JP2021185869A - Coffee drink - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a coffee drink that can achieve both of strong bitterness and a refreshing aroma.SOLUTION: A coffee drink has guaiacol content A of 400-2000 ppb, 4-ethyl guaiacol content B of 100-500 ppb, linalool content C of 1-30 ppb, 3-methyl-1-butanol content D of 50-750 ppb, and ethyl acetate content E of 40-750 ppb, and satisfies the following (i) and (ii): (i) (A/4)+B=300-1000 and (ii) C+{(D+E)/30}=10-80.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

The present invention relates to coffee beverages.

Conventionally, packaged coffee beverages have been widely popular as easy-to-drink palatable beverages. Container-packed coffee beverages have been developed with various flavors and flavors against the background of consumer tastes and trends, and attempts have been made to add components that contribute to the aroma of coffee beverages.

For example, Patent Document 1 exemplifies a large number of aroma components such as guaiacol, 4-ethylguaiacol, linalool, 3-methyl-1-butanol, etc., and coffee flavors containing aroma components selected from these examples are described. It is disclosed that it was used for coffee extract. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses that a variety of coffee extracts having enhanced characteristics of coffee are produced through a step of mixing coffee beans with materials such as hops and roasting them. ing.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-20526 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-187059

The present inventors have focused on achieving both the strength of bitterness and freshness as a coffee beverage exhibiting a new flavor, and in the prior art as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the present invention achieves such compatibility. It turned out that there was room for improvement. In the midst of diligent studies to achieve both bitterness and freshness, guaiacol, 4-ethylguaiacol, linalool, 3-methyl-1-butanol, and ethyl are added to the coffee extract. Focusing on the combination of acetate for the first time, he found that it is effective to control these contents to a high degree, and completed the present invention.

According to the present invention
The content A of guaiacol is 400 to 2000 ppb,
The content B of 4-ethylguaiacol is 100 to 500 ppb.
The content C of linalool is 1 to 30 ppb,
The content D of 3-methyl-1-butanol is 50 to 750 ppb, and the content D is 50 to 750 ppb.
The ethyl acetate content E is 40 to 750 ppb, and the content E is 40 to 750 ppb.
And a coffee beverage that satisfies the following (i) and (ii);
(I) (A / 4) + B = 300 to 1000;
(Ii) C + {(D + E) / 30} = 10 to 80
Is provided.

Further, according to the present invention,
The content A of guaiacol is 400 to 2000 ppb,
The content B of 4-ethylguaiacol is 100 to 500 ppb.
The content C of linalool is 1 to 30 ppb,
The content D of 3-methyl-1-butanol is 50 to 750 ppb, and the content D is 50 to 750 ppb.
The ethyl acetate content E is 40 to 750 ppb, and the content E is 40 to 750 ppb.
And a coffee beverage that satisfies the following (iii);
(Iii) {(A / 4) + B} / [C + {(D + E) / 30}] = 4 to 38
Is provided.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a coffee beverage having both strength of bitterness and freshness.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. In the present specification, the notation "a to b" in the description of the numerical range indicates a or more and b or less unless otherwise specified.

<Coffee beverage in a container>
The containerized coffee beverage of the present embodiment is
The content A of guaiacol is 400 to 2000 ppb,
The content B of 4-ethylguaiacol is 100 to 500 ppb.
The content C of linalool is 1 to 30 ppb,
The content D of 3-methyl-1-butanol is 50 to 750 ppb, and the content D is 50 to 750 ppb.
The ethyl acetate content E is 40 to 750 ppb, and the content E is 40 to 750 ppb.
Moreover, the following (i) and (ii) are satisfied.
(I) (A / 4) + B = 300 to 1000
(Ii) C + {(D + E) / 30} = 10 to 80

