Citrus juice contains sugar-free beverages

Abstract

To provide a sugar-free beverage containing citrus juice, which has a reduced astringent aftertaste derived from citrus juice. [Solution] In a sugar-free beverage containing citrus juice, the proportion of citrus juice in the beverage is 0.3 to 6.0%, and insoluble solids derived from citrus fruit are blended in the beverage so that the content is 30 to 150 mg / 100 mL.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage, and in particular to a sugar-free beverage that has reduced astringency inherent to citrus juice. [Background technology]

[0002] Beverages containing citrus juice are popular due to their refreshing aroma and flavor. Meanwhile, growing health consciousness has led to an increasing demand for low-sugar beverages and sugar-free beverages (less than 0.5 g of sugar per 100 mL). There is also a demand for natural-tasting beverages that do not use high-intensity sweeteners. It is desirable to produce a citrus juice-containing beverage that has the natural, refreshing aroma and flavor of citrus, yet is sugar-free. However, when attempting to produce a sugar-free beverage by incorporating citrus juice, the lack of sugary sweetness results in a strong aftertaste that is perceived as astringent due to the citrus juice, making it more difficult to drink than sugared juice beverages.

[0003] As a technology for improving the aftertaste of citrus-flavored beverages containing citrus juice, Patent Document 1 reports a technology in which the borneol content and nonanal content in the citrus-flavored beverage are set within specific ranges, thereby reducing the ink smell caused by the inclusion of borneol and enhancing the firmness of the aftertaste. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-78382 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The citrus-flavored beverage of Patent Document 1 contains sugars such as high-fructose corn syrup and alcohol, but if the beverage is sugar-free or non-alcoholic, the astringent aftertaste inherent to the citrus juice cannot be masked by the sweetness of the sugars or the alcohol, making it difficult to reduce the astringency inherent to the citrus juice.The object of the present invention is to provide a sugar-free beverage containing citrus juice that reduces the astringent aftertaste inherent to the citrus juice. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the inventors conducted extensive research and discovered that, in a sugar-free beverage containing citrus juice, by adjusting the proportion of citrus juice in the beverage to 0.3 to 6.0% and incorporating insoluble solids derived from citrus fruit in the beverage at 30 to 150 mg / 100 mL, it is possible to reduce the astringency derived from citrus juice while still producing a sugar-free beverage, thereby completing the present invention. The present invention includes, but is not limited to, the following: [1] A sugar-free beverage containing citrus juice, The proportion of citrus juice in the beverage is 0.3 to 6.0%; The beverage contains 30 to 150 mg / L of insoluble solids derived from citrus fruits. [2] The sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage according to [1], further containing carbon dioxide. [3] A sugar-free beverage containing citrus juice according to [1] or [2], in which the average particle size of the insoluble solids derived from citrus fruit is 50 μm or more and less than 1000 μm. [4] A sugar-free beverage containing citrus juice according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the insoluble solids derived from citrus fruit contain components derived from the peel of citrus fruit. [5] Citrus juice is made from the citrus fruits. Minyu The sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage according to any one of [1] to [4], which contains citrus juice. [6] A sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage according to any one of [1] to [5], which does not contain a high-intensity sweetener. [7] The sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage according to any one of [1] to [6], which has an alcohol content of less than 1 v / v%. [8] A method for producing a sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage, comprising adding insoluble solids derived from citrus fruit to a sugar-free beverage base liquid, further comprising: Adjusting the proportion of citrus juice in the final sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage to be 0.3 to 6.0%; and The final sugar-free citrus juice beverage should contain 30 to 150 mg / L of insoluble solids derived from citrus fruits. The above manufacturing method. [9] The step of adding insoluble solids derived from citrus fruits to a sugar-free beverage base liquid comprises adding insoluble solids derived from citrus fruits to a sugar-free beverage base liquid. Minyu [8] The method of manufacturing according to [8], which comprises adding cedar juice to an unsweetened beverage base liquid. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage that is easy to drink and has a citrus juice-derived astringency that is not noticeable in the aftertaste when ingested. Here, the astringency that is characteristic of citrus juice refers to the tingling sensation that may remain on the tongue after consuming a citrus juice-containing beverage. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention relates to a sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage containing 0.3 to 6.0% citrus juice and 30 to 150 mg / L of insoluble solids derived from citrus fruits. <Sugar-free drinks> In the present invention, a "sugar-free beverage" refers to a beverage containing less than 0.5 g / 100 mL of sugars, preferably a sugar concentration of less than 0.2 g / 100 mL. The lower limit of the sugar concentration is not particularly limited. Because the beverage of the present invention may contain sugars derived from citrus juice, the sugar concentration will not actually be 0, but the sugar concentration may be close to 0 g / 100 mL. Therefore, if the sugar concentration in the sugar-free beverage of the present invention is expressed as a numerical range, it may be greater than 0.0 g / 100 mL and less than 0.5 g / 100 mL, preferably greater than 0.0 g / 100 mL and less than 0.2 g / 100 mL. In this specification, "sugars" refers to monosaccharides and disaccharides, but not sugar alcohols.

