Soy milk-containing beverage, and method for suppressing flavor deterioration of soy milk-containing beverage

Abstract

To provide a soybean milk-containing beverage that has a good flavor of soybean milk, particularly a favorable sourness, while preventing flavor degradation during its storage: namely, a soybean milk-containing beverage that achieves both of reduction in green smells and the like during its storage and a good sourness (flavor).SOLUTION: A soybean milk-containing beverage contains lactic acid and citric acid. The acidity of citric acid is 0.1-0.4 mass%. The ratio between the lactic acid-derived citric acid acidity and the citric acid-derived citric acid acidity is 90: 10-50: 50.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a soy milk-containing beverage and a method for suppressing flavor deterioration of a soy milk-containing beverage.

Background Art

[0002] So far, various dairy beverages have been developed according to various targets. On the other hand, against the background of problems such as milk allergy and diversification of recent health consciousness and preferences, the development of new soy milk-containing beverages as alternatives to dairy beverages has also been promoted. Soy milk is popular as a highly nutritious plant-based milk, and many products that can be stored at room temperature are sold. However, soy milk and soy milk-containing beverages are known to have an unpleasant flavor during storage due to the prominent green soy milk odor derived from soybeans, resulting in a loss of deliciousness and ultimately becoming difficult to drink. To address such problems, for example, efforts have been made to make soy milk more palatable by imparting a fruit flavor, but this may also impair the original flavor of soy milk. Therefore, attempts have been made to mask the unpleasant soy milk odor in another way. For example, Patent Document 1 describes that the unpleasant odor of soy milk can be masked by supplementing lactic acid or citric acid to fermented soy milk, and specifically, it is described that the unpleasant odor is prominent when the acidity is less than 0.45. In addition, attempts have also been made to improve the flavor of soy milk or soy milk-containing beverages. For example, Patent Document 2 describes a method for producing an acidic soy protein-containing beverage, and specifically, it is described that it is preferable to add citric acid or lactic acid from the viewpoint of flavor in an acidic beverage containing soy milk.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

[0004] As mentioned above, development is underway to improve or enhance the flavor of soy milk or soy milk-containing beverages. However, there is no knowledge of a technology that can achieve both a desirable acidity and a reduction in the unpleasant soy milk odor in soy milk-containing beverages. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a soy milk-containing beverage that has a good soy milk flavor, particularly a desirable acidity, while suppressing flavor deterioration during storage, that is, a soy milk-containing beverage that achieves both a reduction in grassy odor and other unpleasant tastes that occur during storage and a good acidity (flavor), and to provide a method for providing such a soy milk-containing beverage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The inventors focused on the above-mentioned problems and, through diligent research into means for solving them, discovered that by adjusting the total content and ratio of citric acid and lactic acid added as acidulants to unsweetened soy milk and soy milk-containing beverages, it is possible to maintain a good sour taste while simultaneously suppressing flavor deterioration, thus completing the present invention. In other words, the present invention includes the following embodiments. [1] Contains lactic acid and citric acid, The citrate acidity is 0.1-0.4% by mass. A soy milk-containing beverage in which the ratio of citrate acidity derived from lactic acid to citrate acidity derived from citric acid is 90:10 to 50:50. [2] The soy milk-containing beverage described in [1] above, wherein the soy solids content is 0.1 to 0.5% by mass. [3] A soy milk-containing beverage according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the soy lipid concentration is 0.05 to 0.3% by mass. [4] A method for suppressing flavor deterioration of a soy milk-containing beverage, comprising the step of adjusting the amount of citric acid and lactic acid in the soy milk-containing beverage so that the citric acid content is 0.1 to 0.4% by mass, and the ratio of acidity derived from lactic acid to acidity derived from citric acid is 90:10 to 50:50. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] This invention provides a soy milk-containing beverage that achieves both a good soy milk flavor and suppression of flavor deterioration during storage. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] The soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention is characterized by containing lactic acid and citric acid, having a citrate acidity of 0.1 to 0.4% by mass, and a ratio of citrate acidity derived from lactic acid to citrate acidity derived from citric acid of 90:10 to 50:50. In soy milk produced without using any raw materials other than soybeans, citric acid and lactic acid are usually hardly present, so the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention can be obtained by adding appropriate amounts of citric acid and lactic acid. In the present invention, the citrate acidity is equivalent to the anhydrous citrate acidity and can be the value specified in the method described in this example. Furthermore, the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention can be obtained by adjusting the amount of lactic acid and citric acid as acidulants while focusing on the citrate acidity of the entire beverage. The soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention has a refreshing aftertaste and a pleasant acidity, while also suppressing flavor deterioration during storage.

