Method for producing animal and plant extracts

Abstract

To provide a method for manufacturing animal and plant extract by overcoming a problem in which, although natural feeling can be imparted to food and drink in a natural animal and plant extract utilizing a conventional water vapor steaming method, it is insufficient to provide flavor with potency of unique flavor or addition of slight amount.SOLUTION: A method for producing an animal and plant extract comprising the following steps (A) to (D). Step (A): Steam-distilling animal and plant materials to obtain a distillate; Step (B): adjusting the pH of the distillate obtained in step (A) to 8.0 or higher; Step (C): freezing the distillate having a pH of 8.0 or more obtained in the step (B), Step (D): thawing the distillate frozen in the step (C). By blending the obtained animal and plant extract obtained by the method for manufacturing of the present invention into food and drink, it is possible to impart a unique flavor to the food and drink. In particular, by adding a small amount of the green tea extract obtained by the production method of the present invention to a green tea beverage, it is possible to provide a tea beverage that has the soft and plump green aroma of freshly brewed tea.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing an animal or plant extract, an animal or plant extract obtained by said production method, and a method for producing a food or drink containing the animal or plant extract obtained by said production method. [Background technology]

[0002] Steam distillation has long been known as a method for obtaining aromatic components from natural plants and animals. It is used for the collection of essential oils and the aroma analysis of natural products, as well as for the production of animal and plant extracts with excellent aromas.

[0003] Known methods for producing plant and animal extracts using steam distillation include, for example, the following:

[0004] For example, there is a method for preparing a steam-distilled coffee flavor, which is characterized by fractionally collecting condensed water containing the flavor in a method for steam-distilling a coffee flavor, and utilizing a fraction rich in aroma components and having a low acidity (Patent Document 1); a method for producing a tea flavor, which is characterized by contacting a distillate obtained by steam-distilling tea with tea leaves, and removing a heat distillation odor in the distillate (Patent Document 2); a method for producing an extract for a beverage, which is characterized by extracting a beverage raw material with hot water to recover an extract, extracting the extraction residue with steam to recover a distillate, and mixing the extract and the distillate (Patent Document 3); a novel flavor containing a flavor (A) obtained by steam-distilling a beverage raw material and a flavor (B) obtained by subjecting the beverage raw material to a gas-liquid countercurrent contactor, and containing flavor (B) in the range of 0.01 to 100 parts by mass per part by mass of flavor (A) (Patent Document 4); sinensis (L) O. Kuntze) fresh leaves are harvested and then frozen, and a distillate obtained by steam distillation of the frozen tea leaves is blended in the green tea beverage in a sealed container (Patent Document 5); a method for producing a coffee extract, characterized by being produced by the following steps (1) to (5): (1) a step of extracting roasted coffee beans at a low temperature in the temperature range of 0 to 30°C to obtain a low-temperature extract, (2) a step of storing the low-temperature extract obtained in step (1) in a temperature range of 0 to 30°C, (3) a step of subjecting the extraction residue of (1) to steam distillation to obtain a steam distillation extract, and (4) a step of storing the low-temperature extract in the temperature range of 0 to 30°C by step (2). and mixing the low-temperature extract stored in step (1) with the steam distillation extract obtained in step (3) to obtain a coffee extract (Patent Document 6). Applying steam distillation or gas-liquid countercurrent contact extraction to roasted and ground coffee beans to recover an aqueous solution containing aroma components of the roasted coffee beans. Adding an alkaline substance to the aqueous solution containing the aroma components to adjust the pH to 6.6 to 10 to ionize carbon dioxide gas. Storing the pH-adjusted aqueous solution containing the aroma components in a container. Storing the container containing the aqueous solution in a freezer at a temperature of -10 to -50°C (Patent Document 7).

[0005] On the other hand, apart from natural extracts and steam distillation methods, it is known that certain sulfur-containing compounds are useful as aroma compounds to be added to foods and beverages, and for example, a method has been proposed in which 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one is added as an aroma compound to green tea beverages to provide tea beverages with the soft, full-bodied green aroma of freshly brewed tea (Patent Document 8). It is also known that 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one is contained in trace amounts in natural green tea (Non-Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2-203750 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-116882 [Patent Document 3] JP 2000-135059 A [Patent Document 4] JP 2003-33137 A [Patent Document 5] JP 2005-160416 A [Patent Document 6] Patent No. 6146915 [Patent Document 7] Patent No. 5374020 [Patent Document 8] JP 2000-342179 A [Non-patent literature]

[0007] [Non-Patent Document 1] Influence of Manufacturing Conditions and Crop Season on the Formation of 4-Mercapto-4-methyl-2-pentanone in Japanese Green Tea (Sen-cha) (J. Agric. Food Chem. 2005, 53, 13, 5390-5396) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, while the natural animal and plant extracts obtained using the conventional steam distillation method can impart a natural feel to foods and beverages, they are insufficient for imparting a unique aroma or for imparting a powerful aroma when added in small amounts.

[0009] The present invention is a method for producing a natural animal or plant extract by utilizing steam distillation, and aims to provide an extract having a type of flavor qualitatively significantly different from the flavor obtained by conventional steam distillation methods. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The present inventors have conducted extensive research into green tea extracts containing a distillate (natural aroma recovery product) obtained by steam distillation of raw green tea. As a result, they have surprisingly found that when the steam distillate of green tea leaves is frozen (pH 9.2 before freezing) without the so-called extract component (aqueous extract of green tea leaves or the residue of steam distillation of green tea leaves with a solvent such as water) and thawed, the quality of the aroma changes significantly, and when this is added to a beverage, the soft, full-bodied green aroma of freshly brewed green tea can be reproduced. They have also found that the amount of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one in the steam distillate after thawing is significantly increased by the above-mentioned freezing and thawing process compared to before freezing, which has led to the completion of the present invention.

[0011] Thus, the present invention provides the following: [1] A method for producing green tea extract, comprising the following steps (A) to (D).

[0012] Step (A): steam distilling green tea to obtain a distillate; Step (B): adjusting the pH of the distillate obtained in step (A) to 8.0 or more; Step (C): Freezing the distillate having a pH of 8.0 or higher obtained in step (B); Step (D): A step of thawing the distillate frozen in step (C). [2] A green tea extract to which 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one has not been added, which satisfies the following formula when 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one is measured in the green tea extract. ((Yield of green tea extract (mass)) / (Amount of green tea leaves used as extraction raw material (mass))) × Content of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one in green tea extract (mass basis) = 1 × 10 -8 ~5×10 -5 [3] A green tea extract to which 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one has not been added, which, when the aroma components of the green tea extract are analyzed by GC / MS and a chromatogram is plotted from the GC / MS analysis results, satisfies the following formula: (Area value of the detected 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one peak (m / z=132)) / (Area value of the detected linalool peak (total ion)) = 1 x 10 -5 ~5×10 -2 [4] A packaged green tea beverage containing the green tea extract described in [2] or [3]. [5] A green tea-flavored food or beverage containing the green tea extract described in [2] or [3]. [6] A method for producing an animal or plant extract, comprising the following steps (A) to (D): Step (A): steam distilling an animal or plant raw material to obtain a distillate; Step (B): adjusting the pH of the distillate obtained in step (A) to 8.0 or more; Step (C): Freezing the distillate having a pH of 8.0 or higher obtained in step (B); Step (D): A step of thawing the distillate frozen in step (C). [7] The method for producing an animal or plant extract described in [6], wherein in the freezing step (C), freezing is performed until 99% or more of the entire distillate is in a frozen state. [8] The method for producing an animal or plant extract described in [6], wherein in the freezing step (C), it takes 30 minutes or more for 99% or more of the entire distillate to become frozen. [9] The method for producing an animal or plant extract described in [6], wherein in the step (C), the concentration of soluble solids originating from the distillate other than that obtained in the step (A) in the distillate before freezing obtained in the step (B) is 1.0 mass% or less.

[10] The method for producing an animal or plant extract described in [6], wherein the steam distillation in step (A) is one or more selected from atmospheric steam distillation, reduced pressure steam distillation, pressurized steam distillation and rotary film steam distillation (SCC).

