Alcohol-flavored beverage and method for improving the flavor of alcohol-flavored beverage

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of imparting a bitter taste like one of an alcoholic beverage to an alcoholic taste beverage.SOLUTION: An alcoholic taste beverage contains 20-250 ppm of a black ginger extract.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an alcohol-taste beverage and a method for improving the flavor of an alcohol-taste beverage. [Background technology]

[0002] Alcohol-flavored beverages are beverages that do not contain alcohol (less than 1% v / v alcohol) and that simulate the taste of alcoholic beverages. Alcohol-flavored beverages are in demand among people who do not like alcohol and those who must limit their alcohol intake for health reasons or for driving, etc.

[0003] In relation to alcohol-flavored beverages, for example, Patent Document 1 (JP 2020-099288 A) describes an alcohol-flavored beverage containing an ester compound represented by a specific formula at a content of 100 to 2000 ppb to impart or enhance the feeling of alcohol.

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 (JP 2019-122281 A) describes an alcoholic-flavored beverage containing luteolin as a technology for providing an alcoholic-flavored beverage with improved flavor (specifically, improved mellowness and richness of flavor). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-099288 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-122281 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] One of the challenges facing alcohol-flavored beverages is improving their flavor. In particular, it is difficult to reproduce the bitterness inherent in alcohol (ethanol) in non-alcoholic alcohol-flavored beverages. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of imparting a bitter taste characteristic of alcoholic beverages to alcoholic-flavored beverages. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of investigations, the present inventors have found that black ginger extract has the effect of imparting an alcoholic sensation, and have arrived at the present invention. That is, the present invention includes the following features. [1] An alcoholic beverage containing 20 to 250 ppm of black ginger extract. [2] The alcoholic beverage described in [1], having an alcohol content of less than 0.01 v / v%. [3] An alcoholic beverage according to [1] or [2], having a carbohydrate content of 2.0 g / 100 ml or less. [4] An alcoholic-flavored beverage described in any one of [1] to [3], having a sweetness level in sucrose equivalent of 4.0 g / 100 ml or less. [5] An alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [4], which is a ginger ale-flavored beverage. [6] An alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [5], which is a beer-flavored beverage. [7] An alcoholic-flavored beverage according to any one of [1] to [6], which is a carbonated beverage. [8] A method for improving the flavor of an alcoholic beverage, comprising adding black ginger extract to the alcoholic beverage. [9] A method for producing an alcoholic beverage, comprising the step of adding black ginger extract to a drinkable liquid. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The present invention provides a technique that can impart a bitter taste characteristic of alcoholic beverages to alcoholic-flavored beverages. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] An embodiment of the present invention is described in detail below. The alcohol-tasting beverage according to this embodiment contains 20 to 250 ppm of black ginger extract. By including black ginger extract in such an amount, it is possible to impart to the alcohol-tasting beverage a bitterness characteristic of an alcoholic beverage.

[0010] In this specification, an alcohol-flavored beverage refers to a beverage with an alcohol (ethanol) content of less than 1 v / v % that simulates the taste of an alcoholic beverage. Examples of alcohol-flavored beverages include non-alcoholic beer (beer-flavored beverages), non-alcoholic wine, non-alcoholic cocktails, non-alcoholic chuhai (chuhai-flavored beverages), non-alcoholic sake, and non-alcoholic shochu. The alcohol content of alcohol-flavored beverages is preferably 0.10 v / v % or less, and more preferably 0.01 v / v % or less.

[0011] Black ginger, also known as black ginger, is a plant of the genus Banana in the Zingiberaceae family. Black ginger extract can be obtained by extracting components from black ginger using a common extraction method. For example, black ginger can be extracted using water, a hydrophilic organic solvent, or a mixed solvent thereof to obtain black ginger extract. The part of black ginger used for extraction is not particularly limited, and examples include leaves, flowers, and rhizomes.

[0012] The content of black ginger extract in the alcoholic beverage is 20 to 250 ppm. If the content is 20 ppm or more, it can impart the bitterness characteristic of an alcoholic beverage. If the content is 250 ppm or less, the mellowness is not lost. Preferably, the content of black ginger extract is 30 to 200 ppm. Within this range, a smoothness more typical of an alcoholic beverage can be obtained, and the full-bodied and rich taste more typical of an alcoholic beverage can also be obtained.

[0013] The alcohol-flavored beverage may be either carbonated or non-carbonated, but is preferably a carbonated beverage. In the case of a carbonated beverage, the gas volume may be, for example, 1.5 to 4.5.

[0014] The alcohol-flavored beverage may contain ingredients other than black ginger extract, as needed, such as acidulants, sweeteners, colorants, and flavorings.

