Sugar-free carbonated beverage containing citrus juice and method for producing the same

Abstract

To provide a method for producing a sugar-free carbonated beverage containing citrus juice, free of high-intensity sweeteners, with reduced after-effects from carbonation. [Solution] In the production of a sugar-free carbonated beverage containing citrus juice and no high-sweetness sweeteners, in which citrus juice is blended so that the proportion of citrus juice is 0.3 to 6.0%, an additive, amino acids or their salts, are added so that the free amino acid content in the final beverage is 50 ppm or more.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sugar-free carbonated beverage containing citrus juice and a method for producing the same. In particular, it relates to a sugar-free carbonated beverage containing citrus juice that does not contain a high-intensity sweetener and has reduced aftertaste after carbonation stimulation, and a method for producing the same.

Background Art

[0002] Beverages containing citrus juice are popular beverages due to their refreshing aroma and flavor. Also, carbonated beverages are popular beverages due to their refreshingness. On the other hand, due to the increasing awareness of health, the demand for beverages with less sugar and sugar-free beverages (less than 0.5 g / 100 ml of saccharides) is increasing. There is also a demand for beverages with a natural taste that do not use high-intensity sweeteners. There is a potential demand for sugar-free carbonated beverages containing citrus juice without using high-intensity sweeteners. However, sugar-free carbonated beverages without using high-intensity sweeteners have a problem that they are difficult to drink because they have no sweetness and the bitterness and irritation derived from carbonation are strongly felt. Furthermore, when citrus juice is blended, the bitterness and sourness derived from citrus juice tend to make the irritation remaining in the aftertaste strongly felt.

[0003] As a technique for suppressing the irritation feeling remaining after swallowing food or drink containing an acid, in Patent Document 1, in a food or drink containing acetic acid, by setting the ratio (Y / X) of the total concentration value Y (mg / 100 ml) of at least one amino acid selected from the group consisting of threonine, proline, phenylalanine, and glutamine to the concentration value X (w / v%) of acetic acid to 0.0001 or more, a technique for reducing the throat irritation and after-irritation caused by acetic acid has been reported.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The technology described in Patent Document 1 is a technology for suppressing the throat irritation and after-effects characteristic of acetic acid in acetic acid-containing foods and beverages, and is not aimed at reducing the bitterness and irritation from carbonation that is amplified in combination with the bitterness and sourness derived from citrus juice in sugar-free carbonated beverages containing citrus juice that do not use high-intensity sweeteners. The present invention aims to provide a method for producing sugar-free carbonated beverages containing citrus juice that do not contain high-intensity sweeteners and have a reduced after-effect of carbonation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a result of diligent research into the above objectives, the inventors have discovered that in the production of a sugar-free carbonated citrus juice beverage without high-intensity sweeteners, in which citrus juice is added to adjust the proportion of citrus juice in the final beverage to 0.3-6.0%, by adding amino acids or their salts as additives so that the free amino acid content in the final beverage is 50 ppm or more, it is possible to produce a sugar-free carbonated beverage containing high-intensity sweeteners without high-intensity sweeteners that maintains the refreshing bitterness characteristic of citrus juice while reducing the aftertaste of carbonation, thus completing the invention. The present invention is not limited to these, but includes the following. [1] A step of adding citrus juice to a beverage base liquid so that the proportion of citrus juice in the final beverage is 0.3-6.0%, and A step of adding amino acids or their salts to a beverage base liquid so that the free amino acid content in the final beverage is 50 ppm or more. A method for producing a sugar-free carbonated beverage containing citrus juice, which does not contain high-intensity sweeteners. [2] The manufacturing method according to [1], wherein the ratio of the amount of free amino acids (ppm) in the final beverage to the percentage of citrus juice (%) is 12 or more. [3] The method for producing the beverage base liquid according to [1] or [2], wherein the amino acid or salt thereof added to the beverage base liquid contains one or more of L-sodium glutamate, L-arginine, glycine, and DL-alanine. [4] The manufacturing method according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the alcohol content of the final beverage is less than 1 v / v%. [5] A sugar-free carbonated beverage containing citrus juice, The proportion of citrus juice in beverages is 0.3-6.0%. The free amino acid content is 50 ppm or more. It contains additive amino acids or their salts. The above beverages do not contain high-intensity sweeteners. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to produce a carbonated beverage that is sugar-free, contains no high-intensity sweeteners, and contains citrus juice, while having a reduced aftertaste of carbonation. Here, the aftertaste of carbonation refers to the bitterness and tingling sensation of carbon dioxide amplified by the bitterness and acidity derived from citrus juice, resulting in a tingly aftertaste. Furthermore, although the aftertaste of carbonation is reduced in the beverage produced by the present invention, the bitterness characteristic of citrus juice is maintained, making it a beverage that allows you to feel the refreshing taste of citrus fruit. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] The present invention relates to a method for producing a sugar-free carbonated beverage containing citrus juice and free of high-intensity sweeteners, comprising the steps of adding citrus juice to a beverage base liquid so that the proportion of citrus juice in the final beverage is 0.3 to 6.0%, and adding amino acids or salts thereof to the beverage base liquid so that the free amino acid content in the final beverage is 50 ppm or more.

