JP7689028B2 - Packaged coffee drinks - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a packaged coffee beverage with good acidity.

Coffee beverages are consumed in countries around the world, and are a familiar and popular beverage in Japan as well. Technologies for providing even higher levels of coffee palatability are currently being developed.
In recent years, with the spread of specialty coffee, there has been an increase in the number of ways to enjoy the acidity of coffee beverages, and there is a demand for generally available bottled coffee beverages that feature a high-quality acidity comparable to that of specialty coffee.

Specifically, for example, various techniques have been developed to adjust the components contained in coffee beverages in order to enhance their palatability.
Patent Document 1 describes a method for suppressing the acidity of a coffee beverage and a method for improving the roasted flavor, and discloses a coffee beverage that suppresses the acidity caused by organic acids contained in large amounts in lightly roasted beans, etc., by adjusting the contents of chlorogenic acids, citric acid, and quinic acid, and allows the coffee beverage to have a fragrant roasted flavor.
Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a coffee flavor composition that is highly palatable and long-lasting, and has effects such as improving aroma and flavor and masking unpleasant odors and tastes, and foods and beverages that contain the same, and also discloses a technology for adjusting a large number of various aroma components.

JP 2014-187928 A JP 2006-020526 A

The objective of the present invention is to provide a packaged coffee beverage that has good acidity and coffee flavor.

In order to produce a high-quality acidity like specialty coffee, detailed adjustments to the roasting and extraction are required for each bean, and it is said that it is difficult to generalize the manufacturing process. This is because the roasting method needs to be adjusted to suit the characteristics of each coffee bean's origin, farm, and lot. In addition, the composition of the aroma components of the coffee obtained from the roasted coffee beans varies depending on the method, and the aroma, bitterness, richness, acidity, umami, and other flavors change significantly. Therefore, it is generally not easy to consistently produce specialty coffee with a certain quality.
Furthermore, in the field of coffee beverages, when attempting to mass-produce packaged coffee beverages, such as canned coffee, it is difficult to consistently express the good acidity quality preferred by users, and when attempts are made to impart acidity, the acidity tends to be harsh and harsh, which tends to impair the coffee flavor.

Therefore, the inventor conducted extensive research and unexpectedly discovered that by adding a predetermined amount of chlorogenic acid, which is related to astringency, adjusting the content of specific aroma components within a predetermined numerical range, and setting the pH within a predetermined range in a packaged coffee beverage, it is possible to achieve a stable balance between good acidity and coffee flavor, and thus completed the present invention.
That is, the present invention includes the following aspects [1] and [2].
[1] A bottled coffee beverage having a furfuryl acetate content of 10 to 100 ppb, a linalool content of 1 to 10 ppb, a guaiacol content of 100 to 250 ppb, a chlorogenic acid content of 10 mg/100 ml or more, and a pH of 6.2 or less.
[2] A bottled coffee beverage according to the above [1], having a chlorogenic acid content of 50 mg/100 ml or less.

The present invention can provide a packaged coffee beverage with good acidity and coffee flavor.

The packaged coffee beverage of the present invention is characterized by containing furfuryl acetate, linalool, guaiacol, and chlorogenic acid in the specified contents shown below, and having a pH of 6.2 or less.
In the packaged coffee beverage, the furfuryl acetate content is 10 to 100 ppb, preferably 10 to 75 ppb, and particularly preferably 15 to 50 ppb. If the furfuryl acetate content is less than 10 ppb, the acidity may become dull, whereas if it exceeds 100 ppb, the furfuryl acetate content may be perceived as an unpleasant taste, resulting in a poor coffee flavor.
In the packaged coffee beverage, the linalool content is 1 to 10 ppb, preferably 1 to 8 ppb, and particularly preferably 1 to 5 ppb. If the linalool content is less than 1 ppb, the acidity may deteriorate, and if it exceeds 10 ppb, it may be perceived as an unpleasant taste and the quality of the coffee flavor may deteriorate.
In the packaged coffee beverage, the guaiacol content is 100 to 250 ppb, preferably 100 to 200 ppb, and particularly preferably 110 to 150 ppb. If the guaiacol content is less than 100 ppb, the coffee flavor may be weak and the quality may be poor, and if it exceeds 250 ppb, the unpleasant aftertaste may be strong.

