Low-fruit juice acetic acid-containing beverage and method for improving fruit juice flavor

Abstract

The present invention provides a beverage containing less than 5% by mass of fruit juice but with a low acetic acid content that provides a superior fruit juice flavor, and a method for improving the fruit juice flavor in a beverage containing less than 5% by mass of fruit juice. FJ (mass%), and the acetic acid content is M AA (mass%), M FJ is more than 0 mass% and less than 5 mass%, and M AA is more than 0 mass% and 0.25 mass% or less, and M AA / M FJ The method for improving the fruit juice feeling is M AA More than 0 mass% and 0.25 mass% or less, and M AA / M FJ Adjust M to 0.02 or more AA / M FJ An adjustment process is provided.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a low-fruit juice acetic acid content beverage and a method for improving the fruit juice feel, and more particularly to a low-fruit juice acetic acid content beverage containing fruit juice and acetic acid, and a method for improving the fruit juice feel in a low-fruit juice beverage. [Background technology]

[0002] Due to advances in preservation technology, various foods using fruits and fruit juices and having a fresh flavor have been put on the market. However, a technology capable of maintaining the flavor of fruits and fruit juices immediately after harvest until they are consumed after distribution has not yet been obtained, and there is still a demand for improving the flavor of foods containing fruits and fruit juices. From the viewpoint of improving the fruit juice flavor of foods containing fruit juices, the following Patent Document 1 is known. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-289836 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The above-mentioned Patent Document 1 discloses a fruit juice feel enhancer for fruit juice-containing foods and beverages, which contains as an active ingredient a glucan having an inner branched cyclic structure portion and an outer branched structure portion and a degree of polymerization of 50 or more; fruit juice-containing foods and beverages which contain a glucan having an inner branched cyclic structure portion and an outer branched structure portion and a degree of polymerization of 50 or more; and a method for producing fruit juice-containing foods and beverages, which comprises adding a glucan having an inner branched cyclic structure portion and an outer branched structure portion and a degree of polymerization of 50 or more to an ingredient of the fruit juice-containing foods and beverages. However, in the food industry, it is difficult to widely utilize a single countermeasure, and multiple countermeasures tailored to the situation are required. That is, different types of fruit juice-containing beverages and different types of methods for improving the fruit juice flavor are required.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned situation, and aims to provide a low-fruit juice acetic acid-containing beverage that has a better fruit juice flavor despite having a fruit juice content of less than 5% by mass, and a method for improving the fruit juice flavor in a beverage containing less than 5% by mass of fruit juice. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present inventors have discovered that when producing a fruit juice-containing beverage, even if the fruit juice content is low, the taste profile can be improved by using acetic acid, thereby improving the fruit juice feel, and have completed the present invention.

[0007] That is, the present invention includes the following aspects. [1] Juice content M FJ (mass%), The acetic acid content is M AA (mass%), Said M FJ is more than 0 mass% and less than 5 mass%, Said M AA is more than 0 mass% and 0.25 mass% or less, Said M AA and the aforementioned M FJ Ratio to (M AA / M FJ ) is 0.02 or more. [2] Fructose content M Fru (mass%), Said M Fru and the aforementioned M AA Ratio to (M Fru / M AA ) is 3 or more. [3] Fructose content M Fru (mass%), The glucose content is M Glu (mass%), Said M Glu and the aforementioned M Fru Ratio to (M Glu / M Fru) is 0.75 or less. [4] Malic acid content is M MA (mass%), Said M MA and the aforementioned M AA Ratio to (M MA / M AA ) is 0.02 or more. [5] The gluconic acid content is M GA (mass%), Said M GA and the aforementioned M AA Ratio to (M GA / M AA ) is 0.003 or more. [6] A low-fruit juice acetic acid-containing beverage according to any one of [1] to [5] above, which contains vinegar. [7] A low-fruit juice acetic acid-containing beverage according to [6] above, wherein the vinegar is fruit vinegar. [8] A low-fruit juice acetic acid-containing beverage according to any one of [1] to [7] above, wherein the fruit juice comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of strawberry juice, grape juice, peach juice, and pomegranate juice. [9] A method for improving the fruit juice flavor in a beverage having a fruit juice content of more than 0% by mass and less than 5% by mass, comprising: The content of the juice is M FJ (mass%), The acetic acid content is M AA (mass%), Said M AA more than 0% by mass and not more than 0.25% by mass, and the above M AA and the aforementioned M FJ Ratio to (M AA / M FJ ) to 0.02 or more. AA / M FJ A method for improving fruit juice feeling, comprising an adjustment process.

[10] Fructose content M Fru (mass%), Said M Fru and the aforementioned M AARatio to (M Fru / M AA ) to 3 or moreM Fru / M AA The method for improving the fruit juice feeling according to [9] above, which comprises an adjustment step.

[11] Fructose content M Fru (mass%), and the glucose content is M Glu (mass%), Said M Glu and the aforementioned M Fru Ratio to (M Glu / M Fru ) to 0.75 or lessM Glu / M Fru The method for improving the fruit juice flavor according to [9] or

[10] above, which comprises an adjustment step.

[12] Malic acid content is M MA (mass%), Said M MA and the aforementioned M AA Ratio to (M MA / M AA ) to 0.02 or moreM MA / M AA The method for improving the fruit juice flavor according to any one of [9] to

[11] above, which comprises an adjustment step.

[13] The gluconic acid content is M GA (mass%), Said M GA and the aforementioned M AA Ratio to (M GA / M AA ) to 0.003 or moreM GA / M AA The method for improving the fruit juice flavor according to any one of [9] to

[12] above, which comprises an adjustment step.

[14] Said M AA / M FJ The method for improving the fruit juice flavor according to any one of [9] to

[13] above, wherein the adjusting step includes blending vinegar into the beverage.

[15] The method for improving the fruit juice feeling according to

[14] above, wherein the vinegar is fruit vinegar.

[16] A method for improving the fruit juice flavor described in any of [9] to

[15] above, wherein the fruit juice contains one or more selected from the group consisting of strawberry juice, grape juice, peach juice, and pomegranate juice. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The low fruit juice acetic acid content beverage of the present invention can provide a superior fruit juice flavor even though the fruit juice content is less than 5% by mass. According to the method for improving the fruit juice feel of the present invention, the fruit juice feel can be improved in a beverage containing less than 5% by mass of fruit juice. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention will be described below based on specific embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments and can be implemented in any form without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, all publications, patents, and patent applications cited in this specification are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0010] The above-mentioned problems of the present invention do not preclude the existence of other problems disclosed in this specification. That is, in embodiments of the present invention, for example, even if the fruit juice content is less than 5% by mass, a more excellent fruit juice feel may be obtained while the taste profile is improved, even if the fruit juice content is less than 5% by mass, a more excellent fruit juice feel may be obtained while the juiciness is improved, even if the fruit juice content is less than 5% by mass, a more excellent fruit juice feel may be obtained while the aftertaste is enhanced, even if the fruit juice content is less than 5% by mass, a more three-dimensional sweetness may be formed, or even if the fruit juice content is less than 5% by mass, a more excellent fruit juice feel may be obtained while the fresh fruit aroma is obtained. Furthermore, the fruit juice flavor of a beverage containing less than 5% by mass of fruit juice may be improved while improving the flavor profile; the fruit juice flavor of a beverage containing less than 5% by mass of fruit juice may be improved while improving the juiciness; the fruit juice flavor of a beverage containing less than 5% by mass of fruit juice may be improved while enhancing the lingering aftertaste; the fruit juice flavor of a beverage containing less than 5% by mass of fruit juice may be improved while creating a more three-dimensional sweetness; or the fruit juice flavor of a beverage containing less than 5% by mass of fruit juice may be improved while obtaining a fresh fruit aroma. It is not necessary for the embodiments of the present invention to solve all of these problems. Furthermore, problems other than these may be extracted from the description of this specification and the claims.