[0009] <Sugar-free carbonated beverage> In the present invention, a sugar-free carbonated beverage refers to a beverage containing less than 0.5 g / 100 ml of sugars and carbon dioxide (carbonic acid gas). Preferably, the sugar concentration is less than 0.2 g / 100 ml. The lower limit of the sugar concentration is not particularly limited. Since the beverage produced by the present invention may contain sugars derived from citrus fruit juice, the sugar concentration will not actually be 0, but the sugar concentration may be close to 0 g / 100 ml. Therefore, if the sugar concentration in the sugar-free carbonated beverage of the present invention is expressed as a numerical range, it may be greater than 0.0 g / 100 ml and less than 0.5 g / 100 ml, and preferably greater than 0.0 g / 100 ml and less than 0.2 g / 100 ml. In this specification, sugars refer to monosaccharides and disaccharides that are not sugar alcohols.

[0010] Carbon dioxide (CO2) can be added to a beverage using methods commonly known to those skilled in the art. For example, but not limited to these, CO2 may be dissolved in the beverage under pressure, or the CO2 may be mixed with the beverage in a pipe using a mixer such as a carbonator. Alternatively, the CO2 may be absorbed into the beverage by spraying it into a tank filled with CO2, or the beverage may be mixed with carbonated water. The CO2 pressure of the beverage is not particularly limited, but for example, 1.0 to 5.0 kgf / cm² at 20°C. 2 It may be to a certain extent, and more preferably 1.2 to 4.5 kgf / cm². 2 More preferably 1.5 to 4.0 kgf / cm² 2 It may be to a certain extent. The carbon dioxide pressure of the beverage can be adjusted as appropriate. In one embodiment, the carbon dioxide pressure value is the value at the time of drinking. In particular, it is the carbon dioxide pressure value when an unopened beverage is first opened. The carbon dioxide pressure can be measured using a carbonated beverage whose liquid temperature has been adjusted to 20°C, and using a gas pressure measuring device (for example, GVA-500A manufactured by Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd.).

[0011] <High-intensity sweetener> The sugar-free carbonated beverage produced according to this invention is not only sugar-free, but also does not contain high-intensity sweeteners. High-intensity sweeteners are non-carbohydrate sweeteners that are tens to tens of thousands of times sweeter than sugar, and specific examples include sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, stevia, monk fruit, neotame, advantame, saccharin, and glycyrrhizin. By not containing high-intensity sweeteners, the beverage can be made to have a more natural flavor derived from fruit juice. Sugar-free carbonated beverages that do not contain sweetening components such as sugars or high-intensity sweeteners and contain citrus juice usually have a strong aftertaste of carbonation because the aftertaste cannot be masked by sweetness. In contrast, the present invention incorporates citrus juice so that its proportion in the beverage is 0.3 to 6.0%, and also incorporates amino acids or their salts so that the free amino acid content is 50 ppm or more. This makes it possible to reduce the lingering sensation of carbonation even when no sweetening components such as sugars are added.