[0015] The acidulant is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include citric acid, trisodium citrate (sodium citrate), adipic acid, glucono-delta-lactone, gluconic acid, potassium gluconate, sodium gluconate, succinic acid, monosodium succinate, disodium succinate, sodium acetate, DL-tartaric acid, L-tartaric acid, sodium DL-tartrate, sodium L-tartrate, carbon dioxide, lactic acid, sodium lactate, glacial acetic acid, fumaric acid, monosodium fumarate, DL-malic acid, sodium DL-malate, and phosphoric acid. The acidity of the beverage in terms of citric acid is, for example, 200 to 7000 ppm, preferably 500 to 5000 ppm. The acidity in terms of citric acid is calculated based on the acidity measurement method specified in the analytical method prescribed by the National Tax Agency.

[0016] The sweetener is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include high-intensity sweeteners, sugars, and sugar alcohols. Examples of high-intensity sweeteners include sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, disodium glycyrrhizinate, saccharin, saccharin calcium, saccharin sodium, sucralose, neotame, licorice extract, stevia, thaumatin, and swingle extract. Specific examples of sugars include isomerized sugar, glucose, fructose, table sugar, maltose, and lactose. Specific examples of sugar alcohols include reduced maltose syrup, erythritol, xylitol, and maltitol.

[0017] The sweetness of the alcohol-flavored beverage, calculated as sucrose, is, for example, 4.0 g / 100 ml or less, preferably 3.5 g / 100 ml or less, and, for example, 0.0 g / 100 ml or more, preferably 0.3 g / 100 ml or more, more preferably 0.5 g / 100 ml or more. Here, the sweetness level in sucrose equivalents is a parameter that indicates the sweetness of a beverage, and is calculated by converting the amount of sweetener contained in the beverage into sucrose equivalents from the perspective of sweetness. Specifically, for each sweetener contained in the beverage, the sucrose-equivalent amount (g / 100ml) is calculated by multiplying its concentration (g / 100ml) by the "sweetness level" of that sweetener. The total sucrose-equivalent amount (g / 100ml) of all the sweeteners contained in the beverage is then calculated as the "sucrose-equivalent sweetness level" of the beverage. The "sweetness" of each sweetener is a parameter that indicates the intensity of the sweetness of each sweetener compared to sucrose. The sweetness of a sweetener can be determined, for example, from the values ​​listed in "A Comprehensive Guide to Sweeteners" (published May 1990) published by the Sugar Refining Industry Association and "All About Sucralose, the High-Intensity Sweetener" (published May 2003) published by Korin Co., Ltd. If there is a range of sweetness values, the median value is used. For example, the sweetness of typical sweeteners is as follows: Glucose (sweetness level 0.65) Fructose (sweetness level 1.5) Sucralose (sweetness level 600) Acesulfame potassium (sweetness level 200) Aspartame (sweetness level 200)

[0018] A beverage having a sweetness level of 4.0 g / 100 ml or less in terms of sucrose can be said to have a reduced sweetness. Such beverages tend to have an emphasized watery taste. Furthermore, when an acidulant is used in such beverages, the sharp sourness derived from the acidulant tends to be emphasized. In contrast, according to the present embodiment, by using black ginger extract, the watery taste and the sharp sourness derived from the acidulant are alleviated, even in beverages having a sweetness level of 4.0 g / 100 ml or less in terms of sucrose, thereby enhancing palatability.

[0019] Furthermore, alcohol-flavored beverages are preferably beverages with a low sugar content, for example, 2.0 g / 100 ml or less, and preferably 1.5 g / 100 ml or less. Beverages with low sugar content generally tend to have an exaggerated watery taste. Furthermore, when an acidulant is used, the sharp sourness derived from the acidulant tends to be exaggerated. In contrast, according to the present embodiment, the use of black ginger extract reduces the watery taste and the sharp sourness derived from the acidulant, even when the sugar content is low, thereby enhancing palatability.

[0020] The alcohol-flavored beverage is preferably a beverage with a low fruit juice content. Specifically, the fruit juice content is preferably 5% by mass or less, more preferably 3% by mass or less, even more preferably 1% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.1% by mass or less, and most preferably no fruit juice. Low-fruit juice beverages also generally tend to have an emphasized watery taste. Furthermore, when an acidulant is used, the sharp sourness derived from the acidulant tends to be emphasized. In contrast, according to the present embodiment, by using black ginger extract, the watery taste and the sharp sourness derived from the acidulant are alleviated, even in low-fruit juice beverages, thereby improving palatability.

[0021] In one embodiment, the alcohol-flavored beverage is preferably a ginger ale-flavored beverage. A ginger ale-flavored beverage is a beverage that has the distinctive ginger flavor and spiciness. The distinctive ginger flavor can be imparted by ginger or other flavorings.

