WO2021132054A1

WO2021132054A1 - Green tea beverage having enhanced flavor

Info

Publication number: WO2021132054A1
Application number: PCT/JP2020/047328
Authority: WO
Inventors: 麻里武藤; 晃伸柳田; 大悟指宿
Original assignee: サントリーホールディングス株式会社
Priority date: 2019-12-27
Filing date: 2020-12-18
Publication date: 2021-07-01
Also published as: CN114867355B; CN114867355A; JP2021106522A; JP6745969B1

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a green tea beverage in which a rich flavor having depth is enhanced by adding malic acid and fagomine.　The green tea beverage contains 2.7-13 mg/100 mL of malic acid and 0.01-0.8 mg/100 mL of fagomine.

Description

Green tea beverage with enhanced taste

The present invention relates to a technique for enhancing the taste of a green tea beverage. In particular, the present invention relates to a technique for enhancing the deep and rich taste of gyokuro tea in a green tea beverage.

With the diversification of consumer tastes, it is desired to differentiate the flavor of tea beverages and add value. In particular, green tea beverages are not only easy to drink because they have a refreshing taste and can be drunk in large quantities at once for the purpose of hydration (so-called depletion), but also green tea beverages with a strong bitterness and abundant umami. As a favorite beverage, a green tea beverage having a sense of fulfillment (also called umami) after drinking is required. Therefore, a large number of highly palatable green tea leaves having characteristics such as sweetness and umami are distributed and marketed.

In recent years, containerized green tea beverages that can be easily drunk have become mainstream. Some green tea ingredients, such as high-grade gyokuro, have a strong umami taste, but it is difficult to industrially use them as raw materials for packaged green tea beverages in terms of production volume and price, and these tea leaves are used. Even if it is used, the taste is reduced due to the treatment peculiar to packaged tea beverages, for example, the generation of heat-deteriorated odor due to heat sterilization, and the effect on flavor due to the addition of alkaline components (such as gyokuro) for the purpose of improving storage stability. Since this is unavoidable, many methods have been reported for enhancing the taste of packaged green tea beverages. For example, a method of adding a small amount of (Z) -3-hexen-1-ol or indole to give a green tea beverage a feeling of drinking (Patent Document 1), dry solid amount, total lipid amount, phospholipid amount, and A method for enhancing body feeling and aroma by adding a tea extract adjusted to a specific ratio of ethanol concentration to a tea extract (Patent Document 2), using tea water / or a water-soluble organic solvent. A method of imparting / enhancing the taste and richness by using a specific fraction of the extracted extract (Patent Document 3), and using a high-temperature heat-treated product of the tea extract to improve the tea leaf feeling of the tea beverage, and to improve the taste of the tea. A method for enhancing the taste such as thickness and body feeling (Patent Document 4) has been reported.

Further, in Patent Document 5, by adding 2-mercapto-3-methyl-1-butanol to a sugared black tea beverage, a strong flavor such as plump swelling, body, tea leaf feeling, and fermentation feeling is strong, and a rich feeling is given. It is disclosed that a strongly felt tea beverage was obtained. Further, in Patent Document 6, a novel tea flavor is enhanced by blending malic acid and tartrate acid into a black tea beverage, specifically, by using malic acid and tartrate acid in combination, miscellaneous taste is generated. It has been reported that the black tea feeling of the beverage is improved, and it is disclosed that the black tea beverage having a strong black tea feeling and astringency was obtained by adding it to the sugary black tea beverage.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-148605 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2019-140930 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-137286 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-252111 JP-A-2018-201348 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-159996

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for enhancing the taste of a green tea beverage. Another object of the present invention is to provide a green tea beverage having an enhanced taste (particularly, a packaged green tea beverage).

As a result of diligent studies to solve the above problems, the present inventors have found that the taste of green tea beverage can be enhanced by adding a small amount of malic acid and fagomin to the green tea beverage, and complete the present invention. I arrived.

