JP2008178401A - Packaged beverage - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a packaged beverage containing nonpolymerized catechin in high concentration, having both of reduced bitter taste and moderately acidic taste without loosing flavor, and suitable for long preservation even containing a sweetener. <P>SOLUTION: The packaged beverage comprises (A) 0.05-0.5 mass% of the nonpolymerized catechin, (B) at least one kind selected from citric acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, phosphoric acid, ascorbic acid and salts thereof, and (C) 0.01-20 mass% of the sweetener, has (D) 5-55 mass% of a gallate body ratio of the nonpolymerized catechin, and also has pH ≤5.1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a packaged beverage containing a high concentration of non-polymer catechins and a sweetener.

  The effects of catechins have been reported to inhibit cholesterol elevation, inhibit amylase activity, etc. (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). In order to express such physiological effects of catechins, it is necessary to drink 4 to 5 cups of tea per day for adults. Therefore, in order to ingest a large amount of catechins more easily, A technique for blending high concentrations of catechins is desired. As one of these methods, there is a method in which catechins are added to a beverage in a dissolved state using a concentrate of green tea extract (for example, see Patent Documents 3 to 5).

  However, when a commercially available concentrate of green tea extract was used as it was, the astringency and bitterness were strong due to the influence of the components contained in the concentrate of green tea extract, and the feeling over the throat was poor. Furthermore, it was not suitable for long-term drinking, which is necessary to develop the physiological effect of catechin. Moreover, although high concentration catechin drinks using citric acid or citrate under acidic conditions of pH 3.4 to 4.2 have been reported (Patent Document 6), optimal sweetness and sourness can be obtained. There was a problem that the flavor deteriorated during long-term storage.

JP-A-60-156614 JP-A-3-133828 JP 2002-142777 A JP-A-8-298930 JP-A-8-109178 US Patent Application Publication No. 2005/1229829

  It is an object of the present invention to contain non-polymer catechins at a high concentration, to achieve both a reduction in bitterness and an appropriate acidity, and to retain the content of non-polymer catechins even after long-term storage To provide a stuffed beverage.

  As a result of examining the improvement in flavor of a packaged beverage containing a high concentration of non-polymer catechins and sweeteners, the present inventors have found that a high concentration of non-polymer catechins and one kind of organic acid and salts thereof After blending the above, by controlling the gallate ratio in the non-polymer catechins, both moderate acidity and reduction of bitterness can be achieved, and even when stored for a long time by controlling the pH, the non-polymer It has been found that a packaged beverage capable of maintaining the catechin content can be obtained.

That is, the present invention
(A) Non-polymer catechins 0.05 to 0.5% by mass,
(B) at least one selected from citric acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, phosphoric acid, ascorbic acid and salts thereof, and (C) sweetener 0.01 to 20% by mass
And (D) a non-polymer catechin gallate body ratio of 5 to 55% by mass and a pH of 5.1 or less.

  According to the present invention, non-polymer catechins can be obtained by controlling the gallate ratio and pH in non-polymer catechins by combining one or more specific organic acids and salts thereof and a sweetener. It is possible to provide a packaged beverage that is contained in a high concentration and has both reduced bitterness and moderate sweetness and sourness, and can retain the content of non-polymer catechins even after long-term storage.

  (A) Non-polymer catechins in the present invention include non-epimeric catechins (hereinafter also referred to as “non-epimer”) such as catechin, gallocatechin, catechin gallate, gallocatechin gallate, epicatechin, epigallocatechin, Epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin gallate, and other epi-catechins (hereinafter also referred to as “epi-forms”) are collectively referred to, and the concentration of non-polymer catechins is defined based on the total amount of the above eight types. Is done.

  The container-packed beverage of the present invention contains 0.05 to 0.5 mass% of non-polymer catechins, preferably 0.07 to 0.4 mass%, more preferably 0.08 to 0.00. 3% by mass, most preferably 0.09 to 0.2% by mass. If the non-polymer catechins are within this range, a large amount of non-polymer catechins can be easily ingested, and the physiological effects of the non-polymer catechins can be expressed. Moreover, when the non-polymer catechin content is 0.05% by mass or more, the flavor stability is good, and when it is 0.5% by mass or less, the taste is good.

  Non-epi forms are essentially non-existent in nature and are generated by thermal modification of epi forms. The ratio ([(F) / (A)] × 100) of (F) non-polymer catechins in (A) non-polymer catechins that can be used in the packaged beverage of the present invention is 5-25. % By mass is preferable, and further 8 to 20% by mass, and particularly 12 to 17% by mass is preferable because the storage stability of the non-polymer catechins is improved.

  The non-polymer catechins in the packaged beverage of the present invention include epigallocatechin gallate, gallocatechin gallate, epicatechin gallate and catechin gallate, and a non-gallate body composed of epigallocatechin, gallocatechin, epicatechin and catechin. There is. The proportion ([(D) / (A)] × 100) of (D) non-polymer catechin gallate in (A) non-polymer catechins that can be used in the packaged beverage of the present invention is 5 to 55% by mass. However, from the viewpoint of bitterness suppression, the lower limit of the gallate body ratio is preferably 8% by mass, more preferably 10% by mass, further preferably 15% by mass, particularly preferably 20% by mass, and the upper limit is preferably 51% by mass, and further 50%. % By weight, in particular 46% by weight, in particular 40% by weight, are preferred.

