Fruit-flavored beverage containing vitamin c

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a novel means for improving the flavor of a beverage containing vitamin C. Provided is a fruit-flavored beverage containing malic acid and at least 0.04 mass% vitamin C. The malic acid content of the beverage is such that the ratio of the acidity from the malic acid to the acidity of the beverage is at least 3%.

Description

Fruit-flavored beverage containing vitamin C

[0001] The present invention relates to a fruit-flavored beverage containing vitamin C. More specifically, the present invention relates to a fruit-flavored beverage containing vitamin C with improved juice-like flavor.

[0002] In recent years, due to the increasing concern about health, the demand for beverages containing various vitamins has been increasing. Among them, vitamin C (also referred to as "ascorbic acid" or "L-ascorbic acid") has excellent functions such as antioxidant function and immune-enhancing function. Therefore, vitamin C-containing beverages containing vitamin C at a relatively high concentration have been developed and sold, and have gained popularity. On the other hand, vitamin C is originally a component with a strong sour taste. When a relatively high concentration of vitamin C is blended in a beverage, the flavor of the beverage may be significantly impaired. As means for improving the flavor of vitamin C-containing beverages, methods of blending fruit juice or additives have been reported (Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] However, in this field, there is still an urgent need for new means for improving the flavor of vitamin C-containing beverages.

[0004] JP-A-2016-042833 JP-A-2017-051155

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a new means for improving the flavor of vitamin C-containing beverages.

[0006] As a result of intensive studies to solve the above problems, the present inventors have found that in a fruit-flavored beverage containing vitamin C, by blending malic acid, the juice-like flavor is improved by the complex sour taste exerted by the combination of vitamin C and malic acid, and a vitamin C-containing beverage having a good flavor can be obtained.

[0007] The present invention is based on these novel findings and encompasses the following inventions: [1] A fruit-flavored beverage containing 0.04% by mass or more of vitamin C and malic acid, wherein the amount of malic acid is such that the proportion of the acidity of the beverage from malic acid is 3% or more. [2a] The beverage of [1], wherein the fruit is one or more fruits selected from the group consisting of citrus fruits, kiwifruit, passion fruit, pineapple, peach, mango, strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, lychee, apricot, plum, cherry, grape, melon, apple, muscat, and banana. [2b] The beverage of [1] or [2a], which contains fruit juice. [2c] The beverage of [1], [2a], or [2b], which contains 99.9% by mass or less of fruit juice. [2d] The beverage of [1], [2a], [2b], or [2c], which contains citrus juice, kiwifruit juice, or apple juice. [3] A beverage according to any of [1], [2a] to [2d] that contains 99.9% by mass or less of lemon juice. [4] A beverage according to any of [1] to [3], wherein the acidity of the beverage is 0.2% or more. [5] A beverage according to any of [1] to [4] that further contains citric acid. [6] A beverage according to any of [1] to [5] that contains 0.04 to 2.5% by mass of vitamin C, 0.01 to 2.0% by mass of citric acid, and 0.03 to 1.0% by mass of malic acid.

[0008] [7] A method for producing a fruit-flavored beverage, comprising blending 0.04% by mass or more of vitamin C and malic acid, wherein the amount of malic acid is blended such that the proportion of the acidity of the beverage from malic acid is 3% or more. [8a] The method for producing [7], wherein the fruit is one or more fruits selected from the group consisting of citrus fruits, kiwifruit, passion fruit, pineapple, peach, mango, strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, lychee, apricot, plum, cherry, grape, melon, apple, muscat, and banana. [8b] The method for producing [7] or [8a], comprising blending fruit juice. [8c] The method for producing [7], [8a], or [8b], comprising blending 99.9% by mass or less of fruit juice. [8d] The method for producing [7], [8a], [8b], or [8c], comprising blending citrus juice, kiwifruit juice, or apple juice. [9] A method for producing any of [7], [8a] to [8d], comprising adding lemon juice in an amount of 99.9% by mass or less.