The present invention includes, but is not limited to, the following aspects.
[1] A method for enhancing the taste of a green tea beverage, which comprises containing 2.7 to 13 mg of malic acid per 100 mL of the beverage and 0.01 to 0.8 mg of fagomin per 100 mL of the beverage.
[2] A green tea beverage containing 2.7 to 13 mg of malic acid per 100 mL of beverage and 0.01 to 0.8 mg of fagomin per 100 mL of beverage.
[3] A method for producing a green tea beverage, which comprises a step of adding 2.7 to 13 mg of malic acid per 100 mL of the beverage and 0.01 to 0.8 mg of fagomin per 100 mL of the beverage.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a green tea beverage having enhanced taste by a simple method of adding a small amount of malic acid and fagomin.

Green Tea Beverage The present invention relates to a green tea beverage. The green tea beverage in the present invention means a beverage prepared by blending an extract of green tea leaves, and specifically, the genus Camellia (for example, C. sinensis var. Sinensis (including tea plant seeds), C.I. Tea leaves selected from (Camellia sinensis such as sinensis var. Assamica) and their hybrids, which are classified as non-fermented tea (for example, green tea, bancha, tea, potted tea, kukicha, bar tea, sprout tea, etc.) ), A general term for beverages containing green tea leaf extract extracted with water, hot water, or an aqueous solution containing an extraction aid. As the extraction method, for example, known methods such as kneader extraction, stirring extraction (batch extraction), countercurrent extraction (drip extraction), and column extraction can be adopted. Further, the extraction conditions are not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the extraction method.

One preferred embodiment of the green tea beverage of the present invention is a beverage containing a green tea extract as a main component. Here, for beverages containing green tea extract as the main component, in the raw material labeling described in the Food Labeling Law (enforced in April 2015), the notations related to green tea such as "green tea" and "green tea extract" are ranked high. Refers to the beverages listed. Preferably, it is a beverage in which the notation relating to green tea is first or second in the raw material labeling, and more preferably, it is the beverage in which the first notation is given.

Hojicha beverages prepared from roasted tea leaves, which are classified as the above-mentioned unfermented tea, are roasted and have a unique aroma, and because they contain few catechins and amino acids, they have a mouthfeel. It has a refreshing taste. The green tea beverage according to the present invention is a green tea beverage having a gyokuro-like deep and rich taste, but the roasted tea beverage is characterized by a refreshing taste and thus imparts a deep and rich taste. There is little need to do it. In a preferred embodiment, the tea beverage according to the present invention is not a roasted tea beverage. As the roasted tea beverage, for example, a liquid consisting only of an extract of roasted tea leaves, a liquid obtained by mixing an extract of unroasted green tea leaves mainly with an extract of roasted tea leaves, or a liquid obtained by adding an additive to these liquids. Liquids and the like can be mentioned. In addition, "mainly the extract of roasted tea leaves" means that the solid content concentration derived from the roasted tea extract is 80% by mass or more, preferably 90% by mass or more, with respect to the solid content concentration of the entire extract. ..

The green tea beverage according to the present invention is a green tea beverage with an enhanced rich taste (thickness) such as gyokuro. In general, the taste is largely composed of five tastes of sweetness, acidity, bitterness, saltiness, and umami, and it is known that the taste of green tea beverages is greatly affected by umami and bitterness. The term "taste enhancement" as used in the present invention means to enhance the overall thickness (also referred to as "body") of a green tea beverage composed of umami and bitterness, and "green tea beverage with enhanced taste" is gyokuro. It refers to a green tea beverage that has the unique umami and bitterness that tea has, that is, the "deep and rich taste". By using the taste enhancing method of the present invention, for example, even a green tea beverage brewed with low-grade tea leaves is enhanced in thickness, and can be brought close to a green tea beverage having a deep and rich taste such as gyokuro tea.

Malic acid One of the essential active ingredients of the taste enhancing method of the present invention is malic acid. Malic acid, also called 2-hydroxybutanedioic acid, is a type of organic compound classified as hydroxy acid (CAS registration number: 6915-15-7) and has a refreshing acidity. Because it has, it is often used as an acidulant for beverages and foods.