[0011] As used herein, the terms "comprise" and "include" encompass the concepts of "contain," "comprise," "consist essentially of," and "consist only of." When using the terms "comprise" and "include," the listed steps or options need not be exhaustive. In this specification, the expression "and / or" includes both "and" and "or." For example, "A and / or B" includes both A and B and A or B, and indicates three possibilities: "A alone," "B alone," and "both A and B."

[0012] In this specification, when multiple upper and / or lower limits are specified for a numerical range, it is assumed that the numerical range is directly specified by combining at least the maximum value of the upper limit and the minimum value of the lower limit, even if not otherwise specified. Furthermore, all numerical ranges obtained by combining any upper limit among the upper limits with any lower limit among the lower limits are included in one embodiment of the present invention. Furthermore, in this specification, a numerical range connected by "to" means a numerical range that includes the numbers before and after "to" as the lower and upper limits. When multiple lower limits and multiple upper limits are specified separately, it is assumed that any lower limit and upper limit can be selected and connected with "to". Furthermore, ranges obtained by arbitrarily switching the upper and / or lower limits of the above ranges are also exemplified in this specification.

[0013] In this specification, "% by mass" refers to the percentage of a target component in a sample, calculated using the wet mass of the sample (including water) as the denominator and the mass of the target component in the sample as the numerator. "w / w" means "weight / weight," and "w / v" means "weight / volume."

[0014] [1] Low-fruit juice acetic acid beverage The low fruit juice acetic acid content beverage of the present invention is Juice content M FJ (mass%), The acetic acid content is M AA (mass%), M FJ is more than 0 mass% and less than 5 mass%, M AA is more than 0 mass% and 0.25 mass% or less, M AA and M FJ Ratio to (M AA / M FJ ) is 0.02 or more.

[0015] The low-acetic acid content beverage of the present invention can provide a superior fruit juice feel even when the fruit juice content is less than 5% by mass. That is, an improved fruit juice feel can be obtained. Improving the fruit juice feel means statistically increasing the preference and degree of the fruit juice feel caused by the fruit juice. The fruit juice feel of a beverage containing fruit juice is a concept that encompasses the taste, aroma, and sensations caused by these that occur in the mouth when the beverage is ingested (held in the mouth, eaten, etc.). That is, it may refer to sensations such as the resemblance of the juice of a specific fruit (for example, if the juice is derived from strawberries, it has a strawberry-like quality and can be recognized as strawberry), the aroma of the juice of a specific fruit (for example, if the juice is derived from strawberries, it has a strawberry-like aroma and is recognized as strawberry), the taste of the juice of a specific fruit (for example, if the juice is derived from strawberries, it has a strawberry-like taste and is recognized as strawberry), the juiciness of the juice of a specific fruit (for example, if the juice is derived from strawberries, it has a juicy strawberry taste), the freshness of the juice of a specific fruit (for example, if the juice is derived from strawberries, it has a fresh strawberry taste), the refreshing feeling of the juice of a specific fruit (for example, if the juice is derived from strawberries, it has a refreshing strawberry taste), astringency (a feeling of the mouth contracting when ingested), elegance, a sense of maturity, a sense of freshness, or other "fruit-like smell, aroma, or sensation." The above-mentioned smells and aromas include not only the smells sensed through the nasal cavity but also the smells sensed when the object is ingested. In other words, improving the fruit juice flavor means statistically increasing the preference or degree of preference for at least one of the elements that make up the fruit juice flavor. Such an improvement in fruit juice sensation can be evaluated by a sensory tester who has ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains and who has undergone the discrimination training described below and is capable of making an absolute evaluation for each sensory test item.

[0016] As described above, according to the low acetic acid content fruit juice beverage of the present invention, 0 <M FJ (mass%) <5, M AA and M AA / M FJBy adjusting the value to fall within a predetermined range, an excellent fruit juice sensation can be obtained. Although the mechanism is not clear, it is thought that at least one of the elements constituting the above-mentioned fruit juice sensation can be made clearer and separated from the other elements, thereby making the predetermined element stand out. In other words, it is thought that part of the improvement in fruit juice sensation involves a phenomenon similar to the phenomenon in which light is separated and clarified by wavelength when integrated light containing light of various wavelengths is passed through a prism. Therefore, for example, this can be expressed as a prism effect on fruit juice sensation.

[0017] Furthermore, it is not clear whether the clarification of the elements that constitute the fruit juice sensation described above results in an improvement in the preference for at least one or more elements, or whether the clarification of the elements that constitute the fruit juice sensation described above actually results in an improvement in the preference for at least one or more elements, but it is thought that these multiple phenomena are involved. As a result, for example, in a beverage containing less than 5% by mass of fruit juice, it is thought that it is possible to give the drinker the sensation of an increased fruit juice sensation (improved fruit juice sensation).

[0018] Furthermore, the inclusion of acetic acid is thought to tighten the flavor and clarify the flavor contours. Furthermore, it can be said that it sharpens the flavor and makes it more pronounced (has a flavor accentuation effect). It is also thought to have the effect of enhancing the sweetness of the beverage. That is, it can emphasize a refreshing sweetness. This improvement in fruit juice flavor is thought to be more effective when a beverage containing less than 5% by mass of fruit juice does not initially contain substantial amounts of acetic acid. Thus, low-fruit juice beverages with a fruit juice content below a predetermined value generally tend to have a blurred flavor contour and a lack of fruit juice flavor due to the low amount of fruit juice. In this regard, it is thought that the configuration of the low-fruit juice, acetic acid-containing beverage of the present invention can alleviate the phenomenon of blurred flavor contours and improve the fruit juice flavor.

[0019] In a low-fruit juice acetic acid content beverage, the fruit juice content may be more than 0% by mass and less than 5% by mass. In other words, beverages with 0% by mass of fruit juice are not envisioned. This is because an improved fruit juice flavor is obtained in beverages containing fruit juice. Furthermore, the improved fruit juice flavor is more pronounced in beverages containing less than 5% by mass of fruit juice than in beverages containing 5% or more by mass of fruit juice.

[0020] Fruit juice content M in low-fruit juice acetic acid beverages FJ The lower limit of the content M is not particularly limited as long as it is greater than 0% by mass, but it can usually be set to 0.005% by mass or more relative to 100% by mass of the total beverage. Within this range, the fruit juice flavor can be more clearly improved. FJ (% by mass) can be 0.01% by mass or more, 0.02% by mass or more, 0.025% by mass or more, or even 0.05% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is preferably less than 5% by mass, but can be 4.5% by mass or less, 4.0% by mass or less, 3.5% by mass or less, 3.25% by mass or less, 3.0% by mass or less, 2.9% by mass or less, 2.8% by mass or less, or 2.75% by mass or less. The above upper and lower limits can be combined, and numerical ranges specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed in this specification. That is, for example, it can be 0.005% by mass or more and less than 5% by mass, further 0.01% by mass or more and less than 5.0% by mass, further 0.01 to 4.5% by mass, further 0.02 to 4.0% by mass, further 0.02 to 3.5% by mass, further 0.025 to 3.25% by mass, further 0.025 to 3.0% by mass, further 0.05 to 2.9% by mass, further 0.05 to 2.8% by mass, or further 0.05 to 2.75% by mass. In addition, the above-mentioned fruit juice content M FJ The values ​​(% by mass) are converted to values ​​diluted to 1. When two or more types of fruit juice are contained, the content of each fruit juice may be within the above range, or the total content of the two or more types of fruit juice may be within the above range.

