Beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage and method for producing same

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a novel beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage having improved flavor. The present invention provides a beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage having a purine concentration higher than 5.5 mg / 100 mL and a carbohydrate concentration exceeding 1.25 g / 100 mL. The present invention provides a beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage containing purines and carbohydrates within prescribed concentration ranges, thereby making it possible to improve the flavor of the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage.

Description

Beer-taste fermented non-alcoholic beverage and method for producing the same

[0001] The present invention relates to a beer-taste fermented non-alcoholic beverage and a method for producing the same.

[0002] In addition to the increasing health consciousness in recent years, the demand for beer-taste non-alcoholic beverages has been increasing year by year due to the diversification of drinking scenes and consumer preferences. In the field of beer-taste non-alcoholic beverages, various technologies have been developed to make the taste and aroma peculiar to beer felt in non-alcoholic beverages (Patent Documents 1 and 2). However, in view of the increasing level of consumer preferences, it can be said that flavor improvement is still required in beer-taste non-alcoholic beverages.

[0003] Japanese Patent No. 6786699, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-154317

[0004] Beer-taste fermented non-alcoholic beverages have various problems in flavor due to their non-alcoholic nature and the particularity of the method for adjusting to non-alcohol. The present invention aims to provide a novel beer-taste fermented non-alcoholic beverage with improved flavor.

[0005] The present invention provides the following: [1] A beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage having a purine concentration higher than 5.5 mg / 100 mL. [2] The beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage according to [1], having a carbohydrate concentration higher than 1.25 g / 100 mL. [3] The beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage according to [1] or [2], having a malt usage ratio of 50% or more. [4] The beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage according to any one of [1] to [3], which is a de-alcoholic beverage. [5] A method for producing a beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage, comprising the steps of: adding purines to the beverage so that the purine concentration is higher than 5.5 mg / 100 mL; and adding carbohydrates so that the carbohydrate concentration is higher than 1.25 g / 100 mL. [6] A method for improving the flavor of a beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage, comprising the steps of: adding purines to the beverage so that the purine concentration is higher than 5.5 mg / 100 mL; and adding carbohydrates so that the carbohydrate concentration is higher than 1.25 g / 100 mL.

[0006] According to the present invention, by keeping the purines and carbohydrates within a predetermined concentration range in a beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage, it is possible to provide a beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage with improved flavor.

[0007] In this invention, "beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage" refers to a beverage having a beer-like flavor and includes both beverages that contain no alcohol at all, i.e., beverages with an ethanol concentration of 0.00 v / v%, and beverages with an ethanol concentration greater than 0.00 v / v% but less than 1 v / v%. The beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of this invention means a beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage that has undergone a fermentation process using yeast, and includes beverages produced by removing the alcohol components generated in the fermentation process after the fermentation process (sometimes referred to as "de-alcoholized beverages" in this specification), and beverages produced by stopping the fermentation process at a stage where the ethanol concentration is less than 1 v / v%. A de-alcoholized beverage can be rephrased as a beverage made from de-alcoholized wort ferment.

[0008] In the beer-taste fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the alcohol (ethanol) concentration can be less than 1.00 v / v%, 0.99 v / v% or less, 0.98 v / v% or less, 0.97 v / v% or less, 0.96 v / v% or less, 0.95 v / v% or less, 0.94 v / v% or less, 0.93 v / v% or less, 0.92 v / v% or less, 0.91 v / v% or less, 0.90 v / v% or less, 0.89 v / v% or less, 0.88 v / v% or less, 0.87 v / v% or less, 0.86 v / v% or less, 0.85 v / v% or less, 0.84 v / v% or less, 0.83 v / v% or less, 0.82 v / v% or less, 0.81 v / v% or less, 0.80 v / v% or less, 0.79 v / v% or less, 0.78 v / v% or less, 0.77 v / v% or less, 0.76 v / v% or less, 0.75 v / v% or less, 0.74 v / v% or less, 0.73 v / v% or less, 0.72 v / v% or less, 0.71 v / v% or less, 0.70 v / v% or less, 0.69 v / v% or less, 0.68 v / v% or less, 0.67 v / v% or less, 0.66 v / v% or less, 0.65 v / v% or less, 0.64 v / v% or less, 0.63 v / v% or less, 0.62 v / v% or less, 0.61 v / v% or less, 0.60 v / v% or less, 0.59 v / v% or less, 0.58 v / v% or less, 0.57 v / v% or less, 0.56 v / v% or less, 0.55 v / v% or less, 0.54 v / v% or less, 0.53 v / v% or less, 0.52 v / v% or less, 0.51 v / v% or less, 0.50 v / v% or less, 0.49 v / v% or less, 0.48 v / v% or less, 0.47 v / v% or less, 0.46 v / v% or less, 0.45 v / v% or less, 0.44 v / v% or less, 0.43 v / v% or less, 0.42 v / v% or less, 0.41 v / v% or less, 0.40 v / v% or less, 0.39 v / v% or less, 0.38 v / v% or less, 0.37 v / v% or less, 0.36 v / v% or less, 0.35 v / v% or less, 0.34 v / v% or less, 0.33 v / v% or less, 0.32 v / v% or less, 0.31 v / v% or less, 0.30 v / v% or less, 0.29 v / v% or less, 0.28 v / v% or less, 0.27 v / v% or less, 0.26 v / v% or less, 0.25 v / v% or less, 0.24 v / v% or less, 0.23 v / v% or less, 0.22 v / v% or less, 0.21 v / v% or less, 0.20 v / v% or less, 0.19 v / v% or less, 0.18 v / v% or less, 0.17 v / v% or less, 0.16 v / v% or less, 0.15 v / v% or less,0.14v / v% or less, 0.13v / v% or less, 0.12v / v% or less, 0.11v / v% or less, 0.10 v / v% or more, 0.10 v / v% or less, 0.09 v / v% or more, 0.09 v / v% or less, 0.08 v / v% or more, 0.08 v / v% or less, 0.07 v / v% or more, 0.07 v / v% or less, 0.06 v / v% or more, 0.06 v / v% or less, 0.05v / v% or more, 0.05v / v% or less, 0.04v / v% or more, 0.04v / v% or less, 0.03v / v% or more, 0.03v / v% or less, 0.02v / v% or more, 0.02v / v% or less, 0.01v / v% or more, or 0.01v / v% or more It can also be set as "below," and further, as concentrations less than 0.01 v / v% (0.00 v / v%), it can be set as 0.009 v / v% or less, 0.008 v / v% or less, 0.007 v / v% or less, 0.006 v / v% or less, 0.005 v / v% or more, 0.005 v / v% or less, 0.004 v / v% or more, 0.004 v / v% or less, 0.003 v / v% or more, 0.003 v / v% or less, 0.002 v / v% or more, 0.002 v / v% or less, 0.001 v / v% or more, or 0.001 v / v% or less. These upper and lower limits can be combined arbitrarily, "or less" can be changed to "less than," and "or greater than" can be changed to "greater than."

