JP2022099324A - Citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing fermented fruit juice - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage having reduced sourness.SOLUTION: A citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage contains fermented fruit juice and has a degree of acidity of 0.1% or more.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

The present invention relates to a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing fermented fruit juice.

Generally, citric acid is abundant in citrus fruits such as lemons and mandarins (for example, 1350 mg per lemon). In a citrus alcohol-containing beverage, the flavor is adjusted by using a citrus fruit juice or an acidulant such as citric acid. However, since citric acid itself has a strong acidity, there is a problem that when citric acid is ingested as a beverage, it is difficult to taste as a drink (Patent Document 1).

So far, citric acid has been added to citric acid-containing beverages by blending sodium succinate or sodium fumarate in a specific ratio (Patent Document 1) and by blending sodium hydrogen carbonate (baking soda) (Patent Document 2). A method of reducing the acidity of sodium succinate and thereby improving the palatability has been reported. However, the effect is not sufficient, and the flavor of the citric acid-containing beverage may be deteriorated.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2018-83 Japanese Patent No. 4777916

The present inventors have found that the acidity is alleviated by adding fermented fruit juice to a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage. The present invention is based on this finding.

Therefore, the present invention provides a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage with reduced acidity.

That is, according to the present invention, the following invention is provided.
(1) A citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing fermented fruit juice and having an acidity of 0.1% or more.
(2) The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to (1) above, which contains non-fermented citrus juice.
(3) A citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing fermented fruit juice and non-fermented citrus juice.
(4) The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein the fermented fruit juice is a fermented product of at least one microorganism selected from the group consisting of yeast, lactic acid bacteria and acetobacter.
(5) The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to any one of (1) to (4) above, wherein the fermented fruit juice is a fermented product of at least one kind of fruit juice selected from citrus juice and apple juice.
(6) The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to any one of (1) to (5) above, wherein the alcohol concentration of the fermented fruit juice is less than 1 v / v%.
(7) The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to any one of (1) to (6) above, wherein the citrus juice used as a raw material for the fermented fruit juice is at least one kind of juice selected from lemon juice and grapefruit juice. ..
(8) The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to any one of (1) to (7) above, wherein the concentration of acetaldehyde derived from the fermented fruit juice is 0.00244 ppm or more.
(9) The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to any one of (1) to (8) above, which contains a component derived from citrus peel.
(10) A citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing acetaldehyde and having an acidity of 0.1% or more.
(11) The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to (10) above, which contains non-fermented citrus juice.
(12) The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to (10) or (11) above, wherein the concentration of acetaldehyde to be added is 0.05 ppm or more with respect to the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage.
(13) A citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing 4-ketoisophorone and having an acidity of 0.1% or more.
(14) The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to (13) above, which contains non-fermented citrus juice.
(15) The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to (13) or (14) above, wherein the concentration of 4-ketoisophorone to be added is 0.01 ppb or more with respect to the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage.
(16) A method for alleviating the acidity of a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1% or more, which comprises adding fermented fruit juice in the process of producing the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage.
(17) A method for alleviating the acidity of a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1% or more, which comprises adding acetaldehyde in the process of producing the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage.
(18) A flavor improver for use in citrus-flavored alcoholic beverages having an acidity of 0.1% or more for alleviating acidity, alleviating bitterness, or masking alcoholic sensation, which comprises acetaldehyde.
(19) A method for alleviating the acidity of a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1% or more, which comprises adding 4-ketoisophorone in the process of producing the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage. ..
(20) A flavor improving agent for use in citrus-flavored alcoholic beverages having an acidity of 0.1% or more for alleviating acidity, alleviating bitterness, or masking alcoholic sensation, which comprises 4-ketoisophorone. Agent.

According to the present invention, the acidity in citrus-flavored alcoholic beverages is alleviated. For example, according to the present invention, the use of fermented fruit juice can alleviate the sharp acidity derived from fruit juice or acidulants in citrus-flavored alcoholic beverages, and impart mellowness and body feeling. Further, according to the present invention, by using the fermented fruit juice, it is possible to obtain a masking effect of the bitterness derived from the pericarp and the spiciness and burning feeling of alcohol when the content of the fruit juice is low. Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain the effect that the natural taste and depth of the fruit can be felt when the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage is drunk, and the compatibility with the meal is improved by using the fermented fruit juice.

