Beverage manufacturing method

Abstract

To realize a production method of beverage products which can shorten a production time of the beverage products and also have a good flavor and an aroma of the beverage products.SOLUTION: A beverage production method includes a thawing step of thawing a raw material 1 in a frozen state. The thawing step includes placing the raw material 1 in the frozen state into a thawing chamber 10 and then introducing water vapor into the thawing chamber 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a beverage, which includes a thawing step of thawing frozen ingredients. [Background technology]

[0002] In beverage production, some or all of the ingredients may be stored in a frozen state in order to maintain the quality of the ingredients. In such cases, a thawing process for thawing the frozen ingredients is required, and various methods have been proposed.

[0003] For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-330140 (Patent Document 1) discloses a thawing device equipped with a crushing device and a heating container. The thawing device in Patent Document 1 crushes large-sized frozen food blocks stored in drums or the like, then heats and thaws them. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2019-205358 (Patent Document 2) discloses a method for raising the temperature of a substance in which a frozen substance is surrounded by a fluid medium and the substance is rapidly thawed by utilizing heat exchange between the substance and the fluid medium. A method of naturally thawing raw materials at room temperature is also widely used. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-330140 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-205358 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In particular, the method of naturally thawing ingredients at room temperature is widely used in the production of beverage products that place importance on flavor and aroma, as it is less likely to impair the flavor and aroma of the ingredients. However, natural thawing takes a relatively long time and is easily affected by the outside temperature, which can make it difficult to formulate production plans.

[0006] Therefore, it is desirable to realize a method for producing a beverage product that can shorten the production time of the beverage product while maintaining a good flavor and aroma. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The method for producing a beverage according to the present invention is a method for producing a beverage, which includes a thawing step of thawing frozen ingredients, The frozen raw material is liquid at room temperature, The thawing step comprises: Stored in a container with a capacity of 20L or more The frozen raw material is placed in a thawing chamber, and then water vapor is introduced into the thawing chamber. The introduction of the steam is controlled so that the temperature of the raw material does not exceed a predetermined reference value. To do and further comprising a homogenizing step of homogenizing the temperature of the raw material thawed in the thawing step. It is characterized by:

[0008] This configuration includes a thawing step that can thaw the ingredients in a relatively short time while preserving the flavor and aroma of the ingredients, thereby achieving both a shorter production time for the beverage product and good flavor and aroma. Furthermore, since the introduction of the steam is controlled so that the temperature of the raw materials does not exceed a predetermined reference value, excessive heating of the raw materials during the thawing process can be prevented. This further reduces the loss of the flavor and aroma of the raw materials. Furthermore, by equalizing the temperature of the thawed raw materials before subjecting them to the next process, the conditions for performing the next process are uniform, making it easier to stabilize the quality of the resulting beverage. In addition, since the raw materials are contained in a container with a capacity of 20 L or more, the frozen raw materials received in the container can be subjected to the thawing process without opening the container. Furthermore, using a container with a capacity of 20 L or more allows for the handling of a relatively large amount of raw materials at one time, which tends to increase production efficiency.

[0016] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments, which is given with reference to the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a thawing chamber according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a temperature change in a thawing process according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of temperature changes in a thawing process and a homogenization process according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A beverage manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, an example in which the beverage manufacturing method according to the present invention is applied to a coffee beverage manufacturing method will be described.

[0019] [Overall configuration of manufacturing method] The beverage manufacturing method according to this embodiment includes a thawing process for thawing frozen ingredients, a homogenizing process for homogenizing the temperature of the thawed ingredients in the thawing process, and a mixing process for mixing the temperature-hottened ingredients with other ingredients to obtain a product.

[0020] In this embodiment, beverage ingredients are supplied in three forms: frozen, powdered, and liquid. Examples of ingredients supplied in a frozen state include concentrated extract components and concentrated aroma components. Examples of powdered ingredients include pH adjusters and powdered milk. Examples of liquid ingredients include flavorings.

[0021] Of the three types of ingredients, ingredients supplied in powder and liquid form are directly subjected to the mixing step. On the other hand, ingredients supplied in a frozen state must be thawed prior to the mixing step, and therefore a thawing step is provided. Note that the mixing step can be performed using a method conventionally used in the production of beverage products, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted below.

[0022] [Thawing process] The thawing process is a process of thawing frozen raw materials. In this embodiment, the frozen raw materials are stored in a 200 L drum 1 (an example of a container), and a pallet 2 on which the drum 1 is placed is placed in a thawing chamber 10, where the thawing is performed (FIG. 1). Here, the pallets 2 may be stacked vertically.

