Coffee beverage

Abstract

To provide a technique relating to a coffee beverage both improved in richness and lessened in unfavorable tastes.SOLUTION: A coffee beverage has the following values, when A is a ratio of caffeine concentration to chlorogenic acid concentration (caffeine concentration / chlorogenic acid concentration, B (ppb) is guaiacol concentration, and C (ppb) is 4-ethylguaiacol concentration, (i) 4.0 or more of A and (ii) 85-300 of B / A and / or 45-200 of C / A.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to coffee beverages. More specifically, it relates to coffee beverages, a method for producing the same, and a method for reducing off-flavors in coffee beverages.

Background Art

[0002] Coffee beverages have a unique aroma and are widely favored as preferred beverages. Preferred aromas of coffee beverages include, for example, various aspects such as richness, aftertaste, and the balance between sourness and sweetness. Conventionally, research and development of coffee beverages according to the desired aroma have been carried out. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a coffee beverage containing specific amounts of 2-methylfuran, guaiacol, and propanal from the viewpoints of obtaining a strong and good coffee flavor and a good aftertaste. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a coffee extract containing furfural and at least one selected from guaiacol, 4-ethylguaiacol, and 4-vinylguaiacol in a specific ratio from the viewpoints of having a rich and fragrant roasted aroma and a good sharpness of the aftertaste.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] On the other hand, regarding the richness of coffee beverages, although increasing the roasting degree of coffee beans is known as a method for enhancing richness, there has been a tendency that when the roasting degree is increased to enhance richness, off-flavors are likely to occur. Therefore, in order to achieve both improved richness and reduced off-flavors, the inventors focused on the aromatic components contained in coffee and conducted new, intensive research. They discovered that, surprisingly, when the ratio of caffeine concentration to chlorogenic acid concentration exceeds a certain level, specific aromatic components can effectively improve the richness of coffee beverages while reducing off-flavors. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to the present invention, Let A be the ratio of caffeine concentration to chlorogenic acid concentration (caffeine concentration / chlorogenic acid concentration), let B be the concentration of guaiacol (ppb), and let C be the concentration of 4-ethylguaiacol (ppb). (i) A is 4.0 or higher, (ii) A coffee beverage is provided in which B / A is 85-300 and / or C / A is 45-200.

[0006] Furthermore, according to the present invention, A method for manufacturing a coffee beverage, Let A be the ratio of caffeine concentration to chlorogenic acid concentration (caffeine concentration / chlorogenic acid concentration), let B be the concentration of guaiacol (ppb), and let C be the concentration of 4-ethylguaiacol (ppb). (i) A is 4.0 or higher, (ii) A method for producing a coffee beverage is provided, comprising the step of preparing the beverage so that the B / A ratio is 85 to 300 and / or the C / A ratio is 45 to 200.

[0007] Furthermore, according to the present invention, A method for reducing off-flavors in coffee beverages, Let A be the ratio of caffeine concentration to chlorogenic acid concentration (caffeine concentration / chlorogenic acid concentration), let B be the concentration of guaiacol (ppb), and let C be the concentration of 4-ethylguaiacol (ppb). (i) A is 4.0 or higher, (ii) A method for reducing off-flavors in a coffee beverage is provided, which includes the step of preparing the beverage so that the B / A ratio is 85 to 300 and / or the C / A ratio is 45 to 200. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, a technology for coffee beverages that can achieve both improved richness and reduced off-flavors can be provided. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below. In this specification, unless otherwise specified, the notation "a~b" in the description of numerical ranges means a or more and b or less.

[0010] In this specification, "richness" refers to the flavor and intensity of a coffee beverage, and "off-flavor" refers to the unpleasant or bitter taste that lingers on the tongue after drinking a coffee beverage.

[0011] The concentration (content) of chlorogenic acid and caffeine in coffee beverages can be quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The concentration (content) of aroma components in coffee beverages can be measured by GC-MS.

[0012] <Coffee Beverages> In this embodiment, when the ratio of caffeine concentration to chlorogenic acid concentration (caffeine concentration / chlorogenic acid concentration) is A, the guaiacol concentration is B (ppb), and the 4-ethylguaiacol concentration is C (ppb), (i) A is 4.0 or higher, (ii) B / A is 85-300 and / or C / A is 45-200.

