JP2025012334A - BEVERAGE, METHOD FOR PRODUCING BEVERAGE, AND METHOD FOR ENHANCING BEVERAGE FLAVOR - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention aims to provide a beverage having an enhanced mild saltiness and vibrant fruitiness, a method for producing the beverage, and a method for improving the flavor of the beverage.
[Solution] The beverage according to the present invention has a sodium content of 10 mg/100 mL or more, a glutamic acid content of 0.1 ppm or more, and a benzaldehyde content of 0.01 ppm or more. The method for producing a beverage according to the present invention includes the steps of setting the sodium content to 10 mg/100 mL or more, the glutamic acid content to 0.1 ppm or more, and the benzaldehyde content to 0.01 ppm or more. The method for improving the flavor of a beverage according to the present invention is a method for enhancing the mild saltiness and gorgeous fruitiness of a beverage, and includes the steps of setting the sodium content to 10 mg/100 mL or more, the glutamic acid content to 0.1 ppm or more, and the benzaldehyde content to 0.01 ppm or more.
[Selection diagram] None

Description

The present invention relates to beverages, methods for producing beverages, and methods for improving the flavor of beverages.

To date, various inventions have been created that focus on flavors to create beverages that suit the diverse tastes of consumers.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a carbonated beverage that contains acetic acid at a content of 10 to 1,000 ppm and thymol at a content of 1 to 150 ppb.

Patent No. 7017663

The invention in Patent Document 1 relates to a beverage containing acetic acid, and by adding thymol to the beverage, it maintains its deliciousness while reducing the irritation caused by the acetic acid.

On the other hand, the present inventors wanted to impart a distinctive flavor characteristic to differentiate the beverage from other beverages in terms of flavor.
Specifically, the inventors wanted to create a beverage with unprecedented flavor characteristics that enhanced the "mild saltiness" and "flavorful fruitiness" (sake-like fruitiness) that serve as flavor accents.

Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to provide a beverage with enhanced mild saltiness and vibrant fruitiness, a method for producing the beverage, and a method for improving the flavor of the beverage.

The above problems can be solved by the following measures.
(1) A beverage having a sodium content of 10 mg/100 mL or more, a glutamic acid content of 0.1 ppm or more, and a benzaldehyde content of 0.01 ppm or more.
(2) The beverage described in 1 above, wherein the glutamic acid content is 30.0 ppm or more.
(3) The beverage described in 1 or 2, wherein the benzaldehyde content is 0.1 to 10.0 ppm.
(4) A beverage according to any one of 1 to 3, having an alcohol content of 1 to 10 v/v%.
(5) A beverage described in any one of 1 to 4, having an acidity of 0.1 to 0.9 g/100 mL.
(6) A beverage described in any one of 1 to 5, having an extract content of 2.0 w/v% or more.
(7) A beverage described in any one of 1 to 6, which is a plum-flavored beverage.
(8) A method for producing a beverage, comprising the steps of adjusting the sodium content to 10 mg/100 mL or more, the glutamic acid content to 0.1 ppm or more, and the benzaldehyde content to 0.01 ppm or more.
(9) A method for improving the flavor of a beverage by enhancing a mild saltiness and a vibrant fruitiness, the method comprising the steps of setting the sodium content to 10 mg/100 mL or more, the glutamic acid content to 0.1 ppm or more, and the benzaldehyde content to 0.01 ppm or more.

The beverage of the present invention has an enhanced mild salty taste and vibrant fruitiness.
The method for producing a beverage according to the present invention can produce a beverage having an enhanced mild saltiness and vibrant fruitiness.
The method for enhancing the flavor of a beverage according to the present invention can enhance the mild saltiness and vibrant fruitiness of the beverage.

The following describes the beverage, the method for producing the beverage, and the method for improving the flavor of the beverage according to the present invention (the present embodiment).

