JP2024009225A - Beverage in transparent container - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a beverage that has a suppressed foreign odor due to light degradation and contains cis-3-hexenol and/or hexanol and chlorophyll.SOLUTION: A beverage containing 5-1000 ppb of cis-3-hexenol and/or hexanol and chlorophyll, is blended with 10-250 ppm caffeine, and the pH of the beverage is controlled to 5.0-7.0, and the beverage is charged into a transparent container.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

The present invention relates to a beverage, and more particularly to a beverage containing cis-3-hexenol and/or hexanol, which can be filled into a transparent container and has suppressed photodeterioration.

Beverages filled in containers such as transparent plastic bottles and glass bottles have an advantage over cans and paper containers in that the color and amount of the beverage content can be visually recognized from the outside. In addition, the demand for beverages in plastic bottles is increasing because plastic bottles have the convenience of being resealable. It is reported that the packaged beverage with the highest share based on production volume in 2017 was plastic bottled beverage, with a 72.6% share of the total.

By the way, packaged beverages are often sold at convenience stores, large grocery stores, and other stores in showcases that are illuminated with fluorescent lights from the side or directly above the beverages. The illuminance inside the showcase is extremely high, and this irradiation changes the ingredients in the displayed beverages, causing quality deterioration (color change, odor (off-odor), and off-taste formation) called photodeterioration. There is. In particular, beverages filled in transparent containers such as plastic bottles are susceptible to photodeterioration. Therefore, methods have been proposed to easily prevent photodeterioration of beverages. For example, a method for preventing photodeterioration of orange juice by containing propolis (Patent Document 1), a method for preventing photodeterioration of a citral-containing beverage by containing serine, glycine, alanine, and citrulline (Patent Document 2), and a method for preventing photodegradation of a citral-containing beverage by containing caramel. There is a method for preventing photodeterioration of tea beverages (Patent Document 3). Furthermore, a method of suppressing photodeterioration in instant green tea using an antioxidant such as ascorbic acid has also been proposed (Patent Document 4).

On the other hand, as a beverage containing cis-3-hexenol and hexanol at high concentrations, a green tea beverage containing 300 ppb of 3-hexenol and 40 ppb of hexanol prepared by adding a flavoring composition for green tea beverages (Patent Document 5), a green tea beverage raw material liquid containing linalool, green leaf alcohol (cis-3-hexenol), and dimethyl sulfide, and having a caffeine concentration of 160 to 460 ppm (Patent Document 6).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-341971 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-70669 JP 2017-74014 Publication Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-58142 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-136259 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-110990

Cis-3-hexenol and hexanol have the property of being easily volatile as aroma components, and when a beverage containing these aroma components is photodegraded, it may emit an unpleasant odor upon opening.

Furthermore, in recent years, LED lighting has become popular, and since LEDs emit less ultraviolet light than fluorescent lights, they are said to be less susceptible to photodeterioration. However, since chlorophylls act as photosensitizers, beverages containing chlorophylls may cause significant photodeterioration in a short period of time even under LED lighting. Since the photosensitized oxidation reaction of chlorophylls is different from the photooxidation of alcohols such as cis-3-hexenol and hexanol, beverages containing chlorophylls are thought to be more susceptible to photodeterioration.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a beverage containing cis-3-hexenol and/or hexanol and chlorophylls, in which off-flavors caused by photodeterioration are suppressed.

As a result of intensive studies to solve the above problems, the present inventors found that caffeine has an excellent effect in suppressing photodeterioration of beverages containing cis-3-hexenol and/or hexanol and chlorophylls. They discovered something and completed the present invention.

The present invention relates to, but is not limited to, the following:
(1) (A) 5 to 1000 ppb of cis-3-hexenol and/or hexanol,
(B) Chlorophylls and (C) caffeine at 10 to 250 ppm
A beverage packaged in a transparent container that contains the following ingredients and has a pH of 5.0 to 7.0.
(2) The beverage according to (1), wherein the transparent container is a PET bottle.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a beverage containing cis-3-hexenol and/or hexanol and chlorophylls that is suppressed from deterioration due to light even though it is packed in a transparent container. Even when the beverage packaged in a transparent container of the present invention is displayed in a store where it is easily affected by sunlight or fluorescent lights, it has the advantage of being less prone to photodeterioration due to light exposure, so it can be kept in a showcase for a long time. It becomes possible to display and sell. Further, according to the present invention, since a transparent container is used, the contents can be visually observed from the outside of the container, and a packaged beverage that is visually appealing and has high commercial value can be provided.

