AU2020435783A1 - Beverage containing caffeine and sweet component - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention suppresses caffeine-caused reduction in sweetness in a beverage in which a sweet component and caffeine are blended. In the present invention, 4 to 40 mg/100 ml of γ-aminobutyric acid is blended in a beverage containing a sweet component and 3 to 45 mg/100ml of caffeine. The beverage has a pH of 2.0 to 5.5.

Description

DESCRIPTION BEVERAGE CONTAINING CAFFEINE AND SWEET COMPONENT TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage containing caffeine and a sweetness

component. More particularly, the present invention relates to a beverage in which

y-aminobutyric acid is blended, and reduction of sweetness caused by caffeine is suppressed.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Caffeine is known as a physiologically active substance for improvement in lipid

energy metabolism and motor function, stimulant effect, etc. The effect of caffeine to

stimulate brain (stimulant effect) releases dopamine that is a neurotransmitter, and therefore,

it is thought that it is advantageous to take caffeine to increase working efficiency or

concentration during work at an office or the like, and a large number of beverages

containing a relatively large amount of caffeine have been developed.

[0003] In the beverages containing a relatively large amount of caffeine, bitterness due to

the presence of caffeine sometimes becomes apparent and impairs drinkability of the

beverages. Then, various methods for reducing bitterness of caffeine have been proposed.

For example, there are a method in which acyclic dextrin with DE of 2 or more and 6 or less

derived from potato is added to mask a bad taste caused by a functional material such as

caffeine (Patent Literature 1), and a method in which y-aminobutyric acid (GABA) or a salt

thereof is added to reduce a bad taste such as bitterness of a caffeine solution (Patent

Literature 2).

[0004] In recent years, it has been reported that an adenosine receptor is present on taste

buds in a tongue; that, if adenosine is bonded to the adenosine receptor in a tongue,

sensitivity to sweetness is reduced; and that, when caffeine that is antagonistic to adenosine is

taken, sensitivity to sweetness is specifically reduced (Non Patent Literature 1).

[0005] On the other hand, it has been reported that 3-hydroxybenzoic acid (3-HB) and the

like can be used as sweetness enhancers for beverages (Patent Literature 3). Moreover, a

method for enhancing sweetness of a high-sweetness sweetener for food and drink by adding

0.1 to 10000 ppb ofy-aminobutyric acid and 0.01 to 10000 ppb of naringenin (Patent

Literature 4) has been reported.

CITATION LIST PATENT LITERATURE

[0006] PTL 1: JP 2015-128420 A

PTL 2: US 2010/0331349

PTL 3: JP 2008-539805 A

PTL 4: W02013/8875

NON PATENT LITERATURE

[0007] NPL 1: Choo E, Picket B, Dando R. (2017), Caffeine May Reduce Perceived Sweet

Taste in Humans, Supporting Evidence That Adenosine Receptors Modulate Taste. J. Food

Sci. 23 Aug 2017.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION TECHNICAL PROBLEM

[0008] As described above, a method for reducing bitterness of caffeine, a sweetness

enhancer for a beverage, a method for enhancing sweetness of a high-sweetness sweetener,

etc. have been disclosed, but a method for effectively suppressing reduction of sweetness of a

beverage caused by adding caffeine to the beverage is unknown.

[0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide a beverage containing a sweetness

component and caffeine, wherein reduction of sweetness caused by caffeine is suppressed.

SOLUTION TO PROBLEM

[0010] In order to solve the above problem, the present inventors have earnestly studied, and as a result, they have found that, in a beverage in which a sweetness component and a specific amount of caffeine have been blended, reduction of sweetness caused by caffeine can be suppressed by using a specific amount ofy-aminobutyric acid together with caffeine at pH in a range of 2.0 to 5.5, and they have completed the present invention.

[0011] The present invention includes, but not limited to, the following embodiments.

[1] A beverage comprising components (A), (B) and (C) below:

(A) a sweetness component,

(B) caffeine, and

(C) y-aminobutyric acid, wherein

a content of component (B) in the beverage is 3 to 45 mg/100 ml,

a content of component (C) in the beverage is 4 to 40 mg/100 ml, and

pH of the beverage is 2.0 to 5.5.