In the packaged coffee beverage, the chlorogenic acid content is 10 mg/100 ml or more, preferably 50 mg/100 ml or less, and particularly preferably 10 to 40 mg/100 ml. If the chlorogenic acid content is less than 10 mg/100 ml, the sourness may be difficult to sense.
The method for analyzing furfuryl acetate, linalool, and guaiacol (hereinafter collectively referred to as aroma components), as well as chlorogenic acid, in the packaged coffee beverage of the present invention can be the method shown in the present embodiment described below.
The pH of the packaged coffee beverage is 6.2 or less, preferably 5.8 or less, and preferably 5.0 or more. If the pH exceeds 6.2, the sourness may be less noticeable. The pH is preferably in the range of 5.0 to 5.8, for example.
The packaged coffee beverage of the present invention contains a coffee extract. The coffee extract includes a coffee extract containing components derived from coffee beans. An example of the coffee extract is an extract obtained by extracting ground roasted beans with water or hot water. The coffee extract also includes a coffee extract obtained by concentrating the solution, and instant coffee obtained by drying the coffee extract or the coffee extract.

The method for adjusting the content of aroma components and the content of chlorogenic acid in the packaged coffee beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but for example, furfuryl acetate, linalool, guaiacol, and chlorogenic acid may be appropriately added to the coffee extract to adjust the content of these components. Alternatively, in the packaged coffee beverage of the present invention, the content of aroma components and chlorogenic acid may be adjusted by mixing multiple coffee extracts or coffee extracts obtained under various conditions and having aroma components and chlorogenic acid in various ratios. The content of chlorogenic acid may also be adjusted by appropriately changing the roasting degree of coffee beans used to obtain the coffee extract in a manner described below. The present invention can also provide a method for easily achieving both good acidity and coffee flavor in a packaged coffee beverage that is generally distributed, such as a canned or PET bottled coffee beverage.

The container into which the packaged coffee beverage of the present invention is filled is not particularly limited, and examples include PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles, PE (polyethylene) containers, PP (polypropylene) containers, glass bottles, aluminum cans, steel cans, paper containers, aluminum pouches, chilled cups, etc.

The packaged coffee beverage of the present invention may be any of the above beverages such as "coffee,""coffeebeverage,""coffee-containing soft drink,""coffee-containing carbonated drink," and "caffeine-free" as specified in the "Fair Competition Code and Enforcement Regulations for Labeling of Coffee Beverages, etc." (revised and enforced on August 19, 2019), but in the case of so-called black coffee that does not contain sugar, sweeteners, dairy products, emulsified edible oils and fats, etc., from the viewpoint of seeking the taste of specialty coffee, the improved, high-quality acidity quality and coffee feeling can be more enjoyed. The present invention can also provide a packaged coffee beverage having high-quality acidity quality and coffee feeling, and here, the high-quality acidity quality targeted in the present invention can be a refreshing, preferable acidity with a mellow (weak) acidity stimulation (edge) and no lingering aftertaste. The packaged coffee beverage of the present invention may be, for example, a specialty coffee that provides a high-quality acidity of coffee. The high-quality coffee feeling targeted in the present invention can be a coffee flavor with little unpleasant flavor, a refreshing taste, and a good balance between bitterness and acidity. In addition, the overall preference of the packaged coffee beverage of the present invention may be evaluated as a well-balanced taste by appropriately combining aspects such as the strength of the initial bitterness and sourness, the strength of the body, the strength of the aftertaste, the strength of the aroma, the strength of the sourness, the strength of the bitterness, the strength of the sweetness, and the strength of the complex taste.
The temperature of the packaged coffee beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but when it is drunk at a temperature between 4°C and 75°C, for example, a better acidity and coffee flavor can be experienced.

