Method for producing treated malt, treated malt, beer-flavored beverage, method for producing beer-flavored beverage, and method for improving vibrant aroma of beer

Abstract

Provided is a method for producing treated malt in which a raw material malt is subjected to treatment to reduce the amount of ferulic acid extracted and a treated malt is obtained, wherein in the treatment to reduce the amount of ferulic acid extracted, the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the treated malt will be less than the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the raw material malt.

Description

Processed malt manufacturing method, processed malt, beer-flavored beverage, process for manufacturing beer-flavored beverage, and process for improving the gorgeous aroma of beer

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing treated malt, treated malt, a beer-taste beverage, a method for producing a beer-taste beverage, and a method for improving the gorgeous aroma of beer.

[0002] Malt is commonly used as an ingredient in beer-flavored beverages, and the flavor derived from malt is emphasized in these beverages. In addition, the aroma produced by brewing is also important.

[0003] Patent No. 5658489

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes the inclusion of ferulic acid in beer-taste beverages. While investigating methods for improving the aroma of beer-taste beverages, the present inventors discovered that malt used in the production of beer-taste beverages contains ferulic acid, and that ferulic acid is thought to have an undesirable effect on the aroma of beer-taste beverages.

[0005] Furthermore, the present inventors have found that 4-VG (4-vinylguaiacol), which is produced by the conversion of ferulic acid during the brewing process of beer-taste beverages, produces an extremely heavy aroma (phenolic odor, smoky odor) in beer-taste beverages, inhibiting the brewing aroma of beer.

[0006] Based on the above findings, the inventors have speculated that reducing the amount of ferulic acid extracted from malt during the production process of a beer-taste beverage may be an effective method for improving the aroma of a beer-taste beverage.

[0007] In light of the above-mentioned background, the present invention aims to provide a method for producing treated malt, which can obtain malt that has been treated so as to reduce the amount of ferulic acid extracted.

[0008] As a result of intensive research to solve the above-mentioned problems, the inventors discovered that by subjecting raw material malt to a process for reducing the amount of ferulic acid extracted, it is possible to obtain treated malt that has been treated so that a reduced amount of ferulic acid is extracted, and thus arrived at the present invention.

[0009] That is, although not limited to the following, the present invention relates to the following methods for producing treated malt, treated malt, beer-taste beverage, methods for producing a beer-taste beverage, and methods for improving the gorgeous aroma of beer: [1] A method for producing treated malt by subjecting raw material malt to a treatment for reducing the amount of ferulic acid extracted to obtain treated malt, wherein the treatment for reducing the amount of ferulic acid extracted is a treatment such that the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the treated malt is less than the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the raw material malt. [2] The production method according to the above item [1], wherein the treatment for reducing the amount of ferulic acid extracted is a milling step of milling the raw material malt. [3] The production method according to the above item [1] or [2], wherein the milling yield in the milling step is 95% by weight or less. [4] The manufacturing method according to [1] above, wherein the ferulic acid extract reduction treatment comprises a grinding step of grinding the raw material malt to obtain a ground product, and a separation step of sieving the ground product to separate an outer fraction, and the residue after separation of the outer fraction is obtained as the treated malt. [5] The manufacturing method according to [4] above, wherein the mesh size of the sieve used in the separation step is 1.0 mm or less. [6] The manufacturing method according to [1] above, wherein the ferulic acid extract reduction treatment is an enzyme inactivation treatment that inactivates feruloyl esterase in the raw material malt. [7] The manufacturing method according to [6] above, wherein the enzyme inactivation treatment is a treatment that heats the raw material malt. [8] The manufacturing method according to [1] above, wherein the ferulic acid extract reduction treatment is a pre-extraction treatment that exposes the raw material malt to water to extract ferulic acid in the raw material malt, thereby reducing the amount of ferulic acid contained in the raw material malt. [9] The production method according to any one of [1] to [8] above, wherein a treatment to reduce the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the treated malt is carried out so that the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the raw malt is 95% or less.

[10] Treated malt, in which a treatment to reduce the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the raw malt is carried out.

[11] The treated malt according to

[10] above, which improves the gorgeous aroma of beer when used in the production of a beer-taste beverage.

[12] A beer-taste beverage obtained using the treated malt according to

[10] or

[11] above as a raw material.

[13] The beer-taste beverage according to

[12] above, having a linalool content of 5 μg / L or more.

[14] A method for producing a beer-taste beverage, comprising the steps of obtaining treated malt by the method for producing treated malt described in any one of [1] to [9] above, and producing a beer-taste beverage using the treated malt.

[15] A method for improving the gorgeous aroma of beer by using treated malt, which has been subjected to a treatment to reduce the amount of ferulic acid extracted from raw material malt.

[0010] According to the present invention, a method for producing treated malt can be provided, which can obtain malt that has been treated so as to reduce the amount of ferulic acid extracted.

[0011] The method for producing treated malt of the present invention is a method for producing treated malt, which comprises subjecting raw material malt to a treatment for reducing the amount of ferulic acid extracted, and the treatment for reducing the amount of ferulic acid extracted is a treatment for making the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the treated malt less than the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the raw material malt.

[0012] (Processed malt) In this specification, processed malt refers to malt that has been subjected to a process to reduce the amount of ferulic acid extracted from raw malt, and is malt from which the amount of ferulic acid extracted is less than the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the raw malt.