[0021] Fruit juice is a liquid extracted from fruit, and includes, for example, a liquid obtained by squeezing fruit, an extract extracted from fruit or fruit juice using an extraction medium (water, alcohol, etc.), and their concentrates (concentrated fruit juice), reconstituted products (reconstituted fruit juice), concentrated reconstituted products (reconstituted fruit juice), frozen products (frozen juice), etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Furthermore, fruits used as raw materials for fruit juice usually contain at least pulp, but may also contain one or more of the following: peel, juice, seeds, etc. The maturity of the fruit used is not limited, and may be immature fruit, mature fruit, thinned fruit, dropped fruit, etc. Furthermore, it may be fresh fruit (fruit that has not been heat-treated (e.g., heated to 60°C or higher)), heat-treated fruit (e.g., heated to 60°C or higher), refrigerated fruit, frozen fruit, cut fruit, crushed fruit (e.g., puree), fruit after juicing, etc., and these may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0022] The type of fruit juice is not limited, and may be fruit juice, vegetable juice, or other fruit juice. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more types. For example, juices obtained from fruits and vegetables listed in the "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th Edition)" may be used.

[0023] Among the above, examples of fruits include strawberries, grapes, peaches, pomegranates, apples, acerola, blueberries, pears, apricots, citrus fruits (oranges, Valencia oranges, navel oranges, mandarin oranges, grapefruit, pink grapefruit, sweetie oranges, mandarin oranges, Kishu mandarins, Satsuma mandarins, hassaku persimmons, calamansi, bitter oranges, citron, bush citrus, summer mandarins, Hyuganatsu, dekopon, iyokan, tankan, pomelo, Seminole, ponkan, kumquat, yukou, pomelo, banpeiyu, lemon, yuzu, kabosu, sudachi, lime, and shikuwasa), persimmons, pineapples, bananas, melons, watermelons, kiwifruit, black currants, apricots, guavas, plums, mangoes, papayas, lychees, plums, acai, raspberries, white grapes, bergamot, and passion fruit. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. That is, the fruit juice includes the juice of any one of these fruits, a mixed juice of two or more of these fruits, and the like.

[0024] Among the above, it is preferable to include at least one fruit juice selected from the group consisting of strawberry juice, grape juice, peach juice, and pomegranate juice, from the viewpoint that the juice has a characteristic flavor and aroma, and that the characteristic taste can be more easily perceived when combined with the composition of the present invention (the amount of acetic acid, the ratio of various components, etc.). More specifically, for example, strawberry juice includes strawberry juice with a strong flavor such as Amaou (registered trademark, variety name: Fukuoka S6), grape juice includes fragrant grape juice such as Shine Muscat, and peach juice includes white peach juice and pomegranate juice. When these fruit juices are used, the flavor contours are prominent, allowing the unique flavor of each fruit juice to be clearly perceived, resulting in a high fruit juice flavor even with a low fruit juice content. Furthermore, when the fruit juice contains two or more fruits, if the juice that accounts for the largest proportion is strawberry, grape, peach, or pomegranate, the flavor of these fruit juices will be dominant in the low-fruit juice acetic acid beverage, thereby significantly achieving the effects of the present invention.

[0025] Examples of vegetables include tomatoes, pumpkins, melons, cucumbers, zucchini, bitter melon, wax gourds, shishito peppers, bell peppers, paprika, chili peppers, eggplants, corn, green beans, peas, cowpeas, okra, loofahs, and avocados. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. In other words, the fruit juice may include the juice of any one of these vegetables, or a mixed juice of two or more of these vegetables. Furthermore, the above-mentioned fruit juices and vegetable juices may be used either alone or in combination.

[0026] The low-fruit juice acetic acid-containing beverage may contain acetic acid. In this specification, acetic acid includes acetic acid molecules (CH3COOH) and acetate ions (CH3COO-). Therefore, the acetic acid content (M AA The percentage by mass refers to the total content of these. The acetic acid content is measured by high performance liquid chromatography in accordance with the measurement method for "organic acids" in the 2020 edition (8th revision) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. Specifically, the measurement method is as shown in the Examples.

[0027] The source of acetic acid is not limited, and it may be derived from a food additive (for example, commercially available acetic acid, acetate salts (sodium acetate, etc.)), or may be acetic acid contained in vinegar. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Of the above, vinegar can be acetic acid produced by acetic acid fermentation of alcohol. In this case, it is preferable to include acetic acid produced by alcoholic fermentation of raw materials such as fruits or grains using yeast, followed by acetic acid fermentation using acetic acid bacteria. Vinegar that has undergone acetic acid fermentation differs from food additives that contain only acetic acid in that it also contains sugars, proteins, amino acids, minerals, etc. derived from the raw materials used in fermentation, such as fruits or grains. Vinegar includes brewed vinegar as defined in accordance with the Japanese Agricultural Standards for Brewed Vinegar (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Notification No. 1626, December 13, 2019).

[0028] The type of brewed vinegar is not limited, and examples of the raw materials include white rice, brown rice, barley, wheat, oats, rye, oats, Job's tears, corn, apples, peaches, grapes, acerola, blueberries, pears, apricots, citrus fruits (oranges, Valencia oranges, navel oranges, mandarin oranges, grapefruits, pink grapefruits, sweetie oranges, mandarin oranges, Kishu mandarin oranges, Satsuma mandarin oranges, Hassaku oranges, calamansi oranges, bitter oranges, citrons, bush cucumbers, Examples of vinegars include summer mandarins, Hyuganatsu, Dekopon, Iyokan, Tankan, Buntan, Seminole, Ponkan, Kumquat, Yuko, Pomelo, Banpeiyu, Lemon, Yuzu, Kabosu, Sudachi, Lime, and Shikuwasa (Shekwasha), persimmons, strawberries, pineapples, bananas, melons, kiwifruit, black currants, apricots, guavas, plums, mangoes, papayas, lychees, plums, pomegranates, acai, raspberries, white grapes, bergamot, and passion fruit. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Examples include rice vinegar, black rice vinegar, apple vinegar, grape vinegar, lemon vinegar, tomato vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and pomegranate vinegar. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0029] Among these, fruit vinegar can be preferably used. Fruit vinegar is preferred from the viewpoints that it is compatible with fruit juice and contains organic acids and aroma components derived from fruit, and apple vinegar can be particularly preferably used. Furthermore, among brewed vinegars, vinegars made using only specific grains or fruits as raw materials, so-called "pure XX vinegars" (for example, "pure rice vinegar" is made using only rice as a raw material, and "pure apple vinegar" is made using only apples as a raw material), can be preferably used. These vinegars make it difficult to sense the sourness of acetic acid, and can more easily achieve the effect of improving the fruit juice flavor of the present invention. Furthermore, using vinegar containing bacteria is preferred from the viewpoint that the sourness can be less sensed due to the flavor derived from the bacteria.

