Plum-flavored drink

Abstract

To provide an ume-taste beverage having an improved feeling of an unripe green ume, offering an improved flavor, a method for producing the same, and a method for improving the flavor of an ume-taste beverage.SOLUTION: An ume-taste beverage contains ethyl hexanoate of 10 μg / L or more.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a plum-flavored beverage and a method for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Plum-flavored beverages are beverages that have the flavor of plum fruit, and are popular with consumers for their refreshing plum fragrance and moderate acidity. Many plum-flavored non-alcoholic beverages (soft drinks, etc.) and plum-flavored alcoholic beverages (fruit wines, sweet fruit wines, liqueurs, etc.) have been developed and are on the market.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a plum alcoholic beverage containing plum ingredients, which contains octanal and fenchol in specified ranges and has enhanced gorgeous fruitiness (a fruity flavor with a white flower-like fragrance) and rich umami (a complex umami flavor like fermentation). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-149969 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in order to meet the diverse tastes of consumers, there is a continuing need to develop new flavors and improve flavors for plum-flavored beverages. In particular, there is room for further improvement in the green plum flavor, which is the flavor of unripe plums (ume fruits).

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a plum-flavored beverage having an enhanced green plum flavor and an improved aroma, a method for producing the same, and a method for improving the aroma of a plum-flavored beverage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the present inventors conducted extensive research and found that the aroma component ethyl hexanoate affects the flavor of plum-flavored beverages, particularly the unripe plum flavor. Based on this finding, they discovered that by making a plum-flavored beverage contain 10 μg / L or more of ethyl hexanoate, it is possible to provide a plum-flavored beverage with an enhanced unripe plum flavor and improved flavor, thereby completing the present invention.

[0008] That is, the present invention provides the following: <1> ~ <10> is. <1> A plum-flavored drink containing 10 μg / L or more of ethyl hexanoate. <2> The content of the ethyl hexanoate is 6000 μg / L or less. <1> A plum-flavored beverage as described above. <3> Furthermore, it contains propylene glycol at a concentration of 20 mg / L or more. <1> or <2> A plum-flavored beverage as described above. <4> The content of propylene glycol is 6000 mg / L or less. <3> A plum-flavored beverage as described above. <5> In addition, it contains 10 μg / L or more of ethyl cinnamate. <1> ~ <4> 1. A plum-flavored beverage according to any one of the preceding items. <6> The content of the ethyl cinnamate is 3000 μg / L or less. <5> A plum-flavored beverage as described above. <7> A plum-flavored alcoholic beverage with an alcohol content of 1% v / v or more. <1> ~ <6> 1. A plum-flavored beverage according to any one of the preceding items. <8> It is a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage that includes fruit liquor. <7> A plum-flavored beverage as described above. <9> A method for producing a plum-flavored beverage, comprising a step of adjusting the content of ethyl hexanoate to 10 μg / L or more. <10> A method for improving the flavor of a plum-flavored beverage, characterized in that the plum-flavored beverage contains 10 μg / L or more of ethyl hexanoate to enhance the green plum flavor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a plum-flavored beverage having an enhanced green plum flavor and an improved aroma. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention will now be described in detail. The present invention relates to a plum-flavored beverage containing 10 μg / L or more of ethyl hexanoate (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "plum-flavored beverage of the present invention"), a method for producing the same, and the like.

[0011] Here, the "ume-flavored beverage" of the present invention refers to a beverage having the flavor of ume fruit; that is, a beverage containing ume fruit-derived components (pulp, juice, peel, extracts thereof, fermented liquid, soaking liquid, etc.) and / or ume-like flavors (flavorings, etc.). This ume fruit flavor encompasses not only the flavor of harvested (unprocessed) ume fruit, but also the flavor of processed ume fruit products (e.g., umeboshi, which are salted ume fruit). Therefore, umeboshi-flavored beverages and the like that have the flavor of umeboshi are also included in this ume-flavored beverage. Furthermore, this ume-flavored beverage encompasses both ume-flavored non-alcoholic beverages (such as soft drinks) and ume-flavored alcoholic beverages (such as fruit wines, sweet fruit wines, and liqueurs).