[0009] The beverage of the present invention is preferably sugar-free and also free of high-intensity sweeteners. High-intensity sweeteners are non-sugar sweeteners that are several tens to several tens of thousands of times sweeter than sugar, and specific examples include sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, stevia, Luo Han Guo, neotame, advantame, saccharin, and glycyrrhizin. The absence of high-intensity sweeteners allows the beverage to have a more natural fruit juice flavor. Typically, beverages containing citrus juice but no sweetening components such as sugars or high-intensity sweeteners tend to have a more astringent flavor because the astringency of the citrus juice cannot be masked by the sweetness. In contrast, the present invention adjusts the citrus juice content to 0.3 to 6.0% and incorporates 30 to 150 mg / L of insoluble solids derived from citrus fruit, thereby making it possible to reduce the astringency of the citrus juice even in the absence of sweetening components such as sugars.

[0010] <Citrus juice> The beverage of the present invention is a sugar-free beverage containing citrus juice. Citrus juice refers to the juice of citrus fruits. Fruit juice refers to the liquid component obtained by crushing and squeezing fruit or straining it, and includes concentrated liquid components (concentrated fruit juice) and diluted and reconstituted products thereof (reconstituted fruit juice). Depending on the production method, fruit juice can be clear juice, cloudy juice, or cloudy juice. MinyuThere are various types of juice, such as pulped juice and turbid juice, and any of these may be used, or a combination of these may be used. Cloudy juice is generally juice obtained by squeezing the pulp of a fruit and containing insoluble solids such as pulp-derived fiber (e.g., protopectin). Clear juice is generally juice obtained by squeezing the pulp of a fruit and then removing the insoluble solids using centrifugation, enzymatic decomposition, or the like to clarify the juice. Minyu Strained juice generally refers to the juice obtained by crushing and straining the whole fruit, including the peel. For example, the juice obtained by straining the peel of citrus fruits is Minyu In the case of citrus juice, the albedo (inner peel) and flavedo (outer peel) of the citrus fruit are included. As will be described later, the citrus juice in the beverage of the present invention tends to have a high effect of reducing astringency, so the citrus fruit Minyu Preferably, it contains cedar juice.

[0011] The proportion of citrus juice in the beverage of the present invention is 0.3 to 6.0%. The lower limit of the citrus juice proportion is preferably 0.5% or more, more preferably 0.7% or more, even more preferably 1.0% or more, even more preferably 2.0% or more, and even more preferably 2.5% or more, from the viewpoint of imparting a more pronounced citrus juice flavor to the beverage. The upper limit of the citrus juice proportion is preferably 5.5% or less, more preferably 4.5% or less, even more preferably 4.0% or less, and even more preferably 3.5% or less, from the viewpoint of making it easier to obtain the astringency reduction effect. If the proportion of citrus juice exceeds 6.0%, the astringency reduction effect of the sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage of the present invention may not be obtained. The percentage of fruit juice (%) refers to the percentage of fruit juice (mass %) converted to straight fruit juice relative to the total mass of the beverage, and is calculated based on the standards for reconstituted fruit juice, which are the sugar refractometer reading (°Bx) and acidity (%) standards set out in Appendix A of the Japanese Agricultural Standard for Fruit Drinks (JAS1075:2023). For example, according to the same standard, the standard acidity for reconstituted lemon juice is 4.5%, so if concentrated lemon juice with an acidity of 22.5% is blended in a beverage at 0.3 mass %, the percentage of fruit juice will be 1.5%.