[0013] Here, chlorogenic acid and caffeine are components found in coffee beans and are present in coffee beverages. Generally, it is known that as the degree of roasting of coffee beans progresses, chlorogenic acid breaks down, while caffeine remains in the coffee beans without being broken down. Therefore, as the degree of roasting of coffee beans increases, that is, as the L value of roasted coffee beans decreases, the caffeine concentration / chlorogenic acid concentration in the coffee beans increases. Furthermore, guaiacol and 4-ethylguaiacol are both known as aromatic compounds that characterize coffee beverages and are commonly found in them. According to the inventors' research, it was found that adding guaiacol and 4-ethylguaiacol to various coffee extracts (base liquids) obtained using coffee beans sometimes reduced the off-flavors of the coffee beverage, and sometimes increased them. Therefore, the inventors hypothesized that controlling the concentrations of guaiacol and 4-ethylguaiacol in a certain coffee extract (base liquid) would be effective in controlling the richness and off-flavors of the coffee beverage, and conducted investigations. As a result, it was found that by simultaneously controlling the ratio of caffeine concentration to chlorogenic acid concentration and the guaiacol concentration, or the ratio of caffeine concentration to chlorogenic acid concentration and the 4-ethylguaiacol concentration, it is possible to effectively achieve both improved richness and reduced off-flavors, thus completing the coffee beverage of this embodiment.

[0014] [Caffeine concentration / Chlorogenic acid concentration] In the coffee beverage of this embodiment, (i) A is 4.0 or higher. Preferably A is 4.2 or higher, and more preferably 4.5 or higher. This makes it possible to achieve both improved richness and reduced off-flavors, as well as a good coffee taste and a satisfying drinking experience. On the other hand, the upper limit of A is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of maintaining a coffee-like flavor, for example, it is preferably 12 or lower, more preferably 10 or lower, and even more preferably 9 or lower. Incidentally, A tends to increase as the roasting degree of coffee beans progresses (the L value decreases). However, in the coffee beverage of the present embodiment, the above (i) can be satisfied by adding a caffeine component to the coffee extract obtained by a normal method using a caffeine preparation or the like.

[0015] Moreover, in the coffee beverage of the present embodiment, the caffeine concentration is preferably 10 to 200 mg / 100 ml, more preferably 20 to 150 mg / 100 ml, still more preferably 40 to 100 mg / 100 ml, and even more preferably 50 to 80 mg / 100 ml. By setting the caffeine concentration to be not less than the above lower limit value, it becomes easier to improve the richness. On the other hand, by setting the caffeine concentration to be not more than the above upper limit value, a good balance between richness improvement and off-flavor reduction can be maintained.

[0016] [Guaiacol] Guaiacol, also known as 2-methoxyphenol, is used when synthesizing vanillin and the like, and is an aroma component known as an aroma component similar to dark-roasted coffee. Moreover, in the coffee beverage of the present embodiment, (ii) B / A is 85 to 300, preferably 90 or more, and more preferably 100 or more. Thereby, while reducing off-flavor, the richness can be improved. Also, a good balance of coffee flavor and drinking feeling can be achieved. On the other hand, B / A is preferably 280 or less, and more preferably 250 or less from the viewpoint of obtaining more richness. Moreover, the concentration B of guaiacol in the coffee beverage of the present embodiment is preferably 100 to 2500 ppb, and more preferably 200 to 2000 ppb.

[0017] [4-Ethylguaiacol] 4-Ethylguaiacol, also called 2-methoxy-4-ethylphenol, is an aroma component known as an aroma component similar to dark-roasted coffee. In the coffee beverage of this embodiment, the C / A ratio is 45 to 200, preferably 50 or higher, and more preferably 70 or higher. This allows for an improvement in richness while reducing off-flavors. It also allows for a good balance between coffee flavor and body. On the other hand, the C / A ratio is preferably 160 or lower. The concentration C of 4-ethylguaiacol in the coffee beverage of this embodiment is preferably 50 to 2000 ppb, more preferably 80 to 1500 ppb, and even more preferably 100 to 1200 ppb.

[0018] In this embodiment, A, B / A, and C / A are adjusted by separately adding caffeine, guaiacol, and 4-ethylguaiacol to a coffee extract obtained by a known method for adjusting the degree of roasting of coffee beans.

[0019] [Coffee Beverages] The coffee beverages of this embodiment are beverages made from components extracted or dissolved from coffee beans (coffee components) and beverages to which other components have been added, and which have a coffee flavor when consumed. Furthermore, as stated in the "Fair Competition Rules Concerning Labeling of Coffee-Containing Beverages, etc." established in 1977, this includes beverages made from coffee beans and beverages to which sugars, dairy products, emulsified edible oils and fats, and other edible substances have been added and sealed in containers. In this embodiment, even if the amount of coffee beans used in a beverage is less than 1% by weight in terms of green beans, if a coffee flavor is perceived when consumed, it will be treated as a coffee beverage.

