JP7739243B2 - Chicken extract-containing beverage - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a beverage containing chicken extract and a method for producing the same. The present invention also relates to a method for improving the taste of a beverage containing chicken extract.

In recent years, growing health consciousness has led to a rise in interest in protein-rich foods and beverages. Chicken extract-containing beverages, which have traditionally been consumed in Asia, have particularly attracted attention as high-protein beverages, and a variety of such products are being developed, manufactured, and sold.

For example, Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 109287979 (Patent Document 1) describes a healthy and nutritious canned chicken soup containing a variety of ingredients, including traditional Chinese medicines.

Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 109287979

Chicken extract is known to have a distinctive odor (fishy, vomit-like, etc.), and attempts have been made to reduce this odor. However, because consumers tend to perceive the benefits of chicken extract from the meatiness of the chicken, it has been found that simply reducing the distinctive odor of chicken extract does not improve overall satisfaction with chicken extract. Therefore, there is a demand for novel chicken extract-containing beverages, and in particular, novel chicken extract-containing beverages that have a reduced distinctive chicken extract odor and still retain the meatiness of chicken.

After extensive research, the inventors discovered that by reducing the content of certain odorous components and adjusting the content of one or more imidazole dipeptides selected from the group consisting of anserine and carnosine within a specific range, it is possible to obtain a chicken extract-containing beverage that suppresses the odor unique to chicken extract while still retaining the texture of chicken. The present invention is based on this discovery.

The present invention provides the following beverages and methods for producing the beverages.
[1]
A chicken extract-containing beverage,
It contains one or more odorous components selected from the group consisting of trimethylamine and isovaleric acid, and the total content of the one or more odorous components is 2.7 μg/ml or less, and
A beverage comprising one or more imidazole dipeptides selected from the group consisting of anserine and carnosine, wherein the total content of the one or more imidazole dipeptides is 1.6 mg/ml or more.
[2]
The beverage according to [1], wherein the trimethylamine content is 0.2 to 2.5 μg/ml.
[3]
The beverage according to [1], wherein the content of isovaleric acid is 0.05 to 2 μg/ml.
[4]
The beverage according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the total content of the one or more odorous components is 1 to 2.4 μg/ml.
[5]
The beverage according to any one of [1] to [4], which contains anserine and carnosine.
[6]
The beverage according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the anserine content is 0.5 to 3.5 mg/ml.
[7]
The beverage according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the carnosine content is 0.1 to 2 mg/ml.
[8]
The beverage according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein the total content of anserine and carnosine is 1.7 to 4.8 mg/ml.
[9]
The beverage according to any one of [1] to [8], which is a ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage, a soft drink, a chicken soup, a jelly-like beverage, a powdered beverage, or a functional beverage.
[10]
[1] - [9] A method for producing a beverage according to any one of the above,
The method comprises blending a chicken extract obtained from chicken breast meat in an amount of 1 to 75% by weight based on the total amount of chicken extract in the beverage.
[11]
The method according to [10], comprising blending chicken extract obtained from chicken feet and joints in a weight ratio of chicken extract obtained from chicken breast meat to chicken extract obtained from chicken feet and joints of 1:0.5 to 1:10.
[12]
A method for improving the taste of a chicken extract-containing beverage, comprising:
The method comprises adjusting the total content of one or more odorous components selected from the group consisting of trimethylamine and isovaleric acid contained in the beverage to 2.7 μg/ml or less, and adjusting the total content of one or more imidazole dipeptides selected from the group consisting of anserine and carnosine contained in the beverage to 1.6 mg/ml or more.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a chicken extract-containing beverage can be provided that has the texture of chicken meat while suppressing the odor characteristic of chicken extract. According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, a chicken extract-containing beverage can be provided that has the texture of chicken meat while suppressing the odor characteristic of chicken extract. According to another preferred aspect of the present invention, a chicken extract-containing beverage is provided that further suppresses unpleasant sourness.

The present invention will be described in detail below. The following embodiments are merely examples for explaining the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention to these embodiments. The present invention can be embodied in various forms without departing from the gist of the present invention.
All documents cited in this specification, as well as published patent applications, patent publications and other patent documents, are hereby incorporated by reference.

1. Beverages One aspect of the present invention provides a chicken extract-containing beverage (hereinafter also referred to as the "beverage of the present invention"). As used herein, "chicken extract-containing beverage" refers to an orally ingestible liquid composition containing chicken extract. In some embodiments of the present invention, beverages include ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, soft drinks, chicken soup, jelly-like beverages, powdered beverages, and functional beverages. As used herein, powdered beverages refer to powdered beverages that are diluted with water or hot water to a predetermined concentration before consumption. Chicken extract-containing beverages also include compositions that are heated and consumed in a soup-like state, such as pouched soups (e.g., chicken essence or DEOC (Drip Essence of Chicken)). In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the chicken extract-containing beverage is a ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage.

A chicken extract-containing beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention contains one or more odorous components selected from the group consisting of trimethylamine and isovaleric acid, with the total content of the one or more odorous components being 2.7 μg/ml or less, and one or more imidazole dipeptides selected from the group consisting of anserine and carnosine, with the total content of the one or more imidazole dipeptides being 1.6 mg/ml or more. The beverage of the present invention is described below.

