Beverages and beverage stabilizers

Abstract

To provide a beverage such as a coffee drink that has a high content of lipid and a low content of protein, giving a mild good flavor and feel, also contains an emulsifier, securing stabilized emulsification, and demonstrates excellent storage stability from room temperature to high temperature.SOLUTION: A beverage contains has a lipid content of 1.5 mass% or more and a sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5 or more and 12 or less of 650 ppm or more. Preferably, the beverage also contains an emulsifier with an HLB of higher than 12. A stabilizer for milk coffee drink contains the following components A-D, with a lipid content of 1.5 mass% or more and a protein content of 2 mass% or less. Component A: sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5 or more and 12 or less, component B: an emulsifier with an HLB of higher than 12, component C: sodium caseinate, and component D: microcrystalline cellulose.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to beverages and beverage stabilizers, and more particularly to a technique for improving the taste and mouthfeel of beverages such as coffee and coffee-added milk drinks while maintaining their stability. [Background technology]

[0002] In dairy beverages, which have a large market share in the luxury beverage category, a cost-effective technique of using vegetable oils and fats instead of conventionally used dairy products containing milk fat (milk, fresh cream, whole milk powder, concentrated milk, sweetened condensed milk, unsweetened evaporated milk, etc.) is known. In beverages using vegetable oils and fats, emulsifiers are used for emulsifying and dispersing the oils, and combinations of various emulsifiers have been proposed.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a beverage containing vegetable oil and, as emulsifiers, a sucrose fatty acid ester, an organic acid glycerin fatty acid ester, and a polyglycerin fatty acid ester and / or lecithin. In the examples of Patent Document 1, sucrose palmitate with an HLB of 16 and sucrose stearate with an HLB of 5 are used as the sucrose fatty acid esters, and the concentration of the sucrose stearate with an HLB of 5 in the beverage is set to 0.01 or 0.04% by weight (=100 or 400 ppm).

[0004] Although vegetable oil is not used as the lipid, Patent Document 2 proposes a milk coffee beverage that uses a combination of two specific types of sucrose fatty acid esters in a predetermined ratio. In the examples of Patent Document 2, 0.07% by weight (700 ppm) of a sucrose fatty acid ester with HLB5 is blended into the coffee beverage, but the beverage does not contain vegetable oil.

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 proposes a milk-based beverage for foaming containing a sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 10 or more, but the examples in Patent Document 3 use only a sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 16. In addition, a comparative example uses a sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5, but this is considered to be inferior in evaluations of foam stability, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-341933 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-289164 [Patent Document 3] Patent Publication No. 2021-029179 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The lipid content of conventionally available milk coffee beverages that can be stored at room temperature is approximately 0.3 to 1% by mass, but in coffee beverages and the like, the higher the lipid content, the stronger the coffee flavor and the milder, more drinkable they tend to be. For this reason, beverages with a higher lipid content are desired, but because lipids cause quality deterioration known as creaming, beverages with a high lipid content are undesirable in terms of stability. On the other hand, proteins contained in milk and other beverages adsorb to the surroundings of oil, so a high protein content can stabilize the oil. However, a high protein content has the drawback of making the drink taste less light and refreshing, as it has a strong richness and milk-derived flavor characteristic of proteins.

[0008] For this reason, for those who don't like milk or who want to enjoy the original flavor of coffee, High-fat, low-protein beverages are desirable, but the difficulty of stabilizing lipids in low-protein beverages presents a challenge. In particular, when the lipids contain a large amount of saturated fatty acids derived from highly crystalline hydrogenated vegetable oils, it is extremely difficult to make a beverage stable even when stored at 60°C, which is the temperature required for hot sales, or at 35°C, which is the temperature required for storage at room temperature in midsummer.

[0009] In view of the problems of the prior art described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a beverage such as a coffee beverage that is high in lipids and low in protein, resulting in a mild and pleasant flavor and palatability, and that has excellent storage stability at room temperature to high temperatures due to the presence of an emulsifier to stabilize the emulsion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] As a result of extensive research into solving the above-mentioned problems, the inventors have found that by incorporating a sucrose fatty acid ester with a moderate HLB of 5 or more and 12 or less in a specified ratio, it is possible to stabilize emulsion in high-fat, low-protein beverages, thereby solving the above-mentioned problems. The present invention was achieved based on these findings and is summarized as follows.

[0011] [1] A beverage containing 1.5% or more fat by mass and 650 ppm or more sucrose fatty acid esters with an HLB value of 5 to 12.

[0012] [2] The beverage according to [1], further comprising an emulsifier having an HLB value of greater than 12.

[0013] [3] A beverage according to [1] or [2], having a protein content of 2% by mass or less.

[0014] [4] A beverage according to any one of [1] to [3], which contains a coffee component.

[0015] [5] The beverage according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the content of polyglycerol fatty acid ester is 400 ppm or less.

[0016] [6] The beverage according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the organic acid monoglyceride content is 350 ppm or less.

[0017] [7] The beverage according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the lipid contains at least one selected from vegetable oils and fats obtained by fractionating, hardening, or interesterifying vegetable oils.

