KR20080050530A - Method and apparatus for manufacturing beverage - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for manufacturing a beverage capable of eliminating air bubbles formed in the beverage without impairing the flavor of the beverage. The beverage manufacturing apparatus (20) comprises a beverage deaerating means (3) and a bubble breaking means (5), and these manufacturing method uses the beverage manufacturing apparatus. The apparatus may comprise a beverage sterilizing means (10). The deaerating means may comprise at least one of a deaerator, an inert gas stripping part, and a static mixer, and the bubble breaking means may be a pump capable of breaking the film of air bubbles. In addition, the amount of dissolved oxygen in the beverage after air bubbles are broken is desirably 0.5 ppm or below.

Description

Beverage manufacturing method and beverage manufacturing apparatus {METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING BEVERAGE}

The present invention relates to a beverage production method for producing a beverage and a beverage production apparatus for implementing the method.

Various types of beverages are currently sold in the market, such as tea beverages, juice drinks, oily beverages, and the like. Among these drinks, for example, tea drinks are freshly simmered, juice drinks, oily drinks, and the like. By the way, during the preparation of the beverage and also after the preparation, oxygen incorporated into the beverage, in particular dissolved oxygen in the dissolved gas, oxidizes certain flavor components such as vitamin C in the beverage, which gradually impairs the flavor of the beverage. Therefore, a method of reducing dissolved gas, particularly dissolved oxygen, in a beverage has been conventionally proposed, and an injecting method, a top flushing method, and the like as a physical oxygen removal method, and a mixing of a deoxidizer as a chemical method are already known.

Moreover, even if it is a drink other than these, for example, beverages, such as a tea drink, etc., even if it drinks for a long time in a container, it is necessary to sterilize the drink contents. This sterilization action is performed by keeping the beverage for a predetermined time in an environment of high temperature, for example, 80 ° C to 130 ° C. However, during sterilization, the beverage is exposed to high temperatures, thereby promoting oxidation by oxygen, in particular dissolved oxygen in the beverage, which oxidizes certain flavor components likewise, thereby impairing the flavor of the beverage.

In order to avoid damage to the flavor during such heat sterilization, for example, in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, a beverage containing milk or juice is replaced with an inert gas to reduce dissolved gas, particularly dissolved oxygen in the beverage. These drinks are sterilized in a state. In such a case, since dissolved oxygen in the beverage at the time of heat sterilization is reduced, it is possible to minimize the damage to the flavor of the beverage by oxidation (for example, JP-A-10-295341 ( Fig. 1) or Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-78665 (Fig. 1).

By the way, when dissolved gas, especially dissolved oxygen, is removed in the beverage, for example, when the beverage is replaced by an inert gas, or when the beverage is passed through a deaerator having a decompression chamber as described above. There are a large number of bubbles generated in the beverage or on the liquid level of the beverage. In particular, when the beverage substituted by the inert gas contains proteins and / or sugars, extremely large amounts of bubbles are formed by these components. In such a case, a large amount of bubbles may cause a portion of the beverage to overflow from the storage tank, and at the same time, it becomes physically difficult to pass the beverage through the piping system, and thus it is impossible to supply a predetermined amount of beverage to the post process. In addition, even if a beverage containing bubbles can be supplied to a later step, these bubbles may be attached to an apparatus of a later step, for example, a sterilizer or the like, to significantly lower the function and processing efficiency of these devices. In addition, there is a fear that the gas once degassed, especially oxygen, is dissolved in the beverage again. On the other hand, in order to avoid supplying a large amount of bubbles with the beverage to the post-process, for example, the pressure in the decompression chamber in the deaerator above is higher than usual or the amount of inert gas used for replacement is reduced. In this case, it is conceivable to suppress the generation of bubbles, but in this case, the amount of degassed from the beverage of the dissolved gas in the beverage is not preferable.

