Beverage, beverage production method, and beverage appearance improvement method

Abstract

Provided is a beverage containing dead beneficial bacteria and a caramel pigment, the beverage having a ratio (X) of an oxygen dioxide concentration (g / L) to an oxygen concentration (mg / L) of at least 1.0.

Description

Beverage, method for producing beverage, and method for improving appearance of beverage

[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage, a method for producing a beverage, and a method for improving the appearance of a beverage.

[0002] Caramel pigment is a brown pigment obtained by heating sugars and is widely used as a coloring agent in foods such as seasonings, confectioneries, and soft drinks such as cola. Caramel pigment is used not only for coloring purposes but also for imparting a roasted flavor, bitterness, and richness to the taste of foods. In addition, foods containing useful bacteria, such as lactic acid bacteria, are widely consumed due to the health effects of the intestinal regulating action and the like possessed by the useful bacteria. Here, blending useful bacteria into beverages such as cola has been conventionally studied.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a beverage containing a functional sweetener composition including at least one probiotic, at least one prebiotic, or a combination thereof, a high-intensity sweetener, and a sweetness improvement composition (Patent Document 1, Claims 81 and 82). It is described that the probiotic may include bacteria such as those belonging to the genus Lactobacillus (Patent Document 1, Claim 2).

[0004] Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a beverage containing a functional sweetener composition including at least one agent for treating and / or preventing autoimmune disorders, a high-intensity sweetener, and a sweetness improvement composition (Patent Document 2, Claims 83 and 84). It is described that the agent for treating and / or preventing autoimmune disorders may include bacteria such as those belonging to the genus Bacillus, the genus Lactobacillus, and the genus Bifidobacterium (Patent Document 2, Claim 3).

[0005] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-517032, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-517040

[0006] However, the inventors discovered that when dead beneficial bacteria are added to a beverage containing caramel coloring, the caramel coloring is adsorbed onto the dead bacteria, resulting in the formation of a black precipitate and impairing the appearance of the beverage. Therefore, the conventional beverage described above had room for improvement in terms of improving the appearance of the beverage. Accordingly, the present invention aims to provide a beverage containing dead beneficial bacteria and caramel coloring that has an excellent appearance.

[0007] The inventors diligently conducted research with the aim of solving the above problems. As a result, the inventors newly discovered that in a beverage containing dead beneficial bacteria and caramel coloring, by setting the ratio of the concentration of oxygen dioxide (X) to the concentration of oxygen to 1.0 or higher, the deterioration of the appearance of the beverage caused by the adsorption of caramel coloring onto the dead beneficial bacteria can be reduced, and thus the present invention was completed.

[0008] In other words, the present invention aims to advantageously solve the above problems, and the present invention is a beverage containing [1] dead beneficial bacteria and caramel coloring, wherein the ratio (X) of the concentration of nitrogen dioxide (g / L) to the concentration of oxygen (mg / L) is 1.0 or more. With the above beverage, the deterioration of the appearance of the beverage caused by the adsorption of caramel coloring onto the dead beneficial bacteria can be reduced. The oxygen concentration and carbon dioxide concentration of the beverage can be measured according to the method described herein.

[0009] [2] Here, it is preferable that the beverage in [1] above contains one or more beneficial bacteria selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus and Lactococcus species.

[0010] [3] Furthermore, it is preferable that the beverage described in [1] or [2] above contains one or more beneficial bacteria selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus rhamnosus CRL1505, Lactococcus lactis subspecies lactis JCM5805, and Lactobacillus paracasei KW3110.

[0011] [4] It is preferable that any of the beverages in [1] to [3] above have a ratio (X) of the oxygen concentration (mg / L) to the nitrogen dioxide concentration (g / L) of 20.0 or less. If the value of X is less than or equal to the upper limit above, deterioration of the appearance of the beverage can be further reduced.

[0012] [5] It is preferable that any of the beverages described in [1] to [4] above has a value (Y) of 100 times the ratio of the carbon dioxide concentration (g / L) to the dead bacteria concentration (billion cells / 100 mL) of the beneficial bacteria between 0.060 and 10.000. If the value of Y is within the above range, deterioration of the appearance of the beverage can be further reduced.

[0013] [6] Preferably, any of the beverages in [1] to [5] above has an oxygen concentration of 0.3 mg / L or more and 6.0 mg / L. (If the oxygen concentration of the beverage is within the above range, deterioration of the beverage's appearance can be further reduced.)

[0014] [7] Preferably, any of the beverages in [1] to [6] above has a carbon dioxide concentration of 3.00 g / L or more and 9.00 g / L or less. If the carbon dioxide concentration of the beverage is within the above range, the stimulating effect of carbon dioxide gas can be sufficiently felt when drinking, and deterioration of the appearance of the beverage can be further reduced.

[0015] [8] Preferably, any of the beverages in [1] to [7] above has a dead bacterial concentration of 0.5 billion cells / 100 mL or more. If the dead bacterial concentration of beneficial bacteria in the beverage is equal to or greater than the lower limit above, a sufficient amount of dead beneficial bacteria can be ingested when the beverage of the present invention is consumed in a normal amount.