[0020] The above-mentioned coffee beans are not particularly limited and include cultivated tree species such as Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica. The coffee bean varieties are also not particularly limited and include Mocha, Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Blue Mountain, Kona, Mandheling, and Kilimanjaro. One type of coffee bean may be used, or a blend of two or more types may be used. The roasting temperature and roasting environment of the coffee beans are not particularly limited, and standard methods can be used. Furthermore, the extraction method using roasted coffee beans is not particularly limited, but examples include drip, siphon, boiling, jet, and continuous methods.

[0021] Here, the method for incorporating coffee into the coffee beverage of this embodiment is not particularly limited and can be appropriately determined by those skilled in the art. For example, one could add one or more of the following to the beverage: a solution obtained by extracting ground roasted coffee beans with water or hot water (coffee extract), a concentrated coffee extract, or instant coffee obtained by drying the coffee extract. The ground roasted coffee beans can be coarse, medium, or fine, and are not particularly limited to these. On the other hand, according to the "Fair Competition Rules Regarding Labeling of Drinking Milk," as of 2017, any product containing 3.0% or more milk solids by weight is treated as a milk beverage. However, in the case of the coffee beverage according to this embodiment, since it is a beverage made from coffee beans, it will be treated as a coffee beverage even if it contains 3.0% or more milk solids by weight.

[0022] The lower limit of the coffee-soluble solids content in a coffee beverage is preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 0.9% by mass or more, and even more preferably 1% by mass or more, in order to obtain a coffee-like flavor and taste. On the other hand, the upper limit of the coffee-soluble solids content in a coffee beverage is preferably 2.5% by mass or less, more preferably 2.3% by mass or less, and even more preferably 2.0% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of maintaining a good coffee flavor.

[0023] The coffee beverage may be a non-dairy black coffee beverage (whether sweetened or unsweetened), or, if necessary, a milk-containing coffee beverage containing one or more types of milk.

[0024] [Other ingredients] Furthermore, the coffee beverage of this embodiment may also contain other aroma components, milk, sweeteners, acidulants, emulsifiers, pH adjusters (such as sodium bicarbonate and potassium carbonate), fruit juice, various nutritional components, colorants, diluents, antioxidants, and thickening stabilizers, insofar as the effects of the present invention are obtained.

[0025] Examples of the above-mentioned milks include raw milk, whole milk powder, skim milk powder, fresh cream, concentrated milk, partially skimmed milk, condensed milk, powdered milk, and fermented milk. These may be used individually or in combination of two or more types. In the case of a coffee beverage containing milk, the milk content is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of obtaining a good milky flavor and a good richness, it is preferable that the amount of milk solids (meaning the sum of milk fat and non-fat milk solids) be 0.5 to 3.5% by mass, more preferably 0.8 to 2.5% by mass, and even more preferably 1.0 to 2.0% by mass.

[0026] Examples of the sweeteners mentioned above include sugars consisting of monosaccharides and disaccharides, oligosaccharides (containing approximately 2 to 10 monosaccharides), high-fructose corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, sugar alcohols, xylitol, and low-intensity sweeteners such as D-sorbitol, as well as high-intensity sweeteners such as thaumatin, stevia extract, disodium glycyrrhizinate, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, neotame, and sodium saccharin. These may be used individually or in combination of two or more.

[0027] In particular, the coffee beverage of this embodiment preferably contains 2.0g / 100ml or less of sugars, more preferably 1.5g / 100ml or less, and even more preferably 1.3g / 100ml or less. This makes it possible to obtain a more significant improvement in richness and reduction of off-flavors. It is generally known that in coffee beverages, the inclusion of sugars can easily improve richness and mask off-flavors. In contrast, in the coffee beverage of this embodiment, since the conditions shown in (i) and (ii) above are met, it is possible to achieve both improved richness and reduced off-flavors even if the amount of sugars is 2.0 g / 100 ml or less. Examples of the sugars mentioned above include monosaccharides such as glucose, galactose, and fructose, as well as disaccharides such as sucrose (including sugar and granulated sugar), lactose, maltose, and starch syrup (including glucose and maltose).

