JP2020174679A - Pericarp extract and method for producing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a technique of producing a pericarp extract having a good flavor from citrus pericarp.SOLUTION: According to the present invention, citrus pericarp of 5 cm or less is enzyme-treated with hemicellulase and/or protease and then subjected to solid-liquid separation, providing an excellent pericarp extract.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a pericarp extract and a method for producing the same. The present invention also relates to foods and drinks containing citrus peel extract and a method for producing the same.

Conventionally, taste components and aroma components have been extracted from citrus fruits, and the extracted extracts and the like have been blended into foods and drinks. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes that a citrus peel is enzymatically treated with pectinase to decompose the fiber (pectic substance) of the peel to efficiently produce a processed peel product. Further, Patent Document 2 proposes that a fruit juice having an enhanced taste is extracted from a fruit and blended in a beverage or the like to impart a natural taste to the beverage or the like and enhance the flavor. ..

For example, it is known to obtain an aroma having a concentrated aroma component from citrus juice as a raw material (Non-Patent Document 1: J. Agric. Food Chem. 1990, 38, 2181). In addition to extracting aroma components from citrus juice using an organic solvent, a countercurrent contact device (SCC: Spinning Cone Column) is used to efficiently collect low boiling points while suppressing changes in flavor due to heating. ) Is also known to extract the aroma component (Patent Documents 3 to 5).

JP-A-2016-093111 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-154520 International release WO 90/02493 Special Fair 7-22646 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-152180

J. Agric. Food Chem. 1990, 38, 2181

Citrus peel is rich in bitter components such as limonin, flavonoids such as hesperidin, and flavor components that are the source of flavor such as dietary fiber, but it is rich in relatively hard fibers mainly composed of pectic substances. It was difficult to use and was often discarded.

In addition, when fruit juice is added to a beverage to improve the taste, if a fruit juice with a strong acidity is used, the overall flavor balance becomes poor due to the acidity derived from the fruit juice, so the amount of such fruit juice added is limited. is there. In addition, since fruit juice with a strong acidity contains a large amount of organic acids, it causes a decrease in the pH of the beverage, which leads to deterioration of aroma components and quality and adverse effects on the stability of the beverage. There is a limit.

In view of such a situation, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for producing an extract having excellent flavor from the peel of citrus fruits, not from fruits and fruit juices. In particular, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for producing an extract from citrus peel as a raw material.

As a result of diligent studies on the above problems, the present inventors have found that an excellent pericarp extract can be obtained by enzymatically treating the pericarp of citrus fruits with hemicellulase and / or protease and then performing solid-liquid separation. , The present invention has been completed.

The present invention includes, but is not limited to, the following inventions.
(1) It comprises a step of enzymatically treating a citrus peel having a size of 5 cm or less with hemicellulase and / or a protease to obtain an enzyme-treated slurry, and a step of obtaining a peel extract from the enzyme-treated slurry by solid-liquid separation. Method for producing fruit skin extract.
(2) The method according to (1), wherein solid-liquid separation is performed using a filter press and / or centrifugation.
(3) The method according to (1) or (2), wherein the citrus peel comprises any one or more of lemon peel, grapefruit peel, pink grapefruit peel, and orange peel.
(4) The method according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the citrus peel contains a lemon peel.
(5) The method (6) (1) to (5) according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein 90% of the particles contained in the pericarp slurry after the enzyme treatment have a particle size of 500 μm or less. Pericarp extract produced by either method.
(7) The pericarp extract according to (6), wherein the weight ratio of (citric acid and malic acid) / amino acid is 10 or less.
(8) A method for producing a food or drink, which comprises blending the pericarp extract produced by the method according to any one of (1) to (5) into the food and drink.
(9) The method according to (8), wherein the pericarp extract is blended into the beverage so that the weight ratio of (citric acid and malic acid) / amino acid is 14 or less.
(10) A method for improving the taste of food and drink, which comprises producing a pericarp extract by any of the methods (1) to (5) and blending the pericarp extract into food and drink.

According to the present invention, a pericarp extract can be efficiently obtained from a citrus peel as a raw material. Since the pericarp extract according to the present invention contains abundant amino acids, the taste of the food and drink can be improved by adding the amino acid to the food and drink.

Further, according to the present invention, since an excellent extract can be obtained from the citrus peel as a raw material, the peel can be effectively used as a resource, which is particularly useful from the viewpoint of waste reduction.

It is a photograph showing the appearance of the pericarp extract obtained in Experiment 2-1 (from left, hemicellulase and pectinase combined treatment, hemicellulase single treatment, pectinase single treatment, cellulase single treatment). It is a graph which shows the particle size distribution of the pericarp slurry obtained in Experiment 3-2 (left: pulverization and hemicellulase treatment, right: stone milling only). It is a photograph which shows the appearance of the pericarp slurry obtained in Experiment 3-3 (left: after enzyme treatment of Experiment A, right: after enzyme treatment of Experiment B). It is a graph which shows the amino acid concentration about the pericarp extract obtained in Experiment 3-5.

Pericarp extract The present invention relates to a pericarp extract obtained from the pericarp of citrus fruits. The pericarp extract of the present invention can be produced by a method including a step of enzymatically treating a citrus peel having a size of 5 cm or less with a predetermined enzyme and a step of obtaining a peel extract by solid-liquid separation.

In the present invention, citrus peel is used as a raw material. Citrus is a plant belonging to the citrus genus (citrus), citrus genus, citrus genus, etc. of the Rutaceae, Aurantioideae, and the citrus genus. Kinkan, Zabon, Pomelo, Natsumikan, Daidai, Lime, Lemon, Cabos, Orange, Grapefruit and the like are preferable, and Lemon, Orange and Grapefruit are particularly preferable. In the present invention, the pericarp of citrus fruits is used, but as the pericarp, any of the outermost pericarp, the innermost layer, and the inner pericarp located in the middle thereof can be used. The citrus peel as a raw material can be obtained by removing the flesh portion and seeds from the citrus fruit, but the flesh and juice may be contained. However, since the pericarp contains the largest amount of protein in the fruit, it is desirable to treat it so as not to contain the pulp and juice as much as possible.