[0016] [9] Preferably, any of the beverages in [1] to [8] above has a pH of 2.2 or higher and 5.0 or lower.

[0017]

[10] Any of the beverages in [1] to [9] above is preferably a bottled beverage.

[0018]

[11] Preferably, any of the beverages in [1] to

[10] above is a carbonated beverage.

[0019]

[12] The present invention also relates to a method for producing a beverage containing dead beneficial bacteria and caramel coloring, comprising the step of making the ratio (X) of the concentration of nitrogen dioxide (g / L) to the concentration of oxygen (mg / L) 1.0 or more. According to the above production method, a beverage can be obtained in which deterioration of the appearance of the beverage caused by the adsorption of caramel coloring onto the dead beneficial bacteria is reduced.

[0020]

[13] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for improving the appearance of a beverage containing dead beneficial bacteria and caramel coloring, comprising the step of making the ratio (X) of the concentration of nitrogen dioxide (g / L) to the concentration of oxygen (mg / L) 1.0 or more.

[0021] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a beverage containing dead beneficial bacteria and caramel coloring, which has an excellent appearance.

[0022] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0023] (Beverage) The beverage of the present invention is a beverage containing dead beneficial bacteria and caramel coloring, characterized in that the ratio (X) of the concentration of nitrogen dioxide (g / L) to the concentration of oxygen (mg / L) is 1.0 or higher. The beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited and may be, for example, a carbonated beverage, a fruit beverage, a coffee beverage, a tea beverage, a soy milk beverage, a vegetable beverage, a sports drink, a dairy beverage, a near-water beverage, etc. Since the ratio (X) of the concentration of nitrogen dioxide (g / L) to the concentration of oxygen (mg / L) is 1.0 or higher, the beverage of the present invention is particularly useful as a carbonated beverage. In the present invention, "carbonated beverage" means a beverage into which carbon dioxide gas (carbon dioxide) has been injected. For example, a carbonated beverage may be a sweetened carbonated beverage or an unsweetened carbonated beverage. Sweetened carbonated beverages are not particularly limited and include, for example, cider, ramune, cola, energy drinks, and fruit juice-containing carbonated beverages. Furthermore, the carbonated beverages without sweetness are not particularly limited and include, for example, carbonated alcoholic beverages obtained by injecting carbon dioxide into various non-carbonated alcoholic beverages, beer-flavored beverages, and carbonated water that does not contain sweeteners. Moreover, the beverages are not limited to those in which carbon dioxide has been artificially injected, but may also be naturally carbonated water in which carbon dioxide has dissolved in groundwater, or carbonated water in which carbon dioxide produced by microorganisms during the fermentation process has dissolved. Among these, the beverages of the present invention are particularly useful as cola, energy drinks, carbonated alcoholic beverages, and beer-flavored beverages because they contain caramel coloring.

[0024] Furthermore, the beverage of the present invention has a ratio (X) of 1.0 or higher of the oxygen concentration (mg / L) of the nitrogen dioxide concentration (g / L), thereby reducing the deterioration of the beverage's appearance caused by the adsorption of caramel coloring onto dead beneficial bacteria.

[0025] <Beneficial Bacteria> In this invention, dead beneficial bacteria are used. The beneficial bacteria are not particularly limited, but examples include bacteria of the genera Oenococcus, Bifidobacterium, Weissella, Tetragenococcus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, Acetic acid bacteria, and Bacillus bacteria.

[0026] Furthermore, the Lactobacillus species used in this invention includes bacteria that were classified under the Lactobacillus genus before the reclassification of the Lactobacillus genus. For example, with the reclassification of the Lactobacillus genus, new genera have been added: Acetilactobacillus, Agrilactobacillus, Amylolactobacillus, Apilactobacillus, Bombilactobacillus, Companilactobacillus, Dellaglioa, Fructilactobacillus, Furfurilactobacillus, Holzapfelia, Lacticaseibacillus, Lactiplantibacillus, and Lapidilactobacillus. This includes bacteria classified under genera such as Lapidilactobacillus, Latilactobacillus, Lentilactobacillus, Levilactobacillus, Ligilactobacillus, Limosilactobacillus, Liquorilactobacillus, Loigolactobacillus, Paralactobacillus, Paucilactobacillus, Schleiferilactobacillus, and Secundilactobacillus.

[0027] Among the above, the following are preferred as useful bacteria: Oenococcus, Bifidobacterium, Lentilactobacillus, Weissella, Tetragenococcus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, and Lactiplantibacillus. In particular, it is more preferable that the useful bacteria include one or more species selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus and Lactococcus species.

[0028] Examples of the Oenococcus genus mentioned above include Oenococcus oeni. A specific example of an Oenococcus genus is Oenococcus oeni JCM6125.

[0029] Examples of Bifidobacterium species mentioned above include Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis, Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum, and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis. Specific examples of Bifidobacterium species include Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis JCM10602, Bifidobacterium longum BB536, and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis JCM1222.

[0030] Examples of the Weissella genus mentioned above include Weissella paramesenteroides and Weissella viridescens. Specific examples of Weissella genus include Weissella paramesenteroides JCM9890 and Weissella viridescens JCM1174.