<Chicken extract>
The beverage of the present invention contains chicken extract, which is a component obtained by hot water extraction or the like using chicken meat, bones, skin, and other parts as raw materials. Chicken extract generally contains one or more imidazole dipeptides selected from the group consisting of carnosine and anserine.

In some embodiments of the present invention, when the chicken extract used in the beverage contains one or more salts of imidazole dipeptides selected from the group consisting of carnosine and anserine, the content of imidazole dipeptides in the chicken extract refers to the total amount of imidazole dipeptides and their salts.

Examples of salts of imidazole dipeptides include, but are not limited to, inorganic salts such as hydroxides, carbonates, and bicarbonates of sodium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, aluminum, and ammonia; and organic salts such as mono-, di-, or tri-alkylamine salts, such as methylamine, dimethylamine, and trimethylamine salts, mono-, di-, or tri-hydroxyalkylamine salts, guanidine salts, and N-methylglucosamine salts.

When using chicken extract in beverages in some embodiments of the present invention, the extract may be obtained by heating raw materials such as chicken meat in a liquid, or commercially available chicken extract may be used. Raw materials for the chicken extract may include chicken bones, cartilage, feet (also known as maple pulp), etc.

Commercially available chicken extracts include Brand's Essence of Chicken (BEC) (manufactured by Suntory Beverage & Food Asia Co., Ltd.), Scotch® Essence of Chicken (manufactured by Scotch Industrial Co., Ltd., Thailand), Quaker Essence of Chicken (manufactured by Standard Foods Corporation, Taiwan), SWANSON® Chicken stock and broth (manufactured by Campbell Soup Company), Drip Chicken Essence (manufactured by Eu Yan Sang International Co., Ltd., Singapore), Boned Chicken Tonic (manufactured by Eu Yan Sang International Co., Ltd., Singapore), and Boiled Essence of Chicken (manufactured by Lao Xie Zhen Co., Ltd., Taiwan). While any of these commercially available products can be used, it is preferable to use Brand's Essence of Chicken (BEC).

When the chicken extract used in beverages in some embodiments of the present invention is produced by hot water extraction of chicken meat, chicken bones, cartilage, feet, etc. (hereinafter referred to as "chicken meat, etc."), it can be produced using a commonly used method. For example, chicken extract can be produced by treating chicken meat, etc. in a solvent at high temperature under atmospheric or elevated pressure. When producing chicken extract, fat and cholesterol can be removed after crude extraction with a solvent, and the concentration can then be increased by removing excess solvent.

As used herein, chicken extract includes the liquid extract, diluted liquid extract solution, concentrate, or dry powder obtained by the above-mentioned method, as well as purified products thereof. Purified products can be obtained, for example, by subjecting chicken extract to diatomaceous earth filtration, ultrafiltration, membrane treatment, liquid separation, resin fractionation, or other fractionation processes to achieve high purification.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the amount of chicken extract (in terms of solids) in the beverage is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5% to 20% by weight. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the amount of chicken extract (in terms of solids) may be 6% to 14% by weight, 8% to 12% by weight, or 9% to 11% by weight.

<Odor components>
In some embodiments of the present invention, the beverage contains one or more odorous components selected from the group consisting of trimethylamine and isovaleric acid, and the content of the one or more odorous components is 2.7 μg/ml or less. Trimethylamine is one of the odorous components generated during the production of chicken extract and can result in a fishy odor. Isovaleric acid is also one of the odorous components generated during the production of chicken extract and can result in a vomit-like odor. For example, these odorous components can be generated during heating of chicken extract under retort conditions.

The trimethylamine content is not particularly limited as long as the total content with isovaleric acid is 2.7 μg/ml or less, and may be 0 μg/ml or below the detection limit. In some embodiments of the present invention, the trimethylamine content may be 0.2-2.5 μg/ml, 0.2-2 μg/ml, 0.2-1.5 μg/ml, 0.2-1 μg/ml, 0.2-0.8 μg/ml, 0.8-2.5 μg/ml, 0.8-2 μg/ml, 0.8-1.5 μg/ml, 0.8-1 μg/ml, 1-2.5 μg/ml, 1-2 μg/ml, or 1-1.5 μg/ml. The trimethylamine content can be measured by headspace gas chromatography using the method described in the Examples.

The content of isovaleric acid is not particularly limited as long as the total content with trimethylamine is 2.7 μg/ml or less, and may be 0 μg/ml or below the detection limit. In some embodiments of the present invention, the content of isovaleric acid may be 0.05-2 μg/ml, 0.05-1.5 μg/ml, 0.05-1 μg/ml, 0.05-0.09 μg/ml, 0.05-0.08 μg/ml, 0.01-0.2 μg/ml, 0.01-0.15 μg/ml, 0.01-0.13 μg/ml, 0.01-0.12 μg/ml, 0.01-0.1 μg/ml, or 0.01-0.08 μg/ml. The content of isovaleric acid can be measured by headspace gas chromatography using the method described in the Examples.

