HK1209597B - Water-based carbonated beverage - Google Patents

Description

Water-based carbonated beverages

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an aqueous carbonated beverage, which can be used in the fields of pharmaceuticals, quasi-drugs, and foods.

Existing technology

Obesity is a serious social problem that leads to metabolic syndrome. While dieting, which restricts food intake, is an effective means of preventing obesity, it is currently unsustainable due to the resulting feeling of hunger. Consequently, to alleviate this feeling of hunger, there are proposed products such as hunger-reducing agents containing spices or spice compounds as their main ingredients (see Patent Document 1); cereal foods (see Patent Document 2); and edible phosphoproteins and metal carbonates (see Patent Document 3).

One method for alleviating this feeling of hunger has been reported, using agar to increase the gel strength of the agar after immersion in gastric fluid for a certain period of time (see Patent Document 4). However, since the firm gel must be chewed and swallowed, it is not considered practical. Other methods have been reported, including using a gastric raft composition containing a gelling agent (see Patent Document 5) and a gastric raft composition containing a gas-generating substance that generates a non-toxic gas upon contact with aqueous acid (see Patent Document 6). These raft compositions, due to the generated gas, have the property of floating in the stomach and are difficult to digest due to gastric peristalsis. However, these compositions require large amounts of powder or tablet intake, resulting in poor appetizer quality. Furthermore, the gas-generating agent makes these compositions alkaline when dissolved in water, resulting in poor shelf life as a beverage. Dissolving these compositions in the form of powders also presents a problem of unpalatable taste.

Prior art literature

Patent Literature

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-7427

Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-53929

Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-94085

Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-110923

Patent Document 5: Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-530254

Patent Document 6: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-507409.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

The present invention aims to provide an aqueous carbonated beverage that is a normal aqueous carbonated beverage before drinking, but reacts with gastric acid in the stomach to gel after drinking, and remains in a floating state in the stomach, thereby improving satiety.

Means used to solve problems

The present inventors conducted intensive research to address the above-mentioned issues and discovered that an aqueous carbonated beverage containing 0.01 w/v% or more of LM pectin, 0.1 w/v% or more of alginic acid or its salts, or 0.001 w/v% or more of gellan gum, and having a pH of 3.5 to 7.0, is a normal liquid (aqueous carbonated beverage) before consumption. However, after consumption, it reacts with gastric acid in the stomach to form a gel, remaining in the stomach in a floating state, thus improving satiety. Furthermore, this aqueous carbonated beverage, in its beverage form, is easy to consume and can be designed to have an acidic to neutral flavor, thus allowing for enhanced shelf life and a highly palatable taste.

The technical solutions of the present invention obtained based on the above findings are as follows.

(1) Aqueous carbonated beverage characterized in that the beverage contains 0.01 w/v% or more of LM pectin, 0.1 w/v% or more of alginic acid or its salt, or 0.001 w/v% or more of gellan gum, and has a pH of 3.5 to 7.0.

(2) The aqueous carbonated beverage according to (1) above, wherein the alginate is sodium alginate or potassium alginate.

(3) The aqueous carbonated beverage according to (1) above, wherein the gellan gum is a deacylated gellan gum.

Effects of the Invention

The present invention provides an aqueous carbonated beverage that reacts with gastric acid in the stomach to form a gel after drinking, and the gel has the property of remaining in a floating state in the stomach, thereby improving satiety.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

"Pectin" refers to a water-soluble polysaccharide primarily composed of polygalacturonic acid with α-1,4-linkages, extracted from apples and citrus fruits. The pectin of the present invention can be derived from either apple or citrus fruits. It must be "LM pectin," where the galacturonic acid, present as a free acid or methyl ester, contains less than 50% methyl ester of the pectin's constituent sugars. Incidentally, pectin with a methyl ester ratio of 50% or more is called HM pectin, and it does not gel in acidic environments, making it unsuitable for the present invention.

The LM pectin content (blending) in the beverage is 0.01 w/v% or greater, and preferably 0.025 to 5 w/v% to achieve excellent gel strength and ease of administration, while also effectively and sufficiently increasing the gel volume in the stomach. It should be noted that, in the present invention, w/v% represents the ratio of mass (g) to the total volume of 100 ml.

