JP7534114B2 - Soy milk-containing beverages - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a soy milk-containing beverage, and more specifically to a soy milk-containing beverage with improved soy milk flavor.

To date, a wide variety of dairy beverages have been developed to suit a wide variety of targets. Meanwhile, against the backdrop of issues such as milk allergies, the recent trend toward health consciousness and diversifying tastes, new soy milk-containing beverages are being developed to replace dairy beverages. Soy milk has been popular as a highly nutritious vegetable milk, and many products that can be stored at room temperature are sold. However, because soy milk and soy milk-containing beverages have a unique soybean odor, it is difficult to provide the desired thirst quenching properties, for example, when a large amount of soy milk is added to a soft drink. In response to this problem, for example, efforts have been made to impart a fruit flavor to soy milk to make it easier to drink, but this can also impair the original flavor of soy milk.

Therefore, various attempts have been made to improve the soymilk flavor of soymilk-containing beverages.
For example, Patent Document 1 describes a technology for providing fermented soymilk with good flavor by decomposing phytic acid in soymilk by enzyme treatment and then fermenting it with lactic acid bacteria, and discloses lactic acid bacteria-fermented soymilk having a free phosphoric acid content of 0.5 to 5% by weight per soybean-derived protein.
Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses that gluconic acid, phytic acid, phosphoric acid, acetic acid, etc. can be added as an acidulant to a sparkling soy milk-containing beverage.
Thus, there is a need for means to enhance or improve the flavor of soy milk or soy milk-containing beverages.

International Publication No. 2006/043478 JP 2015-27284 A

The object of the present invention is to provide a soy milk-containing beverage with improved soy milk flavor, and a means for providing such a soy milk-containing beverage.

The present inventors, while diligently investigating new means for enhancing or improving the flavor of soy milk-containing beverages, unexpectedly discovered that by focusing on the acidity of the beverage as a whole and adjusting the blending amounts of phosphoric acid and each organic acid as an acidulant and adding them to unadjusted soy milk or a soy milk-containing beverage, the flavor of the soy milk-containing beverage can be improved or the flavor can be strengthened, and thus completed the present invention. That is, the present invention includes the following aspects.
[1] A soy milk-containing beverage containing phosphoric acid as an acidulant and having a citric acid acidity of 0.1 to 0.5% by mass.
[2] The soy milk-containing beverage according to [1] above, further comprising an organic acid.
[3] The soy milk-containing beverage according to [2] above, wherein the organic acid comprises at least one organic acid selected from the group consisting of lactic acid and citric acid.
[4] A soy milk-containing beverage according to any one of [1] to [3] above, in which the acidity of citric acid derived from phosphoric acid as an acidulant accounts for 20% or more of the acidity of citric acid in the soy milk-containing beverage.
[5] The soy milk-containing beverage according to any one of [1] to [4] above, wherein the soy solids concentration is 0.1 to 0.5% by mass.
[6] The soy milk-containing beverage according to any one of [1] to [5] above, wherein the soy protein concentration is 0.05 to 0.3 mass%.
[7] The soymilk-containing beverage according to any one of [1] to [6] above, wherein the ratio of magnesium concentration (mg/100 ml) to soybean solids concentration (mass%) is 5 to 40.

The present invention can provide a soy milk-containing beverage with improved soy milk flavor, and a means for providing such a soy milk-containing beverage.

The present invention relates to a soymilk-containing beverage containing phosphoric acid (H ₃ PO ₄ ) as an acidulant in addition to phosphoric acid originally contained in soymilk, the soymilk-containing beverage having a citric acid acidity of 0.1 to 0.5 mass% of the entire beverage. In the present invention, the citric acid acidity of the entire soymilk-containing beverage is specified by the method described in this embodiment. The soymilk-containing beverage of the present invention can be obtained by adding an appropriate amount of phosphoric acid as an acidulant while focusing on the citric acid acidity of the entire beverage. By containing an appropriate amount of phosphoric acid as an acidulant, the soymilk-containing beverage of the present invention can improve and/or strengthen the soymilk flavor while adjusting the balance between sweetness and sourness of the soymilk.

