JP7621057B2 - Citrus-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a citrus flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage, a citrus flavor enhancer for a carbonated alcoholic beverage, and a method for enhancing the citrus flavor of a carbonated alcoholic beverage, and in particular to a carbonated alcoholic beverage with enhanced citrus flavor.

Among packaged carbonated alcoholic beverages (also called ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages), such as chuhai and cocktail-flavored beverages, citrus-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverages, such as those flavored with lemon, grapefruit, or shikuwasa, are particularly popular.
This is thought to be because consumers have been familiar with the above-mentioned citrus flavors since childhood, and because the refreshing flavor and clean taste of citrus fruits go well with carbonated alcoholic beverages.

On the other hand, in the carbonated alcoholic beverage market, there has been an increasing emphasis in recent years on compatibility with food, and as a result, drinks with higher carbon dioxide pressure, higher alcohol concentration, and less sweetness are becoming mainstream.

However, in the above-mentioned citrus carbonated alcoholic beverages, increasing the carbon dioxide gas pressure or alcohol concentration makes the pungent odor derived from the carbon dioxide and alcohol more noticeable, and the citrus-specific aroma, particularly the fresh, green citrus aroma derived from the peel, is masked and becomes less noticeable. Furthermore, if the sweetness is reduced, the mellow, rich bitter-sweet taste that is characteristic of citrus fruits becomes less noticeable. For this reason, it has been difficult to impart a citrus-like aroma to carbonated alcoholic beverages that have previously had little sweetness.

Although not limited to carbonated alcoholic beverages, the following techniques are known as means for enhancing citrus flavor:

JP 2018-70706 A (Patent Document 1) describes a citrus-like flavor enhancer containing 3-paramenten-7-al as an active ingredient, which is said to provide a citrus-like flavor enhancer that can enhance the citrus-like flavor, particularly the fresh peel feeling and juicy fruit feeling that are characteristic of citrus fruits.

JP 2017-99371 A (Patent Document 2) describes a packaged carbonated alcoholic beverage that has a sugar content of 2 w/v% or less and contains citrus fruit juice and/or flavoring, and contains 200 to 2000 ppm of potassium citrate. It is claimed that this makes it possible to provide a packaged carbonated alcoholic beverage that is a low-sugar citrus-based packaged carbonated alcoholic beverage and that reduces the irritating sensation caused by alcohol and enhances the citrus flavor (the deliciousness of citrus fruits).

JP 2009-203438 A (Patent Document 3) describes a citrus flavor enhancer containing (E)-6-nonenal as an active ingredient, and claims to be able to provide a citrus flavor enhancer that can impart a full-bodied flavor reminiscent of citrus peel.

JP 2018-70706 A JP 2017-99371 A JP 2009-203438 A JP 2014-60953 A JP 2014-93980 A Patent No. 6420057

The object of the present invention is to provide a carbonated alcoholic beverage with enhanced citrus flavor using a method different from that of conventional technology. Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel citrus flavor enhancer and method for enhancing citrus flavor for carbonated alcoholic beverages.

As a result of intensive research into achieving the above-mentioned objective, the inventors discovered that the citrus flavor can be enhanced by adding an extract of Monk Fruit to a citrus carbonated alcoholic beverage, particularly a carbonated alcoholic beverage with a low sweetness, and thus completed the present invention.

Incidentally, Monk fruit (Luo Han Guo) is a perennial vine plant of the Cucurbitaceae family native to the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China, which contains sweet substances and is used as a sweetener in cooking, or dried and crushed and boiled to make Monk fruit tea. The main sweet component of Monk fruit is a triterpene glycoside called mogroside, which has a unique and strong sweetness.
Luo Han Guo extract is known to have effects such as enhancing the richness and full body of beer or beer-flavored sparkling beverages (JP 2014-60953 A, Patent Document 4), masking unpleasant flavors in foods and beverages (JP 2014-93980 A, Patent Document 5), and enhancing the juiciness of plum juice-containing alcoholic beverages (JP Patent No. 6,420,057 A, Patent Document 6). However, its effect of enhancing the citrus flavor of citrus carbonated alcoholic beverages has not been known until now.