[0030] The acetic acid content of low-acetic acid-containing fruit juice beverages was measured using the M AAWhen the content is expressed as (mass%), the lower limit is not limited as long as it is greater than 0 mass%, but it can usually be set to 0.05 mass% or more relative to 100 mass% of the total beverage. Within this range, the improvement in fruit juice flavor can be more clearly achieved. Content M AA (% by mass) can be set to 0.01% by mass or more, 0.02% by mass or more, 0.025% by mass or more, 0.05% by mass or more, 0.075% by mass or more, 0.10% by mass or more, 0.12% by mass or more, 0.15% by mass or more, or 0.16% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit can be set to 0.25% by mass or less, 0.20% by mass or less, 0.19% by mass or less, 0.18% by mass or less, or 0.17% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of suppressing the pronounced sourness associated with the inclusion of acetic acid. The above-mentioned upper and lower limits can be combined with each other, and numerical ranges specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed in the present specification. That is, for example, it can be more than 0 mass% and 0.25 mass% or less, further 0.01 to 0.25 mass%, further 0.02 to 0.25 mass%, further 0.025 to 0.25 mass%, further 0.05 to 0.25 mass%, further 0.075 to 0.20 mass%, further 0.1 to 0.2 mass%, further 0.12 to 0.20 mass%, further 0.15 to 0.25 mass%, further 0.16 to 0.25 mass%, further 0.01 to 0.19 mass%, further 0.02 to 0.18 mass%, and further 0.05 to 0.17 mass%.

[0031] Acetic acid content in low-acetic acid fruit juice beverages AA and juice content M FJ Ratio to (M AA / M FJ) within a predetermined range, the contours of the flavor associated with fruit juice can be made clear. (The flavor associated with fruit juice refers to the type of fruit juice flavor contained in the beverage, and when two or more types of fruit juice are contained, it refers to the type of fruit juice flavor that accounts for the largest proportion.) The mechanism behind this is unclear, but it is thought that the acetic acid component enhances the contrast between the "individual flavors" and the "overall flavor (flavor background)." In other words, it is thought that by making the flavor contours clearer, the unique flavor of fruit becomes clearer, and the consumer can be more effectively given the taste sensation of an improved fruitiness.

[0032] M in low-acetic acid-containing fruit juice beverages AA / M FJ is preferably 0.02 or more, but the lower limit can be set to 0.015 or more, further 0.02 or more, further 0.025 or more, further 0.03 or more, further 0.04 or more, further 0.05 or more, or even 0.07 or more, from the viewpoint of fully obtaining the effects of the present invention. On the other hand, the upper limit is not limited, but from the viewpoint of suppressing the pronounced sourness associated with the inclusion of acetic acid, it can be set to 5.0 or less, further 4.5 or less, further 4.0 or less, further 3.5 or less, further 3.0 or less, further 2.5 or less, or even 2.0 or less. The above upper and lower limits can be combined with each other, and numerical ranges specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed in the present specification. That is, for example, it can be set to 0.015 to 5.0, further 0.02 to 4.5, further 0.025 to 4.0, further 0.03 to 3.5, further 0.04 to 3.0, further 0.05 to 2.5, further 0.07 to 2.0.

[0033] The acetic acid content M AA The method for measuring (mass%) is not particularly limited, but for example, it can be measured using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in accordance with the measurement method of the "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, 2020 Edition (8th Edition)." Specifically, the measurement can be performed under the following conditions. High-performance liquid chromatography (Shimadzu Corporation, model "LC-10ADvp") Mobile phase (1) 4 mM p-toluenesulfonic acid aqueous solution, flow rate 0.9 mL / min Mobile phase (2) 16 mM Bis-Tris aqueous solution containing 4 mM p-toluenesulfonic acid and 80 μM EDTA, flow rate 0.9 mL / min Column: Shodex KC810P + KC811 x 2 (Showa Denko K.K.) Column temperature: 50℃ Detection: UV260nm

[0034] Low-fruit juice acetic acid-containing beverages typically contain fructose. The origin of the fructose is not limited, and it may be natural fructose derived from fruit juice, refined fructose, or fructose added as a sugar raw material such as high-fructose corn syrup. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0035] The fructose content of low-fruit juice acetic acid beverages was measured by M Fru (mass%), M Fru and M AA Ratio to (M Fru / M AA ) can be 3 or more. Fru / M AA By setting the M within a predetermined range, the juiciness can be enhanced. Fru / M AA Although the mechanism by which the juiciness is enhanced by increasing the M to a predetermined value is unclear, fructose is an important sweet component derived from fruit juice, and it is thought that the inclusion of an appropriate amount of fructose gives the overall taste a three-dimensional feel, contributing to an improved fruity feel. Furthermore, it is thought that the enhanced juiciness causes the fruit flavor to spread freshly in the mouth, resulting in a low-fruit juice acetic acid-containing beverage with an improved fruity feel. Furthermore, as will be described later, when vinegar is used as a raw material for the low-fruit juice acetic acid-containing beverage, and further when fruit vinegar is used as the vinegar, M Fru / M AA Therefore, when producing a low-acetic acid-content beverage using fruit vinegar, the M Fru / M AAIt is preferable to adjust the content of fructose to within a preferred range. That is, it is preferable to add refined fructose (purified fructose) in addition to the fructose derived from fruit juice.

[0036] M Fru / M AA From the viewpoint of clearly achieving the effect of enhancing juiciness, the value of [theta] can be 2.75 or more, further 3.0 or more, further 3.5 or more, further 4.0 or more, and even 5.0 or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is not limited, but from the viewpoint of suppressing lingering sweetness and making the taste impression lighter, it can be 100 or less, further 70 or less, 60 or less, further 50 or less, further 30 or less, further 25 or less, and even 22 or less. The above upper and lower limits can be combined, and numerical ranges specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed in the present specification. That is, for example, it can be 2.75 to 100, further 3.0 to 70, further 3.5 to 60, further 4.0 to 50, and further 5.0 to 20.

[0037] In addition, the fructose content M Fru The method for measuring the fructose content (mass%) is not particularly limited, but for example, it can be measured using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in accordance with the "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, 2020 Edition (8th Edition)." Specifically, it can be determined by comparing the content with that of a fructose standard of known concentration using high performance liquid chromatography.

[0038] The low-acetic acid-containing fruit juice beverage can contain glucose. The source of the glucose is not limited, and it may be natural glucose derived from fruit juice, refined glucose, or glucose added as a sugar raw material such as high-fructose corn syrup. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0039] The glucose content of low-acetic acid-containing fruit juice beverages was measured by M Glu (mass%), M Glu and M Fru Ratio to (M Glu / M FruBy setting the M within a certain range, it is possible to create a three-dimensional sweetness and obtain depth in the overall taste (a three-dimensional taste), which is thought to contribute to improving the fruit juice feeling. Glu / M Fru The mechanism by which the three-dimensionality of sweetness can be created by reducing M below a certain value is unclear, but since the sweetness of glucose generally tends to give a flat and monotonous impression, Glu / M Fru By reducing the value of , the relative importance of sweetness produced by fructose can be increased, and it can be thought that the impression caused by glucose can be suppressed. Therefore, it is preferable not to use high-fructose glucose syrup (high-fructose sugar) in the production of low-fructose acetic acid beverages. In other words, it is preferable not to include high-fructose glucose syrup, because using high-fructose glucose syrup would introduce a large amount of glucose.

