A sweet drink derived from starch

Abstract

The present invention relates to a starch-derived beverage containing 4-20% by weight of carbohydrates, the beverage containing, calculated by weight of carbohydrates, 5-65% by weight of glucose; 0-65% by weight of fructose; 0-50% by weight of sucrose; 0.1-30% by weight of maltose; 0.03-8% by weight of maltotriose; and 3-35% by weight of oligoglucose (degree of polymerization 4-10), with glucose and fructose comprising at least 20% by weight of the carbohydrates. The beverage according to the present invention resembles existing unfermented malt beverages such as "Maltese," but achieves a similar sweetness with a lower carbohydrate content. The present invention also relates to a method for producing the beverage.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a non-alcoholic sweet beverage derived from starch. More specifically, the present invention relates to a beverage produced by a process of adjusting the carbohydrate composition of the beverage with glucoamylase and / or alpha-glucosidase. [Background technology]

[0002] "Maltah" is a sweet drink derived from starch that is very popular in the Caribbean. It is a non-fermented, slightly carbonated malt beverage made from barley, hops, water, and sometimes other ingredients like beer, with or without added sugar and caramel coloring. Unlike beer, maltah is non-alcoholic. It has a strong malty aroma and flavor, is similar in color to stout (dark brown), and is generally described as tasting like molasses or rye bread. It is often served with ice. Non-fermented malt beverages similar to maltah are also very popular in some Latin American countries and in Africa.

[0003] In the production of unfermented malt beverages such as Malta, the starch of the grains is converted into sugars in a process called mashing. During mashing, starch is hydrolyzed to produce glucose (a monosaccharide), maltose (a disaccharide), maltotriose (a trisaccharide) and oligoglucose units. Glucose, maltose and maltotriose contribute to the sweetness of the product. The oligosucrose units impart "thickness" and therefore affect the mouthfeel of the beverage. After mashing is finished, the mash is filtered and the resulting mash extract (wort) is boiled and caramel, hop extract and sugar are usually added. After cooling, the resulting beverage is filled into airtight containers.

[0004] A typical sugar content of a non-alcoholic malt beverage such as Malta is about 105 g / L, including added sugars of about 50 g / L. Sugars released from starch during mashing sweeten the beverage, but sugars are added in the form of sucrose or invert sugar syrup or other sweeteners such as glucose or fructose syrup to make the sweet taste more palatable to consumers.

[0005] Due to increasing health concerns, there is a trend to reduce the amount of sugar added to foods and beverages. A problem with lowering sugar content is the loss of (desirable) sweetness. The solution to this problem is the addition of non-nutritive or zero-calorie sweeteners such as aspartame or steviol glycosides. However, since sugar not only provides sweetness but also mouthfeel (among many other attributes), replacing sugar with other sweeteners can have a negative impact on the mouthfeel and aftertaste of the product. Also, from a cost perspective, the use of sugar substitutes may be unattractive.

[0006] U.S. Patent No. 4,765,993 describes a method for producing an alcohol-free beverage by adding boiled grain to a warm malted mash, boiling it, cooling it, carbonating it, filtering it, adding one or a mixture of starch-degrading enzymes to convert maltose and complex carbohydrates to dextrose, filling it, and pasteurizing it.

[0007] US Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0017282 describes a method for producing brewing wort, which includes adding to a mash a glucoamylase that remains active during lautering and has at least 10% residual activity at 80°C.

[0008] The present invention aims to overcome one or more of the shortcomings of Malta-type beverages mentioned above. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The inventors have developed two special processes that allow for the production of a Maltese-like beverage that is very similar to a regular Maltese beverage in terms of taste, mouthfeel, odor and appearance, but with a reduced total sugar content. More specifically, the inventors have found a way to modify the carbohydrate composition of the wort components such that no or less added sugar is required to obtain a beverage with the desired sweetness.

[0010] The method of the present invention utilizes glucoamylase and / or alpha-glucosidase. As a result, the carbohydrate profile of the beverage is significantly altered. Compared to beverages produced from normal wort, the beverages produced according to the present invention have a substantially higher monosaccharide (glucose and / or fructose) content and a substantially lower amount of maltose and / or maltotriose. At the same time, the concentration of oligoglucose in the beverage is not significantly affected. The present invention offers the advantage that the total sugar content of the beverage can be reduced without significantly negatively affecting the quality of the beverage, in particular the taste and mouthfeel.

[0011] Since glucose is a stronger sweetener than maltose or maltotriose, the glucoamylase treatment with glucoamylase and / or alpha-glucosidase in the method of the present invention enhances the sweetness of the beverage. This sweetness may be further enhanced by converting glucose to fructose, for example, using glucose isomerase. Since the effect of the enzyme treatment on oligosaccharides and polysaccharides is limited, the enzyme treatment does not significantly affect the mouthfeel and aftertaste of the beverage.

[0012] The starch-derived beverage of the present invention comprises: Carbohydrates 4-20% by weight; Ethanol 0 to 1.0% by weight; and ·Water 80~95% by weight; The beverage further contains, by weight, carbohydrate: Glucose 5-65% by weight; Fructose 0-65% by weight; · Sucrose 0-50% by weight; Maltose 0.1-30% by weight; Maltotriose 0.03-8% by weight; ·Oligoglucose (degree of polymerization 4-10) 3-35% by weight; and ·Glucose and fructose are at least 20% by weight of carbohydrates; · Glucose, fructose and sucrose are at least 40% by weight of carbohydrates; · Glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, maltotriose and oligoglucose are at least 80% by weight of carbohydrates; ([Glucose] + [Fructose]) / [Maltose] is 1.0 or more (In the formula, [glucose] represents the glucose concentration in weight percent, [fructose] represents the glucose concentration in weight percent, and [maltose] represents the glucose concentration in weight percent.) It has the following characteristics:

