TWI638606B - Low pH beverage - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for improving the taste of a low pH beverage containing a bitter substance.

In the present invention, by adding glycerin, the taste of a beverage containing a bitter substance and having a pH of 4.0 or less can be improved.

Description

Low pH beverage

The present invention relates to a beverage having improved flavor deterioration and a low pH. More specifically, the present invention relates to a beverage having a pH of 4.0 or less, which is capable of improving the monotonization of flavor quality and reducing the disadvantages such as bitterness and complexity.

Although bitterness is one of the five basic tastes, most poisons are a bitter taste and can be used as a signal for harmful substances, generally a repellent taste. However, it is known that a strong preference is obtained by forming a "habit" through a continuous diet, and there is a characteristic bitterness among the preferred beverages. For example, green tea, coffee, beer, and the like each have a characteristic bitter taste. Thus, bitterness is one of the important factors determining the flavor characteristics of a palatable beverage.

Recently, almost non-alcoholic, so-called beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverages have been popular. Among them, the alcohol content is less than 0.01%, and the product labeled "0.00% alcohol" has attracted special attention and even evolved into a new beverage genre. These non-alcoholic beer-flavored drinks (including those marked with "0.00% alcohol") also have a bitter taste such as iso-alpha acid, which is one of the bitter-sweet ingredients contained in hops, and bring out the flavor of the whole beverage. The flavor of love.

On the other hand, since the non-alcohol beer-flavored beverage contains almost no alcohol, there is a problem that various microorganisms are easily proliferated. In order to inhibit the proliferation of microorganisms, there is a method for increasing the intensity of heat sterilization. However, if the pH of the beverage is lowered, the intensity of the enhanced heat sterilization becomes unnecessary, so many non-alcohol beer flavored beverages are adjusted to lower the pH (for example, less than pH 4.0). . Further, the beer-based cocktail prepared by blending the juice in the beer-flavored beverage has a bitter taste derived from the beer-flavored beverage, and on the other hand, the pH of the whole beverage is lowered due to the organic acid contained in the juice.

As described above, in a low-pH beverage containing a bitter substance, the acidity caused by bitterness and low pH is not coordinated, and the sharp acidity is sometimes marked by acid, or the flavor of the whole beverage is monotonous, and the production is set as desired. Design quality has become quite difficult. In particular, recently popular low-calorie or zero-sugar beverages have been considerably limited due to the amount of materials that can be dispensed, and the overall flavor of the beverage has become weaker, and the deterioration of taste has become a major problem.

Regarding the problem of the flavor of the beverage accompanying such incompatibility between bitterness and sourness, several techniques for solving the problem mainly in beer flavored beverages have been disclosed. Patent Document 1 discloses that in a non-fermented beer-flavored malt beverage having a pH of less than 4.0 by using a pH adjuster, by presenting a nucleic acid-based seasoning component, it is possible to reduce and slow down the strong unpleasant sourness caused by the pH adjuster. At the same time, the flavor of the beer-flavored beverage can be adjusted. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses that a fermentation product is not subjected to a fermentation step, and a sweetener, a sour material, a bitter material, and a fragrance are added, and the like is completely excluded. A non-alcohol beer-flavored beverage in the form of alcohol, by using a specific sour material and sodium gluconate in combination, can produce a non-alcohol beer-flavored beverage capable of suppressing the sweetness, sourness, and bitterness unbalance.

Patent Document 1: Special Publication 2011-072228

Patent Document 2: JP-A-2011-217706

As described above, when the pH of the beverage is lowered, the flavor of the beverage may become monotonous or the acidity caused by the acid may become too strong. In particular, when a beverage containing a bitter substance such as a beer-flavored beverage or a beer-based cocktail is used to lower the pH of the beverage, it is technically difficult to maintain the overall flavor of the beverage.

In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, the present invention provides a beverage which is provided in a beverage containing a bitter substance and has a pH of 4.0 or less, and which is excellent in sharp acidity, and which is monotonous in the flavor of the entire beverage, and a method for producing the same. .

The inventors of the present invention conducted a focused review on related topics, and found that a beverage containing a bitter substance and having a pH of 4.0 or less can solve the above-mentioned taste problem by blending a trace amount of glycerin, thereby giving a favorite micro The bitterness, increasing the complexity and depth of the aroma, completes the present invention.

