Method for producing processed hop product having increased geraniol concentration, method for producing beer-taste beverage having enhanced floral aroma, and beer-taste beverage produced by said production method

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing: a method for producing a processed hop product having an increased geraniol concentration; a processed hop product produced by the production method; a method for enhancing a floral aroma in hops or a processed hop product; a method for producing a beer-taste beverage having an enhanced floral aroma; a beer-taste beverage produced by the production method; a method for enhancing a floral aroma in a beer-taste beverage; and others.　In this method for producing a processed hop product, a food composition having lipase activity is added to hops or a processed hop product, whereby the concentration of geraniol contained in the hops or the processed hop product can be increased and a floral aroma in the hops or the processed hop product can be enhanced.

Description

Method for producing a hop processed product with an increased geraniol concentration, method for producing a beer - flavored beverage with an enhanced floral aroma, and beer - flavored beverage produced by the production method

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a hop processed product with an increased geraniol concentration, a hop processed product produced by the production method, a method for enhancing the floral aroma in hops or hop processed products, a method for producing a beer - flavored beverage with an enhanced floral aroma, a beer - flavored beverage produced by the production method, a method for enhancing the floral aroma in a beer - flavored beverage, and the like.

[0002] Due to global warming, geopolitical risks, etc., the cases of soaring prices of raw materials such as hops and difficulties in procuring raw materials are increasing more and more. In order to avoid these problems as much as possible, for example, technologies that can produce highly fragrant beverages even with a small amount of raw materials such as hops are required.

[0003] As an example of a technology for controlling the aroma by processing hops under predetermined conditions, Patent Document 1 describes "a method for producing a fermented malt beverage using hops as a raw material, wherein the hops are pre - heat - treated under the conditions of a temperature of 65°C or higher and lower than 90°C for 1 minute or more and less than 60 minutes, and the hops are added to the raw material mixture after all the steps including the heating operation in the method are completed and the heated raw material mixture is cooled." Patent Document 2 describes "a method for producing a fermented malt beverage, characterized by using fresh hops frozen without drying after harvesting or a pulverized product thereof as a hop raw material or as a fresh hop flavor."

[0004] On the other hand, regarding the use of lipase in beverage production, for example, Patent Document 3 describes "a method for brewing aromatic alcoholic beverages characterized by adding lipase or an enzyme preparation containing lipase to the mash and increasing the content of ethyl caproate in the alcoholic beverage while fermenting it." Furthermore, Patent Document 4 describes a method for reducing purines by comprising a saccharification step for saccharifying starch in a raw material liquid, adding lipase and lactic acid to the raw material liquid in the saccharification step, allowing the lipase to act on the raw material liquid under conditions of pH 4.4 or higher and less than 5.5, and then fermenting the raw material liquid with yeast and then treating it with activated carbon. Patent Document 4 states that such treatment can reduce purines and also improve the concentrations of ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate. It is known that ethyl acetate has a pineapple-like aroma, and isoamyl acetate has a banana-like aroma.

[0005] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-132275, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-081113, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-045166, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-103245

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a hop product with an increased geraniol concentration, a hop product produced by the method, a method for enhancing the floral aroma in hops or a hop product, a method for producing a beer-flavored beverage with an enhanced floral aroma, a beer-flavored beverage produced by the method, a method for enhancing the floral aroma in a beer-flavored beverage, and the like.

[0007] The present inventors, in order to solve the problems of the present invention, conducted diligent studies and found that by adding a food composition having lipase activity to hops or a hop product in a method for producing a hop product, the geraniol content of the hop or hop product can be increased, and the floral aroma of the hop or hop product can be enhanced, thus completing the present invention. Furthermore, the present inventors found that by including a step in a method for producing a beer-flavored beverage using hops or a hop product to add a food composition having lipase activity to hops or a hop product, the floral aroma of the beer-flavored beverage can be enhanced, thus completing the present invention.

[0008] In other words, the present invention provides the following: (1) A method for producing a hop product with increased geraniol content, comprising step A of adding a food composition having lipase activity to hops or a hop product; (2) The method for producing a hop product according to (1), wherein in step A, a food composition having lipase activity is added such that the lipase activity value per gram of hops and / or a hop product is 1 U or more; (3) The method for producing a hop product according to (1) or (2), wherein the rate of increase in geraniol content is 5% or more; (4) A hop product produced by the method for producing a hop product according to any one of (1) to (3); (5) A method for enhancing the floral aroma in hops or a hop product, comprising step A of adding a food composition having lipase activity to hops or a hop product; (6) A method for producing a beer-flavored beverage using hops or a hop product, comprising step A of adding a food composition having lipase activity to hops or a hop product; [7] A method for producing a beer-flavored beverage according to [6], wherein in step A, a food composition having lipase activity is added such that the lipase activity value per gram of hops and / or hop product is 1 U or more; [8] A beer-flavored beverage produced by the method for producing a beer-flavored beverage according to [6] or [7]; [9] A method for enhancing the floral aroma in a beer-flavored beverage using hops or a hop product, comprising step A of adding a food composition having lipase activity to hops or a hop product;

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for producing a hop product with an increased geraniol concentration, a hop product produced by the method, a method for enhancing the floral aroma in hops or a hop product, a method for producing a beer-flavored beverage with an enhanced floral aroma, a beer-flavored beverage produced by the method, and a method for enhancing the floral aroma in a beer-flavored beverage.

[0010] The present invention relates to: [1] A method for producing a hop product with an increased geraniol content, comprising step A of adding a food composition having lipase activity to hops or a hop product (hereinafter also referred to as "the method for producing a hop product of the present invention"); [2] A hop product produced by the method for producing a hop product of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as "the hop product of the present invention"); [3] A method for enhancing the floral aroma in hops or a hop product, comprising step A of adding a food composition having lipase activity to hops or a hop product (hereinafter also referred to as "the method for enhancing the floral aroma in hops or a hop product of the present invention"); [4] A method for producing a beer-flavored beverage using hops or a hop product, comprising step A of adding a food composition having lipase activity to hops or a hop product (hereinafter also referred to as "the method for producing a beverage of the present invention"); [5] A beer-flavored beverage produced by the method for producing a beverage of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as "the beer-flavored beverage of the present invention"); [6] A method for enhancing the floral aroma in a beer-flavored beverage using hops or a hop product, Embodiments include the method (hereinafter also referred to as "the method for enhancing beverages of the present invention"), which comprises step A of adding a food composition having lipase activity to hops or a hop product. Note that the numerical ranges described herein can be any combination of upper and lower limits. For example, if the numerical range is described as "preferably 20 to 90, more preferably 30 to 70," the ranges of "20 to 70" and "30 to 90" are also included in the numerical range described herein. Furthermore, if the numerical range is described as "for example, 20 or more, 30 or more, and also, for example, 90 or less, and 70 or less," or "for example, 20 or more, preferably 30 or more, and also, for example, 90 or less, preferably 70 or less," or "preferably 20 or more, more preferably 30 or more, and also, preferably 90 or less, more preferably 70 or less," the ranges of "20 to 70" and "30 to 90" are also included in the numerical range described herein.In addition, as a numerical range described in this specification, for example, "20 to 90" means a range of "20 or more (i.e., 20 or greater than 20) and 90 or less (i.e., 90 or less than 90)."