In the present invention, first, the citrus peel is physically treated, but the method and degree of the physical treatment are not particularly limited. By physically treating the citrus peel and then treating it with an enzyme, the enzyme can act on the peel more efficiently. Citrus peels can be made into dice, chops, pulps, powders and the like by physical treatment such as cutting, crushing, grinding and crushing. In a preferred embodiment, the citrus peel can be physically treated using a mill, millstone, milling device and the like. The size of the pericarp after the physical treatment is not particularly limited as long as it is 5 cm or less, but it is preferably pulverized to 4 cm or less, more preferably 3 cm or less, further preferably 1 cm or less, and up to 5 mm or less or 3 mm or less. It may be physically processed. There is no lower limit to the size of the pericarp after physical treatment, but 0.5 mm or more is preferable, 0.7 mm or more is more preferable, and 1.0 mm or more is further preferable. In the present specification, it is preferable that the size of the pericarp is in such a range because the handleability is improved and the subsequent enzyme treatment proceeds efficiently.

In the present invention, the citrus peel is enzymatically treated with hemicellulase and / or protease. By treating the citrus peel with an enzyme, the flavor component contained in the peel is easily eluted, and the citrus peel is disintegrated to increase the fluidity of the peel slurry, which is particularly useful in production. The amount of enzyme used is not particularly limited and varies depending on the treatment conditions such as the titer of the enzyme used, the type of citrus peel used and the degree of crushing, but it cannot be said unconditionally, but it is 0 for citrus peel. It is preferably used in the range of .001 to 6% by weight, more preferably 0.01 to 5% by weight, still more preferably 0.1 to 4% by weight.

The hemicellulase used in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is an enzyme that hydrolyzes hemicellulose, and a known enzyme can be used. Hemicellulase decomposes hemicellulose, which is a polysaccharide such as xylan, arabinoxylan, xyloglucan, and glucomannan, and xylanase and galactanase are known.

In the present invention, the protease is a peptide bond hydrolase and is also called a proteinase. The protease used in the present invention may be an exopeptidase that cleaves from the end of the peptide chain, an endopeptidase that cleaves from the center of the peptide chain, or both may be used in combination. In addition, the peptidase may be derived from a plant, and may be derived from bacteria such as papaya, pineapple, ginger, fig, kiwifruit, maitake mushroom, koji, mold, and natto fungus.

In the enzyme treatment of the present invention, if hemicellulase and / or protease is used, other enzymes may be used in combination, and for example, enzymes such as xylanase, mannanase, cellulase, and pectinase may be used in combination. The amount of the enzyme to be used in combination is not particularly limited and can be adjusted according to the type of citrus peel to be used. For example, 0.001 to 6% by weight, preferably 0, based on the citrus peel. It is 0.01 to 5% by weight, more preferably 0.1 to 4% by weight.

In the enzyme treatment of the present invention, the amino acid concentration in the pericarp extract is improved by using hemicellulase and protease in combination. When used in combination, protease treatment may be performed after hemicellulase treatment, or hemicellulase treatment and protease treatment may be performed at the same time. By simultaneously performing the hemicellulase treatment and the protease treatment, an amino acid-rich pericarp extract can be obtained in a relatively short time, and the time for holding the pericarp slurry in a temperature body suitable for microbial growth is shortened. It is also advantageous from the viewpoint of suppression.

In general, enzyme treatment with pectinase may be used to improve the fluidity of the raw material slurry, but in the present invention, pectinase treatment is not always necessary because the fluidity is improved by milling and hemicellulase treatment. In addition, the hemicellulase treatment has the advantage that the supernatant is clarified and the amount of amino acids obtained is increased.

The water used for the slurry containing citrus peel during the enzyme treatment is not particularly limited, and any water can be used as long as it does not adversely affect the flavor, but tap water, ion-exchanged water, soft water, distilled water and the like can be used. Examples include degassed water obtained by degassing the water. The concentration of the aqueous slurry containing the citrus peel is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5 to 70%, more preferably 10 to 60%, still more preferably 15 to 55% in consideration of fluidity and treatment efficiency.

In the present invention, the citrus peel as a raw material may be added in a plurality of times in order to allow the enzymatic reaction to proceed efficiently. The number of times of addition is not limited, but for example, it may be 1 to 10 times, may be 1 to 5 times, or the raw material pericarp may be added in 2 to 4 times.

Further, in order to carry out the enzymatic reaction efficiently, it is preferable to carry out the treatment with stirring. The stirring device is not particularly limited, and for example, a vertical axis stirring device, a horizontal axis stirring device, a magnetic stirrer, a shaker, or the like can be used. Further, in order to allow the enzymatic reaction to proceed efficiently, it is preferable to adjust the temperature of the reaction solution to 15 to 70 ° C. or the like with a heating device. The heating device is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a steam heater, an electric heater, a water jacket heater, and an electromagnetic heater. The treatment time is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 to 24 hours, more preferably 2 to 18 hours, and may be 10 to 16 hours, for example. The lower the temperature of the reaction solution, the longer the treatment time, and the higher the temperature, the shorter the treatment time. Therefore, the reaction temperature and the reaction time can be adjusted as appropriate. For example, in the case of treatment at 40 ° C., the reaction can be completed in about 2 hours.

In the present invention, the enzyme may be inactivated by applying a high temperature to terminate the enzyme treatment. For example, the reaction can be controlled by inactivating the enzyme by heating the reaction solution to a temperature exceeding 80 ° C. The time for inactivation is not particularly limited, but for example, the treatment can be performed for 30 seconds to 1 hour, preferably 1 minute to 30 minutes, and more preferably 10 minutes or less. Although the conditions differ depending on the heat resistance of the enzyme, the enzyme activity can be inactivated under conditions such as 80 ° C. for 30 minutes, 95 ° C. for 5 minutes, and 100 ° C. for 1 minute. A plate heater or a countercurrent contact device can be used for enzyme deactivation, but the countercurrent contact device has the advantage that a suitable aroma component can be recovered from the peel extract in advance at the same time as the enzyme deactivation. is there. Examples of such a countercurrent contact device include a spinning cone column (SCC) and the like.