[11] The method for producing an animal or plant extract described in [6], further comprising the following step (E) after step (D). Step (E): A step of adding a solvent extract of the same type of animal or plant raw material as that used in step (A) to the thawed liquid obtained in step (D).

[12] The method for producing an animal or plant extract described in

[11] , wherein the solvent extract of the animal or plant raw material is an extract obtained by extracting the animal or plant raw material with an aqueous solvent after and / or before obtaining a steam distillate.

[13] A method for producing an extract from animal or plant materials described in

[12] , which comprises a heat sterilization step.

[14] The method for producing an animal or plant extract according to any one of [6] to

[13] , wherein the animal or plant raw material is coffee or tea.

[15] A method for producing a food or beverage, comprising the step of adding an animal or plant extract obtained by the production method described in any one of [6] to

[13] to the food or beverage.

[16] A method for producing a fragrance composition, comprising the step of adding an animal or plant extract obtained by the production method according to any one of [6] to

[13] to a fragrance composition.

[17] A method for producing a food or beverage, comprising the step of adding a flavor composition obtained by the production method described in

[16] to a food or beverage. Effect of the Invention

[0013] By blending the animal and plant extract of the present invention with food and drink, it is possible to impart a unique flavor to the food and drink. In particular, the green tea extract of the present invention has a strong tea aroma with a slightly fruity smell when smelled as is, but by adding a small amount of this to green tea beverages, green tea foods, etc., it is possible to provide tea beverages and tea foods with the soft, full-bodied green aroma of freshly brewed tea. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] (Animal and plant materials) Any animal or plant raw material can be used in the present invention as long as it can be subjected to steam distillation. For example, animal raw materials include meat (muscle, fat, internal organs, etc. of beef, pork, chicken, sheep, horse, etc.), seafood (saltwater fish, freshwater fish, white fish, red fish, squid, octopus, shellfish, shrimp, crab, etc.), and cooked products thereof. Examples of plant raw materials include teas (green tea, matcha, tencha, black tea, oolong tea, post-fermented tea, barley tea, brown rice tea, hub tea, etc.), roasted coffee beans, herbs and spices (lavender, shiso, jasmine, parsley, sage, oregano, bergamot, hops, lemon balm, chamomile, rosemary, thyme, mint, coriander, black pepper, white pepper, cumin, chili pepper, Japanese pepper, etc.), fruits (apples, strawberries, grapes, mandarins, oranges, lemons, pineapples, kiwis, etc.), vegetables (Chinese cabbage, cabbage, radish, onions, tomatoes, etc.), and nuts (white sesame, black sesame, walnuts, chestnuts, cashew nuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, etc.). Among these, coffee and teas are particularly preferred.

[0015] The animal or plant raw materials may be used as they are, but may also be used after being subjected to a heat treatment such as roasting or baking to enhance or improve the aroma.

[0016] The animal and plant raw materials may be crushed to a particle size of about 0.1 mm to 10 mm, preferably about 1 mm to 5 mm, as required, to improve the aroma recovery rate by distillation.

[0017] (Step (A): A step of steam distilling animal and plant raw materials to obtain a distillate) Steam distillation is a phenomenon in which, when steam is blown into the raw material, the volatile components are distilled together with the steam when the sum of the vapor pressure (partial pressure) of the volatile substances contained in the raw material and the vapor pressure (partial pressure) of the steam added from the outside becomes equal to or greater than the ambient pressure (atmospheric pressure in the case of normal pressure steam distillation). By cooling the volatile components that distill together with the steam, an aqueous solution containing the volatile components (generally so-called aroma components) can be obtained as the distillate.

[0018] Steam distillation methods that can be used include, for example, atmospheric steam distillation, pressurized steam distillation, and reduced pressure steam distillation. Other methods that can be used include packing the animal or plant raw materials into a column and blowing steam into it directly, packing the animal or plant raw materials into a column, wetting the raw materials with a small amount of water, and then blowing steam into the column, mixing the animal or plant raw materials with water to make a suspension and blowing steam into a kettle filled with this, and steam distillation using an SCC (also known as a "spinning cone column" or "gas-liquid countercurrent contact distillation") apparatus.

[0019] For example, in the method using steam distillation using a column, steam is blown into the bottom of a steam still containing raw materials, and the distillate containing aroma can be collected as a condensate by cooling the distillate steam with a cooler connected to the distillation side at the top. If necessary, a cold trap using a refrigerant (dry ice-ethanol, dry ice-acetone, liquid nitrogen, etc.) can be connected to the end of this aroma collection device to reliably collect aroma components with lower boiling points. In addition, when steam distillation is performed in the presence of an inert gas such as nitrogen gas and / or an antioxidant such as vitamin C, deterioration of the raw materials and / or aroma components due to heating can be effectively prevented. In steam distillation, a large amount of aroma is distilled at the beginning of the distillation, and then the amount of aroma is gradually reduced. The point at which the distillation should be stopped is determined by taking into consideration the economics and other factors, referring to the results of several runs. The amount of the distillate collected is 0.1 to 10 parts by mass, preferably about 0.2 to 5 parts by mass, and more preferably 0.5 to 2 parts by mass, per part by mass of the raw material, and a distillate with a Bx of about 0 to 5° is obtained.

[0020] In the method using the SCC device, for example, a method can be adopted in which raw material pulverization (about 1 to 3 mm) is mixed with water to form a slurry, and distilled using, for example, the device described in JP-B-7-22646. A specific example of a means for recovering aroma using this device is a method in which a liquid or paste-like beverage raw material is allowed to flow down from the top of a rotating cone of a gas-liquid countercurrent contact extraction device having a structure in which a rotating cone and a fixed cone are alternately combined, and steam is allowed to rise from the bottom, thereby recovering aroma components inherently present in the raw material. The operating conditions of this gas-liquid countercurrent contact extraction device can be arbitrarily selected depending on the processing capacity of the device, the type and concentration of the raw material, the intensity of the aroma, and other factors. The ratio of raw material to water in the raw material slurry can be any ratio as long as the raw material has fluidity, but an example can be approximately 5 to 30 times the amount of water per part by mass of raw material.

[0021] The amount of the distillate collected is 0.1 to 10 parts by mass, preferably about 0.2 to 5 parts by mass, and more preferably 0.5 to 2 parts by mass, per part by mass of the animal or plant raw material, and a distillate with a Bx of about 0 to 5° is obtained.

[0022] (Step (B): A step of adjusting the pH of the distillate obtained in the step (A) to 8.0 or more) Next, the pH of the distillate obtained in the step (A) is adjusted to 8.0 or higher, which increases the reactivity of each component contained in the distillate in the subsequent freezing and thawing steps.

[0023] The pH of the distillate is not particularly limited as long as it is 8.0 or more, but examples of the lower limit include 8.0, 8.2, 8.4, 8.6, 8.8, 9.0, 9.2, 9.4, 9.6, 9.8, and 10.0, and the upper limit is not particularly limited, but examples include 14.0, 13.5, 13.0, 12.5, and 12.0. The pH range of these distillates is usually 8.0 to 14.0, preferably 8.4 to 13.0, more preferably 8.8 to 12.0, and even more preferably 9.2 to 11.0.

[0024] The pH of the distillate can be adjusted by an edible alkaline substance, but if the distillate obtained in the step (A) already has a pH of 8.0 or higher, there is no need to adjust it by adding an alkaline substance. Therefore, the step (B) includes a case where the pH of the distillate obtained in the step (A) is confirmed to be 8.0 or higher and nothing is added. Examples of edible alkaline substances include sodium hydrogen carbonate, sodium hydroxide, and potassium hydroxide. For example, when sodium hydrogen carbonate is used, the amount of sodium hydrogen carbonate added to the distillate can be 0.001 to 0.05 parts by mass, preferably 0.002 to 0.01 parts by mass, per 1 part by mass of the distillate.

[0025] In addition, for example, when the animal or plant raw material is coffee, carbon dioxide generated during roasting may be contained in the raw material. In such raw materials, the carbon dioxide is distilled by steam distillation and contained in the distillate, and as a result, hydrogen carbonate ions and hydrogen ions are present in the distillate, and the pH may be lowered by the hydrogen ions. In such cases, the distillate may be treated by degassing or nitrogen gas bubbling to expel the carbon dioxide in the distillate as carbon dioxide gas, and then the pH may be adjusted to 8.0 or higher as is, or by the above-mentioned pH adjustment as necessary.