[0011] (Hops or processed hop products) As long as the hops or processed hop products used in the present invention are hops or processed hop products, there are no particular restrictions on the variety of hops or the processing state of the processed hop products. In this specification, "hops" means hops in their raw state unless otherwise specified, and includes cones, leaves, and stems, with cones being preferred. In this specification, "processed hop products" means hops in a processed state, and examples include dried hops, pressed hops, hop pellets, hop powder, hop oil, hop extract, isopropyl hops, isopropyl hop extract, raw hops, tetrahops, and hexahops. In the present invention, hops and processed hop products may be used in combination, and when processed hop products are used, one type with the same processing state may be used alone, or multiple types with different processing states may be used in combination.

[0012] There are no particular restrictions on the hop varieties used in hop products, such as Cascade, Murakami Seven, Magnum, Kirin No. 2, Galaxy, Saaz, Hallertau Tradition, Bullion, Brewers Gold, Chinook, Cluster, East Kent Golding, Fuggles, Hallertau, Hallertau Tradition, Mount Hood, Northern Brewer, Perle, Styrian, Target, Tettnanger, Willamette, Hersbrucker, and Hersbrucker Spät. Spat, Bravo, Columbus, Hercules, Millennium, Nugget, Summit, Tomahawk, Warrior, Zeus, Hallertau Perle, Amarillo (registered trademark), Apollo, Azacca (registered trademark), Cashmere, Celeia, Centennial, Citra (registered trademark), CTZ, El Dorado (registered trademark), Eureka!, Hallertau Perle Mittelfruher), HBC682, Idaho7 (registered trademark), Lubelski, Magnat, MarcoPolo, Marynka, Mosaic (registered trademark), Motueka, Nelson SauvinExamples of hop varieties include Sauvin, Northern Brewer, Pekko (registered trademark), Polaris, Premiant, Sabro (registered trademark), Saphir, Simcoe (registered trademark), Sladek, Spalter Select, Strata, and Tsingdao Flower, with Cascade, Murakami Seven, and Magnum being preferred. Hops may be used individually or in combination of multiple varieties.

[0013] (Food composition having lipase activity) A "food composition having lipase activity" is not particularly limited as long as it has lipase activity and can be added to food. Examples of the lipase mentioned above include enzymes that hydrolyze one or more fatty acids from lipids. In this specification, "lipase activity" refers to one, two, or three selected from the group consisting of activity that hydrolyzes the ester bond between a fatty acid and the hydroxyl group of glycerol (hydrolysis activity), activity that condenses an oxo acid such as an organic acid such as a fatty acid with a compound containing a hydroxyl group such as glycerol (esterification activity), and activity that exchanges an oxo acid such as an organic acid such as a fatty acid in an ester (transesterification activity), and it is preferable that it includes at least hydrolysis activity.

[0014] The "food composition having lipase activity" mentioned above specifically includes food additives having lipase activity, foods or raw materials having lipase activity, and food additives having lipase activity are preferred. Examples of lipases contained in the above food composition include lipases derived from microorganisms and lipases derived from plants, and these may be used in combination.

[0015] Examples of "food additives having lipase activity" include enzyme preparations having lipase activity. Commercially available enzyme preparations having lipase activity can be used. Examples of commercially available enzyme preparations that can be used as lipase include Lipase AY "Amano" 30SD (manufactured by Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.), Lipase DF "Amano" 15 (manufactured by Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.), Lipase MER "Amano" (manufactured by Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.), and Lipase MHA "Amano" 10SD (manufactured by Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.). Examples of sources for lipase include bacteria of the Candida, Rhizopus, and Mucor genera, with Candida cylindracea, Rhizopus oryzae, and Mucor javanicus being preferred.

[0016] Examples of "foods and raw materials having lipase activity" include vegetables such as corn, tomatoes, radishes, cauliflower, celery, and pumpkins; fruits such as strawberries, grapefruit, and figs; and spices such as bell peppers, paprika, fennel, thyme, sage, chili peppers, and coriander (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 02-200163).

[0017] The lipase activity value of the "food composition having lipase activity" used in the present invention may be 0.001 U or more, 0.01 U or more, 0.1 U or more, 0.3 U or more, 0.5 U or more, 0.8 U or more, 1 U or more, 3 U or more, 5 U or more, 8 U or more, or 10 U or more, and may also be 100,000 U or less, 90,000 U or less, 80,000 U or less, 70,000 U or less, or 60,000 U or less. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily, for example, 0.001 to 100,000 U and 0.01 to 90,000 U.

[0018] In this specification, lipase activity value refers to the relative enzyme amount, where 1 unit (U) is defined as the amount of enzyme that converts 1 μmol of substrate per second to produce p-nitrophenol under the following conditions, for example. A premix is ​​prepared by mixing 5 mM 4-nitrophenyl decanoate (Sigma Aldrich) dissolved in acetonitrile with four times the volume of 100 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) and four times the volume of ultrapure water. This is dispensed into 96-well plates in 90 μL portions and incubated at 40°C. 10 μL of the "food composition having lipase activity," serially diluted with 100 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0), is added, and the reaction is started under conditions where the concentration of the substrate, 4-nitrophenyl decanoate, is 0.5 mM. The absorbance of the above reaction solution at 415 nm (A415) is measured over time, and the relationship between the reaction time and the change in A415 is plotted. The amount of reaction product produced per unit time is considered as enzyme activity, and the activity is calculated from the slope within the range where linearity is observed. By defining the amount of enzyme that converts 1 μmol of substrate per second and produces p-nitrophenol as 1 unit, the activity per unit weight of the "food composition having lipase activity" is calculated. The p-nitrophenol produced from the reaction solution can be quantified by comparing it with the absorbance of a standard sample (Kanto Chemical).