  The container-packed drink in the present invention is preferably a blend of a purified product of green tea extract. In the present invention, the concentration of non-polymer catechins can be adjusted by further blending, for example, a tea extract or a concentrate thereof with the purified product of the green tea extract. As a purified product of green tea extract, specifically, an aqueous solution of a purified product of green tea extract, or a purified product of the green tea extract, a green tea extract or a concentrate thereof, a semi-fermented tea extract or a concentrate thereof Or a blend of fermented tea extract or concentrate thereof. The concentrate of the tea extract here is one obtained by partially removing the solvent from the solution extracted from tea leaves with hot water or a water-soluble organic solvent to increase the concentration of non-polymer catechins. , Solid, aqueous solution, slurry, and the like. As a concentrate of a tea extract, the concentrate of a green tea extract and the concentrate of fermented tea (black tea) extract are preferable. The tea extract is a tea leaf selected from non-fermented tea, semi-fermented tea and fermented tea with hot water or a water-soluble organic solvent, and has not been concentrated or purified. Say.

  Examples of the concentrate of green tea extract containing non-polymer catechins include commercially available Mitsui Norin Co., Ltd. “Polyphenone”, ITO EN Co., Ltd. “Theafuran”, Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd. “Sunphenon” and the like.

As a purification method, for example, a precipitate formed by suspending a concentrate of green tea extract in water or a mixture of water and an organic solvent such as ethanol (hereinafter referred to as “organic solvent aqueous solution”) is removed, and then the solvent is distilled off. The method of leaving is mentioned.
As a purified product of the green tea extract used in the present invention, in addition to or in addition to the above-described precipitation removal treatment, a green tea extract or a concentrate thereof (hereinafter, “ What is obtained by processing "green tea extract etc.") is preferable.
(I) a method of adding at least one selected from activated carbon, acidic clay and activated clay to a green tea extract and the like,
(Ii) Method for treating green tea extract or the like with tannase (iii) Method for treating green tea extract or the like with a synthetic adsorbent

In the purification of green tea extract, it is purified by adding at least one selected from activated carbon, acid clay and activated clay before suspending the green tea extract or the like in water or an organic solvent aqueous solution and filtering the resulting precipitate. It is preferable to add activated carbon and acidic clay or activated clay, and it is more preferable to perform the treatment. The order in which the green tea extract or the like is brought into contact with activated carbon, acid clay and activated clay is not particularly limited. For example,
(1) A method in which green tea extract or the like is dispersed or dissolved in water or an organic solvent aqueous solution and then contacted with activated carbon and acidic clay or activated clay.
(2) A method in which a dispersion in which activated carbon and acidic clay or activated clay are dispersed in water or an organic solvent aqueous solution and a green tea extract or the like are contact-treated,
(3) After the green tea extract or the like is dispersed or dissolved in water or an organic solvent aqueous solution, it is contacted with acid clay or activated clay, then contacted with activated carbon, or contacted with activated carbon, and then acid clay or activated clay. And the method (1) or (3) is preferable. In addition, a filtration process may be put between each process in the method of (1)-(3), and you may transfer to the next process, after filtering.

The organic solvent used for the purification of the green tea extract is preferably a water-soluble organic solvent, and examples thereof include alcohols such as methanol and ethanol, ketones such as acetone, and esters such as ethyl acetate. In view of the use of ethanol, ethanol is preferred. Examples of water include ion-exchanged water, tap water, natural water and the like, and ion-exchanged water is particularly preferable from the viewpoint of taste.
The mixing mass ratio of the organic solvent and water is preferably 60/40 to 97/3, more preferably 60/40 to 95/5, and particularly preferably 85/15 to 95/5. It is preferable in terms of catechin extraction efficiency, green tea extract purification efficiency, and the like.

The ratio of the green tea extract and the like to water or an organic solvent aqueous solution is 10 to 40 parts by mass, particularly 10 to 30 parts by mass of the green tea extract (in terms of dry mass) with respect to 100 parts by mass of water or the organic solvent aqueous solution. It is preferable to treat the green tea extract because the green tea extract can be treated efficiently.
It is preferable to provide an aging time of about 10 to 180 minutes for the contact treatment, and these treatments can be carried out at 10 to 60 ° C., more preferably 10 to 50 ° C., particularly preferably 10 to 40 ° C.

Examples of the activated carbon used for the contact treatment include ZN-50 (manufactured by Hokuetsu Carbon Co., Ltd.), Kuraray Coal GLC, Kuraray Coal PK-D, Kuraray Coal PW-D (manufactured by Kuraray Chemical Co., Ltd.), white birch AW50, white birch A, Commercial products such as Shirasagi M and Shirasagi C (manufactured by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited) can be used.
The pore volume of the activated carbon is preferably 0.01 to 0.8 mL / g, particularly preferably 0.1 to 0.8 mL / g. The specific surface area is preferably in the range of 800 to 1600 m ² / g, particularly 900 to 1500 m ² / g. These physical property values are values based on the nitrogen adsorption method.

  Activated carbon is added in an amount of 0.5 to 8 parts by mass, particularly 0.5 to 3 parts by mass, with respect to 100 parts by mass of water or an organic solvent aqueous solution. Is preferable.

Both acid clay and activated clay used for the contact treatment contain SiO ₂ , Al ₂ O ₃ , Fe ₂ O ₃ , CaO, MgO, etc. as general chemical components, but SiO ₂ / Al ₂ O. _{3 A} ratio of 3 to 12, particularly 4 to 9 is preferred. Further, Fe ₂ O ₃ 2 to 5 wt%, the CaO 0 to 1.5 wt%, preferably from compositions containing MgO 1 to 7% by weight.

The specific surface area of the acid clay or the activated clay is preferably 50 to 350 m ² / g, and the pH (5% by mass suspension) is preferably 2.5 to 8, particularly preferably 3.6 to 7. For example, as the acid clay, a commercially available product such as Mizuka Ace # 600 (manufactured by Mizusawa Chemical Co., Ltd.) can be used.

