JP7728092B2 - Carbonated drink, method for producing carbonated drink, and method for reducing saltiness of carbonated drink - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to carbonated beverages, methods for producing carbonated beverages, and methods for reducing the salty taste of carbonated beverages.

Carbonated drinks are generally known as beverages that offer a unique fizzy feeling due to the carbon dioxide gas in the drink.

Meanwhile, various soft drinks (such as sports drinks) are available on the market that are designed to prevent heatstroke by replenishing the fluids and salt lost from the body in hot environments or during sports. The "Heatstroke Prevention Labeling Guidelines" (Japan Soft Drink Association, a general incorporated association) stipulates that such soft drinks must contain a sodium concentration of at least 40-80 mg per 100 ml of beverage.

However, beverages with sodium concentrations such as those mentioned above tend to have an overly strong salty taste when consumed. Therefore, methods such as adding sugars to beverages have been adopted to make them easier to drink. However, while the addition of sugars can mask the salty taste, it also comes with the problem of making the sweetness too strong. Therefore, there is a demand for beverages that have a sufficient sodium concentration but also reduce the saltiness.

Patent Document 1 discloses a packaged carbonated beverage containing 20 to 70 mg of sodium per 100 ml of beverage, and discloses that the carbon dioxide pressure at 20°C is preferably 1.0 to 3.5 kgf/cm ² , more preferably 1.2 to 3.3 kgf/cm ² , and even more preferably 1.5 to 2.5 kgf/cm ² .
Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a beverage containing citric acid and phosphoric acid and/or lactic acid, having a sodium concentration of 20 mg/100 ml or more and 120 mg/100 ml or less, and a Brix value of 3.0 or less.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-201647 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-110052

The gas pressure of the carbonated beverage disclosed in Patent Document 1 is specified as a relatively low gas pressure, which is equivalent to about 2 to 3 gas volumes. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 focuses on the sodium concentration, but does not focus on the relationship between the salty taste caused by sodium and carbon dioxide pressure.
The inventors have newly focused on the relationship between the salty taste caused by sodium and carbon dioxide pressure, and have found that, assuming a sodium concentration of 30 mg/100 ml or more, the salty taste can be suppressed by setting the carbon dioxide pressure to 3.5 volumes or more, thereby producing a beverage with a good flavor.

According to the present invention,
A carbonated beverage is provided having a sodium concentration of 30 mg/100 ml or more and a carbon dioxide pressure of 3.5 gas volumes or more.

According to the present invention,
a step of adjusting the sodium concentration to 30 mg/100 ml or more;
adjusting the carbon dioxide pressure to 3.5 gas volumes or more;
A method for producing a carbonated beverage is provided, comprising:

According to the present invention,
a step of adjusting the sodium concentration to 30 mg/100 ml or more;
adjusting the carbon dioxide pressure to 3.5 gas volumes or more;
A method for reducing the saltiness of a carbonated beverage is provided, comprising:

This invention provides technology related to carbonated beverages that can replenish sufficient salt while preventing the flavor of the beverage from being impaired by saltiness.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. In this specification, the expression "a to b" in the description of a range of values means a to b, unless otherwise specified.
In this specification, "carbonated drinks" may also be referred to simply as "drinks."

<Carbonated drinks>
The carbonated beverage of this embodiment has a sodium concentration of 30 mg/100 ml or more and a carbon dioxide pressure of 3.5 gas volumes or more. This allows for sufficient salt intake while suppressing deterioration of the beverage's flavor due to its salty taste. More specifically, by suppressing the sluggish taste caused by sodium, i.e., the lingering aftertaste and full-bodied aftertaste that accompany the salty taste, deterioration of the beverage's flavor due to an overly salty taste can be suppressed.
Although the details of this mechanism are not clear, it is speculated that the physical stimulation of the carbon dioxide gas reduces the perceived saltiness, while the refreshing flavor of the carbon dioxide gas maintains the deliciousness of the beverage.
Furthermore, the present inventors have demonstrated that, although a salty taste masking effect is readily achieved when the sugar content and acidity are relatively high, this masking effect tends to decrease when the sugar content and acidity are lowered. In contrast, the carbonated beverage of this embodiment, even when the sugar content and acidity are relatively low, can effectively suppress the loss of flavor due to saltiness while still allowing sufficient salt intake by setting the carbon dioxide gas pressure to 3.5 gas volumes or more.