[Beverages]
The beverage according to this embodiment has a sodium content equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and has a glutamic acid content and a benzaldehyde content each equal to or greater than a predetermined value.
Here, the beverage according to this embodiment is not limited to a specific type of beverage, but may be, for example, a chuhai-flavored beverage.
A chuhai-flavored beverage is a beverage that tastes like chuhai, that is, a beverage that is flavored and designed to have the flavor of chuhai. Note that the flavor of chuhai also includes the flavors of sours and cocktails.
In addition, since the beverage according to this embodiment has an enhanced mild salty taste, it is preferably a plum-flavored beverage that is particularly positively recognized for its mild salty taste. A plum-flavored beverage is a beverage that is flavored and designed to have a plum aroma. Examples of plum-flavored beverages include pickled plum flavored beverages and green plum flavored beverages. In addition, the beverage according to this embodiment may be a shiso flavored beverage.
In addition, when the beverage according to this embodiment contains alcohol, it becomes a chuhai-flavored alcoholic beverage or a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage.
Each element constituting the beverage according to this embodiment will be described below.

(Glutamic Acid)
Glutamic acid is an amino acid with the chemical formula C ₅ H ₉ NO ₄ .
The present inventors have surprisingly found that by adding glutamic acid and benzaldehyde (described below) to a beverage (a beverage having a sodium content equal to or greater than a predetermined value), the "mild saltiness" and "flashy fruitiness" are enhanced.
The present inventors have also discovered that by adding glutamic acid and benzaldehyde (described below) to a beverage, the "crisp umami flavor" and "authentic umeboshi flavor" can be enhanced.
As shown in the results of the examples described later, it has been confirmed that the effects of either glutamic acid or benzaldehyde alone are not fully exerted, but that by containing both (by the content of each being equal to or greater than a specified value), each effect is fully exerted.
In the present specification, glutamic acid means, strictly speaking, L-glutamic acid (CAS number: 56-86-0).
Glutamic acid may be added to the beverage in the form of a salt such as monosodium glutamate, but the manner of addition is not particularly limited, and when fruit juice, fruit extract, yeast extract, or the like is used, glutamic acid may be contained in the beverage by adding these.

The content of glutamic acid is preferably 0.1 ppm or more, more preferably 0.5 ppm or more, 1.0 ppm or more, 3.0 ppm or more, 4.3 ppm or more, 7.0 ppm or more, 10.0 ppm or more, 15.0 ppm or more, 17.2 ppm or more, 20.0 ppm or more, 25.0 ppm or more, 30.0 ppm or more, 35.0 ppm or more, 38.0 ppm or more, 40.0 ppm or more, and more preferably 41.3 ppm or more. By having a glutamic acid content of a predetermined value or more, the mild saltiness and gorgeous fruitiness can be enhanced, and the sharp umami and authentic feeling of pickled plum can also be enhanced.
The glutamic acid content is preferably 250.0 ppm or less, more preferably 220.0 ppm or less, 200.0 ppm or less, 180.0 ppm or less, 172.0 ppm or less, 150.0 ppm or less, 130.0 ppm or less, or 100.0 ppm or less. By keeping the glutamic acid content at a predetermined value or less, the beverage can have a well-balanced flavor.
In this specification, the unit "ppm" is synonymous with "mg/L".

The glutamic acid content in a beverage can be measured, for example, by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

In the beverage according to this embodiment, when glutamic acid is added as monosodium glutamate, the content of monosodium glutamate is, for example, as follows.
The content of sodium glutamate is, for example, 1 ppm or more, 5 ppm or more, 18 ppm or more, 20 ppm or more, 30 ppm or more, 40 ppm or more, 50 ppm or more, and 280 ppm or less, 250 ppm or less, 220 ppm or less, 200 ppm or less, or 180 ppm or less.

(Benzaldehyde)
Benzaldehyde (CAS number: 100-52-7) is a type of aromatic aldehyde represented by the chemical formula C ₇ H ₆ O.
The present inventors have surprisingly found that by adding benzaldehyde and the above-mentioned glutamic acid to a beverage (a beverage having a sodium content of a predetermined value or more), the "mild saltiness" and "flashy fruitiness" are enhanced.
The present inventors have also discovered that by adding benzaldehyde and the above-mentioned glutamic acid to a beverage, the "crisp umami flavor" and the "authentic taste of pickled plums" can be enhanced.

