Container-packed green tea beverage containing high concentration of theanine

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a packaged green tea beverage that contains a high concentration of theanine and yet allows one to fully enjoy the lingering aroma characteristic of green tea. The present invention provides a packaged green tea beverage having an L-theanine content of 100 to 2200 ppm, a glyceroglycolipid content of 0.2 to 30 ppm, and a nonanal content of 0.5 to 10 ppb.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a container-packed green tea beverage containing a high concentration of theanine.

Background Art

[0002] Green tea beverages are widely loved as luxury goods, and are not only freshly brewed green tea from tea leaves, but also developed as container-packed beverages sealed in containers such as cans, PET bottles, and paper containers. Particularly in recent years, due to the increasing health consciousness of consumers, the healthy green tea market has been growing, and container-packed green tea beverages with increased functional ingredients derived from tea have attracted attention. For example, theanine, a umami component abundantly contained in high-grade green tea such as gyokuro, is known to be effective in improving the quality of sleep and having an anti-stress effect. Patent Documents 1 to 3 propose green tea beverages containing theanine.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The inventors of the present invention have found that although the umami of the green tea beverage is enhanced by adding a large amount of L-theanine abundantly contained in gyokuro, a high-grade green tea, the aftertaste of the unique aroma of the green tea beverage becomes difficult to feel, and the balance between the green aroma and the roasted aroma is lost.

[0005] In view of such a situation, an object of the present invention is to provide a bottled green tea beverage containing a high concentration of L-theanine, having a good aftertaste of fragrance, and a good balance between green fragrance and roasted fragrance.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] As a result of intensive studies on the above problems, the present inventors have found that the above problems can be solved by including a specific amount of glyceroglycolipid and nonanal in the green tea beverage, and have completed the present invention.

[0007] The present invention includes, but is not limited to, the following aspects. [1] A bottled green tea beverage in which the content of L-theanine is 100 to 2200 ppm, the content of glyceroglycolipid is 0.2 to 30 ppm, and the content of nonanal is 0.5 to 10 ppb. [2] The beverage according to [1], wherein the content of catechins is 1200 ppm or less. [3] The beverage according to [1] or [2], wherein the content of glyceroglycolipid is 1 to 20 ppm. [4] The beverage according to any one of [1] to [3], containing green tea powder. [5] A method for producing the beverage according to any one of [1] to [4], including a step of adjusting and blending the content of L-theanine to 100 to 2200 ppm and the content of glyceroglycolipid to 0.2 to 30 ppm.

Effects of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, in a green tea beverage containing a high concentration of L-theanine, it is possible to improve the preferable aftertaste of the fragrance peculiar to the green tea beverage.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] The present invention relates to green tea beverages. As used herein, the term "green tea beverage" refers to a beverage prepared by blending an extract of green tea leaves. As a preferred embodiment of the green tea beverage of the present invention, a beverage mainly composed of a green tea extract can be mentioned. Here, a beverage mainly composed of a green tea extract refers to a beverage in which notations related to green tea such as "green tea" and "green tea extract" are listed at the top in the raw material notation described in the Food Labeling Law (implemented in April 2015). Preferably, it is a beverage in which the notation related to green tea is listed first or second in the raw material notation, and more preferably a beverage listed first.

[0010] As the green tea leaves that are the raw materials of green tea beverages, tea leaves selected from the genus Camellia such as Camellia sinensis and their hybrids, and tea leaves classified as non-fermented tea (for example, sencha, bancha, matcha, kamairi-cha, kucha, hojicha, mecha, etc.) can be mentioned. Examples of Camellia sinensis include, for example, C. sinensis var. sinensis (including the yabukita variety), C. sinensis var. assamica, etc.

[0011] Generally, many of the aroma components of green tea beverages are unstable and gradually deteriorate due to oxygen, light, heat, etc. As the storage period lengthens, the original flavor and aroma of green tea disappear, or off-flavors and off-odors (deterioration odors) occur. The present inventors have found that in green tea beverages containing a high concentration of L-theanine, there is a problem that the aftertaste of the original aroma of green tea is reduced and the balance between green aroma and roasted aroma is disrupted. Here, the reduction of the aftertaste of the aroma of the green tea beverage in this specification particularly means the reduction of the aroma remaining as an aftertaste from the middle to the last.