Specific description of the invention

In the present invention, the "alcoholic beverage" means a beverage having an alcohol content of 1% or more, which is regarded as an alcoholic beverage under the Liquor Tax Law.

In the present specification, "ppm" is synonymous with "mg / L" and "ppb" is synonymous with "μg / L".

The fermented fruit juice used in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is obtained by subjecting the fruit juice to fermentation by a microorganism. The microorganism used in the fermentation treatment is preferably at least one microorganism selected from the group consisting of yeast (for example, Saccharomyces cerevisiae), lactic acid bacteria and acetic acid bacteria. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fermented fruit juice used in the present invention is preferably a fermented product of citrus juice or apple juice. The fermented product of citrus juice is preferably a fermented product of lemon juice and / or grapefruit juice.

Such fermented fruit juice can be produced, for example, according to the description in JP-A-9-191861.

The alcohol concentration of the fermented fruit juice used in the present invention is preferably less than 1 v / v%. By controlling the degree of fermentation and setting the alcohol concentration to less than 1 v / v%, the effect of the present invention can be further exhibited.

The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention contains the above-mentioned fermented fruit juice, whereby the acidity is alleviated. Such a beverage can be produced by adding the above-mentioned fermented fruit juice to the raw material of a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage. According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a method for alleviating the acidity in a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage is provided, the method comprising adding fermented fruit juice in the process of producing the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage.

The content (that is, the amount of addition) of the fermented fruit juice in the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage is not particularly limited, and is appropriately determined by those skilled in the art according to the type of the beverage and the degree of the desired effect. For example, one of ordinary skill in the art can find the optimum amount of fermented juice for the beverage by actually preparing samples of the beverage containing fermented juice at various concentrations and confirming the desired effect for each sample. Can be done.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the content / addition amount of the fermented fruit juice in the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage is 0.00244 ppm or more as the acetaldehyde concentration when converted into the acetaldehyde concentration contained in the fermented fruit juice. Here, the reason for converting the content / addition amount of the fermented fruit juice into the amount of acetaldehyde is that the concentration of the active ingredient differs depending on the ratio of the amount of the fermented raw material and the solvent which are the raw materials of the fermented fruit juice, and such a difference in concentration. This is to define an index that reflects the amount of active ingredient regardless. That is, the concentration of acetaldehyde, which is considered to be proportional to the amount of fermentation raw material and the degree of fermentation, is considered to be proportional to the amount of the active ingredient. Therefore, in the present invention, the content / addition amount of the fermented fruit juice is shown in terms of the amount of acetaldehyde contained in the fermented fruit juice. According to a more preferable embodiment of the present invention, the content / addition amount of the fermented fruit juice in the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage is 0.00261 ppm or more, more preferably 0. It is 00413 ppm or more, more preferably 0.0261 ppm or more, further preferably 0.0488 ppm or more, still more preferably 0.0522 ppm or more, still more preferably 1.305 ppm or more, still more preferably 2.065 ppm or more. The upper limit of the content and the addition amount of the fermented fruit juice in the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, and the larger the addition amount, the stronger the effect can be obtained. However, if the upper limit is intentionally set, in consideration of the balance of flavor of the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage, the amount of acetaldehyde contained in the fermented fruit juice may be 50 ppm, preferably 30 ppm, more preferably 20 ppm.

