Coffee-flavored food and beverages

Abstract

To provide a coffee-flavored beverage with improved rich taste containing high intensity sweetener.SOLUTION: A coffee-flavored beverage contains high intensity sweetener and branched glucan or its reduced substance. The branched glucan preferably has a structure made of a linear glucan comprised of α-1 and 4-glycoside linkage and at least a branched structure introduced at the non-reduced terminal of the linear glucan, and it has a polymerization degree of 4-6.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to coffee-flavored food and beverages, and more particularly to coffee-flavored food and beverages containing high-sweetness sweeteners.

Background Art

[0002] In coffee-flavored food and beverages typified by coffee and caffeol, a technique of substituting saccharides such as sugar with high-sweetness sweeteners as a means of reducing calories is known. However, when substituting saccharides in coffee-flavored food and beverages with high-sweetness sweeteners, there is a problem that the richness of the taste decreases. Therefore, in order to provide a coffee-flavored food and beverage with reduced saccharides while maintaining its taste quality, it is necessary to supplement the sweetness with a high-sweetness sweetener and then supplement the lacking richness of the taste with a new material.

[0003] There are also reported examples of techniques for blending branched oligosaccharides typified by isomaltooligosaccharide into coffee-flavored food and beverages. Patent Document 1 describes a coffee beverage containing allulose, oligosaccharide, and coffee extract, and a coffee beverage blended with isomaltooligosaccharide as the oligosaccharide. Patent Document 2 describes a milk-flavored food and beverage blended with a branched glucan having specific properties and panose in a certain ratio, and caffeol is described as the milk-flavored food and beverage. However, Patent Document 1 aims at substituting the sweetness of sugar with other sugars, and Patent Document 2 aims at improving the milk flavor, and no consideration has been given at all to the improvement of the taste quality when substituting saccharides in coffee-flavored food and beverages with high-sweetness sweeteners.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a coffee-flavored food or drink containing a high-intensity sweetener with improved taste (taste thickness). The present invention also aims to provide a flavor enhancer for coffee-flavored food or drink and a method for improving the flavor of coffee-flavored food or drink.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to the present invention, the following inventions are provided. [1] A coffee-flavored food or drink containing a high-intensity sweetener and a branched glucan or a reduced product thereof. [2] The coffee-flavored food or drink according to [1] above, wherein the branched glucan is a glucan having a branched structure of an α-1,6-glucoside bond at the non-reducing end. [3] The coffee-flavored food or drink according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the branched glucan is a branched glucan having a structure composed of a linear glucan constituted by α-1,4-glucoside bonds and a branched structure introduced at least at the non-reducing end of the linear glucan, and having a degree of polymerization of 4 to 6. [4] A sugar composition containing 20% by mass or more of a branched glucan having a structure composed of a linear glucan constituted by α-1,4-glucoside bonds and a branched structure introduced at least at the non-reducing end of the linear glucan, and having a degree of polymerization of 4 to 6, or a reduced product thereof, and having an iodine color value (absorbance at a wavelength of 660 nm in an iodine color test) of 0.05 or less, and the coffee-flavored food or drink according to any one of [1] to [3] above. [5] The coffee-flavored food or drink according to [4] above, containing the sugar composition in an amount of 0.01 to 5.0% by mass based on the whole food or drink. [6] A flavor enhancer for coffee-flavored food or drink containing a branched glucan or a reduced product thereof as an active ingredient. [7] A method for improving the flavor of a coffee-flavored food or drink containing a high-intensity sweetener, which comprises blending a branched glucan or a reduced product thereof.

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a coffee-flavored food or drink with excellent flavor while reducing calories. It is also advantageous in that it is possible to obtain a coffee-flavored food or drink with excellent flavor while reducing production costs by reducing sugars such as sugar. Detailed description of the invention

[0008] <<Branched glucan>> In the present invention, "branched glucan" means a glucan having a branched structure in which at least the non-reducing terminal glucose residue of the glucan chain is bonded by a glucoside bond other than an α-1,4-glucoside bond. In the present invention, the branched glucan can be a glucan having a structure composed of a linear glucan composed of α-1,4-glucoside bonds and a branched structure introduced at least at the non-reducing terminal of the linear glucan. In the present invention, "linear glucan" means a linear glucan in which glucose molecules are bonded by a single glucoside bond.

[0009] In the present invention, examples of the glucoside bond other than the α-1,4-glucoside bond include an α-1,6-glucoside bond, an α-1,3-glucoside bond, and an α-1,2-glucoside bond. In the present invention, the branched glucan is preferably a glucan having a branched structure of an α-1,6-glucoside bond at the non-reducing terminal, that is, a glucan having a branched structure in which the non-reducing terminal glucose residue of the glucan chain is bonded by an α-1,6-glucoside bond.

[0010] In the branched glucan of the present invention, the number of glucose residues constituting the glucan residue of the branched structure is not particularly limited as long as the degree of polymerization of the branched glucan of the present invention is satisfied, but is preferably 1 to several, more preferably 1 to 3, 1 to 2, or 1.

