JP7538464B2 - Packaged beverages - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a packaged beverage containing taurine, vitamin B1 or a derivative thereof or a salt thereof, and a sweetener.

Taurine, also known as aminoethylsulfonic acid, is a sulfur-containing amino acid with a simple chemical structure and a molecular weight of 125.15. Structurally, taurine belongs to the amino acid family, but unlike the amino acids that make up proteins, it is known to have vitamin- and hormone-like effects, as well as a variety of pharmacological actions, including on the nervous system, circulatory system, and liver and bile duct systems.

Liquids containing taurine and a sweetener tend to discolor over time, and to prevent this, an oral liquid formulation containing a limited type of sweetener has been disclosed (Patent Document 1). Taurine is added to nutritional drinks for the purpose of improving bodily functions and relieving fatigue that accompanies such improvements, and its content is preferably 1% or more in order to maximize its effectiveness, but it cannot be said that the problem of preventing discoloration has been solved when using various types of sweeteners in preparations containing taurine and a sweetener.

Vitamin B1 or its derivatives or salts are physiologically active substances also known as thiamine. Thiamine diphosphate, which is converted in the body, acts as a coenzyme for pyruvate dehydrogenase, which is involved in sugar metabolism. Deficiency can lead to beriberi, Wernicke's encephalopathy, polyneuritis, neuralgia, muscle pain, joint pain, peripheral neuritis, etc.

On the other hand, vitamin B1 or its derivatives or salts thereof have a very unpleasant taste and are peculiar in that a bitter taste remains after taking them, so masking is necessary (Patent Document 2), and the effect is not sufficient just by adding a sweetener.

JP 10-120559 A JP2002-3379

Packaged beverages containing taurine, vitamin B1 or its derivatives or salts thereof, and sweeteners tend to discolor over time and have an unpleasant taste and odor, so these problems have been solved by blending multiple sweeteners, limiting the types of sweeteners, or adjusting the ratios of the ingredients. However, the above-mentioned efforts require a lot of trial and error, and it was thought necessary to prepare a more convenient, flavorful, easy-to-drink beverage. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a packaged beverage that suppresses discoloration over time caused by taurine and sweeteners in the beverage, and suppresses the unpleasant taste and odor caused by vitamin B1 or its derivatives or salts thereof.

As a result of intensive research aimed at solving the above problems, the inventors discovered that when carbon dioxide is added, the coloring of the beverage over time is suppressed and the unpleasant taste and odor are improved, leading to the completion of the present invention.

That is, the present invention is
(1) A bottled beverage containing a) taurine at 1 W/V% or more, b) vitamin B1 or a derivative thereof or a salt thereof, c) a sweetener, and d) carbon dioxide at an internal gas pressure of 1.0 to 4.0 kg/ ^cm2 .
(2) The packaged beverage according to (1), wherein the vitamin B1 or a derivative thereof or a salt thereof is at least one selected from the group consisting of thiamine, dicethiamine, fursultiamine, thiamine disulfide, bisbentiamine, bis-ibuthiamine, benfotiamine, shikotiamine, octotiamine, prosultiamine, and salts thereof.
(3) The packaged beverage according to (1), wherein the sweetener is at least one selected from the group consisting of glucose, fructose, lactose, arabinose, maltose, fructose glucose liquid sugar, high fructose liquid sugar, glucose fructose liquid sugar, white sugar, sorbitol, erythritol, xylitol, trehalose and maltitol.
It is.

The present invention makes it possible to provide a packaged beverage that contains taurine, vitamin B1 or a derivative thereof or a salt thereof, and a sweetener, by adding carbon dioxide to the packaged beverage, which reduces coloration and unpleasant flavors over time.

In the present invention, taurine refers to edible taurine, which is a sulfur-containing amino acid also known as aminoethylsulfonic acid.

The taurine content in this application is 1-10 W/V% of the total beverage, preferably 1-5.0 W/V%, and more preferably 1.0-3.0 W/V%, from the viewpoint of efficacy such as fatigue recovery.

