Methods for improving the flavor of beverages containing acidic ingredients

Abstract

To provide a sour component-containing beverage which contains a sour component in large quantities but is easy to drink since irritation of the throat and astringency peculiar to the sour component are alleviated and a mild feeling is imparted thereto.SOLUTION: Hotrienol of less than 0.07-2.0 ppm is added to a beverage with a citric acid acidity of 0.09-2.0%.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for improving the flavor of a beverage containing an acid component and a beverage containing an acid component.

Background Art

[0002] Organic acids such as citric acid and L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) are widely used as acid components in beverages such as citrus beverages, sports drinks, and foods with functional claims. For example, beverages fortified with citric acid or L-ascorbic acid are marketed in various forms with expectations of health and beauty effects. When these beverages are excessively blended with acid components for enhancing health and beauty effects, the strong acidity may cause discomfort in swallowing and difficulty in drinking. As a countermeasure, generally, a method of adding sweetness such as sugar to relieve the strong acidity is used, but as other solutions, methods of adding various components have been proposed. For example, methods for masking or alleviating the acidity of citric acid or organic acids by adding high-intensity sweeteners (Patent Document 1), sodium succinate or sodium fumarate (Patent Document 2), or glutamine (Patent Document 3), a method for masking vinegar or the like with hyaluronic acid (Patent Document 4), and a method for adjusting the acidity by adjusting the sodium of ascorbic acid in a beverage containing vitamin C and lemon juice (Patent Document 5) have been disclosed.

[0003] On the other hand, it is described in Non-Patent Documents 1 to 3 that photolignol is contained in large amounts in black tea and high-grade oolong tea. Further, Patent Document 6 discloses a method for imparting a natural and natural aroma by adding 3,7-dimethyl-1,5(E),7-octatriene-3-ol (photolignol), which is an aroma component, to a beverage as a fragrance composition, and Patent Document 7 discloses a tea beverage containing photolignol and ascorbic acids as a tea beverage in which photolignol is retained even after heating. Furthermore, as physiological function effects of photolignol, an autonomic nerve regulation effect (Patent Document 8) and a sleep improvement effect (Patent Document 9) have been disclosed.

Prior Art Documents

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-215793 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-261395 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-254804 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-123291 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-42833 [Patent Document 6] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-192073 [Patent Document 7] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-089641 [Patent Document 8] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-163248 [Patent Document 9] International Publication No. 2020 / 059080 Brochure [Non-patent literature]

[0005] [Non-Patent Document 1] "Chemical Components and Functions of Tea," Kogaku Publishing, published January 30, 2002, p. 49 [Non-Patent Document 2] ACS Symposium Series Vol.988,2008 Food Flavor Capter 8,p87-97 [Non-Patent Document 3] J.Agric.Food Chem.1995,43,p200-207 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] The strong acidity of acidic components can make beverages unpleasant to drink and difficult to swallow. Conventional methods, such as adding high-intensity sweeteners, sodium succinate or sodium fumarate, glutamine, or hyaluronic acid, have the problem that their unique flavors alter the taste of the beverage itself. Furthermore, while adding a lot of sugar to reduce acidity and make the beverage easier to drink does reduce the perceived intensity of the acidity, it fails to alleviate the unpleasant throat irritation and astringency characteristic of acidic components. Moreover, it alters the flavor of the beverage containing the acidic components, making it insufficient to obtain a beverage that both suppresses unpleasantness and preserves the original flavor.

[0007] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a beverage containing acidic components that retains the original flavor of the beverage while alleviating the unpleasant sensation of throat irritation and astringency characteristic of acidic components, thereby providing a milder and easier-to-drink beverage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The inventors of the present invention have discovered that by adding photorenol, it is possible to reduce the unpleasantness characteristic of acidic components while retaining the flavor of the beverage itself, thereby obtaining an easy-to-drink beverage with a milder taste, and have completed the present invention. In other words, the present invention is as follows: [1] A method for improving the flavor of a beverage containing an acidic component having a citrate acidity of 0.09 to 2.0%, characterized by the addition of fotrienol. [2] A beverage characterized by containing less than 0.07 to 2.0 ppm of fotrienol in a beverage having a citrate acidity of 0.09 to 2.0%. [3] The beverage according to claim 2, characterized in that it contains an organic acid. [4] The beverage according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the organic acid is L-ascorbic acid, citric acid, malic acid, or tartaric acid, and contains 0.1 to 5.5% by mass of one or more of these. [5] A beverage according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the sweetness level is 8 or less. [6] The beverage according to any one or more of claims 2 to 5, wherein the beverage is a bottled beverage. [7] A powdered beverage to be mixed with an aqueous medium and drunk, having a citric acid acidity of 0.09 to 2.0% at the time of drinking, less than 0.7 to 1.3 ppm of photolignanol, 1 to 20% by mass of an acid component, and containing saccharides.