Here, the roasting degree of the coffee beans, which are the raw material for the above-mentioned coffee extract, is not particularly limited, but may be light to dark roasted, for example, in order to adjust the content of chlorogenic acid in the resulting coffee extract. In this case, the L value indicating the roasting degree of the roasted coffee beans may be 15 to 28. Here, the L value is a value that quantifies the surface color of coffee granules obtained by grinding the roasted coffee beans, and is an index of brightness (0 is black, 100 is white). The L value can be measured, for example, using a color difference meter (for example, model number: CR-410 manufactured by Konica Minolta, Inc.). The coffee beans used in the present invention may be Arabica or Robusta, and are not particularly limited. For example, the raw beans include beans selected from Mexico, Guatemala, Blue Mountain, Crystal Mountain, Costa Rica, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil Santos, Hawaii Kona, Mocha, Kenya, Kilimanjaro, Mandheling, and Robusta, or a mixture of these beans. The degree to which the coffee beans are ground in the present invention is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, finely ground to coarsely ground.

In the present invention, the extraction rate of the coffee extract is not particularly limited, but for example, 1 L of water may be used for extraction per 20 to 250 g of coffee beans, more preferably 50 to 150 g, and the temperature of the water during extraction may be, for example, 4 to 95° C. In addition, the extraction time of the coffee extract is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 30 to 120 minutes. In addition, the extraction method of the coffee extract in the present invention is not particularly limited, and extraction may be performed by, for example, a general drip method, immersion method, espresso method, or the like.
Here, in the packaged coffee beverage of the present invention, the soluble solids concentration in the coffee beverage may be synonymous with the Brix value. The Brix value in the present invention is, for example, preferably 0.5 to 2.0, and particularly preferably 0.7 to 1.7. The Brix value may be adjusted to a predetermined value using instant coffee, coffee extract, sugars, sweeteners, etc. The method for measuring the Brix value in the present invention may employ the method shown in the present embodiment described below.
Generally, as the soluble solids concentration in a coffee extract increases, the taste becomes stronger and the sweetness and mouthfeel become more noticeable, while the bitterness and astringency tend to become stronger, and as the extraction rate increases, the astringency tends to be more noticeable and the sourness tends to become less noticeable. Therefore, in the packaged coffee beverage of the present invention, the soluble solids concentration and extraction rate of the coffee extract contained therein may be appropriately set while taking these tendencies into consideration.

The packaged coffee beverage of the present invention may contain 10 to 130 mg/100 ml of caffeine. Since the amount of caffeine can generally be a characteristic of coffee beverages, by setting the amount of caffeine in the packaged coffee beverage of the present invention within the above range, for example, it is possible to reduce lingering bitterness and astringency without impairing the appropriate coffee flavor.
In addition to the above-mentioned coffee extract, the packaged coffee beverage of the present invention may contain one or more sugars, sweeteners, antioxidants, pH adjusters, acidulants, flavoring components, milk components, etc. Furthermore, food additives such as various nutrients, extracts, colorants, diluents, etc. may also be added within a range that does not impair the object of the present invention. In the production process of the packaged coffee beverage of the present invention, a homogenization treatment or a sterilization treatment may be added as appropriate, as necessary.

The homogenization treatment can be usually carried out using a homogenizer. The homogenization conditions are not particularly limited and can be carried out according to a conventional method.
The method of sterilization is not particularly limited, and conventional methods such as plate sterilization, tubular sterilization, retort sterilization, batch sterilization, and autoclave sterilization can be used.
The milk-containing beverage of the present invention after sterilization can be filled into containers, for example, by hot-packing the beverage into the containers and then cooling the filled containers, or by cooling the beverage to a temperature suitable for filling into containers and aseptically filling them into containers that have been previously washed and sterilized.