[0013] The present invention also provides a method for producing the beverage described above, the method comprising: (a) providing a first mash and hydrolyzing starch in the first mash to obtain a first hydrolyzed mash; (b) providing a second mash and hydrolyzing starch in the second mash to obtain a second hydrolyzed mash; (c) enzymatically hydrolyzing the second hydrolysis mash with a glycosidase selected from glucoamylase, alpha-glucosidase, and combinations thereof; The method includes the steps of: (d1) mixing the first hydrolysis mash and the glycosidase-treated second mash to obtain a combined hydrolysis mash; and (e1) filtering the combined hydrolyzed mash to obtain a wort; or (d2) filtering the glycosidase-treated second mash to obtain a first wort and filtering the second hydrolyzed mash to obtain a second wort; and (e2) mixing the first wort with the second wort; The present invention relates to a method of manufacture further comprising the steps of:

[0014] In the resulting beverage, most of the sweetness comes from the second hydrolysis mash and most of the mouthfeel comes from the first hydrolysis mash.

[0015] The present invention further provides a method for producing the beverage as described above, said method comprising: (a) providing a starch source; (b) mixing a starch source with water to obtain a mash; (c) enzymatically hydrolyzing starch contained in the mash to obtain a hydrolyzed mash, said enzymatic hydrolysis being carried out in the presence of an amylase selected from alpha amylase, beta amylase, and combinations thereof, and in the presence of a glycosidase selected from glucoamylase, alpha glucosidase, and combinations thereof; (d) filtering the hydrolyzed mash to obtain wort; (e) optionally mixing the wort with hops, hop extract, caramel and / or sugar; (f) Heat the wort to a boil for at least 20 minutes; The present invention relates to a manufacturing method including the steps of:

[0016] In this method, the hydrolysis step produces a large amount of sugars that provide sweetness and a significant amount of oligoglucose that provides mouthfeel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Thus, a first aspect of the present invention provides a method for producing a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: Carbohydrates 4-20% by weight; Ethanol 0 to 1.0% by weight; and ·Water 80~95% by weight; 1. A starch-derived beverage comprising, calculated by weight of carbohydrate, Glucose 5-65% by weight; Fructose 0-65% by weight; · Sucrose 0-50% by weight; Maltose 0.1-30% by weight; Maltotriose 0.03-8% by weight; ·Oligoglucose (degree of polymerization 4-10) 3-35% by weight; and ·Glucose and fructose are at least 20% by weight of carbohydrates; · Glucose, fructose and sucrose are at least 40% by weight of carbohydrates; · Glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, maltotriose and oligoglucose (degree of polymerization 4-10) are at least 80% by weight of carbohydrates; ([Glucose] + [Fructose]) / [Maltose] is 1.0 or more (In the formula, [glucose] represents the glucose concentration in weight percent, [fructose] represents the glucose concentration in weight percent, and [maltose] represents the glucose concentration in weight percent.) Regarding.

[0018] As used herein, the terms "a" and "an" are defined as "at least one" unless otherwise specified. When a noun (e.g., compound, additive, etc.) is referred to in the singular, the plural is intended to be included. Thus, a particular component, e.g., "enzyme," means "at least one enzyme" unless otherwise specified. As used herein, the term "or" should be understood as "and / or."

[0019] As used herein, the term "carbohydrate" refers to sugars, and more specifically, this term includes monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides.

[0020] As used herein, the term "oligosaccharides" refers to sugars containing 4 to 10 monosaccharides linked by glycosidic bonds.

[0021] As used herein, the term "oligoglucose" refers to an oligosaccharide made up of glucose units.

[0022] As used herein, the term "polysaccharide" refers to a sugar that contains 11 or more monosaccharides linked together by glycosidic bonds.

[0023] In the case of compounds in which isomers exist (eg D and L enantiomers), this includes, in principle, all enantiomers, diastereomers and cis / trans isomers of the compound.

[0024] Where an enzyme is identified by an Enzyme Classification (EC), the Enzyme Classification is the classification into which the enzyme has been or may be classified based on the enzyme nomenclature provided by the Commission on Nomenclature of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (NC-IUBMB), which can be found at http: / / www.chem.qmul.ac.uk / iubmb / enzyme / . It is intended to include other appropriate enzymes that have not (yet) been classified but may be so classified.

[0025] As used herein, the term "glucoamylase" (EC 3.2.1.3), also called amyloglucosidase or glucan 1,4-α-glucosidase, refers to an enzyme that can sequentially catalyze the hydrolysis of terminal (1→4) linked α-D-glucose residues from the non-reducing ends of the chains, releasing β-D-glucose.

[0026] As used herein, the term "α-glucosidase" (EC 3.2.1.20), also called maltase or maltase-glucoamylase, refers to an enzyme capable of catalyzing the hydrolysis of terminal (1→4) linked α-D-glucose residues to release α-D-glucose.

[0027] As used herein, the term "α-amylase" (EC 3.2.1.1) refers to an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of (1-4)-α-D-glucosidic bonds in polysaccharides containing three or more (1-4)-α-linked D-glucose units. The enzyme acts randomly on starch, liberating reducing groups in the α configuration. It breaks down long chain sugars, ultimately producing maltotriose and maltose from starch. The term "α" refers to the anomeric configuration of the released sugar, regardless of the configuration of the hydrolyzed bond.

[0028] As used herein, the term "β-amylase" (EC 3.2.1.2) refers to an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of (1-4)-α-D-glucosidic bonds in polysaccharides, sequentially removing maltose units from the non-reducing ends of the chains. The enzyme acts on starch to produce β-maltose by inversion. The term "β" refers to the anomeric configuration of the released sugar, regardless of the configuration of the hydrolyzed bonds.

