring composition for vanilla-flavored food and beverages having a high-quality flavor with a natural, luxurious feel of vanilla and / or a vanilla extract feel; and vanilla-flavored food and beverages containing the flavoring composition. [Solution] A flavor enhancer for vanilla flavoring compositions, comprising one or more compounds selected from group A below. (Group A) Ethyl furfuryl ether, benzyl ethyl ether, sec-butyl ethyl ether, prenyl ethyl ether, dibenzyl ether, furfuryl methyl ether, benzyl methyl ether

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a flavor improver, a flavoring composition, food and drink products, and a flavor improving method.

Background Art

[0002] Vanilla is a vine plant of the genus Vanilla in the orchid family, and its length can reach up to 60 meters at maximum. Also, the fruit is shaped like a winged bean about 15 to 20 cm in length. These green vanilla beans, which are the fruit, do not have a fragrance as they are, but by undergoing a long-term ripening process on the tree and a curing process that repeatedly involves fermentation and drying, they come to have a unique sweet smell.

[0003] The fragrance extracted from vanilla beans (including both seeds and pods; the same applies hereinafter) after this curing process contains many fragrance components such as vanillin as the main component (anisaldehyde, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, vanillyl ethyl ether, etc.), and has a unique sweet aroma in which their scents are intricately intertwined. Therefore, the fragrance extracted from vanilla beans is widely used in high-class confectionery, cosmetics, etc. that require an aroma that cannot be obtained with inexpensive synthetic vanilla produced by chemical synthesis using eugenol, guaiacol, etc. as raw materials or by decomposition of lignin.

[0004] However, this process such as curing generally requires a long aging time of 6 to 12 months and is greatly affected by restrictions such as weather and temperature, so it is difficult to keep the quality of vanilla stable. Therefore, it is very difficult to efficiently obtain vanilla extract with a natural feeling, a high-class feeling and / or a vanilla extract feeling with stable quality, and it is required to stably supply the quality of the aroma of a vanilla flavoring composition (vanilla flavor) by adding a fragrance compound to the vanilla extract.

[0005] In this regard, vanilla flavoring compositions mainly composed of synthetic vanillin produced by synthetic compounds using eugenol, guaiacol, etc. as raw materials, or by fermentation of lignin, are inexpensive and can be supplied stably. As an example of such vanilla flavoring compositions, Table 3 of Non-Patent Document 1 exemplifies patented vanilla-based synthetic fragrances. Furthermore, Patent Document 1 describes that 3-ethoxy-4-isobutylyloxybenzaldehyde exhibits a more natural vanilla aroma closer to that of real vanilla extract. In addition, Patent Document 2 describes that 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoate methyl methyl 4-hydroxy-3-ethoxybenzoate, etc., emit a very interesting, strong spicy or fruity vanilla aroma that is completely different from the scent of vanillin itself. Furthermore, Patent Document 3 describes that β-damascenone imparts a dried fruit-like aroma to vanilla flavoring compositions. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3574744 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 3934694 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-169393 [Non-patent literature]

[0007] [Non-Patent Document 1] Japan Patent Office Gazette, Collection of Well-Known and Conventional Technologies (Fragrances), Part II: Food Fragrances, pp. 348-366. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] However, the compounds described in Non-Patent Document 1 and Patent Documents 1-3 were not sufficient to improve the flavor of the vanilla-flavoring composition to a high-quality flavor with a natural, luxurious feel and / or vanilla extract-like quality.

[0009] The object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the above-mentioned prior art and to provide a novel vanilla flavor enhancer that improves the flavor of a vanilla flavoring composition to a high-quality flavor with a natural vanilla feel, a sense of luxury, and / or vanilla extract; a vanilla flavoring composition for food and beverages having a high-quality flavor with a natural vanilla feel, a sense of luxury, and / or vanilla extract; and a vanilla flavoring food and beverage containing the flavoring composition. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The inventors have diligently conducted research to solve the above problems and have found that certain ethers impart a vanilla flavor to the vanilla flavor composition, giving it a natural vanilla feel (examples include, but are not limited to, a sense encompassing the unique sweet flavor of vanilla with various aromas including a sense of maturity), a sense of luxury (examples include, but are not limited to, a sense that high-quality vanilla beans are used), and / or a vanilla extract feel (examples include, but are not limited to, the complex depth characteristic of natural vanilla extract), and more specifically, a sense of Western liquor (whiskey, vodka, gin, bitters, brandy, rum, We have found that we can improve the flavor of a vanilla flavoring composition by imparting or enhancing desirable flavors such as, but are not limited to, sensations reminiscent of liqueurs, sweet aroma, sense of maturity (for example, but not limited to the sensation of using vanilla beans that have been aged for a sufficient amount of time in processes such as curing), richness (for example, but not limited to the sensation of containing a large amount of vanilla beans), and / or the pod-like quality of cured vanilla beans (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "pod-like quality"), thereby completing the present invention. Furthermore, the present inventors have discovered that a flavoring composition containing a specific ether as an active ingredient imparts or enhances vanilla-flavored food and beverages with a natural vanilla feel, a sense of luxury and / or vanilla extract, more specifically, a sense of liquor, a sweet flavor, a sense of maturity, a richness, and / or the scent of cured vanilla beans, thereby improving the flavor of vanilla-flavored food and beverages, and thus completed the present invention.

[0011] Thus, a brief overview of some of the representative inventions disclosed in this application is as follows:

