Beverage

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a beverage that, even when the trans fatty acid content thereof is sufficiently reduced, can provide strong oil / fat-derived flavor sensations such as rich top notes and / or full-bodied flavor.　Provided is a beverage that comprises a plant-based oil / fat and water and that is characterized by satisfying all of (A) to (D): (A) SO2 triglyceride content in the plant-based oil / fat is not less than 10 wt%; (B) trans fatty acid content with respect to fat in the beverage is not more than 2 wt%; (C) linoleic acid content in the beverage is not more than 6 wt%; and (D) SO2 triglyceride content in the beverage is not less than 0.1 wt%. Here, S represents stearic acid, O represents oleic acid, and the SO2 triglyceride is a triglyceride in which one S and two O are bonded.

Description

beverage

[0001] RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of priority from Application No. 2023-055246, filed with the Japan Patent Office on March 30, 2023. The priority application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present invention relates to beverages.

[0003] Several techniques are known for adding body to beverages using vegetable oils. Beverages often contain about 2 to 15% by weight of vegetable oil, and it is known that vegetable oils have a significant effect on the physical properties and flavor of beverages.

[0004] In recent years, the health risks of trans fatty acids in vegetable oils have become clear, and there is a demand for oil-based foods with reduced trans fatty acids. Specific methods for reducing trans fatty acids include reducing the amount of partially hydrogenated oils, which generate trans fatty acids during the process, and replacing them with interesterified oils, extremely hydrogenated oils, or fractionated oils. However, it is known that these substitutions, even if usable in terms of physical properties, impair the flavor of the food, specifically the thickness and / or richness of the top flavor, which is what is known as palatability. Therefore, there is a need for technology that can impart palatability while reducing the trans fatty acid content.

[0005] For example, a technology for reducing trans fatty acids in beverages has been proposed in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 describes a "method for producing a beverage, which comprises subjecting edible oils and fats containing highly saturated fatty acids, in which the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids in all fatty acids bonded to triglyceride molecules is 20% by mass or less, to high-pressure emulsification treatment multiple times, adjusting the total treatment pressure on the edible oil and fat in the multiple high-pressure emulsification treatments to 60 MPa or more, and mixing the obtained oil and fat emulsion with beverage ingredients, and then subjecting the resulting mixture to further high-pressure emulsification treatment."

[0006] Furthermore, as a method for imparting deliciousness while reducing trans fatty acids, for example, the technology of Patent Document 2 has been proposed. Patent Document 2 describes "a foamable oil-in-water emulsified oil-and-fat composition containing 25 to 50% by weight of an oil-and-fat composition (X) consisting of an oil-and-fat (A) containing 50% by weight or more of SUS triglycerides and an oil-and-fat (B) containing 6% by weight or more of triglycerides each having a total carbon number of 36, 38, 40, 48, 50, and 52 and having a total amount of butyric acid and caproic acid of 2% by weight or more."

[0007] JP 2018-166527 A JP 2010-207190 A

[0008] However, the technology of Patent Document 1 requires multiple high-pressure emulsification steps, which increases production costs, leaving room for improvement. Therefore, there is a need for a beverage that has a good flavor (thick top and / or rich taste) even when the trans fatty acid content of the vegetable oil is reduced using a simpler production method. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 describes a technology for reducing trans fatty acids in a foamable oil-in-water emulsion containing 25 to 50 wt % of an oil composition, and is not useful as a reference for completing the present invention related to beverages.

[0009] The present invention addresses the problem of providing a beverage that has a good flavor (thick top and / or rich taste) even when the trans fatty acid content of the vegetable oil is reduced. As a result of extensive research aimed at solving the problem, the inventors unexpectedly discovered that, in a beverage containing vegetable oil and water, even if the trans fatty acid content per lipid in the beverage is 2% by weight or less, the above problem can be solved by ensuring that the vegetable oil contained in the beverage has an SO2 triglyceride content of 10% by weight or more, that the linoleic acid content in the beverage is 6% by weight or less, and that the SO2 triglyceride content in the beverage is 0.1% by weight or more, and thus completed the present invention.

