Acidic beverages and methods for improving the flavor of acidic beverages

Abstract

To provide a technique for beverage which suppresses bitterness felt when drinking an acidic beverage containing casein peptides while holding a good flavor peculiar to the acidic beverage.SOLUTION: An acidic beverage contains casein peptides, malic acid, and lactic acid. The content of the casein peptides is 1.5 mass% or less. The content (g) of malic acid relative to the content (g) of the lactic acid (malic acid / lactic acid) is 0.05 or more. The acidic beverage has a pH of less than 4.0 at 20°C.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to acidic beverages and a method for improving the flavor of acidic beverages.

Background Art

[0002] Peptides are compounds in which two or more amino acids are bonded, and their useful physiological effects on the human body have attracted attention, and they are used in many foods and beverages. As the source of peptides, milk proteins such as whey, casein, and milk protein concentrate (TMP), as well as animal proteins such as egg white, collagen, and protamine; plant proteins derived from soybeans, wheat, and corn are known. Among them, the development of beverages using peptides derived from milk proteins has been carried out.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an acidic beverage containing an acidulant, a sweetener, and casein peptide, wherein the casein peptide is 0.01 to 1% by mass, the sucrose sweetness equivalent concentration is 0.1 to 4% by mass, and the acidity is 0.003 to 1% by mass. And the acidic beverage disclosed in Patent Document 1 contains a specific amount of sweetener and a specific amount of casein peptide from the viewpoint of enhancing sweetness while suppressing an increase in the amount of sweetener despite having a relatively high acidity.

[0004] Also, Patent Document 2 discloses a beverage having a protein content of 3% by mass or more and a pH of 4.9 or less from the viewpoint of reducing bitterness caused by adding a milk protein not derived from the lactic acid bacteria fermentation broth to the lactic acid bacteria fermentation broth.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

[0006] Acidic beverages containing casein peptides, as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, had room for improvement in suppressing bitterness while maintaining a good flavor characteristic of acidic beverages. The inventors focused on the bitterness felt when consuming acidic beverages containing casein peptides and conducted diligent research to suppress it. As a result, they discovered that combining malic acid and lactic acid is effective among many acidulants, and thus completed the present invention. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to the present invention, the following acidic beverages and methods for improving the flavor of acidic beverages are provided. [1] An acidic beverage containing casein peptide, malic acid, and lactic acid, The casein peptide content is 1.5% by mass or less. The malic acid content (g) relative to the lactic acid content (g) (malic acid / lactic acid) is 0.05 or more. An acidic beverage having a pH of less than 4.0 at 20°C. [2] The acidic beverage according to [1], wherein the malic acid content is 0.01 to 0.8% by mass. [3] The acidic beverage according to [1] or [2], wherein the lactic acid content is 0.01 to 1.0% by mass. [4] An acidic beverage according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the malic acid content (g) relative to the lactic acid content (g) (malic acid / lactic acid) is 2.5 or less. [5] The acidic beverage according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the casein peptide has a peak area ratio of 500 to 10000 molecules in the molecular weight distribution of the casein peptide of 500 to 10000. [6] An acidic beverage according to any one of [1] to [5], further containing a sweetener. [7] An acidic beverage according to any one of [1] to [6], further containing fruit juice. [8] An acidic beverage according to any one of [1] to [7], further containing milk. [9] The acidic beverage described above, in which the acidic beverage is packaged, according to any one of [1] to [8].

[10] A method for improving the flavor of an acidic beverage containing casein peptide, malic acid, and lactic acid, A step of preparing the casein peptide so that its content is 1.5% by mass or less, A step of preparing the product such that the malic acid content (g) relative to the lactic acid content (g) (malic acid / lactic acid) is 0.05 or more, A step of preparing the acidic beverage so that its pH at 20°C is less than 4.0, A method for improving the flavor of acidic beverages, including [specific example]. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, a technology is provided for a beverage that suppresses the bitterness felt when consuming an acidic beverage containing casein peptides, while maintaining a good flavor characteristic of acidic beverages. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below. In this specification, unless otherwise specified, the notation "a~b" in the description of numerical ranges means a or more and b or less.