[0019] (Manufacturing Method of the Present Invention) The manufacturing method of the hop processed product of the present invention and the manufacturing method of the beverage of the present invention (hereinafter collectively referred to as "manufacturing method of the present invention" in this specification) include step A of adding a food composition having lipase activity to hops or a hop processed product.

[0020] (Step A) Step A in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a step in which a food composition having lipase activity is added to hops or a hop product, and it is sufficient that the food composition having lipase activity comes into contact with the hops or a hop product and a lipase reaction (i.e., one, two, or three reactions selected from the group consisting of hydrolysis, esterification, and transesterification) occurs in the hops or a hop product. For example, the food composition having lipase activity may be added to a mixture of hops or a hop product and other raw materials (e.g., water).

[0021] The amount of "food composition having lipase activity" used in the manufacturing method of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are obtained. Examples of lower limits for the lipase activity value of the "food composition having lipase activity" used per gram of hops and / or hop processed product include 1 U or more, 5 U or more, 10 U or more, 15 U or more, 20 U or more, and 25 U or more. Preferably, it is 30 U or more, 40 U or more, 60 U or more, 80 U or more, 100 U or more, and 125 U or more. More preferably, it is 150 U or more, 175 U or more, 200 U or more, 225 U or more, and 250 U or more. There are no particular limits for the upper limit, for example, 100,000 U or less, 10,000 U or less, 5,000 U or less, 3,000 U or less, and 1,000 U or less. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily, for example, 1 to 100,000 U and 5 to 10,000 U.

[0022] The amount of "hops or hop products" used in the manufacturing method of the present invention is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected according to the required amount of hop products or the required amount of beer-flavored beverage. For example, lower limits include 0.01g or more, 0.1g or more, 1g or more, 3g or more, 5g or more, 8g or more, 10g or more, 50g or more, 100g or more, 500g or more, 1kg or more, 10kg or more, 50kg or more, 100kg or more, 1t or more, 10t or more, and 100t or more. Upper limits include 1000t or less, 100t or less, 10t or less, 1t or less, 500kg or less, 100kg or less, and 50kg or less. These lower and upper limits can be arbitrarily combined, for example, 0.01g to 1000t and 0.1g to 100t.

[0023] The temperature at which the lipase reaction occurs in step A is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are obtained, and can be set appropriately with reference to the optimal temperature of the lipase contained in the food composition having lipase activity. Since the optimal temperature of lipase is usually 60°C or lower, preferred temperatures for the lipase reaction include, for example, 60°C or lower, 50°C or lower, 45°C or lower, 40°C or lower, 35°C or lower, and 30°C or lower. However, even if the temperature is above 60°C and 95°C or lower, the lipase reaction can occur to a certain extent before the lipase-active protein denatures due to heat and loses its lipase activity, thereby obtaining the effects of the present invention. Alternatively, the food composition having lipase activity can be added to hops or hop products, and the mixture can be quickly cooled so that at least some lipase activity remains. Furthermore, there are no particular restrictions on the lower limit of the temperature when the lipase reaction occurs in step A, but examples include -10°C or higher, -5°C or higher, 0°C or higher, 3°C or higher, 5°C or higher, 10°C or higher, and 15°C or higher. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily, for example, -10°C to 60°C and 0 to 50°C.

[0024] The time required for the lipase reaction in step A is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are obtained, but the lower limit is, for example, 1 minute or more, 3 minutes or more, 5 minutes or more, 10 minutes or more, 15 minutes or more, 30 minutes or more, 60 minutes or more, 2 hours or more, 4 hours or more, 6 hours or more, 8 hours or more, 12 hours or more, 1 day or more, 3 days or more, 1 week or more, 2 weeks or more, 1 month or more, 2 months or more, 3 months or more, 4 months or more, 6 months or more, 8 months or more, 10 months or more, 1 year or more Examples of minimum and maximum time limits include 1 year and 6 months or more, 2 years or more, 3 years or more, and upper limits of 10 years or less, 8 years or less, 6 years or less, 5 years or less, 4 years or less, 3 years or less, 2 years or less, 1 year and 6 months or less, 1 year or less, 10 months or less, 8 months or less, 6 months or less, 4 months or less, 3 months or less, 2 months or less, 1 month or less, 3 weeks or less, 2 weeks or less, 1 week or less, 3 days or less, 1 day or less, 12 hours or less, 8 hours or less, 6 hours or less, 4 hours or less, 2 hours or less, and 60 minutes or less. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily, for example, 1 minute to 10 years, 3 minutes to 3 months.

[0025] The pH when the lipase reaction occurs in step A is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are obtained, but examples of lower limits include 3.0 or higher, 3.5 or higher, 4.0 or higher, 4.5 or higher, and 5.0 or higher, and examples of upper limits include 8.0 or lower, 7.5 or lower, 7.0 or lower, and 6.5 or lower. These lower and upper limits can be arbitrarily combined, for example, 3.0 to 8.0 and 3.5 to 7.5. The pH can be adjusted with a pH adjusting agent.

[0026] When the lipase reaction occurs in step A, water may or may not be added, and this can be appropriately selected depending on the processing state of the "hops or hop processed product" used in step A, the amount of "food composition having lipase activity" used (U / g), etc. There are no particular restrictions on the amount of water to be added when water is added, but for example, relative to the total mass of the "hops or hop processed product" used in step A, the lower limit can be 0.1 times or more, 0.5 times or more, 1 time or more, 2 times or more, 4 times or more, 6 times or more, 8 times or more, 10 times or more, 20 times or more, or 40 times or more, and the upper limit can be 1000 times or less, 800 times or less, 600 times or less, 400 times or less, 200 times or less, or 160 times or less. These lower and upper limits can be arbitrarily combined, for example, 0.1 to 1000 times and 0.5 to 800 times.

