Method for improving the aroma of a container-packed composition and citrus fruit juice

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a composition containing various citrus fruit juices, including yuzu juice, that has an improved citrus flavor and can be easily and variably prepared. [Solution] The above-mentioned object can be achieved by a packaged composition comprising citrus fruit juice and 1 ppb to 2,000 ppb of phenethyl acetate; a processed food or drink containing the composition and a food ingredient as ingredients, and a method for producing the same; a packaged processed food or drink containing citrus fruit juice and 1 ppb to 2,000 ppb of phenethyl acetate, etc.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for improving container-packed compositions, processed foods and beverages, and citrus fruit juices.

Background Art

[0002] Citrus fruit juices are widely used as a kind of food ingredient in seasonings and processed foods and beverages. Among citrus fruit juices, the juices of acid citrus fruits with high acidity have a rich fragrance. Thus, seasonings and processed foods and beverages such as ponzu sauce, juice, and dressing containing citrus fruit juices such as acid citrus fruits have a high palatability with an enjoyable citrus-like fragrance.

[0003] However, there is a problem that when seasonings and processed foods and beverages containing citrus fruit juices are stored at room temperature or subjected to heat sterilization treatment, the citrus-like fragrance decreases. Therefore, several means have been researched and developed to suppress the deterioration of the citrus-like fragrance in juice-containing substances caused by storage and processing.

[0004] For example, there is a report on a citrus fruit juice containing yuzu juice and sudachi juice from which fiber and oil have been removed in a certain mass ratio in order to maintain the original aroma and flavor of yuzu (see Patent Document 1; the entire description of all documents disclosed in this specification including this document is incorporated herein by reference). There is a report on a ponzu soy sauce seasoning in which the contents of p-cymene, potassium ions, sodium ions, acetic acid, and citric acid are in a certain ratio in order to suppress the generation of musty odor during storage and deterioration odor due to heat sterilization (see Patent Document 2). There is a report on a citrus flavor composition containing citrus fruits and rotundone in order to enhance the freshness of citrus fruits and the flavor of fruit juices (see Patent Document 3).

[0005] On the one hand, higher alcohols such as 1-octanol, 1-heptanol, 1-pentanol, and 1-hexanol have the effect of clearly masking the fruity aroma, while there is a report that various esters including phenethyl acetate did not affect the fruity aroma (see Patent Document 4).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] Although the citrus fruit juice described in Patent Document 1 is useful for maintaining the original aroma and flavor of yuzu, it is not for maintaining the aroma of fruit juices other than yuzu juice. The ponzu soy sauce seasoning described in Patent Document 2 has a problem that the contents of p-cymene, potassium ions, sodium ions, acetic acid, and citric acid must be in a certain ratio, and it is difficult to prepare because a large number of components need to be in a predetermined amount. Regarding the citrus flavor composition described in Patent Document 3, although rotundone, which is an active ingredient, has an effect even in extremely small amounts, even at a trace amount of 100 ppt, it imparts a spicy feeling and is difficult to adjust the amount. Since rotundone-containing substances such as pepper cannot be used instead of rotundone, there is a problem of poor versatility.

[0008] In addition, regarding various fruit juices including yuzu juice, there are almost no known means for suppressing the deterioration of citrus-like aroma caused by storage and processing, while being easy to prepare and having variations in the preparation method.

[0009] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a composition containing various fruit juices including yuzu juice and having an improved citrus flavor, which can be easily prepared with variations.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0010] The present inventors have intensively studied to solve the above problems, and have tried various combinations of numerous components to obtain fruit juice-containing products such as seasonings and food and drink products with improved citrus flavor without relying on storage and processing.

[0011] As a result of repeated studies, it has finally been found that adding a predetermined amount of phenethyl acetate together with citrus juice can result in a fruit juice-containing product with improved citrus juice flavor. Such a finding was surprising in view of the prior art common knowledge described in Patent Document 4 that phenethyl acetate does not affect fruit-like aroma. Further, since the odor threshold of phenethyl acetate is said to be 3,000 ppb (National Institute of Health Sciences, Food and Drug Safety Center, [online] http: / / www.nihs.go.jp / hse / food-info / chemical / kanshi / table3.xls), the effect of improving the flavor of citrus juice by an amount of phenethyl acetate below this threshold is likely not due only to the smell of phenethyl acetate, and can be said to be an unexpected effect.

[0012] Further, as a result of the studies by the present inventors, it has been found that phenethyl acetate can improve the flavor of citrus juice in fruit juice-containing products regardless of the type and concentration of the juice, as well as the temperature of storage and processing, and even the presence or absence of heat treatment. Furthermore, the present inventors have arrived at a very surprising finding that phenethyl acetate has an effect of suppressing the decrease in terpenes, which are aroma components in citrus juice.

[0013] Based on such findings, the inventors of the present invention have successfully created a container-packed composition, a processed food or drink, a method for manufacturing a processed food or drink, a container-packed processed food or drink, a method for improving the flavor of citrus juice, a method for suppressing the reduction of terpenes, a composition for improving the flavor of citrus juice, and a composition for suppressing the reduction of terpenes, which contain citrus juice and phenethyl acetate. The present invention has been completed based on such findings and successful examples.

[0014] Therefore, according to each aspect of the present invention, the following are provided: [1] A container-packed composition containing citrus juice and 1 ppb to 2,000 ppb of phenethyl acetate. [2] The composition according to [1], wherein the composition is a container-packed seasoning composition. [3] The composition according to any one of [1] to [2], wherein the composition is a composition used for improving the flavor of citrus juice. [4] The composition according to any one of [1] to [2], wherein the composition is a composition used for suppressing the reduction of terpenes. [5] The composition according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the citrus is a citrus fruit containing at least one kind of terpenes and having an aromatic acid. [6] The composition according to [5], wherein the citrus fruit containing an aromatic acid is at least one kind of citrus fruit containing an aromatic acid selected from the group consisting of yuzu, sudachi, kabosu, yuko, lemon, lime, sekuwaasa, daidai, citron, and bushukan. [7] The composition according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the composition further contains at least one component selected from the group consisting of sugar, water, soy sauce, vinegar, and glutamic acid. [8] A processed food or drink containing the composition according to any one of [1] to [7] and food ingredients as raw materials. [9] A method for manufacturing a processed food or drink, which includes a step of obtaining a processed food or drink by mixing the composition according to any one of [1] to [7] and food ingredients.

