JP2021027818A - Beverage, method of producing beverage, and method of improving dispersibility and drinking pleasantness - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a beverage having an improved dispersibility of an insoluble solid matter in both refrigerated and warm states and providing a smooth-feeling drinking pleasantness, a method of producing the beverage, and a method of improving the dispersibility and drinking pleasantness.SOLUTION: A beverage of this invention includes alginate, a gelatinizer having a heat-gelatinization property, and an insoluble solid matter, in which viscosity at 10°C is 10 mPa s or higher and 30 mPa s or lower and viscosity at 60°C is 5 mPa s or higher and 20 mPa s or lower. A method of producing the beverage includes: a first step of preparing a first aqueous solution and a second aqueous solution; a second step of mixing the first aqueous solution and the second aqueous solution and adjusting a temperature of the mixed solution; and a third step of adding calcium to the mixed solution in an agitated state while keeping the temperature of the mixed solution at 40°C or lower, the temperature adjustment of the second step including low-temperature adjustment and high-temperature adjustment.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

The present invention relates to beverages, methods for producing beverages, and methods for improving dispersibility and drinking sensation.

Beverages containing insoluble solids such as flesh cut into dice have been supported by a certain number of consumers because they can enjoy the texture of insoluble solids when drinking, and have been diverse. The product is offered.
However, since the specific gravity of the insoluble solid contained in such a beverage is different from the specific gravity of the liquid, the insoluble solid usually sinks or floats, resulting in a non-uniform state of the entire beverage.
Therefore, as a technique for appropriately dispersing this insoluble solid substance in a beverage, for example, a technique such as the following Patent Document 1 has been proposed.

Specifically, Patent Document 1 contains 0.01 to 0.046% by mass of deacylated gellan gum as a gelling agent, 0.08 to 1.28% by mass of a water-soluble calcium salt, and a solid content. A solid content-containing packaged beverage containing 0.1 to 64% by mass, having a viscosity measurement value at 10 ° C. of 5 to 30 mPa · s, and having a pH of 3 to 4 is disclosed. There is.

Japanese Patent No. 541 1996

As is clear from the description of the examples in Patent Document 1, according to the technique according to Patent Document 1, the effect of appropriately dispersing the insoluble solid matter in the beverage can be confirmed under the refrigerating condition.

Here, the present inventors appropriately disperse insoluble solids in a beverage not only under "refrigerating conditions" as studied in the prior art as in Patent Document 1 but also under "warming conditions". I thought that if we could create a product, we could provide products that meet the diversifying needs of consumers.

In addition, although the liquid portion of conventional beverages containing insoluble solids is often thick, it is made easier to drink as a beverage by giving it a smooth appearance and a smooth taste. I thought it was necessary.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the dispersibility of the insoluble solid matter is improved in any cold or hot state (either the refrigerated condition or the warmed condition), and the beverage, the method for producing the beverage, and the method for producing the beverage, which give a smooth drinking feeling, and It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for improving dispersibility and drinking sensation.

The problem can be solved by the following means.
(1) It contains alginate, a gelling agent exhibiting thermal gelling property, and an insoluble solid, and has a viscosity at 10 ° C. of 10 mPa · s or more and 30 mPa · s or less, and a viscosity at 60 ° C. of 5 mPa · s. Beverages of s or more and 20 mPa · s or less.
(2) The beverage according to 1 above, wherein the gelling agent is methyl cellulose.
(3) The beverage according to 1 or 2 above, wherein the insoluble solid is at least one of a fruit piece and a vegetable piece.
(4) It contains alginate, a gelling agent exhibiting thermal gelling property, and an insoluble solid, and has a viscosity at 10 ° C. of 10 mPa · s or more and 30 mPa · s or less, and a viscosity at 60 ° C. of 5 mPa · s. A method for producing a beverage having s or more and 20 mPa · s or less, wherein the alginate is dispersed in a solvent at 0 to 30 ° C. to prepare a first aqueous solution, and the gelling agent is used in a solvent at 50 to 90 ° C. The first step of dispersing and preparing the second aqueous solution, the second step of mixing the first aqueous solution and the second aqueous solution to adjust the temperature of the mixed solution, and setting the temperature of the mixed solution to 40 ° C. or lower. The temperature of the second step includes a third step of adding calcium to the mixed solution while stirring while stirring, and the temperature of the mixed solution is adjusted to a low temperature of 30 ° C. or lower and the temperature of the mixed solution is adjusted. A method for producing a beverage, which comprises adjusting the temperature to 70 ° C. or higher.
(5) With respect to a beverage containing alginate, a gelling agent exhibiting heat gelling property, and an insoluble solid substance, the dispersibility of the insoluble solid substance is improved in both cold and hot conditions, and a smooth drinking feeling is achieved. The alginate is dispersed in a solvent at 0 to 30 ° C. to prepare a first aqueous solution, and the gelling agent is dispersed in a solvent at 50 to 90 ° C. to prepare a second aqueous solution. The first step, the second step of mixing the first aqueous solution and the second aqueous solution to adjust the temperature of the mixed solution, and the mixed solution with calcium at a temperature of 40 ° C. or lower and stirring. The temperature adjustment of the second step includes a third step of adding the mixture, a low temperature adjustment of the mixed solution temperature of 30 ° C. or lower, and a high temperature adjustment of the mixed solution temperature of 70 ° C. or higher. A method for improving dispersibility and drinking sensation, which comprises, the viscosity of the beverage at 10 ° C. is 10 mPa · s or more and 30 mPa · s or less, and the viscosity at 60 ° C. is 5 mPa · s or more and 20 mPa · s or less.

