JP6463302B2 - High concentration inulin-containing tea beverage - Google Patents

Description

  TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a packaged tea beverage containing a high concentration of inulin, a method for producing the same, a method for suppressing a miscellaneous taste unique to inulin in a packaged tea beverage, and the like.

  In recent years, many container-packed beverages filled in containers such as cans and PET (PET) bottles have been developed and marketed. Of these, container-packed tea beverages are generally obtained by extracting tea leaves with an aqueous solvent such as water to obtain a tea extract, adjusting the concentration of this tea extract to the drinking concentration, It is sold in sealed containers.

  Inulin is a kind of water-soluble dietary fiber and is known to have an intestinal regulating action, and there are reports on beverages containing inulin (Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2).

  Polydextrose, known as a water-soluble dietary fiber, has taste problems such as acidity and bitterness, whereas inulin is known to improve taste without acidity and bitterness. (Patent Document 3).

Japanese Patent No.4087883 Special Table 2004-504824 Japanese Patent No.2982372

  As described above, it is known that inulin can improve taste without acidity and bitterness compared to polydextrose. However, the present inventors have found that when a relatively large amount of a beverage containing inulin at a high concentration is ingested, a miscellaneous taste peculiar to inulin is felt.

  In this regard, by adding catechin, the miscellaneous taste of inulin can be suppressed to some extent, but the low concentration of catechin cannot sufficiently suppress the miscellaneous taste of inulin. On the other hand, when catechin is blended at a high concentration, the astringency due to catechin increases, which is not preferable.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a packaged tea beverage containing an inulin having an intestinal regulating action at a high concentration and suppressing the miscellaneous taste unique to inulin.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present inventors have intensively studied a method having an inulin miscellaneous taste suppressing effect under high inulin concentration conditions, and the non-polymer catechin amount is within a certain range, and further, ascorbic acid is a certain amount. By setting the range, it was possible to suppress the miscellaneous taste peculiar to inulin, and there was no astringency, and the ease of drinking was found, and the present invention was completed.

That is, although not limited to this, the present invention relates to the following.
1) A packaged tea beverage,
The inulin content is 1-7 g / 100 ml,
The content of non-polymer catechin is 1 to 800 ppm,
The ascorbic acid content is 100-800 ppm,
The beverage.
2) The beverage according to 1), wherein the content of inulin is 1.5 to 5.0 g / 100 ml.
3) The beverage according to 1), wherein the inulin content is 2.0 to 4.0 g / 100 ml.
4) The beverage according to any one of 1) to 3), wherein the content of non-polymerized catechin is 10 to 750 ppm.
5) The beverage according to any one of 1) to 3), wherein the content of non-polymerized catechin is 50 to 700 ppm.
6) The beverage according to any one of 1) to 5), wherein the content of ascorbic acid is 200 to 700 ppm.
7) The beverage according to any one of 1) to 5), wherein the content of ascorbic acid is 300 to 600 ppm.
8) The beverage according to any one of 1) to 7), which has an intestinal regulating action.
9) The beverage according to any one of 1) to 8), which is a 500 ml or more containerized tea beverage.
10) A method for producing a packaged tea beverage, the step of adjusting the content of inulin in the beverage to 1 to 7 g / 100 ml, and the content of non-polymer catechin in the beverage to 1 to 800 ppm The said manufacturing method including the process and the process of adjusting content of ascorbic acid in the said drink to 100-800 ppm.
11) A method for suppressing the miscellaneous taste unique to inulin in a packaged tea beverage, wherein the content of inulin in the beverage is 1 to 7 g / 100 ml, and the content of non-polymer catechin in the beverage is 1 to The said suppression method by setting it as 800 ppm and also making content of ascorbic acid in the said drink into 100-800 ppm.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a packaged tea beverage that contains inulin having an intestinal regulating action at a high concentration and that suppresses the miscellaneous taste unique to inulin.

