Solid composition having green laver aroma

Abstract

To provide a solid composition that brings about an excellent fragrance, which is a green laver scent, when added to a medium such as water.SOLUTION: A solid composition comprises dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one, the weight ratio of the dimethyl sulfide content to the 1-penten-3-one content being adjusted to be 120 or more.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a solid composition, and more particularly to a solid composition that provides a green laver aroma. [Background technology]

[0002] Tea beverages obtained by processing tea leaves are widely consumed not only in Japan but also around the world. Tea beverages are sold as packaged beverages that are sterilized and filled into containers such as plastic bottles or cans, or as powdered beverages that are dried and powdered and sold as beverages that are dissolved in water or hot water for consumption. Powdered teas that are consumed with water or hot water can be broadly divided into two types: one is instant tea, which is obtained by drying tea leaf extract, and the other is powdered tea, which is obtained by grinding tea leaves as they are.

[0003] Previously, technologies aimed at improving the flavor of instant tea have been disclosed, including instant tea obtained by performing multiple extraction procedures from the same tea leaf material in the production of tea leaf extract (Patent Document 1) and instant tea in which the caffeine content is reduced by purifying green tea extract using a mixed solution containing a specific ratio of ethanol and water (Patent Document 2). Another example is instant tea that uses monosaccharides or disaccharides such as glucose or maltose to prevent flavor deterioration over time (Patent Document 3). Regarding powdered tea, for example, powdered tea obtained by dispersing ground tea leaves in a plant extract and then spray-drying the dispersion (Patent Document 4) and powdered tea mainly composed of ground tea leaves obtained by grinding and atomizing in an aqueous solution (Patent Document 5) have been disclosed, with the aim of improving dispersibility and solubility in water. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-226111 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-72188 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-153739 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-233559 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-289115 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Among tea beverages, high-quality green teas have a characteristic aroma known as "green laver aroma." While various solid tea compositions have been developed and sold, no solid tea composition that specifically provides an excellent green laver aroma is known. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a solid composition that, when added to a medium such as water, provides an excellent green laver aroma. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a result of intensive research to solve the above problems, the present inventors have found that by adjusting the content ratio of dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one in the solid composition to fall within a specific range, a pleasant green laver aroma reminiscent of high-quality tea can be perceived. Based on these findings, the present inventors have completed the present invention.

[0007] The present invention relates to, but is not limited to, the following: (1) A solid composition containing dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one, wherein the weight ratio of the dimethyl sulfide content to the 1-penten-3-one content is 120 or more. (2) The composition according to (1), which is a powder composition. (3) A composition according to (1) or (2), containing two or more types of dextrin. (4) The composition according to (3), which contains linear dextrin and cyclic dextrin. (5) The composition according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the weight ratio of the dimethyl sulfide content to the 1-penten-3-one content is 150 or more. (6) The composition according to any one of (1) to (5), further comprising one or more fragrance components selected from the group consisting of α-ionone, β-ionone, β-cyclocitral, (z)-3-hexenol, 1-penten-3-ol, hexanal, and nerolidol. (7) The composition according to any one of (1) to (6), which contains a tea leaf extract. (8) The composition according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the tea leaf extract is an extract of sencha tea leaves. (9) A food or drink containing the composition according to any one of (1) to (8). (10) The food or beverage according to (9), which is a beverage. (11) The food or beverage according to (10), which is a tea beverage. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, a solid composition can be provided that, when added to a medium such as water, provides an excellent aroma of green laver. The solid composition of the present invention can be used to prepare a tea beverage using water or hot water, and can provide the green laver aroma reminiscent of high-quality tea when the tea beverage is consumed. The solid composition of the present invention is extremely lightweight compared to tea beverages, making it extremely convenient to transport.

[0009] The solid composition of the present invention can also be used as a food ingredient. The number and variety of foods with a tea flavor have been increasing in recent years. The solid composition of the present invention can be used to impart the aroma of green laver reminiscent of high-quality tea to confectioneries such as cakes, castella, candies, cookies, jellies, puddings, and chocolates. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The solid composition of the present invention will be described below. Unless otherwise specified, the terms "ppm," "ppb," and "wt %" used in this specification refer to ppm, ppb, and wt % of weight / weight (w / w), respectively.

[0011] One aspect of the present invention is a solid composition containing dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one, wherein the weight ratio of the dimethyl sulfide content to the 1-penten-3-one content is 120 or more. By adopting this configuration, the solid composition exhibits an aroma of green laver, which is an excellent aroma for green laver. Here, in this specification, "green laver aroma" refers to an aroma that is a mixture of a subtle roasted aroma, sweetness, and a seashore-like smell.