[0010] <Acidic drinks> The acidic beverage of this embodiment (hereinafter also referred to as "beverage") contains casein peptide, malic acid, and lactic acid, with a casein peptide content of 1.5% by mass or less, a malic acid content (g) relative to lactic acid content (g) (malic acid / lactic acid) of 0.05 or more, and a pH of the acidic beverage at 20°C of less than 4.0. This enables the reduction of the bitterness felt when drinking an acidic beverage containing casein peptides while maintaining a good flavor characteristic of an acidic beverage. Also, by improving the aftertaste, the flavor and deliciousness characteristic of an acidic beverage can be further enhanced. Although the details of such reasons are not clear, it is presumed that the sourness due to malic acid and lactic acid can effectively mask the bitterness. Malic acid and lactic acid are known as types of acidulants, but depending on the type of acidulant, the sharpness and mellowness of the felt sourness, the quickness until the sourness is felt, and the aftertaste differ. For example, malic acid is refreshing with a distinct sourness and relatively has an aftertaste, whereas lactic acid is known for having a mellow sourness in contrast to malic acid. Therefore, by combining malic acid and lactic acid and controlling their ratio, a well-balanced sourness can be continuously felt from the start to the end of drinking the beverage, and the masking effect of the bitterness derived from casein peptides can be continuously obtained. This is considered to be one of the reasons why the bitterness is less likely to be felt.

[0011] In the present embodiment, the bitterness derived from casein peptides refers to the bitterness peculiar to casein peptides, similar to that of medicine, which remains in the mouth when drinking an acidic beverage containing casein peptides. Also, in the present embodiment, a good flavor characteristic of an acidic beverage means that a refreshing feeling, a clean feeling, and ease of drinking due to an appropriate sourness are obtained in a well-balanced manner, and the aftertaste is good.

[0012] Hereinafter, the components contained in the beverage of the present embodiment will be described.

[0013] [Casein Peptides] The beverage of the present embodiment contains casein peptides. Generally, a peptide is obtained, for example, by hydrolyzing proteins derived from animals, plants, or microorganisms with an acid, an alkali, or a protein hydrolase. Depending on the protein from which it is derived, there are collagen peptides, soy peptides, milk peptides, wheat peptides, and egg peptides. The casein peptide of this embodiment includes, for example, peptides derived from mammalian milk such as cow's milk, mare's milk, goat's milk, and ewe's milk. Among them, the casein peptide derived from cow's milk is preferred, and it is more preferred that it is a milk casein peptide obtained by decomposing the casein peptide derived from cow's milk with a proteolytic enzyme.

[0014] In addition, for the casein peptide in this embodiment, in terms of molecular weight distribution, it is preferable that the peak area ratio of the size exclusion chromatography method in the numerical range of 500 to 10,000 is 50% or more, and it is more preferable that the peak area ratio of the size exclusion chromatography method in the numerical range of 500 to 6,000 is 60% or more. Thereby, while reducing the bitterness felt when drinking an acidic beverage containing a casein peptide, it becomes easier to obtain a good flavor characteristic of an acidic beverage.

[0015] The molecular weight of the casein peptide in this embodiment can be measured by a known method, for example, it can be measured by a quantitative method such as viscosity measurement, HPLC, and size exclusion chromatography method. Among them, the size exclusion chromatography method is preferable. When using the size exclusion chromatography method, it is preferable that the column used is TSKgel G2500PWXL (manufactured by Tosoh Corporation).

[0016] In the beverage of this embodiment, the content of the casein peptide is 1.5% by mass or less, preferably 1.2% by mass or less, and more preferably 1.0% by mass or less. By setting the content of the casein peptide to be not more than the above upper limit value, it becomes easier to maintain the ease of drinking. On the other hand, the content of the casein peptide is preferably 0.01% by mass or more, more preferably 0.08% by mass or more, still more preferably 0.10% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.15% by mass or more. By setting the content of the casein peptide to be not less than the above lower limit value, the bitterness suppression effect is further exerted, and it becomes easier to maintain the good flavor of the acidic beverage.

[0017] [Lactic acid] In this embodiment, lactic acid may be a lactate salt. Lactic acid is included as an acidulant. The lactic acid content is preferably 0.01 to 1.0% by mass, more preferably 0.05 to 0.8% by mass, and even more preferably 0.07 to 0.6% by mass, relative to the total amount of the beverage.