[0027] (Method for producing hop processed products of the present invention) The method for producing hop processed products of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a method for producing hop processed products with an increased geraniol content, comprising step A of adding a food composition having lipase activity to hops or hop processed products. The method for producing hop processed products of the present invention may further include any optional steps in addition to step A described above. Such optional steps include processing the product after a lipase reaction has been induced in hops or hop processed products in step A. Such processing methods include extracting hops or hop products, pelletizing hops or hop products, crushing hops or hop products, sieving hops or hop products, distilling hops or hop products, separating hops or hop products by chromatography, extracting hops or hop products with a solvent such as water, heating hops or hop products, adjusting the pH of hops or hop products, isomerizing hops or hop products, and chemically modifying hops or hop products. One or more steps selected from this group may be combined. The processed hop products may or may not be filled into containers.

[0028] (Hop processed product of the present invention) The hop processed product of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a hop processed product manufactured by the method for manufacturing the hop processed product of the present invention. The hop processed product of the present invention is a hop processed product in which the geraniol content concentration is increased by causing a reaction with lipase on hops or a hop processed product. Examples of the forms of the hop processed product of the present invention include dried hops, pressed hops, hop pellets, fresh hops, hop powder, hop oil, hop extract, isopropyl hops, isopropyl hop extract, raw hops, tetrahops, and hexahops, and may contain multiple types of products in different processing states. The hop processed product of the present invention may be contained in a container.

[0029] The hop processed product of the present invention has an increased geraniol content. The percentage increase in geraniol content in the hop processed product of the present invention is not particularly limited, but examples of lower limits include 1% or more, 2% or more, 3% or more, 4% or more, and 5% or more, and preferred values ​​include 6% or more, 7% or more, 8% or more, 9% or more, 10% or more, 12% or more, 14% or more, 16% or more, 18% or more, 20% or more, 22% or more, 24% or more, 26% or more, 28% or more, and 30% or more. Examples of upper limits include 300% or less, 200% or less, 150% or less, 120% or less, and 100% or less. These lower and upper limits can be arbitrarily combined, for example, 0.1 to 1000 times and 0.5 to 800 times. The percentage increase in geraniol content in the hop processed product of the present invention refers to the percentage increase in geraniol content in the hop processed product of the present invention compared to hops or hop processed products that did not produce a lipase reaction in a food composition having lipase activity (hereinafter also referred to as "control hops or hop processed product in the present invention").

[0030] (Method for enhancing hops or hop products of the present invention) The method for enhancing hops or hop products of the present invention is not particularly limited, as long as it is a method for enhancing the floral aroma of hops or hop products, comprising step A of adding a food composition having lipase activity to hops or hop products. Such step A is the same as step A in the manufacturing method of the present invention described above. The method for enhancing hops or hop products of the present invention may further include any optional steps in addition to step A described above. Such optional steps include processing the product after a lipase reaction has occurred with hops or hop products in step A. Such processing methods include extracting hops or hop products, pelletizing hops or hop products, crushing hops or hop products, sieving hops or hop products, distilling hops or hop products, separating hops or hop products by chromatography, extracting hops or hop products with a solvent such as water, heating hops or hop products, adjusting the pH of hops or hop products, isomerizing hops or hop products, and chemically modifying hops or hop products. One or more steps selected from this group may be combined. The processed hop products may or may not be filled into containers.

[0031] According to the enhancement method for hops or hop products of the present invention, the geraniol content of hops or hop products can be increased, and as a result, the floral aroma of hops or hop products can be enhanced.

[0032] (Hops or hop products with enhanced floral aroma) The hops or hop products of the present invention have an enhanced floral aroma. In this specification, "floral aroma" means an aroma reminiscent of roses or geraniums. In this specification, hops or hop products with enhanced floral aroma include hops or hop products with enhanced floral aroma compared to hops or hop products in which no lipase reaction occurred with a food composition having lipase activity ("control hops or hop products in the present invention").

[0033] The degree of floral aroma in a given hop or hop product, and how that degree of aroma compares to the control hop or hop product in the present invention (for example, whether the floral aroma is enhanced and to what extent), can be easily and clearly determined by a trained panel. The floral aroma in the control hop or hop product may be used as a baseline, and the average of the evaluations of multiple panel members may be used, for example.

[0034] (Method for producing the beverage of the present invention) The method for producing the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a method for producing a beer-flavored beverage using hops or a hop product, and includes step A of adding a food composition having lipase activity to the hops or a hop product. The method for producing the beverage of the present invention can use the usual method for producing beer-flavored beverages, except that it includes step A. The method for producing the beverage of the present invention may further include any optional steps in addition to step A. Such optional steps include mixing the hop product of the present invention, which has undergone a lipase reaction with hops or a hop product in step A, with the raw material liquid, a heat sterilization step, and a filling step into a container. In this specification, "raw material liquid" means a liquid containing the raw materials for a beer-flavored beverage. Such raw materials are not particularly limited and, as described later, include malt, grains other than malt, sugar solution, yeast extract, amino acid-containing material, and optional components.

[0035] (Yeast) The type of "yeast" is not particularly limited as long as it is a species that can be used in food and beverages. Examples include the genera Saccharomyces, Torulopsis, Mycotorula, Torulaspora, Candida, Rhodotorula, Pichia, Saccharomycopsis, and Brettanomyces, with Saccharomyces being preferred.Specific examples of yeast species that can be used in the present invention include Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces carlsbergensis, Saccharomyces uvarum, Saccharomyces rouxii, Saccharomyces lipolytica, Saccharomyces ludwigii, Saccharomyces pastorianus, Saccharomyces bayanus, Torulopsis utilis, Torulopsis candida, and Mycotorula japonica. * Mycotorula lipolytica, Torulaspora delbrueckii, Torulaspora fermentati, Candida sake, Candida tropicalis, Candida utilis, Pichia anomala, Pichia suaveolens, Pichia farinosa, Rhodotorula rubra, Saccharomycopsis fibligera, Brettanomyces anomalus, and Brettanomyces burxerensis One or more fungi selected from the group consisting of (bruxellensis) are examples, with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces pastorianus being preferred examples.

[0036] (Heat Sterilization) The beverage of the present invention may be subjected to heat sterilization treatment as necessary during its manufacturing process. Heat sterilization treatment may be performed before filling into containers or after filling into containers. Sterilization can be carried out by conventional methods such as UHT (ultra-high temperature) sterilization, pasteurization treatment, or retort sterilization treatment.

[0037] (Container) The beverage of the present invention may be a packaged beverage. Such a container means a sealed container that can prevent contact between the contents and the outside air, and examples include metal cans, barrel containers, plastic bottles (e.g., PET bottles, cups), paper containers, bottles, pouch containers, etc.