[0028] [container] The containers used for the coffee beverage in this embodiment include airtight containers made of a single material or a composite or laminated material thereof, such as glass, paper, plastic (polyethylene terephthalate, etc.), aluminum, and steel. The type of container is not particularly limited, but examples include PET bottles, aluminum cans, steel cans, paper cartons, chilled cups, and glass bottles. From the viewpoint of preserving the flavor of the coffee beverage, steel cans are preferred, and from the viewpoint of being lightweight and resealable, PET bottles with lids, steel cans, and aluminum cans are preferred. While there are no particular limitations on the volume of the coffee beverage, 100 to 2000g is preferable, and 100 to 500g is even preferable in terms of ease of consumption.

[0029] There are no particular limitations on the method of heat sterilization of packaged coffee beverages, but in Japan, heat sterilization is carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Food Sanitation Act. Specifically, this includes a method of sterilizing at high temperature for a short time and then filling it into a storage container that has been sterilized under sterile conditions (UHT sterilization method), and a retort sterilization method in which the prepared liquid is filled into a storage container such as a can and then subjected to retort treatment.

[0030] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but these are merely examples, and various other configurations can also be adopted. [Examples]

[0031] The present invention will be described below with reference to examples and comparative examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0032] <Method for analyzing aroma components> Ten mL of each coffee beverage to be analyzed was placed in a solid-phase microextraction (SPME) vial pre-filled with 3 g of NaCl, and then sealed. After shaking each vial at 40°C for 5 minutes, an SPME fiber (DVB / CAR / PDMS, Stableflex 23Ga (Gray) 50 / 30 μm: manufactured by SIGMA-ALDRICH) was exposed in the headspace of the vial. The volatile components were adsorbed onto the fiber at 40°C for 30 minutes, then desorbed at the inlet for 3 minutes, and analyzed by GC / MS. A calibration curve was prepared using the standard addition method, with cyclohexanol used as the internal standard. [GC / MS analysis conditions] GC: Agilent Technologies 7890A. MS: Agilent Technologies 5975C. Column: Agilent Technologies DB-WAX UI 30m x 0.25mm, film thickness 0.25μm. Constant pressure mode: 122 kPa. Injection method: Splitless. Carrier gas: He. Inlet temperature: 240°C. Transfer line temperature: 240°C. Oven temperature: 40℃ (5 min) → 5℃ / min → 240℃ (0 min). MS Conditions: Scan Mode Quantitative ion: Guaiacol m / z81, 4-Ethylguaiacol m / z152, Cyclohexanol (standard) m / z 82

[0033] <Analysis conditions for caffeine and chlorogenic acid> Samples were obtained by filtering each coffee beverage using an ultrafiltration filter unit (Amicon Ultra) at 1000 rpm for 30 minutes. The caffeine content (mg / 100ml) and chlorogenic acid content (mg / 100ml) in 100ml of the sample were then measured using UHPLC (Nexera (Shimadzu Corporation), detector: PDA) under the following conditions. Column: ZORBAX EclipsePlus C18 (Agilent Technologies, Inc.) Column oven temperature: 45℃ Mobile phase: Ultrapure water containing 0.2% phosphoric acid and 8% methanol. Pump flow rate: 1.0 ml / min Injection volume: 3μl Cell section temperature control temperature: 40℃ Based on the peak area of ​​each sample, the caffeine and chlorogenic acid content were determined, using the area values ​​of standard substances (caffeine: CAS 58-08-2, Wako Pure Chemical Industries; chlorogenic acid: CAS 327-97-9, SIGMA-ALDRICH) as a reference.

[0034] [Test 1: Examination of body and off-flavors when B and C are varied] <Examples 1-13, Comparative Examples 1-13> (1) Preparation of control samples Three types of roasted coffee beans were prepared by roasting a mixture of Brazilian and Vietnamese beans, resulting in three different roast levels (L-values: 17.4, 20.1, and 23.1). Each roasted coffee bean was prepared by blending Brazilian and Vietnamese coffee beans of each L-value in the weight ratios shown below. Roasted coffee beans L-value: 23.1 (Brazilian L-value 24: Vietnamese L-value 21 = 7:3) L-value: 20.1 (Brazilian L-value 21: Vietnamese L-value 18 = 7:3) L-value: 17.4 (Brazilian L-value 18: Vietnamese L-value 16 = 7:3) Each coffee extract was obtained by extracting 55g of each roasted coffee bean with 440g of hot water at 95°C. Next, each coffee extract was mixed with sugar, milk (12.2% by mass of milk solids), emulsifier, sodium caseinate, baking soda, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose. The mixture was then sealed in cans and retort-sterilized to produce coffee beverages with the component concentrations shown in Table 1 (control samples 1-5; sugars 0.5g / 100ml). In addition, caffeine preparations were added to control samples 3 and 5 to achieve the concentrations shown in Table 1.