Advantages of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, by blending photolignanol into a beverage having a citric acid acidity of 0.09 to 2.0%, the flavor of the beverage containing an acid component can be improved. Specifically, it is possible to alleviate the unpleasant feeling such as a prickly feeling and astringency felt in the throat, which are unique to the acid component, and impart a mild feeling. In addition, since the flavor of the beverage containing the acid component can be maintained as it is, it does not affect the taste quality and flavor balance of the beverage itself.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail. In the present invention, "ppm" and "%" indicate the concentration per mass. Further, the numerical range of "lower limit value to upper limit value" means a numerical unit of "not less than the lower limit value and not more than the upper limit value" unless otherwise specified.

[0011] The flavor improving method according to the present invention is used for a beverage containing an acid component having a citric acid acidity of 0.09 to 2.0%, and by adding photolignanol, the flavor (for example, appropriate acidity and briskness) of the beverage containing the acid component is maintained, and the unpleasant feeling (hereinafter also referred to as unpleasant feeling), which is a prickly feeling and astringency felt in the throat peculiar to the acid component, is reduced, and a mild feeling is imparted.

[0012] The unpleasant feeling referred to in the present invention is a strong acidity accompanied by an unpleasant feeling felt when drinking an acid component, and specifically refers to a prickly feeling felt through the throat (also referred to as a prickly feeling in the throat) and astringency. As used in the present invention, the term "mildness" means reducing discomfort and having a mild or mellow taste on the palate and when passing through the throat. Having a strong or excellent mildness means reducing discomfort and sufficiently increasing the mildness.

[0013] The acid component-containing beverage in the present invention is a beverage in which phototrienol is blended into a beverage obtained by adjusting the citric acid acidity to 0.09 to 2.0%. The beverage of the present invention may be in a liquid state (also referred to as a liquid beverage in this specification) or a solid such as a powder (also referred to as a powder beverage in this specification).

[0014] The citric acid acidity as used in the present invention means the percentage of the amount of anhydrous citric acid converted, measured and calculated by a neutral titration method by manual titration or automatic titration, according to the measurement method shown in the "Japanese Agricultural and Forestry Standards for Fruit Beverages". The beverage of the present invention exhibits the effects of phototrienol in a beverage having a citric acid acidity of 0.09 to 2.0%. Preferably, in the range where the citric acid acidity is 0.1 to 1.5%, more preferably 0.5 to 1.0%, an effect of improving the flavor of phototrienol can be obtained. Within this range, by adding phototrienol, even in a beverage with a very strong sour taste, a mildness is imparted, making it easier to drink.

[0015] The acid component in the acid component-containing beverage in the present invention is specifically an organic acid, and is not particularly limited as long as it is used for food. For example, L-ascorbic acid, citric acid, malic acid, L-tartaric acid, acetic acid, sodium acetate, formic acid, citric acid, succinic acid, D-gluconic acid, glucono-lactone, lactic acid, phosphoric acid can be mentioned. Particularly, L-ascorbic acid, citric acid, malic acid, and L-tartaric acid are preferred. One or two or more of these organic acids can be mixed and used. In addition, fruit juices, vegetable juices, and brewed vinegars can be used as ingredients containing organic acids. Examples of fruit and vegetable juices containing organic acids include lemon, orange, lime, grapefruit, yuzu, grape, pear, apple, kiwi, pineapple, strawberry, acerola, tomato, and hibiscus. Examples of brewed vinegars include black vinegar, plum vinegar, and apple cider vinegar. These ingredients can be selected in powder or liquid form depending on the beverage they are used in, and one or more of these ingredients can be used in combination. The amount of acidic component should be adjusted to achieve a predetermined citrate acidity, with a concentration in the beverage being 0.09 to 5.5% by mass, preferably 0.2 to 2.0% by mass, and more preferably 0.3 to 1.5% by mass. Within this range, the refreshing taste of the acidic component is maintained while the effect of adding a mildness to beverages containing the acidic component of fotrienol is easily achieved.