That is, the citrus-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage of the present invention contains Luo Han Guo extract.

A suitable example of the citrus-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage of the present invention contains 0.05 to 10 ppm of Monk Fruit extract.

In another preferred embodiment of the citrus-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the alcohol content is 3 v/v% or more.

In another preferred embodiment of the citrus-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the alcohol content is 10 v/v% or less.

In another preferred embodiment of the citrus-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the carbon dioxide pressure is 2.3 gas volumes or more.

In another preferred embodiment of the citrus-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the sweetness, calculated as sucrose, is 5.0 g/100 ml or less.

In another preferred embodiment of the citrus-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the fruit juice content is 5% or less.

Another preferred embodiment of the citrus-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage of the present invention is fruit juice-free.

The citrus flavor enhancer for the carbonated alcoholic beverage of the present invention also contains Monk Fruit extract.

The method for enhancing the citrus flavor of a carbonated alcoholic beverage of the present invention is characterized by adding a swingle extract.

In a preferred embodiment of the method of enhancing the citrus flavor of a carbonated alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the carbonated alcoholic beverage contains 0.05 to 10 ppm of Monk Fruit extract.

In another preferred embodiment of the method of enhancing the citrus flavor of a carbonated alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the carbonated alcoholic beverage does not contain fruit juice.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a carbonated alcoholic beverage with enhanced citrus flavor. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a citrus flavor enhancer and a method for enhancing citrus flavor for carbonated alcoholic beverages, particularly carbonated alcoholic beverages with a low sweetness.

The citrus-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as the carbonated alcoholic beverage of the present invention or the alcoholic beverage of the present invention) is described in detail below. The carbonated alcoholic beverage of the present invention contains Monk Fruit Extract. According to the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the citrus flavor of the carbonated alcoholic beverage can be enhanced by blending Monk Fruit Extract.

In this specification, the term "alcoholic beverage" refers to a beverage containing ethyl alcohol, and generally refers to a beverage in which the concentration of ethyl alcohol in the beverage is 1% by volume or more per 100% of the original volume at a temperature of 15°C. Specific examples of alcoholic beverages generally include brewed alcoholic beverages such as sake, beer, and wine, distilled alcoholic beverages such as shochu, whiskey, brandy, and vodka, and mixed alcoholic beverages such as chuhai, cocktails, plum wine, and liqueurs, but the alcoholic beverage of the present invention is a citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage and is suitable as chuhai, cocktails, cocktail-flavored beverages, and the like.

The alcoholic beverage of the present invention is preferably a beverage in which a distilled liquor is used as the raw material liquor and the alcohol content is adjusted by adding water or the like. In this specification, "distilled liquor" refers to a distilled liquor as defined in the Liquor Tax Act. Examples of distilled liquor include shochu, spirits, vodka, rum, gin, whiskey, and raw material alcohol, etc., with raw material alcohol, etc. being preferred. The raw material liquor may be used alone or in combination of two or more types.

The alcoholic beverage of the present invention preferably has an alcohol content of 3 v/v% or more, more preferably 5 v/v% or more, and even more preferably 7 v/v% or more. Since the alcoholic beverage of the present invention contains Monk Fruit Extract, the citrus flavor can be enhanced even if the alcohol content is within the above-specified range. Furthermore, the upper limit of the alcohol content in the alcoholic beverage of the present invention is preferably 10 v/v% or less, and more preferably 9 v/v% or less.

In this specification, the alcohol content is expressed as the percentage of the volume of ethyl alcohol contained in the alcoholic beverage relative to the total volume of the alcoholic beverage, and is expressed as "v/v %."

The alcoholic beverage of the present invention is an alcoholic beverage imparted with a citrus flavor (citrus-flavored alcoholic beverage), and the citrus flavor can be imparted to the alcoholic beverage by blending citrus juice and/or flavorings (flavors). Since the alcoholic beverage of the present invention contains Monk Fruit Extract, it has a high effect of enhancing the citrus flavor, and can impart a citrus-like flavor even to a carbonated alcoholic beverage with a low sweetness, for example.

