drinks

Abstract

To provide a beverage that is prevented from emitting a foreign odor and has excellent palatability even when containing a predetermined level of 2-acetyl pyrazine.SOLUTION: A beverage contains 5-50 ppb of 2-acetyl pyrazine, the beverage containing 2-phenylethyl alcohol of 1.1-2000 ppb and acetoin of 10-2000 ppb. The beverage contains extract from roasted grain.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] In beverages, there is often a demand for drinkability that is refreshing and thirst-quenching to enhance palatability, as well as a satisfying drink that enhances the original flavor and strength of the ingredients. To meet these quality requirements, it is essential to design flavors by selecting various ingredients and using extraction techniques.

[0003] However, when extracts derived from natural ingredients are included, it is not uncommon for undesirable components that reduce palatability to be mixed in during the design process. One such component known to have a negative impact on palatability is 2-acetylpyrazine. Even small amounts of 2-acetylpyrazine in beverages can impart unpleasant odors such as nutty or oily notes, reducing the palatability of flavors and other tastes.

[0004] Therefore, in beverages, it is important to prevent the contamination of 2-acetylpyrazine in order to improve and enhance palatability, but since 2-acetylpyrazine is contained in many ingredients, including grain-based ingredients, it is not easy to prevent contamination.

[0005] For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a method for searching for odor suppressants using pyrazine derivatives. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2013 / 119312 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Currently, there is no known means for efficiently reducing the adverse effects on flavor of beverages caused by off-flavors such as nutty and oily odors caused by 2-acetylpyrazine.

[0008] The present invention has been proposed in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a beverage that has a suppressed unpleasant odor and is highly palatable, even when it contains 2-acetylpyrazine at a certain concentration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] As a result of extensive research, the inventors discovered that the above problem can be solved by adding 2-phenylethyl alcohol and acetoin in a predetermined ratio to a beverage containing 2-acetylpyrazine in an extract derived from natural materials, and thus completed the present invention.

[0010] (1) A first aspect of the present invention is a beverage containing 2-acetylpyrazine at a content of 5 to 50 ppb, 2-phenylethyl alcohol at a content of 1.1 to 2000 ppb, and acetoin at a content of 10 to 2000 ppb.

[0011] (2) A second aspect of the present invention is the beverage according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the content of the 2-phenylethyl alcohol is 2.0 to 300 ppb.

[0012] (3) A third aspect of the present invention is the beverage according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, wherein the acetoin content is 10 to 300 ppb.

[0013] (4) A fourth aspect of the present invention is a beverage according to any one of the first to third aspects, which comprises an extract of roasted grains.

[0014] (5) The fifth invention of the present invention is a method for suppressing off-flavors in a beverage, which comprises adding 2-phenylethyl alcohol to a beverage containing 2-acetylpyrazine at a content of 5 to 50 ppb so that the content is 1.1 to 2000 ppb and acetoin to a beverage containing 2-acetylpyrazine at a content of 10 to 2000 ppb.

[0015] (6) The sixth aspect of the present invention is an agent for suppressing off-flavors in beverages, which comprises 2-phenylethyl alcohol and acetoin, and is added to a beverage containing 2-acetylpyrazine at a content of 5 to 50 ppb so that the content of the 2-phenylethyl alcohol is 1.1 to 1000 ppb and the content of the acetoin is 10 to 2000 ppb. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, even if 2-acetylpyrazine is contained at a certain concentration, off-flavors such as nutty odors and oily odors are suppressed, and a beverage with excellent palatability can be provided. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] 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."

[0018] ≪1. Beverage≫ The beverage according to this embodiment is, for example, a beverage containing 5 to 50 ppb of 2-acetylpyrazine in an extract derived from natural materials, 1.1 to 1000 ppb of 2-phenylethyl alcohol, and 10 to 2000 ppb of acetoin.

[0019] By designing the beverage to contain 2-phenylethyl alcohol and acetoin in a specific ratio, off-flavors such as nutty odor and oily odor caused by 2-acetylpyrazine are suppressed, resulting in a beverage with excellent palatability. In this specification, "off-flavor" refers to off-flavors such as nutty odor and oily odor caused by 2-acetylpyrazine.

[0020] Here, 2-phenylethyl alcohol is an aroma component of sake, wine, etc., and acetoin is an aroma component of yogurt, butter, etc. As a result of research by the present inventors, it was found that by adding 2-phenylethyl alcohol and acetoin in a specific ratio to a beverage containing 2-acetylpyrazine, these components can mask off-flavors such as nutty odors and oily odors derived from 2-acetylpyrazine, thereby effectively suppressing the off-flavors.

