JP6951864B2 - Caffeine-containing beverage - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to beverages containing caffeine. In particular, the present invention relates to a beverage containing isomaltodextrin and suppressing the bitterness caused by caffeine.

In a beverage containing a relatively large amount of caffeine, the bitterness caused by caffeine becomes apparent, and the ease of drinking of the beverage may be impaired. Therefore, various methods for reducing the bitterness of caffeine have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 describes that acyclic dextrin derived from potatoes having a DE of 2 to 6 is added to mask the unpleasant taste caused by caffeine. Further, Patent Document 2 describes that branched megalosaccharide is added to a beverage to reduce the bitterness and astringency of polyphenols.

By the way, isomaltodextrin, which is a kind of isomaltodextrin, has been proposed as a new water-soluble dietary fiber. Although this isomaltodextrin has a physiological action equal to or higher than that of conventional dietary fiber (for example, intestinal flora improving action, immunomodulatory action, blood glucose elevation suppressing action, lipid metabolism improving action, satiety sustaining action, etc.) However, it has been reported that it has characteristics such as no aftertaste peculiar to dextrin, odorlessness, and low viscosity, and can be used for carbonated beverages, tea beverages, iron-containing beverages, vinegared beverages, and the like (Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-128420 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-095701

Sugar / starch information, No. 41, 42-47, February 10, 2016 Monthly Food Chemical, Vol. 32, No. Pages 1, 6-10, January 1, 2016

An object of the present invention is to provide a caffeine-containing beverage in which the bitterness caused by caffeine is specifically suppressed and the ease of drinking is improved.

As a result of diligent studies to solve the above problems, the present inventors have found that the bitterness of caffeine is effectively suppressed by adding isomaltodextrin to a beverage containing caffeine. It came to be completed.

That is, the present invention includes, but is not limited to, the following aspects.
(1) A beverage containing 1 to 120 mg / 100 g of caffeine and 300 to 10000 mg / 100 g of isomaltodextrin.
(2) The beverage according to (1), wherein the beverage is a coffee beverage or a tea beverage.
(3) The beverage according to (1) or (2), which contains 500 to 3000 mg / 100 g of isomaltodextrin.

According to the present invention, the bitterness caused by caffeine in a beverage containing caffeine is effectively suppressed. The beverage according to the present invention is easy to drink because the bitterness caused by caffeine is suppressed, and the bitterness of caffeine can be suppressed without imparting extra sweetness to the beverage.

The present invention is, in one embodiment, a beverage containing 1-120 mg / 100 g of caffeine and 300-10000 mg / 100 g of isomaltodextrin.
Caffeine The beverage according to the present invention contains caffeine. The content of caffeine in the present invention is 1 to 120 mg per 100 g of beverage. When the caffeine content is less than 1 mg / 100 g, the bitterness derived from caffeine is not manifested, and when the caffeine content exceeds 120 mg / 100 g, the bitterness derived from caffeine is not manifested. Even if it contains isomaltdextrin, it tends to be difficult to drink the beverage. The content of caffeine in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 2 to 100 mg / 100 g, more preferably 5 to 90 mg / 100 g, still more preferably 10 to 80 mg / 100 g, still more preferably 15 to 75 mg / 100 g, and further. It may be 20 to 70 mg / 100 g or 30 to 60 mg / 100 g. The content of caffeine can be measured and quantified by a method using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

The caffeine used in the present invention is not particularly limited, but includes commercially available reagents, pure products (refined products with a caffeine content of 98% or more), crude products (caffeine content of 50 to 98%), and caffeine. It can also be used in the form of an extract of the contained plant (coffee beans, tea leaves, kola nuts, etc.) or a concentrate thereof.

When caffeine is used in the form of plant extracts or concentrates thereof, the raw materials to be extracted include tea leaves belonging to Camellia sinensis such as green tea, black tea, oolong tea, and puer tea; The coffee beans to which it belongs can be used. In the present specification, a beverage containing a tea leaf extract as a main component is referred to as a tea beverage, and a beverage containing a coffee bean extract as a main component is referred to as a coffee beverage.