Examples of citrus juice include lemon juice, grapefruit juice, shikuwasa juice, orange juice, mandarin orange juice, lime juice, yuzu juice, kabosu juice, and iyokan juice. When fruit juice is blended into the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the fruit juice content is preferably 5% or less, more preferably 3% or less, even more preferably 1% or less, and may be 0% (no fruit juice). When the alcoholic beverage has low or no fruit juice, the aftertaste of the beverage can be made refreshing and it can be made to go well with meals. On the other hand, when the alcoholic beverage has low or no fruit juice, the citrus flavor is mainly imparted by the flavoring, but in the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the monk fruit extract has a high effect of enhancing the citrus flavor, so that a sufficiently citrus-like flavor can be imparted.

In this specification, the fruit juice content is expressed as a percentage of the weight of fruit juice contained in an alcoholic beverage relative to the total volume of the alcoholic beverage, and "%" can also be expressed as "w/v %".
In addition, when the fruit juice is not straight fruit juice but concentrated fruit juice, the content means a value converted into straight fruit juice. The method of conversion into straight fruit juice is performed using the standard value of sugar content or acidity specific to each fruit determined by the JAS standard (Japanese Agricultural Standards for Fruit Drinks). Specifically, the concentration ratio of the fruit juice can be calculated by measuring the sugar refractometer reading (sugar content) or acidity of the sample fruit juice and dividing it by the standard value of sugar content or acidity specific to the fruit.

Examples of citrus flavors include lemon flavor, grapefruit flavor, shikuwasa flavor, orange flavor, mandarin orange flavor, lime flavor, yuzu flavor, kabosu flavor, iyokan flavor, etc. When the alcoholic beverage of the present invention has low fruit juice or no fruit juice, the flavor content is, for example, 0.1 to 5.0 g/L.

The alcoholic beverage of the present invention is an alcoholic beverage containing carbon dioxide gas (carbonated alcoholic beverage). In the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the carbon dioxide gas pressure is preferably 2.3 gas volumes (GV) or more, more preferably 2.8 gas volumes (GV) or more, and even more preferably 3.3 gas volumes (GV) or more. Since the alcoholic beverage of the present invention contains Monk Fruit Extract, the citrus flavor can be enhanced even when the carbon dioxide gas pressure is within the above-specified range. Furthermore, in the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the upper limit of the carbon dioxide gas pressure is, for example, 4.3 gas volumes (GV) or less.

In this specification, carbon dioxide pressure refers to the amount of carbon dioxide in an alcoholic beverage, and indicates the ratio of the volume of carbon dioxide dissolved in the alcoholic beverage to the volume of the alcoholic beverage under standard conditions (1 atmosphere, 20°C) (the unit used is gas volume (GV)). Carbon dioxide pressure can be measured, for example, using a gas volume measuring device GVA-500B manufactured by Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

The alcoholic beverage of the present invention preferably has a sweetness in terms of sucrose of 5.0 g/100 ml or less, more preferably 3.0 g/100 ml or less, and even more preferably 1.0 g/100 ml or less. When the sweetness of the alcoholic beverage is low, the aftertaste of the beverage can be made clean, and it can be made to go well with meals. On the other hand, in an alcoholic beverage with a low sweetness, the pungent odor derived from carbonation and alcohol may make it difficult to feel the bitterness and sweetness characteristic of citrus fruits. However, in the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the effect of enhancing the citrus flavor by the Monk fruit extract is high, and therefore, a sufficiently citrus-like flavor can be imparted. In addition, in the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the lower limit of the sweetness in terms of sucrose may be, for example, 0 g/100 ml.