It is also possible to extract the beverage from the lower surface of the buffer tank and to supply it to the subsequent step while leaving only the bubbles above the buffer tank while the beverage after substitution with the inert gas is stored in another buffer tank, for example. . However, the gas in the bubble is unnecessary as a beverage, but since the membrane forming the bubble itself is part of the beverage, the liquid portion of this membrane needs to be supplied as a beverage to the post process. In particular, in the case where the component of the beverage forming the membrane of the bubble is different from the component of the beverage in the liquid portion which does not form the membrane, the component and flavor of the beverage as the final product may differ from the originally scheduled components and flavor.

Alternatively, it may be assumed that the bubbles in the beverage wait for their natural disappearance, and that the bubbles in the beverage are dissipated by spraying the liquid, but in this case, the gas which is degassed once in a short time and does not obtain a sufficient bubble removal effect, Since it may melt | dissolve again in a drink, it cannot be employ | adopted in a normal drink production line.

Accordingly, the present inventors have conducted extensive studies to overcome the above problems, and found that it is sufficient to degas the dissolved gas in the beverage and separate the membrane and the gas inside from the bubbles generated in the beverage during the degassing action. The beverage production method and the beverage production apparatus were constructed, and the present invention was completed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a beverage production method which can eliminate bubbles formed in a beverage without impairing the flavor of the beverage and to reduce dissolved oxygen in the beverage, and a beverage production apparatus for implementing the method.

In order to achieve the above object, according to 1st Embodiment, the beverage manufacturing method which provided the bubble-breaking process after the degassing process of a drink is provided.

That is, according to the first embodiment, the dissolved gas in the beverage can be reduced, and the gas in the film forming bubbles generated during degassing and the liquid forming the film of bubbles can be separated. In addition, by recovering the liquid that has formed the bubble film as a beverage, bubbles formed in the beverage can be eliminated without impairing the flavor of the beverage and dissolved oxygen in the beverage can be reduced. In addition, in this invention, since the film | membrane of foam | bubble is actively broken, the bubble removal effect can also be acquired in extremely short time.

According to 2nd Embodiment, in 1st Embodiment, the gas discharge process was further provided after the said breaking process.

In other words, according to the second embodiment, the gas generated from the beverage can be discharged reliably. As a result, the gas once degassed can be prevented from dissolving again in the beverage, and the dissolved oxygen in the beverage can be reduced more reliably.

According to 3rd Embodiment, in 1st Embodiment and 2nd Embodiment, the sterilization process of the said drink was further provided.

That is, according to the third embodiment, even when the sterilization action is performed by heat treatment, the dissolved oxygen in the dissolved gas in the beverage at the time of heating can be reduced to oxidize the component in the beverage. This can further prevent the flavor of the beverage from being impaired.

According to 4th Embodiment, in any one of 1st Embodiment-3rd Embodiment, the dissolved oxygen amount in the drink after the said degassing process was made to be 0.5 ppm or less.

That is, according to the fourth embodiment, the dissolved oxygen in the beverage can be optimally prevented from oxidizing the components in the beverage as described above.

According to the fifth embodiment, in any one of the first to fourth embodiments, the beverage is a beverage having a foaming property.

That is, according to the fifth embodiment, the dissolved gas in the beverage can be degassed from the beverage satisfactorily and the film of bubbles can be satisfactorily broken.

According to 6th Embodiment, the beverage manufacturing apparatus provided with the degassing means of a drink and the bubble breaking means of a bubble is provided.

That is, according to the sixth embodiment, the dissolved gas in the beverage can be reduced, and the gas in the film forming the bubbles generated during degassing and the liquid forming the film of bubbles can be separated. In addition, by recovering the liquid that forms the film of bubbles as a beverage, bubbles formed in the beverage can be eliminated without impairing the flavor of the beverage. In addition, since the film | membrane of foam | bubble is broken actively in this invention, a bubble removal effect can be acquired in extremely short time.

According to the seventh embodiment, in the sixth embodiment, the gas discharge means is further provided.

That is, according to the seventh embodiment, the gas generated from the beverage can be discharged reliably.