[0026] (Step (C): A step of freezing the distillate having a pH of 8.0 or more obtained in the step (B)) In the present invention, the distillate having a pH of 8.0 or more obtained in the step (B) is frozen. This freezing is performed until almost the entire distillate is frozen, and usually, 99% or more, preferably 99.5% or more, more preferably 99.8% or more, and even more preferably 99.9% or more of the entire distillate is frozen. In addition, this freezing is preferably performed by a freezing method in which the frozen state gradually progresses from the part in contact with the refrigerant to the part not in contact with the refrigerant. By adopting such a freezing method, crystallization of water (ice) that does not contain volatile components as impurities progresses, and volatile compounds progress in the unfrozen part, and it is believed that the effect of the present invention is achieved by a chemical reaction occurring in the concentrated part with a high concentration of the substrate before the reaction.

[0027] Without being bound by any theory, it is presumed that such a phenomenon in the present invention occurs as a result of volatile sulfur-containing compounds such as hydrogen sulfide, methanethiol, and ethanethiol in the distillate reacting with other volatile components under basic conditions.

[0028] Examples of freezing methods for causing this phenomenon include a method in which a container is filled with a predetermined amount of the distillate and the container is frozen, and a method in which the container is frozen continuously.

[0029] When freezing in container units, time conditions are an important factor, and the time required for almost the entire distillate to freeze is 30 minutes or more, preferably 1 hour or more, more preferably 2 hours or more, and even more preferably 5 hours or more. If freezing is completed in a short time, the concentration of volatile compounds in the unfrozen portion is difficult to proceed. The amount of the distillate to be filled into the container is not particularly limited, but is expected to be about 30 g (filled in an ounce bottle) to 200 kg (filled in a drum), and the freezing temperature suitable for the size of the container may be appropriately selected.

[0030] The freezing temperature depends on the amount of the distillate filled in the container, but freezing occurs at temperatures below 0°C, and can be exemplified as -5°C or lower, preferably -10°C or lower, more preferably -15°C or lower, and even more preferably -20°C or lower. On the other hand, in consideration of the occurrence of partial freeze concentration as described above, if the freezing temperature is too low, the reaction may not proceed sufficiently under conditions where a large amount is frozen instantly, even if it is entirely or partially. Therefore, examples of the freezing temperature include temperatures of about -100°C or higher, preferably -80°C or higher, more preferably -60°C, even more preferably -45°C or higher, and particularly preferably -30°C or higher.

[0031] On the other hand, in the case of continuously freezing the distillate while flowing, it is preferable to carry out the process under conditions in which pure ice crystals are partially formed in the cooled portion until 99% or more of the entire distillate is finally frozen. Under such conditions, the object of the present invention can be achieved regardless of the time.

[0032] In addition, in the freezing step (C), in order to achieve the object of the present invention, it is preferable that the distillate before freezing does not contain solutes other than the distillate-derived components, such as the solvent extract of the animal or plant raw material and other soluble (mainly water-soluble) solids. In addition, if they are contained, it is preferable that the amount is as small as possible. As mentioned above, the phenomenon of aroma change in the present invention is presumed to occur in the concentrated portion obtained by freeze-concentration, when volatile sulfur-containing compounds such as hydrogen sulfide, methanethiol, and ethanethiol in the distillate react with other volatile components under basic conditions. However, if the distillate contains the solvent extract of the animal or plant raw material and other soluble (water-soluble) solids, the concentration of the volatile sulfur-containing compounds such as hydrogen sulfide, methanethiol, and ethanethiol in the distillate and other volatile components is not sufficiently increased, and the chemical reaction is difficult to proceed. In addition, the solvent extract of the animal or plant raw material also inhibits the chemical reaction.

[0033] The content of the solvent extract of the animal or plant raw material and other soluble (water-soluble) solids in the distillate is usually 1.0% or less, preferably 0.5% or less, more preferably 0.2% or less, and even more preferably 0.1% or less.

[0034] In addition, the temperature and time required for carrying out the next thawing step (D) after almost the entire distillate is frozen do not need to be long as long as the conditions are met in which almost the entire distillate is maintained in a frozen state and the chemical reaction proceeds sufficiently, and are not particularly limited, but examples of the storage temperature are generally 0° C. to −100° C., preferably −5° C. to −80° C., more preferably −10° C. to −60° C., even more preferably −15° C. to −45° C., and most preferably −20° C. to −30° C. In addition, examples of the storage time after almost the entire distillate is frozen are generally 30 minutes to 168 hours, preferably 1 hour to 100 hours, and more preferably 2 hours to 48 hours.

[0035] (Step (D): A step of thawing the distillate frozen in the step (C)) The distillate frozen in the step (C) is then thawed. The thawing method is not particularly limited, and thawing can be performed in a refrigerator (for example, about 5°C to 10°C), at room temperature (for example, 15°C to 30°C), or by heating (for example, 40°C to 100°C). The thawing time depends on the container size and the thawing temperature, but generally, it can be 1 minute to 1 week, preferably 5 minutes to 48 hours, more preferably 10 minutes to 3 days, even more preferably 15 minutes to 24 hours, and most preferably 30 minutes to 12 hours. The thawing can be performed by completely thawing the entire solution in the container, but considering that pure ice crystals are concentrated in the center, it is also possible to collect a part of the solution when a part of the solution is thawed.

[0036] The thawed liquid obtained through steps (A) to (D) in this way has a unique aroma that is significantly different from the distillate before freezing. For example, when the animal or plant raw material is green tea, the distillate before freezing has a fresh, soft green tea aroma accompanied by a seaweed aroma and a seaweed aroma, whereas the distillate after thawing has a strong green aroma reminiscent of grass and a sweet fruity aroma when smelled as is. However, when the distillate after thawing is diluted about 100 to 100,000 times, it has the soft, full-bodied aroma of freshly brewed green tea, with a green aroma accompanied by a slight fruity aroma.

[0037] (Step (E): adding a solvent extract of the animal or plant raw material to the thawed liquid obtained in the step (D)) In the present invention, the thawed liquid can be used as it is as a raw material for blending into foods and beverages for the purpose of imparting flavor, but after steps (A) to (D) have been performed, it is preferable to add a solvent extract of the animal or plant raw material or other soluble (water-soluble) solids to the thawed distillate, since this does not affect the aroma characteristics of the thawed distillate and, rather, adding these will increase the stability of the product of the present invention thereafter.

[0038] The preferred ingredient for addition is generally an aqueous solvent extract of the animal or plant material. The solvent extract of the animal or plant material can be obtained as follows.

[0039] The animal or plant raw material after and / or before steam distillation is then extracted with an aqueous solvent such as water, aqueous ethanol, glycerin, or an aqueous glycerin solution. The preferred solvent is water. An enzyme treatment can be carried out during and / or after the extraction. That is, the enzyme treatment can be carried out simultaneously with the extraction or after the extraction. Furthermore, these methods can be combined.

[0040] Specifically, the method for producing an extract in the case where the residue after steam distillation using a column is first extracted with water and then treated with an enzyme can be shown by adding 1 to 100 parts by weight of water per part by weight of the animal or plant raw material after the steam distillation, and extracting the extract at room temperature to about 100°C for about 2 minutes to about 5 hours depending on the temperature used under static or stirring conditions, and then cooling and removing insoluble matter by solid-liquid separation using a method known per se, such as centrifugation, squeezing, or filtration. Alternatively, the extract can be obtained by packing the residual raw material in a column made of an appropriate material such as glass or stainless steel, and flowing hot water at room temperature to about 100°C from the top or bottom of the column using a metering pump or the like to perform column extraction. Such column extraction can be performed by connecting multiple columns in series as desired.

[0041] Furthermore, when aroma is recovered by gas-liquid countercurrent contact extraction, the residue is already in the form of a slurry containing the extract, so that the extract can be obtained by removing insoluble matter by solid-liquid separation of the solids in the residue using a method known per se, such as centrifugation, squeezing, or filtration.