[0010] That is, the present invention encompasses the following inventions: (1) A beverage containing vegetable oil and water, characterized in that it satisfies all of the following (A) to (D): (A) The vegetable oil has an SO2 triglyceride content of 10% by weight or more; (B) The trans fatty acid content per lipid in the beverage is 2% by weight or less; (C) The linoleic acid content in the beverage is 6% by weight or less; and (D) The SO2 triglyceride content in the beverage is 0.1% by weight or more, where S is stearic acid, O is oleic acid, and SO2 triglyceride refers to a triglyceride formed by the combination of one S and two O. (2) A beverage according to (1), which contains at least 0.1% by weight or more vegetable oil, and which has an "unsaponifiable matter index" of 0.9 or more according to the following calculation formula: "Unsaponifiable matter index": Measured iodine value - (C16: 1% x 0.950 + C18: 1% x 0.860 + C18: 2% x 1.732 + C18: 3% x 2.616 + C20: 1% x 0.785 + C22: 1% x 0.723) (3) The beverage of (1) or (2), in which the vegetable oil contains 6.5% by weight or more of diglycerides. (4) The beverage of (1), in which the vegetable oil does not contain partially hydrogenated oil. (5) The beverage of (2), in which the vegetable oil does not contain partially hydrogenated oil. (6) The beverage of (3), in which the vegetable oil does not contain partially hydrogenated oil. (7) The beverages of (4) to (6), in which the vegetable oil includes a low melting point fraction obtained by fractionating shea butter. (8) A method for enhancing the flavor (thickness of the top and / or richness) of a beverage containing vegetable oil and water by satisfying all of the following (A) to (D): (A) the vegetable oil has an SO2 triglyceride content of 10% by weight or more, (B) the trans fatty acid content per lipid in the beverage is 2% by weight or less, (C) the linoleic acid content in the beverage is 6% by weight or less, and (D) the SO2 triglyceride content in the beverage is 0.1% by weight or more, where S is stearic acid, O is oleic acid, and SO2 triglyceride refers to a triglyceride in which one S and two O are bonded. (9) The method of (8), which contains at least 0.1% by weight or more of vegetable oil and has an "unsaponifiable matter index" of 0.9 or more according to the following calculation formula:"Unsaponifiable matter index": Measured iodine value - (C16: 1% × 0.950 + C18: 1% × 0.860 + C18: 2% × 1.732 + C18: 3% × 2.616 + C20: 1% × 0.785 + C22: 1% × 0.723) (10) The method of (8) or (9), in which the diglyceride content of the vegetable oil is 6.5% by weight or more. (11) The method of (8), in which the vegetable oil does not contain partially hydrogenated oil. (12) The method of (9), in which the vegetable oil does not contain partially hydrogenated oil. (13) The method of (10), in which the vegetable oil does not contain partially hydrogenated oil. (14) The methods of (11) to (13), in which the vegetable oil contains a low melting point fraction obtained by fractionating shea butter.

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a beverage that has a sufficiently reduced trans fatty acid content, yet still has a strong flavor (thick top and / or rich taste).

[0012] The present invention will be described in detail below.

[0013] As used herein, the term "top thickness," which is an expression relating to the flavor of a beverage, refers to the sensation of a rich flavor (taste) derived from the beverage shortly after tasting the beverage. As used herein, the term "richness," which is an expression relating to the flavor of a beverage, refers to the sensation of a rich flavor (taste) derived from the beverage as an overall impression after tasting the beverage. The beverage of the present invention allows the user to experience the thickness and / or richness of the top. Furthermore, "thickness and / or richness of the top" is sometimes commonly referred to as "richness."

