A milk-containing beverage containing vegetable oil and plant-derived protein, and a method for producing the same.

Abstract

To provide a milk component-containing beverage having a total protein content of 3.00 mass% or less and enhanced in milk flavor and milk-like richness.SOLUTION: The milk component-containing beverage contains milk fat and milk protein, and has a total protein content greater than 0.00 mass% and less than or equal to 3.00 mass%. The beverage also contains vegetable fat and oil, and vegetable-derived protein, where the content of the vegetable fat and oil in the beverage is greater than or equal to 0.1 mass%, and the content of the vegetable-derived protein in the beverage is 1-90 mass% of the total protein content.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a milk component-containing beverage and a method for producing the same. More specifically, it relates to a milk component-containing beverage containing vegetable oil and plant-derived protein, with enhanced milk flavor and richness.

Background Art

[0002] Milk component-containing beverages such as milk coffee and milk tea are highly preferred beverages. In addition to being consumed at home or in cafes, various products are sold in the market as packaged beverages. Among the packaged milk component-containing beverages sold in the market, there are chilled-distribution beverages that allow one to enjoy the taste of fresh milk, and room-temperature-distribution milk component-containing beverages that can be stored for a long time. Room-temperature-distribution milk component-containing beverages are not only good in terms of storage stability but can also be sold after being heated, and thus are consumed in various scenarios.

[0003] However, due to concerns about the container safety of the container packaging, room-temperature-distribution milk component-containing beverages cannot be manufactured and sold as milk beverages containing a large amount of milk components, so the amount of milk components has to be reduced, and as a result, the milk flavor has become weak, which has been a conventional problem. As a method for solving this problem, a technique of using vegetable oil in milk component-containing beverages is known.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vegetable oil composition containing vegetable oil and, as emulsifiers, sucrose fatty acid ester, organic acid glycerin fatty acid ester, and polyglycerol fatty acid ester and / or lecithin. By including this composition in a beverage, it is disclosed that the flavor of the beverage can be improved and a beverage that can withstand high-temperature sterilization and long-term storage can be provided. Also, Patent Document 2 discloses a technique of imparting a rich and fresh milk feeling as provided in cafes or chilled distribution by including vegetable oil and phospholipids such as phosphatidylcholine in a packaged beverage that can be distributed at room temperature and sold after being heated. However, in the conventional technologies as described above, although a fresh milk flavor is imparted, it is not sufficient in terms of the richness characteristic of milk. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-341933 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-108646 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a milk-containing beverage that has a low total protein content and, even when packaged for room temperature distribution, offers not only the milky flavor and rich, milky taste of beverages offered in chilled distribution, but also a milky richness.

[0007] As a result of diligent research into the above objectives, the inventors have found that by including plant-derived proteins in addition to vegetable oils in milk-containing beverages, it is possible to enhance not only the milk flavor but also the rich, milky taste. The present invention includes the following: [1] A milk-containing beverage having a total protein content of more than 0.00% by mass and 3.00% by mass or less, (a) The milk components include milk fat and milk protein, (b) The beverage contains vegetable oil and plant-derived protein, (c) The vegetable oil content in the beverage is 0.1% by mass or more, (d) A beverage in which the plant-derived protein content is 1 to 90% by mass of the total protein content. [2] The beverage according to [1], wherein the plant of the plant-derived protein is one or more of soy, almond, or oat. [3] The beverage according to [1] or [2], wherein the vegetable oil is one or more of safflower oil, coconut oil, or palm oil. [4] A beverage according to any one of items [1] to [3], wherein the milk solids content is less than 3.0% by mass. [5] A beverage containing caffeine, as described in any one of items [1] to [4]. [6] A method for producing a milk-containing beverage, (1)(a) The milk components include milk fat and milk protein, (b) The vegetable oil content in the beverage is 0.1% by mass or more, (c) The total protein content in the beverage is greater than 0.00% by mass and 3.00% by mass or less. (d) A step of mixing and adjusting milk components, vegetable oils and plant-derived proteins so that the plant-derived protein content in the beverage is 1 to 90% by mass of the total protein content, and (2) Process of filling beverages into containers A method that includes this. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The present invention makes it possible to provide a milk-containing beverage containing vegetable oil with enhanced milk flavor and milky richness. Here, "milk flavor" refers to the aroma and taste felt the moment milk is taken into the mouth, while "milky richness" refers to the rich sensation that remains in the mouth even after some time has passed since drinking the milk. The milk-containing beverage of the present invention, for example, even if the milk content is low enough to allow for distribution at room temperature, contains appropriate amounts of vegetable oil and plant-derived protein, allowing consumers to enjoy a milk flavor and milky richness similar to that of beverages with a higher milk content that are distributed chilled. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The present invention relates to a beverage containing milk components, wherein the total protein content is more than 0.00% by mass and 3.00% by mass or less, and (a) the milk components include milk fat and milk protein, (b) the beverage includes vegetable oil and plant-derived protein, (c) the vegetable oil content is 0.1% by mass or more, and (d) the plant-derived protein content is 1 to 90% by mass of the total protein content.