[0012] <Citrus Juice> The beverage produced by this invention is a beverage containing citrus juice. Citrus juice refers to the juice of citrus fruits. Juice refers to the liquid component obtained by crushing and squeezing or straining the fruit, and also includes concentrated juice and diluted and reduced juices thereof. Depending on the manufacturing method, juice can be of various types such as clear juice, cloudy juice, and communit juice, and any of these may be used, or they may be used in combination. Cloudy juice generally refers to juice obtained by squeezing the pulp portion of the fruit, and contains insoluble solids such as fibrous material (e.g., protopectin) derived from the pulp. Clear juice generally refers to juice that has been clarified by removing insoluble solids after squeezing the pulp portion of the fruit using methods such as centrifugal separation or enzymatic decomposition. Communed juice generally refers to juice obtained by crushing and straining the entire fruit, including the peel. For example, in the case of communited juice from citrus fruits, it contains components derived from the albedo (endocarp) and flavedo (exocarp), which are the peels of citrus fruits.

[0013] The present invention includes blending citrus juice so that the proportion of citrus juice in the final beverage is 0.3 to 6.0%. If the proportion of citrus juice is higher than 6.0%, it is difficult to obtain the effect of reducing the residual carbonation after the carbonation stimulus. The upper limit of the proportion of citrus juice is preferably 5.0% or less, more preferably 4.5% or less, even more preferably 4.0% or less, and even more preferably 3.5% or less. The lower limit of the proportion of citrus juice is preferably 0.5% or more, even more preferably 0.7% or more, even more preferably 1.0% or more, even more preferably 2.0% or more, and even more preferably 2.5% or more, in order to impart more citrus flavor to the beverage. The percentage of fruit juice (%) refers to the proportion of fruit juice (mass %) converted to straight fruit juice relative to the total mass of the beverage. This is calculated based on the standards for reduced fruit juice, specifically the refractometer reading (°Bx) and acidity (%), as specified in Annex A of the Japanese Agricultural Standards (JAS1075:2023) for fruit beverages. For example, according to the same standard, the acidity standard for reduced lemon juice is 4.5%. Therefore, if 0.3 mass % concentrated lemon juice with an acidity of 22.5% is added to the beverage, the fruit juice percentage will be 1.5%.

[0014] Examples of citrus fruits used as raw materials for citrus juice include aromatic citrus fruits such as lemon, lime, shikwasa, bitter orange, yuzu, kabosu, sudachi, citron, and bush citrus; oranges such as Valencia orange and navel orange; grapefruits such as grapefruit; mixed citrus fruits such as natsumikan, hassaku, hyuganatsu, sweetie, and dekopon; pomelos such as iyokan and tankan; mandarins such as mandarin orange, unshu mandarin, ponkan, and Kishu mandarin; and kumquats such as kumquat. Lemon juice, in particular, tends to enhance the bitterness of unsweetened carbonated drinks, so it is preferable to apply the present invention to beverages containing lemon juice as a citrus juice to reduce the lingering carbonation after the carbonation. Therefore, it is preferable that beverages produced according to the present invention contain lemon juice as a citrus juice.

[0015] The beverage produced by the present invention is a sugar-free carbonated beverage containing citrus juice. The "sugar-free carbonated beverage containing citrus juice" referred to in the present invention means a sugar-free carbonated beverage that mainly contains citrus juice as the juice. Mainly containing citrus juice means a beverage in which citrus juice is blended at the highest proportion among all types of juices. When the raw materials of the sugar-free carbonated beverage containing citrus juice produced by the present invention are indicated according to the criteria shown in Article 3 of the Food Labeling Standards (implemented on September 1, 2024), the indication of citrus juices such as "lemon juice", "grapefruit juice", "orange juice", etc. is shown first among the juice raw materials. Beverages mainly containing juices other than citrus juice (for example, beverages in which juices other than citrus juice are shown first among the juice raw materials in the raw material indication) hardly feel the bitterness and sourness derived from citrus juice, and hardly show an amplification of the bitterness and irritation of carbonic acid, so the problems of the present invention do not occur. Therefore, such beverages are not the subject of the present invention.