[0011] In the present invention, "reducing terminal" means a sugar residue showing reducibility, and "non-reducing terminal" means a sugar residue not showing reducibility, that is, a terminal sugar residue other than the "reducing terminal".

[0012] In the present invention, the "degree of polymerization" (DP) refers to the number of glucose residues constituting glucan, including not only the number of glucose residues constituting linear glucan but also the number of glucose residues constituting the branched structure. The degree of polymerization of branched saccharides can be measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

[0013] In the present invention, the "reduced product" refers to a product in which the aldehyde group of the glucosyl group at the reducing end of the sugar is reduced to a hydroxyl group. Methods for obtaining the reduced product of sugar are well known to those skilled in the art. Examples of reducible methods that can be used include methods using hydride reducing agents, methods using metals in protic solvents, electrolytic reduction methods, catalytic hydrogenation reaction methods, and the like. In the present invention, when preparing a small amount of reduced product, the method using a hydride reducing agent is simple and convenient without the need for special equipment. On the other hand, when carried out industrially on a large scale, the method using a catalytic hydrogenation reaction is preferred in terms of excellent economy and few by-products. In this specification, when referring to "branched glucan" or "sugar composition", it shall include the reduced product of branched glucan.

[0014] Examples of the branched glucan used in the present invention include isomaltooligosaccharides (isomaltose, isomaltotriose, panose, isomaltotetraose, etc.) which are oligosaccharides in which glucose is bonded to the non-reducing end by an α-1,6-glucoside bond. Isomaltooligosaccharides can be obtained according to well-known methods, and can be produced, for example, by allowing a glycosyltransferase to act on a starch degradation product.

[0015] The branched glucan used in the present invention is also, from the viewpoint of its effects as shown in the examples, "a branched glucan having a degree of polymerization of 4 to 6 having a structure composed of a linear glucan composed of α-1,4-glucoside bonds and a branched structure introduced at least at the non-reducing end of the linear glucan (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "the branched glucan with a specific degree of polymerization of the present invention")". The branched glucan used in the present invention is also preferably used in a "sugar composition" (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "the sugar composition of the present invention") containing 20% by mass or more of a branched glucan having a degree of polymerization of 4 to 6 having a structure composed of a linear glucan composed of α-1,4-glucoside bonds and a branched structure introduced at least at the non-reducing end of the linear glucan or a reduced product thereof, and having an iodine color value (absorbance at a wavelength of 660 nm in the iodine color test) of 0.05 or less. It is particularly preferable that the branched structure introduced at the non-reducing end of the above branched glucan is a branched structure bonded by an α-1,6-glucoside bond.

[0016] In the present invention, the "iodine color value" refers to the absorbance at a wavelength of 660 nm after adding 100 μL of a 0.05 M iodine aqueous solution to 1 mL of an aqueous solution of a sugar composition having a solid content concentration of 5.0% by mass (iodine color test) and stirring well. The iodine color value is an index of masking. The larger this value, the higher the masking effect, and the smaller this value, the lower the masking effect and the more the taste improvement effect according to the present invention is exerted.

[0017] The branched glucan of the present invention can be used in the form of a pure product of a specific saccharide or in the form of a sugar mixture (sugar composition). Also, the properties at the time of use are not particularly limited, and it can be used in powder form or in syrup form.

[0018] The content of the branched glucan with a degree of polymerization of 4 to 6 (the specific degree of polymerization branched glucan of the present invention) in the sugar composition of the present invention can have a lower limit value (greater than or equal to) of 20% by mass, 22% by mass, 25% by mass, 27% by mass or 34% by mass, and an upper limit value (less than or equal to) of 100% by mass, 99% by mass, 90% by mass, 80% by mass, 70% by mass or 67% by mass. These lower limit values and upper limit values can be arbitrarily combined respectively, and the range of the above content can be, for example, 20 to 100% by mass, 25 to 80% by mass or 34 to 67% by mass.

[0019] The content of the branched glucan with a degree of polymerization of 4 to 6 (the specific degree of polymerization branched glucan of the present invention) in the sugar composition of the present invention can be measured by HPLC analysis as the content of the 4-saccharide to 6-saccharide remaining after treating the sugar composition with β-amylase. Specific examples of the branched glucan in the sugar composition include branched oligosaccharides with a degree of polymerization of 4 to 6, which have a structure composed of a linear glucan constituted by α-1,4-glucoside bonds and a branched structure introduced only at the non-reducing end of the linear glucan.

