Packaged beverages

Abstract

To provide a beverage containing insoluble particles derived from tea, which is unlikely to give a rough feeling when drunk. [Solution] In a bottled beverage containing insoluble particles derived from tea, the absorbance at a wavelength of 680 nm is adjusted to 0.4 to 0.8, the 90% cumulative particle size (D90) of the insoluble particles is adjusted to 1 to 40 μm, and the concentration of non-polymerized catechins is adjusted to 700 to 1200 ppm.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a packaged beverage, more specifically to a packaged beverage comprising insoluble particles derived from tea. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, because of their convenience, packaged green tea beverages are often consumed on a daily basis, not only when out and about but also at home. Among the packaged green tea beverages available on the market, those containing ground tea leaves or matcha have become increasingly popular among consumers because they have a flavor similar to that of green tea consumed at home using a teapot. However, the aforementioned ground tea leaves and matcha have the problem of causing a rough texture when consumed, and it is necessary to adjust the amount of these ingredients when producing an easy-to-drink green tea beverage.

[0003] As a green tea beverage containing powdered matcha, for example, a green tea beverage in which the bitterness, astringency and roughness are reduced by adjusting the particle size of the powdered matcha and the blending ratio of the particles in the beverage has been disclosed (Patent Document 1). In addition, as a technique for improving the drinkability of a beverage containing matcha, a method has been disclosed in which matcha is suspended in a green tea extract and / or a grain extract, a sweet component is blended, and the amount of insoluble solids in the beverage is further adjusted (Patent Document 2). As a beverage in which the roughness of tea-derived particles is reduced, a tea beverage in which the concentration of theanine and / or glutamic acid is adjusted to a certain range has been disclosed (Patent Document 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-68635 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2014-221018 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2017-71 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] As described above, a problem with beverages containing insoluble particles derived from tea, such as ground tea leaves or matcha, is that the beverage feels rough when drunk. Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a beverage containing insoluble particles derived from tea that is less likely to feel rough when drunk. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a result of intensive research to solve the above problems, the present inventors have found that by adjusting the amount and size of the insoluble particles derived from tea and, in addition, adjusting the concentration of non-polymerized catechins in a beverage, the roughness caused by the insoluble particles derived from tea can be made less noticeable. Based on this finding, the present inventors have completed the present invention.

[0007] The present invention relates to, but is not limited to, the following: (1) A packaged beverage containing insoluble particles derived from tea, The absorbance at a wavelength of 680 nm is 0.4 to 0.8, The 90% cumulative particle size (D90) of the insoluble particles is 1 to 40 μm, The beverage described above, wherein the concentration of non-polymerized catechins is 700 to 1200 ppm. (2) The beverage according to (1), having a sodium concentration of 10 to 200 ppm. (3) The beverage according to (1) or (2), in which the ratio of the caffeine concentration to the non-polymerized catechin concentration (caffeine concentration / non-polymerized catechin concentration) is 0.1 to 0.3. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a beverage containing insoluble particles derived from tea, which is not easily felt as rough when drunk. The beverage of the present invention contains a sufficient amount of insoluble particles derived from tea, and the particles are of a sufficient size, so that the beverage can have a flavor and taste similar to that of a tea beverage brewed in a teapot. By utilizing the technology of the present invention, it is possible to provide a packaged beverage that is easy to drink, has a flavor and taste similar to that of a tea beverage brewed in a teapot, and is not easily felt as rough. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] The present invention will be described below. Unless otherwise specified, "wt%", "ppm" and "ppb" used in this specification mean weight% of weight / volume (w / v), ppm and ppb, respectively. In addition, a numerical range expressed by a lower limit and an upper limit in this specification, i.e., "lower limit to upper limit", includes the lower limit and the upper limit. For example, a range expressed by "1 to 2" includes 1 and 2.

[0010] One aspect of the present invention is a packaged beverage comprising insoluble particles derived from tea, The absorbance at a wavelength of 680 nm is 0.4 to 0.8, The 90% cumulative particle size (D90) of the insoluble particles is 1 to 40 μm, The beverage has a concentration of non-polymerized catechins of 700 to 1200 ppm. By adopting this constitution, the beverage can be made to have a less rough feeling when drunk, even though it contains insoluble particles derived from tea. Here, "roughness" refers to an unpleasant rough feeling felt on the tongue or throat when drinking.