As a method for enhancing the taste of a green tea beverage according to the present invention, malic acid is added as a taste enhancer to the green tea beverage. Here, the origin of malic acid is not particularly limited as long as it is usually used in the field of food and drink. For example, it may be a chemically synthesized product or a naturally derived product, and the form of the naturally derived product may be used. It may be in any form such as a refined product, a crude product, and an extracted extract. Examples of plants containing malic acid include fruits such as apples, grapes, pears, bananas, cherries, guava, strawberries and pomegranates, vegetables such as tomatoes and plums, and various tea leaves. Among them, from the viewpoint of flavor, tea leaf extracts are preferably used as naturally derived products. Examples of tea leaves containing malic acid include green tea leaves and mulberry leaf tea. The organic acid in the extract of mulberry leaf tea is more preferably used because the proportion of malic acid is high in quantity and the influence of acidity on green tea beverages is small.

In the taste enhancing method of the present invention, it is blended so as to contain 2.7 to 13 mg of malic acid per 100 mL of green tea beverage. In the exudate of green tea leaves (also called green tea extract), when the amount of malic acid in the liquid is moderately high, it shows sweetness, but it is known that the threshold value is 400 mg / L (= 40 mg / 100 mL). (Chakenho 93: 26-33, 2002). In the present invention, when used in combination with fagomin, which will be described later, it is possible to impart a taste-enhancing effect of a green tea beverage even though it is a small amount of malic acid. When the content of malic acid per 100 mL of green tea beverage is less than 2.7 mg, the effect of enhancing the taste is poor, while when it is more than 13 mg, the acidity of malic acid itself is easily perceived as a foreign flavor of green tea beverage. .. The lower limit of the malic acid content per 100 mL of green tea beverage is preferably 2.8 mg or more, and more preferably 3 mg or more. The upper limit of the malic acid content per 100 mL of green tea beverage is preferably 12 mg or less, more preferably 10 mg or less. The content of malic acid in the green tea beverage can be measured by using a high performance liquid chromatogram method (HPLC method).

Fagomin In the method for enhancing the taste of the present invention, in addition to the above-mentioned malic acid, which is an essential active ingredient, fagomin is further added as an active ingredient. Fagomine is an alkaloid isolated from buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) seeds and the like, and is 1,2,5-trideoxy-1,5-epino-D-xylo-hexitol (1,2,5-). Also referred to as Trideoxy-1,5-epimino-D-xylo-hexitol) (CAS Registry Number: 53185-12-9). Here, the origin of the fagomin used in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is usually used in the field of food and drink. For example, it may be a chemically synthesized product or a naturally derived product, and is naturally derived. The derived product may be in any form such as a refined product, a crude product, and an extracted extract.

In the taste enhancing method of the present invention, each 100 mL of green tea beverage is blended so as to contain 0.01 to 0.8 mg of fagomin. By using fagomin in combination, a higher taste enhancing effect can be obtained than when each of them is used alone. The lower limit of the content of fagomin per 100 mL of green tea beverage is preferably 0.02 mg or more, more preferably 0.03 mg or more. Further, since the flavor of fagomin itself may affect the flavor of the green tea beverage, the upper limit of the content of fagomin is preferably 0.6 mg or less, more preferably 0.5 mg or less per 100 mL of the green tea beverage. The content of fagomin in the beverage can be measured using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS / MS).

According to the present invention, by adding malic acid and fagomin to a green tea beverage, it is possible to effectively enhance the overall thickness of the umami and bitterness of the green tea beverage. From the remarkable taste enhancing effect of the present invention, it is preferable that the green tea beverage contains a predetermined amount of umami component and bitterness component. In particular, when a taste component or a bitter taste component derived from green tea leaves is contained, the complex taste characteristic of green tea is enhanced. The ratio of the content of malic acid and fagomin is not particularly limited, but for example, the weight ratio of malic acid / fagomin may be 5 to 210 or 10 to 100.

Examples of the umami component derived from green tea leaves include theanine, which is an amino acid component. In addition, examples of the bitterness component derived from green tea leaves include caffeine and catechins. Here, catechins are components known as astringent components, but in the present specification, they are classified as one of the bitter components constituting the thickness of green tea beverages. Theanine, caffeine and catechins are usually components contained in the extract of green tea leaves, but these components may be added depending on the desired effect.

