JP7296742B2 - Beverage with reduced bitterness derived from catechins - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to reducing bitterness derived from catechins present in beverages.

BACKGROUND ART In recent years, the physiological effects of polyphenols have attracted attention due to the growing health consciousness, and the demand for beverages rich in polyphenols is increasing. For example, catechins, which are a kind of polyphenols, are known to have a cholesterol-lowering effect and the like, so there is a need for beverages containing catechins. However, since catechins have a unique bitterness and astringency, it has sometimes become difficult to drink beverages. For example, methods of reducing bitterness and astringency using amino acids and rebaudioside are known to provide easier-to-drink beverages (Patent Documents 1 and 2). However, there is no known technology that can be widely used for general beverages with a pH of 5 or higher.

On the other hand, flavor components may also improve the flavor of the beverage. Phenethyl alcohol is widely present in nature and is a component contained in essential oils of rose, carnation, hyacinth, Aleppo pine, ylang-ylang, geranium, neroli, and rosewood. Phenethyl alcohol is also known to be contained in alcoholic beverages such as sake and wine. However, the bitterness-reducing effect of phenethyl alcohol is unknown.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-042728 WO2017/170987

The present inventors have found that when catechins are added to a beverage with a pH of 5.0 or higher, the bitterness derived from the catechins is perceived more strongly than in a beverage with a pH of less than 5.0. An object of the present invention is to reduce the stimulating bitterness derived from catechins that is felt when drinking a beverage containing catechins and having a pH of 5.0 or higher.

In view of the above circumstances, the present inventor searched for a component that is effective in reducing the bitterness of catechins in beverages. As a result of intensive studies, the inventors have found that phenethyl alcohol can contribute to reducing the bitterness. Based on such knowledge, the present invention was completed.
(1) A beverage containing (a) 1 to 500 ppm of catechins, (b) 0.4 ppb or more of phenethyl alcohol, and (c) a pH of 5.0 to 8.0.
(2) The beverage according to (1), which has a Brix of 1 or less.
(3) The beverage according to (1) or (2), containing a tea extract.

The beverages of the present invention and related methods are described below.
Unless otherwise specified, the terms "ppb" and "ppm" as used herein refer to weight per volume (w/v) ppb and ppm respectively. Further, in this specification, the numerical range represented by the lower limit and the upper limit, that is, "lower limit to upper limit" includes the lower limit and the upper limit. For example, a range represented by "1-2" includes 1 and 2.

(catechins)
The beverage of the present invention contains catechins.
As used herein, the term "catechins" collectively refers to catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, catechin gallate, epicatechin gallate, gallocatechin gallate and epigallocatechin gallate. Therefore, in an embodiment of the present invention, the catechins are one or more selected from the group consisting of catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, catechin gallate, epicatechin gallate, gallocatechin gallate and epigallocatechin gallate. should be included. For confirmation, the content of catechins mentioned above means the sum of the content of each of the above eight compounds.

The catechins of the present invention are not particularly limited, but may be refined products, crude products, natural products containing catechins or processed products thereof, such as tea extracts or concentrates thereof. Plant extracts or concentrates thereof containing catechins can be prepared using tea leaves belonging to Camellia sinensis, such as black tea, green tea, oolong tea, and pu-erh tea, as raw materials. Among them, an extract obtained from black tea leaves can be preferably used from the aspect of the effects of the present invention.

The concentration of catechins in the beverage of the present invention is 1-500 ppm, preferably 5-165 ppm, more preferably 7-120 ppm, still more preferably 10-100 ppm. When the concentration of catechins in the beverage is 5 ppm or more, the bitterness of the beverage is perceived strongly, which is preferable for obtaining the bitterness-reducing effect of the present invention. Moreover, when the concentration of catechins in the beverage exceeds 500 ppm, the effect of reducing bitterness according to the present invention is obtained, but the bitterness may not be reduced sufficiently.