As a result, the gas once degassed can be prevented from being dissolved in the beverage again, and the dissolved oxygen in the beverage can be reduced more reliably.

According to the eighth embodiment, the sixth embodiment and the seventh embodiment further include sterilization means for the beverage.

That is, according to the eighth embodiment, even when the sterilization action is carried out by heat treatment, it is possible to reduce the amount of dissolved oxygen in the dissolved gas in the beverage oxidizing the component in the beverage during heating. This can further prevent the flavor of the beverage from being impaired.

According to the ninth embodiment, in any one of the sixth to eighth embodiments, the degassing means includes at least one of a deaerator, an inert gas stripping unit, and a static mixer.

That is, according to the ninth embodiment, the dissolved gas in the beverage can be degassed from the beverage satisfactorily.

According to the tenth embodiment, in any one of the sixth to ninth embodiments, the breaking means is a pump capable of breaking the membrane of bubbles.

That is, according to 10th embodiment, the film | membrane of the bubble in a drink can be broken favorably.

According to each invention, the common effect that foam | bubble formed in a drink can be eliminated without spoiling the flavor of a drink can be provided.

In addition, according to the second embodiment, it is possible to provide the effect that the gas generated from the beverage can be reliably discharged.

According to the third embodiment, even when the sterilization action is performed by heat treatment, the effect that dissolved oxygen in the dissolved gas in the beverage can be oxidized during heating can be reduced.

Further, according to the fourth embodiment, it is possible to provide an effect that the dissolved oxygen can be optimally prevented from oxidizing a component in the beverage.

In addition, according to the fifth embodiment, the dissolved gas in the beverage can be degassed from the beverage satisfactorily to provide an effect that the membrane of bubbles can be satisfactorily broken.

According to the seventh embodiment, it is possible to provide the effect that the gas generated from the beverage can be reliably discharged.

In addition, according to the eighth embodiment, even when the sterilization action is carried out by heat treatment, it is possible to provide an effect that the dissolved oxygen in the dissolved gas in the beverage can be oxidized in the beverage during heating.

Further, according to the ninth embodiment, it is possible to provide the effect that the dissolved gas in the beverage can be degassed from the beverage satisfactorily.

In addition, according to the tenth embodiment, it is possible to provide the effect that the film of bubbles in the beverage can be satisfactorily broken.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiment of this invention is described with reference to an accompanying drawing. In the following drawings, like reference numerals refer to like elements. In order to facilitate understanding, these figures have been appropriately changed in scale.

1 is a schematic view of a beverage production apparatus based on the present invention. In the beverage production apparatus 20 of FIG. 1, a combination tank 1 for combining beverages therein is shown on the left side of FIG. 1. In the present invention, the beverage to be combined in the combination tank 1 is preferably a beverage having a foaming property, and examples thereof include coffee, tea beverages, soft drinks, shochu-based beverages, and the like. It is not limited to these. The combination tank 1 is connected to the degassing means 3 via the liquid feed pump 2 by the beverage piping 24 shown by the solid line in FIG. The degassing means 3 serves to escape dissolved gas, such as dissolved oxygen, dissolved in the beverage from the inside of the beverage to the outside of the beverage (hereinafter referred to as "degassing"). The degassing means 3 shown in FIG. 1 assumes the inert gas stripping part which reduces the amount of dissolved gas, especially dissolved oxygen, of a beverage by supplying inert gas, for example, nitrogen gas, inside a beverage. Therefore, the degassing means 3 shown in FIG. 1 is connected to the inert gas supply part 4 by the inert gas line 21. As the degassing means 3, a degassing apparatus having a decompression chamber therein may be employed. In this case, dissolved gas in the beverage escapes out of the beverage when passing the beverage through the decompression chamber. Or it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a static mixer can be employed as the degassing means 3. That is, all other mechanisms capable of escaping the dissolved gas inside the beverage to the outside of the beverage can be employed as the degassing means 3. Therefore, according to the kind of degassing means 3 used, the inert gas supply part 4 and the inert gas line 21 can be excluded, and the vacuum pump 7 and vacuum line 23 which are mentioned later are degassing means. You may connect to (3).