[2] The beverage according to [1], wherein a mass ratio of component (C) to component (B),

[(C)/(B)], is 0.20 to 4.00.

[3] The beverage according to [1] or [2], having a degree of sweetness of 5 to 15.

[4] The beverage according to any one of [1] to [3], comprising one or more selected from

sucrose, sucralose, or acesulfame potassium, as component (A),.

EFFECTS OF INVENTION

[0012] According to the present invention, it becomes possible to provide a beverage in

which reduction of sweetness caused by caffeine is suppressed without increasing the amount

of a sweetness component used.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0013] In an embodiment, the present invention is a beverage containing (A) a sweetness

component, (B) 3 to 45 mg/100 ml of caffeine, and (C) 4 to 40 mg/100 mlof -aminobutyric

acid, and having pH of 2.0 to 5.5.

[0014] (Component (A): sweetness component)

The beverage of the present invention contains a sweetness component as

component (A). In the present invention, the "sweetness component" refers to a substance

whose sweetness can be felt. Examples of the sweetness components include

monosaccharides, such as fructose and glucose; disaccharides, such as sucrose, lactose and

maltose; maltooligosaccharides of tri- or higher saccharides; sugar alcohols, such as xylitol,

maltitol and sorbitol; and high-sweetness sweeteners, such as stevia extract, acesulfame

potassium, sucralose, aspartame and saccharin.

[0015] The beverage of the present invention preferably has a degree of sweetness of 5 to

, more preferably 6 to 14, and still more preferably 7 to 13, from the viewpoint of

conspicuousness of desired effects of the present invention. The degree of sweetness in the

present specification is an indication that indicates sweetness of a beverage when sweetness

of a beverage containing 1 g of sucrose in 100 g of the beverage is set to "sweetness 1". The

degree of sweetness of the beverage is determined by converting the content of each

sweetness component to an amount equivalent to sucrose based on a relative ratio of

sweetness of the sweetness component to "sweetness 1" of sucrose and then summing up the

sucrose sweetness conversion amounts of all the sweetness components (including sweetness

components derived from fruit juice, extracts, etc.) contained in the beverage. In Table 1,

relative ratios of sweetness of various typical sweetness components to "sweetness 1" of

sucrose are shown. Regarding a sweetness component that is not described in Table 1,

evaluation can be carried out by using a degree of sweetness presented by a manufacturer that

manufactures or sells the sweetness component, or by setting the solution temperature to

37C that is near the body temperature in accordance with "Kanmido Sokutei Hoho (in

Japanese)" (Method for Measuring Degree of Sweetness) described on page 62 of "Inryo

Yogo Jiten (in Japanese)" (Dictionary of Beverage Terms) (Beverage Japan, Inc., issued in

June 1999).

[0016] [Table 1]

Compound (sweetness component) Degree of sweetness Glucose 0.6 Fructose 1.2 Sucrose 1 Maltose 0.4 Lactose 0.15 Trehalose 0.4 Sorbitol 0.6 Mannitol 0.6 Maltitol 0.8 Xylitol 0.6 Reduced palatinose 0.45 Erythritol 0.8 Lactitol 0.8 Aspartame 100 Acesulfame potassium 200 Sucralose 600 Stevia 100

[0017] The degree of sweetness of a beverage can be adjusted by using a sweetness

component. The above-described sweetness component may be directly added to a

beverage, or a raw material containing a sweetness component, such as fruit juice or an

extract, may be added thereto. From the viewpoint of conspicuousness of the effects, preferred sweetness components for the beverage of the present invention are

monosaccharides, disaccharides and high-sweetness sweeteners, and more preferred

sweetness components include one or more selected from sucrose, acesulfame potassium, or

sucralose.

[0018] (Component (B): caffeine)

The beverage according to the present invention contains caffeine as component (B).

The present invention solves the problem of sweetness reduction that becomes apparent in

soft drinks in which a large amount of caffeine is added as a food additive (bittering agent).