The container-packed tea beverage of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as “the tea beverage of the present invention”) and related methods are described below.
(Tea drink)
Aracha is a processed product made from raw leaves plucked from tea trees (scientific name: Camellia sinensis). The fresh leaf that can be used in the present invention is not limited in its variety, production area, cultivation method, tea season, etc., as long as it is tea.

  Varieties used in the production of green tea beverages include, for example, Yabukita, Yutaka Midori, Okumidori, Sayaka Kaori, Kanaya Midori, Samidori, Asatsuyu, and other production areas such as Shizuoka, Kagoshima, Mie, and Kumamoto , Fukuoka, Kyoto, Miyazaki, Saitama, etc., cultivation methods include open ground, cover, gyokuro, etc., and tea seasons include first tea, second tea, third tea, fourth tea, winter spring autumn tea, banban, etc. Can do.

  Finished tea is processed to obtain a tea beverage. The process of obtaining a tea beverage from finished tea is generally divided into an extraction process for extracting the finished tea with warm water, a coarse filtration process for removing extraction residues from the extract, a cooling process for cooling the extract, and a fine process from the extract. It includes a filtration step for removing solids, a preparation step for adding a water or green tea extract, an antioxidant, a pH adjuster, etc. to the extract to obtain a preparation, and a sterilization step for sterilizing the preparation. However, the said process is an example to the last, and is not limited to this, For example, the order of a process can be replaced or another process can be added.

  Moreover, oolong tea drinks can be produced by using semi-fermented tea leaves obtained by semi-fermenting fresh leaves, and black tea drinks can be produced by using fermented tea leaves. A general thing can be used as a kind used for these manufacture.

  The produced green tea, oolong tea, and black tea can be used alone as a tea beverage, but can also be mixed into a mixed tea beverage by mixing them at an appropriate ratio. Furthermore, it is also possible to add an extract such as cereals and herbs to the tea beverage produced with these tea leaf extracts to make a tea beverage.

(Inulin)
Inulin is a group of polysaccharides contained in various plants, and is a polymer in which a plurality of fructose bonds to glucose. It is a kind of water-soluble dietary fiber and is known to contribute to increasing bacteria beneficial to the human body in the intestine (intestinal beneficial bacteria growth promoting action). Inulin passes through the stomach and duodenum without being digested and becomes a beneficial substance for bacteria in the intestine.

  Inulin has the effect of regulating the intestines, and therefore has the effect of adjusting the tone of the stomach including the intestines and digestive tract. Specifically, it has an intestinal function, an intestinal condition, and an improvement, improvement, and improvement of the large intestine environment. It promotes bowel movement and is effective in reducing and preventing constipation.

  The inulin that can be used in the beverage according to the present invention has fructosyl units bonded mainly by β-2,1 bonds, and the fructan chain length is in the range of 2-100, preferably in the range of 2-60. At least 90% of the binding in inulin is β-2,1 type. For example, chicory-derived inulin includes Frutafit ™ or Raftiline ™. It can also be obtained from a number of plant species by methods well known to those skilled in the art.

  The content of inulin contained in the beverage of the present invention is 1 to 7 g / 100 ml, preferably 1.5 to 5.0 g / 100 ml, more preferably 2.0 to 4.0 g / 100 ml.

  The inulin content can be quantified using a known method such as an HPLC method. For example, it may be measured by any known method such as GC-MS or HPLC method.

