drinks

Abstract

To provide a beverage that contains 2-acetylpyrazine at a certain concentration but shows improvement in the flavors derived from the materials contained in the beverage, offering excellent palatability.SOLUTION: A beverage contains 2-acetylpyrazine of 5-50 ppb, and contains geraniol of 5-1000 ppb. Preferably, the content of geraniol is 5-500 ppb. Preferably, the beverage contains extract from roasted grain.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] In order to improve palatability, beverages such as grain teas are required to have a clean aftertaste, improve thirst quenching properties, and be designed to allow the flavor of the ingredients to be fully appreciated. In addition, by incorporating ingredients other than grains and creating a rich variety of flavor designs, it is possible to improve the product's appeal and palatability.

[0003] However, when beverages contain extracts derived from natural ingredients, it is not uncommon for undesirable ingredients that reduce palatability to be mixed in during the design process. For example, some ingredients in grain tea beverages contain 2-acetylpyrazine, an aroma component that imparts a heavy almond-like or oily odor. This aroma component not only detracts from the flavor inherent in the grain tea beverage ingredients, but also reduces the refreshing aftertaste, thereby impairing the thirst-quenching properties required of grain tea beverages.

[0004] Therefore, preventing the contamination of beverages such as grain tea drinks with 2-acetylpyrazine is important in improving flavor and increasing palatability. However, since 2-acetylpyrazine is a component contained in major grain-based ingredients, it is not easy to prevent contamination.

[0005] For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose technologies for using 2-acetylpyrazine to improve flavor or as a flavor, but do not disclose any method for reducing the odor (off-odor) derived from 2-acetylpyrazine to improve flavor and increase palatability. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-174743 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-143467 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The present invention has been proposed in light of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a beverage that is highly palatable by improving the flavor inherent in the ingredients contained in the beverage, even if it contains 2-acetylpyrazine at a certain concentration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] As a result of extensive research, the inventors discovered that the above-mentioned problems can be solved by adding a specific proportion of geraniol to a grain tea beverage that contains, for example, an extract derived from a grain material and a certain concentration of 2-acetylpyrazine, and thus completed the present invention.

[0009] (1) A first aspect of the present invention is a beverage containing 2-acetylpyrazine at a content of 5 to 50 ppb and geraniol at a ratio of 5 to 1000 ppb.

[0010] (2) A second aspect of the present invention is a beverage according to the first aspect of the present invention, which contains geraniol at a concentration of 5 to 500 ppb.

[0011] (3) A third aspect of the present invention is a beverage according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, which contains an extract of roasted grains.

[0012] (4) A fourth aspect of the present invention is a method for improving the flavor of a beverage, which comprises adding geraniol to a beverage containing 2-acetylpyrazine at a content of 5 to 50 ppb so that the content of geraniol is 5 to 1000 ppb.

[0013] (5) The fifth invention of the present invention is a flavor improver for beverages, which contains geraniol and is added to a beverage containing 2-acetylpyrazine at a content of 5 to 50 ppb so that the content of geraniol is 5 to 1000 ppb. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, even if 2-acetylpyrazine is contained at a certain concentration, the flavor inherent in the ingredients contained in the beverage can be improved, and a beverage with excellent palatability can be provided. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Specific embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as "present embodiments") will be described in detail below. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the present invention. In addition, in this specification, the expression "X to Y" (X and Y are arbitrary numerical values) means "at least X and at most Y."

[0016] ≪1. Beverage≫ The beverage according to this embodiment contains an extract derived from natural materials such as grain materials, and contains 2-acetylpyrazine at a content of 5 to 50 ppb. Specifically, this beverage contains geraniol at a content of 5 to 1000 ppb.

[0017] In this way, by designing a beverage to contain geraniol at a specific ratio, the heavy almond-like odor and oily odor caused by 2-acetylpyrazine contained in natural ingredients such as grain materials can be suppressed, improving the flavor of the ingredients and resulting in a beverage with excellent palatability. Note that in this specification, the "heavy almond-like odor" and "oily odor" are sometimes referred to as off-odors.

[0018] Here, geraniol is an aroma component that has a rose-like fragrance. As a result of research by the present inventors, it was found that by adding geraniol at a specific ratio to a beverage containing a certain concentration of 2-acetylpyrazine, the geraniol can mask the off-flavors, such as a heavy almond-like odor or an oily odor, that are derived from 2-acetylpyrazine, and effectively suppress these off-flavors. It was also found that adding geraniol not only suppresses the off-flavors and improves the refreshing aftertaste (refreshing feeling) of the beverage, but also improves the taste and refreshing feeling of the beverage.