[0010] (milk ingredient) The beverage of the present invention contains milk components. The milk components should be included in the beverage so that it contains milk fat and milk protein. Examples of milk components include milk, skim milk, concentrated milk, skimmed concentrated milk, condensed milk, skimmed condensed milk, whole milk powder, skim milk powder, fresh cream, butter, butter oil, buttermilk, buttermilk powder, casein, whey, and cheese. One or more of these can be selected and used. Preferred milk components are milk, concentrated milk, and whole milk powder, as they contain both milk fat and milk protein. Milk is particularly preferred. These milk components can be used individually. On the other hand, when combining two or more milk ingredients, they can be combined in such a way that they contain both milk fat and milk protein, such as skim milk powder and fresh cream, or skim milk powder and butter.

[0011] (vegetable oil) The beverage of the present invention contains vegetable oil. Here, vegetable oil refers to oil or fat extracted from plant materials. The method of oil extraction is not particularly limited and is selected according to the plant material. For example, methods include, but are not limited to, extracting oil by pressing plant materials that have been pre-treated as needed, such as crushing, dehulling, drying, or heating, or extracting oil using a solvent. The extracted oil may be used after filtration, or, as needed, it may be used after refining treatment selected from degumming, deacidification, decolorization, deodorization, dewaxing, etc. The type of vegetable oil is not limited, but examples include safflower oil, coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, olive oil, corn oil, processed oils (made from vegetable oil), etc. Safflower oil, coconut oil, and palm oil are preferred, and safflower oil is particularly preferred because it is less likely to produce off-flavors. One type of vegetable oil may be used, or multiple types may be used in combination. Although plant-derived proteins used in this invention may contain trace amounts of lipids, these lipids (those not obtained through oil extraction) are not included in the vegetable oils used in this invention.

[0012] The vegetable oil content of the beverage of the present invention is 0.1% by mass or more, preferably 0.15 to 3.0% by mass, more preferably 0.3 to 2.0% by mass, and most preferably 0.5 to 1.5%. If the vegetable oil content is less than 0.1% by mass, the milk flavor will be weak, and the effects of the present invention will not be obtained. If it is more than 3.0% by mass, a bitter taste of vegetable oil may be perceived when the beverage is consumed.

[0013] The amount of vegetable oil in a beverage can be measured by known methods. Since the fatty acid composition ratio differs depending on the type of vegetable oil used, for example, by performing a fatty acid analysis to measure the proportion of one or more characteristic fatty acid components contained in the vegetable oil, the amount of vegetable oil can be calculated by working backward from these proportions to determine the total lipid content of the vegetable oil.

[0014] (Plant-derived protein) The beverage of the present invention contains plant-derived protein. The type of plant used for the plant-derived protein is not limited, but it is preferable to use a plant that is rich in protein. Examples of such plants include legumes (soybeans (including soy milk), peas), nuts (almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios, coconuts), oats, rice, etc., with soybeans (including soy milk), almonds, and oats being preferred, and soybeans (including soy milk) being particularly preferred in that they are less likely to produce off-flavors. The plant used for the plant-derived protein may be one type of plant or a combination of multiple types. As for the plant-derived protein in the beverage, for example, the above-mentioned plants can be used as is or ground into a liquid or paste after being soaked in water, or they can be purified by centrifugation or powdered by a drying process, and these can be directly incorporated into the beverage as a plant-derived protein source. Furthermore, trace amounts of protein contained in extracts obtained by extracting plants using a solvent such as water, and in concentrated or dried extracts thereof, specifically trace amounts of protein derived from coffee extract and tea leaf extract, are not included in the plant-derived proteins of this invention. Another feature of this invention is that the plant-derived proteins and vegetable oils contained in beverages may be sourced from different plants.