[10] A container-packed processed food or drink containing citrus juice and 1 ppb to 2,000 ppb of phenethyl acetate.

[11] A method for improving the aroma of citrus juice, comprising the step of mixing citrus juice or a composition containing citrus juice with phenethyl acetate so that the content of phenethyl acetate is 1 ppb to 2,000 ppb to improve the aroma of the citrus juice.

[12] A method for suppressing the decrease of terpenes, comprising the step of mixing terpenes or a composition containing terpenes with phenethyl acetate so that the content of phenethyl acetate is 1 ppb to 2,000 ppb to suppress the decrease of terpenes.

[13] A composition for improving the aroma of citrus juice or suppressing the decrease of terpenes, containing phenethyl acetate as an active ingredient.

[14] The method according to any one of

[11] to

[12] , wherein the citrus is a citrus fruit containing at least one kind of terpenes.

[15] The method according to

[14] , wherein the citrus fruit is at least one kind of citrus fruit selected from the group consisting of yuzu, sudachi, kabosu, yuko, lemon, lime, citron, daidai, citron and bushukan.

[16] The method or composition according to any one of

[11] to

[15] , wherein the composition further contains at least one component selected from the group consisting of sugar, water, soy sauce, vinegar and glutamic acid. [Effect of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, the aroma of citrus juice that deteriorates by storage and / or heat treatment can be improved. Further, according to the present invention, seasonings and foods and drinks having a preferable aroma of the contained citrus juice can be obtained even after heat sterilization and long-term storage. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the aroma of citrus juice can be improved without heat treatment. As a result, according to the present invention, seasonings and foods and drinks excellent in storage stability and aroma retention can be expected regardless of the influence of external environments such as season and storage conditions through each stage such as production, distribution, display, and storage. [Brief Description of the Drawings]

[0016]

Figure 1A

Figure 1B

Figure 2A

Figure 2B

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, the details of each aspect of the present invention will be described. However, the present invention is not limited only by the matters in this section, and can take various aspects as long as the object of the present invention is achieved.

[0018] Each term in this specification is used in the meaning usually used by those skilled in the art unless otherwise specified, and should not be construed as having an unduly limiting meaning. Also, the assumptions and theories made in this specification are based on the knowledge and experience of the present inventors so far, and thus the present invention is not restricted only by such assumptions and theories.

[0019] The "composition" is not particularly limited in the ordinary sense, and examples thereof include substances formed by combining two or more components. The "raw material" means a substance used (added) in manufacturing a composition or the like, and in a composition or the like, it may exist in a state where it is maintained or changed qualitatively and / or quantitatively compared to before use. "Food and drink" means beverages, foodstuffs, or both. "Processed food and drink" means food and drink obtained by cooking food ingredients. "Packed in a container" means being filled or contained in a container. "ppb" is a unit as commonly known, specifically, 1 ppb is 1 / 10 9 and in terms of gram conversion, it is 1 ng / g. The term "and / or" means any one of the plurality of related items listed, or any combination or all combinations of two or more. "Content" is synonymous with concentration and means the ratio of the amount of a component to the total amount of a composition. However, the total content of the components shall not exceed 100%. The "~" in a numerical range means a range including the numerical values before and after it. For example, "0%~100%" means a range that is 0% or more and 100% or less. "Exceeding" and "less than" mean the lower limit and the upper limit respectively without including the numerical value before them. For example, "exceeding 1" means a numerical value greater than 1, and "less than 100" means a numerical value less than 100. "Containing" means that elements other than the elements explicitly stated as being included can be added (synonymous with "including at least"), and includes "consisting of" and "essentially consisting of". That is, "containing" can mean including the explicitly stated elements and any one or two or more elements, consisting of the explicitly stated elements, or essentially consisting of the explicitly stated elements. Examples of elements include limiting matters such as components, steps, conditions, parameters, etc. "Aroma" means fragrance, flavor, or both. "Fragrance" means the smell (orthonasal) felt only by the nose without being put in the mouth. In this specification, when simply referred to as "smell", it means fragrance. "Flavor" means the aroma that escapes from the oral cavity to the nose (retronasal) when placed in the mouth, the taste (taste presentation) felt by the tongue when placed in the mouth, or both. "Action of improving the flavor of citrus fruit juice" means at least one action selected from the group consisting of improving the flavor of citrus fruit juice, maintaining the flavor of citrus fruit juice, and suppressing (alleviating, preventing, and blocking) the deterioration of the flavor of citrus fruits. "Action of suppressing the decrease in terpenoids" means at least one action selected from the group consisting of maintaining the amount of terpenoids and alleviating, preventing, and blocking the decrease in the amount of terpenoids.

[0020] The number of digits of an integer value coincides with the number of significant figures. For example, the significant figure of 1 is 1 digit, and the significant figure of 10 is 2 digits. Also, for a decimal value, the number of digits after the decimal point coincides with the number of significant figures. For example, the significant figure of 0.1 is 1 digit, and the significant figure of 0.10 is 2 digits.

[0021] The composition of one aspect of the present invention is a container-packed composition containing citrus fruit juice and phenethyl acetate. The container-packed processed food or drink of one aspect of the present invention is a container-packed processed food or drink containing citrus fruit juice and phenethyl acetate. The composition and the container-packed processed food or drink of one aspect of the present invention can themselves be compositions and processed food or drinks in which the flavor of citrus fruit juice is improved and / or the decrease in terpenoids is suppressed.

[0022] The composition of one aspect of the present invention and the container-packed processed food or drink of one aspect of the present invention differ in that the composition of one aspect of the present invention is provided for seasoning or cooking, while the container-packed processed food or drink of one aspect of the present invention is edible as it is, and the other configurations are common. Therefore, hereinafter, the composition of one aspect of the present invention will be described as an example, and for the container-packed processed food or drink of one aspect of the present invention, the description regarding the composition of one aspect of the present invention can be referred to.