  Moreover, the ratio of the activated carbon to the acid clay and the activated clay is preferably 1 to 10 with respect to the activated carbon 1 by mass ratio, and is preferably activated carbon: acid clay and activated clay = 1: 1 to 1: 6.

  The acid clay and the activated clay are preferably added in an amount of 2.5 to 25 parts by mass, particularly 2.5 to 15 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of water or an organic solvent aqueous solution. If the amount of acid clay added is 2.5 parts by mass or more, the purification efficiency of the green tea extract is good, and if it is 25 parts by mass or less, there are no problems in production such as cake resistance in the filtration step. .

  The temperature when separating activated carbon or the like from water or an organic solvent aqueous solution is preferably -15 to 78 ° C, more preferably -5 to 40 ° C. Within this temperature range, the separability is good. As a separation method, a known technique can be applied. For example, separation may be performed by passing through a column packed with a granular substance such as activated carbon, in addition to a so-called filter separation or centrifugation.

  Moreover, the non-polymer catechins used in the present invention can reduce the gallate body rate by treating the green tea extract or the like with tannase treatment. The tannase used here should just have the activity which hydrolyzes non-polymer catechin gallate body. Specifically, tannase obtained by culturing tannase-producing bacteria such as Aspergillus, Penicillium, Rhizopus and the like can be used. Of these, those derived from Aspergillus oryzae are particularly preferred. As commercially available enzymes having tannase activity, pectinase PL Amano (manufactured by Amano Enzyme), hemicellulase amano 90 (manufactured by Amano Enzyme), tannase KTFH (manufactured by Kikkoman) and the like can be used.

  The enzyme having tannase activity used in the present invention preferably has an enzyme activity of 500 to 100,000 U / g, and if it is 500 U / g or more, it can be easily treated within a time that is not industrially problematic. Yes, it is easy to control the reaction system when it is 100,000 U / g or less. Here, 1 Unit represents the amount of enzyme that hydrolyzes 1 micromole of an ester bond contained in tannic acid in water at 30 ° C. That is, having tannase activity has activity to decompose tannin, and any enzyme can be used as long as it has this activity.

  In the treatment with tannase, tannase is preferably added in a range of 0.5 to 10% by mass, more preferably 1.0 to 10% by mass with respect to the non-polymer catechins of the green tea extract. . The temperature of the tannase treatment is preferably 15 to 40 ° C., more preferably 20 to 30 ° C. at which enzyme activity can be obtained. The pH at the time of tannase treatment is preferably 4-6, more preferably 4.5-6, and particularly preferably 5-6, from which enzyme activity can be obtained. Thereafter, the temperature is raised to 45 ° C. to 95 ° C., preferably 75 ° C. to 95 ° C. as soon as possible, and the reaction is stopped by deactivating tannase. The inactivation treatment of the tannase can prevent the subsequent decrease in the gallate body ratio, and a purified product of the green tea extract having the desired gallate body ratio can be obtained. The tannase-treated product thus obtained can be used as a purified product of green tea extract.

  Furthermore, in this invention, a green tea extract etc. can be refine | purified by processing with a synthetic adsorbent. Synthetic adsorbents are generally insoluble three-dimensional crosslinked structure polymers that are substantially free of functional groups such as ion exchange groups. It is preferable to use a synthetic adsorbent having an ion exchange capacity of less than 1 meq / g. As such a synthetic adsorbent, for example, Amberlite XAD4, XAD16HP, XAD1180, XAD2000 (supplier: Rohm & Haas, USA), Diaion HP20, HP21 (Mitsubishi Chemical Co., Ltd.), Sepabeads SP850, SP825, SP700, Styrenics such as SP70 (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical), VPOC1062 (manufactured by Bayer); modified styrenes having a strong adsorption power by nucleating bromine atoms such as sepa beads SP205, SP206, SP207 (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical); Methacrylic type such as Ion HP1MG and HP2MG (Mitsubishi Chemical Co.); Phenol type such as Amberlite XAD761 (Rohm and Haas); Acrylic type such as Amberlite XAD7HP (Rohm and Haas); TOYOPEARRL, HW-40C (east A commercially available product such as a dextran type such as SEPHADEX or LH-20 (Pharmacia) can be used.

  As the synthetic adsorbent, the matrix is preferably styrene, methacrylic, acrylic, or polyvinyl, and styrene is particularly preferable from the viewpoint of separability between non-polymer catechins and caffeine.

  In the present invention, as a means for adsorbing the green tea extract or the like on the synthetic adsorbent, a synthetic adsorbent is added to the green tea extract or the like, stirred and adsorbed, and then a batch method or a synthetic adsorbent for collecting the synthetic adsorbent by filtration operation is used. Although a column method in which adsorption treatment is performed by continuous treatment using a packed column can be employed, a continuous treatment method using a column is preferable from the viewpoint of productivity. Although the usage-amount of a synthetic adsorbent can be suitably selected according to kinds, such as a tea extract to be used, it is 200 mass% or less with respect to the mass (dry mass) of a green tea extract, for example.

The column packed with the synthetic adsorbent is 95 in advance with a liquid passage condition of SV (space velocity) = 0.5 to 10 [h ⁻¹ ] and a liquid passage ratio of 2 to 10 [v / v] with respect to the synthetic adsorbent. It is preferable to remove the raw material monomer of the synthetic adsorbent and other impurities by washing with a mass% ethanol aqueous solution. Then, SV = 0.5 to 10 [h ⁻¹ ], and a water passage condition of 1 to 60 [v / v] as a liquid passage ratio with respect to the synthetic adsorbent is performed to remove ethanol and remove the synthetic adsorbent. The ability to adsorb non-polymer catechins can be improved by replacing the liquid-containing solution with an aqueous system.

