Beverages for enhancing relaxation, relaxation enhancers, and methods for enhancing relaxation in beverages.

Abstract

The objective of this invention is to provide a novel technology that can enhance the feeling of relaxation. [Solution] The present invention provides a beverage for improving relaxation, wherein the beverage contains one or more selected from the group consisting of 10 ppb or more of tert-butyl alcohol, 1 ppb or more of tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, and 50 ppb or more of isopropyl acetate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage for enhancing a relaxing feeling, an agent for enhancing a relaxing feeling, and a method for enhancing a relaxing feeling of a beverage.

Background Art

[0002] In the development of beverages, attempts have been made to enhance the palatability of beverages by blending aroma components and the like to meet diverse consumer needs. For example, Patent Document 1 describes that 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone (DMHF) having a relaxing effect can be blended into beverages and the like.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The present inventors have searched for components that affect the relaxing feeling among various sensory properties obtained from beverages.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a novel technique capable of enhancing a relaxing feeling.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present inventors have found that the above problems can be solved by blending tert-butyl alcohol, ethyl tetrahydrofuran-2-acetate, and / or isopropyl acetate in a predetermined amount into a beverage, and have completed the present invention. Specifically, the present invention provides the following.

[0007] (1) A beverage for enhancing a relaxing feeling, which is The beverage contains one or more selected from the group consisting of 10 ppb or more of tert-butyl alcohol, 1 ppb or more of tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, and 50 ppb or more of isopropyl acetate. Beverages.

[0008] (2) The beverage according to (1), wherein the beverage contains fruit juice.

[0009] (3) A relaxation enhancer comprising one or more substances selected from the group consisting of tert-butyl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, and isopropyl acetate as an active ingredient.

[0010] (4) A method for improving the relaxing effect of a beverage, comprising the step of incorporating the relaxation-enhancing agent described in (3) into the beverage.

[0011] (5) A method for improving the relaxing effect of a beverage, comprising the step of adding one or more substances selected from the group consisting of 10 ppb or more of tert-butyl alcohol, 1 ppb or more of tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, and 50 ppb or more of isopropyl acetate to the beverage. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, a novel technology is provided that can improve the feeling of relaxation. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

[0014] <Inventive beverage> In one embodiment of the present invention, the beverage for improving relaxation according to the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as "the beverage of the present invention") contains, in addition to the beverage, one or more selected from the group consisting of 10 ppb or more of tert-butyl alcohol, 1 ppb or more of tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, and 50 ppb or more of isopropyl acetate.

[0015] The present inventors searched for components that affect the sense of relaxation among various sensory properties obtained from beverages, in order to develop novel beverages that appeal to consumers. As a result, the present inventors found that three types of components, namely tert-butyl alcohol, ethyl tetrahydrofuran-2-acetate, and isopropyl acetate, particularly affect the sense of relaxation. The present inventors also found that these components can provide a stable sense of relaxation when formulated in a beverage at a concentration equal to or higher than a predetermined level.

[0016] In the present invention, the "sense of relaxation" refers to a sensory feeling experienced when eating or drinking a food or beverage (in particular, a beverage), and includes sedative effects, calmness of mood, and the like that are felt during or immediately after eating or drinking.

[0017] In the present invention, the "effect of enhancing the sense of relaxation" includes that the degree of the obtainable sense of relaxation is higher in a beverage that satisfies the requirements of the present invention, as compared with a beverage having a common composition except for not satisfying the requirements of the present invention.

[0018] The presence or absence and the degree of the sense of relaxation obtained from a beverage can be specified by the methods shown in the Examples.

[0019] Hereinafter, the constitution of the beverage of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0020] (1) tert-Butyl alcohol In one aspect of the present invention, the beverage of the present invention contains tert-butyl alcohol in an amount of 10 ppb or more relative to the beverage.

[0021] "tert-Butyl alcohol" (CAS Registry Number: 75-65-0, Chemical formula: C4H 10 O) is known as an aroma component contained in fruits and the like, and is also referred to as "2-methylpropan-2-ol" and the like.

[0022] The lower limit of the content of tert-butyl alcohol is 10 ppb or more, preferably 50 ppb or more, and more preferably 500 ppb or more relative to the beverage, from the viewpoint of imparting a sufficient relaxation-enhancing effect to the beverage.