[0031] Examples of the Tetragenococcus species mentioned above include Tetragenococcus halophilus. A specific example of a Tetragenococcus species is Tetragenococcus halophilus NRIC0098.

[0032] Examples of Lactococcus species mentioned above include Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactococcus garvieae, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris, Lactococcus lactis subsp. hordniae, and Lactococcus plantarum.

[0033] Specific examples of the above Lactococcus species include Lactococcus lactis subspecies lactis JCM5805, Lactococcus lactis subspecies lactis NBRC12007, Lactococcus lactis subspecies lactis NRIC1150, Lactococcus lactis subspecies lactis JCM20101, Lactococcus lactis subspecies lactis JCM7638, Lactococcus lactis subspecies Examples include Lactosus lactis ATCC11454, Lactococcus garbieae NBRC100934, Lactococcus lactis subspecies cremoris JCM16167, Lactococcus lactis subspecies cremoris NBRC100676, Lactococcus lactis subspecies heldniae JCM1180, Lactococcus lactis subspecies heldniae JCM11040, and Lactococcus plantarum JCM11056.

[0034] Examples of Leuconostoc species mentioned above include Leuconostoc carnosum and Leuconostoc lactis. Specific examples of Leuconostoc species include Leuconostoc carnosum JCM9695 and Leuconostoc lactis NBRC12455.

[0035] Examples of the Pediococcus species mentioned above include Pediococcus acidilactici, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Pediococcus cellicola, Pediococcus claussenii, Pediococcus damnosus, Pediococcus ethanolidurans, Pediococcus inopinatus, Pediococcus parvulus, and Pediococcus stilesii. Specific examples of Pediococcus species include Pediococcus acidilactici JCM8797, Pediococcus acidilactici K15, and Pediococcus damnosus JCM5886.

[0036] Examples of the Streptococcus genus mentioned above include Streptococcus thermophilus. Specific examples of Pediococcus genus include Streptococcus thermophilus SBC8781.

[0037] Examples of Enterococcus species mentioned above include Enterococcus alcedinis.

[0038] Examples of Lactobacillus species include Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus fructivorans, Lactobacillus hilgardii, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, and Lactobacillus parakefilii. Examples include Lactobacillus parakefiri, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Lactobacillus pentosus.

[0039] Specific examples of Lactobacillus species include Lactobacillus paracasei KW3110, Lactobacillus paracasei MCC1849, Lactobacillus paracasei K71, Lactobacillus rhamnosus species including one or more Lactobacillus rhamnosus species, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Lactobacillus rhamnosus CRL1505, Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055, and Lactobacillus... Examples include L-92 of Lactobacillus acidophilus, OLL1073R-1, Lactobacillus parakephyli (Lentilactobacillus parakephyli in the new classification) JCM8573, Lactobacillus plantarum (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum in the new classification) L-137, and Lactobacillus pentosa (Lactiplantibacillus pentosa in the new classification) ONRICb0240.

[0040] The above acetic acid bacteria are not particularly limited. For example, bacteria belonging to the genus Gluconacetobacter, Acetobacter, Gluconobacter, etc. can be mentioned. Preferably, bacteria belonging to the genus Gluconacetobacter can be mentioned. More preferably, Gluconacetobacter hansenii can be mentioned. Even more preferably, Gluconacetobacter hansenii GK-1 can be mentioned.

[0041] The above Bacillus bacteria are not particularly limited. For example, Bacillus coagulans, etc. can be mentioned. Specific examples of Bacillus bacteria include, for example, Bacillus coagulans SANK70258 strain, etc.

[0042] Among the above, as useful bacteria, it is particularly preferable to contain one or more selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus rhamnosus CRL1505, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM5805, and Lactobacillus paracasei KW3110.

[0043] In the present invention, the dead bacteria of useful bacteria are not particularly limited and may be either a dried product or a non-dried product. However, from the viewpoint of storage stability of the dead bacteria of useful bacteria, it is preferable to be a dried product. Among them, as the dead bacteria of useful bacteria, a dried powder of the dead bacteria of useful bacteria is preferable.

[0044] The method for preparing the dead bacteria of useful bacteria is not particularly limited. For example, a method of collecting the bacterial cells by sterilizing the medium in which the useful bacteria are cultured and then performing filtration, centrifugation, etc., or a method of collecting the bacterial cells from the medium in which the useful bacteria are cultured by performing filtration, centrifugation, etc. and then sterilizing can be mentioned. Among useful bacteria, for example, lactic acid bacteria can be cultured using a lactic acid bacteria culture medium known to those skilled in the art, such as MRS (de Man-Rogosa-Sharpe) medium, which contains glucose, protein hydrolyzate, yeast extract, etc. Generally, the culture temperature is 30°C to 37°C, the culture period is 2 to 3 days, and it can be cultured under anaerobic conditions.

[0045] Further, for the cells collected after culturing, drying treatment and crushing treatment can be further performed as necessary. The means of sterilization is not particularly limited, and not only heating but also conventional means for killing bacteria such as ultraviolet irradiation and γ-ray irradiation can be used.