[0042] As described above, a method of collecting an extract before the enzyme treatment can be adopted, but in the present invention, the enzyme treatment can also be carried out in a state where the animal or plant raw material after steam distillation is included. By carrying out the enzyme treatment in a state where the animal or plant raw material after steam distillation is included, the soluble solid content increases due to enzymatic decomposition, and it is also possible to increase the soluble solid content yield of the whole extract from the animal or plant raw material.

[0043] The enzyme to be used may be one appropriate for the animal or plant raw material, and for example, when the animal or plant raw material is an animal raw material, protease, lipase, etc. can be exemplified, and when the animal or plant raw material is a plant raw material, cellulase, pectinase, hemicellulase, amylase, tannase, protease, lipase, etc. can be exemplified. In addition, when the raw material is coffee, mannanase in particular, and when the raw material is tea, tannase in particular, can be exemplified as a preferred enzyme.

[0044] The enzyme-treated liquid is heated or the like to inactivate the enzyme, and if it contains a slurry, it is subjected to solid-liquid separation and filtration to obtain an extract.

[0045] The water-soluble solvent extract or enzyme-treated liquid may be subsequently concentrated as necessary. For example, a suitable concentration method such as vacuum concentration, reverse osmosis membrane (RO membrane) concentration, or freeze concentration may be used to obtain a concentrate of the water-soluble solvent extract or enzyme-treated extract. The concentration of the concentrate is generally within the range of Bx3° to 50°, preferably 10° to 40°.

[0046] The solvent extract of the animal or plant raw material (water-soluble solvent extract or enzyme-treated solution, or a concentrate thereof) can be mixed with the distillate thawed in the step (D). There is no particular limitation on the mixing ratio, but the blending amount of the solvent extract of the animal or plant raw material relative to the distillate after thawing varies depending on the raw material used, and is not particularly limited. For example, the solvent extract of the animal or plant raw material per 1 part by mass of the distillate can be in the range of usually 0.005 to 100 parts by mass, preferably 0.01 to 50 parts by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 20 parts by mass, and even more preferably 0.5 to 10 parts by mass.

[0047] (heat sterilization) The animal or plant extract of the present invention can be made into a microbially stable extract by heat sterilization at any stage of the above process. The heat sterilization step may be performed at any stage as long as it does not interfere with the chemical reaction caused by freezing, which is the object of the present invention. Preferred points for heat sterilization include the intermediate and final stages of the process for preparing a solvent extract of an animal or plant raw material, and after mixing the solvent extract of the animal or plant raw material with the distillate thawed in the above step (D).

[0048] Heat sterilization may be performed by either a batch method or a plate method, and in the case of a batch method, the temperature is usually 80°C to 110°C, preferably 85°C to 105°C, and more preferably 90°C to 100°C, and the time is usually 30 seconds to 60 minutes, preferably 1 minute to 30 minutes, and more preferably 2 minutes to 15 minutes, for example. In the case of a plate method, the temperature is usually 80°C to 140°C, preferably 85°C to 135°C, and more preferably 90°C to 130°C, and the time is usually 10 seconds to 5 minutes, preferably 20 seconds to 3 minutes, and more preferably 30 seconds to 2 minutes, for example.

[0049] The animal and plant extract of the present invention thus obtained can be filled into containers after cooling, or filled into containers while still hot, cooled, and then frozen for storage. In addition, freezing at this stage causes little change in aroma. The reasons for this are presumed to be that the chemical reactions have progressed sufficiently in the steps (A) to (D), the solvent extract of the animal and plant raw materials added in step (E) inhibits the chemical reactions, the concentration of the substrate involved in the reaction is diluted by the solvent extract of the animal and plant raw materials, the pH is lowered, and so on.

[0050] (Example of plant and animal ingredients: Green tea) A specific example of the animal or plant raw material in the present invention is tea, particularly green tea, and especially first-season tea. When first-season tea is subjected to steam distillation in step (A), the pH of the distillate obtained is often about 9 even without pH adjustment. This is presumably because it contains a large amount of basic volatile components. The aroma of the steam distillation distillate thus obtained has a soft aroma with a seashore aroma.

[0051] When the distillate of the first tea thus obtained is frozen and thawed under the conditions detailed in step (C), the aroma changes significantly, and the tea aroma has a strong green aroma with a slight fruitiness. Analysis of the components of this aroma revealed that it contains a large amount of sulfur-containing compounds, mainly 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one, as a characteristic component. On the other hand, the distillate before freezing contained only a very small amount of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one. According to Non-Patent Document 1, the amount of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one in tea leaves was reported to be as much as 0.14 ppb. However, it has been found that the green tea extract produced by the method for producing an animal and plant extract of the present invention produces a large amount of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one by subjecting a steam distillate of green tea, particularly first-grade tea, to the above steps (A) to (D) without adding 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one from outside, and the amount increases by several thousand to several tens of thousands times that of the distillate before freezing. Therefore, when green tea is used as a raw material, a compound that is generally contained in green tea and that does not change much during the freezing and thawing steps of the present invention is used as an index, and the product of the present invention made from green tea can be specified by setting the range of the ratio between the content of the index compound and 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one. Examples of the indicator compound suitable for such a setting include linalool, indole, cis-3-hexenol, hexanal, linalool oxide, isobutyraldehyde, geraniol, hexanol, octanol, benzyl alcohol, trans-2-nonenal, β-ionone, etc. Among these, linalool is preferably exemplified.

[0052] (Aroma analysis) Aroma analysis can be carried out using appropriate GC columns and equipment, GC / MS equipment, and appropriate SPME, etc.

[0053] Quantitation can be performed by plotting a chromatogram from the GC / MS analysis results and using the area value of the detected peak, or by the absolute calibration curve method, standard addition method, or internal standard method.

[0054] (4-Mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one) The amount of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one in the product of the present invention made from green tea by the method of the present invention is within the following range when the ion chromatogram extracted at m / z=132 from the GC / MS analysis results is plotted and the area of ​​the detected peak is used by the standard addition method.

[0055] ((yield of green tea extract (mass)) / (amount of green tea leaves used as extraction raw material (mass))) x content of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one in green tea extract (mass basis), usually 1 x 10 -8 More than 5×10 -8 More preferably, 2×10 -7 More preferably, 5×10 -7 The upper limit is not necessarily limited, but it is usually around 5×10 -5 is less than or equal to 3 x 10 -5 Below, 2 x 10 -5 Below, 1×10 -5 Below, 5 x 10 -4 Below, 4 x 10 -4 The following can be set. The upper and lower limits can be arbitrarily combined, for example, 1×10 -8 ~5×10 -5 The range can be exemplified.

[0056] In addition, the amount of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one in the animal and plant extract (green tea extract) of the present invention, which uses green tea as the animal and plant raw material, varies depending on the yield of the product of the present invention from the raw tea leaves, but when quantified using the same analytical method as above, it is in the following range.

[0057] ((yield of green tea extract (mass)) / (amount of green tea leaves used as extraction raw material (mass))) x content of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one in green tea extract (mass basis), usually 1 x 10 -8 More than 5×10 -8 More preferably, 2×10 -7 More preferably, 5×10 -7 The upper limit is not necessarily limited, but it is usually around 5×10 -5 is less than or equal to 3 x 10 -5 Below, 2 x 10 -5 Below, 1×10 -5 Below, 5 x 10 -4 Below, 4 x 10 -4 The following can be set. The upper and lower limits can be arbitrarily combined, for example, 1×10 -8 ~5×10 -5 The range can be exemplified.

[0058] In addition, the content of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one in the product of the present invention, which uses green tea as the raw material for animal and plant raw materials, can also be indexed by linalool, a volatile compound commonly contained in green tea. In this case, from the analysis results of GC / MS, an ion chromatogram extracted with m / z=132 (4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one) and total ion (linalool) is drawn, and the area of ​​the detected peak is used to calculate the area value of the detected 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one peak (m / z=132) / (area value of the detected linalool peak (total ion)), which is usually 1×10 -5 That's it, 2 x 10 -5 That's it, 5 x 10 -5 That's it, 1×10 -4You can set it to 5×10 or more. There is no need to set an upper limit, but it is usually around 5×10 -2 is less than or equal to 3 x 10 -2 Below, 2×10 -2 Below, 1×10 -2 Below, 5 x 10 -3 Below, 3 x 10 -3 The following can be set. The upper and lower limits can be arbitrarily combined, for example, 1×10 -5 ~5×10 -2 The range can be exemplified.

