JP2007000140A - Processing method of coffee raw bean using lactic acid bacterium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a processing method of coffee raw beans preventing contamination by various germs and giving new good-quality flavor to coffee beverage when achieving fermentation process with microorganism. <P>SOLUTION: This processing method of coffee raw beans comprises a fermentation process of performing fermentation treatment based on contact of assimilation components with microorganisms, and giving coffee raw beans fermentation component produced by the fermentation treatment. The fermentation treatment is performed through letting at least two kinds of microorganisms as the microorganisms including lactic acid bacteria coexist in the fermentation process. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for treating green coffee beans that includes a fermentation process in which fermented components produced by the fermentation treatment are imparted to green coffee beans while performing fermentation treatment based on contact between an assimilation component and microorganisms.

The production process of a coffee beverage will be briefly described. First, the outer skin and pulp parts are removed from the coffee fruit (the fruit of the Rubiaceae plant called coffee tree) to obtain green coffee beans (refining process). The obtained green coffee beans are roasted (roasted) to obtain roasted coffee beans (roasting step). In addition, a component (hereinafter referred to as a coffee flavor component) that is a source of taste and aroma unique to coffee is generated in this roasting process. After that, the coffee roasted beans are crushed, and an extract obtained by extracting coffee flavor components with hot water or the like is provided as a coffee beverage.
Currently, as the demand for coffee beverages increases as a preference beverage, consumer preferences for coffee beverages are also diversified, and various improvements in coffee flavor are required.
In order to meet the needs of such consumers, as a method of improving the coffee flavor, fermentation is performed by bringing green coffee beans, microorganisms (such as yeast), and assimilated components utilized by the microorganisms into contact with each other. After carrying out the treatment, there is a method of separating and recovering and roasting coffee beans that have absorbed alcohols, esters, etc. produced by fermentation of microorganisms, and producing coffee beverages using the roasted beans as raw materials ( Patent Document 1).

International Publication Number WO2005 / 029969A1

In the method disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above, a unique aroma such as a brewed aroma caused by alcohols or esters can be imparted to the green coffee beans after the fermentation treatment. In addition to the above-mentioned brewed incense, the coffee beverage obtained from the roasted coffee beans has an increased body feeling (shows richness and response to drink, shows a bulge of flavor), and has a new high-quality flavor. A coffee beverage can be produced.
However, in this method, when carrying out the fermentation treatment with microorganisms, contamination with germs such as stubborn bacteria of coffee fruit has become a problem. In particular, when contaminated with various bacteria having acetic acid production ability (for example, acetic acid bacteria, etc.), the raw coffee beans absorb the acetic acid produced by the various bacteria, and the sensory quality of the coffee beverage obtained from the roasted beans is remarkably increased. There is a risk of lowering.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and when carrying out a fermentation treatment with microorganisms, it is possible to prevent contamination by various germs and to newly impart a high-quality flavor to a coffee beverage. The processing method is provided.

  The 1st characteristic structure of this invention is the processing method of the green coffee beans which includes the fermentation process which gives the fermented component produced by the fermentation process to the green coffee beans while performing the fermentation process based on the contact of an assimilation component and microorganisms And in the said fermentation process, it exists in the point which is a processing method of the green coffee beans which ferment-processes by making two or more types of microorganisms containing at least lactic acid bacteria coexist as said microorganisms.

[Action and effect]
Green coffee beans (seed) are present on the innermost side of the coffee fruit and have the property of absorbing water in preparation for germination. In addition, certain microorganisms represented by yeast and the like can decompose (ferment) organic compounds (assimilation components) to produce alcohols, organic acids, esters and the like (hereinafter referred to as fermentation components). It has been known.
Thus, for example, when fermentation with certain microorganisms is performed in the presence of green coffee beans and an assimilation component, the produced fermentation components can be absorbed by the green coffee beans together with moisture (ie, the fermentation component is the raw coffee component). To bean). As a result, by roasting the coffee beans thus obtained, in addition to the conventional coffee flavor components produced in the roasting process, a new flavor derived from the fermentation components produced by fermentation It is possible to obtain roasted coffee beans containing ingredients, and a new high quality flavor can be imparted to the coffee beverage extracted from the roasted coffee beans.

In addition, as a feature of the present invention, in the fermentation process, two or more kinds of microorganisms including at least lactic acid bacteria are coexisting as the microorganisms, so that the lactic acid fermentation by the lactic acid bacteria proceeds at the same time. When the pH of the liquid is lowered, the fermentation liquid is acidified, and contamination with various bacteria can be prevented. Furthermore, lactic acid bacteria were produced because some strains can produce various antibacterial active substances with a broad antibacterial spectrum called bacteriocin (eg, nisin, which is widely used as a food preservative). Bacteriocin makes it possible to more effectively prevent contamination by various bacteria.
For example, when alcoholic fermentation by microorganisms other than lactic acid bacteria (yeast, etc.) proceeds, sugar is converted into alcohol and carbon dioxide, so that the inside of the fermentation solution can be in a significantly anaerobic (acid-deficient) state. Therefore, facultative anaerobic bacteria such as lactic acid bacteria and yeast can survive, but since it is difficult to survive for absolute aerobic bacteria such as acetic acid bacteria, contamination by acetic acid bacteria can also be prevented. It becomes possible.