[0013] The raw material malt is not particularly limited as long as it is malt that can be used to produce beer-taste beverages, and in addition to barley malt and wheat malt, rye, oat, oat, adlay, oat malt, etc. can be used. Among these, barley malt and wheat malt are preferred, and barley malt is more preferred.

[0014] The amount of ferulic acid extracted from malt (ferulic acid extraction amount) is determined by preparing wort from the malt, measuring the ferulic acid extracted in the wort by LC-MS / MS, determining the concentration of ferulic acid in the wort, and converting the amount of ferulic acid extracted per weight of malt. Wort can be prepared, for example, by the following method: 200 mL of water is used for 50 g of malt, the pH is adjusted to 5.8, which is the optimal condition for feruloyl esterase, and the temperature pattern is changed from 45°C / 30 minutes to 70°C / 60 minutes to 80°C / 5 minutes. The optimal temperature for feruloyl esterase is 45°C.

[0015] When the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the raw material malt and the treated malt is measured, the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the treated malt is less than that from the raw material malt.

[0016] The treated malt of the present invention is malt that has been subjected to a ferulic acid extraction reduction process to reduce the amount of ferulic acid extracted compared to raw malt. The amount of ferulic acid extracted from the treated malt is preferably 95% or less, 90% or less, 85% or less, 80% or less, 75% or less, 70% or less, 65% or less, 60% or less, 55% or less, 50% or less, 45% or less, 40% or less, 35% or less, 30% or less, 25% or less, or 20% or less of the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the raw malt. Also, it is preferably 15% or more.

[0017] The amount of ferulic acid extracted from the treated malt is determined as the amount of ferulic acid extracted per gram of malt. The amount of ferulic acid extracted is preferably 11.5 μg / g or less, 11.0 μg / g or less, 10.5 μg / g or less, 10.0 μg / g or less, 9.5 μg / g or less, 9.0 μg / g or less, 8.5 μg / g or less, 8.0 μg / g or less, 7.5 μg / g or less, 7.0 μg / g or less, 6.5 μg / g or less, 6.0 μg / g or less, 5.5 μg / g or less, 5.0 μg / g or less, 4.5 μg / g or less, 4.0 μg / g or less, 3.5 μg / g or less, 3.0 μg / g or less, 2.5 μg / g or less, 2.0 μg / g or less, 1.5 μg / g or less, or 1.0 μg / g or less. It is also preferably 0.5 μg / g or more.

[0018] Ferulic acid contained in malt can exist in the form of free ferulic acid or as a glycoside esterified with polysaccharides. It is also known that it exists in the cell wall as a dimer, which cross-links polysaccharides. Treated malt refers to malt that has undergone treatment to reduce the total amount of these free forms, dimers, glycosides, etc., or to reduce the rate at which glycosides are decomposed by enzymes and converted to free forms. It is desirable that these treatments result in the amount of ferulic acid extracted into wort as described above. Furthermore, treatment to reduce the amount of ferulic acid extracted also reduces the amount of hydroxycinnamic acids, such as caffeic acid and coumaric acid, extracted from malt. These components are known to produce phenols, such as 4-VP (4-vinylphenol), which have aroma characteristics similar to 4-VG.

[0019] The treated malt is preferably one that enhances the gorgeous aroma of beer when used in the production of a beer-flavored beverage. The gorgeous aroma of beer is an aroma that is a comprehensive evaluation of floral, fruity, herbal, citrusy, and ester-like aromas. For example, terpene compounds such as linalool contained in hops used in the production of beer, and ester compounds such as ethyl 2-methylbutyrate produced by fermentation of fatty acids also contained in hops are typical components that impart a gorgeous aroma. Furthermore, the origin of these components is not limited to hops, and they may also be derived from malt, or herbs and spices such as orange peel and coriander seeds. Using treated malt in the production of a beer-flavored beverage prevents the gorgeous aroma from being masked by ferulic acid and 4-VG derived from ferulic acid, thereby ultimately improving the gorgeous aroma of beer.

[0020] The treated malt may contain pyrazines. Examples of pyrazines include 2-methylpyrazine, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2,3-dimethylpyrazine, 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine, and 2-acetylpyrazine, and the treated malt may contain one or more of these. The amount of pyrazines extracted from malt can be measured in the same manner as the amount of ferulic acid extracted from malt. The amount of pyrazines extracted is the total amount of each pyrazine compound extracted. The amount of pyrazines extracted from the treated malt may be less than the amount of pyrazines extracted from the raw material malt, or may be the same as the amount of pyrazines extracted from the raw material malt. When the amount of pyrazines extracted from the treated malt is less than the amount of pyrazines extracted from the raw material malt, the amount of pyrazines extracted from the treated malt is preferably 80% or less, 75% or less, 70% or less, 65% or less, 60% or less, 55% or less, 50% or less, 45% or less, 40% or less, 35% or less, 30% or less, or 25% or less of the amount of pyrazines extracted from the raw material malt, and preferably 20% or more.

[0021] The amount of pyrazines extracted from the treated malt is preferably 1.7 μg / L or less, 1.5 μg / L or less, 1.3 μg / L or less, 1.1 μg / L or less, 0.9 μg / L or less, 0.7 μg / L or less, or 0.5 μg / L or less, as a concentration in the wort, and is preferably 0.3 μg / L or more.

[0022] The amount of pyrazines extracted from malt is determined by measuring the concentration in wort prepared in the same manner as in the case of ferulic acid by GC-MS.

