Liquid composition imparting tea aroma having green laver aroma

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a fragrance-imparting raw material which has a green laver scent and for which it is perceived that said scent persists.　Dimethylsulfide and β-ionone are incorporated into a tea-fragrance-imparting liquid composition, and the weight ratio of the β-ionone content to the dimethylsulfide content is adjusted to 0.01-3.5.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid composition imparting a tea aroma, and more specifically to a liquid composition imparting a tea aroma having a green laver aroma. [Background technology]

[0002] Tea beverages obtained by processing tea leaves are widely consumed not only in Japan but also around the world. Tea beverages are sold as container-packed beverages that are sterilized and filled into containers such as plastic bottles or cans, or as beverages that are dried and powdered into a powder form and dissolved in water or hot water for consumption. In recent years, aroma-imparting raw materials have been used in various types of tea beverages, and efforts have been made to further improve the flavor of tea beverages. In particular, aroma-imparting raw materials with excellent flavor are highly desired among tea beverage manufacturers.

[0003] As an aroma-imparting raw material for tea beverages, for example, a raw material liquid for green tea beverages containing dimethyl sulfide, linalool, leaf alcohol, caffeine and tannin in a specified ratio has been disclosed (Patent Document 1). In addition, as a tea beverage using an aroma-imparting raw material, a bottled green tea beverage with a caffeine concentration of 50 ppm or less has been disclosed, and in this green tea beverage, a tea concentrate containing dimethyl sulfide and having been subjected to a caffeine reduction treatment is used (Patent Document 2). In addition, various innovations have been made in the production of aroma-imparting raw materials, and for example, when tea leaves are used as a raw material, a method for producing a tea extract including a step of mixing a distillate recovered by steam distillation of the tea leaves with an extract obtained by extracting the distillate residue with water has also been disclosed (Patent Document 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-110990 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2016-111970 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2008-92817 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Among tea beverages, high-grade green tea has a characteristic aroma called green laver aroma. However, aroma-imparting raw materials that have an excellent aroma that is specialized for green laver aroma have been hardly known so far. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an aroma-imparting raw material that has green laver aroma and whose aroma can be felt for a long time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a result of intensive research by the present inventors to solve the above problems, it was found that, although it was previously known that dimethyl sulfide has the aroma of green laver, by combining it with β-ionone, the green laver aroma characteristic of high-quality tea can be felt better. The present inventors then found that by adjusting the content ratio of dimethyl sulfide and β-ionone to a specific range, the green laver aroma characteristic of high-quality tea can be felt for a long time. Based on these findings, the present inventors have completed the present invention.

[0007] The present invention relates to, but is not limited to, the following: (1) A tea aroma-imparting liquid composition comprising dimethyl sulfide and β-ionone, in which the weight ratio of the β-ionone content to the dimethyl sulfide content is from 0.01 to 3.5. (2) The composition according to (1), further comprising one or more fragrance components selected from the group consisting of α-ionone, β-cyclocitral, (z)-3-hexenol, 1-penten-3-ol and nerolidol. (3) A food or beverage comprising the composition according to (1) or (2). (4) The food or beverage described in (3), which is a beverage. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an aroma-imparting raw material that has a green laver aroma and that allows the aroma to be felt for a long time. The tea aroma-imparting liquid composition of the present invention can be used as a beverage raw material, and can effectively impart the green laver aroma reminiscent of high-quality tea to beverages in general. In particular, the tea aroma-imparting liquid composition of the present invention is effective in imparting the green laver aroma to beverages filled in containers such as PET bottles or cans.

[0009] The liquid composition of the present invention can be used not only for beverages but also for foods. The number and variety of foods with tea flavor have been increasing in recent years. The liquid composition of the present invention can be used to impart the aroma of green laver that resembles high-quality tea to confectioneries such as cakes, castella cakes, candies, cookies, jellies, and puddings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] (Liquid composition imparting tea aroma) The tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention will be described below. Unless otherwise specified, "ppm", "ppb" and "wt %" used in this specification mean ppm, ppb and wt % of weight / volume (w / v), respectively.

[0011] One aspect of the present invention is a tea aroma-imparting liquid composition that contains dimethyl sulfide and β-ionone, and has a weight ratio of β-ionone content to dimethyl sulfide content of 0.01 to 3.5. By adopting such a constitution, the tea aroma-imparting liquid composition exhibits a green laver aroma, and the aroma is felt for a long time. Here, in this specification, "green laver aroma" means an aroma that is a mixture of a faint roasted aroma, a sweet aroma, and a smell like a seashore.

[0012] As used herein, "liquid composition imparting tea aroma" refers to a liquid composition that contains aroma components obtained using tea leaves as a raw material (aroma components derived from tea leaves), is used for diluting or dispersing objects such as beverages and foods, and is capable of imparting an aroma derived from tea leaves to the objects.