[0016] The photorenol used in this invention is a monoterpene alcohol compound with the chemical formula C10H16O and CAS registry number 20053-88-7. Photorenol has an asymmetric carbon at position 3 and exists as two optically active forms: 3R-(-)-3,7-dimethyl-1,5(E),7-trien-3-ol (hereinafter referred to as the 3R-(-) form) and 3S-(+)-3,7-dimethyl-1,5(E),7-trien-3-ol (hereinafter referred to as the 3S-(+) form). The photorenol used in this invention may be the 3R-(-) form, the 3S-(+) form, a mixture thereof, or a racemic mixture.

[0017] The photorenol of the present invention may be extracted from natural products such as fermented tea, chemically synthesized, or semi-synthesized by chemically treating an extract from natural products such as fermented tea. In the case of an extract from a natural product, the extract containing photorenol can be used as is or after operations such as concentration. The extract can be separated and purified by operations such as distillation or column chromatography to isolate and purify the photorenol, or to use a fraction containing other components. The resulting fotrienol or fraction containing fotrienol can be formulated as appropriate for the purpose and used to improve flavor. The fotrienol-containing composition may also contain organic solvents such as ethanol. Food-safe stabilizers may also be added. Furthermore, shelf life can be improved by lowering the oxygen concentration in the air by nitrogen purging or other means and then freezing the product. The form of fotrienol added to beverages in this invention may be powder, granules, or liquid. When added to liquid beverages, it is preferable to dissolve the fotrienol concentrate in ethanol and then dissolve it in water as needed to form an aqueous solution. When added to powdered beverages, it may be in powder, granule, or liquid form, with powder form being particularly preferred. In the case of powder form, any excipient that can be used as a food product may be selected, such as dextrin or lactose.

[0018] In the beverage of the present invention, the amount of fotrienol added is less than 0.07 to 2.0 ppm at the time of consumption, preferably 0.1 to 1.5 ppm, and more preferably 0.4 to 1.3 ppm. Within this range, in a beverage with a citric acidity of 0.09 to 2.0%, the unpleasantness of the acidic component is reduced, and a mild beverage can be obtained. If the fotrienol is less than 0.07 ppm, the unpleasant acidity remains, making it difficult to swallow. Furthermore, if it is 2.0 ppm or higher, only the unique green aroma of fotrienol stands out, disrupting the balance of the flavor of the beverage itself, which is undesirable. For liquid beverages, the amount of fotrienol should be adjusted so that the concentration falls within the above range at the time of consumption. If the beverage is to be diluted before consumption, the amount of fotrienol should be adjusted according to the dilution concentration. The method of adding fotrienol should be the same as that used for regular liquid beverages. In powdered beverages, the amount of photorenol added is less than 0.07 to 2.0 ppm after dissolution in 10 to 15 times the amount of water or other aqueous solvent, preferably 0.1 to 1.5 ppm, and more preferably 0.4 to 1.3 ppm. Any method can be used to mix the photorenol into the powdered beverage of the present invention, as long as it can be mixed uniformly with other powders. Examples include stirring and mixing with a ribbon mixer, tumbling mixing with a container blender, and fluid bed granulation, but it is possible to appropriately select any known method suitable for producing the instant powdered beverage of the present invention, and the invention is not limited to these.

[0019] In this invention, the fotrienol added as described above can be dissolved in an aqueous medium to an appropriate concentration, and its content in the powder can be measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. When the fotrienol added within the effective range described above in this invention was measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, the detected amount was 1 ppb to 20,000 ppb. Specific examples of the analysis method are shown in the examples described later.