In the present invention, a known method can be used without limitation as the solid-liquid separation method. In a preferred embodiment, solid-liquid separation can be performed using a filter press, centrifugation, multi-stage filtration, etc., but a large amount of solid-liquid separation can be performed in a short time by using a continuous centrifuge.

Amino acids In the present invention, amino acids refer to the major amino acids that make up proteins, and specifically, arginine (Arg), lysine (Lys), histidine (His), phenylalanine (Phe), tyrosine (Tyr), and leucine (Leu). ), Isoleucine (Ile), Methionin (Met), Valin (Val), Alanin (Ala), Glycin (Gly), Proline (Pro), Glutamic acid (Glu), Glutamine (Gln), Serine (Ser), Threonin (Thr) ), Asparaginic acid (Asp), Asparagin (Asn), Tryptophan (Trp), Tyrosine (Cys). In the present invention, the term amino acid content or amino acid concentration refers to the total amount and total concentration of these 20 kinds of amino acids unless otherwise specified. Amino acids contained in pericarp extract and the like can be quantified by using, for example, HPLC. In a preferred embodiment, the concentration of amino acids contained in the pericarp extract of the present invention is 1500 ppm or more, more preferably 2000 ppm or more, further preferably 2500 ppm or more, and may be 3000 ppm or more. The upper limit of the amino acid concentration is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 10000 ppm or less, and may be 8000 ppm or less or 6000 ppm or less.

In the present invention, the organic acid refers to a major organic acid contained in fruit juice, and specific examples thereof include phosphoric acid, citric acid, malic acid, quinic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, and propionic acid. Examples of the main organic acid contained in the beverage include citric acid and malic acid. In a preferred embodiment, the pericarp extract of the present invention has a weight ratio of (citric acid and malic acid) / amino acid of 10 or less, more preferably 8 or less, still more preferably 6 or less, still more preferably 4 or less. With such a ratio, it becomes easy to give the food and drink a thickness of taste without making the sourness noticeable.

The amount of citrus peel used in the production of the citrus peel extract of the present invention may be 1 to 90% by mass, preferably 20 to 60% by mass, based on the total citrus peel extract. The amount of water used may be 1 to 90% by mass, preferably 20 to 60% by mass, based on the total amount of the pericarp extract. If the amount of citrus peel used is less than 20% by mass with respect to the total peel extract, the strength of the flavor may be weakened and a concentration step is required, which is disadvantageous in terms of cost and quality. In addition, when the amount of water used is less than 20% by mass based on the total amount of the peel extract, the fluidity may be insufficient when the citrus peel and the water mixture are treated with an enzyme. After mixing the citrus peel with water, further crushing treatment may be performed in order to improve the reaction efficiency in the enzyme treatment step. Further, in the present invention, the ratio of citrus peel in the processed citrus peel product is referred to as a slurry ratio. When the proportion of citrus peel is high, the slurry ratio is high, and when the proportion is low, the slurry ratio is low.

In one embodiment, the present invention is a pericarp extract obtained as described above. In the present invention, a high-quality peel extract can be produced by a method including a step of enzymatically treating a citrus peel of a specific size with a predetermined enzyme and a step of obtaining a peel extract by solid-liquid separation. The pericarp extract of the present invention is typically liquid, but can be made into a paste, powder, granule, or the like by subjecting it to treatments such as concentration, drying, and granulation.

Regarding the pericarp extract according to the present invention, the invention may be described by limiting the production method, and the reason is as follows. That is, since the quality of the pericarp extract is an index that depends on human sensuality, it is difficult to quantitatively define all of them only by the amino acid content as described later. In addition to amino acids, compositions derived from natural products such as fruit peel extract contain a wide variety of chemical substances that affect the flavor, and it is possible that the flavor differs depending on the interaction of these chemical substances. It is a common technical knowledge in the food industry. In particular, with respect to the pericarp extract according to the present invention, various components contained in the enzyme-treated product are considered to contribute to the quality, but the enzyme-treated product contains an extremely large number of components, and is used in analytical instruments. It also contains trace components in amounts below the detection limit. However, in the science and technology at the time of filing the application of the present application, it is necessary to completely analyze and specify which chemical substance contributes to the effect of the invention among the extremely large number of components contained in the enzyme-treated product. It can be said that it is impossible because it is too huge and it is not possible to analyze trace components below the detection limit. Even if all the components that make up the enzyme-treated product can be identified by making full use of equipment with an extremely low detection limit, the flavor of the peel extract is perceived by the mixture of multiple chemical substances. In some cases, the active ingredient cannot be identified simply by checking the flavor of each ingredient. That is, since there are so-called impractical circumstances regarding the pericarp extract according to the present invention, the description by limiting the production method should be allowed.

Beverages The pericarp extract of the present invention can be blended in foods and drinks, but is particularly preferably blended in beverages. The blending amount of the pericarp extract in the food or drink can be appropriately selected from the range of 0.1 to 5 w / v%, for example. Further, in a preferred embodiment, the peel extract is added to the beverage so that the weight ratio of (citric acid and malic acid) / amino acid is 14 or less, but the weight ratio of (citric acid and malic acid) / amino acid is 10 or less or 6 It is also preferable to add the peel extract as follows. The beverage may be an alcoholic beverage containing alcohol or a non-alcoholic beverage containing no alcohol. Here, alcohol in a beverage means ethyl alcohol (ethanol) unless otherwise specified.

Alcoholic beverages are beverages containing alcohol, and are produced by mixing water, fruit juice, flavors, sugars, sweeteners, acidulants and other raw materials as needed. As the alcoholic beverage, for example, chu-hi, cocktails, fizz, spirits such as wine coolers, liqueurs and the like can be mentioned as preferable examples. The alcohol raw material is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include brewed alcohol, spirits (lamb, wokka, gin, etc.), liqueurs, whiskey, brandy, shochu (continuous distilled shochu, single distilled shochu, etc.). Further, brewed alcoholic beverages such as sake, wine, and beer may be used. These alcohol raw materials can be used alone or in combination, but it is preferable to select an alcohol raw material that makes the best use of its flavor. The alcohol concentration of the alcoholic beverage is not particularly limited, but is preferably 30 v / v% or less, more preferably 20 v / v% or less, still more preferably 10 v / v% or less.

