JP2024070477A - Beverages - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a beverage that has a pleasant aftertaste, is easy to drink, is satisfying to drink, and is delicious, while suppressing bitterness and astringency. [Solution] The beverage of the present invention contains catechins at a ratio of 108 to 1720 ppm, and indole at a ratio of 50 to 2000 ppb. [Selected Figure] None

Description

The present invention relates to beverages.

Catechins contained in tea are known to have antihypertensive effects, blood cholesterol regulation effects, blood sugar level regulation effects, antioxidant effects, etc. For this reason, in recent years, beverages containing catechins have been attracting attention from the perspective of health consciousness. However, tea beverages containing catechins have a unique bitter and astringent taste, making them difficult to match the tastes of young people who do not like bitterness. As a result of studies on reducing the content of catechins (tea extract components) in order to reduce the bitter and astringent taste, it has been confirmed that reducing the content of catechins not only suppresses the "bitterness" of tea beverages, but also leads to a decrease in the "drinkability" and "taste". Therefore, studies are being conducted to improve the flavor of tea beverages without changing the content of catechins (tea extract components).

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a beverage in which the stimulating bitterness of catechins is reduced by adding an ingredient that is effective in reducing the bitterness of catechins.

According to Patent Document 1, the bitterness of catechins derived from black tea extract can be reduced by adding a specific proportion of an ingredient (phenethyl alcohol) that is effective in reducing bitterness.

However, there is room for further research into technology that can reduce the bitterness and astringency of catechins while maintaining their "fullness" and "deliciousness" in beverages that contain them.

JP 2020-130110 A

The present invention was made in consideration of these points, and aims to provide a beverage that has a pleasant aftertaste, is easy to drink, has a satisfying taste, and is delicious, while also reducing bitterness and astringency.

After extensive research, the inventors discovered that the above problems could be solved by adding a specific proportion of indole to a beverage containing catechins, and thus completed the present invention. Specifically, the present invention is configured as follows: (1) to (7).

(1) A beverage containing catechins in a proportion of 108 to 1720 ppm,
Contains indole at a ratio of 50 to 2000 ppb;
Beverages.
(2) The beverage according to (1), containing the indole at a ratio of 50 to 1000 ppb.
(3) The beverage according to (1) or (2), wherein the mass ratio of the content (A) of the catechins (unit: ppm) to the content (B) of the indole (unit: ppb), expressed as [(B)/((A)×1000)], is 2.91× ^10-5 or more.
(4) A beverage described in any one of (1) to (3), wherein the beverage contains a tea extract.
(5) The beverage described in (4), wherein the tea extract comprises a green tea extract.
(6) A method for improving the flavor of a beverage, comprising adding indole to a beverage containing catechins at a ratio of 108 to 1720 ppm so that the ratio of indole is 50 to 2000 ppb.
(7) A flavor improving method as described in (6) for improving the bitterness and astringency of the beverage.

The present invention makes it possible to provide a beverage that has a pleasant aftertaste, is easy to drink, has a satisfying taste, and is delicious, while also reducing bitterness and astringency.

Specific embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

The beverage of the present invention is a beverage containing catechins and is characterized by containing indole at a specific ratio. The above components are described below.

[Catechins]
The beverage of the present invention contains catechins. Catechins refer to non-polymerized monomeric catechins. For example, catechins include (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, (+)-gallocatechin, (-)-epigallocatechin, (-)-catechin gallate, (-)-epicatechin gallate, (-)-gallocatechin gallate, and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate. The beverage of the present invention may contain one or more of these catechins.

The catechins are preferably a tea extract obtained from tea leaves such as black tea, green tea, oolong tea, and pu-erh tea, and more preferably a green tea extract obtained from green tea. A tea beverage can be produced by making a beverage containing such a tea extract.

The content of catechins is 108 to 1720 ppm, preferably 215 to 860 ppm, and more preferably 215 to 500 ppm. In the present invention, the "content of catechins" means the total amount of the above-mentioned catechins contained in the beverage.

(Measurement of catechin content)
The content of catechins in a beverage can be measured, for example, by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) manufactured by Waters Corp. Specifically, the beverage to be analyzed is diluted two-fold with purified water, and the diluted solution is filtered through a 0.45 μm syringe filter to obtain a measurement sample, which can then be measured with the above-mentioned device.

[Indole]
The beverage of the present invention contains a specific ratio of indole. Indole is a component contained in flowers such as jasmine and citrus fruits such as oranges, and is a flavoring component that gives the impression of a fresh floral aroma.