[0018] [8] The beverage according to [7], wherein the lipid is hydrogenated coconut oil and / or hydrogenated palm kernel oil.

[0019] [9] A stabilizer for a milk coffee beverage having a lipid content of 1.5% by mass or more and a protein content of 2% by mass or less, comprising the following ingredients A to D: Component A: Sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5 or more and 12 or less Component B: Emulsifier with an HLB greater than 12 Ingredient C: Sodium caseinate Ingredient D: Microcrystalline cellulose [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a beverage such as a coffee beverage which is high in lipids and low in protein, resulting in a mild and pleasant flavor and palatability, and in addition, the emulsion is stabilized by the emulsifier, resulting in excellent storage stability at room temperature to high temperatures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The following describes in detail the embodiments of the present invention, but the following description of the constituent elements is an example (typical example) of the embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these contents.

[0022] [Beverage] The beverage of the present invention is characterized by having a lipid content of 1.5% by mass or more and containing 650 ppm or more of sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB value of 5 or more and 12 or less.

[0023] <Fat> The lipid content of the beverage of the present invention is 1.5% by mass or more. By having a lipid content above the above lower limit, the beverage is high in lipid, mild, and has an excellent palatability, and in the case of a coffee beverage, it has a strong coffee flavor and a good taste. From this perspective, the lipid content of the beverage of the present invention is preferably 1.8% by mass or more, more preferably 2.1% by mass or more, and even more preferably 2.4% by mass or more. On the other hand, from the perspective of fully obtaining the stabilizing effect of the sucrose fatty acid ester used in the present invention, the lipid content of the beverage of the present invention is preferably 4.0% by mass or less, more preferably 3.5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 3.0% by mass or less.

[0024] Therefore, in the beverage of the present invention, lipid-containing components such as fats and oils and milk components described below are blended so that the lipid content of the resulting beverage falls within the above-mentioned preferred range.

[0025] The lipid content of a beverage can be calculated from the lipid ratio of each component contained in the beverage and the content of that component.

[0026] <Oils> In order to ensure that the lipid content of the beverage of the present invention is equal to or higher than the above lower limit, it is preferable to blend oils and fats as lipids.

[0027] The oils and fats are not particularly limited, and may be animal oils and fats such as fish oil, beef tallow, lard, milk fat (butter or anhydrous butter), horse oil, snake oil, egg oil, egg yolk oil, turtle oil, and mink oil, but vegetable oils and fats are preferred, such as soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, rapeseed oil, sesame oil, perilla oil, rice bran oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, olive oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, rice germ oil, wheat germ oil, brown rice germ oil, Job's tears oil, garlic oil, macadamia nut oil, avocado oil, and raspberry oil. Vegetable oils and fats such as primrose oil, flower oil, camellia oil, coconut oil, castor oil, linseed oil, and cocoa oil; and products obtained by hydrogenating or interesterifying these, for example, hydrogenated oils and processed oils such as MCT (medium-chain fatty acid oil), hydrogenated coconut oil, and hydrogenated palm kernel oil, which are obtained by processing liquid or solid vegetable oils and fats such as refining, deodorizing, fractionating, hardening, and interesterifying, as well as liquid oils and solid fats obtained by fractionating these oils and fats; and medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides.

[0028] Among these, vegetable oils and oils obtained by fractionating, hardening, or interesterifying vegetable oils are preferred from the viewpoint of cost, with hardened coconut oil and hardened palm kernel oil being particularly preferred from the viewpoint of flavor when added to beverages. Vegetable oils and oils obtained by fractionating, hardening, or interesterifying vegetable oils are low cost, so they preferably comprise 50% by mass or more of the total oils and fats in beverages, more preferably 70% by mass or more, and most preferably 90% by mass or more. The saturated fatty acid content of the oils and fats in beverages is preferably 70% by mass or more, more preferably 90% by mass or more, and most preferably 95% by mass or more, in order to achieve a good flavor when added to beverages and reduce flavor deterioration during long-term storage of the beverage. The SFC (solid fat content) at 20°C of the oils and fats in beverages is preferably 30% or more, and more preferably 40% or more, in order to achieve an excellent taste when added to beverages.

[0029] The beverage may contain only one of these fats and oils, or may contain two or more of them.

[0030] In the present invention, such fats and oils are used in such a way that the total lipid content in the beverage is within the aforementioned preferred range in combination with other lipid-containing components, such as lipids contained in milk components described later.

[0031] <Sucrose fatty acid ester with HLB of 5 or more and 12 or less> In the present invention, a sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5 to 12 is used as an essential emulsifier as a stabilizer for the beverage. If the HLB of this sucrose fatty acid ester is less than 5 or exceeds 12, the stabilizing effect of the high-lipid and low-protein beverage of the present invention cannot be sufficiently obtained. From the viewpoint of the stabilizing effect of the beverage, the HLB of the sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5 to 12 is preferably in the range of HLB 7 to 12, and more preferably in the range of 9 to 12.

