Jasmine-flavored packaged alcoholic beverage

Abstract

To provide an easily drinkable jasmine-flavored alcoholic beverage in which the pungent odor of butanol is suppressed and the sweet, flowery scent of benzyl acetate is imparted, and to provide a method for producing the same.　In a packaged alcoholic beverage containing 10-6000 ppb of butanol, the content of benzyl acetate is adjusted to 10-500 ppb.

Description

Jasmine-flavored bottled alcoholic beverage

[0001] The present invention relates to a jasmine-flavored, packaged alcoholic beverage, more particularly to a jasmine-flavored, packaged alcoholic beverage in which the pungent odor of butanol is suppressed and the aroma of benzyl acetate is imparted, and a method for producing the same.

[0002] Compared to continuous distillation spirits, pot stills such as shochu contain more higher fatty acid esters such as ethyl palmitate and ethyl linoleate, which are flavor components derived from the raw materials, giving them a richer, more mellow flavor. On the other hand, butanol, which is contained in large amounts in pot stills, has a characteristic pungent odor, making them difficult to drink.

[0003] As a method for improving the stimulating sensation and aroma of alcoholic beverages, Patent Document 1 describes, with respect to sweet potato shochu, adjusting the concentrations of β-citronellol and ethyl linoleate within a certain range in order to provide sweet potato shochu that maintains its rich flavor while enhancing its freshness and sharpness. Patent Document 2 also describes blending a certain amount of benzyl acetate to improve the stimulating sensation of alcohol.

[0004] JP 2019-115274 A JP 2022-102481 A

[0005] However, these prior art documents do not address the suppression of the characteristic pungent odor of butanol. On the other hand, the characteristic pungent odor of butanol is a factor that makes alcoholic beverages difficult to drink, so there is a need for an improved alcoholic beverage that is easy to drink and has an improved pungent odor of butanol that is reduced.

[0006] As a result of intensive research into the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors discovered that by blending a certain concentration of benzyl acetate, one of the fragrance components of jasmine, it is possible to provide an easy-to-drink, packaged alcoholic beverage with a jasmine flavor, in which the pungent odor of butanol is suppressed and the sweet and gorgeous aroma of benzyl acetate is imparted, thereby completing the present invention.

[0007] That is, the present invention relates to the following, but is not limited to: (1) A packaged jasmine-flavored alcoholic beverage having a butanol content of 10 to 6,000 ppb and a benzyl acetate content of 10 to 500 ppb. (2) The packaged alcoholic beverage according to (1), in which the ratio of the benzyl acetate content (b: ppb) to the butanol content (a: ppb) (benzyl acetate content / butanol content (b / a)) is 0.20 or less. (3) The packaged alcoholic beverage according to (1) or (2), further comprising one or more components selected from the group consisting of benzyl benzoate, methyl jasmonate, cis-jasmone, linalool, indole, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, α-terpineol, and β-citronellol. (4) The packaged alcoholic beverage according to any one of (1) to (3), having an alcohol content of 1.0 to 15 v / v%. (5) A packaged alcoholic beverage according to any one of (1) to (4), which does not contain carbon dioxide gas. (6) A packaged alcoholic beverage according to any one of (1) to (5), which contains a pot still. (7) A packaged alcoholic beverage according to any one of (1) to (6), which has been heat-sterilized. (8) A method for producing a packaged jasmine-flavored alcoholic beverage, the method comprising: adjusting the butanol content to 10 to 6,000 ppb; adjusting the benzyl acetate content to 10 to 500 ppb; and packaging the beverage into a container.

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an easy-to-drink, jasmine-flavored, packaged alcoholic beverage in which the pungent odor of butanol has been reduced and the aroma of benzyl acetate has been imparted.

[0009] Unless otherwise specified, "ppb" as used herein means parts per billion by weight (w / w).

[0010] 1. Jasmine-Flavored Packaged Alcoholic Beverage In one embodiment, the beverage of the present invention is a jasmine-flavored packaged alcoholic beverage containing a certain amount of butanol and benzyl acetate.