In FIG. 1, the degassing means 3 is connected to the breaking means 5 by a pipe 24. The breaking means 5 serves to break the film of bubbles formed in the degassing means 3 as described later. Since the wave breaking means 5 shown in FIG. 1 assumes the wave pump mentioned later in detail, the wave breaking means 5 is a vacuum pump 7 via the drain separator 6 by the vacuum line 23 shown with the dotted line. Connected to In this embodiment, the discharging means is composed of a drain separator 6 and a vacuum pump 7. By the discharge means, it is possible to reliably discharge the gas generated from the beverage. Moreover, the pressure gauges 13 and 14 are provided between the degassing means 3 and the breaking means 5, and between the breaking means 5 and the inert gas displacement tank 8 mentioned later, and the breaking means 5 It is possible to measure the pressure in the pipe 24 at the front and rear ends of the pipe. As shown, a pressure gauge 18 is provided in the vacuum line 23. As in the case of the degassing means 3 described above, all other mechanisms capable of breaking the bubble film can be employed as the degassing means 5, and depending on the type of the degassing means 5, the drain separator 6 and the vacuum pump can be employed. (7), any one of the inert gas line 21 and the pressure gauges 13, 14, and 18 may be excluded.

As shown in FIG. 1, the breaking means 5 is connected to the inert gas replacement tank 8 by a pipe 24. The inert gas replacement tank 8 is connected to the inert gas supply part 4 by another inert gas line 22, and inert gas, for example, nitrogen, is supplied into the inert gas replacement tank 8. Alternatively, the lower part of the inert gas replacement tank 8 is connected to the sterilizing means 10 via the liquid feeding pump 9 by the pipe 24. In the sterilization means 10, the beverage can be held only for a predetermined time at a predetermined temperature. Subsequently, the sterilized beverage is supplied to the filling section 11 and filled in a container such as a can, a bottle, a plastic bottle, a paper pack, or the like.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the flowmeters 12, 15 are provided between the liquid feed pump 2 and the degassing means 3 and between the liquid feed pump 9 and the sterilization means 10. It is possible to measure the flow rate of the beverage in the). In addition, as shown, the flowmeters 16 and 17 are provided in the inert gas lines 21 and 22, respectively, and the flow volume of the inert gas which flows in these inert gas lines 21 and 22, for example, nitrogen, is measured. I can do it.

In the operation of the beverage production apparatus 20, the beverage combined in the combination tank 1 is supplied from the combination tank 1 to the degassing means 3 by the liquid feeding pump 2. Next, in the degassing means 3, dissolved gas, such as dissolved oxygen, in the beverage is degassed. As an example, the case where the inert gas stripping part shown in FIG. 1 is used as the degassing means 3 is demonstrated. In this case, the degassing means 3 is in the form of a tank, and beverages are accumulated in this tank. Next, an inert gas, for example nitrogen, in the inert gas supply part 4 is supplied into the beverage of the degassing means 3 via the inert gas line 21. As a result, the beverage is replaced by an inert gas. At this time, dissolved gas, such as dissolved oxygen, in the beverage is absorbed into the bubbles of the inert gas. In addition, since bubbles of the inert gas float up to the liquid level of the beverage in the state containing the dissolved gas, the amount of dissolved gas in the beverage is greatly reduced after the beverage is replaced by the inert gas.

However, when an inert gas stripping portion that substitutes by an inert gas is employed as the degassing means 3, bubbles of inert gas containing dissolved gas do not disappear after rising to the liquid level near the beverage, and the beverage is bubbled. It stays on or below the face of. In addition, when the substitution by the inert gas is carried out continuously, the number of bubbles of the inert gas including the dissolved gas is continuously increased. Therefore, these bubbles are deposited in a relatively thick layer mainly on the liquid level of the beverage. When another method, for example, a deaerator or a static mixer is employed as the deaeration means 3, a layer made of bubbles is similarly formed regardless of whether or not an inert gas is used.