The conditions for passing green tea extract and the like through a column filled with a synthetic adsorbent are: SV (space velocity) = 0.5 to 10 [h ⁻¹ ], liquid passing rate with respect to the synthetic adsorbent. The liquid is preferably passed under the condition of 0.5 to 20 [v / v]. Adsorption of non-polymer catechins to the synthetic adsorbent is sufficient when the flow rate is 10 [h ^-1 ] or less and the flow rate is 20 [v / v] or less.

Next, after passing green tea extract and the like, non-polymer catechins are eluted with an organic solvent aqueous solution.
As the organic solvent aqueous solution, a mixed system of a water-soluble organic solvent and water is used. As the water-soluble organic solvent, ethanol is preferable from the viewpoint of use in foods and drinks. The concentration of the water-soluble organic solvent is preferably 5.0 to 50.0% by mass, more preferably 10.0 to 30.0% by mass, and particularly 15.0 to 25.0% by mass is the recovery rate of non-polymer catechins. From the point of view, it is preferable.

  The content mass ratio [(E) / (A)] of (A) non-polymer catechins and (E) caffeine in the packaged beverage of the present invention is preferably 0.0001 to 0.16, more preferably 0. 0.001 to 0.15, more preferably 0.01 to 0.14, and particularly preferably 0.05 to 0.13. When the ratio of caffeine to non-polymer catechins is 0.0001 or more, the flavor balance can be maintained. Moreover, the stability of a drink is favorable in the ratio of caffeine with respect to non-polymer catechins being 0.16 or less. (E) Caffeine may be caffeine naturally present in green tea extract, fragrance, fruit juice and other components used as a raw material, or may be newly added caffeine.

  The packaged beverage of the present invention contains at least one selected from (B) citric acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, phosphoric acid, ascorbic acid and salts thereof as a sour agent. Among these acids, ascorbic acid, citric acid, and phosphoric acid are preferable for obtaining an optimal acidity. Examples of the salts include salts with inorganic bases and salts with organic bases. Examples of the salt with an inorganic base include alkali metal salts (for example, sodium salts and potassium salts), ammonium salts, and the like. Examples of salts with organic bases include amine salts (eg, methylamine salts, diethylamine salts, triethylamine salts, ethylenediamine salts), alkanolamine salts (eg, monoethanolamine salts, diethanolamine salts, triethanolamine salts) and the like. Of the salt. Among these salts, alkali metal salts are preferable, and specifically, sodium citrate, potassium 1 citrate, potassium 3 citrate, sodium gluconate, potassium gluconate, sodium tartrate, trisodium tartrate, potassium hydrogen tartrate, Sodium lactate, potassium lactate, sodium fumarate, diammonium hydrogen phosphate, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, disodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, trisodium metaphosphate, trisodium phosphate, Examples include tripotassium phosphate. Of these, trisodium citrate, tripotassium citrate, and trisodium phosphate are particularly preferable for obtaining an optimal sour taste. These acidulants are contained in the packaged beverage of the present invention in a total of 0.01 to 1.0% by mass, further 0.1 to 0.4% by mass, and particularly 0.1 to 0.3% by mass. preferable.

In the packaged beverage of the present invention, (C) as a sweetener, carbohydrates obtained from nature, glycerols, sugar alcohols, and artificial sweeteners can be used. These sweeteners are contained in a total of 0.01 to 20% by mass in the packaged beverage of the present invention, preferably 0.01 to 15% by mass, and more preferably 0.02 to 10% by mass. .

If the container-packed beverage of the present invention has too little sweetener, there is almost no sweetness and it is difficult to balance the acidity. In particular, 2 to 7 are preferable (reference: JISZ8144, sensory evaluation analysis-term, number 3011, sweetness; JISZ9080, sensory evaluation analysis-method, test method; beverage glossary 4-2 classification of sweetness degree, data 11 (Beverage Japan); characteristic grade test mAG test, ISO 6564-1985 (E), “Sensory Analysis-Methodology profile method”, etc.).

  The carbohydrates used in the packaged beverage of the present invention include monosaccharides, complex polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, sugar alcohols or mixtures thereof. As examples of monosaccharides, mixed monosaccharides such as corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, fructose glucose liquid sugar, glucose fructose liquid sugar, agape extract, and honey can also be used. A preferred example of the complex polysaccharide is maltodextrin. In addition, polyhydric alcohols such as glycerol can be used in the present invention.

  The carbohydrate used in the packaged beverage of the present invention is preferably a non-reducing saccharide or sugar alcohol in order to improve the storage stability of non-polymer catechins and obtain an optimal sweetness, and these may be used in combination. it can. Non-reducing saccharides include oligosaccharides, and examples include disaccharides such as sucrose, maltose, lactose, cellobiose, trehalose, trisaccharides such as raffinose, panose, merezitose, gentianose, and tetrasaccharides such as stachyose. Of these oligosaccharides, sucrose is preferred. As products, refined sugars such as granulated sugar, curd sugar, processed sugar, liquid sugar, sugar cane, maple syrup and the like can be used.

  The carbohydrate used in the packaged beverage of the present invention preferably contains a sugar alcohol from the viewpoint of calories, and as the sugar alcohol, erythritol, sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, lactitol, palatinose, mannitol, tagatose and the like are preferable. In the packaged beverage of the present invention, erythritol with few calories is the most suitable among these carbohydrates. The sugar alcohol content in the packaged beverage of the present invention is 0.01 to 5% by mass, preferably 0.02 to 3% by mass, and particularly preferably 0.03 to 2% by mass. By setting the sugar alcohol content in the above-mentioned range, the beverage is low in calories, easily incorporates electrolytes such as sodium and potassium, and has a good stability. When the content of the sugar alcohol is 0.01% by mass or more, the effect of taking in the electrolyte is sufficient, and when it is 5% by mass or less, the stability of the beverage is good.