[0013] In the present invention, the raw tea leaves may be leaves obtained from plants of the genus Camellia and the family Theaceae (such as Camellia sinensis (L) O. Kuntze). In the present invention, green tea leaves are preferably used. In general, when making green tea, the raw tea leaves after plucking are first subjected to the steps of steaming, coarse rolling, rolling and twisting, medium rolling, fine rolling, and drying to produce crude tea. The crude tea is then subjected to the steps of sieving, cutting, drying under heat, sorting, and combining to produce finished tea. The tea leaves referred to in the present invention are raw tea leaves of the genus Camellia and the family Theaceae after undergoing the above steps, and include all steamed non-fermented teas such as crude tea, sencha, gyokuro, kabusecha, tencha, bancha, and roasted tea. In the present invention, the tea leaves may be blended with a plurality of types of tea leaves. In the present invention, it is particularly preferable to use tea leaves such as kabusecha, gyokuro, and tencha that have been grown under cover and protected from sunlight before plucking.

[0014] The tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention contains dimethyl sulfide and β-ionone. Dimethyl sulfide is an organic sulfur compound represented by the formula (CH3)2S, and is known as a fragrance component of laver. β-ionone is one of three isomers of ionone, a type of terpenoid, which have different positions of double bonds, and is known to have a violet flower-like or cedar oil-like fragrance.

[0015] In the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention, the weight ratio of the β-ionone content to the dimethyl sulfide content is 0.01 to 3.5. As described above, dimethyl sulfide is known to be an aroma component that exhibits the aroma of laver, but with dimethyl sulfide alone, only the fragrant aroma of laver aroma felt in the top note is emphasized, and it is difficult to achieve the laver aroma felt in high-quality tea beverages such as gyokuro. By combining β-ionone with such dimethyl sulfide at the above weight ratio, a gorgeous sweet aroma felt at the end of drinking a high-quality tea beverage such as gyokuro is imparted, and a rich laver aroma with excellent aroma balance can be felt. In addition, by adjusting the balance of the aroma, the pleasant aroma of laver aroma can be felt continuously from the top to the end.

[0016] The weight ratio of the β-ionone content to the dimethyl sulfide content in the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention is preferably 0.02 or more, 0.05 or more, 0.10 or more, 0.15 or more, 0.20 or more, 0.25 or more, 0.30 or more, 0.35 or more, 0.40 or more, 0.45 or more, or 0.50 or more. The weight ratio of the β-ionone content to the dimethyl sulfide content in the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention is preferably 3.3 or less, 3.0 or less, 2.8 or less, 2.5 or less, 2.3 or less, 2.0 or less, 1.8 or less, 1.5 or less, 1.3 or less, or 1.0 or less. Typically, the weight ratio of the β-ionone content to the dimethyl sulfide content in the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention is preferably 0.05 to 3.0, more preferably 0.1 to 2.5, and even more preferably 0.2 to 2.0.

[0017] The content of dimethyl sulfide in the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 50 ppb or more, preferably 100 ppb or more, 500 ppb or more, 1000 ppb or more, 2000 ppb or more, 3000 ppb or more, 5000 ppb or more, 7000 ppb or more, 10000 ppb or more, or 13000 ppb or more. By having the content of dimethyl sulfide within the above range, the green laver aroma is exerted. The upper limit of the content of dimethyl sulfide in the tea aroma imparting liquid composition is not particularly limited. For example, the content is 1000000 ppb or less, 800000 ppb or less, or 500000 ppb or less. The content of dimethyl sulfide in the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention is typically 50 to 1,000,000 ppb, preferably 1,000 to 800,000 ppb, and more preferably 3,000 to 800,000 ppb.

[0018] The content of β-ionone in the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 1 ppb or more, preferably 5 ppb or more, 10 ppb or more, 50 ppb or more, 100 ppb or more, 120 ppb or more, 150 ppb or more, 170 ppb or more, 200 ppb or more, 220 ppb or more, 250 ppb or more, 270 ppb or more, 300 ppb or more, 350 ppb or more, 500 ppb or more, 700 ppb or more, 1000 ppb or more, 1500 ppb or more, 2000 ppb or more, 2500 ppb or more, or 3000 ppb or more. By the presence of β-ionone together with dimethyl sulfide in a content within the above range, the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention can exhibit a well-balanced and excellent green laver aroma. The upper limit of the content of β-ionone in the tea aroma imparting liquid composition is not particularly limited. For example, the content is 700,000 ppb or less, 500,000 ppb or less, 300,000 ppb or less, 200,000 ppb or less, or 100,000 ppb or less. The content of β-ionone in the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention is typically 1 to 7,000,000 ppb, preferably 100 to 300,000 ppb, more preferably 1,000 to 200,000 ppb.

[0019] The tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention may further contain, in addition to the above-mentioned dimethyl sulfide and β-ionone, one or more aroma components selected from the group consisting of α-ionone, β-cyclocitral, (z)-3-hexenol, 1-penten-3-ol and nerolidol. By including these aroma components in the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention, a more well-balanced green laver aroma can be presented.