The concentration of catechins in beverages can be measured or quantified using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Measurement conditions can be set, for example, as follows.
・ HPLC device: TOSOH HPLC system LC8020 model I
・Column: TSKgel ODS80T sQA (4.6 mm × 150 mm)
・Column temperature: 40°C
- 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: 20 μL
- Flow rate: 1.0 mL/min.
・Gradient program (% by volume):
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 substances: catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, catechin gallate, epicatechin gallate, gallocatechin gallate and epigallocatechin gallate (Kurita Water Industries Ltd., high purity reagent).

(phenethyl alcohol)
The beverage of the present invention contains phenethyl alcohol in a specified amount. Thereby, bitterness derived from catechins can be reduced. The content of phenethyl alcohol in the beverage of the present invention is 0.4 ppb or more, preferably 0.4 to 5 ppb, preferably 0.5 to 4 ppb, more preferably 0.6 to 3 ppb, still more preferably 0.6 ppb. 7 to 2 ppb. If the content of phenethyl alcohol in the beverage is less than 0.4 ppb, the effect of reducing bitterness derived from catechins may be insufficient. On the other hand, if the content of phenethyl alcohol in the beverage exceeds 5 ppb, the flavor of phenethyl alcohol becomes too strong, which may impair the taste of the beverage itself.

In the beverage of the present invention, the ratio of the phenethyl alcohol content to the catechin content (phenethyl alcohol content/catechin content) is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0.00004 or more, preferably 0.000. It may be 00007 or more.

The content of phenethyl alcohol in the beverage of the present invention can be measured by a known GC-MS method. However, in the present invention, the column is a high-polarity column (Agilent Technologies, DB-WaxUI), the extraction method is a solid-phase microextraction method (CTC Analytics, SPME-ArrowCarbon WR/PDMS), and the detector is high resolution. A mass spectrometer (Q Exactive GC Orbitrap manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific) is preferably used.

Phenethyl alcohol used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and may be a refined product or a crude product. For example, it may be a natural product containing phenethyl alcohol or its processed product (plant extract, essential oil, fermented plant product, concentrate thereof, etc.). More specific examples include perfumes containing phenethyl alcohol, as well as fruit juices and extracts. Flavoring agents are a preferred example because they can be added to beverages in small amounts.

(pH)
The pH of the beverage of the present invention is 5.0-8.0, preferably 5.5-7.5. If the pH of the beverage is less than 5.0, bitterness may be masked by sour components in the beverage. However, when the pH of the beverage is 5.0 or higher, bitterness can be perceived remarkably due to the small amount of the sour component acting as a masking component, which is preferable for obtaining the effect of reducing bitterness according to the present invention. The pH adjustment of the beverage can be appropriately carried out using a pH adjuster such as sodium citrate, sodium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate and the like. Beverage pH can be easily measured using a commercially available pH meter.

(Brix)
Although the Brix of the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, it is preferably 1 or less. Although not bound by theory, when the Brix is 1 or less, the soluble solid content that acts as a bitterness masking component is small, so it is thought that the bitterness of catechins is felt remarkably. Therefore, the reduction of bitterness by the present invention It is preferable to obtain the effect. 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 Commission for the Analysis of Sugar). The unit is "°Bx", "%" or "degree".

(Other raw materials)
In addition to the various components shown above, the beverage of the present invention can contain ingredients commonly used in beverages. For example, but not limited to, flavoring agents, sugars, acidulants, nutritional enhancers, antioxidants, emulsifiers, preservatives, extracts, dietary fibers, quality stabilizers, etc. can be added within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention. can be done.

(drink)
The beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a soft drink. For example, nutritional beverages, functional beverages, flavored water (near water) beverages, tea beverages (black tea, oolong tea, green tea, etc.), coffee beverages, carbonated beverages, and the like may be used. The beverage of the present invention is preferably a tea beverage in one embodiment. Here, "tea beverage" is a beverage containing tea leaf extract or cereal extract as a main component, and specifically includes green tea, roasted tea, blended tea, barley tea, mate tea, jasmine tea, black tea, Examples include oolong tea and Tochu tea. A particularly preferred tea beverage in the present invention is a black tea beverage.