Isomaltodextrin Dextrin is composed of a component that forms a linear structure of α-1,4 glucoside bond and a component that forms a branched structure containing α-1,6 glucoside bond, with glucose as a constituent unit. It has been reported that the branched structure containing α-1,6 glucosidic bonds is not easily digested (decomposed) by digestive enzymes such as amylase (J. Agric. Food Chem. 2007, 55, 4540-4547). A high proportion of branched structures is important as a beverage that is expected to have the physiological effects of isomaltodextrin (for example, intestinal flora improving effect, immunomodulatory effect, blood glucose elevation suppressing effect, lipid metabolism improving effect, satiety sustaining effect). be.

The "isomaltodextrin" referred to in the present invention is a dextrin having a higher proportion of branched structures of α-1,6 glucosidic bonds than the so-called ordinary dextrin obtained by hydrolyzing ordinary starch by a known method. Refers to β-glucosidic bond glucose-free dextrin.

Specifically, the isomaltodextrin has a structure in which glucose or isomaltooligosaccharide is α-1,6 glucosidic bonded to at least a non-reducing terminal of a component forming a linear structure linked by an α-1,4 glucosidic bond. The proportion of glucose "→ 6) -Glcp- (1 →" bound by the α-1,6 glucosidic bond is 5% or more, preferably 22% or more, more preferably 30% or more, still more preferably. Examples thereof include dextrins having a concentration of 40% or more, particularly preferably 49% or more. Here, the proportion of glucose means mass%. In the present specification, the proportion of “→ 6) −Glcp− (1 →” is 40. Dextrin with a percentage of% or more is also particularly referred to as "isomaltodextrin".

The isomaltodextrin used in the present invention includes glucose "→ 4) -Glcp- (1 →" bound by an α-1,4 glucoside bond and glucose "→ 6" bound by an α-1,6 glucoside bond. ) -Glcp- (1 → ", the proportion of glucose bound by the α-1,6 glucoside bond is preferably 30% or more, more preferably 37% or more, and 50% or more. It is more preferably 60% or more, particularly preferably 70% or more. Further, glucose bound by an α-1,4 glucoside bond “→ 4) −Glcp− (1 →” The total ratio of glucose "→ 6) -Glcp- (1 →" bound by α-1,6 glucoside bond to all glucose is preferably 45% or more, preferably 60% or more. Is more preferable, and 68% or more is further preferable.

As long as it has an α-1,6 glucoside bond in a certain ratio, it may have an α-1,2 glucoside bond and / or an α-1,3 glucoside bond, but from the viewpoint of flavor, it is preferable. Dextrins having no α-1,2 glucosidic bond are preferably used. From the viewpoint of dextrin, which has a high proportion of branched structures that exert a remarkable effect, glucose having a branched structure inside the molecule, that is, α-1,3,6 glucosidic bond “→ 3,6) −Glcp− (1 →” And glucose "→ 4,6) -Glcp- (1 →" having α-1,4,6 glucoside bond is preferably 12% or more. The ratio of these bonds is a modification of Hakomori's methylation method. This can be confirmed by the method of Ciucanu et al. (Carbohydrate Research, 1984, 131, 209-217).

Indigestible dextrin, which is widely known as a water-soluble dietary fiber, is not contained in the isomaltodextrin of the present invention, which is composed only of α-linked glucose, in that it contains β-linked glucose.

From the viewpoint of remarkable effect, the DE of the isomaltodextrin of the present invention is preferably 9 or less, more preferably 8 or less. Here, DE means the equivalent of dextrose, and is a value representing a relative scale when the reducing power of dextrose (glucose) is 100. Further, from the viewpoint of remarkable effect, the molecular weight (weight average molecular weight) of isomaltodextrin is preferably 500 to 10000, and more preferably about 3000 to 7000.