Alginic acid is a polysaccharide found in seaweed, such as kelp and seaweed, and is widely used as a thickening and stabilizing agent. Alginic acid is a linear polymer of mannuronic acid and glucuronic acid, and is commercially available as sodium, potassium, calcium, and ammonium salts. While any alginic acid or salt thereof can be used in the present invention, sodium alginate or potassium alginate is preferred for solubility.

The content (blending) of alginic acid or its salt is 0.1 w/v% or more in the beverage, and preferably 0.3 to 5 w/v% from the viewpoint of excellent gel strength and ease of administration and sufficient and efficient increase in gel volume in the stomach.

"Gellan gum" is a polysaccharide produced outside the microorganism (Sphingomonas elodea) and is widely used as a thickening stabilizer. Gellan gum is a linear heteropolysaccharide composed of four repeating sugar units: glucose, glucuronic acid, glucose, and rhamnose, with carboxyl groups derived from glucuronic acid. Gellan gum is available in two types: deacylated gellan gum and native gellan gum, depending on the presence of acetyl and glyceryl groups in the 1-3-linked glucose. While any gellan gum can be used in the present invention, deacylated gellan gum is preferred from the perspective of gel strength.

The content (blending) of gellan gum in the beverage is 0.001 w/v% or more, and preferably 0.0025 to 1 w/v% from the viewpoint of excellent gel strength and ease of administration and sufficient efficiency in increasing the gel volume in the stomach.

In the present invention, any of the above-mentioned LM pectin, alginic acid or its salts, and gellan gum can be used. However, from the perspective of further increasing the gel volume in the stomach after drinking as a carbonated beverage, LM pectin or alginic acid or its salts is preferably used, and LM pectin is more preferably used.

"Aqueous carbonated beverages" are beverages made by pressurizing carbon dioxide into drinkable water and then adding food, food additives, etc. The gas volume is preferably between 0.5 and 4.0. The gas volume refers to the volume ratio of carbon dioxide dissolved in the water relative to the solvent (liquid 1) under standard conditions (1 atmosphere, 15.6°C).

The pH of aqueous carbonated beverages is 3.5 to 7.0, as it is a common aqueous carbonated beverage before drinking but reacts with gastric acid in the stomach and gels after drinking. In order to maintain the pH within the above range, a pH adjusting agent can be used as needed. As a pH adjusting agent, an organic acid is preferably used, wherein, from the perspective of having a strong buffering capacity and being difficult to gel before drinking, citric acid, malic acid, and adipic acid are preferably used. Their amount is 0.001 to 5w/v% in the beverage, and from the perspective of buffering capacity and taking properties, 0.01 to 2w/v% is more preferred. In addition, in order to manufacture within the above pH range, a preservative can be used as needed. Among them, as a preservative, benzoates such as benzoic acid and sodium benzoate are preferably used, and their amount is 0.001 to 0.5w/v% in the beverage, and from the perspective of storage and taking properties, 0.005 to 0.1w/v% is more preferred.

Aqueous carbonated beverages can be produced using conventionally known methods. For example, the ingredients are added to and mixed in water to dissolve, thereby preparing a base beverage solution. The beverage can then be produced by adjusting the pH as needed, sterilizing by heating, and cooling. Carbon dioxide gas is then introduced (carbonation) to a pressure within a specified range, and then filled into a container and sterilized.

It should be noted that there are two methods for producing carbonated beverages: a pre-mixing method and a post-mixing method, and either method can be used in the present invention.

In addition, as other ingredients, the aqueous carbonated beverage may be appropriately blended with vitamins, minerals, amino acids and their salts, herbal medicines, herbal medicine extracts, caffeine, royal jelly, dextrin, etc., within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention. Furthermore, as needed, additives such as antioxidants, colorants, fragrances, flavorings, preservatives, and sweeteners may be appropriately blended within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention.

Example

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Examples, Comparative Examples, and Test Examples.