[0040] M Glu / M Fru From the viewpoint of clearly achieving the effect of creating a three-dimensional sweetness, the value of can be 0.75 or less, further 0.6 or less, further 0.5 or less, and even 0.350 or less. On the other hand, the lower limit is not limited, but can be 0.005 or more, further 0.007 or more, further 0.01 or more, further 0.015 or more, further 0.017 or more, and even 0.02 or more. The above upper and lower limits can be combined, and numerical ranges specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed in this specification. That is, for example, it can be 0.005 to 0.75, further 0.007 to 0.6, further 0.01 to 0.5, and further 0.02 to 0.3.

[0041] The glucose content M Glu The method for measuring the content (mass%) is not particularly limited, but for example, it can be measured using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in accordance with the "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, 2020 Edition (8th Edition)." Specifically, it can be determined by comparing the content with that of a glucose standard sample of known concentration using high performance liquid chromatography.

[0042] The low-fruit juice acetic acid-containing beverage can contain malic acid. The origin of the malic acid is not limited, and it may be malic acid derived from fruit, malic acid derived from a fermented product (such as vinegar (fruit vinegar)), or refined malic acid. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Since malic acid is an organic acid produced from sugar by the action of microorganisms, the content of malic acid can be adjusted, for example, by the fermentation conditions of the fermented product (particularly vinegar). It is particularly preferable to prepare the malic acid using fruit vinegar that is made from sugar-rich fruits and fermented with yeast, lactic acid bacteria, and acetic acid bacteria.

[0043] The content of malic acid in low-acetic acid-containing beverages was measured using M MA (mass%), M MA and M AA Ratio to (M MA / M AA By setting the saturation point (M) in the predetermined range, it is possible to enhance the lingering aftertaste, which can be considered to contribute to improving the fruit juice feeling. In other words, the enhancement of the lingering aftertaste can be said to enhance the lingering aftertaste of the flavor derived from the fruit juice. MA / M AA In order to make the M more than a predetermined value, it is necessary to use apple vinegar as the fruit vinegar and further adjust the amount of organic acid. MA / M AA It is preferable to satisfy the requirement that the acetic acid content is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. This is because apple cider vinegar contains malic acid, but the proportion of acetic acid is high.

[0044] M MA / M AAFrom the viewpoint of clearly achieving the effect of enhancing the lingering aftertaste, the value of (R) can be 0.012 or more, further 0.015 or more, further 0.017 or more, further 0.02 or more, further 0.022 or more, or even 0.023 or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is not limited, but from the viewpoint of suppressing a sharp sour aftertaste, it can be 1.0 or less, further 0.75 or less, further 0.5 or less, further 0.4 or less, or even 0.35 or less. The above upper and lower limits can be combined, and numerical ranges specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, it can be 0.012 to 1.0, further 0.015 to 0.75, further 0.017 to 0.5, further 0.02 to 0.4, further 0.022 to 0.35, or further 0.023 to 0.35.

[0045] The malic acid content M MA The method for measuring (mass%) is not particularly limited, but for example, it can be measured using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in accordance with the measurement method of the "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, 2020 Edition (8th Edition)." Specifically, the measurement can be performed under the following conditions. High-performance liquid chromatography (Shimadzu Corporation, model "LC-20AD") Mobile phase (1) 4 mM p-toluenesulfonic acid aqueous solution, flow rate 0.9 mL / min Mobile phase (2) 16 mM Bis-Tris aqueous solution containing 4 mM p-toluenesulfonic acid and 80 μM EDTA, flow rate 0.9 mL / min Column: Shodex KC-G6B + KC-811 x 2 (Showa Denko K.K.) Column temperature: 52°C Detection: Electrical conductivity detector

[0046] The low-acetic acid-containing fruit juice beverage can contain gluconic acid. The origin of gluconic acid is not limited, and it may be gluconic acid derived from a fermented product (such as vinegar (fruit vinegar)) or a refined product. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. The gluconic acid content can be adjusted, for example, by the fermentation conditions of the fermented product. In particular, since gluconic acid is an organic acid produced from glucose by the action of acetic acid bacteria, it is preferable to adjust the gluconic acid content using a fermented product obtained by acetic acid bacteria fermentation, such as vinegar, among fermented products. Furthermore, it is preferable to adjust the gluconic acid content using a fruit vinegar, which is made from fruits rich in glucose and its precursor sugars.

[0047] The gluconic acid content of low-acetic acid-containing fruit juice beverages was measured. GA (mass%), M GA and M AA Ratio to (M GA / M AA By keeping the M in the specified range, it is possible to form a fresh fruity aroma, which is thought to contribute to improving the fruit juice feeling. GA / M AA The mechanism by which fresh fruit aromas can be created by adjusting M GA / M AA By increasing the value of M, the proportion of gluconic acid, which exerts a mellow taste, increases, masking the sting and taste of acetic acid, which may result in a more noticeable fresh fruit aroma. GA / M AA In order to make the M more than a predetermined value, it is necessary to use apple vinegar as the fruit vinegar and further adjust the amount of organic acid. GA / M AA It is preferable to satisfy the requirement that the value of the sine wave is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

[0048] M GA / M AAFrom the viewpoint of clearly achieving the effect of forming a fresh fruity aroma, the value of (I) can be 0.002 or more, further 0.003 or more, further 0.004 or more, further 0.005 or more, and even 0.006 or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is not limited, but from the viewpoint of suppressing the development of the taste of gluconic acid itself, it can be 0.1 or less, further 0.075 or less, further 0.05 or less, and even 0.035 or less. The above upper and lower limits can be combined, and numerical ranges specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed in this specification. That is, for example, it can be 0.002 to 0.1, further 0.003 to 0.075, further 0.004 to 0.05, further 0.005 to 0.035, and further 0.006 to 0.035.

[0049] The gluconic acid content M GA The method for measuring (mass%) is not particularly limited, but for example, it can be measured using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in accordance with the measurement method of the "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, 2020 Edition (8th Edition)." Specifically, the measurement can be performed under the following conditions. High-performance liquid chromatography (Shimadzu Corporation, model "LC-20AD") Mobile phase (1) 4 mM p-toluenesulfonic acid aqueous solution, flow rate 0.9 mL / min Mobile phase (2) 16 mM Bis-Tris aqueous solution containing 4 mM p-toluenesulfonic acid and 80 μM EDTA, flow rate 0.9 mL / min Column: Shodex KC-G6B + KC-811 x 2 (Showa Denko K.K.) Column temperature: 52°C Detection: Electrical conductivity detector

[0050] Low-fruit juice acetic acid-containing beverages may contain other ingredients in addition to fruit juice and acetic acid, etc. Other liquid ingredients include water, salt, sugars (sugar, maltose, isomerized liquid sugar, brown sugar, honey, starch syrup, dextrin, lactose, galactose, and sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, maltitol, and xylitol), emulsifiers (glycerin fatty acid esters, acetate monoglyceride, lactate monoglyceride, citric acid monoglyceride, diacetyltartaric acid monoglyceride, succinic acid monoglyceride, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin condensed linosyl acid esters, Quillaja extract, soybean saponin, tea seed saponin, sucrose fatty acid esters, etc.), organic acids (fumaric acid, citric acid, propionic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, pyruvic acid, etc.), and alcohols (ethanol, propanol, etc.). Monohydric alcohols (e.g., monohydric alcohols, glycerin, polyhydric alcohols such as ethylene glycol), artificial sweeteners (e.g., sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame K, etc.), minerals (e.g., calcium, potassium, sodium, iron, zinc, magnesium, etc., and salts thereof), flavorings, pH adjusters (e.g., sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lactic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, acetic acid, etc.), cyclodextrin, antioxidants (e.g., vitamin E, vitamin C, tea extract, green coffee bean extract, chlorogenic acid, spice extract, caffeic acid, rosemary extract, vitamin C palmitate, rutin, quercetin, bayberry extract, sesame extract, etc.), coloring agents, thickening stabilizers, etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Since the sweetness may be too strong, an embodiment may be one in which no artificial sweetener (particularly sucralose) is contained.

