JP5676166B2 - Tea beverage - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a tea-based beverage with improved drinkability.

  In recent years, many tea-packed tea beverages filled in containers such as cans and plastic bottles have been developed and marketed. Catechin, polymerized catechin, caffeine, etc. are known as ingredients related to the taste and physiological function of tea-based beverages. By controlling the content ratio of these, tea that meets the needs of various consumers Attempts have been made to produce beverages.

  For example, beverages containing ester-type catechins, free-type catechins, and caffeine as beverages with improved flavor and quality while maintaining high physiological catechins (non-polymerized catechins) at high concentrations. By adjusting the ratio of catechin to free catechin and the ratio of ester catechin to caffeine within the specified range, it has the original flavor of tea, reducing astringency, bitterness, and taste, Adjust the tea-based beverage (Patent Document 1), the non-epimeric catechin concentration in the non-polymer catechin, the content ratio of the non-polymer catechin, caffeine and total polyphenol, and the turbidity to a certain range. Therefore, a tea-based beverage (Patent Document 2) with reduced bitterness and taste is disclosed. Moreover, Oolong tea drink (patent document 3) with which the non-polymer catechin content was contained in high concentration and the bitter taste was reduced by which the caffeine content was reduced significantly is disclosed.

JP 2006-67828 A JP 2004-129669 A JP 2007-68465 A

  Consumer preference for packaged tea-based beverages is increasing, and recently, tea-based beverages with improved drinkability tend to be preferred. Beverages having an increased content of non-polymerized catechins as described above are beverages that can be expected to have physiological effects of non-polymerized catechins, but are not suitable for drinking a large amount at a time because of their strong bitterness and astringency. In order to enhance the drinkability, it is necessary to keep the non-polymerized catechin concentration low, but in this case, the beverage taste becomes thin and watery, which is not satisfactory in terms of taste.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a packaged tea-based beverage with improved drinkability.

  As a result of intensive studies to solve the above problems, the present inventors have surprisingly found that caffeine, which is known as a bitter / egg ingredient in tea-based beverages, has a surprisingly low concentration of non-polymerized catechin and polymerized catechin. It has been found that when the beverage contained in is blended in a specific amount, a drinking response can be imparted without giving the beverage a bitter taste. In particular, by adjusting the caffeine content to a specific range with respect to the ester-type catechin content and the polymerized catechin content, it has been found that there is no bitterness / astringency and a more drinkable tea-based beverage. The present invention has been completed.

That is, the present invention relates to the following.
(1) per 100 mL of beverage containing (A) non-polymerized catechin, (B) polymerized catechin, and (C) caffeine, the content of which is packed in a container,
(I) (A) + (B) = 10-50 mg
(B) (C) = 6.5-29 mg
(A) non-polymerized catechin includes (A1) ester-type catechin, and (A1) the content ratio of ester-type catechin is:
(C) (C) / ((A1) + (B)) = 0.5 to 1.3
Is a tea-based beverage.

  (2) The tea-based beverage according to (1), wherein the content of (B) polymerized catechin is 5 to 20 mg per 100 mL of beverage.

  According to the present invention, a packaged tea beverage with improved drinkability is obtained.