[0023] When pyrazines are present in a beer-taste beverage, they can mask the vibrant aroma of the beer-taste beverage, so it is preferable to reduce the content of pyrazines in order to improve the vibrant aroma of beer.

[0024] (Method for producing treated malt) In the method for producing treated malt of the present invention, raw material malt is subjected to a treatment to reduce the amount of ferulic acid extracted. There are roughly two methods for the treatment to reduce the amount of ferulic acid extracted. One is a ferulic acid content reduction treatment that reduces the amount (absolute amount) of ferulic acid contained in malt. The other is a ferulic acid extraction ratio reduction treatment that reduces the proportion of ferulic acid liberated by the action of feruloyl esterase without changing the amount (absolute amount) of ferulic acid contained in malt. In either method, the amount of ferulic acid extracted into wort from the treated malt is less than the amount of ferulic acid extracted into wort from the raw material malt.

[0025] Four specific examples of methods for reducing the amount of ferulic acid extracted are shown below (Method 1 to Method 4). All of these methods are reduction treatments that have the effects of either or both of the above two methods for reducing the amount of ferulic acid extracted.

[0026] In either method, it is preferable to carry out the ferulic acid extraction reduction treatment so that the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the treated malt is 95% or less, 90% or less, 85% or less, 80% or less, 75% or less, 70% or less, 65% or less, 60% or less, 55% or less, 50% or less, 45% or less, 40% or less, 35% or less, 30% or less, 25% or less, or 20% or less of the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the raw malt.Furthermore, the ferulic acid extraction reduction treatment may be carried out so that the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the treated malt is 15% or more of the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the raw malt.

[0027] (First Method of Treatment for Reducing Ferulic Acid Extraction Amount) In the method for producing treated malt of the present invention, the treatment for reducing the ferulic acid extraction amount is preferably a polishing step in which raw material malt is polished.

[0028] The milling process is a process in which the surface of grains is polished to separate the outer fraction, such as the husk, young shoots, germ, and aleurone layer, from the endosperm. Ferulic acid is found in large amounts in the outer fraction of malt, so removing the outer fraction through the milling process can reduce the amount (absolute amount) of ferulic acid contained in the processed malt. As a result, the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the processed malt can be reduced.

[0029] The degree of milling is expressed by the milling yield, and the smaller the milling yield (weight %), the greater the proportion of the grain polished and the less remaining (only the core portion remains). The milling yield in the milling process is preferably 95% by weight or less, 90% by weight or less, 85% by weight or less, 80% by weight or less, 75% by weight or less, 70% by weight or less, 65% by weight or less, 60% by weight or less, or 55% by weight or less. The milling yield may be 50% by weight or more. A lower milling yield can reduce the amount of ferulic acid extracted, but this reduces the amount of malt used. Therefore, the milling yield should be determined by considering the balance between the reduction in the amount of ferulic acid extracted and the reduction in the amount of malt used. Malt milling can be performed using a known milling machine, and the conditions are not particularly limited.

[0030] Furthermore, a mixture of polished malt and unpolished malt may be used as the treated malt. Multiple malts with different polishing yields may also be used. The proportion of polished malt in the total malt may be set arbitrarily depending on the purpose.

[0031] The polishing step removes the outer fraction of the malt, which can reduce the amount of pyrazines contained in the outer fraction of the malt. As a result, the treated malt can have a lower amount of extracted pyrazines than the raw material malt.

[0032] (Second method of treatment for reducing the amount of ferulic acid extracted) In the method for producing treated malt of the present invention, the treatment for reducing the amount of ferulic acid extracted includes a grinding step of grinding raw malt to obtain a ground product, and a separation step of sieving the ground product to separate the outer fraction, and it is preferable that the residue after separation of the outer fraction is obtained as treated malt.

[0033] In the grinding process, the raw material malt is ground to obtain a ground product. The grinding process separates the outer fraction from the endosperm portion. In accordance with conventional beer production methods, the outer fraction of malt is often ground to a larger particle size than the inner fraction, so the outer fraction can be separated by sieving. The device used for grinding is not particularly limited, and grinding devices such as a roll mill can be used.

[0034] In the separation step, the ground material is sieved to separate the outer fraction. The ground material that passes through the sieve openings is malt from which the outer fraction has been removed and which is dominated by endosperm, so the ground material that passes through the sieve openings is left as a residue, and this residue is called treated malt.

[0035] As described above, ferulic acid is found in large amounts in the outer fraction of malt, and therefore, by performing the crushing and separation steps to remove the outer fraction of malt, the amount (absolute amount) of ferulic acid contained in the treated malt can be reduced, thereby reducing the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the treated malt.

[0036] The mesh size of the sieve used in the separation step is preferably 1.0 mm or less, 0.75 mm or less, 0.50 mm or less, 0.25 mm or less, or 0.125 mm or less. A sieve with a mesh size of 1.0 mm or less means that the pulverized material separated as the residue is the portion of the malt near the center having a particle size of 1.0 mm or less, and the malt from which the fraction outside the particles with a particle size of 1.0 mm has been removed is the treated malt.

[0037] The crushing and separation steps remove the outer fraction of the malt, which can reduce the amount of pyrazines contained in the outer fraction of the malt. As a result, the treated malt can have a lower amount of extracted pyrazines than the raw material malt.