However, when such a layer of bubbles is formed on the liquid level of the beverage, it becomes difficult to supply the beverage to the post process, and the bubbles are attached inside the post process apparatus, for example, the sterilizing means 10, There is a case of impairing the function of the device.

In addition, although the gas inside a bubble is not needed as a drink, the part of the film | membrane which forms a bubble is needed as a drink, and when these bubbles are removed with the film | membrane of a bubble, the component of the final drink and the flavor originally planned for And may differ from the flavor. For this reason, in this invention, the blowing means 5 for breaking the film | membrane of the bubble formed in the degassing means 3 is provided in the downstream side of the degassing means 3. As shown in FIG. In addition, in order to properly supply the beverage from the degassing means 3 to the desorption means 5, the inner diameter of the pipe 24 between the degassing means 3 and the desorption means 5 is made larger than other parts, or the desorption means (5) is preferably arranged adjacent to the degassing means (3).

2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the breaking device as an example in the beverage production apparatus of the present invention. The blistering means 5 shown in FIG. 2 have the form of a blister pump 5 for breaking, ie, breaking, the above-mentioned film of bubbles. As shown in FIG. 2, the inlet part 32 and the outlet part 33 are provided in the substantially cylindrical casing 31 of the swash pump 5. The inlet part 32 is connected to the degassing means 3 by the piping 24 shown in FIG. 1, and is connected to the inert gas displacement tank 8 by the outlet part 33 piping 24. As shown in FIG. In addition, a suction port 35 is formed in the casing 31, and the suction port 35 has a drain separator 6 and a vacuum pump 7 constituting the discharge means by the vacuum line 23 shown in FIG. 1. Connected to As shown in FIG. 2, the wave pump 5 is equipped with the rotating shaft part 41 in the casing 31, and the front end 43 of the rotating shaft part 41 is arrange | positioned so that the suction port 35 may face. The inside of the casing 31 is divided into the 1st chamber 37 and the 2nd chamber 38 by the partition member 36. As shown in FIG. The base end of the rotating shaft portion 41 protrudes from the casing 31 via the bearing 34 and is connected to the motor 49. As shown in the drawing, the separating vanes 42 are provided in the first chamber 37 located on the tip 43 side of the rotary shaft 41, and the second chamber located on the proximal end of the rotary shaft 41. Main blade vanes 44 are provided at 38. In the second chamber 38, a plurality of substantially L-shaped inducers 45 are provided between the separating blade 42 and the main wing vehicle 44.