[0012] [1] A flavor enhancer for vanilla flavoring compositions, comprising one or more compounds selected from Group A below. (Group A) Ethyl furfuryl ether, benzyl ethyl ether, sec-butyl ethyl ether, prenyl ethyl ether, dibenzyl ether, furfuryl methyl ether, benzyl methyl ether [2] A flavoring composition for vanilla-flavored food and beverages, containing one or more compounds selected from group A below as active ingredients. (Group A) Ethyl furfuryl ether, benzyl ethyl ether, sec-butyl ethyl ether, prenyl ethyl ether, dibenzyl ether, furfuryl methyl ether, benzyl methyl ether [3] A vanilla-flavored food or beverage containing the vanilla-flavored food or beverage flavoring composition described in [2]. [4] A vanilla-flavored food or beverage as described in [3], wherein the concentration of the compound is in the range of 0.01 ppt or more and less than 10 ppm, based on the total mass of the vanilla-flavored food or beverage. [5] A method for improving the flavor of a vanilla flavoring composition, comprising the step of adding one or more compounds selected from group A below to the vanilla flavoring composition. (Group A) Ethyl furfuryl ether, benzyl ethyl ether, sec-butyl ethyl ether, prenyl ethyl ether, dibenzyl ether, furfuryl methyl ether, benzyl methyl ether [6] A method for improving the flavor of a vanilla flavored composition as described in [5], wherein in the step, the compound is added to the vanilla flavored composition such that the concentration of the compound is in the range of 0.01 ppb or more and less than 1%, based on the total mass of the vanilla flavored composition. [7] A method for improving the flavor of food or beverage, comprising the step of adding a flavor-imparting composition containing one or more compounds selected from group A below as active ingredients to food or beverage, wherein the flavor-imparting composition is a vanilla flavor-imparting composition and / or the food or beverage is a vanilla-flavored food or beverage. (Group A) Ethyl furfuryl ether, benzyl ethyl ether, sec-butyl ethyl ether, prenyl ethyl ether, dibenzyl ether, furfuryl methyl ether, benzyl methyl ether [8] A method for improving the flavor of food and beverages as described in [7], wherein in the step, the flavor-imparting composition is added to the food and beverage so that the concentration of the compound is in the range of 0.01 ppt or more and less than 10 ppm, based on the total mass of the food and beverage. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a novel vanilla flavor enhancer that improves the flavor of a vanilla flavoring composition to a high-quality flavor with a natural feel, a sense of luxury, and / or a vanilla extract feel, a vanilla flavoring composition for food and beverages having a high-quality flavor with a natural feel, a sense of luxury, and / or a vanilla extract feel, and vanilla flavored food and beverages containing the flavoring composition. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. In this specification, "~" means a range including a lower limit value and an upper limit value, and "concentration (ppm, ppb, ppt, %)" represents "mass concentration" unless otherwise specified. Also, in this specification, "flavor" means one or more kinds of sensations that can be changed by aroma (scent), typically sensations including smell and / or taste. In this specification, the term "flavor imparting (imparting flavor)" includes adding a new flavor and / or enhancing a flavor, and also includes those in which the flavor is improved as a result of imparting or enhancing the flavor. Furthermore, the term "flavor imparting (imparting flavor)" includes enhancing, suppressing, or improving sensations other than smell and / or taste as a result of flavor imparting, such as a cold feeling, a warm feeling, a texture (such as throat feel, firmness, viscosity, also referred to as texture), a stimulating feeling such as carbonation or spiciness. Also, in this specification, the flavor of food and drink may be referred to as flavor. Also, in this specification, "addition" includes at least one of simply adding to a target by spraying, dropping, etc. and mixing with a target.

[0015] (Flavor improver) The flavor improver for a vanilla flavor - imparting composition according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the present flavor improver) is composed of one or more compounds selected from the following Group A.

[0016] (Group A) Ethyl furfuryl ether, benzyl ethyl ether, sec - butyl ethyl ether, prenyl ethyl ether, dibenzyl ether, furfuryl methyl ether, benzyl methyl ether.

[0017] As shown by an example in the following embodiments, this fragrance improver can improve the fragrance of various vanilla fragrance-imparting compositions by adding it to the compositions. More specifically, this fragrance improver can impart or enhance a natural feeling, a high-class feeling, and / or a vanilla extract feeling, more specifically, a feeling of liquor, a sweet fragrance, an aged feeling, a rich feeling, and / or a feeling of the pods of vanilla beans that have undergone curing to the various vanilla fragrance-imparting compositions as the addition target, and can improve the fragrance of the vanilla fragrance-imparting compositions. Here, the "vanilla fragrance-imparting composition" is a fragrance-imparting composition having a vanilla fragrance, and examples thereof include vanilla extracts (extracts, oleoresins, etc.) that are natural fragrance materials, vanillin, ethyl vanillin, etc. that are synthetic fragrance materials, and vanilla fragrance compositions (flavors), vanilla taste-imparting compositions, etc. that contain any one or both of these.

[0018] The compounds constituting the above Group A are all ethers. Specifically, they are ethyl furfuryl ether represented by the following formula (1), benzyl ethyl ether represented by formula (2), sec-butyl ethyl ether represented by formula (3), prenyl ethyl ether represented by formula (4), dibenzyl ether represented by formula (5), furfuryl methyl ether represented by formula (6), and benzyl methyl ether represented by formula (7).

[0019]

Chemical formula

[0020]

Chemical formula

[0021]

Chemical formula

[0022]

Chemical formula

[0023] [ka]

[0024] [ka]

[0025] [ka]

[0026] The above compounds can be obtained by any method that can be performed by those skilled in the art, for example, by purchasing them as food flavoring compounds or reagents, by extracting them from natural products, or by synthesizing them according to standard methods. Examples of the synthesis of the above compounds include a method (Williamson's ether synthesis) in which starting alcohols (2-butanol (sec-butyl alcohol), 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol (prenyl alcohol), benzyl alcohol, furfuryl alcohol) are converted to alkoxides with a base, and then the above various ethers are synthesized by nucleophilic substitution reaction with alkyl halides (methyl iodide, ethyl iodide, benzyl iodide, methyl bromide, ethyl bromide, benzyl bromide, etc.), or by dehydration condensation of the starting alcohols. The obtained compounds may be further purified by means such as column chromatography or vacuum distillation as needed.

[0027] The flavor enhancer in this case may consist of only one compound selected from group A, or it may consist of two or more compounds selected from group A in combination, and will produce the effects described above. As shown in the examples described later, it was found that ethyl furfuryl ether, among the flavor enhancers in this case, exhibits a particularly excellent flavor-improving effect.

[0028] The concentration of the flavor enhancer in the vanilla flavor-imparting composition to be added (representing the concentration of one compound if one compound is used, or the total concentration if two or more compounds are used in combination; the same applies hereinafter) can be arbitrarily determined according to the aroma characteristics of the vanilla flavor-imparting composition and / or the target to which the flavor enhancer is added. Preferably, it is in the range of 10 ppt (0.01 ppb) or more and less than 1% of the total mass of the vanilla flavor-imparting composition, and more preferably in the range of 100 ppt (0.1 ppb) to 0.1%. More specifically, the lower limit can be any of 10ppt, 100ppt, 1ppb, 10ppb, 100ppb, 1ppm, 10ppm, 100ppm, or 0.1%, and the upper limit can be any of 1% (less than), 0.1%, 100ppm, 10ppm, 1ppm, 100ppb, 10ppb, 1ppb, or 100ppt, and the result can be within any combination of these lower and upper limits, but is not limited to these.