Analysis of the average degree of polymerization of inulin can be performed as follows. The degree of polymerization is the number of saccharide units (fructose and glucose units) in inulin, and the average degree of polymerization was determined by a usual analysis method such as HPLC, GC, or HPAEC as follows. The top of the peak of the analysis result can be the average degree of polymerization. As the column, for example, ULTRON PS-80N (8 × 300 mm) manufactured by Shinwa Kako (solvent: water, flow rate: 0.5 ml / min, temperature: 50 ° C.) or TSK-GEL G3000PWXL (7.8 manufactured by TOSOH) X300 mm) (solvent; water, flow rate; 0.5 ml / min, temperature; 50 ° C.), and the degree of polymerization of the produced inulin confirmed by using a differential refractometer as a detector, for example, as a standard substance It can be determined by a calibration curve prepared using Olafty's Roughterin ST (average polymerization degree 11) and Roughterin HP (average polymerization degree 22), which are plant-derived inulin. The analysis of the degree of polymerization of inulin can be carried out based on the method of Loo et al. (Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 35 (6), 525-552 (1995).
(Non-polymerized catechin)
In the tea beverage of the present invention, the content of catechin is adjusted to 1 to 800 ppm, preferably 10 to 750 ppm, more preferably 30 to 700 ppm, 50 to 700 ppm, more preferably 200 to 500 ppm with respect to the capacity of the tea beverage. is important. In this specification, ppm means weight / volume ppm, which corresponds to mg / L. If the non-polymerized catechin content exceeds 800 ppm, the catechin-specific taste becomes strong, and it may be difficult to drink.

  Here, the non-polymerized catechin in the present specification represents a general term for catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, catechin gallate, epicatechin gallate, gallocatechin gallate and epigallocatechin gallate. Although described for confirmation, the above content means the total amount of these catechin compounds.

  The composition of the non-polymerized catechin is not particularly limited, but gallate-type catechins that have particularly high bitterness and astringency (among the above catechins, catechin gallate, epicatechin gallate, gallocatechin gallate, epigallocatechin gallate) It is preferable that the tea beverage has a proper balance between umami and astringency. Therefore, a tea beverage having a large ratio of gallate catechins can also be exemplified as one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention. Specifically, the proportion of gallate catechins in catechin ([mass of gallate catechins] / [mass of all catechins] × 100%) is 40 to 95%, preferably 45 to 90%, Preferably it is about 46 to 80%.

  The amount of gallate catechin and the amount of free catechin (of catechins having no gallate group) are measured and quantified by a method using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Adjustment of the non-polymerized catechin content can be appropriately performed using an extract of tea leaves as a main component. If necessary, it can be blended with a tea extract concentrate (for example, commercially available “Polyphenone” (Mitsui Norin), “Theafuran” (Itoen), “Sunphenon” (Taiyo Kagaku)) or a known Oolong tea extract concentrate and black tea extract concentrate obtained by the method can also be blended. The ratio of gallate catechins often falls within the above range without special treatment for the adjustment.
(Ascorbic acid)
In the tea beverage of the present invention, it is important that the content of ascorbic acid is adjusted to 100 to 800 ppm, preferably 200 to 700 ppm, more preferably 300 to 600 ppm with respect to the capacity of the tea beverage. In this specification, ppm means weight / volume ppm, which corresponds to mg / L. When the ascorbic acid content exceeds 800 ppm, the taste specific to ascorbic acid becomes strong, and it may be difficult to drink. In the present specification, when only ascorbic acid is used, it is described as a concept including its derivatives.

As ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof used in the present invention, ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof used as a food additive, for example, ascorbic acid glycoside, sodium ascorbate, magnesium ascorbate or the like is used. A natural material rich in ascorbic acid to which an antioxidant such as L-ascorbic acid and / or a salt acceptable as a food thereof may be added in the steps subsequent to the extraction step such as the extraction step and / or the blending step ( For example, natural materials derived from fruits such as lemon, orange and acerola, or natural materials derived from vegetables such as broccoli, me cabbage, green pepper, komatsuna and cauliflower can also be used as ascorbic acid in the present invention.
(Other ingredients)
In the packaged tea beverage of the present invention, additives such as an antioxidant, an emulsifier, a storage amount, a pH adjuster, a fragrance, a seasoning, a sweetener, a sour agent, and a quality stabilizer are added alone or in combination. May be. It is preferable not to add a fragrance, a seasoning, a sweetener, an acidulant, etc. from the viewpoint of the flavor of the original tea, and the pH is adjusted to 5.0 to 7.0 from the viewpoint of storage stability. It is preferable to do.

