Coffee-flavored chocolate composition

Abstract

Provided are: a coffee-flavored chocolate composition having improved coffee flavor while also having reduced caffeine content; and a method for producing the same.　The content of caffeine in the chocolate composition is adjusted to 60-750 ppm, and the total content of the kahweol palmitate and the cafestol palmitate is adjusted to 850-6800 mg / kg.

Description

Coffee-flavored chocolate composition

[0001] The present invention relates to a coffee-flavored chocolate composition and a method for making the same.

[0002] Due to the diversification of tastes in recent years, chocolate with flavors different from cocoa and milk has been attracting attention. Although coffee-flavored chocolate is also known, most products currently have a coffee flavor that is imparted by adding coffee extract or instant coffee to cocoa fat.

[0003] In recent years, it has been reported that adding ground roasted coffee beans to foods such as chocolate can impart a coffee flavor (Patent Documents 1 and 2). However, coffee and other foods typically contain caffeine, which can disrupt sound sleep and stimulate the central nervous system, heart, gastric secretion, and digestion. For these reasons, there is a need for foods that have a coffee flavor but with reduced caffeine content.

[0004] However, caffeine is one of the main flavor components of coffee, and removing it weakens the original flavor of coffee. In addition, the decaffeination process also removes other flavor components (including aroma components) besides caffeine, which results in the loss of the original flavor of coffee.

[0005] Under these circumstances, methods for improving the flavor of decaffeinated coffee have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 3 describes that adding one or more neutral amino acids selected from the group consisting of valine, leucine, and isoleucine can compensate for the taste reduced by decaffeination. Furthermore, Patent Document 4 describes that adding theanine to decaffeinated coffee improves the flavor of decaffeinated coffee and restores the original taste of coffee. However, these are all techniques for improving the taste of beverages, and are not methods for improving the coffee flavor of foods such as chocolate.

[0006] JP 2015-073462 A JP 2020-089331 A JP 2009-254307 A JP 2004-105003 A

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a coffee-flavored chocolate composition that has a reduced caffeine content but an enhanced coffee flavor.

[0008] As a result of intensive research conducted by the present inventors to solve the above-mentioned problems, they discovered that by blending finely ground roasted coffee beans with a reduced caffeine content into a chocolate composition and adjusting the caffeine content, as well as the contents of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate in the composition, within specific ranges, a coffee-flavored chocolate composition with a reduced caffeine content and an enhanced coffee flavor can be obtained, thereby completing the present invention.

[0009] That is, the present invention relates to, but is not limited to, the following: (1) A coffee-flavored chocolate composition having a caffeine content of 60 to 750 ppm and a total content of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate of 850 to 6,800 mg / kg. (2) The chocolate composition according to (1), in which the ratio of the caffeine content (b: ppm) to the total content of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate (a: mg / kg) (caffeine content / total content of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate (b / a)) is 0.18 or less. (3) The chocolate composition according to (1) or (2), in which the caffeine content is 65 to 650 ppm. (4) The chocolate composition according to any one of (1) to (3), in which the total content of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate is 1,000 to 6,000 mg / kg. (5) The chocolate composition according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the content of kahweol palmitate is 500 to 4000 mg / kg. (6) The chocolate composition according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the content of cafestol palmitate is 350 to 2500 mg / kg. (7) The chocolate composition according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the content of finely ground roasted coffee beans is 5 to 50 μm. (8) The chocolate composition according to (7), wherein the content of finely ground roasted coffee beans in the chocolate composition is 4 to 38% by mass. (9) The chocolate composition according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein the coffee beans include Arabica coffee beans. (10) The chocolate composition according to any one of (1) to (9), wherein the roasting level of the coffee beans is L16 to L32. (11) The chocolate composition according to any one of (1) to (10), wherein the content of cocoa mass is less than 50% by mass. (12) The chocolate composition according to any one of (1) to (11), which is a white chocolate.(13) A method for producing a coffee-flavored chocolate composition, comprising: adjusting the caffeine content to 60 to 750 ppm; and adjusting the total content of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate to 850 to 6,800 mg / kg.

