Tea beverages

Abstract

To provide a tea beverage that maintains a clear taste and yet shows improvement in richness and thickness of the taste.SOLUTION: A tea beverage contains 4-ethylphenol with the 4-ethylphenol content of 8-100 ppb. The tea beverage may contain a grain extract. The tea beverage may also contain an extract from Hordeum vulgare and Coix lachryma-jobi var. ma-yuen.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to tea beverages. [Background technology]

[0002] Beverages containing extracts from raw materials such as tea leaves and grains (hereinafter referred to as "tea beverages") are one type of beverage that are widely accepted by consumers due to their fragrant flavor and thirst-quenching properties. When tea beverages are consumed for hydration purposes, a refreshing taste is particularly desired. However, when attempting to achieve a refreshing taste, there is a problem in that the taste becomes weak and the flavor becomes unsatisfying.

[0003] To address these problems, for example, Patent Document 1 proposes a method for producing a taste improver that can enhance the richness, fullness, body, and other so-called kokumi (kokumi) qualities of grain tea beverages.

[0004] However, the method described in Patent Document 1 has the problem that it is necessary to separately prepare a taste improver and add it to the tea beverage. Therefore, there is a demand for a tea beverage that can be prepared more easily and has excellent palatability. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-252113 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present invention has been proposed in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a tea beverage that has an enhanced strength and fullness of flavor while maintaining a refreshing taste. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of intensive research aimed at solving the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors discovered that the above-mentioned problems can be solved by including 4-ethylphenol in a tea beverage at a predetermined concentration, and thus completed the present invention. More specifically, the present invention provides the following.

[0008] <1> Contains 4-ethylphenol, The content of the 4-ethylphenol is 8 to 100 ppb. tea drink.

[0009] <2> The content of the 4-ethylphenol is 15 to 50 ppb. <1> The tea drink according to claim 1.

[0010] <3> Contains extracts of cereals, <1> or <2> The tea drink according to claim 1.

[0011] <4> Contains barley and Job's tears extract <1> ~ <3> The tea drink according to any one of the above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a tea beverage that has an enhanced strength and fullness of flavor while maintaining a refreshing taste. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below. In this specification, the expression "X to Y (X and Y are arbitrary numerical values)" means "at least X and at most Y."

[0014] ≪1.Tea drinks≫ The tea beverage contains 4-ethylphenol, and the content of 4-ethylphenol in the tea beverage is 8 to 100 ppb. This tea beverage maintains a refreshing taste while enhancing the strength and richness of the flavor.

[0015] Tea beverages contain extracts (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "extracts") derived from plants such as tea leaves and grains. Here, the term "extract" refers to an extract obtained by extracting plants such as tea leaves and grains with a solvent, a diluted or concentrated solution thereof, or a dried product or powder thereof.

[0016] Furthermore, tea beverages include not only liquids containing an extract obtained by extracting one type of plant, but also liquids obtained by mixing that extract with extracts of other plants, or liquids obtained by adding additives to these liquids, or liquids obtained by dispersing dried versions of these liquids.

[0017] The variety, origin, harvest time, harvest method, and cultivation method of the plant from which the extract is derived are not particularly limited. The type of plant is also not particularly limited. For example, Job's tears, barley, brown rice, Habu tea, black soybeans, corn, soybeans, adzuki beans, sweet potatoes, loquat leaves, tea leaves, kelp, Japanese kumazasa, sesame, persimmon leaves, Gynostemma pentaphyllum, mulberry leaves, Reishi mushrooms, wolfberries, mandarin orange peel, Eucommia ulmoides, perilla leaves, Houttuynia cordata, plantain, gymnema, rooibos, Rahma, dandelion, peppermint, mulukhiyah, ginkgo, pine needles, lotus, olive, young barley leaves, genus Angelica, Angelica keiskei, mugwort, evening primrose, etc. can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0018] Among these, from the viewpoint of easily achieving the effects of the present invention, the tea beverage preferably contains an extract of a grain, more preferably contains extracts of barley and Job's tears, and even more preferably contains extracts of barley and Job's tears and one or more other plants. Tea beverages containing extracts of these plants are particularly excellent in the effects achieved by containing aroma components, which will be described in detail later, in specific proportions.