[0015] The plant-derived protein content in the beverage of the present invention is 1 to 90% by mass of the total protein content, preferably 2 to 50% by mass, and more preferably 10 to 50% by mass. Here, the total protein content is the sum of the milk protein content and the plant-derived protein content. If the plant-derived protein content is lower than 1% by mass of the total protein content, the effects of the present invention will not be obtained, and if it is higher than 90% by mass, the milk flavor will be insufficient.

[0016] Furthermore, the beverages covered by this invention are those with a total protein content of 3.00% by mass or less. Beverages with a total protein content exceeding 3.00% by mass contain plant-derived proteins. Even when there is none, umami can be felt, so the problem of the present invention does not occur in the first place. The total protein content in the beverage is preferably 0.10% by mass or more and 3.00% by mass or less, more preferably 0.50% by mass or more and 2.80% by mass or less.

[0017] The total protein content of the beverage of the present invention can be measured by the Kjeldahl method. In addition, the content of plant-derived protein in the beverage can be obtained, for example, by determining the content of protein corresponding to plant-derived protein from the concentrations and compositions of various amino acids in the beverage and the raw material indication attached to the product.

[0018] (milk solids) The amount of milk solids in the beverage of the present invention is preferably less than 3.0% by mass, more preferably 1.0 to 2.5% by mass, and even more preferably 1.5 to 2.0% by mass. When the content of milk solids is less than 3.0% by mass, it does not meet the standard of "milk beverage" in the "Ordinance Concerning Standards for Components of Milk and Dairy Products, etc.", but according to the present invention, a milk flavor and umami of milk can be imparted, and a milk feeling equivalent to that of a milk beverage can be obtained. Milk solids refer to the sum of milk fat and non-fat milk solids. Ordinary milk has a milk solid content of 12.6% by mass (milk fat 3.8% by mass, non-fat milk solids 8.8% by mass). Milk solids can be determined by measuring the weight of the dried solids after drying the milk components using a general drying method (freeze drying, evaporation to dryness, etc.) to remove moisture. For example, the milk solids of the milk raw materials (milk components) indicated on the container of the container-packed beverage can be measured respectively, and the sum of them can be taken as the milk solids in the beverage.

[0019] (milk fat) The beverage of the present invention contains milk fat, but its content is not particularly limited. Preferably, it is 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.3% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.5% by mass or more. This is because a milk fat content of 0.1% by mass or more makes it easier to impart a milky flavor. Furthermore, as mentioned above, since a milk solids content of less than 3.0% by mass is preferred, the milk fat content is also preferably less than 3.0% by mass, and more preferably less than 2.5% by mass.

[0020] (Dairy containing beverages) The beverage of the present invention contains dairy components (referred to as a dairy component-containing beverage). Examples of dairy component-containing beverages include, but are not limited to, milk-flavored beverages, coffee creamer, tea creamer, and matcha creamer.

[0021] (Caffeine) The milk-containing beverage of the present invention may contain caffeine. Including an appropriate amount of caffeine can mask the bitterness derived from vegetable oils. On the other hand, if the caffeine content is too high, the caffeine may be perceived as bitter, affecting the flavor of the beverage. The caffeine content in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 to 100 mg per 100 mL of beverage, more preferably 3 to 50 mg, and even more preferably 5 to 40 mg. The caffeine content in the beverage can be measured, for example, using high-performance liquid chromatography.

[0022] The form of caffeine added to beverages is not particularly limited, but for example, coffee extract containing caffeine, tea (green tea, black tea, oolong tea) extract, or caffeine preparations can be used. When using coffee extract or tea extract, either liquid or powder form may be used.

[0023] (Sweetening components) The beverage of the present invention preferably further contains a sweetening component. This is because the sweetening component has the effect of enhancing the smoothness of the milk. Here, the sweetening component refers to a component that has a sweet taste, and includes sugars, sugar alcohols, and sweeteners. Specifically, examples include sugars that have a sweet taste, such as sucrose, fructose, glucose, maltose, galactose, mannose, fucose, xylose, trehalose, and lactose; sugar alcohols such as erythritol, xylitol, maltitol, sorbitol, mannitol, and inositol; and various sweeteners such as sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, neotame, and stevia extract. Among these, the inclusion of sucrose is preferable.