[0012] L-Theanine The green tea beverage of the present invention contains 100 to 2,200 ppm of L-theanine. As described above, when a high concentration of L-theanine is contained in a green tea beverage, the aftertaste of the aroma of the green tea beverage is reduced. However, by blending glyceroglycolipid based on the present invention, the aftertaste of the aroma in the green tea beverage can be enhanced. The L-theanine content of the green tea beverage targeted by the present invention is 100 ppm or more, preferably 130 ppm or more, more preferably 150 ppm or more, and still more preferably 200 ppm or more. Also, from the viewpoint of the palatability of the green tea beverage, the L-theanine content is 2,200 ppm or less, preferably 1,800 ppm or less, more preferably 1,600 ppm or less, and still more preferably 1,500 ppm or less. In this specification, "ppm" and "ppb" mean the concentration (mg / L, μg / L) of each component contained in the unit volume of the green tea beverage.

[0013] The method of blending L-theanine is not particularly limited. A purified product of L-theanine (including a roughly purified product), an extract such as tea leaves containing L-theanine at a high concentration, or tea leaf powder such as matcha may be added to the green tea beverage. However, in order to efficiently blend a high concentration of theanine, it is preferable to blend a purified product of L-theanine. Examples of commercially available products of L-theanine include Santeanine (trademark: Taiyo Kagaku, L-theanine purity 98% or more). The content of L-theanine in the green tea beverage can be quantified using an amino acid analyzer.

[0014] Glyceroglycolipid The green tea beverage of the present invention contains 0.2 to 30 ppm of glyceroglycolipid, thereby preventing the reduction of the aftertaste of the aroma caused by L-theanine. In the present invention, the content of glyceroglycolipid is preferably 0.4 ppm or more, more preferably 0.8 ppm or more, still more preferably 1.0 ppm or more, and even more preferably 1.2 ppm or more. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of palatability, the content of glyceroglycolipid is preferably 20 ppm or less, more preferably 15 ppm or less, still more preferably 13 ppm or less.

[0015] Glyceroglycolipids refer to glycolipids in which a sugar chain composed of 1 to 3 monosaccharides is ester-bonded to diacylglycerol. Examples of the monosaccharides that make up the sugar chain contained in glyceroglycolipids include galactose, glucose, mannose, fructose, xylose, arabinose, fucose, quinovose, rhamnose, sulfoquinovose, etc. The acyl group can be a saturated or unsaturated straight-chain or branched-chain fatty acid residue having 6 to 24 carbon atoms. Specifically, linolenic acid, linoleic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid, etc. can be mentioned. The content of glyceroglycolipids in the present invention refers to the total content of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG). In beverages, glyceroglycolipids can be considered to exist as a colloidal dispersion system.

[0016] To adjust the glyceroglycolipid content in green tea beverages, for example, a purified product of glyceroglycolipids may be blended. Also, the type of tea leaves and extraction method, etc. can be adjusted to adjust the glyceroglycolipid content in green tea beverages to 0.2 to 30 ppm. For example, two or more types of green tea extracts may be mixed to adjust the amount of glyceroglycolipids, or it can also be adjusted by blending powdered tea instead of green tea extracts. Regarding the blending of glyceroglycolipids into green tea beverages, for example, the methods described in International Publication WO2009 / 116538, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2017-74014, etc. may be referred to.

