JP2017200454A - Acidic beverage - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the taste of an acidic beverage containing theanine and also improve the stability of the theanine.SOLUTION: An acidic beverage containing theanine is blended with gluconate and/or a salt thereof. The gluconate means an alkali metal salt of gluconate such as potassium gluconate and sodium gluconate, or an alkaline earth metal salt of gluconate such as calcium gluconate. Preferably used is an alkali metal salt of gluconate such as potassium gluconate and sodium gluconate.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

  The present invention relates to an acidic beverage containing theanine and gluconic acid. The acidic beverage of the present invention may include acidic beverages in the fields of food for specified health use, functional health food, functional indication food, food, medicine and quasi drug.

  Theanine is an amino acid contained in tea leaves, and has an anti-stress action (see Patent Document 1), nerve growth factor synthesis promoting action (see Patent Document 2), brain function improving action (see Patent Document 3), obesity suppressing action (patent) Various physiological activities such as premenstrual syndrome inhibitory action (see Patent Document 5) are known. However, when an amount of theanine that exerts physiological activity is blended in a beverage, the taste tends to be poor and a sharp salty taste tends to be felt, and improvement in taste preference has been an issue.

  Furthermore, it is known that theanine is not highly stable in aqueous solution, and that theanine having high purity is expensive (see Non-Patent Document 1). Therefore, in an acidic beverage containing theanine, in order to secure the displayed amount of theanine for the best-before period, it is common to increase the amount by 1.8 times or more and prepare it. However, since theanine is an expensive raw material, there has been a problem that the taste of the taste is reduced as described above together with the increase in the cost of the beverage due to the additional preparation.

Science of Food Functionality, Food Functional Science Editorial Board, 1055p., (2008)

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-100442 JP 7-173059 A JP-A-8-73350 JP 2000-53568 A JP 2000-143508 A

  Then, this invention makes it a subject to improve the stability of theanine while improving the palatability of taste in the acidic beverage containing theanine.

  As a result of intensive studies on the problem, the present inventors have improved the palatability of the taste and improved the temporal stability by using theanine and gluconic acid and / or a salt thereof in combination in an acidic beverage. As a result, the present invention has been completed.

  That is, the present invention relates to an acidic beverage containing theanine and gluconic acid and / or a salt thereof.

  The present invention has an effect of improving the taste preference of theanine in an acidic beverage containing theanine, and the theanine can be blended relatively stably, so that the proportion of additional charging when blended into a beverage is reduced. It has the effect.

  Hereinafter, modes for carrying out the present invention will be described.

  The theanine used in the present invention can be used in any of the L-form, D-form, and DL-form. Among them, the L-form is also recognized as a food additive and is easy to use economically. Therefore, in the present invention, the L-form is preferable. In addition to commercially available reagents, pure products (purified products having a theanine content of 98% or more), crude purified products (theanine content of 50 to 98%), tea extracts or concentrates thereof can be used. Examples of methods for producing theanine include separation and purification methods from tea leaves, chemical synthesis methods, tissue culture methods using tea cells, and methods utilizing an enzyme reaction. As a method using an enzyme reaction, there is a method in which glutaminase is allowed to act on a mixture of glutamine and ethylamine to obtain theanine, which is commercially available as “Suntheanine” (Taiyo Chemical Co., Ltd.).

  The amount of theanine is preferably 10 to 1000 mg as a single intake. Furthermore, it is 50-500 mg, More preferably, it is 100-400 mg. If the blending amount is less than 10 mg, theanine action may not be achieved. When it exceeds 1000 mg, the taste of theanine becomes too strong and may not be suitable as a beverage.

  Gluconic acid and / or a salt thereof to be blended in the acidic beverage of the present invention has been widely used as a pH adjuster, acidulant, etc. in foods, pharmaceuticals or quasi drugs, and is commercially available. Can be easily obtained. Here, the gluconate means an alkali metal salt of gluconic acid such as potassium gluconate and sodium gluconate, and an alkaline earth metal salt of gluconic acid such as calcium gluconate. Preferred are alkali metal salts of gluconic acid such as potassium gluconate and sodium gluconate.

  The concentration of gluconic acid and / or a salt thereof is preferably 0.05 to 2.0 (w / w)%, more preferably 0.1 to 1.0 (w / w), based on the taste preference. More preferably, w)%. Further, in this range, it is considered as a range that can contribute to the stability improvement of theanine.

  The acidic beverage of the present invention is preferably adjusted to have an acidity of less than 7, particularly less than 4. As a pH adjuster, gluconic warm alone or organic acids such as phytic acid, citric acid, succinic acid, acetic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, fumaric acid and malic acid, inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid and phosphoric acid, lemon juice, You may adjust together with fruit juice which exhibits acidity, such as apple fruit juice.

  A sweetener can be mix | blended with the acidic drink of this invention. Such a sweetener is not particularly limited as long as it is a sweetener that can be used in the fields of health functional foods, functional indication foods, foods, pharmaceuticals, and quasi drugs. Sugar such as hot sugar, honey, maple syrup, molasses, starch syrup, glucose, fructose, maltose, glucose fructose liquid sugar, reduced maltose starch syrup, powdered rice, reduced starch saccharified product, erythritol, maltose rehalose, maltitol, palatinose, xylitol, Examples include sorbitol, licorice extract, stevia extract and / or purified product thereof, Rahan fruit extract, thaumatin, monelin, miraculin, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, saccharin and / or a salt thereof, dulcin, neotame and the like. These sweeteners can be used singly or in combination of two or more.