[0046] The dead cell concentration of the useful bacteria contained in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 50 million cells / 100 mL or more, more preferably 100 million cells / 100 mL or more, still more preferably 500 million cells / 100 mL or more, even more preferably 1 billion cells / 100 mL or more, even more preferably 10 billion cells / 100 mL or more, even more preferably 20 billion cells / 100 mL or more, and most preferably 500 billion cells / 100 mL or less, more preferably 200 billion cells / 100 mL or less, still more preferably 180 billion cells / 100 mL or less, even more preferably 100 billion cells / 100 mL or less, and particularly preferably 50 billion cells / 100 mL or less. When the dead cell concentration of the useful bacteria is at least the above lower limit value, a sufficient amount of dead useful bacteria can be ingested when an amount of the beverage of the present invention that is normally consumed is ingested. Further, when the dead cell concentration of the useful bacteria is at most the above upper limit value, deterioration of the appearance of the beverage caused by adsorption of caramel pigment to the dead cells of the useful bacteria can be further reduced.

[0047] The dead cell concentration of the useful bacteria contained in the beverage can be controlled by adjusting the addition amount of the dead cells of the useful bacteria formulated in the beverage. Further, examples of the method for measuring the number of bacteria of the useful bacteria contained in the beverage include known methods for measuring the number of bacteria of bacteria, and for example, flow cytometry is preferably mentioned.

[0048] <Caramel Coloring> The beverage of the present invention contains caramel coloring. Caramel coloring refers to a high-molecular-weight brown pigment obtained by heating and polymerizing sugars. As the caramel coloring contained in the beverage of the present invention, known caramel coloring suitable for food can be used. For example, it can be obtained by heat-treating edible carbohydrates such as sugar or glucose, or by heat-treating edible carbohydrates with the addition of acid or alkali. In addition, sugars contained in fruit juice or vegetable juice can be caramelized and used. In this case, the sugars can be caramelized by heat treatment, acid or alkali treatment, etc.

[0049] Caramel colorings are classified into classes I, II, III, and IV depending on the manufacturing method. In this invention, any of these may be used, or one or more may be used in combination. From the viewpoint of stability and availability, it is preferable to use class IV caramel coloring.

[0050] The caramel coloring content in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited and can be set as appropriate, but is preferably 0.01% by mass or more, more preferably 0.03% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.05% by mass or more, preferably 0.50% by mass or less, more preferably 0.45% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.40% by mass or less. The method for measuring the caramel coloring content in the beverage is not particularly limited, but can be measured using, for example, HPLC.

[0051] For clarification, if a beverage contains multiple types of caramel coloring from classes I to IV as described above, the caramel coloring content mentioned above refers to the total content of all caramel colorings.

[0052] <Other Ingredients> The beverage of the present invention may contain one or more additives selected from the group consisting of acidulants, flavorings, colorants other than caramel coloring, sweeteners, preservatives, thickeners, stabilizers, emulsifiers, dietary fiber, bittering agents, antioxidants, pH adjusters, vitamins, nutritional fortifiers, umami components, dietary fiber, extracts, solvents, minerals, water-soluble functional components, and fat-soluble functional components, to the extent that they do not interfere with the effects of the present invention. The above additives are not particularly limited, and commonly used ones may be used, but specifically, for example, sweeteners include acesulfame K, stevia, and sucralose, stabilizers include soybean polysaccharides and pectin, and minerals include sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.

[0053] The acidulant contained in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but if it is one or more selected from the group consisting of citric acid, phosphoric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, gluconic acid, phytic acid, and succinic acid, and their salts, deterioration of the beverage's appearance can be further reduced. In particular, from the viewpoint of flavor, it is preferable that it be one or more selected from the group consisting of citric acid and phosphoric acid and their salts, and more preferably phosphoric acid or its salt. The acidulant may be one type or multiple types may be used in combination. The concentration of the acidulant is not particularly limited as long as the pH of the beverage can be adjusted to the range described later.

[0054] <Oxygen Concentration> In this specification, the oxygen concentration of a beverage refers to the dissolved oxygen concentration of the beverage. The beverage of the present invention preferably has a dissolved oxygen concentration of 0.3 mg / L or more, more preferably 0.5 mg / L or more, even more preferably 1.0 mg / L or more, preferably 6.0 mg / L or less, more preferably 5.5 mg / L or less, and even more preferably 5.0 mg / L or less. If the dissolved oxygen concentration of the beverage is within the above range, deterioration of the beverage's appearance can be further reduced. The dissolved oxygen concentration in the beverage can be measured using a commercially available beverage analyzer (e.g., packaged beverage analyzer PBA (filling device PFD), carbon dioxide concentration meter CarboQC ME, oxygen concentration meter O ２The measurement can be performed using the PlusCarco QCME (with pH meter MEASURING MODULE pH3201 and densimeter DMA4501 included) (manufactured by Anton Paar). The measurement can be performed at a liquid temperature of 20°C. In addition, the dissolved oxygen concentration in the beverage can be adjusted by blowing oxygen into the syrup or by removing oxygen by blowing nitrogen into it.

