JP2000333653A - Acidic beverage - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an acidic beverage without fear of deterioration caused by microorganisms such as heat resistant acidophilic bacteria and the like. SOLUTION: This acidic beverage is made to contain a polyglycerol fatty acid ester composition having >=45 deg.C cloud point measured in an 8% Na2SO4 aqueous solution at 1 wt.% concentration and comprising a 14C saturated fatty acid as a constituent fatty acid.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an acidic beverage. In particular, the present invention relates to a transparent or translucent acidic beverage such as near water which is not likely to be degraded by microorganisms such as heat-resistant acidophilic bacteria. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is applied to acidic beverages stored or distributed in a metal can such as aluminum or steel, in a bottle such as glass or ceramics, or in various containers such as paper or synthetic resin.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in the field of soft drinks, transparent or translucent acidic drinks called near water (aqueous drinks) have been commercialized and the market has been expanding. These beverages are sold as functional beverages containing fruit juices, flavors, functional materials, etc., sports beverages, and nutritional supplement beverages, and their liquidity is mostly in the acidic range of pH = 2.0 to 4.5. is there. It is considered that ordinary microorganisms are unlikely to grow in such an acidic region, and pasteur sterilization (heat sterilization at about 90 ° C.) has conventionally been sufficient.

[0003] However, there are eosinophilic bacteria that grow in the acidic region, and among these eosinophilic bacteria, there is a bacterial species called heat-resistant eosinophilic bacteria that are difficult to be killed even by applying high heat.
It has recently become clear that conventional pastoral sterilization may survive. In fact, it has been reported that heat-resistant acidophilic bacteria were isolated as a causative bacterium from deteriorated products of acidic beverages such as fruit juice (K. Yamazaki et al; Biosci. Biotech. Bioc.
hem., 60 (3), 543-545, (1996)).

As a method for controlling deterioration of acidic beverages caused by these heat-resistant acidophilic bacteria, a method of performing heat sterilization sufficient to kill microorganisms in the beverage can be considered, but deterioration of flavor and loss of nutritional value are considered. This is not a preferred method because of its large size.
Also, when beverages are subjected to severe heat sterilization,
When filling ET bottles and paper containers with sterilized beverages, microorganisms that remain without dying during container sterilization and filling
Microorganisms introduced during the sealing process can degrade the product. Therefore, in the past, a method of increasing the preservability by incorporating a synthetic or natural preservative into a beverage has been adopted. However, in recent years when the preservative tends to be avoided, it is difficult to use the preservative in the food industry. was there.

[0005]

On the other hand, there is known a method for preventing deterioration of a beverage by utilizing the antibacterial property of a food emulsifier. It has been reported that sucrose monofatty acid esters of lauric acid or palmitic acid and pentaglycerin dicaprate are effective as emulsifiers having an antibacterial effect against heat-resistant acidophilic bacteria (K. Yamazki et al.
al; Journal of Japan Society for Food Science and Technology., 44 (12), 905-911, (199
7)), these emulsifiers have a problem in long-term transparency storage in acidic aqueous solutions, and are not suitable for use in transparent or translucent acidic beverages because they cause turbidity or precipitation during storage. was there.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems Accordingly, the present inventors have:
After intensive studies to solve the above problems, the acidic aqueous solution containing the specific polyglycene fatty acid ester composition maintained transparency without causing turbidity or precipitation for a long time, and The present inventors have found that the growth of thermostable acidophilic bacteria can be inhibited by glycerin fatty acid ester, and reached the present invention.

That is, the gist of the present invention is that 8% Na 2 S
The acidic beverage has a cloud point measured at a concentration of 1% by weight in an O4 aqueous solution of 45 ° C. or higher and contains a polyglycerin fatty acid ester composition in which the constituent fatty acid is a saturated fatty acid having 14 carbon atoms. A second gist of the present invention resides in the acidic beverage, wherein the acidic beverage has a transmittance of 10% or more (when measured at a measurement wavelength of 620 nm).