[0018] [Malic acid] In this embodiment, malic acid may be a malate salt. Malic acid is included as an acidulant. The malic acid content is preferably 0.01 to 0.8% by mass, more preferably 0.02 to 0.6% by mass, and even more preferably 0.03 to 0.3% by mass, relative to the total amount of the beverage.

[0019] In this embodiment, the malic acid content (g) relative to the lactic acid content (g) (malic acid / lactic acid) is 0.05 or more, preferably 0.08 or more, more preferably 0.10 or more, and even more preferably 0.17 or more. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the malic acid content (g) relative to the lactic acid content (g) (malic acid / lactic acid) is preferably 2.5 or less, more preferably 2.0 or less, and even more preferably 1.2 or less. By setting the above-mentioned (malic acid / lactic acid) levels in the beverage to these values, it is possible to improve the aftertaste of the beverage, reduce bitterness, and achieve a high level of balance with a good flavor.

[0020] The beverage of this embodiment may contain other ingredients besides those mentioned above, as long as the effects of the present invention are obtained. Specifically, it may contain ingredients commonly used in beverages, such as fruit juice, sweeteners, acidulants, milk, flavorings, vitamins, colorings, salt, antioxidants, emulsifiers, preservatives, seasonings, extracts, pH adjusters, quality stabilizers, and thickeners.

[0021] Examples of the above-mentioned fruit juices include orange juice, mandarin orange juice, grapefruit juice, lemon juice, lime juice, apple juice, grape juice, peach juice, strawberry juice, banana juice, and mango juice. You may use only one of these or two or more in combination.

[0022] Examples of the sweeteners mentioned above include sugars such as fructose, sucrose, glucose, granulated sugar, lactose, and maltose; low-intensity sweeteners such as xylitol and D-sorbitol; and high-intensity sweeteners such as thaumatin, stevia extract, disodium glycyrrhizinate, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, neotame, and sodium saccharin. These may be used individually or in combination of two or more.

[0023] Examples of the above-mentioned acidulants include citrates such as trisodium citrate, anhydrous citric acid, adipic acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, acetic acid, phosphoric acid, phytic acid, ascorbic acid, or salts thereof. These may be used individually or in combination of two or more. However, from the viewpoint of effectively suppressing the bitterness felt when drinking an acidic beverage containing casein peptides, it is preferable that the beverage of this embodiment does not contain phosphoric acid.

[0024] Examples of the above-mentioned milk products include raw milk, cow's milk, whole milk powder, skim milk powder, fresh cream, concentrated milk, partially skimmed milk, condensed milk, milk powder, and fermented milk. These may be used individually or in combination of two or more types.

[0025] The details of the beverage of this embodiment will be described further below.

[0026] [pH] The pH of the beverage of this embodiment at 20°C is less than 4.0, preferably 3.9 or less, more preferably 3.8 or less, and even more preferably 3.7 or less. By keeping the pH below the upper limit mentioned above, bitterness can be reduced while maintaining a good balance of flavor in the beverage. The lower limit of the pH of the beverage in this embodiment at 20°C is not particularly limited, but from the standpoint of maintaining the flavor of the beverage, it is preferably 2.4 or higher, more preferably 2.5 or higher, and even more preferably 2.6 or higher.

[0027] pH can be measured using a commercially available pH meter. pH can be adjusted, for example, by using a pH adjusting agent.

[0028] [acidity] The acidity of the beverage in this embodiment is preferably 0.2 g / 100 ml or more and 0.6 g / 100 ml or less. By setting the acidity above the lower limit, a pleasant taste can be achieved. On the other hand, by setting the acidity below the upper limit, excessive sourness can be suppressed, and both deliciousness and a pleasant taste can be achieved.

[0029] Acidity can be expressed as the amount of acid contained in 100 ml converted to citric acid in grams (anhydrous citric acid g / 100 ml). Acidity can also be measured using the method specified in the JAS standard for acidity measurement, specifically the neutralization titration method (quantitative formula) using a 0.1 mol / L sodium hydroxide standard solution as the alkaline solution.