That is, although the present invention is not limited to such contents, the present invention includes The following method.

(1) A beverage comprising 1 to 3500 ppm of glycerin and a bitter substance, and having a pH of 4.0 or less.

(2) The beverage according to (1), wherein the bitter substance is one or more selected from the group consisting of naringin, lignin, caffeine, and a component derived from hops.

(3) The beverage according to (2), wherein the component derived from the hop is an alpha acid and/or an isoalpha acid.

(4) The beverage according to any one of (1) to (3), which further comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, phosphoric acid, and tartaric acid. .

(5) A beverage according to any one of (1) to (4), which is a malt beverage.

(6) The beverage according to any one of (1) to (5), which contains carbon dioxide gas.

(7) The beverage according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the soluble solid content of the beverage is 0.1 to 5 degrees.

(8) A beverage according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the alcohol content is less than 0.01%.

(9) A method for producing a beverage comprising blending 1 to 3500 ppm of glycerin and containing a bitter substance, and having a pH of 4.0 or less.

(10) A method for improving taste of a beverage comprising blending 1 to 3500 ppm of glycerin and containing a bitter substance, and having a pH of 4.0 or less.

According to the present invention, for a beverage containing a bitter substance and having a pH of 4.0 or less, the sharpness of the sharp sourness can be improved, and the monotonization of the overall flavor of the beverage can be disadvantageous. Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to impart a slightly bitter taste to the beverage and increase the complexity and depth of the flavor.

The beverage of the present invention is characterized by containing glycerin and a bitter substance and having a pH of 4.0 or less.

glycerin

The beverage of the present invention contains 1 to 3,500 ppm of glycerin. Glycerol is a trivalent alcohol represented by the molecular formula of C ₃ H ₈ O ₃ , which is also called glycerol. It is a colorless, transparent, viscous liquid that is soluble in water and ethanol. It is widely used as a coloring agent, a solvent, a solvent, a moisturizer for dry foods and biscuits, a softener for chewing gum, and a softener for foods and pharmaceuticals. Raw materials such as emulsifiers such as glycerin fatty acid esters.

Glycerin is widely used for the purpose of extracting a solvent, a humectant, a softener, etc., but in the present invention, a small amount of glycerin of 1 to 3,500 ppm is used for a beverage containing a bitter substance and having a pH of 4.0 or less. It can be used to improve the taste. In addition, since a small amount of glycerin does not significantly increase the viscosity of the beverage, it will not damage the setting even if it is blended in a small amount in the beverage. This is a feature that is lacking in the prior art and is very excellent.

The amount of glycerin which can be blended in the beverage of the present invention is in the range of 1 to 3,500 ppm, and the quality characteristics of the beverage are not particularly limited and can be determined. In the present invention, the amount of glycerin can be used in a smaller amount than the extraction solvent, humectant or softener used in the prior art. For example, in one embodiment, the amount of glycerin may be 1 to 2000 ppm, 10 to 2000 ppm, or further 50 to 1500 ppm in the beverage. Moreover, when the amount of glycerin is too large, there is a possibility that the viscosity of the beverage is too large, and the design quality may be deteriorated.

As a method of measuring the amount of the glycerin to be added to the beverage, any one of known methods such as HPLC can be used. One of the analysis methods is preferably an F-reagent group (manufactured by Roche Medical Diagnostics Co., Ltd.).

Bitter substance

In the present invention, the bitter substance may be a substance which can be perceived as a bitter taste in a beverage, and specific examples thereof include naringin, bitter lignin, caffeine, and components derived from hops, and naringin, Bitter lignin is better.

The bitter substance component derived from hops may be an isoalpha acid or an alpha acid, and more preferably an isoalpha acid. The ingredients from hops can be blended with extracts from hops, and can also be formulated with commercially available iso-alpha and alpha acids. The method of extracting hops can be used without any limitation as long as it is a well-known technique. Further, one or two or more kinds of bitter substances may be used in combination.