[0012] The terms "fruit liquor," "sweet fruit liquor," and "liqueur" are exemplified by those defined by the Liquor Tax Act (Act No. 6 of 1953). However, these are not limited to those defined by the Liquor Tax Act and also include other alcoholic beverages produced using fermented fruit or fruit and water as raw materials (e.g., alcoholic beverages classified as spirits under the Liquor Tax Act). Thus, the plum-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention includes those classified as fruit liquor, sweet fruit liquor, liqueur, or spirits under the Liquor Tax Act, as well as other alcoholic beverages with a plum flavor. Fruit liquor as defined by the Liquor Tax Act includes alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content of less than 20% v / v that are produced by alcoholic fermentation of fruit or fruit and water, alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content of less than 15% v / v that are produced by alcoholic fermentation of fruit or fruit and water with the addition of sugars, and alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content of less than 15% v / v that are produced by alcoholic fermentation of these with the addition of sugars. In addition, sweet fruit wines, as defined by the Liquor Tax Law, are alcoholic beverages produced by adding sugar to fruit or fruit and water and then subjecting them to alcoholic fermentation, or by adding sugar to these and subjecting them to alcoholic fermentation, or by adding sugar, flavorings, such as brandy, or water to these alcoholic beverages, but are not included in the above-mentioned fruit wines. Furthermore, liqueurs, as defined by the Liquor Tax Law, are alcoholic beverages made from alcoholic beverages and sugars or other items (including alcoholic beverages) with an extract content of two or more degrees.

[0013] The components constituting the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0014] First, the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention contains ethyl hexanoate (Ethyl Hexanoate: CH 16 Ethyl hexanoate, also known as ethyl caproate, is an ester compound represented by the following formula (1) and is one of the aroma components.

[0015] [ka]

[0016] In the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention, the ethyl hexanoate content is set to 10 μg / L or more, preferably 20 μg / L or more, more preferably 30 μg / L or more, even more preferably 40 μg / L or more, even more preferably 50 μg / L or more, even more preferably 60 μg / L or more, even more preferably 80 μg / L or more, and even more preferably 100 μg / L or more. This is because the green plum flavor can be enhanced in the plum-flavored beverage, i.e., the flavor of unripe green plums can be imparted or increased, thereby improving the flavor of the plum-flavored beverage. At the same time, the flavorfulness can be enhanced, i.e., the plum-flavored beverage can be made to have a rich, expansive top flavor when drunk. Furthermore, the overall flavor balance of the plum-flavored beverage can be excellent. The ethyl hexanoate content can be adjusted by using commercially available ethyl hexanoate preparations or ethyl hexanoate-containing raw materials (e.g., flavorings), and multiple combinations of these may also be used.

[0017] Furthermore, in the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention, the ethyl hexanoate content is preferably adjusted to 6000 μg / L or less, more preferably 5000 μg / L or less, even more preferably 4000 μg / L or less, even more preferably 3000 μg / L or less, even more preferably 2500 μg / L or less, even more preferably 2300 μg / L or less, even more preferably 2000 μg / L or less, even more preferably 1800 μg / L or less, and even more preferably 1500 μg / L or less, which is suitable because it maintains a high level of the green plum flavor and elegance while providing a better overall balance of flavor and aroma as a plum-flavored beverage.

[0018] The plum-flavored beverage of the present invention preferably further contains propylene glycol (C3H8O2). Propylene glycol, also known as propane-1,2-diol, is a diol compound represented by the following formula (2), which is essentially tasteless and odorless when used alone.

[0019] [ka]

[0020] In the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention, the propylene glycol content is preferably 20 mg / L or more, more preferably 30 mg / L or more, even more preferably 50 mg / L or more, even more preferably 80 mg / L or more, even more preferably 100 mg / L or more, even more preferably 150 mg / L or more, even more preferably 200 mg / L or more, even more preferably 300 mg / L or more, even more preferably 400 mg / L or more, and even more preferably 500 mg / L or more. This improves the mellowness of the plum-flavored beverage, and further enhances the aforementioned green plum flavor and gorgeousness through a synergistic effect with ethyl hexanoate. This also improves the overall balance of the plum-flavored beverage. The propylene glycol content can be adjusted by using commercially available propylene glycol preparations or propylene glycol-containing raw materials, and a combination of these may also be used.