[0024] (Other ingredients) In addition to the above-mentioned components, the beverage of the present invention may contain flavorings, emulsifiers, pH adjusters, antioxidants, etc., to the extent that they do not affect the effects of the present invention. The type of flavoring is not particularly limited, but flavorings that enhance the aroma of milk components, such as milk flavorings, can be preferably selected. Examples of emulsifiers include known emulsifiers mainly composed of sucrose fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, lecithin, lysolecithin, sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, etc. Among these, sucrose fatty acid esters can be preferably selected.

[0025] (pH) The pH of the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of ensuring the microbiological safety of the beverage, it is preferably 5.0 to 8.0, and more preferably 6.0 to 7.0. The pH of the beverage can be adjusted as appropriate using known pH adjusting agents.

[0026] (Packaged beverages) The beverage of the present invention is preferably a packaged beverage in a container. The container used to fill 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. Since the present invention is suitable for beverages distributed at room temperature, PET bottles, aluminum cans, and steel cans are preferred, and PET bottles are particularly preferred because they are lightweight and easy to carry.

[0027] (heat sterilization) If the beverage of the present invention is a packaged beverage, it is preferable that it has been heat-sterilized. The conditions for heat sterilization in the present invention are not particularly limited, but if a heat-resistant container (metal can, glass, etc.) is used as the container, retort sterilization (110-140°C, 1 to several tens of minutes) can be performed. If a non-heat-resistant container (PET bottle, paper container, etc.) is used as the container, for example, the prepared liquid can be pre-sterilized at high temperature for a short time (UHT sterilization: 110-150°C, 1 to several tens of seconds) using a plate heat exchanger, etc., cooled to a certain temperature, and then filled into the non-heat-resistant container.

[0028] (Manufacturing method) The milk-containing beverage of the present invention can be produced by mixing milk components, vegetable oils and fats and plant-derived proteins to satisfy the above-mentioned specific concentration range. Alternatively, the mixture may be filled into containers after mixing. Specifically, it can be produced by a method comprising the following steps: (1)(a) The milk components include milk fat and milk protein, (b) The vegetable oil content in the beverage is 0.1% by mass or more, (c) The total protein content in the beverage is greater than 0.00% by mass and 3.00% by mass or less. (d) A step of mixing and adjusting milk components, vegetable oils and plant-derived proteins so that the plant-derived protein content in the beverage is 1 to 90% by mass of the total protein content, and (2) The process of filling beverages into containers.

[0029] The milk components, vegetable oils, and plant-derived proteins are as described above. In addition to these, water and the various additives mentioned above (caffeine, sweeteners, flavorings, emulsifiers, pH adjusters, antioxidants, etc.) may be mixed. The method of mixing is not particularly limited; any method used in the production of ordinary beverages may be used. Furthermore, the order of mixing and the temperature during mixing are not particularly limited; appropriate conditions should be selected according to the ingredients.

[0030] The resulting beverage may be filled into the containers described above to produce a bottled beverage. Furthermore, the heat sterilization described above may be performed during, before, or after filling the beverage. [Examples]

[0031] The details of the present invention will be specifically explained below with reference to experimental examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Reference example A milk-containing beverage was prepared using milk, safflower oil, and an emulsifier, according to Table 1. The milk used contained 3.3% milk protein and 3.8% milk fat. The safflower oil was manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group, Ltd., and the emulsifiers used were Sunsoft® A-181EP (manufactured by Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd.) and Poem® B-10 (manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd.).

[0032] Five expert panelists conducted a sensory evaluation of the resulting milk-containing beverages. For milk flavor, each panelist rated it on a three-point scale (○: milky flavor present, △: slightly milky flavor, ×: almost no milky flavor), and the rating with the most votes was used as the score. For milky richness, each panelist evaluated it based on the following criteria, and the average score was adopted. An average score of 2.0 or higher was considered acceptable, with 3.0 or higher being preferable. 5 points: Has a rich flavor that lasts for more than 60 seconds (equivalent to Sample 1-1). 4 points: It has a rich flavor that lasts for more than 30 seconds but less than 60 seconds. 3 points: It has a rich flavor that lasts for more than 10 seconds but less than 30 seconds. Points 2: It has a rich flavor that lasts for more than 5 seconds but less than 10 seconds. 1 point: Lack of richness, or even if slightly present, it doesn't last (equivalent to samples 1-2).

[0033] [Table 1]

[0034] The evaluation results are shown in Table 1. Milk-containing beverages with a milk protein content exceeding 3.00% by mass possess both a milky flavor and a rich, milky texture, thus avoiding the problem of the present invention. This can be seen. On the other hand, in a milk-containing beverage with 0.73% by mass of milk protein, there is no milky flavor, but by adding 0.1-1.0% by mass of vegetable oil, a milky flavor can be imparted. However, simply adding vegetable oil was not enough to give it a sufficiently milky richness.