[0014] (Vegetable Oils and Fats) In the present invention, specific examples of vegetable oils and fats contained in beverages include palm oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, sunflower seed oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, rice bran oil, corn oil, safflower oil, olive oil, kapok oil, sesame oil, evening primrose oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), shea butter, monkey fat, algae oil, etc., as well as their extremely hardened oils, fractionated oils, processed oils and fats subjected to interesterification, etc., and further mixtures of these oils and fats. The nature of the oils and fats is not particularly limited, and both solid and liquid oils and fats can be used. In this specification, oils and fats hydrogenated to an iodine value (IV) of 4 or less, which is an index of the degree of unsaturation, are defined as extremely hardened oils, and oils and fats with an iodine value (IV) of more than 4 after hydrogenation are defined as partially hardened oils. In the present invention, it is preferable that the vegetable oil be used in an amount of at least 0.1% by weight in the beverage. The lower limit is more preferably 0.2% by weight, even more preferably 1% by weight, and most preferably 3% by weight, and the upper limit is more preferably 25% by weight, even more preferably 20% by weight, and most preferably 15% by weight. It is preferable that the vegetable oil does not contain partially hydrogenated oil. Here, "not containing partially hydrogenated oil" means that the proportion of partially hydrogenated oil in the vegetable oil is preferably 5% by weight or less, more preferably 4% by weight or less, even more preferably 3% by weight or less, 2% by weight or less, 1% by weight or less, and most preferably 0% by weight.

[0015] The present invention is characterized in that the trans fatty acid content per lipid in the beverage is 2% by weight or less, preferably 1.8% by weight or less, and more preferably 1.5% by weight or less. Here, the trans fatty acid content per lipid in the beverage includes trans fatty acids derived from oil-soluble components other than vegetable oils. Therefore, the trans fatty acid content of the vegetable oil contained in the beverage is preferably 2% by weight or less, more preferably 1.5% by weight or less, even more preferably 1% by weight or less, and most preferably 0.8% by weight or less.

[0016] (Linoleic Acid Content) In the present invention, the beverage is characterized in that the linoleic acid content is 6% by weight or less. The lower limit is preferably 0.05% by weight, more preferably 0.1% by weight, and even more preferably 0.2% by weight. The upper limit is preferably 5.5% by weight, and more preferably 5.0% by weight.

[0017] (SO2 triglyceride content) The SO2 triglyceride content of the vegetable oil contained in the beverage is 10% by weight or more. The lower limit is preferably 15% by weight or more, and more preferably 20% by weight or more. The SO2 triglyceride content in the beverage is 0.1% by weight or more. The lower limit is preferably 0.2% by weight, more preferably 0.5% by weight, and even more preferably 1% by weight. The upper limit is preferably 15% by weight, more preferably 12% by weight, and even more preferably 8% by weight. When the SO2 triglyceride content of the vegetable oil contained in the beverage is 10% by weight or more and the SO2 triglyceride content in the beverage is 0.1% by weight or more, this is preferred because, when used in a beverage, a strong flavor is perceived, as indicated by the thickness of the top and / or richness. If the SO2 triglyceride content of the vegetable oil in the beverage is less than 10% by weight or if the SO2 triglyceride content in the beverage is less than 0.1% by weight, there is a risk that sufficient flavor intensity, as measured by the thickness and / or richness of the top, will not be achieved.

[0018] (Unsaponifiable Matter Index) In this specification, the "unsaponifiable matter index" is defined by the following formula: "Unsaponifiable Matter Index": Measured Iodine Value - (C16: 1% x 0.950 + C18: 1% x 0.860 + C18: 2% x 1.732 + C18: 3% x 2.616 + C20: 1% x 0.785 + C22: 1% x 0.723) The "unsaponifiable matter index" is an index obtained by subtracting the total double bonds in fats and oils from the amount of double bonds derived from fatty acids, and is considered to reflect the content of components that are not saponifiable in fats and oils (unsaponifiable matter). The amount of double bonds derived from fatty acids is defined according to AOCS Recommended Practice Cd 1c-85. The amount of all double bonds in fats and oils is defined by the measured iodine value. The unsaponifiable matter index of the vegetable oils and fats contained in a beverage is preferably 0.9 or more, more preferably 0.95 or more, even more preferably 1 or more, even more preferably 1.1 or more, and most preferably 1.2 or more. When the vegetable oil and fat contained in a beverage has an unsaponifiable matter index of 0.9 or more, when used in a beverage, a strong flavor is felt, as indicated by the thickness and / or richness of the top. If the unsaponifiable matter index is less than 0.9, there is a risk that a sufficient flavor intensity, as indicated by the thickness and / or richness of the top, may not be obtained.