[0021] Furthermore, in the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention, the propylene glycol content is preferably adjusted to be 6000 mg / L or less, more preferably 5000 mg / L or less, even more preferably 4000 mg / L or less, even more preferably 3000 mg / L or less, even more preferably 2500 mg / L or less, even more preferably 2000 mg / L or less, even more preferably 1800 mg / L or less, and even more preferably 1500 mg / L or less, because this enhances the mellowness of the plum-flavored beverage while easily maintaining the unripe plum flavor, gorgeousness, and overall balance of the flavor and aroma of a plum-flavored beverage to a high degree.

[0022] In the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention, propylene glycol may be contained in a ratio of preferably 3 parts by mass or more, more preferably 10 parts by mass or more, even more preferably 50 parts by mass or more, even more preferably 100 parts by mass or more, even more preferably 400 parts by mass or more, even more preferably 1000 parts by mass or more, even more preferably 2000 parts by mass or more, or even more preferably 3000 parts by mass or more, relative to 1 part by mass of ethyl hexanoate, within the aforementioned content ranges, or preferably 600,000 parts by mass or less, more preferably 300,000 parts by mass or less, even more preferably 120,000 parts by mass or less, even more preferably 100,000 parts by mass or less, even more preferably 50,000 parts by mass or less, even more preferably 40,000 parts by mass or less, even more preferably 20,000 parts by mass or less, and even more preferably 10,000 parts by mass or less. By using such a composition, a plum-flavored beverage can be obtained that has an excellent green plum flavor, a gorgeous taste, a mellow taste, and an excellent overall balance of flavor and flavor as a plum-flavored beverage.

[0023] The plum-flavored beverage of the present invention further contains ethyl cinnamate (Ethyl Cinnamate: C 11 H 12 O2) is preferably contained. Ethyl cinnamate, also known as 3-phenyl-2-propenoic acid ethyl ester, is an ester compound represented by the following formula (3), and is also one of the fragrance components.

[0024] [ka]

[0025] In the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention, the content of ethyl cinnamate is preferably 10 μg / L or more, preferably 20 μg / L or more, more preferably 30 μg / L or more, even more preferably 40 μg / L or more, even more preferably 50 μg / L or more, even more preferably 60 μg / L or more, even more preferably 80 μg / L or more, and even more preferably 100 μg / L or more. This allows for a synergistic effect with ethyl hexanoate, which can enhance the flavor and aroma of the plum-flavored beverage while maintaining the aforementioned green plum flavor and elegance to a high degree. In particular, it is more preferable to include ethyl cinnamate in the above range in the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention that contains propylene glycol. Furthermore, in the plum-flavored beverage (plum-flavored alcoholic beverage) of the present invention that contains fruit wine, including ethyl cinnamate in the above range, the flavor and aroma become more mellow, and the balance of the green plum flavor, elegance, and overall flavor of the plum-flavored beverage can be improved. The content of ethyl cinnamate can also be adjusted by using commercially available ethyl cinnamate preparations or raw materials containing ethyl cinnamate, and a combination of these may also be used.

[0026] Furthermore, in the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention, the ethyl cinnamate content is preferably adjusted to 3000 μg / L or less, more preferably 2500 μg / L or less, even more preferably 2000 μg / L or less, even more preferably 1500 μg / L or less, even more preferably 1200 μg / L or less, even more preferably 1000 μg / L or less, and even more preferably 800 μg / L or less, because this makes it easier to maintain the unripe plum flavor, gorgeousness, mellowness, and overall balance of flavor and aroma required for a plum-flavored beverage to a high degree.