[0011] The beverage of the present invention contains alcohol. The type of alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably spirits, liqueur, shochu, gin, vodka, rum, highball, chuhai (chuhai), cocktail, sour, etc.

[0012] In the present invention, alcohol refers to ethyl alcohol (ethanol) unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, alcohol content refers to v / v % (volume %) in a beverage. The alcohol content of the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is typically 1.0 to 15 v / v %. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the upper limit of the alcohol content of the beverage of the present invention is 15 v / v %, 10 v / v %, 8.0 v / v %, or 6.0 v / v %, and the lower limit is 1.0 v / v %, 2.0 v / v %, or 4.0 v / v %. Typically, the alcohol content of the beverage of the present invention ranges from 1.0 to 15 v / v %, 1.0 to 10 v / v %, 2.0 to 8.0 v / v %, or 4.0 to 6.0 v / v %.

[0013] The alcohol used in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, and distilled liquor, fruit liquor, sake (Japanese sake), etc. can be used alone or in combination. Examples of distilled liquor include, but are not limited to, pot stills (such as Class B shochu), continuous stills (such as Class A shochu), pot and continuous stills (such as Class A and B mixed shochu), spirits (such as vodka, rum, tequila, gin, aquavit, etc.), neutral spirits, liqueurs, etc. The present invention preferably includes pot stills, and more preferably Class B shochu.

[0014] In one aspect, the beverage of the present invention may contain an extract of leaves of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis), an evergreen tree of the genus Camellia in the family Theaceae (also referred to herein as "tea leaves"). For example, the beverage of the present invention may contain green tea extract, oolong tea extract, black tea extract, or post-fermented tea extract.

[0015] Furthermore, the present invention may be directed to a carbonated beverage containing carbon dioxide gas or a non-carbonated beverage containing no carbon dioxide gas. Although the pungent odor of butanol can be suppressed to a certain extent by adding carbon dioxide gas, this is insufficient from the viewpoint of drinkability. On the other hand, the present invention provides an easy-to-drink, jasmine-flavored, packaged alcoholic beverage that can reduce the pungent odor of butanol regardless of the presence or absence of carbon dioxide gas and is imparted with the sweet and gorgeous aroma of benzyl acetate.

[0016] The beverage of the present invention is packaged in a container. By providing the beverage in a container, it can be stored stably for a long period of time. In one embodiment, the beverage of the present invention is a ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage that can be consumed immediately after opening. The type of container for the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, and any commonly used container can be used, such as a metal container, a resin container, a paper container, or a glass container. Examples of such containers include metal containers such as aluminum cans and steel cans, resin containers such as PET bottles, paper containers such as paper cartons, and glass containers such as glass bottles.

[0017] In one embodiment, the beverage of the present invention may be a bottled beverage that has been heat-sterilized. Heat sterilization conditions can be selected, for example, from a method that achieves effects equivalent to those specified in the Food Sanitation Act. Specifically, heat sterilization can be performed at 60 to 150°C for 1 second to 60 minutes. When a heat-resistant container (e.g., a can, glass, etc.) is used as the container, retort sterilization (110 to 140°C, 1 to several tens of minutes) can also be performed. When a non-heat-resistant container (e.g., a PET bottle) is used as the container, for example, the prepared liquid can be sterilized at high temperature for a short time using a plate-type heat exchanger (UHT sterilization: 110 to 150°C, 1 to several tens of seconds), cooled to a certain temperature, and then filled into the container. Various heat sterilization processes can alter the components contained in pot stills and the like, resulting in a harsh, unpleasant aroma. However, by adding a certain amount of benzyl acetate, the harsh, unpleasant aroma associated with heat sterilization can be suppressed, thereby providing a drinkable, jasmine-flavored, bottled alcoholic beverage.

[0018] The beverage of the present invention has a jasmine flavor. In this specification, the term "jasmine flavor" refers to the sweet and gorgeous aroma of benzyl acetate, a typical fragrance component of jasmine.

