Vitamin C-containing beverages

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to reduce the unpleasant sensation felt after drinking a beverage containing high concentrations of vitamin C. The present invention provides a beverage having a tannin content of 50 to 1000 ppm, a vitamin C content of 1000 ppm or more, and a γ-nonalactone content of 0.05 ppm or more.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage containing high concentrations of vitamin C and a method for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] In response to the recent trend towards health consciousness, many foods and beverages containing relatively high concentrations of vitamins and other health ingredients have been developed. Among them, vitamin C is a representative health ingredient, and many foods and beverages fortified with vitamin C are available on the market.

[0003] As a conventional technique for beverages containing vitamin C, Patent Document 1 describes a technique for masking the unpleasant odor (vitamin odor) peculiar to various vitamins, including vitamin C, by blending sucralose. Patent Document 2 also discloses a technique for enhancing the nasal odor in a tea beverage containing ascorbic acid or a salt thereof by adding astragalin.

[0004] On the other hand, although small amounts of vitamin C have been added as an antioxidant to beverages containing tannins, such as tea beverages, beverages containing high concentrations of vitamin C are not available on the market. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] International Publication WO00 / 24273 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2021-007414 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In the course of research and development of beverages, the present inventors have found that when vitamin C is added to a beverage containing tannins, if the vitamin C content is low, there is almost no effect on the flavor, but if a large amount of vitamin C is added to the beverage, an unpleasant feeling of catching in the throat occurs when drinking. Specifically, if a beverage containing tannins contains 1000 ppm or more of vitamin C, an unpleasant feeling of catching in the throat becomes apparent when drinking.

[0007] In view of this situation, an object of the present invention is to develop a technology for reducing the discomfort in the throat that occurs when a beverage containing tannin contains high concentrations of vitamin C. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present inventors have conducted extensive research to solve the above problems and have tested various ingredients, and as a result, have found that γ-nonalactone effectively suppresses the discomfort that occurs when high concentrations of vitamin C and tannins coexist. Based on this finding, the present inventors have completed the present invention.

[0009] That is, the present invention includes the following aspects, but is not limited to these. [1] A beverage containing 50-1000 ppm of tannins, 1000 ppm or more of vitamin C, and 0.05 ppm or more of gamma-nonalactone. [2] The beverage described in [1], which contains tea extract. [3] The beverage described in [1], which contains black tea extract or oolong tea extract. [4] The beverage described in [1], which is a beverage containing fruit juice. [5] The beverage described in [1], which contains vanillin. [6] The beverage described in [1], which contains niacin. [7] The beverage described in [1], which is a beverage that does not contain dairy ingredients. [8] A method for producing a beverage, comprising adjusting the tannin content to 50 to 1000 ppm, the vitamin C content to 1000 ppm or more, and the gamma-nonalactone content to 0.05 ppm or more. [9] A method for improving the flavor of a beverage having a tannin content of 50 to 1000 ppm and a vitamin C content of 1000 ppm or more, the method comprising increasing the gamma-nonalactone content to 0.05 ppm or more. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the discomfort in the throat that occurs when a tannin-containing beverage is mixed with a high concentration of vitamin C. By utilizing the technology of the present invention, for example, a delicious beverage that can easily replenish vitamins can be provided. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] One embodiment of the present invention is a beverage containing predetermined amounts of tannins and vitamin C, and containing gamma-nonalactone.

[0012] Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) The beverage of the present invention contains 1000 ppm or more of vitamin C. As described above, when a high concentration of vitamin C is added to a beverage containing tannins, an unpleasant feeling of catching in the throat is felt when drinking the beverage, and this problem becomes particularly evident when the vitamin C concentration is 1000 ppm or more; however, this problem can be suppressed by adding γ-nonalactone according to the present invention.