The concentration of acetaldehyde in the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be measured by GC analysis using n-butanol as an internal standard substance. At that time, for more accurate concentration measurement, it is desirable to use a calibration curve prepared based on the measured values of some control samples having a known concentration. Examples of GC conditions are shown in Table 1 below.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the content / addition amount of the fermented fruit juice in the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage is 0. The amount is 0466 ppm or more. Here, the reason for converting the content / addition amount of the fermented fruit juice into the amount of 2-phenoxyethanol is the same as that of the above-mentioned acetaldehyde. That is, the concentration of 2-phenoxyethanol, which is considered to be proportional to the amount of fermentation raw material and the degree of fermentation, is considered to be proportional to the amount of the active ingredient. Therefore, in the present invention, the content / addition amount of the fermented fruit juice is shown in terms of the amount of 2-phenoxyethanol contained in the fermented fruit juice. According to another more preferable embodiment of the present invention, the content / addition amount of the fermented fruit juice in the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage is 0.06 ppm or more in terms of the amount of 2-phenoxyethanol contained in the fermented fruit juice, and further. It is preferably 0.08 ppm or more. The upper limit of the content and the addition amount of the fermented fruit juice in the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, and the larger the addition amount, the stronger the effect can be obtained. However, if the upper limit is intentionally set, in consideration of the balance of flavor of the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage, the amount of 2-phenoxyethanol contained in the fermented fruit juice may be 23 ppm, preferably 5 ppm, more preferably 1 ppm. To.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the content / addition amount of the fermented fruit juice in the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage is 0.5133 ppm or more as the citropten concentration when converted into the citropten concentration contained in the fermented fruit juice. It is said to be a quantity. Here, the reason for converting the content / addition amount of the fermented fruit juice into the amount of citropten is the same as that of the above-mentioned acetaldehyde. That is, the concentration of citropten, which is considered to be proportional to the amount of fermentation raw material and the degree of fermentation, is considered to be proportional to the amount of the active ingredient. Therefore, in the present invention, the content / addition amount of the fermented fruit juice is shown in terms of the amount of citropten contained in the fermented fruit juice. According to another more preferable embodiment of the present invention, the content / addition amount of the fermented fruit juice in the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage is 0.6733 ppm or more, more preferably 0.6733 ppm or more in terms of the amount of citropten contained in the fermented fruit juice. It is 0.7133 ppm or more, more preferably 0.7666 ppm or more. The upper limit of the content and the addition amount of the fermented fruit juice in the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, and the larger the addition amount, the stronger the effect can be obtained. However, if the upper limit is intentionally set, in consideration of the balance of flavor of the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage, the amount of citropten contained in the fermented fruit juice may be 1000 ppm, preferably 500 ppm, more preferably 200 ppm.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the content / addition amount of the fermented fruit juice in the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage is the 4-ketoisophorone concentration when converted into the 4-ketoisophorone concentration contained in the fermented fruit juice. The amount is 0.0000116 ppb or more. Here, the reason for converting the content / addition amount of the fermented fruit juice into the amount of 4-ketoisophorone is the same as that of the above-mentioned acetaldehyde. That is, the concentration of 4-ketoisophorone, which is considered to be proportional to the amount of fermentation raw material and the degree of fermentation, is considered to be proportional to the amount of the active ingredient. Therefore, in the present invention, the content / addition amount of the fermented fruit juice is shown in terms of the amount of 4-ketoisophorone contained in the fermented fruit juice. According to another more preferable embodiment of the present invention, the content / addition amount of the fermented fruit juice in the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage is 0.000232 ppb or more in terms of the amount of 4-ketoisophorone contained in the fermented fruit juice. It is more preferably 0.01 ppb or more, still more preferably 0.02 ppb or more, still more preferably 0.03 ppb or more. The upper limit of the content and the addition amount of the fermented fruit juice in the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, and the larger the addition amount, the stronger the effect can be obtained. However, if the upper limit is intentionally set, it may be 1 ppm in terms of the amount of 4-ketoisophorone contained in the fermented fruit juice in consideration of the flavor balance of the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage.

The concentrations of 2-phenoxyethanol and citropten in the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be measured by GC x GC-TOFMS analysis. At that time, for more accurate concentration measurement, it is desirable to use a calibration curve prepared based on the measured values of some control samples having a known concentration. Table 2 below shows examples of GC x GC-TOFMS analysis conditions. The concentration of 4-ketoisophorone in the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention can also be measured by the same method.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing acetaldehyde and having an acidity of 0.1% or more, or a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing acetaldehyde and unfermented citrus juice. To. In such a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage, the acidity in the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage is alleviated by adding acetaldehyde to a predetermined concentration. Further, in such a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage, the bitterness derived from the peel is alleviated and / or the alcoholic sensation (spicy / burning sensation of alcohol) is masked by adding acetaldehyde to a predetermined concentration. Such beverages can be produced by adjusting the amount of acetaldehyde added. The amount of acetaldehyde added may be adjusted by adding acetaldehyde to the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage, or by blending a raw material containing acetaldehyde into the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage, or by increasing or decreasing the blending amount thereof. You may go.