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples and may be modified as appropriate without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The methods for measuring or calculating the content of each component and the sensory evaluation method were as follows.
(1) Analysis method for aroma components (guaiacol, furfuryl acetate, linalool) 10 mL of the sample to be analyzed was placed in a 20 mL vial, and an internal standard was added and the vial was sealed. Each vial was shaken at 50°C for 5 minutes, and then a fiber for SPME (DVB/CAR/PDMS, Stableflex 23Ga (Gray) 50/30 μm: SIGMA-ALDRICH) was exposed to the headspace in the vial.
The volatile components were adsorbed on the fiber for 30 minutes at 50°C, then desorbed for 5 minutes at the injection port, and analyzed by GC/MS. A calibration curve was prepared by the standard addition method, and cyclohexanol was used as the internal standard.

[GC/MS analysis conditions]
GC: Agilent Technologies 7890A.
MS: 5975C manufactured by Agilent Technologies.
Column: Agilent Technologies DB-WAX UI 30 m×0.25 mm, film thickness 0.25 μm.
Constant pressure mode: 122 kPa. Injection method: splitless. Carrier gas: He.
Inlet temperature: 240° C. Transfer line: 240° C.
Oven temperature: 40 degrees (5 minutes) → 5 degrees/min → 240°C (0 minutes).
MS conditions: scan mode Quantitative ion: guaiacol m/z 124
Furfuryl acetate m/z 81
Linalool m/z 71
Cyclohexanol (internal standard) m/z 82

(2) Method for Analyzing Caffeine Content and Chlorogenic Acid Content The caffeine content (mg/100 ml) and the chlorogenic acid content (mg/100 ml) in 100 ml of the sample were measured using UHPLC (Nexera (Shimadzu Corporation), detector: PDA) under the following conditions.
Column: ZORBAX EclipsePlus C18 (Agilent Technologies, Inc.)
Column oven temperature: 45°C
Mobile phase A: ultrapure water containing 0.17% phosphoric acid Mobile phase B: methanol containing 0.17% phosphoric acid Pump flow rate: 1.2 ml/min Injection volume: 3 μl
Cell temperature control: 40°C
From each peak area, the caffeine content and chlorogenic acid content were calculated based on the area values of standard substances (caffeine: CAS 58-08-2, Wako Pure Chemical Industries, chlorogenic acid: CAS 327-97-9, SIGMA-ALDRICH).

(3) Brix Value In the present Examples and Comparative Examples, the soluble solids concentration in a coffee beverage was defined as being equivalent to the Brix value. The Brix value of the soluble solids concentration was measured using a Digital Refractometer Rx-5000 (manufactured by Atago Co., Ltd.) at 20° C.
(4) pH
The pH was measured using a pH meter.

(5) Sensory Evaluation Method A panel of five experts evaluated the beverages (20°C) of each Example/Comparative Example in two categories: "good acidity quality" and "good coffee flavor." Specifically, each category was evaluated based on the criteria shown in Tables 1 and 2 below. Comparative Example 1, in which the amount of aroma components was not adjusted, was used as a control (4 points), and scores were assigned on a 7-point scale from 1 to 7 points, and the average score (rounded to one decimal place) was used as the sensory evaluation result. There was little variation in the scores given by each panelist.
For both of the above items, a sensory evaluation result of 4 or more was deemed to be acceptable.

<Experiment 1>
40.0 g of coffee beans (from Brazil) with a specified roast level (L value 18) was used, and extracted with 1 L of hot water at 70°C. Instant Coffee A was added to the extract, and then specified amounts of sodium bicarbonate (pH adjuster) and potassium carbonate were added, and the resulting mixture was filled into a can (see Table 3 for blending amounts). The can was then subjected to retort sterilization to obtain a canned beverage, which was designated Comparative Example 1 (control). The analytical values of each component in Comparative Example 1 were as shown in Table 3.
The beverages of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Example 2 were obtained by blending and adjusting the respective aroma components of the beverage obtained in the same manner as Comparative Example 1 so that the contents of furfuryl acetate, linalool, and guaiacol were as shown in Table 3.
The results of the sensory evaluation of each of the above Examples and Comparative Examples are shown in Table 3.