[0030] [Brix value] The Brix value (Bx) of the beverage in this embodiment is preferably 1° to 20°, more preferably 3° to 17°, and even more preferably 5° to 13°, from the viewpoint of improving drinkability while maintaining a good balance of aroma, acidity, bitterness, and aftertaste. The Brix value indicates the total content of soluble solids relative to the total volume of the beverage. The Brix value can be measured, for example, by using a digital refractometer Rx-5000α (manufactured by Atago Corporation) to measure the reading of a sugar refractometer at 20°C. The Brix value can be adjusted, for example, by the amount of sweeteners and other various ingredients described later.

[0031] [Carbon dioxide, alcohol] Furthermore, the beverage in this embodiment may be a carbonated beverage containing carbon dioxide. The method for incorporating carbon dioxide into the beverage is not particularly limited and can be appropriately determined by those skilled in the art. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of stably obtaining a bitterness-suppressing effect, it is preferable that the beverage does not contain carbon dioxide.

[0032] Furthermore, the beverage in this embodiment is preferably a non-alcoholic beverage. A non-alcoholic beverage is a beverage that substantially does not contain alcohol, and specifically means a beverage in which the alcohol content, such as ethanol, is less than 1.0 volume / vol%.

[0033] [container] The containers used for beverages in this embodiment include sealed containers made of glass, paper, plastic (such as polyethylene terephthalate), aluminum, and steel, either as a single material or a composite or laminated material thereof. The type of container is not particularly limited, but examples include PET bottles, aluminum cans, steel cans, paper cartons, chilled cups, and glass bottles. From the viewpoint of allowing the beverage to be visually inspected, PET bottles are preferred.

[0034] While there are no particular limitations on the volume of the beverage, 100 to 2000 ml is preferred, and 100 to 500 ml is even more preferred because it is easier to finish drinking it.

[0035] There are no particular limitations on the method of heat sterilization of packaged beverages, but in Japan, heat sterilization is carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Food Sanitation Act. Specifically, this includes a method of sterilizing at high temperature for a short time and then filling it into a storage container that has been sterilized under sterile conditions (UHT sterilization method), and a retort sterilization method in which the prepared liquid is filled into a storage container such as a can and then subjected to retort treatment.

[0036] <Method for manufacturing acidic beverages> The method for producing an acidic beverage according to this embodiment includes the steps of: preparing an acidic beverage containing casein peptide, malic acid, and lactic acid such that the casein peptide content is 1.5% by mass or less; preparing the beverage such that the malic acid content (g) relative to the lactic acid content (g) (malic acid / lactic acid) is 0.05 or more; and preparing the acidic beverage such that the pH at 20°C is less than 4.0. This makes it possible to improve the flavor of the beverage while suppressing the bitterness felt when drinking an acidic beverage containing casein peptide. The order of the above steps is not particularly limited. Furthermore, the method of compounding, mixing, and adjusting the content of casein peptide, malic acid, and lactic acid can be any known method.

[0037] <Methods for improving the flavor of acidic beverages> The method for improving the flavor of an acidic beverage according to this embodiment includes the steps of: preparing an acidic beverage containing casein peptide, malic acid, and lactic acid such that the casein peptide content is 1.5% by mass or less; preparing the beverage such that the malic acid content (g) relative to the lactic acid content (g) (malic acid / lactic acid) is 0.05 or more; and preparing the acidic beverage such that the pH at 20°C is less than 4.0. This makes it possible to improve the flavor of the beverage while suppressing the bitterness felt when drinking an acidic beverage containing casein peptide. The order of the above steps is not particularly limited. Furthermore, the method of compounding, mixing, and adjusting the content of casein peptide, malic acid, and lactic acid can be any known method.