[0012] (tea leaf extract) The solid composition of the present invention can contain tea leaf extract. Here, "tea leaf extract" as used herein refers to components extracted from tea leaves. In the present invention, tea leaves obtained from plants of the genus Camellia in the family Theaceae (e.g., Camellia sinensis (L) O. Kuntze) can be used. The tea leaves used in the present invention can be classified into non-fermented tea, semi-fermented tea, and fermented tea depending on the processing method. Examples of non-fermented tea include green teas such as crude tea, sencha, gyokuro, kabusecha, tencha, bancha, roasted tea, kamairicha, kukicha, bocha, and budcha. Examples of semi-fermented tea include oolong teas such as Tieguanyin, Irodane, Ogongui, and Wuyiyancha. Examples of fermented tea include black teas such as Darjeeling, Assam, and Sri Lanka. In the present invention, a single type of tea leaf may be used alone, or multiple types of tea leaves may be blended. The tea leaves are not particularly limited as long as they are parts from which aromatic components can be extracted, and leaves, stems, etc. can be used as appropriate, and the form is not limited to large leaves, powder, etc. In the present invention, although there are no particular limitations, an extract of green tea leaves is preferably used, and an extract of sencha tea leaves is more preferably used.

[0013] The content of tea leaf extract in the solid composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 30 to 90% by weight, preferably 35 to 80% by weight, and more preferably 40 to 70% by weight. When the content of tea leaf extract is within the above range, the aroma and flavor derived from the tea leaves can be fully perceived.

[0014] (Dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one) The solid composition of the present invention contains dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one. Dimethyl sulfide is an organic sulfur compound (CAS Registry Number: 75-18-3) with the formula (CH3)2S and is known as a fragrance component of seaweed. 1-penten-3-one is an organic compound (CAS Registry Number: 1629-58-9) with the molecular formula C5H8O and is known to have a pungent odor reminiscent of rotten onions, rubber, solvents, or plastic resins.

[0015] In the solid composition of the present invention, the weight ratio of dimethyl sulfide content to 1-penten-3-one content (dimethyl sulfide content / 1-penten-3-one content) is 120 or more. As mentioned above, dimethyl sulfide is known to be an aromatic component that imparts the aroma of laver. However, dimethyl sulfide alone only emphasizes the fragrant aroma of laver that is perceived in the top note, making it difficult to achieve the laver aroma perceived in high-quality tea beverages such as gyokuro. By combining 1-penten-3-one with such dimethyl sulfide in the above weight ratio, a particularly excellent laver aroma can be perceived. More specifically, the presence of 1-penten-3-one in the above weight ratio results in a sharper perception of the laver aroma.

[0016] The weight ratio of the dimethyl sulfide content to the 1-penten-3-one content in the solid composition of the present invention is preferably 125 or more, 130 or more, 150 or more, 175 or more, 200 or more, 250 or more, or 300 or more. Furthermore, the weight ratio of the dimethyl sulfide content to the 1-penten-3-one content in the solid composition of the present invention is preferably 100,000 or less, 70,000 or less, 50,000 or less, or 30,000 or less. Typically, the weight ratio of the dimethyl sulfide content to the 1-penten-3-one content in the solid composition of the present invention is preferably 125 to 100,000, more preferably 130 to 70,000, and even more preferably 150 to 50,000.

[0017] The dimethyl sulfide content in the solid composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.001 ppm or more, preferably 0.002 ppm or more, 0.005 ppm or more, 0.01 ppm or more, 0.012 ppm or more, 0.015 ppm or more, 0.02 ppm or more, 0.5 ppm or more, or 1 ppm or more. By having the dimethyl sulfide content within the above range, the aroma of green laver is exhibited. The upper limit of the dimethyl sulfide content in the solid composition is not particularly limited. The content is, for example, 20,000 ppm or less, preferably 10,000 ppm or less, 5,000 ppm or less, 1,000 ppm or less, 500 ppm or less, 200 ppm or less, or 150 ppm or less. The content of dimethyl sulfide in the solid composition of the present invention is typically 0.001 ppm to 10,000 ppm, preferably 0.005 ppm to 500 ppm, more preferably 0.012 ppm to 200 ppm, and even more preferably 0.02 ppm to 150 ppm.

[0018] The content of 1-penten-3-one in the solid composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 1000 ppb or less, preferably 700 ppb or less, 500 ppb or less, 200 ppb or less, 150 ppb or less, 100 ppb or less, or 50 ppb or less. The presence of 1-penten-3-one together with dimethyl sulfide in an amount within the above range allows the solid composition of the present invention to exhibit an excellent green laver aroma.