[0019] Such an extract can be obtained by an extraction treatment that is typically performed to obtain an extract such as an extract from a plant. For example, when Job's tears is used as the raw grain, an extract containing various components contained in Job's tears can be recovered by subjecting Job's tears to an extraction treatment using an extraction solvent. The raw grain may or may not have been subjected to treatment such as roasting or crushing.

[0020] [4-Ethylphenol] 4-Ethylphenol is an organic compound belonging to the phenolic group. Although not particularly limited, commercially available 4-ethylphenol can be used. It is also known to be contained in trace amounts in grain components such as barley, and extracts of such components or compounds isolated from such extracts can also be used.

[0021] The content of 4-ethylphenol in tea beverages is in the range of 8 to 100 ppb. By adjusting the content of 4-ethylphenol in tea beverages to fall within this range, it is possible to enhance the "strength of flavor" and "depth of flavor" while improving the "good aftertaste" and "clean finish" that lead to a refreshing taste. Furthermore, the content of 4-ethylphenol is preferably 10 ppb or more, more preferably 15 ppb or more, and even more preferably 20 ppb or more.

[0022] On the other hand, if the content of 4-ethylphenol is too high, it can cause a "strong unpleasant taste" that impairs the refreshing taste and a "chemical smell" that is derived from this component. From the viewpoint of suppressing such unpleasant taste and chemical smell, the content of 4-ethylphenol is preferably 50 ppb or less, and more preferably 30 ppb or less.

[0023] The content of 4-ethylphenol in tea beverages can be adjusted by the amount of 4-ethylphenol compound added. For tea beverages containing extracts of grain components such as barley, the content is adjusted by taking into account the content of 4-ethylphenol contained in the extract of the grain component.

[0024] The content of 4-ethylphenol in tea beverages can be measured using, for example, a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GC-MS). If the concentration in each raw material is known, it can also be calculated.

[0025] [Soluble solid content] The content of soluble solids in a tea beverage is not particularly limited, but the higher the content of soluble solids, the stronger the "strength of the flavor" and "depth of the flavor." Therefore, the content of soluble solids in a tea beverage is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, and more preferably 0.2% by mass or more.

[0026] On the other hand, if the content of soluble solids is too high, the taste may become too strong, reducing the refreshing feeling and impairing palatability. Therefore, the content of soluble solids in the tea beverage is preferably 0.6% by mass or less, and more preferably 0.4% by mass or less.

[0027] In this specification, "soluble solids" refers to the total concentration of soluble solids in a tea beverage measured using a sugar refractometer, and refers to "Brix." Specifically, in this specification, the soluble solids are values ​​measured at 30°C using a digital differential densitometer DD-7 (manufactured by Atago Co., Ltd.).

[0028] [Other ingredients] Tea beverages may contain other ingredients and additives commonly used in general tea beverages as long as they do not impair the effects of the tea beverages. The amounts may be adjusted appropriately depending on the desired effects. Specifically, the tea beverages may contain various additives, such as antioxidants, pH adjusters, flavorings, various esters, organic acids, organic acid salts, inorganic acids, inorganic acid salts, inorganic salts, colorants, emulsifiers, preservatives, seasonings, and quality stabilizers.

[0029] [container] Tea beverages can be made into packaged tea beverages by filling them into containers. The containers used may be any sealed containers known in the beverage industry, and can be appropriately selected and determined depending on the distribution format and consumer needs. Specific examples include sealed containers made of glass, plastic (polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), etc.), paper, aluminum, steel, etc., or composite or laminated materials thereof. Transparent (including translucent) containers are particularly preferred. Transparent containers may be entirely transparent or partially transparent.

[0030] ≪2. Tea beverage manufacturing method≫ The tea beverage can be produced using any conditions and methods employed in the production of tea beverages. For example, the tea beverage can be produced by adding 4-ethylphenol to a liquid containing an extract so that the predetermined content is reached. More specifically, the 4-ethylphenol content is added so that the content is 8 to 100 ppb.