[0029] As used herein, the term "glucose isomerase" refers to an enzyme (EC 5.3.1.18) that catalyzes the interconversion of glucose and fructose.

[0030] As used herein, the term "non-alcoholic" means having an alcohol content of 1.0% alcohol by volume (ABV) or less, unless otherwise specified.

[0031] As used herein, the terms "ferment" or "fermentation" refer to contacting the wort with live yeast for at least one hour.

[0032] "Total sugars" is defined herein as the sum of the amounts of monosaccharides and disaccharides.

[0033] The concentrations of the different carbohydrates can be determined by HPLC with an ACQUITY UPLC-RI system (Waters).

[0034] The beverages of the present invention preferably have an alcohol content of 0.8% (ABV) or less, 0.6% (ABV) or less, 0.4% (ABV) or less, 0.3% (ABV) or less, 0.2% (ABV) or less, 0.1% (ABV) or less, or 0.05% (ABV) or less. Most preferably, the beverage is alcohol-free.

[0035] As mentioned above, the beverage of the present invention is produced by a method including a mashing step to hydrolyze starch. The starch is preferably provided by cereal grains. These cereal grains also contain protein in addition to starch. A portion of this protein will usually be included in the final beverage of the present invention. The beverage therefore preferably contains at least 0.1 mg / L of cereal protein, more preferably 0.3-12 mg / L, most preferably 0.8-10 mg / L.

[0036] In another preferred embodiment, the beverage is obtained by a process comprising the addition of hops and / or a hops extract. The hops or hops extract is typically added to the filtered mash extract before or during heating. As a result, the beverage typically contains at least 1 mg / L iso-alpha acids, more preferably 2-20 mg / L iso-alpha acids, and most preferably 3-12 mg / L iso-alpha acids.

[0037] Caramel is another ingredient that is preferably added during the preparation of the beverage of the present invention to impart the characteristic color. The EBC color units of the beverage are usually at least 20, more preferably at least 60, and most preferably between 100 and 1000. EBC (European Brewery Convention) color units refer to the measured color of the beer. The EBC method is quantitative and involves measuring the color of the beer at a wavelength of 430 nm using a spectrophotometer. The actual formula for measuring color is: EBC=25×D×A 430 (where D is the dilution factor of the sample, A 430 is the absorbance at 430 nm in a 1 cm cuvette) It is.

[0038] The beverage of the present invention is preferably a sweet beverage, the sweetness of which is preferably equivalent to that of an aqueous solution containing at least 30 g sucrose per liter, more preferably 40-150 g sucrose per liter, and most preferably 80-120 g sucrose per liter.

[0039] The beverage of the present invention preferably contains 5 to 18 wt %, more preferably 6 to 16 wt %, and most preferably 7 to 15 wt % carbohydrates.

[0040] Glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, maltotriose and oligoglucose (DP4-10) preferably constitute at least 85% by weight, more preferably at least 90% by weight, and most preferably at least 95% by weight of the carbohydrates in the beverage. The water content of the beverage is preferably 82-94% by weight, more preferably 83-93% by weight, and most preferably 84-92% by weight.

[0041] The carbohydrate and water will typically comprise at least 95% by weight of the beverage of the present invention, more preferably at least 97% by weight, and most preferably at least 98% by weight.

[0042] The total sugar content of the beverage of the present invention is preferably 4 to 15 wt %, more preferably 5 to 13 wt %, and most preferably 6 to 12 wt %.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the beverage contains a very large amount of glucose. More specifically, the beverage contains at least 30% by weight, more preferably at least 40% by weight, and most preferably 50-75% by weight, of glucose, calculated by the weight of carbohydrate. In this embodiment, the amount of fructose contained in the beverage is limited, as evidenced by a [glucose] / [fructose] ratio of 6 or more. Most preferably, the [glucose] / [fructose] ratio is 10 or more, more preferably at least 12 or more.

[0044] In a preferred embodiment, instead of glucose, the beverage contains a large amount of fructose. As mentioned above, glucose may be advantageously converted to fructose to increase the sweetness of the beverage. Such a conversion can be carried out with glucose isomerase (EC 5.3.1.18). Thus, in this preferred embodiment, the beverage contains at least 20% by weight of fructose, more preferably at least 25% by weight, even more preferably at least 30% by weight, most preferably between 40 and 65% by weight, calculated on the weight of carbohydrates. In this embodiment, [fructose] / [glucose] is 0.5 or more, more preferably said ratio is 0.6 or more, more preferably said ratio is between 0.7 and 1.0.

[0045] Glucose and fructose preferably represent at least 25% by weight of the carbohydrates, more preferably at least 30% by weight, and most preferably 45-75% by weight.

[0046] As mentioned above, the conversion of maltose to glucose significantly increases sweetness without increasing the total sugar content, which is particularly advantageous in the production of the beverage of the present invention.Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment, the maltose content of the beverage does not exceed 24% by weight, more preferably does not exceed 20% by weight, and most preferably does not exceed 15% by weight, calculated on the weight of carbohydrate.Usually, the beverage contains at least 1% by weight of maltose, calculated on the weight of carbohydrate.

[0047] In a preferred embodiment, ([glucose]+[fructose]) / [oligoglucose] is 1.0 or more, preferably 1.5 or more, more preferably 3 or more (wherein, [oligoglucose] indicates the oligoglucose concentration in % by weight) It is.

[0048] The concentration ratio ([glucose]+[fructose]) / [maltose] of the beverage of the present invention is preferably at least 1.2, more preferably at least 1.4, most preferably at least 1.5.