[0019] In the present invention, the contents of dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one in the solid composition can be measured using gas chromatography (GC). Examples of an analytical device include a SHIMADZU Nexis GC-2030 (Shimadzu Corporation). Specifically, the solid composition of the present invention is dissolved in water to prepare a solution, and the contents of various aromatic components can be measured using the solution under the following conditions. Equipment:GC:SHIMADZU Nexis GC-2030 MS: SHIMADZU GCMS-QP2020NX HS: SHIMADZU AOC-6000 SPME:SPME Arrow 1.10mm : DVB / C-WR / PDMS Column: GL Sciences INERTCAP 60m x 0.25mm i.d. df=0.25μm Temperature conditions: 40℃ (4 minutes) ~ 5℃ / min ~ 240℃ Carrier gas flow rate: He 1.43 ml / min Injection method: Split (split ratio 9) Ion source temperature: 200℃ The conditions for the measurement sample can be set as shown in the Examples below. After measuring the content of the aroma component in the solution, the content of the aroma component in the solid composition can be calculated backward from the amount of the solid composition dissolved in water.

[0020] (dextrin) The solid composition of the present invention may contain dextrin. Dextrin is a general term for carbohydrates obtained by hydrolysis of starch or glycogen. In the present invention, dextrin can be used as an excipient for forming a solid composition. The type of dextrin used in the solid composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but may be one or more, two or more, three or more, or four or more, preferably two or more, more preferably three or more.

[0021] The dextrin content in the solid composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 10 to 70% by weight, preferably 20 to 65% by weight, and more preferably 30 to 60% by weight, in terms of the total dextrin content. Commercially available dextrins can be used in the present invention. The dextrin content in the solid composition can be measured by sugar analysis using a method known to those skilled in the art.

[0022] The dextrin used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and examples include linear dextrin, cyclic dextrin, and helical dextrin. Herein, "linear dextrin" refers to dextrin in which glucose is bonded in a linear or branched chain, and does not form a ring structure or a helical structure. Also, "cyclic dextrin" refers to dextrin in which glucose is bonded to form a ring structure, but does not form a helical structure. Also, "helical dextrin" refers to dextrin in which glucose is bonded to form a helical structure. The solid composition of the present invention preferably contains linear dextrin and cyclic dextrin.

[0023] The linear dextrin is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include linear dextrins with a DE (dextrose equivalent) of 1 to 25 and linear dextrins with a weight-average molecular weight of 500 to 160,000. Furthermore, in the present invention, not only one type of linear dextrin but also two or more types can be used in combination. A preferred embodiment of the present invention is the use of two types of linear dextrins. When two types of linear dextrins are used, for example, a combination of a linear dextrin with a DE of 2 to 5 and a linear dextrin with a DE of 16 to 20, or a combination of a linear dextrin with a weight-average molecular weight of 90,000 to 140,000 and a linear dextrin with a weight-average molecular weight of 600 to 1,200 can be used.

[0024] When a linear dextrin is used, the content of the linear dextrin in the solid composition of the present invention is, for example, 0 to 65% by weight, preferably 10 to 60% by weight, and more preferably 15 to 55% by weight. When a linear dextrin with a DE of 2 to 5 and a linear dextrin with a DE of 16 to 20 are used as two types of linear dextrin, the content of the linear dextrin with a DE of 2 to 5 in the solid composition of the present invention is, for example, 0 to 60% by weight, preferably 5 to 50% by weight, and more preferably 10 to 45% by weight, and the content of the linear dextrin with a DE of 16 to 20 is, for example, 0 to 60% by weight, preferably 5 to 50% by weight, and more preferably 10 to 45% by weight. The ratio (by weight) of the DE2 to DE5 linear dextrin to the DE16 to DE20 linear dextrin is, for example, 4:0.5 to 0.5:5, preferably 3:1 to 1:5, and more preferably 2:1 to 1:4.

[0025] Furthermore, when two types of linear dextrins are used, one having a weight-average molecular weight of 90,000 to 140,000 and the other having a weight-average molecular weight of 600 to 1,200, the content of the linear dextrin having a weight-average molecular weight of 90,000 to 140,000 in the solid composition of the present invention is, for example, 0 to 65% by weight, preferably 10 to 60% by weight, and more preferably 15 to 55% by weight, and the content of the linear dextrin having a weight-average molecular weight of 600 to 1,200 is, for example, 5 to 60% by weight, preferably 5 to 50% by weight, and more preferably 10 to 45% by weight. The ratio (weight ratio) of the linear dextrin having a weight average molecular weight of 90,000 to 140,000 to the linear dextrin having a weight average molecular weight of 600 to 1,200 is, for example, 5:1 to 1:3, preferably 3:1 to 1:2, and more preferably 2:1 to 1:1.

[0026] As the cyclic dextrin, for example, cyclodextrin can be used. In the present invention, any of α-cyclodextrin, β-cyclodextrin, and γ-cyclodextrin can be used, but α-cyclodextrin is preferably used. The weight-average molecular weight of the cyclic dextrin used in the present invention is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 700 to 1300, preferably 800 to 1200, and more preferably 900 to 1100. When a cyclic dextrin is used, the content of the cyclic dextrin in the solid composition of the present invention is, for example, 0.5 to 15% by weight, preferably 1 to 12% by weight, and more preferably 3 to 10% by weight.