In the beverage of the present invention, the indole content in the beverage is 50 to 2000 ppb. More preferably, the indole content is 50 to 1000 ppb. By including indole in the above range, the bitterness derived from the catechins in the beverage can be masked, and a beverage with reduced bitterness can be obtained while maintaining a good aftertaste, ease of drinking, satisfying taste, and deliciousness without changing the content of catechins. Note that if the indole content exceeds 2000 ppb, the drinkability and deliciousness of the beverage may be impaired.

(Measurement of indole content)
The indole content in a beverage can be measured, for example, using a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GC/MS) manufactured by Agilent Technologies. Specifically, the beverage to be analyzed (3.0 mL) is placed in a vial (volume 10 mL) and the indole content can be measured using the above-mentioned device. The calibration curve for this measurement is prepared by the standard addition method, and cyclohexanol is used as the internal standard substance.

In the beverage of the present invention, if the content of catechins (unit: ppm) is (A) and the content of indole (unit: ppb) is (B), then the mass ratio [(B)/((A)×1000)] converted to ppb is preferably 2.91× ^10-5 or more, more preferably 5.81× ^10-5 or more, and even more preferably 1.16× ^10-4 or more. There are no particular limitations on the upper limit of the mass ratio [(B)/((A)×1000)], but it is preferably 1.85× ^10-2 or less, more preferably 4.65× ^10-3 or less, and even more preferably 2.33× ^10-3 or less.

When the mass ratio of catechins to indole is within the above range, the bitterness and astringency derived from catechins can be more effectively masked.

[Other ingredients]
In the beverage of the present invention, other ingredients and additives that are usually used in general beverages can be appropriately blended within a range that does not impair the effects of the beverage. The blending amount can be appropriately adjusted according to the desired effects. Specifically, the beverage may contain various additives such as antioxidants, pH adjusters, flavorings, various esters, organic acids, organic acid salts, inorganic acids, inorganic acid salts, inorganic salts, colorants, emulsifiers, preservatives, seasonings, and quality stabilizers.

[container]
The beverage of the present invention can be filled into a container to produce a packaged beverage. The container may be any sealed container known in the beverage industry, and may be appropriately selected and used depending on the distribution form and consumer needs. Specific examples include sealed containers made of a single material such as glass, plastic (polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), etc.), paper, aluminum, steel, etc., or a composite material or laminated material thereof. In particular, transparent (including translucent) containers are preferred. The transparent container may be entirely transparent or partially transparent.

2. Method for Producing Beverages The beverages of the present invention can be produced under any conditions or methods employed in the production of beverages. For example, various tea leaves originating from Camellia Sinensis, such as tea, green tea, oolong tea, and pu-erh tea, are extracted to prepare tea extracts, which are then dissolved in water so that the content of catechins in the beverage is 108 to 1720 ppm. Then, indole is added and mixed with the tea extract dissolved in water so that the content in the beverage is 50 to 2000 ppb. Furthermore, other components that are added as necessary are added, etc., to prepare the beverage.

As described above, in the manufacture of beverages, a method can be used in which prepared extracts each containing a specific amount of each component and a specific amount of indole are added sequentially or simultaneously and mixed by stirring or the like. There are no particular limitations on the order in which each component is mixed.

Indole can be added as a flavoring (a chemically synthesized compound, etc.) or by adding an extract of a food ingredient that contains indole.

The produced beverage can be filled into a container to produce a packaged beverage, and may be sterilized as appropriate before or after filling into the container. The sterilization method is not particularly limited, and examples include ordinary plate sterilization, tubular sterilization, retort sterilization, batch sterilization, autoclave sterilization, etc.

3. Method for Improving the Flavor of a Beverage As described above, according to the beverage of the present invention, by blending indole at a content of 50 to 2000 ppb in a beverage containing catechins in a predetermined ratio, the bitterness and astringency derived from catechins is improved, resulting in a beverage with excellent palatability, such as a pleasant aftertaste, ease of drinking, satisfying taste, and good taste.

Therefore, this can be defined as a method for improving the flavor of a beverage by blending a specific amount of indole in a beverage containing catechins. In other words, the method for improving the flavor of a beverage of the present invention is characterized by adding 50 to 2000 ppb of indole to a beverage containing 108 to 1720 ppm of catechins.

In this context, "improving the flavor of a beverage" refers to improving the flavor of a beverage to reduce bitterness and astringency, resulting in a beverage that has at least one of the following: a pleasant aftertaste, ease of drinking, satisfying taste, and good taste.

In the beverage flavor improving method of the present invention, the amount of indole added is preferably such that the content in the beverage is 50 to 2000 ppb. In addition, when the content of catechins (unit: ppm) in the beverage is (A) and the content of indole (unit: ppb) is (B), the mass ratio [(B)/((A)×1000)] converted to ppb is preferably 2.91× ^10-5 or more.