[0032] There are no particular restrictions on the constituent fatty acids in the sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5 to 12. Specific examples of the sucrose fatty acid ester include sucrose palmitate, sucrose stearate, sucrose oleate, etc. Among these, sucrose palmitate and sucrose stearate are particularly preferred, and sucrose stearate is most preferred.

[0033] The sucrose fatty acid ester is a food emulsifier known per se, and commercially available sucrose fatty acid esters can be used as the sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5 to 12. For example, "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-1170 (HLB: 11)", "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-970 (HLB: 9)", "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-770 (HLB: 7)", "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-570 (HLB: 5)", "Ryoto Sugar Ester L-570 (HLB: 5)" (above, manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, trade name); "DK Ester F-110 (HLB: 11)", "DK Ester F-90 (HLB: 9.5)", "DK Ester F-70 (HLB: 8)", "DK Ester F-50 (HLB: 6)" (above, manufactured by Daiichi Kogyo Seiyaku Co., Ltd., trade name), etc.

[0034] Alternatively, as the sucrose fatty acid ester, a sucrose fatty acid ester produced by irradiation with microwaves as described in Japanese Patent No. 5945756 may be used.

[0035] The beverage of the present invention may contain only one of these sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 5 to 12, or may contain two or more thereof.

[0036] The content of the sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB of 5 to 12 in the beverage of the present invention is 650 ppm or more. By having a content of the sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB of 5 to 12 of 650 ppm or more, the stabilizing effect by the sucrose fatty acid ester can be sufficiently obtained. From the viewpoint of the stabilizing effect of the beverage, the content of the sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB of 5 to 12 is preferably 800 ppm or more, more preferably 1100 ppm or more. On the other hand, if the content of the sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB of 5 to 12 is too large, the flavor of the beverage is impaired. Therefore, the content of the sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB of 5 to 12 in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 4000 ppm or less, more preferably 3500 ppm or less, still more preferably 2600 ppm or less, particularly preferably 2000 ppm or less, and most preferably 1500 ppm or less.

[0037] <Emulsifier with HLB greater than 12> It is preferable from the viewpoint of further stabilizing effect and bacteriostatic effect of the beverage that the beverage of the present invention contains an emulsifier having an HLB greater than 12 together with the above-mentioned sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB of 5 to 12. From the viewpoint of stabilizing the beverage, the HLB of the emulsifier having an HLB greater than 12 is particularly preferably 13 to 17, and more preferably 15 to 16.

[0038] The emulsifier having an HLB value of greater than 12 is not particularly limited as long as it is a food emulsifier, and may be an emulsifier other than sucrose fatty acid esters, such as a nonionic emulsifier such as glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, or sorbitan fatty acid esters, or an ionic emulsifier such as organic acid monoglycerides, sodium stearoyl lactylate, calcium stearoyl lactylate, or lecithin. However, sucrose fatty acid esters or polyglycerin fatty acid esters are preferred, and sucrose fatty acid esters are most preferred, because they are superior in terms of stabilizing effect and bacteriostatic effect when used in combination with sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB value of 5 to 12.

[0039] There are no particular limitations on the constituent fatty acids in sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of greater than 12, and specific examples of sucrose fatty acid esters include sucrose palmitate, sucrose stearate, sucrose myristate, sucrose laurate, sucrose oleate, etc. Of these, sucrose palmitate and sucrose myristate are preferred, with sucrose palmitate being particularly preferred.

[0040] Among emulsifiers with an HLB greater than 12, commercially available sucrose fatty acid esters include, for example, "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-1670 (HLB: 16)," "Ryoto Sugar Ester P-1670 (HLB: 16)," "Ryoto Sugar Ester P-1570 (HLB: 15)," "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-1570 (HLB: 15)," "Ryoto Sugar Ester M-1695 (HLB: 16)," "Ryoto Sugar Ester L-1695 (HLB: 16)," and "Ryoto Sugar Ester O-1570 (HLB: 15)" (all manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, trade names); "DK Ester SS (HLB: 19)," "DK Ester F-160 (HLB: 15)," and "DK Ester F-140 (HLB: 13)" (all manufactured by Daiichi Kogyo Seiyaku Co., Ltd., trade names).

[0041] The beverage of the present invention may contain only one of these emulsifiers with an HLB of greater than 12, or may contain two or more of them.

[0042] When the beverage of the present invention contains an emulsifier with an HLB of greater than 12, the content thereof is preferably 400 ppm or more, more preferably 900 ppm or more. On the other hand, the content of the emulsifier with an HLB of greater than 12 is preferably 3000 ppm or less, more preferably 2000 ppm or less, and most preferably 1500 ppm or less. When the content of the emulsifier with an HLB of greater than 12 is equal to or greater than the above-mentioned lower limit and equal to or less than the above-mentioned upper limit, good stabilizing and bacteriostatic effects can be obtained when used in combination with a sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5 to 12.

[0043] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of more effectively obtaining the synergistic effect of combining a sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5 to 12 with an emulsifier with an HLB of greater than 12, the weight ratio of the sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5 to 12 to the emulsifier with an HLB of greater than 12 is preferably in the range of 20:80 to 80:20 (sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5 to 12:emulsifier with an HLB of greater than 12), and the total content of these in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 1200 ppm to 6000 ppm, particularly 2000 to 4000 ppm.