[0016] The present invention may include a step of blending juices other than citrus juice. In this case, the type and content of juices other than citrus juice may be within the scope of the definition of the above-mentioned sugar-free carbonated beverage containing citrus juice, and are not particularly limited. However, the present invention relates to reducing the residue after carbonation irritation in a sugar-free carbonated beverage containing citrus juice in which the bitterness and irritation of carbonic acid are amplified by the bitterness and sourness derived from citrus juice, and the effect can be enjoyed when the amount of citrus juice is larger than the amount of other juices. Therefore, when blending juices other than citrus juice, it is preferable to adjust so that the proportion of citrus juice is 40 or more, more preferably 50 or more, even more preferably 70 or more, even more preferably 80 or more, and even more preferably 90 or more when the proportion of the juice of the beverage (including citrus juice and other juices) is set to 100.

[0017] <Free Amino Acid> The present invention includes blending an amino acid or its salt such that the content of free amino acids in the finally obtained beverage is 50 ppm or more. In the present invention, the content of free amino acids in the beverage refers to the total amount of 20 types of amino acids, namely alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine, in the beverage. Although free amino acids exist in D-form and L-form, when calculating the content of free amino acids, the amount including both is used. The content of free amino acids in the beverage may be measured using a known method, for example, it can be measured by an automatic amino acid analysis method or high-performance liquid chromatography.

[0018] The beverage may contain free amino acids derived from raw materials such as citrus fruit juice. However, in the present invention, separately from the citrus fruit juice, it includes blending an amino acid or its salt as an additive, and the amino acid or its salt is blended such that the content of free amino acids in the beverage (including those derived from citrus fruit juice and those derived from the additive) is 50 ppm or more. For example, depending on the amount of citrus fruit juice used, there may be cases where the content of free amino acids in the beverage reaches 50 ppm or more only with free amino acids derived from citrus fruit juice. However, in the present invention, even in such cases, it is necessary to further blend an amino acid or its salt as an additive. By adding an amino acid or its salt separately from the citrus fruit juice, it becomes possible to obtain an effect of reducing the residue after carbonation irritation.

[0019] In the present invention, the added amino acid or its salt is equivalent to a food additive and is purified to a certain extent (for example, purified to a purity of 98% by mass or higher) (also referred to as "additive amino acid or its salt"). The added amino acid or its salt may be either the D-form or the L-form, or it may be the DL-form, which is a racemic mixture. Examples of the added amino acid or its salt include L-alanine, DL-alanine, L-arginine, L-asparagine, L-aspartic acid, L-cysteine ​​hydrochloride, L-sodium glutamate, L-glutamic acid, glycine, L-histidine, L-isoleucine, L-leucine, L-lysine, L-methionine, L-phenylalanine, L-proline, L-serine, L-threonine, L-tryptophan, L-tyrosine, and L-valine, and one or more of these can be used in combination. Among these additive amino acids or their salts, it is preferable to use one or more of L-alanine, DL-alanine, L-arginine, L-sodium glutamate, L-glutamic acid, and glycine, as these provide good effects.

[0020] In this invention, as described above, amino acids or their salts are added to the beverage as additives so that the free amino acid content in the final beverage is 50 ppm or more. As the free amino acid content in the beverage tends to increase, the effect of reducing carbonation stimulation tends to increase. Therefore, it is more preferable to add amino acids or their salts so that the free amino acid content in the beverage is 60 ppm or more, even more preferable to add them so that it is 80 ppm or more, even more preferable to add them so that it is 100 ppm or more, and even more preferable to add them so that it is 120 ppm or more. On the other hand, since the unique taste of amino acids may affect the flavor of the fruit beverage, the upper limit of the free amino acid content in the beverage is preferably 600 ppm or less, more preferably 550 ppm or less, even more preferable to 500 ppm or less, even more preferable to 400 ppm or less, and even more preferable to 300 ppm or less.

[0021] The ratio of the free amino acid content (ppm) in the final beverage to the percentage of citrus juice (%) (free amino acid content (ppm) / percentage of citrus juice (%)) is preferably 12 or more, more preferably 15 or more, even more preferably 18 or more, even more preferably 20 or more, and even more preferably 25 or more. On the other hand, since the characteristic taste of amino acids may affect the flavor of the fruit beverage, the upper limit of the above ratio is preferably 1700 or less, even more preferably 1000 or less, even more preferably 500 or less, and even more preferably 250 or less.