  Among the sweeteners used in the packaged beverage of the present invention, examples of artificial sweeteners include aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, cyclamate, acesulfame-K, L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine lower alkyl ester, L-aspartyl-D. -High sweetness sweeteners such as alanine amide, L-aspartyl-D-serine amide, L-aspartyl-hydroxymethylalkanamide, L-aspartyl-1-hydroxyethylalkanamide, sucralose, glycyrrhizin, synthetic alkoxy aromatic compounds, etc. is there. Saumatine, stevinoside and other natural sources of sweeteners can also be used. The content of these artificial sweeteners is preferably 0.0001 to 20% by mass. Saumatine, stevinoside and other natural source sweeteners can also be used.

  The container-packed beverage of the present invention can contain sodium ions. As a sodium ion, you may mix | blend easily available sodium salts, such as salt, sodium carbonate, sodium hydrogencarbonate, and mixtures thereof other than the salt used by this invention. Sodium includes those derived from added fruit juice or tea components. In order to obtain an optimum salty taste, the sodium ion content in the packaged beverage of the present invention is preferably 0.0001 to 0.05% by mass, more preferably 0.002 to 0.04% by mass, and still more preferably. It is 0.003-0.02 mass%.

  The packaged beverage of the present invention can contain potassium ions. As a potassium ion, in addition to the salt used in the present invention, a potassium salt such as potassium chloride, potassium carbonate, potassium sulfate, potassium hydrogen carbonate, potassium sorbate, or a mixture thereof may be blended. In addition, the thing derived from the component of added fruit juice or tea is also contained in potassium. The potassium ion concentration is preferably 0.0001 to 0.05% by mass, more preferably 0.0005 to 0.01% by mass, in order to obtain an optimal salty taste. More preferably, it is 0.001-0.005 mass%.

  In addition to sodium ion and potassium ion, the container-packed beverage of the present invention is preferably 0.0001 to 0.05% by mass, more preferably 0.0005 to 0.04% by mass, particularly in order to obtain an optimum salty taste. Preferably 0.001-0.03 mass% of chloride ions are contained. The chloride ion component can be formulated in the form of a salt such as sodium chloride or potassium chloride. For example, when sodium chloride is added, that amount of sodium ions and that amount of chloride ions will be included in the total amount of each ion accordingly.

  In the container-packed beverage of the present invention, the pH is adjusted to 5.1 or less from the viewpoint of the balance between sourness and bitterness and storage stability, preferably 5.0 or less, particularly preferably 4.5 or less. . The lower limit of the pH is preferably 2,5, more preferably 2.8, particularly 3.0. That is, when the pH is 2.5 or more, the amount of non-polymer catechins is maintained during long-term storage. Further, when the pH is 5.1 or less, stability can be maintained even during long-term storage. By adjusting the pH to the above range with ascorbic acid or a salt thereof, citric acid, or the like, the beverage can be stored for a long time and has an appropriate acidity.

The container-packed beverage of the present invention can be blended with a fragrance (flavor) or fruit juice (fruit juice) in order to enhance palatability. Specific examples are natural or synthetic fragrances and fruit juices, which can be selected from fruit juices, fruit flavors, plant flavors or mixtures thereof. In particular, a combination of tea flavors, preferably green tea or black tea flavors, along with fruit juice has an attractive taste. The fruit juice can be apple, pear, lemon, lime, mandarin, grapefruit, cranberry, orange, strawberry, grape, kyui, pineapple, passion fruit, mango, guava, raspberry and cherry. Of these, citrus juice (preferably grapefruit, orange, lemon, lime, mandarin), mango, passion fruit and guava juice, or mixtures thereof are most preferred. The fruit juice is preferably contained in the container-packed beverage of the present invention in an amount of 0.001 to 20% by mass, and further 0.002 to 10% by mass. Preferred natural flavors are jasmine, chamomile, rose, peppermint, hawthorn, chrysanthemum, sugar, sugar cane, litchi, bamboo shoot and the like. Particularly preferred fragrances are citrus flavors including orange flavor, lemon flavor, lime flavor and grapefruit flavor. Various other fruit flavors such as apple flavor, grape flavor, raspberry flavor, cranberry flavor, cherry flavor, pineapple flavor, etc. can be used in conjunction with the citrus flavor. These flavors may be derived from natural sources such as fruit juices and perfume oils, or may be synthesized.
Perfumes can include blends of various flavors such as lemon and lime flavors, citrus flavors and selected spices (typical cola soft drink flavors). Such a fragrance | flavor can mix | blend 0.0001-5 mass% in the container-packed drink of this invention, Preferably 0.001-3 mass%.

  The container-packed beverage of the present invention can further contain vitamins, and preferably vitamin A, vitamin B, and vitamin E are added. Other vitamins such as vitamin D may also be added. As vitamin B, there is a vitamin B group selected from inositol, thiamine hydrochloride, thiamine nitrate, riboflavin, sodium riboflavin 5′-phosphate ester, niacin, nicotinamide, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, cyanocobalamin, folic acid, and biotin. Can be mentioned. These vitamins are preferably at least 10% by mass or more of the daily required amount per beverage (US RDI standard: US 2005/0003068 description: US Reference Daily Intake).

  The container-packed beverage of the present invention can further contain minerals other than sodium and potassium. Preferred minerals are calcium, chromium, copper, fluorine, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, silicon, molybdenum and zinc. Particularly preferred minerals are magnesium, phosphorus and iron.

