Fatty acid-containing beverage

Abstract

The problem to be addressed by the present invention is to improve the sharpness of a low Brix and low acidity beverage. The present invention uses a specific type of fatty acid in the low Brix and low acidity beverage.

Description

Beverages containing fatty acids

[0001] The present invention relates to beverages containing specific fatty acids and related methods.

[0002] In the beverage industry, efforts are being made to improve various tastes, including the improvement of "sharpness."

[0003] For example, in Patent Document 1, the contents of D-alanine and D-isoleucine are adjusted to improve the crispness of a non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage, and in Patent Document 2, the content of 3-carene is adjusted to 0.01 ppm or more to improve the crispness of the aftertaste of a citrus-flavored beverage.

[0004] JP 2021-023191 A JP 2021-016342 A

[0005] In this specification, the "crispness" of the taste of a beverage refers to the taste that is felt when ingesting the beverage and putting it in the mouth, and that is pleasant to drink. Therefore, it is assumed that a certain level of taste or more is present before the "crispness" occurs. In other words, unless a certain level or more of the components that give the beverage its taste are contained in the beverage, the "crispness" is unlikely to occur.

[0006] While beverage preferences have diversified in recent years, there is a strong demand for low-calorie beverages. There is also a growing demand for beverages with a relatively light taste. To meet these needs, it is necessary to provide beverages with low Brix values ​​and low acidity. However, in such beverages, the amount of components that provide a certain level of flavor that must be present before a sharp taste develops is low, and therefore, it is not easy to achieve a sharp taste.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to improve the crispness of low Brix, low acidity beverages.

[0008] As a result of extensive research, the present inventors have found that specific types of fatty acids are effective in improving the crispness of low Brix, low acidity beverages.

[0009] That is, the present invention relates to, but is not limited to, the following. [1] A beverage having a Brix value of 2.0 or less, an acidity calculated as citric acid of 0.2 g / 100 ml or less, and a total concentration of fatty acids having 8 to 18 carbon atoms of 1650 ppb or more. [2] The beverage according to [1], in which the total concentration of ethyl esters of fatty acids having 12 to 18 carbon atoms is less than 1800 ppb. [3] The beverage according to [1] or [2], which is a non-alcoholic beverage. [4] The beverage according to [1] or [2], which is an alcoholic beverage. [5] The beverage according to any one of [1] to [4], in which the absorbance at a wavelength of 550 nm is less than 0.68. [6] A method for improving the crispness of a beverage having a Brix value of 2.0 or less and an acidity, calculated as citric acid, of 0.2 g / 100 ml or less, comprising the step of mixing ingredients so that the total concentration of fatty acids having 8 to 18 carbon atoms in the beverage is 1650 ppb or more.

[0010] The present invention can improve the crispness of low Brix, low acidity beverages, and this effect is particularly pronounced in the low Brix and low acidity ranges.

[0011] The beverages of the present invention and related methods are described below.

[0012] Unless otherwise specified, "ppb" as used herein means parts per billion by weight per volume (w / v), which is synonymous with "μg / L."

[0013] In addition, in this specification, the term "alcohol" means ethyl alcohol unless otherwise specified.

[0014] (Beverage) In one aspect, the beverage of the present invention is a non-alcoholic beverage. As used herein, "non-alcoholic beverage" refers to a beverage having an alcohol content of less than 1 v / v%. Examples of alcohol contents in non-alcoholic beverages are 0.9 v / v% or less, 0.8 v / v% or less, 0.7 v / v% or less, 0.6 v / v% or less, 0.5 v / v% or less, 0.4 v / v% or less, 0.3 v / v% or less, 0.2 v / v% or less, 0.1 v / v% or less, and 0.00 v / v%. For clarity, "0.00 v / v%" also includes values ​​that result in 0.00 v / v% when rounded down to three decimal places, such as 0.001 v / v% or 0.009 v / v%.

[0015] In recent years, the demand for non-alcoholic beverages has increased with the growing health consciousness of consumers. In non-alcoholic beverages, the amount of alcohol required to produce a consistent taste is small, making the lack of sharpness a more serious problem. Therefore, the present invention is particularly useful for non-alcoholic beverages.