The beverages of the present invention and related methods are described below. Unless otherwise specified, "ppm" and "ppb" as used herein mean ppm and ppb by weight/volume (w/v).

One aspect of the present invention is
(A) 5 to 1000 ppb of cis-3-hexenol and/or hexanol,
(B) Chlorophylls and (C) caffeine at 10 to 250 ppm
It is a drink packaged in a transparent container and has a pH of 5.0 to 7.0. By employing such a configuration, even when the transparent container is filled with the beverage, it is possible to suppress photodeterioration of the beverage. Here, in this specification, "photodeterioration" means deterioration in quality caused by exposure of a beverage to light. Examples of deterioration in the quality of beverages include the occurrence of off-odor, off-taste, and change in color tone. In the present invention, in particular, "suppression of photodeterioration" means "suppression of generation of off-flavors."

(cis-3-hexenol and hexanol)
Photodegradation of beverages does not occur equally in all beverages. Beverages targeted by the present invention are those containing cis-3-hexenol and/or hexanol, which are susceptible to photodeterioration. The concentration of cis-3-hexenol and/or hexanol in the beverage of the invention is 5 to 1000 ppb. If both cis-3-hexenol and hexanol are present in the beverage, the concentration refers to the total concentration of both components.

From the viewpoint of significantly obtaining the desired effects of the present invention, the concentration of cis-3-hexenol in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 15 ppb or more, more preferably 20 ppb or more, even more preferably 30 ppb or more, and particularly 40 ppb or more. preferable. The upper limit of the concentration of cis-3-hexenol that exhibits the effects of the present invention is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of palatability as a beverage, the concentration of cis-3-hexenol in the beverage of the present invention is, for example, about 1000 ppb or less. , preferably 500 ppb or less, more preferably 250 ppb or less. The concentration of cis-3-hexenol in the beverage of the present invention is typically preferably 15 to 1000 ppb, more preferably 20 to 750 ppb, even more preferably 30 to 500 ppb, and particularly preferably 40 to 250 ppb. Note that the concentration of cis-3-hexenol in the beverage can be measured using gas chromatography with a mass spectrometer (GC/MS).

From the viewpoint of significantly obtaining the desired effects of the present invention, the concentration of hexanol in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 15 ppb or more, more preferably 20 ppb or more, even more preferably 30 ppb or more, and particularly preferably 40 ppb or more. The upper limit of the concentration of hexanol that exhibits the effects of the present invention is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of palatability as a beverage, the concentration of hexanol in the beverage of the present invention is, for example, about 1000 ppb or less, preferably 500 ppb or less, and more preferably is 250 ppb or less. The concentration of hexanol in the beverage of the present invention is typically preferably 15 to 1000 ppb, more preferably 20 to 750 ppb, even more preferably 30 to 500 ppb, and particularly preferably 40 to 250 ppb. Note that the concentration of hexanol in the beverage can be measured using gas chromatography with a mass spectrometer (GC/MS).

The total concentration of cis-3-hexenol and hexanol in the beverage of the present invention is 15 ppb from the viewpoint that the desired effects of the present invention are significantly obtained when both cis-3-hexenol and hexanol are present in the beverage. It is preferably at least 20 ppb, more preferably at least 30 ppb, particularly preferably at least 40 ppb. Although the upper limit of the total concentration of cis-3-hexenol and hexanol that exhibits the effects of the present invention is not particularly limited, from the viewpoint of palatability as a beverage, the total concentration of cis-3-hexenol and hexanol in the beverage of the present invention is is, for example, about 1000 ppb or less, preferably 500 ppb or less, more preferably 250 ppb or less. The total concentration of cis-3-hexenol and hexanol in the beverage of the present invention is typically preferably 15 to 1000 ppb, more preferably 20 to 750 ppb, even more preferably 30 to 500 ppb, and particularly preferably 40 to 250 ppb.