(Non-polymerized catechin)
The “non-polymerized catechin” of the present invention is an unpolymerized monomeric catechin ((+)-catechin (hereinafter “C”), (−)-epicatechin (hereinafter “EC”), ( +)-Gallocatechin (hereinafter “GC”), (−)-epigallocatechin (hereinafter “EGC”), (−)-catechin gallate (hereinafter “Cg”), (−)-epicatechin gallate (hereinafter “GC”) , “ECg”), (−)-gallocatechin gallate (hereinafter “GCg”), (−)-epigallocatechin gallate (hereinafter “EGCg”)), and the content of non-polymerized catechin. Sometimes represents the total amount of these non-polymerized catechins. The “ester-type catechin” of the present invention refers to non-polymerized catechins having a gallate group (Cg, ECg, GCg, EGCg), and when referring to the content of ester-type catechins, these ester-type catechins Represents the total amount of. The amount of non-polymerized catechin and ester type catechin is measured and quantified by a method using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Specifically, it is a component analyzed by HPLC under the following conditions, and refers to a component having the same elution time peak as that of a standard substance (manufactured by Kurita Research Center).
・ Column: TSK-gel ODS-80TsQA (4.6mmφx150mm, Tosoh Corporation)
-Mobile phase: A: Water: Acetonitrile: Trifluoroacetic acid = 900: 100: 0.5
B: Water: Acetonitrile: Trifluoroacetic acid = 200: 800: 0.5
・ Flow rate: 1.0ml / min
・ Column temperature: 40 ℃
・ Gradient condition: B solution 0% until 5 minutes after the start of analysis,
From 5 minutes to 11 minutes, B liquid 8%,
From 11 minutes to 21 minutes, B solution 10%,
From 21 minutes to 22 minutes, solution B is 100%,
100% hold from 22 to 30 minutes,
0% from 30 to 31 minutes
・ Detection: A280nm (data collection time is 30 minutes), quantified by peak area.
・ Injection volume: 10μL
Reference materials: catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, catechin gallate, epicatechin gallate, gallocatechin gallate, epigallocatechin gallate (polymerized catechin)
The “polymerized catechin” of the present invention refers to a structure in which a plurality of non-polymerized catechins are linked by tea-derived enzymes, enzymes, light, etc., and specifically, analyzed by HPLC under the same conditions as the non-polymerized catechins. It is a component that is a peak of the same elution time (reference elution time: 24 minutes) as theaflavin (manufactured by Kurita Research Center).

  The amount of polymerized catechin is determined by preparing a calibration curve using oolong homobisflavan B (OHBF-B) as a standard substance. In addition, OHBF-B which is a standard substance is described in, for example, the method described in Chem. Pharm. Bull 37 (12), 3255-3563 (1989) or JP 2005-336117 A (Example 3). Those synthesized according to the method (preferably purified to a purity of 98% or more), those isolated from tea leaves, and the like can be used.

  The polymerized catechin of the present invention is obtained as a plant extract containing polymerized catechin. Specifically, it is obtained by solvent extraction of tea leaves. As the tea leaves used as raw materials, one or more kinds of green tea that is non-fermented tea, oolong tea that is semi-fermented tea, and black tea that is fermented tea can be used. It is recommended to use semi-fermented tea or fermented tea leaves. As the extraction solvent, water or hot water, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, ethyl acetate, or the like is used, and the tea leaves are subjected to solvent extraction using one kind or a mixture of two or more kinds. This solvent extract of tea leaves may be used as it is, but concentrated or purified, that is, by selectively removing components other than polymerized catechins from the solvent extract of tea leaves, the content of polymerized catechins is increased. It is better to use a higher one. It is preferable to use a solvent extract that has been subjected to a treatment for selectively removing non-polymerized catechins from the tea leaf extract. Examples of the solvent extract subjected to the treatment for selectively removing non-polymerized catechins include those containing polymerized catechins at a concentration 4 times or more that of non-polymerized catechins described in WO2005 / 077384. . The form of the polymerized catechin used in the present invention may be liquid or powdered by spray drying, freeze pulverization, or the like. However, when the food or drink is a beverage, it is concentrated in liquid form from the viewpoint of solubility ( It is preferable to use a polymerized catechin (including isolation and purification).

(caffeine)
The caffeine of the present invention includes a refined product that can be used as a food additive (a refined product having a caffeine content of 98.5% or more) and a crude product that can be used as a food (a caffeine content of 50 to 98.5%). In addition, it can also be used in the form of an extract of a plant containing caffeine (tea leaf, cola fruit, coffee bean, guarana, etc.) or a concentrate thereof, but in the tea-based beverage of the present invention, a tea leaf extract or It is preferable to use in the form of the concentrate from the viewpoint of taste.