  In addition to tea-derived components, antioxidants, various esters, pigments, emulsifiers, preservatives, seasonings, vegetable extracts, nectar extracts, quality stabilizers, etc. are added to the packaged beverage of the present invention. You may mix | blend an agent individually or in combination.

  The container-packed drink of this invention is good also as a non-carbonated drink by palatability. Further, by making a carbonated beverage having an appropriate foaming property with carbon dioxide gas, the bitterness of non-polymer catechins can be suppressed, and a soft feeling and a refreshing feeling can be continuously imparted. In addition, the container-packed beverage of the present invention can be a tea-based beverage or a non-tea-based beverage. Examples of tea-based beverages include non-fermented tea beverages such as green tea beverages, semi-fermented tea beverages such as oolong tea beverages, and fermented tea beverages such as black tea beverages. Moreover, the container-packed drink of this invention can also be made into a functional drink, for example, can also be made into non-tea-type drinks, such as enhanced water, a sports drink, and near water.

  The packaged beverage of the present invention can also be provided as a functional beverage. The functional beverage refers to a health functional food, and the health functional food includes food for specific health and nutrition defined by Japan. Functional foods are included.

  The calorie of the packaged beverage of the present invention is calculated at 4 kcal per gram for glucose, fructose and sucrose contained in 100 mL of beverage, and 0 Kcal per gram for erythritol. Here, the packaged beverage of the present invention is preferably 50 kcal / 240 mL or less, which is a low calorie, more preferably 40 kcal / 240 mL or less, still more preferably 1 to 30 kcal / 240 mL, and particularly preferably 2 to 20 kcal / 240 mL.

  Containers that can be used in the container-packed beverages of the present invention are provided in ordinary forms such as molded containers mainly composed of polyethylene terephthalate (so-called PET bottles), metal cans, paper containers combined with metal foil or plastic film, bottles, etc. can do. The term “packaged beverage” as used herein means a beverage that can be drunk without dilution.

  Moreover, the container-packed drink of this invention can be manufactured on the sterilization conditions prescribed | regulated to the food hygiene law, for example, when it can heat-sterilize after filling a container like a metal can. For PET bottles and paper containers that cannot be sterilized by retort, sterilize under the same conditions as above, for example, after sterilizing at high temperature and short time with a plate heat exchanger, etc. The method can be adopted. Moreover, you may mix | blend another component with the filled container under aseptic conditions. Furthermore, after sterilization by heating under acidic conditions, the pH can be returned to neutrality under aseptic conditions, or after sterilization by heating under neutral conditions, the pH can be returned to acidic conditions under aseptic conditions.

Measurement of non-polymer catechins and caffeine Octadecyl group was introduced using a high-performance liquid chromatograph (model SCL-10AVP) manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation, which was filtered through a membrane filter (0.8 μm) and then diluted with distilled water. Packed column for liquid chromatograph L-column TM ODS (4.6 mmφ × 250 mm: manufactured by Chemical Substances Research Institute) was mounted, and the measurement was performed at a column temperature of 35 ° C. by a gradient method. The mobile phase A solution was a distilled aqueous solution containing 0.1 mol / L of acetic acid, the B solution was an acetonitrile solution containing 0.1 mol / L of acetic acid, the sample injection amount was 20 μL, and the UV detector wavelength was 280 nm. (Normally, the concentrations of catechins and caffeine are expressed in mass / volume% (% [w / v]), but the contents in the examples are expressed in mass% by multiplying the liquid amount).

Evaluation of flavor About the drink obtained by each Example and the comparative example, the drinking test was done by five panelists. In addition, evaluation of flavor was performed about bitterness and sourness.

Preservation test The prepared beverage was stored at 37 ° C. for 4 weeks, and the change in the color tone of the beverage before and after storage was visually evaluated by 5 panelists according to the following criteria. Furthermore, non-polymer catechins were measured.
A: No change, B: Some change, C: Change, D: Large change

Production Example 1
Production of “purified product 1 of green tea extract containing non-polymer catechins” 1,000 g of commercially available green tea extract concentrate (Mitsui Norin Co., Ltd. “Polyphenone HG”) at 25 ° C. and 200 r / min. The suspension is suspended in 9,000 g of a 95% by weight ethanol aqueous solution, and 200 g of activated carbon (Kuraray Coal GLC, manufactured by Kuraray Chemical Co., Ltd.) and 500 g of acid clay (Mizuka Ace # 600, manufactured by Mizusawa Chemical Co., Ltd.) are added for about 10 minutes. Stirring was continued. Subsequently, the stirring process for about 30 minutes was continued at 25 degreeC. The activated carbon, acid clay, and precipitate were filtered with No. 2 filter paper, and then re-filtered with a 0.2 μm membrane filter. Finally, 200 g of ion-exchanged water was added to the filtrate, and ethanol was distilled off at 40 ° C. and 3.3 kPa, followed by concentration under reduced pressure. Of this, 750 g was put into a stainless steel container, and the total amount was adjusted to 10,000 g with ion-exchanged water, and adjusted to pH 5.5 by adding 30 g of a 5% by mass aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. Next, under a stirring condition of 22 ° C. and 150 r / min, a solution in which 2.7 g of Kikkoman tannase KTFH (Industrial Grade, 500 U / g or more) is dissolved in 10.7 g of ion-exchanged water is added. The enzymatic reaction was terminated when the temperature dropped to 4.24. The stainless steel container was immersed in a warm bath at 95 ° C. and kept at 90 ° C. for 10 minutes to completely deactivate the enzyme activity. Next, after cooling to 25 ° C., concentration treatment was performed to obtain “Purified product 1 of green tea extract containing non-polymer catechins”. The non-polymer catechins were 15.0% by mass, and the non-polymer gallate content was 45.1% by mass.