In the soymilk-containing beverage of the present invention, the amount of phosphoric acid and acidulants such as citric acid and lactic acid described below are adjusted so that the citric acid acidity of the entire beverage is set to 0.1 to 0.5% by mass. Furthermore, the citric acid acidity of the entire soymilk-containing beverage is more preferably 0.15 to 0.45% by mass, and particularly preferably 0.2 to 0.4% by mass.
By adjusting the citric acid acidity of the soymilk-containing beverage of the present invention to the above range, the soymilk flavor can be improved, improved, and/or strengthened while providing the refreshing sourness and aftertaste required for a soymilk-containing beverage. In addition, in the present invention, the citric acid acidity derived from phosphoric acid added as an acidulant in the citric acid acidity of the soymilk-containing beverage is preferably 20% or more, more preferably 30% or more. By having the citric acid acidity derived from phosphoric acid as an acidulant account for 20% or more of the citric acid acidity of the soymilk-containing beverage, an effect of improving the soymilk flavor is brought about. In the present invention, the citric acid acidity derived from phosphoric acid as an acidulant in the soymilk-containing beverage can be a value calculated by the method described in this example.
In the soymilk-containing beverage of the present invention, the phosphoric acid used as an acidulant is preferably added as, for example, liquid phosphoric acid (85%).

The soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention may further contain an organic acid added separately as an acidulant. In the soy milk-containing beverage, the organic acid may contain a component derived from soy milk, but it is preferable to consider the acidity of citric acid derived from each organic acid, which will be described later, based on the amount (mixture amount) of the component added separately as an acidulant. In the soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention, the type of organic acid is not particularly limited so long as it does not impair the effects of the present invention. For example, lactic acid (C ₃ H ₆ O ₃ ), citric acid (including citric acid (crystal) (C ₆ H ₈ O _{7.H 2} O) and anhydrous citric acid (C ₆ H ₈ O ₇ )), malic acid (C ₄ H ₆ O ₅ ), gluconic acid (C ₆ H ₁₂ O ₇ ), L-tartaric acid (C ₄ H ₆ O ₆ ) and fumaric acid (C ₄ H ₄ O ₄ ) can be used, but it is particularly preferable that the beverage contains lactic acid and/or citric acid from the viewpoint of compatibility with the flavor of soy milk.

The contents of phosphoric acid and organic acids, particularly citric acid and lactic acid, in the soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention are not particularly limited as long as the citric acid acidity of the entire beverage is 0.1 to 0.5% by mass, but for example, the phosphoric acid concentration in the soy milk-containing beverage is preferably 0.03 to 0.12% by mass, more preferably 0.04 to 0.1% by mass, the citric acid concentration is preferably 0.05 to 0.1% by mass, more preferably 0.06 to 0.9% by mass, and the lactic acid concentration is preferably 0.08 to 0.13% by mass, more preferably 0.09 to 0.12% by mass. The contents of phosphoric acid and organic acids, particularly citric acid and lactic acid, in the present invention can be theoretically calculated values based on the raw materials used in the production of the soy milk-containing beverage, for example.

The soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it contains, for example, soy milk, prepared soy milk, or soy milk beverages described in Notification No. 683 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries dated March 29, 2018. The soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention may be a mixture of soy milk powder as a raw material. In the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention, the soy solids concentration is preferably 0.1 to 0.5% by mass, and more preferably 0.2 to 0.4% by mass. The soy solids concentration can be determined according to calculations based on the raw materials used in the production of the soy milk-containing beverage. In the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention, the concentration of soy protein contained in the soy solids is not particularly limited, but is preferably, for example, 0.05 to 0.3% by mass, and particularly preferably 0.1 to 0.2% by mass, from the viewpoint of protein stability and flavor. In the present invention, for example, about 5 g of the soy milk-containing beverage is weighed out, the amount of nitrogen is determined by the Kjeldahl method, and the percentage of the value obtained by multiplying this by 5.71 relative to the sample weight can be regarded as the concentration of the soy protein. Furthermore, in the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention, the ratio of the phosphoric acid concentration (mass%) to the soy solids concentration (mass%) is preferably 0.1 to 1.0, and more preferably 0.2 to 0.8.