[0049] The concentration ratio ([glucose]+[fructose]) / [maltotriose] of the beverage of the present invention is preferably at least 3, more preferably at least 4, and most preferably at least 5.

[0050] The enzymatic hydrolysis of maltotriose, like the enzymatic hydrolysis of maltose, produces glucose and thus increases sweetness. When the total sugar content is not an issue, the enzymatic hydrolysis of maltotriose is advantageous because of the increased sweetness. Thus, in one embodiment, the beverage contains 4% or less maltotriose by weight, calculated on the weight of carbohydrate, more preferably 2% or less maltotriose by weight, and most preferably 1% or less maltotriose by weight.

[0051] Where the total sugar content of the beverage is a concern, enzymatic hydrolysis of maltotriose may be undesirable.Thus, in another preferred embodiment, the beverage comprises 4-25% by weight, more preferably 5-20% by weight, most preferably 6-15% by weight, of maltotriose, calculated by weight of carbohydrate.

[0052] As mentioned above, the beverage of the present invention preferably contains a high amount of oligoglucose, which contributes to the desired rich mouthfeel of the beverage. The beverage preferably contains 4-32% by weight, more preferably 5-25% by weight, even more preferably 6-20% by weight, and most preferably 7-15% by weight of oligoglucose with a degree of polymerization (DP) of 4-10, all percentages calculated by weight of carbohydrate.

[0053] In one embodiment of the invention, no sucrose is added to the beverage, in which case the sucrose in the beverage will typically be less than 2% by weight, calculated on the weight of carbohydrate.

[0054] In another embodiment, sucrose is added to the beverage to further sweeten it. Typically, the beverage contains at least 10% sucrose by weight, calculated on the weight of carbohydrate. However, due to the treatment with glucoamylase, less sucrose is needed to achieve the desired sweetness. Preferably, the sucrose in the beverage is 48% or less by weight, calculated on the weight of carbohydrate, and most preferably, the beverage contains 20-45% sucrose by weight.

[0055] As an alternative to being sweetened with sucrose, the beverages of the present invention may be sweetened with invert sugar syrup, high fructose syrup and / or glucose syrup (hereinafter "sugar syrups"). When the beverage is further sweetened by the addition of one or more of these syrups, the beverage will typically contain at least 20% by weight glucose, at least 15% by weight fructose, and at least 60% by weight glucose and fructose, all percentages being calculated by weight of carbohydrate.

[0056] Glucose, fructose and sucrose preferably represent at least 50% by weight, more preferably at least 60% by weight, and most preferably 70-90% by weight of the carbohydrates present in the beverage.

[0057] The pH of the beverage (measured after decarbonation) is typically 4.0 to 6.0, more preferably 4.2 to 5.6, and most preferably 4.3 to 5.4.

[0058] In certain preferred embodiments, the beverages of the present invention are packaged in sealed containers. Examples of suitable containers include bottles (glass, PET, etc.), cans, kegs, and sachets. Sachets can be used to package non-carbonated beverages.

[0059] The beverage of the present invention may be a carbonated or non-carbonated beverage. Preferably, the beverage is a carbonated beverage. The beverage is typically CO 2 The content is preferably 1 to 12 g / L, more preferably 2 to 10 g / L.

[0060] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for producing the beverage as described above, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a first mash and hydrolyzing starch in the first mash to obtain a first hydrolyzed mash; (b) providing a second mash and hydrolyzing starch in the second mash to obtain a second hydrolyzed mash; (c) enzymatically hydrolyzing the second hydrolysis mash with a glycosidase selected from glucoamylase, alpha-glucosidase, and combinations thereof; The method includes the steps of: (d1) mixing the first hydrolysis mash and the glycosidase-treated second mash to obtain a combined hydrolysis mash; and (e1) filtering the combined hydrolyzed mash to obtain a wort; or (d2) filtering the glycosidase-treated second mash to obtain a first wort and filtering the second hydrolyzed mash to obtain a second wort; and (e2) mixing the first wort with the second wort; The present invention relates to a method of manufacture further comprising the steps of:

[0061] The glycosidase used in the enzymatic hydrolysis of the second wort is preferably a glucoamylase.

[0062] The first mash and the second hydrolyzed mash are preferably combined in a weight ratio of from 1:9 to 2:1, more preferably from 1:7 to 1.5:1, and most preferably from 1:5 to 1:1, on a dry weight basis.

[0063] The first wort and the second wort are preferably combined in a weight ratio of 1:9 to 2:1, more preferably 1:7 to 1.5:1, and most preferably 1:5 to 1:1, on a dry weight basis.

[0064] Fructose is a particularly sweet sugar. Since fructose is much sweeter than glucose, glucose may be converted to fructose to enhance the sweetness of the beverage. Glucose isomerase can catalyze this conversion. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the second hydrolysis mash is subjected to glucose conversion to fructose by glucose isomerase.

[0065] The first mash and the second mash may suitably be prepared by providing a starch source and mixing the starch source with water to obtain a mash.

[0066] Starch sources that can be used include malt and non-malt grains. Barley malt is one example of malt that can be suitably used in the method of the present invention. Examples of non-malt grains that can be used include barley, rice, wheat, sorghum, corn, rye, oats, and combinations thereof. Tuberous crops such as potato and cassava can also be used as starch sources. In certain preferred embodiments, the starch source used in the method of the present invention includes barley malt.

[0067] The production of a mash according to the present invention preferably involves milling the grain. Preferably the grain is milled before being mixed with water to form the mash.

[0068] The first hydrolysis mash preferably contains 5-18 wt. % carbohydrates, more preferably 6-16 wt. %, most preferably 7-15 wt. %.

[0069] Glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, maltotriose and oligoglucose (DP4-10) preferably represent at least 85% by weight, more preferably at least 90% by weight, and most preferably at least 95% by weight of the carbohydrates of the first hydrolysis mash.