[0021] The type of beverage is not particularly limited. Examples include beverages containing roasted grain extracts, dairy beverages, coffee beverages, functional beverages, carbonated beverages, etc. Among these, beverages containing roasted grain extracts are preferred, and tea beverages are more preferred, from the viewpoint that 2-acetylpyrazine is likely to be mixed in when extracts of various materials are contained.

[0022] For example, if 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 an additive to such a liquid, or a liquid obtained by dispersing dried versions of such a liquid.

[0023] 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.

[0024] 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.

[0025] [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.

[0026] As described above, 2-acetylpyrazine is a component that imparts off-flavors such as nutty and oily odors and reduces the palatability of beverages. Therefore, its content is preferably low, more preferably 40 ppb or less. On the other hand, as described in detail below, the beverage according to this embodiment contains 2-phenylethyl alcohol and acetoin in a specific ratio, which effectively suppresses the off-flavors caused by these components. Specifically, the off-flavors can be effectively suppressed whether the content of 2-acetylpyrazine in the beverage is 7 ppb or more, 10 ppb or more, or even 20 ppb or more.

[0027] 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.

[0028] [2-Phenylethyl alcohol] The beverage according to this embodiment contains 2-phenylethyl alcohol, which is an aroma component that, together with acetoin (described below), masks the unpleasant odor of 2-acetylpyrazine that is contained in the beverage as a result of the ingredients.

[0029] Although there is no particular limitation on 2-phenylethyl alcohol, a commercially available compound can be used and blended into the beverage. Alternatively, natural products containing 2-phenylethyl alcohol or extracts thereof can be blended into the beverage.

[0030] In particular, 2-phenylethyl alcohol is a flavor component that is relatively abundant in fermented materials, so the beverage may contain fermented raw materials.

[0031] The content of 2-phenylethyl alcohol in the beverage is in the range of 1.1 to 2000 ppb. By setting the content of 2-phenylethyl alcohol in the beverage in this range, together with acetoin, which will be described later, it is possible to effectively mask and reduce off-flavors such as nutty and oily odors derived from 2-acetylpyrazine.

[0032] The lower limit of the 2-phenylethyl alcohol content is preferably 2.0 ppb or more, and more preferably 5.0 ppb or more. Preferably, a content within this range can further enhance the effect of suppressing off-flavors. On the other hand, because 2-phenylethyl alcohol is an alcohol component, if its content is too high, the beverage may have a so-called alcoholic taste, which may impair the flavor of the beverage. From this perspective, the upper limit of the 2-phenylethyl alcohol content in the beverage is preferably 1000 ppb or less, more preferably 300 ppb or less, and even more preferably 150 ppb or less.

[0033] The beverage according to this embodiment contains acetoin along with 2-phenylethyl alcohol. Therefore, the synergistic effect of these two aroma components more effectively masks the off-odor originating from 2-acetylpyrazine, thereby achieving an off-odor suppression effect. Furthermore, the off-odor can be effectively suppressed while suppressing the alcoholic feeling that may be caused by the inclusion of 2-phenylethyl alcohol, for example.

[0034] The content of 2-phenylethyl alcohol 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.

[0035] [Acetoin] The beverage according to the present embodiment contains acetoin, which is an aroma component that, together with the above-mentioned 2-phenylethyl alcohol, masks the unpleasant odor of 2-acetylpyrazine that is contained in the beverage as a result of the ingredients.

[0036] Although acetoin is not particularly limited, commercially available compounds can be used and the commercially available compounds can be blended into the beverage. Alternatively, natural products containing acetoin or extracts thereof can be blended into the beverage.

[0037] In particular, acetoin, like 2-phenylethyl alcohol, is an aroma component that is contained in relatively large amounts in fermented materials, and therefore, the beverage may contain fermented raw materials.

[0038] The acetoin content in the beverage is in the range of 10 to 2000 ppb. By setting the acetoin content in the beverage in this range, it is possible to effectively mask and reduce off-flavors such as nutty odors and oily odors derived from 2-acetylpyrazine together with the above-mentioned 2-phenylethyl alcohol.

[0039] The lower limit of the acetoin content is preferably 15 ppb or more, more preferably 20 ppb or more. Preferably, by containing it in such a range, the effect of suppressing off-flavors can be further enhanced. On the other hand, since acetoin is an alcohol component, if its content is too high, the so-called alcoholic taste will occur in the beverage, which may impair the taste of the beverage. From this point of view, the upper limit of the acetoin content in the beverage is preferably 1000 ppb or less, more preferably 300 ppb or less, and even more preferably 150 ppb or less.

