HK40079594A - Sodium-containing beverage - Google Patents

Description

Sodium-containing beverage

Technical Field

The present invention relates to sodium containing beverages. More particularly, the present invention relates to a sodium-containing beverage in which aftertaste deterioration due to sodium is reduced.

Background

In recent years, in the beverage market in summer, beverages for dealing with heatstroke containing sodium have been popular because heatstroke has become a social problem. However, it has been a problem that the palatability of a beverage containing sodium is affected due to bad aftertaste caused by sodium in the beverage. In order to improve the taste derived from sodium, a method of adjusting the ratio of citric acid concentration to phosphoric acid concentration (patent document 1), a method of containing fructose or malic acid (patent document 2), a method of blending a specific amount of lauric acid (patent document 3), and the like have been reported. However, these methods limit the kind and concentration of a sweetener or an acidulant used in a beverage, and therefore the sweetness and sourness as a skeleton of the taste of a beverage are limited, and are applicable only to extremely limited beverages.

On the other hand, limonene is one of monocyclic monoterpene compounds, and is sometimes blended in beverages as a main flavor component. It is known that beverages blended with limonene often exhibit a flavor common to citrus fruits.

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2019-76067

Patent document 2: japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2015-167523

Patent document 3: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2016 & 7149

Disclosure of Invention

The problem of aftertaste defect caused by sodium in sodium-containing beverages has been a conventional problem, and the present inventors have found that, in particular, aftertaste defect is strongly felt when the sodium concentration in the beverage is 25mg/100ml or more. In response to this problem, the present inventors have studied and found that the presence of limonene is effective for reducing aftertaste defects derived from sodium. On the other hand, it has been clarified that, when limonene is blended to prepare a packaged beverage, limonene deteriorates by light and gives an unpleasant odor (photodegradation odor). Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a packaged beverage containing 25mg/100ml or more of sodium, in which aftertaste defects due to sodium are reduced and the photodegradation odor of limonene is suppressed.

The present inventors have conducted intensive studies to solve the above problems, and as a result, have found that a beverage in which the aftertaste derived from sodium is reduced by blending limonene and further blending a predetermined amount of iron can suppress the photodegradation odor of limonene in the beverage. Based on this finding, the present inventors have completed the present invention.

The present invention is not limited to this, but relates to the following.

(1) A beverage which is a container-packaged beverage containing sodium, limonene and iron, characterized in that,

(a) the content of sodium is 25-115 mg/100ml,

(b) the content of the limonene is more than 20ppm,

(c) the content of iron is 0.2-2.0 mg/100 ml.

(2) The container-packaged beverage according to (1), characterized in that the container is a transparent container.

According to the present invention, a packaged beverage in which aftertaste defects due to sodium are reduced and the photodegradation odor of limonene is suppressed in a beverage containing 25mg/100ml or more of sodium can be provided. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a beverage which can be easily drunk by reducing aftertaste defects derived from sodium even when sodium is contained at a high concentration. The beverage of the present invention contains sodium at a high concentration and is useful as a beverage for heatstroke.

Furthermore, since limonene is also contained in the beverage of the present invention and the photodegradation odor of limonene is also suppressed, a beverage with which the flavor common to citrus fruits can be perceived for a long period of time can be provided. The beverage of the present invention is a container-packaged beverage in which the photodegradation odor of limonene is not easily perceived, and can be drunk for a long time while being carried around even when moving. The beverage of the present invention can be used for daily water replenishment while coping with heatstroke.

Detailed Description

The beverage of the present invention will be explained below. In the present specification, "%" and "ppm" used in relation to the content refer to% and ppm by weight/weight (w/w), respectively, unless otherwise specified. In the present specification, the range of numerical values represented by the lower limit value and the upper limit value, i.e., "from the lower limit value to the upper limit value" includes these lower limit value and upper limit value. For example, the range represented by "1 to 2" includes 1 and 2.