[0044] <Polyglycerin fatty acid ester> The beverage of the present invention may contain a polyglycerol fatty acid ester such as decaglycerol fatty acid ester, octapolyglycerol fatty acid ester, tetraglycerol fatty acid ester, pentaglycerol fatty acid ester, triglycerol fatty acid ester, or diglycerol fatty acid ester. However, if the beverage contains a polyglycerol fatty acid ester, an excessively high content of the polyglycerol fatty acid ester is not preferred because it impairs the flavor of the beverage. Therefore, the content of polyglycerol fatty acid ester in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 400 ppm or less, more preferably 300 ppm or less, particularly preferably 200 ppm or less, and most preferably contains no polyglycerol fatty acid ester.

[0045] <Organic acid monoglyceride> The beverage of the present invention may contain an organic acid monoglyceride, and by including an organic acid monoglyceride, an even more excellent stabilizing effect can be obtained.

[0046] Organic acid monoglycerides have a structure in which one molecule of glycerin is bonded to one molecule of fatty acid and one molecule of organic acid, and are generally obtained by reacting an acid anhydride of an organic acid with a fatty acid monoglyceride. The reaction is usually carried out under solvent-free conditions. For example, the reaction of succinic anhydride with a monoglyceride having 18 carbon atoms is completed in about 90 minutes at a temperature of about 120°C. The organic acid monoglyceride thus obtained is usually a mixture containing organic acid, unreacted monoglyceride, diglyceride, and other oligomers. In the present invention, such a mixture may be used as is, or, if the purity of the organic acid monoglyceride is desired to be increased, commercially available distilled monoglycerides may be used. Furthermore, a product in which the organic acid moiety has been partially neutralized may also be used.

[0047] Examples of organic acids that constitute organic acid monoglycerides include succinic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, diacetyltartaric acid, malic acid, adipic acid, glutaric acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, etc. Among these, succinic acid, citric acid, and diacetyltartaric acid, which are used in food applications, are preferred, and succinic acid is particularly preferred from the standpoint of flavor.

[0048] Examples of fatty acids constituting the organic acid monoglycerides derived from the fatty acid monoglycerides include saturated or unsaturated fatty acids having 8 to 22 carbon atoms, such as caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, behenic acid, and oleic acid. Among these, fatty acids containing stearic acid as the main component are preferred from the viewpoint of flavor, and those in which 70% by mass or more of the constituent fatty acids are stearic acid are particularly preferred.

[0049] Only one type of organic acid monoglyceride may be used, or two or more types of organic acid monoglycerides having different constituent organic acids or fatty acids may be mixed and used.

[0050] When the beverage of the present invention contains an organic acid monoglyceride, the organic acid monoglyceride content is preferably 350 ppm or less, since too much organic acid monoglyceride impairs the flavor of the beverage. On the other hand, too little organic acid monoglyceride content makes it difficult to fully obtain the aforementioned effects of using the organic acid monoglyceride. For these reasons, the organic acid monoglyceride content of the beverage is preferably 100 to 350 ppm, more preferably 150 to 350 ppm.

[0051] <Protein content> In order to achieve a high-fat, low-protein beverage of the present invention, when the beverage contains protein-containing ingredients such as milk components and sodium caseinate, as described below, the protein content is preferably 2% by mass or less, more preferably 1.5% by mass or less, particularly preferably 1% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.8% by mass or less. A low protein content reduces the richness and milk-derived flavor characteristic of protein, resulting in a pleasant drinking experience. However, a low protein content can reduce the stability of the beverage, but in the present invention, stability can be improved by using a sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5 to 12 in a specified proportion. On the other hand, if the protein content is too low, the milk-derived flavor will be lost and the coffee flavor will be too strong, making the beverage unpalatable, so the lower limit of the protein content of the beverage of the present invention is usually 0.1% by mass or more, and preferably 0.3% by mass or more.

[0052] The protein content of a beverage can be calculated from the protein proportion of protein-containing components in the beverage, such as milk components and sodium caseinate, which will be described later, and the content of these components.

[0053] <Milk ingredients> The beverages of the present invention typically contain a milk component or a vegetable milk component.

[0054] Examples of dairy ingredients used as milk components include milk, concentrated milk, whole milk powder, skim milk powder, condensed milk, butter, cheese, cream, whey, casein, total milk protein, mineral-enriched whey, lactose-free whey, desalted whey, whey minerals, dairy products such as buttermilk, butter serum, and powdered versions of these such as buttermilk powder and butter serum powder, and milk hydrolysates obtained by hydrolyzing dairy products using enzymes or microorganisms.

[0055] Plant-based milk ingredients include soy milk, oat milk, coconut milk, rice milk, almond milk, pea milk, and hemp milk. Soy milk used as a vegetable milk ingredient can use, without limitation, yellow soybeans, green soybeans, black soybeans, etc. As a method for producing soy milk from soybeans, known methods can be used, and soy milk can generally be obtained by soaking soybeans in water, hot water, etc. for a certain period of time, grinding them, and removing the okara.