[0009] In this invention, the alcohol concentration (ethanol concentration) of a beverage can be measured by gas chromatography (GC) with a FID (flame ionization detector) (hereinafter also referred to as "GC / FID"). In this case, for more accurate concentration measurement, it is desirable to use a calibration curve created based on the measured values ​​of several control samples with known concentrations. It is preferable that these control samples with known concentrations are within the same concentration range as the concentration to be measured. It is also preferable to use an internal standard substance, and an example of an internal standard substance is 2-propanol.

[0010] The beer-taste fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention uses malt as at least a part of the raw materials. Preferably, at least one or both of barley malt and wheat malt can be used as the raw materials derived from wheat. In the present invention, the ratio of barley malt (mass) in the raw material malt (mass) can be, for example, 0%, 0% or more, 10% or more, 20% or more, 30% or more, 40% or more, 50% or more, 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 90% or more, 100% or less or 100%. The ratio of wheat malt (mass) in the raw material malt (mass) can be, for example, 0%, 0% or more, 10% or more, 20% or more, 30% or more, 40% or more, 50% or more, 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 90% or more, 100% or less or 100%. In the present invention, it is also possible to use the extracted malt (that is, malt extract). In the above, "or more" can be "exceeding".

[0011] The malt usage ratio of the beer-taste fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be, for example, 0%, 0% or more, 5% or less, 5% or more, 10% or less, 10% or more, 15% or less, 15% or more, 20% or less, 20% or more, 21% or less, 21% or more, 22% or less, 22% or more, 23% or less, 23% or more, 24% or less, 24% or more, 25% or less, 25% or more, 30% or less, 30% or more, 31% or less, 31% or more, 32% or less, 32% or more, 33% or less, 33% or more, 34% or less, 34% or more, 35% or less, 35% or more, 40% or less, 40% or more, 45% or less, 45% or more, 50% or less, 50% or more, 55% or less, 55% or more, 60% or less, 60% or more, 65% or less, 65% or more, 66% or less, 66% or more, 67% or less, 67% or more, 68% or less, 68% or more, 69% or less, 69% or more, 70% or less, 70% or more, 75% or less, 75% or more, 80% or less, 80% or more, 85% or less, 85% or more, 90% or less, 90% or more, 95% or less, 95% or more, 100% or less or 100%. "Or less" can be "less than", and "or more" can be "exceeding". These upper and lower limit values can be arbitrarily combined. In the present invention, the "malt usage ratio" refers to the ratio of the malt mass to the mass of all raw materials excluding hops and water.

[0012] In the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, in addition to malt, unsprouted grains such as unsprouted barley (including extracted form) and unsprouted wheat (including extracted form) can also be used as raw materials. The beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can use malt and unsprouted grains as at least a part of the raw materials, and preferably, barley malt and unsprouted barley can be used as at least a part of the raw materials.