[0011] (Insoluble particles) The beverage of the present invention contains insoluble particles derived from tea. In the present invention, the insoluble particles are derived from tea and may be ground tea leaves. The tea leaves may be leaves obtained from plants of the genus Camellia and the family Theaceae (such as Camellia sinensis (L) O. Kuntze). The tea leaves used in the present invention can be classified into non-fermented tea, semi-fermented tea, and fermented tea according to the processing method. Examples of non-fermented tea include green tea such as crude tea, sencha, gyokuro, kabusecha, tencha, bancha, hojicha, kettle tea, kikucha, bocha, or budcha. Examples of semi-fermented tea include oolong tea such as Tieguanyin, Shioshu, Koganekei, or Wuyiyancha. Examples of fermented tea include black tea such as Darjeeling, Assam, or Sri Lanka. In the present invention, only one type of tea leaves may be used alone, or multiple types of tea leaves may be blended and used.

[0012] In the present invention, the insoluble particles derived from tea are preferably ground green tea leaves. As green tea, tencha, sencha, gyokuro, or kabusecha are preferably used. The insoluble particles derived from tea may be matcha or powdered tea, and in the present invention, matcha is preferably used. Note that matcha is a powder made from tencha tea leaves, which are green tea leaves, and powdered tea is a collection of powdered tea leaves generated in the process of producing sencha from crude tea.

[0013] The 90% cumulative particle size (D90) of the insoluble particles contained in the beverage of the present invention is 1 to 40 μm. Here, the 90% cumulative particle size (D90) is measured by the D90 method in a wet state using a laser diffraction particle size distribution measuring device, and means the particle size that includes 90% of the smallest particles in terms of volume fraction.

[0014] The 90% cumulative particle size of the insoluble particles is not particularly limited as long as it is 1 to 40 μm, but is preferably 2 μm or more, more preferably 5 μm or more, even more preferably 10 μm or more, and even more preferably 15 μm or more. The 90% cumulative particle size is preferably 35 μm or less, more preferably 30 μm or less, and even more preferably 25 μm or less. Typically, the 90% cumulative particle size of the insoluble particles is preferably 2 to 30 μm, more preferably 15 to 25 μm, and even more preferably 18 to 23 μm. By having the 90% cumulative particle size of the insoluble particles within the range of 1 to 40 μm, the roughness felt during drinking tends to be effectively reduced.

[0015] The content of insoluble particles in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.15 to 0.6 g / L, preferably 0.2 to 0.5 g / L. When the content of insoluble particles derived from tea is within the above range, the flavor and taste tend to be similar to that of a tea beverage brewed in a teapot. The content of insoluble particles in the beverage can be measured by recovering the insoluble particles and determining their dry weight.

[0016] The beverage of the present invention has an absorbance (OD680) at a wavelength of 680 nm of 0.4 to 0.8. In the present invention, the beverage is filled into a 500 mL plastic bottle, the liquid temperature is adjusted to 20° C., and after stirring (shaking up and down 10 times) and leaving to stand for 10 seconds, the absorbance at a wavelength of 680 nm can be measured using a spectrophotometer (UV-1600 (Shimadzu Corporation) or the like).

[0017] The absorbance at a wavelength of 680 nm (OD680) is not particularly limited as long as it is 0.4 to 0.8, but is preferably 0.45 to 0.7, and more preferably 0.5 to 0.6. In the beverage of the present invention, the content of tea-derived insoluble particles may be adjusted so that the absorbance of the beverage at a wavelength of 680 nm falls within the above range.

[0018] (Non-polymerized catechin) The beverage of the present invention contains non-polymerized catechin. In the present invention, non-polymerized catechin is a general term for catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, catechin gallate, epicatechin gallate, gallocatechin gallate, and epigallocatechin gallate.

[0019] The concentration of non-polymerized catechin in the beverage of the present invention is 700 to 1200 ppm. Here, the concentration of non-polymerized catechin means the total concentration of each of the above eight compounds (i.e., catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, catechin gallate, epicatechin gallate, gallocatechin gallate, and epigallocatechin gallate). The concentration of non-polymerized catechin in the beverage can be measured as individual peaks by using HPLC.