[0027] When linear dextrin and cyclic dextrin are used, the ratio (weight ratio) of the linear dextrin to the cyclic dextrin is, for example, 20:1 to 2:1, preferably 15:1 to 3:1, and more preferably 12:1 to 5:1.

[0028] The solid composition of the present invention may contain a helical dextrin. The DE of the helical dextrin used in the present invention is not particularly limited, but is, for example, less than 7, preferably less than 6, and more preferably less than 5. When a helical dextrin is used, the content of the helical dextrin in the solid composition of the present invention is, for example, 0 to 45 wt %, preferably 5 to 30 wt %, and more preferably 10 to 20 wt %. When a helical dextrin is used, the ratio (weight ratio) of the linear dextrin to the helical dextrin is, for example, 1:3 to 3:1, preferably 1:2 to 2:1, and more preferably 1:1.5 to 1.5:1.

[0029] (Other aromatic ingredients) In addition to the above-mentioned dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one, the solid composition of the present invention may further contain one or more aromatic components selected from the group consisting of α-ionone, β-ionone, β-cyclocitral, (z)-3-hexenol, 1-penten-3-ol, hexanal, and nerolidol. By incorporating these aromatic components into the solid composition of the present invention, a more well-balanced green laver aroma can be exhibited.

[0030] The content of α-ionone in the solid composition of the present invention is, for example, 10,000 ppb or less, preferably 5,000 ppb or less, and more preferably 2,000 ppb or less. The content of β-ionone in the solid composition of the present invention is, for example, 10,000 ppb or less, preferably 5,000 ppb or less, and more preferably 2,000 ppb or less. The content of β-cyclocitral in the solid composition of the present invention is, for example, 10,000 ppb or less, preferably 5,000 ppb or less, and more preferably 2,000 ppb or less. The content of (z)-3-hexenol in the solid composition of the present invention is, for example, 1 to 20,000 ppb, preferably 2 to 15,000 ppb, and more preferably 3 to 10,000 ppb. The content of 1-penten-3-ol in the solid composition of the present invention is, for example, 10 to 10,000 ppb, preferably 15 to 8,000 ppb, and more preferably 20 to 7,000 ppb. The content of hexanal in the solid composition of the present invention is, for example, 1 to 10,000 ppb, preferably 2 to 5,000 ppb, and more preferably 5 to 2,000 ppb.The content of nerolidol in the solid composition of the present invention is, for example, 1 to 10,000 ppb, preferably 2 to 5,000 ppb, and more preferably 5 to 2,000 ppb.

[0031] In the present invention, the contents of α-ionone, β-ionone, β-cyclocitral, (z)-3-hexenol, 1-penten-3-ol, hexanal, and nerolidol in the solid composition can be measured using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC / MS). Specifically, the contents of various aromatic components can be measured under the following conditions. Equipment:GC:SHIMADZU Nexis GC-2030 MS: SHIMADZU GCMS-QP2020NX HS: SHIMADZU AOC-6000 SPME:SPME Arrow 1.10mm : DVB / C-WR / PDMS Column: GL Sciences INERTCAP 60m x 0.25mm i.d. df=0.25μm Temperature conditions: 40℃ (4 minutes) ~ 5℃ / min ~ 240℃ Carrier gas flow rate: He 1.43 ml / min Injection method: Split (split ratio 9) Ion source temperature: 200℃ The conditions for the measurement sample can be set as shown in the examples below.

[0032] (Extract containing dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one) In the solid composition of the present invention, purified or crude dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one may be used, or an extract containing dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one may be used. The extract containing dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one may be a naturally derived extract, and both plant and animal extracts may be used. In the present invention, a plant extract is preferably used, and among plants, a tea leaf extract is more preferably used. Here, although not particularly limited, the tea leaf extract containing dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one is preferably a different type of tea leaf extract from the tea leaf extract described above. That is, if the tea leaf extract described above is a first tea leaf extract, the tea leaf extract containing dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one can be a different second tea leaf extract. In the present invention, dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one may be derived from the first tea leaf extract. In the present invention, the contents of dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one refer to the amounts contained in the solid composition of the present invention, regardless of their origin.

[0033] The tea leaves used as the raw material for the tea leaf extract containing dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one are preferably unfermented teas, and specific examples include green teas such as crude tea, sencha, gyokuro, kabusecha, tencha, bancha, and roasted tea. The tea leaf extract containing dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one may be extracted from only one type of tea leaf, or may be extracted from a blend of multiple types of tea leaves. In the present invention, the tea leaf extract containing dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one is preferably an extract of green tea leaves, and more preferably an extract of tea leaves such as kabusecha, gyokuro, or tencha that have been shaded and grown under cover before picking. By using an extract of tea leaves such as Kabusecha, Gyokuro, and Tencha that have been shaded and grown under cover before being picked, it is possible to incorporate aromatic components other than dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one derived from the tea leaves, thereby imparting to the solid composition a superior aroma and flavor reminiscent of high-quality tea.