  In the beverage according to the present invention, other additives that are usually blended in the beverage, for example, flavors, vitamins, pigments, antioxidants, preservatives, seasonings, extracts, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. A pH adjuster, a quality stabilizer, etc. can be mix | blended.

  The alcohol content in the beverage of the present invention is less than 1% by weight, preferably 0.3% by weight or less, more preferably 0.1% by weight or less, and still more preferably 0.01% by weight or less. . That is, although alcohols will be mix | blended by mix | blending a fragrance | flavor, it is preferable that the addition amount of a fragrance | flavor is smaller in the drink of this invention, Especially preferably, there is no fragrance | flavor addition. The alcohols used herein include ethanol, 1-propanol, isopropanol, 1-butanol, isobutanol, amyl alcohol, isoamyl alcohol, 2-pentanol, 1-hexanol, 2-hexanol, 3-hexanol, and 1-heptanol. , 2-heptanol, 3-heptanol, 4-heptanol, propylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, neopentyl glycol, glycerin, and the like, but are not limited thereto.

(Packed tea beverage)
The tea beverage of the present invention is provided in the form of a container. Examples of the form of the container include, but are not limited to, a metal container such as a can, a plastic bottle, a paper pack, a bottle, and a pouch. For example, a sterilized container-packed product can be manufactured through a method of performing heat sterilization such as retort sterilization after filling a beverage of the present invention into a container, or a method of sterilizing a beverage and filling the container.

  The container-packed beverage of the present invention is not only drinkable directly from the container, but can also be used for drinking by pouring a bulk container such as a back-in box or a portion filled with a portion container into another container at the time of drinking. Moreover, it can also be diluted when using a concentrate for drinking. In that case, it is needless to say that the effects of the present invention can be obtained if the concentration of various components used for drinking is within the concentration range of the present invention. Therefore, these beverages are also an aspect of the present invention.

  As for the capacity of the container, since the miscellaneous taste of inulin is suppressed and the beverage of the present invention is a “very drinkable” beverage, a large capacity is preferable, for example, 500 ml capacity or more, even if it is 550 ml or 600 ml good.

(Method for producing tea beverage)
In another aspect, the present invention is a method for producing a containerized tea beverage. The method includes the following steps: a step of adjusting the content of inulin in the beverage to 1 to 7 g / 100 ml, a step of adjusting the content of non-polymerized catechin in the beverage to 1 to 800 ppm, and the step A step of adjusting the content of ascorbic acid in the beverage to 100 to 800 ppm.

  Here, the content of each of the above components may be 1.5 to 5.0 g / 100 ml for inulin, or 2.0 to 4.0 g / 100 ml for inulin. The catechin may be 10 to 750 ppm or 50 to 700 ppm. Ascorbic acid may be 200 to 700 ppm or 300 to 600 ppm.

  The timing of the adjustment process is not limited. For example, the above steps may be performed simultaneously, may be performed separately, or the order of the steps may be changed. The drink finally obtained should just satisfy said conditions.

  Other than the above steps, it can be produced by a normal method for producing a tea beverage.

(Method to suppress inulin-specific miscellaneous taste)
In another aspect, the present invention is a method for suppressing the miscellaneous taste characteristic of inulin. The method includes: adjusting the content of inulin in the beverage to 1-7 g / 100 ml, adjusting the content of non-polymerized catechin in the beverage to 1-800 ppm, and in the beverage Adjusting the content of ascorbic acid to 100 to 800 ppm.

  Here, the content of each of the above components may be 1.5 to 5.0 g / 100 ml for inulin, or 2.0 to 4.0 g / 100 ml for inulin. The catechin may be 10 to 750 ppm or 50 to 700 ppm. Ascorbic acid may be 200 to 700 ppm or 300 to 600 ppm.