The beverage according to the present invention may or may not contain fruit juice. When the fruit juice is blended, the blending amount of the fruit juice is preferably 0.01 to 30% in terms of straight fruit juice, and may be 20% or less, further 10% or less. The type of fruit juice may be either a straight fruit juice in which the fruit juice obtained by squeezing the fruit is used as it is, or a concentrated concentrated fruit juice. It is also possible to use turbid fruit juice, which is the whole fruit juice obtained by crushing the whole fruit including the outer skin of the fruit and removing only particularly coarse solids such as seeds, the fruit puree with the fruit strained, or the pulp of the dried fruit. You may use the crushed or extracted fruit juice.

The fruit juice that can be used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and one or more fruit juices may be used. Suitable fruit juices include, for example, citrus fruits (eg, lemon, grapefruit (white, ruby), lime, orange, pomelo, tangerine, amanatsu, sweet summer, hassaku, hyuga natsu, shiikuwasha, sudachi, yuzu. , Kabosu, Daidai, Iyokan, Ponkan, Kinkan, Sanbokan, Oroblanco, Pomelo), Nuclear fruit fruits (eg, anzu, cherries, ume, peaches, thighs), Citrus fruits (eg, Muscat, Riesling, Delaware, Giant Peak, Pione). In the beverage of the present invention containing a lemon peel extract, it is preferable to add citrus juice, and in particular, it is preferable to add fruit juice such as lemon or grapefruit (white type, ruby type).

The beverage of the present invention may contain sugars such as glucose. The beverage of the present invention may use one or more natural sweeteners and artificial sweeteners. The type is not particularly limited, but examples of natural sweeteners include fructose, high fructose corn syrup, malt sugar, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, sugar alcohol, oligosaccharide, honey and sugar cane. Juice (brown sugar honey), sugar (white sugar, warm sugar, brown sugar, Japanese bonito, etc.), maple syrup, moraces (sugar honey), water candy, stevia powder, stevia extract, Rakan fruit powder, Rakan fruit extract, licorice powder, licorice Examples thereof include extracts, high-fructose corn syrup seed powder, and high-fructose corn syrup seed extract. Examples of the artificial sweetener include sucralose, acesulfame K, neotame, aspartame, and saccharin. In the beverage of the present invention, it is preferable to add fructose or glucose.

Suitable saccharides that can be used in the present invention include monosaccharides such as ribose, xylose, arabinose, glucose, fructose, rhamnose, galactose, 1,3-dihydroxyacetone; disaccharides such as sucrose, lactose, maltose and the like. And the like, and can be used as one kind or a mixture of two or more kinds of these saccharides.

The beverage of the present invention may contain various additives and the like as in the case of ordinary beverages, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Examples of various additives include acidulants, fragrances, vitamins, pigments, antioxidants, emulsifiers, preservatives, seasonings, extracts, pH adjusters, quality stabilizers and the like.

Thickeners can also be used, such as pectin (LM pectin, HM pectin, etc.), sodium alginate, guar gum, tamarind seed gum, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, gellan gum, celluloses, pregelatinized starches. These may be appropriately selected and used in combination depending on the desired difference in viscosity and the like. The amount of the thickener to be used varies depending on the type of thickener to be used and cannot be unequivocally determined, but is exemplified in the range of 0.01 to 3% by mass, preferably 0.05 to 0.5% by mass. be able to.

The beverage of the present invention is suitably provided as a packaged beverage. The packaged beverage referred to here refers to a beverage contained in a container such as a PET container, a can, a bottle, or a paper container, and can be drunk without being diluted. The packaged beverage is produced by filling a container with the compounding solution obtained in the compounding step.

As the container for filling the beverage of the present invention, any of commonly used containers such as aluminum cans, metal containers such as steel cans, resin containers such as PET bottles, glass bottles and paper containers can be used. In one embodiment, a transparent container (eg, PET bottle, glass bottle) may be used as the filling container. Further, in the present invention, aseptic filling may be performed at a low temperature.

The packaged beverage of the present invention is not limited to those that can be drunk directly from the container, but can also be used for drinking by, for example, filling a bulk container such as a back-in box or a portion container and pouring it into another container at the time of drinking. The concentrate can also be diluted when it is used for drinking.

In a preferred embodiment, the beverage of the present invention is a beverage that maintains the flavor immediately after production even when stored at room temperature for a long period of time. For long-term storage at room temperature, heat sterilization is performed during the production of beverages. Here, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the beverage is sterilized by high temperature, and the high temperature sterilization in the present specification is a method of sterilizing at a high temperature for a short time and then filling the storage container which has been sterilized under sterile conditions ( UHT sterilization method), a retort sterilization method in which a retort treatment is performed after filling a storage container such as a can with a mixed solution. The conditions for high-temperature sterilization may be appropriately selected according to the characteristics of the mixed solution of the milk-containing beverage and the storage container used, but in the case of the UHT sterilization method, it is usually 90 to 150 ° C. for about 1 to 120 seconds, preferably 100. The condition is about 1 to 90 seconds at ~ 140 ° C., and in the case of the retort sterilization method, it is usually about 10 to 30 minutes at 110 to 130 ° C., preferably about 10 to 20 minutes at 120 to 125 ° C.

The packaged beverage of the present invention has a Brix value of 3 to 9 in a preferred embodiment. The soluble solid content concentration can be evaluated by the Brix value obtained by using a sugar content meter or a refractometer, and the Brix value is the refractive index measured at 20 ° C., ICUMSA (International Sugar Analysis Method Unification Committee). It is a value converted into mass / mass percent of the sucrose solution based on the conversion table of the society). The unit is displayed in "° Bx", "%" or "degree".