In the above-mentioned citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing acetaldehyde and having an acidity of 0.1% or more, or the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing acetaldehyde and non-fermented citrus juice, the concentration of acetaldehyde to be added is citrus. For flavored alcoholic beverages, it is preferably 0.05 ppm or more, more preferably 0.5 ppm or more, further preferably 3 ppm or more, further preferably 5 ppm or more, still more preferably 50 ppm or more. .. The upper limit of the concentration of acetaldehyde is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of the taste of citrus-flavored beverages, for example, acetaldehyde can be set to 100 ppm.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing 4-ketoisophorone and having an acidity of 0.1% or more, or a citrus containing 4-ketoisophorone and unfermented citrus juice. Flavored alcoholic beverages are provided. In such a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage, the acidity of the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage is alleviated by adding 4-ketoisophorone to a predetermined concentration. Further, in such a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage, by adding 4-ketoisophorone to a predetermined concentration, the bitterness derived from the peel is alleviated and / or the alcoholic sensation (spicy / burning sensation of alcohol) is masked. Will be done. Such a beverage can be produced by adjusting the amount of 4-ketoisophorone added. The addition amount of 4-ketoisophorone may be adjusted by adding 4-ketoisophorone to the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage, or by blending a raw material containing 4-ketoisophorone into the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage. Alternatively, it may be carried out by increasing or decreasing the blending amount.

It is added in the above-mentioned citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing 4-ketoisophorone and having an acidity of 0.1% or more, or the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing 4-ketoisophorone and unfermented citrus juice. The concentration of 4-ketoisophorone is preferably 0.01 ppb or more, more preferably 0.03 ppb or more, still more preferably 0.1 ppb or more, still more preferably 0. It is 5 ppb or more. The upper limit of the concentration of 4-ketoisophorone is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of the palatability of the citrus-flavored beverage, for example, 4-ketoisophorone can be set to 1 ppm.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for alleviating the acidity in a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1% or more, or a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing unfermented citrus juice. Includes the addition of acetaldehyde in the process of producing the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for alleviating the bitterness of a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1% or more, or a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing unfermented citrus juice. The method comprises adding acetaldehyde in the process of producing the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for masking the alcoholic sensation in a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1% or more, or a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing unfermented citrus juice. The method comprises adding acetaldehyde in the process of producing the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for alleviating the acidity in a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1% or more, or a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing unfermented citrus juice. Includes the addition of 4-ketoisophorone in the process of producing the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for alleviating the bitterness of a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1% or more, or a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing unfermented citrus juice. The method comprises adding 4-ketoisophorone in the process of producing the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for masking the alcoholic sensation in a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1% or more, or a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing unfermented citrus juice. The method comprises adding 4-ketoisophorone in the process of producing the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, for use in citrus-flavored alcoholic beverages having an acidity of 0.1% or more or containing non-fermented citrus juice for alleviating acidity, alleviating bitterness, or masking alcoholic sensation. The flavor improver is provided, the flavor improver comprises acetaldehyde. The flavor improver of the present invention alleviates the acidity or bitterness of the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage by adding it to the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1% or more or containing non-fermented citrus juice. , Or can mask the feeling of alcohol. The amount of the flavor improving agent of the present invention added to the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1% or more or containing non-fermented citrus juice has the above-mentioned acidity of 0.1% containing acetaldehyde. It is the same as the above-mentioned citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage or the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing acetaldehyde and non-fermented citrus juice.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, for use in citrus-flavored alcoholic beverages having an acidity of 0.1% or more or containing non-fermented citrus juice for alleviating acidity, alleviating bitterness, or masking alcoholic sensation. The flavor-improving agent is provided, and the flavor-improving agent comprises 4-ketoisophorone. The flavor improver of the present invention alleviates the acidity or bitterness of the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage by adding it to the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1% or more or containing non-fermented citrus juice. , Or can mask the feeling of alcohol. The amount of the flavor improving agent of the present invention added to the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1% or more or containing non-fermented citrus juice has the above-mentioned acidity of 4-ketoisophorone of 0. .Similar to citrus-flavored alcoholic beverages containing 1% or more, or citrus-flavored alcoholic beverages containing 4-ketoisophorone and non-fermented citrus juice.