[10] A method for producing any of [7] to [9], wherein the acidity of the beverage is 0.2% or more.

[11] A method for producing any of [7] to

[10] , further comprising adding citric acid.

[12] A method for producing any of [7] to

[10] , comprising adding vitamin C in an amount of 0.04 to 2.5% by mass, citric acid in an amount of 0.01 to 2.0% by mass, and malic acid in an amount of 0.03 to 1.0% by mass.

[0009]

[13] A method for improving the flavor of a fruit-flavored beverage containing 0.04% by mass or more of vitamin C, comprising the addition of malic acid, wherein the amount of malic acid is such that the proportion of the acidity of the beverage from malic acid is 3% or more. [14a] The method of

[13] , wherein the fruit is one or more fruits selected from the group consisting of citrus fruits, kiwifruit, passionfruit, pineapple, peach, mango, strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, lychee, apricot, plum, cherry, grape, melon, apple, muscat, and banana. [14b] The method of

[13] or [14a], comprising the addition of fruit juice. [14c] The method of

[13] , [14a] or [14b], comprising the addition of fruit juice at a concentration of 99.9% by mass or less. [14d] The method of

[13] , [14a], [14b] or [14c], comprising blending citrus juice, kiwi fruit juice, or apple juice.

[15] The method of any of

[13] , [14a] to [14d], comprising blending lemon juice in an amount of 99.9% by mass or less.

[16] The method of any of

[13] to

[15] , wherein the acidity of the beverage is 0.2% or more.

[17] The method of any of

[13] to

[16] , further comprising blending citric acid.

[18] The method of any of

[13] to

[17] , comprising blending vitamin C in an amount of 0.04 to 2.5% by mass, citric acid in an amount of 0.01 to 2.0% by mass, and malic acid in an amount of 0.03 to 1.0% by mass. This specification incorporates the contents of the specification of Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-208908, filed on November 29, 2024, which forms the basis of the priority claim of this application. All publications, patents, and patent applications cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0010] According to the present invention, a new means for improving the flavor of vitamin C-containing beverages can be provided. Furthermore, according to the present invention, a vitamin C-containing beverage with a good flavor can be provided.

[0011] In the present invention, "fruit-flavored beverage" means a fruit juice beverage or a fruit-flavored beverage (i.e., one that does not contain fruit juice) that contains vitamin C, malic acid, and other ingredients as needed, and preferably a fruit juice beverage.

[0012] In this invention, "vitamin C" and "malic acid" also include their salts. In this invention, "salts" are not particularly limited as long as they are permissible as food and beverages, but examples include, but are not limited to, alkali metal salts such as sodium, potassium, and lithium, alkaline earth metal salts such as magnesium and calcium, ammonium salts, substituted ammonium salts, etc.

[0013] In the present invention, "fruit juice" refers to straight juice, concentrated juice, clear juice, cloudy juice, etc., extracted from fruit, and can be appropriately selected and used depending on the desired fruit-flavored beverage. When the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention contains fruit juice, the fruit juice content can be 1% by mass or more per 100 parts by mass of the beverage in terms of straight juice, for example, 2% by mass or more, 3% by mass or more, 5% by mass or more, 10% by mass or more, 20% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but for example, it can be approximately 99.9% by mass or less, 80% by mass or less, 50% by mass or less, or 40% by mass or less. The range of fruit juice content in the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention can be expressed using two numerical values ​​selected from the above lower and upper limits. For example, in the present invention, the fruit juice content can be an amount appropriately selected from the range of 1 to 99.9% by mass, preferably 2 to 80% by mass, more preferably 3 to 50% by mass, or even more preferably 5 to 40% by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the beverage. In the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention, it is preferable to include fruit juice in the above-mentioned range to improve the "fruit juice feel" in the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention. In the present invention, "fruit juice feel" refers to the acidity, freshness, crispness, natural flavor, freshness, and fruitiness obtained from the fruit juice. In the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention, the fruit juice may be that of any fruit alone, or a combination of juices from different fruits may be used.