[0035] [Table 1]

[0036] (2) Guaiacol or 4-ethylguaiacol was added to each control product to achieve the concentrations shown in Tables 2 to 6, and each coffee beverage was prepared.

[0037] (3) Sensory evaluation The following sensory evaluations were conducted using the obtained coffee beverages. The results are shown in Tables 2-6. • Sensory evaluation: Each coffee beverage (at 20°C) was tasted by a panel of five or more coffee experts. They evaluated each of the following criteria on a 7-point scale (1-7 points): "off-flavors," "coffee flavor," "body," and "richness," and the average score was calculated. In addition, the baseline score for each control product (reference) was set at 4 points for evaluation.

[0038] • Evaluation criteria 7 points... Very strong compared to the controlled version. 6 points... Stronger than controlled products 5 points... Slightly stronger compared to controlled versions. 4 points... Equivalent to a controlled product 3 points... Slightly weaker compared to the controlled version. Two points... weaker compared to the controlled version. One point... it's very weak compared to the controlled version.

[0039] [Table 2]

[0040] [Table 3]

[0041] [Table 4]

[0042] [Table 5]

[0043] [Table 6]

[0044] [Experiment 2: Examination of body and off-flavors when sugar concentration is varied] <Reference examples 1~3> Using the roasted coffee beans (L value: 17.4) used in Test 1 above, a coffee extract was similarly obtained. Next, each coffee beverage was prepared by mixing the extract with sugar, milk, emulsifier, sodium caseinate, baking soda, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose to the concentrations of each component shown in Table 7, sealing and filling the cans, and performing retort sterilization. Next, a sensory evaluation was conducted in the same manner as in Test 1 above. The results are shown in Table 7.

[0045] [Table 7]

[0046] Table 7 shows that as the amount of sugar increases from 0.5g / 100ml to 1.25g / 100ml, 2.5g / 100ml, and 4.5g / 100ml, off-flavors tend to decrease and richness increases. In other words, it becomes more difficult to achieve the effects of reducing off-flavors and improving richness by lowering the amount of sugar. From Tables 2 to 6, it was confirmed that in the coffee beverages of the examples, sufficient effects of reducing off-flavors and improving richness can be obtained even with a sugar content of 0.5g / 100ml.

Claims

1. When the ratio of the caffeine concentration to the chlorogenic acid concentration (caffeine concentration / chlorogenic acid concentration) is A, the concentration of guaiacol is B (ppb), and the concentration of 4-ethylguaiacol is C (ppb), (i) A is 4.0 or more; (ii) A coffee beverage having a B / A of 85 to 300 and / or a C / A of 45 to 200.

2. 2. The coffee beverage according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of guaiacol is 100 to 2500 ppb.

3. 3. The coffee beverage according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of 4-ethylguaiacol is 50 to 2000 ppb.

4. 4. The coffee beverage according to claim 1, wherein the sugar content is 2.0 g / 100 ml or less.

5. 5. The coffee beverage according to claim 1, which contains milk.

6. The coffee beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is packaged in a container.

7. A method for producing a coffee beverage, comprising: When the ratio of the caffeine concentration to the chlorogenic acid concentration (caffeine concentration / chlorogenic acid concentration) is A, the concentration of guaiacol is B (ppb), and the concentration of 4-ethylguaiacol is C (ppb), (i) A is 4.0 or more; (ii) A method for producing a coffee beverage, comprising a step of adjusting the B / A to 85 to 300 and / or the C / A to 45 to 200.

8. The method further comprises the step of obtaining a coffee extract from the coffee beans, 8. The method for producing a coffee beverage according to claim 7, wherein in the preparation step, one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of caffeine, guaiacol, and 4-ethylguaiacol are added to the coffee extract.

9. A method for reducing unpleasant flavors in a coffee beverage, comprising: When the ratio of the caffeine concentration to the chlorogenic acid concentration (caffeine concentration / chlorogenic acid concentration) is A, the concentration of guaiacol is B (ppb), and the concentration of 4-ethylguaiacol is C (ppb), (i) A is 4.0 or more; (ii) A method for reducing unpleasant flavors in a coffee beverage, comprising the step of adjusting the B / A to 85 to 300 and / or the C / A to 45 to 200.

10. The method further comprises the step of obtaining a coffee extract from the coffee beans, 10. The method for reducing unpleasant flavors in a coffee beverage according to claim 9, wherein in the preparation step, one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of caffeine, guaiacol, and 4-ethylguaiacol are added to the coffee extract.