[0008] In the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention, the amounts of citric acid and lactic acid are set so that the citric acid content of the soy milk-containing beverage is 0.1 to 0.4% by mass, preferably 0.15 to 0.35% by mass, and more preferably 0.2 to 0.3% by mass. In the present invention, commercially available citric acid and lactic acid may be blended into the soy milk-containing beverage, or food and beverages containing citric acid and lactic acid at known concentrations may be blended into the soy milk-containing beverage. In addition to lactic acid and citric acid, the soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention may also contain other acidulants such as phosphoric acid or malic acid, but the citric acid content may be adjusted using only lactic acid and citric acid as acidulants.

[0009] Furthermore, in the soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention, the ratio of the citrate acidity derived from lactic acid to the citrate acidity derived from citric acid is preferably 90:10 to 50:50, more preferably 86:14 to 50:50, even more preferably 80:20 to 50:50, and particularly preferably 60:40 to 50:50. Here, in soy milk-containing beverages, when focusing only on desirable acidity, it is preferable to use only lactic acid as an acidulant. However, in the soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention, in order to achieve both desirable acidity and suppression of flavor deterioration, it is necessary to have lactic acid and citric acid in the above ratio. One reason for this suppression of flavor deterioration is that by adjusting the ratio of citrate acidity of citric acid and lactic acid in the present invention, the flavor of soy milk-derived components in the soy milk-containing beverage, in particular unsaturated aldehydes such as hexanal, which contribute to the grassy and oily smell of soy milk and are produced when soy lipids are oxidized during storage, can be masked. In this invention, the citrate acidity derived from lactic acid and the citrate acidity derived from citric acid, which are used as acidulants in the soy milk-containing beverage, can be the values ​​calculated by the method described in this example.

[0010] Furthermore, the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it contains, for example, soy milk, prepared soy milk, or soy milk beverage as described in Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Notification No. 683 of March 29, 2018. Also, the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention may be mixed with soy milk powder as a raw material. In addition, in the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention, the soy solids content is preferably 0.1 to 0.5% by mass, and more preferably 0.2 to 0.4% by mass. The soy solids content can be determined according to a calculation based on the raw materials used in the manufacture of the soy milk-containing beverage. In addition, in the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention, the soy lipid content (included in the soy solids) is preferably 0.05 to 0.3% by mass, and more preferably 0.1 to 0.2% by mass. In addition, in the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention, the ratio of the total concentration (mass%) of lactic acid and citric acid to the soy solids concentration (mass%) is preferably 0.1 to 1.0, and more preferably 0.2 to 0.8.

[0011] Herein, the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention preferably has a pH of 4.6 or less, more preferably 4.0 or less, and more preferably 3.0 or higher, and more preferably 3.3 or higher. If the pH exceeds 4.6, the stability of the soy protein may be impaired and precipitation may increase, and if the pH is below 2.6, the sour taste may be strongly perceived, which may reduce the palatability.

[0012] Preferred embodiments of the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention are not limited to, but include, for example, a soy milk-containing soft drink in which the citric acid content is 0.1 to 0.4% by mass, particularly preferably 0.15 to 0.3% by mass, the lactic acid-derived citric acid content : citric acid-derived citric acid content is 90:10 to 50:50, particularly preferably 80:20 to 50:50, the soy solids content is 0.2 to 0.3% by mass, particularly preferably 0.25% by mass, and the soy lipid content is 0.1 to 0.4% by mass, particularly preferably 0.2 to 0.3% by mass.

[0013] The sugar content of the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention is synonymous with the Brix value (also written as Brix or Bx). In the present invention, the sugar content is the reading of a sugar refractometer at 20°C, and can be the solid content measured at 20°C using, for example, the "Digital Refractometer Rx-5000" (manufactured by Atago Co., Ltd.). The sugar content is not particularly limited, but is preferably 3 to 12°Bx, and more preferably 5 to 10°Bx. The sugar content of the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention can be adjusted to the above value by using known sweeteners. For example, it is preferable to adjust the sugar content using sugars such as sucrose, glucose, granulated sugar, fructose, lactose, and maltose, fructose-glucose liquid sugar, and glucose-fructose liquid sugar; 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, either individually or in combination of two or more as appropriate. Adjusting with sucrose, fructose-glucose liquid sugar, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, and aspartame is particularly preferable from the viewpoint of the palatability required for soy milk-containing beverages, such as natural sweetness and refreshing acidity.