[0019] (Diglyceride) The diglyceride content of the vegetable oil contained in the beverage is preferably 6.5% by weight or more, more preferably 6.5 to 30% by weight, and even more preferably 10 to 30% by weight, 15 to 30% by weight, or 15 to 25% by weight. When the vegetable oil contained in the beverage has a diglyceride content of 6.5% by weight or more, the flavor, indicated by the thickness of the top and / or the richness, is strongly felt when used in the beverage, which is preferable.

[0020] (Beverages) The method for producing the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited. For example, similar to conventionally known dairy beverages, plant-based milks, soups, etc., the beverage can be obtained by stirring and mixing an oil phase containing fats and oil-soluble components with an aqueous phase containing water, protein, and other water-soluble components, followed by processes such as homogenization, sterilization, and cooling. Specific examples of beverages of the present invention include, but are not limited to, beverages containing milk, soybeans, oats, peas, almonds, hemp, lupin, fava beans, chickpeas, barley, wheat, rice, barnyard millet, foxtail millet, canary seed, teff, kianagu, flaxseed, coconut, macadamia nuts, cashew nuts, pecan nuts, pistachios, walnuts, Brazil nuts, chestnuts, sesame, or pine nuts as ingredients. These ingredients can also be mixed in appropriate proportions and used. The pretreatment method for the ingredients is not particularly limited. For example, the beverage can be obtained by processes such as grinding, soybean soybeans, oats, peas, almonds, hemp, lupine beans, broad beans, chickpeas, barley, wheat, rice, barnyard millet, foxtail millet, canary seed, teff, kianagu, flaxseed, coconut, macadamia nuts, cashew nuts, pecan nuts, pistachios, walnuts, Brazil nuts, chestnuts, sesame, or pine nuts. A paste-like product obtained by pulverizing raw materials, a liquid obtained by dissolving powdered raw materials in water, or a product containing an insoluble fraction derived from the raw materials can also be used. Plant-based milks provided by raw material manufacturers or purchased commercially can also be used in the present invention. Other examples include soy milk obtained by dissolving soy flour in water and plant protein beverages obtained by dissolving plant protein ingredients in water. In the present invention, beverages made from milk beverages, soybeans, oats, peas, almonds, or fava beans are particularly preferred. Most preferred are beverages made from milk beverages, soybeans, oats, or almonds. In the present invention, a "dairy beverage" refers to a beverage containing non-fat milk solids. Non-fat milk solids refer to components derived from milk other than milk fat and water. Specific materials containing non-fat milk solids include, but are not limited to, milk, skim milk, concentrated milk, skim milk powder, whole milk powder, whey powder, and buttermilk powder. The beverage of the present invention is not limited to certain flavors such as chocolate, coffee, and tea.

[0021] One embodiment of the production of the oil-in-water emulsion used in the beverage of the present invention will be shown below, but it is merely an example and is not limited to this embodiment.

[0022] Mixing and Homogenization The aqueous phase can be prepared at any temperature range. In a more specific embodiment, when a hydrophilic emulsifier or carbohydrate whose solubility improves upon heating is included, it can be prepared by dissolving or dispersing it at a temperature range of, for example, 20 to 70°C, preferably 55 to 65°C. The ingredients to be added to the aqueous phase can be determined appropriately by those skilled in the art. For example, when adding salts or water-soluble flavorings, they are added to the aqueous phase. The oil phase can be prepared by mixing oil-soluble materials, including fats and oils, and dissolving or dispersing them at a temperature range of, for example, 50 to 80°C, preferably 55 to 70°C. The ingredients to be added to the oil phase can be determined appropriately by those skilled in the art. For example, when using a lipophilic emulsifier, it is added to a portion of the raw fat or oil or to the oil phase. The obtained oil phase and aqueous phase are heated, for example, to 40 to 80°C, preferably 55 to 70°C, and mixed to perform pre-emulsification. Pre-emulsification can be performed using a rotary mixer such as a homomixer. After the preliminary emulsification, the mixture is homogenized using a homogenizing device such as a homogenizer. The pressure during homogenization using a homogenizer can be 2 to 20 MPa, and preferably 3 to 10 MPa. The oil-in-water emulsion used in the beverage of the present invention can be blended with an emulsifier. The type of emulsifier to be blended is not particularly important, as long as it is capable of sufficient emulsification and is a commonly used emulsifier.