In this specification, sweetness in sucrose equivalent (hereinafter, simply referred to as sweetness) is a parameter indicating the intensity of sweetness of an alcoholic beverage, and is a parameter obtained by converting the content of sweeteners contained in an alcoholic beverage into sucrose from the viewpoint of sweetness. Specifically, for each sweetener contained in an alcoholic beverage, the concentration (g/100 ml) of the sweetener is multiplied by the "sweetness" of the sweetener to obtain the content of each sweetener when converted into sucrose (g/100 ml). The total sucrose-equivalent content (g/100 ml) of all sweeteners contained in the alcoholic beverage is then obtained as the "sweetness" of the alcoholic beverage.
In this specification, the sweetness of a sweetener is determined based on the value given in the Beverage Glossary, published on June 25, 1999 by Beverage Japan Co., Ltd., Supplementary Material 11. When there is a range of sweetness values, the median value is used.
For example, the sweetness of some typical sweeteners is as follows:
Glucose (sweetness level 0.65)
Fructose (sweetness level 1.5)
Sucralose (sweetness level 600)
Acesulfame potassium (sweetness level 200)
Aspartame (sweetness level 200)

The alcoholic beverage of the present invention contains a Momordica extract, which, as described above, can enhance the citrus flavor of the carbonated alcoholic beverage.
In this specification, the term "Monk fruit extract" refers to the "Monk fruit extract" as defined in the 9th edition of the Japanese Standards for Food Additives published by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Specifically, it is defined as a product obtained from the fruit of Monk fruit (Siraitia grosvenorii (Swingle) C. Jeffrey ex AMLu & Zhi Y. Zhang (Momordica grosvenorii Swingle)) and containing mogrosides as the main component. Here, the main component refers to the component that occupies the highest proportion of the substance. In addition, as defined in the 9th edition of the Japanese Standards for Food Additives, Monk fruit extract contains 20% or more of mogroside V (C ₆₀ H ₁₀₂ O ₂₉ = 1287.43), and is obtained by extracting Monk fruit with water, ethanol, or aqueous ethanol. For example, Monk fruit extracts containing 30% or more by mass of mogroside V and Monk fruit extracts containing 50% or more by mass of mogroside V are commercially available. The properties of the Luo Han Guo extract are a light yellow to light brown powder with a sweet taste.

In the alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the content of the Monk Fruit extract is preferably 0.05 to 10 ppm. From the viewpoint of improving the effect of enhancing the citrus flavor, the content of the Monk Fruit extract in the alcoholic beverage of the present invention is more preferably 0.1 ppm or more, even more preferably 0.5 ppm or more, and particularly preferably 1.0 ppm or more. Furthermore, Monk Fruit extract is known as a sweetener and has a high degree of sweetness. For this reason, it is preferable to add it to an extent that does not affect the sweetness of the alcoholic beverage, and the content of the Monk Fruit extract in the alcoholic beverage of the present invention is more preferably 9.0 ppm or less, even more preferably 7.0 ppm or less, and particularly preferably 5.0 ppm or less.

In this specification, when the content of a component is expressed in ppm, the content is the part per million by weight of the component contained in the alcoholic beverage relative to the total volume of the alcoholic beverage. "ppm" can also be written as "w/v ppm."

The alcoholic beverage of the present invention may further contain a sweetener to adjust the sweetness. Examples of sweeteners include natural sweeteners such as fructose, sugar, high fructose liquid sugar, glucose, maltose, sucrose, high fructose liquid sugar, sugar alcohol, oligosaccharides, honey, starch syrup, stevia powder, stevia extract, licorice powder, licorice extract, Thaumatococcus daniellii seed powder, and Thaumatococcus daniellii seed extract, and artificial sweeteners such as acesulfame potassium, sucralose, neotame, aspartame, and saccharin. These sweeteners may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

The alcoholic beverage of the present invention may further contain an acidulant. Specific examples of acidulants include adipic acid, citric acid, sodium citrate (e.g., trisodium citrate), glucono-delta-lactone, gluconic acid, potassium gluconate, sodium gluconate, succinic acid, monosodium succinate, disodium succinate, sodium acetate, DL-tartaric acid, L-tartaric acid, sodium DL-tartrate, L-tartrate, carbon dioxide, lactic acid, sodium lactate, glacial acetic acid, fumaric acid, monosodium fumarate, DL-malic acid, sodium DL-malate, phosphoric acid, and salts thereof (potassium salt, sodium salt). The acidulant can also be used as a pH adjuster. These acidulants may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

