Fruit wine-flavored beverages and methods to impart a rich, fruit wine-like drinking experience.

Abstract

The subject of this invention is to provide a rich, fruit-wine-like drinking experience to non-alcoholic or low-alcohol fruit wine-flavored beverages. The solution is to adjust the viscosity and sodium content of the beverage.

Description

Fruit wine flavored beverages This invention relates to non-alcoholic or low-alcohol fruit wine-flavored beverages and related methods. In recent years, non-alcoholic or low-alcohol beverages, particularly popular among young people, have become increasingly popular. Along with this trend, the development of non-alcoholic or low-alcohol fruit wine-flavored beverages is underway. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a fruit wine-flavored beverage whose flavor is improved and enhanced by adjusting the composition of organic acids, specifically providing a non-alcoholic or low-alcohol fruit wine-flavored beverage. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 describes a technique for imparting a fermented feel to fruit wine-flavored beverages by adjusting the content of specific higher alcohols and fatty acid esters. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-255490 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-106526 [Problem Solved by the Invention] In non-alcoholic or low-alcohol fruit wine-flavored beverages, the alcohol content is too low, resulting in a lack of richness or the satisfying feeling of drinking fruit wine. The problem of the present invention is to provide non-alcoholic or low-alcohol fruit wine-flavored beverages with a rich, satisfying feeling of drinking fruit wine. [Means for Solving the Problem] The inventors of the present invention discovered that non-alcoholic or low-alcohol fruit wine-flavored beverages can be made richer by adjusting the viscosity. Furthermore, the inventors of the present invention also discovered that by adjusting the sodium content in non-alcoholic or low-alcohol fruit wine-flavored beverages to a certain range, the aforementioned beverages can be made to have the satisfying feeling of drinking fruit wine, thus completing the present invention. That is, the present invention relates to, but is not limited to, the following: [1] Fruit wine-flavored beverages with an alcohol content of less than 3v / v%, a viscosity of 1.05 mPa·S or more at 20°C, and a sodium content of 70 to 950 mg / kg. [2] The polysaccharide is selected from xanthan gum, gellan gum, Agrobacterium succinoglycan, tamarind seed gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, gum arabic, pectin, cellulose, konjac mannan, soybean polysaccharides, carrageenan, agar, alginic acid, carboxymethyl cellulose and cationic guar gum, and is a beverage as described in [1]. [3] The polysaccharide is xanthan gum, and the content of xanthan gum is 3.80 to 51.80 mg / kg, and is a beverage as described in [1] or [2]. [4] The viscosity at 20°C is 1.05 to 1.65 mPa·s, and is a beverage as described in any one of [1] to [3]. [5] The Brix value of the beverage is 5.8 or less, and is a beverage as described in any one of [1] to [4]. [6] A method for imparting a rich, fruit-wine-like drinking satisfaction to fruit-flavored beverages with an alcohol content of less than 3 v / v%, comprising the steps of including mixed ingredients such that the sodium content in the beverage is 70-950 mg / kg and the viscosity at 20°C is 1.05 mPa·s or higher. [Effects of the Invention] The present invention provides a fruit-wine-like drinking satisfaction to fruit-flavored beverages with no or low alcohol content. Furthermore, "fruit-wine-like drinking satisfaction" in this specification refers not only to the richness, body, and fullness of an alcoholic beverage, but also to a smooth taste and a refreshing aftertaste. Its characteristic is a fruit-wine-like drinking satisfaction with a smooth taste and a refreshing aftertaste not found in other alcoholic beverages. [Types of Invention] The beverage and related methods of this invention are described below. Unless otherwise specified, "ppm" as used in this specification means ppm by weight / volume (w / v), which is synonymous with "mg / L". (Fruit Wine Flavored Beverage) This invention relates to fruit wine flavored beverages with an alcohol content of less than 3v / v%. "Fruit wine flavored beverage" in this specification means a beverage with a fruit wine-like flavor. "Fruit wine" in this specification primarily refers to an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting grape juice. The fruit wine flavored beverage of this invention only needs to have a fruit wine flavor; it may be fermented with or without yeast, and further, it may be fermented with microorganisms other than yeast, such as lactic acid bacteria or oil-producing bacteria. It may or may not contain alcohol. Examples of such beverages include beverages containing fruit wine, beverages containing fruit wine extracts obtained from concentrated fruit wine, beverages obtained by removing alcohol from fruit wine and beverages containing such extracts, beverages obtained by lactic acid fermentation of fruit juice and beverages containing such extracts, and beverages that imitate the flavor