[0023] Heat sterilization The obtained oil-in-water emulsion may or may not be subjected to heat sterilization, if necessary. When heat sterilization is performed, it is treated, for example, by UHT sterilization using an indirect heating method or a direct heating method, and if necessary, homogenized again using a homogenizer, and cooled to 2 to 15°C, etc. The heat sterilization temperature is, for example, 110 to 150°C, preferably 120 to 148°C, and the heat sterilization time is, for example, 1 to 10 seconds, preferably 3 to 7 seconds.

[0024] The beverage of the present invention may contain auxiliary ingredients in addition to fats and oils. Examples of auxiliary ingredients include dairy ingredients (raw milk, raw milk, skim concentrated milk, skim milk powder, fresh cream, butter, etc.), plant milk (soybean, oats, peas, almonds, hemp, lupin, fava beans, chickpeas, barley, wheat, rice, barnyard millet, millet, canary seeds, teff, kianagu, flaxseed, coconut, macadamia nuts, cashew nuts, pecan nuts, pistachios, walnuts, Brazil nuts, chestnuts, sesame, pine nuts, etc.), carbohydrate sweeteners (sugar, starch syrup, fructose, glucose, sugar alcohol, trehalose, etc.), stabilizers (guar gum, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, gum arabic, carrageenan, sodium alginate, CMC, water-soluble cellulose, gelatin, pectin, etc.), and starch (rice, wheat, etc.). - Starch derived from grains such as rice, starch derived from corn, starch derived from potatoes such as potato or tapioca, or processed starches or modified starches of these, emulsifiers (lecithin, sucrose fatty acid esters, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, organic acid monoglycerides, etc.), salt, flavorings, colorings, acidulants, flavoring ingredients (coffee, cocoa, tea, chocolate ingredients, fruit juice, fruit pulp, nuts and seeds, honey, maple syrup, alcoholic beverages, etc.), various nutrients (protein, amino acids, dietary fiber such as polydextrose, inulin, and indigestible dextrin, vitamins, minerals, etc.), etc.

[0025] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples. Unless otherwise specified, all values ​​are by weight.

[0026] (Method for measuring fatty acid composition) The constituent fatty acid composition of fats and oils was measured according to Standard Methods for the Analysis of Fats and Oils 2.4.2.1-2013. (Method for measuring diglyceride and triglyceride (TG) composition) The diglyceride and triglyceride (TG) compositions of fats and oils were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography in accordance with Standard Methods for the Analysis of Fats and Oils 2.4.6.2-2013. The measurement conditions were (column: ODS, eluent: acetone / acetonitrile = 80 / 20, liquid volume: 0.9 ml / min, column temperature: 25°C, detector: differential refractometer). Diglyceride and triglyceride molecular species were identified and quantified based on the measurement results of known refined palm oil and palm superolein. (Method for measuring iodine value) The iodine value of fats and oils was measured according to Standard Methods for the Analysis of Fats and Oils 2.3.4.1-2013. (Method of calculating unsaponifiable matter index) The unsaponifiable matter index of fats and oils was calculated using the measured values ​​of the constituent fatty acid composition and iodine value according to the following formula: "Unsaponifiable matter index": iodine value - (C16: 1% x 0.950 + C18: 1% x 0.860 + C18: 2% x 1.732 + C18: 3% x 2.616 + C20: 1% x 0.785 + C22: 1% x 0.723)

[0027] (Shea fat fractionated oil) 20 parts of shea fat and 80 parts of acetone were mixed and stirred at 27.5 ° C for 30 minutes to precipitate gums, then left to stand, and the settled gums were filtered to obtain degummed shea fat. Subsequently, the degummed shea fat and acetone were mixed to 18.5 parts and 81.5 parts, respectively, and the temperature was gradually lowered with weak stirring. After reaching 2.5 ° C, the temperature was maintained at a constant temperature for about 30 minutes, and the resulting mixture was filtered to obtain a liquid portion (shea olein) and a solid portion (shea stearin). The liquid shea olein was decolorized and deodorized by a conventional method to obtain purified shea olein. This was designated vegetable oil A.