[0023] Generally, when seasonings and food and drink products containing citrus juice are stored at room temperature or subjected to heat sterilization treatment, the aroma of the citrus juice deteriorates. However, those containing phenethyl acetate together with the citrus juice suppress the deterioration of the aroma of the citrus juice. Therefore, the composition of one aspect of the present invention can be used as a composition for improving the aroma of citrus juice by containing phenethyl acetate together with the citrus juice. Further, according to the investigation by the present inventors, phenethyl acetate has an effect of suppressing the decrease in terpenes contained in citrus juice and the like. Therefore, the composition of one aspect of the present invention can be used as a composition for suppressing the decrease in terpenes by containing phenethyl acetate together with the citrus juice. In this specification, the "aroma improving effect of citrus juice", the "suppressing effect of decrease in terpenes", or both of these effects possessed by the composition of one aspect of the present invention may be collectively referred to as the "effective effect".

[0024] The citrus fruit juice is not particularly limited as long as it is obtained from the fruit of a plant classified as a citrus fruit. Examples of citrus fruits include citrus fruits such as yuzu, sudachi, kabosu, yuko, lemon, lime, shikuwasa, daidai, citron, and bush citrus fruits; oranges such as chinotto, jaffa orange, joppa, navel orange, Valencia orange, Fukuhara orange, blood orange, and bergamot; grapefruits such as orangello and grapefruit; miscellaneous citrus fruits such as cocktail fruit, kawano natsudaidai, yellow mikan, jabara, Shonan Gold, sweetie, summer mandarin orange, hassaku, haruka, Hime Koharu, and Hyuganatsu; tangors such as dekopon, iyokan, kiyomi, shiranuhi, and tankan; and agrifruits. Examples of citrus fruits include tangelos such as summer fresh, sweet spring, seminole, tangelo, and mineola; pomelos such as anseikan, kawachi bankan, banpeiyu, and pomelo; and mandarin oranges such as unshu mandarin, otsu 4-go, calamansi, kanpei, kishu mandarin, sakurajima mandarin, tachibana, fujinaka mandarin, ponkan, and mandarin orange. From the viewpoint of enriching the flavor of foods, beverages, and seasonings, preferred are fragrant citrus fruits, more preferred are yuzu, sudachi, kabosu, yukou, lemon, lime, shekwasha, daidai, citron, and bush kan, and even more preferred are yuzu, sudachi, kabosu, yukou, and shekwasha. The citrus fruits may be used alone or in combination of two or more of the above. The method for obtaining citrus juice is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a method for obtaining juice from citrus fruits according to a known method, such as a method using processing such as squeezing or juicing, and a method using commercially available citrus juice.

[0025] Phenethyl acetate is a compound represented by the following formula (I) as is commonly known: [ka] (I) It is a compound having the structure represented by the following formula:

[0026] The content of phenethyl acetate may be an amount that can exert an effective effect. As described in Table 4A in the examples to be described later, according to the investigation by the present inventors, when ponzu containing citrus fruit juice is stored after heating, when it contains 1 ppb or more of phenethyl acetate, the flavor of the juice is improved. Therefore, the lower limit of the content of phenethyl acetate is 1 ppb with respect to the total amount of the composition.

[0027] On the other hand, phenethyl acetate itself has the fragrance of roses, and its fragrance threshold is said to be about 3,000 ppb. Therefore, when the content of phenethyl acetate is large, specifically when it contains more than 3,000 ppb of phenethyl acetate, it is not preferable because it imparts an unwanted floral and heterogeneous fragrance to the composition during eating. Therefore, the upper limit of the content of phenethyl acetate is 2,000 ppb, which is less than 3,000 ppb with respect to the total amount of the composition.

[0028] As described above, the content of phenethyl acetate may be 1 ppb to 2,000 ppb. However, in order to exert a more excellent effective effect, it is preferably 10 ppb to 2,000 ppb, and more preferably 50 ppb to 1,000 ppb. Note that "1 ppb to 2,000 ppb of phenethyl acetate" means, for example, 100 ng to 200,000 ng (= 200 μg) of phenethyl acetate with respect to 100 ml of the composition. The content of phenethyl acetate may be either the amount contained in the composition or the amount added to the composition.

[0029] In addition, in ponzu containing 5 ppb or more of phenethyl acetate with respect to citrus fruit juice, deterioration of the flavor of the juice is suppressed during storage after heating. Therefore, the content of phenethyl acetate is preferably 5 ppb to 10,000 ppb with respect to citrus fruit juice. In order to exert a more excellent effective effect, it is more preferably 10 ppb to 10,000 ppb with respect to citrus fruit juice, and even more preferably 10 ppb to 5,000 ppb with respect to citrus fruit juice.

[0030] The effect of phenethyl acetate on improving the aroma of citrus fruit juice can be exerted without being affected by the content of citrus fruit juice. Therefore, the content of citrus fruit juice is not particularly limited and may be appropriately set according to the desired aroma. For example, when the composition of one embodiment of the present invention is rice vinegar, the content of citrus fruit juice is 1% (w / v) to 50% (w / v), preferably 1% (w / v) to 30% (w / v). As another example, when the container-packed processed food or beverage of one embodiment of the present invention is a fruit juice-containing beverage, the content of citrus fruit juice is 1% (w / v) to 95% (w / v), preferably 1% (w / v) to 70% (w / v).

[0031] For phenethyl acetate, phenethyl acetate itself may be used, or a phenethyl acetate-containing substance containing phenethyl acetate may be used. When using phenethyl acetate itself, those commercially available as fragrances can be used.