[0013] In the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the lower limit of the purine concentration (greater than or equal to) can be 5.0 mg / 100 mL, and can also be 5.5 mg / 100 mL, 6.0 mg / 100 mL, 6.5 mg / 100 mL, 7.0 mg / 100 mL, 7.5 mg / 100 mL, 8.0 mg / 100 mL, 8.5 mg / 100 mL, 9.0 mg / 100 mL, 9.5 mg / 100 mL, or 10.0 mg / 100 mL, 10.5 mg / 100 mL, or 11.0 mg / 100 mL. Furthermore, the upper limit (or less than or equal to) of the purine concentration in the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but for example, 20.0 mg / 100 mL, 19.5 mg / 100 mL, 19.0 mg / 100 mL, 18.5 mg / 100 mL, 18.0 mg / 100 mL, 17.5 mg / 100 mL, 17.0 mg / 100 mL, 16.5 mg / 100 mL. The dosage can be L, 16.0 mg / 100 mL, 15.5 mg / 100 mL, 15.0 mg / 100 mL, 14.5 mg / 100 mL, 14.0 mg / 100 mL, 13.5 mg / 100 mL, 13.0 mg / 100 mL, 12.5 mg / 100 mL, 12.0 mg / 100 mL, 11.5 mg / 100 mL, 11.0 mg / 100 mL, 10.5 mg / 100 mL, or 10.0 mg / 100 mL. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any way, for example: 5.0 mg / 100 mL or more and 20.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 6.0 mg / 100 mL or more and 20.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 7.0 mg / 100 mL or more and 20.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 8.0 mg / 100 mL or more and 20.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 9.0 mg / 100 mL or more and 20.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 10.0 mg / 100 mL or more and 20.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 5.0 mg / 100 mL or more and 18.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 6.0 mg / 100 mL or more and 18.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 7.0 mg / 100 mL or more and 18.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 8.0 mg / 100 mL or less Above 18.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 9.0 mg / 100 mL or more and 18.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 10.0 mg / 100 mL or more and 18.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 5.0 mg / 100 mL or more and 16.0 mg / 100 mL or less,6.0 mg / 100 mL to 16.0 mg / 100 mL, 7.0 mg / 100 mL to 16.0 mg / 100 mL, 8.0 mg / 100 mL to 16.0 mg / 100 mL, 9.0 mg / 100 mL to 16.0 mg / 100 mL, 10.0 mg / 100 mL to 16.0 mg / 100 mL, 5.0 mg / 100 mL to 15.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 6.0 mg / 100 mL or more and 15.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 7.0 mg / 100 mL or more and 15.0 mg / 100 mL or less, 8.0 mg / 100 mL or more and 15.0 mg / 1 00mL or less, 9.0mg / 100mL or more and 15.0mg / 100mL or less, 10.0mg / 100mL or more and 15.0mg / 100mL or less, 5.0mg / 100mL or more and 14.0mg / 100mL or less, 6.0 mg / 100mL to 14.0 mg / 100mL, 7.0 mg / 100mL to 14.0 mg / 100mL, 8.0 mg / 100mL to 14.0 mg / 100mL, 9.0 mg / 100mL to 14.0 mg / 100mL, 10.0 mg / 100mL to 14.0 mg / 100mL, 5.0 mg / 100mL or more The dosage can be 0 mg / 100 mL or less, 6.0 mg / 100 mL to 12.0 mg / 100 mL, 7.0 mg / 100 mL to 12.0 mg / 100 mL, 8.0 mg / 100 mL to 12.0 mg / 100 mL, 9.0 mg / 100 mL to 12.0 mg / 100 mL, or 10.0 mg / 100 mL to 12.0 mg / 100 mL.

[0014] Purine concentration can be measured by known methods, for example, by detecting it using LC-MS / MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry) after hydrolysis with perchloric acid (see Journal of Food Hygiene 55(2):110-116 (2014)). In this specification, "purine concentration" refers to the total amount of the four purine bases: adenine, xanthine, guanine, and hypoxanthine.