[0055] <Carbon Dioxide Concentration> The beverage of the present invention preferably has a carbon dioxide concentration of 3.00 g / L or higher, more preferably 3.50 g / L or higher, and even more preferably 4.00 g / L or higher. The upper limit of the carbon dioxide concentration is not particularly limited, but is generally preferably 9.00 g / L or lower, more preferably 7.00 g / L or lower, and even more preferably 6.00 g / L or lower. If the carbon dioxide concentration of the beverage is within the above range, deterioration of the beverage's appearance can be further reduced. Also, if the carbon dioxide concentration of the beverage is above the lower limit, the carbon dioxide gas can be sufficiently felt when drinking. The carbon dioxide concentration in the beverage can be measured using a commercially available beverage analyzer (e.g., packaged beverage analyzer PBA (filling device PFD), carbon dioxide concentration meter CarboQC ME, oxygen concentration meter O ２ The carbon dioxide concentration can be measured using the PlusCarcoQCME (with pH meter MEASURING MODULE pH3201 and densimeter DMA4501) (manufactured by Anton Paar). The measurement can be performed at a liquid temperature of 20°C. The carbon dioxide concentration in the beverage can be adjusted by changing the carbon dioxide addition conditions, as described later in the "Beverage Manufacturing Method" section.

[0056] <Carbon Dioxide Pressure> The beverage of the present invention preferably has a carbon dioxide pressure of 0.05 MPa or higher, more preferably 0.10 MPa or higher, even more preferably 0.20 MPa or higher, preferably 0.50 MPa or lower, and more preferably 0.40 MPa or lower. If the carbon dioxide pressure of the beverage is within the above range, deterioration of the beverage's appearance is further reduced, and the stimulating effect of carbon dioxide can be fully felt when drinking. The carbon dioxide pressure of the beverage can be adjusted by changing the carbon dioxide addition conditions, as described later in the "Method for Manufacturing the Beverage" section.

[0057] <X Value> In the beverage of the present invention, if X is the ratio of the carbon dioxide concentration (g / L) to the oxygen concentration (mg / L) (carbon dioxide concentration / oxygen concentration), then X must be 1.0 or higher, preferably 1.2 or higher, more preferably 1.5 or higher, preferably 20.0 or lower, more preferably 18.0 or lower, even more preferably 15.0 or lower, even more preferably 10.0 or lower, and particularly preferably 5.0 or lower. If the value of X is above the lower limit, the deterioration of the beverage's appearance caused by the adsorption of caramel coloring onto dead beneficial bacteria can be reduced. In addition, the carbon dioxide gas can be sufficiently felt when drinking. If the value of X is below the upper limit, the deterioration of the beverage's appearance can be further reduced.

[0058] <Y Value> For the beverage of the present invention, if Y is defined as 100 times the ratio of the concentration of dead beneficial bacteria (billion cells / 100 mL) to the carbon dioxide concentration (g / L) (carbon dioxide concentration / dead bacteria concentration), then it is preferable that Y is 0.060 or higher, more preferably 0.090 or higher, even more preferably 0.100 or higher, even more preferably 0.200 or higher, preferably 10.000 or lower, more preferably 8.000 or lower, and even more preferably 5.000 or lower. If the value of Y is above the lower limit, deterioration of the beverage's appearance can be further reduced, and the carbon dioxide gas can be sufficiently stimulated when drinking. Also, if the value of Y is below the upper limit, deterioration of the beverage's appearance can be further reduced, and a sufficient amount of dead beneficial bacteria can be ingested when consuming the amount of the beverage of the present invention that is normally consumed.

[0059] <pH> The pH of the beverage of the present invention refers to the pH under gas pressure, that is, the pH when carbon dioxide is present. The pH of the beverage of the present invention is preferably 2.2 or higher, more preferably 2.3 or higher, even more preferably 2.5 or higher, even more preferably 2.8 or higher, preferably 5.0 or lower, more preferably 4.6 or lower, and even more preferably 4.0 or lower. When the pH of the beverage is above the lower limit, deterioration of the beverage's appearance due to the adsorption of caramel coloring onto dead beneficial bacteria can be further reduced. Also, if the pH is above the lower limit, the acidity of the beverage can be kept within an appropriate range. On the other hand, if the pH of the beverage is below the upper limit, bitterness and sliminess of the beverage can be suppressed.

[0060] Furthermore, the beverage of the present invention may also be an immunostimulatory composition. An immunostimulatory composition is a composition having immunostimulatory ability (immune activation ability). Immunostimulatory ability (immune activation ability) is the stimulating effect (activation effect) of the innate immune system on cells or living organisms. An immunostimulatory composition according to one embodiment may be a dendritic cell activation composition, or a plasmacytoid dendritic cell activation (pDC activation) composition.