Production Example 2
Production of “Concentrate 2 of Green Tea Extract Containing Non-Polymer Catechins” After adding 4,500 g of hot water at 88 ° C. to 300 g of green tea leaves (from Kenya, large leaf seeds), stirring and extracting for 60 minutes, 100 mesh wire mesh And roughly filtered. Subsequently, in order to remove the fine powder of the tea extract, a centrifugal separation operation was performed to obtain 3,680 g of “green tea extract”. A part of the green tea extract was lyophilized to obtain “Non-polymer catechin-containing green tea extract concentrate 2”. Non-polymer catechins were 32.8 mass%, and the non-polymer gallate content was 58.6 mass%.

Production Example 3
Production of “Purified Product 3 of Green Tea Extract Containing Non-polymer Catechins” Concentrate 2 of green tea extract containing non-polymer catechins is placed in a stainless steel container, and 5% by mass aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution is added to adjust the pH to 5. Adjusted to 5. Under stirring conditions of 22 ° C. and 150 r / min, 150 g of a liquid in which Kikkoman tannase KTFH (Industrial Grade, 500 U / g or more) was added to ion-exchanged water at a concentration of 430 ppm with respect to the concentrate of green tea extract was added. After 55 minutes, the enzymatic reaction was terminated when the pH dropped to 4.24. Next, the stainless steel container was immersed in a warm bath at 95 ° C. and kept at 90 ° C. for 10 minutes to completely deactivate the enzyme activity. After cooling to 25 ° C., concentration treatment and lyophilization were performed to obtain “Purified product 3 of green tea extract containing non-polymer catechins”. The non-polymer catechins were 30.0% by mass, and the non-polymer gallate content was 20.2% by mass.

Production Example 4
Production of “purified product 4 of green tea extract containing non-polymer catechins” 25 g of concentrate 2 of green tea extract containing non-polymer catechins and 75 g of purified product 3 of green tea extract containing non-polymer catechins The mixture was suspended in 900 g of an aqueous 95% by mass ethanol solution at 25 ° C. under stirring conditions of 200 r / min, 20 g of activated carbon (Kuraray Coal GLC, manufactured by Kuraray Chemical Co.) and acid clay (Mizuka Ace # 600, Mizusawa Chemical). After adding 50 g, stirring was continued for about 10 minutes. Subsequently, the stirring process was continued for about 30 minutes at 25 ° C. Next, the activated carbon, acid clay, and precipitate were filtered with No. 2 filter paper, and then re-filtered with a 0.2 μm membrane filter. Finally, 200 g of ion-exchanged water was added to the filtrate, ethanol was distilled off at 40 ° C. and 3.3 kPa, and the mixture was concentrated under reduced pressure to obtain “Purified product 4 of non-polymer catechins-containing green tea extract”. The non-polymer catechins were 30.8% by mass, and the non-polymer gallate content was 30.4% by mass.

Production Example 5
Production of “Purified Product of Green Tea Extract Containing Non-polymer Catechins” 85 g of “Purified Product 3 of Green Tea Extract Containing Non-polymer Catechins” was dissolved in 8,415 g of deionized water with stirring at 25 ° C. for 30 minutes ( Tannase treatment solution). A stainless steel column 1 (inner diameter 110 mm × height 230 mm, volume 2,185 mL) was filled with 2,048 mL of synthetic adsorbent SP-70 (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation). 8,200 g of tannase treatment solution (4 times the volume of the synthetic adsorbent) was passed through column 1 at SV = 1 (h ⁻¹ ), and the permeate was discarded. After washing with water, 10,240 mL (5 times the volume of the synthetic adsorbent) was passed through a 20% by mass ethanol aqueous solution at SV = 1 (h ⁻¹ ) to obtain “resin-treated product 1” (pH 4.58). It was. Next, 8.5 g of granular activated carbon Taiho SGP (Futamura Scientific Co., Ltd.) is packed in a stainless steel column 2 (inner diameter 22 mm × height 145 mm, volume 55.1 mL), and “resin-treated product 1” is SV = 1 (h ^-1 ) was passed through column 2. Subsequently, concentration treatment and freeze-drying were performed to obtain “Purified product 5 of non-polymer catechins-containing green tea extract”. The non-polymer catechins were 77.6% by mass, and the non-polymer gallate content was 20.2% by mass.

Example 1
8.5 g of "purified product 1 of green tea extract containing non-polymer catechins", 0.34 g of anhydrous citric acid and 0.61 g of trisodium citrate were dissolved in ion-exchanged water. Next, 46.6 g of anhydrous crystalline fructose, 7.5 g of erythritol, 0.5 g of L-ascorbic acid, and 1.0 g of lemon lime flavor were added to make the total amount 1,000 g. After blending, it was UHT sterilized and filled into a PET bottle. This container-packed non-tea beverage had a non-polymer catechin content of 0.127% by mass and a non-polymer gallate content of 45.1% by mass. Table 1 shows the results of evaluation of the composition, flavor and stability of this packaged green tea beverage.