[0070] The carbohydrate and water typically represent at least 95% by weight of the first hydrolysis mash, more preferably at least 97% by weight, and most preferably at least 98% by weight.

[0071] In the method of the present invention, the first hydrolysis mash is the major source of oligoglucose in the beverage. Oligoglucose (DP4-10) preferably represents at least 10% by weight, more preferably at least 15% by weight, more preferably at least 30% by weight, and most preferably 40-90% by weight of the carbohydrates in the first hydrolysis mash.

[0072] Glucose and fructose preferably represent no more than 15% by weight, more preferably no more than 10% by weight, and most preferably 0-6% by weight of the carbohydrates in the first hydrolysis mash.

[0073] In a preferred embodiment, the carbohydrate composition of the first hydrolyzed mash is determined by the following conditions: ([glucose] + [fructose]) / [oligoglucose] is 1 or less, preferably 0.5 or less, more preferably 0.3 or less (wherein, [oligoglucose] indicates the oligoglucose concentration in % by weight) Meet the following.

[0074] The second hydrolysis mash preferably contains 5-18 wt. % carbohydrates, more preferably 6-16 wt. %, most preferably 7-15 wt. %.

[0075] Glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, maltotriose and oligoglucose (DP4-10) preferably represent at least 85% by weight, more preferably at least 90% by weight, and most preferably at least 95% by weight of the carbohydrates in the second hydrolysis mash.

[0076] The carbohydrate and water will typically represent at least 95% by weight of the second hydrolysis mash, more preferably at least 97% by weight, and most preferably at least 98% by weight.

[0077] Fructose, glucose, maltose and maltotriose preferably represent at least 85% by weight, more preferably at least 90% by weight, and most preferably 95-100% by weight of the carbohydrates in the second hydrolysis mash.

[0078] In the method of the present invention, the second hydrolysis mash is the main source of sweet tasting sugars in the beverage. Moreover, the second hydrolysis mash preferably contains high concentrations of the intensely sweet sugars fructose, glucose and maltose. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, fructose, glucose and maltose represent at least 80% by weight, more preferably at least 90% by weight and most preferably 92-100% by weight of the carbohydrates in the second hydrolysis mash.

[0079] In certain preferred embodiments, glucose and fructose represent at least 70% by weight, more preferably at least 80% by weight, and most preferably 90-100% by weight of the carbohydrates in the second hydrolysis mash.

[0080] As mentioned above, fructose is sweeter than glucose. Therefore, to maximize the contribution to the sweetness of the second hydrolysis wort, it is preferable to convert most of the glucose to fructose, for example using glucose isomerase. Fructose is preferably at least 25% by weight, more preferably at least 30% by weight, and most preferably 35-50% by weight of the carbohydrates in the second hydrolysis mash.

[0081] In a preferred embodiment, the carbohydrate composition of the second hydrolyzed mash is determined by the following conditions: ([glucose]+[fructose]) / [oligoglucose] is 5 or more, preferably 15 or more, and more preferably 30 or more (wherein, [oligoglucose] indicates the oligoglucose concentration in % by weight) Meet the following.

[0082] Yet another aspect of the present invention is a method for producing the beverage described above, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a starch source; (b) mixing a starch source with water to obtain a mash; (c) enzymatically hydrolyzing starch contained in the mash to obtain a hydrolyzed mash, said enzymatic hydrolysis being carried out in the presence of an amylase selected from alpha amylase, beta amylase, and combinations thereof, and in the presence of a glycosidase selected from glucoamylase, alpha glucosidase, and combinations thereof; (d) filtering the hydrolyzed mash to obtain wort; (e) optionally mixing the wort with hops, hop extract, caramel and / or sugar; (f) Heat the wort to a boil for at least 20 minutes; The process includes:

[0083] In contrast to the mashing process used in the production of yeast-fermented beverages such as beer, the enzymatic hydrolysis of starch in the method of the present invention results in a high concentration of monosaccharides, which can have a detrimental effect on the yeast due to osmotic stress, and in the production of yeast-fermented beverages, the formation of maltose is usually maximized and high concentrations of glucose and fructose are usually avoided.

[0084] Starch sources that can be used in step a) include malt and non-malt cereals. Barley malt is one example of a malt that can be suitably used in the process of the present invention. Examples of non-malt cereals that can be used include barley, rice, wheat, sorghum, corn, rye, oats and combinations thereof. Tuberous crops such as potato and cassava can also be used as starch sources. In a particular preferred embodiment, the starch source used in the process of the present invention comprises barley malt.

[0085] The production of a mash according to the present invention preferably involves milling the grain. Preferably the grain is milled before being mixed with water to form the mash.

[0086] The enzymatic hydrolysis of starch in the process of the invention is achieved by adding a combination of α-amylase and / or β-amylase with a glycosidase. The starch degrading enzymes α-amylase and β-amylase may suitably be added in the form of barley malt.

[0087] Most preferably, the starch is hydrolyzed in the presence of alpha amylase and beta amylase.

[0088] Before the enzymatic hydrolysis of starch begins, the mash will usually contain less than 10 g / L, more preferably less than 5 g / L, of mono- and / or disaccharides.

[0089] As the enzymatic hydrolysis proceeds, the total amount of sugars gradually increases with the formation of maltotriose and maltose by the action of α-amylase and β-amylase. Due to the presence of glycosidases (glucoamylase and / or α-glucosidase), at least a portion of the maltotriose and / or maltose is further hydrolyzed to glucose.