[0012] Citrus fruits used as raw materials for citrus juice include, for example, fragrant citrus fruits such as lemon, lime, shiikuwasha, bitter orange, yuzu, kabosu, sudachi, citron, and bush citrus; oranges such as Valencia orange and navel orange; grapefruits such as grapefruit; miscellaneous citrus fruits such as natsumikan, hassaku, hyuganatsu, sweetie, and dekopon; pomegranates such as iyokan and tankan; mandarin orange, Unshu mandarin, Ponkan, and Kishu mandarin; and kumquats such as kumquat. While the astringency inherent in citrus juice is reduced by the present invention, the astringency easily perceived in sugar-free beverages is particularly strong in lemons. Therefore, from the perspective of further enjoying the effects of the present invention, it is preferable that the sugar-free beverage of the present invention contains lemon juice as the citrus juice. According to the present invention, the astringency inherent in lemon juice can be reduced even in sugar-free beverages. Furthermore, grapefruit juice also tends to exhibit a characteristic bitter and astringent taste, and therefore, reducing the astringency according to the present invention can be said to be useful. Therefore, a sugar-free beverage containing grapefruit juice as the citrus juice is also one preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] The beverage of the present invention is a citrus juice-containing beverage. In the present invention, a "citrus juice-containing beverage" refers to a beverage primarily composed of citrus juice, in which citrus juice is the most abundant of all types of fruit juice. When the ingredients of a citrus juice-containing beverage of the present invention are labeled in accordance with Article 3 of the Food Labeling Standards (effective September 1, 2024), citrus juice, such as "lemon juice," "grapefruit juice," or "orange juice," will be listed first among the fruit juice ingredients. Beverages primarily composed of fruit juices other than citrus juice (e.g., beverages in which a fruit juice other than citrus juice is listed first among the fruit juice ingredients in the ingredient labeling) are not subject to the present invention because the astringent aftertaste derived from citrus juice is difficult to perceive and the problem of the present invention does not occur.

[0014] The citrus juice-containing beverage of the present invention may contain fruit juice other than citrus juice. In this case, the type and content of the fruit juice other than citrus juice are not particularly limited as long as they fall within the scope of the above definitions of a citrus juice-containing beverage and a sugar-free beverage. However, the present invention relates to a sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage with reduced astringency derived from citrus juice, and is more effective when the proportion of citrus juice is higher. Therefore, when the proportion of fruit juice in the beverage (including citrus juice and other fruit juices) is taken as 100, the proportion of citrus juice is preferably 40 or more, more preferably 50 or more, even more preferably 70 or more, even more preferably 80 or more, and even more preferably 90 or more.