[0038] (Beverage of the present invention) The beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a beer-flavored beverage produced by the method for producing a beer-flavored beverage of the present invention.

[0039] In this specification, "beer-flavored beverage" means a beverage having a beer-like flavor, and includes "beer," "low-malt beer," "other brewed alcoholic beverages," "liqueurs," "miscellaneous alcoholic beverages," etc., as defined in the Liquor Tax Act (as of October 1, 2020). A beer-flavored beverage may be a beer-flavored alcoholic beverage with an alcohol content of 1 v / v% or more, or a non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage with an alcohol content of less than 1 v / v%. In this specification, "alcohol" means ethanol unless otherwise specified.

[0040] The alcohol content of the above-mentioned beer-flavored alcoholic beverages is not particularly limited. The lower limit of the alcohol content of beer-flavored alcoholic beverages is, for example, 1.0 v / v% or higher, 1.5 v / v% or higher, 2.0 v / v% or higher, 2.5 v / v% or higher, 3.0 v / v% or higher, 3.5 v / v% or higher, 4.0 v / v% or higher, 4.5 v / v% or higher, 5.0 v / v% or higher, 5.5 v / v% or higher, 6.0 v / v% or higher, 6.5 v / v% or higher, 7.0 v / v% or higher, 7.5 v / v% or higher, 8.0 v / v% or higher, 8.5 v / v% or higher, and 9.0 v / v% or higher. , 9.5 v / v%, 10.0 v / v% or more, 11.0 v / v% or more, 12.0 v / v% or more, 13.0 v / v% or more, 14.0 v / v% or more, 15.0 v / v% or more, 16.0 v / v% or more, 17.0 v / v% or more, 18.0 v / v% or more, 19.0 v / v% or more, 20.0 v / v% or more, 25.0 v / v%, 30.0 v / v% or more, 35.0 v / v% or more, 40.0 v / v% or more, 45.0 v / v% or more, and 50.0 v / v% or more may also be present. Furthermore, the upper limit of the alcohol content of beer-flavored alcoholic beverages may be, for example, 60.0 v / v% or less, 50.0 v / v% or less, 35.0 v / v% or less, 20.0 v / v% or less, 15.0 v / v% or less, 10.0 v / v% or less, 9.5 v / v% or less, 9.0 v / v% or less, 8.5 v / v% or less, 8.0 v / v% or less, 7.5 v / v% or less, 7.0 v / v% or less, 6.5 v / v% or less, 6.0 v / v% or less, 5.5 v / v% or less, 5.0 v / v% or less, 4.5 v / v% or less, 4.0 v / v% or less, 3.5 v / v% or less, or 3.0 v / v% or less. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily, for example, 1.0 to 60.0 v / v% and 1.5 to 50.0 v / v%.

[0041] The above non-alcoholic beverage is a beverage that substantially does not contain alcohol. The alcohol content of the non-alcoholic beverage may be less than 1.0 v / v%, may be 0.5 v / v% or less, may be 0.1 v / v% or less, may be less than 0.05 v / v% (0.0 v / v%), or may be less than 0.005 v / v% (0.00 v / v%). Examples of the lower limit of the alcohol content include 0 v / v% (i.e., substantially no alcohol), 0.005 v / v% or more, 0.05 v / v% or more, and 0.1 v / v% or more. These lower limit values and upper limit values can be arbitrarily combined. For example, it may be 0 v / v% or more and less than 1.0 v / v%, or 0.005 to 0.5 v / v%. The non-alcoholic beverage may be a non-alcoholic beverage that does not undergo a fermentation process by yeast, or may be a non-alcoholic fermented beverage that has undergone a fermentation process by yeast.

[0042] In this specification, the alcohol content of the beer-taste alcoholic beverage can be measured by any known method. For example, it can be measured based on the "BCOJ Beer Analysis Method 8.3.6 Alcoholizer Method" defined by the National Tax Agency of Japan. Also, the alcohol content (ethanol concentration) of the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage can be measured by any known method. For example, it can be measured by gas chromatography (GC) with a FID detector. In that case, for more accurate concentration measurement, it is desirable to use a calibration curve created based on the measured values of several control samples having known concentrations. The control samples having known concentrations are preferably within the same range as the concentration to be measured. Also, it is preferable to use an internal standard substance, and an example of the internal standard substance is 2-propanol.

[0043] The beer-flavored beverage of the present invention may be a beverage that does not undergo a yeast fermentation process, or a beverage that undergoes a yeast fermentation process (preferably alcoholic fermentation). Furthermore, examples of the beer-flavored beverage of the present invention include a beer-flavored beverage using hops and malt, and a beer-flavored beverage using hops but not malt. Furthermore, preferred embodiments of the beer-flavored beverage of the present invention include a beer-flavored fermented beverage using hops and malt (for example, a beer-flavored alcoholic fermented beverage using hops and malt), and a beer-flavored fermented beverage using hops but not malt (for example, a beer-flavored alcoholic fermented beverage using hops but not malt), with the beer-flavored fermented beverage using hops and malt (for example, a beer-flavored alcoholic fermented beverage using hops and malt) being preferred.

[0044] The above-mentioned malt can be obtained by germinating barley. The barley may be, for example, barley, wheat, rye, oats, oats, pearl oats, or other grains, with barley being preferred. The malt contains malt extract. One type of malt may be used alone, or multiple types may be used in combination.

[0045] When the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is a beer-taste alcoholic beverage using malt, the malt ratio of the beer-taste alcoholic beverage is not particularly limited, and may be 10% by mass or more, 20% by mass or more, 30% by mass or more, 40% by mass or more, 45% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 55% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 65% by mass or more, 66% by mass or more, 67% by mass or more, 68% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, 75% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more, 85% by mass or more, 90% by mass or more, 95% by mass or more, 98% by mass or more, or 100% by mass, and may also be 100% by mass or less, 98% by mass or less, 95% by mass or less, 90% by mass or less, 85% by mass or less, 80% by mass or less, 75% by mass or less, 70% by mass or less, 68% by mass or less, 67% by mass or less, 66% by mass or less, 65% by mass or less, 60% by mass or less, 55% by mass or less, 50% by mass or less, 45% by mass or less, 40% by mass or less, 30% by mass or less, 20% by mass or less, or 10% by mass or less. These lower limit values and upper limit values can be arbitrarily combined with each other, for example, 10 to 100% by mass, 20 to 98% by mass. In this specification, the "malt ratio" of the beer-taste alcoholic beverage means a value calculated according to the Liquor Tax Law with an enforcement date of April 1, 2018 and the interpretation guidelines of liquor administration-related laws and regulations, etc.