In addition, the ratio of the magnesium concentration (mg/100 ml) to the soybean solids concentration (mass%) in the soymilk-containing beverage of the present invention is preferably 5 to 40, more preferably 10 to 30. Here, the ratio of the magnesium concentration (mg/100 ml) to the soybean solids concentration (mass%) is the value obtained by dividing the magnesium concentration (mg/100 ml) in the soymilk-containing beverage by the value of the soybean solids concentration (mass%) in the soymilk-containing beverage. When the magnesium concentration in the soymilk-containing beverage of the present invention is set as described above, it brings about a favorable effect on the improvement and/or strengthening of the soymilk flavor. In the soymilk-containing beverage of the present invention, if the ratio is less than 5, it may not be possible to sufficiently contribute to the improvement of the flavor of the soymilk-containing beverage, and if it exceeds 40, there is a risk that the mineral flavor such as bitterness or astringency may become stronger. The magnesium concentration in the present invention may be, for example, a theoretical value calculated from the amount of magnesium salt or the like added in the beverage. The magnesium concentration in the soymilk-containing beverage may also be measured by a conventional analysis method such as atomic absorption spectrometry.
The magnesium concentration of the soymilk-containing beverage of the present invention can be adjusted by adding magnesium salts in addition to magnesium derived from soymilk. Examples of magnesium salts that can be used include magnesium chloride, magnesium chloride hexahydrate, magnesium L-glutamate, magnesium silicate, magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium stearate, magnesium carbonate, magnesium sulfate, magnesium triphosphate, and magnesium monohydrogen phosphate. It is preferable that the magnesium in the soymilk-containing beverage of the present invention is mainly derived from magnesium chloride hexahydrate.

Here, the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention preferably has a pH of 4.6 or less, more preferably 4.0 or less, and preferably 3.0 or more, and more preferably 3.3 or more. If the pH exceeds 4.6, the stability of the soy protein may be impaired and precipitation may increase, and if the pH is less than 2.6, the beverage may taste too sour, reducing drinkability.

Preferred embodiments of the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention include, but are not limited to, a soy milk-containing soft drink that contains phosphoric acid and lactic acid or citric acid in amounts such that the citric acid acidity of the entire beverage is 0.1-0.5% by mass, the citric acid acidity derived from phosphoric acid accounts for 20% or more of the citric acid acidity of the entire beverage, has a pH of 3.0-4.0, and has a soy solids concentration of 0.2-0.4% by mass.

The sugar content of the soymilk-containing beverage according to the present invention is synonymous with the Brix (also written as Brix or Bx) value. That is, in the present invention, the sugar content is the reading of a sugar refractometer at 20°C, and can be, for example, the solid content measured at 20°C using a product name "Digital Refractometer Rx-5000" (manufactured by Atago Co., Ltd.). The sugar content is preferably 3 to 12°Bx, and more preferably 5 to 10°Bx.
The sugar content of the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention can be adjusted to the above-mentioned value by using a known sweetener. For example, it is preferable to adjust the sugar content by using sugars such as sucrose, glucose, granulated sugar, fructose, lactose, maltose, fructose glucose liquid sugar, and glucose fructose liquid sugar; low-intensity sweeteners such as xylitol and D-sorbitol; and high-intensity sweeteners such as thaumatin, stevia extract, disodium glycyrrhizinate, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, neotame, and saccharin sodium, either alone or in combination of two or more of them as appropriate. Adjustment with sucrose, fructose glucose liquid sugar, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, or aspartame is particularly preferable from the viewpoint of the taste preferences, such as the natural sweetness and refreshing acidity, required for soy milk-containing beverages.