[sodium]
The beverage of this embodiment has a sodium concentration of 30 mg/100 ml or more, preferably 40 mg/100 ml or more. This allows the beverage to maintain an effective salty taste suppression effect and is useful as a beverage that can supply minerals. On the other hand, the upper limit of the sodium concentration of the beverage of this embodiment is not particularly limited as a beverage that can supply minerals, but from the perspective of maintaining ease of drinking as a beverage, it may be preferably 80 mg/100 ml or less, more preferably 70 mg/100 ml or less.

Sodium sources include sodium citrate, sodium gluconate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium hydroxide, sodium ascorbate, and sodium chloride. Of these, sodium chloride is preferred because it effectively suppresses the salty taste.

When sodium is in the form of a salt, the sodium concentration can be calculated by converting it to the free salt. The sodium content in beverages can be measured using an ICP atomic emission spectrometer or atomic absorption spectrometry.

[Carbon dioxide pressure]
The carbonated beverage of this embodiment has a carbon dioxide pressure of 3.5 gas volumes or more, preferably 3.8 gas volumes or more, more preferably 4.0 gas volumes or more, and even more preferably 4.2 gas volumes or more.
On the other hand, from the viewpoint of maintaining the palatability of the carbonated beverage and suppressing gas leakage, the carbon dioxide pressure is preferably 6.5 gas volumes or less, and more preferably 5.5 gas volumes or less.

Known methods can be used to inject carbon dioxide gas. The gas volume in a carbonated beverage can be measured by known methods. For example, it can be measured using a commercially available measuring device (Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd. gas volume measuring device GVA-700). More specifically, after a sample (carbonated beverage to be measured) is cooled to 20°C, a gas pressure gauge is attached, the stopcock is opened once to release gas (sniff), the stopcock is immediately closed and the beverage is vigorously shaken, and the pressure can be calculated from the value when the pressure becomes constant.
In this embodiment, the gas volume (carbon dioxide pressure) represents the volume of carbon dioxide dissolved in a carbonated beverage relative to the total volume of the carbonated beverage at 1 atmosphere and 20°C.

[Sugar content (Brix value)]
The sugar content (Brix value) of the beverage (at 20°C) of this embodiment can be set appropriately depending on the preference of the beverage, but in order to obtain a more pronounced salty taste suppressing effect of carbon dioxide, it is preferably 6° or less, and more preferably 5° or less. In other words, even if the sugar content of the beverage of this embodiment is 6° or less, it can provide sufficient salt supplementation while effectively suppressing the deterioration of flavor due to saltiness.
The sugar content (Brix value) can be measured, for example, by measuring the sugar refractometer reading at 20°C using a digital refractometer Rx-5000α (manufactured by Atago Co., Ltd.).
The sugar content can be adjusted, for example, by adjusting the content of sweeteners, fruit juice, and other various components described below.

[acidity]
The upper limit of the acidity of the beverage of this embodiment is preferably 0.2 g/100 ml or less, more preferably 0.15 g/100 ml or less, from the viewpoint of obtaining a more pronounced salty taste suppressing effect of carbon dioxide and improving the palatability of the beverage. In other words, even if the acidity of the beverage of this embodiment is 0.2 g/100 ml or less, the beverage can provide sufficient salt intake while effectively suppressing the deterioration of flavor due to saltiness.
On the other hand, the lower limit of the acidity of the beverage is not particularly limited and may be 0.0 g/100 ml, but from the viewpoint of obtaining a good flavor due to a moderate acidity, it is preferably 0.01 g/100 ml or more.
The acidity can be expressed as the amount of acid contained in 100 ml converted into citric acid in grams (g anhydrous citric acid/100 ml).

Specifically, the acidity of citric acid can be determined by titration using a phenolphthalein indicator and sodium hydroxide according to the following procedure.
(1) Using a stirrer, remove the carbon dioxide gas from the beverage in the usual way.
(2) Accurately weigh 5 to 15 g of the beverage into a 200 mL Erlenmeyer flask and dilute to approximately 50 mL with water.
(3) Add a few drops of 1% phenolphthalein indicator to the diluted beverage and stir.
(4) While stirring the diluted beverage solution in the Erlenmeyer flask with a magnetic stirrer, a titration test is performed by adding 0.1 M sodium hydroxide in a 25 mL burette dropwise to the beverage solution, and the endpoint of this titration test is the point at which the beverage solution in the Erlenmeyer flask remains red for 30 seconds.
(5) Calculate the citric acid acidity (%) using the following formula based on the results of the titration test.
Citric acid acidity (%) = A × f × (100/W) × 0.0064 Formula (1)
[In Equation 1, A represents the titer (mL) of 0.1 M sodium hydroxide solution, f represents the titer of 0.1 M sodium hydroxide solution, and W represents the mass (g) of the beverage sample. The value "0.0064" used in Equation 1 represents the mass (g) of anhydrous citric acid equivalent to 1 mL of 0.1 M sodium hydroxide solution.]
The titration test may be performed using a hydrogen ion concentration meter instead of the phenolphthalein indicator. In this case, the endpoint of the titration test is when the pH of the beverage solution in the Erlenmeyer flask reaches 8.1.