[0017] When adjusting the glyceroglycolipid content by blending powdered tea, the blending amount of powdered tea is preferably 0.001% or more, more preferably 0.005% or more, and even more preferably 0.01% or more. If too much powdered tea is blended, it will not only affect the aroma of the green tea beverage but also have a great impact on the taste. Therefore, the blending amount is preferably 0.8% or less, more preferably 0.5% or less, and even more preferably 0.15% or less. When powdered tea is blended into a green tea beverage, the turbidity of the green tea beverage increases, and this can be indicated by the turbidity (OD680) expressed as the absorbance at 680 nm. Therefore, the turbidity (OD680) is preferably 0.1 or more, more preferably 0.15, even more preferably 0.2 or more, and the upper limit is preferably 10 or less, more preferably 5 or less, even more preferably 1 or less, and most preferably 0.8 or less. Turbidity is indicated by the absorbance (OD680) at 680 nm and can be measured with a general spectrophotometer according to a conventional method. When the turbidity of the sample is too high and the measured value is unstable, the sample may be diluted and then the turbidity may be measured, and the turbidity may be calculated by multiplying by the dilution factor. In the present invention, the average particle size of the powdered tea is preferably 0.1 to 100 μm, more preferably 0.5 to 50 μm, and even more preferably 1.0 to 20 μm.

[0018] Nonanal In the present invention, by preventing the reduction of the aftertaste of the aroma, the balance between the green aroma and the roasted aroma is improved, and the original aroma of green tea, particularly the fresh aroma of the green tea beverage, can be relatively strongly perceived. Here, as the fresh aroma of the green tea beverage, "melon aroma" can be mentioned. The melon aroma is the characteristic aroma of gyokuro, which is a high-grade tea, and as the aroma component that forms the melon aroma, there is nonanal, which is one of the volatile aldehydes. The nonanal content of the green tea beverage according to the present invention is 0 .5 to 10 ppb, and within such a range, the fresh aroma of the green tea beverage can be sufficiently felt. In a preferred embodiment, the nonanal content in the present invention is preferably 1.0 to 8.0 ppb, more preferably 1.5 to 6.0 ppb, and even more preferably 2.0 to 5.0 ppb.

[0019] The beverage according to the present invention is a green tea beverage prepared by blending an extract of green tea leaves and also contains catechins. If the content of catechins is too high, there is a risk that the bitterness and astringency of catechins may impair the palatability of the green tea beverage. Therefore, the content of catechins in the green tea beverage of the present invention is preferably 1200 ppm or less, and more preferably 1100 ppm or less. The lower limit of the content of catechins is, for example, 50 ppm or more , preferably 100 ppm or more, and more preferably 300 ppm or more.

[0020] In addition, the "catechins" in this specification mean catechin (C), epicatechin (EC), gallocatechin (GC), epigallocatechin (EGC), catechin gallate (Cg), epicatechin gallate (ECg), gallocatechin gallate (GCg), and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), and the "content of catechins" means the total amount of these eight types. The concentration of catechins in the beverage can be quantified by a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method using a reverse phase column.

[0021] In addition to the above components, the green tea beverage of the present invention can contain antioxidants such as ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate. By adding an antioxidant, it is possible to prevent browning during and after the production process of the green tea beverage and the generation of unpleasant odors associated with browning. Therefore, in combination with the effects of the present invention, the flavor of the green tea beverage can be improved. The amount of the antioxidant can be appropriately selected according to the type of the antioxidant. For example, in the case of L-ascorbic acid, it is about 0.02 to 0.08% by weight.

[0022] The beverage of the present invention is a bottled green tea beverage that can be stored at room temperature for a long period of time. Usually, pH adjustment is performed using a pH adjuster such as sodium hydrogen carbonate to suppress a decrease in pH during storage. The pH of the bottled green tea beverage is preferably about 5.5 to 7.0, more preferably about 5.8 to 6.5. Such a pH-adjusted green tea beverage is less likely to perceive the aroma of the green tea beverage compared to a non-pH-adjusted green tea beverage (for example, a green tea beverage brewed in a teapot). However, the green tea beverage of the present invention suppresses a decrease in the aftertaste of the fragrance and can strongly perceive a fresh flavor characteristic of the green tea beverage. Due to the remarkable nature of the effects of the present invention, the pH-adjusted green tea beverage is an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Here, the pH in this specification refers to the value measured with a pH meter after measuring 100 mL of the liquid beverage into a 200 mL beaker and adjusting the temperature to 20°C.