[0020] The content of α-ionone in the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention is, for example, 0.01 to 100 ppm, preferably 0.1 to 100 ppm, more preferably 1 to 100 ppm. The content of β-cyclocitral in the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention is, for example, 0.01 to 100 ppm, preferably 0.1 to 100 ppm, more preferably 1 to 100 ppm. The content of (z)-3-hexenol in the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention is, for example, 0.01 to 100 ppm, preferably 0.1 to 100 ppm, more preferably 1 to 100 ppm. The content of 1-penten-3-ol in the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention is, for example, 0.1 to 1000 ppm, preferably 1 to 1000 ppm, more preferably 10 to 1000 ppm. The content of nerolidol in the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention is, for example, 0.01 to 100 ppm, preferably 0.1 to 100 ppm, and more preferably 1 to 100 ppm.

[0021] In the present invention, the contents of dimethyl sulfide and β-ionone in the tea aroma imparting liquid composition can be measured by gas chromatography (GC). The analytical device used can be a flash GC nose HERACLES II (Alpha Moss Japan). Specifically, the contents of various aroma components can be measured under the following conditions. Gas chromatographic equipment: Flash GC nose HERACLES II Column 1: MXT-5 (low polarity 10m, 180μm ID, 0.4μm) Column 2: MXT-WAX (high polarity 10m, 180μm ID, 0.4μm) Carrier gas flow rate: Hydrogen 1.6mL / min Flame ionization detector (FID) temperature: 260℃ Injector temperature: 200℃ Oven temperature: 40℃(5 seconds)~1.5℃ / sec~250℃(90 seconds) Injection time: 125 seconds Trapping temperature: Adsorption 50℃, Desorption 240℃ Trapping time: Adsorption 130 seconds, pre-heating 35 seconds The conditions for the measurement sample can be set as shown in the examples described later.

[0022] In the present invention, the contents of α-ionone, β-cyclocitral, (z)-3-hexenol, 1-penten-3-ol and nerolidol in the tea aroma imparting liquid composition can be measured by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC / MS). Specifically, the contents of various aroma components can be measured under the following conditions. Equipment: GC: Agilent Technologies GC7890B MS: Agilent Technologies 5977A HS: Gestel MPS Tube: Tenax TA, Carbon bx1000 Column: HP-INNOWAX 60m x 0.25mmi.d. df=0.25μm Temperature conditions: 40℃ (4 minutes) ~ 5℃ / min ~ 260℃ Carrier gas flow rate: He 1.5 ml / min Injection method: splitless Ion source temperature: 260℃ The conditions for the measurement sample can be set as shown in the examples described later.

[0023] The tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but all of them have a Brix value of 0.50 or less. Here, in this specification, "Brix value" means a value obtained by converting the refractive index measured at 20°C using a saccharometer, refractometer, etc. into mass / mass percent of a sucrose solution based on the conversion table of ICUMSA (International Commission on Uniformity of Sugar Analysis), and the unit may be expressed as "°Bx", "%" or "degree". In the present invention, a higher Brix value indicates a higher content of soluble solids in the tea aroma imparting liquid composition, and the Brix value can be used as an index of the concentration of the tea aroma imparting liquid composition. In the present invention, the Brix value can be measured using a commercially available Brix meter. The Brix value of the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention is preferably 0.03 to 0.40, more preferably 0.05 to 0.30, and even more preferably 0.10 to 0.20.

[0024] The pH of the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention is preferably 4.5 to 10.5 at 25°C. By having a pH within the above range, an excellent green laver aroma is exhibited, and the composition is easier to handle when imparting aroma to foods, beverages, etc. The pH of the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention is more preferably 5.0 to 10.0, and even more preferably 5.5 to 9.5. The pH can be appropriately adjusted using a pH adjuster such as citric acid, sodium citrate (e.g., trisodium citrate), phosphoric acid, etc. That is, the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention can contain the above-mentioned pH adjuster.

[0025] The tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention can be produced by steam distillation of tea leaves, and therefore can contain tea leaf distillate. The tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention may be tea leaf distillate itself, or may be a dilution or dispersion thereof using a solvent such as water or alcohol such as ethanol, propylene glycol, or glycerin. That is, the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention can contain a diluent or dispersant such as water or an organic solvent. The amount of tea leaf distillate contained in the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.01% by weight or more, 0.1% by weight or more, or 1% by weight or more, preferably 5% by weight or more, 10% by weight or more, or 30% by weight or more, and more preferably 50% by weight or more. The weight ratio of the content of the diluent or dispersant to the content of the tea leaf distillate in the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention ([diluent or dispersant] / [tea leaf distillate]) is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.001 to 150, preferably 0.005 to 15, and more preferably 0.01 to 10.