The beverage according to the present invention has improved dispersibility of insoluble solids in both cold and hot conditions (both refrigerated and warmed conditions), and provides a smooth drinking feeling.
The method for producing a beverage according to the present invention is to produce a beverage that has improved dispersibility of insoluble solids in any cold or hot state (either refrigerating condition or warming condition) and has a smooth drinking feeling. be able to.
The method for improving dispersibility and drinking sensation according to the present invention can improve the dispersibility of insoluble solids in both cold and hot states and give a smooth drinking sensation.

It is a photograph of a sample in the evaluation of dispersibility (normal temperature: 25 ° C.). It is a photograph of a sample (excluding some samples) in the evaluation of dispersibility (refrigeration: 10 ° C.). It is a photograph of a sample in the evaluation of dispersibility (warm storage: 60 ° C.).

Hereinafter, a beverage according to the present invention, a method for producing a beverage, and an embodiment (embodiment) for carrying out a method for improving dispersibility and drinking sensation will be described.

[Beverage]
The beverage according to the present embodiment is a beverage containing alginate, a gelling agent exhibiting heat gelling property, and an insoluble solid, and the viscosity at 10 ° C. and the viscosity at 60 ° C. are within predetermined ranges, respectively.

Here, the beverage (liquid portion) is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include fruit juice-containing beverages, juices, vegetable beverages, flavored waters, tea beverages, coffee beverages, tea beverages, cocoa beverages, and dairy beverages.

(Alginate)
Alginate is a salt of alginic acid, which is a polysaccharide contained in brown algae and the like.
Then, alginate exhibits a gelling ability in a low temperature range, and can improve the dispersibility of insoluble solids in a refrigerated state of the beverage according to the present embodiment.

The alginate used is, for example, sodium alginate, ammonium alginate, potassium alginate, calcium alginate and the like. As the alginate, for example, Kimika algin from Kimika Co., Ltd. can be used.

The content of alginate is not particularly limited, but for example, when Kimika algin I-2M is used, it is preferably 0.12 w / v% or more, and more preferably 0.3 w / v% or less.

(Gelting agent exhibiting thermal gelling property)
The gelling agent exhibiting heat gelling property is a gelling agent exhibiting the ability to gel when heat is applied (heat gelling property). Further, the gelling agent is, in detail, a gelling agent that exerts a gelling ability in a high temperature region where the gelling ability of alginate is lowered, and more specifically, a gelling temperature of 50 ° C. or higher. It is a gelling agent (preferably 55 to 75 ° C.).
As described above, the gelling agent exhibiting thermal gelling property exhibits gelling ability in a high temperature range, so that the dispersibility of the insoluble solid matter is improved in the state where the beverage according to the present embodiment is warmed. Can be made to.

Examples of the gelling agent exhibiting thermal gelling property include methyl cellulose and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, and methyl cellulose is particularly preferable. Then, as the gelling agent (methyl cellulose), for example, Metocell of Unitech Foods Co., Ltd. can be used.
Methyl cellulose is a high molecular weight polysaccharide having a structure in which a methoxy group is attached to the skeleton of cellulose, and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose is a substance in which the methoxy group of methyl cellulose is replaced with a hydroxypropyl group.

The content of the gelling agent exhibiting thermal gelling property is not particularly limited, but for example, when Metocell A4M is used, it is preferably 0.1 w / v% or less. When the content of the gelling agent exhibiting heat gelling property exceeds the above upper limit value, the gel becomes too hard and the feeling of drinking is deteriorated.
The content of the gelling agent exhibiting thermal gelling property is the total content in the case of two or more kinds.