The 2nd characteristic structure of this invention exists in the point which exists in the state from which the said green coffee beans were isolated from coffee fruit, or the state which exists in coffee fruit.
[Action and effect]
As described in Examples 1 and 2 to be described later, when the green coffee beans are present in a state isolated from the coffee fruit, for example, after undergoing a purification treatment, Other types of settings can be selected, such as using other types of fruit or fruit juice as an assimilation component, or appropriately changing the order in contacting the assimilation component, fermentation microorganisms and green coffee beans. Alternatively, as described in Examples 3 and 4, when the fermentation step is performed when the green coffee beans are present in the state of coffee fruits, coffee pulp that becomes an assimilated component, Fermentation by microorganisms occurs in close proximity to green coffee beans. Therefore, fermentation components such as alcohols and esters produced by fermentation are easily transferred to the green beans.

A third characteristic configuration of the present invention is that the lactic acid bacterium is a homo-type lactic acid bacterium.
[Action and effect]
Lactic acid bacteria are homozygous lactic acid bacteria (for example, Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Oenococcus, etc.) that produce only lactic acid as a final product, and lactic acid such as alcohol and acetic acid. It is classified into hetero-type lactic acid bacteria (for example, Bifidobacterium, Leuconostoc, etc.) that produce other than those at the same time.
In the present invention, when homo-type lactic acid bacteria are used, acetic acid or the like that may significantly reduce the sensory quality of the coffee beverage is not produced at the same time in the fermented liquid. Can do.

The 4th characteristic structure of this invention exists in the point whose microorganisms made to coexist with the said lactic acid bacteria are yeast or incomplete fungi.
[Action and effect]
These microorganisms are easily available and easy to handle because they can be handled by common methods for culture, storage, and the like.

A fifth characteristic configuration of the present invention is that the yeast is a yeast for wine fermentation.
[Action and effect]
When yeast for wine fermentation is used, it is possible to impart a characteristic flavor such as brewing aroma to green coffee beans, and conventional coffee produced in the roasting process by using the green coffee beans as a raw material In addition to flavor, it is possible to obtain a coffee beverage having a fruity brewing fragrance and giving a taste with a body feeling.

A sixth characteristic configuration of the present invention is that the incomplete fungus is an incomplete fungus belonging to the genus Geotrichum.
[Action and effect]
As an incomplete fungus belonging to the genus Geotrichum, for example, Geotrichum candidum, Geotrichum rectangulatum, or any of the microorganisms treated with Geotrichum crebanium Even if it uses, it is possible to give a new flavor component (fermentation component) to green coffee beans. In particular, by using raw coffee beans obtained using the above microorganisms as raw materials, a gorgeous and rich esthetic that is balanced with the conventional coffee flavor produced in the roasting process (with reduced alcohol odor) It is possible to obtain a coffee beverage that has an incense and gives a bodily taste.

According to a seventh characteristic configuration of the present invention, the incomplete fungus belonging to the genus Geotrichum is Geotrichum sp. SAM2421, international deposit number FERM BP-10300, or a variant thereof, or a transformant thereof. In that point.
[Action and effect]
Geotrichum sp. SAM2421 (International Deposit No. FERM BP-10300) (hereinafter referred to as SAM2421) is a novel microorganism isolated from coffee fruit by the present inventors. This microorganism was entrusted on March 22, 2005 to the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Patent Biological Deposit Center (1st, 1st, 1st, 1st East, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki, Japan). By using SAM2421, a new flavor component (fermentation component) is imparted to green coffee beans, and a coffee beverage having a more gorgeous and rich esthetic fragrance and giving a taste with a body feeling can be obtained. . In the present invention, SAM2421 or a variant thereof, or a transformant thereof can be used as appropriate. For example, mutants may be spontaneous mutations or artificially induced mutations (treatment with radiation or mutant substances), and transformants may be SAM2421 or its mutants with foreign genes. It is possible to isolate and use a strain having superior fermentability (or having a feature such as easy handling) from the introduced one.

The eighth characteristic configuration of the present invention is that the assimilation component is fruit juice or coffee pulp.
[Action and effect]
When using fruit juice as an assimilation component, for example, grape juice, peach juice, apple juice, and the like can be applied. In addition, coffee pulp (portion containing sugar and other nutrients) is a by-product obtained in the refining process for obtaining green coffee beans from coffee fruits and is normally discarded, but is assimilated in the present invention. Since it can be effectively used as a component, it is not necessary to prepare an external assimilation component, and there is no possibility that the raw material cost increases.

A ninth characteristic configuration of the present invention is that the number of lactic acid bacteria present in 1 mL of a fermentation broth is 10 ⁵ cells or more.
[Action and effect]
If the fermentation treatment is carried out under such conditions that the number of lactic acid bacteria present in 1 mL of the fermentation broth is 10 ⁵ cells or more, more preferably 10 ⁶ cells or more, contamination with various bacteria can be prevented more reliably.

The 10th characteristic structure of this invention exists in the point which is the coffee beans obtained by the processing method as described in any one of Claims 1-9.
[Action and effect]
A green coffee bean containing a fermented ingredient that can impart a new high-quality flavor to the coffee beverage can be obtained.

The eleventh characteristic configuration of the present invention is roasted coffee beans obtained by roasting green coffee beans as claimed in claim 10.
[Action and effect]
In addition to the conventional coffee flavor components produced in the roasting process, roasted coffee beans containing new flavor components derived from the fermentation components produced by fermentation can be obtained.