The amount of bitter substance that can be adjusted in the present invention can be used according to the target beverage. The design quality can be set freely, and can be 0.05 to 50 ppm or 0.1 to 30 ppm in the beverage.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the naringin is preferably 0.1 to 50 ppm, more preferably 1 to 30 ppm, and most preferably 1 to 20 ppm. When blending bitter lignin, it is preferably 0.05 to 10 ppm, more preferably 0.1 to 10 ppm, and most preferably 0.1 to 5 ppm. When the caffeine is blended, it is preferably 0.1 to 50 ppm, more preferably 1 to 30 ppm, and most preferably 1 to 20 ppm. When the ingredients derived from hops are blended in the beverage, the total amount of the hop components is preferably 0.1 to 20 ppm, more preferably 1 to 20 ppm, and most preferably 1 to 15 ppm.

The content of each of the above bitter substances can be measured by any of known methods such as HPLC.

pH

The pH of the beverage of the present invention is 4.0 or less. In general, the pH of the beverage is lowered by blending a sour substance or the like. According to the review by the team of the present invention, it has been found that in the beverage containing bitter substances, when the pH is 4.0 or less, the disadvantage of sharpness of sharp sourness and monotonization of the overall quality of the beverage becomes apparent, but according to the present invention, When a small amount of glycerin is formulated, the flavor of the beverage can be improved. Further, when the pH of the beverage is 3.8 or less, particularly when the pH is 3.5 or less, the effect of the present invention can be made larger. The lower limit of the pH is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to consider the balance of the flavor of the beverage to 2.8 or more.

The method of measuring pH can use a well-known method, for example, national tax can be used. The bureau stipulates the method described in the note to the analysis method. The measurement was carried out at 20 ° C using a pH meter (JIS Z 8805 glass electrode for pH measurement) in accordance with JIS Z 8802 pH measurement method.

In the present invention, when a beverage having a pH of 4.0 or less is prepared, various methods can be used. For example, various acids can be used to lower the pH. The acid to be used is not particularly limited as long as it is edible, and an organic acid such as hydrochloric acid or an organic acid may be used, but an organic acid is preferred. Specific examples thereof include organic acids such as citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, phosphoric acid, succinic acid, formic acid, pyroglutamic acid, and acetic acid, and acid substances such as citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, and phosphoric acid are preferred, and lemons are preferred. Acid and malic acid are better. Further, one or two or more kinds of sour materials may be used in combination.

The amount of the sour substance in the present invention can be freely set in accordance with the design quality of the beverage target. For example, the beverage may contain 100 to 7000 ppm or 200 to 5000 ppm. One of the embodiments is preferably when the citric acid is blended in the beverage, preferably from 100 to 7000 ppm, more preferably from 200 to 5,000 ppm. When malic acid is blended, it is preferably 100 to 7000 ppm, more preferably 200 to 5000 ppm.

In the method for measuring the content of the sour substance in the present invention, the HPLC method used in the following organic acid analysis system can be used. The organic acid analysis system uses an ion exclusion chromatograph to separate the organic acid, and then continuously adds a pH buffering reagent to the column elution solution to bring the pH value to a neutral vicinity and make the organic acid dissociated. The electrical conductivity was measured. In this manual, if not specified, the analysis is carried out under the following conditions:

(column) Shim-pack SCR-102H (8mm I.D×300 mmL, Ltd. Shimadzu Manufacturing Co., Ltd.). According to the sample, two columns are connected in a straight line. In addition, a protective column can be installed as needed, for example, SCR-102H (6mm I.D×50mmL, Shimadzu Corporation).

(column temperature) 45 ° C.

(mobile phase) 5 mM aqueous solution of p-toluenesulfonic acid.

(pH buffering reagent) A 5 mM p-toluenesulfonic acid aqueous solution containing 100 μM EDTA and 20 mM Bis-Tris.

(Flow rate) 0.8 mL/min.

(Detection) Measurement of electrical conductivity for detection.

The above conditions can be carried out using a commercially available HPLC system such as LC-10A (Shimadzu Corporation). As a standard liquid of various organic acids, for example, a commercially available carboxylic acid analysis reagent (manufactured by NACALAI TESQUE Co., Ltd.) can be diluted with appropriate distilled water to prepare a standard solution of several concentrations. The amount of organic acid in the sample was measured by a calibration line method.

Other raw materials

In the beverage of the present invention, the same sugars, various additives, and the like as those of the general beverage can be blended. Various additives such as spices, vitamins, pigments, antioxidants, emulsifiers, preservatives, seasonings, extracts, pH adjusters, quality stabilizers, etc. can be formulated.