[0032] The phenethyl acetate-containing substance is not particularly limited as long as it contains phenethyl acetate. For example, it includes soy sauce produced by the method described in Patent No. 6343710. That is, after performing lactic acid fermentation by the ordinary method for producing soy sauce, the various flavors of soy sauce obtained are subjected to solid-liquid separation, and then the liquid part is subjected to a filtration treatment using various filter materials such as diatomaceous earth, and various permeable membranes such as UF membranes and MF membranes to obtain a soy sauce flavor juice. Then, the soy sauce flavor juice is fermented by yeast using soy sauce yeast. Such soy sauce contains phenethyl acetate and can be used as phenethyl acetate-containing soy sauce. Other specific examples of the phenethyl acetate-containing substance may also be alcoholic beverages such as Japanese sake like sake and ginjo sake, and fermented seasonings.

[0033] The composition of one aspect of the present invention can contain other components in addition to citrus fruit juice and phenethyl acetate. The other components are not particularly limited, but are, for example, components used in foods, beverages, and seasonings. Specifically, as liquid components, there are water, soy sauce, alcohol, sweetening components (such as mirin, liquid sugar, and starch syrup), souring components (such as vinegar, and aromatic acid citrus fruits such as apples, yuzu, and lemons), oil and fat components (such as sesame oil, olive oil, salad oil, soybean oil, lard oil, butter, beef tallow, and lard), liquor components (such as wine and sake), fruit juice (such as apple juice), and the like; as solid components, there are salt, saccharides (such as granulated sugar, glucose, fructose, starch syrup, and isomerized liquid sugar), cereal components (such as bread flour, wheat flour, and oatmeal), spices (such as ginger, chili peppers, pepper, basil, oregano, ginger, and mixed spices), thickeners (such as thickening polysaccharides such as carrageenan, starch, processed starch, and gums), meat processing components (such as chicken powder, meat powder, and fish powder), chemical seasonings (such as glutamic acid, sodium glutamate, glycine, sodium inosinate, and sodium guanylate), flavors, miso, curry powder, and the like.

[0034] The composition of one aspect of the present invention may contain extracts, dashi soup stock, and food ingredients, etc.

[0035] Examples of extracts include seafood extracts obtained from bonito, katsuobushi, scallops, etc.; seaweed extracts obtained from kelp, etc.; meat extracts obtained from meats such as chicken, pork, and beef; vegetable extracts obtained from vegetables such as garlic, ginger, and shiitake mushrooms; yeast extracts; protein hydrolysates, and the like.

[0036] Examples of dashi soup stock include crushed products of fish flakes such as katsuobushi, muraotoshi, sabaotoshi, magurootoshi, and iwashiotoshi, and crushed products of dried small fish such as iwashi, saba, aji, and ebi, seaweeds such as kelp and wakame, and mushrooms such as shiitake mushrooms, and dashi soup stock obtained by extracting with a solvent such as hot water or ethanol.

[0037] Examples of the food ingredients include vegetables such as daikon radish, onion, leek, carrot, burdock root, lotus root, ginger, garlic, cabbage, bell pepper, tomato, corn, and bamboo shoots; herbaceous vegetables such as shiso, parsley, celery, Chinese chives, andmitsuba; mushrooms such as shiitake mushroom, button mushroom, enoki mushroom, and shimeji mushroom; fruits such as apple, pear, kiwi, pineapple, and ume; seeds such as sesame, nuts, and chestnut; meats such as beef, pork, chicken, horse, and sheep; seafood such as tuna, squid, scallop, crab, and salmon; seaweeds such as hijiki, kelp, and wakame; processed foods such as eggs, tofu, deep-fried bean curd, konnyaku, and soy protein. These food ingredients may be used after being grated, made into a paste, ground, finely chopped, or cut into shapes such as dice or strips.

[0038] As for the other components, one kind of the above-mentioned components or a combination of two or more kinds thereof can be used alone. The content of the other components can be appropriately set as long as the problems of the present invention can be solved. Specific examples of the other components are, for example, sugar, water, soy sauce, vinegar, and glutamic acid when the composition of one aspect of the present invention is ponzu sauce. Also, for example, sugar and water when the container-packed processed food or drink of one aspect of the present invention is a fruit juice-containing beverage.

[0039] The form of the composition of one aspect of the present invention is not particularly limited. For example, when the composition of one aspect of the present invention is used as a seasoning, it is preferably a liquid composition such as a liquid, suspension, or paste.

[0040] The composition according to one aspect of the present invention is a container-packed composition sealed by filling and sealing it in a container. The container is not particularly limited as long as it is made of a material and has a shape that can be sealed. Examples include packaging containers such as pouches, sachets, bottles, cans, and bottles made of materials such as metals such as aluminum, plastics such as PET and PTP, single-layer or laminated films, and glass. Specifically, glass bottles; containers made of a film obtained by laminating a heat-sealable resin layer made of an olefin resin such as polypropylene or polyethylene on the inside and a layer made of a resin with high gas barrier properties such as polyester or polyamide and / or aluminum foil on the outside.

[0041] The effects of improving the aroma of citrus fruit juice and suppressing the reduction of terpenes possessed by the composition according to one aspect of the present invention are, under the same conditions, for example, after reaching 80°C in a hot water bath and then rapidly cooling in ice and maintaining at 5°C, 25°C, or 40°C, or under the conditions immediately after preparation. As long as the composition contains the same amount of citrus fruit juice as a composition (control) that does not contain phenethyl acetate, it is only necessary that the aroma of the citrus fruit juice is felt to be improved and the reduction of terpenes is suppressed.

[0042] The effective effect can be confirmed by the method described in the examples below. For example, when the composition of one aspect of the present invention is ponzu, the sensory evaluation is carried out for the evaluation items "flavor of fruit juice", "fresh citrus aroma" and "off-flavor", and compared with the control, at least one evaluation result selected from the group consisting of feeling a stronger "flavor of fruit juice", feeling a stronger "fresh citrus aroma" and feeling a weaker "off-flavor", preferably two evaluation results, more preferably all three evaluation results are obtained. As another example, when the container-packed processed food or drink of one aspect of the present invention is a fruit juice-containing beverage, the sensory evaluation is carried out for the evaluation items "flavor of fruit juice" and "sweet citrus aroma", and compared with the control, at least one evaluation result selected from the group consisting of feeling a stronger "flavor of fruit juice" and feeling a stronger "sweet citrus aroma", preferably both two evaluation results are obtained.