[0020] The sugar composition of the sugar composition of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it exhibits a predetermined effect. For example, the lower limit value (greater than or equal to) of the content of saccharides having a degree of polymerization of 1 to 3 can be 0% by mass, 0.5% by mass, 1% by mass, 5% by mass, or 10% by mass, and the upper limit value (less than or equal to) can be 60% by mass, 58% by mass, 55% by mass, 50% by mass, or 45% by mass. These lower limit values and upper limit values can be arbitrarily combined, and the content range of saccharides having a degree of polymerization of 1 to 3 can be, for example, 0 to 60% by mass, 0.5 to 58% by mass, 1 to 55% by mass, 5 to 50% by mass, or 10 to 45% by mass. The sugar composition of the sugar composition of the present invention can also have the content of saccharides having a degree of polymerization of 1 of 20% by mass or less (preferably 18% by mass or less, more preferably 15% by mass or less), the content of saccharides having a degree of polymerization of 2 of 25% by mass or less (preferably 20% by mass or less, more preferably 18% by mass or less), and the content of saccharides having a degree of polymerization of 3 of 25% by mass or less (preferably 20% by mass or less, more preferably 19% by mass or less). The sugar composition of the sugar composition of the present invention can also have the lower limit value (greater than or equal to) of the content of saccharides having a degree of polymerization of 7 or more as 0% by mass, 0.5% by mass, 1% by mass, 5% by mass, or 7% by mass, and the upper limit value (less than or equal to) can be 50% by mass, 48% by mass, 45% by mass, 40% by mass, or 35% by mass. These lower limit values and upper limit values can be arbitrarily combined, and the content range of saccharides having a degree of polymerization of 7 or more can be, for example, 0 to 50% by mass, 0.5 to 48% by mass, 1 to 45% by mass, 5 to 40% by mass, 5 to 35% by mass, or 7 to 35% by mass. The sugar composition of the sugar composition of the present invention can also have the lower limit value (greater than or equal to) of the content of saccharides having a degree of polymerization of 4 to 6 as 20% by mass, 25% by mass, 30% by mass, or 35% by mass, and the upper limit value (less than or equal to) can be 100% by mass, 90% by mass, 80% by mass, 70% by mass, or 60% by mass. These lower limit values and upper limit values can be arbitrarily combined, and the content range of saccharides having a degree of polymerization of 4 to 6 can be, for example, 20 to 100% by mass, 25 to 90% by mass, or 30 to 80% by mass.In the present invention, when referring to the sugar components in the sugar composition or the flavor enhancer, it always means the content per solid content (in terms of solid content conversion).

[0021] The iodine color value of the sugar composition of the present invention is preferably 0.04 or less, more preferably 0.03 or less, and particularly preferably 0.02 or less. Iodine shows color by being included in the helical structure of the linear glucan chain. Although not bound by the following theory, a sugar composition with an iodine color value exceeding 0.05 has a high inclusion ability of glucan chains due to reasons such as a large amount of high-molecular components, includes and masks flavor components in food and beverages, and is considered inferior in the flavor improvement effect. That is, in the present invention, the iodine color value can be used as an index of the masking effect.

[0022] There is no particular limitation on the production method of the specific degree of polymerization branched glucan of the present invention and the sugar composition of the present invention containing the same, but it can be produced inexpensively and efficiently by allowing a glycosyltransferase to act on a starch degradation product. Specifically, a glycosyltransferase is added to a 5 to 50% solution of the starch degradation product and reacted at a suitable pH and temperature according to the enzyme used. The reaction can usually be carried out in the range of pH 4 to 9, and the suitable reaction pH is in the range of pH 5 to 7. The reaction can usually be carried out in the temperature range up to around 70°C, and the suitable reaction temperature is in the range of 40 to 60°C. The amount of enzyme used and the reaction time are closely related, and the reaction time can be appropriately adjusted according to the progress of the target enzyme reaction, and usually the reaction is carried out for about 15 to 96 hours. After confirming the generation of the target composition, purification such as filtration, desalting, and decolorization can be carried out as necessary, and concentration or powderization can be carried out according to the product form.

[0023] Here, the enzyme having a glycosyl transfer action can be selected from, for example, α-glucosidase, 6-α-glucosyltransferase, dextrin dextranase, and cyclic maltosyl maltose-forming enzyme. α-Glucosidase is, for example, Aspergillus niger ( Aspergillus niger ) or Acremonium sp. ( Acremonium sp.Those from the origin can be used.

[0024] When using α-glucosidase as the enzyme having a glycosyltransferase action, the addition amount of α-glucosidase used in the enzyme reaction can be 0.01 to 30 units per 1 g of the substrate (solid) from the viewpoints of reaction efficiency and production cost. Here, 1 unit of α-glucosidase refers to the amount of enzyme required to hydrolyze 1 μmol of maltose per minute under the conditions of the α-glucosidase activity measurement method described later.

[0025] The specific degree of polymerization branched glucan of the present invention and the sugar composition of the present invention containing the same can also be produced more efficiently by allowing an amylase and an enzyme having a glycosyltransferase action to act on a starch degradation product in combination. Examples of the amylase include cyclodextrin glucanotransferase and α-amylase.

[0026] Here, the cyclodextrin glucanotransferase is from Paenibacillus sp. Paenibacillus sp. ), Bacillus coagulans Bacillus coagulans ), Bacillus stearothermophilus Bacillus stearothermophilus ), and Bacillus megaterium Bacillus macerans ), and can be selected from those derived therefrom. Further, the α-amylase can be selected from commercially available α-amylases, Crisylase L-1 and Crisylase T-5 (both from Amano Enzyme Inc.).