Drink

The invention is applicable to a wide variety of beverages. Specific examples of such forms include malt beverages, carbonated beverages, low solute beverages, various alcoholic beverages, and non-alcoholic beverages.

The beverage of the present invention may be such that it contains a malt beverage derived from a malt ingredient. The malt beverage is a malt-based beverage, and may be an alcoholic beverage after fermentation, or may be a non-alcoholic beverage. Although the malt ingredient can impart a flavor to the beer wind of the beverage, it is suitable for use because it can impart a further subtle bitterness and flavor complexity obtained by blending glycerin of the present invention to a further depth.

In the present invention, the malt component can be obtained by extracting malt with hot water, for example, using wort or the like. Also included is a malt extract obtained in a production step such as beer, and a food additive such as a malt extract obtained by drying and roasting malt, extracting and concentrating the pulverized product. That is, the present invention is suitable for use in a malt beverage, and is also suitable for a malt fermented beverage such as beer or sparkling wine, and is also suitable for a malt beverage which is not fermented like an alcohol-free beer.

The beverage of the present invention can be produced as a carbonated beverage containing carbon dioxide gas. When the present invention is applied to a carbonated beverage, the bitterness-containing substance is added and the disadvantage of the taste of the low pH beverage is improved, and the carbonated beverage is better in the present invention because the irritating feeling due to carbon dioxide gas can be moderately moderated. An embodiment.

The carbon dioxide gas can be supplied to the beverage by a method known to those skilled in the art. For example, it is not limited to the examples, and the carbon dioxide can be dissolved in the beverage under pressure, and the carbonator of Zuhen Hargen can also be used. The agitator is used to mix carbon dioxide with the beverage in a pipe. Alternatively, the beverage may be absorbed into the tank filled with carbon dioxide to absorb carbon dioxide, or the beverage may be mixed with carbonated water. When a fermentation liquid like brewed wine is used as one of the raw materials, the carbon dioxide gas accompanying the fermentation can be added to the beverage. These methods can be suitably used to adjust the carbon dioxide gas pressure.

The carbonated beverage of the present invention preferably has a carbon dioxide gas pressure of 1.0 to 3.5 kg/cm ² , more preferably 1.2 to 2.5 kg/cm ² . In the present invention, the carbon dioxide gas pressure can be measured using a gas volume measuring device GVA-500A manufactured by Kyoto Electronics Industry. For example, the sample temperature is set to 20 ° C, and in the gas volume measuring device, the air in the container (balanced air pressure) is removed, and the shaking vibration is measured, and then the carbon dioxide gas pressure is measured.

Further, in the present invention, when the concentration of the soluble solid content (solute) contained in the beverage is low, an excellent effect can be exhibited. In the present specification, the beverage having a concentration of the soluble solid component of 5 or less is referred to as a "low solute beverage", and in the low solute beverage, the amount of the sugar and the juice is small, which may be difficult to produce. Aroma drink. In particular, beverages containing bitter substances and low pH values are difficult to conceal the poor taste of sharp sourness and monotonous taste. Even in such a case, according to the present invention, the low solute beverage is a preferred embodiment of the present invention because it can improve the flavor of the beverage without depending on components such as sugars and fruit juices.

The soluble solid content concentration of the low solute beverage referred to in the present invention is defined as the soluble solid content concentration (SS: Soluble Solid) of the beverage calculated based on the Brix value obtained using a sugar meter, a refractive index, or the like. The Brix value is the inflection rate measured at 20 ° C, based on The conversion table of ICUMSA (International Committee for the Analysis of Sugar Research) is converted to the mass/mass percentage of the sugar solution, indicating the concentration of soluble solids in the solution. Units are expressed in terms of "°Bx", "%" or "degree".

The non-alcoholic beverage can directly use the sugar value as the soluble solid content concentration. However, since the alcohol affects the inflection rate in the alcoholic beverage, the concentration of the soluble solid component can be calculated from the sugar value using the following formula.

. Soluble solid content concentration of beverage (SS) = MV-CV

[In the formula, MV (Measured Value) is the measured value of the sugar content of the beverage, and the CV (Calculated Value) is the sugar value of the alcohol solution of the same degree as the measured alcoholic value of the beverage]

Here, when the CV is obtained by diluting the neutral spirits as the alcoholic solution in pure water, the concentration of the soluble solid content of the beverage (SS) is determined by the relationship between "CV = 0.39 × measured alcohol value of the beverage". The system can be expressed by the following formula, and the formula can also be used when the alcohol degree is 0%.