The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

Example 1
[Preparation of test beverages and sensory evaluation]
Test beverages 1-1 to 1-5 for the sensory evaluation were prepared and the sensory evaluation was carried out as follows.

(Preparation of test beverages 1-1 to 1-5)
A commercially available green tea extract (catechin concentration 80%) was dissolved in water to give catechin contents of 108, 215, 430, 860, and 1720 ppm to prepare test beverages 1-1 to 1-5. The catechin contents in the prepared test beverages 1-1 to 1-5 were measured under the following conditions using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). The measurement samples were prepared by diluting each of the test beverages 1-1 to 1-5 to be analyzed by two-fold with purified water, and filtering the diluted solutions through a 0.45 μm syringe filter.

(HPLC analysis conditions)
Equipment: Waters UPLC system (detector: PDA, gradient method)
Mobile phase: 0.5% formic acid (solution A), 0.5% formic acid/methanol (solution B)
Column: Waters Acquity UPLC BEH C18, 1.7 μm, 2.1 mm x 100 mm
Flow rate: 0.3 ml/min Gradient: A/B = 90/10 for 2 minutes, then 65/35 for 11 minutes

(sensory evaluation)
A sensory evaluation was performed by a panel of five expert evaluators on the prepared test beverages 1-1 to 1-5. Specifically, the test beverages 1-1 to 1-5 shown in Table 1 were comparatively evaluated for "bitterness,""goodaftertaste,""ease of drinking," and "drinkability." Each evaluation score was calculated as the average of the evaluation scores given by each panelist according to the following evaluation criteria. The evaluation was performed using the score of a beverage (reference product 1) to which no catechins were added as the reference value (4 points).

The "bitterness" was evaluated on a 7-point scale based on the following criteria.
(Evaluation criteria) 7 points: very strong, 6 points: strong, 5 points: somewhat strong, 4 points: equivalent to the standard product, 3 points: somewhat weak, 2 points: weak, 1 point: very weak

The "good aftertaste,""ease of drinking," and "drinkability" were evaluated on a 7-point scale based on the following criteria.
(Evaluation criteria) 7 points: very good, 6 points: good, 5 points: somewhat good, 4 points: equal to the standard product, 3 points: somewhat bad, 2 points: bad, 1 point: very bad

(result)
Table 1 shows the catechin concentrations and the results of the sensory evaluation of the reference product 1 and the test beverages 1-1 to 1-5. For "bitterness", as per the above-mentioned evaluation criteria, the lower the score, the less the "bitterness" is perceived, and the higher the evaluation. For "good aftertaste", "ease of drinking" and "fullness", as per the above-mentioned evaluation criteria, the higher the score, the higher the evaluation.

(result)
As shown in Table 1, it was confirmed that the inclusion of catechins and the higher the concentration of the catechins, the more "full-bodied" the beverage becomes, but the more "bitter" the beverage becomes.

Example 2
[Preparation of test beverages and sensory evaluation]
The test beverages 2-1 to 2-5 used in the sensory evaluation were prepared and the sensory evaluation was carried out as follows.

(Preparation of test beverages 2-1 to 2-5)
Test beverages 2-1 to 2-5 were prepared by adding indole to the test beverage 1-3 (catechin content: 430 ppm) prepared in Example 1 so as to have the content shown in Table 2 (10, 50, 100, 1000, 2000 ppb). The test beverages 2-1 to 2-5 (3.0 mL each) prepared were placed in vials (capacity 10 mL) and introduced into a GC/MS (manufactured by Agilent Technologies) by MVM (Multi Volatile Method) using MPS manufactured by Gestell Co., Ltd., to measure the indole content. The calibration curve in this measurement was prepared by the standard addition method, and cyclohexanol was used as the internal standard substance.

(GC/MS analysis conditions)
・Equipment GC: Agilent 7890B GC System
MS: Agilent 5977B GC/MSD
Fully automatic volatile component extraction and introduction device: MPS2/DHS/TDU2/CIS4
・Collection tube (adsorbent): TenaxTA, Carbopack-B & Carbopack-X
Column: DB-WAX UI (30m x 0.25mm, film thickness 0.25μm)
Injection method: Solvent vent Carrier gas: He (1.0 mL/min)
Transfer line: 250°C
Heating program: 40°C (held for 2 minutes) → 8°C/min → 240°C (held for 10 minutes)
Quantitative ion (Indole): 117
Ionization method: EI
Quadrupole temperature: 150°C
Ion source temperature: 230°C

The above equipment (GC and MS) and columns were manufactured by Agilent Technologies, and the fully automated volatile component extraction and introduction device was manufactured by Gestell.