[0056] The beverage of the present invention may contain only one of these milk components or two or more of them, or may contain only one of these plant-based milk components or two or more of them, or may contain one or more milk components and one or more plant-based milk components.

[0057] These milk ingredients are blended so that the protein content of the beverage of the present invention, in total with the protein content of other protein-containing ingredients, is preferably not more than the above-mentioned upper limit.

[0058] <Coffee ingredients> The beverage of the present invention is preferably a coffee beverage or a milk beverage containing a coffee component. Coffee extract is typically used as the coffee component. Any coffee beans can be used to produce the coffee extract, including Arabica beans from Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Kilimanjaro, etc., and Robusta beans from Indonesia and Uganda, either singly or in combination. Conditions for roasting, grinding, and extraction of the coffee beans can also be selected as desired.

[0059] There are no particular restrictions on the amount of coffee extract added, but it is usually used so that the solid content (coffee components) of the coffee extract in the beverage is about 0.3 to 1.5 mass %.

[0060] <Other additives> From the viewpoint of stability during long-term storage, the beverage of the present invention may contain one or more additives such as sodium caseinate, thickening polysaccharides, microcrystalline cellulose, saponin, and the like.

[0061] Sodium caseinate is preferably used because its inclusion can further enhance the stability of the beverage. From the viewpoint of beverage stability, it is preferable that the sodium caseinate content in the beverage be 600 ppm or more, particularly 800 ppm or more. On the other hand, if the sodium caseinate content is too high, the flavor will be impaired and the beverage will become rough, resulting in an undesirable texture. Therefore, the sodium caseinate content in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 2500 ppm or less.

[0062] Thickening polysaccharides are preferred because the inclusion of these can further enhance the stability of the beverage.

[0063] The thickening polysaccharide is preferably a natural water-soluble polymeric polysaccharide, such as galactomannan, xanthan gum, carrageenan, gum arabic, tamarind gum, gellan gum, etc., with carrageenan and xanthan gum being more preferred.

[0064] These thickening polysaccharides may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0065] When the beverage of the present invention contains a thickening polysaccharide, from the viewpoint of the stabilizing effect of the thickening polysaccharide, the content of the thickening polysaccharide in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 20 ppm or more, more preferably 35 ppm or more. On the other hand, if the content of the thickening polysaccharide is too high, the beverage may become thickened and have an undesirable texture, so the content of the thickening polysaccharide in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 500 ppm or less, particularly 300 ppm or less.

[0066] Microcrystalline cellulose is preferred because its inclusion enhances the redispersibility of beverage components and inhibits precipitation. From the viewpoint of inhibiting precipitation, it is preferable to use microcrystalline cellulose in a beverage at a content of 150 ppm or more, particularly 300 ppm or more. On the other hand, if the content of microcrystalline cellulose is too high, the beverage will become rough and have an undesirable texture, so the content of microcrystalline cellulose in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 2000 ppm or less.

[0067] In addition, the beverage of the present invention may contain the following additives as appropriate.

[0068] (pH adjuster) pH adjusters such as organic acids and their salts, baking soda, and phosphates

[0069] (Sugars) Monosaccharides and oligosaccharides such as sugar, granulated sugar, fructose, glucose, maltose, galactose, mannose, fucose, xylose, trehalose, lactose, mannooligosaccharides, and maltooligosaccharides

[0070] (sugar alcohol) Sugar alcohols such as erythritol, xylitol, maltitol, sorbitol, mannitol, and inositol

[0071] (sweetener) Various sweeteners such as sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, neotame, and stevia extract

[0072] (fragrance) Flavorings such as lemon oil, orange oil, mint oil, coffee flavor, tea flavor, butter flavor, cream flavor, milk flavor, etc.

[0073] (Flavoring ingredients) Carotenoids such as β-carotene, astaxanthin, lycopene, and paprika pigments, pigments such as chlorophyll, and flavoring ingredients such as salt

[0074] (mineral material) Mineral materials such as calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium

[0075] (Nutritional ingredients) Nutritional ingredients such as vitamins, coenzyme Q10, amino acids, peptides, DHA, EPA, etc.

[0076] (antioxidant) Antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin C sodium, vitamin E, rosemary extract, tea extract, and bayberry extract

[0077] (preservative) Mustard extract, shelf life enhancers such as lysozyme, preservatives such as nisin, sorbic acid and its salts

[0078] (alcoholic beverages) Liqueurs, vodka, shochu, and other alcoholic beverages

[0079] <Type of drink> Examples of the beverage of the present invention include milk beverages, soup beverages, coffee beverages, cocoa beverages, tea beverages (black tea, green tea, Chinese tea, etc.), bean / grain beverages, acidic beverages, powdered beverages, powdered soups, etc. Among these, milk beverages, coffee beverages, black tea beverages, green tea beverages, Chinese tea beverages, and bean / grain beverages are preferred, milk beverages, coffee beverages, black tea beverages, green tea beverages, Chinese tea beverages, and bean / grain beverages are more preferred, milk beverages and coffee beverages are particularly preferred, and coffee beverages are most preferred.