[0010] According to the present invention, a coffee-flavored chocolate composition can be obtained that has a reduced caffeine content but an enhanced coffee flavor.

[0011] Unless otherwise specified, "ppm" as used herein means ppm weight / weight (w / w).

[0012] 1. Coffee-Flavored Chocolate Composition In one aspect, the present invention provides a coffee-flavored chocolate composition having a caffeine content of 60 to 750 ppm and a total content of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate of 850 to 6,800 mg / kg. By controlling the caffeine content and the total content of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate within the above ranges, a coffee-flavored chocolate composition can be obtained that has a reduced caffeine content but an enhanced coffee flavor.

[0013] 1-1. Chocolate Composition The chocolate composition of the present invention includes chocolates and processed foods using cocoa butter substitute fats.

[0014] In this specification, chocolates refer to those that meet the "Fair Competition Code for the Labeling of Chocolates" certified by the Japan Fair Trade Commission and are classified into chocolate, quasi-chocolate, chocolate confectionery, quasi-chocolate confectionery, etc. depending on the amount of cocoa mass, including cocoa powder and cocoa butter, as well as the amounts of fat, milk solids, and water, and all of these are included in the term "chocolates." In the present invention, the cocoa mass content of the chocolates is not particularly limited, but is preferably less than 50% by mass, more preferably 45% by mass or less, and even more preferably 40% by mass or less. In the present invention, the cocoa powder and cocoa butter content of the chocolates is also not particularly limited, but is preferably less than 50% by mass, more preferably 45% by mass or less, and even more preferably 40% by mass or less.

[0015] Chocolates can be divided into dark chocolate, which does not contain dairy products, milk chocolate, which contains dairy products, and white chocolate, which uses only cocoa butter as a cocoa bean-derived ingredient, depending on the raw materials used. In the present invention, the chocolates may be any of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate, but white chocolate, which does not use cocoa mass or cocoa but uses cocoa butter, is preferred.

[0016] In the present invention, chocolates include, but are not limited to, hard chocolates such as chocolate bars and soft chocolates such as chocolate cream. Hard chocolate refers to solid chocolate with a snappy texture, and specific examples include chocolate bars, enrobed chocolates, shell chocolates, hollow chocolates, and breadwork chocolates. Soft chocolate refers to soft chocolate with spreadable properties, and is used, for example, by spreading it on bread. Specific examples include chocolate spread, chocolate for fillings, and chocolate cream.

[0017] As used herein, the term "cocoa butter substitute processed food" refers to a food in which the cocoa butter in chocolates is partially or entirely replaced with a cocoa butter substitute. The content of the cocoa butter substitute contained in the cocoa butter substitute processed food is not particularly limited, but is preferably less than 50% by mass, more preferably 45% by mass or less, and even more preferably 40% by mass or less. The content of the cocoa mass contained in the cocoa butter substitute processed food is also not particularly limited, but is preferably less than 50% by mass, more preferably 45% by mass or less, and even more preferably 40% by mass or less. The content of the cocoa powder and cocoa butter contained in the cocoa butter substitute processed food is also not particularly limited, but is preferably less than 50% by mass, more preferably 45% by mass or less, and even more preferably 40% by mass or less.

[0018] Furthermore, the cocoa butter substitute processed food in this specification may also contain vegetable oils and fats in addition to the cocoa butter substitute, as needed.

[0019] Examples of cocoa butter substitutes that can be used in the present invention include cocoa butter equivalent (CBE), cocoa butter improver (CBI), cocoa butter replacer (CBR), cocoa butter substitute (CBS), and fats for fillings.

[0020] The aforementioned cocoa butter substitute contains POS and SOS triglycerides in a certain ratio. "POS" refers to a triglyceride in which oleic acid is located at the sn-2 position of the triglyceride and palmitic acid and stearic acid are located at the sn-1 and sn-3 positions, respectively; or stearic acid and palmitic acid are located at the sn-3 positions. "SOS" refers to a triglyceride in which oleic acid is located at the sn-2 position of the triglyceride and stearic acid is located at the sn-1 and sn-3 positions, respectively. By using cocoa butter substitutes with different POS and SOS ratios, it is possible to flexibly adjust the hardness at room temperature, melt-in-mouth texture, etc.