[0014] In the present invention, "fruit" can refer to, but is not limited to, citrus fruits (lemon, orange, navel orange, grapefruit, lime, blackcurrant, sudachi, kabosu, yuzu, mandarin orange, kumquat, mandarin, Iyokan, Ponkan, Hyuganatsu, Hassaku, Amanatsu, Shikuwasa, etc.), kiwifruit, passion fruit, pineapple, peach, mango, strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, lychee, apricot, plum, cherry, grape, melon, apple, muscat, banana, etc. In the present invention, fruits with a relatively strong acidity are preferred. In one embodiment of the present invention, fruits such as citrus fruits, kiwifruit, and apples are preferred, and lemons are particularly preferred. In the present invention, the fruit may be any one type of fruit or a combination of several types of fruits.

[0015] The fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention is characterized by containing 0.04% by mass or more of vitamin C per 100 parts by mass of the beverage, for example, 0.07% by mass or more, preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.15% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.5% by mass or more. The upper limit of the vitamin C content in the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 2.5% by mass or less, 2% by mass or less, or 1.5% by mass or less. The range of vitamin C content in the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention can be expressed using two numerical values ​​selected from the above lower and upper limits, respectively. For example, in the present invention, the vitamin C content can be an amount appropriately selected from the range of 0.04 to 2.5% by mass, preferably 0.1 to 2% by mass, more preferably 0.15 to 2% by mass, or even more preferably 0.5 to 1.5% by mass per 100 parts by mass of the beverage. In the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention, by containing vitamin C in the amount described above, it is preferable that the daily intake of vitamin C, which is 100 mg or more as defined by the "Nutrient Reference Values ​​(2015 Edition)," can be easily and efficiently consumed. Note that the vitamin C content specified in the present invention refers to the total amount of vitamin C added separately from the vitamin C contained in the fruit juice when the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention contains fruit juice.

[0016] The fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention preferably has an acidity of 0.2% or more. In the present invention, "acidity" refers to a value indicating the concentration (weight / volume %) of acid contained in the beverage, and is expressed in terms of citric acid equivalent. The acidity expressed in terms of citric acid equivalent can be calculated by a neutralization titration method in accordance with the Japanese Agricultural Standards for Fruit Beverages (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Notification No. 606 of May 25, 2023). The acidity of the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention is preferably 0.2% or more, more preferably 0.3% or more, even more preferably 0.4% or more, and even more preferably 0.6% or more, and there is no particular upper limit, but it can be 3.0% or less, 2.0% or less, or 1.0% or less. The acidity of the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention is based on the total amount of acid derived from vitamin C, fruit juice (if the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention contains fruit juice), malic acid, and organic acids and other components added as needed. The acidity range in the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention can be expressed using two numerical values ​​selected from the above lower and upper limits. For example, the acidity in the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention can be appropriately selected from the range of preferably 0.2 to 3.0%, more preferably 0.3 to 2.0%, even more preferably 0.4 to 2.0%, or even more preferably 0.6 to 1.0%. It is preferable to set the acidity in the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention within the above range, as this allows for a good fruit juice flavor to be obtained. The acidity in the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention can be adjusted by the content of vitamin C, fruit juice, malic acid, and other organic acids and other components added as needed, as well as the amount of water added.