Further, the containerized coffee beverage of the present embodiment is
The content A of guaiacol is 400 to 2000 ppb,
The content B of 4-ethylguaiacol is 100 to 500 ppb.
The content C of linalool is 1 to 30 ppb,
The content D of 3-methyl-1-butanol is 50 to 750 ppb, and the content D is 50 to 750 ppb.
The ethyl acetate content E is 40 to 750 ppb, and the content E is 40 to 750 ppb.
Moreover, the following (iii) is satisfied.
(Iii) {(A / 4) + B} / [C + {(D + E) / 30}] = 4 to 38

The coffee beverage of the present embodiment is a combination of guaiacol (a), 4-ethylguaiacol (b), linalool (c), 3-methyl-1-butanol (d), and ethyl acetate (e) as described above. By controlling these concentration balances, it is possible to achieve a high balance between the intensity of bitterness and the freshness of coffee beverages. The mechanism of this reason is not clear, but it is presumed as follows. Generally, guaiacol (a) and 4-ethylguaiacol (b) are known as deep roasted coffee-like aroma components, while linalool (c), 3-methyl-1-butanol (d), and ethyl acetate (e). ) Is known as a fruit-like refreshing aroma component. Therefore, if the coffee beverage contains the aroma components (a) to (e) in a well-balanced manner, the flavor and taste of the coffee itself can be combined to enhance the bitterness characteristic of coffee while also providing freshness. Guessed.

In the present specification, "bitterness" is intended to be a bitterness that remains on the tongue peculiar to coffee, and "freshness" is intended to be a pleasant refreshing feeling like fruit.
Further, the contents of the aroma components (a) to (e) can be measured by the GC-MS method.

Hereinafter, each aroma component will be described.

[Guaiacol (a)]
Guaiacol (a), also referred to as 2-methoxyphenol, is an aroma component known as a deep roasted coffee-like aroma component as well as used for artificially synthesizing vanillin and the like. The content A of guaiacol (a) in the coffee beverage of the present embodiment is 400 to 2000 ppb, preferably 450 to 1850 ppb.

[4-Ethylguaiacol (b)]
4-Ethylguaiacol (b), also called 2-methoxy-4-ethylphenol, is an aroma component known as a deep roasted coffee-like aroma component. The content B of 4-ethylguaiacol (b) in the coffee beverage of the present embodiment is 100 to 500 ppb, preferably 110 to 480 ppb.

[Linalool (c)]
Linalool (c) is contained in many essential oils and is typically known to exhibit a floral scent such as lily of the valley and lilac.
The content C of linalool (c) in the coffee beverage of the present embodiment is 1 to 30 ppb, preferably 2 to 28 ppb.

[3-Methyl-1-butanol (d)]
3-Methyl-1-butanol (d), also called isoamyl alcohol or isopentyl alcohol, is an aroma component contained in fruits such as apples, bananas, melons, and peaches, and alcoholic beverages such as whiskey and wine. be. The content D of 3-methyl-1-butanol (d) in the coffee beverage of the present embodiment is 50 to 750 ppb, preferably 55 to 730 ppb.

[Ethyl acetate (e)]
Ethyl acetate (e) is also called ethyl acetate and is known as a fruity aroma component such as pineapple. The content E of ethyl acetate (e) in the coffee beverage of the present embodiment is 40 to 750 ppb, preferably 45 to 740 ppb.

The coffee beverage of the present embodiment further satisfies the following conditions.
(I) (A / 4) + B = 300 to 1000
(Ii) C + {(D + E) / 30} = 10 to 80
Further, (i) (A / 4) + B is preferably 350 to 950, and more preferably 400 to 900. (Ii) C + {(D + E) / 30} is preferably 12 to 75.
By controlling the aroma components (a) to (e) within the above numerical range, the coffee beverage of the present embodiment can improve the balance between the intensity of bitterness and the freshness as compared with the uncontrolled one.

Further, the coffee beverage of the present embodiment further satisfies the following conditions.
(Iii) {(A / 4) + B} / [C + {(D + E) / 30}] = 4 to 38
That is, in the coffee beverage of the present embodiment, the balance of the aroma components (a) to (e) is within a predetermined range, so that the balance of the aroma components (a) to (e) is outside the predetermined range. However, the balance between the strength of bitterness and freshness can be improved.