The total content of one or more odorous components selected from the group consisting of trimethylamine and isovaleric acid is not particularly limited as long as it is 2.7 μg/ml or less, but may be in the range of 0.1 to 2.4 μg/ml, 0.1 to 2.2 μg/ml, 0.1 to 2 μg/ml, 0.1 to 1.8 μg/ml, 0.3 to 2.4 μg/ml, 0.3 to 2.2 μg/ml, 0.3 to 2 μg/ml, 0.3 to 1.8 μg/ml, 0.5 to 2.4 μg/ml, 0.5 to 2.2 μg/ml, 0.5 to 2 μg/ml, 0.5 to 1.8 μg/ml The total content may be 0.8-2.4 μg/ml, 0.8-2.2 μg/ml, 0.8-2 μg/ml, 0.8-1.8 μg/ml, 1-2.4 μg/ml, 1-2.2 μg/ml, 1-2 μg/ml, 1-1.8 μg/ml, 1.2-2.4 μg/ml, 1.2-2.3 μg/ml, 1.2-2.2 μg/ml, 1.2-2 μg/ml, or 1.2-1.8 μg/ml. The total content can be measured by headspace gas chromatography using the method described in the Examples.

<Anserine and Carnosine>
In some embodiments of the present invention, the beverage contains one or more imidazole dipeptides selected from the group consisting of anserine and carnosine. Imidazole dipeptides are a general term for dipeptides whose constituent is a histidine with an imidazole ring (Yanagiuchi, Nobuya, Journal of the Japanese Society of Food Chemical Technology, 2014, Vol. 61, No. 1, p. 45). Here, imidazole is a type of five-membered aromatic heterocyclic compound, a nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocyclic compound having nitrogen atoms at the first and third positions.

The inventors surprisingly discovered that by setting the total content of one or more odorous components selected from the group consisting of trimethylamine and isovaleric acid within a predetermined range and setting the content of one or more imidazole dipeptides selected from the group consisting of anserine and carnosine to a predetermined amount or more, it is possible to provide a chicken extract-containing beverage that has the texture of chicken while suppressing the odors characteristic of chicken extract (fishy odor, vomit odor, etc.). In a preferred embodiment, by setting the content of one or more imidazole dipeptides selected from the group consisting of anserine and carnosine within a predetermined range, the unpleasant sourness can be further suppressed.

There are various types of imidazole dipeptides, and imidazole dipeptides other than anserine and carnosine may be included. For example, one or more imidazole dipeptides selected from balenine, homoanserine, and homocarnosine may be further included. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the beverage contains anserine and carnosine.

The imidazole dipeptide used in beverages in some embodiments of the present invention may be obtained by extraction with an aqueous solvent from a material containing imidazole dipeptide (e.g., fish meat) or by chemical synthesis, and its origin and raw materials are not particularly limited. Imidazole dipeptide can be obtained, for example, from fish meat such as tuna, bonito, and salmon, as well as beef, pork, and chicken. Mammals such as pigs and cows contain a large amount of carnosine, while aquatic mammals contain carnosine and balenine in a ratio of approximately 1:2. In birds, the ratio of carnosine and anserine is 1:3. It is said that in large fish, anserine is almost exclusively present (Yanagiuchi, Nobuya, Journal of the Japanese Society of Food and Chemical Technology, 2014, Vol. 61, No. 1, p. 45). In the present invention, the raw material for the imidazole dipeptide can be selected depending on the desired efficacy and application.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the content of anserine contained in the beverage is not particularly limited as long as the total content with carnosine is 1.6 mg/ml or more, but is, for example, 0.5 to 3.5 mg/ml. The anserine content may be 0.5 to 3 mg/ml, 0.5 to 2.5 mg/ml, 0.5 to 2 mg/ml, 0.5 to 1.5 mg/ml, 0.5 to 1 mg/ml, 1 to 3 mg/ml, 1.5 to 3 mg/ml, 2 to 3 mg/ml, or 2.5 to 3 mg/ml. The anserine content is preferably 1.2 to 2.8 mg/ml, more preferably 1.5 to 2.5 mg/ml, and even more preferably 1.7 to 2.3 mg/ml.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the content of carnosine contained in the beverage is not particularly limited as long as the total content with anserine is 1.6 mg/ml or more, but is, for example, 0.1 to 2 mg/ml. The carnosine content may be 0.1 to 1.8 mg/ml, 0.1 to 1.6 mg/ml, 0.1 to 1.4 mg/ml, 0.1 to 1.2 mg/ml, 0.1 to 1 mg/ml, 0.2 to 1.5 mg/ml, 0.4 to 1.5 mg/ml, 0.5 to 1.5 mg/ml, 0.7 to 1.5 mg/ml, or 0.8 to 1.5 mg/ml. The carnosine content is preferably 0.5 to 1.5 mg/ml, more preferably 0.7 to 1.4 mg/ml, and even more preferably 0.8 to 1.2 mg/ml.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the total amount of anserine and carnosine contained in the beverage is 1.7 to 4.8 mg/ml. By keeping the total content of anserine and carnosine within this range, it is possible to provide a chicken extract-containing beverage that has the texture of chicken meat while suppressing the odors characteristic of chicken extract (fishy odor, vomit odor, etc.). In some embodiments of the present invention, the total amount of anserine and carnosine may be, for example, 1.7-4.5 mg/ml, 1.7-4 mg/ml, 1.7-3.5 mg/ml, 1.7-3 mg/ml, 2-4 mg/ml, 2.2-4 mg/ml, 2.4-4 mg/ml, 2.6-4 mg/ml, 2.8-4 mg/ml, 2-3.8 mg/ml, 2.2-3.8 mg/ml, 2.4-3.8 mg/ml, 2.6-3.8 mg/ml, 2.8-3.8 mg/ml, 2-3.5 mg/ml, 2.2-3.5 mg/ml, 2.4-3.5 mg/ml, 2.6-3.5 mg/ml, or 2.8-3.5 mg/ml. The total content of anserine and carnosine is preferably 1.8 to 4.2 mg/ml, more preferably 2 to 4 mg/ml, and even more preferably 2.4 to 3.5 mg/ml.