[0038] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but these are merely examples, and various other configurations can also be adopted. Examples of reference formats are provided below. 1. An acidic beverage containing casein peptide, malic acid, and lactic acid, The casein peptide content is 1.5% by mass or less. The malic acid content (g) relative to the lactic acid content (g) (malic acid / lactic acid) is 0.05 or more. An acidic beverage having a pH of less than 4.0 at 20°C. 2. The acidic beverage according to 1., wherein the malic acid content is 0.01 to 0.8% by mass. 3. The acidic beverage according to 1. or 2., wherein the lactic acid content is 0.01 to 1.0% by mass. 4. An acidic beverage according to any one of 1 to 3, wherein the malic acid content (g) relative to the lactic acid content (g) (malic acid / lactic acid) is 2.5 or less. 5. The acidic beverage according to any one of 1 to 4, wherein the casein peptide has a molecular weight distribution in which the peak area ratio of molecules in the molecular weight range of 500 to 10000 is 50% or more. 6. An acidic beverage according to any one of items 1 to 5, further containing a sweetener. 7. An acidic beverage according to any one of items 1 to 6, further containing fruit juice. 8. An acidic beverage according to any one of items 1 through 7, further containing milk. 9. An acidic beverage according to any one of 1 to 8, wherein the acidic beverage is packaged in a container. 10. A method for improving the flavor of an acidic beverage containing casein peptide, malic acid, and lactic acid, A step of preparing the casein peptide so that its content is 1.5% by mass or less, A step of preparing the product such that the malic acid content (g) relative to the lactic acid content (g) (malic acid / lactic acid) is 0.05 or more, A step of preparing the acidic beverage so that its pH at 20°C is less than 4.0, A method for improving the flavor of acidic beverages, including [specific example]. [Examples]

[0039] The present invention will be described below with reference to examples and comparative examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0040] (1) Preparation of casein peptide Lactononadecapeptide (hereinafter referred to as "LNDP") was obtained by preparing the product according to the method described in paragraphs

[0108] to

[0110] of Japanese Patent No. 5718741 and reacting it for 7 hours. The molecular weight distribution showed that those with molecular weights of 500 to 6000 accounted for 65% by mass as a peak area ratio by size exclusion chromatography. The following beverages were prepared using the obtained LNDP.

[0041] (2) Physical properties of beverages • Brix: Measured for beverages (20°C) using a sugar refractometer (ATAGO RX-5000α). • Acidity: The amount of acid contained in 100 ml of beverage was calculated by converting it to citric acid in grams (anhydrous citric acid g / 100 ml) based on the method specified in the JAS standard for acidity measurement. • pH: For beverages (20°C), pH was measured using a pH meter (HM-30R).

[0042] (3) Sensory evaluation Sensory evaluations were conducted for each beverage by trained technicians. Specifically, multiple technicians tasted each beverage (at 20°C) and evaluated the perceived "bitterness" and "aftertaste" on a 7-point scale, with each control (reference) being rated 4 points, according to the following evaluation criteria. The average score was then calculated. • Evaluation criteria for "bitterness intensity" Rating 7: Felt very strong compared to the control group. Rating 6: Felt stronger compared to the control group. Rating 5: Felt slightly stronger compared to the control group. Rating 4: Same as the control group Rating 3: Felt somewhat weaker compared to the control group. Rating 2: Felt weaker compared to the control group. Rating 1: Felt very weak compared to the control group. • Evaluation criteria for "pleasant aftertaste" Rating 7: I felt it was very poor compared to the control group. Rating 6: Felt it was not as good as the control group. Rating 5: I felt it was slightly worse compared to the control group. Rating 4: Same as the control group Rating 3: I felt it was slightly better compared to the control group. Rating 2: I felt it was better compared to the control group. Rating 1: I felt it was very good compared to the control group.

[0043] (4) Examples, Reference Examples and Comparative Examples [Experiment 1]: Effect of type of acidulant 1 (when anhydrous citric acid was used as the control) The components were mixed to obtain the beverages shown in Tables 1 and 2. The obtained beverages were subjected to the measurements described in (2) and the sensory evaluation described in (3) above. Comparative Example 1 was used as the control. The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2.

[0044] [Table 1]

[0045] [Table 2]

[0046] Table 1 shows that Comparative Examples 2 and 3, which contained either malic acid or lactic acid alone, Comparative Examples 4 and 5, which contained either acetic acid or phosphoric acid alone, Comparative Examples 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, and 13, which combined either malic acid or lactic acid with either anhydrous citric acid, acetic acid, or phosphoric acid, Comparative Examples 8 and 9, which combined citric acid with either acetic acid or phosphoric acid, and Comparative Example 14, which combined acetic acid and phosphoric acid, all had a "bitterness" or "pleasant aftertaste" score exceeding 3.00. Furthermore, as shown in Table 2, Comparative Example 15, with a (malic acid / lactic acid) ratio of 0.02, had a "pleasant aftertaste" score exceeding 3.00. On the other hand, in all of Examples 1 to 5, the "bitterness level" and "pleasant aftertaste" were both 3.00 or lower.