[0059] (Fragrance composition) The animal and plant extract of the present invention thus obtained (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the present animal and plant extract) can be added to food and drink to impart a unique flavor, but can also be used as a material for a flavor composition (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the present flavor composition). The present flavor composition according to one embodiment of the present invention contains a predetermined amount of the present animal and plant extract, and can be blended into various foods and drinks for the purpose of imparting flavor. The present flavor composition can impart flavors such as naturalness, fruitiness, freshness, volume, maturity, ripeness, gorgeousness, freshness, fragrantness, bitterness, spiciness, richness, or volume to the flavor composition, and can improve the flavor of various foods and drinks to which the present flavor composition is blended.

[0060] The concentration of the present animal and plant extract in the present fragrance composition can be determined arbitrarily depending on the target of the fragrance composition. Examples of the concentration include a range of 0.1 ppt to 10%, preferably 1 ppb to 1%, and more preferably 0.1 ppm to 0.1%, based on the total mass of the present fragrance composition.

[0061] In addition, the present flavor composition may contain any other compound or ingredient in addition to the present animal and plant extract. Examples of such compounds or ingredients include various kinds of flavor compounds or flavor compositions, oil-soluble dyes, vitamins, functional substances, fish meat extracts, livestock meat extracts, plant extracts, yeast extracts, animal and plant proteins, animal and plant protein hydrolysates, starch, dextrin, sugars, amino acids, nucleic acids, organic acids, solvents, etc. For example, natural essential oils, natural flavors, and synthetic flavors described in "Patent Office Gazette, Collection of Well-Known and Commonly Used Technologies (Flavors) Part II Food Flavors, published January 14, 2000," "Survey on the Actual Use of Food Flavor Compounds in Japan" (Health and Welfare Science Research Report, 2000, Japan Flavor and Flavor Manufacturers Association, published March 2001), and "Synthetic Flavors: Chemistry and Product Knowledge" (revised and updated December 20, 2016, edited by the Synthetic Flavors Editorial Committee, Chemical Daily Co., Ltd.) can be mentioned.

[0062] Specific examples of synthetic fragrance compounds include hydrocarbon compounds such as monoterpenes such as α-pinene, β-pinene, γ-terpinene, myrcene, camphene, and limonene, sesquiterpenes such as valencene, cedrene, caryophyllene, and longifolene, and 1,3,5-undecatriene.

[0063] Examples of the alcohol compound include saturated alcohols such as butanol, pentanol, 3-octanol, and hexanol; unsaturated alcohols such as (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, prenol, and 2,6-nonadienol; terpene alcohols such as linalool, geraniol, citronellol, tetrahydromyrcenol, farnesol, nerolidol, cedrol, α-terpineol, terpinen-4-ol, and borneol; and aromatic alcohols such as benzyl alcohol, phenylethyl alcohol, and cinnamyl alcohol.

[0064] Examples of the aldehyde compound include saturated aldehydes such as acetaldehyde, hexanal, octanal, decanal, and hydroxycitronellal; unsaturated aldehydes such as (E)-2-hexenal and 2,4-octadienal; terpene aldehydes such as citronellal, citral, myrtenal, and perillaldehyde; and aromatic aldehydes such as benzaldehyde, cinnamyl aldehyde, vanillin, ethyl vanillin, heliotropin, and p-tolyl aldehyde.

[0065] Examples of ketone compounds include saturated and unsaturated ketones such as 2-heptanone, 2-undecanone, 1-octen-3-one, acetoin, and 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one (methylheptenone); diketones and hydroxyketones such as diacetyl, 2,3-pentanedione, maltol, ethyl maltol, cyclotene, and 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone; terpene ketones such as carvone, menthone, and nootkatone; ketones derived from terpene degradation products such as α-ionone, β-ionone, and β-damascenone; and aromatic ketones such as raspberry ketone.

[0066] Furan or ether compounds include furfuryl alcohol, furfural, rose oxide, linalool oxide, menthofuran, theaspirane, estragole, and eugenol. Examples include 1,8-cineole and 1,8-cineole.

[0067] Examples of the ester compound include aliphatic esters such as ethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, octyl acetate, ethyl butyrate, ethyl isobutyrate, isoamyl butyrate, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl isovalerate, 2-methylbutyl isobutyrate, ethyl hexanoate, allyl hexanoate, ethyl heptanoate, ethyl octanoate, isoamyl isovalerate, and ethyl nonanoate; terpene alcohol esters such as linalyl acetate, geranyl acetate, lavandulyl acetate, terpinyl acetate, and neryl acetate; and aromatic esters such as benzyl acetate, methyl salicylate, methyl cinnamate, cinnamyl propionate, ethyl benzoate, cinnamyl isovalerate, and ethyl 3-methyl-2-phenylglycidate.

[0068] Examples of the lactone compound include saturated lactones such as γ-decalactone, γ-dodecalactone, δ-decalactone, and δ-dodecalactone, and unsaturated lactones such as 7-decen-4-olide and 2-decen-5-olide.

[0069] Examples of acid compounds include saturated and unsaturated fatty acids such as acetic acid, butyric acid, isovaleric acid, hexanoic acid, octanoic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid.

[0070] Examples of the nitrogen-containing compound include indole, skatole, pyridine, alkyl-substituted pyrazine, methyl anthranilate, and trimethylpyrazine.

[0071] Examples of sulfur-containing compounds include methanethiol, dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, allyl isothiocyanate, 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol, 3-methyl-2-butanethiol, 3-methyl-1-butanethiol, 2-methyl-1-butanethiol, 3-mercaptohexanol, 4-mercapto-4-methyl-2-pentanone, 3-mercaptohexyl acetate, p-mentha-8-thiol-3-one, and furfuryl mercaptan.

[0072] Natural essential oils include sweet orange, bitter orange, petitgrain, lemon, bergamot, mandarin, neroli, peppermint, spearmint, lavender, chamomile, rosemary, eucalyptus, sage, basil, rose, hyacinth, lilac, geranium, jasmine, ylang-ylang, anise, clove, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, cedar, cypress, vetiver, patchouli, and labdanum.

[0073] Examples of various animal and plant extracts include herb or spice extracts, coffee, green tea, black tea, or oolong tea extracts, milk or dairy products, and various enzymatic decomposition products thereof using lipase or protease, etc.

[0074] The present fragrance composition can be prepared by mixing the present animal or plant extract with an appropriate solvent or dispersion medium by a known method.

[0075] The preferred form of the present flavor composition is a solution in which the present animal or plant extract or other components are dissolved in a water-soluble or oil-soluble solvent, an emulsion preparation, a powder preparation, or other solid preparation (such as solid fat).

[0076] Examples of water-soluble solvents include ethanol, methanol, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, acetonitrile, 2-propanol, methyl ethyl ketone, glycerin, propylene glycol, and dipropylene glycol. Among these, ethanol or glycerin is particularly preferred from the viewpoint of use in food and beverages. Examples of oil-soluble solvents include vegetable oils and fats, animal oils and fats, refined oils and fats (e.g., processed oils and fats such as medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides, and short-chain fatty acid triglycerides such as triacetin and tripropionin), various essential oils, and triethyl citrate.

[0077] In addition, to prepare an emulsified preparation, the present animal / plant extract or the present flavor composition can be emulsified with a water-soluble solvent and an emulsifier. The method of emulsifying the present animal / plant extract or the present flavor composition is not particularly limited, and an emulsion with excellent stability can be obtained by emulsifying the present animal / plant extract or the present flavor composition with various kinds of emulsifiers that have been conventionally used in foods and beverages, such as fatty acid monoglycerides, fatty acid diglycerides, fatty acid triglycerides, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, lecithin, processed starch, sorbitan fatty acid esters, Quillaja extract, gum arabic, tragacanth gum, guar gum, karaya gum, xanthan gum, pectin, alginic acid and its salts, carrageenan, gelatin, Quillaja casein saponin, or sodium caseinate, using a homomixer, colloid mill, rotating disk homogenizer, high pressure homogenizer, etc. The amount of these emulsifiers used is not strictly limited and can be changed over a wide range depending on the type of emulsifier used, but is usually within the range of about 0.01 to about 100 parts by mass, preferably about 0.1 to about 50 parts by mass, per 1 part by mass of the animal and plant extract of the present invention. In addition, in order to stabilize the emulsion, the emulsion may contain one or a mixture of two or more polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbitol, maltitol, sucrose, glucose, trehalose, sugar solution, and reduced starch syrup, in addition to water.