[0013] The lower limit of the vitamin C content is preferably 1100 ppm, more preferably 1200 ppm. The upper limit of the vitamin C content is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of maintaining a good flavor of the beverage, it can be 3000 ppm, preferably 2000 ppm, more preferably 1700 ppm, and most preferably 1500 ppm. The vitamin C content can be measured using a method known to those skilled in the art, and can be quantified, for example, using HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography). Here, in the present invention, the vitamin C content is calculated as the total value of the contents of L-ascorbic acid (reduced form) and L-dehydroascorbic acid (oxidized form). The vitamin C of the present invention includes those added in the form of a salt (e.g., sodium ascorbate, potassium ascorbate, or calcium ascorbate) and those derived from natural products such as fruit juice. In one embodiment, when L-ascorbic acid is added to the beverage of the present invention, an L-ascorbic acid preparation may be used. By adding an L-ascorbic acid preparation, it becomes easier to prepare a beverage containing high concentrations of vitamin C.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the beverage according to the present invention may contain vitamins other than vitamin C. The vitamins to be blended in the beverage according to the present invention are preferably water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin B, and examples thereof include vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, niacin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, and biotin.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the beverage of the present invention contains niacin. Niacin is a type of vitamin B and is also called nicotinic acid. In the present invention, the term niacin includes not only nicotinic acid but also its amide form (niacinamide) unless otherwise specified. Niacin is biosynthesized into pyridine nucleotide in the body and is involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins and energy production as a coenzyme for dehydrogenase, and is known to be contained in coffee beverages.

[0016] When niacin is added to the beverage of the present invention, its origin is not particularly limited, and a crude product as well as a refined product can be used. For example, a natural product or a processed product thereof containing niacin may be used, or a preparation such as a flavoring may be used. The content of niacin in the beverage of the present invention may be, for example, 0.1 to 100 ppm, and preferably 1 to 60 ppm or 5 to 30 ppm. The content of niacin can be measured using a method known to those skilled in the art, and can be quantified, for example, using HPLC.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the beverage of the present invention contains vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is a type of vitamin B and is known to be involved in protein metabolism. When vitamin B6 is added to the beverage of the present invention, its origin is not particularly limited, and a crude product can be used in addition to a refined product. For example, a natural product or a processed product thereof containing vitamin B6 may be used, or a preparation such as a flavoring may be used. The content of vitamin B6 in the beverage of the present invention may be, for example, 0.1 to 100 ppm, and preferably 0.5 to 60 ppm or 1 to 30 ppm. The content of vitamin B6 can be measured using a method known to those skilled in the art, and can be quantified using, for example, HPLC.

[0018] γ-Nonalactone The beverage according to the present invention contains γ-nonalactone. γ-nonalactone is a C 16 It is an organic compound represented by O2 and has the following structure (CAS Registry Number: 104-61-0).

[0019] [ka]

[0020] γ-nonalactone is naturally contained in fruits such as peaches and apricots, jasmine oil, etc., and is known to have a coconut-like scent, but is not contained in general tea beverages. In the present invention, the origin of γ-nonalactone is not particularly limited, and a crude product as well as a refined product can be used. For example, a natural product containing γ-nonalactone or a processed product thereof, or a preparation such as a flavoring agent can be used.

[0021] In the present invention, by adding 0.05 ppm or more of γ-nonalactone to the beverage, it is possible to reduce the discomfort in the throat that occurs when high concentrations of vitamin C and tannins are present at the same time. The content of γ-nonalactone in the beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 0.05 to 20 ppm, more preferably 0.08 to 10 ppm, and may be 0.1 to 5 ppm or 0.12 to 3 ppm. The lower limit of the content of γ-nonalactone may be 0.15 ppm, and the upper limit may be 1 ppm or 0.5 ppm.

[0022] Furthermore, in the beverage of the present invention, the ratio of vitamin C content to γ-nonalactone content is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 500-35,000, preferably 2,000-20,000, and more preferably 5,000-10,000.

[0023] The content of γ-nonalactone can be measured by a method known to those skilled in the art, and for example, can be quantified as follows using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC / MS). (Measurement procedure) Take 1 g of sample, adjust the volume to 20 mL, add 10 mL of hexane and 8 g of sodium chloride, shake (10 minutes), and then centrifuge (2000 rpm, 5 minutes). Measure the hexane layer of the obtained solution by GC / MS. (Measurement conditions) Model: 7890B / 5977B [Agilent Technologies] Column: DB-WAX UI [Agilent Technologies] (Diameter 0.25mm x 30m, thickness: 0.25μm) Injection method: splitless Temperature: Sample injection port 220℃ Column 40℃ (1min hold) → 10℃ / min temperature increase → 240℃ (10min hold) Gas flow rate: Helium (carrier gas) 1mL / min Ion source temperature: 230℃ Ionization method: EI ·Setting mass number (m / z): 85 Tannins The beverage of the present invention contains 50 to 1000 ppm of tannin. Tannin is a name that includes catechins, gallic acid, its esters, and their condensates. It is believed that in beverages containing high concentrations of vitamin C and tannin, some interaction occurs between them, causing a sticky feeling on the tongue after drinking.