[0019] The type of beverage is not particularly limited, but includes beverages containing roasted grain extracts. Since 2-acetylpyrazine is an aroma component particularly contained in some grain-based materials, examples of the beverage include grain tea beverages containing roasted grain extracts. Note that any beverage containing a roasted grain extract may be used, and the beverage is not limited to tea beverages such as grain tea. For example, the beverage may include functional beverages, dairy beverages, coffee beverages, carbonated beverages, fruit beverages, etc., containing a roasted grain extract.

[0020] Furthermore, when a beverage contains an extract of roasted grains, it includes not only a liquid containing an extract obtained by extracting a certain type of roasted grain, but also a liquid obtained by mixing that extract with an extract of another plant, or a liquid obtained by adding additives to these liquids, or a liquid obtained by dispersing dried versions of these liquids.

[0021] Furthermore, when the beverage is a tea beverage, the variety, place of origin, harvesting time, harvesting method, cultivation method, etc. of the plant from which the extract contained in the beverage is derived are not particularly limited. The type of plant is also not particularly limited, and examples that can be used include barley, Job's tears, brown rice, Habu tea, corn, black beans, soybeans, adzuki beans, sweet potato, loquat leaves, tea leaves, kelp, Kumazasa, sesame, persimmon leaves, Gynostemma pentaphyllum, mulberry leaves, Reishi mushrooms, wolfberries, mandarin orange peel, yuzu peel, Eucommia ulmoides leaves, perilla leaves, Houttuynia cordata, plantain, gymnema, rooibos, Rahma, dandelion, peppermint, mulukhiyah, dried orange peel, ginkgo, pine needles, lotus, olive, young barley leaves, Cassia capita, Xiangyang grass, Angelica keiskei, mugwort, and evening primrose. Among these, barley, Job's tears, brown rice, Habu tea, corn, adzuki beans, loquat leaves, yuzu peel, dandelion, Cassia capillaris, etc. can be preferably used. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0022] As mentioned above, among these plants, grain-based ingredients such as barley, Job's tears, brown rice, Habu tea, corn, black beans, soybeans, and adzuki beans often contain 2-acetylpyrazine, making it particularly effective in beverages containing extracts of these grain components.

[0023] [2-acetylpyrazine] The beverage according to this embodiment contains 2-acetylpyrazine, which is an aroma component derived mainly from the ingredients that make up the beverage. The content of 2-acetylpyrazine in the beverage is in the range of 5 to 50 ppb.

[0024] As described above, 2-acetylpyrazine is a component that imparts unpleasant odors such as a heavy almond-like odor or an oily odor, and reduces the refreshing aftertaste (refreshing feeling) of a beverage, reducing its palatability. For this reason, its content in a beverage is preferably low; however, it is inevitably present due to, for example, the grain-based ingredients that make up the beverage. On the other hand, as will be described in detail later, the beverage according to this embodiment contains geraniol at a specific ratio, and this geraniol effectively suppresses the unpleasant odors caused by 2-acetylpyrazine. Specifically, whether the content of 2-acetylpyrazine in the beverage is 5 ppb or more, or 10 ppb or more, the unpleasant odor can be effectively suppressed. The upper limit of the 2-acetylpyrazine content is preferably 50 ppb or less.

[0025] The content of 2-acetylpyrazine in a beverage can be measured using a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GC-MS). GC-MS measurements can be performed, for example, under the conditions shown in the Examples below. Alternatively, if the concentration in each ingredient is known, it can also be calculated.

[0026] [Geraniol] The beverage according to this embodiment contains geraniol, which is an aroma component that has the effect of masking the unpleasant odor of 2-acetylpyrazine that is contained in the beverage as a result of the ingredients.

[0027] Geraniol is not particularly limited, but a commercially available compound can be used and blended into the beverage. Alternatively, geraniol can be contained in the beverage by blending natural materials containing geraniol or extracts thereof.

[0028] The geraniol content in the beverage is in the range of 5 to 1000 ppb. By setting the geraniol content in the beverage within this range, it is possible to effectively mask and reduce unpleasant odors such as the heavy almond-like odor and oily odor derived from 2-acetylpyrazine. Furthermore, by including geraniol within this range, it is possible to improve the refreshing feeling and deliciousness of the beverage, thereby further increasing the palatability of the beverage.