[0034] When a tea leaf extract containing dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one is used, the content thereof is not particularly limited, and the content of dimethyl sulfide or 1-penten-3-one in the solid composition of the present invention can be adjusted so that it is within the range specified above.

[0035] (Other additives) In addition to the various components listed above, the solid composition of the present invention may contain additives commonly used in foods and beverages, such as antioxidants, preservatives, pH adjusters, sweeteners, nutritional fortifiers, thickening agents, emulsifiers, dietary fiber, and quality stabilizers, within the range that does not impair the effects of the present invention.

[0036] (solid composition) The solid composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably in powder form, i.e., a powder composition. In the present invention, the powder composition may be in powder form, and granules are also included. In the present invention, the particle size of the powder composition is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.1 to 500 μm, preferably 1 to 300 μm, and more preferably 10 to 200 μm.

[0037] The solid composition of the present invention can be incorporated into food and beverage products (drinks and foods). In other words, the present invention can provide food and beverage products containing the above-described solid composition. The solid composition of the present invention is preferably incorporated into a liquid to produce a beverage, and most preferably dissolved in water or hot water and consumed as a tea beverage. From this perspective, the solid composition of the present invention can be provided as instant tea. Herein, "instant tea" refers to a powdered beverage prepared by drying a solution containing tea leaf extract as a raw material and processing it into a powder. Tea beverages include non-fermented teas (e.g., green tea), semi-fermented teas (e.g., oolong tea), and fermented teas (e.g., black tea). Specific examples of tea beverages include steamed non-fermented teas (green teas) such as sencha, bancha, hojicha, gyokuro, kabusecha, and tiancha; non-fermented teas such as pan-fried teas (e.g., Ureshino tea, Aoyagi tea, and various Chinese teas); semi-fermented teas such as Baozhong tea, Tieguanyin tea, and oolong tea; and fermented teas such as black tea, Awa bancha, and pu-erh tea. The tea beverage in which the solid composition of the present invention is utilized is preferably green tea. That is, the solid composition of the present invention can be provided as instant green tea.

[0038] When the solid composition of the present invention is added to a liquid such as water or hot water, its content in the solution is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0.01 to 20% by weight, preferably 0.05 to 10% by weight, and more preferably 0.1 to 5.0% by weight. The content of the solid composition in the solution may be adjusted so that the dimethyl sulfide content in the solution is, for example, 1 to 2500 ppb, preferably 5 to 2000 ppb, more preferably 10 to 1000 ppb, and even more preferably 20 to 500 ppb, or the 1-penten-3-one content in the solution is, for example, 0.0001 to 30 ppb, preferably 0.001 to 20 ppb, more preferably 0.003 to 20 ppb, and even more preferably 0.003 to 14 ppb.

[0039] The solid composition of the present invention can also be added to foods. Examples of such foods include confectioneries such as cakes, castella cakes, candies, cookies, jellies, puddings, and chocolates, frozen desserts such as ice cream, popsicles, and sherbets, and snacks, regardless of whether they are Japanese or Western confectioneries. It can also be used in bread and dairy products. When the solid composition of the present invention is added to foods, the amount of the composition to be added can be appropriately determined depending on the type of food, etc.

[0040] When the solid composition of the present invention is added to food, the amount added can be appropriately determined depending on the type of food, etc. The solid composition of the present invention can be added to food so that the content in the food is 0.01 to 20% by weight, preferably 0.05 to 10% by weight, more preferably 0.1 to 5.0% by weight, and even more preferably 0.5 to 5.0% by weight.

[0041] The amount of the solid composition of the present invention to be added to a food product can also be determined based on the content of dimethyl sulfide and / or 1-penten-3-one. For example, the solid composition of the present invention can be added to a food product so that the dimethyl sulfide content in the food product is 1 to 2500 ppb, preferably 5 to 2000 ppb, more preferably 10 to 1000 ppb, and even more preferably 20 to 500 ppb. For example, the solid composition of the present invention can be added to a food product so that the 1-penten-3-one content in the food product is 0.0001 to 30 ppb, preferably 0.001 to 20 ppb, more preferably 0.001 to 20 ppb, and even more preferably 0.003 to 14 ppb.

[0042] (Manufacturing method) The solid composition of the present invention can be produced through the steps of (A) preparing a solution containing tea leaf extract, dimethyl sulfide, and 1-penten-3-one, and (B) drying the resulting solution. In addition to the tea leaf extract, dimethyl sulfide, and 1-penten-3-one, the solution may also contain the various components described above, such as dextrin. The amounts of each component may be appropriately determined as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired, and the order in which the components are mixed is not particularly limited. Water may be used as the solvent for the solution, or tea leaf extract may be used directly. In the solution, the weight ratio of dimethyl sulfide to 1-penten-3-one may be 120 or more, as long as the weight ratio in the final solid composition is 120 or more.