[0026] In addition to the various components described above, the tea aroma-imparting liquid composition of the present invention can contain additives commonly used in foods and beverages, such as antioxidants, preservatives, sweeteners, nutritional fortifiers, thickening stabilizers, emulsifiers, dietary fiber, quality stabilizers, etc., within limits that do not impair the effects of the present invention.

[0027] The tea aroma-imparting liquid composition of the present invention can be added to food and beverages as is or after diluting with water or the like. The tea aroma-imparting liquid composition of the present invention is usually ingested in a diluted or dispersed state in a food and beverage or other subject. It is also preferred that the tea aroma-imparting liquid composition of the present invention does not include the food and beverage (e.g., tea beverage) itself to which it may be added. In this specification, the term "tea beverage" refers to a beverage that contains tea leaf extract as a main component and is consumed as is without dilution or dispersion.

[0028] Examples of beverages to which the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention is added include tea beverages, sports beverages, carbonated beverages, fruit juice beverages, milk beverages, and alcoholic beverages, and tea beverages are particularly preferred. Tea beverages include non-fermented teas (such as green tea), semi-fermented teas (such as oolong tea), and fermented teas (such as black tea). Specifically, the following teas can be mentioned: steamed non-fermented teas (green teas) such as Sencha, Bancha, Houjicha, Gyokuro, Kabusecha, and Tencha; non-fermented teas such as Ureshinocha, Aoyagicha, and various Chinese teas; semi-fermented teas such as Baozhongcha, Tieguanyincha, and Oolong tea; and fermented teas such as black tea, Awabancha, and Pu-erh tea. The tea beverage to which the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention is used is preferably green tea. The beverage to which the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention is added can be provided as a container-packed beverage filled in a plastic bottle or can.

[0029] The tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention can also be added to foods, such as Japanese and Western sweets, confectioneries such as cakes, castella, candies, cookies, jellies, puddings, chocolates, frozen desserts such as ice cream, popsicles, sherbets, snacks, bread, dairy products, etc.

[0030] When the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention is added to food or beverage, the amount added can be appropriately set depending on the type of food or beverage, etc. The tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention can be added to food or beverage so that its content in the food or beverage is, for example, 0.01 to 25 wt % (w / w), preferably 0.03 to 20 wt % (w / w), more preferably 0.05 to 10 wt % (w / w), and even more preferably 0.5 to 5 wt % (w / w).

[0031] The amount of the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention to be added to a food or drink can also be set based on the content of dimethyl sulfide and / or β-ionone as an index. For example, the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention can be added to a food or drink so that the content of dimethyl sulfide in the food or drink is 1 to 2500 ppb (w / w), preferably 5 to 2000 ppb (w / w), more preferably 10 to 1000 ppb (w / w), and even more preferably 100 to 500 ppb (w / w). For example, the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention can be added to a food or drink so that the content of β-ionone in the food or drink is 0.05 to 100 ppb (w / w), preferably 0.2 to 80 ppb (w / w), more preferably 0.4 to 60 ppb (w / w), and even more preferably 4 to 40 ppb (w / w).

[0032] (Manufacturing method) The method for producing the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention will be described below. In another embodiment, the present invention can be a method for producing the tea aroma imparting liquid composition, which comprises the steps shown below.

[0033] The liquid composition for imparting tea aroma of the present invention can be produced by a process of distilling tea leaves. The raw tea leaves are as described above, and in the present invention, tea leaves such as kabusecha, gyokuro, and tencha that have been shaded and cultivated under cover before plucking can be preferably used as the raw material.

[0034] The form of the tea leaves used as the raw material is not particularly limited, and raw tea leaves, roasted tea leaves, or fermented tea leaves may be used. In addition, the tea leaves may be subjected to a heat treatment or the like before the distillation treatment, and may be subjected to a process such as crushing or wetting as necessary. Methods for wetting the tea leaves include, for example, soaking the tea leaves in water or spraying the tea leaves with water using a sprayer or the like. When soaking the tea leaves in water, the tea leaves may be stirred in the soaked state. When wetting the tea leaves, there is no particular limit, but for example, 0.1 to 5 times, preferably 0.3 to 3 times, and more preferably 0.5 to 2 times the weight of the tea leaves is used per 1 weight of the tea leaves.

[0035] Steam distillation is typically used as a method for distilling tea leaves. Steam distillation is a method in which steam is passed through the raw material (tea leaves) and aromatic components distilled along with the steam are cooled and condensed. Methods such as atmospheric pressure steam distillation, reduced pressure steam distillation, and gas-liquid multistage countercurrent contact distillation (spinning cone column) can be used. In the present invention, it is preferable to use the atmospheric pressure steam distillation method. In steam distillation, a large amount of aromatics is distilled at the beginning of the distillation, and then the amount of aromatics distilled gradually decreases. The time when the distillation is terminated can be appropriately set depending on the amount of the desired aromatic components, economic efficiency, etc. Steam distillation of tea leaves can be performed using a steam distillation apparatus known to those skilled in the art.