[0061] The beverage of the present invention as an immunostimulatory composition may be a pharmaceutical composition or a quasi-drug. The beverage of the present invention as an immunostimulatory composition contains an effective amount of dead beneficial bacteria as described above. Here, "effective amount" refers to the amount of dead beneficial bacteria that, when consumed in a normal amount of the beverage of the present invention, are ingested to the extent that immune-boosting effects are exerted. When the beverage of the present invention is an immunostimulatory composition, it may be a health food, a functional food, a nutritional supplement, a health functional food (e.g., a food for specified health uses, a nutritional functional food, a food with functional claims), a food for special dietary uses (e.g., a food for infants, a food for pregnant and lactating women, a food for the sick), and a supplement.

[0062] When the beverage of the present invention is provided as an immune-boosting composition, the beverage of the present invention may particularly be a health food, functional food, nutritional composition, nutritional supplement, health food, food for specified health uses, food with nutritional function, or food with functional claims, etc., that has immune-boosting ability. When the beverage of the present invention is an immune-boosting composition, the beverage of the present invention may be labeled with, for example, support for maintaining the immune function of healthy people (immune care), for those concerned about a decline in immune function, to suppress a decline in immune function, for those concerned about sunburn, for those concerned about skin damage in daily life, for those concerned about dry skin, for those concerned about skin flushing, for those concerned about skin erythema, for those concerned about redness of the skin, for those concerned about facial redness, for those concerned about rough hands, etc.

[0063] Furthermore, if the beverage of the present invention is an immunostimulatory composition, the beverage of the present invention can be ingested by individuals who require immunostimulation. While there are no particular limitations on the individuals who require immunostimulation, examples include individuals infected with a virus, individuals with a cold, and individuals aged 65 or older.

[0064] The beverage of the present invention may be a packaged beverage. Examples of containers that can be used for the beverage of the present invention include containers made of plastic materials such as PET bottles, polypropylene bottles, and polyvinyl chloride bottles (resin bottle containers), glass bottles, and cans. The capacity of the container is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 100 mL / bottle or more, preferably 350 mL / bottle or more, for example 2100 mL / bottle or less, preferably 1600 mL / bottle or less. More specifically, the capacity of a container made of plastic material is preferably 150 mL / bottle or more, more preferably 310 mL / bottle or more, even more preferably 360 mL / bottle or more, particularly preferably 400 mL / bottle or more, preferably 1300 mL / bottle or less, more preferably 1200 mL / bottle or less, even more preferably 950 mL / bottle or less, and particularly preferably 700 mL / bottle or less. The capacity of a glass bottle is preferably 150 mL / bottle or more, more preferably 430 mL / bottle or more, and preferably 1300 mL / bottle or less. The capacity of the can container is preferably 150 mL / can or more, more preferably 260 mL / can or more, preferably 1250 mL / can or less, more preferably 900 mL / can or less, even more preferably 700 mL / can or less, and particularly preferably 400 mL / can or less.

[0065] (Method for producing a beverage) The present invention relates to a method for producing a beverage containing dead beneficial bacteria and caramel coloring, characterized by including a step (hereinafter also referred to as the carbon dioxide addition step) to ensure that the ratio (X) of the oxygen concentration (mg / L) to the oxygen concentration (mg / L) of the beverage is 1.0 or more. The present invention relates to a method for producing a beverage, and is not particularly limited insofar as it includes the above-mentioned specific carbon dioxide addition step. In other words, as long as it includes the above-mentioned carbon dioxide addition step, it can be produced according to conventionally known methods for producing beverages.

[0066] In the beverage manufacturing method of the present invention, first, for example, a solvent such as water and caramel coloring may be optionally added to a mixing tank, and then dead beneficial bacteria may be added. Alternatively, dead beneficial bacteria, caramel coloring, and any solvent may be added to the mixing tank simultaneously. Of course, the manner of addition and the order of mixing are not limited to the above-described methods.

[0067] The carbon dioxide addition step, in which carbon dioxide is added to the above-mentioned formulation so that the ratio (X) of the concentration of electron dioxide (g / L) to the concentration of oxygen (mg / L) is 1.0 or higher, includes a step of using a carbonator to contain the above-mentioned formulation and injecting and dissolving carbon dioxide under pressure so that the ratio of the concentration of carbon dioxide to the concentration of oxygen is 1.0 or higher. The beverage of the present invention can be produced by the above-mentioned carbon dioxide addition step. In addition to the above-mentioned carbon dioxide addition step, the oxygen concentration of the beverage may also be adjusted. Methods for adjusting the oxygen concentration of the beverage include blowing in oxygen while the syrup is in a syrup state, or removing oxygen by blowing in nitrogen.

[0068] The beverage of the present invention, obtained through the carbon dioxide addition process, can then be filled into containers as listed above and sealed according to known methods to produce a packaged beverage.

[0069] (Method for improving the appearance of a beverage) The present invention provides a method for improving the appearance of a beverage containing dead beneficial bacteria and caramel coloring, and is not particularly limited in that it includes a step (carbon dioxide addition step) to make the ratio (X) of the concentration of nitrogen dioxide (g / L) to the oxygen concentration (mg / L) of the beverage 1.0 or more.

[0070] The carbon dioxide addition step can be the same as the step described in the method for producing the beverage of the present invention.