The content of imidazole dipeptides such as anserine and carnosine can be determined by measuring with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), but if the content can be calculated from the blended amount, it may also be determined from the blended amount. When measuring with HPLC, the measurement conditions can be determined using the standard measurement method of the analyzer. When measuring with HPLC, an ion exchange column (e.g., 300SCX (dimensions: 4.6 x 250 mm, particle size: 5 μm)) can be used.

Other ingredients and properties
Beverages according to some embodiments of the present invention contain water, which is not particularly limited and may be any type of water as long as it does not adversely affect the flavor, including, for example, tap water, ion-exchanged water, softened water, distilled water, carbonated water, reverse osmosis water (RO water), activated carbon-treated water, purified water, and demineralized water.

The pH of beverages according to some embodiments of the present invention may preferably be 4 to 7, 4.5 to 7, 5 to 7, 5.5 to 7, 6 to 7, 4 to 6.8, 4.5 to 6.8, 5 to 6.8, 5.5 to 6.8, 6 to 6.8, 4 to 6.6, 4.5 to 6.6, 5 to 6.6, 5.5 to 6.6, or 6 to 6.6. Adjusting the pH to within this range can achieve a pleasant taste with less sourness.

The Brix (soluble solids content) of beverages according to some embodiments of the present invention is preferably 5 to 20, more preferably 6 to 14, and even more preferably 8 to 12. The Brix (soluble solids content) of beverages can be measured using a sugar refractometer.

Beverages according to some embodiments of the present invention may contain a sweetener. The sweetener may include a low-intensity sweetener, a high-intensity sweetener, or a combination thereof. Examples of low-intensity sweeteners include glucose, sucrose (e.g., granulated sugar), fructose, maltose, oligosaccharides, high-fructose corn syrup, lactose, psicose, allose, tagatose, xylose, and ribose. Examples of high-intensity sweeteners include aspartame, neotame, advantame, sucralose, acesulfame potassium (acesulfame K), saccharin, saccharin sodium, sodium cyclamate, dulcin, disodium glycyrrhizinate, trisodium glycyrrhizinate, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, thaumatin, monellin, curculin, mabinlin, brazzein, pentadin, hernandulcin, 4β-hydroxyhernandulcin, miraculin, glycyrrhizin, rubusoside, phyllodulcin, mogroside IV, mogroside V, steviol glycosides (rebaudioside A, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside M), thaumatin, monellin, brazzein, monatin, monk fruit extract, and stevia extract.

Beverages according to some embodiments of the present invention may contain ingredients that can be added to ordinary beverages in addition to the ingredients listed above, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Such ingredients include, for example, acidulants, flavorings, vitamins, colorings, antioxidants, emulsifiers, preservatives, seasonings, extracts, pH adjusters, and quality stabilizers.

The form of the beverage container in some embodiments of the present invention is not limited, and the beverage may be packaged in a container such as a can, bottle, PET bottle, pouch, paper carton, or plastic container. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the beverage container is a portioned pouch for convenient, regular consumption. If heat sterilization is performed after packaging, the type of heat sterilization is not particularly limited, and can be carried out using conventional methods such as inversion sterilization, UHT sterilization, and retort sterilization. The temperature for the heat sterilization step is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 65 to 130°C, preferably 80 to 120°C, for 1 to 40 minutes. However, as long as a sterilization value equivalent to that under the above conditions is obtained, sterilization at an appropriate temperature for a few seconds, for example, 5 to 30 seconds, is acceptable.

Exemplary Embodiments of the Beverage of the Present Invention
Illustrative embodiments of the beverage of the present invention are shown below, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.
According to one embodiment of the present invention,
A chicken extract-containing beverage,
It contains one or more odorous components selected from the group consisting of trimethylamine and isovaleric acid, and the total content of the one or more odorous components measured by headspace gas chromatography is 2.7 μg/ml or less, and
A beverage is provided which contains one or more imidazole dipeptides selected from the group consisting of anserine and carnosine, and the total content of the one or more imidazole dipeptides is 1.6 mg/ml or more.