[0046] As the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage, it may be a beverage that does not undergo the fermentation process by yeast, or it may be a beverage that has undergone the fermentation process by yeast (preferably alcoholic fermentation). As the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage that has undergone the fermentation process by yeast, compared with the manufacturing method of ordinary alcoholic beer-taste beverages, beverages obtained by a method of shortening the alcoholic fermentation period by yeast, beverages obtained by using yeast with low or no alcohol-producing ability, beverages obtained by suppressing alcoholic fermentation by yeast at a low temperature, beverages obtained by removing yeast during alcoholic fermentation, beverages obtained by subjecting alcoholic beer-taste beverages to dealcoholization treatment, etc. may be mentioned.

[0047] When the beer-flavored beverage of the present invention is a non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage using malt, the malt ratio of the non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage is not particularly limited and may be 5% by mass or more, 10% by mass or more, 20% by mass or more, 30% by mass or more, 40% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or less, 70% by mass or less, 60% by mass or less, 50% by mass or less, 40% by mass or less, 30% by mass or less, 20% by mass or less, or 10% by mass or less. These lower and upper limits can be arbitrarily combined, for example, 5 to 80% by mass and 10 to 70% by mass. In this specification, "malt ratio" of the non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage means the ratio (mass%) of the mass of malt to the total dry mass of the raw materials other than water.

[0048] If the beer-flavored beverage of the present invention is a beer-flavored beverage that does not use malt, grains other than malt may be used instead of malt. Furthermore, grains other than malt may be used in combination with malt in the beer-flavored beverage of the present invention. Examples of such grains other than malt include grains that are not malt (barley, wheat, rye, oats, oats, pearl oats, etc.), rice (white rice, brown rice, etc.), corn, sorghum, potatoes, beans (soybeans, peas, etc.), buckwheat, sorghum, millet, barnyard millet, and starches obtained from them, extracts thereof, etc. It is also possible to use raw materials other than malt that can be assimilated by yeast (carbon sources, nitrogen sources). Examples of carbon sources of raw materials that can be assimilated by yeast include monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, and their sugar solutions, etc., and examples of nitrogen sources include yeast extract, amino acid-containing materials (e.g., soy protein, etc.), and their decomposition products, etc.

[0049] The beverage of the present invention may contain optional ingredients, as long as they do not interfere with the effects of the present invention. Examples of such optional ingredients include colorants, flavorings, bittering agents, acidulants, seasonings, water-soluble dietary fiber, and antioxidants.

[0050] The beverage of the present invention may or may not contain an alcoholic raw material. Examples of alcoholic raw materials include brewing alcohol, spirits (rum, vodka, gin, etc.), liqueurs, whiskey, brandy, or shochu (continuous distillation shochu, single distillation shochu, etc.). When an alcoholic raw material is added, spirits are preferred as such an alcoholic raw material.

[0051] The pH of the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but examples of lower limits include 2.0 or higher, 2.2 or higher, 2.4 or higher, 2.6 or higher, 2.8 or higher, 3.0 or higher, 3.2 or higher, 3.4 or higher, 3.6 or higher, 3.8 or higher, 4.0 or higher, 4.2 or higher, 4.4 or higher, 4.6 or higher, 4.8 or higher, 5.0 or higher, etc., and examples of upper limits include 6.0 or lower, 5.8 or lower, 5.6 or lower, 5.4 or lower, 5.2 or lower, 5.0 or lower, 4.8 or lower, 4.6 or lower, 4.4 or lower, 4.2 or lower, 4.0 or lower, 3.8 or lower, 3.6 or lower, 3.4 or lower, 3.2 or lower, 3.0 or lower, etc. These lower and upper limits can be combined arbitrarily. The pH can be adjusted with a pH adjusting agent, for example, 2.0 to 6.0 and 2.2 to 5.8.

[0052] The beverage of the present invention may be effervescent or non-effervescent. In this specification, "effervescent" means a gas pressure of 0.049 MPa (0.5 kg / cm²) at 20°C. ２ This means that the gas pressure at 20°C is 0.049 MPa (0.5 kg / cm²), and non-foaming means that the gas pressure at 20°C is 0.049 MPa (0.5 kg / cm²). ２ This refers to being less than )

[0053] (Method for enhancing beverages of the present invention) The method for enhancing beverages of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a method for enhancing the floral aroma of a beer-flavored beverage using hops or a hop product, and comprises step A of adding a food composition having lipase activity to hops or a hop product. The method for enhancing beverages of the present invention may further comprise any optional steps in addition to step A described above. Such optional steps include mixing the hop product of the present invention, which has undergone a lipase reaction with hops or a hop product in step A, with a raw material liquid, a heat sterilization step, and a filling step into a container.

[0054] According to the beverage enhancement method of the present invention, the concentration of geraniol and / or other terpene alcohols in a beer-flavored beverage can be increased by increasing the geraniol concentration of hops or hop products, and as a result, the floral aroma in the beer-flavored beverage can be enhanced. The "other terpene alcohols" mentioned above include one or more selected from the group consisting of linalool, citronellol, nerol, and terpineol. At least a portion of geraniol is converted into other terpene alcohols (e.g., linalool, citronellol, nerol, terpineol) by the action of yeast during the production of beer-flavored beverages. By increasing these other terpene alcohols (especially citronellol), not only the floral aroma but also the fruity aroma can be enhanced. The fruity aroma refers to an aroma reminiscent of citrus fruits such as orange, lemon, and lime.

[0055] The concentrations of geraniol, linalool, citronellol, nerol, and terpineol in a beverage can be measured, for example, by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) after the beverage has been appropriately diluted.

[0056] (Beverage with enhanced floral aroma) The beer-flavored beverage of the present invention has an enhanced floral aroma. In this specification, the beer-flavored beverage with enhanced floral aroma refers to a beer-flavored beverage with enhanced floral aroma compared to a beer-flavored beverage using hops or hop products that did not undergo a lipase reaction with a food composition having lipase activity (hereinafter also referred to as "control beverage in the present invention").