[0020] The concentration of the non-polymerized catechin in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is 700 to 1200 ppm, but is preferably 750 ppm or more, more preferably 800 ppm or more. The concentration of the non-polymerized catechin is preferably 1100 ppm or less, more preferably 1000 ppm or less. Typically, the concentration of the non-polymerized catechin is preferably 750 to 1100 ppm, more preferably 800 to 1000 ppm. By having the concentration of the non-polymerized catechin in the range of 700 to 1200 ppm, the roughness felt during drinking tends to be effectively reduced.

[0021] The beverage of the present invention may contain a tea extract (e.g., green tea extract, etc.), and the non-polymerized catechins in the beverage may be derived from the tea extract. The content of the tea extract in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but can be specified by the concentration of the non-polymerized catechins contained in the beverage of the present invention described above. That is, the amount of the tea extract can be adjusted so as to achieve the above-mentioned concentration of the non-polymerized catechins. The tea extract may be a tea extract (e.g., green tea extract, etc.).

[0022] (sodium) The beverage of the present invention may further contain sodium. By adding sodium, the effect of reducing the roughness felt during drinking tends to be enhanced. The concentration of sodium in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 10 to 200 ppm, preferably 50 to 150 ppm, and more preferably 70 to 100 ppm.

[0023] As a method for adding sodium to a beverage, for example, a method of adding sodium in the form of a sodium salt to the beverage can be mentioned. The sodium salt may be any sodium salt that can be consumed, for example, sodium chloride, disodium citrate, trisodium citrate, sodium L-ascorbate, sodium gluconate, sodium L-aspartate, sodium benzoate, sodium bicarbonate, trisodium phosphate, etc., but is not particularly limited thereto. Preferably, sodium bicarbonate, sodium L-ascorbate, sodium chloride, trisodium citrate, disodium citrate, and sodium gluconate are used.

[0024] The sodium concentration in a beverage can be analyzed using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, or when the beverage is formulated as a sodium salt, the sodium content can be calculated.

[0025] In the beverage of the present invention, the ratio of the sodium concentration to the non-polymerized catechin concentration (sodium concentration / non-polymerized catechin concentration) is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.025 to 0.25, preferably 0.03 to 0.2, and more preferably 0.05 to 0.15.

[0026] (Caffeine) The beverage of the present invention may further contain caffeine. The form of caffeine used in the present invention is not particularly limited, but for example, tea extract (green tea, black tea, oolong tea), coffee extract, or caffeine preparation containing caffeine can be used. When using tea extract or coffee extract, either liquid or powder can be used.

[0027] The caffeine concentration in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 250 ppm or less, preferably 50 to 220 ppm, and more preferably 120 to 200 ppm. When the caffeine concentration in the beverage is in the form of a hydrate or the like, it is converted into a free form (free body) and then the concentration is calculated. The caffeine concentration in the beverage can be measured using a known method such as HPLC.

[0028] In the beverage of the present invention, the ratio of the caffeine concentration to the non-polymerized catechin concentration (caffeine concentration / non-polymerized catechin concentration) is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.1 to 0.3, and preferably 0.15 to 0.25.

[0029] (Other Ingredients) In addition to the various components listed above, the beverage of the present invention may contain components that are generally used in beverages, such as, but not limited to, flavorings, sugars, acidulants, nutritional supplements, antioxidants, emulsifiers, preservatives, extracts, dietary fiber, and quality stabilizers, within the range that does not impair the effects of the present invention.

[0030] (pH) The pH of the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 4.5 to 7.0, preferably 5.5 to 7.0, more preferably 5.8 to 6.5, and further preferably 6.0 to 6.3. The pH of the beverage can be appropriately adjusted using a pH adjuster such as sodium citrate, sodium hydroxide, or sodium bicarbonate. The pH of the beverage can be measured using a commercially available pH meter. When the beverage contains carbon dioxide gas, the pH of the beverage is measured in a state where the carbon dioxide gas has been removed.