In the present invention, vitamin B1 or its derivatives or salts thereof (hereinafter also referred to as "vitamin B1 type") refers to those which are normally edible, and specific examples thereof include thiamine, dicethiamine, fursultiamine, thiamine disulfide, bisbentiamine, bis-ibuthiamine, benfotiamine, shikotiamine, octotiamine, prosultiamine, and salts thereof. Examples of the salts thereof include nitrates and hydrochlorides. Among vitamin B1 type, preferred ones are thiamine, dicethiamine, fursultiamine, thiamine disulfide, and benfotiamine, and more preferred ones are thiamine, dicethiamine, and fursultiamine.

The content of vitamin B1 in the beverage as a whole is 0.0001-0.3 W/V%, preferably 0.001-0.1 W/V%, and more preferably 0.005-0.05 W/V%, from the viewpoint of efficacy and effectiveness such as recovery from and prevention of fatigue, and maintenance and improvement of physical strength and physical resistance.

In the present invention, the sweetener refers to a sweetener that is normally edible, and is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include monosaccharides and disaccharides such as glucose, fructose, lactose, arabinose, maltose, fructose glucose liquid sugar, high fructose liquid sugar, glucose fructose liquid sugar, and sucrose, and sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, erythritol, xylitol, trehalose, and maltitol. Preferred are monosaccharides and disaccharides such as glucose, fructose, fructose glucose liquid sugar, high fructose liquid sugar, glucose fructose liquid sugar, and sucrose, and sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, erythritol, trehalose, and maltitol, and more preferred are fructose glucose liquid sugar, sucrose, sorbitol, erythritol, trehalose, and maltitol.

Usually, the content of sweeteners varies depending on the sweetness and sweetness quality of each, but for example, fructose glucose liquid sugar is 1-50 W/V% of the total beverage, white sugar is 2.5-50 W/V% of the total beverage, sorbitol is 0.5-50 W/V% of the total beverage, erythritol is 0.1-10 W/V% of the total beverage, trehalose is 0.5-40 W/V% of the total beverage, and maltitol is 0.5-40 W/V% of the total beverage, and preferably fructose glucose liquid sugar is 5-30 W/V% of the total beverage, white sugar is 5-30 W/V% of the total beverage, sorbitol is 1-30 W/V% of the total beverage, erythritol is 1-5 W/V% of the total beverage, trehalose is 1-20 W/V% of the total beverage, and maltitol is 1-20 W/V% of the total beverage.

The carbon dioxide used in the present invention refers to carbon dioxide that is normally used in food and pharmaceuticals. Carbon dioxide may be used alone or may be a mixture of carbon dioxide and two or more other gases such as oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen, but it is preferable to use carbon dioxide alone.

From the viewpoint of suppressing the unpleasant taste of vitamin B1, the content of carbon dioxide is, in terms of the internal gas pressure (amount of gas dissolved in a unit volume) for the entire beverage, 1.0 to 4.0 kg/ ^cm2 , and more preferably 1.3 to 3.8 kg/ ^cm2 .

Specific examples of containers that can be used in the present invention include glass bottles, aluminum cans, and PET bottles. There are no particular restrictions on the material of the container, but glass bottles are preferred.

The pH of the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, and is, for example, 2.0 to 7.0. From the viewpoint of flavor, a low pH is preferable, specifically 2.0 to 6.0 is preferable, and more preferably 2.5 to 5.0. A commonly used pH adjuster can be used to adjust the pH of the beverage of the present invention. Specific pH adjusters include organic acids such as citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, maleic acid, gluconic acid, aspartic acid, adipic acid, glutamic acid, and fumaric acid, as well as salts thereof, inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid, and inorganic bases such as sodium hydroxide.

Other ingredients such as other vitamins, minerals, amino acids and their salts, other herbal medicines or herbal extracts, caffeine, etc. may be appropriately blended into the beverage of the present invention as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention.

Additional additives such as acidulants, thickening agents, antioxidants, colorants, flavorings, flavorings, preservatives, seasonings, bittering agents, strengthening agents, solubilizers, and emulsifiers can be added as needed without impairing the effects of the present invention.