[0027] When using cyclodextrin glucanotransferase as the amylase, the addition amount of cyclodextrin glucanotransferase used in the enzyme reaction can be 0.1 to 10 units per 1 g of the substrate (solid) from the viewpoints of reaction efficiency and production cost. Here, 1 unit of cyclodextrin glucanotransferase refers to the amount of enzyme required to produce 1 mg of β-cyclodextrin per minute under the conditions of the cyclodextrin glucanotransferase activity measurement method described later.

[0028] When using α-amylase as the amylase, the addition amount of α-amylase used in the enzyme reaction can be 0.0005 to 0.1% by mass per substrate (solid) from the viewpoints of reactivity and production cost.

[0029] The specific degree of polymerization branched glucan of the present invention and the sugar composition of the present invention containing the same can be further produced by further combining a debranching enzyme in addition to the amylase and the enzyme having a transglycosylation action to act on the starch degradation product. The debranching enzyme is preferably allowed to act on the starch degradation product together with the amylase and the enzyme having a transglycosylation action.

[0030] Here, the debranching enzyme can be selected and used from the group consisting of isoamylase, pullulanase, and combinations thereof. In a more preferred embodiment, isoamylase derived from Myroides odoratus ( Myroides odoratus ), isoamylase derived from Pseudomonas amyloderamosa ( Pseudomonas amyloderamosa ), pullulanase derived from Klebsiella pneumoniae ( Klebsiella pneumoniae ), and combinations thereof can be selected.

[0031] When using isoamylase as the debranching enzyme, the addition amount of isoamylase used in the enzyme reaction can be 10 to 1000 units per 1 g of substrate (solid) from the viewpoints of reaction efficiency and production cost. The addition amount of pullulanase among the debranching enzymes used in the enzyme reaction of the production method can be 0.001 to 0.1% by mass per substrate (solid) from the viewpoints of reactivity and production cost. Here, 1 unit of isoamylase is an enzyme titer that increases the absorbance at 610 nm by 0.01 under the conditions of the isoamylase activity measurement method described below.

[0032] When obtaining the branched glucan with a specific degree of polymerization of the present invention in the form of a sugar composition, if necessary, by fractionating the required fraction of the product, the content of the branched glucan with a degree of polymerization of 4 to 6 in the sugar composition can be made 20% by mass or more. Further, by removing the high-polymerization-degree fraction of the product, the iodine color value of the sugar composition can be made 0.05 or less. Examples of the removal method include fractionation or decomposition with an enzyme. There is no particular limitation on the method for performing the above-mentioned fractionation, and membrane fractionation, chromatographic fractionation, precipitation fractionation, etc. can be exemplified. There is also no particular limitation on the enzyme used when decomposing with an enzyme, and α-amylase etc. can be exemplified.

[0033] <<Coffee-flavored food and drink>> In the present invention, the coffee-flavored food and drink means a food and drink having the flavor of coffee, and examples thereof include coffee-flavored beverages such as hot coffee, iced coffee, caffè olé, caffè latte, soy latte, coffee milk, coffee jelly, coffee ice, coffee candy, coffee chocolate, and coffee cookies. Note that the coffee-flavored food and drink of the present invention is not limited to a food and drink containing a coffee component (a coffee bean-derived component such as a coffee bean extract), and even a food and drink that does not substantially contain a coffee component but imitates the flavor of coffee with a flavoring agent, a bittering agent, etc. is included.

[0034] The coffee-flavored food and drink of the present invention may be a milk-containing coffee-flavored food and drink containing a milk component such as milk, skim milk powder, soy milk, etc. from the viewpoint of the compatibility between its flavor (sweetness and richness of taste) and the flavor of milk, and a milk-containing coffee-flavored beverage is preferred. The coffee-flavored food and drink of the present invention may also be sold heated by a hot vendor or the like, or may be sold refrigerated in a refrigerated showcase or the like, but considering that the present invention can reduce the flavor deterioration due to the Maillard reaction or caramelization reaction of saccharides such as sugar, it is preferably sold heated.

[0035] The coffee-flavored food and drink of the present invention also contains a high-intensity sweetener as an alternative to sugars such as sugar. The high-intensity sweetener used in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it can be blended into food and drink. For example, it includes one or more selected from sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, stevia, α-glucosyltransferase-treated stevia, thaumatin, saccharin, sodium saccharin, cyclamate, neotame, and alitame. From the perspective of taste quality, acesulfame potassium is preferred, and the combined use of acesulfame potassium and sucralose is more preferred. Regarding the blending amount of the high-intensity sweetener, it can be appropriately adjusted according to the type and needs of the food and drink so as to achieve the required sweetness. For example, it can be 0.0001 to 0.1% by mass. When acesulfame potassium and sucralose are used in combination, the blending amount of acesulfame potassium can be 0.0005 to 0.05% by mass, and the blending amount of sucralose can be 0.0001 to 0.02% by mass.