[0029] The lower limit of the geraniol content is 5 ppb or more, preferably 10 ppb or more, and more preferably 20 ppb or more. Preferably, by containing it within this range, the masking effect of the off-odor derived from 2-acetylpyrazine can be further enhanced. On the other hand, if the geraniol content is too high, although the off-odor masking effect is further enhanced, it may impair the taste and refreshing feeling of the beverage. From this point of view, the upper limit of the geraniol content in the beverage is 1000 ppb or less, preferably 800 ppb or less, more preferably 750 ppb or less, and particularly preferably 500 ppb or less.

[0030] The content of geraniol in a beverage can be measured using a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GC-MS). GC-MS measurements can be performed, for example, under the conditions shown in the Examples below. Alternatively, if the concentration in each ingredient is known, it can also be calculated.

[0031] [Other ingredients] The beverage of this embodiment may contain other ingredients and additives commonly used in general beverages, as long as they do not impair the intended effects. The amounts of these ingredients and additives may be adjusted appropriately depending on the desired effects. Specifically, the beverage 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.

[0032] [container] The beverage according to the present embodiment can be filled into a container to produce a packaged beverage. The container may be any sealed container known in the beverage industry, and may be appropriately selected and used 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.

[0033] ≪2. Beverage manufacturing method≫ The beverage according to this embodiment can be produced using any conditions and methods commonly used in beverage production. For example, geraniol is added to a beverage containing 5 to 50 ppb of 2-acetylpyrazine so that the content is 5 to 1000 ppb. Other ingredients may also be added as needed to prepare the beverage.

[0034] The content of 2-acetylpyrazine in the beverage may be adjusted by any suitable method, and geraniol may be added by a conventional method.

[0035] In the production of beverages, for example, a method is exemplified in which a prepared extract containing a predetermined amount of each component and a specific amount of geraniol are added sequentially or simultaneously and mixed by stirring, etc. The order in which the components are mixed is not particularly limited. In addition, in the case of tea beverages such as grain tea beverages, a method is also exemplified in which multiple plants are mixed in advance, subjected to an extraction process to obtain an extract, and then geraniol is added to the obtained extract to achieve a predetermined concentration.

[0036] Geraniol can be added as a flavoring (a chemically synthesized compound, etc.) or as an extract of a food material containing geraniol.

[0037] The produced beverage can be filled into a container to form a packaged beverage, and may be sterilized as appropriate before or after filling into the container. The sterilization method is not particularly limited, and examples include conventional plate sterilization, tubular sterilization, retort sterilization, batch sterilization, autoclave sterilization, etc.

[0038] 3. How to improve the flavor of beverages As described above, according to the beverage of this embodiment, even when it contains 2-acetylpyrazine, by blending geraniol at a content of 5 to 1000 ppb, unpleasant odors such as a heavy almond-like smell or an oily smell caused by 2-acetylpyrazine can be effectively suppressed, and the flavor inherent in the ingredients that make up the beverage can be improved, resulting in a beverage with excellent palatability.

[0039] Therefore, this can be defined as a method for improving the flavor of a beverage by adding geraniol to a beverage containing 5 to 50 ppb of 2-acetylpyrazine. That is, this can be defined as a method for improving the flavor of a beverage by adding geraniol to a beverage containing 5 to 25 ppb of 2-acetylpyrazine so that the geraniol content is 5 to 1000 ppb.

[0040] ≪4. Beverage flavor improver≫ Geraniol can also be defined as a flavor improver that suppresses off-flavors such as a heavy almond-like odor and an oily odor caused by 2-acetylpyrazine, thereby improving the flavor of the beverage, by adding it to a beverage containing 5 to 50 ppb of 2-acetylpyrazine.

[0041] Specifically, the beverage flavor improver contains geraniol and is added to a beverage having a 2-acetylpyrazine content of 5 to 50 ppb so that the geraniol content is 5 to 1000 ppb.

[0042] The flavor improver for beverages can be produced by any method employed in the art or by a method with appropriate modifications. When the flavor improver contains components other than geraniol, the type and content of the components can be appropriately designed depending on the desired effect. [Example]

[0043] The present invention will be explained in more detail below by showing examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples in any way.