(Insoluble solid)
Examples of insoluble solids include fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, seaweeds, etc. cut into arbitrary sizes, citrus fruits, agar, and molded products using a gelling agent such as sodium alginate. , Mannangel, nata de coco, tapioca, capsules, etc. Among these, the flesh of fruits is cut to an arbitrary size (fruit pieces) and the edible part of vegetables is cut to an arbitrary size. It is preferably at least one kind of thing (vegetable piece). Examples of fruits include citrus fruits, apples, pears, pears, pine apples, mangoes, kiwifruits, papayas, yellow peaches, white peaches, apricots and the like. Examples of vegetables include potatoes, onions, and corn. The insoluble solid material used may be one type or two or more types. Further, the insoluble solid material used may be the flesh portion of the above-mentioned fruits and vegetables, or the pericarp portion.
Further, as the insoluble solid, it is preferable that the insoluble solid has a structure in which the water existing inside the insoluble solid and the water existing outside the insoluble solid can move back and forth. However, the insoluble solid is not limited to the above-mentioned one, and any insoluble solid that can be eaten may be used.

The shape of the insoluble solid is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a cube, a rectangular parallelepiped, a sphere, an ellipsoid, and an amorphous shape. The size of the insoluble solid is also not particularly limited. For example, in the case of a cube, the length of one side is 2 mm or more and 20 mm or less, in the case of a sphere, the length of the diameter is 2 mm or more and 20 mm or less, and in the case of other shapes, the maximum is The length is 2 mm or more and 25 mm or less.

The content of the insoluble solid matter is not particularly limited. The content of the insoluble solid is, for example, preferably 3 g / L or more, more preferably 7 g / L or more, 30 g / L or more, 50 g / L or more, and 70 g / L or more. When the content of the insoluble solid matter is at least a predetermined value, the drinkability of the beverage can be improved.
The content of the insoluble solid is, for example, preferably 200 g / L or less, more preferably 150 g / L or less, and more preferably 100 g / L or less. When the content of the insoluble solid is not more than a predetermined value, the effect of improving the dispersibility of the insoluble solid can be surely exhibited, and the ease of drinking the beverage can be improved. Further, when the content of the insoluble solid matter is not more than a predetermined value, the production suitability (for example, ease of production) is improved at the time of producing the beverage.

(Viscosity at 10 ° C)
The viscosity of the beverage (liquid portion) according to the present embodiment at 10 ° C. is preferably 10 mPa · s or more, more preferably 20 mPa · s or more, 21 mPa · s or more, 22 mPa · s or more, and 23 mPa · s or more. The viscosity of the beverage according to the present embodiment at 10 ° C. is preferably 30 mPa · s or less, more preferably 28 mPa · s or less, 26 mPa · s or less, and 25 mPa · s or less.
By keeping the viscosity of the beverage at 10 ° C. within a predetermined range (below a predetermined value), the drinking feeling of the beverage under the refrigerating condition can be made smooth.
The viscosity at 10 ° C. can be adjusted by the content of alginate or a gelling agent exhibiting thermal gelling property.

(Viscosity at 60 ° C)
The viscosity of the beverage (liquid portion) according to the present embodiment at 60 ° C. is preferably 5 mPa · s or more, more preferably 10 mPa · s or more, 10.5 mPa · s or more, and 11 mPa · s or more. The viscosity of the beverage according to the present embodiment at 60 ° C. is preferably 20 mPa · s or less, more preferably 18 mPa · s or less, 16 mPa · s or less, 15 mPa · s or less, and 13 mPa · s or less.
By keeping the viscosity of the beverage at 60 ° C. within a predetermined range (below a predetermined value), the drinking feeling of the beverage under the warm storage condition can be made smooth.
The viscosity at 60 ° C. can be adjusted by the content of alginate or a gelling agent exhibiting thermal gelling property.

In the present embodiment, the ratio (A ₂ / A _{1 ) of the viscosity A 2} of the beverage (liquid portion) at 10 ° _{C. to the viscosity A 1} of the beverage (liquid portion) at 60 ° C. is 1.0 or more as the lower limit. Preferably, 1.5 or more is more preferable, and 2.0 or more is even more preferable. Further, A ₂ / A ₁ preferably has an upper limit value of 4.0 or less, more preferably 3.0 or less.

(PH)
Although the pH of the beverage according to the present embodiment is not particularly limited, the present invention is preferably applied to acidic beverages, and therefore is preferably 4.5 or less, more preferably 3.8 or less.

(Specific gravity of insoluble solids and liquids)
The beverage according to the present embodiment has the effect of improving the dispersibility of the insoluble solid even if the specific gravity of the insoluble solid and the specific gravity of the liquid are different, and therefore the specific gravity of both is not particularly limited.
For example, the "specific gravity of insoluble solids / specific gravity of liquid", which is the value obtained by dividing the specific gravity of insoluble solids by the specific gravity of liquids, is set to 1 or more and 1.01 or more, and 1.05 or less, 1.03 or less, 1 It may be 0.02 or less.