When adding theanine, any of L-theanine, D-theanine, and DL-theanine can be used. However, among these, L-theanine is permitted to be used as a food additive in foods and the like, and is easy to use from the viewpoint of cost. Therefore, it is preferable to use L-theanine. The form of theanine may be any form such as a refined product, a crude product, and an extracted extract, and for example, a green tea extract can be used. As a commercial product of theanine, for example, Santheanine ™ of Taiyo Kagaku can be exemplified. When theanine is added, the amount of theanine added can be determined based on the theanine content in the beverage.

The content of theanine is preferably 0.2 to 15 mg per 100 mL of green tea beverage. From the viewpoint of remarkable effect, the lower limit of theanine is more preferably 0.5 mg or more per 100 mL of green tea beverage, and further preferably 1 mg or more. Further, in the case of a packaged green tea beverage in which the green tea beverage is sterilized by heating, if the theanine content is more than 15 mg per 100 mL of the green tea beverage, a heat-deteriorated odor is likely to occur, which hinders the effect of the present invention. There is. The upper limit of the theanine content is more preferably 13 mg or less per 100 mL of green tea beverage, and even more preferably 10 mg or less. The theanine content in the beverage can be measured using an automatic amino acid analysis method.

Caffeine is not particularly limited as long as it has a quality that can be used in beverages, and may be in any form such as a refined product that can be used as a food additive, a crude product, or an extract (green tea extract). Good. The amount of caffeine added can be determined based on the caffeine content in the beverage. From the viewpoint of remarkable effect, the lower limit of the caffeine content is preferably 0.1 mg or more, more preferably 0.5 mg or more, still more preferably 1 mg per 100 mL of green tea beverage. The upper limit is preferably 30 mg or less, more preferably 25 mg or less, and even more preferably 20 mg or less per 100 mL of green tea beverage. The caffeine content in the beverage can be measured using the HPLC method.

In a preferred embodiment, the green tea beverage according to the present invention contains catechins, and contains gallate-type catechins and non-gallate-type catechins. The green tea beverage of the present invention may contain at least one of the above eight types. Here, catechins are a general term for non-gallatechins such as catechin, gallocatechin, epicatechin and epigallocatechin, and gallates such as catechin gallate, gallocatechin gallate, epicatechin gallate and epigallocatechin gallate. is there. When catechins are added to a green tea beverage, the catechins are not particularly limited as long as they are of a quality that can be used in the beverage, and for example, refined products and crude products that can be used as food additives, as well as extracts. It may be in any form such as an extract (green tea extract). When catechins are added, the amount of catechins added can be determined based on the content of catechins in the beverage. In the present invention, the lower limit of the content of catechins per 100 mL of green tea beverage is preferably 5 mg or more, more preferably 7 mg or more, still more preferably 10 mg. The upper limit is preferably 60 mg or less, more preferably 55 mg or less, and even more preferably 49 mg or less. The content of catechins in a beverage can be measured by using an HPLC method.

As described above, the green tea beverage containing a predetermined amount of malic acid and fagomin, theanine as an umami component, and caffeine and catechins as a bitterness component is a suitable embodiment as a green tea beverage with enhanced taste of the present invention. one of. Specifically, 2.7 to 13 mg of apple acids, 0.01 to 0.8 mg of fagomin, 0.2 to 15 mg of theanine, 0.1 to 30 mg of caffeine, and 5 to 5 to 100 mL of beverage. It is a green tea beverage containing 60 mg of catechins.

In addition to the above ingredients, the green tea beverage of the present invention may contain various additives as necessary, as long as it does not deviate from the intended purpose of the present invention. As various additives, for example, antioxidants, pigments, emulsifiers, preservatives, vitamins, extracts, fragrances and the like can be used alone or in combination.