[0047] [Experiment 2]: Effect of different types of acidulants 2 (when malic acid is used as the control) The components were mixed to obtain the beverages shown in Table 3. The obtained beverages were subjected to the measurements described in (2) and the sensory evaluation described in (3) above. Comparative Example 16 was used as the control. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0048] [Table 3]

[0049] [Experiment 3]: Effect of casein peptide concentration 1 (acidity 0.2%) Each component was mixed to obtain the beverages shown in Table 4. The obtained beverages were subjected to the measurements described in (2) and the sensory evaluation described in (3) above. Comparative Examples 17-20 were used as controls. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0050] [Table 4]

[0051] [Experiment 4]: Effect of casein peptide concentration 2 (acidity 0.5%) The components were mixed to obtain the beverages shown in Table 5. The obtained beverages were subjected to the measurements described in (2) and the sensory evaluation described in (3) above. Comparative Examples 21-23 were used as controls. The results are shown in Table 5.

[0052] [Table 5]

[0053] [Experiment 5] Verification of the bitterness-suppressing effect of caffeine on bitterness. The components were mixed to obtain the beverages shown in Table 6. The obtained beverages were subjected to the measurements described in (2) and the sensory evaluation described in (3) above. Reference Example 1 was used as the control. The results are shown in Table 6.

[0054] [Table 6]

[0055] A beverage (Reference Example 2) in which the malic acid and lactic acid content was adjusted to achieve a similar acidity and pH to a beverage containing caffeine and malic acid (Reference Example 1) was applied, had a stronger bitterness than Reference Example 1. This indicates that the bitterness-suppressing effect of the combination of malic acid and lactic acid is effectively obtained in acidic beverages containing casein peptides.

[0056] [Experiment 6]: Verification of the bitterness-suppressing effect in milk-based acidic beverages The components were mixed to obtain the beverages shown in Table 7. The obtained beverages were subjected to the measurements described in (2) and the sensory evaluation described in (3) above. Comparative Example 24 was used as the control. The results are shown in Table 7.

[0057] [Table 7]

[0058] [Experiment 7]: Verification of the bitterness suppression effect in fruit juice-containing acidic beverages. Each component was mixed to obtain the beverages shown in Table 8. The obtained beverages were subjected to the measurements described in (2) and the sensory evaluation described in (3) above. Comparative Example 25 was used as the control. The results are shown in Table 8.

[0059] [Table 8]

[0060] Each of the beverages in Examples 1-19 had a flavor characteristic of an acidic beverage and was palatable.

Claims

1. An acidic beverage containing casein peptide, malic acid, and lactic acid, The casein peptide content is 0.01% by mass or more and 1.5% by mass or less. The malic acid content is 0.01 to 0.8% by mass, The lactic acid content is 0.01 to 1.0% by mass, The malic acid content (g) relative to the lactic acid content (g) (malic acid / lactic acid) is 0.05 or more and 2.5 or less. An acidic beverage having a pH of less than 4.0 at 20°C.

2. The acidic beverage according to claim 1, wherein the casein peptide has a molecular weight distribution in which the peak area ratio of molecules in the molecular weight range of 500 to 10000 is 50% or more.

3. The acidic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, further containing a sweetener.

4. An acidic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further containing fruit juice.

5. The acidic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further containing milk.

6. The acidic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the acidic beverage is packaged in a container.

7. A method for improving the flavor of an acidic beverage containing casein peptide, malic acid, and lactic acid, A step of preparing the casein peptide so that its content is 0.01% by mass or more and 1.5% by mass or less, A step of preparing the product such that the malic acid content is 0.01 to 0.8% by mass, the lactic acid content is 0.01 to 1.0% by mass, and the malic acid content (g) relative to the lactic acid content (g) (malic acid / lactic acid) is 0.05 or more and 2.5 or less, A step of preparing the acidic beverage so that its pH at 20°C is less than 4.0, A method for improving the flavor of acidic beverages, including [specific example].

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