The specific gravity of the liquid may be calculated from the specific gravity sugar content conversion table, for example, based on the measured Brix (sugar content) of the liquid. As the specific gravity sugar content conversion table, a known one can be used. For example, the latest Soft Drinks (issued on September 30, 2003, compiled by the latest Soft Drinks Editorial Committee, published by Korin Co., Ltd.) ) 1032-1033 can be used. The measurement of Brix of the liquid can be performed by, for example, a refraction sugar content meter. Examples of the refraction sugar content meter include a digital refractometer rx-5000α manufactured by ATAGO.
The specific gravity of the insoluble solid can be calculated by the following method. That is, first, 1000 ml of a mixed solution in which water and an insoluble solid are mixed is prepared. Then, the water in the mixed solution and the insoluble solid are separated, and the weight of the water and the weight of the insoluble solid are measured. In this case, since the specific gravity of water is 1, the volume of water is calculated. Also, the volume of insoluble solids is calculated by subtracting the volume of water from 1000 ml. Then, the specific gravity of the insoluble solid is calculated from the weight of the obtained insoluble solid and the volume of the insoluble solid.
When the insoluble solid has a structure in which the water existing inside the insoluble solid and the water existing outside the insoluble solid can move back and forth, the specific gravity of the insoluble solid is the specific gravity of the liquid. The value is the sum of the value and the value obtained by subtracting the specific gravity of water (specifically, 1) from the specific gravity of the insoluble solid obtained by the above calculation method.

The portion of the beverage according to the present embodiment excluding the insoluble solid matter has been described as a liquid (liquid portion), but the liquid is composed of microgels (microgels) by being produced by the production method described later. There is. The microgel in the present embodiment is an extremely fine gel containing alginate and a gelling agent exhibiting thermal gelling property, and its fluidity is almost the same as that of a liquid.

The beverage according to the present embodiment includes sweeteners, high-sweetness sweeteners, antioxidants, flavors, acidulants, salts, colorants, and pH adjustments that are usually blended as beverages as long as the desired effects of the present invention are not impaired. Agents, strengthening agents, emulsifiers and the like (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as “additives”) can be added.
As the sweetener, for example, fructose-glucose liquid sugar, glucose, galactose, mannose, fructose, lactose, sucrose, maltose, glycogen, starch and the like can be used. As the high-sweetness sweetener, for example, neotame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, saccharin, sodium saccharin, disodium glycyrrhizinate, cyclamate, dulcin, stevia, glycyrrhizin, somatin, monellin, aspartame, alitame and the like can be used. As the antioxidant, for example, vitamin C, vitamin E, polyphenol and the like can be used. Examples of acidulants include malic acid, citric acid, trisodium citrate, gluconodeltalactone, gluconic acid, potassium gluconate, sodium gluconate, succinic acid, monosodium succinate, disodium succinate, sodium acetate, etc. DL-tartaric acid, L-tartaric acid, DL-sodium tartrate, L-sodium tartrate, carbon dioxide, lactic acid, sodium lactate, glacial acetic acid, fumaric acid, monosodium fumarate, DL-malic acid, DL-sodium malate, phosphoric acid Etc. can be used. As the salts, for example, salt, acidic potassium phosphate, acidic calcium phosphate, ammonium phosphate, magnesium sulfate, calcium sulfate, potassium metabisulfite, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium nitrate, ammonium sulfate and the like can be used. As the colorant, for example, caramel color, anthocyanin, gardenia jasminoides pigment, fruit juice pigment, vegetable pigment, synthetic pigment and the like can be used. As the pH adjuster, for example, baking soda, phytic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, ascorbic acid and the like can be used. As the fortifier, for example, calcium lactate, fermented calcium lactate and the like can be used. As the emulsifier, for example, glycerin fatty acid ester, sorbitan fatty acid ester, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester, saponin, lecithin and the like can be used.
As the above-mentioned additive, a commercially available additive can be used.

In addition, the beverage according to the present embodiment may contain fruit juice or fruit juice flavor as long as the desired effect of the present invention is not impaired. The fruit juices include, for example, various fruit juices such as concentrated fruit juice, reduced fruit juice, and straight fruit juice, fruit purees (semi-liquid products obtained by grinding or straining cooked fruits or raw fruits), and diluted solutions thereof. , Concentrate, mixed solution and the like can be used.
The fruits used for the fruit juice (and the fruit species having the fruit juice flavor) are not particularly limited, and conventionally known fruits can be mentioned.

(Beverage in a container)
The beverage according to the present embodiment can be provided in various containers. By filling various containers with beverages, deterioration of quality due to long-term storage can be suitably prevented.
The container may be a container that can be sealed, and a metal (aluminum, steel, etc.) so-called can container / barrel container, a glass container, a PET bottle container, a paper container, a pouch container, or the like can be applied. The capacity of the container is not particularly limited, and any container currently in circulation can be applied. It is preferable to use a metal container because it completely blocks gas, moisture and light rays and can maintain stable quality at room temperature for a long period of time.