Further, the green tea beverage of the present invention preferably has a pH of 5.0 to 7.0, and more preferably 5.5 to 6.5. When the beverage is acidic, particularly when the pH is less than 5, the taste of green tea is felt to be relatively weak due to the acidity, so that the taste enhancing effect of the present invention is less likely to be perceived. The pH of the beverage can be appropriately adjusted by using a pH adjusting agent such as sodium hydrogen carbonate or sodium hydroxide. The pH of the beverage can be measured at 20 ° C. using a commercially available pH meter.

The green tea beverage of the present invention may be in the form of a packaged green tea beverage. Normally, the taste of a green tea beverage is less perceived when it is drunk at room temperature or lower than when it is drunk with warm water, but the taste of the green tea beverage to which the apple acid and fagomin of the present invention is added has a taste. Since it is enhanced, the taste of the green tea beverage can be firmly felt even if it is drunk as a packaged green tea beverage in a temperature range below room temperature. In addition, the packaged green tea beverage causes a decrease in taste due to a treatment peculiar to the production (heat sterilization treatment or pH adjustment treatment with an alkali salt), but the green tea beverage of the present invention has enhanced taste. There is also an advantage that the taste of the green tea beverage can be firmly felt even when it is manufactured as a packaged green tea beverage. As described above, the packaged green tea beverage is one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention because of its remarkable effect.

As the container used for the packaged green tea beverage, a known container can be used in the same manner as a general beverage, and for example, a resin container, a metal container, a paper container, a glass container and the like can be preferably used. .. In one embodiment, the packaged green tea beverage is filled and sealed in, for example, a molded container (so-called PET bottle) containing polyethylene terephthalate as a main component, a metal can, a paper container compounded with a metal foil or a plastic film, a bottle, or the like. Can be provided in the form of The volume of the green tea beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 100 mL to 3000 mL, preferably 350 mL to 2000 mL, and may be 500 to 1000 mL.

Hereinafter, the details of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to experimental examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Further, in the present specification, unless otherwise specified, the numerical range is described as including its end points.

Quantification of each component (1) Apple acid The sample solution is appropriately diluted with distilled water for high performance liquid chromatography (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.), and 2 ml of the diluted solution is subjected to a centrifugal filtration filter (Ultrafree-CL GV, pore size 0.22 μm). , Made by Merck), and the filtrate was used as an analysis sample. The quantification was performed by an absolute calibration curve method or an internal standard method using the area of the detected peak after drawing a chromatogram by setting the MS Range from the analysis result of LC / MS. The equipment and conditions used are shown below.
High Performance Liquid Chromatograph: 1290 Infinity II (manufactured by Agilent Technologies)
-Column: ACQUITY UPLC HSS PFP 1.8 μm, 2.1 x 150 mm (manufactured by Waters) was connected in series and used.-Column temperature: 40 ° C.
-Mobile phase: (A) 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution (for LC / MS, manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific), (B) acetonitrile (for LC / MS, manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.)
-Mobile phase gradient condition: 0% B (0-4 minutes)-> 35% B (14.5 minutes)-> 95% B (17.5-19.5 minutes), equilibration waiting time 3.5 minutes-Flow velocity : 0.3 mL / min ・ Injection volume: 2 μL
-Post-column treatment: After column elution, acetonitrile (for LC / MS, manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) was combined at 0.1 mL / min and introduced into a mass spectrometer.
-Mass spectrometer: Q Active Focus LC-MS / MS system (manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific)
-Ionization method: HESI (heated electrospray ionization)
-Ionization part conditions: Sheath gas flow rate 50, Aux gas flow rate 10, Sweep gas flow rate 0, Spray
Voltage pos 3.50 / neg 2.50 | kV |, Capillary tem 200 ℃, S-Lens RF level 50.0, Aux gas heater emp 300 ℃
-Mass spectrometer conditions: scan measurement by Orbitrap, Duration time 18.0 minutes, Polity turning, Resolution 35000, AGC target: 3e6, scan range m / z 70-850
・ Divert valve: Waste liquid line (0-1 minutes), MS line (1-17.9 9 minutes)
-The ions shown below were used as the quantitative ions: malic acid m / z 133.01425 (negative). The retention time was confirmed by analyzing the standard substance. The MS Range is 5 to 10 ppm, and if there is a mass shift, the m / z of the quantitative ion can be appropriately shifted.
If the peak shape or sensitivity is not good with any of the above ions, the AGC target can be changed or the SIM mode can be used.