One aspect of the present invention is a beverage in a container containing sodium, limonene, and iron, characterized in that,

(a) the content of sodium is 25-115 mg/100ml,

(b) the content of the limonene is more than 20ppm,

(c) the content of iron is 0.2-2.0 mg/100 ml.

By adopting such a configuration, aftertaste defect from sodium which is felt in sodium-containing beverages can be reduced, and photodegradation odor of limonene can be suppressed.

(sodium)

The beverage of the present invention contains sodium. In the present invention, sodium may be added to the beverage in the form of salt usable for foods and drinks, or in the form of deep seawater or seaweed extract rich in sodium. Examples of the sodium salt usable in the present invention include, but are not particularly limited to, sodium chloride, disodium citrate, trisodium citrate, sodium L-aspartate, sodium benzoate, sodium bicarbonate, trisodium phosphate, and the like. In the present invention, sodium may be derived from these sodium salts. The beverage of the present invention preferably contains sodium chloride. In the present invention sodium is preferably derived from sodium chloride.

The sodium content in the beverage is 25-120 mg/100 ml. It is known that a certain amount of sodium is preferably taken in order to effectively supply water to the body, and it is effective particularly for heatstroke and the like. However, when the sodium content is 25mg/100ml or more, bad aftertaste due to sodium is remarkably felt. Here, the aftertaste defect due to sodium means that a rough feeling remains after drinking a beverage containing sodium.

In the present invention, the beverage contains 25 to 120mg of sodium per 100ml of beverage, and the sodium content is preferably 30 to 80mg/100ml, more preferably 35 to 70mg/100ml, and further preferably 40 to 60mg/100 ml. When the sodium content in the beverage is less than 25mg/100ml, the efficiency of supplying water to the body is lowered, and the effect of coping with heatstroke tends to be difficult to obtain. On the other hand, when the content of sodium in the drink exceeds 120mg/100ml, the aftertaste derived from sodium becomes too strong, and the palatability of the drink is lowered or the effect of the present invention cannot be sufficiently obtained in some cases.

In the present invention, the content of sodium in the beverage can be calculated by converting sodium into the amount of free body (free body) when sodium is in the form of salt. The content of sodium in the beverage can be measured by a known method using an ICP emission spectrophotometer.

(limonene)

The beverage contains limonene, and the content of limonene in the beverage is more than 20 ppm. As described above, by containing limonene, the perceived aftertaste defect derived from sodium can be reduced in a beverage containing 25mg/100ml of sodium. Limonene (limonene) is one of the monocyclic monoterpenes, represented by C ₁₀ H ₁₆ A compound represented by the formula (I). The limonene can be d-limonene, l-limonene or their mixture. In addition, when a mixture of d-limonene and l-limonene is used as limonene, the content of limonene in the present specification refers to the total amount of d-limonene and l-limonene.

The limonene used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and may be a crude purified product other than a purified product. For example, the plant extract may be a natural product containing limonene or a processed product thereof (plant extract, essential oil, fermented product of plant, concentrate thereof, etc.). More specific examples include flavors containing limonene, and fruit juices or extracts. Flavors are a preferred example because they can be added to the beverage in small amounts. The type of the flavor is not particularly limited, but citrus flavors are preferred, and among the citrus flavors, orange flavor, lemon flavor, and grapefruit flavor are more preferred, and grapefruit flavor is most preferred.

The content of limonene in the beverage is more than 20ppm, preferably 20-100 ppm, more preferably 25-80 ppm, and particularly preferably 30-60 ppm. When the content of limonene is within this range, the aftertaste derived from sodium can be effectively reduced. The content of limonene can be determined by well known methods using gas chromatography.

In the beverage of the present invention, the ratio of the content of limonene (mg/100ml) to the content of sodium (mg/100ml) (limonene content/sodium content) is not particularly limited, and is, for example, 1 or more, preferably 4 or more, more preferably 5 or more, and still more preferably 10 or more. The ratio of the content of limonene (mg/100ml) to the content of sodium (mg/100ml) (limonene content/sodium content) is not particularly limited, and is, for example, 50 or less, preferably 30 or less, more preferably 20 or less, and still more preferably 15 or less.