[Sweetness]
The sweetness of the beverage of this embodiment can be set appropriately depending on the preference of the beverage, but is preferably 2 to 20, more preferably 5 to 12, in order to obtain a more pronounced salty taste suppressing effect of carbon dioxide gas.
The term "sweetness" refers to a parameter that indicates the intensity of sweetness of each sweetener compared to sucrose, and values that can be used include those listed in, for example, "A Comprehensive Guide to Sweeteners" (published by the Sugar Refining Industry Association in May 1990), "All About Sucralose, the High-Intensity Sweetener" (published by Korin Co., Ltd. in May 2003), and "Dictionary of Beverage Terms" (published by Beverage Japan Co., Ltd. on June 25, 1999).
The sweetness of a beverage can be calculated based on the sweetness of the sweetening components listed on the container of the bottled beverage and the content of the sweetening components identified by analysis, etc. If the above method cannot be used for calculation, a trained taste sensory panelist can conduct a sensory evaluation using a standard sweetness solution to identify the concentration of a sucrose solution that has a sweetness equivalent to that of the beverage, and use that concentration as the sweetness.

[pH]
The pH of the beverage of this embodiment at 20° C. is preferably 2.8 to 4.5, more preferably 3.1 to 4.2, and even more preferably 3.3 to 4.0, which allows the beverage to maintain its deliciousness.
The pH can be measured using a commercially available pH meter, etc. The pH can be adjusted, for example, by changing the amount of the specific acid or by using a pH adjuster.

[exterior]
The beverage of this embodiment is preferably a clear beverage. In this embodiment, clear means that no insoluble matter such as suspended matter or sediment is observed in the beverage.

[Various ingredients]
The carbonated beverage of this embodiment may contain sweeteners, acidulants, flavorings, fruit juice, antioxidants, minerals other than sodium, bittering agents, antifoaming agents, nutritional fortifiers, pH adjusters, etc., which are used in ordinary beverages.

Sweeteners are used to impart sweetness and improve palatability.
Examples of sweeteners include sugars such as fructose, sucrose, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, granulated sugar, lactose, and maltose; low-intensity sweeteners such as xylitol and D-sorbitol; oligosaccharides, honey, starch syrup (maltose), sugar alcohols, and high-intensity sweeteners.
Examples of high-intensity sweeteners include aspartame, acesulfame potassium, xylitol, disodium glycyrrhizinate, saccharin, saccharin calcium, saccharin sodium, sucralose, neotame, arabinose, licorice extract, xylose, stevia, thaumatin, swingle fruit extract, rhamnose, and ribose.
These sweeteners may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

Acidulants are used to impart a sour taste and improve palatability.
Examples of acidulants include citric acid, lactic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, adipic acid, glucono-delta-lactone, gluconic acid, succinic acid, glacial acetic acid, fumaric acid, phytic acid, phosphoric acid, and salts thereof. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[Type of drink]
The beverage of this embodiment may be, for example, a non-colored beverage such as a cider beverage, a ramune beverage, a carbonated beverage containing fruit juice, a colored carbonated beverage (for example, a cola beverage or a melon soda), a non-alcoholic beer beverage, or any other beverage containing carbon dioxide, or an alcohol-containing carbonated beverage such as beer, happoshu, chuhai, or a cocktail.
In addition, from the viewpoint of preventing heatstroke, the beverage of this embodiment is preferably a non-alcoholic beverage. A non-alcoholic beverage refers to a beverage that does not substantially contain alcohol, specifically a beverage that contains less than 1.0% by volume of alcohol such as ethanol.

[container]
Examples of containers used for the beverage of this embodiment include sealed containers made of glass, paper, plastic (polyethylene terephthalate, etc.), aluminum, steel, or the like, or composite or laminated materials thereof. The type of container is not particularly limited, and examples include PET bottles, aluminum cans, steel cans, paper cartons, chilled cups, bottles, etc. From the viewpoint of allowing the beverage to be visually recognized from the outside, PET bottles are preferred.
The volume of the beverage is not particularly limited, but is preferably 100 to 2000 g, and more preferably 100 to 700 g from the viewpoint of ease of drinking.