[0017] In the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention, the malic acid content is such that the proportion of the acidity from malic acid in the total acidity of the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention is 3% or more, for example, 4% or more, 5% or more, preferably 7% or more, more preferably 8% or more, and even more preferably 9% or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but it can be such that it is 80% or less, 60% or less, 50% or less, 40% or less, or 30% or less (for example, 20% or less, or 15% or less). The range of malic acid content in the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention can be expressed using two numerical values ​​selected from the above lower and upper limits of the proportion of the acidity from malic acid in the total acidity of the beverage. For example, the malic acid content can be such that the proportion of the acidity from malic acid in the total acidity of the beverage is 3 to 80%, preferably 4 to 60%, more preferably 7 to 60%, even more preferably 8 to 50%, or even more preferably 9 to 40% (for example, 9 to 30%, 9 to 20%, or 9 to 15%). In the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention, it is preferable to include malic acid in the amount described above to enhance the fruit juice flavor. The malic acid content specified in the present invention refers to the total amount of malic acid added separately from the malic acid contained in the fruit juice when the fruit-flavored beverage contains fruit juice.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, the malic acid content in the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention can be appropriately determined within a range that satisfies the acidity of the malic acid in the acidity of the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention, and is not particularly limited, but is 0.03% by mass or more, for example, 0.035% by mass or more, preferably 0.04% by mass or more, more preferably 0.045% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.05% by mass or more, per 100 parts by mass of the beverage, and the upper limit is not particularly limited, but can be 1.0% by mass or less, 0.5% by mass or less, or 0.3% by mass or less. The range of malic acid content in the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention can be expressed using two numerical values ​​selected from the above lower and upper limit values, for example, in the present invention, the malic acid content can be an amount appropriately selected from the range of 0.03 to 1.0% by mass, preferably 0.035 to 0.5% by mass, more preferably 0.04 to 0.5% by mass, or even more preferably 0.05 to 0.3% by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the beverage.

[0019] The fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention may further contain organic acids as needed. In the present invention, "organic acid" means an acid that can impart or adjust acidity in food and beverages, and in particular, those commonly used as "acidulants" or "pH adjusters" in the manufacture of food and beverages can be suitably used in the present invention. Examples of "organic acids" that can be used in the present invention include, but are not limited to, citric acid, acetic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, fumaric acid, adipic acid, itaconic acid, gluconic acid, and phytic acid. Citric acid can be particularly suitably used in the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention. Further addition of organic acids to the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention is preferable because it increases the complex acidity and further improves the fruit juice flavor. Organic acids may be used individually or in combination with different organic acids.

[0020] The fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention may contain organic acids in any amount that satisfies the above-mentioned acidity of the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, if the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention contains citric acid, the amount of citric acid can be appropriately determined within the range that satisfies the above-mentioned acidity of the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention and is not particularly limited, but is 0.01% by mass or more per 100 parts by mass of the beverage, for example, 0.02% by mass or more, preferably 0.04% by mass or more, more preferably 0.06% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.08% by mass or more, or even more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, and there is no particular upper limit, but it can be 2.0% by mass or less, 1.5% by mass or less, or 1.0% by mass or less. The range of citric acid content in the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention can be expressed using two numerical values ​​selected from the above lower and upper limits. For example, in the present invention, the amount of citric acid content can be appropriately selected from the range of 0.01 to 2.0% by mass, preferably 0.02 to 2.0% by mass, more preferably 0.04 to 1.5% by mass, even more preferably 0.06 to 1.5% by mass, or even more preferably 0.1 to 1.0% by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the beverage. The amount of organic acid or citric acid specified here refers to the total amount of organic acid or citric acid added separately from the organic acid or citric acid contained in the fruit juice when the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention contains fruit juice.