The beverage of the present invention is a citrus-flavored beverage. Here, the "citrus-flavored beverage" means a beverage that feels the flavor of citrus fruits when it is drunk. The citrus-flavored beverage can be obtained by adding a citrus flavor component such as a citrus flavor or citrus juice. The citrus juice referred to here is a normal juice that has not been fermented, unlike the above-mentioned fermented juice. Therefore, such normal juice is hereinafter referred to as "non-fermented" juice. Examples of preferred citrus fruits include, for example, lemon, grapefruit, orange, mandarin, citrus depressa, Iyokan, bundan, kinkan, bergamot, lime, sudachi, kabosu and the like, preferably lemon and grapefruit, more preferably lemon. .. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention is a lemon-flavored alcoholic beverage, and more preferably a beverage containing unfermented lemon juice. In addition, the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention preferably contains a citrus peel-derived component, and more preferably contains a lemon peel-derived component.

The acidity of the citrus-flavored beverage of the present invention may be 0.1% or more, preferably 0.1 to 2.0%, and more preferably 0.1 to 1.0%. The acidity of the beverage of the present invention can be expressed by the number of grams (g / 100 mL citric acid equivalent, w / v%) when the amount of acid contained in 100 mL of the beverage is converted into citric acid. For such acidity, carbon dioxide gas is degassed by a conventional method, and a method specified by the Japanese Agricultural Standard acidity measurement method for fruit beverages, specifically, 0.1 mol / L sodium hydroxide standard solution is used as an alkaline solution. It can be measured by the neutralization titration method (quantitative formula).

The alcohol concentration of the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1.0 to 20.0 v / v%, more preferably 1.0 to 10.0 v / v%, and even more preferably. Can be 3.0 to 9.0 v / v%. According to one embodiment, the alcohol concentration of the beverage is 5.0 v / v% or higher, preferably 5.0 to 20.0 v / v%, more preferably 5.0 to 10.0 v / v%. More preferably, it is 5.0 to 9.0 v / v%.

The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention may contain other ingredients used in the production of the beverage. Such other components include, for example, sweeteners (eg, sugar, glucose, fructose, oligosaccharides, isomerized liquid sugar, sugar alcohols, high-sweetness sweeteners, etc.), acidulants (eg, citric acid, apples, etc.). Acids, lactic acids, tartaric acid, phosphoric acid, phytic acid, itaconic acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid, adipic acid, acetic acid, succinic acid or salts thereof, etc.), pigments, food additives (for example, foaming / foam retention improver) , Bitterness agents, preservatives, antioxidants, thickening stabilizers, emulsifiers, dietary fibers, pH adjusters, etc.), fermented grain extracts and the like can be appropriately added.

The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be a carbon dioxide-injected beverage, that is, a carbonated beverage. The carbon dioxide gas pressure can be appropriately adjusted according to preference, and can be adjusted, for example, in the range of 0.05 to 0.4 MPa (gas pressure at 20 ° C.).

The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be adjusted in pH to, for example, 2.0 to 5.0, preferably 2.3 to 4.0. The pH of the beverage can be easily measured using a commercially available pH meter.

The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention is preferably provided as a packaged beverage. The container used for the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention may be any container normally used for filling the beverage, for example, a metal can, a barrel container, a plastic bottle (for example, a PET bottle, a cup), or a paper container. , Bottles, pouch containers and the like, but preferably metal cans / barrel containers, plastic bottles (for example, PET bottles), or bottles.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be produced according to a usual method for producing a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage, except for the addition of fermented fruit juice. For example, first, in a tank, an acidulant is added to an aqueous solution containing alcohol together with a sugar or a sweetener and a citrus fruit juice or a citrus flavor to adjust the flavor. Next, carbon dioxide gas can be added to the flavored aqueous solution to produce a carbon dioxide gas-containing beverage. The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be produced by appropriately adding fermented fruit juice at any stage of such a production process.