Therefore, caffeine used in the present invention is preferably a commercially available

reagent or pure product (purified product with caffeine content of 98% or more). In

beverages in which caffeine is blended in the form of an extract of a plant containing caffeine

(coffee beans, tea leaves, or the like) or a concentrate of the extract; that is, in tea beverages

or coffee beverages, the problem of the present invention does not become apparent, so that they are not preferred embodiments of the beverage of the present invention or caffeine.

Preferably, the beverages of the present invention do not include an extract of coffee beans

containing caffeine and an extract of tea leaves containing caffeine. The caffeine may be a

hydrate or an anhydride.

[0019] The content of caffeine in the beverage of the present invention is 3 mg/100 ml of

more, and preferably 4 mg/100 ml or more. Ina beverage containing a sweetness

component and containing about 3 mg/100 ml of caffeine, the problem of sweetness

reduction becomes apparent. From the viewpoints of the problem and the effects of the

present invention, there is no upper limit of the caffeine content, but if the caffeine content is

too high, bitterness derived from caffeine becomes too intense, and the sweetness suppressive

effect of the present invention is less likely to be perceived. From the viewpoint of

conspicuousness of the effects, the caffeine content is preferably 45 mg/100 ml or less, more

preferably 40 mg/100 ml or less, still more preferably 35 mg/100 ml or less, particularly

preferably 30 mg/100 ml or less, and more particularly preferably 25 mg/100 ml or less.

When caffeine is a hydrate, the content of caffeine is converted as that of anhydrous caffeine.

The content of caffeine can be measured and determined by a method using high

performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In the measurement, appropriate processing

may be carried out as needed, for example, a sample is freeze-dried, or impurities in a sample

are removed, in order to adapt the sample to the detection area of the apparatus, or to adapt

the sample to the separation ability of the apparatus.

[0020] (Component (C): y-aminobutyric acid)

The beverage according to the present invention contains y-aminobutyric acid as

component (C). The y-aminobutyric acid used in the present invention is a type of amino

acid widely contained in vegetables, fruits, grains, fermented food, etc. The y-aminobutyric

acid used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and for example, y-aminobutyric

acid extracted from vegetables, fruits, grains, etc., y-aminobutyric acid produced from

fermented food, y-aminobutyric acid produced through organic synthesis, or the like can be

used. As the y-aminobutyric acid, a commercial product (Oryza GABA Extract

HC90 (trade name), manufactured by ORYZA OIL & FAT CHEMICAL CO., LTD.) may be

used.

[0021] The content of the y-aminobutyric acid in the beverage of the present invention is

4to40mg/100ml,andpreferably5to30mg/100ml. When the content of the

y-aminobutyric acid is less than 4 mg/100 ml, reduction of sweetness caused by caffeine cannot be sufficiently suppressed. When the content of they-aminobutyric acid exceeds

mg/100 ml, an odd taste due to they-aminobutyric acid sometimes affects the flavor of the

beverage. The content of the y-aminobutyric acid can be measured using an amino acid

analyzer.

[0022] The present invention suppresses reduction of sweetness caused by the addition of

caffeine of component (B) by virtue ofy-aminobutyric acid of component (C). From the

viewpoint of the desired effects of the present invention, a mass ratio of component (C) to

component (B), [(C)/(B)], is preferably 0.20 or more, more preferably 0.30 or more, and still

more preferably 0.40 or more. From the viewpoint of flavor of the beverage, a mass ratio of

component (C) to component (B), [(C)/(B)], is preferably 4.00 or less, more preferably

3.50 or less, and still more preferably 3.00 or less. The range of the mass ratio [(C)/(B)] is

preferably 0.20 to 4.00, more preferably 0.30 to 3.50, and still more preferably 0.40 to 3.00.

[0023] (Component (D): sourness component)

The beverage of the present invention has pH (20°C) of 2.0 to 5.5. In a beverage

having pH in this range, the problem of sweetness reduction caused by caffeine becomes

more apparent. From the viewpoint of the extent of the problem, pH is preferably 2.1 or

more, more preferably 2.3 or more, still more preferably 2.5 or more, and is preferably 5.0 or

less, more preferably 4.7 or less, still more preferably 4.3 or less, particularly preferably

4.0 or less. The range of the pH is preferably 2.1 to 5.0, more preferably 2.3 to 4.7, still

more preferably 2.5 to 4.3, and particularly preferably 2.5 to 4.0. The pH is determined by

weighing 100 ml of the beverage into a 300 mL beaker, performing decarboxylation in the

case of a carbonated beverage, then performing temperature control to 20°C, and measuring

pH with a pH meter.