[0027] In the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention, ethyl cinnamate may be contained in a ratio of preferably 0.001 part by mass or more, more preferably 0.01 part by mass or more, even more preferably 0.05 part by mass or more, even more preferably 0.1 part by mass or more, even more preferably 0.2 part by mass or more, even more preferably 0.5 part by mass or more, and even more preferably 1 part by mass or more, per part by mass of ethyl hexanoate, within the aforementioned content range, or preferably 300 parts by mass or less, more preferably 100 parts by mass or less, even more preferably 60 parts by mass or less, even more preferably 50 parts by mass or less, even more preferably 20 parts by mass or less, and even more preferably 10 parts by mass or less. By using such a composition, a plum-flavored beverage (especially a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage including a fruit liquor) can be obtained that has an excellent green plum flavor, gorgeousness, mellowness, and overall balance of flavor and aroma as a plum-flavored beverage.

[0028] Furthermore, when the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention contains both propylene glycol and ethyl cinnamate, the ethyl cinnamate may be contained in a ratio of preferably 0.0001 part by mass or more, more preferably 0.0002 part by mass or more, even more preferably 0.0005 part by mass or more, even more preferably 0.001 part by mass or more, even more preferably 0.002 part by mass or more, even more preferably 0.005 part by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.01 part by mass or more per 100 parts by mass of propylene glycol, within the aforementioned content and ratio to ethyl hexanoate ranges; or preferably 15 parts by mass or less, more preferably 10 parts by mass or less, even more preferably 5 parts by mass or less, even more preferably 3 parts by mass or less, even more preferably 1 part by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.5 parts by mass or less.

[0029] Here, the contents of ethyl hexanoate, propylene glycol, and ethyl cinnamate in the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention can be measured, for example, by appropriately diluting a sample and subjecting it to solvent extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (solvent extraction-GC-MS method).

[0030] The plum-flavored beverage of the present invention uses, as raw materials, raw materials (including formulations) containing the above-mentioned components, raw materials containing plum-derived components (e.g., plum juice, alcoholic beverages using plum as a raw material, plum processed products), and / or raw materials having a plum flavor (e.g., plum flavoring), but other raw materials that can be used include sugars (e.g., glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, oligosaccharides), salts (e.g., sodium chloride, potassium chloride), organic acids (e.g., citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid) or salts thereof, phosphoric acid or salts thereof, alcoholic beverages not containing plum-derived components, vinegar, dietary fiber, carbonated water, coloring agents, sweeteners, high-intensity sweeteners, seasonings, antioxidants, pH adjusters, emulsifiers, etc. Furthermore, as long as the beverage is a plum-flavored beverage, i.e., a beverage having a plum flavor, raw materials containing fruit-derived components other than plum or vegetable-derived components, and flavorings having a flavor other than plum, can also be used.

[0031] When plum juice is added to the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention, the plum juice content, expressed as a plum juice content of 1 w / w% or more in terms of a plum juice content equivalent to straight juice, is preferred. The upper limit is not limited, but may be 10 w / w% or less. Here, plum juice refers to the juice squeezed from plum fruits, or its concentrate, concentrated reconstituted solution, or diluted solution, and may contain pulp and peel. The plum juice content equivalent to straight juice refers to the ratio of the plum juice contained in the plum-flavored beverage to the total mass of the beverage, calculated as straight juice in accordance with the Japanese Agricultural Standards (JAS). Specifically, the Japanese Agricultural Standards for Fruit Drinks (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Notification No. 489, February 24, 2016) stipulates that the standard acidity (citric acid equivalent) of plums is 3.5 w / v%, which is converted to the acidity of straight juice. However, the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention is characterized in that the above-mentioned effects can be fully obtained even in a plum-flavored beverage that does not contain plum juice (for example, a plum-flavored beverage to which the flavor of plum fruit has been imparted by flavorings, etc.).

[0032] The plum-flavored beverage of the present invention may be an alcoholic beverage with an alcohol content of 1 v / v% or more (for example, alcoholic beverages as defined in the Liquor Tax Act (Act No. 57 of June 3, 1953)), or a non-alcoholic beverage with an alcohol content of less than 1 v / v%, more preferably less than 0.5 v / v%, even more preferably less than 0.1 v / v%, and even more preferably less than 0.005 v / v%. When the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention is an alcoholic beverage, it may be either a fermented alcoholic beverage or a non-fermented alcoholic beverage, such as the fruit wine, sweet fruit wine, or liqueur described above. When the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention is a non-alcoholic beverage, it may be a soft drink (carbonated beverage, fruit drink, etc.).