The origin of cis-3-hexenol and hexanol is not limited, and they may be derived from natural raw materials such as plants, or may be synthetic products. By using a flavor composition containing cis-3-hexenol and/or hexanol, the concentration of cis-3-hexenol and/or hexanol in a beverage can be easily adjusted to fall within the above range. A beverage containing a flavor composition containing hexanol and/or hexanol is an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Cis-3-hexenol and hexanol are aromatic components that are abundantly contained in green tea, and a suitable example of the beverage of the present invention is a green tea beverage. Note that the green tea beverage herein refers to a beverage containing a green tea extract and exhibiting the flavor of green tea, and does not include jasmine tea flavored with jasmine flower aroma.

(Chlorophylls)
The beverage of the present invention contains one or more of cis-3-hexenol and hexanol, which tend to deteriorate due to photo-oxidation, and chlorophylls, which tend to deteriorate due to photosensitized oxidation. Chlorophylls, also called chlorophyll, are chemical substances that have the role of absorbing light energy in the light reaction of photosynthesis. Chlorophylls have a basic structure in which a long-chain alcohol called phytol is ester-bonded to tetrapyrrole, which is a ring structure consisting of four pyrroles. Naturally occurring chlorophylls generally have a structure in which a metal such as magnesium is coordinated at the center of a tetrapyrrole ring. The substance from which this metal is eliminated and replaced with two hydrogen atoms is called pheophytin. In this specification, chlorophyll and pheophytin are collectively referred to as chlorophylls. Chlorophylls are distinguished by the type of tetrapyrrole ring and the attached _substituent , and alphabets are assigned _in the order in which they are discovered.In the present invention, chlorophyll a ( _{C55H72O5N4M )} b(C ₅₅ H ₇₀ O ₆ N ₄ M) (M means the central metal). Furthermore, when referring to the concentration of chlorophylls, it refers to the total amount of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b. These chlorophylls may be used alone or in a mixture of two or more. Note that the central metal (M) is not particularly limited, but is preferably Zn, Cu, or Fe from the standpoint of enjoying the effects of the present invention.

As the chlorophylls, commercially available chlorophyll preparations can be used, and specifically, chlorophyll a manufactured by Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd. and the like can be used. There are no particular restrictions on the production method or origin of chlorophylls, but since chlorophylls are the chlorophylls of plants, the extract obtained by extracting tea leaves, leafy green vegetables, and other plants into an appropriate solvent is used as a chlorophyll extract. It can be added to beverages as

The concentration of chlorophylls in the beverage of the present invention is preferably about 10 to 2,500 ppb, more preferably 20 to 2,000 ppb, and even more preferably 50 to 1,500 ppb. The concentration of chlorophylls in a beverage can be measured by spectrophotometry using a spectrophotometer (eg, U-3210, manufactured by Hitachi).

(caffeine)
The concentration of caffeine in the beverage of the present invention is 10 ppm or more, thereby effectively suppressing photodeterioration of a beverage containing cis-3-hexenol and/or hexanol and chlorophylls. The caffeine concentration (content) in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 15 ppm or more, more preferably 20 ppm or more. If the caffeine concentration is 10 ppm or more, the effects of the present invention can be obtained, but caffeine is a component known as a bitter component, and if it is contained in a beverage at a high concentration, it will leave a bitter aftertaste and the beverage will taste bitter. may reduce palatability. From the viewpoint of such palatability, the concentration of caffeine in the beverage of the present invention is 250 ppm or less, preferably 200 ppm or less, more preferably 150 ppm or less, and even more preferably 100 ppm or less. The concentration of caffeine in the beverage of the present invention is typically preferably 15 to 200 ppm, more preferably 20 to 150 ppm, even more preferably 20 to 100 ppm. The concentration of caffeine in the beverage of the present invention can be measured and quantified by a method using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Caffeine used in the present invention is not particularly limited, but may include commercially available reagents, pure products (purified products with a caffeine content of 98% or more), crude products (with a caffeine content of 50 to 98%), and caffeine. It can also be used in the form of extracts or concentrates of plants containing them (coffee beans, tea leaves, kola nuts, etc.). When caffeine is used in the form of a plant extract or concentrate, the raw materials for extraction include tea leaves belonging to the Camellia sinensis family, such as green tea, black tea, oolong tea, and Pu'er tea; It is possible to use coffee beans belonging to the following. Among them, green tea extract is preferably used because of its remarkable effects of the present invention.