The beverage of the present invention may be a low-solute beverage having a low potential solid content concentration, and is a so-called calorie-off type beverage that is labeled as "zero sugar", "zero sugar", "calorie off", etc. Including. In addition, labeling such as "zero sugar", "zero sugar", and "calorie off" is defined in the nutrition labeling standards stipulated by the Health Promotion Law. For example, the indication "zero saccharides" is given to beverages containing less than 0.5 g of saccharides (monosaccharides or disaccharides that are not sugar alcohols) per 100 g of beverage. It is a thing. Further, the indication of "zero sugar" is displayed when the concentration of sugar contained in the beverage is less than 0.5 g / 100 mL. Sugar is one of the three major nutrients, carbohydrates, and is a general term for carbohydrates minus dietary fiber.

Also, the beverage of the present invention is preferably colorless and / or transparent. In general, when a beverage has a colorless and transparent appearance like water, a salty taste is likely to be felt, and especially when it is a beverage, this tendency becomes stronger. However, according to the present invention, the flavor balance is excellent and the refreshing feeling is maintained. Beverages can be obtained. In addition, the beverage of the present invention can have an excellent taste even when it is drunk directly from a container having a narrow opening such as a PET bottle.

Here, "the beverage is transparent" means that the beverage is visually transparent like water without cloudiness like so-called sports drinks or turbidity like turbid juice. The transparency of the beverage can also be quantified, for example, by using a known method of measuring the turbidity of the liquid. For example, an absorbance at a wavelength of 660 nm measured with an ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer (UV-1600 manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation, etc.) can be called "transparent". The beverage according to the present invention has a more preferably 0.02 or less absorbance at a wavelength of 660 nm, and even more preferably 0.01 or less.

Further, "the beverage is colorless" means that the beverage has no visually recognizable color. The color of the beverage can also be quantified, for example, by using a known method of measuring the color difference of an object. For example, a case where the ΔE value of transmitted light when measured with pure water as a reference using a colorimetric color difference meter (ZE2000 manufactured by Nippon Denshoku Kogyo Co., Ltd.) is 3.5 or less can be called “colorless”.

From the viewpoint of long-term storage and microbial contamination, the beverage of the present invention preferably has its pH adjusted to the acidic side in a preferred embodiment. Specifically, the pH of the beverage is preferably 2 to 5, more preferably 2.5 to 4.5, and even more preferably 3 to 4. On the other hand, since the pericarp extract of the present invention can be produced without containing fruit juice, the pH is not lowered by the organic acid derived from the fruit juice. Therefore, beverages other than fruit juice beverages whose pH is near neutral (pH 5 to 5)
Even if a large amount of extract is added to 9), it does not easily affect the pH of the beverage, so it is also desirable to use it for beverages having a pH of 5-9.

The acidity of the beverage of the present invention is preferably 0.05 to 0.3 g / 100 ml, more preferably 0.06 to 0.25 g / 100 ml, and 0.07 to 0.2 g / 100 ml in terms of citric acid. About 100 ml is more preferable. Within such a range, the beverage can be made particularly easy to drink due to its moderate acidity. The acidity of the beverage can be measured by a general titration method.

Examples of the acidulant include, but are not limited to, acids such as citric acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, and phosphoric acid, or salts thereof. The amount of the acidulant used varies depending on the type of acidulant used and cannot be unequivocally determined, but is exemplified in the range of 0.01 to 5% by mass, preferably 0.05 to 0.5% by mass of the beverage. be able to.

The beverage of the present invention may be a carbonated beverage containing carbon dioxide gas. The addition of carbon dioxide gas may be carried out by a method generally known to those skilled in the art, for example, but not limited to these, carbonated water containing carbon dioxide may be blended, or carbon dioxide is added to a beverage under pressure. It may be dissolved, carbon dioxide and the beverage may be mixed in the piping using a mixer such as a Zuchenhagen carbonator, or the beverage may be sprayed into a tank filled with carbon dioxide. As a result, carbon dioxide may be absorbed into the beverage, or the beverage and carbonated water may be mixed to prepare a carbon dioxide-containing beverage.

In one embodiment, the beverage of the present invention can be a carbonated beverage, but in that case, the pressure of the carbon dioxide gas is preferably a pressure at which a refreshing feeling derived from the carbon dioxide gas can be felt, which will be described later. 0.5~4.5kgf / cm ² with carbon dioxide gas pressure measuring method, more preferably 1.0~3.0kgf / cm ^2, more preferably it is suitable 1.5~2.5kgf / cm ^2.

Beverage Production Method In one embodiment, the present invention can also be understood as a method for producing a packaged beverage. The beverage of the present invention contains a pericarp extract, but the method for producing a beverage according to the present invention includes a step of blending the pericarp extract. When producing a packaged beverage, at least a step of preparing a beverage containing a pericarp extract and a step of filling the prepared beverage into a container are provided.

The beverage of the present invention can be produced by using a conventionally known method. A person skilled in the art can appropriately design the conditions of the compounding method, the sterilization method if necessary, and the container filling method.
In another aspect, the present invention can be understood as a method for improving the taste of a beverage by blending a pericarp extract.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail while showing specific experimental examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following experimental examples. Further, unless otherwise specified in the present specification, the concentration and the like are based on weight, and the numerical range is described as including the end points thereof.

Experiment 1: Amino acid measurement in pericarp hydrolyzate The amino acid composition of the following four types of citrus peel was analyzed. The amino acid composition in each pericarp was quantified by the method described in "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan 2015 (7th edition) Amino Acid Composition Table". Specifically, the citrus peel was hydrolyzed with pergic acid and hydrochloric acid (when measuring methionine), barium hydroxide (when measuring tryptophan), and hydrochloric acid (when measuring other amino acids), and then the amino acids of the hydrolyzate were quantified.
・ Lemon peel ・ Grapefruit peel ・ Pink grapefruit peel ・ Orange peel The quantitative results are shown in the table below. Since they are hydrolyzed, glutamic acid contains glutamine, aspartic acid contains asparagine, and cystine contains cysteine. It shows.