A twelfth characteristic configuration of the present invention is a coffee beverage obtained using the roasted coffee beans as claimed in claim 11 as a raw material.
[Action and effect]
In addition to the conventional coffee flavor, a coffee beverage having a new high-quality flavor derived from the fermentation components produced by fermentation can be obtained.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
Embodiment
(Coffee berries)
Coffee fruit means the fruit of coffee tree, and its structure is generally composed of raw coffee beans (seed), pulp (part containing sugar and other nutrients), and hull. More specifically, green coffee beans (seed) are present on the innermost side, and the surroundings are sequentially covered with silver skin (silver skin), inner skin (parchment), pulp, and outer skin. As the varieties, Arabica, Robusta, Reberica, etc. can be applied, and Brazil, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Guatemala, etc. are applicable as production areas, but there are no particular restrictions. Absent. In addition, the coffee fruit that can be used in this embodiment includes those in an undried and dried state, and the weight ratio when the raw coffee beans are 1 is “coffee berries (undried): Dry coffee fruit: green coffee beans = 6: 4: 1 ”.

(Raw coffee beans)
The green coffee beans in the present invention may be present as seeds in the coffee fruit, or exist in a state isolated from the coffee fruit through the following purification process. May be.
There are two known purification processes for isolating green coffee beans from non-water-washing and water-washing types.
The non-washing type is a method of harvesting coffee berries and then drying them as they are to thresh to remove husks, pulp, inner skins, silver skins, etc. to obtain green coffee beans.
After washing the coffee berries, they are submerged in a water tank to remove impurities, and after removing the outer skin and pulp with a pulp remover, submerged in water to dissolve and remove the sticky material, and then washed with water. In this method, the dried product is threshed to remove the inner skin and the silver skin to obtain green coffee beans.
Non-washing purification processes are easy to operate, but are mainly applied in areas where the climate is dry. On the other hand, the washing-type refining process is mainly applied in rainy areas. One or two green coffee beans are collected from one coffee fruit.

(Assimilation component)
The assimilation component in the present invention includes, for example, fruit pulp, fruit juice, saccharides, cereals, culture medium and the like, preferably fruit juice or coffee pulp. However, the coffee pulp in the present invention means, for convenience, all parts of the coffee fruit (whether undried or dried) other than the green coffee beans and the outer skin.
The coffee pulp may be in the state of coffee fruit that has not undergone a refining process (if necessary, the surface may be scratched with a knife or the like to partially expose the pulp), or It can also be used in the state of pulp obtained when separated from green coffee beans in the refining process. The coffee pulp may be undried or dried. In addition, it is possible to use other pulps such as grape pulp, cherries pulp, peach pulp, etc. as needed, and these pulps including coffee pulp can be used alone or arbitrarily. You may use it in combination.
Assimilation components other than the above-described pulp are fruit juice (eg, grapes, peaches, apples, etc.), sugars (eg, monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides, etc. taken from plants such as sugarcane and sweet potatoes), grains (eg, Wort obtained by saccharification of malt), medium, and the like, but are not particularly limited as long as the microorganism can assimilate, and these assimilation components including pulp are used alone or in any combination. May be used.

(How to expose coffee pulp)
When using the coffee fruit as it is and using the coffee pulp in it as an assimilation component, a method of exposing the coffee pulp to at least a part of the coffee fruit surface is preferable in order to increase the fermentation rate.
As a method of exposing the coffee pulp, the harvested coffee fruit may be scratched with a sharp blade or the like, or the threshing device may be used to apply pressure to the coffee fruit so that the outer skin is cut. Good, but do not damage the coffee beans inside. Alternatively, a peeler or the like may be used to peel only the outer skin of the coffee fruit to expose the pulp. It should be noted that when the coffee fruit is harvested, it is not necessary to perform the above-described pulp exposing operation for those that have been accidentally scratched and at least part of the pulp has been exposed. Moreover, also when using the coffee pulp obtained when it isolate | separates from a green coffee bean in a refinement | purification process, it is not necessary to perform especially the exposure operation of the above-mentioned fruit meat, and it ferments by adding a green coffee bean separately.

(Microorganism)
1. Lactic acid bacteria Lactic acid bacteria applicable to the present invention are preferably homo-type lactic acid bacteria that produce only lactic acid as a final product (eg, Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Oenococcus, etc.). The amount of lactic acid bacteria added is the number of lactic acid bacteria present in 1 mL of a fermentation liquid (a liquid that can be fermented by microorganisms in the presence of microorganisms and assimilation components, such as water). Is preferably 10 ⁵ cells or more, more preferably 10 ⁶ cells or more.

2. Microorganisms other than lactic acid bacteria As microorganisms other than the above lactic acid bacteria applicable to the present invention, at least in the presence of the lactic acid bacteria, the assimilating component is assimilated (fermented) and given to roasted coffee beans and coffee beverages. There is no particular limitation as long as it is a microorganism that can produce a fermentation component that is a source of the flavor component.
Specific microorganisms include yeast, incomplete fungi and the like. These microorganisms can be suitably used because they are easily available and easy to handle.
In addition, the addition amount of microorganisms other than lactic acid bacteria will not be specifically limited if the effect of addition of a flavor is acquired, but it can set suitably considering culture | cultivation time and cost. For example, the per green coffee bean weight, is suitably ^{1.0 × 10 8 cells / g~1.0 ×} 10 10 cells / g in the case of yeast, in the case of imperfect fungi, 1.0 mg / g to 10 mg / g is appropriate.
In addition, in the case of yeast, the amount added to the fermentation broth is preferably such that the number of bacteria present in 1 mL of the fermentation broth is 10 ⁶ cells or more. The addition amount is preferably such that the number of bacteria present in 1 mL of the fermentation broth is 10 ⁶ cells or more.