The benzaldehyde content is preferably 0.01 ppm or more, more preferably 0.05 ppm or more, 0.08 ppm or more, 0.1 ppm or more, 0.5 ppm or more, 0.8 ppm or more, or 1.0 ppm or more. By having the benzaldehyde content be a predetermined value or more, the mild saltiness and gorgeous fruitiness can be enhanced, and the sharp umami and authentic feeling of pickled plum can also be enhanced.
The benzaldehyde content is preferably 30.0 ppm or less, more preferably 20.0 ppm or less, 12.0 ppm or less, 10.0 ppm or less, 8.0 ppm or less, 5.0 ppm or less, and more preferably 3.0 ppm or less. By keeping the benzaldehyde content at a predetermined value or less, the beverage can have a well-balanced flavor.

The benzaldehyde content in beverages can be measured, for example, by solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS method).

(Benzaldehyde content/Glutamic acid content)
When the glutamic acid content in the beverage is X ppm and the benzaldehyde content is Y ppm, Y/X is, for example, as follows:
Y/X is preferably 0.01 or more, more preferably 0.015 or more, 0.018 or more, and even more preferably 0.02 or more.
Y/X is preferably 0.50 or less, more preferably 0.40 or less, 0.30 or less, and even more preferably 0.23 or less.
By having Y/X within the specified range, the effects of enhancing the mild saltiness, the vibrant fruitiness, the sharp umami, and the authentic taste of pickled plums can be more reliably achieved.

(sodium)
The sodium content of the beverage according to this embodiment is as follows:
The sodium content is preferably 10 mg/100 mL or more, more preferably 20 mg/100 mL or more, 30 mg/100 mL or more, 40 mg/100 mL or more, 45 mg/100 mL or more, and more preferably 47 mg/100 mL or more. By making the sodium content equal to or more than a predetermined value, the saltiness to be enhanced appears in the beverage, and the effect of enhancing the mild saltiness and the effect of enhancing the authentic taste of pickled plum can be more reliably exhibited.
The sodium content is preferably 100 mg/100 mL or less, more preferably 80 mg/100 mL or less, 70 mg/100 mL or less, 60 mg/100 mL or less, and more preferably 55 mg/100 mL or less. By keeping the sodium content at a predetermined value or less, the flavor of the beverage can be balanced.

The sodium content of a beverage can be measured, for example, by atomic absorption spectrometry.
Furthermore, the salty taste of a beverage can appear even if it does not contain salt, if the sodium content is high.

(acidity)
The acidity (acidity calculated as citric acid) of the beverage according to this embodiment is as follows.
The acidity is preferably 0.1 g/100 mL or more, more preferably 0.2 g/100 mL or more, 0.3 g/100 mL or more, 0.4 g/100 mL or more, 0.45 g/100 mL or more, and more preferably 0.49 g/100 mL or more. By having an acidity of a predetermined value or more, the effect of enhancing the sharp umami taste can be more reliably exhibited.
The acidity is preferably 2.0 g/100 mL or less, more preferably 1.5 g/100 mL or less, 1.0 g/100 mL or less, 0.7 g/100 mL or less, and more preferably 0.6 g/100 mL or less. By keeping the acidity at a predetermined value or less, the flavor of the beverage can be balanced.

The acidity in this specification (acidity converted into citric acid: acidity value converted into citric acid equivalent) can be determined by the method specified in the Japanese Agricultural Standards for Fruit Drinks (Notification No. 489 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, February 24, 2016).
The acidity can be adjusted by adding an acidulant as described below.