[0015] In the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the lower limit of the carbohydrate concentration (greater than or equal to) can be 1.25 g / 100 mL, and can also be 1.30 g / 100 mL, 1.35 g / 100 mL, 1.40 g / 100 mL, 1.45 g / 100 mL, 1.50 g / 100 mL, 1.55 g / 100 mL, 1.60 g / 100 mL, 1.65 g / 100 mL, 1.70 g / 100 mL, 1.75 g / 100 mL, 1.80 g / 100 mL, 1.85 g / 100 mL, 1.90 g / 100 mL, 1.95 g / 100 mL, 2.00 g / 100 mL, 2 It can also be 0.5 g / 100 mL, 2.10 g / 100 mL, 2.15 g / 100 mL, 2.20 g / 100 mL, 2.25 g / 100 mL, 2.30 g / 100 mL, 2.35 g / 100 mL, 2.40 g / 100 mL, 2.45 g / 100 mL, 2.50 g / 100 mL, 2.55 g / 100 mL, 2.60 g / 100 mL, 2.65 g / 100 mL, 2.70 g / 100 mL, 2.75 g / 100 mL, 2.80 g / 100 mL, 2.85 g / 100 mL, 2.90 g / 100 mL, 2.95 g / 100 mL, or 3.00 g / 100 mL. Furthermore, the upper limit (or less than or equal to) of the carbohydrate concentration in the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but for example, 6.50 g / 100 mL, 6.45 g / 100 mL, 6.40 g / 100 mL, 6.35 g / 100 mL, 6.30 g / 100 mL, 6.25 g / 100 mL, 6.20 g / 100 mL, 6.15 g / 100 mL, 6.10 g / 100 mL, 6.05 g / 100 mL, 6.00 g / 100 mL, 5.95 g / 100 mL, 5.90 g / 100 mL, 5.85 g / 100 mL, 5.8 0g / 100mL, 5.75g / 100mL, 5.70g / 100mL, 5.65g / 100mL, 5.60g / 100mL, 5.55g / 100mL, 5.50g / 100mL, 5.45g / 100mL, 5.40g / 100mL, 5.35g / 100mL, 5.30g / 1 00mL, 5.25g / 100mL, 5.20g / 100mL, 5.15g / 100mL, 5.10g / 100mL, 5.05g / 100 mL, 5.00g / 100mL, 4.95g / 100mL, 4.90g / 100mL, 4.85g / 100mL, 4.80g / 100mL,4.75g / 100mL, 4.70g / 100mL, 4.65g / 100mL, 4.60g / 100mL, 4.55g / 100mL, 4.50g / 100mL, 4.45g / 100mL, 4.40g / 100mL, 4.35g / 100mL, 4. 30g / 100mL, 4.25g / 100mL, 4.20g / 100mL, 4.15g / 100mL, 4.10g / 100mL, 4.05g / 100mL, 4.00g / 100mL, 3.95g / 100mL, 3.90g / 100mL, 3.85g The amount can be 3.80 g / 100 mL, 3.75 g / 100 mL, 3.70 g / 100 mL, 3.65 g / 100 mL, 3.60 g / 100 mL, 3.55 g / 100 mL, 3.50 g / 100 mL, 3.45 g / 100 mL, 3.40 g / 100 mL, 3.35 g / 100 mL, 3.30 g / 100 mL, 3.25 g / 100 mL, 3.20 g / 100 mL, 3.15 g / 100 mL, 3.10 g / 100 mL, 3.05 g / 100 mL, or 3.00 g / 100 mL. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any way, for example: 1.25 g / 100 mL or more and 5.00 g / 100 mL or less, 1.50 g / 100 mL or more and 5.00 g / 100 mL or less, 1.75 g / 100 mL or more and 5.00 g / 100 mL or less, 2.00 g / 100 mL or more and 5.00 g / 100 mL or less, 2.25 g / 100 mL or more and 5.00 g / 100 mL or less, 2.50 g / 100 mL or more and 5.00 g / 100 mL or less, 2.75 g / 100 mL or more and 5.00 g / 100 mL or less, 3.00 g / 100 mL or more and 5.00 g / 100 mL or less, 1.25 g / 100 mL or more and 4.50 g / 100 mL or less, 1.50 g / 100 mL or more and 4.50 gg / 100 mL or less, 1.75 g / 100 mL or more and 4.50 g / 100 mL or less, 2.00 g / 100 mL or more and 4.50g / 100mL or less, 2.25g / 100mL or more and 4.50g / 100mL or less, 2.50g / 100mL or more and 4.50g / 100mL Below, 2.75g / 100mL or more, 4.50g / 100mL or less, 3.00g / 100mL or more, 4.50g / 100mL or less, 1.25g / 100mL or less. Above 4.00g / 100mL or less, 1.50g / 100mL or more and 4.00g / 100mL or less, 1.75g / 100mL or more and 4.00g / 100mL or less,2.00g / 100mL or more and 4.00g / 100mL or less, 2.25g / 100mL or more and 4.00g / 100mL or less, 2.50g / 100mL or more and 4.00g / 100mL or less, 2.75g / 100mL or more and 4.00g / 100mL or less, 3.00g / 100mL or more and 4.00g / 100mL or less, 1.25g / 100 mL or more and 3.75g / 100mL or less, 1.50g / 100mL or more and 3.75g / 100mL or less, 1.75g / 100mL or more and 3.75g / 100mL or less, 2.00g / 100mL or more and 3.75g / 100mL or less, 2.25g / 100mL or more and 3.75g / 100mL or less, 2.50g / 100mL or more and 3.75g / It can be 100 mL or less, 2.75 g / 100 mL to 3.75 g / 100 mL, 3.00 g / 100 mL to 3.75 g / 100 mL, 1.25 g / 100 mL to 3.50 g / 100 mL, 1.50 g / 100 mL to 3.50 g / 100 mL, 1.75 g / 100 mL to 3.50 g / 100 mL, 2.00 g / 100 mL to 3.50 g / 100 mL, 2.25 g / 100 mL to 3.50 g / 100 mL, 2.50 g / 100 mL to 3.50 g / 100 mL, 2.75 g / 100 mL to 3.50 g / 100 mL, or 3.00 g / 100 mL to 3.50 g / 100 mL.

[0016] The carbohydrate concentration can be measured by known methods, and can be calculated by subtracting the amounts of water, protein, lipids, ash, and dietary fiber from the mass of the sample to be measured (see the Nutritional Labeling Standards (Partial Amendment of Consumer Affairs Agency Notification No. 9, December 16, 2009)).

[0017] Beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverages have had various flavor issues due to being non-alcoholic and the special nature of the methods used to make them non-alcoholic. The beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is characterized by having a well-balanced flavor despite being a non-alcoholic beverage. The beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is also characterized by having an improved fullness of beer-like flavor despite being a non-alcoholic beverage. The beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is also characterized by having an improved flavor that is not easily tiresome despite being a non-alcoholic beverage. Furthermore, the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is further characterized by an improved aftertaste that is not lingering. Furthermore, the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is also characterized by an improved unpleasant sourness that remains in the mouth despite being a non-alcoholic beverage. In particular, in de-alcoholized beverages in which alcohol is removed after the fermentation process, there is a possibility that components that contribute to a well-balanced flavor, a fullness of beer-like flavor, and a flavor that is not easily tiresome are lost during the manufacturing process. The beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention has a well-balanced taste, a rich beer-like flavor, and a taste that is not easily tiresome to drink, thus solving the above-mentioned problems of beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverages. Here, "well-balanced taste" means a harmonious taste in which sweetness, sourness, and bitterness do not stand out. "Rich beer-like flavor" means a taste that spreads and feels full-bodied. "A taste that is not easily tiresome to drink" means a taste that can be enjoyed repeatedly. "Lingering aftertaste" means a taste that is sticky or heavy and makes the drinker tired of drinking it. "Unpleasant sourness remaining in the mouth" means sourness that accumulates in the mouth after drinking.