[0020] The present invention provides a beverage with a citric acid content of 0.09 to 2.0% and a sweetness level of 6 or less at the time of consumption. By adding fotrienol to this beverage at a concentration of less than 0.07 to 2.0 ppm at the time of consumption, the unpleasantness of the acidic components is suppressed, the mildness is increased, and the beverage becomes pleasant to the palate. Furthermore, the sweetness level of the beverage of the present invention is preferably between 1 and 8, and more preferably between 2 and 6. Within this range, in a beverage containing citric acid with an acidity level of 0.09 to 2.0%, the flavor of the beverage itself remains unchanged, while the effect of adding mildness by photorenol can be achieved. On the other hand, if the sweetness level exceeds 8, only the sweetness is emphasized, and the flavor of the beverage containing the acidity component changes.

[0021] In this invention, sweetness level is an index representing the sweetness of a beverage, with the sweetness level of a beverage containing 1g of sucrose in 100g of beverage at the time of consumption set to "1". The sweetness level of the beverage is determined by converting the content of each sweetening component to the equivalent amount of sucrose based on the relative ratio of the sweetness of that sweetening component to the sweetness level of sucrose (1), and then summing up the sucrose equivalent amounts of all sweetening components contained in the beverage (including sweetening components derived from fruit juice, extracts, etc.). The sweetness levels of sugars, low-sweetness sweeteners, and high-sweetness sweeteners, when the sweetness level of sucrose is set to 1, are based on the description in Kenji Maebashi, Basic Knowledge of Sweetness, Japan Brewing Association (2011) No. 106, No. 12, pp. 818-825 (https: / / www.jstage.jst.go.jp / article / jbrewsocjapan / 106 / 12 / 106_818 / _pdf). According to this, for example, glucose is 0.64-0.74, fructose is 1.15-1.73, sucrose is 1.0, lactose is 0.15, acesulfame K is 200, sucralose is 600, and aspartame is 200. In this invention, sweeteners such as sugar, fructose-glucose syrup, glucose, galactose, mannose, fructose, lactose, sucrose, maltose, glycogen, and starch can be used. As high-intensity sweeteners, for example, acesulfame K, sucralose, aspartame, and stevia can be used. These sweeteners may also be used in mixtures.

[0022] The beverage of the present invention may have fruit juice added to it. The fruit juice can be blended so that the citric acid content is between 0.09% and 2.0%, and powdered or liquid fruit juice can be used as appropriate depending on the beverage, such as powdered fruit juice or concentrated fruit juice. Examples include lemon, orange, lime, grapefruit, yuzu, peach, grape, pear, apple, kiwi, pineapple, mango, and strawberry, and mixtures of two or more of these are also acceptable.

[0023] The beverage of the present invention may contain colorants, nutritional supplements, polyphenols, amino acids, antioxidants, and the like, which are commonly used in beverages, to the extent that the desired effects of the present invention are not inhibited. In addition, in the case of powdered beverages, additives such as silicon dioxide, fine silicon dioxide, or tricalcium phosphate can be used as fluidity improvers.

[0024] The beverage in this invention can be in liquid or powder form. The liquid beverage of the present invention can be a ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage in a container, or a portion type that is diluted with water, hot water, or carbonated water before consumption. The powder beverage can be a powder or granule that is dissolved and diluted in an aqueous medium such as cold water, hot water, or carbonated water before consumption, or a tablet made by molding powder into a lump. The powdered beverage of the present invention contains sugars in addition to acidic components and powdered fruit juice. From the viewpoint of flavor, it is preferable that the powdered beverage contains 50% or more by weight, preferably 60% or more by weight, of the total amount of sugars. The upper limit is preferably 98% by weight. Here, sugars include monosaccharides such as glucose and fructose, disaccharides such as sucrose, maltose and lactose, granulated sugar, palatinose, trehalose, oligosaccharides, sugar alcohols, and other water-soluble components that exhibit sweetness. Furthermore, it is preferable that the acidic component of the powdered beverage of the present invention be blended in an amount of 1.0% by weight or more and 20.0% by weight or less, and particularly 5.0% by weight or more and 15.0% by weight or more, relative to the powdered beverage.