[0014] Furthermore, the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention preferably contains a protein stabilizer. Any thickening polysaccharide that can be used in food and beverages can be used as the stabilizer without particular limitations, but soybean polysaccharides are particularly preferred. One type of thickening polysaccharide may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination. Although not particularly limited, examples of thickening polysaccharides that can be used include soybean polysaccharides and pectin. Soybean polysaccharides are water-soluble polysaccharides obtained from soybeans. Their main component is hemicellulose, and they are further composed of sugars such as galactose, arabinose, galacturonic acid, rhamnose, xylose, fucose, and glucose. These soybean polysaccharides can be obtained by extracting, purifying, and sterilizing okara (fibrous residue) produced when manufacturing soybean oil and isolated soybean protein from soybeans. Alternatively, commercially available soybean polysaccharides can be used, such as the product names "SM-700," "SM-900," and "SM-1200" (all manufactured by San-Ei Gen F.F.I. Co., Ltd.).

[0015] The proportion of stabilizer added to the soy milk-containing beverage can be appropriately determined according to its type and other factors, as long as it does not impair the effects of the present invention. The proportion is not particularly limited, but for example, in order to maintain good protein stability and good flavor, the lower limit is usually 2 g / L, preferably 4 g / L, and the upper limit is usually 8 g / L, preferably 6 g / L, based on the total mass of the beverage. If the proportion of stabilizer is increased, the flavor and texture characteristic of the stabilizer may become stronger. Additionally, the flavor of soy milk-based beverages may be adjusted by adding minerals such as sodium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium, or their salts, as needed.

[0016] Furthermore, the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention may also contain milk components. These milk components may be derived from either animal milk or plant-based milk. Examples of animal milk include cow's milk, goat's milk, sheep's milk, and mare's milk. Examples of milk components in various forms include whole milk, skim milk, whey, milk protein concentrate, buttermilk powder, unsweetened condensed milk, sweetened skim condensed milk, sweetened whole condensed milk, fresh cream, and fermented milk. Milk reconstituted from powdered milk or concentrated milk can also be used. Among these, skim milk is preferred, and skim milk powder is particularly preferred due to its ease of handling. The milk components may be derived from a single type of raw material or from several types of raw materials.

[0017] Furthermore, to the extent that it does not impair the flavor of the soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention, fruit juice, such as citrus juices like orange, lemon, or grapefruit, or fruit juices like grape, peach, apple, or banana, may be added as an optional acidic component as needed. Furthermore, the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention may also include liquid or paste-like fermented soy milk food products, etc., obtained by fermenting raw materials (such as soy milk) using lactic acid bacteria, yeast, etc. Furthermore, the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention may contain food additives not mentioned above, such as sweeteners, flavorings, various nutrients, various plant extracts, colorants, diluents, and antioxidants, which are commonly used, as long as they do not impair the purpose of the present invention. The soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a beverage containing soy milk. For example, it includes unadjusted soy milk, prepared soy milk, soy milk beverages, soft drinks, coffee beverages, tea-based beverages, fruit beverages, sports beverages, health beverages, or alcoholic beverages, etc. In addition, the water used (added) when manufacturing the soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited. For example, ion-exchanged water can be used.

[0018] The soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention can be obtained by appropriately mixing soy milk, the above-mentioned acidulant, sweetener, flavor, various nutritional components, various plant extracts, coloring agent, diluent, antioxidant and other food additives. In the soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention, in the manufacturing process, homogenization treatment and sterilization treatment can be appropriately carried out as necessary. The homogenization treatment can usually be carried out using a homogenizer. The homogenization conditions are not particularly limited and can follow conventional methods. The method of sterilization treatment is not particularly limited, and methods such as ordinary plate sterilization, tubular sterilization, retort sterilization, batch sterilization, autoclave sterilization, etc. can be adopted. As a method of filling the soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention after sterilization treatment into a container, for example, it can be carried out by hot pack filling the beverage into the container and cooling the filled container, or by cooling the beverage to a temperature suitable for container filling and then aseptically filling it into a previously washed and sterilized container. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to Examples and Comparative Examples. However, the present invention is not limited by these Examples.

Examples

[0019] For the various raw materials (components) in the following Examples and Comparative Examples, the following were used. Soy milk (soybean solids 18%) Fructose glucose liquid sugar (55% isomerized sugar) Soybean polysaccharide Pectin 50% Lactic acid Anhydrous citric acid <00001​ Ion-exchanged water (solvent that makes up the remainder)

[0020] The methods for obtaining analytical or calculated values ​​of the content of each component were as follows. ≪1 Sugar content (Bx°)≫ Sugar content was measured on a sample at 20°C using a digital refractometer, model number Rx-5000 (manufactured by Atago Co., Ltd.).

[0021] ≪2 pH≫ pH was measured using a pH meter. ≪3 Soybean solid content (mass%)≫ The soy solids content was calculated based on the raw materials used in the production of each beverage sample. ≪4 Soybean lipid (mass%)≫ The lipid content in soy solids was calculated based on the raw materials used in the production of each beverage sample.