[0036] There is no particular limitation on the content of branched glucan in the coffee-flavored food or drink of the present invention, and it may be appropriately adjusted in combination with the content of high-sweetness sweeteners in consideration of the sweetness and the like required for the food or drink. Considering the gist of the present invention of reducing the calorie of the food or drink in addition to the effect of improving the taste, the lower limit value (greater than or equal to) of the content of branched glucan in the coffee-flavored food or drink of the present invention can be 0.01% by mass, 0.03% by mass, 0.05% by mass or 0.06% by mass, and the upper limit value (less than or equal to) can be 5.0% by mass, 3.0% by mass, 2.0% by mass or 1.0% by mass. These lower limit values and upper limit values can be arbitrarily combined respectively, and the range of the content of branched glucan in the coffee-flavored food or drink of the present invention can be, for example, 0.01 to 5.0% by mass, 0.03 to 3.0% by mass, 0.05 to 2.0% by mass or 0.06 to 1.0% by mass. Further, the lower limit value (greater than or equal to) of the content of the branched glucan having a specific degree of polymerization in the coffee-flavored food or drink of the present invention can be 0.001% by mass, 0.005% by mass, 0.01% by mass or 0.02% by mass, and the upper limit value (less than or equal to) can be 1.0% by mass, 0.7% by mass, 0.5% by mass or 0.3% by mass. These lower limit values and upper limit values can be arbitrarily combined respectively, and the range of the content of the branched glucan having a specific degree of polymerization in the coffee-flavored food or drink of the present invention can be, for example, 0.001 to 1.0% by mass, 0.005 to 0.7% by mass, 0.01 to 0.5% by mass, 0.02 to 0.3% by mass. When the branched glucan of the present invention is contained in liquid sugar (aqueous solution), the above content means the value in terms of solid content.

[0037] The lower limit (greater than or equal to) of the content of the sugar composition of the present invention in the coffee-flavored food or drink of the present invention can be 0.01% by mass, 0.03% by mass, 0.05% by mass, or 0.06% by mass, and the upper limit (less than or equal to) can be 5.0% by mass, 3.0% by mass, 2.0% by mass, or 1.0% by mass. These lower and upper limits can be arbitrarily combined, and the range of the content of the sugar composition of the present invention in the coffee-flavored food or drink of the present invention can be, for example, 0.01 - 5.0% by mass, 0.03 - 3.0% by mass, 0.05 - 2.0% by mass, or 0.06 - 1.0% by mass. When the branched glucan of the present invention and the sugar composition of the present invention are contained in liquid sugar (aqueous solution), the above content means the value in terms of solid content.

[0038] The coffee-flavored food or drink of the present invention has no restrictions on its raw materials except that it contains a high-sweetness sweetener and a branched glucan. Examples include milk components such as animal milk (cow's milk, skim milk powder, etc.) and plant milk (soy milk, almond milk, etc.), sweeteners such as sugar, glucose, maltose, and isomerized sugar, flavors, emulsifiers, stabilizers, and dextrin. When sugar is blended, there is no particular restriction on the blending amount of sugar, and it may be determined appropriately according to the needs of the product. However, considering the gist of the present invention of reducing the calorie of the food or drink in addition to the effect of improving the taste, the sugar content is preferably 2.5% by mass or less, and more preferably 2.0% by mass or less. The coffee-flavored food or drink of the present invention may naturally be one that does not contain sugar or substantially does not contain sugar (for example, sugar-free coffee-flavored food or drink, zero-sugar coffee-flavored food or drink, sugar-free coffee-flavored food or drink), or may be one with reduced calories (for example, calorie-free coffee-flavored food or drink, low-calorie coffee-flavored food or drink, particularly, a coffee-flavored beverage with less than 20 kcal / 100 mL).

[0039] In the present invention, the taste of a coffee-flavored food or drink containing a high-intensity sweetener can be improved by blending a branched glucan. That is, in the present invention, "taste improvement" means compensating for the "thickness of taste" that decreases by replacing sugars such as sucrose with a high-intensity sweetener. More specifically, according to the present invention, as shown in the examples described later, by blending a branched glucan into a coffee-flavored food or drink, both the thickness of the taste in the first half and the thickness of the taste in the second half can be enhanced. In the present invention, the "thickness of the taste in the first half" means the amount of various tastes centered on sweetness from the top to the middle, and the "thickness of the taste in the second half" means the amount of various tastes centered on sweetness from the middle to the last.

[0040] Due to the above characteristics of the present invention, without impairing the thickness of the taste, part or all of the sweetener such as sucrose contained in the coffee-flavored food or drink can be replaced with a high-intensity sweetener, so that the calories can be reduced without significantly impairing its flavor. In addition, since the blending amount of sucrose and the like can be reduced, it is also possible to reduce the manufacturing cost.

