JP2006006177A - Coffee extract composition and beverage each containing dfa and sugar - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide food and beverage each spoiling no peculiar flavor of coffee drink and improving body and bitter taste inherited from coffee. <P>SOLUTION: The subject coffee extract composition contains DFA (di-fructose anhydride) and sugar. It is possible to spoil no flavor inherited from coffee and improve body and bitter taste inherited from coffee by using DFA and sugar together, and especially draw coffee taste with a specific formulation ratio. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

   The present invention relates to a coffee extract composition or beverage containing DFA (Difructose Anhydride) and sugar.

    Difructos-anhydride (hereinafter referred to as DFA) has a structure in which two fructose molecules are linked in a cyclic manner. It has been found as a natural ingredient since the 1930s and is a highly rare and indigestible saccharide that has been confirmed to be present in trace amounts in foods such as caramel and roast chicory. It has become possible to produce industrially.

It has been confirmed that DFA that exhibits indigestible properties does not affect blood sugar levels to date and does not induce caries. Furthermore, it has been confirmed that the absorption of minerals including calcium is promoted in humans and experimental animals.
DFA is excellent in crystallinity and solubility and enables the production of high-purity products. In recent years, DFA has been industrially produced, and application research to foods is being promoted.
The sweetness of DFA is about half that of sucrose, and the heat stability under acidic conditions is high, and the Maillard reaction hardly occurs. Therefore, it is suitable for use in foods that dislike coloring. In addition, it has excellent processing characteristics such as hygroscopicity and storage stability, and is expected to be used as a new carbohydrate in the future. The inventors of the present invention have been diligently examining the application development of DFA and are continuing their research.
In the present invention, under such a background, DFA was used as a sweetener and added to coffee or the like. However, when DFA alone is added to a coffee beverage, the bitterness derived from coffee, particularly the egg taste, Encouraged, it turned out that you can not taste the richness and refreshing bitterness inherent in coffee.

  On the other hand, attempts have been made to use DFA as a low calorie sweetener. In this case, it is necessary to improve DFA's peculiar taste quality-strong bitterness, lingering aftertaste, bitterness and stronger aftertaste than xylitol and mannitol. For this reason, menthol added to DFA (for example, Patent Document 1) and a method using a combination with a galactomannan degradation product (for example, Patent Document 2) are described. These are all inventions related to taste quality improvement with respect to DFA itself, and do not solve the problems relating to the improvement of richness and bitterness peculiar to coffee when added to the coffee beverage.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 03-67560 JP 2001-292722 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide foods and beverages that can further improve the original richness and bitterness of coffee without impairing the unique flavor of the coffee beverage.

  As a result of intensive studies to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present inventor has used DFA and sugar in a specific ratio in combination with the coffee extract, so that the coffee inherent flavor can be further reduced without impairing the coffee-specific flavor. The present invention was completed by finding out that the richness and bitterness of the rice cake were improved.

The main configuration of the present invention is as follows.
(1) A coffee extract composition containing DFA (Difructose Anhydride) and sugar.
(2) The coffee extract composition according to (1), wherein DFA (Difructose Anhydride) is DFAIII.
(3) The coffee extract composition according to any one of (1) and (2), which is 0.1 to 5.0 parts by weight of DFA (difructose anhydride) per 1 part by weight of sugar.
(4) A beverage comprising the coffee extract composition according to any one of (1) to (3).

  By using DFA and sugar together, the original richness and bitterness of the coffee could be improved without impairing the original flavor of the coffee. In particular, it was possible to bring out the taste of coffee with a specific blending ratio.

  The coffee extract used in the present invention includes one obtained by roasting and extracting coffee beans, and one obtained by processing this extract into a powder.

  Sugar has a refreshing and sweet taste. Generally speaking, sugar refers to the three main parts: “Kami white sugar”, “Granulated sugar”, and “Trivalent sugar”. When used in the present invention, those caramelized (colored) are also included. In any case, the sucrose purity is 97% or more, and the sensory difference is small.

DFA (Difructose Anhydride) has a structure in which two fructose molecules are linked in a cyclic manner. It has been found as a natural ingredient since the 1930s and is a highly rare and indigestible saccharide that has been confirmed to be present in trace amounts in foods such as caramel and roast chicory. Industrial production is also possible. There are five types of derivatives due to the difference in the binding mode of bimolecular fructose, which are referred to as DFAI, DFAII, DFAIII, DFAIV, and DFAV, respectively. In the present invention, DFAIII (di-D-fructofuranose-1, 2 ′: 2,3 ′ dianhydride), which is excellent in industrial production efficiency and stability after purification, is mainly used.
As a result of experiments, it was confirmed that DFA brings out the umami of coffee when used in combination with sugar. The blending ratio is preferably 0.1 to 5.0 with respect to sugar 1.