[0016] An example of a non-alcoholic beverage is an alcohol-flavored beverage that tastes similar to an alcoholic beverage. Examples of alcohol-flavored beverages include, but are not limited to, beer-flavored beverages, highball-flavored beverages, chuhai-flavored beverages, non-alcoholic cocktails, sour-flavored beverages, wine-flavored beverages, and sake-flavored beverages. To explain in more detail using highball-flavored beverages, chuhai-flavored beverages, non-alcoholic cocktails, and sour-flavored beverages as examples, these beverages are non-alcoholic but have a taste similar to the model highball or chuhai (in the context of the present invention, this refers to an alcoholic carbonated beverage prepared by diluting a distilled alcoholic beverage such as whiskey or shochu with another beverage such as water, juice, or tea, which may contain fruit juice such as lemon), cocktail (in the context of the present invention, this refers to a beverage containing a base alcoholic beverage such as spirits or liqueur, sour juice such as citrus fruits, sweet ingredients, and optionally carbon dioxide), or sour (in the context of the present invention, this refers to a beverage containing spirits, sour juice such as citrus fruits, sweet ingredients, and carbon dioxide).

[0017] Preferred alcohol-flavored beverages are highball-flavored beverages, chuhai-flavored beverages, non-alcoholic cocktails, sour-flavored beverages, wine-flavored beverages, and sake-flavored beverages.

[0018] Other examples of the non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention include soft drinks, carbonated drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, functional drinks, and flavored waters.

[0019] In this specification, the alcohol content of a beverage can be measured by any known method, for example, using a vibration density meter. Specifically, a sample is prepared by removing carbon dioxide from the beverage using filtration or ultrasound as necessary, and the sample is then steam distilled. The density of the resulting distillate is measured and converted using "Table 2: Conversion Table of Alcohol Content, Density (15°C), and Specific Gravity (15 / 15°C)," an appendix to the National Tax Agency's Prescribed Analysis Methods (National Tax Agency Instruction No. 6 of 2007, revised June 22, 2007). GC-MS may also be used to measure the alcohol content.

[0020] In one embodiment, the beverage of the present invention is an alcoholic beverage. As used herein, the term "alcoholic beverage" refers to a beverage having an alcohol content of 1% v / v or more. Examples of the alcohol content of alcoholic beverages of the present invention are 1 to 15% v / v, 3 to 12% v / v, and 4 to 9% v / v.

[0021] Examples of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention are highballs, chuhais, cocktails, sours, wines, beers, and sakes.

[0022] Alcohol may be added to an alcoholic beverage by any method, but typically, the beverage of the present invention contains a distilled alcoholic beverage, thereby containing alcohol. The distilled alcoholic beverage is not limited by its raw materials or production method. Examples of the distilled alcoholic beverage include spirits (e.g., vodka, rum, tequila, gin, aquavit, korn), brewer's alcohol, neutral spirits, liqueurs, whiskey, brandy, and shochu. Fruits, vegetables, tea, spices, herbs, etc., infused in these distilled alcoholic beverages may also be used.

[0023] (Brix Value) The Brix value of the beverage of the present invention is low, 2.0 or less, preferably 0.01 to 2.0, more preferably 0.05 to 2.0, and even more preferably 0.5 to 2.0.

[0024] As used herein, the term "Brix" refers to the weight (g) of soluble solids per 100 g of solution, and is typically determined by converting the refractive index measured at 20°C using a saccharometer or refractometer into a mass / mass percentage of the sucrose solution based on the conversion table of the International Commission on Uniform Methods of Sugar Analysis (ICUMSA). A low Brix value of a beverage indicates a low concentration of soluble solids, including sugars.

[0025] (Acidity) The acidity of the beverage of the present invention is 0.2 g / 100 ml or less, preferably 0.01 to 0.2 g / 100 ml, more preferably 0.05 to 0.2 g / 100 ml, calculated as citric acid.