In addition, the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention preferably contains a protein stabilizer. As the stabilizer, any thickening polysaccharide that can be used in foods and beverages can be used without particular limitation, and soy polysaccharides are particularly preferred. The thickening polysaccharides may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Although not particularly limited, examples of the thickening polysaccharides used include soy polysaccharides and pectin.
Soybean polysaccharides are water-soluble polysaccharides obtained from soybeans, and are mainly composed of hemicellulose and sugars such as galactose, arabinose, galacturonic acid, rhamnose, xylose, fucose, and glucose. These soybean polysaccharides can be obtained by extracting, purifying, and sterilizing okara (fibrous residue) produced during the production of soybean oil and isolated soybean protein from soybeans. Commercially available soybean polysaccharides may also be used, and examples of such soybean polysaccharides include those available under the trade names "SM-700", "SM-900", and "SM-1200" (all manufactured by San-Ei Gen F.F.I.).
The blending ratio of the stabilizer in the soymilk-containing beverage can be appropriately determined depending on the type of stabilizer, etc., within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention. For example, in order to maintain good protein stability and good flavor, the blending ratio can be set to a lower limit of usually 2 g/L, preferably 4 g/L, and an upper limit of usually 8 g/L, preferably 6 g/L, based on the total mass of the beverage. If the blending ratio of the stabilizer is increased, there is a risk that the flavor and texture specific to the stabilizer will become stronger.

Furthermore, the taste of the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention may be adjusted, for example, by adding minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium, etc., as necessary.
The water used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and for example, ion-exchanged water can be used.
Furthermore, the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention may include liquid or paste-like fermented soy milk food and drink obtained by fermenting a raw material (such as soy milk) using lactic acid bacteria, yeast, or the like.
Furthermore, the soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention may contain commonly used food additives such as sweeteners and flavorings not mentioned above, various nutritional components, various plant extracts, colorants, diluents, antioxidants, etc., so long as the purpose of the present invention is not impaired.
The soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a beverage containing soy milk, and examples thereof include unadjusted soy milk, adjusted soy milk, soy milk beverages, soft drinks, coffee beverages, tea beverages, fruit beverages, sports drinks, health drinks, and alcoholic beverages.

The soy milk-containing beverage according to the present invention may also contain a milk component. The milk component may be derived from any raw milk, such as animal milk or plant milk. Examples of animal milk include cow's milk, goat's milk, sheep's milk, and horse's milk. Examples of the form of the milk component include whole milk, skim milk, whey, milk protein concentrate, buttermilk powder, unsweetened condensed milk, sweetened skim condensed milk, whole sweetened condensed milk, fresh cream, and fermented milk. Milk reconstituted from powdered milk or concentrated milk can also be used. Among these, skim milk is preferred, and it is particularly preferred to use skim milk powder because of its ease of handling. The milk component may be derived from a single type of raw material or from several types of raw materials.
Furthermore, fruit juice, for example, citrus fruit juice such as orange, lemon, grapefruit, or fruit juice such as grape, peach, apple, or banana, may be added as an optional acidic component as needed within a range that does not impair the flavor, etc., of the soymilk-containing beverage of the present invention.

The soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention can be obtained by appropriately mixing soy milk with the above-mentioned food additives such as phosphoric acid, lactic acid and/or citric acid, magnesium salts, sweeteners and flavorings, various nutritional components, various plant extracts, coloring agents, diluents, antioxidants, etc. In the production process of the soy milk-containing beverage of the present invention, a homogenization treatment or a sterilization treatment can be added as necessary.
The homogenization treatment can be usually carried out using a homogenizer. The homogenization conditions are not particularly limited and can be carried out according to a conventional method.
The method of sterilization is not particularly limited, and conventional methods such as plate sterilization, tubular sterilization, retort sterilization, batch sterilization, and autoclave sterilization can be used.
The soymilk-containing beverage of the present invention after sterilization can be filled into containers, for example, by hot-packing the beverage into containers and then cooling the filled containers, or by cooling the beverage to a temperature suitable for filling into containers and aseptically filling the containers that have been previously washed and sterilized.
The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples and comparative examples, although the present invention is not limited to these examples in any way.