[0021] 1-2. Caffeine Caffeine is a type of alkaloid and is known as an organic compound with a structure similar to that of xanthine, which has a purine ring. It is known to be contained in coffee, green tea, oolong tea, black tea, cocoa, chocolate, and the like. The method for reducing or removing the caffeine content in the chocolate composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, and, for example, coffee beans from which the caffeine has been reduced or removed may be used. Examples of methods for reducing or removing caffeine include a method of removing caffeine from refined green coffee beans, a method of using coffee beans from which the caffeine has been removed by breeding techniques and genetic engineering techniques, a method of selectively removing caffeine by immersing green coffee beans in a solvent such as an organic solvent, water, or supercritical carbon dioxide, and a method of adsorbing and removing caffeine from coffee extract using activated carbon, ion exchange resin, or the like.

[0022] In the present invention, the caffeine content of the chocolate composition may be adjusted by measuring the caffeine content of finely ground roasted coffee beans (described below) in advance and then blending the finely ground product so that the caffeine content in the composition is a predetermined value. In this case, a combination of finely ground products produced from different varieties of roasted coffee beans may be used.

[0023] Furthermore, caffeine isolated from natural products, artificially synthesized caffeine, etc. can be used as needed, and the caffeine content in the chocolate composition can be adjusted by combining these.

[0024] The lower limit of the caffeine content in the chocolate composition of the present invention is 60 ppm, preferably 65 ppm, and more preferably 70 ppm. The upper limit of the caffeine content in the chocolate composition of the present invention is 750 ppm, preferably 730 ppm, 700 ppm, 680 ppm, 650 ppm, or 630 ppm, and more preferably 610 ppm. Furthermore, in one aspect, the upper limit of the caffeine content in the chocolate composition of the present invention may be 580 ppm, 550 ppm, 530 ppm, 500 ppm, 480 ppm, 450 ppm, 430 ppm, or 400 ppm. Typically, the caffeine content in the chocolate composition of the present invention is in the range of 60 to 750 ppm, preferably 60 to 700 ppm, or 65 to 650 ppm, more preferably 65 to 630 ppm, and even more preferably 70 to 610 ppm.

[0025] The caffeine content can be measured by known methods, for example, HPLC, LC-MS, GC-MS, LC, GC, near-infrared spectroscopy, and the like.

[0026] 1-3. Content of Kahweol Palmitate and Cafestol Palmitate The chocolate composition of the present invention contains kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate. The lower limit of the total content of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate [(X) + (Y)] in the chocolate composition of the present invention is 850 mg per kg of chocolate composition (850 mg / kg), preferably 1000 mg / kg, more preferably 1100 mg / kg, and even more preferably 1200 mg / kg. The upper limit of the total content of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate [(X) + (Y)] in the chocolate composition of the present invention is 6500 mg per kg of chocolate composition (6500 mg / kg), preferably 6000 mg / kg, more preferably 5800 mg / kg, and even more preferably 5600 mg / kg. Typically, the total content of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate [(X) + (Y)] in the chocolate composition of the present invention is in the range of 850 to 6500 mg per kg of chocolate composition (850 to 6500 mg / kg), preferably 1000 to 6000 mg / kg, more preferably 1100 to 5800 mg / kg, and even more preferably 1200 to 5600 mg / kg. If the total content of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate is less than 850 mg / kg, the coffee flavor cannot be sufficiently imparted. On the other hand, if the total content of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate exceeds 6500 mg / kg, the coffee-like bitterness becomes too strong.

[0027] The lower limit of the kahweol palmitate content in the chocolate composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 500 mg per kg of chocolate composition (500 mg / kg), more preferably 600 mg / kg, and even more preferably 760 mg / kg. The upper limit of the kahweol palmitate content in the chocolate composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 4000 mg per kg of chocolate composition (4000 mg / kg), more preferably 3700 mg / kg, and even more preferably 3400 mg / kg. Typically, the range of the kahweol palmitate content in the chocolate composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 500 to 4000 mg per kg of chocolate composition (500 to 4000 mg / kg), more preferably 600 to 3700 mg / kg, and even more preferably 760 to 3400 mg / kg.