[0029] The vanilla flavoring composition containing this flavor enhancer is not limited to any particular article to which it can be added, but examples include consumer goods such as food and beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, or health and hygiene products.

[0030] The flavors of food and beverages to which the vanilla flavoring composition containing this flavor enhancer can be added are not particularly limited, but examples include: various citrus flavors such as lemon, orange, grapefruit, lime, mandarin, mandarin orange, kabosu, sudachi, hassaku, iyokan, yuzu, shikwasa, and kumquat; various fruit flavors such as strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, apple, cherry, plum, apricot, peach, pineapple, banana, melon, mango, papaya, kiwi, pear, grape, muscat, and Kyoho; milk flavors such as milk, yogurt, and butter; vanilla flavor; various tea flavors such as green tea, black tea, oolong tea, and herbal tea; coffee flavor; cola flavor; cacao flavor; cocoa flavor; various mint flavors such as spearmint and peppermint; cinnamon, chamomile, cardamom, caraway, cumin, clove, pepper, coriander, sansho, shiso, ginger, and starch. Flavors of various spices or herbs such as anise, thyme, chili peppers, nutmeg, basil, marjoram, rosemary, bay leaf, garlic, and wasabi; flavors of various nuts such as almonds, cashews, and walnuts; flavors of various alcoholic beverages such as wine, brandy, whiskey, rum, gin, liqueurs, sake, shochu, and beer; flavors of vegetables such as onions, celery, carrots, tomatoes, and cucumbers; and flavors of various meats such as chicken, duck, pork, beef, lamb, and horse meat. Foods and beverages having one or more of the following flavors are examples: meat flavor; red meat flavor such as tuna; white meat flavor such as mackerel, sea bream, salmon, and horse mackerel; freshwater fish such as sweetfish, trout, and carp; shellfish such as turban shells, clams, short-necked clams, and freshwater clams; various crustaceans such as shrimp and crabs; various seaweeds such as wakame and kelp; various grain flavors such as rice, barley, wheat, and malt; and various fats and oils such as beef fat, chicken fat, lard, and various fish oils.In other words, the food or beverage may have only one of the above flavors, or it may have two or more flavors, and the multiple flavors may be of the same type or different types. For example, an example of the former would be a fruit flavor that has multiple fruit flavors, such as banana, peach, and apple (so-called mixed fruit flavor), and an example of the latter would be a citrus flavor such as lemon and a milky flavor (such as a citrus-flavored lactic acid drink), or a mint flavor, citrus flavor, and cola flavor (such as a mint or lemon-flavored cola drink).

[0031] Among the foods and beverages to which the vanilla flavoring composition containing the flavor enhancer can be added, the most preferred example is vanilla-flavored foods and beverages. Vanilla-flavored foods and beverages refer to foods and beverages to which vanilla flavor has been imparted using vanilla beans, or foods and beverages to which vanilla flavor has been imparted using the vanilla flavoring composition. Examples include vanilla-flavored frozen desserts such as vanilla ice cream, vanilla ice pops, and vanilla sherbet (ice cream, ice milk, lacto ice, frozen desserts), vanilla-flavored milk (sweetened or unsweetened, with or without sweeteners), vanilla-flavored pudding (typical custard pudding), vanilla-flavored yogurt, vanilla-flavored caramel, vanilla-flavored chocolate, vanilla-flavored whipped cream, vanilla-flavored custard cream, vanilla-flavored protein (powder), vanilla-flavored protein drinks, vanilla-flavored syrup, vanilla-flavored cookies, and vanilla-flavored cakes. Furthermore, the intent of the vanilla-flavored food or beverage remains the same whether (a) a vanilla flavoring composition that does not contain the compound in question is added to a food or beverage that does not originally have a vanilla flavor to create a vanilla-flavored food or beverage, and then the flavoring composition in question is added; (b) a vanilla flavoring composition that does not contain the compound in question is added after the flavoring composition in question has been added; or (c) a vanilla flavoring composition that does not contain the compound in question and the flavoring composition in question are added simultaneously. Therefore, when the flavoring composition in question is a vanilla flavoring composition, vanilla-flavored food or beverage includes food or beverages that do not originally have a vanilla flavor but become vanilla-flavored by adding the flavoring composition in question (hereinafter the same applies in this specification).

[0032] Furthermore, among the foods and beverages to which the vanilla flavoring composition containing the flavor enhancer can be added, suitable examples include not only vanilla-flavored foods and beverages, but also foods and beverages that are not vanilla-flavored but to which the vanilla flavoring composition is added as a so-called "secret ingredient," such as matcha ice cream, chocolate ice cream, caramel, and coffee milk.