[0040] The beverage according to this embodiment contains 2-phenylethyl alcohol along with acetoin. Therefore, the synergistic effect of these two aroma components more effectively masks the off-odor originating from 2-acetylpyrazine, thereby achieving an off-odor suppression effect. Furthermore, the off-odor can be effectively suppressed while suppressing the alcoholic feeling that may be caused by the inclusion of acetoin, for example.

[0041] The acetoin content 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. Furthermore, if the concentration in each raw material is known, it can also be calculated.

[0042] [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.

[0043] [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.

[0044] ≪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, to a beverage containing 5 to 50 ppb of 2-acetylpyrazine, 2-phenylethyl alcohol is added to bring the 2-acetylpyrazine content to 1.1 to 2000 ppb, and acetoin is added to bring the 2-acetylpyrazine content to 10 to 2000 ppb. Other ingredients may also be added as needed to prepare the beverage.

[0045] The content of 2-acetylpyrazine in the beverage may be adjusted by any suitable method, and 2-phenylethyl alcohol and acetoin may be added in a conventional manner.

[0046] In the production of beverages, for example, a method is exemplified in which a prepared extract containing predetermined amounts of each component and specific amounts of 2-phenylethyl alcohol and acetoin are added sequentially or simultaneously and mixed by stirring, etc. The order in which the components are mixed is not particularly limited. In the case of tea beverages, for example, a method is exemplified in which multiple plants are mixed in advance, an extract is obtained by performing an extraction process, and then 2-phenylethyl alcohol and acetoin are added to the obtained extract to achieve predetermined concentrations.

[0047] 2-phenylethyl alcohol and acetoin can be added as flavorings (chemically synthesized compounds, etc.) or as an extract of food materials containing 2-phenylethyl alcohol or acetoin.

[0048] 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.

[0049] ≪3. How to suppress unpleasant odors in beverages≫ As described above, according to the beverage of this embodiment, even when it contains 2-acetylpyrazine, the beverage is formulated with 2-phenylethyl alcohol at a content of 1.1 to 2000 ppb and acetoin at a content of 10 to 2000 ppb, thereby effectively suppressing off-flavors such as nutty or oily odors caused by 2-acetylpyrazine.

[0050] Therefore, this method can be defined as a method for suppressing off-flavors in beverages containing 5 to 50 ppb of 2-acetylpyrazine by adding the above-mentioned two aroma components. That is, this method can be defined as a method for suppressing off-flavors in beverages by adding 2-phenylethyl alcohol to a beverage containing 5 to 50 ppb of 2-acetylpyrazine so that the contents are 1.1 to 2000 ppb and acetoin to a beverage containing 5 to 50 ppb of 2-acetylpyrazine.

[0051] ≪4. Agent for suppressing unpleasant odors in beverages≫ It can also be defined as an inhibitor for suppressing off-flavors such as nutty odors or oily odors caused by 2-acetylpyrazine when added to a beverage containing 5 to 50 ppb of 2-acetylpyrazine.

[0052] Specifically, the beverage odor inhibitor contains 2-phenylethyl alcohol and acetoin, and is added to a beverage containing 5 to 50 ppb of 2-acetylpyrazine so that the 2-phenylethyl alcohol content is 1.1 to 2000 ppb and the acetoin content is 10 to 2000 ppb.

[0053] The beverage off-flavor suppressant can be produced by any method employed in the art or by a method with appropriate modifications. When the suppressant contains components other than 2-phenylethyl alcohol and acetoin, the type and content of the components can be appropriately designed depending on the desired effect. [Example]

[0054] 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.

[0055] <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 was obtained by grinding the sample at room temperature 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.

[0056] To the resulting 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 preparation. The resulting preparation was UHT sterilized, diluted 10-fold, and aseptically filled into PET bottles to obtain a sample (Reference Product 1).

[0057] 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.

[0058] [2-acetylpyrazine content analysis] The 2-acetylpyrazine content in 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 beverage 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) method 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) 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-acetylpyrazine 122>94(5V) Ionization method: EI ·Quadrupole temperature: 150℃ Ion source temperature: 230℃

[0059] [About sensory evaluation] A sensory evaluation was conducted by a panel of five experts on the prepared reference product 1 and the test samples. Specifically, the sensory evaluation was conducted by comparatively evaluating the "taste," "good aroma," "strength of the nutty aroma," and "strength of the oily odor" against the reference product. 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 standard value (4 points). "Taste" was evaluated as "high palatability," "good aroma" as "impression of the overall aroma of the grain tea," "strength of the nutty aroma" as "strength of the almond-like, nutty aroma," and "strength of the oily odor" as "strength of the bean-like, oily aroma."