  From the viewpoint of safety as food, yeast for brewing such as yeast for wine fermentation and yeast for beer fermentation that have been used in foods can be preferably used. Examples of yeast for wine fermentation include, for example, commercially available dry yeasts, S. cerevisiae cerevisiae cerevisiae strain Lalvin L2323 (setty company) (hereinafter referred to as L2323), and CK. S102 strain (manufactured by Bio Springer) (hereinafter referred to as S102) or the like, or Saccharomyces genus Bayanus species yeast can be used. Usually, L2323 is used for red wine brewing and S102 is used for rosé wine brewing. When yeast is used in this way, a characteristic flavor such as brewing aroma can be added.

  Examples of imperfect fungi include, for example, Geotricum candidum, Geotricum rectangulatum, Getricrich pea, and Geotricum crebanium. ) SAM2421 (International deposit number FERM BP-10300) or a variant thereof, or a transformant thereof.

  Isolation sources that can isolate microorganisms belonging to the genus Geotrichum include soil, plants, aerial, fiber, wood, house dust, feed, rivers, silage, food, fruits, cereals, fertilizer, industrial wastewater, compost, Examples include excrement and gastrointestinal tract, but fruit (coffee fruit) is preferable. As an isolation method, for example, the coffee fruit is stirred in sterilized water, the supernatant is smeared on an agar medium containing an appropriate antibiotic and cultured, and the generated colonies are isolated. Although it is mentioned, it is also possible to purchase directly from an appropriate cell storage facility.

  The mutants referred to in the present invention include those obtained by spontaneous mutation or those obtained by artificially inducing mutation (treatment with radiation, mutant substances, etc.), and the DNA base sequence is This refers to a change in comparison with the wild type strain (Geotricum sp.) SAM2421 (international deposit number FERM BP-10300).

(1) Spontaneous mutation
Mutations that occur when microorganisms are growing normally under normal circumstances are called spontaneous mutations. The main causes of spontaneous mutations are considered to be errors during DNA replication and endogenous mutagens (nucleotide analogs) (Maki, “Natural Mutation and Repair Mechanism”, Cell Engineering Vol. 13 No. 8, pp. 663-672, 1994).

(2) Artificial mutation 2-1. Treatment with radiation or mutagens Radiation treatment such as ultraviolet rays or X-rays, or treatment with artificial mutagens such as alkylating agents, damages DNA. The damage is fixed to the mutation during the process of DNA replication.
2-2. Use of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) method Since PCR amplifies DNA in a test tube, a part of intracellular mutation suppression mechanism is lacking, and mutation can be induced at a high frequency. In addition, the gene shuffling method (Stemer, “Rapid evolution of a protein in vii
"tro by DNA shuffling", Nature Vol. 370, p.
p. 389-391, Aug. 1994), it is possible to avoid accumulation of harmful mutations and to accumulate a plurality of beneficial mutations in the gene.
2-3. Use of mutators In almost all organisms, the mutation suppression mechanism keeps the rate of spontaneous mutations at a very low level. This mutation suppression mechanism has multiple stages involving more than 10 genes. Individuals in which one or more of these genes are disrupted are referred to as mutators because they frequently mutate. These genes are also called mutator genes (Maki, “Spontaneous Mutation and Repair Mechanism”, Cell Engineering Vol. 13 No. 8, pp. 663-672, 1994; Horst et. Al., “Escherichia coli mutator genes”
, Trends in Microbiology Vol. 7 No. 1, pp. 29-36, Jan. 1999).

  The transformant as used in the present invention refers to a gene (foreign gene) possessed by another species of organism as a novel microorganism (Geotrichum sp. SAM2421 (International Deposit No. FERM BP-10300)) or a mutant thereof. It means something artificially introduced. As the production method, for example, a foreign gene is incorporated into an appropriate expression vector, and the expression vector is introduced by a known method such as electroporation, calcium phosphate method, liposome method, DEAE dextran method.

  In addition, when microorganisms are dried, water covering can be performed according to each suitable method. For example, when dry yeast is used, it can be used after being suspended in water heated to 37 to 41 ° C. for 20 to 30 minutes.

(Fermentation process)
1. Method for contacting microorganism and assimilation component In the fermentation process of the present invention, for example, a suitable fermenter is prepared as a method for bringing a microorganism and an assimilation component into contact. And a method of adding two or more types of microorganisms and an appropriate fermentation broth, and bringing the microorganisms into contact with the assimilation component in the fermentation broth.
In addition, when using coffee pulp as an assimilation component, coffee fruit obtained by scratching the surface with a knife or the like to partially expose the coffee pulp, or coffee obtained when separated from green coffee beans in the refining process When the pulp is used, since the pulp is in an exposed state, sugars and the like in the pulp are easily eluted in the fermentation liquid, and fermentation by microorganisms can be further promoted.
In addition, when the fermentation process is performed, the fermentation process may be performed so that green coffee beans, assimilation components, and microorganisms can coexist in the fermentation liquid, or the assimilation component and the microorganisms may be used first. After adding only in a fermented liquid and implementing a fermentation process, you may make it add green coffee beans to the fermented liquid containing the produced fermentation component.