[0090] The rate at which maltotriose, maltose and glucose are formed in the process of the invention depends, inter alia, on the temperature, the type of enzyme (e.g. optimum temperature), the amount of enzyme and the time of enzymatic hydrolysis. Preferably, the conditions are selected such that at the end of the enzymatic hydrolysis, a significant part of the starch is converted to glucose by the combined action of α-amylase and / or β-amylase on the one hand and glycosidases (glucoamylase and / or α-glucosidase) on the other hand. Preferably, the glycosidase used in the process of the invention is glucoamylase.

[0091] Typically, enzymatic hydrolysis is stopped when at least 50% by weight, more preferably at least 60% by weight, of the starch has been converted to saccharides having a degree of polymerization less than 4.

[0092] The enzymatic hydrolysis of starch (including gelatinization and liquefaction) is preferably carried out at 45 to 95°C, more preferably at 48 to 85°C, and most preferably at 50 to 65°C.

[0093] In the methods of the invention, the glycosidases may be added together with other amylolytic enzymes and / or after the amylolytic enzymes have already degraded some of the starch.

[0094] Fructose is a particularly sweet sugar. Since fructose is much sweeter than glucose, glucose may be converted to fructose to enhance the sweetness of the beverage. Glucose isomerase can catalyze this conversion. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the starch contained in the mash is hydrolyzed in the presence of glucose isomerase.

[0095] Filtration of the hydrolyzed mash removes undissolved material from the starch source and produces a clarified wort.

[0096] In a preferred embodiment, hops and / or hops extract are added before or during heating of the wort, preferably well before the end of heating to convert many of the alpha acids to isoalpha acids.

[0097] As mentioned above, the sweetness of the beverage may be enhanced by the addition of sucrose and / or sugar syrup. In a preferred embodiment, sucrose and / or sugar syrup is added after the filtration step, preferably before or during heating of the wort.

[0098] The total amount of sucrose and / or sugar syrup added in the process of the present invention preferably does not exceed 60 g, more preferably 50 g, per litre of final beverage.

[0099] In an advantageous embodiment of the method of the invention, no sucrose or sugar syrup is added in the preparation of the beverage, in which case the method of the invention results in an intensified sweetness.

[0100] In another advantageous embodiment, the method of the invention comprises adding (reduced) 10-50 g of sucrose and / or sugar syrup per liter of final beverage. More preferably, the method comprises adding 20-45 g of sucrose and / or sugar syrup per liter of final beverage. In this embodiment, the desired sweetness is achieved with reduced sugar addition.

[0101] In the process of the present invention, the wort is heated to boiling for at least 40 minutes, more preferably at least 50 minutes.

[0102] After heating of the wort, the method of the invention may, for example, comprise the following steps: - cooling; - maturity; - Filtration; - carbonation; - Filling into sealed containers (e.g. bottles, cans or barrels) It may include one or more of the following:

[0103] The method of the present invention preferably does not include a fermentation step.

[0104] In certain preferred aspects, the method of the present invention comprises the step of filling the beverage into a closed container, most preferably a bottle, can or keg.

[0105] Preferably the beverage is carbonated prior to filling into the sealed container.

[0106] The present invention is further illustrated by the following non-limiting examples. EXAMPLES

[0107] Example 1 Manufacture of beverage A 20 kg raw barley (72% extract) was milled and placed in a cereal cooker with 50 L brewing water (55 °C) to form a mash. The mash was diluted with CaCl 2was added to a concentration that ensured enzyme stability. The pH was adjusted to 5.9 and the mash was dosed with a recipe amount of commercial protease to break down the protein matrix and expose the starch. The mash was heated to 50°C and stirred for 30 minutes. The mash was dosed with a recipe amount of thermostable α-amylase and heated at a steady, slow rate to 93°C, resulting in a liquefied mash designated Stream A.

[0108] 24.5 kg of malted barley (78% extract) was milled and placed in a mash tun with 120 L of brewing water (55°C) to form a mash. The mash was then treated with CaCl 2 was added to provide a total calcium amount to ensure enzyme stability. The mash was stirred for 20 minutes and stream B was obtained.

[0109] Stream A was sent to stream B to form a new mash with a temperature of about 62° C. The pH of the combined mash was then adjusted to 5.4 and maintained for 20 minutes.

[0110] The mash was then heated to 78° C., filtered, and hop extract and caramel were added before boiling for 60 minutes, clarification, and cooling to obtain Beverage A.

[0111] Production of beverage 1 20 kg of raw barley (72% extract) was milled and placed in a cereal cooker with 60 L of brewing water (55 °C) to form a mash at 50 °C. The mash was then treated with CaCl 2 was added to a total concentration to ensure enzyme stability. The pH was then adjusted to 5.9 and the mash was spiked with the recipe amount of commercial protease. The mash was stirred at 50°C for 30 minutes. The mash was spiked with 2.5 times the recipe amount of thermostable α-amylase and slowly heated to 93°C and held for 60 minutes, resulting in a liquefied mash designated Stream A.

[0112] 24.5 kg of malted barley (78% extract) was milled and placed in a mash tun with 110 L of brewing water (55 °C) and mashed at 50 °C. The mash was diluted with CaCl 2was added to a total concentration to ensure enzyme stability. The mash was stirred for 30 minutes and stream B was obtained.

[0113] Stream A was sent to stream B to form a mixed mash having a temperature of about 65° C. and a pH of 5.2.

[0114] After mixing the streams, the following enzymes were added: - 13.4g Bioglucanase HAB (beta-glucanase sold by Kerry) - 31.2 g of Bioferm FA Conc (alpha amylase sold by Kerry); after 75 minutes, another 15 g of this enzyme was added - 53.4 g of Amylo 300 (amyloglucosidase sold by Kerry); after 90 minutes, a further 53.4 g was added.

[0115] The mash was stirred for 120 minutes (after mixing streams A and B), the mash was heated to 78°C, filtered, hop extract and caramel were added, then boiled for 60 minutes, clarified and cooled to obtain Beverage 1.