[0026] As used herein, "citric acid-equivalent acidity" refers to the total molar concentration of acids in a beverage converted to the amount of citric acid, assuming that all acids in the beverage are monovalent acids. In the case of carbonated beverages, this refers to the acidity after degassing. The total molar concentration of acids in a sample beverage can be measured by known methods such as titration. For example, it can be calculated from the amount of sodium hydroxide added until the sample becomes neutral (pH 7.0). Specifically, 20 mL of sample is dispensed into a 100 mL beaker using a volumetric pipette, distilled water is added to make the liquid volume approximately 50 mL, and a pH meter electrode is inserted into the liquid. Then, while stirring the liquid, 1 / 10 N sodium hydroxide solution is added dropwise from a burette, and the endpoint is determined when the pH meter reaches 7.0. The total molar concentration of acids in the sample is then calculated from the amount of sodium hydroxide solution required to reach the endpoint. Furthermore, taking into consideration the total molar concentration of the obtained acids, the molecular weight of citric acid (for confirmation, this means free citric acid here), and the number of carboxylic acids, the acidity in the sample is calculated based on the following formula: Acidity = Total molar concentration of acids in the sample × (Molecular weight of citric acid / Number of carboxylic acids in citric acid). An automatic titrator may be used for titration to measure the acidity.

[0027] (Fatty Acids) The beverage of the present invention contains fatty acids having 8 to 18 carbon atoms. The total concentration is 1650 ppb or more, preferably 1700 to 10000 ppb, and more preferably 2000 to 5000 ppb. When the total concentration of the fatty acids is within the above range, the crispness of the taste of a low Brix, low acidity beverage is improved. Just to clarify, the beverage may contain only one type of fatty acid having 8 to 18 carbon atoms, or may contain two or more types, or may contain three or more types.

[0028] Examples of such fatty acids include saturated fatty acids such as octanoic acid (caprylic acid) having 8 carbon atoms, nonanoic acid (pelargonic acid) having 9 carbon atoms, decanoic acid (capric acid) having 10 carbon atoms, undecanoic acid (undecylic acid) having 11 carbon atoms, dodecanoic acid (lauric acid) having 12 carbon atoms, tridecanoic acid (tridecylic acid) having 13 carbon atoms, tetradecanoic acid (myristic acid) having 14 carbon atoms, pentadecanoic acid (pentadecylic acid) having 15 carbon atoms, hexadecanoic acid (palmitic acid) having 16 carbon atoms, heptadecanoic acid (margaric acid) having 17 carbon atoms, and octadecanoic acid (stearic acid) having 18 carbon atoms; and unsaturated fatty acids such as 9-hexadecenoic acid (C16:1 / palmitoleic acid).

[0029] The beverage of the present invention preferably contains a saturated fatty acid having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, and preferably contains at least one selected from the group consisting of octanoic acid, decanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, and octadecanoic acid.

[0030] The total concentration of the fatty acids in the beverage of the present invention may be measured by any known method, for example, GC-MS or LC-MS.

[0031] (Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters) In one embodiment of the beverage of the present invention, the total concentration of ethyl esters of fatty acids having from 12 to 18 carbon atoms is preferably low. Specifically, the total concentration is preferably less than 1800 ppb, more preferably 1500 ppb or less, and even more preferably 1000 ppb or less.

[0032] Examples of fatty acids constituting the ethyl esters of fatty acids having 12 to 18 carbon atoms include dodecanoic acid (lauric acid) having 12 carbon atoms, tridecanoic acid (tridecylic acid) having 13 carbon atoms, tetradecanoic acid (myristic acid) having 14 carbon atoms, pentadecanoic acid (pentadecylic acid) having 15 carbon atoms, hexadecanoic acid (palmitic acid) having 16 carbon atoms, heptadecanoic acid (margaric acid) having 17 carbon atoms, and octadecanoic acid (stearic acid) having 18 carbon atoms.

[0033] The total concentration of the fatty acid ethyl esters in the beverage of the present invention can be measured using the methods mentioned above for measuring the concentration of fatty acids.

[0034] Absorbance None of the fatty acids used in the beverages of the present invention impart a strong color to the beverage, i.e., the present invention does not significantly affect the inherent color of the beverage in which they are incorporated.