When the wave pump 5 operates, the rotating shaft portion 41 rotates by the motor 49. In addition, a beverage including a plurality of bubbles is supplied from the inlet portion 32 into the second chamber 38 of the paw pump 5. Since the rotating shaft portion 41 with the inducer 45 is rotating, the liquid portion of the beverage containing a large amount of bubbles is accumulated in the inner circumferential surface portion 48 of the cylindrical casing 31 by centrifugal force. . On the other hand, since the central portion of the cylindrical casing 31, that is, around the rotation shaft portion 41 becomes negative pressure, the bubble portion in the beverage is concentrated around the rotation shaft portion 41. In addition, since the suction port 35 is connected to the vacuum line 23, bubbles concentrated around the rotation shaft portion 41 pass through the gap 40 between the partition member 36 and the rotation shaft portion 41 in the second chamber. It moves to the 1st chamber 37 from 38. FIG. In the first chamber 37, the separating blades 42 are rotated around the rotary shaft portion 41, and in these separation blades 42, a plurality of holes 46 are distal from the base end of the rotary shaft portion 41. It is formed in the direction toward (). When the bubble moved into the first chamber 37 is sucked toward the suction port 35, the bubble passes through the hole 46 of the separation blade 42. At this time, when the bubble collides with the inner wall of the hole 46, the film forming the bubble breaks. As a result, the bubbles are separated into a liquid forming a film of bubbles and a gas trapped in the film of bubbles. Next, these liquids and gases move through the holes 46 to the vicinity of the suction port 35 in the first chamber 37. Only a gas having a relatively small mass is sucked through the suction port 35 and relatively The large liquid of mass stays in the first chamber 37. Then, these liquids return to the second chamber 38 again through the gap 39 between the first chamber 37 and the second chamber 38 appearing in the lower part of FIG. 2. Finally, the liquid part of the beverage in the 2nd chamber 38 flows out from the outlet part 33 by the main wing vehicle 44, and is supplied to the inert gas substitution tank 8 shown in FIG. By completely discharging the gas by the discharging means, it is possible to reliably prevent the gas once degassed from being dissolved again. Moreover, although a vacuum pump is preferable as a discharge means, as long as it can discharge the gas which arose from the drink, what kind of structure may be sufficient.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the beverage passing through the breaking means 5 is supplied to the inert gas displacement tank 8 with almost no bubbles. As shown in the drawing, an inert gas, such as nitrogen, in the inert gas supply unit 4 is supplied to the upper portion of the inert gas replacement tank 8 through the inert gas line 22. If a gas containing oxygen, such as air, is present in the inert gas displacement tank 8, the beverage may be oxidized. However, by supplying an inert gas into the inert gas displacement tank 8, the beverage may come into contact with oxygen. Can be avoided, thereby avoiding oxidation of the beverage. In addition, in the case where re-dissolution of oxygen hardly occurs, an open tank may be used instead of the inert gas replacement tank.

 The beverage is then supplied to the sterilization means 10 at a predetermined flow rate by the liquid feeding pump 9. In the sterilization means 10, the beverage is held at a predetermined temperature, for example, 80 DEG C to 130 DEG C for about 1 to 20 minutes, whereby the beverage is sterilized. In the sterilization means 10, it is necessary to supply the beverage at a predetermined flow rate at the time of sterilization. However, since the inert gas replacement tank 8 described above can be used as a buffer tank, the beverage having a predetermined flow rate is applied to the sterilization means 10. We can supply reliably. When disinfecting a beverage by heat treatment, dissolved oxygen in the beverage may oxidize certain components in the beverage. However, in the present invention, the degassing means 3 reduces the dissolved gas of the beverage, in particular dissolved oxygen. It is possible to avoid oxidizing the beverage at the time. Finally, the beverage is supplied from the sterilization means 10 to the filling section 11 and filled in a container such as a can, a bottle, a plastic bottle, a paper pack, or the like.

In the blistering means 5 of this invention, for example, the blister pump 5 shown in FIG. 2, the membrane | membrane which forms the bubble contained in a drink is actively broken by the separating blade 42. As shown in FIG. In addition, the trapping means 5 separates the gas trapped in the membrane of the bubble from the liquid forming the membrane and recovers the liquid forming the membrane of the bubble together with the beverage. As described above, if the component of the beverage forming the membrane of the bubble is different from the component of the beverage of the liquid portion which does not form the membrane, there may be a problem in the component and flavor of the beverage as the final product. Since the liquid which formed the film | membrane of a bubble is collect | recovered as a drink, the bubble formed in a drink can be excluded and the dissolved gas in a drink can be reduced, without impairing the flavor of a drink. In addition, since the film | membrane which forms foam | bubble is actively fracture | ruptured in such a breaking means 5, the bubble removal effect can be acquired in a very short time. By doing this, this breaking means 5 is carried out without reducing the operation efficiency of a beverage production line. ) Can be added to the beverage production line. In addition, although the wave pump is shown as an example of the wave breaking means 5, the wave breaking means 5 is not limited to the above-mentioned wave pump, and includes all the forms which actively break the film | membrane which forms a bubble. do.