The acidity of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention is preferably 0.05 to 0.80 g/100 mL, and more preferably 0.10 to 0.60 g/100 mL. For example, the acidity can be adjusted by adding the above-mentioned acidulants.
The acidity is expressed as the acidity converted into citric acid, and is calculated based on the method of measuring acidity specified in page 8 of the National Tax Agency Specified Analytical Method (National Tax Agency Ordinance No. 6 of 2007), for total acid (free acid).
In detail, the acidity can be measured by the following method.
Accurately measure 1 to 50 ml of the sample and dilute it with water. Titrate it with 0.1 mol/L sodium hydroxide solution, set the end point to 8.2 on the pH meter, and calculate the pH using the following formula.
(Formula 1): Acidity (%) = A x f x 100/W x 0.0064 (in the case of citric acid acidity)
A: Titration amount (ml) of 0.1 mol/L sodium hydroxide solution
f: titer of 0.1 mol/L sodium hydroxide solution W: sample weight (g)
In addition, in the formula 1, "0.0064" is "the weight (g) of anhydrous citric acid equivalent to 1 ml of 0.1 mol/L sodium hydroxide solution."

The pH of the alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be set appropriately depending on the type of beverage, but the pH is adjusted to a range of 2.0 to 5.0, for example.

The alcoholic beverage of the present invention contains drinking water and may contain colorants, flavorings, etc., as appropriate, depending on the type of alcoholic beverage. Furthermore, the alcoholic beverage of the present invention may further contain, as necessary, ingredients and food additives that are commonly used in the food industry, such as pH adjusters (such as baking soda), vitamins, peptides, amino acids, water-soluble dietary fiber, antioxidants, stabilizers, emulsifiers, etc.

The alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be provided as a carbonated alcoholic beverage in a container. The container is not particularly limited, but may be a bottle, a can, a barrel, or a plastic container such as a PET bottle, or a paper container.

The alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be produced by a conventional method, but the method for producing an alcoholic beverage of the present invention includes incorporating a Monk Fruit extract into the alcoholic beverage. In the method for producing an alcoholic beverage of the present invention, the timing of adding the Monk Fruit extract is not particularly limited, and it can be added at any time. For example, the Monk Fruit extract may be added at any time during the production process of the alcoholic beverage, or it may be added after production of the alcoholic beverage when it is consumed. The Monk Fruit extract may also be used in the form of a citrus flavor enhancer containing Monk Fruit extract, as described below.

For example, the alcoholic beverage of the present invention can be prepared by mixing various ingredients appropriately selected according to the type of beverage, and adding carbon dioxide gas to the resulting mixture. Here, the Monk Fruit extract may be mixed together with the other ingredients, or may be added after the addition of carbon dioxide gas. The Monk Fruit extract can be added at any time. Carbon dioxide gas can be dissolved in the mixture by, for example, adding carbon dioxide gas directly, or carbonated water can be added to the mixture. In addition, filtration may be performed after mixing of the ingredients or addition of carbon dioxide gas to remove insoluble matter. The alcoholic beverage can then be produced as a container-packed beverage by filling and sealing the container.

Next, the citrus flavor enhancer for carbonated alcoholic beverages of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as the citrus flavor enhancer of the present invention) will be described in detail. The citrus flavor enhancer of the present invention is a citrus flavor enhancer for use in carbonated alcoholic beverages, and contains Monk Fruit extract. By blending the citrus flavor enhancer of the present invention with a citrus-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage, particularly a citrus-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage with a low sweetness, the citrus flavor of the carbonated alcoholic beverage can be enhanced.

In the citrus flavor enhancer of the present invention, the content of the Monk Fruit extract is not particularly limited. For example, it may be 20% by mass or more, or it may be composed only of Monk Fruit extract. Examples of components that can be blended into the citrus flavor enhancer of the present invention include sweeteners, acidulants, starches, dextrin, and flavors. The citrus flavor enhancer of the present invention can be prepared by mixing the Monk Fruit extract with various components appropriately selected as necessary.