There are no particular restrictions on the method of heat sterilization for bottled beverages, but in Japan, heat sterilization is carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Food Sanitation Act. Specific examples include UHT sterilization, which involves sterilizing the beverage at high temperature for a short period of time and then filling it into a storage container that has been sterilized under aseptic conditions, and retort sterilization, which involves filling the prepared liquid into a storage container such as a can and then retorting it.

<Method of manufacturing carbonated drinks>
The method for producing a carbonated beverage of this embodiment includes the steps of preparing a carbonated beverage having a sodium concentration of 30 mg/100 ml or more and preparing a carbonated beverage having a carbon dioxide gas pressure of 3.5 gas volumes or more. This produces a carbonated beverage that provides sufficient salt intake while suppressing deterioration of the beverage's flavor due to saltiness. Carbonated beverages can include those having the same ingredients and physical properties as those described above.

<Method for reducing the saltiness of carbonated drinks>
The method for reducing the saltiness of a carbonated beverage of this embodiment includes the steps of preparing a carbonated beverage so that the sodium concentration is 30 mg/100 ml or more and preparing the carbonated beverage so that the carbon dioxide pressure is 3.5 gas volumes or more. This results in a carbonated beverage that provides sufficient salt while suppressing deterioration of the beverage's flavor due to saltiness. Carbonated beverages can include those with the same ingredients and physical properties as those described above.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these are merely examples of the present invention, and various other configurations can also be adopted.
Below, examples of reference forms are given.
1. A carbonated beverage having a sodium concentration of 30 mg/100 ml or more and a carbon dioxide pressure of 3.5 gas volumes or more.
2. The carbonated beverage according to 1., having a sugar content of 6° or less.
3. The carbonated beverage according to 1. or 2., wherein the citric acid acidity is 0.2 g/100 ml or less.
4. The carbonated drink according to any one of 1. to 3., which contains sodium chloride.
5. The carbonated beverage according to any one of 1. to 4., which is packaged in a container.
6. A step of adjusting the sodium concentration to 30 mg/100 ml or more;
adjusting the carbon dioxide pressure to 3.5 gas volumes or more;
A method for producing a carbonated beverage, comprising:
7. A step of adjusting the sodium concentration to 30 mg/100 ml or more;
adjusting the carbon dioxide pressure to 3.5 gas volumes or more;
A method for suppressing the saltiness of carbonated drinks, comprising:

The present invention will be described below using examples and comparative examples, but the present invention is not limited to these. Unless otherwise specified, "%" represents "% by mass."

(1) Measurement of carbon dioxide pressure: "GVA-700" manufactured by Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd. was used. The operation was carried out at room temperature of 20°C.

(2) Experiment 1: Variation of sodium concentration Beverages with different sodium concentrations were obtained by mixing the ingredients shown in Table 1 while fixing the sugar content and acidity. The physical properties of each beverage are shown in Table 1.
Next, the following sensory test-1 was carried out on the obtained beverage by six trained panelists.

[Sensory evaluation-1]
Each panelist tasted the beverage (20°C) and evaluated the "saltiness" and "sluggishness" perceived during tasting on a 6-point scale, with the control being scored as 1, according to the following evaluation criteria, and the average score was calculated. The control was a salt-free beverage (Test Example 1). They also evaluated whether the saltiness was bothersome (whether it impaired the deliciousness of the beverage). The results are shown in Table 1.
"Slowness" refers to the lingering aftertaste with a salty taste and a sense of body.
Rating criteria: 6: Felt quite right; 5: Felt right; 4: Felt somewhat right; 3: Felt almost wrong; 2: Felt nothing; 1: Felt nothing at all

Experiment 1 revealed that Test Example 4, in which the sodium concentration of the beverage was 27.5 mg/100 ml, and Test Example 5, in which the sodium concentration was 39.3 mg/100 ml, produced a salty taste and a heavy feeling, indicating that higher sodium concentrations tend to produce a salty taste and a heavy feeling.

(3) Experiment 2: Fluctuation in carbon dioxide pressure A base liquid was prepared by mixing the ingredients shown in Table 2. Next, the resulting base liquid and carbonated water (pure water containing carbon dioxide) were used to adjust the carbon dioxide pressure shown in Table 2, yielding 500 ml of each carbonated beverage. The resulting carbonated beverages were immediately bottled in PET bottles. The physical properties of each carbonated beverage are shown in Table 2.
Next, the following sensory evaluation 2 was carried out using the obtained beverage. A beverage without carbon dioxide gas (Test Example 6) was used as a control. The results are shown in Table 2.