30 g of green tea leaves were extracted with 1050 g of 75 ° C. pure water for 5 minutes, the tea leaves were removed from the extract, cooled, centrifuged, and then L-ascorbic acid, sodium bicarbonate, pure water was added to Adjusted to L. Then, nitrogen (N ₂₎ for using an inert gas, the stripping section stripping means 3 is used as, and filled sealed under a nitrogen gas flow, and sterilizing means (10), 120 ℃, conditions of 1 minute in an inert gas Sterilization was carried out to obtain a product. Table 1 shows the dissolved oxygen amount, the amount of vitamin C, and the sensory evaluation at this time.

level Outgassing conditions  Dissolved oxygen (ppm) Vitamin C (ppm) Sensory evaluation One No outgassing action 7.93 350 △ 2 N ₂ 15 minutes stripping 1.76 399 ○ 3 N ₂ 60 minutes stripping 0.4 416 ◎

◎: Very good, ○: Good, △: Normal, ×: Poor

In the case of "level 1" which does not perform degassing by the degassing means 3, the dissolved oxygen of the final beverage was about 8 ppm. As shown in "Level 2" in Table 1, dissolved oxygen is approximately 1.8 ppm when stripping with nitrogen is carried out for 15 minutes, and stripping with nitrogen is carried out for 60 minutes as shown in "Level 3". The dissolved oxygen of was about 0.4 ppm. In other words, it can be seen that the more the degassing by the degassing means 3, in this case, stripping with nitrogen gas over a longer time, the lower the dissolved oxygen in the beverage. In addition, the quantity of vitamin C is the lowest in the case of "level 1" which does not perform degassing, and it can be estimated that vitamin C was reduced by oxidative decomposition in the post-degassing process, especially sterilization process after degassing. On the other hand, in the case of "level 2" and "level 3" which reduced dissolved oxygen, the fall of vitamin C is suppressed, and in the case of "level 3" which has little dissolved oxygen, the fall of vitamin C is lower than in the case of "level 2". Is less. In the sensory evaluation, more vitamin C resulted in better results. In this case, when dissolved oxygen is about 0.4 ppm and a little space is taken, it turns out that when the amount of dissolved oxygen is 0.5 ppm or less, the beverage of a sensory superior quality can be obtained.

In addition, Table 2 has shown the amount of dissolved oxygen in the bubble pump (before the bubble means 5) when normal water is employ | adopted as a drink. In Table 2, an inert gas stripping part using nitrogen (N ₂ ) as the inert gas was used as the degassing means (3). The amount of dissolved oxygen before passing the beverage through this degassing means 3 was 7.91 ppm.

Before paw pump Drink flow rate (L / min) 10 20 30 N ₂ Flow rate (L / min) 10 0.36 0.7 10.75 1.08 14 0.23 0.34

Unit ppm

When the flow rate of the drink and the flow rate of nitrogen in the degassing means 3 were changed in various ways as shown in Table 2, it turns out that the larger the flow volume of a drink, the larger the dissolved oxygen amount. This is presumably because the residence time in the degassing means 3 of a drink becomes small when a beverage flow volume is large, and since dissolved oxygen cannot fully be substituted. On the other hand, when nitrogen flow rate is large, since substitution is accelerated | stimulated, the amount of dissolved oxygen in a drink becomes small.

After paw pump Drink flow rate (L / min) 10 20 30 N ₂ Flow rate (L / min) 10 0.27 0.26 10.75 0.57 14 0.27 0.29

Unit ppm

Table 3 has shown the amount of dissolved oxygen after the bubble pump (after the foaming means 5) of the drink on the conditions similar to Table 2. Since the wave pump is connected to the vacuum line 23 from the vacuum pump 7, it turns out that compared with the case of Table 2, although the amount of dissolved oxygen is small, it tends to fall. Further, another embodiment when the inert gas stripping section using nitrogen (N ₂ ) as the inert gas is used as the degassing means 3 will be described. A green tea combination liquid having a dissolved oxygen amount of about 8 ppm is supplied from the combination tank 1 to the degassing means 3 by the liquid feeding pump 2. The flow rate of nitrogen in the degassing means 3 is 10 L / min, and the flow volume of a drink is 20 L / min. Next, only 10 L of the 10-L measuring cylinder for 10 L was collected after the blistering process was performed about the bubble pump employ | adopted as the foaming means 5. Table 4 has shown the ratio of the dissolved oxygen amount and the bubble at this time (foam height / height of a measuring cylinder in a measuring cylinder).