[0018] The method of producing the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not limited, as long as it contains purines and carbohydrates within a predetermined concentration range.

[0019] The purine concentration in the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be adjusted by blending or adding a purine-containing composition at any stage of the manufacturing process, with the blending or addition preferably occurring after the fermentation process.

[0020] The sugar concentration of the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be adjusted by blending or adding a sugar-containing composition (e.g., sugars, malt extract) at any stage of the manufacturing process, with the blending or addition preferably occurring after the fermentation process.

[0021] In the present invention, the concentrations of purines and carbohydrates in a beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage can be adjusted not only by blending or adding these components, but also by setting the manufacturing conditions. Non-limiting examples of such manufacturing conditions include brewing conditions, selection of yeast (including strains), adjustment of the amount of yeast used, adjustment of fermentation conditions, and dilution of the fermentation liquid. In the present invention, the concentrations of purines and carbohydrates can also be adjusted by selecting raw materials, and raw materials containing purines and carbohydrates include, for example, grains (e.g., malt such as barley malt and wheat malt, rice and / or ungerminated grains).

[0022] In the present invention, methods for removing alcohol after the fermentation process include, for example, (i) a method of removing alcohol by distillation under reduced pressure or atmospheric pressure, (ii) a method of removing alcohol by adsorbing volatile components onto vapor using centrifugal force, and (iii) a method of removing alcohol using a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane. Any of (i), (ii), and (iii) above, or any of (i) and (ii) above, can be selected. In (i), when distillation is performed under reduced pressure, it can be carried out under reduced pressure of, for example, 50 to 150 mbar (preferably 50 to 120 mbar, 50 to 100 mbar, 50 to 70 mbar, 55 to 120 mbar, 55 to 100 mbar, 55 to 70 mbar, 60 to 120 mbar, 60 to 100 mbar, or 60 to 70 mbar). In the present invention, the step of removing alcohol after the fermentation process (de-alcoholization step) can be performed once or multiple times (for example, two, three, or four times), but it is preferable to perform it once from the viewpoint of reducing the impact on quality due to heat load (for example, an increase in undesirable components such as off-flavors) and suppressing the increase in costs due to the use of electricity and steam.

[0023] The beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be manufactured according to the manufacturing procedure of a normal beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage, except for the adjustment of the concentrations of purines and carbohydrates as described above. The beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be manufactured, for example, by preparing a mash liquid from malt, hops, water, and other raw materials, removing solids from the mash liquid by standing, and then fermenting and filtering it. The other raw materials may be used as raw materials for the mash liquid or may be blended into the prepared mash liquid.

[0024] The above-mentioned mash liquid can be prepared according to conventional methods, for example, by sequentially performing the following steps: (a) saccharifying a mixture of raw materials including malt and water, filtering it to obtain wort; (b) adding hops to the obtained wort and then boiling it; and (c) cooling the boiled wort. In the saccharification process, malt with high endoprotease activity and / or enzyme preparations possessing endoprotease activity can be used to promote protein degradation, while malt with low endoprotease activity can be used to suppress protein degradation.

[0025] In the present invention, the decomposition process can also be carried out by adding proteolytic enzymes, carbohydrate-degrading enzymes, and cellulose-degrading enzymes, either individually or in combination, at any point before the completion of the fermentation process (for example, during mashing, during fermentation, or both during mashing and fermentation). Examples of proteolytic enzymes include protease preparations, examples of carbohydrate-degrading enzymes include enzymes derived from brewing raw materials such as malt, and commercially available enzyme preparations (such as α-amylase, β-amylase, glucoamylase, α-glucosidase, prunalase, and isoamylase), and examples of cellulose-degrading enzymes include commercially available enzyme preparations (such as β-glucanase, xylanase, and hemicellulase).

[0026] In the present invention, the saccharification temperature can be, for example, 30°C to 100°C, 35°C to 100°C, 40°C to 100°C, or 60°C to 80°C. The saccharification time can be set appropriately considering the saccharification temperature, but can be, for example, 30 minutes to 180 minutes, 50 minutes to 150 minutes, 60 minutes to 140 minutes, or 30 minutes to 100 minutes.

[0027] In the present invention, the boiling temperature can be, for example, 100°C to 150°C, 100°C to 140°C, 100°C to 130°C, or 90°C to 100°C. The boiling time can be set appropriately considering the boiling temperature, but can be, for example, 10 minutes to 180 minutes, 20 minutes to 150 minutes, 30 minutes to 120 minutes, or 30 minutes to 90 minutes.

[0028] In the present invention, the fermentation conditions are not particularly limited and can be carried out according to conventional methods.

[0029] In the production of the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, in addition to malt and unsprouted grains, rice, corn, soybeans, sorghum, potatoes, starch, sugars (e.g., liquid sugar), fruits (e.g., fruit juice, concentrated fruit juice), coriander or its seeds, spices or their raw materials (e.g., pepper, cinnamon, cloves, sansho pepper), herbs (e.g., chamomile, sage, basil, lemongrass), vegetables (e.g., sweet potato, pumpkin), buckwheat or sesame, sugar-containing substances (e.g., honey, brown sugar), salt, miso, flowers, tea, coffee, cocoa (including preparations thereof), seafood (e.g., Other additives such as oysters, kelp, wakame seaweed, and bonito flakes, nitrogen sources such as protein hydrolysates and yeast extracts, hops or hop products (e.g., hop extract), flavorings (e.g., commercially available beer flavors containing ethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, isoamyl alcohol, etc., which are typical aroma components of beer), coloring agents (e.g., caramel coloring), foaming and foam retention enhancers, sweeteners (e.g., high-intensity sweeteners), flavoring agents (e.g., amino acids), acidulants (e.g., gluconic acid), bittering agents (e.g., naringin), dietary fiber, herbs, antioxidants, and water conditioners can be used as raw materials.