[0031] The method of adding 4-ethylphenol may be conventional, for example, by sequentially or simultaneously adding prepared extracts containing predetermined amounts of each component. After adding each component, the components are mixed by stirring or the like to produce the product. The order in which the components are mixed is not particularly limited. Another example is a method in which multiple plants are mixed in advance, extracted, and then an extract is obtained, and 4-ethylphenol is then added to the resulting extract to a predetermined concentration.

[0032] Furthermore, if the 4-ethylphenol content exceeds a predetermined amount when the extract is prepared, the extract can be adjusted by dilution or other appropriate means to produce a tea beverage.

[0033] The produced tea beverage can be filled into a container to form a packaged tea beverage, and may be appropriately sterilized before or after being filled into a container. [Example]

[0034] The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0035] [Test 1: Verification by adding 4-ethylphenol] (Preparation of extract) Roasted adzuki beans, barley, yerba mate, and brown rice were mixed so that the amounts were 4.0 g / L of adzuki beans, 2.0 g / L of barley, 2.0 g / L of yerba mate, and 2.0 g / L of brown rice, and extracted with 20 times the volume of pure water at 90 °C using a column-type extractor. Next, after filtering with No. 2 filter paper, it was cooled to obtain an extract. Sodium L-ascorbate was added to the obtained extract so that the amount was 0.4 g / L, and sodium hydrogen carbonate (sodium bicarbonate) was added so that the amount was 0.1 g / L to obtain a prepared liquid. The obtained prepared liquid was subjected to UHT sterilization (140 °C, 30 seconds), and then aseptically bottled to obtain a sterilized extract. The concentration of 4-ethylphenol contained in the obtained sterilized extract was 6 ppb.

[0036] (Preparation of Test Tea Beverage) 4-Ethylphenol was added to the prepared sterilized extract to prepare a tea beverage as a test sample.

[0037] The content of 4-ethylphenol in the tea beverage was measured using a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Specifically, 100 μL of the beverage to be analyzed was placed in a vial (volume 10 mL), and introduced into a GC-MS (manufactured by Agilent Technologies) by the MVM (Multi Volatile Method) method using an MPS manufactured by Gerstel. The calibration curve was created by the standard addition method, and cyclohexanol was used as an internal standard. <Analysis Conditions of GC-MS> · Instrument GC: Agilent 7980B GC System (manufactured by Agilent Technologies) MS: Agilent 7000D GC / MS Triple Quad (manufactured by Agilent Technologies) Collection Tube (Adsorbent): Tenax TA, Carbopack-B & Carbopack-X · Column: DB-WAX UI, 20 m × 0.18 mm, film thickness 0.30 μm (manufactured by Agilent Technologies) · Injection Method: Splitless · Carrier Gas: He (1.0 mL / min) · Transfer Line: 250 °C Heating program: 40°C (hold for 3 minutes) → 5°C / min → 240°C (hold for 7 minutes) Precursor ion > Product ion (CE (collision energy)) :4-Ethylphenol 107>77(20V) Ionization method: EI ·Quadrupole temperature: 150℃ Ion source temperature: 230℃

[0038] (sensory evaluation) The prepared tea beverages were subjected to a sensory evaluation by a panel of five experts. Specifically, the sensory evaluation was carried out by comparing the "strength of flavor," "depth of flavor," "long-lasting aftertaste," "cleaning aftertaste," "strength of off-flavors," and "chemical odor" with a product without 4-ethylphenol added as a standard. Each evaluation score was calculated as the average of the scores given by each panelist according to the following scoring criteria.

[0039] The following criteria were used to evaluate the strength of the flavor, the depth of the flavor, the lingering aftertaste, the clean finish, and the strength of the off-flavors on a 5-point scale. 5 points: Better than the standard product 4 points: Slightly better than the standard product 3 points: Equivalent to the standard product 2 points: slightly worse than the standard product 1 point: Less than standard product / worse

[0040] The "chemical odor" was evaluated on a four-point scale using the following evaluation criteria. 4 points: Strong, unacceptable 3 points: Yes, unacceptable 2 points: Slight, but acceptable 1 point: None

[0041] In this evaluation, "strength of flavor," "depth of flavor," "long-lasting aftertaste," "cleaning aftertaste," and "strength of unpleasant flavors" were evaluated using the standard product's score as a standard value (3 points). "Chemical odor" was also evaluated using the standard product's score as a standard value (1 point).