(Extract)
The extract components of the beverage according to this embodiment are as follows.
The extract content is preferably 2 w/v % or more, more preferably 3 w/v % or more, 4 w/v % or more, and even more preferably 4.5 w/v % or more.
The extract content is preferably 10 w/v % or less, more preferably 8 w/v % or less, 6 w/v % or less, and even more preferably 5 w/v % or less.
By keeping the extract content within the specified range, the beverage can have a well-balanced flavor.

The extract is a non-volatile component contained in a beverage, and the extract content is the number of grams of non-volatile components contained in 100 cubic centimeters of original volume at a temperature of 15 degrees (Article 3 of the Liquor Tax Law). The extract content of a beverage can be calculated, for example, by measuring the specific gravity (sake meter value) and alcohol content in accordance with the analytical method prescribed by the National Tax Agency of Japan.
The extract content can be adjusted by adding sweeteners as described below.

(Alcohol content)
The beverage according to this embodiment may contain alcohol.
The alcohol may be any drinkable alcohol, and is not limited by type, production method, raw materials, etc., so long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Examples of alcohol that can be used include whiskey, brandy, spirits (e.g., spirits such as gin, vodka, rum, and raw material alcohols), liqueurs, shochu, and brewed alcohol such as sake, fruit wine, and beer. Of these, one or more of vodka, which is a distilled alcoholic beverage, and raw material alcohol can be used.
In this specification, alcohol refers to ethanol unless otherwise specified.

The alcohol content is not particularly limited, and in the case of a non-alcoholic beverage, for example, it may be less than 1 v/v%, 0.95 v/v% or less, 0.9 v/v% or less, 0.85 v/v% or less, 0.8 v/v% or less, 0.7 v/v% or less, 0.6 v/v% or less, 0.5 v/v% or less, 0.4 v/v% or less, 0.3 v/v% or less, 0.2 v/v% or less, 0.1 v/v% or less, 0.05 v/v% or less, 0.01 v/v% or less, 0.005 v/v% or less, less than 0.005 v/v%, or 0.004 v/v% or less.
In the case of alcoholic beverages, for example, the content may be 1 v/v% or more, 3 v/v% or more, 3.5 v/v% or more, 4 v/v% or more, 5.2 v/v% or more, and 12 v/v% or less, 10 v/v% or less, 8 v/v% or less, or 6 v/v% or less.
The alcohol content can be measured, for example, based on the National Tax Agency's prescribed analytical method (instruction) 3 Sake: 3-4 alcohol content (vibration type density meter/gas chromatograph analysis method).

(Foaming)
The beverage according to the present embodiment is preferably a carbonated beverage that contains carbon dioxide gas. Here, the term "carbonated" in the present embodiment means that the gas pressure (total pressure) at 20°C is 0.5 kg/ ^cm2 or more, and in the case of a carbonated beverage, the gas pressure may be, for example, 1.0 kg/cm2 or ^more , 1.5 kg/cm2 or more, 2.0 kg/cm2 or ^more , or 2.3 kg/cm2 ^or more, and 5.0 kg/cm2 or ^less , 4.0 kg/cm2 ^{or less} , 3.5 kg/cm2 or ^less , or 3.0 kg/ ^cm2 or less.
The gas pressure can be measured, for example, based on the National Tax Agency's Specified Analysis Method (Instruction) 8-3 Gas Pressure.

(pH)
The pH of the beverage according to this embodiment is as follows:
The pH is preferably 2.5 or more, more preferably 3.0 or more, and more preferably 3.3 or more, and is preferably 4.0 or less, more preferably 3.8 or less, and more preferably 3.5 or less.
The pH of the beverage can be measured using a commercially available pH measuring device.