[0033] When the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention is the aforementioned alcoholic beverage, i.e., a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage, its alcohol content is not particularly limited. However, the range in which the effects of the present invention are more readily exhibited includes, for example, a lower limit of 1 v / v% or more, further 2 v / v% or more, further 3 v / v% or more, or even 5 v / v% or more, and an upper limit of 20 v / v% or less, further 15 v / v% or less, further 10 v / v% or less, or even 7 v / v% or less. Here, the "alcohol content (v / v%)" of the present invention is measured according to the National Tax Agency's prescribed analytical method (instruction) 3 Sake 3-4 Alcohol Content (Vibration Density Meter Method). In the present invention, "alcohol" refers to ethanol. The alcohol content can be adjusted by the alcohol content of the alcoholic beverage (distilled alcohol, brewed alcohol, raw material alcohol, etc.) used in the production process, the blending ratio, etc. Furthermore, when an alcohol fermentation process using yeast (a process in which yeast produces alcohol as a metabolic product from organic substances such as sugars) is performed, the alcohol content can also be adjusted by controlling the fermentation conditions.

[0034] If the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention is a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage, it is more preferably a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage containing a fruit liquor. It is even more preferable that this fruit liquor be a fruit liquor (such as wine) as defined by the Liquor Tax Act. This fruit liquor may be a plum liquor made from plums or a fruit other than plums. If the included fruit liquor is wine (an alcoholic beverage produced by alcoholic fermentation of grapes or other fruits), it may be white wine, red wine, rosé wine, or a wine with physical properties intermediate between white and red wine. White wine is preferred because it is more likely to enhance the flavor and aroma. When a fruit liquor is included, it is even more preferable that propylene glycol and ethyl cinnamate are also included. This is because the overall flavor and aroma balance of the plum-flavored beverage is greatly improved due to the synergistic effect of the fruit liquor's flavor with the aromas of ethyl hexanoate, propylene glycol, and ethyl cinnamate. The content of fruit liquor in the plum-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be set appropriately taking into consideration the alcohol content and extract content of the final beverage, and is, for example, approximately 10 v / v% to 90 v / v%, or even 20 v / v% to 80 v / v%, or even 30 v / v% to 70 v / v%. Furthermore, the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention may be a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage that includes a sweet fruit liquor (for example, a sweet fruit liquor as defined by the Liquor Tax Act, as mentioned above).

[0035] Furthermore, when the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention is a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage, it may contain authentic plum wine or other plum wines, and the plum-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention may be authentic plum wine or other plum wines. However, the present invention is characterized in that the above-mentioned effects can be fully obtained even with plum-flavored alcoholic beverages that do not contain authentic plum wine or other plum wines, or with plum alcohol-flavored beverages that are not authentic plum wine or other plum wines. Here, authentic plum wine refers to a liqueur or the like obtained by soaking plum fruit in alcoholic beverages such as distilled alcohol and infusing the plum fruit components, and is made only from plum fruit, sugars, and alcoholic beverages. Furthermore, other plum wines (other than authentic plum wine) refer to liqueurs or the like obtained by soaking plum fruit in alcoholic beverages such as distilled alcohol and infusing the plum fruit components, but are not authentic plum wines, i.e., contain plum fruit, sugars, and ingredients other than alcoholic beverages (such as acidulants and flavorings). In particular, when the present invention is used in a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage that does not contain authentic plum wine or a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage that is not authentic plum wine, the overall balance of flavor and taste is likely to be even better.