The content of caffeine in the beverage of the present invention is measured and quantified by a method using HPLC under the same conditions as the non-polymerized catechin.
(Tea-based beverage)
The `` tea-based beverage '' of the present invention is the addition of water, hot water, and extraction aid from tea leaves made from tea leaves obtained from Camellia genus, for example, C. sinensis, C. assamica, Yabutaki species and hybrids thereof. It is a generic term for beverages that contain tea leaf extract extracted with an aqueous solution. Non-fermented teas such as green tea (sencha, bancha, gyokuro, tencha, kettle roasted tea, etc.) and semi-fermented tea such as oolong tea (iron kannon, color, golden katsura, wushuiwa tea, etc.) Although there are fermented teas such as tea and black tea (Darjeeling, Assam, Sri Lanka, etc.), the tea-based beverage may be a beverage containing a tea leaf extract derived from any tea leaf.

The tea-based beverage of the present invention contains (A) non-polymerized catechin, (B) polymerized catechin, and (C) caffeine, and the content weight thereof per 100 mL of beverage,
(I) (A) + (B) = 10-50 mg
(B) (C) = 6.5-29 mg
Adjust so that Fewer non-polymerized catechins and polymerized catechins, so it has a high level of drinkability that can be drunk in large quantities, and by containing a relatively high proportion of caffeine, it is characterized by a balance between drinking response and a good aftertaste There is. Here, “drinkability” in this specification means the capacity of a beverage that is drunk at the time of a single drink, and a beverage with enhanced drinkability is a large amount at a stretch to heal thirst. It means that it can be drunk, that is, it can be drunk without being tired of drinking a large amount of tea-based beverages. Specifically, the term “large amount” as used herein refers to a dose per adult male of 350 mL to 2000 mL, preferably 500 mL to 1000 mL. In addition, “drinking response” in this specification means having a non-watery mouthfeel that is perceived at the time of drinking, that is, a so-called “koku” taste, and “good aftertaste” is perceived after drinking. Taste that has no aftertaste such as bitterness and has a very clean aftertaste.

  As described above, the total amount of (A) non-polymerized catechin and (B) polymerized catechin ((A) + (B)) in the tea-based beverage of the present invention is 10 to 50 mg per 100 mL of beverage. The effect of the present invention can be recognized more in 10 to 40 mg per beverage, preferably 10 to 35 mg per 100 mL beverage, more preferably 10 to 30 mg per 100 mL beverage. In addition, when the content of component (A) is 10 to 25 mg per 100 mL of beverage, preferably 10 to 23 mg, more preferably 10 to 21 mg, and / or the content of component (B) is 5 to 100 mL of beverage. In the case of 20 mg, preferably 5 to 15 mg per 100 mL of beverage, more preferably 5 to 10 mg per 100 mL of beverage, the drinkability is further enhanced.

  As described above, the content of (C) caffeine in the tea-based beverage of the present invention is 6.5 to 29 mg per 100 mL of beverage, more preferably 9 to 26 mg. If caffeine is less than 6.5 mg per 100 mL of beverage, the “koku” taste will be inferior and will be “watery”, and if caffeine exceeds 29 mg per 100 mL of beverage, it will feel “bitter” and will become “tough” .

(A) Non-polymerized catechins are classified into (A1) ester-type catechins and (A2) free-type catechins. In the tea-based beverage of the present invention, when the ratio of the ester-type catechin ((A1) / ((A1) + (A2))) is adjusted to 0.4 to 0.7, the drinkability is further improved.
In addition, ester type catechin (A1), (B) polymerized catechin and (C) caffeine,
(C) / ((A1) + (B)) = 0.5 to 1.3 (preferably 0.5 to 1.0)
When adjusted so as to be, a drink with a very high balance between richness and sharpness and a very high drinkability can be obtained.