The beverage of the present invention can be prepared by a conventional method, and the method is not particularly limited. Usually, each component is dissolved in an appropriate amount of purified water, the pH is adjusted, the remaining purified water is added to adjust the volume, and the beverage concentrate obtained by filtering and sterilizing is cooled, and then carbon dioxide gas is charged (carbonated) so that the gas pressure is within a predetermined range, for example, 1.0 to 4.0 kg/ ^cm2 , and the beverage is filled into a container. Carbonated beverages can be produced by a premix method or a postmix method, and either method may be used in the present invention.

The beverage of the present invention can be used in a variety of beverages, such as syrups, drinks, and other pharmaceuticals, quasi-drugs, and health drinks.

The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the following examples, comparative examples, and test examples.

(Examples 1 to 3, Comparative Examples 1 to 3)
1000 mg of taurine, 5 mg of thiamine nitrate, 10000 mg of sucrose, 60 mg of sodium benzoate, citric acid and sodium citrate were dissolved in purified water, and the total volume was adjusted to 100 mL with carbonated water adjusted to an internal gas pressure of 1.3 kg/cm ^2. This liquid was filled into a washed brown glass bottle and capped to prepare the beverage.
1000 mg of taurine, 5 mg of thiamine nitrate, 10000 mg of fructose glucose liquid sugar, 60 mg of sodium benzoate, citric acid and sodium citrate were dissolved in purified water, and the total volume was adjusted to 100 mL with carbonated water adjusted to an internal gas pressure of 1.3 kg/cm ^2. This liquid was filled into a washed brown glass bottle and capped to prepare the beverage.
1000 mg of taurine, 5 mg of thiamine nitrate, 5000 mg of 70% D-sorbitol solution, 60 mg of sodium benzoate, citric acid and sodium citrate were dissolved in purified water, and the total volume was adjusted to 100 mL with carbonated water in which the internal gas pressure of carbon dioxide was adjusted to 1.3 kg/cm ^2. This liquid was filled into a washed brown glass bottle, and the bottle was capped to prepare the beverage.
In Comparative Examples 1 to 3, carbonated water was replaced with purified water, and the rest of the preparations were similar to those in Examples 1 to 3. The respective formulations are shown in Table 1.

(Examples 4-1, 4-2, Comparative Example 4)
1000 mg of taurine, 5 mg of thiamine nitrate, 10000 mg of sucrose, 60 mg of sodium benzoate, and citric acid were dissolved in purified water, and the total volume was adjusted to 100 mL with carbonated water in which the internal gas pressure of carbon dioxide was adjusted to 1.3 kg/ ^cm2 and 3.8 kg/ ^cm2 , respectively. This liquid was filled into a washed brown glass bottle, and the bottle was capped to prepare the beverage.
In Comparative Example 4, carbonated water was replaced with purified water, and the rest of the preparation was the same as in Examples 4-1 and 4-2.
The respective formulations are shown in Table 2.

(Example 5, Comparative Example 5)
3000 mg of taurine, 5 mg of thiamine nitrate, 10000 mg of sucrose, 60 mg of sodium benzoate, and citric acid were dissolved in purified water, and the total volume was adjusted to 100 mL with carbonated water in which the internal gas pressure of carbon dioxide was adjusted to 2.4 kg/cm ^2. This liquid was filled into a washed brown glass bottle, and the bottle was capped to prepare the beverage.
Comparative Example 5 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 5, except that carbonated water was replaced with purified water.
The respective formulations are shown in Table 3.

(Example 6, Comparative Example 6)
1000 mg of taurine, 10 mg of fursultiamine hydrochloride, 10000 mg of sucrose, 60 mg of sodium benzoate, and citric acid were dissolved in purified water, and the total volume was adjusted to 100 mL with carbonated water in which the internal gas pressure of carbon dioxide was adjusted to 2.4 kg/cm ^2. This liquid was filled into a washed brown glass bottle, and the bottle was capped to prepare a beverage.
Comparative Example 6 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 6, except that carbonated water was replaced with purified water.
The respective formulations are shown in Table 3.