[0036] Furthermore, when the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention is a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage, the extract content may be, but is not limited to, 0.2 w / v% or more, 1.0 w / v% or more, 3.0 w / v% or more, 4.0 w / v% or more, or 5.0 w / v% or more. The upper limit is also not limited, but may be, but not limited to, 25.0 w / v% or less, 20.0 w / v% or less, 18.0 w / v% or less, or 15.0 w / v% or less. The extract content in this alcoholic beverage is calculated using the following formula (4): (4) Extract content (w / v%) = (SA) × 260 + 0.21

[0037] In this formula (4), "S" is the specific gravity (15 / 4°C) of the plum-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention, and "A" is the value calculated by converting the alcohol content of the plum-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention to specific gravity (15 / 15°C). The conversion of alcohol content to specific gravity (15 / 15°C) is performed based on Table 2 of the National Tax Agency's Prescribed Methods of Analysis (Instructions) of Japan, "Conversion Table of Alcohol Content, Density (15°C), and Specific Gravity (15 / 15°C)." Furthermore, calculations using this formula are rounded to the fifth decimal place, and the final extract content value is truncated to two decimal places. Furthermore, the specific gravity (15 / 4°C) of the plum-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention is calculated by measuring the density at 15°C using a vibration density meter and dividing the obtained density value by 0.99997.

[0038] The plum-flavored beverage of the present invention may also be a carbonated beverage (such as a carbonated beverage or a carbonated alcoholic beverage) containing carbon dioxide. Here, "sparkling" refers to a carbon dioxide pressure at 20°C of 0.05 MPa or higher, and may be 0.10 MPa or higher, further 0.15 MPa or higher, or even 0.20 MPa or higher. The carbon dioxide pressure may be 1.00 MPa or lower, further 0.50 MPa or lower, or even 0.30 MPa or lower. The carbon dioxide may be derived from carbonated water used as a raw material, or may be added to the beverage in a carbonation (carbon dioxide injection) process. This carbonation process may be carried out batchwise or continuously in-line using a carbon dioxide injection system (carbonator) incorporated into the piping. To avoid foaming, the carbonation process is preferably carried out at a liquid temperature of 10°C or lower (preferably 4°C or lower). The plum-flavored beverage of the present invention may also be a non-sparkling beverage having a carbon dioxide pressure at 20°C of less than 0.05 MPa.

[0039] The method for producing the plum-flavored beverage of the present invention may be any conventional method for producing soft drinks or alcoholic beverages, as long as it includes a step of adjusting the ethyl hexanoate content of the resulting plum-flavored beverage to 10 μg / L or more, and is not particularly limited. When producing an alcoholic beverage, the production may involve an alcohol fermentation process using yeast to produce a fermented alcoholic beverage, or a blending process using alcoholic beverages such as distilled spirits as a raw material (without an alcohol fermentation process) to produce a non-fermented alcoholic beverage. The above-described effects can be achieved by adjusting the final product to have an ethyl hexanoate content of 10 μg / L or more and a plum flavor. For example, one example of a method for producing a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage is to use pure water as a base, mix the pure water with raw material alcohol, sugars, organic acids, plum juice, flavorings, an ethyl hexanoate preparation, etc., adjust the ethyl hexanoate content of the product to a predetermined range, and, if necessary, perform filtration, sterilization, etc. to produce the final product. Furthermore, the method may include a step of adjusting the propylene glycol content of the resulting plum-flavored beverage to 20 mg / L or more, and / or a step of adjusting the ethyl cinnamate content of the resulting plum-flavored beverage to 10 μg / L or more.

[0040] The plum-flavored beverage of the present invention may also be packaged as a container by filling the product obtained as described above into a glass container, a metal container (aluminum container, steel container, etc.), a PET bottle, a paper container, a barrel, etc. By packaging the beverage in such a container, not only is it easier to prevent deterioration of the plum fruit flavor and aroma over time, but it also provides greater convenience in distribution and sales.

[0041] The plum-flavored beverage of the present invention, configured as described above, has an enhanced green plum flavor and an improved aroma, and is also more vibrant, improving the overall balance of the flavor of the plum-flavored beverage. Furthermore, even in the case of a plum-flavored beverage having the flavor of a processed plum product, such as a pickled plum-flavored beverage, the present invention can be used to produce a pickled plum-flavored beverage having the green plum flavor imparted thereto.