2. Fermentation conditions The conditions for fermentation of microorganisms are not particularly limited as long as fermentation can be carried out. Conditions suitable for fermentation (for example, the type of microorganism to be used and the amount of bacteria (initial number of bacteria), The type and amount (concentration), temperature, humidity, pH, oxygen or carbon dioxide concentration, fermentation time, etc.) of the assimilation component can be appropriately set. In addition, for example, in addition to the above assimilation component, an additive such as a pH adjuster, a commercially available nutrient medium for supplementing a nitrogen source or a carbon source, and the like can be supplementarily added as necessary. .
In particular, in the fermentation process of the present invention, in order to prevent contamination with various germs, conditions such as temperature, pH, carbon dioxide concentration, etc. may be controlled individually or in any appropriate combination so as to suppress the growth of germs. Good. For example, fermentation can be performed in a low temperature environment such as 15 to 30 ° C., or a pH adjuster or the like (citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, etc.) can be added as necessary to perform fermentation under more severe acidic conditions. Alternatively, the carbon dioxide concentration (or oxygen concentration) may be increased and fermentation may be performed under more anaerobic (or aerobic) conditions.
In the fermentation process of the present invention, the above fermentation conditions (for example, the type of microorganism to be used and its amount (initial number of bacteria), the type and amount (concentration) of the assimilation component, temperature, humidity, pH, oxygen Alternatively, the fermentation process can be performed by equipment / device (for example, a thermostatic bath, a tank, a storage, etc.) capable of automatically and / or manually controlling carbon dioxide concentration, fermentation time, and the like.
The time required for the fermentation process is not limited, and may be appropriately selected depending on the quality and strength of the added flavor, or depending on the microorganism and the assimilating component. Moreover, you may complete | finish a fermentation process on the basis of exhaustion of an utilization component.
To finish the fermentation process, heat and sterilize the microorganisms, wash the green coffee beans and coffee berries with water and remove the adhering microorganisms, and dry the coffee beans and coffee berries with a dryer or sun-dried. Processing such as processing, separation of assimilation components and green coffee beans, or roasting of green coffee beans can be carried out alone or in any combination and terminated. For example, when drying coffee fruits using a dryer, the fermentation process can be completed by drying at 50 to 60 ° C. for about 1 to 3 days.
In the present invention, it is possible to add various flavors to green coffee beans by appropriately selecting the lactic acid bacteria described above and microorganisms (one or more types) other than lactic acid bacteria and combining them with various fermentation conditions. It is.

3. An example of a fermentation process Here, the example which ferments using a coffee fruit is demonstrated.
In the present invention, for example, a fermentation step can be performed during a green coffee bean refining step (water washing type).
In the washing-type purification process, for example, when coffee fruits are harvested and submerged in a water tank to remove impurities, microorganisms can be added to the water tank (fermenter) and fermented.
After the fermentation process, the coffee berries are washed away with microorganisms with water, etc., or separated, or the microorganisms are left attached and the pulp is removed and threshed according to the normal refining process. Are separated.
The green coffee beans thus separated can be roasted by an ordinary method, and various roasted coffee beans (light roast to Italian roast) with different degrees of roasting can be obtained.
The obtained roasted coffee beans can be used for drinking as regular coffee by pulverizing, adding water, filtering and extracting with a filter medium, and instant coffee, coffee extract, canned coffee, etc. as industrial raw materials Is possible.

  EXAMPLES Hereinafter, although an Example demonstrates this invention concretely, this invention is not limited to these.

(Example 1) Example using a mast Mast (wine brewing raw material liquid) was used as an assimilation component, and the effect of addition of lactic acid bacteria was examined. To a 2000 mL Erlenmeyer flask, 1000 g of red mast (fermented liquid containing an assimilating component) having a specific gravity of 1.084 (15 ° C.) was added by diluting a Chilean red grape concentrate with water.
Next, as a microorganism, Geotricum sp. SAM2421 (International Deposit No. FERM BP-10300) (hereinafter referred to as SAM2421) is added to the red mast (cell density: 1 × 10 ⁶ per mL of red mast). cells), and further, as a lactic acid bacterium, homozygous commercially available dry lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum (manufactured by Christian Hansen), which is used for wine malolactic fermentation, is reconstituted by a conventional method and added (bacteria). Body concentration: 1 × 10 ⁶ cells per mL of red mast), sample 1 was prepared. On the other hand, Comparative Example 1 (Control) was prepared by the same method as Sample 1 except that lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus plantarum) were not added.
300 g of green coffee beans (Brazil Santos No. 2) were added to Sample 1 and Comparative Example 1 and allowed to stand at 23 ° C. for 72 hours for fermentation (fermentation step). As a result of observing each fermented liquid of Sample 1 and Comparative Example 1 after 72 hours, in Sample 1, no bacteria other than lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus plantarum) and SAM2421 were observed, and It had a good flavor.
On the other hand, in Comparative Example 1, the propagation of microorganisms considered to be miscellaneous bacteria was observed at the end of fermentation, and a slight acid odor was recognized in addition to a good brewing aroma.