[0041] According to the present invention, there is provided a taste improving agent for a coffee-flavored food or drink containing a high-intensity sweetener, which contains a branched glucan or a reduced product thereof as an active ingredient. The taste improving agent of the present invention can be carried out according to the description of the coffee-flavored food or drink of the present invention.

[0042] According to the present invention, there is provided a method for improving the taste of a coffee-flavored food or drink containing a high-intensity sweetener, which comprises blending a branched glucan or a reduced product thereof. The taste improving method of the present invention can be carried out according to the description of the coffee-flavored food or drink of the present invention.

Examples

[0043] The present invention will be specifically described based on the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. In addition, when referring to the ratio per "solid content" or the content ratio of "solid content" in this specification, it means a ratio determined based on the mass of the solid component.

[0044] Saccharide composition analysis The sugar composition analysis was performed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The analytical column used was MCI GEL CK04S (Mitsubishi Chemical), and the analysis was carried out at a flow rate of 0.4 mL / min using ultrapure water as the eluent and a column temperature of 70 °C. A differential refractive index detector (RID-10A, Shimadzu Corporation) was used for detection, and the analysis time was set to 35 minutes. The content of each degree of polymerization component was determined from the peak area of the obtained chromatogram.

[0045] Quantification of the content of branched glucan with a polymerization degree of 4 to 6 The content of branched glucan was confirmed by the following method. 50 μL of 10 mg / mL β-amylase #1500 (Nacalai Tesque) dissolved in 1 M sodium acetate buffer (pH 5.5) was added to 1 mL of a sugar solution adjusted to 5 mass%, and the mixture was allowed to act at 55 °C for 1 hour and then inactivated by boiling. After desalting this with Amberlite MB4 (Organo), the filtrate through a 0.45 μm filter was subjected to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The saccharides with a degree of polymerization of 4 to 6 remaining after the enzyme treatment were regarded as branched glucans with a degree of polymerization of 4 to 6.

[0046] Measurement of the activity of β-cyclodextrin-forming enzyme For the enzyme reaction, 0.1 ml of an enzyme solution appropriately diluted with water was added to 0.9 ml of 1% soluble starch (Nacalai Tesque) dissolved in 50 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 6.0), and the mixture was held at 40 °C for 10 minutes. Then, 2.5 ml of 40 mM aqueous sodium hydroxide solution was added to stop the reaction. The produced β-cyclodextrin was measured by the phenolphthalein method. Specifically, 0.3 ml of a solution consisting of 0.1 mg / ml phenolphthalein and 2.5 mM sodium carbonate was added to the above solution, and after stirring, the absorbance at 550 nm was measured. The amount of β-cyclodextrin produced was determined based on the standard curve of β-cyclodextrin prepared in the range of 0 to 0.1 mg / ml.

[0047] Measurement of the activity of α-glucosidase The enzymatic reaction was carried out by adding 20 μl of an enzyme solution appropriately diluted with 10 mM sodium acetate buffer (pH 4.2) containing 0.05% Triton X-100 to 80 μl of 0.25% maltose dissolved in 50 mM sodium acetate buffer (pH 4.2), and maintaining the mixture at 37 °C for 10 minutes. At 10 minutes of the reaction, 50 μl of the reaction solution was withdrawn, mixed with 100 μl of 2 M Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.0) to stop the reaction. After adding 40 μl of Glucose CII-Test Wako (FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation) thereto, the mixture was maintained at room temperature for 1 hour to develop color, and the absorbance at 490 nm was measured. The amount of glucose produced was calculated based on the standard curve of glucose prepared in the range of 0 to 0.01%.

[0048] Measurement of the activity of isoamylase The enzymatic reaction was carried out by adding 350 μl of 5 mg / ml waxy corn starch (Nippon Shokuhin Kako Co., Ltd.) to 100 μl of 50 mM sodium acetate buffer (pH 6.0) containing 20 mM calcium chloride, maintaining the mixture at 45 °C for 5 minutes, adding 100 μl of an enzyme solution appropriately diluted with the same buffer thereto, and maintaining the mixture at 45 °C for 15 minutes. To this, 500 μl of a reaction-inactivating iodine solution (a solution prepared by mixing 2 ml of a solution consisting of 6.35 mg / ml iodine and 83 mg / ml potassium iodide and 8 ml of 0.1 N hydrochloric acid) was added to stop the reaction. The reaction-stopped solution was maintained at room temperature for 15 minutes, and the absorbance at 610 nm of the solution obtained by adding 10 ml of pure water thereto was measured.

[0049] Iodine color development test 100 μL of 0.05 M aqueous iodine solution was added to 1 mL of an aqueous solution of a sugar composition with a solid content concentration of 5.0%, and after thorough stirring, the mixture was placed in a 1 cm quartz cell, and the absorbance at 660 nm was measured with a spectrophotometer (U-2900, Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation). From the obtained absorbance, the value obtained by subtracting the absorbance obtained by similarly measuring ultrapure water as a test solution was taken as the iodine color value of the sugar composition.