[0023] The upper limit of the content of tert-butyl alcohol is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint that a sufficient effect can be achieved even if the blending amount is not excessive, it is preferably 3000 ppb or less, more preferably 2500 ppb or less, and still more preferably 1500 ppb or less relative to the beverage.

[0024] The form of tert-butyl alcohol to be blended into the beverage is not particularly limited, and may be a purified product, or may be a food or beverage material partially containing tert-butyl alcohol. When the form of tert-butyl alcohol is a food or beverage material partially containing tert-butyl alcohol, the amount in terms of tert-butyl alcohol relative to the entire beverage only needs to satisfy the above requirements regarding the content.

[0025] The content of tert-butyl alcohol contained in the beverage is specified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC / MS) measurement using the Solid Phase Micro Extraction (SPME) method shown in the Examples.

[0026] (2) Ethyl tetrahydrofuran-2-acetate In one aspect of the present invention, the beverage of the present invention contains 1 ppb or more of ethyl tetrahydrofuran-2-acetate relative to the beverage.

[0027] "Ethyl tetrahydrofuran-2-acetate" (CAS Registry Number: 2434-02-8, chemical formula: C8H 14 O3) is known as an aroma component contained in fruits and the like, and is also referred to as "ethyl 2-(oxolan-2-yl)acetate" and the like.

[0028] The lower limit of the tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate content is 1 ppb or more, preferably 50 ppb or more, and more preferably 500 ppb or more, relative to the beverage, from the viewpoint of providing a sufficient relaxing effect to the beverage.

[0029] While there is no particular upper limit to the content of tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, from the viewpoint that sufficient effects can be achieved even without excessive amounts, the content in beverages is preferably 3000 ppb or less, more preferably 1500 ppb or less, and even more preferably 1200 ppb or less.

[0030] The form of ethyl tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate used in beverages is not particularly limited; it may be a refined product, or it may be a food and beverage material that contains ethyl tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate as part of it. If the form of tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate is a food ingredient containing tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate as part of it, then it is sufficient that the amount of tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate in terms of the total amount of the beverage satisfies the above requirements regarding the content.

[0031] The amount of ethyl tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate contained in the beverage is determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC / MS) measurement using the Solid Phase Micro Extraction (SPME) method, as shown in the examples.

[0032] (3) Isopropyl acetate In one embodiment of the present invention, the beverage of the present invention contains 50 ppb or more of isopropyl acetate relative to the beverage.

[0033] Isopropyl acetate (CAS registry number: 108-21-4, chemical formula: C5H) 10 O2) is known as an aromatic compound found in fruits and other foods.

[0034] The lower limit of the isopropyl acetate content is 50 ppb or more, preferably 100 ppb or more, more preferably 200 ppb or more, and even more preferably 300 ppb or more, relative to the beverage, from the viewpoint of providing a sufficient relaxing effect to the beverage.

[0035] While there is no particular upper limit to the isopropyl acetate content, from the viewpoint that sufficient effects can be achieved even without excessive amounts, the content in beverages is preferably 3000 ppb or less, more preferably 1500 ppb or less, and even more preferably 1200 ppb or less.

[0036] The form of isopropyl acetate used in beverages is not particularly limited; it may be a refined product, or it may be a food and beverage ingredient containing isopropyl acetate as a part. If the form of isopropyl acetate is a food ingredient that contains isopropyl acetate as part of it, then it is sufficient if the amount of isopropyl acetate in terms of the total amount of the beverage satisfies the above requirements regarding the content.

[0037] The amount of isopropyl acetate contained in the beverage is determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC / MS) measurement using the Dynamic Headspace (DHS) method, as shown in the examples.

[0038] (4) The ratio of tert-butyl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, and isopropyl acetate Tert-butyl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, and isopropyl acetate may each be added to a beverage individually or in combination of two or more. When tert-butyl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, and isopropyl acetate are combined in a formulation with two or more of the above-mentioned requirements, the content of each is not particularly limited as long as the above-mentioned requirements are met.

[0039] (5) Other ingredients The beverage of the present invention may contain other ingredients and additives commonly used in beverages, as long as they do not inhibit the effects of the present invention. The amount of each ingredient can be appropriately set according to the desired effect.