. The soluble solid content of the beverage (SS) = MV-0.39 × the measured alcoholic value of the beverage

The low-melting-value beverage in this specification means that the SS is 5 degrees or less. When the SS is 0.1 to 5 degrees, the effect of improving the taste can be strongly felt. When the SS is 0.1 to 3 degrees, it is better to be more strongly felt to improve the taste.

Low-soluble beverages are expressed as "zero sugar, zero sugar, low calorie", that is, a beverage containing a low calorie form. And, "zero sugar, Zero-sugar, low-calorie, etc. are defined in terms of nutritional expression standards as defined by the Health Promotion Act. For example, the "zero sugar" label is a quantity of sugar (monosaccharide or disaccharide, non-sugar alcohol) contained in the beverage, which is added to less than 0.5 g per 100 g of the beverage.

Further, the present invention is applicable to non-alcoholic beverages, and can also be applied to alcoholic beverages (alcoholic beverages). Non-alcoholic beverages are quite suitable for the use of the alcohol degree analysis method described later, and the alcohol content is less than 0.01%. The beverages of this type include those in which the alcohol degree is expressed as 0.00%.

In this specification, alcohol is alcohol (alcohol) unless otherwise specified. In addition, the alcohol degree means the capacity % of the alcohol in the aqueous alcohol solution. Alcohol is loved for its refreshing flavor, and sometimes it is accused of the shortcomings of alcohol. When the beverage of the present invention is blended with alcohol and is an alcoholic beverage, the above-mentioned excellent effect is added, and the irritation caused by alcohol can be reduced.

The type of alcohol that can be used in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it can be used as a general alcohol. You can use distilled wine such as whiskey, vodka, rum, shouchu, and spirits, brewed wine such as Japanese sake, red wine, beer, and liqueur. A single type of alcohol may be used, and several types of alcohol may be used for the purpose of changing the flavor characteristics of the beverage of the present invention.

In the present invention, the degree of alcohol (% by volume) can be measured in accordance with the method described in the analysis method prescribed by the Japan National Taxation Bureau (Amendment No. 6 of the IRS Administrative Decree No. 6 of the National Taxation Bureau, June 22, 2009). Specifically, the following methods can be used for the addition and non-addition of sugars such as sucrose. Line measurement.

(In the case where a sample of a saccharide such as sucrose is not added) A sample bottle of 100 to 150 mL is accurately weighed at 15 ° C using a measuring flask. Then, the flask was transferred to a flask having a capacity of 300 to 500 mL, and the vial was washed twice with 15 mL of water, and the washing solution was also transferred to the flask. The measuring flask used for measuring the sample was directly heated and distilled as a container, and 70% or more of the amount of the sample was distilled, and then water was added to the original liquid at 15 ° C in the distillate, and the mixture was thoroughly mixed and used as an analytical sample.

(When a sample of a saccharide such as sucrose is added) The sample is analyzed by a steam evaporation method. That is, the measuring bottle is used to accurately measure 100 to 150 mL of the sample at 15 °C. Then, the mixture was transferred to a 500 mL two-necked flask, and the flask was washed twice with 15 mL of water, and the washing solution was also transferred to the flask. The measuring flask used for measuring the sample was subjected to steam distillation as a container, and after the amount of 98% or more was distilled off, water was added to the distillate to return to the original volume at 15 ° C, and the mixture was thoroughly mixed and used as an analytical sample.

The analytical sample prepared according to the above method is used to measure the density at 15 ° C using a vibrating densitometer, and in the attached table of the aforementioned IRS analysis method, "Table 2 Alcohol content and density (15 ° C) and specific gravity (15/15) The °C) conversion table is converted to obtain the alcohol degree. As the vibrating densitometer, for example, a vibrating densitometer DA-310 manufactured by Kyoto Electronics Industry Co., Ltd. can be used.

The beverage of the present invention can be a container-packed beverage. Containers for packaging beverages are not particularly limited, such as resin containers such as PET bottles, paper containers such as paper boxes, glass containers such as glass bottles, metal containers such as aluminum cans and steel cans, and aluminum foil. A bag or the like may be used in any container which is generally used for a beverage composition.