[0044] <Test 1: Verification by adding 2-acetylpyrazine> [Production of standard and test samples] An extract was obtained by extracting 10 g of roasted barley (L*=41) with 30 volumes of water at 90°C. The L* value (roasting level) was obtained by grinding a room temperature sample for 20 seconds using a blender (IFM-300, manufactured by Iwatani Corporation) and then measuring the ground sample using a spectrophotometer (SE7700, manufactured by Nippon Denshoku Industries Co., Ltd.) by the reflection method.

[0045] To the obtained extract, 0.3 g of sodium L-ascorbate, 0.1 g of L-ascorbic acid, and 0.2 g of sodium bicarbonate were added, and the mixture was adjusted to 1000 g with purified water to obtain a prepared solution. The prepared solution was UHT sterilized, diluted 10-fold, and aseptically filled into PET bottles to obtain a sample (Reference Product 1). The 2-acetylpyrazine concentration in the obtained Reference Product 1 (barley extract) was 2 ppb.

[0046] Then, 2-acetylpyrazine was added to the obtained reference sample 1 to give concentrations of 3 to 25 ppb to prepare test samples to be used for evaluation.

[0047] [2-acetylpyrazine content analysis] The content of 2-acetylpyrazine in the reference sample 1 and the test samples was measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) under the following conditions. Specifically, 100 μL of the test sample to be analyzed was placed in a vial (10 mL capacity) and introduced into a GC-MS / MS (Agilent Technologies) using the Multi Volatile Method (MVM) with a Gestell MPS. A calibration curve was prepared using the standard addition method, with cyclohexanol used as the internal standard. (GC-MS analysis conditions) Equipment GC: Agilent 7890B GC System (Agilent Technologies) MS: Agilent 7000D GC / MS Triple Quad (Agilent Technologies) Fully automated volatile component extraction and introduction device: MPS Robotic Pro / DHS / TDU2 / CIS4 (Gestell) Collection tube (adsorbent): Tenax TA, Carbopack-B & Carbopack-X Column: DB-WAX UI (20 m x 0.18 mm, film thickness 0.30 μm) (Agilent Technologies) Injection method: Splitless Carrier gas: He (1.0 mL / min) Transfer line: 250℃ Heating program: 40°C (hold for 3 minutes) → 5°C / min → 240°C (hold for 7 minutes) Precursor ion > Product ion (CE (collision energy)) :2-acethylpyrazine 122>94(5V) :cyclohexanol 82>67(5V) Ionization method: EI ·Quadrupole temperature: 150℃ Ion source temperature: 230℃

[0048] [About sensory evaluation] A sensory evaluation was conducted by five expert panelists on the prepared reference product 1 and each test sample. Specifically, the sensory evaluation was conducted by comparatively evaluating the "refreshing feeling," "strength of almond-like aroma," and "strength of oily odor" against reference product 1. Each evaluation score was calculated as the average of the evaluation scores given by each panelist according to the following evaluation criteria. In this evaluation, the score of reference product 1 was used as the reference value (4 points). Note that "refreshing feeling" was evaluated as "the refreshing feeling of the aftertaste of the beverage." Furthermore, "strength of almond-like aroma" and "strength of oily odor" were evaluated as the "strength of almond-like aroma" and "strength of oily odor," respectively, as the item names suggest.

[0049] The "refreshing feeling" was evaluated on a 7-point scale based on the following evaluation criteria. (Evaluation criteria) 7 points: very good, 6 points: good, 5 points: somewhat good, 4 points: equivalent to the standard product, 3 points: somewhat bad, 2 points: bad, 1 point: very bad

[0050] The "strength of almond-like scent" and "strength of oily smell" were evaluated on a 7-point scale based on the following evaluation criteria. (Evaluation criteria) 7 points: Very strong, 6 points: Strong, 5 points: Slightly strong, 4 points: Equivalent to the standard product, 3 points: Slightly weak, 2 points: Weak, 1 point: Very weak

[0051] [result] Table 1 below shows the 2-acetylpyrazine concentrations in the reference product 1 and the test samples, as well as the sensory evaluation results. Regarding the "refreshing feeling" evaluation, as per the above-mentioned evaluation criteria, the higher the score, the higher the evaluation. Regarding the "strength of almond-like aroma" and "strength of oily odor," as per the above-mentioned evaluation criteria, the lower the score, the less noticeable the odor and the higher the evaluation.