[0051] The type of low-fruit juice acetic acid-containing beverage is not limited, and examples thereof include fruit juice-containing beverages (juice, fruit juice, fruit juice with pulp (puree, fruit juice containing diced fruit pulp, etc.), ades, near-water, beauty beverages, smoothies), vegetable beverages (juice, vegetable juice, vegetable juice with pulp (puree, vegetable juice containing diced fruit pulp, etc.), purees, ades, near-water, beauty beverages, smoothies), dairy product-containing beverages (e.g., beverages containing dairy ingredients such as milk and its processed products such as skim milk powder, whole milk powder, concentrated milk, fermented milk, yogurt, fresh cream, condensed milk, butter, skim milk, cream powder, sweetened milk powder, modified milk powder, whey powder, and buttermilk powder), soft drinks (e.g., sports drinks, ades such as lemonade, and fruit-flavored drinks), carbonated beverages, jelly drinks, and grain beverages. (For example, grain drinks made primarily from rice, soy milk, or almonds, etc.), tea-based drinks (for example, black tea, oolong tea, green tea, dark tea, matcha, jasmine tea, rosehip tea, chamomile tea, roasted green tea, as well as blended teas (grains such as Job's tears, barley, brown rice, soybeans, and corn, persimmon leaves, loquat leaves, bear bamboo, Gynostemma pentaphyllum, Angelica keiskei, Houttuynia cordata leaves, kelp, safflower, shiitake mushrooms, lychees, etc.)), coffee drinks, powdered drinks (for example, Examples include cocoa, green juice, etc.), alcoholic beverages (for example, beer, beer-flavored beverages such as happoshu, fruit wine, brewed alcoholic beverages such as sake, distilled alcoholic beverages such as shochu, whiskey, brandy, and spirits, mixed alcoholic beverages such as liqueurs in which secondary ingredients such as sugars are mixed with distilled alcoholic beverages, and cocktails, fizz, chuhai, etc. in which fruit juice, flavorings, emulsified flavorings (flavoring preparations in which oil-soluble flavorings are emulsified so as to be stably dispersed in water), carbon dioxide, etc. are added to these alcoholic beverages. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0052] [2] How to improve the fruit juice The method for improving fruit juice flavor of the present invention is a method for improving fruit juice flavor in a beverage having a fruit juice content of more than 0% by mass and less than 5% by mass, Juice content M FJ (mass%), The acetic acid content is M AA (mass%), M AAMore than 0 mass% and 0.25 mass% or less, and M AA and M FJ Ratio to (M AA / M FJ ) to 0.02 or more. AA / M FJ An adjustment process is provided.

[0053] That is, as described above, M is used to obtain the low acetic acid content fruit juice beverage of the present invention. AA and M FJ Adjust M AA / M FJ The adjustment process is carried out to improve the fruit juice feeling, and to adjust the amount of fruit juice, acetic acid, and M AA Range of M FJ Range of M AA / M FJ The range etc. is as described above. M AA / M FJ The adjustment step may be carried out in any manner, and the method is not limited thereto. For example, the adjustment can be made by adding acetic acid. In this case, the acetic acid used is not limited, and may be a food additive (for example, commercially available acetic acid, acetate (sodium acetate, etc.)), or vinegar. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. AA / M FJ The preparation step can include blending vinegar. Among vinegars, fruit vinegar can be preferably used, and apple vinegar can also be preferably used, as described above.

[0054] In this method, M AA / M FJ In addition to the adjustment process, as will be described later, AA / M FJ Other adjustment processes other than the adjustment process (M Fru / M AA Adjustment process, M Glu / M Fru Adjustment process, M MA / M AA Adjustment process, M GA / M AA These other adjustment processes may be used alone or in combination of two or more.AA / M FJ The adjustment step and the other adjustment step may be carried out separately or simultaneously. AA / M FJ This may include cases where one or more adjustments in an adjustment step and adjustments in other adjustment steps are concurrently fulfilled.

[0055] The method for improving the fruit juice feeling of the present invention is to reduce the fructose content to M Fru (mass%), M Fru and M AA Ratio to (M Fru / M AA ) to 3 or moreM Fru / M AA An adjustment step may be provided. Here, fructose, M Fru Range of M Fru / M AA The range of M is as described above. Fru / M AA The preparation step may be carried out in any manner, and the method is not limited thereto. For example, the preparation can be carried out by adding fructose. In this case, the fructose used is not limited, and may be natural fructose derived from fruit or fruit juice, refined fructose, or fructose contained in sugar raw materials such as high fructose corn syrup. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0056] The method for improving the fruit juice feeling of the present invention is to increase the glucose content by M Glu (mass%), M Glu and M Fru Ratio to (M Glu / M Fru ) to 0.75 or lessM Glu / M Fru An adjustment step may be provided. Here, glucose, M Glu Range of M Glu / M Fru The range of M is as described above. Glu / M FruThe adjustment step may be carried out in any manner, and the method is not limited thereto. For example, the adjustment can be made by blending fructose or glucose. Since it is preferable that the glucose content is low relative to the fructose, the adjustment is preferably made by blending fructose. The fructose or glucose used is not limited, and may be natural fructose or glucose derived from fruit or fruit juice, refined fructose or glucose, or fructose or glucose contained in sugar raw materials such as high-fructose glucose syrup. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0057] The method for improving the fruit juice feeling of the present invention is to increase the malic acid content by M MA (mass%), M MA and M AA Ratio to (M MA / M AA ) to 0.02 or moreM MA / M AA An adjustment step may be provided. where malic acid, M MA Range of M MA / M AA The range of M is as described above. MA / M AA The adjustment step may be carried out in any manner, and the method is not limited thereto. For example, the adjustment can be made by adding malic acid. In this case, the malic acid used is not limited, and it may be natural malic acid derived from fruits or fruit juice, malic acid derived from a fermented product (vinegar (fruit vinegar), etc.), or refined malic acid. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. The content of malic acid can also be adjusted by fermentation. It can also be adjusted by adding acetic acid. In this case, the acetic acid used is not limited, and it may be a food additive (for example, commercially available acetic acid, acetate (sodium acetate, etc.)), or vinegar. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. M MA / M AA The preparation step can include the operation of blending vinegar. In this case, only one type of vinegar may be blended, or two or more types of vinegar with different raw materials and fermentation conditions may be blended and the blending ratio may be adjusted to obtain M. MA / M AA Furthermore, as mentioned above, fruit vinegar can be preferably used among vinegars, and apple cider vinegar can also be preferably used.