Next, the method for enhancing the citrus flavor of a carbonated alcoholic beverage of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as the citrus flavor enhancing method of the present invention) will be described in detail. The method for enhancing the citrus flavor of the present invention includes a step of adding a Monk Fruit extract. According to the method for enhancing the citrus flavor of the present invention, the citrus flavor of a citrus-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage, particularly a less sweet citrus-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage, can be enhanced by adding a Monk Fruit extract.

In the citrus flavor enhancing method of the present invention, the timing of adding the Monk Fruit extract is not particularly limited, and it can be added at any timing. For example, the Monk Fruit extract may be added at any timing during the production process of the alcoholic beverage, or after production of the alcoholic beverage, the Monk Fruit extract may be added when drinking the beverage. The Monk Fruit extract may also be added in the form of a citrus flavor enhancer containing the Monk Fruit extract.

In the method for enhancing citrus flavor of the present invention, it is preferable to include 0.05 to 10 ppm of Monk Fruit extract in the carbonated alcoholic beverage from the viewpoint of improving the effect of enhancing the citrus flavor. Furthermore, in the method for enhancing citrus flavor of the present invention, the carbonated alcoholic beverage may be juice-free. When the alcoholic beverage is juice-free, the citrus flavor is imparted mainly by the flavoring, but the Monk Fruit extract has a high effect of enhancing the citrus flavor, so that a sufficiently citrus-like flavor can be imparted.

The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

(Test 1) Sensory evaluation of lemon-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverages <Preparation example of carbonated alcoholic beverage>
Carbonated alcoholic beverage base liquid 1 (lemon) (alcohol content 9.0 v/v%, carbon dioxide pressure 3.8 gas volume (GV), sweetness in sucrose equivalent 3.0) was prepared according to the recipe shown in Table 1, and this was used as beverage sample 1-1 (control). In addition, the amount of Monk Fruit extract (Sunnature M50, manufactured by San-Ei Gen F.F.I. Co., Ltd.) shown in Table 2 was added to 1000 ml of base liquid 1 (lemon) prepared according to the recipe shown in Table 1 to prepare beverage samples 1-2 to 1-9.

<Sensory evaluation of carbonated alcoholic beverages>
For beverage samples 1-1 to 1-9, four trained panelists (one man in his 40s, one woman in her 40s, and two men in their 30s) performed sensory evaluations of "intensity of citrus-like flavor,""intensity of citrus-like aroma," and "overall citrus-likeness" according to the following evaluation criteria. The panelists' average scores and comments are shown in the upper part of Table 2, and the scores of each panelist (upper row: intensity of citrus-like flavor, middle row: intensity of citrus-like aroma, lower row: overall citrus-likeness) are shown in the lower part of Table 2.

<Evaluation criteria>
(Strong citrus flavor)
In comparison with beverage sample 1-1 (control; no added Monk fruit extract, score 3), the strength of the citrus flavor was scored 3, and rated on a 5-point scale from 1 to 5. 5 points: stronger than the control, 4 points: slightly stronger than the control, 3 points: the same as the control, 2 points: slightly weaker than the control, 1 point: weaker than the control.
(Strong citrus scent)
In comparison with beverage sample 1-1 (control; no added Monk fruit extract, score 3), the strength of the citrus-like aroma was given a score of 3, and the sample was rated on a 5-point scale from 1 to 5. 5 points: stronger than the control, 4 points: slightly stronger than the control, 3 points: the same as the control, 2 points: slightly weaker than the control, 1 point: weaker than the control.
(Overall citrus flavor)
In comparison with beverage sample 1-1 (control; no added Monk fruit extract, score 3), the overall citrus flavor was scored 3 points when it was about the same, and the evaluation was made on a 5-point scale from 1 to 5 points. 5 points: stronger than the control, 4 points: slightly stronger than the control, 3 points: same as the control, 2 points: slightly weaker than the control, 1 point: weaker than the control.