[0031] (Brix) The Brix of the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.3 to 2.0, preferably 0.35 to 1.0, and more preferably 0.4 to 0.8. Brix can be evaluated by the Brix value obtained using a saccharometer, refractometer, or the like. The Brix value is a value obtained by converting the refractive index measured at 20°C into mass / mass percent of the sucrose solution based on the conversion table of ICUMSA (International Commission on Uniformity of Sugar Analysis). The unit is expressed in "°Bx", "%" or "degrees".

[0032] (beverage) The beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a soft drink. For example, it may be any of nutritional beverages, functional beverages, flavored water (near water) beverages, tea beverages (black tea, oolong tea, green tea, etc.), coffee beverages, and carbonated beverages. In one embodiment, the beverage of the present invention is preferably a tea beverage. Here, the term "tea beverage" refers to a beverage containing tea leaf extract or cereal extract as a main component, and specific examples include green tea, roasted green tea, blended tea, barley tea, mate tea, jasmine tea, black tea, oolong tea, and eucommia tea. In the present invention, a particularly preferred tea beverage is a green tea beverage. In addition, the beverage of the present invention is preferably a non-alcoholic beverage. A non-alcoholic beverage refers to a beverage containing less than 1% by volume (v / v) of ethanol.

[0033] The beverage of the present invention is a packaged beverage in a state of being packaged in a container. The packaged beverage of the present invention is preferably heat sterilized. The means of heat sterilization is not particularly limited, and any known means such as UHT sterilization and retort sterilization can be used. The container in which the beverage is filled is not particularly limited, and for example, a PET bottle, an aluminum can, a steel can, a paper pack, a chilled cup, a bottle, etc. can be used. From the viewpoint of simplicity and convenience, a container that is lightweight, easy to carry, and resealable, such as a PET bottle, is preferable.

[0034] (Manufacturing method) Another aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a beverage. Specifically, one aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a packaged beverage containing insoluble particles derived from tea, comprising the steps of: adjusting the absorbance at a wavelength of 680 nm to 0.4 to 0.8; A step of adjusting the 90% cumulative particle size (D90) of the insoluble particles to 1 to 40 μm; A step of adjusting the concentration of non-polymerized catechin to 700 to 1200 ppm; and Packing the beverage into containers; The above-mentioned manufacturing method includes the steps of:

[0035] The beverage of the present invention may be produced by appropriately blending the various components described above or adjusting the content thereof in the beverage. That is, the production method of the present invention may include a step of blending the components described above or a step of adjusting the content of the components in the beverage. The production method of the present invention may also include a step of adjusting the pH and a step of adjusting the Brix value. Furthermore, the production method of the present invention may include a step of heat sterilizing the beverage as necessary. The conditions for heat sterilization are not particularly limited. Various elements such as the types and concentrations of components in the beverage in the production method of the present invention are as described above for the beverage of the present invention or are self-evident therefrom. EXAMPLES

[0036] The present invention will be described in detail below by way of experimental examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0037] [Experimental Example 1] Green tea extract (non-polymerized catechin content: 94%) (Sunphenon EGCG-OP, Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd.), matcha (90% cumulative particle size: 20 μm, non-polymerized catechin content: 10%) (Aiya Co., Ltd.), and green tea powder (90% cumulative particle size: 12 μm, Benifuuki: 100%, stone milled) (Aiya Co., Ltd.) were used as ingredients, and these ingredients were added to water to prepare beverage samples as shown in the table below. The beverage samples were heat sterilized and then filled into 500 mL PET bottles.

[0038] An appropriate amount of each beverage sample was weighed into a beaker, the temperature was adjusted to 20°C, and the pH was measured using a pH meter (HORIBA pH meter F72, Horiba, Ltd.). As a result, the pH of all beverage samples was within the range of 4.5 to 7.0. In addition, the beverage samples filled in PET bottles as described above were adjusted to 20°C, stirred (shaked up and down 10 times), and left to stand for 10 seconds, and then the absorbance (OD680) at a wavelength of 680 nm was measured using a spectrophotometer (UV-1600, Shimadzu Corporation).