(others)
The beverage according to the present embodiment may contain sweeteners, high-intensity sweeteners, antioxidants, flavors, acidulants, salts, dietary fiber, etc. (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as "additives") that are usually blended into beverages within a range that does not inhibit the desired effects of the present invention, or of course, may not contain them. As sweeteners, for example, high-fructose glucose liquid sugar, glucose, galactose, mannose, fructose, lactose, sucrose, maltose, etc. can be used. As high-intensity sweeteners, for example, neotame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, saccharin, saccharin sodium, disodium glycyrrhizinate, cyclamate, dulcin, stevia, glycyrrhizin, thaumatin, monellin, aspartame, alitame, etc. can be used. As antioxidants, for example, vitamin C, vitamin E, polyphenols, etc. can be used. Examples of the acidulant that can be used include citric acid, adipic acid, trisodium citrate, glucono delta lactone, gluconic acid, potassium gluconate, sodium gluconate, succinic acid, monosodium succinate, disodium succinate, sodium acetate, DL-tartaric acid, L-tartaric acid, sodium DL-tartrate, L-sodium tartrate, carbon dioxide, lactic acid, sodium lactate, fumaric acid, monosodium fumarate, DL-malic acid, sodium DL-malate, phosphoric acid, etc. Examples of the salt that can be used include table salt, potassium acid phosphate, calcium acid phosphate, ammonium phosphate, calcium sulfate, potassium metabisulfite, calcium chloride, potassium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, etc. Examples of the dietary fiber that can be used include indigestible dextrin, pectin, polydextrose, and decomposed guar gum.
The above-mentioned raw materials can be generally commercially available.

If the beverage according to this embodiment is a chuhai-flavor beverage, it may contain fruit flavors (flavors that impart a fruit-like aroma), fruit juice (juice squeezed from fruit), and fruit extracts (extracts of active ingredients of the fruit extracted from the fruit or fruit juice using water, alcohol, etc.). Examples of fruit juice that can be used include various types of fruit juice, such as concentrated fruit juice, reconstituted fruit juice, and straight fruit juice, fruit puree (semi-liquid products obtained by mashing or straining cooked or raw fruit), and diluted solutions, concentrated solutions, and mixtures thereof.
Examples of fruits from which the fruit juice is derived (and the fruit species from which the fruit flavors and fruit extracts are derived) include plums, which are suitable for the effects of the present invention (particularly the effect of enhancing a mild salty taste and the effect of enhancing the authentic feel of umeboshi), as well as citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, mandarin oranges, oranges, grapefruits, yuzu, and shikuwasa, as well as conventionally known fruits such as apples, strawberries, peaches, cherries (yellow peaches), grapes, plums, pomegranates, blueberries, black currants, cranberries, maqui berries, mangoes, pineapples, kiwis, and pears.

(Packaged beverages)
The beverage according to the present embodiment can be provided in various containers. By filling the beverage in various containers, deterioration of the quality of the beverage due to long-term storage can be suitably prevented.
The container may be any container that can be sealed, and so-called can containers and barrel containers made of metal (such as aluminum or steel) may be used. Glass containers, PET bottle containers, paper containers, pouch containers, etc. may also be used. The capacity of the container is not particularly limited, and any container currently in circulation may be used. It is preferable to use a metal container, since it can completely block gas, moisture, and light and maintain stable quality at room temperature for a long period of time.

As described above, the beverage according to this embodiment has an enhanced mild salty taste and vibrant fruity flavor.
Furthermore, the beverage according to this embodiment has a sharp umami flavor and an enhanced authentic umeboshi flavor.

[Production method of beverage]
Next, a method for producing a beverage according to this embodiment will be described.
The method for producing a beverage according to this embodiment includes a mixing step and a post-treatment step.

In the mixing step, water, glutamic acid (or a composition containing glutamic acid), benzaldehyde (or a composition containing benzaldehyde), alcohol, additives, etc. are appropriately charged into a mixing tank to produce a mixed liquid.
In this mixing step, the raw materials are mixed and adjusted so that the glutamic acid content, the benzaldehyde content, and the like are within the above-mentioned predetermined ranges.