Beverage manufacturing method

From another point of view, the invention is a method of making a beverage. The method is characterized in that 1 to 3500 ppm of glycerin is formulated in a beverage containing a bitter substance and having a pH of 4.0 or less. The form and method of adding glycerin are not particularly limited, and glycerin or a glycerin-containing article may be added as a raw material at any time during the production step.

In the manufacture of the beverage of the present invention, the method of blending the raw materials is not limited. For example, the raw materials can be formulated into a beverage using a well-known method. The sterilization, container packaging and the like can be appropriately set up as needed. Preferably, the beverage of the present invention is made into a container-packed beverage after the filling step of the beverage, and can also be made into a sterilized container-packed beverage. For example, the beverage composition may be filled in a container, and then subjected to heat sterilization such as soft can sterilization or by sterilizing the beverage composition and filling the container to produce a sterilized container-packed beverage.

More specifically, when a beverage packaged in a metal container such as a can is produced, the beverage composition of the present invention can be filled in a container in a predetermined amount, and then sterilized (for example, at 65 ° C for 10 minutes) to prepare a PET bottle. For cartons, glass bottles, canned beverages, and aluminum foil beverages, FP or UHT can be sterilized at 90 to 130 ° C for 1 to tens of seconds, and then filled according to the specified amount. When the beverage composition of the present invention is made into a container-packed beverage, either a PET bottle filling method or an aseptic filling method can be used.

Method for improving the taste of beverages

Further, from another viewpoint, the present invention is a method for improving the taste of a beverage containing a bitter substance and having a pH of 4.0 or less. The method is characterized in that 1 to 3500 ppm of glycerin is formulated in a beverage containing a bitter substance and having a pH of 4.0 or less.

By using the method of the present invention, the low-pH beverage containing the bitter substance is hardly changed in design quality, and the unpleasant taste of the beverage is improved, for example, the sharpness of the sharp sourness and the monotony of the whole flavor of the beverage are imparted thereto. The slightly bitter taste of the beverage increases the complexity and depth of the fragrance.

[Examples]

Hereinafter, the content of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples. In addition, unless otherwise specified, the numerical range in this specification is described by the point which contains the end point, and the ppm used for the quantity of the components of glycerol and bitter substance means the weight of the substance of the drink capacity (L) (mg Ratio (mg/L).

Example 1

The use of a commercially available non-alcoholic beverage confirms the effect of improving the aroma of glycerin.

(Preparation of beverages) The following beverages were used.

. Alcohol-free cocktail drink (some mood <Mediterranean lemon>, three Deli liquor system)

. Non-alcoholic beer flavored beverage (all free, all from Suntory)

Since the above-mentioned non-alcoholic cocktail drink did not contain a bitter substance, 10 ppm of naringin as a bitter substance and 1.5 ppm of lignin were added. The pH was 3.3, the gas pressure of the carbon dioxide gas was about 2.1 kg/cm ² , and the soluble solid content concentration (Brix value) was 0.4 degree.

Further, since the non-alcohol beer-flavored beverage uses malt, hops, and sour materials as raw materials, and contains a bitter substance derived from a malt component, the pH is 3.8, and the gas pressure of the carbon dioxide gas is about 2.1 kg/cm ² . Further, the soluble solid content concentration (Brix value) was 0.4 degree.

After adding anhydrous citric acid (made by F. F. I.) to a commercially available non-alcoholic cocktail drink and a commercially available non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage, the pH was adjusted to 2.6/2.9/. Five pH values, such as 3.2/3.5/3.8, were prepared as beverage samples (no glycerol added). Further, glycerin (food additive glycerin, manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) was prepared and made into a beverage sample (with added glycerin) at a concentration of 100 ppm in the beverage.

(Evaluation of Beverage) For each sample adjusted to each pH value, five trained special evaluators were used for sensory evaluation to investigate the effect of adding glycerin. For the sensory evaluation, the samples (without adding glycerin) and (with glycerin added) were evaluated from the viewpoints of "(1) strength of sourness" and "(2) highlight of sharp acidity). The evaluation criteria are as follows, and the average of 5 expert reviewers is obtained. No glycerin added When the difference between the average number of points of the sample and the average number of points of the sample to which glycerin is added is one point or more, it can be evaluated that the glycerin is added to obtain a greatly improved effect. In the following examples, it was judged that the same effect was obtained by the effect of adding glycerin.