of fruit wine by using flavorings instead of fruit wine or fruit wine extracts. Only beverages with a fruit wine flavor are required; there are no particular restrictions on the manufacturing method or raw materials. Fruit wine-flavored beverages can be red wine-flavored or white wine-flavored. In any case, the satisfaction of drinking fruit wine can be enhanced to the level of fruit wine. (Alcohol) In this specification, unless otherwise specified, alcohol refers to ethyl alcohol (ethanol). The fruit wine-flavored beverage of this invention is a low-alcohol or non-alcoholic beverage with an alcohol content of less than 3v / v%. This content can also be less than 2v / v%, less than 1v / v%, or 0.00v / v%. The alcohol content in this invention can be determined by any known method, such as by a vibrating density meter. Specifically, a sample is prepared by removing carbon dioxide from the beverage through filtration or ultrasound as necessary. This sample is then steam-distilled, and the density of the resulting distillate at 15°C is measured. The density is then calculated using Table 2, "Conversion Table of Alcohol Content and Density (15°C) and Specific Gravity (15 / 15°C)," in the National Tax Agency's Analytical Methods (National Tax Agency Instruction No. 6, revised June 22, 2019). Alternatively, in cases of extremely low alcohol content, gas chromatography can be used to determine the content. Alcoholic beverages can be used as the alcohol source for the beverage of this invention. Therefore, any alcoholic beverage that can be consumed as a beverage is acceptable; there are no particular limitations. This includes distilled spirits such as whiskey, vodka, rum, shochu, spirits, sake, fruit wine, brewed beer, and blended spirits such as liqueurs. (Viscosity) The viscosity of the beverage of the present invention is 1.05 mPa·s or higher at 20°C. The viscosity may also be 1.05 to 1.65 mPa·s, 1.10 to 1.60 mPa·s, or 1.10 to 1.45 mPa·s.When the viscosity is within the aforementioned range, it imparts a rich flavor to non-alcoholic or low-alcohol fruit wine-flavored beverages. The method for adjusting the viscosity in the beverage of this invention is not particularly limited; in one sample, the viscosity can be adjusted by including polysaccharides in the beverage. Therefore, the beverage of this invention may also contain polysaccharides. In one sample of this specification, the polysaccharides have historically been used to impart viscosity to food, stabilize milk, or gel it. Furthermore, when two or more types of polysaccharides are used for thickening purposes, they may be abbreviated as thickening polysaccharides. Polysaccharides can be used as food additives. In the beverage of this invention, the type of polysaccharide is not particularly limited. For example, xanthan gum, gellan gum, Agrobacterium succinoglycan, tamarind seed gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, gum arabic, sycamore gum, pectin, cellulose, konjac mannan, soybean polysaccharides, carrageenan, agar, alginic acid, carboxymethyl cellulose, cationic guar gum, etc., are acceptable. Xanthan gum is preferred. The amount of polysaccharide in the beverage of this invention is not particularly limited. For example, when xanthan gum is used as a polysaccharide, the amount is 3.80–51.80 mg / kg, preferably 3.80–45.00 mg / kg, and more preferably 3.80–40.00 mg / kg. When xanthan gum is used as a polysaccharide, if the content is less than 3.80 mg / kg, the richness of non-alcoholic or low-alcohol fruit wine-flavored beverages may become insufficient; if it exceeds 51.80 mg / kg, the viscosity will be too high, making it difficult to drink. (Sodium) The beverage of the present invention contains sodium. The sodium content in the beverage of the present invention is 70–950 mg / kg. This content can also be 100–800 mg / kg, 150–700 mg / kg, or 200–600 mg / kg. Furthermore, the lower limit of this content in one of the samples can also be 100 mg / kg or more, 150 mg / kg or more, 200 mg / kg or more, or 250 mg / kg or more. When the sodium content is set within an appropriate range, it can give non-alcoholic or low-alcohol fruit wine-flavored beverages the drinking satisfaction of fruit wine. The sodium in the present invention can be added to the beverage in the form of salt used in food and beverages. Examples of sodium salts that can be added to the beverage of the present invention include trisodium citrate, sodium chloride, sodium gluconate, monosodium succinate, disodium succinate, sodium acetate, DL-sodium tartrate, L-sodium tartrate, sodium lactate, monosodium fumarate, and DL-sodium malate. Therefore, in one embodiment, the beverage of the present invention contains one or more substances selected from the group consisting of trisodium citrate, sodium chloride, sodium gluconate, monosodium succinate, disodium succinate, sodium acetate, DL-sodium tartrate, L-sodium tartrate, sodium lactate, monosodium fumarate, and DL-sodium malate. Furthermore, to add sodium to the beverage, raw materials containing sodium or sodium salts, such as fruit juice, vegetable juice, natural water, or deep-sea water, can also be added to the beverage.When the sodium in the present invention is in salt