[0050] Production Example 1: Production of saccharide composition 1 The 30% (w / w) DE6.5 corn starch liquefied liquid was adjusted to a temperature of 53°C and a pH of 6.0, and to this were added cyclodextrin-forming enzyme of Paenibacillus sp. at 0.3 units per 1 g of solid content, isoamylase of Myroides odoratus at 200 units per 1 g of solid content, pullulanase “Amano” 3 (Amano Enzyme) at 0.2 mg per 1 g of solid content, transglucosidase L “Amano” (Amano Enzyme) at 3.75 units per 1 g of solid content, and Crisylase L-1 (Amano Enzyme) at 0.06 mg per 1 g of solid content, followed by saccharification for 50 hours. This was heated to 80°C, and Crisylase L-1 was added at 0.15 mg per 1 g of solid content and allowed to act for 1 hour. Subsequently, it was purified and concentrated according to a conventional method. When the content of branched glucan with DP4 - 6 in the obtained sugar composition (sugar composition 1) was measured, it was 33.7%. The cyclodextrin-forming enzyme of Paenibacillus sp. was prepared according to the description in Agr. Biol. Chem., 40(9), 1785 - 1791 (1976), and the isoamylase of Myroides odoratus was prepared according to JP-A-5-227959.

[0051] Example 1: Examination of the taste improvement effect of branched glucan Each raw material was blended in the amounts (parts by mass) shown in Table 1. A mixture of granulated sugar, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, and an emulsifier was added to water and heated for dissolution. Further, various raw materials were added, dispensed into cans, and subjected to retort sterilization at 121°C for 20 minutes, and then rapidly cooled to prepare a coffee beverage. Note that acesulfame potassium and sucralose were blended so that the sweetness ratio was 1:1, and the sweetness of acesulfame potassium and sucralose was set to 200 times and 600 times that of sugar, respectively, so that the sweetness of each coffee beverage was adjusted to be the same. Also, for each branched glucan and maltooligosaccharide in syrup form, the blending amount in terms of solid content was described.

[0052] The sugar composition of each branched glucan used, the content of branched glucans with DP4-6, and the iodine color development value are shown in Table 2. Note that branched glucan 1 is a lower molecular weight isomaltooligosaccharide than branched glucan 2, and since it is obvious from its sugar composition that the content of branched glucans with DP4-6 and the iodine color development value are comparable to those of branched glucan 2, partial data acquisition was omitted.

[0053]

Table 1

[0054]

Table 2

[0055] The obtained coffee beverage was heated to 60°C, and a sensory evaluation was conducted by 4 panelists on a 4-point scale of 0-3 points with the comparison group set as 0 points regarding the taste (taste thickness) of the first half and aftertaste of the coffee beverage. The taste thickness of the first half and the taste thickness of the second half are defined as follows. Taste thickness of the first half: The amount of various tastes centered around sweetness from the top to the middle (from when it is put in the mouth until it is swallowed). Taste thickness of the second half: The amount of various tastes centered around sweetness from the middle to the last (from when it is swallowed until the flavor remaining in the mouth disappears).

[0056] The evaluation results (average value of evaluation points) are shown in Table 3.

Table 3

[0057] The coffee beverages (Test Sections 1-1 to 1-4) containing branched glucan all had an increased richness of taste in both the first half and the second half compared to the coffee beverage in Comparative Section 1, and the taste was improved. In particular, in Test Section 1-4, the taste improvement effect in both the first half and the second half exceeded that of Reference Section 1 containing granulated sugar (sugar), and a particularly remarkable effect was confirmed. On the other hand, for the coffee beverages (Test Sections 1-5 and 1-6) containing malt oligosaccharide or dextrin, which are linear glucans, the richness of taste improved in either the first half or the second half, but the other half was equivalent to that in Comparative Section 1, and a sufficient taste improvement effect was not confirmed. In addition, the coffee beverages in Test Sections 1-1 to 1-4 were all capable of displaying calorie-off.

[0058] Example 2: Examination of the blending amount of branched glucan A coffee beverage was prepared and subjected to sensory evaluation in the same manner as in Example 1, except that each raw material was blended in the amounts (parts by mass) shown in Table 4. The results are shown in Table 5.

[0059]

Table 4

[0060]

Table 5

[0061] The coffee beverages (Test Sections 2-1 to 2-4) containing branched glucan 4 all had an increased richness of taste in both the first half and the second half compared to the coffee beverage in Comparative Section 2, and the taste was improved. In particular, in Test Sections 2-3 and 2-4, the richness of taste in both the first half and the second half was equal to or greater than that of Reference Section 2 containing granulated sugar (sugar), and a particularly remarkable effect was confirmed. In addition, the coffee beverages in Test Sections 2-1 to 2-4 were all capable of displaying calorie-off.

[0062] Example 3: Comparative examination with the branched glucan described in Patent Document 5 The taste improvement effects of branched glucan 4 (sugar composition 1) and the branched glucan composition (mixed sugar solution of Branchi Oligo (Nippon Food Chemical Co., Ltd.) and Panorich (Nippon Food Chemical Co., Ltd.) (1:1 in terms of solid content)) disclosed in Patent Document 5 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-18190) were compared.