  As other components, milk components and the like can be added according to preference.

  The coffee extract composition of the present invention can be in a powdered state or liquid. Moreover, it can also be set as the drink stuffed in bottles, such as can coffee.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
With the prescription shown in the table, a coffee extract-containing beverage was prepared and subjected to a comprehensive evaluation.
Granulated sugar was used as the sugar, and DFAIII (trade name “Twin Toose (registered trademark)”, Funkel Corporation) was used as the DFA.
As an addition index, a blend that makes the weight constant (Test Method 1) and a blend that makes the sweetness constant (Test Method 2) were used.
About the density | concentration of coffee extract, it adjusted according to the standard usage-amount (2 g is melt | dissolved in 140cc hot water) described in the commercially available instant coffee.
About evaluation score, each evaluation criteria is as follows in 5-step evaluation of -2, -1, 0, 1, 2.
2: There is a very good point about the evaluation item 1: There is a little good point about the evaluation item 0: No particularly good point or bad point is recognized about the evaluation item
-1: Somewhat bad points regarding evaluation items
-2: There are very bad points regarding evaluation items

Test method 1: Addition amount 5% test, 8 evaluators Tables 1 and 2 show examples in which the blending ratio was adjusted so that the addition amount was 5% with respect to the coffee beverage. Table 1 is a bitterness test. Table 2 is a comprehensive evaluation that takes into account the richness and the like. “Sugar” is granulated sugar. “Twin” is indicated as an abbreviation for twin toe (hereinafter the same). In addition, 5% of addition amount will be 5g with respect to 100g of coffee drinks, and the quantity match | combined with 3g and 5g which are the quantity of main commercially available stick sugar is assumed.

Evaluation as a beverage was performed as follows, paying attention to the average of comprehensive evaluation.
Evaluation by the above-mentioned evaluation criteria was performed by a professional sensory evaluator, and the following determination based on the total value was shown as comprehensive evaluation.
Judgment based on the average value of the evaluation results is as follows.
◎ Good for both richness and bitterness Average value is 0.5 or more ○ No problem for both richness and bitterness Average value is 0 or more and less than 0.5 △ There is a slightly unfavorable point for richness or bitterness Average value is -0.5 or more and less than 0 × Unsuitable Average value is less than -0.5

In the test method 1, the following can be said.
From Table 1, focusing on the bitterness, it was found that when used in combination with sugar, it is suitable for drinking and is not improved only by twintose, regardless of the amount of twintose added.
From Table 2, it was found that the addition of 1.5% and 2.5% twin toose contributed to the improvement of the overall taste from sugar alone. In the case of twin toe 3.5%, when the evaluators are observed individually, 2 people have a minus 1 rating, but the other 6 people are distributed from 0 to 2 and can be enjoyed as a drink.
From Table 1 and Table 2, it can be seen that only twin toose does not improve bitterness or overall taste.

Test method 2: Formulation for adjusting sweetness to 5% equivalent to sugar DFAIII has half the sweetness of sugar, so the amount was adjusted to add 5% in terms of sugar. It shows in Table 3 and Table 4. Table 3 is a bitterness test. Table 4 is a comprehensive evaluation.

The following can be said from Test Method 2.
When both sugar and twin-tose are used together so that the sweetness is aligned, both bitterness and overall evaluation are higher than sugar. Only twin-tose has a lower evaluation than sugar and is inappropriate as a beverage.

From Test Method 1 and Test Method 2, the following can be said.
Good results were obtained when sugar and twin-tose were used together.
In particular, in Table 2, excellent evaluation is obtained when the addition amount of twin tose is 1.5% and 2.5%. In Table 4, excellent evaluation was obtained at 3%, 5%, and 7% of twin toose. These are ratios of 0.43 to 4.67 with respect to sugar 1.
Moreover, in any evaluation, it is not suitable as a drink only with twin tose, and by using sugar (granulated sugar) in combination, the taste of coffee is improved more than with only twin tose. It turned out that the taste of coffee was pulled out.

Twintose 2.5 g, granulated sugar 2.5 g, milk 9.0 g, coffee liquid 86.0 g, total 100 g. Bx 7.3. The coffee solution was prepared by dissolving 1.4 g of commercial instant coffee powder in 100 g of hot water.

Claims (4)

A coffee extract composition containing DFA (Difructose Anhydride) and sugar. The coffee extract composition according to claim 1, wherein the DFA (Difructose Anhydride) is DFAIII. The coffee extract composition according to any one of claims 1 and 2, which is 0.1 to 5.0 parts by weight of DFA (difructose anhydride) per 1 part by weight of sugar. The drink containing the coffee extract composition in any one of Claims 1-3.