According to one embodiment of the present invention,
A chicken extract-containing beverage,
It contains one or more odorous components selected from the group consisting of trimethylamine and isovaleric acid, and the total content of the one or more odorous components is 0.5 to 2.4 μg/ml, and
Provided is a ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage comprising one or more imidazole dipeptides selected from the group consisting of anserine and carnosine, with the total content of the one or more imidazole dipeptides being 2 to 3.8 mg/ml.

According to one embodiment of the present invention,
A chicken extract-containing beverage,
It contains one or more odorous components selected from the group consisting of trimethylamine and isovaleric acid, and the total content of the one or more odorous components is 1 to 2.2 μg/ml, and
Provided is a ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage comprising one or more imidazole dipeptides selected from the group consisting of anserine and carnosine, with the total content of the one or more imidazole dipeptides being 2.4 to 3.5 mg/ml.

2. Beverage Manufacturing Method The present invention provides, as one aspect, the following beverage manufacturing method (hereinafter also referred to as the "manufacturing method of the present invention"). The manufacturing method of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it can produce a beverage in which the total content of one or more odorous components selected from the group consisting of trimethylamine and isovaleric acid and the total content of one or more imidazole dipeptides selected from the group consisting of anserine and carnosine are within predetermined ranges.

One example of a manufacturing method of an embodiment of the present invention is as follows. First, chicken meat or other ingredients are finely chopped, then processed in a solvent at high temperature under normal or increased pressure to decompose proteins and other components contained in the meat, converting them into relatively low-molecular-weight peptides that are easily absorbed by humans. Fat and cholesterol are removed from the resulting crude extract, and excess solvent is then removed to increase the concentration of the chicken essence. This process may be repeated multiple times. After confirming that the density, color, and nutritional value are within the desired ranges, the extract is filtered, bottled, and vacuum-packed. It is then heat-sterilized. Because the ratios of components vary depending on the part of the chicken meat used, adjusting the part of the chicken meat used can result in a chicken extract with the desired amounts of odorous components and imidazole dipeptides. For example, imidazole dipeptides such as carnosine and anserine tend to be found in higher concentrations in chicken breast. Furthermore, odorous components such as trimethylamine and isovaleric acid tend to be more prevalent when chicken extract is produced using chicken feet (near the toes). Therefore, by analyzing the amount of ingredients contained in each part and adjusting the ratio of parts used appropriately, the beverage of the present invention can be produced without excessive burden.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the manufacturing method includes incorporating chicken extract derived from chicken breast in an amount of 1 to 75% by weight based on the total amount of chicken extract in the beverage. As described above, chicken breast tends to contain large amounts of imidazole dipeptides such as carnosine and anserine, so incorporating a predetermined amount of chicken extract derived from chicken breast can adjust the amount of carnosine and anserine in the beverage. In other embodiments of the present invention, the proportion of chicken extract derived from chicken breast may be 5 to 75% by weight, 5 to 70% by weight, 5 to 65% by weight, 5 to 60% by weight, 5 to 55% by weight, 5 to 50% by weight, 10 to 75% by weight, 10 to 70% by weight, 10 to 65% by weight, 10 to 60% by weight, 10 to 55% by weight, or 5 to 50% by weight.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the manufacturing method includes blending chicken extract from chicken feet and joints with chicken extract from chicken breast meat at a weight ratio of 1:0.5 to 1:10. In this embodiment, the chicken extract from chicken feet and joints may contain only chicken extract from chicken feet, only chicken extract from chicken joints, or both. As described above, chicken breast meat tends to contain large amounts of imidazole dipeptides such as carnosine and anserine, while chicken feet and joints tend to contain relatively low amounts of imidazole dipeptides. Therefore, the amount of carnosine and anserine in the beverage can be adjusted by adjusting the ratio of chicken extract from chicken breast meat. In other embodiments of the present invention, the weight ratio may be 1:1 to 1:10, 1:2 to 1:10, 1:3 to 1:10, 1:4 to 1:10, 1:5 to 1:10, 1:0.5 to 1:4, 1:0.5 to 1:3, or 1:0.5 to 1:2.

Alternatively, the beverage of the present invention may be prepared by adding an imidazole dipeptide preparation to chicken extract. For example, a commercially available imidazole dipeptide preparation (e.g., "Imida 15" manufactured by Lytone Enterprises, anserine and carnosine purity: 15% or higher) may be added to chicken extract obtained from parts of the chicken with low anserine and carnosine contents to adjust the anserine and carnosine levels in the beverage. Chicken extract may be prepared using chicken meat or other ingredients as described above, but commercially available products may also be used. The timing of addition of each ingredient may be simultaneous or not.

In the manufacturing method of one embodiment of the present invention, the definitions of "beverage," "chicken extract," "odor components," "anserine and carnosine," and "other components and properties" are the same as those stated in the beverage section above, and the numerical values stated in the beverage section above apply as is.

