Non-alcoholic carbonated beverage with enhanced aroma and method for producing same

Abstract

To provide a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage with enhanced aroma generation that contains a predetermined amount of aroma component.SOLUTION: Provided is a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage, which is a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage containing a predetermined amount of aroma component, and in which the difference (ΔpH) between the pH value of the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage and the pH value measured after removing carbonic acid from the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage is 0.04 or more.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage with enhanced aroma and a method for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, in order to prevent drunk driving, etc., there has been a demand for the development of beverages that have the same palatability as alcoholic beverages without consuming any alcohol, and a market for beverages with an alcohol content of 0.00% (v / v) has been formed. In the production of such beverages, flavorings that use ethanol as a solvent cannot be used, and flavorings that use propylene glycol solvents or emulsified flavorings must be used.

[0003] However, such flavorings often do not have as strong a scent as flavorings that use ethanol solvents, making it difficult to design beverages that have the same strong aroma as those that use ethanol solvent flavorings.

[0004] Meanwhile, the present inventors have discovered that the alcoholic flavor of an alcoholic carbonated beverage can be enhanced by adjusting the difference (ΔpH) between the pH value of the alcoholic carbonated beverage and the pH value measured after removing carbon dioxide from the bottled alcoholic carbonated beverage to a predetermined value or greater (Patent Document 1). However, Patent Document 1 examined alcoholic carbonated beverages using ethanol-containing flavorings, and did not discover the effect of adjusting ΔpH in beverages with low ethanol contents. For example, Patent Document 1 makes no mention of enhancing aroma in non-alcoholic carbonated beverages (carbonated beverages containing flavorings and with an ethanol concentration of 0.00 v / v%). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-189140 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present inventors have found that in a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage containing a specific aroma component, the aroma produced when the beverage is consumed can be enhanced by adjusting the difference in pH between the carbonated beverage and the pH after decarbonation (hereinafter referred to as "ΔpH") to a certain value or greater. The present invention is based on this finding.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention provides a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage having an enhanced aroma and containing a predetermined amount of aroma components, and a method for producing the same.

[0008] According to the present invention, the following inventions are provided. (1) A non-alcoholic carbonated beverage containing an aroma component, wherein the difference (ΔpH) between the pH value of the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage and the pH value measured after removing carbon dioxide from the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage is 0.04 or more, and the difference (ΔpH) is calculated based on the following table: [Table 1] The amount of aroma components in the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage, L, measured by the measurement method shown in 1. above, is 20 or more. (2) A non-alcoholic carbonated beverage according to (1) above, containing a flavoring. (3) A non-alcoholic carbonated beverage according to (1) or (2), wherein the pH value of the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage after decarbonation is 2.0 to 7.0. (4) A non-alcoholic carbonated beverage according to any one of (1) to (3) above, having an alcohol concentration of less than 0.05 v / v%. (5) A non-alcoholic carbonated beverage according to any one of (1) to (4) above, which contains a sweetener. (6) The non-alcoholic carbonated beverage according to any one of (1) to (5), which is a bottled carbonated beverage. (7) A method for producing a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage containing aroma components, comprising adjusting the difference (ΔpH) between the pH value of the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage and the pH value measured after removing carbon dioxide from the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage to 0.04 or more, wherein the amount of aroma components L in the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage measured by the measurement method shown in Table 1 above is 20 or more. (8) The method according to (7), wherein the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage contains a flavoring. (9) The method described in (7) or (8) above, wherein the alcohol concentration of the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage is less than 0.05 v / v%. (10) A method for enhancing the aroma of a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage containing aroma components, comprising adjusting the difference (ΔpH) between the pH value of the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage and the pH value measured after removing carbon dioxide from the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage to 0.04 or more, wherein the amount of aroma components L in the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage measured by the measurement method shown in Table 1 above is 20 or more. (11) The method according to (10), wherein the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage contains a flavoring. (12) The method according to (10) or (11), wherein the alcohol concentration of the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage is less than 0.05 v / v%.