Experiment 2: Enzyme treatment of fruit peel slurry (2-1) Enzyme treatment with various enzymes Use a high-speed crusher (MICRO-MISTER 3M7-40, Masuko Sangyo) to make lemon peel 2 mm in size, and then add water. To prepare a slurry (concentration: 22%). Then, various enzymes were added and treated with the enzyme at 40 ° C. for 2 hours with stirring. Then, the reaction solution was heated in a hot water bath to inactivate the enzyme, and the reaction solution was separated into a solid solution by centrifugation to obtain a pericarp extract as a supernatant. In this experiment, the following enzyme preparations were added at a concentration of 4 w / w% per slurry, but when pectinase and hemicellulase were used in combination, 2 w / w% were added respectively.
・ Pectinase (Sucrase N, Saneigen FFI)
・ Cellulase (Cellulase T "Amano" 4, Amano Enzyme)
・ Hemicellulase (hemicellulase "Amano 90", Amano Enzyme)
-Pectinase (sucrase N, Saneigen FFI) and hemicellulase (hemicellulase "Amano 90", Amano Enzyme)
A photograph of the appearance of the enzyme-treated slurry after allowing it to stand overnight is shown in FIG. 1 (from the left, the slurry is enzymatically treated with hemicellulase and pectinase, hemicellulase alone, pectinase alone, and cellulase alone). While the slurries treated with pectinase alone or cellulase alone were turbid, the slurries treated with enzyme with hemicellulase were not turbid, and it was expected that solid-liquid separation by centrifugation or the like would be completed in a relatively short time. ..

The amino acid content of the obtained pericarp extract was analyzed using HPLC under the following conditions.
-HPLC device: Waters amino acid analyzer 2695
-Column: AccQ-Tag column (3.9 mm x 150 mm)
-Column temperature: 40 ° C
-Mobile phase A: AccQ-TagA (pH 5.8)
-Mobile phase B: acetonitrile-Mobile phase C: water / methanol = 9/1
・ Detection: EX250nm EM395nm Gain100
・ Standard substance: Various amino acids ・ Injection amount: 5 μL
・ Gradient program

The results of analyzing the amino acid content of the obtained pericarp extract are shown in the table below. It was revealed that the addition of hemicellulase increased the amino acid content of the obtained pericarp extract by about 1.5 times or more as compared with the case where no enzyme was added. In addition, when the enzyme treatment was performed with hemicellulase alone (the amount of hemicellulase added: 4%), a slightly larger amount of amino acids was obtained as compared with the case where hemicellulase and pectinase were used in combination (2% each of hemicellulase and pectinase). It turned out that. In general, pectinase may be used to improve the fluidity of the pericarp slurry, but it has been found that pectinase is not always required to increase the amino acid content of the pericarp extract.

(2-2) Enzyme treatment with protease and pectinase Protease treatment of pericarp extract was also investigated. Specifically, a pericarp extract was produced in the same manner as in Experiment 2-1 except for the enzyme treatment as described below.
(Sample 1) 0.1 w / w% pectinase (sucrase N, Saneigen FFI) with respect to the weight of the peel was added to the peel slurry, and the enzyme treatment was carried out at 40 ° C. for 2 hours with stirring.
(Sample 2) 0.1 w / w% pectinase (sucrase N, Saneigen FFI) and 1 w / w% protease (protease Amano A, Amano Enzyme) with respect to the pericarp weight were added to the pericarp slurry, and 2 at 40 ° C. The enzyme treatment was carried out with stirring for a long time.

When the amino acids contained in the obtained pericarp extract were quantified, the amino acid concentration of the pericarp extract was about higher when pectinase and protease were used in combination (Sample 2) than when pectinase was used alone (Sample 1). It increased by 32%. That is, when pectinase and protease were used in combination, the amino acid concentration of the pericarp extract was about 1.32 times higher than that of pectinase alone.

(2-3) Enzyme treatment with protease and hemicellulase Enzyme treatment was performed with hemicellulase and protease in combination. Specifically, a pericarp extract was produced in the same manner as in Experiment 2-1 except for the enzyme treatment as described below.
(Sample 3) 1 w / w% of hemicellulase (hemicellulase "Amano 90", Amano Enzyme) with respect to the weight of the pericarp was added to the pericarp slurry, and the enzyme treatment was carried out with stirring at 40 ° C. for 2 hours.
(Sample 4) 1 w / w% hemicellulase and 1 w / w% protease (Orientase AY, HBI) with respect to the pericarp weight were added to the pericarp slurry, and the enzyme treatment was carried out at 40 ° C. for 2 hours with stirring. did.
(Sample 5) 1 w / w% of hemicellulase (hemicellulase "Amano 90", Amano Enzyme) with respect to the weight of the peel was added to the peel slurry, and the enzyme was treated with stirring at 40 ° C. for 2 hours, and then 1 w. A / w% protease was added and the enzyme treatment was carried out at 40 ° C. for 2 hours with stirring.

The relationship between the enzyme treatment time and the amino acid concentration of the obtained pericarp extract is shown in the table. The treatment time of sample 5 is the treatment time with protease.
Comparing Sample 3 (hemicellulase alone treatment) and Sample 4 (combination of hemicellulase and protease), it can be seen that more amino acids can be obtained by using hemicellulase and protease in combination. Comparing sample 4 (enzyme treatment with hemicellulase and protease at the same time) and sample 5 (enzyme treatment with hemicellulase and protease sequentially), when hemicellulase and protease are used, the same amount of amino acids should be treated at the same time. It can be seen that the enzyme treatment time until it is obtained can be shortened in total. That is, sample 5 was treated with hemicellulase for 120 minutes and then treated with protease for 30 minutes, and the amino acid concentration reached 4000 ppm or more in a total of 150 minutes of treatment, whereas sample 4 (with hemicellulase and protease at the same time). (Enzyme treatment), the amino acid concentration reached 44,000 ppm or more after 30 minutes of enzyme treatment.

Experiment 3: Examination of production conditions (3-1) Examination of pericarp thickness The pericarp thickness when obtaining pericarp from lemon fruit was examined. When the fruit juice of the sample lemon fruit was collected and measured using a juice squeezing machine, the weight ratio of the fruit juice was about 65% and the weight ratio of the peel was about 35%.

