Carbonated Beverage Bitterness Suppression via Carbonic Acid
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverages with high concentrations of non-polymer catechins often suffer from bitterness and astringency issues, which can be exacerbated by the use of cyclodextrin, and require additional sweeteners to mask these flavors without significantly reducing catechin content over time.
Innovation Solution
A packaged effervescent beverage formulation with a specific ratio of non-polymer catechins, sweeteners like erythritol and fruit sugars, controlled carbon dioxide gas volume, and pH levels, along with caffeine and gallate percentages, to minimize bitterness and maintain catechin content during storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If cyclodextrin is added to reduce bitterness, then bitterness is suppressed, but the original taste of the beverage is impaired and a large amount is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses carbon dioxide gas as an intermediary substance to suppress bitterness instead of cyclodextrin. The carbon dioxide forms carbonic acid in the beverage, which masks the bitter taste through acidification without introducing the unwanted intrinsic taste of cyclodextrin. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by finding an alternative substance that achieves the same goal without the harmful side effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameter of the beverage by introducing carbon dioxide gas, which dissolves to form carbonic acid and lowers the pH. This parameter change (acidification) effectively suppresses the perception of bitterness through taste interaction, avoiding the need to use cyclodextrin and its associated taste problems.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If artificial sweetener is incorporated to mask bitterness, then sweetness is added, but bitterness suppression is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite system combining carbon dioxide gas with specific sweeteners (erythritol and/or fruit sugar) to achieve effective bitterness suppression. The carbon dioxide provides acidification that masks bitterness, while the sweeteners provide sweetness to further counterbalance any remaining bitter notes. This composite approach is more effective than using artificial sweeteners alone.
3Reliability
If heat sterilization treatment is carried out, then beverage is sterilized, but bitterness is left behind requiring more cyclodextrin
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies carbon dioxide gas treatment to the beverage before or after heat sterilization to suppress the bitterness that results from the sterilization process. By introducing the carbon dioxide-based bitterness suppression mechanism, the patent compensates for the harmful effect (bitterness) generated by the necessary sterilization process, allowing heat sterilization to be performed without leaving unacceptable bitterness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reduces bitterness while preserving the original taste and maintaining catechin levels, ensuring a refreshing and stable beverage experience over time.
Implementation Method 1
C) a carbon dioxide gas, whose gas volume ranges from more than 0.5 vol.% to 4.0 vol.%
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a packaged effervescent beverage having a high concentration of catechins, having both reduced bitterness and adequate sweetness, and not undergoing a substantial reduction in the catechin content even after long storage albeit containing a sweetener. The packaged effervescent beverage having a purified product of tea extract added thereto, comprising: (A) from 0.08 to 0.5 mass% of non-polymer catechins, (B) from 0.0001 to 20 mass% of a sweetener, and (C) a carbon dioxide gas, whose gas volume ranges from 0.5 vol.% to 4.0 vol.%, wherein: (D) a non-epicatechin percentage in the non-polymer catechins is from 5 to 25 mass%, a percentage of (E) gallates in (A) the non-polymer catechins ([(E)/(A)] × 100) is from 5 to 55 mass%, (F) the beverage has a pH of from 2.5 to 5.1; and a mass ratio of (G) caffeine to (A) the non-polymer catechins [(G)/(A)] is from 0.0001 to 0.16.