[0078] The emulsion thus obtained can be dried to produce a powder formulation, if desired. When producing the powder, sugars such as gum arabic, trehalose, dextrin, sugar, lactose, glucose, starch syrup, and reduced starch syrup can be added as needed. The amount of these to be used can be appropriately selected depending on the desired properties of the powder formulation.

[0079] By adding an effective amount of the animal or plant extract or the fragrance composition thus obtained to food or beverage, it is possible to improve the flavor, such as the natural feel, juiciness, freshness, volume, maturity, ripeness, gorgeousness, freshness, fragrantness, bitterness, spiciness, richness, or volume, of the food or beverage.

[0080] In particular, when the animal or plant raw material is green tea, by adding a small amount of the present green tea extract or a flavor composition containing the present green tea extract to green tea beverages, green tea foods, etc., it is possible to provide tea beverages and tea foods having the soft, full-bodied green aroma of freshly brewed tea.

[0081] (food and drink) There is no particular limitation on the foods and beverages to which the present animal and plant extract or the present fragrance composition can be blended. Examples include various citrus flavors such as lemon, orange, grapefruit, lime, mandarin, mandarin orange, kabosu, sudachi, hassaku, iyokan, yuzu, shikuwasa, and kumquat; various fruit flavors such as strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, apple, cherry, plum, apricot, peach, pineapple, banana, melon, mango, papaya, kiwi, pear, grape, muscat, and Kyoho; dairy flavors such as milk, yogurt, and butter; vanilla flavor; various tea flavors such as green tea, black tea, oolong tea, and herbal tea; coffee flavor; cola flavor; cacao flavor; cocoa flavor; various mint flavors such as spearmint and peppermint; cinnamon, chamomile, cardamom, caraway, cumin, clove, pepper, coriander, Japanese pepper, shiso, ginger, and star anise. , thyme, chili pepper, nutmeg, basil, marjoram, rosemary, laurel, garlic, wasabi, and other spice or herb flavors; almond, cashew nut, walnut, and other nut flavors; wine, brandy, whiskey, rum, gin, liqueur, sake, shochu, beer, and other alcohol flavors; onion, celery, carrot, tomato, cucumber, and other vegetable flavors; chicken, duck, pork, beef, lamb, horse meat, and other Examples of foods and beverages that have one or more of the following flavors include meat flavors; various seafood and seaweed flavors, such as red fish such as tuna, white fish such as mackerel, sea bream, salmon and horse mackerel, freshwater fish such as sweetfish, trout and carp, shellfish such as turban shells, clams, Japanese mussels and mussels, various crustaceans such as shrimp and crab, and various seaweeds such as wakame seaweed and kelp; various grain flavors such as rice, barley, wheat and malt; and various oil and fat flavors, such as beef tallow, chicken oil and lard from meat, and various fish oils.

[0082] More specific examples of food and drink include rice crackers, arare, okoshi, mochi, manju, uirou, bean paste, yokan, mizuyokan, kingyoku, jelly, castella, candy, biscuits, crackers, potato chips, cookies, pies, puddings, butter cream, custard cream, cream puffs, waffles, sponge cakes, donuts, chocolate, chewing gum, caramel, candy, pastes such as peanut paste, and other confectioneries; bread, udon, ramen, Chinese noodles, sushi, gomoku rice, fried rice, pilaf, gyoza wrappers, shumai wrappers, okonomiyaki, and other confectioneries. Breads such as koyaki (fried dumplings), noodles, and rice dishes; pickles such as pickled plums, umeboshi (pickled plums), fukujinzuke (pickled vegetables), bettarazuke (pickled vegetables), senmaizuke (pickled vegetables), scallions, misozuke (pickled vegetables), takuanzuke (pickled vegetables), and the bases for these pickles; fish such as mackerel, sardines, pacific saury, salmon, tuna, bonito, whale, flounder, sand lance, and sweetfish; squids such as pacific flying squid, spear squid, crested squid, and firefly squid; octopus such as common octopus and Japanese octopus; shrimps such as kuruma prawns, button shrimp, spiny lobster, and black tiger prawns; crabs such as king crab, snow crab, blue crab, and hairy crab; shellfish such as clams, mussels, scallops, oysters, and mussels. seafood; canned goods, boiled fish, tsukudani, surimi, fish paste products (chikuwa, kamaboko, fried kamaboko, crab leg kamaboko, etc.), fries, tempura, and other processed seafood foods and beverages; livestock meats such as chicken, pork, beef, lamb, and horse meat; curry, stew, beef stew, hayashi rice sauce, meat sauce, mapo tofu, hamburger steak, dumplings, kamameshi seasonings, soups (corn soup, tomato soup, consommé soup, etc.), meatballs, braised pork, canned livestock meat, and other processed foods and beverages; table salt, seasoning salt, soy sauce, powdered soy sauce, miso, powdered miso, moromi, hisio, furikake, ochazuke seasonings, mackerel, seasonings such as garlic, mayonnaise, dressings, vinegar, vinegared vinegar, powdered sushi vinegar, Chinese seasonings, tempura sauce, noodle sauce (kelp stock or bonito stock, etc.), sauces (medium-thick sauce, tomato sauce, etc.), ketchup, yakiniku sauce, curry roux, stew stock, soup stock, dashi stock (kelp stock or bonito stock, etc.), compound seasonings, new mirin, fried chicken powder, takoyaki powder, and other mixed powders, and animal or vegetable dashi-flavored foods and beverages to which these seasonings have been added; dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, and butter; various yeasts such as brewer's yeast and baker's yeast, and various microbial fermentation products such as lactic acid bacteria;Boiled vegetables, Chikuzen-ni, oden, hotpots and other stews; take-out bento ingredients and side dishes; fruit juice drinks and soft drinks containing fruit juice, fruit pulp drinks and fruit drinks containing fruit pieces, such as apples, grapes and citrus fruits (grapefruit, oranges, lemons, etc.); vegetables such as tomatoes, bell peppers, celery, melons, bitter melons, carrots, potatoes, asparagus, bracken, and fern, as well as vegetable-based drinks containing these vegetables, vegetable soups and other vegetable-containing foods and beverages; coffee, cocoa, green tea, black tea, oolong tea, soft drinks, cola drinks, carbonated drinks (ciders with various flavors such as citrus flavors), lactic acid bacteria drinks and other luxury beverages; beverages containing herbs and herbs; cola drinks, fruit juice drinks Examples of such beverages include functional beverages such as beer-flavored beverages, including non-alcoholic beer and so-called "third beer", sports drinks, honey drinks, vitamin supplement drinks, mineral supplement drinks, nutritional drinks, nutritious drinks, and lactic acid bacteria drinks; non-alcoholic beverages such as alcohol-flavored beverages with various alcoholic beverage flavors (beer flavor, plum wine flavor, chuhai flavor, etc.); wine, shochu, awamori, sake, beer, chuhai, cocktail drinks, happoshu, fruit wine, condiment wine, so-called "third beer", and other brewed alcoholic beverages (sparkling) or liqueurs (sparkling), or alcoholic beverages containing these;

[0083] The amount of the present animal or plant extract or the present flavor composition to be added to a food or drink can be determined arbitrarily depending on the flavor of the food or drink and the degree of the desired effect.