(Examples 7 to 8, Comparative Examples 7 to 8)
1000 mg of taurine, 5 mg of thiamine nitrate, 10000 mg of sucrose, 60 mg of sodium benzoate, citric acid and 1M sodium hydroxide solution were dissolved in purified water, and the total volume was adjusted to 100 mL with carbonated water adjusted to an internal gas pressure of 3.8 kg/cm ^2. This liquid was filled into a washed brown glass bottle and capped to prepare a beverage.
In Comparative Examples 7 and 8, carbonated water was replaced with purified water, and the rest of the preparations were similar to those in Examples 7 and 8.
The respective formulations are shown in Table 4.

(Test Example 1: Evaluation of sulfur odor and bitterness of beverages)
The beverages of Examples 1 to 6 and Comparative Examples 1 to 6 were evaluated by three well-trained expert panels. The expert panel identified the unpleasant tastes and odors sensed from the aroma and flavor of each beverage when it was held in the mouth as sulfur odor and bitterness, and evaluated the intensity of the sulfur odor and bitterness according to the following evaluation criteria. The results, which are the average scores given by the expert panel, are shown in Tables 1 to 3 together with the formulations.

Evaluation criteria: 0 points: very strong sulfur odor or bitterness; 1 point: considerable sulfur odor or bitterness; 2 points: sulfur odor or bitterness; 3 points: some sulfur odor or bitterness; 4 points: slight sulfur odor or bitterness; 5 points: no sulfur odor or bitterness;

(Test Example 2: Stability Test (Color Change))
The beverages of Examples 1-2, 5-6 and Comparative Examples 1-2, 5-6 were stored in an 80° C. thermostatic chamber for one day, and the beverages of Example 3 and Comparative Example 3 were stored in an 80° C. thermostatic chamber for one week. The beverages of Examples 4-1, 4-2, 7-8 and Comparative Examples 4, 7-8 were stored in a 65° C. thermostatic chamber for two weeks.
After storage, the liquid samples were placed in colorless test tubes with an inner diameter of 15 mm so that the liquid layer was 30 mm thick, and the color change was observed against a white background. The color change was visually evaluated by two well-trained expert panels based on the degree of coloration.
Two specimens from each of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1, Example 2 and Comparative Example 2, Example 3 and Comparative Example 3, Example 4-1 and Comparative Example 4, Example 4-2 and Comparative Example 4, Example 5 and Comparative Example 5, Example 6 and Comparative Example 6, Example 7 and Comparative Example 7, and Example 8 and Comparative Example 8 were compared, and the specimen with the smallest degree of coloring was marked with an O, and the specimen with the largest degree of coloring was marked with an X. The evaluations by the two expert panels were the same.

Tables 1 to 4 show that the Examples have improved sulfur odor and bitterness of the beverage and/or suppressed color change compared to the Comparative Examples.
These results demonstrate that the inclusion of carbon dioxide makes it possible to improve the unpleasant taste and odor that occur when taurine, vitamin B1 group, and a sweetener are added, as well as to improve the color change.

The present invention makes it possible to obtain a beverage that stably contains taurine, vitamin B1, and a sweetener, and that suppresses unpleasant flavors and coloring over time, and that can be used in medicines, foods, health drinks, and foods for specified health uses.

Claims (2)

A capped, bottled beverage comprising: a) taurine at 1 W/V % or more; b) vitamin B1 or a derivative thereof or a salt thereof, which is at least one selected from the group consisting of thiamine, dicethiamine, fursultiamine, thiamine disulfide, bisbentiamine, bis-ibuthiamine, benfotiamine, shikotiamine, octotiamine, prosultiamine, and nitrates or hydrochlorides thereof; c ) a sweetener; and d) carbon dioxide at an internal gas pressure of 1.0 to 4.0 kg/ ^cm2 . The bottled beverage according to claim 1, wherein the sweetener is at least one selected from the group consisting of glucose, fructose, lactose, arabinose, maltose, high fructose liquid sugar, high fructose liquid sugar, glucose fructose liquid sugar, white sugar, sorbitol, erythritol, xylitol, trehalose and maltitol.