Tannin-containing beverages

Abstract

To reduce the astringency that comes from tannin and is sensed in a tannin-containing beverage when the sodium content is greater than or equal to 20 mg / 100 ml.SOLUTION: In a beverage containing tannin of 100 ppm or more, the sodium content of the beverage is adjusted to 20-120 mg / 100 ml and the nootkatone content of the beverage is adjusted to 50-2000 ppb.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage containing tannin, and more specifically, to a beverage with reduced astringency derived from tannin.

Background Art

[0002] Tannin is a polyphenol contained in tea extracts, coffee beans, and some fruits (e.g., grapes, persimmons, etc.), and is a component present in various beverages. Tannin is known to have various medicinal effects such as antioxidant action, anti-cancer action, bactericidal action, and anti-viral action. Tannin also has an anti-inflammatory effect of lowering blood cholesterol levels and preventing arteriosclerosis, hypertension, heart disease, cerebrovascular disorders, etc., and is known to be effective in preventing obesity because it has the function of decomposing fat into energy.

[0003] However, since tannin has an astringent taste, in some cases, its astringency may prevent the drinkability of the beverage. It is said that the astringency derived from tannin is caused by the astringent action of tannin binding to and denaturing proteins in the tongue and oral mucosa.

[0004] As a method for suppressing the bitterness and astringency of beverages containing polyphenols such as tannin, the addition of various masking agents has been studied. For example, methods using thaumatin (Patent Document 1), glycyrrhizin (Patent Document 2), sucralose (Patent Documents 3, 4), etc., which are high-intensity sweeteners, and further methods using Luo Han Guo extract (Patent Document 5), aspartame, etc. (Patent Document 6), which are high-intensity sweeteners, can be mentioned. However, in these methods, since sweetness is imparted to the beverage, the target beverages are limited.

[0005] On the other hand, sodium is known to maintain the easily disrupted ion balance caused by sweating and effectively replenish minerals and water, so beverages containing a certain amount of sodium ions are well known. In particular, for preventing heatstroke, replenishing water and sodium ions is fundamentally effective, and oral rehydration solutions, sports drinks, and barley tea beverages containing a certain amount of sodium ions are commonly sold. However, regarding tea beverages containing tannins, such as black tea and green tea, although there are commercially available bottled beverages containing very small amounts of sodium, such as sodium bicarbonate added as a manufacturing agent, there are almost no heatstroke prevention beverages on the market that contain a certain amount of sodium ions. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-17834 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-17835 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-262601 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-99677 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-82960 [Patent Document 6] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-248501 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] The inventors discovered during the research and development of beverages that adding a predetermined amount of sodium to a beverage containing tannins resulted in an increased astringency derived from the tannins. Although the detailed mechanism of tannin-derived astringency is unknown, as it is caused by tannins binding to and denaturing proteins in the tongue and oral mucosa, sodium has a denaturing effect. It was thought to have the effect of enhancing the effect of tannins. Therefore, the present invention aims to reduce the astringency derived from tannins that is felt when a beverage containing tannins contains 20 mg / 100 ml or more of sodium. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The inventors of this invention conducted extensive research to solve the above problems and, as a result, focused on nootkatone among various components, and found that the addition of a predetermined amount of nootkatone is effective against the astringency derived from tannins enhanced by sodium. Based on this finding, the inventors of this invention have completed the present invention.