(1) Strength of sourness: 5 points = very strong, 4 points = slightly strong, 3 points = strong, 2 points = only a little strong, 1 point = moderate.

(2) Sharp and sour taste: 5 points = can be strongly felt, 4 points = can be felt, 3 points = only a little feeling, 2 points = almost no feeling, 1 point = completely unfeelable.

Table 1 shows the results of the evaluation. The difference between the sample in which no glycerin was added and the sample in which glycerin was added was used as an improvement effect by adding glycerin. It is clear from the table that when the pH of the beverage is 3.8 or less, the two points of "(1) acidity intensity" and "(2) sharp acidity" are clearly found by adding glycerin. The fragrance improves the effect. For these samples, it was confirmed by sensory evaluation that a pleasant little bitterness was felt, and the complexity and depth of the overall flavor of the beverage were increased. That is, according to the present invention, it is clear that not only the quality improvement of the sour taste but also the flavor quality of the whole beverage can be improved. In addition, when the pH of the beverage is 2.9 to 3.8, the improvement effect by adding glycerin is particularly strongly found.

Example 2

The relationship between the flavor improving effect by glycerin and the glycerin concentration was evaluated using the same commercially available non-alcoholic beverage as in Example 1.

The commercially available non-alcoholic cocktail drink is added to the 10 ppm naringin as a bitter substance, and the non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage is added with anhydrous citric acid (made by F. F. I Co., Ltd.). The pH was adjusted to 3.2 (no glycerol added). Further, glycerin was blended to have a concentration in the beverage of 1/10/50/100/500/1000/1500/2000/3000 ppm, and it was prepared into a sample.

A five-person trained evaluator was used to conduct a sensory evaluation to investigate the effect of glycerin concentration in the beverage. The method of the sensory evaluation was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 from the viewpoints of "(1) strength of sourness" and "(2) protrusion of sharp acidity". The difference between the average value of the sample (without adding glycerin), that is, the sample of glycerin concentration of 0 ppm, and the average value of the sample of the glycerin added was used as the flavor improving effect of adding glycerin.

Table 2 shows the evaluation results. It is clear from the table that the sample having a glycerin concentration of 1 ppm or more in the beverage can be found to have a glycerin concentration of 10 ppm or more by adding a glycerin-scenting effect to the "(2) sharp acidity." For the "(1) the intensity of sourness" and "(2) the sharpness of the sharp sourness", the flavor improvement effect was clearly found. In particular, a sample having a glycerin concentration of 50 ppm or more in a beverage can be found to have a remarkable effect.

Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, it was confirmed by sensory evaluation that a pleasant slight bitterness was felt, and the complexity and depth of the overall flavor of the beverage were increased. That is, according to the present invention, it is clear that not only the quality improvement of the sour taste but also the flavor quality of the whole beverage can be improved.

Further, in the sample having a glycerin concentration of 2000 ppm or more in the beverage, it was found that the viscosity was increased due to the increase in viscosity due to glycerin. In addition, in the sample having a glycerin concentration of 3,000 ppm or more in the beverage, it was found that not only the taste was changed but also the taste of the glycerin itself was felt.

Example 3

Using a commercially available beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage, it was confirmed that the scent of glycerin was used to improve the effect. Beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverages are those that use malt in the raw materials (all free, made from Suntory), and those who do not use malt (dry zero, asahi beer). The beer-flavored beverage used herein has a bitter substance as referred to in the present invention because hops are used as a raw material of any of the materials, but the latter does not contain a component derived from malt and is not a malt beverage. The respective alcohol degrees were 0.00 and 0.00%, the pH was 3.8 and 3.7, and the gas pressure of the carbon dioxide gas was about 2.1 and 2.3 kg/cm ² . Further, the soluble solid content concentration (Brix value) was 0.4 degrees and 3.7 degrees.

To the above beer-flavored non-alcoholic beverage, anhydrous citric acid (manufactured by Sanyeon F. F. I Co., Ltd.) was added, and the pH was adjusted to 3.5 to prepare a sample in which no glycerin was added. Further, glycerin was blended to have a concentration in the beverage of 100 ppm, and a glycerin sample was prepared.

The same sensory evaluation as in Example 1 was carried out, except that the number of the special evaluators was four, and the effect of adding glycerin was investigated.