The present invention is characterized in that a specific amount of caffeine is used to suppress photodeterioration of a beverage containing cis-3-hexenol and/or hexanol and chlorophylls. Here, "suppressing photodegradation" specifically means that the concentration of the control substance (for example, cis-3-hexenol and/or hexanol is 5 to 1000 ppb, contains chlorophylls, and has a pH of 5 .0 to 7.0 and the intensity of the off-odor caused by photodegradation (herein sometimes referred to as photodegradation odor) is lower than that of beverages with a caffeine concentration of less than 10ppm. It means that something is happening. The intensity of the photodegradation odor can be determined, for example, by sensory evaluation by a specialized panel.

(pH)
The beverage of the present invention has a pH (at 20° C.) of 5.0 to 7.0, and is a neutral beverage with a preferable pH of 5.5 to 6.5. If the beverage is acidic (pH 4.5 or less), photodeterioration may be masked by the sour components in the beverage. However, since neutral beverages have less sour components that act as masking components, off-flavors due to photodeterioration of beverages containing cis-3-hexenol and/or hexanol can be significantly perceived. The present invention can suppress photodeterioration odors even in neutral beverages in which photodeterioration odors are easily perceived, and therefore, neutral beverages are beverages in which the effects of the present invention are significantly expressed, and therefore are a preferred embodiment. There is one. The pH of the beverage can be adjusted as appropriate using a pH adjuster such as sodium hydrogen carbonate or sodium hydroxide. The pH of a beverage can be easily measured using a commercially available pH meter.

It is generally known that beverages whose pH has been adjusted with sodium hydrogen carbonate generate a baking soda odor (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-191851). This baking soda odor is perceived as an even more unpleasant flavor in combination with the photodegradation odor, which is a problem of the present invention. The beverage of the present invention is a neutral beverage whose pH has been adjusted with sodium bicarbonate, and is capable of suppressing photodeterioration odor and sodium bicarbonate odor. Therefore, a beverage that has been pH adjusted using sodium bicarbonate is an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(Transparent drinks and turbidity)
Further, one of the preferred embodiments of the beverage of the present invention is a transparent beverage. Here, "the beverage is transparent" means a beverage that is visually transparent like water, without the cloudiness of so-called sports drinks or cloudy fruit juice, and specifically refers to the turbidity. is less than 0.15. The turbidity of a beverage can be quantified by measuring the absorbance at a wavelength of 680 nm using a known method for measuring the turbidity of a liquid. Specifically, 500 mL of the beverage is filled into a PET bottle, heated to 20°C, stirred up and down 10 times, and left to stand still for 10 seconds. The turbidity of the beverage can be determined by measuring the absorbance at a wavelength of 680 nm. For example, an ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer (UV-1600 (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation), etc.) can be used to measure the absorbance. If the beverage is opaque, that is, has high turbidity, it will be more susceptible to light exposure and the effects of the present invention may not be as significant.