[0033] More specific examples of food and beverages include rice crackers, rice crackers, puffed rice crackers, mochi, manju, uiro, bean paste, yokan, mizuyokan, kintama, jelly, castella, candy, biscuits, crackers, potato chips, cookies, pies, pudding, buttercream, custard cream, cream puffs, waffles, sponge cake, donuts, chocolate, chewing gum, caramel, candy, peanut paste or other pastes, and other sweets; bread, udon, ramen, Chinese noodles, sushi, gomokumeshi, fried rice, pilaf, gyoza wrappers, shumai. Breads such as chicken skin, okonomiyaki, takoyaki, noodles, rice dishes, and other grains; pickles such as fermented rice bran pickles, pickled plums, fukujinzuke, bettara pickles, senmaizuke, rakkyo, miso pickles, takuan pickles, and pickling mixes; fish such as mackerel, sardines, saury, salmon, tuna, bonito, whale, flounder, sand eel, and sweetfish; squid such as Japanese flying squid, spear squid, cuttlefish, and firefly squid; octopuses such as common octopus and baby octopus; shrimp such as kuruma prawns, spot prawns, spiny lobsters, and black tiger prawns; crabs such as king crab, snow crab, swimming crab, and hairy crab; clams Shellfish such as clams, scallops, oysters, and mussels; processed seafood products such as canned goods, boiled fish, tsukudani, surimi, processed seafood products (chikuwa, kamaboko, fried kamaboko, crab leg kamaboko, etc.), fried foods, tempura, etc.; meat products such as chicken, pork, beef, lamb, and horse meat; processed foods using meat such as curry, stew, beef stew, Hayashi rice sauce, meat sauce, mapo tofu, hamburgers, dumplings, kamameshi mix, soups (corn soup, tomato soup, consommé soup, etc.), meatballs, braised pork, and canned meat; table salt, seasoned salt, soy sauce, powdered soy sauce, miso, Powdered miso, moromi, hishio, furikake, ochazuke mix, margarine, mayonnaise, dressing, vinegar, sanbaizu, powdered sushi vinegar, Chinese seasoning mix, tempura dipping sauce, noodle soup (kombu dashi or katsuobushi dashi, etc.), sauces (medium-thick sauce, tomato sauce, etc.), ketchup, yakiniku sauce, curry roux, stew mix, soup base, dashi base (kombu dashi or katsuobushi dashi, etc.), compound seasonings, new mirin, mixed flours such as fried chicken flour and takoyaki flour, and other seasonings; animal or plant-based dashi-flavored foods and beverages to which these seasonings have been added; dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, and butter;Various fermented products made from various microorganisms such as brewer's yeast, baker's yeast, lactic acid bacteria; simmered dishes such as vegetable stews, Chikuzen-ni, Oden, and hot pot dishes; ingredients and side dishes for takeout bento boxes; fruit juices and soft drinks containing fruit juice, fruit pulp drinks and fruit drinks containing fruit pulp, made from fruits such as apples, grapes, and citrus fruits (grapefruit, oranges, lemons, etc.); vegetables such as tomatoes, bell peppers, celery, melons, bitter melons, carrots, potatoes, asparagus, bracken, and fiddlehead ferns, as well as vegetable-based beverages and vegetable soups containing these vegetables; coffee, cocoa, green tea, black tea, oolong tea, soft drinks, cola drinks, carbonated drinks (citrus flavored cider and other flavored drinks), Examples include: beverages for enjoyment such as lactic acid bacteria drinks; beverages containing herbal medicines and herbs; functional beverages such as cola drinks, fruit juices, dairy drinks, sports drinks, honey drinks, vitamin supplements, mineral supplements, nutritional drinks, nourishing drinks, and lactic acid bacteria drinks; non-alcoholic beverages such as alcohol-flavored beverages (beer-flavored, plum wine-flavored, chuhai-flavored, etc.); and other brewed alcoholic beverages (sparkling) or liqueurs (sparkling), such as wine, shochu, awamori, sake, beer, chuhai, cocktail drinks, sparkling wine, fruit wine, medicinal wine, and so-called "third beer," or alcoholic beverages containing these.

[0034] The cosmetic products to which the vanilla flavor-imparting composition containing the flavor-improving agent can be added are not particularly limited, but examples include: perfumes such as eau de cologne, eau de toilette, eau de parfum, and parfum; hair care products such as shampoo, conditioner, and hair styling products (hair cream, pomade, etc.); cosmetics such as foundation, lipstick, lip balm, lip gloss, lotion, cosmetic emulsion, cosmetic cream, cosmetic gel, serum, and face mask; and deodorants such as antiperspirant spray, deodorant sheets, deodorant cream, and deodorant stick. Examples include bath products; bath additives such as inorganic salt-based, refreshing, carbon dioxide-based, skincare-based, enzyme-based, and herbal-based products; sun tanning cosmetics such as suntan products and sunscreen products; health and hygiene detergents such as facial soaps and facial creams, body soaps and body washes, laundry soaps, laundry detergents, disinfectant detergents, deodorizing detergents, fabric softeners, dish soaps, and cleaning detergents; health and hygiene materials such as toothpaste, tissues, and toilet paper; and fragrance products such as air fresheners and deodorizers for rooms and cars, and room fragrances.

[0035] Furthermore, the vanilla flavor-imparting composition containing the flavor enhancer can also be added to various fragrance compositions to impart flavor to them and improve their flavor. Specific examples of various fragrance compositions include flavor compositions for food and beverages (also called flavor compositions) and fragrance compositions for cosmetics (also called fragrance compositions). As mentioned above, examples of articles to which the additive can be added include consumer goods such as food and beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and health and hygiene products. The form of the various fragrance compositions is not particularly limited, and examples include water-soluble fragrance compositions, oil-soluble fragrance compositions, emulsified fragrance compositions, and powdered fragrance compositions.

[0036] (Flavor-imparting composition) A vanilla-flavored food and beverage flavoring composition according to one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "the flavoring composition") contains one or more compounds selected from the following group A (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "the compounds") as active ingredients.

[0037] (Group A) Ethyl furfuryl ether, benzyl ethyl ether, sec-butyl ethyl ether, prenyl ethyl ether, dibenzyl ether, furfuryl methyl ether, benzyl methyl ether.

[0038] As illustrated in the examples below, this flavor-imparting composition can impart a high-quality flavor to various vanilla-flavored foods and beverages when added to them. More specifically, this flavor-imparting composition can impart or enhance the natural vanilla feel, premium quality and / or vanilla extract feel, more specifically, a liquor-like feel, sweet flavor, mature flavor, richness and / or the scent of cured vanilla beans to the vanilla-flavored foods and beverages to which it is added, thereby improving the flavor of the vanilla-flavored foods and beverages.

[0039] The flavor-imparting composition may consist solely of the compound in question, or it may contain other components as long as it contains the compound in question as an active ingredient in a predetermined amount. That is, the compound in question (which may contain other components) obtained by any method that a person skilled in the art can perform as described above, for example, by purchasing it as a food flavoring compound or reagent, extracting it from a natural product, or synthesizing it according to a standard method, can be used as the flavor-imparting composition as is, or added to a solvent or other flavor-imparting composition and used as the flavor-imparting composition. Furthermore, if the flavor-imparting composition contains a solvent and / or other aroma components as components other than the compound in question, the flavor-imparting composition itself can also be used as a flavoring composition.

[0040] The concentration of the compound in the flavoring composition can be arbitrarily determined according to the aroma characteristics of the flavoring composition and / or the target to which the flavoring composition is added, but preferably it is in the range of 10 ppt (0.01 ppb) or more and less than 1%, more preferably 100 ppt (0.1 ppb) to 0.1% relative to the total mass of the flavoring composition. More specifically, the lower limit can be any of 10 ppt, 100 ppt, 1 ppb, 10 ppb, 100 ppb, 1 ppm, 10 ppm, 100 ppm, or 0.1%, and the upper limit can be any of 1% (less than), 0.1%, 100 ppm, 10 ppm, 1 ppm, 100 ppb, 10 ppb, 1 ppb, or 100 ppt, and the concentration can be within any combination of these lower and upper limits, but is not limited to these.