[0058] The method for improving the fruit juice feeling of the present invention is to increase the content of gluconic acid to M GA (mass%), M GA and M AA Ratio to (M GA / M AA ) to 0.003 or moreM GA / M AA An adjustment step may be provided. where gluconic acid, M GA Range of M GA / M AA The range of M is as described above. GA / M AA The adjustment step may be carried out in any manner, and the method is not limited thereto. For example, the adjustment can be made by adding gluconic acid. In this case, the gluconic acid used is not limited, and may be natural gluconic acid derived from fruits or fruit juice, gluconic acid derived from a fermented product (vinegar (fruit vinegar), etc.), or purified gluconic acid. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. The gluconic acid content can also be adjusted by fermentation. The acidity can also be adjusted by adding acetic acid. In this case, there are no limitations on the type of acetic acid used, and it may be a food additive (for example, commercially available acetic acid, acetate (sodium acetate, etc.)), or vinegar. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. GA / M AA The preparation step can include the operation of blending vinegar. In this case, only one type of vinegar may be blended, or two or more types of vinegar with different raw materials and fermentation conditions may be blended and the blending ratio may be adjusted to obtain M. GA / M AA Furthermore, as mentioned above, fruit vinegar can be preferably used among vinegars, and apple cider vinegar can also be preferably used. [Example]

[0059] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples. However, these examples are merely examples shown for the convenience of explanation, and the present invention is not limited to these examples in any sense.

[0060] The sensory inspectors described below were selected using the following selection method. That is, after undergoing prior training in discrimination of food taste, texture, appearance, etc., inspectors with particularly excellent records, experience in product development, ample knowledge of food quality such as taste, texture, and appearance, and the ability to make absolute evaluations of each sensory inspection item were selected. Specifically, the following discrimination tests (discrimination training) (A) to (C) were conducted. (A) A taste quality discrimination test to distinguish samples of each of the five tastes (sweetness: the taste of sugar, sourness: the taste of tartaric acid, umami: the taste of monosodium glutamate, saltiness: the taste of sodium chloride, bitterness: the taste of caffeine) from a total of seven samples, including five samples of one type of aqueous solution with concentrations close to the threshold of each component, and two samples of one type of distilled water only. (B) Concentration difference discrimination test to accurately distinguish the differences in concentration between five slightly different saline solutions and an acetic acid solution. (C) A three-point discrimination test to accurately identify soy sauce made by company B from a total of three soy sauce samples: two made by company A and one made by company B.

[0061] (1) Preparation of low-acetic acid-containing fruit juice beverage As the fruit juice, strawberry juice (Amaou (registered trademark, variety name: Fukuoka S6) as the strawberry), grape juice (Shine Muscat), peach juice (white peach) or pomegranate juice was used, and apple cider vinegar (manufactured by Mitsukan, pure apple cider vinegar) was used as the source of acetic acid and malic acid. The type of fruit juice used is listed in the "Type of fruit juice" column in the table. The content of the fruit juice is also shown as the fruit juice content M FJThe values ​​are shown in mass %. In addition, to adjust the ratio of each component, fructose (refined fructose), high-fructose glucose syrup, malic acid (refined malic acid), and gluconic acid (refined gluconic acid) were used to prepare low-fruit juice, acetic acid-containing beverages of Examples 1-1 to 1-12 and Comparative Examples 1 to 8 (Tables 1 and 2, changes due to the addition of apple cider vinegar), low-fruit juice, acetic acid-containing beverages of Examples 2-1 to 2-16 and Comparative Examples 9 to 12 (Tables 3 and 4, changes due to the addition of fructose and high-fructose glucose syrup), low-fruit juice, acetic acid-containing beverages of Examples 3-1 to 3-6 and Comparative Example 13 (Table 5, changes due to the addition of malic acid), and low-fruit juice, acetic acid-containing beverages of Examples 4-1 to 4-6 and Comparative Example 14 (Table 6, changes due to the addition of gluconic acid). In addition, the peach juice and pomegranate juice in the table are blends of multiple fruit juices as shown below, and the peach juice and pomegranate juice that account for the largest proportions are listed as the juice content M in the table. FJ (% by mass). Peach juice: White peach mixed juice (white peach concentrated juice: apple concentrated juice: plum concentrated juice = 6:1:5) Pomegranate juice: Pomegranate mixed juice (pomegranate concentrate: grape concentrate = 2:1)

[0062] (2) Evaluation of "flavor profile" The "flavor profile" (the effect of making the fruit juice flavor noted for each type of fruit juice in the table more pronounced) was evaluated by 10 sensory panelists who orally ingested 50 ml of each low-fruit juice acetic acid-containing beverage, and compared the results with the oral intake of a control low-fruit juice beverage of the same quality, except that it did not contain acetic acid, from each test group. That is, each sensory panelist selected the number from the criteria listed in Evaluation Criteria 1 below that most closely matched their own evaluation. In addition, if there were any issues noted other than those in the evaluation items, they were noted in the remarks column. The evaluation results were compiled by calculating the arithmetic mean of each score by the 10 sensory panelists, and the value obtained by rounding the arithmetic mean to one decimal place was used as the score, and the results are shown in the corresponding columns in Tables 1 to 6. As a result, as shown in Table 1, M AA and the aforementioned M FJ Ratio to (M AA / M FJIt was found that the taste profile was improved when the ratio of malic acid to gluconic acid was 0.02 or higher. Similar effects were observed when the ratio of malic acid to gluconic acid was changed.

[0063] [Evaluation Criteria 1] 5: The taste profile is much more pronounced compared to the control, greatly improving the fruit juice feel. 4: Compared to the control, the flavor profile is clearly more pronounced and the fruit juice feel is clearly improved. 3: The flavor profile was slightly more pronounced than the control. 2: The taste profile is similar to the control 1: The taste is slightly blurred compared to the control, making it undesirable

[0064] (3) Juiciness The low-fruit juice acetic acid-containing beverages of Examples 1-1 to 1-12 and Comparative Examples 1 to 8 (Tables 1 and 2) were evaluated for "juiciness." The results are shown in the corresponding columns of Tables 1 and 2. The low fruit juice acetic acid content beverages of Examples 2-1 to 2-16 and Comparative Examples 9 to 12 (Tables 3 and 4) were evaluated for "juiciness," and the results are shown in the corresponding columns of Tables 3 and 4. The low fruit juice acetic acid content beverages of Examples 3-1 to 3-6 and Comparative Example 13 (Table 5) were evaluated for "juiciness," and the results are shown in the corresponding columns of Table 5. The low fruit juice acetic acid content beverages of Examples 4-1 to 4-6 and Comparative Example 14 (Table 6) were evaluated for "juiciness." The results are shown in the corresponding columns of Table 6.

[0065] Ten sensory panelists orally ingested 50 ml of each low-fruit juice acetic acid-containing beverage and evaluated the "juiciness." That is, each panelist selected the number that most closely matched their own evaluation from the criteria shown in Evaluation Criteria 2 below. In addition, if there were any issues that were confirmed other than the evaluation items, they wrote it in the remarks column. The evaluation results were compiled by calculating the arithmetic mean of each score by the ten sensory panelists, and the value obtained by rounding the arithmetic mean to the first decimal place was used as the score, and the results are shown in the corresponding columns in Tables 1 to 6. As a result, as shown in Table 1, M Fru and the aforementioned M AA Ratio to (M Fru / M AA It was found that the juiciness improved when the ratio of malic acid to gluconic acid was 3 or higher. The same effect was observed when the ratio of malic acid to gluconic acid was changed.