The present invention will be specifically described based on the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

Fermented fruit juice As the fermented fruit juice, fermented lemon juice A, fermented lemon juice B, fermented grapefruit (GF) juice, and fermented apple juice were prepared. Fermented lemon juice A, fermented lemon juice B and fermented GF juice are fermented fruit juices obtained by yeast fermentation, and fermented apple juices are fermented fruit juices obtained by lactic acid bacteria fermentation. The alcohol concentration of these fermented fruit juices was less than 1 v / v%. Further, as the fermented fruit juice, fermented lemon juice C was also prepared. Fermented lemon juice C was a fermented juice obtained by yeast fermentation, and its alcohol concentration was less than 1 v / v%.

Tasting Samples In the following examples, all tasting samples satisfy the following conditions:
-Add lemon juice at the concentration shown in the table in terms of straight juice, or add citric acid at the concentration shown in the table;
・ The above lemon juice contains ingredients derived from lemon zest;
-Alcohol concentration: 7v / v%;
-PH: 2.4-3.0;
-Carbon dioxide pressure: 0.18 to 0.22 MPa;
-Acidity: 0.125% to 0.77%.

Sensory evaluation Sensory evaluation was performed by 6 well-trained panelists. The evaluation items were three items: the effect of alleviating the sour taste, the effect of alleviating the bitterness derived from the peel, and the masking effect of the alcoholic sensation (that is, the spiciness and burning sensation of alcohol). As a characteristic of the tasting sample, sour taste tends to accumulate in the mouth. Therefore, at the time of tasting, one sample was tasted, then the mouth was rehydrated with water, and then the next sample was tasted. The sensory evaluation was performed with a score of 1 (equivalent to the control) to 5 (feeling a very high effect), and the evaluation result was shown as the mean value ± standard deviation of the scores of 6 persons.

Example 1: Confirmation of the effect of fermented lemon juice in a lemon juice-containing alcoholic beverage A tasting sample containing lemon juice to which fermented lemon juice A and fermented lemon juice B were added was prepared and sensory evaluation was performed. As a control sample, a sample to which fermented fruit juice was not added was prepared. When the acetaldehyde concentration in the fermented fruit juice was measured by GC analysis under the conditions shown in Table 1 above using n-butanol as an internal standard substance, the acetaldehyde concentration in the fermented lemon fruit juice A was 26.1 ppm, and the acetaldehyde concentration in the fermented lemon juice B was 26.1 ppm. The acetaldehyde concentration was 41.3 ppm. Fermented lemon juice C was also tested in the same manner. The acetaldehyde concentration in the fermented lemon juice C was 24.4 ppm, and the concentration of 4-ketoisophorone measured by GCxGC TOFMS under the conditions shown in Table 2 above was 0.116 ppb. The results are shown in Table 3.

From Table 3, it was found that in the alcoholic beverage sample having a wide range of lemon juice concentration of 2.5 to 10 w / v%, fermented lemon juice showed a dose-dependent effect of alleviating acidity. Similarly, fermented lemon juice was found to be effective in alleviating bitterness and masking alcoholic sensation in a dose-dependent manner.

Furthermore, as a consensus comment from the six panelists, the above-mentioned alcoholic beverages containing fermented fruit juice are "lemon-like", "palatable" and "natural" compared to alcoholic beverages not containing fermented fruit juice. Comments were made such as "taste", "deep taste", "body-friendly feeling", and "compatibility with food".

Example 2: Confirmation of the effect of other fermented fruit juices in a lemon juice-containing alcoholic beverage A tasting sample containing lemon fruit juice to which fermented grapefruit (GF) fruit juice and fermented apple juice are added as fermented fruit juice different from Example 1. Was prepared and a sensory evaluation was performed. As described above, the fermented GF fruit juice is a fermented fruit juice obtained by yeast fermentation, and the fermented apple juice is a fermented fruit juice obtained by lactic acid bacteria fermentation. As a control sample, a sample to which fermented fruit juice was not added was prepared. The results are shown in Table 4.

From Table 4, it was found that the same effect as that of the fermented lemon juice in Example 1 was observed for the other fermented fruit juices. In addition, it was clarified that the microorganism used for producing the fermented fruit juice may be either yeast or lactic acid bacteria, and thus it was shown that a wide range of microorganisms can be used.

Example 3: Confirmation of the effect of acetaldehyde in a lemon juice-containing alcoholic beverage A tasting sample containing lemon juice to which acetaldehyde was added at the concentrations shown in the table was prepared and sensory evaluation was performed. As a control sample, a sample to which fermented fruit juice was not added was prepared. The results are shown in Table 5.