(Brix)
Further, the beverage of the present invention preferably has a Brix of 1.0 or less, from the viewpoint that the effects of the present invention can be significantly obtained. The Brix of the beverage of the present invention is more preferably 0.8 or less, and even more preferably 0.6 or less. When a beverage contains a large amount of soluble solids such as sugars, these soluble solids may mask the odor of photodeterioration. On the other hand, beverages with a Brix of 1.0 or less have less soluble solid content that acts as a masking component, so the off-odor caused by photodeterioration of beverages containing cis-3-hexenol and/or hexanol and chlorophylls is noticeable. can be perceived. The present invention can suppress photodeterioration odors even in beverages with low soluble solid content that are easily perceived as photodeterioration odors. Therefore, beverages with low soluble solid content such as those with Brix of 1.0 or less can This is one of the preferred embodiments because it is a drink that significantly exhibits the effects of. In the present invention, Brix can be evaluated by a Brix value obtained using a saccharimeter, a refractometer, or the like. The Brix value is a value obtained by converting the refractive index measured at 20° C. into mass/mass percent of the sucrose solution based on the conversion table of ICUMSA (International Unified Committee for Sugar Analysis). The unit is displayed in "°Bx", "%" or "degree".

(transparent container)
The beverage of the present invention is a beverage filled in a transparent container (herein also referred to as a beverage in a transparent container). The beverage packaged in a transparent container of the present invention can provide consumers with a sense of security because the contents can be visually checked and photodeterioration is suppressed. Here, in this specification, a "transparent container" means a container that allows the beverage filled in the container to be visually recognized from the outside. The concept of a transparent container also includes a portion of the container in which the contents are visible from the outside. Examples of the transparent container include containers with a transmittance of 40% or more, preferably 50% or more in visible light at 700 nm. Specifically, transparent plastic bottles and transparent glass bottles can be exemplified, and transparent PET bottles are particularly preferably used in the present invention. The color of the container is not limited, but colorless containers are preferred.

Moreover, a part or all of the transparent container may be covered with a film or the like. For example, containers with opaque or semi-transparent labels and printed parts for displaying contents and transparent parts, containers with transparent and opaque parts with different design elements combined in multiple places, and The transparent area is not limited as long as there is a transparent area through which the contents can be visually recognized, such as an opaque container having only a transparent area as large as a window.

(other ingredients)
The beverage of the present invention may contain various additives, such as flavorings, vitamins, pigments, antioxidants, emulsifiers, preservatives, seasonings, and extracts, as well as other additives, as long as they do not interfere with the effects of the present invention. , a pH adjuster, a quality stabilizer, etc. may be added.

One of the preferred embodiments of the beverage of the present invention is a tea beverage. Here, "tea beverages" are beverages containing tea leaf extracts or grain extracts as main ingredients, and specifically include green tea, hojicha, blended tea, barley tea, yerba mate tea, jasmine tea, black tea, Examples include oolong tea and Duzhong tea. A particularly preferred tea beverage in the present invention is a green tea beverage.

(heat sterilized beverage)
The beverage of the present invention can be a beverage packaged in a closed container, preferably obtained through heat sterilization treatment. For heat sterilization conditions, for example, a method that achieves the same effect as the conditions stipulated in the Food Sanitation Act can be selected, and specifically, it may be 60 to 150°C for 1 second to 60 minutes. can. If a heat-resistant container (glass etc.) is used as the container, retort sterilization (110 to 140° C., 1 to several tens of minutes) can also be performed. In addition, when using a non-heat resistant container (PET bottle, etc.) as a container, for example, the prepared liquid should be sterilized at high temperature for a short time using a plate heat exchanger etc. (UHT sterilization: 110 to 150°C for 1 to several tens of seconds. ) and after cooling to a certain temperature, it can be filled into containers.

(Method)
Another aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a beverage, and specifically, a method for producing a beverage in a transparent container containing cis-3-hexenol and/or hexanol, chlorophylls, and caffeine. The method includes the following steps:
A step of adjusting the content of cis-3-hexenol and/or hexanol in the beverage to 5 to 1000 ppb,
A step of adjusting the caffeine content in the beverage to 10 to 250 ppm,
A step of adjusting the pH of the beverage to 5.0 to 7.0, and a step of filling the obtained beverage into a transparent container,
including.

The content of the above components in the beverage and the method of adjusting the pH of the beverage are as described above with respect to the beverage of the present invention, or are obvious from them. The timing is also not limited. For example, the above steps may be performed simultaneously, separately, or the order of the steps may be changed. It is sufficient that the finally obtained beverage satisfies the above conditions. Further, the preferable ranges of the contents of cis-3-hexenol and/or hexanol, chlorophylls, and caffeine, and the pH of the beverage are as described above for the beverage.