[0024] pH of the beverage can be adjusted by a sourness component of component (D).

Therefore, the beverage of the present invention may contain a sourness component. Here,

the "sourness component" in the present specification refers to a substance whose pH is

acidic and whose sourness can be felt. As the sourness component, a raw material

containing a sourness component, such as fruit juice or an extract, may be used, but from the

viewpoint of ease of pH control, an acidulant is preferably used. The acidulant may be an

organic acid, or an inorganic acid, or a salt thereof, and is not particularly restricted as long as

it can be used for beverages. Examples of the organic acids include citric acid, gluconic

acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, ascorbic acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, fumaric acid, adipic

acid, phytic acid and fumaric acid; examples of the inorganic acids include phosphoric acid;

and examples of the salts include salts of alkali metals such as potassium and sodium.

Above all, one or more selected from citric acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid, lactic acid,

malic acid, tartaric acid, phosphoric acid, or salts of these are preferably used from the

viewpoint of flavor.

[0025] The problem of the present invention that becomes apparent at pH of 2.0 to 5.5 also

relates to an acidity of the beverage, and it is thought that the problem becomes apparent in a

beverage having an acidity of a certain value or more. Therefore, the acidity of the

beverage of the present invention is preferably 0.005% by mass or more, more preferably

0.01% by mass or more, still more preferably 0.03% by mass or more, and particularly

preferably 0.05% by mass or more. In a beverage having a too high acidity, the sweetness

reduction suppressive action of the y-aminobutyric acid in the present invention cannot be

sufficiently exhibited in some cases, so that the acidity of the beverage of the present

invention is preferably 2% by mass or less, more preferably 1.5% by mass or less, still more

preferably 0.8% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 0.3% by mass or less. Here, the

"acidity" in the present specification is a value obtained by performing titration with sodium

hydroxide using a phenolphthalein indicator and converting each concentration of all the

acids contained in the beverage (beverage having been decarboxylated in the case of a

carbonated beverage) to an amount equivalent to citric acid.

[0026] (Component (E): flavoring)

It is generally known that when a beverage is a beverage containing a

high-sweetness sweetener and having a low soluble solid content (Bx), the beverage has a

watery taste. Although the mechanism is not clear, the beverage of the present invention

containing y-aminobutyric acid and caffeine has an effect of enhancing a flavor of a low-Bx

beverage. Therefore, it is preferable to incorporate a flavoring of component (E) into the

beverage of the present invention. Especially when the beverage of the present invention

contains a high-sweetness sweetener as the sweetness component and has relatively low Bx,

specifically, Bx of 10 or less, preferably 8 or less, more preferably 6 or less, still more

preferably 5 or less, particularly preferably 4 or less, an embodiment containing a flavoring is

an example of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] As the flavoring, any of a natural flavoring, a synthetic flavoring and a mixture

thereof can be used. Examples include fruit flavorings (orange flavoring, lemon flavoring,

lime flavoring, grapefruit flavoring, apple flavoring, grape flavoring, raspberry flavoring,

cranberry flavoring, cherry flavoring, pineapple flavoring, etc.), mint flavorings (peppermint,

spearmint, Japanese mint, etc.), spicy flavorings (asafoetida favoring, ajowan flavoring, anise

flavoring, angelica flavoring, fennel flavoring, allspice flavoring, cinnamon flavoring,

chamomile flavoring, mustard flavoring, cardamon flavoring, caraway flavoring, cumin

flavoring, clove flavoring, pepper flavoring, coriander flavoring, sassafras flavoring, savory

flavoring, Japanese pepper flavoring, perilla flavoring, juniper berry flavoring, ginger

flavoring, star anise flavoring, horseradish flavoring, thyme flavoring, tarragon flavoring, dill