[0060] The "taste" and "aroma" were evaluated on a 7-point scale based on the following 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

[0061] The "strength of the nutty aroma" and "strength of the oily odor" 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

[0062] [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 "taste" and "aroma" evaluations, the higher the score, the higher the evaluation, as per the above-mentioned evaluation criteria. Regarding the "strength of the nutty aroma" and "strength of the oily odor," the lower the score, the lower the perceived odor, and thus the higher the evaluation, as per the above-mentioned evaluation criteria.

[0063] [Table 1]

[0064] As shown in Table 1, as the 2-acetylpyrazine concentration increased, the "stronger nutty smell" and "stronger oily smell" were perceived, and the "taste" and "good aroma" were poor. Therefore, it can be seen that when 2-acetylpyrazine is contained in a beverage, especially at a concentration of 5 ppb or more, unpleasant odors such as nutty smells and oily smells are perceived, reducing the palatability of the beverage.

[0065] <Test 2: Verification by adding 2-phenylethyl alcohol and acetoin> <Test 2-1: Preparing samples with varying acetoin concentrations> [Production of standard and test samples] 2-Acetylpyrazine was added to the above obtained reference product 1 to a concentration of 50 ppb to prepare reference product 2. The 2-phenylethyl alcohol concentration of reference product 2 was 0.09 ppb, and the acetoin concentration was 9 ppb. 2-Phenylethyl alcohol and acetoin were also added to the obtained reference product 2 to the concentrations shown in Table 2 below to prepare each test sample (Comparative Example 1, Examples 1 to 4, Reference Example 4).

[0066] The contents of 2-phenylethyl alcohol and acetoin in the reference sample 2 and each test sample were measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) under the following conditions. Specifically, the samples were introduced into a GC-MS (Agilent Technologies) using the MVM (Multi Volatile Method) method 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: 7890B (Agilent Technologies) MS: 5977B MSD (Agilent Technologies) HS:MPS (Gestell) TUBE: Tenax TA, Carbopack B / X Column: DB-WAX UI (30 m x 0.25 mm, film thickness 0.25 μm) Quantitative ion: 2-phenylethylalcohol m / z=91 Acetoin m / z=88 ·Temperature conditions: 40℃ (2 minutes) ~ 8℃ / min → 240℃ (10 minutes) Carrier gas flow rate: He 1 ml / min Injection method: Splitless Ion source temperature: 230℃

[0067] [About sensory evaluation] A sensory evaluation was conducted by four expert panelists on the prepared reference product 2 and each test sample. Specifically, the sensory evaluation was conducted by comparatively evaluating the "taste," "good aroma," "good aftertaste," "strength of nutty aroma," "strength of oily odor," and "strength of alcoholic taste" against reference product 2. 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 reference value (4 points).

[0068] The "good aftertaste" was evaluated on a 7-point scale based on the same criteria as the "taste" and "good aroma." The "strength of alcoholic flavor" was also evaluated on a 7-point scale based on the same criteria as the "strength of nutty aroma" and "strength of oily odor."

[0069] [result] Table 2 below shows the 2-acetylpyrazine concentration, 2-phenylethyl alcohol concentration, and acetoin concentration in the reference product 2 and each test sample, as well as the sensory evaluation results. Regarding the "taste" and "aroma" evaluations, the higher the score, the higher the evaluation. Regarding the "strength of nutty aroma," "strength of oily odor," and "strength of alcoholic taste," as per the above evaluation criteria, the lower the score, the less noticeable the flavor is, and the higher the evaluation. Note that a "-" in the evaluation column in the table indicates that no evaluation was performed.

[0070] [Table 2]

[0071] As shown in Table 2, Examples 1 to 4 were rated higher for "strength of nutty aroma" than Comparative Example 1, indicating that off-odors were suppressed. Furthermore, in addition to the effect of suppressing off-odors, Examples 1 to 4 also had improved "taste," "pleasant aroma," and "pleasant aftertaste," demonstrating excellent palatability.