[0015] <Insoluble solids derived from citrus fruits> The beverage of the present invention is a sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage, but contains 30 to 150 mg / L of insoluble solids derived from citrus fruit, thereby reducing the astringency inherent in citrus juice. Citrus fruit-derived insoluble solids refer to water-insoluble components derived from the pulp or peel of citrus fruit. Examples of such components include pulp, seed fragments, peel fragments, membrane fragments, and pectin. The beverage of the present invention may contain one or more of these. Among these, it is particularly preferable to contain a component derived from the peel. Examples of components derived from citrus fruit peel include albedo (inner peel) and flavedo (outer peel). It is preferable to contain one or both of these, and it is even more preferable to contain both. Including components derived from citrus fruit peel as the insoluble solids derived from citrus fruit tends to be more effective in reducing the astringency inherent in citrus juice, and also has the advantage of making it easier to achieve a balanced palatability as a sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage. When insoluble solids derived from citrus fruits are added to a beverage, the insoluble solids obtained in advance from the citrus fruits may be added to the base liquid of the beverage, or a cloudy juice or condensed liquid containing the insoluble solids of the citrus fruits may be added to the base liquid of the beverage. Minyu Citrus juice may be added to the beverage base liquid as a source of insoluble solids, or both may be added. In particular, citrus juice containing albedo (inner peel) and flavedo (outer peel), which are components derived from the peel of citrus fruits, is preferably used. Minyu It is preferable to use citrus juice as a source of insoluble solids, since it is possible to effectively reduce the astringency while preserving the natural flavor of citrus fruits. Minyu It may be derived from cedar juice or Minyu In addition to the insoluble solids derived from citrus juice, the citrus juice may contain other insoluble solids (such as insoluble solids previously obtained from citrus fruits or insoluble solids derived from cloudy juice).

[0016] In the present invention, the insoluble solids derived from citrus fruits are contained in the beverage in an amount of 30 to 150 mg / L. From the viewpoint of the effect of reducing astringency, the lower limit is preferably 33 mg / L or more, more preferably 35 mg / L or more, and even more preferably 40 mg / L or more. On the other hand, if the amount of insoluble solids is too high, the texture on the tongue may affect the taste, so the upper limit is preferably 130 mg / L or less, more preferably 100 mg / L or less, even more preferably 90 mg / L or less, and even more preferably 80 mg / L or less.

[0017] In the present invention, the content of insoluble solids derived from citrus fruits can be measured as follows: The amount of insoluble solids in a beverage can be measured by aspirating the beverage using an aspirator equipped with a membrane filter with a pore size of 5 μm, and then drying the captured material remaining on the membrane filter after aspiration at 55°C overnight and weighing it. If the beverage contains insoluble solids other than those derived from citrus fruits, the amount of insoluble solids derived from citrus fruits in the beverage can be calculated using the amount of insoluble solids derived from raw materials measured by the above method and the composition of the beverage, either by subtracting the amount of insoluble solids derived from raw materials other than citrus fruits from the amount of insoluble solids in the beverage, or by adding together the amounts of insoluble solids derived from all citrus fruits in the raw materials.

[0018] The size and shape of the unnecessary solids derived from citrus fruits are not particularly limited, but if they are too large, the roughness of the insoluble solids may impair the taste and ease of drinking, so the average particle size of the insoluble solids is preferably less than 1000 μm, more preferably less than 900 μm, more preferably less than 800 μm, more preferably less than 700 μm, more preferably less than 600 μm, more preferably less than 500 μm, more preferably less than 470 μm, more preferably less than 450 μm, and more preferably less than 400 μm.In addition, from the viewpoint of the astringency reduction effect, the lower limit of the average particle size of the insoluble solids is preferably 50 μm or more, more preferably 70 μm or more, more preferably 80 μm or more, and more preferably 100 μm or more.

[0019] In this specification, the average particle size of the insoluble solids in a beverage can be measured on a volume basis using a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer (e.g., SALD-2100 manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation). If the beverage contains carbon dioxide, the measurement is performed after removing the carbon dioxide from the beverage. For example, the carbon dioxide can be removed from the beverage by ultrasonic treatment.

[0020] <Other> The acidity of the sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited. For example, it may be about 0.020 to 0.500%, or about 0.030 to 0.400%. The acidity of a beverage is a value indicating the concentration (mass / volume %) of acid contained in the beverage, expressed as a citric acid equivalent. The citric acid equivalent acidity can be calculated by a neutralization titration method in accordance with the Japanese Agricultural Standards for fruit beverages.