[0021] The fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention may contain, in addition to the above-mentioned vitamin C and malic acid, and optionally fruit juice and organic acids, additives commonly used in the manufacture of beverages, as may be further added as needed. Such additives include sugars (e.g., sucrose, granulated sugar, glucose, fructose, maltose, lactose, sucrose, galactose, trehalose, fructooligosaccharides, lactofructooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, isomaltoligosaccharides, linear oligosaccharides, honey, brown sugar, black sugar, reduced starch hydrolysates, rare sugars, etc.), high-intensity sweeteners (e.g., saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, neotame, advantame, alitame, stevia, glycyrrhizin, thaumatin, etc.), sugar alcohols (erythritol, sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, xylitol, etc.), flavorings (may be natural or synthetic, e.g., limonene, curene, styrene, etc.), and colorings (e.g., marigold pigment, colorant). Examples of ingredients include mer coloring, gardenia coloring, safflower coloring, carotenoid coloring, anthocyanin coloring, food yellow No. 4, etc.), antioxidants, seasonings, vitamins other than vitamin C (e.g., vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, niacin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, biotin, etc.), minerals, pH adjusters, stabilizers, emulsifiers, thickeners (e.g., pectin, gelatin, carrageenan, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, agar, methylcellulose, guar gum, tara gum, glucomannan, gum arabic, gellan gum, alginic acid, etc.), etc., which can be appropriately selected and blended according to the desired form and type of beverage and within a range that does not hinder the desired effects of the present invention.

[0022] In one embodiment of the present invention, the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention preferably contains, per 100 parts by mass of the beverage, 0 to 99.9% by mass of fruit juice (straight equivalent), 0.04 to 2.5% by mass of vitamin C, 0 to 2% by mass of citric acid, and 0.03 to 1.0% by mass of malic acid; more preferably, 1 to 80% by mass of fruit juice, 0.1 to 2.0% by mass of vitamin C, 0.04 to 1.5% by mass of citric acid, and 0.04 to 0.5% by mass of malic acid; even more preferably, 3 to 50% by mass of fruit juice, 0.15 to 2% by mass of vitamin C, 0.1 to 1.0% by mass of citric acid, and 0.05 to 0.3% by mass of malic acid. In the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention, by including vitamin C, malic acid, and optionally fruit juice and citric acid within the above ranges, it is possible to obtain a vitamin C-containing beverage with improved fruitiness and good flavor, which is preferable.

[0023] The fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention can take any form, for example, a soft drink, a carbonated drink, a jelly drink, a fruit juice drink, a vegetable drink, a milk-containing drink, a lactic acid bacteria drink, a dairy drink, wine, an alcoholic beverage, a non-alcoholic drink, a vinegar drink, a fruit vinegar, a black tea drink, a sports drink, a powdered drink, etc. (but is not limited to these). Preferably, the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention is a soft drink, a carbonated drink, or a jelly drink. In addition to general beverages, the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention may also include health functional foods (foods for specified health uses (including conditionally specified health foods), nutrient function foods, and foods with functional claims) and health foods, etc.

[0024] The fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention may be provided in a form contained in a suitable container such as a can (e.g., a steel can, aluminum can, tin can, etc.), a bottle, a plastic container (e.g., a PET bottle, etc.), a paper container, or a pouch (i.e., a packaged beverage). In the present invention, the capacity of the container is not particularly limited, but it is preferably 100 to 2000 mL, and more preferably 100 to 500 mL.

[0025] The fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention can be manufactured by blending and mixing water with the above-mentioned predetermined amounts of vitamin C and malic acid, and optionally with fruit juice, organic acids, and additives. All components may be mixed together, or they may be added separately or sequentially in any combination (the order does not matter) and then mixed.

[0026] The manufacturing method of the present invention may further include steps such as a sterilization step, a heat treatment step, a cooling step, a filtration step, and / or a packaging step (these steps are not listed in order of implementation). The sterilization step may be performed before filling the fruit-flavored beverage into containers or after filling the containers. Examples of heat treatment methods include, but are not limited to, hot water / steam heating sterilization, low-temperature pasteurization, high-temperature sterilization, ultra-high temperature sterilization (UHT sterilization), and retort sterilization.