(iron)

The beverage contains iron, and the content of the iron in the beverage is 0.2-2.0 mg/100 ml. As described above, by containing iron, the occurrence of photodegradation odor of limonene contained in the sodium-containing beverage can be suppressed. The mechanism of this effect is not clear, and although not bound by a particular theory, it is believed that iron in the beverage plays a role in rapidly converting a deteriorated component such as limonene 1, 2-diol into another component in the reaction of the oxidation pathway of limonene.

In the present invention, iron may be added to the beverage in the form of a food containing iron, in the form of an iron compound allowed as a food additive, or in the form of a composition containing an iron compound. In the present invention, since the concentration of iron in the beverage can be easily adjusted, it is preferable to add the iron compound in the form of an iron compound that is acceptable as a dietary supplement or a composition containing the iron compound to the beverage. Examples of the iron compound that is acceptable as a dietary supplement include, but are not particularly limited to, iron chloride, ferric ammonium citrate, ferric pyrophosphate, ferrous sodium citrate, and ferrous gluconate. In the present invention, iron may be derived from these iron compounds. In the present invention, from the viewpoint of suppressing the generation of photodegradation odor of limonene, iron having a valence of 3 is preferable. The iron compound of iron having a valence of 3 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include ferric chloride, ferric ammonium citrate, ferric pyrophosphate and the like. In the present invention, ferric pyrophosphate is particularly preferable as the iron compound of iron having a valence of 3, from the viewpoint of being suitable for the flavor of the beverage. That is, the beverage of the present invention preferably contains ferric pyrophosphate. In the present invention, the iron 3-valent is preferably derived from ferric pyrophosphate. On the other hand, in the present invention, iron, which is a polymer complex such as iron oxide containing sugar, is not preferable as an iron compound because iron ions are hardly ionized in a beverage.

In the present invention, the iron content is preferably 0.3 to 1.2mg/100ml, more preferably 0.4 to 0.6mg/100ml, and still more preferably 0.5 to 0.6mg/100ml, although the iron content is 0.2 to 2.0mg/100ml per 100ml of the beverage. If the iron content in the beverage is less than 0.2mg/100ml, the effect of suppressing the generation of the photodegradation odor of limonene may not be sufficiently obtained, while if it is more than 2.0mg/100ml, the iron smell tends to be too strong and the palatability of the beverage tends to be lowered.

In the present invention, the content of iron in the beverage can be calculated by converting the content of iron in the form of an iron compound into the amount of free bodies (free bodies) when iron is added as an iron compound. The content of iron in the beverage can be measured by a known method using an ICP emission spectrophotometer. Further, if necessary, the measurement accuracy can be improved by performing pretreatment such as incineration. The content of iron (2) or iron (3) in the beverage can be measured by wavelength dispersive fluorescent X-ray.

In the beverage of the present invention, the ratio of the iron content (mg/100ml) to the limonene content (mg/100ml) (iron content/limonene content) is not particularly limited, and is, for example, 0.03 or more, preferably 0.04 or more, more preferably 0.05 or more, and further preferably 0.06 or more. The ratio of the iron content (mg/100ml) to the limonene content (mg/100ml) (iron content/limonene content) is not particularly limited, and is, for example, 0.2 or less.

(other Components)

The beverage of the present invention may contain, as in the case of a normal beverage, a sweetener, an acidulant, a mineral other than sodium and iron, a fruit juice, a flavor, a coloring matter, an antioxidant, an emulsifier, a preservative, a seasoning, an extract, a pH adjuster, and the like, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Further, although not particularly limited, since milk proteins contained in milk or skim milk powder may inhibit the effect of improving the aftertaste defect due to sodium, it is preferable that the beverage of the present invention does not contain milk or skim milk powder.

(pH)

The pH of the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, and is, for example, 2 to 8, preferably 2 to 7, more preferably 2.5 to 6, and still more preferably 3 to 5. When the pH of the beverage of the present invention is 3 to 5, a moderate acidity tends to contribute to the drinkability of the iron-containing beverage.