As shown in Table 3, in particular, the sample containing the malt component has a clear effect on the flavor by adding glycerin to the two viewpoints of "(1) strength of sourness" and "(2) sharpness of sharp acidity". . That is, the difference between the average number of points in which no glycerin sample is added and the average number of points in which glycerin is added is also one or more points, and a great flavor improving effect is obtained by adding glycerin.

In addition, although it is not as good as the sample containing the malt component, it does not contain a sample of the malt component, and a certain degree of flavor improving effect is also found.

Further, for the sample containing the malt component, it shows that the slightly bitter taste can be perceived, and the complexity and depth of the overall flavor of the beverage can be increased, and it is clear that not only the quality improvement but also the improvement can be improved. Overall aroma quality.

Example 4

It was confirmed that the beverage containing various bitter substances was improved by the aroma of glycerin. The beverage used is a non-alcoholic cocktail drink (a certain mood <Mediterranean Lemon>, Suntory Liquor) which does not contain bitter substances, and is formulated as a bitter substance caffeine, naringin or bitter lignin in the beverage. And the concentration was 10, 10 and 1.5 ppm (no glycerol added). Further, glycerin was blended to a concentration of 100 ppm in a beverage to prepare a sample (with added glycerin). At this time, the pH of the sample beverage was 3.3, and the alcohol degree was 0.00%.

The sample for modulation is the same as in the third embodiment. The sensory evaluation was carried out using four trained evaluators to investigate the case where the bitter substances have different effects.

It can be clearly seen from Table 4 that even if the caffeine, naringin and bitter lignin are used as bitter substances, the two points are "(1) the intensity of sourness" and "(2) the sharpness of sharp sourness". It was clearly found that the effect was improved by adding aroma of glycerin. These samples were confirmed by functional evaluation to show that a slightly bitter taste can be perceived, and the complexity and depth of the overall flavor of the beverage can be increased. That is, the use of the present invention not only improves the quality of the sour taste, but also enhances the overall flavor quality of the beverage.

Example 5

It was confirmed that the beverage containing various sour substances was improved by the flavor of glycerin. Specifically, it is a citric acid, lactic acid, which is a sour substance, and is added to a non-alcoholic cocktail drink (a certain mood <Mediterranean lemon>, Suntory liquor) which does not contain a bitter substance. Phosphoric acid or malic acid and adjusted the pH of the beverage to 3.5 (no added glycerol). Further, glycerin was blended to have a concentration of 100 ppm in the beverage, and a glycerin sample was added.

In the same manner as in Example 3, the evaluation was carried out by using four trained special evaluators to investigate the sour taste in the beverage to make the present invention have different effects.

It can be clearly seen from Table 5 that even if citric acid, lactic acid, phosphoric acid, and malic acid are used as the sour substance, the two points of "(1) acidity intensity" and "(2) sharp acidity" are clearly defined. It was found that the effect was improved by adding the scent of glycerin. These samples confirm that a subtle bitter taste can be perceived and can increase the complexity and depth of the overall aroma of the beverage. That is, the use of the present invention not only improves the quality of the sour taste, but also enhances the overall flavor quality of the beverage.

Claims (8)

A malt beverage comprising 1 to 3500 ppm of glycerin and a bitter substance, having a pH of 4.0 or less and an alcohol content of less than 0.01%. The malt beverage according to claim 1, wherein the bitter substance is one or more selected from the group consisting of naringin, bitter lignin, caffeine, and a component derived from hops. A malt beverage according to claim 2, wherein the component derived from hops is an alpha acid and/or an isoalpha acid. The malt beverage according to claim 1 or 2, which further comprises one or more acid-based substances selected from the group consisting of citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, phosphoric acid, and tartaric acid. A malt beverage according to claim 1 or 2 which contains carbon dioxide gas. The malt beverage of claim 1 or 2, wherein the soluble solid content of the beverage is 0.1 to 5 degrees. The invention relates to a method for producing a malt beverage, which comprises arranging 1 to 3500 ppm of glycerin and containing a bitter substance, and has a pH of 4.0 or less and an alcohol content of less than 0.01%. A method for improving the taste of a malt beverage, comprising arranging 1 to 3500 ppm of glycerin and containing a bitter substance, and having a pH of 4.0 or less and an alcohol content of less than 0.01%.