[0040] Examples of ingredients that can be incorporated into the beverage of the present invention include the following: Solvent (water, alcohol, etc.) fruit juice Sugars (sucrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose, etc.) Sugar alcohols (erythritol, maltitol, etc.) Isomerized sugar (fructose-glucose syrup, etc.) Fragrance components (other than tert-butyl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, and isopropyl acetate) Artificial sweeteners (stevia, aspartame, acesulfame K, sucralose, etc.) Emulsifiers (sucrose fatty acid esters, lecithin, etc.) Thickening and stabilizing agents (soybean polysaccharides, pectin, carrageenan, gellan gum, xanthan gum, guar gum, etc.) Antioxidants (tocopherol, cysteine ​​hydrochloride, etc.) Pigments (carotenoid pigments, anthocyanin pigments, caramel coloring, various synthetic colorants, etc.) Vitamins (Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, etc.) Minerals (potassium, calcium, magnesium, etc.) pH adjusters (trisodium citrate, baking soda, etc.) Acidulants (citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, acetic acid, etc.) preservative Preservatives Antifungal agent Dietary fiber

[0041] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the beverage of the present invention contains fruit juice. The fruit juice may be used alone or in combination of two or more types. By adding fruit juice to beverages in addition to the aforementioned ingredients, it becomes easier to create beverages that not only provide a sense of relaxation but also enhance palatability.

[0042] As for the fruit juice, any juice that can be added to the beverage can be used, including soft fruit juices such as grape juice, apple juice, banana juice, strawberry juice, melon juice, mango juice, muscat grape juice, peach juice, passion fruit juice, plum juice, cherry juice, blackcurrant juice, pineapple juice, pear juice, and lychee juice, as well as citrus juices such as orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, mandarin orange juice, grapefruit juice, and yuzu juice. Of these, grape juice, apple juice, and orange juice are preferred from the standpoint of easily providing a stable feeling of relaxation through the beverage.

[0043] The fruit juice used in this invention may be one that satisfies the definition of "concentrated fruit juice" in Article 2 of the "Japanese Agricultural Standards for Fruit Beverages."

[0044] Fruit juice is usually obtained by squeezing juice from fruits, etc. For example, the juice (straight juice) may be used as is, or the juice may be processed before being used. Processed juices include concentrated juice, which is made by concentrating the juice, and reconstituted juice, which is made by diluting the concentrated juice. Methods for processing the juice include enzymatic treatment, microfiltration, and ultrafiltration. The juice may be either clear juice (after clarification) or cloudy juice, or a combination of both.

[0045] The fruit juice content (fruit juice ratio) is not particularly limited, but is 0 to 100% by weight, preferably 5 to 50% by weight, and more preferably 10 to 30% by weight relative to the beverage. In this invention, "fruit juice content" refers to the relative concentration when the straight juice obtained by squeezing fruit is set to 100%, and is calculated based on the standard (°Bx) of sugar refractometer readings shown in the JAS standard (Japanese Agricultural Standards for Fruit Beverages). For example, in the case of grape juice, the JAS standard is 11°Bx, so if 10% by weight of concentrated grape juice with a 55°Bx value is added to the beverage, the juice content will be 50%. However, when converting the juice content based on the sugar refractometer readings of the JAS standard, the sugar refractometer readings of sugars and honey added to the juice should be excluded. Also, the juice content is usually expressed as "weight %" (i.e., the amount of juice per 100g of beverage (g) (w / w)).

[0046] (6) Types of beverages While there are no particular limitations on the type of beverage, examples include soft drinks (carbonated drinks, fruit drinks, dairy drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, etc.). The term "soft drink" usually refers to beverages with an alcohol content of less than 1% by volume (excluding lactic acid bacteria beverages, milk, and dairy products), but the beverages of the present invention also include beverages that do not meet this definition.

[0047] The Brix value (amount of soluble solids in the beverage) of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is usually between 5% and 15%.

[0048] The citric acid content of the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is usually 0.1 to 0.4 g / 100 mL. In this invention, "citric acidity" refers to the value (in %) obtained by converting the amount of acid contained in a beverage into an equivalent amount of citric acid. The citrate acidity is determined by the method shown in the examples.

[0049] The pH of the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is usually between 3 and 5.

[0050] The serving temperature of the beverage of this invention is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of easily evoking a feeling of relaxation, it is usually between 0 and 65°C.

[0051] <Method for producing the beverage of the present invention> The beverage of the present invention is prepared using any conditions and methods employed in the manufacture of the beverage, depending on the type of beverage, etc.

[0052] The resulting beverage may be subjected to sterilization, container filling, etc., as necessary.