The pH of the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include organic acids such as citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, and phosphoric acid, sodium salts such as disodium citrate, trisodium citrate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, and sodium hydroxide, and potassium salts such as potassium hydroxide and potassium carbonate. When sodium salt is used for pH adjustment, the amount of sodium salt used as a pH adjuster is adjusted so that the sodium concentration in the beverage falls within the above range.

(Brix)

The Brix of the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 15% or less, preferably 1 to 9%, more preferably 2 to 6%, and still more preferably 3 to 5%. When the Brix of the beverage exceeds 15%, it may be difficult to sufficiently exhibit the effect of the present invention. The Brix of the beverage can be adjusted by formulating a sweetener or the like into the beverage. The Brix of the beverage can be measured using a commercially available glucometer, refractometer, or the like. In the present specification, Brix is a value obtained by converting the refractive index measured at 20 ℃ into a mass/mass percentage of a sucrose solution based on a conversion table of ICUMSA (international committee on sugar analysis systems). The units of Brix are expressed in "° Bx", "%" or "degrees".

(protein)

The protein concentration in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, and is, for example, less than 4%, preferably less than 2%. When the protein concentration of the beverage is 4% or more, the effect of improving the aftertaste due to sodium may not be sufficiently obtained.

(kind of beverage)

The type of the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, and the beverage may be an alcoholic beverage or a non-alcoholic beverage such as a soft drink. The beverage of the present invention is preferably a beverage for relieving heat stroke, and therefore is preferably a non-alcoholic beverage. In the present invention, an alcoholic beverage means a beverage having an alcohol content of 1 v/v% or more, while a non-alcoholic beverage means a beverage having an alcohol content of less than 1 v/v%. Examples of the non-alcoholic beverages include functional beverages, nutritional beverages, flavored water (Near water) beverages, sports beverages, tea beverages (such as cereal tea, green tea, oolong tea, black tea, and mixed tea), coffee beverages, and carbonated beverages, but are not particularly limited. The beverage of the present invention is preferably a beverage for relieving heat stroke, and is preferably a nutritional beverage, a functional beverage, or a flavored water (Near water) beverage, a sport beverage, or a tea beverage, and is particularly preferably a sport beverage. In the present specification, the term "drink for relieving heatstroke" refers to a drink suitable for relieving heatstroke. Here, the term "to cope with heatstroke" means to prevent the occurrence of heatstroke and alleviate the symptoms of heatstroke. The beverage to be served for heatstroke may be determined by a product name, a container, a label on a package, a poster on a product, a television advertisement, a store front POP, a description on a lecture, or the like.

(Container)

The beverage of the present invention is a container-packaged beverage. The type of container used is not limited, and a transparent container is preferable. The beverage filled into the transparent container is easily affected by light. Although it is clear that limonene contained in a beverage deteriorates due to light irradiation and generates unpleasant odor (photodegradation odor), the photodegradation odor can be suppressed in the present invention. The container-packaged beverage of the present invention filled in a transparent container is one of preferred embodiments from the viewpoint of storage stability.

The transparent container may have a transmittance of 40% or more, preferably 50% or more, at 700nm of visible light, for example. Specifically, transparent plastic bottles and transparent glass bottles can be exemplified, and transparent PET bottles are particularly preferably used in the present invention. The container color is not particularly limited, but is preferably colorless.

In addition, in the transparent container, a part or the whole of the container may be covered with a film or the like. For example, the content-indicating label and the printed portion are opaque or translucent and the other portion is transparent, the container having a combination of a transparent portion and an opaque portion in different ways at a plurality of places, the opaque container having only a transparent portion having a size corresponding to the size of the observation window, and the like, and the transparent region is not limited.

(production method)

Another aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a packaged beverage containing sodium, limonene, and iron, characterized by comprising

(a) Adjusting the sodium content to 25-115 mg/100ml,

(b) a step of adjusting the content of limonene to 20ppm or more, and

(c) adjusting the iron content to 0.2-2.0 mg/100 ml.