[0027] The present invention also relates to a method for improving the flavor of a fruit-flavored beverage containing 0.04% by mass or more of vitamin C, wherein the method includes adding malic acid in the production of a fruit-flavored beverage containing 0.04% by mass or more of vitamin C, and is characterized in that the amount of malic acid added is such that the proportion of the acidity of the beverage from malic acid is 3% or more. According to this method, the flavor of a fruit-flavored beverage containing 0.04% by mass or more of vitamin C can be improved, and in particular the fruit juice feel of the fruit-flavored beverage is improved / enhanced, resulting in a good flavor. In the method of the present invention, the fruit-flavored beverage, the production of the fruit-flavored beverage, vitamin C, and the addition of malic acid are as defined above for the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention. Furthermore, in the method of the present invention, in addition to vitamin C and malic acid, fruit juice, organic acids, and additives may be added as needed. Fruit juice, organic acids, additives, and their addition are as defined above for the fruit-flavored beverage of the present invention. The present invention will be described below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0028] Experiment 1: Confirmation of the effect of malic acid formulation (1) Preparation of the beverage Each component was added and mixed according to the composition shown in Table 1 below, then subjected to heat sterilization (sterilization so that the cold spot reaches the equivalent of 65°C for 10 minutes or more), and then filled into bottles to prepare bottled vitamin C-containing fruit-flavored beverages with different amounts of malic acid (Examples 1-5, Comparative Example 1).

[0029] In the following tables, the amount of each component is expressed in "parts by mass," and the acidity of the fruit juice (concentrated lemon juice) was 32-35%.

[0030] For each of the resulting bottled beverages, a refrigerated sample was prepared and used for sensory testing.

[0031] (2) Sensory evaluation A sensory evaluation was conducted by four well-trained professional panelists, who evaluated the fruit juice (lemon) flavor of the chilled beverages on the following three-point scale. The comparative example refers to a beverage with the same composition except that it does not contain malic acid and the amount of citric acid differs. ○: Fruit juice flavor is higher compared to the comparative example △: Fruit juice flavor is slightly higher compared to the comparative example ×: Fruit juice flavor is not higher compared to the comparative example (including evaluation of the comparative example itself)

[0032] (3) Results The results of the sensory evaluation are shown in Table 1 below. In vitamin C-containing fruit-flavored beverages that contained malic acid, the sensation and quality of sourness changed, the sourness was perceived more quickly, the sensation of sourness, freshness, and crispness were enhanced, the fruit juice sensation increased, and the lemon-like flavor was more strongly felt. In particular, when the proportion of the acidity from malic acid in the total acidity of the beverage was 8.6% or more (Examples 2-5), the fruit juice sensation was felt more strongly.

[0033]

[0034] Experiment 2: Confirmation of the effects of fruit-flavored beverages without fruit juice (1) Preparation of the beverages Each component was added and mixed according to the composition shown in Table 2 below, then subjected to heat sterilization (sterilization so that the cold spot reaches the equivalent of 65°C for 10 minutes or more), and then filled into bottles to prepare bottled vitamin C-containing fruit-flavored beverages with and without fruit juice (Example 6, Comparative Example 2).

[0035] For each of the obtained packaged beverages, a refrigerated one was prepared and used for the sensory test.

[0036] (2) Sensory test The sensory test for each beverage was conducted in the same manner as in Experiment 1 above.

[0037] (3) Results The results of the sensory test are shown in Table 2 below. Even in the fruit (lemon)-flavored vitamin C-containing beverage without juice, when malic acid was added, the juice feeling increased and the lemon flavor was felt more strongly.

[0038]

[0039] Experiment 3: Confirmation of effects in beverages with different vitamin C contents (1) Preparation of beverages According to the compositions in Table 3 below, each component was added and mixed, and after subjecting it to heat sterilization treatment (sterilization so that the cold spot is equivalent to 65°C for 10 minutes or more), it was filled into bottles to prepare packaged vitamin C-containing fruit-flavored beverages (Examples 7, 8, Comparative Examples 3, 4) with a vitamin C content lower or higher than any of the above beverages.

[0040] For each of the obtained packaged beverages, a refrigerated one was prepared and used for the sensory test.

[0041] (2) Sensory test The sensory test for each beverage was conducted in the same manner as in Experiment 1 above.