[0035] For example, if a beverage is inherently colorless or light in color, the present invention does not significantly change its color. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the beverage of the present invention is colorless or light in color. This property can be defined, for example, by the absorbance at a wavelength of 550 nm measured using an ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer (such as UV-1600 (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation)). Specifically, in this embodiment, the absorbance at a wavelength of 550 nm of the beverage of the present invention is less than 0.68. Examples of preferred absorbance values ​​at a wavelength of 550 nm are 0.67 or less, 0.65 or less, 0.63 or less, 0.60 or less, 0.55 or less, 0.50 or less, 0.40 or less, 0.30 or less, 0.20 or less, and 0.10 or less. The lower limit of the absorbance is not particularly important, but may be, for example, 0 or more, 0.01 or more, 0.02 or more, 0.05 or more, 0.07 or more, or 0.10 or more.

[0036] (Carbonated Gas) The beverage of the present invention may contain carbon dioxide gas. Carbonated gas can be added to the beverage using methods commonly known to those skilled in the art, including, but not limited to, dissolving carbon dioxide in the beverage under pressure, mixing the carbon dioxide and the beverage in a pipe using a mixer such as a Zühenhagen carbonator, spraying the beverage into a tank filled with carbon dioxide to allow the carbon dioxide to be absorbed into the beverage, or mixing the beverage with carbonated water. The carbon dioxide pressure can be adjusted using any of these methods as appropriate.

[0037] When the beverage of the present invention contains carbon dioxide gas, the carbon dioxide gas pressure is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.7 to 4.5 kgf / cm ２ , more preferably 0.8 to 2.8 kgf / cm ２In the present invention, the carbon dioxide pressure can be measured using a gas volume measuring device GVA-500A manufactured by Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd. For example, the sample temperature is set to 20°C, and the carbon dioxide pressure is measured after degassing (sniffing) the air in the container using the gas volume measuring device and shaking. In this specification, unless otherwise specified, the carbon dioxide pressure refers to the carbon dioxide pressure at 20°C. (Other Components) The beverage of the present invention can also contain additives commonly added to beverages, such as flavorings, vitamins, colorants, antioxidants, preservatives, seasonings, extracts, pH adjusters, and quality stabilizers, as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention. (Containerized Beverage) The beverage of the present invention can be provided in a containerized form. Container forms include, but are not limited to, metal containers such as cans, PET bottles, paper cartons, bottles, pouches, and the like. For example, a sterilized containerized product can be produced by filling the beverage of the present invention into a container and then subjecting it to heat sterilization such as retort sterilization, or by sterilizing the beverage and filling it into a container. (Method) In another aspect, the present invention is a method for improving the crispness of a beverage having a Brix value of 2.0 or less and an acidity, calculated as citric acid, of 0.2 g / 100 ml or less. The method includes a step of mixing ingredients so that the total concentration of fatty acids having 8 to 18 carbon atoms in the beverage is 1650 ppb or more. The ingredients include a material containing fatty acids and, optionally, water. Other ingredients are apparent from the above description of the beverage.

[0038] The method may also include the step of mixing ingredients so that the beverage has a Brix value of 2.0 or less and an acidity, calculated as citric acid, of 0.2 g / 100 ml or less.

[0039] The preferred ranges for the above numerical values ​​are as described above for the beverage. Furthermore, specific examples and amounts of additional other ingredients and parameters are as described above for the beverage. (Numerical Ranges) For clarity, the numerical ranges herein include their endpoints, i.e., the lower and upper limits.

[0040] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0041] Test Example 1: Effect of Fatty Acids First, a base beverage was prepared by mixing water with citric acid to adjust the acidity and high-fructose corn syrup to adjust the Brix. This base beverage also served as a control. Next, various amounts of saturated fatty acids with 8 to 18 carbon atoms were added to prepare beverages of various comparative examples and examples. The Brix of the resulting beverages was 1.5, and the acidity, calculated as citric acid, was 0.06 g / 100 ml. The types and contents of fatty acids are as shown in the table below (the "C8-C18 fatty acids" used in Comparative Example 7 and Example 7-1, etc., are an equal mixture of the six fatty acids used in the other examples). Furthermore, the absorbance at a wavelength of 550 nm of all the resulting beverages was less than 0.036.