[0030] In producing the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, for example, in addition to malt and hops as raw materials for producing the fermented malt beverage, one or more of the above raw materials can be used. In producing the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention, one or more of the above raw materials can also be incorporated during the production process of the fermented malt beverage, or one or more of the above raw materials can be incorporated before or after alcohol removal after the production of the fermented malt beverage.

[0031] The true extract of the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not limited to, but its lower limit (greater than or equal to) can be, for example, 2.0% by mass, 2.1% by mass, 2.2% by mass, 2.3% by mass, 2.4% by mass, 2.5% by mass, 2.6% by mass, 2.7% by mass, 2.8% by mass, 2.9% by mass, or 3.0% by mass, and its upper limit (less than or equal to) can be 8.0% by mass, 7.9% by mass, 7.8% by mass, 7.7% by mass, or 7.6% by mass. Mass%, 7.5 mass%, 7.4 mass%, 7.3 mass%, 7.2 mass%, 7.1 mass%, 7.0 mass%, 6.9 mass%, 6.8 mass%, 6.7 mass%, 6.6 mass%, 6.5 mass%, 6.4 mass%, 6.3 mass%, 6.2 mass%, 6.1 mass%, 6.0 mass%, 5.9 mass%, 5.8 mass%, 5.7 mass%, 5.6 mass%, 5.5 mass%, 5.4 mass%, 5.3 mass%, 5.2 mass%, 5.1 mass% or 5.0 mass%. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily, for example, 2.0% to 8.0% by mass, 2.0% to 7.5% by mass, 2.0% to 7.0% by mass, 2.0% to 6.5% by mass, 2.0% to 6.0% by mass, 2.0% to 5.5% by mass, 2.0% to 5.0% by mass, 2.5% to 8.0% by mass, 2.5% to 7.5% by mass, 2.5% to 7.0% by mass. The following can be set to 2.5% by mass or more and 6.5% by mass or less, 2.5% by mass or more and 6.0% by mass or less, 2.5% by mass or more and 5.5% by mass or less, 2.5% by mass or more and 5.0% by mass or less, 3.0% by mass or more and 8.0% by mass or less, 3.0% by mass or more and 7.5% by mass or less, 3.0% by mass or more and 7.0% by mass or less, 3.0% by mass or more and 6.5% by mass or less, 3.0% by mass or more and 6.0% by mass or less, 3.0% by mass or more and 5.5% by mass or less, or 3.0% by mass or more and 5.0% by mass or less. The true extract of the beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be measured, for example, by "BCOJ Beer Analysis Method 8.4.3 Alcoholizer Method".

[0032] The pH (measured at 25°C) of the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not limited, but its lower limit (greater than or equal to) can be 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, or 3.8, and its upper limit (less than or equal to) can be 4.6, 4.5, 4.4, 4.35, or 4.3. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily, for example, 3.5 or more and 4.6 or less, 3.5 or more and 4.5 or less, 3.5 or more and 4.4 or less, or 3.5 or more and less than 4.4. The pH of the beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be adjusted using a pH adjusting agent. The pH of the beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage can be measured using a commercially available pH meter (e.g., a benchtop pH meter, manufactured by Horiba, Ltd.).

[0033] The EBC color of the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not limited, but its lower limit (greater than or equal to) can be 4.0 EBC, 4.5 EBC, 5.0 EBC, 5.5 EBC, or 6.0 EBC, and its upper limit (less than or equal to) can be 15.0 EBC, 14.5 EBC, 14.0 EBC, 13.5 EBC, 13.0 EBC, 12.5 EBC, 12.0 EBC, 11.5 EBC, 11.0 EBC, 10.5 EBC, 10.0 EBC, or 9.9 EBC. The lower and upper limits can be 9.8EBC, 9.7EBC, 9.6EBC, 9.5EBC, 9.4EBC, 9.3EBC, 9.2EBC, 9.1EBC, 9.0EBC, 8.9EBC, 8.8EBC, 8.7EBC, 8.6EBC, 8.5EBC, 8.4EBC, 8.3EBC, 8.2EBC, 8.1EBC, 8.0EBC, 7.9EBC, 7.8EBC, 7.7EBC, 7.6EBC, 7.5EBC, 7.4EBC, 7.3EBC, 7.2EBC, 7.1EBC, or 7.0EBC. These lower and upper limits can be combined in any way. The EBC color of the beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be determined using "Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method 4.3.8, edited by the International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee) of the Brewers Association of Japan, Japan Brewing Association."