The production method of the present invention can suppress photodeterioration in beverages. Therefore, in another aspect, the manufacturing method is a method for suppressing photodeterioration.

Hereinafter, the details of the present invention will be specifically explained with reference to experimental examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Further, in this specification, unless otherwise specified, numerical ranges are described as including the end points thereof.

In this example, the amount of each component in the drink was measured by the following method.
(Method for quantifying cis-3-hexenol and hexanol)
After weighing 5 g of the sample solution into a vial (capacity 20 ml) and adding 1.5 g of NaCl, 3 of the gas phase was extracted using a solid-phase microextraction method using SPME (DVB/CAR/PDMS) manufactured by Superco. - Flavor components such as hexenol were extracted at 40°C for 20 minutes. After extraction, it was subjected to GC/MS measurement. Quantitative values were calculated using the standard addition method. The GC/MS measurement conditions are as follows.
Equipment: GC: GC7890B manufactured by Agilent Technologies
MS: 5977A manufactured by Agilent Technologies
Column: Inert cap pure WAX 30m x 0.25mm i. d. df=0.25μm
Quantitative ion: cis-3-hexenol m/z=67
Hexanol m/z=56
Temperature conditions: 40℃ (5 minutes) ~ 10℃/min ~ 260℃
Carrier gas flow rate: He 1.2ml/min Inlet temperature: 250°C
Interface temperature: 250℃
Ion source temperature: 230℃

(Method for quantifying caffeine)
HPLC was used to measure caffeine. The specific measurement method was as follows.
・HPLC device: TOSOH HPLC system LC8020 model II
・Column: TSKgel ODS80T sQA (4.6mm x 150mm)
・Column temperature: 40℃
・Mobile phase A: water-acetonitrile-trifluoroacetic acid (90:10:0.05)
・Mobile phase B: water-acetonitrile-trifluoroacetic acid (20:80:0.05)
・Detection: UV275nm
・Injection volume: 20μL
・Flow rate: 1 mL/min.
・Gradient program:
Time (minutes) %A %B
0 100 0
5 92 8
11 90 10
21 90 10
22 0 100
29 0 100
30 100 0
・Standard substance: Caffeine (Wako Pure Chemicals reagent)

Experiment 1: Evaluation of cis-3-hexenol-containing beverage (1)
As cis-3-hexenol (3-hexenol), cis-3-hexen-1-ol manufactured by Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd. was used. 3-hexenol was dissolved in water (pure water with a pH of 7) so that the final concentration of 3-hexenol in the aqueous solution was as shown in Table 1. After heat sterilizing solutions containing 3-hexenol at various concentrations (pH≈7, Brix: 0), 500 mg each was filled into transparent PET bottles to produce beverages packaged in transparent containers. In addition, cans were filled with heat-sterilized solutions containing 3-hexenol at various concentrations to serve as control beverages. In addition, all of the heat-sterilized linalool-containing solutions had a turbidity (OD680 nm) of less than 0.15.

A transparent PET bottle beverage was irradiated with light (10,000 lux, 25° C., 1 week), and the flavor of the beverage after irradiation was evaluated. The evaluation is based on canned drinks that have not been exposed to light, and is evaluated in 3 stages as a relative evaluation based on the strength of the odor caused by photodeterioration (photodegradation odor) compared to the standard (◎: light deterioration odor is weak, ○: The odor of photodegradation was slightly weak; ×: the odor of photodegradation was strong). The evaluation was determined by a panel of five experts who evaluated the strength and weakness of the photodegradation odor, and then discussed with the entire panel.

The results are shown in Table 1. Solutions containing 3-hexenol at a concentration of 5 ppb or more were photodegraded and a photodegradation odor was perceived.