[0042] The present invention can also be said to provide a method for improving the flavor of a plum-flavored beverage by adding 10 μg / L or more of ethyl hexanoate to the plum-flavored beverage to enhance the green plum flavor. In other words, the present invention can be said to provide a method for enhancing the green plum flavor of a plum-flavored beverage. Furthermore, the present invention also provides a method for enhancing the richness of a plum-flavored beverage and a method for improving the overall balance of the flavor of a plum-flavored beverage. Furthermore, the present invention can also provide a method for improving the flavor of a plum-flavored beverage (such as a method for improving mellowness) by adjusting the propylene glycol content to 20 mg / L or more and / or the ethyl cinnamate content to 10 μg / L or more.

[0043] Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples, and various modifications are possible within the technical concept of the present invention. [Example]

[0044] <Preparation of plum-flavored alcoholic beverage and sensory evaluation (Test I)> Pure water was mixed with raw alcohol, plum juice (5x concentrated), sugars, and citric acid, and then each formulation was added and mixed to achieve the ethyl hexanoate, propylene glycol, or ethyl cinnamate contents shown in the upper row of Table 1 (Samples 1-1 to 1-12). These plum-flavored alcoholic beverages (liqueurs with a plum flavor) were prepared with an alcohol content of 6 v / v%, a plum juice content (plum juice content) of 1 w / w% (calculated as pure juice), and an extract content of 13 w / v%. Samples 1-1 to 1-12 were also prepared. A control sample (Sample 0-1) was also prepared, which was identical except that it did not contain any of the ethyl hexanoate, propylene glycol, or ethyl cinnamate.

[0045] Each sample was then evaluated by four trained panelists with the ability to discern sensory perception for its elegance (richness of the top aroma), green plum flavor (green plum-like aroma), mellowness (mellowness of the aroma), and overall balance as a beverage (overall balance of aroma as a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage), using the evaluation criteria shown below.

[0046] [Evaluation criteria for gorgeousness and green plum feeling] The gorgeousness and green plum flavor of sample 0-1 were both rated as 1 (not felt at all), and a comparative sensory evaluation was conducted on a 5-point scale from 1 (not felt at all (same as sample 0-1)) to 5 (strongly felt) in comparison with this sample 0-1.

[0047] [Evaluation criteria for mellowness] The mellowness of sample 0-1 was given a rating of 2 (slightly mellow), and a comparative sensory evaluation was conducted in comparison with sample 0-1 on a 5-point scale from 1 (not mellow) to 5 (very mellow).

[0048] [Evaluation criteria for overall balance as a beverage] The overall balance of flavor as a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage was evaluated using a sensory scale of 5, with 5 points representing "very well balanced" and 1 point representing "very poorly balanced."

[0049] The results of this sensory evaluation (average evaluations by four panelists) are also shown in the lower part of Table 1 below. These results reveal that, first, Samples 1-1 to 1-5, which contain 50 μg / L or more of ethyl hexanoate, have a stronger green plum flavor and a more vibrant taste than Sample 0-1, and also have a better overall balance of flavor and aroma as a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage. Furthermore, Samples 1-6 to 1-10, which contain 150 μg / L or 1000 μg / L of ethyl hexanoate and 100 mg / L or more of propylene glycol, have an improved mellow flavor and also have a better green plum flavor, vibrant taste, and overall balance of flavor and aroma as a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage. Furthermore, it was revealed that the liqueurs of samples 1-11 and 1-12, which contained an ethyl hexanoate content of 150 μg / L, a propylene glycol content of 1000 mg / L, and an ethyl cinnamate content of 100 μg / L or more, also had enhanced elegance, a green plum flavor, and a mellowness.