[0022] <Manufacturing method> As described above, the present invention relates to a method for producing a sugar-free carbonated beverage containing citrus juice and free of high-intensity sweeteners, comprising the steps of: adding citrus juice to a beverage base liquid so that the proportion of citrus juice in the final beverage is 0.3 to 6.0%; and adding amino acids or salts thereof to the beverage base liquid so that the free amino acid content in the final beverage is 50 ppm or more. The beverage base liquid may be prepared as appropriate depending on the beverage to be produced in the end. As described above, the amino acids or salts thereof added to the beverage base liquid are amino acids or salts thereof as additives that have been purified to a certain extent. The step in the present invention of adding amino acids or salts thereof to the beverage base liquid so that the free amino acid content in the final beverage is 50 ppm or more may include the step of pre-measuring the free amino acid content of the beverage base liquid containing raw materials such as citrus juice; and the step of adding amino acids or salts thereof as additives to the beverage base liquid according to the obtained measurement value. Alternatively, after adding amino acids or their salts to the beverage base liquid, the free amino acid content of the resulting liquid may be measured to confirm that the free amino acid content in the beverage is 50 ppm or higher.

[0023] As mentioned above, in sugar-free carbonated beverages containing citrus juice and without high-intensity sweeteners, the bitterness and acidity derived from the citrus juice amplify the bitterness and stimulating effect from the carbonation, resulting in a tingling aftertaste (lingering carbonation sensation). In contrast, in the present invention, in sugar-free carbonated beverages containing citrus juice and without high-intensity sweeteners, citrus juice is added so that the proportion of citrus juice is 0.3 to 6.0%, and amino acids or their salts are added so that the free amino acid content in the final beverage is 50 ppm or more, thereby reducing the lingering carbonation sensation and providing a beverage that is easy to drink.

[0024] <Other> The beverage produced by the present invention may be a non-alcoholic beverage such as a soft drink, or it may be an alcoholic beverage. However, since the effects of the present invention are easily obtained, it is preferable that the beverage produced by the present invention be a non-alcoholic beverage. A non-alcoholic beverage is a beverage in which the alcohol (i.e., ethanol) content is less than 1 v / v%. The lower limit of the alcohol content is not limited. If the beverage contains flavorings, a very small amount of alcohol derived from the flavorings may be present in the beverage, but it is preferable that the alcohol content in the beverage be close to 0 v / v%. Therefore, if the alcohol content of a non-alcoholic beverage is to be expressed as a numerical range, it is in the range greater than 0 v / v% and less than 1 v / v%.

[0025] The acidity of the beverage produced by this invention is not particularly limited. For example, it may be around 0.020 to 0.500%, or around 0.030 to 0.400%. The acidity of a beverage is a value that indicates the concentration (mass / volume%) of acid contained in the beverage, and is a citric acid equivalent value. The citric acid equivalent acidity can be calculated by a neutralization titration method in accordance with the Japanese Agricultural Standards for Fruit Beverages.

[0026] The present invention may further include a step of incorporating one or more additives commonly used in beverages, such as flavorings, preservatives, and antioxidants, into a beverage base liquid, to the extent that it does not affect the effects of the present invention.

[0027] The present invention may further include a step of filling a beverage into a container. The type of container is not particularly limited and can include, for example, plastic bottles (such as PET bottles), aluminum cans, steel cans, glass bottles, etc. Among these, plastic bottles are preferably used because they are easy to transport and can be resealed.