[0023] In addition, in the tea beverage of the present invention, various additives may be blended as necessary in addition to the above components, as long as the intended purpose of the present invention is not deviated from. As various additives, for example, sweeteners, coloring agents, emulsifiers, preservatives, vitamins, extracts, fragrances, etc. can be used alone or in combination. From the viewpoint of being able to significantly exhibit the effects of the present invention, it is preferable that the green tea beverage does not use a sweetener or a fragrance.

[0024] Bottled green tea beverage In a preferred embodiment, the present invention is a bottled green tea beverage that can be stored at room temperature for a long period of time. Here, the bottled green tea beverage in this specification is a beverage filled in a container and sealed, and includes RTD beverages (RTD = Ready To Drink: bottled beverages in containers such as PET bottles, cans, bottles, and paper that can be drunk immediately after opening the lid). The bottled green tea beverage of the present invention also includes a diluted type beverage in which a concentrated liquid is filled in a container and sealed and diluted with water or the like to make a beverage at the time of drinking. In this case, the contents of L-theanine, nonanal, etc. refer to those in which the beverage at the time of dilution falls within the above range.

[0025] As the material of the container, any of the materials commonly used for beverage containers can be used, such as metal containers like aluminum cans and steel cans, resin containers like PET bottles, glass bottles, paper containers, etc. From the viewpoint of effectively reducing the deterioration odor caused by light, oxygen, etc., in a particularly preferred embodiment, the beverage container according to the present invention is made of transparent resin. The container capacity is not particularly limited either, but it is about 100 to 2000 mL, preferably 200 to 2000 mL, more preferably about 350 to 2000 mL.

[0026] The container-packed beverage according to the present invention is a beverage that can be stored at room temperature for a long time. The beverage preparation liquid may be filled into the container after heat sterilization, or may be heat sterilized after being filled into the container. Also, in the present invention, it is also possible to perform aseptic filling at a low temperature or the like. The conditions for heat sterilization are not particularly limited, but the treatment specified by the Food Sanitation Law may be performed. For example, in the case of canned beverages, retort sterilization (for example, heat sterilization at 121°C for 7 minutes while appropriately applying pressure), in the case of resin containers, UHT sterilization (for example, holding the beverage composition at 120 to 150°C for 1 second to several tens of seconds), etc. may be performed, but hot pack, membrane sterilization, etc. may be used as needed. For example, in the case of retort sterilization, it can be treated under conditions of about 110 to 130°C for about 10 to 30 minutes, preferably about 120 to 125°C for about 10 to 20 minutes, and in the case of UHT sterilization, it can be treated under conditions of about 120 to 150°C for 1 to 120 seconds, preferably about 130 to 145°C for 30 to 120 seconds.

Examples

[0027] Hereinafter, experimental examples will be shown to specifically explain the details of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Also, in this specification, unless otherwise specified, concentrations, etc. are based on mass (weight), and numerical ranges are described as including their endpoints.

[0028] Quantification of each component ​Each component contained in the green tea beverage was quantified as follows. When insoluble solids such as powdered tea are included, the insoluble solids should be removed by centrifugation or filtration before analyzing each component. Centrifugation can be carried out at 3000 rpm for 10 minutes, and filtration can be performed using a membrane filter (pore size: 0.45 μm, manufactured by Tosoh Corporation). (1) L-Theanine L-Theanine was quantified using HPLC. Theanine (special grade reagent) manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Corporation was used as the standard for preparing the calibration curve. The measurement conditions for HPLC are shown below. · HPLC apparatus: Waters Amino Acid Analyzer 2695 · Column: AccQ―Tag column (3.9 mm × 150 mm) · Column temperature: 40 °C · Mobile phase A: AccQ―Tag A (pH 5.8) · Mobile phase B: Acetonitrile · Mobile phase C: Water - Methanol (90:10) · Detection: EX250nm EM395nm Gain100 · Injection volume: 5 μL · Gradient program: Time (min) Flow rate (ml / min) %A %B %C 0 1 100 0 0 1 1 99 1 0 16 1 97 3 0 25 1 94 6 0 35 1 86 14 0 40 1 86 14 0 50 1 82 18 0 51 1 0 60 40 54 1 100 0 0 75 1 0 60 40 110 0 0 60 40 (2) Glyceroglycolipid Ultrafiltration membrane (Millipore, Biomax PBMK ultrafiltration disk, polyethersulfone Hon was subjected to pressure filtration using 300,000 NMWL, and the components on the membrane were recovered to obtain a fraction with a molecular weight of 300,000 or more. This was dissolved in water, acidified by adding hydrochloric acid, and then liquid-liquid partitioning was performed with ethyl acetate, and the ethyl acetate layer was recovered (3 times in total). This solution was concentrated and subjected to reverse-phase chromatography for quantitative analysis of glyceroglycolipids.