When monk fruit extract was added to carbonated alcoholic beverage base liquid 1 (lemon) in the range of 0.05 to 10 ppm, the intensity of the citrus-like taste and the intensity of the citrus-like aroma were significantly improved, and the overall citrus-like flavor was strengthened. When 50 ppm of monk fruit extract was added to carbonated alcoholic beverage base liquid 1 (lemon), the citrus-like flavor was enhanced, but the bitterness and unpleasant flavors also became stronger, and the citrus-like flavor was rated lower. Furthermore, when the monk fruit extract content was 10 ppm or more, an artificial flavor began to be perceived.

(Test 2) Sensory evaluation with varying carbon dioxide pressure Beverage sample 2-1 (no added Momordica extract) was prepared in the same manner as beverage sample 1-1, except that the carbon dioxide pressure was changed from 3.8 GV to 2.3 GV.
Beverage sample 2-2 (with addition of 1.0 mg/1000 ml of Momordica extract) was prepared in the same manner as beverage sample 1-5, except that the carbon dioxide pressure was changed from 3.8 GV to 2.3 GV.
As in Test 1, a five-point sensory evaluation was conducted on the beverage sample 1-1 (control; no added Monk Fruit extract, score 3) for "intensity of citrus-like taste,""intensity of citrus-like aroma," and "overall citrus-likeness," in comparison with beverage sample 1-1. The panelists' average scores and comments are shown in the upper part of Table 3, and the scores of each panelist (upper row: intensity of citrus-like taste, middle row: intensity of citrus-like aroma, lower row: overall citrus-likeness) are shown in the lower part of Table 3.

When compared without the addition of Monk Fruit extract, beverage sample 2-1 (carbon dioxide pressure 2.3 GV) had a stronger citrus taste and aroma than beverage sample 1-1 (carbon dioxide pressure 3.8 GV). Even when the carbon dioxide pressure was changed to 2.3 GV, it was confirmed that the addition of Monk Fruit extract improved the strength of the citrus taste and aroma, and also enhanced the overall citrus flavor.

(Test 3) Sensory evaluation of grapefruit-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage <Preparation example of carbonated alcoholic beverage>
Carbonated alcoholic beverage base liquid 2 (grapefruit) (alcohol content 9.0 v/v%, carbon dioxide pressure 3.8 gas volume (GV), sweetness in sucrose equivalent 3.0) was prepared according to the recipe shown in Table 4 and used as beverage sample 3-1 (control). In addition, beverage sample 3-2 was prepared by adding 1.0 mg of Monk Fruit extract (Sunnature M50, manufactured by San-Ei Gen F.F.I. Co., Ltd.) to 1000 ml of carbonated alcoholic beverage base liquid 2 (grapefruit).

<Sensory evaluation of carbonated alcoholic beverages>
A 5-point sensory evaluation of the carbonated alcoholic beverages was conducted in the same manner as in Test 1, except that samples that were comparable in "intensity of citrus-like taste,""intensity of citrus-like aroma," and "overall citrus-likeness" were given a score of 3 in comparison with beverage sample 3-1 (control; no added Monk Fruit extract, score 3). The panelists' average scores and comments are shown in the upper part of Table 5, and the scores of each panelist (upper row: intensity of citrus-like taste, middle row: intensity of citrus-like aroma, lower row: overall citrus-likeness) are shown in the lower part of Table 5.

It was also confirmed that adding Monk Fruit extract to grapefruit-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverages improved the strength of the citrus-like taste and aroma, and enhanced the overall citrus-like flavor.

(Test 4) Sensory evaluation of Shikuwasa-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage <Preparation example of carbonated alcoholic beverage>
Carbonated alcoholic beverage base liquid 3 (Citrus depressa) (alcohol content 9.0 v/v%, carbon dioxide pressure 3.8 gas volume (GV), sweetness in sucrose equivalent 3.0) was prepared according to the recipe shown in Table 6, and this was used as beverage sample 4-1 (control). In addition, 1.0 mg of Momordica selenite extract (Sunnature M50, manufactured by San-Ei Gen F.F.I. Co., Ltd.) was added to 1000 ml of carbonated alcoholic beverage base liquid 3 (Citrus depressa) to prepare beverage sample 4-2.