The isomaltodextrin of the present invention is produced by synthesizing an α-1,6 glucoside bond by a rearrangement reaction of an enzyme. The production method is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include the method described in Japanese Patent No. 4071909, JP-A-2010-95701, and the method described in WO2009 / 113652. In addition, commercially available products such as "Fiberlixa" (trademark, Hayashibara Co., Ltd.) can also be used.

The beverage of the present invention contains 300-10000 mg of isomaltodextrin per 100 g. When 300 mg / 100 g or more of isomaltodextrin is added to the beverage, the bitterness caused by caffeine can be effectively suppressed. Further, the isomaltodextrin concentration of the beverage according to the present invention is 10,000 mg / 100 g or less, but if the isomaltodextrin concentration becomes too high, sliminess caused by the isomaltodextrin may become apparent. The beverage of the present invention preferably contains 700 to 6000 mg / 100 g of isomaltodextrin, and more preferably 1000 to 4000 mg / 100 g of isomaltodextrin.

The content of isomaltodextrin in a beverage can be measured as the amount of dietary fiber using AOAC 2001.03, which is an AOAC official method.
Beverages The present invention effectively suppresses the bitterness of caffeine with isomaltodextrin. In the form of a beverage, the bitterness of caffeine may be strongly perceived additively or synergistically with the roasted aroma. Therefore, a beverage having a roasted aroma is an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Here, the beverage having a roasted aroma refers to a beverage containing a liquid obtained by roasting a plant material to generate a highly palatable fragrant flavor and extracting it with hot water or the like. Refers to coffee drinks and tea drinks. The fragrant flavor (roasted aroma) refers to pyrazines. That is, a beverage containing 10 to 20000 ppb of pyrazines is a preferable beverage of the present invention. When the beverage of the present invention is a coffee beverage, it preferably contains 800 to 1500 ppb of pyrazines, and more preferably 900 to 1400 ppb. When the beverage of the present invention is a tea beverage, it preferably contains 10 to 200 ppb, and more preferably 20 to 180 ppb. Here, regarding the concentrations of pyrazines, pyrazine, 2-Methylpyrazine, 2,5-Dimethyl pyrazine, 2,6-dimethylpyrazine (2,6) -Dimethyl pyrazine), Ethyl pyrazine, 2,3-Dimethyl pyrazine (2,3-Dimethyl pyrazine), 3-Ethyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine (3-Ethyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine), 2 It means the total value of −ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine (2-Ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine).

The bitterness of caffeine is noticeably perceived in neutral beverages. Therefore, the beverage of the present invention is preferably a neutral beverage because of its remarkable effect. Specifically, the pH (20 ° C.) of the beverage of the present invention is 5.0 to 7.0, preferably 5.5 to 6.5. The pH of the beverage of the present invention can be adjusted as appropriate, and for example, the pH of the beverage can be adjusted using a pH adjusting agent such as sodium hydrogen carbonate or sodium hydroxide.

Compared to neutral beverages, acidic beverages tend to mask the bitterness of caffeine due to their acidity. However, in the case of carbonated drinks, it has been pointed out that the bitterness of caffeine is promoted in combination with the stimulation of carbonic acid. Isomaltodextrin is also useful for the increased caffeine bitterness of this carbonated drink. Therefore, carbonated beverages are an example of a preferred embodiment of the beverage of the present invention.

The beverage of the present invention may contain various additives and the like as in the case of ordinary beverages, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Examples of various additives include acidulants, fragrances, vitamins, pigments, antioxidants, emulsifiers, preservatives, seasonings, extracts, pH adjusters, thickeners, quality stabilizers and the like. can.

Like ordinary beverages, the beverage according to the present invention can be filled in a sealed container such as a bottle, can, barrel, or PET bottle, and subjected to a step such as sterilization to obtain a beverage in a container.
For example, a sterilized packaged beverage can be produced by a method of performing heat sterilization such as hot water shower sterilization after filling a container with a beverage, or a method of sterilizing a beverage and then filling the container.