[0019] 2. Butanol In one embodiment, the beverage of the present invention contains butanol in a content of 10 to 6,000 ppb. In another embodiment, the lower limit of the butanol content in the beverage of the present invention is 10 ppb, 100 ppb, 1,000 ppb, 1,500 ppb, 2,000 ppb, 2,500 ppb, or 3,000 ppb, and the upper limit is 6,000 ppb, 5,500 ppb, 5,000 ppb, 4,500 ppb, or 4,000 ppb. Typically, the butanol content in the beverage of the present invention ranges from 10 to 6,000 ppb, 1,000 to 6,000 ppb, 2,000 to 5,000 ppb, or 3,000 to 4,000 ppb. The butanol content in the beverage of the present invention may be adjusted to fall within the above range by adding a commercially available product, or may be adjusted by adding a butanol-containing composition (such as a pot still). If the butanol content in the beverage is too low, the beverage will not feel satisfying as an alcoholic beverage, and the problem of the present invention (the pungent odor of butanol) will not be apparent.On the other hand, if the butanol content in the beverage is too high, the pungent odor will be too strong, and the effect of reducing the pungent odor of butanol by benzyl acetate will not be obtained.

[0020] The butanol content can be measured by a known method, for example, HPLC, LC-MS, GC-MS, LC, or GC.

[0021] 3. Benzyl Acetate The beverage of the present invention contains benzyl acetate. Benzyl acetate is one of the aroma components of jasmine and is known to have a sweet and gorgeous jasmine-like aroma. That is, when the benzyl acetate content is within an appropriate range, the sweet and gorgeous aroma can be perceived, but when the benzyl acetate content is too high, the sweet aroma becomes too strong, resulting in an artificial, negative flavor. The benzyl acetate content in the beverage of the present invention is 10 to 500 ppb. In one embodiment, the lower limit of the benzyl acetate content in the beverage of the present invention is 10 ppb, 50 ppb, 80 ppb, or 100 ppb, and the upper limit is 500 ppb, 400 ppb, 300 ppb, or 200 ppb. Typically, the benzyl acetate content in the beverage of the present invention is 10 to 500 ppb, 50 to 400 ppb, or 80 to 200 ppb. In the beverage of the present invention, the content of benzyl acetate may be adjusted to fall within the above range by adding a commercially available product, or may be adjusted by adding a composition containing benzyl acetate (e.g., jasmine tea extract). If the content of benzyl acetate in the beverage is too low, the pungent odor of butanol cannot be reduced, whereas if the content of benzyl acetate in the beverage is too high, the sweet odor of benzyl acetate will be too strong and the beverage will be unsuitable for drinking.

[0022] The content of benzyl acetate can be measured by a known method, for example, HPLC, LC-MS, GC-MS, LC, or GC.

[0023] 4. Benzyl Acetate / Butanol Ratio In one aspect, the ratio of the benzyl acetate content (b: ppb) to the butanol content (a: ppb) in the beverage of the present invention (benzyl acetate content / butanol content (b / a)) has a lower limit of 0.010, 0.015, or 0.020, and an upper limit of 0.20, 0.15, or 0.10. Typically, the benzyl acetate content in the beverage of the present invention is 0.20 or less, 0.010 to 0.20, 0.015 to 0.15, or 0.020 to 0.10. By setting the benzyl acetate / butanol ratio (b / a) within the above range, it is possible to provide a more drinkable, jasmine-flavored, packaged alcoholic beverage that is imparted with the sweet and gorgeous aroma of benzyl acetate while reducing the pungent odor of butanol.

[0024] 5. Other Components In one embodiment, the beverage of the present invention may further contain components such as benzyl benzoate, methyl jasmonate, cis-jasmone, linalool, indole, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, α-terpineol, and β-citronellol. These components are known as aroma components of jasmine or jasmine tea. The content of each of these components is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 0.05 to 500 ppb, preferably 0.10 to 100 ppb, and more preferably 1.0 to 50 ppb.