[0023] The thawing chamber 10 is provided with a steam inlet 11, an air conditioner 12, a fan 13, and a thermometer 14. The steam inlet 11 is connected to a boiler 20, and steam generated by the boiler 20 is introduced into the thawing chamber 10 through the steam inlet 11. In this embodiment, the steam blown in from the steam inlet 11 is discharged downward, but the discharge direction of the steam is not limited. The thawing chamber 10 is also provided with a control device 30, which controls the operation of the air conditioner 12 and the boiler 20 based on the measurement value of the thermometer 14.

[0024] Fan 13 is constantly operating, ensuring that the steam blown in through steam inlet 11 and the air temperature-adjusted by air conditioner 12 are uniformly diffused throughout thawing chamber 10. When fan 13 is installed to generate a horizontal wind as shown in FIG. 1 , turbulence is generated within thawing chamber 10, which agitates the air within the chamber and uniforms the humidity and temperature (turbulent flow system). In addition to the turbulent flow system described above, other configurations of thawing chamber 10 and fan 13 may also be adopted, such as a laminar flow system that generates a laminar flow within the chamber, or a rectified flow system that generates a rectified flow by providing a structure that regulates the air flow together with the fan. In other words, the installation mode of fan 13 and the air circulation system are not limited as long as they can uniformize the humidity and temperature within thawing chamber 10.

[0025] 1 may be implemented as known machines, devices, etc. For example, the air conditioner 12 may be a known package air conditioner, and the control device 30 may be a known computer. In this embodiment, the temperature-controlled air blown out from the air conditioner 12 is discharged sideways, but the direction in which the temperature-controlled air is discharged is not limited.

[0026] The thawing process includes a first stage in which the raw materials are roughly thawed, and a second stage in which the raw materials are thawed to an extent that they can be subjected to the mixing process (complete thawing) (FIG. 2). In both the first and second stages, the heat for thawing the raw materials is provided as latent heat of condensation when the steam supplied from the boiler 20 condenses.

[0027] In the first stage, after placing the drum 1 in the thawing chamber 10, steam is introduced into the thawing chamber 10. In the first stage, the control device 30 controls the operation of the air conditioner 12 and the boiler 20 so that the temperature reading of the thermometer 14 is maintained within a range not exceeding a predetermined upper limit temperature (e.g., 35°C). After a predetermined time (e.g., 12 hours) has elapsed since the start of the first stage, the process moves to the second stage.

[0028] In the second stage, the control device 30 controls the operation of the air conditioner 12 and the boiler 20 so that the measurement value of the thermometer 14 is maintained within a predetermined range (e.g., 25°C or higher and 28°C or lower). As shown in the example values ​​above, the predetermined range in the second stage is smaller than the predetermined upper limit in the first stage, so the thawing progresses more slowly in the second stage than in the first stage. In the second stage, the room temperature is controlled so that the thawing of the raw materials progresses while the temperature of the raw materials does not exceed a predetermined upper limit temperature (e.g., 25°C). The duration of the first stage is set so that the first stage ends while the temperature of the raw materials remains sufficiently lower than the predetermined upper limit temperature (e.g., around 10°C).

[0029] As illustrated above, in this embodiment, the ingredients supplied in a frozen state contain aroma components, and excessively increasing the temperature of these concentrated liquids may result in loss of aroma. Therefore, in this embodiment, an upper limit temperature (e.g., 25°C) is set within a range that does not damage the aroma of the ingredients, and in the second stage, the temperature of the ingredients is controlled within a range that does not exceed this upper limit temperature. Meanwhile, in the first stage, where the temperature of the ingredients is sufficiently lower than the upper limit temperature, the room temperature is maintained at a relatively high upper limit temperature (e.g., 35°C) to allow thawing to proceed quickly. By providing a first stage that roughly thaws the ingredients and a second stage that thaws the ingredients so that the temperature does not exceed a predetermined upper limit temperature, it is possible to shorten the thawing time compared to conventional methods while ensuring the quality of the thawed ingredients.

[0030] [Uniformization process] The homogenization process is a process for homogenizing the temperature of the raw materials thawed in the thawing process. At the end of the second stage of the thawing process, the temperature of the raw materials has risen to near a predetermined upper limit temperature (e.g., 25°C). In the homogenization process, this temperature is cooled to a predetermined set temperature (e.g., 10°C) or below. Specifically, the operation of the air conditioner 12 is controlled to supply cool air into the thawing chamber 10 so that the measurement value of the thermometer 14 decreases. The control conditions are set so that the time T required from the start of the homogenization process until the raw materials are cooled to the set temperature or below is within a predetermined time (e.g., 24 hours) (Fig. 3).