(2) Fagomin The analysis of fagomin in the green tea beverage was performed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS / MS). If necessary, the green tea beverage was concentrated under reduced pressure and subjected to analysis.
LC-MS / MS measurement conditions ・ Column: TSKgel Amide-80, φ4.6mm × 250mm, particle size 5μm
-Mobile phase: A mixture of water, acetonitrile and acetic acid-Flow rate: 1.0 ml / min
・ Column temperature: 40 ℃
-Ionization method: Electrospray (positive ion detection mode)
・ Set mass number (m / z): 147.9 → 85.9

(3) Theanine Theanine was measured using an automatic amino acid analysis method.
・ Model: JCL-500 / V2 (JEOL Ltd.)
-Column: LCR-6, φ4 mm x 120 mm (JEOL Ltd.)
-Mobile phase: Lithium citrate buffer (P-12 to P-15, P-21) (JEOL Ltd.)
・ Reaction solution: Ninhydrin coloring solution kit for JEOL-II (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.)
-Flow rate: mobile phase 0.50 ml / min, reaction solution 0.30 ml / min
-Measurement wavelength: 570 nm

(4) The catechin green tea beverage was filtered through a filter (0.45 μm) and quantified by HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) using a standard substance (standard product). For the quantification of catechins, catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, catechin gallate, epicatechin gallate, gallocatechin gallate and epigallocatechin gallate (Kurita high-purity reagent) were used.

(HPLC measurement conditions)
-HPLC device: TOSOH HPLC system LC8020 model II
-Column: TSKgel ODS80T sQA (4.6 mm x 150 mm)
-Column temperature: 40 ° C
Mobile phase A: water / acetonitrile / trifluoroacetic acid (90/10/0.05)
Mobile phase B: water / acetonitrile / trifluoroacetic acid (20/80/0.05)
-Detection: UV275nm
・ Injection amount: 20 μL
-Flow velocity: 1 mL / min.
・ Gradient program:
Hours (minutes)% A% B
0 100 0
5 92 8
11 90 10
21 90 10
22 0 100
29 0 100
30 100 0

Experiment 1: Production and evaluation of green tea beverage (reference example)
Malic acid (made by Iwaki, purity 99%) is added to a green tea beverage (Sample 1-1) obtained from raw tea leaves mainly composed of lightly cooked green tea, and green tea containing malic acid at the content shown in Table 1. Got a drink. The green tea beverage in this experiment contains 5 mg of theanine, 10 mg of caffeine, and 33 mg of catechins per 100 mL. Sodium hydrogen carbonate was added to adjust the pH of each green tea beverage to about 6.

The thickness (deep and rich taste) of the obtained green tea beverage was sensory-evaluated by five specialized panels. Using sample 1-1 as a control, the results evaluated by each specialized panel based on the following criteria were freely discussed again by all members, and evaluated with integer values with the agreement of all members. The thickness of the green tea beverage is perceived as a whole from the umami and bitterness, and the "deep and rich taste" that Gyokuro tea has was evaluated as the main viewpoint.
・ 4 points: The effect of increasing the thickness is felt well ・ 3 points: The effect of increasing the thickness is felt ・ 2 points: The effect of increasing the thickness is slightly felt ・ 1 point: The effect of increasing the thickness is not felt (Sample 1) -1 equivalent thickness)

Table 1 shows the sensory evaluation results. It was confirmed that by adding malic acid to the green tea beverage, a good thickness was increased, a deep and rich taste was obtained, and the taste was enhanced. Sample 1-15 having a malic acid content of 15 mg / 100 ml has an effect of enhancing the taste, but the fruit-like acidity of malic acid itself is strongly felt, and the palatability as a green tea beverage is impaired. .. In addition, although the evaluation points of the thickness of Samples 1-13 and 1-14 were the same, there was a panel in which the acidity of malic acid was slightly felt in 1-14.