[0036] In the steam distillation of tea leaves, typically, a blowing-type steam distillation is performed. The blowing-type steam distillation is a method in which steam is directly brought into contact with the raw material (tea leaves) placed in a container such as a basket, and the steam obtained through the raw material is collected and cooled to obtain a distillate. In the blowing-type steam distillation, the steam flow rate can be, for example, 1 to 40 kg / hr, preferably 5 to 30 kg / hr, and more preferably 7 to 20 kg / hr. In addition, the steam pressure when blowing-type steam distillation is performed is, for example, 0.05 to 0.5 MPa, preferably 0.1 to 0.4 MPa, and more preferably 0.15 to 0.3 MPa in the normal pressure steam distillation method. In addition, the distillation temperature when blowing-type steam distillation is performed is not particularly limited in the normal pressure steam distillation method, but is preferably 100°C.

[0037] In the steam distillation method, a condensation treatment is performed to recover the fraction, and the condensation can be performed at a temperature of, for example, 30°C or less, preferably 25°C or less, and more preferably 20°C or less. The condensation treatment is not particularly limited, but can be performed using a cooling refrigerant, and antifreeze liquid or the like can be used as the refrigerant. The temperature of the refrigerant can be, for example, 20°C or less, preferably 15°C or less, and more preferably 10°C or less, and the flow rate of the refrigerant during condensation can be, for example, 10 to 70 L / min, preferably 15 to 50 L / min, and more preferably 20 to 40 L / min. The time for recovering the distillate can be appropriately set depending on the purpose, and is, for example, 5 minutes to 2 hours, preferably 10 minutes to 1 hour, and more preferably 15 to 45 minutes from the start of recovery of the distillate. In the present invention, a tea aroma-imparting liquid composition can be obtained by using the steam distillation method, for example, when the ratio of the weight of the recovered distillate to the weight of the raw material is about 20 to 70%, and the Brix value is less than 1%.

[0038] In the present invention, the tea aroma-imparting liquid composition obtained as described above can be further concentrated to increase the concentration of various aroma components. By concentrating the tea aroma-imparting liquid composition of the present invention, it is possible to obtain a tea aroma-imparting liquid composition with a higher potency, which makes it possible to reduce the amount of tea aroma-imparting liquid composition added to foods and beverages, etc., and to impart aroma components to foods and beverages in higher concentrations.

[0039] As a method for concentrating the tea aroma imparting liquid composition, distillation concentration is typically performed. In the distillation concentration, for example, a method can be adopted in which the tea aroma imparting liquid composition is put into a distillation still, heated from the bottom to boil, and aroma components are recovered together with steam. In the distillation concentration method, either atmospheric distillation concentration or reduced pressure distillation concentration can be adopted. In the present invention, the reduced pressure distillation concentration method is preferably adopted. The distillation concentration of the tea leaf distillate can be performed using a distillation apparatus known to those skilled in the art.

[0040] When the tea aroma imparting liquid composition is concentrated by distillation under reduced pressure, the steam flow rate can be, for example, 0.1 to 80 kg / hr, preferably 1 to 60 kg / hr, and more preferably 3 to 40 kg / hr. When the tea aroma imparting liquid composition is concentrated by distillation under reduced pressure, the steam pressure of the water vapor used for heating is, for example, 0.1 to 0.5 MPa, preferably 0.15 to 0.4 MPa, and more preferably 0.2 to 0.3 MPa. When the tea aroma imparting liquid composition is concentrated by distillation under reduced pressure, the distillation temperature is, for example, 10 to 100°C, preferably 20 to 70°C, and more preferably 35 to 55°C. When the tea aroma imparting liquid composition is concentrated by distillation under reduced pressure, the degree of vacuum can be, for example, 0 to -0.101 MPa, preferably -0.050 to -0.099 MPa, and more preferably -0.075 to -0.095 MPa, in terms of gauge pressure.

[0041] In the distillation concentration, as in the above steam distillation, a large amount of aromatics is distilled at the beginning of the distillation, and then the amount of aromatics is gradually reduced. The time to end the distillation can be appropriately set according to the amount of the aromatic component of interest, economic efficiency, etc., and the concentration ratio is determined at the time when the distillation is ended. The condensation treatment for recovering the fraction in the distillation concentration can be performed at a temperature of, for example, 30°C or lower, preferably 25°C or lower, and more preferably 20°C or lower. The condensation treatment in the distillation concentration is not particularly limited as in the above steam distillation, and can be performed using a refrigerant for cooling, and antifreeze liquid or the like can be used as the refrigerant. The temperature of the refrigerant can be, for example, 20°C or lower, preferably 15°C or lower, and more preferably 10°C or lower, and the flow rate of the refrigerant when condensing can be, for example, 10 to 70 L / min, preferably 15 to 50 L / min, and more preferably 20 to 40 L / min. The recovery time of the distillate in the distillation concentration can be appropriately set according to the purpose, and is, for example, 2 minutes to 1 hour, preferably 5 to 45 minutes, and more preferably 10 to 30 minutes from the start of the recovery of the distillate. In the present invention, the ratio of the weight of the recovered distillate to the weight of the tea aroma imparting liquid composition by distillation concentration is 3 to 20%, that is, a concentrated tea aroma imparting liquid composition having a concentration ratio of about 5 to 30 times can be obtained.