[0043] The usage amount of the composition of one aspect of the present invention can be appropriately set according to the type of food ingredients and food and drink to which the composition of one aspect of the present invention is to be applied, and is not particularly limited. For example, when the composition of one aspect of the present invention is ponzu, it may be used in an amount similar to that of ponzu known so far.

[0044] The method for producing the composition of one aspect of the present invention is not particularly limited. For example, there may be mentioned a method of producing a seasoning by mixing each component as normally known, and specifically, a method including subjecting fruit juice of citrus fruits, phenethyl acetate, and other components as necessary to mixing means such as stirring treatment at room temperature or under heating for mixing. The other components may be pretreated by being subjected to treatments such as cutting into small pieces, pulverizing, swelling, heating, etc.

[0045] Considering preservation, the composition according to one aspect of the present invention is preferably subjected to a spoilage prevention treatment such as a sterilization treatment. The composition according to one aspect of the present invention is preferably a composition that has been subjected to a sterilization treatment under the conditions usually employed when sterilizing seasonings. For example, it is preferably a composition that has been heat-sterilized at 100°C or lower for several seconds to several minutes. The composition according to one aspect of the present invention may be subjected to retort sterilization. Retort sterilization may be performed at a temperature, pressure, and time that can sterilize the product into a state that can be stored for a long time, and is not particularly limited. For example, it is performed at 100°C to 130°C, preferably about 120°C, for 1 minute to 30 minutes, preferably about 10 minutes, under normal pressure or under pressure. Note that the sterilization treatment of the composition according to one aspect of the present invention may be performed after mixing citrus fruit juice, phenethyl acetate, and other components; after mixing citrus fruit juice and other components and then subjecting them to a sterilization treatment, and then mixing them with phenethyl acetate that has been previously subjected to a sterilization treatment; or by mixing citrus fruit juice, phenethyl acetate, and other components that have been individually subjected to a sterilization treatment in advance. Any method may be adopted.

[0046] The composition according to one aspect of the present invention can be used, for example, to mix with ingredients such as water, saccharides, vegetables, aromatic vegetables, mushrooms, fruits, seeds, meats, seafood, seaweeds, eggs, processed meat products, and processed foods and beverages to cook them at room temperature or after heating. Another aspect of the present invention is a processed food and beverage containing the composition according to one aspect of the present invention and ingredients as raw materials.

[0047] The ingredients used together with the composition according to one aspect of the present invention may be pre-treated by heating, such as cutting them into bite-sized pieces, roasting them, or stir-frying them. Since the composition according to one aspect of the present invention can suppress the deterioration of the aroma of citrus fruit juice due to heating, the processed food and beverage according to one aspect of the present invention may be a heat-cooked food.

[0048] The method of cooking using the composition of one aspect of the present invention is not particularly limited and can be appropriately set according to the type and amount of ingredients used, the type of cooked food, and the like. Examples of cooking methods include ordinary cooking methods such as frying, deep-frying, baking, steaming, heating using a microwave oven, heating by hot air, and heating in hot water, and these cooking methods may be appropriately combined and implemented.

[0049] The processed food or drink of one aspect of the present invention is cooked using the composition of one aspect of the present invention, and thus has an excellent flavor of citrus fruit juice. The manufacturing method of the processed food or drink of one aspect of the present invention includes a step of obtaining a processed food or drink by mixing the composition of one aspect of the present invention and ingredients.

[0050] Another aspect of the present invention focuses on the action of phenethyl acetate to improve the aroma of citrus fruit juice, and provides a composition for improving the aroma of citrus fruit juice containing phenethyl acetate as an active ingredient; a method for improving the aroma of citrus fruit juice, which includes a step of mixing citrus fruit juice or a composition containing citrus fruit juice and phenethyl acetate so that the content of phenethyl acetate is 1 ppb to 2,000 ppb.

[0051] Another aspect of the present invention focuses on the action of phenethyl acetate to suppress the decrease of terpenes, and provides a composition for suppressing the decrease of terpenes containing phenethyl acetate as an active ingredient; a method for suppressing the decrease of terpenes, which includes a step of mixing terpenes or a composition containing terpenes and phenethyl acetate so that the content of phenethyl acetate is 1 ppb to 2,000 ppb.

[0052] Specific examples of the processed food or drink in a container of one aspect of the present invention include, in addition to the cooked food packed in a container obtained by using the composition of one aspect of the present invention described above, juice-containing beverages such as juice, cocktails, fruit wines, etc., but are not limited thereto.

[0053] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples. However, the present invention is not limited to these examples, and the present invention can take various forms as long as the problems of the present invention can be solved.

Example

[0054] Example 1 Evaluation of the influence on the aroma of fruit juice in ponzu vinegar (1) [1-1. Preparation of test ponzu vinegar] 1 g of 98% pure phenethyl acetate (Sigma-Aldrich) was placed in a 100 ml volumetric flask and made up to the mark with 95% ethanol to prepare a phenethyl acetate stock solution (1 g / 100 ml). Subsequently, the phenethyl acetate solution to be added to each of the test ponzu vinegars described below was unified to 100 μl, and the phenethyl acetate stock solution was diluted with water so that the content of phenethyl acetate in each test ponzu vinegar would reach a predetermined concentration, thereby preparing each phenethyl acetate solution.

[0055] Using the blending amounts shown in Table 1 below, soy sauce, yuzu juice, vinegar, sugar, glutamic acid, water, and each phenethyl acetate solution were placed in a stainless steel tube, mixed and dissolved by stirring at about 40°C, and 100 ml of each test ponzu vinegar was prepared. Note that "Kikkoman Special Selection Whole Soybean Soy Sauce" (Kikkoman) in which no phenethyl acetate was detected was used as the soy sauce. As the yuzu juice, a non-heated filled product of straight juice was used. Also, when the concentration of phenethyl acetate is 10 ppb, it means that there is 1,000 ng of phenethyl acetate in 100 ml of the test ponzu vinegar.