3. Method for Improving the Taste of a Chicken Extract-Containing Beverage One aspect of the present invention provides the following method for improving the taste of a chicken extract-containing beverage (hereinafter also referred to as the "improvement method of the present invention"). The improvement method of the present invention can reduce the odor (fishy odor, vomit odor, etc.) specific to chicken extract in a chicken extract-containing beverage and improve the texture of chicken meat. Specifically, by adjusting the total content of one or more odor-causing components selected from the group consisting of trimethylamine and isovaleric acid contained in the chicken extract-containing beverage to a predetermined amount or less and adjusting the total content of one or more imidazole dipeptides selected from the group consisting of anserine and carnosine contained in the beverage to a predetermined amount or more, the odor (fishy odor, vomit odor, etc.) specific to chicken extract in the chicken extract-containing beverage can be reduced and the texture of chicken meat can be improved.

One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for improving the taste of a chicken extract-containing beverage, which comprises adjusting the total content of one or more odorous components selected from the group consisting of trimethylamine and isovaleric acid contained in the beverage to 2.7 μg/ml or less, and adjusting the total content of one or more imidazole dipeptides selected from the group consisting of anserine and carnosine contained in the beverage to 1.6 mg/ml or more.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the trimethylamine content in the chicken extract-containing beverage is not particularly limited, as long as the total content with isovaleric acid is 2.7 μg/ml or less, and may be adjusted to 0 μg/ml or below the detection limit. In some aspects of the present invention, the trimethylamine content may be adjusted to 0.2-2.5 μg/ml, 0.2-2 μg/ml, 0.2-1.5 μg/ml, 0.2-1 μg/ml, 0.2-0.8 μg/ml, 0.8-2.5 μg/ml, 0.8-2 μg/ml, 0.8-1.5 μg/ml, 0.8-1 μg/ml, 1-2.5 μg/ml, 1-2 μg/ml, or 1-1.5 μg/ml. The trimethylamine content can be measured by headspace gas chromatography using the method described in the Examples.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the content of isovaleric acid in the chicken extract-containing beverage is not particularly limited, as long as the total content with trimethylamine is 2.7 μg/ml or less, and may be adjusted to 0 μg/ml or below the detection limit. In some aspects of the present invention, the isovaleric acid content may be adjusted to 0.05-2 μg/ml, 0.05-1.5 μg/ml, 0.05-1 μg/ml, 0.05-0.09 μg/ml, 0.05-0.08 μg/ml, 0.01-0.2 μg/ml, 0.01-0.15 μg/ml, 0.01-0.13 μg/ml, 0.01-0.12 μg/ml, 0.01-0.1 μg/ml, or 0.01-0.08 μg/ml. The isovaleric acid content can be measured by headspace gas chromatography using the method described in the Examples.

In some embodiments of the improvement method of the present invention, the total content of one or more odorous components selected from the group consisting of trimethylamine and isovaleric acid contained in the chicken extract-containing beverage is not particularly limited as long as it is 2.7 μg/ml or less, but may be 0.1 to 2.4 μg/ml, 0.1 to 2.2 μg/ml, 0.1 to 2 μg/ml, 0.1 to 1.8 μg/ml, 0.3 to 2.4 μg/ml, 0.3 to 2.2 μg/ml, 0.3 to 2 μg/ml, 0.3 to 1.8 μg/ml, 0. The total content may be adjusted to 5-2.4 μg/ml, 0.5-2.2 μg/ml, 0.5-2 μg/ml, 0.5-1.8 μg/ml, 0.8-2.4 μg/ml, 0.8-2.2 μg/ml, 0.8-2 μg/ml, 0.8-1.8 μg/ml, 1-2.4 μg/ml, 1-2.2 μg/ml, 1-2 μg/ml, 1-1.8 μg/ml, 1.2-2.4 μg/ml, 1.2-2.4 μg/ml, 1.2-2.2 μg/ml, 1.2-2 μg/ml, or 1.2-1.8 μg/ml. The total content can be measured by headspace gas chromatography using the method described in the Examples.