[0024] The upper limit of the tannin content in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 800 ppm, more preferably 600 ppm, even more preferably 400 ppm, and most preferably 200 ppm, and the lower limit of the tannin content in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 80 ppm, more preferably 110 ppm, more preferably 130 ppm, and most preferably 150 ppm. In the present invention, if the tannin concentration in the beverage is too high, the effect of the present invention becomes difficult to perceive due to the astringency derived from the tannin, and if the tannin concentration is too low, the problem of the present invention does not arise.

[0025] In the present invention, the tannin concentration in the beverage can be measured by ferrous tartrate absorptiometry. Specifically, the tannin concentration can be measured based on the method (ferrous tartrate absorptiometry) described in the "Analysis Manual for the 2020 Edition (8th Edition) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan" (February 2022), in which an iron tartrate reagent is used as a coloring agent, and the amount of tannin can be determined by measuring the absorbance at a wavelength of 540 nm after coloring with the reagent. In this method, a calibration curve is created using ethyl gallate as a standard substance, and the amount of ethyl gallate corresponding to the absorbance of the sample is determined from the calibration curve, and the amount of tannin can be calculated by converting the obtained value.

[0026] The form of the tannin to be blended in the present invention is not limited, but it can be suitably used in the form of, for example, tea extract or concentrate thereof. The plant extract containing tannin or concentrate thereof can be prepared, for example, from tea leaves belonging to Camellia sinensis such as black tea, green tea, oolong tea, and pu-erh tea, as well as from plants other than Camellia sinensis such as rooibos tea. Among them, in terms of the effect of the present invention, an extract obtained from black tea leaves can be suitably used. The tannin is preferably derived from a tea extract, and more preferably from a black tea extract. The beverage of the present invention may contain a tea extract (preferably a black tea extract).

[0027] beverage In the present invention, the type of beverage is not particularly limited. In a preferred embodiment, the beverage of the present invention is a soft drink, not an alcoholic beverage. For example, it may be any of nutritional beverages, functional beverages, flavored water (near water) beverages, tea beverages (black tea, oolong tea, green tea, rooibos tea, etc.), and coffee beverages. In the present invention, the effect of the present invention is difficult to perceive due to the stimulation of carbon dioxide, so the beverage of the present invention is preferably a beverage that does not contain carbon dioxide gas (i.e., a non-carbonated beverage). In addition, the pH of the beverage of the present invention is preferably 2.5 to 7.0, more preferably 3.0 to 4.5, from the viewpoints of flavor and storage stability.

[0028] In one embodiment, the beverage of the present invention is preferably a tea beverage. Here, the term "tea beverage" refers to a beverage containing an extract from plant raw materials such as tea leaves and grains of the tea plant (scientific name: Camellia sinensis), and stems, leaves, and roots other than the tea plant, and specifically includes black tea beverages, oolong tea beverages, green tea beverages, barley tea beverages, brown rice tea beverages, rooibos tea beverages, chamomile tea beverages, and mulberry leaf tea beverages. Since they contain tannins, black tea beverages, oolong tea beverages, green tea beverages, and rooibos tea beverages are preferred, and black tea beverages are more preferred.

[0029] In one embodiment, the beverage according to the present invention may contain vanillin. Vanillin is an organic compound belonging to vanilloids and represented by the chemical formula C8H8O3 (CAS Registry Number: 121-33-5). Vanillin is also known as 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde, and is known to have a sweet aroma unique to vanilla. When vanillin is blended into the beverage according to the present invention, the origin of the vanillin is not particularly limited, and a crude product as well as a refined product may be used. For example, a natural product or a processed product thereof containing vanillin may be used, or a preparation such as a flavoring may be used.