As described above, the beverage according to the present embodiment contains alginate, a gelling agent exhibiting thermal gelling property, and an insoluble solid, and has a viscosity at 10 ° C. and a viscosity at 60 ° C., respectively. Since it is within a predetermined range, the dispersibility of the insoluble solid matter is improved in any cold or hot state (either the refrigerated condition or the warmed condition), and a smooth drinking feeling is obtained.

[Beverage manufacturing method]
Next, a method for producing a beverage according to the present embodiment will be described.
The method for producing a beverage according to the present embodiment includes the first step, the second step, and the third step shown below.

(First step)
In the first step, a first aqueous solution in which alginate is dispersed in a solvent and a second aqueous solution in which a gelling agent exhibiting thermal gelling property is dispersed in a solvent are prepared.
The first aqueous solution is prepared by dispersing alginate in a solvent at a predetermined temperature. Then, the alginate can be suitably dispersed by setting the temperature of the solvent used for preparing the first aqueous solution to 0 to 30 ° C (preferably 15 to 25 ° C).
The second aqueous solution is prepared by dispersing a gelling agent exhibiting thermal gelling property in a solvent having a predetermined temperature. Then, by setting the temperature of the solvent used for preparing the second aqueous solution to 50 to 90 ° C. (preferably 65 to 75 ° C.), the gelling agent exhibiting thermal gelling property can be preferably dispersed.

In the first step, by appropriately dispersing the alginate and the gelling agent exhibiting thermal gelling property in each solvent, a situation occurs in which the solute becomes difficult to dissolve in the second step described later due to lumps. Can be avoided.
In addition, "dispersion" in the first step means that the solute is scattered in the solvent (dispersion medium) in the form of fine particles, and the solute is not completely dissolved in the solvent. The solvent used in the first step is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include water and hot water.

(Second step)
In the second step, the first aqueous solution and the second aqueous solution prepared in the first step are mixed, and the temperature of the mixed liquid is adjusted. Then, by performing two temperature adjustments (low temperature adjustment and high temperature adjustment) in the second step, both alginate and a gelling agent exhibiting thermal gelling property can be dissolved in the mixed solution.

(Second step: low temperature adjustment)
The low temperature adjustment in the second step is a temperature adjustment in which the temperature (liquid temperature) of the mixed solution is 30 ° C. or lower. By this low temperature adjustment, the gelling agent exhibiting thermal gelling property can be appropriately dissolved in the mixed solution.
In the low temperature adjustment, the mixed solution may be cooled by any method as long as the temperature of the mixed solution can be kept below a predetermined value, but the mixed solution is prepared by adding the aqueous solution containing the above-mentioned additive to the mixed solution. According to the method of lowering the liquid temperature of, the increase in the number of manufacturing steps can be suppressed.

(Second step: High temperature adjustment)
The high temperature adjustment in the second step is a temperature adjustment in which the temperature (liquid temperature) of the mixed solution is 70 ° C. or higher. By this high temperature adjustment, alginate can be appropriately dissolved in the mixed solution.
In the high temperature adjustment, the mixed solution may be heated by any method as long as the temperature of the mixed solution can be set to a predetermined value or higher.

(Second step: turn)
The low temperature adjustment and the high temperature adjustment in the second step may be in the order of low temperature adjustment → high temperature adjustment, or may be the order of high temperature adjustment → low temperature adjustment.
However, the order of low temperature adjustment → high temperature adjustment, which has been confirmed to exhibit excellent effects in the examples described later, is preferable.

If the volume of the second aqueous solution is very large with respect to the volume of the first aqueous solution, the temperature of the mixed solution may be 70 ° C. or higher when both aqueous solutions are mixed. In this case, high temperature adjustment can be realized by the process of mixing, that is, since the process of mixing is responsible for the high temperature adjustment, it is not necessary to separately perform the high temperature adjustment, and only the low temperature adjustment may be performed.
Further, when the volume of the first aqueous solution is much larger than that of the second aqueous solution, the temperature of the mixed solution may be 30 ° C. or lower when both aqueous solutions are mixed. In this case, the low temperature adjustment can be realized by the process of mixing, that is, since the process of mixing is responsible for the low temperature adjustment, it is not necessary to separately perform the low temperature adjustment, and only the high temperature adjustment may be performed.