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to enhance the aroma of a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage containing a predetermined amount of aroma components. In particular, according to the present invention, it is possible to enhance the aftertaste of a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage containing a predetermined amount of aroma components.

[0010] In the present invention, "non-alcoholic" means that the beverage not only does not contain ethanol derived from yeast fermentation, but also substantially does not contain ethanol, preferably with an ethanol content (alcohol concentration) of less than 0.05 v / v%, more preferably less than 0.01 v / v%, and even more preferably less than 0.005 v / v%.

[0011] In the present invention, "aroma release" means that the aroma can be clearly perceived, and is a concept that includes not only the aroma perceived immediately after drinking a beverage, but also the aftertaste. Furthermore, in the present invention, "aftertaste" means the aroma perceived as it passes from the back of the throat to the nose after swallowing a beverage.

[0012] In the present invention, "flavoring" means an additive used for the purpose of flavoring food, and may be any additive that is labeled as "flavoring" in the ingredient labeling, and may be either a synthetic flavoring or a natural flavoring.

[0013] The non-alcoholic carbonated beverage of the present invention contains a predetermined amount of aroma components, for example, flavorings. Furthermore, the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage of the present invention is a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage in which the difference (ΔpH) between the pH value of the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage and the pH value measured after removing carbon dioxide from the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage is within a predetermined range. Having such a ΔpH enhances the aroma released when the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage of the present invention is consumed. The beverage of the present invention can be produced by adjusting the ΔpH to fall within a predetermined range during the production process of the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage.

[0014] ΔpH is the difference between the pH value of a carbonated beverage and the pH value measured after the carbonated beverage has been decarbonated. ΔpH is calculated by subtracting the smaller of these two pH values ​​from the larger pH value. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pH value of the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage of the present invention is lower than the pH value measured after the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage has been decarbonated, and therefore ΔpH is expressed as (pH value measured after the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage has been decarbonated) - (pH value of the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage).

[0015] The ΔpH of the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage of the present invention is 0.04 or higher, preferably 0.05 or higher, more preferably 0.06 or higher, and even more preferably 0.07 or higher. The higher the ΔpH, the greater the aroma enhancement effect, so the upper limit is not particularly limited, but a realistic value can be, for example, 2.00, preferably 1.00, more preferably 0.8, and even more preferably 0.5.

[0016] The pH value can be measured using a method that can measure both the pH value of a carbonated beverage and the pH value when the influence of carbonation in the carbonated beverage is eliminated. While such a method was previously virtually impossible, it is now well known in the art, and devices for use in such methods are commercially available. An example of such a device is the PBA-S (manufactured by Anton Paar Japan), a type of beverage analysis measuring device. By using such a method or device, ΔpH can be easily measured.

[0017] The ΔpH of the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage of the present invention can be adjusted by first producing a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage and measuring its ΔpH. If the ΔpH is below a predetermined value, the amount of ingredients or food additives that affect the ΔpH in the raw material solution before carbonating the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage can be increased or decreased. Here, after producing a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage by increasing or decreasing the amount of ingredients or food additives that affect the ΔpH, the ΔpH can be measured again. If the ΔpH is below a predetermined value, the same procedure can be repeated. Furthermore, once conditions (such as the amounts of all ingredients) that result in a ΔpH above a predetermined value are found, the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage can be produced according to those conditions; there is no need to measure the ΔpH again. In other words, the production of a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage according to such conditions itself should be understood to constitute an act of adjusting the ΔpH.