[0042] In addition, when performing distillation concentration (preferably reduced pressure distillation concentration), an operation called salting out may be performed. By performing the salting out process, the polarity of the salt in the distillate charged into the distillation still attracts water molecules, and the volatilization of organic compounds can be promoted. The salting out process can be performed by making the distillate to be concentrated contain a salt. For example, the salting out process can be performed by charging salt into the distillation still before or during the distillation concentration process, or the salt can be added in advance to the distillate to be concentrated, and the distillate containing the salt is then concentrated by distillation.

[0043] As the salt in the salting out treatment, sodium chloride is typically used. The amount of the salt used in the salting out treatment is, for example, 0.01 to 10% by weight (w / w), preferably 0.05 to 6% by weight (w / w), and more preferably 0.5 to 3% by weight (w / w), based on the weight of the distillate before concentration.

[0044] The tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention may be produced by a further step of activated carbon treatment. By carrying out the activated carbon treatment, the amount of unnecessary aroma components can be reduced. Here, in this specification, "activated carbon" means a porous material mainly composed of carbon, which is produced by an activation reaction at high temperature from a carbon material such as wood.

[0045] The form of the activated carbon used is not limited, but in the present invention, powdered activated carbon is preferable. The average pore size of the powdered activated carbon is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.3 to 30 nm, preferably 0.5 to 20 nm, more preferably 1 to 15 nm, and further preferably 1 to 5 nm. The average pore size of the powdered activated carbon can be measured using a specific surface area / pore distribution measuring device known to those skilled in the art.

[0046] The origin of the activated carbon is not particularly limited, and can be selected from, for example, wood-derived activated carbon, coconut shell-derived activated carbon, bamboo-derived activated carbon, rice husk-derived activated carbon, etc., and only one type of activated carbon among these may be used, or two or more types may be used in combination. In the present invention, wood-derived activated carbon and coconut shell-derived activated carbon are preferred, and wood-derived activated carbon is particularly preferred.

[0047] The method of performing the activated carbon treatment is not particularly limited, but for example, when activated carbon powder is used, a method is adopted in which the activated carbon powder is added to the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention, and after an appropriate time, the activated carbon powder is removed using a filter or the like. The amount of activated carbon powder added can be, for example, 10 to 1000 ppm (w / w), preferably 50 to 300 ppm (w / w), more preferably 75 to 125 ppm (w / w), in terms of concentration relative to the weight of the tea aroma imparting liquid composition, and the time for contacting the activated carbon powder with the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention can be, for example, 1 to 60 minutes, preferably 3 to 30 minutes, more preferably 5 to 20 minutes. Note that, during the contacting of the activated carbon powder with the tea aroma imparting liquid composition of the present invention, a stirring operation or the like may be performed. The treatment temperature in the activated carbon treatment can be, for example, 1 to 25°C, preferably 2 to 20°C, more preferably 3 to 10°C.

[0048] The tea aroma-imparting liquid composition obtained as described above may further contain aroma components such as, but not limited to, dimethyl sulfide and β-ionone. As described above, the tea aroma-imparting liquid composition of the present invention can be added to food or beverages, and can enhance the aroma of green laver in the food or beverage. Therefore, in another aspect, the present invention can be a method for enhancing the aroma of green laver in a food or beverage, which includes a step of adding the tea aroma-imparting liquid composition obtained through the above steps to the food or beverage. EXAMPLES

[0049] The present invention will be described below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0050] 1. Preparation of tea aroma imparting liquid composition (1) Preparation of tea aroma liquid composition by steam distillation 12 kg of commercially available Kabusecha tea leaves and 12 kg of water were mixed, and the tea leaves were wetted by stirring by hand so that the moisture content of the tea leaves would not be uneven. Next, the tea leaves were placed in a basket installed in a steam distillation kettle, and steam distillation was performed by blowing in steam under the conditions of a steam pressure of 0.25 MPa, a steam flow rate of 16 kg / hr, and a steam temperature of 100°C (normal pressure). The cooling refrigerant temperature was set to 4°C for the outward flow and 6°C for the return flow, and condensation was performed at a refrigerant flow rate of 30 L / min to recover the distillate. The recovery time of the distillate was 30 minutes from the start of distillation, and the amount of the recovered distillate was 7.38 kg. This operation was performed twice to obtain a total of 15.18 kg of distillate (liquid composition imparting tea aroma).