[0041] The flavor profiles that can be used with this flavor-imparting composition are not limited, and any flavor profile that can impart, enhance, or improve a vanilla-flavored food or beverage with this flavor-imparting composition may be used. However, since this flavor-imparting composition suitably imparts a natural, luxurious feel and / or vanilla extract-like quality to vanilla-flavored food or beverage, it is preferable that it be composed of a vanilla flavor-imparting composition, a rum flavor-imparting composition, a whiskey flavor-imparting composition, a brandy flavor-imparting composition, a cream flavor-imparting composition, a chocolate flavor-imparting composition, a milk flavor-imparting composition, an egg flavor-imparting composition, a coffee flavor-imparting composition, a sugar flavor-imparting composition, a browned butter flavor-imparting composition, etc.

[0042] The vanilla-flavored food and beverages to which this flavoring composition can be added may be any vanilla-flavored food or beverage as defined in the "Flavor Enhancer" section above, and are not particularly limited. However, suitable examples include vanilla-flavored frozen desserts such as vanilla ice cream, vanilla ice pops, and vanilla sherbet (ice cream, ice milk, lacto ice, frozen desserts), vanilla-flavored milk (sweetened or unsweetened, with or without sweeteners), vanilla-flavored pudding (general custard pudding), vanilla-flavored yogurt, vanilla-flavored caramel, vanilla-flavored chocolate, vanilla-flavored whipped cream, vanilla-flavored custard cream, vanilla-flavored protein (powder), vanilla-flavored protein drinks, vanilla-flavored syrup, vanilla-flavored cookies, and vanilla-flavored cakes. Furthermore, the intent of the vanilla-flavored food or beverage remains the same whether (a) a vanilla flavoring composition that does not contain the compound in question is added to a food or beverage that does not originally have a vanilla flavor to create a vanilla-flavored food or beverage, and then the flavoring composition in question is added; (b) a vanilla flavoring composition that does not contain the compound in question is added after the flavoring composition in question has been added; or (c) a vanilla flavoring composition that does not contain the compound in question and the flavoring composition in question are added simultaneously. Therefore, when the flavoring composition in question is a vanilla flavoring composition, vanilla-flavored food or beverage includes food or beverages that do not originally have a vanilla flavor but become vanilla-flavored by adding the flavoring composition in question (hereinafter the same applies in this specification).

[0043] (Fragrance composition) A fragrance composition according to one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "the present fragrance composition") is one form of the present flavor-imparting composition, contains the present compound as an active ingredient, and can be added to various vanilla-flavored foods and beverages for the purpose of flavoring. The present fragrance composition can impart or enhance the natural vanilla feel, the sense of luxury and / or vanilla extract, more specifically the sense of liquor, sweet flavor, sense of maturity, richness and / or the scent of cured vanilla beans to the vanilla-flavored foods and beverages to which it is added, thereby improving the flavor of the vanilla-flavored foods and beverages.

[0044] The concentration of the compound in the fragrance composition can be arbitrarily determined according to the fragrance characteristics of the fragrance composition and / or the target of the compound to be added to the fragrance composition, but preferably it is in the range of 10 ppt (0.01 ppb) or more and less than 1%, more preferably 100 ppt (0.1 ppb) to 0.1% relative to the total mass of the fragrance composition. More specifically, the lower limit can be any of 10 ppt, 100 ppt, 1 ppb, 10 ppb, 100 ppb, 1 ppm, 10 ppm, 100 ppm, or 0.1%, and the upper limit can be any of 1% (less than), 0.1%, 100 ppm, 10 ppm, 1 ppm, 100 ppb, 10 ppb, 1 ppb, or 100 ppt, and the concentration can be within any combination of these lower and upper limits, but is not limited to these.

[0045] The present fragrance composition may be added to vanilla-flavored food and beverages on its own, or it may be added to vanilla-flavored food and beverages in combination with one or more water-soluble fragrances, emulsified fragrance compositions, any fragrance compounds, or natural essential oils (for example, fragrance compounds described in "Japan Patent Office Gazette, Collection of Well-Known and Conventional Technologies (Fragrances), Part II: Food Fragrances (published January 14, 2000)", "Survey on the Actual Use of Food Fragrance Compounds in Japan", and "Synthetic Fragrances: Chemistry and Product Knowledge (Revised and Enlarged Edition published December 20, 2016, edited by the Synthetic Fragrance Editorial Committee, Chemical Daily Co., Ltd.)").

[0046] (Method for improving the flavor of vanilla-flavoring compositions) A method for improving the flavor of a vanilla-flavored composition according to one embodiment of the present invention includes the step of adding one or more compounds selected from group A below (the compounds in question) to the vanilla-flavored composition.

[0047] (Group A) Ethyl furfuryl ether, benzyl ethyl ether, sec-butyl ethyl ether, prenyl ethyl ether, dibenzyl ether, furfuryl methyl ether, benzyl methyl ether.

[0048] As illustrated in the examples described below, adding the compound to a vanilla flavoring composition can improve the flavor of that vanilla flavoring composition. More specifically, the compound can impart or enhance a natural feel, a sense of luxury and / or vanilla extract, more specifically a sense of liquor, a sweet flavor, a sense of maturity, a richness and / or the scent of cured vanilla beans, to various vanilla flavoring compositions to which it is added, thereby improving the flavor of the vanilla flavoring composition.

[0049] When adding the compound to a vanilla flavoring composition, the concentration of the compound can be arbitrarily determined according to the aroma characteristics of the vanilla flavoring composition and / or the target to which the compound is added. Preferably, the concentration is between 10 ppt (0.01 ppb) and less than 1% of the total mass of the vanilla flavoring composition, and more preferably within the range of 100 ppt (0.1 ppb) to 0.1%. More specifically, the lower limit can be any of 10 ppt, 100 ppt, 1 ppb, 10 ppb, 100 ppb, 1 ppm, 10 ppm, 100 ppm, or 0.1%, and the upper limit can be any of 1% (less than), 0.1%, 100 ppm, 10 ppm, 1 ppm, 100 ppb, 10 ppb, 1 ppb, or 100 ppt, and the concentration can be within any combination of these lower and upper limits, but is not limited to these.

[0050] In the method for improving the flavor of a vanilla-flavored composition according to this embodiment, the method of adding the compound to the vanilla-flavored composition is not particularly limited. Furthermore, the timing of adding the compound to the vanilla-flavored composition is also not particularly limited.