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail. The acidic beverage of the present invention has a cloud point measured at a concentration of 1% by weight in an aqueous 8% Na ₂ SO ₄ solution of 45 ° C. or higher, and contains a polyglycerin fatty acid ester composition in which the constituent fatty acid is a saturated fatty acid having 14 carbon atoms. I do.

The polyglycerin myristic acid ester composition is a mixture of an ester obtained by reacting polyglycerin and a fatty acid and an unreacted polyglycerin. The characteristics of the mixture include the degree of polymerization of the polyglycerin, the esterification rate of the fatty acid ( It is determined by the amount of unreacted polyglycerin) and the breakdown ratio of esterification (the ratio of mono-, di-, and tri-forms), but it is extremely difficult to specify all these requirements. Also, this property cannot be defined only by the HLB used to define the properties of the surfactant. In the present invention, identification is performed at a "cloud point" proposed as a new regulation method in recent years.

The "cloud point" is a phenomenon in which a hydrated nonionic surfactant is dehydrated at a high temperature and separated from water, and is well known among polyoxyethylene-based surfactants. ing. The cloud point is sensitive to the structural composition of the polyglycerin fatty acid ester and reflects the effect of the fatty acid soap, so that the difference in the degree of hydrophilicity and the composition can be distinguished more precisely. Furthermore, since it can be easily measured, it is the most excellent physical property typified by the characteristic of polyglycerin fatty acid ester. Therefore, in polyglycerol fatty acid esters, the cloud point is a more useful index than HLB (balance between hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity). Since polyglycerin has a large number of hydroxyl groups, its cloud point is generally higher than that of polyoxyethylene surfactants, and many of them exceed the boiling point of water. It can be easily measured by using the compound (see JP-A-9-157386). Usually, the stronger the hydrophilicity, the higher the cloud point. Further, even if the esterification rate is the same, an ester composition having a higher monoester content has higher hydrophilicity and a higher cloud point.

As a method for measuring the cloud point, it is usually necessary to measure the polyglycerol fatty acid ester after dissolving it in a 1% to 30% sodium chloride or sodium sulfate solution. The conditions depend on the solubility of the target sample. Although different, in the present invention, the polyglycerin fatty acid ester is first dispersed in an 8% aqueous solution of sodium sulfate so as to have a concentration of 1% by weight, and stirred while heating to obtain a uniform aqueous solution.
Then, the obtained homogeneous aqueous solution of polyglycerin fatty acid ester is shaken at 2 to 5 ° C. at an arbitrary temperature of 0 ° C. or more and 100 ° C. or less, stirred, and settled to separate the polyglycerin fatty acid ester into oil or gel. Then, the state of a non-uniform aqueous solution is measured. This non-uniform state is called "cloud point", and the temperature is determined in the present invention. If the temperature is lower than 0 ° C., the temperature is lower than the melting point of ice, and if it is higher than 100 ° C., the temperature is higher than the boiling point of water.

The polyglycerin fatty acid ester is generally prepared by reacting polyglycerin and a fatty acid in the presence of an alkali catalyst.
It is obtained by reacting at a temperature of 80 to 260 ° C. If the ratio of the charged fatty acid to polyglycerin is large, a composition having a low cloud point is obtained, and if the proportion is opposite, a composition having a high cloud point is obtained. Therefore, in order to obtain a composition having a high hydrophilicity, it is necessary to make polyglycerin equimolar or excess with respect to the fatty acid.

In order to obtain the polyglycerol fatty acid ester composition having a specific cloud point according to the present invention, the amount of the alkali catalyst is usually reduced and the temperature in the latter half of the two-stage reaction is increased, for example, at a reaction temperature of 180 to 260 ° C. After the esterification reaction of
Further, a method of raising the reaction temperature by 10 to 50 ° C. and reacting for 1 to 4 hours can be used (JP-A-7-145).
No. 104).

If the amount of polyglycerin to be reacted is excessive, unreacted polyglycerin will be contained in a large amount in the product. As the amount of unreacted polyglycerin increases, the hydrophilicity of the polyglycerin fatty acid ester composition increases, but since the actual amount of polyglycerin fatty acid ester decreases, the antibacterial effect on microorganisms to heat-resistant acidophilic bacteria and the like is low. Become. Therefore, the amount of the remaining polyglycerin is preferably 70% by weight or less, more preferably 60% by weight or less.