2.5-4m from lemon fruit using a juicer (Polycitrus, Fratelli Indelicate)
The m-thick pericarp was collected. As shown in the table below, it was found that when the peel was recovered from the lemon fruit under the condition of a peel thickness of 4 mm, some fruit juice was mixed.

(3-2) Enzyme treatment and fluidity of slurry A fruit skin extract was produced using hemicellulase (hemicellulase "Amano 90", Amano Enzyme) in the same manner as in Experiment 2-1.
The obtained peel extract has extremely high fluidity, and when the particle size distribution of the centrifuged slurry was measured by laser diffraction, particles were distributed in the range of 100 to 700 μm, and in particular, 90% (cumulative volume%). Particles were distributed below 500 μm (FIG. 2, vertical axis: volume%, horizontal axis: particle diameter μm).
For reference, the particle size distribution of the pericarp slurry produced in Experiment 2-1 using stone mill grinding (MKZA10-15JIV, manufactured by Masuyuki Sangyo Co., Ltd.) instead of the high-speed crusher without enzyme treatment was shown. The measurement results are also shown in the figure. In the slurry obtained by milling with a stone mill, particles were distributed in the range of 1 to 3 mm.

(3-3) Multi-stage addition treatment of enzyme The following study was conducted on the method of adding the pericarp, which is a raw material.
(A) Enzyme treatment by one-step addition A lemon peel slurry was prepared in the same manner as in Experiment 2-1 except that the concentration of the peel slurry was 70%. Then, hemicellulase was added, and the enzyme treatment was performed at 40 ° C. for 1 hour with stirring.
(B) Enzyme treatment by multi-step addition Using 5/7 of the peel used in Experiment A, a lemon peel slurry having a concentration of 50% was prepared, hemicellulase was added, and the mixture was stirred at 40 ° C for 30 minutes. While doing the enzyme treatment. Then, the remaining two-sevenths of the peel was added, and the enzyme treatment was further carried out at 40 ° C. for 30 minutes with stirring.

(Experimental result)
In the one-step addition of Experiment A, the solid content of the peel in the slurry formed a bridge, so that the enzymatic reaction did not proceed sufficiently, and the fluidity remained low even at the stage after 1 hour (Fig. 3, left).

On the other hand, in the multi-stage addition of Experiment B, fluidity was observed in the pericarp slurry at the stage after 30 minutes, and the pericarp had sufficient fluidity even at the stage after 1 hour without the skin solids forming bridges. It became a slurry (Fig. 3, right).

(3-4) Examination of slurry concentration A peel extract was prepared in the same manner as in Experiment 2-1 except that lemon peel slurries having various concentrations were used. However, in this experiment, 1 w / w% hemicellulase (hemicellulase "Amano 90", Amano Enzyme) and 1 w / w% pectinase (sucrase N, Saneigen FFI) were added to the peel slurry. An enzymatic reaction was performed.

The results of measuring the amino acid concentration in the obtained pericarp extract are shown in the table. As is clear from the table, it was shown that the amino acid concentration of the pericarp extract increased as the concentration of the pericarp slurry increased. However, as the concentration of the pericarp slurry increases, the resistance during stirring increases, so it was found that the slurry concentration should be set according to the capacity of the stirring device.

(3-5) Examination of temperature conditions (protease)
A pericarp extract was produced in the same manner as in Experiment 2-1 except that a protease (protease A, Amano Enzyme) having a weight of 2 w / w% of the pericarp was used. However, in this experiment, the enzyme reaction was carried out by shaking the temperature during the enzyme treatment to 20 to 60 ° C.

The results of measuring the amino acid concentration in the obtained pericarp extract are shown in the table below and FIG. When the enzyme treatment was performed at 40 ° C. (●), the amino acid concentration could be increased in a shorter time than when the enzyme treatment was performed at 20 ° C. (◯).

When the flavor of the pericarp extract was functionally evaluated, the pericarp extract treated with the enzyme at 20 ° C. had a better flavor than the pericarp extract treated with the enzyme at 40 ° C. Further, in actual production, it is preferable to react for a certain period of time in order to control the quality to be constant, and if the treatment is for 12 hours, the reaction can be carried out overnight, so that the cost of process control and production equipment is increased. However, it is considered that there is no problem even if the enzyme treatment is carried out at 20 ° C.

(3-6) Enzyme deactivation Since the crushed citrus peel is treated with an enzyme, the residual activity of the enzyme may affect the quality of the peel extract. Therefore, the deactivation conditions of the enzyme were examined.
(A) After obtaining an enzyme-treated product with protease and pectinase in the same manner as in Experiment 2-2 (Sample 2), solid-liquid separation was performed by centrifugation, and the supernatant was heated in a hot water bath to inactivate the enzyme. A peel extract was obtained. Heating in a hot water bath was performed at 95 ° C. for 5 minutes.
(B) After obtaining an enzyme-treated product with protease and pectinase in the same manner as in Experiment 2-2 (Sample 2), solid-liquid separation was performed by centrifugation, and the supernatant was passed through a spinning cone column (SCC) for countercurrent contact. The enzyme was inactivated by heating inside to obtain a peel extract. The residence condition in the SCC device is about 100 ° C. for 1 minute.

As a result of measuring the amino acid content of the obtained pericarp extract, the pericarp extract obtained in Experiment A was 6136 ppm and the pericarp extract obtained in Experiment B was 5825 ppm, and the amino acid contents were almost the same. Further, as a result of actually sensory evaluation of the obtained pericarp extract, the pericarp extract of Experiment B had a slight bitterness, and it was evaluated that such bitterness was preferable because it became a characteristic of a beverage.

Here, since the enzyme of the pericarp extract obtained in Experiment B can be inactivated by heating for a short time, it is considered that the amino acid concentration does not fluctuate with time and the quality deterioration due to the heat history of the pericarp extract is suppressed. .. Further, since the SCC device is used, it is possible to recover a suitable aroma component at the same time in addition to recovering the pericarp extract.