[0028] The lower limit of the cafestol palmitate content in the chocolate composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 350 mg per kg of chocolate composition (350 mg / kg), more preferably 400 mg / kg, and even more preferably 440 mg / kg. The upper limit of the cafestol palmitate content in the chocolate composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 2500 mg per kg of chocolate composition (2500 mg / kg), more preferably 2300 mg / kg, and even more preferably 2200 mg / kg. Typically, the cafestol palmitate content range in the chocolate composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 350 to 2500 mg per kg of chocolate composition (350 to 2500 mg / kg), more preferably 400 to 2300 mg / kg, and even more preferably 440 to 2200 mg / kg.

[0029] To incorporate kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate into a chocolate composition and adjust the kahweol palmitate content and cafestol palmitate content within a predetermined range, for example, a raw material containing kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate may be used in the chocolate composition, and the type of raw material is not particularly limited. Furthermore, to incorporate kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate into a chocolate composition, isolated or synthesized kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate may be used, or a combination of these may be used. Furthermore, in the present invention, the kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate contents contained in roasted coffee beans may be measured in advance, and then roasted coffee beans may be blended to achieve a predetermined kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate content in the chocolate composition, thereby adjusting the kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate contents in the chocolate composition. In this case, a combination of multiple varieties of roasted coffee beans or their finely ground products may be used.

[0030] The contents of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate can be quantified using known methods such as LC-MS / MS, for example, by the method described in the Examples below.

[0031] 1-4. Ratio of Caffeine Content (b) to Total Content (a) of Kahweol Palmitate and Cafestol Palmitate [(b) / (a)] In the chocolate composition of the present invention, the ratio of the caffeine content (b) to the total content (a) of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate (caffeine content / total content of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate [(b) / (a)]) is preferably 0.18 or less, more preferably 0.15 or less, and even more preferably 0.13 or less. Furthermore, the ratio of the caffeine content (b) to the total content (a) of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate [(b) / (a)] in the chocolate composition of the present invention is preferably 0.01 or more, more preferably 0.02 or more, and even more preferably 0.03 or more. When the ratio [(b) / (a)] of the caffeine content (b) to the total content (a) of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate is 0.18 or less, the coffee flavor can be further enhanced while suppressing the caffeine content. When the ratio [(b) / (a)] of the caffeine content (b) to the total content (a) of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate is 0.01 or more, a good coffee flavor can be obtained.

[0032] 1-5. Finely ground roasted coffee beans In this specification, "finely ground roasted coffee beans" refers to a material obtained by finely grinding roasted coffee beans. The chocolate composition of the present invention may be produced by adding finely ground roasted coffee beans to a raw material, or may be produced by finely grinding a raw material containing roasted coffee beans. Here, "roasted coffee beans" refer to green coffee beans that have been subjected to a heat treatment known as roasting. Roasting chemically changes the components contained in the green coffee beans, resulting in the development of a coffee flavor (strong aroma and flavor).

[0033] In the present invention, the type of coffee beans used in the finely ground roasted coffee beans is not limited as long as the caffeine content and the contents of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate can be within the specified ranges, and any of the Arabica, Robusta, Liberica, etc. can be used, with Arabica being a preferred embodiment. In addition, in the present invention, a combination of multiple varieties of coffee beans can also be used.

[0034] The content of finely ground roasted coffee beans in the chocolate composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 4 to 38% by mass, 6 to 35% by mass, 7 to 32% by mass, or 7.5 to 30% by mass, more preferably 11 to 27% by mass, and even more preferably 11 to 19% by mass.