[0028] The present invention may further include a step of heat sterilization when filling containers. The method of heat sterilization is not particularly limited and can be carried out using conventional methods such as UHT sterilization and retort sterilization. The temperature of the heat sterilization treatment is not particularly limited, but is for example 65 to 130°C, preferably 85 to 120°C. The time of the heat sterilization treatment is not particularly limited, but is for example 10 to 40 minutes. However, if a sterilization value equivalent to the above conditions can be obtained, heat sterilization treatment at an appropriate temperature for a few seconds, for example 5 to 30 seconds, is also acceptable. [Examples]

[0029] The present invention will be described in more detail below with specific experimental examples, but the present invention is not limited to the experimental examples described below. <Reference example 1> Lemon juice and grape juice were added to pure water in the quantities listed in Table 1, and the gas pressure was 4.0 kgf / cm². 2 The samples were prepared by adding carbon dioxide to achieve the desired result and filling them into PET bottles. In Table 1, the values ​​for clear lemon juice and clear grape juice indicate the percentage of fruit juice. All of the obtained samples were sugar-free (less than 0.5g of sugar / 100ml) carbonated beverages.

[0030] The free amino acid content of each obtained sample was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Acidity was also measured using the method described above. Furthermore, the aftertaste of carbonation (a tingling aftertaste caused by the bitterness and acidity of carbon dioxide amplified by the bitterness and acidity derived from citrus juice) was evaluated by five expert panelists. Each panelist drank samples 1-1 to 1-6 and evaluated whether or not they felt an aftertaste of carbonation. The results of the measurement of free amino acid content and acidity, as well as the results of the sensory evaluation (number of people who felt an aftertaste of carbonation), are shown in Table 1.

[0031] [Table 1]

[0032] The results in Table 1 show that as the lemon juice content (percentage of lemon juice) in sugar-free carbonated beverages increases, the after-effect of carbonation is amplified (1-1 to 1-4). Furthermore, the after-effect of carbonation is not perceived when there is more non-citrus juice (grape juice) than citrus juice (lemon juice) (1-5), but it is perceived in beverages that mainly contain citrus juice, i.e., beverages in which citrus juice is the most abundant juice, even if other juices are also included (1-6).

[0033] <Experimental Example 1> The clear lemon juice and L-sodium glutamate (purity 98% by mass or higher) used in Reference Example 1 were added to pure water to the concentrations shown in Table 2, and the gas pressure was 4.0 kgf / cm². 2 The sample (unsweetened carbonated beverage containing citrus juice) was prepared by adding carbon dioxide to achieve the desired result and filling it into PET bottles. In Table 2, the values ​​for clear lemon juice indicate the percentage of fruit juice (in %).

[0034] For each sample obtained, the free amino acid content and acidity were measured in the same manner as in Reference Example 1. Furthermore, the residual taste after carbonation stimulation and the bitterness derived from citrus juice were sensory evaluated by five expert panelists. The evaluation procedure for the residual taste after carbonation stimulation is as follows: First, five expert panelists drank the Control 1 sample and discussed the degree of lingering carbonation after the initial carbonation sensation. Then, each panelist drank samples 2-1 to 2-7 individually and scored the degree of lingering carbonation sensation to one decimal place based on the evaluation criteria below. The average score of all panelists was used as the final evaluation score. An average score of 2.0 or higher was considered passing, with 2.5 or higher being preferable. The evaluation of sample 2-8 was conducted in the same manner, except that the Control 2 sample was consumed beforehand. • After-effects of carbonation: 4 points: No lingering carbonation sensation. 3 points: A slight aftertaste of carbonation can be felt. Two points: There is a lingering carbonation sensation, but it disappears even without drinking water afterward. 1. The carbonation sensation lingers strongly and does not disappear unless water is drunk after consumption (similar to control 1 or 2).

[0035] The procedure for evaluating bitterness derived from citrus juice is as follows: Each panelist individually tasted each sample and evaluated whether they perceived a bitterness derived from citrus juice that was comparable to that of the control sample.

[0036] Table 2 shows the results of measurements of free amino acid content and acidity, as well as the sensory evaluation results of the remaining substance after carbonation stimulation and the evaluation results of bitterness derived from citrus juice (number of people who perceived bitterness).