[0022] In another embodiment, the alcohol-flavored beverage is preferably a beer-flavored beverage. The beer-taste beverage is not particularly limited, and may contain or not contain malt-derived components. Preferred examples of beer-flavored beverages include those containing bittering agents such as hops. Non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverages that are made bitter by bittering agents such as hops tend to have a noticeable artificial bitterness, and the bitterness lingers in the aftertaste, which can make them difficult to drink. In contrast, the present embodiment uses black ginger extract, which allows for a more beer-like bitterness to be achieved. More preferred beer-taste beverages include those containing dietary fiber, peptides (e.g., soy peptides), bittering agents (hops, etc.), acidulants, sweeteners, colorings (caramel coloring), and flavorings. The bitterness value of the beer-taste beverage is, for example, 5 to 50 BU, and preferably 10 to 40 BU.

[0023] The method for producing an alcohol-flavored beverage according to this embodiment is not particularly limited. For example, an alcohol-flavored beverage can be obtained by adding predetermined ingredients, including black ginger extract, to a drinkable liquid. [Example]

[0024] EXAMPLES In the following, examples will be described in more detail to explain the present invention, but the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the following examples.

[0025] [Experimental Example 1] Study on ginger ale-flavored beverage A ginger ale-flavored beverage containing an acidulant, sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame potassium), caramel color, flavoring, and carbon dioxide was prepared as the beverage of Comparative Example 1. The flavoring imparted a ginger ale flavor to this beverage. The carbohydrate content was 0 g / 100 ml, and the sweetness was 3.2 (g / 100 ml). Citric acid (anhydrous) was used as the acidulant in an amount of 0.2% by mass, and sodium citrate in an amount of 0.07% by mass. The alcohol content was zero. A predetermined amount of "Black Ginger Processed Food" manufactured by Maruzen Co., Ltd. (black ginger extract 33.4% by mass, dextrin 33.3% by mass, cyclodextrin 33.3% by mass) was added to the beverage of Comparative Example 1 to obtain beverages of Examples 1 to 6 with different contents of black ginger extract.

[0026] Each of the resulting beverages was evaluated by sensory evaluation for "bitterness," "bitterness typical of an alcoholic beverage," "smoothness typical of an alcoholic beverage," and "full-bodiedness and richness of the flavor typical of an alcoholic beverage." Each item was rated on a 5-point scale (1 being weak and 5 being strong), with the comparative example being assigned a score of 3.0. Evaluations were conducted by two panelists, and the average was used as the result. "Bitterness" is an evaluation of the overall bitterness of the beverage, and "bitterness typical of an alcoholic beverage" is an evaluation of the intensity of the bitterness that is reminiscent of ethanol. Furthermore, the samples were also evaluated for "flavor as an alcoholic beverage" by sensory evaluation. The evaluation criteria were rated on a 5-point scale (1 being poor and 5 being good), with the comparative example being rated as 3.0.

[0027] The results obtained are shown in Table 1 along with the comments obtained. As shown in Table 1, the beverages according to Examples 1 to 5, which contained 20 to 250 ppm of black ginger extract, had a stronger "alcohol-like bitterness" and an improved "flavor evaluation as an alcohol-flavored beverage" compared to Comparative Example 1. Furthermore, the "smoothness typical of alcoholic beverages" was not impaired. Furthermore, in Examples 2 to 4, in which the black ginger extract content was within the range of 30 to 200 ppm, the "smoothness typical of an alcoholic beverage" and "richness and thickness of the flavor typical of an alcoholic beverage" were also improved, and the "flavor evaluation as an alcoholic-flavored beverage" was higher.

[0028] [Experimental Example 2] Examination of sweetness in ginger ale-flavored beverages A ginger ale-flavored beverage having the same composition as Comparative Example 1 was prepared as the beverage of Comparative Example 2, except that sucrose was used as the sweetener in an amount of 9.0 w / v %. That is, the carbohydrate content of the beverage of Comparative Example 2 was 9.0 g / 100 ml, and the sweetness level was also 9.0 g / 100 ml. A predetermined amount of black ginger processed food was added to the beverage of Comparative Example 2 in the same manner as in Experimental Example 1, to obtain beverages of Examples 7 to 9 with different contents of black ginger extract. Each of the resulting beverages was evaluated by sensory evaluation for "bitterness," "bitterness typical of an alcoholic beverage," "smoothness typical of an alcoholic beverage," and "full-bodiedness and richness of the flavor typical of an alcoholic beverage." The sensory evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Experimental Example 1, with Comparative Example 1 being used as the standard (3.0).