[0009] In other words, the present invention relates to the following, but is not limited to these: (1) A beverage containing 100 ppm or more of tannins, (a) The sodium content in the beverage is 20-120 mg / 100 ml, (b) The nootkatone content in the beverage is 50 to 2000 ppb. The above beverage. (2) The beverage described in (1), wherein the tannin is derived from tea extract. (3) A beverage that is a black tea beverage, as described in (1) or (2). (4) A beverage containing β-caryophyllene, as described in any one of (1) to (3). (5) A beverage that does not contain carbon dioxide, as described in any one of (1) to (4). (6) A beverage as described in any one of (1) to (5), wherein the sodium content in the beverage is 40 mg / 100 ml or more. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the astringency derived from tannins that can be felt when a beverage containing tannins contains 20 mg / 100 ml or more of sodium. By utilizing the technology of the present invention, it is possible to provide tea beverages containing a certain amount of sodium ions, such as heatstroke prevention beverages, that have less of a noticeable astringency derived from tannins. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The beverage and related methods of the present invention are described below. Unless otherwise specified, "ppb" and "ppm" as used herein refer to weight / volume (w / v) ppb and ppm, respectively. Furthermore, numerical ranges expressed by lower and upper limits in this specification, i.e., "lower limit to upper limit," encompass those lower and upper limits. For example, the range expressed by "1 to 2" includes 1 and 2.

[0012] One aspect of the present invention is a beverage containing 100 ppm or more of tannins, (a) The sodium content in the beverage is 20-120 mg / 100 ml, (b) The nootkatone content in the beverage is 50 to 2000 ppb. The beverage in question is as described above.

[0013] (Tannin) The beverage of the present invention contains tannins. Tannins are a general term encompassing catechins, gallic acid, their esters, and their condensates. The concentration of tannins in the beverage is a value measured using the method described in the "Analysis Manual for the 2020 Edition (8th Revised) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan" (February 2022) (ferrous tartrate spectrophotometric method). In this method, ferrous tartrate reagent is used as a color-developing agent, and the amount of tannins can be determined by measuring the absorbance of the component colored by this reagent at a wavelength of 540 nm. A calibration curve can be created using ethyl gallate as a standard substance, and the amount of ethyl gallate corresponding to the absorbance of the sample can be determined from the calibration curve, and the obtained value can be converted to obtain the amount of tannins.

[0014] In the present invention, tannin is not particularly limited, and can be preferably used, for example, in the form of a tea extract or its concentrate. An extract of a plant containing tannin or its concentrate can be prepared using, as a raw material, tea leaves belonging to Camellia sinensis such as black tea, green tea, oolong tea, Pu-erh tea, etc. Among them, from the aspect of the effects of the present invention, an extract obtained from black tea leaves can be preferably used. Tannin is preferably derived from a tea extract, and more preferably derived from a black tea extract. The beverage of the present invention may contain a tea extract (preferably a black tea extract).

[0015] The content of tannin in the beverage of the present invention is 100 ppm or more, preferably 200 to 1000 ppm, more preferably 400 to 900 ppm, and still more preferably 500 to 800 ppm. When the content of tannin in the beverage is 100 ppm or more, the astringency derived from tannin in the beverage is significantly felt due to the presence of a predetermined amount of sodium, which is preferable for obtaining the astringency reduction effect derived from tannin according to the present invention. Further, when the content of tannin in the beverage exceeds 1000 ppm, although the astringency reduction effect according to the present invention can be obtained, there is a possibility that the astringency may not be sufficiently reduced.

[0016] (Sodium) The beverage of the present invention contains sodium. In the present invention, sodium can be added to the beverage in the form of salts that can be used in foods and beverages, or in the form of deep ocean water rich in sodium, seaweed extract, etc. Examples of the sodium salts that can be used in the present invention include, but are not particularly limited to, sodium chloride, disodium citrate, trisodium citrate, sodium L-ascorbate, sodium benzoate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, trisodium phosphate, etc. In the present invention, sodium can be derived from these sodium salts. The beverage of the present invention preferably contains sodium chloride. In the present invention, sodium is preferably derived from sodium chloride.

[0017] The sodium content in the beverage of the present invention is 20 to 120 mg / 100 ml, preferably 35 to 80 mg / 100 ml, more preferably 40 to 60 mg / 100 ml, and even more preferably 40 to 50 mg / 100 ml. When the sodium content in the beverage is 20 mg / 100 ml or more, the astringency derived from tannins is significantly enhanced. Furthermore, when the sodium content exceeds 120 mg / 100 ml, the sliminess derived from sodium becomes noticeable, which may reduce the palatability of the beverage.