[0025] When beverages are packaged, the containers include plastic bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), metal cans made of steel or aluminum, glass bottles, paper containers, etc. Among these, beverages filled in transparent containers such as PET bottles are preferred. The filling and sterilization of the beverages into the containers can be carried out by conventional methods. These require a sterilization process by heat treatment and hygienic container filling. Sterilization should be carried out under the sterilization conditions specified in the Food Sanitation Act, and plastic bottles such as PET bottles, cans, glass bottles, and paper cartons should be used as packaging containers. Depending on the container, hot pack filling or aseptic filling may be performed. When the beverage of the present invention is to be a liquid beverage, it can be manufactured by blending organic acids, phytoenols, and other auxiliary materials so that each component reaches a predetermined concentration, and then performing the aforementioned sterilization and container filling.

[0026] For powdered beverages, the packaging method may involve dispensing the desired amount from a bulk packaging container using a spoon, but individual packaging of one serving using stick packaging or three-sided seal packaging is preferable for maintaining quality. As packaging material, laminated products combining resin material and aluminum foil are preferable for maintaining quality. When the beverage of the present invention is made into a powdered beverage, it can be manufactured by mixing acidic components, photrienol-containing materials, and other auxiliary materials so that the component content reaches a predetermined concentration in the drinking state, granulating as necessary, and filling into the aforementioned packaging material. It is also possible to use powdered beverages packaged in large quantities, such as aluminum bags, in cup-type vending machines or dispensers.

[0027] The beverage of the present invention can be used, for example, as a functional food, having been given the functionality of fotrienol as described in Patent Documents 8 and 9. [Examples]

[0028] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples. However, the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0029] <Method of Analyzing Fotrienols> The beverage obtained in the present invention was appropriately diluted. 10 mL of the diluted solution and 3 g of sodium chloride were placed in a 20 mL vial, and cycloheptanol (manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) was added as an internal standard substance so that the final concentration became 50 ppb. This sample solution was subjected to GC / MS analysis using the solid phase microextraction method (Solid Phase Micro Extraction: SPME) under the following conditions. For the evaluation, the ratio of the peak area of photolignanol to the peak area of the internal standard substance was used. <SPME-GC / MS Conditions> GC:TRACE GC ULTRA (manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific) MS:TSQ QUANTUM XLS (manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific) SPME fiber: 50 / 30μm Divinylbenzene / Carboxen / Polydimethylsiloxane Stableflex Extraction: 60°C, 30 minutes Column: SUPELCO WAX10 (0.25 mm I.D.×60 m×0.25μm, manufactured by Sigma-Aldrich) Oven program: Held at 40°C for 2 minutes, then heated to 100°C at 3°C / min, heated to 200°C at 5°C / min, heated to 240°C at 8°C / min, and held at 240°C for 8 minutes Carrier gas: Helium (100 kPa, constant pressure) Injector: Split (split flow 10 mL / min), 240°C Ionization: Electron ionization Ionization voltage: 70 eV Measurement mode: Scan Monitoring ion: Photolignanol; m / z = 71

[0030] <Method for Measuring Citric Acid Acidity> The citrate acidity was measured using a potentiometric automatic titrator AT-710 (manufactured by Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd.). The measurement was performed according to the manual provided with the instrument. The sample was appropriately diluted so that the titration volume with 0.1N-NaOH was 1 to 10 mL, and the sample was automatically titrated with 0.1N-NaOH with pH 8.1 as the neutralization endpoint. From this titration volume, the amount of citrate per unit mass of the sample was calculated as mass % and defined as the citrate acidity.

[0031] <Sensory Evaluation Method> The sensory evaluation was conducted by five expert panelists trained in identifying flavors and off-odors, as well as their concentrations. The scores from the five panelists were averaged. Among the evaluation items, the unpleasantness of sourness was assessed by evaluating throat irritation (poor throat feel) and astringency. Sensory evaluation was conducted using the rating method according to the evaluation criteria in Table 1. Stronger throat irritation and astringency were rated as +, and weaker as -, and these were scored. Furthermore, the mildness of the acidity was evaluated using sensory perception according to the evaluation criteria in Table 2. A test example without added aroma components (such as photorenols) was used as the control. If the mildness of the acidity was equivalent to the control, it was evaluated as 0; if it was stronger, it was rated as +; and if it was weaker, it was rated as -, and these scores were assigned accordingly. In addition, we compiled comments from the evaluation panelists and extracted representative comments.