[0057] The degree of floral aroma in a beer-flavored beverage, and how that degree of aroma compares to the control beverage in the present invention (for example, whether the floral aroma is enhanced and to what extent), can be easily and clearly determined by a trained panel. The floral aroma of the control beverage may be used as a baseline, and the average of the evaluations of multiple panel members may be used.

[0058] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0059] [Test 1. Effects of adding a food composition containing lipase activity on the aroma components of hops] The following tests were conducted to investigate the effects of adding a food composition containing lipase activity on the aroma components of hops.

[0060] (Manufacturing of processed hop products) As a commercially available processed hop product, hops processed into Cascade variety (hereinafter, "CAS") type 90 pellets (hereinafter, "T-90") (hereinafter, "CAS-T90") were prepared. A hop slurry was prepared by adding 10 times the mass of water relative to the mass of CAS-T90. To this hop slurry, an enzyme preparation having lipase activity (Lipase AY "Amano" 30SD; manufactured by Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.) was added at a concentration of 250 U per 1 g of the aforementioned CAS-T90 mass (i.e., 1 g of CAS-T90 mass before water was added), and the slurry was held at 20°C for 24 hours to allow the lipase reaction to occur. The geraniol content concentration in the hop slurry (Example 1) was measured. A comparative example hop slurry (Comparative Example 1) was prepared in the same manner as above, except that the enzyme preparation having lipase activity was not added, and the geraniol content concentration was measured.

[0061] Furthermore, Example 2 and Comparative Example 2 were prepared using the same method as above, except that hops processed into Type 90 pellets of the Murakami Seven variety (hereinafter referred to as "JM7") (hereinafter referred to as "JM7-T90") were used instead of CAS-T90, and the geraniol content concentration of each was measured.

[0062] Furthermore, Example 3 and Comparative Example 3 were prepared using the same method as above, except that hops processed into type 90 pellets of the Magnum variety (hereinafter referred to as "HMG") (hereinafter referred to as "HMG-T90") were used instead of CAS-T90, and the geraniol content concentration of each was measured.

[0063] (Method for measuring geraniol content) The geraniol concentration (ppb) in each hop slurry of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 was measured by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

[0064] Table 1 shows the geraniol content concentrations in the hop slurries of Comparative Examples 1-3 and Examples 1-3.

[0065] (2. Sensory Evaluation Test) The degree of "enhancement of floral aroma" in the hop slurries of Examples 1 to 3 was evaluated by a panel of six trained experts. Specifically, "floral aroma" was evaluated based on scents reminiscent of roses and geraniums. The "enhancement of floral aroma" was evaluated on a 41-point scale in 0.1-point increments, ranging from 1.0 points (equivalent to the comparative example and not enhanced) to 5.0 points (significantly enhanced compared to the comparative example), using the degree of "floral aroma" of the hop slurry of the corresponding comparative example as the baseline. The difference in the degree of sensory evaluation for each 0.1-point difference was considered to be of a similar magnitude. For the evaluation results of the sensory evaluation test in each test example, the value obtained by rounding the average of the evaluation scores from each panel to the second decimal place was adopted. The standard deviation of the evaluation scores from each panel was 0.7 points or less in all test examples.

[0066] Table 1 shows the results of the sensory evaluation tests for the hop slurries of Examples 1 to 3.

[0067]

[0068] As can be seen from the results in Table 1, the addition of an enzyme preparation with lipase activity increased the geraniol concentration, and consequently enhanced the floral aroma. Furthermore, this effect was shown to be obtainable regardless of the hop variety used.

[0069] [Test 2. Influence of differences in hop processing conditions on the effects of the present invention] The following tests were conducted to investigate how differences in hop processing conditions affect the effects of the present invention.

[0070] (Manufacturing of processed hop products) Except that, instead of the pelletized hops used in Test 1, dried cone-type Cascade hops (hereinafter referred to as "CAS-Whole") or fresh cone-type Murakami Seven hops (hereinafter referred to as "JM7-Fresh") were used (Comparative Example 4, Example 4, Comparative Example 7, and Example 7), processed hop products were prepared in the same manner as in Test 1, and the geraniol content concentration was measured for each. In addition, instead of the pelletized hops used in Test 1, supercritical CO2 was used. ２Extracted Cascade hops (hereinafter referred to as "CAS-CO") ２ The amount of water added at that time is CAS-CO ２ The amount added was 400 times the mass of (Comparative Example 5, Example 5), and the amount of the enzyme preparation having lipase activity was CAS-CO ２ Hop products were prepared in the same manner as in Test 1, except that the amount added was 125 U per gram of mass (Example 5), and the geraniol content was measured. In addition, ethanol-extracted Cascade hops (hereinafter, "CAS-EtOH") were used instead of the pelletized hops in Test 1, and the amount of water added was 100 times the mass of CAS-EtOH (Comparative Example 6, Example 6), and the amount of enzyme preparation having lipase activity was added to 330 U per gram of mass of CAS-EtOH (Example 6), except that the hop products were prepared in the same manner as in Test 1, and the geraniol content was measured. These results are shown in Table 2.

[0071]

[0072] As can be seen from the results in Table 2, regardless of whether or not the hops were processed, or the state of processing, the addition of an enzyme preparation with lipase activity increased the geraniol concentration.

[0073] [Test 3. Influence of differences in the amount and type of lipase-active enzyme preparation on the effects of the present invention] The following tests were conducted to investigate how differences in the amount and type of lipase-active enzyme preparation added affect the effects of the present invention.

[0074] (Manufacturing of hop processed products) Except for changing the amount of lipase AY "Amano" 30SD added in Test 1 above, or for using lipase DF "Amano" 15 (manufactured by Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.), lipase MER "Amano" (manufactured by Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.), or lipase MHA "Amano" 10SD (manufactured by Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.) instead of lipase AY "Amano" 30SD, hop processed products were prepared in the same manner as in Test 1, and the geraniol content concentration of each was measured. These results are shown in Table 3.

[0075]

[0076] As can be seen from the results in Table 3, it was shown that the geraniol concentration increased even when the amount of lipase-active enzyme preparation added was, for example, 25 U / g (Example 9), the rate of increase in geraniol concentration increased depending on the amount of lipase-active enzyme preparation added (Examples 9, 8, and 1), and that the geraniol concentration increased by the addition of a lipase-active enzyme preparation regardless of the type of lipase-active enzyme preparation (Examples 1, 10-12).

[0077] [Test 4. Influence of differences in temperature and pH during the lipase reaction on the effects of the present invention] The following tests were conducted to investigate how differences in temperature and pH during the lipase reaction affect the effects of the present invention.