[0018] In this invention, the sodium content in a beverage can be calculated by converting the amount of sodium in the form of a salt to the amount of free sodium. Furthermore, the sodium content in a beverage can be measured using known methods such as an ICP emission spectrometer or an atomic absorption spectrophotometer.

[0019] (Nootkaton) The beverage of the present invention contains nootkatone. Nootkatone has the molecular formula C 15 H 22 It is a type of sesquiterpene ketone represented by O. Nootkatone is a type of aroma compound and is known to have the function of activating the sympathetic nervous system.

[0020] The nootkatone used in this invention is not particularly limited, but may be a refined product or a crude product. For example, it may be a natural product containing nootkatone or a processed product thereof (plant extract, essential oil, plant fermented product, concentrate thereof, etc.). More specific examples include flavorings containing nootkatone, as well as fruit juices and extracts. Since only a small amount needs to be added to beverages, it is preferably a flavoring. Furthermore, the nootkatone used in this invention may be either the d-isomer or the l-isomer in terms of optical isomerism.

[0021] The nootkatone content in the beverage of the present invention is 50 to 2000 ppb. When the nootkatone content in the beverage is within this range, the astringency derived from tannins enhanced by sodium can be effectively reduced. In the present invention, the nootkatone content in the beverage is preferably 100 to 1500 ppb, more preferably 150 to 1000 ppb, and most preferably 200 to 800 ppb.

[0022] The nootkatone content in beverages can be quantified by known methods. For example, when using a GC / MS analyzer, the analysis can be performed under the following conditions. <Analysis conditions for nootkaton> 5 g of the sample solution is weighed into a 20 ml vial, and Gerstel Twister (PDMS) is added. After extracting the aroma components at room temperature for 30 minutes, the solution is subjected to GC / MS analysis with a thermal desorption device. The quantitative value is calculated using the standard addition method. Details of the analytical conditions are as follows. • GC: Agilent Technologies GC6890N • MS: Agilent Technologies 5975B • Heat desorption device: Gerstel TDU • Column: Inertcap Pure-WAX 30m x 0.25mm (inner diameter of column), film thickness (thickness of the liquid phase in the column) ) = 0.25 μm • Quantitative ion: m / z = 147 ·Temperature conditions: 40℃ (5 minutes) ~ 10℃ / min ~ 260℃ • Carrier gas flow rate: He 1.2 ml / min ·TDU temperature: 260℃ ·IF temperature: 260℃ Ion source temperature: 230℃

[0023] In the beverage of the present invention, the ratio of nootkatone content to tannin content (nootkatone content / tannin content) is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.0001 to 0.15, preferably 0.001 to 0.01, and more preferably 0.002 to 0.005.

[0024] (β-caryophyllene) The beverage of the present invention may contain β-caryophyllene. β-caryophyllene is a compound also known as (E)-(1R,9S)-4,11,11-trimethyl-8-methylidenebicyclo[7.2.0]undeca-4-ene (CAS registry number: 87-44-5), and is known to be contained in plant essential oils such as hops, ylang-ylang, and cloves. In the present invention, β-caryophyllene may be incorporated into the beverage as a synthesized substance or extracted and isolated from natural products, or it may be incorporated into the beverage as an essential oil or flavoring containing β-caryophyllene.

[0025] By including β-caryophyllene, the effect of reducing the astringency derived from tannins enhanced by sodium can be further improved. The β-caryophyllene content in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 5 to 2000 ppb, preferably 10 to 1000 ppb, and more preferably 100 to 500 ppb. The β-caryophyllene content in the beverage can be quantified by known methods, for example, by measuring the β-caryophyllene content using a GC / MS apparatus.

[0026] (Other ingredients) In addition to the various components listed above, the beverage of the present invention may contain components commonly used in beverages. For example, but are not limited to, flavorings, sugars, acidulants, nutritional fortifiers, antioxidants, emulsifiers, preservatives, extracts, dietary fiber, quality stabilizers, etc., as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention. It can be added within a reasonable range.