[0080] <Beverage manufacturing method> The beverage of the present invention is produced, for example, as follows.

[0081] First, a mixture is prepared by mixing lipid-containing components such as vegetable oils, emulsifiers such as sucrose fatty acid esters, and other ingredients exemplified as those that may be contained in the beverage, together with water, if necessary.

[0082] The resulting mixture is then emulsified by stirring. Any homogeneous emulsification method commonly used for food products can be used without particular limitation, including, for example, a method using a homogenizer, a method using a colloid mill, or a method using a homomixer. This homogeneous emulsification process is typically carried out under heated conditions at 40 to 80°C.

[0083] The emulsification treatment may be carried out only once, or may be carried out two or more times (multiple times). "Performing emulsification multiple times" means that the material to be treated is introduced into an emulsifier, emulsified under predetermined conditions, and then the emulsified product is removed, and this operation is repeated multiple times. Here, the emulsifiers used for the multiple emulsification treatments may be the same or different.

[0084] For example, prior to the high-pressure emulsification treatment described in detail below, preliminary emulsification may be carried out under low-pressure or normal pressure conditions using a paddle mixer, homomixer, ultrasonic homogenizer, colloid mill, kneader, in-line mixer, static mixer, onlater, or the like. This preliminary emulsification is carried out at a temperature of usually 30°C or higher, preferably 40°C or higher, more preferably 50°C or higher, and usually 100°C or lower, preferably 90°C or lower, more preferably 80°C or lower, for usually 0.005 to 20 hours, preferably 0.01 to 10 hours.

[0085] For mass production in a factory, high-pressure emulsification is preferred because it has higher production efficiency and a larger processing capacity per hour.

[0086] High-pressure emulsification is a process in which the material to be treated is brought to a high-pressure state by pumping it through the narrow gaps of a homogenizing valve, a flow path, a nozzle, etc., and then the pressure is suddenly reduced. The energy from this pressure difference is used to increase the flow rate, and the material to be treated is caused to collide at high speed with a valve or ring, or with itself, generating turbulence, cavitation, and shear forces, and this energy is used to break down and emulsify the material to be treated.

[0087] Specifically, high-pressure emulsification refers to emulsification under a processing pressure of preferably 10 MPa or higher at the time of high-pressure emulsification in a single-stage system, or more preferably 15 MPa or higher at the time of high-pressure emulsification in at least one stage in a multi-stage system such as a two-stage system. A higher processing pressure in the emulsification treatment is preferable because it allows the oil or fat to be emulsified and dispersed uniformly as sufficiently fine particles.

[0088] From the viewpoint of emulsion stability, there is no particular upper limit to the processing pressure, but it is usually 200 MPa or less, depending on the pressure resistance of the emulsifier used and on industrial practicality, and the processing pressure is preferably 100 MPa or less, more preferably 80 MPa or less, even more preferably 50 MPa or less, and most preferably 45 MPa or less.

[0089] Examples of commercially available emulsifiers used for high-pressure emulsification include valve-type emulsifiers such as GAURIN 125T and 132T manufactured by SPX and HV-5H and HV-5E manufactured by Izumi Food Machinery Co., Ltd., nozzle-type emulsifiers such as NanoVeida manufactured by Yoshida Kikai Kogyo Co., Ltd. and Starburst 100 manufactured by Sugino Machine Co., Ltd., and chamber-type emulsifiers such as Microfluidizer manufactured by Powrex Corporation.

[0090] The hourly processing capacity in the high-pressure emulsification treatment is usually 0.1 ton / hour or more, preferably 1 ton / hour or more, more preferably 5 ton / hour or more, and most preferably 10 ton / hour or more. By setting such a processing capacity, the high-pressure emulsification treatment can be carried out without reducing production efficiency. There is no particular upper limit to the hourly processing capacity in the high-pressure emulsification treatment, but it is usually 500 ton / hour or less.

[0091] The duration of each emulsification treatment will vary depending on the treatment amount and treatment pressure, but in order to obtain good emulsion stability without impairing productivity, particularly in the case of mass production in a factory, the duration is usually 0.005 hours or more, preferably 0.01 hours or more, and most preferably 0.1 hours or more, and usually 20 hours or less, preferably 10 hours or less, more preferably 5 hours or less, particularly preferably 2 hours or less, and most preferably 1 hour or less.

[0092] The temperature during high-pressure emulsification is usually 30°C or higher, preferably 40°C or higher, more preferably 50°C or higher, and usually 100°C or lower, preferably 90°C or lower, more preferably 80°C or lower. From the viewpoint of emulsification efficiency, it is preferable that the treatment temperature is at least the above lower limit, and from the viewpoint of handleability of the emulsion, it is preferable that the treatment temperature is at most the above upper limit. This treatment temperature may also be different for each run or may be the same.