  The tea-based beverage of the present invention is characterized in that the drinkability is enhanced by adjusting the contents of non-polymerized catechin, polymerized catechin and caffeine, which are components contained in tea leaves, to a specific range. Therefore, beverages manufactured without adding components other than those contained in tea leaves, specifically tea-based beverages manufactured only with tea leaf extract (however, antioxidants and pH adjusters may be added) Is a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(Production method)
As a mixing means of (A) non-polymerized catechin, (B) polymerized catechin and (C) caffeine in the tea-based beverage of the present invention, a method of mixing non-polymerized catechin, polymerized catechin and caffeine extracted from tea leaves There is. Examples of the raw material of (A) non-polymerized catechin include green tea extract and concentrate (including purified product), semi-fermented tea extract and concentrate (including purified product), and (B) polymerized catechin. Examples of the raw material include semi-fermented tea or an extract of fermented tea and concentrates thereof (including purified products). (C) As the raw material for caffeine, green tea, semi-fermented tea or fermented tea extract, One or more of the extracts may be mentioned. In the present invention, a semi-fermented tea extract with a low degree of fermentation as the main raw material of component (A), and a purified product (including a crude purified product) of the semi-fermented tea extract as the main raw material of component (B) The combination of the extract of semi-fermented tea containing a large amount of caffeine such as narcissus as the main ingredient of component (C) can further enhance the body and sharpness without generating astringency and bitterness in the tea beverage, This is particularly preferable because it has excellent palatability.

  Here, in this specification, for the convenience of fermentation of tea leaves, the content of non-polymerized catechin (A) and polymerized catechin in 10 g of tea leaves extracted with 30 times the amount of water (90 ° C.) for 4 minutes. It is represented by a value ((A) / ((A) + (B))) expressed by using the content (B) of, and “tea leaves with a low degree of fermentation” as used in this specification means (A) / ( (A) + (B)) represents a tea leaf satisfying> 0.6.

  Examples of containers include PET bottles, cans, paper, retort pouches, bottles, and the like. The container-packed beverage is preferably drinkable without dilution. In addition, the heat sterilization of the mixed solution is manufactured under the sterilization conditions defined in the Food Sanitation Law if the heat sterilization can be performed after filling the container like a metal can. For PET bottles and paper containers that cannot be sterilized by retort, sterilization conditions equivalent to the above, for example, after sterilizing at high temperature and short time in a plate heat exchanger, cooling to a certain temperature and filling the container Is adopted.

  The container-packed drink of this invention has the drinkability which can drink a large quantity at a stretch, and the capacity | capacitance of a drink is 350 mL-1000 mL, Preferably it is 500 mL-1000 mL.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, although an Example demonstrates this invention further in detail, this invention is not limited to these.
[Example 1] Production of tea-based beverage (1)
(1) Production of purified polymerized catechin Using 7800 kg of baking soda solution in which 0.15% by weight of baking soda was added to warm water (95 ° C.), 600 kg of oolong tea leaf was subjected to extraction treatment to obtain about 7000 kg of oolong tea extract. While maintaining the liquid temperature of this extract at 60-65 ° C., it was passed through 400 kg of granular activated carbon (GW-H32 / 60 manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd.) to remove non-polymerized catechins and caffeine. The passing liquid (liquid after the activated carbon treatment) was concentrated under reduced pressure to obtain about 900 kg of Brix 11 polymer catechin-containing oolong tea concentrated liquid (hereinafter, concentrated liquid A). The obtained concentrated liquid A was filtered through a filter (0.45 μm), and the concentrations of polymerized catechin, non-polymerized catechin and caffeine were measured by HPLC. The analysis conditions of HPLC are as follows. For quantification of the polymerized catechin, OHBF-B was used to calculate a peak corresponding to theaflavin at a peak of about 25 minutes. In addition, various catechin reagents (manufactured by Kurita Research Center) were used for quantification of non-polymerized catechins, and caffeine reagents (manufactured by Wako Pure Chemical Industries) were used as standard substances for quantification of caffeine. As a result, the weight basis was 12,000 ppm for polymerized catechin, 800 ppm for non-polymerized catechin, and 20 ppm for caffeine.
HPLC conditions:
-Mobile phase: A: Water: Acetonitrile: Trifluoroacetic acid = 900: 100: 0.5
B: Water: acetonitrile: trifluoroacetic acid = 200: 800: 0.5
・ Flow rate: 1.0ml / min
・ Column temperature: 40 ℃
・ Gradient condition: B solution 0% until 5 minutes after the start of analysis,
From 5 minutes to 11 minutes, B liquid 8%,
From 11 minutes to 21 minutes, B solution 10%,
From 21 minutes to 22 minutes, solution B is 100%,
100% hold from 22 to 30 minutes,
0% from 30 to 31 minutes
・ Detection: A280nm
(2) Production of Oolong Tea Beverage Low fermented tea leaves were prepared and extracted with 30 times the amount of water (90 ° C.) for 4 minutes to obtain Extract 1. To this, the purified product of the polymerized catechin obtained in (1) above (concentrated liquid A) was mixed at a ratio of extract 1: concentrated liquid A = 840: 1, and an antioxidant (ascorbic acid) and a pH adjuster ( (Multilayer) was added to adjust the pH to 6.1 (product 1 of the present invention).