[0038] (Third Method of Treatment for Reducing Ferulic Acid Extraction Amount) In the method for producing treated malt of the present invention, the treatment for reducing the ferulic acid extraction amount is preferably an enzyme inactivation treatment for inactivating feruloyl esterase in the raw material malt.

[0039] The ferulic acid extraction reduction treatment inactivates feruloyl esterase contained in the raw malt, making it difficult for glycosides in the malt in which ferulic acid is ester-bonded to polysaccharides to be decomposed, thereby preventing the release and extraction of ferulic acid or reducing the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the malt. This method does not change the amount (absolute amount) of ferulic acid contained in the treated malt, but reduces the proportion of ferulic acid extracted from the malt. As a result, the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the treated malt can be reduced.

[0040] The enzyme inactivation treatment is preferably a treatment in which the raw material malt is heated. The raw material malt can be heated, for example, by a heat treatment using high-temperature steam. The heating temperature is preferably 130 to 180°C, and more preferably 150 to 170°C. The heating time is preferably 1 to 10 seconds, and more preferably 2 to 6 seconds.

[0041] (Fourth method of treatment for reducing the amount of ferulic acid extracted) In the method for producing treated malt of the present invention, the treatment for reducing the amount of ferulic acid extracted is preferably a pre-extraction treatment in which the raw material malt is exposed to water to extract ferulic acid from the raw material malt, thereby reducing the amount of ferulic acid contained in the raw material malt.

[0042] In this method, the amount (absolute amount) of ferulic acid contained in the raw malt can be reduced by extracting and removing the ferulic acid contained in the raw malt in advance, thereby reducing the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the treated malt.

[0043] The conditions for exposing the raw material malt to water are not particularly limited, and the water temperature and time may be set to a temperature and time at which feruloyl esterase is active. For example, the water temperature is preferably 30 to 60°C, more preferably 40 to 50°C, and the extraction time is preferably 5 to 60 minutes, more preferably 20 to 40 minutes.

[0044] By performing the pre-extraction treatment, pyrazines are also extracted and removed in advance, which can reduce the amount of pyrazines contained in the raw material malt. As a result, the treated malt can have a lower amount of extracted pyrazines than the raw material malt.

[0045] (Method for producing beer-taste beverage) The method for producing a beer-taste beverage of the present invention comprises the steps of obtaining treated malt by the method for producing treated malt of the present invention, and producing a beer-taste beverage using the treated malt.

[0046] As used herein, the term "beer-taste beverage" refers to an alcoholic or non-alcoholic carbonated beverage with a beer-like flavor. In other words, unless otherwise specified, the term "beer-taste beverage" as used herein encompasses any carbonated beverage with a beer flavor. Therefore, "beer-taste beverage" encompasses not only beer, a malt-fermented beverage obtained by fermenting malt, hops, and water using yeast, but also carbonated beverages (non-fermented beer-taste beverages) to which beer flavorings containing aroma components such as esters, higher alcohols, and lactones have been added.

[0047] In the method for producing a beer-taste beverage of the present invention, the treated malt of the present invention is used, and therefore the amount of ferulic acid extracted into the wort is reduced compared to when raw malt is used. As a result, the amount of components such as 4-VG, which have the effect of masking the desirable aroma of beer-taste beverages, is reduced in the wort, making it possible to produce a beer-taste beverage with a desirable aroma. In particular, it is possible to produce a beer-taste beverage with a gorgeous aroma.

[0048] When producing a beer-taste beverage, only treated malt may be used as the malt, or treated malt and non-treated malt may be used in combination. Treated malt can be used in the production of a beer-taste beverage in the same way as regular malt. Furthermore, ingredients other than malt may include water, hops, barley, rice, corn, sorghum, potatoes, starch, acidulants, sweeteners, bittering agents, seasonings, and the like. When using hops as an ingredient, regular pelleted hops, powdered hops, and hop extracts used in the production of beer and the like may be appropriately selected and used depending on the desired flavor and aroma. Processed hop products such as isomerized hops and reduced hops may also be used. Beer-taste beverages can be produced by subjecting raw materials containing treated malt to processes such as crushing, saccharification, wort filtration, boiling, and fermentation.

[0049] Furthermore, the amount of ferulic acid extracted into the wort can be controlled by adjusting the pH and mashing temperature during mashing (saccharification), thereby controlling the activity of feruloyl esterase. In addition to using treated malt, a method of controlling the amount of ferulic acid by controlling the saccharification conditions can also be used in combination.

[0050] (Beer-Taste Beverage) The beer-taste beverage of the present invention is a beer-taste beverage obtained using the processed malt of the present invention as a raw material. The beer-taste beverage of the present invention may be a beverage obtained using malt other than processed malt as a raw material, so long as the processed malt of the present invention is used as a raw material. Because the beer-taste beverage of the present invention uses processed malt as a raw material, the content of ferulic acid and components derived from ferulic acid, such as 4-VG, contained in the beverage is lower than that of a beer-taste beverage obtained using raw malt as a raw material. This results in a beer-taste beverage with a pleasant aroma.

[0051] "Beer-taste beverages" include, for example, beer and fermented beer-taste beverages, which are malt fermented beverages obtained by fermenting malt, hops, and specified ingredients specified in the Liquor Tax Act (Interpretation Notice of the Liquor Tax Act and Liquor Administration-Related Laws and Regulations, etc., effective April 1, 2018) and water using yeast, as well as carbonated beverages (non-fermented beer-taste beverages) to which beer flavorings containing aroma components such as esters, higher alcohols, and lactones have been added, as well as other happoshu (low-malt beer) and sparkling liqueurs as defined by the Japanese Liquor Tax Act. Furthermore, beer-taste beverages may be fermented beer-taste beverages that have undergone a fermentation process using yeast, or non-fermented beer-taste beverages that have not undergone a fermentation process.