[0084] As an example of the concentration of the added amount, in the case of food or drink, the concentration of the present animal or plant extract or the present flavor composition relative to the total mass of the food or drink may be within the range of 0.001 ppt to 0.1%, preferably 1 ppt to 100 ppm, and more preferably 1 ppb to 100 ppm. More specifically, the lower limit may be any of 0.001 ppt, 0.01 ppt, 0.1 ppt, 1 ppt, 10 ppt, 100 ppt, 1 ppb, 10 ppb, 100 ppb, 1 ppm, 10 ppm, and the upper limit may be any of 0.1%, 100 ppm, 10 ppm, 1 ppm, 100 ppb, 10 ppb, 1 ppb, 100 ppt, 10 ppt, 1 ppt, 0.1 ppt, and 0.01 ppt, and the range may be any combination of these lower and upper limits. Preferred examples of concentrations, relative to the total mass of a food or beverage, of the present animal or plant extract or the present flavor composition can be selected from among 100 ppt to 100 ppb, 100 ppt to 1 ppm, 1 ppb to 100 ppb, 1 ppb to 1 ppm, 10 ppb to 1 ppm, 10 ppb to 100 ppb, 100 ppb to 10 ppm, and 1 ppm to 100 ppm, depending on the flavor characteristics of the food or beverage, but are not limited to these.

[0085] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples. However, the essence of the present invention lies in the technical ideas disclosed above, and the present invention is not limited to these examples. EXAMPLES

[0086] Example 1 A 3L column was filled with 600g of first-grade tea leaves (Yabukita variety, lightly steamed) from Shizuoka Prefecture, and an aqueous solution of 1.2g of sodium L-ascorbate dissolved in 180g of soft water was sprinkled evenly from the top of the column to moisten the tea leaves. After replacing the inside of the column with nitrogen gas, water vapor mixed with nitrogen was blown in from the bottom of the column, and the water vapor containing the volatile components of tea obtained from the top of the column was condensed in a cooling tube (cooled with tap water, about 20°C), and 300g of distillate (50% of tea leaves) containing the volatile components of tea was obtained over about 20 minutes. The pH of the distillate obtained was 9.2.

[0087] The distillate was divided into halves (150 g) in 300 ml brown bottles, and after replacing the head space with nitrogen, one was stored in a refrigerator (5°C) (Comparative Product 1) and the other in a freezer (-20°C). The one stored in the freezer began to freeze about 30 minutes after storage, and was almost completely frozen in about 3 hours. Each was stored in the above conditions for about 20 hours from the start of storage, and then left at room temperature (23°C). The frozen product was completely thawed in about 2 hours, and a frozen-thawed product (Invention Product 1: pH 9.2) was obtained.

[0088] Both were diluted to 0.1% in water and subjected to sensory evaluation. The outline of each aroma is as follows:

[0089] Comparison product 1 (refrigerated): Fresh, soft green tea aroma with seaweed and seaweed aromas Invention product 1 (frozen and thawed product): Green tea aroma with a strong green aroma and tropical fruitiness Each sample was subjected to an aroma analysis by the following method.

[0090] The analysis was performed using 1 g of each sample solution (Comparative Product 1, Invention Product 1) as is, or by adding 1 ppb, 10 ppb, 100 ppb or 1000 ppb of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one standard to each sample. Analysis conditions ·Device Gas chromatography equipment: 7890B GC System manufactured by Agilent Technologies MSD equipment: 5977B MSD manufactured by Agilent Technologies ·column InertCap WAX 0.25mmφ×30m (film thickness 0.25μm) GL Sciences SPME Fiber 50 / 30μm DVB / CAR / PDMS StableFlex / SS(2cm) Merck (Supelco: registered trademark) Sample size: 1g Vial capacity: 20ml Sample equilibration conditions: 60℃, stirring for 30 minutes SPME extraction conditions: 60℃ for 30 minutes ·inlet temperature: 250℃ Temperature conditions: Hold at 40°C for 8 minutes, then increase to 180°C at 4°C / min, then increase to 230°C at 3°C / min, and hold at 230°C for 10 minutes Carrier gas: He (constant pressure) Injection method: splitless ·Flow rate: 1.2ml / min The GC / MS analysis results were plotted as a chromatogram, and the area values ​​of the 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one peak at m / z=132 and the linalool peak at total ions were used for quantification.

[0091] (Analysis results) GC / MS analysis revealed that the frozen and thawed samples contained a large amount of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one.

[0092] In addition, the content of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one in the sample was determined by the standard addition method as follows:

[0093] Comparison product 1: 0.25ppb Invention product 1: 495.9 ppb The peak area of ​​4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one in the product 1 of the present invention (without the addition of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one as a standard) was 9.9 × 10 4 and the area value of linalool is 3.9 × 10 8 The peak area value of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one in Comparative Product 1 was 49.9, and the peak area value of linalool was 3.9 × 10 8 It was.

[0094] From the above results, it was confirmed that the invention product 1 contains (produces) approximately 2,000 times as much 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one as the comparative product 1.

[0095] In addition, since 300 g of Product 1 of the present invention was obtained from 600 g of raw green tea leaves, ((yield (mass) of green tea extract) / (amount (mass) of green tea leaves used as raw material for extraction)) × content of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one in green tea extract (mass basis) is 2.5×10 -7 It was.

[0096] In contrast, for Comparative Product 1, ((yield (mass) of green tea extract) / (mass (mass) of green tea leaves used as extraction raw material)) × content of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one in green tea extract (mass basis) is 1.75×10 -10 It was.

[0097] In addition, the ratio of the area value of the peak (m / z=132) of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one detected to the area value of the peak (total ion) of linalool detected in the present invention 1 was 2.5×10 -4 It was.

[0098] In contrast, in the case of Comparative Product 1, the ratio of the area of ​​the detected 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one peak (m / z=132) to the area of ​​the detected linalool peak (total ion) was 1.25 x 10 -7 It was.

[0099] Example 2 First, the present invention product 1 and comparative product 1 were obtained by the same procedure as in Example 1. Next, 4800 g of 40°C hot water (0.05% aqueous solution of sodium ascorbate) was fed into the top of the column at a flow rate of 60 ml / min, and 3000 g of Bx3° extract was extracted from the bottom of the column. The extracted extract was cooled to 20°C and centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 10 minutes to remove the precipitate, and a water extract (reference product 1, Bx3.0°, pH5.6) was obtained.

[0100] 150g each of the present invention product 1 and the reference product 1 were mixed, sterilized at 90°C for 10 minutes, cooled to 20°C, and filled to obtain a green tea extract (the present invention product 2) (Bx1.6°, pH6.7). 150g each of the comparative product 1 and the reference product 1 were mixed, sterilized at 90°C for 10 minutes, cooled to 20°C, and filled to obtain a green tea extract (comparative product 2) (Bx1.6°, pH6.7).

[0101] The content of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one in Comparative Product 2 and Invention Product 2 was also measured by the above analytical method. The results are shown below. Comparison product 2: 0.11ppb Invention product 2: 245.9 ppb As described above, it was confirmed that Comparative Product 2 and Product 2 of the Invention each contained approximately the same amount of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one as the calculated amount thought to be derived from Comparative Product 1 and Product 1 of the Invention, respectively, demonstrating that the content of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one is unlikely to be affected by the addition of a water extract of green tea to the distillate or by heat sterilization.

[0102] In addition, for Comparative Product 2 and Product 2 of the present invention, the area value of the peak (m / z=132) of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one detected) / (area value of the peak (total ion) of linalool detected) was measured by the above-mentioned analysis method. The results are shown below.

[0103] Comparison product 2 (area value of the detected 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one peak (m / z=132)) / (area value of the detected linalool peak (total ion)) = 5.5 x 10 -8 Inventive product 2 (area value of the detected 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one peak (m / z=132)) / (area value of the detected linalool peak (total ion))=1.1×10 -4

[0104] As described above, for Comparative Product 2 and Product 2 of the present invention, values ​​that are thought to be derived from Comparative Product 1 and Product 1 of the present invention were confirmed to be approximately the same as the area value of the detected 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one peak (m / z=132) / area value of the detected linalool peak (total ions), respectively, indicating that the content of linalool and 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one is unlikely to be affected by the addition of a water extract of green tea to the distillate or by heat sterilization.