[0071] The present invention will be described in detail below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. In the following description, "%" representing quantity refers to mass unless otherwise specified. Various measurements and evaluations were performed for each test group described later using the following methods.

[0072] (Physical Property Measurement) <Measurement of L Value> The amount of caramel color adsorbed onto dead beneficial bacteria in a beverage can be conveniently defined by the L value of the L*a*b* color system. The L value of the dead beneficial bacteria powder contained in the beverage was measured according to the following procedure. For each test sample described later, after standing for 12 hours or more, 80% of the supernatant liquid was discarded using an aspirator, and ion-exchanged water was added to the remaining solution and centrifugal washing was performed three times (using a CUBOTA centrifuge, 20°C, 10 minutes, 5000 rpm). The precipitate after centrifugal washing was collected and freeze-dried for 24 hours or more to collect the dead beneficial bacteria powder from which sufficient moisture had been removed. Subsequently, a white polystyrene film with an outer diameter of 40 mm and an inner diameter of 18 mm was placed on a special petri dish, the collected dead beneficial bacteria powder was added, a white drop lid was placed on top, and reflectance measurement (measurement diameter 8 mm) was performed using a Minolta CM-5 spectrophotometer. A lower L value indicates that the powder of dead beneficial bacteria is darker, while a higher L value indicates that it is whiter.

[0073] <Oxygen Concentration Measurement> The oxygen concentration of beverages is measured using a packaged beverage analyzer (PBA) (filling device PFD, carbon dioxide concentration meter CarboQC ME, oxygen concentration meter O ２ Measurements were taken using a PlusCarco QCME (with pH meter MEASURING MODULE pH3201 and densimeter DMA4501 attached) (manufactured by Anton Paar). The measurements were performed after adjusting the temperature to 20°C and shaking the sample well.

[0074] <Measurement of Carbon Dioxide Concentration> The carbon dioxide concentration of beverages is measured using a packaged beverage analyzer (PBA) (filling device PFD, carbon dioxide concentration meter CarboQC ME, oxygen concentration meter O ２ Measurements were taken using a PlusCarco QCME (pH meter MEASURING MODULE pH3201, densimeter DMA4501 included) (manufactured by Anton Paar). The measurements were performed after adjusting the temperature to 20°C and shaking the sample well.

[0075] <pH> The pH of a beverage (pH under gas pressure) is measured using a packaged beverage analyzer (PFD), a carbon dioxide meter (CarboQC ME), and an oxygen meter (O). ２Measurements were taken using a PlusCarco QCME (with pH meter MEASURING MODULE pH3201 and densimeter DMA4501 attached) (manufactured by Anton Paar).

[0076] (Test Example 1) Effects of Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide Concentration on the Appearance of Beverages The following tests were conducted to investigate the effects of oxygen and carbon dioxide concentration on the appearance of beverages. <Sample Preparation> Water was placed in a 500 mL plastic container, and beneficial bacteria (Lactococcus lactis subspecies lactis JCM5805 raw material), caramel color (Class IV) (Sunbrown CA-4 manufactured by San-Ei Gen FFI Co., Ltd.), and phosphoric acid were added to achieve the concentrations shown in Table 1. The resulting beverages were then pasteurized under conditions equivalent to 60°C for 10 minutes. Beverage samples for test groups 1-4 were prepared by adjusting the oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations of the beverages to the concentrations shown in Table 1 by combining carbon dioxide injection using a carbonator, oxygen blowing into the syrup, and oxygen removal by blowing in nitrogen. <Measurement> The pH and L values ​​of the beverage samples obtained in the above test groups were measured according to the method described above. Three samples were prepared for each test group, and the average value of the measurements of these three samples was taken as the measured value for that test group. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0077] (Test Example 2) Effect of X Value on Beverage Appearance To investigate the effect of the X value (ratio of oxygen dioxide concentration to oxygen concentration) on the appearance of beverages, the following tests were conducted. <Sample Preparation> Water was placed in a 500 mL plastic container, and beneficial bacteria (Lactococcus lactis subspecies lactis JCM5805 raw material), caramel color (Class IV) (Sunbrown CA-4 manufactured by San-Ei Gen FFI Co., Ltd.), and phosphoric acid were added to achieve the concentrations shown in Table 2. The resulting beverages were then pasteurized under conditions equivalent to 60°C for 10 minutes. In addition, by combining the injection of carbon dioxide gas using a carbonator, the blowing of oxygen into the syrup state, and the removal of oxygen by blowing in nitrogen, the oxygen concentration and carbon dioxide concentration of the beverages were adjusted to the concentrations shown in Table 2, and beverage samples for test groups 5-10 were prepared. <Measurement> The L value was measured for each test group in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0078] (Test Example 3) Effect of X Value on Beverage Appearance at Different Oxygen Concentrations To investigate the effect of X value on the appearance of beverages at different oxygen concentrations, the following test was conducted. <Sample Preparation> Water was placed in a 500 mL plastic container, and beneficial bacteria (Lactococcus lactis subspecies lactis JCM5805 raw material), caramel color (Class IV) (Sunbrown CA-4 manufactured by San-Ei Gen FFI Co., Ltd.), and phosphoric acid were added to achieve the concentrations shown in Table 3. The resulting beverage was then pasteurized under conditions equivalent to 60°C for 10 minutes. Beverage samples for test groups 11-15 were prepared by adjusting the oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations of the beverage to the concentrations shown in Table 3 by combining carbon dioxide injection using a carbonator, oxygen blowing into the syrup state, and oxygen removal by blowing in nitrogen. <Measurement> The L value was measured for each test group in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0079] (Test Example 4) Influence of Y Value on Beverage Appearance under Constant Carbon Dioxide Concentration To investigate the influence of Y value on the appearance of a beverage under constant carbon dioxide concentration, the following test was conducted. <Sample Preparation> Water was placed in a 500 mL plastic container, and beneficial bacteria (Lactococcus lactis subspecies lactis JCM5805 raw material), caramel color (Class IV) (Sunbrown CA-4 manufactured by San-Ei Gen FFI Co., Ltd.), and phosphoric acid were added to achieve the concentrations shown in Table 4. The resulting beverage was then pasteurized under conditions equivalent to 60°C for 10 minutes. Beverage samples for test groups 16-20 were prepared by adjusting the oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations of the beverage to the concentrations shown in Table 4 by combining carbon dioxide injection using a carbonator, oxygen blowing into the syrup state, and oxygen removal by blowing in nitrogen. <Measurement> The L value was measured for each test group in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0080] (Test Example 5) Effects of pH and Acidulant Type on Beverage Appearance To investigate the effects of pH and acidulant type on beverage appearance, the following tests were conducted. <Sample Preparation> Water was placed in a 500 mL plastic container, and beneficial bacteria (Lactococcus lactis subspecies lactis JCM5805 raw powder), caramel color (Class IV) (Sunbrown CA-4 manufactured by San-Ei Gen FFI Co., Ltd.), and phosphoric acid or citric acid were added to achieve the concentrations shown in Table 5. The resulting beverages were then pasteurized under conditions equivalent to 60°C for 10 minutes. In addition, by combining the injection of carbon dioxide gas using a carbonator, the blowing of oxygen into the syrup state, and the removal of oxygen by blowing in nitrogen, the oxygen concentration and carbon dioxide concentration of the beverages were adjusted to the concentrations shown in Table 5, and beverage samples for test groups 21-24 were prepared. <Measurement> As in Test Example 1, the pH and L value were measured for each test group. The results are shown in Table 5.