[0052] Furthermore, the beer-taste beverage of the present invention preferably has a linalool content of 5 μg / L or more. Linalool is a component derived from hops and is a component that produces a gorgeous aroma. Because the beer-taste beverage of the present invention has a low content of aroma-masking components such as ferulic acid and 4-VG derived from ferulic acid, the gorgeous aroma produced by the presence of linalool at 5 μg / L or more is not masked, and a beer-taste beverage with a gorgeous aroma can be obtained.

[0053] The malt ratio of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention (the malt ratio in the raw materials, including treated malt and other malts) is not particularly limited, and may be 25% by mass or more, 30% by mass or more, 35% by mass or more, 40% by mass or more, 45% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 55% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 65% by mass or more, 66% by mass or more, more than 66% by mass, 67% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, 75% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more, 85% by mass or more, 90% by mass or more, 95% by mass or more, or 100% by mass, or may be 100% by mass or less, less than 100% by mass, 98% by mass or less, 95% by mass or less, 90% by mass or less, 87% by mass or less, 85% by mass or less, 82% by mass or less, 80% by mass or less, 78% by mass or less, 76% by mass or less, or 74% by mass or less. In this specification, the malt ratio means a value calculated in accordance with the Liquor Tax Act and the Interpretation Notice of Liquor Administration-related Laws and Regulations, etc., which came into effect on April 1, 2018.

[0054] The beer-taste beverage of the present invention may be a low-carbohydrate beverage or a reduced-carbohydrate beverage. The carbohydrate content of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention can be set according to the characteristics desired to be imparted to the beverage, and may be, for example, 5.0 g / 100 mL or less, 4.5 g / 100 mL or less, 4.0 g / 100 mL or less, 3.5 g / 100 mL or less, 3.0 g / 100 mL or less, 2.5 g / 100 mL or less, 2.0 g / 100 mL or less, 1.9 g / 100 mL or less, 1.8 g / 100 mL or less, 1.7 g / 100 mL or less, 1.6 g / 100 mL or less, or 1.8 g / 100 mL or less. 00mL or less, 1.5g / 100mL or less, less than 1.5g / 100mL, 1.4g / 100mL or less, 1.3g / 100mL or less, 1.2g / 100mL or less, 1.1g / 100mL or less, 1.0g / 100 mL or less, less than 1.0 g / 100 mL, 0.95 g / 100 mL or less, 0.9 g / 100 mL or less, 0.85 g / 100 mL or less, 0.8 g / 100 mL or less, 0.75 g / 100 mL or less, 0. It may be 7 g / 100 mL or less, 0.65 g / 100 mL or less, 0.6 g / 100 mL or less, 0.55 g / 100 mL or less, or 0.5 g / 100 mL or less, or may be 0.1 g / 100 mL or more, 0.2 g / 100 mL or more, 0.3 g / 100 mL or more, 0.4 g / 100 mL or more, 0.5 g / 100 mL or more, more than 0.5 g / 100 mL, 0.55 g / 100 mL or more, 0.6 g / 100 mL or more, The carbohydrate content may be 0.65 g / 100 mL or more, 0.7 g / 100 mL or more, 0.75 g / 100 mL or more, 0.8 g / 100 mL or more, 0.85 g / 100 mL or more, 0.9 g / 100 mL or more, 0.95 g / 100 mL or more, 1.0 g / 100 mL or more, 1.1 g / 100 mL or more, 1.2 g / 100 mL or more, 1.3 g / 100 mL or more, 1.4 g / 100 mL or more, or 1.5 g / 100 mL or more. In this specification, "carbohydrate" refers to carbohydrates based on the Nutrition Labeling Standards for Foods (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Notification No. 176 of 2003, partially revised by Consumer Affairs Agency Notification No. 8 of September 27, 2013), and specifically refers to the carbohydrate content of the target food excluding protein, lipids, dietary fiber, ash, alcohol, and water. The carbohydrate content of a food product can be calculated by subtracting the amounts of protein, fat, dietary fiber, ash, and water from the weight of the food product.The amounts of protein, lipid, dietary fiber, ash, and moisture can be measured by the methods specified in the Nutrition Labeling Standards. Specifically, the amount of protein can be measured by the nitrogen quantitative conversion method, the amount of lipid by the ether extraction method, the amount of dietary fiber by the Prosky method, the amount of ash by the direct ashing method, and the amount of moisture by the reduced pressure heat drying method.