[0034] The bitterness value (BU) of the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not limited, but its lower limit (greater than or equal to) can be 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, 5.5, or 6.0, and its upper limit (less than or equal to) can be 50.0, 49.0, 48.0, 47.0, 46.0, 45.0, 44.0, 43.0, 42.0, 41.0, 40.0, 39.0, 38.0, 37.0, 36.0, 35.0, 34.0, 33.0, 32.0, 31.0, 30.0, 29.0, 28.0, 27.0, 26.0, 25.0, 24.0, or 23. 0, 22.9, 22.8, 22.7, 22.6, 22.5, 22.4, 22.3, 22.2, 22.1, 22.0, 21.9, 21.8, 21.7, 21.6, 21.5, 21.4, 21.3, 21.2, 21.1, 21.0, 20.9, 20.8, 20.7, 20.6, 20.5, 20.4 , can be 20.3, 20.2, 20.1, 20.0, 19.9, 19.8, 19.7, 19.6, 19.5, 19.4, 19.3, 19.2, 19.1, 19.0, 18.9, 18.8, 18.7, 18.6, 18.5, 18.4, 18.3, 18.2, 18.1 or 18.0. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily, for example, 2.0 to 23.0, 3.0 to 23.0, 3.5 to 22.0, 4.0 to 22.0 or 5.0 to 21.0. In the present invention, "bitterness value (BU)" refers to the value measured according to the bitterness value method described in "8.15" of the BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (2013 Supplementary and Revised). Specifically, the sample beverage is given an acid, then extracted with isooctane, and the absorbance of the isooctane layer (at 275 nm) is measured. This measurement is then multiplied by 50 to determine the result.

[0035] The beverage provided by the present invention may be subjected to a carbon dioxide addition process, and further, after processes such as filling and sterilization, it can be provided as a packaged beverage. Sterilization may be performed before or after filling the container.

[0036] The beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be served as a carbonated beverage. The carbon dioxide pressure (gas pressure at 20°C) of the beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not limited, but its lower limit (greater than or equal to) can be 0.05 MPa, 0.06 MPa, 0.07 MPa, 0.08 MPa, 0.09 MPa, or 0.1 MPa, and its upper limit (less than or equal to) can be 0.4 MPa, 0.39 MPa, 0.38 MPa, 0.37 MPa, 0.36 MPa, or 0.35 MPa. These upper and lower limits can be combined arbitrarily, for example, 0.05 MPa or more and 0.4 MPa or less, 0.07 MPa or more and 0.38 MPa or less, or 0.1 or more and 0.35 MPa or less.

[0037] The container used for the beverage according to the present invention may be any container that is normally used for filling beverages, such as metal cans, barrels, plastic bottles (e.g., PET bottles, cups), paper containers, bottles, pouches, etc., but preferably metal cans / barrels, plastic bottles (e.g., PET bottles), or bottles.

[0038] In another aspect of the present invention, a method for producing a beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage with improved flavor is provided. The production method of the present invention is characterized by the steps of including purines so that the purine concentration is higher than 5.5 mg / 100 mL, and including carbohydrates so that the carbohydrate concentration is higher than 1.25 g / 100 mL. In the present invention, "improved flavor" or "improved flavor" of a beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage means that the balanced taste of the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage is improved, the beer-like flavor is improved, the taste is not tiring to drink, the aftertaste is not lingering, and / or the unpleasant sourness remaining in the mouth is improved. The production method of the present invention described above is a method for producing a beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage that has a good balanced taste, a beer-like flavor, a taste that is not tiring to drink, and improved aftertaste and unpleasant sourness remaining in the mouth. The production method of the present invention described above can be carried out in accordance with the description of the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage of the present invention.

[0039] In another aspect of the present invention, a flavor enhancer for beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverages is provided, comprising purines and carbohydrates as active ingredients. The flavor enhancer of the present invention can be implemented in accordance with the description of the beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage and the method for producing the same of the present invention.

[0040] Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for improving the flavor of a beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage. The flavor improvement method of the present invention is characterized by the steps of including purines in the production of a beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage such that the purine concentration is higher than 5.5 mg / 100 mL, and including carbohydrates such that the carbohydrate concentration is higher than 1.25 g / 100 mL. The flavor improvement method of the present invention can be carried out in accordance with the description of the beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage and the method for producing the same of the present invention.

[0041] The present invention will be described more specifically based on the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0042] Measurement of Alcohol Concentration The alcohol concentration (ethanol concentration) was measured using GC / FID (Agilent). A calibration curve was created based on the concentration of the target samples in the range of 0.000 to 0.05 v / v%.

[0043] Measurement of Purine Concentration The purine concentration was measured by a method of detecting using LC-MS / MS (Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry) after hydrolysis with perchloric acid (see Journal of Food Hygiene 55(2): 110-116 (2014)).

[0044] Measurement of Carbohydrate Concentration The carbohydrate concentration based on the nutrition labeling standard was measured by a method of calculating from the mass of the sample beverage by excluding the amounts of water, protein, lipid, ash, and dietary fiber according to the method described in the known fifth revised Japanese Food Standard Composition Table Analysis Manual.

[0045] Example 1: Production and Evaluation of Beer-Taste Fermented Non-Alcoholic Beverage In Example 1, an evaluation test was conducted for each test sample (Test Groups 1 to 6) of the beer-taste fermented non-alcoholic beverage.