[0042] (result) Table 1 below shows the content of 4-ethylphenol in the tea beverages and the results of the sensory evaluation.

[0043] [Table 1]

[0044] As shown in Table 1, in all of the Examples, the "strength of flavor," "thickness of flavor," "good lingering aftertaste," and "good aftertaste" were all enhanced compared to the reference product. Furthermore, in Examples 1 to 4, there was almost no "strong off-flavor" or "chemical smell" due to the addition of 4-ethylphenol. In Example 5, a slight "chemical smell" was detected, but it was at an acceptable level for a tea beverage.

[0045] On the other hand, in Comparative Example 1, in which the content of 4-ethylphenol was a trace amount of 7 ppb, no improvement was observed in any of the "strength of flavor," "thickness of flavor," "good lingering aftertaste," and "cleaning aftertaste." Furthermore, in Comparative Example 2, in which the content of 4-ethylphenol was a very high amount of 300 ppb, the "good lingering aftertaste" and "cleaning aftertaste" were poor. In addition, in Comparative Example 2, the "strength of unpleasant flavors" and "chemical odor" were intensified, and the "chemical odor" in particular was at a level unacceptable for a tea beverage.

[0046] [Test 2: Verification by adding eugenol] (Preparation of extract) A sterilizing extract was obtained in the same manner as in Test 1. The concentration of eugenol contained in the obtained sterilizing extract was 3 ppb.

[0047] (Preparation of test tea drink) Eugenol was added to the obtained sterilized extract to prepare a tea beverage as a test sample.

[0048] The content of eugenol in the tea beverage was measured using a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Specifically, 100 μL of the beverage to be analyzed was placed in a vial (capacity 10 mL), and introduced into a GC-MS (manufactured by Agilent Technologies) by the MVM (Multi Volatile Method) method using an MPS manufactured by Gerstel. The calibration curve was prepared by the standard addition method, and cyclohexanol was used as the internal standard. <Analysis conditions of GC-MS> · Equipment GC: Agilent 7980B GC System (manufactured by Agilent Technologies) MS: Agilent 7000D GC / MS Triple Quad (manufactured by Agilent Technologies) Collection tube (adsorbent): Tenax TA, Carbopack-B & Carbopack-X · Column: DB-WAX UI, 20 m × 0.18 mm, film thickness 0.30 μm (manufactured by Agilent Technologies) · Injection method: Splitless · Carrier gas: He (1.0 ml / min) · Transfer line: 250 °C · Temperature programming: 40 °C (held for 3 minutes) → 5 °C / min → 240 °C (held for 7 minutes) · Precursor ion > Product ion (CE (Collision energy)) : Eugenol 164>149 (10V) · Ionization method: EI · Quadrupole temperature: 150 °C · Ion source temperature: 230 °C

[0049] (Sensory evaluation) For the prepared tea beverage, sensory evaluation was conducted by 5 professional panelists using the same method and scoring criteria as in Test 1.

[0050] (Results) Table 2 below shows the content of eugenol in the tea beverage and the results of the sensory evaluation.

[0051] [Table 2]

[0052] As shown in Table 2, when eugenol was added, the "strength of flavor" was enhanced compared to the standard product. However, unlike the 4-ethylphenol added in Test 1, no improvement in the "longer aftertaste" or "cleaning aftertaste" was observed.

Claims

1. The present invention relates to a cosmetic product containing 4-ethylphenol and at least one extract selected from the group consisting of barley, Job's tears, brown rice, and Habu tea, The content of the 4-ethylphenol is 10 to 100 ppb. tea drink.

2. 2. The tea beverage according to claim 1, wherein the content of 4-ethylphenol is 15 to 50 ppb.

3. 3. The tea beverage according to claim 1, which contains extracts of barley and Job's tears.

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