It was confirmed that by adjusting the contents of furfuryl acetate, linalool, and guaiacol within the ranges specified in this invention, a coffee beverage that combines good acidity and a good coffee flavor can be obtained.

<Experiment 2>
In order to examine the effect of the chlorogenic acid content on the sensory evaluation, new beverages of Examples 4 to 6 and Comparative Examples 3 and 4 shown in Table 4 were prepared.
Coffee beans (from Brazil) with a predetermined roasting degree (L value 18 or L value 16) were used in the amount shown in Table 4, and the liquid was extracted with 1 L of hot water at 70°C. Instant Coffee A or Instant Coffee B was added as necessary in the amount shown in Table 4 so that the Brix value was 1.33, and then a predetermined amount of sodium bicarbonate (pH adjuster) and potassium carbonate were added, and the liquid was filled into a can. Note that Instant Coffee A and Instant Coffee B have different roasting degrees, A being a light roast type and B being a dark roast type. The can was subjected to retort sterilization, and the components of the canned beverage obtained were analyzed. After that, the beverages of Examples 4 to 6, Comparative Example 3, and Comparative Example 4 were obtained by blending and adjusting the respective aroma components so that the contents of furfuryl acetate, linalool, and guaiacol were each as shown in Table 4. Sensory evaluation was performed using the beverage of Comparative Example 1 as a control.
The results of the sensory evaluation of each of the above Examples and Comparative Examples are shown in Table 4.

容器詰めコーヒー飲料において、香気成分調整による酸味質の改善効果は、クロロゲン酸を本発明の範囲にて含む際に得られることが確認された。

It was confirmed that in a packaged coffee beverage, the effect of improving the acidity quality by adjusting the aroma components can be obtained when chlorogenic acid is contained within the range of the present invention.

<Experiment 3>
In order to examine the effect of pH on the sensory evaluation, new beverages of Examples 7 and 8 and Comparative Examples 5 and 6 shown in Table 5 were prepared.
40.0 g of coffee beans (from Brazil) with a predetermined roasting degree (L value 18) was used, and the liquid was extracted with 1 L of hot water at 70° C., to which instant coffee A was further added in the amounts shown in Table 5, followed by the addition of sodium bicarbonate (pH adjuster) and potassium carbonate, and the mixture was filled into a can. The can was subjected to retort sterilization to analyze the components of the canned beverage obtained, and then the respective aroma components were blended and adjusted to obtain the respective contents of furfuryl acetate, linalool, and guaiacol shown in Table 5, thereby obtaining the beverages of Examples 7 and 8, and Comparative Examples 5 and 6. Sensory evaluation was performed using the beverage of Comparative Example 1 as a control.
The results of the sensory evaluation of each of the above Examples and Comparative Examples are shown in Table 5.

香気成分調整による酸味質改善効果には、ｐＨが大きく寄与することが確認された。
以上の結果から、本発明によって、良質な酸味とコーヒー感を有する、容器詰めコーヒー飲料を提供できることが示された。

It was confirmed that pH contributes greatly to the effect of improving sourness quality by adjusting aroma components.
The above results demonstrate that the present invention can provide a packaged coffee beverage having a good acidity and coffee flavor.

Claims (2)

A packaged coffee beverage having a furfuryl acetate content of 10-100 ppb, a linalool content of 1-10 ppb, a guaiacol content of 100-250 ppb, a chlorogenic acid content of 10 mg/100 ml or more, and a pH of 6.2 or less. The packaged coffee beverage according to claim 1, wherein the chlorogenic acid content is 50 mg/100 ml or less.