[0042] The resulting beverages were subjected to sensory evaluation by several trained expert panelists, who evaluated the effect of each beverage sample in improving sharpness (the degree of increase in sharpness compared to the control). The evaluation criteria are shown below. An average score was then calculated from the obtained evaluation scores. In order to reduce individual differences in evaluation, the expert panelists established a common understanding in advance of the relationship between each evaluation score and taste using standard samples corresponding to each evaluation score.

[0043] <Improvement effect on sharpness> 3: Significant improvement effect 2: Improvement effect 1: No improvement effect Furthermore, according to the average score obtained according to the above method, evaluations such as ⊚, ◯, etc. were made (Table 1).

[0044] <Average score and evaluation>

[0045]

[0046] The results of these sensory evaluations are also shown in the table below. The above sensory evaluation method was also adopted in other test examples.

[0047]

[0048] The effect of improving sharpness was excellent within a specific range of fatty acid content. This tendency was observed whether a single type of fatty acid was used or whether multiple types of fatty acids were used.

[0049] Test Example 2: Effect of Brix and Acidity An experiment similar to Test Example 1 was conducted, except that an equal mixture of fatty acids with carbon numbers of 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 was used as the fatty acids, the content of which was fixed at 3000 ppb, and the Brix and acidity were varied. The values ​​of each parameter and the evaluation results are shown in the table below. The absorbance at a wavelength of 550 nm of all the resulting beverages was less than 0.036.

[0050]

[0051] The effect of improving sharpness was excellent within a specific Brix range and acidity range.

[0052] Test Example 3: Effect of the type of component that contributes to Brix and acidity An experiment similar to Test Example 2 was conducted, except that the Brix was fixed at 1.5, the acidity was fixed at 0.06 g / 100 ml, high fructose corn syrup (sugar A) or sugar (sugar B) was used to adjust the Brix, and citric acid (acid A) or phosphoric acid (acid B) was used to adjust the acidity. The type of each component and the evaluation results are shown in the table below. The absorbance at a wavelength of 550 nm of all the resulting beverages was less than 0.036.

[0053]

[0054] Even when the type of component that causes Brix or acidity was changed, the same tendency as in the other test examples was observed.

[0055] Test Example 4: Effect of type of beverage An experiment similar to Test Example 1 was conducted, except that a mixture of equal amounts of fatty acids having 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 carbon atoms was used as the fatty acids, the content of which was fixed at 3000 ppb, and a new base beverage was used.

[0056] A new base beverage was obtained by mixing water with flavoring, non-alcoholic spirit extract, salt, and dextrin. The Brix was adjusted using high-fructose corn syrup, and the acidity was adjusted using citric acid. The Brix of the resulting beverage was 1.5, and the acidity, calculated as citric acid, was 0.06 g / 100 ml. The evaluation results are shown in the table below. The absorbance of the resulting beverage at a wavelength of 550 nm was 0.036.

[0057]

[0058] Even when the type of beverage was changed, similar trends to those in other test examples were observed.

Claims

1. A beverage having a Brix value of 2.0 or less, an acidity calculated as citric acid of 0.2 g / 100 ml or less, and a total concentration of fatty acids having 8 to 18 carbon atoms of 1,650 ppb or more.

2. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the total concentration of ethyl esters of fatty acids having 12 to 18 carbon atoms is less than 1,800 ppb.

3. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, which is a non-alcoholic beverage.

4. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, which is an alcoholic beverage.

5. The beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, having an absorbance at a wavelength of 550 nm of less than 0.

68.

6. A method for improving the sharpness of a beverage having a Brix value of 2.0 or less and an acidity calculated as citric acid of 0.2 g / 100 ml or less, comprising the step of mixing ingredients so that the total concentration of fatty acids having 8 to 18 carbon atoms in the beverage is 1,650 ppb or more.

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