The following raw materials (components) were used in the following Examples and Comparative Examples.
Modified soy milk (consisting of soy milk with 18% soy solids and antioxidants)
High fructose corn syrup (55% isomerized sugar)
Soy polysaccharides, Pectin, 50% lactic acid, Anhydrous citric acid, Trisodium citrate, 85% phosphoric acid, Magnesium salt (Magnesium chloride hexahydrate)
Ion-exchanged water (solvent making up the balance)

The methods for obtaining the analytical or calculated values of the content of each component are as follows.
≪1 Sugar content (Bx°)≫
The sugar content was measured on the samples at 20°C using a Digital Refractometer Rx-5000 (manufactured by Atago Co., Ltd.).

2. Acidity (Ac (anhydrous citric acid)) (mass% (w/w%))
The acidity of citric acid in the entire beverage sample was measured by the following titration method. Specifically, the acidity of citric acid was determined by titration using a phenolphthalein indicator and sodium hydroxide according to the following procedure.
(1) Accurately weigh 5 to 15 g of beverage into a 200 mL Erlenmeyer flask and dilute to approximately 50 mL with water.
(2) Add a few drops of 1% phenolphthalein indicator to the diluted beverage and stir.
(3) While stirring the diluted beverage solution in the Erlenmeyer flask with a magnetic stirrer, a titration test is carried out by dropping 0.1 M sodium hydroxide in a 25 mL burette into the beverage solution, the end point of which is when the beverage solution in the Erlenmeyer flask remains red for 30 seconds.
(4) Calculate the citric acid acidity (%) based on the results of the titration test using the following formula.
Citric acid acidity (%) = A × f × (100/W) × 0.0064 Formula (1)
[In formula (1), A represents the titer (mL) of 0.1 M sodium hydroxide solution, f represents the titer of 0.1 M sodium hydroxide solution, and W represents the mass (g) of the sample. The value of "0.0064" multiplied in formula (1) represents the mass (g) of anhydrous citric acid equivalent to 1 mL of 0.1 M sodium hydroxide solution.]
In the titration test, a hydrogen ion concentration meter may be used instead of the phenolphthalein indicator. In this case, the end point of the titration test is when the pH of the beverage solution in the Erlenmeyer flask becomes 8.1.
The "Ac derived from other raw materials" is a value calculated by adding up the acidity of each raw material.

<3 pH>
The pH was measured using a pH meter.
≪4 Soybean solid content concentration (mass% (w/w%))≫
Soy solids concentrations were calculated based on the raw materials used to manufacture each beverage sample.
<5. Soy protein concentration (mass% (w/w%))>
The concentration of soy protein in soy solids was calculated based on the raw materials used to produce each beverage sample.

≪6 Magnesium concentration measurement Mg (mg/100ml)≫
The magnesium concentration (Mg concentration) was calculated from the amount of magnesium salt added in the beverage.

We investigated the effects of different types (combinations) of acidulants added to soy milk-containing beverages and the amounts added.
[Control Example]
A prepared liquid was produced by blending prepared soy milk to give a soybean solids content (including lipids) of 0.26% by mass, and adding stabilizers (soybean polysaccharides, pectin), acidulants (50% lactic acid and trisodium citrate), and fructose glucose liquid sugar (55% isomerized sugar) to give the Bx, citric acidity, and pH shown in Table 1 below. The obtained prepared liquid was sterilized by flash sterilization at 95°C, and then filled into a PET bottle to obtain a packaged beverage sample.

[Examples 1 to 4]
A prepared liquid was produced by blending prepared soy milk to a soybean solids content (including lipids) of 0.26% by mass, and adding stabilizers (soybean polysaccharides, pectin), acidulants (85% phosphoric acid and trisodium citrate; or 85% phosphoric acid and 50% lactic acid or anhydrous citric acid and trisodium citrate), and fructose glucose liquid sugar (55% isomerized sugar) to achieve the Bx, citric acidity, and pH shown in Table 1 below. The obtained prepared liquid was sterilized by flash sterilization at 95°C, and then filled into a PET bottle to obtain a packaged beverage sample.

[Comparative Examples 1 to 3]
A prepared liquid was produced by blending prepared soy milk to give a soybean solids content (including lipids) of 0.26% by mass, and adding stabilizers (soybean polysaccharides, pectin), acidulants (anhydrous citric acid and trisodium citrate; or 50% lactic acid, anhydrous citric acid and trisodium citrate), and fructose glucose liquid sugar (55% isomerized sugar) to give the Bx, citric acidity, and pH shown in Table 1 below. The obtained prepared liquid was sterilized by flash sterilization at 95°C, and then filled into a PET bottle to obtain a packaged beverage sample.