  Next, the supernatant of each fermentation solution of Sample 1 and Comparative Example 1 was sampled for component analysis. Since acetic acid producing bacteria are representative bacteria that adversely affect the quality of coffee beans, the acetic acid concentration in the supernatant was analyzed by liquid chromatography to determine whether the acetic acid producing bacteria had grown (ie, acetic acid production). If the bacteria grow, the acetic acid production increases and the acetic acid concentration increases.)

As an apparatus for liquid chromatography analysis, a Shimadzu HPLC set was used. As a column, Shim-pack SCR-102H was used and detected by an electric conductivity detector CDD-6A. The temperature of the column oven was 40 ° C., and the reaction and elution were performed with a Tris buffer containing p-toluenesulfonic acid. Quantified with an absolute calibration curve.
The results of liquid chromatography are shown in Table 1. In Sample 1 to which lactic acid bacteria were added, the concentration of acetic acid was lower than that in Comparative Example 1. That is, it was found that by adding lactic acid bacteria to the fermentation broth, the propagation of miscellaneous bacteria was suppressed.

Next, the roasted coffee beans were evaluated. For Sample 1 and Comparative Example 1, green coffee beans were taken out of the fermented liquid after fermentation, drained, washed with an equivalent amount of deionized water to remove solids, and about 300 g of green coffee beans were obtained. Of the obtained green coffee beans, 100 g was roasted by a deep roast button operation using a fully automatic coffee beans roaster (CRPA-100 Tortoise Co., Ltd.) (roasting time is about 25 minutes). Next, sensory evaluation of roasted coffee beans was performed by five panelists specializing in sensory coffee.
30 g of roasted coffee beans of Sample 1 and Comparative Example 1 were put into a dedicated functional glass as they were without being crushed, and the glass was covered. At the time of sensuality, the lid was moved and two types of esthetic odor and acetic acid odor were evaluated. The evaluation was made in 0.5 points in steps of weak (1 point), slightly weak (2 points), moderate (3 points), slightly strong (4 points), and strong (5 points). Expressed as the average of the five evaluation points. The results are shown in Table 2. The roasted coffee beans of Sample 1 had a better scent compared to the roasted coffee beans of Comparative Example 1.

  A coffee extract was prepared using the coffee roasted beans of Sample 1 and Comparative Example 1. Each coffee roasted bean was finely ground, and 100 g of hot water was added to 12 g of the ground beans and stirred. According to the usual method of cup test, the floated coffee was removed and the supernatant liquid was subjected to sensory evaluation. Conducted by 5 coffee panelists. The evaluation items were five types: fragrance (esthetic fragrance, brewing fragrance) and taste (body feeling, mellowness, miscellaneous taste). The evaluation was made in 0.5 points in steps of weak (1 point), slightly weak (2 points), moderate (3 points), slightly strong (4 points), and strong (5 points). Expressed as the average of the five evaluation points. The results are shown in Table 3. Compared to the coffee extract of Comparative Example 1, the coffee extract of Sample 1 had better aroma and taste.

(Example 2) Examination of addition amount and type of lactic acid bacteria Samples 2 to 5 in which the addition amount and type of lactic acid bacteria were different from the above sample 1 were prepared (in addition, other conditions (assimilation components, other microorganisms to be added, etc.)) Is the same as Sample 1 above).
In sample 2, Lactobacillus plantarum (manufactured by Christian Hansen) was added as a lactic acid bacterium (cell density: 1 × 10 ⁸ cells per mL of red mast (100 times the amount of sample 1)).
In sample 3, Lactobacillus oenos (manufactured by Christian Hansen) was added as a lactic acid bacterium (cell density: 1 × 10 ⁶ cells per mL of red mast).
Sample 4 was supplemented with Oenococcus oeni Viniflora CH35 strain (manufactured by Christian Hansen) (hereinafter referred to as Viniflora CH35) as a lactic acid bacterium (cell concentration: 1 × 10 ⁶ cells per mL of red mast).
Sample 5 was supplemented with Oenococcus oeni Lavin MBR31 strain (manufactured by Lallemand) (hereinafter referred to as Lavin MBR31) as a lactic acid bacterium (cell density: 1 × 10 ⁶ cells per mL of red mast).
Note that the lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus enoos, Viniflora CH35, and Lavin MBR31) of the samples 3 to 5 are all commercially available homozygous products (dried lactic acid bacteria) used for wine malolactic fermentation. All were condensed and added by a conventional method.

  About the said samples 2-5, similarly to the said Example 1, 300g green coffee beans (Brazil Santos No. 2) are added, respectively, it is left still at 23 degreeC for 72 hours, is fermented, Evaluation of the said Example 1 According to the method, the acetic acid concentration in each fermentation broth was measured. Next, green coffee beans were taken out from each fermentation broth and roasted in the same manner as in Example 1 to obtain roasted coffee beans. A coffee extract was prepared using the obtained roasted coffee beans, and the flavor was evaluated.

  The evaluation results are shown in Table 4 together with the results of Sample 1. The acetic acid concentration was kept low compared to Comparative Example 1 of Example 1 regardless of the amount and type of lactic acid bacteria added. The flavor of the coffee extract was a good evaluation. Moreover, the fragrance from which a kind differs was provided with the kind of lactic acid bacteria. Thus, it was found that the scent can be adjusted by using various homo-type lactic acid bacteria.