[0032] [Table 1]

[0033] [Table 2]

[0034] <Test Example 1> Flavor Evaluation of L-Ascorbic Acid First, the flavor of L-ascorbic acid was evaluated. L-ascorbic acid (manufactured by DSM) was added to deionized water at room temperature to a predetermined concentration, and a sensory evaluation was performed according to the criteria in Table 1. As a result, as shown in Table 3, unpleasant tastes derived from L-ascorbic acid, such as throat irritation and astringency, were observed when the L-ascorbic acid concentration during ingestion was 0.25-1.0% (citric acid acidity of 0.09% or higher).

[0035] [Table 3]

[0036] <Test Example 2> Flavor evaluation when sugar is added Next, sensory evaluations were conducted according to the criteria in Table 1 for aqueous solutions prepared to have a drinking concentration of 1.0% L-ascorbic acid (citric acidity 0.36%), to which granulated sugar was added to achieve a sweetness level of 0 to 10.0. The results of the sensory evaluation are shown in Table 4. Furthermore, photrienol was added to these solutions, and the mildness and unpleasantness were evaluated according to the criteria in Tables 1 and 2. As shown in Table 4, it was confirmed that within the typical sweetness range for liquid and powdered beverages, simply adding sweetener (sugar) did not improve unpleasant sensations (throat irritation or astringency). At a sweetness level of 10.0, while the throat irritation and astringency were less noticeable, some remained, and the beverage was too sweet to be suitable. When fotrienol (1% fotrienol-containing liquid flavoring (ethanol solution)) was added to Comparative Examples 2-1 to 2-4 at the concentrations shown in Table 4 (Test Examples 2-1 to 2-4), it was found that unpleasantness was suppressed and the mildness increased compared to the samples without fotrienol. In particular, in the sweetness range of 2 to 8, the refreshing acidity was maintained, and a beverage with a sufficiently noticeable acidity was obtained. The mildness of the acidity was evaluated according to the criteria in Table 2, with Comparative Examples 2-1 to 2-5 each used as controls.

[0037] [Table 4]

[0038] <Test Example 3> Confirmation of effects based on the type of fragrance component In Test Example 2, we compared and evaluated linalool and geraniol, representative terpene aroma components to which fotrienol, whose flavor-improving effect was confirmed, belong, for their effects in imparting a mild feeling and suppressing unpleasant sensations (throat irritation and astringency). An aqueous solution of L-ascorbic acid was prepared to a concentration of 1.0% (citric acid acidity 0.36%) at the time of drinking. To this solution, 40 ppm each of 1% fotrienol-containing liquid fragrance (ethanol solution), linalool liquid fragrance (manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), and geraniol liquid fragrance (manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) were added to achieve a fragrance component concentration of 0.4 ppm at the time of drinking. Sensory evaluation was then conducted according to the criteria in Tables 1 and 2. Mildness was evaluated using Comparative Example 3, which did not contain any added fragrance components, as a control. The results are shown in Table 5. As a result, as shown in Table 5, among the added aroma components, it was confirmed that fotrienol was superior to other aroma components in its effect of mellowing the acidity derived from L-ascorbic acid and suppressing unpleasant sensations. Furthermore, it was confirmed that linalool and geraniol, which have a similar structure to fotrienol, altered the flavor of the beverage due to their more prominent aromas. On the other hand, in the case of the beverage with added fotrienol, the original flavor of the beverage itself, in this case the refreshing flavor of the acidic component, was retained while unpleasant sensations were suppressed and a milder feeling was added. In other words, it was confirmed that the effect of the present invention observed with fotrienol is unique to fotrienol.

[0039] [Table 5]

[0040] <Test Example 4> Amount of photrienol added An aqueous solution containing 1.0% L-ascorbic acid (0.36% citrate acidity) was prepared for consumption. A 1% fotrienol-containing liquid fragrance (ethanol solution) was added at a concentration of 0.4–2.0 ppm for consumption, and sensory evaluation was conducted according to the criteria in Table 2. Mildness was evaluated using Comparative Example 4, which did not contain any added fragrance components, as a control. Unpleasant sensations (throat irritation, astringent taste) were noted in the comments. As a result, as shown in Table 6, at fotrienol concentrations of 0.4 to 2.0 ppm during consumption, the effect of suppressing unpleasant sensations derived from L-ascorbic acid and imparting a milder feel was confirmed. In particular, at fotrienol concentrations of 0.40 to 1.6 ppm, the aroma of fotrienol was less noticeable, confirming that a milder feel could be imparted without affecting the flavor of the beverage itself.