[0116] Tasting of Beverage A and Beverage 1 Drinks A and 1 were standardized to 13.4°P (degrees plateau) and the sugar profiles were measured at this specific gravity. See Table 1.

[0117] [Table 1]

[0118] To qualitatively compare sweetness and mouthfeel, both beverages were randomly and blindly tested by seven people (see Table 2).

[0119] [Table 2]

[0120] Example 2 Beverage A of Example 1 was adjusted to 13.4° P, and 46 g of sucrose was added to 610 mL of the same, and the resulting mixture was adjusted to 12.6° P with a total sugar content of approximately 90 g / L. This was designated beverage B.

[0121] Beverage 1 of Example 1 was adjusted to 13.4°P, and 46.7 g of sucrose was added to 460 mL of the same, and the resulting mixture was adjusted to 11°P with a total sugar content of approximately 90 g / L. This was designated Beverage 2.

[0122] Beverages B and 2 were then randomly blind tested by three expert subjects to compare sweetness and mouthfeel, the results of which are shown in Table 3.

[0123] [Table 3]

[0124] Example 3 Beverage A from Example 1 was adjusted to 13.4°P, and 240 ppm of Omega Reb A (a stevia-based sweetener sold by Tate & Lyle) was added to 360 mL of the beverage to make up 1 L of the mixture, resulting in a total sugar content of 25 g / L. This was designated beverage C.

[0125] Beverage 1 of Example 1 was adjusted to 13.4°P, and 240 ppm of Omega Reb A was added to 260 mL of the beverage, making the mixture 1 L with a total sugar content of 25 g / L. This was designated Beverage 3.

[0126] Beverages C and 3 were then randomly blind tested by three expert subjects to compare sweetness and mouthfeel, the results of which are shown in Table 3.

[0127] [Table 4]

[0128] Example 4 Production of the first wort Malt was pre-ground using a hammer mill. 160 L of pre-heated (60°C) water was added to 43 kg of ground malt in a mash tun. The calcium content of the mash was determined by CaCl 2 The concentration was adjusted to 165 mg / L with HCl solution (33%). After mashing, the pH was adjusted to 5.6 (±0.1) with HCl solution (5%).

[0129] The mashing process carried out was as follows: -Stepwise injection at 50℃ (15 min) Heat to 65℃ for 15 minutes Maintain 65℃ for 40 minutes Heat to 78℃ for 10 minutes Maintain 78℃ for 10 minutes

[0130] The mash filter, consisting of 6 chambers, each with a capacity of 7.5 kg, was used for filtration. The wort obtained was boiled in a wort kettle (100° C., 70 min) and the pH was adjusted to 4.8 (±0.1) with hydrochloric acid (5%). The wort was swirled for 10 min to remove the agglomerates formed during boiling and to obtain a sweet wort. The wort thus obtained was transferred to a cooling tank. Hereinafter, this is referred to as the "first wort".

[0131] Production of the second wort The two worts were produced in the same way as the first wort, except for the mashing process: during mashing, the mash was treated with amyloglucosidase (Amigase® Mega L, DSM Food Specialties BV, The Netherlands) at pH 4.5 ("Second Wort A") or pH 5.4 ("Second Wort B") to convert maltose and maltotriose to glucose.

[0132] The mashing process carried out was as follows: -Stepwise injection at 60℃ (20 min) Heat to 65℃ for 20 minutes Maintain 65℃ for 30 minutes Add 19kg of cold water (5℃) and cool to 59℃ for 5 minutes. Add hydrochloric acid solution (5%) to adjust the pH to 4.5 or 5.4. Addition of amyloglucosidase (5.2 kg per ton of grain) Maintain 59℃ for 120 minutes Heat to 80℃ for 21 minutes Maintain 80℃ for 5 minutes

[0133] The mash adjusted to pH 5.4 was treated with glucose isomerase (Sweetzyme®, Novozymes) to convert glucose to fructose. The pH of the mash was adjusted to 6.5 with potassium hydroxide solution (1 M) before glucose isomerase (10 g / L) was added. The mash was then incubated at 80° C. for 120 min.

[0134] The carbohydrate composition of the first wort and the two second worts is shown in Table 5.

[0135] [Table 5]

[0136] The beverages were prepared according to the recipes shown in Table 6.

[0137] [Table 6]

[0138] Control Full Sugar Recipe - 12.4 A: Recipe with 20% of total sugar (DP1+2) removed and no sweetening adjustment 1. A recipe in which 20% of the total sugar (DP1+2) is removed and the sweetness and mouthfeel are adjusted with the first wort and two second worts B (fructose-rich worts). 2. A recipe in which 15% of the total sugar (DP1+2) is removed and the sweetness and mouthfeel are adjusted with the first wort and two second worts B (fructose-rich worts). 3. A recipe that removes 6% of the total sugar (DP1+2) and adjusts sweetness and mouthfeel with the first wort and two second worts A (glucose-rich worts). The carbohydrate composition of these beverages is shown in Table 7.

[0139] [Table 7]

[0140] The sweetness of various carbohydrates can be expressed on the relative sweetness scale (RS). The RS of a carbohydrate is equal to the concentration (wt%) of that carbohydrate that is equivalent in sweetness to a 10 wt% sucrose solution divided by 10. The RS values ​​of carbohydrates contained in the above mentioned beverages are shown in Table 8.

[0141] [Table 8]

[0142] Based on this RS value, the relative sweetness of the beverage described above can be calculated ("Calculated Relative Sweetness" or "CRS"). Furthermore, by dividing the CRS by the carbohydrate percentage, the relative sweetness contribution based on the total carbohydrate content can be calculated. The results of these calculations are shown in Table 9.