[0021] The acidity of the beverage can be adjusted by the amount of fruit juice, or by using an acidulant (citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, phosphoric acid, gluconic acid, etc., and salts thereof). The sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage of the present invention may be a carbonated beverage containing carbon dioxide. The incorporation of a specific amount of citrus-derived insoluble solids according to the present invention in combination with the addition of carbon dioxide tends to enhance the effect of reducing astringency. Carbon dioxide can be added to the beverage using methods commonly known to those skilled in the art, including, but not limited to, dissolving carbon dioxide in the beverage under pressure, or mixing the beverage with carbon dioxide in a pipe using a mixer such as a carbonator. Alternatively, the beverage may be sprayed into a tank filled with carbon dioxide to absorb the carbon dioxide, or the beverage may be mixed with carbonated water.

[0022] When the beverage of the present invention is a carbonated beverage, the carbon dioxide pressure is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 1.0 to 5.0 kgf / cm at 20°C. 2 The pressure may be about 1.2 to 4.5 kgf / cm. 2 , and more preferably 1.5 to 4.0 kgf / cm 2 The carbon dioxide pressure of the beverage can be adjusted as appropriate. In one embodiment, the carbon dioxide pressure is the value at the time of consumption. In particular, it is the value of the carbon dioxide pressure when an unopened beverage is first opened. The carbon dioxide pressure can be measured using a carbonated beverage whose liquid temperature has been adjusted to 20°C, using a gas pressure measuring device (for example, GVA-500A manufactured by Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd.).

[0023] The sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage of the present invention may be a non-alcoholic beverage such as a soft drink, or may be an alcoholic beverage. However, in beverages containing alcohol, the aftertaste derived from the alcohol tends to reduce the masking effect of the astringent aftertaste derived from the citrus juice. Therefore, from the perspective of enjoying the astringency-reducing effect of the present invention, the beverage of the present invention is preferably a non-alcoholic beverage. A non-alcoholic beverage refers to a beverage with an alcohol (i.e., ethanol) content of less than 1 v / v%. There is no lower limit for the alcohol content. If the beverage contains flavoring, a small amount of alcohol derived from the flavoring may be contained in the beverage, but the alcohol content of the beverage is preferably close to 0 v / v%. Therefore, if the alcohol content of the beverage of the present invention is expressed as a numerical range, it is preferably greater than 0 v / v% and less than 1 v / v%.

[0024] The beverage of the present invention may contain various additives that are conventionally added to beverages, such as flavorings, preservatives, and antioxidants, to the extent that they do not affect the effects of the present invention. The beverage of the present invention may be a packaged beverage. The type of container is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include plastic bottles (PET bottles, etc.), aluminum cans, steel cans, and bottles. Among these, plastic bottles are preferably used because they are easy to transport and can be resealed.

[0025] The beverage of the present invention may be heat sterilized when filled into a container. The heat sterilization method is not particularly limited, and can be carried out using conventional techniques such as UHT sterilization and retort sterilization. The temperature for the heat sterilization treatment is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 65 to 130°C, preferably 85 to 120°C. The time for the heat sterilization treatment is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 10 to 40 minutes. However, as long as a sterilization value equivalent to that under the above conditions is obtained, heat sterilization at an appropriate temperature for a few seconds, for example, 5 to 30 seconds, may also be used.

[0026] <Manufacturing method> The sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage of the present invention can be produced by a method including at least a step of adding insoluble solids derived from citrus fruit to a sugar-free beverage base liquid, and the content of citrus juice in the final sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage is adjusted to 0.3 to 6.0%, and the content of insoluble solids derived from citrus fruit in the final sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage is adjusted to 30 to 150 mg / L. The beverage base liquid may be prepared appropriately depending on the sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage to be finally produced. As described above, a citrus fruit-derived insoluble solids source may be a citrus fruit peel-containing soluble solids source. Minyu Therefore, the step of adding insoluble solids derived from citrus fruits to a sugar-free beverage base liquid is preferably carried out by using citrus fruit juice. Minyu The method may also include adding citrus juice to an unsweetened beverage base liquid. In this case, the citrus juice may be citrus fruit juice. Minyu The proportion of citrus juice in the beverage and the amount of insoluble solids derived from citrus fruits may be adjusted by using only citrus juice. Minyu In addition to the condensed juice, clear and / or cloudy juice may be used. Citrus fruit condensation may also be used as a source of insoluble solids. Minyu The amount of insoluble solids derived from citrus fruits in the beverage may be adjusted by using only citrus juice. Minyu In addition to the turbid juice, the amount of insoluble solids may be adjusted using cloudy citrus juice or insoluble solids previously obtained from citrus fruits. [Example]