<Sensory evaluation of carbonated alcoholic beverages>
A 5-point sensory evaluation of the carbonated alcoholic beverages was conducted in the same manner as in Test 1, except that samples that were comparable in "intensity of citrus-like taste,""intensity of citrus-like aroma," and "overall citrus-likeness" were given a score of 3 in comparison with beverage sample 4-1 (control; no added Monk Fruit extract, score 3). The panelists' average scores and comments are shown in the upper part of Table 7, and the scores of each panelist (upper row: intensity of citrus-like taste, middle row: intensity of citrus-like aroma, lower row: overall citrus-likeness) are shown in the lower part of Table 7.

It was also confirmed that adding Luo Han Fruit extract to a shekwasha-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage improved the strength of the citrus-like taste and aroma, and enhanced the overall citrus-like flavor.

(Test 5) Sensory evaluation of lemon-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverages not containing fruit juice <Preparation example of carbonated alcoholic beverage>
Carbonated alcoholic beverage base liquid 4 (lemon) (alcohol content 9.0 v/v%, carbon dioxide pressure 3.8 gas volume (GV), sweetness in terms of sucrose 3.0) was prepared according to the formula shown in Table 8 (formulation obtained by removing lemon juice from base liquid 1), and this was used as beverage sample 5-1 (control). In addition, 1.0 mg of Monk Fruit Extract (Sunnature M50, manufactured by San-Ei Gen F.F.I. Co., Ltd.) was added to 1000 ml of carbonated alcoholic beverage base liquid 4 (lemon) to prepare beverage sample 5-2, and 1.0 mg of Monk Fruit Extract (Sunnature M50, manufactured by San-Ei Gen F.F.I. Co., Ltd.) and 30.0 g of lemon juice (straight equivalent) were added to prepare beverage sample 5-3.

<Sensory evaluation of carbonated alcoholic beverages>
A 5-point sensory evaluation of carbonated alcoholic beverages was conducted in the same manner as in Test 1, except that samples that were comparable in "intensity of citrus-like taste,""intensity of citrus-like aroma," and "overall citrus-likeness" were given a score of 3 in comparison with beverage sample 5-1 (control; no added Monk Fruit extract, score 3). The panelists' average scores and comments are shown in the upper part of Table 9, and the scores of each panelist (upper row: intensity of citrus-like taste, middle row: intensity of citrus-like aroma, lower row: overall citrus-likeness) are shown in the lower part of Table 9.

It was confirmed that the addition of Monk Fruit extract, regardless of whether citrus juice is present or not, improves the strength of the citrus flavor and citrus aroma, and also enhances the overall citrus flavor.

Claims (7)

The carbonated alcoholic beverage having a citrus flavor contains 0.05 to 0.1 ppm of a Monk Fruit extract, has an alcohol content of 3 v/v% or more, and has a carbon dioxide pressure of 2.3 gas volumes or more and 4.3 gas volumes or less. The citrus-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage according to claim 1, having an alcohol content of 10 v/v% or less. The citrus-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage according to claim 1 or 2 , having a sweetness level calculated as sucrose of 5.0 g/100 ml or less. The citrus-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , having a fruit juice content of 5% or less. The citrus-flavored carbonated alcoholic beverage according to claim 4 , which contains no fruit juice. The method for enhancing citrus flavor in a carbonated alcoholic beverage comprises adding a Momordica extract to the carbonated alcoholic beverage so that the Momordica extract is contained in the carbonated alcoholic beverage at 0.05 to 0.1 ppm, the alcohol content is 3 v/v% or more, and the carbon dioxide gas pressure is 2.3 gas volumes or more and 4.3 gas volumes or less. The method for enhancing citrus flavor according to claim 6 , wherein the carbonated alcoholic beverage is fruit juice-free.