[0030] When vanillin is blended, the vanillin content in the beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 0.1 to 10 ppm, and preferably 0.3 to 5 ppm or 0.5 to 2 ppm. The vanillin content can be measured using a method known to those skilled in the art, and can be quantified, for example, by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC / MS) as described below. (Measurement procedure) Take 2 g of sample, add 1 mL of water, 3 mL of ethanol, and 10 mL of a mixture of water and ethanol (1:1), irradiate with ultrasound for 5 minutes to extract, adjust the volume to 20 mL to obtain a test solution, and analyze using LC / MS. (Measurement conditions) Column: Intersil ODS-2 (diameter 2.1 mm x 150 mm, particle size: 5 μm) Column temperature: 40℃ Mobile phase: 1% acetic acid and acetonitrile (85:15) ·Flow rate: 0.2mL / min Ionization method: Electrospray (positive ion detection mode) ·Set mass number (m / z): 152.8→64.7 In one embodiment, the beverage according to the present invention does not contain a milk component. In this specification, the milk component refers to a component containing milk protein, such as milk, condensed milk, skim milk, reconstituted milk (reconstituted milk obtained by reconstituting whole milk powder, skim milk powder, or prepared milk powder), concentrated whey, concentrated milk, cream, etc. When a milk component is added to a beverage, the milk protein may affect the effect of the present invention, so when a milk component is added to a beverage, it is necessary to determine the formulation of the beverage taking into account the effect of the milk protein.

[0031] The sweetness of the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited. According to the studies of the present inventors, the effect of the present invention is significantly perceived when the sweetness is at a certain level or higher, so in a preferred embodiment, the sweetness of the beverage is, for example, 1 to 30, and preferably 3 to 20 or 5 to 10.

[0032] Here, sweetness is a measure of sweetness and is a relative ratio when the sweetness of 1% by weight (20°C) of sucrose is taken as 1. In this specification, the sweetness of a beverage is an index that indicates the relative sweetness of a beverage when the sweetness of a beverage containing 1g of sucrose in 100g of beverage is taken as "1". The sweetness of a beverage is calculated by converting the content of each sweet component into the equivalent amount of sucrose based on the relative ratio of the sweetness of the sweet component to the sweetness of sucrose of 1, and then totaling the sucrose sweetness equivalent amounts of all sweet components contained in the beverage (including sweet components derived from fruit juice, extract, etc.). The relative ratio of the sweetness of various representative sweet components to the sweetness of sucrose of 1 may be determined using a known sweetness conversion table (e.g., McMurry Organic Chemistry, 7th Edition, p. 988) or by obtaining the sweetness from a sensory evaluation.

[0033] The sweetness of the beverage may be adjusted by a known method, and for example, a sweetener may be used. The sweetener is not particularly limited as long as it can impart sweetness, and examples thereof include natural sweeteners such as fructose, sugar, fructose glucose liquid sugar, glucose, maltose, sucrose, high fructose liquid sugar, sugar alcohol, oligosaccharides, honey, sugarcane juice (brown sugar syrup), starch syrup, stevia powder, stevia extract, Monk fruit powder, Monk fruit extract, licorice powder, licorice extract, Thaumatococcus daniellii seed powder, and Thaumatococcus daniellii seed extract, and artificial sweeteners such as acesulfame potassium, sucralose, neotame, aspartame, and saccharin.

[0034] The Brix value of the beverage according to the present invention is not particularly limited. However, since the effect of the present invention becomes more noticeable when the Brix value of the beverage is high, in a preferred embodiment, the Brix value of the beverage according to the present invention can be, for example, 1 to 30, preferably 3 or more, and more preferably 5 or more. Here, the Brix value is a value obtained by converting the refractive index measured at 20°C into mass / mass percent of the sucrose solution based on the conversion table of ICUMSA (International Commission on Uniformity of Sugar Analysis), and is generally expressed in units of "°Bx", "%" or "degrees". The Brix value may be measured by a conventional method using a saccharometer, a refractometer, or the like.

[0035] The beverage according to the present invention may contain fruit juice. In a preferred embodiment, for example, a gorgeous beverage such as fruit tea can be made by blending fruit juice with a tea beverage. There is no limit to the blending rate of fruit juice, but for example, it can be 40% or less in terms of straight fruit juice, and 1 to 30% or 3 to 15% is more preferable. There is no particular limit to the fruit juice used, but it may be straight fruit juice obtained by squeezing fruits or vegetables, or it may be fruit juice that has been treated by concentration, heating, sweetening, or the like. In addition, clear fruit juice or cloudy fruit juice may be used as the fruit juice, and whole fruit juice obtained by crushing whole fruit including the skin and removing only particularly rough solids such as seeds, fruit puree obtained by straining fruit, or fruit juice obtained by crushing or extracting the pulp of dried fruit may also be used.