[0027] The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to specific experimental examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following experimental examples. <Reference example 1> Samples were prepared by mixing clear lemon juice (50°Bx) and clear grape juice (68°Bx) with pure water to the amounts shown in Table 1. In Table 1, the values ​​for clear lemon juice and clear grape juice indicate the percentage of juice (unit: %).

[0028] The insoluble solids content and acidity of each sample were measured using the methods described above. Furthermore, a sensory evaluation was conducted by five expert panelists on the astringency (the tingling sensation that remains on the tongue after drinking the beverage) derived from citrus juice. Each panelist drank samples 1-1 to 1-6 and evaluated whether they perceived the astringency. The measurement results of the insoluble solids content and acidity, as well as the sensory evaluation results (number of people who perceived the astringency), are shown in Table 1.

[0029] [Table 1]

[0030] The results in Table 1 show that the astringency increases as the lemon juice content (ratio of lemon juice) in the beverage increases. In particular, the astringency is perceived significantly when the ratio of lemon juice is 0.3% or higher. Furthermore, the astringency is not perceived when the non-citrus juice (grape juice) is more abundant than the citrus juice (lemon juice) (1-5). However, the astringency is perceived in beverages that are primarily citrus juice, i.e., beverages in which citrus juice is the most abundant fruit juice, even when non-citrus juice is also blended (1-6).

[0031] <Experimental Example 1> Lemonco Minyu Citrus juice (24°Bx) was adjusted to 20°C and centrifuged at 8000g for 10 minutes. The supernatant was discarded, and the precipitate was dried at 60°C for 2 days to obtain insoluble solids derived from citrus fruits (lemon solids). The average particle size of the lemon solids was measured using the method described above and found to be 390µm.

[0032] The clear lemon juice used in Reference Example 1 and the lemon solids prepared above were mixed with pure water to prepare samples according to the contents shown in Table 2. In Table 2, the values ​​for the clear lemon juice indicate the percentage of juice (unit: %).

[0033] The insoluble solids content and acidity of each sample were measured using the methods described above. Furthermore, five expert panelists evaluated the astringency (the tingling sensation remaining on the tongue after drinking the beverage) derived from citrus juice. The evaluation procedure involved five expert panelists first consuming the Control 1 sample and discussing the degree of astringency (the tingling sensation remaining on the tongue after drinking the beverage). Then, each panelist drank samples 2-1 to 2-6 and scored the degree of astringency to one decimal place based on the following evaluation criteria. The average score of all panelists was used as the evaluation score. An average score of 2.0 or higher was considered acceptable, with 2.5 or higher being preferable. Sample 2-7 was evaluated in the same manner, except that the panelists had first consumed the Control 2 sample. The results are shown in Table 2. Astringency from citrus juice: 4 points: No bitterness remains 3 points: Slightly bitter taste 2 points: Astringent taste is felt, but it disappears even without drinking water after drinking 1 point: Strong astringency that persists only after drinking water (same as control 1 or 2).

[0034] [Table 2]

[0035] The results in Table 2 confirm that adding 30 mg / L or more of insoluble solids derived from citrus fruit reduces astringency to a satisfactory level (above 2.0 points). Meanwhile, Sample 2-6, which contained 200 mg / L of insoluble solids, demonstrated a reduced astringency effect, but received comments that the lemon flavor was too strong and difficult to drink. Furthermore, the results for Sample 2-7 indicate that the addition of insoluble solids to a sugar-free beverage containing 7.0% citrus juice does not adequately reduce astringency.