[0035] In addition, in the present invention, the roasting method and conditions for the coffee beans used to produce the roasted coffee bean fine grounds are not particularly limited. For example, methods such as direct flame, hot air, semi-hot air, charcoal, far-infrared, microwave, and superheated steam roasting can be used, and devices such as horizontal (horizontal) drum, vertical (vertical) drum, vertical rotating bowl, fluidized bed, and pressurized roasting can be used. Depending on the type of coffee beans, the roasting can be finished to a desired roasting level (light, cinnamon, medium, high, city, full city, French, or Italian) according to the intended purpose. The roasting temperature is also not particularly limited, but a preferred roasting temperature is 100 to 300°C, more preferably 150 to 250°C, and particularly preferably 170 to 220°C. The roasting time is also not particularly limited, but is preferably 5 to 30 minutes, more preferably 10 to 25 minutes, and particularly preferably 15 to 20 minutes.

[0036] In the present invention, the roasting level is not particularly limited, but the L value measured with a colorimeter is used as an index of roasting level, and the beans are roasted to preferably 10 to 40, more preferably 15 to 35, and particularly preferably 16 to 32. To measure the roasting level, ground beans are placed in a cell, tapped thoroughly, and then measured with a spectrophotometer. The spectrophotometer that can be used is the SE-2000 manufactured by Nippon Denshoku Industries Co., Ltd.

[0037] The chocolate composition of the present invention may also contain finely ground roasted coffee beans produced by finely grinding the aforementioned roasted coffee beans. The chocolate composition of the present invention may also be produced by finely grinding raw materials containing roasted coffee beans. The caffeine content and the contents of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate may be adjusted by blending finely ground roasted coffee beans. The median diameter of the finely ground roasted coffee beans contained in the chocolate composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5 to 50 μm, more preferably 5 to 40 μm, even more preferably 6 to 30 μm, and particularly preferably 7 to 20 μm. If the chocolate composition contains finely ground roasted coffee beans with a median diameter exceeding 50 μm, the texture, such as the mouthfeel and tongue feel, may be unnatural.

[0038] The method for finely grinding roasted coffee beans and the method for finely grinding when producing a chocolate composition are not particularly limited as long as they can achieve a median diameter of 5 to 50 μm for the finely ground roasted coffee beans contained in the chocolate composition, and any known method can be used. For example, dry grinding, freeze grinding, etc. can be used in the fine grinding of roasted coffee beans. Furthermore, dry grinding is mainly used in the fine grinding when producing a chocolate composition.

[0039] In addition, particle size is generally expressed as a distribution of the abundance ratio of each particle size based on the results of multiple measurements, which is called particle size distribution. Abundance ratios can be measured by volume or number, but in this specification, the abundance ratio is expressed as a volumetric abundance ratio, and can be measured using a measuring device based on laser diffraction and scattering. An example of a measuring device is the Microtrac particle size distribution measuring device (manufactured by Nikkiso Co., Ltd.). In this specification, the particle size of finely ground roasted coffee beans is expressed as a median diameter. The median diameter is the 50% diameter of the cumulative particle diameter data, and is the diameter at which, when a powder is divided into two at a certain particle diameter, the larger and smaller particles are equal in amount.

[0040] 1-6. Other Ingredients In addition to the above-mentioned ingredients, the chocolate composition of the present invention may contain, as appropriate, sweeteners (e.g., glucose, fructose, galactose, sucrose (sugar), lactose, maltose, trehalose, oligosaccharides, sugar alcohols, non-sugar natural sweeteners, synthetic sweeteners, etc.), emulsifiers (e.g., lecithin, etc.), fats and oils (e.g., cocoa butter substitutes, etc.), dairy products (e.g., whole milk powder, skim milk powder, etc.), antioxidants, flavorings, preservatives, quality stabilizers, etc., within limits that do not impair the effects of the present invention.

[0041] 2. Method for Producing a Chocolate Composition In one aspect, the present invention provides a method for producing a coffee-flavored chocolate composition, comprising adjusting the caffeine content to 60 to 750 ppm and adjusting the total content of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate to 850 to 6,800 mg / kg. This makes it possible to obtain a coffee-flavored chocolate composition with a reduced caffeine content but an enhanced coffee flavor. That is, in one aspect, the present invention also provides a method for reducing the caffeine content and enhancing the coffee flavor in a coffee-flavored chocolate composition.