(Third step)
In the third step, calcium is added while the mixture is stirred while the temperature of the mixture is kept at 40 ° C. or lower.
Specifically, first, the temperature of the mixed solution is set to 40 ° C. or lower (preferably 15 to 35 ° C.). If the temperature is adjusted in the order of low temperature adjustment → high temperature adjustment in the second step, it is necessary to cool the temperature of the mixed solution to a predetermined temperature or less, but the temperature is adjusted in the order of high temperature adjustment → low temperature adjustment. If so, there is no need to cool.
Then, calcium is added while stirring the mixed solution. Here, the stirring conditions are not particularly limited as long as calcium can be mixed in the entire mixed solution, but for example, the stirring intensity may be 1500 to 4500 rpm.
Although the amount of calcium added to the mixed solution is not particularly limited, it is added so that the calcium content in the mixed solution is 0.1 to 0.35 w / v% in order to appropriately gel the alginate. do it. Further, the addition of calcium referred to here may be the addition of a strengthening agent or the addition of an aqueous solution containing a strengthening agent. When an aqueous solution containing a toughening agent is added, the aqueous solution may be added to the mixed solution during stirring at 0.02 to 0.4 g / s until the content of calcium reaches a predetermined level.
The stirring may be stopped after the calcium is added to the mixture, but in order to mix the calcium more uniformly in the mixture, the stirring is continued for 1 to 15 minutes (preferably 8) after the addition of the calcium. ~ 12 minutes) You may continue.

Although the detailed mechanism has not been clarified, by adding calcium to the above-mentioned mixture under the above-mentioned conditions (predetermined temperature or less, in a stirred state), alginate and "a gelling agent exhibiting thermal gelling property" It is speculated that a special microgel with a structure in which calcium ions are ionic-bonded and gelled by "alginate" is formed around the mixture of.
The calcium to be added to the mixed solution may be added in any state, and for example, it may be added in the state of an aqueous calcium solution.

(Other processes)
The insoluble solid may be added to the mixed solution in the middle of the second and third steps, and the timing of addition is not particularly limited, but the step of adding the insoluble solid to the mixed solution obtained in the third step (first step). 4 steps) may be provided. By adding the insoluble solid after the third step in this way, it is possible to prevent the gel from sticking around the insoluble solid.
Then, after the third step (or the fourth step), as a post-treatment step, for example, a step of selectively carrying out a treatment such as sterilization or filling into a container may be provided as necessary.
The sterilization treatment in the post-treatment step is preferably performed by shell-and-tube sterilization from the viewpoint of preventing clogging of insoluble solids in the sterilizer, but is limited to this if the same treatment can be performed. Applicable without. Further, the filling treatment in the post-treatment step is preferably filled in a clean room where the cleanliness is maintained to the extent normally performed in the production of beverages.
The order of each treatment in the post-treatment step is not particularly limited.

As described above, according to the method for producing a beverage according to the present embodiment, since the predetermined steps 1 to 3 are included, the insoluble solid is in any cold or hot state (either the refrigerating condition or the warming condition). The dispersibility of the product is improved, and it is possible to produce a beverage having a smooth drinking feeling.

[Method of improving dispersibility and drinking sensation]
Next, the method for improving the dispersibility and drinking sensation according to the present embodiment will be described.
The method for improving dispersibility and drinking sensation according to the present embodiment improves the dispersibility of insoluble solids in a beverage containing alginate, a gelling agent exhibiting heat gelling property, and an insoluble solid in both cold and hot conditions. It is a method to make it feel smooth and drinkable.
The content and the like of each component are the same as those described in the above-mentioned "beverage", and the conditions and the like of each step are the same as the contents described in the above-mentioned "beverage manufacturing method".

As described above, according to the method for improving dispersibility and drinking sensation according to the present embodiment, since the predetermined steps 1 to 3 are included, the dispersibility of the insoluble solid matter is improved in the beverage in both cold and hot states. It can be made to have a smooth drinking feeling.

In the beverage, the method for producing the beverage, and the method for improving the dispersibility and drinking sensation according to the present embodiment, the characteristics and conditions not specified may be those known in the past, and can be obtained by the above characteristics and conditions. It goes without saying that it is not limited as long as it produces the desired effect.

Next, the present invention will be described by exemplifying examples that satisfy the requirements of the present invention and comparative examples that do not.