[0036] The type of fruit or vegetable that is the raw material for the fruit juice is not particularly limited, and one type of fruit juice may be used alone, or two or more types of fruit juice may be used in combination. Specific examples of the fruit juice that can be used include citrus juice (orange juice, Unshu mandarin juice, grapefruit juice, lemon juice, lime juice, yuzu juice, iyokan juice, natsumikan juice, hassaku juice, ponkan juice, shiikuwasha juice, kabosu juice, etc.), grape juice, peach juice, tropical fruit juice (pineapple juice, guava juice, banana juice, kiwi juice, mango juice, acerola juice, lychee juice, paprika juice, etc.), and the like. Examples of the fruit juice that can be used include pear juice, passion fruit juice, other fruit juices (apple juice, plum juice, pear juice, apricot juice, plum juice, berry juice, kiwi juice, etc.), strawberry juice, melon juice, and the like. Among these, grape juice, peach juice, orange juice, apple juice, pineapple juice, strawberry juice, kiwi juice, and mango juice are preferred, with peach juice being more preferred, because the effects of the present invention are easily perceived from these.

[0037] In addition to the various components listed above, the beverage of the present invention may contain components that are generally used in beverages, such as, but not limited to, flavorings, sugars, acidulants, nutritional supplements, antioxidants, emulsifiers, preservatives, extracts, dietary fiber, and quality stabilizers, within the range that does not impair the effects of the present invention.

[0038] The beverage of the present invention can be a packaged beverage filled in a container and sealed. The container used for the packaged beverage is not particularly limited, and known containers can be used, such as molded containers mainly made of resin such as polyethylene terephthalate (so-called PET bottles, etc.), metal cans such as aluminum cans and steel cans, paper containers, and glass bottles. In addition, containers made of a combination of multiple materials, such as paper containers combined with metal foil or plastic film, can also be suitably used. The content volume of the packaged beverage is not particularly limited, and is, for example, 100 mL or more, or 200 mL or more, preferably 300 mL to 3000 mL, and more preferably 350 mL to 2000 mL or 500 mL to 1000 mL.

[0039] The beverage according to the present invention may be heat sterilized. However, since heat sterilization reduces vitamin C, if heat sterilization is performed, it is advisable to adjust the vitamin C concentration after heat sterilization to a predetermined concentration.

[0040] The means of heat sterilization is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a known method such as UHT sterilization and retort sterilization. The conditions of heat sterilization in the present invention may be selected from methods that provide the same effects as those stipulated in the Food Sanitation Act, and may be, for example, 60 to 150°C, preferably 90 to 150°C, more preferably 110 to 150°C, for 1 second to 60 minutes, preferably 1 second to 30 minutes. In one embodiment, when a heat-resistant container (metal can, glass, etc.) is used as the container, retort sterilization (110 to 140°C, 1 to several tens of minutes) may be performed, and when a non-heat-resistant container (PET bottle, paper container, etc.) is used as the container, for example, the prepared liquid may be sterilized at high temperature for a short time in a plate-type heat exchanger or the like (UHT sterilization: 110 to 150°C, 1 to several tens of seconds), cooled to a certain temperature, and then filled into the container.

[0041] Beverage manufacturing methods, etc. In one embodiment, the present invention is a method for producing a beverage. More specifically, one embodiment of the present invention includes a step of preparing a beverage containing a predetermined amount of tannin, vitamin C, and γ-nonalactone, and may include a step of heat sterilization and a step of filling into a container, as necessary. In the present invention, the order of each step can be changed, and another step can be inserted between each step.

[0042] In another aspect, the present invention can be understood as a method for improving the flavor of a beverage containing a predetermined amount of tannin and vitamin C. That is, the present invention comprises a step of blending γ-nonalactone into a beverage containing a predetermined amount of tannin and vitamin C, thereby effectively suppressing the discomfort in the throat that occurs when tannin and vitamin C are present together during drinking.