The beverage of the present invention is preferably a packaged beverage that has been heat sterilized and packed in a container. This is because the bitterness of catechins may become stronger when the beverage is heated. The means of heat sterilization is not particularly limited, but any known means such as UHT sterilization and retort sterilization can be used. A container for filling the beverage is not particularly limited, and for example, a PET bottle, an aluminum can, a steel can, a paper pack, a chilled cup, a bottle, or the like can be used. From the standpoint of convenience or ease of use, containers such as PET bottles, which are lightweight, easy to carry, and reclosable, are preferred.

(Effect of the invention)
According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a beverage with reduced bitterness derived from catechins and a pH of 5.0 or higher. As used herein, the term “bitterness” means a stimulating bitterness that stings the tongue and is instantly felt upon drinking.

EXAMPLES The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to experimental examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Also, in this specification, unless otherwise stated, numerical ranges are described as including their endpoints.

[Example 1] Effect of pH on bitterness As catechins, black tea extract (Sunfenon 90LB-OP (Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd.; catechins 70%) was used. A tea extract was added to prepare a drink.The pH of the drink was adjusted using citric acid or sodium hydroxide as shown in Table 1 (samples 1 to 5).In addition, the drink thus prepared was Beverages containing 1 ppb of phenethyl alcohol were also prepared, and all the beverages had a Brix of 1 or less.

Each beverage was evaluated for bitterness. After each of the three expert panels evaluated the bitterness according to the following criteria, the final evaluation was determined through discussion among the panel members.
○: Little bitterness sensed △: Slightly bitterness sensed ×: Strong bitterness sensed Table 1 shows the results. From the evaluation results of beverages to which phenethyl alcohol was not added, it was found that an unpleasant bitterness derived from catechins was perceived when the pH of the beverage was 5.0 or higher. Addition of phenethyl alcohol to these beverages was shown to reduce the unpleasant bitterness.

On the other hand, it was found that unpleasant bitterness derived from catechins does not pose much of a problem in beverages with a pH of 3.5. It was also found that the addition of phenethyl alcohol to this beverage did not change the strength of the bitterness.

[Example 2] Effect of the content of catechins and phenethyl alcohol on bitterness Black tea extract and phenethyl alcohol were added to water, and the concentrations of catechins and phenethyl alcohol were adjusted to the concentrations shown in Table 2. was prepared. The prepared beverage was filled in a 500 ml PET container. The pH of the prepared beverage was 5.9. Brix was 1 or less for all beverages.

A sensory evaluation was performed on the intensity of bitterness of the prepared beverages. A panel of three experts evaluated the beverage according to the following criteria, using a beverage containing 1 ppm of catechins and no phenethyl alcohol as a control (Sample 1). The average score of the three expert panels was calculated, and a score of 3.0 or less was regarded as a pass. Table 2 shows the sensory evaluation results.
5 points: Stronger bitterness than the control.
4 points: Bitter taste equivalent to control.
3 points: Less bitterness than the control.
2 points: Much less bitterness compared to the control.
1 point: No bitterness is felt.

When 0.4 ppb or more and 0.4 to 5 ppb of phenethyl alcohol was added to a beverage containing 1 to 500 ppm of catechins, the unpleasant bitterness derived from the catechins was reduced, making the drink easier to drink.

Claims (6)

A beverage containing a black tea extract containing 1 to 120 ppm of catechins, 0.4 ppb or more of phenethyl alcohol, and having a pH of 5.0 to 8.0. 2. The beverage of claim 1, having a Brix of 1 or less. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the beverage is a packaged beverage having a catechin content of 100 ppm or less . The beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the phenethyl alcohol content/catechin content is 0.00004 or more. A method for producing a beverage containing black tea extract containing 1 to 120 ppm of catechins and having a pH of 5.0 to 8.0, wherein the content of phenethyl alcohol is adjusted to 0.4 ppb or more. The above method, including A method for reducing the bitterness derived from catechins felt when drinking a beverage containing black tea extract containing 1 to 120 ppm of catechins and having a pH of 5.0 to 8.0, comprising the addition of phenethyl alcohol. The above method, including adjusting the content to 0.4 ppb or more.