(Production method)
In one embodiment, the present invention can also be understood as a method for producing a beverage. The beverage of the present invention contains caffeine and isomaltodextrin, but when the beverage according to the present invention is produced, the isomaltodextrin concentration is 300 to 10,000 mg / 100 g, and the caffeine concentration is 1 to 120 mg / 100 g. It includes the step of adjusting the beverage. When producing a packaged beverage, at least a step of filling the container with the prepared beverage is provided. In that case, the container to be filled includes a molded container (so-called PET bottle) containing polyethylene terephthalate as a main component, a metal can, a paper container compounded with a metal foil or a plastic film, a bottle, etc., as in the case of general beverages. Examples include ordinary packaging containers. Further, for example, when a container can be filled with heat and sterilized by heating, it can be manufactured under the sterilization conditions stipulated by the Food Sanitation Law, and retort sterilization cannot be performed like PET bottles and paper containers. For those, sterilization conditions equivalent to those described above, for example, a method of sterilizing at a high temperature for a short time with a plate-type heat exchanger or the like, cooling to a constant temperature, and filling the container can be adopted.

In one embodiment, the present invention is understood as a method for suppressing the bitterness of caffeine in a beverage by adjusting the isomaltodextrin concentration to be 300 to 10000 mg / 100 g and the caffeine concentration to be 1 to 120 mg / 100 g. You can also do it. Specifically, the bitterness of caffeine is suppressed by the present invention, but the beverage according to the present invention also suppresses the sliminess caused by isomaltodextrin, which is also preferable. Here, the sliminess caused by isomaltodextrin is felt when the beverage is put in the mouth and has a great influence on the impression of the beverage. According to the present invention, this is also effective. Is suppressed.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail by specific experiments, but the present invention is not limited to the following experimental examples. Further, in the present specification, unless otherwise specified, the concentration and the like are based on weight, and the numerical range is described as including the end points thereof.

Experiment 1: Caffeine-containing beverage The following samples were prepared in order to confirm the presence or absence of bitterness due to the concentration of caffeine.
-Sample 1: Water (ion-exchanged water with pH 7)
-Sample 2: A solution of caffeine in water at a concentration of 0.001 mg / 100 g-Sample 3: A solution of caffeine in water at a concentration of 2.0 mg / 100 g-Sample 4: 15 mg of caffeine in water Solution dissolved at a concentration of / 100 g Caffeine was manufactured by Maruzen Chemicals Co., Ltd. and had a purity of 98.5%, and the final concentration was adjusted as shown in the table below.

The various solutions obtained were evaluated for the presence or absence of bitterness by five panelists. The results are shown in Table 1. It was found that in beverages containing caffeine, the bitterness derived from caffeine was perceived, making it difficult to drink.

Experiment 2: Reduction of caffeine bitterness with isomaltodextrin (2-1)
Using sample 4 of Experiment 1 as a control, isomaltodextrin was appropriately added and mixed so that the isomaltodextrin concentration was as shown in Table 2, and solutions having different isomaltodextrin concentrations were prepared. As the isomaltodextrin, a fiber lixa (trademark, average degree of polymerization of glucose: 30, DE: about 7) manufactured by Hayashibara Co., Ltd. was used.

Five panelists evaluated the strength of the bitterness derived from caffeine and the drinkability of the obtained solutions having different concentrations of isomaltodextrin. From the viewpoint of the bitterness of caffeine and the ease of drinking, the evaluation was carried out by each person based on the following criteria, and then the evaluation points were decided through discussions.
・ 5 points: Very easy to drink with no bitterness or offensive taste ・ 4 points: Easy to drink with almost no bitterness or offensive taste of caffeine ・ 3 points: Can be drunk with some bitterness of caffeine but no offensive taste ・ 2 points : Difficult to drink due to the bitterness and offensive taste of caffeine ・ 1 point: Very difficult to drink due to the strong bitterness and offensive taste of caffeine Table 2 shows the results. By blending isomaltodextrin at a concentration of 300 to 10000 mg / 100 g, the bitterness derived from caffeine could be effectively suppressed. When 10000 mg / 100 g or more of isomaltodextrin was blended, sliminess caused by isomaltodextrin occurred and it was not suitable for drinking. A particularly remarkable effect was obtained when the isomaltodextrin concentration was 500 to 3000 mg / 100 g.