[0143] [Table 9]

[0144] Example 5 By producing a first hydrolysis mash containing high amounts of oligoglucose and a second hydrolysis mash containing high amounts of fructose and glucose, beverages of the present invention can be produced that have good taste and mouthfeel and minimal carbohydrate content.

[0145] As shown in Example 4, a typical Malta-type beverage (control product) has a relative sweetness of 7.1, an oligoglucose content of 0.91% by weight, and a total carbohydrate content (DP1-10) of 10.94% by weight. To achieve this sweetness, a large amount of sucrose needs to be added.

[0146] Table 10 shows the carbohydrate composition of two hypothetical worts: a first wort containing only oligoglucose DP4-10 and a second wort containing only a 1:1 mixture of fructose and glucose.

[0147] A wort of similar composition to the first wort in Table 10 can be produced by using hydrolytic enzymes (e.g. endoamylases) that break down starch into short dextrin chains rather than removing glucose molecules from the ends of the chains, and by ensuring that the breakdown of starch does not proceed to the stage where large amounts of maltotriose, maltose and glucose are formed.

[0148] A wort of similar composition to the second wort in Table 10 can be produced by completely hydrolyzing starch to glucose and treating with glucose isomerase to isomerize the glucose to obtain a 1:1 mixture of glucose and fructose.

[0149] Table 10 shows the composition of a diluted mixture ("blend") of the two worts described above that matches the control product in terms of sweetness and oligoglucose content.

[0150] [Table 10]

[0151] From this table it can be concluded that the present invention makes it possible to reduce the carbohydrate content by up to 33% by weight without significantly compromising sweetness and mouthfeel, and also makes it possible to produce sweet Maltese-type beverages without adding sucrose.

Claims

1. carbohydrates 4-20% by weight; ethanol 0 to 1.0% by weight; and ・Water 80-95% by weight; A starch-derived beverage comprising: The beverage contains, calculated by weight of carbohydrate, glucose 5-65% by weight; Fructose 0-65% by weight; sucrose 0-50% by weight; 0.1 to 30% by weight of maltose; Maltotriose 0.03 to 8% by weight; Oligoglucose (degree of polymerization 4 to 10) 3 to 35% by weight; and - glucose and fructose are at least 20% by weight of said carbohydrates; - glucose, fructose and sucrose are at least 40% by weight of said carbohydrates; - glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, maltotriose and oligoglucose are at least 80% by weight of said carbohydrates; ([glucose] + [fructose]) / [maltose] is 1.0 or more; (wherein, [glucose] represents the glucose concentration in weight percent, [fructose] represents the fructose concentration in weight percent, and [maltose] represents the maltose concentration in weight percent). , Beverage.

2. 10. The beverage of claim 1, wherein the beverage comprises at least 0.1% by weight grain protein.

3. 3. The beverage of claim 1 or 2, wherein the beverage comprises at least 1 mg / L of isoalpha acids.

4. ([Glucose] + [Fructose]) / [Oligoglucose] is 1.0 or more (wherein [oligoglucose] denotes the oligoglucose concentration in wt %) The beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3,

5. 5. The beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the sweetness of the beverage is equivalent to that of an aqueous solution containing at least 30 g of sucrose per liter.

6. A beverage according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the beverage comprises 5-11% by weight carbohydrates.

7. 7. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the beverage contains at least 30% by weight of glucose, calculated on the weight of carbohydrate, and wherein the [glucose] / [fructose] is 6 or more.

8. The beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the beverage contains at least 20% by weight of fructose, calculated on the weight of carbohydrate, and the ratio [fructose] / [glucose] is 0.5 or more.

9. A beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the beverage comprises at least 24% by weight of maltose, calculated on the weight of carbohydrate.

10. A beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the beverage comprises at least 10% by weight of sucrose, calculated on the weight of carbohydrate.

11. The beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the beverage is packaged in a sealed container.

12. A method for producing a beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a first mash and hydrolyzing starch contained in the first mash to obtain a first hydrolyzed mash; (b) providing a second mash and hydrolyzing starch contained in the second mash to obtain a second hydrolyzed mash; (c) enzymatically hydrolyzing the second hydrolysis mash with a glycosidase selected from glucoamylase, alpha-glucosidase, and combinations thereof; The method includes the steps of: (d1) mixing the first hydrolysis mash and the glycosidase-treated second mash to obtain a combined hydrolysis mash; and (e1) filtering the combined hydrolyzed mash to obtain a wort; or (d2) filtering the glycosidase-treated second mash to obtain a first wort and filtering the second hydrolyzed mash to obtain a second wort; and (e2) mixing the first wort with the second wort; The method of manufacturing further comprises the steps of:

13. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second hydrolysis mash is subjected to glucose conversion to fructose by glucose isomerase.

14. A method for producing a beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a starch source; (b) mixing the starch source with water to obtain a mash; (c) enzymatically hydrolyzing starch contained in the mash to obtain a hydrolyzed mash, the enzymatic hydrolysis being carried out in the presence of an amylase selected from alpha amylase, beta amylase, and combinations thereof, and in the presence of a glycosidase selected from glucoamylase, alpha glucosidase, and combinations thereof; (d) filtering the hydrolyzed mash to obtain a wort; (e) optionally mixing the wort with hops, hop extract, caramel and / or sugar; (f) heating the wort to a boil for at least 20 minutes; A manufacturing method comprising the steps of:

15. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the glycosidase is a glucoamylase.

16. 16. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein the starch contained in the mash is hydrolysed in the presence of an amylase, the amylase being selected from alpha amylase, beta amylase and combinations thereof.

17. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the starch contained in the mash is hydrolyzed in the presence of glucose isomerase.

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