[0105] Comparative Example 1 Comparison product 2 (pH 6.7) was adjusted to 300 g again, divided into two 150 g portions, and one portion was adjusted to pH 9.5 using 1% potassium hydroxide aqueous solution. Each portion was placed in a 300 ml brown bottle, the head space was replaced with nitrogen, and then stored in a freezer (-20°C). The portion stored in the freezer began to freeze about 30 minutes after storage, and was almost completely frozen in about 3 hours. Each was stored in the above conditions for about 20 hours from the start of storage, and then left at room temperature (23°C). The frozen product was completely thawed in about 2 hours. The one frozen and thawed at pH 6.7 was comparison product 3, and the one frozen and thawed at pH 9.5 was comparison product 4.

[0106] The comparative products 3 and 4 were analyzed for 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one and linalool in the same manner as above. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0107] [Table 1]

[0108] When the solution contained a water extract of green tea, no increase in 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one was observed even after freezing and thawing, regardless of whether the solution was at pH 6.7 or pH 9.5.

[0109] Example 3 1000g of Kyushu No. 1 tea (Yabukita variety, normal steamed) was packed in a 3L column, and the same operation as in Example 1 was carried out. An aqueous solution of 2.0g of sodium L-ascorbate dissolved in 300g of soft water was evenly sprinkled from the top of the column to moisten the tea leaves. After replacing the inside of the column with nitrogen gas, water vapor mixed with nitrogen was blown in from the bottom of the column, and the water vapor containing the volatile components of tea obtained from the top of the column was condensed by a cooling tube (tap water cooling, about 20°C), and 500g of distillate containing the volatile components of tea (50% of tea leaves) was obtained over about 20 minutes. The pH of the obtained distillate was 7.6.

[0110] The distillate was divided into four 100g portions in 300ml brown bottles and stored as follows: Comparison product 5: Headspace was replaced with nitrogen and then stored in a freezer (-20℃). Comparison product 6: Headspace was replaced with nitrogen and then stored in a refrigerator (5℃). Comparison product 7: pH was adjusted to 6.5 using ascorbic acid powder, the headspace was replaced with nitrogen, and the product was stored in a freezer (-20°C). Product 3 of the present invention: pH was adjusted to 9.5 using 0.1% potassium hydroxide aqueous solution, the head space was replaced with nitrogen, and then the product was stored in a freezer (-20°C).

[0111] The samples stored in the freezer began to freeze about 30 minutes after storage in the freezer, and were almost completely frozen in about 3 hours. Each was stored in the above conditions for about 20 hours from the start of storage, and then left at room temperature (23°C). The frozen samples were completely thawed in about 2 hours, and frozen-thawed samples (Comparative Product 6, Comparative Product 7, and Invention Product 3) were obtained.

[0112] The present invention product 3 and comparative products 5 to 7 were analyzed for 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one and linalool in the same manner as above. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0113] [Table 2]

[0114] As shown in Table 2, the amount of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one increased when frozen and thawed at pH 7.6 (Comparative Product 5) compared to the unfrozen sample, but the amount of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one hardly increased when frozen and thawed at pH 6.5 (Comparative Product 7). On the other hand, when frozen at pH 9.5, the amount of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one increased by more than 40 times compared to when frozen at pH 7.6.

[0115] Example 4 1 kg of green tea produced in Shizuoka Prefecture (first-grade tea, deep-steamed) was added to 20 kg of ion-exchanged water heated to 80°C and stirred slowly for 5 minutes. The tea leaves were then separated using a 40-mesh wire screen and the separated liquid was cooled to 20°C to obtain 14 kg of extract. 7.0 g (500 ppm) of sodium ascorbate was added and the extract was filtered through No. 2 filter paper (manufactured by ADVANTEC: retention particle size 5μ) to obtain a green tea beverage concentrate (analytical values ​​of the green tea beverage concentrate: Bx: 2.22°, pH: 6.4, tannin content (ferrous tartrate method): 0.44%, amino acid content: 0.071%). This was divided into small portions and diluted 10 times (by mass) with ion-exchanged water, and the diluted solution was added with the present invention product 2 or the comparative product 2 at the concentrations shown in Table 2 to prepare a solution. After heat sterilization at 137°C for 30 seconds, it was cooled to 88°C and filled into a 500 ml PET bottle, held for 2 minutes, and then cooled to room temperature (25°C) to prepare a green tea beverage in a PET bottle. Each green tea beverage was evaluated by 10 panelists using a product without tea extract as a control. The evaluation criteria were as follows: very good: 10 points, good: 8 points, somewhat good: 6 points, somewhat bad: 4 points, bad: 2 points, very bad: 0 points for freshly brewed feeling, green feeling, fullness, sweetness, fruitiness, and seaweed aroma, with the product without additives being given 5 points. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0116] [Table 3]

[0117] As shown in Table 3, the present invention product 2, when added to a green tea beverage in a trace amount of only 1 ppm to 10 ppm (equivalent to 0.00025 ppb to 0.0025 ppb as 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one), significantly increased the freshly brewed feeling, green feeling, sweetness, and fullness of green tea, accompanied by a slight fruitiness. On the other hand, the comparative product 2, when added in an amount of 1 ppm, was almost the same as that without addition, and when added in an amount of about 10 ppm, the effect became clear when added in an amount of about 100 ppm. Therefore, the present invention product (present invention product 2) is effective even at a much lower concentration than the conventional aroma extract (comparative product 2), and is distinctive in terms of flavor characteristics and advantageous in terms of cost.

Claims

1. A method for producing a green tea extract, comprising the following steps (A) to (D). Step (A): steam distilling green tea to obtain a distillate; Step (B): A step of adjusting the pH of the distillate obtained in the step (A) to 8.0 or more; Step (C): A step of freezing the distillate having a pH of 8.0 or more obtained in the step (B); Step (D): A step of thawing the distillate frozen in step (C).

2. A green tea extract containing no added 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one, which satisfies the following formula when 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one is measured in the green tea extract: ((Yield of green tea extract (mass)) / (Amount of green tea leaves used as extraction raw material (mass)))×Content of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one in green tea extract (mass basis)=1×10 －８ ~5×10 －５

3. A green tea extract containing no added 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one, wherein when the aroma components of the green tea extract are analyzed by GC / MS and a chromatogram is plotted from the GC / MS analysis results, the green tea extract satisfies the following formula: (Area value of the detected 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one peak (m / z=132)) / (Area value of the detected linalool peak (total ions))=1×10 －５ ~5×10 －２

4. A packaged green tea beverage containing the green tea extract according to claim 2 or 3.

5. A green tea flavored food or drink containing the green tea extract according to claim 2 or 3.

6. 2. The method for producing a green tea extract according to claim 1, wherein the freezing in step (C) is carried out until 99% or more of the entire distillate is in a frozen state.

7. 2. The method for producing a green tea extract according to claim 1, wherein in the freezing step (C), the time required for 99% or more of the entire distillate to be frozen is 30 minutes or more.

8. 2. The method for producing a green tea extract according to claim 1, wherein in the step (C), the concentration of soluble solids derived from other than the distillate obtained in the step (A) in the distillate before freezing obtained in the step (B) is 1.0 mass% or less.

9. 2. The method for producing a green tea extract according to claim 1, wherein the steam distillation in step (A) is one or more selected from atmospheric steam distillation, reduced pressure steam distillation, pressurized steam distillation and rotary film steam distillation (SCC).

10. A method for producing a green tea extract as described in claim 1, further comprising the following step (E) after step (D). Step (E): A step of adding a solvent extract of green tea to the thawed liquid obtained in the step (D).

11. The method for producing a green tea extract according to claim 10, wherein the solvent-extracted extract of green tea is an extract obtained by extracting green tea with an aqueous solvent after and / or before obtaining a steam distillate.

12. The method for producing the green tea extract according to claim 11, further comprising a heat sterilization step.

13. A method for producing a food or drink, comprising a step of adding a green tea extract obtained by the production method according to any one of claims 1 or 6 to 12 to a food or drink.

14. A method for producing a flavor composition, comprising the step of adding the green tea extract obtained by the method according to any one of claims 1 or 6 to 12 to a flavor composition.

15. A method for producing a food or drink, comprising the step of adding the flavor composition obtained by the method for producing a food or drink according to claim 14 to the food or drink.

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