[0027] (acidity) The acidity of the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.02 to 1.00 g / 100 g, preferably 0.10 to 0.7 g / 100 g, and more preferably 0.15 to 0.35 g / 100 g. If the acidity exceeds 1.00 g / 100 g, the sourness may be too strong, and the astringency derived from tannins may not be perceived. On the other hand, if the acidity is below 0.02 g / 100 g, the sliminess derived from sodium may be more easily perceived, which may impair the palatability of the beverage.

[0028] As used herein, acidity is a value that serves as an indicator of the acid content, and can be calculated from the amount of alkali (pH 8.1) required for neutralization when a certain amount of beverage (sample) is neutralized by adding an alkali such as sodium hydroxide. An automatic titrator (such as Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd., AT-710 / CHA-700) can be used to measure acidity. In this invention, the acidity is a value converted to the amount of citric acid (calculated from the amount of neutralization, assuming that all the acid contained in the beverage is citric acid).

[0029] The acidity of the beverage of the present invention may be adjusted using any of the following acids. For example, the acidity of the beverage can be adjusted using, but is not limited to, citric acid, phosphoric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, oxalic acid, gluconic acid, ascorbic acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, fumaric acid, phytic acid, itaconic acid, or other acids. In addition, in the present invention, the acidity can also be adjusted using fruit juice (which may be either clear or cloudy fruit juice) or acidulants that meet food additive standards.

[0030] (Brix) The Brix value of the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 3 or higher, and more preferably 5 or higher. Although not bound by theory, a Brix value of 3 or higher is preferred because the sliminess derived from sodium becomes less noticeable. Brix can be evaluated by the Brix value obtained using a sugar meter or refractometer. The Brix value is the value obtained by converting the refractive index measured at 20°C into mass / mass percent of the sucrose solution based on the ICUMSA (International Commission for Uniform Sugar Analysis) conversion table. The unit is expressed as "°Bx", "%", or "degrees".

[0031] (beverage) The beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a soft drink. For example, it may be a nutritional drink, a functional drink, a flavored water (near-water) drink, a tea drink (black tea, oolong tea, green tea, etc.), a coffee drink, or any other. In this invention, since the effect of reducing astringency derived from tannins is difficult to obtain due to the stimulation of carbonation, it is preferable that the beverage of the present invention is a beverage that does not contain carbon dioxide (i.e., a non-carbonated beverage).

[0032] In one embodiment, the beverage of the present invention is preferably a tea beverage. Here, "tea beverage" refers to a beverage that contains tea leaf extract as its main component, and specifically includes green tea, jasmine tea, black tea, oolong tea, and the like. In the present invention, a particularly preferred tea beverage is a black tea beverage.

[0033] (Packaged beverages) The beverage of the present invention can be a packaged beverage that has been heat-sterilized and filled into a container. When a beverage contains aroma components (especially ester-based aroma components), such aroma components tend to decrease due to heat degradation when the beverage is heat-sterilized, and the astringency derived from tannins in the beverage tends to become more noticeable. The beverage of the present invention reduces such astringency derived from tannins. Therefore, beverages containing aromatic components (especially ester-based aromatic components) are one of the preferred embodiments.

[0034] The method of heat sterilization is not particularly limited, but any known method can be used, such as UHT sterilization and retort sterilization. The container for filling the beverage is not particularly limited, but for example, PET bottles, aluminum cans, steel cans, paper cartons, chilled cups, glass bottles, etc., can be used. From the perspective of ease of use and convenience, a lightweight, easily portable, and resealable container, such as a PET bottle, is preferred.

[0035] (Manufacturing method) In one embodiment, the present invention is a method for producing a beverage. More specifically, one embodiment of the present invention is a method for producing a beverage containing 100 ppm or more of tannins, A process to adjust the sodium content in the beverage to 20-120 mg / 100 ml. A process for adjusting the nootkatone content in a beverage to 50-2000 ppb, and The process of packaging beverages into containers, The above manufacturing method includes [the specified element].