[Sample preparation]
(Samples 1 and 2)
First, a first solution in which sodium alginate (alginate I-2M, manufactured by Kimika Co., Ltd.) is dispersed in water at about 20 ° C., and methyl cellulose (Methcell (registered trademark) A4M, manufactured by Unitex Foods Co., Ltd.) at about 70 ° C. A second solution dispersed in hot water was prepared.
Then, for sample 1, the first solution and the second solution were mixed, the low temperature was adjusted to about 30 ° C., and then the high temperature was adjusted to about 70 ° C. Then, the temperature was adjusted to about 35 ° C. or lower, and fermented calcium lactate was added while stirring with a homomixer (2800 rpm, 10 minutes). Then, after the addition of lactic acid fermented calcium, stirring is continued for about 10 minutes, then apple dice (shape: approximately cube, about 2 mm × about 2 mm × about 2 mm) is added, and then sterilized at 90 ° C. or higher for 5 minutes. Then, "Sample 1" in which the content of each substance had the values shown in Table 1 was produced.
On the other hand, for sample 2, fermented calcium lactate was added while raising the temperature of the first solution to about 70 ° C., adjusting the temperature to 35 ° C. or lower, and stirring with a homomixer (2800 rpm, 10 minutes). Then, after the addition of lactic acid fermented calcium, stirring is continued for about 10 minutes, then apple dice (shape: approximately cube, about 2 mm × about 2 mm × about 2 mm) is added, and then sterilized at 90 ° C. or higher for 5 minutes. Then, "Sample 2" in which the content of each substance had the values shown in Table 1 was produced.

(Sample 3)
First, a third solution was prepared in which gellan gum (Gelup, manufactured by San-Ei Gen FFI Co., Ltd.) was dispersed in water at about 20 ° C.
Then, for sample 3, after raising the temperature of the third solution to about 70 ° C., the temperature was adjusted to 35 ° C. or lower, and fermented calcium lactate was added while stirring with a homomixer (conditions such as stirring strength). Then, after the addition of lactic acid fermented calcium, stirring is continued for about 10 minutes, then apple dice (shape: approximately cube, about 2 mm × about 2 mm × about 2 mm) are added, and then sterilized at 90 ° C. or higher for 5 minutes. Then, "Sample 3" in which the content of each substance had the values shown in Table 1 was produced.

[Measurement of viscosity]
First, apple dice were removed from each sample produced by the above method using a mesh having an opening of about 2 mm.
Then, after setting each sample to a predetermined temperature (60 ° C. or 10 ° C.), the viscosity was measured using TVB-10M manufactured by Toki Sangyo Co., Ltd.
Specifically, the M1 rotor of TVB-10M was inserted into the sample poured into the beaker at a predetermined temperature from above, and the viscosity was measured three times in succession at a rotation speed of 100 rpm and a measurement time of 30 seconds. Then, the average value of the obtained three measured values was calculated, and the calculated value was used as the viscosity of each sample (viscosity shown in Table 1).

[Evaluation of dispersibility]
First, the sample was packed in a 200 mL PET container and set to a predetermined temperature (25 ° C. at room temperature, 10 ° C. under refrigeration conditions, 60 ° C. under warm storage conditions). Then, the sample was stirred by shaking it 2 to 5 times so that the apple dice were turned upside down so as to spread over the entire sample. Then, immediately after stirring (immediately after standing the container), 2 minutes and 14 hours later, the dispersibility of the apple dice in the container was evaluated. The sample packed in the container was stored under the condition of maintaining a predetermined temperature.

The evaluation of dispersibility is that the dispersed state is maintained when the apple dice can be visually recognized in the transparent portion of the PET container body (transparent portion having a height of 12 cm excluding the cap portion) from the top. Judging, it was judged that the dispersed state was not maintained when the apple dice could not be visually recognized.
Then, the "evaluation of dispersibility (refrigerating condition)" is performed when it can be determined that the dispersed state is maintained for all the samples immediately after stirring, 2 minutes after stirring, and 14 hours after stirring. It was evaluated as "○" (good dispersibility), and in other cases, it was evaluated as "x" (poor dispersibility).
In addition, the "evaluation of dispersibility (warming conditions)" is based on the case where it can be determined that the dispersed state is maintained for all the samples immediately after stirring, 2 minutes after stirring, and 14 hours after stirring. It was evaluated as "○" (good dispersibility), and in other cases, it was evaluated as "x" (poor dispersibility).

[Appearance evaluation]
Ten trained and discriminating panels visually confirmed the appearance of each sample produced by the method described above.
Regarding the appearance of each sample at 10 ° C and 60 ° C, if it is not possible to confirm the roughness of the gel on the wall surface of the container or the gel-like feeling of pulling, it is "○" (the appearance is good). ), And the case where the roughness of the gel can be confirmed on the wall surface of the container or the gel-like feeling of pulling and pulling can be confirmed is evaluated as "x" (poor appearance).
As for the evaluation of appearance (○ / ×), the evaluations of all the panels were the same.

[Evaluation of mouthpiece]
Five trained and discriminating panels confirmed by drinking the mouth of each sample prepared by the method described above.
Regarding the mouthpiece of each sample at 10 ° C and 60 ° C, if you do not feel a strong thickening, gel-like roughness, or a muddy texture, "○" (the mouthpiece is It was evaluated as "good", and when it felt a strong thickening, a gel-like roughness, or a muddy texture, it was evaluated as "x" (bad mouthfeel).
As for the evaluation of the mouthpiece (○ / ×), the evaluations of all the panels were the same.