[0041] [Table 6]

[0042] <Test Example 5> Confirmation of the effects of each acidic component (L-ascorbic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid) Aqueous solutions were prepared by adding L-ascorbic acid, citric acid (manufactured by Fuso Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), malic acid (manufactured by Iwata Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), and tartaric acid (manufactured by Iwata Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) so that their concentrations at the time of consumption were 1.0%, 0.36%, 0.38%, and 0.43% respectively (all with a citrate acidity of 0.36% at the time of consumption). 40 ppm of a 1% fotrienol-containing liquid fragrance (ethanol solution) was added to achieve a fotrienol concentration of 0.4 ppm at the time of consumption, and sensory evaluation was conducted according to the criteria in Table 2. Sensory evaluation was conducted using comparative examples 5-1 to 5-4, which did not contain photrienol, as controls. Any unpleasant sensations (throat irritation, astringent taste) were noted in the comments. As a result, as shown in Table 7, it was confirmed that fotrienol has the effect of mellowing the sourness and suppressing unpleasantness not only with L-ascorbic acid, but also with all of the representative organic acids: citric acid, malic acid, and tartaric acid. From these results, it was confirmed that the present invention is effective against the sourness of organic acids in general.

[0043] [Table 7]

[0044] <Test Example 6> Confirmation of the effect of fotrienol at citrate acidity levels of 0.1-0.4% Aqueous solutions were prepared so that the citric acid concentration at the time of consumption was 0.1-0.4% (citric acidity 0.1-0.4%). To these solutions, 40 ppm of a 1% fotrienol-containing liquid fragrance (ethanol solution) was added so that the fotrienol concentration at the time of consumption was 0.4 ppm. Sensory evaluation was then conducted according to the criteria in Table 2. Sensory evaluation was conducted using comparative examples 6-1 to 6-4, which did not contain added aroma components, as controls. Any unpleasant sensations (throat irritation, astringent taste) were noted in the comments. As a result, as shown in Table 8, at citric acid concentrations of 0.1-0.4% during consumption, the effect of fotrienol in mellowing the sourness derived from citric acid was confirmed.

[0045] [Table 8]

[0046] <Test Example 7> Effect of Sweetening Components To verify the effects of adding sweeteners and further increasing the acidity, aqueous solutions were prepared with L-ascorbic acid concentrations of 1.1-5.5% and citric acid concentrations of 0.4-2.0% so that the citric acidity at the time of drinking was 0.4-2.0%. Granulated sugar and sweetener preparations (Rebaudio ACK350 from Morita Chemical Industries, Ltd. (sweetness level 200, acesulfame K 65%, stevia extract 35%) and Sunsweet SA-5050 from San-Ei Gen F.F.I. Co., Ltd. (sweetness level 200, acesulfame K 45%, sucralose 15%)) were added to achieve the sweetness levels shown in Tables 9-11. To each aqueous solution, 40 ppm of a 1% fotrienol-containing liquid fragrance (ethanol solution) was added so that the fotrienol concentration at the time of drinking was 0.4 ppm, and sensory evaluation was performed according to the criteria in Table 2. Sensory evaluation was performed using comparative examples 7-1 to 7-17, which did not contain photrienol, as controls. As a result, as shown in Tables 9-10, the effect of photrienol in mellowing the sourness was confirmed in L-ascorbic acid aqueous solutions with a sweetness level in the range of 2-8 and a citrate acidity of 0.4-2.0%, as well as in citric acid aqueous solutions with a citrate acidity of 0.4-2.0%. Furthermore, as shown in Table 11, a similar effect was confirmed in an L-ascorbic acid aqueous solution with a citrate acidity of 0.36% to which a sweetener preparation was added to achieve a sweetness level of 6.0.