[0051] (Vanilla-flavored food and beverages) A vanilla-flavored food or beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "the vanilla-flavored food or beverage") contains a predetermined amount of the flavor-imparting composition. As an example is shown in the examples described below, the flavor of the vanilla-flavored food or beverage is improved because an effective amount of the flavor-imparting composition containing the compound as an active ingredient is added. More specifically, because the flavor-imparting composition is added to the vanilla-flavored food or beverage, the naturalness, luxury and / or vanilla extract feel of vanilla, more specifically, the liquor feel, sweet flavor, mature feel, richness and / or the pod feel of cured vanilla beans are imparted or enhanced, and the flavor of the vanilla-flavored food or beverage is improved. The vanilla-flavored food or beverage is particularly improved in the top to middle flavors among one or more of the top, middle, and base flavors.

[0052] The amount of flavoring composition to be added to the vanilla-flavored food and beverage can be arbitrarily determined according to the degree of flavor improvement effect of the compound contained as an active ingredient, the degree of flavor imparted by the flavoring composition, and / or the flavor of the vanilla-flavored food and beverage itself. However, it is preferable that the concentration of the compound contained in the flavoring composition is in the range of 0.01 ppt or more and less than 10 ppm, more preferably 0.1 ppt to 1 ppm, relative to the total mass of the vanilla-flavored food and beverage. More specifically, the lower limit can be any of 0.01ppt, 0.1ppt, 1ppt, 10ppt, 100ppt, 1ppb, 10ppb, 100ppb, or 1ppm, and the upper limit can be any of 10ppm (less than), 1ppm, 100ppb, 10ppb, 1ppb, 100ppt, 10ppt, 1ppt, or 0.1ppt, and the range can be any combination of these lower and upper limits, but is not limited to these.

[0053] (Method for imparting flavor to vanilla-flavored food and beverages) A method for imparting flavor to vanilla-flavored food and beverages according to one embodiment of the present invention includes the step of adding a flavoring composition containing one or more compounds selected from group A below (the compounds in question) as an active ingredient to vanilla-flavored food and beverages.

[0054] (Group A) Ethyl furfuryl ether, benzyl ethyl ether, sec-butyl ethyl ether, prenyl ethyl ether, dibenzyl ether, furfuryl methyl ether, benzyl methyl ether.

[0055] As illustrated in the examples described below, the flavoring composition can be added to vanilla-flavored food and beverages to improve their flavor. More specifically, the flavoring composition can impart or enhance a natural feel, a sense of luxury and / or vanilla extract, more specifically a sense of liquor, a sweet flavor, a sense of maturity, a richness and / or the scent of cured vanilla beans, to the vanilla-flavored food and beverages to which it is added, thereby improving the flavor of the vanilla-flavored food and beverages.

[0056] When adding the flavoring composition to vanilla-flavored food and beverages, the concentration of the flavoring composition can be arbitrarily determined according to the flavor characteristics of the flavoring composition and / or the vanilla-flavored food and beverages. However, it is preferable to add the flavoring composition such that the concentration of the compound contained in the flavoring composition is in the range of 0.01 ppt or more and less than 10 ppm, more preferably 0.1 ppt to 1 ppm, relative to the total mass of the vanilla-flavored food and beverages. More specifically, the lower limit can be any of 0.01 ppt, 0.1 ppt, 1 ppt, 10 ppt, 100 ppt, 1 ppb, 10 ppb, 100 ppb, or 1 ppm, and the upper limit can be any of 10 ppm (less than), 1 ppm, 100 ppb, 10 ppb, 1 ppb, 100 ppt, 100 ppt, 1 ppt, or 0.1 ppt, and the concentration can be within any combination of these lower and upper limits, but is not limited to these.

[0057] In the method for improving the flavor of vanilla-flavored food and beverages according to this embodiment, the method of adding the flavor-imparting composition to the vanilla-flavored food and beverage is not particularly limited. Furthermore, the timing of adding the flavor-imparting composition to the vanilla-flavored food and beverage is also not particularly limited.

[0058] As mentioned above, vanilla-flavored food and beverages include cases in which a vanilla flavoring composition is added to food and beverages that do not originally have a vanilla flavor to make them vanilla-flavored. Therefore, the method for flavoring vanilla-flavored food and beverages according to the second embodiment of the present invention may include (a1) a step of adding a vanilla flavoring composition to food and beverages that do not have a vanilla flavor, and (b1) a step of adding a flavoring composition containing the compound in question as an active ingredient, either before step (a1), simultaneously with step (a1), or after step (a1). Furthermore, the method for flavoring vanilla-flavored food and beverages according to the third embodiment of the present invention may include a step of adding a vanilla flavoring composition containing the compound in question as an active ingredient to food and beverages that do not have a vanilla flavor to make the food and beverages vanilla-flavored and to improve the vanilla flavor. [Examples]

[0059] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples. However, the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0060] [Example 1] Effect of adding the flavor enhancer to vanilla flavor (1) As an example of a vanilla flavoring composition, we will describe an example in which the flavor enhancer in question is added to a vanilla flavor (1) that does not contain natural vanilla.

[0061] A vanilla base (basic blended flavoring), which is the raw material for vanilla flavor (1), was prepared according to Formula 1 in Table 1 below (this vanilla base will be referred to as "Reference Sample 1" below).

[0062] [Table 1]

[0063] Next, vanilla flavor (1) was prepared according to formulation 2 shown in Table 2.

[0064] [Table 2]

[0065] 1% ethanol solutions of commercially available ethyl furfuryl ether, benzyl ethyl ether, sec-butyl ethyl ether, prenyl ethyl ether, dibenzyl ether, furfuryl methyl ether, and benzyl methyl ether (hereinafter collectively referred to as "various compounds") were prepared, and these various compounds were added to vanilla flavor (1) at the concentrations shown in Table 3 below to prepare the vanilla flavors of the present invention products 1-1 to 1-77.

[0066] On the other hand, as compounds with structures similar to the above-mentioned compounds, 1% ethanol solutions of 2-phenylethyl methyl ether represented by formula (91), p-cresyl methyl ether represented by formula (92), and diphenyl ether represented by formula (93) (hereinafter collectively referred to as "comparative compounds") were prepared, and these comparative compounds were added to vanilla flavor (1) at the concentrations shown in Table 3 below to prepare comparative vanilla flavors 1-1 to 1-3.

[0067] [ka]

[0068] [ka]

[0069] [ka]

[0070] Then, the vanilla flavors of the obtained products 1-1 to 1-77 and comparative products 1-1 to 1-3 were subjected to sensory evaluation by 15 well-trained panelists (with more than 10 years of experience). The sensory evaluation was conducted by having the panelists comment on the aroma of Examples 1-1 to 1-77 and comparative products 1-1 to 1-3 compared to control product 1 (vanilla flavor without the above-mentioned compounds added), and by averaging the scores given by the panelists to the Western liquor-like quality (defined as described above) compared to control product 1, according to the evaluation criteria below.