  Water is added to this oolong tea beverage (Invention product 1) and diluted 3/4 times (Invention product 2), 1/2 times dilution (Invention product 3), 1/4 times dilution (Invention product 4). ) Was prepared. After adding caffeine (purified product) at a concentration of 0 to 200 ppm to these products 1 to 4 of the present invention, sterilization by heating at 137 ° C. for 40 seconds, filling into a 500 mL PET bottle, I got a drink. About the obtained tea-type drink, it carried out similarly to said (1), and measured the non-polymerization catechin, the polymerization catechin, and caffeine concentration.

(3) Evaluation About seven kinds of beverages each having different caffeine concentrations prepared by adding caffeine to the products 1 to 4 of the present invention, four panelists specialize in drinking as tea beverages, bitterness intensity and aftertaste. The sharpness was evaluated with ○: Yes, Δ: Somewhat, ×: No. As a result, the total score was calculated as ◯: 1 point, Δ: 0.5 point, ×: 0 point.

  Tables 1 to 4 show component analysis values and sensory evaluation results for the products 1 to 4 of the present invention. In a tea-based beverage in which the total amount of non-polymerized catechin and polymerized catechin ((A) + (B)) is 50 mg or less per 100 mL of beverage, caffeine (C) is 6.5 to 29 mg, preferably 9 to 26 mg, per 100 mL of beverage. By adjusting, it was suggested that drinking response is imparted without causing bitterness. Further, (A1) ester type catechin, (B) polymerized catechin and (C) caffeine are (C) / ((A1) + (B)) = 0.5 to 1.3, preferably 0.5 to The tea-based beverage adjusted to 1.0 had a good balance between richness and sharpness, and was a drink with extremely high drinking ability.

[Example 2] Production of tea-based beverage (2)
The polymerized catechin purified product (concentrate A) obtained in Example 1 (1) and the extract 1 (Oolong tea extract) obtained in Example 1 (2) were mixed at an arbitrary ratio. Non-polymerized catechins, polymerized catechins and oolong tea beverages with different caffeine contents were produced. These were heat sterilized in the same manner as in Example 1 and then filled into 500 mL PET bottles for component analysis and sensory evaluation.

  The results are shown in Table 5. The tea-based beverages 5-1, 5-2, and 5-8 were highly drinkable, and in particular, the beverages 5-1 and 5-2 were evaluated as having extremely high drinkability that can be drunk.

Claims (1)

(A) non-polymerized catechin, (B) polymerized catechin, and (C) caffeine, the weight of which per 100 mL of beverage packed in a container,
(A) (A) + (B) = 10-50 mg , where (B) = 5-20 mg
(Ii) (C) = 10.6 ~29mg
(A) non-polymerized catechin includes (A1) ester-type catechin, and (A1) the content ratio of ester-type catechin is:
(C) (C) / ((A1) + (B)) = 0.5 to 1.3
Is a tea-based beverage.