In the present embodiment, the contents and conditions (i) to (iii) of the aroma components (a) to (e) described above do not impair the effects of the present invention on the coffee extract obtained by a known method. In the range, it is adjusted by adding an aroma component separately.

[Coffee drink]
The coffee beverage of the present embodiment is a beverage made from a component (coffee component) extracted or eluted from coffee beans and a beverage to which other components are added, and the beverage has a coffee flavor when drunk. As described in the "Fair Competition Code for Labeling Coffee-Containing Beverages, etc." enacted in 1977, beverages made from coffee beans and sugars, dairy products, and emulsified edible fats and oils. Beverages with other edible foods added and sealed in a container. Further, in the present embodiment, even if the amount of coffee beans used is less than 1% by weight in terms of raw beans, the beverage having a coffee flavor when drunk is treated as a coffee beverage.

The coffee beans are not particularly limited, and examples thereof include cultivated tree species such as Arabica, Robusta, and Coffea liberica. The coffee bean varieties are not particularly limited, and examples thereof include mocha, Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Blue Mountain, Kona, Mandelin, and Kilimanjaro. The coffee beans may be used alone or in a blend of two or more.
Conditions such as the roasting temperature and roasting environment of coffee beans are not particularly limited, and a normal method can be adopted. The extraction method using roasted coffee beans is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a drip type, a siphon type, a boiling type, a jet type, and a continuous type.

Here, the method for incorporating the coffee component into the coffee beverage of the present embodiment is not particularly limited and can be appropriately set by those skilled in the art. For example, a solution obtained by extracting crushed roasted beans with water or warm water (coffee extract), a coffee extract obtained by concentrating a coffee extract, an instant coffee obtained by drying a coffee extract, or the like is used. Examples thereof include a method of adding one kind or two or more kinds to a beverage.
Examples of the crushed roasted beans include coarsely ground, mediumly ground, and finely ground, and are not particularly limited.
On the other hand, according to the "Fair Competition Code for Labeling of Drinking Milk", as of 2017, milk beverages containing a component having a milk solid content of 3.0% or more by weight will be treated as a milk beverage.
Since the coffee beverage according to the present embodiment is a beverage made from coffee beans, it is treated as a coffee beverage even if it contains a component having a milk solid content of 3.0% or more by weight. do.

The lower limit of the content of coffee-soluble solids in coffee beverages is preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 0.9% by mass or more, in order to obtain a full-fledged coffee feeling, ease of drinking, and deliciousness. , More preferably 1% by mass or more.
On the other hand, the upper limit of the content of the coffee-soluble solid content in the coffee beverage is preferably 2.5% by mass or less in order to improve the balance of aroma, acidity, bitterness and aftertaste while improving the mouthfeel. , More preferably 2.3% by mass or less, still more preferably 2.0% by mass or less.

The coffee beverage may be a milk-free black coffee beverage (whether sugar-free or sugar-free), and may be a milk-containing coffee beverage containing one or more types of milk, if necessary. There may be.

[Isoα acid]
The coffee beverage of the present embodiment preferably further contains iso-alpha acid. This makes it possible to further enhance the coffee flavor while achieving a high degree of both bitterness and freshness.
Iso-alpha acid is an isomer of α-acid. Generally, it is known as a bitterness component produced by isomerization of α-acid, which is abundant in hops, by heating.
In the coffee beverage of the present embodiment, the iso-alpha acid is isohumulone, isohumulone and isohumulone.

The content of iso-alpha acid in the coffee beverage of the present embodiment is preferably 1 to 20 ppm, more preferably 2 to 18 ppm, still more preferably 3 to 16 ppm.
By setting the content of iso-alpha acid to the above lower limit value or more, it is possible to enhance the coffee flavor while achieving both the strength of bitterness and the freshness. In addition, the richness can be strengthened and the sharpness of bitterness can be easily improved. On the other hand, by setting the content of iso-alpha acid to the above upper limit value or less, a good balance between the intensity of bitterness, the freshness and the intensity of coffee flavor can be obtained.