[0055] The beer-taste beverage of the present invention may be a low-purine beverage or a purine-free beverage. The purine content of the beer-taste beverage of the present invention can be set according to the desired characteristics of the beverage, and for example, the purine content may be 10.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 9.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 8.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 7.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 6.5 mg / 100 mL or less, 6.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 5.9 mg / 100 mL or less, 5.8 mg / 100 mL or less, 5.7 mg / 100 mL or less, 5.6 mg / 100 mL or less, 5.5 mg / 100 mL or less, 5.4 mg / 100 mL or less, 5.3 mg / 100 mL or less. Bottom, 5.2 mg / 100 mL or less, 5.1 mg / 100 mL or less, 5.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 4.9 mg / 100 mL or less, 4.8 mg / 100 mL or less, 4.7 mg / 100 mL or less, 4.6 mg / 100 mL or less, 4.5 mg / 100 mL or less, 4.4 m g / 100mL or less, 4.3mg / 100mL or less, 4.2mg / 100mL or less, 4.1mg / 100mL or less, 4.0mg / 100mL or less, 3.9mg / 100mL or less, 3.8mg / 100mL or less, 3.7mg / 100mL or less, 3.6mg / 100mL or less, 3.5 mg / 100 mL or less, 3.4 mg / 100 mL or less, 3.3 mg / 100 mL or less, 3.2 mg / 100 mL or less, 3.1 mg / 100 mL or less, 3.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 2.9 mg / 100 mL or less, 2.8 mg / 100 mL or less, 2.7 mg / 100 mL or less, 2.6 mg / 100 mL or less, 2.5 mg / 100 mL or less, 2.4 mg / 100 mL or less, 2.3 mg / 100 mL or less, 2.2 mg / 100 mL or less, 2.1 mg / 100 mL or less, or 2.0 mg / 100 mL or less. , or may be 0.5 mg / 100 mL or more, 0.6 mg / 100 mL or more, 0.7 mg / 100 mL or more, 0.8 mg / 100 mL or more, 0.9 mg / 100 mL or more, 1.0 mg / 100 mL or more, 1.1 mg / 100 mL or more, 1.2 mg / 100 mL or more, 1.3 mg / 100 mL or more, 1.4 mg / 100 mL or more, 1.5 mg / 100 mL or more, 1.6 mg / 100 mL or more, 1.7 mg / 100 mL or more, 1.8 mg / 100 mL or more, 1.9 mg / 100 mL or more, or 2.0 mg / 100 mL or more.The purine content in beer-flavored beverages is the total content of four purine bases, measured using a method of detection using LC-MS / MS after treatment with perchloric acid ("Guide to trace analysis of purines in alcoholic beverages," Japan Food Research Laboratories, Internet (https: / / www.jfrl.or.jp / storage / file / news_vol4_no23.pdf), searched December 2021).

[0056] The beer-taste beverage of the present invention may be colorless and transparent, or may be colored. The "color" of a beverage can be measured using the measurement method described in "8.8 Color" of the Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Methods (published by the Brewery Association of Japan, edited by the International Technical Committee of Brewers Association (Analysis Committee), 2013, expanded and revised). The "color" of a beverage is specified using the color unit (EBC unit) established by the European Brewery Convention. The smaller the value, the lighter and lighter the beverage, and conversely, the larger the value, the darker and darker the beverage. The color may be 0 EBC, 1 EBC or more, 5 EBC or more, 10 EBC or more, 15 EBC or more, 20 EBC or more, 30 EBC or more, or 40 EBC or more. It may also be 200 EBC or less, 150 EBC or less, 100 EBC or less, 50 EBC or less, 30 EBC or less, 20 EBC or less, 15 EBC or less, or 10 EBC or less.

[0057] The beer-taste beverage of the present invention may be an alcohol-containing beer-taste beverage with an alcohol content of 1 (v / v)% or more, or may be a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage with an alcohol content of less than 1 (v / v)%.

[0058] The alcohol content of alcohol-containing beer-flavored beverages is 1% by volume or more, 1.5% by volume or more, 2.0% by volume or more, 2.5% by volume or more, 3.0% by volume or more, 3.5% by volume or more, 3.6% by volume or more, 3.7% by volume or more, 3.8% by volume or more, 3.9% by volume or more, 4.0% by volume or more, 4.1% by volume or more, 4.2% by volume or more, 4.3% by volume or more, 4.4% by volume or more, 4.5% by volume or more, 4.6% by volume or more, 4.7% by volume or more, 4.8% by volume or more, 4.9% by volume or more, 5.0% by volume or more vol% or more, 5.1 vol% or more, 5.2 vol% or more, 5.3 vol% or more, 5.4 vol% or more, 5.5 vol% or more, 5.6 vol% or more, 5.7 vol% or more, 5.8 vol% or more, 5.9 vol% or more, 6.0 vol% or more, 6.1 vol% or more, 6.2 vol% or more, 6.3 vol% or more, 6.4 vol% or more, 6.5 vol% or more, 7.0 vol% or more, 7.5 vol% or more, 8.0 vol% or more, 8.5 vol% or more, 9.0 vol% or more, 9.5 vol% or more, or 10.0 vol% or more is preferred. Furthermore, it is preferably 20.0 vol% or less, 19.5 vol% or less, 19.0 vol% or less, 18.5 vol% or less, 18.0 vol% or less, 17.5 vol% or less, 17.0 vol% or less, 16.5 vol% or less, 16.0 vol% or less, 15.5 vol% or less, 15.0 vol% or less, 14.5 vol% or less, 14.0 vol% or less, 13.5 vol% or less, 13.0 vol% or less, 12.5 vol% or less, 12.0 vol% or less, 11.5 vol% or less, 11.0 vol% or less, or 10.5 vol% or less.

[0059] A non-alcoholic beverage is a beverage with an alcohol content of less than 1% by volume, and preferably contains substantially no alcohol. Alternatively, the alcohol content may be 0% by volume. Here, beverages that are substantially alcohol-free do not exclude beverages that contain trace amounts of alcohol that are undetectable. Beverages with an alcohol content of 0.0% by volume when rounded up or down, especially beverages with an alcohol content of 0.00% by volume when rounded up or down, are included in the category of non-alcoholic beverages.