[0063] A coffee beverage was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that each raw material was blended in the amounts (parts by mass) shown in Table 6, and a sensory evaluation was conducted. The results are shown in Table 7. In addition, the analysis results of the sugar composition and the like of the branched glucan (mixed sugar solution of Branchi Oligo (Nippon Food Chemical Co., Ltd.) and Panorich (Nippon Food Chemical Co., Ltd.) (1:1 in terms of solid content)) used in Test Group 3-2 are shown in Table 8.

[0064]

Table 6

[0065]

Table 7

[0066]

Table 8

[0067] In both Test Group 3-1 and Test Group 3-2 containing branched glucan, the taste thickness in the first half and the second half was improved compared to Comparative Group 3, and Test Group 3-1 containing branched glucan 4 showed a particularly remarkable effect. In addition, the coffee beverages in Test Group 3-1 and Test Group 3-2 were both capable of displaying calorie-off.

[0068] Example 4: Confirmation of the taste improvement effect in coffee-flavored foods In order to confirm that the effects of the present invention are also exhibited in coffee-flavored food and beverages other than coffee beverages, coffee jelly was prepared as a coffee-flavored food.

[0069] Mix the coffee powder and powders other than the high-sweetness sweetener in the amounts (parts by mass) shown in Table 9, put the powder mixture into a pot, and add water, the high-sweetness sweetener, and branched glucan 4 (sugar composition 1). Heat to 95°C while stirring and then cool to 80°C. Then, add the coffee powder, stir until melted, seal it in a retort pouch, cool it to room temperature with water once, and heat-sterilize it in a hot water bath at 85°C for 30 minutes. Add water to the hot water bath and gradually cool it. After cooling to about room temperature, refrigerate it. Note that acesulfame potassium and sucralose are blended so that the sweetness ratio is 1:1, and the sweetness of acesulfame potassium and sucralose is 200 times and 600 times that of sugar, respectively, so that the sweetness of any coffee jelly is adjusted to be the same.

[0070]

Table 9

[0071] For the obtained coffee jelly, sensory evaluation was carried out by 4 panelists according to the same criteria as in Example 1. The evaluation results (average value of evaluation points) are shown in Table 10.

[0072]

Table 10

[0073] The coffee jelly (test group 4) in which half of the granulated sugar (sugar) was replaced with a high-sweetness sweetener and branched glucan had a significantly improved taste thickness in the first half and the second half compared to the branched glucan-free group (comparison group 4), and exceeded the coffee jelly (reference group 4) containing only granulated sugar (sugar).

Claims

1. A coffee-flavored food or drink containing a high-intensity sweetener, a linear glucan composed of α-1,4-glucoside bonds, and a branched glucan having a degree of polymerization of 4 to 6 or a reduced product thereof having a structure composed of a branched structure of α-1,6-glucoside bonds introduced at least at the non-reducing end of the linear glucan, and containing 25% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less of the sugar composition having an iodine color value (absorbance at a wavelength of 660 nm in the iodine color test) of 0.05 or less (however, excluding milk-containing coffee-flavored beverages containing an emulsified composition containing dairy products, an emulsifier, and a magnesium material, a high-intensity sweetener, and a polysaccharide).

2. The coffee-flavored food or drink according to Claim 1, containing the sugar composition in an amount of 0.01 to 5.0% by mass based on the whole food or drink.

3. A flavor enhancer for a coffee-flavored food or drink containing a high-intensity sweetener, which contains, as an active ingredient, a sugar composition containing a linear glucan composed of α-1,4-glucoside bonds and a branched glucan having a degree of polymerization of 4 to 6 or a reduced product thereof having a structure composed of a branched structure of α-1,6-glucoside bonds introduced at least at the non-reducing end of the linear glucan, and containing 25% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less of the sugar composition having an iodine color value (absorbance at a wavelength of 660 nm in the iodine color test) of 0.05 or less (however, excluding a flavor enhancer for a milk-containing coffee-flavored beverage containing an emulsified composition containing dairy products, an emulsifier, and a magnesium material, a high-intensity sweetener, and a polysaccharide).

4. A method for improving the flavor of a coffee-flavored food or drink containing a high-intensity sweetener, which comprises blending a sugar composition containing a linear glucan composed of α-1,4-glucoside bonds and a branched glucan having a degree of polymerization of 4 to 6 or a reduced product thereof having a structure composed of a branched structure of α-1,6-glucoside bonds introduced at least at the non-reducing end of the linear glucan, and containing 25% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less of the sugar composition having an iodine color value (absorbance at a wavelength of 660 nm in the iodine color test) of 0.05 or less (however, excluding a method for improving the flavor of a milk-containing coffee-flavored beverage containing an emulsified composition containing dairy products, an emulsifier, and a magnesium material, a high-intensity sweetener, and a polysaccharide).

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