[0043] The solution can be dried using a method conventionally known to those skilled in the art. For example, methods such as spray drying, freeze drying, hot air drying, and vacuum drying can be used. In the present invention, spray drying is preferably used. The conditions for spray drying, such as temperature and time, are not particularly limited and can be adjusted appropriately.

[0044] In addition to the above steps, the production of the solid composition of the present invention may include a step of concentrating the solution obtained in step (A) and a step of heat-treating the solution obtained in step (A). Each of these steps can be carried out using a method conventionally known to those skilled in the art.

[0045] Furthermore, with regard to dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one in step (A), a tea leaf extract (second tea leaf extract) containing both of these components may be used as described above. The solution in step (A) can be prepared by mixing the first tea leaf extract and the second tea leaf extract. Although not particularly limited, the tea leaf extract (second tea leaf extract) containing dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one can be produced by a step of distilling tea leaves. The tea leaves used as the raw material for the second tea leaf extract are as described above, and in the present invention, tea leaves such as kabusecha, gyokuro, and tencha that have been shaded and grown under cover before picking can preferably be used as the raw material.

[0046] Steam distillation is typically used as a method for distilling tea leaves to obtain a tea leaf extract (second tea leaf extract) containing dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one. Steam distillation involves passing steam through the raw material (tea leaves) and cooling and condensing the aromatic components that distill along with the steam. Steam distillation can be performed using methods such as atmospheric pressure steam distillation, reduced pressure steam distillation, and multistage gas-liquid countercurrent contact distillation (spinning cone column). In the present invention, atmospheric pressure steam distillation is preferably used. Steam distillation of tea leaves typically involves blow-in steam distillation. Blowing-in steam distillation is a method in which steam is directly brought into contact with the raw material (tea leaves) placed in a container such as a basket, and the steam obtained through the raw material is recovered and cooled to obtain a distillate.

[0047] For the tea leaf extract (second tea leaf extract) containing dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one, the extract obtained by steam distillation can be further concentrated to increase the concentration of various aromatic components. Distillation concentration is typically used as a concentration method. For distillation concentration, for example, the tea leaf extract is placed in a still, heated from the bottom to boil, and the aromatic components are recovered together with the steam. Both atmospheric distillation and reduced-pressure distillation can be used for the distillation concentration method, and reduced-pressure distillation is preferably used in the present invention. Furthermore, a procedure called salting out may be performed when performing distillation concentration. By performing salting out, the polarity of the salt in the distillate placed in the still attracts water molecules, promoting the volatilization of organic compounds. Salting out can be performed by adding a salt such as sodium chloride to the distillate to be concentrated.

[0048] Furthermore, the tea leaf extract containing dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one (second tea leaf extract) may be produced through a step of activated carbon treatment. By performing activated carbon treatment, the amount of unwanted aroma components can be reduced. Here, in this specification, "activated carbon" refers to a porous substance whose main component is carbon, which is produced from a carbonaceous material such as wood through an activation reaction at high temperature.

[0049] (Method for enhancing the aroma of green laver in food and beverages) The solid composition of the present invention obtained as described above can be added to foods and beverages to enhance the aroma of green laver in the foods and beverages. Therefore, in another aspect, the present invention can be a method for enhancing the aroma of green laver in foods and beverages, which includes a step of adding the solid composition obtained through the above steps to the foods and beverages. [Example]

[0050] The present invention will be described below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0051] 1. Preparation of solid composition (powder composition) (1-1)Tea leaf extract Commercially available green tea was placed in a tea extraction tank, along with dextrin (20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of green tea), tannase (11.2 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of green tea), L-ascorbic acid (3 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of green tea), and sodium bicarbonate (1.2 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of green tea). Hot water equivalent to 15 times the amount of green tea added (15 L of hot water per 1 kg of green tea) was then added, and the mixture was kept at 45°C for 20 minutes to produce a tea leaf extract. The dextrin used was a mixture of linear dextrin (weight average molecular weight: 120,000, DE: 2-5) and α-cyclodextrin in a weight ratio of 4:1. The resulting tea leaf extract was subjected to solid-liquid separation (removal of tea leaf extraction residue), followed by adding dextrin (linear dextrin) in an amount of 4.1 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the tea leaf extract, mixing, and heat-treating at 90°C for 30 seconds. The insoluble components (tea leaves) were then removed, and the tea leaf extract was concentrated using a reverse osmosis membrane to produce a tea leaf extract with a Brix value of 26.5, which represents the solids concentration in the solution.