[0042] In the method for producing a chocolate composition, roasted coffee beans or low-caffeine roasted coffee beans are produced, and the caffeine, kahweol palmitate, and cafestol palmitate contents of the roasted coffee beans are measured in advance. The roasted coffee beans are then blended with the roasted coffee beans so that the caffeine content and the total content of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate in the chocolate composition are predetermined. In one embodiment, the desired chocolate composition can also be obtained by blending roasted coffee beans and low-caffeine roasted coffee beans, followed by finely grinding the resulting chocolate composition, and measuring the caffeine, kahweol palmitate, and cafestol palmitate contents in the composition. In this case, finely ground roasted coffee beans or finely ground low-caffeine roasted coffee beans may be blended to adjust the caffeine, kahweol palmitate, and cafestol palmitate contents in the chocolate composition. In addition, roasted coffee beans or low-caffeine roasted coffee beans from multiple origins and varieties may be blended to adjust the caffeine content, kahweol palmitate content, and cafestol palmitate content in the chocolate composition. Furthermore, in addition to blending roasted coffee beans or low-caffeine roasted coffee beans, the caffeine content in the chocolate composition can also be adjusted to a predetermined content by blending caffeine isolated from natural products, artificially synthesized caffeine, or a combination thereof. The kahweol palmitate content and cafestol palmitate content can also be adjusted by blending roasted coffee beans or low-caffeine roasted coffee beans, or by blending kahweol palmitate or cafestol palmitate isolated from natural products, synthesized kahweol palmitate or cafestol palmitate, or a combination thereof. In the method for producing the chocolate composition, the caffeine content range is as described in "1. Coffee-flavored chocolate composition."The kahweol palmitate content, cafestol palmitate content, and their total amounts and ratios are also as described in "1. Coffee-flavored chocolate composition."

[0043] In the method for producing the chocolate composition, the caffeine content, kahweol palmitate content, and cafestol palmitate content may be adjusted by blending finely ground roasted coffee beans or finely ground low-caffeine roasted coffee beans with a median diameter of 5 to 50 μm. The method for producing the chocolate composition may also include a step of roasting coffee beans or a step of finely grinding the roasted coffee beans. In one embodiment, a chocolate composition containing finely ground roasted coffee beans with a median diameter of 5 to 50 μm can be obtained by blending roasted coffee beans or low-caffeine roasted coffee beans and then performing a fine grinding process. The type of roasted coffee beans, the roasting method, the fine grinding method, the particle size of the finely ground product, and the like are as described in "1. Chocolate Composition."

[0044] The type of chocolate composition produced by the above method is as described in "1. Coffee-flavored chocolate composition" and is not particularly limited, but preferably has a cocoa butter content of less than 50% by mass, more preferably 45% by mass or less, and even more preferably 40% by mass or less. In one aspect, the chocolate composition produced by the above method is preferably a white chocolate that uses cocoa butter without using cocoa mass or cocoa.

[0045] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to specific experimental examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following experimental examples.

[0046] Experiment 1: Production of base blend coffee beans Using green coffee beans (Arabica, Brazilian) as raw material, roasted coffee beans of three different roast levels were produced using a coffee roaster (TMR660, manufactured by Petroncini). The roasting conditions and roast levels (L values) for each roast were as follows: (1) Lightly roasted coffee beans: L value = 28; roasting temperature 190°C; roasting time 5 minutes; (2) Medium roasted coffee beans: L value = 23; roasting temperature 210°C; roasting time 6 minutes 30 seconds; (3) Darkly roasted coffee beans: L value = 20; roasting temperature 235°C; roasting time 9 minutes.

[0047] The roasted coffee beans produced were mixed in the following ratio to form a base blend.

[0048]

[0049] The base blend was pulverized to a median diameter of 10 μm or less using a freeze-pulverization system 100 (Liquid Gas Corporation's Rinrex Mill) according to the freeze-pulverization method described in JP 2015-73462 A. Specifically, washed roasted coffee beans were frozen as is with liquid nitrogen, and the frozen coffee beans were subjected to a freeze-pulverization process in which they were finely pulverized in an atmosphere maintained at −110°C to −180°C until the coffee bean cell walls were ruptured, producing base blend coffee beans with a median diameter of 10 μm or less.