In the post-treatment process, for example, filtration, sterilization, addition of carbon dioxide gas, and filling into a container are selectively performed as necessary.
The filtration process in the post-processing step can be performed using a general filter or strainer. The sterilization process in the post-processing step is preferably performed by plate sterilization from the viewpoint of processing speed, etc., but is not limited to this and can be applied as long as a similar process can be performed. The filling process in the post-processing step is preferably performed in a clean room that is kept as clean as is usually done in the manufacture of beverages. The order of each process in the post-processing step is not particularly limited.

The processes carried out in the mixing and post-processing steps can be carried out using equipment commonly used to manufacture RTD beverages (ready to drink beverages), etc.

As described above, the method for producing a beverage according to this embodiment can produce a beverage with an enhanced mild saltiness and vibrant fruitiness.
Furthermore, the method for producing a beverage according to this embodiment can produce a beverage with enhanced sharp umami flavor and the authentic flavor of pickled plum.

[Method for improving the flavor of beverages]
Next, the beverage flavor enhancing method according to this embodiment will be described.
The method for enhancing the flavor of a beverage according to this embodiment is a method for adjusting the sodium content to a predetermined value or more, the glutamic acid content to a predetermined value or more, and the benzaldehyde content to a predetermined value or more.
The contents of each component are the same as those explained in the "beverage" section above.

As described above, according to the method for enhancing beverage flavor of this embodiment, it is possible to enhance the mild saltiness and vibrant fruitiness of the beverage.
Furthermore, according to the method for enhancing the flavor of a beverage according to this embodiment, it is possible to enhance the sharp umami taste and authentic flavor of pickled plums in the beverage.

Next, the present invention will be explained by illustrating examples that satisfy the requirements of the present invention and comparative examples that do not.

[Sample preparation]
Each sample in Tables 1 and 2 was prepared by mixing vodka, sweetener (fructose glucose liquid sugar), citric acid (anhydrous), trisodium citrate, sodium glutamate, benzaldehyde, carbonated water, and water in the amounts shown in the table.
The gas pressure (total pressure) at 20° C. for each sample in Tables 1 and 2 was 2.3 kg/cm ² .

[Test Contents]
For each sample produced by the above-mentioned method, five trained panelists with discriminating abilities independently scored the following five-point scale (1 to 5) for "mild saltiness,""brightfruitiness,""crispumami,""authentic umeboshi flavor," and "overall evaluation" in accordance with the following evaluation criteria, and the average of the scores was calculated.
All evaluations were performed by drinking the samples.

(Mild saltiness: Evaluation criteria)
The mild saltiness was evaluated based on a standard score of 1 for sample 1-1, with a score of 1 for "weak mild saltiness" and a score of 5 for "strong mild saltiness." The higher the score, the more enhanced the mild saltiness is, and the more preferable it can be judged to be.
Here, a "mild saltiness" is a saltiness that adds a nice accent to the flavor of a beverage and is also a rounded saltiness without any harsh edges, and is considered to be a particularly preferable flavor characteristic for plum-flavored (including pickled plum) beverages.

(Gorgeous fruitiness: Evaluation criteria)
The evaluation of the gorgeous fruitiness was based on a standard of 1 point for sample 1-1, with "weak gorgeous fruitiness" being rated 1 point and "strong gorgeous fruitiness" being rated 5 points. The higher the score, the more enhanced the gorgeous fruitiness is, and the more preferable it can be judged to be.
Here, "flashy fruitiness" refers to the fruitiness that is reminiscent of sake, which is felt when drinking sake.

(Sharp umami flavor: Evaluation criteria)
The evaluation of the sharp umami was based on a standard score of 1 for sample 1-1, with a score of 1 for "weak sharp umami" and a score of 5 for "strong sharp umami." The higher the score, the more enhanced the sharp umami is, and the more preferable it can be judged to be.
Here, "crisp umami" refers to a full-bodied umami flavor that leaves a clean aftertaste (does not linger in the aftertaste), like a dry sake.