Table 1 shows the standards of each sample and the results of each evaluation.
For reference, photographs of samples (excluding some samples) in the evaluation of dispersibility are shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. Since the dispersibility in 14 hours is also shown in the prior art document, the photograph is omitted.

(Examination of test results)
As shown in Table 1, sample 1 contains alginate, methyl cellulose (a gelling agent exhibiting heat gelling property), and apple dice (an insoluble solid), and the viscosities at 10 ° C and 60 ° C are predetermined, respectively. Since it was within the range, the result was that the dispersibility of the insoluble solid was good in both cold and hot conditions (both refrigerating and warming conditions) (see FIGS. 2 and 3). As shown in FIG. 1, it was judged that the sample 1 had good dispersibility of the insoluble solid matter even at room temperature.
In addition, as shown in Table 1, the sample 1 gave a result of "○" in the evaluation of both the drinking spouts at 10 ° C and 60 ° C, and evaluated the appearance of both 10 ° C and 60 ° C. The result of "○" was also obtained. From this, it was found that Sample 1 had a smooth drinking feeling.

On the other hand, as shown in Table 1, Sample 2 did not contain methyl cellulose (a gelling agent exhibiting thermal gelling property), and as a result, the dispersibility of the insoluble solid matter was poor in the stored state. (See Fig. 3).

Comparing "Sample 1" containing methyl cellulose and "Sample 2" not containing methyl cellulose, the viscosity of Sample 2 is higher at 60 ° C. The reason for this is that it contains alginate. It is considered that this is because the amount of sample 2 was slightly larger. From this result, it was found that by containing methyl cellulose, the sample 1 can improve the dispersibility while suppressing the increase in viscosity at 60 ° C. (that is, realizing a smooth drinking feeling at 60 ° C.). It was.

In addition, although sample 3 uses gellan gum used in Patent Document 1, it did not contain alginate or methyl cellulose (a gelling agent exhibiting heat gelling property), so that it could be used in the mouthpiece. In the evaluation and the evaluation of the appearance, the result was that it was not dry.

Claims (5)

Contains alginate, a gelling agent exhibiting thermal gelling properties, and an insoluble solid,
The viscosity at 10 ° C. is 10 mPa · s or more and 30 mPa · s or less.
A beverage having a viscosity at 60 ° C. of 5 mPa · s or more and 20 mPa · s or less. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the gelling agent is methyl cellulose. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the insoluble solid is at least one of a fruit piece and a vegetable piece. It contains alginate, a gelling agent exhibiting thermal gelability, and an insoluble solid, and has a viscosity of 20 mPa · s or more and 30 mPa · s or less at 10 ° C. and a viscosity of 10 mPa · s or more and 20 mPa at 60 ° C.・ A method for producing a beverage having a viscosity of s or less.
The first step of dispersing the alginate in a solvent at 0 to 30 ° C. to prepare a first aqueous solution, and dispersing the gelling agent in a solvent at 50 to 90 ° C. to prepare a second aqueous solution.
A second step of mixing the first aqueous solution and the second aqueous solution to adjust the temperature of the mixed solution, and
The third step of adding calcium to the mixed solution in a state of stirring while keeping the temperature of the mixed solution at 40 ° C. or lower is included.
The temperature adjustment in the second step is a method for producing a beverage, which comprises a low temperature adjustment in which the temperature of the mixed solution is 30 ° C. or lower and a high temperature adjustment in which the temperature of the mixed solution is 70 ° C. or higher. A method for making a beverage containing alginate, a gelling agent exhibiting heat gelling property, and an insoluble solid substance a smooth drinking feeling while improving the dispersibility of the insoluble solid substance in both cold and hot conditions. And
The first step of dispersing the alginate in a solvent at 0 to 30 ° C. to prepare a first aqueous solution, and dispersing the gelling agent in a solvent at 50 to 90 ° C. to prepare a second aqueous solution.
A second step of mixing the first aqueous solution and the second aqueous solution to adjust the temperature of the mixed solution, and
The third step of adding calcium to the mixed solution in a state where the temperature of the mixed solution is set to 40 ° C. or lower and stirred is included.
The temperature adjustment in the second step includes a low temperature adjustment in which the temperature of the mixed solution is 30 ° C. or lower and a high temperature adjustment in which the temperature of the mixed solution is 70 ° C. or higher.
A method for improving dispersibility and drinking sensation, wherein the viscosity of the beverage at 10 ° C. is 10 mPa · s or more and 30 mPa · s or less, and the viscosity at 60 ° C. is 5 mPa · s or more and 20 mPa · s or less.