Experiment 2: Production and evaluation of green tea beverage Fagomin (manufactured by Funakoshi, purity 98%) was added to the sample 1-3 having a malic acid content of 2.7 mg / 100 mL used in Experiment 1 so as to have the content shown in the table below. Then, a green tea beverage containing malic acid and fagomin was produced.

Table 2 shows the results of sensory evaluation in the same manner as in Experiment 1. When fagomin was added to the green tea beverage, a good bitterness of the aftertaste was imparted, and the thickness was increased as compared with the case where only malic acid was added. The sample 2-6 having a fagomin content of 1 mg / 100 ml had an effect of enhancing the taste, but the unpleasant taste of fagomin was felt, and the palatability as a green tea beverage was impaired. In addition, although the evaluation points of Samples 2-4 and 2-5 were the same, there was a panel in which 2-5 had a slight taste of fagomin.

Experiment 3: Production and evaluation of green tea beverage (reference example)
Malic acid (made by Iwaki, purity 99%) was added to a green tea beverage (Sample 3-1) obtained mainly from sencha with strong burning to obtain a green tea beverage containing malic acid at the content shown in the table below. It was. The green tea beverage in this experiment contains 1.1 mg of theanine, 18 mg of caffeine, and 46 mg of catechins per 100 mL. Sodium hydrogen carbonate was added to adjust the pH of each green tea beverage to about 6.

The obtained green tea beverage was subjected to sensory evaluation in the same manner as in Experiment 1 using sample 3-1 as a control.

Table 3 shows the sensory evaluation results. Similar to Experiment 1, by adding malic acid to the green tea beverage, a good thickness was increased, a deep and rich taste was obtained, and the taste was enhanced. Further, the sample 3-9 having a malic acid content of 15 mg / 100 ml had an effect of enhancing the taste, but the fruit-like acidity of malic acid itself was felt, and the palatability as a green tea beverage was impaired.

Experiment 4: Production and evaluation of green tea beverage (reference example)
Malic acid (manufactured by Iwaki, purity 99%) was added to a green tea beverage (Sample 4-1) using gyokuro as a raw material tea leaf to obtain a green tea beverage containing malic acid at the content shown in Table 4. The green tea beverage in this experiment contains 13.2 mg of theanine, 18 mg of caffeine and 34 mg of catechins per 100 mL. Sodium hydrogen carbonate was added to adjust the pH of each green tea beverage to about 6.

The taste of the obtained green tea beverage was sensory-evaluated in the same manner as in Experiment 1 with sample 4-1 as a control. The sensory evaluation results are shown in Table 4. The taste was enhanced by adding malic acid to the green tea beverage.

Experiment 5: Production and evaluation of green tea beverages 0.01 mg / 100 mL of fagomin (manufactured by Funakoshi, purity 98%) was added to sample 3-8 of experiment 3 and sample 4-4 of experiment 4 to add malic acid and fagomin. A green tea beverage containing it was produced (Samples 5-1 and 5-2).

For the sensory evaluation, using a green tea beverage to which malic acid and fagomin were not added as a control, the case where the thickness was the same was ±, the case where the thickness was increased was +, and the case where the thickness was significantly increased was ++. I evaluated it. The evaluation was conducted by five specialized panels, and the results evaluated by each specialized panel were discussed again by all members, and the evaluation results were obtained with the agreement of all members.

As is clear from the results shown in the table below, it was shown that the combined use of malic acid and fagomin significantly increased the thickness.

Claims

A method for enhancing the taste of a green tea beverage, which comprises containing 2.7 to 13 mg of malic acid per 100 mL of beverage and 0.01 to 0.8 mg of fagomin per 100 mL of beverage.
A green tea beverage containing 2.7 to 13 mg of malic acid per 100 mL of beverage and 0.01 to 0.8 mg of fagomin per 100 mL of beverage.
A method for producing a green tea beverage, which comprises a step of adding 2.7 to 13 mg of malic acid per 100 mL of beverage and 0.01 to 0.8 mg of fagomin per 100 mL of beverage.