The iso-alpha acid is preferably derived from hops, and more preferably iso-α bitter acid. Iso-α bitter acid refers to an acid obtained from hop flowers and containing isohumulone as a main component. It was obtained by extracting with water, carbon dioxide or an organic solvent from female flowers of Moraceae hops (Humulus loopus LINE) and heat-treating them. For example, the iso-α bitter acid preferably contains 10 to 50% by mass of iso-α-acid.
The content of iso-alpha acid may be adjusted by appropriately adjusting the content of the hop extract.

Examples of the method for measuring the content of iso-alpha acid include the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis method described in Analytica EBC (European Brewery Convention).

[caffeine]
The coffee beverage of the present embodiment contains caffeine. The inclusion of caffeine improves palatability and facilitates a good balance between bitterness and aftertaste.
The content of caffeine in the whole coffee beverage is preferably 0.1 mg / 100 ml or more and 150 mg / 100 ml or less, more preferably 10 mg / 100 ml or more and 120 mg / 100 ml or less, and 35 mg / 100 ml or more and 100 mg / 100 ml or less. Is more preferable.
By setting the content of the caffeine to the above lower limit value or more, it becomes easy to improve the coffee feeling while achieving both the strength of bitterness and the freshness. On the other hand, by setting the content of the caffeine to the above upper limit value or less, the balance between the strength of bitterness, the freshness and the feeling of coffee can be well maintained.

[Brix value]
The Brix value (Bx) of the coffee beverage of the present embodiment is preferably 0.3 ° or more and 10 ° or less from the viewpoint of improving the balance of aroma, acidity, bitterness and aftertaste while improving the ease of drinking. Yes, more preferably 0.5 ° or more and 7 ° or less, still more preferably 1.0 ° or more and 4 ° or less.
The Brix value indicates the total content of soluble solids relative to the total amount of coffee beverage. For the Brix value, for example, a digital refractometer Rx-5000α (manufactured by Atago Co., Ltd.) can be used to measure the reading of the refractometer for sugar at 20 ° C.
The Brix value can be adjusted, for example, by adjusting the amount of the sweetener described later, the amount of various other components, and the like.

[Other ingredients]
Further, the coffee beverage of the present embodiment has aroma components other than the above, milk, sweeteners, acidulants, emulsifiers, pH adjusters (sodium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, etc.) as long as the effects of the present invention can be obtained. , Fruit juice, various nutritional components, colorants, diluents, antioxidants, thickening stabilizers and the like.

Examples of the above-mentioned milk include raw milk, whole milk powder, skim milk powder, fresh cream, concentrated milk, partially skim milk, condensed milk, milk powder, fermented milk and the like. These may be used alone or in admixture of two or more.
In the case of a milk-containing coffee beverage, the milk content is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of obtaining a good milk flavor, improving the coffee feeling, and obtaining a good bitterness and aftertaste, milk solid content (milk fat content). It means a combination of non-fat milk solids and non-fat milk solids.) The amount is preferably 0.5 to 3.5% by mass, and the milk solids content is 0.8 to 2.5% by mass. More preferably, the milk solid content is 1.0 to 2.0% by mass.

Examples of the above-mentioned sweeteners include sugars such as fructose, saccharin, glucose, granulated sugar, lactose, and malt sugar, low-sweetness sweeteners such as xylitol and D-sorbitol, taumatin, stevia extract, and diglycyrrhizinate. High sweetness sweeteners such as sodium, acesulfam potassium, sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, neotheme, and sodium saccharin can be mentioned. Only one of these may be used, or two or more thereof may be used in combination.

[container]
Examples of the container used for the coffee beverage of the present embodiment include a sealed container made of a single substance such as glass, paper, plastic (polyethylene terephthalate or the like), aluminum, and steel, or a composite material or laminated material thereof. The type of container is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include PET bottles, aluminum cans, steel cans, paper packs, chilled cups, and bottles. Steel cans are preferred from the standpoint of preserving the flavor of coffee beverages, and PET bottles, steel cans and aluminum cans with lids are preferred from the standpoint of being lightweight and recapable.
The capacity of the coffee beverage is not particularly limited, but is preferably 100 to 2000 g, and more preferably 100 to 500 g from the viewpoint of easy drinking.