[0071] <Evaluation Criteria Regarding the "Western Liquor" Feel> Significantly increased compared to control product 1: 5 points Significantly increased compared to control product 1: 4 points Compared to control product 1, there was a certain degree of increase: 3 points Slightly increased compared to control product 1: 2 points Equivalent to control product 1: 1 point

[0072] The results of the sensory evaluation are shown in Table 3 below.

[0073] [Table 3]

[0074] As shown in Table 3, the above compounds effectively imparted a liquor-like quality, sweet flavor, mature flavor, richness, and / or the aroma of cured vanilla beans to vanilla-flavored compositions (those not containing natural vanilla extract). It was confirmed that these compounds improved the natural, premium, and / or vanilla extract-like qualities of the vanilla-flavored compositions, demonstrating their usefulness as flavor enhancers. Among these, ethyl furfuryl ether was found to have the highest flavor-improving effect on vanilla-flavored compositions. On the other hand, comparative compounds with similar structures did not exhibit the same flavor-improving effect, confirming the usefulness of the above compounds.

[0075] [Example 2] Effect of adding the flavor enhancer to vanilla flavor (2) As an example of a vanilla flavoring composition, we will now describe an example in which the flavor enhancer in question is added to a vanilla flavor (2) containing natural vanilla extract.

[0076] <Example 2-1> Method for producing vanilla extract 400g of Madagascar vanilla beans cut into approximately 1cm pieces, 1160g of 95% ethanol, and 840g of water were placed in a 5L four-necked flask. The mixture was extracted while stirring at a temperature of 60-65°C in the flask for 4 hours. After extraction, the mixture was cooled to 25°C and left overnight. By decant separation of this extract using cheesecloth, 1500g of vanilla extract was obtained (this vanilla extract will be referred to as "Reference Sample 2" below).

[0077] <Example 2-2> Preparation of Vanilla Flavor (2) (Vanilla Flavoring Composition) Next, vanilla flavor (2) was prepared according to formulation 3 shown in Table 4.

[0078] [Table 4]

[0079] <Example 2-3> Example of addition to vanilla flavor (2) To the vanilla flavor (2) prepared in Example 2-2, a 1% ethanol solution of the various compounds prepared in Example 1 was added so that the various compounds acting as flavor enhancers were at the concentrations shown in Table 5 below, thereby preparing the vanilla flavors of the present invention products 2-1 to 2-7.

[0080] Then, the vanilla flavors of the obtained products 2-1 to 2-7 of the present invention were subjected to sensory evaluation by 15 well-trained panelists (with more than 10 years of experience). The sensory evaluation was conducted by comparing the aroma of products 2-1 to 2-7 with control product 2 (a vanilla flavor without any of the above compounds added), and by averaging the scores given by the panelists to the vanilla's liquor-like quality compared to control product 2, according to the evaluation criteria below.

[0081] <Evaluation Criteria for Vanilla's Liqueur-like Flavor> Significantly increased compared to control product 2: 5 points Significantly increased compared to control product 2: 4 points Compared to control product 2, there was a certain degree of increase: 3 points Slightly increased compared to control product 2: 2 points Equivalent to control product 2: 1 point

[0082] Table 5 shows the results of the sensory evaluation of the vanilla flavor of products 2-1 to 2-7 of the present invention.

[0083] [Table 5]

[0084] As shown in Table 5, the above compounds were found to effectively impart a liquor-like quality, sweet flavor, mature flavor, richness, and / or the scent of cured vanilla beans to vanilla flavoring compositions (including those containing natural vanilla extract). They were found to improve the natural, premium, and / or vanilla extract-like qualities of the vanilla flavoring compositions, demonstrating their usefulness as flavor enhancers. Among these, ethyl furfuryl ether was found to have the highest flavor-improving effect on vanilla flavoring compositions.

[0085] [Example 3] Effect of adding the flavoring composition to vanilla-flavored sweetened milk (vanilla-flavored food and beverage) Vanilla-flavored sweetened milk was prepared according to Formula 4 shown in Table 6 below. In Table 6, "Inventive Products 1-1 to 1-77" and "Control Product 1" refer to Inventive Products 1-1 to 1-77 and Control Product 1 prepared in Example 1, and "Vanilla Flavor (2)" refers to Vanilla Flavor (2) prepared in Example 2-2. Vanilla-flavored sweetened milk prepared by adding Inventive Products 1-1 to 1-77 according to Formula 4 shown in Table 6 was designated as Inventive Products 3-1 to 3-77, and vanilla-flavored sweetened milk prepared by adding Control Product 1 according to the same Formula 4 was designated as Control Product 3.

[0086] [Table 6]

[0087] Then, the vanilla-flavored sweetened milk products 3-1 to 3-77 obtained were subjected to sensory evaluation by 15 well-trained panelists (with 10 or more years of experience). The sensory evaluation involved the panelists commenting on the flavor of products 3-1 to 3-77 compared to control product 3, and averaging the scores given by the panelists regarding the liqueur-like vanilla flavor compared to control product 3, according to the evaluation criteria below.

[0088] <Evaluation Criteria for Vanilla's Liqueur-like Flavor> Significantly increased compared to control product 3: 5 points Significantly increased compared to control product 3: 4 points Compared to control product 3, there was a certain degree of increase: 3 points Slightly increased compared to control product 3: 2 points Equivalent to control product 3: 1 point

[0089] Table 7 shows the results of the sensory evaluation of products 3-1 to 3-77 of the present invention against vanilla-flavored sweetened milk.

[0090] [Table 7]

[0091] As shown in Table 7, sweetened milk to which the above-mentioned flavoring compositions containing the various compounds as active ingredients were added was found to have a good imparting of liquor-like qualities, sweet flavor, mature flavor, richness, and / or the aroma of cured vanilla beans. It was confirmed that the natural vanilla flavor, premium quality, and / or vanilla extract flavor were improved, and as a result, it was found that the flavoring compositions containing the above-mentioned compounds are useful. In particular, the flavoring composition containing ethyl furfuryl ether was found to have the highest effect in improving the flavor of vanilla-flavored foods and beverages.

[0092] [Example 4] Effect of adding the flavoring composition to vanilla ice cream (vanilla-flavored food and beverage) An example of adding vanilla flavor, which is an example of the flavoring composition in question, to vanilla ice cream, which is an example of a vanilla-flavored food and beverage, will be described.