Dissolved oxygen (ppm)  Bubble (bubble height / mass cylinder height) Before paw pump 0.27 0.49 After paw pump 0.23 0

As shown in Table 4, before supplying to the degassing means 3, the amount of dissolved oxygen in the beverage, which is 8 ppm, drops to 0.27 ppm after passing the degassing means 3 (before the papo pump), and even after the papo pump is small. However, it is lowered and finally reaches 0.23 ppm. In addition, since the bubble height in a measuring cylinder is 22 cm and the measuring cylinder height is 45 cm before a bubble pump, the ratio of foam height is about 0.49. On the other hand, since a bubble height is Ocm after a bubble pump, the ratio of bubble height becomes zero. In other words, it can be seen that the bubble in the beverage can be almost completely eliminated by the bubble pump in this case, that is, by the treatment in the breakout means 5.

Caffeine (ppm) EGCG (ppm) Sensory results Before treatment 82 179 ◎ After treatment 82 180 ◎

◎: Very good, ○: Good, △: Normal, ×: Poor

 In addition, Table 5 shows the amount of the epigallo catechin gallate (hereinafter referred to as "EGCG") of caffeine and catechins in the beverage, that is, the caffeine and the catechins in the green tea combination solution before the treatment in the degassing means and the defoamer means. The result measured by liquid chromatography is shown. As can be seen from Table 5, the amount of caffeine and EGCG related to the flavor was not changed before and after the treatment. Also in the sensory results, very good sensory results were obtained in either case. That is, in the breaking means 5 of this invention, since the film | membrane of a bubble is broken and the liquid which formed the film | membrane of a bubble is collect | recovered, the sensory result based on the component and flavor of a drink is not impaired, and it is in the extremely favorable state. . That is, the components and flavors of the beverage are not impaired by the breaking means 5 of the present invention.

1 is a schematic diagram of a beverage production apparatus based on one embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the breaking device as an example in the beverage production apparatus of the present invention.

** Description of symbols for the main parts of the drawing **

1 combination tank

2 liquid pump

3 Degassing means

4 inert gas supply

5 Breaking means

6 drain separator

7 vacuum pump

8 inert gas displacement tank

9 fluid pump

10 Sterilization Means

11 live parts

12, 15, 16, 17 flow meter

13, 14, 18 pressure gauge

20 beverage making equipment

21, 22 inert gas line

23 vacuum lines

24 Beverage Lines

Claims (14)

After the degassing of the beverage, And a bubble breaking step of the bubble formed by the degassing step, wherein the bubble step returns the liquid, which has formed a film of bubbles, to the beverage. The beverage production method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of discharging a gas after the blistering step. The beverage production method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising sterilizing the beverage. The beverage production method according to claim 1, wherein the amount of dissolved oxygen in the beverage after the degassing step is 0.5 ppm or less. The beverage production method according to claim 3, wherein the amount of dissolved oxygen in the beverage after the degassing step is 0.5 ppm or less. The method of claim 1 wherein the beverage is a foamy beverage. 6. The method of claim 5 wherein the beverage is a foamy beverage. And a degassing means for bubbles formed when degassing the beverage by the degassing means, and the degassing means includes means for returning the liquid, which has formed a film of bubbles, to the beverage. . The beverage production apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising gas discharge means. The beverage production apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, further comprising sterilization means for the beverage. The beverage production apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the degassing means employs any of a deaerator, an inert gas stripping unit, and a static mixer as the degassing means. The beverage production apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the degassing means employs any of a deaerator, an inert gas stripping unit, and a static mixer as the degassing means. The beverage production apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the breaking means is a pump capable of breaking the membrane of bubbles. 13. The beverage production apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the foaming means is a pump capable of breaking the membrane of bubbles.

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