JP3453606B2 - Method and apparatus for flavoring liquid food - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for perfuming liquid foods, and more particularly, to a liquid food after processing a scent component (flavor) collected from the process of processing foods or other liquid foods. And a method and apparatus for adding the flavor to these foods.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-173054, flavors generated during processing of various foods are collected at an initial stage of the processing step, and the collected flavors are finally collected. By imparting to a product, an aroma peculiar to the food is imparted to the product, or the recovered flavor is imparted to other food.

FIG. 2 shows an example of an aromatizing step in manufacturing a coffee beverage. The flavor generated when coffee is extracted with hot water is collected and added to the product, and the coffee is added to the product coffee beverage. It shows the process of adding a unique scent.

First, in the extraction step 1, the raw coffee powder and hot water are brought into contact with each other to extract the coffee liquid 2, and the flavor 3 generated at this time is recovered and cooled with liquid nitrogen or the like to obtain a flavor condensate. The coffee liquid 2 is subjected to a predetermined processing treatment in a processing step 4, for example, a concentrated coffee liquid or the like.

Then, in the following perfuming step 5, the above-mentioned processing step 4
After mixing the processed product and the flavor condensate,
The product 6 has an aroma unique to coffee. Further, the flavor condensate is mixed with another product 8 in another perfuming step 7 to impart a coffee aroma, thereby producing another product 9 having a coffee aroma.

[0006]

However, when the flavor is added to the liquid food to add flavor to the liquid food, it has been conventionally performed in an ordinary treatment tank in a state of being open to the atmosphere. However, the flavoring efficiency was poor, and a sufficient flavoring treatment could not be performed.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus capable of preventing flavor from dissipating and efficiently perfuming liquid foods.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the method for perfuming a liquid food according to the present invention comprises adding a flavor component to the liquid food and circulating the liquid food in a closed system.
The scent component is mixed while being rolled.

In addition, the liquid food flavoring device of the present invention is a device for adding a scent component to a liquid food, a closed circulation path for circulating the liquid food, a closed container for storing the scent component, and the closure. An ejector for sucking the scent component in the closed container using a liquid food circulating in the circulation path as a driving source is provided.

[0010]

[Operation] According to the above configuration, since the scenting process is performed in a closed closed system, the flavor is not scattered into the atmosphere, and the flavor can be added efficiently.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will now be described in more detail based on an embodiment shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the device of the present invention. This perfuming device comprises a tank 11 for storing a liquid food L and a circulation path for circulating the liquid food L in the tank 11 via a pump 12. 13, an airtight container 14 for storing the flavor F, and an ejector 15 for sucking the flavor F in the airtight container 14 by using the liquid food circulating in the circulation path 13 as a driving source. It is formed as an isolated closed system.

When the pump 12 is operated to flow the liquid food L in the tank 11 into the circulation path 13, the liquid food L passing through the ejector 15 is connected as a drive source to the ejector 15 through a branch pipe 16. The closed closed container 14 side has a negative pressure. Therefore, when the valve 17 provided in the branch pipe 16 is opened, the flavor F in the closed container 14 is vaporized and sucked by the ejector 15, and is accompanied by the circulating liquid food L and introduced into the tank 11. The flavor F introduced into the tank 11 is dispersed in the liquid food in the tank 11, dissolves in the liquid food, and the flavor F is added to the liquid food L.
Scent is added.

At this time, since all the paths through which the liquid food L and the flavor F flow are closed, it is possible to prevent the vaporized flavor F from being dissipated into the atmosphere, and to efficiently add the aroma of the liquid food. Processing can be performed. Further, by providing a nozzle 18 for ejecting the flavor gas into fine liquid bubbles into the liquid food at a portion where the liquid food L accompanied with the flavor F is ejected into the tank 11, the flavoring efficiency can be further improved. it can.