The average degree of polymerization of the polyglycerol constituting the polyglycerol fatty acid ester of the present invention is preferably 6
~ 12. The fatty acid constituting the polyglycerin fatty acid ester of the present invention is a saturated fatty acid having 14 carbon atoms.
For fatty acids having less than 14 carbon atoms, the acidic aqueous solution containing the same can maintain the long-term transparency, but the effect of inhibiting the growth of heat-resistant eosinophilic bacteria is insufficient. Neither of the objectives of the present invention can be attained because both the retention of heat and the effect of inhibiting the growth of heat-resistant acidophilic bacteria are insufficient.

The acidic beverage of the present invention is, for example, fruit juice, flavor,
A water-based beverage (near water) containing functional ingredients, acidulants, etc. Specifically, functional beverages, sports beverages,
Nutritional supplement drinks and the like. PH of these acidic beverages
Depends on the content of acidulants added to the beverage,
Usually, it is 2.0 to 4.5. In addition, the polyglycerin fatty acid ester composition used in the present invention can be used for acidic beverages having low transparency, but is suitable for use in semi-transparent beverages, transparent beverages, and particularly for transparent beverages. Suitable for. The acidic beverage of the present invention has a measurement wavelength of 620 nm.
Is preferably a beverage having a transmittance of 10% or more, and more preferably a transmittance of 30% or more,
In particular, the transmittance is preferably 50% or more. The transmittance was measured using a spectrophotometer (Shimadzu Corporation UV-1200), a 1 cm thick quartz cell, and using a control as demineralized water with a transmittance of 100%.

The content of the polyglycerin fatty acid ester composition in the acidic beverage of the present invention is generally 0.0001 to 1
However, if the amount is too large, bitterness and chemical odor may be felt.
05% by weight. To the acidic beverage of the present invention, other additives such as an emulsifier, an organic acid, and a shelf life improving agent may be used in combination as long as they do not affect the transparency and the antibacterial property.

Examples of the method for producing the acidic beverage of the present invention include a method of heat sterilization after filling and sealing a container, and a method of hot or aseptic filling with heat sterilization before filling and little contamination of microorganisms. Examples of containers for filling beverages include metal cans such as aluminum and steel, bottles such as glass and ceramics, and containers made of paper or synthetic resin. The heat-resistant eosinophilic bacterium of the present invention is not particularly limited,
Generally, Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris, Alicycl
obacillus acidocaldarius, Alicyclobacillus cyclohep
tanicus and the like.

[0019]

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples unless it exceeds the gist thereof. Production Example 1 667 g (1.00 mol) of decaglycerin (average degree of polymerization 8.77, average molecular weight 667, hydroxyl value 906) and myristic acid (purity 99)
%, Average molecular weight 228) of 129 g (0.56 mol) was placed in a stirred reactor equipped with a heating jacket, and 10% sodium hydroxide 0.1
Add 19g (total amount of raw material 0.0025wt%) and under nitrogen flow,
After raising the temperature to 240 ° C. and reacting for 3 hours, it was further reacted at 260 ° C. for 4 hours to obtain 786 g of decaglycerin monomyristate (acid value 0.5 mg KOH / g, saponification value 40 mg KOH / g).
This is designated as Sample A.

Production Example 2 Decaglycerin monomyristate (acid value 0.5 mg KOH / g, acid value 0.5 mg KOH / g) was prepared in the same manner as in Production Example 1 except that the molar ratio of myristic acid to decaglycerin was changed to 0.80.
A saponification value of 54 mgKOH / g) was synthesized. This is designated as Sample B. Preparation Example 3 Decaglycerin monomyristate (acid value 0.5 mg KOH / g, acid value 0.5 mg KOH / g,
A saponification value of 64 mgKOH / g) was synthesized. This is designated as Sample C.

Production Example 4 Using lauric acid (purity 99%, average molecular weight 200), the molar ratio of lauric acid to decaglycerin was set to 1.0.
Decaglycerin monolaurate (acid value 0.5 mg KOH / g, saponification value 66 mg) in the same manner as in Production Example 1 except that
KOH / g) was synthesized. This is designated as Sample D.