[0050] Experiment 2: Production of Low-Caffeine Coffee Beans Using green coffee beans (Colombian Arabica) as a raw material, the caffeine in the coffee beans was reduced using supercritical liquid carbon dioxide extraction. Specifically, the green coffee beans were humidified with steam, and supercritical carbon dioxide, which was converted to a fluid with a density similar to that of water but neither a liquid nor a gas under conditions of 31°C and superpressure (200 atmospheres), was added and circulated multiple times to extract the caffeine from the green coffee beans. The resulting low-caffeine coffee beans were roasted to an L value of 22.5 to 25 and medium-ground to obtain low-caffeine coffee beans.

[0051] Experiment 3: Production of Chocolate Composition Sample chocolate compositions were produced using the following raw materials and with the compositions shown in Table 2. Base blend coffee beans: See Experiment 1 Low-caffeine coffee beans: See Experiment 2 Cocoa butter: Manufactured by Cargill Sugar: Manufactured by Itochu Sugar Co., Ltd. Lactose: Manufactured by Lacto Japan Co., Ltd. Lecithin: Manufactured by ADM Sample 2 is a common, existing chocolate (commercially available product) that does not contain kahweol palmitate or cafestol palmitate but does contain caffeine.

[0052]

[0053] The chocolate dough containing the above-mentioned ingredients was placed in a thermostatic chamber set at 50°C and mixed with a stirrer for 30 minutes. The mixture was then tempered at 32°C for 10 minutes, filled into a container measuring 40 mm in length, 30 mm in width, and 10 mm in thickness, molded, and left to stand in a dark place for 16 hours to obtain a chocolate.

[0054] Thereafter, the caffeine content, kahweol palmitate content, and cafestol palmitate content in the obtained sample chocolate were measured.

[0055] First, the caffeine content in the sample chocolates was measured by stirring 5 g of each sample in 500 mL of hot water for 10 minutes, measuring the volume, filtering through a membrane filter DISMIC-25CS (pore size 0.45 μm, Tokyo Roshi Kaisha, Ltd.), and then measuring the caffeine content using a known method using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

[0056] The contents of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate in the sample chocolates were measured by adding 800 μL of Milli-Q water to 0.2 g of each sample, and extracting kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate using the Folch method. The resulting GC-MS / MS measurement samples were used to measure the contents of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate in each sample using the method described below.

[0057] <Analytical conditions for kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate (LC-MS / MS)> [Mechanism used] MS: 4000Q TRAP (manufactured by AB SCIEX) LC: UFLC XR (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) [LC conditions] Mobile phase: (A) 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution, (B) ethanol Flow rate: 0.35 ml / min Gradient conditions: 4 min (B: 87%) - 4.05 min (100%) Column: Phenomenex Kinetexv C18 1.3 μm 2.1 × 50 mm Column temperature: 45°C Injection amount: 2 μl [MS conditions] Full MS, Runtime 1-5 min Positive [Quantitative method] Standard addition method Kahweol palmitate: 535.410 → 279.170 (Q1 → Q3) Cafestol palmitate: 567.440 → 281.190 (Q1 → Q3) DP: 95 V EP: 10 V CE: 21 V CXP: 12 V Note that under the above conditions, kahweol palmitate standard (manufactured by Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc.) and cafestol palmitate standard (manufactured by Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc.) were used.

[0058] The caffeine, kahweol palmitate content, cafestol palmitate content, and total amount of kahweol palmitate content and cafestol palmitate content in each sample chocolate are shown in Table 3.

[0059]

[0060] Next, a sensory evaluation was carried out on each of the produced sample chocolates by a panel of six experts. In the sensory evaluation, the expert panelists tasted 14 g of each sample chocolate and rated it on a 5-point scale for coffee-like bitterness, body, roasty aroma, and overall evaluation (taste of the coffee-flavored chocolate composition).