[0029] As standards for quantitative analysis, Avanti's monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) were used. When analyzing the MGDG standard, it was largely separated into two peaks, so a calibration curve was created using both peaks. The analysis conditions are as follows. · Reverse-phase column: TSK-GEL (TOSOH Corporation, inner diameter 4.6 mm × length 150 mm) · Sample injection volume: 10 μl · Flow rate: 1.0 ml / min. · RI detector: SHIMADZU RIA-10A · Eluent: 95% methanol · Temperature: 40 °C (3) Nonanal Nonanal in each sample was quantified using GC / MS. Specifically, the sample solution was directly placed in a 20 ml glass crimp vial (diameter 18 mm, manufactured by AMR), sealed with a crimp cap with a PTFE septum (manufactured by AMR), and components were extracted by solid-phase microextraction (SPME). Quantification was performed by drawing a chromatogram from the GC / MS analysis results and using the area of the detected peak by the standard addition method or the internal standard method. The equipment and conditions used are shown below. · Fiber for solid-phase microextraction: SPME Arrow (1.1 mm, Phase Carbon WR / PDMS, Thickness: 120 μm, Length 20 mm, manufactured by Parsi System) · Autosampler: TriPlus RSH (manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific) · Cooling storage temperature of samples awaiting analysis: 1 - 4 °C · Preliminary heating and stirring device: Agitator · Preliminary heating: 45°C for 3 minutes · Preliminary heating and stirring: 300 rpm · Volatile component extraction device: Heatex Stirrer · Volatile component extraction: 45°C for 20 minutes · Stirring during volatile component extraction: 800 rpm · Desorption time of volatile components: 2 minutes · Fiber depth during desorption of volatile components: 50 mm · GC oven: Trace 1300 (manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific) · Column: DB-WAX UI (60 m × 0.25 mm i.d. × df = 0.50 μm, manufactured by Agilent Technologies); however, an inert fused silica tube (0.25 mm i.d., manufactured by Agilent Technologies) is connected to the pre-column section (length 1.5 m) and the post-column section (length 1.0 m) · GC temperature conditions: 40°C (5 minutes) → 3°C / min → 190°C → 5°C / min → 250°C (15 minutes) · Equilibration waiting time: 0.5 minutes · Carrier gas: helium, 1.0 ml / min, constant flow mode · Injection: splitless method · Inlet temperature: 250°C · Cryo-focusing function: A liquid nitrogen cooling device and a heater (using a PTV injector, manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific) are installed in the pre-column section · Cryo-focusing conditions: -95°C (2.5 minutes) → 14.5°C / min → 250°C (until the end of analysis) · Mass spectrometer: Q Exactive GC Orbitrap MS system (manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific) · Ionization method: EI (70 eV) · Measurement method: Scan measurement by Orbitrap · Runtime: 3.5 - 80.0 minutes · Polarity: positive · Resolution: 60000 ·AGC target: 3e6 ·Scan range: m / z 35 - 500 ·Quantification ion: m / z 81.06987 (If the peak shape or sensitivity is not good, change the AGC target or use the SIM mode) ·MS Range: 5 - 10 ppm (If there is a mass deviation, appropriately shift the m / z of the above quantification ion) (4) Catechins The catechin content of green tea beverages was analyzed by HPLC. As standards for quantitative analysis, catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, catechin gallate, epicatechin gallate, gallocatechin gallate, and epigallocatechin gallate (Kurita Kogyo, high-purity reagent) were used. The measurement conditions of HPLC are shown below. ·HPLC device: TOSOH HPLC system LC8020 model II ·Column: TSKgel ODS80T sQA (4.6 mm × 150 mm) ·Column temperature: 40 °C ·Mobile phase A: Water - acetonitrile - trifluoroacetic acid (90:10:0.05) ·Mobile phase B: Water - acetonitrile - trifluoroacetic acid (20:80:0.05) ·Detection: UV275 nm ·Injection volume: 20 μL ·Flow rate: 1.0 mL / min. ·Gradient program (volume %): 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 Experiment 1: Production and evaluation of green tea beverage (reference example) A green tea beverage serving as a base was prepared from a sencha with enhanced firing, and L-theanine (manufactured by Taiyo Kagaku, purity 99.4%) was added to the base green tea beverage to produce a canned green tea beverage containing theanine in the amounts shown in the following table. All of the green tea beverages prepared in this experiment had a glyceroglycolipid content of approximately 70 ppb, a nonanal content of approximately 1 ppb, and a catechin content of approximately 400 ppm (pH: approximately 6.0).