form, this can be converted to the amount of free (free form) sodium to calculate the sodium content in the beverage. Furthermore, the sodium content or concentration in the beverage (sample solution) of the present invention can be determined by a known method using an ICP-based luminescence spectrophotometer. (Brix) The term "Brix" in this specification refers to the weight (g) of soluble solids per 100g of solution. It is typically obtained by converting the refractive index measured at 20°C using a saccharimeter or refractometer to the mass / mass% of sucrose solution using the ICUMSA (International Commission for Unification of Sugar Analysis) conversion table. A low Brix value in the beverage indicates a low concentration of soluble solids containing sugar. Preferably, the beverage of the present invention has a low sugar content, with a Brix of 5.8 or less, 5.0 or less, or 4.5 or less. While the lower limit value is not particularly important, it can be, for example, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, or 3.0. Examples of preferred Brix value ranges are 2.5–5.8 or 3.0–5.0. Generally, such low sugar content tends to reduce drinking satisfaction, but the present invention can still provide a beverage with excellent fruit wine flavor even in such cases. (Carbonation) The beverage of the present invention may also contain carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide can be imparted to the beverage using methods generally known to the artisans, although not limited to these methods. For example, carbon dioxide can be dissolved in the beverage under pressure, carbon dioxide can be mixed with the beverage in piping using a mixer such as a carbonator from Zuchenhagen, or the beverage can be sprayed into a carbon dioxide-filled tank to absorb carbon dioxide, or the beverage can be mixed with carbonated water. The carbon dioxide pressure can be adjusted appropriately using these methods. When the beverage of the present invention contains carbon dioxide, the carbon dioxide pressure is not particularly limited, but is generally 0.7–4.5 kgf / cm². 2 The preferred value is 0.8–2.8 kgf / cm³. 2In this invention, the carbon dioxide pressure can be measured using a Kyoto Electronics Industrial Gas Capacity Measuring Apparatus GVA-500A. For example, by setting the sample temperature to 20°C, the carbon dioxide pressure is measured after snifting and vibration of the gas in the container within the aforementioned gas capacity measuring apparatus. Unless otherwise specified in this specification, the carbon dioxide pressure refers to the carbon dioxide pressure at 20°C. (Other Ingredients) In the beverage of this invention, additives commonly used in beverages may be added, provided it does not impair the effects of the invention. Examples include flavorings, vitamins, colorings, antioxidants, preservatives, seasonings, extracts, pH adjusters, citric acid, and quality stabilizers. In one sample, to achieve a more natural flavor, the beverage of this invention may be free of high-sweetness sweeteners or have their content minimized. For example, the high-sweetness sweetener content in this beverage is 110 ppm or less. This concentration can be determined using known methods such as HPLC. The term "high-sweetness sweetener" as used in this specification refers to natural and synthetic sweeteners that have a sweetness stronger than sucrose (e.g., several to hundreds of times sweeter than sucrose). Examples of such high-sweetness sweeteners include peptide-based sweeteners such as aspartame and arithmetic; glycosylation-based sweeteners such as stevia (containing rebaudioside A, which is the sweetest component of stevia extracted from stevia and enzyme-treated stevia with glucose-adding enzymes), licorice extract, etc.; sucrose derivatives such as sucralose; and synthetic sweeteners such as acesulfame K and saccharin. (Container-packaged beverages) The beverage of this invention can be provided in a container package. Container packages include metal containers such as cans, polyester bottles, paper packages, bottles, and pouches, but are not limited to these. For example, by filling the beverage of the present invention into a container and then sterilizing it by heating or boiling, or by filling the sterilized beverage into a container, a sterilized container packaging product is manufactured. (Method) The present invention is also a method for manufacturing a fruit wine-flavored beverage. The method includes a step of mixing raw materials to achieve a sodium content of 70-950 mg / kg and a viscosity of 1.05 mPa·s or higher at 20°C. The raw materials contain sodium-containing materials (sodium salts or fruit juice, etc.) and, as necessary, polysaccharides or water. Other raw materials are those of the beverage as described above. Because this method can impart a rich, fruit wine-like drinking satisfaction to fruit wine-flavored beverages with an alcohol content of less than 3 v / v%, it is also, on another level, a method that can impart a rich and fruit wine-like drinking satisfaction to the beverage. The method for adjusting the viscosity and sodium content of the beverage is as described above. The time point is not limited. For example, the above