[0018] Food additives used to adjust the ΔpH can be those that affect the pH of the carbonated beverage before carbonation. These are called ΔpH-imparting agents. Materials whose safety as a food additive has been confirmed can be used. Whether a ΔpH-imparting agent has the ability to increase the difference between the pH of a carbonated beverage in its carbonated state and the pH of the beverage after decarbonation can be determined by the following method. Specifically, a candidate ΔpH-imparting agent is added to the carbonated beverage before carbonation, and then a bottled carbonated beverage is produced by carbonation. The ΔpH of the resulting sample is measured using an instrument (e.g., a PBA-S (Anton Paar Japan)) that can measure both the pH of the carbonated beverage and the pH of the carbonated beverage after the effects of carbonation have been removed. This allows for a simple confirmation of the ΔpH-imparting effect. Specific examples of ΔpH-imparting agents having such properties include sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO), sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium citrate, potassium citrate, sodium gluconate, potassium gluconate, tripotassium phosphate, dipotassium phosphate, trisodium phosphate, disodium phosphate, sodium malate, disodium succinate, monosodium succinate, dipotassium succinate, monopotassium succinate, sodium tartrate, potassium hydrogen tartrate, histidine, arginine, γ-aminobutyric acid, citrulline, lysine, etc. The amount of food additives such as these ΔpH-imparting agents to be used can be appropriately determined by one skilled in the art to satisfy the above-mentioned ΔpH conditions depending on the carbon dioxide pressure of the beverage, the pH value of the beverage, other ingredients, etc.

[0019] The aroma release enhancement effect of the present invention is exerted in accordance with the amount of aroma components contained in a beverage, regardless of the amount of the aroma components contained in the beverage, and therefore the specific amount of aroma components in the beverage is not particularly limited. On the other hand, since the aroma release enhancement effect of the present invention is an effect of enhancing the release of the aroma caused by the aroma components contained in the beverage, it is also true that the aroma release is more easily noticeable when the amount of aroma components in the beverage is greater.

[0020] Therefore, the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage of the present invention contains a certain amount of aroma components. Specifically, the amount of aroma components L in the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage measured by the measurement method shown in Table 1 above can be 20 or more, more preferably 40 or more.

[0021] In the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage of the present invention, the pH value of the carbonated beverage after decarbonation can be adjusted to 2.0 to 7.0, preferably 3.0 to 7.0, more preferably 3.0 to 6.5, even more preferably 3.0 to 6.0, even more preferably 3.0 to 5.5, even more preferably 3.5 to 5.5, and even more preferably 3.5 to 5.0. The pH value of the beverage can be measured using an instrument (e.g., PBA-S (manufactured by Anton Paar Japan)) that can measure both the pH value of a carbonated beverage and the pH value of the carbonated beverage after the influence of carbon dioxide has been removed.

[0022] The carbon dioxide pressure of the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage of the present invention can be adjusted as desired, for example, within the range of 0.1 to 0.4 MPa, preferably 0.15 to 0.35 MPa, and more preferably 0.2 to 0.3 MPa (all gas pressures at 20°C).

[0023] The non-alcoholic carbonated beverage of the present invention may contain a sweetener, for example, a high-intensity sweetener (e.g., acesulfame K, sucralose, etc.), a sweetener derived from fruit juice (e.g., sweeteners derived from fruit juice such as grape juice, grapefruit juice, apple juice, etc.), sugar, glucose, fructose, oligosaccharides, isomerized liquid sugar, sugar alcohol, etc. The sugar may be derived from animal or plant materials (fruits, vegetables, milk, etc.).

[0024] The non-alcoholic carbonated beverage of the present invention can be provided as a packaged beverage. The container used for the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage of the present invention may be any container commonly used for filling beverages, such as a metal can, a barrel, a plastic bottle (e.g., a PET bottle or cup), a paper container, a bottle, or a pouch, with metal cans, barrels, plastic bottles (e.g., a PET bottle), or bottles being preferred.

[0025] One feature of the aroma release enhancing effect of the present invention is that it also enhances aftertaste, and this feature is thought to be compatible with an aroma reminiscent of alcohol (alcohol-like aroma). Thus, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage of the present invention is a beverage with an alcohol-like aroma, i.e., an alcohol-flavored beverage. Examples of alcohol-flavored beverages include beer-flavored beverages, sake-flavored beverages, wine-flavored beverages, liqueur-flavored beverages, cocktail-flavored beverages, chuhai-flavored beverages, steeped-liquor-flavored beverages, whiskey-flavored beverages, and shochu-flavored beverages.