[0030] Next, for the obtained green tea beverages, sensory evaluations were conducted by six professional panelists based on the following criteria. Using sample a as a reference, after each professional panelist evaluated the aftertaste of the aroma of the green tea beverage samples, the evaluation was determined through discussion among all panelists. 〇: There is an aftertaste of aroma equivalent to that of sample a △: The aftertaste of aroma is slightly inferior compared to the reference ×: The aftertaste of aroma clearly decreases compared to the reference

[0031]

Table 1

[0032] The evaluation results are shown in Table 1. It was found that the aftertaste of the aroma of green tea beverages containing theanine at a concentration of 100 ppm or more decreased. In particular, when the theanine content reached 100 ppm or more, a decrease in the aftertaste of the original firing aroma of green tea was perceived from the middle to the end, and it was found that this disrupted the balance between the green aroma and the firing aroma.

[0033] Experiment 2: Production and evaluation of green tea beverage with high theanine content 2-1. Production and evaluation of green tea beverage (theanine content: 300 ppm) To the base green tea beverage used in Experiment 1, L-theanine (manufactured by Taiyo Kagaku) and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG, manufactured by Avanti, purity 99% or more) were added so that the theanine and glyceroglycolipid contents in the green tea beverage were the amounts shown in the following table, and they were completely dissolved to produce a canned green tea beverage. All of the green tea beverages prepared in this experiment had a nonanal content of approximately 1 ppb and a catechin content of approximately 400 ppm (pH: approximately 6.0).

[0034] Next, a sensory evaluation was carried out on the obtained green tea beverages by a panel of six experts. Specifically, the lingering aroma of the green tea beverage samples was evaluated on a four-point scale based on the following criteria, with Sample 1-1 receiving 4 points and Sample 1-2 receiving 1 point. In the sensory evaluation, the panelists drank and discussed the reference Samples 1-1 and 1-2, and after each panelist had a common understanding of the reduction in the lingering aroma, the six expert panelists evaluated each beverage sample, and the average score of each panelist's evaluation was calculated. 4: The lingering scent is similar to that of sample 1-1. 3: The aftertaste of the fragrance is slightly weaker than that of sample 1-1. 2: The aftertaste of the fragrance is weaker than that of sample 1-1, but the aftertaste of the fragrance can be felt more clearly than that of sample 1-2. 1: The lingering aroma is reduced to the same extent as sample 1-2 or more.

[0035] [Table 2]

[0036] As is clear from the results shown in the table, the lingering aroma, which was reduced by the high concentration of L-theanine, was improved by adding glyceroglycolipids, and a green tea beverage was obtained that had a good balance of green aroma and fire aroma and a fresh green tea aroma. As for sample 1-4, the reduction in the lingering aroma was improved, but some panelists evaluated that the taste was sticky and not sharp.