[0060] In this specification, "alcohol content" refers to the content of ethanol and does not include the content of aliphatic alcohols other than ethanol. In this specification, "volume %" and "v / v %" have the same meaning.

[0061] The beer-taste beverage of the present invention can be packaged in a container. The type of container is not particularly limited, and the beer-taste beverage can be filled into a sealed container such as a bottle, can, barrel, or PET bottle to form a packaged beverage.

[0062] (Method for improving the gorgeous aroma of beer) The method for improving the gorgeous aroma of beer of the present invention is a method for improving the gorgeous aroma of beer by using treated malt, which has been treated to reduce the amount of ferulic acid extracted from raw malt. By using treated malt, which has been treated to reduce the amount of ferulic acid extracted from raw malt, the amount of ferulic acid extracted into the wort is reduced compared to when raw malt is used. Therefore, the amount of components in the wort that have the effect of masking the desirable aroma of beer is reduced, and the gorgeous aroma of beer can be improved.

[0063] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0064] (Method for confirming the amount of ferulic acid extracted) The amount of ferulic acid extracted from malt (amount of ferulic acid extracted) was determined by preparing wort from the malt, measuring the ferulic acid extracted in the wort by LC-MS / MS, determining the concentration of ferulic acid in the wort, and converting this into the amount of ferulic acid extracted per malt weight. Wort was prepared using the following method. 200 mL of water was used per 50 g of malt, the pH was adjusted to 5.8, the optimal condition for feruloyl esterase, and the temperature pattern was changed from 45°C / 30 minutes to 70°C / 60 minutes to 80°C / 5 minutes. In each table, the amount of ferulic acid extracted is shown as the amount of ferulic acid extracted (μg / g) per 1 g of treated malt weight.

[0065] (Method for confirming the amount of pyrazines extracted) The concentration of pyrazines in the wort was determined in the same manner as in the method for confirming the amount of ferulic acid extracted. The concentration of pyrazines is the total concentration of 2-methylpyrazine, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2,3-dimethylpyrazine, 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine, and 2-acetylpyrazine. In each table, the amount of pyrazines extracted is shown as the concentration in the wort (μg / L).

[0066] (Method for confirming the amount of 4-VG extracted) The concentration of 4-VG in the wort was determined in the same manner as in the method for confirming the amount of ferulic acid extracted. In each table, the amount of 4-VG extracted is shown as the concentration in the wort (μg / L).

[0067] (Reference Example) In the results of each example, the results for barley malt, which is the raw material malt, are shown as (Reference Example).

[0068] (Example 1) Treated malt was produced by polishing the surface of raw malt. Polishing was performed using a polishing machine. Several types of treated malt were produced by varying the polishing yield. Wort was prepared for each treated malt, and the amounts of ferulic acid, pyrazines, and 4-VG extracted were confirmed using the methods described above. Table 1 shows the amounts of ferulic acid, pyrazines, and 4-VG extracted. Table 2 shows the proportion of each component in each example when the amount of each component extracted in the Reference Example (raw malt) is set to 1.00.

[0069]

[0070]

[0071] As shown in Tables 1 and 2, the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the treated malt obtained after the polishing process was reduced, and the amount of 4-VG extracted also decreased in accordance with the reduction in the amount of ferulic acid extracted. The amount of pyrazines extracted also decreased. The reduction in the amount of each component corresponded to the degree of polishing yield, and in the polishing yield range of 95 to 70%, the amount of each component extracted decreased as the polishing yield decreased, but even when the polishing yield was reduced to 70% or less, the amount of each component extracted did not change significantly.

[0072] (Example 2) Raw material malt was pulverized to obtain a pulverized product, which was then sieved to separate the outer fraction, to produce treated malt. The pulverization was carried out using a roll mill. Several types of treated malt were produced by varying the mesh size of the sieve. Wort was prepared for each treated malt, and the amounts of ferulic acid, pyrazines, and 4-VG extracted were confirmed using the methods described above. Table 3 shows the amounts of ferulic acid, pyrazines, and 4-VG extracted. Table 4 shows the proportion of each component in each example, assuming the amount of extraction of each component in the Reference Example (raw material malt) to be 1.00.

[0073]

[0074]

[0075] As shown in Tables 3 and 4, the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the treated malt obtained by crushing and sieving the raw malt was reduced, and the amount of 4-VG extracted also decreased in accordance with the reduction in the amount of ferulic acid extracted. The amount of pyrazines extracted also decreased. The reduction in the amount of each component corresponded to the size of the sieve opening, and when the sieve opening was made smaller (using only the more central part of the malt as treated malt), the amount of each component extracted decreased.

[0076] (Example 3) Raw material malt was heat-treated with high-temperature steam at normal pressure to inactivate feruloyl esterase, thereby producing treated malt. Several types of treated malt were produced by varying the heat treatment conditions. Wort was prepared for each treated malt, and the amounts of ferulic acid, pyrazines, and 4-VG extracted were confirmed using the methods described above. Table 5 shows the amounts of ferulic acid, pyrazines, and 4-VG extracted. Table 6 shows the proportion of each component in each example, assuming the amount of each component extracted in the Reference Example (raw material malt) to be 1.00.