[0061] <Evaluation criteria: coffee-like bitterness> 5 points: too bitter, somewhat unsuitable for consumption 4 points: strong coffee-like bitterness 3 points: coffee-like bitterness is noticeable 2 points: coffee-like bitterness is slightly noticeable 1 point: no coffee-like bitterness is noticeable *Samples with a score of 2 to 4.5 were evaluated as being preferable for "coffee-like bitterness."

[0062] <Evaluation criteria: body feel> 5 points: strongly felt 4 points: felt 3 points: somewhat felt 2 points: hardly felt 1 point: not felt *For "body feel", samples with a score of 3 or more were evaluated as being preferable.

[0063] <Evaluation criteria: roasty aroma> 5 points: strongly noticeable 4 points: noticeable 3 points: somewhat noticeable 2 points: hardly noticeable 1 point: not noticeable *For "roasty aroma," samples with a score of 3 or higher were evaluated as being preferable.

[0064] <Evaluation criteria: Overall evaluation (taste as a coffee-flavored chocolate composition)> 5 points: very good 4 points: good 3 points: somewhat good 2 points: somewhat poor 1 point: poor *For "Overall evaluation (taste as a coffee-flavored chocolate composition)," samples with a score of 4 or higher were evaluated as favorable.

[0065] The evaluation results are shown in Tables 4 to 7. As shown in Tables 4 to 7, Sample 1, which contained caffeine, kahweol palmitate, and cafestol palmitate, achieved favorable results in all evaluation categories. Sample 2, which contained caffeine but not kahweol palmitate or cafestol palmitate, lacked a coffee-like bitterness and was poorly rated for palatability (overall evaluation) as a coffee-flavored chocolate composition. Furthermore, Samples 3 and 4, which contained low caffeine contents and also low kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate contents, achieved low evaluation scores for "coffee-like bitterness" and "roasty aroma," which strongly contribute to coffee flavor, and were poorly rated overall. However, even with a low caffeine content, favorable results were achieved in all evaluation categories by setting the total content of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate within the range of the present invention, demonstrating that chocolate compositions (Samples 5 to 10) were highly rated for palatability as coffee-flavored chocolate compositions.

[0066] As described above, it has been revealed that even if the caffeine content in a chocolate composition is reduced, by adjusting the total content of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate within a specific range, a delicious chocolate composition with an enhanced coffee flavor can be obtained while still reducing the caffeine content.

[0067]

[0068]

[0069]

[0070]

[0071] INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention relates to a new means for providing a coffee-flavored chocolate composition that has a reduced caffeine content but an enhanced coffee flavor, and therefore has great industrial applicability.

Claims

1. A coffee-flavored chocolate composition having a caffeine content of 60-750 ppm and a total content of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate of 850-6800 mg / kg.

2. The chocolate composition according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the caffeine content (b: ppm) to the total content (a: mg / kg) of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate (caffeine content / total content of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate (b / a)) is 0.18 or less.

3. The chocolate composition according to claim 1 or 2, having a caffeine content of 65 to 650 ppm.

4. The chocolate composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the total content of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate is 1,000 to 6,000 mg / kg.

5. The chocolate composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the content of kahweol palmitate is 500 to 4,000 mg / kg.

6. The chocolate composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cafestol palmitate content is 350 to 2500 mg / kg.

7. The chocolate composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which contains finely ground roasted coffee beans having a median diameter of 5 to 50 µm.

8. The chocolate composition according to claim 7, wherein the content of finely ground roasted coffee beans in the chocolate composition is 4 to 38% by mass.

9. The chocolate composition according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the coffee beans include Arabica coffee beans.

10. The chocolate composition according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the coffee beans have a roasting level of L16 to L32.

11. The chocolate composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the cocoa mass content is less than 50% by mass.

12. The chocolate composition according to any one of claims 1 to 11, which is a white chocolate.

13. A method for producing a coffee-flavored chocolate composition, comprising the steps of: adjusting the caffeine content to 60-750 ppm; and adjusting the total content of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate to 850-6,800 mg / kg.

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