(3-7) Measurement of Organic Acid Concentration Since the pericarp extract of the product of the present invention does not contain fruit juice, only amino acids can be enhanced by adding it to a beverage. In this experiment, the amino acid concentration and the organic acid concentration of a commercially available beverage, lemon juice (Gan-Shmuel Foods), the peel extract of the present invention (lemon peel extract obtained in Experiment 3-5) were measured.

The amino acid concentration was quantified as described in Experiment 2-1. Regarding the organic acid concentration, citric acid and malic acid were quantified under the following conditions using a high performance liquid chromatograph (LC-10 series manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation).
-Equipment used: Controller (SCL-10A), liquid feed pump (LC-10AD), degasser (DGU-14A), column tank (CTO-10AC), autosampler (SIL-10AD), electrical conductivity detector (CDD) -6A), chromatopack (C-R7Aplus), column (Shim-pack SCR-102H (8 mm I.D x 300 mm L))
(2 in series), guard column (SCR-102H, 6 mm ID x 50 mm L)
-Moving solution: Weigh 4.8 g of p-toluenesulfonic acid in a 1 L volumetric flask, weigh it in distilled water, dilute it 5 times at the time of use, and filter it with a 0.45 μm membrane filter. And said.
-Reaction solution: As a solution to be reacted after passing through a column, 4.8 g of p-toluenesulfonic acid, 150 mg of EDTA and 20.9 g of Bis-Tris are weighed in a 1 L volumetric flask, and the volume is adjusted with distilled water. The one diluted 5-fold and filtered using a 0.45 μm membrane filter was used.
・ Flow rate: 1.6 ml / min ・ Detection: Electrical conductivity (Polarity is set to +)
-Sample injection volume: 10 μl
・ Analysis time: 30 minutes

It was found that the lemon peel extract of the present invention had a lower weight ratio of (citric acid and malic acid) / amino acid as compared with lemon juice. In addition, the commercially available lemon-based beverage had a weight ratio of (citric acid and malic acid) / amino acid of 14 or more. Therefore, it is considered that the lemon peel extract of the present invention can impart a taste to foods and drinks without increasing the sourness, and can impart a fruit juice feeling to a beverage even if it is a fruit-free juice or a low-fruit juice.

Experiment 4. Manufacture of packaged beverages (4-1) Production of packaged beverages 1
A fruit skin extract (Brix: 12.6, amino acid content: 3200 ppm) obtained at a reaction temperature of 20 ° C. in Experiment 3-5 was added to commercially available lemon-flavored carbonated water (sugar-free, Suntory Foods International, amino acid content: 19 ppm). To produce a packaged carbonated beverage.

The produced beverage was sensory evaluated, and the thickness of taste was evaluated on a 4-point scale according to the following criteria.
4: Feel the thickness of the taste strongly 3: Feel the thickness of the taste 2: Feel the thickness of the taste a little 1: Do not feel the thickness of the taste

The evaluation results are shown in the table. While the thickness of the taste was not felt when the pericarp extract was not added (Sample 1), the taste of the beverage was improved by adding the pericarp extract according to the present invention. In particular, in the sample to which the pericarp extract of the present invention was added so as to increase the amino acid concentration of the beverage by 5.4 ppm, the taste was similar to that when 1% (straight fruit juice equivalent) of lemon juice was added even though it was a sugar-free carbonated beverage. I could feel it.

(4-2) Manufacture of packaged beverages 2
Commercially available lemon clear juice (7-fold concentrated product, acidity 31.5, Brix42, Gan-Shmuel Foods Ltd) is added to water to produce a packaged beverage containing 1% or 3% of lemon juice in terms of straight juice. did. 2. Add granulated sugar and fructose to adjust the Brix of the beverage to 4.5 (weight ratio of granulated sugar to fructose = 1: 1), and add anhydrous citric acid and trisodium citrate to adjust the pH of the beverage to 3. Adjusted to 5.

Moreover, the pericarp extract (Brix: 12.6, amino acid content: 3200 ppm) obtained in Experiment 3-5 was added to water without using lemon juice to produce a packaged beverage containing the pericarp extract. 2. Add granulated sugar and fructose to adjust the Brix of the beverage to 4.5 (weight ratio of granulated sugar to fructose = 1: 1), and add anhydrous citric acid and trisodium citrate to adjust the pH of the beverage to 3. Adjusted to 5.

The taste thickness of the produced beverage was evaluated by a sensory test in the same manner as in Experiment 4-1. The results of the sensory evaluation are shown in the table. By adding the pericarp extract according to the present invention, it was possible to impart a taste thickness similar to that of the lemon juice beverage to the beverage. In addition, the sample to which the pericarp extract was added could feel a natural lemon feeling as compared with the beverage containing 1% lemon juice. On the other hand, in the beverage containing 3% lemon juice, although the taste was thick, the acidity was strong and the flavor was lowered, and a deteriorated odor was also felt.

Claims (10)

A step of enzymatically treating citrus peels having a size of 5 cm or less with hemicellulase and / or protease to obtain an enzyme-treated slurry, and
The process of obtaining pericarp extract by solid-liquid separation from the enzyme-treated slurry,
A method for producing a pericarp extract. The method of claim 1, wherein solid-liquid separation is performed using a filter press and / or centrifugation. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the citrus peel comprises any one or more of lemon peel, grapefruit peel, pink grapefruit peel, and orange peel. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the citrus peel comprises a lemon peel. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein 90% of the particles contained in the pericarp slurry after the enzyme treatment have a particle size of 500 μm or less. A pericarp extract produced by any of the methods 1 to 5. The pericarp extract according to claim 6, wherein the weight ratio of (citric acid and malic acid) / amino acid is 10 or less. A method for producing a food or drink, which comprises blending the pericarp extract produced by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 with the food or drink. The method according to claim 8, wherein the pericarp extract is blended into the beverage so that the weight ratio of (citric acid and malic acid) / amino acid is 14 or less. A method for improving the taste of a food or drink, which comprises producing a pericarp extract by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and blending the pericarp extract with the food or drink.