[0036] The beverage of the present invention may be manufactured by appropriately blending the various components mentioned above other than tannin, sodium, and nootkatone, or by adjusting their content in the beverage. That is, the manufacturing method of the present invention may include a step of blending the above components and a step of adjusting the content of the components in the beverage. Furthermore, the manufacturing method of the present invention may also include a step of adjusting the acidity of the beverage and a step of adjusting the Brix value. In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the above steps may be performed in any order, as long as the content of the final beverage is within the required range. The types of components in the beverage and their content in the manufacturing of the beverage of the present invention are as described above or are obvious from there to the beverage of the present invention.

[0037] Furthermore, the method for producing the beverage of the present invention may include a step of heat sterilization of the beverage as needed. The conditions for heat sterilization are as described above, but are not particularly limited. [Examples]

[0038] The details of the present invention will be specifically explained below with reference to experimental examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0039] (Reference example) As a tannin, black tea extract powder (Instant Black Tea (James Finlay Kenya Limited); tannin content 5%) was used. The tannin concentration was adjusted to 200 ppm by adding red pigment to water. Tea extract powder was added to prepare the beverage, and salt was added to achieve the sodium content shown in the table below (Samples 1-3).

[0040] A sensory evaluation of the astringency derived from tannins was conducted for each beverage. The sensory evaluation was carried out by a panel of six experts, each of whom scored the beverage to one decimal place on a scale of 1 to 5 according to the following criteria, and the average of the scores obtained was used as the final evaluation score. 1 point: Astringency that can be felt in an aqueous solution with a tannin concentration of 2000 ppm. 2 points: Astringency that can be felt in an aqueous solution with a tannin concentration of 1000 ppm. 3 points: Astringency that can be felt in an aqueous solution with a tannin concentration of 500 ppm. 4 points: Astringency that can be felt in an aqueous solution with a tannin concentration of 300 ppm. 5 points: Astringency that can be felt in an aqueous solution with a tannin concentration of 200 ppm.

[0041] [Table 1]

[0042] The results are as shown above, indicating that adding sodium at a concentration of 20 mg / 100 ml or higher results in a stronger astringent taste derived from tannins.

[0043] (Experimental Example 1) Each beverage was prepared by adding the black tea extract powder used in the above reference example, along with sodium chloride or trisodium citrate, to water, and then adding nootkatone and β-caryophyllene, so that the final concentrations of each component matched the values ​​shown in the table below. The prepared beverages were filled into 500ml PET containers, and sensory evaluation was conducted. The evaluation was performed by a panel of six experts using the same criteria and methods as in the above reference example, and the average of the scores each panel member gave was used as the final evaluation score.

[0044] [Table 2]

[0045] The results were as described above, showing that adding a predetermined amount of nootkatone to a beverage containing tannins and sodium reduced the astringency derived from tannins that was enhanced by sodium. Furthermore, it was found that adding β-caryophyllene in addition to nootkatone further enhanced this effect.

[0046] (Experimental Example 2) Instant black tea (Goodricke Group LTD.) (tannin content 20%) was used as the black tea extract, and two types of black tea beverages were prepared so that the final concentrations of various components were as shown in the table below. The prepared beverages were heat-sterilized and then filled into 500ml PET containers. A sensory evaluation of the obtained beverages was conducted by a panel of six experts, and they unanimously concluded that sample 2-2 had less astringency derived from tannins compared to sample 2-1.

[0047] [Table 3]

Claims

1. A black tea beverage containing 100 ppm or more of tannins, (a) The sodium content in the beverage is 20 to 120 mg / 100 ml, (b) The nootkatone content in the beverage is 50 to 2000 ppb. The above beverage.

2. The beverage according to claim 1, which contains β-caryophyllene.

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