[0047] [Table 9]

[0048] [Table 10]

[0049] [Table 11]

[0050] <Test Example 8> Manufacturing Example of a Beverage with Added Fruit Juice To verify the effect of adding fruit juice, concentrated liquid lemon juice (6x concentrated) (manufactured by Kako Co., Ltd.) and concentrated apple juice (manufactured by Andre Co., Ltd.) were added to an aqueous solution prepared with an L-ascorbic acid concentration of 1.0% to achieve a fruit juice concentration of 5.0% at the time of consumption. 40 ppm of 1% fotrienol-containing liquid flavoring (ethanol solution) was then added to each aqueous solution to achieve a fotrienol concentration of 0.4 ppm at the time of consumption. Sensory evaluation was conducted according to the criteria in Table 2. The citrate acidity values ​​shown are those at the time of consumption. Sensory evaluation was conducted using comparative examples 8-1 and 8-2, which did not contain added aroma components, as controls. As a result, as shown in Table 12, the effect of fotrienol in mellowing acidity was confirmed even when fruit juice was added. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the addition of fotrienol provided a milder taste while maintaining the original flavor of the beverage.

[0051] Furthermore, to verify the effect of adding fruit juice to powdered beverages, an aqueous solution with an L-ascorbic acid concentration of 1.0% was prepared, to which granulated sugar was added to achieve a drinking concentration of 6.0% (sweetness level 6.0). Powdered lemon juice (manufactured by Takasago International Corporation), powdered apple juice (manufactured by Ogawa Fragrance Co., Ltd.), and powdered peach juice (manufactured by Kohken Food & Flavor Co., Ltd.) were added to achieve a drinking fruit juice concentration of 0.1%. 100 ppm of a fotrienol-containing powdered flavoring (flavoring composition with 0.13% fotrienol content) was added to achieve a fotrienol concentration of 0.13 ppm at the time of consumption. Sensory evaluation was conducted according to the criteria in Tables 1 and 2. Mildness was evaluated using comparative examples 8-3 to 8-5, which did not contain added flavoring components, as controls. Citric acidity is shown as the value at the time of consumption. As a result, as shown in Table 13, even when fruit juice was added, fotrienol was found to reduce the unpleasant sensations derived from L-ascorbic acid and to provide a milder feel.

[0052] [Table 12]

[0053] [Table 13]

[0054] <Test Example 9> Example of Powdered Beverage Manufacturing A powdered beverage containing L-ascorbic acid and sugar (C&Lemon, manufactured by Mitsui Norin Co., Ltd.) was mixed with a fotrienol-containing powdered flavoring (flavoring composition with a fotrienol content of 0.13%) in the amounts shown in Table 14 to obtain a powdered beverage. Sensory evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Test Example 8, with Comparative Example 9 as the control. As a result, it was confirmed that a fotrienol concentration of 0.07 ppm or higher reduced throat irritation and astringency, and provided a milder taste.

[0055] [Table 14]

[0056] Based on the above results, it was confirmed that the method of the present invention has an effect on improving the flavor of beverages containing acidic components, and a drinkable beverage was obtained that suppresses unpleasantness and imparts a mildness without impairing the flavor of the beverage itself.

Claims

1. A method for improving the flavor of a beverage containing an acidic component, characterized by adding fotrienol to the beverage containing the acidic component and adjusting the fotrienol concentration to less than 0.07 to 2.0 ppm, thereby reducing the unpleasant taste characteristic of the acidic component in a beverage containing an acidic component with a citrate acidity of 0.09 to 2.0%.

2. A beverage characterized by containing less than 0.07 to 2.0 ppm of fotrienol in a citrate acidity of 0.09 to 2.0%, thereby reducing the unpleasant taste characteristic of acidic components.

3. The beverage according to claim 2, characterized in that it contains an organic acid.

4. The beverage according to claim 3, wherein the organic acid is L-ascorbic acid, citric acid, malic acid, or tartaric acid, and contains 0.1 to 5.5% by mass of one or more of these.

5. A beverage according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the sweetness level is 8 or less.

6. The beverage according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the beverage is a packaged beverage.

7. A powdered beverage for consumption mixed in an aqueous medium, characterized by containing 1 to 20% by mass of acidic components and sugars, having a citric acidity of 0.09 to 2.0% when consumed, and containing less than 0.7 to 1.3 ppm of phytoenol, thereby reducing the unpleasant taste characteristic of acidic components.

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