(Example 3) Example using coffee fruit The effect of addition of lactic acid bacteria was examined using coffee fruit as an assimilation component.
1000 g of coffee fruit (produced in Okinawa Prefecture) was placed in a 5000 mL Erlenmeyer flask, and 1000 mL of water (fermented liquid) was added. SAM2421 is added as a microorganism to this (bacterial cell concentration: 1 × 10 ⁶ cells per 1 mL of fermentation broth), and further, as a lactic acid bacterium, a homo-type commercially available dry lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum used for wine malolactic fermentation (Lactobacillus plantarum) (manufactured by Christian Hansen) was condensed and added by a conventional method (cell concentration: 1 × 10 ⁶ cells per 1 mL of fermentation broth) to prepare sample 6. On the other hand, Comparative Example 2 (Control) was prepared by the same method as Sample 6 except that lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus plantarum) were not added.
About the said sample 6 and the comparative example 2, it left and fermented at 23 degreeC for 72 hours (fermentation process). As a result of observing the fermentation broth after 72 hours, sample 6 showed no growth of bacteria other than the lactic acid bacteria Lactobacillus plantarum (Lactobacillus plantarum) and SAM2421, and exhibited a good flavor in the fermentation broth.
On the other hand, in Comparative Example 2, the propagation of microorganisms considered to be miscellaneous bacteria was observed at the end of fermentation, and a slight acid odor was observed in addition to a good brewing aroma.

Next, the supernatant of each fermentation broth of Sample 6 and Comparative Example 2 was sampled for component analysis. Since acetic acid producing bacteria are representative bacteria that adversely affect the quality of coffee beans, the acetic acid concentration in the supernatant was analyzed by liquid chromatography to determine whether the acetic acid producing bacteria had grown (ie, acetic acid production). If the bacteria grow, the acetic acid production increases and the acetic acid concentration increases.)
As an apparatus for liquid chromatography analysis, a Shimadzu HPLC set was used. As a column, Shim-pack SCR-102H was used and detected by an electric conductivity detector CDD-6A. The temperature of the column oven was 40 ° C., and the reaction and elution were performed with a Tris buffer containing p-toluenesulfonic acid. Quantified with an absolute calibration curve.

  The results of liquid chromatography are shown in Table 5. In Sample 6 to which lactic acid bacteria were added, the concentration of acetic acid was lower than that in Comparative Example 2. That is, it was found that by adding lactic acid bacteria to the fermentation broth, the propagation of miscellaneous bacteria was suppressed and the fermentation of intentionally added microorganisms was promoted.

  Next, the roasted coffee beans were evaluated. For Sample 6 and Comparative Example 2, the fermented coffee fruit was taken out of the fermented liquid, drained, dried in a dryer at 55 ° C. for 48 hours, and then the pulp and skin were removed using a pulping machine, About 250 g of beans were obtained. Of the obtained green coffee beans, 100 g was roasted by a deep roast button operation using a fully automatic coffee beans roaster (CRPA-100 Tortoise Co., Ltd.) for home use. The roasting time was about 25 minutes.

  Next, sensory evaluation of roasted coffee beans was performed by five panelists specializing in sensory coffee. 30 g of roasted coffee beans of Sample 6 and Comparative Example 2 were put into a dedicated functional glass as they were without being crushed, and the glass was covered. The lid was moved during sensuality to evaluate esthetic odor and acetic acid odor. The evaluation was made in 0.5 points in steps of weak (1 point), slightly weak (2 points), moderate (3 points), slightly strong (4 points), and strong (5 points). Expressed as the average of the five evaluation points. The results are shown in Table 6. The roasted coffee beans of Sample 6 had a better scent compared to the roasted coffee beans of Comparative Example 2.

  A coffee extract was prepared using the sample 6 and the roasted coffee beans of Comparative Example 2. Each coffee roasted bean was finely ground, and 100 g of hot water was added to 12 g of the ground beans and stirred. According to the usual method of cup test, the floated coffee was removed and the supernatant liquid was subjected to sensory evaluation. Conducted by 5 coffee panelists. Evaluation items were fragrance (esthetic fragrance, brewing fragrance) and taste (body feeling, mellowness, miscellaneous taste). The evaluation was made in 0.5 points in steps of weak (1 point), slightly weak (2 points), moderate (3 points), slightly strong (4 points), and strong (5 points). Expressed as the average of the five evaluation points. The results are shown in Table 7. Compared to the coffee extract of Comparative Example 2, the coffee extract of Sample 6 was better in both aroma and taste.

(Example 4) Example of wine yeast The effect of the addition of lactic acid bacteria was examined using coffee fruit as an assimilation component.
1000 g of coffee fruit (thawed frozen Mexican fruit) was placed in a 5000 mL Erlenmeyer flask, and 1000 mL of water (fermented liquid) was added. To this, 0.1 g of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) Lavin L2323 strain (manufactured by Setty Company) was added after condensing as a microorganism. Furthermore, as a lactic acid bacterium, homozygous commercially available dried lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum (manufactured by Christian Hansen), which is used for wine malolactic fermentation, is added after condensing by a conventional method (cell density: Sample 1 was prepared by 1 × 10 ⁵ cells per mL of fermentation broth). On the other hand, Comparative Example 3 (Control) was prepared by the same method as Sample 7 except that lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus plantarum) were not added.
About the said sample 7 and the comparative example 3, it was made to ferment at 23 degreeC for 72 hours (fermentation process). As a result of observing the fermentation broth after 72 hours, sample 7 showed no growth of bacteria other than the lactic acid bacteria Lactobacillus plantarum (Lactobacillus plantarum) and wine yeast (Lavin L2323 strain), and the fermentation liquid had a good flavor. Presented.
On the other hand, in Comparative Example 3, the propagation of microorganisms considered to be miscellaneous bacteria was observed at the end of fermentation, and a slight acid odor was observed in addition to a good brewing aroma.