[0053] The resulting beverage may be consumed as is, or it may be filled into containers and distributed.

[0054] <Relaxation enhancer> The present invention also includes relaxation enhancers (hereinafter referred to as "the agent of the present invention") that contain one or more selected from the group consisting of tert-butyl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, and isopropyl acetate as active ingredients.

[0055] In the present invention, "containing (an ingredient) as an active ingredient" means that one or more selected from the group consisting of tert-butyl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, and isopropyl acetate are included in a sufficient amount to produce a relaxing sensation.

[0056] The form of the agent of the present invention is not particularly limited and includes solutions, emulsions, powders, and other solids.

[0057] The forms of the agent of the present invention include all of the following: The active ingredient comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of tert-butyl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, and isopropyl acetate. The active ingredient consists of only one or more selected from the group consisting of tert-butyl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, and isopropyl acetate. The active ingredient consists of only one or more selected from the group comprising tert-butyl alcohol at 10 ppb or more, tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate at 1 ppb or more, and isopropyl acetate at 50 ppb or more. The active ingredient consists of only one or more selected from the group consisting of tert-butyl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, and isopropyl acetate, and also contains a solvent or other optional components.

[0058] If the agent of the present invention contains a solvent or optional components, the components that can be incorporated into food and beverages can be appropriately selected within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention. Examples of solvents include water, alcohol (ethyl alcohol), and aqueous alcohol solutions. Optional ingredients include minerals, vitamins, flavonoids, quinones, polyphenols, amino acids, nucleic acids, essential fatty acids, cooling agents, binders, sweeteners, disintegrants, lubricants, colorants, flavorings, stabilizers, preservatives, sustained-release regulators, surfactants, solvents, and humectants.

[0059] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the agent of the present invention is incorporated into a beverage. In this embodiment, the agent of the present invention is formulated in a beverage to contain one or more selected from the group consisting of 10 ppb or more of tert-butyl alcohol, 1 ppb or more of tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, and 50 ppb or more of isopropyl acetate.

[0060] The agent of the present invention can be used as an ingredient in food and beverages, etc. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the agent of the present invention is used as an ingredient in a beverage. In this embodiment, the agent of the present invention may also be referred to as a "relaxation-enhancing agent in beverages," a "relaxation-imparting agent for beverages," or the like.

[0061] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the agent of the present invention can be incorporated into a beverage to satisfy one or more of the following conditions, thereby imparting a relaxation-enhancing effect to the beverage. • The beverage should contain tert-butyl alcohol in an amount of 10 ppb or more. • The beverage should contain tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate in an amount of 1 ppb or more. • The beverage should contain isopropyl acetate in an amount of 50 ppb or more.

[0062] Other components of the agent of the present invention and the beverage containing the agent of the present invention can adopt the configuration of the beverage of the present invention described above.

[0063] <Methods to enhance the relaxing effect of beverages> This invention also includes a method for improving the relaxing effect of beverages (hereinafter also referred to as "the improvement method of this invention"). The improvement method of the present invention encompasses both of the following two embodiments. The beverages obtained by both methods may have the same composition. A method for improving the relaxing effect of a beverage, comprising the step of incorporating the aforementioned relaxation-enhancing agent into the beverage. A method for improving the relaxing effect of a beverage, comprising the step of adding one or more substances selected from the group consisting of 10 ppb or more of tert-butyl alcohol, 1 ppb or more of tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, and 50 ppb or more of isopropyl acetate to the beverage.

[0064] Each component in the improvement method of the present invention can adopt the components of the beverage or agent of the present invention described above.

[0065] In the present invention, "to blend one or more substances selected from the group consisting of 10 ppb or more of tert-butyl alcohol, 1 ppb or more of tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, and 50 ppb or more of isopropyl acetate into a beverage" means that, if the beverage's constituent ingredients include components (such as fruit juice) containing tert-butyl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, or isopropyl acetate, the concentration of these components in the blended beverage (e.g., the final product) is adjusted to satisfy the above-mentioned conditions. Such adjustments include, for example, adding 9 ppb or more of tert-butyl alcohol when the beverage's main ingredient (fruit juice, etc.) contains 1 ppb of tert-butyl alcohol. [Examples]

[0066] The present invention will be described more specifically below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0067] <Test 1: Examination of the effect of aromatic components on relaxation - 1> The following method was used to investigate the effects of beverages containing various aromatic components on the drinker's sense of relaxation.