Example 2
A container-packed non-tea beverage was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 except that 0.61 g of tripotassium citrate was used instead of trisodium citrate in Example 1. The composition, flavor and stability evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

Example 3
A container-packed non-tea beverage was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the amount of anhydrous citric acid and trisodium citrate was increased in Example 1. The composition, flavor and stability evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

Example 4
A container-packed non-tea beverage was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 except that anhydrous crystalline glucose was used instead of anhydrous crystalline fructose in Example 1. The composition, flavor and stability evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

Example 5
A container-packed non-tea beverage was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the amount of anhydrous citric acid and trisodium citrate was increased in Example 1. The composition, flavor and stability evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

Example 6
A non-tea beverage packaged in the same manner as in Example 1 except that 1.0 g of phosphoric acid and 1.15 g of trisodium phosphate were used instead of citric acid and trisodium citrate in Example 1. did. The composition, flavor and stability evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

Example 7
"Non-polymer catechin-containing green tea extract purified product 1" 5.0 g, "Non-polymer catechin-containing green tea extract concentrate 2" 2.2 g, anhydrous citric acid 0.3 g, trisodium citrate Was dissolved in ion exchange water. Next, 46.6 g of anhydrous crystalline fructose, 7.5 g of erythritol, 0.5 g of L-ascorbic acid, and 0.5 g of green tea flavor were added to make the total amount 1,000 g. After blending, it was UHT sterilized and filled into a PET bottle. Table 1 shows the results of evaluation of the composition, flavor and stability of this packaged green tea beverage.

Example 8
"Ion exchange of 8.5 g of purified non-polymer catechin-containing green tea extract 1", 0.5 g of commercially available tea extract concentrate, 0.3 g of anhydrous citric acid, and 0.6 g of trisodium citrate Dissolved in water. Next, 46.6 g of anhydrous crystal fructose, 7.5 g of erythritol, 0.5 g of L-ascorbic acid, 1.0 g of lemon flavor, and 0.1 g of tea flavor were added to make the total amount 1,000 g. After blending, it was UHT sterilized and filled into a PET bottle. Table 1 shows the evaluation results of the composition, flavor, and stability of this packaged black tea beverage.

Example 9
Example 1 was used except that 4.2 g of “purified product 4 of non-polymer catechins-containing green tea extract” was used instead of “purified product 4 of non-polymer catechins-containing green tea extract” in Example 1. In the same manner, a non-tea beverage packaged in a container was produced. The composition, flavor and stability evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

Example 10
Example 7 except that 1.8 g of “purified product 4 of non-polymer catechins-containing green tea extract 4” was used in place of “purified product 1 of non-polymer catechins-containing green tea extract” in Example 7. In the same manner, a packaged green tea beverage was produced. The composition, flavor and stability evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

Example 11
Example 8 was used except that 4.2 g of “purified product 4 of non-polymer catechins-containing green tea extract” was used instead of “purified product 4 of non-polymer catechins-containing green tea extract” in Example 8. In the same manner, a packaged black tea beverage was produced. The composition, flavor and stability evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

Example 12
Example 1 except that 1.6 g of “purified product 5 of non-polymer catechins-containing green tea extract” was used instead of “purified product 5 of non-polymer catechins-containing green tea extract” in Example 1. In the same manner, a non-tea beverage packaged in a container was produced. The composition, flavor and stability evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

Example 13
Example 7 was the same as Example 7 except that 0.7 g of “purified product 5 of non-polymer catechins-containing green tea extract” was used instead of “purified product 5 of non-polymer catechins-containing green tea extract”. In this way, a packaged green tea beverage was produced. The composition, flavor and stability evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

Example 14
Example 8 was the same as Example 8 except that 1.6 g of “purified product 5 of non-polymer catechins-containing green tea extract” was used instead of “purified product 5 of non-polymer catechins-containing green tea extract”. Thus, a packaged black tea beverage was produced. The composition, flavor and stability evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

Comparative Example 1
In Example 1, instead of “Purified product 1 of green tea extract containing non-polymer catechins” 18.6 g of “Concentrate 2 of green tea extract containing non-polymer catechins”, anhydrous crystalline glucose instead of anhydrous crystalline glucose A non-tea beverage packaged in the same manner as in Example 1 except that 14.2 g was used, the amounts of anhydrous citric acid and trisodium citrate were changed, and 1.0 g of sodium chloride was further added. did. The composition, flavor evaluation and stability results are shown in Table 1.

Comparative Example 2
A container-packed non-tea beverage was produced in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1 except that tripotassium citrate and potassium chloride were used in place of trisodium citrate and sodium chloride in Comparative Example 1. The composition, flavor and stability evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

Comparative Example 3
A container-packed non-tea beverage was produced in the same manner as in Example 3, except that the amount of citric acid and trisodium citrate in Example 3 was changed and the pH was changed to 6.0. The composition, flavor and stability evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

  From Table 1, it is clear that the packaged beverage of the present invention is compatible with reduction of bitterness and moderate sweetness and sourness without impairing the flavor, and suitable for long-term storage.

Claims (14)

(A) Non-polymer catechins 0.05 to 0.5% by mass,
(B) at least one selected from citric acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, phosphoric acid, ascorbic acid and salts thereof; and (C) sweetener 0.01 to 20% by mass
(D) The container-packed drink whose non-polymer catechin gallate body rate is 5-55 mass%, and pH is 5.1 or less.   The container-packed drink according to claim 1, which contains a purified product of green tea extract.   The container-packed drink according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the component (B) is citric acid or trisodium citrate.   The packaged beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sweetness when sucrose is 1 is 2 or more.   The container-packed drink according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which is a non-tea drink.   It is an enhanced water, The container-packed drink of any one of Claims 1-5.   It is a sports drink, The container-packed drink of any one of Claims 1-5.   It is a near water, The container-packed drink of any one of Claims 1-5.   It is a non-fermented tea drink, The container-packed drink of any one of Claims 1-4.   It is a fermented tea drink, The container-packed drink of any one of Claims 1-4.   It is a carbonated drink, The container-packed drink of any one of Claims 1-10.   It is a non-carbonated drink, The container-packed drink of any one of Claims 1-10.   It is a functional drink, The container-packed drink of any one of Claims 1-12.   The container-packed drink according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the calorie is 50 Kcal / 240 mL or less.