The beverage of the present invention can be produced by appropriately blending the above components. In the production of the beverage of the present invention, the order of blending the components is not particularly limited. The production of the beverage of the present invention may further include a step of blending the above-mentioned components and materials or a step of adjusting the contents thereof. Various factors such as the types of components and the contents thereof in the beverage of the present invention in the production of the beverage can be known from the above-described factors for the beverage of the present invention.

The beverage of the present invention can be produced by a method including a step of filling a container with the beverage and packaging the beverage in the container, and a step of heat-sterilizing the beverage as necessary. The step of heat-sterilizing the beverage may be performed before or after the step of packaging the beverage in a container. The container used for packaging the container is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include plastic bottles (PET bottles, etc.), aluminum cans, steel cans, paper boxes, cold cups, bottles, and the like. As mentioned above, the container used is preferably a transparent container. When the heat sterilization is performed, the method is not particularly limited, and for example, a common method such as UHT sterilization and retort sterilization can be used. The temperature of the heat sterilization treatment is not particularly limited, and is, for example, 65 to 140 ℃ and preferably 85 to 120 ℃. The time for the heat sterilization treatment is not particularly limited, and is, for example, 10 to 40 minutes. However, the heat sterilization treatment may be performed at an appropriate temperature for several seconds, for example, 5 to 30 seconds, as long as the sterilization effect equivalent to the above conditions can be obtained.

Examples

The details of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to experimental examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In the present specification, unless otherwise specified, numerical ranges are described as including the endpoints thereof.

< Experimental example 1 >

Sodium chloride or trisodium citrate was added to the purified water, followed by further addition of limonene, and various beverage samples were prepared in such a way that the final concentrations of sodium and limonene reached the concentrations shown in the table below. The beverage sample was subjected to heat sterilization and filled into a 500ml PET bottle container to prepare a container-packaged beverage. The Brix of each beverage sample was below 1.

Sensory evaluation was performed on the obtained beverage samples by 6 professional reviews. As sensory evaluation, after drinking the beverage samples, aftertaste defects (roughness) due to sodium were evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria. After professional review of each implementation evaluation, the whole member agreement is reviewed and the final evaluation result is determined.

X: a rough feel was felt.

And (delta): a rough feeling is hardly felt.

Good: no or almost no roughness was felt.

Further, for the above-mentioned beverage sample containing limonene, a Super xenon weather meter (manufactured by Suga test machine Co., Ltd., 7.5kW xenon lamp) was used at 180Wh/m ² Ultraviolet rays were irradiated for 2 hours and 20 minutes. In addition, this irradiation condition corresponds to a condition of being left outdoors for 2 days in a fine day. Then, the beverage samples irradiated with ultraviolet rays were subjected to sensory evaluation for the deterioration odor of limonene according to the following criteria. The sensory evaluation is implemented by 6 professional reviews, and after the professional reviews respectively implement the evaluation, the whole protocol is reviewed and the final evaluation result is determined.

X: a strong deterioration odor of limonene was felt compared to the beverage sample before ultraviolet irradiation.

And (delta): a slightly deteriorated odor of limonene was felt compared to the beverage sample before ultraviolet irradiation.

Good: no deterioration of limonene was observed compared to the beverage sample before ultraviolet irradiation.

[ Table 1]

As a result, after drinking the sodium-containing beverage containing no limonene, a bad aftertaste (rough taste) derived from sodium was perceived. On the other hand, in the sodium-containing beverage containing limonene at a concentration of 20ppm or more, the aftertaste defect (roughness) after drinking is reduced, and the roughness of the aftertaste after drinking is hardly perceived in the beverage containing 60ppm or more of limonene. However, it has been revealed that in a sodium-containing beverage containing limonene, a deterioration odor derived from limonene is generated by ultraviolet irradiation.