[0056] The prepared test ponzu vinegars were used as the test ponzu vinegars before heating, and were designated as test ponzu vinegars 1-1 to 8-1, respectively. The test ponzu vinegars 1-1 to 8-1 were heated in a water bath until they reached 80°C and then rapidly cooled in ice and maintained at about 25°C, and were used as the test ponzu vinegars after heating, and were designated as test ponzu vinegars 1-2 to 8-2, respectively.

[0057]

Table 1

[0058] [1-2. Sensory evaluation method] For test ponzu 1-1 to 8-1 and test ponzu 1-2 to 8-2, panelists (3 people A to C) who are excellent at distinguishing the flavor and smell of fruit juice ate the test ponzu with a spoon and smelled it at room temperature of about 25°C.

[0059] The evaluation items were set as "fruit juice flavor", "sourness" and "off-flavor" when eating, and "fresh citrus aroma" when smelling.

[0060] The "fruit juice flavor" was defined as the flavor of fruit juice felt when eating the test ponzu and holding it in the mouth. The "sourness" was defined as the sour taste felt with the tongue when eating the test ponzu and holding it in the mouth. The "off-flavor" was defined as either astringency or bitterness (peel feeling) felt with the tongue when eating the test ponzu and holding it in the mouth. The "fresh citrus aroma" was defined as the green and sour aroma generated when squeezing citrus fruits, which is felt relatively early only with the nose without putting the test ponzu in the mouth.

[0061] For the sensory evaluation, heated test ponzu 1-2 without added phenethyl acetate was used as the evaluation criterion ("0"), and the strength of each test ponzu with respect to the evaluation items was evaluated in the following 9 grades. When conducting the sensory test, the panel (training period: 10 to 20 years) was given discussions and evaluation training on the flavor and smell of fruit juice. Specifically, regarding the characteristics of the flavor and smell of fruit juice, discussions were held among the panelists and adjustments were made so that each panelist had a common understanding. Also, in order to ensure the validity of the sensory test, the panel was given evaluation training using some test ponzus, and the reproducibility of the evaluation by each panelist was confirmed. After these were done, the panel was used to evaluate the flavor and smell of fruit juice for each test ponzu. -4: Feels much weaker compared to the evaluation criterion -3: Feels considerably weaker compared to the evaluation criterion -2: Feels weaker compared to the evaluation criterion -1: Feels slightly weaker compared to the evaluation criterion 0: Feels the same as the evaluation criterion 1: Feels somewhat strong compared to the evaluation criteria 2: Compared to the evaluation criteria, I feel strongly 3: Compared to the evaluation criteria, I feel it is quite strong 4: Compared to the evaluation criteria, I feel very strongly

[0062] [1-3. Sensory evaluation results] The results of sensory evaluation of each test ponzu on the evaluation items "fruit flavor," "off-flavor," and "fresh citrus aroma" are shown in Tables 2A to 2C. Regarding the evaluation item "sourness," no significant differences were observed among the test ponzu.

[0063] [Table 2A]

[0064] [Table 2B]

[0065] [Table 2C]

[0066] As shown in Tables 2A to 2C, the test ponzu sauces 2-2 to 7-2 after heating with phenethyl acetate added had a stronger fruit juice flavor and fresh citrus aroma, and less unpleasant flavor, compared to the test ponzu sauce 1-2 after heating without phenethyl acetate, which was the evaluation standard. In addition, a comparison of test ponzu sauces 1-1 and 1-2 without phenethyl acetate revealed that the desirable flavor was lost by heating. Taking these results together, it was found that the addition of phenethyl acetate to ponzu sauce can suppress the deterioration of flavor caused by heating fruit juice.

[0067] Also, from the test results of the test ponzu vinegars 1-1 to 7-1 before heating, it was found that by adding a larger amount of phenethyl acetate, the flavor was improved compared to those without the addition of phenethyl acetate. However, for the test ponzu vinegars 8-1 and 8-2 with a phenethyl acetate addition concentration of 5,000 ppb, due to the rose fragrance of phenethyl acetate or the overall floral fragrance, sensory evaluation could not be carried out. In addition, when the test ponzu vinegar 8-2 was poured over yuba and eaten, the floral fragrance was still prominent, and there was a sense of incongruity, indicating that it was not suitable as ponzu vinegar.

[0068] From the above results, it was found that phenethyl acetate has the effect of improving the flavor of fruit juice and suppressing the deterioration of flavor due to heating of fruit juice.

[0069] Example 2 Evaluation of the influence on the aroma of fruit juice in ponzu vinegar (2) [2-1. Preparation of Test Ponzu Vinegar] Except for setting the blending amounts shown in Table 3 below, the test ponzu vinegars 9-1 to 13-1 and 9-2 to 13-2 after heating were obtained in the same manner as in Example 1. Each test ponzu vinegar was filled into a 100 ml transparent bottle, and the test ponzu vinegars 9-1 to 13-1 were stored at 5°C for 15 days, and the test ponzu vinegars 9-2 to 13-2 were stored at 40°C for 15 days. When the pH of each test ponzu vinegar was measured, the pH of all test ponzu vinegars was in the range of 3.87 to 3.90.

[0070]

Table 3

[0071] [2-2. Sensory Evaluation Method] In the same manner as in Example 1, the test ponzu vinegars 9-1 to 13-1 and the test ponzu vinegars 9-2 to 13-2 were tested by sensory evaluation for "flavor of fruit juice", "sourness", "off-flavor", and "fresh citrus fragrance". However, the evaluation criteria were based on the test ponzu vinegar 9-1, which is a 5°C stored product without the addition of phenethyl acetate.

[0072] [2-3. Sensory Evaluation Results] For each test ponzu vinegar, the results of the sensory evaluations of the evaluation items "flavor of fruit juice", "off-flavor", and "fresh citrus aroma" are shown in Tables 4A to 4C. Note that for the evaluation item "acidity", no significant difference was observed among the test ponzu vinegars.