[0093] The pH of the material to be treated during emulsification is usually 5.0 or higher, preferably greater than 5.0, more preferably 5.2 or higher, even more preferably 5.5 or higher, and particularly preferably 6.0 or higher, from the viewpoint of ensuring that the emulsifier used disperses sufficiently in water and efficiently emulsifies the oil or fat, and is usually 9.0 or lower, preferably 8.0 or lower. The pH of the material to be treated can be adjusted by adding a pH adjuster such as sodium bicarbonate or phosphate, or other additives, to the material to be treated.

[0094] After this homogeneous emulsification treatment, a sterilization treatment such as UHT sterilization or retort sterilization is performed. Retort sterilization is usually performed at 110 to 140°C, for example, 121°C, for 10 to 40 minutes. On the other hand, UHT sterilization used for beverages in PET bottles is an ultra-high temperature sterilization at a higher temperature, for example, 120 to 150°C, with a sterilization value (Fo) at 121°C equivalent to 10 to 50. UHT sterilization can be performed by known methods such as direct heating methods such as steam injection, in which steam is directly injected into the beverage, or steam infusion, in which the beverage is heated by injecting it into steam, or indirect heating methods using a surface heat exchanger such as a plate or tube; for example, a plate-type sterilizer can be used.

[0095] The beverage produced according to the present invention is suitable for use in containerized beverages, such as canned beverages, PET bottled beverages, paper-packaged beverages, bottled beverages, and plastic cup beverages. The beverages of the present invention have excellent stability even when they are high in fat and low in protein, and therefore the bottled beverages produced in this manner can stably maintain a good emulsion state, flavor, and taste for long periods of time, even when stored at 60°C, which is the temperature assumed for hot sales, or at 35°C, which is the temperature assumed for room temperature storage in midsummer.

[0096] [Stabilizer for milk coffee drinks] The stabilizer of the present invention is a stabilizer for a milk coffee beverage having a lipid content of 1.5% by mass or more and a protein content of 2% by mass or less, and is characterized by containing the following components A to D. Component A: Sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5 or more and 12 or less Component B: Emulsifier with an HLB greater than 12 Ingredient C: Sodium caseinate Ingredient D: Microcrystalline cellulose

[0097] The above-mentioned component A has the same meaning as the sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB value of 5 or more and 12 or less contained in the beverage of the present invention, and the preferred examples are also the same. Furthermore, the above-mentioned component B has the same meaning as the emulsifier having an HLB of greater than 12 contained in the beverage of the present invention, and the preferred examples are also the same as those described above.

[0098] There are no particular restrictions on the contents of the stabilizer components A to D in the milk coffee beverage of the present invention, provided that the amounts are such that a beverage can be produced in which the contents in the beverage of the present invention fall within the preferred ranges described above. Furthermore, the stabilizer for the milk coffee beverage of the present invention may be a single formulation in which all of components A to D are mixed in advance, or may be a formulation in which some of components A to D and the remainder are provided separately. Alternatively, components A to D may all be provided separately.

[0099] Although not particularly limited, in one embodiment of the stabilizer for milk coffee beverages of the present invention, the stabilizer contains, in a total of 100% by mass of components A to D, Component A: 15~60% by mass Component B: 15~60% by mass Component C: 15~60% by mass Component D: 5~30% by mass It is preferable that the content is in the range of 1: These may also be in the form of an aqueous emulsion with a solid content concentration of 5 to 50% by mass.

[0100] The stabilizer for the milk coffee beverage of the present invention can be efficiently produced by mixing it with fats and oils, milk components, other emulsifiers and additives, etc. during beverage production, and then subjecting the mixture to a homogeneous emulsification treatment according to the beverage production method described above. [Example]

[0101] The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the description of the following examples as long as it does not depart from the gist of the invention.

[0102] [Raw materials used] The ingredients used to prepare the beverages in the following Examples and Comparative Examples are as follows:

[0103] <Sucrose fatty acid ester> P-1670: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation sucrose palmitate "Ryoto Sugar Ester P-1670" (HLB: 16) S-1170: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation sucrose stearate "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-1170" (HLB: 11)

[0104] <Organic acid monoglyceride> B-30: Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd.'s succinic acid stearic acid monoglyceride "Poem B-30"

[0105] <Thickening polysaccharides> MW-210: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation's κ-carrageenan "Soagina MW-210" ML310: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation's λ-carrageenan "Soagina ML310" MV512: Mitsubishi Chemical's iota-carrageenan "Soagina MV512" XG400: Mitsubishi Chemical xanthan gum "Soaxan XG400"

[0106] <Milk ingredients> Milk: Megmilk Milk, manufactured by Megmilk Snow Brand Co., Ltd. Milk powder: Yotsuba Hokkaido Skim Milk Powder manufactured by Yotsuba Dairy Co., Ltd.