[0031] The ingredients thawed in the thawing step are thawed to a degree that allows them to be subjected to the mixing step, and it is possible to proceed to the mixing step without the homogenization step. However, because the ingredients are heated to a predetermined upper limit temperature (e.g., 25°C) in the thawing step, there may be variations in the temperature of the ingredients inside the drum 1. Therefore, by homogenizing the temperature of the ingredients before subjecting them to the mixing step, the conditions for performing the mixing step are homogenized, and the quality of the resulting beverage is more likely to be stable.

[0032] Other Embodiments Finally, other embodiments of the beverage manufacturing method according to the present invention will be described. Note that the configurations disclosed in the following embodiments can be applied in combination with the configurations disclosed in other embodiments, provided that no contradiction occurs.

[0033] In the above embodiment, a manufacturing method including a thawing step, a homogenizing step, and a mixing step has been described as an example. However, the steps included in the beverage manufacturing method of the present invention are not limited as long as they include a thawing step, which includes placing the frozen ingredients in a thawing chamber and then introducing steam into the thawing chamber. For example, the homogenizing step may be omitted from the above embodiment, and the mixing step may be performed immediately after the thawing step is completed. Furthermore, well-known steps conventionally used in beverage manufacturing processes, such as a filtration step and a pressing step, may also be included.

[0034] In the above embodiment, an example was described in which a homogenization step was provided in which the temperature of the ingredients was homogenized by cooling the ingredients to a predetermined set temperature or below. However, when the beverage production method according to the present invention includes homogenizing the temperature of the thawed ingredients, the implementation method is not limited. For example, performing the thawing step by appropriately adjusting the implementation of the thawing step (e.g., the placement of the ingredients, the heating method) so that thawing proceeds in a manner in which the temperature of the ingredients is uniform also corresponds to homogenizing the temperature of the thawed ingredients. Furthermore, when the temperature homogenization is performed by storing the ingredients in a space controlled to a constant temperature, as in the above embodiment, the hierarchical relationship between the heating temperature in the thawing step and the storage temperature for homogenization is not limited.

[0035] In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the beverage manufacturing method according to the present invention was applied to the manufacturing of a coffee beverage. However, the beverage manufactured by the beverage manufacturing method according to the present invention may be a fruit juice beverage, a tea-based beverage, or the like, in addition to coffee.

[0036] In the above embodiment, the beverage manufacturing method according to the present invention is applied to a coffee beverage manufacturing method, and a concentrated liquid of an extract component is used as an example of a raw material supplied in a frozen state. However, the frozen raw material to be thawed in the thawing step in the beverage manufacturing method according to the present invention is not limited and may be, for example, fruit juice, milk, etc. The raw material may also contain solid components such as fruit pulp, to the extent that it can be supplied in a frozen state.

[0037] In the beverage manufacturing method according to the present invention, the conditions for carrying out the thawing step are not limited to the above examples. For example, the set temperature and duration of the room temperature can be appropriately selected depending on various conditions, such as the type and volume of the ingredients to be thawed, the type and shape of the container, and the shape and equipment of the thawing chamber.

[0038] In the above embodiment, an example in which the thawing process has a first stage and a second stage has been described. That is, in the above example, the set temperature of the room is changed once during the thawing process. However, in the beverage manufacturing method according to the present invention, the change in the set room temperature during the thawing step may not be performed, or may be performed multiple times.

[0039] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which a drum 1 with a capacity of 200 L is used as the container. However, the capacity of the container is not particularly limited in the present invention. However, a container with a capacity of 20 L or more is preferable because it allows a relatively large amount of raw material to be handled at once, which tends to increase production efficiency. The capacity of the container is more preferably 50 L or more, and even more preferably 100 L or more. Furthermore, the capacity of the container is preferably 200 L or less.

[0040] Regarding other configurations, it should be understood that the embodiments disclosed in this specification are illustrative in all respects and that the scope of the present invention is not limited thereby. Those skilled in the art will easily understand that appropriate modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, other embodiments modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention are naturally included in the scope of the present invention. [Example]

[0041] The present invention will be further described below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0042] [Test 1: Comparison of thawing time] 100 L of coffee concentrate was sealed in a drum and completely frozen. The concentrate was contained in an inner bag inside the drum.

[0043] In Example 1, the drum was thawed according to the thawing process of the embodiment. That is, the first stage conditions were a room temperature upper limit of 35°C and a duration of 12 hours, and the second stage conditions were a room temperature control temperature of 25°C to 28°C and a duration of 12 hours.