Examples and Comparative Examples

Citric acid monohydrate and sodium benzoate were added to purified water and dissolved, and the pH was adjusted with hydrochloric acid and aqueous sodium hydroxide solution. LM pectin, HM pectin, sodium alginate, gellan gum, carrageenan, or xanthan gum were dissolved in each of these solutions. Purified water was further added to the solution to a total of 25 ml, and the pH was finely adjusted with aqueous sodium hydroxide solution. Each test solution was filled into a glass bottle and sterilized. Immediately before evaluation, 75 ml of carbonated water or purified water was added to obtain the aqueous beverages of Examples 1-8, 10, 11, 13-16, 18, and 19, and Comparative Examples 1-6.

Regarding Examples 9, 12, and 17, citric acid monohydrate and sodium benzoate were added to purified water to dissolve LM pectin, sodium alginate, and gellan gum, respectively. Purified water was further added to the solution to adjust the total amount to 25 ml, and carbonated water was added. The pH was adjusted with hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide solutions to adjust the total amount to 100 ml.

The aqueous beverages obtained in Examples 1 to 19 were aqueous carbonated beverages with a gas volume range of 0.5 to 4.0 and a total volume of 100 ml. The composition and pH of each aqueous beverage are shown in Tables 1 to 5.

Test Example: Properties and Volume when Artificial Gastric Juice is Added

To 100 ml of 37°C Nichijue 1 solution (Japanese Pharmacopoeia Disintegration Test Method Solution 1), serving as artificial gastric fluid, 100 ml of the aqueous beverages from the above Examples and Comparative Examples, cooled with ice water, was added dropwise. After incubation at 37°C for 10 minutes, the properties were observed and the total volume was measured. The results are shown in Tables 6 to 10. Note that "floating" in the tables indicates that the gelled aqueous beverage floated on the Nichijue 1 solution.

As shown in Example 1, unlike aqueous beverages containing only LM pectin, such as Comparative Example 1, aqueous carbonated beverages containing LM pectin expand due to the generation of carbon dioxide bubbles within the gel, resulting in a lighter specific gravity and buoyancy, which increases the overall volume. This is also true for aqueous carbonated beverages containing sodium alginate and gellan gum (Examples 2 and 3, Comparative Examples 5 and 6).

In contrast, in the aqueous beverages of Comparative Examples 2 to 4, which respectively contained HM pectin, carrageenan polysaccharide, and xanthan gum, no gelation was observed after the addition of the Niju 1 solution.

Furthermore, as shown in Examples 4 to 7, when the LM pectin content was 0.025 w/v% or greater and the pH was in the range of 3.6 to 6.8, as shown in Examples 8 and 9, gelation and floating were observed. Regarding sodium alginate, as shown in Example 10, when the content was 0.3 w/v% or greater and the pH was in the range of 3.9 to 6.7, as shown in Examples 11 and 12, gelation and floating were observed. Regarding gellan gum, as shown in Examples 13 to 15, when the content was 0.0025 w/v% or greater and the pH was in the range of 4.3 to 6.7, as shown in Examples 16 and 17, gelation and floating were observed.

As shown in Examples 18 and 19, gelation and floating were observed even in low-pH solutions containing LM pectin at high concentrations.

Industrial applicability

The present invention provides an aqueous carbonated beverage that appears as a typical aqueous carbonated beverage before consumption but reacts with gastric acid in the stomach to gel after consumption, remaining in the stomach in a floating state and providing excellent satiety. Therefore, by providing the present invention in the form of dietary pharmaceuticals, quasi-drugs, and foods for preventing obesity, the development of these industries is expected.

Claims (3)

1. An aqueous carbonated beverage, characterized in that the beverage contains 0.2-0.5 w/v% LM pectin, more than 0.1 w/v% alginic acid or its salt, or more than 0.001 w/v% gellan gum, has a pH of 3.5-7.0, a gas volume of 0.5-4.0, is a liquid before drinking, and gels upon reaction with gastric acid in the stomach. 2. An aqueous carbonated beverage, characterized in that the beverage contains more than 0.1 w/v% sodium alginate or potassium alginate, has a pH of 3.5 to 7.0, a gas volume of 0.5 to 4.0, is a liquid before drinking, and gels upon reaction with gastric acid in the stomach. 3. An aqueous carbonated beverage, characterized in that the beverage contains more than 0.001 w/v% of deacylated gellan gum, has a pH of 3.5 to 7.0, a gas volume of 0.5 to 4.0, is a liquid before drinking, and gels upon reaction with gastric acid in the stomach.