[0072] Here, Reference Example 4, a test sample in which 2-phenylethyl alcohol was added to Reference Product 2 at a concentration of 10 ppb, also suppressed off-flavors and exhibited excellent palatability, similar to Examples 1 to 4. Although Examples 1 to 4 contain a lower amount of 2-phenylethyl alcohol than the sample in Reference Example 4, it can be seen that by adding acetoin at a rate of 10 ppb or more in addition to the 2-phenylethyl alcohol, an effect equivalent to that of Reference Example 4 is exhibited. This is thought to be due to the synergistic effect of 2-phenylethyl alcohol and acetoin, which more effectively suppressed off-flavors and produced a beverage with excellent palatability.

[0073] <Test 2-2: Preparing samples with varying concentrations of 2-phenylethyl alcohol> [Production of standard and test samples] 2-Phenylethyl alcohol and acetoin were added to the reference product 2 obtained above to give the concentrations shown in Table 3 below, to prepare test samples (Examples 5 to 9, Reference Example 5).

[0074] The contents of 2-phenylethyl alcohol and acetoin in Reference Material 2 and each test sample were measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) under the following conditions, as in Test 2-1. Specifically, the samples were introduced into a GC-MS (Agilent Technologies) using the Multi Volatile Method (MVM) method with a Gestell MPS. A calibration curve was prepared using the standard addition method, with cyclohexanol used as the internal standard.

[0075] [About sensory evaluation] A sensory evaluation was conducted by a panel of five experts on the prepared Reference Product 2 and each test sample. Specifically, the sensory evaluation was conducted by comparatively evaluating the "taste," "good aroma," "good aftertaste," "strength of nutty aroma," "strength of oily odor," and "strength of alcoholic taste" against Reference Product 2. Each evaluation score was calculated as the average of the 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).

[0076] The "good aftertaste" was evaluated on a 7-point scale based on the same criteria as the "taste" and "good aroma." The "strength of alcoholic flavor" was also evaluated on a 7-point scale based on the same criteria as the "strength of nutty aroma" and "strength of oily odor."

[0077] [result] Table 3 below shows the 2-acetylpyrazine concentration, 2-phenylethyl alcohol concentration, and acetoin concentration in the reference product 2 and each test sample, as well as the sensory evaluation results. Regarding the "taste" and "aroma" evaluations, the higher the score, the higher the evaluation. Regarding the "strength of nutty aroma," "strength of oily odor," and "strength of alcoholic taste," as per the above evaluation criteria, the lower the score, the less noticeable the flavor is, and the higher the evaluation. Note that a "-" in the evaluation column in the table indicates that no evaluation was performed.

[0078] [Table 3]

[0079] As shown in Table 3, in Examples 5 to 9, the ratings for "strength of nutty aroma" and "strength of oily odor" were high, indicating that off-odors were suppressed. Furthermore, in Examples 5 to 9, in addition to the effect of suppressing off-odors, "taste," "pleasant aroma," and "pleasant aftertaste" were improved, demonstrating excellent palatability.

[0080] Here, Reference Example 5, a test sample in which acetoin was added to Reference Product 2 at a concentration of 115 ppb, also suppressed off-flavors and exhibited excellent palatability, similar to Examples 5 to 9. In particular, Examples 5 to 8 contain the same amount of acetoin as the sample of Reference Example 5, but by adding 2-phenylethyl alcohol at a rate of 1.1 ppb or more in addition to the acetoin, the ratings for "strength of nutty aroma" and "strength of oily odor" are higher than those of Reference Example 5, indicating an improved effect in suppressing off-flavors. This is thought to be due to the synergistic effect of acetoin and 2-phenylethyl alcohol, which more effectively suppressed off-flavors and produced a beverage with excellent palatability.

Claims

1. A beverage containing an extract of roasted grains and containing 5 to 50 ppb of 2-acetylpyrazine, 1. Contains 1 to 300 ppb of 2-phenylethyl alcohol and 10 to 2000 ppb of acetoin; Beverages.

2. The content of the 2-phenylethyl alcohol is 2.0 to 300 ppb. The beverage of claim 1.

3. The acetoin content is 10 to 300 ppb. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A beverage containing an extract of roasted grains and containing 5 to 50 ppb of 2-acetylpyrazine, 1. Adding 1 to 300 ppb of 2-phenylethyl alcohol and 10 to 2000 ppb of acetoin; A method for suppressing off-flavors in beverages.

5. An agent for suppressing off-flavors in beverages, the agent comprising an extract of roasted grains and added to beverages containing 5 to 50 ppb of 2-acetylpyrazine, The suppressant includes 2-phenylethyl alcohol and acetoin, and is added to the beverage so that the content of 2-phenylethyl alcohol in the beverage is 1.1 to 300 ppb and the content of acetoin in the beverage is 10 to 2000 ppb. An agent for suppressing unpleasant odors in beverages.

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