In this specification, the phrase "adjusting the total content of one or more odorous components selected from the group consisting of trimethylamine and isovaleric acid contained in a beverage to 2.7 μg/ml or less as measured by headspace gas chromatography" is not particularly limited, as long as the total content of odorous components in the chicken extract-containing beverage is ultimately 2.7 μg/ml or less. Therefore, adjustment may be made by removing these odorous components from the chicken extract-containing beverage, or the amount of odorous components may be adjusted by adjusting the proportion of chicken extract added.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the anserine content in the chicken extract-containing beverage is not particularly limited as long as the total content with carnosine is 1.6 mg/ml or more, but may be adjusted to, for example, 0.5 to 3.5 mg/ml. The anserine content may also be adjusted to 0.5 to 3 mg/ml, 0.5 to 2.5 mg/ml, 0.5 to 2 mg/ml, 0.5 to 1.5 mg/ml, 0.5 to 1 mg/ml, 1 to 3 mg/ml, 1.5 to 3 mg/ml, 2 to 3 mg/ml, or 2.5 to 3 mg/ml. The anserine content is preferably 1.2 to 2.8 mg/ml, more preferably 1.5 to 2.5 mg/ml, and even more preferably 1.7 to 2.3 mg/ml.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the carnosine content in the chicken extract-containing beverage is not particularly limited as long as the total content with anserine is 1.6 mg/ml or more, but may be adjusted to, for example, 0.1 to 2 mg/ml. The carnosine content may be adjusted to 0.1 to 1.8 mg/ml, 0.1 to 1.6 mg/ml, 0.1 to 1.4 mg/ml, 0.1 to 1.2 mg/ml, 0.1 to 1 mg/ml, 0.2 to 1.5 mg/ml, 0.4 to 1.5 mg/ml, 0.5 to 1.5 mg/ml, 0.7 to 1.5 mg/ml, or 0.8 to 1.5 mg/ml. The carnosine content is preferably 0.5 to 1.5 mg/ml, more preferably 0.7 to 1.4 mg/ml, and even more preferably 0.8 to 1.2 mg/ml.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the total amount of anserine and carnosine contained in the chicken extract-containing beverage may be adjusted to 1.7 to 4.8 mg/ml. By keeping the total content of anserine and carnosine within this range, it is possible to provide a chicken extract-containing beverage that has the texture of chicken meat while suppressing odors specific to chicken extract (such as a fishy smell or vomit smell). In some embodiments of the present invention, the total amount of anserine and carnosine may be adjusted to, for example, 1.7 to 4.5 mg/ml, 1.7 to 4 mg/ml, 1.7 to 3.5 mg/ml, 1.7 to 3 mg/ml, 2 to 4 mg/ml, 2.2 to 4 mg/ml, 2.4 to 4 mg/ml, 2.6 to 4 mg/ml, 2.8 to 4 mg/ml, 2 to 3.8 mg/ml, 2.2 to 3.8 mg/ml, 2.4 to 3.8 mg/ml, 2.6 to 3.8 mg/ml, 2.8 to 3.8 mg/ml, 2 to 3.5 mg/ml, 2.2 to 3.5 mg/ml, 2.4 to 3.5 mg/ml, 2.6 to 3.5 mg/ml, or 2.8 to 3.5 mg/ml. The total content of anserine and carnosine is preferably 1.8 to 4.2 mg/ml, more preferably 2 to 4 mg/ml, and even more preferably 2.4 to 3.5 mg/ml.

In this specification, "adjusting the total content of one or more imidazole dipeptides selected from the group consisting of anserine and carnosine contained in a beverage to 1.6 mg/ml or more" is not particularly limited, as long as the total content of imidazole dipeptides in the chicken extract-containing beverage is ultimately 1.6 mg/ml or less. Therefore, this may be adjusted by adding the above-mentioned imidazole dipeptide preparation to the chicken extract-containing beverage, or the amount of imidazole dipeptide may be adjusted by adjusting the proportion of chicken extract added.

In the improvement method of one embodiment of the present invention, the terms "beverage," "chicken extract," "odor components," "anserine and carnosine," and "other components and properties" are defined in the same way as in the beverage section above.

As used herein, the term "at least" means that the number of a particular item may be equal to or greater than the recited number. Also, within this application, the term "about" means that the subject lies within a range of ±25%, ±10%, ±5%, ±3%, ±2%, or ±1% of the numerical value following "about." For example, "about 10" means a range of 7.5 to 12.5.

The present invention will be explained in more detail below using examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[Example 1]
<Examples 1-1 to 1-23>
The ingredients used in this example were: Extract A (chicken extract obtained from the feet, Brix 10), Extract B (chicken extract obtained from the breast, Brix 10), Extract C (chicken extract obtained from the feet, Brix 12), an imidazole dipeptide preparation (manufactured by Lytone Enterprises, "Imida 15," total content of anserine and carnosine: 15% or more), and water (RO water (reverse osmosis water)). The content of each component in each extract is shown in Table 1.

Extracts A, B and C were obtained by the following methods.
[Preparation method of extracts A and C]
Chicken leg parts and water were mixed in a 1:1.2 (weight basis) ratio, placed in a container, and heated in an autoclave at 125°C for 255 minutes. The resulting extract was passed through a 200-mesh sieve to remove solids. The mixture was then left overnight to separate into an oil-soluble and water-soluble layer, and the water-soluble layer was isolated. The extract was then concentrated to a Brix of 10 or higher using an evaporator. The mixture was then treated for 10 minutes at 90-95°C using a filter aid (Hyflo Super Cell) to obtain a clarified extract. Water was then added to adjust the Brix to 10, then packaged and heat-sterilized at 120°C for 8 minutes. This extract was designated Extract A. Extract C was prepared in a similar manner by adjusting the Brix to 12 or higher in the concentration process, adding water to finally adjust the Brix to 12, and then similarly sterilizing.

[Preparation method of extract B]
Chicken breast meat and water were mixed in a 1:1.2 (weight basis) ratio, placed in a container, and then heated in an autoclave at 125°C for 255 minutes. The resulting extract was passed through a 200-mesh sieve to remove solids. The mixture was then left overnight to separate into an oil-soluble layer and a water-soluble layer, and only the water-soluble layer was extracted. The extract was then concentrated to a Brix of 10 or higher using an evaporator. The mixture was then treated for 10 minutes at 90-95°C using a filter aid (Hyflo Super Cell) to obtain a clarified extract. Water was then added to adjust the Brix to 10, after which the extract was packaged and heat-sterilized at 120°C for 8 minutes. This extract was designated Extract B.