[0052] (1-2) Tea leaf distillate Separately from the above process, a distillate was prepared from tea leaves. Specifically, commercially available Kabusecha tea leaves were mixed with an equal amount of water (1 kg of water per 1 kg of tea leaves) to wet the tea leaves. The tea leaves were then placed in a steam distillation pot. The steam pressure was set to 0.20 MPa, and the steam flow rate was adjusted so that approximately 60% by weight of the distillate (aroma) of the raw material weight was collected in approximately 30 minutes. A blow-in steam distillation was performed at a steam temperature of approximately 100°C (atmospheric pressure). The distillate (aroma) was condensed to a temperature of 20°C or below, and the distillate was collected for approximately 30 minutes after the start of distillation. By repeating the same procedure, a distillate of approximately 60% by weight of the raw material was obtained.

[0053] The distillate obtained was then poured into a still, and the pressure inside the still was reduced to -0.089 MPa using a vacuum pump. This was then indirectly heated under a vapor pressure of 0.20 MPa, raising the temperature of the distillate to 60°C. Condensation was carried out so that the temperature of the distillate (aroma) reached 20°C or below, and the distillate was recovered. The distillate was recovered over a period of approximately 160 minutes from the start of the distillate flow, yielding approximately 10% by weight of the distillate (aroma) volume. This procedure was repeated four times, concentrating the distillate (aroma) by approximately 10 times. The distillate thus obtained was designated as the tea leaf distillate.

[0054] (1-3) Powder composition The tea leaf distillate obtained in (1-2) above was added to and mixed with the tea leaf extract obtained in (1-1) above (1.5 parts by weight of tea leaf distillate per 100 parts by weight of tea leaf extract). The mixture was then heat-treated at 90°C for 45 seconds. The heat-treated solution was spray-dried using a spray dryer to produce a powder composition.

[0055] (1-4) Evaluation of powder composition When the powder composition obtained above was dissolved in water, an excellent fragrance reminiscent of green laver was detected. Analysis of the aroma components of this powder composition revealed the detection of dimethyl sulfide, 1-penten-3-one, α-ionone, β-ionone, β-cyclocitral, nerolidol, hexanal, 1-penten-3-ol, (z)-3-hexenol, and the like. Focusing on the presence of dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one among the various aroma components, the concentrations of these components in the powder composition were measured as follows.

[0056] <Calibration curve> Standard stock solutions (ethanol solvent) were prepared so that the target aroma components had a concentration of 1000 ppm, and each standard stock solution was then adjusted with pure water to 0.004, 0.02, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.5 ppm. 10 mL of each prepared solution was placed in a 20 mL vial containing 3 g of sodium chloride to prepare calibration curve samples.

[0057] <Preparation of analytical samples> The powder composition was dissolved in purified water to fall within the concentration range of the calibration curve, and 10 mL of the resulting solution and 3 g of sodium chloride were placed in a 20 mL vial to prepare an analytical sample.

[0058] <Component analysis> The concentrations of various aroma components were measured using a gas chromatography analyzer (SHIMADZU Nexis GC-2030 (Shimadzu Corporation)). Equipment:GC:SHIMADZU Nexis GC-2030 MS: SHIMADZU GCMS-QP2020NX HS: SHIMADZU AOC-6000 SPME:SPME Arrow 1.10mm : DVB / C-WR / PDMS Column: GL Sciences INERTCAP 60m x 0.25mm i.d. df=0.25μm Temperature conditions: 40℃ (4 minutes) ~ 5℃ / min ~ 240℃ Carrier gas flow rate: He 1.43 ml / min Injection method: Split (split ratio 9) Ion source temperature: 200℃

[0059] As a result of the above measurement, the concentrations of dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one in the analyzed sample were 10.4 ppb and 0.08 ppb, respectively.

[0060] 2. Examination of the ratio of aromatic components (1) From the above results, attention was focused on the content ratio of dimethyl sulfide to 1-penten-3-one, and in particular the weight ratio of the dimethyl sulfide content to the 1-penten-3-one content (dimethyl sulfide / 1-penten-3-one) was investigated.

[0061] First, the base powdered tea was obtained. Specifically, commercially available sencha was placed in a tea extraction tank, along with dextrin (20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of sencha), tannase (11.2 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of sencha), L-ascorbic acid (3 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of sencha), and sodium bicarbonate (1.2 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of sencha). Hot water equivalent to 15 times the amount of sencha (15 L of hot water per 1 kg of sencha) was then added, and the mixture was kept at 45°C for 20 minutes to produce a tea leaf extract. The dextrin used was a mixture of linear dextrin (weight-average molecular weight: 120,000, DE: 2-5) and α-cyclodextrin in a weight ratio of 4:1. The resulting tea leaf extract was subjected to solid-liquid separation (removal of tea leaf extraction residue), followed by the addition and mixing of 4.1 parts by weight of dextrin (linear dextrin) per 100 parts by weight of the tea leaf extract, followed by heat treatment at 90°C for 30 seconds. The insoluble components (tea leaves) were then removed, and the tea leaf extract was concentrated using a reverse osmosis membrane to produce a tea leaf extract with a Brix value of 25.6, as the solids concentration in the solution. Finally, heat treatment was performed at 90°C for 45 seconds to produce the tea leaf extract. The resulting tea leaf extract was spray-dried to obtain the base powdered tea (powder).