[0035] Experimental Example 1 A milk-containing beverage was prepared using milk, safflower oil, soybean raw material, and an emulsifier, according to Table 2. The milk and safflower oil were the same as those used in Reference Example 1, and the soybean raw material was Nisshin Oillio Group Ltd.'s "Whole Fat Soybean Flour Alpha Plus (registered trademark) HS-600" (soybean protein content 42.7% by mass), which was mixed directly into the beverage.

[0036] Five expert panelists conducted sensory evaluations of the various milk-containing beverages obtained, assessing their milk flavor and rich, milky texture using the same method as the reference examples.

[0037] [Table 2]

[0038] The evaluation results are shown in Table 2. Total protein content: 0.00% by mass It was found that in beverages with a protein content of 3.00% by mass or less, by including 0.1% by mass or more of vegetable oil, and further including a plant-derived protein source (soybean raw material) so that the plant-derived protein content in the beverage is 1 to 90% by mass of the total protein content, both a milky flavor and a milky richness can be imparted.

[0039] Experimental Example 2 The raw materials for vegetable oil, plant-derived protein, and milk components were changed as shown in Table 3, and beverages with the same amounts of vegetable oil, milk fat, milk protein, and plant-derived protein as Sample 2-4 of Experimental Example 2 were prepared. For the almond raw material, Ezaki Glico Co., Ltd.'s "Almond Effect" (almond protein content 1% by mass) was used, and for the oat raw material, Danone Japan Co., Ltd.'s "Alpro® Oat Milk" (oat protein content 0.2% by mass) was used. In addition, coconut oil was manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group, and palm oil was manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd. Furthermore, the skim milk powder contained 34% milk protein and 1% milk fat, and the fresh cream contained 2% milk protein and 47% milk fat.

[0040] Five expert panelists conducted sensory evaluations of the various milk-containing beverages obtained, assessing their milk flavor and rich, milky texture using the same method as the reference examples.

[0041] [Table 3]

[0042] The evaluation results are shown in Table 3. It was found that the same effect could be obtained even when the raw materials such as vegetable oils, plant-derived proteins, and dairy components were changed. Experimental Example 3 Using the same milk and safflower oil as in Reference Example 1, and the same soybean ingredients as in Experimental Example 1, coffee milk beverages and matcha milk beverages were prepared according to the formulations shown in Table 4 below. These were then sterilized and filled into 500ml PET bottles under sterile conditions. Sensory evaluation of each beverage was performed using the same method as in the Reference Example.

[0043] [Table 4]

[0044] In both beverages, despite a total protein content of 1.12% by mass, it was found that by adding 1.0% by mass of vegetable oil and 38% by mass of plant-derived protein relative to the total protein content of the beverage, both a milky flavor and a milky richness were imparted.

Claims

1. A milk-containing beverage having a total protein content of 0.50% by mass or more and 3.00% by mass or less, (a) The milk components include milk fat and milk protein, and the milk fat content in the beverage is 0.3% by mass or more. (b) The beverage contains vegetable oil and plant-derived protein, (c) The vegetable oil content in the beverage is 0.1% by mass or more, (d) The plant-derived protein in the beverage is protein derived from one or more of the following plants: soybeans, almonds, and oats, and the plant-derived protein content is 1 to 90% by mass of the total protein content. (e) A beverage that contains caffeine, with a caffeine content of 3 to 50 mg per 100 mL of beverage.

2. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the vegetable oil is one or more of safflower oil, coconut oil, and palm oil.

3. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the milk solids content is less than 3.0% by mass.

4. A method for producing a milk-containing beverage, (1) (a) The milk components include milk fat and milk protein, and the milk fat content in the beverage is 0.3% by mass or more. (b) The vegetable oil content in the beverage is 0.1% by mass or more, (c) The total protein content in the beverage is 0.50% by mass or more and 3.00% by mass or less. (d) A step of mixing and preparing milk components, vegetable oils and plant-derived proteins so that the beverage contains one or more plant-derived proteins from soybeans, almonds, or oats, with a content of 1 to 90% by mass of the total protein content. (2) A step of adjusting the caffeine content of the beverage so that the caffeine content of the beverage is 3 to 50 mg per 100 mL of the beverage, (3) Process of filling beverages into containers A method that includes this.

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