The method of heat sterilization of the bottled coffee beverage is not particularly limited, but in Japan, it is heat sterilized in accordance with the provisions of the Food Sanitation Law. Specifically, a method of sterilizing at a high temperature for a short time and then filling it in a storage container sterilized under sterile conditions (UHT sterilization method), and a method of filling a preparation solution in a storage container such as a can and then performing retort treatment. Examples include the retort sterilization method to be performed.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these are examples of the present invention, and various configurations other than the above can be adopted.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to Examples and Comparative Examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

<Analysis method for aroma components (a) to (e)>
The concentration (ppb) of each aroma component in the coffee beverage was subjected to GC / MS measurement and measured under the conditions shown below.
-GC: 7890A manufactured by Agilent Technologies.
-MS: 5975C manufactured by Agilent Technologies.
-Column: DB-WAX UI 30 m x 0.25 mm, film thickness 0.25 μm manufactured by Agent Technologies.
-Constant pressure mode: 122 kPa (1.1 ml / min). Injection method: splitless. Carrier gas: He.
-Inlet temperature: 240 ° C. Transfer line: 240 ° C.
-Oven temperature: 40 degrees (5 min) → 5 degrees / min → 240 ° C (0 min).
・ MS conditions: Scan mode ・ Quantitative ions: guaiacol m / z 124,
4-ethylguaiacol m / z 137,
linalool m / z 71,
3-methyl-1-Butanol m / z 55,
Ethyl acetate m / z 61,
Cyclohexanol (internal standard) m / z 82

<Analysis method of iso-alpha acid>
The content of iso-alpha acid in the coffee beverage was measured as follows.
The measurement sample was prepared by the following method. Take 10 ml of a sample appropriately diluted with ultrapure water in a glass centrifuge tube, add 10 ml of methanol, invert and mix several times, centrifuge (3000 rpm, 15 minutes, room temperature), and filter the supernatant with a PTFE filter (3000 rpm, 15 minutes, room temperature). After filtering with a Whatman SYRINGEFILTER 13 mm Disposable Filter Device PTFE (pore size 0.45 μm), the sample was used as an analysis sample.
〔Device configuration〕
・ Detector: SPD-M20A prominence (Shimadzu Corporation)
-Column oven: CTO-20AC prominence (Shimadzu Corporation)
・ Pump: LC-20AD prominence (Shimadzu Corporation)
・ Autosampler: SIL-20ACHT prominence (Shimadzu Corporation)
-Column: Zorbax Eclipse 5 XDB-C8 Inner diameter 4.6 mm x length 250 mm, particle diameter 5 μm (Agilent Technologies)
〔Analysis conditions〕
-Sample injection volume: 50 μL
・ Flow rate: 1.0 mL / min
-Detection wavelength: 270 nm
・ Column oven set temperature: 35 ° C
Eluent A: Methanol Eluent B: 1% citric acid buffer (pH 7.0) (10.9 g of citric acid monohydrate is dissolved in about 950 ml of ultrapure water. 45% potassium hydroxide solution. Adjust the pH to 7.0 and add ultrapure water to make 1000 ml. The solution is filtered with a filter (ADVAVTEC MIXED CELLULOSE ESTER A045A047A), 30 (V / V)% acetonitrile solution [gradient conditions].
Time Eluent A Eluent B
0.0 minutes 15% 85%
5.0 minutes 15% 85%
30.0 minutes 80% 20%
33.0 minutes 80% 20%
35.0 minutes 15% 85%
45.0 minutes 15% 85%
[Preparation of standard substances]
30 mg of iso-alpha acid standard (DCHA-Iso, LaborVeritas) is precisely weighed and placed in a 100 ml clear glass volumetric flask, in which approximately 40 ml of acidic methanol (1 L of methanol with 0.5 ml of phosphoric acid (85)) is placed. %) Is added), dissolved, and the volume is settled in acidic methanol at 20 ° C. to protect it from light. This was appropriately diluted with 1% citric acid buffer (pH 7.0) and 35 (V / V)% acetonitrile solution.
[Measurement of iso-alpha acid content]
Add up the area values of I1 (16.3 minutes), I2 (17.1 minutes), I3 (20.5 minutes), and I4 (21.1 minutes), and determine the content based on the area value of the standard substance. rice field.