[0107] <Oils> Vegetable oil emulsion: O / W emulsion containing 45% by mass of hardened palm oil as lipid

[0108] <Other ingredients> Microcrystalline cellulose: Asahi Kasei Chemical Corporation "Ceolas SC-900S" Sodium caseinate: "Tatua100" manufactured by Tatua Japan Baking soda: Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd. Granulated sugar: Nissin Sugar Co., Ltd. Coffee beans: Colombia EX L=20.5, manufactured by Allied Coffee Roasters

[0109] [Examples 1 to 5, Comparative Example 1] Coffee beans were extracted with 10 times the amount of hot water, and the resulting coffee extract was then adjusted for pH by adding sodium bicarbonate dissolved in hot water. The components listed in Table 1 were then added and mixed to achieve the indicated amounts, followed by dissolution. Water was then added to bring the total to 100% by mass. The resulting liquid was heated to 65°C and homogenized at 20 MPa using a high-pressure homogenizer. The liquid was then filled into cans, sealed, and retort sterilized at 121°C for 30 minutes to produce canned milk coffee. The pH of the beverage after sterilization was 6.6 to 6.8.

[0110] The amount of each component in each canned milk coffee obtained and the lipid content and protein content calculated from the lipid content and protein content of each component are shown in Table 2.

[0111] The canned milk coffees obtained were evaluated as follows, and the results are shown in Table 3.

[0112] [Evaluation method for each canned milk coffee] <Stability after 4 weeks at 35°C> Oil droplets: Each can of milk coffee was stored at 35°C for 4 weeks, and then left to stand overnight at 3°C. The next day, the can was opened and the contents were poured into a cup. The occurrence of oil droplets was visually observed and evaluated according to the following criteria. 1: A large amount of oil particles are present. 2: Oil particles are present, causing some quality problems. 3: A small amount of oil particles are present, but at a level that does not affect the quality. 4: No oil particles at all, in good condition. Sedimentation: In the above evaluation of oil particles, the bottom of the can was visually observed after the contents were transferred to a cup, and evaluated according to the following criteria. 1: There is a large amount of sediment. 2: There is sediment, which causes some quality problems. 3: A small amount of sediment is present, but it is at a level that does not affect the quality. 4: No sediment at all, good.

[0113] <Stability after 4 weeks at 60℃> Oil droplets: Each can of milk coffee was stored at 60°C for 4 weeks, and then left to stand overnight at 3°C. The next day, the can was opened and the contents were poured into a cup. The occurrence of oil droplets was visually observed and evaluated according to the following criteria. 1: A large amount of oil particles are present. 2: Oil particles are present, causing some quality problems. 3: A small amount of oil particles are present, but at a level that does not affect the quality. 4: No oil particles at all, in good condition. Sedimentation: In the above evaluation of oil particles, the bottom of the can was visually observed after the contents were transferred to a cup, and evaluated according to the following criteria. 1: There is a large amount of sediment. 2: There is sediment, which causes some quality problems. 3: A small amount of sediment is present, but it is at a level that does not affect the quality. 4: No sediment at all, good.

[0114] [Table 1]

[0115] [Table 2]

[0116] [Table 3]

[0117] The above results demonstrate that the beverages of the present invention, which contain 650 ppm or more of sucrose fatty acid esters with HLB of 5 to 12, are high-fat, low-protein beverages with a lipid content of 1.5% by mass or more (2.67% by mass in Examples 1 to 5) and a protein content of 2% by mass or less (0.466 or 0.559% by mass in Examples 1 to 5), and have excellent emulsion stability even after long-term storage at 35°C or 60°C. In contrast, Comparative Example 1, in which the content of sucrose fatty acid esters with HLB of 5 to 12 was low at 600 ppm, was poor in stability at all temperatures. Examples 2 to 5 show that the stability is improved by further including sodium caseinate. Furthermore, it can be seen from Examples 2 to 5 that the stability is improved by further including microcrystalline cellulose. Furthermore, it can be seen from Examples 3 to 5 that the stability is improved by further including a thickening polysaccharide.

Claims

1. The lipid content is 1.8% by mass or more, and the sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB of 5 to 12 is contained in an amount of 650 ppm or more, and further Contains microcrystalline cellulose, Contains 400 ppm or more of an emulsifier with an HLB greater than 12, Contains 100 to 350 ppm of organic acid monoglyceride, A milk beverage having a protein content of 0.1% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less.

2. 2. The milk beverage of claim 1, which contains a coffee component.

3. 3. The milk beverage according to claim 1, wherein the content of polyglycerol fatty acid ester is 400 ppm or less.

4. The milk beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lipid comprises at least one selected from vegetable oils and fats obtained by fractionating, hardening, or interesterifying vegetable oils.

5. 5. The milk drink according to claim 4, wherein the lipid is hydrogenated coconut oil and / or hydrogenated palm kernel oil.

6. A stabilizer for a milk coffee beverage, which contains the following components A to D, and has a lipid content of 1.8% by mass or more, a protein content of 2% by mass or less, and an organic acid monoglyceride content of 100 to 350 ppm. Component A: 15 to 60% by mass of sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB of 5 or more and 12 or less Component B: 15 to 60% by mass of an emulsifier with an HLB greater than 12 Component C: Sodium caseinate 15 to 60% by mass Component D: microcrystalline cellulose 5 to 30% by mass

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