[0028] (Oil and fat containing SO2-type triglycerides) 30 parts of high oleic sunflower oil and 70 parts of stearic acid were interesterified using a lipase with 1,3-specificity, and components other than triglycerides were removed by steam distillation. The low-melting point fraction obtained by fractionation with hexane was bleached and deodorized by a conventional method to obtain an oil and fat containing SO2-type triglycerides. This was designated vegetable oil and fat B.

[0029] Other oils used were rice bran oil (vegetable oil C), refined palm oil (vegetable oil D), Numeralin 34 (vegetable oil E), and palm superolein (vegetable oil F), all manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.

[0030] Vegetable oils A to F were prepared according to Table 1 below. The diglyceride %, triglyceride composition % (representative components only), fatty acid composition %, trans fatty acid % , iodine value, and unsaponifiable matter index for these oils are shown below. Vegetable oil D is an oil whose constituent fatty acid composition contains lauric acid as the main component, and vegetable oil E is a partially hydrogenated oil whose constituent fatty acid composition contains lauric acid as the main component. Since it is not appropriate to obtain the diglyceride content and triglyceride composition of these oils by high-performance liquid chromatography, the numerical values ​​are not shown.

[0031] (Table 1) ・OOO: Triglyceride with three bound oleic acids ・SOL: Triglyceride with one bound stearic acid, one bound oleic acid, and one bound linoleic acid ・SO2: Triglyceride with one bound stearic acid and two bound oleic acids ・S2L: Triglyceride with two bound stearic acids and one bound linoleic acid ・S2O: Triglyceride with two bound stearic acids and one bound oleic acid ・SSS: Triglyceride with three bound stearic acids

[0032] (Preparation of beverages) Using vegetable oils A to F, soy milk beverages (Examples 1 to 8, Comparative Examples 1 to 6, Reference Example 1), almond milk beverages (Example 9, Comparative Examples 7 to 9), oat milk beverages (Example 10, Comparative Examples 10 to 12), and dairy beverages (Example 11, Comparative Example 13) were prepared according to the formulations in Tables 2 to 6. The beverages were prepared according to the beverage preparation procedure.

[0033] (Table 2) - Soy milk manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd. was used. - Emulsifier 1 was "Glystar MO-3S" (HLB 13.4) manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd. - Emulsifier 2 was "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-570" (HLB 5) manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Foods Corporation.

[0034] (Table 3) The soy milk used was manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd. The emulsifier used was "Glystar MO-3S" (HLB 13.4) manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

[0035] (Table 4) Trisodium citrate was used, manufactured by Iwata Chemical Co., Ltd. The emulsifier used was "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-570" (HLB5) manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Foods Corporation.

[0036] (Table 5) The emulsifier used was "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-570" (HLB5) manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Foods Corporation.

[0037] (Table 6) ・Fresh cream (47% milk fat) manufactured by Yotsuba Dairy Products Co., Ltd. was used. ・Skimmed milk powder manufactured by Yotsuba Dairy Products Co., Ltd. was used. ・Trisodium citrate manufactured by Iwata Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. was used. ・The emulsifier used was "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-570" (HLB5) manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Foods Corporation.

[0038] (Procedure for producing beverage samples) 1. According to the formulations in Tables 2 to 6, the raw materials classified as aqueous and oil phases were mixed to prepare aqueous and oil phases. 2. The oil phase was added to the stirred aqueous phase and mixed. 3. The mixture of 2 was homogenized in a high-pressure homogenizer (150 kg / cm ２ ) and cooled to 4.5°C.

[0039] The prototype beverages were evaluated for the following (1) to (7): (1) SO2 triglyceride content of the vegetable oils contained in the beverage; (2) unsaponifiable matter index of the vegetable oils contained in the beverage; (3) diglyceride content of the vegetable oils contained in the beverage; (4) trans fatty acid content per lipid in the beverage; (5) linoleic acid content in the beverage; (6) SO2 triglyceride content in the beverage; and (7) beverage flavor. Specifically, five experienced panelists evaluated the beverages on a five-point scale from 1 to 5 according to the following evaluation criteria, and the average score was calculated. A score of 3.1 or higher was considered a pass. 5 points: The beverage flavor (thickness and / or richness of the top) was extremely strong. 4 points: The beverage flavor (thickness and / or richness of the top) was strong. 3 points: The beverage flavor (thickness and / or richness of the top) was somewhat strong. 2 points: The flavor of the beverage (thickness and / or richness at the top) is slightly noticeable. 1 point: The flavor of the beverage (thickness and / or richness at the top) is barely noticeable.