[0078] (Manufacturing of hop-processed products) A hop-processed product was prepared in the same manner as in Test 1, except that the temperature used to induce the lipase reaction was 40°C instead of 20°C, and the geraniol content was measured (Example 13). In addition, a hop-processed product was prepared in the same manner as in Test 1, except that the pH of the solution used to induce the lipase reaction was set to 7.0 by adding ammonium sulfate instead of 5.8, and the geraniol content was measured (Example 14). These results are shown in Table 4.

[0079]

[0080] As can be seen from the results in Table 4, it was shown that the geraniol concentration increased by adding an enzyme preparation with lipase activity, even when the temperature and pH of the solution used to induce the lipase reaction were different (Examples 13 and 14). Furthermore, although the rate of increase in geraniol concentration did not change much whether the pH of the solution used to induce the lipase reaction was 5.8 or 7.0 (Examples 1 and 14), the rate of increase in geraniol concentration was higher at 20°C than at 40°C (Examples 13 and 1), indicating that 20°C is preferable.

[0081] [Test 5. Influence of differences in the amount of water added when inducing the lipase reaction on the effects of the present invention] The following tests were conducted to investigate how differences in the amount of water added when inducing the lipase reaction affect the effects of the present invention.

[0082] (Manufacturing of hop processed products) Hop processed products were prepared in the same manner as in Test 1, except that the amount of water added was changed or no water was added, and the geraniol content was measured for each. In Comparative Example 10 and Example 15, since no water was added, the geraniol concentration was measured as the geraniol concentration per gram of hops. These results are shown in Tables 5 and 6.

[0083]

[0084]

[0085] As can be seen from the results in Tables 5 and 6, it was shown that the addition of a lipase-active enzyme preparation to hops or hop products increased the geraniol concentration, regardless of whether or not water was added or the amount of water added. Furthermore, it was shown that it is preferable to add water in an amount of, for example, 2.5 times or more the mass of the hops or hop products.

[0086] [Test 6. Application of hop processed product that has undergone lipase reaction to beer-flavored beverages] Hop processed product that has undergone lipase reaction and whose geraniol concentration has increased was used in the manufacture of beer-flavored beverages, and the following tests were conducted to confirm its flavor and other properties.

[0087] (Manufacturing of beer-flavored beverages) The hop slurry of Comparative Example 1 or Example 1 in Test 1 above was added to 30 times the mass of all-malt wort, then bottom-fermenting yeast was added, and the mixture was fermented at 12°C for one week. The supernatant was collected by centrifugation to obtain each beer-flavored beverage (Comparative Example 14, Example 19). The wort was made using 100% pilsner malt, saccharified at 65°C for 60 minutes, filtered, and boiled to obtain the wort. Hops were not used in the production of the wort, and only the aforementioned hop slurry was used as hops in the production of the beer-flavored beverages.

[0088] The geraniol concentration (ppb) of each beer-flavored beverage, as well as the concentrations (ppb) of other terpene alcohols—linalool, terpineol, citronellol, and nerol—were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

[0089] (2. Sensory Evaluation Test) The degree of "enhancement of floral aroma" in the beer-flavored beverages of Comparative Example 14 and Example 19 was evaluated by a panel of five trained experts. Specifically, "floral aroma" was evaluated based on scents reminiscent of roses and geraniums. The "enhancement of floral aroma" was evaluated on a 41-point scale in 0.1-point increments, ranging from 1.0 points (equivalent to the comparative example and not enhanced) to 5.0 points (significantly enhanced compared to the comparative example), using the degree of floral aroma of the beer-flavored beverage of Comparative Example 14 as the baseline. The difference in sensory level between each 0.1-point difference was considered to be approximately the same. For the evaluation results of the sensory evaluation test in each test example, the value obtained by rounding the average of the evaluation scores from each panel to the second decimal place was adopted. The standard deviation of the evaluation scores from each panel was 0.4 points.

[0090] Table 7 shows the individual concentrations of geraniol, linalool, terpineol, citronellol, and nerol in the beer-flavored beverages of Comparative Example 14 and Example 19, as well as their total concentrations, the percentage increase in geraniol and total concentration in Example 19 compared to Comparative Example 14, and the results of the sensory evaluation test.

[0091]

[0092] As can be seen from the results in Table 7, the beer-flavored beverage using a hop product in which a lipase reaction was induced with an enzyme preparation having lipase activity (Example 19) showed an actual increase in the concentration of geraniol and other compounds, as well as an actual enhancement of the floral aroma, compared to the beer-flavored beverage using a hop product in which a lipase reaction was not induced with an enzyme preparation having lipase activity (Comparative Example 14). Furthermore, it was confirmed that the beer-flavored beverage of Example 19 had an enhanced fruity aroma due to an increase in terpene alcohols, particularly citronellol, compared to the beer-flavored beverage of Comparative Example 14.

[0093] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for producing a hop product with increased geraniol concentration, a hop product produced by the method, a method for enhancing the floral aroma in hops or a hop product, a method for producing a beer-flavored beverage with enhanced floral aroma, a beer-flavored beverage produced by the method, and a method for enhancing the floral aroma in a beer-flavored beverage.

Claims

1. A method for producing a hop product with increased geraniol content, comprising step A of adding a food composition having lipase activity to hops or a hop product.

2. The method for producing a hop product according to claim 1, wherein in step A, a food composition having lipase activity is added such that the lipase activity value per gram of hops and / or hop product is 1 U or more.

3. The method for producing a hop product according to claim 1, wherein the rate of increase in geraniol content is 5% or more.

4. A hop product manufactured by the method for manufacturing a hop product described in any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A method for enhancing the floral aroma in hops or hop products, comprising step A of adding a food composition having lipase activity to hops or hop products.

6. A method for producing a beer-flavored beverage using hops or a hop product, comprising step A of adding a food composition having lipase activity to hops or a hop product.

7. The method for producing a beer-flavored beverage according to claim 6, wherein in step A, a food composition having lipase activity is added such that the lipase activity value per gram of hops and / or hop processed product is 1 U or more.

8. A beer-flavored beverage produced by the method for producing a beer-flavored beverage according to claim 6 or 7.

9. A method for enhancing the floral aroma in a beer-flavored beverage using hops or a hop product, comprising step A of adding a food composition having lipase activity to hops or a hop product.

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