<Sensory test 1>
The beverage samples obtained in the Control Example, Examples 1 to 4, and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 were cooled to 4°C, and five expert panelists performed a sensory evaluation using the Control Example beverage sample as the standard, and the scores were averaged. The sensory evaluation criteria were as shown in Table 2 below.

In sensory test 1, the "control example" was used as the standard, and this score was adjusted to 4 points. Expert panelists were asked to rate each beverage sample on a 7-point scale from 1 to 7 for "good soy milk flavor," "strength of soy milk flavor," "good sourness," and "good aftertaste," and the final score was calculated by rounding the average of the scores of the five expert panelists to one decimal place. Note that "good sourness" is an index of whether the beverage is easy to drink without a sharp sourness. There was no variation in the evaluations between the expert panelists. The sensory evaluation results of sensory test 1 are shown in Table 3.

From the results in Table 3, it was confirmed that in soy milk-containing beverages in which phosphoric acid was added as an acidulant to set the acidity of citric acid, there was a tendency for the goodness of soy milk flavor and good aftertaste to be improved. It was also confirmed that in soy milk-containing beverages, the use of phosphoric acid in combination with anhydrous citric acid or lactic acid as an acidulant tended to improve the goodness and strength of the soy milk flavor, as well as the sourness and good aftertaste. Furthermore, in Comparative Examples 1 to 3 in which citric acid or a combination of citric acid and lactic acid was used as an acidulant, no improvement in the soy milk flavor was observed.

The effect of adding magnesium to a combination of preferred acidulants to soy milk-containing beverages was investigated.
[Example 5]
A prepared liquid was produced by blending prepared soy milk to give a soybean solids content (including lipids) of 0.26% by mass, and adding stabilizers (soybean polysaccharides, pectin), acidulants (85% phosphoric acid, 50% lactic acid, and trisodium citrate), and fructose-glucose liquid sugar (55% isomerized sugar) to give the Bx, citric acidity, and pH shown in Table 4 below. The obtained prepared liquid was sterilized by flash sterilization at 95°C, and then filled into PET bottles to obtain packaged beverage samples.
[Example 6]
A beverage sample was obtained in the same manner as in Example 5, except that magnesium salt was added to the preparation so that the magnesium concentration was 5.26 mg/100 ml.
The control examples in Tables 4 and 5 have the same compositions as those in Tables 1 and 3.

<Sensory test 2>
The beverage samples obtained in the Control Example, Example 5, and Example 6 were cooled to 4° C., and subjected to sensory evaluation by five expert panelists using the "Control Example" beverage sample as the standard in the same manner as in Sensory Test 1, and the scores were averaged. The sensory evaluation results of Sensory Test 2 are shown in Table 5.

The results in Table 5 confirm that the use of phosphoric acid in combination with anhydrous citric acid or lactic acid as an acidulant improves the flavor and strength of soy milk, as well as the sourness and aftertaste. Furthermore, comparing Example 5 with Example 6, it was confirmed that the addition of an appropriate amount of magnesium tends to further improve the flavor of soy milk.

Claims (5)

Contains phosphoric acid as an acidulant,
The citric acid acidity is 0.1 to 0.5% by mass,
The soybean solids concentration is 0.1 to 0.5% by mass;
A soy milk-containing beverage having a soy protein concentration of 0.05 to 0.3% by mass . The soy milk-containing beverage according to claim 1, further comprising an organic acid. The soy milk-containing beverage according to claim 2, wherein the organic acid comprises at least one organic acid selected from the group consisting of lactic acid and citric acid. The soy milk-containing beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the acidity of citric acid derived from phosphoric acid as an acidulant accounts for 20% or more of the acidity of citric acid in the soy milk-containing beverage. 5. The soymilk-containing beverage according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of magnesium concentration (mg/100 ml) to soybean solids concentration (mass%) is 5 to 40.