[0068] (1)Analysis method In this example, the content of tert-butyl alcohol and tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate in the beverage (in units of "ppb") was determined by performing gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC / MS) measurements using the Solid Phase Micro Extraction (SPME) method with an "MPS robotic WorkStation" (manufactured by Gestel) based on the following "Condition-1". Furthermore, in this example, the isopropyl acetate content (in ppb) in the beverage was determined by performing gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC / MS) measurements using the Dynamic HeadSpace (DHS) method with an "MPS robotic WorkStation" (Gester AG) based on the following "Condition-2".

[0069] (1-1)Condition-1 (1-1-1) Equipment GC: Agilent Technologies 8890 MS: Agilent Technologies 5977C MSD SPME Fiber: SUPELCO 50 / 30μm DVB / CAR / PDMS (1-1-2) Columns used HP-INNNOWAX 60m×0.25mm×0.25μm (1-1-3) Quantitative Ions tert-butyl alcohol m / z=59 Tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate m / z=71 DL-2-methylbutyrate m / z=74 2-methylbutyl acetate m / z=84 (1-1-4) Temperature conditions 40℃ (5 min) → +5℃ / min heating → 240℃ (0 min) (1-1-5) Carrier gas flow rate He:1.4ml / min (1-1-6) Injection method Splitless (1-1-7) Ion source temperature 240℃

[0070] (1-2) Condition-2 (1-2-1) Equipment GC: Agilent Technologies 8890 MS: Agilent Technologies 5977B MSD TUBE:Tenax TA (1-2-2) Columns used DB-WAX 30m x 0.25mm x 0.25μm (1-2-3) Quantitative Ions Isopropyl acetate m / z=43 (1-2-4) Temperature conditions 40℃ (5 min) → +5℃ / min heating → 240℃ (0 min) (1-2-5) Carrier gas flow rate He:2ml / min (1-2-6) Injection method Splitless (1-2-7) Ion source temperature 230℃

[0071] (2) Base beverage In this example, unless otherwise specified, all formulations commonly used a base beverage (aqueous solution) with the composition shown in Table 1.

[0072] [Table 1]

[0073] The acidity of citrate was determined by titration using phenolphthalein indicator and sodium hydroxide according to the following procedure. (I) Accurately weigh 5 to 15 g of the beverage into a 200 mL Erlenmeyer flask and dilute it with water to approximately 50 mL. (II) A few drops of 1% phenolphthalein indicator were added to the diluted beverage and stirred. (III) Next, while stirring the beverage solution in the Erlenmeyer flask with a magnetic stirrer, 0.1 M sodium hydroxide from a 25 mL burette was added dropwise to the beverage solution to perform a titration test. This titration test was terminated when the color of the beverage solution in the Erlenmeyer flask remained red for 30 seconds. (IV) The citrate acidity (%) value was calculated based on the titration test results using the following formula. Citric acidity (%) = A × f × (100 / W) × 0.0064 The symbols in the above formula represent the following: A: Titration volume (mL) of 0.1M sodium hydroxide solution f: Titer of 0.1M sodium hydroxide solution W is the mass (g) of the beverage sample. The value "0.0064" multiplied in the above formula represents the mass (g) of anhydrous citric acid equivalent to 1 mL of 0.1 M sodium hydroxide solution.

[0074] (3) Blending of fragrance components The inventors screened various aroma components and focused particularly on the following aroma components, which are commonly found in fruits. Each of these aroma components was blended into a base beverage to produce the beverages shown in Tables 2 and 3. In the table, "Control Example 1" corresponds to the base beverage. • tert-butyl alcohol (CAS Registry Number: 75-65-0) • Tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate (CAS Registry Number: 2434-02-8) • Isopropyl acetate (CAS Registry Number: 108-21-4) • DL-2-methylbutyrate (CAS Registry Number: 116-53-0) • 2-Methylbutyl acetate (CAS Registry Number: 624-41-9)

[0075] (4) Evaluation of beverages Each of the obtained beverages (20°C, 30 mL) was consumed by five panelists, and their sensory perception (feeling of relaxation) was evaluated based on the following criteria. The evaluation method used in this example is based on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) method. More specifically, the evaluation method used in this example is a relative evaluation method (minimum score: 0 points, maximum score: 10 points) where the control example (in this example, "Control Example 1 (Base Beverage)") is given a score of "5.0". A higher score for "relaxation" indicates that the beverage's flavor and aroma had a calming effect and contributed to a sense of peace.