(sensory evaluation)
The prepared test beverages 2-1 to 2-5 were subjected to a sensory evaluation by a panel of five expert evaluators. Specifically, the test beverages 2-1 to 2-5 were compared and evaluated for "bitterness,""goodaftertaste,""ease of drinking,""fullness," and "taste" when indole was added to the above-mentioned content in comparison with the reference product 2, which contains catechins at 430 ppm and does not contain indole. Each evaluation score was calculated as the average of the evaluation scores given by each panel according to the following evaluation criteria. The evaluation was performed with the score of the reference product 2 (a beverage to which indole is not added) as the reference value (4 points).

The "bitterness" was evaluated on a 7-point scale based on the following criteria.
(Evaluation criteria) 7 points: very strong, 6 points: strong, 5 points: somewhat strong, 4 points: equivalent to the standard product, 3 points: somewhat weak, 2 points: weak, 1 point: very weak

The "good aftertaste,""ease of drinking,""fullness of drinking," and "taste" were evaluated on a 7-point scale based on the following criteria.
(Evaluation criteria) 7 points: very good, 6 points: good, 5 points: somewhat good, 4 points: equal to the standard product, 3 points: somewhat bad, 2 points: bad, 1 point: very bad

(result)
Table 2 shows the indole contents and the results of the sensory evaluation of the test beverages 2-1 to 2-5. For "bitterness", as per the above-mentioned evaluation criteria, the smaller the score, the less the bitterness is perceived, and the higher the evaluation. For "good aftertaste", "ease of drinking", "fullness", and "taste", as per the above-mentioned evaluation criteria, the higher the score, the higher the evaluation.

As shown in Table 2, it was confirmed that the addition of indole suppresses the "bitterness" of the beverage, while maintaining its "fullness," improving its "pleasant aftertaste" and "ease of drinking." In particular, it was found that by setting the indole content in the range of 50-1000 ppb, it is possible to effectively suppress the "bitterness" of the beverage while improving its "pleasant aftertaste," "ease of drinking," and "taste."

Example 3
[Preparation of test beverages and sensory evaluation]
Test beverage 3-1 to be used in the sensory evaluation was prepared and the sensory evaluation was carried out as follows.

(Preparation of test beverage 3-1)
Test beverage 3-1 was prepared by adding indole to test beverage 1-4 (catechin content: 860 ppm) prepared in Example 1 so as to obtain the content (1000 ppb) shown in Table 3. The indole content in test beverage 3-1 was measured using the gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GC/MS) and under the measurement conditions used in Example 2.

(sensory evaluation)
The prepared test beverage 3-1 was subjected to a sensory evaluation by a panel of five experts. Specifically, indole was added to the standard product 3, which contains 860 ppm of catechins and does not contain indole, so that the above-mentioned content was achieved, and the test beverage 3-1 was comparatively evaluated for its "bitterness,""goodaftertaste,""ease of drinking,""fullness," and "taste." The evaluation was performed by using the score of the standard product 3 (a beverage to which indole is not added) as the standard value (4 points), and each evaluation score was calculated as the average of the evaluation scores given by each panel according to the same evaluation criteria as in Example 2.

(result)
Table 3 shows the indole content in test beverage 3-1 and the results of the sensory evaluation. As for "bitterness" in the evaluation, as per the above-mentioned evaluation criteria, the lower the score, the less the "bitterness" is perceived, and the higher the evaluation. As for "good aftertaste,""ease of drinking,""fullness," and "taste," as per the above-mentioned evaluation criteria, the higher the score, the higher the evaluation.

As shown in Table 3, even when the concentration of catechins is high, the addition of indole suppresses the "bitterness" of the beverage, while maintaining its "fullness," and improves its "good aftertaste," "ease of drinking," and "taste."

The present invention is useful in the tea beverage field because it allows the addition of specific flavor components to tea beverages, thereby providing tea beverages that maintain the drinkability and deliciousness while suppressing only the bitterness and astringency.

Claims (7)

A beverage containing catechins at a ratio of 108 to 1720 ppm,
Contains indole at a ratio of 50 to 2000 ppb;
Beverages. The beverage according to claim 1, containing the indole at a ratio of 50 to 1000 ppb. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mass ratio of the catechin content (A) (unit: ppm) to the indole content (B) (unit: ppb), expressed as [(B)/((A)×1000)], is 2.91× ^10-5 or more. The beverage of claim 1, wherein the beverage comprises a tea extract. The beverage of claim 4, wherein the tea extract comprises a green tea extract. A method for improving the flavor of a beverage by adding indole to a beverage containing catechins at a ratio of 108 to 1720 ppm so that the ratio of indole is 50 to 2000 ppb. The flavor improving method according to claim 6, for improving the bitterness and astringency of the beverage.