[Sensory evaluation-2]
A sensory test was conducted by seven panelists who were trained on beverages. Specifically, each panelist tasted the beverages (20°C) and evaluated the strength (presence or absence) of the "saltiness" and "heavy feeling" felt upon tasting on a 7-point scale ranging from "strongest (same as the control)" to "not felt at all," and the average score was calculated. "Heavy feeling" refers to the lingering aftertaste and body sensation associated with the saltiness.

Experiment 2 showed that Test Example 10, with a carbon dioxide pressure of 3.64 gas volumes, and Test Example 11, with a carbon dioxide pressure of 4.37 gas volumes, had a less salty taste and sluggish feeling than Test Examples 6 to 9, with lower carbon dioxide pressures.

(4) Experiment 3: Variation in sugar content The acidity and sweetness were fixed, and the ingredients shown in Table 3 were mixed to obtain beverages with different blend ratios of high fructose corn syrup and acesulfame potassium. The physical properties of each beverage are shown in Table 3.
Next, the above-mentioned sensory evaluation 2 was carried out using the obtained beverage. The beverage with the lowest sugar content (Test Example 12) was used as a control. The results are shown in Table 3.

Experiment 3 revealed that as the sugar content increases, the saltiness and sticky feeling tend to become less noticeable.
A similar trend was also observed in carbonated beverages.

(5) Experiment 4: Varying Acidity The sugar content was fixed and the ingredients shown in Table 4 were mixed to obtain beverages with different acidity. The physical properties of each beverage are shown in Table 4.
Next, the above-mentioned sensory evaluation 2 was carried out using the obtained beverages. The beverage with the lowest acidity (Test Example 16) was used as a control. The results are shown in Table 4.

Experiment 4 revealed that as the acidity increased, the saltiness and sticky feeling tended to be less noticeable.
A similar trend was also observed in carbonated beverages.

(6) Experiment 5: Influence of sugar content and acidity The beverages obtained in Experiment 3 were tasted in order of sugar content (Test Examples 12 to 15), and a sensory test was conducted by six trained panelists to determine whether the saltiness was bothersome (whether it impaired the deliciousness of the beverage).
As a result, one person answered that they did not mind the salty taste in Test Example 13, four people answered that they did not mind the salty taste in Test Example 14, and one person answered that they did not mind the salty taste in Test Example 15.
Similarly, the beverages obtained in Experiment 4 were tasted in order of decreasing acidity (Test Examples 16 to 19), and a sensory test was conducted by six trained panelists to determine whether the saltiness was bothersome (whether it impaired the palatability of the beverage).
As a result, one person answered that they did not mind the salty taste in Test Example 17, and five people answered that they did not mind the salty taste in Test Example 18.

Claims (5)

A carbonated beverage with a sodium concentration of 30 mg/100 ml or more and 80 mg/100 ml or less , a sugar content of 6° or less, a citric acid acidity of 0.2 g/100 ml or less, and a carbon dioxide pressure of 3.5 gas volumes or more at 20°C (excluding carbonated beverages containing 10 to 40 mg of caffeine and 6 to 50 mg of potassium per 100 ml). The carbonated beverage of claim 1 , which contains sodium chloride. The carbonated drink according to claim 1 or 2 , which is packaged in a container. preparing the liquor so that the sodium concentration is 30 mg/100 ml or more and 80 mg/100 ml or less , the sugar content is 6° or less, and the citric acid acidity is 0.2 g/100 ml or less ;
adjusting the carbon dioxide pressure at 20°C to 3.5 gas volumes or more;
A method for producing a carbonated beverage, including the steps of: (however, excluding a method for producing a carbonated beverage containing 10 to 40 mg of caffeine and 6 to 50 mg of potassium per 100 ml). preparing the liquor so that the sodium concentration is 30 mg/100 ml or more and 80 mg/100 ml or less , the sugar content is 6° or less, and the citric acid acidity is 0.2 g/100 ml or less ;
adjusting the carbon dioxide pressure at 20°C to 3.5 gas volumes or more;
A method for suppressing the saltiness of carbonated drinks (excluding a method for suppressing the saltiness of carbonated drinks containing 10 to 40 mg of caffeine and 6 to 50 mg of potassium per 100 ml).