[0066] [Evaluation Criteria 2] 5: The juiciness is very strong and pleasant. 4: Juicy feeling is slightly strong and preferable 3: Juicy (acceptable) 2: The juiciness is slightly weak, which is undesirable 1: Not very juicy, not desirable

[0067] (4) Creating an “Overall Evaluation” The smaller of the results of "taste profile" evaluated in (2) above and "juiciness" evaluated in (3) above was used as the overall evaluation. In addition, in Comparative Example 4, although both the results of "taste profile" and "juiciness" were "5", as noted in the remarks, there was an item that "acetic acid gives an unnatural feeling", so it was rated as "3". When the fructose content was controlled by replacing the fructose added in Example 2-3 with high fructose glucose liquid sugar, the sweetness seemed flat, which was an undesirable result.

[0068] (5) Evaluation of "aftertaste" The low-fruit juice acetic acid content beverages of Examples 3-1 to 3-6 and Comparative Example 13 (Table 5) were evaluated for "lingering aftertaste." The results are shown in the corresponding columns of Table 5. Ten sensory panelists orally ingested 50 ml of each low-fruit juice acetic acid beverage to evaluate the "lingering aftertaste." Each panelist selected the number that most closely matched their own evaluation from the criteria listed in Evaluation Criteria 3 below. The evaluation results were compiled by calculating the arithmetic mean of the scores given by the ten panelists, and rounding the resulting arithmetic mean to one decimal place to obtain a score. The results are shown in the corresponding column of Table 5. Similar results were obtained when evaluating low-acetic acid-containing beverages made from strawberry juice, peach juice, and pomegranate juice.

[0069] [Evaluation Criteria 3] 5: The aftertaste is very strong and very pleasant. 4: The aftertaste is strong and pleasant. 3: The aftertaste is slightly lingering, but within the acceptable range. 2: No lingering aftertaste, somewhat undesirable 1: No lingering aftertaste at all, not desirable

[0070] (6) Evaluation of "Fresh fruit aroma" The low-fruit juice acetic acid content beverages of Examples 4-1 to 4-6 and Comparative Example 14 (Table 6) were evaluated for "fresh fruit aroma." The results are shown in the corresponding columns of Table 6. Ten sensory panelists orally ingested 50 ml of each low-fruit juice acetic acid-containing beverage to evaluate the "fresh fruit aroma." Each panelist selected the number that most closely matched their own evaluation from the criteria listed in Evaluation Criteria 4 below. The evaluation results were compiled by calculating the arithmetic mean of the scores given by the ten panelists, and rounding the resulting arithmetic mean to one decimal place to obtain a score, which is shown in the corresponding column of Table 6. Similar results were obtained when evaluating low-acetic acid-containing beverages made from strawberry juice, grape juice, and pomegranate juice.

[0071] [Evaluation Criteria 4] 5: The fresh fruit aroma is very noticeable and very pleasant. 4: Fresh fruity aroma is clearly noticeable and pleasant. 3: A slight fresh fruit aroma is detectable, within acceptable limits 2: Not very fresh fruity aroma, not desirable 1: No fresh fruity aroma at all, not desirable.

[0072] [Table 1]

[0073] [Table 2]

[0074] [Table 3]

[0075] [Table 4]

[0076] [Table 5]

[0077] [Table 6]

[0078] The foregoing examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is understood that the language used in describing and illustrating the invention is descriptive and exemplary, rather than limiting. As detailed herein, changes may be made within the purview of the appended claims without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention in its form. While the description of the invention has referred to specific structures, materials, and examples, it is not intended that the invention be limited to the disclosure set forth herein; rather, the invention is intended to cover all functionally equivalent structures, methods, and uses within the scope of the appended claims. [Industrial Applicability]

[0079] The present invention can be suitably used in the food industry, cooking industry, and the like.

Claims

1. Juice content M ＦＪ (mass%), The acetic acid content is M ＡＡ (mass%), Fructose content M Ｆｒｕ (mass%), When the glucose content is M Glu (mass%), Said M ＦＪ is more than 0 mass% and less than 5 mass%, Said M ＡＡ is more than 0 mass% and 0.25 mass% or less, Said M ＡＡ and the aforementioned M ＦＪ Ratio to (M ＡＡ / M ＦＪ ) is 0.02 or more, Said M Ｆｒｕ and the ratio of MAA (M Ｆｒｕ / MAA) is 3 or more, The low-fruit juice acetic acid-containing beverage has a ratio of M Glu to M Fru (M Glu / M Fru ) of 0.35 or less.

2. A method for improving the fruit juice flavor in a beverage having a fruit juice content of more than 0% by mass and less than 5% by mass, comprising: The content of the fruit juice is M FJ (mass%), The content of acetic acid is M AA (mass%), The fructose content is M Fru (mass%), When the glucose content is M Glu (mass%), an M AA / M FJ adjustment step of adjusting the M AA to more than 0 mass % and 0.25 mass % or less and adjusting the ratio of the M AA to the M FJ (M AA / M FJ ) to 0.02 or more; an M Fru / M AA adjustment step of adjusting the ratio of M Fru to M AA (M Fru / M AA ) to 3 or more; The method for improving the fruit juice feel includes an M Glu / M Fru adjustment step of adjusting the ratio of M Glu to M Fru (M Glu / M Fru) to 0.35 or less, thereby accentuating the taste contours of the acetic acid-containing beverage and improving the fruit juice feel.

3. Malic acid content is M ＭＡ (mass%), Said M ＭＡ and the aforementioned M ＡＡ Ratio to (M ＭＡ / M ＡＡ 2. The low-acetic acid content fruit juice beverage according to claim 1, wherein the % acetic acid content of the beverage is 0.02 or more.

4. The gluconic acid content is M ＧＡ (mass%), Said M ＧＡ and the aforementioned M ＡＡ Ratio to (M ＧＡ / M ＡＡ 2. The low-acetic acid content fruit juice beverage according to claim 1, wherein the % acetic acid content of the beverage is 0.003 or more.

5. The low-acetic acid content fruit juice beverage according to claim 1, which contains vinegar.

6. The low-acetic acid content fruit juice beverage according to claim 5, wherein the vinegar is fruit vinegar.

7. 2. The low-acetic acid content fruit juice beverage according to claim 1, wherein the fruit juice comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of strawberry juice, grape juice, peach juice, and pomegranate juice.

8. Malic acid content is M ＭＡ (mass%), Said M ＭＡ and the aforementioned M ＡＡ Ratio to (M ＭＡ / M ＡＡ ) to 0.02 or more. ＭＡ / M ＡＡ The method for enhancing fruit juice flavor according to claim 2, further comprising an adjustment step.

9. The gluconic acid content is M ＧＡ (mass%), Said M ＧＡ and the aforementioned M ＡＡ Ratio to (M ＧＡ / M ＡＡ ) is adjusted to 0.003 or more. ＧＡ / M ＡＡ The method for enhancing fruit juice flavor according to claim 2, further comprising an adjustment step.

10. Said M ＡＡ / M ＦＪ The method for enhancing the fruit juice flavor according to claim 2 , wherein the adjusting step includes blending vinegar into the beverage.

11. The method for improving the fruit juice flavor according to claim 10, wherein the vinegar is fruit vinegar.

12. 3. The method for enhancing a fruit juice flavor according to claim 2, wherein the fruit juice comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of strawberry juice, grape juice, peach juice, and pomegranate juice.

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