[0073]

Table 4A

[0074]

Table 4B

[0075]

Table 4C

[0076] As shown in Tables 4A to 4C, the test ponzu vinegar 9-2 stored at 40°C without the addition of phenethyl acetate had weak favorable flavors ("flavor of fruit juice", "fresh citrus aroma") and strong unfavorable flavors ("off-flavor"). However, as shown by the results of test ponzu vinegars 10-2 to 13-2, favorable flavors were strongly felt depending on the addition amount of phenethyl acetate, and unfavorable flavors tended to decrease. Also, the same tendency was obtained from the test results using the test ponzu vinegar stored at 5°C.

[0077] From the above results, it was found that ponzu vinegar added with phenethyl acetate can be stored as having a favorable fruit juice flavor regardless of temperature conditions.

[0078] Example 3 Evaluation of the influence on the aroma of fruit juice in fruit juice beverages (1) [3-1. Preparation of Test Beverage] Except for setting the blending amounts shown in Table 5 below, in the same manner as in Example 1, 100 ml of test beverages 1-1 to 7-1 before heating and test beverages 1-2 to 7-2 after heating were obtained. Here too, when the concentration of phenethyl acetate is 10 ppb, it means that there are 1,000 ng of phenethyl acetate per 100 ml of the test beverage.

[0079]

Table 5

[0080] [3-2. Sensory evaluation method] In the same manner as in Example 1, for each test beverage, sensory evaluations were conducted for the evaluation items "flavor of fruit juice", "off-flavor", and "sweet citrus aroma". However, the evaluation criteria were the test beverages 1-1 to 7-1 before heating for the test beverages 1-2 to 7-2 after heating, respectively. Also, the "sweet citrus aroma" was defined as the sweet aroma peculiar to citrus fruits that is felt relatively late only by the nose without putting the test beverage in the mouth.

[0081] [3-3. Sensory evaluation results] Tables 6A and 6B show the results of the sensory evaluations for the evaluation items "flavor of fruit juice" and "sweet citrus aroma" for the test beverages 1-2 to 7-2. For the evaluation item "off-flavor", no differences were observed before and after heating at all fruit juice concentrations.

[0082]

Table 6A

[0083]

Table 6B

[0084] As shown in Tables 6A to 6B, it was found that by adding phenethyl acetate, regardless of the fruit juice concentration, the flavor of the fruit juice and the sweet aroma of citrus tended to become stronger than before heating. From these results, when phenethyl acetate coexists, it is possible that phenethyl acetate can be decomposed prior to the flavor components in the fruit juice; there may be substances that decompose and / or deactivate at less than 80 °C in the test beverage, reducing and / or masking the flavor components, and phenethyl acetate may protect the flavor components from the influence of such substances.

[0085] From the above results, it was found that the fruit juice-containing beverage added with phenethyl acetate has a preferable fruit juice flavor regardless of the fruit juice concentration even after heating.

[0086] Example 4 Evaluation of the influence on the aroma of fruit juice in fruit juice beverages (2) [4-1. Preparation of Test Beverages] Test beverages 8-1 to 17-1 before heating and test beverages 8-2 to 17-2 after heating were obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the blending amounts shown in Table 7 below were used. Similar to the yuzu juice, each fruit juice used was a non-heated filled product of straight fruit juice using each fruit.

[0087]

Table 7

[0088] [4-2. Sensory Evaluation Method] In the same manner as in Example 3, each test beverage was tested by sensory evaluation for "fruit juice flavor", "off-flavor", and "sweet aroma of citrus". However, since the evaluations were performed for the same types of fruit juices, the evaluation criteria were based on test beverage 8-1 for test beverages 8-2 and 9-1 to 9-2. Similarly, test beverage 10-1 was used for test beverages 10-2 and 11-1 to 11-2; test beverage 12-1 was used for test beverages 12-2 and 13-1 to 13-2; test beverage 14-1 was used for test beverages 14-2 and 15-1 to 15-2; and test beverage 16-1 was used for test beverages 16-2 and 17-1 to 17-2.

[0089] [4-3. Sensory evaluation results] Tables 8A and 8B show the results of the sensory evaluation of the evaluation items "flavor of fruit juice" and "sweet citrus aroma" for each test beverage. For the evaluation item "off-flavor", no difference was observed before and after heating at all fruit juice concentrations.

[0090] [Table 8A]

[0091] [Table 8B]

[0092] As shown in Tables 8A to 8B, it was found that by adding phenethyl acetate, regardless of the type of fruit juice, the flavor of the fruit juice and the sweet citrus aroma became stronger than before heating, or the deterioration due to heating was suppressed. Also, it was found that by adding phenethyl acetate without heating, the flavor of the fruit juice and the sweet citrus aroma became stronger.

[0093] From the above results, it was found that the fruit juice-containing beverage added with phenethyl acetate has a preferable fruit juice fragrance regardless of the presence or absence of heating and regardless of the type of fruit juice.

[0094] Example 5 Confirmation of the presence of phenethyl acetate in fruit juice [5-1. Method for analyzing aroma components] Components in the gas phase were adsorbed onto the fiber by the headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) method. As the SPME fiber, a Divinylbenzen / Carboxen / Polydimethylsiloxane (DVB / CAR / PDMS) fiber (75 mm, DVB / CAR / PDMS, fused silica, 24Ga; Merck) was used. The equilibrium condition was 40 °C for 5 minutes, and the adsorption condition was 40 °C for 20 minutes.

[0095] The collected aroma components were introduced into a GC-MS "GCMS QP-2010 Ultra" (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) using an autosampler "AOC5000" (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) for analysis. The analysis was performed with n = 4. The conditions in GC / MS were as follows. Measurement mode: Scan Column: DB WAX 60×0.25 mm, i.d. 0.25 μm (Agilent) Carrier gas: Helium Linear flow rate: 40 cm / min Oven temperature: 40°C (hold for 3 minutes) → 5°C / min → 110°C → 10°C / min → 240°C (hold for 5 minutes) Ion source temperature: 240°C Transfer line temperature: 240°C Ionization mode: EI Mass range: 30 m / z ~ 250 m / z Measurement time: 24 minutes ~ 35 minutes

[0096] Each of yuzu juice, kabosu juice, sudachi juice, yuko juice, and sekwasha juice was centrifuged to remove sediments. Equal volumes of the obtained juice sample solutions were mixed to prepare a juice sample mixture. To 1.9 mL of the juice sample mixture, 100 μL of each phenethyl acetate solution was added so that the phenethyl acetate concentration became 1 ppb, 0.5 ppb, and 0.1 ppb, respectively, to prepare test solutions.