[0026] The beverage of the present invention may contain other ingredients used in the production of non-alcoholic carbonated beverages, such as acidulants (e.g., tartaric acid, lactic acid, phosphoric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, citric acid, phytic acid, itaconic acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid, adipic acid, acetic acid, or salts thereof), colorings, food additives (e.g., foaming and foam retention improvers, bittering agents, preservatives, antioxidants, thickening stabilizers, emulsifiers, dietary fiber, pH adjusters), etc., and other flavorings (e.g., fragrances) may also be added as appropriate, provided they do not interfere with the aroma enhancement effect.

[0027] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for enhancing the aroma of a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage containing a flavoring, the method comprising adjusting the difference (ΔpH) between the pH value of the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage and the pH value measured after removing carbon dioxide from the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage to 0.04 or more. [Example]

[0028] The present invention will be specifically described based on the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0029] Beverage sample preparation method Carbonated beverage samples for each group were prepared using the post-mix method according to the recipe in Table 2. The post-mix method involves pouring a syrup prepared by mixing sugar solution, acidulant, flavoring, coloring, etc. into a container, then pouring carbonated water into the container, sealing the container, and then mixing the syrup and carbonated water. In this example, a syrup prepared by mixing ingredients other than carbonated water was poured into the container, and then carbonated water (carbon dioxide concentration 0.5 MPa) prepared separately by carbonation (dissolving by injecting carbon dioxide gas) was poured into the container. After sealing the container, the syrup and carbonated water were mixed to prepare carbonated beverage samples for each group.

[0030] How to measure ΔpH The ΔpH (the difference between the pH value of the carbonated beverage sample and the pH value after removing the carbon dioxide from the carbonated beverage sample) was measured using a PBA-S (manufactured by Anton Paar Japan), a beverage analysis measuring device. The pH obtained by the measurement (pH value of the carbonated beverage sample) and pH (CO2 corrected) (pH value after removing the carbon dioxide from the carbonated beverage sample) were calculated using the following formula: [ΔpH] = [pH(CO2Correct)] - [pH] The ΔpH was calculated by

[0031] Sensory evaluation The prepared carbonated beverage samples were subjected to sensory evaluation by five trained panelists using the following methods and criteria.

[0032] The sensory evaluation involved evaluating the strength of aroma (including aftertaste) when tasting samples containing various flavorings were used. For each flavor, a beverage sample with an alcohol (ethanol) concentration of 0.1 v / v% was used as a positive control (control group), and a beverage sample with an alcohol concentration of 0.00 v / v% with an arbitrarily adjusted ΔpH was used as a comparison or test group.

[0033] The evaluation score was based on the following four levels: 4: The fragrance is the same as the control. 3: The fragrance is slightly weaker than the control (same as the control sample with 80v / v% fragrance added). 2: The fragrance is weaker than the control (same as the control sample with 60v / v% fragrance added) 1: The fragrance is very weak compared to the control (equivalent to a sample with 40v / v% fragrance added to the control).

[0034] The average evaluation scores of the five panelists were calculated and then classified into levels based on the following evaluation criteria. (Evaluation criteria) A: The average evaluation score is 3.5 or higher B: The average evaluation score is between 3.0 and 3.5 C: The average score is between 2.5 and 3.0 D: The average evaluation score is less than 2.5

[0035] Measurement method for the amount of aroma components L The amount of aroma components L was measured according to Table 1 below. [Table 2]

[0036] Example 1: Conditions for enhancing aroma release in flavored non-alcoholic carbonated beveragesThe effect of ΔpH on aroma release in beverage samples containing flavorings was evaluated. Test, comparison, and control beverage samples of carbonated beverages with various flavors were prepared using the post-mix method, with a carbon dioxide pressure of 0.25 MPa, according to Table 2. The results of ΔpH and sensory evaluation, along with the type of flavor and aroma component content (L) of each beverage sample, are shown in Table 3.