[0040] (Table 7)

[0041] (Table 8)

[0042] (Table 9)

[0043] (Table 10)

[0044] (Table 11)

[0045] (Discussion of Tables 7 and 8) The flavor ratings of Examples 1 to 8 were all 3.1 points or higher, which was acceptable. In particular, Examples 2 to 4 and Examples 6 to 8 had more favorable oil and fat contents than Examples 1 and 5, and therefore the flavor ratings of the beverages of Examples 2 to 4 and Examples 6 to 8 were all 4.0 points or higher, which was even better. Although Comparative Examples 1 to 6 met the criteria for (4), at least one of (1), (5), and (6) did not meet the acceptable criteria. The flavor ratings of Reference Example 1 were less than 3.1 points, which was acceptable, but (4) was not a preferable value. Since the problem of the present invention requires the use of vegetable oils and fats with a low trans fatty acid content, Reference Example 1 was not considered appropriate for solving the problem. (Discussion of Tables 9 to 11) The flavor ratings of Examples 9 to 11 were all 3.1 points or higher, which was acceptable. Although Comparative Examples 7 to 13 met the criteria for (4), at least one of (1), (5), and (6) did not show a preferable value, and therefore the flavor evaluation of these beverages was less than 3.1 points, which did not meet the pass criteria.

[0046] According to the present invention, even when the trans fatty acid content of vegetable oil is reduced, a beverage having excellent thickness on top and / or richness can be suitably used.

Claims

1. A beverage comprising water and vegetable fat or oil containing 10 to 30% by weight of diglyceride, characterized in that the beverage satisfies all of the following (A) to (D): (A) The SO2 triglyceride content in vegetable oil is 10% by weight or more. (B) The trans fatty acid content per unit of lipid in the beverage is 2% by weight or less. (C) The linoleic acid content in the beverage is 6% by weight or less. (D) The SO2 triglyceride content in the beverage is 0.1% by weight or more. Here, S stands for stearic acid, O stands for oleic acid, and SO2 triglyceride is a triglyceride with one S and two Os bonded together.

2. 2. The beverage according to claim 1, comprising at least 0.1% by weight of vegetable oil, the vegetable oil having an "unsaponifiable matter index" of 0.9 or more according to the following formula: "Unsaponifiable matter index": Measured iodine value - (C16: 1% x 0.950 + C18: 1% x 0.860 + C18: 2% x 1.732 + C18: 3% x 2.616 + C20: 1% x 0.785 + C22: 1% x 0.723)

3. 3. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vegetable oil does not contain partially hydrogenated oil.

4. The beverage according to claim 3, wherein the vegetable oil comprises a low melting point fraction obtained by fractionating shea fat.

5. A method for enhancing the flavor (thickness of the top and / or richness) of a beverage comprising water and a vegetable oil containing 10 to 30% by weight of diglyceride, the method comprising satisfying all of the following (A) to (D): (A) The SO2 triglyceride content in vegetable oil is 10% by weight or more. (B) The trans fatty acid content per unit of lipid in the beverage is 2% by weight or less. (C) The linoleic acid content in the beverage is 6% by weight or less. (D) The SO2 triglyceride content in the beverage is 0.1% by weight or more. Here, S stands for stearic acid, O stands for oleic acid, and SO2 triglyceride is a triglyceride with one S and two Os bonded together.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the vegetable oil contains at least 0.1% by weight of vegetable oil and has an "unsaponifiable matter index" of 0.9 or more according to the following calculation formula. "Unsaponifiable matter index": Measured iodine value - (C16: 1% x 0.950 + C18: 1% x 0.860 + C18: 2% x 1.732 + C18: 3% x 2.616 + C20: 1% x 0.785 + C22: 1% x 0.723)

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the vegetable oil does not contain partially hydrogenated oil.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the vegetable oil contains a low melting point fraction obtained by fractionating shea fat.