[0037] 2-2. Production and evaluation of green tea beverage (theanine content: 1100 ppm) The base green tea beverage used in Experiment 1 was supplemented with the theanine and glyceroglycolipid content of the green tea beverage. L-theanine (Taiyo Kagaku) and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG, Avanti) were added in the amounts shown in the table below and completely dissolved to produce packaged green tea beverages. All of the green tea beverages prepared in this experiment had a nonanal content of about 1 ppb and a catechin content of about 400 ppm (pH: about 6.0).

[0038] Next, sensory evaluation was performed on the obtained green tea beverage by six professional panelists. Specifically, regarding the aftertaste of the aroma of the green tea beverage samples, sample 2-1 was rated 4 points and sample 2-2 was rated 1 point, and they were evaluated in four grades based on the following criteria. In the sensory evaluation, the reference samples 2-1 and 2-2 were drunk and discussed to ensure that each panelist had a common understanding of the reduction of the aftertaste of the aroma. Then, six professional panelists evaluated the beverage samples respectively, and the average score of each panelist's evaluation was calculated. 4: Feeling an aftertaste of aroma equivalent to that of sample 2-1 3: The aftertaste of the aroma is slightly weaker than that of sample 2-1 2: The aftertaste of the aroma is weaker than that of sample 2-1, but the aftertaste of the aroma can be felt compared to sample 2-2 1: Feeling a reduction in the aftertaste of the aroma equivalent to or more than that of sample 2-2

[0039]

Table 3

[0040] As is clear from the results shown in the table, the aftertaste of the aroma reduced by high-concentration L-theanine was improved by blending glyceroglycolipids, and a green tea beverage with a good balance between green aroma and roasted aroma and a fresh green tea aroma was obtained.

[0041] 2-3. Production and evaluation of green tea beverage (theanine content: 2000 ppm) To the base green tea beverage used in Experiment 1, L-theanine (manufactured by Taiyo Kagaku) and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG, manufactured by Avanti) were added so that the theanine and glyceroglycolipid contents in the green tea beverage were the amounts shown in the following table, and they were completely dissolved to produce a canned green tea beverage. All the green tea beverages prepared in this experiment had a nonanal content of about 1 ppb and a catechins content of about 400 ppm (pH: about 6.0).

[0042] Next, sensory evaluation of the obtained green tea beverage was performed by six professional panelists. Specifically, regarding the aftertaste of the aroma of the green tea beverage samples, sample 3-1 was rated 4 points and sample 3-2 was rated 1 point, and they were evaluated in four grades based on the following criteria. In the sensory evaluation, the reference samples 3-1 and 3-2 were drunk and discussed, and each panelist was made to have a common understanding about the reduction of the aftertaste of the aroma. Then, six professional panelists evaluated the beverage samples respectively, and the average score of each panelist's evaluation was calculated. 4: Feels an aftertaste of aroma equivalent to that of sample 3-1 3: The aftertaste of the aroma is slightly weaker than that of sample 3-1 2: The aftertaste of the aroma is weaker than that of sample 3-1, but an aftertaste of the aroma can be felt compared to sample 3-2 1: Feels a reduction in the aftertaste of the aroma equal to or greater than that of sample 3-2

[0043]

Table 4

[0044] As is clear from the results shown in the table, the aftertaste of the aroma reduced by high-concentration L-theanine was improved by blending glycoglycerolipid, and a green tea beverage with a good balance between green aroma and roasted aroma and a fresh green tea aroma was obtained.

[0045] Experiment 3: Production and evaluation of green tea beverage with high theanine content 3-1. Production and evaluation of green tea beverage A green tea beverage serving as a base was prepared from sencha tea different from Experiment 1 (sencha tea with a weaker roasting level and a predominant fresh green aroma compared to the sencha tea used in Experiment 1). Next, L-theanine (manufactured by Taiyo Kagaku), monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG, manufactured by Avanti, purity 99% or higher), and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG, manufactured by Avanti) were added to the base green tea beverage so that the theanine and glyceroglycolipid contents in the green tea beverage were the amounts shown in the following table, and completely dissolved to produce a canned green tea beverage. All of the green tea beverages prepared in this experiment had a nonanal content of 3.5 ppb and a catechins content of 460 ppm (pH: approximately 6.0).