[0052] [Table 1]

[0053] As shown in Table 1, as the concentration of 2-acetylpyrazine increased, the "strength of the almond-like aroma" and "strength of the oily smell" increased, and the "refreshing feeling" was poor. Therefore, it can be seen that when 2-acetylpyrazine is contained in a beverage, especially at a concentration of 5 ppb or more, an unpleasant odor such as a heavy almond-like smell is perceived, which impairs the flavor of the ingredients and reduces the palatability of the beverage.

[0054] <Test 2: Verification by adding geraniol> [Production of standard and test samples] 2-acetylpyrazine was added to the above-obtained Reference Sample 1 to a concentration of 20 ppb to prepare Reference Sample 2. 2-acetylpyrazine was also added to Reference Sample 1 to a concentration of 50 ppb to prepare Reference Sample 3. The geraniol concentrations in both Reference Samples 2 and 3 were 0 ppb. Geraniol was also added to the obtained Reference Samples 2 and 3 to the concentrations shown in Table 2 below to prepare the respective test samples (Comparative Example 1, Examples 1 to 4, and Example 5).

[0055] The geraniol content in Reference Sample 2, Reference Sample 3, and each test sample was measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) under the following conditions. Specifically, 10 mL of the test sample to be analyzed and 3.5 g of sodium chloride were placed in a vial (20 mL capacity), sealed with a septum-equipped cap, and introduced into a GC-MS (Agilent Technologies) using the solid phase microextraction (SPME) method. A calibration curve was prepared using the standard addition method, with cyclohexanol used as the internal standard. (GC-MS analysis conditions) Equipment: GC: 6890A (G1530A) GC System (Agilent Technologies) MS: 5973N MSD (Agilent Technologies) Fully automated volatile component extraction and introduction device: Multipurpose sampler MPS2 (Gestell) SPME fiber: DVB / CAR / PDMS (manufactured by Sperco) Pretreatment conditions: Incubation at 60°C for 10 minutes Extraction: 60℃, 20 minutes Desorption 5 minutes Column: DB-WAX UI (30 m x 0.25 mm, film thickness 0.25 μm) (Agilent Technologies) Injection method: Splitless ·Inlet temperature: 240℃ Carrier gas: He (1.0 mL / min) Heating program: 40°C (hold for 2 minutes) → 8°C / min → 240°C (hold for 10 minutes) Ion source temperature: 240℃ ·Quadrupole temperature: 150℃ ·Quantitative ion (Geraniol): 69 ·Quantitative ion (cyclohexanol): 57

[0056] [About sensory evaluation] A sensory evaluation was conducted by a panel of five experts on the prepared Reference Product 2, Reference Product 3, and each test sample. Specifically, the sensory evaluation was conducted by comparatively evaluating Reference Product 2 in terms of "refreshing feeling," "strength of almond-like scent," and "strength of oily odor." Each evaluation score was calculated as the average of the evaluation scores given by each panelist according to the same evaluation criteria as in Test 1. In this evaluation, the score of Reference Product 2 was evaluated as the standard value (4 points).

[0057] [result] Table 2 below shows the 2-acetylpyrazine concentration, geraniol concentration, and sensory evaluation results for Reference Product 2, Reference Product 3, and each test sample. Regarding the "refreshing feeling" evaluation, as per the above-mentioned evaluation criteria, the higher the score, the higher the evaluation. Regarding the "strength of almond-like fragrance" and "strength of oily odor," as per the above-mentioned evaluation criteria, the lower the score, the less noticeable the odor and the higher the evaluation.

[0058] [Table 2]

[0059] As shown in Table 2, Examples 1 to 4 and 5 were rated higher for "strength of almond-like aroma" and "strength of oily odor" compared to Reference Product 2, Comparative Example 1 and Reference Product 3, indicating that off-odors were suppressed. Furthermore, in particular, Examples 1 to 3 and 5 showed an effect of improving "refreshing feeling" in addition to the effect of suppressing off-odors, and were more palatable.

Claims

1. A beverage containing 2-acetylpyrazine at a content of 5 to 50 ppb, Contains geraniol at a rate of 5 to 500 ppb. Beverages.

2. Contains roasted grain extract, The beverage of claim 1.

3. A beverage containing 2-acetylpyrazine at a content of 5 to 50 ppb, Geraniol is added so that its content is 5 to 500 ppb. A method for improving the flavor of a beverage.

4. Contains geraniol, The geraniol is added to a beverage containing 5 to 50 ppb of 2-acetylpyrazine so that the content of the geraniol is 5 to 500 ppb. A flavor improver for beverages.

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