As the flavor F, in the same manner as the conventional method, a flavor component generated in the process of producing the liquid food L is condensed or solidified by a low temperature liquefied gas or the like and recovered, but other flavors are used. It is also possible to use substances, such as those extracted from fruits and the like, various other substances, and those obtained by appropriately mixing these substances. It should be noted that hygienic consideration must be taken when the liquid food after heat sterilization is subjected to an aroma treatment.

Experimental Example 1 Coffee beans prepared by blending Brazil, Mocha, and Colombia as a brand in a ratio of 4: 3: 3 were ground, placed in a closed container and covered, and then carbon dioxide gas was introduced into the container. The pressure was increased to 3 kg / cm ² . After leaving in this state for 10 minutes, the gas in the container was released and the inside of the container was returned to normal pressure. The gas discharged from the container at this time is carbon dioxide gas containing the flavor component of coffee, which means that the flavor component of coffee was extracted by the carbon dioxide gas. Next, carbon dioxide gas containing the flavor component was released into liquid nitrogen to condense the flavor component.

Then, the flavor condensate is added to the above-mentioned FIG.
5 liters of instant coffee is put in the tank 11 and the pump 12 is operated to circulate the instant coffee in the closed path 14
Circulated inside. As a result, the flavor condensate in the closed container 14 was vaporized into flavor gas, which was sucked into the sequentially circulated instant coffee via the ejector 15 and became dissolved in the instant coffee.

By performing the above-mentioned aroma treatment, high-quality coffee having a regular coffee aroma while being instant coffee was obtained.

Comparative Example 1 When the flavor condensate obtained in Example 1 above and instant coffee were mixed in an ordinary container open to the atmosphere, the aroma was dissipated during the mixing, and the obtained instant coffee was obtained. The regular coffee aroma in
It was less than that of Example 1.

Experimental Example 2 0.5 kg of black tea leaf and 50 liters of water at 30 ° C. or lower were placed in a closed container, the lid was closed and the temperature was raised, and the final temperature was kept at 100 ° C. for 2 minutes to complete the extraction. did. The aroma component (headspace gas) generated in the upper space of the container during this extraction was extruded using carbon dioxide gas as a carrier gas and released into liquid nitrogen to condense the flavor component of black tea into the liquid nitrogen.

On the other hand, the black tea after the extraction was filtered and cooled, and then an additive such as a saccharide or a stabilizer was added to the black tea for rapid heat sterilization to obtain a black tea beverage. This tea drink had almost no unique scent of black tea.

Next, the condensate of the flavor components is put in the closed container 14 shown in FIG. 1, the tea beverage is put in the tank 11, and the pump 12 is operated to circulate the tea beverage. Circulated inside. As a result, the flavor condensate in the closed container 14 was vaporized into flavor gas, which was sucked into the sequentially circulating tea beverage via the ejector 15 and dissolved in the tea beverage.

The above-mentioned scented black tea beverage had a unique scent of black tea generated when black tea was extracted.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the liquid food and the aroma component (flavor) are mixed in a closed system, the flavor is not scattered into the atmosphere during the mixing, and the liquid food is eliminated. Flavor can be efficiently added to.

Further, since it is sufficient to provide a circulation system equipped with a pump and an ejector in addition to an appropriate tank and container, the apparatus cost is low, and a liquid food having a high added value can be obtained at low cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing an embodiment of a device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a perfuming process.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 ... Tank, 12 ... Pump, 13 ... Circulation path, 14 ...
Airtight container, 15 ... Ejector, F ... Flavor, L ...
Liquid food

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A23F 5/46-5/48 A23L 2/00-2/40

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A method for perfuming a liquid food, which comprises adding the aroma component to the liquid food by mixing the aroma component while circulating the liquid food in a closed system . 2. An apparatus for adding an aroma component to a liquid food, wherein a closed circulation path for circulating the liquid food, a closed container for accommodating the aroma component, and a liquid food circulating through the closed circulation path as driving sources. An aroma device for a liquid food product, comprising: an ejector for sucking the aroma component in the closed container.