[0046] Next, sensory evaluation of the obtained green tea beverages was carried out by 6 professional panelists. Specifically, regarding the aftertaste of the aroma of the green tea beverage samples, Sample A-1 was rated 4 points and Sample A-2 was rated 1 point, and evaluation was performed in 4 levels based on the following criteria. In the sensory evaluation, the reference samples Sample A-1 and Sample A-2 were drunk and discussed so that each panelist had a common understanding regarding the reduction of the aftertaste of the aroma, and then 6 professional panelists evaluated the beverage samples respectively, and the average score of each panelist's evaluation was calculated. 4: Feels an aftertaste of the aroma equivalent to that of Sample A-1. 3: The aftertaste of the aroma is slightly weaker compared to Sample A-1 2: The aftertaste of the aroma is weaker compared to Sample A-1, but the aftertaste of the aroma can be felt compared to Sample A-2 1: Feels a reduction in the aftertaste of the aroma equal to or greater than that of Sample A-2

[0047]

Table 5

[0048] As is clear from the results shown in the table, the aftertaste of the aroma, which was reduced by high-concentration L-theanine, was improved by blending glyceroglycolipid, and a green tea beverage was obtained in which the balance between the green aroma and the roasted aroma was good and a fresh green tea aroma was felt. Further, it was confirmed that when monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) was blended as the glyceroglycolipid, the effect was equivalent to that when digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) was blended.

[0049] 3-2. Production and evaluation of green tea beverage To the base green tea beverage used in Experiment 3-1, L-theanine (manufactured by Sun Chemical) and powdered green tea (first flush tea) were added so that the theanine and glyceroglycolipid contents in the green tea beverage were the amounts shown in the following table, and a canned green tea beverage was produced (pH: about 6.0, nonanal content: 5.0 ppb or less).

[0050] Next, sensory evaluation of the obtained green tea beverage was carried out by 6 professional panelists. Specifically, regarding the aftertaste of the aroma of the green tea beverage sample, Sample B-1 was set as 4 points and Sample B-2 was set as 1 point, and evaluation was performed in 4 grades based on the following criteria. In the sensory evaluation, after drinking and discussing the reference samples Sample B-1 and Sample B-2 so that each panelist had a common understanding about the reduction of the aftertaste of the aroma, 6 professional panelists evaluated the beverage samples respectively, and the average score of each panelist's evaluation was calculated. 4: Feels an aftertaste of the aroma equivalent to that of Sample B-1. 3: The aftertaste of the aroma is slightly weaker than that of Sample B-1. 2: The aftertaste of the aroma is weaker than that of Sample B-1, but the aftertaste of the aroma can be felt compared to Sample B-2. 1: Feels a reduction in the aftertaste of the aroma equivalent to or greater than that of Sample B-2.

[0051]

Table 6

[0052] As is clear from the results shown in the table, the aftertaste of the aroma, which was reduced by high concentrations of L-theanine, was improved by blending glyceroglycolipids, and a green tea beverage was obtained in which the balance between the green aroma and the roasted aroma was good and a fresh green tea aroma was felt. It was also confirmed that the aftertaste of the aroma was enhanced when the glyceroglycolipid content in the green tea beverage was adjusted by adding powdered tea.

Claims

1. A bottled green tea beverage containing 100 to 2200 ppm of L-theanine, 0.2 to 30 ppm of glyceroglycolipid, and 1.0 to 10 ppb of nonanal.

2. The beverage according to Claim 1, wherein the content of catechins is 1200 ppm or less.

3. The beverage according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the content of glyceroglycolipid is 0.8 to 20 ppm.

4. The beverage according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, containing green tea powder.

5. The beverage according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the content of nonanal is 2.0 ppb or more.

6. A method for producing the beverage according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, the method including a step of adjusting the content of L-theanine to 100 to 2200 ppm and the content of glyceroglycolipid to 0.2 to 30 ppm.

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