[0093] Vanilla ice cream products 4-1 to 4-7 (each containing 10 ppb of various compounds) were prepared by adding the vanilla flavors of products 2-1 to 2-7 (each containing 10 ppm of each compound), prepared in Example 2-3, an example of the flavoring composition of this invention, at a flavor concentration (ratio of vanilla flavor to vanilla ice cream) of 0.1% to commercially available vanilla ice cream. In addition, vanilla ice cream product 4 was prepared by adding the vanilla flavor (2) (reference product 4; without the above-mentioned various compounds) prepared in Example 2-3 to the above commercially available vanilla ice cream at a flavor concentration of 0.1%.

[0094] Then, the vanilla ice creams of the present invention, products 4-1 to 4-7, were subjected to sensory evaluation by 15 well-trained panelists (with more than 10 years of experience). The sensory evaluation involved having the panelists comment on the differences in flavor between products 4-1 to 4-7 and control product 4, and averaging the scores given by the panelists regarding the liqueur-like quality of the vanilla compared to control product 4, according to the evaluation criteria below.

[0095] <Evaluation Criteria for Vanilla's Liqueur-like Flavor> Significantly increased compared to control product 4: 5 points Significantly increased compared to control product 4: 4 points Compared to control product 4, there was a certain degree of increase: 3 points Slightly increased compared to control product 4: 2 points Equivalent to control product 4: 1 point

[0096] The results of the sensory evaluation of vanilla ice cream using products 4-1 to 4-7 of the present invention are shown in Table 8 below.

[0097] [Table 8]

[0098] As shown in Table 8, vanilla ice cream to which flavor-imparting compositions containing the above-mentioned compounds as active ingredients were added exhibited a good balance of liquor-like flavor, sweet aroma, mature flavor, richness, and / or the aroma of cured vanilla beans. It was confirmed that the natural vanilla flavor, premium feel, and / or vanilla extract flavor were improved, and as a result, it was found that flavor-imparting compositions containing the above-mentioned compounds are useful. In particular, the flavor-imparting composition containing ethyl furfuryl ether was found to have the highest effect in improving the flavor of vanilla-flavored foods and beverages.

[0099] [Example 5] Effect of adding the flavoring composition to chocolate (vanilla-flavored food and beverage) This section describes an example in which vanilla flavor, an example of the flavor-imparting composition in question, was added to chocolate to prepare vanilla-flavored chocolate, an example of a vanilla-flavored food or beverage, and an attempt was made to improve the vanilla flavor.

[0100] Vanilla flavor (3) was prepared according to formulation 5 shown in Table 9. In Table 9, "MCT" refers to neutral fats (medium-chain triglycerides) consisting of fatty acids with 8 to 12 carbon atoms (the same applies hereafter), and "vanilla base (reference product 1)" refers to the vanilla base (reference product 1) prepared in Example 1.

[0101] [Table 9]

[0102] 1% MCT solutions of commercially available ethyl furfuryl ether, benzyl ethyl ether, sec-butyl ethyl ether, prenyl ethyl ether, dibenzyl ether, furfuryl methyl ether, and benzyl methyl ether (hereinafter collectively referred to as "various compounds") were prepared, and the 1% MCT solutions of each of the above various compounds were added to vanilla flavor (3) so that the concentration of each compound was 10 ppm, thereby preparing the vanilla flavors of the present invention products 5-1 to 5-7.

[0103] Then, vanilla flavors of products 5-1 to 5-7, which are examples of the flavor-imparting compositions of this invention, were added to commercially available chocolate at a flavor concentration (ratio of vanilla flavor to chocolate) of 0.1%, to prepare vanilla-flavored chocolates of products 5-8 to 5-14 (each containing 10 ppb of each compound). In addition, vanilla flavor (3), which does not contain the above-mentioned various compounds, was added to the above-mentioned commercially available chocolate at a flavor concentration of 0.1%, to prepare vanilla-flavored chocolate of control product 5.

[0104] Then, the vanilla-flavored chocolates of the present invention, products 5-8 to 5-14, were subjected to sensory evaluation by 15 well-trained panelists (with more than 10 years of experience). The sensory evaluation involved having the panelists comment on the differences in flavor between products 5-8 to 5-14 and control product 5, and averaging the scores given by the panelists regarding the liqueur-like quality of the vanilla compared to control product 5, according to the evaluation criteria below.

[0105] <Evaluation Criteria for Vanilla's Liqueur-like Flavor> Significantly increased compared to control product 5: 5 points Significantly increased compared to control product 5: 4 points Compared to control product 5, there was a certain degree of increase: 3 points Slightly increased compared to control product 5: 2 points Equivalent to control product 5: 1 point

[0106] The results of the sensory evaluation of vanilla-flavored chocolates of the present invention products 5-8 to 5-14 are shown in Table 10 below.

[0107] [Table 10]

[0108] As shown in Table 10, chocolate to which flavor-imparting compositions containing the above-mentioned compounds as active ingredients were added exhibited good characteristics such as a liquor-like flavor, sweet aroma, mature flavor, richness, and / or the aroma of cured vanilla beans. It was confirmed that the natural vanilla flavor, premium feel, and / or vanilla extract flavor were improved, and as a result, it was found that flavor-imparting compositions containing the above-mentioned compounds are useful. In particular, the flavor-imparting composition containing ethyl furfuryl ether was found to be the most effective in improving the flavor of vanilla-flavored foods and beverages.

Claims

1. A vanilla flavoring composition containing prenyl ethyl ether as an active ingredient and vanilla extract.

2. The vanilla flavoring composition according to claim 1, for use in dairy beverages, ice cream, or chocolate.

3. A vanilla-flavored food or beverage containing the vanilla flavoring composition described in claim 1 or 2.

4. A method for improving the flavor of a vanilla flavoring composition, comprising the step of adding prenyl ethyl ether and vanilla extract to the vanilla flavoring composition.

5. The process includes adding a flavoring composition containing prenyl ethyl ether as an active ingredient and vanilla extract to food and beverages. A method for improving the flavor of food and beverages, wherein the flavor-imparting composition is a vanilla flavor-imparting composition, and / or the food and beverage is a vanilla-flavored food and beverage.

6. A vanilla extract flavor enhancer containing prenyl ethyl ether as an active ingredient.

7. A vanilla flavor-imparting composition comprising the vanilla extract flavor enhancer described in claim 6 and vanilla extract.

Images