[0037] [Table 2]

[0038] Table 2 shows that when L-sodium glutamate was added to an unsweetened carbonated beverage with a lemon juice content of 5.0% to increase the free amino acid content to 50 ppm or more, the bitterness derived from the citrus juice was maintained, and the reduction in the aftertaste following carbonation was satisfactory (2.0 points or higher) (2-2 to 2-7). On the other hand, for sample 2-7, which contained 611 ppm of free amino acids, the reduction in the aftertaste following carbonation was confirmed, but there was a comment that the taste of amino acids was perceived and slightly affected the refreshing citrus taste. Furthermore, the results for sample 2-8 showed that in a beverage with a citrus juice content of 7.0%, the reduction in the aftertaste following carbonation by adding amino acids was almost negligible.

[0039] <Experimental Example 2> The clear lemon juice used in Reference Example 1 and the L-sodium glutamate used in Experimental Example 1, along with L-arginine (purity of 98% or more by mass), DL-alanine (purity of 98% or more by mass), and glycine (purity of 98% or more by mass) were added to pure water in the amounts shown in Table 3, and the gas pressure was 4.0 kgf / cm². 2 Carbon dioxide was added to the sample (unsweetened carbonated beverage containing citrus juice) and filled into PET bottles to prepare the sample. In Table 3, the values ​​for clear lemon juice indicate the percentage of fruit juice (in %). The free amino acid content and acidity of each obtained sample were measured in the same manner as in Experimental Example 1. Furthermore, the residual taste after the carbonation stimulation was evaluated using the same procedure as in Experimental Example 1, except that the control 3 sample was consumed beforehand to serve as a baseline. The bitterness derived from the citrus juice was also evaluated using the same procedure as in Experimental Example 1. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0040] [Table 3]

[0041] The results in Table 3 confirm that even when the type of added amino acid or its salt is changed, the bitterness derived from citrus juice can be maintained while reducing the lingering carbonation sensation. Furthermore, the effect was also obtained when a mixture of four amino acids—monosodium glutamate, L-arginine, DL-alanine, and glycine—was used (3-6). It is known that monosodium glutamate has an umami taste, L-arginine has a bitter taste, and DL-alanine and glycine have a sweet taste. Therefore, similar effects can be expected when using other amino acids with umami, bitterness, or sweetness.

[0042] <Experimental Example 3> Lemon communit juice, grapefruit clear juice, and L-arginine used in Experimental Example 2 were added to pure water to the concentrations listed in Table 4, and the gas pressure was 4.0 kgf / cm². 2 Carbon dioxide was added to the beverage to achieve the desired result, and the sample (unsweetened carbonated beverage containing citrus juice) was filled into a PET bottle to prepare it. In Table 4, the values ​​for lemon communited juice and grapefruit clear juice indicate the percentage of juice (in %). Each sample obtained was evaluated in the same manner as in Experimental Example 2, except that for evaluation 4-1, the control 4 sample was consumed beforehand to serve as a baseline, and for evaluation 4-2, the control 5 sample was consumed beforehand to serve as a baseline. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0043] [Table 4]

[0044] As shown in Table 4, similar to the case where the citrus juice is clear lemon juice (Experimental Examples 1 and 2), it was confirmed that by adding an amino acid (L-arginine) to bring the free amino acid content of the beverage to 50 ppm or more, the bitterness derived from the citrus juice is maintained while the after-effect of carbonation is reduced, even when the citrus juice is communited lemon juice (4-1) or clear grapefruit juice (4-2).

Claims

1. A step of adding citrus juice to a beverage base liquid so that the proportion of citrus juice in the final beverage is 0.3 to 6.0%, and A step of adding amino acids or their salts to a beverage base liquid so that the free amino acid content in the final beverage is 50 ppm or more. A method for producing a sugar-free carbonated beverage containing citrus juice, which does not contain high-intensity sweeteners.

2. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the content of free amino acids (ppm) in the final beverage to the percentage of citrus juice (%) is 12 or more.

3. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the amino acid or salt thereof added to the beverage base liquid contains one or more of L-sodium glutamate, L-arginine, glycine, and DL-alanine.

4. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the alcohol content of the final beverage is less than 1 v / v%.

5. A sugar-free carbonated beverage containing citrus juice, The proportion of citrus juice in beverages is 0.3-6.0%. The free amino acid content is 50 ppm or more. It contains additive amino acids or their salts. The above beverages do not contain high-intensity sweeteners.

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