From Table 5, it was found that acetaldehyde exhibits a dose-dependent effect of alleviating acidity in a lemon juice-containing alcoholic beverage sample to which acetaldehyde was added so as to have a concentration of 0.05 ppm or more. Similarly, acetaldehyde was found to be effective in alleviating bitterness and masking alcoholic sensation in a dose-dependent manner.

Example 4: Confirmation of components of lemon juice-containing alcoholic beverage containing various fermented fruit juices Fermented lemon juice A, fermented lemon juice B, fermented GF juice, or fermented apple juice were added at a concentration of 0.15% each. A tasting sample containing the lemon juice was prepared. As a control sample, a sample to which fermented fruit juice was not added was prepared. When measured by GCxGC TOFMS under the conditions shown in Table 2 above, the tasting sample containing each fermented fruit juice contained citropten and 2-phenoxyethanol at the concentrations shown in Table 6.

Example 5: Confirmation of the effect of fermented lemon juice in a citric acid-containing alcoholic beverage A tasting sample in which fermented lemon juice A was added to an alcoholic beverage containing citric acid instead of lemon juice was prepared and sensory evaluation was performed. As a control sample, a sample to which fermented fruit juice was not added was prepared. The results are shown in Table 7.

From Table 7, it was found that the same effect as in Example 1 was observed in the alcoholic beverage containing citric acid instead of lemon juice. Therefore, it was shown that the effect of fermented fruit juice was similarly observed in the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing no fruit juice.

Example 6: Confirmation of the effect of 4-ketoisophorone on a lemon juice-containing alcoholic beverage A tasting sample containing lemon juice to which 4-ketoisophorone was added at the concentrations shown in the table was prepared and sensory evaluation was performed. As a control sample, a sample to which fermented fruit juice was not added was prepared. The results are shown in Table 8.

From Table 8, it was found that 4-ketoisophorone showed a dose-dependent effect of alleviating acidity in a lemon juice-containing alcoholic beverage sample to which 4-ketoisophorone was added so as to have a concentration of 0.01 ppb or more. Similarly, 4-ketoisophorone was found to be effective in alleviating bitterness and masking alcoholic sensation in a dose-dependent manner.

Claims (20)

A citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing fermented fruit juice and having an acidity of 0.1% or more. The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, which contains non-fermented citrus juice. A citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing fermented and non-fermented citrus juices. The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the fermented fruit juice is a fermented product of at least one microorganism selected from the group consisting of yeast, lactic acid bacteria and acetobacter. The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the fermented fruit juice is a fermented product of at least one kind of fruit juice selected from citrus juice and apple juice. The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the alcohol concentration of the fermented fruit juice is less than 1 v / v%. The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the citrus juice used as a raw material for the fermented fruit juice is at least one kind of juice selected from lemon juice and grapefruit juice. The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the concentration of acetaldehyde derived from the fermented fruit juice is 0.00244 ppm or more. The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which contains a component derived from citrus peel. A citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing acetaldehyde and having an acidity of 0.1% or more. The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to claim 10, which contains non-fermented citrus juice. The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the concentration of acetaldehyde to be added is 0.05 ppm or more with respect to the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage. A citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage containing 4-ketoisophorone and having an acidity of 0.1% or more. The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to claim 13, which contains non-fermented citrus juice. The citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the concentration of 4-ketoisophorone to be added is 0.01 ppb or more with respect to the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage. A method for alleviating the acidity of a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1% or more, which comprises adding fermented fruit juice in the process of producing the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage. A method for alleviating the acidity of a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1% or more, which comprises adding acetaldehyde in the process of producing the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage. A flavor improver for use in citrus-flavored alcoholic beverages having an acidity of 0.1% or more for alleviating acidity, alleviating bitterness, or masking alcoholic sensation, and comprising acetaldehyde. A method for alleviating the acidity of a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage having an acidity of 0.1% or more, comprising adding 4-ketoisophorone in the process of producing the citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage. A flavor improver for use in citrus-flavored alcoholic beverages having an acidity of 0.1% or more for use in alleviating acidity, alleviating bitterness, or masking alcoholic sensation, and comprising 4-ketoisophorone.