[0051] (2) Activated carbon treatment The above-mentioned tea aroma imparting liquid composition was treated with activated carbon. Specifically, 1.52 g of wood-derived powdered activated carbon (Shirasagi WP-Z, Osaka Gas Chemicals) with an average pore size of 3 nm was added to 15.18 kg of the distillate, and the mixture was stirred for 10 minutes with a stirrer. Then, the activated carbon in the distillate was removed using filter paper (ADVANTEC, No. 2). The treatment temperature in the activated carbon treatment was 5.7°C.

[0052] (3) Vacuum distillation concentration process 10 kg of the tea aroma imparting liquid composition treated with activated carbon as described above was placed in a distillation still, and the pressure in the distillation still was reduced to -0.09 MPa using a vacuum pump. This was heated under conditions of a steam flow rate of 5-15 kg / hr and a steam pressure of 0.25 MPa, and the temperature of the distillate was raised to 40-50°C. The cooling refrigerant temperature was set to 4°C in the outbound direction and 6°C in the return direction, and condensation was performed at a refrigerant flow rate of 31 L / min to recover the distillate. The recovery time of the distillate was 15 minutes from the start of distillation, and the total amount of the recovered distillate was 0.993 kg (10-fold concentrated).

[0053] All of the tea aroma-imparting liquid compositions obtained by the above-mentioned various treatments had an excellent green laver aroma. When the aroma components of these tea aroma-imparting liquid compositions were analyzed, dimethyl sulfide, β-ionone, α-ionone, β-cyclocitral, (z)-3-hexenol, 1-penten-3-ol, nerolidol, and the like were detected. Focusing on the presence of dimethyl sulfide and β-ionone among the various aroma components, the concentrations of these components in the tea aroma-imparting liquid compositions were measured as follows.

[0054] <Calibration curve> Standard stock solutions (in ethanol) were prepared so that the target aroma components had a concentration of 1000 ppm, and each standard stock solution was adjusted to 0.004, 0.02, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.5 ppm with pure water. 10 mL of each preparation solution was placed in a 20 mL vial containing 3 g of sodium chloride to prepare a calibration curve sample.

[0055] <Preparation of analytical samples> The tea aroma-imparting liquid composition was appropriately diluted with pure water so as to fall within the concentration range of the calibration curve, and 10 mL of this diluted tea aroma-imparting liquid composition and 3 g of sodium chloride were placed in a 20 mL vial to prepare an analysis sample.

[0056] <Component analysis> The concentrations of various aroma components were measured using a gas chromatography analyzer (Alpha Moss Japan, Flash GC Nose HERACLES II). (Sampling parameters) Incubation: 60℃, 15 min. Syringe: Temperature: 70℃, Post-injection cleaning: 90 seconds Headspace injection: 5000 μl at 250 μl / sec (Device Parameters) Column 1: MXT-5 (low polarity 10m, 180μm ID, 0.4μm) Column 2: MXT-WAX (high polarity 10m, 180μm ID, 0.4μm) Carrier gas flow rate: Hydrogen 1.6mL / min Flame ionization detector (FID) temperature: 260℃ Injector temperature: 200℃ Oven temperature: 40℃(5 seconds)~1.5℃ / sec~250℃(90 seconds) Injection time: 125 seconds Trapping temperature: Adsorption 50℃, Desorption 240℃ Trapping time: Adsorption 130 seconds, pre-heating 35 seconds

[0057] The measurement results of the concentrations of various aromatic components were as follows.

[0058] [Table 1]

[0059] The concentrations of other aromatic components were measured under the following conditions, and the results are shown in the table below.

[0060] <Component analysis> The analytical samples prepared in the same manner as above were introduced into a gas chromatography mass spectrometer (Agilent) by the MVM (Multi Volatile Method) method using a Gestell MPS, and the concentrations of various aroma components were measured. Equipment: GC: Agilent Technologies GC7890B MS: Agilent Technologies 5977A HS: Gestel MPS Tube: Tenax TA, Carbon bx1000 Column: HP-INNOWAX 60m x 0.25mmi.d. df=0.25μm Temperature conditions: 40℃ (4 minutes) ~ 5℃ / min ~ 260℃ Carrier gas flow rate: He 1.5 ml / min Injection method: splitless Ion source temperature: 260℃

[0061] [Table 2]

[0062] 2. Examination of the ratio of aroma components in the tea aroma imparting liquid composition From the above measurement results, attention was focused on the content ratio of dimethyl sulfide and β-ionone, and in particular, the weight ratio of the β-ionone content to the dimethyl sulfide content (β-ionone / dimethyl sulfide) was examined.