[0076] Regarding the sensory aspects of each beverage, the average scores are shown in the "Relaxation" column of Tables 2 and 3.

[0077] [Table 2]

[0078] [Table 3]

[0079] As shown in Table 2, it was confirmed that beverages containing 10 ppb or more of tert-butyl alcohol, 1 ppb or more of tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, or 50 ppb or more of isopropyl acetate improved relaxation.

[0080] On the other hand, as shown in Table 3, beverages containing DL-2-methylbutyrate and 2-methylbutyl acetate did not show any effect in improving relaxation; rather, they tended to impair relaxation and increase feelings of unease such as stress.

[0081] <Test 2: Examination of the effect of aromatic components on relaxation - Part 2> In "Test 1" described above, it was confirmed that adding predetermined amounts of tert-butyl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, or isopropyl acetate to a beverage enhances the feeling of relaxation. Therefore, in this study, we replaced the base beverage with a fruit juice-containing beverage to investigate whether the aforementioned relaxation-enhancing effect could be achieved even in the presence of various fruit juices.

[0082] (1)Analysis method The method for analyzing the content of various aroma components in the beverage is the same as in "Test 1".

[0083] (2) Preparation and evaluation of beverages Using the same base beverage as in "Test 1" above, or various fruit juices (clear grape juice, clear apple juice, cloudy orange juice), three types of fruit juice-containing beverages (aqueous solutions) shown in Table 4 were prepared. Next, tert-butyl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, or isopropyl acetate was added to each fruit juice-containing beverage at the concentrations shown in Tables 5 to 7. Each of the obtained beverages was subjected to sensory evaluation using the same method as in "Test 1". The results are shown in Tables 5-7.

[0084] The various fruit juices used in this example are all "concentrated fruit juices," and their raw materials may contain tert-butyl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, or isopropyl acetate. However, when producing concentrated fruit juice, the heating process during concentration causes water to evaporate, and aromatic components are also removed from the juice. Therefore, the concentrations (amounts added) of tert-butyl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, or isopropyl acetate shown in Tables 5-7 can be considered as the content in the beverage.

[0085] [Table 4]

[0086] [Table 5] [Table 6]

[0087] [Table 7]

[0088] As shown in Tables 5-7, it was confirmed that relaxation is enhanced by adding 10 ppb or more of tert-butyl alcohol, 1 ppb or more of tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, or 50 ppb or more of isopropyl acetate, even in the presence of various fruit juices.

[0089] <Test 3: Examination of the effect of aromatic components on relaxation - 3> In "Test 1" described above, it was confirmed that adding predetermined amounts of tert-butyl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, or isopropyl acetate to a beverage enhances the feeling of relaxation. Therefore, in this example, we investigated whether the relaxation-enhancing effects described above could be achieved even when these ingredients were combined.

[0090] (1)Analysis method The method for analyzing the content of various aroma components in the beverage is the same as in "Test 1".

[0091] (2) Preparation and evaluation of beverages Various aroma components were added to the same base beverage as in "Test 1" described above to prepare the beverages shown in Table 8. Next, sensory evaluation was conducted for each beverage using the same method as in "Test 1". The results are shown in Table 8.

[0092] [Table 8]

[0093] As shown in Table 8, we confirmed that relaxation is improved even when a combination of tert-butyl alcohol at 10 ppb or more, tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate at 1 ppb or more, and isopropyl acetate at 50 ppb or more is formulated.

Claims

1. A beverage intended to enhance relaxation, The beverage contains one or more selected from the group consisting of tert-butyl alcohol at 10 ppb or more, tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate at 1 ppb or more, and isopropyl acetate at 50 ppb or more. Beverages.

2. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the beverage contains fruit juice.

3. A relaxation enhancer comprising one or more active ingredients selected from the group consisting of tert-butyl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate, and isopropyl acetate.

4. A method for improving the relaxing effect of a beverage, comprising the step of incorporating the relaxation-enhancing agent described in claim 3 into the beverage.

5. A method for improving the relaxing effect of a beverage, comprising the step of adding one or more substances selected from the group consisting of tert-butyl alcohol at 10 ppb or more, tetrahydrofuran-2-ethyl acetate at 1 ppb or more, and isopropyl acetate at 50 ppb or more, to the beverage.

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