steps can be performed simultaneously or individually, and the order of the steps can also be changed. The final beverage only needs to meet the above conditions.Furthermore, the preferred ranges for the content of the aforementioned components are as described above regarding the beverage. Specific examples or amounts of any additional components or parameters are also as described above regarding the beverage. (Numerical Range) To clarify, the numerical ranges in this specification all include endpoints, i.e., both a lower limit and an upper limit. For example, the range represented by "1-2" includes 1 and 2. [Examples] The content of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. Example 1: The problem of richness and drinking satisfaction in non-alcoholic fruit wine flavored beverages and the influence of sodium. First, a certain amount of fruit wine extract (obtained from white wine: 1 g / kg in the resulting beverage sample), sodium salt (trisodium citrate), magnesium salt (magnesium chloride), polysaccharides (xanthan gum aqueous solution), acidulant (malic acid), flavoring, and sweetener (sucrose) were mixed with water to prepare a beverage sample as shown in Table 1 below. As mentioned above, trisodium citrate and magnesium chloride were chosen for the experiment because they have less impact on the taste of the salt itself. The alcohol content of each beverage sample was 0.00 v / v%, the acidity (caloric acid conversion) was 0.40 g / 100 ml, and the Brix was approximately 3.1. The beverages were subjected to sensory evaluation by trained evaluators, assessing the "richness" and "fruit wine-like drinking satisfaction" of each sample. Each evaluator evaluated each item on a 5-point scale (the best score was 5, and the worst score was 1). For each item, the average score was calculated from the obtained evaluation points. A passing score was defined as an average score of 2.5 or higher for both "richness" and "fruit wine-like drinking satisfaction." The results are shown in Table 1. To reduce individual evaluation bias, the evaluators used standard samples corresponding to each evaluation point and confirmed the common discernibility of the relationship between each evaluation point and taste before the evaluation. First, it was confirmed that the richness of fruit wine-flavored beverages with low viscosity was low (refer to beverage sample 1), and that fruit wine-flavored beverages with sodium content other than 70-950 mg / kg lacked richness or the drinking satisfaction of fruit wine (refer to beverage samples 6 and 13-15). For such beverages, the following results were obtained: by adjusting the viscosity to above 1.05 mPa·s and the sodium content to the range of 70–950 mg / kg, the drinking satisfaction of fruit wines can be improved (refer to samples 2–5 and 7–12). Example 2: Effect of viscosity and sodium content on the richness and drinking satisfaction of low-alcohol fruit wine-flavored beverages. Commercially available Chilean red and white wines were diluted to approximately 13 times, and the alcohol content was adjusted to approximately 1.0 v / v%. Sodium salt (trisodium citrate), magnesium salt (magnesium chloride), polysaccharides (xanthan gum aqueous solution), acidulant (malic acid), and sweetener (sucrose) were added to each diluted fruit wine (red and white) to prepare the blended beverage samples shown in Table 2 below. The acidity (caloric acid conversion) was 0.40 g / 100 ml, and the Brix was approximately 3.6. Subsequently, the same functional evaluation as in Example 1 was performed on the resulting beverages. The results are shown in Table 2. For low-alcohol fruit wine-flavored beverages, similar to Example 1, adjusting the viscosity and sodium content to a certain range can enhance the richness of the beverage and also impart a drinking satisfaction similar to that of fruit wine (see sample beverages 17 and 19). Furthermore, it has been found that the same results can be obtained for beverages based on white wine as well as beverages based on red wine.

Claims

1. A fruit wine-flavored beverage containing polysaccharides, wherein the alcohol content is 0.00 v / v%, the viscosity at 20°C is 1.05–1.45 mPa·s, and the sodium content is 70–950 mg / kg.

2. The beverage of claim 1 is characterized in that the polysaccharide is selected from one or more of the following groups: xanthan gum, gellan gum, Agrobacterium succinoglycan, tamarind seed gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, gum arabic, sycamore gum, pectin, cellulose, konjac mannan, soybean polysaccharides, carrageenan, agar, alginic acid, carboxymethyl cellulose, and cationic guar gum.

3. For beverages as requested in item 1 or 2, the polysaccharide is xanthan gum, and the content is 3.80 to 51.80 mg / kg.

4. Beverages as requested in item 1 or 2, wherein the Brix value of the beverage is 5.8 or less.

5. A method for imparting a rich, fruit-wine-like drinking satisfaction to a fruit-wine-flavored beverage, wherein the fruit-wine-flavored beverage has an alcohol content of 0.00 v / v%, and includes the steps of mixing polysaccharide-containing raw materials into the beverage to achieve a sodium content of 70-950 mg / kg and a viscosity of 1.05-1.45 mPa·s at 20°C.