[0046] (1) Method Barley malt, enzyme, and warm water were charged into the production charging tank, and saccharification was performed at a temperature of 65°C to 78°C. This saccharified liquid was filtered and transferred to a boiling kiln, where hops were added and boiled. Then, it was filtered to remove malt dregs and wort was obtained. After adding hops to the obtained wort and boiling it, solid-liquid separation treatment was performed, and it was cooled to obtain clear wort. Yeast was added, and the fermentation temperature and fermentation time were adjusted, and the obtained fermented liquid was filtered to produce a malt-fermented beverage. Next, it was sprayed into a degassing tank to remove carbon dioxide gas, and then heated to around 50°C. Then, alcohol was removed by contacting with steam heated to around 50°C in a decompression column near 60 mbar, and carbon dioxide gas was added to obtain a beer-taste fermented non-alcoholic beverage with an alcohol concentration of less than 0.005 v / v% (malt usage ratio 95%). And this beer-taste fermented non-alcoholic beverage was diluted to the concentrations shown in Table 1 to obtain sample beverages (Test Groups 1 to 6).

[0047] Evaluation tests were conducted for test sections 1-6 by three trained panelists. Specifically, five evaluation items—"balanced flavor," "fullness of beer-like flavor," "flavor that doesn't tire the palate," "lingering aftertaste," and "unpleasant sourness remaining in the mouth"—were evaluated on a scale of 1 to 15 points in increments of 1, and the average of the evaluation scores of the three panelists was calculated. In order to unify the evaluation criteria among the panelists, in test section 1, the scores for "lingering aftertaste" and "unpleasant sourness remaining in the mouth" were set to 15.0 points, and the scores for the other evaluation items were set to 1.0 points. In test section 5, the scores for "balanced flavor" and "flavor that doesn't tire the palate" were set to 15.0 points. In test section 6, the score for "fullness of beer-like flavor" was set to 15.0 points, and the scores for "lingering aftertaste" and "unpleasant sourness remaining in the mouth" were set to 1.0 points. Here, "balanced flavor" refers to a harmonious taste where sweetness, sourness, and bitterness are not overpowering, and a higher score indicates a better such flavor. "Full-bodied beer flavor" refers to a broad and rich flavor, and a higher score indicates a better full-bodied beer flavor. "Flavor that you won't tire of drinking" refers to a flavor that you can drink repeatedly, and a higher score indicates a better flavor that you won't tire of drinking. "Lingering aftertaste" refers to a sticky sweetness or heavy taste that makes you tired of drinking, and a lower score indicates a stronger lingering aftertaste. "Unpleasant sourness that lingers in the mouth" refers to sourness that accumulates in the mouth at the end of drinking, and a lower score indicates a stronger unpleasant sourness.

[0048] The details of each evaluation item are as follows. For "balanced taste", five evaluation criteria were set: 1 - 3 points: "not good", 4 - 6 points: "somewhat good", 7 - 9 points: "good", 10 - 12 points: "better", 13 - 15 points: "very good", and within each criterion, a more refined evaluation was made in 1 - point increments. For "beer-like flavor richness", five evaluation criteria were set: 1 - 3 points: "hardly felt", 4 - 6 points: "somewhat felt", 7 - 9 points: "felt", 10 - 12 points: "strongly felt", 13 - 15 points: "very strongly felt", and within each criterion, a more refined evaluation was made in 1 - point increments. For "non-fatiguing taste", five evaluation criteria were set: 1 - 3 points: "hardly felt", 4 - 6 points: "somewhat felt", 7 - 9 points: "felt", 10 - 12 points: "strongly felt", 13 - 15 points: "very strongly felt", and within each criterion, a more refined evaluation was made in 1 - point increments. For "aftertaste astringency", five evaluation criteria were set: 1 - 3 points: "strongly felt", 4 - 6 points: "felt", 7 - 9 points: "somewhat felt", 10 - 12 points: "slightly felt", 13 - 15 points: "hardly felt", and within each criterion, a more refined evaluation was made in 1 - point increments. For "unpleasant sourness remaining in the mouth", five evaluation criteria were set: 1 - 3 points: "strongly felt", 4 - 6 points: "felt", 7 - 9 points: "somewhat felt", 10 - 12 points: "slightly felt", 13 - 15 points: "hardly felt", and within each criterion, a more refined evaluation was made in 1 - point increments.

[0049] (2) Results The results were as shown in Table 1. By increasing the concentrations of purine bodies and carbohydrates in the beer-taste fermented non-alcoholic beverage, the balanced taste became good, while the degree of beer-like flavor richness and non-fatiguing taste improved. On the other hand, the aftertaste astringency and the unpleasant sourness remaining in the mouth tended to increase. Especially in Test Groups 4 and 5, the scores for balanced taste, beer-like flavor richness, and non-fatiguing taste were 10 points or more. On the other hand, the aftertaste astringency and the unpleasant sourness remaining in the mouth were within the acceptable range as a beer-taste fermented non-alcoholic beverage, and the results were very good.

[0050]

Claims

1. A beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage with a purine concentration higher than 5.5 mg / 100 mL.

2. The beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, wherein the carbohydrate concentration is greater than 1.25 g / 100 mL.

3. A beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the malt usage ratio is 50% or more.

4. A beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2, which is a de-alcoholic beverage.

5. A method for producing a beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage, comprising the steps of: adding purines to the beverage so that the purine concentration is higher than 5.5 mg / 100 mL; and adding carbohydrates so that the carbohydrate concentration is higher than 1.25 g / 100 mL.

6. A method for improving the flavor of a beer-flavored fermented non-alcoholic beverage, comprising the steps of: adding purines to the beverage so that the purine concentration is higher than 5.5 mg / 100 mL; and adding carbohydrates so that the carbohydrate concentration is higher than 1.25 g / 100 mL.

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