[0022] ≪5. Acidity of anhydrous citric acid (mass %)≫ The citrate content of the entire beverage sample was measured using the titration method described below. Specifically, the citrate content was determined by titrating with phenolphthalein indicator and sodium hydroxide according to the following procedure. (1) Accurately weigh 5 to 15 g of the beverage into a 200 mL Erlenmeyer flask and dilute it with water to about 50 mL. (2) Add a few drops of 1% phenolphthalein indicator to the diluted beverage and stir. (3) While stirring the diluted beverage solution in the Erlenmeyer flask with a magnetic stirrer, add 0.1 M sodium hydroxide from a 25 mL burette to the beverage solution dropwise and perform a titration test. The endpoint of this titration test is when the color of the beverage solution in the Erlenmeyer flask remains red for 30 seconds.

[0023] (4) The value of the citric acidity (%) is calculated based on the results of the titration test using the following formula. Citric acidity (%) = A × f × (100 / W) × 0.0064 Equation (1) [In equation (1), A represents the titration volume (mL) of the 0.1M sodium hydroxide solution, f represents the titer of the 0.1M sodium hydroxide solution, and W represents the mass (g) of the sample. The value "0.0064" multiplied in equation (1) refers to the mass (g) of anhydrous citric acid equivalent to 1 mL of 0.1M sodium hydroxide solution.] In the titration test described above, a hydrogen ion concentration meter may be used instead of phenolphthalein indicator. In this case, the endpoint of the titration test is when the pH of the beverage solution in the Erlenmeyer flask reaches 8.1. The "citric acidity derived from other raw materials" is a value calculated by summing the acidity of each raw material.

[0024] We investigated the differences in effects depending on the type (combination) of acidulants added to soy milk-containing beverages and the amount added. [Contrastive example] A prepared liquid was manufactured by mixing water with an amount of prepared soy milk resulting in a soy solid content of 0.26% by mass (including 0.20% by mass of soy lipids), and stabilizers (soy polysaccharides, pectin), 50% lactic acid, trisodium citrate, and fructose-glucose liquid sugar (55% isomerized sugar) in amounts corresponding to Bx, anhydrous citric acidity, and pH as shown in Table 1 below. The resulting liquid was sterilized by flash sterilization at 95°C, and then filled into PET bottles to obtain a packaged beverage sample.

[0025] [Examples 1-3 and Comparative Example 1] A beverage sample was obtained in the same manner as the control product described above, except that 50% lactic acid and anhydrous citric acid were added as acidulants in amounts corresponding to the anhydrous citric acidity shown in Table 1.

[0026] [Table 1]

[0027] <Accelerated deterioration testing and sensory evaluation> Each beverage sample obtained in the control example, Examples 1-3, and Comparative Example 1 was stored at 55°C for 3 days to accelerate deterioration. After accelerating the deterioration of each beverage sample, each sample was cooled to 4°C, and five expert panelists performed a sensory evaluation using a "control" beverage sample as a baseline. The scores were then averaged. The sensory evaluation criteria were as shown in Table 2 below.

[0028] [Table 2]

[0029] In the accelerated degradation test, the "control example" was used as the baseline, and this score was adjusted to 4 points. Expert panelists were asked to rate each beverage sample on a 7-point scale from 1 to 7 for "grassy and oily soy milk odor," "good acidity," "good aftertaste," and "overall deliciousness (overall evaluation)." The final score was obtained by rounding the average of the scores from the five expert panelists to two decimal places. The "overall deliciousness (overall evaluation)" comprehensively assessed the palatability of the beverage, taking into account flavors other than those caused by soy milk. There was no variation in the evaluations among the expert panelists. The sensory evaluation results after the accelerated degradation test are shown in Table 3.

[0030] [Table 3]

[0031] In the test groups designated as Examples 1-3, the "grassy and oily smell of soy milk" was masked compared to the control group, and the "pleasant acidity" and "pleasant aftertaste" were improved. On the other hand, in Comparative Example 1, no masking effect was observed for the "grassy and oily smell of soy milk."

Claims

1. It contains lactic acid and citric acid, The citrate acidity is 0.1 to 0.3% by mass. A soy milk-containing beverage in which the ratio of citrate acidity derived from lactic acid to citrate acid acidity derived from citric acid is 90:10 to 50:

50.

2. The soy milk-containing beverage according to claim 1, wherein the soy solids concentration is 0.1 to 0.5% by mass.

3. A soy milk-containing beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the soy lipid concentration is 0.05 to 0.3% by mass.

4. A method for suppressing flavor deterioration of a soy milk-containing beverage, comprising the step of adjusting the amount of citric acid and lactic acid in the soy milk-containing beverage so that the citric acid content is 0.1 to 0.3% by mass, and the ratio of citric acid content derived from lactic acid to citric acid content derived from citric acid is 90:10 to 50:50.

Images