  Vitamins can be blended in the beverage of the present invention. Such vitamins are not particularly limited as long as they are vitamins that can be blended in beverages. For example, one or more vitamin Cs selected from ascorbic acid or derivatives thereof and salts thereof, thiamine or derivatives thereof and one or more vitamin B1 species selected from salts thereof, riboflavin or derivatives thereof Examples thereof include one or more vitamin B2 selected from salts thereof, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine or derivatives thereof, and one or more vitamin B6 selected from salts thereof.

  An amino acid, a peptide, and protein can be mix | blended with the drink of this invention. Such amino acids, peptides and proteins are not particularly limited as long as they can be used in the fields of health functional foods, foods, pharmaceuticals and quasi drugs. For example, amino acids include valine, leucine, isoleucine, glutamine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, proline, cysteine, lysine, threonine, asparagine, phenylalanine, serine, methionine, glycine, tyrosine, histidine, arginine, tryptophan, cystine, theanine, γ- Examples include aminobutyric acid and carnitine. Examples of the peptide and protein include collagen and its hydrolyzate, elastin and its hydrolyzate, soybean protein and its hydrolyzate, placenta and its hydrolyzate, and the like.

In addition to the above, the acidic beverage of the present invention includes hyaluronic acid, chondroitin, glucosamine, royal jelly, coenzyme Q10, catechin, polyphenol, ceramide, astaxanthin, propolis, carnitine, western larch extract, DHA, dietary fibers, minerals One kind or two or more kinds selected can be used in combination.

  In the acidic beverage of the present invention, components that can be used for beverages in the fields of normal health functional foods, functional indication foods, foods, pharmaceuticals and quasi drugs, for example, organic acids, inorganic acids, herbal medicines, colorings In addition to ingredients, fragrances, preservatives, thickeners, polysaccharides, etc., chitosan compounds, nutrient enhancement ingredients, nutrient tonic ingredients, etc. can be selected and blended in a timely manner, and can be produced by conventional methods of beverage production it can.

  The beverage of the present invention is a normal liquid or jelly-like beverage, and may be a carbonate-type liquid or jelly-like beverage.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to experimental examples and examples, but the scope of the present invention is not limited thereby. As the theanine, suntheanine manufactured by Taiyo Kagaku was used.

[Confirmation of theanine stability over time]
The beverages according to Examples and Comparative Examples of the present invention were subjected to an accelerated test (60 ° C. for 14 days) corresponding to a shelf life of 2 years, and theanine was quantified.

  In Examples 1 and 2 using gluconic acid as a pH adjuster, the residual rate was 78% or more, and it was possible to guarantee the indicated amount of 250 mg for 2 years by adding 40%. On the other hand, when citric acid was used as the pH adjuster, the residual ratios were 66.4% and 71.2%, and it was not possible to guarantee the indicated amount of 250 mg for 2 years with 40% additional charging.

  Next, the masking effect of theanine taste by the acidulant was confirmed. An acidulant with an amount of pH 3.5 was added to a 0.2 w / v% aqueous solution of theanine, and the change in taste was measured. The measurement was evaluated using a taste recognition device TS-5000Z (manufactured by Intelligent Sensor Technology Co., Ltd.). The measured value was shown as a relative value with the value of the aqueous solution of theanine alone being 0. Such a relative value is equivalent to a Weber ratio of 20% on one scale, and the number is the smallest unit in which a person can feel a difference with the tongue. The larger the absolute value, the stronger the taste exponentially. It means weakening.

  As shown in Table 2, it was shown that by adding a sour agent, umami (first taste) and salty taste, which affect the mouthfeel and taste intensity, were suppressed, and the taste changed to easy to drink. The effect was particularly remarkable with gluconic acid. In addition, an increase in astringency due to the addition of a sour agent was observed in gluconic acid as compared with citric acid and lactic acid.

  Then, the influence on the taste by the addition amount of gluconic acid was confirmed. Using the above-described taste recognition apparatus, the influence on the taste due to the amount of gluconic acid added to a 0.2 w / v% aqueous solution of theanine was confirmed. The results are shown in Table 3 as relative values with 0 as the case where 0.14 w / v% of gluconic acid was added. As shown in Table 3, the effect on taste due to the addition of gluconic acid increased in a concentration-dependent manner.

[Example 3]
(1) Liquid sugar 5000 (mg)
(2) Erythritol 1000
(3) Theanine 200
(4) Amount of gluconic acid pH of 3.8
(5) Sucralose 2
(6) Amount of water to 100 mL

[Example 4]
(1) Reduced maltose starch syrup 5000 (mg)
(2) Theanine 270
(3) GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) 30
(4) Gluconic acid 400
(5) Sweetener appropriate amount
(6) Amount to make the total amount of water 185 mL

Claims (1)

  An acidic beverage containing theanine and gluconic acid and / or a salt thereof.