[0039] The sensory evaluation was carried out by six expert panelists on "roughness when drinking" and "bitterness" according to the following criteria. The evaluation result for roughness when drinking was the average score of all the expert panelists, and the evaluation result for bitterness was the result given by the largest number of expert panelists. <Roughness when drinking> 5 points: No roughness felt 4 points: A little roughness 3 points: Feels rough 2 points: Strongly rough feeling 1 point: Very rough feeling (same level as sample 1) <Bitterness> 〇: I don't feel it △: I feel it a little ×:Feel

[0040] [Table 1]

[0041] The results were as above, and the roughness during drinking was reduced depending on the concentration of non-polymerized catechin. In addition, the same effect was obtained with respect to the insoluble particles that cause roughness, whether it was matcha or a powder derived from green tea other than matcha. It is generally known that non-polymerized catechin has a strong bitter taste, but when insoluble particles derived from tea were present, the bitterness was difficult to feel.

[0042] [Experimental Example 2] Various sodium salts were further added to the blending composition of Sample 4 prepared in Experimental Example 1 above to prepare Samples 10 and 11 as shown in the table below. In Samples 10 and 11, the pH was adjusted to 6.7 using vitamin C. All of the beverage samples were heat sterilized as in Experimental Example 1 and then filled into 500 mL PET bottles.

[0043] The absorbance (OD680) of Sample 4 used in Experimental Example 1 and Samples 10 and 11 prepared as described above was measured in the same manner as in Experimental Example 1. In addition, sensory evaluation of these beverage samples was carried out by six expert panelists using the same method and criteria as in Experimental Example 1.

[0044] [Table 2]

[0045] As shown in the results above, the addition of sodium salt reduced the roughness when drinking.

[0046] [Experimental Example 3] Two types of green tea leaves with different catechin contents were prepared, and 9.5 g of each tea leaf was soaked in 1 L of water and extracted at 90°C for 5 minutes. The tea leaves were then removed by filtration to obtain green tea extracts A and B. The caffeine concentrations of green tea extracts A and B were both about 170 ppm. 0.3 g / L of the matcha used in Experimental Example 1 was added to each green tea extract, which was then heat sterilized and filled into PET bottles to obtain green tea beverages A and B.

[0047] The absorbance (OD680) of the green tea drinks A and B was measured in the same manner as in Experimental Example 1. In addition, the green tea drinks A and B were filtered through a filter (0.45 μm), and the concentration of non-polymerized catechin was measured by HPLC under the following conditions. HPLC equipment: TOSOH HPLC system LC8020 model II Column: TSKgel ODS80T sQA (4.6mm x 150mm) Column temperature: 40℃ Mobile phase A: Water-acetonitrile-trifluoroacetic acid (90:10:0.05) Mobile phase B: Water-acetonitrile-trifluoroacetic acid (20:80:0.05) Detection: UV 275nm ·Injection volume: 20μL ·Flow rate: 1mL / min Gradient programs: Time (min) %A %B 0 100 0 5 92 8 11 90 10 21 90 10 22 0 100 29 0 100 30 100 0 Standard substances: catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, catechin gallate, epicatechin gallate, gallocatechin gallate and epigallocatechin gallate (Kurita High Purity Reagent)

[0048] The green tea beverages A and B obtained as described above were subjected to a sensory evaluation by six expert panelists using the same method and criteria as in Experimental Example 1.

[0049] [Table 3]

[0050] As shown by the above results, even when green tea extract was used, it was shown that the roughness when drinking was reduced depending on the concentration of non-polymerized catechins.

Claims

1. A packaged beverage containing insoluble particles derived from tea, The absorbance at a wavelength of 680 nm is 0.4 to 0.8, The 90% cumulative particle size (D90) of the insoluble particles is 1 to 40 μm, The concentration of non-polymerized catechin is 700 to 1200 ppm; The beverage, which is a green tea beverage.

2. 2. The beverage of claim 1, wherein the sodium concentration is from 10 to 200 ppm.

3. It contains caffeine and the ratio of the caffeine concentration to the non-polymerized catechin concentration (caffeine concentration 3. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the molecular weight of the beverage is 0.1 to 0.

3.

4. 3. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tea-derived insoluble particles are matcha.

5. 3. The beverage of claim 1 or 2, comprising green tea extract.

6. The ratio of sodium concentration to non-polymerized catechin concentration (sodium concentration / non-polymerized catechin concentration) The beverage according to claim 2, wherein the alcohol content (%) is 0.025 to 0.25.

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