[0037] [Table 3-1]

[0038] [Table 3-2]

[0039] [Table 3-3]

[0040] [Table 3-4]

[0041] [Table 3-5]

[0042] [Table 4-1]

[0043] [Table 4-2]

[0044] In each flavored beverage sample, the aroma release improved as the ΔpH increased. In particular, the aroma release enhancement effect was significantly observed in test plots where the ΔpH was 0.04 or higher.

[0045] Furthermore, it was thought that the greater the amount of aroma components L, the more easily the aroma enhancement effect was perceived, and that the aroma enhancement effect was particularly easily perceived in samples with an aroma component amount L of 20 or more (preferably 40 or more).

Claims

1. A non-alcoholic carbonated beverage containing an aroma component and having an alcohol concentration of less than 0.05 v / v%, wherein the difference (ΔpH) between the pH value of the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage and the pH value measured after removing carbon dioxide from the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage is 0.04 or more, and the pH (when not containing carbon dioxide) is 3.84 or more, and the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage is 【Table 1】 The amount of aroma components in the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage measured by the measurement method shown in 1) above is 20 or more, and the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage has a sake-like aroma.

2. The non-alcoholic carbonated beverage according to claim 1, further comprising a flavoring agent.

3. The non-alcoholic carbonated beverage according to claim 1 or 2, which contains a beer flavor.

4. The non-alcoholic carbonated beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is a beer-taste beverage.

5. The non-alcoholic carbonated beverage according to claim 1 or 2, which is a sake-flavored beverage.

6. The non-alcoholic carbonated beverage according to claim 1 or 2, which is a shochu-flavored beverage.

7. The non-alcoholic carbonated beverage according to claim 1 or 2, which is a whiskey-flavored beverage.

8. The non-alcoholic carbonated beverage according to claim 1 or 2, which is a wine-flavored beverage.

9. The non-alcoholic carbonated beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising at least one acidulant selected from the group consisting of tartaric acid, lactic acid, phosphoric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, citric acid, phytic acid, itaconic acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid, adipic acid, acetic acid, and salts thereof.

10. The non-alcoholic carbonated beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the pH value of the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage after decarbonation is 3.84 to 7.

0.

11. The non-alcoholic carbonated beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 10, having an alcohol concentration of less than 0.01 v / v%.

12. The non-alcoholic carbonated drink according to any one of claims 1 to 11, which contains a sweetener.

13. The non-alcoholic carbonated beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 12, which is a bottled carbonated beverage.

14. A method for producing a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage containing aroma components and having an alcohol concentration of less than 0.05 v / v%, the method comprising: adjusting the difference (ΔpH) between the pH value of the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage and the pH value measured after removing carbon dioxide from the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage to 0.04 or more; and adjusting the pH (when not containing carbon dioxide) to 3.84 or more, the method comprising: 【Table 2】 wherein the amount L of aroma components in the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage measured by the measurement method shown in 1) above is 20 or more, and the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage has a sake-like aroma.

15. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage contains flavoring.

16. 16. The method of claim 14 or 15, wherein the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage contains a beer flavor.

17. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage is a beer-flavored beverage.

18. The method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage is a sake-flavored beverage.

19. The method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage is a shochu-flavored beverage.

20. 16. The method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage is a whiskey-flavored beverage.

21. 16. The method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage is a wine-flavored beverage.

22. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 21, wherein the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage contains at least one acidulant selected from the group consisting of tartaric acid, lactic acid, phosphoric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, citric acid, phytic acid, itaconic acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid, adipic acid, acetic acid, and salts thereof.

23. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 22, wherein the alcohol concentration of the non-alcoholic carbonated beverage is less than 0.01 v / v%.

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