[0097] The minimum concentration at which the S / N ratio of the peak of phenethyl acetate (104 m / z) is > 3.0 was set as the detection limit. Noise was measured for 1 minute before and after the peak. When test solutions with various phenethyl acetate concentrations were measured, the S / N ratio of the peak with a phenethyl acetate concentration of 0.1 ppb was 2.3, that of the peak with 0.5 ppb was 5.3, and that of the peak with 1 ppb was 7.8. From these results, 0.5 ppb was set as the detection limit.

[0098] ​[Detection and Evaluation of Phenethyl Acetate in Fruit Juices] When each fruit juice sample solution was analyzed for phenethyl acetate, no peak of phenethyl acetate with an S / N ratio greater than 3.0 was obtained. From this result, it was found that the phenethyl acetate concentration was below the detection limit (0.5 ppb) (N.D.) in all of yuzu juice, kabosu juice, sudachi juice, yuko juice, and seikwasha juice.

[0099] Example 6 Measurement of terpenoids in ponzu vinegar added with phenethyl acetate [Preparation of Test Samples] The heated test ponzu vinegars 9-1 to 13-1 and 9-2 to 13-2 prepared in the same manner as in Example 2 were filled into 100-ml transparent bottles. The test ponzu vinegars 9-1 to 13-1 were stored at -20 °C (frozen) and the test ponzu vinegars 9-2 to 13-2 were stored at 40 °C for 15 days. The test ponzu vinegar after storage was diluted 100-fold with water to obtain a test sample.

[0100] [Measurement Method] For the test samples, in the same manner as in Example 5, phenethyl acetate (104 m / z), and as terpenes, β-pinene (93 m / z), limonene (121 m / z), sabinene (93 m / z), γ-terpinene (136 m / z), cymene (119 m / z), and linalool (93 m / z) were measured by HS-SPME method and GC / MS (measurement time: 2 minutes to 35 minutes). For the test ponzu vinegars 9-1 to 13-1 stored frozen, they were thawed with running water on the day of analysis.

[0101] [Evaluation Results] From the measurement results, Figures 1A and Table 9 show the relative representation of the peak area values of the test samples of the 40°C storage product based on the peak area values of the test samples of the -20°C storage product of phenethyl acetate at each added concentration of phenethyl acetate. Also, Figure 1B shows the figure representing the absolute values of the peak area values of phenethyl acetate at each added concentration. The underlined numerical values in the table indicate the numerical values with a significant difference at a 95% risk rate in the t-test compared to the -20°C storage product.

[0102]

Table 9

[0103] Similarly, Figures 2A and Table 10 show the relative representation of the peak area values of the test samples of the 40°C storage product based on the peak area values of the test samples of the -20°C storage product of each terpene at each added concentration of phenethyl acetate. Also, Figure 2B shows the figure representing the absolute values of the peak area values of each terpene at each added concentration of phenethyl acetate.

[0104]

Table 10

[0105] As shown in Figure 1A and Table 9, when the added concentration of phenethyl acetate is 1 ppb or more, it was found that the added amount of phenethyl acetate in the 40°C storage product tends to decrease compared to the -20°C storage product.

[0106] As shown in Figure 2A and Table 10, when no phenethyl acetate is added, it was found that the terpenes tend to decrease under the 40°C storage condition. On the other hand, when phenethyl acetate is added, it was found that the decrease of the terpenes under the 40°C storage condition is suppressed in a concentration-dependent manner of phenethyl acetate. Therefore, it was found that phenethyl acetate has an action of suppressing the decrease of terpenes and an aroma-preserving action.

[0107] On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 2B, it was found that even under the storage condition of -20°C, the decrease in terpenoids tended to be suppressed depending on the concentration of phenethyl acetate. Also, when 100 ppb of phenethyl acetate was added, it was found that the amount of terpenoids tended to be larger under the storage condition of 40°C than under the storage condition of -20°C.

[0108] From the above results, possibilities such as terpenoids can be decomposed at -20°C; when phenethyl acetate coexists, phenethyl acetate can be decomposed prior to terpenoids; substances such as enzymes that reduce terpenoids may exist around 40°C; and factors that chemically or physically reduce terpenoids may exist are speculated.

Industrial Applicability

[0109] The composition, processed food and drink, and container-packed processed food and drink of one aspect of the present invention can be industrially produced as those having improved flavor of citrus fruit juice contained therein and / or those in which the decrease in terpenoids is suppressed, and can be provided in restaurants. Therefore, they are useful as seasonings and food and drinks used in various scenes. The method of one aspect of the present invention, as well as the composition for improving the flavor of citrus fruit juice and the composition for suppressing the decomposition of terpenoids, can be used for obtaining the composition of one aspect of the present invention.

Claims

A method for suppressing the decrease of terpenoids, comprising a step of mixing a composition containing terpenoids and phenethyl acetate so that the content of phenethyl acetate becomes 1 ppb to 2,000 ppb, thereby suppressing the decrease of terpenoids. The phenethyl acetate is a compound having a structure represented by the following formula (I) 【Chemical Formula 1】 (I) The method as described above. **Claim 2** The method according to claim 1, wherein the composition further contains at least one component selected from the group consisting of sugar, water, soy sauce, vinegar, and glutamic acid. **Claim 3** A composition for suppressing the decrease of terpenoids, containing phenethyl acetate as an active ingredient, The phenethyl acetate is a compound having a structure represented by the following formula (I) 【Chemical Formula 2】 (I) The composition as described above. **Claim 4** A composition for improving the flavor of citrus fruit juice, containing phenethyl acetate as an active ingredient, The phenethyl acetate is a compound having a structure represented by the following formula (I) 【Chemical Formula 3】 (I) The composition as described above. **Claim 5** The composition according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the composition further contains at least one component selected from the group consisting of sugar, water, soy sauce, vinegar, and glutamic acid.

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