flavoring, chili pepper flavoring, nutmeg flavoring, basil flavoring, marjoram flavoring,

rosemary flavoring, bay leaf flavoring, Wasabi flavoring, etc.), nut flavorings (almond

flavoring, chestnut flavoring, peanut flavoring, etc.), alcohol flavorings (wine flavoring,

whiskey flavoring, brandy flavoring, rum flavoring, etc.), tea flavorings (green tea, oolong

tea, black tea, jasmine tea, etc.), milk flavorings (milk, yogurt, etc.), vanilla flavoring, and

vegetable flavoring. One or more of the flavorings can be contained.

[0028] The content of the flavoring in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly restricted, but is preferably 0.01 to 0.5% by mass, more preferably 0.03 to 0.4% by mass, and particularly preferably 0.05 to 0.3% by mass.

[0029] (Other components)

When proteins such as a milk component are contained in the beverage, the problem

of the present invention is less likely to become apparent. Accordingly, a beverage

containing a milk component is excluded from preferred embodiments of the present

invention. Here, the milk component refers to milkfat, whole milk, skim milk, or the like,

and examples include condensed milk, powdered skim milk, whey protein, butter and cheese.

Specifically, an example of the preferred beverage of the present invention is a beverage in

which the amount of protein per 100 ml of the beverage is 0.5 g or less, preferably 0.4 g or

less, and more preferably 0.3 g or less.

[0030] In addition to the above components, one or more of additives, such as carbonic acid,

a vitamin, a mineral, an antioxidant, a foam stabilizer, an ester, a dye, an emulsifier, a

preservative, a seasoning agent, fruit juice, vegetable juice and a quality stabilizer, can be

contained in the beverage of the present invention, as long as the intended object is not

impaired.

[0031] (Container packing)

The beverage of the present invention may be a container-packed beverage in a form

such that the beverage is packed in a general-purpose container, followed by closing the

container, and the container is opened when drinking.

EXAMPLES

[0032] Hereinafter, details of the present invention will be specifically described with

reference to examples, but the present invention is in no way limited thereto. In the present

specification, a numerical value range is described to include its endpoints unless otherwise

stated.

[0033] Experiment 1: reduction of sweetness caused by caffeine (1)

Using 15% by mass of a high-fructose corn syrup (Bx 75), 0.12% by mass of citric acid and 0.03 by mass of trisodium citrate, an aqueous solution having pH of 2.7, a degree of sweetness of 10.8 and Bx of 11 was prepared. To this, caffeine (purity: 99% or more) was added at a concentration of I to 45 mg/100 ml. To 5 panelists, the pair of a caffeine-free beverage and a caffeine-added beverage was presented. The panelists evaluated which beverage in the presented pair was felt to have more intense sweetness through a two-point discrimination test. This two-point discrimination test was repeated twice by changing the date. The results for a total of 10 times by the 5 panelists are shown in Table 2. In the beverage containing caffeine at a concentration of 4 mg/100 ml or more, sweetness was reduced by the addition of caffeine.

[0034] [Table 2] Caffeine content (mg/100 ml) The numbers who point out caffeine-free beverage as Caffeine-free beverage Caffeine-added beverage having more intense sweetness 0 1 4/10 0 2 3/10 0 3 5/10 0 4 7/10 0 5 9/10 0 10 10/10 0 15 10/10 0 20 10/10 0 25 10/10 0 30 10/10 0 35 10/10 0 40 10/10 0 45 10/10

[0035] Experiment 2: reduction of sweetness caused by caffeine (2)

An aqueous solution having pH of 2.7, a degree of sweetness of 10 and Bx of

2.1 was prepared by changing the high-fructose corn syrup that was a sweetness component

of Experiment I to 2% by mass of sucrose, 0.028% by mass of acesulfame potassium and

0.004% by mass of sucralose. To this, caffeine in an amount shown in Table 3 was added in

the same manner as in Experiment 1, and the intensity of sweetness was evaluated in the same manner as in Experiment 1. The results are shown in Table 3. In the beverage using sucrose, acesulfame potassium and sucralose, reduction of sweetness caused by caffeine was more conspicuously perceived than that in the beverage of Experiment 1 using the high-fructose corn syrup and having Bx of 75.