[0025] In addition, the beverage of the present invention may contain additives such as sweeteners, acidulants, sugars, acids, flavorings, vitamins, colorants, antioxidants, emulsifiers, preservatives, seasonings, extracts, pH adjusters, and quality stabilizers, as long as the additives do not interfere with the effects of the present invention.

[0026] 6. Method for producing a bottled jasmine-flavored alcoholic beverage, etc. In one aspect, the present invention is a method for producing a bottled jasmine-flavored alcoholic beverage, comprising the steps of adjusting the butanol content in the beverage to 10 to 6,000 ppb, adjusting the benzyl acetate content in the beverage to 10 to 500 ppb, and packaging the beverage. This makes it possible to provide an easy-to-drink bottled jasmine-flavored alcoholic beverage in which the pungent odor of butanol is suppressed and the sweet, gorgeous aroma of benzyl acetate is imparted. That is, in one aspect, the present invention is also a method for suppressing the pungent odor of butanol and imparting the sweet, gorgeous aroma of benzyl acetate.

[0027] In the production method of the present invention, the range of butanol content, the range of benzyl acetate content, the type of container, etc. are the same as those described above for the beverage.

[0028] The production method of the present invention may further include a step of adjusting the benzyl acetate / butanol ratio to 0.20 or less, a step of adjusting the alcohol content to 1.0 to 15 v / v%, a step of blending other aroma components other than benzyl acetate (benzyl benzoate, methyl jasmonate, cis-jasmone, linalool, indole, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, α-terpineol, β-citronellol), a step of blending a pot still, and a step of heat sterilization. The order of the steps is not particularly limited as long as a bottled alcoholic beverage can be produced in which the content of each component falls within a predetermined range. Furthermore, in the production method of the present invention, the range of the benzyl acetate / butanol ratio, the range of the alcohol content and the method for adjusting it, the content of other aroma components other than benzyl acetate, the type of pot still, the heat sterilization method, and the like are the same as those described above for beverages.

[0029] Specific examples of the present invention are shown below. The following specific examples are intended to aid in understanding the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to the specific examples.

[0030] [Example 1] Relationship between butanol content and pungent odor of butanol

[0031] Pure water was added to commercially available neutral alcohol to adjust the alcohol content to 5.0 v / v%, and then commercially available butanol was added to the mixture to achieve the content shown in Table 1 to prepare each sample. Five trained panelists evaluated the "pungent odor of butanol" of each sample obtained by sensory testing based on the following criteria. Prior to the sensory testing, the trained panelists standardized the evaluation criteria for the "pungent odor of butanol." The results are shown in Table 1.

[0032] <Sensory evaluation criteria: pungent butanol odor> No pungent butanol odor detected: 5 points Almost no pungent butanol odor detected: 4 points Slight pungent butanol odor detected: 3 points Pungent butanol odor detected: 2 points Strong pungent butanol odor detected, not suitable for drinking: 1 point

[0033]

[0034] As shown in Table 1, pure water was added to commercially available neutral alcohol to make the alcohol content 5 v / v%, and then butanol was added to the content shown in Table 1. As a result, it was shown that the pungent odor of butanol became stronger in proportion to the amount of butanol added.

[0035] Example 2: Overall Evaluation of Suppression of the Pungent Odor of Butanol by Adding Benzyl Acetate and the Sweet and Gorgeous Aroma of Benzyl Acetate. Purified water was added to commercially available neutral alcohol to adjust the alcohol content to 5.0 v / v%, and then commercially available butanol (manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) and benzyl acetate (manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) were added to the contents listed in Table 2. The resulting samples were evaluated by a sensory test conducted by five trained panelists based on the following criteria for the "pungent odor of butanol," "aroma of benzyl acetate," and "overall evaluation." The "aroma of benzyl acetate" was evaluated based on the intensity of the sweet and gorgeous aroma of benzyl acetate. The "overall evaluation" was evaluated from the perspective of whether the suppression of the pungent odor of butanol combined with the aroma of benzyl acetate provided the deliciousness of a jasmine-flavored alcoholic beverage. A sample receiving a score of 3 or higher for the "overall evaluation" was considered preferable. Before conducting the sensory test, five trained panelists standardized the evaluation criteria for "pungent butanol odor," "benzyl acetate aroma," and "overall evaluation." The results are shown in Table 2.