[0042] (3) Results The results of the sensory test are shown in Table 3 below. Regardless of whether the vitamin C content was relatively low or relatively high, when malic acid was added, the juice feeling increased and the lemon flavor was felt more strongly. From these results, it was confirmed that the juice feeling can be enhanced according to the present invention even in fruit-flavored beverages with various different vitamin C contents.

[0043]

[0044] Experiment 4: Confirmation of the effects in beverages with different acidity levels (1) Preparation of beverages According to the composition in Table 4 below, each component was added, mixed, and subjected to heat sterilization treatment (sterilization such that the cold spot was equivalent to 65°C for 10 minutes or more), and then filled into bottles to produce container-packed vitamin C-containing fruit-flavored beverages (Examples 9, 10, Comparative Examples 5, 6) whose overall beverage acidity was lower or higher than any of the above beverages.

[0045] For each of the obtained container-packed beverages, a refrigerated one was prepared and used for the sensory test.

[0046] (2) Sensory test The sensory test for each beverage was conducted in the same manner as in Experiment 1 above.

[0047] (3) Results The results of the sensory test are also shown in Table 4 below. Regardless of whether the overall beverage acidity was relatively low or relatively high, the addition of malic acid increased the fruit juice feeling and made the lemon flavor more intense. From these results, it was confirmed that the fruit juice feeling can be enhanced according to the present invention even in vitamin C-containing fruit-flavored beverages with various overall beverage acidities.

[0048]

[0049] Experiment 5: Confirmation of the effects in beverages with different fruit juices (1) Preparation of beverages According to the composition in Table 5 below, each component was added, mixed, and subjected to heat sterilization treatment (sterilization such that the cold spot was equivalent to 65°C for 10 minutes or more), and then filled into bottles to produce container-packed vitamin C-containing fruit-flavored beverages (Examples 11, 12, Comparative Examples 7, 8) with different blending amounts of malic acid and different fruit juices from the above experiments.

[0050] For each of the obtained container-packed beverages, a refrigerated one was prepared and used for the sensory test.

[0051] (2) Sensory test The sensory test for each beverage was conducted in the same manner as in Experiment 1 above.

[0052] (3) Results The results of the sensory evaluation are shown in Table 5 below. Regardless of the type of fruit juice contained, the addition of malic acid increased the fruit juice flavor and made the characteristics of each fruit more pronounced. From these results, it was confirmed that the present invention can enhance the fruit juice flavor in various vitamin C-containing fruit-flavored beverages, not limited to specific fruit flavors.

[0053]

Claims

1. A fruit-flavored beverage containing 0.04% by mass or more of vitamin C and malic acid, wherein the beverage contains malic acid in an amount such that the proportion of the acidity from malic acid in the total acidity of the beverage is 3% or more.

2. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the fruit is one or more fruits selected from the group consisting of citrus fruits, kiwifruit, passion fruit, pineapple, peach, mango, strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, lychee, apricot, plum, cherry, grape, melon, apple, muscat, and banana.

3. The beverage according to claim 1, comprising fruit juice.

4. The beverage according to claim 3, which contains 99.9% by mass or less of fruit juice.

5. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the acidity of the beverage is 0.2% or more.

6. The beverage according to claim 1, further comprising citric acid.

7. The beverage according to claim 6, comprising 0.04 to 2.5% by mass of vitamin C, 0.01 to 2.0% by mass of citric acid, and 0.03 to 1.0% by mass of malic acid.

8. A method for producing a fruit-flavored beverage, comprising adding 0.04% by mass or more of vitamin C and malic acid, wherein the amount of malic acid added is such that the proportion of the acidity of the beverage derived from malic acid is 3% or more.

9. A method for improving the flavor of a fruit-flavored beverage containing 0.04% by mass or more of vitamin C, comprising the addition of malic acid, wherein the amount of malic acid is such that the proportion of the acidity of the beverage from malic acid is 3% or more.

Images