[0043] Unless otherwise specified, concentrations and the like in this specification are based on weight, and "ppm" means ppm of weight / volume (w / v). In addition, a numerical range expressed by a lower limit and an upper limit in this specification, i.e., "lower limit to upper limit", includes the lower limit and the upper limit. For example, a range expressed by "1 to 2" includes 1 and 2. EXAMPLES

[0044] The present invention will be described in detail below by way of experimental examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0045] Experiment 1 (reference example) Black tea extract powder (Instant Black Tea, James Finlay Kenya Limited, tannin content approximately 5%) and vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) were dissolved in water to prepare a beverage with the tannin and vitamin C contents shown in the table below.

[0046] A sensory evaluation was conducted for each beverage by a panel of six experts who individually tasted the beverages and checked whether they caused any discomfort in the throat when drinking them.

[0047] As is clear from the results shown in the table below, it became clear that in beverages containing tannins, the higher the vitamin C content, the more discomfort in the throat became apparent when drinking them. On the other hand, beverages that did not contain tannins did not cause any discomfort after drinking, even when they contained vitamin C.

[0048] [Table 1]

[0049] Experiment 2 (Tea Drink) A packaged tea beverage was produced by adding gamma-nonalactone at the concentrations shown in the table below to a black tea beverage prepared using the same black tea extract powder and vitamin C as in Experiment 1 (tannin content: approximately 150 ppm). Additionally, vanillin was added to Sample 2-6, and niacin was added to Sample 2-7. Furthermore, high fructose glucose liquid sugar was added to Sample 2-8, and clear peach juice and high fructose glucose liquid sugar were added to Sample 2-9, resulting in a beverage with a sweetness level of 8.

[0050] A sensory evaluation was conducted for each beverage regarding throat discomfort when drinking it. The sensory evaluation was conducted by a panel of six experts, who each rated the beverage on a scale of 1 to 5 according to the following criteria, and the average of the scores obtained was used as the final evaluation score. (Discomfort rating scale) 1: Strongly felt (same or greater than the control sample) 2 points: Feel 3 points: A little bit 4 points: Slightly felt 5 points: No feeling at all As is clear from the results shown in the table below, it was found that the inclusion of γ-nonalactone in a beverage reduces the discomfort in the throat when drinking. Furthermore, the inclusion of vanillin also significantly reduced the discomfort in the throat when drinking. Furthermore, when the sweetness was increased, the discomfort after drinking was also significantly reduced.

[0051] [Table 2]

[0052] Experiment 3 (Oolong tea drink) A packaged tea beverage was produced in the same manner as in Experiment 2, using oolong tea powder (instant oolong tea, Super FI (M) Sdn. Bhd., tannin content: approximately 23%) instead of black tea extract (tannin content: approximately 800 ppm).

[0053] For each beverage, a sensory evaluation was conducted in the same manner as in Experiment 2 regarding throat discomfort when drinking. As is clear from the results shown in the table below, it was found that the inclusion of γ-nonalactone in oolong tea beverages also reduced throat discomfort when drinking. Furthermore, the inclusion of vanillin also significantly reduced throat discomfort when drinking.

[0054] [Table 3]

Claims

1. The beverage has a tannin content of 50 to 1000 ppm, a vitamin C content of 1000 ppm or more, a γ-nonalactone content of 0.05 ppm or more, and a (vitamin C content) / (γ-nonalactone content) ratio of 500 to 35000.

2. 10. The beverage of claim 1 containing tea extract.

3. 2. The beverage of claim 1 containing black tea extract or oolong tea extract.

4. The beverage of claim 1 , which is a fruit juice-containing beverage.

5. 2. The beverage of claim 1 containing vanillin.

6. 10. The beverage of claim 1 comprising niacin.

7. 10. The beverage of claim 1 which is a non-dairy beverage.

8. 2. The beverage according to claim 1, having a vitamin C content of 1100 to 3000 ppm.

9. 10. The beverage of claim 1 which is a non-carbonated beverage.

10. The method for producing a beverage includes adjusting the tannin content to 50 to 1,000 ppm, the vitamin C content to 1,000 ppm or more, the gamma-nonalactone content to 0.05 ppm or more, and the (vitamin C content) / (gamma-nonalactone content) to 500 to 35,000.

11. A method for improving the flavor of a beverage having a tannin content of 50 to 1000 ppm and a vitamin C content of 1000 ppm or more, the method comprising adjusting the gamma-nonalactone content to 0.05 ppm or more and adjusting the (vitamin C content) / (gamma-nonalactone content) ratio to 500 to 35000.

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