[0062] Next, 100 mL of water was added to 1 g of the powdered tea obtained as described above to prepare a powdered tea solution. Dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one standards were added to this solution to the final concentrations shown in the table below to prepare various samples. Since the concentrations of the aroma components contained in the standards were unknown, their concentrations were measured in advance by gas chromatography. Specifically, the dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one standards were diluted 50 to 5,000 times with pure water and adjusted appropriately to fall within the calibration curve range to prepare samples for concentration measurement. Gas chromatography analysis was performed using the same method as described above. Before adding the standards, the dimethyl sulfide concentration in the powdered tea itself was 840 ppb, and the 1-penten-3-one concentration was 0 (below the detection limit).

[0063] The prepared samples were subjected to a sensory evaluation by two panelists who were well trained in flavor evaluation. The sensory evaluation consisted of the degree of the green laver aroma perceived in the samples, the gas smell and stuffiness, and the likability of the green laver aroma perceived in the samples, and the average score was calculated based on the following criteria. Here, stuffiness refers to a heated sensation with an unclear flavor structure. The control used in the evaluation was a solution of powdered tea to which only a dimethyl sulfide standard had been added, adjusted to a dimethyl sulfide concentration of 20 ppb.

[0064] <Level of green laver aroma> 1: No green laver scent 2: A slight hint of green laver 3: Feel the aroma of green laver <Gas odor and stuffiness> 1: No gas smell or stuffiness 2: Slight gas smell and stuffiness 3: Gas smell and stuffiness <The pleasant aroma of green laver> 1: Unfavorable 2: Somewhat preferable (slightly superior green laver aroma) 3: Good (Excellent green laver aroma)

[0065] [Table 1]

[0066] As described above, it was shown that when dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one are present and the weight ratio of the dimethyl sulfide content to the 1-penten-3-one content (dimethyl sulfide / 1-penten-3-one) is within a specified range, an excellent aroma of green laver can be perceived.

[0067] 3. Examination of the ratio of aromatic components (2) Using the powder composition prepared according to the above 1, the effect of the weight ratio of the dimethyl sulfide content to the 1-penten-3-one content (dimethyl sulfide / 1-penten-3-one) was investigated.

[0068] Concentration measurements were performed according to the method described in 1 above, and the concentrations of dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one in the powder composition used in this test were found to be 1500 ppb and 6 ppb, respectively. A solution of the powder composition was prepared by adding 100 mL of water to 1 g of this powder composition. A 1-penten-3-one standard was added to this solution to the final concentrations shown in the table below to prepare various samples. As in 1 above, the concentration of 1-penten-3-one in the standard samples was unknown, so the concentration was measured in advance by gas chromatography. Specifically, the 1-penten-3-one standard was diluted 50 to 5000 times with pure water and appropriately adjusted to a concentration within the calibration curve range to prepare the sample for concentration measurement. Gas chromatography analysis was performed using the same method as described above.

[0069] A sensory evaluation was carried out by two panelists who were well trained in flavor evaluation, according to the evaluation method and criteria described in 2 above. The results are shown below.

[0070] [Table 2]

[0071] As described above, it was shown that an excellent aroma of green laver can be perceived by the presence of dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one and by keeping the weight ratio of the dimethyl sulfide content to the 1-penten-3-one content (dimethyl sulfide / 1-penten-3-one) within a specified range. The powder composition used also contained aroma components other than the above two components, suggesting that the presence of these other aroma components contributes to the improvement of the green laver aroma.

Claims

1. A solid composition containing dimethyl sulfide and 1-penten-3-one, in which the weight ratio of the dimethyl sulfide content to the 1-penten-3-one content is 120 or more, and containing a tea leaf extract of Sencha.

2. The composition of claim 1 which is a powder composition.

3. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, which contains two or more types of dextrin.

4. The composition of claim 3, comprising linear dextrin and cyclic dextrin.

5. 5. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of the dimethyl sulfide content to the 1-penten-3-one content is 150 or more.

6. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising one or more fragrance components selected from the group consisting of α-ionone, β-ionone, β-cyclocitral, (z)-3-hexenol, 1-penten-3-ol, hexanal, and nerolidol.

7. A composition described in any one of claims 1 to 6, having a dimethyl sulfide content of 0.001 ppm or more.

8. A composition described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the content of 1-penten-3-one is 1000 ppb or less.

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