[0036] [Table 3] Caffeine content (mg/100 ml) The numbers who point out caffeine-free beverage as having Caffeine-freebeverage Caffeine-addedbeverage more intense sweetness 0 1 5/10 0 2 4/10 0 3 5/10 0 4 9/10 0 5 10/10 0 10 10/10 0 25 10/10 0 40 10/10

[0037] Experiment 3: sweetness reduction suppressive action of y-aminobutyric acid

In each of the beverages of Experiment 2 in which caffeine had been added in an

amount of 5 mg/100 ml, 25 mg/100 ml and 40 mg/100 ml and sweetness had been reduced,

0.1% by mass of lemon flavoring was further blended. To each of the lemon flavor

beverages, y-aminobutyric acid in an amount shown in Table 4 was added. Regarding the

lemon flavor beverages containing various amounts of caffeine and y-aminobutyric acid,

professional panelists evaluated the intensity of sweetness when the caffeine-free beverage

of Experiment 2 was used as a control. The evaluation was carried out by counting the

number of panelists who evaluated that the sweetness was similar to that of the control.

[0038] The results are shown in Table 4. It was proved that sweetness was reduced by

adding caffeine, but by incorporating 4 mg/100 ml or moreof -aminobutyric acid, reduction

of sweetness was able to be suppressed. In the beverage containing 40 mg/100 ml of

y-aminobutyric acid, sweetness was less likely to be perceived owing to the flavor of the

y-aminobutyric acid itself, and therefore, it was suggested that the upper limit of the

y-aminobutyric acid was about 40 mg/100 ml. Moreover, when the ratio ofy-aminobutyric acid to caffeine was 0.20 or more, the sweetness reduction suppressive action was more conspicuous.

[0039] All the panelists evaluated that the lemon flavor beverage of control (3-1) was a

beverage in which the lemon flavoring was not felt well and which was watery, but in the

beverage of the present invention in which a specific amount of caffeine and -aminobutyric

acid coexisted, lemon flavor was intensely felt as compared with that of the control, and this

beverage was a highly palatable beverage.

[0040] [Table 4] 3-1 3-2 3-3 3-4 3-5 3-6 3-7 3-8 (control) (B) Caffeine content 0 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 (mg/100 ml) (C) y- Aminobutyric acid 0 2 3 4 5 10 20 40 content (mg/100 ml) (C)/(B) - 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 2 4 8 Organoleptic evaluation result - 0 0 4 5 5 5 4 (sweetness)

3-9 3-10 3-11 3-12 3-13 3-14 3-15 3-16 (B) Caffeine content 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 (mg/100 ml) (C) y-Aminobutyric acid 2 3 4 5 10 20 40 45 content (mg/100 ml) (C)/(B) 0.08 0.12 0.16 0.2 0.4 0.8 1.6 1.8 Organoleptic evaluation result 0 0 3 4 5 5 4 3 (sweetness)

3-17 3-18 3-19 3-20 3-21 3-22 3-23 3-24 (B) Caffeine content 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 (mg/100 ml) (C) y-Aminobutyric acid 2 3 4 5 10 20 40 45 content (mg/100 ml) (C)/(B) 0.05 0.075 0.1 0.125 0.25 0.5 1 1.125 Organoleptic evaluation result 0 0 3 3 4 5 4 3 (sweetness)

Claims (4)

1. A beverage comprising components (A), (B) and (C) below:

(A) a sweetness component,

(B) caffeine, and

(C) y-aminobutyric acid, wherein

a content of component (B) in the beverage is 3 to 45 mg/100 ml,

a content of component (C) in the beverage is 4 to 40 mg/100 ml, and

pH of the beverage is 2.0 to 5.5.

2. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein a mass ratio of component (C) to

component (B), [(C)/(B)], is 0.20 to 4.00.

3. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, having a degree of sweetness of 5 to 15.

4. The beverage according to any one of claims I to 3, comprising one or more

selected from sucrose, sucralose, or acesulfame potassium, as component (A).