Experiment 2: Evaluation of cis-3-hexenol-containing beverage (2)
Samples 1-5 of Experiment 1 were adjusted to various pH values using citric acid and sodium citrate. All samples had a Brix of 0.6 or less and a turbidity (OD680nm) of less than 0.15. In the same manner as in Experiment 1, the intensity of the photodegradation odor was evaluated. The results are shown in Table 2. In beverages with a pH of 5.0 or higher, the photodegradation odor of 3-hexenol was felt strongly, whereas in beverages with a pH of 4.5 or less, the photodegradation odor in the beverage was masked by the sour component.

Experiment 3: Effect of caffeine on photodegradation inhibition (1)
First, a chlorophyll-containing beverage (green tea beverage) was produced. Specifically, commercially available tea leaves, ``Ochanomaruyuki Low Caffeine Green Tea Tea Bags,'' are extracted for 30 seconds in 80℃ hot water that is 500 times the mass of the tea leaves, and then clarified by centrifugation. , sodium hydrogen carbonate and L-ascorbic acid were added to adjust the pH to 6.1 (caffeine content: 5 ppm, chlorophyll content: 50 ppb). The 3-hexenol used in Experiment 1 was added to this beverage so that the 3-hexenol content was 60 ppm. Caffeine (manufactured by Maruzen Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd.) was added to the sample solution (sample 3-1) containing chlorophylls and 3-hexenol so that the concentration of caffeine in the solution was as shown in Table 3. Add and dissolve. Solutions containing 3-hexenol with various caffeine concentrations were UHT sterilized and 500 mg each was filled into transparent PET bottles to produce beverages packaged in transparent containers. In addition, UHT-sterilized solutions containing 3-hexenol at various concentrations were filled into cans to serve as control beverages. Note that the pH of all UHT-sterilized beverages was within the range of 5.0 to 7.0. Further, the turbidity (OD680nm) was less than 0.15, and the Brix was 0.6 or less.

The intensity of photodeterioration odor was evaluated for the obtained various packaged beverages in the same manner as in Experiment 1. The results are shown in Table 3. Although a photodegradation odor was perceived in a beverage containing 3-hexenol at a concentration of 60 ppb, it was found that the photodeterioration odor in the beverage could be suppressed by containing caffeine at a concentration of 10 ppm or more. Some panels evaluated that the bitterness of caffeine reduces the palatability of beverages when a large amount of caffeine is added, suggesting that the upper limit for the amount of caffeine used is 250 ppm.

In addition, sample 1-5 of Experiment 1 and sample 3-1 of Experiment 3 were compared in terms of photodegradation odor. All of these drinks contain 60 ppb of 3-hexenol and either no caffeine or a low concentration of 5 ppm, but sample 3-1, which contains chlorophylls, has a stronger odor of photodegradation. All members of the panel evaluated it.

Experiment 4: Effect of caffeine on photodegradation inhibition (2)
A drink in a transparent PET bottle was produced and evaluated in the same manner as in Experiment 3, except that the final concentrations of 3-hexenol and caffeine were set to the values shown in Table 4. All samples had a Brix of 0.6 or less and a turbidity (OD680nm) of less than 0.15.

The results are shown in Table 4. For beverages with a 3-hexenol content of 5 ppb or more, the photodegradation odor could be suppressed by containing caffeine at a concentration of 10 ppm or more.

Experiment 5: Evaluation of hexanol-containing beverages Experiments 1 to 4 were conducted in the same manner except that cis-3-hexenol was replaced with hexanol (n-hexanol, Wako), and the resulting beverages were evaluated. In addition, the pH of all samples was within the range of 5.0 to 7.0, the Brix was 0.6 or less, and the turbidity (OD680 nm) was less than 0.15.

The results are shown in Tables 5-8. The hexanol-containing beverage showed similar results to the cis-3-hexenol-containing beverage, and by containing caffeine at a predetermined concentration, the photodeterioration odor in the beverage could be effectively suppressed.

Claims (2)

(A) 5 to 1000 ppb of cis-3-hexenol and/or hexanol,
(B) Chlorophylls and (C) caffeine at 10 to 250 ppm
A beverage packaged in a transparent container that contains the following ingredients and has a pH of 5.0 to 7.0. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the transparent container is a PET bottle.