[0036] <Sensory evaluation criteria: pungent odor of butanol (same as in Example 1)> No pungent odor of butanol detected: 5 points; Almost no pungent odor of butanol detected: 4 points; Slight pungent odor of butanol detected: 3 points; Pungent odor of butanol detected: 2 points; Strong pungent odor of butanol detected, not suitable for drinking: 1 point

[0037] <Sensory evaluation criteria: benzyl acetate scent> The sweet and gorgeous scent of benzyl acetate is well balanced: 5 points The sweet and gorgeous scent of benzyl acetate is pleasant: 4 points The sweet and gorgeous scent of benzyl acetate is noticeable: 3 points The sweet scent of benzyl acetate is strongly noticeable: 2 points The sweet scent of benzyl acetate is too strong and feels artificial: 1 point

[0038] <Sensory evaluation criteria: overall evaluation> Very good 5 points Good 4 points Fairly good 3 points Poor 2 points Unsuitable for drinking 1 point

[0039]

[0040] As shown in Table 2, by adjusting the butanol content and the benzyl acetate content in an alcoholic beverage within a predetermined range, the pungent odor of butanol is suppressed and the sweet and gorgeous aroma of benzyl acetate is imparted, resulting in an easy-to-drink jasmine-flavored alcoholic beverage. It was also revealed that by setting the ratio of benzyl acetate content / butanol content to 0.20 or less, an even easier-to-drink jasmine-flavored alcoholic beverage can be obtained.

[0041] Example 3: Effect on overall evaluation when butanol content is adjusted using pot still liquor Commercially available barley shochu, a type of pot still liquor, was used instead of commercially available butanol, and commercially available neutral alcohol, pure water, and commercially available benzyl acetate were blended to prepare each sample listed in Table 3. The "overall evaluation" of each obtained sample was subjected to a sensory evaluation by five trained panelists based on the same criteria as in Example 2. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0042]

[0043] As can be seen from the results in Table 3, even when the butanol content was adjusted using Class B shochu, a type of pot still, a delicious jasmine-flavored alcoholic beverage was obtained, regardless of the alcohol content, due to the suppression of the pungent odor of butanol combined with the sweet and gorgeous aroma of benzyl acetate.

[0044] The present invention relates to a novel means for providing an easy-to-drink jasmine-flavored alcoholic beverage in which the pungent odor of butanol is suppressed and the sweet and gorgeous aroma of benzyl acetate is imparted, and therefore has high industrial applicability.

Claims

1. A jasmine-flavored bottled alcoholic beverage containing 10 to 6,000 ppb of butanol and 10 to 500 ppb of benzyl acetate.

2. A bottled alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, in which the ratio of the benzyl acetate content (b: ppb) to the butanol content (a: ppb) (benzyl acetate content / butanol content (b / a)) is 0.20 or less.

3. The bottled alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, further comprising one or more components selected from the group consisting of benzyl benzoate, methyl jasmonate, cis-jasmone, linalool, indole, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, α-terpineol, and β-citronellol.

4. A bottled alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, having an alcohol content of 1.0 to 15 v / v%.

5. The bottled alcoholic beverage according to claims 1 to 3, which does not contain carbon dioxide.

6. The packaged alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which contains a pot still.

7. The bottled alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which has been heat-sterilized.

8. A method for producing a bottled jasmine-flavored alcoholic beverage, comprising the steps of: adjusting the butanol content to 10 to 6,000 ppb; adjusting the benzyl acetate content to 10 to 500 ppb; and packaging the beverage into a bottle.

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