  The timing of the adjustment process is not limited. For example, the above steps may be performed simultaneously, may be performed separately, or the order of the steps may be changed. The drink finally obtained should just satisfy said conditions.

(Use)
Since the inulin is contained in the tea beverage of the present invention in a high content, a beverage having an intestinal action and adjusting the condition of the stomach including the intestine and digestive tract is provided. Specifically, it is a beverage having an action for improving, improving, and improving the intestinal function, intestinal state, and large intestine environment, and also a beverage that promotes bowel movement and is effective in reducing or preventing constipation.

(Numeric range)
For the sake of clarity, the numerical range represented by the lower limit value and the upper limit value in the present specification, that is, “lower limit value to upper limit value” includes the lower limit value and the upper limit value. For example, the range represented by “1-2” includes 1 and 2.

The present invention will be described below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.
<Green tea beverage>
A green tea beverage blended with inulin and ascorbic acid was produced, sterilized, and then filled into a 300 ml container to produce a container-packed green tea beverage. Table 1 shows the results of measurement of inulin, non-polymerized catechin, and ascorbic acid in the produced packaged tea beverage. Here, as inulin, ascorbic acid was added so that it might become 10-900 ppm after sterilization so that "Fuji FF" of Fuji Nippon Seika Co., Ltd. might be 1.0-8.0g / 100ml.

A trained panelist evaluated the degree of inulin miscellaneous taste and caffeine flavor of the obtained green tea beverage by a sensory test using a scoring method. Three expert panelists comprehensively judged their extent:
5: Very little inulin aftertaste and easy to drink
4: Easy to drink with little inulin aftertaste
3: Slightly less inulin aftertaste and easy to drink
2: There is some inulin aftertaste, but you can drink it
1: There is little aftertaste of inulin, but the taste peculiar to catechin and ascorbic acid is strong and difficult to drink.
0: The aftertaste of inulin is strong and difficult to drink. The contents of inulin, catechin and ascorbic acid in the obtained beverage and the evaluation results are as shown in Table 1.

From the results shown in Table 1, even in high inulin conditions, by setting the amount of non-polymer catechin to a certain range and further ascorbic acid to a certain amount range, it is possible to suppress the miscellaneous taste peculiar to inulin and to reduce astringency. It turns out that it is easier to drink.
<Oolong tea drink>
Oolong tea leaves were extracted with 30 times the weight of hot water (95 ° C.) for 4 minutes to obtain Oolong tea extract (containing 145 ppm of non-polymerized catechin). A non-polymer catechin concentration adjusted to 200 ppm with a separately prepared Oolong tea extract concentrate, sterilized Oolong tea drink prepared by blending ascorbic acid 350 ppm and inulin 2.0 g / 100 ml, and then filled into a 300 ml container Thus, a container-packed oolong tea drink was produced. As a result of sensory evaluation, the container-packed oolong tea beverage obtained did not feel the inulin miscellaneous taste.

<Tea drink>
100 g of tea leaves were extracted with hot water (95 ° C.) of 20 times weight for 1 hour to obtain a black tea extract. Furthermore, a black tea extract concentrate (containing 200 ppm of non-polymerized catechin) obtained by performing activated carbon treatment and vacuum concentration is diluted to adjust the non-polymerized catechin to 50 ppm, so that the concentration of ascorbic acid is 350 ppm and inulin is 2.0 g / 100 ml. After sterilizing the black tea beverage prepared by blending into the above, it was filled into a 300 ml container to produce a bottled black tea beverage. As a result of sensory evaluation, the obtained packaged black tea beverage did not feel the inulin miscellaneous taste.

Claims (2)

A packaged tea beverage,
The inulin content is 1-2 g / 100 ml,
The content of non-polymer catechin is 50 to 600 ppm,
The content of ascorbic acid Ri 100~700ppm der,
No fragrances, seasonings, sweeteners, acidulants added ,
The beverage. The beverage according to claim 1, which is a 500 ml or more container-packed tea beverage.