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[0086] Table 1 shows that, in beverage samples with the same concentration of dead beneficial bacteria and caramel coloring, adjusting the oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations can reduce the blackness of the dead beneficial bacteria powder obtained from the beverage, i.e., reduce the deterioration of the beverage's appearance. Table 2 shows that in beverage samples with an X value of 1.0 or higher, the deterioration of the beverage's appearance is reduced. Table 3 shows that, regardless of the oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations of the beverage, in beverage samples with an X value of 1.0 or higher, the deterioration of the beverage's appearance is reduced. Table 4 shows that, even in beverages with a constant carbon dioxide concentration, the deterioration of the beverage's appearance is further reduced in beverage samples with a Y value between 0.060 and 10.000. Table 5 shows that the above effect of reducing the deterioration of the beverage's appearance is even more pronounced in beverages with a pH of 2.2 or higher.

[0087] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a beverage containing dead beneficial bacteria and caramel coloring, which has an excellent appearance.

Claims

1. A beverage containing dead beneficial bacteria and caramel coloring, wherein the ratio (X) of the concentration of nitrogen dioxide (g / L) to the concentration of oxygen (mg / L) is 1.0 or higher.

2. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the beneficial bacteria are one or more species selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus and Lactococcus species.

3. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the beneficial bacteria is one or more selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus rhamnosus CRL1505, Lactococcus lactis subspecies lactis JCM5805, and Lactobacillus paracasei KW3110.

4. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the ratio (X) of the oxygen concentration (mg / L) to the oxygen concentration (mg / L) is 20.0 or less.

5. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the value (Y) of 100 times the ratio of the carbon dioxide concentration (g / L) to the dead bacterial concentration (billion cells / 100 mL) of the useful bacteria is 0.060 or more and 10.000 or less.

6. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the oxygen concentration is 0.3 mg / L or more and 6.0 mg / L.

7. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the carbon dioxide concentration is 3.00 g / L or more and 9.00 g / L or less.

8. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of dead beneficial bacteria is 0.5 billion cells / 100 mL or more.

9. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the pH is 2.2 or higher and 5.0 or lower.

10. The beverage according to claim 1, which is a packaged beverage.

11. The beverage according to claim 1, which is a carbonated beverage.

12. A method for producing a beverage containing dead beneficial bacteria and caramel coloring, comprising the step of ensuring that the ratio (X) of the concentration of nitrogen dioxide (g / L) to the concentration of oxygen (mg / L) is 1.0 or more.

13. A method for improving the appearance of a beverage containing dead beneficial bacteria and caramel coloring, comprising the step of making the ratio (X) of the concentration of zinc dioxide (g / L) to the concentration of oxygen (mg / L) 1.0 or more.

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