[0063] First, to prepare a base sample, a tea aroma-imparting liquid composition that had already been treated with activated carbon, which had been prepared separately from the above, was further treated with activated carbon. The activated carbon treatment was carried out by adding the wood-derived powdered activated carbon described above to the tea aroma-imparting liquid composition to a concentration of 300 ppm, and stirring for 20 minutes. The obtained sample had a dimethyl sulfide concentration of 6088 ppb and a β-ionone concentration of almost 0 (below the detection limit).

[0064] Next, the above base sample was diluted with purified water, and a standard β-ionone was added to this to prepare various samples with the final concentrations shown in the table below. Since the concentration of β-ionone contained in the standard was unknown, the concentration was measured in advance by gas chromatography. Specifically, the standard β-ionone was diluted 50 to 5000 times with pure water, and the concentration was appropriately adjusted to be within the calibration curve range to prepare a sample for concentration measurement. Analysis by gas chromatography was performed using the same method as above.

[0065] A sensory evaluation was carried out on the various samples prepared using the standard product by three panelists who were well trained in flavor evaluation. The sensory evaluation involved rating the degree of green laver aroma felt in the samples on the following five-point scale, scoring in 0.5-point increments, and finally calculating the average score. In the sensory evaluation, the above base sample (sample 1) was given a score of 3 points, and the various samples were evaluated. 1: Almost no green seaweed aroma 2: I don't really notice the green seaweed scent. 3: Feel the aroma of green laver 4: The green laver aroma lasts (the green laver aroma is excellent) 5: The green laver aroma lasts longer (the green laver aroma is excellent)

[0066] [Table 3]

[0067] As described above, it was shown that the presence of β-ionone and the weight ratio of the β-ionone content to the dimethyl sulfide content (β-ionone / dimethyl sulfide) within a specified range results in a sustained, excellent green laver aroma.

[0068] The free comments obtained from the panelists through the sensory evaluation were as follows. Sample 1 also had a green laver scent as a top note, but in sample 2, in addition to the top green laver scent, a slight lingering green laver scent seemed to remain in the latter half. In sample 3, a sweet green laver scent, felt as a middle note, was felt from the middle to the latter half, and the impression of fullness increased. In sample 4, the sweet green laver scent became stronger from the middle to the latter half, and the lingering green laver scent seemed to be longer. In addition, in sample 4, it seemed that the scent was both green and sweet. In sample 5, like sample 4, the sweet green laver scent became stronger from the middle to the latter half, and the lingering green laver scent seemed to be longer. In addition, in sample 5, it seemed that the scent was both green and sweet. In sample 6, a heavy green laver scent was felt, but the scent seemed heavy in the latter half. Sample 7 had a strong sense of heaviness in its fragrance, which suppressed the fullness of the fragrance in the top notes and gave the overall impression of a heavy fragrance.

[0069] 3. Effects of liquid composition imparting tea aroma A tea aroma-imparting liquid composition was prepared by performing activated carbon treatment and vacuum distillation concentration treatment (dimethyl sulfide: 11879 ppb, β-ionone: 2157 ppb), and added to a commercially available tea beverage (Suntory, Iyemon) for sensory evaluation. Specifically, the tea aroma-imparting liquid composition was added to 200 mL of tea beverage in the amount shown in the table below, and sensory evaluation was performed by four panelists who were fully trained in flavor evaluation. In the sensory evaluation, a comprehensive evaluation was performed combining the degree to which the quality of the tea beverage was improved by the addition of the green laver aroma and the perceived strength of the green laver aroma, and the evaluation was performed on a five-point scale from 1 point (low evaluation) to 5 points (high evaluation) in increments of 0.5 points, and the average evaluation score was finally calculated. In the sensory evaluation, the evaluation score of the tea beverage (tea beverage 1) to which the tea aroma-imparting liquid composition was not added was set to 3 points, and various tea beverages were evaluated.

[0070] [Table 4]

[0071] The results are as shown above, and it was demonstrated that by adding the tea aroma-imparting liquid composition, it is possible to impart a sufficient Nori seaweed aroma to the tea beverage, thereby greatly improving the quality of the tea beverage.

[0072] 4. Measurement of Brix value Three kinds of tea aroma-imparting liquid compositions were prepared by steam distillation, and the Brix values ​​of these compositions were measured. These tea aroma-imparting liquid compositions were also treated with activated carbon and concentrated by vacuum distillation, and the Brix values ​​of each were measured. The Brix values ​​were measured using a digital refractometer (ATAGO).

[0073] [Table 5]

[0074] The results were as shown above, with the Brix value being below 0.50 both before and after the concentration treatment.

Claims

1. A tea aroma imparting liquid composition comprising dimethyl sulfide and β-ionone, the weight ratio of the β-ionone content to the dimethyl sulfide content being 0.05 to 3.

5.

2. 2. The composition according to claim 1, further comprising one or more fragrance ingredients selected from the group consisting of α-ionone, β-cyclocitral, (z)-3-hexenol, 1-penten-3-ol and nerolidol.

3. A food or drink comprising the composition according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The food or drink according to claim 3, which is a beverage.

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