Next, the supernatant of each fermentation broth of Sample 7 and Comparative Example 3 was sampled for component analysis. Since acetic acid-producing bacteria are representative bacteria that adversely affect the quality of coffee beans, the presence or absence of growth of acetic acid-producing bacteria was determined by analyzing the acetic acid concentration in the supernatant by liquid chromatography (ie, acetic acid-producing bacteria) It is judged that the amount of acetic acid produced increases and the concentration of acetic acid increases as the growth of the
As an apparatus for liquid chromatography analysis, a Shimadzu HPLC set was used. As a column, Shim-pack SCR-102H was used and detected by an electric conductivity detector CDD-6A. The temperature of the column oven was 40 ° C., and the reaction and elution were performed with a Tris buffer containing p-toluenesulfonic acid. Quantified with an absolute calibration curve.
The results of liquid chromatography are shown in Table 8. In Sample 7 to which lactic acid bacteria were added, the concentration of acetic acid was lower than that in Comparative Example 3. That is, it was found that by adding lactic acid bacteria to the fermentation broth, the propagation of miscellaneous bacteria was suppressed and the fermentation of intentionally added microorganisms was promoted.

Next, the roasted coffee beans were evaluated. For Sample 7 and Comparative Example 3, the fermented coffee fruit was taken out from the fermented liquid, drained, dried in a dryer at 55 ° C. for 48 hours, and then the pulp and skin were removed using a pulping machine, About 250 g of beans were obtained. Of the obtained green coffee beans, 100 g was roasted by a deep roast button operation using a fully automatic coffee beans roaster (CRPA-100 Tortoise Co., Ltd.) for home use. The roasting time was about 25 minutes.
Next, sensory evaluation of roasted coffee beans was performed by five panelists specializing in sensory coffee. 30 g of roasted coffee beans of Sample 7 and Comparative Example 3 were put into a special functional glass as they were without being crushed, and the glass was covered. The lid was moved during sensuality to evaluate esthetic odor and acetic acid odor. The evaluation was made in 0.5 points in steps of weak (1 point), slightly weak (2 points), moderate (3 points), slightly strong (4 points), and strong (5 points). Expressed as the average of the five evaluation points. The results are shown in Table 9. The roasted beans of Sample 7 had a better scent as compared with Comparative Example 3.

  A coffee extract was prepared using the sample 7 and the roasted coffee beans of Comparative Example 3. Each coffee roasted bean was finely ground, and 100 g of hot water was added to 12 g of the ground beans and stirred. According to the usual method of cup test, the floated coffee was removed and the supernatant liquid was subjected to sensory evaluation. Conducted by 5 coffee panelists. The evaluation items were fragrance (esthetic fragrance, brewed fragrance) and taste (body feeling, acidity). The evaluation was made in 0.5 points in steps of weak (1 point), slightly weak (2 points), moderate (3 points), slightly strong (4 points), and strong (5 points). Expressed as the average of the five evaluation points. The results are shown in Table 10. Compared to the coffee extract of Comparative Example 3, the coffee extract of Sample 7 was better in both aroma and taste.

Claims (12)

A method for treating green coffee beans that includes a fermentation process in which fermented components produced by the fermentation process are imparted to green coffee beans while performing a fermentation process based on contact between an assimilation component and a microorganism,
A method for treating green coffee beans, wherein in the fermentation step, at least two types of microorganisms including at least lactic acid bacteria are present as the microorganisms in a fermentation process.   The method for processing green coffee beans according to claim 1, wherein the green coffee beans are in at least one of a state isolated from coffee fruits and a state existing in coffee fruits.   The method for treating green coffee beans according to claim 1, wherein the lactic acid bacteria are homo-type lactic acid bacteria.   The method for treating green coffee beans according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the microorganism coexisting with the lactic acid bacteria is yeast or incomplete fungi.   The method for treating green coffee beans according to claim 4, wherein the yeast is a yeast for wine fermentation.   The method for treating green coffee beans according to claim 4, wherein the incomplete fungus is an incomplete fungus belonging to the genus Geotrichum.   The coffee according to claim 6, wherein the incomplete fungus belonging to the genus Geotrichum is Geotrichum sp. SAM2421, international deposit number FERM BP-10300, or a variant thereof, or a transformant thereof. Raw beans processing method.   The method for treating green coffee beans according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the assimilation component is fruit juice or coffee pulp. The method for treating green coffee beans according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the number of lactic acid bacteria present in 1 mL of a fermentation broth is 10 ⁵ cells or more.   Green coffee beans obtained by the processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.   Roasted coffee beans obtained by roasting green coffee beans according to claim 10.   A coffee beverage obtained using the roasted coffee beans according to claim 11 as a raw material.