< Experimental example 2 >

Sodium chloride and limonene were added to pure water, ferric pyrophosphate (SunActive Fe-12A, sun chemical) was further added, and various beverage samples were prepared in such a manner that the final concentrations of sodium, limonene, and iron reached the concentrations shown in the table below. The beverage samples were heat sterilized and filled into 500ml PET bottle containers to prepare container-packaged beverages. The Brix of each beverage sample was below 1.

The obtained beverage sample was measured with a Super xenon weather meter (manufactured by Suga testing machine Co., Ltd., 7.5kW xenon lamp) at 180Wh/m in the same manner as in Experimental example 1 ² Ultraviolet rays were irradiated for 2 hours and 20 minutes. Then, sensory evaluation was performed on the deterioration odor of limonene in the beverage samples according to the following criteria. Sensory evaluation was conducted by 6 professional reviews, and the average score of the evaluation scores of each professional review was calculated.

1: the deterioration odor of limonene was the same as that of sample 2-1.

2: the deterioration odor of limonene was slightly weaker than that of sample 2-1.

3: the deterioration odor of limonene was weak as compared with sample 2-1.

4: the deterioration odor of limonene was very weak compared with sample 2-1.

5: no deterioration odor of limonene was felt.

[ Table 2]

As a result, it was found that the deterioration odor of limonene due to ultraviolet ray irradiation was reduced in the beverage containing 0.2mg/100ml or more of iron. In addition, no or little aftertaste (roughness) due to sodium was perceived in any of the beverage samples.

< Experimental example 3 >

As in experimental example 2, various beverage samples were prepared in such a manner that the final concentrations of sodium, limonene and iron reached the concentrations shown in the table below. The beverage sample was subjected to heat sterilization and filled into a 500ml PET bottle container to prepare a container-packaged beverage. The Brix of each beverage sample was below 1.

The obtained beverage specimens were measured at 180Wh/m using a Super xenon weather meter (manufactured by Suga test machine Co., Ltd., 7.5kW xenon lamp) in the same manner as in Experimental example 1 ² Ultraviolet light was irradiated for 2 hours and 20 minutes. Then, sensory evaluation was performed on the deterioration odor of limonene in the beverage sample in the same manner as in experimental example 2. Further, the samples 3-1 and 3-4 were compared with each other for the deterioration odor of limonene, respectively, with the sample 3-1 being the comparison object of the sample 3-2 and the sample 3-3 being the comparison object of the sample 3-4.

[ Table 3]

As shown above, it was found that when the content of limonene in the beverage was 20ppm or 100ppm, the deterioration odor of limonene was reduced by the inclusion of iron. In addition, no or little aftertaste (roughness) due to sodium was felt in samples 3-2 and 3-4.

< Experimental example 4 >

As shown in the table below, 2 acidic beverages were prepared by formulating the ingredients. In addition, the ingredient concentrations shown in the table below are the final concentrations of the various ingredients in the beverage. The prepared acidic beverages are all subjected to heat sterilization treatment and then filled into 500ml PET bottle containers to prepare the container-packaged beverages. The pH of the beverage was 3.5 and Brix was 4.

For the packaged acidic beverage, a Super xenon weather meter (manufactured by Suga test machine Co., Ltd., 7.5kW xenon lamp) was used at 180Wh/m in the same manner as in Experimental example 1 ² Ultraviolet light was irradiated for 2 hours and 20 minutes. Then, sensory evaluation was performed on the deterioration smell of limonene in the same manner as in experimental example 2. Further, the sample 4-1 was compared with the sample 4-2 to compare the deterioration odor of limonene.

[ Table 4]

As a result, it was found that the deterioration odor of limonene was reduced by containing iron even in an acidic beverage. In addition, no or little aftertaste (roughness) due to sodium was felt in sample 4-2.

Claims (2)

1. A beverage in a container containing sodium, limonene and iron, characterized in that,

(a) the content of sodium is 25-115 mg/100ml,

(b) the content of the limonene is more than 20ppm,

(c) the content of iron is 0.2-2.0 mg/100 ml.

2. A container-packaged beverage according to claim 1, wherein the container is a transparent container.