[0050] <Preparation of plum-flavored alcoholic beverage and sensory evaluation (Test II)> Pure water was mixed with raw alcohol, white wine, plum juice (5x concentrated), sugars, and citric acid. Each formulation was then added and mixed to achieve an ethyl hexanoate content of 150 μg / L and a propylene glycol content of 1000 mg / L. Further, formulations were added and mixed to achieve the ethyl cinnamate content shown in the upper row of Table 1 (Sample 2-1, Sample 2-2). These plum-flavored alcoholic beverages (sweet fruit wines with a plum aroma) were produced. Each had an alcohol content of 6 v / v% and an extract content of 13 w / v%, but differed in the amount of ethyl cinnamate. A control sample (Sample 0-2) was also prepared, which was identical except that it did not contain any of the ethyl hexanoate, propylene glycol, or ethyl cinnamate.

[0051] Each sample was then subjected to a sensory evaluation by four trained panelists with sensory discrimination abilities for the gorgeousness, green plum flavor, mellowness, and overall balance of the beverage, in the same manner as in Test I. The evaluation criteria for the sensory evaluation were the same as those in Test I above, except that Sample 0-2 was used as the comparison object for the gorgeousness, green plum flavor, and mellowness, and the same evaluation criteria as in Test I above were used for the overall balance of the beverage.

[0052] The sensory evaluation results (average evaluations by four panelists) are also shown in the lower part of Table 1 below. These results demonstrate that the sweet fruit wine of Sample 2-1, which contains white wine and has an ethyl hexanoate content of 150 μg / L and a propylene glycol content of 1000 mg / L, exhibits a green plum flavor, elegance, and mellowness greater than the sweet fruit wine of Sample 0-2, similar to the liqueur of Test I, and also demonstrates an improved evaluation of the overall balance of flavor and aroma as a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage. Furthermore, the sweet fruit wine of Sample 2-2, which further contains 500 μg / L of ethyl cinnamate, exhibits significantly improved green plum flavor, elegance, mellowness, and the overall balance of flavor and aroma as a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage.

[0053] From the above, it was shown that plum-flavored beverages containing a certain amount or more of ethyl hexanoate have an enhanced green plum flavor and a gorgeous flavor, and the overall balance of the flavor as a plum-flavored beverage is also evaluated higher, resulting in a beverage with an improved flavor, and that plum-flavored beverages containing a certain amount or more of propylene glycol have a mellower flavor, an enhanced green plum flavor and a gorgeous flavor, and the overall balance of the flavor as a plum-flavored beverage is also evaluated higher.Furthermore, it was also shown that plum-flavored beverages containing a certain amount or more of ethyl cinnamate, particularly plum-flavored alcoholic beverages including fruit liquors, have an improved flavor and flavor, with the green plum flavor, gorgeous flavor, mellowness, and the overall balance of the flavor as a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage all being further improved.

[0054] [Table 1]

Claims

1. The plum-flavored beverage has an alcohol content of 15 v / v% or less, contains ethyl hexanoate in an amount of 50 μg / L or more and 2000 μg / L or less, and further contains propylene glycol in an amount of 100 mg / L or more and 3000 mg / L or less and ethyl cinnamate in an amount of 80 μg / L or more and 1000 μg / L or less.

2. 2. The plum-flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein the ethyl cinnamate is contained in a ratio of 1 part by mass or more to 1 part by mass of the ethyl hexanoate.

3. 3. The plum-flavored beverage according to claim 1, which is a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage having an alcohol content of 1% v / v or more.

4. The plum-flavored beverage according to claim 3, which is a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage containing fruit wine.

5. A method for producing a plum-flavored beverage having an alcohol content of 15 v / v% or less, the method comprising the steps of adjusting the content of ethyl hexanoate to 50 μg / L or more and 2000 μg / L or less, adjusting the content of propylene glycol to 100 mg / L or more and 3000 mg / L or less, and adjusting the content of ethyl cinnamate to 80 μg / L or more and 1000 μg / L or less.

6. A method for improving the flavor of a plum-flavored beverage, characterized in that the plum-flavored beverage has an alcohol content of 15 v / v% or less and contains 50 μg / L to 2000 μg / L of ethyl hexanoate, and further contains 100 mg / L to 3000 mg / L of propylene glycol and 80 μg / L to 1000 μg / L of ethyl cinnamate, thereby enhancing or improving the green plum flavor, mellowness, and gorgeousness.

Images