[0036] <Experimental Example 2> Grapefruit clear juice (64°Bx), grapefruit juice MinyuThe samples were prepared by blending grapefruit juice (50°Bx, containing approximately 1.0% by mass of insoluble solids, with an average particle size of 120 μm) and the lemon solids prepared in Experimental Example 1 with pure water to the amounts shown in Table 3. Minyu The values ​​for "added juice" indicate the percentage of fruit juice (unit: %). The insoluble solids content and acidity of each sample obtained were measured using the methods described above. In addition, astringency (the tingling sensation that remains on the tongue after drinking the beverage) was evaluated using the same procedure as in Experimental Example 1, except that the Control 3 sample was drunk first as a reference. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0037] [Table 3]

[0038] From the results in Table 3, it was confirmed that the astringency can be reduced by adding insoluble solids derived from citrus fruits, even when the citrus juice is grapefruit juice, just as it was when the citrus juice was lemon juice (Experimental Example 1). In addition, the astringency can be reduced even when the insoluble solids were previously separated from the juice by centrifugation (3-1) or when the insoluble solids were added. Minyu It was found that the astringency-reducing effect was also achieved when cedar juice was added as a source of insoluble solids (3-2).

[0039] <Experimental Example 3> The clear lemon juice used in Reference Example 1 and the lemon juice used in Experimental Example 1 Minyu The samples were prepared by mixing purified water with cedar juice (containing approximately 0.6% by mass of insoluble solids) to the amounts shown in Table 4. Samples 4-3 and 4-4 were also prepared by mixing the cedar juice (containing approximately 0.6% by mass of insoluble solids) with purified water to the amounts shown in Table 4. 2 In Table 4, the clear lemon juice and lemon juice were mixed. MinyuThe values ​​for "added juice" indicate the percentage of fruit juice (unit: %). The insoluble solids content and acidity of each sample obtained were measured using the methods described above. In addition, astringency (the tingling sensation that remains on the tongue after drinking the beverage) was evaluated using the same procedure as in Experimental Example 1, except that the Control 4 sample was drunk beforehand and used as a reference. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0040] [Table 4]

[0041] From the results in Table 4, it can be seen that co- Minyu Even when clarified juice is combined with clear juice (4-1, 4-3), Minyu It was found that the astringency-reducing effect could be achieved even when only cedar juice was used (4-2, 4-4). It was also found that the astringency-reducing effect tended to be enhanced when the drink was carbonated (4-3, 4-4).

Claims

1. A sugar-free beverage containing citrus juice, The proportion of citrus juice in the beverage is 0.3 to 6.0%; Contains 30 to 150 mg / L of insoluble solids derived from citrus fruits, The alcohol content is less than 1% v / v, The beverage, wherein the insoluble solids derived from citrus fruit are insoluble solids derived from comminuted juice of citrus fruit.

2. The sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage according to claim 1, further comprising carbon dioxide.

3. 3. The sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage according to claim 1, wherein the average particle size of the insoluble solids derived from citrus fruits is 50 μm or more and less than 1000 μm.

4. The sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the insoluble solids derived from citrus fruit include components derived from the peel of citrus fruit.

5. The sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the citrus juice comprises comminuted juice of citrus fruit.

6. The sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage according to claim 1 or 2, which does not contain any high-intensity sweeteners.

7. A method for producing a citrus juice-containing, sugar-free beverage having an alcohol content of less than 1 v / v%, comprising the step of adding insoluble solids derived from citrus fruit to a sugar-free beverage base liquid, and further comprising: Adjusting the proportion of citrus juice in the final sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage to be 0.3 to 6.0%; and The final sugar-free citrus juice-containing beverage is adjusted so that the insoluble solids derived from citrus fruits are 30 to 150 mg / L. Including, The above-mentioned production method, wherein the insoluble solids derived from citrus fruits are insoluble solids derived from comminuted juice of citrus fruits.

8. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of adding insoluble solids derived from citrus fruit to the sugar-free beverage base comprises adding comminuted juice of citrus fruit to the sugar-free beverage base.

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