The anserine and carnosine contents in each of the obtained extracts were determined by HPLC under the following conditions.
<HPLC analysis conditions>
Equipment: High-performance liquid chromatography system equipped with a UV detector (Agilent 1100 series available from Agilent)
Column: Zorbax 300-SCX 4.6 mm ID × 250 mm, available from Agilent.
Mobile phase: 50 mM potassium dihydrogen phosphate Flow rate: 1.0 mL/min
Flow path: Channel A (50 mM potassium dihydrogen phosphate), Channel B (acetonitrile), Channel D (deionized water)
UV detector wavelength: 210 nm
Sample injection volume: 10 μL

The total anserine and carnosine content of Imida 15 was determined using the information on the Certificate of Analysis (COA), which lists the detailed content of each ingredient for each raw material batch. The total anserine and carnosine content of the Imida 15 used in this example was 158 mg/g.

The content of odorous components (trimethylamine, isovaleric acid) in each extract was measured using the following procedure.

<Headspace gas chromatography analysis>
[Analysis of trimethylamine]
The concentration of an unpleasant odor component (trimethylamine) in the headspace of a container containing chicken extract was analyzed using a Shimadzu GCMS-QP2010PLUS coupled with a headspace-solid-phase microextraction unit. An 8 mL sample was transferred to a 20 mL extraction bottle and mixed with 40 μL of internal standard (decanoic acid methyl ester, 0.05 mg/mL). The extraction bottle was sealed in a 40°C water bath for 20 minutes. Headspace-solid-phase microextraction was performed 30 minutes before injection into the GCMS.

[Analysis of isovaleric acid]
The concentration of an unpleasant odor component (isovaleric acid) in the headspace of a container containing chicken extract was analyzed using a Shimadzu GCMS-QP2010PLUS coupled with a headspace-solid-phase microextraction unit. An 8 mL sample was transferred to a 20 mL extraction bottle and mixed with 40 μL of an internal standard (decanoic acid methyl ester, 0.05 mg/mL). After acidification with 40 μL of 9 M sulfuric acid, the extraction bottle was sealed in a 40°C water bath for 20 minutes. Headspace-solid-phase microextraction was performed 30 minutes before injection into the GCMS.

A sample beverage was obtained by mixing the above ingredients according to the composition shown in Table 2. The composition of the beverage sample and the amount of each component contained are shown in Table 2. The content of each component was calculated from the amount contained in the ingredients used. The amounts of trimethylamine and isovaleric acid contained in Imida 15 and RO water were set to zero. After mixing the ingredients, water was added as needed to make a final volume of 100 ml to obtain a sample.

The taste of the sample beverages obtained using the above procedure was evaluated by four expert panelists based on the following criteria.

Before conducting the test, the panelists thoroughly discussed the above evaluation criteria. The results are summarized in Table 4. The results shown in Table 4 were obtained by reconciling the scores of four expert panelists. Furthermore, among the results obtained, those for which the worse score of the evaluation results for "meatiness" and "unpleasant fishy odor and vomit odor" was 2 or less were rated "NG." For those for which these scores were 3 or more, the values of the three sensory evaluations were added together to rank them A to D based on the total score. A total score of 13 or more was rated "A," a total score of 12 points was rated "B," a total score of 11 points was rated "C," and a total score of 10 points was rated "D." Note that even if the total score was 11 or more, those for which the sourness rating was 2 or less were rated "D."

Claims (11)

A chicken extract-containing beverage,
It contains one or more odorous components selected from the group consisting of trimethylamine and isovaleric acid, and the total content of the one or more odorous components is 2.7 μg/ml or less, and
A beverage comprising one or more imidazole dipeptides selected from the group consisting of anserine and carnosine, wherein the total content of the one or more imidazole dipeptides is 1.6 to 4.8 mg/ml, the beverage has a Brix of 5 to 20, and is chicken soup. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the trimethylamine content is 0.2 to 2.5 μg/ml. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein the isovaleric acid content is 0.05 to 2 μg/ml. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the total content of the one or more odorous components is 1 to 2.4 μg/ml. The beverage described in claim 1 or 2, containing anserine and carnosine. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the anserine content is 0.5 to 3.5 mg/ml. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the carnosine content is 0.1 to 2 mg/ml. The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the total content of anserine and carnosine is 1.7 to 4.8 mg/ml. A method for producing the beverage according to claim 1 or 2,
The method comprises blending a chicken extract obtained from chicken breast meat in an amount of 1 to 75% by weight based on the total amount of chicken extract in the beverage. The method according to claim 9, comprising blending chicken extract obtained from chicken feet and joints in a weight ratio of the chicken extract obtained from chicken breast meat to the chicken extract obtained from chicken feet and joints of 1 :0.5 to 1:10. A method for reducing the fishy odor and vomit odor peculiar to chicken extract in a chicken extract-containing beverage and improving the texture of chicken meat ,
The method comprises adjusting the total content of one or more odorous components selected from the group consisting of trimethylamine and isovaleric acid contained in the beverage to 2.7 μg/ml or less, and adjusting the total content of one or more imidazole dipeptides selected from the group consisting of anserine and carnosine contained in the beverage to 1.6 mg/ml or more.