Production Example 5 Using palmitic acid (purity 96%, average molecular weight 256), the reaction molar ratio of palmitic acid to decaglycerin was determined.
Decaglycerin monopalmitate (acid value 0.5 mg KOH / g, saponification value 61 mg KOH / g) was synthesized in the same manner as in Production Example 1 except that the value was changed to 1.0. This is designated as Sample E.

Examples 1 and 2 Comparative Examples 1 to 3 The cloud points of the polyglycerol fatty acid ester compositions of Samples A to E prepared in Preparation Examples 1 to 5 were measured by the following method. The transparency of the product during long-term storage and the growth inhibitory effect on thermostable acidophilic bacteria were determined. Table 1 shows the results.

<Method of Measuring Cloud Point> Polyglycerin fatty acid ester is dispersed in an 8% aqueous sodium sulfate solution so as to be 1% by weight, and stirred while heating to obtain a uniform aqueous solution. Then, the obtained homogeneous aqueous solution of polyglycerol fatty acid ester is heated at an arbitrary temperature of 0 ° C or higher and 100 ° C or lower at 2.5 ° C.
The mixture is shaken, stirred and settled, and the temperature is measured in a state where the polyglycerol fatty acid ester is separated as an oil or a gel, and becomes a heterogeneous aqueous solution.

<Transparency Retention Confirmation Test> A transparent solution was prepared by dissolving 0.01 g of the polyglycerol fatty acid ester composition in 100 g of an aqueous solution (0.1% aqueous citric acid solution) having a pH of 2.9. This was stored at 25 ° C. for 4 weeks, and the presence or absence of a precipitate such as turbidity or precipitation was visually observed.

<Antibacterial test against thermostable acidophilic bacteria>
G medium (Bactotryptone 1.0% by weight, yeast extract 0.2% by weight, glucose 0.5% by weight, pH = 4.0)
Was prepared in a test tube, and 10 ml of each sample was collected, sealed, and sterilized by heating. To this medium, polyglycerin fatty acid ester was aseptically added to a concentration of 0.005% by weight, and Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris was added to 1.0 × 1.
0 was ^five inoculation. Thereafter, the test tube was heated so that the medium was maintained at 87 ° C. for 1 minute, and after cooling, was stored at 40 ° C. for 7 days. The growth of eosinophilic bacteria is examined by visually observing whether or not white floc is found on the bottom of the container or the surface of the culture medium.
When no floc was found, it was determined that there was a growth inhibitory effect.

[0027]

[Table 1] * Evaluation criteria for maintaining transparency ×: Turbidity or precipitate is observed during storage. ：: No turbidity or precipitate is observed during storage. * Evaluation Criteria for Growth Inhibiting Effect x: White floc is observed on the bottom of the container or the surface of the medium. ：: No foreign substance was observed in the medium, and the growth of thermostable acidophilic bacteria was completely inhibited.

From the results in Table 1, it can be seen that the beverage containing the specific polyglycerol fatty acid ester composition of the present invention has the effect of maintaining transparency even after long-term storage and inhibiting the growth of heat-resistant acidophilic bacteria. It was confirmed to have.

[0029]

According to the present invention, there is provided an acidic beverage which maintains transparency without causing turbidity or sedimentation for a long period of time and which is not likely to be degraded by microorganisms such as heat-resistant acidophilic bacteria. .

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Toshiya Katsuragi 1000 Kamoshita-cho, Aoba-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture F-term in Yokohama Research Laboratory, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation 4B017 LC07 LC10 LE10 LK01 LK06 LL07

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A polyglycerol fatty acid ester composition having a cloud point of 45 ° C. or higher as measured at a concentration of 1% by weight in an 8% Na ₂ SO ₄ aqueous solution and a constituent fatty acid being a saturated fatty acid having 14 carbon atoms. An acidic beverage characterized by the following. 2. The acidic beverage according to claim 1, wherein the acidic beverage has a transmittance of 10% or more (when measured at a measurement wavelength of 620 nm).