<Examples and comparative examples>
100 g of coffee beans (Brazilian, L value 16) was extracted with 1000 g of hot water at 95 ° C. to obtain a coffee extract. Coffee beverage without hop extract added after adding 0.12 g / 100 ml of baking soda to the obtained coffee extract, coffee beverage with 3 μl / 100 ml of hop extract added, coffee with 9 μl / 100 ml of hop extract added. Each beverage was prepared, filled in a can and sterilized by retort to prepare a prototype (Brix value 2.1). The coffee solid content was adjusted to 2.0%.
Each of the obtained prototypes was opened, and each aroma component was added so as to have each aroma component amount (ppb) shown in Tables 1 to 4 to obtain a coffee beverage. No aroma component was added to the coffee beverage of Comparative Example 1.
The following sensory evaluation was carried out using the obtained coffee beverage. The sensory evaluation was performed immediately after the addition of the aroma component. The results are shown in Tables 1 to 4.

・ Sensory evaluation: Each coffee beverage (20 ° C) was tasted by 5 coffee specialist panels, and 7 for each of "strength of bitterness", "freshness", and "strength of coffee flavor" according to the following evaluation criteria. A graded (1-7 points) evaluation was carried out, and the average score was calculated. In addition, when evaluating, the coffee beverage of Comparative Example 1 was evaluated as a control product (reference value 4 points).

・ Evaluation criteria "Strength of bitterness", "Strength of coffee flavor"
7 points ... very strong 6 points ... strong 5 points ... slightly strong 4 points ... neither can be said 3 points ... slightly weak 2 points ... weak 1 point ... very weak " Freshness "
7 points ・ ・ ・ Very refreshing 6 points ・ ・ ・ Refreshing 5 points ・ ・ ・ Slightly refreshing 4 points ・ ・ ・ Neither can be said 3 points ・ ・ ・ Slightly not refreshing 2 points ・ ・ ・ Not refreshing 1 point ・・ ・ Not very refreshing

Claims (6)

The content A of guaiacol is 400 to 2000 ppb,
The content B of 4-ethylguaiacol is 100 to 500 ppb.
The content C of linalool is 1 to 30 ppb,
The content D of 3-methyl-1-butanol is 50 to 750 ppb, and the content D is 50 to 750 ppb.
The ethyl acetate content E is 40 to 750 ppb, and the content E is 40 to 750 ppb.
And a coffee beverage that satisfies the following (i) and (ii);
(I) (A / 4) + B = 300 to 1000;
(Ii) C + {(D + E) / 30} = 10 to 80. The coffee beverage according to claim 1, further comprising iso-alpha acid and having an iso-alpha acid content of 1 to 20 ppm. The coffee beverage according to claim 2, wherein the iso-alpha acid is derived from hops. The coffee beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the Brix value of the beverage is 0.3 ° or more and 10 ° or less. The coffee beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which is packed in a container. The content A of guaiacol is 400 to 2000 ppb,
The content B of 4-ethylguaiacol is 100 to 500 ppb.
The content C of linalool is 1 to 30 ppb,
The content D of 3-methyl-1-butanol is 50 to 750 ppb, and the content D is 50 to 750 ppb.
The ethyl acetate content E is 40 to 750 ppb, and the content E is 40 to 750 ppb.
And a coffee beverage that satisfies the following (iii);
(Iii) {(A / 4) + B} / [C + {(D + E) / 30}] = 4 to 38.