[0044] In Comparative Example 1, the drum can was stored in a warehouse maintained at 25° C. for 72 hours (so-called natural thawing).

[0045] In each example, a thermocouple was placed in contact with the upper side of the inner bag, and the temperature was continuously measured. This measurement was taken as the temperature of the concentrated liquid. When the temperature of the concentrated liquid exceeded 15°C, it was determined that thawing was complete. For each example, two drums were tested, and the average temperature of the two points was taken as the measurement value.

[0046] Table 1 shows the relationship between the time elapsed since the start of thawing and the temperature of the concentrated liquid in the drum for each example. In Example 1, the temperature of the concentrated liquid reached 17.9°C 15 hours after the start of thawing, at which point it can be said that the concentrated liquid was completely thawed. Note that in Example 1, the concentrated liquid was completely thawed 15 and 18 hours after the start of thawing, so no further temperature measurements were performed. On the other hand, in the comparative example, thawing was not complete 24 and 48 hours after the start of thawing, but was complete 72 hours after the start of thawing. In other words, the thawing method according to the above embodiment enabled thawing to be completed more quickly than natural thawing.

[0047] Table 1: Comparison of thawing times [Table 1]

[0048] [Test 2: Differences in coffee aroma depending on thawing method] A concentrated solution of coffee aroma components (same as in Test 1) sealed in a drum in a frozen state was thawed, and coffee was prepared using this, and a tasting evaluation was conducted by 10 monitors.

[0049] (Thaw process) In Examples 2 and 3, thawing was performed according to the thawing process of the embodiment. That is, the conditions for the first stage were an upper limit room temperature of 35°C and a duration of 12 hours, and the conditions for the second stage were a room temperature control temperature of 25°C to 28°C and a duration of 12 hours.

[0050] In Comparative Example 2, thawing was carried out using the method described above in Comparative Example 1. That is, the drums were stored in a warehouse maintained at 25° C. for 72 hours (so-called natural thawing).

[0051] (Uniformization process) In Example 2, after the thawing step was completed, the room temperature was maintained at 25° C. for 12 hours, and the raw materials were then immediately subjected to the mixing step. In Example 3, after the thawing step was completed, the room temperature was maintained at 25° C. for 12 hours, and then at 15° C. for another 12 hours, and the raw materials were then subjected to the mixing step.

[0052] In Comparative Example 2, the raw material was subjected to the mixing step immediately after the thawing step was completed.

[0053] (evaluation) A tasting evaluation was conducted by 10 monitors for Examples 2 and 3, and Comparative Example 2. Each monitor scored the flavor and aroma of each of the Examples and Comparative Examples on a scale of 1 to 5, and the average score of the 10 monitors was used as the evaluation score for each example, with a score of 4 or higher being judged as passing. As shown in Table 2, both Examples 2 and 3 received an evaluation score of 4 or higher and were judged to pass. In other words, the thawing method according to the above embodiment was able to shorten the time required for thawing while achieving the same quality level as before.

[0054] Table 2: Tasting evaluation of Examples and Comparative Examples [Table 2] [Industrial Applicability]

[0055] The present invention can be used, for example, when thawing ingredients in the process of producing coffee drinks. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 1: Drum 2: Palette 10: Thawing chamber 11: Steam inlet 12:Air conditioner 13: Fan 14:Thermometer 20: Boiler 30: Control device

Claims

1. A beverage manufacturing method including a thawing step of thawing frozen ingredients, The frozen raw material is liquid at room temperature, the thawing step includes placing the frozen raw materials contained in a container with a capacity of 20 L or more in a thawing chamber, and then introducing water vapor into the thawing chamber, and controlling the introduction of the water vapor so that the temperature of the raw materials does not exceed a predetermined reference value; The method for producing a beverage further comprises a homogenizing step of homogenizing the temperature of the ingredients thawed in the thawing step.

2. A method for producing a beverage as described in claim 1, wherein the frozen raw material is selected from a concentrate of an extract component, a concentrate of an aroma component, fruit juice, and milk.

3. A method for producing a beverage as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the thawing process includes a first stage of controlling the temperature of the thawing chamber to maintain it within a temperature range not exceeding a predetermined upper limit temperature, and a second stage of controlling the temperature of the thawing chamber to within a predetermined range that is lower than the temperature range of the first stage.

4. A method for producing a beverage as described in claim 1 or 2, which includes a mixing step in which, after the homogenization step, the temperature-homogenized raw material is mixed with powdered raw materials and liquid raw materials to obtain a product.

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