[0029] The results are shown in Table 2, along with comments. Compared to Comparative Example 2, the beverages of Examples 7 and 8 had slightly stronger "alcoholic bitterness," "alcoholic mellowness," and "alcoholic full-bodiedness and richness," and also had a slightly improved "flavor evaluation as an alcoholic-flavored beverage." However, this effect was less than that of Examples 1 to 5 in Experimental Example 1. In other words, it can be seen that the effect of adding black ginger extract is more pronounced in beverages with low sugar and low sweetness.

[0030] [Experimental Example 3] Study on beer-flavored beverages A beer-flavored beverage containing soy peptides, hops, dietary fiber, an acidulant (citric acid), a sweetener (acesulfame potassium), a caramel color, a flavoring, and carbon dioxide was prepared as the beverage of Comparative Example 3. The carbohydrate content of the beer-flavored beverage of Comparative Example 3 was 0 g / 100 ml, and the sweetness level, calculated as sucrose, was 1.0 g / 100 ml. The acidity, calculated as citric acid, was 1500 ppm. The bitterness value was 20 BU. A predetermined amount of black ginger processed food was added to the beverage of Comparative Example 3 in the same manner as in Experimental Example 1, to obtain beverages of Examples 10 to 15 with different contents of black ginger extract. Each of the resulting beverages was evaluated by sensory evaluation for "bitterness," "bitterness typical of a beer-taste beverage," "mellowness typical of a beer-taste beverage," "full-bodiedness and depth of flavor typical of an alcoholic beverage," and "strength of sourness." The beverage of Comparative Example 3 was given a score of 3.0, and the beverages were rated on a 5-point scale (1 being weak and 5 being strong). "Bitterness" refers to an evaluation of the overall bitterness of the beverage, and "bitterness typical of a beer-flavored beverage" refers to an evaluation of the intensity of the bitterness that is reminiscent of beer. Additionally, a sensory evaluation was conducted to evaluate the "flavor as a beer-taste beverage." The evaluation criteria were rated on a 5-point scale (1 being poor and 5 being good), with Comparative Example 3 being given a score of 3.0.

[0031] The results are shown in Table 3. As shown in Table 3, in Examples 10 to 14, which contained 20 to 250 ppm of black ginger extract, the "bitterness typical of a beer-taste beverage" and the "mellowness typical of a beer-taste beverage" were stronger and the "acidity" was weaker than in Comparative Example 3, resulting in an improved "flavor evaluation as a beer-taste beverage." Furthermore, in Examples 11 to 13, which contained 30 to 200 ppm of black ginger extract, the "full-bodiedness and richness typical of an alcoholic beverage" were enhanced, further improving the "flavor evaluation as a beer-taste beverage."

[0032] [Table 1]

Table 2

Table 3

Claims

1. The alcoholic beverage contains 20 to 40 ppm of black ginger extract, has a sugar content of 2.0 g / 100 ml or less, and has a sweetness level calculated as sucrose of 4.0 g / 100 ml or less.

2. An alcoholic beverage (excluding alcoholic beverages containing red ginger) containing 20 to 80 ppm of black ginger extract.

3. 3. The alcohol-taste beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the alcohol content is less than 0.01 v / v%.

4. 3. The alcohol-taste beverage according to claim 2, wherein the carbohydrate content is 2.0 g / 100 ml or less.

5. 3. The alcohol-taste beverage according to claim 2, wherein the sweetness level, calculated as sucrose, is 4.0 g / 100 ml or less.

6. The alcohol-flavored beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is a ginger ale-flavored beverage.

7. A beer-flavored beverage containing 20 to 40 ppm of black ginger extract.

8. The alcohol-taste beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 6 or the beer-taste beverage according to claim 7, which is a carbonated beverage.

9. This method for imparting a bitter taste reminiscent of an alcoholic beverage to an alcoholic-taste beverage comprises adding a black ginger extract to the alcoholic-taste beverage and adjusting the content of the black ginger extract in the alcoholic-taste beverage to 20 to 40 ppm.

10. A method for improving the flavor of an alcohol-taste beverage (excluding methods for improving the flavor of an alcohol-taste beverage containing red ginger) is characterized by adding black ginger extract to the alcohol-taste beverage and adjusting the content of black ginger extract in the alcohol-taste beverage to 20 to 80 ppm.

11. A method for producing an alcohol-taste beverage containing 20 to 40 ppm of black ginger extract, comprising the step of adding black ginger extract to a drinkable liquid, wherein the sugar content of the alcohol-taste beverage is 2.0 g / 100 ml or less, and the sweetness level of the alcohol-taste beverage, calculated as sucrose, is 4.0 g / 100 ml or less.

12. A method for producing an alcohol-flavored beverage containing 20 to 80 ppm of black ginger extract, which includes a step of adding black ginger extract to a drinkable liquid (excluding methods for producing alcohol-flavored beverages containing red ginger).

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