(Authentic Umeboshi: Evaluation Criteria)
The evaluation of the authentic taste of the umeboshi was based on a standard of 1 point for sample 1-1, with 1 point for "weak authentic taste of the umeboshi" and 5 points for "strong authentic taste of the umeboshi." The higher the score, the more enhanced the authentic taste of the umeboshi is, and the more preferable it can be judged to be.
Here, the "authentic flavor of umeboshi" refers to a flavor that is reminiscent of the flesh of umeboshi, and is a flavor similar to the flesh of real pickled umeboshi.

(Overall evaluation: Evaluation criteria)
For the overall evaluation, no benchmark score was set, and a score of 1 was given for a "poor overall evaluation as a beverage" and a score of 5 for a "good overall evaluation as a beverage."

The "overall rating" here is based on the balance of flavor as a beverage. For example, if the flavor balance is disrupted by a strong flavor based on a specific component, the beverage will be rated as "poor."

The table shows the content of each component in the samples, as well as the results of each evaluation. Note that the numerical values and indices for each component shown in the table are the content and indices in the final product.

(Review of results)
Table 1 shows the results when the glutamic acid content was varied.
From the results of Samples 1-1 to 1-3 in Table 1, it was confirmed that Sample 1-2, in which only benzaldehyde was added to the beverage, did not sufficiently achieve the desired effects (enhancing effect of mild saltiness, enhancing effect of vibrant fruitiness, enhancing effect of sharp umami, and enhancing effect of authentic pickled plum flavor), whereas Sample 1-3, in which both benzaldehyde and glutamic acid were added, fully achieved the desired effects (2.2 points or more for each evaluation item, 2 points or more for vibrant fruitiness only).
Furthermore, from the results of Samples 1-3 to 1-6 in Table 1, it was confirmed that in beverages containing a predetermined amount of benzaldehyde, the desired effects were more strongly exerted as the glutamic acid content increased.
Taking all the evaluations into consideration, among samples 1-1 to 1-6, favorable results were obtained for samples 1-3 to 1-6, and in particular, samples 1-4 to 1-6 showed very favorable results.

Table 2 shows the results of varying the benzaldehyde content.
From the results of Samples 2-1 to 2-2 in Table 2 and Sample 1-1 in Table 1, it was confirmed that Sample 2-1, which was a beverage that only contained glutamic acid, did not sufficiently achieve the desired effects (enhancing the mild saltiness, enhancing the vibrant fruitiness, enhancing the crisp umami, and enhancing the authentic flavor of pickled plums), whereas Sample 2-2, which contained both benzaldehyde and glutamic acid, fully achieved the desired effects (2.2 points or more for each evaluation item, and 2 points or more for the vibrant fruitiness only).
Furthermore, from the results of Samples 2-2 to 2-5 in Table 2, it was confirmed that in beverages containing a predetermined amount of glutamic acid, the desired effects were more strongly exerted as the benzaldehyde content increased.
When all the evaluations were taken into consideration, among samples 2-1 to 2-5, favorable results were obtained for samples 2-2 to 2-5, and in particular, samples 2-3 to 2-4 obtained very favorable results.

Claims (9)

A beverage having a sodium content of 10 mg/100 mL or more,
The glutamic acid content is 0.1 ppm or more,
A beverage having a benzaldehyde content of 0.01 ppm or more. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the glutamic acid content is 30.0 ppm or more. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the benzaldehyde content is 0.1 to 10.0 ppm. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, having an alcohol content of 1 to 10 v/v %. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, having an acidity of 0.1 to 0.9 g/100 mL. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, in which the extract content is 2.0 w/v% or more. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, which is a plum-flavored beverage. A method for producing a beverage comprising the steps of setting the sodium content to 10 mg/100 mL or more, the glutamic acid content to 0.1 ppm or more, and the benzaldehyde content to 0.01 ppm or more. A method for enhancing the flavor of a beverage by enhancing a mild saltiness and a gorgeous fruitiness, comprising:
A method for improving the flavor of a beverage, comprising the steps of adjusting the sodium content to 10 mg/100 mL or more, the glutamic acid content to 0.1 ppm or more, and the benzaldehyde content to 0.01 ppm or more.