(2-2)
Caffeine and isomaltodextrin were appropriately added and mixed so that the caffeine concentration and the isomaltodextrin concentration were the values shown in Table 3, and solutions having different caffeine and isomaltodextrin concentrations were prepared. The obtained solution was evaluated in the same manner as in Experiment 2-1 by 5 panelists using Sample 4 of Experiment 1 as a control.

The results are shown in Table 3. In the concentration range of caffeine of 2.0 to 100 mg / 100 g, the bitterness derived from caffeine could be effectively suppressed by blending isomaltodextrin at a concentration of 300 to 10,000 mg / 100 g.

Experiment 3: Evaluation of dextrins other than isomaltodextrin Beverage samples were prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Experiment 2 except that the isomaltodextrin of sample 2-4 of Experiment 2 was replaced with the following dextrins.
-Indigestible dextrin: Made by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Fiber Sol 2 (trade name)
-Isomalt oligosaccharide: manufactured by Earth Ships Limited The results are shown in Table 4. When indigestible dextrin was used, astringency and stickiness were felt and it was not suitable for drinking. In addition, when isomaltooligosaccharide was used, the bitterness of caffeine was suppressed by the sweetness, but the beverage itself was given extra sweetness and was not suitable for drinking.

Experiment 4: Production and evaluation of green tea beverage Extraction treatment was performed using 10 g of green tea leaves in 1000 ml of hot water (70-80 ° C), and the obtained extract was used as tea solids (soluble solids derived from tea leaves). A tea extract was obtained by diluting with water so as to have Brix 0.3 (Sample 4-1). This caffeine concentration was 15 mg / 100 g.

An isomaltodextrin-containing tea beverage was prepared by adding, mixing, and dissolving the isomaltodextrin concentration to Sample 4-1 so as to have the values shown in Table 5 (Samples 4-2 to 4-3). Evaluation was carried out in the same manner as in Experiment 2 using isomaltodextrin-free (Sample 4-1) as a control. The pH of each tea beverage was 6.0.

The sensory evaluation results are shown in Table 5. By adding a specific amount of isomaltodextrin to a green tea beverage that had a bitter taste due to the inclusion of caffeine, the bitterness derived from caffeine could be effectively suppressed.

Experiment 5: Production and evaluation of coffee beverages Extraction treatment was performed using 110 g of roasted and crushed coffee beans in 1000 ml of hot water (90 to 98 ° C.), and the obtained extract was used as coffee solids (soluble coffee beans). A coffee extract was obtained by diluting with water so that the solid content was Brix 1.0 (Sample 5-1). This caffeine concentration was 50 mg / 100 g.

A coffee beverage was prepared by adding isomaltodextrin to sample 5-1 so that the isomaltodextrin concentration was as shown in Table 6, mixing and dissolving (Samples 5-2 to 5-3). Evaluation was carried out in the same manner as in Experiment 2 using isomaltodextrin-free (Sample 5-1) as a control. The pH of each coffee beverage was 5.7.

The sensory evaluation results are shown in Table 6. By adding a specific amount of isomaltodextrin to a coffee beverage that had a bitter taste due to the inclusion of caffeine, the bitterness derived from caffeine could be effectively suppressed.

Claims (3)

A coffee beverage containing 10 to 90 mg / 100 g of caffeine and 300 to 3000 mg / 100 g of isomaltodextrin. Caffeine concentration is 15~75mg / 100g, iso maltodextrin concentration of Ru 500~ 2000 mg / 100g der, beverage according to claim 1. A method for suppressing the bitterness caused by caffeine in a coffee beverage having a caffeine concentration of 10 to 90 mg / 100 g, which comprises adding isomaltodextrin so that the isomaltodextrin concentration is 300 to 3000 mg / 100 g.