[0077]

[0078]

[0079] As shown in Tables 5 and 6, the amount of ferulic acid extracted from treated malt obtained by heat-treating raw malt was reduced, and the amount of 4-VG extracted also decreased in accordance with the reduction in the amount of ferulic acid extracted. The amount of ferulic acid extracted and the amount of 4-VG extracted decreased with increasing heating temperature. The amount of pyrazines extracted remained almost unchanged in the treated malt obtained by this method.

[0080] (Example 4) Raw material malt was exposed to water to produce treated malt. Wort was prepared from the treated malt, and the amounts of ferulic acid, pyrazines, and 4-VG extracted were confirmed using the methods described above. Table 7 shows the amounts of ferulic acid, pyrazines, and 4-VG extracted. Table 8 shows the proportions of each component in the examples when the amount of each component extracted in the reference example (raw material malt) is set to 1.00.

[0081]

[0082]

[0083] As shown in Tables 7 and 8, the amount of ferulic acid extracted into the wort was reduced in the treated malt obtained by exposing the raw malt to water to extract ferulic acid from the raw malt in advance, and the amount of 4-VG extracted also decreased in accordance with the decrease in the amount of ferulic acid extracted.The amount of pyrazines extracted also decreased.

[0084] Example 5: The effect of 4-VG or pyrazines on the gorgeous aroma of beer was evaluated. A predetermined amount of 4-VG and / or pyrazines was added to beer containing 5 μg / L of linalool and 2 μg / L of ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (E2MB). Eight expert panelists scored the gorgeous aroma of the beer according to the following criteria, and the scores were averaged. 2,3-dimethylpyrazine was used as the pyrazine. The evaluation criteria were as follows:

[0085] "Gorgeous aroma" of a beer-flavored beverage 5: Very noticeable 4: Sensible 3: Sensible slightly 2: Not noticeable at all 1: Not noticeable at all

[0086] The evaluation results are shown in Table 9 for Examples in which 4-VG was added, in Table 10 for Examples in which pyrazines were added, and in Table 11 for Examples in which 4-VG and pyrazines were added. An example in which 4-VG and / or pyrazines were not added is shown as Reference Example 5.

[0087]

[0088]

[0089]

[0090] 4-VG and pyrazines have the effect of masking the gorgeous aroma of beer, and the evaluation results shown in Tables 9, 10, and 11 confirm that an increase in their contents reduces the gorgeous aroma of beer.

[0091] Example 6 Beer was produced by a conventional method using the treated malt obtained in Example 1 with a milling yield of 50% by weight. The treated malt was mixed with the raw malt to vary the proportion of treated malt in the malt. The proportion of malt in the raw materials for the beer was set to 100%. The concentrations of 4-VG and pyrazines contained in the beer of each example were measured. The gorgeous aroma of the beer was also evaluated using the method described above. The evaluation results are shown in Table 12. An example in which treated malt was not used (proportion of treated malt 0% by weight) is shown as Reference Example 6.

[0092]

[0093] Compared to Reference Example 6, which uses only raw material malt, in the examples in which treated malt was used and the proportion of treated malt was increased, it was confirmed that the concentrations of 4-VG and pyrazines contained in the beer decreased, and the gorgeous aroma was improved accordingly.

Claims

1. A method for producing treated malt, comprising performing a treatment for reducing the ferulic acid extraction amount on raw malt to obtain treated malt, wherein the treatment for reducing the ferulic acid extraction amount is a treatment such that the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the treated malt is less than the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the raw malt.

2. The production method according to claim 1, wherein the treatment for reducing the ferulic acid extraction amount is a crushing step of crushing the raw malt.

3. The production method according to claim 2, wherein the crushing yield in the crushing step is 95% by weight or less.

4. The production method according to claim 1, wherein the treatment for reducing the ferulic acid extraction amount includes a crushing step of crushing the raw malt to obtain a crushed product, and a separation step of sieving the crushed product to separate an outer fraction, and the residue after separating the outer fraction is obtained as the treated malt.

5. The production method according to claim 4, wherein the mesh size of the sieve used in the separation step is 1.0 mm or less.

6. The production method according to claim 1, wherein the treatment for reducing the ferulic acid extraction amount is an enzyme inactivation treatment for inactivating feruloyl esterase in the raw malt.

7. The production method according to claim 6, wherein the enzyme inactivation treatment is a treatment of heating the raw malt.

8. The production method according to claim 1, wherein the treatment for reducing the ferulic acid extraction amount is a pre-extraction treatment of exposing the raw malt to water to extract ferulic acid in the raw malt and reduce the amount of ferulic acid contained in the raw malt.

9. The production method according to claim 1, wherein the treatment for reducing the ferulic acid extraction amount is performed such that the ferulic acid extraction amount from the treated malt is 95% or less of the amount of ferulic acid extracted from the raw malt.

10. Treated malt subjected to a treatment for reducing the ferulic acid extraction amount on raw malt.

11. The treated malt according to claim 10, which improves the rich aroma of beer when used in the production of a beer-taste beverage.

12. A beer-taste beverage obtained by using the treated malt according to claim 10 or 11 as a raw material.

13. The beer-taste beverage according to claim 12, having a linalool content of 5 μg / L or more.

14. A method for producing a beer-taste beverage, comprising a step of obtaining treated malt by the method for producing treated malt according to claim 1, and a step of producing a beer-taste beverage using the treated malt.

15. A method for improving the rich aroma of beer by using treated malt obtained by subjecting raw malt to a treatment for reducing the ferulic acid extraction amount.

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